Group Of Comparison Research Articles

Post-ERCP clearance of bile duct stones: should the gallbladder be left in-situ?

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) has become the gold standard management for patients who present with common bile duct stone (CBDS). Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is generally recommended for patients who have CBDS clearance, there is still a significant proportion of patients who are managed expectantly. Our study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of expectant management (EM) versus prophylactic cholecystectomy after initial endoscopic removal of CBDS. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent ERCP for choledocholithiasis from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2019. Patients were further classified into young or elderly group using age 60years as the cut-off. Primary outcomes measured biliary-related complications in each interventional group whereas secondary outcomes measured all-cause mortality. 136 patients (51.3%) had EM whereas 129 patients (48.7%) were initially planned for LC. There was 20.6% of recurrence of biliary events in EM group as compared to 3.9% in LC group. The median time from first ERCP to recurrence of biliary events in the EM group was 14months. Overall complications of LC group was low (5.4%) with nil operative-related mortality. However, there was a significant higher proportion of elderly patients in EM group in comparison to LC group (88.2% vs 31%) and 51.4% of EM group died during follow-up period with only one biliary-related death. Prophylactic cholecystectomy should be recommended for patients who have undergone ERCP clearance of CBDS. A watch-and-wait approach may be justified for elderly populations who are not ideal surgical candidates and a follow-up duration of up to 2years is recommended.

Risk factors for loneliness among older informal caregivers in regions of Finland and Sweden: a longitudinal study.

This longitudinal study investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for loneliness among older new informal caregivers, long-term informal caregivers, former informal caregivers and non-caregivers in selected regions of Finland and Sweden over 5 years. A longitudinal sample of 5083 respondents from the Gerontological Regional Database (GERDA) survey data in 2016 and 2021 was used. Bivariate correlation tests and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Loneliness prevalence rates varied between 6% and 8% in 2016 and increased in all groups, although not significantly among new informal caregivers. In 2021, the prevalence of loneliness varied between 8% and 14%. Among the baseline variables, reporting loneliness, single/unmarried/bereaved civil status, infrequent contact with friends and neighbours, poor self-rated health, depressive symptoms, living in Finland and financial strain increased the likelihood of reporting loneliness in 2021. Among the change variables, being a long-term caregiver, a negative change in civil status, a reduced number of confidants, a negative change in self-rated health and depressive symptoms increased the likelihood of reporting loneliness. Loneliness increased among all four groups of comparison. Being a long-term caregiver was a significant risk factor for reporting loneliness over time (odds ratio 2.00, 95% confidence interval 1.20-3.35), when controlling for several other social and health-related variables. To develop effective support, future research could address risk factors for loneliness among distinct groups of informal caregivers based on whether the care recipients have neurological or functional health limitations and examine the availability of support measures.

Effects of Prostaglandin Analogue on the Central Retinal Thickness in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Purpose: To determine the central macular thickness in patients with type 2 Diabetes using Latanoprost eye drops and to compare with type 2 diabetic patients using Timolol eye drops. Study Design: Quasi experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Al-Noaman Teaching Hospital from February 2023 to April 2023. Methods: One hundred diabetic patients were divided into two equal groups (Timolol group and Latanoprost group). Visual acuity was tested using Snellen chart, IOP was measured with Goldmann Applanation Tonometer, central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement was done to correct IOP for CCT. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to measure central retinal thickness (CRT). Results: The mean age of Timolol group was 57.91±1.6 years, which was very close to the mean age of Latanoprost group (57.57±1.63 years). There were 30 females and 20 males in each group. HbA1Cwas 8.99±0.47% in Timolol and 6.28±0.08% in Latanoprost group (p <0.001). The IOP showed statistically lower levels in Timolol group in comparison to Latanoprost group, 28.81±0.93 mmHg in comparison to 29.56±1.04 mmHg, respectively. In Timolol group, visual acuity significantly improved, the IOP was reduced, and the CRT was significantly lowered. However, in Latanoprost group, the pre and post treatment values showed that only the IOP significantly improved. Visual acuity and CRT were statistically and clinically the same. Conclusion: Latanoprost may increase the central retinal thickness in diabetic patients without diabetic macular edema, however the rationale for stopping the medication in low-risk patients is still lacking.

Automatic calculation method for stenosis ratio based on dialysis access ultrasound image segmentation.

