Search Results (152)

Parturition is accepted as a painful situation. Few studies explore pain-specific behaviours during farrowing in sows. The objectives of this study were, first, to assess if behavioural pain indicators (BPIs) are affected by the farrowing moment, parity, and suckling events, and second, to determine the relationship between the Facial Action Units (FAUs) and BPIs during farrowing. Ten Danbred sows were recorded throughout farrowing and on day 19 post-farrowing. Continuous observations of five BPIs and five FAUs were obtained across the three moments studied: (i) at the expulsion of the piglets, (ii) the time interval between the delivery of each piglet, and (iii) 19 days after farrowing, used as a control. Primiparous sows had more BPIs but fewer postural changes than multiparous sows. The BPIs were more frequent during suckling events in the pre-weaning moment. All the FAUs and BPIs were rare or absent post-farrowing (p < 0.05), and almost all of them were more frequent during farrowing (especially at the moment of delivery). Back arching showed the highest correlation with all the FAUs, and tension above the eyes showed the highest correlation with four of the BPIs. The BPIs and FAUs indicate that sows experience more pain during farrowing than during the third week post-farrowing, and piglet expulsion is the most painful moment in farrowing. Full article

Background/Objectives: The joint presence of chronic pain (CP) and depression is frequent, exacerbating symptoms of both conditions. Although tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors are effective treatments, they are frequently not well tolerated, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are not useful for controlling CP. This study investigated vortioxetine’s effectiveness in relieving CP in patients with any degree of depression. Methods: Patient data with any degree of depression and with CP (Visual Analog Scale [VAS] score ≥ 4) were collected and analyzed. Included patients (n = 142) were initially treated with vortioxetine 10 mg/day for 3 months. Improvement of patients’ pain and condition was measured with the VAS, Patient Global Impression (PGI), and Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scales at 1 and 3 months. Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) was measured at baseline and 3 months. Additionally, at baseline and after 3 months of treatment, the Satisfaction with Medicines Questionnaire (SATMED-Q) and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were evaluated. Adverse Events (AEs) were recorded. Results: Patients showed significant improvement (p < 0.001) in VAS from baseline to 1 and 3 months (mean [SD]: 7.19 [0.62], 6.23 [0.80], and 5.41 [1.15], respectively). BPI and PHQ-9 scores also showed a significant decrease from baseline (mean [SD] of 6.05 [0.75] and 11.73 [4.89], respectively) to 3 months (5.11 [1.04] and 6.95 [2.52], respectively). Clinical improvement with the CGI and PGI scales were reported. According to the SATMED-Q, patients were satisfied with the treatment. Only a few mild EAs were recorded. Conclusions: Vortioxetine can improve both the severity and intensity of CP in patients with any degree of depression. Full article

Tomato bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum (G⁻), is one of the most devastating plant diseases. Developing effective resistance against this pathogen remains a major challenge in plant disease management. In this study, we constructed a fusion gene BPI-LY by combining the gene encoding the lipophilic functional domains of human bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) with the gene of human lysozyme (LY). The recombinant gene BPI-LY was heterologously expressed in yeast and tomato. Preliminary in vitro assays in yeast demonstrated that BPI enhances LY’s antibacterial activity against G⁻ bacteria. Furthermore, overexpression of BPI-LY in tomato delayed onset of the disease in the transgenic lines and lowered the degree of tissue damage and the number of bacteria present in the stems relative to those in the wild-type plant. Additionally, the expression levels of the SlSOD, SlPOD, SlPAL, SlPR5, SlPR10, and SlPR-NP24 genes were indirectly upregulated in the transgenic plants following R. solanacearum inoculation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that BPI-LY enhances the resistance of transgenic tomato against bacterial wilt caused by R. solanacearum. Full article

