BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a main public health problem being associated with high mortality and morbidity. The functional outcome of TBI remains unfavorable despite several surgical and medical therapies. Cerebrolysin is a neuropeptide with potential neuroregenerative entities.ObjectiveThe aim of the current systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of cerebrolysin on functional outcome in patients with moderate and severe TBI.Data sourcesOnline databases used included Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library.Study eligibility criteriaAll the relevant studies with randomized clinical trial and cohort design evaluating the effects of intravenous cerebrolysin vs placebo on functional outcome of patients with TBI within the English literature up to October 2018 were included.Study appraisal and synthesis methodsThe articles were reviewed by two independent authors and the data were extracted to a data sheet. I2 and Cochran’s Q-statistics were used to assess heterogeneity. Based on the presence of significant heterogeneity across included studies, data were pooled using random-effects model with Dersimonian–Laird method and presented as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and corresponding 95% CI.ResultsFive articles (5,685 participants) were included in the current meta-analysis. The overall pooled findings using random-effects models among patients with TBI indicated that intravenous administration of cerebrolysin significantly increased Glasgow Outcome Scale score (SMD =0.30; 95% CI: 0.18 to 0.42; P<0.001; I2: 87.8%) and decreased modified Rankin Scale score (SMD =−0.29; 95% CI: −0.42 to 0.16; P=0.05; I2: 89.6%).LimitationsThe results are mainly based on cohort studies and there is a lack of clinical trials in the literature. There is also heterogeneity among the studies regarding the dosage and duration of administration and the measurement of functional outcome.ConclusionThe results of the current study revealed that intravenous administration of cerebrolysin is associated with improved functional outcome in patients with TBI measured by the Glasgow Outcome Scale and the modified Rankin Scale scores.

No abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the role of implicit memory bias, depression, and metacognitions in coronary artery disease (CAD) and the relationships between implicit memory bias, depression, and metacognitions based on gender, age, and educational status. Participants were 30 patients with CAD and controls who were selected through a purposive sampling method in Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Meta-Worry Questionnaire-30; the Beck’s Depression Inventory–II; and the Word Stem Completion Software were used in this study. Resulting data demonstrated that patients with CAD had significant higher levels of depression, metacognitive worry, and negative-mood-inducing words than individuals in the control group. Also, individuals in the control group had significant higher performance on neutral-mood-inducing words than patients with CAD. Depression and metacognitive variables were significantly related to negative- and neutral-mood-inducing words in the total sample. Findings did not support significant relationships of age and educational level to depression, metacognition, and the implicit memory bias in males and females.

Purpose: We aimed to present a method to evaluate the retinal arcade vascular trajectory by measuring the distance between the retinal veins in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) and compare this measurement with healthy fellow eyes.Methods: In this Cross-sectional study18 patients with unilateral IMH were enrolled. We used standard fundus photographs, which were obtained from each eye with a digital fundus camera using a 55-degree lens. The calculation of the retinal arcade vascular trajectories was done by drawing and measuring 5 vertical lines within the macular area.Results: The mean age of the patients was 65±9 years. The between-groups differences of each vertical line were not statistically signi cant, except for the differences between the most temporal line, which was greater in the diseased group (9388 vs. 8322 mm; P=0.034). The ratio between the 5 th (most temporal) and the third (fovea-center) vertical lines was greater than 1 (V-shape) in 72% of eyes with a macular hole, whereas it was less than one (U-shape) in 78% of control eyes (P=0.003).Conclusions: We demonstrated that in eyes with an IMH the vascular arcade has more tendency to diverge on its path temporal to the fovea.

No abstract

No abstract

This study examined the role of social interest and empathy in helping and not helping adults during floods. Participants were split into two groups with helping behaviors (N = 90) and without helping behaviors (N = 90) during floods from six cities, Khuzestan province, Iran. A demographic questionnaire, the Social Interest Scale (SIS), and the Questionnaire Measure of Empathic Tendency (QMET)) were used in this study. Analysis showed that people in the helping group had higher social interest and empathy than those in the control group. This study can describe how, in the short, social interest and empathy would contribute to helping behaviors to flood-affected people for saving their life and properties. These findings can be combined with the emergency aid programs in natural disasters and will become public information. Este estudio examina el papel del interés social y la empatía en ayudar y no ayudar a los adultos durante las inundaciones. Los participantes se dividieron en dos grupos con comportamientos de ayuda (N = 90) y sin comportamientos de ayuda (N = 90) durante las inundaciones de seis ciudades, provincia de Juzestán, Irán. En este estudio se utilizaron un cuestionario demográfico, la Escala de Interés Social (SIS) y el Cuestionario de Medida de Tendencia Empática (QMET). El análisis mostró que las personas en el grupo de ayuda tenían mayor interés social y empatía que las del grupo de control. Este estudio describe cómo, en resumen, el interés social y la empatía contribuirían a ayudar a las personas afectadas por las inundaciones a salvar sus vidas y sus propiedades. Estos hallazgos se pueden combinar con los programas de ayuda de emergencia en desastres naturales y se convertirán en información pública.

No abstract