Tolerance Scores Research Articles

Challenges in sunflower breeding for cold tolerance

Introduction. Sunflower is grown as an oilseed crop worldwide. For sunflower production, it is vital to have cold-tolerant hybrids. An appropriate method to assess cold tolerance is a prerequisite for successful breeding of cold-tolerant sunflower.
 Purpose and Objectives. To evaluate cold tolerance of sunflower in the laboratory and its tolerance in the field, to identify promising combinations, to assess the capacity of a laboratory test to predict tolerance of sunflower in the field and to verify relationships of cold tolerance with ripeness group and yield.
 Materials and Methods. Sunflower was grown in compliance with standard farming techniques. In total, 192 F1 hybrids were obtained. The lines and hybrids were screened for ability to germinate at above-zero low temperature by laboratory test. The field tolerance at the initial stages of plant growth was determined with a 9-point scale. Relationships between the investigated parameters were analyzed by linear regression.
 Results and Discussion. The highest field tolerance at the initial stages of plant growth was recorded for Kh4713V, Skh777А and Skh808А lines. However, they only conferred tolerance to some of their hybrids. On the other hand, several hybrids were fairly tolerant in the field though the tolerance scores of their parental lines ranged 1 to 5 points. There was no relationship between the ‘emergence – anthesis’ period and cold tolerance. A great degree of uncertainty is associated with predicting field tolerance of sunflower from its cold tolerance assessed by laboratory test. This laboratory test cannot be used to predict field tolerance of either lines or hybrids. There was a strong positive correlation between the field tolerance and seed yield in the lines, but the correlation coefficient for the hybrids indicated no significant correlation between these parameters.
 Conclusions. At non-freezing low temperatures, the yield of the inbred sunflower lines was positively correlated with the field tolerance score at the early stages of plant growth and development. There was no significant difference in responses of early- and medium-ripening sunflower genotypes to cold exposure. Lakhanov’s cold germination test is not appropriate for evaluation of field tolerance in sunflower lines and hybrids.

Evaluating a Tailored 12-Week Post-Operative Rehabilitation Program for Younger Patients Following Total Knee Arthroplasty: Addressing a Growing Need

Background: The prevalence of total knee arthroplasties (TKA) is rising, especially among younger patients due to sports-related injuries and early osteoarthritis onset. Post-operative outcomes in younger patients show promise, but current rehabilitation approaches lack specificity for this group. This study aims to evaluate a post-operative rehabilitation program tailored for younger TKA recipients.; Methods: Patients from a single arthroplasty center who underwent TKA were age and sex-matched into two groups: Group A with an advanced 12-week rehabilitation program and Group B with a standard rehabilitation program. Eligibility required participants to be under 60 and ready for a specific TKA type, with assessments at baseline and 12 weeks post-operative using the KSS, KOOS, and the SF-36 scales. Results: At the 12-week follow-up, Group A, having received the advanced rehabilitation protocol, showed significantly higher KOOS (A: 85.1 ± 8.7 vs. B: 83.7 ± 11.1; p=0.042) and KSS (A: 82.9 ± 8.4 vs. B: 78.7 ± 9.2; p=0.020) scores than Group B. Both groups demonstrated marked improvements with an attendance rate of 88% (A) compared to 82% (B), although we found no significant difference in overall mean tolerability scores between the groups. Conclusions: Patients undergoing advanced rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty showed significant improvements compared to standard protocols. Despite minor variations influenced by social determinants, the advanced protocol was more effective in post-operative recovery.

Associations between shade tolerance and wood specific gravity for conifers in contrast to angiosperm trees: Foundations of the conifer fitness-enhancing shade tolerance hypothesis.

