Antiseizure Medications in Poststroke Seizures: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objectives: The most effective antiseizure medications (ASMs) for poststroke seizures (PSSs) remain unclear. We aimed to determine outcomes associated with ASMs in people with PSS.

Methods: We systematically searched electronic databases for studies on patients with PSS on ASMs.

Predictive Factors of Alcohol Initiation among Brazilian Adolescents: Assessing the Role of Attitudes, Decision-Making, Communication, and Resistance Skills.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate if attitudes toward drug use, decision-making, communication, and alcohol resistance skills act as predictors of alcohol use and binge drinking initiation among Brazilian students, considering the sex differences.

Methods: We used a longitudinal sample of 1,103 seventh-grade students from 15 Brazilian public schools. We explored if attitudes toward drug use, decision-making, communication, and alcohol resistance skills at baseline predicted alcohol outcomes nine months later.

Decoding the elite soccer player's psychological profile.

Soccer is arguably the most widely followed sport worldwide, and many dream of becoming soccer players. However, only a few manage to achieve this dream, which has cast a significant spotlight on elite soccer players who possess exceptional skills to rise above the rest. Originally, such attention was focused on their great physical abilities.

Efficiency of four trap types and human landing catch in the sampling of Mansonia (Diptera, Culicidae) in Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.

Entomological surveillance plays a crucial role in designing and implementing mosquito control measures. In this context, developing more effective collection strategies is essential to accurately estimate the entomological parameters necessary for effective control. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of four traps: CDC light trap, MosqTent, BG-Sentinel, and SkeeterVac, compared to human landing catch (HLC) in the collection of Mansonia mosquitoes, known to cause discomfort to riverside populations along the Madeira River in the District of Jaci Paraná, Porto Velho, in Rondônia state, Brazil.

Assessing walking speed in persons with a lower-limb amputation: Test-retest reliability of the 10-m walk test.

Background: Preferred walking speed (PWS), maximal walking speed (MWS), and walking speed reserve (WSR)-the difference between MWS and PWS-can be easily obtained from the 10-m walk test (10MWT) to assess walking ability and function. However, their test-retest reliability has not been determined in persons with unilateral lower-limb amputation (LLA).

Objectives: To determine the reliability of the PWS, MWS, and WSR obtained from the 10MWT in persons with LLA.

TRAIL agonists rescue mice from radiation-induced lung, skin or esophageal injury.

Radiotherapy can be limited by pneumonitis which is impacted by innate immunity, including pathways regulated by TRAIL death receptor DR5. We investigated whether DR5 agonists could rescue mice from toxic effects of radiation and found two different agonists, parenteral PEGylated trimeric-TRAIL (TLY012) and oral TRAIL-Inducing Compound (TIC10/ONC201) could reduce pneumonitis, alveolar-wall thickness, and oxygen desaturation. Lung protection extended to late effects of radiation including less fibrosis at 22-weeks in TLY012-rescued survivors versus un-rescued surviving irradiated-mice.

Efficacy of probiotic adjuvant therapy in women with major depressive disorder: insights from a case series study.

Background: The therapeutic targeting of the intestinal microbiota has gained increasing attention as a promising avenue for addressing mood disorders. This study aimed to assess the potential effect of supplementing standard pharmacological treatment with the probiotic kefir in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).

Methods: Thirty-eight female participants diagnosed with moderate MDD by the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) were selected to receive the probiotic kefir in conjunction with antidepressant therapy for 12 weeks.

Extraction and Characterization of Inulin-Like Fructans from Hydroponically Grown Stevia rebaudiana Roots for Food Applications.

Stevia rebaudiana is a plant native to South America known for producing steviol glycosides and fructans used in low-calorie and functional foods. This study aimed to cultivate and isolate inulin from hydroponically grown S. rebaudiana roots.

High detection rate of parasitic load by qPCR targeting 18S rDNA in blood of patients with active leishmaniasis lesions.

This study aimed to standardize qPCR techniques using these molecular markers kDNA and 18S rDNA across three sample types: peripheral blood, guanidine-treated blood, and tissue. The secondary objective is to evaluate the performance of 18S rDNA target in samples from 46 patients with confirmed tegumentary leishmaniasis. After obtaining the standard curve from reference strains with Leishmania, qPCR curves were standardizations and the Cts results of the patient samples were described using abstract measures.

Antimicrobial membranes based on polycaprolactone:pectin blends reinforced with zeolite faujasite for cloxacillin-controlled release.

Multifunctional membranes applied to biomedical materials become attractive to support the biological agents and increase their properties. In this study, biopolymeric fibers based on polycaprolactone (PCL) and pectin (PEC) were reinforced with faujasite zeolite (FAU) for cloxacillin antibiotic (CLX) loading. FAU with a high specific surface area (347 ± 8 m g), high crystallinity and particles with a diameter of up to 100 nm were produced under optimized synthesis conditions (100 °C/4 h).

