Medicina
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Background and objective: Type of physical activity may influence morphological and muscular asymmetries in the young population. However, less is known about the size of this effect when comparing various sports. The aim of this study was to identify the degree of bilateral asymmetry (BA) and the level of unilateral ratio (UR) between isokinetic strength of knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) among athletes of three different types of predominant locomotion in various sports (symmetric, asymmetric and hybrid). ⋯ The hybrid sports group achieved higher UR values (p = 0.01) in both lower limbs. Conclusions: The results indicate that sports with predominantly symmetrical, asymmetrical, and hybrid types of locomotion affected the size of the BA, as well as the UR between KE and KF in both legs in young athletes. We recommend paying attention to regular KE and KF strength diagnostics in young athletes and optimizing individual compensatory exercises if a higher ratio of strength asymmetry is discovered.
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Background and objectives: Chrysanthemum zawadskii var. latilobum (CZ), which has traditionally been used as a oriental tea in Asia, is known to have anti-inflammatory effects in osteoarthritis (OA). But the mechanism of these effects has not been made clear and it needs to be elucidated specifically for the clinical use of CZE in OA. Materials and Methods: To reveal this mechanism, we first identified which biomarkers were expressed in the joints of rats in which OA had been induced with monosodium iodoacetate and determined whether CZ extract (CZE) could normalize these biomarkers in the progression of OA. ⋯ SOX9 is also a repressor of ECM-degrading aggrecanases, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5, and CZE significantly reduced the levels of these enzymes dose dependently. Similar results were obtained using the human chondrosarcoma cell line SW1353 with linarin, the biologically active compound of CZE. Conclusions: These anti-osteoarthritic effects suggest that CZE has mechanisms for activating ECM synthesis with SOX9 as well as inhibiting articular ECM-degrading enzymes.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A Co-Induction Technique Utilizing 4% Sevoflurane Followed by 0.75 mg/kg Propofol in Elderly Patients Undergoing Minimally Invasive Procedures: A Prospective Randomized Control Study.
Background and Objectives: Elderly patients constitute a large segment of healthcare receivers. Considering the functional deterioration of multiple organ systems with aging, achieving a safe perioperative approach is challenging. Our aim is to study the safety and effectiveness of a genuinely regimented co-induction technique in order to minimize anesthesia-related complications. ⋯ Moreover, six (17.1%) patients in the sevoflurane group had an episode of partial laryngospasm (p = 0.034). Compared with the co-induction group, we found that the propofol group had significantly less systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the second minute, with p values of (0.018) and (0.015), respectively. Conclusions: The co-induction technique utilizing 4% sevoflurane at 8 L min-1 flow of oxygen inhaled over two minutes followed by 0.75 mg kg-1 of propofol achieved less respiratory adverse events compared with the sevoflurane group, and less hemodynamic instability compared with the propofol group.
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Glioblastoma is one of the leading cancer-related causes of death of the brain region and has an average 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of tectorigenin, a naturally occurring flavonoid compound with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor properties, as a treatment for glioblastoma. A further goal was to use in vitro models to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms. ⋯ Treatment with tectorigenin clearly reduced the levels of phosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (p-RB) and decreased the expression of cyclin-dependent protein 4 (CDK4). Tectorigenin treatment also significantly enhanced the expression of p21, a CDK4 inhibitor. Collectively, our findings indicated that tectorigenin inhibited the proliferation of glioblastoma cells by cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase.
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Background and objectives: Functional deregulation of dopaminergic midbrain regions is a core feature of schizophrenia pathophysiology. Anatomical research on primates suggests that these regions may be subdivided into distinct, topographically organized functional territories according to their connectivity to the striatum. The aim of the present work was the reconstruction of dopaminergic midbrain subregions in healthy subjects and schizophrenic patients and the evaluation of their structural connectivity profiles. ⋯ Results: We identified a tripartite subdivision of dopaminergic midbrain, including limbic, prefrontal and sensorimotor territories. No significant differences in structural features or connectivity were found between subjects and patients. Conclusions: The parcellation scheme proposed herein may help to achieve detailed characterization of structural and functional anomalies of the dopaminergic midbrain in schizophrenic patients.