Physical Activity, Anthropometric Measurements, Quality of Life and Menopausal Symptoms Among South-Indian Women

INTRODUCTION: Menopause is the period when the reproductive capacity ceases in women\u27s life. A wide range of symptoms occur as a consequence of estrogen decrease during menopause. Evidence suggests that physically active women have a better quality of life (QoL) and fewer menopausal symptoms. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between physical activity (PA), anthropometric measurements, QoL and menopausal symptoms. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted online through WhatsApp and Facebook and via email among menopausal women (April 2021 - June 2021). In total 168 responses were received; 153 responses were included in the study based on the inclusion criteria. Participants were asked to complete the details of anthropometric measurements, the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). RESULTS: The majority of menopausal women complained of one or more symptoms in the MRS. A statistically significant difference was noted between the body mass index (BMI) and the menopausal symptoms such as irritability and depressive mood. There was an association between PA and MENQOL physical and sexual domains ( CONCLUSIONS: There was an association between PA, menopausal symptoms, BMI and MENQOL physical and sexual domains. Hence, moderate PA promotion is recommended among middle aged women to have a healthy menopausal transition

Phytoconstituents profiling and antioxidant potential of Wrightia tinctoria R. Br.

In the Indian traditional system of medicine, Wrightia tinctoria R.Br. (Apocyanaceae) is recognized as a biologically effective therapeutic plant for the treatment of jaundice. It is a natural medicinal tree possessing antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, antinociceptive, antifungal, antibacterial, antipsoriatic, antiviral, anthelmintic, anticancerous, analgesic, antipyretic, and aphrodisiac activities. Methanolic extract of W. tinctoria plant was investigated with Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the antioxidant activity of W. tinctoria was analysed by most probable hydrogen peroxide scavenging (H2O2) activity, DPPH activity and Thiobarbutaric acid. The phytochemical in W. tinctoria leaf and bark have been assessed by GC-MS analysis. GC-MS analysis of W. tinctoria methanolic extract exposed the existence of the GC-MS chromatograms of 10 peaks in the leaf and 20 peaks in the bark. The FTIR spectroscopy analyses were identified by various functional compounds in the extracts with distinctive peak values. The FTIR analysis of methanolic leaf extracts of W. tinctoria confirmed the presence of alcohol, amine, alkane, carboxylic acid, sulfur compounds, halogen compounds and alkyne which showed major peaks. Also the methanolic bark extracts of W. tinctoria confirmed the presence of amines, phenol, alcohols, alkane, aldehydes, carboxylic acid, nitrogen compounds, sulfur compounds, and halogen compounds which also exhibited major peaks. Significant antioxidant activity is displayed by the plant part of leaf and bark sample. The results obtained in the determination of antioxidant activity of MEWT displayed considerable free radical scavenging capacity against DPPH which generated free radicals. This study includes the identification of phytochemicals and antioxidant potential of methanolic and aqueous extract of W. tinctoria which assist in therapeutic claims about this species in the traditional medicinal plant system

Physiotherapists' experiences of respiratory compromise in patients with Parkinson's disease: A qualitative study

Background/Aims: To explore the experiences and perceptions of physiotherapists involved in the care of people with Parkinson's disease and respiratory compromise. Methods: This exploratory qualitative study recruited four physiotherapists who participated in a focus group and completed reflective diaries over a 3-month period. Experiences were explored using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Findings: The study highlights three key themes: application of professional knowledge, application of clinical decision making and challenges to application of care. Conclusions: The results demonstrate sensitive awareness in caring for a dependent and vulnerable population whose key motor signs, compounded by ageing are perceived as influencing the presentation of respiratory compromise. There are descriptions of a reactive response to illness, alongside reflections on the challenges faced when asserting autonomy and recognising where the role of physiotherapy fits within the multidisciplinary team. Sputum clearance is perceived as being a key aspect of this role, although there is uncertainty with regard to the effectiveness and appropriateness of treatment options. Multiple perceived challenges to care provision are highlighted, with key concerns surrounding clinician and patient knowledge levels, maintenance of patient mobility, person-centred care and clarity in the direction of care

Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in drug naïve hot water epilepsy

