Fontanel Size from Birth to 24 Months of Age in Iranian Children

How to Cite This Article: Esmaeili Mo, Esmaeili Ma, Ghane Sharbaf F, Bokharaie Sh. Fontanel Size from Birth to 24 Months of Age in Iranian Children. Iran J Child Neurol. Autumn 2015;9(4):15-23.AbstractObjectiveDiagnosis of abnormal fontanel size, a potential clue to recognition of different disorders, requires an understanding of the wide variation of normal fontanel size. The anterior fontanel is the largest, prominent and most important for clinical evaluation. The aim of this study was to establish and define normal range of fontanel size from birth to 24 months of age in healthy Iranian children that might be generalized to other populations.Materials & MethodsTotally, 550 subjects enrolled randomly in this cross sectional study. They were apparently normal healthy children, from birth to 24 months of age, including 208-term newborn and 342 infant from birth to 2 yr old. Fontanel size was measured and recorded as the mean of the length (anterior- posterior dimension) and width (transverse dimension). Mean anterior fontanel sizes in our samples were classified for periods of 3 months. Nomograms and statistical analyses were performed and depicted by Excel Microsoft Office 2007 and two-tailed t-test respectively.ResultsThe mean ±2SD of anterior fontanel size was 2.55±1.92 cm in newborns, 3.37±2.48 (largest size) in 3 months of age. It was closed in all cases in 15-18 months of age. The mean posterior fontanel size was 0.8 cm in newborns and closed in all infants in 2 months of age. There was no significant difference in anterior fontanel size between two genders except in newborn and 6-9 months old (P>0.05).ConclusionAbnormal fontanel can indicate a serious medical condition. Therefore, it is important to understand normal variations, to utilize standardized techniques for measurement and appropriate standards of normal range in different age groups and populations. This study provides a normal range of mean fontanel size in Iranian infants as a local reference. It might be generalized to other populations.

Academic Writing Experience of Iranian Postgraduate Students

The present study aimed at investigating the kind of writing instruction which Iranian postgraduate students have received in their writing courses. To achieve this goal, 30 postgraduate students were asked to participate in the study. The study applied quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The participants responded to a questionnaire and took part in an interview. Analysis of data indicates that participants received a surface level instruction with focus on grammar, vocabulary, mechanics, and paragraph level form. It is also found that university writing courses did not teach academic writing skills such as organization of research papers, synthesizing information from different reading sources, producing coherent texts. Students did not receive instruction on how to evaluate and synthesize the words and ideas of others in order to develop their own academic voices. It is suggested that university writing courses should familiarize students with rhetorical, organizational, and linguistic features of academic writing and focus on macro level features of academic writing as well as the paragraph-level and sentence-level aspects of expressing ideas in a foreign language.Keywords: Academic writing, Teaching Writing, and EFL students

Bioinformatics designing of 10-23 deoxyribozyme against noncoding region before start codon of beta-galactosidase gene (lacZ) in pGEM-T vector

Background and aims: Deoxyribozymes are oligoribodeoxynucleotides that catalyze reactions such as cutting RNA and have diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Deoxyribozyme 10-23 includes a catalytic domain dependent on a fixed 15-nucleotic (mer) cation and two variable binding arms that cause the specificity of enzymes. Lactose operon is used in the white-blue screening process. This operon includes three polycistronic genes. In this study, a deoxyribozyme against α-peptide beta-galactosidase gene in the lactose operon was designed. Methods: pGEM-T map was obtained from addgene server and α-peptide gene sequence was determined. Then, using expasy website proper protein frame in comparison with various reading frames was determined. In this step, whole sequence was reversed and mRNA sequence was achieved. Secondary structure with the lowest free energy was gained using mfold server. Considering the fact that 10-23 deoxyribozyme has cutting capability between a unpaired purine and pairs pyrimidine; an AC was selected in ribosome binding site in the untranslated region and then 9 open bases on either side of it was used as a binding arms. Investigation of the absence of similar sequences in host bacteria was performed by NCBI server. Finally, activity and binding of deoxyribozyme was predicted by the mfold server. Results: The results of this study showed that the designed deoxyribozyme had a relatively high Tm with two 9-nucleotide arms, which increased its effectiveness. Conclusion: The results of this study can be used to control the expression of lacZ gene as a biomarker

