scholarly journals The Female Heart: Sex Differences in the Dynamics of ECG in Response to Stress

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tricia Adjei ◽  
Jingwen Xue ◽  
Danilo P. Mandic
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Stress Hormones ◽  
Frequency Component ◽  
Sample Entropy ◽  
High Frequency Component ◽  
P Value ◽  
Significant Difference

AbstractSex differences in the study of the human physiological response to mental stress are often erroneously ignored. To this end, we set out to show that our understanding of the stress response is fundamentally altered once sex differences are taken into account. This is achieved by comparing the heart rate variability (HRV) signals acquired during mental maths tests from ten females and ten males of similar maths ability; all females were in the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. For rigour, the HRV signals from this pilot study were analysed using temporal, spectral and nonlinear signal processing techniques, which all revealed significant statistical differences between the sexes, with the stress-induced increases in the heart rates from the males being significantly larger than those from the females (p-value=2.2×10−3). In addition, mental stress produced an overall increase in the power of the low frequency component of HRV in the males, but caused an overall decrease in the females. The stress-induced changes in the power of the high frequency component were even more profound; it greatly decreased in the males, but increased in the females. We also show that mental stress was followed by the expected decrease in sample entropy, a nonlinear measure of signal regularity, computed from the males’ HRV signals, while overall, stress manifested in an increase in the sample entropy computed from the females’ HRV signals. This finding is significant, since mental stress is commonly understood to be manifested in the decreased entropy of HRV signals, however, the significant difference (p-value=2×10−9) in the changes in the entropies from the males and females highlights the pitfalls in ignoring sex in the formation of a physiological hypothesis. Furthermore, it has been argued that oestrogen attenuates the effect of catecholamine stress hormones; the findings from this investigation suggest for the first time that the conventionally cited cardiac changes, attributed to the fight-or-flight stress response, are not universally applicable to females. Instead, this pilot study provides an alternative interpretation of cardiac responses to stress in females, which indicates a closer alignment to the evolutionary tend-and-befriend response.

scholarly journals Autonomic Conditions in Tinnitus and Implications for Korean Medicine

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eun Ji Choi ◽  
Younghee Yun ◽  
Seungyeon Yoo ◽  
Kyu Seok Kim ◽  
Jeong-Su Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Frequency Component ◽  
Total Power ◽  
High Frequency Component ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Research Attention ◽  
Korean Medicine ◽  
Significant Difference

Tinnitus patients suffer from not only auditory sensations but also physical, mental, and social difficulties. Even though tinnitus is believed to be associated with the autonomic nervous system, changes in autonomic conditions in tinnitus patients are not receiving much research attention. The aims of this study were to investigate the autonomic condition of tinnitus patients and to consider Korean medicine in the treatment of tinnitus with an evidence-based approach. We performed a retrospective chart review and compared the heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of 40 tinnitus patients (19 acute and 21 chronic) and 40 healthy controls. In tinnitus patients, the power of the high frequency component and total power of the HRV significantly decreased(P<0.05), and the low frequency to high frequency ratio significantly increased(P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the acute and chronic patients. When comparing each group with the controls, there was a tendency that the longer the duration of tinnitus was, the larger the observed HRV change was. In conclusion, tinnitus patients have vagal withdrawal and sympathetic overactivity, and chronic tinnitus more strongly affects autonomic conditions than acute tinnitus. This study provides evidence for Korean medical treatments of tinnitus, such as acupuncture and Qi-training, that cause modulation of cardiac autonomic function.

scholarly journals Immediate Effects of Thai Herbal Hot Pack Treatment on Pain and Lower Back Flexibility: A Pilot Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 221
Author(s):  
Nichapa Parasin ◽  
Srintip Khumful ◽  
Ajchamon Thammachai
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Microwave Oven ◽  
P Value ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pack Treatment ◽  
Hot Pack

Objective: The objective of this pilot study was to investigate immediate effects of Thai herbal hot pack on pain and muscle flexibility in person with chronic low back pain.Material and Method: Twenty-two subjects with low back pain received the Thai herbal hot pack treatment which was heated by microwave oven on lower back for 30 minutes. Subjects were assessed pain and flexibility using visual analog scale and sit and reach test, respectively. Both parameters were measured at baseline and immediately after treatment.Results: The results showed that there were statistically significant difference in pain and flexibility immediately after 30 minutes of using Thai herbal hot pack (p-value<0.001 and p-value<0.050, respectively). The microwave oven-heated Thai herbal hot pack showed positive effect on pain and flexibility. Heat conduction and herbal ingredients of Thai herbal hot pack may be the main reasons that effects on parameters.Conclusion: Thai herbal hot pack may be considered as an alternative treatment for pain relieving and flexibility improving in low back pain patients.

