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Current Rheumatology Reviews 2024Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex, widespread pain disorder characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, sleep deprivation, mental fog, mood swings, and headaches. Currently,... (Review)
Review
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex, widespread pain disorder characterized by symptoms such as fatigue, sleep deprivation, mental fog, mood swings, and headaches. Currently, there are only three FDA-approved medications for FM patients: duloxetine, milnacipran, and pregabalin, with outcomes frequently being inadequate. This research team aims to investigate the effects of diet and lifestyle modifications on FM, with emphasis on anti-inflammatory diet, antioxidants, and gluten-free diets, as well as supplementation with Magnesium, CQ10, and Vitamin D, microbiome, sleep, exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy. We reviewed the pathophysiology of certain foods that can be proinflammatory with the release of cytokines leading to activation of pain, fatigue and aggravation of the majority of Fibromyalgia symptoms. A literature review was performed by identifying FM articles published between 1994 and 2022 PubMed and EMBASE databases, with particular emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analysis, and evidence-based treatment guidelines. This review article was completed by a comprehensive narrative review process, in which our team systematically examined relevant scientific literature to provide a comprehensive overview of the significant role that diet and other lifestyle modifications play in mediating symptoms of Fibromyalgia. We propose that diet modifications and lifestyle changes, such as sleep, exercise, and weight loss, can be important steps in managing FM.
Topics: Humans; Fibromyalgia; Diet; Life Style; Exercise
PubMed: 38279728
DOI: 10.2174/0115733971274700231226075717 -
Post Reproductive Health Mar 2024This study aimed to determine how women felt cold water swimming affected their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to determine how women felt cold water swimming affected their menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms.
STUDY DESIGN
An online survey that asked women who regularly swim in cold water about their experiences. The survey was advertised for 2 months on social media. Questions related to cold water swimming habits and menstrual and perimenopausal symptoms were analysed.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Quantitative and qualitative data including; frequency of menstrual and menopause symptoms, the effect of cold water swimming on these symptoms.
RESULTS
1114 women completed the survey. Women reported that cold water swimming reduced their menstrual symptoms, notably psychological symptoms such as anxiety (46.7%), mood swings (37.7%) and irritability (37.6%). Perimenopausal women reported a significant improvement in anxiety (46.9%), mood swings (34.5%), low mood (31.1%) and hot flushes (30.3%). The majority of women with symptoms swam specifically to reduce these symptoms (56.4% for period and 63.3% for perimenopause symptoms). Women said they felt it was the physical and mental effects of the cold water that helped their symptoms. For the free text question, five themes were identified: the calming and mood-boosting effect of the water, companionship and community, period improvements, an improvement in hot flushes and an overall health improvement.
CONCLUSION
Women felt that cold water swimming had a positive overall effect on menstrual and perimenopause symptoms. Studies on other forms of exercise to relieve menstrual and perimenopause symptoms may show similar findings.
Topics: Female; Humans; Perimenopause; Swimming; Hot Flashes; Depression; Anxiety
PubMed: 38271095
DOI: 10.1177/20533691241227100 -
BioRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Jan 2024Cyanobacteria and evolutionarily related chloroplasts of algae and plants possess unique RNA polymerases (RNAPs) with characteristics that distinguish from canonical...
Cyanobacteria and evolutionarily related chloroplasts of algae and plants possess unique RNA polymerases (RNAPs) with characteristics that distinguish from canonical bacterial RNAPs. The largest subunit of cyanobacterial RNAP (cyRNAP) is divided into two polypeptides, β'1 and β'2, and contains the largest known lineage-specific insertion domain, Si3, located in the middle of the trigger loop and spans approximately half of the β'2 subunit. In this study, we present the X-ray crystal structure of Si3 and the cryo-EM structures of the cyRNAP transcription elongation complex plus the NusG factor with and without incoming nucleoside triphosphate (iNTP) bound at the active site. Si3 has a well-ordered and elongated shape that exceeds the length of the main body of cyRNAP, fits into cavities of cyRNAP and shields the binding site of secondary channel-binding proteins such as Gre and DksA. A small transition from the trigger loop to the trigger helix upon iNTP binding at the active site results in a large swing motion of Si3; however, this transition does not affect the catalytic activity of cyRNAP due to its minimal contact with cyRNAP, NusG or DNA. This study provides a structural framework for understanding the evolutionary significance of these features unique to cyRNAP and chloroplast RNAP and may provide insights into the molecular mechanism of transcription in specific environment of photosynthetic organisms.
