Total Duration Research Articles

Analysis of Sleep, Nocturnal Physiology, and Physical Demands of NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Across a Championship Season.

Merrigan, JJ, Stone, JD, Kraemer, WJ, Friend, C, Lennon, K, Vatne, EA, and Hagen, JA. Analysis of sleep, nocturnal physiology, and physical demands of NCAA women's ice hockey across a championship season. J Strength Cond Res 38(4): 694-703, 2024-The aims of this study were to evaluate the (a) relationships between daily physical demands and nighttime sleep, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV); (b) weekly changes in physical demands and sleep; and (c) differences among positions and between training and competition during a competitive season in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women's ice hockey. Twenty-five NCAA Division I women's ice hockey athletes wore a sensor at night to monitor sleep quantity or quality (e.g., time asleep and sleep efficiency) and physiology (e.g., HR and HRV). During training and competitions (31 regular season and 7 postseason), athletes wore performance monitoring systems to assess workload demands (e.g., training impulse and TRIMP). As internal workload (TRIMP, Time >80% of HRmax, Average HR) during training or competition increased, nocturnal HRV decreased, HR increased, and Sleep Duration, Sleep Score, and Readiness Score decreased that night. Across the season, athletes experienced lower HRV, but exhibited longer sleep durations. Training Distance, Duration, Time >80% HRmax, Average HR, and TRIMP decreased, whereas competition Total Distance, Duration, and TRIMP increased across weeks throughout the season. There were differences across positions and season blocks when evaluating these data at the mesocycle level. Athletes slept longer before competition compared with training, but physiological data did not differ. Competitions had greater physiological demands than training. We speculate that the increased focus on sleep hygiene, as evidenced by the increase in sleep over the season, may have served as a recovery aid to combat physiological stress of accumulated demands of competitions that increased over time into postseason tournaments.

Effects of High-Intensity Inspiratory Muscle Warm-Up on High-Intensity Exercise Performance and Muscle Oxygenation.

An inspiratory muscle warm-up (IMW) improves inspiratory muscle function, but the effects of high-intensity exercise are inconsistent. We aimed to determine the effects of high-intensity IMW on high-intensity exercise performance and muscle oxygenation. Ten healthy men (maximal oxygen uptake [V˙O2max] 52.2 [5.0]mL·kg-1·min-1) performed constant-load exercise to exhaustion on a cycle ergometer at V˙O2max under 2 IMW conditions: a placebo condition (PLA) and a high-intensity IMW condition (HIGH). The inspiratory loads were set at 15% and 80% of maximal inspiratory pressure, respectively. Maximal inspiratory pressure was measured before and after IMW. Oxyhemoglobin was measured in the vastus lateralis by near-infrared spectroscopy during exercise. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE)for a leg was measured after 1 and 2minutes of exercise. Exercise tolerance was significantly higher under HIGH than PLA (228 [49]s vs 218 [49]s, P = .003). Maximal inspiratory pressure was significantly increased by IMW under HIGH (from 125 [20] to 136 [25] cm H2O, P = .031). Oxyhemoglobin was significantly higher under HIGH than PLA at 80% of the total duration of exercise (P = .048). RPE for the leg was significantly lower under HIGH than PLA after 2minutes of exercise (P = .019). Given that oxyhemoglobin is an index of local oxygen supply, the results of this study suggest that high-intensity IMW increases the oxygen supply to active limbs. It may also reflect a reduction in RPE in the leg. In addition, high-intensity IMW may improve exercise performance.

HRCT chest: A valuable tool to differentiate other pneumonias from covid-19 pneumonia

