Comparative study of postpartum sexual function: Second-degree tears versus episiotomy outcomes.

PURPOSE: The effects of episiotomy and second-degree tears on postpartum sexual function are key areas of enquiry in women's health research. Episiotomy and second-degree tears are common procedures and injuries that occur during childbirth. Understanding their impact on post-childbirth sexuality is crucial to women's overall well-being. This study aimed to examine the relationship between episiotomy, second-degree tears, and post childbirth sexuality. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was employed, including 83 women who gave birth to Cáceres in 2017. Participants were evaluated based on sociodemographic and sexual health factors. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in dyspareunia or sexual function between women who underwent episiotomies and those with second-degree tears. However, women who underwent episiotomies waited longer before resuming sexual activity after childbirth. Factors such as age, number of previous births, employment status, educational level, and breastfeeding status affected the timing and frequency of postpartum sexual activity. CONCLUSION: Dyspareunia negatively affects various aspects of sexual function. When comparing episiotomy and second-degree tears, their impacts on postpartum sexual function were similar. However, episiotomy delays the resumption of sexual activity. Sociodemographic factors significantly influence postpartum sexual health. These findings highlight the importance of individualised interventions and support for new mothers during the postpartum period to address potential sexual health concerns.

A centronuclear myopathy-causing mutation in dynamin-2 disrupts neuronal morphology and excitatory synaptic transmission in a murine model of the disease.

AIMS: Dynamin-2 is a large GTPase, a member of the dynamin superfamily that regulates membrane remodelling and cytoskeleton dynamics. Mutations in the dynamin-2 gene (DNM2) cause autosomal dominant centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a congenital neuromuscular disorder characterised by progressive weakness and atrophy of the skeletal muscles. Cognitive defects have been reported in some DNM2-linked CNM patients suggesting that these mutations can also affect the central nervous system (CNS). Here we studied how a dynamin-2 CNM-causing mutation influences the CNS function. METHODS: Heterozygous mice harbouring the p.R465W mutation in the dynamin-2 gene (HTZ), the most common causing autosomal dominant CNM, were used as disease model. We evaluated dendritic arborisation and spine density in hippocampal cultured neurons, analysed excitatory synaptic transmission by electrophysiological field recordings in hippocampal slices, and evaluated cognitive function by performing behavioural tests. RESULTS: HTZ hippocampal neurons exhibited reduced dendritic arborisation and lower spine density than WT neurons, which was reversed by transfecting an interference RNA against the dynamin-2 mutant allele. Additionally, HTZ mice showed defective hippocampal excitatory synaptic transmission and reduced recognition memory compared to the WT condition. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the dynamin-2 p.R465W mutation perturbs the synaptic and cognitive function in a CNM mouse model and support the idea that this GTPase plays a key role in regulating neuronal morphology and excitatory synaptic transmission in the hippocampus.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles: Identifying Critical Issues and Future Perspectives in Image Acquisition.

Underwater imaging has been present for many decades due to its relevance in vision and navigation systems. In recent years, advances in robotics have led to the availability of autonomous or unmanned underwater vehicles (AUVs, UUVs). Despite the rapid development of new studies and promising algorithms in this field, there is currently a lack of research toward standardized, general-approach proposals. This issue has been stated in the literature as a limiting factor to be addressed in the future. The key starting point of this work is to identify a synergistic effect between professional photography and scientific fields by analyzing image acquisition issues. Subsequently, we discuss underwater image enhancement and quality assessment, image mosaicking and algorithmic concerns as the last processing step. In this line, statistics about 120 AUV articles fro recent decades have been analyzed, with a special focus on state-of-the-art papers from recent years. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to identify critical issues in autonomous underwater vehicles encompassing the entire process, starting from optical issues in image sensing and ending with some issues related to algorithmic processing. In addition, a global underwater workflow is proposed, extracting future requirements, outcome effects and new perspectives in this context.

Analysis of Connectome Graphs Based on Boundary Scale.

