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Background and Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA), especially in the hips and knees, significantly impairs function and independence in older adults. Proprioceptive exercises have emerged as a beneficial intervention for managing knee OA. These exercises, which enhance proprioceptive feedback from mechanoreceptors in joints, muscles, tendons, and skin, are crucial for improving motor control and balance and have shown effectiveness in reducing symptoms despite limited evidence. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of proprioceptive exercises compared to conventional exercises in managing pain, balance, and fall risk among the elderly with knee OA., Methods: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial was conducted on 54 elderly with knee OA. Participants were randomly assigned to either a proprioceptive exercise group (n=27) or a conventional exercise group (n=27). Outcome measures included pain (visual analog scale), balance (Berg balance scale), and fall risk (falls efficacy scale - international), which were assessed at three time points: baseline, six weeks, and eight weeks post-intervention., Results: Both groups showed improvements in pain, balance, and fall risk (p<0.005). However, the proprioceptive exercise group exhibited significantly greater improvements in all outcome measures compared to the conventional exercise group (p<0.005)., Conclusions: Proprioceptive exercises demonstrated superior efficacy in reducing pain, enhancing balance, and mitigating fall risk in the elderly with knee OA. These findings suggest that proprioceptive exercises should be considered as a valuable component of comprehensive rehabilitation programs for this population., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Research Ethics Committees of Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences issued approval IR.BMSU.BAQ.REC.1401.094. The study obtained ethical approval under the code IR.BMSU.BAQ.REC.1401.094 from Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences and was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (IRCT) with the registration number IRCT20190322043099N1. Participants were informed about the study's objectives and the treatment protocols. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Sobhani et al.)