For decades, researchers have held that wood specific gravity was an indicator or surrogate for both shade tolerance and successional status. However, recent research in dry tropical forests has shown very different associations regarding wood specific gravity. Past analyses of the tolerance and wood properties of tree species have focused on pooled coniferous and angiosperm species in temperate regions; fewer analyses have been conducted separately for conifers and angiosperm species. A database was compiled for the wood properties and/or tolerance scores of 542 temperate Northern Hemisphere conifer and angiosperm trees. Plant strategy was defined by shade tolerance (T shade), drought tolerance (T drought), and polytolerance (T poly = T shade + T drought) and fundamental wood properties were represented by basic specific gravity (SGbasic), relative stiffness (MOE/SGbasic), and relative strength (MOR/SGbasic). Simple linear regressions tested the significance (p < .05) of correlations between plant strategy and wood properties. Conifers, unlike angiosperm trees, showed a negative correlation between T shade and SGbasic and a positive correlation between T shade and both MOE/SGbasic and MOR/SGbasic. Only angiosperm trees had a significant correlation between T poly and both SGbasic and MOE/SGbasic, but both conifers and angiosperm trees had a significant correlation between T drought and both SGbasic and MOE/SGbasic. Shade tolerance, as a plant strategy, has functional implications for wood properties in temperate Northern Hemisphere conifers but not in associated angiosperms. The implied functional link between wood properties (SGbasic) and shade tolerance hypothetically extends to other fitness-enhancing traits impacted by SGbasic, such as growth rates and species maximum height.

Interests, beliefs, experience and perceptions shape tolerance towards impacts of recovering predators

Abstract The modification of landscapes is increasing the interface between humans and wildlife, while conflicts concerning predator impacts on human activities persist. Some previously persecuted but now protected predator species are experiencing recovery and range expansion. Tolerance is considered essential for achieving coexistence between humans and wildlife; however, its conceptualisation remains unresolved. Little is known about tolerance in the context of recovering predators, particularly which drivers are relevant to all or specific species and human interests. Using an online questionnaire survey shared with members of organisations with interests in rural land‐based activities, we collected data on interests and beliefs, and attitudes, perceptions, experience and management preferences for six recovering vertebrate predators in the United Kingdom (n = 819). We created a species tolerance score representing the management choices of the respondents in different conflict scenarios, which differed in the degree of impact on the predator population. Our species tolerance score was characterised by a complex combination of the interests and beliefs of the respondents about wildlife management, perceptions and experience of that species (perceived benefits, population trend, positive and negative experience, indirect negative experience) and negative experience of other recovering predators. We found a tolerance gradient between interest groups with notable overlap between groups with primary interests in wildlife conservation, shooting, farming and fishing. Although higher perceived benefits consistently corresponded to higher tolerance, having a negative experience of the species dampened the effect of perceived benefits on tolerance. When both negative personal and indirect experiences were reported, tolerance was dramatically reduced. The classification of species from least to most tolerated was consistent between interest groups. The application of our species tolerance score as the normative dimension (i.e. acceptability) in Brenner and Metcalf's (2020) Social Tolerance of Wildlife Framework highlights that tolerance (negative attitude—high acceptability) is potentially rare and more positive attitudes must be achieved before acceptance of the impacts of species can increase. Our findings highlight that considering only primary interests may hinder debates concerning recovering predators. Strategies to reduce negative experiences or change how they are perceived could significantly increase tolerance in combination with increasing positive experiences. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

A brief mind-body intervention to reduce pain and anxiety during prostate needle biopsy: a clinically integrated randomized controlled trial with 2-staged consent

