Healthy Adult Females Research Articles

Temporal changes in postural control strategy through single-leg stance practice with active restriction of knee movement.

[Purpose] This study aimed to examine and verify temporal changes in lower limb joint action after 2 weeks of single-leg stance training under active restriction of knee movement. [Participants and Methods] The participants included 28 healthy adult females (mean age, 19.6 ± 1.0 years). A stabile meter was used to measure the center of pressure sway as an index of ankle joint action. In addition, a triaxial accelerometer was used to measure pelvic and knee sways as indices of hip and knee joint actions, respectively. We established two experimental groups: an active-restriction group and an unrestricted group. Measurements of lower limb joint actions were recorded thrice during single-leg stance exercises during the first session of practice, the third session 1 week later, and the sixth session 2 weeks later. [Results] Both groups exhibited shorter total trajectory lengths in sessions three and six than in the first session. The active restriction group showed less knee sway in later sessions, whereas the unrestricted group showed reduced pelvic sway in the third session. [Conclusion] Single-leg stance exercises with active restriction of knee movement may alter the strategy of lower limb joint action.

Gender Based Comparison of Mean Arterial Pressure and Pulse Pressure after Stress Induction in Healthy Adults

Abstract: Background: Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) and Pulse Pressure (PP) are both key parameters to diagnose and manage cardiovascular diseases and hypertension, a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Men and women are physically different from each other. Objective: Is to evaluate gender-based comparison of MAP and PP of healthy adults after stress induction. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional study was designed and conducted in the Institute of Basic Medical Sciences (IBMS) at Khyber Medical University (KMU) from January 2022 to April 2022. A total of fifty-two participants including twenty-six males and twenty-six females were selected using convenience sampling. Sample size estimation was carried out using G*Power. Healthy adults between the age of 18-40 years were included in the study. Blood Pressure (BP) and Heart Rate (HR) were checked both before and after the stress induction. MAP and PP were calculated using the formulas obtained from the literature i.e., MAP = DP + 1/3 (PP) and PP = SBP-DBP. Result: The mean age of males was 27.16 ± 4.28 years and that of females was 23.15 ± 2.86 years. Both pre and post stress comparison of mean difference between healthy adult males and females, revealed no significant difference between MAP (Post-Stress p=0.97 and Pre-Stress p=0.61), PP (Post-Stress p=0.18 and Pre-Stress p=0.05) and HR (Post-Stress p=0.11 and Pre-Stress p=0.57). Males had a higher PP than females in both pre and post stress phase. Females had a slightly higher MAP than males in the pre stress phase. In the post stress phase, MAP showed a positive correlation with HR and PP. While in the pre stress phase, all the variables (MAP, PP and HR) showed no correlation with each other. Conclusion: MAP and PP show no significant difference between healthy adult males and females, after stress induction.

Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy Preterm-Born Young Adults and Association with Vitamin D: A Wearable Device Assessment.

Prematurity has been associated with impaired parasympathetic cardiac regulation later in life. Changes in heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) may indicate a risk for future cardiac dysfunction. The putative role of Vitamin D on cardiac autonomic function in individuals born preterm (PT) remains unknown. This study involves monitoring autonomic cardiac regulation and Vitamin D concentrations in 30 PT and 16 full-term (FT) young adults in a free-living context. The PT subjects were born between 1994 and 1997 at Oulu University Hospital. The inclusion criteria were (1) being born ≤ 32 gestation weeks or (2) being born < 34 gestation weeks with a birth weight under 1500 g. Participants wore an Oura ring sleep tracer, a smart ring device, for 2 weeks to monitor cardiac autonomic function. Parameters related to autonomic cardiac regulation, lowest nighttime resting HR, and the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) to describe HRV were collected. PT males exhibited a tendency toward lower RMSSD (71.8 ± 22.6) compared to FT males (95.63 ± 29.0; p = 0.10). Female participants had a similar mean RMSSD in the FT and PT groups at 72.04 ± 33.2 and 74.0 ± 35.0, respectively. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration did not correlate with cardiac autonomic function parameters. When assessing the lowest resting nighttime HRs and HRVs in a long-term, real-world context, healthy female PT young adults performed similarly to their FT peers. In contrast, the present study's results suggest that male PT young adults exhibit impaired autonomic cardiac function, potentially putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease later in adulthood.

