The Impact of Yogic Breathing Exercises on Pulmonary Functions in Asymptomatic Smokers.

Introduction Smoking is a serious public health problem that leads to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Its harmful effects are more significantly seen in the respiratory system. Approximately 30% of smokers experience compromised lung functions. However, asymptomatic smokers exhibit alteration in lung morphology. This study will give us a better understanding of the respiratory damages that may occur in asymptomatic smokers and if we can delay or prevent the same by the simple practice of Pranayama and Om chanting. Materials and methods An interventional study was conducted in the Department of Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Shree Guru Gobind Singh Tricentenary (SGT) University, Gurugram, Haryana, India. The study duration was eight weeks, and a total of 135 subjects, including both male and female participants aged between 18 and 25 years, were included in this study. Baseline recordings of anthropometric parameters, spirometric parameters like forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume (FEV) in 1 second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC ratio, forced expiratory flow (FEF) between 25% and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25-75%), peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), forced inspiratory vital capacity (FIVC), peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR) and for respiratory endurance - breath holding time at the end of inspiration (BHTi), breath holding time at the end of expiration (BHTe), 40 mmHg were recorded before the start of the study and again after eight weeks of alternate nostril breathing and om chanting performed for 10 minutes (5 minutes for each protocol). We also recorded nicotine dependence score with the help of Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). A comparison of spirometric parameters, respiratory endurance, and FTND was done using the paired t-test. Result All spirometric measures and respiratory endurance parameters showed significant increases, with the exception of FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and FTND, which showed no significant improvement. Conclusion Pranayama and Om chanting were found to increase respiratory muscle endurance and support better utilization of the alveolo-bronchial tree, which may help in better oxygenation and delay in onset of the symptoms of COPD.

The DNH 7 endocast of Paranthropus robustus from Drimolen, South Africa: Reconsidering the functional significance of an enlarged occipital-marginal (O/M) sinus system in robust australopithecines.

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the endocast of one of the most complete Paranthropus robustus crania known, DNH 7, from the Drimolen site (South Africa), and compares it with the morphology of other australopithecine endocasts. We focus on endocranial volume, the impressions of cortical sulci, cranial sutures, and the pattern of cranial venous sinuses on the endocast. A noteworthy observation is the estimated endocranial capacity of 403 cm3, which is small for an adult Paranthropus. Fragmentary sulci identified in the frontal and temporal lobes of DNH 7 exhibit similarities with patterns observed in chimpanzees and gracile australopithecines. We observe the presence of a large remnant of an occipital-marginal sinus on DNH 7 and provide an updated table of 13 Paranthropus endocasts that are scorable for this trait, which reinforces the hypothesis that an enlarged occipital-marginal (O/M) sinus system was fixed across the three species of Paranthropus. In light of this, the possible functional significance of the occipital-marginal sinus system is reevaluated considering the ontogenetic development of cranial venous blood flow in human children. This leads us to hypothesize that the ontogenetic development of cranial blood flow in Paranthropus and Australopithecus africanus infants were different and to suggest that Taung 1 was the only A. africanus specimen known to have exhibited an enlarged O/M sinus system because it was an immature individual.

Global Effect on Cortical Activity in Young Indian Males in Response to "OM" Chanting: A High-Density Quantitative Electro-Encephalography Study.