ObjectivesMany patients experience pain, anxiety, and discomfort with prostate biopsy, which may discourage enrollment in active surveillance programs or follow-up biopsy. Guided meditation can significantly reduce pain and anxiety during percutaneous biopsy. We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief mind-body intervention on patient-reported outcomes after prostate biopsy. Methods and materialsWe performed a clinically-integrated randomized controlled trial of a brief mind-body intervention during biopsy compared to usual care at a single tertiary care center from 2018 to 2022. All patients offered transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy in the clinic with local anesthesia were eligible for enrollment. This clinically integrated trial was conducted simultaneously with a randomized controlled trial of 1-stage and 2-stage consent. The primary outcome was patient-reported pain, anxiety, discomfort, and tolerability on a visual-analog scale (0–10). A 15% improvement was prespecified as clinically relevant. We compared the proportion of men in each arm reporting a severe score (7–10) on any of the 4 scales using Fisher's exact test and then compared means for each scale separately using ANCOVA with randomization stratum (first vs. prior biopsy) as a covariate. ResultsOf 263 eligible patients, 238 enrolled (119 per arm). One hundred seventy-two (72%) enrolled with 2-stage consent. A total of 37/94 (39%) and 38/102 (37%) patients randomized to usual care and intervention, respectively, reported severe scores in any of the 4 domains, a difference of 2.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] -13, 17%, P = 0.8). There was no evidence of a difference in mean postbiopsy anxiety (P = 0.3), discomfort (P = 0.09), pain (P = 0.4) or tolerability scores (P = 0.2). ConclusionsA clinically meaningful benefit for this brief mind-body intervention during prostate biopsy is unlikely. Robust patient enrollment is feasible using 2-stage consent.

Wild barley genomic resources for drought adaptability and quality improvement

Wild species of crop plants may contain genes for adaptation to environmental stresses. Wild barley, with higher yield stability and better adaptation to climate change, is a valuable novel gene source for improving drought tolerance, grain quality, and commercial applications. In this research, nested backcross populations (NBP) were developed by crossing 21 wild barley accessions to the Ryhan03 cultivar, and the F1 progenies were backcrossed to Ryhan03 once. Screening of the 443 NBP developed lines was performed based on stress tolerance score (STS) and grain yield during two BC1F3 and BC1F4 generations, then 95 drought-tolerant and susceptible lines were selected for further evaluation in the BC1F5 generation under two water conditions. Efficient NBP strategy might be valuable for developing improved barley cultivars for nutritional quality and drought tolerance. Reasonable diversity among the BC1F5 families demonstrated that strict selection for beta-glucan content, drought tolerance, and yield is feasible and successful. The considerable variation observed for quality-related traits was significant for achieving the desired advanced barley lines to meet various consumption preferences. Wild donors contributed several favorable alleles to quality traits and drought tolerance. Progeny lines T42, T5, T60, and T35 were introduced as high-yielding, drought-tolerant lines with high beta-glucan content.

Morphological characterization and screening of Impatiens wild species for heat tolerance

Impatiens sp. is an annual plant that flowers all year round. High temperature stress is a major challenge limiting crop productivity. The research was conducted at experiment garden in Palasari Cipanas, BRIN, Indonesia, at an altitude of 1000 ASL, from January - April 2023. The aim of the research was to explore the morphological variation of Impatiens wild species and to obtain some heat tolerance accession for next breeding program. Twenty nine accession of Impatiens were observed for the qualitative and quantitative data including the evaluation of heat tolerance. Twelve qualitative characters were recorded. The qualitative characters were analyzed as degree of similarity. DICE Similarity coefficient of qualitative data was 0.06. Broad variability in the genotypic, phenotypic variances and genetic advance was found for leaf length, leaf width and heat tolerance score. Of the electrolyte leakage analyses, it was found that flower length, ventral petal length width, lateral petal length and spur length positively support the high tolerance of Impatiens accession to heat stress. The darker color of the stem, anther, and bract is followed by a reduction in the dimension of flower width, lateral petal width, dorsal petal width and spur length but the increased leaf thicknesses. There was no direct correlation between the heat tolerance score and the leaf thickness. The largest data diversity explained by 3 factors with a total variance of 68.88 %.

Application and effectiveness of an improved endoscopically guided nasojejunal tube placement technique in critically ill patients: a retrospective cohort study.

