Effect of ankle taping on postural control measures during grasp and release task in patients with chronic ankle instability.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Mulligan ankle taping on center of pressure (COP) parameters during performance of a functional upper limb task in patients with chronic ankle instability (CAI).

Methods: A clinical controlled trial study designed between 4 ankle conditions: untaped and taped, CAI and healthy subjects. Fifteen subjects with CAI and 15 healthy controls were asked to grasp an object at their waist level and release it above shoulder level in an oblique pattern during performance of single-leg stance balance test.

Switching from high-fat diet to foods containing resveratrol as a calorie restriction mimetic changes the architecture of arcuate nucleus to produce more newborn anorexigenic neurons.

Purpose: These days, obesity threatens the health for which one of the main interventions is calorie restriction (CR). Due to the difficulty of compliance with this treatment, CR mimetics such as resveratrol (RSV) have been considered. The present study compared the effects of RSV and CR on hypothalamic remodeling in a diet-switching experiment.

The challenges of clinical education in a baccalaureate surgical technology students in Iran: a qualitative study.

Background: Clinical education is an integral part of the surgical technology curriculum, in which students combine and integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and philosophies of the profession. It is difficult to learn and adapt to different types of skills and roles in the operating room environment.

Objective: This qualitative study examines the difference between the clinical education of Surgical Technology and other clinical settings, and the challenges faced by students in the field, within the course.

High prevalence and familial aggregation of keratoconus in an Iranian rural population: a population-based study.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of keratoconus and the potential effect of genetic and environmental factors on its prevalence in households living in rural areas of Iran in a large population-based study.

Methods: The present cross-sectional study was performed in two Iranian rural populations. Two rural areas were randomly selected in the southwest and north of Iran.

Corneal hysteresis and corneal resistance factor in pellucid marginal degeneration.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) in pellucid marginal degeneration (PMD), keratoconus (KCN), and normal eyes using the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA).

Methods: In this retrospective study, corneal biomechanical parameters were measured in patients with PMD ( = 102) and KCN ( = 202) and normal subjects ( = 208) using the ORA. Data, including full patient history as well as the results of refraction, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, Pentacam HR (Oculus), and ORA (Reichert; Buffalo, New York, USA), were collected from medical records.

Distribution of IOP measured with an air puff tonometer in a young population.

Purpose: To determine the normal range of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the young and its association with certain corneal parameters using a non-contact device.

Methods: Subjects were selected from students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences through stratified sampling. All participants had visual acuity testing, corneal imaging, a comprehensive slit-lamp examination by an ophthalmologist, and IOP measurement using a non-contact air-puff tonometer.

Effects of Reiki Versus Physiotherapy on Relieving Lower Back Pain and Improving Activities Daily Living of Patients With Intervertebral Disc Hernia.

Patients with intervertebral disc herniation (IVDH) seek complementary and conventional medical therapies to manage related problems. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of Reiki compared with physiotherapy to relieve the lower back pain intensity and to improve the activities of daily living (ADL) in the IDVH patients. In this clinical trial study, 60 patients with IVDH were randomly assigned to one of the Reiki, physiotherapy, and drug therapy groups.

The Relationship of Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure with Corneal Biomechanical Parameters in Healthy Subjects.

This study aimed to assess the possible relationship of body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) with corneal biomechanical parameters in healthy subjects. The study included 88 eyes of 88 healthy subjects aged 20-40 years. After a thorough medical history, a digital sphygmomanometer was used to measure the systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP).

A Contralateral Eye Study Comparing Corneal Biomechanics in Subjects with Bilateral Keratoconus with Unilateral Vogt's Striae.

The aim of this study was to analyze and compare corneal biomechanics in patients with bilateral keratoconus (KCN) with unilateral Vogt's striae. In this prospective contralateral study, visual acuity, refraction, and corneal biomechanical parameters were evaluated in patients with bilateral KCN with unilateral Vogt's striae using the Ocular Response Analyzer (ORA) (Reichert Inc., Buffalo, NY) and Corvis ST (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany).

Stable Knockdown of Adenosine Kinase by Lentiviral Anti-ADK miR-shRNAs in Wharton's Jelly Stem Cells.

Objectives: In this study, we describe an efficient approach for stable knockdown of adenosine kinase (ADK) using lentiviral system, in an astrocytoma cell line and in human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (hWJMSCs). These sources of stem cells besides having multilineage differentiation potential and immunomodulatory activities, are easily available in unlimited numbers, do not raise ethical concerns and are attractive for gene manipulation and cell-based gene therapy.

Materials And Methods: In this experimental study, we targeted adenosine kinase mRNA at 3' and performed coding sequences using eight miR-based expressing cassettes of anti-ADK short hairpin RNA (shRNAs).

Investigation of the effects of Islamic fasting on ocular parameters.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of religious fasting during the month of Ramadan on intraocular pressure (IOP), refractive error, corneal tomography and biomechanics, ocular biometry, and tear film layer properties.

Methods: This prospective study was carried out one week before and in the last week of Ramadan. Ninety-four eyes of 94 healthy adult volunteers (54 males and 40 females) with a mean ± SD age of 35.

Ultrasonography in Emergency Department; a Diagnostic Tool for Better Examination and Decision-Making.

Context: The aim of this study is to evaluate the applications of ultrasonography (US) as a diagnostic tool in emergency settings.