To assess how COVID-19 pneumonia differs from other pneumonias in terms of the chest computed tomography features.In this study we included 170 clinically diagnosed cases pneumonia referred to department of radio diagnosis subjected to HRCT thorax which include out patients and in patients out of which 127 patients tested RT-PCR positive for Covid 19 pneumonia for a total duration of 1 year. (March 2020 to March 2021). The parenchymal abnormalities including Ground glass opacities (GGO), ground glass opacities with interlobular septal thickening (crazy paving), GGO with consolidation, consolidation, pulmonary nodules, tree in bud appearances, bronchiolar wall thickening, interlobular septal thickening , halo sign, reverse halo sign, cavitation and pleural effusion and were observed and categorized along with determination of pattern of distribution on chest CT.127 patients who tested positive for COVID 19 and 43 patients with other pneumonia (such as community-acquired pneumonia) were visited, and CT scans were analysed to determine the presence and distribution of the disease pattern.Patients with COVID 19 pneumonia primarily have peripheral-based lesions (90%), whereas patients with other pneumonias primarily have mixed patterns (70%)—a difference that is statistically different (p 0.05).Statistics show that COVID 19 had higher bilateral involvement than other pneumonia (p<0.05). In COVID-19 pneumonia, GGOs, GGOs with interlobular septal thickening (crazy paving), and GGOs with consolidation with peripheral and basal predominance in bilateral lung parenchyma are the most common imaging patterns and findings. These findings will help us distinguish COVID-19 pneumonia from other causes of pneumonia. There is less evidence of tree in bud, pure consolidation, cavitation, and bronchiolar wall thickening.

Adjudicative efficacy of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80 in treating acute diarrhea in children: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

The goal of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BLa80, as an adjunct treatment for diarrhea in children with a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study design. Eligible diarrheal children, aged 0-3 years without the need for antibiotic treatment based on clinical diagnosis when recruited, were randomized into the intervention group (IG, n = 58, with probiotic) or the control group (CG, n = 53, placebo). The primary assessment was the duration of diarrhea. Fecal samples were collected for biochemical index measurement, analysis of gut microbiome composition, and prediction of gene family abundances. The total duration of diarrhea in the IG (122.6 ± 13.1 h) was significantly shorter than in the CG (148.4 ± 17.6 h, p < 0.001). More children in the IG showed improvements in diarrhea compared to the CG, both in intention-to-treat analysis (81.7% vs. 40.0%, p < 0.001) and per protocol analysis (84.4% vs 45.3%, p < 0.001). Cathelicidin level in the IG was significantly higher than that in the CG after the intervention (4415.00 ± 1036.93 pg/g vs. 3679.49 ± 871.18 pg/g, p = 0.0175). The intervention led to an increased abundance of Bifidobacterium breve and Collinsella aerofaciens species, higher alpha-diversity (p < 0.05), and enrichment of functional genes in the gut microbiota related to immunity regulation. Administration of BLa80 at a dose of 5 × 109 CFU/day resulted in a shorter duration of diarrhea and alterations in gut microbiome composition and gene functions.

Efficacy of brain-computer interfaces on upper extremity motor function rehabilitation after stroke: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The recovery of upper limb function is crucial to the daily life activities of stroke patients. Brain-computer interface technology may have potential benefits in treating upper limb dysfunction. To systematically evaluate the efficacy of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor function in stroke patients. Six databases up to July 2023 were reviewed according to the PRSIMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials of BCI-based upper limb functional rehabilitation for stroke patients were selected for meta-analysis by pooling standardized mean difference (SMD) to summarize the evidence. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Twenty-five studies were included. The studies showed that BCI had a small effect on the improvement of upper limb function after the intervention. In terms of total duration of training, <  12 hours of training may result in better rehabilitation, but training duration greater than 12 hours suggests a non significant therapeutic effect of BCI training. This meta-analysis suggests that BCI has a slight efficacy in improving upper limb function and has favorable long-term outcomes. In terms of total duration of training, <  12 hours of training may lead to better rehabilitation.

Comparison of Two Different Volumes of Epidural Normal Saline for Enhancing the Effects of Spinal Anesthesia in Adult Patients Undergoing Elective Lower Limb Surgeries: A Prospective Randomized Study

