Search Results (791)

Background: Isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise reduces blood pressure (BP) in both normotensive and hypertensive individuals. However, there are few studies specifically addressing its effects in hypertensive patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD). This research aimed to compare acute hemodynamic responses and post-exercise hypotension to single bouts of IHG handgrip performed at two different intensities in patients with IHD. Methods: Fifty-four sedentary patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) high-intensity isometric handgrip performed at 70% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) (IHG-70%); (2) low-intensity isometric handgrip performed at 30% of MVC (IHG-30%); (3) control group (no exercise). Heart rate and BP were measured, and transthoracic echocardiography was performed at baseline, during exercise (lasting 3 min), and after 15 min post-exercise. BP was also measured at 30, 45, and 60 min of recovery. Results: No significant changes in systolic BP occurred during the exercise phase between the three study groups. Systolic BP decreased significantly in IHG-70% compared to the control at 30 (−7.7 ± 1.9; p = 0.035) and 45 min (−8.1 ± 2.3; p = 0.021) post-exercise, while there were no significant differences between IHG-70% and IHG-30% at different time-points. There were no significant changes in diastolic BP between the two active groups and between IHG-70 and IHG-30 versus control at different time-points (repeated-measures ANOVA p = 0.257). Global work efficiency was unchanged in IHG-70% (−4%) and IHG-30% (+1%) compared to control (ANOVA p = 0.154). Conclusions: High-intensity and low-intensity isometric handgrip exercises did not cause hemodynamic impairment in IHD. High-intensity exercise was more effective than low-intensity in reducing post-exercise systolic BP. Full article

Agriculture and its allied activities contribute to the primary sector in India and act as the basis for the country’s economy. Available agricultural landholdings are scattered as multiple plots across the country. Land fragmentation has led to problems achieving economies of scale and economies of scope; lower productivity, efficiency, and modernization; loss of biodiversity; and little scope for mechanization and technology. FPOs are small clusters of farmers who collaborate to enhance their bargaining strength through collective procurement, processing, and marketing efforts. To enhance the performance of FPOs at the grassroots level, the engagement of cluster-based business organizations (CBBOs) is vital. Millet FPOs are similar to voluntary farmer groups that are involved in the cultivation and promotion of millets. IIMR-promoted millet FPOs were selected purposively for the present study as they are involved in millet cultivation and farming. A total of 450 millet farmers from 15 FPOs and 3 states were randomly chosen for this action research study. The present research identified 10 key factors and collected farmers’ opinions toward member participation in millet FPOs using interpretive structural modeling. The ISM approach provided a clear understanding of how the selected factors interconnect hierarchically with each other as foundational drivers and dependent outcomes. The results from the MICMAC analysis demonstrated that foundational interventions, such as post-harvest technology availability (V2) and knowledge transfer by KVKs (V5), directly support higher-level objectives. Intermediate factors like economies of scale (V1) and market and credit linkages (V3) transform these services into operational advantages, while the outcome factors of business planning (V8), FPO branding (V7), and bargaining power (V9) emerge as dependent variables. The model demonstrates that V2 catalyzes improvements across the production, market, and institutional domains, cascading through intermediate enablers (V1, V4, V5, V6) to strengthen outcomes (V3, V7, V8, V9, V10). This hierarchy demonstrates that investing in post-harvest technology and complementary extension services is critical for building resilient millet FPOs and enhancing member participation. Full article

