Nonspecific Factors Research Articles

Renal Outcome of PCR Confirmed Covid Patient with Renal Impairment-A Hospital Based Observational Study

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected nephrology. Firstly, dialysis patients appear to be at increased risk for infection due to viral transmission next to an enhanced risk for mortality as compared to the general population, even in the face of an often apparently mild clinical presentation. Derangements in the innate and adaptive immune systems may be responsible for a reduced antiviral response, whereas chronic activation of the innate immune system and endothelial dysfunction provide a background for a more severe course. The presence of severe comorbidity, older age, and a reduction of organ reserve may lead to a rapid deterioration of the clinical situation of the patients in case of severe infection. Secondly, patients with COVID-19 are at increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI), which is related to the severity of the clinical disease. The presence of AKI, and especially the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT), is associated with an increased risk of mortality. AKI in COVID-19 has a multifactorial origin, in which direct viral invasion of kidney cells, activation of the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system, a hyperinflammatory response, hypercoagulability, and nonspecific factors such as hypotension and hypoxemia may be involved. Apart from logistic challenges and the need for strict hygiene within units, treatment of patients with ESRD and COVID-19 is not different from that of the general population. Extracorporeal treatment of patients with AKI with RRT can be complicated by frequent filter clotting due to the hypercoagulable state, for which regional citrate coagulation provides a reasonable solution. Also, acute peritoneal dialysis may be a reasonable option in these patients. Whether adjuncts to extracorporeal therapies, such as hemoadsorption, provide additional benefits in the case of severely ill COVID-19 patients needs to be addressed in controlled studies.

MYCOPLASMATIC (ENZOOTIC) PNEUMONIA OF PIGS AS A HEALTH PROBLEM IN FATTENING UNITS

Mycopasmatic or enzootic pneumonia is the most common disease of the respiratory system under in the intensive pig production. It is clinically manifested by coughing, a chronic inflammatory process in the lungs, high morbidity and a relatively low percentage of deaths. The infection can be transmitted horizontally and vertically. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae invades the epithelial cells of the trachea, bronchi, bronchioles and alveoli and disrupts the function of the ciliary body. Evagination of epithelial cells occurs, so that the cleansing of the airway mucosa by the mucociliary apparatus is inhibited. As a result, bacterial complications (Pasteurella, Bordetella, Klebsiella, Actinobacillus, Hemophilus) are common.M.hyopneminia can play imortant role in PRDC. The development of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is favoured by large congregations of pigs in small spaces, inadequate environmental conditions (microclimate), parasitic infections and inadequate nutrition. Mycoplasma hyopneumonia can be a significant health problem on the fattening farm, exacerbated by the influence of non-specific factors as well as the spread of other bacterial pathogens.

The use of aromatherapy in pediatric practice

Aromatherapy is a method of treatment using natural essential oils injected into the body through the respiratory tract, skin and (or) mucous membranes. Currently, about 3,000 essential oil plants have been studied, from which over 500 organic compounds have been isolated and identified, the number of which in the composition of one essential oil can vary from 120 to 500, and no essential oil has yet been fully investigated.
 Essential oils are multicomponent organic compounds of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones and other hydrocarbons produced by essential oil plants. Biologically active substances of essential oils have a low molecular weight and therefore easily penetrate the skin through the bloodstream. The effect exerted on a person by essential oils is determined in two ways ― neuro-reflex and humoral. Each essential oil is multifunctional. The composition of essential oils can include up to 300 components, so they can have several medicinal properties at the same time, but there is a general trend in the action of essential oils. All of them have immunomodulatory, pronounced bactericidal and antiseptic effects, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.
 In medical practice, the method of hardware aromatherapy is used, the active factor of which is a therapeutic respiratory environment that simulates the natural air background over plants. The study of the effect of essential oils in children's institutions showed their positive effect on the general condition of children, emotional tone, immunological reactivity and nonspecific protection factors, the frequency and severity of respiratory pathology, the course of the adaptation period. The beneficial effect of the complex effect of aromatherapy in the sensory room is shown.
 Thus, the high efficiency of hardware aromatherapy, good tolerability, the availability of domestic equipment allows us to recommend the method for wide use in therapeutic and preventive and sanatorium-resort institutions.

