Accurate estimation of body fat percentage is essential for various health and fitness applications. Traditional methods for measuring body fat, such as underwater weighing, can be costly and inconvenient. In this study, we apply machine learning techniques to predict body fat percentage using easily accessible body measurements and data. The results highlight the effectiveness of regression models in estimating body fat, with Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, and Bayesian Ridge models achieving R-squared scores of approximately 74%, 73%, and 73%, respectively. These models provide a practical and cost-effective solution for individuals and professionals seeking reliable body fat estimates.

The purpose of this study was to compare players anthropometric (AP) and body composition (BC) characteristics between different maturity bands (pre-PHV, circa-PHV, post-PHV)) in youth elite football. This study considered 320 male football players (mean age 13.8 y.) from U14 (n=157) and U15 (n=163) age-groups. The Khamis-Roche method was used for calculating the percentage of predicted adult height (PAH) at the time of observation based on which the players were further divided into maturity bands (pre-PHV ≤ 87%, circa-PHV = 88-95%, post-PHV > 95%). Height and weight were measured, body mass index (BMI), fat free mass (FFM), total body water (TBW), body fat mass (BFM), percentage of body fat (%BF), skeletal muscle mass (SMM), FFM of both upper limbs and lower limbs and FFM of trunk were estimated according to In-body 270. All observed AP and BC characteristics differed between maturity bands (F= 139.344 – 7.925; p< 0.001; large effect sizes) except the BFM (F= 2.998; p=0.051; small effect size). Current somatic maturity stage of athletes should be considered while evaluating BC results, otherwise there is a risk of misinterpretation.

Given the recent advances in information technology, speed has become an important requirement in data transmission. Given that an LED (light emitting diode) can turn on and off several thousand or even millions of times per second, then LiFi (light fidelity) technology has strong advantages over WiFi (wireless fidelity) in terms of speed. In this research project, a consortium involving an academic institution decided to evaluate the maturity of LiFi technology and design a demonstrator that could be integrated in a vehicle via an intra-vehicle data transmission system. The demonstrator is to implement a two-way LiFi communication between the reading light of a vehicle and a portable device such as a tablet or smartphone. The nomadic device must display, via an interface, data in real time. The data is RNT (Digital Terrestrial Radio) and TNT (Digital Terrestrial Television) provided by an in-house antenna. LiFi depends on optical technology. The optical characteristics have significant influences on the system. The paper shows ways to improve the system’s throughput, communication range, and reception area. By replacing the reading light with a more powerful one with better optical characteristics, the communication range and reception area improve. By using symmetrical power supply, the throughput improves. Likewise, by using optical filters that eliminate noise, the throughput also improves. We have demonstrated that LiFi data transmission in the vehicle is feasible; low-definition videos were successfully transmitted. The paper acknowledges that there are still various avenues for this work’s improvement.

BACKGROUND: Body mass index (BMI) is calculated by dividing a person's height in meters by their weight in kilograms and is always expressed in kg/m². BMI is a reliable risk indicator for various diseases that can develop due to a higher percentage of body fat. There is a possibility of developing certain medical conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, gallstones, breathing problems and some malignancies that increase with BMI. OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to identify the trends in the Body Mass Index (BMI) of women visiting Better Life Primary Health Care Centre in Ondo City, Ondo State, Nigeria for various healthcare services. METHODOLOGY: Seventy (70) women who participated in this study were randomly selected using systematic random sampling. Their necessary information was obtained using a prepared record sheet to collect their data. Results were analysed using SPSS version 21. RESULTS: The results show mean age of the respondents is 30.50 + 6.52921 21 (30%) were between 31 – 35 years, 21 (30%) were traders, 36 (51%) had tertiary education, 39 (55.7%) were between 151 – 160 cm in height. 32 (45.7%) were between 60 – 80 kg in weight and 30 (42.9%) had normal weight, respectively. CONCLUSION: Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation is an essential tool that can help in identifying one of the significant public health issues that leads to obesity; a predisposing factor to various medical conditions like hypertension, musculoskeletal issues, heart diseases, cancers, and lots more. It is therefore important to incorporate BMI calculation into routine checks to prevent or reduce health burdens that may arise from obesity.

Obesity in adolescents combined with the increased exposure time to electronic devices, enhances a sedentary lifestyle and is linked to the risk of developing musculoskeletal injuries. The aim of this study was to identify possible correlations between anthropometric characteristics, body composition, exposure time to electronic devices or screen time (ST) and physical activity (PA) level along with muscle power and dynamic knee valgus (DKV) in young athletes to avoid future injuries. A total of 125 adolescent basketball athletes (66.4% boys), 12 to 17 years old (13.94±1.58 years) participated. Anthropometric and demographic characteristics were recorded. PA level was assessed through IPAQ and ST through a single question from the HELENA study. The Counter Movement Jump test was used for the evaluation of the lower limb muscle power, while the Single Leg Drop Jump test was used for the evaluation of the dynamic knee valgus via two-dimensional (2D) kinematic analysis. The Pearson index showed a statistically significant positive correlation between muscle power and height (r=0.788, p<0.001), while the Spearman index showed a smaller but equally statistically significant positive correlation with BMI (rs =0.651, p<0.001) and age (rs=0.579, p<0.001). The ST (rs= -0.194, p=0.03) showed a weak negative correlation with DKV, while PA (r=0.85, p<0.001) showed a high, statistically significant, positive correlation. The anthropometric characteristics of adolescent athletes can determine their ability to produce muscle power. A high level of physical activity could play a key role in compensating and thus reducing the negative effects of high exposure to screen time on the dynamic knee valgus

Hydration and fluids detected with bioimpdance can be confounderdby ecw expansion and overload. to estimates with sufficient accuracy body fat A confrontation with imaging and dxa is confirmatory

Total-body PET/CT scanners provide increased sensitivity, enabling the adjustment of imaging parameters by reducing injected activity or shortening acquisition time. This study aimed to evaluate the limitations of reduced [18F]FDG activity doses on image quality, lesion detectabil-ity, and quantification of lesion uptake in the Biograph Vision Quadra, as well as to assess the benefits of the recently introduced ultra-high sensitivity mode in a clinical setting. A number of 26 patients who underwent [18F]FDG-PET/CT (3.0 MBq/kg, 5 min. scan time) were included in this analysis. PET raw data was rebinned for shorter frame durations to simulate 5 min. scans with lower activities in high sensitivity (HS) and ultra-high sensitivity (UHS) modes. Image quality, noise, and lesion detectability (n=82) were assessed using a 5-point Likert scale. The co-efficient of variation (CoV), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), tumor-to-background ratio (TBR), and standardized uptake values (SUV) including SUVmean, SUVmax, and SUVpeak were evaluated. Sub-jective image ratings were generally superior in UHS compared to HS mode. At 0.5 MBq/kg, le-sion detectability decreased to 95% (HS) and 98% (UHS). SNR was comparable at 1.0 MBq/kg in HS (5.7±0.6) and 0.5 MBq/kg in UHS (5.5±0.5). With lower doses, there were negligible reductions in SUVmean and SUVpeak, whereas SUVmax increased steadily. Reducing [18F]FDG activity to 1.0 MBq/kg (HS/UHS) in a total-body PET/CT provides diagnostic image quality without statistical-ly significant changes in uptake parameters. UHS mode improves image quality, noise, and le-sion detectability compared to HS mode.

The association between obesity and clinical as well as radiological outcomes in patients suffering non-traumatic intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) remains unclear. The obesity paradox suggests a protective effect regarding in-hospital mortality. This study evaluates the impact of body mass index (BMI) on functional long-term outcome and bleeding volume in patients with non-traumatic ICH. A retrospective cohort study including all consecutive patients with spontaneous ICH treated at a tertiary referral centre between December 2017 and June 2021, aged 80 years or younger (n = 218), were included. Patients were dichotomized into overweight (OW, BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) and normal weight (NW, BMI < 25 kg/m2). Functional outcomes were assessed by the modified Rankin scale (mRS), extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) at 1, 3, 6 and 12-months follow-up. Bleeding volumes were calculated as ABC/2. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to assess clinical predictors of favourable outcome in the long-term. Of 218 patients (66.04 ± 15.18 years) suffering non-traumatic ICH, 115 (52.75%) were OW (29.72 ± 3.82). Female sex (p = 0.1), NIHSS (p = 0.69), cardiovascular risk factors (p = 0.55), ICH volume (p = 0.19), and presence of anticoagulation (p = 0.67) did not significantly differ between the OW and NW cohort. At discharge, functional outcome did not significantly differ between both cohorts (NW, mRS 3.92 ± 2.54 vs. OW, mRS 3.21 ± 2.43, (p = 0.28)). Multivariate analysis revealed that haemorrhage volume (p = 0.01) was the only robust risk factor to predict functional outcome after 1 year. Our data suggests that in ICH patients, neither obesity nor patient’s age are negative predictors for functional outcome in the long-term. Instead, bleeding volume is a robust risk factor predicting poor functional status after ICH. Therefore, prospective randomized trials analysing this coherence are highly warranted.

This publication delves into the intricate world of human communication, extending beyond the realm of spoken and written language to explore the profound influence of non-verbal communication. Focusing on body language—comprising gestures, facial expressions, postures, and movements—it reveals the pivotal role it plays in conveying emotions, intentions, and psychological states. The rapidly evolving fields of neuroscience and cognitive science are investigating the neural mechanisms and cognitive processes that underpin the interpretation and utilization of these non-verbal cues. Notably, the amygdala's involvement in processing emotional facial expressions has provided a neurological foundation for our emotional understanding in non-verbal communication. Concurrently, cognitive psychology sheds light on how perception, attention, and memory influence our interpretation of non-verbal cues and communication strategies.In our modern, technologically advancing society characterized by global interconnectivity and cultural diversity, the significance of non-verbal communication, especially in digital and virtual contexts, is paramount. The transformation of non-verbal expression into digital symbols like emoticons and emojis raises questions regarding its ability to maintain authenticity and emotional understanding. This publication endeavors to comprehensively explore the fundamental role of body language and non-verbal communication in contemporary society. By integrating insights from psychology, neuroscience, social sciences, and digital technologies, it aims to elucidate the underlying mechanisms guiding non-verbal communication. Additionally, it delves into the implications of non-verbal communication across diverse domains, including interpersonal communication, the workplace, politics, advertising, and the virtual world.The research presented herein strives to offer a thorough understanding of interpersonal dynamics, relationships, and social behavior, with the goal of promoting the development of more effective, conscious, and ethically guided communication strategies. Ultimately, this analysis aspires to inspire further interdisciplinary research and reflection, addressing emerging challenges and fully leveraging the potential of non-verbal communication in modern society. This, in turn, guides our path towards a communication landscape that is more inclusive, authentic, and empathetic.

Background: Obesity and its attendant conditions have become major health problems worldwide and is currently ranked as the fifth most common leading cause of death globally. Complex environmental and genetic factors are the cause of the current obesity epidemic. Diet, lifestyle, chemical exposures, and other confounding factors are difficult to manage in humans. The mice model is helpful in researching genetics BW gain because genetic and environmental risk factors can be controlled in mice. Studies in mouse strains with various genetic backgrounds and established genetic structures provide unparalleled opportunities to find and analyze trait-related genomic loci. In this study, we used the Collaborative Cross (CC), a large panel of recombinant inbred mouse strains, to present a predictive study using CC mice SMAD4 knockout profiles to understand and effectively identify predisposition to body weight gain. Materials and Methods: Male C57Bl / 6J Smad4+/- mice were mated with female mice from 10 different CC lines to create F1 mice (Smad4+/- x CC). Body weight (BW) was measured weekly until week 16, then monthly until the end (week 48). The heritability H2 of the assessed traits was estimated and presented. Comparative analysis of various machine learning algorithms for predicting the BW changes and genotype of mice was conducted. Results and conclusions: Our data showed that the body weight records of F1 mice with different CC lines differed between wildtype and mutant Smad4 mice during the experiment. Genetic background affects weight gain and some lines gained more weight in the presence of Smad4 knockout, while others gained less, but in general, the mutation caused overweight mice, except for a few lines. In both control and mutant groups, female %BW had a higher heritability H2 value than males. Additionally, both sexes with wildtype genotypes showed higher heritability values than the mutant group. Logistic Regression provides the most accurate mouse genotype predictions using machine learning. We plan to validate the proposed method on more CC lines and mice per line to expand machine learning for BW prediction.

Vitamin C is an essential enzyme cofactor and antioxidant with pleiotropic roles in human physiology. Circulating vitamin C concentrations are lower in people with diabetes mellitus suggesting a higher dietary requirement for the vitamin. We interrogated the NHANES 2017/2018 and EPIC-Norfolk datasets to compare vitamin C requirements between those with and without diabetes mellitus using dose-concentration relationships fitted with sigmoidal (four parameter logistic) curves. The NHANES cohort (n=2828 non-supplementing adults) comprised 488 (17%) participants with diabetes (self-reported or HbA1c ≥6.5%). The participants with diabetes had a lower vitamin C status (median [IQR]) than those without (38 [17, 52] µmol/L vs 44 [25, 61] µmol/L, p&lt;0.0001), despite comparable dietary intakes between the two groups (51 [26, 93] mg/d vs 53 [24, 104] mg/d, p=0.5). Dose-concentration relationships indicated that the group without diabetes reached adequate vitamin C concentrations (50 µmol/L) with an intake of 81 (72, 93) mg/d, whilst the those with diabetes required an intake of 166 (126, NA) mg/d. In the EPIC-Norfolk cohort, comprising 20692 non-supplementing adults, 475 (2.3%) had self-reported diabetes at baseline. The EPIC cohort had lower a BMI than the NHANES cohort (26 [24, 28] kg/m2 vs 29 [25, 34] kg/m2, respectively). Correspondingly, the EPIC participants without diabetes required a lower vitamin C intake of 64 (63, 65) mg/d while those with diabetes required 129 (104, NA) mg/d to reach adequate circulating vitamin C status. C-reactive protein concentrations were strongly correlated with body weight and BMI and provided a surrogate biomarker for vitamin C requirements. In conclusion, people with diabetes have 1.4- to 1.6-fold higher requirements for vitamin C than those without diabetes. This corresponds to additional daily vitamin C intake requirements of ~30-40 mg for people with diabetes.

In the last decade there has been a growing interest in infrared thermography in the field of sports medicine in order to elucidate the mechanisms of thermoregulation. The aim of this study was to describe bilateral variations in skin temperature of the anterior thigh and patellar tendon in healthy athletes, to provide a model of baseline tendon and muscle thermoregulation in healthy sprinters following a unilateral isokinetic fatigue protocol. Fifteen healthy national-level sprinters underwent unilateral isokinetic force testing and electrostimulation in which body temperature was measured before, during, and after the protocol using an infrared thermographic camera. ANOVA detected a significant difference in the time x side interaction for patellar temperature changes (p≤0.001) and a significant difference in the time x side interaction for quadriceps temperature changes (p≤0.001). The thermal challenge produces homogeneous changes evident in quadriceps areas, but not homogeneous in tendon areas. these data show that metabolic and blood flow changes may depend on the physical and mechanical properties of each tissue.