Background/Objectives: Accurate detection of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA), including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), remains challenging due to overlapping inflammatory parameters and the influence of immunosuppressive regimens. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using PubMed/MEDLINE (2010–2025). Search terms included “periprosthetic joint infection”, “inflammatory arthritis”, “rheumatoid arthritis”, “diagnosis”, “biomarkers”, “synovial fluid”, and “immunosuppression”. Eventually, 50 studies were included. Results: IA patients diagnosed with PJI are more frequently younger, female, and present with a higher burden of comorbidities and an increased rate of false-positive histological findings and culture-negative infections. Standard biomarkers, such as serum C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), as well as synovial fluid white blood cell count and polymorphonuclear leukocyte percentage, have a low to moderate value for diagnosing PJI in patients with IA. Optimal thresholds for these tests differ from those recommended by the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS). Alpha-defensin has demonstrated superior diagnostic performance among synovial fluid biomarkers included in MSIS criteria. Novel markers, such as serum bactericidal permeability-increasing protein (BPI) and neutrophil elastase-2 (ELA-2), as well as synovial C-reactive protein and calprotectin, along with molecular techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR), are showing increasing potential. Conclusions: Disease and treatment-related confounders hinder PJI diagnosis in IA. Adjusted thresholds and IA-specific approaches are needed. Further research should validate emerging biomarkers, among which BPI, ELA-2, and synovial CRP show the greatest diagnostic potential and guide perioperative immunosuppressive strategies. Full article

Background: Optimal coping with chronic pain (CP) has a positive impact on minimizing the barriers to patients’ quality of life. Mindfulness-based approaches have been shown to improve emotional regulation and coping strategies in CP management, promoting a greater acceptance of pain and reducing psychological distress. Given that personality traits may influence the adjustment to chronic pain, this study aimed to investigate whether specific personality dimensions, based on Cloninger’s model of temperament–character dimensions, affect the enrolment and the response to pain treatment in an innovative hybrid arts-based CBT-CP group intervention for patients with non-malignant CP. Methods: A pre-and-post assessment design was implemented in a non-randomized control trial. A total number of 100 outpatients at a University Pain Management Unit were allocated through self-selection in either an arts-based CBT-CP group intervention (N = 50) or a treatment-as-usual (TAU) control group (N = 50). All participants completed the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the Orbach and Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP), the Tolerance for Mental Pain Scale (TMPS), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI-140). The assessment took place at baseline and at the end of the intervention, after a 10-week period. The statistical analyses included a t-test for independent samples, Chi-square, and linear regression analyses. Results: At baseline, the arts-based CBT-CP intervention group had a higher score in the novelty seeking character dimension (M = 64.04; SD = 9.56), whereas the TAU group was found to have higher scores in self-directedness (M = 74.34; SD = 11.22) and self-transcendence (M = 51.42; SD = 6.61). The arts-based CBT-CP group reported a lower loss of control (M = 22.94; SD = 6.70) and higher belief in the ability to cope with pain (M = 21.10; SD = 3.76) after the intervention, compared to the control group. Self-transcendence was found to be a significant predictor of average pain as well as of patients’ belief in their ability to cope with pain. Conclusions: The current study provides practice-based evidence suggesting that an arts-based CBT-CP group intervention is a promising treatment for non-malignant CP. Personality dimensions affect patients’ enrolment and response to pain treatment. Furthermore, integrating mindfulness-based strategies within such interventions may further enhance treatment outcomes by fostering acceptance, improving coping mechanisms, and reducing the emotional burden associated with chronic pain. Full article

Dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) simplification is increasingly common, although some patients cannot take this drug due to intolerance or drug resistance. Boosted-protease inhibitors (bPI) might be an option in this scenario. Nevertheless, long-term outcomes have not been studied yet. A controlled cohort study comparing 5-year outcomes of ART simplification bPI-based regimens (without integrase strand transfer inhibitor—INSTI) versus ART maintenance was conducted in a Brazilian referral center. Viral suppression rates and mortality after 5 years were the primary outcomes of the study. Eighty individuals were included in each group; 47.5% were women, and the mean age was 56 years. The five-year survival rate was 88.8% in the simplified group and 87.5% in the maintenance arm (log-rank = 0.41). Viral suppression rate was 78.8% and 70.0%, respectively (p = 0.28). Individuals presented less renal function decline (−5 vs. −10 mL/min/1.73 m²; p < 0.05) in the simplified arm. No difference was observed in metabolic parameters. Based on our findings, ART simplification without INSTI has shown efficacy and safety comparable to maintenance of triple therapy even in the long term, and could be an option in these situations, which might be even more important in settings with limited options. Full article