AbstractPurposeThis study aimed to characterize the role of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in hot water epilepsy (HWE). Heart rate variability (HRV) has been established as a good index of cardio-autonomic regulation.MethodologyForty-five patients with HWE (age: 24.6±10.1 years; M:F=37:8) and 45 age and gender matched controls (age: 24.17±10.37 years; M:F=37:8) were studied. Five minutes resting lead II electrocardiogram (ECG) was obtained (AD instruments) under standard conditions and analyzed for time and frequency domain HRV parameters using LabChart software.ResultPatients with hot water epilepsy showed significant increase in LF nu (Low frequency normalized unit) and LF/HF denoting an interictal increase in sympathetic activity. In addition, reductions were noted in parasympathetic function [RMSSD (root mean square successive difference of RR intervals), HF (High frequency) nu and LF/HF].ConclusionThis study has demonstrated an impaired sympatho-vagal balance characterized by increased sympathetic activity and reduced parasympathetic activity in patients with HWE. The present study supports the notion that the hypothalamus is involved in both, the pathogenesis of HWE and autonomic regulation

Study of cardiac autonomic function in drug-naive, newly diagnosed epilepsy patients

Background: Epilepsy is associated with ictal autonomic dysfunction which may extend into the inter-ictal period. Antiepileptic drugs have often been blamed for cardiac autonomic dysfunction in epilepsy patients. In this study we have investigated cardiac autonomic parameters in order to evaluate autonomic functions of drug-naive epilepsy patients. METHOD: Twenty drug-naive patients (15 males and 5 females) with epilepsy, and an equal number of age and gender matched controls, were evaluated for short-term resting heart rate variability and conventional cardiovascular autonomic measurements. Results: The mean age of patients was 29.30 +/- 9.80 yrs (17-55 yrs), mean age at seizure onset was 19.70 +/- 9.15 yrs (3-40 yrs) and mean length of time since last seizure was 5.60 +/- 7.00 days (1-30 days). While there was no difference in the resting heart rate or conventional autonomic test parameters, time domain heart rate variability measurements showed a decreased percentage of R-R intervals of less than 50 ms and root mean square of R-R intervals in patients, when compared to controls. Frequency domain parameters showed a decreased total power (patients: 1,796.58 +/- 1,052.45 ms2; controls: 2,934.23 +/- 1,767.06 ms2, p = 0.008). Parameters indicative of decreased vagal tone, i.e. decreased high frequency power and increased low to high frequency ratio (patients: 1.69 +/- 0.94; controls: 1.14 +/- 0.64, p = 0.045), were observed among patients compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Subtle but definite cardiac autonomic dysfunction, especially in vagal tone, was identified in drug-naive, new-onset epilepsy patients. Seizures can cause long-term and often progressive cardiac autonomic dysfunction which may be independent of concomitant antiepileptic drugs

Enhanced dehydroepiandrosterone levels are positively correlated with N3 sleep stage in long-term mindfulness meditation practitioners

Objectives: Meditation practices positively influence the neural, hormonal and autonomic systems. We have demonstrated that long-term practice of mindfulness meditation increases N3 and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stages and bring efficient autonomic modulation during sleep. In the present study, the probable humoral correlation that could bring about these changes is evaluated. Material and Methods: Long-term Vipassana meditators (n=41) and controls (n=24) (males, 30-60 years of age) underwent a two-day consecutive whole night polysomnography recording. During the second day, with exposure to 100Lux brightness, blood was sampled from the antecubital vein between 8-9 PM and in subsequent early morning. Sleep stage was scored as per American Society of Sleep Medicine (ASSM) guidelines for the second-day recording. Sleep-related hormones were estimated - melatonin by radioimmunoassay; dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), cortisol, growth hormone (GH) and prolactin with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); DHEA/cortisol ratio was calculated. Percentage of sleep stages and hormonal levels were compared between both groups using independent ‘t’ test and Pearson’s correlation was estimated between sleep stages and hormonal levels. Results: Meditators showed increased N3, REM sleep stages. Though evening cortisol was comparable between the two groups; early morning cortisol, diurnal DHEA and melatonin were significantly higher in meditators. Diurnal DHEA correlated significantly with the N3 sleep stage in meditators. Discussion: Higher diurnal DHEA despite variations in corresponding cortisol in meditators demonstrates that long-term Vipassana meditation practice modulates the hypothalamicpituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and thereby influences sleep. Thus, the study provides evidence to explore the mechanism most likely involved with mindfulness meditation intervention in insomnia

