Assessment of occupational musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among heavy vehicle drivers.

BACKGROUND: Professional driving requires long hours of work, uncomfortable seats, negotiating rough terrain and highways, and possibly minor repairs and other auxiliary transportation duties. Heavy vehicle drivers driving vehicles such as trucks, bulldozers, etc. due to such working structures are more prone to various musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and pain, which is of great concern. OBJECTIVES: In the present study, it is planned to investigate possible ergonomic risk factors such as age, weight, driving exposure, seat suspension systems, lifting heavy weights causing MSDs in drivers of various heavy vehicles. The results of the study are expected to help drivers reduce the risk of MSDs. METHODS: For the present study, the Nordic questionnaire on musculoskeletal disorders was modified and standardized and was administered to the 48 heavy vehicle drivers randomly selected to collect the data. RESULTS: The analysis divulged that over the past 12 months, lower back pain (LBP) emerged as the most dominant pain experienced by 56% of drivers, followed by knee pain (KP) (43%) and neck pain (NP) (39%) respectively. The prevalence of shoulder pain (SP) was observed to be much lower than in previous literature. The logistic regression model further revealed that increasing age, poor suspension system and poor body posture were significantly associated with lower back pain. Additionally, a poor suspension system and lifting heavy weights had significant effect on the drivers' knee pain. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated the evident necessity for ergonomic consideration in vehicle designing and ergonomic training for heavy vehicle drivers.

An early force prediction control scheme using multimodal sensing of electromyography and digit force signals.

Different grasping gestures result in the change of muscular activity of the forearm muscles. Similarly, the muscular activity changes with a change in grip force while grasping the object. This change in muscular activity, measured by a technique called Electromyography (EMG) is used in the upper limb bionic devices to select the grasping gesture. Previous research studies have shown gesture classification using pattern recognition control schemes. However, the use of EMG signals for force manipulation is less focused, especially during precision grasping. In this study, an early predictive control scheme is designed for the efficient determination of grip force using EMG signals from forearm muscles and digit force signals. The optimal pattern recognition (PR) control schemes are investigated using three different inputs of two signals: EMG signals, digit force signals and a combination of EMG and digit force signals. The features extracted from EMG signals included Slope Sign Change, Willison Amplitude, Auto Regressive Coefficient and Waveform Length. The classifiers used to predict force levels are Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Support Vector Machines, k-nearest Neighbors and Decision Tree. The two-fold objectives of early prediction and high classification accuracy of grip force level were obtained using EMG signals and digit force signals as inputs and Random Forest as a classifier. The earliest prediction was possible at 1000 ms from the onset of the gripping of the object with a mean classification accuracy of 90 % for different grasping gestures. Using this approach to study, an early prediction will result in the determination of force level before the object is lifted from the surface. This approach will also result in better biomimetic regulation of the grip force during precision grasp, especially for a population facing vision deficiency.

Patient Experiences after Intracorporeal Right Hemicolectomy: Evaluating Patient Reported Outcome Measures via Short Form-36.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) after intracorporal anastomosis (ICA) during laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of General Surgery, Griffith Base Hospital, New South Wales, Australia, from August 2022 till February 2023. METHODOLOGY: Participants who underwent laparoscopic intracorporeal right hemicolectomy were included in this study. Patients requiring emergency procedures or with a history of psychiatric illness were excluded. The Short Form-36 (SF-36); a quality of life (QoL) questionnaire employed focusing on physical health-related domains post laparoscopic intracorporeal hemicolectomy. The relationship between QoL domains and operative outcomes specific to this anastomotic technique was also assessed. RESULTS: The SF-36 scores at six weeks and six months postoperation revealed shifts in the overall QoL following ICA. Notably, physical function showed significant improvement, while bodily pain remained a significant concern. The correlation analysis found operative blood loss and the length of the extraction site to be significantly correlated with postoperative physical role. CONCLUSION: The study determined that decreased operative blood loss and a shorter extraction site were associated with improved postoperative physical role. It showed the overall QoL improved within six months of the procedure, with the bodily pain domain still an area requiring attention. Understanding the impact of laparoscopic ICA on patient-reported outcomes may help in tailoring patient-cantred approaches and enhancing the overall quality of care. KEY WORDS: Intracorporeal, Right hemicolectomy, Patient-reported outcome measures, Colorectal anastomosis.

