Rodeo Athletes\u27 Perceptions on Head Injuries: Focusing on Concussions

Please enjoy Volume 6, Issue 1 of the JSMAHS. In this issue, you will find Professional, Graduate, and Undergraduate research abstracts, and case reports. Thank you for viewing this 6th Annual OATA Special Edition

Role of Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation Response in Pain Brain Regions after Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) affects approximately 3 million people annually, with 70-80% presenting with pain symptoms. Research has shown that increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and neuroinflammation play a role in both pain and TBI, but the roles and interaction of oxidative stress and inflammation in TBI-related pain remain unclear. The purpose of the current study is to establish molecular data supporting proposed alterations in ROS and neuroinflammation in a mouse model of TBI in pain-related brain regions and to quantify how levels of these mediators change over time. Once the time course is determined, it will allow for optimal use of various interventions such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory treatment. Male (n=54) and female (n=27) mice ages 7-14 weeks were exposed to moderate level TBI or sham control surgery. Microdissections from pain-related brain regions, such as anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray were taken at 24 hours (n= 26 males, 9 females), 7 days (n= 13 males, 9 females), and 14 days (n= 15 males, 9 females) post-TBI and used to quantify ROS and inflammatory cytokine levels using a cell-based fluorescence assay and an enzyme-linked absorbance assay, respectively. Data demonstrated complex patterns of ROS and cytokine activation that varied with region and time post-injury. These data will provide information leading to optimal intervention strategies to mitigate the increased oxidative stress and neuroinflammation post-TBI

The Top 50 Most Cited Articles on the Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (MPFL): A Bibliometric Analysis

Objectives: To determine which original articles on the topic of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) have been cited the most in the literature utilizing a bibliometric approach. Secondarily, to determine temporal trends between article types. Methods: Articles on the topic of the MPFL were identified by utilizing the Web of Science Database. The search yielded 1,596 results and the top 50 cited original articles were collected for further analysis. The following information was gathered for all included articles: title, first author\u27s name, journal name, year of publication, impact factor of the journal in 2021, total number of citations of the article, average citations per year (ACY), geographic origin, institutions, research theme, and keywords. Articles were then grouped into one of three categories: cadaveric/anatomic, clinical, and radiologic. Results: The total number of citations was 10,393. Publication dates ranged from 1992 to 2015 and majority of articles originated in the United States (38%). Most were published between the years 2000-2009 (66%) and in the journal, American Journal of Sports Medicine (34%). The mean ACY was 11.73 ± SD 5.86 and the Kawasaki Municipal Hospital was the institution with the most articles included in the top 50 (n=6, 12%). The top-cited articles focused on 3 themes: cadaveric/anatomic (n=18, 36%), clinical (n=25, 50%), and radiologic (n=7, 14%). Cadaveric/anatomic articles had the highest average number of citations at 271.4 ± 153.9, followed by radiologic (173.3 ± 53.0) and clinical articles (171.8 ± 102.4). The two most common keywords were “medial patellofemoral ligament” (53%) and “patella” (23%). Over time, clinical articles were more likely to be included in the top 50 list, compared to cadaveric/anatomic/radiologic articles. Conclusion: The current study showcased that the MPFL is a growing area of research. The most impactful articles relate to cadaveric/anatomic articles; however, over time, clinical articles became more prevalent

The Effects of Ambient Temperature and Lighting Intensity on Wheel-running Behavior in a Diurnal Rodent, the Nile Grass Rat (Arvicanthis niloticus)

Environmental conditions, such as the light-dark cycle and temperature, affect the display of circadian rhythmicity and locomotor activity patterns in mammals. Here, we tested the hypothesis that manipulating these environmental conditions would affect wheel-running activity patterns in a diurnal rodent, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus). Grass rats are diurnal in the field, however, a subset switch from a day-active pattern to a night-active pattern of activity after the introduction of a running wheel. The mechanism of this chronotype switch remains largely unknown. In the present study, grass rats were presented with running wheels in 12:12 light-dark conditions. First, subjects were exposed to 25 °C during the day and 21 °C at night, which resulted in 100% of grass rats expressing diurnal behavior. Subjects were then exposed to manipulations of elevated ambient temperature, which resulted in a significant reduction in wheel-running activity. Reducing ambient temperature below 21 °C, however, did not disrupt the expression of diurnality or overall activity. Next, lighting intensity was reduced, which resulted in a switch from a diurnal to a nocturnal chronotype in a subset of animals and reduced overall wheel-running activity. Upon return to baseline lighting intensity, patterns of diurnal activity were restored. Altogether, increases in ambient temperature and decreases in lighting intensity significantly reduced overall wheel-running activity. Importantly, dim light resulted in a temporal niche switch in a subset of grass rats, suggesting a critical role for lighting intensity on the expression of wheel-running activity patterns