The purpose of this work is to advance in the computational study of connectome graphs from a topological point of view. Specifically, starting from a sequence of hypergraphs associated to a brain graph (obtained using the Boundary Scale model, BS2), we analyze the resulting scale-space representation using classical topological features, such as Betti numbers and average node and edge degrees. In this way, the topological information that can be extracted from the original graph is substantially enriched, thus providing an insightful description of the graph from a clinical perspective. To assess the qualitative and quantitative topological information gain of the BS2 model, we carried out an empirical analysis of neuroimaging data using a dataset that contains the connectomes of 96 healthy subjects, 52 women and 44 men, generated from MRI scans in the Human Connectome Project. The results obtained shed light on the differences between these two classes of subjects in terms of neural connectivity.

Results in clinical practice in the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma with mepolizumab: a real-life study.

OBJECTIVE: Add-on therapy with monoclonal antibodies is the recommended therapy for severe asthmatic patients refractory to maintenance treatment. In randomized control trials, mepolizumab reduced the number of exacerbations, the need of oral corticosteroids (OCS), increased asthma control, and lung function in a population of uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthmatic patients. In this piece of work, we aimed to assess mepolizumab efficacy and safety in a cohort of patients with severe eosinophilic asthma in real-life conditions. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out at eight hospitals from Asturias (Spain). The sample included patients treated with mepolizumab from 1 January 2016 to 31 March 2019. Demographic and clinical variables were collected, including OCS use, asthma control, lung function, and exacerbation rate. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients (72% women) with mean age 56 ± 13 years were included. Annual exacerbation rate decreased from 4.7 (SD 3.7) to 1.3 (SD 2.5) (p < 0.001). The number of patients requiring OCS treatment decreased from 25 patients (36%, mean prednisone dose = 18 mg/day) to 13 patients (19%, mean prednisone dose = 9 mg/day) (p < 0.001). Twelve patients (48%) stopped OCS treatment. Forced expired volume in one second (FEV1) as percentage increased from 68% (SD 20) to 76% (SD 21) (p < 0.001). Fifty-six patients (81%) were considered responders to mepolizumab. No serious adverse events were detected during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study demonstrates mepolizumab efficacy and safety in a cohort of patients with uncontrolled severe eosinophilic asthma in routine clinical practice.

Factors Associated with Quality of Life in Relatives of Adults with Serious Mental Illness: A Systematic Review.

Caring for a family member with a serious mental illness often has an impact on the quality of life (QoL) of caregivers. This could have negative repercussions on their caring skills and thus affect the care provided to that individual. The aim of this paper is to identify current evidence on QoL factors affecting relatives of individuals suffering from serious mental illness. A systematic review related to the research question was conducted in six databases by two independent reviewers. The QoL factors of relatives include sociodemographic, contextual, psychological, physical, and patient factors. The findings are consistent with the results of previous research. Mental health professionals may support a family with a member diagnosed with a serious mental illness by enhancing their education about QoL factors, which would trigger and promote protective factors so that family members could assess and act on them on an ongoing basis.

Gain-of-Function Dynamin-2 Mutations Linked to Centronuclear Myopathy Impair Ca2+-Induced Exocytosis in Human Myoblasts.

Gain-of-function mutations of dynamin-2, a mechano-GTPase that remodels membrane and actin filaments, cause centronuclear myopathy (CNM), a congenital disease that mainly affects skeletal muscle tissue. Among these mutations, the variants p.A618T and p.S619L lead to a gain of function and cause a severe neonatal phenotype. By using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) in immortalized human myoblasts expressing the pH-sensitive fluorescent protein (pHluorin) fused to the insulin-responsive aminopeptidase IRAP as a reporter of the GLUT4 vesicle trafficking, we measured single pHluorin signals to investigate how p.A618T and p.S619L mutations influence exocytosis. We show here that both dynamin-2 mutations significantly reduced the number and durations of pHluorin signals induced by 10 µM ionomycin, indicating that in addition to impairing exocytosis, they also affect the fusion pore dynamics. These mutations also disrupt the formation of actin filaments, a process that reportedly favors exocytosis. This altered exocytosis might importantly disturb the plasmalemma expression of functional proteins such as the glucose transporter GLUT4 in skeletal muscle cells, impacting the physiology of the skeletal muscle tissue and contributing to the CNM disease.

