Changes In Density Research Articles

Changes in Muscle Mass and Bone Density and Their Relationship After Total Knee Arthroplasty

Purpose: To investigate the effects of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on muscle mass and bone density in end-stage knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: This prospective study was conducted on 111 patients with Kellgren–Lawrence grade 4 knee OA who underwent TKA after failing to respond to conservative treatment for more than 3 months at a single institution from June 2022 to May 2023. Appendicular lean mass index (ALMI) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry before and every 6 months after surgery. The average follow-up period was 15.5 ± 2.31 months (range, 11.6–24 months). Results: During the follow-up period after TKA, the ALMI increased relatively continuously and consistently. The BMD of the L-spine and proximal femur did not change significantly until 12 months after TKA surgery but began to increase steeply after 12 months and slowed down after 18 months. The increase in muscle mass showed a significant positive correlation with the increase in BMD. Conclusions: Muscle mass gradually increased after TKA for end-stage knee OA, whereas bone density also increased but not until 12 months after surgery. The significant positive correlation between the increase in muscle mass and bone density suggests that the increase in muscle mass after TKA may be one of the causes of the increase in bone density.

Influence of CuO nanoparticles on photosystem II structural stability and functional activity of corn (Zea mays L.) under drought stress

Photoinhibition and photooxidation of photosystem II (PSII) is one of the key damages caused by drought stress. The present study aimed to assess whether or not foliar application of copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) is effective in promoting PSII stability and activity in corn plants under drought stress. Three-week old plants of corn were subjected to drought stress and varying levels of CuO nano-particles (0, 25, 50, and 100 mM) of the rooting medium. In this study, the effects of foliar application of copper oxide nanoparticles were assessed on growth, plant water status, nutrient uptake and structural stability of photosystem II of drought stressed corn plants. Drought stress impeded overall growth of the corn plants by reducing leaf relative water content, water potential, chlorophyll a content, and accumulation of K+ in plant leaves and roots. Exogenous application of 25 mM CuO NPs significantly enhanced the growth of corn. Exogenous application of CuO NPs improved the dry biomass and length of roots of the corn plants under drought stress. Although the application of nano-particles did not change leaf photosynthetic pigments, relative water content, K+ accumulation, it enhanced the accumulation of K+ in roots. Drought stress did not affect the structural stability of PSII, but it reduced its activity (performance index, PIABS) due to changes in the reaction center density and the biochemical reaction efficiency or electron transport capability. Exogenous application of CuO NPs improved PIABS due to increase in active reaction center density and electron transport efficiency. However, 100 mM CuO NPs application caused PSII damage at the donor end and reduced active reaction center density in the corn plants under both normal and drought stress conditions. The present findings provide a baseline information that foliar application of CuO-nanoparticles in low concentrations can improve the growth of corn by improving accumulation of K+ and increasing PSII activity. Further research is required to explore its effect on cellular redox balance and activities of PSII and PSI, and optimum dose of CuO-nanoparticles for developing formulations for their commercial applications in farmers’ fields.

An Analysis of Vertical Infiltration Responses in Unsaturated Soil Columns from Permafrost Regions

Rainfall infiltration affects permafrost-related slope stability by changing the pore water pressure in soil. In this study, the infiltration responses under rainfall conditions were elucidated. The instantaneous profile method and filter paper method were used to obtain the soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC) and hydraulic conductivity function (HCF). During the rainfall infiltration test, the vertical patters of volumetric moisture contents, total hydraulic head or suction and wetting front were recorded. Advancing displacement and rate of the wetting front, the cumulative infiltration, the instantaneous infiltration rate, and the average infiltration rate were determined to comprehensively assess the rainfall infiltration process, along with SWCC and HCF. Additionally, the effects of dry density and runoff on the one-dimensional vertical infiltration process of soil columns were evaluated. The results showed that the variation curve of wetting front displacement versus time obeys a power function relationship. In addition, the infiltration rate–time relationship curve and the unsaturated permeability curve could be roughly divided into three stages, and the SWCC and HCF calculated by volumetric moisture content are more sensitive to changes in dry density than to changes in runoff or hydraulic head height.

