OBJECTIVEThe prevalence of obesity is increasing in Iranian youngsters. This study aimed to assess some dietary determinants of obesity in a representative sample of children in Neishabour, a city in northeastern, Iran.

METHODSThis case-control study was conducted among 114 school students, aged 6-12 years, with a body mass index (BMI) ≥95th (based on percentile of Iranian children) as the case group and 102 age- and gender-matched controls, who were selected from their non-obese classmates. Nutrient intake data were collected by trained nutritionists by using two 24-hour-dietary recalls through maternal interviews in the presence of their child. A food frequency questionnaire was used for detecting the snack consumption patterns. Statistical analysis was done using univariate and multivariate logistic regression (MLR) by SPSS version 16.

RESULTSIn univariate logistic regression, total energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat (including saturated, mono- and poly-unsaturated fat), and dietary fiber were the positive predictors of obesity in studied children. The estimated crude ORs for frequency of corn-based extruded snacks, carbonated beverages, potato chips, fast foods, and chocolate consumption were statistically significant. After MLR analysis, the association of obesity remained significant with energy intake (OR = 2.489, 95%CI: 1.667-3.716), frequency of corn-based extruded snacks (OR = 1.122, 95%CI: 1.007-1.250), and potato chips (OR = 1.143, 95%CI:1.024-1.276). The MLR analysis showed that dietary fiber (OR = 0.601, 95%CI: 0.368-0.983) and natural fruit juice intake (OR = 0.909, 95%CI: 0.835-0.988) were protective factors against obesity.

CONCLUSIONSThe findings serve to confirm the role of an unhealthy diet, notably calorie-dense snacks, in childhood obesity. Healthy dietary habits, such as the consumption of high-fiber foods, should be encouraged among children.

Case-Control Studies ; Child ; Energy Intake ; Feeding Behavior ; Humans ; Iran ; epidemiology ; Logistic Models ; Obesity ; epidemiology ; etiology

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PURPOSE: To develop a strategy to determine a sound method for decision-making based on postoperative clinical outcome satisfaction. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: The ideal management of thoracolumbar and lumbar burst fractures (TLBF) without neurological compromise remains controversial. METHODS: This was a prospective study. Patients with thoracolumbar injury severity and classification score (TLICS) <4 were treated nonoperatively, with bed rest and bracing until the pain decreased sufficiently to allow mobilization. Surgery was undertaken in patients with intractable pain despite an appropriate nonoperative treatment (surgery group). The Oswestry disability index (ODI) measure was observed at baseline and at the last follow-up. Clinically success was defined at least a 30% improvement from the baseline ODI scores in both the conservative and surgery groups. All case records were assessed for gender, age, residual canal and angulations at the site of the fracture in order to determine which patients benefited from surgery or conservative treatment and which did not. RESULTS: In all 113 patients with T11-L5, TLBFs were treated. The patients' mean age was 49.2 years. Patients successfully completed either nonoperative (n=99) or surgical (n=14) treatment based on ODI. Clinical examinations revealed that all of the patients had intact neurology. The mean follow-up period was 29.5 months. There was a significant difference between the two groups based on age and residual canal. The mean ODI score significantly improved for both groups (p <0.01). According to the findings, a decision matrix was proposed. CONCLUSIONS: The findings confirm that TLICS <4, age, and residual canal can be used to guide the treatment of TLBF in conservative decision-making.
Bed Rest ; Braces ; Classification* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neurology ; Pain, Intractable ; Prospective Studies

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PURPOSE: Clinical outcome study comparing the Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale (CNFDS) and modified Japanese orthopedic association (mJOA) assessment scales in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Comparison of instruments that measure patient-reported outcomes is needed. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted. Ninety five patients with CSM were entered into the study and completed the CNFDS and the mJOA preoperatively and postoperatively. Correlation between the CNFDS and the mJOA was evaluated preoperatively and at the end of follow-up. Responsiveness to change of CNFDS and mJOA was also assessed. Clinical outcomes were also measured with the recovery rate of mJOA score at end of follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 58.2 (standard deviation, SD=8.7) years. Mean follow-up was 2.1 years (range, 1 to 4 years). The mJOA correlated strongly with the CNFDS score preoperatively and postoperatively (r=-0.81 and -0.82, respectively; p<0.001). The CNFDS and the mJOA were able to detect changes after the surgery (p<0.001). The mean mJOA recovery rate was 51.8% (SD=13.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery for the treatment of patients with CSM is an efficacious procedure. CNFDS and mJOA scores have a strong correlation in measuring disability among CSM patients.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck* ; Orthopedics* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Spinal Cord Diseases* ; Weights and Measures*