The study of the pharmacological activity of a cream with a white willow bark extract on the model of contact non-allergic dermatitis

Despite the achievements of medicine, dermatological skin diseases are an urgent problem today as the incidence rate increases annually. A promising direction of modern pharmacotherapy of dermatoses is the creation of innovative etiotropic topical agents on a plant basis. Aim. To study the pharmacological activity of a combined cream with a white willow (Salix alba L.) bark extract and zinc perithionate under the conditional name “Pyrisalix” against the background of the experimental non-allergic dermatitis induced by turpentine oil. Materials and methods. As the study object, a cream made with the active substances of a thick extract of white willow bark and zinc perithionate on a cream base was used; it corresponded to the pharmacotechnological indicators by colloidal, thermal stability and the description of oil/water (20 % of the oil phase). The model of alternative chronic inflammation, non-allergic contact dermatitis, was induced in white non-linear rats by daily application of turpentine oil to the depilated area. The effectiveness of the “Pyrisalix” cream was evaluated based on the total leukocyte count, the peripheral blood leukocyte composition, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), including the leukocyte-ESR ratio index (LI-ESR), the skinfold thickness, and the skin cover condition. In our experiment, the phagocytic activity of granulocytic neutrophils in a leukocyte suspension obtained from heparinized blood was determined to assess the activity of nonspecific immune factors. Results. The emulsion base of the cream has been determined, according to which the product developed has thermal and colloidal stability. In the course of studying the pharmacological activity of the “Pyrisalix” cream on themodel of non-allergic skin inflammation based on the dynamics of local manifestations of contact dermatitis, hematological, and immunological parameters, it has been found that the “Pyrisalix” cream has a pronounced preventive and therapeutic effect due to its anti-inflammatory and immunological properties. In the experimental conditions, the anti-alterative action of the cream on the emulsion oil/water base studied was equal to or even significantly exceeded the activity of the reference drugs – “Fladex” ointment and “Psorikap” cream by the intensity of inhibition of inflammatory processes in the skin, reduction in total leukocyte count, and normalization of the functional activity of granulocytic neutrophils. Conclusions. The combined cream “Pyrisalix” on the emulsion oil/water base demonstrates a significant antiinflammatory activity on the model of non-allergic contact dermatitis. The combined cream “Pyrisalix” is a promising agent for further study in the treatment of dermatoses.

Depression in Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Depression, a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD), is often underdiagnosed and can significantly impact the quality of life (QOL) and treatment outcomes. Specific disease-related factors and non-specific factors may contribute to depression, and these factors should be identified early to plan the appropriate interventions that promote positive mood. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of depression in PD patients and to find out the factors associated with depression among patients with PD attending the neurology OPD of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Trivandrum. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the neurology OPD of Government Medical College Hospital, Trivandrum, from December 2021 to February 2023. We included patients with PD diagnosed according to the United Kingdom PD Society Brain Bank criteria. We collected data from 220 patients with PD by interview technique. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess depression and anxiety in this study. Staging and the severity of the motor symptoms were assessed using the Hoehn and Yahr scale and the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS UPDRS Part III), respectively. Among 220 patients with PD, 31.8% (95% CI: 4.36-5.40) had depression. The non-specific variables, such as education, living arrangements, and gender, and disease-specific variables, such as the severity of motor symptoms (MDS UPDRS Part III score) and the Hoehn and Yahr staging of PD, had a statistically significant association with depression. Logistic regression analysis showed that the severity of motor symptoms (OR=2.69, p=0.004)) and female gender (OR=1.830, p= 0.05) were the independent factors associated with depression. Depression is a common non-motor symptom of PD that is often underdiagnosed and undertreated and can significantly impact the QOL of patients and their caregivers. Hence, it should be identified early and managed by pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies.

