Electrochemical activities at the crack tip: A localized approach

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Normalization of systemic arterial hypertension following removal of posterior fossa hemangioblastoma: a case report

The concept of compression of the rostral ventrolateral medulla as a cause for hypertension is gaining more and more interest. This report is about a 36-year-old male with a three years history of hypertension who presented with a posterior fossa mass suggestive of a hemangioblastoma. Laboratory and imaging studies ruled out the presence of von Hippel-Lindau disease and/or concomitant pheochromocytoma. Post-surgical blood pressure monitoring revealed a 40 mmHg decline in blood pressure. It could be hypothesized that alleviation the compressive effect of the tumour on the rostral ventrolateral medulla as proposed by previous studies could be a contributing factor

Effects of psycho-educational intervention on health-related quality of life (QOL) of patients with chronic liver disease referring to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences

BACKGROUND: Chronic liver diseases (CLDs) are progressive disorder which has a significant impact on the well-being of patients and leads to significant morbidity. CLDs are characterized by disturbances in physical, psychological and social aspects of well-being. It causes significant health-related quality of life (QOL) impairment. Psycho-educational interventions targeting to functional factors could be beneficial for patients with CLDs. METHODS: An interventional study was conducted on 110 patients with CLDs in Shiraz Liver Transplantation Center (SLTC). Subjects with the required CLDs criteria were selected and randomly divided into experimental (55) and control (55) groups. A two part questionnaire with 25 items concerning demographic and general information and 29 items regarding QOL was used. The psycho-educational needs of the experimental group were assessed in a session before the intervention, then the experimental group took part in 3 sessions individually and one session in groups. The questionnaires were filled in again for both groups but the control group did not receive the intervention program. The questionnaires were filled in again for both groups one day and three months after the intervention. RESULTS: Findings revealed no significant differences between the two groups from the view point of demographic characteristics such as marital status, gender, etc... (p > 0.05) and from the point of clinical variables no statistically significant differences were found (p > 0.05). Findings revealed statistically significant differences in all domain of QOL in the experimental group three months after the intervention (p = 0.001), while there was no statistically significant differences in the control group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study revealed that psycho-educational intervention had a significant effect on QOL of patients with CLDs

Autonomic Activities in Cases of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Through Virtual Reconstruction of Trauma

Background: In Iran, one of the main duties of forensic psychiatrists is to accurately diagnose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In order to achieve a more accurate diagnosis and reduce the possibility of deception, the autonomic reactions of patients with PTSD were investigated through virtual reconstructed trauma. Methods: The autonomic activities of 80 patients who were diagnosed with PTSD by psychiatric interview based on the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) and PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) checklists, were recorded by an electronic wristband through virtual trauma exposure. Data were collected and analyzed by SPSS software, version 16.Results: The galvanic skin response, heart rate, and body temperature can be the most reliable automatic reactions to diagnose true cases of PTSD.Conclusion: The findings of this study along with psychometric tests can be used to distinguish between true cases of PTSD and fake cases

Effect of Imagining the Strategy of Play and Imagining the Motor Skill on Youths' Sport Performance in Karate

Introduction: The present study aimed to determine the effect of imagining the play strategies in comparison with imagining the motor skills on performance during a sports competition course.Methods: Participants were 30 (19 men, 11 women) karatekas who were evaluated as upper than moderate in terms of performance level. In the beginning, participants' ability and past experiments in motor imagery were assessed. Then, they took part in a quasi-experimental design of one of three strategic imagery, movement imagery, or control groups. Each person immediately after combatting with an opponent performed the required action depending on the group and finally competed against the same previous opponent, again.Results: The results showed that karatekas had excellent imagery ability, especially in preserving the temporal characteristics of the movement, and at the past competitions, specifically before their matches, they had used both cognitive-general and cognitive-specific imagery. Also, the nonparametric analysis demonstrated that in the quasi-experimental design, the strategic imagery group gained a higher point difference during the post-test, however, the movement imagery or control group did not differ significantly.Conclusion: The research findings revealed that strategic imagery has more advantages compared to skill imagery, suggesting that strategies of play can be used between the matches as an effective factor in sports success

