Search results for: embodied therapies

Authors: Andri Andri, Susanthy Djajalaksana, Iin Noor Chozin

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Background: Despite advances in asthma therapies, a proportion of patients with asthma continue to have difficulty in gaining adequate asthma control. Complex immunological mechanisms and oxidative stress affect this condition, including the role of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of inflammation. This research aimed to determine the effect of polyphytopharmaca administration on the value of asthma control test (ACT), blood eosinophils level and markers of MDA serum inflammation in patients with asthma. Method: Quasi experimental approach was conducted toward 15 stable asthma patients who were not fully controlled in outpatient pulmonary clinic, Public Hospital of Dr. Saiful Anwar Malang. Assessments of ACT values, eosinophil levels, and serum MDA levels were carried out before and after administration of polyphytopharmaca which contained a combination of 100 mg Nigella sativa extract, Kleinhovia hospita 100 mg, Curcuma xanthorrhiza 75 mg, and Ophiocephalus striatus 100 mg, three times daily with two capsules for 12 weeks. The ACT value was determined by the researcher by asking the patient directly, blood eosinophil levels were calculated by analyzing blood type counts, and serum MDA levels were detected by the qPCR method. Result: There was a significant enhancement of ACT value (18.07 ± 2.57 to 22.06 ± 1.83, p = 0.001) (from 60% uncontrolled ACT to 93.3% controlled ACT), a significant decrease in blood eosinophils levels (653.15 ± 276.15 pg/mL to 460.66 ± 202.04 pg/mL, p = 0.038), and decreased serum MDA levels (109.64 ± 53.77 ng / ml to 78.68 ± 64.92 ng/ml, p = 0.156). Conclusion: Administration of polyphytopharmaca can increase ACT value, decrease blood eosinophils levels and reduce MDA serum in stable asthma patients who are not fully controlled.

Keywords: asthma control test, eosinophils levels, malondialdehyde, polyphytopharmaca

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Authors: Murat Durucu

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Glaucoma is a condition of irreversible blindness, early diagnosis and appropriate interventions to make the patients able to see longer time. In this study, it addressed that the importance of developing a decision support system for glaucoma diagnosis. Glaucoma occurs when pressure happens around the eyes it causes some damage to the optic nerves and deterioration of vision. There are different levels ranging blindness of glaucoma disease. The diagnosis at an early stage allows a chance for therapies that slows the progression of the disease. In recent years, imaging technology from Heidelberg Retinal Tomography (HRT), Stereoscopic Disc Photo (SDP) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) have been used for the diagnosis of glaucoma. This better accuracy and faster imaging techniques in response technique of OCT have become the most common method used by experts. Although OCT images or HRT precision and quickness, especially in the early stages, there are still difficulties and mistakes are occurred in diagnosis of glaucoma. It is difficult to obtain objective results on diagnosis and placement process of the doctor's. It seems very important to develop an objective decision support system for diagnosis and level the glaucoma disease for patients. By using OCT images and pattern recognition systems, it is possible to develop a support system for doctors to make their decisions on glaucoma. Thus, in this recent study, we develop an evaluation and support system to the usage of doctors. Pattern recognition system based computer software would help the doctors to make an objective evaluation for their patients. It is intended that after development and evaluation processes of the software, the system is planning to be serve for the usage of doctors in different hospitals.

Keywords: decision support system, glaucoma, image processing, pattern recognition

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Authors: Ruby Jean Hornsby

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In our rapidly advancing techno-moral world, human-robot relationships are increasingly becoming a part of intimate human life. Indeed, social robots - that is, autonomous or semi-autonomous embodied artificial agents that generally possess human or animal-like qualities (such as responding to environmental stimuli, communicating, learning, performing human tasks, and making autonomous decisions) - have been designed to function as human friends. In light of such advances, immediate philosophical scrutiny is imperative in order to examine the extent to which human-robot interactions constitute genuine friendship and therefore contribute towards the good human life. Aristotle's conception of friendship is philosophically illuminating and sufficiently broad in scope to guide such analysis. On his account, it is necessary (though not sufficient) that for a friendship to exist between two agents - A and B - both agents must have a mutual love for one another. Aristotle claims that A loves B if: Condition 1: A desires those apparent good (qua pleasant, useful, or virtuous) properties attributable to B, and Condition 2: A has goodwill (wishes what is best) for B. This paper argues that human-robot interaction can (and does) successfully meet both conditions; as such, it demonstrates that robots and humans can reciprocally love one another. It will argue for this position by first justifying the claim that a human can desire apparent good features attributable to a robot (i.e., by taking them to be pleasant and/or useful) and outlining how it is that a human can wish a robot well in light of that robot's (quasi-) interests. Next, the paper will argue that a robot can (quasi-)desire certain properties that are attributable to a human before elucidating how it is possible for a robot to act in the interests of a human. Accordingly, this paper will conclude that it is already the case that humans can formulate relationships with robots that involve reciprocated love. This is significant because it suggests that social robots are candidates for human friendship and can therefore contribute toward flourishing human futures.

Keywords: ancient philosophy, friendship, inter-disciplinary applied ethics, love, social robotics

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Authors: Jaspal Rana, Alkem Laboratories, Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, India Chitkara University, Punjab, India

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Oxidative stress has been identified as an underlying cause of ischemia-reperfusion (IR) related cognitive dysfunction and brain damage. Therefore, antioxidant based therapies to treat IR injury are being investigated. Allium cepa L. (onion) is used as culinary medicine and is documented to have marked antioxidant effects. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate the effect of A. cepa outer scale extract (ACE) against IR induced cognition and biochemical deficit in mice. ACE was prepared by maceration with 70% methanol and fractionated into ethylacetate and aqueous fractions. Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion for 10 min followed by 24 h reperfusion was used to induce cerebral IR injury. Following IR injury, ACE (100 and 200 mg/kg) was administered orally to animals for 7 days once daily. Behavioral outcomes (memory and sensorimotor functions) were evaluated using Morris water maze and neurological severity score. Cerebral infarct size, brain thiobarbituric acid reactive species, reduced glutathione, and superoxide dismutase activity was also determined. Treatment with ACE significantly ameliorated IR mediated deterioration of memory and sensorimotor functions and rise in brain oxidative stress in animals. The results of the present investigation revealed that ACE improved functional outcomes after cerebral IR injury, which may be attributed to its antioxidant properties.