Guyots are a special type of seamount with a flat top and are widely distributed in the global ocean. In this paper, a geomorphologic classification method for guyots based on multibeam bathymetry data is proposed. By studying typical guyots, namely, the Jiaxie Guyots, the Caiwei Guyots, and the DD Guyot in the Western Pacific Ocean, in this study, a multilevel classification system was established, integrating elevation, slope, and bathymetric position index (BPI). The method successfully classified seafloor geomorphology into nine types: summit platform, extremely steep slope, steep slope, gentle slope, very gentle slope, gully on the slope, seafloor plain, local crest, and local depression. Significant differences in the area distribution, depth characteristics, and slope extent of different geomorphologic units in the guyots were revealed by quantitative analysis. The flexibility and accuracy of the method were demonstrated through depth profile validation and method comparison validation. This classification system provides a new cognitive framework for defining the boundaries of seamounts, as well as for the study of the genesis mechanisms of the gullies on the slopes, local crests, and local depressions formed by volcanic activity and other actions. Full article

Scope: The rationale of the present study is to measure the impact of chemotherapy on the pain caused by the disease. Materials and Methods: The present study was based on the completion of two standardized questionnaires for the assessment of physical symptoms (Brief Pain Inventory—BPI—and the revised Edmonton Symptom Assessment System—ESASr) in three different moments. The research was conducted at the Oncology Institute “Prof. Dr. Ion Chiricuță” Cluj-Napoca between 2022 and 2023. Results: 24 patients were included in the study, and they received different cytostatic treatment regimens, adapted to the underlying pathology. We analyzed the distribution of all symptoms from the ESASr and the total score. In terms of the general situation, if we exclude pain, there is never a difference between Time 2 and 3. Furthermore, in all cases where there is a statistically significant effect, there is a difference between Time 1 and 3. We also analyzed the distribution of activities with which pain interacts in BPI. Regarding the general situation, three patterns of influence of pain on the examined parameters are found: for general activity, mood, ability to work, and sleep, there are significant differences between moments 1 and 2 and 1 and 3, without significant differences between moments 2 and 3. The second pattern identified refers to the lack of effect of pain on the ability to walk and on the relationship with other people. The peculiarity is represented by the influence on the enjoyment of life that was significantly improved only from Time 1 to 3. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated a considerable effect of cytostatic treatment on the management of cancer-related pain, as shown across different evaluations. Full article

A procedure for Bayesian nonparametric regression is described that automatically adjusts the degree of smoothing as the curvature of the underlying function changes. Relative to previous work adopting a similar approach that either employs a single global smoothing parameter or assumes that the smoothing process follows a random walk, the model considered here permits adaptive smoothing and imposes stationarity in the autoregressive smoothing process. An efficient Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) scheme for model estimation is fully described for this stationary case, and the performance of the method is illustrated in several generated data experiments. An application is also provided, analyzing the relationship between behavioral problems in students and academic achievement. Point estimates from the nonparametric methods suggest (a) expected achievement declines monotonically with a behavioral problems index (BPI) score and (b) the rate of decline is relatively flat at the left tail of the BPI distribution and then becomes sharply more negative. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is the most common form of EDS, characterized by joint hypermobility, skin findings, and joint pains or recurrent dislocations that may also be associated with other several extra-articular symptoms. A deficit in the affect regulation represents a risk element in the development of both physical and mental health, as well as in a greater pain perception. The present study aims at exploring the associations between linguistic characteristics associated with different autobiographical memories and affect regulation and pain measures in patients affected by hEDS. A further aim is to explore the possible differences in linguistic measures between different episodes. Methods: Twenty-five patients with hEDS diagnoses (mean age = 38.32; SD = 17.00; 23 female) in treatment at the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department of Umberto I Hospital in Rome completed a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), as well as an interview aimed at collecting memories regarding neutral, positive, and negative events and the medical condition. The transcriptions of the interviews were analyzed using a computerized linguistic measure of the referential process (RP). Results: A correlational analysis showed several significant associations among the linguistic measures, affect regulation, and perception of pain, applied to neutral, positive, and disease condition narratives. Only few significant associations emerged regarding the negative episode. Moreover, significant differences emerged between the neutral event compared with the positive, negative, and diagnosis episodes, especially with the latter. Conclusions: The present findings seem to confirm the association between affect regulation, pain, and linguistic measures, sustaining an elaborative process. Specifically, the experience of chronic pain associated with the discovery of the rare disease becomes a meaningful experience in one’s life condition and supports the ability to cope with the experience of chronicity. Full article

