Recovery of Low-Rank Matrices under Affine Constraints via a Smoothed Rank Function

In this paper, the problem of matrix rank minimization under affine constraints is addressed. The state-of-the-art algorithms can recover matrices with a rank much less than what is sufficient for the uniqueness of the solution of this optimization problem. We propose an algorithm based on a smooth approximation of the rank function, which practically improves recovery limits on the rank of the solution. This approximation leads to a non-convex program; thus, to avoid getting trapped in local solutions, we use the following scheme. Initially, a rough approximation of the rank function subject to the affine constraints is optimized. As the algorithm proceeds, finer approximations of the rank are optimized and the solver is initialized with the solution of the previous approximation until reaching the desired accuracy. On the theoretical side, benefiting from the spherical section property, we will show that the sequence of the solutions of the approximating function converges to the minimum rank solution. On the experimental side, it will be shown that the proposed algorithm, termed SRF standing for Smoothed Rank Function, can recover matrices which are unique solutions of the rank minimization problem and yet not recoverable by nuclear norm minimization. Furthermore, it will be demonstrated that, in completing partially observed matrices, the accuracy of SRF is considerably and consistently better than some famous algorithms when the number of revealed entries is close to the minimum number of parameters that uniquely represent a low-rank matrix.Comment: Accepted in IEEE TSP on December 4th, 201

Factors Affecting the Independence Level of 4-6-Year-Old Children with Cerebral Palsy in Activities of Daily Living

ObjectivesEnhancing the independence of children with cerebral palsy in their daily activities can significantly alleviate caregiver stress and challenges, thereby improving the quality of life for caregivers.. This study aimed to identify the influential factors in the independence level of children with CP in Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (selfcare) and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) (home participation).Materials & MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 116 children with different types of CP (61 boys and 55 girls) in the 4-6 age range and their parents were non-randomly selected through convenience sampling. The Iranian-Children Participation Questionnaire was used to measure the children's independence level in self-care activities and home participation. Several instruments, along with a demographicquestionnaire, were used to assess personal factors, such as the Gross Motor Function Classification System, Manual Ability Classification System, Communication Function Classification System, SPARCLE (for determining children's cognitive level), and Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System. Eventually, the collected data were analyzed using stepwise linear regression ResultsThe results showed that the level of Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) and the child's age had the most correlation with the independence level in self-care activities. Moreover, GMFCS Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), cognitive level, and child's age were most associated with home participation.ConclusionPersonal factors are more effective than environmental factors in determining the independence of children with CP

Construct Validity and Reliability of the Children Participation Assessment Scale-Child version in Children with Physical Disabilities

Objective This study was conducted to determine the construct validity and reliability of the Children Participation Assessment Scale in activities outside of School–Child version (CPAS-C) in 6-12-year-old children with physical disabilities (PDs) Materials & Methods In this methodological study, participants were 100 children with PDs, recruited from a school for exceptional children with physical-motor disabilities and 100 normally developing children. For assessing the test-retest reliability (ICC), 40 children with PDs completed CPAS-Cwithin a two-week interval, and for assessing the internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha) and construct validity, 100 children with PDs separately completed the Vinland Adaptive Behavioral Scale (VABS) and CPAS-C. Result The majority of participants were children with CP, among whom the highest and lowest ratios were related to diplegia (32%) and dystonia (1%), respectively. The results showed that CPAS-C had acceptable reliability (ICC: 0.6-0.99). Cronbach’s α score was between weak to moderate (α = 0.25-0.75). The difference in the score of participation between the two groups (normally developing children and children with physical disabilities) was significant in all areas (P<0.001). Conclusion The CPAS-C had acceptable psychometric properties; it can be used as a valid and reliable tool for assessing the participation of 6-12-yearold children with PDs in school activitie

Participation of Iranian Cerebral Palsy Children in Life Areas: A Systematic Review Article