Keywords: stroke, neuroprotection, ischemia reperfusion, herbal drugs

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Authors: Marilei Amadeu Sabino

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Before the advent of Cognitive Linguistics, metaphor was considered a stylistic issue, but now it is viewed as a critical component of everyday language and a fundamental mechanism of human conceptualizations of the world. It means that human beings' conceptual system (the way we think and act) is metaphorical in nature. Another interesting hypothesis in Cognitive Linguistics is that cognition is embodied, that is, our cognition is influenced by our experiences in the physical world: the mind is connected to the body and the body influences the mind. In this sense, it is believed that many conceptual metaphors appear to be potentially universal or near-universal, because people across the world share certain bodily experiences. In these terms, many metaphors may be identical or very similar in several languages. Thus, in this study, we analyzed some somatic (also called body) idioms of Italian and Portuguese languages, in order to investigate the proportion in which their metaphors are the same, similar or different in both languages. It was selected hundreds of Italian idioms in dictionaries and indicated their corresponding idioms in Portuguese. The analysis allowed to conclude that much of the studied expressions are really structurally, semantically and metaphorically identical or similar in both languages. We also contrasted some Portuguese and Italian somatic expressions to their corresponding English idioms to have a multilingual perspective of the issue, and it also led to the conclusion that the most common idioms based on metaphors are probably those that have to do with the human body. Although this is mere speculation and needs more study, the results found incite relevant discussions on issues that matter Foreign and Second Language Teaching and Learning, including the retention of vocabulary. The teaching of the metaphorically different body idioms also plays an important role in language learning and teaching as it will be shown in this paper. Acknowledgments: FAPESP – São Paulo State Research Support Foundation –the financial support offered (proc. n° 2017/02064-7).

Keywords: body idioms, cognitive linguistics, metaphor, vocabulary teaching and learning

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Authors: Nagaveni Hegde, Priya Sharma, Anitha M.

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A vital network of two-way communication between the central nervous system (CNS) and the gastrointestinal tract, the gut-brain axis has a major impact on both health and illness. This axis revolves around the gut microbiota, a complex ecology of microbes that is essential for controlling brain activity and influencing mood, cognitive activities, and pain perception. Chronic pain and neuroinflammation are caused by microglia, the CNS's resident macrophages, which are impacted by signals from the stomach and the central nervous system. Mechanisms including immune system modulation, vagus nerve pathways, neurotransmitter modulation, and microbial metabolites further mediate this interaction. Numerous neurological problems, such as mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), neurodevelopmental issues (schizophrenia, autism), and neurodegenerative diseases, have been linked to dysbiosis, an imbalance in the gut microbiota. The mechanics of gut-brain communication, the factors influencing the composition of the gut microbiome, and the effects of dysbiosis on neurological health are all examined in this review. Furthermore, we discuss state-of-the-art developments in microbiome research that present promising paths for the creation of new treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, including microbial profiling, microbiota transplantation, and tailored therapeutics. Knowing how the stomach and brain interact dynamically creates new opportunities for tailored microbiome-based therapies that improve mental health and wellbeing.

Keywords: gut-brain axis, microbiota, dysbiosis, neurological disorders, microglia

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Authors: Neringa Bagdonaite

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Background: The main focus of this paper is to explore how self-determination interplays in suicidal and addictive context leading one to autonomously choose self-destructive addictive behaviour or suicidal intentions. Methods: Phenomenological descriptions of the experiential structure of self-determination in addiction and suicidal mental life are used. The phenomenological method describes structures of mental life from the first-person-perspective, with a focus on how an experienced object is given in a subject’s conscious experience. Results: A sense of self-determination in the context of suicidal and addictive behaviour is possibly impaired. In the context of suicide, it's proposed that suicide is always experienced at least minimally self-determined, as it's the last freely discovered self-efficient behaviour, in terms of radically changing one's desperate mental state. Suicide can never be experienced as fully self-determined because no future retrospective re-evaluation of behaviour is possible. Understanding self-determination in addiction is challenging because addicts perceive themselves and experience situations differently depending on: (I) their level of intoxication; (II) whether the situation is in the moment or in retrospect; and (III) the goals set out in that situation. Furthermore, within phenomenology addiction is described as an embodied custom, which‘s acquired and established while performing 'psychotropic technique'. The main goal of performing such a technique is to continue 'floating in an indifference state' or being 'comfortably numb'. Conclusions: Based on rich phenomenological descriptions of the studied phenomenon, this paper draws on the premise that to experience self-determination in both suicide and addiction, underlying desperate or negative emotional states are needed. Such underlying desperate or negative mental life experiences are required for one to pre-reflectively evaluate suicide or addictive behaviours as positive, relieving or effective in terms of changing one's emotional states. Such pre-reflective positive evaluations serve as the base for the continuation of behaviour and later are identified reflectively.