Background: This cross-sectional analytical study evaluates oral hygiene and periodontal status in patients with hypertension, given the established link between cardiovascular diseases and poor periodontal health. Methods: A total of 24 hypertensive patients (15 male; 9 female) and 30 healthy controls (19 male; 11 female) from Craiova, Romania, were assessed using Periodontal Probing Depth (PPD), the Plaque Index (PLQ), and the Bleeding on Probing Index (BPI). Results: The mean age was 62.2 years in the hypertensive group and 47.4 years in the control group. Oral hygiene was poorer in hypertensive patients (PLQ: 73% vs. 24.1% in controls), with higher PPD (5.2 mm vs. 3.7 mm) and BPI (82% vs. 23%). Among patients with dental implants, PLQ was 24% in hypertensive individuals vs. 15.6% in controls, PPD was 4.4 mm vs. 2.9 mm, and BPI was 44% vs. 15.5%. Conclusions: These findings indicate a higher risk of periodontal disease in hypertensive patients, though dental implants may decrease some adverse effects by improving oral hygiene and periodontal health in this population. In conclusion, our study highlights that patients with high blood pressure have a less favorable periodontal status compared to healthy controls. Full article

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a type of breast cancer characterized by high molecular heterogeneity. Owing to the lack of effective therapeutic strategies, patients with TNBC have a poor prognosis. Prunella vulgaris L. has the effects of reducing swelling, dissolving knots and treating breast carbuncles and mammary rocks. Modern pharmacological studies have reported that it can effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer. The main active antitumor components of Prunella vulgaris are triterpenoids (PVT); however, the role and potential mechanism of PVT in TNBC remain unexplored. Our study aimed to further explore the inhibitory effects of PVT on TNBC and the associated mechanism. The results showed that 19 compounds associated with PVT were identified, 9 of which were triterpenoids. The percentages of ursolic acid and oleanolic acid in PVT were 34.51% and 11.32%, respectively. Triterpenes of Prunella vulgaris significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells and promoted their apoptosis in a concentration-dependent manner. PVT could also effectively downregulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of Ptp1b, Pi3k, Akt and mtor and upregulate the mRNA and protein expression levels of Il-24 in MDA-MB-231 cells. In mice with tumors of TNBC, PVT significantly reduced tumor growth and the expression levels of PTP1B, CXCL12, CXCR4, PI3K, AKT, mTOR and other proteins in TNBC tumor tissue and upregulated the expression of IL-24. This study showed that PVT played an anti-TNBC role by regulating the PTP1B/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and the IL-24/CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling axis. Full article

