Parkinson's disease: News on the action of melatonin.

Melatonin has been shown to improve sleep quality in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with good safety and tolerability. Beyond its neurological benefits, emerging evidence suggests that melatonin may exert cardioprotective effects, which could be relevant in the context of sudden unexpected death in PD (SUDPAR). PD is associated with high mortality rates, and autonomic dysfunction and cardiac abnormalities may play a role in SUDPAR.

Detection of adulteration in cupuaçu pulp using spectroscopy in the infrared in conjunction with multivariate techniques.

This study applied Near Infrared (NIR) and Mid Infrared (MIR) Spectroscopy combined with chemometrics to detect and quantify adulteration in cupuaçu pulp. A total of 66 authentic samples, 198 adulterated with sucrose solution (15, 30, and 45 % w/w), and 25 commercial samples were analyzed. Classification models showed high accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, with MIR achieving 100 % accuracy in validation.

Amazonian natural products used as functional food and medicine.

The use of natural products for therapeutic purposes is a common practice since the beginning of time, as it was already known that they contained biological components beneficial to health, which also justifies the growing demand for products made from Amazonian raw materials. The accessibility to information and an aggressive marketing favored the consumption of these products globally. However, the legislation in different countries on how to obtain plant raw materials, process them and subsequently sell them can leave gaps and doubts leading the consumer to make mistakes.

The impact of political assassinations on turnout: Evidence from Colombia.

Although a growing literature has investigated the effects of various types of civil war violence on political behavior, no study has examined the impact of assassinations targeting politicians. This is a critical omission, as violence against local politicians is prevalent across civil war contexts and may be the most consequential form of violence for political participation by affecting both candidate supply and voter demand. Using an original dataset of nearly 2,000 killings of Colombian local politicians between 1980 and 2023, we estimate the impact of this violence on voter turnout.

Comprehensive Characterization of Innate and Adaptive Immune Profiles in the Pediatric COVID-19 Convalescent Phase.

Background: Knowledge of the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the innate and adaptive immune responses of children is currently lacking. We investigated the immune profile of recovered pediatric patients 3 to 11 weeks after acute COVID-19.

Methods: Children who were previously healthy or had a preexisting chronic disease and had a positive reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction/serology were enrolled (n=23).

T-cell Recovery After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Autoimmune Diseases.

Over the last three decades, autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) has emerged as a significant therapeutic strategy for patients with various refractory autoimmune diseases. Globally, more than 3000 AHSCT procedures have been performed for severe autoimmune diseases. The rationale behind this treatment is abrogation of autoreactivity; renovation of the immune system from the infused hematopoietic stem cells and establishment of a balanced, long-lasting, and self-tolerant immune system.

Age-Related Thymic Involution.

The age-related thymic involution has intrigued scientists since its first observations. This phenomenon is well-conserved across different species, but the reason why it exists is not clear since the thymus is a key organ in the immune system responsible for the maturation of immunocompetent T lymphocytes. As thymic function declines with age, it significantly affects the health of older individuals, leading to reduced responses to new pathogens, tumor cells, and vaccines.

The CRISPR-Cas9 System Is Used to Edit the Autoimmune Regulator Gene in Vitro and in Vivo.

Although mutations in the AIRE gene in patients with autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 1 (APS-1) syndrome are associated with the onset of this autoimmune disease, much of what is known about its mechanisms has been obtained through studies with Aire mutant Mus musculus mouse model or with Aire mutant medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTEC) cultured in vitro. The in vivo murine model was soon established, and ten mutant strains are currently described. Most Aire mutant mice were obtained through homologous recombination, which generated Aire knockout (KO) animals.

The Thymus as a Mirror of the Body's Gene Expression.

The thymus, a complex organ formed by different cell types that establish close interaction, serves a unique function of significant interest. The role played by the thymic stroma is not only a connective tissue or a support structure, but it also involves the stromal thymic epithelial cells (TECs) establishing physical and functional interaction with developing thymocytes. This interaction culminates in the induction of central tolerance, a function that sets this organ apart.

Intrathymic Cell Migration: Implications in Thymocyte Development and T Lymphocyte Repertoire Formation.

During the development of T cells in the thymus, differentiating thymocytes move through specific thymic compartments and interact with the cortical and medullary microenvironments of the thymic lobules. This migration is primarily controlled by adhesion molecules, such as extracellular matrix ligands and receptors, and soluble factors like chemokines that are important for thymocyte differentiation. The migration events driven by these molecules include the entry of lymphoid progenitors from the bone marrow, movement within the thymus, and the exit of mature thymocytes.

History of the Thymus: From a Vestigial Organ to the Programming of Immunological Self-Tolerance.

This introductive chapter presents the most important disruptions of concepts concerning the thymus since its discovery in Antique Greece. For centuries, the thymus was considered as a vestigial organ, and its role in T-cell differentiation was proposed only in the 1960s. Most recent studies attribute to the thymus an essential and unique role in programming central immunological self-tolerance.

Frailty trajectories and mortality risk in community-dwelling older adults: a 9-year follow-up study.

Purpose: Frailty is a well-established risk factor for adverse health outcomes, yet its dynamic nature and predictors remain partially understood. This study aimed to investigate factors influencing frailty transitions and mortality risk among community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study using a 9-year follow-up data from the Health, Well-being, and Aging Study (SABE, as known in Portuguese).

Use of confocal laser scanning microscopy to evaluate the metal ion removal and destabilization of Enterococcus faecalis biofilms by EDTA and etidronic acid.

