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COVID-19 exacerbated a multitude of challenges facing institutions of higher education. The abrupt transition to virtual programming and support services substantially impacted how students lived, learned, and stayed connected to their campus environments. With this shift, one institution reimagined their orientation programming to prioritize advancing community well-being through a student-centered and equity-minded approach. These frameworks informed the strategy for helping students understand the interconnectedness of health and well-being topics as they matriculate into, and engage with, the campus community. This initiative increased students’ knowledge, confidence, and intention to support themselves and their peers as they transition to the college environment.

To evaluate the effects of 12-week polestriding intervention on gait and disease severity in people with mild to moderate Parkinson disease (PD).A-B-A withdrawal study design.Outpatient movement disorder center and community facility.Individuals (N=17; 9 women [53%] and 8 men [47%]; mean age, 63.7±4.9y; range, 53-72y) with mild to moderate PD according to United Kingdom brain bank criteria with HoehnYahr score ranging from 2.5 to 3.0 with a stable medication regimen and ability to tolerate "off" medication state.Twelve-week polestriding intervention with 12-week follow-up.Gait was evaluated using several quantitative temporal, spatial, and variability measures. In addition, disease severity was assessed using clinical scales such as Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), HoehnYahr scale, and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39.Step and stride lengths, gait speed, and step-time variability were improved significantly (P.05) because of 12-week polestriding intervention. Also, the UPDRS motor score, the UPDRS axial score, and the scores of UPDRS subscales on walking and balance improved significantly after the intervention.Because increased step-time variability and decreased step and stride lengths are associated with PD severity and an increased risk of falls in PD, the observed improvements suggest that regular practice of polestriding may reduce the risk of falls and improve mobility in people with PD.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous, small non-coding RNA molecules that play important regulatory roles in numerous biological processes, cellular pathways and networks. They do so by targeting specific mRNAs, directly degrading them and/or preventing their translation into proteins. The impaired function of miRNAs results in aberrant gene expression that promotes abnormal cell growth and differentiation. miRNAs, located at fragile sites or cancer associated regions of the genome, act as either tumor suppressor or tumor promoters. miRNAs also play significant role in aging and in various diseases. Despite the fact that profiling of miRNA expression is considered an important tool for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, such analysis has not yet been adopted in routine clinical care practices. Here, we highlight advances and challenges in research on cancer and aging in relation to miRNAs.

OBJECT Recent studies show that deep brain stimulation can be performed safely and accurately without microelectrode recording ortest stimulation but with the patient under general anesthesia. The procedure couples techniques for direct anatomical targeting on MRI with intraoperative imaging to verify stereotactic accuracy. However, few authors have examined the clinical outcomes of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients after this procedure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate PD outcomes following “asleep” deep brain stimulation in the globus pallidus internus (GPi). METHODS The authors prospectively examined all consecutive patients with advanced PD who underwent bilateral GPi electrode placement while under general anesthesia. Intraoperative CT was used to assess lead placement accuracy. The primary outcome measure was the change in the off-medication Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor score 6 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes included effects on the 39-Item Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39) scores, on-medication motor scores, and levodopa equivalent daily dose. Lead locations, active contact sites, stimulation parameters, and adverse events were documented. RESULTS Thirty-five patients (24 males, 11 females) had a mean age of 61 years at lead implantation. The mean radial error off plan was 0.8 mm. Mean coordinates for the active contact were 21.4 mm lateral, 4.7 mm anterior, and 0.4 mm superior to the midcommissural point. The mean off-medication motor score improved from 48.4 at baseline to 28.9 (40.3% improvement) at 6 months (p < 0.001). The PDQ-39 scores improved (50.3 vs 42.0; p = 0.03), and the levodopa equivalent daily dose was reduced (1207 vs 1035 mg; p = 0.004). There were no significant adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Globus pallidus internus leads placed with the patient under general anesthesia by using direct anatomical targeting resulted in significantly improved outcomes as measured by the improvement in the off-medication motor score at 6 months after surgery.

