An Educational Intervention on Based Information, Motivation and Behavior Skills Model and Predicting Breast Self-examination

Introduction: Breast self-examination recommend as a breast screening method in developing countries where there are limited access to other screening methods. Therefore promoting breast self-examination required to identify effective interventions and relevant factors.Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental design which carried out on 314 women 20-69 years. Sampling was conducted from April to 10 August, 2016. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection in before and after the educational intervention. Then participants were followed by phone call after one month for breast self-examination performance.We used descriptive statistical analysis (mean, standard division, frequency distribution), and also other statistical methods (Paired t-test, Pearson’s correlation and logistic regression).The data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 with considering a significant level less than 0.05.Results: There was significant difference between mean scores of information, motivation and behavior skill before and after intervention (P<0/001). After one month following 205 of women (72.2%) reported to perform breast self-examination. Pearson’s correlation showed that breast self-examination significantly correlated with information (r=.305, p=.000), motivation (r=.128, p=.031) and behavior skills (r=.161, p=.006). Also the logistic regression results demonstrated that information (p<.001, OR=1.071), motivation (p=.045, OR=.978) and behavior skills (p=.001, OR=1.033) predicted breast self- examination.Conclusions: Considering the results of this study, it appears that the use of educational interventions based on three constructs of information, motivation and behavior skills can be used to promote breast self-examination. Moreover these results can apply to improve breast self-examination among women by health care providers

Beyond the Here and Now: Experimental Studies in How Action Dynamics Reflect Complex Cognitive Processes

The aim of this dissertation is to take a journey into exploring more informative and rather continuous measures for assessing the cognitive processes experienced by humans. The traditional measures, such as Reaction Time, although incredibly helpful fail to provide any particular insight into what mental processes the participants undergo to produce a final result. In the recent years, it is becoming clear that a rich and semi-continuous set of measures is extractable from relatively implicit behaviors such as hand or eye movements. It has been shown that spatial and temporal dynamics of motor movements (i.e. action dynamics) can shed light on the progression of high-level cognitive tasks. This rich body of data could provide a nearly real-time translation of unfolding cognitive processes. Throughout this document, I present a series of studies on how action dynamics could provide a window to observe the emergence of cognitive processes involved in deception and predictive learning. These are two areas in which action dynamics have not been explored nearly enough. I utilized a novel task to test two competing hypotheses concerning the cognitive processes involved in dishonesty. Moreover, a novel paradigm was provided for testing hypothesis regarding sequential learning and the role of prediction in implicit learning. I close with a report of findings about the processes underlying deceptive behavior and predictive learning. The findings are followed by a discussion about implications of this work for the field of cognitive science and the limitations in action dynamics approach. On the one hand this work takes advantage of action dynamics to get under the hood as these complex cognitive processes unfold in the brain. On the other hand, it utilizes these cognitive phenomena to demonstrate the power of action dynamics in studying higher level complex cognitive processes

Chemical, Antioxidant and Microbial Properties of Aqueous and Alcoholic Extracts from Stigma and Petal of Saffron (Crocus Sativus L.)

Background & Objective: Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world and the extract of this valuable spice not only has valuable nutritional properties but also has various applications in food formulation. In recent years, there has been a great need for the creation of resources from medicinal plants due to the role of phytochemicals and oxidants in human health. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the chemical properties, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of stigma and petal extracts. Materials & Methods: After extract preparation with perculation method, the total phenol content of the extract was measured by Folin-Ciocalteo and the total flavonoid content was determined by aluminum chloride method. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH method. The in vitro antimicrobial activity test (zone of inhibition, Minimum inhibitory concentration, Minimum bactericidal concentration) against Staphylococcus aureus,  Salmonella Typhimurium, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes and E. coli was carried out by disk diffusion assay. Results: Comparison of chemical composition between different organs showed that the content and antioxidant activity of these compounds can vary depending on the organ. Regarding total phenolic and flavonoid contents, concerning stigma for Crocus sativus stigma were higher than petals. The antioxidant capacities of stigma were higher than petals assessed by DPPH methods. The highest antioxidant activity may be due to high phenolic contents in the stigma. The results showed that these microorganisms were highly sensitive to methanol and ethanolic extracts of saffron while they were resistant to aqueous extract. Conclusion: Our findings suggest the potential of Crocus sativus as a natural antioxidant and preservative in the food industry to prevent food oxidation and control of food pathogens

Comparing the effects of simulation-based training, blended, and lecture on the simulated performance of midwives in preeclampsia and eclampsia