Foot Muscle Exercise: A Novel Approach to Improve Motor Functions in Children with Down Syndrome Having Pes Planus - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to determine the efficacy of foot muscle exercises in children with DS having pes planus. METHODS: Forty-seven subjects randomly assigned to foot muscle exercises (study group) or an arch support insole with one-leg balance exercises (control group), thrice weekly intervention for 12-weeks followed by a home program with residual effect assessed after 24-weeks from baseline. RESULTS: The motor functions were significantly improved in both groups (p = 0.00). A positive residual effect was found in the study group for both parameters. Whilst in the control group it failed to give a positive residual effect for GMFM-88, while PBS yielded positive outcomes. The study group showed significantly better results than the control group in comparison. CONCLUSION: The novel finding suggests that the foot muscle exercise has the potential to improve motor functions in children with Down syndrome and it can be used as an alternative therapeutic approach to the conventional method.

SlWRKY80-mediated jasmonic acid pathway positively regulates tomato resistance to saline-alkali stress by enhancing spermidine content and stabilizing Na+/K+ homeostasis.

Saline-alkali is an important abiotic stressor influencing tomato production. Exogenous methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is well known to increase tomato resistance to a variety of stresses, although its exact mechanism is yet unknown. In this study we confirmed that 22.5 µmol/l MeJA could significantly improve the saline-alkali stress resistance of tomato. Saline-alkali (300 mM) stress increased the endogenous MeJA and jasmonic acid (JA) contents of tomato by 18.8 and 13.4%, respectively. Exogenous application of 22.5 µmol/l MeJA increased the endogenous MeJA and JA contents in tomato by 15.2 and 15.9%, respectively. Furthermore, we found an important transcription factor, SlWRKY80, which responded to MeJA, and constructed its overexpressing and knockout lines through genetic transformation. It was found that SlWRKY80 actively regulated tomato resistance to saline-alkali stress, and the spraying of exogenous MeJA (22.5 µmol/l) reduced the sensitivity of SlWRKY80 knockout lines to saline-alkali stress. The SlWRKY80 protein directly combines with the promoter of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4 to positively regulate the transcription of SlSPDS2 and SlNHX4, thereby promoting the synthesis of spermidine and Na+/K+ homeostasis, actively regulating saline-alkali stress. The augmentation of JA content led to a notable reduction of 70.6% in the expression of SlJAZ1, and the release of the SlWRKY80 protein interacting with SlJAZ1. In conclusion, we revealed the mechanism of exogenous MeJA in tomato stress resistance through multiple metabolic pathways, elucidated that exogenous MeJA further promotes spermidine synthesis and Na+/K+ homeostasis by activating the expression of SlWRKY80, which provides a new theoretical basis for the study of the JA stress resistance mechanism and the production of tomato.

Synthesis of ZnO and PEG-ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) with controlled size for biological evaluation.

The objective of this research was to produce the smallest possible ZnO nanoparticles through an adapted wet chemical process and subsequently, to fabricate a core-shell structure utilizing polyethylene glycol (PEG) as the shell component. The synthesis, size, and shape of the NPs were confirmed using advanced techniques. The resulting clustered NPs were round and had a size of 9.8 nm. Both plain and core-shell NPs were tested for their antibacterial properties against multi-drug resistant bacteria strains (E. cloacae, E. amnigenus, S. flexneri, S. odorifacae, Citrobacter, and E. coli), with concentrations of 500, 1000, and 1500 µg ml-1 used for testing. Both types of NPs demonstrated antibacterial activity against the tested pathogens, with the core-shell NPs being more effective. The synthesized NPs were biocompatible with human red blood cells, with a low level of hemolysis observed. The biocompatibility of the core-shell NPs was significantly enhanced by the presence of the PEG added as the shell. In addition, their effectiveness as photosensitizers for cancer treatment via photodynamic therapy (PDT) was evaluated. MTT assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of ZnO and PEG-ZnO, and the results showed that these NPs were able to generate ROS inside tumor cells upon irradiation, leading to apoptosis and cell death, making them a promising candidate for PDT.

