Ultrasound technology has been increasingly explored as an eco-friendly method to improve the microbial safety of leafy greens. However, its effect on produce quality is critical, and considerable knowledge gaps remain in this area. The present study examined the response of leafy greens to ultrasound treatment as shown by tissue damage and sensory quality, using a novel multifrequency, multimode, modulated (MMM) system to address the issue of nonuniform ultrasound field distribution.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction - Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease, which causes local and systemic bone damage. The main goal of this work was to analyze, how treatment intervention with Ab501 (certolizumab mice equivalent) prevents the disturbances on bone structure and mechanics induced by arthritis. Methods - Thirty DBA/1 collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice were randomly housed in experimental groups, as follows: arthritic untreated (N=9), preventive intervention (N=10) and treatment intervention (N=11).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimers Dement
December 2024
Background: The Brazilian population has been experiencing an increase in the number of older adults, with a simultaneous rise in the incidence of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Telomeres are structures located at the ends of chromosomes that maintain the structural integrity of the chromosome. There is a shortage of studies correlating telomeres and cognition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlack hairy tongue (BHT) is a benign, self-limiting, and usually asymptomatic condition, characterized by abnormally hypertrophied and elongated filiform papillae on the surface of the tongue. In this article, we present the case of a woman diagnosed with hebephrenic schizophrenia who developed BHT after using olanzapine to treat an acute episode of the disease. The temporal coincidence between the development of BHT and the increase in olanzapine dosage to 20 mg daily suggests a likely dose-dependent relationship, making this psychotropic drug the most probable cause of this condition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Atopic/allergic diseases impose a growing burden on public health, affecting millions of patients worldwide. The main objective of this study was to develop a national expert consensus on relevant clinical questions related to type 2 inflammation.
Methods: We conducted: a comprehensive literature review with a qualitative analysis to identify the most repeated themes on the overlap of conditions; a modified 3-round Web-Delphi (or e-Delphi); and a final online decision conference.
Purpose: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis (Pso) are highly heterogeneous inflammatory diseases. Multidisciplinary approaches are associated with improved results in both musculoskeletal (MSK) and skin manifestations. We describe the experience and main diagnostic and therapeutic outcomes of one of the largest and longest-running Rheumatology/Dermatology multidisciplinary PsA Clinic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This study aims to map the scientific literature on the effects of auriculotherapy in the treatment of anxiety-fatigue and sleep disturbances in cancer patients, highlighting the main application protocols.
Method: A scoping review was conducted following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. The search was conducted in twelve data sources by two independent researchers.
PLoS One
December 2024
The normalization process is important to determine the best approach for normalizing electromyographic signals from respiratory muscles in healthy subjects and those with ALS. The aim of this study is to compare different methods of normalizing the sEMG signal of respiratory muscles in both healthy subjects and those with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). This cross-sectional study was conducted in 67 subjects (50 healthy and 17 with ALS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Lung auscultation using a smartphone built-in microphone is promising for home monitoring of pediatric respiratory diseases. Our aim was to compare respiratory sounds recorded by a smartphone and a digital stethoscope by assessing the proportion of quality recordings and adventitious sounds detected by each device.
Methods: A comparative early feasibility study with children from a public school in Northern Portugal was conducted.
We present the case of a 33-year-old patient with atypical pulmonary anatomy secondary to fibrosing mediastinitis who underwent pulmonary thrombectomy with the Lightning Flash aspiration catheter following a pulmonary embolism triggered by tibial osteomyelitis. Despite an inconclusive computed tomography angiography report, the diagnosis was made through clinical evaluation associated with electrocardiographic and echocardiographic changes. Angiography was crucial for diagnosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs cholinergic innervation is a major contributor to increased vagal tone and mucus secretion, inhaled long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) are a pillar for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. By blocking the muscarinic receptors expressed in the lung, LAMA improve lung function and reduce exacerbations in asthma patients who remained poorly controlled despite treatment with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2 agonists. Asthma guidelines recommend LAMA as a third controller to be added on before the initiation of biologicals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPoint-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) stands as a safe, portable, and cost-effective imaging modality for swift bedside patient examinations. Specifically, lung ultrasonography (LUS) has proven useful in evaluating both acute and chronic pulmonary conditions. Despite its clinical value, automatic LUS interpretation remains relatively unexplored, particularly in multi-label contexts.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The evaluation of health benefits and harms of an intervention with GRADE Evidence to Decision (EtD) frameworks includes judgments if the effects are "trivial", "small", "moderate" or "large". Such judgments ideally require the a priori establishment of decision thresholds (DTs), whose empirical derivation for single outcomes has been previously described. In this article, we provide a methodological approach to estimate DTs for composite endpoints based on disutilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGE Port J Gastroenterol
December 2024
Background: Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a devastating malabsorptive condition and the most common cause of chronic intestinal failure (CIF). During the intestinal rehabilitation process, patients may need parenteral support for months or years, parenteral nutrition (PN), or hydration/electrolyte supplementation, as a bridge for the desired enteral autonomy.
Summary: Several classification criteria have been highlighted to reflect different perspectives in CIF.
A 56-year-old female with class 3 obesity, was previously submitted to laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) two weeks before current admission. The patient was admitted due to fever, abdominal pain and vomiting. CT revealed a 13.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/objectives: Home parenteral support (HPS) is the core of chronic intestinal failure (IF) treatment. For legal reasons, HPS in Portugal lags behind other European countries, and only a few patients were taken care of at home by nurses. Now, the legislation has changed, allowing patient self-care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFcan inhibit the growth of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) and modulate the gut microbiome. However, data on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are scarce. In an observational study, we assessed the impact of on the modulation of the gut microbiome in HSCT patients colonized by MDROs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, leading to a range of motor and non-motor symptoms.
Background/objectives: Over the past decade, studies have identified a potential link between the microbiome and PD pathophysiology. The literature suggests that specific bacterial communities from the gut, oral, and nasal microbiota may be involved in neuroinflammatory processes, which are hallmarks of PD.
J Funct Morphol Kinesiol
November 2024
: This study aimed to analyze the impact of seated, 45° inclined, and supine positions on respiratory muscle strength (Maximal Inspiratory Pressure-MIP, Maximal Expiratory Pressure-MEP, Sniff Nasal Inspiratory Pressure-SNIP and Sniff Nasal Expiratory Pressure-SNEP) and the electrical activity of respiratory muscles in healthy adults. Ten healthy subjects were evaluated. : Personal, anthropometric data (weight, height, BMI) and lung function (spirometry) were collected, followed by random assessments of inspiratory (MIP, SNIP) and expiratory (MEP, SNEP) muscle strength.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
November 2024
Aim: To determine reference values and propose prediction equations for respiratory muscle strength, maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and endurance by means of maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) in healthy Brazilian adults.
Methods: Anthropometric data, level of physical activity, pulmonary function, and respiratory muscle strength and maximal voluntary ventilation of 243 participants (111 men and 132 women) aged 20 to 80 years were assessed at three cities in the southeast and northeast region of Brazil.
Results: Mean maximal respiratory pressures and MVV were higher in men (MIP = 111.
Objective: Computer-aided implant placement (CAIP) offers improved accuracy and reduced invasiveness. However, traditional static CAIP (sCAIP) protocols for complete-arch restorations often involve multiple guides and clinical steps, increasing the risk of soft tissue trauma and procedural complexity. This article introduces the B-guide technique, which integrates implant placement and interim prosthesis delivery into a single device to simplify the procedure and minimize tissue damage.
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