Background: The combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anesthesia technique gives a reliable subarachnoid block as well as the flexible epidural block. One of the modified technique of CSE is epidural volume expansion (EVE) in which normal saline or local anesthetic (LA) is instilled though epidural catheter leading to increase in level of sensory blockade. Aim of the study was to compare two different volumes of normal saline for enhancing the effects of spinal anaesthesia in adult patients undergoing elective lower limb surgeries.&#x0D; Methods: 90 patients were randomly divided into two group. Group A - 45 patients who were received intrathecal 2.0ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine and epidural 10ml of 0.9% normal saline for EVE using CSE technique. Group B - 45 patients who were received intrathecal 2.0ml of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine and epidural 15ml of 0.9% normal saline for EVE using CSE technique.&#x0D; Results: The demographic data were comparable in both groups. Significant difference was seen in total duration of sensory blockade between group A (192.11±9.80) and group B (Mean ± SD 215.33±17.57minutes) (p&lt;0.0001). Total duration of motor blockade was longer in group B (Mean± SD: 181.91± 16.42) as compared to group A (Mean ± SD: 162.48 ± 9.35 minutes) (p&lt;0.0001).&#x0D; Conclusion: We conclude that epidural volume expansion (EVE) with 15 ml epidural normal saline was associated with faster onset, higher level and early achieve maximum level of sensory blockade, longer two segment regression time, early onset and longer duration of motor blockade as compared to EVE with 10 ml epidural normal saline.

Therapy of netakimab in nail psoriasis

Introduction. The nail psoriasis severity does not always correspond to the skin process intensity, but often correlates with a more severe, prolonged and aggressive course of the disease.Materials and methods. 48 adult patients (n = 48) with nail psoriasis were under observation. The severity of the psoriatic lesion of the nails was determined using the NAPSI index (Nail Psoriasis Severity Index). The assessment was carried out before the start of treatment, in the first week, and then every 4 weeks up to and including 52 weeks. The Dermatological Quality of Life Index (DLQI) were determined by questionnaires before the start of treatment, at the 12th and 52nd weeks. All patients on an outpatient basis received netakimab monotherapy at a dose of 120 mg in the form of two subcutaneous injections of 1 ml (60 mg) of the drug, each administered once a week at weeks 0, 1 and 2, then 1 time every 4 weeks. The total duration of treatment for each patient was 52 weeks. The safety of netakimab was evaluated based on the development of adverse events and local reactions to the administration of the drug.Results. The results of the study for 52 weeks showed high efficacy of netakimab. Average NAPSI score improved – 33.1% by the week 12 of treatment and – 72.3% by the week 52 compared to baseline, the quality of their life improved. During the 52 weeks of the study, there were no cases of early withdrawal due to adverse events and cases of serious adverse events.Conclusion. Based on the study results we recommend netakimab for medical use among patients with moderate and severe nail psoriasis.

Physiological and Metabolic Responses to Low-Volume Sprint Interval Exercises: Influence of Sprint Duration and Repetitions.

This study aimed to determine physiological and metabolic responses to two different sprint interval exercises (SIE) matched for total sprint duration and sprint-to-rest ratio. After having measured peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak), fourteen healthy males (27.1 ± 4.8 years, 169.6 ± 6.0 cm, 64.5 ± 8.4 kg, V̇O2peak: 47.2 ± 7.7 ml·kg-1·min-1) performed four 10-s sprints with 80-s recovery (SIE10) and two 20-s sprints with 160-s recovery (SIE20) on different occasions in a counterbalanced crossover manner. Pulmonary V̇O2 and changes in tissue oxygenation index (∆TOI) at vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) were measured during the SIEs. Furthermore, T2-weighted MRI was taken immediately before and after the SIEs to determine the activation levels of VL, RF, vastus medialis, vastus intermedius, adductor magnus, biceps femoris long head, semitendinosus and semimembranosus at 50% of right thigh length. In SIE10, increases in V̇O2 and ∆TOI at VL and RF plateaued after the second sprint, whereas session-averaged ∆TOI was greater in SIE20 than SIE10 in both muscles (VL: 20.9 ± 7.4 vs. 14.2 ± 5.9%, RF: 22.8 ± 9.3 vs. 12.9 ± 6.6%, p = 0.00). While both SIEs significantly increased T2 values in all eight muscles, those magnitudes were similar between the conditions (SIE10 vs. SIE20: 5-16 vs. 8-16%). This study showed blunted responses of whole-body (V̇O2) and peripheral (∆TOI) oxidative responses with successive sprints (sprint 1 < sprint 2-4) in SIE10, suggesting that increasing sprint repetitions does not necessarily induce greater oxidative metabolism or stimulus. Moreover, greater peripheral oxygen extraction (∆TOI) was achieved with SIE20, whereas %changes of T2 indicates that the thigh muscles were similarly activated between the SIE conditions.