How to Cite This Article: Pashmdarfard M, Amini M, Hassani Mehraban A. Participation of Iranian Cerebral Palsy Children in Life Areas: A Systematic Review. Iran J Child Neurol. Winter 2017; 11(1):1-12. AbstractObjectiveCerebral palsy (CP) is the most common cause of chronic disability that restricts participation in areas of occupations for children. The main aim of rehabilitation is enhancement of their clients for participation in occupations. The aim of this study was to overview of the factors influencing the participations of children with CP in Iran. Materials & MethodsA systematic, evidence-based process (Duffy 2005) was used. For data gathering electronic databases including Google scholar and Iranian and foreigner famous journals in the fields of pediatrics, were used. The main key words for search were Activity of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL), play, leisure, work, rest/sleep, social participation, and education. All the papers of this study were about the factors influencing the participation of Iranian CP children during 2000-2016. Totally, 156 articles were found eligible as for Iranian CP children study, of which 100 articles were discarded. Because of repetitive and duplicability of some articles, 17 articles were removed as well. ResultsThe most studies about Iranian CP children participations in life areas were in the ADL area of participation (N=12), and the lowest articles were in the area in the field of: Work (N=2), play (N=2), and sleep/rest (N=2). Most of the occupational therapists do not focus on the all life areas. ConclusionIn Iran, many researchers do not pay attention to the participation of CP children. Many articles just paid attention to the sensory, motor or cognitive components of their clients.Refereneces1.Trabacca A, Vespino T, Di Liddo A, Russo L. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation for patients with cerebralpalsy: improving long-term care. J Multidiscip Health c 2016;22(9):455-462.2. shubhra M, Deborah J. cerebral palsy. In: Braddom RL, editors. physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 3rd ed.Elsevier; 2007. p.1243-61. 3. Van Nieuwenhuizen O, Platenga NJ, Kasteel TE. Epilepsy in cerebral palsy: etiology, classification and prevalence. Europe Paed Neural Soc 1997;1(2-3):111-5.4. Oriady Zanjani M. Cerebral palsy in viewpoint of speech language pathology nature, assessment and treatment. Hamedan: Nooreelm; 2005.5. Joghataei M, Kazem M. Assessment the level of community needs in welfare services on the wholecountry. 1st ed. Tehran: University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences; 1990.p.123-5.6. Vohr BR, Wright LL, Dusick AM. Differences and outcomes of extremely low birth weight infants. Pediatrics 2004;113(4):781-9.7. sharifi A, Kamali M, Chabok A. Rehabilitation Needs of People with Cerebral Palsy: a qualitativeStudy. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2014;28:1-10.8. labaf S, Shamsoddini A, Hollisaz MT, Sobhani V, Shakibaee A. Effects of Neurodevelopmental Therapy onGross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Iran J Child Neurol 2015;9(1):36-41.9. Shamsoddini A. comparison between the effect of neurodevelopmental treatment and sensory integration therapy on gross motor function in children with Cerebral Palsy. Iran J Child Neurology 2010;14(1):31-8.10. American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process, 3rd Edition. Am J Occup Therapy 2014;48:3-48.11. Bradley L, Law M. systematically reviewing the evidence. In: Law M, editors. Evidence-based rehabilitation: A guide to practice. 2nd ed. USA: Slack Incorporated; 2008. p.143-7.12. Dalvand H, Dehghan L, Feizy A, Amirsalai S, Bagheri H. Effects of the bobath technique, conductive education and education to parents in activities of daily living in children with cerebral palsy. Hong Kong J Occup Therapy 2009;19(1):14–9. 13. Nurani Gharaborghe S, Sarhady M, Hosseini SMS, Mortazavi SS. Relationship between Quality of Life and Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy (Ages 4-12) Medical Journal of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences and Health Services 2015;37(2):48-53. 