The effects of McKenzie and lumbar stabilization exercises on the improvement of function and pain in patients with chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial

زمینه و هدف: علی رغم مطالعات فراوان در زمینه درمان کمر درد، در مورد مناسب ترین مداخله درمانی توافقی وجود ندارد. هدف از این مطالعه مقایسه تاثیر تمرین های مکنزی با تمرین های ثبات دهنده کمر در بهبود عملکرد و درد مزمن کمر بود. روش بررسی:‌ در یک کارآزمایی بالینی سی و دو بیمار با تشخیص کمر درد مزمن از طریق نمونه گیری در دسترس انتخاب و به صورت تصادفی در دو گروه تمرین های ثبات دهنده (16 نفر) و مکنزی (16 نفر) قرار گرفتند. درد با پرسشنامه مک گیل، ناتوانی با پرسشنامه اسوستری، دامنه حرکتی فلکسیون کمر با آزمون شوبر و زاویه لوردوز کمر با خط کش انعطاف پذیر، قبل و پس از درمان ارزیابی شد. برنامه درمان برای هر دو گروه شامل 10 جلسه تمرین روزانه و هر جلسه حدود یک ساعت بود. از آزمون‌های t مستقل، من‌ویتنی، t زوج و ویلکاکسون برای مقایسه نتایج استفاده گردید. یافته‌ها: بعد از درمان میانگین درد، ناتوانی و لوردوز کمری در هر دو گروه کاهش یافت (001/0

The Effect of Chamomile Oil on Pain and Anxiety Intensity of IUD Insertion in Women Referring to Karaj Health Centers: Ridit Analysis

Introduction: Intrauterine device (IUD) is a safe, effective and reversible method of family planning. Unfortunately, IUD insertion causes anxiety and pain. The aim of study was to compare ridit analysis and Kruskal-wallis test in pain and anxiety intensity of IUD insertion in women referring to health centers of Karaj (Iran).Materials and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial study, 150 eligible women candidate intrauterine device insertion entered the study and were randomly divided into three groups: chamomile, placebo and control groups. Data was collected from women who came to health centers in Karaj (Iran) in 2017. Data collection tools included demographic information, Spiel-Berger questionnaire and pain visual analogue scale. The intensity of pain and anxiety were measured afterwards. Finally, ridit analysis and Kruskal-wallis test were used to rank the intensity of pain and anxiety in patients. The R-3.4.3 and Microsoft's Excel software were used for statistical analysis.Results: The results showed that the mean±SD of age in three groups was 29.7±7.01, 28.68±8.15 and 31.6±7.71, respectively. Ridit analysis and Kruskal-wallis test showed considerable decrease of the anxiety and pain intensity, induced by IUD insertion in Chamomile, Placebo and Control groups respectively. Ridit analysis and Kruskal-wallis test statistics are significant. The value of the ridit statistic was 15د‡2=20.23, P<0.001">  and the value of Kruskal-wallis test is 15د‡2=18.67, P<0.005">  in pain intensity. Moreover, the value of the ridit statistic is 15د‡2=3.92, P<0.001">  and the value of Kruskal-wallis test is 15د‡2=21.37, P<0.005">  in anxiety intensity.Conclusions: The results of this study suggested that, there is less significant difference in ridit analysis than Kruskal-wallis test among the three groups in decreasing pain and anxiety intensity. 

Impacts of Sodium/Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors on Circulating Uric Acid Concentrations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Several trials have assessed the antihyperglycemic effects of sodium/glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We conducted a quantitative analysis to assess the impact of SGLT2is on serum uric acid (SUA) in patients with T2DM. Methods: Placebo-controlled trials published before 13 August 2021 were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Scopus. The intervention group received SGLT2i as monotherapy or add-on treatment, and the control group received a placebo that was replaced with SGLT2i. Clinical trials providing changes in SUA were included. The mean change of SUA, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and body weight were calculated (PROSPERO CRD42021287019). Results: After screening of 1172 papers, 59 papers were included in the systematic review. A total of 55 trials (122 groups) of 7 types of SGLT2i on patients with T2DM were eligible for meta-analysis. All SGLT2is significantly decreased SUA levels compared with the placebo groups: empagliflozin mean difference (MD) = -40.98 μmol/L, 95% CI [-47.63, -34.32], dapagliflozin MD = -35.17 μmol/L, 95% CI [-39.68, -30.66], canagliflozin MD = -36.27 μmol/L, 95% CI [-41.62, -30.93], luseogliflozin MD = -24.269 μmol/L, 95% CI [-33.31, -15.22], tofogliflozin MD = -19.47 μmol/L, 95% CI [-27.40, -11.55], and ipragliflozin MD = -18.85 μmol/L, 95% CI [-27.20, -10.49]. SGLT2i also decreased FPG, body weight, and HbA1c levels. SUA reduction persisted during long-term treatment with SGLT2i (except for empagliflozin), while the SUA reduction was affected by the duration of diabetes. Conclusions: SGLT2i can be a valid therapeutic strategy for patients with T2DM and comorbid hyperuricemia. Besides reducing FPG, body weight, and HbA1c, SGLT2i can significantly decrease SUA levels compared to placebo (Total MD = -34.07 μmol/L, 95% CI [-37.00, -31.14])

