Paradoxical effect of minocycline on established neuropathic pain in rat

Neuropathic pain occurs after peripheral nerve damage, inflammation or infection. In this situation, microglial cells become activated and play a key role in producing pain. Minocycline (microglia inhibitor), was reported to reduce pain when used preventively. However, it seems that, when used after nerve injury, results in its pain reducing effects are different. In this regard, to assess the pain reducing differences of minocycline, neuropathic pain was induced by the ligation of the sciatic nerve in the rat which is recognized as chronic constriction injury (CCI) and minocycline was administered before and after sciatic nerve injury. Wistar male rats (200-250 g, n=6) were used in these experiments. Rats were distributed in various groups: vehicle-treated CCI (control), sham- operated and minocycline-treated CCI groups. In the first part of the experiment (pre-injury study), minocycline (10, 20, 30 and 40 mg/kg,) was injected one hour before surgery and then daily for two weeks. In the second part (post injury study), minocycline was administered: 1: at day one after nerve damage once a day to day 14, 2: at day seven after surgery and continued daily until day 14. Analgesimeter for thermal hyperalgesia and von Frey hairs for mechanical allodynia were used to evaluate pain behavior. Thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allo- dynia were attenuated significantly, when minocycline used before surgery, while it was not able to reduce pain behavior administered after surgery. It seems that, in spite of what some previous studies have reported, here, minocycline is not able to attenuate established neuropathic pain

The Relationship of School Participation with Motor Proficiency and Executive Function in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract Objective participation in meaningful activities are important aspects of development in children with developmental disorder such as autism spectrum disorder. The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation of school participation with motor proficiency and executive function in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Materials & Methods In this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytic) study, 52 students aged 6 to 12 years old with ASD were selected through the convenience sampling method. The GARS-2 scale was used to confirm ASD diagnosis. Other psychiatric comorbidities such as ADHA were studied by the CSI-4 tool, and students with comorbidities were excluded. Data were collected using SFA, BOTMP-2, and BRIEF questionnaires. It should be noted that in the BRIEF questionnaire, a higher score indicates a more severe disability Results Our findings showed that motor proficiency and its components had a significant direct correlation with school participation in childrenwith ASD (P ≤0.001). On the other hand, school participation was inversely and significantly correlated with the behavioral regulation and metacognition monitoring indices of the executive function dimension (P <0.05). Conclusion Based on the findings of this research, the development of motor proficiency and improvements in the behavioral regulation andmetacognition monitoring of students with ASD will boost their participation in school activities. Motor proficiency was significantly correlated with school participation in children with ASD. More attention should be paid to perceptual motor interventions and cognitive rehabilitation programs (with a focus on monitoring metacognition and shifting behavioral regulation) to increase the participation of children with ASD in school activities

Validity and Reliability of the Garmin Instinct in Measuring Heart Rate during Pickleball

Playing a racquet sport called pickleball is increasing in popularity every day in the United States. Garmin is a popular brand that manufactures wearable fitness trackers capable of measuring heart rate (HR). Because HR is a common way to determe exercise intensity, the validity and reliability of wearables to provide accurate HR during pickleball is important. PURPOSE: This study aimed to analyze and assess the validity and reliability of HR from the Garmin Instinct vs. Polar H10 (criterion) during pickleball. METHODS: Eleven adults (2 female, 8 male, 1 prefer not to disclose; age = 28.1 ± 9.2 years; height = 176.0 ± 8.0 cm; mass = 73.2 ± 13.4 kg) were recruited to participate via convenience sampling. Participants were asked to play alternating intervals of five minutes of pickleball interspersed with five minutes of rest while wearing two Garmin Instinct watches on the same wrist and a Polar H10 chest strap. Outcome measures were average and maximum HR, recorded in beats per minute (bpm). Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) and Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC) were used to assess validity; MAPE ≤ 5% and CCC ≥ 0.90. Coefficient of Variation (CV) were used to assess reliability; CV ≤ 10% and ICC ≥ 0.70. RESULTS: The Garmin Instinct did not meet the CCC threshold for validity of average or maximum HR but met the thresholds for both reliability tests for average and maximum HR (see Table 1). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that, in the present study, the Garmin Instinct was only reliable for measuring average and maximum HR. This is challenging for those who wish to track their HR while playing racquet sports such as pickleball because the Garmin Instinct did not provide accurate average or maximum HR

