The Assessment of the Nutritional Status among the Young-Old and Old-Old Population with Alimentary-Dependent Diseases.

Background and Objectives: Unhealthy nutrition can contribute to the development or progression of various alimentary-dependent diseases, including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, anaemia, and arterial hypertension. Young-old and old-old individuals often have diets deficient in essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients, characterized by high consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods and insufficient intake of plant-based products like vegetables and fruits. This study aims to identify key parameters of nutritional status among the young-old (aged 60-74 years) and old-old (aged 75-90 years) populations in central Kazakhstan, particularly in relation to specific alimentary-dependent diseases. Materials and Methods: The study involved 300 participants aged 60-90 years. The study incorporated a dietary questionnaire, food consumption records (such as 24 h recalls), and measurements of anthropometric indicators including weight and skinfold measurements. Results: Residents in the surveyed regions typically consumed food 3-4 times daily, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner being eaten at consistent times. A significant proportion of individuals, especially older adults, followed this meal schedule. About one-third ate before bedtime, and more than half believed they adhere to a specific diet. The mean BMI for men aged 60-74 years was 28.3 (95% CI: 20.1-43.2) and, for those aged 75-90 years, it was 29.0 (95% CI: 22.1-40.8). Caloric intake among individuals aged 60-74 was higher compared to those aged 75-90, with males consuming an average of 2372.7 kcal and females consuming 2236.78 kcal versus 2101.5 kcal for males and 2099.9 kcal for females in the older age group. Conclusions: The dietary patterns observed among old-old individuals were marked by excessive calorie intakes and imbalances in macronutrient composition, with a predominant emphasis on high-carbohydrate foods at the expense of essential nutrients like proteins, fats, and key vitamins (such as C, E, B vitamins) and minerals (such as potassium, calcium, and iron).

Hypotensive Effect of Electric Stimulation of Caudal Ventrolateral Medulla in Freely Moving Rats.

Background and Objectives: An altered sympathetic function is established in primary arterial hypertension (PAH) development. Therefore, PAH could be targeted by applying an electric current to the medulla where reflex centers for blood pressure control reside. This study aims to evaluate the electric caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) stimulation effect on blood pressure and animal survivability in a freely moving rat model. Materials and Methods: A total of 20 Wistar rats aged 12-16 weeks were randomly assigned to either: the experimental group (n = 10; electrode tip implanted in CVLM region) or the control group (n = 10; tip implanted 4 mm above the CVLM in the cerebellum). After a period of recovery (4 days), an experimental phase ensued, divided into an "OFF stimulation" period (5-7 days post-surgery) and an "ON stimulation" period (8-14 days post-surgery). Results: Three animals (15%, one in the control, two in the experimental group) dropped out due to postoperative complications. Arterial pressure in the experimental group rats during the "OFF stimulation" period decreased by 8.23 mm Hg (p = 0.001) and heart rate by 26.93 beats/min (p = 0.008). Conclusions: From a physiological perspective, CVLM could be an effective deep brain stimulation (DBS) target for drug-resistant hypertension: able to influence the baroreflex arc directly, having no known direct integrative or neuroendocrine function. Targeting the baroreflex regulatory center, but not its sensory or effector parts, could lead to a more predictable effect and stability of the control system. Although targeting neural centers in the medullary region is considered dangerous and prone to complications, it could open a new vista for deep brain stimulation therapy. A possible change in electrode design would be required to apply CVLM DBS in clinical trials in the future.

Remotely Programmable Deep Brain Stimulator Combined with an Invasive Blood Pressure Monitoring System for a Non-Tethered Rat Model in Hypertension Research.