Sun Protection Intervention for Urban Youth

Introduction: Skin cancer is less prevalent in persons with darker skin color compared to those with light skin, but contrarily is associated with greater mortality rates. Experts agree this is primarily due to late detection. Challenges in early detection include low public awareness, uncommon presentation, lower index of suspicion among health care providers, and decreased access to specialty care. To address some of these barriers, we designed a survey-based study to discover current beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes of urban youth towards sun protection before and after an educational intervention. Methods: In 2022, 17 children living in metro Detroit participated in an educational presentation regarding sun protection and completed pre- and post- surveys. Statistical significance was calculated via Chi-square tests. Results: After education, there was a significant increase in likelihood of sunscreen application before going outdoors (p \u3c 0.05). There was no significant difference after education regarding sunscreen beliefs (p = 0.463), sunscreen application frequency (p= 0.835), reapplication of sunscreen (p=1.074), daily sunscreen application (p=0.099), alternative sun protection (p=0.863), and likelihood of sharing about sun protection (p=0.227). Conclusions: This study was paired with a program that encouraged children to be active outside. The aim was to increase the likelihood of sunscreen application before going outdoors. In the pre-survey, more people said they would tell family and friends, but this was not reflected in the post survey. Future directions could include an interactive activity to share educational information and reinforce objectives

Epidemiological data from the COVID-19 outbreak, real-time case information

Abstract: Cases of a novel coronavirus were first reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and have since spread across the world. Epidemiological studies have indicated human-to-human transmission in China and elsewhere. To aid the analysis and tracking of the COVID-19 epidemic we collected and curated individual-level data from national, provincial, and municipal health reports, as well as additional information from online reports. All data are geo-coded and, where available, include symptoms, key dates (date of onset, admission, and confirmation), and travel history. The generation of detailed, real-time, and robust data for emerging disease outbreaks is important and can help to generate robust evidence that will support and inform public health decision making

Epidemiological data from the COVID-19 outbreak, real-time case information

Abstract: Cases of a novel coronavirus were first reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and have since spread across the world. Epidemiological studies have indicated human-to-human transmission in China and elsewhere. To aid the analysis and tracking of the COVID-19 epidemic we collected and curated individual-level data from national, provincial, and municipal health reports, as well as additional information from online reports. All data are geo-coded and, where available, include symptoms, key dates (date of onset, admission, and confirmation), and travel history. The generation of detailed, real-time, and robust data for emerging disease outbreaks is important and can help to generate robust evidence that will support and inform public health decision making

Epidemiological data from the COVID-19 outbreak, real-time case information

Abstract: Cases of a novel coronavirus were first reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019 and have since spread across the world. Epidemiological studies have indicated human-to-human transmission in China and elsewhere. To aid the analysis and tracking of the COVID-19 epidemic we collected and curated individual-level data from national, provincial, and municipal health reports, as well as additional information from online reports. All data are geo-coded and, where available, include symptoms, key dates (date of onset, admission, and confirmation), and travel history. The generation of detailed, real-time, and robust data for emerging disease outbreaks is important and can help to generate robust evidence that will support and inform public health decision making

A communal catalogue reveals Earth's multiscale microbial diversity

Our growing awareness of the microbial world's importance and diversity contrasts starkly with our limited understanding of its fundamental structure. Despite recent advances in DNA sequencing, a lack of standardized protocols and common analytical frameworks impedes comparisons among studies, hindering the development of global inferences about microbial life on Earth. Here we present a meta-analysis of microbial community samples collected by hundreds of researchers for the Earth Microbiome Project. Coordinated protocols and new analytical methods, particularly the use of exact sequences instead of clustered operational taxonomic units, enable bacterial and archaeal ribosomal RNA gene sequences to be followed across multiple studies and allow us to explore patterns of diversity at an unprecedented scale. The result is both a reference database giving global context to DNA sequence data and a framework for incorporating data from future studies, fostering increasingly complete characterization of Earth's microbial diversity.Peer reviewe