SlGAD2 is the target of SlTHM27, positively regulates cold tolerance by mediating anthocyanin biosynthesis in tomato.

Cold stress significantly limits the yield and quality of tomato. Deciphering the key genes related to cold tolerance is important for selecting and breeding superior cold-tolerant varieties. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) responds to various types of stress by rapidly accumulating in plant. In this study, glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD2) was a positive regulator to enhance cold stress tolerance of tomato. Overexpression of SlGAD2 decreased the extent of cytoplasmic membrane damage and increased the endogenous GABA content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity in response to cold stress, whereas Slgad2 mutant plants showed the opposite trend. In addition, SlGAD2 induced anthocyanin biosynthesis in response to cold stress by increasing the content of endogenous GABA. Further study revealed that SlGAD2 expression was negatively regulated by the transcription factor SlTHM27. However, the transcript levels of SlTHM27 were repressed under cold stress. Antioxidant enzyme activities, SlGAD2 transcript levels, GABA and anthocyanin contents were significantly increased in Slthm27 mutant plants. Further, our study demonstrated that SlTHM27 decreases SlGAD2-promoted cold resistance in tomato by repressing SlGAD2 transcription. Overall, our results showed that the SlTHM27-SlGAD2 model regulates the cold tolerance in tomato by regulating GABA and anthocyanin.

Deep learning-based radiomics allows for a more accurate assessment of sarcopenia as a prognostic factor in hepatocellular carcinoma. / åŸºäºŽå½±åƒç»„å­¦çš„æ·±åº¦å­¦ä¹ è¯„ä¼°è‚Œå°‘ç—‡å¯¹è‚ç™Œåˆ‡é™¤å’Œç§»æ¤æ‚£è€ é¢„åŽçš„å½±å“.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies and is a major cause of cancer-related mortalities worldwide (Forner et al., 2018; He et al., 2023). Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by an accelerated loss of skeletal muscle (SM) mass that may be age-related or the result of malnutrition in cancer patients (Cruz-Jentoft and Sayer, 2019). Preoperative sarcopenia in HCC patients treated with hepatectomy or liver transplantation is an independent risk factor for poor survival (Voron et al., 2015; van Vugt et al., 2016). Previous studies have used various criteria to define sarcopenia, including muscle area and density. However, the lack of standardized diagnostic methods for sarcopenia limits their clinical use. In 2018, the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) renewed a consensus on the definition of sarcopenia: low muscle strength, loss of muscle quantity, and poor physical performance (Cruz-Jentoft et al., 2019). Radiological imaging-based measurement of muscle quantity or mass is most commonly used to evaluate the degree of sarcopenia. The gold standard is to measure the SM and/or psoas muscle (PM) area using abdominal computed tomography (CT) at the third lumbar vertebra (L3), as it is linearly correlated to whole-body SM mass (van Vugt et al., 2016). According to a "North American Expert Opinion Statement on Sarcopenia," SM index (SMI) is the preferred measure of sarcopenia (Carey et al., 2019). The variability between morphometric muscle indexes revealed that they have different clinical relevance and are generally not applicable to broader populations (Esser et al., 2019).

trans-IV restriction: a new configuration for metal bis-cyclam complexes as potent CXCR4 inhibitors.