Autologous micrografting technology (AMT®) involves the use of autologous micrografts to stimulate/enhance the repair of damaged tissue. This study assessed the efficacy and safety of the AMT® procedure in patients with early stages of knee osteoarthritis. Briefly, the AMT® procedure involved extraction of auricular cartilage, disaggregation using the Rigeneracons® SRT in 4.0 mL of saline solution and injection of the disaggregated micrografts into the external femorotibial compartment area of the affected knee. Ten patients (4 men, 6 women; age range: 37─84 years) were included in the study. In all patients, there was a steady improvement in knee instability, pain, swelling, mechanical locking, stair climbing and squatting at 1- and 6-months post-procedure. Improvement in mobility was observed as early as 3 weeks post-procedure in 2 patients. Significant improvements were seen in mean scores of all five subscales of Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS [KOOS symptoms, KOOS pain, KOOS ADL, KOOS sport and recreation, and KOOS quality-of-life]) between pre-procedure and 1- and 6-months post-procedure (all p≤0.05). Autologous auricular cartilage micrografts obtained by AMT® procedure (using Rigenera® technology) is an effective and safe protocol in the treatment of early-stage knee osteoarthritis. These encouraging findings need to be validated in a larger patient population.

Recently, “mature” silkworms (MS) of Bombix mori have been considered as a potential nutraceutical, with a number of health benefits reported for steamed and lyophilized MS powder (SMSP). However, no obesity-related effects have been reported for SMSP. In the present study, anti-obesity effects of SMSP were investigated in adult mice in vivo, aged 12 weeks at the onset of drug administration, fed normal diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD), respectively, for 12 weeks. SMSP significantly suppressed body weight gain, intra-abdominal adipose tissue, and food efficiency in both ND-fed and HFD-fed adult mice. In addition, SMSP significantly decreased food intake and liver weight in HFD-fed mice, indicating that SMSP suppressed appetite and simultaneously reduced the conversion of feed into body weight in HFD-fed mice. SMSP also significantly lowered serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, asparagine transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. However, SMSP had no significant effect on the weights of kidney, spleen, and thymus and serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Taken together, the above results suggest that SMSP has potent anti-obesity effects and is safe for long-term use as a potential therapeutic and/or nutraceutical in both obese patients and non-obese individuals.

Trans-arterial radioembolization (TARE) is a form of radiation therapy performed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via selective intra-arterial injection of Yttrium-90 loaded microspheres. This was a multicenter retrospective study of consecutive patients with HCC who underwent TARE between July 2009 and May 2019. Using pre-treatment computed tomography imaging, the total cross-sectional area (cm2) of the abdominal skeletal muscle at the third lumbar vertebra was measured. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was calculated by normalizing the muscle area to patient height. In total, 347 patients (median age, 65 years; 284 male) were included in the study. A total of 108 (31.1%) patients had portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) and 126 (36.3%) were classified as sarcopenic. The median overall survival (OS) was 28.1 months (95% CI, 24.8-35.7) and median progression-free survival was 8.0 months (95% CI, 6.4-9.4). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that sarcopenia (hazard ratio [HR], 1.36; 95% CI, 1.00-1.85, p = 0.05), PVTT (HR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.33-2.49, p &lt; 0.01), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) (≥200 ng/mL) (HR 1.41; 95% CI, 1.04-1.92, p = 0.03), and albumin-bilirubin grade (2-3) (HR 1.74; 95% CI, 1.24-2.43, p &lt; 0.01) were independently associated with poor OS. TARE provided favorable long-term outcomes for patients with advanced HCC. Pre-treatment sarcopenia independently associated with survival, suggesting its utility as a surrogate biomarker for identifying TARE candidates.

Faced with difficulties stemming from the complex interactions between tight gas sand bodies and fractures when describing and identifying reservoirs, a composite reservoir model was established. By setting the supply boundary to characterize the superposition characteristics of sand bodies, a mathematical model of unstable seepage in fractured vertical wells in tight sandstone gas reservoirs was constructed considering the factors such as stress sensitivity, fracture density and fracture symmetry. The seepage law and pressure response characteristics of gas well in tight sandstone discontinuous reservoir with stress sensitivity, semi-permeable supply boundary and complex fracture topology were determined, and the reliability of the model was verified. The research results more accurately depict the pressure characteristic curve of the superposed sand body complex fracture vertical well, and provide a more comprehensive model for tight gas production dynamic analysis and well test data analysis, which can more accurately guide the dynamic inversion of reservoir and fracture parameters.

The time evolution of the continuous measure symmetry for the system built of the three bodies interacting via the potential U(r)~1/r is reported. Gravitational and electrostatic interactions between the point bodies were addressed. In the case of the pure gravitational interaction the three-body-system deviated from its initial symmetrical location, described by the Lagrange equilateral triangle, comes to collapse, accompanied by the growth of the continuous measure of symmetry. When three point bodies interact via the Coulomb repulsive interaction, the time evolution of CMS is quite different. CMS calculated for all of studied initial configurations of the point charges and all of their charge-to-mass ratios always comes to its asymptotic value with time, evidencing the stabilization of the shape of the triangle, constituted by the interacting bodies.

Proprioception is an essential part of human movement and body awareness. It is the body's perception of its own spatial understanding, which helps us to accurately move our limbs and maintain balance. Purpose: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge and analyse bibliometric data about proprioception in gymnastics and acrobatics. Methodology: This article consisted of two phases: 1) a bibliometric review (based Web of Science) and 2) a systematic review (Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus) of literature. "Gymnast*", "propriocep*", were utilized as search terms to find and choose published data. From a total of 164 studies, 30 were included for data extraction (n participants= 1432 of different age, sports, physical activities, and physical condition. Heterogeneity of studies design and assessment make it difficult to interpret the outcomes and the effect of proprioceptive interventions and comparations between samples. Proprioception is difficult to define in gymnastics considering the evidence references and the physiological considerations. Also, assessment tools used do not necessary evaluate proprioception globally considering the senses involved in gymnastics. Gymnastics training enhances joint awareness and force sense, improving proprioception and reducing injury risk. Proprioceptive exercises should be incorporated into gymnastics programs to enhance stability and precision in movements.

Eating disorders, especially restrictive eating, are common among female athletes. There are two main types of winter sports, those that are practised outdoors on snow (-25 to +5ºC and 2500 m), such as alpine skiing or snowboarding, and those that are practiced indoors on ice (5-10º C at low altitude), such as figure skating and ice hockey. The aim of this research was to identify the nutritional status and potential risk of female athletes practising winter sports considering the altitude of training. The sample was composed of 58 women (aged 19.81 years (SD: 12.61) who were competitors in some winter sports. Anthropometrics and nutritional variables were taken. Statistically significant differences were found between groups for all the characteristics except thigh skinfold and neither group had an EI that matched their TEE. Both groups met at least 2/3rd of the RDI for all minerals and vitamins, except iodine, fluorine, vit D, E and retinol. This study suggest that female winter sports athletes have insufficient energy, vitamin and mineral intake that can be worsened by altitude.

The aim of the study was to assess the adaptability of Polish Red cows to extensive housing and feeding conditions. The study was carried out using 22 cows together with their offspring, kept on a certified organic family farm, from 15 October 2017 – the start of the winter feeding season – to 30 October 2018 – the end of the pasture season. The animals were kept as beef suckler cows, which stayed in the pasture during the summer and were kept in buildings with permanent access to a large cattle run in winter. The following were determined in the study: changes in the cows’ weight and body condition, daily gains in calves, 210-day standardized body weight, and estimated milk yield of suckler cows. To evaluate the cows’ health, blood was collected from them twice and analysed for haematological and biochemical parameters. The results indicated that during the study period the Polish Red cows had adequate body condition, normal vital parameters, and a normal course and development of pregnancy despite the sparse winter diet. This definitively confirms the breed’s high capacity to adapt to an extensive system.

Background and aims: Only one cohort study exists on the incidence of the risk of malnutrition (RM) in older adults, though numerous cross-sectional –and that cohort research– have reported several risk factors associated with the prevalence and incidence of this condition. However, alterations of body composition and impaired physical performance as exposition variables of RM have not been explored. This study assessed the incidence of RM and determined its association with excess fat mass, low total lean tissue, gait speed, and handgrip strength as exposition variables for RM in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This is a secondary analysis in older adults (≥60 years old) derived from the study “Frailty, dynapenia, and sarcopenia in Mexican adults (FraDySMex)” a prospective cohort project conducted from 2014 to 2019 in Mexico City. At baseline, volunteers underwent body composition analysis and physical performance tests. Several covariates were identified through comprehensive geriatric assessment. At baseline and follow-up, RM was assessed using the long form of the mini nutritional assessment (MNA-LF) scale. Associations between the exposition variables and RM were assessed by multiple logistic regression. Results: The cohort included 241 subjects. Average age was 75.6±7.8 years; 83.4% were women. The mean follow-up period was 4.1 years, during which 28.6% of subjects developed RM. This condition was less likely to occur in subjects with excess fat mass index, even after adjusting for several covariates. RM was also more likely to occur in subjects with low total lean tissue index, according to both an unadjusted model and after adjusting for the corresponding variables. Regarding the association between RM and gait speed, RM was also more likely to occur in subjects with low gait speed according to both the unadjusted and adjusted models. Similar results were found for RM in relation to low handgrip strength; however, after adjusting for the associated covariates, models 1 and 2 no longer reached the level of significance. Conclusion: The risk of malnutrition diagnosed by MNA-LF was significantly less likely to occur among subjects with excess fat mass, but possibility was significantly higher in those with low total lean tissue and low gait speed after 4.1 years of follow-up in community-dwelling older adults. These results highlight that excess fat mass, low total lean tissue, and low gait speed are first than risk of malnutrition and not vice versa.

In recent, Chae found that, at weak gravitational acceleration g_N≲10⁻⁹ms⁻², the observed orbit of the wide binary stars is not accordant with current theory of binary star. Here, we present, this finding should be an observational evidence for that Newtonian theory of orbit perturbation is still valid in galactic scale.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of body weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period on cashmere production performance and secondary hair follicle activity, to provide a theoretical basis for appropriate supplementary feeding of cashmere goats. Fifty Inner Mongolian cashmere goats aged 2-4 years old were randomly selected and weighed in May and September 2019, respectively. Based on body weight gain between the two weights, the experi-mental ewe goats were divided into two groups: 0-5.0 kg group (n = 30) and 5.0-10.0 kg group (n = 20). Skin samples and cashmere samples were collected. Results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that body weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a moderate and strong positive correlation with cashmere yield (P = 0.021) and cashmere staple length (P = 0.002) respectively, but did not correlate with cashmere diameter (P = 0.254). Compared with cashmere goats with a body weight gain of 0-5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a body weight gain of 5.0-10.0 kg had a 17.10% increment in cashmere yield (P = 0.037), 8.09% increase in cashmere staple length (P=0.045) and had no significant difference in cashmere diameter (P = 0.324). Results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between body weight gain and the population of active secondary hair follicles in the skin of cashmere goats (P < 0.01). Compared with cashmere goats with a body weight gain of 0-5.0 kg, cashmere goats with a body weight gain of 5.0-10.0 kg had an increase in the population of active secondary hair follicles (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the body weight gain during the cashmere non-growing period had a sig-nificant effect on secondary hair follicle activity and cashmere production performance in cash-mere goats. Since body weight gain reflects nutritional level to a certain extent, this study suggests that nutritional manipulations such as supplementary feeding during cashmere non-growing periods can increase cashmere production performance. However, specific nutritional manipula-tions during the cashmere non-growing period need further research to increase cashmere pro-duction performance.

Crossbreeding in dairy cattle with exotic breeds continues to be an appealing practice to the dairy farmers of Bangladesh. However, there is limited knowledge regarding the impact of crossbreeding on both the physical attributes and milk quality traits of crossbred cattle in Bangladesh. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of crossbreeding Bangladeshi local cattle with the exotic Holstein breed on their body characteristics and milk quality. To achieve the goal, data pertaining to body traits and milk samples were gathered from a total of 981 cows from 19 dairy farms located in the northwestern region of Bangladesh. A trained evaluator measured body condition score (BCS), udder score, locomotion score, and body conformation traits. Milk yield information was acquired from official records, while milk composition details were determined through milk analysis. The average measurements for body traits were as follows: wither height (WH) at 138 cm, body length (BL) at 155 cm, and heart girth (HG) at 203 cm. Notably, crossbred cows (Holstein x Local cattle) exhibited greater values for WH, BL, HG, BCS, and udder score than their Bangladeshi local counterparts. Furthermore, the average daily milk yield of sampled cows was recorded at 8.7 kg, with fat and protein contents of 3.78% and 3.67%, respectively. It is worth noting that crossbred cows produced a higher volume of milk compared to Bangladeshi local cattle. However, milk from crossbred cows displayed lower fat and protein content, although their somatic cell score (SCS) remained similar. Additionally, milk from crossbred cows exhibited a longer coagulation time when compared to that of Bangladeshi local cattle. A more comprehensive assessment of the crossbreeding scheme, particularly in comparison to Holstein, would necessitate further research, including an examination of its impact on cheese yield traits, health, fertility, and longevity.

Implementation of novel blood-based biomarkers is desired to reduce diagnostic delay and burden for myositis patients. In this retrospective study, the potential of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) was explored in an established patient cohort diagnosed with immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM; n=21), sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM; n=18), polymyositis (PM; n=3), dermatomyositis (DM; n=2), and anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS; n=1), comparing with healthy controls (n=10) and patients with a hereditary neuromuscular disorder (n=14). CXCL10 and GDF15 were quantified in sera with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunolocalized in skeletal muscle tissue. In myositis patients, serum CXCL10 levels were significantly increased 9.6--fold compared to healthy and 4.2-fold compared to disease controls. Mean levels in IBM (929±658 pg/ml) were significantly higher than in IMNM (425±324 pg/ml). With the threshold set to 180pg/ml of CXCL10, myositis patients could be differentiated from healthy and disease controls with a sensitivity of 0.80 and a specificity of 0.71. Incorporating a threshold of 300 pg/ml for GDF15 reduced false negatives to two IMNM patients only. Subsets of muscle-infiltrating immune cells expressed CXCL10, and serum levels correlated with muscle inflammation grade. We propose adding circulating CXCL10 and GDF15 to the blood-based diagnostic toolkit for myositis as a valuable patient-friendly approach.

Background: Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs), known as glycogenoses, belong to inborn metabolic defects in the glycogen metabolism pathway. Several types of GSDs are distinguished, including Ia, Ib, III, VI, and IX. GSDs manifest as excessive glycogen deposition in the liver and muscles, resulting in the dysfunction of these organs. Therefore, the treatment of choice is multitherapy that, due to dietary restrictions, may lead to nutritional deficiencies and organ complications. This study aims to assess anthropometric, body composition, skeletal status, results of selected laboratory tests, dietary, lifestyle and physical capacity analyses in patients with glycogenoses and compare the results between GSD I and GSD III-VI-IX groups. Results: The results indicate that GSD patients were overweight or obese (44% of patients had BMI +1SD or +2SD) with high percentage of fat tissue (50% of patients had above 30% of body fat) and inadequate bone mineralisation (total body less head: median z-score -0.9, L2-L4 segment: median z-score -1.65). GSD I patients had the highest risk of developing obesity (67% of them had above 30% of body fat) and osteoporosis (total body less head: median z-score -1.0, L2-L4 segment: median -1.7). Conclusions: Special attention should be paid to appropriate diet and supplementation in patients with glycogenoses.

Patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) frequently require primary radiochemotherapy (RCT). Despite intensity-modulation, desired radiation-induced effects observed in HNSCC, may also be observed as side-effects in healthy tissue e.g. the sternocleidomastoideus muscle (SCM). These side-effects (e.g. tissue fibrosis) depend on the interval between completion of RCT and restaging-CT. For salvage surgery, the optimal time window for surgery is currently postulated between 6 and 12 weeks after completion of RCT. Thus, no extensive tissue fibrosis is to be expected. This interval is based on studies exploring surgical complications. Studies directly exploring radiation-induced changes of the SCM in HNSCC-patients are sparse. The present study quantifies tissue alterations in SCM and paravertebral musculature (PVM) after RCT applying radiomics to determine the optimal time window for salvage surgery. Three radiomic key parameters 1) volume, 2) mean positivity of pixels (MPP) and 3) uniformity were extracted with mint lesionTM in the staging-CTs and restaging-CTs of 98 HNSCC-patients. Of these, 25 were female, the mean age was 62 (±9.6) years and 80.9% were UICC Stage IV. The mean restaging-interval was 55 (±28; range29-229) days. Only the mean volume significantly decreased after RCT from 9.0 to 8.4 and 96.5 to 91.9 ml for SCM and PVM, respectively (both p=0.007, both Cohen’s d=0.28). In addition, the mean body mass index (BMI) decreases from 23.9 (±4.2) to 21.0 (±3.6) kg/m² (p<0.001); Cohen's d = 0.9). The mean BMI-decrease significantly correlated with the volume decrease for SCM (r=0.27; p=0.007) and PVM (r=0.41; p<0.001). If t-test p-values were adjusted for the BMI-decrease, no significant change in volumes for SCM and PVM was observed (both p>0.05). The present data supports the postulated optimal interval for salvage surgery of 6 to 12 weeks. Irrespective of the remaining risk-benefit ratio of salvage surgery, the risk of additional surgical complications due to fibrosis is not supported by the present observations.

This paper proposes a reconceptualization of the hierarchical understanding of the human organism, challenging the conventional idea of the supremacy of the nervous system. We argue that symbiotic coexistence and functional interdependence among all systems provide the human body with remarkable resistance to the universal tendency of entropy. We first examine the basis of cellular life, referring to ATP and DNA, essential substances that resist the entropic tendency through complex energy mechanisms. Next, we analyze the collaboration between the body's systems, highlighting the critical role of erythrocytes, which constitute 83.9% of the total cells (24.9 trillion), in the context of energy maintenance and homeostasis. We challenge the conventional view that the nervous system, composed of neurons and glial cells, which together make up 0.6% of the total cells (0.17 trillion), occupies the apex of a biological hierarchy, arguing that the nervous system is merely a component of a broader, interdependent mechanism. Finally, we provide a detailed description of human cellular composition, emphasizing the importance of each cell type in the functional context, thus contributing to the totality of the organism. With this, we present a vigorous appeal for the realization of critical reassessments of fundamental premises in human biology.

Large volume bone defect regeneration is complex and demands time to complete. Several regeneration phases with unique characteristics including immune responses follow, overlap, and interdepend on each other and, if successful, lead to the regeneration of the organ bone's form and function. However, during traumatic, infectious, or neoplastic clinical cases, the intrinsic bone regeneration capacity may exceed, and surgical intervention is indicated. Scaffold-guided bone regeneration (SGBR) has recently shown efficacy in preclinical and clinical studies. To investigate different SGBR strategies over periods of up to 3 years we have established a well characterized large segmental tibial bone defect ovine model, for which we have developed and optimized immunohistochemistry (IHC) protocols. We present an overview of the immunohistochemical characterization of different experimental groups in which all ovine segmental defects were treated with a bone grafting technique combined with a three-dimensionally printed medical-grade polycaprolactone-tricalcium phosphate (mPCL-TCP) scaffold. The qualitative data set is based on osteoimmunological findings gained from IHC analyses of over &gt;350 sheep surgeries over the past two decades. Our systematic and standardized IHC protocols enabled us to gain further insight into the complex and long-drawn-out bone regeneration processes, which ultimately proved to be a critical element for successful translational research.

Stem cells can be used in cellular therapy. This happended in order to replace damaged cells or having aim to regenerate organs. The definition of stem cells can be extended. From this point of view, we can mention taking in consideration the idea in which it is known that these cells form the base of the building body. More than, we can mention that stem cells are characterized by two knowing properties namely differentiation and selfrenewal. Based on the observation that differentiation of adult stem cells into specific derivativescan be controlled by laboratory techniques, it is anticipated that adult stem cells may become the basis of therapies for many, and various types of medical conditions. Taking on stem cells, regenerative medicine (RM) it is known as being one of the hottest topics in biotechnology nowadays. From this purpose, stem cells can be used in regenerative medicine (RM). The principles of regeneration are found in different types of cultures, from long time ago, centuries etc.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy of reproductive-aged women characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo-anovulation and insulin resistance closely linked with preferential abdominal fat accumulation. As an ancestral primate trait, PCOS was likely further selected in humans when scarcity of food in hunter-gatherers of the late Pleistocene additionally programmed for enhanced fat storage to meet the metabolic demands of reproduction in later life. As an evolutional model for PCOS, healthy normal-weight women with hyperandrogenic PCOS have subcutaneous (SC) abdominal adipose stem cells that favor fat storage through exaggerated lipid accumulation during development to adipocytes in vitro. In turn, fat storage is counterbalanced by reduced insulin sensitivity and preferential accumulation of highly-lipolytic intra-abdominal fat in vivo. This metabolic adaptation in PCOS balances energy storage with glucose availability and fatty acid oxidation for optimal energy use during reproduction; its accompanying oligo-anovulation allowed PCOS women from antiquity sufficient time and strength for childrearing of fewer offspring with a greater likelihood of childhood survival. Heritable PCOS characteristics are now affected by today’s contemporary environment through epigenetic events that predispose to lipotoxicity with excess weight gain and pregnancy complications, calling for an emphasis on preventive healthcare to optimize the long-term, endocrine-metabolic health of PCOS women in today’s obesogenic environment.

Body composition measurement plays an important auxiliary role in the nutritional assessment of diseases, nutritional diagnosis and the evaluation of the effect of nutritional therapy. There are many techniques and methods available for the measurement of body composition. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA ) of body composition has been widely used and explored in many diseases in the past 30 years. Its main advantages are its non-invasiveness, non-radiation, economy, convenience and feasibility. With the development of bioelectrical impedance technology, bioelectrical impedance analysis has gradually developed from single-frequency BIA (SF-BIA) to dual-frequency BIA (DF-BIA). now devices are available that measure at multiple fixed frequencies (multi-frequency BIA, MF-BIA) and over a range of frequencies (bioimpedance spectroscopy, BIS). The clinical significance of nutrition management in chronic kidney disease has gradually become prominent. Bioelectrical impedance analysis of body composition is favored by nephrologists and nutritionists as an auxiliary method for nutrition diagnosis, treatment and monitoring. In the past 20 years, there have been many studies on body composition measurement by bioelectrical impedance analysis in the nutritional management of CKD patients. This article will summarize the recent research results of BIA of body composition method in the nutrition management of CKD patients in pre-dialysis, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and kidney transplantation, in order to provide reference for the application and research of BIA method in the nutrition management of chronic kidney disease in the future.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is useful for evaluation of the hemodynamics of hepatic tumors and surrounding he-patic parenchyma in real time. CEUS with intravenous contrast administration is well established for evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). On the other hand, intra-arterial (transcatheter) CEUS (IAUS) is an emerging technique that allows more selective evaluation of the arterial supply to the tumor. IAUS was performed by administration of Sonazoid® through the microcatheter and imaging of the area of the target lesion with a dedicated, contrast-specific technique. Sonazoid® (0.5 ml diluted with 49.5 ml of distilled water) was used as the contrast medium in IAUS. The diluted Sonazoid® was introduced into the feeding artery by in-termittent injection of 0.3-1.0 ml through a microcatheter placed in the artery and flushing with saline at the same flow rate. We report the three cases in which IAUS was useful in transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for HCC. Two cases were performed TACE for hepatic metastasis. In any cases, plain computed tomography (CT) after TACE showed accumulation of Lipiodol® only in the metastases. One case was suspected having HCC rupture and urgent abdominal angiography was performed. IAUS was performed frequently to reduce the amount of iodinated contrast agent as much as possible because of renal failure. Concomitant use of IAUS enabled reduction of the amount of contrast agent.

A method of measuring the absolute pose parameters of a moving rigid body using a monocular camera is proposed, aiming at addressing calibration difficulties and inconsistencies of repeated measurements of the rigid-body pose for a camera having a varying focal length. The proposed method does not require calibration beforehand. Using more than six non-coplanar control points symmetrically arranged in the rigid-body and world coordinate systems, the matrices of rotation and translation between the camera and two coordinate systems are obtained and the absolute pose of the rigid body measured. In this paper, formulas of the absolute pose measurement of a moving rigid body are deduced systematically and the complete implementation is presented. Position and attitude measurement experiments carried out on a three-axis precision turntable show that the average absolute error in the attitude angle of a moving rigid body measured by an uncalibrated camera at different positions changes by no more than 0.2 degrees. Analysis of the three-dimensional coordinate errors of the centroid of a moving rigid body shows little deviation in measurements made at three camera positions, with the maximum deviation of the average absolute error being 0.53 cm and the maximum deviation of the standard deviation being 0.66 cm. The proposed method can measure the absolute pose of a rigid body and is insensitive to the position of the camera in the measurement process. This work thus provides guidance for the repeated measurement of the absolute pose of a moving rigid body using a monocular camera.

Recent simulation studies have revealed a wealth of distinct crystal polymorphs encountered in the self-organization of polymer systems driven by entropy or free energy. The present analysis, based on the concept of self-avoiding random walks on crystal lattices, is useful to calculate upper bounds for the entropy difference of the crystals that are formed during polymer crystallization and thus provide predictions on polymorph thermodynamic stability. Here, we compare two pairs of crystals sharing the same coordination number, ncoord: hexagonal close packed (HCP) and face centered cubic (FCC), both having ncoord = 12 and the same packing density, and the less dense hexagonal (HEX) and body centered cubic (BCC) lattices, with ncoord = 8. In both cases, once a critical step length is reached, one of the crystals shows a higher number of SAWs compatible with the crystal. We explain the observed trends in terms of the bending and torsion angles corresponding to the different chain geometry as imposed by the geometric constraints of the crystal lattice.

Background: The oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) assessment evaluated the impact of individual’s oral health on the patient's physical and psychosocial status. We evaluated the association between subjective OHRQoL, measured with the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) questionnaire, and unfavorable body mass index (BMI) (i.e., too high or too low) in a large population-based study on older adults from Southern Italy. Moreover, we assessed which of the seven OHIP-14 domains was most strongly associated with an unfavorable BMI. Methods: We used data on a subpopulation of the Salus in Apulia Study, including 216 older adults. BMI &lt;18.4 kg/m2 and &gt;30 kg/m2 were classified as unfavorable, values between 18.5 and 30 kg/m2 were classified as ideal. Results: Higher OHIP-14 total score increased the risk to have an unfavorable BMI [odds ratio (OR):1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.01-1.15]. In the model adjusted for age, sex, education, hypertension, carbohydrate consumption, and alcohol consumption, this finding was confirmed with higher OHIP-14 total score increasing the risk to have an unfavorable BMI (OR:1.10, 95% CI:1.01-1.22), and higher age linked to a decreased risk to have an unfavorable BMI (OR:0.89, 95% CI:0.82-0.97). In a random forest regression model, the most important predictive domains/sub-scales of OHIP-14 in mean decrease Gini for unfavorable BMI were, in order of decreasing importance, physical pain, functional limitation, psychological discomfort, physical disability, social disability, psychological disability, and handicap. Conclusions: In older age, negative OHRQoL, particularly linked to the physical pain domain, increased the risk of underweight or overweight and obesity.

Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is used to assess glycemic control in Type 1 diabetes (DM1) patients. Apolipoproteins play an essential role in DM1 pathophysiology and may be associated with complications, as well as HbA1c. This cross-sectional observational study consisting of 81 children and adolescents of both sexes diagnosed with DM1 investigated the relationship between body fat distribution and lean mass with HbA1C and apolipoprotein values analyzing biochemical and body composition measurements. Shapiro-Wilk test with Lilliefors correction, non-parametric Mann-Whitney test, and others were used with a significance level of 5%. The sample had a diagnosis time of 4.32 years and high blood glucose levels (mean 178.19 mg/dL) and HbA1c (mean 8.57%). Subjects also had a moderate level of adiposity, as indicated by arm and thigh fat areas. The study also found significant differences in the distribution of patients concerning levels of apolipoproteins A and B, with a smaller proportion of patients having undesirable levels. Finally, the study found a significant difference in the distribution of patients with estimated cardiovascular risk based on the ApoB/ApoA-1 ratio. Conclusively, visceral fat in children and adolescents with DM1 may increase the risk of DM1 long-term complications owing to its association with elevated HbA1C and apolipoprotein values.

The practice of teaching and scientific research on cadaveric material remains crucial for medical education, especially in surgical disciplines. However, in Italy, this practice has been neglected due to legislative insufficiency and financial constraints. Although innovative methods and tools like simulators and e-learning have been adopted, direct hands-on experience with human cadavers remains irreplaceable for medical and surgical education. The absence of clear legislation governing cadaveric dissection has limited availability for teaching and research, resulting in economic burdens for universities and individuals seeking proper surgical training. To address this issue, the Law No. 10/2020 and the recent implementing decree were introduced in Italy, providing detailed legislation on the donation of bodies for educational and research purposes. The law emphasizes the importance of respecting the donor's specific choices and aligns with constitutional principles promoting culture, research, and health protection. However, some critical issues related to consent procedures, duration of body availability, and preservation of anatomical parts remain. Additionally, the law's dissemination among the population needs improvement. Future optimization could include allowing donors to choose the timing of body donation and considering different timeframes for body availability. Furthermore, the implementation of consent procedures could be simplified to increase donations. The law should also address the need for appropriate reception centers and allocate resources for effective dissemination. Despite these challenges, Law No. 10/2020 represents a significant step forward in enhancing medical-surgical training, scientific research, and the overall quality of patient care in Italy.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a group of fluorinated, organic, man-made chemicals; they do not occur naturally in the environment. This study aimed to determine the profile and content of PFASs in volunteers’ blood plasma and urine after fermented red beetroot juice consumption and correlated it with the blood parameters. During 42 days, 24 healthy volunteers intake 200 mL/60 kg of body weight fermented red beetroot juice. PFASs were analyzed using micro-HPLC-MS/MS method. Five perfluoroalkyl substances were found in human body fluids. After juice consumption, PFASs, due to the consumption of food contaminated with them, was discovered that for perfluorocarboxylic acids, a downward trend was observed, while for perfluoroalkane sulfonates, their plasma content showed a statistically significant upward trend. Analysis of the hematology parameters indicated that the intake the fermented red beetroot juice showed a significant decrease in mean corpuscular volume (MCV), platelets concentration, mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet large cell ratio (P-LCR) at the significance level p < 0.01, and he-matocrit (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the dietary intervention also indicated a significant (p < 0.01) increase corpuscular/ cellular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC). In the case of blood biochemi-stry, no significant change in blood samples after intake the fermented beetroot juice was observed. However, a decreasing tendency of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein concentration (LDL-C) were observed. Based on the presented results, there is a need to analyze and monitor health-promoting food regarding undesirable substances and their impact on consumer health.