Background: Meditation using the "OM" mantra is the most widely used practice in India. Though reports have been published about the relaxation effect during both verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting, there is a paucity of literature concerning the cortical areas activated/deactivated after verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting using quantitative electro-encephalography (qEEG). Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the effects of verbal "OM" chanting and listening to "OM" chanting on cortical sources as compared to baseline, as assessed by qEEG. Method: Twenty adult male subjects with a mean age of 27.5 ± 7.5 years and no past or present history of psychiatric, neurological, or auditory disorders or previous exposure to yoga and meditation were recruited from the undergraduate and postgraduate student population of AIIMS, New Delhi. Subjects were given a paradigm designed using E-prime for both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting of 5 min each and a 5-min relaxation period in between the tasks. Electroencephalography recording was done using a 128-channel geodesic sensor net with band-pass filtered at 1-70 Hz, and 20-sec data of eyes-closed condition, post-verbal "OM", and post-listening to "OM" chanting were segmented and pre-processed. Further, source analysis was performed on the data using standardized low-resolution electromagnetic tomography. Result: The pre (baseline) versus post-verbal "OM" (p < .05) and post-listening to "OM" (p < .05) chanting showed significant differences in similar cortical areas in both verbal "OM" and listening to "OM" chanting except the three areas, that is, the orbital gyrus, the rectal gyrus, and the sub-callosal gyrus, which were additionally activated post-listening to "OM" chanting. Both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting induced activation of similar cortical areas, which were classified as the nodes/hubs of specific resting-state networks (RSNs) such as the attentional network, frontoparietal control network, and default mode network. Conclusion: The study results suggest that "OM" chanting could facilitate flexible switching between various RSNs to induce a relaxed state and could improve attention simultaneously.Both verbal and listening to "OM" chanting induced common activated areas that are classified into frontoparietal, dorsal attention, and default mode network areas. And it is hypothesized that flexible switching between these RSNs could induce a relaxed state and improve attention simultaneously with the possible role of the frontoparietal network.

TGF-ß1 mediates hypoxia-preconditioned olfactory mucosa mesenchymal stem cells improved neural functional recovery in Parkinson's disease models and patients.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Activation of the neuroinflammatory response has a pivotal role in PD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for various nerve injuries, but there are limited reports on their use in PD and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. METHODS: We investigated the effects of clinical-grade hypoxia-preconditioned olfactory mucosa (hOM)-MSCs on neural functional recovery in both PD models and patients, as well as the preventive effects on mouse models of PD. To assess improvement in neuroinflammatory response and neural functional recovery induced by hOM-MSCs exposure, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), assay for transposase accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) combined with full-length transcriptome isoform-sequencing (ISO-seq), and functional assay. Furthermore, we present the findings from an initial cohort of patients enrolled in a phase I first-in-human clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of intraspinal transplantation of hOM-MSC transplantation into severe PD patients. RESULTS: A functional assay identified that transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), secreted from hOM-MSCs, played a critical role in modulating mitochondrial function recovery in dopaminergic neurons. This effect was achieved through improving microglia immune regulation and autophagy homeostasis in the SN, which are closely associated with neuroinflammatory responses. Mechanistically, exposure to hOM-MSCs led to an improvement in neuroinflammation and neural function recovery partially mediated by TGF-ß1 via activation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (ALK/PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in microglia located in the SN of PD patients. Furthermore, intraspinal transplantation of hOM-MSCs improved the recovery of neurologic function and regulated the neuroinflammatory response without any adverse reactions observed in patients with PD. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide compelling evidence for the involvement of TGF-ß1 in mediating the beneficial effects of hOM-MSCs on neural functional recovery in PD. Treatment and prevention of hOM-MSCs could be a promising and effective neuroprotective strategy for PD. Additionally, TGF-ß1 may be used alone or combined with hOM-MSCs therapy for treating PD.

Evaluation of canine tympanic membrane integrity using positive contrast computed tomography canalography.

Introduction: The assessment of the integrity of the tympanic membrane (TM) can be a diagnostic challenge in patients with otitis externa and/or otitis media (OM) under an otoscopic examination. In computed tomography (CT), the TM is not always visualized. However, a positive contrast canalography using conventional radiography has been previously described to evaluate the TM integrity. Objective: This single-center study aimed to describe the positive contrast canalography technique in CT and its usefulness in identifying TM integrity in 11 dogs. Methods: Dogs with clinical signs of ear disease underwent CT canalography following a systematic protocol. Result: The presence of contrast medium and contrast homogeneity within the tympanic cavity was assessed, confirming TM rupture when contrast medium was present in the tympanic cavity. CT canalography was performed in 16 ears, and in 7 of the 16 ears (44%), there was a contrast in the tympanic cavity, confirming TM rupture (positive CT canalography result). In two of the seven cases (29%), rupture of the TM was identified in both otoscopic and CT canalography. In the remaining five of the seven (71%) positive CT canalography results, tympanic membrane rupture was identified only by CT canalography. Discussion: In conclusion, a positive contrast CT canalography is a complementary and safe technique to assess TM integrity, with a potentially higher sensitivity than otoscopic examination for the diagnosis of TM rupture in dogs.

