The Relationship Between Nonsuicidal Self-injury and Attachment: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a major concern in public health. Two main factors (individual and environmental) cause NSSI. Studies addressing NSSI often consider it as an emotion regulation strategy. Studying NSSI within the framework of attachment theory is reasonable since the capacities to regulate emotion come into existence in the framework of attachment in the first periods of a child's growth. Primary studies addressing this topic are not frequent, and no systematic review has been conducted. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol aims to investigate the relationship between NSSI and attachment style and finding its relationship based on study design, study type, different types of attachments, and gender. METHODS: All studies on the relationship between NSSI and attachment will be included in this systematic review. We will include observational studies (cross-sectional, cohort, and case control) through searches in electronic databases via PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar as complementary search. Qualitative studies, case studies, case series, and letters to the editor will be excluded. There will be no language limitation. Moreover, there will be no limitations regarding the study participants' age, gender, nationality, sexual orientation, and psychological problems. Funnel plots were examined if 10 or more studies are included, and the Begg and Egger statistical tests were used to assess the risk of bias. All similar data will be combined through the "metan" command by Stata statistical package (StataCorp). A fixed-effects or random-effects model, considering methodological similarities or differences, will be selected to determine a combination model. RESULTS: We will summarize the selection of the eligible studies using a flowchart. The results will be presented in a table of evidence. The results of the meta-analysis will be depicted using diagrams and tables. CONCLUSIONS: It seems necessary to carry out such systematic and comprehensive meta-analysis to present a summary of the published articles in terms of the relationship between NSSI and attachment. The results from this review will be used to improve our knowledge of the role of the upbringing of children and NSSI behavior and will help design appropriate interventions to address NSSI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021226455; https://tinyurl.com/yc77wny8. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/40808.

Geometrical and physical effects of nanofillers on percolation and electrical conductivity of polymer carbon-based nanocomposites: a general micro-mechanical model.

A micro-mechanical model was developed to describe the electrical percolation and effective electrical conductivity of nanocomposites containing fillers with different shapes such as graphene nanoplatelets, carbon black, and carbon nanotubes. The fillers are considered to be an oblate or short cylindrical shape for graphene nanoplatelets, a spherical or spheroidal shape for carbon blacks, and a prolate or long cylindrical shape for carbon nanotubes. The effects of the filler shape, filler size, filler aspect ratios, the thickness of the interphase layer, the conductivity of the filler, the conductivity of the interphase layer, the conductivity of the matrix, volume fractions, quantum tunneling distance, and tunneling barrier height have been examined. This modified mean field model well describes the electrical properties of nanocomposites in the whole range of volume fractions for a variety of experimental results with various reinforcements. Also, it reproduces the very sharp behavior of the percolation transition well around the percolation threshold. The results show that nanocomposites containing fillers with an aspect ratio of 10-2 < M < 102 and a volume fraction of ϕf < 0.3 show an insulating behavior while exhibiting a metallic behavior in the ranges M < 10-2 and M > 102. This model produces variations in the percolation threshold in terms of the aspect ratio as a parabolic curve that can be used to predict the percolation threshold of nanocomposites with various fillers. The present general model can provide a new insight to design conductive polymer nanocomposites with the desired features and specific applications.