The effect of cell derived microparticles in transfusion medicine and adaptive immune system

This article reviews will focus on the concept and formation of micro particles (MPs) in circulation and their role in transfusion medicine and immune system. MPs are cell membrane derived vesicles which express markers of their parent cells and are found in circulation at low levels. Exact functions of MPs are unclear. In here, Physiological almost all types of circulating MPs including platelets MPs (PMPs), leukocytes MPs (LMPs), red blood cells MPs (RMPs) and endothelial cells MPs (EMPs) have been discussed. Furthermore, MPs present in plasma and blood products and their levels increase during storage. Thus, it can be stated that MPs are likely to cause transfusion reactions, particularly thrombotic complications and Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI). Also, it is shown that the MPs may affect the immune system. However, to prove these, more and extensive studies both in vivo and in vitro need to be done

The Survey of Independency Status Living in Elderly Referring to Tehran Civil Servants Pension Organization in 2015

AbstractIntroduction: elderly is one of the most sensitive ages in everyone’s life, thus regarding the everyday growth of the elderly population, caring for this vulnerable part of society is a necessity. Having in mind the confronting limitations in this era and lack of flexibility with environment, as well as decreasing independency status in the elderly, this study aims at evaluatin the amount of independent living in the elderly referring to Tehran Civil Servants Pension Organization (C.S.P.O) in 2015.Methods and Materials: This descriptive study was conducted on 260 elderly people referring to Tehran Civil Servants Pension Organization. Samples are selected via sapling method available in Civil Servants. The obtained data in this study were collected by standard questionnaire, including demographic characteristics and physical activity questionnaire in two sections, i.e. Activity Daily Living and Instrumental Activity Daily Living. After completing two questionnaires, the obtained data were analyzed using SPSS (ver. 23) through descriptive statistics, independent t-test, as well as One-way Anova.Results: The total mean score of age for the studied objects was 68.08 ± (7.63) years. The total mean score of independence in this group of elderly people has been independent (ADL= 13.61±1.14 & IADL= 14.77±3.79). Moreover, the total mean score of independence living in elderly with aging 60-74 years with incomes above 750 to 1 million dollars per month and the elderly with married, were higher.Discussion And Conclusion: elderly is a normal stage in the normal path of life for human beings, which is very different from other life stages. In general with increasing age decrease the level of independent living, and consequently the degree of dependence on others increases in the elderly. Also the elderly married who lives with wife and children and have better economic situation are more independent than the other. furthermore the obtained data in the current study and other studies reveals that the elderly people have the highest amount of independence in Activity Daily Living such as eating and sleeping, and Instrumental Activity Daily Living such as taking medicine and using telephone

Investigating the Effects of Combined Physical-cognitive Exercises on Executive Functions: A Home-based Exercise Approach

Purpose: Improving brain functions through physical exercises has been the focus of research in recent years. Accordingly, it is important to examine the kind of physical exercises and brain functions that are affected. This study aims to examine the effect of integrated physical cognitive exercises at home on the executive functions of adults. Methods: This was a field trial study, in which 28 people were examined in 2 groups. People in the experimental group participated in combined cognitive and physical exercises for 16 sessions, while the control group did their daily routines. Inhibition components were evaluated by the go/no-go test and working memory through the N-back test at the beginning and end of the training period. The data were analyzed via factorial analysis of variance through the SPSS software, version 19. Results: The findings indicated that the experimental condition, compared to the control condition, caused a significant improvement in the correct inhibition (P=0.002) and total correct response (P=0.047) components in the go/no-go test, along with the commission errors in the N-back test (P=0.003). Conclusion: The results showed that the combined physical and cognitive exercise had a positive effect on the core executive functions (attentional inhibition and working memory) and could prevent the performance decrement caused by quarantine and the reduction of daily activities that people were facing