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional. PURPOSE: Clinical outcome study comparing the Copenhagen Neck Functional Disability Scale (CNFDS) and modified Japanese orthopedic association (mJOA) assessment scales in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Comparison of instruments that measure patient-reported outcomes is needed. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted. Ninety five patients with CSM were entered into the study and completed the CNFDS and the mJOA preoperatively and postoperatively. Correlation between the CNFDS and the mJOA was evaluated preoperatively and at the end of follow-up. Responsiveness to change of CNFDS and mJOA was also assessed. Clinical outcomes were also measured with the recovery rate of mJOA score at end of follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 58.2 (standard deviation, SD=8.7) years. Mean follow-up was 2.1 years (range, 1 to 4 years). The mJOA correlated strongly with the CNFDS score preoperatively and postoperatively (r=-0.81 and -0.82, respectively; p<0.001). The CNFDS and the mJOA were able to detect changes after the surgery (p<0.001). The mean mJOA recovery rate was 51.8% (SD=13.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery for the treatment of patients with CSM is an efficacious procedure. CNFDS and mJOA scores have a strong correlation in measuring disability among CSM patients.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Neck* ; Orthopedics* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Spinal Cord Diseases* ; Weights and Measures*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of sex-hormonal changes in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) among post-menopausal women through measuring estrogen receptor (ER) expression in their transverse carpal ligament (TCL) and serum estrogen level, as well as determine the correlation between these factors and electrodiagnostic parameters and Boston score. METHODS: Biopsy samples of TCL were collected from 12 postmenopausal women who had undergone surgery for severe idiopathic CTS; control specimens were collected from 10 postmenopausal women without CTS who had undergone surgery for the other hand pathologies. To determine the distributions of ER in TCL, histological and immunohistochemical examinations were performed. Serum estrogen level was also measured. Electrodiagnosis and Boston questionnaire were used for CTS severity and determination of the patients' function. RESULTS: ER expression in TCL and serum estrogen level were not significantly different in the case group compared to the control group (P = 0.79 and P = 0.88, respectively). Also, there was no correlation between ER expression or serum estrogen level and electrodiagnostic parameters or Boston score. CONCLUSIONS: Sex hormones cannot still be considered as the etiology of idiopathic CTS in postmenopausal women. The role of other factors such as wrist ratio and narrower outlet in females compared to the males should be considered along with hormonal changes.
Biopsy ; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome* ; Electrodiagnosis ; Estrogens ; Female* ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones* ; Hand ; Humans ; Ligaments ; Male ; Pathology ; Wrist

