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Antidepressants are among the most prescribed drugs in the US, but the current treatment patterns and modalities among older adults are unclear. This study assessed the patterns of discontinuation of antidepressants and the risk of medication resumption among community-dwelling older adults with depression. Using Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS) data from 2015-2019, we identified 1084 beneficiaries with depression who newly initiated serotonergic antidepressants. The risk of medication resumption was explored using survival analysis. The median duration of continuous medication was 90 days. However, about 30% of patients had a treatment duration of 30 days or shorter, 26% for 31-90 days, 15% for 91-180 days, and 30% for 181 days or more. After adjusting for all covariates, patients with less than 30 days of continuous medication were half as likely to resume the medications compared to those with 91-180 days (HR: 0.49 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.65)). Nearly one-third of older adults used an antidepressant medication for a short duration with a lower risk of medication resumption. A shorter treatment duration without resumption might suggest over-prescription of antidepressants among community-dwelling older adults.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) affects around 33 million people worldwide, rendering it a common cardiac arrhythmia. Catheter ablation (CA) has evolved as a leading therapeutic intervention for symptomatic AF. This umbrella review systematically evaluates existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses to assess the safety, efficacy, and potential of high-power, short-duration (HPSD) ablation as an alternative therapy option for AF. A thorough exploration was undertaken across PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase to identify pertinent studies for inclusion in this umbrella review. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) method was employed to assess the overall certainty of the evidence comprehensively, and the quality of the incorporated reviews was meticulously evaluated through use of the AMSTAR 2 tool, the Cochrane Collaboration tool, and the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. In this study, we initially identified 35 systematic reviews and meta-analyses, narrowing them down to a final selection of 11 studies, which collectively integrated data from 6 randomized controlled trials and 26 observational studies. For primary efficacy outcomes, the HPSD approach led to a non-significant decrease in the risk of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence (risk ratio [RR], 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70-1.12; I 2 = 90%; P = .31) and a significantly reduced risk of AF recurrence (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.42-0.67; I 2 = 0%; P < .00001) compared to the low-power, long-duration (LPLD) approach. In terms of primary safety outcomes, the HPSD approach significantly reduced the risk of esophageal thermal injury (ETI) (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.61-0.83; I 2 = 0%; P < .00001) and facilitated a non-significant decrease in the risk of other major complications (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.73-1.03; I 2 = 0%; P = .10). In conclusion, HPSD therapy is safer and more effective than LPLD therapy, facilitating decreased AF recurrence rates along with reductions in ETI, total procedure duration, ablation number, ablation time, fluoroscopy time, and acute pulmonary vein reconnection., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest for the published content. No funding information was provided., (Copyright: © 2024 Innovations in Cardiac Rhythm Management.)

Background Pediatric febrile illnesses are a major cause of hospital admissions and are often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. These illnesses pose a diagnostic challenge to both clinicians and laboratories. This study aims to explore the clinical characteristics of acute febrile illness in children and examine the effectiveness of various diagnostic techniques. Methods This prospective study was carried out at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Hospital, Warangal, India, from January 2020 to October 2022. It included children aged one month to 12 years. Results Out of 245 identified cases, 195 met the inclusion criteria. This study found that 18 patients (9.23%) suffered from serious bacterial infections (SBIs). In 63 patients (32.20%), the source of infection remained unidentified. Among those with SBI, UTIs were the most frequent. Bacteremia was identified in 2.5% of the patients. Conclusion SBIs were identified in 18 hospitalized children (9.23%), with UTIs being the most common SBI in children aged one to 36 months. Children in this age group presenting with toxic symptoms should be thoroughly evaluated for SBIs. The study also observed a higher prevalence of Gram-negative bacteremia compared to Gram-positive cases., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Darishetty et al.)