Keywords: addiction, phenomenology, self-determination, self-effectivity, suicide

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Authors: Suja S. Nayar, Mayuri Pandya

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The foundation of legal system of any nation is its constitution and the strive to achieve equality amongst different classes prevailing in the social system. The most traditional form of inequality that is prevailing in the society is the gender inequality. The existence of inequality on the basis of gender prevails since the ancient era which has with the passing time merely continued and aggravated to a great extent. The founding fathers of our constitution were well aware of the then prevailing situation and being concerned about the future if this inequality continued to prevail, and in such view, the provisions of Article 14, 15, 38 and 44 of our Constitution were enacted with specific intent for the upliftment of women. The strive for equality is the rule of law embodied with the principle of foreseeability which is necessitated in the stability of justice system of any nation, and when it comes to equality, the first form of equality we need to achieve is gender equality. Time and again various initiatives have been announced and attempted to achieve the objective of gender equality, but analysis of the ground reality always have yielded disappointing results. The research that is proposed to be undertaken intends to cover all the above issues concerning the failures ineffective implementation of the gender-specific laws especially the provisions concerning the protection provided under Domestic Violence Act. The researchers will analyze the judgment of last five years' judgments of Supreme Court of India. In Hiral P. Harsora and ors. v Kusum Narottamdas Harsora and Ors. the Hon'ble Supreme Court recently deleting the words 'adult male' from the definition of respondent disclosed it is intent and understanding that domestic violence is being caused by a female on female also and not only restricted to males on females only. The procedure as prescribed under the act for claiming reliefs though is as per the criminal mandate, but the reliefs are of civil nature and so same needs to deal emphatically which now makes it a lengthier process. The pros and cons of such pronouncements are being weighed on the balance of constitution and social equality that is strived by the entire women fraternity.

Keywords: domestic, violence, constitution, gender, equality, women

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Authors: Andreas Aceranti, Sergio Romanò, Simonetta Vernocchi, Silvia Arnaboldi, Emilio Mazza

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As a result of the Sars-Cov2 pandemic, the incidence of thymism disorders has significantly increased and, often, patients are reluctant to want to take drugs aimed at stabilizing mood. In order to provide an alternative approach to drug therapies, we have prepared a study in order to evaluate the possibility of improving the quality of life of these subjects through osteopathic treatment. Patients were divided into visceral and fascial manual treatment with the aim of increasing serotonin levels and stimulating the vagus nerve through validated techniques. The results were evaluated through the administration of targeted questionnaires in order to assess quality of life, mood, sleep and intestinal functioning. At a first endpoint we found, in patients undergoing fascial treatment, an increase in quality of life and sleep: in fact, they report a decrease in the number of nocturnal awakenings; a reduction in falling asleep times and greater rest upon waking. In contrast, patients undergoing visceral treatment, as well as those included in the control group, did not show significant improvements. Patients in the fascial group have, in fact, reported an improvement in thymism and subjective quality of life with a generalized improvement in function. Although the study is still ongoing, based on the results of the first endpoint we can hypothesize that fascial stimulation of the vagus nerve with manual and osteopathic techniques may be a valid alternative to pharmacological treatments in mood and sleep disorders.

Keywords: ostheopathy, insomnia, noctural awakening, thymism

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Authors: Małgorzata Drzewiecka, Tomasz Śliwiński, Maciej Radek

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The inhibition of histone deacetyles (HDACs) holds promise as a potential anti-cancer therapy because histone and non-histone protein acetylation is frequently disrupted in cancer, leading to cancer initiation and progression. Additionally, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) such as class I HDAC inhibitor - valproic acid (VPA) have been shown to enhance the effectiveness of DNA-damaging factors, such as cisplatin or radiation. In this study, we found that, using of VPA in combination with talazoparib (BMN-637 – PARP1 inhibitor – PARPi) and/or Dacarabazine (DTIC - alkylating agent) resulted in increased DNA double strand break (DSB) and reduced survival (while not affecting primary melanocytes )and proliferation of melanoma cells. Furthermore, pharmacologic inhibition of class I HDACs sensitizes melanoma cells to apoptosis following exposure to DTIC and BMN-637. In addition, inhibition of HDAC caused sensitization of melanoma cells to dacarbazine and BMN-637 in melanoma xenografts in vivo. At the mRNA and protein level histone deacetylase inhibitor downregulated RAD51 and FANCD2. This study provides that combining HDACi, alkylating agent and PARPi could potentially enhance the treatment of melanoma, which is known for being one of the most aggressive malignant tumors. The findings presented here point to a scenario in which HDAC via enhancing the HR-dependent repair of DSBs created during the processing of DNA lesions, are essential nodes in the resistance of malignant melanoma cells to methylating agent-based therapies.

Keywords: melanoma, hdac, parp inhibitor, valproic acid

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Authors: Vildan Cırık, Emine Efe

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Complementary health approaches are growing in popularity worldwide and play a substantial role in health care. It is very important for paediatric nurses to have knowledge of practices affecting the medical conditions of patients and to communicate with them through integrative nursing care. The purpose of this study was to determine paediatric nurses’ knowledge and experiences of complementary health approaches (CHA) and their personal and professional attitudes to the use of complementary health approaches. This multicentre study was conducted with 1450 paediatric nurses in 18 hospitals in Turkey. Paediatric nurses included in the study were working in the following clinics: Paediatric Service, Paediatric Intensive Care, Paediatric Haematology/Oncology. Data collection focused on the paediatric nurses’ knowledge and experiences of CHA. A high proportion of our sample of paediatric nurses reported that they had used some form of CHA themselves; the most popular choices of CHA were prayer, massage, and vitamins techniques. Paediatric nurses reported positive experiences (drawing/music/art/dance therapies, prayer, herbs, thermal springs, massage, and reflexology) and negative experiences (herbs, thermal springs, prayer, and massage). This study may contribute to increased awareness of the potentially important role of paediatric nurses in the delivery of CHA. Paediatric nurses play important roles in helping patients to use complementary health approaches safely and accurately. Trainings on CHA should be organised, data collection forms including CHA should be created, and evidence-based studies should be focused towards improving the clinical practice of paediatric nurses.