The Effects of Different Carbon Sources on Water Quality, Growth Performance, Hematology, Immune, and Antioxidant Status in Cultured Nile Tilapia with Biofloc Technology

The biofloc technology system (BFT) is considered to be one of the sustainable aquaculture systems, which is based on the principle of nutrient recycling with the addition of a carbon source to give dominance to heterotrophic microorganisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sugar cane molasses and tapioca flour as carbon sources on the water quality, growth, hematology, immune status, and non-specific antioxidant status of Oreochromis juveniles. Methodologically, the experiment was carried out for 10 weeks on 225 juvenile Nile tilapia with initial body weights of 47.0 ± 1.3 g that were randomly distributed in 09 tanks (1000 L) with a stocking density of 25 tilapias per tank; the treatments were: BFT + SM (S molasses), BFT + TF tapioca flour (TF), and a control with no carbon source added. The control group was fed 100% feed, while the BFT experimental groups were fed microbial flocs along with 75% feed. The results revealed that the water quality parameters were affected by the carbon sources, but were adequate for normal fish welfare, and the biofloc volume was higher (28.94) with the TF carbon source. The growth performance, such as weight gain (98.61), survival (99.01), and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) (1.69), was recorded in BFT + TF. Significant improvements in WBCs, HCT, HB, lymphocytes, plasma proteins, albumin, and non-specific immune factors (lysozyme activity, immunoglobulins levels, and ACH50) were observed in biofloc-reared fish with tapioca flour as the carbon source compared to the control and sugarcane molasses groups. Moreover, significant increases in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were found in the biofloc-reared fish with different carbon sources. In conclusion, the use of BFT + TF was found to affect improving the water quality, growth, hematology, immunity, and antioxidant status of juvenile Tilapia.

PsyCARE study: assessing impact, cost-effectiveness, and transdiagnostic factors of the Italian ministry of health’s “psychological bonus” policy

BackgroundThe prevalence of anxiety and depression disorders is surging worldwide, prompting a pressing demand for psychological interventions, especially in less severe cases. Responding to this need, the Italian government implemented the “Psychological Bonus” (PB) policy, allotting 25 million euros for mental health support. This policy entitles individuals to a minimum of four to twelve psychological sessions. In collaboration with the National Board of Italian Psychologists, our study assesses this policy’s effectiveness. Indeed, the PsyCARE study aims to examine the utilization of the Psychological Bonus, evaluate its impact on adult and adolescent participants’ psychological well-being through pre- and post-intervention assessments and six-month follow-up, and conduct a longitudinal cost-effectiveness analysis of this policy. A secondary aim is to investigate the influence of these interventions on transdiagnostic factors, including emotion regulation and epistemic trust.MethodsThe study involves licensed psychotherapists and their patients, both adults and adolescents, benefiting from the Psychological Bonus. Data collection is underway and set to conclude in December 2023. Psychotherapists will provide diagnostic information and assess patient functioning. In addition, patients will be evaluated on mental health aspects such as clinical symptoms, emotion regulation, epistemic trust, and quality of life. We will employ linear mixed-effects models to analyze the outcomes, accounting for both fixed and random effects to capture the hierarchical structure of the data.DiscussionWe anticipate the study’s findings will highlight reduced psychological distress and improved quality of life for participants and demonstrate the Psychological Bonus policy’s cost-effectiveness. The study will gather data on the role of specific versus nonspecific therapeutic factors in psychotherapy while adopting a patient-tailored approach to identify effective therapeutic elements and examine transdiagnostic factors. Overall, this study’s findings will guide future measures within the Italian healthcare system, fostering a psychological health culture and providing valuable insights to the broader public.Study registrationhttps://osf.io/6zk2j

Factors influencing behavioral cough suppression therapy in children with nonspecific chronic cough.

Behavioral cough suppression therapy (BCST) with a speech-language pathologist is a common treatment for chronic nonspecific cough (a.k.a., tic cough) in children. Yet, the outcomes and duration of pediatric BCST have eluded formal investigation. This study examined whether BCST improves cough in children with nonspecific cough and factors that predict the course of treatment. Additionally, the cough characteristics and comorbidities associated with the condition were examined. A retrospective, observational cohort design was utilized. Cough characteristics, medical history, and BCST treatment details and outcomes for 151 children were extracted from the electronic medical record of a large outpatient pediatric otolaryngology clinic. Cough was dry and onset unaccompanied by illness in most cases. Roughly half of patients reported gradual onset and cough proceeded by tickle. On average, patients experienced symptoms for 19 months (SD = 20.09) before diagnosis. Rates of comorbid General Anxiety Disorder were elevated compared to pediatric norms. Additionally, high rates of asthma (22.1%), reflux (62.3%), and disordered sleep breathing (19.2%) were observed. Common findings on laryngoscopy included interarytenoid edema and erythema. Vocal fold changes were observed in 22.9% of children. BCST reduced cough in 92.5% of patients following an average of 1.7 sessions. Comorbid behavioral health diagnoses (p = 0.013) or induced laryngeal obstruction symptoms (p = 0.025) were significant predictors of increased therapy sessions. Cough proceeded by tickle significantly predicted fewer sessions in therapy (p = 0.011). Although randomized clinical trials are needed, these data suggest that BCST is a low-risk, effective treatment for children with nonspecific cough.