Background: Better contact force (CF) and catheter stability (CS) during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation are associated with higher success rate. Changes in CF and CS are observed during respiratory movements and cardiac contraction. Previous studies have suggested that rapid atrial pacing (RAP) and high-frequency, low-tidal-volume ventilation (HFLTV) independently or in combination improve CS and CF and quality of lesions. Data from a body weight-adjusted HFLTV strategy associated with RAP in AF high-power, short-duration (HPSD) ablation are still lacking., Objective: This study aimed to compare the results of HPSD AF ablation using simultaneous weight-adjusted HFLTV and RAP and standard ventilation (SV) protocol., Methods: This was a prospective, nonrandomized study with 136 patients undergoing de novo ablation were divided into 2 groups: 70 in RAP (100 ppm) + HFLTV with 4 mL/kg of tidal volume and 25 breaths/min (group A) and 66 patients with SV in intrinsic sinus rhythm (group B). The ablation used 50 W, CF of 5 to 10 g and 10 to 20 g, and 40 mL/min flow rate on the posterior and anterior left atrial walls, respectively., Results: There were no procedure-related complications. In group A, left atrial and total ablation times were 53.5 ± 8.3 minutes and 67.4 ± 10.1 minutes, respectively. Radiofrequency time was 19.7 ± 5.7 minutes, radioscopy time was 3.4 ± 1.8 minutes, 62 (88.6%) patients had first-pass isolation, 23 (33.3%) patients had elevation of luminal esophageal temperature, and 7 (10%) patients had recurrence. In group B, left atrial time was 56.7 ± 10.8 minutes, total ablation time was 72.4 ± 11.5 minutes, radiofrequency time was 22.4 ± 6.2 minutes, radioscopy time was 3.6 ± 3 minutes, 58 (87.9%) patients had first-pass isolation, and 20 (30.3%) patients had luminal esophageal temperature elevation., Conclusion: Weight-adjusted HFLTV with RAP in comparison with SV and intrinsic sinus rhythm in HPSD ablation is safe with no CO 2 retention. The approach produced significantly reduced radiofrequency, left atrial, and total ablation times and better CF and local impedance drop indexes., (© 2023 Heart Rhythm Society. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objectives: To assess evidence on the impact of acute and chronic high intensity interval training (HIIT) and sprint interval training (SIT) on work-related performance tests of cognitive function in adults., Methods: The databases PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant articles up to August 2022. Eligible studies assessed the effects of HIIT (70%-100% VO 2max ) and/or SIT (≥100% VO 2max ) on cognitive function test scores in cognitively healthy adults, relative to a control or comparative exercise group/condition. Data on participant characteristics, exercise protocol, key outcomes, and intervention setting were extracted. Study quality was assessed using a 9 (single session HIIT/SIT) and 14 (multiple session HIIT/SIT) item checklist., Results: Thirty-six studies (15 countries; n = 11-945 participants) met inclusion criteria. Mean quality scores were "fair-to-good" for acute (single session; mean = 6.9 [SD 1.0]) and chronic (multiple session; mean = 9.8 [SD 1.6]) training studies. Eighteen from 36 studies (12/20 [55%] acute and 6/16 [38%] chronic training studies) evidenced significant improvements in aspects of cognitive function related to work performance (i.e., attention, inhibition, memory, information processing speed, cognitive flexibility, intelligence, reaction time, and learning). Only four studies tested the impact of HIIT/SIT on cognitive function in a work-based setting (e.g., the office or home)., Conclusions: While there is promising evidence, particularly from acute training studies, to indicate that high intensity, short duration exercise benefits cognitive function in adults, there is very limited evidence of application in workplace contexts. To better understand the potential benefits to employee performance and safety, HIIT/SIT and cognitive function research needs to transition from laboratory to "in-situ" occupational settings., (© 2023 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Venetoclax (VEN) is now widely used in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) in elderly patients who are not eligible for intensive remission induction therapy. Prolonged myelosuppression, increased incidence of infection, and long duration of hospital stay were major concerns for VEN treatment cases, and we thought that shortening the duration of VEN administration during induction therapy might solve these problems. Thirteen newly diagnosed AML patients who underwent VEN+azacitidine (AZA) induction therapy from March 2021 to June 2022 at Kushiro Rosai Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The median age was 79 (range, 68-86) years, and 8 of the patients (61.5%) were classified as high risk according to the ELN 2017 risk stratification. Eight patients received VEN for 14 days (VEN14 group), and 5 patients received VEN for 28 days (VEN28 group). The composite complete remission (CRc) rate was 76.9% in total, and the CRc rates in the VEN14 and VEN28 groups were almost the same (75.0% and 80.0%, respectively). The median overall survival (OS) was not reached in the VEN14 group and was 254 days in the VEN28 group. The median event-free survival (EFS) was not reached in the VEN14 group and was 178 days in the VEN28 group. The VEN14 group might have a possibility to reduce febrile neutropenia (37.5% vs. 80%) and reduce the duration of hospital stay (median, 21.5 vs. 31 days) compared with the VEN28 group. VEN14 produced the same CRc rate and survival rate, safer profile, and shorter duration of hospital stay than VEN28., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Dynamic stretching for more than 90 seconds is useful for improving muscle strength, although dynamic stretching for 30 seconds or less is commonly used in sports settings. The effects of dynamic stretching are influenced by the speed and amplitude of stretching, but no study examined these factors for 30 seconds of dynamic stretching. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of speed (fast- or slow-speed) and amplitude (normal- or wide amplitude) of dynamic stretching for 30 seconds on the strength (peak torque during maximum isokinetic concentric contraction) and flexibility (range of motion, passive torque at maximum knee extension angle, and muscle-tendon unit stiffness) of the hamstrings. The passive torque and muscle-tendon unit stiffness reflect stretching tolerance and viscoelastic properties of the hamstrings, respectively. Fifteen healthy participants performed 4 types of 30 seconds of dynamic stretching. The muscle strength and flexibility were measured before and immediately after the dynamic stretching. The range of motion did not change after dynamic stretching at low speed and normal amplitude (p = 0.12, d = 0.59, 103.3%), but it was increased by other interventions (p < 0.01, d = 0.90-1.25, 104.5-110.1%). In all interventions, the passive torque increased (main effect for time, p < 0.01, d = 0.51 - 0.74, 111.0 - 126.9%), and muscle-tendon unit stiffness did not change. The muscle strength increased only after dynamic stretching at fast speed with normal amplitude (p < 0.01, d = 0.79, 107.1%). The results of the present study indicated that 30 seconds of dynamic stretching at fast speed and with normal amplitude can be beneficial for the measured parameters., (© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.)

Introduction: Pulmonary vein isolation is the cornerstone of rhythm-control therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). The very high-power, short-duration (vHPSD) radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a novel technology that favors resistive heating while decreasing the role of conductive heating. Our study aimed to evaluate the correlations between contact force (CF), power, impedance drop (ID), and temperature; and to assess their role in lesion formation with the vHPSD technique., Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent initial point-by-point RF catheter ablation for AF were enrolled in the study. The vHPSD ablation was performed applying 90 W for 4 s with an 8 ml/min irrigation rate., Results: Data from 85 patients [median age 65 (59-71) years, 34% female] were collected. The median procedure time, left atrial dwelling time, and fluoroscopy time were 70 (60-90) min, 49 (42-58) min, and 7 (5-11) min, respectively. The median RF time was 312 (237-365) sec. No steam pop nor major complications occurred. A total of 6,551 vHPSD RF points were analyzed. The median of CF, maximum temperature, and ID were 14 (10-21) g, 47.6 (45.1-50.4) °C, and 8 (6-10) Ohms, respectively. CF correlated significantly with the maximum temperature ( p < 0.0001). A CF of 5 g and above was associated with a significantly higher temperature compared to those lesions with a CF below 5 grams ( p < 0.0001). Bilateral first-pass isolation rate was 84%. The 6-month AF-recurrence rate was 7%., Conclusion: The maximum temperature and CF significantly correlate with each other during vHPSD applications. A CF ≥ 5 g leads to better tissue heating and thus might be more likely to result in good lesion formation, although this clinical study was unable to assess actual lesion sizes., Competing Interests: NS, ZS, and LG report consulting fees from Biosense Webster, not related to the present work. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Orbán, Salló, Perge, Ábrahám, Piros, Nagy, Osztheimer, Merkely, Gellér and Szegedi.)