The Efficiency of Segmental Le Fort I Surgery in Clear Aligner Therapy of Skeletal Class III Deformity: A Pilot Study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of segmental Le Fort I osteotomy in clear aligner therapy of skeletal Class III deformities and to explore whether Le Fort I segmental osteotomy was effective for maxillary incisor axis correction and reduced the duration of perioperative orthodontics. Patients who had skeletal Class III deformities (ANB<0) treated with extraction of the maxillary first premolars, segmental Le Fort I osteotomy, and clear aligners therapy were included in this retrospective study. We measured the amount of tooth extraction space that was closed by surgery and recorded the preoperative orthodontic and total treatment duration. Lateral cephalograms were analyzed to measure changes of maxillary incisor inclination before treatment (T0), 1 week before surgery (T1), 1 week after surgery (T2), and after total orthodontic treatment (T3). Statistical analyses were performed, and the P value was set at 0.05. The sample was composed of 15 patients aged 19 to 30 (M=22.9) years. The average preoperative orthodontic treatment duration was 16.2±5.22mo, with 33.5 pairs of clear aligners. The gap at the extraction site decreased from 5.42±1.57mm to 0.80±0.62mm on average after surgery. U1-SN and U1-NA(deg) increased sparingly with preoperative decompensation, decreased in quantity after surgery, and then slightly increased with postoperative compensation (T2<T3<T0<T1; △U1-SN, △U1-NA: T1-T2, P<0.05; T0-T1 and T2-T3, P >0.05). Le Fort I segmental osteotomy assisted decompensation of the upper anterior teeth and reduced the duration of preoperative orthodontics with clear aligners.

The 2020 Mw 7.0 Samos (Eastern Aegean Sea) Earthquake: joint source inversion of multi-type data, and tsunami modeling

Summary We present a kinematic slip model and a simulation of the ensuing tsunami for the 2020 Mw 7.0 Néon Karlovásion (Samos, Eastern Aegean Sea) earthquake, generated from a joint inversion of high-rate GNSS, strong ground motion and InSAR data. From the inversion, we find that the source time function has a total duration of ∼20 s with three peaks at ∼4, 7.5 and 15 s corresponding to the development of three asperities. Most of the slip occurs at the west of the hypocenter and ends at the northwest down-dip edge. The peak slip is ∼3.3 m, and the inverted rake angles indicate predominantly normal faulting motion. Compared with previous studies, these slip patterns have essentially similar asperity location, rupture dimension and anti-correlation with aftershocks. Consistent with our study, most published papers show the source duration of ∼20 s with three episodes of increased moment releases. For the ensuing tsunami, the eight available gauge records indicate that the tsunami waves last ∼18-30 hours depending on location, and the response period of tsunami is ∼10-35 min. The initial waves in the observed records and synthetic simulations show good agreement, which indirectly validates the performance of the inverted slip model. However, the synthetic waveforms struggle to generate long-duration tsunami behavior in simulations. Our tests suggest that the resolution of the bathymetry may be a potential factor affecting the simulated tsunami duration and amplitude. It should be noted that the maximum wave height in the records may occur after the decay of synthetic wave amplitudes. This implies that the inability to model long-duration tsunamis could result in underestimation in future tsunami hazard assessments.

Ameliorative effects of topical ramelteon on imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation in mice.

