Search Results (10)

For young adults (YAs), a cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatments may result in physical changes that can negatively impact body image (BI) and health-related quality of life (HRQL). Physical activity (PA) is an evidence-based tool found to impact both BI and HRQL. However, most research has focused on the perspectives of older adults with breast or prostate cancer. No research has explored the experiences of PA, BI, and HRQL in YA males affected by cancer. A qualitative study was designed for YA males diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 20 and 39 years. Eligible participants were recruited through pre-existing exercise oncology studies, support organizations, and social media. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to understand participants’ experiences of PA, BI, and HRQL. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretive description. The participants were YA males (n = 7) with a mean age of 32.7 ± 4.0 years. Themes included a loss of identity due to cancer, building autonomy and identity using PA, and the “should” behind BI. PA for YA males living with and beyond cancer may support them in rebuilding their identity and BI. The development of exercise oncology resources for YA males may consider addressing BI through education or exercise prescription programs, with the goal of enhancing HRQL. Full article

Physical activity promotes metabolic health and prevents lifestyle-related diseases. Adiponectin is specifically produced by adipose tissue and comes in three forms, differing in terms of weight: trimers (LMW), hexamers (MMW), and high-molecular-weight (HMW) oligomers. The oligomers are associated with the beneficial effects of adiponectin. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of a single bout of exhaustive exercise on adiponectin expression in 25 male amateur athletes, divided into two groups, one comprising young adults (YAs) (n = 15), and the other comprising middle-aged adults (MAs) (n = 10). Body fat was estimated through skinfold thickness. Adiponectin levels were assessed at baseline and at 15 min and 24 h post-exercise, while HMW oligomer levels were evaluated at baseline and at 24 h post-exercise. We observed a significant increase in total adiponectin at both 15 min and 24 h after exercise, with there being a more evident effect among the YA subjects. HMW oligomers also increased significantly after exercise both in the total sample and among the YA subjects, but this was not the case in the MA subjects. The increase in adiponectin levels was significantly associated with Power_peak. Furthermore, a significant inverse correlation was found between basal adiponectin and VO_2peak and Power_peak. In conclusion, a single bout of exhaustive exercise can rapidly and significantly enhance the basal circulating adiponectin concentration, which seems to be negatively associated with maximal aerobic capacity. Full article

A cross-sectional baseline survey was conducted at Kibaha Town Council (KTC), Pwani Region (Tanzania), to assess the awareness and practices of smallholder dairy producers towards antimicrobial use (AMU), a major cause of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in livestock production systems. The aim was to improve consumers’ confidence in the consumption of milk and other dairy products. Quantitative data were collected from a total of 30 randomly selected respondents from a sampling frame of households keeping dairy cattle in 3 administrative wards of Tumbi, Picha ya Ndege, and Maili Moja. A structured questionnaire was administered through face-to-face conversations between the interviewer and the interviewees. Six other respondents participated in the Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) for qualitative data collection. The quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS, Version 16) and MS Office Excel 2010 for window packages. There were more male respondents (63.3%) than female respondents, whereas the level of education was primary for 46.7%, secondary for 33.3%, and tertiary level for the remaining 20%. About 76.6% of them were using antimicrobials to treat lactating dairy cows, mainly oxytetracycline (OTC 20%), penicillin, and Peni-Strep. Twice the number of males (53.3%) used antimicrobials compared to females (23.3%). Respondents with tertiary education rarely administered antimicrobials themselves. The common diseases being treated were diarrhea (46.7%), mastitis (43.3%), and respiratory diseases (36.7%). A proportion of milk from sick animals (those treated with antimicrobials) was fed to calves (33.3%), sold to milk collection centers (26.7%) where it goes through normal market channels, 26.7% fed to other animals while little is consumed by the family at home (6.7%). In conclusion, it should be noted that milk producers administer antimicrobials themselves even when the animals are being milked. This situation poses health challenges among milk consumers. We advise dairy producers to avoid unnecessary AMU. Full article

Pecan (Carya illinoensis) nuts are delicious and rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are beneficial for human health. Their yield is closely related to several factors, such as the ratio of female and male flowers. We sampled and paraffin-sectioned female and male flower buds for one year and determined the stages of initial flower bud differentiation, floral primordium formation, and pistil and stamen primordium formation. We then performed transcriptome sequencing on these stages. Our data analysis suggested that FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 play a role in flower bud differentiation. J3 was highly expressed in the early stage of female flower buds and may play a role in regulating flower bud differentiation and flowering time. Genes such as NF-YA1 and STM were expressed during male flower bud development. NF-YA1 belongs to the NF-Y transcription factor family and may initiate downstream events leading to floral transformation. STM promoted the transformation of leaf buds to flower buds. AP2 may have been involved in the establishment of floral meristem characteristics and the determination of floral organ characteristics. Our results lay a foundation for the control and subsequent regulation of female and male flower bud differentiation and yield improvement. Full article