Background: Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) production and cropping pattern is highly influenced by the climatic factors including temperature and rain pattern fluctuations. It is one of the most important cash crop in the rain fed areas of Pakistan and its production, under changing climatic conditions, that can be improved by developing short duration varieties. The present study was based on the molecular characterization of the maturity associated gene families in the peanut under two light conditions., Methods and Results: Genomic analysis based on the in silico study of important gene families for early maturity associated attributes like flowering time, their pattern, duration and photoperiodism was done for a comprehensive mapping of maturity related genes. Phytochromes genes Phy A, Phy B and Phy E and flowering genes FT2a, Ft5a and COL2 were selected for in silico characterization for protein based analysis including Multiple Sequence Alignment (MSA), and Neighbor Joining (NJ) tree. MSA and NJ trees of the peanut with Arabidopsis thaliana and Glycine max showed a clear picture of the phylogenetic relationship on the basis of selected gene proteins. Expression profile of phytochrome and flowering genes revealed that photoperiod conditions i.e. short and long days, have great influence on the Phy A, Phy B and Phy E, Ft2a, FT5a and COL2 gene expression pattern. In current study, the relative expression of all studied genes was found higher in short day light condition at flower initiation stage of the plants than in the long light day condition with exception of COL2 gene protein., Conclusions: The molecular characterization based on the in silico study of the particular genes and qPCR based gene expression profiling of the selected genes provided an evidence of the role of these genes and their comparative analysis under two photoperiodic conditions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The response of the kidney and its recovery following unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) depend on several factors including the duration of obstruction, the species involved and the age of the individual. In neonates, there is compelling evidence to indicate that even short periods of reversible UUO might lead to long-term renal impairment. In adults, the glomerular filtration rate returns to baseline values soon after the release of short periods of UUO. Despite this return to normal, experimental data have demonstrated that short periods of reversible UUO could lead to long-term renal functional alterations including tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis and urinary albumin leakage in addition to alterations in pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic cytokines. The concentrating ability of the kidney and its response to stimuli such as renal nerve stimulation and physiological doses of angiotensin-II were also shown to be affected at least in the intermediate-term following UUO reversal. In humans, epidemiological studies have also demonstrated a clear association between long-term renal impairment and ureteral obstruction. However, in clinical studies, it is usually difficult to precisely determine the degree and the time of onset of ureteral obstruction and more studies are required in this field. In conclusion, the available experimental and clinical data indicate that even short periods of UUO can cause long-term renal dysfunction. These findings might have clinical implications related to the early intervention following acute onset of UUO and to the need for long-term monitoring of renal functions particularly in patients with underlying chronic renal disease., Competing Interests: None., (IJPPP Copyright © 2022.)

