Deep and Superficial Cervical Flexor Muscles Strength in Female Students with Forward Head Posture Compared to Normal Group Using Electromyography and Pressure Bio- Feedback Device

Abstract: Background & Aims: Forward head posture deformity is a disorder in head weight balance condition leading to some alterations in cervical muscles, strength. This research aimed to determine the strength of deep and superficial cervical flexor muscles in female students with forward head posture compared to the normal group. Methods: From the total of 724 female students in Shahid Bahonar University taking physical education I course, 60 students were enrolled into the two equal groups of with and without forward head posture. For selecting subjects, Posture screen test, New York test and lateral photography in stand position were used. Pressure Biofeedback device was applied to investigate the strength of cervical muscles during two craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) and combination test. To ensure proper performance of tests, Surface Electromyography was used. Results: The two groups showed significant difference in deep cervical muscles strengths (P=0.002), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in superficial flexor muscles strength (P=0.803). Conclusion: Since activation of superficial cervical flexor muscles leads to deep cervical flexor muscles inactivity, designing training programs involving just deep flexor muscles seems to be essential in individuals with forward head posture deformity. Keywords: Neck muscles, Forward head posture, Craniovertebral angle, Electromyography, Pressure Bio-feedback devic

A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Significance Communicating in ways that motivate engagement in social distancing remains a critical global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study tested motivational qualities of messages about social distancing (those that promoted choice and agency vs. those that were forceful and shaming) in 25,718 people in 89 countries. The autonomy-supportive message decreased feelings of defying social distancing recommendations relative to the controlling message, and the controlling message increased controlled motivation, a less effective form of motivation, relative to no message. Message type did not impact intentions to socially distance, but people’s existing motivations were related to intentions. Findings were generalizable across a geographically diverse sample and may inform public health communication strategies in this and future global health emergencies. Abstract Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

Body appreciation around the world: Measurement invariance of the Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age

The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) is a widely used measure of a core facet of the positive body image construct. However, extant research concerning measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across a large number of nations remains limited. Here, we utilised the Body Image in Nature (BINS) dataset - with data collected between 2020 and 2022 - to assess measurement invariance of the BAS-2 across 65 nations, 40 languages, gender identities, and age groups. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated that full scalar invariance was upheld across all nations, languages, gender identities, and age groups, suggesting that the unidimensional BAS-2 model has widespread applicability. There were large differences across nations and languages in latent body appreciation, while differences across gender identities and age groups were negligible-to-small. Additionally, greater body appreciation was significantly associated with higher life satisfaction, being single (versus being married or in a committed relationship), and greater rurality (versus urbanicity). Across a subset of nations where nation-level data were available, greater body appreciation was also significantly associated with greater cultural distance from the United States and greater relative income inequality. These findings suggest that the BAS-2 likely captures a near-universal conceptualisation of the body appreciation construct, which should facilitate further cross-cultural research

Effect of Preoperative Fasting on Hemodynamic Status of Elective Hysterectomy Patients with General Anesthesia

ABSTRACT: Introduction & Objective: Preoperative fasting for performing elective operations can lead to a metabolic state which is unfavorable for patients. The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of preoperative fasting on hemodynamic status of patients with elective operations by general anesthesia. Materials & Methods: This is a descriptive study performed in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, in Alzahra educational and therapeutic center on 60 ASA class I, and II patients candidate for elective hysterectomy in 1385. Simple sampling method was used for recruitment of patients and a questionnaire was used for data collection. Collected data were analyzed by student t-test, using SPSS software. Results: The average age of the patients was 475.69 years and their body weight was 567.56 kg. The average of fasting time (in hours) was 12.66 for operations performed in the morning and 16 for evening surgeries. Changes of hemodynamic parameters (including systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) during 5 to 10 minutes of induction were significant during induction of anesthesia in comparison to baseline levels (p<0.05). For signs of dehydration, 25 (41.66%) of patients had dry mucosa and 14 (23.33%) cases complained of being thirsty. Urinary output during the first 30 minutes of surgery reported to be less than 15 ml/hr in all cases. No significant changes in body temperature were observed in studied patients. Conclusion: Results of this study revealed that preoperative fasting before elective operations for prevention of aspiration must be considered in order to decrease its effect on hemodynamic status of patients especially during induction of general anesthesia

Comparison of feasibility of endotracheal intubation with and without succinylcholine in the elderly patients