Similarities and differences in cognition as a function of sex: A longitudinal study of healthy control participants from the Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative

AbstractBackgroundAs the global population of older adults continues to rise, there is an urgent need to understand the expected cognitive changes in healthy aging. Despite sex‐based differences in life expectancy and age‐related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, limited research has explicitly examined sex differences in aging. The objective of the current study was to answer three primary questions using longitudinal data for sample of healthy adults: 1) How does cognition change over time? 2) What are the sex differences in cognition? and 3) What are the sex differences in rates of cognitive change over time?MethodLongitudinal data from the healthy control group of the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative was used to examine cognitive changes in healthy adult males (n = 125, mean age = 61.61, SD = 10.97) and females (n = 68, mean age = 59.44, SD = 11.56). Participants underwent annual neuropsychological testing for up to five years. A series of 2‐level linear mixed models estimated within‐person change in cognition over time (i.e., level‐1) and between‐group differences in longitudinal change trajectories as predicted by sex (i.e., level 2). Each neuropsychological measure was modeled separately as a single outcome variable, for a total of seven models.ResultStability in neuropsychological scores was seen over five years. At baseline, males scored higher on the Benton Judgement of Line Orientation Test, while females scored higher on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test, the Semantic Fluency Test, and the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test‐Revised. Rates of cognitive change over time did not significantly differ by sex. Higher age and lower education at baseline predicted lower neuropsychological scores.ConclusionStability in cognition was found across five years in a sample healthy control participants from a large multi‐site longitudinal study. Sex differences in cognition were found in several domains, including visuospatial ability, processing speed, verbal fluency, and verbal memory. However, rates of cognitive change over time did not significantly differ by sex. Higher age and lower education were predictive of lower cognitive functioning. Great intraindividual variability in cognitive trajectories was observed. Future research should continue to examine factors that predict individual trajectories of aging in healthy individuals.

Listening to calm music and emotional songs reduces blood pressure and heart rate in healthy young female adults

Listening to calm music and emotional songs reduces blood pressure and heart rate in healthy young female adults

Changes in thyroid function levels in female patients with first-episode bipolar disorder.

The identification of molecular biomarkers for bipolar disorder is anticipated to greatly improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. The objective of this case-control study is to determine whether the blood thyroid hormone levels in bipolar disorder patients are associated with different types of first onset. From August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021 a total of 120 female patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder and hospitalized at Qingdao Mental Health Center were recruited as the case group, including 60 patients with depression as their first onset (depression first-episode group, DF) and 60 with mania/hypomania as their first onset (mania/hypomania first-episode group, M/HF). A group of 60 healthy adult females matching general demographic data, such as race and age, were selected as the control group. Blood samples were taken from both groups to measure serum triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4), and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations. The duration of current onset in the M/HF group was significantly less than that in the DF group (23.1 ± 20.2 vs. 125.2 ± 41.0 days). About 27% of patients in the M/HF group had thyroid abnormalities, in contrast to 60% in the DF group. The blood T3 and T4 levels in both the M/HF group and the DF group, as well as the TF3 levels in the DF group, were significantly lower as compared to control. The M/HF group had significantly higher T3 and FT3 levels than the DF group. The blood T3 levels were inversely correlated with the Young's Mania Scale score and the Hamilton Depression Scale score in both the M/HF and DF groups. Thyroid dysfunction resulting in reduced levels of blood thyroid levels may be involved in the disease progression of bipolar disorder, and correlated with the clinical symptoms in patients with depression or mania as the first episode.

Establishing the Roles of the Dorsal and Ventral Striatum in Humor Comprehension and Appreciation with fMRI.