Association of IL-8 -251T>A and IL-18 -607C>A polymorphisms with susceptibility to breast cancer - a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have evaluated the association of IL-8 -251T>A and IL-18 -607C>A polymorphisms with a risk of breast cancer in different populations, but the results remain inconsistent and inconclusive. Thus, we performed this meta-analysis to explore the associations. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, SciELO, SID, and CNKI for all eligible studies published up to October 1, 2020. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the intensity of associations. RESULTS: A total of 12 case-control studies including seven studies with 2,370 cases and 2,314 controls on IL-8 -251T>A, and five studies with 900 cases and 882 con-trols on IL-18 -607C>A polymorphism were selected. Pooled data showed that IL-8 -251T>A (AT vs. TT: OR= 1.187; 95% CI 1.038-1.356; P = 0.012) and IL-18 -607C>A polymorphisms (A vs. T: OR = 1.205; 95% CI 1.055-1.377; P = 0.006; AA vs. TT: OR = 1.379; 95% CI 1.056-1.802; P = 018; and AA vs. AT+TT: OR = 1.329; 95% CI 1.053-1.678; P = 0.017) were associated with increased risk of breast cancer in overall. Moreover, when the studies were stratified by ethnicity, the IL-8 -251T>A was significantly associated with breast cancer risk in Africans. Publication bias tests provide no evidence of presence of publication bias in a meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis results revealed that the IL-8 -251T>A and IL-18 -607C>A polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to breast cancer. However, further multicenter studies with larger sample sizes in different ethnicities are required to make a better assessment of these associations.

Attachment and joint attention in infants: The role of expectation.

Previous research highlighted the correlation between parent-infant's attachment quality and joint attention skills. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship are still unclear. The aim of this study was to assess whether it is by mediating the expectation component in Internal Working Models that the quality of attachment style can affect joint attention. At first, 12- to 20-month-old infants were classified into secure and insecure groups using the Strange Situation Procedure. On a following day, using a violation-of-expectation paradigm, infants were habituated to two joint attention videos. Finally, the mean looking time duration of secure and insecure infants were compared with each other between two "divergent attention" and "joint attention" videos. Infants looked longer for divergent attention videos suggesting they did have expectation regarding the appropriate response in triadic interactions. In line with our main hypothesis, secure infants, but not insecure ones, looked longer in the divergent attention situation when an attachment-related context was present, revealing the possible mediating role of "expectations" in the correlation between attachment and joint attention.

Efficacy of Probiotic Prophylaxis After The First Febrile Urinary Tract Infection in Children With Normal Urinary Tracts.

BACKGROUND: Growing antibiotic resistance and debates over their efficacy for urinary tract infection (UTI) recurrence warrants studying nonantibiotic prophylaxis for preventing UTI recurrences. METHODS: We randomly assigned 181 children, aged 4 months to 5 years, with a normal urinary tract after recovery from their first febrile UTI in a 1:1 ratio to receive a probiotic mixture of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and Bifidobacterium lactis (n = 91) or placebo (n = 90) for a total of 18 months of therapy. The primary objective was to show the superiority of probiotic prophylaxis to placebo. The primary end point was composite cure (UTI-free survival) at 18 months, and the secondary end point was the median time to first UTI recurrence. RESULTS: The probiotics were superior to placebo with respect to the primary efficacy end point. At 18 months, composite cure was observed in 96.7% (3 of 91) of the patients in the probiotic group and 83.3% (15 of 90) of those in the placebo group (P = .02). The median time to the first incidence of UTI recurrence was 3.5 months (range, 1-4 months) and 6.5 months (range, 2-14 months) in the probiotic and placebo groups, respectively (P = .04). The main microorganism that caused recurrent UTI was Escherichia coli, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, and these results were not significantly different between the 2 groups. We found no specific adverse events among the participants who received the probiotic mixture during the course of therapy. CONCLUSIONS: The probiotics were more effective than placebo at reducing the risk of recurrent UTI in children with a normal urinary tract after their first episode of febrile UTI.

Effect of ventilation strategies and air purifiers on the children's exposure to airborne particles and gaseous pollutants in school gyms.

