Male Group Research Articles

Social network dynamics, infant loss, and gut microbiota composition in female Colobus vellerosus during time periods with alpha male challenges.

The gut microbiota of group-living animals is strongly influenced by their social interactions, but it is unclear how it responds to social instability. We investigated whether social instability associated with the arrival of new males and challenges to the alpha male position could explain differences in the gut microbiota in adult female Colobus vellerosus at Boabeng-Fiema, Ghana. First, we used a data set collected during May-August 2007 and May 2008-2009 that consisted of (i) 50 fecal samples from adult females in eight social groups for V4 16S rRNA sequencing to determine gut microbiota composition, and (ii) demographic and behavioral data ad libitum to determine male immigration, challenges to the alpha male position, and infant births and deaths. Sørensen and Bray-Curtis beta diversity indices (i.e., between-sample microbiota variation) were predicted by year, alpha male stability, group identity, and age. Next, we used a more detailed behavioral data set collected during focal observations of adult females in one group with a prolonged alpha male takeover and three cases of infant loss, to create 12-month versus 3-month 1-m proximity networks that preceded and overlapped the gut microbiome sampling period in that group. The long versus short-term networks were not correlated, suggesting temporal variation in proximity networks. In this group, beta diversity among the five adult females was predicted by similarity in infant loss status and short-term (rather than yearly) 1-m proximity ties. Although the mechanism driving this association needs to be further investigated in future studies, our findings indicate that alpha male takeovers are associated with gut microbiota variation and highlight the importance of taking demographic and social network dynamics into account.

Tribal differences in hypertension and cholesterol profiles in Aceh, Indonesia

Background: One of the factors that contributes to coronary heart disease and stroke is high blood pressure, or hypertension. Hypertension is influenced by race and sex. The objective of this study was to assess the hypertensive population in Aceh by tribal community and to examine the relationship between cholesterol history and hypertension.Methods: This study used incidental sampling as a non-probability sampling method, in which 152 participants were evaluated for the profile of hypertension with a history of cholesterol. Blood pressure was measured using a blood pressure measuring device. HDL, LDL, triglyceride, and total cholesterol levels were measured using LIPID Pro. Data analysis was performed using the Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests with p<0.05.Results: The study population (N=152) consisted of 81 males (53%) and 71 females (47%) across the ethnicities of Aceh (64:42%), Gayo (19:13%), Alas (33:22%), and Aneuk Jamee (36:24%). In the male group, hypertension was associated with total cholesterol (r=0.03; p=0.78), HDL (r=0.20; p=0.07), and LDL (r=0.21; p=0.07) levels, whereas in the female group, hypertension was primarily correlated with LDL levels (r=0.20; p=0.09).Conclusion: In general, hypertension in males and females in the four tribes in Aceh is associated with HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol levels.

ANGIOGRAPHIC FEATURES OF PATIENTS WITH CORONARY ARTERY ECTASIA COMPARED WITH STENOTIC CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) and coronary artery stenotic disease (CASD) represent distinct pathologies of the coronary arteries with remarkable clinical and angiographic features. Objectives: The study aims to find the angiographic features of patients with coronary artery ectasia compared with stenotic coronary artery disease. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at Prime Teaching Hospital Peshawar from April 2023 to March 2024. Data were collected from 185 patients. Patients with a history of coronary artery bypass grafting or coronary intervention were excluded from the study. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, including age, gender, cardiovascular risk factors, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, smoking history and presenting symptoms, were collected from electronic medical records. Results: Data were collected from 185 patients. The mean age of patients in the CAE group was 58.5 ± 8.3 years, and the CAD group was 63.2 ± 7.9 years. 55.6% of the male group was in CAE and 87% in the CAD group. Out of 185, 33% suffered from hypertension in CAE and 81.4% in the CAD group. The most common comorbidity was hyperlipidemia in the CAD group (72.9%). Stable angina was present in 44.4% of CAE and 60.7% of the CAD group. Unstable angina is most common in the CAD group (21.4%), and AMI was 10.7% and 11.1% in the CAD and CAE groups, respectively. Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) was most common in the CAD group, which was 75%. Conclusion: It is concluded that coronary artery ectasia (CAE) presents distinct angiographic and clinical features compared to stenotic coronary artery disease (CAD), including localised or diffuse dilatation of coronary arteries, a higher prevalence of silent ischemia, and lower utilisation of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

