Environmental impact of microplastics and potential health hazards.

Microscopic plastic (microplastic) pollutants threaten the earth's biodiversity and ecosystems. As a result of the progressive fragmentation of oversized plastic containers and products or manufacturing in small sizes, microplastics (particles of a diameter of 5 mm with no lower limit) are used in medicines, personal care products, and industry. The incidence of microplastics is found everywhere in the air, marine waters, land, and even food that humans and animals consume. One of the greatest concerns is the permanent damage that is created by plastic waste to our fragile ecosystem. The impossibility of the complete removal of all microplastic contamination from the oceans is one of the principal tasks of our governing body, research scientists, and individuals. Implementing the necessary measures to reduce the levels of plastic consumption is the only way to protect our environment. Cutting off the plastic flow is the key remedy to reducing waste and pollution, and such an approach could show immense significance. This review offers a comprehensive exploration of the various aspects of microplastics, encompassing their composition, types, properties, origins, health risks, and environmental impacts. Furthermore, it delves into strategies for comprehending the dynamics of microplastics within oceanic ecosystems, with a focus on averting their integration into every tier of the food chain.

Adaptation in motor strategies for postural control associated with sensory reweighting.

The purpose of this study was to identify and differentiate the motor strategies associated with sensory reweighting adapted during specific sensory integration tasks by healthy young adults. Thirty-six subjects (age range: 21-33 years) performed standing computerized dynamic posturography balance tasks across progressively increasing amplitudes of visual (VIS), somatosensory (SOM) and both (VIS+SOM) systems perturbation conditions. Adaptation in the motor strategy was measured as changes in electromyographic (EMG) activities and joint angles. The contribution of the perturbed sensory input in maintaining postural stability was calculated to determine the sensory reweighting. A multivariate design was used to model a linear combination of motor adaptation variables that discriminates specific sensory integration tasks. Results showed a significant progressive decrease in postural sway per unit amplitude of sensory perturbation in each condition, indicating dynamic sensory reweighting. Linear discriminant function analysis indicated that the adaptation in motor strategy during the VIS condition was associated with increased activity of EMG and joint angles in the upper body compared to the lower body. Conversely, during the SOM and VIS+SOM conditions, the adaptation in motor strategy was associated with decreased activity of EMG and joint angles in the lower body compared to the upper body. Therefore, the adaptation in motor strategies associated with sensory reweighting were different for different sensory integration tasks.

Exploration of arm weight effects on hemiparetic stroke participants' gait performance.

BACKGROUND: This study explores the potential benefits of an arm weight intervention for improving gait performance in stroke survivors. Consistent with an interlimb neural coupling mechanism, the investigators hypothesized that arm weight would improve gait performance. METHODS: Nine stroke and nine healthy participants (1 female; age: 58.0 ± 6.8 years) participated. Participants walked over-ground at their preferred speed in four conditions: no weight (C1), non-hemiparetic (healthy: dominant) side weights (C2), hemiparetic (non-dominant) side weights (C3), and bilateral weights (C4). Statistical analyses included repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-test planned comparisons to explore the effects of added weight on gait speed, step width, step length, cadence, and arm swing amplitude. Single-subject analyses used randomization tests to delineate further the weight's effect on gait speed. FINDINGS: The stroke group walked significantly faster with arm weight (p = 0.048), exhibiting large ANOVA (η2p = 0.28) and C1 vs. C4 planned comparison (p = 0.021; dD = 0.95) effect sizes. Four of nine stroke participants significantly increased gait speed in at least one condition, and seven of nine exhibited large effect size increases (d = 0.85-4.71). The stroke group's hemiparetic-side step length and cadence significantly (p = 0.008) increased in C4 compared to C1, exhibiting large effect size increases (rb = 0.96). Four of nine healthy participants significantly increased gait speed in at least one condition, with five of nine exhibiting large effect size increases (d = 0.80-6.63). INTERPRETATION: This study's exploratory results demonstrate arm weight's potential for improving higher-functioning stroke survivors' gait performance. Arm weight addition merits further investigation as a possible rehabilitation intervention in the stroke population.