Conditioned Medium Reconditions Hippocampal Neurons against Kainic Acid Induced Excitotoxicity: An In Vitro

Stem cell therapy is gaining attention as a promising treatment option for neurodegenerative diseases. The functional efficacy of grafted cells is a matter of debate and the recent consensus is that the cellular and functional recoveries might be due to “by-stander” effects of grafted cells. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of conditioned medium (CM) derived from human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells in a kainic acid (KA) induced hippocampal degeneration model system in in vitro condition. Hippocampal cell line was exposed to KA (200 µM) for 24 hrs (lesion group) whereas, in the treatment group, hippocampal cell line was exposed to KA in combination with HEK-CM (KA + HEK-CM). We observed that KA exposure to cells resulted in significant neuronal loss. Interestingly, HEK-CM cotreatment completely attenuated the excitotoxic effects of KA. In HEK-CM cotreatment group, the cell viability was ~85–95% as opposed to 47% in KA alone group. Further investigation demonstrated that treatment with HEK-CM stimulated the endogenous cell survival factors like brain derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) and antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2, revealing the possible mechanism of neuroprotection. Our results suggest that HEK-CM protects hippocampal neurons against excitotoxicity by stimulating the host’s endogenous cell survival mechanisms

Behavioral Interventions as an Adjunctive Treatment for Canine Epilepsy: A Missing Part of the Epilepsy Management Toolkit?

Epilepsy is a common, complex and often challenging neurological disorder to treat in the dog, with 20–30% of dogs resistant to conventional medical therapies, and associated with cognitive and behavioral comorbidities and early death. Behavioral interventions are an emerging area of focus in the adjunctive treatment of drug-resistant human epilepsy patients, with studies indicating positive effects of a variety of interventions including relaxation-based techniques and behavioral therapy interventions. Behavioral interventions have the potential not only to improve seizure control, but also improve behavioral comorbidities and general quality of life in this hard to treat patient group. Despite striking similarities between human and canine epilepsy patients, including the recognition of co-morbid anxiety in epilepsy patients, behavioral interventions have yet to be studied in dogs. This is compounded by several licensed psychopharmaceutical agents for dogs being contra-indicated in epilepsy patients. We present evidence from human studies of the efficacy of behavioral interventions to improve seizure control, psychiatric comorbidities and quality of life, and propose that adapting such interventions for canine patients may be a valuable addition to the epilepsy management toolkit. There is a need for multi-center, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trials to confirm the effects of behavioral interventions on seizure frequency in veterinary medicine. In the absence of such evidence to date, the use of established behavioral medicine techniques to reduce stress and improve the mental health of these often sensitive and challenging patients is advocated, with a greater role for behaviorists in the management of epilepsy patients alongside neurologists and general practitioners

Effects of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation in individuals aged 55 years or above: potential benefits of daily stimulation

Ageing is associated with attenuated autonomic function. Transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation (tVNS) improved autonomic function in healthy young participants. We therefore investigated the effects of a single session of tVNS (studies 1 and 2) and tVNS administered daily for two weeks (study 3) in volunteers aged ≥ 55 years. tVNS was performed using modified surface electrodes on the tragus and connected to a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) machine. Study 1: participants (n=14) received a single session of tVNS and sham. Study 2: all participants (n=51) underwent a single session of tVNS. Study 3: participants (n=29) received daily tVNS for two weeks. Heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity were derived. Quality of life (QoL), mood and sleep were assessed in study 3. tVNS promoted increases in measures of vagal tone and was associated with greater increases in baroreflex sensitivity than sham. Two weeks of daily tVNS improved measures of autonomic function, and some aspects of QoL, mood and sleep. Importantly, findings showed that improvements in measures of autonomic balance were more pronounced in participants with greater baseline sympathetic prevalence. This suggests it may be possible to identify individuals who are likely to encounter significant benefits from tVNS