Association between iron and zinc deficiency and retinopathy of premature: A Narrative Review

Context: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is known as the abnormal growth of retinal blood vessels in premature and very low birth weight (VLBW) infants that can be caused by exposure to high oxygen pressure through oxidative damage and inflammation. Evidence Acquisition: In this review, the keywords zinc deficiency, iron deficiency, and retinopathy of premature was first searched in databases including Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed. There were no time limitations for the search. Full-text articles in the English language were included in this study. Searching with these keywords did not yield any results. In the next step, preterm neonate, preterm infant and VLBW infants were added to the keywords. Findings: The results showed that iron and zinc deficiencies are very common in premature and VLBW infants. VLBW and preterm birth are also risk factors for ROP. In addition, the use of zinc and iron supplements in low birth weight and premature infants is also commonly necessary to maintain normal growth and development. Conclusion: It can be concluded that premature infants receiving high doses of zinc and adequate doses of iron inhibited not only inhibit oxidative damage and inflammation caused by hypoxia but also vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. In support of this mechanism, our results showed that premature infants receiving high doses of zinc and adequate doses of iron significantly reduce the ROP process. Therefore, monitoring serum zinc and iron levels and normalizing them may play an important preventive role in the development of ROP

Comparing the effects of vibration and ultrasound waves accompanied with stretching exercises on myofascial trigger points of posterior neck muscles in athletes

زمینه و هدف: درمان های فیزیکی و تمرینات مختلف جهت درمان نقاط ماشه ای توصیه شده اند ولی مطالعه در زمینه تاثیر ویبریشن در نقاط ماشه ای عضلات پشت گردن و همچنین مقایسه آن با تمرینات کششی و اولتراسوند با در نظر گرفتن غیر تهاجمی بودن آن ها اندک است، لذا این مطالعه با هدف مقایسه اثرات درمانی ویبریشن و اولتراسوند توأم با تمرین کششی بر نقاط ماشه ای عضلات پشت گردن ورزشکاران انجام شد. روش بررسی:‌ در این مطالعه کارآزمایی بالینی، 30 ورزشکار با نقاط ماشه ای عضلات پشت گردن از طریق نمونه گیری در دسترس انتخاب شده و بصورت تصادفی در دو گروه ویبریشن (15نفر) و اولتراسوند توأم با تمرین کششی (15 نفر) قرار گرفتند. میزان ناتوانی گردن، درد گردن، درد و ناتوانی شانه قبل و بعد از درمان اندازه گیری شد. برنامه درمان برای هر دو گروه شامل 10 جلسه هفته ای 3 جلسه و هر جلسه حدود 30 دقیقه بود. داده ها با استفاده از آزمون های t‏ مستقل، من ویتنی، t زوجی، ویلکاکسون و آنالیز واریانس یکطرفه تجزیه و تحلیل شد. یافته‌ها: شاخص ناتوانی گردن در گروه ویبریشن از 35/5±33/25 به1/4±93/13 و در گروه اولتراسوند با تمرین از 63/4±20/25 به 36/4±80/13 کاهش یافت (001/0>P). شاخص درد گردن در گروه ویبریشن از 91/3±15 به 70/3±47/6 و در گروه اولتراسوند با تمرین از 56/4±47/13 به 19/4±53/5 کاهش یافت (001/0>P). شاخص درد و ناتوانی شانه در گروه ویبریشن از 53/30±08/69 به 36/22±83/24 و در گروه اولتراسوند با تمرین از 61/23±69/64 به 42/11±27/17 کاهش یافت (001/0>P). اختلافی بین دو گروه از نظر بهبود عملکرد و کاهش میانگین درد و ناتوانی گردن و شانه وجود نداشت. نتیجه گیری: نتایج تحقیق ما نشان داد که تاثیر ویبریشن و اولتراسوند توام با تمرین کششی بر بهبود عملکرد در ورزشکاران دارای نقاط ماشه ای در عضلات پشت گردن برابر و یکسان است

Movement Optimization of Robotic Arms for Energy and Time Reduction using Evolutionary Algorithms

Trajectory optimization of a robot manipulator consists of both optimization of the robot movement as well as optimization of the robot end-effector path. This paper aims to find optimum movement parameters including movement type, speed, and acceleration to minimize robot energy. Trajectory optimization by minimizing the energy would increase the longevity of robotic manipulators. We utilized the particle swarm optimization method to find the movement parameters leading to minimum energy consumption. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated on different trajectories. Experimental results show that 49% efficiency was obtained using a UR5 robotic arm