Humor comprehension (i.e., getting a joke) and humor appreciation (i.e., enjoying a joke) are distinct, cognitively complex processes. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigations have identified several key cortical regions but have overlooked subcortical structures that have theoretical importance in humor processing. The dorsal striatum (DS) contributes to working memory, ambiguity processing, and cognitive flexibility, cognitive functions that are required to accurately recognize humorous stimuli. The ventral striatum (VS) is critical in reward processing and enjoyment. We hypothesized that the DS and VS play important roles in humor comprehension and appreciation, respectively. We investigated the engagement of these regions in these distinct processes using fMRI. Twenty-six healthy young male and female human adults completed two humor-elicitation tasks during a 3 tesla fMRI scan consisting of a traditional behavior-based joke task and a naturalistic audiovisual sitcom paradigm (i.e., Seinfeld viewing task). Across both humor-elicitation methods, whole-brain analyses revealed cortical activation in the inferior frontal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus, and the middle temporal gyrus for humor comprehension, and the temporal cortex for humor appreciation. Additionally, with region of interest analyses, we specifically examined whether DS and VS activation correlated with these processes. Across both tasks, we demonstrated that humor comprehension implicates both the DS and the VS, whereas humor appreciation only engages the VS. These results establish the role of the DS in humor comprehension, which has been previously overlooked, and emphasize the role of the VS in humor processing more generally.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humorous stimuli are processed by the brain in at least two distinct stages. First, humor comprehension involves understanding humorous intent through cognitive and problem-solving mechanisms. Second, humor appreciation involves enjoyment, mirth, and laughter in response to a joke. The roles of smaller subcortical brain regions in humor processing, such as the DS and VS, have been overlooked in previous investigations. However, these regions are involved in functions that support humor comprehension (e.g., working memory ambiguity resolution, and cognitive flexibility) and humor appreciation (e.g., reward processing, pleasure, and enjoyment). In this study, we used neuroimaging to demonstrate that the DS and VS play important roles in humor comprehension and appreciation, respectively, across two different humor-elicitation tasks.

Motor units involvement in diaphragm and intercostal muscles during supine and prone posture, and its relationship with oxygen saturation and perfusion index in healthy young female adults

Objectives: Due to gravity and non-gravity variables, human posture influences the distribution of ventilation and perfusion. Gravity enhances the air exchange and posture has an impact on the respiratory muscles’ activity. The goal of the study was to determine the role of neuromuscular activities in respiratory muscles throughout various respiratory states and postures, as well as the degree to which two different lying positions affected the perfusion index (PI) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) level in young, healthy female adults. Materials and Methods: Thirty sedentary healthy female college students, age ranges from 18 to 25 years having no history of pulmonary or neuromuscular diseases voluntarily cooperated and participated in this study. Each participant’s diaphragm and intercostal muscles underwent surface electromyography in the supine and prone postures. The heart rate (HR), SpO2, and PI were measured. Results: When in the supine position, the diaphragm and intercostal muscles both had greater mean root mean square and maximum voluntary contraction values, which is statistically significant (P &lt; 0.05). However, HR, SpO2 level, and PI between supine and prone postures show negligible changes. Conclusion: According to this study, prone posture is advantageous to supine posture since it requires less motor unit activation for proper breathing. Contrarily, the increases in chest cavity capacity are insufficient for the healthy adult female’s calm breathing to result in an increase in SpO2 and PI.

Decoding force production of skeletal muscle from the female brain using functional near-infrared spectroscopy.

Noninvasive neural decoding enables predicting motor output from neural activities without physically damaging the human body. A recent study demonstrated the applicability of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to decode muscle force production from hemodynamic signals measured in the male brain. However, given the sex differences in cerebral blood flow and muscle physiology, whether the fNIRS approach can also be applied to the female brain remains elusive. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether fNIRS can be used to identify the optimal cortical region and hemodynamic predictor to decode muscle force output in females. Statistical group analysis for eight healthy female adults showed that the cortical region for wrist control was topologically dorsal to that for finger control over the primary sensorimotor cortex. This cortical area was maximally activated while the wrist flexor muscles were contracted to hold a load on the subject's palm, as was the case for males. However, the dynamics of oxyhemoglobin concentration measured from the most activated cortical area differed between females and males. The signal intensity during 100% maximal voluntary contraction and the signal increase rate at 50% maximal voluntary contraction was lower and faster in females. Eight predictors were used to characterize hemodynamic signals' amplitude and temporal variation in the female cortex. Unlike the case for males, only the trajectory predictors for the amplitude of oxyhemoglobin concentration change were strongly correlated with the strengths of force produced by the wrist flexor muscles, showing a linear relationship. These results suggest gender-specific hemodynamics must be considered for decoding low-level motor control with fNIRS in females.

