Latency Time Research Articles

Blockchain-Enabled Vaccination Registration and Verification System in Healthcare Management

Client-server-based healthcare systems are unable to manipulate a high data volume, prone to a single failure point, limited scalability, and data integrity. Particularly, several measures introduced to help curb the spread of Covid-19 were not effective and patient records were not adequately managed and maintained. Most vaccination-proof certificates were forged by unauthorized parties and no standard verification medium exists. Therefore, this paper proposes a blockchain-enabled vaccination management system (VMS). VMS utilizes smart contracts to store encrypted patients record, generate vaccination certificates, and verify the legitimacy of the certificate using a QR code. VMS prototype is implemented using Ethereum, a public blockchain and simulations performed based on Apache JMeter and Hyperledger Caliper to assess its performance in terms of throughput, latency and response time, and the average time per transaction. Results show VMS achieved an average: response time of 132.24 ms, the throughput of 379.89 tps, latency of 204.60 ms, and time of transactions is 10s-12s for 1000 transactions. Also, its comparison with the centralized database shows the traditional database’s effectiveness in transaction processing but lacks data privacy and security strengths. We, therefore, recommend the use of blockchain in the healthcare system and other related sectors such as elections, and student records management to ensure data privacy and security and rid the system of a single point of failure.

Design, synthesis, in vitro, and in vivo evaluation of novel phthalazinone-based derivatives as promising acetylcholinesterase inhibitors for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Twenty novel phthalazinone-based compounds were designed as acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) inhibitors. Compounds 7e and 17c demonstrated comparable or superior activity compared to donepezil, respectively, in in vitro enzyme assay. Moreover, both compounds 7e and 17c possess minimal toxicity on hepatic and neuroblastoma cell lines. Besides, it was proved that compounds 7e and 17c have percentage alternations and a transfer latency time comparable to donepezil and can alleviate the cognitive impairment caused by the scopolamine-induced model in mice. The kinetic analysis for compound 17c suggested this compound as a mixed-type inhibitor that could bind to both the peripheral (PAS) and the catalytic site (CAS) of the hAChE enzyme. The synthesized molecules were subjected to in silico analyses, including molecular docking studies, and the outcomes were consistent with the in vitro findings.

Cannabigerol modulates α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor-mediated electrophysiological effects on dorsal raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus neurons and anxiety behavior in rat.

The pharmacological profile of cannabigerol (CBG), which acid form constitutes the main precursor of the most abundant cannabinoids, has been scarcely studied. It has been reported to target α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor. The locus coeruleus (LC) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are the main serotonergic (5-HT) and noradrenergic (NA) areas in the rat brain, respectively. We aimed to study the effect of CBG on the firing rate of LC NA cells and DRN 5-HT cells and on α2-adrenergic and 5-HT1A autoreceptors by electrophysiological techniques in male Sprague-Dawley rat brain slices. The effect of CBG on the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT) and the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and the involvement of the 5-HT1A receptor was also studied. CBG (30μM, 10min) slightly changed the firing rate of NA cells but failed to alter the inhibitory effect of NA (1-100µM). However, in the presence of CBG the inhibitory effect of the selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK14304 (10nM) was decreased. Perfusion with CBG (30μM, 10min) did not change the firing rate of DRN 5-HT cells or the inhibitory effect of 5-HT (100μM, 1min) but it reduced the inhibitory effect of ipsapirone (100nM). CBG failed to reverse ipsapirone-induced inhibition whereas perfusion with the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 (30nM) completely restored the firing rate of DRN 5-HT cells. In the EPMT, CBG (10mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased the percentage of time the rats spent on the open arms and the number of head-dipping but it reduced the anxiety index. In the NSFT, CBG decreased the time latency to eat in the novel environment but it did not alter home-cage consumption. The effect of CBG on the reduction of latency to feed was prevented by pretreatment with WAY100635 (1mg/kg, i.p.). In conclusion, CBG hinders the inhibitory effect produced by selective α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor agonists on the firing rate of NA-LC and 5-HT-DRN neurons by a yet unknown indirect mechanism in rat brain slices and produces anxiolytic-like effects through 5-HT1A receptor.

