Neuroimaging studies of children with serious emotional disturbances: a selective review.

OBJECTIVES: To critically review and integrate, from a developmental perspective, recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of 4 childhood psychiatric disorders: schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). METHOD: We reviewed published reports in refereed journals. We briefly describe the major findings with respect to the brain morphometry, chemistry, and function of children with psychiatric disorders and synthesize the reports in a summary to update clinicians. RESULTS: Some cortical grey matter abnormalities associated with schizophrenia appear to predate the onset of frank psychosis and continue to advance after the onset of psychosis, at least in more severe cases. Pediatric BD is associated with abnormalities in a circuit, thought to be involved in mood regulation, that encompasses the amygdala, striatum, and ventral PFC. Frontostriatal abnormalities are reported consistently in ADHD, potentially reflecting abnormalities in the development of cognitive control. Children with MDD show prefrontal cortical alterations that may differ in familial and nonfamilial subtypes of MDD. CONCLUSIONS: Results from neuroimaging studies of childhood psychopathology reveal abnormalities in the developmental trajectories observed in healthy children. Although MRI has increased our understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders, routine neuroimaging for children with severe emotional disturbances is not indicated for diagnostic purposes.     

High intensity interval training and L-Arginine supplementation decrease interleukin-6 levels in adult trained males

Objective. To evaluate the effect of six weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) and L-Arginine supplementation on interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels and body composition in Iranian adult trained males. Methods. This experimental study was performed as an intervention with a pretest-posttest design in three experimental groups and one control group. Forty-eight young males from Qazvin province (Iran) were selected voluntarily based on convenience sampling. Participants were randomly divided into four groups (12 participants in each group): “HIIT”; “L-Arginine supplementation”; “HIIT + L-Arginine supplementation”, and “HIIT + placebo”. At 7 a.m., when the level of inflammation was at its lowest, a blood sample was taken from the participants, and body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), and lean body mass (LBM) were determined. IL-6 analysis was performed using STATE FAX device and ELISA method. Training sessions were conducted for six consecutive weeks, three sessions a week. Analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test were used to analyze the data. Results. i) There were no significant differences between groups in BMI, BFP, or LBM. ii) There was a significant difference in IL-6 levels between the groups (p < 0.05), so that the inflammatory levels in the “HIIT + L-Arginine supplementation” and “HIIT + placebo” groups were lesser than the “HIIT” (0.002 and <0.001, respectively) and “L-Arginine supplementation” (<0.001and <0.001, respectively) groups. HIIT “seems” to reduce the level of inflammation. Conclusion. HIIT had no significant effect on body composition indices. Plasma IL-6 levels decreased after six weeks of HIIT and L-Arginine supplementation. The level of IL-6 in the “HIIT + L-Arginine supplementation” and “HIIT + placebo” groups were lower than the control group (i.e.; “HIIT”) and supplement control group (i.e.; “L-Arginine supplementation”).     

Glucosamine alleviates scopolamine induced spatial learning and memory deficits in rats

Introduction and objectiveBeneficial effects of glucosamine in spatial learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine has been evaluated in rats by using Morris water maze.MethodsMale Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, scopolamine and scopolamine plus glucosamine groups. All injections were given in 5 consecutive days and 30 min after each injection, the rats were tested in the Morris water maze test. Escape latency and path length to reach the hidden platform were subjected to analysis of variance [ANOVA].ResultsThe rats treated with scopolamine showed increased escape latency and path length to reach the hidden platform compared to control group (P < 0.001). Both escape latency and traveled path length to reach the hidden platform in glucosamine treated animals (1 and 2 g/kg) were significantly lower (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) than in the scopolamine group.ConclusionThe results of this study showed that the glucosamine can inhibit scopolamine-induced impairments of spatial learning and memory in rats. Glucosamine might offer a promise in either the prevention or the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.     

Prevalence of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Iranian Physical Therapists: A Cross-sectional Study

Objective

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among Iranian physical therapists.

