Remote photobiomodulation: an emerging strategy for neuroprotection

<正>Photobiomodulation (PBM)-the irradiation of cells or tissues with low-intensity red to near-infrared light-is emerging as an effective means of enhancing cell and tissue resilience and repair. As reviewed elsewhere (Gordon et al., 2019), the intracellular effects of     

Umbilical artery reactivity and ultrastructural changes in pregnancy-induced hypertension and other complicated pregnancies

Abnormal pressor responses are known to occur in the maternal circulation in pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), but little is know of the response of the foetal circulation. The responsiveness of umbilical arteries in PIH can be studied after delivery, and this is a useful model to explore the pathophysiological mechanisms involved. In the present experiments, the in vitro response of umbilical artery rings to bradykinin and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was tested and ultrastructural changes investigated. Umbilical arteries from 48 cords were studied. Fifteen of the mothers had PIH, five had essential hypertension pre-dating the pregnancy and five had diabetes. Twenty-three women had pregnancies uncomplicated by hypertension or serious medical or obstetric problems and these served as controls. Umbilical arteries from the severe proteinuric PIH group were significantly more responsive to 5-HT as assessed by affinity constants (P less than 0.05). The responsiveness of arteries from all other groups did not differ from the normal cases. A probable mechanism for the findings is endothelial damage as a result of pre-eclamptic disease. This was substantiated by ultrastructural evidence.     

Inpatient management of piles: a surgical audit.

A retrospective study was performed on 160 patients admitted to the University Surgical Unit between July 1975 and November 1989 with haemorrhoidal disease. Patients' records were analysed with respect to predisposing factors, inpatient management, postoperative analgesia, hospital stay and post-management complications. One hundred and nineteen patients had haemorrhoidectomy (low ligation combined with an anal stretch). Of these, 1.6% developed urinary retention and 4.2% bled postoperatively but did not require surgical intervention. Ten patients were found to have tight anal canals post surgery and required outpatient anal dilatation. In no case was dilatation necessary for more than 3 months. Three patients required a therapeutic course of antibiotics. Of the 119 patients, 60 required narcotic analgesia for less than 24 hours. Hospital stay was 1-4 nights.     

Clinical characteristics of patients in studies of left ventricular dysfunction (SOLVD).

The Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD) trials were designed to evaluate the effects of enalapril on long-term mortality in patients with severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Patients with LV ejection fractions less than or equal to 0.35 and symptoms of congestive heart failure (CHF) were enrolled in the treatment trial, whereas those with no history of overt CHF and taking no treatment directed for LV dysfunction were enrolled in the prevention trial. The baseline clinical characteristics of SOLVD patients were compared to characterize differences between patients in these 2 separate but concurrent trials. From over 70,000 patients screened with LV dysfunction, 4,228 patients were enrolled in the prevention trial and 2,569 patients in the treatment trial. Ischemic heart disease was the primary cause of LV dysfunction in both prevention (83%) and treatment (71%) trial patients. Prior myocardial infarction was present in 80% of the prevention and 66% of the treatment trial patients (p less than 0.001). In the prevention trial, infarction was recent (less than or equal to 6 months) in 27% patients and remote (greater than 6 months) in 57% patients. Treatment trial patients had proportionately more women (20 vs 13%; p less than 0.001) and non-Caucasians (20 vs 14%; p less than 0.001), as well as the coexisting risk factors of hypertension (42 vs 37%; p less than 0.001) and diabetes (26 vs 15%; p less than 0.001) than did prevention trial patients. Clinical characteristics of patients in both trials were influenced by the gender and race of enrolled patients. Similarly, coronary artery bypass surgery was performed less often in women and non-Caucasians.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Inhibitory motor control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: event-related potentials in the stop-signal paradigm.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to investigate the inhibitory control of an ongoing motor response and to identify underlying neural deficiencies, manifested in event-related potentials, that cause poorer inhibitory performance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. METHODS: A stop-signal paradigm with a primary visual task and auditory stop signal was used to compare performance in 13 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 13 control children, while event-related potentials were recorded simultaneously. RESULTS: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder showed poorer inhibitory performance through a slower inhibitory process. Inhibitory processing of auditory stop signals was marked by a frontal N2 component that was reduced in the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder group relative to controls. A central positive component (P3) was associated with the success of inhibiting a response, but there were no group differences in its amplitude or latency. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the hypothesis of deficient inhibitory control in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Slower inhibitory processing appears to be due to a specific neural deficiency that manifests in the processing of the stop signal as attenuated negativity in the N2 latency range.     

The Physical Inactivity Matrix: Lessons from the classification of physical inactivity interventions

Physical inactivity (PI), a leading modifiable cause of disease and injury, is endemic in industrialised nations. Although considerable research has been undertaken in this field, we lack a system to synthesise the research literature to inform policy and identify research needs. The aims of this study were to (1) develop a system to classify physical inactivity intervention studies, (2) examine the distribution of PI interventions published in the peer-reviewed health literature using the system, and (3) consider implications for future research. We developed the Physical Inactivity Matrix (PIM), with 12 intervention points, created by the intersection of two dimensions: the intervention target (individual, physical environment and social/cultural environment) and the activity focus (transport, work/school, leisure and consumer). A formal search of the health research literature identified 529 eligible studies and each was classified into one of the 12 cells of the PIM. Most studies were categorised as: individual-leisure (68%), individual-work/school (12%) or social/cultural environment-leisure (13%). Only 4% targeted the physical environment. The findings of this initial application of the PIM support the call for greater investment in policies, interventions and research that focus on the relationship between the environment and PI, and transportation in particular. There would be merit in establishing the inter-rater reliability of the PIM and applying it to a wider variety of studies, including those published in the transportation and urban planning literatures. The PIM could be a useful tool for monitoring trends in research directions and funding levels over time and across countries.