Brucellosis remains an underreported zoonotic disease in Ecuador. Its control program in cattle integrates diagnostic testing, vaccination, and eradication incentives, although participation is largely voluntary. Since 2025, vaccination has become compulsory nationwide. Human surveillance remains largely passive, and strain-level data are very limited. This study applied an integrated approach, combining serology (Rose Bengal and SAT-EDTA), microbiological culture, and molecular diagnostics, to assess the presence and diversity of Brucella spp. in cattle and pigs from six slaughterhouses in the northern Andean highlands. A total of 2054 cattle and 1050 pigs from Carchi, Imbabura, and Pichincha were sampled. Among cattle, 133 (6.5%; 95% CI: 5.5–7.6) were seropositive, and viable B. abortus strains were isolated from 17 (12.8%). Genus identification was confirmed by IS711-PCR, while species- and biovar-level differentiation was achieved with AMOS-PCR; additional assays targeting the ery gene and RB51 marker were used to distinguish field from vaccine strains. Biotyping and molecular analysis revealed a predominance of B. abortus biovar 4 (13/17 isolates) over biovar 1, all confirmed as field strains. In pigs, 10 animals (0.95%) tested seropositive, but no isolates were recovered, highlighting limitations of serology in swine. Most livestock, including the positives, originated locally, reinforcing the representativeness of our findings. The successful isolation and molecular characterization of B. abortus demonstrates the value of combining diagnostic strategies beyond serology. These results underscore the utility of active surveillance when supported by traceability systems; this approach may also contribute to guide interventions to reduce infection risk in livestock and humans. Full article

Background: Urinary continence relies on a complex interplay between urine storage and voiding involving both spinal reflex circuits and supraspinal brain areas to coordinate volun-tary control over emptying. Despite a vast number of studies on the pathophysiology of neurogenic bladder and urge incontinence, less is known about the central correlates of bladder filling. Methods: An ALE (activation likelihood estimation) meta-analysis including a total count of 14 studies investigating 243 participants under different conditions of bladder filling during functional neuroimaging was performed to demonstrate the neuroanatomical correlates of bladder filling. The literature search and reporting were conducted according to the PRISMA-P 2020 guideline. Data analysis was performed using the GingerAle software version 3.0.2 and was displayed with the Mango software 4.1 on an anatomical MNI template. Results: Synthesizing studies on the functional neuroanatomy of urine storage, bihemispheric clusters of activation in the thalamus, the insula and the cingulate were observed. Conclusion: The present ALE meta-analysis indicates that the supraspinal representation of urine storage involves areas of autonomous–homeostatic processing which allow for the perception of the usually unconscious inner state of bladder filling and enable postponing and voluntary voiding. Full article

Background/Objectives: To characterize functional brain activation during smiling and to assess cognitive profiles in patients with Ochoa (Urofacial) syndrome (UFS). Materials and Methods: In a block-design fMRI paradigm, participants alternated between imitating a smiling emoji and viewing a fixation cross. Images were preprocessed and analyzed in SPM12; Smile > Rest contrasts were tested with a voxelwise threshold of p < 0.001 (uncorrected). Cognitive levels were assessed using age-appropriate Wechsler scales administered by certified psychologists. Results: Six patients (mean age 20 years; 50% female) with genetically/clinically confirmed UFS were included. Smile > Rest elicited robust activation in the supplementary motor area (highest Z = 4.70), insula (largest cluster), dorsal anterior cingulate, primary motor cortex, and frontal eye fields, among others. Five patients completed cognitive testing; Full-Scale IQ ranged 50–74, consistent with mild intellectual disability to borderline intellectual functioning. Conclusions: During voluntary smiling, UFS patients exhibit activation patterns that overlap extensively with those reported in healthy cohorts. Nevertheless, cognitive performance was limited in this sample. Given the rarity of UFS and the small cohort, findings should be interpreted cautiously and validated in multicenter studies. Full article

Environmental enrichment, such as lighting, has affected the behaviors, welfare, and production of commercial broiler chickens. However, most studies have focused on constant light intensities to determine their effect on welfare and performance. Research indicates that the significant contrast of light intensities in broiler houses promotes pronounced daily patterns of behavior and activity, impacting broiler chicken health. Birds exhibited preference behaviors in bright-intensity light during active behaviors, such as eating and drinking, but in darker areas when resting. Light intensity preferences may be associated with the voluntary instinctive movement of birds by providing choices for birds. Increasing broiler chickens’ movement may boost welfare, especially leg health, which is a leading cause of culling and late mortality in commercial production. In this review, we discuss the progress and results of practical environmental enrichments, enrichment lighting, and huts in commercial broiler houses. We briefly address interpretations of improved welfare and performance and suggest directions for future research that may interest poultry scientists. Full article