Effects of family-centered empowerment model on perceived satisfaction and self concept of multiple sclerosis patients care givers

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic central nervous system disease that affected all the aspects of life of patient, family and community. The importance of empowering programs has been increased with changed care approach from hospital to community. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of family- center empowerment model on the perceived satisfaction and self concept of the caregivers of multiple sclerosis patients. Materials and Methods: In this clinical trial study, 70 multiple sclerosis patients’ caregivers were grouped using random allocation to experimental and control groups. Based on training needs in the experimental group, 8 sessions for empowerment model were implemented in three months. Three months after the program implementation and collecting of self report checklists, the perceived satisfaction and self-esteem were evaluated in both experimental and control groups again. Results: Independent t tests showed significant differences in two groups after the intervention (P=0.001). In the experimental group, paired T- test also showed significant increase in the perceived satisfaction and self-esteem of family caregivers of patients (P=0.001). However in the control group, there were no significant differences in the perceived satisfaction and self-esteem of family caregivers of patients after three months. Conclusion: Family caregivers of chronic patients as hidden patients, have many problems. The interventions such as empowerment model implementation based on educational and therapeutic needs because of their low cost, safety and effectiveness for caregivers can enhance their perceived satisfaction and self-estee

Evaluation of the Effect of Ecological Factors on Cannibalism in Pelophylax bedriagae (Pallas, 1771) (Amphibia: Anura)

Marsh frog, Pelophylax bedriagae tadpoles habituate in temporary wetlands where intraspecific aggression has been observed. In this study, we examined the independent and interactive effects of predator cues, water level and density on head width size and head, tail and whole body cannibalism of larval P. bedriagae. We designed a 2×2×3 factorial experiment, by crossing two levels of predatory cues (presence/absence), two levels of density (low/ high) and three levels of water (low/ high/ decreasing) that were carried out within 29 weeks. Despite using conditions that might facilitate cannibalism (i.e., the presence of predator cues, low water level, and high density), a low rate of cannibalism was observed in all treatments. Independently, the highest percentage of total cannibalism was indicated in the presence of predator cues (2.26 %), high water level (2.04 %) and high density (2.24 %). Interactively, the highest rate of total cannibalism was recorded for larvae reared in the high density/absence of predator cues/low water level treatment (3.55%). In contrast, the lowest rate of total cannibalism was observed in the both the low density/presence of predator cues/decreasing water level and low-density/presence of predator cues/high water level treatments (0.44%). The results of the MANOVA indicated that predator cues, water level and density independently and interactively had not significant effect on rate of total cannibalism. At the end of experiment, the maximum size of head width was measured in low-density/absence of predator cues/high water level treatment (9.60±0.39mm), and there was no significant relationship between the maximum head width and the highest rate of cannibalism. According to the results of this experiment, it seems that P. bedriagae larvae may function to avoid the risk of cannibalism by conspecific

Development and optimization of the new ultrasonic-infrared-vacuum dryer in drying Kelussia odoratissima and its comparison with conventional methods

Among the post-harvest processing of medicinal plants, drying is an important and influential process. Given the numerous applications of medicinal plants, especially Kelussia odoratissima, in the food and pharmaceutical industries, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of the ultrasound-infrared radiation-vacuum method with conventional drying methods on the drying time, the total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and antioxidant activity of K. odoratissima. ANOVA result showed that the effects of drying methods, drying temperature and their interaction effect on phenolic, flavonoid and antioxidant content were significant at 1% probability level. In the ultrasound-IR-vacuum method, by increasing temperature from 40 °C to 80 °C, the TFC increased by 35%. The highest antioxidant capacity was obtained for dry shade treatment, followed by dry sun treatment and three temperatures, i.e., 40 °C, 60 °C and 80 °C, in the combined method. The proposed optimal temperatures for the hot air, IR, and ultrasonic drying, were 63 °C, 66 °C and 71 °C, respectivel