The Investigation of Psychometric Properties (Validity and Reliability Reassessment) of WHO QOL-BREF Questionnaire in Shahrekord Cohort Study

Background and aims: The purpose of this study was to revalidate the Persian version of the WHO quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF) instrument to determine the quality of life status in the Shahrekord Cohort Study (SCS) in the southwest of Iran. This study was designed to serve as one of the sources of the Prospective Epidemiological Research Studies in Iran. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 2000 people were randomly selected from the study population of the SCS. The reliability and internal consistency of the WHOQOL-BREF were measured using Cronbach alpha coefficient and Pearson’s correlation. construct validity and factors measured using Pearson’s correlation matrices with each of its domains. To measure the face, content, and construct validities, the views of the panel of experts and exploratory factor analysis were used. In addition, the validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using linear regression. Results: All domains of the questionnaire met the minimum reliability standards (Cronbach alpha and intra-class correlation >0.7), except for social relationships. The results of comparison analysis indicated that the questionnaire discriminated well between subgroups of the study samples differing in their health status. Regarding validity, the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value was 0.94 and the value of Bartlett’s test was 1699.01 (P≤0.001). Conclusion: The findings suggested that WHOQOL-BREF is a reliable and valid measure of healthrelated quality of life among SCS population. Keywords: Iran Quality of life Reproducibility Validit

Antioxidant Activity of Methanolic Extracts of Borago Officinalis, Teucrium Polium, Mentha Aquatica and Allium Taradox

Background and Aim: Free radicals and the oxidative stress they generate are implicated in a wide range of disorders in the human body. One of the important approaches to eliminate free radicals and prevent their side effects is to use natural antioxidants. Plants contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds in all their parts that give them antioxidant properties. This study aims to evaluate the antioxidant activity and phenolic content of methanolic extracts from aerial parts of some medicinal plants. Methods: Methanolic extracts from the leaves of Wild Borage (Borago officinalis), Teucrium (Teucrium polium), Water Mint (Mentha aquatica) and Wild Leek (Allium taradox) were prepared and evaluated for their free-radical scavenging capacity or their antioxidant activity. The amount of total phenolic content was determined using the folin-ciocalteu method and the amount of anti - radical activity was determined using the DPPH free radical scavenging method and determining inhibitory concentration (IC50). All experiments were performed in triplicate. Results: The obtained results and statistical analyses showed that the methanolic extracts of Borago officinalis and Teucrium polium contain high amounts of phenolic compounds and also had more free radical inhibition due to the lower IC50 values. Also, Borago officinalis had significant antioxidant activity compared to other plants. Conclusion: Our investigation indicates that Borago officinalis leaves are a promising source of natural antioxidants.    *Corresponding Author: Ali Salehi Sardoei; Email: [email protected]; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-4054-3750 Please cite this article as: Shahdadi F, Salehi Sardoei A. Free Radical Scavenging Capacity and Antioxidant Activity of Methanolic Extracts of Borago Officinalis, Teucrium Polium, Mentha Aquatica and Allium Taradox. Arch Med Lab Sci. 2023;9:1-7 (e4). https://doi.org/10.22037/amls.v9.3831

Antioxidant Activities of Traditional Plants in Qaen by DPPH Free Radical- Scavenging Assay

Background and Aim: In humans, many diseases are associated with the accumulation of free radicals. Antioxidants can scavenge free radicals and minimize their impact. Therefore, the search for naturally occurring antioxidants of plant origin is imperative. Methods: Here, we aimed to investigate the antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties of methanolic extracts from Plantago major, Asperugo procumbens, Fumaria paviflora. Methanolic extract of P. major, A. procumbens, F. paviflora leaf is a potential source of natural antioxidants and serves as an effective free radical scavenger and/or inhibitor. Hence, of P. major, A. procumbens, F. paviflora might be a good plant-based pharmaceutical product for several diseases caused by free radicals. Results: In this experiment, we examined different parts (leaf) of A. procumbens and found that methanolic extract of A. procumbens leaf, which contains large amounts of phenolic and flavonoid compounds, exhibited the highest antioxidant and free radical scavenging. A positive correlation (P-value < 0.005) was observed between phenolic content and free radical (DPPH) scavenging efficiencies. Conclusion: Methanolic extract of A. procumbens leaf is a potential source of natural antioxidants and serves as an effective free radical scavenger and/or inhibitor. Hence, A. procumbens might be a good plant-based pharmaceutical product for several diseases caused by free radicals. *Corresponding Author: Fatemeh Shahdadi; Email: [email protected]; ORCID ID: 0000-0002-7523-3429 Please cite this article as: Salehi Sardoei A, Shahdadi F. Antioxidant Activities of Traditional Plants in Qaen by DPPH Free Radical- Scavenging Assay. Arch Med Lab Sci. 2022;8:1-6 (e4). https://doi.org/10.22037/amls.v8.3500

The Effect of Participatory Teaching of Positive Thinking Skills on Nurses Communication Skills in the Emergency Department of a Teaching Hospital

Background & Objectives: Correct relationship between nurses and patients will improve the therapeutic outcomes and improve the patient's recovery process. One of the most important items in improving communication skills, as an essential part of providing nursing services, is the attitude and feedback of nurse to various phenomena and to create the necessary internal preparation for making positive changes in cognitive domain. This study aimed to investigate the effect of participatory teaching of positive thinking skills on communication skills of nurses in the emergency department of a selected hospital in Kerman city. Methods: This analytical study was an interventional study and it was conducted on 60 nurses at the selected educational hospital divided into the two groups of experimental and Control. Queendom Communication Skills Questionnaire was used for data collection. The experimental group received positive thinking skills education during 9 sessions. Independent t-test, ANOVA and single-variable covariance analysis test were used for data analysis. Data were entered into SPSS version 22. Results: Mean of total score of communication skills increased in the experimental group. Based on the post-test results, there was a significant improvement in the mean scores of listening skills, the ability to receive and send messages, emotional control, connection with decisiveness and insight into the communication process of nurses based on their group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Considering the effectiveness of teaching positive thinking skills in increasing nurses' communication skills, it is recommended to provide training for these skills from the beginning of nursing students’ education. Key¬words: Participatory Education, Positive Thinking Skills, Communication Skills, Nurses, Emergency Department, Teaching Hospital Citation: Salehi S, Hashemi F, Avaznejad N, Karami Robati F. The Effect of Participatory Teaching of Positive Thinking Skills on Nurses Communication Skills in the Emergency Department of a Teaching Hospital. Journal of Health Based Research 2018; 4(1): 63-76