Younger, drunk, and fast: Paradoxical rapid reaction time in hazardous drinkers.

Research consistently links hazardous alcohol use with reduced cognitive function but is less consistent with regard to processing speed, which underpins many cognitive functions. Using vibrotactile perception to assess cognitive function may have benefits over other sensory stimuli, as this method gives lower variability in reaction time (RT) and shorter latency. This study aimed to assess performance on vibrotactile simple and choice RT tasks between hazardous and non-hazardous drinkers. Participants (n = 86) completed vibrotactile tasks and alcohol, mood and subjective function (Executive Function Index (EFI)) questionnaires. Multivariate analyses of covariance were performed on average RT scores, and on EFI scores, to investigate function, and a bivariate correlation assessed the relationships between subjective and objective measures. Hazardous drinkers exhibited significantly faster choice RT. With regard to subjective executive function, Strategic Planning and Impulse Control were significantly better in non-hazardous drinkers. Finally, Organisation and Impulse Control both significantly positively correlated with choice and simple RT, indicating that as subjective function improved, RT increased (a decline in performance). These results are considered in the context of the premature ageing hypothesis, impulsivity and the impact of alcohol use on various neurotransmitter systems. Furthermore, the poorer subjective function in young hazardous drinkers indicates a possible metacognitive deficit, increased effort or issues with vibrotactile perception as a cognitive function assessment in this group.

Effects of salinity stress on anxiety behavior and antioxidant capability of guppy (Poecilia reticulata).

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of salinity on anxiety behavior and liver antioxidant capacity in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Guppies were exposed to salinities of 0‰, 5‰, 10‰, 15‰ and 20‰ for acute stress tests, and then we analyzed the activity of antioxidant enzymes at 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. During the experiment, the anxiety behavior of guppy was enhanced at salinities of 10‰, 15‰, and 20‰, as evidenced by a significantly higher latency time for the first passage through the upper part than that of the control group (P < 0.05). CAT activity was highest at 24 h in the treatment with the salinity of 10‰, and SOD and GPX activities were highest at 12 h into the treatment with the salinity of 10‰. The SOD and CAT activities were significantly higher than the control group after 96 h of treatment at different salinities (P < 0.05). The MDA contents of the experimental groups at salinities of 5‰ and 10‰ were not significantly different from the control group after 96 h of treatment (P > 0.05). While the MDA contents of the experimental groups at salinities of 15‰ and 20‰ were still significantly higher than the control group after 96 h of treatment (P < 0.05). The experimental results indicated that elevated salinity could lead to oxidative stress in the guppy, altering their anxiety behavior as well as the activity of antioxidant enzymes. In conclusion, drastic changes in salinity during culture should be avoided.

(182) The Differences in Brain Function Between Lifelong Premature Ejaculation and Delayed Ejaculation: A Study Based on High-density Electroencephalogram