PubMed: 38260627
DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.11.575193 -
Antibiotics (Basel, Switzerland) Jan 2024Weaned dairy heifers are a relatively understudied production group. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common cause of antimicrobial drug (AMD) use,...
Weaned dairy heifers are a relatively understudied production group. Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common cause of antimicrobial drug (AMD) use, morbidity, and mortality in this production group. The study of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is complicated because many variables that may affect AMR are related. This study generates hypotheses regarding the farm- and animal-level variables (e.g., vaccination, lane cleaning, and AMD use practices) that may be associated with AMR in respiratory isolates from weaned dairy heifers. A cross-sectional study was performed using survey data and respiratory isolates (, , and ) collected from 341 weaned dairy heifers on six farms in California. Logistic regression and Bayesian network analyses were used to evaluate the associations between farm- and animal-level variables with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) classification of respiratory isolates against 11 AMDs. Farm-level variables associated with MIC classification of respiratory isolates included the number of source farms of a calf-rearing facility, whether the farm practiced onsite milking, the use of lagoon water for flush lane cleaning, and respiratory and pinkeye vaccination practices. Animal-level variables associated with a MIC classification included whether the calf was BRD-score-positive and time since the last phenicol treatment.
PubMed: 38247609
DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13010050 -
Journal of Biomechanics Jan 2024The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two arm positions, akimbo and the newly introduced bent-in-front, on jump metrics in the ten-to-five repeated...
The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two arm positions, akimbo and the newly introduced bent-in-front, on jump metrics in the ten-to-five repeated jump test (10/5 RJT) and to evaluate the reliability and validity of new modified bent-in-front variation. In contrast to akimbo, bent-in-front arm variation allows participants to use their arms freely by holding them with free hands, with parallel arms bent in front of chest and elbows pointing downward without swinging. This new arm position was designed to alleviate postural control difficulties and ensure smooth movement during repeated jumps on the force plate. However, the 10/5 RJT was designed to measure lower-body stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) performance, and it is unknown whether the bent-in-front arm variation would affect jump performance, such as arm swing. If the arms can be freed without interfering with jump performance, it would be possible to determine lower-body SSC performance without the contribution of the arms and have the advantage of postural control assistance. Fifty-five healthy sports science students who regularly participated in intercollegiate or recreational sports performed 10/5 RJT with arms akimbo and bent-in-front during two sessions. Four jump metrics, including the reactive strength index, and four reliability and validity statistics, including intraclass-correlation-coefficients, were estimated. The results indicated no significant differences in the jump metrics between two arm variations. Bent-in-front arm variation can be deemed as a valid and reliable test. Therefore, the newly introduced 10/5 RJT with arms bent-in-front can be used to evaluate SSC performance in this cohort.
Topics: Humans; Reproducibility of Results; Sports; Movement; Students
PubMed: 38237495
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2024.111945 -
Research in Developmental Disabilities Feb 2024Although physical, cognitive and behavioural manifestations of Williams syndrome (WS) affect every dimension of caregivers lives, no studies on the parental experiences...
BACKGROUND
Although physical, cognitive and behavioural manifestations of Williams syndrome (WS) affect every dimension of caregivers lives, no studies on the parental experiences of caring for a WS child have to date been carried out in Poland.
METHODS
In order to identify the challenges and needs of Polish carers of WS children a survey was conducted with 32 family caregivers who were supported by the Polish Williams Syndrome Association.
RESULTS
While caregivers were mostly challenged by their WS child's behaviours, health problems and mood swings, many parents experienced fatigue, intimacy problems with the partner and deterioration of mental health. They were also burdened by the lack of time for themselves and work restrictions resulting from caregiving responsibilities. Even though parents positively assessed quality of medical care for WS children, still many expressed their dissatisfaction both with the way the healthcare system for WS children works in Poland and complained about the doctors' lack of knowledge about WS, access to specialist care and lack of support from government and social institutions. Although many parents stressed positive impact of rising WS child, more than half experienced role captivity or role overload and felt not being understood by others. They also experienced variety of distressing emotions, including impatience, emotional lability, helplessness, anxiety and depression.
