Reliability and validity of the Persian version of Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) to measure functional limitations in patients with foot and ankle disorders

Objective: To translate the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) into Persian and to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian version of FAAM. Methods: 93 patients with a range of foot and ankle disorders, completed the Persian version of the FAAM and Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36) in the test session. With an interval of 2-6 days, 60 patients filled out the FAAM in the retest session. The FAAM is composed of two subscales including activities of daily living (ADL) and SPORTS. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha, test-retest reliability using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement (s.e.m.), item internal consistency and discriminant validity using Spearman's correlation coefficient and construct validity using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Independent t-test. Results: Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.97 and 0.94 was obtained for ADL and SPORTS subscales, respectively. The ICC and s.e.m. were 0.98 and 3.13 for ADL and 0.98 and 3.53 for SPORTS subscale. Items were stronger measures of their hypothesized subscale than of other subscale. The ADL and SPORTS subscales had stronger correlation with SF-36 physical function (r=0.60, 0.53) and physical health summary measure (r=0.61, 0.48) than with SF-36 mental health (r=0.21, 0.10) and mental health summary measure (r=0.36, 0.27). A high correlation was found between FAAM scores and global scale of functional status for SPORTS (r=0.73) but not for ADL (r=0.42). FAAM scores were greater in individuals who rated their function as normal or nearly normal compared with those who rated as abnormal or severely abnormal for SPORTS (P=0.04) but not for ADL (P=0.15). Conclusion: The Persian version of FAAM is a reliable and valid measure to quantify physical functioning in patients with foot and ankle disorders. © 2010 Osteoarthritis Research Society International

The handbook for standardised field and laboratory measurements in terrestrial climate-change experiments and observational studies

Climate change is a worldwide threat to biodiversity and ecosystem structure, functioning, and services. To understand the underlying drivers and mechanisms, and to predict the consequences for nature and people, we urgently need better understanding of the direction and magnitude of climate‐change impacts across the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. An increasing number of climate‐change studies is creating new opportunities for meaningful and high‐quality generalisations and improved process understanding. However, significant challenges exist related to data availability and/or compatibility across studies, compromising opportunities for data re‐use, synthesis, and upscaling. Many of these challenges relate to a lack of an established “best practice” for measuring key impacts and responses. This restrains our current understanding of complex processes and mechanisms in terrestrial ecosystems related to climate change

Evaluation of Changes in Nerve Conduction Velocity in the Lower Limbs of Football Players

Abstract: Background & Aims: Lower limbs’ nerves are exposed to mechanical injuries in athletes (e.g. football players), because of the excessive physical demand of their job. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of regular and intense sports, such as football, on nerves in the lower leg. This study was conducted during 2006 to 2007 in the Shiraz Rehabilitation Faculty, University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Methods: Nerve conduction studies were done on 20 male college student football players and 15 male inactive students (control) matched for age, height, weight, and foot skin temperature for comparison. Standard nerve conduction techniques using constant measured distances were applied to evaluate the tibial and common peroneal nerves in the dominant and nondominant limbs of each individual. Results: The motor latency of deep peroneal and tibial nerves of the dominant leg of football players was significantly prolonged compared with the inactive group (P < 0.05). Moreover, sensory latency of superficial peroneal, tibial, and compound nerve action potential (CNAP) of tibial nerves of both legs (dominant and nondominant) in football players was significantly prolonged in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). There were significant delays of motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity (NCV) of tibial and common peroneal nerves in football players in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: It is concluded that, in athletes, the limbs involved in sport will be exposed to different external and internal damage and trauma. In other words, football is a sport with high contact and as a result it causes sub-clinical neuropathies due to nerve entrapment. Keywords: Football player, Nerve, Nerve conduction velocity (NCV

Progesterone Release from Electron Beam Crosslinked Silicone Rubber and Study of its Mechanical Properties

Modification of the mechanical properties of silicone rubber were considered for drug delivery systems by using high-energy electron beam (E-beam). In this research work, two different medical grades of silicone rubbers were used to prepare matrices containing 10wt% progesterone with 2 mm thickness and irradiated with E-beam at dose range of 25 up to 200 kGy. Then, the mechanical properties as well as in vitro drug release from matrices were investigated. It was observed that the mechanical properties of matrices increased initially as a function of irradiation dose due to increasing crosslink density and reduction of the molecular weight between the crosslinks and eventually they were leveled off. Also, there was no significant difference in the progesterone release by increasing the irradiation dose. Progesterone crystal modification was not observed during E-beam crosslinking process

Study on Mucoadhesion Properties of Chitosan

Using controlled drug delivery devices is one of the novel methods of drug delivery which is used to perform drug therapy with the minimum side effects. Mucoadhesive polymers are one of these devices. Chitosan is a natural polymer which is a suitable candidate for this purpose due to it is biocompatibility, bioadhesion and high capability to adsorb peptide drugs. Since GI tract has both acidic and basic pH, in this study the interaction between mucin and chitosan as well as swelling of chitosan were investigated in two different media (pH= 5.5 and 7.4). The amount of surface adsorbedmucin was obtained by using spectroscopy. The results have shown that interaction intensity and swelling were pH dependent and reversible