Abstract Introduction Ejaculatory dysfunction is common male sexual dysfunction, which is a conceptual continuum, and premature ejaculation (PE) and delayed ejaculation (DE) anchor the opposite ends of this conceptual continuum, and normal ejaculation is in the center. The pathogenesis of PE and DE is still not fully elucidated, and the studies on the central nervous mechanisms are highly lacking, and the differences in brain function between PE and DE are unclear. Objective We try to use a high-density electroencephalogram (HDEEG) to explore the differences in brain function to compensate for the deficiency of previous studies based on functional magnetic resonance Imaging (fMRI) and provide a theoretical foundation for future studies exploring the treatment methods. Methods We included 12 lifelong premature ejaculation (LPE) patients and 11 lifelong delayed ejaculation (LDE) patients, and all of them are right-handed. We evaluated the conditions of all subjects, who reported estimated intravaginal ejaculation latency time (eIELT). We used the premature ejaculation diagnostic tool (PEDT), the abridged international index of erectile function (IIEF-6), and erection hardness score (EHS) to quantify the sexual function and sexual arousal. EEG signals were recorded in patients with LDE and LPE during two segments of resting and watching an erotic video, respectively. The duration of the recording was about five minutes and fifteen minutes, respectively. The subjects whose EEG signals were less than 30 segments were excluded from the final analysis. The power spectral density was analyzed based on fast Fourier transform (FFT). Differences in the power spectral density during resting and sexual arousal between the two groups were compared. We analyzed changes in the power spectral density of β oscillation with sexual arousal in each group. Results There were no statistical differences in the general clinical characteristics. The mean eIELT of LPE patients was 0.8 ± 0.4 minutes. The scores of EHS were not statistically different during watching an erotic video between the two groups. There were no significant differences in δ, θ, and α oscillations between the LDE group and the LPE group during resting, but the LDE group had significantly higher power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations. The power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations was significantly higher in the LDE group during watching an erotic video, and other oscillations were not significantly different. The power of β1, β2, and β3 oscillations significantly increased in the LDE group during sexual arousal, and β2 and β3 oscillations significantly increased in the LPE group. Conclusions Based on the previous literature and our results, we proposed a scientific hypothesis to explain the increase of β oscillation in LDE patients. The increase of β oscillation is associated with the activation of the inhibitory brain area. The over-activation of the inhibitory brain area leads to LDE and the under-activation leads to LPE. The activation of the inhibitory brain area may be associated with gamma-aminobutyric, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Disclosure No

(184) A Novel, On-demand Therapy for Lifelong Premature Ejaculation using a Miniature Trans-Perineal Electrical Stimulator, the vPatch - a Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Introduction While Premature Ejaculation (PE) is a common and disturbing sexual dysfunction in men, currently available treatment modalities have limited efficacy and low treatment adherence. In this study, we assessed perineal Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TES) as a new possibility to treat (PE) Objective To assess the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of vPatch, a miniaturized on-demand perineal (TES) device, for treating PE. Methods We designed a bi-center, international, prospective, randomized, double-blind, two-arm, sham-controlled, first-in-human, clinical study. Calculating for statistical power, 59 patients 21-56 (mean 39.8+9.28) y/o with lifelong PE were included. During the initial visit, intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) was measured over a 2-week run-in period. Eligibility was confirmed in Visit 2, based on IELT values, and medical/sexual history. Eligible patients tried the vPatch to determine the individualized sensory and motor activation thresholds. Patients were randomized to Active (vPatch) and Sham device groups in a 2:1 ratio. During Visit 3, IELTs, Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGIC) scores, and Premature Ejaculation Profile (PEP) questionnaire outcomes were recorded. The vPatch device safety profile was determined by comparing the incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events. Primary endpoints assessed: 1. vPatch device efficacy as mean fold change in geometric mean IELT; each person was compared to themselves, with and without the device, and the Sham group was compared to the Active Group. 2. vPatch safety profile. Secondary endpoints assessed changes in (PEP) before and after treatment and last visit (CGIC) scores. Results Of 59 patients, 51 completed the study, 34 in Active and 17 in Sham Group. The baseline geometric mean IELT significantly increased from 67 to 123 seconds (p&amp;lt;0.0001) in the Active Group, as compared to increasing insignificantly from 63 to 81 seconds (p=0.1653) in the Sham Group. IELT significantly increased by 3.22-fold in the Active as compared to the Sham group (p=0.0047). Geometric mean time fold increases of IELT in Active compared to the Sham group were 1.7 (95% CI 1.5-2.1) vs. 1.2 (95% CI 1.0-1.6), respectively. No serious adverse events were reported. According to the CGIC, patients in the active group were significantly more satisfied with the treatment (74% vs. 41%, p=0.0274). The subjects in the active arm reported significant improvement in all 4 PEP parameters (P&amp;lt;0.05). Conclusions We demonstrated the possibility to treat lifelong PE by prolonging coitus on-demand, using electric stimulation of ejaculation muscles with vPatch. This treatment may potentially become an on-demand, non-invasive, and drug-free treatment for PE. Disclosure Yes, this is sponsored by industry/sponsor: Virility LTD, Israel Clarification Industry funding only - investigator initiated and executed study Any of the authors act as a consultant, employee or shareholder of an industry for: Virility LTD, Israel.

