[Symmetry of cervical multifidus muscle in females with chronic non-specific neck pain and healthy by ultrasonography]

Multifidus muscle is one of the short and deep posterior Paraspinal muscles, which gives stability to the spine during various activities. Studies have shown that in people with neck pain, weakness and atrophy of neck muscles are major factors in the incidence of neck pain. Measurement of muscle's dimensions by ultrasonography provides an opportunity to be able to objectively assess muscle atrophy or hypertrophy. This study aimed to assess symmetry of cervical multifidus muscle size in females with chronic non-specific neck pain and healthy by ultrasonography apparatus. Twenty five women with unilateral chronic nonspecific neck pain and 25 healthy women were participated in this study. All subjects were employed and more than 4 hours working with computers or paying office in a day. Imaging of the cervical multifidus muscles were done bilaterally in the level of the fourth vertebra. Anterior-Posterior Dimension [APD], Lateral Dimension[LD], Cross-Sectional Area [multiplied of two diameters[APD and LD]] and the Shape ratio [Lateral diameter divided by the Anterior-Posterior diameter[LD/APD]] of the muscle were measured and recorded. Multifidus muscle size in patients group was smaller than the healthy group. In patients group, size of multifidus muscle in the painful side was smaller than the opposite side. Asymmetry of muscle size between the two sides, in the patient group was higher than the control group [P < 0.05]. The ratio of smaller size to the larger size of the muscle, in the healthy group was higher than the ratio in the patient group [P < 0.05]. In patients group, asymmetry of the muscle size between two sides, also smaller size of the muscle in the painful side, showed that muscle atrophy has happened in the involved side

Effect of heavy metals on fouling behavior in membrane bioreactors

Presence of heavy metals is considered to be a major challenge in wastewater treatment. In this research the effect of heavy metals such as nickel [Ni], chromium [Cr], and manganese [Mn] on fouling in membrane bioreactors was investigated. Fouling tendency of a cellulose acetate membrane was evaluated in MBRs with different concentrations of the mentioned elements. The concentrations of extractable extracellular polymeric substances in the mixed liquor at the steady-state condition and different concentrations of heavy metals were compared. Also the effects of concentration of heavy metals on mean floc diameter, hydrophobicity, and hence the fouling propensity of membrane was investigated. The Analysis of variance [ANOVA] method has been used to illustrate the important factors for the prediction of the fouling behavior. Results showed that different salts of the same heavy metal ion and various concentrations of heavy metals in wastewater had different effects on sludge properties and hence induced different fouling tendency of sludge

[Efficacy of problem solving skills training on social adjustment in patients with bipolar disorders]

Background and Aim: Mood Bipolar Disorders[BD] are associated with unstabilities in patients' interpersonal interactions which in the long term may result in impairments in their social adjustment. Problem solving skills training, both in individual and group settings have been found effective on improving social adjustment. However, few studies have evaluated the efficacy of such approaches in social adjustment of patients with BD. This study was carried to assess the efficacy of problem solving skills training in the group setting on improvement of social adjustment in patients suffering BD

Method and Materials: Participants were 45 female patients with BD, aged 25-30 year old who were randomly selected among patients referred to rehabilitation centers of Isfahan in 2006. Participants were randomly assigned to two intervention and one control groups. In the first intervention group only patients received the education but in the second one along with patients, family members separately received the training too. No training was performed for control group. BD diagnosis was confirmed according to two psychiatrists' and the author's diagnostic interviews. In all three groups patients remained on their medications during the study. Wineland Social Adjustment Test were administered to the three groups before the intervention and then interventions groups received problem solving skills training by Hawthorn method in ten sessions. Wineland Social Adjustment test were again administered to patients of the 3 groups after the last intervention session and also later as a follow up post-test. Data were analyzed through SPSS-software using ANCOVA tests

Findings: After intervention, social adjustment mean scores were significantly higher in both intervention groups than in the control group [P < 0.05]. The difference persisted in the follow up post- test[P < 0.05]

Conclusion: Group problem solving skills training can improve social adjustment in patients with BD. This intervention can be considered as a part of these patients' treatment protocol in the long term

[Survey of clinical and para-clinical findings in children with acute appendicitis]

Background: The acute appendicitis is the most common surgical intervention and urgency during the pediatric age group. The most important challenge is the problem of diagnosis. The aim of this study is survey of clinical presentation, laboratory data in acute appendicitis confirmed by pathology and comparing with those who had normal pathology

Methods: This is a cross-sectional description study on 140 children less than 16 years of age who had appendectomy at Shahid-Mobasher Kashani and Ekbatan Hospitals in Hamedan. All clinical and paraclinical data were collected by checklists and analyzed statistically by SPSS

Results: 105 patients [75%] had pathologic findings and 35 patients [25%] had normal appendices. There were statistically significant association [P<0.05] between the frequency of appendicitis with sex, vomiting, RLQ pain, leukocytosis and shifting to left in peripheral blood smear

Conclusion: Because of high rate of appendectomy with negative pathologic finding, in suspected cases, the proper history, frequent clinical examination, close observation, and other modalities as graded compression sonography. CT scan and laparoscopy should be considered