Introduction: Orotracheal intubation is a common method for airway management in critical situations and for performing different surgeries in operating rooms under general anesthesia. Firstly, an ultra short- acting anesthetic is administered by intravenous (i.v), mask ventilation instituted and then the most common depolarizing muscle relaxant, succinylcholine, injected. Since succinylcholine and other muscle relaxants have some adverse effects, the current study was performed to present an alternative method for endotracheal intubation without muscle relaxants in some certain situations. Materials and Methods: The present study was a double-blinded clinical trial, which it is performed on 150 elderly patients in Nikocari Hospital, Tabriz. The patients were divided into two groups, study and control. The patients were elective and anesthesia technique was general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation. Patient selection was based on the physical status classification by American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). Therefore, the patients who categorized as class I and II of the ASA classification were selected. All the patients’ airway classification was class I with respect to Mallampati test. lidocaine 1-1.5mg/kg, midazolam 1mg, alfentanyl 30 μg/kg, and propofol 2mg/kg was administered for patients in the study group. Patients in the control group were received the following drugs: lidocaine 1-1.5mg/kg, midazolam 1mg, propofol 2mg/kg and succinylcholine 1-1.5 mg/kg. In the study, all the patients were intubated by an anesthesiologist who was not aware of the medications administered and airway classification. Data collection including the time of consciousness loss, jaw relaxation, quality of ventilation, vocal cards position, patients’ response to laryngoscopy, duration of laryngoscopy, was performed using a questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software. Results: 51.7% of patients were male and 48.3% were female. Average age of the patients was 61.19 ±12.06 year and their weight mean was 591.06Kg. Only 45% of the patients had a previous history of anesthesia and surgery, but none of them had an experience of difficult intubation. According to ASA classfication, 26.7% of the patients were in class І and 73.3% in class II. All patients had the capability of head extension and mouth opening more than 40mm. In the study group, loss of consciousness occurred in less than one minute and more than two minutes was respectively observed in 35% and 1.7% of the patients. No significant difference was detected between the study and the control group with respect to loss of consciousness. Jaw relaxation was very good in 86.7% of patients and ventilation was easy in 94.5% of patients in the study group. In the control group, jaw relaxation was excellent in 98.2% of patients and ventilation was easy about all patients. Vocal cords had an open and complete view in 91.2% of cases in the study group, while it was 94% in control group (p<0.05). In the study group, an easy laryngoscopy was reported in 85% of cases and the duration of laryngoscopy was 11±7.16 seconds, whilst, the duration of laryngoscopy was 10 ±6.08 seconds and easy laryngoscopy was observed in 90.17% of cases in the control group (p<0.05). Hemodynamic changes were sensible in both groups but SPO2 changes were not obvious. Only 17.9% of patients in the study group responded to intubation in form of feeble cough. No response was observed in the control group. Respectively, 96.8% and 98% of the patients in the study and control group did not experience any significant problem about respiratory system in postoperative period. Conclusion: Considering adverse effects of muscle relaxants used for airway management and necessity of performing endotracheal intubation without muscle relaxants by skilled and expert people, as well as given the study results , using this technique is recommend in patients with some certain criteria

Bilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis After Extubation

Vocal cord paralysis is an uncommon complication of endotracheal intubation after induction of general anesthesia. It may be due to the endotracheal tube cuff pressure on the recurrent nerves. Vocal cord edema occuring in the presence of a paralyzed cord may precipitate complete airway obstruction and can cause bilateral cord paralysis. Here, we describe post anesthetic bilateral vocal cord paralysis in an elderly female patient which diagnosed by direct larayngoscopy and successfully treated by tracheostomy in respiratory intensive care unit. The patient discharged after two weeks and achieved complete recovery one&#13; Key words: Vocal cord paralysis, Endotracheal intubatio

In COVID-19 health messaging, loss framing increases anxiety with little-to-no concomitant benefits: experimental evidence from 84 countries

The COVID-19 pandemic highlights a critical need to communicate health information effectively to the global public. Given that subtle differences in information framing can have meaningful effects on behavior, behavioral science research highlights a pressing question: Is it more effective to frame COVID-19 health messages in terms of potential losses (e.g., “If you do not practice these steps, you can endanger yourself and others”) or potential gains (e.g., “If you practice these steps, you can protect yourself and others”)? Collecting data in 48 languages from 15,929 participants in 84 countries, we experimentally tested the effects of message framing on COVID-19-related judgments, intentions, and feelings. Loss- (vs. gain-) framed messages increased self-reported anxiety among participants cross-nationally with little-to-no impact on policy attitudes, behavioral intentions, or information seeking relevant to pandemic risks. These results were consistent across 84 countries, three variations of the message framing wording, and 560 data processing and analytic choices. Thus, results provide an empirical answer to a global communication question and highlight the emotional toll of loss-framed messages. Critically, this work demonstrates the importance of considering unintended affective consequences when evaluating nudge-style interventions