Reliable species identification provides a sounder basis for use of species in the order Odonata as biological indicators and for their conservation, an urgent concern as many species are threatened with imminent extinction. We generated 134 COI barcodes from 36 morphologically identified species of Odonata collected from Mindanao Island, representing 10 families and 19 genera. Intraspecific sequence divergences ranged from 0 to 6.7% with four species showing more than 2%, while interspecific sequence divergences ranged from 0.5 to 23.3% with seven species showing less than 2%. Consequently, no distinct gap was observed between intraspecific and interspecific DNA barcode divergences. The numerous islands of the Philippine archipelago may have facilitated rapid speciation in the Odonata and resulted in low interspecific sequence divergences among closely related groups of species. This study contributes DNA barcodes for 36 morphologically identified species of Odonata reported from Mindanao including 31 species with no previous DNA barcode records.
Acute cardiovascular physical exercise improves cognitive performance, as evidenced by a reduction in reaction time (RT). However, the mechanistic understanding of how this occurs is elusive and has not been rigorously investigated in humans. Here, using positron emission tomography (PET) with [11 C]raclopride, in a multi-experiment study we investigated whether acute exercise releases endogenous dopamine (DA) in the brain. We hypothesized that acute exercise augments the brain DA system, and that RT improvement is correlated with this endogenous DA release. The PET study (Experiment 1: n = 16) demonstrated that acute physical exercise released endogenous DA, and that endogenous DA release was correlated with improvements in RT of the Go/No-Go task. Thereafter, using two electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) studies (Experiments 2 and 3: n = 18 and 22 respectively), we investigated what triggers RT improvement. The EMS studies indicated that EMS with moderate arm cranking improved RT, but RT was not improved following EMS alone or EMS combined with no load arm cranking. The novel mechanistic findings from these experiments are: (1) endogenous DA appears to be an important neuromodulator for RT improvement and (2) RT is only altered when exercise is associated with central signals from higher brain centres. Our findings explain how humans rapidly alter their behaviour using neuromodulatory systems and have significant implications for promotion of cognitive health. KEY POINTS: Acute cardiovascular exercise improves cognitive performance, as evidenced by a reduction in reaction time (RT). However, the mechanistic understanding of how this occurs is elusive and has not been rigorously investigated in humans. Using the neurochemical specificity of [11 C]raclopride positron emission tomography, we demonstrated that acute supine cycling released endogenous dopamine (DA), and that this release was correlated with improved RT. Additional electrical muscle stimulation studies demonstrated that peripherally driven muscle contractions (i.e. exercise) were insufficient to improve RT. The current study suggests that endogenous DA is an important neuromodulator for RT improvement, and that RT is only altered when exercise is associated with central signals from higher brain centres.
BACKGROUND: The role of low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) as an adjuvant therapy in antitumor treatment is not well established. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to investigate the efficacy of LCKD as an adjuvant therapy in antitumor treatment compared to non-ketogenic diet in terms of lipid profile, body weight, fasting glucose level, insulin, and adverse effects; Methods: In this study, databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, and Cochrane trials were searched. Only RCTs that involved cancer participants that were assigned to dietary interventions including a LCKD group and a control group (any non-ketogenic dietary intervention) were selected. Three reviewers independently extracted the data, and the meta-analysis was performed using a fixed effects model or random effects model depending on the I2 value or p-value; Results: A total of six articles met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. In the overall analysis, the post-intervention results = standard mean difference, SMD (95% CI) showed total cholesterol (TC) level = 0.25 (-0.17, 0.67), HDL-cholesterol = -0.07 (-0.50, 0.35), LDL-cholesterol = 0.21 (-0.21, 0.63), triglyceride (TG) = 0.09 (-0.33, 0.51), body weight (BW) = -0.34 (-1.33, 0.65), fasting blood glucose (FBG) = -0.40 (-1.23, 0.42) and insulin = 0.11 (-1.33, 1.55). There were three outcomes showing significant results in those in LCKD group: the tumor marker PSA, p = 0.03, the achievement of ketosis p = 0.010, and the level of satisfaction, p = 0.005; Conclusions: There was inadequate evidence to support the beneficial effects of LCKDs on antitumor therapy. More trials comparing LCKD and non-KD with a larger sample size are necessary to give a more conclusive result.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to constrain health-care staff and resources worldwide, despite the availability of effective vaccines. Aerosol-generating procedures such as endoscopy, a common investigation tool for nasopharyngeal carcinoma, are recognised as a likely cause of SARS-CoV-2 spread in hospitals. Plasma Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA is considered the most accurate biomarker for the routine management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. A consensus statement on whether plasma EBV DNA can minimise the need for or replace aerosol-generating procedures, imaging methods, and face-to-face consultations in managing nasopharyngeal carcinoma is urgently needed amid the current pandemic and potentially for future highly contagious airborne diseases or natural disasters. We completed a modified Delphi consensus process of three rounds with 33 international experts in otorhinolaryngology or head and neck surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, and clinical oncology with vast experience in managing nasopharyngeal carcinoma, representing 51 international professional societies and national clinical trial groups. These consensus recommendations aim to enhance consistency in clinical practice, reduce ambiguity in delivering care, and offer advice for clinicians worldwide who work in endemic and non-endemic regions of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, in the context of COVID-19 and other airborne pandemics, and in future unexpected settings of severe resource constraints and insufficiency of personal protective equipment.