Dialysis Access (DA) stenosis impacts hemodialysis efficiency and patient health, necessitating exams for early lesion detection. Ultrasound is widely used due to its non-invasive, cost-effective nature. Assessing all patients in large hemodialysis facilities strains resources and relies on operator expertise. Furthermore, it heavily relies on the experience and expertise of the operator. Therefore, it is essential to explore methods for the automatic analysis of DA ultrasound images to accurately calculate the stenosis ratios, thereby enhancing both diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficiency. This study is aimed at employing image segmentation networks to conduct precise segmentation of the ultrasound images of DA lumens and automatically classify the types of stenosis. The segmentation outcomes are processed by means of morphological processing techniques for the automatic calculation of the DA stenosis ratio, thus enhancing the daily diagnostic efficiency of physicians and providing a substantial quantitative foundation for clinicaldecision-making. Firstly, our study introduces a deep neural network-based approach for vascular lumen segmentation and classification, termed Vessel Lumen Segmentation and Classification-Net (VLSC-Net), aimed at the precise segmentation of the DA lumen in ultrasound images. We conducted comparative analyses of our network against U-Net, TransUNet, MultiResUnet, and ResUNet using metrics such as mean Intersection over Union (mIoU), Dice score, Accuracy, Hausdorff Distance (HD), and Average Symmetric Surface Distance (ASSD). A five-fold cross-validation was performed on a dataset comprising 1710 images for both comparison experiments and ablation studies; specifically, the training set included 1368 images while the test set contained 342 images. The significance of observed differences was assessed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. To prevent the increase in the chance of making a Type I error (false positive) that occurs when many simultaneous tests are being conducted, we used the Bonferroni correction to address the problem of multiple comparisons. Since we did four groups of comparisons, the significance level ( ) is adjusted by dividing it by 4. Secondly, we utilized morphological processing alongside feature extraction techniques to accurately delineate the edges of the lumen. This facilitated precise measurements of critical stenosis segment parameters. Finally, we automatically calculated the Long-axis Diameter Stenosis Ratio (LDSR) and Short-axis Area Stenosis Ratio (SASR) utilizing methods from the European Carotid Surgery Trial based on parameters derived from thesecalculations. VLSC-Net demonstrated superior performance compared with traditional segmentation methods, effectively handling image artifacts while maintaining a compact structure. The mIoU, Dice score, Accuracy, HD, and ASSD were 0.9563, 0.9777, 0.9976, 4.542, and 0.460, respectively, and showed significant differences from the results of U-Net (p 0.0125). An evaluation involving 1710 images from 62 patients indicated that our method delivers high-precision and reliable stenosis ratio and classification outcomes within an average processing time of 164ms. Furthermore, the average errors for LDSR and SASR were found to be 1.4% and 7.8%, respectively. Our approach greatly enhances diagnostic efficiency for medical personnel, offering reliable and objective evidence for clinical assessment and decision-making in DA stenosis treatment, thereby reducing the risk of complications associated with DAstenosis.

Prospective comparison of two different surgical technique in the treatment of deep osteochondral lesions of the talus: mosaicplasty versus all-arthroscopic technique with scaffold and autograft bone taken from the tibial plafond.

There are various surgical techniques applied for the treatment of osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT). The mosaicplasty technique is one of the most commonly used methods for deep lesions. The all-arthroscopic technique with scaffold and autograft bone taken from the tibial plafond is a novel method as an alternative to the mosaicplasty. This study aims to compare the clinical and radiological results of these two different surgical techniques in the treatment of deep OLT. From September 2019 to July 2021, 30 patients with deep osteochondral lesions of the talus were randomly divided into two groups for either mosaicplasty or the all-arthroscopic technique, and they were evaluated prospectively. American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were evaluated within and between groups preoperatively and postoperatively. Radiological assessments were performed at 6th and 12th month postoperatively according to the magnetic resonance observation of cartilage repair tissue (MOCART) scale. Mosaicplasty was applied to 15 patients, and all-arthroscopic technique was applied to 15 patients. 14 of the patients were female and 16 were male; the mean age was 38.1. Within-group evaluations revealed significant improvements in AOFAS and VAS scores at postoperative 6th and 12th months (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the treatment groups in comparison of clinical scores at any time period. There was no significant difference between the two methods according to the total MOCART scores (p > 0.05). However, the all-arthroscopic technique was more successful in terms of "border integration" and "repair tissue structure" (p < 0.05). Age, body mass index (BMI) and lesion surface area were not correlated with clinical scores. In terms of clinical and radiological scores, similar results were obtained in the treatment groups. Both surgical techniques were found to be effective in the treatment of deep OLT.