Three-Dimensional Subsurface Model of Luk-Ulo Melange Complex, Karangsambung, Indonesia: Insights from Gravity Modeling

The Luk-Ulo Melange Complex (LMC) is characterized by a chaotic assemblage of mixed rocks with a block-in-matrix fabric. The exposed blocks consist of various scattered rock types, trending in an ENE-WSW direction. In the case of Mt. Parang, the origin of the diabase remains uncertain, with ongoing debate as to whether it is associated with in situ volcanic activity or represents an exotic block within the melange deposit. Subsurface data obtained through geophysical investigation can aid in modeling the geometry of intrusive bodies using inverse modeling techniques. In this study, we conducted a gravity survey and performed 3D inverse modeling to investigate the subsurface beneath Karangsambung. A total of 818 gravity data points and 28 rock density measurements were integrated with existing geological data to construct an a priori 3D geological model. To ensure the results align with geological concepts, the 3D inversion utilized a stochastic approach, allowing for the incorporation of multiple geological constraints over fifty million iterative procedures. Ultimately, the inversion successfully reduced the misfit between observed and calculated data from 2.71 to 0.55 mGal. Based on the inverted 3D model, the diabase rock in Mt. Parang is identified as having an intrusive origin. The intrusion model exhibited minimal changes in density, volume, and shape during the inversion process. Additionally, the model suggests the presence of a solidified magma reservoir at a depth of approximately 3 km, potentially related to Dakah volcanism. The inverted model also reveals the block-in-matrix structure of the Luk-Ulo Melange Complex in the northern area.

Upper-ocean changes with hurricane-strength wind events: a study using Argo profiles and an ocean reanalysis

Abstract. As the Earth's climate warms, the intensity and rain rate of tropical cyclones (TCs) is projected to increase. TCs intensify by extracting heat energy from the ocean; hence, a better understanding of upper-ocean changes with the TC passage is helpful to improve our understanding of air–sea interactions during and after the event. This work uses Argo float observations and the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) ocean reanalysis to describe characteristics of upper-ocean changes with hurricane-strength wind events. We study the association of these changes with the vertical structure of the salinity profile before the event, i.e., increasing versus decreasing with depth. We also study the contribution of changes in salinity to upper-ocean density changes in each case. Results show that in regions where pre-event salinity increases with depth there is a corresponding statistically significant increase in upper-ocean salinity; vice versa, we observe a significant decrease in upper-ocean salinity in regions where pre-event salinity decreases with depth. Consistent with previous studies, temperature decreases in both regions. As near-surface temperature decreases, upper-ocean density increases, and the increase is larger where pre-event salinity increases with depth. Changes in upper-ocean properties from Argo and HYCOM are overall consistent with wind-driven vertical mixing of near-surface waters with colder and higher-salinity (or lower-salinity) waters below. Resulting changes in ocean stratification have implications for air–sea interactions during and after the event, with potential impacts on weather events that follow.

Molecular dynamics simulation of shock-induced plastic deformation and spallation behavior of Cu/Cu64Zr36 crystalline/amorphous composites

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to study the shock-induced plastic deformation and spallation failure of Cu/Cu64Zr36 crystalline/amorphous composites with a pre-existing void. The results show that the pre-existing void collapses always perpendicular to the direction of the shock loading, regardless of whether the shock direction starts from the crystalline phase or the amorphous phase. The Cu/Cu64Zr36 composites are more prone to spallation failure when the shock starts from the Cu crystalline phase. The changes of dislocation density and shear transformation zone (STZ) activation are closely related to the magnitude and direction of shock velocity. When the shock velocity reaches 2.0 km/s, dislocations in the crystalline phase disappear, dislocation density is close to zero and STZs activate throughout the entire amorphous phase. In addition, regardless of the shock velocity and direction, no shear bands are generated in the Cu/Cu64Zr36 composites under shock loading, which is significantly different from the case of tensile loading.