Background: Chronic wrist pain is becoming increasingly recognized among athletes engaging in wrist-loading activities such as handstands. However, its prevalence and associated risk factors in handstand practitioners have not been systematically studied. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of chronic wrist pain and to explore associated factors such as discipline, training habits, and pain management strategies. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of chronic wrist pain among handstand practitioners. Eligible participants were individuals aged 18 years or older, of any gender, who practiced handstands regularly (defined as at least once per week). Participants were recruited via a combination of open invitations on social media (Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram) and direct outreach to movement studios and training communities. The survey was administered online using Google Forms and remained open for two months. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Descriptive statistics were used to present sociodemographic characteristics, including age group, gender, sport discipline, and weekly training hours. Participants reported training habits, equipment use, pain history, and management strategies via a self-developed questionnaire designed for this study. Chronic pain was defined as recurring or persistent wrist pain. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses. Associations between chronic wrist pain and survey variables were analyzed using Chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests for nominal data, and Chi-square test for trend for ordinal data. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 321 participants were included in the study. The most represented age group was 25–34 years, comprising 123 (38.3%) of the participants. Gender distribution was 174 (54.2%) males and 147 (45.8%) females. The most common sport disciplines were Yoga (88, 27.4%), Capoeira (60, 18.7%), and Movement (52, 16.2%). Chronic wrist pain was reported by 182 (56.7%) of participants. Younger age was significantly associated with higher pain prevalence (p = 0.042). No significant associations were observed between chronic pain and weekly training hours, warm-up routines, brace use, or grip device use. Female participants demonstrated more proactive pain management behaviors (p = 0.016). Sport discipline and training practices showed non-significant trends toward pain differences. Conclusions: Chronic wrist pain is common among handstand practitioners, particularly among younger athletes. These findings suggest that injury risk may relate more to training intensity and biomechanics than to simple training volume. Further research incorporating objective diagnostics and standardized intervention protocols is warranted. Full article

How to continuously motivate college students to participate in voluntary activities has always been one of the burning issues in the field of educational psychology research. Based on the activation theory, this study constructed and tested a moderated mediation model to explore how to improve college students’ volunteer service motivation and behavior from the perspective of agreeableness traits and examined the moderating role of social support. By collecting three-wave time lagged data from 408 Chinese college students (59.6% female, age 18–22, means = 19.8, SD = 1.2), SPSS and Amos software were used to test the research hypotheses and the whole model. The results show that agreeableness traits of college students have a significant positive influence on their volunteer service motivation and behaviors. Volunteer service motivation mediates the positive influence of agreeableness traits on volunteer service behaviors. The social support perceived by college students positively moderates the impact of agreeableness traits on their volunteer service motivation and then promotes their volunteer service behaviors. These findings not only enrich the research literature on college students’ personality traits, volunteer service, and social support, but also provide some suggestions on how to motivate college students to participate in volunteer service from the three aspects of personality, motivation, and social support. Full article

Bethanechol chloride, a nonselective muscarinic agonist, is the most frequently employed drug in dogs and cats to induce detrusor smooth muscle contraction under conditions characterized by poor or absent bladder emptying. Although this drug has minimal or absent nicotinic activity, at higher doses, weak stimulation of neuronal nicotinic receptors may occur, causing the release of noradrenaline, which induces contraction of the urethral smooth muscle by activating α-adrenergic receptors. In the presence of total or partial suprasacral lesions, the elaboration and initiation phase of the urination process is absent due to an interruption of afferent signals from the bladder to the brainstem. In such cases, hypertonicity of the urethral sphincters is expected, and bethanechol is contraindicated. Bethanechol is also not indicated for reflex dyssynergia. In the presence of complete injuries involving the sacral segments, cauda equina, or pelvic nerve, both reflex and voluntary micturition are abolished, and bethanechol is usually ineffective. However, in cases of partial injuries, bethanechol is likely to be effective, as partial integrity of the micturition reflex is required to produce sustained bladder contraction. Bethanechol may benefit patients with myopathic decompensated bladder, although its effectiveness depends on the severity of detrusor damage. Full article