Background: Data regarding the use of high-power short-duration (HPSD) radiofrequency (RF) in combination with half-normal saline irrigation for catheter irrigation are limited., Objectives: This study investigated the safety and efficacy of using HPSD RF ablation in combination with half-normal saline irrigation for the treatment of AF., Methods: One hundred consecutive patients with AF underwent RF ablation using HPSD combined with half-normal saline for catheter irrigation. In addition, the following ablation strategies were used: 1 mm tags for the display of ablation lesions on the mapping system, high-frequency jet ventilation (HFJV), low contact force, pacing after ablation to verify areas of noncapture, atrial/ventricular pacing at 500 to 700 ms to aid in catheter stability, use of two skin electrodes to reduce impedance, and postablation adenosine infusion. Power was started at 40 to 45 W and was modulated manually based on impedance changes., Results: The average age of patients was 65.2 years and 70% were male. Forty seven percent had paroxysmal AF and the average CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score was 2.1 ± 1.6. The average power and lesion duration were 38.1 ± 3.3 W and 8.1 ± 2.3 s, respectively. During a median follow-up period of 321 ± 139 days, 89% of the patients remained free from any atrial arrhythmias after a single RF ablation procedure. No procedure-related death, stroke, pericardial effusion, or atrioesophageal fistula occurred during follow-up., Conclusions: Catheter ablation using HPSD RF lesions in combination with half-normal saline irrigation and is safe and effective, and results in high rate of freedom from AF., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background & Aims: Shortened duration therapy for acute and recent HCV infection has been shown to be highly effective in several small non-randomised studies with direct-acting antiviral regimens; however, large randomised studies are lacking., Methods: REACT was an NIH-funded multicentre international, open-label, randomised, phase IV non-inferiority trial examining the efficacy of short course (6-week) vs. standard course (12-week) therapy with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir for recent HCV infection (estimated duration of infection ≤12 months). Randomisation occurred at week 6. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response 12 weeks after treatment end (SVR12) in the intention-to treat (ITT) population. A total of 250 participants were due to be enrolled, but on advice of the data safety and monitoring board the study was halted early., Results: The primary analysis population consisted of 188 randomised participants at termination of study enrolment; short arm (n = 93), standard arm (n = 95). Ninety-seven percent were male and 69% HIV positive. ITT SVR12 was 76/93, 81.7% (95% CI 72.4-89.0) in the short arm and 86/95, 90.5% (95% CI 82.7-95.6) in the standard arm. The difference between the arms was -8.8 (95% CI -18.6 to 1.0). In modified ITT analysis, wherein non-virological reasons for failure were excluded (death, reinfection, loss to follow-up), SVR12 was 76/85, 89.4% (95% CI 80.8-95.0) in the short arm and 86/88, 97.7% in the standard arm (95% CI 92.0-99.7; difference -8.3%, p = 0.025)., Conclusions: In this randomised study in recent HCV infection, a 6-week course of sofosbuvir-velpatasvir did not meet the criteria for non-inferiority to standard 12-week therapy., Lay Summary: In this randomised trial, 188 people with recently acquired hepatitis C infection were randomly assigned to treatment using either a short 6-week course (93 people) or standard 12-week course (95 people) of the hepatitis C treatment sofosbuvir/velpatasvir. There were 9 cases of relapse after treatment with the short course and 2 following the standard course. A shortened course of 6-week therapy for hepatitis C infection appeared to be less effective than a standard 12-week course in people with recently acquired hepatitis C infection. CLINICALTRIALS., Gov Identifier: NCT02625909., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest GVM: grants from Gilead Sciences and AbbVie Inc, outside the submitted work; SB: grants from Gilead Sciences, outside the submitted work; personal fees for Advisory Boards and lectures/presentations from Gilead Sciences, outside the submitted work; MvDW: grants and personal fees from AbbVie, grants and personal fees from Gilead, grants and personal fees from Johnson & Johnson, grants and personal fees from MSD, grants and personal fees from ViiV, outside the submitted work; JR: personal fees from Gilead Sciences, Janssen, Merck, Theratechnologies and ViiV, outside the submitted work; JF: grants and personal fees from Gilead Sciences, grants and personal fees from AbbVie, personal fees from GSK, personal fees from Roche, grants from Janssen, grants from Eiger, grants and personal fees from Enanta, personal fees from Arubutus, outside the submitted work; AR: Advisory boards: MSD, Gilead Sciences, Travel grants: Gilead Sciences, Pfizer, AbbVie; Research support: Investigator initiated trial grant from Gilead Sciences. All remuneration went to his home institution and not to Dr. Rauch personally; CT: Gilead Advisory board (Remdesivir) 2020; MSD Advisory board (HCV) 2018; educational grants from Gilead and AbbVie (Annual Preceptorship on HCV in PWID), outside the submitted work; JB: grants from NIH, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from AbbVie, grants and personal fees from Gilead, outside the submitted work; AK: grants from PCORI, grants from NIH/NIAID, grants from NIH/NIA, grants from UpToDate, Inc., personal fees from Biomarin, Inc., personal fees for lectures/presentations: CME companies, Clinical Care Options companies, Mentor Planning and Practice Point, personal fees from DKBMed for communications, personal fees for academic work from Geisinger Health Systems and St. Luke’s/Roosevelt, personal fees from Ken Krayesek Law Offices, personal fees from Duke University, outside the submitted work; MH: grants from Gilead Sciences, grants from AbbVie, outside the submitted work; EG: personal fees from Gilead Scientific Advisory Board, personal fees from AbbVie Scientific Advisory Board, personal fees from Janssen Scientific Advisory Board, outside the submitted work; MN: grants, personal fees and non-financial support from AbbVie, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from MSD, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from BMS, grants, personal fees and non-financial support from Gilead Sciences, payment or honoraria: Gilead, AbbVie, BMS and MSD, travel support: Gilead, AbbVie, BMS and MSD, personal fees from MBS DMSB or equivalent, outside the submitted work; PI: grants and personal fees from Gilead Sciences, personal fees from AbbVie, personal fees from ViiV, outside the submitted work; JG: grants and personal fees from AbbVie, grants and personal fees from Gilead Sciences, grants and personal fees from Merck, grants and personal fees from Cepheid, grants from Hologic, grants from Indivior, payment or honoraria: AbbVie, Gilead Sciences and Cepheid, travel support: AbbVie, Gilead Sciences and Cepheid, receipt of testing equipment and cartridges from Cepheid, receipt of testing reagents from Hologic, outside the submitted work; KP: grants from Gilead sciences Australia and ViiV Healthcare Australia, outside the submitted work; GD: grants, personal fees and non-financial support from Gilead Sciences, AbbVie and Merck, grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, outside the submitted work; DS, MM, TA and PM: nothing to disclose. Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

A previous study reported that 3-min of high-intensity static stretching at an intensity of 120% of range of motion (ROM) did not change the muscle stiffness of the rectus femoris, because of the overly high stress of the stretching. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of high-intensity static stretching of a shorter duration or lower intensity on the flexibility of the rectus femoris than that of the previous study. Two experiments were conducted (Experiment 1 and 2). In Experiment 1, eleven healthy men underwent static stretching at the intensity of 120% of ROM for two different durations (1 and 3 min). In Experiment 2, fifteen healthy men underwent 3-min of static stretching at the intensity of 110% of ROM. The shear elastic modulus of the quadriceps were measured. In Experiment 1, ROM increased in both interventions ( p < 0.01), but the shear elastic modulus of the rectus femoris was not changed. In Experiment 2, ROM significantly increased ( p < 0.01), and the shear elastic modulus of the rectus femoris significantly decreased ( p < 0.05). It was suggested that the stretching intensity (110%) is more important than stretching duration to decrease the muscle stiffness of the rectus femoris., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Takeuchi, Sato, Kiyono, Yahata, Murakami, Sanuki, Yoshida and Nakamura.)

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) presents with a wide variety of signs/symptoms, making early initial diagnosis difficult. We investigated the clinical and neuropathological features of five patients with autopsy-proven PSP of short duration, ranging from 11 to 41 months (average, 26.2 months) due to unexpected death, focusing particularly on the distribution and severity of neuronal loss as well as neuronal and glial tau pathology in the affected brain. Clinical features were studied retrospectively through careful review of the medical records, and neuropathological examinations were carried out, along with tau immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody AT8. These patients were diagnosed as having probable PSP (n = 4) and suggestive PSP (n = 1), respectively. In all cases, neuronal loss was evident in the substantia nigra, subthalamic nucleus, globus pallidus, and locus ceruleus. AT8-identified tau lesions, that is, pretangles/neurofibrillary tangles (PTs/NFTs), tufted astrocytes (TAs), and coiled bodies/neuropil threads (CBs/NTs), were distributed widely in the brain regions, especially in patients with longer disease duration. All cases showed variation in the regional tau burden among PTs/NFTs, TAs, and CBs/NTs. There was also a tendency for tau deposition to be more predominant in neuronal cells in the brainstem and cerebellum and in glial cells in the cerebral cortex and subcortical gray matter. These findings suggest that in PSP, the initial signs/symptoms are associated with degeneration and subsequent death of neurons with pathological tau deposition, and that the tau deposition in neuronal cells is independent of that in glial cells., (© 2020 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.)