Influence of plasma density gradient on the tearing mode with the poloidal shear flow

The influence of the plasma density gradient on the m/n = 2/1 and m/n = 4/1 (m is the poloidal mode number and n is the toroidal mode number) tearing mode instability with poloidal flow and flow shear is investigated. Using the analytical solution that we obtained in a previous work and mainly focused on the factors of plasma density and poloidal shear flow, we found that the plasma density has a stabilizing effect on the classical tearing mode, and the poloidal equilibrium flow can intensify this beneficial effect. The density gradient was detrimental to the stability of the tearing mode. The effects of both density and density gradient are slight, but the effect of poloidal flow on the plasma density is significant. Considering that the plasma density changes with the poloidal flow, the values of the tearing mode stability index ∆′ clearly change. Our investigation also found that compared with the negative flow shear, the positive flow shear is beneficial to the stability of the tearing mode, and a larger poloidal flow shear has a better stabilizing effect on the classical tearing mode.

The effect of temperature on asphaltene transformation and agglomeration in oil pressure tank systems under injection of carbon dioxide in a porous structure: A molecular dynamics study

Asphaltene is a complex blend of high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons present in crude oil. It is a solid, insoluble component that precipitates from oil under certain circumstances, such as temperature (Temp), pressure, or composition changes. Despite its problems, asphaltene has potential uses in a variety of sectors, including the manufacture of carbon materials, asphalt, and pharmaceuticals. Specifically, this study investigated the changes in the asphaltene compaction process under carbon dioxide (CO2) injection by examining changes in initial temperature and analyzing influencing parameters such as radial distribution function, radius of gyration, and density changes. In this study, thermodynamic equilibrium in simulated asphaltene samples was achieved within 10 ns, with temperature and kinetic energy stabilizing at 310 K and 0.86 kcal/mol, respectively. The subsequent analysis focused on the agglomeration of asphaltene molecules under varying temperatures. The agglomeration process was completed within 10 ns, with the gyration radius stabilizing at 30.5 Å, providing insights into asphaltene behavior and its impact on petroleum fluid properties. At 300 K, asphaltene agglomeration increased viscosity to 23.3 Pa s by reducing molecular movement, illustrating the complex relationship between aggregation and fluid viscosity. The study also observed that asphaltene agglomeration increased viscosity to approximately 23.3 Pa s at 300 K due to reduced molecular movement. As the temperature was raised from 300 to 400 K, the maximum density profile decreased from 0.0225 to 0.0207 atom/Å3, while the gyration radius of asphaltene molecules decreased from 30.54 to 28.51 Å and viscosity increased from 23.3 to 23.92 Pa s. These results highlight the intricate effects of temperature on asphaltene dynamics and petroleum fluid properties.

Analysis of changes in bone mineral density and cortical bone thickness after reconstruction of the mandible with fibula, is condyle preservation a critical influence factor?

This study aimed to investigate the features of bone mineral density (BMD) and cortical bone thickness in grafted fibula. Eighty-six patients who underwent mandibular reconstruction using vascularized fibula flaps were enrolled, all of whom were followed up at 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. The patients were grouped according to whether the condyle was preserved. BMD and cortical bone thickness were also measured. Condyle-preserved group consisted of 65 patients and condyle-unpreserved group consisted of 21 patients. There was a significant correlation between thickness and BMD, which was significantly correlated with follow-up time. One year after surgery, the BMD of the condyle-preserved group decreased from 1029.61 ± 156.01mg/cm3 to 978.6 ± 141.90mg/cm3, and thickness decreased from 3.29 ± 0.65mm to 2.72 ± 0.72mm. BMD of the condyle-unpreserved group decreased from 1062.21 ± 126.01mg/cm3 to 851.26 ± 144.38mg/cm3, and thickness decreased from 3.46 ± 0.89mm to 2.56 ± 0.73mm. In the condyle-preserved and unpreserved groups, the absorption rates of BMD were 3.29 ± 11.97% and 17.09 ± 12.42% at 12 months, respectively, and the rate of thickness was 20.7 ± 11.45% and 26.39 ± 12.23% at 12 months, respectively. BMD and thickness showed a decreasing trend over time. Preserving the condyle can slow bone resorption of the fibula. Regarding implant restoration, we recommend doctors to perform the treatment within 6-12 months after surgery in order to effectively manage bone resorption. Our study found that condylar preservation can decrease the absorption rate of BMD and cortical bone thickness, helping doctors make better clinical decisions. ChiCTR2300069661 (March 22, 2023).

