Is wet cupping effective in decreasing persistent nonspecific low back pain in adults?

Objective: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not “Is wet cupping effective in decreasing persistent nonspecific low back pain in adults?” Study Design: Review of 3 RCTs published between 2009- current, all in the English language. Data Sources: Three RCTs analyzed the effectiveness of wet cupping on the reduction of persistent nonspecific low back pain (PNSLBP) compared to a control group using other various analgesic therapies. All studies were found on EBSCOhost and were selected based on relevance to the question and being a POEM. Outcomes measured: All of the articles analyzed the effectiveness of wet cupping in decreasing persistent nonspecific low back pain. The Present Pain Intensity Scale (PPI), Medication Quantification Scale (MQS), Oswestry Disability Questionnaire/Index (ODQ/ODI), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Statistical significance was measured using ANCOVA, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, independent t tests, and NNT. Results: All 3 studies showed a statistically significant decrease in low back pain post intervention on at least one measured outcome. Farhadi et al1 found a statistically significant change (p\u3c0.01) on all 3 scales at 3 months post intervention. Albedah et al3 also found that there was a statistically significant decrease in low back pain (p=0.0001) on all 3 scales at both primary end point and follow up. Kim et al2 showed that this decrease was not significant on the NRS scale, both at primary end point (p=0.37) and follow up (p=0.15), as well as the ODQ scale at both points of analysis (p\u3e0.05). There was a significant decrease in low back pain on the PPI scale at both primary end point and follow up (p\u3c0.01). Conclusion: The RCTs discussed in this review suggest that wet cupping may be an effective treatment for PNSLBP. The inconclusive results in Kim et al complicate the ability to confirm or rebut the hypothesis. Further studies are also warranted to implement a placebo effect, determine the number of sessions for maximum length of analgesia, as well as utilize wet cupping as an additional treatment to other forms of therapeutic modalities

Degradation of rural and urban great tit song: testing transmission efficiency

Acoustic signals play a fundamental role in avian territory defence and mate attraction. Several studies have now shown that spectral properties of bird song differ between urban and rural environments. Previously this has been attributed to competition for acoustic space as a result of low-frequency noise present in cities. However, the physical structure of urban areas may have a contributory effect. Here we investigate the sound degradation properties of woodland and city environments using both urban and rural great tit song. We show that although urban surroundings caused significantly less degradation to both songs, the transmission efficiency of rural song compared to urban song was significantly lower in the city. While differences between the two songs in woodland were generally minimal, some measures of the transmission efficiency of rural song were significantly lower than those of urban song, suggesting additional benefits to singing rural songs in this setting. In an attempt to create artificial urban song, we mimicked the increase in minimum frequency found several times previously in urban song. However, this did not replicate the same transmission properties as true urban song, suggesting changes in other song characteristics, such as temporal adjustments, are needed to further increase transmission of an avian signal in the city. We suggest that the structure of the acoustic environment, in addition to the background noise, plays an important role in signal adaptation

Towards a Practical Behavior Analytic Multitiered Consultation Model for Early Childhood Educators

Early childhood educators are in a critical position to support young children’s social-emotional, behavioral, and learning development, which can be accomplished through consistent use of evidence-based practices delivered in day-to-day interactions. However, early childhood educators may require support for implementing evidence-based practices. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel form of behavioral consultation for early childhood educators. Specifically, a behavior analytic multitiered consultation model in which implementation supports become increasingly more intensive is described. Rationale, implementation, evidence-base, and implications for practice and research are described. Finally, this paper concludes with an empirical case study to illustrate this model’s implementation. This paper is also meant to serve as a call-to-action for researchers and practitioners to replicate this consultation model

tert-Butyl 2-(4-chloro­benzo­yl)-2-methyl­propanoate

The title compound, C15H19ClO3, is bent with a dihedral angle of 72.02 (9)° between the mean planes of the benzene ring and a group encompassing the ester functionality (O=C—O—C). In the crystal, mol­ecules related by inversion symmetry are connected by weak C—H⋯O inter­actions into infinite chains. These inter­actions involve H atoms from a methyl group of the dimethyl residue and the O atoms of the ketone on one side of a mol­ecule; on the other side there are inter­actions between H atoms of the benzene ring and the carbonyl O atoms of the ester functionality. There are no directional inter­actions between the chains

First draft genome and transcriptome of \u3ci\u3eCercosporidium personatum\u3c/i\u3e, causal agent of late leaf spot disease of peanut

Objective Two main fungal leaf spot diseases occur in peanut, namely early leaf spot (ELS) and late leaf spot (LLS), these cause a yearly average of $44 million losses. Limited genetic information, 3534 bp of sequencing, exists about the causal agent of LLS, Cercosporidium personatum (syn. Nothopassalora personata, syn. Phaeoisariopsis personata). The extremely slow growth of this fungus, approximately 1 cm colony in 6 months, and challenges in nucleic acid extractions have hindered research on LLS. Our goal in this work is to provide a reference genome for research on this pathogen. Results Whole genome and transcriptome sequencing of the LLS fungus were obtained. A total of 233,542,110 reads of the genome were de novo assembled resulting in 1061 scaffolds, and estimated genome size 27,597,787 bp. RNA sequencing resulted in 11,848,198 reads that were de novo assembled into 13,343 contigs. Genome annotation resulted in 10,703 putative genes. BUSCO analysis of the genome and annotation resulted in 91.1% and 89.5% completeness, respectively. Phylogenetic dendrograms for 5442 bp and 4401 bp of RNA Polymerase II largest and second largest subunits, and for 5474 bp of the ribosomal RNA cistron of C. personatum are presented in relation to closely related fungi

