Early Activation of Quadriceps With Pressure Biofeedback for the Prevention of Arthrogenic Muscle Inhibition Following Lower Limb Orthopedic Surgeries: A Proof of Concept Clinical Trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the possible role of pressure biofeedback in the early activation of quadriceps following lower limb orthopedic surgeries. Methods: This was a proof of concept clinical trial. A single-blinded randomized controlled study was conducted on 24 patients who underwent lower limb surgeries. The experimental group received standardized physiotherapy treatment in addition to pressure biofeedback for quadriceps retraining. The control group received a standardized physiotherapy treatment developed for an inpatient orthopedic setting. The motor unit action potential (MUAP) duration and amplitude were measured using electromyography on the second and sixth postoperative days. Results: Twenty-four participants, with a mean age for the control group of 58.67 ± 17.21 and the experimental group of 40.1 ± 6.96, were enrolled. No statistical significance in MUAP amplitude for within the groups (F[5,85] = 1.735, P = .135) was found. However, there was a statistical significance between the control and experimental groups in amplitude measured by electromyography (F[1,17] = 49.09, P < .01). There was no statistical significance in MUAP duration for within the groups (F[5,85] = 1.303, P = .270). However, there was a statistical significance in duration (F[1,17] = 71.84, P < .01). Conclusion: Pressure biofeedback was more effective in the early activation of quadriceps muscle when coupled with conventional exercises compared with conventional exercises alone following lower limb orthopedic surgeries. Early activation of quadriceps could be a contributing factor to preventing arthrogenic muscle inhibition.

Message framing and COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among millennials in South India.

Vaccine hesitancy and refusal remain a major concern for healthcare professionals and policymakers. Hence, it is necessary to ascertain the underlying factors that promote or hinder the uptake of vaccines. Authorities and policy makers are experimenting with vaccine promotion messages to communities using loss and gain-framed messages. However, the effectiveness of message framing in influencing the intention to be vaccinated is unclear. Based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), this study analysed the impact of individual attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination, direct and indirect social norms, perceived behavioural control and perceived threat towards South Indian millennials' intention to get vaccinated. The study also assessed the effect of framing vaccine communication messages with gain and loss framing. Data was collected from 228 Millennials from South India during the COVID-19 pandemic from September to October 2021 and analysed using PLS path modelling and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA). The findings reveal that attitudes towards vaccination, perceived threat and indirect social norms positively impact millennials' intention to take up vaccines in both message frames. Further, independent sample t-test between the framing groups indicate that negative (loss framed message) leads to higher vaccination intention compared to positive (gain framed message). A loss-framed message is thus recommended for message framing to promote vaccine uptake among millennials. These findings provide useful information in understanding the impact of message framing on behavioural intentions, especially in the context of vaccine uptake intentions of Millennials in South India.

Gym-Goers' Self-Identification with Physically Attractive Fitness Trainers and Intention to Exercise.

Gym-goers often socially compare themselves with their trainers as they strive to look as attractive as their fitness trainers. The aim of this study was to better understand this phenomenon in the fitness industry. Relying on social comparison theory and social identity theory, self-identification with a physically attractive fitness trainer was posited to have a strong mediating effect on the relationship between appearance motive, weight management motive and gym-goers' intention to exercise. The moderation effects of gym-goers' age and gender in the direct relationships between appearance motive, weight management motive and exercise intention were also examined. The primary outcome of this study revealed that gym-goers who were influenced by appearance and weight management motives are more likely to identify with physically attractive fitness trainers. Additionally, gender significantly moderates the relationships between appearance motive, weight management motive and exercise intention. Appearance and weight management motives are the primary factors that influence the exercise intention of female gym-goers as compared to their male counterparts. This study sheds new insights into understanding the influence of the physical attractiveness of fitness trainers and its impact on gym-goers' exercise intentions via self and social identification process.

Recurrent perineal aggressive angiomyxoma: dilemma in diagnosis and outcome of this rare disease.

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AAM) is a very rare, benign, locally infiltrative mesenchymal tumour with a high chance of recurrence following surgical excision. In the male population, it is so rare that less than only 50 cases have been reported so far. We present a case of a large recurrent perineal AAM in a man who presented with swelling in the perineal region following surgical excision 3 years ago. After evaluation, the diagnostic dilemma of a possible perineal hernia or recurrence remained. Surgical exploration ruled out hernia and the tumour was excised with difficulty. Immunohistochemical examination showed tumour cells with diffuse nuclear positivity for oestrogen receptor and patchy cytoplasmic positivity for desmin (A2). Histological and immunohistochemical features confirmed the diagnosis. Being very rare, AAMs need to be considered as a differential diagnosis of pelvic/perineal tumours among males. With no standardised therapy for AAM, complete resection would be the goal of therapy.

Food Innovation Adoption and Organic Food Consumerism-A Cross National Study between Malaysia and Hungary.

In order to meet the rising global demand for food and to ensure food security in line with the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goal 2, technological advances have been introduced in the food production industry. The organic food industry has benefitted from advances in food technology and innovation. However, there remains skepticism regarding organic foods on the part of consumers, specifically on consumers' acceptance of food innovation technologies used in the production of organic foods. This study measured factors that influence consumers' food innovation adoption and subsequently their intention to purchase organic foods. We compared the organic foods purchase behavior of Malaysian and Hungarian consumers to examine differences between Asian and European consumers. The findings show food innovation adoption as the most crucial predictor for the intention to purchase organic foods in Hungary, while social lifestyle factor was the most influential in Malaysia. Other factors such as environmental concerns and health consciousness were also examined in relation to food innovation adoption and organic food consumerism. This paper discusses differences between European and Asian organic foods consumers and provides recommendations for stakeholders.

Colonic inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour presenting as 'pyrexia of unknown origin': report of a rare disease and its unique presentation.

An intra-abdominal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (IMT) belongs to a rare group of diseases initially described as an inflammatory pseudotumour. Even though it is seen more often in children, its incidence in adults is even rarer. Clinical presentations can vary depending on its site and inherent tumour properties. The colon is an uncommon site for IMT and pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) as its dominant clinical presentation is even rarer. A 27-year-old woman presented with PUO. She was evaluated under the department of internal medicine before undergoing an 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography scan. This showed an intensely enhancing descending colon mass. An image-guided biopsy of this lesion was reported as IMT. She underwent a left hemicolectomy and complete excision of the tumour, following which her symptoms resolved completely. The patient has been disease-free at a 6-month follow-up and is asymptomatic at 1 year.

Opportunistic penicilliosis infection causing intestinal obstruction in people living with HIV complicating antiretroviral therapy.

We report a retroviral positive patient who presented to us with recurrent skin lesions along with intermittent, colicky periumbilical abdominal pain associated with non-projectile, postprandial vomiting. Contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) of abdomen and pelvis was suggestive of proximal jejunal obstruction. Double balloon enteroscopy done which showed extensive deep ulceration with surrounding nodular surface and friable mucosa at 60 cm from pylorus with luminal narrowing. The biopsy from this region as well as the skin lesion on the forehead grew Talaromyces marneffei She was initially treated with liposomal amphotericin B for 2 weeks following which she received itraconazole for 3 weeks for disseminated talaromycosis infection. She had already been started on antiretroviral therapy (ART) 1 year back however her cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) counts did not show any improvement. Proximal bowel obstruction leading to poor nutritional status compounded with ineffective ART therapy due to suboptimal absorption, dictated the staged management of her condition. Feeding jejunostomy was done with a plan to offer her resection and anastomosis of affected jejunal segment, should she require one, after optimising her nutritional and immunological status.