A Systematic Review of Rat Models With Temporomandibular Osteoarthritis Suitable for the Study of Emerging Prolonged Intra-Articular Drug Delivery Systems.

PURPOSE: Development of minimally invasive therapies for temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) has focused on drug intra-articular injections to avoid the systemic adverse effects experienced when these substances are administered orally. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to answer the question "Which method of induction of a TMJOA-related pain model in rats leads to prolonged painful symptoms, allowing the best assessment of a sustained drug delivery system?" MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we searched MEDLINE for papers published from 1994 to July 2020 on a TMJ arthritis model using rats. We identified the means of pain induction and of nociception assessment. We assessed protocol bias using an adaptation of the QUADAS-2 tool. Animal selection, the reference standard method of pain assessment, applicability of a statistical assessment, and flow and timing were assessed. RESULTS: Of the 59 full papers we reviewed, 41 performed no pain assessment after the first 7 days following induction of the TMJ-related pain model. We eventually identified 18 long-term TMJOA-related pain models. Pain was induced by injection of toxic substances, most commonly Freund's complete adjuvant (50 µg per 50 µl), formalin at various concentrations, or monosodium iodoacetate (0,5 mg per 50 µl), into the TMJ, or by physical methods. Few studies reported data on pain after 21 days of follow-up. Heterogeneity of induction methods, pain assessment methods, and flow and timing biases precluded a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Given that pain is 1 of the main symptoms of TMJOA, experimental study protocols should include long-term pain assessment.

LED Enhances Plant Performance and Both Carotenoids and Nitrates Profiles in Lettuce.

Recent studies show that vegetables at early stage of development contain higher amounts of phytonutrients and minerals, and lower amounts of nitrates than at fully developed stage. Nevertheless, the effects of some spectrum light on the carotenoid content of lettuce microgreens are unknown. Three different LED lamps were checked: (i) artificial white light (T0); (ii) continuous light-emitting diodes with longer blue-wavelength (T1), and (iii) continuous light-emitting diodes with longer red-wavelength (T2). Different lettuce cvs. were grown under the above described lamps. Plants were collected after 10, 15, 35 and 50 days from planting to produce sprouts, microgreens, initial baby leaf, and baby leaf, respectively. Response to different continuous spectrum lights related to productivity and nitrate content was variable for the different plants. Accumulation of nitrates at initial stages in plant tissues was clearly lower than at final stages of crop development, ranging from 50.2 to 73.4 mg 100 g1 fresh weight for T2. Lettuce consumption is preferable at microgreen stage in comparison with baby leaf stage. Nitrate amounts at microgreen stage were lower than in baby leaf stage, and this content was inversely correlated with carotenoid content, which in tissues was higher at microgreens stage influenced by LED.

Quantity and quality of muscle in patients recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer: a comparison with cancer-free controls.

This cross-sectional study compares the muscle mass, core strength and physical fragility of patients recently diagnosed with colorectal cancer (pRD-CRC) with those of healthy subjects and identifies variables to be considered when designing pre-treatment physical interventions for such patients. Body composition, anthropometric variables, the muscle architecture of the lumbopelvic region, physical fitness and frailty were assessed in 32 pRD-CRC and 29 healthy control subjects. The patients showed a reduction in muscle mass (F = 10.059; P = 0.003), in the width of the lumbar multifidus (F = 21.869; P < 0.001), in the transverse abdominal muscle (U = 323.00; P = 0.042) and in the abdominal strength resistance (F = 12.264; P = 0.001). They were also frailer (P = 0.002) than the controls. These results suggest that pRD-CRC are affected by reduced strength and myopenia, leading to frailty. The early incorporation of these patients into strength-enhancing programs may be advisable.