Evaluating prefrontal changes in depression using functional near-infrared spectroscopy utilizing Stroop test: A comparison with healthy controls.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is being increasingly utilized to visualize the brain areas involved in cognitive activity to understand the human brain better. Its portability and easy setup give it an advantage over other functional brain imaging tools. The current study utilizes fNIRS while performing a Stroop test, which is commonly used to assess the impairment of information selection in depression. To compare cortical activation during the Stroop test in depressed individuals to healthy controls. This cross-sectional study compared oxyhemoglobin (OxyHb) concentration changes in 39 individuals with depression to 40 healthy individuals. The Stroop test was construed in an event-related design with an intertrial interval of 2 seconds with jitter. A continuous wave fNIRS system was used for recording the cortical activity at 17 locations. Analysis of fNIRS data was done using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for estimating general linear model (GLM) coefficients. Further analysis of the mean change of OxyHb concentrations during the 2 seconds after the presentation of congruent and incongruent stimuli was done between the groups using Mann-Whitney U test corrected for multiple comparisons with Bonferroni correction. While the number of errors and correct responses were similar between the groups, the reaction time for correct responses was more in the depression group in comparison to healthy individuals (t = -2.39, P = 0.01). For both healthy and depressive individuals in incongruent versus congruent task contrast, deactivation was seen in the region between the left middle frontal sulcus and frontopolar area of the brain (t = 0.41 and t = 0.21, respectively, P < 0.05). The depressed group had a higher mean change in OxyHb concentration following incongruent stimuli in comparison to the HCs (mean rank: HC = 32.63, depression = 47.56). Our findings indicate that individuals with depression exhibited prolonged reaction times and distinct activation patterns of the frontal cortex compared to healthy individuals. The observed pattern of brain activation for congruent and incongruent tasks among both healthy and depressed individuals aligns with the findings of the prior studies, emphasizing the utility of fNIRS as a valuable instrument for assessing brain activity.

Disparate trajectories of cognitive aging among American Indian and Alaskan Native people with and without HIV.

This study describes trajectories of cognitive aging among American Indian/Alaskan Native (AI/AN) adults with and without HIV and the role of immunosenescence longitudinally. We characterized trajectories of cognitive aging in a sample of 333 AI/AN and 309 non-Hispanic White (NHW) adults who were followed longitudinally for up to 20 years by the HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program (HNRP) across six U.S. research sites. We used growth curve modeling with autoregressive Lag-1 structures and heterogeneous residual variances to assess the role of ethnoracial identity and HIV grouping upon decline in trajectories of cognitive aging. HIV- AI/AN adults demonstrated earlier and steeper decline in normative trajectories of cognitive aging on tasks of processing speed, timed tasks of attention/working memory, executive function, and psychomotor speed in comparison to HIV- NHW adults. Accentuated trajectories of cognitive aging were evident in both HIV+ and HIV+ immunosuppressed groups in comparison to HIV- peers and were primarily driven by the role of immunosenescence. AI/AN disparities in trajectories of cognitive aging are evident and are likely explained by the interplay of biopsychosociocultural factors, including immunosenescence. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

RankCompV3: a differential expression analysis algorithm based on relative expression orderings and applications in single-cell RNA transcriptomics

BackgroundEffective identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) has been challenging for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) profiles. Many existing algorithms have high false positive rates (FPRs) and often fail to identify weak biological signals.ResultsWe present a novel method for identifying DEGs in scRNA-seq data called RankCompV3. It is based on the comparison of relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs which are determined by comparing the expression levels of a pair of genes in a set of single-cell profiles. The numbers of genes with consistently higher or lower expression levels than the gene of interest are counted in two groups in comparison, respectively, and the result is tabulated in a 3 × 3 contingency table which is tested by McCullagh’s method to determine if the gene is dysregulated. In both simulated and real scRNA-seq data, RankCompV3 tightly controlled the FPR and demonstrated high accuracy, outperforming 11 other common single-cell DEG detection algorithms. Analysis with either regular single-cell or synthetic pseudo-bulk profiles produced highly concordant DEGs with the ground-truth. In addition, RankCompV3 demonstrates higher sensitivity to weak biological signals than other methods. The algorithm was implemented using Julia and can be called in R. The source code is available at https://github.com/pathint/RankCompV3.jl.ConclusionsThe REOs-based algorithm is a valuable tool for analyzing single-cell RNA profiles and identifying DEGs with high accuracy and sensitivity.