CONCLUSIONS
Although many WS parents stressed the affirmative aspect of raising WS child this research shows that the burden of caring for such a child goes far beyond clinical aspects and seriously affects every aspect of parents' lives, including their mental health, daily lives, family, their professional and social lives. Because apart from the daily challenges related to caring for a WS child, parents' dealings with the healthcare system and support services represent major problems there is a the need for a bio-psychosocial approach to WS that should include not only WS children, but also their caregivers. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS?: 1. It analyses the challenges and needs of parents caring for children with Williams syndrome; 2. It provides evidence that the impact of caring for WS children goes far beyond clinical aspects and seriously affects every aspect of parents' lives, including their mental health, daily lives, family, their professional and social lives; 3. It also shows that, apart from the daily challenges related to caring for a WS child, parents' dealings with the healthcare system and support services represent major problems. 4. Thereby, it highlights the importance of incorporating a bio-psychosocial approach to WS that should include not only WS children, but also their caregivers.
Topics: Child; Humans; Poland; Williams Syndrome; Parents; Caregivers; Mental Health; Abnormalities, Multiple; Ichthyosiform Erythroderma, Congenital; Limb Deformities, Congenital; Genetic Diseases, X-Linked
PubMed: 38215502
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104669 -
Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) Apr 2024An infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to a variety of symptoms and complications, which can impair athletic activity. (Observational Study)
Observational Study
COVID-19 in Female and Male Athletes: Symptoms, Clinical Findings, Outcome, and Prolonged Exercise Intolerance-A Prospective, Observational, Multicenter Cohort Study (CoSmo-S).
BACKGROUND
An infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to a variety of symptoms and complications, which can impair athletic activity.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess the clinical symptom patterns, diagnostic findings, and the extent of impairment in sport practice in a large cohort of athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2, both initially after infection and at follow-up. Additionally, we investigated whether baseline factors that may contribute to reduced exercise tolerance at follow-up can be identified.
METHODS
In this prospective, observational, multicenter study, we recruited German COVID elite-athletes (cEAs, n = 444) and COVID non-elite athletes (cNEAs, n = 481) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR (polymerase chain reaction test). Athletes from the federal squad with no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection served as healthy controls (EAcon, n = 501). Questionnaires were used to assess load and duration of infectious symptoms, other complaints, exercise tolerance, and duration of training interruption at baseline and at follow-up 6 months after baseline. Diagnostic tests conducted at baseline included resting and exercise electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, spirometry, and blood analyses.
RESULTS
Most acute and infection-related symptoms and other complaints were more prevalent in cNEA than in cEAs. Compared to cEAs, EAcon had a low symptom load. In cNEAs, female athletes had a higher prevalence of complaints such as palpitations, dizziness, chest pain, myalgia, sleeping disturbances, mood swings, and concentration problems compared to male athletes (p < 0.05). Until follow-up, leading symptoms were drop in performance, concentration problems, and dyspnea on exertion. Female athletes had significantly higher prevalence for symptoms until follow-up compared to male. Pathological findings in ECG, echocardiography, and spirometry, attributed to SARS-CoV-2 infection, were rare in infected athletes. Most athletes reported a training interruption between 2 and 4 weeks (cNEAs: 52.9%, cEAs: 52.4%), while more cNEAs (27.1%) compared to cEAs (5.1%) had a training interruption lasting more than 4 weeks (p < 0.001). At follow-up, 13.8% of cNEAs and 9.9% of cEAs (p = 0.24) reported their current exercise tolerance to be under 70% compared to pre-infection state. A persistent loss of exercise tolerance at follow-up was associated with persistent complaints at baseline, female sex, a longer break in training, and age > 38 years. Periodical dichotomization of the data set showed a higher prevalence of infectious symptoms such as cough, sore throat, and coryza in the second phase of the pandemic, while a number of neuropsychiatric symptoms as well as dyspnea on exertion were less frequent in this period.
CONCLUSIONS
Compared to recreational athletes, elite athletes seem to be at lower risk of being or remaining symptomatic after SARS-CoV-2 infection. It remains to be determined whether persistent complaints after SARS-CoV-2 infection without evidence of accompanying organ damage may have a negative impact on further health and career in athletes. Identifying risk factors for an extended recovery period such as female sex and ongoing neuropsychological symptoms could help to identify athletes, who may require a more cautious approach to rebuilding their training regimen.
TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
DRKS00023717; 06.15.2021-retrospectively registered.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Female; Prospective Studies; Male; Adult; Exercise Tolerance; Athletes; SARS-CoV-2; Germany; Young Adult; Myalgia
PubMed: 38206445
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01976-0 -
Journal of the History of the... 2024In 1908-1909, Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944), best remembered for (1893), spent eight months under Daniel Jacobson's care in a private nerve clinic in...
In 1908-1909, Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944), best remembered for (1893), spent eight months under Daniel Jacobson's care in a private nerve clinic in Copenhagen. Munch was suffering from alcohol abuse, and his signs and symptoms included auditory hallucinations, persecutory delusions, paresthesias, paralyses, violent mood swings, depression, loss of control, fatigue, and the loss of his basic ability to take care of himself. He was treated with rest, a fortifying diet, massages, baths, fresh air, limited exercise, and nonconvulsive electrotherapy. After he had settled in, Jacobson allowed Munch to draw, paint, and engage in photography. Munch responded with a portrait of Jacobson and a small but intriguing sketch of himself at one of his electrotherapy sessions. In this article, we examine the circumstances that brought Munch to Jacobson's clinic and his therapies, with particular attention to electrotherapies. In so doing, we hope to provide a more complete picture of Munch's crisis in 1908, his nerve doctor, the rationales for medical electricity and other treatments he endured, and Scandinavian psychiatry at this moment in time.
Topics: History, 20th Century; Humans; History, 19th Century; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Famous Persons; Denmark; Male; Alcoholism; Norway
PubMed: 38198672
DOI: 10.1080/0964704X.2023.2295201 -
BMJ Case Reports Jan 2024Vertebral artery dissections are a rare pathology that carries a high risk of stroke in a younger population. They may be caused by minor mechanisms and the index of...
Vertebral artery dissections are a rare pathology that carries a high risk of stroke in a younger population. They may be caused by minor mechanisms and the index of suspicion should be high. Treatment with anticoagulation or antiplatelets should follow if no surgical management is indicated.We describe a case of a female in her 30s who fell backward off a swing and rolled over her head and complained of continued posterior neck pain. The patient was found to have a vertebral artery dissection on MRI. The patient was then anticoagulated with high-dose apixaban and low-dose aspirin.The emergency medicine provider should be aware of possible low-impact mechanisms that can cause vertebral artery dissection and should have a high index of suspicion. If surgical management is not indicated, anticoagulation should be initiated.
Topics: Female; Humans; Affect; Anticoagulants; Aspirin; Awareness; Vertebral Artery Dissection; Adult
PubMed: 38195187
DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2023-255923 -
Steroids Mar 2024In the wake of the Novel Coronavirus arrival, the world witnessed the fragility of healthcare systems and the resilience of healthcare workers who stood on the front... (Review)
Review
In the wake of the Novel Coronavirus arrival, the world witnessed the fragility of healthcare systems and the resilience of healthcare workers who stood on the front lines. SARS-CoV-2, also known as COVID-19 or severe acute respiratory syndrome, first appeared in China in December 2019. The infection quickly spread across the nation and the world. All countries severely restricted social interaction to stop the virus's transmission, impacting all sporting, social, and recreational activities. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs) are frequently used illegally to enhance strength and physical attractiveness. However, they could hurt immune system health. Much research hasn't been done yet on the connection between Covid-19 and AASs. Synthetic testosterone analogs known as anabolic androgenic steroids (AASs) can have an immune-system-altering effect. Sportspeople and bodybuilders are vulnerable to AAS abuse. Governmental reactions to the coronavirus infection issue over the last year have drawn much attention and discussion regarding public services, the experience and lessons learned from different limitations, and strategies for dealing with potential future pandemics. Using AAS has the potential to cause a variety of adverse reactions, including cardiovascular issues (including high blood pressure, heart disease, and blood clots), liver damage, renal failure, mood swings, aggressiveness, and psychiatric disorders. Individuals already suffering from severe respiratory conditions like COVID-19 may have these risks increased. This review mainly highlights the anabolic androgen steroids use and its unseen effects on coronavirus patients and gymnastics.
Topics: Humans; Androgens; Anabolic Androgenic Steroids; Anabolic Agents; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Testosterone Congeners
PubMed: 38176451
DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2023.109361