Effect of Distributed Versus Massed Practice on Reaction Time in Collegiate Volleyball Players: A Pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kiran Negi ◽  
SD Shahanawaz ◽  
Priya Chauhan ◽  
Basudeo Rajbhor
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Distributed Practice ◽  
P Value ◽  
Massed Practice ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Volleyball Players ◽  
Group A ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Group B

Introduction: Reaction Time (RT) is the time taken by an individual to respond to external stimuli. It is one of the most important determinant ability in sports like Volleyball. Shorter RT leads to higher performance and success in Volleyball. Two types of training methods, massed and distributed practice have been used in researches to improve RT and other sports related skills in sports. In massed practice, there is persistent workout with hardly any rest periods even of minimal time period relative to the work interval while in distributed practice; it is interspersed with rest or other skill learning. There are mixed evidences on effectiveness of these practice methods which has led to the present study. Aim: To find the effect of distributed practice and massed practice in terms of RT among collegiate volleyball players. Materials and Methods: The study design was quasi-experimental pilot study that was conducted at the volleyball academy Gurugram, Haryana, India from September 2019 to December 2019. A total of 30 players, aged 18-22 years, from college volleyball team were invited to participate in the study. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Group A received massed practice (n=15), and group B received distributed practice (n=15) for 40 minutes, four days a week for four weeks. Players who were practicing daily for one hour were included in this study and they were excluded if they had any condition that limited their participation in the study or if they are suffering from any type of orthopaedic or neurological illness. RT was measured using Ruler Drop Test (RDT) and Red Light Green Light Test (RLGL). Data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 for statistical analysis. Results: The mean pre and post data of Group A, for RDT was 0.16 and 0.12 seconds, respectively; of Group B, it was 0.16 and 0.13. The mean pre and post data of Group A for RLGL was 0.42 and 0.38 seconds, respectively; Group B data for RLGL pre and post was 0.39 and 0.37 seconds, respectively. Both the groups showed significant improvement in scores of RDT (p-value for Group A=0.01, Group B=0.05) and RLGL (p-value for Group A=0.01, Group B=0.01) measured by the paired sample t-test (p<0.05). But there was no significant difference in between group analysis measured by independent sample t-test (p>0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that both massed and distributed practice was helpful in improving RT of collegiate volleyball players. As there was no significant difference between the two groups, consequently which practice method is superior in improving RT in collegiate volleyball players could not be stated.

"Is it a Boy or a Girl?" Anonymity and Gender in Computer-Mediated Interactions

2010 ◽  
pp. 100-120
Author(s):  
Katheryn C. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Gender Identification ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Linguistic Cues ◽  
On Line ◽  
And Gender

This chapter examines the research on sex differences and gender identification in computer-mediated interaction (CMI), and presents a pilot study of synchronous, anonymous, one-to-one interactions, to understand the extent to which a person’s “real life” sex can be identified in CMIs as well as the stylistic and linguistic cues that “mark” someone as “male” or “female.” Although previous research has reported sex differences in a number of different variables (e.g., number of words, disagreements), analysis of the transcripts in this study revealed only one significant difference, in that men corrected themselves more often than women. Furthermore, participants correctly guessed the sex of their partner 62.5% of the time, felt approximately 65% sure of their guess, and used gender stereotypes to make their assessments. Implications for anonymity and CMI research are discussed, focusing on the conditions under which sex differences and gender stereotypes become relevant in on-line interactions.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Exercises in Glycaemic Control and Maternal Outcome among Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus- A Pilot study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reena Wilma Frank ◽  
Kaipangala Raja Gopal ◽  
Devina E Rodrigues
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Maternal Outcome ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Moderate Effect ◽  
And Control ◽  
Interventional Group