A critical analysis of the effect of OM-85 for the prevention of recurrent respiratory tract infections or wheezing/asthma from systematic reviews with meta-analysis.

Acute respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are one of the most common causes of pediatric consultations/hospitalizations and a major trigger for asthma exacerbations. Some consensus statements have recommended the use of immunostimulants to boost natural defenses against severe or repeated infections. One of the most common immunostimulants is OM-85; while several randomized clinical trials (RCTs) have evaluated its efficacy in preventing acute RTIs and wheezing/asthma exacerbations, results have been conflicting. Similarly, various systematic reviews with meta-analyses (SRMs) on OM-85 have used different strategies, populations, and outcomes; moreover, SRM conclusions are limited when the original studies are highly heterogeneous or have a low quality, hindering the generalizability of the findings. Here we summarize the evidence on the effect of OM-85 to prevent acute RTIs, wheezing/asthma episodes, or loss of asthma control in children, by including and critically evaluating all SRMs published to date. We searched for SRMs on OM-85 in three publication databases and found nine SRMs (seven for RTI, and two for wheezing/asthma). Among those, one had a high confidence evaluation of quality (AMSTAR-2 tool) and found a reduction in the total number of acute RTIs among the OM-85 group. Overall, no strong recommendations can be derived from the existing literature, mainly due to the high heterogeneity among included RCTs and SRMs. Further, large, high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm the true efficacy of OM-85 for the prevention of acute RTIs, asthma development, and asthma exacerbations.

Significance of dysregulated M2 macrophage and ESR2 in the ovarian metastasis of gastric cancer.

Background: Prognosis of gastric cancer (GC) patients with ovarian metastasis (OM) remains poor. We hereby characterized the role of tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and identified potential key regulators in the OM with the aim of understanding its molecular basis to develop novel therapeutic targets. Methods: Transcriptomic analyses of paired primary and ovarian metastatic lesions of seven GC patients from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center uncovered and functionally annotated their differentially expressed genes (DEGs). CIBERSORT analysis revealed differential TIME between primary GCs and OMs, which was further validated by multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF). Unique overexpression of candidate regulator in OMs was validated by an immunohistochemical (IHC) staining-based cohort study and in vitro cell growth, migration and invasion assays were conducted to characterize its function in GC progression. Results: Functional enrichment analyses of DEGs between GCs and matched OMs revealed multiple significantly dysregulated immune-related and cancer-related pathways. Distinctive subsets of immune cells, especially M2 macrophage, were selectively enriched in metastatic lesions. mIF-based quantification further validated the overexpression of CD68+CD206+ M2 macrophage in the OMs. Estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2), which encodes estrogen receptor ß (ERß), was not only potentially correlated with M2 macrophage but also overexpressed in the OM of GC. ESR2 was up-regulated in cancerous tissue and its high expression correlated with younger age, more advanced lymph node metastasis and pathological stage, as well as a worse patient survival. IHC staining of ERß in the cohort of paired primary and metastatic GCs validated its selective overexpression in OMs. Small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs)-induced knockdown of ESR2 significantly inhibited the invasion and migration of both AGS and HGC-27 GC cell lines. Conclusions: Comparative RNA-sequencing analysis revealed the dysregulated TIME, M2 macrophage in particular, between primary GC and OM. ESR2 potentially correlated with M2 macrophage and played pro-oncogenic roles in GC progression and metastasis.

An unusual presentation of solitary ovarian metastasis from colorectal cancer in an elderly woman: a case report.