Objective: Localized exercises are employed to activate, train, or restore the function of particular muscles and they are usually considered as part of treating individuals suffering low back pain. So, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of specific exercises in general population with non-specific low back pain (LBP)., Methods: We conducted electronic searches in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and Google scholar from January 1990 to June 2021. Initially, 47,740 records were identified. Following the removal of duplicates, 32,138 records were left. After reviewing titles and abstracts, 262 papers were chosen for thorough assessment. Among these, 208 studies were excluded, resulting in 54 trials meeting the inclusion criteria for this study. Additionally, 46 of these trials were randomized controlled trials and were further evaluated for the meta-analysis. We included trials investigating the effectiveness of exercise therapy, including isometric activation of deep trunk muscles, strengthening exercises, stabilization exercises, stretching exercises, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation exercises (PNF) in LBP patients. The primary outcome was pain intensity, measured using tools such as the visual analogue scale (VAS) and numeric pain rating scale (NPRS). The secondary outcome was disability, assessed through instruments such as the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The quality of the eligible studies was assessed using the Verhagen tool, and the level of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach., Results: Based on the Verhagen tool, 46 trials (85.2%) were categorized as having low methodological quality, while 8 studies (14.8%) were considered to have medium methodological quality. The meta-analysis indicated a small efficacy in favor of isometric activation of deep trunk muscles (-0.37, 95% CI: -0.88 to 0.13), a moderate efficacy in favor of stabilization exercises (-0.53, 95% CI: -1.13 to 0.08), and a large efficacy in favor of PNF exercises (-0.91, 95% CI: -1.62 to -0.2) for reducing pain intensity as assessed by VAS or NPRS tools. Moreover, the meta-analysis revealed a moderate efficacy for isometric activation of deep trunk muscles (-0.61, CI: -1.02 to -0.19), and a large efficacy for PNF exercises (-1.26, 95% CI: -1.81 to -0.72) in improving disability, assessed using RMDQ or ODI questionnaires. The level of certainty in the evidence, as determined by the GRADE approach, was very low to low., Conclusion: These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating localized therapeutic exercises as a fundamental aspect of managing non-specific LBP. Clinicians should consider utilizing localized therapeutic exercise tailored to individual patient needs. Furthermore, further research investigating optimal exercise therapy, optimal dose of the exercises, durations, and long-term adherence is warranted to enhance the precision and efficacy of exercise-based interventions for non-specific LBP., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest related to this systematic review and meta-analysis. They have not received any funding or other financial support from any organization or individual that could potentially influence the outcome of this study., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Increasing of tobacco consumption around the world has led to the production of a large volume of waterpipe wastewater that enter the environment (e.g., coastal areas)and threaten aquatic creatures. However, until now, no research has been carried out on the amounts of monocyclic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in hookah wastewater. In the current study, the levels of PAHs and BTEX compounds in waterpipe wastewater resulting from the use of different tobacco brands were determined and their eco-toxicological effects were also evaluated. The mean levels of ƩPAHs in waterpipe wastewater of Al Tawareg, Al-Fakher, Nakhla, Tangiers and traditional tobacco brands samples were 3.48 ± 1.65, 3.33 ± 1.52, 3.08 ± 1.25, 2.41 ± 0.87 and 0.70 ± 0.13 μg/L, respectively. The mean levels of ƩBTEX in waterpipe wastewater of Al Tawareg, Al-Fakher, Nakhla, Tangiers and traditional tobacco brands samples were also 2.53 ± 0.61, 2.65 ± 0.78, 2.51 ± 0.72, 2.35 ± 0.56, and 0.78 ± 0.12 μg/L, respectively. The maximum level of PAHs and BTEX compounds in all brands/flavors samples were for naphthalene (Naph) and toluene, respectively. The concentrations of some PAHs (fluoranthene (Flrt), anthracene (Ant), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BkF), benzo (g,h,i)perylene (BghiP) and dibenzo (a, h) anthracene (DahA)) and BTEX compounds (benzene) in the waterpipe wastewater samples were more than recommended guidelines and standards by the international reputable organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO) for water quality. Waterpipe wastewater can be introduced as an important origin for the release of these dangerous contaminants into the environmental matrixes. Therefore, more stringent regulations should be considered for the safe disposal of such hazardous wastes including waterpipe wastewater., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). DPN is the primary risk factor for diabetic foot ulcers that can cause amputation. Although several observational studies have investigated the morphological and biomechanical characteristics of peripheral nerves in DPN, interventional studies regarding the effectiveness of neurodynamic techniques (NDT) in DPN patients are confined to a handful. The effects of NDT on neuropathy severity, nerve conduction parameters, quality of life (QoL), and mechanosensitivity have not been explored yet in this population., Materials and Methods: Forty type 2 DPN (T2DPN) patients, diagnosed based on an electrodiagnosis study, will be recruited into two groups. The experimental group will receive the tibial nerve's real proximal and distal slider techniques in addition to DPN standard treatment as a basic treatment, and the control group will receive the tibial nerve's sham proximal and distal slider techniques along with the basic treatment for eight sessions twice a week. Baseline and post-intervention assessments will be based on the Michigan diabetic neuropathy score (MDNS) (primary outcome), tibial nerve conduction parameters, neuropathy-specific quality of life (Neuro QoL) questionnaire, and straight leg raising range of motion (SLR ROM) (secondary outcomes)., Results: This study is expected to last approximately seven months, depending on recruitment. The results of the study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal., Conclusions: The present study will evaluate the efficacy of NDT on the primary and secondary outcome measurements in DPN patients., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Advanced Biomedical Research.)

Transport of ballast water is considered a significant vector for dispersion of different pollutants, including microplastics (MPs), throughout the world's oceans. However, there is limited information on MPs in ballast water. Size distribution, polymer type, and ecological risks of MPs in ballast water were investigated for the first time in this study. The mean levels of MPs in ballast water and seawater samples were 12.53 and 11.80 items/L, respectively. MPs with a size category of 50-300 μm was the most abundant. Fiber, black, and polycarbonate (PC) were the predominant shape, color, and polymer type of identified MPs in ballast water and seawater, respectively. The pollution load index (PLI), hazard index (HI), and risk quotient (RQ) indicated high levels of MP pollution, potentially indicating an ecological risk. These findings increase our understanding of the major sources (such as ballast water), transportation routes, and related ecological risks of MPs to marine ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Purpose: Anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic process is one of the biological removal processes of nutrients in wastewater treatment. Phosphorus removal by biological method is a new and developed technique that is done by changing the design of suspended growth systems., Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study, which is a pilot workshop based in the first module, and chemistry, physics and microbiological tests were carried out at the wastewater treatment plant laboratory in one of the cities (Pardis) of Tehran province in 2020-2021 during a period of 12 months. Was completed. In this research, a total of 500 samples were taken from raw wastewater, aeration pond, effluent, secondary sedimentation and return activated sludge., Results: In this research, the internal decay coefficient and the growth efficiency coefficient are equal to d -1 0.1264 and 0.6579 gVSS/gCOD, respectively. And the maximum specific rate of consumption of food substance and the semi-saturation constant of food substance respectively were gCOD/gVSS.d 3.3467 gCOD/m 25.305. If the specific rate of consumption of food substance or efficiency factor in our research is 0.27 gCOD/gVSS.d and the semi-constant Ks saturation equal to 27.9 gCOD/m has been obtained, this actually shows that the organic matter (COD) in the waste water of Pardis city had a higher degradability (sbCOD)., Conclusion: According to the obtained results, the synthetic coefficients in the Lineweaver-Burk and Hanes models are suitable, but in the Hofstee model, the amount of K and K d is less than the optimal amount for the proper exploitation of the pilot., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no conflict of interest in this paper., (© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Tehran University of Medical Sciences 2023. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Microplastics (MPs) contamination in the marine environment is a global threat. The present study is the first to comprehensively investigate the MPs contamination in the marine environment in Bushehr province along the Persian Gulf. For this purpose, 16 stations were selected along the coast and 10 fish samples were collected. The results obtained from MPs in sediment samples indicate the mean abundance of MPs in different sediment samples was 57.19 Particles/Kg. The dominant MPs color in sediment samples was black, accounting for 47.54%, followed by white (36.07%). As for MPs in fish, the highest MPs digested in different fish samples were 9. In addition, over 83.3% of MPs observed in fishes were black followed by red and blue (6.67%). Overall, the presence of MPs in fish and sediment can be attributed to improper disposal of industrial effluents; an efficient measurement is required in order to improve the quality of the marine environment., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