14. Afshar S, Rassafiani M, Hosseini S.A. Effect of Occupational Therapy Home Program on Activities of Daily Living of 5-12 Years Old Children. J Rehabil 2013 13(4):117-23.15. Lewandowska A, Zajchowska J, Iwaniszyn J, Huk J, Świeboda P, Filip R. Functioning of the family of a child suffering from cerebral palsy. J Pre-Clin Clin Res. 2012; 6(1): 50-53.16. Razavi Afzal Z-S, Rassafiani M, Sarfaraz Z, Malekpour M, Salehi, M. A Survey on caregivers’ knowledge about special caring for 1-to-5 year-old children with cerebral palsy and their compliance with these practices. J Res Rehabil Sci 2013;9(4):618-28.17. Rassafiani M, Sahaf R. Hypertonicity in Children with Cerebral Palsy: a New Perspective. Iran Rehabil J 2011;9:66-74.18. Poursadoughi A, Dadkhah A, Pourmohamadreza-Tajrishi M, Biglarian A. Psycho-Rehabilitation Method (Dohsahou) and Quality of Life in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Iran Rehabil J 2015;13(2):28-33.19. Salehi Dehno N, Noorizadeh Dehkordi S, Dadgoo M, Salehi M. Association between spasticity and the level of motor function with quality of life in community dwelling Iranian young adults with spastic cerebral palsy. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2012;26(4):150-6.20. Noori M, Pishyareh E, Hosseini SA, Akbarfahimi N, Rahgozar M. Relationship between upper extremity function and quality of life in the children with spastic cerebral palsy in Capital of Iran. Pajouhan Scientific Journal 2015;13(3):41-8.21. Dalvand H, Rassafiani M, Hosseini S.A. Handling challenges in the children with cerebral palsy: A qualitative content analysis. J Res Rehabil Sci 2013;9(8):1267-80. 22. Balouchy R, Ghaeni S. Physical Fitness of The Children Infected With Cerebral Paralysis Through A work-group of “Therapists - Children - Parents”. Scientific Journal of Ilam University of Medical Sciences 2009;17(3):16-23. 23. Dalvand H, Rassafiani M, Hosseini S.A. Handling in the Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Review of Ideas and Practices (A Literature Review). J Rehabil 2012;13(5):8- 17.24. Hassani M, Hassani Mehraban A, Taghizadeh G, Aliabadi F, Ramezani S. Enjoyment of participation in formal and informal activities among students with cerebral palsy and healthy students. J Kermanshah Univ Med Sci 2015;19(3):160-7.25. Nobakht Z, Rassafiani M, Rezasoltani P. Influence of child’s disability on encountering environmental barriers to Participation of children with cerebral palsy. J Res Rehabil Sci 2013;9(2):286-94.26. Ghasemzadeh R, Kamali M, Chabok A, Falahi M, Shirani M. Accessibility to the public facilities: a mean to achieve civil rights of the people with disabilities in Iran. Iran Rehabil J 2008;6(7,8):73-82.27. PourRanjbar M, Keshavarz L, Sharifian E, Farahani A. Barriers for Wheelchair-User Disabled People to Participate in Leisure Physical Activities in Southeast of Iran. Journal of Kerman University of Medical Sciences 2015;22(5):555-68.28. Hassani Mehraban A, Hassani M, Amini M. The Comparison of Participation in School-Aged Cerebral Palsy Children and normal Peers: A Preliminary Study. Iran J Pediatr 2016 June; 26(3):e5303. doi: 10.5812/ijp.530329. Nobakht Z, Rassafiani M, Rezasoltani P, Sahaf R, Yazdani F. Environmental barriers to social participation of children with cerebral palsy in Tehran. Iran Rehabil J 2013;11:40-5.30. Abbaskhanian A , Rashedi V , Delpak A, Vameghi R, Gharib M. Rehabilitation Interventions for Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review. J Pediatr Rev 2015;3(1):1-8.31. Amini M, Hassani Mehraban A, Haghni H, Asgharnezhad AA, Khayatzadeh Mahani M. Development and validation of Iranian children’s participation assessment scale. Med J Islam Repub Iran 2016 (20 February). Vol. 30:333. 32. Rosenberg L, Jarus T, Bart O. Development and initial validation of the children participation questionnaire(CPQ). Disability Rehabil 2010;32(20):1633-44.33. Amini M, Hassani Mehraban A, Rostamzade O. Translation, cultural adaptation, face, content and convergent validity of children participation questionnaire into Persian. J Rehabil Med 2016; 5(2): 151-157.34. Soleimani F, Vameghi R, Kazemnejad A, Akbar Fahimi N, Nobakht Z, Rassafiani M. Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Cerebral Palsy Quality of Life Questionnaire for Children. Iran J Child Neurol 2015;9(1):76-86

