ABSTRACT
Objectives: Although social deficits are the main features of autism, children in autism spectrum disorder often too display difficulties with posture, coordination and motor planning. As such, poor motor skills are believed to be associated with greater difficulties in social communication. Some recent studies show that music can improve the sensory processing and motor functions by affecting brain connectivity. The present study aims to examine the effect of movement activities in synchronization with music on motor proficiency of 7 to 14 years old children with low functioning autism
Materials and Methods: A double-blind randomized controlled trial design was used in this study. Twenty two subjects participated in the study and assigned into experimental and control groups randomly. The interventions consisted of movement activities with music for experimental group and without music for control group. Motor proficiency of subjects such as balance performance, bilateral coordination and upper limb coordination were assessed by trained independent evaluator before the treatment and also after 12[th] and 24[th] therapeutic sessions using 3 subtests of Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency [BOTMP]. The effect of interventions in two groups were compared by repeated measures ANOVA
Results: The results indicated that both interventions improved motor performance in the participants but the effects of interventions on balance performance [P<0.001], bilateral coordination [P<0.05] and upper limb coordination [P<0.001] were significantly different between the two groups
Conclusion: Movement therapy is beneficial for children with autism, but movement activities in synchronization with music can accelerate improvements in motor proficiency of these children
ABSTRACT
Background: Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders and is related to oxidative-stress-induced diseases. Given the role of dietary antioxidants in the control and prevention of diabetes, this study aimed to examine the effects of sesame butter versus sesame oil on the serum levels of glucose, lipid profile, and oxidative stress biomarkers in diabetic rats
Methods: Forty male albino rats of Wistar strain were randomly divided into 4 groups [i.e., nondiabetic control rats, diabetic rats, diabetic rats treated with sesame butter, and diabetic rats treated with sesame oil]. Experimental diabetes was induced with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin [55 mg/kg]. Sesame butter [1.25 g/kg] and sesame oil [0.5 g/kg] were given by oral gavage to the diabetic rats for 6 weeks. Finally, serum glucose, lipid profile, total antioxidant capacity [TAC], and malondialdehyde [MDA] levels were measured and analyzed statistically
Results: Our data showed that the diabetic groups treated with sesame butter and sesame oil had significantly lower levels of glucose and higher levels of high-density lipoprotein than did the diabetic control group at the end of the study [P<0.05]. Sesame butter supplementation also increased TAC and decreased MDA concentrations significantly in the diabetic rats [P<0.05]
Conclusion: The antihyperglycemic, antioxidative, and partly lipid-lowering effects of sesame butter make it an excellent candidate for future human studies on diabetes, although further research is needed to determine the exact dose and duration of supplementation
ABSTRACT
Objective: Executive functions refer to a group of higher-order cognitive processes responsible for self-regulated and targeted behaviors. This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and gender on executive functions focusing on three distinct areas of attentional control, planning and set-shifting among18-80 year-old healthy subjects
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled a total of 200 healthy adults [100 women and 100 men] 18-80 years of age living in Tehran. Sampling was done through a random stratified cluster procedure with regard to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Each area of the executive functions was evaluated using Stroop test for attentional control, Tower of London [ToL] test for planning and problem-solving and Wisconsin test for set-shifting. The correlation between age and components of executive functions was evaluated through Pearson correlation test. Moreover, the differences between age groups were examined by ANOVA while the correlation between gender and components of the executive functions was examined by t-test
Results: Age was significantly correlated with all subscales of Stroop test except time-interference, with the total number of errors and the overall result from ToL and all subscales of Wisconsin [P<0.001], R=0.49]. There were no gender effect on executive functions except for the total time [t=-2.09, p=0.037] and the number of errors [t=-9.2, p=0.004] in ToL test which was significantly higher in women than men
Conclusion: The executive functions including attentional control, planning and set-shifting was shown to be decreased by age. Problem-solving and planning were better in men than women
ABSTRACT
Background and purpose: Diabetes is one of the most common endocrine metabolic disorders, resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. According to the useful properties of sesame and extensive use of its products [like sesame butter] in Khuzestan province, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sesame butter vs. sesame oil on serum glucose levels and lipid profiles on diabetic rats.
Methods: Forty male rats of Wistar Strain were randomly divided into 4 groups [10 rats per group] and were being treated for 6 weeks as follows: Group 1: non diabetic control rats; Group 2: diabetic control rats; Group 3: diabetic rats that were being treated with 1.25 g/kg sesame butter; and Group 4: diabetic rats that were being treated with 0.5 g/kg sesame oil. At the end of the experimental period, serum levels of glucose and lipid profiles were measured. The statistical analysis was carried out, using SPSS 18 software. One way analysis of variance [ANOVA] and Independent sample test were used to compare means between the treated and controlled groups. P< 0.05 was considered as significant.
Results: Utilization of sesame butter and sesame oil in diabetic rats's regime caused a significant decrease in glucose concentrations and also led to increase in high density lipoprotein-c levels compared to the diabetic control rats [P<0.05]. Triglyceride levels were also decreased after 6 weeks in the sesame oil treated diabetic group [P=0.000].
Conclusion: The results of presented study indicate the improving effects of sesame butter and sesame oil on controlling glucose levels and lipid profiles in the animal models of diabetes.
ABSTRACT
Diabetes is one of the most common metabolic disorders and is interrelated to oxidative stress-induced diseases. According to the role of dietary antioxidants in control and prevention of diabetes, this study was aimed to evaluate the effect of green tea extract on serum glucose levels and serum and hepatic total antioxidant capacity [TAC] and lipid [MDA] in diabetic rats. Experimental diabetes in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin [55 mg/Kg]. Alcoholic extract of green tea [100, 200 mg/Kg] was given by oral gavage to normal and diabetic rats for 4 weeks. Finally, serum glucose and serum and hepatic levels of MDA and TAC were measured and analyzed statistically. Data showed that green tea extract at dose of 200 mg/Kg significantly decreased the serum glucose levels, serum and hepatic MDA concentration and increased the total antioxidant capacity in diabetic rats [p < 0.05]. Green tea supplementation also increased hepatic TAC in normal rats [p < 0.05]. The antihyperglycemic and antioxidative features of green tea make it an attractive candidate for the prophylactic treatment of diabetes, although further investigation is needed to determine exact dose and duration of supplementation