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) elevation during capnoperitoneum can cause adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects. This study aimed to determine if a sequentially increased IAP affects cardiovascular and respiratory variables in anesthetized dogs and evaluate the effects of constant rate infusion of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on cardiovascular and respiratory variables with increased IAP. Five dogs were anesthetized, instrumented, and the Veress needle was equipped to adjust the IAP using a carbonic anhydrase insufflator. Stabilization was conducted for 1 h, and physiological variables were measured in IAPs of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mmHg and after desufflation. After the washout period, the dogs underwent similar procedures along with constant rate infusion of dexmedetomidine. Cardiovascular effects of increased IAP up to 20 mmHg were not significant in healthy beagle dogs and those administered with dexmedetomidine. In the control group, the arterial pressure slightly increased, but not statistically significant, at an IAP of 20 mmHg compared with that at baseline (mean arterial blood pressure, p = 0.399; systolic arterial blood pressure, p = 0.293; diastolic arterial blood pressure, p = 0.141). When comparing the control and dexmedetomidine groups, overall significant effects of dexmedetomidine were noted on heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance during the experiment. Respiratory effects were not affected by abdominal insufflation when compared between different IAPs and between the two groups. Overall, an increased IAP of until 20 mmHg did not significantly affect cardiovascular and respiratory variables in both control and dexmedetomidine groups. This study suggests that dexmedetomidine infusion administration is applicable in laparoscopic procedures in healthy dogs.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) is associated with low cardiorespiratory fitness, which favors cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases. Besides, it evidentially affects mental health. Considering the WHO PA guidelines, CrossFit® represents a versatile exercise program, combining aerobic and resistance training with mobility and could help lowering disease incidences among sedentary people. Yet, long-term CrossFit research is sparse. We conducted a nine-months intervention (≥ 2 CrossFit workouts/week) in sixteen beginners (14 males, 35  6.8 years, 180  8.6 cm, 85. 5  19.1 kg). As primary endpoint, VO2max was assessed at baseline, after four, and nine months. A repeated-measures ANOVA and pearson correlation were conducted. Well-being was investigated by WHO-5-index pre- and post-intervention. For exploratory purpose, body composition was tracked. Main outcome was an 11.5 % VO2max improvement with large effect (p < .01, η_p^2 = .27). Strong negative correlations between baseline VO2max and its progression after nine months (p = .006, r = -.654) were found. Well-being increased by 8.7 % (p = .024, d = .51). Body composition improved without statistical significance. Resting metabolic rate increased by 2.2 % (p = .042). This study reveals the potential of CrossFit to enhance physiological and psychological health in beginners. For more robust results, bigger sample sizes with higher proportion of women are needed.

Neuromonitoring of the efferent nerve impulses transmission in the spinal cord tracts during surgical scoliosis treatment makes it possible to assess whether the functional status is deteriorating, affecting the procedure's safety. Is there any relationship between pre- and intraoperative motor evoked potentials recordings and does idiopathic scoliosis (IS) surgical correction improve directly the spinal efferent transmission? This study aimed to compare the results of surface recorded electromyography (EMG), electroneurography (ENG, M and F-waves), and especially motor evoked potentials (MEP) from tibialis anterior (TA) muscle bilaterally in 353 girls with the right idiopathic scoliosis (types 1A-4C according to Lenke classification). It has not yet been documented whether the results of MEPs recordings induced by transcranial single magnetic stimulus (TMS, pre – and postoperatively) and trains of electrical stimuli (TES; intraoperatively in T0-before surgery, T1 – after pedicle screws implantation, T2 – after scoliosis curvature distraction and derotation following two rods implantation) can be compared for diagnostic verification of improvement of the spinal neural transmission. The study also attempted to determine whether the constant level of optimal anesthesia during the certain surgical steps of scoliosis treatment affects the parameters of MEPs recorded during neuromonitoring procedures. No neurological deficits have been observed postoperatively. Values of amplitudes but not latencies in MEPs recordings evoked with TMS in IS patients compared before and after surgery indicated a slight improvement in the efferent transmission of neural impulses within the fibers of the spinal tracts postoperatively. Results of all neurophysiological studies in IS patients were significantly asymmetrical and recorded worse on the concave side, suggesting greater neurological motor deficits at p=0.04. This asymmetry had been significantly reduced following IS surgery. The surgeries in IS patients brought significant improvement (p=0.04) in parameters of amplitudes of sEMG recordings, however reflecting still the consequences of the neurogenic injury of TA muscle motor units. ENG studies results indicated the symptoms of the axonal type injury in peroneal motor fibers improved only on the concave side at p=0.04 in parallel with the significant improvement of F-waves parameters, which suggests that surgeries might result in the lumbar ventral roots decompression. There were not detected significant differences in amplitudes or latencies of MEPs induced with TMS or TES comparing the parameters recorded preoperatively (one day before surgery) and intraoperatively in T0. The amplitudes of TES evoked MEPs increased gradually at p=0.04 in the subsequent periods (T1 and T2) of observation. The significant reduction of MEPs latency at p=0.05 was observed only at the end of the IS surgery. Studies on the possible connections between the level of anesthesia fluctuations and the required TMS stimulus strength, as well as the MEPs amplitude changes measured in T0-T2 revealed lack of relationships. It is not likely that they could be the factors influencing the efferent transmission in spinal pathways beside the surgical procedures. Considering that MEPs amplitude parameter reflects the number of axons excited from the motor cortex and transmitting the efferent impulses via spinal descending tracts in the white matter, pre- (TMS evoked) and intraoperative (TES evoked) recordings are reliable for evaluating the patient’s neurological status before and during surgical scoliosis correction procedures. The results of this study indicate an agreement between preoperative and early-intraoperative evaluations with these both diagnostic methods. An increase of MEPs amplitude parameters recorded on both sides after scoliosis surgery proves immediate improvement of the total efferent spinal cord transmission. Considering comparative pre- and postoperative sEMG and ENG recordings it can be concluded that surgeries might directly result in the additional lumbar ventral roots decompression. Our results of the tests on the possible variability of the anesthesia level on the parameters of intraoperative recorded MEPs show no clear relationships. We can conclude that MEPs parameters changes are determined by the surgery procedures during neuromonitoring, not the anesthesia conditions if they are kept stable, which influences a decrease in the number of false-positive neuromonitoring warnings. Further studies on a larger population of patients with long-lasting observation postoperatively are required to confirm the presented conclusions on the direct influences of scoliosis surgery on improvement of the motor function in patients with IS.

Many university female students are concerned about their bodies. Body image perception has become a public health issue globally. This study aimed to explore factors contributing to body image dissatisfaction among female students at the University of Venda. The study was qualitative in nature and employed exploratory research design. A sample of 10 female students enrolled at the University of Venda were identified using convenience sampling method. A pre-tested, semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data and thematic content analysis technique was used to analyse the collected data. The findings of the study showed that body comparison, societal beauty standards, social media, and body shaming by family and friends were the main factors contributing to student’s body image dissatisfaction. The findings further revealed that lack of self-confidence, stress, avoidance, anxiety and depressive symptoms were the challenges faced by students with body image dissatisfaction. Acceptance. Self-care, and healthy diet were identified as coping strategies to help deal with the challenges of student’s body image dissatisfaction. Conclusively, students should be encouraged to seek professional help timeously, to help navigate their body image concerns to avoid decline in their daily functioning.

Body weight support (BWS) and incline running (IR) are commonly used either during rehabilitation or during training separately, with many positive effects on athletes’ performance and rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of BWS and IR. In eighteen healthy men (age: 20.3 ± 1.2 yr, body weight: 70.2 ± 4.8 kg, body height: 179.6 ± 5.4 cm), the changes in electromyographic activity (EMGA) during a 10-min run with BWS (15% or 30% of body weight; in different occasions) and IR at 7%, as well as jumping performance and gait spatiotemporal parameters were evaluated. Lower Rating of Perceived Exertion and a significant decrease in VL (33,4%), SOL (17%), and GL EMGA (28.5%, p &lt; 0.05) but not in GM (10.5%, p &gt; 0.05), were observed during BWS30% at 7% slope compared to flat running. Also, low-frequency fatigue of the quadriceps was induced only after running without BWS at 7% slope (P = 0.011). No changes were found in jumping performance (p = 0.246) and gait spatiotemporal parameters (p &gt; 0.05) except for flight time (p &lt; 0.006). In conclusion, compared to normal flat running, BWS reduces electromyographic activity and fatigue during slope running.

Chronic gastroduodenal symptoms are prevalent worldwide, and there is a need for new diagnostic and treatment approaches. Several overlapping processes may contribute to these symptoms, including gastric dysmotility, hypersensitivity, gut-brain axis disorders, gastric outflow resistance, and duodenal inflammation. Gastric Alimetry® (Alimetry, New Zealand) is a non-invasive test for evaluating gastric function that combines body surface gastric mapping (high-resolution electrophysiology) with validated symptom profiling. Together, these complementary data streams enable important new clinical insights into gastric disorders and their symptom correlations, with emerging therapeutic implications. A comprehensive database has been established, currently comprising >2,000 Gastric Alimetry tests, including both controls and patients with various gastroduodenal disorders. From studies employing this database, this pa-per presents a systematic methodology for Gastric Alimetry test interpretation, together with an extensive supporting literature review. Reporting is grouped into four sections: Test Quality, Spectral Analysis, Symptoms, and Conclusions. This review compiles, assesses, and evaluates each of these aspects of test assessment, with discussion of relevant evidence, example cases, limitations, and areas for future work. The resultant interpretation methodology is recommended for use in clinical practice and research to assist clinicians in their use of Gastric Alimetry as a diagnostic aid, and is expected to continue to evolve with further development.

Round bodies in spirochete cultures have been a controversial subject since their description seven decades ago. We report the existence of round bodies (spherical cells) in cultures of Mucispirillum schaedleri, a spiral bacterium phylogenetically distant from spirochetes. Furthermore, when grown in biofilms, M. schaedleri demonstrates a unique morphology known as cording, which has been previously described only in mycobacteria. Thus, M. schaedleri has two distinct features, each previously thought to be unique to two different phylogenetically distant groups of bacteria.

This work presents patient radiation dose data for pediatric interventional cardiology procedures in a large hospital in Colombia. The data collection period was from April 2020 to July 2022. The local DRLs were calculated as the 3rd quartile of patient dose data distributions for kerma area-product (Pka) values. The sample of collected clinical procedures (255) was divided into diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and grouped into five weight and five age bands. The Pka differences found between diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were statistically in all weight and age bands, except the group between 1-5 years. The local DRLs were 69 Gy/cm2 (< 5 kg), 3.44 Gy/cm2 (5-<15 kg), 8.87 Gy/cm2 (15-<30 kg), 10.51 Gy/cm2 (30-<50 kg) y 22.61 Gy/cm2 (50-<80 kg), respectively. In conclusion, from comparing our results with other existing DRL values, we are similar to other centers and scope to continue optimizing the radiation dose values. This will contribute to setting national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for Colombia in the near future.

The leaves and stems of Bauhinia guianensis Aubl. are used in traditional Amazonian phytotherapy for the treatment of pain and inflammation. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive effects of hydroethanolic extracts from B. guianensis Aubl. leaves and stems (HELBg and HESBg, respectively) in in vivo models of inflammation and hyperalgesia. Danio rerio experimental animals were submitted to the acute inflammation test, induced by intraperitoneal (ip.) administration of carrageenan 20 μg / animal (abdominal edema), the groups were previously treated orally with saline solution 2 μl / animal (SS), Dimethyl sulfoxide 2 μl / animal (DMSO), Indomethacin 10 mg/Kg, HELBg 100 mg/Kg and HESBg 100 mg/Kg, n = 12 per experimental group, to evaluate inhibition of edema and alterations histopathology of the liver, intestine and kidney of these animals. The antinociceptive effect was observed from the body curvature index and the behavioral responses of Danio rerio, after an experimental protocol for the induction of hyperalgesia, by ip administration. of 10 μl / animal of 2.5% acetic acid, the animals were previously orally treated with saline solution 2 μl/animal (SS), dimethyl sulfoxide 2 μl/animal (DMSO), morphine 2.5 mg/Kg, HELBg 100 mg/Kg and HESBg 100 mg/Kg, n = 5 per experimental group. In carrageenan-induced edema, the group treated with HESBg inhibited edema formation over the 3 hours of the experiment. Maximum edema was inhibited by 54% (p &lt; 0.05) when compared to the control group. Both HELBg and HESBg prevented body curvature index changes (t (df = 3 8) =, 6.96 and t (df = 3, 8) = 6.61, respectively, both p &lt; 0.0001). In the behavioral parameters sensitive to antinociceptive pharmacological modulation, due to the abdominal constriction induced by acetic acid, the administration of HELBg and HESBg resulted in an improvement in swimming activity, by increasing the distance covered (F (df = 3, 16) = 6.50 and F (df = 3, 16)  = 7.72, respectively, both p &lt; 0.0001), decrease in freezing time (F (df = 3, 16)  = 2.04 and F (df = 3, 16)  = 1.28, respectively, both p &lt; 0.0059), increase in the number of ascents to the upper area of the tank (F (df = 3, 16)  = 33.02 and F (df = 3, 16)  = 35.62, respectively, both p &lt; 0.0009 ) and decreased time spent in that area (F (df = 3, 16)  = 101.19 and F (df = 3, 16)  = 103.59, respectively, both p &lt; 0.0038). It is reasonable to suppose that both extracts modulated the variations induced by carrageenan and acetic acid through the inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis, decreasing the release of inflammatory mediators and the sensitization of peripheral nociceptors and, consequently, the perception of pain. These results suggest that HELBg and HESBg have anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive activities, probably of peripheral origin and linked to the inhibition of prosta-glandin biosynthesis

After the first release of synthalin B (dodecamethylenbiguanide) in 1928 and its later retraction in the 1940s in Germany and the retraction of phenformin (N-Phenethylbiguanide) because of the letal complication of acidosiss,metformin (1-1-dimethylbiguanide) was first released in France in 1959 and then in the USA in 1995 for oral treatment of diabetes type 2. Acute gastrointestinal side effects often lead to dose reduction and strongly limit adherence to therapy.Main long-term consequences are deficency of vitamin B12 and of iron and sometimes also acidosis development. Intravenously injected F18-labelled glucose in metformin-treated type 2 diabetics accumulates in the the small and even more in the large intestine.The densitometry picture observed in metformin-treated diabetics is similar to that observed in patients after bowel-cleansing or chronically taking different types of laxatives where the accumulated radioactivity can even reach values observed in colon cancer. The glucose-lowering mechanism of action of metformin is therefore not only due to inhibition of glucose uptake in the small intestine but also to „attraction“ of glucose from the hepatocyte to the intestine,possibly through its secretion into the bile.Metformin is not different from the other biguanides ,synthalin B and phenformin.The mechanism of action,and the side effects are comparable to those of laxatives.