Background: Hypermobility Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS) is a clinical condition characterized by hypermobility and tissue fragility and is associated with chronic pain. The present study aimed to investigate the associations between affect regulation, pain perception, and psychophysical dimensions as well as alexithymic characteristics in the pathological range. Methods: Twenty-five hEDS patients completed a socio-anamnestic questionnaire as well as the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), the 36-Item Short Form Survey (psychophysical health), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS), and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (affect regulation). Results: Correlational analysis showed several negative significant associations between the SF-36, DERS, and TAS-20. The BPI showed few significant associations with both affect regulation measures. Moreover, a relationship between psychological dimensions and the time since diagnosis emerged. A total of 28% of participants reported TAS-20 scores in the clinical range and 36% reported scores in the borderline area. Discussion: Patients with hEDS seem to show high alexithymia levels; pain seems to interfere with the practical aspects of daily life and may reduce an individual’s awareness of their emotional capabilities. The perception of heightened pain has a stronger impact on emotional resources when it interferes with affective life than when it interferes with practical life. Finally, delayed diagnoses of hEDS entail psychological consequences such as alexithymia. Conclusions: The present findings highlight the importance of promoting affect regulation capabilities through the implementation of psychological intervention programs for patients suffering from this medical condition. Full article

The performance of a conventional Ground-Source Refrigeration and Air Conditioning (GSRAC) system with a borehole heat exchanger (BHE) can be enhanced by addressing the soil thermal imbalance issue that affects these systems. This study proposes a novel concept for seasonal cold energy storage using a Thermal Diode Tank (TDT). The TDT consists of an insulated water tank fitted with an array of heat pipes. By integrating the TDT into a conventional GSRAC system, “cold” energy can be passively collected from ambient air during winter, injected into the BHE, and stored in the soil. The stored “cold” energy can then be retrieved in the summer, facilitating cross-seasonal cold energy storage (CS). Thus, a conventional GSRAC system can be transformed into a GSRAC system with cross-seasonal cold energy storage capability, i.e., GSRAC + CS system. The validated BHE model previously developed by the authors is used to predict the performance improvements achieved using the GSRAC + CS system. The results indicate that the Annual Net Cold Energy Storage Efficiency (ANESE) increased from 5.7% to 10.7% over a ten year period. The average Borehole Performance Improvement (BPI) due to the addition of cold storage capability is 11% over the same timeframe. This study also discusses the impacts of varying design and operational parameters on ANESE and BPI. The results demonstrate that GSRAC + CS systems not only mitigate the soil thermal imbalance issue faced by conventional GSRAC systems, but also require less BHE depth to achieve equivalent performance. Full article

Genomic selection (GS) has changed cattle breeding, but its use so far has been in selecting superior bulls for breeding. However, its farm-level impact, particularly on female selection, remains less explored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of implementing GS to identify superior cows and using artificial mating of those cows with sex-selected semen in a New Zealand Holstein-Friesian (HF) dairy herd (n = 1800 cows). Heifers (n = 2061) born over four consecutive years between 2021 and 2024 were genotyped and their genomic breeding values (GBVs) were estimated. These heifers were ranked based on the Balanced Performance Index (BPI; DataGene, Dairy Australia) Lower-performing cows producing less than 15 L/day (or 20 L/day for older cows) and those with severe mastitis were culled. Cows were mated with HF genetics based on production and udder breeding values, while lower-performing cows were mated to beef genetics. Milking adult cows were mated to bulls with similar BPI value. Annual genetic change was measured using Australian breeding values (ABVg) for milk fat production (FAT), protein production (PROT), fertility (FER), Mastitis Resistance (MAS), and BPI. The genetic merits of the heifers improved annually, with BPI increasing from 136 to 184 between 2021 and 2023, corresponding to a financial gain of NZD 17.53 per animal per year. The predicted BPI gain from 2023 to 2026 is expected to rise from 184 to 384, resulting in a financial gain of NZD 72.96 per animal per year. Using sex-selected semen on the top 50% of BPI-rated heifers in 2024 further accelerated genetic gain. Predicted BPI values for progeny born in 2025 and 2026 are 320 and 384, respectively. These findings revealed that the female GS, combined with sex-selected semen from genomically selected bulls, significantly accelerates genetic gain by improving the intensity and accuracy of selection. The approach achieves genetic progress equivalent to what traditionally would have required eight years of breeding without female GS, and has potential to improve dairy herd performance and profitability. Full article