γ-Linolenic and Stearidonic Acids from Boraginaceae of Diverse Mediterranean Origin.

Thirty Boraginaceae species from different tribes were evaluated in a search of γ-linolenic (GLA, 18:3n-6) and stearidonic acid (SDA, 18:4n-3)-rich oils. The high GLA percentages were found in the seed oils of Symphytum bulbosum and S. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum (27.6 and 27.2 % of total fatty acids (FA)), which are unusually high values for GLA-oils in the current literature. On the whole seed, noticeable GLA percentages were found in S. grandiflorum, S. tuberosum subsp. tuberosum and Borago officinalis (7.43, 4.90, and 4.51 g/100 g, respectively). The main SDA-taxa detected in this study were Buglossoides arvensis, B. incrassata and Glandora oleifolia (21.3, 18.9, and 16.3 % of total fatty acids). On total seed weight, Glandora rosmarinifolia showed the highest SDA content (3.57 g/100 g). Finally, the higher FA contents were found in S. grandiflorum and Paramoltkia doerfleri seeds (35.2 and 37.0 g/100 g, respectively). Principal component analysis showed that similarities in FA profiles allow grouping species as botanical criteria for Boraginaceae tribes do, while the FA groupings confirm the metabolic activities of desaturase and elongase enzymes. Data on the FA composition of the seed oils analyzed here suggest their potential use as functional foods and can be considered as novel sources of SDA and GLA.

Role of RUNX2 transcription factor in epithelial mesenchymal transition in non-small cell lung cancer lung cancer: Epigenetic control of the RUNX2 P1 promoter.

Lung cancer has a high mortality rate in men and women worldwide. Approximately 15% of diagnosed patients with this type of cancer do not exceed the 5-year survival rate. Unfortunately, diagnosis is established in advanced stages, where other tissues or organs can be affected. In recent years, lineage-specific transcription factors have been associated with a variety of cancers. One such transcription factor possibly regulating cancer is RUNX2, the master gene of early and late osteogenesis. In thyroid and prostate cancer, it has been reported that RUNX2 regulates expression of genes important in tumor cell migration and invasion. In this study, we report on RUNX2/ p57 overexpression in 16 patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer and/or metastatic lung cancer associated with H3K27Ac at P1 gene promoter region. In some patients, H3K4Me3 enrichment was also detected, in addition to WDR5, MLL2, MLL4, and UTX enzyme recruitment, members of the COMPASS-LIKE complex. Moreover, transforming growth factor-ß induced RUNX2/ p57 overexpression and specific RUNX2 knockdown supported a role for RUNX2 in epithelial mesenchymal transition, which was demonstrated through loss of function assays in adenocarcinoma A549 lung cancer cell line. Furthermore, RUNX2 increased expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition genes VIMENTIN, TWIST1, and SNAIL1, which reflected increased migratory capacity in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

New Trends in the Microencapsulation of Functional Fatty Acid-Rich Oils Using Transglutaminase Catalyzed Crosslinking.

Preparing stable protein-based microcapsules containing functional fatty acids and oils for food applications has been a big challenge. However, recent advances with transglutaminase (TGase) enzyme as an effective protein cross-linker could provide workable solutions for the encapsulation of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids without compromising their targeted release and their biological and physicochemical characteristics. The recent and available literature related to the microencapsulation techniques, physical and oxidative properties, and core retention and release mechanisms of TGase-crosslinked microcapsules entrapping edible oils were reviewed. The effects of factors involved in microencapsulation processes, on the efficiency and quality of the produced innovative microcapsules were also discussed and highlighted. A brief focus has been finally addressed to new insights and additional knowledge on micro- and nanoencapsulation of lipophilic food-grade ingredients by TGase-induced gelation. Two dominant microencapsulation methods for fish, vegetable, and essential oils by TGase-crosslinking are complex coacervation and emulsion-based spray drying. The developed spherical particles (<100 µm) with some wrinkles and smooth surfaces showed an excellent encapsulation efficiency and yield. A negligible release rate and a substantial retention level can result for different lipid-based cores covered by TGase-crosslinked proteins during the oral digestion and storage. A significant structural, thermal and oxidative stability for edible oils-loaded microcapsules in the presence of TGase can be also obtained.