The aim of the study was to identify the existence of positive relationships between certain psychomotor behaviors, which we consider specific to swimming, and learning the execution technique of some styles (front crawl and backstroke). The study was carried out during 10 months, including 76 children (40 boys and 36 girls) aged between 6-9 years who practice recreational swimming in a Romanian city. Several tests were used: Tapping test for manual dexterity and laterality, the Goudenough test for body schema, the Flamingo test for static balance, the horizontal buoyancy test for body balance on the water. Results indicated better ratings on all psychomotor behaviors analyzed by gender (in favor of girls compared to boys), except for laterality. The levels of all analyzed psychomotor behaviors are directly proportional to the age of the subjects. Also, moderate positive correlations of manual dexterity (rs = 0.63 in front crawl; rs = 0.57 in backstroke) and strong correlations were identified for body scheme, laterality, static balance and buoyancy, coordination with the learning of the two styles of swimming (r or rs between 0.77 and 0.85). In conclusion, psychomotor behaviors can be predictors for learning swimming styles.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neuropsychiatric disorder and a common cause of progressive dementia. Diltiazem (DTZ), the non-dihydropyridine benzothiazepine class of calcium channel blocker (CCB), used clinically in angina and other cardiovascular disorders have proven neurological benefits. In the present study, the neuroprotective anti-dementia effects of DTZ against intra-cerebroventricular-streptozotocin (ICV-STZ)-induced sporadic AD (SAD)-type rat model was investigated. ICV-STZ-induced cognitive impairments were measured by passive avoidance and Morris water maze tasks. Anti-oxidative enzyme status, pro-inflammatory markers, and amyloid-beta (Aβ) protein expression in rat brain tissues were measured by ELISA kits, Western blotting, and immunostaining techniques. Data revealed that ICV-STZ injection in rats significantly induced cognitive deficits and altered the levels of oxidative and pro-inflammatory markers (p &lt; 0.05 ~ p &lt; 0.001). Treatment with DTZ (10 mg/kg, 20 mg/kg, and 40 mg/kg. p.o.) daily for twenty-one days, 1 h before a single ICV-STZ (3 mg/kg) injection, significantly improved cognitive impairments, ameliorated the ICV-STZ-induced altered nitrite, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, and IL-1β) and anti-oxidative enzyme levels (superoxide dismutase, lipid peroxidation, and glutathione). Further, DTZ restored the increased Aβ protein expression in ICV-STZ-induced brain tissue Considering the data obtained, DTZ exhibited a potential neuroprotective anti-dementia role in ICV-STZ-induced SAD-type conditions in rats and might be repurposed as a potential therapeutic agent in the treatment and management of AD and related dementia pathologies.

Abstract: A recent approach to radiotherapy for prostate cancer is the administration of high doses of radiation to the prostate while minimizing the risk of side effects. Thus, image-guided radiotherapy utilizes advanced imaging techniques and is a feasible strategy for increasing the radiation dose. New radioactive particles are another approach to achieving high doses and safe procedures. Prostate brachytherapy is currently considered as a combination therapy. Spacers are useful to protect adjacent organs, specifically the rectum, from excessive radiation exposure.

Abstract: Interrupted-sampling repeater jamming (ISRJ) is a kind of intra-pulse coherent decep-tion jamming that can generate false target peaks in the range profile and interfere with the de-tection and tracking of real targets. In this paper, an anti-ISRJ method based on the intra-pulse orthogonal waveform is proposed, which can recognize common interference signals by com-paring sub-signal matched filtering results. For some special scenes where real targets cannot be directly differentiated from false targets, a new recognition method based on the energy discon-tinuity of the interference signal in the time domain is proposed in this paper. The method pro-posed in this paper can recognize real and false targets in all ISRJ modes without any prior in-formation, such as jammer parameters, with a small amount of calculation, which is suitable for actual radar systems. Simulation experiments using different interference parameters show that although this method has a 3dB loss of pulse compression gain, it can completely suppress dif-ferent kinds of ISRJ interference when the SNR before pulse compression is higher than -20dB, with 100 % target detection probability.

Compliant amplifying mechanisms are used widely in high-precision instruments driven by piezoelectric actuators, and the dynamic and static characteristics of these mechanisms are closely related to instrument performance. Although the majority of existing research has focused on analysis of their static characteristics, the dynamic characteristics of the mechanisms affect their response speeds directly. Therefore, this paper proposes a comprehensive theoretical model of compliant amplifying mechanisms based on the multi-body system transfer matrix method to analyze the dynamic and static characteristics of these mechanisms. The effects of the main amplifying mechanism parameters on the displacement amplification ratio and the resonance frequency are analyzed comprehensively using the control variable method. An iterative optimization algorithm is also used to obtain specific parameters that meet the design requirements. Finally, simulation analyses and experimental verification tests are performed. The results indicate the feasibility of using the proposed theoretical compliant amplifying mechanism model to describe the mechanism’s dynamic and static characteristics, which represents a significant contribution to the design and optimization of compliant amplifying mechanisms.

A micro energy harvesting device proposed in the literature, is numerically studied. It consists of two bluff bodies in a micro-channel and a flexible diaphragm at its upper wall. Vortex shedding behind bodies induces pressure fluctuation causing vibration of the diaphragm that converts me-chanical energy to electrical by means of a piezoelectric membrane. Research on enhancing vortex shedding is justified due to the low power output of the device. Amplitude and frequency of un-steady pressure fluctuation on the diaphragm center are numerically predicted. Vortex shedding severity is mainly assessed in terms of pressure amplitude. The CFD model set-up is described in detail and appropriate metrics to assess energy harvesting potential are defined. Several cases are simulated to study the effect of inlet Reynolds number and channel blockage ratio on the prospec-tive performance of the device. Furthermore, the critical blockage ratio leading to vortex shedding suppression is sought. Higher inlet velocity for a constant blockage ratio is found to enhance vor-tex shedding and pressure drop. Great blockage ratio values, but lower than the critical one, seem to provide great pressure amplitudes in the expense of moderate pressure drop. There is evidence that the field is fruitful for research and relevant directions are provided.

Background: Changes in body weight are associated with the regulation of DNA methylation (DNAm). In this study, we investigated the associations between maternal gestational weight gain-related DNAm and foetal and neonatal body composition. Methods: Brazilian pregnant women from the Araraquara Cohort Study were followed up during pregnancy, delivery, and after hospital discharge. Women with normal pre-pregnancy BMI were allocated to two groups: adequate gestational weight gain (AGWG, n=45) and excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG, n=30). Foetal and neonatal body composition was evaluated by ultrasound and plethysmography, respectively. DNAm was assessed in maternal blood using Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip arrays. Linear regression models were used to explore the associations between DNAm and foetal and neonatal body composition. Results: Maternal weight, GWG, neonatal weight, and fat mass were higher in the EGWG group. Analysis of DNAm identified 46 differentially methyl-ated positions and 11 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between the EGWG and AGWG groups. Nine human phenotypes were enriched for these 11 DMRs located in 13 genes (EMILIN1, HOXA5, CPT1B, CLDN9, ZFP57, BRCA1, POU5F1, ANKRD33, HLA-B, RANBP17, ZMYND11, DIP2C, TMEM232), highlighting the terms insulin resistance, and hyperglycaemia. Maternal DNAm was associated with foetal total thigh and arm tissues and subcutaneous thigh and arm fat, as well as with neonatal fat mass percentage and fat mass. Conclusion: The methylation pat-tern in the EGWG group indicated a risk for developing chronic diseases and involvement of ma-ternal DNAm in foetal lean and fat mass and in neonatal fat mass.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a widely used technique in the biosciences and has become increasingly popular in recent years. One of the key elements of this technique is the use of a DNA polymerase that is heat-stable and retains fidelity during the process. To this end, archaeal Fam-ily-B DNA polymerases are preferred due to their high thermostability and fidelity. In particular, the DNA polymerase from Thermus aquaticus (Taq DNApol) is widely utilized in PCR procedures. In this work, a novel in-silico structure-based methodology was employed to examine the most heat-tolerant DNA polymerase available. In spite of this, Thermococcus kodakarensis and Geobacillus stearothermophilus DNApol are more stable and heat-tolerant DNApols due to their high number of intra-protein interactions. Variations in the content of polar amino acids also played a significant role in the increase in heat stability. A further factor contributing to the stability of proteins is the stabilization of helix in secondary structure through the use of charged amino acids. DNApol from these organisms has been shown to be suitable for use in PCR, as well as in other biological processes able to withstand high temperatures. In this study, it has been demonstrated that im-provements in PCR performance can be easily obtained by blending elements from closely related archaeal polymerases, a strategy that may, in the future, be extended to other archaeal polymer-ases. This approach allowed for a comprehensive analysis of the enzyme's thermal stability and fidelity, leading to an improved understanding of the polymerase's properties and potential ap-plications

Zoom dysmorphia (ZD) is a facial dysmorphia triggered or aggravated by frequent virtual meetings. The frequent use of videoconferencing platforms has been linked to a distorted perception of facial images as individuals have an increased awareness of their appearance, given constant video feedback. As a result, dysmorphic concerns can develop. It is crucial to identify ZD as the condition interferes with the individual’s life and can trigger or aggravate body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). A standardized approach for screening ZD in non-psychiatric settings has yet to be defined. We discuss the features of ZD and the challenges of screening for ZD in a virtual setting. To facilitate the recognition of ZD in telehealth consultations, we propose a comprehensive ZD screening questionnaire that includes questions related to typical ZD features and a BDD-focused question. The questionnaire is concise and allows the identification of individuals with a potential ZD. A BDD assessment in such individuals should follow.

Purpose: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major risk factor for mortality in patients with osteoarthritis, and comorbidities increase postoperative complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Arteriosclerosis plays a major role in hemodynamic dysfunction and CVD; however, arteriosclerosis has not been preoperatively evaluated before TKA using the cardio–ankle vascular index (CAVI). In this study, we evaluated the degree of preoperative arteriosclerosis using the CAVI in patients undergoing TKA, as well as its correlations with several preoperative patient factors. Methods: Arteriosclerosis was evaluated in 209 consecutive patients (251 knees) with osteoarthritis who underwent TKA at our institution between May 2011 and June 2022. The CAVI was measured in the supine position 1 day before TKA, and the correlations between the CAVI and several clinical factors were analyzed. A p value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The CAVI was normal in 62 knees (25%), borderline in 71 knees (28%), and abnormal in 118 knees (47%). Univariate analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation between preoperative CAVI and age (r = 0.451, p < 0.001) and a weak negative correlation between preoperative CAVI and body weight (r = −0.306, p < 0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (r = −0.319, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that age (β = 0.349, p < 0.001) and BMI (β = −0.235, p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with preoperative CAVI. Conclusion: Arteriosclerosis should be carefully managed intraoperatively and postoperatively in patients with osteoarthritis undergoing TKA, particularly in older patients and patients with a low BMI.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between weight-bias internalization and eat-ing-disorder psychopathology in treatment-seeking patients with severe obesity using a network approach. Two thousand, one hundred and thirteen patients with obesity consecutively admitted to a specialist clinical unit for obesity were recruited from January 2016 to February 2023. Body mass index was measured, and each patient completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBSI) and the Eating Disorder Examination Interview (EDE). Network analysis showed that the most central and highly interconnected nodes in the network were related to the EDE items exposure avoidance, dissatisfaction with shape, and wanting an empty stomach. Bridge nodes were found, but the bootstrap difference test on expected bridge influence indicated non-significant centrality differences. Nevertheless, the eating-disorder psychopathology and weight-bias internalization network structure in patients seeking treatment for obesity indicate the prominent role of body dissatisfaction and control of eating and weight in these psychological constructs. This finding, if replicated, could pave the way for a new understanding of the psychological mechanisms operating in patients with obesity.

Patients undergoing dialysis through a permanent catheter often experience infection or malfunction. However, few studies have clarified the predictors of permanent catheter patency survival in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We assessed the relationship between parameters of body composition monitoring (BCM) determined before the initiation of dialysis and the patency survival of the permanent catheters inserted in 179 patients who commenced hemodialysis between January 14, 2020 and August 31, 2021. The relationships between permanent catheter patency at 6 weeks and BCM parameters, laboratory tests, age, sex, comorbidities, and medications at baseline were studied using Kaplan–Meier survival curves. Permanent catheter patency was observed to be superior at high extracellular-to-intracellular (ECW/ICW) ratio (P<0.005). After adjustment for covariates, the ECW/ICW ratio remained an independent factor associated with permanent catheter patency survival. When patients with non-patent catheters were subdivided into infection and malfunction groups, and the associations of BCM parameters were evaluated in those groups, the ECW/ICW ratio was not significantly associated with permanent catheter patency survival in the infection group (P = 0.327); instead, a significant association was found for the lean tissue index (P<0.001). In the malfunction group, the ECW/ICW ratio remained significantly associated with permanent catheter patency survival (P < 0.001).

Within the oligometastatic state, oligo-recurrent lymph node disease in prostate cancer represents an interesting clinical entity characterized by a relatively indolent biology that makes it unique: it can be treated radically, and its treatment is usually associated with a long period of control and excellent survival. Additionally it is an emergent situation that we are facing more frequently, mainly due to: a) the incorporation into clinical practice of the PSMA PET that provides strikingly increase superior images in comparison to conventional imaging, with higher sensitivity and specificity; b) the higher detection rates of bone and node disease with extremely low levels of PSA; and c) the availability of high-precision technology in radiotherapy treatments with the incorporation of stereotaxic body radiotherapy (SBRT) or stereotaxic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) technology that allows the safe administration of high doses of radiation in a very limited number of fractions with low toxicity and excellent tolerance. This approach of new image-guided patient management is compelling for doctors and patients since it can potentially contribute to improve the clinical outcome. In this work we discuss the available evidence, areas of debate, and potential future directions concerning the utilization of new imaging guided SBRT for the treatment of nodal recurrence in prostate cancer.