Does Hand Use Affect Metabolic Measures During Pickleball

Pickleball is one of the fastest up and coming sports in the United States today. This low impact sport has the combined elements of Ping-Pong, tennis, and badminton. Pickleball can be played with the dominant hand (DH) or non-dominant (NDH). Though many people enjoy the sport, it is under-researched. The metabolic demands of pickleball are not clear, nor is whether the demands differ by the hand used. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the differences in metabolic measures while playing pickleball with the DH and NDH. METHODS: Eleven people were recruited via convenience sampling and participated (2 female, 8 males, 1 prefer not to disclose; age = 28.1 ± 9.2 years; height = 176.0 ± 8.0 cm; mass = 73.2 ± 13.4 kg). Participants were connected to a COSMED K5 portable metabolic analysis system. Outcome measures were VO2 (ml/kg/min), Metabolic Equivalents (METS), Percent of Calories from Fat (FAT%), Percent of Calories from Carbohydrate (CHO%), and Respiratory Quotient (RQ). Participants played for five minutes with one hand, rested, and played for five minutes with the other hand. The hand order was counterbalanced. Data were analyzed using a paired t-test with significance accepted at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: A significant difference was observed for VO2 (DH = 27.3 ± 4.2, NDH = 24.7± 4.4, p = 0.03) and METS (DH = 7.8 ± 1.2, NDH = 7.1 ± 1.3, p = 0.03). No difference was noted for RQ (DH = 0.84 ± 0.07, NDH = 0.82 ± 0.07, p = 0.2), FAT% (DH = 54.9 ± 22.1%, NDH = 62.4 ± 20.9%, p = 0.2), or CHO% (DH = 45.1 ± 22.1%, NDH = 37.6 ± 20.9% p = 0.2) CONCLUSION: Pickleball players consume more oxygen while playing with their dominant hand, but the difference is not reflected in other metabolic measures associated with substrate utilization. While playing pickleball with the dominant hand may confer an advantage from a skill and intensity perspective, there is no statistical advantage when considering the fuels used during the activity. The practical implications, however, should be further explored

Validity and Reliability of the Polar OH1 biceps-band Heart Rate Monitor during Pickleball

Pickleball is making a name for itself as one of the fastest growing sports in the United States. According to the Association of Pickleball Professionals (APP), 14% of Americans 18 years and over (~36.5 million people) played pickleball at least once in 12 months. With almost half of the total players planning to play more often in the upcoming months, pickleball is certain to continue its ascension. It is unclear if paying intensity can be gauged accurately and reliably with heart rate (HR) measurements from biceps-band monitors. PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Polar OH1 heart rate during one, 15-minute round of pickleball. METHODS: Participants (2 Female, 8 Male, and 1 identifying as Other) wore two Polar OH1 bands on their left arm, and completed one 15-minute round of pickleball, alternating playing dominant and non-dominant hand every 5-minutes with a 5-minute rest in between. The Polar OH1s collected average and maximum HR, as did the criterion device: Polar H9/H10 chest-strap HR monitor. Validity was measured using mean absolute percent error (MAPE), and Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient (CCC). Reliability was measured using the coefficient of variation (CV), and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between the two OH1s. The threshold for validity was MAPE ≤ 10% and CCC ≥ 0.9. The threshold for reliability was CV ≤ 10% and ICC ≥ 0.7. RESULTS: The Polar OH1 biceps-band HR monitor met the threshold for both validity tests for average and maximum HR (see table). The Polar OH1 met the threshold for validity and reliability for average and maximum HR(see table).. CONCLUSION: People who want an accurate and consistent monitoring of their average and maximum HR during pickleball can trust in the feedback from wearing a Polar OH1. Biceps-band technology may be a great option when participating in any racquet-based sports (tennis, pickleball, ping-pong, etc)

The Relationship between Thinking Styles and Academic Adjustment in Nursing Students

Introduction: Adjustment together with its different aspects is considered a basic and extensive issue in psychology. Therefore, identifying the related factors, while developing knowledge of the field, can help reduce individual and inter- individual problems. Hence, the aim of the present research is to investigate relationship between thinking styles and academic adjustment. Methods: This descriptive- correlatinal study was conducted on 65 nursing students in Islamic Azad University (Khoy branch) selected through cluster sampling. To gather the data, two standard questionnaires on thinking styles of Strenberg,Wagner and Zang and academic adjustment questionnaire of Baker and Siryak were used. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation test and multiple regression. Results: The results of Pearson correlation test showed that there were positive, significant relations between judiciary, executive, hierarchical, liberal, external and type I thinking styles with academic adjustment, while thinking style of anarchism showed a negative and significant relationship. The results of multiple regression indicated that type I thinking styles positively and type III thinking styles negatively predict academic adjustment. In general, 20.4% of variance for academic adjustment is explicable based on the preferred thinking styles. Also the academic adjustment of nursing students was above the average. Conclusion: There was a relationship between academic adjustment and the kind of thinking style. Also, one could predict nursing students’ academic adjustment by knowing their scores of type I and Type III thinking styles. Therefore, improvement and promotion of the academic adjustment of nursing students demands paying more attention to their type of thinking style

Asparagus Officinalis: An Herbal Candidate for an Intraoral Healing Mouthwash: In-vitro healing effects of Asparagus officinalis

