A correlated frailty model for analysing risk factors in bilateral corneal graft rejection for Keratoconus: a Bayesian approach

There are many unknown causes that increase the rate of corneal graft rejection. In bilateral cases, some of these unknown causes are common, and some are individual factors. In this paper, we use a correlated frailty model to analyse risk factors for bilateral corneal graft in Keratoconus. Applying the piecewise constant baseline hazard model, we have performed a Bayesian analysis of the correlated frailty model using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The correlated frailty model and the shared frailty model are compared by deviance information criterion. The results show more accurate and better fit for the correlated frailty model. Copyright (C) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Balance problems after unilateral lateral ankle sprains

Ankle ligament injury is the most common injury in athletic activities. This study examined balance problems in athletes with acute lateral ankle sprains. Thirty male athletes aged 20 to 35 years with right dominant side and traumatic ankle sprain were recruited through simple nonprobability sampling. We measured the sway index and limits of stability with the Biodex Balance System under different conditions. Functional balance was evaluated with two clinical tests: the Functional Reach Test and the Star-Excursion Balance Test. The results showed that balance ability in patients with acute lateral ankle sprain was significantly weaker under closed- versus open-eye conditions. Symmetry of weight-bearing on involved and sound limb in bilateral standing was not significantly different, but weight-bearing on the nondominant limb was significantly higher than on the dominant limb. We can conclude that balance problems occur after acute ankle sprains because of proprioception deficits and that the unconscious (reflexive) aspect of proprioception is more severely affected than the conscious (voluntary) aspect

The effect of working memory training on auditory stream segregation in auditory processing disorders children

Objectives: This study investigated the efficacy of working memory training for improving working memory capacity and related auditory stream segregation in auditory processing disorders children. Methods: Fifteen subjects (9-11 years), clinically diagnosed with auditory processing disorder participated in this non-randomized case-controlled trial. Working memory abilities and auditory stream segregation were evaluated prior to beginning and six weeks after completing the training program. Ten control subjects, who did not participate in training program, underwent the same battery of tests at time intervals equivalent to the trained subjects. Differences between the two groups were measured using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: The results of this study indicated children who received auditory working memory training performed significantly better on working memory abilities and auditory stream segregation task than children do not received training program. Discussion: Results from this case-control study support the benefits of working memory training for children with auditory processing disorders and indicate that training of auditory working memory is especially important for this population

Explanation the experiences of mothers with gestational diabetes about the factors affecting self-care: A qualitative study

Background and aims: Diabetes is the most common medical complication of pregnancy. This disease is a growing health problem in the world. Self-care is the most important factor in the control of chronic diseases such as diabetes. Several factors include biological factors, psychological, economic, social, cultural and health care system. Community Treatment is effective directly and indirectly on self-care behaviors in patients with diabetes.The aim of this study was to assess mothers, experiences with gestational diabetes on the factors influencing self-care. Methods: This study is a qualitative conventional content analysis research. In this study, data were collected by semi-structured individual interviews. Interviews were performed based on interview guidance. Participants were pregnant women diagnosed with gestational diabetes in 24th-36th week of pregnancy who referred to the clinics affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. After 12 interviews with participants, data were saturated. Conventional content analysis was done for data analysis. To assess the accuracy and reliability of data, four criteria provided by Lincoln and Guba, including dependability, credibility, confirmability and transferability were used. For the analysis of qualitative data in this study, the conventional qualitative content analysis methods and software MAXQDA 10 was used. Results: Perception of pregnant women led to the extraction of two themes: barriers and facilitators to self-care. The former was featured with four main categories: insolvency, perceived problems, admission disease and support from others. 13 sub- categories were also classified in the main form. Results showed that mothers for self- care actions, need to get further information via health-care provider and get more support from their relatives. It was also found barriers and facilitators to take care of mothers in most societies is almost the same. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, it is needed to do appropriate proceedings to promoting culture, providing appropriate information and higher quality services, and promoting healthlevel and self-care of mothers with gestational diabetes

