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The purpose of the present study was to experimentally assess the effect of cognitive strategies of association and dissociation while running on central nervous activation. A total of 30 long distance runners volunteered for the study. The study protocol consisted on three sessions (scheduled in three different days): (1) maximal incremental treadmill test, (2) associative task session, and (3) dissociative task session. The order of sessions 2 and 3 was counterbalanced. During sessions 2 and 3, participants performed a 55 min treadmill run at moderate intensity. Both, associative and dissociative tasks responses were monitoring and recording in real time through dynamic measure tools. Consequently, was possible to have an objective control of the attentional. Results showed a positive session (exercise+attentional task) effect for central nervous activation. The benefits of aerobic exercise at moderate intensity for the performance of self-regulation cognitive tasks are highlighted. The used methodology is proposed as a valid and dynamic option to study cognitions while running in order to overcome the retrospective approach.

Indigenous food processing and preservation methods are on the verge of collapse, yet they proved promising and sustainable. The study assessed the indigenous methods of shea butter processing among rural women in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. Specifically, it described the socioeconomic characteristics of respondents, examined the shea butter processing techniques used and identified the information sources of shea butter processors in the study area. A multistage sampling technique was used to select 100 respondents. Descriptive (such as frequency count, percentage, charts and tables) and inferential statistics (such as Pearson correlation and chi-square) were used to analyze the data. Findings showed the mean age of respondents was 45.61 ± 11.82, with mean years of experience of 20.39 ± 12.96, the majority (85%) were married and the major sources of information on indigenous shea butter processing came from family members and friends. At p ≤ 0.01 there was a significant association between respondents’ usage of indigenous methods and their marital status (ᵡ2 = 84.24; p ≤ 0.01), membership in cooperative society (ᵡ2 = 40.43; p ≤ 0.01), and community membership (ᵡ2 = 53.21; p ≤ 0.01). However, there was a significant relationship between respondents’ usage of indigenous methods and household size (b = 0.290; p ≤ 0.05), quantity produced (b = 0.616; p ≤ 0.10) and annual income (b = -0.765; p ≤ 0.05). It was concluded that indigenous methods of processing shea butter are widespread among respondents; knowledge is acquired through family and friends. Among others, the study recommends that extension agents be posted to rural areas to educate rural women and build on their indigenous knowledge of processing shea butter to introduce high-quality butter.

Background: Epidemiological studies report that females experience greater rates of concussion when compared with males. Biomechanical factors may result in greater post-impact head velocities and accelerations for a given force for females when compared with males. Purpose: To quantify the magnitude, frequency, duration and distribution of impacts to the head and body in rugby league match activities for females versus males. Design: Prospective descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: 21 female and 35 male amateur rugby league players wore wireless impact measuring devices (X2Biosystems; xPatch) behind their right ear over the mastoid process during match participation across a single season. All impact data were collected and downloaded for further analysis. Results: Male amateur rugby league players experienced more head impacts than female amateur rugby league players (470 ±208 vs. 184 ±18; t(12)=-3.7; p=0.0028; d=1.94) per-match over the duration of the study. Male amateur rugby league players recorded a higher median resultant Peak Linear Acceleration (PLA(g)) (15.4 vs. 14.6 g; F(824,834)=51.6; p<0.0001; t(1658)=-3.3; p=0.0012; d=0.10) but a lower median resultant Peak Rotational Acceleration (PRA(rad/s2) (2,802.3 vs. 2,886.3 rad/s2; F(831,827)=3.1; p<0.0001; t(1658)=5.7; p<0.0001; d=0.13) when compared with female amateur rugby league players Conclusion: Females recorded lower median values for PLA(g) and Head Impact Telemetry severity profile (HITSP) for all positional groups but had a higher PRA(rad/s2) for Hit-up Forwards (HUF) and Outside Backs (OSB’s) when compared with male HUF and OSB’s. Females also recorded more impacts to the side of the head (48% vs. 42%) and had a higher 95th percentile resultant PRA(rad/s2) (12,015 vs. 9,523 rad/s2) to the top of the head when compared with male rugby league players.

