Search Results (289)

Background/Objectives: Hair loss affects self-esteem, confidence, and psychological well-being. Exosomes, as molecular carriers of growth factors and active compounds, offer a promising treatment. This study evaluates the efficacy of an exosome formulation containing extracts from two known hair-regenerating plants, Ecklonia cava and Thuja orientalis (ECPE), for male pattern alopecia. Methods: A randomized controlled trial included 20 male participants with Norwood grade 2–3 androgenetic alopecia who were randomly assigned into two groups, placebo (0.9% sodium chloride) and ECPE, administered bi-weekly across four sessions. Evaluations included hair density measurements, adverse effect tracking, and self-assessments. Results: Most participants (55%) were aged 18 to 35, with 75% reporting hair loss for over a year and 80% noting scalp thinning. The hair counts showed no significant change in the placebo group from baseline to week 16 (Wilcoxon signed-rank test: V = 13.5, p = 0.163), while a significant increase was observed in the ECPE group (V = 0, p = 0.002). Between-group analysis revealed a significant difference in the hair count changes (Wilcoxon rank-sum test: W = 86.5, p = 0.006) with a large effect size (Cliff’s Delta: & = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.41–0.89), with the ECPE group showing higher median hair growth (9.5, IQR = 16.88) compared to the placebo group (1.5, IQR = 3.00). A Bayesian ANCOVA, adjusted for covariates (the father’s scalp hair condition, baseline hair count, and Norwood classification), showed no significant effect of these factors on the outcomes. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ECPE significantly improves hair regrowth compared to the placebo, with no notable adverse effects. Full article

Background/Objectives: Creatine monohydrate (CrM) is considered to be one of the most effective supplements for enhancing lean body mass during resistance training. However, CrM may influence body water content, potentially confounding lean body mass measurements. Therefore, this randomised controlled trial assessed the effect of CrM alone on lean body mass following a supplement wash-in, and when combined with a resistance training program. Methods: Sixty-three (34 females, 29 males, 31 ± 8 years) participants were randomised to supplement with CrM (5 g/day for 13 weeks: wash-in + 12-week resistance training) or serve as a control (received no creatine or placebo). Lean body mass was measured using dual X-ray absorptiometry at baseline, post 7-day wash-in, and post 12 weeks of resistance training. Both groups began the same training program post CrM wash-in. Results: After the 7-day wash-in, the supplement group gained 0.51 ± 1.79 kg more lean body mass than the control group (p = 0.03). Following the wash-in, both groups gained 2 kg after resistance training (p < 0.0001), with no between-group difference in lean body mass growth (p = 0.71). Sex-disaggregated analysis showed that the supplement group, only in females, gained 0.59 ± 1.61 kg more lean body mass than the controls (p = 0.04). There were no group differences in lean body mass growth following resistance training in females (p = 0.10) or males (p = 0.35). Conclusions: A 7-day CrM wash-in increased lean body mass, particularly in females. Thereafter, CrM did not enhance lean body mass growth when combined with resistance training, likely due to its short-term effects on lean body mass measurements. A maintenance dose of higher than 5 g/day may be necessary to augment lean body mass growth. Full article

This study aimed to identify the characteristics of community-dwelling older people who are difficult to reach by mail survey in anticipation of a future infectious disease crisis. A baseline survey of 1808 community-dwelling older people was conducted in May 2021, and a follow-up survey of 935 respondents was conducted in May 2023. Factors predictive of responding to the follow-up survey included age at baseline, sex, comorbidities, living with family, long-term care insurance, a history of falls, the Simple Frailty Index, and a Questionnaire on Changes in Lifestyle in the Past Month (QCL). Participants were divided into the responding (n = 330) and non-responding (n = 605) groups. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze items that showed significant differences in the between-group comparison: odds ratios (ORs) of 2.36, 1.84, 1.69, 1.57, and 1.20 for living alone, having comorbidities, having long-term care insurance, fatigue, and reduced ability to communicate, respectively. If social distancing is required in the future, we believe that face-to-face support should be prioritized for people who live alone, have comorbidities, use long-term care insurance, or are aware of fatigue and limited communication, as it is highly unlikely that they will be able to continue exchanging written information. Full article

