Psychometric Evaluation of a Persian Version of the Cardiac Depression Scale in Iranian Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Publishing Company via the DOI in this recordPurpose: The aim of this study was to validate a Persian version of the Cardiac Depression Scale (CDS) in Iranian patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). This was a methodological study. Methods: A demographic survey and the CDS were used for data collection. The CDS was forward translated from English into Persian and back translated to English. Validity was assessed using face, content and construct validity. Results: The construct validity of the scale showed two factors with eigenvalues greater than one. The Cronbach’s alpha, Theta, McDonald, and construct reliability were greater than .70. Convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs were fulfilled. Conclusions: Given the importance of mental health in risk prevention in AMI patients, the Persian CDS is a useful screening tool for detection of depression in this patient cohort

SHANK proteins limit integrin activation by directly interacting with Rap1 and R-Ras

SHANK3, a synaptic scaffold protein and actin regulator, is widely expressed outside of the central nervous system with predominantly unknown function. Solving the structure of the SHANK3 N-terminal region revealed that the SPN domain is an unexpected Ras-association domain with high affinity for GTP-bound Ras and Rap G-proteins. The role of Rap1 in integrin activation is well established but the mechanisms to antagonize it remain largely unknown. Here, we show that SHANK1 and SHANK3 act as integrin activation inhibitors by sequestering active Rap1 and R-Ras via the SPN domain and thus limiting their bioavailability at the plasma membrane. Consistently, SHANK3 silencing triggers increased plasma membrane Rap1 activity, cell spreading, migration and invasion. Autism-related mutations within the SHANK3 SPN domain (R12C and L68P) disrupt G-protein interaction and fail to counteract integrin activation along the Rap1-RIAM-talin axis in cancer cells and neurons. Altogether, we establish SHANKs as critical regulators of G-protein signalling and integrin-dependent processes

Engineered Models of Metastasis with Application to Study Cancer Biomechanics

Three-dimensional complex biomechanical interactions occur from the initial steps of tumor formation to the later phases of cancer metastasis. Conventional monolayer cultures cannot recapitulate the complex microenvironment and chemical and mechanical cues that tumor cells experience during their metastatic journey, nor the complexity of their interactions with other, noncancerous cells. As alternative approaches, various engineered models have been developed to recapitulate specific features of each step of metastasis with tunable microenvironments to test a variety of mechanistic hypotheses. Here the main recent advances in the technologies that provide deeper insight into the process of cancer dissemination are discussed, with an emphasis on three-dimensional and mechanical factors as well as interactions between multiple cell types

Anti-angiogenic therapy for cancer: Current progress, unresolved questions and future directions

Tumours require a vascular supply to grow and can achieve this via the expression of pro-angiogenic growth factors, including members of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family of ligands. Since one or more of the VEGF ligand family is overexpressed in most solid cancers, there was great optimism that inhibition of the VEGF pathway would represent an effective anti-angiogenic therapy for most tumour types. Encouragingly, VEGF pathway targeted drugs such as bevacizumab, sunitinib and aflibercept have shown activity in certain settings. However, inhibition of VEGF signalling is not effective in all cancers, prompting the need to further understand how the vasculature can be effectively targeted in tumours. Here we present a succinct review of the progress with VEGF-targeted therapy and the unresolved questions that exist in the field: including its use in different disease stages (metastatic, adjuvant, neoadjuvant), interactions with chemotherapy, duration and scheduling of therapy, potential predictive biomarkers and proposed mechanisms of resistance, including paradoxical effects such as enhanced tumour aggressiveness. In terms of future directions, we discuss the need to delineate further the complexities of tumour vascularisation if we are to develop more effective and personalised anti-angiogenic therapies. © 2014 The Author(s)

The validity and reliability of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale in a sample of hemodialysis patients

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Publishing Company via the DOI in this recordBackground and Purpose: In order to effectively evaluate self-efficacy a valid and reliable instrument is clearly required. This study was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) in hemodialysis patients. Methods: There were 202 patients who completed the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale. The face, content and construct validity were evaluated. The reliability of the scale was measured using internal consistency and construct reliability. Findings: Construct validity determined one factor. The total variance was calculated at 48.13%. The confirmatory factor for the goodness of fit indices was χ2[(27, N=202)=106.70]. All the indices confirmed that the final model was a good fit. The convergent and divergent validity of the scale were regarded as being acceptable. The reliability of the scale was calculated as being over 0.7. Conclusion: Considering the established acceptability of the psychometric properties of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, the Persian version of the scale can be reliably used for measuring self-efficacy in hemodialysis patients.This project was funded by the Psychiatric Research Center of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences

The use of text messaging for the improvement of occupational health among nurses in an intensive care unit: A clinical trial

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.The use of mobile phone text messaging has been suggested as a potential method for the modification of health-related behavior. There is limited data on the effectiveness of this method in respect of occupational health. Thus, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of text messaging on the improvement of occupational health in terms of quality of work life (QWL) and occupational stress and burnout. This experimental and clinical trial was conducted in the intensive care units (ICU) of how many hospitals in Babol, Iran, in 2015–2016. The study population consisted of all ICU nurses who had the inclusion criteria. After homogenization, the subjects were randomly divided into intervention and control groups (n = 40). The data collection tools used in this study consisted of a demographic characteristics form and the Quality of Work Life Questionnaire, Occupational Stress Inventory (Osipow), and the Geldard Burnout Questionnaire (GBI). The nurses in the intervention group received two text messages on occupational health each week for 3 months. The nurses in the control group received no intervention. QWL and occupational stress and burnout were evaluated in the two groups before the intervention, after the 3 months of intervention, and in the fourth month of intervention. The collected data were first analyzed in terms of the normality of distribution using the Shapiro-Wilk test and then using Mann-Whitney U test and the Friedman test. The participants consisted of 80 nurses in two groups. The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics before the intervention. No significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of QWL and occupational stress and burnout at the same time in the study. Mean QWL in the intervention group increased significantly compared to the control group 1 day and 1 month after the intervention (P < 0.001). Occupational stress and burnout decreased significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group 1 day and 1 month after the intervention (P < 0.001). Mobile phone text messaging, as an inexpensive and readily available method, can improve occupational health in terms of QWL and occupational stress and burnout among ICU nurses

The factor structure of the spiritual well-being scale in veterans experiencing chemical weapon exposure

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Springer Verlag via the DOI in this record.This study aimed to determine the factor structure of the spiritual well-being among a sample of the Iranian veterans. In this methodological research, 211 male veterans of Iran–Iraq warfare completed the Paloutzian and Ellison spiritual well-being scale. Maximum likelihood (ML) with oblique rotation was used to assess domain structure of the spiritual well-being. The construct validity of the scale was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Reliability was evaluated with Cronbach’s alpha, Theta (θ), and McDonald Omega (Ω) coefficients, intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), and construct reliability (CR). Results of ML and CFA suggested three factors which were labeled “relationship with God,” “belief in fate and destiny,” and “life optimism.” The ICC, coefficients of the internal consistency, and CR were >.7 for the factors of the scale. Convergent validity and discriminant validity did not fulfill the requirements. The Persian version of spiritual well-being scale demonstrated suitable validity and reliability among the veterans of Iran–Iraq warfare