Introduction: Burning mouth syndrome, oral sub mucous fibrosis, leukoplakia, etc are the different manifestations of a common disease as per the surmise of various authors. There is no known cause and no specific treatment. Attempt is made in this study to find a cause and if possible, a treatment. Materials and methods: 38 such cases were taken up in this study. It was found, that the cardinal signs of paucibacillar indeterminate form of Hanseniasis, as per the definition of WHO, are present in all these cases. Also they are found to respond well to the anti-leprotic drugs prescribed by WHO for the Hanseniasis. Conclusion: It is recommended for multicentre trial and further research on this score which would relieve the suffering millions of the world populations.

Objective:To report findings of improvement in patient tinnitus intensity and changes in frequency using a novel suppressive noise spectrum. Design: Single-subject; each subject served as his or her own control. Each patient received treatment, and changes were measured over time. Setting: Tertiary referral via university otolaryngology and hospital audiology as well as audiology clinics in the region. Patients: Fifteen tinnitus ears in 8 patients. Interventions: Therapeutic and rehabilitative. Main Outcome Measures:: Tinnitus frequency, tinnitus intensity, and tinnitus questionnaire. Results (Findings): After 3 months of exposure to the customized suppressive noise spectrum therapy, patients showed a shift in tinnitus frequency in addition to a significant decrease in tinnitus intensity from the pre-treatment to post-treatment condition (p<0.05). Typically, improvement was gradual based on comparing 3 sets of data collected at baseline, 1.5 months and 3 months. Conclusion: Using suppression in tinnitus is novel. Based on our findings, using a customized suppressive noise spectrum is effective in shifting the frequency, reducing the intensity of subjective tonal tinnitus, and improving the handicap based on THQ test. From this seminal report, factors related to maximizing its effectiveness (e.g., length of listening time, level of hearing loss, and application for alternative tinnitus types) may be considered for future research.

In the context of the global pandemic, public health screening has become paramount as the whole world including developed countries is going through a health crisis. A face mask prevents transpiration and protects against airborne transmitted bacteria or viruses. In the previous scenario of coronavirus, it was critical to eradicate this sickness and preserve our lives. Hence, prevention is better than cure becomes true. Accordingly, many precautionary measures were taken to reduce the spread of the virus. One such method of prevention is wearing a mask and regular monitoring of body temperature. This research dealt with the design and construction of an automatic entry barrier machine that integrates both facemask detection and scanning of individuals exhibiting elevated body temperature functionalities without any human interference. This was accomplished by simulating and synergizing a microprocessor (Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+), a Pi camera, an Infrared Non-contact Temperature sensor, a servo motor, and other components. The barrier arm opens and allows entrance at normal temperature by indicating a green light, displaying ‘allow’ on the LCD, and signaling once or preventing entrance at an elevated unacceptable temperature by indicating a red light, displaying ‘not allowed’ on the LCD, and signaling five (5) times.

Objective: To study the therapeutic effect of B-ultrasound-guided intrahepatic infusion of autologous bone marrow nucleated cells on decompensated cirrhosis. Methods: To observe the clinical treatment of 75 cases of decompensated cirrhosis. Among them, 30 cases received routine liver protection and diuretic treatment. 45 cases were treated by percutaneous transhepatic infusion of autologous bone marrow nucleated cells under the guidance of B ultrasound. There were no significant differences in liver function and blood routine indexes between the two groups before treatment (p > 0.05). Results: The indexes of liver function and blood routine at different time periods of 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months in the conventional treatment group did not change significantly. 6 cases died of liver failure within 1 year, the fatality rate was 20%. The indexes of liver function and blood routine of percutaneous liver transhepatic infusion of autologous bone marrow nucleated cells at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months under the guidance of B-ultrasound were significantly better than those of the conventional treatment group (p < 0.05). One case died of gastrointestinal bleeding in the group of percutaneous transhepatic infusion of autologous bone marrow nucleated cells guided by B ultrasound, with a fatality rate of 2.5%. Compared with the conventional treatment group, there were significant differences (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Conventional drug therapy has no obvious effect on decompensated cirrhosis. Intrahepatic infusion of bone marrow nucleated cells can significantly promote liver function reconstruction in decompensated cirrhosis.