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is a common medical problem that is very often seen in pregnancy in the present era. Pregnant women should keep in mind their health and lifestyle considerations or else pregnancy will end up with many complications. Pre-existing factors and pregnancy factors will be contributing and make pregnancy more complicated. Exercises are recommended as a healthy practice which prevents many diseases and provides a healthy life. Aim: To evaluate the glycaemic level by focusing on exercises to improve the maternal outcome. Materials and Methods: A Pilot study with Quasi-experimental pre-post control group design with 30 Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) women (15 in each group) were selected who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study was conducted in tertiary care Hospital between June 2019 and December 2019. Based on the convenience sampling technique, the setting was selected and a simple random technique was adopted to select the subjects. The 15 subjects were included in each groups, both intervention and control group. Exercises were taught for the interventional group of women for 12 weeks. Regular treatment was continued for both groups which include medication, diet and regular walking. Pre-test and post-test glycaemic scores were done for both the groups. Mann-whitney test, ANOVA, post-hoc test, paired Eta square were also used and IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 was used. Results: The study shows there was a significant difference in the pre-Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and post FBS values in the intervention group p-value <0.027. The paired Eta square value was 0.303 which showed a moderate effect of the exercise on the glycaemic value in the interventional group. There was a significant difference in the pre glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and post HbA1c values in both the intervention and control group was p-value <0.023 and p-value <0.025, respectively. The maternal outcome shows increased severity of the complications in the control group while comparing with the intervention group such as pre-eclampsia, operative interference, and preterm deliveries. But there was no significant difference in the maternal outcome observed between intervention and control group p-value >0.05. Conclusion: Regular moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercise training during pregnancy is associated with lower blood glucose level. Thus, study concluded that exercise has a moderate effect on glycaemic control.

Is it a Boy or a Girl? Anonymity and Gender in Computer-Mediated Interactions

2011 ◽  
pp. 1590-1610
Author(s):  
Katheryn C. Maguire
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Gender Identification ◽  
Computer Mediated ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Linguistic Cues ◽  
On Line ◽  
And Gender

This chapter examines the research on sex differences and gender identification in computer-mediated interaction (CMI), and presents a pilot study of synchronous, anonymous, one-to-one interactions, to understand the extent to which a person’s “real life” sex can be identified in CMIs as well as the stylistic and linguistic cues that “mark” someone as “male” or “female.” Although previous research has reported sex differences in a number of different variables (e.g., number of words, disagreements), analysis of the transcripts in this study revealed only one significant difference, in that men corrected themselves more often than women. Furthermore, participants correctly guessed the sex of their partner 62.5% of the time, felt approximately 65% sure of their guess, and used gender stereotypes to make their assessments. Implications for anonymity and CMI research are discussed, focusing on the conditions under which sex differences and gender stereotypes become relevant in on-line interactions.

scholarly journals Clinical Efficacy of Pathyadi Kwath Arka & Katphala Churna Nasya in the Management of Ardhavabhedaka with special reference to Migraine - A pilot Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 927-933
Author(s):  
Shital Bolkuntwar
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Special Reference ◽  
Clinical Efficacy ◽  
Null Hypothesis ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Stem Bark ◽  
P Value ◽  
Similar Symptom ◽  
Whole Plant ◽  
Significant Difference

Ardhavabhedaka  can be correlated with migraine having similar symptom as half-sided headache. It is mentioned as tridoshapradhana by Sushruta and vatakaphapradhana by Vagbhata. Pathyadi Kwath is a proven formulation for urdhwajatrugata disorders including Ardhavabheaka. In addition, importance of Nasya karma in shirogata vyadhi cann’t be ignored so here pradhamana nasya with kataphala churna mentioned in Yogaratnakara is selected to evaluate its efficacy. Aim & Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of Pathyadi Kwath Arka & Katphala Churna Nasya in the management of Ardhavabhedaka with special reference to Migraine. Material and method: The fruit of haritaki, bibhitaki, Amalaki, stem bark of nimba, whole plant of bhunimba, rhizome of haridra and stem of guduchi were used for the preparation of Pathyadi Kwath and its extract (arka) was prepared using the same ingredients by the process of distillation. Course powder of Kataphala was prepared in grinder, then filtered from mesh size 500 micron (BS 30, ASTM 35) and smooth powder of Kataphala obtained. Botanists carried out authentication of drugs. The study conducted on 10 samples for the duration of 12 weeks. Pathyadi kwath given in the dose of 10 drops/ 10 ml of water and kataphala churna pradhaana nasya; morning and evening daily. Result: Statistically significant p value was noted i.e.(P<0.05), the null hypothesis is accepted, hence it is clear that all the parameters show a significant difference in the observations (before treatment and after treatment). Conclusion: Pathyadi Kwath Arka & Katphala Churna Nasya is effective in the management of Ardhavabhedak.

