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Background and purpose: Selection of suitable parameters for brain MRA requires accurate measures, because the image quality depends on the location of arteries, veins and also the velocity differences of blood, taking into account the low blood flow in small veins and arteries, use of paramagnetic contrast media is recommended. Hence, in present study, we investigated the imaging optimization of brain vessels using contrast media in 1.5 T field.
Materials and Methods: For image optimization blood T1 was estimated after the injection of 0.1mmol/kg of Gd-DTPA and the relative blood signals were measured at T1=300, 600, 900 and 1200ms using TR=20ms and TE=7ms parameters. Ernest angle and relative signal increased as the T1 decreased. MRA was obtained in three groups, each including five volunteer patients using parameters TR=20ms, TE=7ms and flip angle 10, 20 & 30 degrees in two series without and during contrast injection. Signals of carotid, M.C.A and thorcolar herofili and SD in air were measured and it was shown that in 20 degrees flip angle, C/N was maximum. At the last stage, three series of MRA, without, during c.i and 15 minutes after c.i where obtained in 20 volunteer patients using parameters TR=20ms, TE=7ms and flip angle 20 degrees and calculated C/N .
Results: After statistical analysis the highest C/N was observed during c.i MRA. Paired t-student test was performed to compare the differences between the C/N ratios. For clinical purposes one vein and two arterles were graded in 5 definite levels.
Conclusion: Results indicated an important effect of paramagnetic contrast media on better observing of small arteries and vein. The best quality was taken during c.i, but in some arteries contrast media did not improve the quality of MRA

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Background and purpose: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are one of the widespread and persistent contaminant throughout the nature. The main origin that introduced this contamination to environment is oil and oil products. The main objective of this study was determination of Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) PAHs list compounds in surface sediments of Hara Protected Zone and comparison the results with the standards. Materials and methods: For petroleum pollution risk assessment in the zone, forty-two surface sediments were collected from Qeshm Island and Bandar Khamir, Iran, and sixteen PAHs compounds listed by EPA were determinate in them. The samples were extracted with a Soxhlet extractor device and 300ml dichloromethane and then analyzed with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Results: Mean concentration of these 16 compounds was 1470 ± 157 ng/g dry weight. Therefore, the mean concentration of naphthalene as the most toxic and Benzo(a)pyrene as the best known of carcinogen PAHs compounds was 1274 ± 183 and 2.5 ± 0.28 ng/g dry weight, respectively. Conclusion: Results showed that the concentration of total PAHs was below the EPA standard (4000 ng/g dry weight). But concentration of naphthalene as the most toxic of PAH compound was higher than standard (160 ng/g). So concentration of Benzo(a)pyrene as most hazardous of PAHs compound and indicator of environmental contamination with PAHs compounds was lower than standard (430 ng/g).

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Background and purpose: High concentrations of heavy metals have always been a major cause of contamination in aquatic ecosystem. Sturgeons are important sources of food and income throughout the world. In this study, concentrations of Cadmium, Vanadium, Nickel and Zinc (Cd, Ni, V and Zn) were examined in edible and inedible tissues of stellate sturgeon (Acipenser stellatus) and beluga (Huso huso) collected from coastal waters of the South Caspian Sea in spring, 2011. Also, the human health risk due to consumption of muscle tissue of stellate sturgeon and beluga were evaluated. Materials and methods: Two species of sturgeons, beluga (n = 4), stellate sturgeon (n = 8), were collected from two of the most important sturgeon fishery zones in Guilan and Golestan provinces and stored at -20°C before chemical analysis. Concentrations of Zn were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer using an air/acetylene flame (Shimadzu, AA-670, Kyoto, Japan). Concentrations of Cd, Ni and V were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer (Shimadzu, AA-670G, Kyoto, Japan). Results: Stellate sturgeon liver showed the highest concentrations of Cd, Ni, V (1.70 ± 0.32, 0.87 ± 0.23 and 2.71 ± 1.44 µg/g dry weight, respectively) and highest concentrations of Zinc (182.26 ± 51.87 µg/g dry weight) in beluga heart (P<0.05). The lowest concentrations of Zn and Cd (16.82 ± 4.90 and 0.006 ± 0.002 µg/g dry weight, respectively) in stellate sturgeon and lowest concentrations of Ni and V (0.08 ± 0.02 and 0.17 ± 0.03 µg/g dry weight) were observed in stellate sturgeon heart and beluga heart, respectively (P<0.05). Conclusion: The mean concentrations of Zn, Cd and V in caviar and muscle samples were lower than the permissible limits proposed by the United Kingdom's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF 2000) and World Health Organization (WHO). The guidelines for Cd, V and Zn are 0.2, 0.5 and 50 µg/g wet weight, respectively. The measured concentrations for these heavy metals are less than the published guidelines and do not constitute any threat to the human population that may consume these sturgeons obtained from the studied locations.

