Effect of milk consumption on healthy young men rehydration and endurance performance after dehydration due to intermittent exercise in warm environmental condition

Background and Objective: Rapid and adequate rehydration is important for many athletes, especially those taking multiple sessions of exercise each day, or those involved in weight category sports. The macronutrient and electrolyte concentration of the fluid ingested following exercise can affect the amount retained within the body can influence hydration status. This study was done to compare the effect of milk consumption on healthy young men rehydration and endurance performance after dehydration due to intermittent exercise in warm environmental condition

Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, the labroratory protocol was carried out by ten young healthy men in three sessions within one week intervals. Participants were on drinking regiment including water, low-fat milk, and powerade. Urine samples were collected pre-exercise, post-exercise, post-drinking and 1, 2 and 3 hours over recovery. Exercise capacity test commenced within 10 min after 3h recovery. This was undertaken in warm environmental condition at a power output corresponding to 70% V02 max. Exercise continued until voluntary exhaustion. Heart rate and RPE were recorded at 5 min intervals throughout exercise

Results: Pre-exercise urine specific gravity value was not different between the milk and the, powerade and the water groups. Total urine output was significantly reduced in the milk group in compared to powerade and the water consumption [P<0.05]. At the end of the study, net fluid balance was significantly positive in milk group compared to powerade and water groups [P<0.05]. Time of exhaustion on the exercise capacity test [70% V02 max] was significantly more in milk in comparision with powerade group [P<0.05]

Conclusion: Low-fat milk is more effective at rehydrating compared to water and exercise capacity in intermittent activity of heat in healthy young men

[Effects of dark rearing on clonic seizure threshold and pentyleneterazol induced epileptiform activity in mice]

Epileptic seizures are generally considered as complex and abnormal hyperexcitable phenomena in the brain. Probable changing of excitability in visual cortex by dark rearing [DR] might lead to clonic seizure. In this study the possible effect of dark rearing on Pentylenetetrazol [PTZ] induced generalized clonic seizure was studied. To assess the generalized clonic seizures [GCS] threshold and incidence and latency of GCS, 0.5% Pentylenetetrazol was administrated intravenously and 80 mg/kg subcutaneously to the control and dark reared animals. Our results showed that generalized clonic seizure threshold in DR group was not changed but occurring of GCS in DR animals was significantly lower and its latency was higher than the control animals. The tonic- clonic seizure was not different between the two groups. In spite of increasing seizure susceptibility in visual cortex by light deprivation, a kind of protection was observed in dark reared animals. Further studies seem to be necessary to elucidate the role of other factors such as melatonin

Comparison between deferoxamine and combined therapy with deferoxamine and deferiprone in iron overloaded thalassemia patients

Iron overload is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with beta thalassemia major. Effective and convenient iron chelation remains one of the main targets of clinical management of thalassemia major. The combined treatment with deferoxamine and deferiprone could have an increased chelation efficacy and allow drug doses and toxicity to be reduced. Eighty patients with thalassemia major were randomized to receive one of the treatments: deferoxamine given in combination with deferiprone and deferoxamine alone. Changes in serum ferritin and any toxicity were determined. After one year, the mean serum ferritin [ +/- SD] in deferoxamine alone group decreased from 2945 [ +/- 591] ng/ml to 2,451 [ +/- 352] ng/ml [p<0.001]. In the group treat with deferoxamine and deferiprone, a dramatical decline was noticed from 2986 [ +/- 612] ng/ml to 2,082 [ +/- 221] ng/ml [p<0.001]. A significant improvement was observed after 6 months of combination therapy. The main side-effects were skin reactions [deferoxamine alone], nausea and arthralgia [combined therapy]. Combination therapy is a practical and effective procedure to decrease severe iron overload in patients with beta thalassemia major

[Nursing students' perspective toward clinical learning environment]

The prosperity of nursing educational programs depends on the efficiency and sufficiency of clinical experiences. One of the most important factors recognized in this field is learning environment. In this study, different aspects of clinical environment have been evaluated from students' viewpoints. All interns attaining clinical experiences in the wards of pediatrics, neurosurgical ICU, recovery, surgical ICU, surgical emergencies, men medical emergencies, and obstetrics and gynecology took part in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data gathering tool was a 50 item questionnaire developed through combining two questionnaires of clinical learning environment scale and clinical learning environment and supervision. Students assessed their clinical environment by completing this questionnaire during the second semester of 2006-2007 academic year. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using ANOVA and Post-hoc tests in order to compare the means of the ranks. The mean of given ranks to the learning environment of different wards varied from 1.4 to 4.1 out of five. Four wards of surgical emergencies, male medical emergencies, pediatrics and recovery received a score of 3 or less while, other 3 wards had a score between 3 and 4. The evaluated wards were different in 6 of the variables including management pattern of ward administrator, learning in the ward, the commitment of nursing supervisor, the manner of communication with patient, the relationship between personnel and students, and students' satisfaction. But, no significant difference was observed in nursing students' perception of the ward's atmosphere, the status of nursing care, and interpersonal and supervision relationships in different wards. From the students' viewpoints, learning environment and its related variables vary in different wards. More attention has to be paid to the quality improvement of different wards