Effects Of Short-term Treatment Research Articles

Short-term exposure to bisphenol A affects water and salt intakes differently in male and ovariectomised female rats

Thirst and sodium appetite are motivational states that lead to the search for and ingestion of water and sodium, thus contributing to maintenance of hydromineral balance. Oestrogens affect fluid intake and sodium preference. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine-disrupting substance with oestrogenic activity. Whether there are sex differences in the ingestive effects of BPA is unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to determine the effect of short-term treatment of low doses of BPA on thirst and sodium appetite in adult male and ovariectomised Wistar rats. Rats were subcutaneously injected with either vehicle or 10, 50, 100, or 500 μg/kg/day BPA for a week. Two-bottle tests (water and 2.7% NaCl solution) were conducted in the animals’ home cages with and without 24 h water deprivation. BPA reduced water and 2.7% NaCl intakes in a sex-dependent-manner. Fluid intakes displayed inverted U-shaped dose–response curves, with different dose dependencies in spontaneously drinker rats than after 24 h water deprivation dehydration. Future studies on the role of BPA in sex-dependent body fluid homeostasis should elucidate the effects of BPA on the neuroendocrine controls of thirst and salt appetite.

Preliminary study of the treatment effect of apatinib mesylate upon malignant ascites and its safety

Background: This paper reports the effect of combining oral apatinib and abdominal cavity perfusion with cis-platinum for malignant ascites and its safety. Methods: Seventeen malignant ascite patients were treated with oral apatinib (500 mg/d) and abdominal cavity perfusion of 60 mg/m2 cis-platinum (apatinib group), and 12 patients were treated with cis-platinum (60 mg/m2) only (control group). Twenty-one days was deemed as a cycle for both groups. Short-term treatment effects, quality of life (QOL), and toxicity were evaluated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in ascites. Results: The response rates in apatinib and control groups were 70.6% and 33.3% (P 0.05). In the control group, no statistical difference was found in any parameter (P>0.05). The most common grade 3 or more severe adverse effects (AEs) in the apatinib group were fatigue and hypertension with 70.6% and 41.2% incidence rates, respectively. In the apatinib group, four patients suffered from intestinal obstruction, with two developing complete intestinal obstruction. However, in the control group, none suffered from intestinal obstruction. Conclusions: A combination of apatinib and cis-platinum can improve short-term response rate of malignant ascites, enhance QOL and control adverse drug effects. VEGF level in the abdominal cavity may be a good predictor of treatment efficacy.

The effect of short-term treatment with lithium carbonate on the outcome of radioiodine therapy in patients with long-lasting Graves' hyperthyroidism.

The outcome of radioiodine therapy (RIT) in Graves' hyperthyroidism (GH) mainly depends on radioiodine (131I) uptake and the effective half-life of 131I in the gland. Studies have shown that lithium carbonate (LiCO3) enhances the 131I half-life and increases the applied thyroid radiation dose without affecting the thyroid 131I uptake. We investigated the effect of short-term treatment with LiCO3 on the outcome of RIT in patients with long-lasting GH, its influence on the thyroid hormones levels 7days after RIT, and possible side effects. Study prospectively included 30 patients treated with LiCO3 and 131I (RI-Li group) and 30 patients only with 131I (RI group). Treatment with LiCO3 (900mg/day) started 1day before RIT and continued 6days after. Anti-thyroid drugs withdrawal was 7days before RIT. Patients were followed up for 12months. We defined a success of RIT as euthyroidism or hypothyroidism, and a failure as persistent hyperthyroidism. In RI-Li group, a serum level of Li was 0.571 ± 0.156mmol/l before RIT. Serum levels of TT4 and FT4 increased while TSH decreased only in RI group 7days after RIT. No toxic effects were noticed during LiCO3 treatment. After 12months, a success of RIT was 73.3% in RI and 90.0% in RI-Li group (P < 0.01). Hypothyroidism was achieved faster in RI-Li (1st month) than in RI group (3rd month). Euthyroidism slowly decreased in RI-Li group, and not all patients became hypothyroid for 12months. In contrast, euthyroidism rapidly declined in RI group, and all cured patients became hypothyroid after 6months. The short-term treatment with LiCO3 as an adjunct to 131I improves efficacy of RIT in patients with long-lasting GH. A success of RIT achieves faster in lithium-treated than in RI group. Treatment with LiCO3 for 7days prevents transient worsening of hyperthyroidism after RIT. Short-term use of LiCO3 shows no toxic side effects.