Background: There have been cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasizing into the ovary. This study reports a case involving solitary ovarian metastasis (OM) from CRC, which is very rare in the absence of other pelvic and peritoneal metastases. This atypical clinical presentation added to the complexity of the diagnosis. Case Description: We report a case of solitary OM-CRC in a 48-year-old woman. The patient underwent CRC surgery and refused follow-up after three rounds of chemotherapy. Approximately 14 months later, the patient presented with vaginal bleeding for 2 months. The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a huge solid cystic mass in the right adnexa. Intraoperatively, the right ovary was found to be enlarged and smooth without adhesions. By careful examination of the abdominal cavity, no metastatic lesions were found in the left ovary and uterus, and no seedings were found in the rest of the pelvis and abdomen. After removal of the uterus and bilateral adnexa, the histologic examination revealed metastatic adenocarcinoma of the right ovary with a considered rectal carcinoma of origin. Positive staining for multiple tumor-associated markers, which further established the primary nature of CRC. These findings support a possible diagnosis of primary CRC and ovarian metastases. The patient recovered well after the operation and no recurrence or metastasis was seen 18 months after the operation. Conclusions: Solitary ovarian metastases from CRC can be better managed and treated by increasing clinicians' vigilance for this rare condition. This helps to improve the patient's prognosis and quality of life.

Traffic-related ultrafine particles impair mitochondrial functions in human olfactory mucosa cells - Implications for Alzheimer's disease.

Constituents of air pollution, the ultrafine particles (UFP) with a diameter of ≤0.1 µm, are considerably related to traffic emissions. Several studies link air pollution to Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet the exact relationship between the two remains poorly understood. Mitochondria are known targets of environmental toxicants, and their dysfunction is associated with neurodegenerative diseases. The olfactory mucosa (OM), located at the rooftop of the nasal cavity, is directly exposed to the environment and in contact with the brain. Mounting evidence suggests that the UFPs can impact the brain directly through the olfactory tract. By using primary human OM cultures established from nasal biopsies of cognitively healthy controls and individuals diagnosed with AD, we aimed to decipher the effects of traffic-related UFPs on mitochondria. The UFP samples were collected from the exhausts of a modern heavy-duty diesel engine (HDE) without aftertreatment systems, run with renewable diesel (A0) and petroleum diesel (A20), and from an engine of a 2019 model diesel passenger car (DI-E6d) equipped with state-of-the-art aftertreatment devices and run with renewable diesel (Euro6). OM cells were exposed to three different UFPs for 24-h and 72-h, after which cellular processes were assessed on the functional and transcriptomic levels. Our results show that UFPs impair mitochondrial functions in primary human OM cells by hampering oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and redox balance, and the responses of AD cells differ from cognitively healthy controls. RNA-Seq and IPA® revealed inhibition of OXPHOS and mitochondrial dysfunction in response to UFPs A0 and A20. Functional validation confirmed that A0 and A20 impair cellular respiration, decrease ATP levels, and disturb redox balance by altering NAD and glutathione metabolism, leading to increased ROS and oxidative stress. RNA-Seq and functional assessment revealed the presence of AD-related alterations in human OM cells and that different fuels and engine technologies elicit differential effects.

Preventive effects of prenatal administration of OM-85/BV on asthma and respiratory infection risk in the offspring: A review of animal models.

Asthma is the most common chronic disease in childhood affecting the daily lives of many patients despite current treatment regimens. Therefore, the need for new therapeutic approaches is evident, where a primary prevention strategy is the ultimate goal. Studies of children born to mothers in farming environments have shown a lower risk of respiratory infections and asthma development. Already at birth, these newborns have demonstrated accelerated maturation and upregulation of host defense immune functions suggesting a prenatal transplacental training of the innate immune system through maternal microbial exposure. This mechanism could possibly be utilized to help prevent both respiratory infections and asthma in young children. Human studies exploring the potential preventative effects of pregnancy bacterial lysate treatment on asthma and respiratory infections are lacking, however, this has been studied in experimental studies using mice through administrations of the bacterial lysate OM-85. This review will present the current literature on the immunomodulatory effects relevant for respiratory infections and asthma in the offspring of mice treated with OM-85 throughout pregnancy. Further, the review will discuss the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these effects. In conclusion, we found promising results of an accelerated immune competence and improved resistance to airway challenges as a result of prenatal bacterial lysate treatment that may pave the way for implementing this in human trials to prevent asthma and respiratory infections.