Chelating substances bind to metals, forming stable complexes, rendering these essential ions unavailable for microbial metabolism and community stability in biofilms. This action can contribute to the disinfection in endodontic treatments. Through confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), this study quantified the metal ion removal by chelating agents in Enterococcus faecalis biofilms and assessed the impact on community stability.

Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the HIV Care Continuum and Associated Factors in High-Income Nations: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the HIV care continuum (HCC), presenting challenges while also driving positive transformations globally. This study examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HCC in high-income countries, aiming to identify barriers and facilitators to care delivery amidst global health challenges. This study employs JBI mixed-methods systematic review methodology.

Examining the test-retest reliability of commonly used neuromuscular, morphological, and functional measures in aging adults.

The present study aimed at determining the test-retest reliability of commonly used measures in a sample of middle-aged and older participants who presented with a wide range of functional abilities. Participants were middle-aged (40-55 years) and older adults (> 60 years) with- and without mobility limitations, tested both before and after a 4-week period (n = 43). Measures included maximal dynamic (1-RM) and isometric strength, surface EMG (sEMG), peak power, ultrasound-derived muscle size and quality, as well as the performance on the 30-s sit-to-stand, habitual and maximal gait speed, timed up-and-go, stair climb, and 6-min walk tests.

Comparison of the effects of laser photobiomodulation at wavelength of 660 nm and 808 nm in full-thickness burns in rats: a pre-clinical study.

Third-degree burns are severe thermal injuries that require prolonged recovery periods and are associated with significant sequelae. Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has emerged as a promising approach for treating skin injuries, although parameter selection remains controversial. This study investigated the effects of PBMT using red (wavelength 660 nm) and infrared (wavelength 808 nm) lasers on tissue repair in third-degree burns in rats.

The action of injectable nanodispersion of Bixa orellana (Chronic-in®) on arthritis in diabetic rats: pharmacological and histopathological studies.

Unlabelled: Diabetic arthritis (DA) is a microvascular complication associated with diabetes mellitus (DM), necessitating the exploration of innovative therapeutic approaches. The Amazon biome, rich in bioactive compounds, offers potential treatments; notably, Bixa orellana, which contains tocotrienol and geranylgeraniol, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, particularly when formulated as a nanodispersion.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the pharmacological effects of an injectable nanodispersion of Bixa orellana, termed Chronic-in®, in diabetic Wistar rats.

The impact of interrupted ATXN10 expansions on clinical findings of spinocerebellar ataxia type 10.

Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10), due to an ATTCT repeat expansion in ATXN10, has variable expressivity and the role of presence (ATTCTint +) and absence (ATTCTint-) of interruptions in the repeat is not clear. We aimed to describe the relations between ATTCTint + and age at onset, seizures, and neurologic severity in ataxic and non-ataxic carriers from Brazil.

Methods: Family, age at onset (AO), and seizures data plus DNA were obtained from symptomatic carriers already diagnosed in Porto Alegre, Curitiba, and São Paulo, Brazil.

Gauging the impact of heatwaves on the thermal perception of pedestrians with thermal walks in a humid subtropical climate.

Studies point to an increase in the frequency of heatwaves, revealing that they are longer lasting and more intense, with noticeable impacts from climate change observed in the south of Brazil. This study evaluates the impact of a heatwave event in Curitiba, Brazil, and investigates whether the excessive heat caused during this period influenced the thermal perception reported by participants in a fieldwork carried out during dynamic microclimatic surveys on a university campus. To this end, volunteers took part in thermal walks accompanied by a researcher carrying a portable equipment for monitoring environmental variables, covering points of interest previously defined in a walking circuit with different morphological and land cover configurations.

Social Media and Plastic Surgery, the Good, the Bad, and Where are We Going?

Background: In recent decades, social networks have experienced an exponential increase involving millions of users and transforming the way they communicate in the medical community, becoming an important tool in medicine, where plastic surgery has not been an exception.

Objectives: We aimed to present a review of the effects of social networks in the area of plastic surgery, the main existing regulatory frameworks, and propose the basic aspects for the adequate use of these platforms in the practice of our profession.

Methods: A literature search was performed, including scientific articles, specific existing guides from the USA, Australia, Brazil, and Argentina, as well as articles in digital newspapers and Google regarding emblematic cases.

Technological mapping of plant-based patents for treating bovine mastitis.

Bovine mastitis costs the world's economy an estimated USD 19.7-32 billion annually. Plant-based products have been used as alternative treatments with advantages such as minimal side effects, and no studies have reported the formation of resistant microorganisms.

The importance of using local species in ecotoxicological studies: nematodes of Amazonian occurrence vs. Caenorhabditis elegans in the analysis of lethal and sublethal effects of aluminium.

It is recognized that in bioassays, especially those conducted for ecotoxicological purposes, preference should be given to the use of species that are adapted to the physical-chemical conditions of the environment to be monitored. However, to establish the use of alternative species instead of the standardized ones, it is recommended to carry out tests to assess/compare their sensitivity to contaminants. This study assessed the lethal and sublethal effects (growth, fertility, and reproduction) of different aluminium concentrations, including environmentally relevant concentrations recorded in the Amazon, on two nematode species (C.

Dietary Intake and Gut Microbiome in Chronic Kidney Disease.

Gut dysbiosis, characterized by an imbalance in the gut microbiota, has emerged as a potential factor influencing chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression. This condition plays a crucial role in the gut-kidney axis, where changes in microbial composition can contribute to systemic inflammation and uremic toxin production and ultimately exacerbate kidney damage. Understanding the dynamics of the gut-kidney axis provides new insights into potential therapeutic strategies to mitigate CKD progression.