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the outcomes of miniaturized nephrolithotomy (mini-perc) in the management of renal stones with a diameter smaller than 20 mm. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 102 patients who underwent mini-perc between March 2015 and March 2020 in our department. The primary objective was the stone-free rate, but we also analyzed the retreatment rate, complications, hospital stay, operative time and reduction in hemoglobin level. All these patients had this technique as their first-line treatment, in a prone position, using a 16 Fr sheath size. Data were compared to a series of patients from the literature, treated with conventional PCNL. Results: The patients had calculus limited to either a single calyx or just extending to the renal pelvis, and stone size was less than 20 mm in its maximal dimension. The intrarenal stone location was in the upper calyx in 7 cases, middle calyx in 20 cases and lower calyx in 46 cases, and there were 29 patients with renal pelvis stone. The male to female ratio was 1.5:1, and the median age was 48.4 years. The average stone size was 17.4 mm in diameter (ranging between 9 and 20 mm) and all cases underwent Ho-YaG laser lithotripsy, ballistic energy and combined ultrasonic and ballistic lithotripsy. At the end of the procedure, an antegrade double J stent was placed under fluoroscopy for a maximum of 2 weeks in 42 cases, while 9 cases needed a nephrostomy tube 12–14 F. A total of 51 cases were totally tubeless. Our median operative time was 61 min (ranging from 35 to 75 min). The median hospitalization stay was 3.8 days. The stone free rate was 90.1% after one procedure, only nine (8.8%) cases needed a “second look” flexible ureteroscopy, and the final stone-free rate was 98% (absence of detectable calculi on ultrasound, KUB or non-contrast CT scan). The overall complication rate was 6.86% (Clavien classification I—57.14%; II—28.5%; III—14.2%), while no Clavien IV or V complications were reported. No patient required a blood transfusion, and mean hemoglobin loss was 0.81 mg/dL. Overall, our results are better than similar data for conventional PCNL in the literature. Conclusions: The “mini-perc” technique is an effective procedure for the treatment of the renal lithiasis that is less or equal to 2 cm. The results demonstrated that this minimally invasive technique is associated with a higher stone-free rate and minimal complications. Full article

This study recorded the dietary intakes of young male ice hockey players (10–13 year (yr)) for 3 consecutive days while participating in a 5-day summer hockey camp. Players were categorized as older children (OC, n = 10; 10.7 ± 0.2 yr; 37.1 ± 1.5 kg; 147.9 ± 2.1 cm) and young adolescents (YA, n = 10; 12.9 ± 0.1 yr; 45.2 ± 1.5 kg; 157.0 ± 2.4 cm). Players consumed their usual daily intakes. Parents recorded food intake in the mornings and evenings, while the researchers recorded food intake at camp. Energy intake was higher in both groups when compared to data for age-matched young Canadian (CDN) males (OC, 2967 ± 211 vs. 2000 kcal/day; YA, 2773 ± 91 vs. 2250 kcal/day). Carbohydrate (CHO) (OC, 11.2 ± 0.8 vs. YO, 8.9 ± 0.5 g/kg body mass/day) and protein (OC, 3.2 ± 0.3; YO, 2.4 ± 0.1 g/kg/day) intakes were higher than reported for young CDN males (CHO, 3.6 and protein, 1.0 g/kg/day) and were within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR; CHO, 56 ± 2.3; 57.4 ± 0.8%; protein, 16.1 ± 1.0; 15.7 ± 0.7%). Fat intake was also within the AMDR in both groups (OC, 29.8 ± 1.6%; YA, 28.3 ± 1.0%). Micronutrient intake was adequate except for Vitamin D intakes that were below the recommended 15 ug/day at 6.3 ± 0.7 (OC) and 5.0 ± 1.5 ug/day (YA). In summary, energy and macronutrient intakes of the OC (10–11 yr) and YA (12–13 yr) players were high and well above the age matched CDN norms. The older children had higher energy intakes/kg body mass than the young adolescents. Higher energy intakes allowed for micronutrients intakes to be met in these young active males, except for vitamin D intake. Full article

This study investigated the role of social support in self-management within education/employment settings for young adults (YA) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) as well as barriers and facilitators to social support formation. Nineteen YA with ESRD (mean age 24 years, 10 males, 9 African American) recruited from a pediatric nephrology clinic in the Southeast United States completed in-person semi-structured interviews. The grounded theory was used to analyze transcribed interviews to identify emergent themes. Absences hindered participants’ school/work attendance and performance. Social support was necessary for illness management and success in academic/vocational settings. Facilitators to establishing support included self-awareness and view of disclosure as a way to access accommodations. Barriers included fear of judgment, job loss, and the belief that the condition was too personal to disclose. Educators and employers must acknowledge the needs of YA with ESRD to promote development and educational/vocational success. Fear of disclosure and poor disease self-management interferes with accessing social support. Communication skills and autonomy in patients’ medical and personal lives can promote success in education and employment settings. Full article

