samaneh gholami

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) on the self-efficacy of adolescents with a history of domestic violence.

The research method was a semi-experimental design with a pre-test–post-test structure and a non-equivalent control group. The study population consisted of 69 adolescent girls, aged 14 to 18 years, who had experienced domestic violence and had a case file at the Social Emergency Center of Babol city during the second half of 2023. A total of 45 participants were selected through convenience sampling based on inclusion criteria and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of 15 participants each and one control group of 15 participants. Data were collected using the Morris Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (2001). A summary of TF-CBT sessions, adapted from Cohen (2001), consisting of 10 sessions of 90 minutes each, and a summary of ACT sessions, adapted from Hayes et al. (2004), consisting of 8 sessions of 90 minutes each, were administered to the experimental groups. No intervention was applied to the control group. Data analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with SPSS 18 software.

The findings indicated that both TF-CBT and ACT had an effect on the self-efficacy of adolescents with a history of domestic violence. However, TF-CBT was more effective than ACT in enhancing self-efficacy.

The results of this study could provide practical implications for therapists and counselors.

The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) on emotional independence in adolescents with a history of domestic violence.

Methods and Materials:

 The research method was quasi-experimental, with a pretest-posttest design and a non-equivalent control group. The statistical population of this study consisted of 69 female adolescents aged 14 to 18 years who had experienced domestic violence and had case files at the Social Emergency Service in Babol, during the second half of 2023. A total of 45 participants were selected through convenient sampling based on inclusion criteria, and were randomly assigned to two experimental groups of 15 and one control group of 15. The Emotional Independence Questionnaire by Steinberg and Silverberg (1986) was used for data collection. The summary of TF-CBT sessions, based on Kohen (2001), consisted of 10 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, and the summary of ACT sessions, based on Hayes et al. (2004), consisted of 8 sessions, each lasting 90 minutes, delivered to the experimental groups. No intervention was applied to the control group. Data analysis was performed using repeated measures analysis of variance with SPSS 18 software.

The results indicated that both TF-CBT and ACT had an effect on emotional independence in adolescents with a history of domestic violence. TF-CBT was found to be more effective than ACT in promoting emotional independence.

The findings of this study may have practical implications for therapists and counselors.

Our country is among developing countries which represent interesting in regard to corporate governance mechanisms, because operating firms in them don't follow usual norms and incomplete commodity markets, managerial intellectual capital is prolific in those countries. Therefore, our research intends to examine the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. A sample consists of 1,276 company-year observations (for 116 companies during 11 years from- 2011 to 2021. The data is extracted from audited financial statements and macroeconomic indicators are obtained from international databases (for example: The World Bank). Both categories of book value (return and asset and return on equity) and market value (Q-Tobin) performance indicators are used in this research to increase result credibility . Our findings show no relationship between board size and performance indicators (both market based and booked value based). Other findings implicate positive relationship between non-executive boards and performance. Finally, research results suggest negative adjustments in presence of institutional macroeconomic factors, some economic and institutional factors had negative adjustment in presence of ROA and ROE. Using marketbased proxy for company performance provided similar results regarding negative adjustment of institutional macroeconomic factors.

The knee is the most affected weight-bearing joint by osteoarthritis. The kinetics parameters are correlated with the progression of knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This study was done to investigate the relationship between kinetics parameters and functional tests with Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) scores in people with moderate KOA.

Twenty- three participants with moderate KOA participated in this study. Gait analysis involved the measurement of the external peak knee adduction moment (PKAM), peak knee flexion moment (PKFM), knee adduction moment impulse (KAM impulse), and knee flexion moment impulse (KFM impulse) during level walking. Functional tests included timed up and go (TUG) and figure of eight walkings (FO8W) tests. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the correlation between kinetics parameters and functional test scores with WOMAC total scores and sub-scores.

There was a significant inverse correlation between the first PKAM and WOMAC total score and pain sub-score (r=-0.43 P=0.03 and r=-0.6 P=0.002, respectively). Also, there was a significant inverse correlation between the second PKAM and pain sub-score (r=-0.46 P=0.02). There was no significant correlation between functional tests and WOMAC scores.

The low score of the WOMAC in the moderate KOA should not be attributed to the low level of joint knee moments.