The control circuits of blood pressure have a strong neural regulatory element important in the pathogenesis of essential drug-resistant hypertension. Targeting lower medullary neural control mechanisms of blood pressure by electrical stimulation could be beneficial, and therefore, a novel device is needed. This paper presents a remotely programmable deep brain stimulator with an invasive continuous blood pressure monitoring system in a non-tethered rat model. The device is designed for lower medullary deep brain stimulation research with minimal interference to a daily animal routine. Electrodes were implanted in the caudal ventrolateral medulla. Animal survivability, catheter patency rates, and device data drift were evaluated. Eight out of ten rats survived the surgery and testing period with no or mild temporary neurological compromise. The study revealed that carotid catheters filled with heparinized glycerol ensure better catheter patency rates and blood pressure transduction. There was no significant drift in the device's pressure sensitivity during the experiment. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental study to show considerable animal survival after lower medullary implantation. Combining the ability to measure and monitor invasive blood pressure with a closed-loop brain pulse generator in a single device could be of potential value in future hemodynamic animal research.

The academic impact and value of an international online surgery lecture series.

Due to the worldwide travel restrictions caused by the 2019 coronavirus disease pandemic, many universities and students lost opportunities to engage in international exchange over the past 2 years. Teleconferencing systems have thus been developed to compensate for severe travel restrictions. Kansai Medical University in Japan and Vilnius University in Lithuania have a collaborative research and academic relationship. The two universities have been conducting an online joint international surgery lecture series for the medical students of both universities. Fifteen lectures were given from October 2021 to May 2022. The lectures focused on gastrointestinal surgery, gastroenterology, radiology, pathology, genetics, laboratory medicine, and organ transplantation. A survey of the attendees indicated that they were generally interested in the content and satisfied with attending this lecture series. Our efforts were successful in providing Japanese and Lithuanian medical students with the opportunity to engage in international exchange through lectures held in each other's countries.

Plexiform neurofibroma of the cauda equina with follow-up of 10 years: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Plexiform neurofibromas are extremely rarely found in the region of cauda equina and can pose a significant challenge in the diagnostic and management sense. To our knowledge, only 7 cases of cauda equina neurofibromatosis (CENF) have been reported up-to-date. CASE SUMMARY: We describe a case of a 55-year-old man with a 10 years history of progressive lower extremities weakness and bladder dysfunction. Before presenting, patient was misdiagnosed with idiopathic polyneuropathy. Lumbar spine MRI revealed a tortuous tumorous masses in the cauda equina region, extending through the Th12-L4 vertebrae. The patient underwent Th12-L3 Laminectomy with duraplasty. During the operation, the most enlarged electroneurographically silent nerve root was resected, anticipating inadequate decompression if nerve root was spared. The patient's neurological condition improved post-operatively, but urinary retention became the major complaint. We provide a follow-up period of 10 years. During this time, the patient's condition progressively worsened despite extensive decompression. The consequent MRI scans showed progressive enlargement of cauda equina roots and increasing lumbar stenosis, predominantly affecting L3-L4 segment. During the follow-up 8 years after the operation, the patient complained of worsening lower extremities sensorimotor function and neurogenic claudication. Subsequent MRI revealed lumbar spine stenosis at the level of L3-L4, requiring further decompression. The patient underwent a second surgery involving L4-L5 Laminectomy with duraplasty and L2-L5 transpedicular fixation. The post-operative period was uneventful. Latest follow-up 18 mo after the second surgery revealed substantial improvement in patient's well-being. CONCLUSION: CENF should be kept in mind during the differential diagnostic work-up for polyneuropathies. Management with an extensive decompression, duraplasty and primary spinal fixation represents a rational approach to achieve a sustained symptomatic improvement and superior overall outcome.

Dance/Movement Therapy as an Intervention in Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review.

AIM: In this paper, we systematically review the evidence looking at the effect of dance/movement therapy (DMT) and mental health outcomes and quality of life in breast cancer patients. METHOD: The literature search was done with the databases PubMed (MEDLINE), EBSCO, and Cochrane Central by using the following search words: "dancing/dance/movement therapy," "breast cancer/neoplasms/carcinoma/tumour" or "mammary cancer," "mental health," and "quality of life." Ninety-four articles were found. Only empirical interventional studies (N = 6) were selected for the review: randomised controlled trials (RCT) (n = 5) and non-RCT (n = 1). PRISMA guidelines were used. RESULTS: Data from 6 studies including 385 participants who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, were of an average age of 55.7 years, and had participated in DMT programmes for 3-24 weeks were analysed. In each study, the main outcomes that were measured were quality of life, physical activity, stress, and emotional and social well-being. Different questionnaires were used for the evaluation of outcomes. The mental health of the participants who received DMT intervention improved: they reported a better quality of life and decreased stress, symptoms, and fatigue. CONCLUSION: We found only six studies for review, and some had a small number of participants. However, our findings indicate that DMT could be successfully used as a complimentary therapy in addition to standard cancer treatment for improving the quality of life and mental health of women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. More research is needed to evaluate the complexity of the impact of complimentary therapies. It is possible that DMT could be more effective if used with other therapies.