Skin Permeation Enhancers and their Effects on Narcotic Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems through Response Surface Experimental Design

Drug delivery through skin is often obstructed by low permeability of skin towards most drugs; however, such problem would be solved by application of skin penetration enhancers in the formulations. In the present study, a drug in adhesive patch with buprenorphine as active ingredient was prepared. Drug-in-adhesive transdermal drug delivery systems with different chemical penetration enhancers were designed. For this purpose a response-surface experimental design was used. Response surface methodology based on a three-level, three-variable Box–Behnken design was used to evaluate the interactive effects of dependent variables such as: the rate of skin permeation and adhesion properties including peel strength and tack value. The parameters such as drug release and adhesion were used as independent variables. Levulinic acid, lauryl alcohol and Tween 80 were used as penetration enhancers. In order to prepare samples, buprenorphine with constant concentration was incorporated into acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive with carboxylic functionality and this mixture was added to chemical penetration enhancer with different concentrations. The results show that the cumulative amount of drug release in presence of Tween 80 is 462.9 ± 0.006 μg so it is higher than cumulative amount of drug release in presence of levulinic acid (357.9 ± 0.005 μg) and lauryl alcohol (269.5 ± 0.001 μg). Results of adhesion properties such as peel strength and tack reveal that using levulinic acid and lauryl alcohol will increase peel strength while Tween 80 will decrease it. Besides, the results show that all these permeation enhancers have increased tack values

Functionality Effect of Pressure Sensitive Adhesives on In Vitro Drug Release Behavior of Fentanyl Drug in an Adhesive Patch

Some formulations of drug in adhesive transdermal drug delivery systems ()TDDSs)( with different functional and non-functional acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives PSAs)( were prepared. For this purpose fentanyl was used as a drug component. The effects of PSAs type on skin permeation and in vitro drug release from devices were evaluated using hydrodynamically well-characterized Chien permeation system fitted with excised rat abdominal skin. The adhesion properties of devices ()peel strength and tack values)( were obtained. It was found that TDDS with –COOH functional PSA had the lowest steady state flux. Drug release was followed by Higuchi's kinetic model. Adhesion properties of the samples were improved by addition of functional PSA in the formulations

The effect of elaeagnus angustifolia water extract on Scopolamine-Induced memory impairment in rats

Background and Objective: Impaired cognitive function and memory, a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease, can be caused by decreased activity of the cholinergic system. Scopolamine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist, may cause temporary impairment in memory and provide an Alzheimer's disease model. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of water extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia on memory impairment caused by scopolamine. Materials and Methods: 60 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups (n=10 for each group). Four groups received scopolamine (1mg/kg, IP) and water extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) along with a positive control group (received scopolamine) and a negative control group. Water extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia was administered through gavage every day for 4 weeks. Using Morris water maze (MWM), spatial learning and memory were evaluated. Results: The present study showed that Scopolamine injection leads to impairment of learning and memory of rats in the Morris water test (P<0.0001). In addition, Elaeagnus Angustifolia water extracts dosedependently improved the learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine in rats (P<0.0001). There was no significant difference between groups that received water extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia and negative control group (P=1). Conclusion: Water extract of Elaeagnus Angustifolia improves spatial learning and memory induced by scopolamine in rats. © 2014, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. All rights reserved

Effect of rotor sleeve conductivity on rotor eddy-current loss in high-speed PM machines

Prediction of eddy-current power loss in high-speed PM machines is an important subject, helping the designer to avoid over-heating and maximise efficiency. Studies of a generic form of PM machine show that a conducting sleeve usually reduces losses due to long-wavelength harmonics but increases those due to short-wavelength harmonics. In some operating circumstance total loss is increased. However, in the most important practical circumstances, the presence of a sleeve having a suitable value of conductivity can be expected to be markedly beneficial

Iranian medicinal plants for diabetes mellitus: A systematic review

In the Iranian traditional medicine a significant usage of herbs is promoted for their anti-diabetic activity. The aim of this review to assess the efficacy of glucose lowering effects of medicinal plants cultivated in Iran. An electronic literature search of MEDLINE, Science Direct, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library Database, Ebsco and Google Scholar from database inception conducted up to May 2012. A total of 85 studies (18 humans and 67 animals) examining 62 plants were reviewed. The quality of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) assessed by using the Jadad scale. Among the RCTs studies, the best results in glycemic control was found in Aloe vera, Citrullus colocynthus, Plantago ovata, Silybum marianum, Rheum ribes and Urtica dioica. The majority of plants that have been studied for antidiabetic activity showed promising results. However, efficacy and safety of the most plants used in the treatment of diabetes are not sufficient. © 2013 Asian Network for Scientific Information