Keywords: complementary health approaches, paediatric nurses, knowledge, experience, attitude, Turkey

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Authors: Reza Johari Fard, Najmeh Cheraghi, Parvin Ehtesham Zadeh, Parviz Asgari

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The aim of this study was to investigate and comparison of the effectiveness of schema mode therapy and emotionally focused couples therapy in attachment styles (secure, avoidant, and anxious) in couples with marital conflict in a quasiexperimental method in a pretest, posttest, and follow up design with a control group. The statistical population of the study included all the couples with marital conflict who visited the Mehrana counseling center in 2019 in Ahvaz, Iran 45 couples were selected by voluntary sampling method and randomly divided into two experimental groups and one control group (15 pairs in each group). The participants completed the Adult Attachment Scale (Hazan and Shaver). The experimental groups underwent schema mode therapy and emotionally focused couples therapy for 12 sessions, but the control group did not receive any intervention. The data were analyzed by the statistical analysis of repeated measures in SPSS-19 software. The results showed that both schema mode therapy and emotionally focused couples therapy are effective in increasing the secure attachment style and reducing avoidant and ambivalent attachment styles in couples with marital conflict. There was no significant difference between the schema mode therapy group and the emotionally focused couple's therapy group in attachment styles. Therefore, it is recommended that therapists and family counselors use these therapies along with other therapeutic interventions to increase secure attachment styles and reduce marital conflicts.

Keywords: schema mode therapy, emotional focused couple therapy, attachment styles, marital conflict

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Authors: Lista Andriyati, Nurpudji A Taslim

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The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients have potential nutritional and metabolic problems. HIV is a virus that attacks cells T helper and impairs the function of immune cells. Infected individuals gradually become immunodeficient, results in increased susceptibility to a wide range of infections such as tuberculosis (TB). Malnutrition has destructive effects on the immune system and host defense mechanisms. Effective and proper nutritional therapies are important to improve medical outcomes and quality of life, which is associated with functional improvement. A case of 38-years old man admitted to hospital with loss of consciousness and was diagnosed HIV infection and relapse lung TB with severe malnutrition, fever, oral candidiasis, anemia (6.3 g/dL), severe hypoalbuminemia (1.9 g/dL), severe hypokalemia (2.2 mmol/L), immune depletion (1085 /µL) and elevated liver enzyme (ALT 1198/AST 375 U/L). Nutritional intervention by giving 2300 kcal of energy, protein 2 g/IBW/day, carbohydrate 350 g, fat 104 g through enteral and parenteral nutrition. Supplementations administered are zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, and snakehead fish extract high content of protein albumin (Pujimin®). After 46 days, there are clinical and metabolic improvement in Hb (6.3 to 11.2 g/dL), potassium (2.2 to 3.4 mmol/L), albumin (1.9 to 2.3 g/dL), ALT 1198 to 47/AST 375 to 68 U/L) and improved awareness. In conclusion, nutritional therapy in HIV infection with adequate macronutrients and micronutrients fulfillment and immunonutrition is very important to avoid cachexia and to improve nutritional status and immune disfunction.

Keywords: HIV, hypoalbuminemia, malnutrition, tuberculosis

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Authors: Anthara Vivek, Manisha Shukla, Mahesh Narayan, Prakash Narayan

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Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects sub-Saharan Africa and certain tribal populaces in India and has consequently drawn little intertest from Pharma. In sickle cell patients, adhesion of erythrocytes or reticulocytes to one another and the vessel wall results in painful ischemic episodes with few, if any, effective treatments for vaso-occlusive crises. Identification of disease-associated adhesion markers on erythrocytes or reticulocytes might inform the use of more effective therapies against vaso-occlusive crises. Increased expression of one or more of bcam, itga4, cd44, cd47, rap1a, vcam1, or icam4 has been reported in sickle cell subjects. Using the miRNet ontology knowledgebase, peripheral blood interactomes were generated by seeding various combinations of the afore-referenced mRNA. These interactomes yielded an array of miR targets. As examples, targeting hsa-miR-155-5p can potentially neutralize the rap1a-bcam-cd44-itga4-vcam1 erythrocyte/reticulocyte adhesion interactome whereas targeting hsa-miRs-103a-3p or 107 can potentially neutralize adhesion in cells overexpressing icam4-cd47-bcam-itga4-cd36. AM3380 (MIRacle™) is an off-the shelf hsa-miR-155-5p agomiR that can potentially neutralize the rap1a-bcam-cd44-itga4-vcam1 signaling axis. Phlebotomy coupled with transcriptomics represents a potentially feasible and effective precision medicine strategy to mitigate vaso-occlusive crises in sickle cell patients.

Keywords: adhesion, interactome, precision, medicine

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Authors: Jacob Seddlemeyer, Tahar Messadi, Hongmei Gu, Mahboobeh Hemmati

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The main purpose of this first tier of the study is to quantify and compare the embodied environmental impacts associated with alternative materials applied to Adohi Hall, a residence building at the University of Arkansas campus, Fayetteville, AR. This 200,000square foot building has5 stories builtwith mass timber and is compared to another scenario where the same edifice is built with a steel frame. Based on the defined goal and scope of the project, the materials respectivetothe respective to the two building options are compared in terms of Global Warming Potential (GWP), starting from cradle to the construction site, which includes the material manufacturing stage (raw material extract, process, supply, transport, and manufacture) plus transportation to the site (module A1-A4, based on standard EN 15804 definition). The consumedfossil fuels and emitted CO2 associated with the buildings are the major reason for the environmental impacts of climate change. In this study, GWP is primarily assessed to the exclusion of other environmental factors. The second tier of this work is to evaluate Tally’s performance in the decision-making process through the design phases, as well as determine its strengths and weaknesses. Tally is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool capable of conducting a cradle-to-grave analysis. As opposed to other software applications, Tally is specifically targeted at buildings LCA. As a peripheral application, this software tool is directly run within the core modeling application platform called Revit. This unique functionality causes Tally to stand out from other similar tools in the building sector LCA analysis. The results of this study also provide insights for making more environmentally efficient decisions in the building environment and help in the move forward to reduce Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions and GWP mitigation.

