[Effect of six weeks supplementation of L-Carnitine on body fat percentages and lipoprotein profile in non-athlete male students]

Background and Objective: Several studies reported the contraventional effects of L-Carnitine on body fat percentages and lipoprotein profile. This study was done to evaluate the effect of six weeks supplementation of L-Carnitine on body fat percentages and lipoprotein profile non-athlete male students

Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 20 non-athlete male students whom were non-randomly assigned into experimental and control groups. Subjects in both groups performed aerobic exercises for six weeks based on the principle of overload. Over the course of this period, subjects in the experimental group were received 13 mg/kg/bw of complement g L-Carnitine, orally. Controls were received 3 mg/ke/g/bw of starch on daily bases. Blood samples were collected before and after the training period. HDL, LDL-c, VLDL, triglycerides, total cholesterol, body fat percentage and body mass index were recorded for each subject

Results: Aerobic exercise with supplementation of L-Carnitine significantly increased HDL and reduced triglycerides, total cholesterol, body fat percentage and VLDL, but had no significant impact on LDL-c and body mass index

Conclusion: Consumption of slight doses of L-Carnitine in combination with aerobic exercise reduces body fat percentage and lipoprotein profile of non-athlete male students

[Prevalence of elder misbehavior in northern Iran [2012]]

The incidence rate of elderly misbehavior increased in the past two decades. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of elderly misbehavior in northern Iran. This descriptive - analytic study was done on 247 more than 60 years old [137 males, 110 females] in north of Iran during 2012. In order to determine misbehavior, an elderly questionnaire was filled for each subject. The mean age of subjects was 68.8+/-7.08 years. The prevalence of lack of attention, care, financial, authentic was 34.8%, 33.6%, 29.1% and 22.3%, respectively. The prevalence of psychological, physical, isolation and financial misbehavior were 26.7%, 26.7%, 2.6% and 21.9%, respectively. There was a significant relationship between income and marital status with misbehavior maner [P<0.05]. Elderly misbehavior particularly lack of attention and care are more perevlant in northern Iran

[Evaluation of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of peppermint [Mentha piperita]]

The aim of this study was to investigate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of mint plant which has been used in folk medicine as a pain reliever. In this experimental study, male NMRI mice received intra-peritoneal injections of peppermint extract with different doses of 20,40,60,90 and 120mg/kg. Then anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of peppermint were determined by using formaldehyde and xylene tests. Anova and Tukey test were used for data analysis. All doses of peppermint extract showed significant anti-inflammatory effect on the ear inflammation induced by xylene in comparison to the control group [p<0.05]. Doses of 40, 60, 90, 120 mg/ kg significantly reduced the pain [p<0.05], but the group treated with the dose of 20mg/kg showed no significant reduction of the pain. The results of this study are indicative of anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of peppermint. We recommend further studies on this subject in the future.

Applying activity based costing [ABC] method to calculate cost price in hospital and remedy services

Activity Based Costing [ABC] is one of the new methods began appearing as a costing methodology in the 1990's. It calculates cost price by determining the usage of resources. In this study, ABC method was used for calculating cost price of remedial services in hospitals. To apply ABC method, Shahid Faghihi Hospital was selected. First, hospital units were divided into three main departments: administrative, diagnostic, and hospitalized. Second, activity centers were defined by the activity analysis method. Third, costs of administrative activity centers were allocated into diagnostic and operational departments based on the cost driver. Finally, with regard to the usage of cost objectives from services of activity centers, the cost price of medical services was calculated. The cost price from ABC method significantly differs from tariff method. In addition, high amount of indirect costs in the hospital indicates that capacities of resources are not used properly. Cost price of remedial services with tariff method is not properly calculated when compared with ABC method. ABC calculates cost price by applying suitable mechanisms but tariff method is based on the fixed price. In addition, ABC represents useful information about the amount and combination of cost price services

[Lactic acid production by Lactobacillus strains]

Lactic acid [2-hydroxypropionic acid, CH[3]CHOHCOOH] is a naturally occurring, chiral, alpha-hydroxy acid and has L[+] and D[-] optical isomers. It is used in food processing [as an acidulant and preservative], medicine, agriculture, and leather and textile industries. Due to its chiral properties, L-lactic acid is used in the pharmaceutical industry as an intermediate for the synthesis of chiral drugs. Polymers of lactic acid are biodegradable and have found use in manufacturing medical equipment. Although several strains of microorganisms are capable of producing lactic acid, some strains of Lactobacilli are generally recognized as safe [GRAS] in this regard. In the present study five lactobacillus strains were studied in order to determine the best L[+] lactic acid-producer strain. The lactobacillus strains were obtained from the Persian Type Culture Collection [PTCC], Iranian Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. They were cultured, under sterile conditions, on the slants of de Man, Rogosa and Sharp [MRS] agar, followed by inoculation on MRS broth medium as a preculture. Then 2.5-ml samples of the preculture containing 10[8] cells/ml were inoculated in 250-ml Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 ml of a production medium. Fermentation was carried out at 30°C and 180 rpm on a rotary shaker incubator, and glucose consumption, lactic acid production, and growth of the strains were measured in triplicates every 8 hours. L. easel subspp. casei produced 95 g/1 calcium lactate. The yield and productivity of this strain on optimized media containing 100 g/1 glucose were 95% and 0.98 g/lh, respectively. The other high-lactate producer was L. rhamnosus which produced 81.40 g/1 calcium lactate, the yield and productivity being 63% and 0.85 g/lh, respectively. L, casei subspp. casei PTCC: 1608 and L. rhamnosus PTCC: 1637 are the best L[+] lactic acid-producers. They are, thus, the best bacterial strain candidates for pilot plant studies of lactic acid production