Psoriasis is a long-lasting, immune-related inflammatory skin disease that affects 2-3% of the global population. It is distinguished by erythematous, silvery, and scaly patches. Ramelteon is a type of melatonin agonist that is used to treat insomnia. It has enhanced non-classical immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the study is to assess the ameliorative effects of topical ramelteon on imiquimod (IMQ)-aggravated psoriasiform-like dermatosis in mice. The 32 albino mouse males were placed into six groups of eight animals, all of them. With the exception of the control group, all groups gained a once-a-day regimen of topical imiquimod 5% cream at a dose of 62.5mg for eight uninterrupted days, while mice in the control group gained vaseline-based ointment alternately. Immediately after an 8-day induction period in the imiquimod group, mice in the clobetasol and ramelteon treatment groups obtained a twice-daily regimen of topical clobetasol propionate 0.05% ointment and 0.1% ointment, respectively, for a further 8days. This extends the total duration of the experimental study to 16 continuous days. The findings of our study found that ramelteon significantly mitigated the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the skin tissue, including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17A, IL-23, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as well as the scores associated with psoriatic lesions, including erythema, scaling, skin thickening, ear thickness, and overall cumulative PASI scores. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory impact of ramelteon was achieved by markedly increasing IL-10 levels in the skin tissue and correcting cutaneous histopathological alterations. Ramelteon ointment (0.1%) was comparable to that of clobetasol (0.05%) ointment in alleviating a mouse model of imiquimod-induced psoriasiform inflammation; this is probably due to its potential anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Therefore, ramelteon could be a good additive option for therapeutic management of immune-triggered inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis.

Clinical and laboratory evaluation of the effectiveness of the nootropic drug Actitropil (fonturacetam) in the treatment of asthenic syndrome

Background. Asthenia is one of the most common symptoms in the clinical practice of a doctor of any specialty. This is due to the high incidence of this pathology: in patients with chronic somatic diseases from 45% to 90%, with an acute pathological process – about 55%. There are no uniform standards for the treatment of asthenic disorder; however, the basis for the medical correction of this pathology is nootropic drugs.&#x0D; Aim. To study the clinical efficacy and safety of the nootropic drug Actitropil (fonturacetam) in patients with various types of asthenic disorder.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The observational clinical program included 50 patients (average age 43.22±14.60) with asthenic symptoms. Patients received Actitropil (fonturacetam) at a dose of 200 mg per day, divided into two doses. The duration of therapy was 30 days, the total duration of follow-up was 60 days. The effectiveness of treatment was evaluated before and after the course of therapy, as well as in the delayed period according to the scales of asthenia MFI-20, well-being, activity, mood SAN, anxiety and depression HADS (part 1), sleep quality Spiegel, quality of life EQoL-5D-3L. Patients' satisfaction with the treatment and tolerability of therapy were also assessed on 5-point scales; adverse events were recorded and the number of patients with good, satisfactory and unsatisfactory treatment results was calculated based on the subjective assessment of the subjects. Blood parameters analysis was used as laboratory assessment methods: erythrocytes, leukocytes, reticulocytes, platelets, hemoglobin, hematocrit, blood sedimentation rate, total protein, glucose, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin and thrombin time, prothrombin, international normalised ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen.&#x0D; Results and conclusion. The results of the study showed high efficacy (98%) and safety of the use of Actitropil (absence of adverse events, low adverse events level during the course of treatment, no negative effect on liver function, blood coagulation and carbohydrate metabolism) in the treatment of various types of asthenic syndrome, including those associated with comorbid diseases. There is a significant therapeutic effect of Actitropil on concomitant symptoms of asthenia: anxiety, sleep status and quality of life. The antiasthenic effect of the drug does not differ depending on age and increases in the delayed period.

Objective sleep characteristics and hypertension: a community-based cohort study.