β-resorcylic acid released by Limosilactobacillus reuteri protects against cisplatin-induced ovarian toxicity and infertility

Chemotherapy-induced premature ovarian insufficiency (CIPOI) triggers gonadotoxicity in women undergoing cancer treatment, leading to loss of ovarian reserves and subfertility, with no effective therapies available. In our study, fecal microbiota transplantation in a cisplatin-induced POI mouse model reveals that a dysbiotic gut microbiome negatively impacts ovarian health in CIPOI. Multi-omics analyses show a significant decrease in Limosilactobacillus reuteri and its catabolite, β-resorcylic acid , in the CIPOI group in comparison to healthy controls. Supplementation with L.reuteri or β-RA mitigates cisplatin-induced hormonal disruptions, morphological damages, and reductions in follicular reserve. Most importantly, β-RA pre-treatment effectively preserves oocyte function, embryonic development, and fetus health, thereby protecting against chemotherapy-induced subfertility. Our results provide evidence that β-RA suppresses the nuclear accumulation of sex-determining region Y-box 7, which in turn reduces Bcl-2-associated X activation and inhibits granulosa cell apoptosis. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting the gut-ovary axis for fertility preservation in CIPOI.

The association between primary ovarian insufficiency and increased multimorbidity in a large prospective cohort (Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging)

ObjectiveTo describe the prevalence of multimorbidity among individuals with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) and early menopause, in comparison to average age of menopause. DesignProspective cohort SubjectsThis prospective cohort encompassed female postmenopausal individuals from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA). The CLSA collected cross-sectional data from 50,000 community-dwelling Canadians aged 45 to 85 between 2010 and 2015. ExposureThe primary exposure was primary ovarian insufficiency (defined by onset of menopause younger than 40 years). Comparators included average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years), early menopause (40-45 years), late onset menopause (56-65 years), and those who underwent a hysterectomy. Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was multimorbidity, which was defined as two or more chronic conditions. The secondary outcome was severe multimorbidity (defined as three or more chronic conditions) as well as frequencies of specific chronic conditions among a comprehensive list of 15 individual conditions. We assessed the association between multimorbidity and age at menopause using logistic regression and odds ratios, with confidence intervals set at 95%. Odds ratios were adjusted for known predictors of multimorbidity, including age, menopause hormone therapy (MHT), education, ethnicity, self-reported loneliness, living alone, BMI, smoking habits, nutritional risk, social participation, and physical activity. ResultsA total of 12,339 postmenopausal participants were included, of which 374 (3.0%) experienced POI and 1396 (11.3%) experienced early menopause. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 64.8% and 51.1% among those with POI and early menopause respectively. In contrast, only 43.9% of individuals with average age of menopause (age 46 to 55 years) had multimorbidity. The OR for multimorbidity in the POI population was 2.5 (95% CI 2.0-3.1) in comparison to those who underwent the average age of menopause. This relationship was maintained after adjustment for confounders (aOR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.5-2.5). The prevalence of severe multimorbidity was also double in the POI group in comparison in the average age group (39.2% versus 21.1%). There was significantly increased risk of ischemic heart disease (aOR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.7-4.7), gastric ulcers (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and osteoporosis (aOR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2-2.1) in the POI group. ConclusionsIndividuals with POI and early menopause experience increased multimorbidity in comparison to those undergoing menopause at an average age. This trend persists even after adjusting for significant multimorbidity risk factors.

Evaluation of direct restorations for pit-and-fissure caries using stamp combined with single-shade composite resin technique: A 12-month follow-up in vivo study

