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Objective Postoperative rehabilitation protocols, such as immobilization and non-weight-bearing periods during the acute phase after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery vary depending on the surgeon or the institution and lack clear standardization. Weight bearing (WB) after ACL reconstruction (ACLR) is critical. This study compares the results of WB immediately after surgery and partial WB with a brace after ACLR. Materials & Methods In this randomized clinical trial, the block random sampling method was used to select 84 patients who were divided into two groups. Group 1 was allowed to have full WB after surgery and Group 2 was asked to use braces after surgery, and they were divided into partial WB for one month and then full WB. Meanwhile, demographic information was recorded. The Lachman test, anterior knee pain, and kneeling pain before and one month after the surgery were also recorded. Knee function was evaluated using the international knee documentation committee, knee injury and osteoarthritis out-come score, and Lysholm scales before surgery and 1, 3, and 6 months after surgery. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software, version 20, and the Fisher exact test, the chi-square test, the Friedman test, and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results Most of the patients were men under 30 years of age. There was no statistically significant difference in the demographic information of the patients in the two groups. Kneeling pain, anterior knee pain, and the Lachman test did not differ between the two groups one month after the surgery. There was no difference between the two groups in the scores using the international knee documentation committee, knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score, and Lysholm score in the 6-month follow-up. All the examined indicators in each group improved over time. Conclusion WB immediately after surgery compared to partial WB at 1, 3, and 6 months after ACLR do not differ; therefore, patients can bear full weight if they tolerate it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Procedural memory is a key component of long-term memory that can be assessed in different modalities, such as verbal and motor. Learning through procedural memory occurs in three stages: initial learning, consolidation, and retention. Several tasks evaluate procedural memory, but none have concurrently studied procedural learning in various modalities and learning stages. Besides, according to the declarative-procedural model, there may be an association between the performance of individuals in procedural learning and their state of the grammar of a language. Therefore, this study aimed to design a Serial Search Task (SST) for the simultaneous evaluation of procedural memory in motor and verbal modalities during three stages of learning and determine its reliability. Moreover, the relationship between procedural memory and grammar skills was examined. Materials & Methods This study is methodological research in the first stage and descriptive analytics in the second stage. First, based on the literature review and the opinions of three speech-language pathologists, some words with appropriate psycholinguistic features were chosen from the Persian picture naming set. Then, corresponding pictures were determined. The task was designed using Java programming language. The face validity of the task was evaluated, then after revisions, the reliability was determined. Face validity was assessed in 10 normal children, and the test-retest reliability was evaluated in 15 normal children aged 7-9 years; all of them were chosen using the convenience sampling method. In the second stage, to assess the relationship between grammatical skills and the SST, 20 normal children aged 7-9 years were selected by a mixed sampling method. Every child had exposed to a verbal modality in three stages: initial learning, consolidation (24 hours later), and retention (one week later). Then the same stages were performed in the motor modality. Each child's language skills were determined using the test of language development-primary (TOLD-P3), and the relationship between the two skills was determined. Statistical methods included the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients and repeated measures analysis of variance. Results The correlation values between two performances in the initial learning stage for the reaction time variable in verbal (r=0.84, P<0.001) and motor (r=0.80, P˂0.001) modalities and the variable of response accuracy in verbal (r=0.81, P=0.011) and motor (r=0.77, P=0.026) modalities were obtained. In the consolidation and retention stages, the correlation values for the reaction time variable in verbal (r=0.737, P=0.002) and motor (r=0.743, P=0.001) modalities and the variable of response accuracy in verbal (r=0.624, P=0.013) and motor (r=0.916, P<0.001) modalities were obtained. The relationship between grammar and procedural learning in the verbal modality was significant in the consolidation stage (P=0.045, CI:0.016-0.797, r=0.491). Conclusion SST is a reliable task to assess different stages of procedural memory in both verbal and motor modalities. Therefore, this task can be used to evaluate procedural memory in normal children aged 7-9 years. The current study's findings confirmed the predictions made by the declarative-procedural model during the consolidation stage in the verbal modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. The night splints are used to prevent nocturnal contractures happening in the calf muscles and plantar fascia. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of using a tension night splint for calf and plantar fascia on the range of motion of foot and ankle complex, pain severity, and quality of life. Materials & Methods 30 people (27 female) with plantar fasciitis volunteered in a parallel-group clinical study. Participants were allocated to three study groups: a tension calf splint, a tension plantar fascia splint, and a control group (heel pad). The study outcomes were the range of motion of foot and ankle complex, pain severity, and quality of life measured with a goniometer, visual analog scale, and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaire, respectively. The post-session was four weeks after participants received their interventions. The analysis of covariance statistical test was used to analyze the within and between-group differences. Results The analysis of covariance test showed statistically significant differences for pain (F=9.35, P=0.001, η2=0.44) and extension of the first metatarsophalangeal (F=4.76, P=0.017, η2=0.27). There was no statistically significant difference in the quality of