Introduction: The optimal ablation strategy is unknown regarding a superior vena cava isolation (SVCI). This study aimed to examine the feasibility and safety and to analyze the lesion characteristics of the SVCI using high-power, short-duration (HPSD) ablation., Methods and Results: A total of 100 patients underwent an index SVCI using HPSD (n = 50, HPSD group) or conventional lower-power and longer-duration (n = 50, LPLD group) ablation, using the Thermocool Smarttouch SF. In the HPSD group, ablation was performed with a power of 50 W for 7 s, and was limited to 4 s at the lateral segment close to the right phrenic nerve. The ablation setting used in the LPLD group was 20-25 W for 20-30 s and was limited to 10-20 W for 15-30 s at the lateral segment when diaphragmatic capture was seen. An electrical SVCI was achieved in all patients. The HPSD group required a significantly shorter procedure time (10.8 ± 3.2 vs. 14.8 ± 6.4 min; p < .01), shorter radiofrequency duration (49 ± 16 vs. 282 ± 124 s; p < .01), fewer lesions (8.3 ± 2.5 vs. 10.4 ± 4.4; p < .01), and lower ablation index (316 ± 38 vs. 356 ± 62; p < .001) than the LPLD group. The incidence of a postprocedural asymptomatic mild diaphragmatic elevation was comparable (2% in the HPSD group vs. 6% in the LPLD group; p = .61)., Conclusion: The 50-W HPSD ablation strategy allowed for a successful, fast, and safe SVCI with the fewer ablation lesions and the lower ablation index., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer is associated with poor prognosis and access to anti-HER2 treatment is still a challenge in lower-middle income countries. The availability of the biosimilar trastuzumab has improved access by lowering the costs. We report the pattern of use of neoadjuvant ± adjuvant trastuzumab and outcomes in patients with HER2-positive non-metastatic breast cancer treated with regimens incorporating shorter durations of therapy and the use of the biosimilar trastuzumab compared to the innovator., Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant ± adjuvant trastuzumab (innovator ( n = 34 (33%)) and biosimilar ( n = 70 (67%)) manufactured by Biocon Biologics) with chemotherapy. Information regarding chemotherapy regimens, duration of trastuzumab use (≤12 weeks and >12 weeks), pathological response (Miller Payne grade), disease free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and safety data were collected from electronic medical records., Results: A total of 135 patients were analysed with a median age of 51 years (range: 23-82); of these, 57% were postmenopausal, 31.8% were hormone receptor positive and 62.9% had stage III disease. The overall pathological complete response (p-CR) in both breast and axilla increased to 37.6% in patients treated with trastuzumab preoperatively as compared to 22.2% in patients who did not receive any trastuzumab. Patients receiving innovator trastuzumab and biosimilar trastuzumab showed a p-CR of 28.5% and 41.7%, respectively. At a median follow-up of 42 months (range: 3-114), there were 18 relapses and 11 deaths. The 3-year DFS was 87.1% and OS was 92.2%. Cardiac dysfunction developed in 4 of 78 (5.1%) evaluable patients., Conclusion: Access to anti-HER2 therapy in the treatment of non-metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in resource-constrained settings has improved significantly with the availability of the biosimilar trastuzumab. Imbalances in patient profiles at baseline in routine clinical practice led to inconclusive outcomes of ≤12 weeks versus >12 weeks trastuzumab treatment. However, on the basis of historical data, patients could be offered shorter duration of trastuzumab when a standard 1-year treatment of adjuvant trastuzumab is not feasible in resource-constrained settings. The p-CR using the biosimilar trastuzumab in neoadjuvant treatment has been observed to be comparable to the innovator trastuzumab., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.)