The link between sleep quality and hypertension risk is well-established. However, research on the specific dose-relationship between objective sleep characteristics and hypertension incidence remains limited. This study aims to explore the dose-relationship association between objective sleep characteristics and hypertension incidence. A community-based prospective cohort study design was employed using data from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS). A total of 2,460 individuals were included in the study, of which 780 had hypertension. Baseline personal characteristics and medical history were collected. Objective sleep characteristics were obtained through polysomnography (PSG). Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized for analysis. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to examine dose-relationship associations. After adjusting for covariates, the percentage of total sleep duration in stage 2 (N2%) was positively associated with hypertension incidence, while the N3% was negatively associated with hypertension incidence Odds ratio (OR) = 1.009, 95% confidence interval (CI) [1.001, 1.018], P = 0.037; OR = 0.987, 95% CI: [0.979, 0.995], P = 0.028, respectively. For every 10% increase in N2 sleep, the risk of developing hypertension increases by 9%, while a 3% decrease in N3 sleep corresponds to a 0.1% increase in the incidence of hypertension. In the subgroup of non-depression, a positive association between N2% and hypertension was significant statistically (OR = 1.012, 95%CI, 1.002, 1.021, P = 0.013, Pinteraction = 0.013). RCS demonstrated that the risk of developing hypertension was lower when N2% ranged from 38% to 58% and rapidly increased thereafter (P = 0.002, non-linear P = 0.040). The lowest risk for hypertension incidence risk of N3% occurring at 25%, and a significant increase below 15% or above 40% (P = 0.001, non-linear P = 0.008). There's a negative association between N3% and the incidence of hypertension, and a positive association between N2% and the incidence of hypertension, particularly among non-depression individuals. These associations exhibit strong non-linear dose-response relationships.

New Benchmarks on Protocol Amendment Practices, Trends and their Impact on Clinical Trial Performance.

The Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development (Tufts CSDD) conducted a follow-up study in 2022 to assess trends in protocol amendment experiences and the impact amendments have had on clinical trial performance, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sixteen pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations provided data on 950 protocols and 2188 amendments. The results show that, since 2015, the prevalence of protocols with at least one amendment in phases I-IV has increased substantially (from 57 to 76%) and the mean number of amendments per protocol has increased 60% to 3.3, up from 2.1. Phase I and III protocols saw the highest increases in the mean number of amendments implemented per protocol. A much higher percentage of amendments-77%-were deemed unavoidable with regulatory agency requests and changes to the study strategy as the top reasons cited for amending a protocol. The total average duration to implement an amendment has nearly tripled during the past decade. The time from identifying the need-to-amend to last oversight approval now takes an average of 260days and the mean duration during which investigative sites operate with different versions of the clinical trial protocol spans 215days. Protocols that implemented at least one amendment were more effective at increasing patient screening volume and reducing the actual number of patients enrolled relative to plan. Lastly, the prevalence of protocols with at least one amendment and mean number of amendments was significantly higher for protocols conducted during the pandemic.

(021) Eight-Dot Extended Corporotomy versus Conventional Corporotomy for Malleable Penile Prosthesis Implantation

Abstract Introduction To date, malleable type penile prosthesis implantation (MPPI) remains the more popular in developing countries, owing to its relative economic cost. Despite the simplicity of the procedure, there still may be areas of improvement and refinement to optimize procedure efficiency and accuracy subsequently improving postoperative outcomes while reducing complication risk. Objective We aimed to compare the eight-dot extended corporotomy and the conventional corporotomy techniques for MPPI with regard to operative time and postoperative complications. Methods We conducted a prospective randomized interventional clinical study on 51 subjects. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: the eight-dot group (n=27) and the conventional group (n=24). The eight-dot group underwent MPPI using the eight-dot extended corporotomy as previously described (VJPU - Eight-dot Extended Corporotomy: A More Secure, Aesthetic and Time Efficient Technique for Semirigid Penile Prosthesis Implantation, n.d.). The conventional group underwent MPPI using conventional limited corporotomies that were closed via continuous running sutures. We compared both groups in terms of corporotomy opening to closure time, overall procedure time, and perioperative complications. The follow-up period was 3 months. Results Upon timing in seconds (s), a significant time difference between the 2 groups was demonstrated for suture placement, corporotomy incision and implant placement, corporotomy closure, and total procedure duration. Although patients in the eight-dot group required a longer time for suture placement vs the conventional group (486 vs 201 s, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.001), the durations for the remaining implantation steps, as well as the whole procedure, were significantly shorter for the former group. Corporotomy opening followed by implant placement took significantly less time for the eight-dot group (1090 s) vs the conventional group (1313 s), p &amp;lt;0.001. Moreover, insertion of implant rods was subjectively easier with no need for aggressive bending owing to the extended corporotomy length. Similarly, corporotomy closure using the 8-dot technique was 10.13 minutes swifter than the conventional group (220 s vs. 828 s, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.001). The total procedure length was over 8 minutes shorter for the eight-dot group as opposed to the conventional group (2527 vs 3027 s, respectively, p &amp;lt; 0.001). In terms of postoperative complications in the form of pain, swelling, hematoma, and infection, there were no significant differences between both groups. Conclusions The eight-dot extended corporotomy technique is a safe and time-saving approach compared to the conventional limited corporotomy technique, making the MPPI procedure more efficient. A swifter procedure decreases both patient exposure to anesthesia and device exposure to air which in turn lowers the risk for potential postoperative complications. Disclosure No.