The Genetic Variants of Long Noncoding RNA MEG3 and Its Association to the Clinical Features of Diabetic Retinopathy

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the potential correlation between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of maternally expressed gene 3 (MEG3) and the clinical manifestations of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods Five loci of MEG3 SNPs including rs4081134 (G/A), rs10144253 (T/C), rs7158663 (G/A), rs3087918 (T/G) and rs11160608 (A/C) were genotyped by TaqMan allelic discrimination in 457 non-DR patients and 280 DR individuals. Results The distribution frequency of MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GA (AOR: 0.683, 95% CI: 0.478-0.975, p = 0.036) and MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GA + AA (AOR: 0.686, 95% CI: 0.487-0.968, p = 0.032) were significantly lower in the DR group. And the MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GA + AA (AOR: 0.610, 95% CI: 0.377-0.985, p = 0.043) demonstrated a significantly lower distribution frequency in the male DR group. Besides, the DR patients with MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GA + AA genotype showed a significantly lower HbA1c level than the DR patients with MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GG genotype (7.29 ± 1.23 versus 7.74 ± 1.49, p = 0.013). Moreover, in the analysis using data from gene expression data series database, a higher MEG3 level was significantly correlated to a lower miR-182 level in the database (p = 0.0114). Conclusions In this study, the distribution frequency of MEG3 SNP rs7158663 GA + AA genotype was lower in DR, while the DR would develop under lower HbA1c level in DM patients with this MEG3 SNP variant.

Assessment of Dynamic Cerebral Autoregulation During Long-Term Exposure to High Altitude in Normal Subjects by Ultrasonography.

To evaluate changes in dynamic cerebral autoregulation (CA) during short-term and long-term exposure to high altitude with ultrasonography, and also study the sex differences in the response of CA to altitude. We assessed the differences in dynamic CA and measured with Doppler ultrasound of the bilateral internal carotid artery (ICA), vertebral artery (VA), and middle cerebral artery (MCA) and the values of basic information within 48 hours and at 2 years after arrival at Tibet in 65 healthy Han young Chinese volunteers, meanwhile, we compared the resistance index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the right MCA at inhale oxygen 8 minutes when a newcomer with 2 years after arrival at Tibet. With 2 years of altitude exposure, the SaO2 of all subjects was above 90%, the mean PEF, DAP, and HR values decreased, HGB increased compared within 48 hours in same-gender groups. Comparisons of cerebral hemodynamics between before 2 years and after 2 years within male and female groups, the mean RI and PI values of bilateral MCA after 2 years were significantly higher than before 2 years, at the same time, the mean RI and PI values of bilateral ICA were significant differences (P < .05) between male groups, with regard to female groups, showed that the mean RI and PI values of bilateral VA were significant differences (P < .05). Comparisons of Right MCA hemodynamics between after oxygen uptake 8 minutes and 2 years, the mean RI and PI values were no significant difference within male and female groups (P > .05). Acute mountain sickness could result from an alteration of dynamic autoregulation of cerebral blood flow, but the impaired autoregulation may be corrected with the extension of time, furthermore, the response of CA to altitude in males and females are different.

Age-related enhancement of the association between episodic memory and gray matter volume in medial temporal and frontal lobes

BackgroundEpisodic memory (EM) deteriorates as a result of normal aging as well as Alzheimer’s disease. The neural underpinnings of such age-related memory impairments in older individuals are not well-understood. Although previous research has unveiled the association between gray matter volume (GMV) and EM in the elderly population, such findings exhibit variances across distinct age cohorts. Consequently, an investigation into the dynamic evolution of this relationship with advancing age is imperative.ResultThe present study utilized a sliding window approach to examine how the correlation between EM and GMV varied with age in a cross-sectional sample of 926 Chinese older adults. We found that both verbal EM (VEM) and spatial EM (SEM) exhibited positive correlations with GMV in extensive areas primarily in the temporal and frontal lobes and that these correlations typically became stronger with older age. Moreover, there were variations in the strength of the correlation between EM and GMV with age, which differed based on sex and the specific type of EM. Specifically, the association between VEM and GMVs in the insula and parietal regions became stronger with age for females but not for males, whereas the association between SEM and GMVs in the parietal and occipital regions became stronger for males but not for females. At the brain system level, there is a significant age-related increase in the correlations between both types of EM and the GMV of both the anterior temporal (AT) system and the posterior medial (PM) system in male group. In females, both types of EM show stronger age-related correlations with the GMV of the AT system compared to males.ConclusionsOur study revealed a significant positive correlation between GMV in most regions associated with EM and age, particularly in the frontal and temporal lobes. This discovery offers new insights into the connection between brain structure and the diminishing episodic memory function among older individuals.

