Jundishapur Scientific Medical Journal
Year:2016 | Volume:15 | Issue:6|Papers Count:14

Background and Objective: Integration and interpret of sensory feedback helps to performing of bimanual coordination tasks. The purpose of present research was to study of the effect of sensory information and age differences on the transition of the relative phase in bimanual coordination task.Subjects and Methods: Fifteen male young adults (25±3.9 y) and 15 male elder (66.06±6.12 y), all of whom right-handed, were selected by available sampling method. Participants started performing the task with bimanual coordination device with anti-phase pattern at frequency 0.75 Hz which was increased by 0.25 Hz in 5-seconds steps and as far as the transition occurred toward in-phase pattern. The final frequency considered was at 5 Hz. The task was performed under 8 sensory conditions. Data analyzed by mixed analysis of variance with repeated measures and paired-samples t-test with Bonferroni correction for pair comparisons of the interaction effects.Results: The findings revealed that main effects of senses and group and also the interaction effects between vision-audition, vision-proprioception, audition-proprioception and audition-group were significant (P<0.05). Also the results revealed that the young adults were depended on vision and proprioception information and elders were more depended on audition and proprioception information for performing anti-phase pattern.Conclusion: These results showed the positive effect of afferent information on the speed of the relative phase. In addition, these findings suggest that bimanual coordination task performed under close-loop control system.

Background and Objective: Due to facing the cancers with existential issues, this study aims is to investigate the effectiveness of logo therapy on the anxiety of death and life expectancy in patients with stomach cancer.Subjects and Methods: This study is quasi-experimental. The study population included all patients with stomach cancer in 1394 who visited Tehran Cancer Association. The sample consisted of 24 patients with stomach cancer selected by available sampling method and were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. After running the pretest on both groups, the experimental intervention group underwent ten weekly 90-minute logo-therapy sessions. After completion of the treatment program, post-test was taken. Data were collected from Miller life expectancy scale (MHS) and Templar Death Anxiety Scale (DAS). Analysis of covariance was used for data analysis.Results: The experimental group pre-test scores of death anxiety were significantly reduced after the training of logo therapy (9.50 versus 5.50). The pre-test scores of life expectancy variables in experimental groups, after receiving the logo therapy training significantly increased (118 versus 127). In addition results of the analysis of variance showed that logo therapy training effectively reduced death anxiety (58%)and life expectancy (83%) in the experimental group (P<0.001).Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, logo therapy training is effective in reduceing death anxiety and improves the life expectancy in patients with stomach cancer.

Backgound and Objective: Trans-cinnamic acid (CA), a deamination product of phenylalanine in all plant tissues, is the main active ingredient used by the human from plant-containing foods. CA can inhibit the growth of various human tumor cell lines such as colorectal, leukemia, hematoma, as well as melanoma. This study aims to investigate the effect and action mechanism of CA on apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.Subjects and Methods: MCF-7 breast cancer cells treated with different concentrations of CA (0, 10, 50, 100 and 200 mM) for 24 h. Cell viability was determined using MTT assay. Apoptosis markers including DNA fragmentation, phosphatidylserine exposure at the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane measured using TUNEL and flow cytometery and Annexin V affinity.Results: Viability assay showed that the IC50 of CA in MCF-7 cells was about 50 mM. CA at dose of 100 mM significantly induced the apoptosis after 24 h treatment as assessed by TUNEL+ cells and evidence of late apoptotic cells with Annexin V+ and propium iodide (PI+). [provide data here] [with P values.Conclusion: The results showed that CA with apoptotic activity is an effective anti tumor against MCF-7 cells. CA can inhibit the growth of MCF-7 cells by inducing cell apoptosis. The results can be helpful in understanding the anticancer mechanism of CA and gain further support for its safe use as an alternative and complementary drug in cancer therapy.