Asymmetry costs: effects of wing damage on hovering flight performance in the hawkmoth Manduca sexta.

Flight performance is fundamental to the fitness of flying organisms. Whilst airborne, flying organisms face unavoidable wing wear and wing area loss. Many studies have tried to quantify the consequences of wing area loss to flight performance with varied results, suggesting that not all types of damage are equal and different species may have different means to compensate for some forms of wing damage with little to no cost. Here, we investigated the cost of control during hovering flight with damaged wings, specifically wings with asymmetric and symmetric reductions in area, by measuring maximum load lifting capacity and the metabolic power of hovering flight in hawkmoths (Manduca sexta). We found that while asymmetric and symmetric reductions are both costly in terms of maximum load lifting and hovering efficiency, asymmetric reductions are approximately twice as costly in terms of wing area lost. The moths also did not modulate flapping frequency and amplitude as predicted by a hovering flight model, suggesting that the ability to do so, possibly tied to asynchronous versus synchronous flight muscles, underlies the varied responses found in different wing clipping experiments.

Next Generation Hemostatic Materials Based on NHS-Ester Functionalized Poly(2-oxazoline)s.

In order to prevent hemorrhage during surgical procedures, a wide range of hemostatic agents have been developed. However, their efficacy is variable; hemostatic devices that use bioactive components to accelerate coagulation are dependent on natural sources, which limits reproducibility. Hybrid devices in which chain-end reactive poly(ethylene glycol) is employed as active component sometimes suffer from irregular cross-linking and dissolution of the polar PEG when blood flow is substantial. Herein, we describe a synthetic, nonbioactive hemostatic product by coating N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (NHS)-functional poly(2-oxazoline)s (POx-NHS) onto gelatin patches, which acts by formation of covalent cross-links between polymer, host blood proteins, gelatin and tissue to seal the wound site and prevent hemorrhage during surgery. We studied different process parameters (including polymer, carrier, and coating technique) in direct comparison with clinical products (Hemopatch and Tachosil) to obtain deeper understanding of this class of hemostatic products. In this work, we successfully prove the hemostatic efficacy of POx-NHS as polymer powders and coated patches both in vitro and in vivo against Hemopatch and Tachosil, demonstrating that POx-NHS are excellent candidate polymers for the development of next generation hemostatic patches.

Screening of biomethane production potential from dominant microalgae.

The use of microalgae for biomethane production has been considerably increasing during the recent years. In this study, four dominant species belonging to the genera Scenedesmus, Chlorella, Dunaliella and Nostoc were selected. The influence of different genera with several morphological, structural and physicochemical characteristics on methane production was assessed in biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. The ultimate methane yield values were 332 ± 24, 211 ± 2, 63 ± 17 and 28 ± 10 mL CH4/g VSadded for Scenedesmus obliquus, Chlorella sorokiniana, Dunaliella salina and Nostoc sp., respectively. The highest methane production was achieved by microalga species that had no complex cell wall or wall basically composed by proteins and simple sugars such as in S. obliquus, whereas lower methane yields were found for D. salina and Nostoc sp., due to the salinity effects and cell wall composition in terms of complex polysaccharide and glycolipid layers, respectively. Kinetic constant values obtained in the BMP tests ranged between 1.00 ± 0.08 and 0.097 ± 0.005 days(-1) for D. salina and S. obliquus, respectively.

Safety and efficacy of in-hospital clopidogrel-to-prasugrel switching in patients with acute coronary syndrome. An analysis from the 'real world'.