Correlation of bioactive components of platelet rich plasma derived from human female adult peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood with age

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained significant attention in the field of regenerative medicine due to its potential therapeutic applications. However, few studies have reported the components, especially anti-ageing-related components, of PRP derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB). It is essential to understand the influence of age on the composition and efficacy of PRP to optimize its clinical use. The present study compared the concentrations of bioactive components in PRP from healthy female adults and UCB-derived PRP. PRP was obtained from blood samples from females in four age groups (12 per group): neonates (UCB donors) and adults aged 18–25, 26–45, and 46–65 years, respectively. The concentrations of epidermal growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), insulin-like growth factor-1, platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA), PDGF-AB/BB, vascular endothelial growth factor A, RANTES, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, GDF11, and clusterin and activity of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the PRP samples were determined and compared among groups. Pairwise comparisons between the groups showed statistically significant differences in the concentrations of some bioactive components of PRP, such as FGF-2, PDGF-AB/BB, and clusterin, and GPx activity. UCB-derived PRP contains various active ingredients such as VEGF-A, CAT activity, and TIMP-2. Contrary to expectations, UCB-derived PRP did not show higher concentrations of the anti-ageing protein GDF11. Because UCB is a rich source of bioactive components with low immunogenicity, its use in PRP preparation is an important research direction for future studies.

Alleviating the physical discomfort in healthy individuals with Moringa seed extract: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial

Background: Moringa oleifera is well recognized for its rich nutritional content and diverse bioactive compounds. Moringa, abundant in various bioactive compounds such as flavonoids and alkaloids present across all plant parts including leaves, stems, and roots, is especially rich in glucomoringin within its seeds. The antioxidant activity of moringin has already been verified in numerous cellular and animal experiments.Objective: The study investigates the effects of Moringa seed extract (MSE), abundant in glucomoringin, on fatigue-related physical discomfort and sleep quality, as indicators of quality of life (QOL) in healthy individuals.Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was conducted, administering MSE containing 12 mg of glucomoringin or placebo to healthy adult males and females daily for four consecutive weeks. Quality of life (QOL) questionnaire on fatigue, physical discomfort, sleep, and motivation was evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) at the start of the study and the end of each subsequent week until week 4. The impact on QOL was assessed through subjective evaluations and oxidative stress markers.Results: As a result, the efficacy of MSE intake in reducing stiff shoulder/neck pain, joint pain, and muscle pain was confirmed. Based on the oxidative stress markers, significant effects were observed among the participants with relatively high oxidative stress. A greater improvement in physical discomfort, reduced fatigue, and enhanced sleep quality were also noticed among female participants with MSE consumption. Conclusion: MSE consumption has showed potential in lowering physical discomfort brought on by exhaustion, promoting overall QOL, and improving sleep quality. (UMIN000049070)Keywords:moringa; moringin; glucomoringin; physical discomfort; sleep quality; fatigue; pain

Sex differences in delayed onset muscle soreness induced by fatigue and measured by different methods

BACKGROUND: Controversial outcomes from different methods for assessment of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in male and female may influence clinical decisions. AIM: In this study, we determine sex differences in pain perception and pain thresholds in a DOMS condition resultant of a fatigue protocol. METHOD: 11 male and 15 female healthy adults were submitted to an exercise fatigue protocol to induce DOMS in the quadriceps muscles. Pain perception was determined using a numeric pain rate scale (NRS) and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were determined by mechanical pressure in the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) regions. Data were compared between methods and sexes at baseline, immediately after (0h), and 48 h after DOMS induction. RESULTS: Results showed normalized lower PPT and higher NRS outcomes after fatigue, without sex differences. Absolute values of PPT showed lower values in females comparing both time and sex (VL and RF, baseline p =0.002 and p =0.009; 0h p= 0.002 and p = 0.001; 48h p&lt;0.001 and p&lt;0.001) with a mean difference for females and males on 0h and 48h of from baseline VL 16,52% and 19.7%; -15.64% and -10.89%; RF 12.18% and 20.7%; -9.18% and -1.97%. No correlations were found between the number of repetitions of exercise nor the rate of perceived effort and DOMS outcomes. CONCLUSION: Men and women show similar DOMS when NRS and normalized PPT outcomes are considered. Absolute PPT values may lead to a confusing analysis of fatigue exercise-induced DOMS if merging both sexes in the sample.