Outbreaks of Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner, 1818) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae), a major pest of soybean, can be controlled below economic thresholds with methods that do not involve the application of synthetic insecticides. Formulations based on natural isolates of the Anticarsia gemmatalis multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AgMNPV) (Baculoviridae: Alphabaculovirus), played a significant role in integrated pest management programs in the early 2000s, but a new generation of chemical insecticides and transgenic soybean, have displaced AgMNPV-based products over the past decade. However, the marked genotypic variability present among and within alphabaculovirus isolates suggests that highly insecticidal genotypic variants can be isolated and used to reduce virus production costs or overcome isolate-dependent host resistance. This study aimed to select novel variants of AgMNPV with suitable insecticidal traits that could comple-ment the existing AgMNPV active ingredients. Three distinct AgMNPV isolates were compared by restriction endonuclease profile and in terms of their occlusion body (OB) pathogenicity. One isolate was selected (AgABB51) from which eighteen genotypic variants were plaque purified and characterized in terms of their insecticidal properties. The five most pathogenic variants varied in OB pathogenicity although none of them was faster-killing or had higher OB production characteristics than the wild-type isolate. We conclude that the AgABB51 wild-type isolates ap-pear to be genotypically structured for fast speed-of-kill and high OB production, both of which would favor transmission. Interactions among the component variants are likely to influence this insecticidal phenotype.

Adiposity is associated with adverse health conditions such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. The combination of resistance exercise and creatine supplementation has been shown to decrease body fat % in adults ≥ 50 years of age. However, the effects in adults < 50 years of age is unknown. To address this limitation, we systematically reviewed the literature and performed several meta-analyses comparing studies that included resistance exercise and creatine supplementation to resistance exercise and placebo. Twelve studies were included involving 266 participants. Adults (< 50 years of age) that supplemented with creatine and performed resistance exercise experienced a significant reduction in body fat % (-1.19%, p=0.006) and a non-significant reduction in absolute fat mass (-0.09 kg, p=0.88). Collectively, the combination of resistance exercise and creatine supplementation produces a very small reduction in body fat % in adults < 50 years of age.

The free energy principle (FEP) is a mathematical and scientific principle that describes the relationship between the physical behavior of a dynamical system and the interpretation of such behavior as carrying out inference. It blurs the boundary between the ontological mode of the system of interest and the epistemological significance it acquires through its dynamic interaction with the environment. New materialism (or neo-materialism), despite lacking a single definition, refers to a range of emerging perspectives that attempt to dismantle the long-held divisions between ontology, epistemology, and even ethics, with the aim of achieving a comprehensive transformation of naturalized thinking. In this context, new materialism provides powerful tools to reframe some of the conceptual foundations of the FEP. This paper is the first in a series that aims to systematically construct a neo-materialistic perspective for the FEP, exploring its wide-ranging implications. It serves as an introduction to the series, arguing for the justification of deploying new materialism to reframe the FEP and introducing some essential concepts to be utilized in developing a neo-materialistic account of the FEP.

The demand for dietary supplements containing collagen has been growing for years. The speciality and uniqueness of the dietary supplement (DS) examined in our study is the presence of L-arginine and hyaluronic acid alongside collagen and vitamin C. The individual mechanisms of action and physiological role of these compounds are understood, but they have not yet been tested in the combination and amounts of the dietary supplement used in this study. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of the DS in elderly patients with musculoskeletal complaints. Somatometric, body composition, physiotherapy and laboratory tests were performed at the beginning and at the end of the study. The two-month study involved 30 people, randomly divided into two groups: a control group (CG) and an experimental group (EG). All subjects consumed 25 ml DS per day and EG members also participated in physiotherapy 3 times a week. Alongside the DS, blood lipid levels changed: LDL decreased, HDL increased, LDL/HDL ratio significantly decreased in both groups. For EG, the results improved more markedly. In 3 items of the body composition test, there was a significant improvement in both groups, which was attributed to the use of the dietary supplement. For the EG, there were significant changes in 5 additional test items, which we attribute to the addition of regular physical activity. Knee and hip joint range of motion (ROM) showed significant improvements in the study group, while in the CG the DS can cause significant improvements in joint range of motion in a passive condition as well.

Understanding the binding behavior and conformational dynamics of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is crucial for unraveling their regulatory roles in biological processes. However, their lack of stable 3D structures poses challenges for analysis. To address this, we propose an algorithm that explores IDP binding behavior with protein complexes by extracting topological and geometric features from the protein surface model. Our algorithm identifies a geometrically favorable binding pose for the IDP and plans a feasible trajectory to evaluate its transition to the docking position. We focus on IDPs from Homo sapiens and Mus-musculus, investigating their interaction with the Plasmodium Falciparum (PF) pathogen associated with malaria-related deaths. We compare our algorithm with HawkDock and HDOCK docking tools for quantitative (computation time) and qualitative (binding affinity) measures. Our results indicate that our method outperforms the compared methods in computation performance and binding affinity of experimental conformations.

The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionized traditional services, giving rise to emerging smart infrastructures by connecting the physical and digital worlds. Sensory data is essential in IoT-based systems for providing context-aware and location-based services. Hence, the accurate localization of IoT devices is paramount. Anchor misplacement can significantly affect location information and coverage services in IoT. We study the effect of anchor misplacement in typical IoT settings where sensors are randomly deployed, can be mobile and may belong to multiple providers. We identify sensing coverage holes formed by anchor misplacement and analyze their presence and impact. To mitigate the impact of anchor misplacement on network reliability, we propose a framework to identify the affected sensor nodes and then identify and remove misplaced anchor nodes. The validity of our approach is verified, and its effectiveness is demonstrated by several experiments with different network topologies and parameters. Our results are promising and can be utilized in multiple coverage applications, such as smart agriculture systems and habitat monitoring, regardless of the sensors or deployment types. It also sheds light on best practices and methods for a reliable design of IoT-based systems.

(1) Background: This article presents a study that aims to provide a precise understanding of the temperature distribution within a Whole-Body Cryostimulation (WBC) chamber, whether it is empty or occupied by one or several individuals.; (2) Methods: The study employs a mixed numerical and experimental approach, utilizing simplified Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and an experimental analysis that employs thermocouples to determine the 3D thermal field in actual conditions.; (3) Results: The results reveal a non-negligible temperature difference between the setpoint and actual temperature in the middle of the cryochamber. Furthermore, it is shown that the presence of individuals inside the chamber results in both an average temperature rise and a more heterogeneous thermal behavior, which appear to be associated with the number of individuals present.; (4) Conclusions: The findings of this study emphasize the need for further research to establish temperature guidelines and standardize measurement methods for effective WBC treatment.

BACKGROUND: It has been known for decades that breastfeeding leads to a lower risk of asthma, respiratory infections, or metabolic syndrome at school age. In addition, evidence is now accumulating on the influence of breast milk on the shape, volume, or function of the heart and lungs. Within this field of research into the effects of breast milk on the structure of the heart and lungs, we have set out to analyze the differential electrocardiographic characteristics of schoolchildren who were once breastfed. METHOD: Observational cross-sectional study including 138 children aged 6 or 12 consecutively presenting to a well-child clinic between May and December 2022. Inclusion criteria: the ability to perform reproducible ECG records, the feasibility of weighing and measuring patient, and breastfeeding data collected from birth. RESULTS: Using the 40º cut-off value for the mean P-wave axis among schoolchildren, 76% of never breastfed children in our sample have a P-wave axis in a more vertical position than the mean as compared to 58% of ever-breastfed children (OR:2.25;95%CI:3.13-1.36); there was no other significant difference between infant feeding groups in somatometric characteristics or ECG parameters, CONCLUSION: We found a significant difference of the mean values of the P-wave axis between never and ever breastfed children. Although this report should be approached cautiously, these findings add to the renewed interest in discerning developmental interventions to improve cardiovascular health.

This study aimed to assess the physical characteristics of elite international soccer referees, compare them with other referee populations in the literature, and establish reference tolerance ellipses for the bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) point graph. Forty-one elite international soccer referees (age 38.8 ± 3.6 years) participated in the study. the participants underwent body composition assessments, including dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, BIVA, and somatotype. The Somatotype Attitudinal Distance (SAD), the two-sample Hotelling’s T2 test, and the Mahalanobis test were used to determine somatotype and bioelectrical vector differences with the literature. The average somatotype of the referees was a balanced mesomorph (2.8, 6.5, 2.8). Elite international referees significantly differed from other samples in the literature (SAD = 2.1, 2.6, 2.9 with respect to Zimbabwean, Brazilian, and South African referees, respectively). The bioelectrical vector was significantly different from the general population (T2  76.6; F = 38.8; D = 1.44; P < 0.001) and athletes (T2  25.3; F = 12.6; D = 0.8; P < 0.001). Somatotype values and tolerance ellipses from this study may be useful as a reference for developing training programs and improving the selection process of referees in soccer.

The acquisition of regional, 1 metre resolution LIDAR in the PNG Highlands combined with 3D modelling in MoveTM has revolutionized our understanding of the evolution of the Porgera gold mine and areas of new potential. The new 3D model demonstrates active pull-apart basins along a regional transfer during ongoing fold and thrust deformation. When overlain on regional aeromagnetic data, new potential is revealed. The Porgera gold mine is one of the richest in the world and lies in a wide valley at an elevation of 2800m surrounded by mountains up to 4000m high in the middle of the PNG Highlands. It lies along a major lineament, the Porgera Transfer Zone (PTZ), cutting across the orogen that is associated with a 50 km offset of the ophiolite belt. To the NW of the mine there is an extensive belt of low- to high-grade metasediments that formed in deep water during Jurassic rifting, but were metamorphosed during Eocene subduction to the north. Subduction ceased due to accretion of the Sepik Terrane which caused inversion and mild erosion of the Porgera area. The Late Oligocene onset of wrenching in the Mobile Belt to the north placed that area into extension, emplacing metamorphic core complexes, and led to regional subsidence in the Early Miocene. Collision of the margin with the Melanesian Arc in the Middle Miocene caused Late Miocene to Pliocene orogenesis creating the broad mountain belt that we see today, that is still active, as shown by the 2018 MW 7.5 earthquake. Regional mapping of the area using high resolution LIDAR in association with limited field mapping, analysis of gravity and magnetics data and drilling of 300-500m deep core-holes has allowed development of a detailed 3D structural model. The Porgera valley is constrained laterally by the Eastern Boundary and Western Boundary dextral strike-slip faults that lie along the PTZ cutting across the orogeny. However, whilst the position and nature of the faults is clear, due to bending, fracturing and offset of major synclines and anticlines, the faults do not crop-out as significant through-going features. Rather, the dextral offset of basement is soft-linked to the Tertiary limestones at surface due to intervening thick, ductile Cretaceous shales. Fold and thrust structures are ubiquitous in the Tertiary limestones, but the youngest structural features are large extensional faults, particularly around the Porgera valley. The intrusive underlying the Porgera ore-body was emplaced at 6.0+-0.3 Ma, the time of maximum compression during orogenesis. At this time the Eastern Boundary fault and Western Boundary fault were both active allowing a pull-apart basin to form locally along the PTZ at the south-eastern boundary of the Jurassic metasediments. This enabled emplacement of the intrusive. The gold-bearing fluids from the intrusive and metasediments were brought up through the Mesozoic muds to the contact with the Paleogene carbonates where the Porgera ore body was emplaced.

Farmers are continually looking for new reliable, objective and non-invasive methods for evaluation of ewe condition. Live weight (LW) and body condition score (BCS) are used by farmers as a basis to determine the condition of the animal. Body composition is an important aspect of monitoring animal condition. The body composition is the amount of fat, lean and bone; knowing the amount of each is important because the information can be used for better strategic management interventions. Experiments were conducted to establish the relationship between body composition and body parameters, at key life’s stages (weaning and pre-mating), using measurements automatically determined by an image processing ap-plication at Lincoln University sheep farm for 88 Coopworth ewes. Computerized Tomography technology was used to develop relationship with body parameters and a subset was used to validate the predicted model. Multivariate linear regression (MLR), artificial neural network (ANNs) and regression tree (RT) statistical analysis methods were evaluated to determine their efficacy to predict body fat, lean and bone. The results showed a correlation between fat, lean and bone determined by CT and the fat, lean, bone weight estimated by live weight and body parameters calculated using the image processing application with R2 values of 0.90 for fat, 0.72 for lean and 0.50 for bone using ANNs statistical model. From these results, farmers can utilize accurate measures of fat which will enhance nutritional and management practices.

To understand the mechanisms involved in the anti-obesity effects Centella asi-atica (CA), we examined body weight, serum levels, white adipose tissue (WAT) weight, histological analysis, and the expression of cholesterol homeostasis- and lipid metabolism-related genes in mice with high-fat, high-sugar diet (HFHSD)-induced obesity that were orally treated with CA for 12 weeks. Eight-week-old, male C57BL/6J mice were assigned to the following four groups (eight mice/group): NOR, normal diet; Control, HFHSD; CA-L, HFHSD+CA 300 mg/kg; CA-H, HFHSD+CA 600 mg/kg. CA treatment signifi-cantly attenuated HFHSD-induced increase in body weight gain, serum glucose, serum triacylglycerol, and WAT weight (p < 0.05). Compared to that in Control group, adipocyte diameter and macrovesicular area of epididymal WAT signif-icantly decreased with CA treatment (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FAS), cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36), 3- hydroxyl-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR), and stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD 1) were significantly downregulated in the CA-H group compared to the Control group (p < 0.05). CA exerts anti-obesity effects by lowering body fat accumulation via regulat-ing gene expression in the liver and thus, is a potential lipid-lowering agent.

Aqueous enzymatic method is a green oil extraction technology with limited industrial application owing to the need for demulsification of the oil body intermediate product. Existing demulsification methods have problems including low demulsification rates and high costs, such that new methods are needed. Free fatty acids produced by lipid hydrolysis can affect the stability of peanut oil body (POB) at a certain concentration. After screening even-carbon fatty acids with carbon chain lengths below ten, caproic acid was selected for demulsification of POB using response surface methodology and a Box–Behnken design. Under the optimal conditions (caproic acid concentration, 0.22%; material-to-liquid ratio, 1:4.7 (w/v); time, 61 min; and temperature, 79 C), a demulsification rate of 97.87% was achieved. Caproic acid not only adjusted the reaction system pH to cause aggregation of the POB interfacial proteins, but also decreased the interfacial tension and viscoelasticity of the interfacial film with increasing caproic acid concentration to realize POB demulsification. Compared with pressed oil and soxhlet-extracted oil, the acid value and peroxide value of caproic acid demulsified oil were increased, while the unsaturated fatty acid content and oxidation induction time were decreased. However, the tocopherol and tocotrienol contents were higher than those of the soxhlet-extracted oil. This study provides a new method for the demulsification of POB.

