Higher Disease and Pain Severity and Fatigue and Lower Balance Skills Are Associated with Higher Prevalence of Falling among Individuals with the Inflammatory Disease of Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD)

Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disorder that is associated with impaired vision, sensory loss, pain, fatigue, and spasms in the upper and lower limbs. Typically, persons with this disorder are also at higher risks of falls. Given this, the aims of the study were to compare the prevalence rates of falling for NMOSD cases and healthy controls (HCs), and to predict falling in the former group based on sociodemographic, psychological, and illness-related factors.; A total of 95 adults with NMOSD (Mean age = 34.89 years; 70.5% females) and 100 matched HCs took part in the study. All participants completed a series of questionnaires covering sociodemographic information and falling rates. The NMOSD individuals also reported on disease duration, pain, fatigue, and fear of falling, while their balance performance was objectively assessed.; Compared to healthy controls, the NMOSD cases had a 2.5-fold higher risk of falling. In this latter group, higher scores for pain, fatigue, fear of falling, and higher EDSS scores were distinguished between fallers and non-fallers, and objective balance skills had no predictive value.; Compared to healthy controls, NMOSD sufferers had a 2.5-fold higher risk of experiencing falls. In this group, disease impairments (EDSS, fatigue, pain) predicted falling. Specific interventions such as regular resistance training might reduce the risk of falling

Association between platelet, white blood cell count, platelet to white blood cell ratio and sarcopenia in community-dwelling older adults: focus on Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) program

Sarcopenia is a progressive age-related skeletal muscle disorder associated with harmful impacts on health. The present study aimed to investigate the relation between sarcopenia, platelet (PLT), white blood cell (WBC), and PLT to WBC ratio (PWR) due to the importance of early sarcopenia diagnosis. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted based on the second stage of the Bushehr Elderly Health (BEH) Program. Sarcopenia was defined based on the revised edition of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2) in accordance with the Iranian cut-off point. Univariate and adjusted multivariate logistic regression and linear regression were used to evaluate the associations. Results The prevalence of sarcopenia among participants was 35.73%. PLT count and PWR were statistically higher in severe sarcopenic participants, while no differences were seen in WBC. In crude analysis, sarcopenia was not associated with quartiles of PLT, WBC, and PWR, while after adjusting for age, marital status, and sex, the association was seen in the fourth quartile of PLT and PWR [OR (95%CI) = 1.40 (1.08 to 1.81), p-value = 0.009 for PLT; OR (95%CI) =1.55 (1.20 to 2.00), p-value =0.001 for PWR]. This association remained significant in the fully adjusted model [OR (95%CI) =1.82 (1.20 to 2.78), p-value =0.005 for PLT; OR (95%CI) =1.57 (1.03 to 2.40), p-value =0.035 for PWR]. Among sarcopenia parameters, PLT count was more likely to be associated with handgrip strength and muscle mass. After stratifying the participants by gender, sarcopenia parameters were no longer statistically significant in men. Conclusion This study showed that PLT and PWR were associated with sarcopenia after considering confounding factors, while this association was not seen in WBC. Moreover, results showed that gender had an important impact on sarcopenia parameters

Histological and chemical evaluation of frauds in ground meat used for kebab in Tabriz (orginal reserch article)

Meat products producers represent their specific formulation; therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the presence of frauds in such products. This research was conducted to evaluate the quality of meat products at restaurants of Tabriz. For this, a total of 33 samples of ground meat mixes used for Kebab making were obtained. The samples were subjected to chemical and histological assays. Chemical analyzing was performed by means of collagen and hydroxyproline amino acid indices using colorimetric method. Moreover, histological evaluation was conducted by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Results showed that mean values of hydroxyproline and collagen were 0.0384±0.0268 and mean was 0.2993±0.0209, respectively. Besides, the presence of unauthorized bone, cartilage and lung tissues were found in 12.1 %, 18.2 % and 9.1 %, respectively. Comparison of the histological and chemical outcomes revealed that a direct difference between amount of meat and hydroxyproline ranges. Moreover, the amount of hydroxyproline was different among various tissues (i.e., hydroxyproline content was in high level in fraud samples). It was concluded that handmade meat products prepared in Tabriz were not free of inadvertent/intentional fraud; therefore organized control is essential

O OR RI IG GI IN NA AL L A AR RT TI IC CL LE E Comparative Survey of Testosterone Enanthate and Nandrolonedecanoate Administration on the Number and Function of Sperms in rat

ABSTRACT Anabolic-androgenic steroid compounds are one of the most widely abused drugs by athletes and muscle builders wit

The effect of oxytetracycline on the amount of calcium and phosphorus of blood and density of bone tissue in broiler chickens

This study was designed to investigate the effects of oxytetracycline on the amount of calcium and phosphorus of blood and bone tissue density in broiler chickens. For this purpose, 72 day-old Ross chicks of, 308 strain in a completely randomized design in two groups: the control group (without dietary antibiotic) and the treatment group (with a diet containing oxytetracycline 50%, 3 gr per kg of diet) with 6 replicates in the same environmental conditions and management were studied for 42 days. In this experiment, the diameter of femoral shaft and ratio of various tissues of the femur and skull were studied. Blood parameters included calcium and phosphorus. In the group treated with oxytetracycline, femur shaft diameter was significantly decreased with the addition of drug to diet (

An Analysis for Creation of a Trade Block between Selected Middle-East Countries (An Application of Economic Convergence)

Middle East is one of the important regions in the world and this importance is strategic because of matters such as the volume of oil reserves and its production in this region. But there is a visible lack of an intensive Regional Trade Agreement in the region that if existed, could give rise to economic convergence between the countries of the region. So it seems useful to examine the effects of creating a hypothetical economic agreement in Middle East. For this purpose, this paper is an attempt to analyze the consequences of membership in a regional trade agreement on trade flows between the countries of this region.  The model used is an extended version of the Gravity model and the data was compiled across a number countries in Middle East over 2002-2009. The findings demonstrate that the creation of a Trade Block in Middle East region would be ineffective