Low Emulsifier Diet in Healthy Female Adults: A Feasibility Study of Nutrition Education and Counseling Intervention.

Emulsifiers are food additives commonly found in processed foods to improve texture stabilization and food preservation. Dietary emulsifier intake can potentially damage the gut mucosal lining resulting in chronic inflammation such as Crohn's disease. This study investigates the feasibility of a low-emulsifier diet among healthy female adults, as no previous reports have studied the feasibility of such a diet on healthy participants. A quasi-experimental study for a nutrition education and counseling intervention was conducted over 14 days among healthy Saudi participants aged 18 years and over. Assessment of dietary intake using 3-day food records was conducted at the baseline and 2-week follow-up. Participants attended an online educational session using the Zoom application illustrating instructions for a low-emulsifier diet. Daily exposure to emulsifiers was evaluated and nutrient intake was measured. A total of 30 participants completed the study. At baseline, 38 emulsifiers were identified, with a mean ± SD exposure of 12.23 ± 10.07 emulsifiers consumed per day. A significant reduction in the mean frequency of dietary emulsifier intake was observed at the end of the intervention (12.23 ± 10.07 vs. 6.30 ± 7.59, p < 0.01). However, intake of macronutrients and micronutrients was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). Good adherence to the diet was achieved by 40% of the participants, and 16.66% attained a 50% reduction of emulsifier intake. The study demonstrates that a low-emulsifier diet provided via dietary advice is feasible to follow and tolerable by healthy participants. However, the diet still needs further investigation and assessment of it is nutritional intake and quality before implementing it in patients with inflammatory bowel disease who are at high risk of poor nutritional intake.

Cognitive Disturbances among Migraineurs and Non-migraineurs

Migraine is a kind of headache, in which patients feel intense ache on half part of their brain. They also feel queasiness, vomit, extreme sensation towards brightness or noise etc. The purpose of this research is to investigate cognitive disturbances of migraine in adult patients. Cognitive disturbance refers to the cognitive distortion which means negative thinking towards one’s own- self or about external world. 100 diagnosed migraine patients in which 50 male and 50 female have been selected from various hospitals of Ranchi. CDS (Cognitive Distortion Scale). Then after approximately similar control group of 100 healthy adults were selected by using GHQ-12 (General Health Questionnaire-12) and they were also administered CDS. The present study reveals that level of cognitive distortion is different among migraine patients and healthy adults. Migraineurs have higher level of cognitive distortion than non-migraineurs and gender does not influence the level of cognitive distortion in migraineurs but healthy male adults have a bit higher level of cognitive distortion than healthy female adults.

Adolescent and young adult hip and knee strength profiles relate to running gait biomechanics

ObjectivesCompare and assess relationships between strength and running biomechanics among healthy adolescents and young adult males and females. DesignRetrospective cohort. SettingClinic. Participants802 healthy participants (570 F, 232 M; 16.6 ± 2.3 years). Main outcome measuresMass-normalized knee flexor and extensor strength, hip adductor and abductor strength, hamstrings-to-quadriceps (H:Q), and abductor-to-adductor (Abd:Add) ratios were obtained using hand-held dynamometry. Mass-normalized peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF), %stance, cadence, and stride length were obtained using an instrumented treadmill. Multivariate analyses of variance were used to compare strength and biomechanics across ages and sexes. Linear regressions were used to assess the relationships between strength and biomechanics, accounting for speed, age, and sex. Independent t-tests were used to compare strength between strength ratio profiles. ResultsStrength and running biomechanics significantly differed between sexes (p-range: <0.001–0.05) and age groups (p-range: <0.001–0.02). Strength and strength ratios were significantly associated with increased cadence (p-range:0.001–0.04) and stride lengths (p-range:0.004–0.03), and decreased vGRF (p < 0.001). Lower H:Q ratios had significantly lower strength measures (p < 0.001). Higher Abd:Add ratios had significantly increased abductor strength (p < 0.001). ConclusionsStrength and running biomechanics differed by sexes and ages. Hip and knee strength and strength ratios were related to select spatiotemporal and kinetic biomechanical features.