The endoscopic nasojejunal (NJ) placement plays a pivotal role in the nutritional support of critically ill patients. However, the conventional endoscopy-guided tube insertion method presents issues of excessive procedural duration. We have enhanced the traditional endoscopy-guided catheter placement method, enabling a faster and more convenient catheter insertion. We improved the traditional endoscopically guided technique by incorporating an extra silk thread knot at the 25 cm mark on the jejunal segment of the NJ tube to assist endoscopists in accurate tube placement. We conducted the improved NJ tube placement on critically ill patients in need of enteral nutrition (EN). Laboratory data were retrospectively collected before and after the 7-day period of NJ tube placement and EN treatment to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the improved method. A total of 88 critically ill patients, with an average age of 59.6±15.5 years, and a male ratio of 86.4%, who underwent the improved NJ tube placement method were enrolled into analysis finally, achieving a 100% success rate of NJ tube insertion. The average time for tube insertion was 5.9±2.2 min, with a mean insertion depth of 108.8±12.5 cm. The EN tolerance score was 0.79±0.98. Following 7 days of EN therapy, the patients showed significant improvement in serum albumin levels compared to baseline (36.42 vs. 33.66 g/L, P<0.001). The improved endoscopically guided NJ tube placement technique is a rapid and safe procedure with excellent patient tolerance. It significantly improves the nutritional status of critically ill patients and facilitates the administration of EN, which requires further validation through randomized controlled trials.

Determination of low‐temperature stress during the vegetative stage as a tool to predict plant yield in rice genotypes with contrasting tolerance levels

AbstractIn this study, the first aim was to develop a rapid and non‐destructive method for analysing rice genotypes' tolerance to low temperatures (LT) during the seedling stage. Using a growth parameter and a physiological parameter, a discriminant formula was developed to differentiate between tolerant and sensitive genotypes based on their LT tolerance score. The study identified several benefits of the discriminant formula, including its low classification error rate, scalability, and ability to be used in controlled and reduced environments. Additionally, a second study was conducted, which found a strong correlation between the LT tolerance score during the seedling stage and plant yield at the ripening stage in plants grown under field LT during the vegetative stage. Panicle weight was the main mediator of the effect of the LT tolerance score on plant yield, but the number of panicles per plant also played a role. Overall, the results suggest that the LT tolerance score can serve as an indirect selection factor for plants for both LT tolerance and plant yield. This is especially relevant for rice‐growing regions with temperate climates and LT at the beginning of the cultivation season.

Perceptions of the crowded sky as assessed through response to aerial infrastructure

Ever increasing numbers of wind turbines, communication towers, power lines, and aerial vehicles are clear evidence of our growing reliance on infrastructure in the lower aerosphere. As this infrastructure expands, it is important to understand public perceptions of an increasingly crowded sky. To gauge tolerance for aerial crowding, 251 participants from across the US completed a survey where they rated tolerance for a series of aerial infrastructure images (i.e., towers, turbines, and airborne vehicles) in four landscapes with varying degrees of pre-existing ground-level infrastructure that approximated rural, suburban, and urban settings. We predicted lower tolerance for aerial infrastructure 1) in more natural scenes and 2) among rural residents. In general, participants preferred an open aesthetic with relatively little aerial infrastructure across all landscape types. No clear association was found between infrastructure tolerance and natural scenes nor rural residency, with participants slightly less tolerant of infrastructure in the suburban scene. Tolerance scores were generally similar across age, income levels, and political affiliations. Women indicated less crowding tolerance than men, with this effect driven by a disproportionate number of women with zero tolerance for aerial infrastructure. African Americans and Asians had higher tolerance scores than other racial/ethnic groups, but these trends may have been affected by low sample sizes of non-white participants. Our survey revealed fewer differences in crowding tolerance across demographic groups than might be expected given widely reported political and geographic polarization in the U.S. Attitudes toward aerial infrastructure were varied with few associations with demographic parameters suggesting that public opinion has not yet solidified with regard to this issue, making possible opportunities for consensus building with regard to responsible development of aerial infrastructure.

An Open-Label Study of Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation on Behavioral Regulation in a Mixed Neurodevelopmental Clinical Cohort.

Individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders often report disturbances in the autonomic nervous system (ANS)-related behavioral regulation, such as sensory sensitivity, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation. Cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) is a method of non-invasive neuromodulation presumed to modify behavioral regulation abilities via ANS modulation. Here we examined the feasibility and preliminary effects of a 4-week CES intervention on behavioral regulation in a mixed neurodevelopmental cohort of children, adolescents, and young adults. In this single-arm open-label study, 263 individuals aged 4-24 who were receiving clinical care were recruited. Participants received at-home CES treatment using an Alpha-Stim® AID CES device for 20 minutes per day, 5-7 days per week, for four weeks. Before and after the intervention, a parent-report assessment of sensory sensitivities, emotion dysregulation, and anxiety was administered. Adherence, side effects, and tolerance of the CES device were also evaluated at follow-up. Results showed a 75% completion rate, an average tolerance score of 68.2 (out of 100), and an average perceived satisfaction score of 58.8 (out of 100). Additionally, a comparison between pre- and post-CES treatment effects showed a significant reduction in sensory sensitivity, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation in participants following CES treatment. Results provide justification for future randomized control trials using CES in children and adolescents with behavioral dysregulation. CES may be a useful therapeutic tool for alleviating behavioral dysregulation symptoms in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental differences.

Integration of genome-wide association studies reveal loci associated with salt tolerance score of rice at the seedling stage.

Salt threatens rice cultivation in many countries. Hence, breeding new varieties with high salt tolerance is important.A panel of 2,391 rice accessions from the 3K Rice Genome Project was selected to evaluate salt tolerance via the standard evaluation score (SES) in hydroponics under 60mM NaCl at the seedling stage. Three sub-population panels including 1,332, 628, and 386 accessions from the original 2,391 ones were constructed based on low relatedness revealed by a phylogenetic tree generated by Archaeopteryx Tree. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on the entire and sub-population panels using SES data and a selection of 5, 10, 20, and 40% of SNPs selected from the original 1,011,601 SNPs by filtering minor allele frequency > 5% and missing rate < 5%. To perform GWAS, three methods implemented in three different software packages were utilized.Using the integration of GWAS programs, a total of four QTLs associated with SES scores were identified in different panels. Some QTLs co-located with previously detected QTL-related traits. qSES1.1 was detected in three panels, qSES1.3 and qSES2.1 in two panels, and qSES3.1 in one panel through GWAS by all three methods used and selected SNPs. These four QTLs were selected to detect candidate genes. Combining gene-based association study plus haplotype analysis in the entire population and the three sub-populations let us shortlist three candidate genes, viz. LOC_Os01g23640 and LOC_Os01g23680 for qSES1.1, and LOC_Os01g71240 for qSES1.3 region affecting salt tolerance. The identified QTLs and candidate genes provided useful materials and genetic information for future functional characterization and genetic improvement of salt tolerance in rice.

Comparison of a novel mini-oral sulfate tablet and the conventional oral sulfate tablet in bowel preparation for colonoscopy: a prospective, randomized, investigator-blinded, multicenter, non-inferior, phase 3 trial.

The use of conventional oral sulfate tablets (OSTs) has gained popularity; nonetheless, they may be not only inconvenient to swallow but also difficult to dissolve. A novel mini-OST has recently been developed to enhance compliance with conventional OST use. This study aimed to compare the efficacy, tolerability, and safety between mini-OST and conventional OST. This was a prospective, randomized, investigator-blinded, multicenter, and non-inferior phase 3 trial conducted between September 2022 and December 2022. The efficacy, safety, and tolerability were compared between mini-OST and conventional OST. Exactly 83 patients were evaluated based on a full analysis set (FAS), whereas 82 patients were evaluated as a per-protocol set (PPS). With respect to the efficacy of preparation, successful and high-quality preparation was excellent in the mini-OST and conventional OST groups on both FAS and PPS analyses, without significant differences between the two groups. On the FAS analysis, the satisfaction and tolerability scores were high in both groups, without significant differences. The first bowel movement after taking the investigational product occurred 30min earlier in the mini-OST group than in the OST group. Mild, moderate, and severe adverse events (AEs) were comparable between the two groups; however, any AEs were more common in the mini-OST group than in the conventional OST group overall. Compared with conventional OST, the novel mini-OST preparation showed similar efficacy, tolerability, and safety, including mild eight solicited AEs and moderate-to-severe AEs. Clinical trial registration NCT05670470.