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 is implicated in multiple diseases including inflammatory disorders, cancer growth and metastasis, and HIV/AIDS. CXCR4 targeting has been evaluated in treating cancer metastasis and therapy resistance. Cyclam derivatives, most notably AMD3100 (Plerixafor™), are a common motif in small molecule CXCR4 antagonists. However, AMD3100 has not been shown to be effective in cancer treatment as an individual agent. Configurational restriction and transition metal complex formation increases receptor binding affinity and residence time. In the present study, we have synthesized novel trans-IV locked cyclam-based CXCR4 inhibitors, a previously unexploited configuration, and demonstrated their higher affinity for CXCR4 binding and CXCL12-mediated signaling inhibition compared to AMD3100. These results pave the way for even more potent CXCR4 inhibitors that may provide significant efficacy in cancer therapy.

State-Level Analysis of Intimate Partner Violence, Abortion Access, and Peripartum Homicide: Call for Screening and Violence Interventions for Pregnant Patients.

BACKGROUND: Despite representing 4% of the global population, the US has the fifth highest number of intentional homicides in the world. Peripartum people represent a unique and vulnerable subset of homicide victims. This study aimed to understand the risk factors for peripartum homicide. STUDY DESIGN: We used data from the 2018 to 2020 National Violent Death Reporting System to compare homicide rates of peripartum and nonperipartum people capable of becoming pregnant (12 to 50 years of age). Peripartum was defined as currently pregnant or within 1-year postpartum. We additionally compared state-level peripartum homicide rates between states categorized as restrictive, neutral, or protective of abortion. Pearson's chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used. RESULTS: There were 496 peripartum compared with 8,644 nonperipartum homicide victims. The peripartum group was younger (27.4 ± 71 vs 33.0 ± 9.6, p < 0.001). Intimate partner violence causing the homicide was more common in the peripartum group (39.9% vs 26.4%, p < 0.001). Firearms were used in 63.4% of homicides among the peripartum group compared with 49.5% in the comparison (p < 0.001). A significant difference was observed in peripartum homicide between states based on policies regarding abortion access (protective 0.37, neutral 0.45, restrictive 0.64; p < 0.01); the same trend was not seen with male homicides. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with nonperipartum peers, peripartum people are at increased risk for homicide due to intimate partner violence, specifically due to firearm violence. Increasing rates of peripartum homicide occur in states with policies that are restrictive to abortion access. There is a dire need for universal screening and interventions for peripartum patients. Research and policies to reduce violence against pregnant people must also consider the important role that abortion access plays in protecting safety.

Evaluation of changes in tongue pressure with twin-block appliance therapy in growing Class II Div 1 malocclusion. An in vivo study.

INTRODUCTION: Twin-block appliance therapy in patients with Class II Div 1 malocclusion positions the mandible anteroinferior leading to possible alterations in tongue pressure, tongue length, and the oropharynx. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the changes in tongue pressure, tongue length and dimension of the pharyngeal airway in Class II Division 1 subjects before and after twin-block therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four subjects were selected, in the range of 10-14 years (mean-12 years). The tongue pressure was recorded at three regions with sensors placed at the incisive papilla and bilaterally at the molar region of the palate for four minutes. The root mean square (RMS) values were recorded and used for further analysis. Evaluation of tongue length and pharyngeal airway dimension was done using a lateral cephalogram. All the measurements were done before and after twin-block appliance therapy. The paired t-test was performed to compare the changes. RESULTS: Resting tongue pressures decreased from pre-treatment levels to post-treatment at all three regions. Change in ANB angle was found to have a significant negative correlation with tongue length, and pharyngeal airway dimension, a significant positive correlation with pressure at incisive papilla and left molar region and no correlation at right molar region. CONCLUSION: There was a decrease in resting tongue pressure as the malocclusion was corrected from Class II to Class I. Hence, this decrease in pressure could be a contributory factor in the maintenance of the dental equilibrium as lighter forces exist in the oral cavity.