Keywords: comparison, GWP, LCA, materials, tally

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Authors: Gursimran Jandu, Melissa Nelson, Mia Ingram, Hana Jalal

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There is a significant overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with up to 90% of young people diagnosed with ASD having this co-morbidity. Distinguishing between the symptoms of the two leads to issues with accurate treatment, yet this is paramount in benefiting the young person. There are two distinct methods of treatment, psychological or pharmacological, with clinicians tending to choose one or the other, potentially due to the lack of research available. This report reviews the efficacy of psychological and pharmacological treatments for young people diagnosed with ASD and co-morbid OCD. A literature review was performed on papers from the last fifteen years including ‘ASD’, ‘OCD’ and individuals under the age of 18. Eleven papers were selected as relevant. The report looks at the comparison between more traditional methods, such as selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors (SSRI) and Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), and newer therapies, such as modified or intensive ASD focused psychotherapies, and the use of other medication classes. On reviewing the data, it was identified that there was a distinct lack of information on this important topic. The most widely used treatment was medication such as Fluoxetine, an SSRI, which rarely showed improvement in symptoms or outcomes. This is in contrast to modified forms of CBT which often reduces symptoms or even results in OCD remission. With increased research into non-traditional management of these co-morbid conditions, it is clear there is scope that modified CBT may become the future treatment of choice for OCD in young people with ASD.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, intensive or adapted cognitive behavioural therapy, obsessive compulsive disorder, pharmacological management

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Authors: Kamran Yazdanbakhsh, Somayeh Mahmoudi

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Multiple sclerosis is the most common chronic disease of the central nervous system associated with demyelination of neurons and several demyelinated parts of the disease encompasses throughout the white matter and affects the sensory and motor function. This study compared the effectiveness of two methods of cognitive therapy and supportive-expressive therapy on the efficacy and quality of life in MS patients. This is an experimental project which has used developed group pretest - posttest and follow-up with 3 groups. The study included all patients with multiple sclerosis in 2013 that were members of the MS Society of Iran in Tehran. The sample included 45 patients with MS that were selected volunteerily of members of the MS society of Iran and randomly divided into three groups and pretest, posttest, and follow-up (three months) for the three groups had been done.The dimensions of quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis scale, and general self-efficiency scale of Schwarzer and Jerusalem was used for collecting data. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the mean of quality of life scores at pretest, posttest, and follow-up of the experimental groups. There was no significant difference between the mean of quality of life of the experimental groups which means that both groups were effective and had the same effect. There was no significant difference between the mean of self-efficiency scores in control and experimental group in pretest, posttest and follow-up. Thus, by using cognitive and supportive-expressive group therapy we can improve quality of life in MS patients and make great strides in their mental health.

Keywords: cognitive group therapy, life style, MS, self-efficiency, supportive-expressive group therapy

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Authors: Kolja Them, Johannes Salamon, Harald Ittrich, Michael Kaul, Tobias Knopp

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Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are nanoscale magnets which can be biologically functionalized for biomedical applications. Stem cell therapies to repair damaged tissue, magnetic fluid hyperthermia for cancer therapy and targeted drug delivery based on SPIONs are prominent examples where the visualization of a preferably low concentrated SPION distribution is essential. In 2005 a new method for tomographic SPION imaging has been introduced. The method named magnetic particle imaging (MPI) takes advantage of the nanoparticles magnetization change caused by an oscillating, external magnetic field and allows to directly image the time-dependent nanoparticle distribution. The SPION magnetization can be changed by the electron spin dynamics as well as by a mechanical rotation of the nanoparticle. In this work different calibration methods in MPI are investigated for image reconstruction of magnetically labeled stem cells. It is shown that a calibration using rotationally immobilized SPIONs provides a higher quality of stem cell images with fewer artifacts than a calibration using mobile SPIONs. The enhancement of the image quality and the reduction of artifacts enables the localization and identification of a smaller number of magnetically labeled stem cells. This is important for future medical applications where low concentrations of functionalized SPIONs interacting with biological matter have to be localized.

Keywords: biomedical imaging, iron oxide nanoparticles, magnetic particle imaging, stem cell imaging