MGFNet: Cross-scene Crowd Counting via Multistage Gated Fusion Network

Existing crowd counting methods are mainly trained and tested in similar scenarios. When the testing and training scenarios of the model are different, the counting accuracy of these methods will sharply decrease, which seriously limits their practical application. To address this problem, we propose a multistage gated fusion network (MGFNet) for cross-scene crowd counting. MGFNet is primarily composed of dynamic gated convolution units (DGCU) and multilevel scale attention blocks (MSAB) modules. Specifically, DGCU uses a dynamic gating path to supplement detailed information to reduce the loss of crowd information and overestimation of background in different scenarios. MSAB calibrates crowd information at different scales and perspectives in different scenes by generating attention maps with discriminative information. In addition, we used a new global local consistency loss to optimize the model to adapt to changes in crowd density and distribution. Extensive experiments on four different types of scene counting benchmarks show that the proposed MGFNet achieves superior cross-scene counting performance.

Crystal structure, magnetic property and cryogenic magnetocaloric effect of Gd4Al2O9 aluminate

Developing magnetic materials with excellent magnetocaloric effect (MCE) is a vital prerequisite for practical magnetic refrigeration (MR) applications. Herein, a single-phased polycrystalline Gd4Al2O9 compound was fabricated using the co-precipitation method, and its structure, magnetic property together with magnetocaloric performance were investigated. The Gd4Al2O9 compound was found to crystallize in the monoclinic structure space group P21/c with lattice parameters a = 7.4852 Å, b = 10.5561 Å, c = 11.1774 Å, β = 108.95° and V=835.3107 Å3, and the constituent elementals had valence states of Gd3+, Al3+ and O2−. Excellent comprehensive MCE performance was observed for the Gd4Al2O9 compound in low-temperature regions. The obtained values of maximal magnetic entropy change, temperature-averaged entropy change (3 K) and relative cooling power under the magnetic flux density change of 0–7 T are 26.31 J/kg·K, 25.09 J/kg·K and 317.05 J/kg. The Gd4Al2O9 compound shows impressive comprehensive MCE performances compared with some recently reported rare earth-based MR materials with prominent performances, meaning that it is a suitable candidate material for low-temperature MR applications.

Study of the Structure and Properties of Concrete Modified with Nanofibrils and Nanospheres

The application of modifying nanoadditives in the technology of cement composites is currently a relevant and widely researched topic in global materials science. The purpose of this study was to investigate new nanoadditives—nanofibrils made from synthesized wollastonite (NF) and nanospheres from corundum (NS)—produced by LLC NPK Nanosystems (Rostov-on-Don, Russia) as a modifying additive. During the experimental investigations, the mechanical properties of cement pastes and concrete were examined. This included an analysis of the density, compressive and bending strength, as well as water absorption of concrete that had been modified with NF and NS additives. X-ray phase and microstructural analyses of concrete were performed. It was established that modification of cement composites with NF and NS additives had a beneficial effect on their properties, and the optimal amount for both types of additives was 0.3% by binder weight. The highest recorded enhancements in compressive and flexural strength of concrete with 0.3% NF were 7.22% and 7.04%, respectively, accompanied by a decrease in water absorption by 4.70%. When modifying concrete with 0.3% NS, the increases in compressive and flexural strength were 2.71% and 2.48%, and water absorption decreased by 1.96%. Modification of concrete with NF and NS additives did not have a significant effect on the change in concrete density, which was no more than 1%. Based on the results of phase analysis, it was established that concrete with NF and NS additives were characterized by the presence of five main phases: quartz, portlandite, calcite, larnite, and olivine-Ca. It was found that compositions with 0.3% NF and NS differed from the control composition by the presence of such a phase as olivine-Ca. Microstructural analysis confirmed the effectiveness of NF and NS additives. The microstructure of the modified concretes was distinguished by the extensive occurrence of clusters composed of calcium silicate hydrate zones. The conducted studies prove the possibility of using NF and NS as modifying nanoadditives in the technology of cement composites. The addition of nanofibrils from synthesized wollastonite is the most effective and promising and is recommended for use in real construction practice.