Ultrafast low-jitter optical response in high-temperature superconducting microwires

We report ultrafast optical response in high-Tc superconductor (YBa2Cu3O7−δ) based microwires operating at 76 K and we find a rise time ∼850 ps and a fall time ∼1250 ps and an upper limit of timing jitter of ∼100 ps, using twice the standard deviation of the fitted data. In our experiment, incident power is proven to be an important factor for a device jitter. At low incident power, a lower rate of hot-spot generation by a smaller number of absorbed photons results in a longer latency time to obtain the required number of hot-spots for superconductor-to-normal transition. The lower hot-spot generation rate also results in larger timing jitter of the device. Whereas, at high incident power, a higher hot-spot generation rate yields shorter latency and smaller timing jitter. These observations agree well with our statistical model. Enhancing the sensitivity of the current device can enable future high-Tc superconductor nanowire single photon detectors, toward the widespread use of ultrafast quantum technologies.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of Ferula elaeochytris Korovin methanolic extract in rat model

Today, the current chemical agents for pain control have relatively many complications. They are associated with the occurrence of disorders in the digestive system, kidney damage, or addiction, which has caused people to find newer drugs that, in addition to removing side effects, are cheap and available. The present in vivo survey aimed to assess the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of Ferula elaeochytris Korovin methanolic extract (FEME) in male Swiss mice. After obtaining the methanolic extract through the maceration process, the antinociceptive efficacy of FEME at doses of 25 to 100 mg/kg was assessed by the tail-flick, hot-plate, and formalin tests. In addition, anti-inflammatory evaluation was performed by the Carrageenan-induced paw edema model. We found that in the tail-flick and hot plate test, FEME mainly at the dose of 100 mg/kg significantly reduced the latency time as well as better the time of the observance of licking or jumping in comparison with normal saline (P&lt;0.001). We reported that FEME at 50, and 100 mg/kg considerably declined the pain behaviors in the acute and chronic phase in comparison with normal saline (p&lt;0.001). FEME markedly (p &lt; 0.05) declined paw edema in a dose- and time-dependent response, so a significant difference was observed in paw edema followed by treatment with FEME at 50 and 100 mg/kg (p&lt;0.001). To conclude, this study reported the potent analgesic and inflammatory effects of F. elaeochytris methanolic extract to control peripheral and central pain. However, additional experiments are mandatory to clear the accurate mechanisms of action of this plant.

Neuroprotective effects of photobiomodulation by hormesis on scopolamine induced neurodegenerative diseases of memory disorders in rats a paradigm shift.

The loss and progressive dysfunction of neurons are hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of the current study is to explore the effects of photobiomodulation at 460-660 nm (100-1000 lux units) on the progression of scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunctions in Wistar male rats. Photobiomodulation (PBM) is defined as "the use of monochromatic or quasi-monochromatic light from a low-power laser or light-emitting diode (LED) source to modify or modulate biological functions." Neuroprotective activity was assessed by in vivo models such as the Morris water maze, the elevated plus maze (EPM), and the T-maze. After using scopolamine (1 mg/kg/day) as a dementia induction model for 21 days, the induction was primarily due to impairments in cholinergic transmission, oxidative stress, and inflammation. The in vitro determinations, including acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), reduced glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), Interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), were assessed biochemicals and biomarkers. The structural and morphological integrity of the cortex and hippocampus was investigated through histopathology. In vivo studies of exteroceptive behavior models such as the Morris water maze, the EPM, and the T-maze revealed that administration of scopolamine resulted in enhanced escape latency time (ELT), transfer latency (TL), and decreased percentage alternation, respectively. The levels of AChE, BChE, reduced, GSH, SOD, TNF-α, IL-1β and ALP were increased, while MDA level was decreased. In contrast to normal and control groups with treatment groups, histopathology of the cortex and hippocampus examination revealed the maintenance of structural integrity and densities of CA1 and CA3 neuronal cells. However, network pharmacology predicted Ca+2 modulation of various pathways, among the treatments with red LED light showed highly significant amelioration compared with normal and control groups. Photobiomodulation by hormesis, chromophores in cells, and tissues excitation can influence neuroprotective effect mainly by scavenging of ROS, variation in the level of GSH MDA and SOD mitochondrial electron transfer, the improved abscopal effects on improved in gut microbiome by resembles the of fecal ALP level correlation of intestinal microbiome, cholinergic neurotransmissions, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities.

