Pressure pain sensitivity, thermographic changes, function, life and sleep quality in patients with unilateral rotator cuff injury: A case-control study.

INTRODUCTION-AIM: This study aimed to assess pressure pain sensitivity, thermographic changes, functional status, quality of life, and sleep in individuals with unilateral shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tear and compare these parameters with the unaffected side and asymptomatic individuals. MATERIAL-METHOD: Thirty-two patients with unilateral rotator cuff injury and 32 volunteers without shoulder problems were included. Pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale, pressure pain sensitivity with a digital algometer, thermographic changes with a thermal camera, upper extremity function through the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Disability Questionnaire, sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and quality of life using SF-36. RESULTS: Pressure pain sensitivity of the deltoideus, supraspinatus, and subscapularis muscles in the affected limb was lower than in the unaffected limb (p = 0.027, p = 0.005, p < 0.001). Conversely, pressure sensitivity of the deltoideus, biceps brachii, and subscapularis muscles was higher in the patient group (p = 0.008, p = 0.042, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a decrease in temperature was observed in all patients, except for the trapezius muscles of the affected side (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study sheds light on altered pressure pain sensitivity and thermographic changes in individuals with unilateral shoulder pain due to rotator cuff tear. Additionally, the study highlights impairments in functional status, quality of life, and sleep in these individuals, emphasizing the broader impact of such injuries. Targeted interventions based on these findings have the potential to enhance overall well-being and functional outcomes for affected individuals. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Case-control study, prognosis study.

Western Massage Therapies in the Management of Neck Pain: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to compare types of Western massage therapy (MT) to other therapies, placebo, and no-treatment controls in neck pain (NP) in randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials. METHODS: An electronic, systematic search was performed in 7 English and 2 Turkish databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, SPORTDiscus, Physiotherapy Evidence-Based Database, ULAKBIM National Medical Database, and the Reference Directory of Turkey). The search terms "NP" and "massage" were used. Studies published between January 2012 and July 2021 were searched. Methodological quality was evaluated with Downs and Black Scale and version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. RESULTS: A total of 932 articles were identified; 8 of them were eligible. The Downs and Black score ranged from 15 to 26 points. Two studies were rated as "fair," 3 studies as "good," and 3 studies as "excellent." According to version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, 3 studies had a low risk of bias, 3 studies had some concerns, and 2 studies had a high risk of bias. Fair evidence found that myofascial release therapy improved pain intensity and pain threshold compared to no intervention in the short term. Excellent evidence found that connective tissue massage with exercise improved pain intensity and pain threshold compared to exercise alone in the short term. No Western MTs were superior to other active therapies according to short-term and immediate effects. CONCLUSION: This review suggests that Western MTs (myofascial release therapy and connective tissue massage) may improve NP, but studies are limited. This review showed that Western MTs were not superior to other active therapies for improving NP. The reviewed studies reported only immediate and short-term effects of Western MT; thus, high-quality randomized clinical trials investigating the long-term effects of Western MT are needed.

Green Synthesis, Characterization, Antioxidant, Antibacterial and Enzyme Inhibition Effects of Chestnut (Castanea sativa) Honey-Mediated Silver Nanoparticles.

In this study, chestnut honey-based silver nanoparticles (CH-AgNPs) were synthesized at different temperatures (30, 60 and 90 °C) and these nanoparticles were characterized by different techniques such as UV-vis spectrophotometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). The DPPH free radical scavenging assay was used to determine the antioxidant activity of the obtained nanoparticles. The inhibition effects of these nanoparticles for some clinically important enzymes such as myeloperoxidase and collagenase were investigated. In addition, the disk diffusion method (DDM), agar well diffusion (AWD), and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) techniques were used to determine the antibacterial activity of CH-AgNPs. In honey-based silver nanoparticle production processes using green synthesis, it was determined that the nanoparticle sizes decreased from 55 to 27 nm with an increase in temperature. In addition, it was determined that the rate of inhibition of myeloperoxidase (36.4% to 34.0%) and collagenase enzymes (74.2% to 68.7%) increased with a decrease in particle size. As a result of the antibacterial activity tests, it was observed that CH-AgNPs have antibacterial activity against all target pathogens including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The obtained results show that CH-AgNPs produced using chestnut honey have the potential to be used in fields such as medicine, pharmacy and cosmetic technology.

Determination of antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds for basic standardization of Turkish propolis.

This study aimed to determine the standard amount of antioxidant content and compounds of the propolis for the standardization of propolis. For this purpose, the total flavonoids, total phenolic, CUPRAC antioxidant capacity content and the diversity of phenolic and flavonoid components of these propolis samples were found by HPLC determined at the 23 propolis samples which were collected different regions of Turkey. Beside that, the similarities and differences of these 23 provinces to each other according to their antioxidant capacities were investigated by multidimensional scaling analysis. The total flavonoid content in the propolis samples were determined between 21.28 and 152.56 mg CE/g. The total phenolic content in the propolis samples was found between 34.53 mg and 259.4 mg GAE/g. CUPRAC antioxidant capacity of the propolis samples and antioxidant range was found from 95.35 to 710.43 mg TE/g. Also, 4 flavonoid [Quercetin (min.1.12-max.4.14 mg/g), Galangin (min.0.72-max.40.79 mg/g), Apigenin (min.1.07-max.17.35 mg/g), Pinocembrin (min.1.32-max.39.92 mg/g] and 6 phenolic acid [Caffeic acid (min.1.20-max.7.6 mg/g), p-Coumaric acid (min.1.26-max.4.47 mg/g), trans-Ferulic acid (min.1.28-max.4.92 mg/g), Protocatechuic acid (1.78 mg/g), trans-Cinnamic acid (min.1.05-max.3.83 mg/g), Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) (min.1.41-max.30.15 mg/g)] components were detected as mg/g, in different ratios in propolis samples collected from different regions. The feature of this study, so far, is to have the maximum number of samples representing the Turkish propolis, and so is thought to help to national and international propolis standard workings.

Anti-Ulcerogenic and Cytoprotective Effects of Saharian (Sidr) Honey from Algeria.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at investigating the gastro-protective effects of Algerian Sahara (Sidr) honey from Apis mellifera intermissa against HCl/Ethanol-induced gastric ulcers in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds were determined. Then, three groups of rats (control, HCl/ Ethanol-induced ulcer, and orally administered honey) were used for the determination of gastro-protective effect of Sidr honey. RESULTS: Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and DPPH activity of the honey sample were determined as 47.35±3.35 mg GAE/ 100 g, 2.13±0.17 mg QE/ 100 g, and 229.24±0.02 mg/mL, respectively. Oral pretreatment of rats with honey (1.2 g/Kg body weight orally at an interval of 2 days) protected gastric mucosa against HCl/Ethanol-induced damage by decreasing ulcer score, the volume and acidity of gastric juice and increasing pH. CONCLUSION: These results were confirmed by the histological assessment, which demonstrated a significant gastro-protective activity of Saharian (Sidr) honey against HCl/Ethanol-induced stomach ulcer. Plasma tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6 and PGE2 were also measured. Sahara honey significantly decreased the plasma TNF-α, PGE2, and IL-6 concentrations.

The Cosmetic Potential of The Medicinal Halophyte Tamarix Gallica L. (Tamaricaceae) Growing in The Eastern Part of Algeria: Photoprotective and Antioxidant Activities.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: Currently, the use of ingredients from natural sources has gained great attention in the cosmetic field, especially for the development of new photoprotective formulations. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the cosmetic potential of the crude methanol extract and the ethyl acetate fraction of the medicinal halophyte Tamarix gallica L. (Tg) growing in the area of Tebessa in the eastern part of Algeria, by assessing their phenolic and flavonoid contents, photoprotective and antioxidant activities. METHODS: The research approach consisted of determining phenolic and flavonoid contents of aerial parts via Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively. The antioxidant activity was measured through two in vitro methods, DPPH radical scavenging activity and total antioxidant capacity test (TAC). The in vitro photoprotective effect was evaluated according to the parameter SPF (Sun Protection Factor) by using the UV spectroscopic method in the UV-B region (290-320 nm). RESULTS: The methanol extract (Tg-MeOH) and ethyl acetate (Tg-EtOAc) fraction showed good antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 14.05±0.66, 27.58±1.98 µg/mL respectively in the DPPH test. Furthermore, both extracts displayed strong total antioxidant capacity (287.01±7.85, 246.7±1.12 mg AAE/g, respectively) in the TAC test. Both extracts exhibited high photoprotective activity, with sun protection factor (SPF) values 37.03±0.22 and 36.08±0.03. The antioxidant and photoprotective activities of these extracts were probably related to polyphenols content (190.27±0.74 mg AGE /g and 121.77±1.29 mg AGE /g, respectively) and flavonoids (78.75±0.06 mg QE /g and 58.67±1.19mg/g). CONCLUSION: Our findings show that extracts of Tamarix gallica L. could be a promising source to be mixed as a natural sunscreen and antioxidant agents into photoprotective cosmetic formulations.

Data for a meta-analysis of the adaptive layer in adaptive large neighborhood search.

Meta-analysis, a systematic statistical examination that combines the results of several independent studies, has the potential of obtaining problem- and implementation-independent knowledge and understanding of metaheuristic algorithms, but has not yet been applied in the domain of operations research. To illustrate the procedure, we carried out a meta-analysis of the adaptive layer in adaptive large neighborhood search (ALNS). Although ALNS has been widely used to solve a broad range of problems, it has not yet been established whether or not adaptiveness actually contributes to the performance of an ALNS algorithm. A total of 134 studies were identified through Google Scholar or personal e-mail correspondence with researchers in the domain, 63 of which fit a set of predefined eligibility criteria. The results for 25 different implementations of ALNS solving a variety of problems were collected and analyzed using a random effects model. This dataset contains a detailed comparison of ALNS with the non-adaptive variant per study and per instance, together with the meta-analysis summary results. The data enable to replicate the analysis, to evaluate the algorithms using other metrics, to revisit the importance of ALNS adaptive layer if results from more studies become available, or to simply consult the ready-to-use formulas in the summary file to carry out a meta-analysis of any research question. The individual studies, the meta-analysis and its results are described and interpreted in detail in Renata Turkes, Kenneth Sörensen, Lars Magnus Hvattum, Meta-analysis of Metaheuristics: Quantifying the Effect of Adaptiveness in Adaptive Large Neighborhood Search, in the European Journal of Operational Research.

Insidious Hughes Stovin Syndrome: Journey From Pulmonary Embolism to Pulmonary Arterial Aneurysm.

Hughes-Stovin syndrome (HSS) is a rare disease characterized by deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary and/or bronchial artery aneurysms. A 28-year-old female patient was followed-up for 5 months with pulmonary embolism. When she presented with hemoptysis at her 5th month, pulmonary artery aneurysm was detected on thoracic CT angiography. The abdominal magnetic resonance (MR) angiography revealed thrombus in the inferior vena cava. Because she didin't carry the criteria for Behcet's disease, she was diagnosed as Hughes-Stovin Syndrome (HSS) and steroid treatment was started. The patient who had a response to the treatment, stay in remission for a long time. The prognosis was poor in patients with HSS, and aneurysmal rupture was the main cause of death. In order to emphasize the fact that, when the pulmonary arterial aneurysm is seen, in view of the possibility of Behçet or its variant HSS,rapid onset of treatment can be life-saving. A rare female case is presented in the light of the literature.

Determination of Chemical Composition and α-amylase Inhibitory Effect of New Propolis Extracts.

BACKGROUND: Propolis is a resinous mixture collected by honeybees from tree buds and exudates of the plants. Propolis contains aromatic acids, diterpenic acids and phenolic compounds and these components are responsible for its antitumor, anticancer, antiviral and antifungal effects. Propolis can be extracted and the solubility of propolis differs depending on the solvent used in the process of extraction. Solvents used for propolis extraction have a great impact on the propolis extract and should be nontoxic. OBJECTIVE: In this study, raw propolis was extracted by peppermint and clove volatile oils. METHODS: Chemical composition of extracts was determined by using GC-MS equipment. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of the extracts were measured. α-amylase inhibitory activity of the extracts was carried out as well. RESULTS: The findings of the present study showed that clove volatile oil is more effective in the extraction of propolis than peppermint volatile oil. The total phenolic content of these extracts was determined as 175.12 and 40.80 mg GAE/mL for clove and peppermint oil propolis extracts, respectively. All extracts contained the same phenolic compounds but the quantity was less in volatile oil extract than in ethanol extract. Both of these extracts showed better α-amylase inhibitory activity than a reference inhibitor, acarbose. CONCLUSION: It could be concluded that propolis extract obtained by using volatile oils could be used as a complementary agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Predictive value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with hypersensitivity pneumonia.