Isolation of keratinophilic fungi and aerobic actinomycetes from park soils in Gorgan, North of Iran

Background: Keratinophilic fungi are a group of fungi that colonize in various keratinous substrates and degrade them to the components with low molecular weight. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of keratinophilic fungi and aerobic Actinomycetes in soil of city parks in Gorgan. Objectives: In this study, we surveyed the city park soils of Gorgan (a northern province of Iran) to determine the identities and diversity of soil aerobic Actinomycetes, keratinophilic and non-keratinophilic fungi. Materials and Methods: A total of 244 soil samples were collected from 22 diferent parks of Gorgan, North of Iran. The samples were collected from the superfcial layer with depth not exceeding than 0-10 cm in sterile polyethylene bags. We used hair bait technique for isolation keratinophilic fungi. The colonies identifed by macroscopic and microscopic characterization after slide culturing. Actinomycetes were isolated by antibiotic dilution methods and detected by using physiological tests such as Lysozyme, Casein, Xanthine, Hypoxanthine, Gelatin, Urea Broth, and modifed acid-fast stain. Results: Totally, 75 isolates of aerobic Actinomycetes were detected that Actinomadura madurae and Nocardia asteroides were the most prevalent strains, with 14.66 and 28% prevalence respectively. Microsporum gypseum was more frequent than other keratinophilic fungi (22.96%) and Aspergillus spp. was the most species of saprophyte fungi (15.92%). Conclusions: This study showed that the collected soil from studied areas was rich of keratinophilic fungi and Actinomycetes, therefore hygiene protocol should be taken to prevent the spread of pathogenic and saprophytes fungi in the environment of susceptible person. © 2013, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

The Relationship between Motor Function and Behavioral Function in Infants with Low Birth Weight