THE CONTENT OF SECRETORY IMMUNOGLOBULIN A IN BREAST MILK OF PATIENTS WITH LACTATIONAL MASTITIS

Introduction. The protective function of breast milk is provided by a number of specific and non-specific anti-infective factors: secretory immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulins A, G, M, E, cellular elements (neutrophils, lymphocytes, macrophages), cytokines, lactoferrin, lysozyme, oligosaccharides, bifido- and lactobacteria, antioxidants and.
 The main class of human milk immunoglobulins is secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), which protects the surfaces of mucous membranes from the penetration of microorganisms, neutralizes toxins and localizes viruses, and stimulates phagocytosis. Currently, information on the local level of secretory immunoglobulin A in the development of the inflammatory process in the mammary gland is not numerous and requires research.
 The aim of the study. To assess the content of secretory IgA in breast milk of patients with lactational mastitis.
 Research metods. The study dealt with breast milk of 97 women aged 18 to 36 (average age: 26±5 years old). The standard indicators of the secretory immunoglobulin A contents in 30 practically healthy lactating women of the same age – the control group – were the issue of the analyses. The first group included 30 women with lactostasis, the second group consisted of 37 women with lactational mastitis. The content of secretory immunoglobulin A was determined by enzyme immunoassay using an automatic STAT FAX 303 plus analyzer.
 Results and discussion. The concentration of sIgA in breast milk with lactostasis is on average 0.72±0.04 mg/ml, which is 3 times higher than the control indicator (0.24±0.02 mg/ml; p<0.05). During the development of lactational mastitis, the level of sIgA is 0.75±0.05 mg/ml, which exceeds the control values by 3.1 times (р<0.05). The content of sIgA in the breast milk of women with lactostasis does not differ from the level of this immunoglobulin in patients with lactational mastitis. A high concentration of sIgA indicates the activation of immune protection on mucous membranes.
 Conclusions. Increased production of secretory immunoglobulin A in breast milk was found in experimental groups compared to practically healthy women, which indicates activation of local humoral immunity as a reaction to infection.

The Effect of Free Radicals on Vitiligo

Vitiligo is a depigmentation disorder that is commonly found in the community. The causes of vitiligo are multifactorial such as genetic and environmental factors accompanied by the presence of non-specific and specific immune system factors. Melanocytes are the main target exposed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the process of melanogenesis. Such exposure can cause loss of homeostasis and cell death and has implications for vitiligo. Clinical manifestations of vitiligo are generally white depigmented macular lesions that are well demarcated. Based on its distribution, vitiligo can be divided into segmental and non-segmental vitiligo different in terms of prognosis, treatment and resolution of vitiligo.

Qualitatively Different Delay-Dependent Working Memory Distortions in People With Schizophrenia and Healthy Control Participants

BackgroundImpairments in working memory (WM) have been well documented in people with schizophrenia (PSZ). However, these quantitative WM impairments can often be explained by nonspecific factors, such as impaired goal maintenance. Here, we used a spatial orientation delayed response task to explore a qualitative difference in WM dynamics between PSZ and healthy control participants (HCs). More specifically, we took advantage of the discovery that WM representations may drift either toward or away from previous trial targets (serial dependence). We tested the hypothesis that WM representations would drift toward the previous trial target in HCs but away from the previous trial target in PSZ. MethodsWe assessed serial dependence in PSZ (n = 31) and HCs (n = 25) using orientation as the to-be-remembered feature and memory delays lasting from 0 to 8 seconds. Participants were asked to remember the orientation of a teardrop-shaped object and reproduce the orientation after a delay period of varying length. ResultsConsistent with prior studies, we found that current trial memory representations were less precise in PSZ than in HCs. We also found that WM for the current trial orientation drifted toward the previous trial orientation in HCs (representational attraction) but drifted away from the previous trial orientation in PSZ (representational repulsion). ConclusionsThese results demonstrate a qualitative difference in WM dynamics between PSZ and HCs that cannot be easily explained by nuisance factors such as reduced effort. Most computational neuroscience models also fail to explain these results because they maintain information solely by means of sustained neural firing, which does not extend across trials. The results suggest a fundamental difference between PSZ and HCs in longer-term memory mechanisms that persist across trials, such as short-term potentiation and neuronal adaptation.