Objectives Asparagus officinalis (A. officinalis) extract has several bioactive ingredients. This study assessed the healing effects of A. officinalis methanolic extract. Methods In this experimental study, after preparing the methanolic extract of A. officinalis with a concentration of 100 , its bioactive ingredients were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and then its cytotoxicity was assessed using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Five experimental groups with 25 samples were assessed as follows: (I)human gingival fibroblast(HGFs) cultured in high-glucose Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM), (II) same as group Ibut with 10 μg/mL methanolic extract of A. officinalis, (III) same as group Ibut with 25μg/mL methanolic extract of A. officinalis, (IV) same as group Ibut with 50 μg/mL methanolic extract of A. officinalis, and (V)same as group Ibut with 100μg/mL methanolic extract of A. officinalis. Cell motility in the control group and group Vwas examined quantitatively using the cell scratch assay at 24 h. We used one-way ANOVA and t-test to analyzethe cytotoxicity of A. officinalis extract and the motility of HGFs, respectively. Results The MTT assay showed no significant difference in cell viability among the experimental groups (P=0.07). A remarkable cellular wound closure equal to 60.85% was noted after 24 h. Conclusion The methanolic extract of A. officinalis with a concentration of 100 μg⁄mL showed significant healing effects on an experimental scratch setup of HGFs

The Association Between Motor Proficiency and Performing Recreational and Leisure Activities in School for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background and Objectives: Performing recreational and leisure activities are an important part of children’s school function, including children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The purpose of this study was to examine the association between motor proficiency, performing recreational, and leisure activities in school for the children with autism spectrum disorder. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 52 students with autism spectrum disorder aged 7-12 years old were selected by available sampling method and the students with co morbidity were excluded from the study. Data were collected using a school function assessment (SFA) and the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency- Second Edition (BOTMP-2). Results: The results of Pearson correlation coefficient showed that there was a significant positive linear  relationship with moderate strength between performing recreational and leisure activities and components of motor proficiency, including gross motor skills (P = 0.001, r = 0.41), upper limb coordination (P=0.000, r=0.44), and fine motor skills (P = 0.00, r = 0.58). Also, the results of multiple linear regression model indicated that only the fine motor skills as one of the components of motor proficiency had the ability to predict performing recreational and leisure activities(β = 0.5, P = 0.002). Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that there was a relationship between performing recreational, leisure activities, and motor proficiency and the highest correlation was observed with fine motor skills, upper limb coordination, and gross motor skills, respectively. Also, fine motor skills had a moderate predictive ability. Thus, in order to improve student’s function in their school, perceptual motor interventions would be an important part of their treatment program

Factors Influencing on Managerial Ability of Administrators and Board of Directors in Agricultural Production Cooperatives of Harsin Township

The main purpose of this descriptive- correlational research was to identify the factors influencing on Managerial ability of administrators and board of directors of agricultural production cooperatives. The statistical population consisted of all administrators and board of directors of agricultural production cooperatives in Harsin Township (N=444). Samples were selected using stratified sampling technique (n= 206). Based on findings, the managerial ability of respondents was at moderate level.  The locus of control of the majority was internal. It means that they attribute their successes and failures to themselves. Based on exploratory factor analysis the main managerial styles of participants were regulated, inefficient and participatory. The most important factors affecting on managerial ability were locus of control, educational level, goal of cooperation and sustainability and participatory management style

Increasing serum albumin in patients with hypoalbuminemia does not inhibit serum angiotensin-converting enzyme activity: Serum Albumin Increase and Serum ACE Activity in Hypoalbuminemic Patients

Introduction: Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) plays a pivotal role in the production of angiotensin II and the inactivation of bradykinin. Recent studies have suggested that human serum albumin may possess ACE-inhibitory properties, serving as a potential endogenous ACE inhibitor that primarily affects serum ACE levels. Interestingly, the infusion of albumin in the postoperative phase of cardiac surgery has been associated with the development of hypotension. Methods: This study aimed to assess serum ACE activity in 27 hypoalbuminemia patients admitted to the ICU before and after a protein-rich diet was administered to raise their serum albumin levels. Serum ACE activity was quantified using raas(HPLC), measuring the formation of hippuric acid, a product generated during the incubation of serum with Hip-His-Leu, a substrate, at 37°C for 30 minutes. Results: In vitro experiments demonstrated that the addition of albumin to human sera led to a significant reduction in ACE activity compared to control groups (P < 0.0001). This reduction was consistent across all serum samples. Specifically, the maximum velocity (Vmax) of ACE activity significantly decreased from 14.90 U/L in the control group to 3.210 U/L in the albumin-added group (P = 0.0262). Notably, there was no significant change in the Michaelis constant (Km) between the control group (0.5263 mM) and the albumin group (0.2742 mM) (P = 0.6763), indicating a non-competitive inhibitory effect of albumin on ACE activity. Interestingly, in this study, elevating serum albumin levels in hypoalbuminemia patients following a protein-rich diet resulted in both ACE inhibition and a slight increase in activity (P = 0.0201). This increase correlated mildly with serum albumin levels across all samples. Conclusions: In conclusion, contrary to in vitro findings, raising serum albumin levels in hypoalbuminemia patients did not further inhibit serum ACE activity