ObjectivesTo evaluate the clinical performance of direct restorations for pit-and-fissure caries in molars using stamp combined with single-shade composite resin (S/SCR) technique, and assess the effect of the number of stamp pressing on the trueness of S/SCR technique. MethodsTwenty molars of fifteen patients with pit-and-fissure caries but with an intact or micro-cavitated occlusal morphology were restored using S/SCR technique and were randomly divided into single pressing group (n = 10) and double pressing group (n = 10). Intraoral scans were obtained before treatment (scan 1), after filling (scan 2) and after polishing (scan 3). Deviation distribution maps of pairwise fitting were created including comparison 1 (scan1/scan 2), comparison 2 (scan1/scan 3), and comparison 3 (scan2/scan 3) using Geomagic Control X software. Root mean square (RMS) values were calculated to evaluate the trueness of restorations. Clinical performances including esthetic, functional, and biological properties of all restorations were evaluated according to FDI criteria after a 12-month follow-up. Analysis of variance, independent-samples T test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test were used for statistical analysis (α=0.05). ResultsRMS values for comparison 1, comparison 2, and comparison 3 were 0.1243 ± 0.0151, 0.0966 ± 0.0136, and 0.0605 ± 0.0137 mm in single pressing group, while 0.0831 ± 0.0140, 0.0741 ± 0.0107, and 0.0475 ± 0.0099 mm in double pressing group, respectively. RMS value of single pressing group was higher than that of double pressing group in the same comparison (p ≤ 0.001). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding esthetic, functional and biological properties (p > 0.05). For all properties, all restorations scored within 3, with over 80% scoring 1. ConclusionS/SCR technique presents satisfying clinical performances for pit-and-fissure caries in molars after a 12-month follow-up. Besides, double pressing can improve the trueness of restorations compared to single pressing. Clinical significanceS/SCR technique is efficient in direct composite resin restoration for pit-and-fissure caries, with satisfying esthetic, functional and biological properties after a 12-month follow-up. Significantly, double pressing improves the trueness of S/SCR technique, reducing the need for occlusion adjustment.

Bone Transport through Induced Membrane Technique versus Conventional Bone Transport Technique in Management of Bone Defects of Lower Limbs

Abstract Objectives To assess whether Bone transport through induced membrane (BTM) has better outcomes regarding docking site union and infection recurrence than conventional bone transport (BT) or not in the treatment of infected lower limb long bones defects. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study in a single institution was conducted. A total of 30 patients with infected non united fractures of long bones of lower limbs were divided into 15 patients (10 femurs, 5 tibias) treated by BTM and 15 patients (3 femurs,12 tibias) treated by BT. The outcome measures includes external fixation time (EFT), external fixation index (EFI), docking time (DT), bone and functional outcomes evaluated by the Association for the Study and Application of the Method of Ilizarov (ASAMI) scoring system, postoperative complications evaluated by Paley classification and number of additional operations. Results The mean docking time (DT) was significantly lower in BTM group in comparison to BT group (3.67 ± 0.82 months vs 4.80 ± 0.86 months respectively) (p value 0.001). Docking site nonunion and infection recurrence were significantly lower in BTM group in comparison to BT group (0% vs 40% respectively) (p value 0.02) and (0% vs 33.3% respectively) (p value 0.04). Mean number of additional operations per patient was significantly lower in BTM group in comparison to BT group (0 vs 0.80 ± 1.08 operations respectively) (p value 0.01) Conclusion Both BTM and BT achieved satisfactory postoperative bone and functional outcomes in patients with infected long bones defects of lower limbs, while BTM had significantly faster docking site union, lower incidence of postoperative complications including docking site nonunion and infection recurrence rates and lower number of additional operations needed at the expense of 2 staged procedure in comparison to BT.

Endoscopic Transforaminal versus Interlaminar Discectomy in Management of Lumbar Disc Herniation: A Systematic Review of Outcomes and Complications

Abstract Background Lumbar herniated discs are common manifestations of degenerative spine diseases, being the main cause of radiated lower back pain. Aim of the Work The aim of this study is to compare between the transforaminal approach and the interlaminar approach in the incidence of complications and clinical prognosis scores in patients with lumbar disc herniation. Patients and Methods Literature searches was conducted using the following databases:” PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Medline” using the following key words: “percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy, percutaneous interlaminar endoscopic discectomy, operative complications, minimally invasive, discectomy, endoscopic” from studies published after 2010. Results Although there is no significant difference between the two groups of comparison regarding percentage of postoperative complications, VAS scores, or ODI scores, However, PEID was superior to PETD regarding fluoroscopy times and operative time. The increased radiation exposure might be caused by the higher iliac crest, narrower foramina, or larger facet joints, which increased the difficulty of percutaneous puncture. Repeated fluoroscopy must be used to guide the puncture. In addition, the hypertrophy of ligamenta flava might also contribute to the difficulty of puncture and further increase radiation exposure in the PETD group. Conclusion This review provides evidence that both PEID and PETD are safe, effective, and minimally invasive surgical methods for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation, under the conditions that the surgical techniques required have been mastered and the indications for surgery are observed.

A Comparative Evaluation of Surface Hardness and Nanomechanical Properties of Nickel-Titanium Orthodontic Wires: An In Vitro Study.