Modulation of transforming growth factor-beta signaling transducers in colon adenocarcinoma cells induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a notable cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide, making it a pertinent topic for the study of cancer and its treatment. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), an enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus, has been demonstrated to exert anticancer and antimetastatic effects due to its ability to modify cell immunity and cellular signaling pathways. In the current study, SEB was investigated, including whether it exerts its growth inhibitory effects on colon adenocarcinoma cells. This may occur through the manipulation of a key tumor growth factor, termed transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and its signaling pathway transducer, Smad2/3. The human colon adenocarcinoma HCT116 cell line was treated with different concentrations of SEB, and cell number was measured using MTT assay at different treatment times. Smad2/3 RNA expression level was analyzed in untreated or SEB-treated cells using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, which indicated significant differences between cell viability and Smad2/3 expression levels. SEB effectively downregulated Smad2/3 expression in the HCT116 cells at concentrations of 1 and 2 mu g/ml (P=0.0021 and P=0.0017, respectively). SEB concentrations that were effective at inhibiting Smad2/3 expression were correlated with those able to inhibit the proliferation of the cancer cells. SEB inhibited Smad2/3 expression at the mRNA level in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The present study thus proposed SEB as an agent able to significantly reduce Smad2/3 expression in colon cancer cells, provoking moderate TGF-beta growth signaling and the reduction of tumor cell proliferation

Modulation of transforming growth factor-β signalling transducers in colon adenocarcinoma cells induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a notable cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide, making it a pertinent topic for the study of cancer and its treatment. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), an enterotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus, has been demonstrated to exert anticancer and antimetastatic effects due to its ability to modify cell immunity and cellular signaling pathways. In the current study, SEB was investigated, including whether it exerts its growth inhibitory effects on colon adenocarcinoma cells. This may occur through the manipulation of a key tumor growth factor, termed transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and its signaling pathway transducer, Smad2/3. The human colon adenocarcinoma HCT116 cell line was treated with different concentrations of SEB, and cell number was measured using MTT assay at different treatment times. Smad2/3 RNA expression level was analyzed in untreated or SEB-treated cells using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, which indicated significant differences between cell viability and Smad2/3 expression levels. SEB effectively downregulated Smad2/3 expression in the HCT116 cells at concentrations of 1 and 2 μg/ml (P=0.0021 and P=0.0017, respectively). SEB concentrations that were effective at inhibiting Smad2/3 expression were correlated with those able to inhibit the proliferation of the cancer cells. SEB inhibited Smad2/3 expression at the mRNA level in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The present study thus proposed SEB as an agent able to significantly reduce Smad2/3 expression in colon cancer cells, provoking moderate TGF-β growth signaling and the reduction of tumor cell proliferation

The effect of pomegranate on oxidative stress parameters: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Pomegranate contains remarkable amounts of phenolic ingredients and it has been related to the antioxidant capacity of this fruit. Several primary studies show that pomegranate intake can improve antioxidant status. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis consisted in investigating the effect of pomegranate on oxidative stress (OS) parameters. Methods: A comprehensive electronic database search in Scopus, Web of science, Embase, Cochrane library and Medline was performed to identify eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A meta-analysis of included studies was performed on selected variables using a random-effects model. Quality assessment was conducted by means of Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Results: Systematic search yielded 575 references. A total of 11 RCTs reporting data from 484 participants included. Meta-analysis of data from 11 included RCTs did not support convincing evidence as to a significant increasing effect of pomegranate intake in TAC (SMD: 0.43 ; 95 %CI: -0.19, 1.06), Gpx (SMD: 0.18, 95 % CI: -0.25, 0.62, p = 0.4) and paraxonase (SMD: 0.36, 95 % CI: -0.50, 1.22, p= 0.41) as well as not significant decrease in Malondialdehyde (MDA) (SMD: -0.81, 95 % CI: -1.79, 0.09, P = 0.08). Conclusion: Future well-designed clinical trials are needed before definite conclusive claims can be made about the effect of pomegranate on OS parameters. Keywords: Pomegranate, Oxidative stress, Antioxidant, Randomized clinical trial

Down-regulation of miR-135b in colon adenocarcinoma induced by a TGF-β receptor I kinase inhibitor (SD-208).

OBJECTIVES Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is involved in colorectal cancer (CRC). The SD-208 acts as an anti-cancer agent in different malignancies via TGF-β signaling. This work aims to show the effect of manipulation of TGF-β signaling on some miRNAs implicated in CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the effects of SD-208 on SW-48, a colon adenocarcinoma cell line. The cell line was treated with 0.5, 1 and 2 μM concentrations of SD-208. Then, the xenograft model of colon cancer was established by subcutaneous inoculation of SW-48 cell line into the nude mice. The animals were treated with SD-208 for three weeks. A quantitative real-time PCR was carried out for expression level analysis of selected oncogenic (miR-21, 31, 20a and 135b) and suppressor-miRNAs (let7-g, miR-133b, 145 and 200c). Data were analyzed using the 2-∆∆CT method through student's t-test via the GraphPad Prism software. RESULTS Our results revealed that SD-208 could significantly down-regulate the expression of one key onco-miRNA, miR-135b, in either SW-48 colon cells (P=0.006) or tumors orthotopically implanted in nude mice (P=0.018). Our in silico study also predicted that SD-208 could modulate the expression of potential downstream tumor suppressor targets of the miR135b. CONCLUSION Our data provide novel evidence that anticancer effects of SD-208 (and likely other TGF-β inhibitors) may be owing to their ability to regulate miRNAs expression