Effects of whole-body vibration on chronic ankle instability: a systematic review.

Background and objective: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is one of the most common sports injuries, and whole-body vibration (WBV) training has been used lately as a potential rehabilitation modality for these patients. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess whether WBV training positively affects patients with CAI. Materials and methods: The authors systematically searched four databases, including MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, for randomized and non-randomized trials evaluating the effects of WBV on individuals with CAI. The authors used Cochrane RoB2 to assess the risk of bias in randomized trials. A meta-analysis was conducted if three or more studies measured the same outcome. Effect estimates were pooled using a random-effects model. Results: Results were retrieved from seven articles encompassing 288 participants who had CAI. The reach distance of the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) was regarded as the study's main finding. The authors saw a significant training effect on certain planes of motion on dynamic balance. The findings showed that the post-intervention measurements in the WBV group compared to control groups showed improvements in the posterolateral, posteromedial, and medial directions, respectively. There were also promising results on improvements in muscle activity, strength, and proprioception sense measurements with a great diversity in the reported parameters. Conclusion: The authors observed a significant WBV training effect on dynamic balance over posterolateral, posteromedial, and medial reach distances. These findings suggest future studies on the effects of WBV on muscle activity, strength, and proprioception in addition to dynamic and static balance.

Associations between exposure to common technology devices and reported neck pain among Iranian school-age adolescents: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The advancement of technology has contributed to a more sedentary lifestyle, and the extensive use of handheld devices among adolescents may potentially result in neck pain. This study aimed to assess the association between exposure to common technology devices and self-reported neck pain in Iranian school-age adolescents. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between June and October 2021, employing a randomized multi-stage cluster sampling approach. We enrolled 808 adolescent students aged 11 to 19 years old. We asked participants about any neck pain they experienced in the week leading up to the study. Additionally, we gathered demographic information and assessed participants' use of electronic devices using a questionnaire. RESULTS: Our study comprised 73.5% female participants with an average age of 15.1 ± 1.7 years and 26.5% male participants with an average age of 14.5 ± 1.5 years. In the regression model, the female gender (p = 0.038), using mobile for more than 6 h (p = 0.04), and using electronic devices while sitting on the floor (p = 0.02) were associated with a higher prevalence of neck pain among participants. CONCLUSION: In our study, we observed a relatively high prevalence of neck pain, which was linked to extended daily mobile phone usage and body posture during electronic device use. Policymakers may consider interventions aimed at reducing mobile phone usage and promoting proper body posture while using electronic devices as potential strategies to alleviate the burden of neck pain among Iranian adolescents.

Evaluation of colonic anastomosis healing using hybrid nanosheets containing molybdenum disulfide (MOS2) scaffold of human placental amniotic membrane and polycaprolactone (PCL) in rat animal model.

Anastomosis is a standard technique following different conditions such as obstruction, tumor, and trauma. Obstruction, adhesion, or anastomosis leakage can be some of its complications. To improve healing and prevent postoperative complications, we design a hybrid scaffold containing acellular human amniotic membranes and polycaprolactone-molybdenum disulfide nanosheets for colon anastomosis. The animal model of colocolonic anastomosis was performed on two groups of rats: control and scaffold. The hybrid scaffold was warped around the anastomosis site in the scaffold group. Samples from the anastomosis site were resected on the third and seventh postoperative days for histopathological and molecular assessments. Histopathologic score and burst pressure had shown significant improvement in the scaffold group. No mortality and anastomosis leakage was reported in the scaffold group. In addition, inflammatory markers were significantly decreased, while anti-inflammatory cytokines were increased in the scaffold group. The result indicates that our hybrid scaffold is a proper choice for colorectal anastomosis repair by declining postoperative complications and accelerating healing.

Lipid accumulation product (LAP) index for the diagnosis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD): a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Lipid accumulation product (LAP) is an index calculated by waist circumference (WC) and triglyceride (TG), which reflects lipid toxicity. This study aims to investigate the association between the LAP index and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science online databases were searched for eligible studies that investigated the association of the LAP index and NAFLD. Sixteen observational studies with 96,101 participants, including four cohort studies, one case‒control study and 11 cross-sectional studies with baseline data, were entered into this analysis. Fourteen studies reported a significant association between the LAP index and NAFLD, and two reported that this relation was not significant; two different meta-analyses (1- mean difference (MD) and 2- bivariate diagnostic test accuracy [DTA]) were conducted using Stata version 14. The LAP index was compared in subjects with and without NAFLD, and the difference was significant with 34.90 units (CI 95: 30.59-39.31, P < 0.001) of the LAP index. The DTA meta-analysis was conducted and showed that the LAP index pooled sensitivity and specificity for screening of NAFLD were 94% (CI95: 72%-99%, I2 = 99%, P < 0.001) and 85% (CI95: 62%-96%, I2 = 99%, P < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSION: The LAP Index is an inexpensive, sensitive, and specific method to evaluate NAFLD and may be valuable for NAFLD screening.

Introduction on Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic: The Global Challenge.

By driving the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), coronaviruses have become a significant change in twenty-first-century medicine, healthcare systems, education, and the global economy. This chapter rapidly reviews the origin, immunopathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and potential therapeutics of COVID-19. It would also explore the effects of the introduction of a single virus, the so-called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), on the public health preparedness planning.

Kawasaki Disease and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children with COVID-19.

Since December 2019, the world has been exposed to a novel virus from the coronaviruses family, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has affected the life of millions people around the world. This global pandemic causes a wide spectrum of clinical manifestation in children, adults, and elderly. One side of the spectrum in children is being asymptomatic and the other side is severe inflammatory symptoms. In this article, we describe the clinical manifestations, genetic background, and immune response of children with COVID-19, who are presented with severe multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS).