Preclinical and clinical study on type 3 metabotropic glutamate receptors in Parkinson's disease.

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors are candidate drug targets for therapeutic intervention in Parkinson's disease (PD). Here we focused on mGlu3, a receptor subtype involved in synaptic regulation and neuroinflammation. mGlu3 mice showed an enhanced nigro-striatal damage and microglial activation in response to 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP).

Cholesterol metabolites modulate ionotropic P2X4 and P2X7 receptor current in microglia cells.

The central nervous system is a well-known steroidogenic tissue producing, among others, cholesterol metabolites such as neuroactive steroids, oxysterols and steroid hormones. It is well known that these endogenous molecules affect several receptor classes, including ionotropic GABAergic and NMDA glutamatergic receptors in neurons. It has been shown that also ionotropic purinergic (P2X) receptors are cholesterol metabolites' targets.

Exploring SERPINA3 as a neuroinflammatory modulator in Alzheimer's disease with sex and regional brain variations.

SERPINA3, a serine protease inhibitor, is strongly associated with neuroinflammation, a typical condition of AD. Its expression is linked to microglial and astrocytic markers, suggesting it plays a significant role in modulating neuroinflammatory responses. In this study, we examined the SERPINA3 expression levels, along with CHI3L1, in various brain regions of AD patients and non-demented healthy controls (NDHC).

Visceral Fat Affects Heart Rate Recovery but Not the Heart Rate Response Post-Single Bout of Vigorous Exercise: A Cross-Sectional Study in Non-Obese and Healthy Participants.

Body composition could influence exercise physiology. However, no one has ever studied the effect of visceral fat (VF) on heart rate (HR) trends during and after exercise by using bioimpedance analysis (BIA). This study aims to investigate BIA variables as predictors of HR trends during vigorous exercise.

Exploring the effects of anti-gravity treadmill training in musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) comprise a great variety of medical conditions, and the economic and sanitary burdens they cause are a major concern for the sanitary systems worldwide. Conventional rehabilitation is effective; however, with the rise of new technologies, it can be further improved. Anti-gravity treadmills are starting to enter the clinical rehabilitation practice of MSD due to their characteristics, which allow weight support while performing walking and running exercises.

Optimization of Laser Based-Powder Bed Fusion Parameters for Controlled Porosity in Titanium Alloy Components.

Laser based-powder bed fusion (LB-PBF) enables fast, efficient, and cost-effective production of high-performing products. While advanced functionalities are often derived from geometric complexity, the capability to tailor material properties also offers significant opportunities for technical innovation across many fields. This study explores the optimization of the LB-PBF process parameters for producing Ti6Al4V titanium alloy parts with controlled porosity.

Intra-rater and inter-rater reliability of the fixed plumb line for postural and scoliosis assessment in the sagittal plane: a pilot study.

Background: The plumb line (PL) is a common tool for assessing the sagittal curvatures of the spine, but its accuracy depends on the ability of the physician to use it correctly. This study aimed to present a fixed plumb line (FPL) no longer held by a physician but fixed to a support, evaluating the reliability in posture assessment, comparing it with PL in both adolescent with and without scoliosis.

Methods: The study evaluated the sagittal distances of the spine using a PL and a FPL in 80 young adults aged between 28.

A Study on the Compressive Behavior of Additively Manufactured AlSi10Mg Lattice Structures.

The mechanical behavior of the metallic components fabricated by additive manufacturing (AM) technologies can be influenced by adjustments in their microstructure or by using specially engineered geometries. Manipulating the topological features of the component, such as incorporating unit cells, enables the production of lighter metamaterials, such as lattice structures. This study investigates the mechanical behavior of lattice structures created from AlSi10Mg, which were produced using the laser beam powder bed fusion (LB-PBF) process.

Self-selected speed provides more accurate human gait kinematics and spatiotemporal parameters than overground simulated speed on a treadmill: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Walking speed, a key element of gait analysis, is essential for evaluating the biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system and is typically assessed on flat surfaces, such as walkways or treadmills. While many authors have compared the differences and similarities between treadmill and overground walking, no studies have yet investigated the differences between treadmill gait analysis at self-selected speed (SS) and overground simulated speed (OS). The hypothesis is that accurate kinematic measurements depend on selecting the correct gait speed; however, a mismatch between the perceived comfortable treadmill speed and actual overground speed may affect the accuracy of treadmill gait analyses.

The influence of static and dynamic warm-up on knee temperature: infrared thermography insights before and after a change of direction exercise.

Introduction: Infrared thermography is gaining attention in the field of sports medicine and performance. This study investigated the effects of static and dynamic warm-ups and a 90° change of direction (COD) exercise on the thermal response of the knee.

Methods: Thermograms were collected using the FlIR E54 Imaging Camera from 85 healthy young adults, 46 men and 39 women, aged 20-31 years.

C-Reactive Protein and Brain Natriuretic Peptides Harmonization.