The prevalence of adulthood overweight and obesity in Tehran: Findings from Urban HEART-2 study

Background: To estimate and compare prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult people across the 22 districts of Tehran in 2011. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using data on 47,406 women and 47,525 men aged� 15 years from a large population-based survey (Urban HEART-2). Age-standardized prevalence (ASP) of overweight (25�BMI<30) and obesity (BMI�30) were estimated for the Tehran's districts. Pearson Chi2 tests and logistic regression were used to examine any significant differences in prevalence of these disorders across sociodemographic groups. Results: ASPs of overweight were 36.5 and 32.0 among men and women, respectively (p<0.001). These figures for obesity were 10.7 and 15.3 among men and women, respectively (p<0.001). Crude prevalence of overweight and obesity rose with age up to the age of 54 years and decreased thereafter. Across education groups, the lowest prevalence of overweight/obesity was seen among most educated people. The results showed that being young, single and student were associated with lower odds of overweight/obesity. Conclusion: This study showed a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among adult in Tehran. There were significant associations between sociodemographic characteristics and prevalence of overweight/obesity among adults in Tehran. The results of this study might be used in identifying high risk groups of overweight and obesity in Tehran

Dialysis adequacy of chronic hemodialysis patients in Zanjan-Iran, 2016

Background: Dialysis adequacy is one of the most important factors in determining the survival rate and mortality of dialysis patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the dialysis adequacy of patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis at dialysis centers located in the province of Zanjan, located in northwest Iran. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 257 patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis with an available sampling method in 6 dialysis centers in the province of Zanjan. The hemodialysis sessions were performed for 3 to 4 hours using via synthetic filters and bicarbonate dialysate. To determine the adequacy of dialysis, serum BUN levels were assessed before and after dialysis. The standard software provided by the Ministry of Health was used to calculate the adequacy of dialysis and Kt/V was considered to be at least 1.2. Results: The most common underlying causes of chronic dialysis were hypertension (41.2%) and diabetes mellitus (35.8%), respectively. Mean Kt/V and URR were 1.26±0.34 and 63.55±9.5%, respectively. The difference among these indexes was significant between men and women (p<0.05). Also, dialysis adequacy was significantly associated with increased dialysis frequency, blood flow rate, interdialytic weight gain, vascular access and dialysis shift (p<0.05). Conclusion: Despite the relatively favorable dialysis adequacy among patients, this index is highly variable based on patient gender, the dialysis center, location, frequency of dialysis, blood flow rate, interdialytic weight gain, type of vascular access and dialysis shift. Therefore, serious attention and greater caution are recommended among the dialysis centers of the province

Use of Virtual Social Networks by Adolescents in Zanjan, Iran (2016-2017)

Background: Virtual social networks are the most important communication tools in the modern era, which have gained remarkable popularity in various communities. The use of social networks by different age groups has been on the rise, especially among adolescents. Objectives: The present study aimed to assess adaptation to motherhood and its influential factors in the first year postpartum in Iranian women. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on 180 students aged 16-18 years during 2016-2017. The research samples were selected by multi-stage method. Data were collected using demographic questionnaires and a researcher-made questionnaire to assess the rate and mode of using social networks. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16 using descriptive statistics. Results: In total, 77.8% of the adolescents were registered in various social networks, and the majority were the users of Telegram (75.6%). Moreover, 58.9% of the participants had been using virtual social networks for more than 12 months, and 19.4% used the networks for more than four hours per day for non-educational purposes. On the other hand, 47.2% of the students used social networks for educational purposes for less than one hour. Conclusion: According to the results, adolescents frequently used virtual social networks, especially for non-educational purposes. Therefore, it is recommended that various scientific channels and networks with greater magnetism be designed for entertaining adolescents