In recent years, in response to the demand for the livestock industry to enhance cattle production performance, scholarly inquiries have centered on elucidating the underlying mechanisms by which feed additives modulate rumen microenvironment and metabolic efficacy, thereby facilitating nutrient absorption and augmenting production performance in cattle. This study was undertaken to evaluate the impacts of surfactant polyacrylamide (PAM) supplementation on digestive processes, metabolic dynamics, and ruminal digestive enzyme activities in cattle. Four ruminally cannulated crossbred cows (~3 years, 350 kg, non-pregnant/lactating) were utilized in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The animals were fed a basal diet supplemented with polyacrylamide (PAM) at concentrations of 0, 1.0, 2.0, and 6.0 g/kg across four 22-day experimental periods, each consisting of a 16-day adaptation phase and a 6-day sampling phase. Supplementation with polyacrylamide (PAM) at levels ranging from 1.0 to 6.0 g/kg of diet significantly increased voluntary dry matter intake (VFI) in cattle by a maximum of 13.7% (p < 0.05), with peak effects at 2.0 g/kg. The digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, cellulose, and energy was significantly improved (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01), reaching maximum increases by 12.6%, 12.8%, 17.5%, and 11.7%, respectively. Nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus retention increased substantially (p < 0.01 to p < 0.05), with calcium retention showing the highest improvement (55.7%). Rumen cellulase activities (endocellulase, exocellulase, cellobiase, and xylanase) were significantly enhanced (p < 0.01), peaking at 37.3% for cellobiase. However, pectase, amylase, and protease activities remained unaffected. Optimal benefits were observed at 2.0 g/kg PAM, highlighting its potential to improve feed efficiency and nutrient utilization in cattle. Full article

Objectives: The lat pulldown machine is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment for back strengthening, allowing variations in grip and load. However, there are significant gaps in the literature regarding the relationship between exercise modality and specific muscle activation. Methods: This study examined the electromyographic (EMG) activity of major back muscles during seven lat pulldown exercise variants that differed in grip type, width, and trunk inclination. Forty male subjects, with at least 5 years of resistance training experience, performed five repetitions of lat pulldown exercise using 70% of their repetition maximum. Prior to the surface EMG analysis, maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) tests were performed for each muscle group analysed, specifically the latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoid, brachial biceps, middle and lower trapezium, and infraspinatus. The normalised root mean square of the EMG (NrmsEMG) activity for each muscle was recorded during full, concentric, and eccentric movements. Results: Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) showed no significant difference in the NrmsEMG muscle activation across the different lat pulldown exercise variations (all p > 0.05). A significant difference was found in the posterior deltoid where the wide-pronated grip with a 30° trunk inclination showed greater EMG activation compared to the wide pronated grip (p = 0.011) and wide neutral grip (p = 0.017). Conclusions: These findings suggest that grip variations may not significantly alter latissimus dorsi recruitment, challenging the assumption that grip effectiveness targets this muscle. The results highlight the need for individualised approaches to exercise selection, given the variability in muscle activation patterns observed. Full article

Voluntary Isocapnic Hyperpnea (VIH), a respiratory muscle training method, is assumed to stabilize blood CO₂ levels during increased ventilation, potentially supporting cellular homeostasis. The study aimed to empirically validate the concept and determine whether VIH effectively preserves key blood gas indices across different ambient oxygen levels in various populations. Two cross-sectional experiments (longitudinal in normoxia in highly trained athletes, n = 9 and single session in severe hypoxia of 4200 m above sea level in healthy and active participants, n = 18) were performed. Paired Bayesian t-tests and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to compare values of hydrogen ion concentration (pH), bicarbonate ion (HCO₃⁻), partial pressure of oxygen (pO₂), and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO₂) before and after VIH sessions. Except for pO₂ (BF₁₀ = 1.596 to 7.986), there were no meaningful differences in the analyzed variables before and after VIH in normoxia (BF₁₀ = 0.322 to 0.490). These findings remained consistent for different familiarization and training statuses of participants, as well as sessions’ length and intensity. The likelihood of differences in pH, pO₂, and pCO₂ in hypoxia was supported by BF₁₀ values between 1.349 and 6.304. No between-sex differences were observed. Our observations highlight the physiological robustness of VIH in maintaining blood gas and pH equilibrium in normoxia, with potential implications for supporting cellular acid–base homeostasis and mitochondrial function. In severe hypoxia, VIH was associated with changes in multiple analyzed variables, suggesting the need for caution, along with increased requirements for protocol individualization and monitoring. Full article