Indoor school gyms are environments characterized by high concentrations of different airborne particulate and gaseous pollutants. In particular, like other naturally-ventilated school environments, in addition to indoor pollutants children can be exposed to sub-micron particles and gaseous pollutants emitted by outdoor sources and penetrating the building envelope; moreover, high concentrations of super-micron particles can be reached due to the resuspension phenomena related to the physical activity performed therein. The present paper aims to evaluate the effect of different ventilation methods (natural ventilation, manual airing) and the use of air purifiers in reducing the indoor concentrations of different airborne particles and gaseous pollutants in school gyms. To this end, an experimental campaign was performed in two naturally-ventilated school gyms in Barcelona (Spain) of different volumes and different distance to major urban roads. Indoor and outdoor measurements of particle number, black carbon and PM1-10 concentrations were performed as well as indoor measurements of CO2 and NO2 concentrations. The study revealed that the use of air purifiers with windows kept closed (natural ventilation) can lead to a significant reduction in terms of indoor-to-outdoor concentration ratios. In the smaller gym (air changes per hour of the purifiers, ACH, equal to 9.2 h-1) the I/O ratios were reduced by 93% and 95% in terms of particle number and PM1-10, respectively; whereas in the larger school gym (ACH = 1.7 h-1) the corresponding reductions were 70% and 84%. For manual airing scenarios, the effect of the air purifiers on outdoor-generated sub-micron particles is reduced; in particular, for low ACH values (i.e. ACH = 1.7 h-1), the reduction is quite negligible (6%).

Airborne ultrafine particles in a Pacific Island country: Characteristics, sources and implications for human exposure.

The Pacific Islands carry a perception of having clean air, yet emissions from transport and burning activities are of concern in regard to air quality and health. Ultrafine particle number concentrations (PNCs), one of the best metrics to demonstrate combustion emissions, have not been measured either in Suva or elsewhere in the Islands. This work provides insight into PNC variation across Suva and its relationship with particle mass (PM) concentration and composition. Measurements over a short monitoring campaign provide a vignette of conditions in Suva. Ambient PNCs were monitored for 8 day at a fixed location, and mobile PNC sampling for two days. These were compared with PM concentration (TSP, PM10, PM2.5, PM1) and are discussed in relation to black carbon (BC) content and PM2.5 sources, determined from elemental concentrations; for the October 2015 period and longer-term data. Whilst Suva City PM levels remained fairly low, PM2.5 = 10-12 µg m-3, mean PNC (1.64 ± 0.02 × 104 cm-3) was high compared to global data. PNCs were greater during mobile sampling, with means of 10.3 ± 1.4 × 104 cm-3 and 3.51 ± 0.07 × 104 cm-3 when travelling by bus and taxi, respectively. Emissions from road vehicles, shipping, diesel and open burning were identified as PM sources for the October 2015 period. Transport related ultrafine particle emissions had a significant impact on microscale ambient concentrations, with PNCs near roads being 1.5 to 2 times higher than nearby outdoor locations and peak PNCs occurring during peak traffic times. Further data, particularly on transport and wet-season exposures, are required to confirm results. Understanding PNC in Suva will assist in formulating effective air emissions control strategies, potentially reducing population exposure across the Islands and in developing countries with similar emission characteristics. Suva's PNC was high in comparison to global data; high exposures were related to transport and combustion emissions, which were also identified as significant PM2.5 sources.

Airborne particles in indoor environment of homes, schools, offices and aged care facilities: The main routes of exposure.

It has been shown that the exposure to airborne particulate matter is one of the most significant environmental risks people face. Since indoor environment is where people spend the majority of time, in order to protect against this risk, the origin of the particles needs to be understood: do they come from indoor, outdoor sources or both? Further, this question needs to be answered separately for each of the PM mass/number size fractions, as they originate from different sources. Numerous studies have been conducted for specific indoor environments or under specific setting. Here our aim was to go beyond the specifics of individual studies, and to explore, based on pooled data from the literature, whether there are generalizable trends in routes of exposure at homes, schools and day cares, offices and aged care facilities. To do this, we quantified the overall 24h and occupancy weighted means of PM10, PM2.5 and PN - particle number concentration. Based on this, we developed a summary of the indoor versus outdoor origin of indoor particles and compared the means to the WHO guidelines (for PM10 and PM2.5) and to the typical levels reported for urban environments (PN). We showed that the main origins of particle metrics differ from one type of indoor environment to another. For homes, outdoor air is the main origin of PM10 and PM2.5 but PN originate from indoor sources; for schools and day cares, outdoor air is the source of PN while PM10 and PM2.5 have indoor sources; and for offices, outdoor air is the source of all three particle size fractions. While each individual building is different, leading to differences in exposure and ideally necessitating its own assessment (which is very rarely done), our findings point to the existence of generalizable trends for the main types of indoor environments where people spend time, and therefore to the type of prevention measures which need to be considered in general for these environments.