Comparing Elicitation Methods of Risk Preferences in Personal Financial Planning: A Field Experiment among Working Adults in Malaysia

Risk preference is an important input in designing investment types or port-folios in personal finance. Although there are many reported risk elicitation methods, the risk preference measure obtained from these methods has not been associated with any behavioural or psychological reasons underlying the choices made. This association is important in providing the underlying theoretical understanding of risk preferences and establishing the robustness of a measure. The present paper attempted to test the consistency of risk preferences between two widely used elicitation methods: Grable and Lytton (1999, 2003) risk tolerance score and probability weighting function in prospect theory (Kahneman &amp; Tversky, 1979; Tversky &amp; Kahneman, 1992). The risk score captures the self-reported willingness to engage in risky investment, and the probability weighting function shows overweighting or underweighting of the probability. We conducted a series of field experiments involving working adults of three main ethnic groups in Malaysia. The results showed consistency in risk preferences between the two methods: high willingness to engage in risk was complemented by optimistic probability weighting, and respondents with low willingness to engage in risky investment evaluated high probability more favourably. The study is useful to financial professionals when implementing the questionnaire to measure risk preferences.

Nasal continuous positive pressure versus simple face mask oxygenation for adult obese and obstructive sleep apnea patients undergoing colonoscopy under propofol-based general anesthesia without tracheal intubation: A randomized controlled trial

Study objectiveTo determine if a nasal positive airway pressure (nasal CPAP) mask would decrease the number of hypoxemic events in obese and obstructive sleep apnea patients undergoing colonoscopy. DesignSingle-center prospective randomized controlled trial. SettingTertiary academic center. PatientsWe enrolled 109 patients with diagnosis of obesity and/or obstructive sleep apnea scheduled to undergo colonoscopy under propofol general anesthesia without planned tracheal intubation. InterventionPatients were randomly allocated (1:1 ratio) to receive supplementary oxygen at a flow of 10 L/min, either through a nasal CPAP or a simple facemask. MeasurementsThe primary endpoint was the difference in the mean percentage of time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% between the two groups. Secondary outcomes included the need for airway maneuvers/interventions, average SpO2 during the case, duration and severity of oxygen desaturation, incidence and duration of procedural interruptions, and satisfaction and tolerance scores. Main results54 were allocated to the simple face mask and 55 to the nasal CPAP mask arms, respectively. A total of 6 patients experienced a hypoxemic event. Among these patients, the difference in the percentage of time spent with oxygen saturation below 90% was not clinically relevant (p = 1.0). However, patients in the nasal CPAP group required less chin lift (20% vs. 42.6%; p = 0.01) and oral cannula insertion (12.7% vs.29.6%; p = 0.03). The percentage of patients with at least one airway maneuver was higher in the simple face mask arm (68.5% vs. 41.8%; p = 0.005). Patient tolerance to device score was lower in the nasal CPAP group (8.85 vs. 9.56; p = 0.003). ConclusionsA nasal CPAP did not prevent hypoxemia and should not be used routinely for colonoscopy in obese or OSA patients if a simple face mask is an alternative therapy. However, potential advantages of its use include fewer airway maneuvers or interventions, which may be desirable in certain clinical settings. Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT05175573.

Improving antiepileptic drug tolerability among patients living with epilepsy: the impact of pharmaceutical care services

ABSTRACT Therapeutic management of epilepsy is usually long term; thus, patient tolerability of prescribed antiepileptic drugs should be a major consideration as it affects compliance to therapy. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of pharmaceutical care services on antiepileptic drug tolerability among patients living with epilepsy. This study was an open, randomized, controlled, longitudinal and two-arm parallel prospective study with a 6-month patient follow-up period. Patients were recruited from the neurology and medical out-patient clinics of two selected epilepsy referral centres. Recruited patients were randomized into one of the two study groups: pharmaceutical care (PC) or usual care (UC) groups. Patients in the UC group received the usual care provided in the hospitals, while patients in the PC group received PC services in addition to the usual care provided in the hospitals. The impact of PC on patient tolerability of antiepileptic drugs was evaluated using a patient judged antiepileptic drug tolerabiltity scale. The evaluation was done at baseline (pre-intervention), 3 months and 6 months post-intervention. Patients in the PC group had a significantly lower antiepileptic drug tolerability score than those of the UC group at 3 months and 6 months - (Pre-intervention: 0.97 versus 1.13; t = −1.081; p = 0.281), (3 months: 1.13 versus 0.71; t = 3.084; p = 0.001), (6 months: 1.00 versus 0.60; t = 3.083; p = 0.001), indicating a significant improvement in the tolerability of antiepileptic drugs among those in the PC group over time. Pharmaceutical care interventions that included education and counseling services significantly improved tolerability of antiepileptic drugs among patients living with epilepsy.