The Perspective of Lymphokines in Disease Diagnosis

Lymphokines is an overview of the various soluble mediators that play a role in the immune system and of their possible interrelationships. Lymphokines and monokines may quite properly be regarded as the hormones and chalones of the immune system. They play a wide variety of biological roles. Similar macromolecules can be produced by cells other than lymphocytes or macrophages, as long as an adequate triggering stimulus is provided. Many nonspecific humoral factors resembling nonspecific lymphokines are found in the hemolymph of a wide variety of invertebrates. Among these are lysozyme and other enzymes, hemagglutinins, immobilizing and cytotoxic substances (lysins), a clotting system, clumping and activating factors for hemocytes, the components of a hemolytic system resembling the alternative complement pathway, virus-inhibiting factors, etc. After the infection or introduction of foreign bodies, there are substantial quantitative and qualitative changes in many of these. The chapter illustrates a hypothetical evolutionary sequence (A-C) showing the derivation of T- and B-cell lineages from undifferentiated primitive wandering cells. It discusses the lymphokine action on target cell functions.

Sex- and age-specific prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in Parkinson's disease.

Although depressive symptoms are common in PD, few studies investigated sex and age differences in depressive symptoms. Our study aimed to explore the sex and age differences in the clinical correlates of depressive symptoms in patients with PD. 210 PD patients aged 50-80 were recruited. Levels of glucose and lipid profiles were measured. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HAMD-17), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III) assessed depressive symptom, cognition and motor function, respectively. Male depressive PD participants had higher fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. Regarding the 50-59years group, depressive patients had higher TG levels. Moreover, there were sex and age differences in the factors associated with severity of depressive symptoms. In male PD patients, FPG was an independent contributor to HAMD-17 (Beta = 0.412, t = 4.118, p < 0.001), and UPDRS-III score was still associated with HAMD-17 in female patients after controlling for confounding factors (Beta = 0.304, t = 2.961, p = 0.004). Regarding the different age groups, UPDRS-III (Beta = 0.426, t = 2.986, p = 0.005) and TG (Beta = 0.366, t = 2.561, p = 0.015) were independent contributors to HAMD-17 in PD patients aged 50-59. Furthermore, non-depressive PD patients demonstrated better performance with respect to visuospatial/executive function among the 70-80years group. These findings suggest that sex and age are crucial non-specific factors to consider when assessing the relationship between glycolipid metabolism, PD-specific factors and depression.

Poster 235: The Role of Symptom Duration in Shaping Outcome Expectations of Patients Initiating Nonoperative Treatment for Meniscal Tear