The objective was to evaluate the metabolic and performance differences in primiparous Nellore cows, which became pregnant at 14 or 24 months. Thirty-eight primiparous Nellore cows, which were bred for first pregnancy at 14 or 24-mo of age, with 202 ± 5 days of gestation were divided into two treatments according to breeding age: 14 or 24 months in the breeding season. Cows were evaluated for weight, body condition score (BCS), carcass characteristics, milk yield and blood parameters: glucose, total proteins, albumin, urea, beta-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), progesterone, and for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). There was an in-teraction (p < 0.01) between age at first pregnancy and time for body weight, where 24-mo cows were heavier, but both categories loss weight at parturition which concomitant decrease in the BCS (p < 0,01). However, BW of 24-mo remained stable (p > 0.05) after parturition. Milk yield was higher in 24-mo cows (p < 0.01). Interaction between sampling time and breading age was observed for Longissimus muscle area (p < 0.01) and tended for Longissimus muscle depth, where 24-mo cows had greater values in prepartum. Calves born from the cows bred at 24-mo, where was higher (p < 0.01) from 160 days of age until weaning at 240 days. Glucose, urea, total proteins, albumin and NEFA were affected (p < 0.01) by the parturition data-point. There was an interaction (p < 0.01) between breading age and sampling period for β-OHB. Progesterone concentration was greater in 24-mo cows (p < 0.01). It was concluded that primiparous cows that became pregnant at 14 or 24 months of age have different nutritional and metabolic responses.

Player’s performance in an intense sport such as basketball is known to be related to attributes like speed, agility, and power. This study presents a comparative analysis of associations between anthropometric assessment and physical performance in different age-group elite youth basketball players, while simultaneously identifying the predictors for speed and agility in these players. U14 (n=44), U15 (n=45) and U16 (n=51) players were tested for anthropometry, lower body power, speed, and agility. U16 players were found to be taller, heavier, more muscular than U14 and U15 players. Also, the U16 group showed better performance in all performance tests. Age had a significant positive correlation with countermovement (CMJ) and drop jump (DJ) performance in U14 players, and a significant negative correlation with 10m and 20m sprint times in U15 group. CMJ and DJ emerged as the most significant predictors for sprint and agility variables, respectively. Body fat percentage was found to be a significant predictor for the speed and agility tests in all age groups, but a negative lower-body power predictor. Therefore, besides all sport-specific and fitness tests, it is essential to place emphasis on the percentage of body fat when designing players’ individualized training programs, and during team selection.

Thermoregulation is important for maintaining homeostasis of our body. It can be easily broken under anesthesia. An appropriate method to measure the core body temperature is needed, especially for elderly patients because the efficiency of thermoregulation gradually decreases with age. The aim of this study was to examine the accuracy and feasibility of using of SpotOn® sensor in lower extremity orthopedic surgery in elderly patients aged over 80 years by comparing a SpotOn® sensor with two other reliable minimal-invasive methods: a tympanic membrane thermometer and a bladder thermometer. This study enrolled 45 patients aged over 80 years who were scheduled to undergo a lower extremity surgery. Body temperature was measured using a SpotOn® sensor, tympanic membrane thermometer and bladder thermometer. Agreements between the SpotOn® sensor and the other two methods were assessed using Bland and Altman plots for repeated measures adjusted for unequal numbers of measurements per patient. Compared with TempBladder, bias and limits of agreement for TempZHF were 0.07℃ ± 0.58℃. Compared with TempTympanic, bias and limits of agreement for TempZHF were -0.28℃ ± 0.61℃. 3M SpotOn® sensor using ZHF method for patients aged over 80 years undergoing lower extremity surgery shows feasible measurement value and sensitivity.

In response to long-lasting high levels of Metallic Trace Elements (MTEs) in urban soils, we expect soil invertebrates inhabiting urban environments to have evolved detection and avoidance and/or tolerance mechanisms to MTE pollution. In this study, I used artificial soils with concentrations of lead, zinc, copper, chromium and nickel that reflect pollution levels in soils of Parisian parks. Using choice experiments, I compared habitat preference (i.e. the occurrence of individuals in the polluted vs. unpolluted soil) and health status (i.e. body mass maintenance, mobility, mortality) between three species of endogeic earthworms – Apporectodea caliginosa, Apporectodea icterica and Allolobophora chlorotica – originating either from urban or rural grasslands. This study highlights a clear avoidance of MTE polluted soils in all three species, as well as MTE-induced health impairments, especially in A. chlorotica. Interestingly, earthworm response to MTE exposure only slightly differed between earthworms from urban and rural origin, suggesting the absence of widespread acclimatization or adaptation mechanisms to MTE pollution in cities. As a consequence, MTE pollution is expected to significantly shape earthworm spatial distribution in both urban and rural environments and, as a consequence, affect ecosystem functioning.

This study aims to investigate the impact of body heat loss on the thermal and aerodynamic conditions in a whole-body cryotherapy chamber. The underlying hypothesis is that the heat generated by the human body alters the thermal and aerodynamic environment inside the cabin. A numerical study was conducted to test this hypothesis to analyze the thermodynamic exchanges between the human body and the cabin during a 3-minute whole-body cryotherapy session. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach was used to study the unsteady heat transfer between the human body and the interior of the cryotherapy cabin. A thermal boundary condition, based on a mathematical model developed from experimental data, was applied to simulate skin cooling kinetics over time. The post-processing of the 3D results, including temperature, velocity fields, and thermal flux maps at the body surface, provided insight into the thermo-convective mechanisms involved in a whole-body cryotherapy session. The study found that body heat loss significantly affects the temperature fields inside the cabin, leading to global modifications of the aeraulic and thermal conditions. These findings suggest that cryotherapy protocols may need to be adjusted or the cabin set temperature optimized to enhance the therapeutic benefits.

Climate change is an issue that is the order of the day, and among the many consequences it has on the environment one is its influence on the amount and frequency of rainfall on our planet, since our water supply depends on them. Therefore, in order to quantify these effects, a rainfall analysis has been carried out using data collected in Bilbao over the last 150 years. Thanks to this, it has been possible to observe that, although the total annual amount seems to suffer a slight decrease, hardly quantifiable with certainty, it is true that the intra-annual patterns are more concentrated at certain times of the year, with greater imbalances between one month and another than in previous years. However, taking into account the capacity of the reservoirs that supply the Greater Bilbao area, it can be concluded that this does not pose any problem for Bilbao's supply, at least at present.

Knowledge of body composition is essential for athletes for their sport performance. It has yet to be determined whether differences in body composition are present between international and non-international players playing in the same elite professional club competition. Similarly, it is not yet clear whether differences in body composition according to ethnic origin exist in the elite professional game, where relative homogeneity is to be expected among soccer players. There is no single anthropometric profile that guarantees sporting success, as the somatotype of football players differs according to their individual characteristics. The aim of this study was to assess the description and comparison of the body composition profile of latin american professional football players playing in european leagues. The sample was composed of 238 subjects football players from European professional football leagues. Differences were found in all variables measured. The present study shows that in Latin American professional football players playing in Europe, there are significant differences in different body composition variables such as weight, height, WC, skinfold and fat values. This means that the treatment of these data and the possible classifications of sporting performance carried out in football clubs should be different to other European or African-American football players.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease among people over the age of 50 and occurs with symptoms such as musculoskeletal pain and stiffness in the neck, shoulders and hips. To date, corticosteroids represent the cornerstone of PMR treatment, although it is well known that their prolonged use is associated with several adverse effects, making it crucial to find therapeutic alternatives to their use. The purpose of this case report was to describe the effectiveness of 10 whole-body cryostimulation (WBC) sessions on a 74-year-old woman suffering from PMR. An improvement in disease impact, fatigue, pain, quality of sleep and total physical activity was observed after WBC. Moreover, the patient reduced her daily drug intake by 67% following WBC treatments. Given the increasing prevalence of PMR and considering the side effects that drug treatments can lead to, WBC could represent a valuable adjuvant and well-tolerated alternative for the treatment of PMR.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intensity of the annual sexual behavior (SB) of Boer bucks under tropical conditions in southern Mexico. For one year, 16 extensively grazing males were evaluated for SB individually with estrogenized goats. From the beginning of the experiment and every 30 days, body weight (BW), body condition (BC), testicular circumference (TC), odor intensity (OI) and SB (nudging, ano-genital sniffing, flehmen, mounting attempts, mounts with intromission, and self-urination) were recorded. The bucks showed a more intense SB during the months of November to May than during the months of June to October (p < 0.05). Greater frequency was found for nudging, ano-genital sniffing, mounting attempts, and self-urination in the months of November to May (p < 0.001). BW was lower during the months of January to August than in the months of September to December (p < 0.05). On the other hand, TC increased from October to December (p < 0.05). Similarly, the OI in males varied over time (time effect; p < 0.001). In fact, an increased odor was found from October to December. The conclusions were that breed male goats from the tropics of Guerrero have a more intense SB during the months of November to May, which corresponds to the time of the year when forage availability is the greatest.

: Background: The thymus gland is the first lymphoid organ formed to regulate a newborn's immunity. It reaches its maximum size during puberty, after which it undergoes an atrophic procedure called involution, but its ability to grow again in response to some stresses, such as infections, neoplasia, surgeries, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy is maintained. There is not any comprehensive study on computed tomographic features of thymus gland in dogs. So, the goal of the present study is to achieve some information about thymus gland using computed tomography as a non-invasive method. Methods: One hundred and fifty dogs classified in 5 age groups and 2 breed groups were entered to this study and the thymus gland was evaluated using 2-slice computed tomography machine. The inclusion criteria for the present study were having normal complete blood count, plain and post-contrast CT scan examination of thoracic region and no history of neoplasia, chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The visibility, density, enhancement, grade, size, volume, shape, borders and lateralization of the thymus were evaluated and statistical analysis were performed. The effect of obesity on thymic grade and volume were also investigated. Results: The visibility, density, dorsal length, volume and grade decreased with increasing age. The thymic shape and lateralization were mostly wedge-shaped and left sided respectively. The borders became concave with aging and increasing body fat content caused to increase fatty degeneration of thymus. Conclusions: Declining of thymic density, grade, size and volume with aging was related to thymic involution and fatty degeneration was accelerated by increasing body fat content. Females and Males were different only in thymic shape and small and large breeds were different only in thymic volume. The thymus was visible in some geriatric dogs with no underlying disease. We hope that the present work can be used by radiologists in reading thoracic computed tomography but investigation of thymic characteristics in dogs with neoplasia and history of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and thoracic surgeries can complete this study.

In this article, we introduce a new approach to human movement by defining the movement as a static object or a super object in one two-dimensional image. This method can allow researchers to label and describe the total movement as an object isolated from a reference video. This ap-proach allows us to perform various tasks, including finding similar movements in a video, measuring, and comparing movements, generating new similar movements, and defining chore-ography by controlling specific parameters in the human body skeleton. As a result of the pre-sented approach, we can eliminate the need to label images manually, disregard the problem of finding the beginning and the end of a movement, overcome synchronization issues between movements, and perform any deep learning network-based operation that processes super objects in images in general. As part of this article, we will demonstrate two application use cases: one il-lustrates how to verify and score a requested movement. In contrast, the other illustrates how to generate similar movements in the human skeleton space by addressing the challenge of supply-ing sufficient training data for deep learning applications (DL). A Variational Auto Encoder (VAE) simulator and an EfficientNet-B7 classifier architecture embedded within a Siamese twin neural network are presented in this paper in order to demonstrate two use cases. These use cases demonstrated the versatility of our innovative concept in measuring, categorizing, inferring hu-man behavior, and generating gestures for other researchers.

This paper attempts to develop a Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) based Reduced Order Model (ROMs) which can quickly but accurately predict the forces and moments experienced by a road vehicle such that they be used by an on-board controller to determine the vehicle's trajectory. DMD can linearize a large dataset of high-dimensional measurements by decomposing them into low-dimensional coherent structures and associated time-dynamics. This ROM then also can be applied to predict the future state of the fluid flow. Existing literature on DMD is limited to low Reynolds number applications. This paper presents DMD analyses of the flow around an idealized road vehicle, called the Ahmed body, at a Reynolds number of 2.7E6. The high dimensional dataset used in this paper was collected from a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation performed using Menter's shear stress transport (SST) turbulence model within the context of Improved Delayed Detached Eddy Simulations (IDDES). The DMD algorithm, as available in literature, was found to suffer nonphysical dampening of the medium-to-high frequency modes. Enhancements to the existing algorithm were explored, and a modified DMD approach is presented in this paper which includes: (a) a requirement of higher sampling rate to obtain higher resolution of data, and (b) a custom filtration process to remove spurious modes. The modified DMD algorithm thus developed was applied to the high Reynolds number, separation dominated flow past the idealized ground vehicle. The effectiveness of the modified algorithm was tested by comparing future predictions of force and moment coefficients as predicted by the DMD-based ROM to the reference CFD simulation data, and found to offer significant improvement.

The heat release response of the flame to acoustic excitation is a critical factor for understanding combustion instability. In the present work, the nonlinear heat release response of a methane-air non-premixed flame to the low frequency acoustic excitations is experimentally investigated. The flame describing function (FDF) was measured based on the overall CH* chemiluminescence intensity and the velocity fluctuations obtained by two-microphone method. The CH* chemiluminescence images and the schlieren images were analyzed to reveal the mechanism of nonlinear response. The excitation frequency ranges from 10Hz to 120Hz. The forced relative velocity fluctuation amplitude ranges from 0.10 to 0.50. The corresponding flame Strouhal number (Stf) ranges from 0.43 to 4.67. The study has shown that the flame length responds more sensitively to changes in excitation amplitude when subjected to relatively high frequency excitations. The normalized flame length (Lf/D) decreases from 3.79 to 2.37 with the increase of excitation amplitude at excitation frequency of 100Hz. The number of oscillation zones along the flame increases with increasing excitation frequency, which is consistent with the increase of the Stf. The low-pass filtering characteristic of FDF is caused by the dispersion of multiple oscillation zones, as well as the cancellation effect of the adjacent oscillation zones under relatively high frequency excitation. The cancellation effect of the positive and negative oscillation zones with various Stf is main mechanism for the local gain peak and valley. When two adjacent oscillation regions have approximate amplitudes, the overall phase-lag becomes more sensitive to changes in excitation frequency and amplitude. This sensitivity leads to nonlinear anomalous changes in the phase-lag near the frequency corresponding to the gain valley. The calculated disturbance convection time is consistent with the measured time delay in the short flame scenario. Future research is necessary to establish whether the observed agreement occurs due to the oscillation zone consistently occurring proximate to the flame's center of mass, coupled with a precise determination of the average convective velocity.

It is widely acknowledged that adolescent females are particularly at risk of low body-esteem. Low body-esteem is associated with poor mental health and other negative outcomes. Interventions to help raise body-image could have considerable impact, especially if the intervention is low-cost, easy to implement and scalable. We investigated the efficacy of an intervention where participnants could chose their own clothes to wear during a Physical Education (PE lesson) on changes in body-esteem. We hypothesized that body-esteem would improve with choice. To show that body-esteem is not a transient construct, we tested its stability when assessed in a test-retest design when completed in a classroom setting, hypothesizing body-esteem would be stable. Participants (N =110; Mage =14.9; SDage = 0.68) females completed a 14-item body-esteem scale 4 times; a) wearing school uniform in an assembly, b) during a PE lesson separated by a 2-week gap. The intervention was implemented where students got a choice of PE kit and could wear their own clothes. Findings indicate that body-esteem was stable in the classroom setting where clothes and context were stable, but improved significantly when participants were given a free choice of kit to wear during PE. We argue that this low-cost and scalable intervention represents a useful start point for helping support low body-esteem among a potentially vulnerable population.