New insight into the spatio-temporal patterns of functional groups of hotspot inside the composting aggregates by synchrotron-based FTIR in hyperthermophilic composting.

Hyperthermophilic composting (HTC) is a recently developed and highly promising organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) treatment technology. Investigation of organic matter (OM) dynamics in compost particle is thus crucial for the understanding of humification of HTC process. Herein, this work aimed to study the chemical and structural changes of OM at the molecular level during HTC of OFMSW using EEM and SR-FTIR analyses. Additionally, two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2D-COS) was also utilized to probe and identify the changes in chemical constituents and functional groups of organic compounds on the surface of compost particles during different composting periods. Results show that SR-FTIR can detect fine-scale (~µm) changes in functional groups from the edges to the interior of compost particles during different composting periods by mapping the particles in situ. In the hyperthermophilic stage (day 9), the extracted µ-FTIR spectrum reveals a distinct boundary between anaerobic and aerobic regions within the compost particle, with a thickness of anaerobic zone (1460 cm-1) of approximately 30 µm inside the particle's core. This provides direct evidence of anaerobic trends at compost microscales level within compost particles. 2D-COS analysis indicated that organic functional groups gradually agglomerated in the order of 1330 > 2930 > 3320 > 1600 > 1030 > 895 cm-1 to the core skeleton of cellulose degradation residues, forming compost aggregates with well physicochemical properties. Overall, the first combination of SR-FTIR and EEM provides complementary explanations for the humification mechanism of HTC, potentially introducing a novel methodology for investigating the environmental behaviors and fates of various organic contaminants associated with OM during the in-situ composting biochemical process.

Effects of temperature, pH, and relative humidity on the growth of Penicillium paneum OM1 isolated from pears and its patulin production.

Patulin is a mycotoxin produced by several species of Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., and Byssochlamys sp. on apples and pears. Most studies have been focused on Penicillium expansum, a common postharvest pathogen, but little is known about the characteristics of Penicillium paneum. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of temperature, pH, and relative humidity (RH) on the growth of P. paneum OM1, which was isolated from pears, and its patulin production. The fungal strain showed the highest growth rate at 25 °C and pH 4.5 on pear puree agar medium (PPAM) under 97 % RH, while it produced the highest amount of patulin at 20 °C and pH 4.5 on PPAM under 97 % RH. Moreover, RT-qPCR analysis of relative expression levels of 5 patulin biosynthetic genes (patA, patE, patK, patL, and patN) in P. paneum OM1 exhibited that the expression of the 4 patulin biosynthetic genes except patL was up-regulated in YES medium (patulin conducive), while it was not in PDB medium (patulin non-conducive). Our data demonstrated that the 3 major environmental parameters had significant impact on the growth of P. paneum OM1 and its patulin production. These results could be exploited to prevent patulin contamination by P. paneum OM1 during pear storage.

Exploring the factor structure of a Chinese version of the CORE-OM: insights from network approach and bifactor modeling.

OBJECTIVE: The Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation (CORE-OM) is a measure of clinical outcomes that has been widely used in mental health research. Nevertheless, the exploration of the factor structure of the CORE-OM yields diverse results. This study aims to explore the factor structure with an innovative method known as exploratory graph analysis (EGA) and supplemented with bifactor modeling. METHOD: A Chinese version of the CORE-OM was administrated to a total of 1361 clinical college students. We first examined the factor structure of the CORE-OM using EGA, and then compared the model derived by EGA with other models using CFA to find the most reasonable model. RESULTS: The result of EGA indicated a four-factor model of CORE-OM. The CFA further suggested a bifactor model with a four-factor structure combined with a general factor. The bifactor modeling suggested a significant proportion of shared variance among the variables was attributed to the general factor. The four-factor bifactor model exhibited a satisfactory fit to the data. CONCLUSION: The results confirm the robustness and parsimonious nature of a four-factor bifactor model for the Chinese version of CORE-OM. It is suitable for measuring intrapersonal psychological distress, positive emotions, interpersonal problems, and risk-related issues among the Chinese population.

Curcumin-primed olfactory mucosa-derived mesenchymal stem cells mitigate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury-induced neuronal PANoptosis by modulating microglial polarization.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury often leads to neuronal death through persistent neuroinflammatory responses. Recent research has unveiled a unique inflammatory programmed cell death mode known as PANoptosis. However, direct evidence for PANoptosis in ischemic stroke-induced neuronal death has not been established. Although it is widely thought that modulating the balance of microglial phenotypic polarization in cerebral I/R could mitigate neuroinflammation-mediated neuronal death, it remains unknown whether microglial polarization influences PANoptotic neuronal death triggered by cerebral I/R. Our prior study demonstrated that curcumin (CUR) preconditioning could boost the neuroprotective properties of olfactory mucosa-derived mesenchymal stem cells (OM-MSCs) in intracerebral hemorrhage. Yet, the potential neuroprotective capacity of curcumin-pretreated OM-MSCs (CUR-OM-MSCs) on reducing PANoptotic neuronal death during cerebral I/R injury through modulating microglial polarization is uncertain. METHODS: To mimic cerebral I/R injury, We established in vivo models of reversible middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in C57BL/6 mice and in vitro models of oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in HT22 neurons and BV2 microglia. RESULTS: Our findings indicated that cerebral I/R injury caused PANoptotic neuronal death and triggered microglia to adopt an M1 (pro-inflammatory) phenotype both in vivo and in vitro. Curcumin pretreatment enhanced the proliferation and anti-inflammatory capacity of OM-MSCs. The CUR-OM-MSCs group experienced a more pronounced reduction in PANoptotic neuronal death and a better recovery of neurological function than the OM-MSCs group. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that microRNA-423-5p (miRNA-423-5p) expression was obviously upregulated in CUR-OM-MSCs compared to OM-MSCs. CUR-OM-MSCs treatment induced the switch to an M2 (anti-inflammatory) phenotype in microglia by releasing miRNA-423-5p, which targeted nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2), an upstream regulator of NF-kappaB (NF-κB) and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, to attenuate PANoptotic neuronal death resulting from cerebral I/R. CONCLUSION: This results provide the first demonstration of the existence of PANoptotic neuronal death in cerebral I/R conditions. Curcumin preconditioning enhanced the ameliorating effect of OM-MSCs on neuroinflammation mediated by microglia polarization via upregulating the abundance of miRNA-423-5p. This intervention effectively alleviates PANoptotic neuronal death resulting from cerebral I/R. The combination of curcumin with OM-MSCs holds promise as a potentially efficacious treatment for cerebral ischemic stroke in the future.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) in Chile.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the 34-item Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure questionnaire (CORE-OM). METHOD: Psychometric exploration was conducted in two samples: non-clinical (n = 706) and clinical (n = 420) participants. The non-clinical sample comprised a subgroup of community members (n = 308) and students (n = 398). The clinical sample consisted of self-reported patients (n = 209) and outpatients (n = 211). The analysis included both internal and test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and principal component analysis. A reliable change index and clinical cut-off scores were established for assessing clinically significant change. RESULTS: The Spanish CORE-OM demonstrated good internal consistency and test-retest reliability, along with satisfactory convergent validity against the 45-item Outcome Questionnaire (OQ-45.2). There were strong differentiations between the clinical and non-clinical samples and the four sample subsets. The outpatient group reported the highest scores, while the community group exhibited the lowest scores. There were no marked gender effects. All observed patterns aligned closely with the established Spanish referential data. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide support for the utilization of the Spanish CORE-OM as a measure for tracking psychotherapeutic progress in the context of Chile.