Objectives: Nonoperative treatment represents a safe, guideline-based approach for meniscal injuries, but it is unclear why or how it works. It is often assumed that nonoperative treatments (e.g., physical therapy) exerts their effects (e.g., symptom relief) via technical procedures (e.g., exercise regimen) but a variety of nonspecific factors (e.g., expectations for treatment and its credibility) commonly part of any treatment (e.g., physical therapy, surgery, pharmacotherapy, behavior therapy, etc.) also influence outcomes. In general, patients who believe a treatment is believable, convincing or logical (credibility) and will be useful for relieving the symptoms for which they seek treatment (outcome expectancy) are more likely to achieve clinically meaningful change than patients with negative expectancies. Patients with low treatment credibility and outcome expectancies not only may be less likely to achieve treatment goals but may also be at greater risk for dropout. Despite evidence supporting their role in pharmacotherapy and behavior therapy, little research has been carried out in understanding the role of treatment credibility and expectancies in shaping successful treatment of rehabilitative treatments for meniscal tears. Utilizing baseline data collected from the Treatment of Meniscal Tears in Osteoarthritis trial we sought to assess treatment credibility and treatment expectancies for improvement of knee symptoms and their clinical and sociodemographic correlates. Given the strong influences of cognitive processes on pain as it persists, our a priori hypothesis was that expectations for symptom improvement would be greater for patients with shorter duration of knee symptoms than those with persistent knee symptoms. Methods: Participants included 126 patients (58 years old (range: 45-75), 51% women, 91% white) who rated credibility of treatment to which they were assigned and expectations for symptom improvement using a modified version of the Credibility Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ-Meniscus Treatment) based on a psychometrically validated measure two weeks post randomization. Ratings were obtained after rationale for treatment was provided but before the full scope of therapy was implemented so as not to contaminate them by treatment response. Credibility ratings were calculated by taking the mean of the first three items of the CEQ to create an overall credibility rating (9-point scale). We adopted the practice of measuring expectancy by using the CEQ-MT that asks patients to rate, on a 0 to 100% scale (in 10-point increments), “By the end of treatment, how much improvement in knee symptoms do you think will occur?” We also examined expectancy items from the Musculoskeletal Outcomes Data Evaluation and Management Scale (MODEMS) that assess pretreatment expectations for relief of knee symptoms and their impact on activities of living (e.g., housework, sleep). Each item had a possible range of 1 (not likely) to 5 (extremely likely). Overall MODEMS symptom expectancy scores were calculated by taking the mean of the first 5 items. Results: Ninety-three percent of the participants completed the survey. On the CEQ-MT, average treatment credibility (Mean = 6.5) and expectancy ratings (Mean = 70%) were high. Similarly, the MODEMS expectancies were high, on average (Mean = 4.0). Expectancies for improvement and the extent to which treatment was deemed credible moderately correlated with each other ( r range 0.30 - 0.52, p&lt;.05). Credibility but not outcome expectancy varied by race, with participants identifying as white reporting higher treatment average credibility scores, 5.2 and 6.5, p=.03, respectively. Credibility scores did not vary by knee pain duration. Patients experiencing knee pain for 0-2 months (i.e., acute) expected, on average, that a 76% improvement would occur by the end of therapy, compared with 64% for patients experiencing pain persisting 3 months and longer (i.e., chronic), p=.002. Similarly, mean MODEMS expectancy scores varied by pain duration, with acute patients reporting stronger expectancies of symptom reduction than their chronic counterparts (4.2 and 3.8, p=.002). Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study that has sought to assess systematically baseline levels of perceived treatment credibility and expectations for improvement in a cohort of patient undergoing nonoperative therapy for meniscus tears. Our primary findings are treatment credibility varied by race and that treatment outcome expectancies differed significantly by pain duration (acute vs chronic). Understanding beliefs patients have about treatment is a clinically relevant research focus because they are among the most powerful “common factors” (i.e., those that are not specific to any one treatment but are shared across all) that can influence treatment outcomes above and beyond technical components of a therapy. Their role in contributing to the management of meniscus tear is unknown. Data from this study suggest that common factors such as treatment expectancy may be particularly operative in patients whose knee symptoms following meniscus injuries persists beyond the acute phase.

INFLUENCE OF TECHNOLOGICAL STRESS ON NON-SPECIFIC RESISTANCE OF THE ORGANISM OF COWS

Background. The intensification of animal husbandry leads to a violation of the adaptive capabilities of the body, a decrease in productivity and natural resistance of animals. The study of nonspecific factors of protection of the cow's body will allow us to develop ways to increase the immune status and as additional information can be used in breeding work for the selection of highly resistant parent pairs.&#x0D; Purpose. The study of the cellular and humoral link of nonspecific resistance in the development of a stress reaction in cattle after the action of technological stress on the body of cows.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The work was carried out on 20 clinically healthy highly productive black-and-white cows. The stressor for the cows was the regrouping, the change of attendants, the conduct of veterinary and sanitary manipulations. The total number of leukocytes, leukogram, bactericidal and lysozyme activity of the blood serum of cows were studied by standard clinical and laboratory methods and the morphology of leukocytes on a scanning electron microscope before and 3, 14, 30 days after technological stress.&#x0D; Results. On days 3-14 after stress, leukocytosis, neutrophilia, monocytosis and lymphopenia were detected relative to the initial level. When using high-resolution microscopy using a scanning electron microscope, the appearance of NEToses in the blood of cows after technological stress was detected. A decrease in the bactericidal activity of serum on the 3rd day after stress with its subsequent increase was established, on the contrary, an increase in lysozyme on the 3rd day was accompanied by its subsequent decrease by 30 days after the technological stress relative to the initial level.&#x0D; Conclusion. The data obtained indicate that the body's defenses are a dynamic physiological indicator, which must be considered as a general resistance of the cattle body to stressors in order to prevent the disruption of the body's adaptive capabilities.

