ABSTRACT
Background: Healthcare professionals and educators closely monitor the occurrence of climacteric symptoms in women's primes. Knowledge and perception of menopause play a crucial role in improving quality of life. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and perceptions of menopause among Saudi women and identify its predictors. This study is the first of its kind in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: Conducted in accordance with the STROBE guidelines, this cross-sectional study was carried out in the Jazan region from May 2022 to January 2023 and involved 480 Saudi women who provided consent. Data were collected through interviews using a validated questionnaire and random sampling. The questionnaire consisted of four parts: informed consent, demographics, 21 knowledge questions, and ten menopause perception questions. The validity of the content and the internal consistency were evaluated before data collection. Primary healthcare centers were randomly selected from four governorates with a proportional sample size to the population. Descriptive analysis, Pearson correlation, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM-SPSS. Results: Among the participants, 64 % were under 40 years old, 80 % had experienced menarche between the ages of 10 and 15, 48 % were employed, approximately half held a bachelor's degree, and they had a good family income. The mean knowledge score of the participants was 48.87 ± 11.72, with a minimum score of 27 and a maximum score of 78. In terms of knowledge categories, 56.3 % of the participants (N = 270) were classified as having low knowledge, while 43.8 % (N = 210) were classified as having high knowledge. Most of the participants had positive perceptions and agreed that menopause is a natural event in women's lives. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and perception (R = 0.219, P < 0.01). Variable findings were observed regarding the role of explanatory variables in women's knowledge of menopause between univariate and multivariate models. The results of the multivariate model showed that age (46-50 years, OR = 0.42), having children (OR = 1.09), residence (OR = 0.45-5.73) and family income categories (medium: OR = 3.98, good: OR = 3.78, and excellent: OR = 1.95) had a significant impact on knowledge, highlighting the correlation between demographic factors and knowledge. Conclusions: Based on the study findings, we recommend implementing workplace and community-based activities to increase women's awareness of menopause and incorporating it as an integral part of counseling sessions for women in this age group. Therefore, the results of the study will be shared with the relevant authorities responsible for women's health, enabling them to effectively support and educate women.
ABSTRACT
Cancer immunotherapy is a promising strategy in cancer management, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This experimental study aimed to evaluate interleukin-10 (IL-10) as a biomarker for monitoring the response of tumor-derived autophagosomes vaccine in inducing antitumor immunity in HCC induced mice. It was conducted on 56 BALB/c mice; divided into 20 normal and 36, cancer induced with human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) cells. The latter group was subdivided into a positive control group (n=6) and a treated group (n=30), that was subdivided into 3 subgroups: (A) treated with dendritic cells (DC) vaccine only, (B) treated with vaccine named Dribbles only, and (C) treated with DC plus Dribbles. Serum IL-10 was assessed after immunotherapy. The mean percentage of tumor volume reduction in mice vaccinated by DC plus Dribbles was significantly superior to DC and Dribbles groups (p= 0.013, and p= 0.043, respectively). There was a statistically significant difference in IL-10 levels between different immunotherapy groups (p= 0.0003). As the mean IL-10 level was 19.50 pg/ml for the positive control group, 13 pg/ml for Dribbles group, 10 pg/ml for DCs group and 3.50 pg/ml for DCs plus Dribbles group. We conclude that DC-Dribbles vaccine has a remarkable efficacy superior to either Dribbles alone or DC alone in the decline of HCC development and survival improvement. IL-10 is a predictive biomarker for response after immunotherapy.