Bacterial Vaccines for the Management of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Several bacterial immunisations have been developed to reduce the socioeconomic burden of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and the use of prophylactic antibiotics in the management of recurrent UTIs (rUTIs). This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of vaccinations in preventing rUTIs. METHODS: Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from inception to December 2023. Data were collected from cohort studies with a comparator arm and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating vaccination efficacy in adult rUTI patients according to predefined selection criteria (PROSPERO registration: CRD42022356662). A pooled analysis took place for RCTs, with a subgroup analysis for vaccine types and booster regimens. Other studies were synthesised narratively. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tools. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations framework evaluated the quality of evidence. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Fourteen comparative studies were selected, including 2822 patients across five vaccination types. The pooled risk ratio of eight placebo-controlled studies of the percentage of patients UTI free in the short term (6-12 mo) was 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-2.20) with a number needed to treat of 6.45 (95% CI 2.80-64.80). There is substantial heterogeneity and a slight risk of a publication bias. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: There is limited evidence to suggest that vaccinations are effective at reducing UTI recurrence in adult female patients in the short term. Owing to low quality of evidence, the literature requires further long-term RCTs with large sample sizes utilising standardised definitions for conclusive evidence of the long-term efficacy of vaccination in rUTI prevention. PATIENT SUMMARY: We explored whether vaccines could help stop urinary tract infections (UTIs) from happening again. The latest information shows that these vaccines are safe and may help lower the chances of women getting UTIs again for about 6-12 mo.

Phase IV study on the use of benzydamine mouthwash in radiation-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer.

Introduction: Oral mucositis (OM) is a main side effect of treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC) and causes severe pain, reduces quality of life, and may interrupt HNC treatment. This study assessed the activity and feasibility of benzydamine mouthwash in the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced OM in patients with HNC during radiation therapy (RT). Methods: This phase IV, international, open-label, single-group study conducted from December 2021 to September 2022. In total, 89 patients were enrolled across seven centers in Hungary and Poland. Patients used benzydamine mouthwash at home two to three times daily. Data were collected during clinical visits at baseline (V0, start of RT) and then weekly for seven visits (V1-V7). The safety population and the modified intention-to-treat (m-ITT) analysis sets contained 89 patients; the per protocol (PP) analysis set contained 67 patients. Results: The m-ITT set was 80.9% male; mean age was 61.4 years. At baseline, 73.0% of patients had stage T3-T4, 23.6% had stage T1-T2, 61.8% had stage N2-N3, and 34.9% had stage N0-N1. Within the m-ITT population, 33.7% (n=30) responded to treatment (NRS < 5) during the study. The PP set responded similarly (29.9%). Most patients were treatment compliant (n=77; 86.5%). OM severity was assessed using the WHO OM grading scale. No patients had severe mucositis at baseline or V1. At V7, 34.1% had mild mucositis, 45.1% had moderate mucositis, 15.9% had severe mucositis, and 1.2% had life-threatening mucositis. In total, 26 patients (29.2%) developed severe mucositis during the study period (V2-V7). From V1 to V4, one patient reported hospitalization due to mucositis or associated complications, two patients at V5, three patients at V6, and four patients at 7. Discussion: This was the first study to assess feasibility of a treatment for radiation-induced OM with benzydamine mouthwash in patients with HNC. Treatment compliance suggested that benzydamine was well tolerated in patients with moderate to severe mucositis. Benzydamine's anesthetic and anti-inflammatory properties might have reduced pain, which potentially influenced patients' compliance with RT. Few patients in the study required hospitalization for OM or an associated complication, suggesting that benzydamine might improve healthcare resource utilization.

