Evaluation and validation of a PrintrLab-based LAMP assay to identify Trypanosoma cruzi in newborns in Bolivia: a proof-of-concept study.

Background: Vertical transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi represents approximately 20% of new Chagas disease cases. Early detection and treatment for women of childbearing age and newborns is a public health priority, but the lack of a simple and reliable diagnostic test remains a major barrier. We aimed to evaluate the performance of a point-of-care loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of T cruzi.

Neuromodulatory Responses Elicited by Intermittent versus Continuous Transcranial Focused Ultrasound Stimulation of the Motor Cortex in Rats.

Transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (tFUS) has emerged as a promising neuromodulation technique that delivers acoustic energy with high spatial resolution for inducing long-term potentiation (LTP)- or depression (LTD)-like plasticity. The variability in the primary effects of tFUS-induced plasticity could be due to different stimulation patterns, such as intermittent versus continuous, and is an aspect that requires further detailed exploration. In this study, we developed a platform to evaluate the neuromodulatory effects of intermittent and continuous tFUS on motor cortical plasticity before and after tFUS application.

Transcranial burst electrical stimulation contributes to neuromodulatory effects in the rat motor cortex.

Background And Objective: Transcranial Burst Electrical Stimulation (tBES) is an innovative non-invasive brain stimulation technique that combines direct current (DC) and theta burst stimulation (TBS) for brain neuromodulation. It has been suggested that the tBES protocol may efficiently induce neuroplasticity. However, few studies have systematically tested neuromodulatory effects and underlying neurophysiological mechanisms by manipulating the polarity of DC and TBS patterns.

Time-course gait pattern analysis in a rat model of foot drop induced by ventral root avulsion injury.

Foot drop is a common clinical gait impairment characterized by the inability to raise the foot or toes during walking due to the weakness of the dorsiflexors of the foot. Lumbar spine disorders are common neurogenic causes of foot drop. The accurate prognosis and treatment protocols of foot drop are not well delineated in the scientific literature due to the heterogeneity of the underlying lumbar spine disorders, different severities, and distinct definitions of the disease.

Long-Term Motor Cortical Electrical Stimulation Ameliorates 6-Hydroxydopamine-Induced Motor Dysfunctions and Exerts Neuroprotective Effects in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Objective: Cortical electrical stimulation (CES) can modulate cortical excitability through a plasticity-like mechanism and is considered to have therapeutic potentials in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the precise therapeutic value of such approach for PD remains unclear. Accordingly, we adopted a PD rat model to determine the therapeutic effects of CES.

Early Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Exerts Neuroprotective Effects and Improves Motor Functions in Hemiparkinsonian Rats.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a popular noninvasive technique for modulating motor cortical plasticity and has therapeutic potential for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the therapeutic benefits and related mechanisms of rTMS in PD are still uncertain. Accordingly, preclinical animal research is helpful for enabling translational research to explore an effective therapeutic strategy and for better understanding the underlying mechanisms.

Cortical Electrical Stimulation Ameliorates Traumatic Brain Injury-Induced Sensorimotor and Cognitive Deficits in Rats.

: Individuals with different severities of traumatic brain injury (TBI) often suffer long-lasting motor, sensory, neurological, or cognitive disturbances. To date, no neuromodulation-based therapies have been used to manage the functional deficits associated with TBI. Cortical electrical stimulation (CES) has been increasingly developed for modulating brain plasticity and is considered to have therapeutic potential in TBI.

Early transcranial direct current stimulation treatment exerts neuroprotective effects on 6-OHDA-induced Parkinsonism in rats.

Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proven to be able to modulate motor cortical plasticity might have potential as an alternative, adjunctive therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the efficacy of tDCS in PD is still uncertain. A disease animal model may be useful to clarify the existence of a treatment effect and to explore an effective therapeutic strategy using tDCS protocols.

Probiotics Alleviate the Progressive Deterioration of Motor Functions in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the common long-term degenerative disorders that primarily affect motor systems. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are common in individuals with PD and often present before motor symptoms. It has been found that gut dysbiosis to PD pathology is related to the severity of motor and non-motor symptoms in PD.

Long-Term Voluntary Physical Exercise Exerts Neuroprotective Effects and Motor Disturbance Alleviation in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder affecting 7-10 million individuals. The pathologic hallmark of PD is nigrostriatal dopaminergic neuron loss, leading to several motor and nonmotor disturbances, such as akinesia, gait disturbance, depression, and anxiety. Recent animal studies have demonstrated that physical exercise improves behavioral and neuropathological deficits in PD.

β-Actin is a downstream effector of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in myeloma cells.

Interleukin 6 is the in vivo growth factor of myeloma cells. In response to IL-6 stimulation, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is activated in these cells. With comparative proteomic approaches, this study reveals many putative downstream effectors of the PI3K/AKT pathway.