The mediation effect of breastfeeding duration on the relationship between maternal preconception BMI and childhood nutritional risk.

Higher maternal preconception body mass index (BMI) is associated with lower breastfeeding duration, which may contribute to the development of poor child eating behaviours and dietary intake patterns (components of nutritional risk). A higher maternal preconception BMI has been found to be associated with higher child nutritional risk. This study aimed to determine whether breastfeeding duration mediated the association between maternal preconception BMI and child nutritional risk. In this longitudinal cohort study, children ages 18 months to 5 years were recruited from The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!) in Canada. The primary outcome was child nutritional risk, using The NutriSTEP®, a validated, parent-reported questionnaire. Statistical mediation analysis was performed to assess whether total duration of any breastfeeding mediated the association between maternal preconception BMI and child nutritional risk. This study included 4733 children with 8611 NutriSTEP® observations. The mean (SD) maternal preconception BMI was 23.6 (4.4) and the mean (SD) breastfeeding duration was 12.4 (8.0) months. Each 1-unit higher maternal preconception BMI was associated with a 0.081 unit higher nutritional risk (95% CI (0.051, 0.112); p < 0.001) (total effect), where 0.011(95% CI (0.006, 0.016); p < 0.001) of that total effect or 13.18% (95% CI: 7.13, 21.25) was mediated through breastfeeding duration. Total breastfeeding duration showed to mediate part of the association between maternal preconception BMI and child nutritional risk. Interventions to support breastfeeding in those with higher maternal preconception BMI should be evaluated for their potential effect in reducing nutritional risk in young children.

Biology of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) on cotton as influenced by temperature

A laboratory experiment was conducted to study the biology of pink bollworm Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) on cotton at four different temperature levels. It was found that males have a considerably shorter total life cycle duration on cotton at 35±1°C (29.5 days) followed by 30±1°C (37.2 days), 25±1°C (46.9 days) and highest at 20±1°C (50.8 days). Similarly, minimum total life cycle duration of female P. gossypiella was recorded at 35±1°C (30.2 days) followed by 30±1°C (38.0 days), 25±1°C (47.3 days) and maximum at 20±1°C (51.7 days). The highest fecundity was observed at 30±1°C (106.2) followed by 25±1°C (100.1), 35±1°C (60.1) and lowest at 20±1°C (55.2). Male as to female sex ratio was highest at 35±1°C (1:1.5) followed by 25±1°C (1:1.4), 30±1°C (1:1.3) and lowest at 20±1°C (1:1.2). These findings revealed that variation in temperature significantly influences the life cycle duration, fecundity and sex ratio of pink bollworms on cotton, with higher temperatures accelerating development and enhancing reproductive success.

Comparison of different methods of local anesthesia for platelet rich plasma injections to scalp in patients with hair loss - A prospective study

Background: Platelet-rich plasma injection (PRP) for hair loss is a widely accepted treatment modality at present. The most common problem with PRP is the pain that is associated with the procedure. The type of anesthesia is decided mostly based on preference rather than protocol. Aims and Objectives: The current study was undertaken to establish a standardized anesthetic protocol for PRP based on the response of the patients undergoing the treatment plan. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 patients who underwent four sittings of PRP at 1-month intervals for hair loss treatment. The modality of anesthesia was different during each of the sessions - topical anesthesia, vibration anesthesia, nerve block, and ring block. The order of anesthetic modality was different in each patient, to avoid bias. Responses by the patients for the following questions related to anesthetic pain during the procedure was recorded and analyzed based on the type of anesthetic procedure adopted. Results: Vibration anesthesia had the highest mean intra procedure numerical pain scale value. Nerve block was the least acceptable modality with maximal problems including the pain of the local anesthetic injection and the unsightly visible bulge in the supra orbital region. Post procedural pain was highest for vibration anesthesia and least for ring block. Highest acceptance was seen with the ring block technique. Conclusion: This is a preliminary study aimed at standardizing the anesthetic protocol for PRP. This modality of treatment involves multiple sittings with long total duration. Improving patient comfort with adequate anesthesia will improve compliance to a great extent.