The effects of aquatic exercise on body composition and nonspecific low back pain in elderly males

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aquatic exercises on nonspecific low back pain (LBP) in elderly males. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-two elderly men aged 65 or older were recruited and randomly allocated to two groups: aquatic training (3 d/wk for 12 wk) or a control group. Body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat (PBF), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and trunk muscle mass were measured before and after training. [Results] The results suggested that all obesity variables including BMI, WHR, and PBF of the aquatic training group were decreased significantly, while the trunk muscle mass of the aquatic training group was increased significantly. Furthermore, low back pain was decreased in the subjects after the intervention. [Conclusion] The water-based program improved LBP and body composition in the elderly men.Key words: Elderly, Low back pain, Body composition     

Safety,efficacy and pitfalls of fibrocyte application in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer

Fibrocytes are unique bone marrow‐derived cells with great potential in wound healing. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of the applied circulating fibrocytes in the treatment of non healing diabetic foot ulcers. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by centrifugation through Ficoll–Paque method. After 3 days, the non adherent cells were removed by a single, gentle aspiration. Adherent cells were cultured in the same medium for 10 days. The cells were characterised using mouse anti‐human‐CD45‐fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and mouse anti‐human–collagen I, and also characterised by immunofluorescence microscopy using the above mentioned antibodies. Sterility measures were applied for clinical evaluation. Based on the literature review, cell transplantation generally requires at least 3 × 10⁶ cells regarding efficacy measures. As fibrocytes are non proliferating cells, 350 ml patient's blood is required to prepare patient‐specific serum before cell isolation and culture, and 85 ml patient's blood is needed for cell isolation and differentiation on cell transplantation applications. In our survey, no diabetic patient was inclined to be donor of such blood volume, mainly because of their pre‐assumption that they are anaemic. It is concluded that fibrocytes do not seem to be candidate cells for cell therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers because of the rarity of this cell population in circulation.     

Intestinal cytokines in children with pervasive developmental disorders

OBJECTIVES: A relationship between autism and gastrointestinal (GI) immune dysregulation has been postulated based on incidence of GI complaints as well as macroscopically observed lymphonodular hyperplasia and microscopically determined enterocolitis in pediatric patients with autism. To evaluate GI immunity, we quantitatively assessed levels of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and IL-1beta, produced by intestinal biopsies of children with pervasive developmental disorders. METHODS: Fifteen patients, six with pervasive developmental disorders and nine age-matched controls, presenting for diagnostic colonoscopy were enrolled. Endoscopic biopsies were organ cultured, supernatants were harvested, and IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1beta levels were quantified by ELISA. Tissue histology was evaluated by blinded pathologists. RESULTS: Concentrations of IL-6 from intestinal organ culture supernatants of patients with pervasive developmental disorders (median 318.5 pg/ml, interquartile range 282.0-393.0 pg/ml) when compared with controls (median 436.9 pg/ml, interquartile range 312.6-602.5 pg/ml) were not significantly different (p = 0.0987). Concentrations of IL-8 (median 84,000 pg/ml, interquartile range 16,000-143,000 pg/ml) when compared with controls (median 177,000 pg/ml, interquartile range 114,000-244,000 pg/ml) were not significantly different (p = 0.0707). Concentrations of IL-1beta (median 0.0 pg/ml, interquartile range 0.0-94.7 pg/ml) when compared with controls (median 0.0 pg/ml, interquartile range 0.0-60.2 pg/ml) were not significantly different (p = 0.8826). Tissue histology was nonpathological for all patients. CONCLUSIONS: We have demonstrated no significant difference in production of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1beta between patients with pervasive developmental disorders and age-matched controls. In general, intestinal levels of IL-6 and IL-8 were lower in patients with pervasive developmental disorders than in age-matched controls. These data fail to support an association between autism and GI inflammation.     

Relationships between sex steroids of the seminal fluid and milt quality parameters of Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897

To investigate the role of sex steroids of the seminal fluid on sperm quality, the relationships between sex steroids and milt quality parameters (sperm motility and sperm production) were investigated in the Persian sturgeon. The seminal fluid levels of 17α,20β,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20βs), and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) had positive relationships with sperm motility characteristics (percentage and duration of motility) and sperm density. Also, no relationships were found between other sex steroids including: Testosterone (T), progesterone (P), 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (OHP), and milt quality parameters. The good correlation of 20βs and 11-KT of the seminal fluid with sperm motility and sperm density suggests that these steroids may be important hormones involving in final maturation of the Persian sturgeon spermatozoa.