Sharif Digital Repository

Although anxiety is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders in stroke survivors, its effect on sensory reweighting has not yet been fully studied. The aim of this work was to investigate how anticipation of collision avoidance events affects sensory reweighting in chronic stroke survivors with low and high levels of anxiety (LA-stroke and HA-stroke, respectively), as compared with healthy controls (HC), under the condition of perturbed proprioception. Eighteen LA-stroke and 18 HA-stroke survivors, as well as 18 gender- and age-matched HC, participated in this study. Postural sway variability (i.e. Root Mean Square (RMS) of the COP velocity) was measured for a duration of 180 s... 

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is known as one of the most common workrelated musculoskeletal disorders. Spinal cumulative loads (CLs) during manual material handling (MMH) tasks are the main risk factors for LBP. However, there is no valid and reliable quantitative lifting analysis tool available for quantifying CLs among Iranian workers performing MMH tasks. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the validity and inter-rater reliability of a posture-matching load assessment tool (PLAT) for estimating the L5-S1 static cumulative compression (CC) and shear (CS) loads based on predictive regression equations. Material and Methods: This experimental study was conducted among six... 

Iran is the fourth refugee-hosting country and Afghanistan is the second refugee-source country in the world. This research is qualitative and conducted with content analysis method. Twenty-seven individuals participated in the study. They were recruited from two midterm residential drug treatment centers in Tehran. Afghan refugees who use drugs felt and experienced stigma in five areas: family, friends, workplace, neighborhood, and treatment center. The consequences include frequent treatment failure, family relationship disruption, superficial conformity with the host society, and self-stigma. It is necessary to design interventions to reduce stigma and discrimination attached to refugees.... 

Background. Although the relationship between collective efficacy and group performance has been frequently investigated, a few studies have investigated the development of collective efficacy. Aim. This paper proposes some determinants of collective efficacy in small university groups. Group level hypotheses and research questions relating collective efficacy to collective cognition activities, task interdependence, self-efficacy for group work, and collective orientation were posited. Sample. The sample comprised 145 university students in 40 work-groups. Method. A two-phase longitudinal design was employed in the context of university student groups. All groups were required to perform... 

Introduction: The role of Hippo signaling pathway, which was identified by genetic studies as a key regulator for tissue growth and organ size, in promoting physiological cardiac hypertrophy has not been investigated. Methods: Fourteen male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to the exercise and control groups. The exercise group ran 1 hour per day, 5 days/week, at about 65%-75% VO2max on the motor-driven treadmill with 15ºslope, and the control group ran 15 min/d, 2 days/ week at 9 m/min (0ºinclination), throughout the eight-week experimental period. Forty-eight hours after the last session, hearts were dissected and left ventricles were weighed and stored for subsequent RT-PCR analysis.... 

Introduction: Some tinnitus subjects habituate to their tinnitus but some others do not and complain of its annoyance tremendously. Normal sensory memory and change detection processes are needed for detecting the tinnitus signal as a prediction error and habituation to tinnitus. The purpose of this study was to compare auditory mismatch negativity as the index of sensory memory and change detection among the studied groups to search for the factors involving in the perception of tinnitus and preventing habituation in decompensated tinnitus subjects. Methods: Electroencephalography was recorded from scalp electrodes in compensated tinnitus, decompensated tinnitus, and no tinnitus control... 

STUDY DESIGN. Cross-cultural translation and psychometric testing were performed. OBJECTIVES. To cross-culturally translate the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QDS) into Persian, and then investigate the psychometric properties of the Persian versions produced. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA. To the authors' knowledge, there is no validated instrument to measure functional status in Persian-speaking patients with low back pain (LBP) in Iran. To our knowledge, the widely used back-specific measures, the ODI, RDQ, and QDS, have not been translated and validated for Persian-speaking patients with LBP. METHODS. The... 

Cognitive functions such as working memory require integrated activity among different brain regions. Notably, entorhinal cortex (EC) activity is associated with the successful working memory task. Olfactory bulb (OB) oscillations are known as rhythms that modulate rhythmic activity in widespread brain regions during cognitive tasks. Since the OB is structurally connected to the EC, we hypothesized that OB could modulate EC activity during working memory performance. Herein, we explored OB–EC functional connectivity during spatial working memory performance by simultaneous recording local field potentials when rats performed a Y-maze task. Our results showed that the coherence of delta,... 

Background: Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is considered one of the most severe glomerular diseases and around 80% of cases are resistant to steroid treatment. Since a large proportion of steroid-resistant (SR) FSGS patients progress to end-stage renal disease, other therapeutic strategies may benefit this population. However, identification of non-invasive biomarkers to predict this high-risk population is needed. Objective: We aimed to identify the biomarker candidates to distinguish SR from steroid-sensitive (SS) patients using metabolomics approach and to identify the possible molecular mechanism of resistance. Methods: Urine was collected from biopsy-proven FSGS patients... 

Objective(s): The molecular basis of “metabolically healthy obese” and “metabolically unhealthy non-obese” phenotypes is not fully understood. Our objective was to identify metabolite patterns differing in obese (metabolically healthy vs unhealthy (MHO vs MUHO)) and non-obese (metabolically healthy vs unhealthy (MHNO vs MUHNO)) individuals. Materials and Methods: This case-control study was performed on 86 subjects stratified into four groups using anthropometric and clinical measurements: MHO (21), MUHO (21), MHNO (22), and MUHNO (22). Serum metabolites were profiled using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Multivariate analysis was applied to uncover discriminant metabolites, and enrichment... 