A controlled experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of salinity and alkalinity stresses on the growth and physiological characteristics of Carum copticum L. The treatments included four salinity levels: 0, 50, 100 and 150 mM NaCl, and four alkalinity levels 0, 20, 40 and 60 mM NaHCO 3 . The results indicated that root dry weight and magnesium concentration were decreased and catalase and peroxidase activity, proline, malondialdehyde, Na + and Ca 2+ concentration were increased in plants simultaneously subjected to both salinity and alkalinity stresses. In all traits, the highest salinity and alkalinity levels had the most negative and significant effects. In general, our findings revealed that alkalinity and salinity stresses considerably decreased ajwain growth through adverse impact on physiological characteristics such as ion concentration and activity of antioxidant enzymes. These effects were greater when the two salinity and alkalinity stresses were simultaneously applied. Ajwain plant tolerated a part of the stresses via osmotic adjustment mechanism was assessed by proline, malondialdehyde and total carbohydrate., (© 2022. Akadémiai Kiadó Zrt.)

Shooting is a high-precision sport that depends on many factors to achieve high performance levels. The main objective of this study was to analyze the differences in anthropometric, physiological, and psychological variables by sport level in women air-pistol shooters. Fifteen female pistol shooters, including seven elite national shooters of Iran and eight non-elite shooters, participated in this study. Analyzed variables were grouped into three sections: anthropometric, physiological, and psychological. Anthropometric variables included: height, weight, body mass index, length of leg, arm span, and proportions between variables. Physiological tests include resting heart rate, static and dynamic balance, flexibility, and upper body strength. Additionally, psychological questionnaires of SMS-6 sport motivation, TSCI trait sport-confidence and SSCI state sport-confidence, ACSI-28 athletic coping skills, and SAS sport anxiety scale were used. The Shapiro-Wilks test and independent t-test were used to analyze the data. Effect size and test reliability were calculated using Cohen's d and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. Our results showed that elite shooters have higher values of dynamic balance (Y-test), upper body strength (sit-ups), and intrinsic motivation, and lower resting heart rate than non-elite. However, no differences were found in the anthropometric variables, nor in anxiety or coping skills. We conclude that physiological and psychological workouts should be included in the shooters' training programs to improve their performance.

