The Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment (AReA) in Farsi language: A scale validation and cultural adaptation study.

People differ in their responsiveness to aesthetic experiences. It is important to understand the role of culture in such individual differences, yet existing tools for assessing aesthetic responsiveness largely focus on North American and European cultures. We created a Farsi translated and culturally adapted version of the Aesthetic Responsiveness Assessment (AReA) and evaluated its psychometric properties. Construct validity and internal consistency were evaluated in a sample of 1,586 participants. Moreover, convergent and discriminant validity were investigated using the Behavioral Avoidance/Inhibition Scales (BIS-BAS), Big Five Inventory-2, Barcelona Music Reward Questionnaire (BMRQ), and the Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS). Further, the test–retest reliability of AReA was examined for the first time in a subsample of participants (n = 160) who answered the questionnaire again after 6 months. In addition to an acceptable structural validity (comparative fit index, CFI = .905), the Farsi version of AReA showed good internal consistency. Cronbach’s α for the overall score was .848 and varied between .64 and .81 for subscales. Concerning convergent and discriminant validity, AReA subscales were positively correlated with subscales of TEPS, the Emotion Evocation subscale of BMRQ, Behavioral Avoidance, and Openness, and were unrelated to Behavioral Inhibition, Conscientiousness, and Negative Emotionality. Moreover, AReA subscales showed different patterns of correlations with other questionnaires. Finally, all subscales of AReA showed high test–retest reliability, ranging from .715 to .778. Our results confirm the validity of the Farsi version of AReA and provide a new measure of aesthetic responsiveness, useful in Farsi-speaking communities, which facilitates cross-cultural research in empirical aesthetics. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved

Effect of anti-HIV activity of novel compounds 8-phenyl-4-quinolone containing different substituents at position 3

Background and Objective: HIV treatment influences the global health and finding new compounds against HIV virus is increased. This study was done to evaluate anti-HIV activity of 8-phenyl-4-quinolone derivatives containing different substituents at position 3. Methods: In this descriptive study, single cycle replicable (SCR) HIV Virions were produced by co-transfecting HEK 293T cells with pmzNL4-3, pSPAX.2, pMD2.G plasmids. HeLa cells were infected with the SCR virions and then inhibit of virus replication by compounds were measured by p24 Antigen with ELISA kit. The cytotoxicity of these compounds on HeLa cells were measured by XTT method. Results: All compounds including NPZ_4F, NPZ-2F, NPZ-4CL and NPZ-2CL had the best inhibitory effect at a concentration of 100µM with the inhibition rate of respectively 51%, 48%, 33%, and 25%, respectively. The compounds of NPZ-4F and NPZ-2CL had negligible cellular toxicity and have inhibited HIV replication at the highest concentration. This issue can make them a valuable compound since they are better compounds in therapeutic terms, which at a suitable concentration, they have the lowest rate of cellular toxicity and highest power to inhibit HIV replication. Conclusion: Novel compounds derived from 8-phenyl-4-quinolone containing different substituents at position 3 can prevent HIV replication which is capable of high anti-viral and low cellular toxicity and suitable candidates for further investigation in antiviral studies

Assessment of Indoor Airborne Pollutants of Beam Rolling Mills Factory

Air pollutants from iron and steel making operations have historically been an environmental concern. The factory located at Ahwaz, Iran, has two production lines namely, 630 and 650, which produce iron parallel edge. The objective of the study is to determine indoor respiratory particulate matter (RPM) and FeO concentrations and their comparison with NIOSH standards. This is a cross–sectional study of personnel working in different environmental conditions. There were significant differences in mean concentrations of RPM (P< 0.05) in line 650 but not in line 630 as compared to NOISH standard (3 mg/m3). The FeO concentrations in line 630 and 650 are significantly lower than the NIOSH standard (5 mg/m3). There is maximum FeO concentration in station 7 (0.8 mg/ m3), due to remains of iron on the billets. In other words, after cutting the beam by saws, carried out with water pressure of 150 Bar and immersing in cooling beds, the temperature decreases from 550°C to 150°C. As the result, airborne iron oxide concentrations decrease in the respiratory air zone of workers. There is maximum RPM concentration in station of Billet rejecter for line 630 (7.645 mg/m3), because this station carries out peel action on metal. The primary form of RPM is not directly related to the iron handling but may be related to improper ventilation and exhaust system

Assessment of Welders Exposure to Carcinogen Metals from Manual Metal Arc Welding in Gas Transmission Pipelines, Iran

Background: Welding can produce dangerous fumes containing various metals especially carcinogenic ones. Occupational exposure to welding fumes is associated with lung cancer. Therefore, welders in Gas Transmission Pipelines are known as a high-risk group. This study was designed to determinate the amounts of metals Cr, Ni, and Cd in breathing zone and urine of welders and to assess the possibility of introducing urinary metals as a biomarker due to occupational exposure.Methods: In this cross sectional study, 94 individuals from Gas Transmission Pipelines welders, Iran, Borujen in 2011 were selected and classified into 3 groups including Welders, Back Welders and Assistances. The sampling procedures were performed according to NIOSH 7300 for total chromium, nickel, and cadmium and NIOSH 7600 for Cr+6. For all participants urine samples were collected during the entire work shift and metals in urine were determined according to NIOSH 8310.Results: Back Welders and Assistances groups had maximum and minimum exposure to total fume and its elements, respectively. In addition, results showed that there are significant differences (P<0.05) between Welders and Back Welders with Assistances group in exposure with total fume and elements except Ni. Urinary concentrations of three metals including Cr, Cd and Ni among all welders were about 4.5, 12 and 14-fold greater than those detected in controls, respectively. Weak correlations were found between airborne and urinary metals concentrations (R2: Cr=0.45, Cd=0.298, Ni=0.362). Conclusion: Urinary metals concentrations could not be considerate as a biomarker for welders' exposure assessment

Prevalence and risk factors associated with low back pain in Iranian surgeons

Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly occupational injury among health care professionals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of LBP in surgeons and to analyze how individual and occupational characteristics contribute to the risk of LBP. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 250 randomly selected surgeons including 112 general surgeons, 95 gynecologists and 43 orthopedists from 21 hospitals at northern Iran. A structured questionnaire including demographic, lifestyle, occupational characteristics as well as prevalence and risk factors of LBP was used. Visual analogue scale and Oswestry low back disability questionnaires were also used to assess the pain intensity and functional disability, respectively. Results: Point, last month, last six months, last year and lifetime prevalence of LBP was 39.9, 50.2, 62.3, 71.7 and 84.8, respectively. The highest point prevalence was related to the gynecologists with 44.9, and the lowest for general surgeons (31.7). Age, body mass index, smoking, general health, having an assistant, job satisfaction, using preventive strategies and years of practice were found to be correlated with the prevalence of LBP (P < .05 in all instances except for age and job satisfaction). Prolonged standing, repeated movements and awkward postures were the most prevalent aggravating factors (85.2, 50.2 and 48.4, respectively). Rest was found to be the most relieving factor (89.5). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the prevalence of LBP amongst surgeons appears to be high and highlights a major health concern. Further large scale studies, including other specialties and health professions such as physical therapy, chiropractic, and general medicine, should be performed. © 2011 National University of Health Sciences