How to Cite This Article: Amini M, Aliabadi F, Alizade M, Kalani M, Qorbani M. The Relationship between Motor Function and Behavioral Function in Infants with Low Birth Weight. Iran J Child Neurol. Autumn 2016; 10(4):49-55. AbstractObjectiveNowadays, the evaluation of all aspects of infant development is important. However, in practice, some of these assessments, especially those requiring more manipulation on high-risk infants, may impose additional stress on them.Therefore, sometimes it is essential to utilize the results of a developmental assessment for the prediction of some other aspects of development. This study evaluated the relationship between the scores of the behavioral tests and the motor function test. Materials & MethodsThis cross-sectional study and was undertaken in the Neonatal Intensive Care Center and Clinic of Shahid Akbar Abadi Hospital, Tehran, Iran. A group of 50 infants with low birth weights was selected based on the easy non-contingency method and the inclusion criteria, and served as the participants. In order to assess the motor function and the behavioral performance, the motor function test (a test of infant motor performance (TIMP)) and the neonatal behavioral assessment scale (neonatal behavioral assessment scale (NBAS)) were used respectively. TIMP has both stimulation and observation sections. The items include habituation, social interaction, motor system, state organization, state regulation, autonomic system, smile, supplementary items, and the reflex. ResultsNo significant association was found between the items of the habituation of behavioral testing and the observation of the movement test. There was no statistically significant relationship between the habituation and stimulation sections as well as between the system autonomous of the behavioral test and the observation section of the motor test (P>0.05). The relationship between other variables was statistically significant (P<0.05). ConclusionThe scores of some behavioral performance items could be a good predictor of the scores of the motor function items for low birth weight infants in the neonatal period. References1. Wright-Ott C. Mobility. In: Case-smith J, editors. Occupational Therapy for Children. 5th ed. USA: Mosbey; 2005.P. 657-684.2. Case-smith J. Fine motor outcomes in preschool children who receive occupational therapy services. Am J Occup Ther 1996;50(6):466-74.3. Soleimani F, Zaheri F, Abdi F. Long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes after preterm birth. Iran Red Crescent Med J 2014;16(6):1-8.4. Hunter JG. Neonatal Intensive Care Unite. In: Case-smith J, editors. Occupational Therapy for Children. 5th ed. USA: Mosbey; 2005.P. 688-754.5. Arpino C, Compagnone E, Montanaro ML, Cacciatore D, De Luca A, Cerulli A, Di Girolamo S, Curatolo P. Preterm birth and neurodevelopmental outcome: a review. Childs Nerv Syst 2010;50:10-20.6. Pedersen SJ, Sommerfelt K, Markestad T. Early motor development of premature infants with birthweight less than 2000 grams. Acta Pediatr 2000;89:1450-61.7. Aliabadi F, Amini M, Alizade M, Kalani M, Qorbani M. Prediction of infant motor performance through performance evaluation of behavior. J Modern Rehab 2011;5 (3): 54-59.8. Orton J, Spittle A, Doyle L, Anderson P, Boyd R. Do early intervention programs improve cognitive and motor outcomes for preterm infants after discharge: a systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol 2009;51(11):851-9.9. Spittle AJ, Doyle LW, Boyd RN. A systematic review of clinimetric properties of neuromotor assessment for preterm infants during the first year of life. Dev Med Child Neurol 2008;50(10):254-66.10. Brazeltone B. Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale. 3rd ed. University of Masschusetts and Harvard Medical School: Mac Keit Press; 1995. 8-10, 67, P. 104-5.11. Falk B, Eliakim A, Dotan R, Liebermann DG, Regev R, Bar-Or O. Birth weight and physical ability in 5- to -8-yr old healthy children born prematurely. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997;29(9):1124-30.12. Burns Y, O’Callaghan M, McDonell B, Rogers Y. Movement and motor development in ELBW infant at 1 year is related to cognitive and motor abilities at 4 years. Early Hum Dev 2004;80:19-29.13. Tavasoli A, Aliabadi F, Eftekhari R. Motor Developmental Status of Moderately Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants. Iran J Pediatr 2014;24 (5), 581-586.14. Islam M. The Effects of Low Birth Weight on School Performance and Behavioral Outcomes of Elementary School Children in Oman. Oman Med J 2015;30(4):241-51.15. Ohgi S, Arisawa K, Takahashi T, Kusumoto T, Goto Y, Akiyama T, Saito H. Neonatal behavioral assessment scale as a predictor of later developmental disabilities of low-birth weight and/or premature infants. Brain Dev 2003;25:313-21.16. Ho YB, Lee RS, Chow CB, Pang MY. Impact of massage therapy on motor outcomes in very low-birth weight infants: Randomized controlled pilot study. Pediatr Int 2010; 52(3):378-85.17. Craciunoiu O, Holsti L. A Systematic Review of the Predictive Validity of Neurobehavioral Assessments During the Preterm Period. Phys Occup Ther Pediatr 2016; 17:1-16.18. Tirosh E, Abadi J, Berger A, Cohen A. Relationship between neonatal behavior and subsequent temperament. Acta Pediatr 1992;81(8):29-31