In the current study the possibility of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivating using semi-saline water was investigated at different planting dates. The salinity of irrigation water and soil were 2.9 and 5.8 dS m -1 , respectively. The results showed that saffron had an acceptable potential for cultivation using semi-saline water in saline soils. The early planting dates went through the developmental stages faster, meaning saffron corms sown in early October sprouted earlier, flowers appeared faster and fully flowering occurred earlier. Nevertheless, plant senescence was the same in all planting dates. The highest percentage of corms sprouting and flowering were obtained in the early October planting dates in both years, which were matched with canopy temperature distribution. The highest flowers weight as well as stigma fresh and dry weight were obtained on the 13 October planting date within the 3 years study reaching the maximum values during the third year. Electrolyte leakage was higher in the last planting date, while photosynthesis pigments were more in early to mid-October planting dates. These effects might be related to damage of freezing temperature to physiological processes. Shoot dry weight and water productivity were the highest in early October planting dates. The shoot biomass on October 13 planting date was enough to be considered as a new forage source in semi-saline conditions. It seems that cultivation of saffron with semi-saline water is possible by considering a proper planting date, adequate leaching requirement and accurate irrigation management., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Metal(loid)s (MLs) with natural or anthropogenic sources may cause adverse health effects in children. This study aimed to compare the childhood exposure to ΣMLs (essential, non-essential and toxic) in an industrial and an urban area in Southwest Iran using toenail tissue as a biomarker. The present study was carried out with school children in the age range of 7-12 years, who were living in an industrial area in the petrochemical and gas area (PGA) of the Central District of Asaluyeh County and in an urban area (UA) located in the Kaki District. A total of 270 boys and girls were recruited in January to April 2019. The ICP-MS was used for determination of the studied MLs. A multi-linear regression model was constructed to assess the effect of residence area on toenail ML levels. A significantly higher level of ΣMLs in toenail from the PGA was observed compared to the level in the UA (8.839 vs. 7.081 μg/g, β = -0.169 and p < 0.05). However, all of the 15 MLs studied were detected in the toenail samples from both study sites. Significant differences for the mean Cr (β = -0.563), Fe (β = -0.968), Mn (β = -0.501), Ni (β = -0.306), and Pb (β = -0.377) levels were found between toenail samples from the study areas (p < 0.05), with higher levels in the PGA. The results of this study suggest that children in industrial area are prone to a greater risk for ML exposures compared with those living in a non-industrial urban area., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the recent years, prolotherapy is increasingly being used in the field of musculoskeletal medicine. However, few studies have investigated its effectiveness in plantar fasciitis (PF). The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy with radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) in the treatment of chronic PF. This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 59 patients with chronic PF. Patients were randomly assigned into two groups receiving three sessions of radial ESWT (29 patients) vs. two sessions of ultrasound-guided intrafascial 2 cc dextrose 20% injection (30 patients). The following outcome measures were assessed before and then six weeks and 12 weeks after the treatments: pain intensity by visual analog scale (VAS), daily life and exercise activities by Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and the plantar fascia thickness by ultrasonographic imaging. The VAS and FAAM scales showed significant improvements of pain and function in both study groups 6 weeks and 12 weeks after the treatments. A significant reduction was noted for plantar fascia thickness at these intervals (all p < .05). The inter-group comparison revealed that except for the FAAM-sport subscale which favored ESWT, the interaction effects of group and time were not significant for other outcome measures. Dextrose prolotherapy has comparable efficacy to radial ESWT in reducing pain, daily-life functional limitation, and plantar fascia thickness in patients with PF. No serious adverse effects were observed in either group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, randomized controlled trial., (Copyright © 2020 European Foot and Ankle Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The microbial diversity in anaerobic digestion (AD) is important because it affects process robustness. High-throughput sequencing offers high-resolution data regarding the microbial diversity and robustness of biological systems including AD; however, to understand the dynamics of microbial processes, knowing the microbial diversity is not adequate alone. Advanced meta-omic techniques have been established to determine the activity and interactions among organisms in biological processes like AD. Results of these methods can be used to identify biomarkers for AD states. This can aid a better understanding of system dynamics and be applied to producing comprehensive models for AD. The paper provides valuable knowledge regarding the possibility of integration of molecular methods in AD. Although meta-genomic methods are not suitable for on-line use due to long operating time and high costs, they provide extensive insight into the microbial phylogeny in AD. Meta-proteomics can also be explored in the demonstration projects for failure prediction. However, for these methods to be fully realised in AD, a biomarker database needs to be developed.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) is an acute respiratory illness, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus2 (SARS-COV2) which quickly grew to a pandemic in late 2019 and led to substantial public health problems. Among the extrapulmonary manifestations reported, cardiovascular implications are remarkable as they can be potentially lethal. There have been rare reports of pericardial involvement, despite the pronounced cardiovascular complications including acute myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmia, cardiogenic shock and venous thromboembolism. Herein, we reported a young man with cardiac tamponade as the presenting feature of COVID-19.  Case summary: An otherwise healthy 28-year-old man, was admitted with pleuritic chest pain and shortness of breath and was diagnosed with COVID-19 associated cardiac tamponade. Emergency pericardiocentesis yielded large amount of hemorrhagic pericardial effusion which resulted in symptom relief. He was successfully treated with pericardiocentesis followed by anti-viral and anti-inflammatory medications and remained asymptomatic in 1-month follow-up., Conclusion: We highlight this case to mention that "hemorrhagic" cardiac tamponade can be a life-threatening complication of COVID-19, which can be treated if diagnosed early. Therefore, clinicians should be fully aware of this cardiac complication to consider in deteriorating COVID-19 patients.