Exploiting the Internet Resources for Autonomous Robots in Agriculture

Autonomous robots in the agri-food sector are increasing yearly, promoting the application of precision agriculture techniques. The same applies to online services and techniques implemented over the Internet, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud computing, which make big data, edge computing, and digital twins technologies possible. Developers of autonomous vehicles understand that autonomous robots for agriculture must take advantage of these techniques on the Internet to strengthen their usability. This integration can be achieved using different strategies, but existing tools can facilitate integration by providing benefits for developers and users. This study presents an architecture to integrate the different components of an autonomous robot that provides access to the cloud, taking advantage of the services provided regarding data storage, scalability, accessibility, data sharing, and data analytics. In addition, the study reveals the advantages of integrating new technologies into autonomous robots that can bring significant benefits to farmers. The architecture is based on the Robot Operating System (ROS), a collection of software applications for communication among subsystems, and FIWARE (Future Internet WARE), a framework of open-source components that accelerates the development of intelligent solutions. To validate and assess the proposed architecture, this study focuses on a specific example of an innovative weeding application with laser technology in agriculture. The robot controller is distributed into the robot hardware, which provides real-time functions, and the cloud, which provides access to online resources. Analyzing the resulting characteristics, such as transfer speed, latency, response and processing time, and response status based on requests, enabled positive assessment of the use of ROS and FIWARE for integrating autonomous robots and the Internet.

Cumulative reproduction model to quantify the production of the invasive species Arctodiaptomus dorsalis (Calanoida, Copepoda)

Arctodiaptomus dorsalis is an invasive calanoid copepod originally from America and has recently established a population in Lake Taal in the Philippines. It has been proposed that eutrophication due to aquaculture contributes to the establishment and success of this species. This study aimed to clarify this hypothesis by quantifying the effect of increasing food concentration on the reproduction of A. dorsalis using an Individual-Based Model. We parameterized food concentration-dependent equations to simulate the effect of different food concentration on the reproductive traits (latency time, embryonic development time, clutch size, and hatching success) of this species using data from the literature and simulated the reproduction of 1000 independent females for 20 days at different food concentration, taking into account the variability among individuals. The simulation results showed that the cumulative production of eggs and offspring increased continuously with time when the food concentration was above 3.2 × 104 cells mL−1, suggesting that this value was the threshold concentration required for stable reproduction of A. dorsalis. This value is not particularly low compared to other copepods. Hence, our result revealed that the food use efficiency of A. dorsalis is not particularly outstanding and urge the need of a comparison with native species to confirm a possible superiority. We suggest that A. dorsalis has filled the ecological niche left vacant by the disappearance of the original species due to the deterioration of water quality caused by the eutrophication of the lake. The reproductive cycle model developed in this study constitutes a necessary step in the development of a complete population dynamics model, which can help clarify the invasive abilities of A. dorsalis.

Acute and Sub-chronic Anticonvulsant Effects of Edaravone on Seizure Induced by Pentylenetetrazole or Electroshock in Mice, Nitric Oxide Involvement.