Association analysis of rs1049255 and rs4673 transitions in p22phox gene with coronary artery disease: A case-control study and a computational analysis.

BACKGROUND: The p22phox gene encodes the main subunit of NADH/NADPH-oxidase. This enzyme is expressed in smooth muscle cells of arteries, and it produces the reactive oxygen species. On the other hand, oxidative stress plays a main role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the association between rs4673 and rs1049255 polymorphisms of p22phox gene with CAD in an Iranian population which was followed with a computational analysis approach. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we collected blood samples of 302 Iranian Caucasian including 143 patients and 159 healthy controls. Genotype of the polymorphisms was detected through PCR-RFLP method. A computational analysis was also performed using SNAP, Polyphen-2, Chou-Fasman, RNAsnp, and miRNA SNP databases. RESULTS: Data of case control study demonstrated that CT genotype (R = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.13-3.00, p = 0.014) and T allele (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.09-2.15, p = 0.013) of rs4673 polymorphism, have a significant association with enhanced risk of CAD. But rs1049255 analysis demonstrated the absence of such an association with CAD. Indeed, in silico data analysis demonstrated that rs4673 transition could impact on function of p22phox protein (SNAP score 56, expected accuracy 75%; Polyphen-2 score 0.99, sensitivity 0.09, specificity 0.99). Data derived from miRNA SNP database demonstrated that rs1049255 polymorphism increases the affinity of attachment between has-miR-3689a-3b with 3'-UTR of p22phox gene. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated that rs4673 transition may be involved in susceptibility to CAD and could be applied as a potential biomarker for this disease.

A pilot study of traditional indoor biomass cooking and heating in rural Bhutan: gas and particle concentrations and emission rates.

Although many studies have reported the health effects of biomass fuels in developing countries, relatively few have quantitatively characterized emissions from biomass stoves during cooking and heating. The aim of this pilot study was to characterize the emission characteristics of different biomass stoves in four rural houses in Bhutan during heating (metal chimney stove), rice cooking (traditional mud stove), fodder preparation (stone tripod stove), and liquor distillation (traditional mud stove). Three stage measurements (before, during, and after the activity had ceased) were conducted for PM2.5 , particle number (PN), CO, and CO2 . When stoves were operated, the pollutant concentrations were significantly elevated above background levels, by an average of 40 and 18 times for PM2.5 and CO, respectively. Emission rates (mg/min) ranged from 1.07 × 102 (PM2.5 ) and 3.50 × 102 (CO) for the stone tripod stove during fodder preparation to 6.20 × 102 (PM2.5 ) and 2.22 × 103 (CO) for the traditional mud stove during liquor distillation. Usable PN data were only available for one house, during heating using a metal chimney stove, which presented an emission rate of 3.24 × 1013 particles/min. Interventions to control household air pollution in Bhutan, in order to reduce the health risks associated with cooking and heating, are recommended.

Relationship among temporary separation, attachment styles, and adjustment in first-grade Iranian children.