Several Ephedra Herb-containing Kampo medicines are common initial treatments for various infections; however, the ephedrine alkaloids in Ephedra Herb can cause side effects by stimulating adrenergic receptors. Accordingly, an ephedrine alkaloids-free Ephedra Herb Extract (EFE) has been developed. This study aimed to evaluate whether EFE can be used effectively and safely in patients with mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We randomized patients with mild COVID-19 to receive EFE equivalent to 6 g of Ephedra Herb per day or a placebo for 14 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the non-aggravation rate up to Day 15. We allocated 41 and 40 patients to the EFE and placebo groups, respectively. All participants were included in the mITT and safety analysis populations [male ratio, mean age: 31.7%, 42.0 years (EFE); 17.5%, 43.2 years (placebo)]. The non-aggravation rate up to Day 15 for the primary endpoint was 100.0% and 94.6% in the EFE and placebo group, respectively, with no between-group difference. The number of days to the improvement in nausea symptoms was significantly shorter in the EFE group. One patient in the placebo group discontinued the trial due to a side effect. Although EFE demonstrated safety in patients with mild COVID-19, it did not show superior efficacy compared to placebo for symptoms other than nausea. Full article

Background: Depressive symptoms (DepS) are prevalent among patients with breast cancer. Offering an anti-inflammatory diet is a promising strategy for DepS management, but it is costly and difficult to scale up. Instead, anti-inflammatory dietary education is cost-effective and may be more conducive to the promotion of an anti-inflammatory diet strategy. Methods: A prospective, assessor-blinded, two-arm randomized controlled trial was designed to determine the effects of 12-week anti-inflammatory dietary education on DepS in breast cancer patients with depression. Adult female patients with depression and receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited. Participants in the intervention group received anti-inflammatory dietary education, while the control group received routine nursing care. Outcomes included the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) score, energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII), plasma inflammatory biomarkers, and quality of life (QoL), which were all assessed at baseline and after a 12-week follow-up. The robustness of the estimates was investigated through sensitivity analyses. A post hoc power analysis was conducted to establish the observed effect sizes for the primary outcomes. Results: A total of 88.6% (62/70) of the participants completed the entire 12-week follow-up. No statistically significant between-group differences were found in the baseline characteristics, including sociodemographic factors, disease-related characteristics, and lifestyle factors. After the intervention, both the CES-D score (p = 0.040) and E-DII (p < 0.001) in the intervention group were significantly lower than in the control group, while the QoL was significantly increased (p < 0.001). Compared with the baseline, the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p = 0.002) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.045) levels were significantly lower in the intervention group but not in the control group. Conclusions: Anti-inflammatory dietary education may improve DepS and QoL in breast cancer patients with depression and undergoing chemotherapy by regulating inflammation. Given its acceptability and practicality, this strategy may be incorporated into routine cancer care. Full article

Introduction. Obesity is a complex condition associated not only with physical health risks but also with social discrimination and a reduced quality of life (QoL). Psychological factors, including attachment styles, may play a role in emotional regulation and eating behaviors. According to attachment theory, insecure attachment is linked to difficulties in managing emotions and an increased likelihood of engaging in dysfunctional eating patterns. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between past and present attachment styles, binge-eating behaviors, and QoL scores in individuals with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) compared to those with a BMI in the normal weight range (18.5–24.9 kg/m²). Methods. A cross-sectional study evaluated 96 women with overweight/obesity and 96 women with normal weight. Psychological measures included the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Attachment Style Questionnaire (ASQ), the Binge Eating Scale (BES), and the Obesity-Related Well-being questionnaire (ORWELL 97). Data analysis included between-group comparisons of attachment dimensions and hierarchical regression to examine associations with the QoL score. Results. Participants with overweight/obesity showed less secure attachment (U = 5508, p = 0.019) and more avoidant attachment styles (U = 3825, p = 0.042) compared to participants with normal weight. Conversely, no significant differences were observed in PBI scores. Regression analysis revealed that attachment anxiety (B = 0.83, p = 0.009) and binge-eating behaviors (B = 0.57, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with a lower QoL. Conclusions. Obesity is associated with avoidant attachment in adulthood, but no differences were found in parental attachment when compared to individuals with normal body weight. Anxious attachment in individuals with obesity is strongly linked to reduced QoL, underlying the role played by attachment-related factors in the psychosocial challenges individuals often have to face. Full article