Distinct High-Profile Methylated Genes in Colorectal Cancer

Background: Mutations and promoters ’ methylation of a set of candidate cancer genes (CAN genes) are associated with progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). We hypothesized that these genes ’ promoters are inactivated through epigenetic silencing and may show a different profile in high-risk populations. We investigated the status of CAN gene methylation and CHD5 protein expression in African American CRC tissue microarrays (TMA) using immunohistochemical staining. Methodology/Principal Findings: The promoter methylation status of the CAN genes was studied by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) in 51 Iranians (a white population) and 51 African Americans (AA). Microsatellite instability (MSI) was analyzed as well. The differential frequency of methylation for each gene was tested by chi-square analysis between the two groups based on matched age and sex. CHD5 protein expression was evaluated in moderate to well differentiated and poorly differentiated carcinomas compared to matched normal tissue using TMA. In addition, the correlation between these epigenetic biomarkers and various clinicopathological factors, including, age, location, and stage of the disease were analyzed. Seventy-seven and 34 % of tumors were distal in Iranian and African American patients, respectively. In both populations, the percentage of methylation was.65 % for SYNE1, MMP2, APC2, GPNMB, EVL, PTPRD, and STARD8, whereas methylation was,50 % for LGR6, RET, CD109, and RNF. The difference in methylation between the two populations was statistically significant for CHD5, ICAM5 and GPNMB. Thirty-one percent AA tumors showed MSI-H, compared to 28 % i

International Journal of Molecular and Clinical Microbiology Serological survey of Leishmania infantum in wild rodents of Turkemen Sahra, Golestan province, North-East Iran

Leishmania infantum, an etiologic agent of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis (VL), is spreading in Iran. Dogs are the main reservoirs but L.infantum has been detected in jackals, foxes and wild rodents too. Despite high number of rodents in the world, the exact role of them in epidemiology of VL is not clear. In recent years the number of sporadic cases of dogs and humans VL has been increased in arid and semi-arid areas of Golestan province. The aim of this study was to detect L.infantum antibody in wild rodents of Turkemen Sahra district of Golestan province. 75 rodents were randomly trapped from 8 areas and after identification of the genus and species, blood was collected by cardiac puncture. Indirect immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) was performed on serum samples of captured rodents. % 8 of serum samples which belonged to Mus musculus population were positive. Results of current study highlight the possible role of wild rodents in the spreading of the L.infantum in ecosystem. More epidemiological and molecular study is recommended to imagine the exact role of wild rodents in life cycle of L.infuntum in Golestan province

Building children and adolescents’ electronic book reading system: a conceptual model

Regarding to design an applicable electronic book reading system for children and adolescent, this study’s struggle is to prepare a conceptual model. We used quantitative approach and Delphi method in order to analyze data. In this regard, criterion based sampling is used to identify the research population. 15 experts were identified which had criteria such as having subjective publications, teaching experience, and so on. We supposed that these experts could present more information that we expected to collect. Moreover, 8 electronic book systems were selected to be reviewed, because of their plenty of active audiences, and their international and also standard presence. Firstly identified practical criteria in designing electronic books by extracting them from related resources and checking active systems. These data helped us to prepare primitive version of the checklist and it completed after passing validity control step with participation of three experts. Then the checklist presented to experts in Delphi panel. Finally, consensus on the components was reached after three rounds of Delphi panel. The results showed that in designing electronic books for children, there are five original components. The components are display screen features with 12 criteria, screen organization with 13 criteria, interaction and feedback with 8 criteria, search and retrieval features with 10 criteria, and help and guidance features with 10 criteria. Consequently, display screen features with score of 3,706 and interaction and feedback with score of 3,700 were selected as the most important components in designing electronic book systems by the viewpoints of Delphi experts

Analysis of the drivers explain the resilience of the city in the metropolis of Mashhad

Objective: A resilience to the new approach is to assess and improve the capacity and permanence of the foundations of development in cities. Explaining and identifying its effective and promising components can be the basis for many crisis management and non-operating city defense programs that are very necessary in light of the complexities of today's threats. Methods: the present paper is aimed at applying and descriptive-analytical methodology in order to identify and analyze the explanatory predictors of urban resilience in Mashhad's metropolis. The purpose of documentary and Delphi method was used to identify the conceptual features explaining the main proponents of the resilience. The sample population of experts and experts involved in the topic of research in two parts is 15 people to implement a targeted Delphi technique and 50 people to evaluate the contributing drivers. The data analysis is based on the AMOS Structural Equation Modeling. Results: The results show that, firstly, the analysis of conceptual indicators using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the six main explanatory drivers was as economic resilience with coefficient of reliability of 0.78, social resilience with coefficient of reliability of 0.76, Physical aberration with a coefficient of reliability of 0.72; institutional-managerial resilience with 0.73 coefficient of reliability and infrastructure resilience with a coefficient of 0.82 identified; and secondly, analysis of the structure of the communicators of the propulsors identified using a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed that the identified propellants have a significant structural relationship to explain the fluctuation in the metropolis of Mashhad. Conclusion: In occurring of accidents, set of factors have main role and between them, human factors role are deterministic, so we must be prioritized training principles in reduction and preventive plans