Edaravone is an anti-stroke medication that may have nitric oxide (NO) modulating properties. This study evaluated the role of NO in the acute and sub-chronic anticonvulsant effects of edaravone in murine models of seizures induced by intraperitoneal (IP) or intravenous (IV) injections of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) or electroshock (maximal electroshock seizure [MES]). 132 male albino mice were randomly divided into 22 groups (n=6) and given IP injections of vehicle or edaravone either acutely or for eight days (sub-chronically). The seizure was induced by electroshock or PTZ (IP or IV). The following edaravone doses were used: 7.5, 10, 12.5 (acute); 5, 7.5, 10 (sub-chronic) in IP PTZ model; 5, 7.5, 10 in IV PTZ model; and 5, 10 mg/Kg in the MES. To evaluate NO involvement, 216 mice were randomly divided into 36 groups (n=6) and pretreated with vehicle, edaravone, a non-specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor: N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (5 mg/Kg), a specific nNOS inhibitor: 7-nitroindazole (7-NI) (60 mg/Kg), or a combination of edaravone plus L-NAME or 7-NI, either acutely or for eight days before seizure induction. Doses of edaravone were as follows: in IP PTZ model: 12.5 (acute) and 10 (sub-chronic); in IV PTZ model: 10; and in the MES: 5 mg/Kg. Data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey's test (SPSS 18). P≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. In the IP PTZ model, edaravone increased time latencies to seizures (P<0.001), prevented tonic seizures, and death. Edaravone increased the seizure threshold (P<0.001) in the IV PTZ model and shortened the duration of tonic hind-limb extension (THE) in the MES model (P<0.001). In comparison to mice treated with edaravone alone, adding L-NAME or 7-NI reduced seizure time latencies (P<0.001), reduced seizure threshold (P<0.001), and increased THE duration (P<0.001). Edaravone (acute or sub-chronic) could prevent seizures by modulating NO signaling pathways.

Intraoperative Monitoring during Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm

Brainstem auditory evoked potential(BAEP)and abnormal muscle response(AMR)monitoring are widely used during microvascular decompression(MVD)for hemifacial spasm(HFS). In BAEP monitoring, the intraoperative findings of wave V do not necessarily predict postoperative hearing function. However, if a warning sign as significant as wave V change appears, the surgeon must abort the operation or inject artificial cerebrospinal fluid into the VIII nerve. During MVD for HFS, BAEP monitoring must be performed to preserve hearing function. AMR monitoring is useful in identifying the offending vessels compressing the facial nerve and confirming the completion of decompression intraoperatively. During the operation of the offending vessels, AMR sometimes changes its onset latency and amplitude in real time. These findings allow surgeons to identify the offending vessels. Even if the AMRs remain after completion of decompression, a decrease in amplitude of more than 50% compared to baseline is predictive of postoperative loss of HFS in long-term outcomes. When the AMRs disappear after dural opening, the AMR monitoring should be continued because the AMRs sometimes reappear.

Joint Optimization of Relay Selection and Transmission Scheduling for UAV-Aided mmWave Vehicular Networks

To deal with the explosive growth of mobile traffic, millimeter-wave (mmWave) communications with abundant bandwidth resources have been applied to vehicular networks. As mmWave signal is sensitive to blockage, we introduce the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-aided two-way relaying system for vehicular connection enhancement and coverage expansion. How to improve transmission efficiency and to reduce latency time in such a dynamic scenario is a challenging problem. In this paper, we formulate the joint optimization problem of relay selection and transmission scheduling, aiming to reduce transmission time while meeting the throughput requirements. To solve this problem, two schemes are proposed. The first one is the random relay selection with concurrent scheduling (RCS), a low-complexity algorithm implemented in two steps. The second one is the joint relay selection with dynamic scheduling (JRDS), which fully avoids relay contentions and exploits potential concurrent ability, to obtain further performance enhancement over RCS. Through extensive simulations under different environments with various flow numbers and vehicle speeds, we demonstrate that both RCS and JRDS schemes outperform the existing schemes significantly in terms of transmission time and network throughput. We also analyze the impact of threshold selection on achievable performance.