life and the ankle dorsiflexion range between groups (P>0.05). The Bonferroni post-hoc showed a significant reduction of the reported pain post-session in all study groups (P<0.05). The calf tension splint caused a greater extension of the first metatarsophalangeal post-session (P=0.02). Conclusion All three orthoses used in this study significantly reduced pain in people with plantar fasciitis. The results also suggest that a tension calf splint has greater effectiveness in improving pain severity and soft tissue flexibility than a tension fascia splint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Alcoholism & Drug Addiction / Alkoholizm i Narkomania is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Alcoholism & Drug Addiction / Alkoholizm i Narkomania is the property of Termedia Publishing House and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective The first years of life are particularly important because vital developments occur in all development domains including motor, cognition, communication, and social-emotional. Early detection of developmental delays is essential in planning for early intervention. This study aims to standardize the score of bayley scales of infants and toddlers development-third edition (Bayley-III) for Iranian samples aged 1-42 months. Materials & Methods Participants included 1700 children divided into 17 age groups of 100 children. The normative information was based on a national sample representative of Iran's population for infants aged 1-42 months based on the 2011 national population and housing census. For each age group, the total raw scores of each Bayley-III subscale (cognition, receptive communication, expressive communication, fine motor, and gross motor) were converted to scaled scores with a Mean±SD of 10±3. The composite scores (cognition, language and motor domains) were obtained by summing up the scaled scores. The composite scores were scaled to a metric with Mean±SD of 100±15 ranged 40-160. Growth scores (ranged 200-800, with a Mean±SD 500±100), percentile ranks (ranged from 1-99, with 50 as the mean and median), and developmental age equivalent were also determined. Confidence intervals for all five subscales were also determined. To compare the development level of the US children (norm samples) and Iranian children, their mean raw scores in five subscales were compared for finding the difference in scores. Results The Bayley-III was performed on 1744 children aged 0-42 months, including 908 (52.1%) girls and 836 (47.9%) boys. In comparing the development level of Iranian and US children, it was found that the mean scores were significantly different in 28 age groups (P<0.05). In seven age groups, the US children's scores were higher (age groups <6 months), and in 21 age groups, the scores of Iranian children were higher (age groups >6 months). Conclusion For early detection and intervention of children with developmental delays, a test with a normalized score should be used in Iran. Using the US norm-based scores in Iranian children leads to inaccuracy in the early detection of children with developmental delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim Considering the importance of childhood obesity and easier correction of related factors in this age group, the present study aimed to investigate the role of some factors related to family, nutrition, and lifestyle on childhood obesity. Methods & Materials This age-matched case-control study was performed on 150 obese and 150 healthy children, aged 2-15 years referring to Amir-Kabir Hospital in Arak City, Iran. Obesity was calculated based on Body Mass Index (BMI). Required information, including family factors, nutritional factors, and lifestyle characteristics were collected by a checklist. Ethical Considerations This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Arak University of Medical Sciences (Code: IR.ARAKMU.REC.1396.119). Results The results of Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% of Confidence Interval (CI) were in favor of father’s age of 25-35 and over 35 years (0.24), respectively, father’s overweight and obesity (3.87 and 3.57), mother’s overweight and obesity (3.81 and 5.5)7, more than three children per household (3.33), low and high consumption of fruits and vegetables (0.3 and 0.19), breakfast eating (0.43), dietary supplementation (2.68), consuming fast food (3.98), more than two hours of playing a computer game (3.5), chewing well (0.38), using food as a reward (1.89), as well as participating in food and table preparation (3.14). We found a dose-response association between children’s obesity and parents’ BMI, the number of children, and computer games. Conclusion Obesity is associated with some factors related to the family, such as nutrition, computer games, and lifestyle characteristics. Due to various risk factors and adjustable safeguards, it is necessary to provide families and children with proper education to reduce obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim It is almost impossible to imagine life without electromagnetic waves. Such waves play a key role in the function of melatonin and create numerous diseases. Methods & Materials This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 230 kV substations in Golestan Province, Iran in 2016. In total, 44 workers of electrical substations (the case group) and 23 workers of healthcare centers (the control group) with 24-hour shift works were enrolled in this study. Ethical Considerations This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shahid Beheshti University Medical Sciences (Code: IR.SBMU.THNS.REC.1395.9). Results The obtained data suggested that 100% of the electric field intensity and the magnetic flux density measured at the substations were within the permissible range of occupational exposure. The mean level of melatonin in the case group was lower than that in the control group; however, no significant difference was observed in this regard (P=0.761). Additionally, there was no significant difference between melatonin level and age (P=0.381), work experience (P=0.213), job groups (P=0.515), and employee activity area (P=0.482). Conclusion According to this study, no significant relationship was observed between electromagnetic waves and melatonin levels. Moreover, electromagnetic waves were within the permissible exposure. Thus, electromagnetic waves did not affect the level of melatonin hormone in male employees of 230 kV substations in Golestan Province. However, there was a decrease in the case group, compared to the controls. Therefore, definite comments require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Oftalmologia is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Oftalmologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)