Introduction: A child afflicted with facial deformities such as cleft lip and palate usually affects their parents, because of difficulties in nutrition, speech, aesthetics and social connections, and also imposing a lot of stress on them. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a happiness program on the perceived stress in the mothers of children with cleft lip and palate. Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study in which 64 mothers of children with cleft lip and palate were divided by simple random sampling into intervention and control groups (n=64). The program of happiness training was implemented within 10 sessions and the questionnaires of demographics and Cohen perceived stress were filled out prior to and two months after the last session in intervention group. Data analysis was done using SPSS Ver.13. Results: Independent t-test indicated a significant difference in the perceived stress mean score after training in the intervention and control groups. Also paired t-test indicated a significant difference in perceived stress mean score before and after training in the intervention group, but the difference was not statistically significant for the control group. Conclusion: Considering the effect of happiness program on reducing stress in the mothers of children with cleft lip and palate, it is recommended that this model can be used as an intervention in the maternal care for more involvement in the process of treatment and care of their child, in addition to reduce psychological problems in the parents.

Neural coding through inhibitory projection pathways remains poorly understood. We analyze the transmission properties of the Purkinje cell (PC) to cerebellar nucleus (CN) pathway in a modeling study using a data set recorded in awake mice containing respiratory rate modulation. We find that inhibitory transmission from tonically active PCs can transmit a behavioral rate code with high fidelity. We parameterized the required population code in PC activity and determined that 20% of PC inputs to a full compartmental CN neuron model need to be rate-comodulated for transmission of a rate code. Rate covariance in PC inputs also accounts for the high coefficient of variation in CN spike trains, while the balance between excitation and inhibition determines spike rate and local spike train variability. Overall, our modeling study can fully account for observed spike train properties of cerebellar output in awake mice, and strongly supports rate coding in the cerebellum.

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Although emotional intelligence (EI) and metacognitive strategies have been addressed by different researchers across the globe, the relationship between EI and the use of metacognitive reading strategies by L2 learners needs further exploration. To fill this gap, at least partially, the present study investigated the relationship between emotional intelligence and the use of metacognitive reading strategies by EFL learners. Based on the convenience sampling method, 119 Iranian EFL learners across the age range of 18-27 were selected as the earlier subjects. These subjects were then homogenized through the administration of the PET reading test, which reduced the number of the participants to 102 intermediate EFL. The main instruments included Bar-On's (1997) Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire and Mokhtari and Sheorey’s (2002) Survey of Reading Strategies Questionnaire (SORS) that measured metacognitive reading strategies use. The results revealed a moderate and positive correlation between a) emotional intelligence and the use of metacognitive reading strategies; b) intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, adaptability, and general mood and global metacognitive strategies; c) intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, and general mood and problem-solving metacognitive strategies; and d) intrapersonal skills, interpersonal skills, and general mood and support metacognitive strategies. Furthermore, multiple regression analysis results indicated that the EI scales of general mood and interpersonal skills significantly contributed to the prediction of the use of metacognitive reading strategies by EFL learners.

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Background: Thalassemia as a chronic disease could affect different aspects of a patient’s life. On the other hand, when encountering the symptoms of a chronic disease as a stressful factor, the coping strategy of the adolescents and their families could have an important role in the quality of life of these patients. The present study was conducted to determine the relation between different aspects of quality of life with coping styles in the adolescents with thalassemia in comparison to a healthy control group. Materials and Methods: The present study is a case-control research in 2017. Studied samples were 200 adolescents with thalassemia and healthy adolescents. Data gathering tools were demographic characteristics checklist and the coping style and quality of life questionnaire by the World Health Organization. Data were analyzed by SPSS 20 using independent t-test, linear regression and correlation coefficients. Conclusion: Results of Pearson statistical test showed a positive and significant relation between the total mean score of quality of life and its physical, social and mental aspects with emotion-oriented coping style (p<0.01). Also a direct significant relation was observed between the total mean score of quality of life and its social and physical aspects with problem-oriented coping style(p<0.01). Conclusion: According to the results of the present study, educating the adolescents and their families for paying attention to the coping style for stressful factors and preparing these adolescents for passing toward the youth period, which could be challenging for them, are highly recommended.

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