Abstract: (1) Background: Minimally-invasive sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion is the preferred surgical intervention to treat chronically severe pain associated with SIJ degeneration and dysfunction. (2) Methods: This paper details the ten-step surgical procedure associated with the postero-inferior approach using the PsiF™DNA Sacroiliac Joint Fusion System. (3) Results: The posterior surgical approach with an inferior operative trajectory (postero-inferior) utilizes easily identifiable landmarks to provide the safest, most direct access to the articular joint space for transfixing device placement. Implanting the device through the subchondral bone, provides maximum fixation and stabilization of the joint by utilizing an optimal amount of cortical bone-implant interface. Approaching the joint from the inferior trajectory also places the implant perpendicular to the S1 endplate at a “pivot point” near the sacral axis of rotation, which addresses the most significant motion of the joint. (4) Conclusions: Further observational data from real-world clinical use are encouraged to further validate this procedure as the surgical preference for minimally-invasive SIJ fusion.

(1) Background: the use of force by Public and Private Security Forces is currently an issue of great relevance because of the potential injuries that any excessive use of force by either the active or passive subjects or a deficit in the real mastery of the appropriate Physical Intervention Techniques (PIT) may cause. For this reason, certain traditionally used Physical Intervention Techniques have been questioned by scientific research studies and punished by justice. On the other hand, certain media have dealt with this matter in a biased and unfair manner by broadcasting videos where the use of force by police officer is displayed out of context. As a consequence, this problem has been brought under the spotlight, causing general uneasiness of the communities and rapidly spreading over social networks while favoring all sorts of parallel judgments. (2) Research method: A suit equipped with 19 Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and a Biomechanics of Bodies software application for the Marras’ analysis of the data collected on trajectory, trunk twisting velocity, its sagittal angle, load, nature and severity of the injuries associated to the different intervention techniques that have been examined. (3) Results: according to the data registered, the implementation of Operational Tactical Procedures (OTP) reduces the probability of injuries and leads to a more satisfactory outcome. (4) Conclusions: the implementation of Operational Tactical Procedures, to-gether with the awareness on the risks associated to the excessive use of force by Public and Private Security Forces and Bodies, could reduce the risk of injuries suffered by both officers and citizens.

Environmental and occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium, Cr(VI), causes female reproductive failures and infertility. Cr(VI) is used in more than 50 industries and is a group-A carcinogen, mutagenic and teratogenic, and a male and female reproductive toxicant. Our previous findings indicate that Cr(VI) causes follicular atresia, trophoblast cell apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction in metaphase II (MII) oocytes. However, the integrated molecular mechanism of Cr(VI)-induced oocyte defects are not understood. The current study investigates the mechanism of Cr(VI) in causing meiotic disruption of MII oocytes, leading to infertility in superovulated rats. Postnatal day (PND)-22 rats were treated with potassium dichromate (1 and 5 ppm) in drinking water from PND 22-29 and superovulated. MII oocytes were analyzed by immunofluorescence, and images were captured by confocal microscopy and quantified by Image Pro Plus software. Our data showed that Cr(VI) increased microtubule misalignment, missegregation of chromosomes, a bulged and folded actin cap, oxidative DNA and protein damage, increased DNA double-strand break, and DNA repair protein RAD51. Cr(VI) also induced incomplete cytokinesis and delayed polar body extrusion. Our study indicates that exposure to environmentally relevant doses of Cr(VI) caused severe DNA damage, distorted oocyte cytoskeletal proteins, and caused oxidative DNA and protein damage leading to infertility.

This study was first time designed to investigate the effect of oxidation on protein digestion and transport properties in boiled sea cucumber body wall (BSCBW) via simulated digestion combine with everted-rat-gut-sac models. Boiling heat treatments led to protein oxidation in SCBW, manifested by increases in free radical intensity, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, carbonyl groups, disulfide bonds, dityrosine bonds, advanced glycation end products, protein hydrophobicity and aggregation, declines in free sulfhydryl group, and secondary structure transition from α-helix to β-sheet. Boiling for 2 h caused the anti-digestion collagen unfolding, provided the action site for protease, and improved the protein digestion and transport levels. On the contrary, excessive oxidative modification of 4 h-BSCBW resulted in decreased protein digestion and transport levels. From the perspective of texture, digestion and transport properties, boiling for 2 h can obtain sea cucumber products with better edible and digestible properties, which is considered to be a better processing condition.

Precise association of serum leptin with body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP; both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) is not well known for understanding their involvement in health and disease. Hence, the present study was planned to be conducted for investigating the association of BP, BMI and serum leptin levels in young normal weight (NW) and overweight (OW) male Saudi students. The NW (n: 198) and OW male subjects (n: 192) in the age range of 18-20 years were consulted. Blood pressure (BP) was measured with a mercury sphygmomanometer. Leptin Human ELISA Kits were employed for the determination of the serum leptin levels. The mean ± SD values of BMI (kg/m2), serum leptin (ng/ml), SBP (mmHg), and DBP (mmHg) all showed significant difference for young OW vs. NW male university students as: 27.52± 1.42 vs. 21.49± 2.03; 10.70± 4.67 vs. 4.68± 1.91; 121.37±2.59 vs.118.51±1.54 and 81.44±1.97 vs. 78.79±1.44 respectively. All associations (among BMI, leptin, SBP and DBP) showed positive linear and significant correlation except nonsignificant correlation of BMI and SBP for NW group. The present study in the young Saudi male students, presents significant variations for BP and serum leptin levels and significant positive linear association among serum leptin, BMI and BP.

This paper is referred to a top frontline research in life science, showing that in spite of the large variation of the physiological architecture and behavioral forms of the living systems, the fundamental structure of their informational system is basically the same, allowing the body growth/development by micro to macro-structuration processes, maintaining the same informational configuration and functions like the basic unit of life – the eukaryotic cell. Starting and based on the determination of the special/specific info-operability in living structures and the role of information in structuration and their functionality, there are discussed the informational functions of the eukaryotic/prokaryotic cells, the simplest units of life and is elaborated and presented the Informational Model of the Living Structures, showing that these structures operate on the basis of two main informational systems: one of them defined as the Programmed Informational System, composed by three components, assuring respectively the info-generation, maintenance and the proliferation/reproduction, and another one defined as the Operative Informational System, necessary for the continuous communication with the environment for adaptation, consisting in four main components referred to memory, decision, sentience and info-connection/info-selection. The revealed properties are compared with the Informational System of the Human Body, as a prototype of a living system on the top of the evolutionary scale, showing/demonstrating the compatibility of structuration and functions on the entire scale, from prokaryotic/eukaryotic unit cells to multicellular organisms – plants, animals and human, by means of a continuous adaptation process, which always follows the same line of micro to macro-structuration process based on the same Info-organization and functionality. These models are new and revolutionary in the information and life sciences

Chorioamnionitis (CA) at term of pregnancy can have infectious and/or inflammatory origin and is associated with adverse outcomes. Triple I (Intrauterine Inflammation, Infection or both, TI) has been proposed to reduce the overdiagnosis of infection and the neonatal overtreatment. The aim of the study is to identify clinical and histological variables predicting adverse outcomes when TI has been suspected and/or confirmed. This retrospective cohort study included 404 pregnancies ≥37 g.a. that were divided into 5 all-inclusive and mutually exclusive groups. TI was defined according to NICHD definition of 2015 and it could be confirmed (TI+) or not (TI-) by histological examination. Signs of infection/inflammation not respecting the definition of TI were classified as “Clinical suspicion”, supported (CS+) or not (CS-) by histology. Histological chorioamnionitis (HCA) without clinical manifestation represented fifth group. Whole Placental Involvement (WPLI), was defined as a histological inflammation involving maternal and fetal side. There were 113 TI+, 30 TI-, 186 CS+, 35 CS- and 40 isolated HCA. WPLI was diagnosed in 133 cases (39.2%). Composite neonatal outcome (CNO) occurred in 114 cases (28.2%) while composite maternal outcome (CMO) occurred in 192 cases (47.5%). TI+ compared to CS+ was more predictive of CNO (p=0.001), CMO (p<0.001) and WPLI (p=0.005). WPLI was related both to CNO (p<0.001) and CMO (p=0.046). TI+ and WPLI showed similar sensitivity but different specificity in predicting CNO. At logistic regression, CNO was independently predicted by TI+ (OR 2.21; p=0.001) and by WPLI (OR 2.23; p=0.001). TI, compared to CS, is a better predictor of CNO and can be useful for the identification of newborns at risk.

This study is centred on Insecurity and Electoral Administration in Nigeria. Elections are the leading mechanism for selecting governments and a cardinal feature of democratisation. The quest for fair representation, development, good governance, inclusiveness and a true sense of belonging has been the driving force for election. The conduct of credible elections remains one of the thorny and fundamental issues in a democracy. The trajectory of electoral administration in Nigeria is long and tortuous; it precedes independence and is punctuated by the elite's scheming and cunning, electoral fraud, gimmicks and violence. Nigeria has had its fair share of insecurity from diverse sources such as banditry, insurgency, recurring violent religious crises, ethnic, resource and poverty-induced militancy, and crises occasioned by the clamour for self-determination. This has left the electoral management body in a quandary and has undoubtedly imperilled the administration of elections in Nigeria and equally accentuated the temerity for a holistic approach in reversing the trend and engendering the right atmosphere for the administration of elections. This study depends mainly on secondary sources and uses qualitative means in data analysis. It is revealed in this study that violence and various degrees of interruptions have taken the front burner in the democratisation process and are one of the dangerous dimensions in electoral administration; electoral politics remains one of the remarkable principal bases of clashes, political failure and social dislocation, Elections and their administration are some of the most complicated, time-sensitive activities undertaken by any country which will be exacerbated by insecurity. Democratic elections are successful when the electorate can make informed decisions; when faith in the process is sustained; when fraud is disincentivised, detected and punished. When insecurity is whittled down, mitigated or eradicated. The need for electoral security can never be overemphasised.

Vitamin C status is known to be associated with several demographic and lifestyle factors. These include gender, age, ethnicity, pregnancy/lactation, body weight, smoking status and dietary habits. In the present study, our aim was to interrogate the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 datasets to assess the impact of these factors on vitamin C dose-concentration relationships to establish if there are higher requirements for vitamin C in certain subpopulations and the possible extent of these additional requirements. The relevant data were extracted from the NHANES 2017-2018 datasets, the final cohort of which comprised 2828 non-supplementing adult males and females (aged 18 – 80+ years) with both vitamin C serum concentrations and dietary intake data available. The data was subsequently stratified by gender, age tertiles (≤36, 37-58, ≥59 years), ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and total Hispanic), socioeconomic tertiles (poverty income ratios: &gt;3.0, 1.36 – 3.0, ≤1.35), weight tertiles (≤72, 72-91, ≥91 kg), BMI tertiles (≤26, 26-32, ≥32 kg/m2) and smoking status. Sigmoidal (four parameter logistic) curves with asymmetrical 95% confidence intervals were fitted to the dose-concentration data. We found that males required vitamin C intakes ~1.2-fold higher than females to reach ‘adequate’ serum concentrations of 50 µmol/L. Males had both higher body weight and a higher prevalence of smoking than females. Smokers required vitamin C intakes ~2.0-fold higher than non-smokers to reach adequate vitamin C concentrations. Relative to adults in the lighter weight tertile, adults in the heaver weight tertile required ~2.0-fold higher dietary intakes of vitamin C to reach adequate serum concentrations. We did not observe any impact of ethnicity or socioeconomic status on the vitamin C dose-concentration relationship, and although no significant difference between younger and older adults was observed at vitamin C intakes &gt; 75 mg/day, at intakes &lt; 75 mg/day, older adults had an attenuated serum response to vitamin C intake. In conclusion, certain demographic and lifestyle factors, specifically gender, smoking and body weight, have a significant impact on vitamin C requirements. Overall, the data indicate that the general population must consume ~110 mg/day of vitamin C to attain adequate serum concentrations, smokers require ~165 mg/day relative to non-smokers, and heavier people (100+ kg) require ~155 mg/day to reach the same vitamin C concentrations. These findings have important implications for global vitamin C dietary recommendations.

The investigation by the integrated approach newly introduced for this study indicates that insulin resistance (IR) would develop first preferentially in the muscle tissue with a relatively low cell turnover and then progress in sequence to the subcutaneous adipose tissue, to the visceral adipose tissue, and to the liver with higher cell turnovers. Moreover, metabolic disruptions due to IR vary widely from tissue to tissue, contrary to the conventional notion that IR merely impairs glucose uptake in the whole body. This warrants that IR be divided better into four distinct tissue specific IRs: muscle insulin resistance (MIR), subcutaneous adipose insulin resistance (s-AIR), visceral adipose insulin resistance (v-AIR), and hepatic insulin resistance (HIR). Tissue-specific IRs developing in the order of MIR, s-AIR, v-AIR, and HIR – producing tissue specific metabolic disruptions – would amount to nothing but the whole body insulin resistance (WBIR) evolving in four distinctively insulin resistant stages. The four stage metabolic evolution from rapid weight gain to visceral obesity to rapid weight loss to full blown diabetes not only complies well with the natural development history of diabetes but also resolves most of the controversies regarding obesity or diabetes, including visceral obesity, obesity paradox, and dawn phenomenon that have long remained metabolic puzzles. In addition, the four-stage WBIR evolution model refutes the entrenched notion of the lipid-induced insulin resistance (LIIR) but supports instead the glycation-induced insulin resistance (GIIR) proposed in this study. A speculation is that the glycation reaction activated ever more with WBIR evolving may serve as the common thread connecting each other a cluster of disorders or diseases that are often collectively referred to as the metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, diabetes, cardio/cerebral vasculopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy.

This article proposes the use of intranasal rifampin as a means to improve protein homeostasis and disaggregate misfolded proteins in the age-related neurodegenerative proteinopathies. Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multi-system atrophy, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Huntington’s disease are all, at the core, proteinopathies. Although these diseases varying greatly in the specific disease-associated proteins, anatomic sites of the abnormal protein deposition and clinical presentations, what they have in common is disruption of normal “housekeeping” functions related to protein homeostasis, proteostasis. The prospect of pharmacologically augmenting autophagic capacity with a known drug repurposed to improve proteostasis is attractive; to accomplish these ends with an inexpensive drug with relative ease of delivery adds to the attractiveness. Rifampin can be delivered to the brain via the intranasal route. Rifampin has been used for decades primarily against mycobacterial infection; it has been given with intravenous, oral, intrathecal and topical routes including as eyedrops and nasal spray. Rifampin disaggregates toxic oligomers in vitro; given intranasally, rifampin improves memory and clears pathologic proteins in animal models of the proteinopathies. Rifampin acts as both a gatekeeper and a housekeeper against the abnormal proteins of these diseases. This article suggests the merit of a clinical trial with intranasal rifampin to boost protein homeostasis in the most common age-related neurodegenerative proteinopathy, Alzheimer’s disease. The primary outcome of such a trial is change in risk of Alzheimer’s pathology as measured by plasma-based amyloid peptide 42/40 testing pretreatment and follow-up testing after 6 months of intranasal rifampin.