Relationship between orthodontic treatment and bone densit

The aim of this study is to examine the change in bone density around the apex of mandibular anterior teeth in groups formed based on malocclusion types after orthodontic treatment. A total of 18 individuals were included in the study, grouped according to malocclusion types (Class I, Class II, and Class III). This retrospective study analyzed the bone density around the apex of mandibular anterior teeth using fractal analysis on panoramic images. Bone density increased around the apex of mandibular anterior teeth in individuals with Class I, Class II, and Class III malocclusions after orthodontic treatment. Statistically significant differences were found in the change of bone density before and after orthodontic treatment among the malocclusion groups. The greatest change in bone density was observed in the Class III group, while the least change was in the Class I group. The fractal analysis method is a technique that facilitates the diagnosis of minimal changes occurring in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Potential changes in teeth and adjacent tissues should be carefully evaluated, and orthodontic treatments should be planned in accordance with these evaluations.

Revisiting dark photon constraints from CMB spectral distortions

Abstract Spectral distortions of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide stringent constraints on energy and entropy production in the post-BBN (Big Bang Nucleosynthesis) era. This has been used to constrain dark photon models with COBE/FIRAS and forecast the potential gains with future CMB spectrometers. Here, we revisit these constraints by carefully considering the photon to dark photon conversion process and evolution of the distortion signal. Previous works only included the effect of CMB energy density changes but neglected the change to the photon number density. We clearly define the dark photon distortion signal and show that in contrast to previous analytic estimates the distortion has an opposite sign and a ≃ 1.5 times larger amplitude. We furthermore extend the treatment into the large distortion regime to also cover the redshift range ≃ 2 × 106 − 4 × 107 between the μ-era and the end of BBN using CosmoTherm. This shows that the CMB distortion constraints for dark photon masses in the range 10−4 eV ≲ md ≲ 10−3 eV were significantly underestimated. We demonstrate that in the small distortion regime the distortion caused by photon to dark photon conversion is extremely close to a μ-type distortion independent of the conversion redshift. This opens the possibility to study dark photon models using CMB distortion anisotropies and the correlations with CMB temperature anisotropies as we highlight here.

Magnetic‐induced isomerization of paramagnetic bridged azobenzene derivatives with conjugated alkyl chains

AbstractInducing a reversible structural transformation in organic photochromophores under the effect of a magnetic field is challenging owing to their poor magnetic properties. Compared with common azobenzene materials, bridged azobenzene materials exhibit a considerable potential for rapid trans‐cis isomerization induced by an external magnetic field because of the restricted torsion of N=N bonds during the transformation. Herein, we designed and synthesized pentenyl‐grafted bridged azobenzene (BA‐X5), hexenyl‐grafted bridged azobenzene (BA‐X6), and pentynyl‐grafted bridged azobenzene (BA‐Q5). Density functional theory calculations indicate that the activation energy for the trans‐cis transition of BA‐X5 and BA‐X6 is ~18.0 kcal/mol, which is 8.2% lower than that of BA‐Q5 (19.6 kcal/mol). The results obtained using EPR and a superconducting quantum interference device demonstrate that during the isomerization process, a net spin reduction of bridged azobenzene occurred because of the aggregation of the electron cloud toward the C−N bond, leading to a reduction in the paramagnetism of the materials. BA‐X5 and BA‐X6 exhibit a clear and rapid magnetically induced trans‐cis isomerization with short half‐lives, which are 10.4% and 16.9%, respectively, lower than those obtained under dark conditions. In contrast, the isomerization of BA‐Q5 under the effect of the same magnetic field does not change. Magnetically induced isomerization might be attributed to the combined effect of the magnetothermal effect, changes in the net spin density of the electron cloud, and regularity of molecular arrangement under the effect of the magnetic field. These results provide a basis for exploring the design and research of magnetically controlled azobenzene derivatives.