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic intestinal inflammation. Common clinical symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, ulcers, and inflammation. Aloe vera (AV) has several medicinal properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory analgesic, and improvement of gastric and skin ulcers. This study aimed to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of AV gel on acetic acid-induced UC in rats. UC was induced in 48 rats by injection of 4% acetic acid into the rectum. Protective and treatment groups received treatments 7 days before and after the induction of colitis, respectively. The negative control group, the positive control group, and AV groups received distilled water, sulfasalazine, and 50 and 300 mg/kg of gel extract, respectively. Water and food intake and body weight changes were recorded. The extent of the mucosal ulcers, colon tissue thickening, and mucosal bleeding were scored by the Gerald classification system score (microscopy observations). Slides of tissues were prepared for pathologic assay using the modified Wallace method (macroscopic observations). The results of the macroscopic and microscopic examination showed protective and therapeutic effects of 50 mg/kg dose of AV on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats which reduces the inflammation, ulcers and tissue damage compared with negative control (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the amount of water and food intake, body weight changes, and colon weight in protective and treatment groups. Based on the results, AV gel could be used to improve the symptoms of UC, as well as prevent people who are susceptible to the UC.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic intestinal inflammation. Common clinical symptoms are weight loss, diarrhea, ulcers, and inflammation. Aloe vera (AV) has several medicinal properties including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory analgesic, and improvement of gastric and skin ulcers. This study aimed to investigate the protective and therapeutic effects of AV gel on acetic acid-induced UC in rats. UC was induced in 48 rats by injection of 4% acetic acid into the rectum. Protective and treatment groups received treatments 7 days before and after the induction of colitis, respectively. The negative control group, the positive control group, and AV groups received distilled water, sulfasalazine, and 50 and 300 mg/kg of gel extract, respectively. Water and food intake and body weight changes were recorded. The extent of the mucosal ulcers, colon tissue thickening, and mucosal bleeding were scored by the Gerald classification system score (microscopy observations). Slides of tissues were prepared for pathologic assay using the modified Wallace method (macroscopic observations). The results of the macroscopic and microscopic examination showed protective and therapeutic effects of 50 mg/kg dose of AV on acetic acid-induced colitis in rats which reduces the inflammation, ulcers and tissue damage compared with negative control (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in the amount of water and food intake, body weight changes, and colon weight in protective and treatment groups. Based on the results, AV gel could be used to improve the symptoms of UC, as well as prevent people who are susceptible to the UC.

Purpose::Comparison of effective road safety approaches with those of relatively similar countries can be used to identify possibilities for safety improvement. Since there is no clear and comprehensive study of countries' current and successful approaches to road safety in the world, the aim of this study was to identifying common road safety approaches in the world.Methods::This study was performed using scoping review and thematic analysis. The study followed the approach proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. In this study all articles were selected without time limit by searching in the following databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Embase. An initial search of 5612 papers was found and finally, 20 papers met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed.Results::There were different road safety approaches in different countries around the world, which were classified in three themes: traditional approach, systemic approach, and vision zero. The traditional approach includes the sub-theme of the road-user approach, and the causal approach. The systemic approach also includes sub-themes of sustainable safety, safety system, and the United Nations plan for decade of action.Conclusion::A systemic approach to road safety seems to be welcomed by most developed and developing countries, and a paradigm shift towards a safe system has taken place. Also, given the successful results of implementing vision zero in leading countries, most countries are trying to design and implement this approach. Finally, the choice and implementation of road safety approaches varies according to the principles, priorities and infrastructure of each country.

Hemorrhage is a prevalent side effect of various injuries and can be life-threatening in certain instances. It is categorized into compressible and non-compressible types, each necessitating distinct modeling, laboratory assessments, and hemostatic approaches. This study utilized the keywords Hemorrhage, Bleeding, Animal Modeling, and Hemostat in reputable databases. The findings indicate that femoral artery hemorrhage and hepatic parenchymal hemorrhage are the predominant modeling techniques for compressible and noncompressible bleeding, respectively. Furthermore, it is noted that animal models of compressible hemorrhages are primarily situated in superficial body areas to investigate dressing or additive hemostats, while non-compressible hemorrhage models, typically located in visceral organs, are employed to examine adhesive or surgical instrumentbased hemostats.

Hemorrhage is a prevalent side effect of various injuries and can be life-threatening in certain instances. It is categorized into compressible and non-compressible types, each necessitating distinct modeling, laboratory assessments, and hemostatic approaches. This study utilized the keywords Hemorrhage, Bleeding, Animal Modeling, and Hemostat in reputable databases. The findings indicate that femoral artery hemorrhage and hepatic parenchymal hemorrhage are the predominant modeling techniques for compressible and noncompressible bleeding, respectively. Furthermore, it is noted that animal models of compressible hemorrhages are primarily situated in superficial body areas to investigate dressing or additive hemostats, while non-compressible hemorrhage models, typically located in visceral organs, are employed to examine adhesive or surgical instrumentbased hemostats.