The study aimed to evaluate the influence of various surface coatings (epoxy, Teflon, and rhodium) on the surface roughness (SR) and nanomechanical characteristics of nickel-titanium (NiTi) archwires. The study compared these coated archwires to uncoated ones from a single manufacturer, which served as a control. There were 15 rectangular samples of four distinct archwires measuring 0.17 × 0.25. These were ultrasonically treated with an alkaline solution at 60°C for 15 minutes before being rinsed with distilled water to remove precipitates. With an orthodontic soft wire cutter, the straight buccal sections of coated and uncoated archwires were cut into 20 mm lengths. A three-dimensional optical noncontact surface profilometer evaluated the surface. Profilometers use contact scanning white light interferometry. Using the Vision64 software (Bruker Corporation, San Jose, CA), the profilometer's nanolens atomic force microscopy module has a completely automated turret with programmed X, Y, and Z motions. Images were taken in five random locations. Five average measurements matched specimen SR. A nanoindenter with a Berkovich diamond indenter measured nanohardness (NH) and elastic modulus (EM). The experimental results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). To examine mean differences at 5% significance, analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc test were applied for SR, NH, and EM. Wires coated with epoxy had the highest SR (1.499 ± 0.082), followed by Teflon (0.811 ± 0.023) and rhodium (0.308 ± 0.024). The SR of the control group was 0.289 ± 0.027. Significant differences in SR were found (p < 0.0001). Except for the comparison between rhodium and the control group (p = 0.684), all intergroup comparisons of SR showed significant differences (p < 0.0001). The rhodium-coated wires exhibited the highest NH (0.185 ± 0.014), and the epoxy group had the lowest (0.147 ± 0.017). Variations in NH were significant between the study groups (p < 0.0001). The epoxy, Teflon, and rhodium groups showed significant differences against the control group (p < 0.0001) in intergroup comparisons for NH. The Teflon group had the highest EM (5.367 ± 0.379), and the epoxy group had the lowest (5.012 ± 0.498). The EM of the control group was 56.946 ± 0.737. Results indicate considerable EM changes between the groups (p < 0.05). Comparisons between experimental and control groups showed significant differences (p < 0.0001). The study's findings indicate that the SR of rhodium-coated archwires is substantially comparable to that of uncoated archwires. However, Teflon-, rhodium-, and epoxy-coated archwires had significantly different NH and EM compared to uncoated ones. Further, uncoated archwires have higher NH and EM.

Assessment of in vitro antioxidant potential of Bambusa balcooa crude extracts and their safety evaluation based on biochemical alteration in C57bL/6 mice

Bamboo is an ancient therapeutic plant, having shoots and leaves with high nutritional as well as medicinal value. Owing to their indigenous therapeutic uses, the bamboo-based pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products are in great demand among the masses. However, anti-nutritional factors present in the shoots have toxic effects, which makes their processing and safety evaluation an essential step prior to consumed as food or for possible medicinal effects. Present study evaluated the phytochemicals, in vitro antioxidant potential and toxicity profile of crude extracts of Bambusa balcooa leaf and fresh as well as processed shoots. Total phenol and flavonoid content were found highest in the leaf extract (BLE) whereas among shoots highest content was in the fermented shoot extract (FMSE). Ferric ion reducing antioxidant power and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl free radical scavenging activities of BLE and FMSE were also high, corresponding to the presence of various phytochemicals including rich flavonoid and phenol content. The safety profile of bamboo extracts was evaluated by their oral administration to C57BL/6 male mice with the dose of 200 mg/kg body weight for 10 weeks. Results revealed no significant alteration in body weight and general behaviour in all plant extract treated groups in comparison to control. There was slight decrease in the serum lactate dehydrogenase and glutamic pyruvic transaminase level of BLE and FMSE treated groups while serum protein, alkaline phosphatase, urea and blood urea nitrogen of all treatment groups remain similar to the control group. The study revealed that all the extracts of Bambusa balcooa are considered safe as no toxicity was observed, and fermented shoots and leaf extract having highest in vitro antioxidant activity need to be further analysed for their associated health benefits.