Indoor dust samples were collected from 42 microenvironments of residential buildings (RB, 15 samples), official buildings (OB, 10 samples), laboratory rooms (LR, 7 samples), and school classroom (SCR, 10 samples) in Bushehr, whereby the concentration of zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, nickel, and chromium was studied. The results of this study indicated that the mean concentrations of Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, Cr, and Ni in the indoor dust samples were 567.18, 186.09, 209.01, 5.31, 143.20, and 57.09 mg/kg in RB, 1077.34, 539.67, 274.89, 8.12, 155.30, and 92.55 mg/kg in OB, 246.40, 149.56, 127.2, 1.96, 43.45, and 91.09 mg/kg in LR and 271.43, 189.84, 164.44, 3.06, 124.20, and 70.09 mg/kg in SCR. The results of principal cluster analysis showed that the heavy metals in indoor environments were mostly originated from smoking tobacco and cigarette, traffic sources, old building materials, and building paint colors. The results of this study also revealed that the concentration of heavy metals in indoor dust had a negative and significant relationship (P value < 0.05 in most cases) with rate of ventilation, and a positive and significant relationship with smoking inside buildings (P value < 0.05 in most cases). The bioaccessibility for zinc, copper, lead, cadmium, nickel, and chromium was 69.12, 40.08, 43.33, 79.81, 31.10, and 6.31%, respectively, in indoor dust. Further, risk assessment showed that the risk values of carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity resulting from heavy metals inside the studied microenvironments had exceeded the recommended safe limit by EPA. In terms of potential ecological risks, it was found that heavy metals in these microenvironments have exceeded the hazardous ecological levels presented by different indices and can have considerable negative ecological effects. Thus, it is essential that further and better studies and monitoring be performed on these environments, and suitable control recommendations and solutions should be regulated for this public health threat.

Background and Aims: Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most prevalent peripheral neuropathy and has a considerable burden on health services. We tried to compare the therapeutic effects of local corticosteroid injection, low-level laser, and corticosteroid phonophoresis in the treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome., Subjects and Methods: We performed a randomized clinical trial with three parallel groups. The study was carried out at a University Hospital. In total, 42 participants including 31(73.8%) women were randomly allocated to the treatment groups with equal sizes. We assessed pain, symptom severity and functional status with Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, and performed median nerve conduction velocity studies. Evaluations were done before the interventions and in the fourth week of study. For the group corticosteroid, under the guidance of sonography, methylprednisolone with lidocaine was injected into the carpal tunnel. For laser therapy, we administered 10 sessions, each lasting 10 seconds. We used topical hydrocortisone acetate gel 10% as the anti-inflammatory agent with phonophoresis, 3 times per week for 10 sessions., Results: Within-group analyses with paired t-test showed that local corticosteroid, laser, and phonophoresis are all effective treatments. Between-group analyses with ANOVA indicated that there were significant differences among the groups after four weeks in terms of pain (p = 0.004), in favor of corticosteroid; and in sensory delay (p = 0.001), in favor of laser. For the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire and median nerve motor latency, the results were not significant. There was no important side-effect after four weeks of follow-up., Conclusion: The three treatments are comparable and beneficial for carpal tunnel syndrome., (2020, Japan Medical Laser Laboratory.)