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Background and purpose: Monitoring quality of rivers water and awareness of its health status over time and identifying vulnerable zones are considered as essential steps towards sustainable development and efficient management of the environment. This study used multivariate statistical methods for analyzing water quality and awareness of rivers state in the Mazandaran province, Iran. Materials and methods: The monthly data of the rivers water quality parameters including electrical conductivity (EC), pH, NO3-, PO43-, CO32-, HCO3-, SO42-, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, sodium absorption rate (SAR), Na%, permanent hardness (Per.H) and temporary hardness (Tem.H) during the 2011-2012 was collected. The principal components analysis, cluster analysis and spatial analysis were used to provide better results. Results: There were overlapped between many of the measured parameters. TDS, pH, SO42-, NO3-, and PO43- were optimization variables that could describe the water quality with 94.96% of variance. Results of grouped stations showed the relative quality of rivers water was lower in the western areas of the Mazandaran province. Relative situation of some stations including Baliran, Doab, Pol Mergen, Pol Sefid and Kercha was critical. Conclusion: Multivariate statistical analysis is able to process vast amounts of data, simultaneously. Determining important rivers water quality parameters can reduce costs and identification of homogeneous regions can play a significant role in integrated environmental management.

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Background and purpose: Sleep disorders in children with cerebral palsy (CP) are complex and challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate sleep disorders in children with CP based on gross motor function levels.

Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 76 children with CP (aged 6 to 15 years old) attending rehabilitation centers in Arak, Iran 2016. The participants were recruited by convenience sampling. The Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) was applied. Data analysis was performed in SPSS V.18 using descriptive statistics, T-test, and Chi-square test.

Results: There were no significant differences between sleep disorders and sex and types of CP (P>0.05). But, a significant difference was found between sleep disorders and gross motor function levels (P<0.05). The most common sleep disorders were difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep (DIMS) and sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) that were seen in the children with quadriplegic spastic in the level of V more than those with other types of CP.

Conclusion: The results showed that severe level of gross motor disability (the severity of motor impairment) is related to sleep disorders in children with CP. more training is suggested for children with CP and their caregivers for improving their sleep function.

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Background and purpose: Supracondylar fracture of the humerus is common in children and various surgical procedures are used to manage this condition. This study was conducted to compare the treatment results of open surgical approaches; external (lateral) and posterior access.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was performed in 200 children (younger than 10 years of age) with supracondylar fractures of the arm attending Babol Shahid Beheshti Hospital (2014-2018) who underwent open surgery using either lateral or posterior approach. Radiographic examination and some factors such as age, sex, cause of fracture, type of fracture, fracture side, and range of motion of elbow joint were compared between the two groups at week eight after the surgeries.
Results: Among the patients, 98 (48.8%) underwent surgery with lateral approach and 102 (51.2%) underwent posterior approach. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, sex, fracture side, and the predominance of the involved arm (P<0.05). We observed no significant differences between the range of motion, bearing angle, flexion and extension of the injured side. Clinical and radiological variables in injured and healthy hands in the external approach showed that range of motion (152.45±3.27 vs. 143.61±4.50), carrying angle (11.98±1.72 vs. 11.44±2.75), and flexion (141.91±3.30 vs. 134.35±4.85) and extension (10.60±1.69 vs. 9±2.35) of the elbow were lower in the injured hand (P<0.001). In comparing the clinical and radiological variables between the injured and healthy hand in the posterior approach, it was found that the range of motion (152.78±3.64 vs. 144.39±4.39), carrying angle (12.4±1.47 vs. 11.62±1.83), and flexion (142.54±3.33 vs. 135.41±4.36) and extension (10.14±1.81 vs.  8.89±2.07) of the elbow were lower in the injured hand (P<0.001).
Conclusion: The study showed no significant differences between external and posterior approaches in treatment of supracondylar fractures of the arm.

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Background & Purpose: Brain tumors are one of the deadliest malignancies that can directly affect the brain, and are often accompanied by executive function and memory disorders. The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of endurance exercise and nano curcumin consumption on short-term memory of rats with glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor.
Materials & Methods: In this experimental study, 35 healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups of five including: the basic healthy control group, 4-week healthy control, basic cancer control, 4-week cancer control, cancer + nano curcumin group, cancer + exercise, and cancer + practice + nano curcumin. One week after the injection of cancer cells into the frontal cortex, the animals entered the main exercise program on the treadmill (4 weeks, 18 m/min, and 3 days a week). In the end, the rats were sacrificed, the data were collected, and the results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc statistical tests.
Results: The results showed that endurance exercise and nano curcumin consumption significantly reduced the tumor volume in the cancer + exercise + nano curcumin group (P= 0.001), and also caused a significant increase in short-term memory in the studied groups compared to the 4-week cancer group (P= 0.001).
Conclusion: Probably, performing endurance exercises along with the use of nano curcumin can improve short-term memory in rats with brain tumors, in addition to reducing tumor volume.
 

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Nahid Naghizadeh¹,
Shahin Riyahi Malayeri²,
Mehdi Roozbahani³,
Alireza Khademi⁴,
Hossein Shirvani<sup>5

1</sup> PhD Student in Exercise Physiology, Department of Exercise Physiology, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
² Associate Professor, Department of Sport Sciences, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
³ Assistant Professor, Department of Motor Behavior, Borujerd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Borujerd, Iran
⁴ Assistant Professor, Department of Sports Science, Jahrom University, Jahrom, Fars, Iran
⁵ Associate Professor, Sports Physiology Research Center, Lifestyle Research Institute, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran





In the article published in volume 33, issue 226, 2023, the title was published incorrectly, which is now corrected.