The concurrent accuracy of the modified telephone interview for cognitive status and mini-mental state examination tools in detection of cognitive impairment among older adults / A acurácia concorrente da entrevista telefônica modificada para o estado cognitivo e as ferramentas de miniexame do estado mental na detecção de comprometimento cognitivo em idosos

ABSTRACT. Due to the need for face-to-face administration of many cognitive screening tests, it is not always feasible to screen large-scale samples. Objective: This study aimed to assess the discriminant validity of the Persian version of Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (P-TICS-m) and Mini-Mental State Examination in the middle-aged Iranian population. Methods: The P-TICS-m and MMSE were administered to 210 randomly selected middle-aged community-dwelling adults who had been registered in the Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Participants also underwent psychological examination by two neurologists to assess cognitive impairment based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) criteria. To evaluate the discriminant validity of P-TICS-m and MMSE with DSM-V criteria, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV), and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR−) were calculated. Results: The mean age of the participants was 59.6±6.8 years. The TICS and MMSE were highly correlated (r=0.635, p<0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, LR+, and LR− to discriminate cognitive impairment were, respectively, 83%, 92%, 68%, 96%, 10, and 0.182 for MMSE and 100%, 13%, 19%, 100%, 1.16, and 0 for TICS-m. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis results showed no statistically significant differences between P-TICS-m and MMSE. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the TICS-m test can be used as a screening tool instead of the MMSE. Due to the low specificity and low PPV of the TICS-m compared to MMSE, the diagnosis should be confirmed using definitive diagnostic tests when a subject is classified as having cognitive impairment.

RESUMO. Diante da necessidade de administração face a face de muitos testes de triagem cognitiva, nem sempre é viável rastrear amostras em grande escala. Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a validade discriminante da versão persa do Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) e do Miniexame do Estado Mental (MMSE) na população iraniana de meia-idade. Métodos: A versão persa do TICS-m (P-TICS-m) e do MMSE foi administrada a 210 adultos de meia-idade residentes na comunidade e selecionados aleatoriamente, que haviam sido registrados no Neyshabur Longitudinal Study on Ageing. Os participantes também foram submetidos a exame psicológico por dois neurologistas para serem avaliados quanto ao comprometimento cognitivo com base nos critérios do Manual de Diagnóstico e Estatística de Transtornos Mentais (DSM-V). Para avaliar a validade discriminante do P-TICS-m e do MMSE com os critérios do DSM-V, foram calculados a sensibilidade, a especificidade, os valores preditivos positivo e negativo (PPV e NPV) e a razão de verossimilhança positiva e negativa (LR+ e LR-). Resultados: A média de idade dos participantes foi de 59,6±6,8 anos. O TICS e o MMSE foram altamente correlacionados (r = 0,635, p <0,001). A sensibilidade, a especificidade, o PPV, o NPV, a LR+ e a LR- do MMSE para discriminar comprometimento cognitivo foram 83, 92, 68, 96%, 10, 0,182; e, para TICS-m, foram 100, 13, 19, 100%, 1,16 e zero, respectivamente. Os resultados da análise da curva característica de operação do receptor (ROC) não mostraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre P-TICS-m e MMSE. Conclusões: Nossos achados mostram que o teste TICS-m pode ser utilizado como ferramenta de triagem em vez do MEEM. Por causa da baixa especificidade e do baixo PPV do TICS-m em relação ao MMSE, o diagnóstico deve ser confirmado por meio de testes diagnósticos definitivos quando um indivíduo é classificado como portador de comprometimento cognitivo.

Effect of different loads of exercise and Nigella sativa L. seed extract on serologic and hematologic parameters in rat

There are many recommendations for prophylactic usage of Nigella sativa L. for healing fatigue and body strengthening. However, a scientific and standard method for diagnosis and management of overtraining in athletes has not been introduced. Here, we studied the effect of different loads of exercise and N. sativa treatment on serologic and hematologic parameters in rat was examined. Male Wistar rats were divided into control sedentary (C), moderate trained (MT), overtrained (OT), control sedentary + N. sativa (NC), moderate trained + N. sativa (NM) and overtrained + N. sativa (NO) treatment. Animals’ performances were evaluated before and during the study. Immediately, 24 h and two weeks after the last bout of exercise serum concentration of corticosterone and lactate as well as total and differential WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct, corpuscular indices and platelets were also measured. Increasing training load caused a significant performance decline in OT and OR groups (P <0.01-P <0.001). Compared to control group, serum corticosterone and lactate concentrations were significantly increased after moderate exercise and overtraining (P <0.05 to P <0.001), total WBC count (P 0.001), lymphocytes (P <0.01) and monocytes (P <0.01) were decreased in overtraining animal. N. sativa treatment caused a significant decrease in lactate concentration in overtraining (P <0.01) and serum corticosterone in all exercised (P <0.05) compared to untreated groups. Overtraining induced chronic inflammatory like changes, performance decline, stress hormone elevation, and WBC count decrement. N. sativa administration improved corticosterone elevation and metabolic state.

The preventive effects of natural adjuvants, G2 and G2F on tracheal responsiveness and serum IL-4 and IFN-? (th1/th2 balance) in sensitized guinea pigs

OBJECTIVE: The effects of natural adjuvants on lung inflammation and tracheal responsiveness were examined in sensitized guinea pigs. METHODS: The responses of guinea pig tracheal chains and the serum levels of interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma were examined in control pigs and three other groups of guinea pigs: the sensitized group and two other sensitized groups treated with either adjuvant G2 or adjuvant G2F (n = 7 for each group). Sensitization of the animals was achieved by injection and inhalation of ovalbumin. RESULTS: The results showed that sensitized animals had increased tracheal responsiveness and increased serum levels of interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma compared to controls (p<0.05 to p<0.001). Treatments with either G2 or G2F prevented the increase in tracheal responsiveness and serum interleukin-4 (p<0.01 to p<0.001). However, the serum levels of interferon-gamma and the interleukin-4-to-interferon-gamma ratio was increased in the treated groups (p<0.001 for all cases). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate important preventive effects of two natural adjuvants, particularly G2, on the changes in tracheal responsiveness, serum cytokines and the interleukin-4-to-interferon-gamma ratio (T helper 1/T helper 2 balance) in sensitized guinea pigs. .