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Authors: Neo Mohlabane

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-- Feminists across various contexts have written extensively on the subject of ‘Woman.’ Recently the question of difference; to account for the cultural, ethnic, and racial diversity among women themselves has become a highly contested issue in feminist theories. Tensions have ensued where ‘western feminisms’ have been criticized for bias that is embedded in the objectification of ‘different’ women often regarded as ‘other’; traditional, therefore inferior. Thus, it is argued that womanhood; a set of socially defined attributes appropriate for women, holds different meanings depending on the context in which it is defined. Drawing on decolonial feminist approaches, this qualitative study explored the constructions of ‘womanhood’ from the perspective of unmarried Basotho women in Lesotho, where womanhood is predominantly defined in marital terms. Through the narrated life-stories of twenty unmarried Basotho women, the study revealed that as opposed to the ‘traditional’ definition that accounts for a single attribute woman as ‘wife,’ unmarried Basotho women defined ‘womanhood’ in different ways that deconstructed fixed gendered categories. The women drew meaning from their past personal experiences of childhood to construct and re-construct womanhood in adulthood. By transforming their embodied experiences of hardship and sorrow into valuable constructs with which they self-evaluated as resilient and perseverant, the women constructed a base for self-affirmation as woman. In addition, the women anchored their constructions and reconstructions of woman by transforming the meanings attached to the realms of respectability, sexuality and motherhood. Thus, to the question; what is a Woman? In part, the study concluded that there is no such thing as a ‘unitary’ definition of womanhood, instead Mosotho womanhood has always been and will always be in a state of flux; bearing multiplicity and complexity. This study highlights the need to exercise caution when using western concepts to understand the experiences of women in local African contexts. In order to decolonize feminist scholarship, African feminisms need to re-construct conceptual and theoretical frameworks appropriate for analyzing and understanding gender issues in African contexts.

Keywords: decoloniality, feminism, Lesotho, womanhood

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Authors: Abdullah A. Al Qurashi, Hattan A. Hassani, Bader K. Alaslap

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Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is an uncommon, inheritable cardiac disorder characterized by the progressive substitution of cardiac myocytes by fibro-fatty tissues. This pathologic substitution predisposes patients to ventricular arrhythmias and right ventricular failure. The underlying genetic defect predominantly involves genes encoding for desmosome proteins, particularly plakophilin-2 (PKP2). These aberrations lead to impaired cell adhesion, heightening the susceptibility to fibrofatty scarring under conditions of mechanical stress. Primarily, ARVD/C affects the right ventricle, but it can also compromise the left ventricle, potentially leading to biventricular heart failure. Clinical presentations can vary, spanning from asymptomatic individuals to those experiencing palpitations, syncopal episodes, and, in severe instances, sudden cardiac death. The establishment of a diagnostic criterion specifically tailored for ARVD/C significantly aids in its accurate diagnosis. Nevertheless, the task of early diagnosis is complicated by the disease's frequently asymptomatic initial stages, and the overall rarity of ARVD/C cases reported globally. In some cases, as exemplified by the adult female patient in this report, the disease may advance to terminal stages, rendering therapies like Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) ablation ineffective. This case underlines the necessity for increased awareness and understanding of ARVD/C to aid in its early detection and management. Through such efforts, we aim to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with this challenging cardiac disorder.

Keywords: arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia, cardiac disease, interventional cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology

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Authors: Nina Kaufmans

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Traditional therapies, utilizing spoken narratives as a primary source of intervention, are proven to be limited in effectively treating post traumatic stress disorder. Following the effects of the global pandemic of COVID-19, an increasing number of mental health consumers are beginning to experience somatically-based distress in addition to existing mental health symptoms. Moreover, the aftermath of the rapid increase in demand for mental health services has caused significant burnout in mental health professionals. This paper explores the ramifications of recent changes and challenges in the mental health demands and subsequent response and its consequences for mental health workers. We will begin by investigating the neurobiological mechanisms involved in traumatic experiences, then discuss the premises for "bottom-up" or somatically oriented psychotherapy approaches, and finally offer clinical skills and interventions for clients diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder. In addition, we will discuss how somatically-based psychotherapy interventions implemented in sessions may decrease burnout and improve the well-being of clinicians. We will discuss how the integration of somatically-based interventions into counseling would increase the effectiveness of mental health recovery and sustain remission while simultaneously providing opportunities for self-care for mental health professionals.

Keywords: somatic psychotherapy interventions, trauma counseling, preventing and treating burnout, adults with PTSD, bottom-up skills, the effectiveness of trauma treatment

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Authors: Melissa Nelson, Simran Jandu, Hana Jalal, Mia Ingram, Chrysi Stefanidou

Abstract:

There is a significant overlap between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), with up to 90% of young people diagnosed with ASD having this co-morbidity. Distinguishing between the symptoms of the two leads to issues with accurate treatment, yet this is paramount in benefitting the young person. There are two distinct methods of treatment, psychological or pharmacological, with clinicians tending to choose one or the other, potentially due to the lack of research available. This report reviews the efficacy of psychological and pharmacological treatments for young people diagnosed with ASD and co-morbid OCD. A literature review was performed on papers from the last fifteen years, including “ASD,” “OCD,” and individuals under the age of 18. Eleven papers were selected as relevant. The report looks at the comparison between more traditional methods, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), and newer therapies, such as modified or intensive ASD-focused psychotherapies and the use of other medication classes. On reviewing the data, it was identified that there was a distinct lack of information on this important topic. The most widely used treatment was medication such as Fluoxetine, an SSRI, which rarely showed an improvement in symptoms or outcomes. This is in contrast to modified forms of CBT, which often reduces symptoms or even results in OCD remission. With increased research into the non-traditional management of these co-morbid conditions, it is clear there is scope that modified CBT may become the future treatment of choice for OCD in young people with ASD.