Timing of cognitive effects on afterdischarge termination

ObjectiveWe previously studied efficacy of cognitive tasks on afterdischarge termination in patients undergoing cortical stimulation and found that diffuse wavelet cross-coherence changes on electrocorticography were associated with termination efficacy. We now report wavelet cross-coherence findings during different time segments of trials during which afterdischarges ended. MethodsFor 12 patients with implanted subdural electrodes, we compared wavelet cross-coherence findings among several 1-second portions of cognitive tasks, reflecting task presentation, patient replies, and afterdischarge termination. ResultsCoherence decreased significantly and progressively over time for 16.89, 22.53, and 30.03 Hz frequency ranges, but increased with afterdischarge termination. Coherence first increased, and then decreased for the 7.13 Hz frequency range. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that cumulative but non-specific factors, likely related primarily to attention, influence the coherence results throughout the task, with a separate effect due to resolution of the afterdischarges at the end. SignificanceTask performance is well known to localize to specific brain regions and to be restricted in timing. In contrast, attention and overall mental activation might be due to emergent properties of brain as a whole and that are less circumscribed in space or time. Cognitive tasks might modify seizures and other neurological disorders.

Investigation of Active Ingredients Within Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression

There is limited understanding of how complex evidence-based psychological interventions such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression work. Identifying active ingredients may help to make therapy more potent, brief, and scalable. To test the individual main effects and interactions of 7 treatment components within internet-delivered CBT for depression to investigate its active ingredients. This randomized optimization trial using a 32-condition, balanced, fractional factorial optimization experiment (IMPROVE-2) recruited adults with depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] score ≥10) from internet advertising and the UK National Health Service Improving Access to Psychological Therapies service. Participants were randomized from July 7, 2015, to March 29, 2017, with follow-up for 6 months after treatment until December 29, 2017. Data were analyzed from July 2018 to April 2023. Participants were randomized with equal probability to 7 experimental factors within the internet CBT platform, each reflecting the presence vs absence of specific treatment components (activity scheduling, functional analysis, thought challenging, relaxation, concreteness training, absorption, and self-compassion training). The primary outcome was depression symptoms (PHQ-9 score). Secondary outcomes include anxiety symptoms and work, home, and social functioning. Among 767 participants (mean age [SD] age, 38.5 [11.62] years; range, 18-76 years; 635 women [82.8%]), 506 (66%) completed the 6-month posttreatment follow-up. On average, participants receiving internet-delivered CBT had reduced depression (pre-to-posttreatment difference in PHQ-9 score, -7.79 [90% CI, -8.21 to -7.37]; 6-month follow-up difference in PHQ-9 score, -8.63 [90% CI, -9.04 to -8.22]). A baseline score-adjusted analysis of covariance model using effect-coded intervention variables (-1 or +1) found no main effect on depression symptoms for the presence vs absence of activity scheduling, functional analysis, thought challenging, relaxation, concreteness training, or self-compassion training (posttreatment: largest difference in PHQ-9 score [functional analysis], -0.09 [90% CI, -0.56 to 0.39]; 6-month follow-up: largest difference in PHQ-9 score [relaxation], -0.18 [90% CI, -0.61 to 0.25]). Only absorption training had a significant main effect on depressive symptoms at 6-month follow-up (posttreatment difference in PHQ-9 score, 0.21 [90% CI, -0.27 to 0.68]; 6-month follow-up difference in PHQ-9 score, -0.54, [90% CI, -0.97 to -0.11]). In this randomized optimization trial, all components of internet-delivered CBT except absorption training did not significantly reduce depression symptoms relative to their absence despite an overall average reduction in symptoms. The findings suggest that treatment benefit from internet-delivered CBT probably accrues from spontaneous remission, factors common to all CBT components (eg, structure, making active plans), and nonspecific therapy factors (eg, positive expectancy), with the possible exception of absorption focused on enhancing direct contact with positive reinforcers. isrctn.org Identifier: ISRCTN24117387.