Background & objectives: Wide variability in serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels exists in malignant conditions of the prostate. PSA is expressed in normal range in 20 to 25 per cent of prostate cancer cases even in presence of high grade Gleason score. This study was aimed to assess the influence of genetic variants exhibited by PSA and androgen receptor (AR) genes towards the variable expression of PSA in prostate cancer. Methods: Pre-treatment serum PSA levels from 101 prostate cancer cases were retrieved from medical record. PSA genotype analysis in promoter region and AR gene microsatellite Cytosine/Adenine/Guanine (CAG) repeat analysis in exon 1 region was performed using DNA sequencing and fragment analysis techniques. Results: A total of seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PSA promoter region were noted. Only two SNPs viz., 158G/A (P

Hydroxyapatite is the thermodynamically most stable crystalline phase of calcium phosphate in body fluid. Undoped hydroxyapatite (HAp) and two Cu substituted HAp samples with variable amounts (0.04 and 0.06)% of Cu were synthesized by sol–gel method. The samples were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy to determine the crystallite size, functional groups and elemental composition respectively. The calculated dimensions of crystallites appeared to be within 25-59 nm. The average crystallite size derived from XRD data was observed to be reduced from undoped HAp to substituted HAp samples. The intensity of XRD peaks decrease from undoped HAp to Cu doped HAp. The bands at different modes are observed by FTIR spectrum. The band at 3641 cm−1 was also associated with the O-H stretching mode of the surface P-OH groups. The EDX results confirmed the composition of the doped and undoped HAp. The antimicrobial effects of doped hydroxyapatite powders against clinical pathogen Shigella flexneri.

Background and objectives To compare clinically and radiographically, the regenerative potential of a β-tricalcium phosphate bone graft, Cerasorb® with and without a bioresorbable type I collagen membrane, BioMend ExtendTM, in treating periodontal infrabony osseous defects. Materials and methods A total of 20 sites from 10 patients showing bilateral infrabony defects were selected and selected sites were randomly divided into experimental site A (Cerasorb®) and experimental site B (Cerasorb® and BioMend ExtendTM) by using split mouth design. The clinical parameters like plaque index, gingival index, probing pocket depth, clinical attachment level and gingival recession were recorded at baseline, 6 weeks, 3, 6 and 9 months. Radiographic evaluation (Linear CADIA) at 6 and 9 months; and intrasurgical measurements at baseline and 9 months were carried out to evaluate the defect fill, change in alveolar crest height and defect resolution. Results Significant reduction in all clinical parameters was observed in both the groups. On comparison no statistical significance was observed between the two groups. Radiographically, in site A there was significant defect fill of 78.4 and 97.2% at 6 and 9 months respectively. Whereas in site B reduction was 78.4 and 97.2% at 6 and 9 months respectively. After surgical re-entry, there was significant defect fill of 89.2 and 74% in both groups. Interpretation and conclusion Individually both the graft and membrane have shown promising results in the management of periodontal intrabony defects. But the added benefit by combining Cerasorb® with BioMend ExtendTM was not observed statistically in both clinical radiographic findings. How to cite this article Kishore DT, Bandiwadekar T, Padma R, Debunath S, Profulla, Reddy A. Evaluation of Relative Efficacy of β-Tricalcium Phosphate with and without Type I Resorbable Collagen Membrane in Periodontal Infrabony Defects: A Clinical and Radiographic Study. J Contemp Dent Pract 2013;14(2): 193-201.