Spatiotemporal parameters of gait serve as an important biomarker to monitor gait impairments as well as to develop rehabilitation systems. In this work, we developed a computationally-efficient algorithm (SDI-Step) that uses segmented double integration to calculate step length and step time from wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) and assessed its ability to reliably and accurately measure spatiotemporal gait parameters. Two data sets that included simultaneous measurements from wearable sensors and from a laboratory-based system were used in the assessment. The first data set utilized IMU sensors and a GAITRite mat in our laboratory to monitor gait in fifteen participants: 9 young adults (YA₁) (5 females, 4 males, age 23.6 ± 1 years), and 6 people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) (3 females, 3 males, age 72.3 ± 6.6 years). The second data set, which was accessed from a publicly-available repository, utilized IMU sensors and an optoelectronic system to monitor gait in five young adults (YA₂) (2 females, 3 males, age 30.5 ± 3.5 years). In order to provide a complete representation of validity, we used multiple statistical analyses with overlapping metrics. Gait parameters such as step time and step length were calculated and the agreement between the two measurement systems for each gait parameter was assessed using Passing–Bablok (PB) regression analysis and calculation of the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC (2,1)) with 95% confidence intervals for a single measure, absolute-agreement, 2-way mixed-effects model. In addition, Bland–Altman (BA) plots were used to visually inspect the measurement agreement. The values of the PB regression slope were close to 1 and intercept close to 0 for both step time and step length measures. The results obtained using ICC (2,1) for step length showed a moderate to excellent agreement for YA (between 0.81 and 0.95) and excellent agreement for PD (between 0.93 and 0.98), while both YA and PD had an excellent agreement in step time ICCs (>0.9). Finally, examining the BA plots showed that the measurement difference was within the limits of agreement (LoA) with a 95% probability. Results from this preliminary study indicate that using the SDI-Step algorithm to process signals from wearable IMUs provides measurements that are in close agreement with widely-used laboratory-based systems and can be considered as a valid tool for measuring spatiotemporal gait parameters. Full article

Studies have indicated that natural environments have the potential to improve the relationship between a stressful life and psychological well-being and physical health. Forest therapy has recently received widespread attention as a novel solution for stress recovery and health promotion. Bamboo is an important forest type in many countries, especially in East and Southeast Asia and in African countries. Bamboo is widespread throughout southwestern China. Empirical field research on the physiological effects of bamboo forest therapy is currently lacking. To explore the benefits of bamboo forest therapy on the physiological responses of university students, 120 university volunteers between the ages of 19 and 24 participated in this study (60 males and 60 females) and were randomly divided into four groups of equal size (15 males and 15 females in each). Four sites were selected for the experiment, including two natural bamboo forests (YA and YB), a bamboo forest park (DJY), and an urban environment (CS). During the testing period, all participants were asked to view the landscape for 15 min in the morning and then walk in the testing area for 15 min in the afternoon. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured as the physiological indexes, and the semantic differential method (SDM) questionnaire was completed for the environmental satisfaction evaluation. The SDM for the subjective environmental evaluation differed significantly among the university students; they obtained a better environmental experience, in terms of sensory perception, atmosphere, climate, place, and space, in the bamboo forest sites. The three-day bamboo forest therapy session improved the physiological well-being of university students. First, the blood pressure and heart rate of the university students decreased, and the SpO2 increased, after the three-day viewing and walking activities of the three-day bamboo forest therapy session. The viewing activities had a more pronounced effect on decreased heart rate in university students. Additionally, three-day bamboo forest therapy had a positive impact on decreased systolic blood pressure and heart rate in the university students, and it was significantly decreased in females, while peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) remained relatively low. Finally, compared with the urban site (CS), the bamboo forest sites effectively improved the university students’ physiological state of health, decreased their physical pressure, and stabilized their physiological indicators. These findings provide scientific evidence that a three-day bamboo forest therapy session can increase positive physiological responses. The potential for a longer-term effect on human physiological health requires further investigation. Full article

Gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) is a disease of older adults and is dominated by KIT/PDGFR mutations. In children, GIST is rare, predominantly occurs in girls, has a stomach location and generally lacks KIT/PDGFR mutations. For young adults (YA), aged 18 to 40 years, the typical phenotypic and genotypic patterns are unknown. We therefore aimed to describe the clinical, pathological and molecular characteristics of GIST in in YA. YA GIST patients registered in the Dutch GIST Registry (DGR) were included, and data were compared to those of older adults (OA). From 1010 patients in the DGR, 52 patients were YA (54% male). Main tumour locations were stomach (46%) and small intestine (46%). GIST genetic profiles were mutations in KIT (69%), PDGFRA (6%), SDH deficient (8%), NF1 associated (4%), ETV6-NTRK3 gene fusion (2%) or wildtype (10%). Statistically significant differences were found between the OA and YA patients (localisation, syndromic and mutational status). YA presented more often than OA in an emergency setting (18% vs. 9%). The overall five-year survival rate was 85%. In conclusion, YA GISTs are not similar to typical adult GISTs and also differ from paediatric GISTs, as described in the literature. In this series, we found a relatively high percentage of small intestine GIST, emergency presentation, 25% non-KIT/PDGFRA mutations and a relatively good survival. Full article