A 9-Week Jaques-Dalcroze Eurhythmics Intervention Improves Single and Dual-Task Gait Speed in Community-Dwelling Older People.

Falls are a major public health concern among older adults, and most occur while walking, especially under dualtask conditions. Jaques-Dalcroze eurhythmics (JDE) is a music-based movement training program that emphasizes multitask coordinated movement. A previous 6-mo JDE study in older people demonstrated improved gait and balance; however, the effects of short-term JDE interventions on fall risk-related outcomes are largely unknown. We conducted a preliminary investigation on whether a 9-week JDE intervention improved gait and stability in a community-dwelling older cohort, hypothesizing that improvements would occur in all outcome measures. Nine participants (78.9 ± 12.3 y) completed the supervised JDE intervention (once/week for 60 min). Gait speed was determined by the 6-m timed walk test (6MTW); dual-task gait speed was determined by another 6MTW while counting backward from 50 aloud; and coordinated stability was assessed using a Swaymeter-like device. Gait speed (0.92 ± 0.11 vs 1.04 ± 0.12 m/sec, P = .04) and dual-task gait speed (0.77 ± 0.09 vs 0.92 ± 0.11 m/sec, P = .0005) significantly improved. This novel intervention is an effective short-term physical activity option for those that plan physical activity or fall-risk reduction programs for the older people.

Short-term effectiveness of a community health worker intervention for HIV-infected pregnant women in Tanzania to improve treatment adherence and retention in care: A cluster-randomized trial.

IntroductionCommunity health workers (CHWs) are lay workers who have the potential to enhance services to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) and improve the health of women living with HIV infection. We conducted a cluster-randomized trial of an intervention to integrate CHWs with ‘Option B+’ PMTCT services in Shinyanga Region, Tanzania.MethodsThe intervention was implemented for 11 months and included four integrated components: 1) formal linkage of CHWs to health facilities; 2) CHW-led antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence counseling; 3) loss to follow-up tracing by CHWs; and 4) distribution of Action Birth Cards (ABCs), a birth planning tool. We cluster-randomized 32 facilities offering PMTCT services, within strata of size, to the intervention (n = 15) or comparison (standard of care, n = 17) groups. Intervention effectiveness was determined with a difference-in-differences strategy based on clinical and pharmacy data from HIV-infected postpartum women at baseline (births in 2014) and endline (births April-Oct 2015). The primary outcome was retention in care between 60 and 120 days postpartum. Secondary outcomes included ART initiation, timing of ART initiation (as measured by week of gestation), and ART adherence 90 days postpartum, measured using the medication possession ratio (MPR≥95%).ResultsIntervention and comparison facilities were similar at baseline. Data were collected from 1,152 and 678 mother-infant pairs at baseline and endline, respectively. There were no significant differences in retention in care, ART initiation, or timing of ART initiation between the intervention and control groups. Adherence (MPR≥95%) at 90 days postpartum was 11.3 percentage points higher in the intervention group in ITT analyses (95% CI: -0.7, 23.3, p = 0.06), though this effect was attenuated after adjusting for baseline imbalance (9.5 percentage points, 95% CI: -2.9, 22.0, p = 0.13). Among only sites that had the greatest fidelity to the intervention, however, we found a stronger effect on adherence (13.6 percentage points, 95% CI: 2.5, 24.6).ConclusionsDespite being feasible and acceptable, the CHW-based intervention did not have strong effects on most PMTCT indicators. CHW involvement in PMTCT programs may improve ART adherence among HIV-infected postpartum women, however, and success appears heavily dependent on program implementation.Trial registrationRegistry for International Development Impact Evaluations (RIDIE, ID 552553838b402) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03058484)

The SGLT2 Inhibitor Luseogliflozin Rapidly Normalizes Aortic mRNA Levels of Inflammation-Related but Not Lipid-Metabolism-Related Genes and Suppresses Atherosclerosis in Diabetic ApoE KO Mice.