Ubiquitination regulates the assembly of VLDL in HepG2 cells and is the committing step of the apoB-100 ERAD pathway.

Apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) is degraded by endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) when lipid availability limits assembly of VLDLs. The ubiquitin ligase gp78 and the AAA-ATPase p97 have been implicated in the proteasomal degradation of apoB-100. To study the relationship between ERAD and VLDL assembly, we used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to reduce gp78 expression in HepG2 cells. Reduction of gp78 decreased apoB-100 ubiquitination and cytosolic apoB-ubiquitin conjugates. Radiolabeling studies revealed that gp78 knockdown increased secretion of newly synthesized apoB-100 and, unexpectedly, enhanced VLDL assembly, as the shift in apoB-100 density in gp78-reduced cells was accompanied by increased triacylglycerol (TG) secretion. To explore the mechanisms by which gp78 reduction might enhance VLDL assembly, we compared the effects of gp78 knockdown with those of U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase1/2 inhibitor that enhances apoB-100 secretion in HepG2 cells. U0126 treatment increased secretion of both apoB100 and TG and decreased the ubiquitination and cellular accumu-lation of apoB-100. Furthermore, p97 knockdown caused apoB-100 to accumulate in the cell, but if gp78 was concomitantly reduced or assembly was enhanced by U0126 treatment, cellular apoB-100 returned toward baseline. This indicates that ubiquitination commits apoB-100 to p97-mediated retrotranslocation during ERAD. Thus, decreasing ubiquitination of apoB-100 enhances VLDL assembly, whereas improving apoB-100 lipidation decreases its ubiquitination, suggesting that ubiquitination has a regulatory role in VLDL assembly.

Telehealth Availability in US Hospitals in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth is likely to play a crucial role in treating COVID-19 patients. However, not all US hospitals possess telehealth capabilities. This brief report was designed to explore US hospitals' readiness with respect to telehealth availability. We hope to gain deeper insight into the factors affecting possession of these valuable capabilities, and how this varies between rural and urban areas. METHODS: Based on 2017 data from the American Hospital Association survey, Area Health Resource Files and Medicare cost reports, we used logistic regression models to identify predictors of telehealth and eICU capabilities in US hospitals. RESULTS: We found that larger hospitals (OR(telehealth) = 1.013; P < .01) and system members (OR(telehealth) = 1.55; P < .01) (OR(eICU) = 1.65; P < .01) had higher odds of possessing telehealth and eICU capabilities. We also found evidence suggesting that telehealth and eICU capabilities are concentrated in particular regions; the West North Central region was the most likely to possess capabilities, given that these hospitals had higher odds of possessing telehealth (OR = 1.49; P < .10) and eICU capabilities (OR = 2.15; P < .05). Rural hospitals had higher odds of possessing telehealth capabilities as compared to their urban counterparts, although this relationship was marginally significant (OR = 1.34, P < .10). CONCLUSIONS: US hospitals vary in their preparation to use telehealth to aid in the COVID-19 battle, among other issues. Hospitals' odds of possessing the capability to provide such services vary largely by region; overall, rural hospitals have more widespread telehealth capabilities than urban hospitals. There is still great potential to expand these capabilities further, especially in areas that have been hard hit by COVID-19.

Kinematic Validation of Postural Sway Measured by Biodex Biosway (Force Plate) and SWAY Balance (Accelerometer) Technology.

BACKGROUND: The Biodex Biosway® Balance System and SWAY Balance® Mobile smartphone application (SBMA) are portable instruments that assess balance function with force plate and accelerometer technology, respectively. The validity of these indirect clinical measures of postural sway merits investigation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the concurrent validity of standing postural sway measurements by using the portable Biosway and SBMA systems with kinematic measurements of the whole body Center of Mass (COM) derived from a gold-standard reference, a motion capture system. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional; repeated measures. METHODS: Forty healthy young adults (21 female, 19 male) participated in this study. Participants performed 10 standing balance tasks that included combinations of standing on one or two legs, with eyes open or closed, on a firm surface or foam surface and voluntary rhythmic sway. Postural sway was measured simultaneously from SBMA, Biosway, and the motion capture system. The linear relationships between the measurements were analyzed. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between Biosway and COM velocity for both progressively challenging single and double leg stances (τ b = 0.3 to 0.5, p < 0.01 to <0.0001). SBMA scores and COM velocity were significantly correlated only for single leg stances (τ b = -0.5 to -0.6, p < 0.0001). SBMA scores had near-maximal values with zero to near-zero variance in double leg stances, indicating a ceiling effect. CONCLUSION: The force plate-based Biodex Biosway is valid for assessing standing postural sway for a wide range of test conditions and challenges to standing balance, whereas an accelerometer-based SWAY Balance smartphone application is valid for assessing postural sway in progressively challenging single leg stance but is not sensitive enough to detect lower-magnitude postural sway changes in progressively challenging double leg stances.

Effects of arm weight on gait performance in healthy subjects.

Previous studies have investigated how additional arm weights affect gait. Although light weights (0.45 kg) seemed to elicit performance improvements in Parkinsonian patients, it was not studied how light weights affect gait parameters in healthy individuals. It is important to understand normal responses in a healthy population so that clinical effects might be better understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of arm weights on arm swing amplitude, gait performance, and muscle activity in healthy people. Twenty-two subjects walked overground at their preferred speed under different weight carriage conditions (C1: no weight; C2: unilateral arm weight; C3: bilateral arm weights; C4: waist weights). Gait speed increased in C2 (p = 0.018) and C4 (p = 0.013) when compared with C1(C1: 1.21 ±â€¯0.08; C2: 1.25 ±â€¯0.11; C3: 1.24 ±â€¯0.11; C4: 1.25 ±â€¯0.11 m/s) with an increase in cadence during C2 (p < 0.001), C3 (p = 0.008), and C4 (p < 0.001) (C1: 105.5 ±â€¯5.2; C2: 108.5 ±â€¯5.6; C3: 107.9 ±â€¯5.6; C4: 108.5 ±â€¯5.3 steps/min) and in tibialis anterior electromyographic activity on the unweighted side in C2 (p = 0.048) (C1: 21.05 ±â€¯4.59; C2: 25.10 ±â€¯6.10; C3: 23.93 ±â€¯4.75; C4: 24.33 ±â€¯6.32 µV). The results indicate that an additional sensory input with the application of the weights may result in an overcompensation with the whole body and facilitate faster walking speed when applied on one arm or around the waist. The locations of the weights and amount of the weights may elicit different responses. Various strategies of adding weights should be further investigated as a potential intervention to improve performance in individuals with various gait impairments. Although there is evidence for benefits of this intervention in Parkinsonian patients, further study is warranted in other patient populations, such as stroke patients, who might benefit from this intervention to improve gait performance.

Dexamethasone treatment differentially affects the oxidative energy metabolism of rat brain mitochondria in developing and adult animals.

We studied the effect of repeated exposure to dexamethasone (Dex) treatment on rat brain mitochondrial oxidative energy metabolism in developing rats at different postnatal ages, i.e. 2-5 week and in adults. The animals were injected with a dose of 2 mg of Dex/kg body weight at around 7:00 a.m. for three alternative days prior to the day of sacrifice; the control group animals received saline vehicle. We measured rates of respiration with different substrates, viz. glutamate, pyruvate+malate, succinate and ascorbate+TMPD; the contents of individual cytochromes and the dehydrogenases and ATPase activities. Dex treatment, in general, stimulated the state 3 rates of respiration rates in young animals in age-dependent and substrate-specific manner except for the 3 week group, whereas in the adults there was substantial inhibition of the respiration. The pattern of dehydrogenases activities matched with respiration rates. Dex treatment also resulted in uncoupling of the second and third site of phosphorylation in 3-week-old animals and in the adults. The contents of cytochrome aa3, b and ATPase activities decreased significantly after Dex treatment in all the age groups. The results thus emphasize that exposure to repeated Dex treatment can significantly influence the oxidative energy metabolism of brain mitochondria in young growing animals as well as in adults.

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in a known case of intracranial hydatid cyst.