If mothers work outside the home, some degree of mother-child separation will be experienced and mother-child attachment will be affected. In this study, regarding the attachment styles, sociobehavioral problems in first-grade children with experience of preschool and in those taught by their mothers at-home are compared. A casual-comparative method was used to compare children in the two groups. A total of 320 first-grade children participated in the study. The study measures included a separation anxiety test, an adaptive behavior scale, and a children's symptom inventory. Data were analyzed using multivariate statistics. Secure attachment in the group with experience of preschool was significantly higher than that in the at-home group. None of the variables, including parents' education and father's income, significantly affected attachment style. Neither father's education, father's income, or attachment significantly influenced adjustment. Father's education significantly influenced children's symptoms. Attachment style and hours of preschool attendance had no effect on Child Symptom Inventory scores. Associations among age at joining preschool, attachment style, and behavioral and adaptive problems in first-grade children were nonlinear and multivariate. By taking into account parents' awareness, sensitivity, and responsiveness, relative welfare, appropriate quality of child-care centers, and having fewer hours of preschool attendance, the risk factors for early parent-child separation and institutional care can be reduced.

Factors influencing the outdoor concentration of carbonaceous aerosols at urban schools in Brisbane, Australia: Implications for children's exposure.

This comprehensive study aimed to determine the sources and driving factors of organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) concentrations in ambient PM2.5 in urban schools. Sampling was conducted outdoors at 25 schools in the Brisbane Metropolitan Area, Australia. Concentrations of primary and secondary OC were quantified using the EC tracer method, with secondary OC accounting for an average of 60%. Principal component analysis distinguished the contributing sources above the background and identified groups of schools with differing levels of primary and secondary carbonaceous aerosols. Overall, the results showed that vehicle emissions, local weather conditions and secondary organic aerosols (SOA) were the key factors influencing concentrations of carbonaceous component of PM2.5 at these schools. These results provide insights into children's exposure to vehicle emissions and SOA at such urban schools.

Epidermal growth factor receptor gene expression evaluation in colorectal cancer patients.

Background: Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of death in the world and third and fourth most common cancer among men and women in Iran respectively. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that shows over expression in epithelial tumors and regulates important processes in tumorigenesis. Incidence and characteristics of colorectal cancer are based on the geographic region and race. Aim: In this research work, the over expression of EGFR in formalin fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) colorectal cancer tumor tissue of patients was studied. Materials and Methods: Fifteen FFPE colorectal cancer tumor tissues (10 women and 5 men; 25-65 years old and stage IV) and 15 non-patients (nine women and six men; 25-65 years old) that were collected during 2006-2012. EGFR gene expression level was analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All PCR reactions were performed in triplicate for both target gene and internal control (18s ribosomal ribonucleic acid) with the 2-ΔΔCT method. Gene expression differences in patients and controls were evaluated with t-test. Results: The results were showed EGFR gene over expression in 12 (80%) of 15 patients. There was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of EGFR expression between patients and control (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Our results demonstrated EGFR gene over expression in colorectal cancer tumor tissue compared with controls.

The impact of Prader-Willi syndrome on the family's quality of life and caregiving, and the unaffected siblings' psychosocial adjustment.

BACKGROUND: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a complex multisystem genetic disorder, is characterised by developmental abnormalities leading to somatic and psychological symptoms. Symptoms of PWS include infantile hypotonia and failure-to-thrive, followed by life-long hyperphagia, developmental delays and moderate-to-severe behavioural problems and several physical problems that impact health. This study examined the effects of caring for a child diagnosed with PWS on the mothers and unaffected siblings. We assessed overall family functioning, the mothers' psychological health, the psychosocial and behavioural functioning of siblings, and the quality of life of siblings. METHODS: Participants included 12 mothers and 13 siblings of a child with genetically confirmed PWS. Self-report measures administered to the mothers evaluated overall family functioning (PedsQL - Family Impact Module), the mothers' psychological health (Brief Symptom Inventory), and the mothers' perception of the sibling's quality of life (PedsQL - Parent Proxy). Self-report measures administered to the siblings evaluated their perceived quality of life (PedsQL) and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (UCLA PTSD Index). RESULTS: Families/mothers/siblings with children with PWS showed poorer perceived quality of life compared with general inpatient and outpatient samples of children with complex health conditions. Families/mothers/siblings with children with PWS reported difficulties in family functioning, communication problems, and an increased number of conflicts. They appeared to be experiencing significant behavioural distress symptoms, with higher than average levels of depression and feelings of isolation, anger and worry. Ninety-two per cent of the siblings indicated moderate-to-severe symptoms of PTSD. Compared with normative populations, siblings demonstrated poorer quality of life, with mothers perceiving more significant deficits in the sibling. CONCLUSION: This study reaffirms that PWS affects the entire family system. Mothers and siblings would benefit from psychosocial support due to the multiple challenges of living with and caring for a child/young adult with PWS.