Recent clinical studies have revealed the treatment of diabetic patients with sodium glucose co-transporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitors to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events. Using nicotinamide and streptozotocin (NA/STZ) -treated ApoE KO mice, we investigated the effects of short-term (seven days) treatment with the SGLT2 inhibitor luseogliflozin on mRNA levels related to atherosclerosis in the aorta, as well as examining the long-term (six months) effects on atherosclerosis development. Eight-week-old ApoE KO mice were treated with NA/STZ to induce diabetes mellitus, and then divided into two groups, either untreated, or treated with luseogliflozin. Seven days after the initiation of luseogliflozin administration, atherosclerosis-related mRNA levels in the aorta were compared among four groups; i.e., wild type C57/BL6J, native ApoE KO, and NA/STZ-treated ApoE KO mice, with or without luseogliflozin. Short-term luseogliflozin treatment normalized the expression of inflammation-related genes such as F4/80, TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, ICAM-1, PECAM-1, MMP2 and MMP9 in the NA/STZ-treated ApoE KO mice, which showed marked elevations as compared with untreated ApoE KO mice. In contrast, lipid metabolism-related genes were generally unaffected by luseogliflozin treatment. Furthermore, after six-month treatment with luseogliflozin, in contrast to the severe and widely distributed atherosclerotic changes in the aortas of NA/STZ-treated ApoE KO mice, luseogliflozin treatment markedly attenuated the progression of atherosclerosis, without affecting serum lipid parameters such as high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels. Given that luseogliflozin normalized the aortic mRNA levels of inflammation-related, but not lipid-related, genes soon after the initiation of treatment, it is not unreasonable to speculate that the anti-atherosclerotic effect of this SGLT2 inhibitor emerges rapidly, possibly via the prevention of inflammation rather than of hyperlipidemia.

Wound natural healing in treatment of tumor-like hypertrophic scar.

BackgroundSurgical sutures, wound tension, additional skin incisions and other factors may result in recurrence of tumor-like scar.ObjectiveTo investigate the role of wound natural healing therapy in tumor-like hypertrophic scar.MethodsIn this study, tumor-like hypertrophic scars of 47 cases were excised completely and the residual wounds were treated with natural healing. The short-term and long-term effects of treatment were evaluated.ResultsAll cases were successfully cured by natural healing therapy. The healing time of the maximum wound (80mm × 20mm) and the minimal wound (5mm× 5mm) was 25 days and 7 days respectively. The size of new skin scars ranged from 3mm to 11 mm. Clinical followed-up was performed in 34 cases for 36 months. Among them, no recurrence happened in 31 cases and new scar size ranged from 2mm to 8mm, while local recurrence happened in 3 cases whose scar size were less than 5 mm.Study LimitationsThe cure rate of the therapy was 91.2%.ConclusionThe wound natural healing therapy is effective in treating tumor-like hypertrophic scar, which can prevent recurrence and has good cosmetic results.

The Effects of Short-Term Vibroacoustic Treatment on Spasticity and Perceived Health Conditions of Patients with Spinal Cord and Brain Injuries

Vibroacoustic (VA) treatment was applied to patients with chronic spinal cord and brain injuries during rehabilitation. The study aimed to ascertain the suitability of short-term VA treatment for supporting a decrease in spasticity and pain and an improvement in health condition in the rehabilitation programme for patients with spinal cord and brain injuries. Hypotheses: 1) indicators of self-perceived spasticity and pain measured after VA treatment are lower than measurement results before treatment; 2) VA treatment can be used in rehabilitation programmes to support the improvement of self-perceived health condition. 53 patients aged 20-72 participated in the study. VA treatment of 40 Hz was conducted once a day for 23 minutes over four or five days. Self-report numerical rating scales were used to measure patients’ condition before and after VA treatment sessions. Research findings revealed significant change in the levels of spasticity, pain, physical discomfort, general health condition, fatigue and anxiety after VA treatment sessions compared to the measurements before the sessions. Reduction in spasticity and physical discomfort was not statistically significantly different after four- or five-day treatment, a decrease in pain and an improvement in perceived health condition were significantly higher after five days than after four days treatment.