Relationship Between Composition of Fatty Acid in Platelet Phospholipid Membrane and Markers of Oxidative Stress in Healthy Men and Men After a Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND Oxidative stress (OS) is known to be extremely damaging for phospholipids in cell membranes, especially their polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). OS is known to be associated with increased platelet activation and thrombosis, which lead to cardiovascular lesions. The aim of this study was to investigate how changes in the composition of fatty acids (FAs) in the platelet phospholipid membrane correlate with OS in healthy men and in men who have experienced a myocardial infarction (post-MI men). MATERIAL AND METHODS FA methyl esters from the platelet phospholipid membrane of 79 apparently healthy and 20 post-MI men were identified using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured in the blood serum using high-performance liquid chromatography, and platelet-white blood cell aggregates (PWAs) were analysed based on whole-blood flow cytometry. The composition of platelet membrane FAs was compared to MDA concentration (µg/l) and the percentage of PWA formation between healthy men and individuals who had suffered a myocardial infarction (MI). RESULTS Statistically, post-MI patients had a significantly higher concentration of blood serum MDA than those in the control group (p=0.000). The level of PUFAs was also higher in the platelet phospholipid membrane of post-MI patients than in healthy individuals (p=0.016). However, the percentage of PWA formation was lower in patients compared with the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS A higher level of blood serum MDA concentration due to OS stimulates platelets to incorporate more PUFAs into the phospholipid membrane, thereby affecting platelet activation. This may lead the individual to develop cardiovascular diseases in the future.

Association of Platelet Membrane Fatty Acid Composition with Markers of Oxidative Stress in Healthy Men.

BACKGROUND Platelet membranes are extremely susceptible to peroxidation, forming a variety of lipid peroxides, including malondialdehyde (MDA), which has been implicated in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, platelet-leukocyte aggregates (PLAs) are known to contribute to advanced endothelial injury and atherogenesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fatty acid (FA) methyl esters of the platelet membranes of 79 apparently healthy men without any acute clinical condition at the time of the study were identified by GC/MS. MDA was measured by HPLC in blood serum, and PLAs were analyzed by whole-blood flow cytometry. Individuals were divided into quartiles according to MDA concentration and percentage of PLAs formation. The composition of platelet membrane FAs was compared to MDA concentration and the percentage of PLAs formation in apparently healthy individuals. RESULTS In quartiles (Q) with higher MDA concentration, percentage of C 16: 1ω7 (Q1 vs. Q3, p=0.021), C 20: 1ω9 (Q2 vs. Q4, p=0.028) and C 20: 5ω3 (Q2 vs. Q4, p=0.046) was lower. However, C 22: 5ω3 (Q1 vs. Q4, p=0.038) and total ω3 (Q1 vs. Q2, p=0.024) were higher. CONCLUSIONS MDA and the formation of platelet-monocyte aggregates stimulate the incorporation of monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids in platelet phospholipid membranes, which may be a hallmark for a changed level of biologically active compounds required for the activation of future platelets.

Investigation of Variations in the Human Urine Metabolome amongst European Populations: An Exploratory Search for Biomarkers of People at Risk-of-Poverty.

