LightLine Technologies (United States)

Objective: This observational study deciphered the dynamic remodeling of gastrointestinal functional homeostasis during Daoist fasting (Bigu) through convergent analysis of physiometric biomarkers and psychosomatic perception profiles, thereby unmasking the neuro-endocrine-immune regulatory mechanisms underlying the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) doctrine of “Yang hyperactivity conjoined with Yin hypoactivity.” Methods: This is an observational study with 36 subjects involved from March 15 to 22, 2020. The data from 3 tests before, during, and after the fasting were analyzed. Body composition, such as body weight and bone mass, physiological indexes, such as blood pressure, pulse beat, oxygen saturation, and blood perfusion, and subjective sensation, such as quality of sleep, energy evaluation, and fatigue, were analyzed. Results: There were significant differences in body weight, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, basal metabolic rate, bone mass, and visceral fat index (P < 0.01) before, during, and after fasting. Blood oxygen saturation, blood perfusion, and body water content before, during, and after fasting were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Combined with literature research and modern physiological testing instruments, this paper explains the traditional Chinese medicine theory of “excess in Yang and deficiency in Yin” from a new aspect. That is, when the contents of the gastrointestinal tract are full, the overall state of the body is in the hyperactive “Yangming” state characterized by full energy and absence of fatigue. When the gastrointestinal tract contents are near empty, the overall state of the body is in the weak “Taiyin” condition, characterized by lack of energy and fatigue.

Dear Editor, We read with great interest the recent article by Sun and colleagues entitled “Thoracoscopic surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation patients with functional regurgitation: the treatment strategy prioritizing atrial fibrillation”[1]. The authors present important findings regarding the efficacy of thoracoscopic surgical ablation (TSA) in managing atrial fibrillation (AF) and its associated functional regurgitation (FR), particularly functional mitral regurgitation. While their work contributes meaningfully to this evolving field, several key aspects merit further discussion. This correspondence is compliant with the TITAN Guidelines 2025—governing declaration and use of AI[2]. Firstly, the rationale for prioritizing rhythm control in the management of atrial fibrillation warrants deeper mechanistic clarification. AF is a primary driver of progressive atrial remodeling[3], leading to annular dilatation and FR, specifically atrial functional mitral regurgitation and atrial functional tricuspid regurgitation. The latter, which is closely linked to AF, is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, including increased mortality and higher rates of major adverse cardiovascular events[4]. While successful rhythm control can induce reverse remodeling, this study could benefit from a more explicit discussion of how AF ablation is expected to reduce FR severity and the specific mechanisms involved. Furthermore, quantifying the FR improvement post-ablation and correlating this with patient-centered outcomes would strengthen the clinical relevance of the findings. Secondly, the accuracy of reported AF recurrence rates depends heavily on the monitoring methodology. Short-term, intermittent monitoring, such as 24–48 hour Holter ECGs, significantly underestimates recurrence, especially in cases of paroxysmal or asymptomatic episodes. Implantable loop recorders offer superior diagnostic fidelity and should be considered in future study protocols[5]. Additionally, incorporating objective indicators of cardiac reverse remodeling, such as left atrial reverse remodeling, would offer a more comprehensive and prognostically informative assessment of therapeutic success. Lastly, future research should focus on personalized strategies. Current patient selection based on AF type alone is often inaccurate. A more personalized approach, integrating advanced imaging, electrophysiological parameters, and machine learning models, may enhance patient selection and tailor ablation strategies[6]. Future multicentre randomized controlled trials with extended follow-up and continuous monitoring will be essential to validate TSA against alternative strategies and to clarify its long-term impact on clinical outcomes. In conclusion, Sun et al’s study provides valuable insight into the role of TSA in managing AF patients with FR[1]. Addressing the outlined issues will advance the field toward more precise and effective therapeutic approaches tailored to the individual patient.