Exposure to light at night results in disruption of endogenous circadian rhythmicity and/or suppression of pineal melatonin, which can consequently lead to acute or chronic adverse health problems. In the present study, we investigated whether exposure to very dim light or very bright light for a short duration influences melatonin suppression, subjective sleepiness, and performance during exposure to constant moderately bright light. Twenty-four healthy male university students were divided into two experimental groups: Half of them (mean age: 20.0 ± 0.9 years) participated in an experiment for short-duration (10 min) light conditions of medium intensity light (430 lx, medium breaks) vs. very dim light (< 1 lx, dim breaks) and the other half (mean age: 21.3 ± 2.5 years) participated in an experiment for short-duration light conditions of medium intensity light (430 lx, medium breaks) vs. very bright light (4700 lx, bright breaks). Each simulated night shift consisting of 5 sets (each including 50-minute night work and 10-minute break) was performed from 01:00 to 06:00 h. The subjects were exposed to medium intensity light (550 lx) during the night work. Each 10-minute break was conducted every hour from 02:00 to 06:00 h. Salivary melatonin concentrations were measured, subjective sleepiness was assessed, the psychomotor vigilance task was performed at hourly intervals from 21:00 h until the end of the experiment. Compared to melatonin suppression between 04:00 and 06:00 h in the condition of medium breaks, the condition of dim breaks significantly promoted melatonin suppression and the condition of bright breaks significantly diminished melatonin suppression. However, there was no remarkable effect of either dim breaks or bright breaks on subjective sleepiness and performance of the psychomotor vigilance task. Our findings suggest that periodic exposure to light for short durations during exposure to a constant light environment affects the sensitivity of pineal melatonin to constant light depending on the difference between light intensities in the two light conditions (i.e., short light exposure vs. constant light exposure). Also, our findings indicate that exposure to light of various intensities at night could be a factor influencing the light-induced melatonin suppression in real night work settings.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of high intensity static stretching for 20 seconds on flexibility and strength in the hamstrings. Seventeen healthy participants (13 men and 4 women) underwent static stretching for 20 seconds at three different intensities based on the point of discomfort (POD, 120% POD, and MaxPOD). To examine the change in flexibility and strength, range of motion (ROM), passive torque, muscle-tendon unit stiffness, peak torque of maximum voluntary isokinetic concentric contraction, and knee angle at peak torque were measured. To evaluate a time course of pain, a numerical rating scale (NRS) was described. ROM (percent change; POD = 113.5 ± 10.4%, 120%POD = 127.6 ± 18.8%, MaxPOD = 135.6 ± 18.5%) (p < 0.01) and passive torque (percent change; POD = 124.2 ± 38.9%, 120%POD = 143.4 ± 65.1%, MaxPOD = 171.8 ± 83.6%) (p < 0.01) were increased at all intensities. Muscle-tendon unit stiffness was decreased at 120%POD (percent change; 72.4 ± 36.2, p < 0.01) and MaxPOD (percent change; 56.6 ± 30.0, p < 0.01). Peak torque showed no change at all intensities (percent change; POD = 99.1 ± 14.0%, 120%POD = 95.4 ± 17.4%, MaxPOD = 98.4 ± 20.1%, p > 0.05). There were significant correlations between the intensities and relative change of the ROM (r = 0.57, p < 0.01), passive torque (r = 0.46, p < 0.01), muscle-tendon unit stiffness (r = -0.53, p < 0.01) and knee angle at peak torque (r = 0.50, p < 0.01). NRS increased with the intensity of static stretching (median; POD = 1, 120%POD = 3, Max POD = 8), though the pain disappeared immediately after the stretching (median = 0). In conclusion, static stretching for 20 seconds at high intensity was effective for a decrement in muscle-tendon unit stiffness., (© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.)

Background & Aims: Eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir leads to high rates of sustained virological response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12) across HCV genotypes (GT) 1-6 in treatment-naïve patients without cirrhosis. We evaluated glecaprevir/pibrentasvir once daily for 8 weeks in treatment-naïve patients with compensated cirrhosis., Methods: EXPEDITION-8 was a single-arm, multicenter, phase IIIb trial. The primary and key secondary efficacy analyses were to compare the lower bound of the 95% CI of the SVR12 rate in i) patients with GT1,2,4-6 in the per protocol (PP) population, ii) patients with GT1,2,4-6 in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, iii) patients with GT1-6 in the PP population, and iv) patients with GT1-6 in the ITT population, to pre-defined efficacy thresholds based on historical SVR12 rates for 12 weeks of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in the same populations. Safety was also assessed., Results: A total of 343 patients were enrolled. Most patients were male (63%), white (83%), and had GT1 (67%). The SVR12 rate in patients with GT1-6 was 99.7% (n/N = 334/335; 95%CI 98.3-99.9) in the PP population and 97.7% (n/N = 335/343; 95% CI 96.1-99.3) in the ITT population. All primary and key secondary efficacy analyses were achieved. One patient (GT3a) experienced relapse (0.3%) at post-treatment week 4. Common adverse events (≥5%) were fatigue (9%), pruritus (8%), headache (8%), and nausea (6%). Serious adverse events (none related) occurred in 2% of patients. No adverse event led to study drug discontinuation. Clinically significant laboratory abnormalities were infrequent., Conclusions: Eight-week glecaprevir/pibrentasvir was well tolerated and led to a similarly high SVR12 rate as the 12-week regimen in treatment-naïve patients with chronic HCV GT1-6 infection and compensated cirrhosis., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03089944., Lay Summary: This study was the first to evaluate an 8-week direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimen active against all major types of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in untreated patients with compensated cirrhosis. High virological cure rates were achieved with glecaprevir/pibrentasvir across HCV genotypes 1-6, and these high cure rates did not depend on any patient or viral characteristics present before treatment. This may simplify care and allow non-specialist healthcare professionals to treat these patients, contributing to global efforts to eliminate HCV., (Copyright © 2019 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: The benefit of extended-duration thromboprophylaxis in patients hospitalised for acute medical illness beyond hospital stay remains controversial., Aims: To perform a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCT) in order to examine the efficacy and safety of extended-duration anticoagulation for venous-thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis in this high-risk population., Methods: An electronic database search was conducted to include all RCT comparing between extended-duration versus short-duration prophylactic anticoagulation in medically ill patients. The primary efficacy outcome was the composite events of asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis (DVT), symptomatic VTE and death from VTE-related causes., Results: Five RCT were included totalling 40 124 patients, with a mean age of 71 years and 51% were male. In comparison to standard-duration therapy, extended-duration thromboprophylaxis was associated with a significant reduction in the primary efficacy outcome (risk ratio (RR) 0.75; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.67-0.85; P < 0.01), symptomatic VTE (RR 0.53; 95% CI 0.33-0.84; P < 0.01) and asymptomatic DVT (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.71-0.94; P < 0.01). However, there were no significant differences between both groups with regard to VTE-related death (RR 0.81; 95% CI 0.60-1.10; P = 0.18) or all-cause death (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.88-1.08; P = 0.64). In contrast, extended-duration thromboprophylaxis was associated with an increased risk of major bleeding (RR 2.04; 95% CI 1.42-2.91; P < 0.01) and non-major clinically relevant bleeding (RR 1.81; 95% CI 1.29-2.53; P < 0.01)., Conclusions: Among hospitalised medically ill patients, prolonging venous thromboprophylaxis was associated with a decreased risk of composite events of the primary efficacy outcome and increased risk of bleeding with no significant difference in VTE-related death., (© 2019 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.)

