Waterbird solves the string-pull test

String-pulling is among the most widespread cognitive tasks used to test problem-solving skills in mammals and birds. The task requires animals to comprehend that pulling on a non-valuable string moves an otherwise inaccessible food reward to within their reach. Although at least 90 avian species have been administered the string-pull test, all but five of them were perching birds (passeriformes) or parrots (psittaciformes). Waterbirds (Aequorlitornithes) are poorly represented in the cognitive literature, yet are known to engage in complex foraging behaviours. In this study, we tested whether free-living ring-billed gulls ( Larus delawarensis ), a species known for their behavioural flexibility and foraging innovativeness, could solve a horizontal string-pull test. Here, we show that 25% (26/104) of the ring-billed gulls that attempted to solve the test at least once over a maximum of three trials were successful, and that 21% of them (22/104) succeeded during their first attempt. Ring-billed gulls are thus the first waterbird known to solve a horizontal single-string-rewarded string-pull test. Since innovation rate and problem-solving are associated with species' ability to endure environmental alterations, we suggest that testing the problem-solving skills of other species facing environmental challenges will inform us of their vulnerability in a rapidly changing world.

Significance of iron levels in patients with non-cicatricial alopecias: a cross sectional study

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background: </strong>Among all the nutritional causes of hair loss, iron levels are found to be important key nutrient. Synthesis of hair involves many steps which require iron as a cofactor. The intention of present study is to evaluate relationship between iron and hair loss. The objectives of the study are to study the clinical patterns, demographic and epidemiological factors associated with hair loss and to find association between iron study parameter (Hb, serum iron, serum ferritin, TIBC) and hair loss.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods: </strong>The study was a cross section- observational study, conducted among the patients with diagnosed non-cicatricial alopecias from June 2018 to April 2019. A total of 50 study participants were recruited. Specific investigations like hair pull test and trichogram were done. Chi square test was applied and p&lt;0.05 was considered significant.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Among the total 50 participants 35 (70%) were males and 15 (30%) were females. Mean (±SD) age was 44 (±9.5) years. Mean (SD) of haemoglobin, serum iron, TIBC and ferritin are 9.6 (±2.6), 75.5 (±50), 365 (±54) and 106 (±87) respectively. Trichogram result proves telogen hair- 22 (44%), dystrophic hair loss- 14 (28%) and anagen hair loss-14 (28%). Hair pull test was positive in 27 (54%). Higher proportion of male pattern hair loss was associated with lower haemoglobin and low serum ferritin levels. (p value -0.046, 0.031)</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Significant association was found between the diagnosis of non cicatricial alopecia and mean values of haemoglobin and serum ferritin with lower haemoglobin and low serum ferritin was mostly associated with male pattern hair loss.</p>

THE EFFICACY OF PLATELET RICH PLASMA IN TREATMENT OF ANDROGENETIC ALOPECIA

Dermoscopy is a non-invasive diagnostic technique for the observation of pigmented skin lesions, permitting the recognition of morphologic structures not visible by the naked eye. The technique consists of placing mineral oil, alcohol or even water on the skin lesion that is subsequently inspected using a hand-held lens, a hand-held dermatoscope, a stereomicroscope, a camera, or a digital imaging system. The magnifications of these various instruments range from 6x even up to 100x.The fluid placed on the lesion eliminates surface reflection and renders the cornified layer translucent, thus allowing a better visualization of pigmented structures within the epidermis, the dermoepidermal junction and the superficial dermis. Male-pattern hair loss (MPHL), also known as androgenic alopecia and male pattern baldness, is hair loss that occurs due to an underlying susceptibility of hair follicles toshrinkage due to the influence of androgenic hormones. Male-pattern hair loss is the most common cause of hair loss and will affect up to 70% of men and 40% of women at some point in their lifetimes.Men typically present with progressive hair loss at the temples and vertex balding, whereas women typically present with diffuse hair loss over the top of their scalps.Platelet-rich plasma is defined as a volume of the plasma fraction of autologus blood with an above baseline platelet concentration usually more than 1,000,000 platelets/μL.PRPs regenerative potential depends on the levels of released GFs.Alpha granules of platelets contain GFs, which upon activation, are responsible for the initiation and maintenance of the healing response. PRP is known to carry more than 20 GFs and other protein molecules, such as adhesion molecules, chemokines, which interact to promote inflammation, cell proliferation, differentiation, and regeneration.In this study, the aim was to objectively assess the proposed therapeutic effect of PRP in treatment of AGA through measuring hair density using dermoscopic evaluation, hair pull test, gross pictures and patients satisfaction scale.The study included 30 patients of different grades of androgenetic alopecia, our patients were 15 males and 15 females ranging from grade Ι to ΙΙΙ by Ludwig classification for FPHL and from grade 3 to grade 6 for Norwood and Hamilton classification for male androgenetic alopecia of a total 6 sessions, 4 successive ones with 3 weeks apart of a total 12 weeks and 2 separate sessions, 24wk and the last evaluation was done 1 year later to the 1st session.The results were classified depending on the lasting effect of the PRP into short term results lasting up to 4 months from the start of the sessions which gave statistically positive values regarding the hair pull test results and hair follicles counted by dermoscope and the long term results starting from the 5th month up to 1 year duration from the start of the sessions which showed decline in both numbers of hair pull test and Which indicatesthe needfo retreatment or addition of another line o medical treatment e.g., minoxidil or finasteride. Also PRP can be considered ahumble tool in the treatment of AGA, as it is sufficient alone without the medical treatment.