Supply- and demand-side drivers of the change in the sugar density of food purchased between 2015 and 2018 in Great Britain.

The UK government launched a two-component sugar-reduction programme in 2016, one component is the taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, and the second is a voluntary sugar reduction programme for products contributing most to children's sugar intakes. These policies provided incentives both for industry to change the products they sell and for people to change their food and beverage choices through a 'signalling' effect that has raised awareness of excess sugar intakes in the population. In this study, we aimed to identify the relative contributions of the supply- and demand-side drivers of changes in the sugar density of food and beverages purchased in Great Britain. While we found that both supply- and demand-side drivers contributed to decreasing the sugar density of beverage purchases (reformulation led to a 19 % reduction, product renewal 14 %, and consumer switching between products 8 %), for food products it was mostly supply-side drivers (reformulation and product renewal). Reformulation contributed consistently to a decrease in the sugar density of purchases across households, whereas changes in consumer choices were generally in the opposite direction, offsetting benefits of reformulation. We studied the social gradient of sugar density reduction for breakfast cereals, achieved mostly by reformulation, and found increased reductions in sugar purchased by households of lower socio-economic status. Conversely, there was no social gradient for soft drinks. We conclude that taxes and reformulation incentives are complementary and combining them in a programme to improve the nutritional quality of foods increases the probability of improvements in diet quality.

Longitudinal OCTA vessel density loss in macula and optic nerve head in healthy, glaucoma suspect and established glaucoma eyes.

To examine longitudinal optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) changes in macula and optic nerve head (ONH) in healthy, glaucoma suspect (GS) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes. Healthy, GS and POAG eyes from Diagnostic Innovations in Glaucoma Study with ≥2 years follow-up and four visits of macular/ONH OCTA imaging were included. Rates of macular wiVD (whole-image vessel density) and ONH wiCD (whole-image capillary density) changes were calculated for each diagnosis group using join mixed-effect modelling. Differences in wiVD/wiCD change rates across diagnoses were examined through pairwise comparison. Relationships of baseline 24-2 visual field (VF) mean deviation (MD) with wiVD/wiCD change rates were evaluated for POAG eyes. There were 36, 57 and 79 eyes (25, 38 and 50 subjects) in healthy, GS and POAG groups, respectively. Rates of wiVD (range:-0.72 to -0.92 %/year) and wiCD (range:-0.28 to -0.66 %/year) loss were different from zero in all groups (p<0.05). The rates of wiCD loss differed across all diagnosis groups (p<0.001), while wiVD change rates did not increase when comparing healthy to GS eyes (p=0.167). Baseline VF MD showed a significant but modest correlation with the rates of both wiVD and wiCD loss (p<0.05), and the correlation with wiCD change rate was slightly stronger (R2=0.27 vs 0.16). In glaucoma, there is earlier microvasculature loss in the ONH than in the macula. Moreover, ONH VD loss shows a slightly stronger association with baseline VF than macular VD. Observing ONH VD loss with OCTA may help to monitor early glaucoma, which should be confirmed by future larger studies.

Public and professional stakeholders' perceptions of alcohol advertising and availability policies: A qualitative study.