Background and Objective: Nowadays boron neutron capture applies as an alternative method to treat some cancers which do not respond to traditional radiation therapy. Considering that the epithermal neutron energy are useful for therapeutic purposes, achieve the maximum flux of the epithermal neutron has always been concerned. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the converter thickness and the photon energy incident on the neutron flux output and energy generated.Materials and Methods: In this study, using Monte Carlo simulation MCNPX6.2 code, a single pencil photon beam with energies 13, 15, 18, 20, 25 MeV and 2 mm diameter were employed. To optimize the design of the photoneutron target, tungsten target was tested at different thicknesses.Results: The maximum of the neutron flux for all thicknesses and beam energy occurred at neutron energy peak 0.46MeV. Increasing thickness up to 2 cm showed the neutron flux was increased with increases in thickness and followed a downward trend.Conclusion: The photon energy and the thickness of the tungsten target have a significant impact on the total neutron energy, energy spectrum and the average energy neutrons which depending on the neutron energy spectrum required should be selected. The use of a tungsten layer with a thickness of 2 cm and the 15 MeV photon energy for production of maximum neutron flux with a minimum average energy is suggested.

Background and Objective: The measurement of waist circumference (WC) is a simple and cost-effective method for health risk assessment and obesity. Several sites for WC measurements are used. However, there is no previous study to investigate the differences in WC measured at various sites in our country, and there is no universally accepted method of WC measurement. The aim of this study was to compare measured six different sites of WC in adults.Subjects and Methods: WC was measured at six conventional sites, as follows: the narrowest waist (WC1), below the lowest ribs (WC2), the midpoint between the lowest rib and the iliac crest (WC3), above the iliac crest (WC4), umbilicus (WC5), 1 cm above umbilicus (WC6) in 292 females and 223 males. Differences in WC across sites were tested using repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni pairwise comparisons were computed to identify specific difference between paired sites.Results: The mean values of WCs were WC2 (80.9±10.1) < WC1 (81.0±9.3) < WC6 (83.1±10.3) < WC3 (84.4±9.9) < WC5 (84.8±10.1) < WC4 (85.8±8.8) in males, and WC1 (78.6±10.3) < WC2 (78.0±10.3) < WC3 (82.4±10.9) < WC6 (85.3±11.2) < WC5 (86.8±12.2) < WC4 (87.7±12.3) in females. In females, the mean WC for all sites were significantly different from each other (p<0.001), except for WC1 and WC2. In males, significant differences between all sites were found (P<0.01). Prevalence of abdominal obesity (>80.90 cm) in different WC sites, ranging from 16.6 to 28.7% in males and 43.5 to72.9% in females.Conclusion: WC values at six sites showed significant difference in both sexes. The estimated abdominal obesity prevalence (>80.90 cm) ranged dramatically according to measurement site.

Background and objective: Physical and psychological problems for people who are directly and indirectly involved in the war, including veterans and their spouses. Given the important role of depressive rumination in the initiation and persistence of depressive, The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of life skills training on the frequency of depressive rumination in the spouses of veterans.subjects and Methods: The study was a pretest - posttest single group. The sample consisted of 20 women in the age range 39 to 58 years. After the announcement of a special life skills training classes for spouses of veterans at Arak health house, In the first session, participants responded to rumination Inventory. Life skills during 10 sessions of 2 hours was taught by two instructors. Finally, at the last session, the participants responded to rumination inventory.Results: Results showed that the between pre-test and post-test in components Uncertainty, rumination, depression rumination Results, There was significant difference. In addition, based on the findings, the relationship between employment status and depressive rumination was not significant.Conclusion: Life skills training leads to achieve self-awareness and control of emotions and the right way to deal with stress makes, Through this mechanism can be reduced depressive rumination. However, future research can investigate impact of life skills on metacognitive beliefs.