Investigating the Relationship between Telomere-Related Gene Variants and Leukocyte Telomere Length in Optic Neuritis Patients.

Optic neuritis (ON) is a condition marked by optic nerve inflammation due to various potential triggers. Research indicates a link between telomeres and inflammation, as studies demonstrate that inflammation can lead to increased telomere shortening. Aim: We aimed to determine the associations of telomere-related telomeric repeat binding factor 1 (TERF1) rs1545827, rs10107605, and telomeric repeat binding factor 2 (TERF2) rs251796 polymorphisms and relative leukocyte telomere length (LTL) with the occurrence of ON. Methods: In this research, a total of 73 individuals diagnosed with optic neuritis (ON) were studied and the control group included 170 individuals without any health issues. The DNA samples were obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes, which were purified using the DNA salting-out technique. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assessed single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and relative leukocyte telomere lengths (LTL). The data obtained were processed and analyzed using the "IBM SPSS Statistics 29.0" program. Results: Our study revealed the following results: in the male group, TERF2 rs251796 (AA, AG, and TT) statistically significantly differed between the long and short telomere group, with frequencies of 65.7%, 22.9%, and 2.0% in long telomeres, compared to 35.1%, 56.8%, and 8.1% in the short telomere group (p = 0.013). The TERF2 rs251796 CT genotype, compared to CC, under the codominant genetic model, was associated with 4.7-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.005). Meanwhile, CT+TT genotypes, compared to CC under the dominant genetic model, were associated with 3.5-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.011). Also, the CT genotype, compared to CC+TT, under the overdominant genetic model, was associated with 4.4-fold decreased odds of telomere shortening (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The current evidence may suggest a protective role of TERF2 rs251796 in the occurrence of ON in men.

Narcissism and Its Association with Neurotic Tendencies Among Students at University Technical Education Colleges in Jordan

The goals of this research are to determine the degree of narcissism among students at Jordanian university technical education colleges, investigate the connection between narcissism and neurotic tendencies among the study participants, and determine whether there are differences in the subjects' levels of narcissism based on the gender variable (male versus female student group). Additionally, the study's psychometric and demographic variables will be used to predict the levels of narcissism and neurotic tendencies. A total of (362) students participated in this study during the second semester of the academic year (2023/2024) and were selected randomly. Two scales were applied, namely, the narcissism scale and the neurotic tendencies scale. The findings revealed a medium level (68%) of narcissism among the subjects. A statistically significant and positive correlation between narcissism and neurotic tendencies was observed. Furthermore, in narcissism, statistically significant gender differences were evident. Given the literature and the study results, the researcher ultimately suggested a set of practical practices. 

Protein Intake and Physical Activity Levels as Determinants of Sarcopenia Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

Community screening for sarcopenia is complex, with barriers including access to specialized equipment and trained staff to conduct body composition, strength and function assessment. In the current study, self-reported dietary protein intake and physical activity (PA) in adults ≥65 years was assessed relative to sarcopenia risk, as determined by body composition, strength and physical function assessments, consistent with the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) definition. Of those screened (n = 632), 92 participants (77% female) were assessed as being at high risk of developing sarcopenia on the basis of dietary protein intake ≤1 g∙kg-1∙day-1 [0.9 (0.7-0.9) g∙kg-1∙day-1] and moderate intensity physical activity <150 min.week-1. A further 31 participants (65% female) were defined as being at low risk, with both protein intake [1.2 (1.1-1.5) g∙kg-1∙day-1] and PA greater than the cut-off values. High-risk participants had reduced % lean mass [53.5 (7.8)% versus 54.8 (6.1)%, p < 0.001] and impaired strength and physical function. Notably, high-risk females exhibited greater deficits in lean mass and strength, with minimal differences between groups for males. In community-dwelling older adults, self-reported low protein intake and low weekly PA is associated with heightened risk for sarcopenia, particularly in older women. Future research should determine whether early intervention in older adults with low protein intake and PA attenuates functional decline.