Untargeted DNA-Demethylation Therapy Neither Prevents Nor Attenuates Ischemia-Reperfusion-Induced Renal Fibrosis

Background: Current treatment options for chronic kidney disease (CKD) are limited and their focus is on slowing its progression by addressing comorbidities. Fibrosis, the common histopathological process in CKD, is a major therapeutic research target. In CKD, fibroblasts are terminally activated due to alterations in their DNA-methylation pattern, particularly hypermethylation. Preventing the copying of pathological DNA-methylation patterns in proliferating fibroblasts could be a new effective therapeutic strategy for treating CKD. Methods: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of short-term treatment with the DNA-methyltransferase (DNMT)-inhibitor decitabine on fibrosis (either developing or already established), male C57Bl/6 mice underwent warm unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Respectively 3 days, 3 and 6 weeks after surgery, decitabine treatment (0.25 mg/kg) was initiated for 10 days after which animals were followed up to 12 weeks after ischemia. The efficacy of therapy on fibrosis was evaluated by collagen I and tgfβ gene expression and histological quantification of collagen I staining. In addition, the effect of decitabine treatment on tubular injury (Kim-1, Ngal), inflammation (TNFa, IL6), DNA-methyltransferases (Dnmt1, 3a, and 3b), and global methylation status was determined. Results: Following ischemia there was a significant increase in fibrotic, injury, and inflammatory markers as well as an increase of the various dnmts. Although decitabine treatment transiently increased renal injury and had a moderately decreasing effect on dnmt expression and on global DNA-methylation upon immediate treatment, none of the treatment regimens succeeded in preventing, attenuating, or diminishing fibrosis in the long run. Conclusion: Administration of untargeted nucleoside analogues seems unsuitable as a first-line treatment option in developing or established CKD.

Does prolonged grief treatment foster posttraumatic growth? Secondary results from a treatment study with long-term follow-up and mediation analysis.

Prolonged grief disorder (PGD) is a persistent and disabling kind of grief reaction that can be treated effectively with psychotherapeutic interventions. There has been limited investigation of whether these interventions can also enhance positive outcomes of bereavement, such as posttraumatic growth or benefit finding. As part of secondary analyses in a randomized controlled trial evaluating integrative cognitive-behavioural therapy for PGD (PG-CBT), the posttraumatic growth trajectories in 51 outpatients with clinically relevant prolonged grief symptoms were followed up from baseline up to 1.5years. Immediate treatment effects on posttraumatic growth in comparison with a waiting list control group were evaluated with univariate ANCOVA. Using mediation analysis, we examined the relation between symptom reduction and the short-term treatment effect on posttraumatic growth. For evaluating long-term outcome stability, the immediately treated group and the delayed treatment group were pooled. PG-CBT significantly fostered growth in patients suffering from PGD, with a controlled medium effect size of Cohen's d=0.60 (completer analysis). This effect remained stable up to the 1.5-year follow-up. Grief symptom reduction mediated short-term treatment effects on posttraumatic growth. However, growth also partially mediated treatment effects on prolonged grief symptoms. Taken together, PG-CBT was effective in enhancing the participants' perception of posttraumatic growth, but the definite interaction between symptom reduction and posttraumatic growth remains unclear, as both seemed to influence each other's trajectory in the course of treatment. Integrative CBT for prolonged grief disorder also fostered posttraumatic growth. Post-treatment and 1.5-year follow-up effect sizes for posttraumatic growth were moderate. Whether growth-enhancing techniques are useful in grief treatment needs further research.