Daily activities require balance and control posture. A severe Acquired Brain Injury (sABI) disrupts movement organization, control and execution, affecting trunk control and balance. Trunk control therapy for difficult patients requires known and novel methods. This study analyzes how hunova^® robotic platform therapy affects sABI patients’ sitting balance and trunk control. Twenty-six sABI patients were randomized into the experimental group (HuG) that employed hunova^® for trunk control in addition to traditional therapy and the control group (CoG) that received only conventional rehabilitation. Clinical assessments were performed for trunk, balance, cognitive and motor performance, disability, autonomy, quality of life, and fatigue. Both static and dynamic sitting balance and trunk control were assessed with hunova^®. HuG and CoG were significant in intragroup analysis. Intergroup comparisons showed substantial differences in trunk control, affected side motor function, autonomy, quality of life, and fatigue. Only patients with HuG improved statistically in the instrumental assessment of trunk control and sitting balance. Between-group analysis showed that a statistically significant difference emerged in COP path and trunk movement. The study found effectiveness and adaptability of hunova^® for trunk control rehabilitation, showing improvement in static and dynamic trunk control, motor function, autonomy, quality of life and fatigue in sABI patients. Registration: NCT05280587. Full article

Background: Squat exercises are widely recognized for their ability to improve sports performance. Recent advancements in force/velocity profiling have highlighted the importance of power and velocity in explosive movements. While various training methods have been applied to enhance these parameters, their effectiveness remains inconsistent. Focal vibration has emerged as a potential intervention, yet its impact on squat performance has not been extensively explored. The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of focal vibration with voluntary contractions on power/velocity during a squat exercise in amateur athletes in comparison with voluntary contraction in isolation. Methods: A double-blind, randomized clinical trial with 72 amateur athletes. Velocity, power, muscle activity, perceived effort, and clinical change were measured. The experimental group received focal muscle vibration therapy (100–180 Hz) combined with voluntary contraction, while the sham group underwent identical procedures and focal muscle vibration without the vibrating head, close to the muscle belly but without touching the skin. Results: Statistically significant improvements in the experimental group were found for mean power (p < 0.001; ES = 0.08), peak velocity (p < 0.010; ES = 0.42), and mean velocity (p < 0.001; ES = 0.66) during the squat. Between-group analysis favored the experimental group in peak power (p < 0.049; ES = 0.65), mean power (p < 0.034; ES = 1.42), peak velocity (p < 0.024; ES = 0.095), and mean velocity (p < 0.002; ES = 1.67). Conclusions: Focal muscle vibration (100–180 Hz) combined with active muscle contraction significantly enhances power and velocity during squat exercises in amateur athletes. Full article