Long-pulsed nd: YAG laser treatment of nail psoriasis: clinical and ultrasonographic assessment

Nail psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory condition which is difficult to treat, linked with greater psoriasis severity, and may be associated with anxiety and significant functional impairment of the quality of life. The 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser was reported to yield satisfactory results in the treatment of nail psoriasis.The aim of the study was to assess the clinical and ultrasonographic efficacy of long-pulsed 1064 nm Nd: YAG laser in the treatment of fingernail psoriasis and compare its effect to control fingernails.This intra-patient randomized controlled trial analyzed 86 fingernails collected from 13 patients suffering from cutaneous and nail psoriasis. The nails were randomized into two groups. Group A was treated with Nd: YAG laser once monthly for three sessions while group B served as control. Assessment took place at baseline, 1 and 3 months after the last treatment session. For scoring, the 32-points target NAPSI scoring systems was used. Additionally, two blinded dermatologists’ score of improvement, patients’ pain assessment by visual analogue score and ultrasonographic assessment were all performed.At the end of follow up, the medians of tNAPSI score, plate definition, matrix thickness, bed thickness and bed vascularity decreased significantly in the Nd: YAG laser treated group in comparison to baseline (p = 0.001, 0.006, 0.039, < 0.001 and 0.010, respectively). While, there was a non-significant reduction in median tNAPSI score in the control group at last follow up, however, ultrasonography recorded a significant reduction in the medians of plate definition, bed thickness and vascularity (p = 0.002, 0.011 and 0.033, respectively) from the baseline. Comparison of the Nd: YAG laser and the control groups showed no significant difference from baseline regarding the medians of tNAPSI, tNAPSI percentile improvement, pits count, blinded evaluation of photographs and ultrasonographic assessments.In conclusion, Nd: YAG laser showed clinical and ultrasonographic improvement in fingernail psoriasis. Ultrasonography is a useful noninvasive tool in diagnosing and monitoring the clinical and even the subclinical changes in nail psoriasis. Nail psoriasis although difficult to treat, may show spontaneous improvement.

Non-targeted renal metabolomics reveals multi-target effects of Dahuang Zhechong Pills on renal aging in rats

This study aims to observe the effects of the traditional Chinese medicine prescription Dahuang Zhechong Pills(DHZCP on renal aging and explore its potential multi-target effects. Rats were assigned into the normal, model, DHZCP, and vitamin E(VE)groups. Firstly, the rat model of D-galactose(D-gal)-induced renal aging was established. During the modeling period, the rats in the 4 groups were administrated with double distilled water, double distilled water, DHZCP suspension, and VE suspension, respectively,by gavage every day. On day 60 of intervention, the indicators of renal aging and injury in rats were measured, including the function,histopathological characteristics, senescence-associated β-galactosidase( SA-β-gal) staining, and expression levels of Klotho and proteins associated with cell cycle arrest and senescence-associated secretory phenotype(SASP) in the renal tissue. Moreover, nontargeted metabolomic analysis of the renal tissue was performed for the 4 groups of rats to screen out the potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways. Finally, the signaling pathways of key targets were preliminarily validated. The results showed that DHZCP and VE significantly improved the renal function, histopathological features of renal tubular/interstitial tissue, and degree of SA-β-gal staining, up-regulated the expression level of Klotho, and down-regulated the expression levels of proteins associated with cell cycle arrest and SASP in the renal tissue of the aging rats. In addition, DHZCP and VE regulated the metabolites in the renal tissue of the aging rats. There were 21 common differential metabolites. Among them, 5 differential metabolites were significantly increased in the aging rats and recovered after DHZCP or VE treatment, and they were involved in the lipid metabolism and energy metabolism pathways. The areas under the curves of the groups in comparison varied within the range of 0. 88-1. DHZCP regulated multiple signaling pathways, such as the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK), cyclic guanosine monophosphate-protein kinase G( c GMP-PKG), cyclic adenylic acid( c AMP), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-protein kinase B( PI3K-Akt), mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), and autophagy signaling pathways. In addition, it affected the multiple metabolic pathways, such as renin secretion, longevity regulation pathway, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and niacin and nicotinamide metabolism. DHZCP and VE significantly up-regulated the expression level of the key proteins in the AMPK signaling pathway in the renal tissue of the aging rats. In all, DHZCP and VE could mitigate renal aging and injury. DHZCP exerted multi-target effects via multiple signaling pathways and metabolic pathways in the kidney, in which the AMPK signaling pathway may be one of the key targets for action.