Aim: The aim of this study is to compare subcutaneous 5% dextrose versus subacromial corticosteroid injection for the treatment of chronic rotator cuff tendinopathy., Methods: We carried out a randomized clinical trial with two parallel groups at a university hospital. Overall, 57 (32 women) were included in two groups of corticosteroid ( n  = 29) and dextrose ( n  = 28). The mean pain score was 6.6 (1.0). We used a visual analog scale for pain and goniometry for the range of motion. The measurements were repeated 1 month after the interventions. For corticosteroid, a single injection of triamcinolone and 1% lidocaine, and for dextrose, a mixture of 5% dextrose and 2% lidocaine three times weekly were prescribed., Results: Both interventions were effective in decreasing pain compared to the baseline (both p  < 0.001). The difference in pain between the two groups was nearly significant 1-month post-intervention ( p  = 0.052). The comparison of the two groups in considerable pain reduction (≥2.8) was in favor of dextrose ( p  = 0.046). The differences in the range of motion were not conclusive. None of the participants reported an important adverse effect., Conclusion: The 5% dextrose treatment is at least as effective as corticosteroid for reducing pain in patients with rotator cuff tendinopathy., (© 2019 The Author(s).)

Background and Purpose: The aim of the current study was to investigate the epidemiology of vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) and recurrent VVC (RVVC), as well as the antifungal susceptibility patterns of Candida species isolates., Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 260 women suspected of VVC from February 2017 to January 2018. In order to identify Candida species isolated from the genital tracts, the isolates were subjected to polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) using enzymes Msp I and sequencing. Moreover, antifungal susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines (M27-A3)., Results: Out of 250 subjects, 75 (28.8%) patients were affected by VVC, out of whom 15 (20%) cases had RVVC. Among the Candida species, C. albicans was the most common species (42/95; 44.21%), followed by C. lusitaniae (18/95; 18.95%), C. parapsilosis (13/95; 13.69%), C. glabrata (8/95; 8.42%), C. kefyr (6/95; 6.31%), C. famata (5/95; 5.26%), C. africana (2/95; 2.11%), and C. orthopsilosis (1/95; 1.05%), respectively. Multiple Candida species were observed in 28% (21/75) of the patients. Nystatin showed the narrowest range of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) (0.25-16 μg/ml) against all Candida strains, whereas fluconazole (0.063-64 μg/ml) demonstrated the widest MIC range. In the current study, C. lusitaniae, as the second most common causative agent of VVC, was susceptible to all antifungal agents. Furthermore, 61.1% of C. lusitaniae isolates were inhibited at a concentration of ≤ 2 μg/ml , while 38.9% (n=7) of them exhibited fluconazole MICs above the epidemiologic cutoff values (ECV). Candida species showed the highest overall resistance against fluconazole (61.3%), followed by itraconazole (45.2%) and caspofungin (23.7%). All of C. albicans strains were resistant to itraconazole with a MIC value of ≥ 1 μg/ml; in addition, 87.5% of them were resistant to fluconazole. Moreover, 100% and 87.5% of C. glabrata strains were resistant to caspofungin and fluconazole, respectively., Conclusion: As the findings revealed, the majority of VVC cases were caused by non- albicans Candida species which were often more resistant to antifungal agents. Candida lusitaniae generally had fluconazole MICs above the ECV. Given the propensity of C. lusitaniae to develop resistance under drug pressure, antifungals should be administered with caution. The emergence of these species justify the epidemiological surveillance surveys to watch out the distribution of yeast species., (© 2019, Published by Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences on behalf of Iranian Society of Medical Mycology and Invasive Fungi Research Center.)

Organophosphate compounds bioremediation by use of organophosphorus degradation enzymes such as DFPase is a developing interest in industry and medicine. The most important problem with the bio-catalytic enzymes is their instability on high temperatures. This work carried out to find suitable locations for introducing disulfide bridges in DFPase enzyme. We employed some computational approaches to design the disulfide bridges and evaluate their roles in the enzyme structural thermostability. According to the in silico results, mutant 6 (V24C, C76) increased the enzyme thermostability relative to wild-type., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the present data article, the presence and amount of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were surveyed in Iranian roasted and fried chicken in Bushehr restaurants. For data collection, 73 samples (including 36 Roasted chicken and 37 Fried chicken samples) were collected from local restaurants and various retail outlets of Bushehr, Iran. The concentrations of 16 PAHs were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results indicated that the total PAHs level was ranged from 4.20 to 32.29 mg/kg and 2.06-19.65 µg/kg in Roasted and Fried chicken, respectively. The differences in PAHs levels were observed among charcoal and gas-roasted samples as well as between chicken fried with different oil types. benzo[a] pyrene(BaP), an appropriate marker for occurrence and potential toxicity of PAHs food matrixes was found in all roasted samples ranged from 1.41-5.71 mg/kg and all fried samples in range of 0.9-3.32 µg/kg. Moreover, unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) ratios in the in the used vegetable oils had an important role in the generation of PAHs in fried chicken.