Reviewing the research streams and literature shows that the ability to predict a financial crisis in past research is based on identification and examination of influential factors at company level. Although the environmental and institutional factors should be taken into account. Therefore, our research, with regard to other factors and their effects, has been examined and proved at company level, and used macroeconomic factors too. On the other hand, life cycle theory is one of most cited notions for explaining the crisis in capital markets, so we aim to test its validity in our economy too. Our study examines verification of life cycle theory in crisis prediction. Finally, the research model is tested in both pre-sanction and after-sanction time periods and results are compared with each other. Our research has been done using a sample of 122 companies during a 10-year time period from 2012 to 2022(1,220 observations). The main statistical method of our research consists of multi variable regression in a panel setting. We have used Premise statistical tests to determine the setting which our model should be estimated in. Our primary variables of interest are crises (at company level and life cycle phase). We use Z Altman and 141's Iranian Commerce Las Index as the proxy for Crisis measurement. The macroeconomic variables are captured at country level. We're aiming to compare the relationship between our variables in the pre and past sanction time period, so the model has been estimated separately in the pre and past sanction time range. Our findings show a significant relationship between both the company-level crisis and the life cycle phase. The significant reverse relationship between the company crisis and the life cycle phase (in presence of macroeconomic indicators) is valid using both crisis measures (Z Altman and 141's Iranian Commerce law). Descriptive statistics show a critical range that shows our sample of companies that are suffering from crises at company level. Also, we find that the quantity and quality of the relationship is different in pre and post-sanction time ranges, in the way that the coefficient of life cycle phase in our model is increased from .0579 (in the pre-sanction time period) to .0972 (in the past sanction time period). According to our findings, there is a negative relationship between the life cycle and a crisis. In other words, the life cycle theory is valid in Iranian companies. Furthermore, we can infer that the relationship has been boosted in the past sanction time range. The latter finding can be considered as a sign of increased explanation of life cycle theory in periods of sanction time the period. The main limitations of our research the lack of data for unlisted large companies and the shortness of the past sanction time period.

Considering the increased rate of microbial resistance to antibiotics and chemical side effects of antibiotics and antiseptics used for the treatment of periodontal disease, there is a need for an alternative antimicrobial agent with fewer complications. Medicinal herbs have recently become popular as novel antimicrobial agents. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial effects of hydroalcoholic extracts of Lawsonia inermis, Malva sylvestris, and Boswellia serrata on Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans.

Hydroalcoholic extracts of the three medicinal plants were obtained by the maceration technique and A. actinomycetemcomitans was cultured. Antimicrobial efficacy of the three medicinal plants was compared with that of 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocol using agar disc diffusion and broth microdilution techniques. All tests were repeated three times.

Hydroalcoholic extracts of all three plants had antimicrobial activity against A. actinomycetemcomitans. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of L. inermis, M. sylvestris, and B. serrata was 78.1, 156.2, and 1666 μg/mL with no significant difference between them. The MIC of CHX was 3.33 μg/mL, which was significantly higher than that of B. serrata extract.

Given that further in vivo studies confirm other properties of these extracts and their safety in terms of cytotoxicity and mutagenicity, hydroalcoholic extracts of L. inermis and M. sylvestris may be used in mouthwashes or local delivery systems to affect periodontal biofilm.

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the mediating role of identity style and identity commitment on the relationship between positive and negative perfectionism and academic performance. A sample of two hundred and seventy-three unpaid students (135 females and 138 males), aged between 14 and 18 years old (15.77±1.01 years), were selected randomly through multi-stage sampling method in Amol, Iran. All participants were asked to complete the Identity Style Inventory (ISI-3), and Positive and Negative Perfectionism Scale (PANPS). The grade-point average of students was an objective index for academic performance. Using path analysis, the results showed that positive perfectionism had positive direct effect on informative and normative identity styles, identity commitment, and academic performance. However, its direct effect on diffuse-avoidant identity style was negative. Negative perfectionism had positive direct effect on diffuse-avoidant identity style, and negative direct effect on informative identity style and identity commitment. Positive perfectionism, via mediating the informational, normative and diffuse-avoidant identity styles and commitment, had positive effect on academic performance. Negative perfectionism, via mediating the informative and diffuse-avoidant identity styles and commitment, had negative effect on academic performance.

Betatrophin is a member of the angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) family that has been implicated in both triglyceride and glucose metabolism. The physiological functions and molecular targets of this protein remain largely unknown; hence, a purified available protein would aid study of the exact role of betatrophin in lipid or glucose metabolism. In this study, we cloned the full-length cDNA of betatrophin from a human liver cDNA library. Betatrophin was expressed in the pET-21b-E. coli Bl21 (DE3) system and purified by immobilized metal-affinity chromatography and ion-exchange chromatography. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed α-helix as the major regular secondary structure in recombinant betatrophin. The production method is based on commonly available resources; therefore, it can be readily implemented.

Cyclosporine A is prescribed as an immunosuppressive agent in many diseases. One of the side effects of cyclosporine is visual disturbances and retinal damage. Different methods are available to investigate the damage to the retina, the best of which is the electroretinogram technique. In this study, the effects of cyclosporine on the retina of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were studied
In this observational study, which was a cross-sectional descriptive-analytic study, 55 patients with cyclosporine due to rheumatoid arthritis in 2012-2014 were randomly selected and subjected to electroretinography and voltage and delay phase were determined and compared with the normal range. The results were analyzed by means of statistical analysis of variance. Significant level was set at 0.05.
The average recorded voltage in ERG was 74.7 with a standard deviation of 29.79, which showed a statistically significant difference from normal value of 125 (P=0.0001). The mean recorded latency was 33.9 with a standard deviation of 3.58, which means no significant difference from normal value of 32.39 (P=0.545).
Based on the results, it is concluded that the use of cyclosporine significantly reduces the voltage recorded in the electroretinogram, but does not affect the latency phase. Therefore, patients taking this medicine should continue their treatment according to the ophthalmologist.

