Effects of Therapeutic and Aerobic Exercise Programs on Pain, Neuromuscular Activation, and Bite Force in Patients with Temporomandibular Disorders.

Pain in masticatory muscles is one of the most frequent symptoms in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and can lead to changes in the patterns of neuromuscular activity of masticatory muscles and decrease in bite force. This study assesses the effects of three eight-week exercise programs on pain intensity, neuromuscular activation, and bite force of masticatory muscles in patients with TMD. Forty-five patients were divided into three groups: a therapeutic exercise program (G1), a therapeutic and aerobic exercise program (G2), and an aerobic exercise program (G3).

A rare case of marijuana associated with ascending aorta thrombosis complicated with stroke and bilateral renal infarcts.

Ascending aortic is an uncommon site for arterial thrombosis and ascending aortic thrombosis is a very rare phenomenon with a high fatality rate. Marijuana is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in the United States and a few cases have been reported on the association of marijuana with vascular thromboembolism. However, the pathophysiology and exact mechanism are still not well studied.

ARTP statement on cardiopulmonary exercise testing 2021.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has become an invaluable tool in healthcare, improving the diagnosis of disease and the quality, efficacy, assessment and safety of treatment across a range of pathologies. CPET's superior ability to measure the global exercise response of the respiratory, cardiovascular and skeletal muscle systems simultaneously in a time and cost-efficient manner has led to the application of CPET in a range of settings from diagnosis of disease to preoperative assessment. The Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology Statement on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing 2021 provides the practitioner and scientist with an outstanding resource to support and enhance practice, from equipment to testing to leadership, helping them deliver a quality assured service for the benefit of all patient groups.

VISTA Is a Diagnostic Biomarker and Immunotherapy Target of Aggressive Feline Mammary Carcinoma Subtypes.

Feline mammary carcinoma (FMC) is a common neoplasia, showing aggressive clinicopathological features, without viable therapeutic options. The study of tumor microenvironment has gained importance, due to the ability to control tumor progression by regulating the immune response. Considering the lack of knowledge, feline serum VISTA levels from cats with mammary carcinoma were compared with healthy controls, and with serum levels of PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, IL-6, and TNF-α.

Cell Cycle Regulation of Hippocampal Progenitor Cells in Experimental Models of Depression and after Treatment with Fluoxetine.

Changes in adult hippocampal cell proliferation and genesis have been largely implicated in depression and antidepressant action, though surprisingly, the underlying cell cycle mechanisms are largely undisclosed. Using both an unpredictable chronic mild stress (uCMS) rat model of depression and rat hippocampal-derived neurosphere culture approaches, we aimed to unravel the cell cycle mechanisms regulating hippocampal cell proliferation and genesis in depression and after antidepressant treatment. We show that the hippocampal dentate gyrus (hDG) of uCMS animals have less proliferating cells and a decreased proportion of cells in the G2/M phase, suggesting a G1 phase arrest; this is accompanied by decreased levels of cyclin D1, E, and A expression.

Effects of surgical masks on the responses to constant work-rate cycling performed at different intensity domains.

We aimed at examining the impact of wearing surgical face masks on exercise performance. Thirty-two healthy adults (16 males and 16 females) completed a graded exercise test to measure peak oxygen uptake (VO ) and the ventilatory threshold (VT). Then, on separate days, all participants performed resting and standardized protocols (moderate intensity: 25% infra-VT; severe intensity: 25% supra-VT) on two different conditions (with and without a surgical mask).

Differentiation between normal and tumor mammary glands with depth-resolved attenuation coefficient from optical coherence tomography.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a well-established imaging technology for high-resolution, cross-sectional imaging of biological tissues. Imaging processing and light attenuation coefficient estimation allows to further improve the OCT diagnostic capability. In this paper we use a commercial OCT system, Telesto II-1325LR from Thorlabs, and demonstrate its ability to differentiate normal and tumor mammary mouse glands with the OCT attenuation coefficient.

Sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis in a healthy adult: a rare diagnosis with frequent complications.

We report a case of complicated sternoclavicular joint septic arthritis in a previously healthy adult with no risk factors. An 83-year-old female presented to the emergency with a 1-week history of right shoulder pain followed by fever and prostration in the last 48 h. Computed tomography (CT) scan findings were consistent with right sternoclavicular joint (SCJ) septic arthritis complicated by periarticular abscess.

Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction With Occluded Culprit Artery: A Continuum of Mortality Risk Across the Spectrum of Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients presenting with occluded culprit artery (OCA) may be at higher risk for worse outcomes. We sought to compare in-hospital (IH) mortality between patients presenting with NSTEMI with and without OCA, and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods: This retrospective analysis studied 14,037 patients enrolled in the Portuguese National Registry of Acute Coronary Syndromes.

Preparation of cationic cotton through reaction with different polyelectrolytes.

Unlabelled: Cationization of cotton fabrics was performed by exhaustion procedure utilizing four different reagents provided with quaternary ammonium groups: poly diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PDDACl), poly acrylamide-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride (PAcD), poly[bis(2-chloroethyl) ether-alt-1,3-bis[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]urea] quaternized (P42) and 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CHPTAC). Pretreated samples were dyed using Reactive Red 195 dye. The cationic fabrics were analyzed by colorimetric and fastness properties, zeta potential, SEM, FTIR and an estimate of the bactericidal effect.

Telemedicine in Arab Countries: Innovation, Research Trends, and Way Forward.

The progress and innovation in telemedicine within the Middle Eastern countries have not been heavily monitored. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the scholarly work conducted in the Arab world, using reproducible statistical and scientometric techniques. An electronic search of Web of Science (core database) had been conducted through use of an extensive search strategy comprising of keywords specific to the Arab region, EMRO countries, telehealth, medical conditions, and disorders.

Beta turn propensity and a model polymer scaling exponent identify intrinsically disordered phase-separating proteins.

The complex cellular milieu can spontaneously demix, or phase separate, in a process controlled in part by intrinsically disordered (ID) proteins. A protein's propensity to phase separate is thought to be driven by a preference for protein-protein over protein-solvent interactions. The hydrodynamic size of monomeric proteins, as quantified by the polymer scaling exponent (v), is driven by a similar balance.

Fatty acids composition in yellow-legged (Larus michahellis) and lesser black-backed (Larus fuscus) gulls from natural and urban habitats in relation to the ingestion of anthropogenic materials.

Urban habitats offer spatially and temporally predictable anthropogenic food sources for opportunistic species, such as several species of gulls that are known to exploit urban areas and take advantage of accessible and diverse food sources, reducing foraging time and energy expenditure. However, human-derived food may have a poorer nutritional quality than the typical natural food resources and foraging in urban habitats may increase birds' susceptibility of ingesting anthropogenic debris materials, with unknown physiological consequences for urban dwellers. Here we compare the fatty acids (FA) composition of two opportunistic gull species (the yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis, and the lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus) from areas with different levels of urbanization, to assess differences in birds' diet quality among foraging habitats, and we investigate the effects of ingesting anthropogenic materials, a toxicological stressor, on gulls' FA composition.

Generative Deep Learning for Targeted Compound Design.

In the past few years, molecular design has increasingly been using generative models from the emergent field of Deep Learning, proposing novel compounds that are likely to possess desired properties or activities. molecular design finds applications in different fields ranging from drug discovery and materials sciences to biotechnology. A panoply of deep generative models, including architectures as Recurrent Neural Networks, Autoencoders, and Generative Adversarial Networks, can be trained on existing data sets and provide for the generation of novel compounds.

Highly Specific Blood-Brain Barrier Transmigrating Single-Domain Antibodies Selected by an In Vivo Phage Display Screening.

A major bottleneck in the successful development of central nervous system (CNS) drugs is the discovery and design of molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Nano-delivery strategies are a promising approach that take advantage of natural portals of entry into the brain such as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting endogenous BBB receptors. However, the main selected mAbs rely on targeting broadly expressed receptors, such as the transferrin and insulin receptors, and in selection processes that do not fully mimic the native receptor conformation, leading to mistargeting and a low fraction of the administered dose effectively reaching the brain.

Gold(I) Bis(1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene) Complexes as Promising Selective Anticancer Compounds.