Alison Conovaloff,1 Narayanan Krishnamurthi,1 Padma Mahant,2 Johan Samanta,2 James Abbas11Center for Adaptive Neural Systems, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Ira A Fulton School of Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA, 2Movement Disorders Clinic, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USABackground: The efficacy of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson’s disease has been convincingly demonstrated in studies comparing motor performance with and without stimulation, but characterization of the stimulation dose-response curves has been limited.Methods: In a series of case studies, eight subjects with Parkinson’s disease and bilateral DBS systems were evaluated at their clinically determined stimulation (CDS) and at three reduced amplitudes, ie, approximately 70%, 30%, and 0% of the CDS (MOD, LOW, and OFF, respectively). Performance was assessed using the motor section of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III), which includes subscores for tremor, bradykinesia, gait, posture, and tapping. Data at the reduced settings were analyzed to determine if individual subjects demonstrated a threshold-like response, which was defined as a dose-response curve in which one decrement in stimulation accounted for ≥70% of the maximum change observed. Day-to-day variability was assessed using the CDS data from the three different days.Results: In the dose-response curves, two subjects exhibited a threshold-like response, four exhibited a graded change, and two did not exhibit substantial changes. For some subjects, variability in CDS performance across the three days exceeded the change observed when reducing amplitude to the MOD setting. Comparisons across this set of eight subjects demonstrated that the mean UPDRS-III and all but one subscore significantly increased (performance degraded) when amplitude was reduced from CDS to the LOW and OFF conditions, but there were no significant changes when amplitude was reduced from CDS to the MOD condition.Conclusion: Individual differences in the DBS dose-response curves may provide opportunities to optimize clinical performance. Day-to-day variability in motor performance cautions against the use of a single UPDRS measurement in clinical selection of DBS settings.Keywords: deep brain stimulation, Parkinson’s disease, Unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale, motor performance

Among several bacteria examined in this study, a hyper acidophil and thermostable Micrococcus sp.NS 211 designated as M.Amy NS 211 was selected for production of amylase using starch agar plates with following incubation at 858C. Identification by 16SrRNA on selected bacterium disclosed the highest similarity for protean regions of this gene, 27 F and 1492R as Micrococcus sp.NS 211. Although activity of M.Amy NS 211 was established at temperatures between 70 and 1108C and pH ranges 1.2‐8.0, the optimum temperature and pH was achieved at 858C and 3.5 in sodium citrate buffer system respectively. Two-step chromatography was performed using (CM Bio-Gel A) and (Bio-Gel A-150) columns to purify 84 kDa hyper acidophil and thermostable a-amylase. SDS-PAGE analysis showed molecular mass and amylolytic activity as single band. Enhancement of enzyme activity was obtained in presence of 5 mM MnCl2 (298%), CaCl2 (347%), FeCl2 (211%), MgCl2 (253%), ZnCl2 (146%), NiCl (142%), NaCl (141%), Na-sulfate (153%) while inhibition was observed with (5 mM) EDTA, PMSF (3 mM), urea (8 M), and SDS (1%) at 143, 134, 43, and 119%, respectively. M.Amy NS 211 can be applied in laundry detergents, textile, and modern relevant industrial processes at extreme temperatures and under acidic conditions.

Background and purpose:To characterize patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) by diagnosis, environmental risk factors, and family history. Methods:Two hundred and forty patients with BEB were evaluated through a clinical examination and questionnaire. The questionnaire reviewed personal medical history, demographic factors, risk factors for the development of blepharospasm and family history of dystonia and other neurological conditions. Results:Benign essential blepharospasm was more commonly found in women (2.8:1) and 93% of the patients were Caucasian. Fifty percent had pure BEB, 31% had BEB/Meige!s syndrome, and 4% had BEB and eyelid opening apraxia (+/)Meige!s syndrome). A minority of patients reported preceding photophobia (25%) or other eye conditions (22%). The majority were non-smokers, had no exposure to anti-emetic or antipsychotic agents, had a normal birth history, and had no history of head trauma. Seventy-two percent did report a stressful event immediately prior to the development of symptoms. Treatments reported included botulinum toxin (BoNT), oral medications, surgical procedures, and acupuncture. Thirty-two percent of patients reported a family history of focal dystonia, and BEB was the most commonly reported. Conclusion:This study confirms previous reports of usual age, sex, ca!eine and tobacco use, and family history in patients with blepharospasm. New findings include a report on occupation, lower reports of preceding eye conditions and photophobia, and higher reported stressful events. Further, this study shows a change in treatment with an increase in BoNT use and decrease in surgical procedures.

This case reported was a variety of Hemicardiac, Paracephetic monster presenting by breech as the first twin colliding with the vertex of the normal second twin. Brief description of the monster and its aetiological factors are discussed.