Physiological responses of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) to intermittent cold exposure: A comprehensive analysis of stress, immunity, antioxidant, and metabolic adaptations.

This study examined the energy-dependent physiological responses, including stress, innate immune, and antioxidant systems, as well as indicators of energy mobilization, in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) exposed to intermittent cold, aiming to assess the correlations between these responses. The fish were acclimated to 28 °C, divided into two groups, a control group maintained at 28 °C, and another exposed to 16 °C for two 24 h periods with a 5-day interval between them. The fish were sampled at six time points: baseline (after acclimatization to 28 °C), 24 h after the 1st exposure to 16 °C, after 5 days of recovery at 28 °C, 24 h after the 2nd exposure to 16 °C, and after 24 and 48 h of recovery at 28 °C.

Machine learning prediction model for oral mucositis risk in head and neck radiotherapy: a preliminary study.

Purpose: Oral mucositis (OM) reflects a complex interplay of several risk factors. Machine learning (ML) is a promising frontier in science, capable of processing dense information. This study aims to assess the performance of ML in predicting OM risk in patients undergoing head and neck radiotherapy.

Intense Pulsed Light in the Treatment of Dry Eye and Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Patients With Chronic Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) for the treatment of dry eye disease and meibomian gland dysfunction associated with chronic Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis.

Methods: This prospective noncomparative interventional study included 29 patients (58 eyes) who underwent 3 sessions of IPL and MGX at 2-week intervals. Subjective symptoms (ocular surface disease index score) and objective dry eye tests: matrix metalloproteinase 9, tear meniscus height, bulbar redness score, tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT), Schirmer I test, conjunctival and corneal staining, meibomian gland loss, MGX score [meibomian gland score (MGS)], and tear break-up time were assessed at the baseline and after 4, 8, and 12 weeks.

Mandibular anatomy of a new specimen of a prozostrodontian cynodont (Eucynodontia: Probainognathia) from the Upper Triassic of Brazil.

Prozostrodontia is a clade of probainognathian cynodonts that exhibit several morphological innovations later inherited by mammals. The earliest representatives of this group have been found in the Upper Triassic deposits of southern Brazil. In this study, we report the discovery of a probainognathian cynodont from the Buriol site (São João do Polêsine, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone (Late Triassic).

Comparative effects of Serendipita indica and a mix of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the growth, photosynthetic capacity, and proteomics of Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi.

Both, Serendipita indica and AMF, show promise as sustainable biofertilizers for reforestation, improving nutrient uptake and stress tolerance, despite contrasting effects on photosynthetic capacity and biomass allocation. Reclaiming degraded areas is essential for biodiversity conservation and enhancing ecosystem services enhancement, especially when using native species. This study investigated Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi, a native Brazilian species, and its compatibility with plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPM), including an endophytic fungus (Serendipita indica) and a consortium of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to identify effective strategies for reforestation in nutrient-poor environments.

Evaluation of Synthetic Peptides from ATP Diphosphohydrolase 1: In Silico Approaches for Characterization and Prospective Application in Diagnosis of Schistosomiasis.

Schistosomiasis is the infection caused by and constitutes a worldwide public health problem. The parasitological recommended method and serological methods can be used for the detection of eggs and antibodies, respectively. However, both have limitations, especially in low endemicity areas.

Transient chaos and periodic structures in a model of neuronal early afterdepolarization.

The presence of chaos is ubiquitous in mathematical models of neuroscience. In experimental neural systems, chaos was convincingly demonstrated in membranes, neurons, and small networks. However, its effects on the brain have long been debated.

Optimizing automated photo identification for population assessments.

Several legal acts mandate that management agencies regularly assess biological populations. For species with distinct markings, these assessments can be conducted noninvasively via capture-recapture and photographic identification (photo-ID), which involves processing considerable quantities of photographic data. To ease this burden, agencies increasingly rely on automated identification (ID) algorithms.

Silver Nanoparticles-Functionalized Textile against SARS-CoV-2: Antiviral Activity of the Capping Oleylamine Molecule.

COVID-19 disease, triggered by SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, has led to more than 7.0 million deaths worldwide, with a significant fraction of recovered infected people reporting postviral symptoms. Smart surfaces functionalized with nanoparticles are a powerful tool to inactivate the virus and prevent the further spreading of the disease.

Pre-emptive treatment for cytomegalovirus viraemia to prevent cytomegalovirus disease in solid organ transplant recipients.

Background: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a significant cause of morbidity and death in solid organ transplant recipients. Pre-emptive treatment of patients with CMV viraemia using antiviral agents has been suggested as an alternative to routine prophylaxis to prevent CMV disease. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2006 and updated in 2013.

Non-native species have higher consumption rates than their native counterparts.

Non-native species can be major drivers of ecosystem alteration, especially through changes in trophic interactions. Successful non-native species have been predicted to have greater resource use efficiency relative to trophically analogous native species (the Resource Consumption Hypothesis), but rigorous evidence remains equivocal. Here, we tested this proposition quantitatively in a global meta-analysis of comparative functional response studies.