This study investigates the efficacy of a psycho-educational curriculum package in enhancing the practitioners’ competence to support high-performance athletes’ career transitions. This curriculum was integrated into academic modules at higher education institutions in Singapore (n = 18) and the UK (n = 14). Using online pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, along with open-ended questions, participant feedback on the curriculum was collected. Paired t-tests were used to assess the within-group differences pre- and post-intervention and two-way repeated-measures ANOVAs were conducted to examine the between-group differences pre- and post-intervention. The results revealed a significant difference between pre- and post-intervention scores for four factors and for both countries: Singapore and the UK. The curriculum enhanced participants’ confidence in working with athletes and helped identify areas for development. Three key themes were identified from the thematic content analysis of open-ended responses: (a) informative and insightful content, (b) interactive and engaging delivery (strengths), (c) overlapping content, and reading demands and time constraints (areas for improvement). By incorporating this feedback, supported by the results, the current study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by furnishing insights into an effective psycho-educational curriculum for helping the career transitions of high-performance athletes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual minority older adults (SMOAs) report greater subjective cognitive decline (SCD) than heterosexual older adults (HOAs). This study aimed to compare the impact of multiple psycho-social risk factors on objective and subjective cognitive decline in HOAs and SMOAs. Methods: Two samples of self-identified HOAs and SMOAs were selected from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Reliable change indices for episodic and semantic memory were created to assess cognitive decline. SCD was self-reported for memory and general cognition. Depressive symptoms, loneliness, marital status and socio-economic status were investigated as risk factors. Results: No between-group differences were found in cognitive decline. Higher depression was associated with greater SCD risk and worse semantic memory decline. The latter effect was stronger in SMOAs. The findings were largely replicated in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusions: Poor mental health may represent the strongest driver of cognitive decline in SMOAs and to a greater extent than in HOAs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Inadequate micronutrient intakes are common in individuals with overweight/obesityand can exacerbate cardiovascular and metabolic disease risk. Diet and exercise are primary strategies for managing overweight and may influence nutrient intakes. In this secondary analysis of dietary data collected in a randomized controlled trial (RCT, ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04019860), 15 June 2019) of time-restricted eating (TRE), high-intensity interval training (HIIT), a combination (TREHIIT), or a control group (CON), we investigated intervention effects on energy and nutrient intakes in women with overweight/obesity. Methods: We randomized 131 women (body mass index (BMI) ? 27 kg/m²) to 7 weeks of TRE (?10-h daily eating window with ad libitum energy intake), HIIT (3 sessions/week, performed at ?90% maximal heart rate), TREHIIT, or CON. Participants recorded all energy intake in an online food diary during a baseline week (week 0) and at the end of the study (week 6 and week 7). We investigated between-group differences in changes in mean energy, macronutrient, and micronutrient intakes. Results: TRE had reduced intakes of potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus compared with CON (p < 0.01). TREHIIT had non-significant reduced intakes of potassium, thiamine, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus (0.01< p < 0.05). HIIT alone did not negatively impact micronutrient intakes. TRE and TREHIIT induced suboptimal intakes for a greater number of micronutrients compared with HIIT and CON. Conclusions: A ?10-h TRE window might increase the risk of micronutrient inadequacy in women with overweight/obesity. Future research is needed to investigate the effects of integrating nutritional guidelines with TRE interventions to mitigate the risk of micronutrient inadequacy in individuals with overweight/obesity. Full article

The objective of this work is to propose the iteratively reweighted least squares concept to form a fiducial generalized pivotal quantity of the between-group variance component for the unbalanced variance components model. The fiducial generalized pivotal quantity is a subclass of the generalized pivotal quantity which is useful technique to deal with problem of nuisance parameters for finding interval estimator. This research provides the probability distribution and the properties of the statistics to lead the constructing of the confidence interval. The authors also prove the construction of the fiducial generalized pivotal quantity through iteratively reweighted least squares. The performance comparison for the new proposed method with other competing methods in the literature is studied through a simulation study. The results of the simulation study demonstrate that the proposed method is very satisfactory in terms of both the coverage probability and the average width of the confidence interval. Furthermore, the analysis of real data for patients of sickle cell disease also illustrates that the proposed method gives the smallest average width of the confidence interval. All these results confirm that the iteratively reweighted least squares fiducial generalized pivotal quantity confidence interval is recommended. Full article