Evidence Acquisition: In the present review article, search engines and scientific databases of Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane were searched for the applications of US in emergencies. Finally, related articles which were published between 2000 and 2017, were selected and by reviewing them an attempt was made to evaluate various applications of US for examining and facilitating decision-making in emergency department (ED).

Comparison between Pentacam HR and Orbscan II after Hyperopic Photorefractive Keratectomy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the agreement between Pentacam HR (Scheimpflug imaging, Oculus) and Orbscan II (scanning slit topography, Bausch and Lomb) in measuring corneal parameters after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) for hyperopia.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 38 hyperopic eyes undergoing PRK were examined before refractive surgery and 8 to 10 months postoperatively using Pentacam HR and Orbscan II. Ultrasound (US) pachymetry was also used to measure central corneal thickness (CCT).

Decrease in Cavity Size and Oligodendrocyte Cell Death Using Neurosphere-Derived Oligodendrocyte-Like Cells in Spinal Cord Contusion Model.

Background: Oligodendrocyte cell death is among the important features of spinal cord injury, which appears within 15 min and occurs intensely for 4 h after injury, in the rat spinal contusion model. Accordingly, the number of oligodendrocytes progressively reduced within 24 h after injury. Administration of oligodendrocyte-like cells (OLCs) into the lesion area is one of the approaches to counterbalance this condition.

Evaluation of Changes in Visual Acuity, Contrast Sensitivity and Aberrations in Patients with Keratoconus after Corneal Collagen Cross-linking.

Purpose: To assess and compare preoperative refractive, aberrometric, topographic, and contrast sensitivity (CS) measurements with postoperative values after corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in patients with progressive keratoconus.

Methods: Twenty-two eyes of 11 patients with keratoconus were enrolled in this prospective study. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), CS, and higher order aberrations (HOAs) were evaluated at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 8 months after surgery.

Rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells aging reduction by zinc sulfate under extremely low frequency electromagnetic field exposure is associated with increased telomerase reverse transcriptase gene expression.

Zinc as an essential trace element was reported to be involved in regulation of the growth and aging of cells. In this study, rat adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were exposed to extremely low frequency electromagnetic field (ELF-EMF) of 50 Hz and 20 mT to evaluate whether exposure to ELF-EMF in the presence of zinc sulfate (ZnSO) affects the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene expression and aging in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The cell plates were divided into four groups including group I (control without ZnSO and ELF-EMF exposure); group II (ELF-EMF-exposure without ZnSO); group III (ZnSO treatment without ELF-EMF exposure) and group ІV (ELF-EMF exposure with ZnSO).

MicroRNA-181 Variants Regulate T Cell Phenotype in the Context of Autoimmune Neuroinflammation.

Background: Recent studies have revealed that multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions have distinct microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles. miR-181 family members show altered expression in MS tissues although their participation in MS pathogenesis remains uncertain. Herein, we investigated the involvement of miR-181a and miR-181b in the pathogenesis of MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).

Prevalence of androgen deficiency in chronic spinal cord injury patients suffering from erectile dysfunction.

Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of biochemical androgen deficiency in Iranian spinal cord injured men suffering from erectile dysfunction (ED) and to determine factors related to this problem.

Setting: An andrology clinic of a teaching hospital in Tehran.

Bilateral cytomegalovirus retinitis in a healthy infant.

Purpose: To report a case of bilateral cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in an otherwise healthy infant.

Methods: A four-month-old, healthy, male infant was evaluated for visual inattention.

Results: This full-term infant with a normal birth weight and an uneventful gestational period was referred with symptoms of visual inattention, fever, and agitation one week prior to admission.

miR-181 interacts with signaling adaptor molecule DENN/MADD and enhances TNF-induced cell death.

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs, which regulate the expression of protein coding transcripts through mRNA degradation or translational inhibition. Numerous reports have highlighted the role of miRNAs in regulating cell death pathways including the expression of genes involved in the induction of apoptosis. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a proinflammatory cytokine which can send pro-death signals through its receptor TNFR1.

In vitro non-viral murine pro-neurotrophin 3 gene transfer into rat bone marrow stromal cells.

Neurotrophin 3 (NT-3) is an important factor for promoting prenatal neural development, as well as regeneration, axogenesis and plasticity in postnatal life. Therapy with NT-3 was reported to improve the condition of patients suffering from degenerative diseases and traumatic injuries, however, the disadvantage of NT-3 protein delivery is its short half-life, thus our alternative approach is the use of NT-3 gene therapy. In this study, the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) were isolated from adult rats, cultured for 4 passages and transfected with either pEGFP-N1 or a constructed vector containing murine proNT-3 (pSecTag2/HygroB-murine proNT-3) using Lipofectamine 2000 followed by Hygromycin B (200mg/kg).

MicroRNA-142 regulates inflammation and T cell differentiation in an animal model of multiple sclerosis.

Background: MicroRNAs have emerged as an important class of modulators of gene expression. These molecules influence protein synthesis through translational repression or degradation of mRNA transcripts. Herein, we investigated the potential role of miR-142a isoforms, miR-142a-3p and miR-142a-5p, in the context of autoimmune neuroinflammation.

Visual Field Abnormalities among Adolescent Boys with Hearing Impairments.

The aim of this study was to compare the visual field (VF) categorizations (based on the severity of VF defects) between adolescent boys with hearing impairments and those with normal hearing. This cross-sectional study involved the evaluation of the VF of 64 adolescent boys with hearing impairments and 68 age-matched boys with normal hearing at high schools in Tehran, Iran, in 2013. All subjects had an intelligence quotient (IQ) > 70.