Tarooneh extract relieves anxiety-like behaviors and cognitive deficitsby inhibiting synaptic loss in the hippocampus and frontal cortex in rats subjected to chronic restraint stress.

In traditional medicine, Tarooneh (a hardcover of the datepalm; Phoenix dactylifera) has known as a sedative and relaxant medicine. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of Tarooneh in the anxiety-like behavior, cognitive deficit, and neuronal damages in the CA1, CA3, and dentate gyrus (DG) regions of the hippocampus and frontal cortex neurons employing a rat model of chronic restraint stress. The animal received Tarooneh extract for 14 consecutive days in water, and chronic restraint stress was performed daily during this period. The results of the Barnes maze test showed that treatment with Tarooneh significantly improves spatial memory parameters such as latency time to find the target hole, number of errors, and distance traveling compared to the stress group. The EPM results showed that Tarooneh significantly increased the time spent in open arms and the percentage of entries into open arms and significantly decreased the frequency of head dipping behavior compared to animals in the stress group. Golgi-Cox staining indicates that loss of neural spine density in DG, CA1, CA3, and frontal cortex due to chronic restraint stress, was prevented with daily administration of Tarooneh. The results of cresyl-violet staining indicate that Tarooneh significantly increased the number of CV-positive neurons in the frontal cortex and CA1 region of the hippocampus compared to the stress group. Our results suggest that Tarooneh potentially prevented and improved effects in anxiety-like behavior, memory impairment, and synaptic plasticity loss in frontal and hippocampal neurons induced by chronic restraint stress. In conclusion, our results suggest that Tarooneh prevented and improved anxiety-like behavior, cognitive deficit, and neuronal damages in the CA1, CA3, and DG regions of the hippocampus and frontal cortex neurons induced by chronic restraint stress.

Retrospective evaluation of the efficacy of daily paroxetine/tadalafil combination in patients with premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction.

Premature ejaculation (PE) and erectile dysfunction (ED) are sexual dysfunction diseases affecting males. The phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as tadalafil are used to treat ED whereas selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are preferred for PE. Most of the patients with ED also suffer from PE simultaneously. The combined drug therapies are commonly preferred as they favor elevated intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) scores and improved sexual function. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of daily paroxetine and tadalafil combination therapy in patients with PE and ED. A total of 81 PE patients with ED were enrolled in the study. Patients were treated with daily paroxetine 20 mg and tadalafil 5 mg for 4 weeks. Pre- and post-treatment IELT, premature ejaculation profile (PEP), and International Index of Erectile Function-Erectile Function (IIEF-EF) scores of the patients were analyzed. The mean IELT and PEP index scores, and mean IIEF-EF values improved after combination therapy (p<0.001 for each). When lifelong and acquired PE+ED patients were compared, significant improvements were observed in IELT, PEP, and IIEF-EF scores in both groups (p<0.001). Even though the treatment methods are different, combined therapies to treat simultaneous PE and ED presence are effective compared to monotherapies. However, there is still no definitive treatment that can cure all subtypes of PE or ED.

Effects of hesperetin on dimethylsulphoxide induced cognitive dysfunction mediated through oxidative stress marker and neuroinflammation in hippocampus