Exposure to urban particulate matter alters responses of olfactory mucosal cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Respiratory viruses have a significant impact on health, as highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Exposure to air pollution can contribute to viral susceptibility and be associated with severe outcomes, as suggested by recent epidemiological studies. Furthermore, exposure to particulate matter (PM), an important constituent of air pollution, is linked to adverse effects on the brain, including cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The olfactory mucosa (OM), a tissue located at the rooftop of the nasal cavity, is directly exposed to inhaled air and in direct contact with the brain. Increasing evidence of OM dysfunction related to neuropathogenesis and viral infection demonstrates the importance of elucidating the interplay between viruses and air pollutants at the OM. This study examined the effects of subacute exposure to urban PM 0.2 and PM 10-2.5 on SARS-CoV-2 infection using primary human OM cells obtained from cognitively healthy individuals and individuals diagnosed with AD. OM cells were exposed to PM and subsequently infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the presence of pollutants. SARS-CoV-2 entry receptors and replication, toxicological endpoints, cytokine release, oxidative stress markers, and amyloid beta levels were measured. Exposure to PM did not enhance the expression of viral entry receptors or cellular viral load in human OM cells. However, PM-exposed and SARS-CoV-2-infected cells showed alterations in cellular and immune responses when compared to cells infected only with the virus or pollutants. These changes are highly pronounced in AD OM cells. These results suggest that exposure of human OM cells to PM does not increase susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro, but it can alter cellular immune responses to the virus, particularly in AD. Understanding the interplay of air pollutants and COVID-19 can provide important insight for the development of public health policies and interventions to reduce the negative influences of air pollution exposure.

Inspection of Floating Offshore Wind Turbines Using Multi-Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Literature Review and Trends.

Operations and maintenance (O&M) of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs) require regular inspection activities to predict, detect, and troubleshoot faults at high altitudes and in harsh environments such as strong winds, waves, and tides. Their costs typically account for more than 30% of the lifetime cost due to high labor costs and long downtime. Different inspection methods, including manual inspection, permanent sensors, climbing robots, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), can be employed to fulfill O&M missions. The UAVs, as an enabling technology, can deal with time and space constraints easily and complete tasks in a cost-effective and efficient manner, which have been widely used in different industries in recent years. This study provides valuable insights into the existing applications of UAVs in FOWT inspection, highlighting their potential to reduce the inspection cost and thereby reduce the cost of energy production. The article introduces the rationale for applying UAVs to FOWT inspection and examines the current technical status, research gaps, and future directions in this field by conducting a comprehensive literature review over the past 10 years. This paper will also include a review of UAVs' applications in other infrastructure inspections, such as onshore wind turbines, bridges, power lines, solar power plants, and offshore oil and gas fields, since FOWTs are still in the early stages of development. Finally, the trends of UAV technology and its application in FOWTs inspection are discussed, leading to our future research direction.

Is there a prospective association between psychological distress as measured by the CORE-OM and treatment attendance and treatment duration? A follow-up study at a Norwegian Community Mental Health Centre.

BACKGROUND: Feasible and reliable methods for identifying factors associated with treatment duration and treatment attendance in mental health services are needed. This study examined to what degree the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) at the start of treatment is associated with treatment attendance and treatment duration. METHODS: Outpatients (N = 124) at a community mental health centre in Norway completed the 34-item CORE-OM questionnaire addressing the domains of subjective well-being, problems and symptoms, functioning and risk at the start of treatment. The CORE-OM subscales and the 'all' items total scale were used as predictor variables in regression models, with treatment duration, number of consultations attended, treatment attendance (number of therapy sessions attended divided by number of sessions offered) and termination of treatment (planned versus unplanned) as outcome variables. RESULTS: Higher CORE-OM subscale scores and the 'all' scale were associated with longer treatment duration. No association was found between CORE-OM scales and number of therapy sessions, treatment attendance (sessions attended/offered) or whether the patients unexpectedly ended treatment. CONCLUSION: Higher patient-reported psychological distress as measured by the CORE-OM at the start of treatment was prospectively associated with treatment duration but not with treatment attendance or drop-out of treatment. The findings imply that patients with higher initial psychological distress need longer treatment but that treatment attendance may be related to factors other than the severity of distress.