The synthesis and antiproliferative activity of Mes- and iPr-substituted gold(I) bis(1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene) complexes in various cancer cell lines are reported, showing nanomolar IC values of 50 nM (lymphoma cells) and 500 nM (leukemia cells), respectively (Mes < iPr). The compounds exclusively induce apoptosis (50 nM to 5 μM) instead of necrosis in common malignant blood cells (leukemia cells) and do not affect non-malignant leucocytes. Remarkably, the complexes not only overcome resistances against the well-established cytostatic etoposide, cytarabine, daunorubicin, and cisplatin but also promote a synergistic effect of up to 182% when used with daunorubicin.

The HIV-1 Matrix Protein p17 Does Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) remains an important neurological manifestation in HIV-1-infected (HIV) patients. Furthermore, detection of the HIV-1 matrix protein p17 (p17) in the central nervous system (CNS) and its ability to form toxic assemblies in the brain have been recently confirmed. Here, we show for the first time, using both an blood-brain barrier (BBB) model and biodistribution studies in healthy mice, that p17 can cross the BBB.

Tick infestation on birds in an urban Atlantic Forest fragment in north-eastern Brazil.

Birds are important hosts for various tick species, playing a significant role in their biological life cycle and dispersion. In this study, we investigated tick infestations on birds trapped in an urban remnant of Atlantic Forest in Pernambuco state, Brazil. From February 2015 to March 2017, 541 birds belonging to 52 species were trapped with mist nets and examined for ectoparasites.

Complex combined steroid mix of the female tract modulates human sperm.

Human spermatozoa interact with a complex biochemical environment in the female reproductive tract en route to the site of fertilisation. Ovarian follicular fluid contributes to this complex milieu and is known to contain steroids such as progesterone, whose effects on sperm physiology have been widely characterised. We have previously reported that progesterone stimulates intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca]) signalling and acrosome reaction in human spermatozoa.

Muscle-secreted neurturin couples myofiber oxidative metabolism and slow motor neuron identity.

Endurance exercise promotes skeletal muscle vascularization, oxidative metabolism, fiber-type switching, and neuromuscular junction integrity. Importantly, the metabolic and contractile properties of the muscle fiber must be coupled to the identity of the innervating motor neuron (MN). Here, we show that muscle-derived neurturin (NRTN) acts on muscle fibers and MNs to couple their characteristics.

Photodynamic Therapy Review: Principles, Photosensitizers, Applications, and Future Directions.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive therapeutic modality that has gained great attention in the past years as a new therapy for cancer treatment. PDT uses photosensitizers that, after being excited by light at a specific wavelength, react with the molecular oxygen to create reactive oxygen species in the target tissue, resulting in cell death. Compared to conventional therapeutic modalities, PDT presents greater selectivity against tumor cells, due to the use of photosensitizers that are preferably localized in tumor lesions, and the precise light irradiation of these lesions.

EXTending availability of self-management structured EducatioN programmes for people with type 2 Diabetes in low-to-middle income countries (EXTEND)-a feasibility study in Mozambique and Malawi.

Background: Globally, there are estimated 425 million people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) with 80% from low-middle income countries (LMIC). Diabetes self-management education (DSME) programmes are a vital and core component of the treatment pathway for T2D. Despite LMIC being disproportionally affected by T2D, there are no DSME available that meet international diabetes federation criterion.

Case report: Rare convexity meningeal chondroma mimicking a meningioma.

Background: Intracranial chondromas account for 0.2-0.3% of all intracranial neoplastic lesions and less than a quarter arise in the convexity or falx.

Performance evaluation of occupational health and safety in relation to the COVID-19 fighting practices established by WHO: Survey in multinational industries.

The coronavirus pandemic meant that companies had to adapt quickly to survive the challenging scenario and avoid losing market share or even going bankrupt. In this sense, employees dedicated to Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) activities within organizations played a key role in ensuring that the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) were properly implemented. Even so, no studies were identified in the literature that investigated how the practices to combat COVID-19 improved the performance related to employee safety and occupational health.

Effects of Tryptophan Supplementation and Exercise on the Fate of Kynurenine Metabolites in Mice and Humans.

The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan (TRP) degradation (KP) generates metabolites with effects on metabolism, immunity, and mental health. Endurance exercise training can change KP metabolites by changing the levels of KP enzymes in skeletal muscle. This leads to a metabolite pattern that favors energy expenditure and an anti-inflammatory immune cell profile and reduces neurotoxic metabolites.