Subject(s)
Cancer Vaccines , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular , Dendritic Cells , Immunotherapy , Interleukin-10 , Liver Neoplasms , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Animals , Interleukin-10/blood , Interleukin-10/immunology , Dendritic Cells/immunology , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy , Mice , Liver Neoplasms/immunology , Liver Neoplasms/therapy , Humans , Cancer Vaccines/immunology , Cancer Vaccines/administration & dosage , Immunotherapy/methods , Hep G2 Cells , Disease Models, Animal , Biomarkers, Tumor/blood , Biomarkers, Tumor/immunologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Psoriasis has a global prevalence of 1-3%, with variations observed across different ethnic groups and geographical areas. Disease susceptibility and response to anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) drugs suggest different genetic regulatory mechanisms which may include NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) polymorphism. Evaluation of the NLRP3 gene polymorphism, the serum level of CRP and TNFα in psoriasis patients and assessment of the NLRP3 (rs10754558) gene polymorphism, CRP and TNFα with disease severity and their role as biomarkers for response to Methotrexate and Adalimumab in psoriasis. The study had a total of 75 patients diagnosed with psoriasis vulgaris, who were compared to a control group of 75 healthy individuals. RESULTS: There was a highly significant difference in NLRP3 genotypes and alleles distribution between psoriasis patients and controls (P = 0.002,0.004). The heterozygote genotype GC (OR = 3.67,95%CI:1.75-7.68, P = 0.0006), was linked with increased risk of psoriasis. Additionally, The GC genotype was significantly associated with nonresponse to psoriasis therapy (OR = 11.7,95%CI:3.24-42.28, P = 0.0002). Regarding serum CRP and TNFα levels, there was a highly statistically significant difference between psoriasis patients and controls (P < 0.0001), and there was also a highly statistically significant difference between responders and non-responders in psoriasis patients regarding PASI 50 (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The NLRP3 (rs10754558) genotypes GC was associated with the severe form of psoriasis and with nonresponse to psoriasis medication. Therefore, NLRP3 (rs10754558) gene polymorphism is an important prognostic biomarker in psoriasis patients. The serum TNFα can be used as a predictor for response to therapy in psoriasis patients. More research for evaluation of role of the NLRP3 gene polymorphism in the genetic risks and treatment outcomes associated with psoriasis is still required.
Subject(s)
Adalimumab , Methotrexate , NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Psoriasis , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha , Humans , Psoriasis/genetics , Psoriasis/drug therapy , NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics , Adalimumab/therapeutic use , Methotrexate/therapeutic use , Female , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics , Male , Adult , Middle Aged , Genotype , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Treatment Outcome , C-Reactive Protein/metabolism , Biomarkers/blood , Alleles , Severity of Illness Index , Gene FrequencyABSTRACT
Introduction: The Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS) program was officially launched in Jordan in 2021. Since its inception, no studies have examined the effectiveness of the program. This study seeks to assess the effectiveness and outcomes of the NHS program in Jordan. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the program coverage rate, referral rate, loss to follow-up rate and the hearing status of newborns who successfully completed the necessary diagnostic assessment. Live births in all hospitals administered by the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Jordan from July 2021 to November 2023 were included. Results: Out of 25,825 newborns delivered, 99.4% (25,682) were screened. A referral rate of 0.7% (189) was recorded. Approximately 61.9% of those referred (n = 117) had normal hearing, while 31.7% (60 infants) were diagnosed with hearing loss. The prevalence of congenital hearing loss was 0.14%, and the mean age for identifying hearing loss was 11 months. Discussion: The current status of the NHS program in Jordan is promising. The program has achieved most benchmarks recommended by the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH), demonstrating encouraging outcomes. There is a need to investigate and address the factors causing delays in the identification of hearing loss in Jordan.
ABSTRACT
The study examines the impact of microstructure and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) grafting on the degradability of Zn-Mg alloys. The mechanical properties of a Zn alloy containing 0.68 wt% Mg and extruded at 200 °C are enhanced for degradable load-bearing applications, addressing a crucial need in the field. The material exhibits a bimodal grain size distribution that is random texture, consisting of secondary phases, grains, and sub-grains. With an elongation to failure of 16 %, the yield and ultimate tensile strengths are 325.9 and 414.5 MPa, respectively, and the compressive yield strength is 450.5 MPa. The "grafting-from" method was used to coat a few micrometers thick of PMMA on both bulk and scaffold Zn alloys to mitigate the corrosion rate. The last one is a porous structure, with a porosity of 65.8 %, considered as in the first approach of an orthopedic implant. After being immersed for 720 h, the PMMA-grafted bulk alloy's corrosion rate decreased from 0.43 to 0.25 mm/y. Similarly, the scaffold alloy's corrosion rate reduced from 1.24 to 0.49 mm/y. These results indicate that the method employed could be used for future orthopedic applications.