To assess the effect of non chemical management of weed control on forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) a field study was conducted in Varamin, Iran during 2010 crop year in a three- replicated- split factorial experiment laid out in randomized complete block design with four weeding levels (W1= one time cultivation at 3-leaf stage using a duck foot cultivator, W2= two times cultivation at 3 and 5-leaf stages using a duck foot cultivator, W3= hand weeding throughout growing season and W4= without weeding) as main plots, and two plant density levels (D1= 190000, and D2= 266000 plant ha-1) and two plant pattern levels (P1= one-row and P2= two-row) as sub plots. Weed density, weed biomass, number of leaves (NL), stem diameter (SD), number of tillers (NT), plant height (PH), leaf area index (LAI), dry matter yield (DM yield), dry matter digestibility (DMD), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), total ash (ASH), and crude fiber (CF) where measured. The results revealed that the highest weed density and biomass observed in not weeding treatment. There was not significant difference among one time cultivation at 3-leaf stage and two times cultivation at 3 and 5-leaf stages from the weed density and biomass point of view. The lowest NL, SD, and NT observed in not weeding treatment. Increasing plant density decreased DM yield, PH, SD and NL of sorghum. Two-row plant pattern showed a significant preference in comparison to one-row plant pattern from the DM yield point of view although the highest CP obtained in one-row plant pattern. The highest DMD obtained in P2D2. The highest ASH obtained in W2D2 and W2P2

Betatrophin, a novel secretory protein from liver and fatty tissues, is believed to be involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. However, its precise physiological role remains unclear. Here, we report the cloning, expression, and purification steps of mouse betatrophin in a prokaryotic system, followed by its structural analysis.

Specific cloning primers were used to amplify the coding sequence of mouse liver betatrophin. The product was cloned into pET28 and expressed in E.coli BL21 (DE3) cells. The suitability of the refolding procedure was assessed by determining secondary structures of the initial and refolded proteins using circular dichroism spectroscopy.

The polymerase chain reaction resulted in a 549 bp nucleotide sequence, encoding a 183 amino acid polypeptide, with an apparent molecular weight of 21 kDa, which was expressed in an inclusion body. Following an optimization and refolding procedure, the recombinant protein was purified by anion exchange and metal affinity chromatography. CD spectra revealed that the refolded protein has suitable configuration.

We believe that the produced betatrophin is suitable for further biochemical studies on glucose and lipid metabolism.

The Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS) is a clinical scale for measuring the degree of muscle spasticity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of the MTS in measuring poststroke knee extensor spasticity. This was a cross-sectional study performed in 2012 at a university clinic of neurological physiotherapy in Tehran, Iran, with repeated measurements. In the present study, 15 poststroke patients with a mean age of 53.8 ± 14.0 years and mean time since stroke of 40.0 ± 32.2 months participated. The knee extensor muscle spasticity was assessed using the MTS to calculate the R2-R1 as the main clinical measure. To calculate the work, an isokinetic dynamometer was used to quantify torque-angle data during passive movements at 4 speeds (60°, 120°, 180°, and 240°/sec). The linear regression was used to calculate the slope for the work-velocity data [Joule/(degree/sec)]. There were significant differences between works done by the dynamometer at four speeds; as the speed increased the work decreased (P < 0.01). Mean (standard deviation) slope for the work-velocity data was -0.76 (0.78). There was no significant correlation between the dynamic component of MTS (R2-R1) and slope for the work-velocity data. The results indicate that the MTS might not be a valid measure for assessing knee extensor muscle spasticity in this sample of patients after stroke.

To assess the effect of non chemical management of weed control on forage Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) a field study was conducted in Varamin, Iran during 2010 crop year in a three- replicated- split factorial experiment laid out in randomized complete block design with four weeding levels (W1= one time cultivation at 3-leaf stage using a duck foot cultivator, W2= two times cultivation at 3 and 5-leaf stages using a duck foot cultivator, W3= hand weeding throughout growing season and W4= without weeding) as main plots, and two plant density levels (D1= 190000, and D2= 266000 plant ha-1) and two plant pattern levels (P1= one-row and P2= two-row) as sub plots. Weed density, weed biomass, number of leaves (NL), stem diameter (SD), number of tillers (NT), plant height (PH), leaf area index (LAI), dry matter yield (DM yield), dry matter digestibility (DMD), water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), total ash (ASH), and crude fiber (CF) where measured. The results revealed that the highest weed density and biomass observed in not weeding treatment. There was not significant difference among one time cultivation at 3-leaf stage and two times cultivation at 3 and 5-leaf stages from the weed density and biomass point of view. The lowest NL, SD, and NT observed in not weeding treatment. Increasing plant density decreased DM yield, PH, SD and NL of sorghum. Two-row plant pattern showed a significant preference in comparison to one-row plant pattern from the DM yield point of view although the highest CP obtained in one-row plant pattern. The highest DMD obtained in P2D2. The highest ASH obtained in W2D2 and W2P2