Background and Objective: The concurrent effect of exercise and diet on various factors such as Irisin is raised as a new subject. The present study was done with the aim of investigating the effect of acute aerobic exercise following four different diets on Irisin serum levels in overweight men.Subjects and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 8 overweight men (aged 23±6.1 y and BMI 23.29±0.47), who attended our physiology lab in four separate sessions at weekly intervals were the subjects of this study. In each session, after eating usual food, high carbohydrate, high-protein and high-fat, the subjects performed a treadmill test for 30 min with 60-70% of maximum heart rate. Three blood samples were taken in fasting, two hr after a meal (before exercise) and after exercise. Statistical methods: one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA with repeated measure were used to analyze data.Results: Statistical analysis of the data showed that consuming four different types of food before exercise reduces the irisin concentration, and this reduction was significant only in high-fat diet (P≤0.038). In addition, during exercise, after consumption four different diets, irisin increased significantly (high-carbohydrate P=0.049, high-protein P=0.001, high-fat P=0.003, usual food P=0.021).Conclusion: Despite the reduction in irisin after eating different diets, exercise following different diets can cause significant increase in serum irisin in overweight young men. However aerobic activity followed a high-protein diet, more than other diets, showed a significant increase in serum irisin.

Background and Objectives: Exercise and supplementation with urtica dioica powder are usable methods for control hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to compare eight weeks of aerobic training and urtica dioica supplementation alone and combination on glycemic control and lipid profile in women with type II diabetes.Subjects and Methods: In this semi-experimental study, 40 females (40-60 years old) with type II diabetes, were randomly divided into four equal groups (aerobic training, urtica dioica supplementation, combination of aerobic training and urtica dioica supplementation and non-treated control (n=10). Twenty four hr before and 48 hr after the intervention period, fasting blood sugar and high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) were measured. For statistical analysis paired t-test and two way ANOVA (P≤0.05).Results: In the post-test significant difference in fasting blood sugar level and HDL-C were observed between groups (P<0.05). Post hoc test showed there were significant decrease in fasting blood glucose and significant increase in HLD-C in the combination and aerobic training groups compared to the control group (P<0.05). In addition there were significant decrease in fasting blood glucose and significant increase in HLD-C in the urtica dioica group compared to the combination group (P<0.05).Conclusions: According to these findings aerobic training and supplementation with urtica dioica powder are effective complementatry intervention methods for controlling blood glucose and lipid profile in type II diabetic patients.

Background and Objective: Cognitive models state that cognitions are organized hierarchically, so that the underlying maladaptive schemas affect behavior via superficial cognitive processes. This study aimed to determinate the mediating role of dysfunctional cognition between early maladaptive schemas and obsessive compulsive disorder.Subjects and Methods: The subjects of this descriptive-cross-sectional research were 500 employees of Khuzestan steel company who were selected via multi-phases random sampling method. In this study the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R(, the Obsessive Beliefs Questionnaire-44 (OBQ-44), the Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS), the Early Maladaptive Schemas’ Questionnaire-Short Form (SQ-SF) and the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ) were used. Data was analyzed by using Pearson correlation and structural equation modeling via SPSS19 and AMOS19.Results: Results showed that the proposed model fit clinical sample extremely well. In this the model early maladaptive schemas and the dysfunctional cognition had significant direct effect on obsessive compulsive (P<0.0001). Also, dysfunctional cognition mediated between early maladaptive schemas and obsessive compulsive significantly (CI=0.14-0.31).Conclusion: Present study showed that early maladaptive schemas affect surface- level of cognitive processes. This study suggests that it is better to attend to early maladaptive schemas and dysfunctional cognition in treating obsessive compulsive disorder. Keywords: Early maladaptive schemas, Dysfunctional cognition, Obsessive compulsive.

