The Correlation between Intersegmental Coordination Variability and Frontal Plane Hip Kinematics during Running in Persons with Patellofemoral Pain

Background: Despite the existing evidence indicating altered hip kinematics as well as the studies showing altered movement coordination variability in persons with patellofemoral pain (PFP), there is no study investigating the correlation between hip joint kinematic and movement coordination variability in persons with patellofemoral pain (PFP).Objective: This study aims to evaluate the correlation between peak hip adduction and variability of thigh frontal-shank transverse coordination during running in persons with PFP.Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional correlational study, kinematic data were collected from 34 females (17 with and 17 without PFP) aged 18-35 years during treadmill running at preferred and fixed speeds, each for 30 s. The continuous relative phase method was used to calculate the coordination of thigh frontal-shank transverse. To calculate the deviation phase as the variability of intersegmental coordination, the standard deviation of the ensemble continuous relative phase curve points was averaged. The parameters of interest were peak hip adduction and coordination variability of thigh frontal-shank transverse. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) was used to calculate the correlation between the variables.Results: The Pearson correlation coefficient showed a significant negative correlation between the peak hip adduction angle and variability of thigh frontal– shank transverse during running at both fixed (r=-0.553, P0.05).  Conclusion: The results indicated that greater adduction of the hip joint in persons with PFP during running is contributed to lesser variability of thigh frontal-shank transverse

Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of Patients Who Died of Methanol Toxicity During COVID 19 Period in Loghman-e Hakim Hospital in Tehran

Background: Outbreaks of methanol poisoning were observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Acute methanol poisoning is a global crisis. Methanol can cause acute and fatal toxicity through metabolic acidosis. In the present study, we evaluated demographic, clinical, and paraclinical characteristics of patients who died in the recent outbreak of methanol poisoning in Tehran from March to April 2020. Methods: This cross-sectional study was accomplished at the Loghman-Hakim Hospital in Tehran on 80 patients who died of methanol toxicity. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected retrospectively from the patient’s files and analyzed with appropriate statistical tests.Results: Men were significantly more involved than women (%85 vs. %15). There were no significant differences between other characteristics of male and female patients, including the time between consumption to arrive hospital, dialysis sessions, pulse rate, respiratory rate, loss of consciousness, seizure, acute kidney injury, brain CT, and Intracerebral Hemorrhage ( ICH). Blood sugar, serum potassium, and liver function tests were higher than average in most of the patients.Conclusion: Our study showed that this outbreak of methanol poisoning was due to the use of alcoholic drinks that contain methanol. Men were primarily affected that could be because of the cultural and social status of our country. The greater seizure probability in females could be because of enhancing the NMDA receptor by estrogen. Abnormalities in Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST), and Prothrombin Time (PT) were seen in most patients, indicating liver damage. Misbeliefs about the protective effects of alcohol consumption against COVID-19 may lead many to consume poorly made alcohols that contain methanol and outbreaks of methanol intoxication

Clinical, epidemiological, and mycological features of patients with candidemia: Experience in two tertiary referral centers in Iran

Background and purpose: Candidemia is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy and those hospitalized with serious underlying diseases. Here, we investigated the epidemiological, clinical, and mycological features of candidemia in Tehran, Iran. Materials and methods: A prospective observational study of all patients diagnosed with candidemia was performed at two referral teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran, from February to December 2018. Demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, risk factors, clinical symptoms, and laboratory analyses of candidemic patients with positive culture were mined. Candida isolates were molecularly identified by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). The antifungal susceptibility testing for fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, posaconazole, amphotericin B, caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin against the isolates was performed using CLSI broth microdilution reference method (M27-A3). Results: A total of 89 episodes were identified, with an incidence of 2.1 episodes/1000 admissions. The common underling disease were malignancy (46%), renal failure/dialysis (44%), and hypertension (40%). The overall crude mortality was 47%. C. albicans (44%) was the most frequent causative agent, followed by C. glabrata (21%), C. parapsilosis complex (15%), C. tropicalis (11%), and C. lusitaniae (3.5%). All the isolates were susceptible to amphotericin B. The activity of all four azoles was low against non-albicans Candida species, especially C. tropicalis. Conclusion: The increase in non-albicans Candida species with reduced susceptibility to antifungal drugs might be alarming in high-risk patients. Therefore, accurate knowledge of predisposing factors and epidemiological patterns in candidemia are effective steps for managing and decreasing the mortality rate in candidemia.This study has been funded and supported by Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (Grant no. 99-2-99-48944).S

EFFECTIVENESS OF LIFE QUALITY GROUP TRAINING ON LIFE SATISFACTION AND HAPPINESS OF MOTHERS WITH PHENYLKETONURIA CHILD

ABSTRACT This research aims to study the effectiveness of life quality group training on life satisfaction and happiness of mothers with Phenylketonuria Child. The research is experimental with pre-post-test with control group. Statistic population includes all mothers with Phenylketonuria child with medical records in Amin Hospital of Isfahan, 100 individuals. 30 mothers were selected based on simple random sampling and divided in two test and control group. Diener Life Satisfaction Questionnaire and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire were used as tools. Life quality course was started with 7 sessions, weekly and each session 90 minutes. Gathered data was analyzed with ANCOVA test and show that there is a meaningful difference between symbols of life satisfaction and happiness in control and test group i.e. life quality training increases the life satisfaction and happiness of mothers with Phenylketonuria Child. According to psychological problems of these parents, life quality training courses can be used as intervention programs and reduce the side effects