ABSTRACT
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) increase the diversity of the proteome and are vital to organismal life and therapeutic strategies. Deep learning has been used to predict PTM locations. Still, limitations in datasets and their analyses compromise success. Here we evaluate the use of known PTM sites in prediction via sequence-based deep learning algorithms. Specifically, PTM locations were encoded as a separate amino acid before sequences were encoded via word embedding and passed into a convolutional neural network that predicts the probability of a modification at a given site. Without labeling known PTMs, our model is on par with others. With labeling, however, we improved significantly upon extant models. Moreover, knowing PTM locations can increase the predictability of a different PTM. Our findings highlight the importance of PTMs for the installation of additional PTMs. We anticipate that including known PTM locations will enhance the performance of other proteomic machine learning algorithms.
ABSTRACT
Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) belongs to the TLR protein family that plays an important role in the immune and inflammation response system. While TLR2 is predominantly expressed in immune cells, its expression has also been detected in the brain, specifically in microglia and astrocytes. Recent studies indicate that genomic deletion of TLR2 can result in impaired neurobehavioural function. It is currently not clear if the genomic deletion of TLR2 leads to any alterations in the microstructural features of the brain. In the current study, we noninvasively assess microstructural changes in the brain of TLR2-deficient (tlr2-/-) zebrafish using state-of-the art magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods at ultrahigh magnetic field strength (17.6 T). A significant increase in cortical thickness and an overall trend towards increased brain volumes were observed in young tlr2-/- zebrafish. An elevated T2 relaxation time and significantly reduced apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) unveil brain-wide microstructural alterations, potentially indicative of cytotoxic oedema and astrogliosis in the tlr2-/- zebrafish. Multicomponent analysis of the ADC diffusivity signal by the phasor approach shows an increase in the slow ADC component associated with restricted diffusion. Diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion kurtosis imaging analysis revealed diminished diffusivity and enhanced kurtosis in various white matter tracks in tlr2-/- compared with control zebrafish, identifying the microstructural underpinnings associated with compromised white matter integrity and axonal degeneration. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the genomic deletion of TLR2 results in severe alterations to the microstructural features of the zebrafish brain. This study also highlights the potential of ultrahigh field diffusion MRI techniques in discerning exceptionally fine microstructural details within the small zebrafish brain, offering potential for investigating microstructural changes in zebrafish models of various brain diseases.
ABSTRACT
Functionalization of room temperature liquids based on disubstituted imidazolium ionic liquids represents a promising avenue for tailoring their tunable physicochemical properties and expanding their potential application as green solvents to capture carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. In this work, new hydroxyl functionalized imidazolium ionic liquids were prepared from condensation of ethanolamine with glyoxal and formalin in the presence of acetic acid as catalyst. The chemical modification of the hydroxyl groups with epichlorohydrine added new hydroxylpropanoxychloride groups on the imidazolium cation that were quaternized with N-methylimidazolium chloride to produce new imidazolium acetate ionic liquids. The chemical structures, thermal stability, and thermal characteristics of the prepared imidazolium ionic liquids were evaluated. The incorporation of functionalized 1-chloro-2-hydroxypropanoxy and N-methylimidazolium chloride groups into the chemical structure of the imidazolium cations improved the thermal properties of the prepared ionic liquids. The application of the prepared ionic liquids as pure or mixed solvents with saline water to capture CO2 under atmospheric and 55.2 bar pressures was evaluated at room temperature. The data indicate that the prepared ionic liquids have superior CO2 adsorption/desorption rate in short time during 30 and 15 min and that their CO2 capture efficiency increased from 6.2 to 16.8 molCO2/kgIIL and from 9.1 to 20.0 molCO2/kgIIL at atmospheric and 55.2 bar pressures, respectively.
ABSTRACT
Amyloidosis is the condition when starch-like misfolded proteins form insoluble fibrils that deposit in tissues and cause dysfunction. Cardiac amyloidosis occurs due to the deposition of amyloid fibrils at the cardiac level and is an important cause of heart failure. This case reveals a patient with significant heart failure and arrhythmia, which later on turned out to be caused by cardiac amyloidosis. While regarded as a rare disease in practice, in retrospect, there are a lot of signs and imaging indicators, particularly in echocardiography that warrant an investigation of cardiac amyloidosis. In this case review, red flags in echocardiography that should endorse further testing for underlying cardiac amyloidosis are highlighted.
ABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVE: Identification of HIV remains a critical health priority for which emergency departments (EDs) are a central focus. The comparative cost-effectiveness of various HIV screening strategies in EDs remains largely unknown. The goal of this study was to compare programmatic costs and cost-effectiveness of nontargeted and 2 forms of targeted opt-out HIV screening in EDs using results from a multicenter, pragmatic randomized clinical trial. METHODS: This economic evaluation was nested in the HIV Testing Using Enhanced Screening Techniques in Emergency Departments (TESTED) trial, a multicenter pragmatic clinical trial of different ED-based HIV screening strategies conducted from April 2014 through January 2016. Patients aged 16 years or older, with normal mental status and not critically ill, or not known to be living with HIV were randomized to 1 of 3 HIV opt-out screening approaches, including nontargeted, enhanced targeted, or traditional targeted, across 4 urban EDs in the United States. Each screening method was fully integrated into routine emergency care. Direct programmatic costs were determined using actual trial results, and time-motion assessment was used to estimate personnel activity costs. The primary outcome was newly diagnosed HIV. Total annualized ED programmatic costs by screening approach were calculated using dollars adjusted to 2023 as were costs per patient newly diagnosed with HIV. One-way and multiway sensitivity analyses were performed. RESULTS: The trial randomized 76,561 patient visits, resulting in 14,405 completed HIV tests, and 24 (0.2%) new diagnoses. Total annualized new diagnoses were 12.9, and total annualized costs for nontargeted, enhanced targeted, and traditional targeted screening were $111,861, $88,629, and $70,599, respectively. Within screening methods, costs per new HIV diagnoses were $20,809, $23,554, and $18,762, respectively. Enhanced targeted screening incurred higher costs but with similar annualized new cases detected compared with traditional targeted screening. Nontargeted screening yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $25,586 when compared with traditional targeted screening. Results were most sensitive to HIV prevalence and costs of HIV tests. CONCLUSION: Nontargeted HIV screening was more costly than targeted screening largely due to an increased number of HIV tests performed. Each HIV screening strategy had similar within-strategy costs per new HIV diagnosis with traditional targeted screening yielding the lowest cost per new diagnosis. For settings with budget constraints or very low HIV prevalences, the traditional targeted approach may be preferred; however, given only a slightly higher cost per new HIV diagnosis, ED settings looking to detect the most new cases may prefer nontargeted screening.
Subject(s)
Cost-Benefit Analysis , Emergency Service, Hospital , HIV Infections , Mass Screening , Humans , Emergency Service, Hospital/economics , HIV Infections/diagnosis , HIV Infections/economics , Mass Screening/economics , Mass Screening/methods , Female , Adult , Male , United States , Middle Aged , HIV Testing/economics , HIV Testing/methods , Young AdultABSTRACT
Introduction: Insufficient knowledge and beliefs hinder the early diagnosis and provision of adequate treatment and care for PD patients, causing socio-economic burdens. Raising public awareness and understanding the knowledge gap is crucial for effective educational programs and early detection. This study aims to assess the perception of Parkinson's disease (PD) among visitors of a public campaign conducted to raise PD awareness and knowledge to facilitate early detection and management. Methods: A before-and-after study was conducted from May to June 2023, to assess the perception of PD among a public PD campaign visitors in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The campaign included educational booths discussing PD symptoms, causes, diagnosis, management, and support. Participants completed a self-administered online questionnaire before and after the campaign. The data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The study included 48 eligible individuals. The mean knowledge score was significantly enhanced following the campaign, rising from 12 to 17.77 points (p < 0.05). The symptoms of PD that showed a significant difference were slow movement, tremors, depression, memory problems, and sleep problems. The campaign had a beneficial effect on participants' general understanding of PD. Discussion: The study showed that public awareness campaigns successfully raised community awareness of PD. Participants' knowledge improved after the campaign, highlighting its positive effect. Further research could explore measuring the continuity of awareness over a longer period and its impact on improving patients' lives and could expand the sample size.