Background: Clinically evident microvascular complications are rarely seen among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), although early signs develop during childhood and accelerate during puberty., Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of early signs of microvascular complications in children and adolescents aged 9-19 years with a short duration of T1DM by screening for retinopathy and nephropathy., Methods: A cross-sectional study and participants were consecutively enrolled from the Endocrinology Clinic at Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Physical examination and mydriatic ophthalmoscopy were conducted. Three early morning spot urine specimens for albumin/creatinine ratio were estimated 3 months apart. Serum creatinine levels were estimated, and the glomerular filtration rate was calculated. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined., Results: Twenty-four individuals participated, 15 (62.5%) were male and the mean age at diagnosis was 12.4 ± 2.3 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 23.8 ± 20.6 months. The mean HbA1c was 11.4%. Retinopathy was seen in 16.7%, whereas 33.3% had microalbuminuria. Blood pressure range was within the 50 th -90 th percentile for all the participants., Conclusion: The study outcome demonstrated a high prevalence of early signs of microvascular complications such as retinopathy and nephropathy among youths with short duration of T1DM. Poor glycemic control, if not halted, is associated with early signs of microvascular complications which may become clinically evident; contrary to the belief that they are rare in childhood., Competing Interests: None

When conducting an exposure assessment, the primary goal of the industrial hygienist is to fully characterize the worker's exposure during a work shift to compare it with an occupational exposure limit. This applies regardless of the duration of the work activity as an activity that is relatively short in duration can still present exposure in excess of the occupational exposure limit even when normalized over an 8-hr shift. This goal, however, is often impeded by the specification of a minimum sample volume in the published sampling method, which may prevent the sample from being collected or submitted for analysis. Removing the specification of minimum sample volume (or adjusting it from a requirement to a recommendation), in contrast, allows for a broader assessment of jobs that consist of short-duration and high-exposure activities and also eliminates the unnecessary practice of running sampling pumps in clean air to collect a specified, minimum volume.

Background & Aims: Glecaprevir plus pibrentasvir (G/P) is a pangenotypic, once-daily, ribavirin-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. In nine phase II or III clinical trials, G/P therapy achieved rates of sustained virologic response 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) of 93-100% across all six major HCV genotypes (GTs). An integrated efficacy analysis of 8- and 12-week G/P therapy in patients without cirrhosis with HCV GT 1-6 infection was performed., Methods: Data were pooled from nine phase II and III trials including patients with chronic HCV GT 1-6 infection without cirrhosis who received G/P (300 mg/120 mg) for either 8 or 12 weeks. Patients were treatment naïve or treatment experienced with peginterferon, ribavirin, and/or sofosbuvir; all patients infected with HCV GT 3 were treatment naïve. Efficacy was evaluated as the SVR12 rate., Results: The analysis included 2,041 patients without cirrhosis. In the intent-to-treat population, 943/965 patients (98%) achieved SVR12 when treated for eight weeks, and 1,060/1,076 patients (99%) achieved SVR12 when treated for 12 weeks; the difference in rates was not significant (p = 0.2). A subgroup analysis demonstrated SVR12 rates > 95% across baseline factors traditionally associated with lower efficacy. G/P was well tolerated, with one DAA-related serious adverse event (<0.1%); grade 3 laboratory abnormalities were rare., Conclusions: G/P therapy for eight weeks in patients with chronic HCV GT 1-6 infection without cirrhosis achieved an overall SVR12 rate of 98% irrespective of baseline patient or viral characteristics; four additional weeks of treatment did not significantly increase the SVR12 rate, demonstrating that the optimal treatment duration in this population is eight weeks., Lay Summary: In this integrated analysis of nine clinical trials, patients with chronic HCV genotype 1-6 infection without cirrhosis were treated for either 8 or 12 weeks with the direct-acting antiviral regimen glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (G/P). The cure rate was 98% and 99% following 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, respectively; the difference in rates was not significant (p = 0.2), nor was there a significant difference in the cure rates across the two treatment durations on the basis of baseline patient or viral characteristics. These results, along with a favourable safety profile, indicate that G/P is a highly efficacious and well-tolerated pangenotypic eight-week therapy for most patients with chronic HCV infection., (Copyright © 2018 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The efficacy and safety of an investigational combination of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) plus sofosbuvir (SOF) ± ribavirin (RBV) in patients with HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection with or without cirrhosis was evaluated. Patients with HCV genotype 3 infection without cirrhosis were randomized to receive OBV/PTV/r + SOF ± RBV for 12 weeks; OBV/PTV/r + SOF + RBV was administered to genotype 3-infected patients with cirrhosis for 12 weeks and to genotype 2-infected patients without cirrhosis for either 6 or 8 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by sustained virologic response [HCV RNA <25 IU/mL] 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12). Safety was assessed in all treated patients. In patients with genotype 3 infection with or without cirrhosis treated with 12 weeks of OBV/PTV/r + SOF ± RBV, the overall SVR12 rate was 98% (50/51), with no virologic failures. Patients with genotype 2 infection treated with OBV/PTV/r + SOF + RBV had SVR12 rates of 90% (9/10) and 44% (4/9) following 8- and 6-week treatment durations, respectively; failure to achieve SVR12 for these patients was due to relapse without baseline or treatment-emergent resistance-associated substitutions. Thus, the investigational combination of OBV/PTV/r with SOF ± RBV was well tolerated and achieved high SVR rates with no virologic failures in patients with genotype 3 infection. Combining direct-acting antivirals with complementary mechanisms of action and different viral targets may be an effective treatment strategy that may allow for shorter durations of therapy., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