Skin quality treatments by injecting uncrosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) are widely used in aesthetic medicine. The proven biological effect of native high molecular weight HA contributes to moisturize, improve skin color and texture, as well as restore its density by stimulating neocollagenesis. HA-based injectables have a proven profile of efficacy and safety. They are biocompatible with human tissues; therefore, they are actively used in programs of age-related changes treatment. The biorevitalization treatment is intradermal injection of HA in order to replenish the lost reserve of glycosaminoglycans and restore natural conditions for cell's functioning. The treatment result is the activation of the autoregulation mechanism of the synthesis of endogenous HA and other components of the dermal intercellular. Biorevitalization provides improvement of elasticity and turgor of tissues, rehydration and increase the antioxidant potential of skin. There are numerous cosmetic preparations, injectables and energy-based methods designed to treat involutional skin changes. The comprehensive approach involves the possibility of combining biorevitalization treatment with peelings, HA fillers, polylactic acid (PLLA), botulinum toxin, high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), lasers and thread lift. The inclusion of biorevitalization in combined programs contributes to the optimization of aesthetic effect due to the multiple components and synergy of action mechanism. The use of combined effects contributes to favorable clinical results and high patients' satisfaction with their general appearance.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, an influx of adolescents presented worldwide with acute onset of functional tic-like behaviors (FTLBs). Our goal was to evaluate psychosocial factors around onset, to elucidate outcomes after pandemic isolation protocols were lifted, and to examine therapy and medication management. A retrospective review was performed of 56 patients ages 10-18 years with new-onset FTLBs seen at Boston Children's Hospital beginning in March 2020. Demographic factors, medical history, and treatment were evaluated. Patient outcomes were determined retrospectively based on the Clinical Global Impression Improvement (CGI-I) and Severity (CGI-S) scales from follow-up visits. CGI-I scores assessed the progression of FTLBs; CGI-S assessed overall function. Ninety-six percent of patients were female-assigned at birth with high rates of comorbid anxiety (93%) and depression (71%). Forty-five percent were gender-diverse. Based on scales that assessed FTLBs (CGI-I) and overall functioning (CGI-S), up to 79% of patients improved independent of comorbid diagnosis or treatment. Evidence-based tic-specific treatments were not more effective than other treatments. A subset of patients had improvement in their FTLBs but not in their general functioning and continued to have other psychosomatic presentations. While many patients' FTLBs improved, it is critical to remain alert to patients' overall function and to assess for other functional neurological disorders and mental health concerns. The tendency of FTLBs to improve in this population, independent of treatment, highlights the unique pathophysiology of FTLBs. Future research on contributing psychosocial factors and specific treatment protocols will allow optimal support for these patients.

Background. Over the past decades, there has been an annual increase in the number of aesthetic treatments. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) are widely used in aesthetic medicine. It has been shown that the safety profile of combined treatment is comparable to the safety of each method separately, but the synergistic effect remains unstudied. Material and methods. 5 patients were included. The treatment was performed in 4 zones on the inner part of the shoulder: combination of HIFU and PLLA in one session (1), consistent treatment with HIFU and PLLA with 1-month interval (2), HIFU (3), and PLLA (4). The control zone (5) was not treated. HIFU treatment was performed with a portable device equipped with a 7 MHz cartridge. Exposure depth was 6 mm, energy level was 1.35 J. 80 exposure lines were applied per 100 square cm. Suspension containing 150 mg of PLLA and 50 mg of sodium carboxymethylcellulose was reconstituted with 20 ml of water for injection with the addition of 2 ml of 2% lidocaine solution 30 minutes before administration. Skin hydration (corneometry) and elastic properties (cutometry) were assessed. Ultrasound scanning was performed to determine the thickness and echogenicity of tissues. Punch biopsy specimens of skin from one participant in 4 treatment zones and in the control area were evaluated by the standard histological method. Results. The synergistic effect from the combined treatment with HIFU and PLLA was confirmed in comparison with the results of isolated treatment in the dynamics of skin hydration, elasticity, echogenicity and histological examination. Conclusion. The study results show that the combined application of HIFU and PLLA is substantiated.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) of the central nervous system (CNS). Early identification of MS, especially as a screening method for at-risk individuals, is crucial to delay disease progression and improve patient outcomes by preventing future irreversible neurologic damage. In this work, we utilize well-validated tracking scanning laser ophthalmoscope (TSLO) image to predict MS compared to the unaffected controls. While traditional Machine Learning (ML) methods, such as Logistic Regression (LR), have demonstrated a strong predictive power [Mauro F. Pinto et al., 2020] in disease identification, we propose the use of a novel DL based model. Though the use of Deep Neural Network (DNN), this model can have a much higher learning capacity to capture latent features embedded in the retinal images. We hypothesize that such latent information, often hidden in ML feature engineering processes, plays an important role for the prediction of disease and can be well represented by DL models. To establish a DL based model capable of learning latent image features to provide predictive power for the presence of MS. Utilize a deep convolutional neural network to extract the retinal coding and implement a recurrent neural network to learn the temporal correlations in video sequences. Our approaches were tested using a 250-subject MS/control database collected at the UCSF. Patients with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)< 4 are compared to healthy subjects. Both raw retinal images and the frequency and spatial patterns of the eye motion are combined to construct a hybrid image, denoted as "retinal coding", and directly fed to the DL model for training and testing. Preliminary results on predictive power were measured using Area-under-Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve, sensitivity, and specificity, as well as an F-1 score. We observe an AUC of 0.920, sensitivity of 0.90, specificity of 0.89 and F-1 score of 0.89 using the DL model to distinguish MS from controls, which outperforms the baseline LR model by 24%. This work can be considered as a proof-of-concept concerning the possibility of identifying MS disease using a DL based approach. The results demonstrate the possibility of predicting early-stage MS and understanding disease's dynamics. Such end-to-end model could be generalizable and trained on other disease states.