The Relationship of School Participation with Motor Proficiency and Executive Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Objective participation in meaningful activities are important aspects of development in children with developmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation of school participation with motor proficiency and executive function in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Materials & Methods In this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytic) study, 52 students aged 6 to 12 years old with ASD were selected through the convenience sampling method. The GARS-2 scale was used to confirm ASD diagnosis. Other psychiatric comorbidities such as ADHA were studied by the CSI-4 tool, and students with comorbidities were excluded. Data were collected using SFA, BOTMP-2, and BRIEF questionnaires. It should be noted that in the BRIEF questionnaire, a higher score indicates a more severe disability Results Our findings showed that motor proficiency and its components had a significant direct correlation with school participation in childrenwith ASD (P ≤0.001). On the other hand, school participation was inversely and significantly correlated with the behavioral regulation and metacognition monitoring indices of the executive function dimension (P <0.05). Conclusion Based on the findings of this research, the development of motor proficiency and improvements in the behavioral regulation andmetacognition monitoring of students with ASD will boost their participation in school activities. Motor proficiency was significantly correlated with school participation in children with ASD. More attention should be paid to perceptual motor interventions and cognitive rehabilitation programs (with a focus on monitoring metacognition and shifting behavioral regulation) to increase the participation of children with ASD in school activities

The Effect of Occupation-Based Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy on the Participation of Children with Cerebral Palsy: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective This study investigates the impact of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (m-CIMT), accompanied by occupation-based and activity analysis, on the participation of children with hemiplegia. Materials & Methods Twenty-three participants were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received occupation-based m-CIMT (m-CIMT along with occupation-based and activity analysis), while the control group received m-CIMT without occupation-based and activity analysis. The intervention was conducted one hour perday, three days a week, for four weeks. Results The primary outcomes revealed no significant differences between groups in promoting the participation of children with hemiplegia in the activities of daily living (ADL). However, scores were higher in the intervention group with a medium to large effect size (Canadian occupational performance measure: F(1,19)=2.14, P=0.160, η2 P=0.101, Canadian occupational performance measure-satisfaction: F(1,19)=1.53,P=0.231, η2 P=0.075, Goal attainment scaling: F(1,19)=5.55, P=0.029, η2 P=0.226). This effect remained during the follow-up period. The secondary outcomes indicated no significant differences between groups in improving the manual ability of the children. However, scores were higher in the intervention group with a medium to large effect size (ABILHAND-Kids: F(1,19)=0.64, P=0.434, η2 P=0.033, pediatric motor activity log- how long: F(1,19)=3.53, P=0.076, η2 P=0.157, pediatric motor activity log- how well: F(1,19)=2.59, P=0.124, η2 P=0.120). This effect was sustainable during the follow-up period. Conclusion m-CIMT accompanied by occupation-based and activity analysis and the client-centered paradigm substantially enhances the manual ability of children with hemiplegia and their participation in the ADL

Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-short Version in Patients with Stroke

Background: Considering the prevalence of stroke, an economical and reliable questionnaire is needed for use in research and rehabilitation to measure the amount of burden on caregivers of stroke patients. True to our knowledge, there is no exclusive Persian language instrument for assessing the burden of stroke caregivers. The current study investigated the validity and reliability of the Burden Scale for Family Caregivers-short version (BSFC-s) for stroke patients’ caregivers.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 51 stroke patients and their caregivers were studied using the above-named questionnaire translated from English into Persian. Construct validity of the questionnaire was evaluated by Spearman and Eta correlation. Cronbach’s Alfa was used to assess internal consistency. Factorial structure was evaluated by exploratory analysis.Results: The test-retest reliability of the questionnaire was calculated to be 0.93, and the questionnaire’s internal consistency was 0.93. The construct validity of the questionnaire was acceptable.Conclusions: In general, it can be said that this questionnaire has a good structure for assessing the burden of caregivers. In addition, by 10 items we can consider this questionnaire as an economically viable option in research and practice