Background: Accurate diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the most common entrapment neuropathy, and its differentiation from other diseases are essential, especially in older individuals with advanced symptoms and modified electrophysiological abnormalities. The current study was conducted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasonography (US), regarding sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of CTS in elderly patients., Methods: Individuals with upper limb complaints and reference subjects were recruited from the Rofaydeh Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from June 2013 to October 2014 - (15 months). We evaluate case and control subjects for health status, demographics, clinical characteristics of CTS, median nerve physiology by electrodiagnostic tests, and anatomy by US. Median nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) at precanal, tunnel inlet, midcanal, tunnel outlet, and antecubital levels was measured applying US examination., Results: Of the 723 complaining patients, we assessed 380 patients with CTS symptoms. Electrodiagnostic studies (EDX) confirmed the CTS diagnosis in 203 of these clinically diseased patients. A total of 103 patients (of the 113 reference subjects) had normal EDX in the reference group. Comparisons of wrists between the afflicted and reference subjects demonstrated the CSA at precanal, tunnel inlet, midcanal, and tunnel outlet levels being significantly more abundant in the diseased hands than in the nondiseased hands. CSA at the tunnel inlet and the inlet-to-antecubital CSA ratio with a threshold of 8.5 mm 2 and 0.65 gave the best diagnostic accuracy with a sensitivity and specificity of 96.9 and 93.6% for the inlet CSA and 99 and 28% for the CSA ratio, respectively., Conclusion: The US as a noninvasive diagnostic method may serve for the investigation of CTS in elderly patients with excellent sensitivity and specificity., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

The irrigation source plays an important role in the amount of contaminates in soil and cultivated agricultural products. In this study, the concentration and human health risks of heavy metals (Zn, Mn, Cu, Cr, Cd and Pb) were evaluated in soil, water and vegetables collected from two sites (FGW: Farms irrigated with ground water, FWW: Farms irrigated with wastewater) of Bushehr, Iran. The trend of heavy metals concentration in vegetables from either site was in the following order: Mn ˃ Zn ˃ Cu ˃ Pb ˃ Cr ˃ Cd. Except Cd and Pb, the concentration of heavy metals was in the range of European Union (2006) permissible limit. THQ (Target hazard quotient) values were the highest in Mn followed by the Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn and Cr. Mn, Pb and Cd exceeded safe limit of THQ in several cases, while THQ of other heavy metals was in the range of safe limit. Based on the results, it can be concluded that heavy metals contamination in vegetables grown in Bushehr, especially in FWW site, may pose a great health risks to the local inhabitant through consumption of vegetables. Therefore, it is recommended that the discharge of industrial and municipal wastewater into water resources witch used for vegetable irrigation should be the first step in controlling the level of heavy metals in vegetables.

Agricultural fields have been frequently identified as major contributors of nitrate leaching into surface and ground waters. Tile drains can act as direct pathways, transferring leached nitrate to surface water. Bioreactor filters are useful for the removal of nitrate from drainage waters; however, these filters require an external carbon supply to sustain denitrification. In this study, four organic carbon sources including wood, barley straw, rice husks, and date palm leaf, were used to enhance denitrification and the effects of water velocity and influent nitrate concentration on the nitrate removal were evaluated. Cumulative nitrate removal was highest for the date palm leaf treatments and was lowest for the wood treatments. The effects were in decreasing order for date palm leaf, barley straw, rice husks, and wood, respectively. The performance of the biofilters improved with increasing influent nitrate concentration and decreasing water velocity, allowing for high nitrate removal rates to be achieved. The results showed that all of the treatments had reduced the effluent nitrate concentrations below the USEPA maximum contaminant level for drinking water of 45 mg L(-1) nitrate at the end of the study.

The response of plasma insulin concentration to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and to the maximum stimulatory effect obtained with administration of glucose, glucagon and tolbutamide was studied in 24 siblings of diabetic children and in ten obese children. Five siblings of patients with diabetes sound to have chemical diabetes had hyperinsulinism during the OGTT. Serum insulin concentrations during the maximum stimulation of the beta cells in the children with chemical diabetes, although diminished at 15 minutes, were considered not significantly different from controls. Obese children had hyperinsulinism during the OGTT and the maximum stimulation of the beta cell. The data suggest that hyperinsulinism may precede or accompany carbohydrate intolerance in siblings of diabetic children.