Effect of relaxation on the physical symptoms in women with multiple sclerosis

Background and Objective: Multiple sclerosis [MS] is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease, leading to progressive disability, reduces daily activity and function and emerges with a wide range of physical symptoms. This study was done to determine the effect of relaxation on the physical symptoms in women with Multiple Sclerosis

Methods: In this clinical trial study, 50 patients with MS were randomly divided into relaxation and control groups. In the interventional group, Jacobson and Benson method was performed for 4 weeks, twice a week for 40 minutes and patients in the control group were received only care and routine medical treatment. Data was collected via fatigue severity scale [FSS], numerical rating scale [NRS] before, immediately after and two months after intervention

Results: The mean seventy of fatigue score, before, immediately and two months after the intervention were not the same and time trends was effective on severity of fatigue score [P<0.05]. The mean of fatigue score were significantly reduced in intervention group [immediately and two months after intervention] in compared to pre-intervention. The mean severity of pain score ,before, immediately and two months after the intervention were not the same and time trends was effective on mean severity of pain score [P<0,05]. The mean intensity of pain score over time in the relaxation group non-significantly reduced in compared to the control group

Conclusion: Relaxation technique is effective as a low-cost, safe and easy method to reduce fatigue and pain in patients with MS

Prevalence and risk factors of low-birth-weight infants in Zahedan, Islamic Republic of Iran

The study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of low birth weight [LBW] in 1109 hospital births in Zahedan city, Islamic Republic of Iran. The overall prevalence of LBW was 11.8% [95% CI: 9.9%-13.7%], similar for boys and girls [11.1% and 12.6% respectively]. LBW was significantly associated with mother's ethnic origin [Balouch], birth interval < 3 years, twin birth, no use of supplements during pregnancy, < 4 prenatal care visits, no education, younger age and presence of maternal disease. There was no effect of mother's parity, occupation and smoking status. After logistic regression analysis, the only significant risk factors were: birth interval < 3 years, twin birth, no use of ferrous sulfate and maternal disease

Comparison of low dose and conventional dose of prednisolone in the treatment of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: a randomized clinical trial

Autoimmune idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura [ITP] is a common hemolytic disease in which platelets are destroyed in the reticuloendothelial system by the opsonization of antiplatelet antibodies, leading to thrombocytopenia and spontaneous skin and mucosal hemorrhage [epistaxis, gingival hemorrhage, GI hemorrhage]. Glucocorticoids especially prednisolone are generally used in the treatment of ITP, which causes several mental and physical adverse effects, particularly if used in long terms. This randomized clinical trial study was conducted in 80 ITP patients from 5 hospitals. Subjects were divided to two groups by random allocation, 40 patients received oral prednisolone with conventional dose of 1mg/kg/day and 40 patients received 0.5mg/kg/day oral prednisolone [low dose group]. The two groups were matched with respect to age and sex. Patients were studied for 14 months and platelet count [the main indicator for treatment response] was checked before treatment and at the end of 3rd and 24th months. 90% of patients [n=72] showed complete or relative response to oral prednisolone therapy. There was not any significant difference between groups regarding response to treatment [p>0.05]. Splenectomy were performed in 8 patients due to failure of medical therapy, and showed no significant difference between the groups [p>0.05]. Comparing normal and low dose steroid therapy, the latter carries similar response rate, lower adverse effects and better patient's compliance. Thus, we recommend low dose therapy for the initial treatment of ITP

Effect of ionic strength on settling of activated sludge

Structural properties of activated sludge flocs were found to be sensitive to small changes in ionic strength. This study investigates the effect of ionic strength on settling of activated sludge. Samples were taken from activated sludge process of Chan/in Sasan soft drink wastewater treatment plant, then treated with different ionic strengths of KCl and CaC12 solution, after that the turbidity of supernatant was measured. The results indicated that low ionic strength resulted in a steeper slope of the accumulated turbidity data for both KCl and CaCl2 as a result of a release of floc fragments and free cells into the supernatant, which did not precipitate during the incubation period. By increasing the ionic strength, the sedimentation improved because of less fragmentation of the sludge flocs. Also at low ionic strengths, the dissociation coefficient was high as a result of a substantial fragmentation of the sludge flocs. The dissociation of the floes decreased as the ionic strength increased, resulting in a minimum of floc degradation in ionic strength between 0.006 and 0.06M