Changes in thoracic erector spinae regional activation during postural adjustments and functional reaching tasks after spinal cord injury.

Many individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) exhibit reduced volitional control of trunk muscles, such as impaired voluntary contractions of the erector spinae (ES), due to damage to the neural pathways regulating sensorimotor function. Studies using conventional bipolar electromyography (EMG) showed alterations in the overall, or global, activation of the trunk muscles in people with SCI. However, how activation varied across specific regions within the ES, referred to as regional activation, remains unknown.

"Cofactors" for Natural Products.

Cofactors are non-protein entities necessary for proteins to operate. They provide "functional groups" beyond those of the 20 canonical amino acids and enable proteins to carry out more diverse functions. Such a viewpoint is rarely mentioned, if at all, when it comes to natural products and is the theme of this Concept.

Short- and long-term effects of transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation on autonomic cardiovascular control and arm-crank exercise capacity in individuals with a spinal cord injury (STIMEX-SCI): study protocol.

Introduction: Individuals with higher neurological levels of spinal cord injury (SCI) at or above the sixth thoracic segment (≥T6), exhibit impaired resting cardiovascular control and responses during upper-body exercise. Over time, impaired cardiovascular control predisposes individuals to lower cardiorespiratory fitness and thus a greater risk for cardiovascular disease and mortality. Non-invasive transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) has been shown to modulate cardiovascular responses at rest in individuals with SCI, yet its effectiveness to enhance exercise performance acutely, or promote superior physiological adaptations to exercise following an intervention, in an adequately powered cohort is unknown.

Health-promoting lifestyle mediates the relationship between mHealth technology acceptance and cognitive function in older adults with chronic diseases.

This study used a cross-sectional design to investigate the mediating role of a health-promoting lifestyle on mobile health technology acceptance and cognitive function. A total of 219 older adults, age 65 years or older, with diagnosed chronic diseases, were recruited from a northern Taiwan community. Participants completed questionnaires including demographic characteristics, the Senior Technology Acceptance Scale, the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile Scale, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.

A novel selective medium for isolation of Limosilactobacillus reuteri from dietary supplements.

Limosilactobacillus reuteri is a probiotic bacterium known for its numerous beneficial effects on human health and is commonly utilized in various dietary supplements. Previously, we encountered difficulties in isolating L. reuteri from retail dietary supplements containing complex probiotic compositions by using non-selective media such as de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) agar.