Short-term effect of oral amoxicillin treatment on the gut microbial community composition in farm mink (Neovison vison).

It is well documented that antibiotics have pronounced modulatory effects on the intestinal bacterial community of both humans and animals, with potential health consequences. The gut microbiota of mink has however attracted little attention due to low bacterial load and fast gastrointestinal transit time, questioning its relevance. In this study, we hypothesise that oral amoxicillin treatment affects the gut microbiota in mink. This was investigated in a controlled trial including 24 animals of which 12 were treated with amoxicillin for 7 days. By applying 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we found that the faecal microbiota was markedly altered already after 2 days of treatment, with a surprising increase in diversity to resemble the feed. The diversity within the mucosa at termination was however reduced, which indicates this compartment as an important colonisation site in mink. No impact on blood biochemistry, lipid metabolism, serum amyloid A, vitamins A and E and histomorphology of the gut and liver was found; however, a slight decrease in fat digestibility was observed. We suggest that early-life use of amoxicillin in mink production may be counteractive as dysbiosis of the microbiota during infancy is increasingly being recognised as a risk factor for future health.

Short-term Intervention Effects of Dual-task Training on Injury and Disability Rates in Young Soccer Players

Background: In soccer performance, coordination training is important and there is a high chance of injury due to improper concentration during a performance, but there is little research on the relationship with injury. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of dual-task training on young soccer players' attention distribution ability, physical function and performance, and occurrence of injury. Methods: The subjects were 70 soccer players as intervention group and 52 players were as control group (age of all subjects was 15.9 ± 0.8 years, the height was 168.8 ± 5.3 cm, and the body weight was 59.5 ± 6.2 kg). Agility t-test and an original dual-task agility t-test were measured as indicator of attention distribution ability. The history of subjects’ injuries was interviewed, and a single-leg triple hop for the distance test and a single-leg standing test with closed eyes were measured as physical function. The dual-task training concluded 5 items and the intervention was performed in approximately 20 minutes one time and six times over 3 weeks at a frequency of twice weekly. The number of people with injuries in each group and each measurement value was compared in each group. Results: The control group comprised 10 subjects with injuries before intervention and 7 after intervention, whereas the intervention group comprised 12 subjects with injuries before intervention and 3 after intervention. No significant differences were observed in any of the parameters after the intervention in either of the two groups. Conclusion: Whether this difference was caused by the intervention remains unclear; however, it is possible that the training program in this study was effective for short-term injury prevention. The contents of evaluation and training menu should be reexamined in the future.

Guanfacine Attenuates Adverse Effects of Dronabinol (THC) on Working Memory in Adolescent-Onset Heavy Cannabis Users: A Pilot Study.

The cannabinoid-1 receptor (CB1R) agonist Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive constituent of cannabis, adversely effects working memory performance in humans. The α2A-adrenoceptor (AR) agonist guanfacine improves working memory performance in humans. The authors aimed to determine the effects of short-term (6 days) treatment with guanfacine on adverse cognitive effects produced by THC. Employing a double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, the cognitive, subjective, and cardiovascular effects produced by oral THC (20 mg) administration were determined twice in the same cannabis users: once after treatment with placebo and once after treatment with guanfacine (3 mg/day). Compared with performance at baseline, THC negatively affected accuracy on spatial working memory trials while participants were maintained on placebo (p=0.012) but not guanfacine (p=0.497); compared with placebo, accuracy was significantly (p=0.003, Cohen's d=-0.640) improved while individuals were treated with guanfacine. Similarly, compared with baseline, THC increased omission errors on an attentional task while participants were maintained on placebo (p=0.017) but not on guanfacine (p=0.709); compared with placebo, there were significantly (p=0.034, Cohen's d=0.838) fewer omissions while individuals were maintained on guanfacine. Although THC increased visual analog scores of subjective effects and heart rate, these increases were similar during treatment with placebo and guanfacine. THC did not significantly affect performance of a recognition memory task or blood pressure while individuals were maintained on either treatment. Although preliminary, these results suggest that guanfacine warrants further testing as a potential treatment for cannabis-induced cognitive deficits.