Although medical advancements have successfully helped a lot of couples with their infertility by assisted reproductive technologies (ART), sperm selection, a crucial stage in ART, has remained challenging. Therefore, we aimed to investigate novel sperm separation methods, specifically microfluidic systems, as they do sperm selection based on sperm and/or the female reproductive tract (FRT) features without inflicting any damage to the selected sperm during the process. In this review, after an exhaustive studying of FRT features, which can implement by microfluidics devices, the focus was centered on sperm selection and investigation devices. During this study, we tried not to only point to... 

In this study isolated perfused rat muscle was used to examine the direct effect of temperature changes on the eccentric contraction-induced force and desmin loss. The left medial gastrocnemius muscle was separated and the entire lower limb was transferred into a prewarmed (35°C) organ bath. Temperature was adjusted to 31 or 39°C before and during eccentric contractions. Maximal isometric force and desmin loss were measured after 15 isometric or eccentric contractions. According to our data, organ bath temperature changes before or during eccentric contractions had no significant effect on force loss. However, a strong correlation between desmin loss and temperature changes before (r = 0.93,... 

Background: Stomach cancer is a major health problem in many countries. Understanding the current burden of stomach cancer and the differential trends across various locations is essential for formulating effective preventive strategies. We report on the incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to stomach cancer in 195 countries and territories from 21 regions between 1990 and 2017. Methods: Estimates from GBD 2017 were used to analyse the incidence, mortality, and DALYs due to stomach cancer at the global, regional, and national levels. The rates were standardised to the GBD world population and reported per 100 000 population as age-standardised incidence rates,... 

Background: Worldwide, both the incidence and death rates of pancreatic cancer are increasing. Evaluation of pancreatic cancer burden and its global, regional, and national patterns is crucial to policy making and better resource allocation for controlling pancreatic cancer risk factors, developing early detection methods, and providing faster and more effective treatments. Methods: Vital registration, vital registration sample, and cancer registry data were used to generate mortality, incidence, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) estimates. We used the comparative risk assessment framework to estimate the proportion of deaths attributable to risk factors for pancreatic cancer:... 

Background: The burden of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rising globally, with substantial variation in levels and trends of disease in different countries and regions. Understanding these geographical differences is crucial for formulating effective strategies for preventing and treating IBD. We report the prevalence, mortality, and overall burden of IBD in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2017, based on data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017. Methods: We modelled mortality due to IBD using a standard Cause of Death Ensemble model including data mainly from vital registrations. To estimate the non-fatal burden, we used data... 

Background: Data about the global, regional, and country-specific variations in the levels and trends of colorectal cancer are required to understand the impact of this disease and the trends in its burden to help policy makers allocate resources. Here we provide a status report on the incidence, mortality, and disability caused by colorectal cancer in 195 countries and territories between 1990 and 2017. Methods: Vital registration, sample vital registration, verbal autopsy, and cancer registry data were used to generate incidence, death, and disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) estimates of colorectal cancer at the global, regional, and national levels. We also determined the association... 

The effect of the variation in the femoral groove geometry on patellofemoral joint stability was studied using a two dimensional transverse plane model with deformable articular surfaces. The femoral and patellar bony structures were modelled as rigid bodies with their profiles expressed by splines. The articular cartilage was discretized into compression springs, distributed along the femoral and patellar profiles, based on the rigid-body spring model. The medial and lateral retinacula were modelled as linear tensile springs, and the quadriceps muscles and patellar tendon as strings with known tension. The anatomical data were obtained from the transverse plane magnetic resonance images of... 

Background: Impairments of upper limb (UL) sensory-motor functions are common in Parkinson's disease (PD). Virtual reality exercises may improve sensory-motor functions in a safe environment and can be used in tele-rehabilitation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of supervised and non-supervised UL virtual reality exercises (ULVRE) on UL sensory-motor functions in patients with idiopathic PD. Methods: In this clinical trial study, 45 patients with idiopathic PD (29 male) by mean ± SD age of 58.64 ± 8.69 years were randomly allocated to either the control group (conventional rehabilitation exercises), supervised ULVRE or non-supervised ULVRE. Interventions were 24 sessions, 3... 

Background: Comparison of the kinematic variability and dynamic stability of the trunk between healthy and low back pain patient groups can contribute to gaining valuable information about the movement patterns and neuromotor strategies involved in various movement tasks. Methods: Fourteen chronic low back pain patients with mild symptoms and twelve healthy male volunteers performed repeated trunk flexion-extension movements in the sagittal plane at three different speeds: 20 cycles/min, self-selected, and 40 cycles/min. Mean standard deviations, coefficient of variation and variance ratio as variability measures; maximum finite-time Lyapunov exponents and maximum Floquet multipliers as... 

Several studies have investigated postural control in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient patients; yet the contribution of cognitive processing (attention) in the postural control of these patients is still unclear. A dual-task design was used to determine the effects of a concurrent digit span memory task on standing balance in a group of ACL patients (n = 27) compared with a group of matched, healthy participants (n = 27). In double limb stance, three levels of postural difficulty were studies on a force platform (rigid surface with eyes open, rigid surface with eyes closed, and foam surface with eyes closed). There were three cognitive conditions (no cognitive task, easy cognitive...