MARKERS OF IMMUNE INFLAMMATORY REACTION IN PATIENTS WITH GENERALIZED PERIODONTITIS AND CONCOMITANT GOUT

Among the main groups of chronic somatic diseases, it is rheumatological diseases that make the biggest contribution to the aggravation of the health. In the structure of causes for primary disability, rheumatological pathology ranks the second position after cardiovascular diseases. Gout is a chronic, progressive disease associated with a purine metabolism disorder, characterized by an increase in the level of uric acid in the blood (hyperuricemia) and deposition in the tissues of the musculoskeletal system and internal organs of the sodium salt of uric acid (urates) with the development of acute arthritis and the formation of gouty nodules (tophus). Gout and periodontitis are inflammatory diseases by their genesis and characterized by an underlying inflammation, which is known as a protective response triggered by cellular damage caused by inflammatory agents and activation of non-specific resistance factors. This study aimed at investigating the markers of the immune-inflammatory reaction in patients with comorbidity of generalized periodontitis and gout. The results obtained can serve as essential elements for the development of effective treatment and prevention strategies for this type of comorbidity. A biochemical study was conducted on venous blood samples from 60 male inpatients with gout aged from 30 to 59 years, who received treatment at the rheumatology department of Lviv Regional Clinical Hospital. Two study groups were formed: the main group consisted of 30 patients with the comorbidity of generalized periodontitis and gout; the comparison group included 30 people with generalized periodontitis but without rheumatological pathology. The results were compared with data obtained from 20 healthy individuals (control group). The patients with generalized periodontitis and concomitant gout demonstrate a significant increase in the levels of the acute-phase protein C-RB and pro-inflammatory interleukin IL-1β. The elevated concentration of C-reactive protein confirms the presence of latent inflammation that can be potentially attributed to the comorbid course of gout and periodontitis, which may irritate the endothelium through microcrystals of uric acid and toxins from periodontal pocket microorganisms. Increased activity of IL-1β, which is known as an important factor in initiating the inflammatory process and the release of various inflammatory mediators, indicates the presence of persistent subclinical activation of autoinflammatory mechanisms.

Testing an integrated dimensional model of adverse childhood experiences: Associations with COVID-19 outcomes

BackgroundAdverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are a salient risk factor for a myriad of negative outcomes. Extant theoretical and empirical models traditionally quantify the impact of ACEs using cumulative representations. Recent conceptualizations challenge this framework and theorize that the types of ACEs children are exposed to differentially impacts their future functioning. ObjectiveThe current study tested an integrated ACEs model using parent-report of child ACEs across four aims: (1) characterize heterogeneity in child ACEs using a latent class analysis (LCA); (2) examine mean level class differences in COVID specific and COVID non-specific environmental factors (i.e., COVID impact, ineffective parenting, effective parenting) and internalizing and externalizing problems during the COVID pandemic; (3) test interactions between COVID impact and ACEs classes in predicting outcomes, and (4) compare a cumulative risk approach to a class membership approach. Participants and settingA nationally representative sample of U.S. parents (N = 796; 51.8 % fathers, M age = 38.87 years, 60.3 % Non-Hispanic White) completed a cross-sectional survey about themselves and one child (5–16 years old) between February–April 2021. MethodMeasures of child's ACEs history, COVID impact, effective and ineffective parenting, and children's internalizing and externalizing problems were completed by parents. ResultsA LCA demonstrated three distinct classes of ACEs reflecting low-risk, trauma-risk, and environmental-risk classes. In general, the trauma-risk class had more negative COVID-19 outcomes than the other classes (small to large effect sizes). ConclusionsThe classes differentially related to outcomes, providing support for dimensions of ACEs and emphasizing the distinct types of ACEs.

Searching for biomarkers in the fluidity of mental ill-health.

Searching for biomarkers in the fluidity of mental ill-health.