In this paper, the road map of EEG-base sleep stage scoring methods is clearly sketched. Implementing the state-of-the-art methods and even their combination on both healthy and patient datasets indicates that although the accuracy on healthy subjects are remarkable, the results for the main community (patient group) by the quantitative methods are not promising yet. The reasons rise from adopting non-matched sleep EEG features from other signal processing fields such as communication. As a conclusion, developing sleep pattern-related features deem necessary to enhance the performance of this process.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is currently under investigation as a promising technique for enhancement of athletic performance through modulating cortical excitability. Through consecutive randomization, 12 experienced bodybuilders were randomly assigned to two arms receiving either sham or real tDCS over the primary motor cortex (leg area) and left temporal cortex (T3) for 13 minutes in the first session. After 72 hours, both groups received the inverse stimulation. After the brain stimulation, cerebral hemodynamic response (using frontopolar hemoencephalography) was examined upon taking three computer-based cognitive tasks i.e. reasoning, memory and verbal ability using the Cambridge Brain Science-Cognitive Platform. Subsequently, the bodybuilders performed knee extension exercise while performance indicators including one-repetition maximum (1RM), muscular endurance (SEI), heart rate (ECG), motivation (VAS), surface electromyography over quadriceps femoris muscle (sEMG) and perceived exertion (RPE) were evaluated. The real tDCS vs. sham group showed decreased RPE and HR mean scores by 14.2% and 4.9%, respectively. Regarding muscular strength, endurance, and electrical activity, the 1RM, SEI, and sEMG factors improved by 4.4%, 16.9%, and % 5.8, respectively. Meanwhile, compared to sham, real tDCS did not affect the athletes’ motivation. Incidentally, it turned out that subjects who underwent T3 anodal stimulation outperformed in memory (p = 0.02) and verbal functions (0.02) as well as their corresponding frontopolar hemodynamic response [(memory HEG (p = 0.001) and verbal HEG (p = 0.003)]. Our findings suggest that simultaneous tDCS-induced excitation over the M1 leg area and left temporal area may potentially improve the overall athletic performance in experienced bodybuilders (Trial registration: IRCT20181104041543N1, Registered on 4 Nov. 2018, retrospectively registered).

As an antioxidant, lycopene has acquired importance as it prevents autoxidation of fats and related products. Tomatoes are an important agricultural product that is a great source of lycopene. It contains many vitamins and minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates and is associated with various positive effects on health. The antioxidant potential of tomatoes is substantially explained with lycopene compounds. Diet is a major risk factor for heart diseases which is shown as the most important cause of death in the world. It has been observed that the lycopene taken in the diet has positive effects in many stages of atherosclerosis. The serum lipid levels, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, blood pressure, and antioxidative potential are mainly affected by lycopene. These natural antioxidants, which can also enhance the nutritional value of foods, may lead to new ways if used in food preservation. In this review study, the antioxidant potential and cardiovascular protection mechanism of lycopene are discussed.

Over the past few years, visual prostheses (namely, Argus II retinal implant) and gene therapy have obtained FDA approval in treating blindness resulting from retinitis pigmentosa. Compared to gene therapy; Argus II is less costly with a demonstrated favorable outcome, though the vision is yet artificial. To obtain better results, expectation counseling and preoperative retinal assessment are critical. The global experience with Argus II has enrolled no more than 300 cases so far. The first Argus II retinal prosthesis in Iran was successfully implanted in Shiraz (October 2017). To date, Argus II artificial retina is implanted in four patients in Iran. Beside successful surgery and post-operative care, rehabilitation efforts with validated outcome measures including visual rehabilitation together with neurovisual, visuo-constructive and cognitive rehabilitation/empowerment approaches are expected to boost the functional outcome. A multidisciplinary approach within a cross-functional team would optimize strategies toward better patient outcomes. As such, establishing a collaborative network will foster organized research efforts to better define outcome assessment and rehabilitation strategies. This technology report paper has been an attempt to provide an overview of Argus-II retinal implant global experience as well as the clinical outcome of the so far cases in Iran. Insights from this report were communicated during the first “Brain Engineering and Computational Neuroscience Conference,” 31 January-2 February 2018 in Tehran.

Invasive candidiasis (IC) is associated with high mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Timely diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition remains a challenge; on the other hand, the criteria for initiating empirical antifungal therapy in critically ill patients are not well defined in different patient population and ICU settings. Alongside the international guidelines, reaching regional and local consensus on diagnosis and management of IC in ICU setting is essential. This report summarizes our present status of IC management in ICU, considered by a group of Iranian experts in the fields of intensive care and infectious diseases. A round table of 17 experts was held to review the available data and discuss the optimal treatment strategies for IC in critical care setting. Comparative published data on the management of IC were analytically reviewed and the commonly asked questions about the management of IC in ICU were isolated. These questions were interactively discussed by the panel and audience responses were taken to consolidate point-to-point agreement with the panel arriving at consensus in many instances. The responses indicated that patients’ risk stratification, clinical discretion, fungal diagnostic techniques and the empirical therapy for IC are likely to save more patients. Treatment options were recommended to be based on the disease severity, prior azole exposure, and the presence of suspected azole-resistant Candida species. This report was reviewed, edited and discussed by all participants to include further evidence-based insights. The panel expects such endorsed recommendations to be soon formulated for implementation across the country.

Recently, brain stimulation has been considered as a promising method for the empowerment of athletes' performance. This study recruited 16 pistol shooters who were randomly assigned to two arms, including the control receiving no intervention and the experimental group receiving either sham or real transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), i.e., anodal stimulation and cathodal suppression over the cerebellar and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) regions, respectively. Our outcome measures were the score and latency to shooting, as well as number of errors and task time in the dynamic tremor and mirror-tracing tasks. Our findings suggested that tDCS vs. sham improves the average shooting score in pistol shooters by 2.3% ± 0.65 (mean ± SEM, p = 0.018). Furthermore, the bullet hole distance from the Air Pistol Target center was found to be significantly shorter in the experimental (tDCS) group (p = 0.02). In the control group, no significant difference was noted between the shooting scores of shooters over the consecutive two sessions. In terms of latency to shooting, no significant difference was noted within groups between both sessions. However, for the dynamic tremor task outcome, there were significantly less errors after real tDCS than after sham stimulation. In addition, the results of the mirror-tracing task in the tDCS group showed significant differences between the sham and real-tDCS sessions favoring the real-tDCS session (p = 0.001). Therefore, concurrent suppression of dlPFC and stimulation of cerebellum through tDCS may increase shooting scores in experienced pistol shooters.

The present review attempts to put together the available evidence and potential research paradigms at the interface of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), sleep micro- and macrostructure, cerebral vasoreactivity and cognitive neuroscience. Besides the significant health-related consequences of OSAS including hypertension, increased risk of cardio- and cerebrovascular events, notable neurocognitive lapses and excessive daytime somnolence are considered as potential burdens. The intermittent nocturnal hypoxia and hypercapnia which occur in OSAS are known to affect cerebral circulation and result in brain hypoperfusion. Arousal instability is then resulted from altered cyclic alternating patterns (CAPs) reflected in sleep EEG. In chronic state, some pathological loss of gray matter may be resulted from obstructive sleep apnea. This is proposed to be related to an upregulated proinflammatory state which may potentially result in apoptotic cell loss in the brain. On this basis, a pragmatic framework of the possible neural mechanisms which underpin obstructive sleep apnea-related neurocognitive decline has been discussed in this review. In addition, the impact of OSAS on cerebral autoregulation and sleep microstructure has been articulated.

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