Antiplatelet switching in the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) seems to be safe, but prospective data are limited. This retrospective study assessed the safety and efficacy of in-hospital clopidogrel-to-prasugrel switching in patients with ACS. We analysed 525 consecutive patients with ACS admitted to our coronary care unit. We assessed the prevalence and the short-term outcomes of in-hospital clopidogrel-to-prasugrel switching. Bleeding and thrombotic events were assessed using propensity score matching analysis. A total of 468 patients received acetylsalicylic acid and a P2Y12 ADP receptor inhibitor. Medication switching occurred in 117 patients (25 %). Compared with the clopidogrel group, the switching group consisted preferentially of younger males with STEMI, exhibited fewer comorbidities, and had lower ischaemic risk. We found no differences between the switching group and the clopidogrel group in the bleeding rate [3.6 vs. 2.3 %, odds ratio (OR):1.59 95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.26-9.7, p NS], and in adverse cardiac or cerebrovascular events (MACCE) (5 vs. 8.4 %, OR: 0.57 95 % CI 0.16-2, p NS). In-hospital switching from clopidogrel to prasugrel in a selected high-risk ACS population resulted in a similar incidence of in-hospital haemorrhagic and thrombotic events. This strategy should be clarified in further randomised studies.

The Peru Cervical Cancer Screening Study (PERCAPS): the design and implementation of a mother/daughter screen, treat, and vaccinate program in the Peruvian jungle.

Peru struggles to prevent cervical cancer (CC). In the jungle, prevention programs suffer from significant barriers although technology exists to detect CC precursors. This study used community based participatory research (CBPR) methods to overcome barriers. The objective was to evaluate the utility of CBPR techniques in a mother-child screen/treat and vaccinate program for CC prevention in the Peruvian jungle. The CC prevention program used self-sampling for human papillomavirus (HPV) for screening, cryotherapy for treatment and the HPV vaccine Gardasil for vaccination. Community health leaders (HL) from around Iquitos participated in a two half day educational course. The HLs then decided how to implement interventions in their villages or urban sectors. The success of the program was measured by: (1) ability of the HLs to determine an implementation plan, (2) proper use of research forms, (3) participation and retention rates, and (4) participants' satisfaction. HLs successfully registered 320 women at soup kitchens, schools, and health posts. Screening, treatment, and vaccination were successfully carried out using forms for registration, consent, and results with minimum error. In the screen/treat intervention 100% of participants gave an HPV sample and 99.7% reported high satisfaction; 81% of HPV + women were treated, and 57% returned for 6-month followup. Vaccine intervention: 98% of girls received the 1st vaccine, 88% of those received the 2nd, and 65% the 3rd. CBPR techniques successfully helped implement a screen/treat and vaccinate CC prevention program around Iquitos, Peru. These techniques may be appropriate for large-scale preventive health-care interventions.

Stability of Multicomponent Antidote Parenteral Formulations for Autoinjectors against Chemical War Agents (Neurotoxics).

Combinations of different drugs are formulated in autoinjectors for parenteral administration against neurotoxic war agents. In this work, the effects on the chemical stability of the following three variables were studied: (i) type of drug combination (pralidoxime, atropine, and midazolam versus obidoxime, atropine, and midazolam); (ii) pH (3 versus 4); and (iii) type of elastomeric sealing material (PH 701/50 C BLACK versus 4023/50 GRAY). Syringes were stored at three different temperatures: 4, 25, and 40 °C. Samples were assayed at different time points to study the physical appearance, drug sorption on the sealing elastomeric materials, and drug content in solution. Midazolam was unstable in all tested experimental conditions. Drug adsorption was observed in both types of sealing elastomeric materials and was significantly (p < 0.01) dependent on the lipophilicity of the drug. The most stable formulation was the combination of pralidoxime and atropine at pH 4 with the elastomeric sealing material 4023/50 GRAY.