Background. There are very few studies that had a sample size sufficient to explore the association between factors related to low back pain in a representative sample of the Iranian population. Objective. To examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors, smoking, obesity, and low back pain in Iranian people. Methods. We used Iranian adults respondents (n = 25307) from the National Health Survey. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using logistic regression. Results. The prevalence of low back pain was found in 29.3% of the studied sample. High age, female sex, being married, obesity, low-economic index, being smoker, in a rural residence, and low educational attainment, all increased the odds of low back pain. Conclusions. Our findings add to the evidence on the importance of obesity in relation to low back pain. These results can be used as a basis to reinforce health programs to prevent obesity.

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often demonstrate postural control difficulties. Orthotic management may assist in improving postural control in these children. Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of floor reaction ankle foot orthosis (FRAFO) on postural flexion called the crouch position in children with CP. Study Design: Quasi-experimental. Methods: Eight children with spastic diplegic CP and eight matched typically developing children participated in this study. Postural control of children with CP was assessed in a static standing position on a force platform with/without a FRAFO. The parameters used were centre of pressure (CoP) measures, calculated from force platform signals including the standard deviation (SD) of excursion; phase plate portrait and SD of velocity in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions. Results: The maximum knee extension was statistically significant in children with CP when barefoot compared to wearing braced footwear (p < 0.05, t = 10.01). AP and ML displacement, AP velocity and AP phase plate portrait of CoP were not statistically significant between children with CP with/without a FRAFO (p < 0.05). Conclusion: FRAFO can improve the alignment of the knee, but may not be helpful in improving postural control in children with CP in a short time period. Clinical relevanceThis article will provide objective evidence about the effect of FRAFO on the postural control in children with CP. Therapists can use FRAFO to effectively decrease the knee joint angle in the sagittal plane in children with spastic CP, but cannot use it to improve the postural control.

Background:In recent years, with socioeconomic changes in the society, the presence of women in the workplace is inevitable. The differences in working condition, especially for pregnant women, has adverse consequences like low birth weight. Objectives: This study was conducted with the aim to model the relationship between working conditions, socioeconomic factors, and birth weight. Patients and Methods: This study was conducted in case-control design. The control group consisted of 500 women with normal weight babies, and the case group, 250 women with low weight babies from selected hospitals in Tehran. Data were collected using a researchermade questionnaire to determine mothers' lifestyle during pregnancy with low birth weight with health-affecting social determinants approach. This questionnaire investigated women's occupational lifestyle in terms of working conditions, activities, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed with SPSS-16 and Lisrel-8.8 software using statistical path analysis. Results: The final path model fitted well (CFI =1, RMSEA=0.00) and showed that among direct paths, working condition (β=-0.032), among indirect paths, household income (β=-0.42), and in the overall effect, unemployed spouse (β=-0.1828) had the most effects on the low birth weight. Negative coefficients indicate decreasing effect on birth weight. Conclusions: Based on the path analysis model, working condition and socioeconomic status directly and indirectly influence birth weight. Thus, as well as attention to treatment and health care (biological aspect), special attention must also be paid to mothers' socioeconomic factors.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women in both developed and developing countries. The burden is increasing in low-income and middle-income countries (LMCs) and threatens the public health of such societies. Introduction of expensive monoclonal antibodies to cancer treatment regimens poses a real challenge in the health systems of LMCs. Despite controversy of cost-effectiveness of bevacizumab in breast cancer, some studies indicate gain of patients from this drug. The present study aimed to propose a priority setting model for administration of anti-angiogenic agents in breast cancer via assessment of tumor angiogenesis by the microvessel density (MVD) method and associations with clinicopathological characteristics (including simultaneous mutations of TP53 and HER-2 genes). Materials and Methods: Age, axillary lymph nodes status, tumor size, stage and grade, estrogen and progesterone receptors status, HER-2/neu status (by immunohistochemistry and FISH test), TP53 mutation, Ki-67 (for proliferation assay) and CD34 (for angiogenesis assay) were assessed in 111 breast cancer patients. The molecular subtype of each tumor was also determined and correlations of simultaneous mutations of HER-2 and p53 genes with angiogenesis and other clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated. Results: There were significant associations between simultaneous mutations of HER-2 and p53 genes and all other parameters except tumor size. The degree of angiogenesis in the ERBB2 subtype was greater than the others. Younger patients showed a higher angiogenesis rate rather those older than 50 years. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that patients with simultaneous mutations of HER-2 and p53 genes, those with ERBB2 molecular subtype and also younger women (often triple negative) seem more eligible for obtaining anti-angiogenic agents. These results suggest a model for priority setting of patients with breast cancer for treatment with anti-angiogenic drugs in LMCs.

Place and hold achieves greater motion than controlled passive mobilization after a two-strand repair for zone 2 flexor tendon repairs.