INTRAMOLECULAR HYDROGEN BONDING AND THE ANHARMONICITY OF THE NH2 STRETCHING VIBRATIONS IN SUBSTITUTED ANILINES

1963 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 363-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Krueger
Keyword(s):  
Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding ◽  
Frequency Component ◽  
High Frequency Component ◽  
Symmetric Mode ◽  
Substituted Anilines ◽  
Asymmetric Mode ◽  
Electronic Nature ◽  
Overtone Band ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Intramolecular Hydrogen

The fundamental and first overtone NH2 stretching bands in 55 ortho-, meta-, and para-substituted anilines, measured in dilute carbon tetrachloride solution, have been compared. For all ortho-substituted compounds (except o-alkyl, o-COCH3, and o-COOCH2CH3) splitting of the symmetric band is observed in the first overtone region. On the basis of unusually low mechanical anharmonicity the high-frequency component is assigned to a vibration arising in an intramolecularly bonded NH2 group. The mechanical anharmonicity of the "free" NH2 group is found to be more dependent on the electronic nature of meta and para substituents for the symmetric mode than for the asymmetric mode, with minor changes on ortho substitution. The relative electrical anharmonicities for both modes have been estimated from changes in the ratio of the integrated intensity of the fundamental band to that of the first overtone band. For the asymmetric mode the electrical anharmonicity is independent of the electronic nature of the substituents, but depends on their ring position. For the symmetric mode the electrical anharmonicity decreases as charge separation increases in the molecule, with no significant difference for ortho-substituted compounds. These results are in qualitative agreement with a mechanism previously proposed for these vibrations.

scholarly journals The effectiveness of raising Hong Kong parents’ awareness of antimicrobial resistance through an educational program with peer support on social media: A pilot study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peggy P.L. Or ◽  
Patricia T.Y. Ching
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Intervention Program ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Control Group ◽  
P Value ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background To test whether parents’ awareness of antimicrobial resistance could be improved through the education programme with peer support on social media Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial with two-arms were implemented. The intervention program consisted of two weekly sessions and each session lasted for 90 minutes. A total of 48 parents had participated in the program. Parental knowledge, attitude, and their social network were measured before and after the program using the Parental Perception on Antibiotics (PAPA) scale and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) to assess differences between and within the intervention and control groups. Results All parents would have a sense that antibiotics could be effective at treating some infections and not others, as compared to 40% in the control group. All parents in the intervention group and 85% of the control group disagreed that they should reduce the dose of antibiotics when their children were recovering. The test was statistically significant (p = 0.039) with a p value < .05. There was a significant difference and a strong negative correlation between peer support in Facebook and the parents’ belief that antibiotics could be stopped when their children felt better, with Pearson coefficient of -0.78 and p = 0.001. In general, there was no significant difference between the two groups with respect to the GSE scale. Conclusions Based on the findings in this pilot study, a further study based on the education program with enhancement and peer support can be implemented in a large scale with a positive expectation of increasing parental awareness of antimicrobial resistance and potentially influencing patient prescribing expectations when seeking healthcare.

scholarly journals Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) measurement is not predictive for ureteral patency in pediatric patients following pyeloplasty: a pilot study

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-68
Author(s):  
Varathon Lumyai ◽  
◽  
Nattachai Srisawat ◽  
Promwong Ngamwuttiwong ◽  
Chanatee Bunyaratavej ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Pediatric Patients ◽  
P Value ◽  
Ngal Level ◽  
Urine Ngal ◽  
Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Neutrophil Gelatinase ◽  
Bladder Urine

Objective: To evaluate the benefit of urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) measurement to predict the ureteral patency in pediatric patients undergoing pyeloplasty. Materials and Methods: Ureteropelvic junction obstruction patients who underwent unilateral dismembered pyeloplasty had urine NGAL measurements taken intraoperatively during pyeloplasty and postoperatively at six months following surgery. All patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively with renal scans. Pairwise comparisons and correlation analyses were performed to determine the dynamics and benefits of urine NGAL measurement. Results: Thirteen patients were included in this pilot study with a mean age of 3.2 years at surgery. Mean intraoperative bladder urine level was 4.43 ng/mL, and median intraoperative renal pelvic urine NGAL level was 3.70 ng/mL. There was no significant difference between these two levels (p-value = 0.76). Six months after pyeloplasty, 9/13 patients demonstrated significant reduction in the bladder urine NGAL level (at least 50% reduction), and 5/13 patients showed ureteral patency based on postoperative renal scan (more than 5% improvement in differential renal function or the conversion of diuretic half time. However, the finding of significant reduction of urine NGAL level did not correlate with ureteral patency (r = -0.50, p-value = 0.08). Conclusion: Although bladder urine NGAL level reduces in most pediatric patients following pyeloplasty, this decline is not reflective of the finding of ureteral patency from renal scanning. The benefits of urine NGAL measurement in this context remain unclear and require further large-scale investigation.

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