Original Article

Objectives: Balance disorder is one of the most common problems after stroke causes falling and fear of falling in some patients. The balance based video games are newly used in people with motor problems. It is very important to use different interventions for balance issues. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of videogame on balance and fear of falling in one participant. Methods: This experimental study was done in a single subject system, A-B design for one patient with chronic stroke. This method including repetitive measures conducted in two phases, baseline and then twelve intervention sessions. Berg Balance Scale, Timed up and go, Functional Reach, the maximum weight bearing in different directions and the deviation from center were conducted for balance assessing. Fear of falling questionnaire was used to assess fear of falling. Analysis of results was done by C-statistic, Bayesian factor, Mann Whitney U, and visual analysis graphs. Results: The results showed significant improvement for balance skills, the maximum force produced by lower extremities and reducing fear of falling parameters. But the deviation from center graphs did not showed distinct pattern. Discussion: All analysis confirmed the efficacy of videogames on balance skills and fear of falling improvement. However, the deviation from center did not show improvement and it seems to need more studies

The Effect of Virtual Reality Practice on Postural Control and Balance in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Single-Subject Study

Objectives: Virtual reality is a new technology that has been recently used for different purposes in the rehabilitation of children. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of this method in balance rehabilitation of children with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Methods: This was an A-B-A design single subject study in which 3 children with hemiplegic CP participated. The baseline phase and intervention phase, lasted 2 and 4 weeks, respectively. Then, the secondary evaluation phase was held at an evaluation session. Intervention sessions as the baseline phase were repeated 3 times a week. In each session, children performed different computer games with displacement of the center of pressure in frontal and sagittal planes (for 21 min). The secondary evaluation phase of this study was held 2 to 3 months after the completion of the intervention phase. The changes made in this study were evaluated by assessment tools of Pediatric Reach Test (PRT), Single Limb Stance (SLS), Plate sensitive to pressure of Biometrics Ltd E-LINK force plate, and Activity Scale for Kids (ASK). Finally, the results were evaluated by C static and the visual analysis method.  Results: Comparison of the results of PRT, ASK and the evaluation of planes sensitive to pressure of Biometrics Ltd E-LINK in all 3 phases revealed the significant improvement of dynamic balance and the enhancement of the independence performance of children in daily living activities and the sustainability of the recovery in the secondary evaluation phase. Although, the SLS test results and data of force Plate indicated no significant improvements in the static balance of patients. Discussion: The study results suggest that weight shift exercises with the use of virtual reality can effectively improve the dynamic balance of children with CP. However, it fails to make a significant change in the static balance of these children

Synthesis of Flower-like Ag-ZnO Nanostructure and its Application in the Photodegradation of Methyl Orange

Nanostructured Ag-ZnO materials were successfully synthesized by first producing a ZnO with flower-like morphology using a simple precipitation method, and then Ag nanoparticles were prepared directly on the surface by a facile photoreduction method. The materials were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). They were shown to be composed of metallic Ag particles dispersed on the surface of flower-like ZnO structures. Photocatalytic effect of Ag-ZnO on the photodegradation of methyl orange (MO) under UV irradiation was investigated in aqueous suspension. The effect of pH, Ag content, photodeposition time, concentration of the organic dye and presence of Mg2+, Ca2+, NO3-, Cl- and SO4(2-) on the photocatalytic degradation and decolorization reaction of MO was studied. The photocatalytic method was applied for the degradation of MO in several synthetic wastewater samples with satisfactory results

Effectiveness of Videogames on Balance and Fear of Falling in Chronic Stroke Patient

Objectives: Balance disorder is one of the most common problems after stroke causes falling and fear of falling in some patients. The balance based video games are newly used in people with motor problems. It is very important to use different interventions for balance issues. The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of videogame on balance and fear of falling in one participant. Methods: This experimental study was done in a single subject system, A-B design for one patient with chronic stroke. This method including repetitive measures conducted in two phases, baseline and then twelve intervention sessions. Berg Balance Scale, Timed up and go, Functional Reach, the maximum weight bearing in different directions and the deviation from center were conducted for balance assessing. Fear of falling questionnaire was used to assess fear of falling. Analysis of results was done by C-statistic, Bayesian factor, Mann Whitney U, and visual analysis graphs. Results: The results showed significant improvement for balance skills, the maximum force produced by lower extremities and reducing fear of falling parameters. But the deviation from center graphs did not showed distinct pattern. Discussion: All analysis confirmed the efficacy of videogames on balance skills and fear of falling improvement. However, the deviation from center did not show improvement and it seems to need more studies

The therapeutic effect of N‐acetylcysteine as an add‐on to methadone maintenance therapy medication in outpatients with substance use disorders: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial

Abstract Objective Patients with substance use disorders (SUD) under methadone maintenance therapy (MMT) are susceptible to a number of complications (psychological and metabolic disorders). Evidence studies have shown the roles of the glutamatergic system in addiction. N‐Acetylcysteine (NAC) enhances extracellular glutamate, and is effective in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders. We assessed oral NAC as an add‐on to MMT medication for the treatment of SUD. Methods In the current randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial, outpatients with SUD under MMT who were 18–60 years old received 2400 mg/day NAC (n = 30) or placebo (n = 30) for 12 weeks. Psychological status and metabolic biomarkers were assessed at baseline and the end of the trial. Results Compared with the placebo group, NAC treatment resulted in a significant improvement in depression score (β −2.36; 95% CI, −3.97, −0.76; p = .005), and anxiety score (β −1.82; 95% CI, −3.19, −0.44; p = .01). Furthermore, NAC treatment resulted in a significant elevation in total antioxidant capacity levels (β 72.28 mmol/L; 95% CI, 11.36, 133.19; p = .02), total glutathione (GSH) levels (β 81.84 μmol/L; 95% CI, 15.40, 148.28; p = .01), and a significant reduction in high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein levels (β −0.89 mg/L; 95% CI, −1.50, −0.28; p = .005), and homeostasis model of assessment‐insulin resistance (β −0.33; 95% CI, −0.65, −0.009; p = .04), compared with the placebo group. Conclusion In the current study, improvement in depression and anxiety symptoms as well as some metabolic profiles with NAC treatment for 12 weeks in outpatients with SUD under MMT was detected