Investigating the Hematological Indices in Children With Type I Diabetes Mellitus: A Review Article

Background Diabetes mellitus is a group of chronic metabolic diseases with increased blood sugar. In various studies, the association between diabetes and hematologic parameters has been investigated. Diabetes mellitus may lead to different hematologic abnormalities. Objective A complete blood cell count is more available than hemoglobin A1C, in this study we summarize the hematologic changes in type 1 diabetes. The reasons and association of different changes with the prognosis will be discussed. Methods This study is a review article based on a search with the keywords in medical-scientific databases, including PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar, from 2000 to 2023. All articles were evaluated, and 50 articles were selected as the primary study sources. Results The mean of red blood cell count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit were less in the diabetic group in comparison to healthy patients. Recent studies show an association between anemia and with development of diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic patients have higher red cell distribution width compared to healthy individuals. Mean platelet volume and platelet distribution width are higher in children with type I diabetes compared to healthy children. Studies showed that patients who have recently been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus have higher leukocyte and neutrophil counts. Also, there is a positive correlation between increased leukocyte and hyperglycemia. Conclusion The occurrence of blood cell changes in children with type 1 diabetes is related to the prognosis of the disease. Since hematological tests (complete blood cell count) are available, the use of these tests is helpful for early detection of complications.

Foot Muscle Exercise: A Novel Approach to Improve Motor Functions in Children with Down Syndrome Having Pes Planus – A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Objective The study aimed to determine the efficacy of foot muscle exercises in children with DS having pes planus. Methods Forty-seven subjects randomly assigned to foot muscle exercises (study group) or an arch support insole with one-leg balance exercises (control group), thrice weekly intervention for 12-weeks followed by a home program with residual effect assessed after 24-weeks from baseline. Results The motor functions were significantly improved in both groups (p = 0.00). A positive residual effect was found in the study group for both parameters. Whilst in the control group it failed to give a positive residual effect for GMFM-88, while PBS yielded positive outcomes. The study group showed significantly better results than the control group in comparison. Conclusion The novel finding suggests that the foot muscle exercise has the potential to improve motor functions in children with Down syndrome and it can be used as an alternative therapeutic approach to the conventional method.

(057) ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN THE MENTAL HEALTH OF SINGLE CAMGIRLS COMPARED TO THOSE IN A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP?

Abstract Introduction Camming, or webcamming, is a form of sex work involving the provision of erotic scenes or live online sex shows. This category of erotic service is predominantly occupied by women, who often explore other products within the field of sensuality, such as selling packs of photos and other pornographic media. The pursuit of this type of work often occurs because it offers a flexible routine and good financial returns, as well as not exposing workers to the typical risks of prostitution. However, despite the aforementioned benefits, camgirls may experience problems stemming from the profession, such as those associated with the digital environment, such as capping (recording of virtual erotic scenes without consent), doxxing (digital harassment aimed at acquiring and leaking information), or even on a personal level, such as stigma, vulnerability to mental disorders, and relationship troubles. Objective To understand the relationship between romantic relationships and the mental health of camgirls in the dimensions of depression, anxiety, and stress. Methods A total of 123 camgirls aged 18 to 29 (M = 24.1, SD = 2.7), Brazilian, and working in the industry for at least two months participated in the study. Of these, 43 were single, 47 were in a relationship, and 33 were married or in a stable relationship. To assess their mental health, the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was administered. Initially, Descriptive Analysis of the data was conducted to characterize the sample, followed by One-Way Analysis of Variance (One-Way ANOVA) to compare groups divided by relationship status. The research was approved by the research ethics committee. Results The sample consisted mainly of white women (74%), bisexuals (63.4%), and those with incomplete or ongoing higher education (46.3%). Regarding the mental health of camgirls, a mean stress score of 22.1 was observed, with the majority exhibiting normal symptoms (27.6%), an anxiety mean score of 15.9, predominantly with extremely severe symptoms (37.4%), and a mean depression score of 20.4, mostly with extremely severe symptoms (34.1%). Regarding the comparisons between single, dating, and married or in a stable relationship camgirls, in all mental health factors, the significance levels were above 5% (p &amp;gt; 0.05). The levels were: Stress = 0.92; Anxiety = 0.51; and Depression = 0.50. Thus, the results demonstrate that the levels of all three symptoms did not differ between the groups either in comparison by type or by style of relationship. Conclusions The observed results indicated moderate to severe levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, with the majority exhibiting extremely severe symptoms. Furthermore, they also suggest that the levels of mental distress do not significantly differ between camgirls who are or are not in a romantic relationship. The results point to the vulnerability of camming workers regarding mental health, as the majority exhibited moderate to extremely severe symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, suggesting significant mental distress for the category. However, relationships did not appear to be an attribute that would have a negative or positive effect on the dimensions of mental health addressed in this study. Disclosure No.