Optimizing baseline and post-concussion assessments through identification, confirmation, and equivalence of latent factor structures: findings from the NCAA-DoD CARE Consortium.

Objective: Concussion evaluations use a multidimensional assessment to evaluate unique patient function dimensions (e.g., subjective symptoms differ from balance assessments), but the overarching latent factor structure has not been empirically substantiated. Our objective was to determine the cumulative latent factor structure of pre-injury baseline and acute (<48-h) post-concussion assessment battery outcomes, and determine measurement equivalence among common factors in collegiate student-athletes. Methods: Collegiate student-athletes at baseline (n = 21,865) and post-concussion (n = 1,537) across 25-institutions completed standardized assessments. Individual items were used from the baseline and post-concussion assessments and consisted of: Sport Concussion Assessment Tool, Brief Symptom Inventory-18, Standardized Assessment of Concussion, Balance Error Scoring System, Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test, and vestibular-ocular motor screening. Exploratory factor analysis was used on half the baseline data, and confirmatory factor analysis on the remaining baseline data and post-concussion data separately. Measurement equivalence was assessed between sex, sport contact classification, concussion history, and time. Results: A 10-factor exploratory model was established and comprised of: depression, somatic, vestibulo-ocular, headache, postural stability, neurocognition, emotional, fatigue, cognitive, consciousness clouding. The 10-factor model was confirmed at baseline and post-concussion with strong measurement equivalence between timepoints. Strong to strict measurement equivalence was observed for sex, sport contact classification, and concussion history at both timepoints separately. Conclusion: Our findings established a robust 10-factor latent factor model equivalent across timepoints and common factors among healthy and concussed collegiate athletes. Clinicians can use these findings to target specific factors while reducing redundant elements to provide efficient, comprehensive post-concussion assessments.

Butylated hydroxytoluene and Butylated hydroxyanisole induced cyto-genotoxicity in root cells of Allium cepa L.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of preservatives on somatic cells of Allium cepa. For the evaluation of cytotoxicity, root meristems of A. cepa were treated with 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 ppm concentration for 5, 10, 15 days. The root tips showed concentration dependent growth retardation in all the used concentrations, as well as root texture, also has been changed mitotic index, total protein content decreased and frequency of chromosomal aberrations increased after 5 days treatment. Additionally, the RAPD-PCR method was applied to evaluate genotoxicity and found the highest concentration (2500 ppm) was comparatively more distant to the control group. Results concluded that BHT and BHA showed positive results and cytotoxic.

Assessment of genotoxicity of some common food preservatives using Allium cepa L. as a test plant.

Food preservatives play important role in today's food supplies that are used to prolong the self-life of products by protecting them from deterioration caused by micro-organisms. In this study, investigations were carried out to study the impacts of food preservatives like butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, sorbic acid, propyl gallate and sodium nitrate. The effects of these preservatives at concentration of 1000 ppm, 1500 ppm, 2000 ppm, 2500 ppm for 4 h, 8 h and 16 h of exposure period were studied on the root tips of Allium cepa. Cytological studies revealed statistically significant (p < 0.05) inhibition in mitotic index with an increase in concentration of the food preservatives when compared with the control. Most frequent cytological abnormalities observed were bridges, multipolarity, C-mitosis, stickiness and cell death. The total percentages of abnormalities were also increased with increasing concentration and time duration. The abnormalities (%) in root system caused by used preservatives were recorded as butylated hydroxytoluene < butylated hydroxyanisole < sodium nitrate < sorbic acid < propyl gallate.