Patient tolerance in office-based blue laser therapy for lesions of the vocal folds: Correlation with patients' characteristics, disease type and procedure-related factors.

To report patient tolerance in office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold lesions. A retrospective review of the medical records of patients who underwent office-based blue laser therapy for lesions of the vocal folds between November 2021 and February 2023 was conducted. A total of 48 patients were included. Patient tolerance was assessed using the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale (IOWA). Patient tolerance was analyzed in relation to patients' demographic characteristics, disease type and severity, and procedure-related factors. The mean tolerance score of the study group was 1.51 ± 1.1. There was a significant difference in the mean tolerance score between smokers and non-smokers (p = .038). Patients with vocal fold cyst (n = 3) had the highest mean tolerance score followed by patients with vocal fold polyps (n = 15). There was a nonsignificant difference in the mean tolerance score between benign lesions of the vocal folds and leukoplakia. Patients with lesions extending to more than half the vocal fold had less tolerance than those with lesions limited to less than half the vocal fold (1.91 vs. 1.27, p value .041). There was a moderate and significant negative correlation between vocal fold movement VAS, swallowing VAS, and tolerance score. The mean total duration of the procedures was 10.38 ± 4.8 min. There was a mild negative correlation between the duration of the procedure and tolerance. Office-based blue laser therapy for vocal fold lesions is a well-tolerated procedure. Patient should be instructed how to breathe quietly and avoid swallows to improve tolerance to surgery. 4.

The salience of informed risk: an experimental analysis

PurposeExpanding on the real-world financial market framework and considering the current market turmoil, with cryptocurrencies (where contracts for difference (CFDs) are extremely common) (Hasso et al., 2019) displaying unprecedented volatility, the authors aim to test in an online laboratory setting whether displaying a risk warning message is truly effective in reducing the level of risk taken and whether the placement of this method makes a difference.Design/methodology/approachTo explore the impact of risk disclosure framing on risk-taking behavior, the authors conducted an online pair-wise lottery choice experiment. In addition to manipulating risk awareness through the presence or absence of risk warning messages of varying intensity, the authors also considered dynamic inconsistency, cognitive ability and questionnaire-based financial risk tolerance (FRT) scores. The authors aimed to identify potential relationships between these variables and experimentally elicited risk aversion. The authors' study offers valuable insights into the complex nature of risky decision-making and sheds light on the importance of considering dynamic inconsistency in addition to risk awareness and aversion.FindingsThe authors' results provide statistical evidence for the efficacy of informative and very salient messages in mitigating risky decision, hinting at several policy implications. The authors also provide some statistical evidence in support of the relationship between cognitive abilities and risk preferences. The authors detect that individual with low cognitive abilities scores display great risk aversion.Originality/valueThis study investigates the impact of risk warning messages on investment decisions in an online laboratory setting – a unique approach. However, the authors go beyond this and also examine the potential influence of dynamic inconsistency on decision-making, adding further value to the literature on this topic. To ensure a comprehensive understanding of the participants, the authors collect data on cognitive ability and FRT using questionnaires. This study provides a simple and cost-effective framework that can be easily replicated in future research – a valuable contribution to the field.

Genome-Wide Association Study Identified Candidate Genes for Alkalinity Tolerance in Rice.