Decreased plasma myonectin levels in female patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its correlation with lipid and glycemic parameters.

Myonectin is a novel myokine which has significant implications on diabetes. This study aimed to investigate plasma myonectin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and their correlation with body composition, lipid and glycemic parameters. The study participants included 40 diabetic and 33 non-diabetic healthy adult Saudi females matched for their BMI and age. Body composition was assessed by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fasting blood samples were used to investigate plasma myonectin levels by ELISA, along with lipid and glycemic parameters. We found that plasma myonectin levels were significantly decreased in diabetic patients (40.90±4.13 ng/ml, p<0.05) compared to non-diabetic participants (59.58±4.41). Diabetic patients with poor glycemic parameters had significantly decreased myonectin levels (35.18±4.03 ng/ml p<0.05) compared to non-diabetic healthy subjects. There was no significant difference in myonectin levels between diabetic patients with good glycemic control (55.76±8.09 ng/ml p>0.05) and non-diabetic healthy participants. Pearson correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation with fasting blood sugar (R=-0.366, p=0.001), HbA1c (R=-0.406, p<0.0001), triglycerides (R=-0.264, p=0.024), insulin (R=-0.278, p=0.017), and HOMA-IR (R=-0.409, p<0.0001). Our findings highlight an important aspect of myonectin in the pathophysiology of T2DM. They also show that myonectin has the potential to be a useful biomarker and therapeutic target in T2DM.

Echoes from Intrinsic Connectivity Networks in the Subcortex.

Decades of research have greatly improved our understanding of intrinsic human brain organization in terms of functional networks and the transmodal hubs within the cortex at which they converge. However, substrates of multinetwork integration in the human subcortex are relatively uncharted. Here, we leveraged recent advances in subcortical atlasing and ultra-high field (7 T) imaging optimized for the subcortex to investigate the functional architecture of 14 individual structures in healthy adult males and females with a fully data-driven approach. We revealed that spontaneous neural activity in subcortical regions can be decomposed into multiple independent subsignals that correlate with, or "echo," the activity in functional networks across the cortex. Distinct subregions of the thalamus, striatum, claustrum, and hippocampus showed a varied pattern of echoes from attention, control, visual, somatomotor, and default mode networks, demonstrating evidence for a heterogeneous organization supportive of functional integration. Multiple network activity furthermore converged within the globus pallidus externa, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area but was specific to one subregion, while the amygdala and pedunculopontine nucleus preferentially affiliated with a single network, showing a more homogeneous topography. Subregional connectivity of the globus pallidus interna, subthalamic nucleus, red nucleus, periaqueductal gray, and locus coeruleus did not resemble patterns of cortical network activity. Together, these finding describe potential mechanisms through which the subcortex participates in integrated and segregated information processing and shapes the spontaneous cognitive dynamics during rest.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Despite the impact of subcortical dysfunction on brain health and cognition, large-scale functional mapping of subcortical structures severely lags behind that of the cortex. Recent developments in subcortical atlasing and imaging at ultra-high field provide new avenues for studying the intricate functional architecture of the human subcortex. With a fully data-driven analysis, we reveal subregional connectivity profiles of a large set of noncortical structures, including those rarely studied in fMRI research. The results have implications for understanding how the functional organization of the subcortex facilitates integrative processing through cross-network information convergence, paving the way for future work aimed at improving our knowledge of subcortical contributions to intrinsic brain dynamics and spontaneous cognition.

Ramen Consumption and Gut Microbiota Diversity in Japanese Women: Cross-Sectional Data from the NEXIS Cohort Study.