Background: The health professional appears to be concerned given the number of questions surrounding the patient’s post-transplant survival, patient selection method, and the continuous search for scores that reflect their reality and reconcile the results they desire with the patient’s expectations. It is from these considerations that the present work was born with the purpose of understanding the reality of patients hospitalized for hepatocellular carcinoma and what adherence to the Model For End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) criteria meant in Brazil. Methods: This study is a discrete, univariate time series on emergency hospitalizations that occurred between 2000 and 2018, in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. Python version 3.11 was the software used for statistical treatment and analysis of the time series. Results: There were 6887 hospitalizations for malignant neoplasm of liver and intrahepatic bile ducts, in the period 2000-2006, of which 2898 were elective and 3915 (56.85%) were urgent in the period. There was an increase of 63.97% in the number of emergency hospitalizations in relation to the period 2000-2006 and 2007-2013. To highlight, in 2013 there were 1270 emergency admissions, which represented an increase of 109.22% in relation to the number of emergency admissions in 2006. The contingency correlation analysis demonstrated a significant association between the variables in which the chi-square value was 82.18, the p-value was 1.24 x 10-19, and the critical value was 3.84 with one degree of freedom. There was a 123.65% increase in the number of hospitalizations for chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified, between the periods 2000-2006 and 2007-2013. The chi-square value of the contingency association was 221.22, with a p-value of 4.90 x 10-50, a critical value of 9.488, with a significance level of 5% and one degree of freedom. The study showed an increase in hospitalizations of 21.88% for alcoholic liver disease between the periods 2000-2006 and 2007-2013. In the period 2000-2006, there were 21330 hospitalizations, 19224 of which were urgent (90.13%). In the period 2007-2013, there were 25997 hospitalizations, of which 22,802 (87.71%) occurred urgently. The chi-square value was 68.95, the p-value was 1 x 10-16, and the critical value was 3.84, with one degree of freedom. Conclusion: The MELD score, as it is sensitive to the patient’s severity, selects those who are at an advanced stage of the disease for liver transplantation. In this scenario, patients do not necessarily have access to outpatient services and begin to attend them regularly when MELD identifies the advanced stage of the disease, opening a gap between prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.

After kidney transplantation, BK polyomavirus reactivation can manifest as nephropathy in 1% to 10% of patients. PCR testing of urine and blood is commonly used to screen for BK polyomavirus nephropathy. The study aims to detect BK virus infection in kidney transplant patients to prevent tubulointerstitial nephropathy and graft loss. This retrospective study includes 26 patients who underwent kidney transplants between January 2019 and December 2023. We diagnosed BK virus infection by performing real-time PCR on blood and urine samples. BKV DNA was detected in 3 patients. Reducing immunosuppressive therapy led to negative PCR results and favorable clinical and biological outcomes in these 3 patients.

Kinematic analysis and surface electromyography are tools being used as important methods to evaluate the human gait and to analyze different types of footwear aiming modifications and adaptations to the human locomotor system, especially of the feet. The aim of the present study was to analyze through electromyography (EMG) the muscles tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and to capture digital images of the human gait in four different footware situations, barefoot with tennis, platform shoes and high heels. Twenty healthy women with a mean age of 22.6 years took part in this experiment, which was performed on a treadmill at a speed of 3.8 m/s. The results showed that shoes that do not allow a normal movement of the tarsal bones caused changes in the trajectory of the gait, which promotes a greater muscular movement. This study concluded that shoes closer to a normal position and allow greater mobility of the feet, decrease muscular demands, which in everyday situations cause less localized muscular fatigue.