ABSTRACT
Photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs) are membrane proteins converting photonic excitations into electric gradients. The heliobacterial RCs (HbRCs) are assumed to be the precursors of all known RCs, making them a compelling subject for investigating structural and functional relationships. A comprehensive picture of the electronic structure of the HbRCs is still missing. In this work, the combination of selective isotope labelling of 13C and 15N nuclei and the utilization of photo-CIDNP MAS NMR (photochemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance) allows for highly enhanced signals from the radical-pair-forming cofactors. The remarkable magnetic-field dependence of the solid-state photo-CIDNP effect allows for observation of positive signals of the electron donor cofactor at 4.7 T, which is interpreted in terms of a dominant contribution of the differential relaxation (DR) mechanism. Conversely, at 9.4 T, the emissive signals mainly originate from the electron acceptor, due to the strong activation of the three-spin mixing (TSM) mechanism. Consequently, we have utilized two-dimensional homonuclear photo-CIDNP MAS NMR at both 4.7 T and 9.4 T. These findings from experimental investigations are corroborated by calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). This allows us to present a comprehensive investigation of the electronic structure of the cofactors involved in electron transfer (ET).
ABSTRACT
Introduction For spastic hip dislocations, a variety of operations are available with open hip reduction and varus derotational osteotomy of the proximal femur combined with pelvic osteotomy ± adductor release being a good option with favourable outcomes. This study aims to assess the outcome and complications of combined open hip reduction with pelvic osteotomy and varus derotational osteotomy. Methods In this study, 70 hips in 52 patients with spastic hip dislocation due to cerebral palsy were included. All included patients were treated surgically in our institute between January 2016 and December 2021. There were 31 males and 21 females. For each patient, information was collected about the age at the time of surgery and different radiological parameters at three different time intervals: pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively, and at the final follow-up. We also collected information about any complications arising from the surgery performed. Results The mean duration of follow-up was 19.58 months. The acetabular index decreased from an average of 35.01° to 17.18° with a mean difference of 17.83° (p<0.001). The central edge angle, which averaged -49.13° in the pre-operative period, increased to 26.34° and then marginally decreased to 25.47° at the final follow-up. The average migration index of 80.51% in the pre-operative period improved to 1.4% post-operatively with a mean difference of -79.11% (p<0.01). The migration index increased to 8.54% at the final follow-up. Similarly, the neck-shaft angle, which averaged 160.89° in the pre-operative period, decreased to 125.23° at the time of final follow-up with a percentage change of -22.16%. Conclusion Single-stage combined surgery in the form of combined open hip reduction and pelvic osteotomy with varus derotational osteotomy successfully treats the condition and shows good outcomes in patients with spastic hip dislocations. This treatment is associated with very few complications.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: The Life-Space Assessment (LSA) serves as an assessment tool for evaluating mobility and participation in older adults. To date, no studies have investigated the validity and reliability of the LSA within Arabic-speaking communities. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of an Arabic version of the LSA and to investigate the potential predictors of mobility restrictions in older Arabic-speaking adults. Materials and Methods: This study involved a cohort of 75 Arabic-speaking older adults (with a mean age of 67.2 ± 5.9). The LSA was administered twice, with a one-week interval, to assess its test-retest reliability. The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the LSA were assessed using Cronbach's alpha and intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs), respectively. The validity of the LSA was determined by analyzing its correlation with outcome measures related to the fear of falling, depression, quality of life, lower limb strength, physical performance, and gait speed. Results: The test-retest reliability of the LSA composite score demonstrated good results (ICC = 0.83). The validity of the LSA was supported by significant correlations between its scores and factors such as gender, education level, and all other outcome measures. Notably, being female and having a lower gait speed emerged as significant predictors of mobility restrictions in older Arabic-speaking adults, accounting for 49% of the variance (R2 = 49%) in the multiple logistic regression analysis conducted. Conclusions: The Arabic version of the LSA has proven to be a reliable and valid measure of mobility and participation among older Arabic-speaking adults. This study endorses the application of the Arabic LSA in both research and clinical settings involving older adults and emphasizes the need for further investigation to fully understand its psychometric features in other Arabic-speaking individuals afflicted with neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.