Long-lasting brain fog is related with severity clusters of symptoms in COVID-19 patients

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 patients may experience Long-lasting symptoms from weeks to even months. AIM: To evaluate long-term cognitive impairment based on the severity of symptoms of COVID-19 infection in a primary health system setting. Material and Methods: From a database of 363 patients, 83 cases aged 47 ± 15 years, (58% females) were selected from June to August 2020. In patients who survived the virus, 24 infection-related symptoms were collected to create three severity clusters (mild, moderate, and severe). The follow-up time was at least seven months. Comparing the first two clusters with the severe cluster, the existence of brain fog and risk factors (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and hypothyroidism) were analyzed. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients (37%) had persistent symptoms lasting up to 240 days. Fifty-one patients (61%) experienced brain fog. Concentration was affected by symptom severity (odds ratio [OR] 3.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26-10.46, p = 0.02). Short- or long-term memory loss was not affected. Moreover, symptom severity was related to brain fog (OR 3.16, 95% CI 1.05-9.51, p = 0.04). Patients with persistent symptoms had a concentration impairment associated with severity patterns (OR 24.3, 95% CI 1.73-340.11, p = 0.03). Conclusions: Brain fog is associated with symptom severity in COVID-19 survivors and lasts for more than eight months.

ANTECEDENTES: Los pacientes que han tenido COVID-19 pueden experimentar síntomas persistentes que duran semanas a meses. OBJETIVO: Evaluar el deterioro cognitivo a largo plazo en función de la severidad de los síntomas de la infección por COVID-19, en un escenario de sistema primario de salud. Material y Métodos: De una base de datos de 363 pacientes se seleccionaron 83 casos de 47 ± 15 años (58% mujeres), de junio-agosto de 2020. Se recopilaron 24 síntomas relacionados con la infección, creando tres grupos (leve, moderado y severo), en pacientes que padecieron y sobreviven al virus. El tiempo de seguimiento fue de al menos siete meses. La existencia de niebla cerebral y de factores de riesgo (obesidad, hipertensión, diabetes, enfermedad pulmonar crónica e hipotiroidismo) se comparó los dos grupos de severidad más bajos con el nivel superior. RESULTADOS: Treinta y un pacientes (37%) tuvieron síntomas prolongados con una duración de hasta 240 días. Cincuenta y un pacientes (61%) mostraron niebla cerebral. El deterioro de la concentración fue afectado por la severidad (Razón de riesgo (RR) = 3,63, Intervalos de confianza (IC) 95%: 1,26-10,46, p = 0,02). La pérdida de memoria a corto o largo plazo no fue afectada. El grupo con mayor severidad se asoció a niebla cerebral (RR = 3,16, IC95%: 1,05-9,51, p = 0,04). Los portadores de síntomas prolongados tuvieron una alteración de la concentración asociado a severidad (RR: 3,16, IC95%: 1,05-9,51, p= 0,04). Conclusiones: La niebla cerebral está relacionada con la severidad de los síntomas en supervivientes de COVID-19 permaneciendo por más de ocho meses.

The Nano-Magnetic Dancing of Bacteria Hand-in-Hand with Oxygen

ABSTRACT Magnetotactic bacteria are mostly microaerophilic found at the interface between oxic-anoxic zones. We report a magnetotactic bacterial strain isolated from an oil refinery sludge sample that grows aerobically in simple chemical growth medium, 9K. They open a new window of isolation of magnetic nanoparticles through an easy natural living system.

Green Tropical Phytoextracts - Promising Anticancer Alternative

ABSTRACT The anticancer potential of aqueous extracts of tropical plants Ficus deltoidea and Labisia pumila were tested on human prostate carcinoma (DU145) cells. The effects of these extracts on the cells were observed through several tests such as cytotoxicity MTT assay, trypan blue exclusion assay (for cell viability), fluorescence and morphological observations. Both of the plant extracts had a growth repression effect on the cells with different concentrations. The best concentration (1x10-3 μg/mL) was chosen by determining their cytotoxic effects on human prostate cancer as well as fibroblast (normal) cells. The F. deltoidea extract showed more potency and killed the cells faster than L. pumila. Morphologically both extracts affected the cells in a similar way, i.e. the cells became irregular shaped, detached themselves and kept floating in the medium.