Dietary lysine requirements of older adults stratified by age and sex.

BackgroundCurrent recommendation for lysine in older adults, 30 mg. kg−1.d−1, is based on young adult data. Evidence suggests that amino acid requirements may differ between young and old adults with both sex and age having an effect in the elderly Objectives1) Define the lysine requirements in healthy older adults using the indicator amino acid oxidation (IAAO) method with L-[1-13C]phenylalanine as the indicator and 2) compare the derived estimates based on age: 60-69y and >70y MethodsFourteen healthy males and 16 healthy females (> 60y, BMI=26.3 kg.m-2) were randomly assigned to receive 3 to 7 lysine intakes from 10 to 80 mg. kg−1. d−1. Subjects were adapted to a standard liquid diet providing 1.0 g. kg−1.d−1 protein and adequate energy, for 2 days, with indicator oxidation measurements performed on day three. The rate of release of 13CO2 from the oxidation of L-[1-13C] phenylalanine was measured in breath. A two-phase linear mixed effect model, and parametric bootstrap were used to determine mean lysine requirements and the 95% confidence intervals (CI). The overlap of the 95% CI between the 2 age groups were used to compare the requirement estimates. The null hypothesis was accepted if the interval contained zero ResultsThe mean and upper 95% CI of the lysine requirement for females were 32.9 and 40.9, and 46.2 and 53.7 mg. kg−1.d−1 for those 60-69 and >70y, respectively. The mean and upper 95% CI of the lysine requirement for the 2 groups of males were not different, so was combined to yield a mean and 95% CI of 32.2 and 38.2 mg. kg−1.d−1 ConclusionsThis is the first study to report on the lysine requirement in older adults >60y. These results provide a basis from which the adequacy of diets to meet lysine needs of older adults can be assessed. The trial was registered at Clinical Trials Registry# NCT02008955, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02008955

Creating machine learning models that interpretably link systemic inflammatory index, sex steroid hormones, and dietary antioxidants to identify gout using the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) method

BackgroundThe relationship between systemic inflammatory index (SII), sex steroid hormones, dietary antioxidants (DA), and gout has not been determined. We aim to develop a reliable and interpretable machine learning (ML) model that links SII, sex steroid hormones, and DA to gout identification.MethodsThe dataset we used to study the relationship between SII, sex steroid hormones, DA, and gout was from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Six ML models were developed to identify gout by SII, sex steroid hormones, and DA. The seven performance discriminative features of each model were summarized, and the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model with the best overall performance was selected to identify gout. We used the SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) method to explain the XGBoost model and its decision-making process.ResultsAn initial survey of 20,146 participants resulted in 8,550 being included in the study. Selecting the best performing XGBoost model associated with SII, sex steroid hormones, and DA to identify gout (male: AUC: 0.795, 95% CI: 0.746- 0.843, accuracy: 98.7%; female: AUC: 0.822, 95% CI: 0.754- 0.883, accuracy: 99.2%). In the male group, The SHAP values showed that the lower feature values of lutein + zeaxanthin (LZ), vitamin C (VitC), lycopene, zinc, total testosterone (TT), vitamin E (VitE), and vitamin A (VitA), the greater the positive effect on the model output. In the female group, SHAP values showed that lower feature values of E2, zinc, lycopene, LZ, TT, and selenium had a greater positive effect on model output.ConclusionThe interpretable XGBoost model demonstrated accuracy, efficiency, and robustness in identifying associations between SII, sex steroid hormones, DA, and gout in participants. Decreased TT in males and decreased E2 in females may be associated with gout, and increased DA intake and decreased SII may reduce the potential risk of gout.

Characterization of Human Shoulder Joint Stiffness Across 3D Arm Postures and Its Sex Differences.