A new biomechanical method for objective measurement of spasticity: A preliminary study

The assessment of the various impairments in brain damage including spasticity is important. The purpose of this study was to develop a new biomechanical method based on quantification of velocity reduction (VR) suitable for clinical use. A highly reliable system was developed to apply a constant torque perturbation at the elbow. This system was used to measure the VR in 30 healthy adults and 10 hemiplegic patients. In healthy subjects, the mean VR was 3.02 (SE (standard error) = 0.29). In hemiplegic patients, the mean VR in the impaired arm (81.47, SE= 2.87) was significantly higher than the VR () either in the nonimpaired arm (9.86, SE= 0.92) (WSRT (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test): Z = -12.74; p<0.001), or the normal (3.02) p<0.001). The interaction between the associated reaction (AR) and the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (ATNR) with head away from the impaired arm made a significant higher VR (90.41, SE=3.43) (p<0.001). The correlation between the VR () and the Modified Ashworth Scale scores was significant (Spearman�s rho = 0.77, p<0.001). It is concluded that the quantification of velocity reduction may be used as an objective method of measuring spasticity in neurological conditions. © MA Healthcare Limited 2014

Different patterns of association between education and wealth with non-fatal myocardial infarction in Tehran, Iran: A population-based case-control study

Background: Myocardial Infarction (MI) is a main cause of death and disability worldwide, which involves a number of genetic, physiopathologic and socio-economic determinants. The aim of this study was to assess the patterns of association between education, wealth and some other risk factors with non-fatal MI in Tehran population. Methods: Data derived from a second round of large cross-sectional study, Urban HEART-2, conducted in Tehran in 2011. Out of 118542 participants, all 249 self-reported incident cases of nonfatal MI were selected as the case group. A number of 996, matched on age and sex, were selected as controls. Principle component analysis (PCA) was used to calculate wealth index and logistic regression model to assess relations between the study variables. Results: Mean (SD) age of participants was 60.25 (12.26) years. A total of 870 (69.9) of the study subjects were men. Education, wealth status, family violence, hypertension and diabetes were observed as independent predictors of non-fatal MI. Overall, as the level of education increased, the odds of non-fatal MI decreased (p<0.001). We observed an almost J-shaped association between wealth status and non-fatal MI. No significant associations were found between marital status, BMI and current smoking with non-fatal MI (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found different patterns of association between education and wealth with nonfatal MI among Tehran adults. Lower risk of non-fatal MI is linked to high educated groups whereas economically moderate group has the lowest risk of non-fatal MI occurrence

Effects of different by catch reduction devices (BRDs) in shrimp trawlers in the Persian Gulf

The effect of different bycatch reduction devices in decreasing bycatch of commercial fish species with the length of less than LM50 (the length from which, 50% of them are matured) in shrimp trawlers were examined. The experiments were conducted in Persian Gulf (Bushehr and Hormuzgan provinces) during the shrimp season, years 2000-2001. In this study four types of bycatch reduction devices (Grid, Nafted, Fish eye and Square mesh window) were used. Double rig trawl was used, one of them as an experimental trawl and the other as the control. Different treatments like one device or two devices were installed on experimental shrimp net. After hauling the trawl, frquency of different commercial species with length less than LM50 was determined in both nets, and the results were tested with Paired Willcoxon test. The results have shown that although all the devices have a reductional effect on bycatch of the young and juveniles of commercial species, but the amount of reduction with setting Nafted and Grid, either single or combined with another BRD was significantly higher than the control one (P ≤ 0/05). The amount of by catch reduction devices with different treatment (different devices either single or paired) according to the season of the experiment were also tested with Kruskal- Wallis test, which shows significant differences (P≤0.05) between the frquency of young and juvenile individuals of some species during different experimental seasons. According to this study, by using Nafted and Grid devices in the trawl nets of all shrimp vessels during its season, about 400 to 500 thousand of juveniles and young individuals can escape from the nets