The effect of weight monitoring and recording on control of obesity and overweight.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is one of the dilemmas of the recent century and imposes huge costs related to its complications and diseases on people and societies. This study aims to investigate whether recording and monitoring weight and its changes can modify eating habits and therefore weight control. METHODS: This is a quasi-experimental interventional study. Seventy nine of the staff of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation (USWR) were randomly placed in two intervention (N=40) and control (39) groups. A standard weight scale and height meter was used to measure weight, height and body mass index (BMI). For the intervention group, weight was measured, recorded and announced to the participants twice a week for 3 months. For the control group, weight measurement and recording was done once in the beginning of the study and once at the end of the study. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver.11.5 and compared between groups. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the average age between the groups. Mean pre-intervention weight was 87.08±10.9 Kg and 85.83±16.44 Kg in the intervention and control groups, respectively and was not significantly different. Mean post-intervention weight was 83.5 Kg in the intervention group, which was significantly different from pre-intervention weight. Mean post-intervention weight was 86.31 Kg in the control group that was not significantly different from pre-intervention weight. CONCLUSION: Recording and monitoring weight and its changes in overweight people can affect weight control since knowledge and insight about weight may motivate people to modify their eating habits. We therefore recommend this strategy as an adjuvant to weight control programs.

Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS); reliability and validity in competitive athletes after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for the assessment of competitive athletes with higher level sports activities after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS AND MEASURES: Fifty-seven athletes (39 males and 18 females; age, 25.6 ± 3.4 years; height, 179.6 ± 7.4 cm; weight, 77.6 ± 9.8 kg) after ACL reconstruction were asked to complete the Persian KOOS and Short Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaires in the test session. To evaluate test-retest reliability, all participants filled out the KOOS and SF-36, 6-8 days after the first visit. The properties of the KOOS in terms of reliability [Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)], internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha), dimensionality (item-scale correlation) and construct validity (Spearman's rank correlation) were evaluated. RESULTS: No floor or ceiling effect was observed. The ICCs (S.E.M.s) of the KOOS subscales were: Pain 0.93 (2.2), Symptoms 0.85 (3.1), Activities of Daily Living 0.91 (2.9), Function in Sport and Recreation 0.75 (2.1) and Knee-related Quality of Life 0.89 (2.6). The Cronbach's alphas of the KOOS subscales were: Pain 0.91, Symptoms 0.75, Activities of Daily Living 0.96, Function in Sport and Recreation 0.86 and Knee-related Quality of Life 0.74. Spearman's rank correlations between the subscales of the KOOS and representative subscales of the SF-36 ranged from 0.40 to 0.79. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates the validity and reliability of the KOOS in measuring the functional status and quality of life of athletes after ACL reconstruction. This study further validates the use of the KOOS in highly competitive athletes in research on knee injuries.

Application of a novel method for optimization of bioemulsan production in a miniaturized bioreactor.

A novel and economical method was used to optimize bacterial growth and bioemulsan production. Acinetobacter calcoaceticus PTCC 1641 was applied in an innovated synthetic medium comprised whey and mineral salt medium (MSM) in ratio of 1:1 in a shaken flask bioreactor. The optimum inoculum size, shaking frequency rate and filling volume (V(L)) using ventilation flasks were investigated that resulted in 5 vol.%, 300 rpm and 15 ml), respectively. The surface tension decreased around 48% during bioemulsan production. Due to determine bioemulsan properties, the reliability of blood agar method was confirmed as well.