Keywords: autism spectrum disorder, intensive or adapted cognitive behavioral therapy, obsessive compulsive disorder, pharmacological management

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Authors: Carol Cameletti

Abstract:

The goal of this study was to perform a pilot survey to assess pain frequency and intensity in an elderly population and to assess treatment options for chronic pain that include complementary and alternative medicines (CAM). Ten participants were recruited from an independent and supportive living housing facility in Northern Ontario and asked to complete two questionnaires: 1) a self-assessment on pain, and 2) the use of CAM for pain. Results from our study show that 80% of the participants experienced pains other than the regular everyday pains such as minor headaches, sprains or toothaches. Although participants stated that on average the highest level of pain they experienced within the past 24 hours had a score of 6.5 (0=no pain, 10=worst pain imaginable) the level of pain they experienced moderately interfered with their daily activities. Unfortunately, participants stated that they were only able to attain minimal levels of pain relief using treatments or medications causing some of the participants to seek alternative therapies or self-help practices. The most commonly used CAMs were vitamins/minerals, herbs and supplements, and self-help practices such as meditation, prayer, visualization and relaxation techniques. Although some of the participants stated that they had received complementary treatments directly from their physician, four of the nine participants said that they had not disclosed CAM use to their physician thereby indicating a need to open the lines of communication between healthcare providers and patients with regards to CAM use. It is our hope that the data generated from this study will serve as the platform for a pain management clinic that is client-centered, consumer-driven and truly integrative and tailored in order to meet the unique needs of older adults in Great Sudbury, Ontario.

Keywords: alternative, complementary, elderly, medicine

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Authors: Mewa Singh

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Nanomedicine, a fusion of nanotechnology and medicine, is an emerging technology ideally suited to the targeted therapies. Nanoparticles overcome the low selectivity of anti-cancer drugs toward the tumor as compared to normal tissue and hence result-in less severe side-effects. Our new technology, HYBRID-NANOENGINEERING™, uses a new molecule (MR007) in the creation of nanoparticles that not only helps in nanonizing the medicine but also provides synergy to the medicine. The simplified manufacturing process will result in reduced manufacturing costs. Treatment is made more convenient because hybrid nanomedicines can be produced in oral, injectable or transdermal formulations. The manufacturing process uses no protein, oil or detergents. The particle size is below 180 nm with a narrow distribution of size. Importantly, these properties confer great stability of the structure. The formulation does not aggregate in plasma and is stable over a wide range of pH. The final hybrid formulation is stable for at least 18 months as a powder. More than 97 drugs, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, tamoxifen, doxorubicinm prednisone, and artemisinin have been nanonized in water soluble formulations. Preclinical studies on cell cultures of tumors show promising results. Our HYBRID-NANOENGINEERING™ platform enables the design and development of hybrid nano-pharmaceuticals that combine efficacy with tolerability, giving patients hope for both extended overall survival and improved quality of life. This study would discuss or present this new discovery of HYBRID-NANOENGINEERING™ which targets drug delivery, synergistic, and potentiating effects, and barriers of drug delivery and advanced drug delivery systems.

Keywords: nano-medicine, nano-particles, drug delivery system, pharmaceuticals

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Authors: Alireza Barari, Maryam Firoozi, Maryam Ebrahimzadeh, Romina Roohan Ardeshiri, Maryam Kamarloeei

Abstract:

Background: The The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of six-week aerobic training and taxol consumption on interleukin 8 and Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in mice with cervical cancer. Material and method: In this experimental study, 40 female C57 mice, eight weeks old, were randomly divided into 4 groups: cancer, cancer-taxol complement, cancer-training and cancer-training - taxol complement with 10 mice in each group. The implantation of cancerous tumors was performed under the skin of the upper pelvis. The training group completed the endurance training protocol, which included 3 sessions per week, 50 minutes per session, at a speed of 14-18 m/s for six weeks. A dose of 60 mg/ kg/day, a pure extract of Taxol was injected peritoneal Data were analyzed by t-test, One-way ANOVA and post hoc Bonferron's at the significant level P<0. 05. Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between mean values of interleukin-8 (P < 0.05, F = 12.25) and the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (P < 0.05, P=0.10737) in four groups. A significance level of less than 0.05 in Tukey test for both variables also showed a significant difference between the "control" group and the complementary "exercise" group. Namely, six weeks of aerobic training, along with taxol, have a significant effect on the level of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and interleukin-8 mice with cervical cancer. Conclusion: Considering the effect of training on these variables, this type of exercise can be used as a complementary therapeutic approach along with other therapies for cervical cancer.

Keywords: cervical cancer, taxol, endurance training, interleukin 8, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1

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Authors: Kritin K. Verma, Brian L. Ransdell

Abstract:

White patches are a symptom of vitiligo, a chronic autoimmune dermatological condition that causes a loss of pigmentation in the skin. Vitiligo can cause issues of self-esteem and quality of life while also progressing the development of other autoimmune diseases. Current treatments in allopathy and homeopathy exist; some treatments have been found to be toxic, whereas others have been helpful. Allopathy has seemed to offer several treatment plans, such as phototherapy, skin lightening preparations, immunosuppressive drugs, combined modality therapy, and steroid medications to improve vitiligo. This presentation will review the FDA-approved topical cream, Opzelura, a JAK inhibitor, and its effects on limiting vitiligo progression. Meanwhile, other non-conventional methods, such as Arsenic Sulphuratum Flavum used in homeopathy, will be debunked based on current literature. Most treatments still serve to arrest progression and induce skin repigmentation. Treatment plans may differ between patients due to depigmentation location on the skin. Since there is no gold standard plan for treating patients with vitiligo, the oral presentation will review all topical and systemic pharmacological therapies that fight the depigmentation of the skin and categorize their validity from a systematic review of the literature. Since treatment plans are limited in nature, all treatment methods will be mentioned and an attempt will be made to make a golden standard treatment process for these patients.