It is crucial to explore the pathogenesis of major depressive disorder (MDD) at the early stage for the better diagnostic and treatment strategies. It was suggested that MDD might be involving in functional or structural alternations at the brain network level. However, at the onset of MDD, whether the whole brain white matter (WM) alterations at network level are already evident still remains unclear. In the present study, diffusion MRI scanning was adopt to depict the unique WM structural network topology across the entire brain at the early stage of MDD. Twenty-one first episode, short duration (<1 year) and drug-naïve depression patients, and 25 healthy control (HC) subjects were recruited. To construct the WM structural network, atlas-based brain regions were used for nodes, and the value of multiplying fiber number by the mean fractional anisotropy along the fiber bundles connected a pair of brain regions were used for edges. The structural network was analyzed by graph theoretic and network-based statistic methods. Pearson partial correlation analysis was also performed to evaluate their correlation with the clinical variables. Compared with HCs, the MDD patients had a significant decrease in the small-worldness (σ). Meanwhile, the MDD patients presented a significantly decreased subnetwork, which mainly involved in the frontal-subcortical and limbic regions. Our results suggested that the abnormal structural network of the orbitofrontal cortex and thalamus, involving the imbalance with the limbic system, might be a key pathology in early stage drug-naive depression. And the structural network analysis might be potential in early detection and diagnosis of MDD.

Aims: Longer procedural time is associated with complications in radiofrequency atrial fibrillation ablation. We sought to reduce ablation time and thereby potentially reduce complications. The aim was to compare the dimensions and complications of 40 W/30 s setting to that of high-power ablations (50-80 W) for 5 s in the in vitro and in vivo models., Methods and Results: In vitro ablations-40 W/30 s were compared with 40-80 W powers for 5 s. In vivo ablations-40 W/30 s were compared with 50-80 W powers for 5 s. All in vivo ablations were performed with 10 g contact force and 30 mL/min irrigation rate. Steam pops and depth of lung lesions identified post-mortem were noted as complications. A total of 72 lesions on the non-trabeculated part of right atrium were performed in 10 Ovine. All in vitro ablations except for the 40 W/5 s setting achieved the critical lesion depth of 2 mm. For in vivo ablations, all lesions were transmural, and the lesion depths for the settings of 40 W/30 s, 50 W/5 s, 60 W/5 s, 70 W/5 s, and 80 W/5 s were 2.2 ± 0.5, 2.3 ± 0.5, 2.1 ± 0.4, 2.0 ± 0.3, and 2.3 ± 0.7 mm, respectively. The lesion depths of short-duration ablations were similar to that of the conventional ablation. Steam pops occurred in the ablation settings of 40 W/30 s and 80 W/5 s in 8 and 11% of ablations, respectively. Complications were absent in short-duration ablations of 50 and 60 W., Conclusion: High-power, short-duration atrial ablation was as safe and effective as the conventional ablation. Compared with the conventional 40 W/30 s setting, 50 and 60 W ablation for 5 s achieved transmurality and had fewer complications., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2016. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aim: To analyze clinical characteristics of venous thromboembolisms (VTE) in gynecological malignancies, and to find a cost-effective prophylaxis procedure for post-operative VTE., Patients and Methods: We analyzed clinical characteristics of 751 patients who underwent definitive surgery for gynecologic malignancies, and cost-effectiveness of VTE prophylaxis., Results: VTE was diagnosed preoperatively in 4.5% of ovarian cancer cases, more frequently than any other type (p<0.005). Older age and greater length of operation were independent risk factors for postoperative VTE. To prevent eight VTEs in 738 malignant cases, which occurred during day 2 to 10, $617,783, $726,185, or $994,222 were necessary for continuous VTE prophylaxis, using either unfractionated heparin (UFH), low-molecular weight heparin or fondaparinux, respectively., Conclusion: A strategy which might be cost-effective for post-surgical management of gynecological malignances is use of UFH three times combined with graduated compression stockings and intermittent pneumatic compression, thorough SpO2 monitoring, and perioperative measurements of the circumference of both sides of thighs and calves., (Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to retrospectively review the postoperative seizure outcome in patients with short duration of epilepsy associated with cavernous malformations and analyze the effect of surgical methods on seizure outcome in such population., Methods: 36 patients with short duration of epilepsy (shorter than 12 months) associated with cavernous malformations in temporal or frontal lobe underwent microsurgical resection. The patients were retrospectively divided into two groups: Group A (21 patients) with complete removal of hemosiderin rim and Group B (15 patients) with partial removal of hemosiderin rim. Clinical follow-up was achieved with telephone correspondence or outpatient assessment. The seizure outcome was based on Engel's classification., Results: After a mean follow-up period of 18 months, 77.8% of the patients (28/36) were classified into Engel class I, including 19 patients (90.5%) in the complete removal of hemosiderin rim group (Group A) and 9 patients (60%) in the partial removal of hemosiderin rim group (Group B). Seizure outcome was significantly better in Group A. There was no mortality and all the postoperative neurological deficits were recovered at the time of follow-up., Conclusion: The analysis of the seizure outcome demonstrate patients with short duration of epilepsy associated with cavernous malformations could benefit greatly from complete resection of hemosiderin rim and cavernous malformations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Brassica napus is a leading oilseed crop throughout many parts of the world. It is well adapted to long day photoperiods, however, it does not adapt well to short day subtropical regions. Short duration B. napus plants were resynthesized through ovary culture from interspecific crosses in which B. rapa cultivars were reciprocally crossed with B. oleracea. From five different combinations, 17 hybrid plants were obtained in both directions. By self-pollinating the F1 hybrids or introgressing them with cultivated B. napus, resynthesized (RS) F3 and semi-resynthesized (SRS) F2 generations were produced, respectively. In field trial in Bangladesh, the RS B. napus plants demonstrated variation in days to first flowering ranging from 29 to 73 days; some of which were similar to cultivated short duration B. napus, but not cultivated short duration B. rapa. The RS and SRS B. napus lines produced 2-4.6 and 1.6-3.7 times higher yields, respectively, as compared to cultivated short duration B. napus. Our developed RS lines may be useful for rapeseed breeding not only for subtropical regions, but also for areas such as Canada and Europe where spring rapeseed production can suffer from late spring frosts. Yield and earliness in RS lines are discussed.