Reducing alcohol availability and restricting alcohol advertising are effective ways to reduce harm from alcohol. Implementation of public health policies involves collaboration between different stakeholders, and is influenced by public opinion. This paper explores public and professional stakeholders' perceptions of alcohol advertising and availability policies. It is the first to capture consensus and divergence in narratives of these stakeholders. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from third sector organisations, government, public health and alcohol licensing in Scotland. We conducted 11 online focus groups with 45 participants, living in neighbourhoods in Scotland characterised by varying levels of urbanity, deprivation and retail density change. We gave participants a list of policies and discussed their views on acceptability, feasibility and likely success. Despite general consensus that regulation of alcohol advertising is an important priority, public stakeholders were concerned about the feasibility of advertising interventions and potential unintended consequences. While professional stakeholders were in favour of regulating alcohol availability, public stakeholders had misgivings about feasibility and effectiveness. When prompted to discuss specific interventions, similar views about protecting children and achieving cultural change emerged. This study highlights the importance of policy makers and other stakeholders to consider public stakeholders' opinions on alcohol policy and understanding that their views may be influenced by competing framings of alcohol problems. Attempts to increase support for alcohol control policies need to consider people's concerns about the effectiveness and potential unintended consequences of these policies, and the wider social context of alcohol consumption.

A study on the efficacy and safety of long-term adjusted low-dose gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy for uterine fibroids and adenomyosis.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of long-term adjusted low-dose gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist therapy (GnRH agonist drawback therapy) with nafarelin acetate in patients with uterine fibroids and/or adenomyosis with menstrual symptoms. This single-center, retrospective, observational study initially included 118 patients with uterine fibroids and/or adenomyosis with menstrual symptoms who had received GnRH agonist (nafarelin acetate) drawback therapy for at least 7 months between 2010 and 2020. Blood hemoglobin level, maximum fibroid diameter, area of the corpus uteri, blood estradiol level, daily dosage of nafarelin acetate, and bone density in the lumbar spine and femoral neck were assessed before and after the treatment initiation. The median treatment period was 28 months. Menstruation had ceased in all patients. The median hemoglobin level significantly increased from 8.6 to 13.2 g/dL before treatment and at 12 months after the treatment initiation in patients with fibroids and from 8.8 to 13.3 g/dL in patients with adenomyosis, respectively. Although the treatment did not exert a significant shrinking effect on the fibroids and adenomyosis, an increase in their size was not observed in any patient. The initial dose of nafarelin acetate was 400 μg/day and was lowered to 130 μg/day at 12 months. Only 29 patients (25%) had an estradiol level <30 pg/mL. The average rate of bone density change over 6 months was -1.23% in the lumbar spine and -1.12% in the femoral neck in patients with fibroids and -1.06% in the lumbar spine and -0.14% in the femoral neck in patients with adenomyosis, which were lower than the previously reported rates. GnRH agonist drawback therapy was found to be useful for the long-term conservative treatment of uterine fibroids and adenomyosis. The treatment was safely and inexpensively performed with few adverse events.

Investigating the Skin Health Benefits of Rosa roxburghii, Punica granatum and Rose: A Randomized Single‐Blind Controlled Clinical Trial

ABSTRACTRecent studies underscore the beneficial impacts of oral natural plant extracts on human skin health, though clinical evidence of their efficacy and safety is limited. This study evaluates the skin health effects of a novel oral supplement containing Rosa roxburghii, Punica granatum, and rose extracts (RPR) 0.70 healthy female participants were randomly assigned to either a control group or an RPR group, with the latter ingesting 20 mL of the RPR supplement daily on an empty stomach over 8 weeks. After 8 weeks, the RPR group exhibited significant enhancements (p &lt; 0.001) in skin hydration, glossiness, elasticity, and skin tone, with increases of 69.02%, 30.48%, 25.97%, and 7.52%, respectively. Concurrently, decreases in skin firmness and melanin levels were observed at 21.17% (p = 0.007) and 25.06% (p &lt; 0.001), respectively. Statistical analysis confirmed that these changes were significantly greater than those in the control group. Image analysis indicated no significant changes in mean optical density of hyperpigmented spots within the RPR group (p = 0.367), but a significant reduction in the areas of hyperpigmented spots, under‐eye fine lines, and crow's feet by 41.50%, 37.55%, and 29.36%, respectively (p &lt; 0.001), whereas no significant changes were detected in the control group. Importantly, no adverse effects were observed. These findings suggest that the combined intake of Rosa roxburghii, Punica granatum, and rose extracts can improve skin health, offering a promising natural alternative for dermatological care.