Subject(s)
Quality of Life , Walking Speed , Humans , Female , Aged , Middle Aged , Male , Surveys and Questionnaires , Reproducibility of Results , Fear , PsychometricsABSTRACT
Known for their high stability and surfactant properties, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been widely used in a range of manufactured products. Despite being largely phased out due to concerns regarding their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity, legacy PFAS such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid continue to persist at high levels in the environment, posing risks to aquatic organisms. We used high-resolution magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in intact zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos to investigate the metabolic pathways altered by PFOS both before and after hatching (i.e., 24 and 72 h post fertilization [hpf], respectively). Assessment of embryotoxicity found embryo lethality in the parts-per-million range with no significant difference in mortality between the 24- and 72-hpf exposure groups. Metabolic profiling revealed mostly consistent changes between the two exposure groups, with altered metabolites generally associated with oxidative stress, lipid metabolism, energy production, and mitochondrial function, as well as specific targeting of the liver and central nervous system as key systems. These metabolic changes were further supported by analyses of tissue-specific production of reactive oxygen species, as well as nontargeted mass spectrometric lipid profiling. Our findings suggest that PFOS-induced metabolic changes in zebrafish embryos may be mediated through previously described interactions with regulatory and transcription factors leading to disruption of mitochondrial function and energy metabolism. The present study proposes a systems-level model of PFOS toxicity in early life stages of zebrafish, and also identifies potential biomarkers of effect and exposure for improved environmental biomonitoring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:896-914. © 2024 SETAC.
Subject(s)
Alkanesulfonic Acids , Fluorocarbons , Animals , Zebrafish/metabolism , Alkanesulfonic Acids/toxicity , Alkanesulfonic Acids/metabolism , Fluorocarbons/toxicity , Fluorocarbons/metabolism , MetabolomicsABSTRACT
l-carnitine is an essential dietary supplement of physiological importance. Handling and manufacture of l-carnitine is difficult due to its hygroscopic nature, resulting in impairing its flow properties, as well as solid dosage form stability. The study aimed at reducing l-carnitine hygroscopicity through its encapsulation within a hydrophobic, pH-insensitive polymer. A solid in oil in oil (s/o/o) emulsion solvent evaporation technique for microencapsulation was adopted to exclude the possibility of water uptake. The polymers used were two ethyl cellulose (EC) grades with different viscosities. The chosen solvent for the polymer was acetone, and liquid paraffin was the dispersion medium in which both the drug and polymer were insoluble. Sixteen formulations were developed, and evaluated to study the formulation parameters as anti-coalescent type, mixing speed, surfactant type and polymer ratio, and viscosity grade. A "One Factor at A Time" (OFAT) design of experiment, and a factorial design were utilized. Study results revealed that successful microencapsulation occurred by using Aerosil 200 (0.1 %) as anti-coalescent, a mixing speed of 1000 rpm, and Ethocel Std 20 at a 3:1 drug-to-polymer ratio. Microcapsule formulation containing l-carnitine base, successfully compressed into tablets, showed acceptable water content, disintegration time, hardness, and dissolution. Moreover, it showed acceptable stability upon storage at 40 °C at 75 % RH for six months compared to l-carnitine tablets prepared by wet granulation.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The technique of measuring ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMP) in response to Mini-shaker vibration is relatively new, there is a limited normative data to define the presence or absence of a response in the literature. OBJECTIVE: To determine the test-retest reliability of cervical and ocular VEMPs (cVEMP and oVEMP, respectively) to air-conducted sound (ACS) and bone-conducted vibration (BCV) stimulation and to determine normative ranges for the responses. METHODS: Twenty normal-hearing individuals (40 ears) and 20 hearing impaired volunteers with normal balance function (40 ears) were examined in this study. ACS cVEMP and BCV oVEMP (using a Mini-shaker) were recorded from both groups to assess the test-retest reliability and to collect normative VEMP data for P1/N1 latencies and amplitudes from 20 normal hearing individuals. To test reliability, VEMP recordings were repeated within the same session. RESULTS: The test-retest reliability for all the cVEMP parameters showed excellent reliability whereas oVEMP parameters showed between fair and excellent reliability depending on the parameter tested. Normative data for VEMP P1/N1 latencies and amplitudes were established. CONCLUSIONS: Normative data and test-retest reliability for BCV oVEMP using the Mini-shaker at 100âHz were established in our study for the first time in the literature. Responses appear reliable.