SCOPE: According to Eurostat 2016, approximately 119 million European citizens live at-risk-of-poverty (ROP). This subpopulation is highly diverse by ethnicity, age, and culture in the different EU states, but they all have in common a low income that could represent an increased risk of nutrient deficiencies due to poor nutritional habits. This study aims to investigate the human urine metabolome in the search of common biomarkers representing dietary deficiencies amongst European populations at ROP. METHODS AND RESULTS: 2732 urine samples were collected from 1391 subjects across five different European countries, including the United Kingdom, Finland, Italy, Lithuania, and Serbia, and analyzed using 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. The resulting urine metabolome data were explored according to study design factors including economic status, country, and gender. CONCLUSION: Partitioning of the effects derived from the study design factors using ANOVA-simultaneous component analysis (ASCA) revealed that country and gender effects were responsible for most of the systematic variation. The effect of economic status was, as expected, much weaker than country and gender, but more pronounced in Lithuania than in other countries. Citrate and hippurate were among the most powerful ROP biomarkers. The possible relationship between these markers and nutritional deficiencies amongst the ROP population is discussed.

Investigation of Adipose Tissue Fatty Acid Composition in Men with Uronephrolithiasis and Metabolic Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Fatty acids (FA) and their metabolites are closely related to some mechanisms involved in the development of uronephrolithiasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between FA composition and type of kidney stones. MATERIAL AND METHODS Abdominal adipose tissue fatty acid methyl esters of 71 men with nephrolithiasis were identified by GC/MS, and the type of kidney stones was identified using FTIR infrared spectroscopy. Patients were divided into groups according to diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MS) and type of kidney stone. The composition of FA was compared within different groups of patients with different types of kidney stones and between the patients and healthy individuals (control group) (n=100). RESULTS Individuals with nephrolithiasis had a significantly higher level of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and a lower level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) versus healthy individuals. Patients with MS had a higher level of 18: 1ω9 and a lower level of 16: 1ω7 than patients without MS. Individuals with nephrolithiasis, but without MS, had a higher level of saturated fatty acids (SFA) compared to controls. The level of PUFA was higher in the control group (p<0.0001) compared to individuals with uronephrolithiasis, with or without MS. PUFA, ω - 6 PUFA, and 18: 2ω6 were higher in patients with calcium-based kidney stones without MS versus patients with uric acid kidney stones with MS. CONCLUSIONS The levels of MUFA were significantly higher and the levels of PUFA were significantly lower in patients with uronephrolithiasis compared to controls.

Combined studies of chemical composition of urine sediments and kidney stones by means of infrared microspectroscopy.

Results of the structural analysis of urinary sediments by means of infrared spectral microscopy are presented. The results are in good agreement with the results of standard optical microscopy in the case of single-component and crystalline urinary sediments. It is found that for noncrystalline or multicomponent sediments, the suggested spectroscopic method is superior to optical microscopy. The chemical structure of sediments of any molecular origin can be elucidated by this spectroscopic method. The method is sensitive enough to identify solid particles of drugs present in urine. Sulfamethoxazole and traces of other medicines are revealed in this study among the other sediments. We also show that a rather good correlation exists between the type of urinary sediments and the renal stones removed from the same patient. Spectroscopic studies of urinary stones and corresponding sediments from 76 patients suffering from renal stone disease reveal that in 73% of cases such correlation exists. This finding is a strong argument for the use of infrared spectral microscopy to prevent kidney stone disease because stones can be found in an early stage of formation by using the nonintrusive spectroscopic investigation of urinary sediments. Some medical recommendations concerning the overdosing of certain pharmaceuticals can also be derived from the spectroscopic studies of urinary sediments.

Infrared spectroscopic imaging of renal tumor tissue.

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging has been used to probe the biochemical composition of human renal tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue. Freshly resected renal tumor tissue from surgery was prepared as a thin cryosection and examined by FTIR spectroscopic imaging. Tissue types could be discriminated by utilizing a combination of fuzzy k-means cluster analysis and a supervised classification algorithm based on a linear discriminant analysis. The spectral classification is compared and contrasted with the histological stained image. It is further shown that renal tumor cells have spread in adjacent normal tissue. This study demonstrates that FTIR spectroscopic imaging can potentially serve as a fast and objective approach for discrimination of renal tumor tissue from normal tissue and even in the detection of tumor infiltration in adjacent tissue.