AIM: To evaluate Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) and Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) in patients with HP. METHOD: A sample of 140 total patients, 50 having chronic HP and 20 having acute HP, and a control group of 70 more patients were included in this retrospective study conducted with hospital Ethical Committee approval. RESULTS: PLR and NLR values were significantly higher in all HP patients than in the control group ( p <0.001). In addition, these biomarkers were significantly higher in patients with acute HP than in the chronic HP group (p = 0.017 and p = 0.044, respectively). The cutoff values for PLR and NLR were: (1) 177 (p = 0.020) and 2.76 (p <0.0001) between the HP patients and the control group, and, (2) 110 (p = 0.0054) and 2.15 (p = 0.03), between the acute and chronic HP groups. CONCLUSION: PLR and NLR values are inexpensive and easy parameters that can guide in diagnosing hypersensitivity pneumonia in combination with clinical, radiological and pathology findings.and the acute-chronic differentiation of the disease. (Sarcoidosis Vasc Diffuse Lung Dis 2020; 37 (4): e2020012).

Digital sketch maps and eye tracking statistics as instruments to obtain insights into spatial cognition.

This paper explores map users' cognitive processes in learning, acquiring and remembering information presented via screen maps. In this context, we conducted a mixed-methods user experiment employing digital sketch maps and eye tracking. On the one hand, the performance of the participants was assessed based on the order with which the objects were drawn and the influence of visual variables (e.g. presence & location, size, shape, color). On the other hand, trial durations and eye tracking statistics such as average duration of fixations, and number of fixations per seconds were compared. Moreover, selected AoIs (Area of Interests) were explored to gain a deeper insight on visual behavior of map users. Depending on the normality of the data, we used either two-way ANOVA or Mann-Whitney U test to inspect the significance of the results. Based on the evaluation of the drawing order, we observed that experts and males drew roads first whereas; novices and females focused more on hydrographic object. According to the assessment of drawn elements, no significant differences emerged between neither experts and novices, nor females and males for the retrieval of spatial information presented on 2D maps with a simple design and content. The differences in trial durations between novices and experts were not statistically significant while both studying and drawing. Similarly, no significant difference occurred between female and male participants for either studying or drawing. Eye tracking metrics also supported these findings. For average duration of fixation, there was found no significant difference between experts and novices, as well as between females and males. Similarly, no significant differences were found for the mean number of fixation.

Comparison of Different Measurement Tools and Dimensional Parameters of Pterygium to Investigate its Impact on Refractive Indices and Ocular Aberrations.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare different measurement tools and parameters, including a new computer-assisted image processing technique for the quantitative analysis of the percentage of pterygium on the corneal surface, horizontal/vertical lengths obtained using slitlamp beam and surgical compass. METHODS: A total of 21 pterygia of 17 patients were included in the study. The pterygia were measured by three different methods: a slitlamp beam, a surgical compass, and a new computer-assisted image processing method. Refractive indices and higher-order aberrations were analyzed in all cases. RESULTS: The new computer-assisted image processing technique revealed excellent intraclass correlation coefficients for intraobserver and interobserver reliability (0.999 and 0.995, respectively). However, horizontal and vertical lengths revealed more deviation between the measurements obtained with slitlamp beam and surgical compass. Although uncorrected visual acuity did not show any significant correlation between horizontal and vertical lengths of pterygia measured by either slitlamp beam or surgical compass, it was correlated with the digital pterygium ratio (rho, 0.462; P=0.035). All ocular aberration (total, higher-order, coma, trefoil, quatrefoil, spherical, and higher-order astigmatism) Root-mean-square values more strongly correlated with higher percentage values of pterygium that covers the cornea, measured by the new computer-assisted image processing technique. CONCLUSION: The percentage of pterygium covering the corneal surface seems to be more associated with the pterygium-related visual disturbances than with horizontal and vertical lengths measured by conventional techniques. Moreover, the new computer-assisted image processing technique can accurately and reliably measure the percentage extension of pterygium on cornea.