INTRODUCTION: Preeclampsia is the most common medical complication in pregnancy; along with bleeding and infection, it is one of the three causes of death in pregnant women. Most of these deaths were due to delays in the diagnosis and improper midwifery management and care. On the other hand, the quality of midwifery education has a profound effect on the proper provision of services. Therefore, the present study has been done to compare the effect of simulation-, blended-, and lecture-based education on simulated midwife performance in the management of preeclampsia and eclampsia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This three-group clinical trial study was performed on 90 midwives of selected hospitals in Mashhad in 2016. Midwives were divided into three groups of simulation-, blended-, and lecture-based education using the random number table. The simulation group was trained for 6 h at the Center for Clinical Skills, the blended group was trained for 4 h by lecture, and 6 weeks through the educational website, and the lecture group was trained for 6 h through lecture. An objective structured clinical test was performed before and 2 weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 16 software and descriptive statistics, paired t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Wilcoxon and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Significance level was considered to be P < 0.05 in all cases. RESULTS: The mean score of midwives' performance was not statistically significant before education in all three groups (P < 0.05). The mean score of midwives' performance was significantly increased in all three groups 2 weeks after education (P < 0.001), and the results of intergroup comparison showed that the mean score of performance in the simulation group was significantly higher than the blended group and the lecture group (P < 0.001), and it was higher in the blended group compared to the lecture group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Education increased the midwives' simulated performance in preeclampsia and eclampsia. The performance of the management of preeclampsia and eclampsia in the simulation educational group is more than that of the blended and lecture groups, so we can use the simulation education which is a self-centered method

Cost-effectiveness of surgical excision versus Mohs micrographic surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancer: A retrospective cohort study

Background: Nonmelanoma skin cancer rates are increasing worldwide. Mohs micrographic surgery and surgical excision (SE) are the two treatment methods for this type of cancer. The current paper aims at determining and comparing the cost-effectiveness of SE and Mohs micrographic surgery. Materials and Methods: The current study has a retrospective cohort design. A number of 630 patients suffering from nonmelanoma skin cancer who at some point of time during the years 2007–2014 referred to the Al-Zahra or Seyed Al-Shohada Hospitals in Isfahan. Patients were followed up for 4 years, and then the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the two methods was calculated. Results: The average (minimum-maximum) cost of the SE and Mohs surgery methods in Iran was obtained as 18,550,170 (2335,800–260,898,262) and 12,236,890 (6488,340–41,161,700) Iranian Rial, respectively. Recurrence percentage was also reported as 7.9% and 8.7% for SE and Mohs micrographic surgery, respectively (P > 0.05). The ICER of SE in comparison with Mohs surgery was calculated as 7891,600 Iranian Rials per recurrence avoided. Conclusion: Mohs surgery is less expensive than SE, it seems like Mohs surgery is more affordable, however further studies in different populations of the country are needed

Geographic distribution of cancer cases in Isfahan province/2006-2010

Background: To facilitate analysis, interpreting and sharing cancer data and investigation spatial and geographical aspect of cancers in Isfahan province, cancer cases distribution was displayed using geographic information systems (GIS). Methods: About 118,000 cancer data, which were confirmed in national cancer registration unit were extracted. Age-specific incidence rate and age standardized rate (ASR) of cancer cases from 2006 to 2010 was calculated for Isfahan province and its different districts. Distribution of ASR was determined according to sex and age groups. Spatial maps were drawn with the help of Arc GIS version 10 (ESRI, Redland, CA, USA) software in choropleth based maps. The data are classified in GIS environment by means of quantile method. Data were described with the help of maps spatially. Results: Age standardized rate of cancers was higher in men than in women (134.58 vs. 115.4). The highest ASR was reported in the Isfahan (ASR: 133) and lowest in the Chadegan counties (ASR: 28). Different geographical distribution patterns of cancers were seen in district level. Cancer incidence was higher in the Isfahan, Lenjan, Fereidon Shahr and Falavarjan districts (134.3, 117.2, 113.5 and 111.1 respectively) among men and in Isfahan, Shahin Shahr, Lenjan and Najafabad districts (122.8, 102.3, 94 and 93 respectively) among women. The incidence rates of most cancers were lowest in the North East region of the province compared to the rest of the region Conclusions: Using GIS for visual displaying of cancers facilitated communication with the policymakers and community. This study provided hypotheses about differences in the incidence of cancer in Isfahan districts. Higher age-specific incidence rate in the Isfahan city is probably a reflection of problems in addressing the patients in cancer registration. Complementary studies are needed to evaluate lower ASR in the North East regions of the province