Understanding the characteristics of shoulder joint stiffness can offer insights into how the shoulder joint contributes to arm stability and assists in various arm postures and movements. This study aims to characterize posture-dependent shoulder stiffness in a three-dimensional (3D) space and investigate its potential sex differences. A multi-degree-of-freedom, parallel-actuated shoulder exoskeleton robot was used' to perturb the participant's shoulder joint and measure the resulting torque responses while participants relaxed their shoulder muscles. The group average results of 40 healthy individuals (20 males and 20 females) revealed that arm postures significantly affect shoulder stiffness, particularly in postures involving shoulder flexion/extension and horizontal flexion/extension. Shoulder stiffness consistently increased as the shoulder flexion angle decreased and the shoulder horizontal flexion/extension approached the limit of its range of motion. The comparative group results between males and females indicated that shoulder stiffness in males was greater than that in females across all 15 arm postures measured in this study. Even after normalizing the data by subject body mass, the female group showed significantly lower stiffness than the male group in 12 out of the 15 arm postures. The results highlight that 3D arm postures and sex significantly affect shoulder stiffness even under relaxed muscles. This study provides valuable foundations for future studies aimed at characterizing shoulder stiffness in the context of active muscles and dynamic movement tasks, evaluating changes in shoulder stiffness following neuromuscular injuries, and formulating rehabilitative training protocols for individuals suffering from shoulder problems.

Hyperuricemia Increases the Risk of Postoperative Recurrence in Chinese Patients with Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

Elevated serum uric acid is crucial in the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory diseases. However, its impact on chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) recurrence risk is unknown. This study investigates the association between elevated serum uric acid and the risk of CRS recurrence. A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 1004 CRS patients (including 638 males and 366 females) who received functional endoscopic sinus surgery. All patients were followed up for more than 2 years, and categorized into subgroups based on phenotype, gender, and postoperative recurrence. Cox regression analysis was performed to evaluate the associations between serum uric acid and the risk of CRS recurrence. After categorization, 104 males had hyperuricemia, and 54 females presented hyperuricemia. The rate of recurrent CRS in the hyperuricemia group was significantly higher compared to the non-hyperuricemia group in both males and females (P<0.05). In both male and female patients, the rate of hyperuricemia and uric acid levels were elevated in the recurrent CRS group in comparison with the non-recurrent CRS group (P<0.05). Unadjusted and adjusted Cox regression analysis demonstrated that serum uric acid was an independent risk factor for CRS recurrence (P<0.05). The receiver operator characteristic curve showed that serum uric acid was a potential biomarker for predicting the recurrence of CRS and its phenotypes in both genders (P<0.05). There is a close relationship between elevated serum uric acid and the recurrence risk of CRS and its phenotypes, suggesting that serum uric acid may be a novel biomarker for predicting recurrent CRS.

Long-term effects of Preweaning environmental impoverishment on neurobehavioral and neurocognitive outcomes in Sprague Dawley rats: An early environmental stress model

Developmental stress, including low socioeconomic status (SES), can induce dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and result in long-term changes in stress reactivity. Children in lower SES conditions often experience more stress than those in other SES groups. There are multiple model systems of early environmental stress (EES), one of which is reduced cage bedding. Here we tested the effects of both prenatal and lactational EES in rats on a range of long-term behavioral and cognitive outcomes. There were persistent reductions in body weight in the EES rats in both sexes. The behavioral results showed no effects on learning and memory using tests of spatial learning or cognitive flexibility in the Morris water maze, egocentric learning in the Cincinnati water maze, or working memory in the radial-arm maze. There were no effects on basic open-field activity, elevated zero-maze, or forced swim test, but EES rats had reduced time in the dark side of the light/dark test. When rats were drug challenged in the open-field with d-amphetamine or MK-801, there were no differential responses to d-amphetamine, but the EES group under responded compared with the drug-induced hyperactivity in the control group in both males and females. The objective was to establish a developmental stress model that induced cognitive deficits and to the extent that this method did not cause such effects it was not the model we sought. However, the data showed several long-term effects of EES, including the reduced response to the irreversible NMDA antagonist MK-801. This effect merits further investigation.

Higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased vertebral osteoporotic fracture, but reduced hip fracture in men based on the National Health Insurance Service-National Health Screening Cohort

Background ContextLipids are currently known to play an important role in bone metabolism. PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the effect of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) on osteoporotic fractures beyond its beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Study Design/SettingThis was a retrospective, observational study that used data from the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening cohort database. Patient SampleThis study included 318,237 participants who were 50 years or older and with HDL-C levels of 10 to 200 mg/dL. Outcomes MeasuresPhysiologic measure - Diagnosis of osteoporotic fracture during the follow-up period. MethodsThe study participants were categorized into four quartiles according to baseline HDL-C levels. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess osteoporotic fracture risk according to HDL-C levels. ResultsAfter full adjustment and with the Q1 group as the reference group, estimates of hazard ratios (HRs; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for any osteoporotic fracture in men were 1.03 (0.94–1.12), 1.02 (0.93–1.11), and 1.07 (0.98–1.18) for the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups, respectively. After classifying osteoporotic fractures according to the body location, the fully adjusted HRs for vertebral and hip fractures in the men's Q4 groups were 1.16 (1.02–1.31) and 0.74 (0.57–0.96), respectively. In women, fully adjusted HRs (95% CIs) of the female Q4 group for any osteoporotic, vertebral, and hip fractures were 1.03 (0.95–1.11), 0.96 (0.86–1.07), and 1.06 (0.80–1.41), respectively. ConclusionIn this study, HDL-C levels were positively associated with vertebral fractures in both men and women but inversely related to hip fractures in men. Therefore, monitoring the lipid profiles of patients with osteoporosis may be beneficial for the prevention of osteoporotic fractures.

Investigation of Intersegmental Coordination Patterns in Human Walking

BackgroundIntersegmental coordination between thigh, shank, and foot plays a crucial role in human gait, facilitating stable and efficient human walking. Limb elevation angles during the gait cycle form a planar manifold describes the by the planar covariation law, a recognized fundamental aspect of human locomotion. Research QuestionHow does the walking speed, age, BMI, and height, affect the size and orientation of the intersegmental coordination manifold and covariation plane? MethodsThis study introduces novel metrics for quantifying intersegmental coordination, including the mean radius of the manifold, rotation of the manifold about the origin, and the orientation of the plane with respect to the coordinate planes. A statistical investigation is conducted on a publicly available human walking dataset for subjects aged 19-67 years, walking at speeds between 0.18-2.3m.s-1 to determine correlations of the proposed quantities. We used two sample t-test and ANOVA to find statistical significance of changes in the metrics with respect to gender and walking speed, respectively. Regression analysis was used to establish relationships between the introduced metrics and walking speed. ResultsHigh correlations are observed between walking speed and the computed metrics, highlighting the sensitivity of these metrics to gait characteristics. Conversely, negligible correlations are found for demographic parameters like age, body mass index (BMI), and height. Male and female groups exhibit no practically significant differences in any of the considered metrics. Additionally, metrics tend to increase in magnitude as walking speed increases. SignificanceThis study contributes numerical metrics to characterize ISC of lower limbs with respect to walking speed along with regression models to estimate these metrics and related kinematic quantities. These findings hold significance for enhancing clinical gait analysis, generating optimal walking trajectories for assistive devices, prosthetics, or rehabilitation, aiming to replicate natural gaits and improve the functionality of biomechanical devices.

Tacrolimus Related Acute Pancreatitis: An Observational, Retrospective, Pharmacovigilance Study

PurposeRecent case reports have drawn attention to the emergence of acute pancreatitis, a potentially life-threatening complication associated with tacrolimus. This study uses the Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) to investigate the risk signal of acute pancreatitis associated with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), with a focus on tacrolimus. MethodsWe conducted an observational retrospective pharmacovigilance study utilizing the FAERS database, encompassing data from its inception to the third quarter of 2023. The assessment of the association between CNIs and acute pancreatitis was carried out using the Information Component (IC) and Reporting Odds Ratio (ROR). Logistic regression analysis was employed to elucidate factors contributing to fatal outcomes. All analyses were performed using R version 3.2.5. FindingWe identified 221 cases of acute pancreatitis linked to CNIs. The median age of individuals experiencing acute pancreatitis induced by tacrolimus was 43, with a predominant occurrence among male patients. Our study showed a significant association between CNIs and acute pancreatitis (ROR 1.82 [1.60–2.08], IC 0.85 [3.66–3.92]). Comparing tacrolimus and cyclosporine, the signal for tacrolimus seemed to be higher. Further analysis revealed that, with the exception of patients aged 60 and above, the signal for tacrolimus remained stable. Contrastingly, the signal for cyclosporine was unstable and limited to the male group and individuals aged less than 20 years. In cases of CNIs-related acute pancreatitis, the mortality rate was 31.67% (70/221 cases). Logistic regression analysis indicated that a younger age acts as a protective factor for death due to CNIs-related acute pancreatitis (OR 0.943, 95% CI 0.915–0.972, P = 0.000). ImplicationsOur study has identified a safety signal for tacrolimus in relation to acute pancreatitis. Additionally, we observed advanced age as a significant risk factor for tacrolimus-related acute pancreatitis, leading to mortality. Given the widespread use of tacrolimus, it is crucial for healthcare providers to be vigilant and informed about the potential association with acute pancreatitis.