Reliability and validity of the Persian version of Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) to measure functional limitations in patients with foot and ankle disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To translate the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) into Persian and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of FAAM. METHODS: 93 patients with a range of foot and ankle disorders, completed the Persian version of the FAAM and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) in the test session. With an interval of 2-6 days, 60 patients filled out the FAAM in the retest session. The FAAM is composed of two subscales including activities of daily living (ADL) and SPORTS. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (s.e.m.), item internal consistency and discriminant validity using Spearman's correlation coefficient and construct validity using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Independent t-test. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.97 and 0.94 was obtained for ADL and SPORTS subscales, respectively. The ICC and s.e.m. were 0.98 and 3.13 for ADL and 0.98 and 3.53 for SPORTS subscale. Items were stronger measures of their hypothesized subscale than of other subscale. The ADL and SPORTS subscales had stronger correlation with SF-36 physical function (r=0.60, 0.53) and physical health summary measure (r=0.61, 0.48) than with SF-36 mental health (r=0.21, 0.10) and mental health summary measure (r=0.36, 0.27). A high correlation was found between FAAM scores and global scale of functional status for SPORTS (r=0.73) but not for ADL (r=0.42). FAAM scores were greater in individuals who rated their function as normal or nearly normal compared with those who rated as abnormal or severely abnormal for SPORTS (P=0.04) but not for ADL (P=0.15). CONCLUSION: The Persian version of FAAM is a reliable and valid measure to quantify physical functioning in patients with foot and ankle disorders.

Immobilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a potential aflatoxin decontaminating agent in pistachio nuts

In this study, we investigated the binding ability of Saccharomayces cerevisiae to aflatoxin in pistachio nuts. The obtained results indicate that S. cerevisiae has an aflatoxin surface binding ability of 40 percent and 70 percent (with initial aflatoxin concentrations of 10 and 20 ppb) in the exponential phase. Acid treatments increase this ability to approximately 60 percent and 73 percent for the two concentrations of aflatoxin, respectively. Heat treatments also enhance surface binding to 55 percent and 75 percent, respectively. Binding appears to be a physical phenomenon that saturates within the first 2-3 hours of the process. The obtained results indicate that yeast immobilization for toxin reduction on aflatoxin-contaminated pistachios had no effect on qualitative characteristics, such as color, texture, and peroxide value. Yeast cells, viable or nonviable, are effective for aflatoxin binding, and this property could lead to a promising solution to aflatoxin contamination in high-risk foods.

Overall, and specific life satisfaction domains: preliminary Iranian students norms.

BACKGROUND: The WHOQOL-BREF is one of the best-known instruments that have been developed for cross-cultural comparisons of quality of life and currently it is available in more than 40 languages. Current study was done to provide: (1) the psychometrics properties of the Iranian version of WHOQOL-BREF and (2) the norm scores for satisfaction with life overall and satisfaction with specific Life domains of Iranian students. METHODS: A sample of 1000 Iranian undergraduate students, (Males= 490 and Females= 510) were pooled using multi-stage random method and asked to complete the Iranian version of the WHOQOL-BREF. RESULTS: The results of current study indicated that a good internal consistency (α = 0.89) for WHOQOL-BREF (26 items) as well as four domain ratings. Our findings also showed no floor or ceiling effect for the 4 domains as well overall QOL and general health facets. Moreover, General norms for the satisfaction with life overall, general health and satisfaction with specific life domains (physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environmental support) were obtained using WHOQOL-BREF. CONCLUSION: The Iranian version of WHOQOL-BREF was deemed reliable in assessing the quality of life of a student population in Iran. Our results of calculating and presenting norm scores for satisfaction ratings can be used as preliminary Iranian students' norms for those researchers who are interested in measuring and interpreting satisfaction ratings using WHOQOL-BREF.