ObjectiveHesperetin is a natural flavonoid with antioxidant potential and can be used to treat disorders of the brain. Therefore, present study is designed to investigate effect of hesperetin on dimethylsulphoxide induced cognitive dysfunction mediated through oxidative stress marker and neuroinflammation in hippocampus MethodologyThe experiment was conducted using five treatment groups, each group consisting six rats. Group 1 (control) received 1 ml/kg normal saline interperitoneally for 14 days. Group 2 received 1 ml/kg DMSO per oral for14 days. Group 3 received donepezil 3 mg/kg per day for 14 days and DMSO (1 ml/kg p.o.) for 14th day. Group 4 and 5 received a dose of 25 mg /kg of hesperetin (H1) and 50 mg/kg hesperetin (H2) per oral, per day for 14 days, respectively. Hesperetin was dissolved in DMSO to get 25 mg/ml solution. On 14th day, the memory of rats was assessed by Cook's pole climbing apparatus and Morris water maze test. On 15th day, six rats of each group were sacrificed and the isolated brain tissues were subjected for the estimation of biochemical parameters, beta actin blot analysis and histopathological examination. ResultsThe DMSO treated rats showed significantly enhanced escape latency time (P < 0.0001) acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity (P < 0.0001), lipid peroxidation (P < 0.0001), TNF-α level and decreased reduced glutathione levels (p < 0.001), attenuated beta actin blot density, degradation and inflammation in the hippocampus region as compared to the control group. These parameters were significantly recovered in the rats pretreated with donepezil and hesperetin. ConclusionThe findings of this study demonstrated that DMSO induced cognitive dysfunction in rats and hesperetin has potential to improve the cognitive performance against DMSO via reduced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in hippocampus.

Importance of Desensitization for Autistic Children in Dental Practice.

Dental treatment in special needs patients, including children with autism, can be accomplished by reducing the behaviors that can reduce fear, as it has been demonstrated in other studies. The present study aims to examine the influence of the latency time elapsing between desensitization and the real dental situation on facilitating the access of children with autism to dental treatment. Nineteen patients with autism, who were aged 3-14 years and attended the Special Education Center in Madrid but were living with their parents at home, were selected for the study. All children in the sample were subjected to a desensitization process before attending the real dental office. Two study groups were established: the latency period between the last desensitization and the real situation was one day for the first group and seven days for the second group. An experimental study was conducted to assess the child's cooperation in the dental chair; the dental examination was divided into several steps and the highest step reached by each child was recorded. There is a statistical difference in the number of steps reached between the children who received the information just before the examination date and the children who experienced a longer latency period between receiving the information and experiencing the examination. We would like to emphasize the importance of providing information in advance when dealing with autistic children; this information should be as close as possible to the real situation. Additionally, we would like to stress the importance of inter-cooperation between parents, educators, and pediatric dentists in order to guarantee adequate oro-dental care for autistic children. Further studies with larger sample sizes and a control group are recommended.

Sleep movements and respiratory coupling as a biobehavioral metric for early Alzheimer’s disease in independently dwelling adults

IntroductionSleep disorder is often the first symptom of age-related cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) observed in primary care. The relationship between sleep and early AD was examined using a patented sleep mattress designed to record respiration and high frequency movement arousals. A machine learning algorithm was developed to classify sleep features associated with early AD.MethodCommunity-dwelling older adults (N = 95; 62–90 years) were recruited in a 3-h catchment area. Study participants were tested on the mattress device in the home bed for 2 days, wore a wrist actigraph for 7 days, and provided sleep diary and sleep disorder self-reports during the 1-week study period. Neurocognitive testing was completed in the home within 30-days of the sleep study. Participant performance on executive and memory tasks, health history and demographics were reviewed by a geriatric clinical team yielding Normal Cognition (n = 45) and amnestic MCI-Consensus (n = 33) groups. A diagnosed MCI group (n = 17) was recruited from a hospital memory clinic following diagnostic series of neuroimaging biomarker assessment and cognitive criteria for AD.ResultsIn cohort analyses, sleep fragmentation and wake after sleep onset duration predicted poorer executive function, particularly memory performance. Group analyses showed increased sleep fragmentation and total sleep time in the diagnosed MCI group compared to the Normal Cognition group. Machine learning algorithm showed that the time latency between movement arousals and coupled respiratory upregulation could be used as a classifier of diagnosed MCI vs. Normal Cognition cases. ROC diagnostics identified MCI with 87% sensitivity; 89% specificity; and 88% positive predictive value.DiscussionAD sleep phenotype was detected with a novel sleep biometric, time latency, associated with the tight gap between sleep movements and respiratory coupling, which is proposed as a corollary of sleep quality/loss that affects the autonomic regulation of respiration during sleep. Diagnosed MCI was associated with sleep fragmentation and arousal intrusion.