A Comparative Study on Gender Differences in the Effects of Self-myofascial Release Using a Foam Roller on Soft Tissue Stiffness and Joint Range of Motion

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of gender differences in the acute effects of self-myofascial release (SMFR) using a foam roller on soft tissue stiffness and range of motion (ROM).METHODS Twenty-four participants, comprising 12 men and 12 women, were recruited from the M Exercise Center in Seoul. Soft tissue stiffness and ROM were measured before and after SMFR treatment to assess its acute effects.RESULTS Following SMFR application, no significant differences were observed in soft tissue stiffness or joint ROM among female participants. However, significant differences were observed in the male group regarding the range of motion (ROM) of plantar flexion in the prone position (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.023) and dorsiflexion in the supine position (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.001), as well as plantar flexion (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.023). Covariance analysis comparing gender differences revealed significant variations between groups in the achilles tendon (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.033) and medial side of the gastrocnemius muscle (&lt;i&gt;p&lt;/i&gt;=.032). Apart from these findings, no significant differences were observed between genders in soft tissue stiffness and joint ROM.CONCLUSIONS Thus, two sets of 30-second SMFR sessions can be deemed sufficiently effective for increasing ankle joint ROM in males. However, further research is warranted to extend these findings to females. Given the inconclusive results regarding soft tissue stiffness across genders, future studies should explore this phenomenon with larger sample sizes.

Troponin I, Hyperlipidemia and Obesity as Predictor of Cardiovascular Complications: A Cross Sectional Study

High levels of Troponin I, cholesterol, triglycerides, Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Body Mass Index (BMI) are predictor of cardiac complications. Objective: To investigate the predictive efficacy of Troponin I, BMI, and lipid profiles in detecting cardiovascular problems. Methods: 300 male and female individuals were selected for current study. 100 normal individuals were in Control Group A, while 100 participants were placed in Group B all the individuals of Group B have the indications of different cardiac medical complications. BMI, systolic, diastolic blood pressure, Troponin I, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL levels were measured respectively. Results: In present study BMI, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, Troponin I, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL blood serum levels of male and female in Group A and Group B were measured, the comparative analysis of above biomarkers showed a significant p-Value ≤ 0.05 change (0.02 ± 0.01, 183.01 ± 0.02, 120.01 ± 0.02, 87.01 ± 0.03, 44.01 ± 0.01), (0.02 ± 0.01, 172.01 ± 0.02, 130.01 ± 0.01, 88.01 ± 0.03, 42.01 ± 0.04), (0.39 ± 0.04, 272.01 ± 0.02, 180.01 ± 0.01, 138.01 ± 0.03, 37.01 ± 0.01) and ( 0.37 ± 0.04, 282.01 ± 0.02, 184.01 ± 0.01, 141.01 ± 0.03, 36.01 ± 0.01) were measured respectively. Conclusions: The present study found that there were notable significant p-value &lt;0.05 differences in the blood serum levels of BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, Troponin I, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, and HDL in both the male and female groups in Groups A and B

Rat PKU Model Display Gender-Based Neuroinflammatory Changes: Proinflamatuary Cytokines and Lipid Peroxidation

Phenylketonuria (PKU) results from congenital defects of amino acid metabolism. Accumulated phenylalanine crosses the blood-brain barrier and causes permanent brain damage, but the neuro-pathophysiology underlying phenylketonuria is not fully understood. Chemically-induced rat phenylketonuria model of both genders was generated to examine the role of inflammatory response, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex. Our results showed that in phenylketonuria there was an increase in lipid peroxidation compared to controls, which was significantly different only in males (p&amp;lt;0.001). In male rat PKU groups, statistically significant differences were also observed in serum tryptophan (p&amp;lt;0.001) and interleukin-1β levels (p=0.014) as compared to male controls. In this study, gender-based changes in neuroinflammation and lipid peroxidation were reported for the first time in a PKU model.