As an important component of urban ecosystems, changes in microbial communities in urban wetland ecosystems have a profound impact on human beings. In this paper, we studied the changes in microbial communities in urban wetland ecosystems (three major interfaces: atmosphere, foliage and water) under the background of atmospheric pollution by high-throughput techniques. The α-diversity of microorganisms at each interface showed that the species richness of the sample communities did not differ significantly at different levels of contamination and it was all at a high level. And the β-diversity showed a significantly larger between-group gap than within-group gap between the samples. The functions predicted a higher metabolic function in water samples and atmospheric samples, and a higher function of microorganisms harmful to humans in the microbial community on the leaf surface. Further analysis of the correlation between atmospheric particulate matter and environmental microorganisms revealed that the atmospheric microbial communities that were strongly negatively correlated with TSP, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 were Actinobacteriota, Cyanobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota. Among the microbial communities on the leaf surface, only Bacteroidota was strongly positively correlated with total suspended particle (TSP), particles with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less (PM10), particles with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less (PM2.5) and particles with a diameter of 1 micrometers or less (PM1). As for the microbial communities in the water column, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Campilobacterota, and Deferribacteres were strongly and positively correlated with the different particle sizes. There was no significant correlation between the functions of the three interfacial microorganisms and the particle size of the atmospheric particles. This paper studies the structure and function of microbial communities within three interfaces at three pollution levels and explores the resulting changes with the aim of providing directions for monitoring urban wetland ecosystems and for species diversity conservation. Full article

The aims of this study were to assess the efficacy of the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale based on the number of repetitions in reserve (RIR) before exhaustion for the prescription of resistance training in cardiac rehabilitation and to compare it to the percentage of estimated one-repetition maximum (1RM) prescription method. Sixteen male patients (age 60 ± 8) with history of coronary artery disease were randomly assigned to two resistance training rehabilitation protocols lasting nine weeks and consisting of three sessions per week, with the same exercise selection, number of sets and repetitions, and rest periods, but different load prescription method (RPE vs. %1RM). Patients’ strength was evaluated pre- and post-intervention. Patients in the RPE group showed significant increases in strength across all the exercises of the protocol (leg press 24.25 ± 17.07 kg; chest press 7.25 ± 3.41 kg; seated row 13.88 ± 7.57 kg; leg extension 14.24 ± 4.53 kg; shoulder press 5.75 ± 4.06 kg; lat pulldown 7.50 ± 4.66 kg). Post-intervention between-group analysis showed no differences in strength gains (leg press p = 0.955; chest press p = 0.965; seated row p = 0.763; leg extension p = 0.565; shoulder press p = 0.868; lat pulldown p = 0.780) and trivial effect sizes (ES) for one prescription method over the other (leg press ES = −0.03; chest press ES = 0.00; seated row ES = 0.10; leg extension ES = −0.29; shoulder press ES = 0.18; lat pulldown ES = 0.05). RPE based on RIR seems to be an effective prescription method for resistance training in cardiac rehabilitation, showing similar efficacy to the standardized practice of percentage of 1RM. Full article

Dietary interventions during chemotherapy hold promise for clinical and supportive care outcomes. We systematically investigated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of nutritional counseling conducted during chemotherapy. Studies prospectively implemented nutrition counseling during chemotherapy. Articles were identified from three databases—EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS—from inception to 1 October 2024. Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of outcome data were extracted. Among 44 publications, 39 studies recruited 98 ± 80 participants (range 15–360); 38/39 (97%) were randomized controlled trials. One-third (31%) were among patients with breast cancer. Interventions were divided into individualized nutritional counseling (n = 21), nutrition counseling plus exercise (n = 13), and nutrient-specific dietary patterns (n = 10). Many had goals to achieve established nutrition guidelines. Feasibility was high based on attendance at counseling sessions, retention, and/or food log analysis. Overall, there were minimal adverse events related to the interventions. Many studies showed between-group differences favoring the intervention group for body weight (8/24, gain or loss, according to goals), nutritional status (8/9), quality of life (3/10 without and 6/9 with exercise), cancer-related fatigue (7/10), chemotherapy tolerance (6/11), and treatment responses (3/13). In conclusion, nutritional interventions were feasible and safe for patients undergoing chemotherapy and demonstrated preliminary efficacy to improve nutritional status, fatigue, chemotherapy tolerance, and other outcomes. Full article