The harmonization of laboratory biomarkers is pivotal in ensuring consistent and reliable diagnostic outcomes across different clinical settings. This systematic review examines the harmonization of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) and N-Terminal Prohormone of Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) measurements, both of which are jointly utilized in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular diseases. To identify relevant studies, we searched the PubMed electronic database using specific medical subject headings and keywords such as C-Reactive Protein, CRP, high sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP), N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide, and NT-proBNP, focusing on publications from June 1 to September 26, 2021.

Intervention Hypothesis for Training with Whole-Body Vibration to Improve Physical Fitness Levels: An Umbrella Review.

Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a training modality, and it seems to be a safe and efficient exercise especially to improve different aspects of physical fitness in different populations. The protocols for WBV are still not standardized. The difficulty in comparing the data confuses the real efficacy of this instrument.

Active Breaks Reduce Back Overload during Prolonged Sitting: Ergonomic Analysis with Infrared Thermography.

Prolonged sitting is a potential risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders in office workers. This study aims to evaluate the effect of active breaks on reducing muscle overload in subjects who sit for long periods using infrared thermography (IRT). A sample of 57 office workers participated in this study and were divided into two groups: active breaks (ABs) and no active breaks (NABs).

Synthesis of Novel Triazine-Based Chalcones and 8,9-dihydro-7-pyrimido[4,5-][1,4]diazepines as Potential Leads in the Search of Anticancer, Antibacterial and Antifungal Agents.

This study presents the synthesis of four series of novel hybrid chalcones ()- and ()- and six series of 1,3,5-triazine-based pyrimido[4,5-][1,4]diazepines (-)- and the evaluation of their anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and cytotoxic properties. Chalcones ,, ,, ,-, - and the pyrimido[4,5-][1,4]diazepines ,, , ,,-, ,,- exhibited outstanding anticancer activity against a panel of 60 cancer cell lines with GI values between 0.01 and 100 μM and LC values in the range of 4.

Scedosporium boydii finding in an immunocompromised patient and review of the literature.

Background: Scedosporiasis is an emerging mycosis that has gained importance in recent years due to its worldwide prevalence. It is caused by species of the Scedosporium apiospermum complex. These species can cause opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients and, occasionally, in immunocompetent patients as well.

The Role of Muscle Biomarkers in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is the predominant orthopedic disorder in children, affecting 1-3% of the global population. Research in this field has tried to delineate the genetic factors behind scoliosis and its association with heredity since AIS is considered a polygenic disease and has different genetic and epigenetic factors. The current study conducted a narrative review of the literature, focusing on biomarkers in the pathophysiology of muscle in AIS patients.

Thermal profile classification of the back of sportive and sedentary healthy individuals.

Background: Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-harmful, risk-free imaging technique and it has application for healthy and pathological population.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the thermographic profiles of the back of sport practitioners from different disciplines and compare it with those of sedentary healthy individuals.

Method: The back of 160 healthy subjects were evaluated, and participants were grouped considering their sport practice: team sport (TS), individual sport (IS), weight training (WT), inactive (I).

An Overview of Physical Exercise Program Protocols and Effects on the Physical Function in Multiple Sclerosis: An Umbrella Review.

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that concerns a growing number of people, especially females. There are different interventions proposed for this population, and physical activity is one of them. A proper and well-structured physical activity program can be a cheap, feasible, and practical instrument to help this population improve their quality of life.

Extracts of Trichocline sinuata (Asteraceae) as natural sensitizers in the photodynamic inactivation of Candida albicans.

Despite significant progress in the development of phototherapy drugs, it is widely recognized that natural products remain the primary source of new photoactive compounds. Exploring uncharted flora in the east-central region of Argentina may offer a vast array of opportunities to isolate new photoactive molecules or plant extracts with high potential for use in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against Candida albicans. To assess the photofungicidal potential of T.

Increased Heat Pain Tolerance but Hyperalgesia to Tonic Inflammatory Pain in the CRND8 Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: The effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology on the experience of pain are poorly understood.

Objective: To understand the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying pain sensory transmission in the transgenic mouse model of AD, CRND8.

Methods: We explored AD-related pathology in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of 18-week-old female CRND8 mice.

The Influence of Exercise on Oxidative Stress after Spinal Cord Injury: A Narrative Review.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an irreversible disease resulting in partial or total loss of sensory and motor function. The pathophysiology of SCI is characterized by an initial primary injury phase followed by a secondary phase in which reactive oxygen species (ROSs) and associated oxidative stress play hallmark roles. Physical exercise is an indispensable means of promoting psychophysical well-being and improving quality of life.

Review on adherence of the literature to official recommendations on albuminuria harmonization and standardization.

Albuminuria standardization is a key issue to produce reliable and equivalent results between laboratories. We investigated whether official recommendations on albuminuria harmonization are followed in the literature. The PubMed database was searched from June 1 to September 26, 2021.

Microglia and the Blood-Brain Barrier: An External Player in Acute and Chronic Neuroinflammatory Conditions.

Microglia are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system that guarantee immune surveillance and exert also a modulating role on neuronal synaptic development and function. Upon injury, microglia get activated and modify their morphology acquiring an ameboid phenotype and pro- or anti-inflammatory features. The active role of microglia in blood-brain barrier (BBB) function and their interaction with different cellular components of the BBB-endothelial cells, astrocytes and pericytes-are described.