Among workers performing hand-intensive tasks, musculoskeletal disorders in the upper extremities are more frequent in women than in men. However, risk assessments are generally not sex-specific, and it is not known whether exposures in regular work differ between females and males. The aim of this study was to compare measured wrist joint velocity and muscle activity between men and women performing identical tasks. Participants (28 female–male pairs) performed one of eighteen hand-intensive on-site tasks. Wrist velocity was measured using inertial units. Forearm muscle activity was measured via surface electromyography and normalized to maximal voluntary electrical activation (MVE). The 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles and time in muscle recovery (< 0.5 %MVE) were computed. Between-sex differences were tested using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Wrist angular velocities did not significantly differ between sexes in any percentile (all p > 0.374). The muscle activity was significantly higher in female workers (p < 0.001–0.004), ranging from 1.3 to 2.8 times higher, and they spent less time in muscle recovery (p < 0.001). In hand-intensive tasks involving women and men, risk assessments should prioritize assessments of women to ensure protection against work-related musculoskeletal disorders for all workers. Full article

Anorexia and hyporexia are common clinical signs in dogs with acute or chronic illnesses, often requiring targeted nutritional interventions. Mirtazapine, an orexigenic drug widely used in cats, has limited evidence supporting its use in dogs. This study evaluated mirtazapine’s efficacy as an appetite stimulant in dogs using a two-part approach: (1) a retrospective analysis of 107 clinical cases comparing dogs that received mirtazapine to untreated controls; and (2) a prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover trial involving 25 dogs. In the retrospective analysis, dogs treated with mirtazapine were significantly more likely to resume voluntary food intake (OR = 3.06) and had less weight loss compared to controls. In the prospective trial, mirtazapine significantly increased food acceptance on the first day (100% vs. 63.6%, p = 0.03), with no adverse effects observed. However, the effect was not maintained on the second day, possibly due to residual drug activity or clinical improvement. Latency to feeding averaged 120 min post-administration. Mirtazapine was safe and well tolerated, even in dogs with comorbidities. These findings support the short-term use of mirtazapine as a second-line appetite stimulant in dogs when enteral feeding is not feasible. Full article

Contemporary visual assistive devices often lack immersive user experience due to passive control systems. This study introduces a neuronally controlled visual assistive device (NCVAD) that aims to assist visually impaired users in performing reach tasks with active, intuitive control. The developed NCVAD integrates computer vision, electroencephalogram (EEG) signal processing, and robotic manipulation to facilitate object detection, selection, and assistive guidance. The monocular vision-based subsystem implements the YOLOv8n algorithm to detect objects of daily use. Then, audio prompting conveys the detected objects’ information to the user, who selects their targeted object using a voluntary trigger decoded through real-time EEG classification. The target’s physical coordinates are extracted using ArUco markers, and a gradient descent-based path optimization algorithm (POA) guides a 3-DoF robotic arm to reach the target. The classification algorithm achieves over 85% precision and recall in decoding EEG data, even with coexisting physiological artifacts. Similarly, the POA achieves approximately 650 ms of actuation time with a 0.001 learning rate and 0.1 cm² error threshold settings. In conclusion, the study also validates the preliminary analysis results on a working physical model and benchmarks the robotic arm’s performance against human users, establishing the proof-of-concept for future assistive technologies integrating EEG and computer vision paradigms. Full article