A Comparative Study of Learning and Motivation in Continuing Medical Education Based on Integrated Instructional and Motivational Design Models

Introduction: There are few studies that compare electronic learning in continuing medical education using instructional material developed based on scientific principles of instructional and motivational designs. Therefore, this study was performed in Kermanshah University of Medical Science in 2011 in order to compare physicians’ learning and motivation in these two instructional approaches. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study 60 general physicians and medical residents were selected by convenience sampling method. E-learning content development in control group (n=30) was based on instructional design models and in the experimental group (n=30) was based on the integration of instructional design and motivational design models by Macromedia Flash software. In this study, three questionnaires of demographic information (with 8 items), learning outcomes (with 20 questions) and motivation level (with 48 items) were used. The data were collected by pretest and posttest both containing similar questions and the physician’ motivation questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed by Levene’s test, independent and paired sample T tests and chi square test. Results: Based on the findings, there was no significant difference between pretest scores of the two groups (11.37±1.19 vs. 11.73±0.69) but there was a significant difference between posttest learning scores (15.63±1.38 vs. 17.53±0.94) and motivation of physicians (143.83±5.45 vs. 160.63±22.41) in both groups (p<.05). Conclusion: The physicians’ learning and motivation were different in these two instructional methods therefore, it is recommended that instructional and motivational design be used in future electronic continuing medical education program

Topical application of Dianthus essential oil improved the infected healing process of wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus in an experimental model

Background & Aims:  In recent years, wound infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus have substantially grown. Lack of easy access, medications expensive, side effects, and in particular the development of drug resistance, the use of biological materials are proposed as an alternative solution. The recent study was aimed to evaluate the topical effect of Dianthus essential oil on cutaneous excisional wound healing in mice infected with S. aureus.  Materials & Maethods: This study was performed on 36 mice (weight 25±3 g). After general anesthesia, 0.5 mm circle wound was created with biopsy punch between the shoulder, and immediately 50 γ of the suspension containing 107 CFU/ml S. Aureus was applied to the wound. Then tested animals, grouping in three groups of 12 mice each (control, treated with ointment 2% and 4%). During the project, image was obtained on days 3, 6, 9 and 12 images for assessment of wound area, and in 3, 7 and 14 from wounds in order to histopathology assessment. Results: The results of the wound size showed that the wound area decreased significantly in the treated groups (p< 0.05) compared with the control group. On histological examination, a significant (p< 0.05) reduction was observed in the migration of immune cells, the migration of fibroblasts and fibrocytes into the wound, the collagen synthesis and secretion. In addition, the thickness of the epithelium thickest increased in the treatment groups compared with the control group (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, topical application of Dianthus essential oil, especially at higher therapeutic doses, can be considered a viable option for treatment of infected wounds by the bacteria S. aureus

Development of Static Postural Control: Regulating the Center of Pressure Trajectory

Introduction: Studying the developmental process, it may be possible to examine the role of sensory and cognitive systems involved in postural control. The aim of this study was to evaluate static postural control in both linear and nonlinear methods in children aged 7 to 12 years and compare them with young-adult. Materials and Methods: The center of pressure (COP) in eight postural task was assessed in 420 girls and boys 7 to 12 years old and 20 young adults. The linear method included sway, deviation, the amplitude of CoP and velocity. To characterize the nonlinear evaluation, sample entropy (SampEn) was measured. Results: The results showed that 7 and 8-year-old have the most sway, amplitude, speed of CoP and deviations than others (p&lt; 0.05) and adults had the lowest amount. But the SampEn, decreases significantly with age (p&lt; 0.01). The base of support was greater effect on linear and nonlinear than that other conditions, especially in children (p&lt; 0.001). The closed-eyes condition, were not aligned in linear and non-linear evaluation (p&lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The differences between age groups were significant in the challenging situation than that stable condition, due to changes in postural control strategies. Task demands did not have a significant effect on balance variability in adults, but it did affect children and linear variables.&nbsp;&nbsp

Introduction of Graphene/h-BN Metamaterial as Neutron Radiation Shielding by Implementing Monte Carlo Simulation

In this paper, graphene/h-BN metamaterial was investigated as a new neutron radiation shielding (NRS) material by Monte Carlo N-Particle X version (MCNPX) Transport Code. The graphene/h-BN metamaterial are capable of both thermal and fast neutron moderator and neutron absorber process. The constituent phases in graphene/h-BN metamaterial are chosen to be hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and graphene. The introduced target was irradiated by an Am&ndash;Be neutron source with an energy spectrum of 100 keV to 15 MeV in a Monte Carlo simulation input file. The resulting current transmission rate (CTR) was investigated by the MCNPX code. Due to concrete&rsquo;s widespread use as a radiation shielding material, the results of this design were also compared with concrete targets. The results show a significant increase in NRS compared to concrete. Therefore, metamaterial with constituent phase&rsquo;s graphene/h-BN can be a suitable alternative to concrete for NRS

Comparison of X-ray production in the 0–5 MeV range by irradiating 100 MeV proton beam on salt and lead.

Comparison of X-ray production in the 0–5 MeV range by irradiating 100 MeV proton beam on salt and lead.</p

Representation of the cells defined in the MNCPX code for calculating X-ray spectrum.

Representation of the cells defined in the MNCPX code for calculating X-ray spectrum.</p