Alkalinity stress is a major hindrance to enhancing rice production globally due to its damaging effect on plants' growth and development compared with salinity stress. However, understanding of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of alkalinity tolerance is limited. Therefore, a panel of indica and japonica rice genotypes was evaluated for alkalinity tolerance at the seedling stage in a genome-wide association study to identify tolerant genotypes and candidate genes. Principal component analysis revealed that traits such as alkalinity tolerance score, shoot dry weight, and shoot fresh weight had the highest contribution to variations in tolerance, while shoot Na+ concentration, shoot Na+:K+ ratio, and root-to-shoot ratio had moderate contributions. Phenotypic clustering and population structure analysis grouped the genotypes into five subgroups. Several salt-susceptible genotypes such as IR29, Cocodrie, and Cheniere placed in the highly tolerant cluster suggesting different underlying tolerance mechanisms for salinity and alkalinity tolerance. Twenty-nine significant SNPs associated with alkalinity tolerance were identified. In addition to three alkalinity tolerance QTLs, qSNK4, qSNC9, and qSKC10, which co-localized with the earlier reported QTLs, a novel QTL, qSNC7, was identified. Six candidate genes that were differentially expressed between tolerant and susceptible genotypes were selected: LOC_Os04g50090 (Helix-loop-helix DNA-binding protein), LOC_Os08g23440 (amino acid permease family protein), LOC_Os09g32972 (MYB protein), LOC_Os08g25480 (Cytochrome P450), LOC_Os08g25390 (Bifunctional homoserine dehydrogenase), and LOC_Os09g38340 (C2H2 zinc finger protein). The genomic and genetic resources such as tolerant genotypes and candidate genes would be valuable for investigating the alkalinity tolerance mechanisms and for marker-assisted pyramiding of the favorable alleles for improving alkalinity tolerance at the seedling stage in rice.

A brief mind-body intervention to reduce pain and anxiety during prostate needle biopsy: A randomized, controlled trial with two-staged consent.

e17092 Background: Prostate biopsy is among the most common oncologic procedures performed annually. A substantial proportion of patients experience significant morbidity related to biopsy, including pain, anxiety, and discomfort which may discourage follow-up biopsy crucial for identifying progression or discourage enrollment in active surveillance programs that require serial biopsy. Guided meditation significantly reduces pain and anxiety during breast biopsy. We developed a brief mind-body intervention that could easily integrate into general practice for patients during prostate biopsy and compared patient-reported outcomes after biopsy with and without this intervention. Methods: We conducted a clinically-integrated randomized controlled trial (MSK IRB 18-089) of a brief mind-body intervention during prostate biopsy compared to usual care. All adult patients offered biopsy were eligible. Patients randomized to the intervention were offered both a pre-biopsy mind-body exercise and guided mindfulness meditation during biopsy via headphones. The primary outcome of interest was any severe patient-reported pain, anxiety, discomfort, or tolerability on a visual-analog scale (0-10). We compared the proportion of men in each arm reporting a severe score (7-10) on any of the four scales using Fisher’s exact test. The pre-specified clinically relevant improvement justifying integration into clinical practice was 15%. We compared means separately using ANCOVA with randomization stratum (first vs. prior biopsy) as a covariate. Results: 238 patients (119 per arm) enrolled. 102 in the intervention arm and 94 in the usual care arm proceeded to biopsy and completed the questionnaire. A total of 37/94 (39%) and 38/102 (37%) patients in the usual care and the intervention arms, respectively, reported severe scores in any of the four domains, a difference of 2.1% (95% confidence interval -13, 17%, p = 0.8). The upper bound of the confidence interval includes the pre-specified clinically relevant difference. There was no evidence of a difference in mean post-biopsy anxiety (p = 0.3), discomfort (p = 0.09), pain (p = 0.4) or tolerability scores (p = 0.2), Table. Conclusions: There was no difference in patient reported outcomes between a mind-body intervention and usual care for prostate biopsy. Though the upper bound of the 95% confidence interval included the clinically relevant difference in severe scores, the difference in means for each outcome suggests a clinically meaningful benefit for this brief mindfulness intervention is unlikely. [Table: see text]