Repeated finasteride administration promotes synaptic plasticity and produces antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects in female rats.

Finasteride is used in female-pattern hair loss, hirsutism, and polycystic ovarian syndrome. It inhibits 5α-reductase, which is an important enzyme in the biosynthesis of neurosteroids. The effects of finasteride treatment on mental health in female patients as well as the effects of repeated/chronic finasteride administration in female rodents are still unknown. Accordingly, in our study, we administered finasteride (10, 30, or 100 mg/Kg, s.c.) for 6 days in female rats and evaluated behavior, plasma steroid levels, and synaptic plasticity. Depression-like behavior was evaluated using forced swim test (FST) and splash test. Anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using novelty-suppressed feeding task (NSFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), open field test (OFT), and light-dark test (LDT). Plasma steroid levels were assessed using ELISA and synaptic plasticity by field potential recordings. We observed that finasteride decreased total immobility duration in FST, indicating antidepressant-like effect and decreased the latency to first bite in NSFT, showing anxiolytic-like effect. We also found a significant increase in plasma estradiol and a significant decrease in plasma corticosterone level. Furthermore, field potential recordings showed that finasteride increased hippocampal long-term potentiation. These results indicate that repeated finasteride administration in female rats may have antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effect, which might be mediated by enhanced estradiol levels or decreased corticosterone levels. Further studies are required to validate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of finasteride in female rats. Understanding the mechanisms will help us in developing novel neurosteroid-based therapeutics in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders in women.

Multiyear Interval Changes in Aortic Wall Shear Stress in Patients with Bicuspid Aortic Valve Assessed by 4D Flow MRI.

In patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), 4D flow MRI can quantify regions exposed to abnormal aortic hemodynamics, including high wall shear stress (WSS), a known stimulus for arterial wall dysfunction. However, the long-term multiscan reproducibility of 4D flow MRI-derived hemodynamic parameters is unknown. To investigate the long-term stability of 4D flow MRI-derived peak velocity, WSS, and WSS-derived heatmaps in patients with BAV undergoing multiyear surveillance imaging. Retrospective. 20 BAV patients (mean age 48.4 ± 13.9 years; 14 males) with five 4D flow MRI scans, with intervals of at least 6 months between scans, and 125 controls (mean age: 50.7 ± 15.8 years; 67 males). 1.5 and 3.0T, prospectively ECG and respiratory navigator-gated aortic 4D flow MRI. Automated AI-based 4D flow analysis pipelines were used for data preprocessing, aorta 3D segmentation, and quantification of ascending aorta (AAo) peak velocity, peak systolic WSS, and heatmap-derived relative area of elevated WSS compared to WSS ranges in age and sex-matched normative control populations. Growth rate was derived from the maximum AAo diameters measured on the first and fifth MRI scans. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance. P < 0.05 indicated significance. One hundred 4D flow MRI exams (five per patient) were analyzed. The mean total follow-up duration was 5.5 ± 1.1 years, and the average growth rate was 0.3 ± 0.2 mm/year. Peak velocity, peak systolic WSS, and relative area of elevated WSS did not change significantly over the follow-up period (P = 0.64, P = 0.69, and P = 0.35, respectively). The patterns and areas of elevated WSS demonstrated good reproducibility on semiquantitative assessment. 4D flow MRI-derived peak velocity, WSS, and WSS-derived heatmaps showed good multiyear and multiscan stability in BAV patients with low aortic growth rates. These findings underscore the reliability of these metrics in monitoring BAV patients for potential risk of dilation. 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.