Keywords: vitiligo, phototherapy, immunosuppressive drugs, skin lightening preparations, combined modality therapy, arsenic sulphuratum flavum, homeopathy, allopathy, golden standard, Opzelura

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Authors: Gupta Renu, T. S. Roy

Abstract:

Introduction: For the prospect of successful replacement therapies in treatment of Diabetes mallitus it is necessary to know events occurring during normal human pancreas development. Literature of human pancreas development are few in number as well as mainly related to first trimester because of ethical and technical difficulties. So the study was conducted on 12 fetuses from 12 gestational weeks (GW) to 5 months of infant to know normal development of exocrine and endocrine part of human pancreas. Material and Methods: Human fetalpancreases were screened by haematoxyline and eosin staining and done electron microscopy for suitable specimens to know ultrastructural detail of fetal pancreas. Results:It was observed arborized tubules, the cells budding out from these tubules differentiated into primitive acini and islets in 12thGW. At 14 weeks scanty granules were observed in the endocrine cells which coincided with the capillary invasion of the islets. The ducts and acini were surrounded by well-organized connective tissue. The acinihad elongated cells, small amount of cytoplasm and large open face euchromatic nuclei with single nucleolus. The mature form of islets of Langerhans was observed close to the acini and duct in 20 GW fetus. Connective tissue around the duct was well organized.No significant developmental change was observed early postnatal, infant. Conclusion: The development of both component exocrine as well as endocrine part of human fetal pancreas was studied by light and electron microscopy. Observations suggested that the fetal pancreas contained mainly ducts, few acini, many centroacinar cells, and large undifferentiated tissue.

Keywords: gestational weeks (GW), acini, islets of Langerhans, ducts

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Authors: Mojtaba Mirmontazemi, Habibollah Dadgar

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Bone is the most common metastasis site in some advanced malignancies, such as prostate and breast cancer. Bone metastasis generally indicates fewer prognostic factors in these patients. Different radiological and molecular imaging modalities are used for detecting bone lesions. Molecular imaging including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, planar bone scintigraphy, single-photon emission tomography, and positron emission tomography as noninvasive visualization of the biological occurrences has the potential to exact examination, characterization, risk stratification and comprehension of human being diseases. Also, it is potent to straightly visualize targets, specify clearly cellular pathways and provide precision medicine for molecular targeted therapies. These advantages contribute implement personalized treatment for each patient. Currently, NaF PET/CT has significantly replaced standard bone scintigraphy for the detection of bone metastases. On one hand, 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT has gained high attention for accurate staging of primary prostate cancer and restaging after biochemical recurrence. On the other hand, FDG PET/CT is not commonly used in osseous metastases of prostate and breast cancer as well as its usage is limited to staging patients with aggressive primary tumors or localizing the site of disease. In this article, we examine current studies about FDG, NaF, and PSMA PET/CT images in bone metastases diagnostic utility and assess response to treatment in patients with breast and prostate cancer.

Keywords: skeletal metastases, fluorodeoxyglucose, sodium fluoride, molecular imaging, precision medicine, prostate cancer (68Ga-PSMA-11)

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Authors: Mohammad Jamal

Abstract:

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become one of the most chronic liver diseases, prevalent among people with morbid obesity. NAFLD does not develop clinically significant liver disease, however cirrhosis and liver cancer develop in subset and currently there are no approved therapies for the treatment of NAFLD. The study is aimed to understand the various key genes involved in the mechanism of NAFLD which can be valuable for developing diagnostic and predictive biomarkers based on their histologic stage of liver. The study was conducted on 16 male Sprague Dawley rats. The animals were divided in two groups: control group (n=8) fed on ad libitum normal chow and regular water and the cafeteria group (CAF)) (n=8) fed on high fatty/ carbohydrate diet. The animals received their respective diet from 4 weeks onwards from D.O.B until 25 weeks. Liver was extracted and RT² Profiler PCR Array was used to assess the NAFLD related genes. Histological evaluation was performed using H&E stain in liver tissue sections. Our PCR array results showed that genes involved in anti-inflammatory activity (Ifng, IL10), fatty acid uptake/oxidation (Fabp5), apoptosis (Fas), lipogenesis (Gck and Srebf1), Insulin signalling (Igfbp1) and metabolic pathway (pdk4) were upregulated in the liver of cafeteria fed obese rats. Bloated hepatocytes, displaced nucleus and higher lipid content were seen in the liver of cafeteria fed obese rats. Although Liver biopsies remain the gold standard in evaluating NAFLD, however an approach towards non-invasive markers could be used in understanding the physiology, therapeutic potential, and the targets to combat NAFLD.

Keywords: biomarkers, cafeteria diet, obesity, NAFLD

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Authors: Fahad Almehmadi, Abdullah Alrajhi, Bader K. Alaslab, Abdullah A. Al Qurashi, Hattan A. Hassani

Abstract:

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia/Cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C) is an uncommon, inheritable cardiac disorder characterized by the progressive substitution of cardiac myocytes by fibro-fatty tissues. This pathologic substitution predisposes patients to ventricular arrhythmias and right ventricular failure. The underlying genetic defect predominantly involves genes encoding for desmosome proteins, particularly plakophilin-2 (PKP2). These aberrations lead to impaired cell adhesion, heightening the susceptibility to fibrofatty scarring under conditions of mechanical stress. Primarily, ARVD/C affects the right ventricle, but it can also compromise the left ventricle, potentially leading to biventricular heart failure. Clinical presentations can vary, spanning from asymptomatic individuals to those experiencing palpitations, syncopal episodes, and, in severe instances, sudden cardiac death. The establishment of a diagnostic criterion specifically tailored for ARVD/C significantly aids in its accurate diagnosis. Nevertheless, the task of early diagnosis is complicated by the disease's frequently asymptomatic initial stages, and the overall rarity of ARVD/C cases reported globally. In some cases, as exemplified by the adult female patient in this report, the disease may advance to terminal stages, rendering therapies like Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) ablation ineffective. This case underlines the necessity for increased awareness and understanding of ARVD/C to aid in its early detection and management. Through such efforts, we aim to decrease morbidity and mortality associated with this challenging cardiac disorder.

Keywords: ARVD/C, cardiology, interventional cardiology, cardiac electrophysiology

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