Acupuncture-Related Techniques for Psoriasis: A Systematic Review with Pairwise and Network Meta-Analyses of Randomized Controlled Trials.

There has be a large body of evidence on the pharmacological treatments for psoriasis, but whether nonpharmacological interventions are effective in managing psoriasis remains largely unclear. This systematic review conducted pairwise and network meta-analyses to determine the effects of acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint stimulation for the treatment of psoriasis and to determine the order of effectiveness of these remedies. This study searched the following databases from inception to March 15, 2016: Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, EBSCO (including Academic Search Premier, American Doctoral Dissertations, and CINAHL), Airiti Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effects of acupuncture-related techniques on acupoint stimulation as intervention for psoriasis were independently reviewed by two researchers. A total of 13 RCTs with 1,060 participants were included. The methodological quality of included studies was not rigorous. Acupoint stimulation, compared with nonacupoint stimulation, had a significant treatment for psoriasis. However, the most common adverse events were thirst and dry mouth. Subgroup analysis was further done to confirm that the short-term treatment effect was superior to that of the long-term effect in treating psoriasis. Network meta-analysis identified acupressure or acupoint catgut embedding, compared with medication, and had a significant effect for improving psoriasis. It was noted that acupressure was the most effective treatment. Acupuncture-related techniques could be considered as an alternative or adjuvant therapy for psoriasis in short term, especially of acupressure and acupoint catgut embedding. This study recommends further well-designed, methodologically rigorous, and more head-to-head randomized trials to explore the effects of acupuncture-related techniques for treating psoriasis.

Short-term caloric restriction exerts neuroprotective effects following mild traumatic brain injury by promoting autophagy and inhibiting astrocyte activation

Cognitive deficits may occur after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), but effective treatment modalities are presently unavailable. Caloric restriction (CR) has beneficial effects on neurodegenerative diseases and brain injury. However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been clearly defined. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the short-term effects of CR treatment on cognitive function in mice after mTBI. Forty-five 12-week-old C57/BL6 mice were subjected to closed-head mTBI using a weight drop device. The mice were then randomly divided into three groups according to their diet for 30 days: the normal calorie group (mTBI+NC group, n=15), the caloric restriction group (mTBI+CR group, n=15), and the high energy group (mTBI+HE group, n=15). After 30 days, the Morris water maze test was performed to evaluate learning abilities. Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blotting were used to monitor pathological changes and changes in autophagy-associated proteins in the hippocampus. The average escape latency was significantly shorter in the mTBI+CR group than in the mTBI+NC and mTBI+HE groups, and the number of target platform crossings in the mTBI+CR group was significantly higher than in the other two groups. In the hippocampus, the expression of GFAP and mTOR was increased in the mTBI+HE group and decreased in the mTBI+CR group. Conversely, the expression of LC3B was decreased in the mTBI+HE group and increased in the mTBI+CR group. Our findings suggest that short-term CR after mTBI may ameliorate cognitive dysfunction induced by mTBI by increasing the level of autophagy and suppressing astrocyte activation.

Effects of short-term dexamethasone treatment on glucose and insulin dynamics and insulin signaling in horses

Effects of short-term dexamethasone treatment on glucose and insulin dynamics and insulin signaling in horses

Differential roles for Akt and mTORC1 in the hypertrophy of Pten mutant neurons, a cellular model of brain overgrowth disorders

Mutations in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway or in the upstream negative regulator Pten cause human brain overgrowth disorders, such as focal cortical dysplasia and megalencephaly, and are characterized by the presence of hypertrophic neurons. These disorders often have a pediatric onset and a high comorbidity with drug-resistant epilepsy; however, effective pharmacological treatments are lacking. We established forebrain excitatory neuron-specific Pten-deficient cultures as an in vitro model of brain overgrowth disorders, and investigated the effects of this Pten mutation on PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and neuronal growth. Mutant neurons exhibit excessive PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling activity, enlarged somas and increased dendritic arborization. To understand the contributions of Akt and mTORC1 kinases to the hypertrophy phenotype, we evaluated the effects of short-term treatment with the Akt inhibitor MK-2206, and the mTORC1 inhibitor RAD001, which have shown safety and efficacy in human cancer clinical trials. We found that RAD001 treatment only partially reversed the morphological abnormalities of Pten mutant neurons, whereas MK-2206 treatment completely rescued the phenotype. Interestingly, neither treatment altered the size or morphology of normal neurons. Our results suggest that Akt is a major determinant of neuronal growth, and that Akt inhibition may be an effective strategy for pharmacological intervention in brain overgrowth disorders.

