Effects of Acupuncture on Cognitive Functions in Patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To explore the effects of acupuncture in comparison with sham acupuncture on cognitive functions in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS).

Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 31 RRMS patients in the acupuncture group were treated with traditional Chinese acupuncture based on the treatment principle of calming the mind, reinforcing qi and blood, and 31 patients in the control group were treated with sham acupuncture (shallow needling at non-acupuncture points) twice a week for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was the Brief International Cognitive Assessment for Multiple Sclerosis (BICAMS) score, which was evaluated by a psychologist at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment.

Assessing drinking water quality based on water quality indices, human health risk, and burden of disease attributable to heavy metals in rural communities of Yazd County, Iran, 2015-2021.

The water quality indices, health risk, and burden of disease attributable to heavy metals in rural communities of Yazd County, Iran during 2015-2021 were studied. The drinking water quality index (DWQI) based on 27 parameters (including heavy metals) and heavy metal pollution index (HPI) were used for assessing drinking water quality. The health risk and burden of disease from heavy metals in drinking water were estimated in terms of hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR), and disability-adjusted life year (DALY).

Release of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) from cigarette butts into the aquatic environment: Levels and ecotoxicity.

Discarded cigarette waste may leach toxic elements and can contaminate different environments. In this study, the levels of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in cigarette butts (CBs) leachates were determined, and the release rate of these pollutants from three CBs types such as smoked CBs with and without tobacco (SCBs and SFs) and unsmoked filters (USFs) were examined. The mean concentration levels of PCBs compounds were View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Improving the performance of the photosynthetic apparatus of Citrus sinensis with the use of chitosan-selenium nanocomposite (CS + Se NPs) under salinity stress.

Background: Abiotic stress, such as salinity, affects the photosynthetic apparatus of plants. It is reported that the use of selenium nanoparticles (Se NPs), and biochemical compounds such as chitosan (CS) increase the tolerance of plants to stress conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the potential of Se NPs, CS, and their composite (CS + Se NPs) in improving the photosynthetic apparatus of C.