We are presenting magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) findings of a known case of hydatid cyst operated twice in the past. A 22-years-old male patient had presented with recurrent symptoms of generalized seizures and raised intracranial tension. MRI with MRS of the lesion was performed that showed a recurrent loculated cystic lesion in right parieto-occipital lobe. MRS through the lesion was performed using repetition time (TR) of 1500 ms and time to echo (TE) of 135 ms using 2 x 2 x 2 cm voxel, from the margin of the lesion. MRS showed mildly elevated choline (Cho), depressed creatine (Cr) and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), a large peak of lactate, pyruvate and acetate peaks.

Functional gait assessment: concurrent, discriminative, and predictive validity in community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: The Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) is a reliable and valid measure of gait-related activities. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent, discriminative, and predictive validity of the FGA in community-dwelling older adults. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Thirty-five older adults aged 60 to 90 years completed the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG), and Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) during one session. Falls were tracked by having participants complete a monthly fall calendar for 6 months. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to determine concurrent validity among the ABC, BBS, TUG, DGI, and FGA. To determine the optimum scores to classify fall risk, sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), and positive and negative likelihood ratios (LR+ and LR-) were calculated for the FGA in classifying fall risk based on the published criterion scores of the DGI and TUG and for the FGA, TUG, and DGI in identifying prospective falls. Receiver operator curves with area under the curve were used to determine the effectiveness of the FGA in classifying fall risk and of the DGI, TUG, and FGA in identifying prospective falls. RESULTS: The FGA correlated with the ABC (r=.053, P<.001), BBS (r=.84, P<.001), and TUG (r=-.84, P<.001). An FGA score of

Effects of multidisciplinary Internet-based program on management of heart failure.

OBJECTIVES: To develop and test the effectiveness of an Internet-based self management program by multidisciplinary health care professionals for patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS: The comprehensive educational material for HF was created and posted on a website. A computer with Internet connection and computer training were provided first. A secure and simple web-based recording system of vital signs and health behaviors and a mechanism for feedback regarding each participant's record were developed. A randomized controlled trial with a one-year intervention was conducted using a total of 40 patients who were assessed three times in their homes. An intention-to-treat analysis used multivariate statistics. RESULTS: The treatment group had a high (85%) adherence to the intervention. Only the treatment group showed a significant improvement in the knowledge level (p < 0.001), amount of exercise (p = 0.001), and quality of life (p = 0.001), and reduction in HF related symptoms (dyspnea, p = 0.001; fatigue, p = 0.003; functional emotion, p < 0.001), blood pressure (systolic, p = 0.002; diastolic, p < 0.001), frequency of emergency room visit, and length of hospital stay (both p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An effective program to change one's behaviors in managing HF takes a multidisciplinary approach to create and provide feedback regarding a patient's daily record, which can be accomplished through Internet use.

Effect of dexamethasone treatment on oxidative energy metabolism in rat liver mitochondria during postnatal developmental periods.

Dexamethasone--a potent synthetic glucocorticoid--has multiple therapeutic applications and is used in all age groups, as well as for antenatal and perinatal treatments. However, side-effects of dexamethasone treatment, including those on development, are becoming increasingly apparent. Since developmental processes are energy-dependent, we examined the effects of chronic dexamethasone treatment on oxidative energy metabolism in liver mitochondria from rats belonging to different developmental age groups. Dexamethasone treatment adversely affected the state 3 respiration rates in 2- and 3-week groups and in the adults with glutamate as the substrates, whereas for pyruvate + malate, the adverse effects were seen for the 3 week and the adult groups. Oxidation of succinate was severely impaired in all the age groups. For ascorbate + TMPD as the substrate, elevated respiration was noted for the 5-week group and the impaired oxidation was observed in adults. Dexamethasone treatment also resulted in site-specific uncoupling with the effect being seen predominantly in the 3- and 5-week and adult animals. The activity of dehydrogenases decreased in a manner comparable to the respiration rates. The mitochondrial cytochromes decreased in an age-dependent manner. The ATPase activity also decreased significantly. The results thus emphasize the adverse effects of dexamethasone treatment on mitochondrial energy metabolism especially in critical age groups.