Subject(s)
Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials , Vestibule, Labyrinth , Adult , Humans , Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials/physiology , Reproducibility of Results , VibrationABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Individuals report persistent symptoms after becoming infected by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) that last for >4 weeks (long-COVID syndrome). Dizziness and hearing loss have been reported among long-COVID symptoms. However, little is known about the potential predictors of dizziness and hearing loss in individuals with long COVID. This study aimed to explore the presence and correlates of dizziness and hearing loss in a sample of people with long-COVID syndrome. Materials and Methods: Individuals aged 18 years and older who were infected with COVID-19 at least 8 weeks prior to the start of the study were included if they were not diagnosed with dizziness or hearing loss before getting COVID-19. Demographics and COVID-19-related information were collected. Participants completed the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Activities-Specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, Falls Efficacy Scale International (FES-I), Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12 (SF-12). Finally, hearing was assessed using pure-tone audiometry (PTA) in a subsample. Results: Two hundred and nine individuals (66% female) with a mean (SD) age of 27 (9) participated in the study. Perceived dizziness and hearing loss were reported in 26 and 15.3% of the sample, respectively. Logistic regression was conducted to identify potential predictors of dizziness and hearing loss separately. After controlling for age and severity of dizziness, female sex and high fatigue severity were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting dizziness (R2 = 31%). The severity of dizziness and neurological symptoms during the acute stage of COVID-19 were associated with an increased likelihood of reporting hearing loss (R2 = 10.4%) after controlling for age. Conclusions: Dizziness and hearing loss present in long COVID and can be disabling. Females with high levels of fatigue should be questioned about persistent dizziness. Hearing loss should be considered in individuals with neurological symptoms and severe dizziness as a consequence of long COVID.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Deafness , Hearing Loss , Female , Humans , Male , COVID-19/complications , Dizziness/etiology , Dizziness/diagnosis , Fatigue/etiology , Hearing Disorders , Hearing Loss/complications , Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome , SARS-CoV-2 , Adolescent , Young Adult , AdultABSTRACT
Background and objective: The primary aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between sleep quality (SQ) and shoulder disorders in people after a stroke. The secondary aim was to explore the relationship between SQ and stroke outcomes, including the impact of stroke, fatigue, and quality of life (QOL). Material and Methods: A sample of 94 stroke patients was included. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess SQ, whereas the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) was utilized to assess shoulder pain and disability. The Stroke Impact Scale 16, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12 were also used as secondary measures. Results: The prevalence of poor SQ, shoulder pain, and shoulder disability in our sample was 60%, 78%, and 85%, respectively. The global PSQI score had a significant association with the SPADI pain subscale. There were some significant correlations between the PSQI subscales and shoulder pain and disability. The PSQI significantly correlated with stroke recovery, fatigue, and QOL. The daytime dysfunction PSQI subscale was significantly correlated with all shoulder and stroke outcomes and their subscale. Conclusion: SQ was associated more with the non-motor outcomes of stroke, including pain, cognitive fatigue, and mental status, than the motor outcomes. Considering SQ during upper extremity rehabilitation and care processes is essential.
Subject(s)
Sleep Wake Disorders , Stroke , Humans , Quality of Life , Sleep Quality , Shoulder Pain/epidemiology , Shoulder Pain/etiology , Shoulder , Stroke/complications , Sleep Wake Disorders/epidemiology , Sleep Wake Disorders/etiology , SleepABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of lower limb muscle fatigue on spatiotemporal gait parameters and turning difficulty characteristics during the extended Timed Up and Go (extended TUG) test in individuals with different severity stages of Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Forty individuals with PD, classified as Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) stages 2 and 3 participated in this pre- and post-experimental study design. The participants performed a continuous sit-to-stand task from a chair based on 30 cycles/min set-up to induce lower limb muscle fatigue. They performed extended TUG test immediately before and after completing the fatigue protocol. Spatiotemporal gait parameters and turning difficulty characteristics were recorded using two GoPro® Hero 4 Silver cameras. Data were subjected to a repeated-measure ANOVA. RESULTS: Individuals with PD experience significant changes in spatiotemporal gait parameters, specifically stride velocity and length, under conditions of lower limb muscle fatigue (p=0.001). These changes were more pronounced in individuals with PD in the H&Y stage 3 group. Additionally, both PD groups exhibited difficulty with turning, requiring more than five steps to complete a 180° turn and taking more than 3 seconds to accomplish it. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the impact of muscle fatigue on gait performance in PD and suggest that individuals in later stages of the disease may be particularly affected. Further research is needed to explore interventions that can mitigate these gait impairments and improve mobility in individuals with PD.