The diagnosis of endometriosis, a common gynecologic condition, is characterized by delays of up to 11 years. During this time, women may experience persistent symptoms that affect their quality of life, productivity, and relationships, and the disease may progress. It is therefore a priority to understand the factors that contribute to this delay to help improve the diagnostic pathway. Our objective was to describe the diagnosis barriers of endometriosis from the patient and health care professional perspectives using a qualitative evidence synthesis. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature using combinations of the synonyms of endometriosis, diagnosis, and qualitative research. The search was restricted to English-language articles from database creation until May 2022. The initial search yielded 899 articles. Studies were included if they explored the experiences or views of affected women or health care professionals on the diagnosis of endometriosis and used qualitative methods for data collection and data analysis. Risk of bias was assessed with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. Thirty-seven articles were considered for full review, with 13 eligible articles identified for inclusion. Thematic synthesis was used to identify four key themes: 1) individual factors (n=6), 2) interpersonal influences (n=6), 3) health system factors (n=13), and 4) factors specific to endometriosis (n=13). These encompassed 12 subthemes that represented barriers to the diagnosis of endometriosis: 1) difficulty establishing pathologic symptoms from normal menstruation and the use of self-care techniques; 2) menstrual stigma and the normalization of menstrual pain; 3) attitudes and lack of training for health care professionals, delayed referrals to specialist services, and poor explanation of oral contraceptive pill use in the diagnostic process; and 4) variability in presenting symptoms, overlap with other conditions, lack of a noninvasive method of diagnosis, and concerns about the value of a diagnosis. This review identified barriers to the timely diagnosis of endometriosis from the perspective of affected individuals and health care professionals. It highlights areas for improvement along the diagnostic pathway, which may guide future strategies to reduce delays.

To evaluate maternal and neonatal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody levels at birth after a third (booster) dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech messenger RNA (Pfizer) coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine during the second trimester of pregnancy, and compare them with those in women who received two vaccine doses during the second trimester. We conducted a prospective cohort study of women admitted to the delivery ward at a single center who received the third Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine dose (booster group) at 17-30 weeks of pregnancy and who did not have previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Maternal and neonatal antibody levels were measured on admission for delivery and in the umbilical cord blood after birth. Antibody levels for the booster group were compared with those in a historical control group of pregnant women who received their second vaccine dose (two-dose group) within the same gestational age window. Between October 2021 and February 2022, antibody levels were measured in 121 women and 109 neonates at a mean±SD of 15.3±3.9 weeks after booster vaccination. Neonatal titers measured two times higher than maternal titers, with inverse correlation between maternal and neonatal titers at birth and time interval from third vaccination. The two-dose group included 121 women and 107 neonates, with antibody levels measured at a mean±SD of 14.6±2.6 weeks after the second dose. Median [interquartile range] maternal antibody titers were higher in the booster group (4,485 [2,569-9,702] AU/mL) compared with the two-dose group (1,122 [735-1,872] AU/mL) (P<.001). Furthermore, neonatal antibody titers were higher in the booster group (8,773 [5,143-18,830] AU/mL) compared with the two-dose group (3,280 [2,087-5,754] AU/mL) (P<.001). Maternal and neonatal SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titers after second-trimester maternal Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination were significantly higher after the booster dose compared with the two-dose vaccination series. Although there is uncertainty as to whether antibody levels correlate with protection, these data support the importance of booster vaccination during pregnancy to restore maternal and neonatal protection against COVID-19.

Studies evaluating the safety and efficacy of currently available vaccines for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) do not include pregnant participants. No data are available to counsel on vaccine safety and potential for neonatal passive immunity. A 34-year-old multigravid patient working in health care received the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 in the third trimester of pregnancy. Uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal delivery of a female neonate with Apgar scores of 9 and 9 occurred at term. The patient's blood as well as neonatal cord blood were evaluated for SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. Both the patient and the neonate were positive for antibodies at a titer of 1:25,600. In this case, passage of transplacental antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 was shown after vaccination in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Albany Department of Water & Water Supply maintains a combined sewer system containing many major components well over a century old. The Albany Water Board contracted a third-party inspection and assessment of approximately 2,600 LF of sewer within the Beaver Creek Combined Sewer District, a network that provides sanitary sewer and storm drainage for more than five square miles. Many sections of large diameter brick sewers were found to be obviously failing, including longitudinal fractures at pipe crowns running continuously along entire sewer sections, with bricks starting to fall out, indicating severe risk of failure and collapse. Stabilization and rehabilitation of these aging, failing structures was successfully completed with a centrifugally cast concrete pipe (CCCP) system, spincasting a fine aggregate composite concrete (FACC). Road closures and disruption to residents and businesses, including a hospital, were minimal. Work was completed on schedule, including the emergency change order, despite an unusually stormy season. The cost-effectiveness and quality of the repair was a huge success for Albany and is expected to add 50–75 years to the lifespan of these sewers.