A cross-sectional study involving 224 healthy Japanese adult females explored the relationship between ramen intake, gut microbiota diversity, and blood biochemistry. Using a stepwise regression model, ramen intake was inversely associated with gut microbiome alpha diversity after adjusting for related factors, including diets, Age, BMI, and stool habits (β = -0.018; r = -0.15 for Shannon index). The intake group of ramen was inversely associated with dietary nutrients and dietary fiber compared with the no-intake group of ramen. Sugar intake, Dorea as a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing gut microbiota, and γ-glutamyl transferase as a liver function marker were directly associated with ramen intake after adjustment for related factors including diets, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry using a stepwise logistic regression model, whereas Dorea is inconsistently less abundant in the ramen group. In conclusion, the increased ramen was associated with decreased gut bacterial diversity accompanying a perturbation of Dorea through the dietary nutrients, gut microbiota, and blood chemistry, while the methodological limitations existed in a cross-sectional study. People with frequent ramen eating habits need to take measures to consume various nutrients to maintain and improve their health, and dietary management can be applied to the dietary feature in ramen consumption.

Sex differences concerning the effects of ankle muscle fatigue on static postural control and spinal proprioceptive input at the ankle.

The main aim of this study was to determine sex differences in postural control changes with ankle muscle fatigue during a standing forward leaning (FL) task under different vision conditions. The secondary aim was to examine sex differences in the effect of fatigue on soleus (SOL) H-reflex amplitude, a measure of motoneuron excitability with activation of Ia afferents. Fifteen healthy young adult males (mean age: 28.0 years) and 16 healthy young adult females (mean age: 26.1 years) were asked to perform four consecutive FL tasks [30 s; two with eyes open (EO) and two with eyes closed (EC)] before, and immediately following a fatiguing exercise consisting of alternating ankle plantarflexion (6 s) and dorsiflexion (2 s) maximal isometric contractions, and at 5 and 10 min of recovery. Center of pressure (COP) sway variables (mean position, standard deviation, ellipse area, average velocity, and frequency), an ankle co-contraction index, and a ratio of SOL H-reflex to the maximum amplitude of the compound muscle action potential (M-max) were obtained during the FL tasks. A rating of perceived fatigue (RPF) was also documented at the different time points. Time to task failure (reduction of 50% in maximal voluntary isometric contraction torque of ankle plantar flexors) and the increase in RPF value were not significantly different between males and females. Both sex groups showed similar and significant increases (p < 0.05) in mean COP sway velocity with no significant changes in co-contraction indices. No significant effects of fatigue and related interactions were found for SOL H/M-max ratio. The absence of a significant sex difference in postural control change (sway and co-contraction) with fatigue could be explained by similar perceived (RPF) and performance fatigability (exercise duration) between males and females in the present study. Fatigue did not lead to significant changes in SOL spinal motoneuron excitability with activation of Ia afferents.

Genotoxicity of waterpipe smoking in young adults from Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina

BackgroundWaterpipe, also known as a hookah or narghile, is a type of tobacco products consumption device. Recently it has been increasingly popular in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region. Waterpipe consumers are predominantly adolescents and young adults. Many of them believe in slighter harmful effects of waterpipes, compared to cigarettes. We aimed to determine the DNA damage in oral leukocytes and buccal cells of young individuals who have smoked a waterpipe for more than one year. MethodsThe study group consisted of 40 cigarette non-smokers who regularly smoked a waterpipe on average of once per week. As a control, 40 non-smoking individuals were selected to match smokers for age. All participants in the study were healthy male and female adults from Bosnia and Herzegovina, 18–30 years of age. Before sampling, detailed survey and informed consent have been provided by each participant. Comet assay in oral leukocytes and buccal micronucleus cytome (BMCyt) assay in exfoliated buccal cells were applied. ResultsAlmost half of waterpipe smokers (WPS) tasted waterpipe at 15–16 years of age. Comet assay analysis showed increased tail intensity, tail length, and tail moment values among WPS compared to non-smokers (NS) (p = 0.0001, p = 0.0067, and p = 0.0001, respectively). Frequencies of the micronucleated (p = 0.0004), binucleated (p = 0.01), karyorrhectic, (p = 0.0036), and pycnotic cells (p = 0.03) were significantly higher in WPS compared to NS group. ConclusionsGenotoxicity and DNA damage biomarkers were increased in oral leukocytes and exfoliated buccal cells of young waterpipe smokers from Bosnia and Herzegovina, compared to NS group.