Calcification of the Planktonic Foraminiferaglobigerinabulloidesand Carbonate Ion Concentration Resultsfrom the Santa Barbara Basin

Planktonic foraminiferal calcification intensity, reflected by shell wall thickness, has been hypothesized to covary with the carbonate chemistry of seawater. Here we use both sediment trap and box core samples from the Santa Barbara Basin to evaluate the relationship between the calcification intensity of the planktonic foraminifera species Globigerina bulloides, measured by area density (µg/µm2), and the carbonate ion concentration of seawater ([CO32−]). We also evaluate the influence of both temperature and nutrient concentration ([PO43−]) on foraminiferal calcification and growth. The presence of two G. bulloides morphospecies with systematically different calcification properties and offset stable isotopic compositions was identified within sampling populations using distinguishing morphometric characteristics. The calcification temperature and by extension calcification depth of the more abundant “normal” G. bulloides morphospecies was determined using δ18O temperature estimates. Calcification depths vary seasonally with upwelling and were used to select the appropriate [CO32−], temperature, and [PO43−] depth measurements for comparison with area density. Seasonal upwelling in the study region also results in collinearity between independent variables complicating a straightforward statistical analysis. To address this issue, we use additional statistical diagnostics and a down core record to disentangle the respective roles of each parameter on G. bulloides calcification. Our results indicate that [CO32−] is the primary variable controlling calcification intensity while temperature influences shell size. We report a modern calibration for the normal G. bulloides morphospecies that can be used in down core studies of well‐preserved sediments to estimate past [CO32−]

Eight Weeks of Kettlebell Swing Training Does Not Improve Sprint Performance in Recreationally Active Females

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(4): 437-444, 2016. The kettlebell swing (KBS), emphasizing cyclical, explosive hip extension in the horizontal plane, aligns with movement- and velocity-specificity of sprinting. The present study examined the effect of an eight-week KBS intervention on sprinting in recreationally-active females, in comparison to an eight-week intervention using the stiff-legged deadlift (SDL). Following a pre-testing session measuring 30 meter sprint and countermovement vertical jump performance, participants were divided evenly by sprint time into KBS (n=8) and SDL (n=10) cohorts. Following familiarization with the exercises, KBS met twice weekly to perform swings using the Tabata interval (20s work, 10s rest, 8 rounds), stressing a rapid, explosive tempo. In contrast, the SDL group performed their Tabata stiff-legged deadlifts at a conventional resistance training tempo (2 seconds concentric, 2 seconds eccentric). Following eight weeks and greater than 95% training adherence, the SDL group only had a slightly greater average training volume (~3%) than KBS. No significant differences in pre-test values, or changes were noted in sprint performance from pre- to post-intervention in either group. An improvement in vertical jump performance was noted across groups. Potential explanations for the lack of sprint improvement compared to previous studies include differences between recreationally-active and athletic females, and low exercise volume (~46% of a comparable study with improvements in vertical jump). Future studies should seek to determine the appropriate volume and intensity for KBS components of sprint programming

The case for altruism in institutional diagnostic testing

Amid COVID-19, many institutions deployed vast resources to test their members regularly for safe reopening. This self-focused approach, however, not only overlooks surrounding communities but also remains blind to community transmission that could breach the institution. To test the relative merits of a more altruistic strategy, we built an epidemiological model that assesses the differential impact on case counts when institutions instead allocate a proportion of their tests to members\u27 close contacts in the larger community. We found that testing outside the institution benefits the institution in all plausible circumstances, with the optimal proportion of tests to use externally landing at 45% under baseline model parameters. Our results were robust to local prevalence, secondary attack rate, testing capacity, and contact reporting level, yielding a range of optimal community testing proportions from 18 to 58%. The model performed best under the assumption that community contacts are known to the institution; however, it still demonstrated a significant benefit even without complete knowledge of the contact network

Waning efficacy in a long-term AAV-mediated gene therapy study in the murine model of Krabbe disease

Neonatal AAV9-gene therapy of the lysosomal enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC) significantly ameliorates central and peripheral neuropathology, prolongs survival, and largely normalizes motor deficits in Twitcher mice. Despite these therapeutic milestones, new observations identified the presence of multiple small focal demyelinating areas in the brain after 6-8 months. These lesions are in stark contrast to the diffuse, global demyelination that affects the brain of naive Twitcher mice. Late-onset lesions exhibited lysosomal alterations with reduced expression of GALC and increased psychosine levels. Furthermore, we found that lesions were closely associated with the extravasation of plasma fibrinogen and activation of the fibrinogen-BMP-SMAD-GFAP gliotic response. Extravasation of fibrinogen correlated with tight junction disruptions of the vasculature within the lesioned areas. The lesions were surrounded by normal appearing white matter. Our study shows that the dysregulation of therapeutic GALC was likely driven by the exhaustion of therapeutic AAV episomal DNA within the lesions, paralleling the presence of proliferating oligodendrocyte progenitors and glia. We believe that this is the first demonstration of diminishing expression in vivo from an AAV gene therapy vector with detrimental effects in the brain of a lysosomal storage disease animal model. The development of this phenotype linking localized loss of GALC activity with relapsing neuropathology in the adult brain of neonatally AAV-gene therapy-treated Twitcher mice identifies and alerts to possible late-onset reductions of AAV efficacy, with implications to other genetic leukodystrophies