Using kinematics to re-define the pull test as a quantitative biomarker of the postural response

Background: Quantitative biomarkers are needed for the diagnosis, monitoring and therapeutic assessment of postural instability. Objective: Create a practical and objective measure of postural instability using kinematic measurement of the pull test to incorporate into clinical practice. Methods: Twenty patients evaluated and treated for normal pressure hydrocephalus were tested over a number of sessions. Patients were fitted with 15 inertial measurement units during each session. At each session, the patient underwent 10-20 pull tests performed by a trained clinician. The clinician purposefully induced a range of perturbations during each session to assess the patient's step response. Kinematic data was extracted for each pull test and aggregated. Results: Patients participated in 57 sessions for a total of 860 trials and were separated into groups by pull test score. The center of mass velocity profile easily distinguished between groups such that score increases correlated with decreases in peak velocity and later peak velocity onset. All patients except those scored as "3" demonstrated an increase in step length and decrease in reaction time with increasing pull intensity. Groups were distinguished by differences in overall step length or reaction time regardless of pull intensity (y-intercept). A logistic regression model including only kinematic variables identified three kinematic factors that could be used to identify trials in which patients needed to be caught (i.e. "fell"). Conclusion: An instrumented, purposefully varied pull test produces kinematic metrics useful for distinguishing clinically meaningful differences between and within NPH patients. These metrics should be followed prospectively to examine fall risk.

Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma in the Treatment of Androgenetic Alopecia - A Prospective Cohort Study from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh

BACKGROUND Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a genetically determined disorder characterized by the gradual conversion of terminal hairs into indeterminate, and finally into vellus hairs. It is the most common cause of hair loss affecting more men and occasionally women. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is one of the newer treatment options and has shown promising results. We wanted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PRP in the treatment of AGA. METHODS A prospective cohort study was done on thirty patients of AGA. The stage of alopecia was evaluated according to the Hamilton-Norwood scale (males) and the Ludwig scale (females). All patients were treated with six intradermal PRP sittings with an interval of 4 weeks between each sitting and were evaluated at the end of 6 months using global photography, hair pull test, patient’s satisfaction rating and hair density. RESULTS Out of 30 patients, majority were in the age group of 21 - 25 years (40 %). 23 were males and 7 were females. Among male patients, maximum number of patients (39.13 %) were having grade 4 AGA followed by grade 3 (30.43 %). Among females, maximum number of patients (57.14 %) were having grade 1 AGA. At baseline, 66.67 % patients showed positive hair pull test whereas all patients showed negative hair pull test at the end of study. Baseline mean hair density was 78.96 ± 9.66 hairs / cm2 and at the end of study it was 105. 46 ± 9.21 hairs / cm2 . On an analogue scale ranging from 0 to 10, the overall mean change in the clinical rating of patient satisfaction was 6.83, which denoted satisfactory for most patients. CONCLUSIONS All patients treated with PRP showed increase in hair density in dermoscopic photomicrographs at the end of the study. PRP is a simple, effective and safe treatment for AGA. KEYWORDS Androgenetic Alopecia, Platelet-Rich Plasma