Background and Objective: Resistance to beta lactam antibiotics resulted from betalactamases enzyme production The aims of this study were to determine the antibiotic resistance pattern in Klebsiella pneumonia isolates and frequency of blaCTX-M-15 and blaAMPC in clinical specimen isolated from hospitals in Isfahan City.Subjects and Methods: In this cross-sectional study we evaluated 80 Klebsiella pneumonia isolates from September 2014 to September 2015, isolated from patients at Alzahra and Gharazi hospitals in Isfahan city, Iran. Samples were identified using routine microbiological and biochemical tests. The antibiotic resistance pattern of isolates to 10 different antibiotics has done by disk diffusion method and ESBL producing strains were characterized by phenotypic method, combination disk and frequency of blaCTX-M-15 and blaFOX genes were characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection.Results: The antibiogram result showed that, the highest rate of resistant (55%) was related to Co-trimoxazole and the lowest rate of resistant was related to Imipenem (7.5%), among 80 specimens, 31 isolates (38.75%) were detected as ESBL producing by phonotypic and double disk tests, and results of PCR showed that, 17 isolates (32.7%) were consist of blaCTX-M-15 gene and 9 isolates (17.3%) were consist of blaFOXM gene.Conclusion: Our data showed the high rate of ESBL enzymes among Klebsiella isolates. Therefore, for infection control and preventing of distribution of resistant among clinical isolates, correct management of treatment is necessary.

Background and Objective: Endothelial function has an effect on blood pressure and meanwhile, the ratio of L-Arginine/Asymmetric Dimethylarginine (L-Arg/ ADMA) is important. In addition, the effect of exercise training on blood pressure has been established. The present study intends to examine LArg / ADMA ratio in patients with hypertensive middle-aged men and the effect of aerobic training on it.Subjects and Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 12 normo-tensive and 24 hypertensive middle-aged men (age: 49.66±2.8 y, height: 174.16±4.66 cm, weight: 81.08±12.65 Kg) were selected. The hypertensive subjects were further sub-divided into two groups. 12 for control (age: 52.08±2.53 y, height: 173.75±5.81 cm, weight: 80.08±8.26 Kg) and 12 for aerobic training (age: 50.54±3.01 y, height: 177.01±5.98 cm, weight: 86.09±13.15 Kg). The training included 12 wks treadmill aerobic running with 60 % heart rate reserve, three times-a-week for 12 min each session. each week up to the 6th week 3 min and then every two weeks 3 min were added to the training time. So that training in the last two weeks was 36 min. Blood pressure and samples for the measurement of L-Arg/ADMA ratio were taken before and after the training period. Blood variables were measured by ELISA method. Normality of distribution of data was assessed with the Shapiro-Wilk test and between subjects differences was assessed with independent t-test and analysis of variance with repeated measures.Results: Results showed that the L-Arg/ADMA ratio is more in patients than in healthy subjects (t=5.099, P=0.0001) and sub maximal aerobic training significantly reduced systolic blood pressure (F=8.698, P=0.008) and increased L-Arg /ADMA (F=10.741, P=0.004).Conclusion: It seems that endothelial function in patients with hypertension is impaired and these patients can do aerobic training to relieve pressure and improve endothelial function.

Background and Objective: Stress is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and also reduced general health in patients with cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of the present research was to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention on dimensions of general health in the patients with cardiovascular diseases in Ahvaz city, Iran.Subjects and Methods: In this study, the research method was experimental test-retest type with controls group. The available sampling method was used for selecting the subjects, so that 30 individuals from the cardiovascular patients were selected to participate in the survey and divided randomly into two groups: experimental and control (each 15 persons). All the participants responded to the 28-material General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The experimental group were subjected to 10 sessions of the stress management training by the cognitive-behavioral method. Then, in the post-test stage, both group responded to research’s questionnaires.Results: The results of covariance analysis showed that the cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention had a positive significant effect on the general health of the treatment group (P<0.001).Conclusion: The findings show that the cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention can be effective as a selective psychotherapy method and also as a supplement in the medical treatments of the cardiovascular patients and the improvement of general health in patients with cardiovascular diseases. So, it is benefit to consider this kind of option as a part of the treatment plan for the patients with cardiovascular diseases.