Associations of treatment effects between follow-up times and between outcome domains in interventions for somatoform disorders: Review of three Cochrane reviews

BackgroundInterventions for somatoform disorders typically address a range of outcomes. We aimed to examine treatment effects across outcome domains and specifically assess the association, at study level, between short and long term treatment effects and between treatment effects in different outcome domains. MethodsWe used data from recent systematic reviews of interventions for somatoform disorders to address three questions: We described outcome domains and measures by compiling forest plots of standardised mean difference. We examined the association of changes in outcome between short and long-term and between different outcome domains by non-parametric correlation. ResultsWe analysed data from 47 studies across four outcome domains: physical symptoms, health-related quality of life, depression and anxiety. Short-term and long-term treatment effects within each outcome domain were broadly similar and were correlated Reported reduction in physical symptoms was correlated with reductions in depression (rho=0.73, p=0.002) and anxiety (0.70, p<0.001) and increase in quality of life (0.54, p=0.03). ConclusionShort term changes in outcome measures are correlated with longer term changes; outcome changes are correlated across domains independently of the type of treatment.

Effect of short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention on plasma glucose levels in individuals with diabetes and pre-diabetes in the community

AimTo study the effect of short term Yoga-based lifestyle intervention in the management of diabetes and pre-diabetes, through a ‘pilot’ community-based study. MethodsA total of 1292 subjects with diagnosed type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes were recruited from different States of India viz., Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Tamilnadu participated in the study. Yoga-based lifestyle intervention was introduced through 10-day non-residential camps. Baseline and post intervention assessments of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured on the first day and tenth day respectively. Of 1292 subjects, 896 both pre- and post- FPG readings were available. Data analysis was done using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS), version 16. ResultsMean baseline FPG level was 133.1 (±47.98) and the mean post intervention FPG reduced to 121.19 (±40.56). There was a statistically significant decrease in FPG, p value (<0.0001). ConclusionThe result suggests that a short-term Yoga-based lifestyle intervention effectively reduces FPG levels in type 2 diabetes patients and pre-diabetes.

The effect of L-PRF membranes on bone healing in rabbit tibiae bone defects: micro-CT and biomarker results

More insight into the biological fundamentals of leukocyte platelet-rich fibrin (L-PRF) guided healing is necessary to recommend its application, in particular in deficient bone sites that need to support implants. This study investigated the short-term bone healing effect of L-PRF treatment in cylindrical non-critical sized bone defects with 3 mm diameter and 6 mm depth in tibiae of 18 adult male New Zealand White rabbits. After a randomization process, 96 bone defects were prepared and half of them were filled with a L-PRF membrane, while untreated defects in the opposite tibia served as control group. The rabbits were euthanized after 7, 14 or 28 days of healing. The bone healing of the cortical and medullary areas was investigated by micro-CT, while the expression of molecular markers (RUNX2, VEGFA, COL1A2 and BMP2) was assessed by qRT-PCR. Treatment with L-PRF did not affect the micro-structural bone characteristics of the repaired bone tissue, except for a decrease in the trabecular connectivity at the cortical level after 14 days of healing. At this time, RUNX2 and VEGFA mRNA levels were significantly lower in the treated defects. L-PRF membranes thus had a temporary negative influence on the bone microarchitecture (Tb.Pf) and on the RUNX2 and VEGFA expression during early bone healing. Overall, L-PRF treatment did not enhance bone regeneration in these non-critical size defects after 28 days.