Respiratory muscle training in people with cervical spinal cord injury - A systematic review.

Introduction: Spinal cord injury is a physiological disruption often caused by trauma, leading to severe physical and psychological effects, including irreversible impairment and disability. Cervical injuries, particularly between C1 and C8, are the most severe, potentially causing diaphragm paralysis and requiring mechanical ventilation. Reduced respiratory muscle strength not only affects respiratory function but also significantly impacts voice, speech, and communication, which are crucial for quality of life.

Anti-M2-pyruvate kinase autoantibodies are correlated with digestive damage in human Chagas disease.

Background: Determining esophageal and colon involvement in patients with Chagas disease occurs through invasive and uncomfortable examinations, which in most cases are not performed. The objective of this study was to assess the involvement of anti-M2-pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) autoantibodies in the development of digestive alterations and/or in the diagnosis of the digestive form of human Chagas disease.

Methods: The total IgG and isotype (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) production was quantified using the antigen of Trypanosoma cruzi and the human M2-PK recombinant protein via the ELISA technique.

Chronic fat consumption affects metabolic aspects of murine physiology and influences ovarian follicle atresia.

Saturated fat has been linked to cardiovascular diseases, leading to an increase in polyunsaturated fat consumption. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of three fat sources (coconut oil, lard and soybean oil) on metabolic and reproductive parameters in heterogenic mice. Female Swiss mice (5-6 weeks old; n=9/group) were divided into four experimental groups: control (CC), coconut oil (CO), lard (LA), and soybean oil (SO), and were orally given 0.

Global Insights into Cultured Meat: Uncovering Production Processes, Potential Hazards, Regulatory Frameworks, and Key Challenges-A Scoping Review.

This scoping review aims to understand the cell-based meat production process, including the regulations, potential hazards, and critical points of this production. This review includes studies on cultured meat production processes, health hazards, and regulatory guidelines, excluding those without hazard analysis, incomplete texts, or studies published before 2013. The search was performed in eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Scopus, LILACS, and Google Scholar) using MeSH terms and adaptations for each database.

Guidance on biomaterials for periodontal tissue regeneration: Fabrication methods, materials and biological considerations.

Regeneration of the multiple tissues and interfaces in the periodontal complex necessitates multidisciplinary evaluation to establish structure/function relationships. This article, an initiative of the Academy of Dental Materials, provides guidance for performing chemical, structural, and mechanical characterization of materials for periodontal tissue regeneration, and outlines important recommendations on methods of testing bioactivity, biocompatibility, and antimicrobial properties of biomaterials/scaffolds for periodontal tissue engineering. First, we briefly summarize periodontal tissue engineering fabrication methods.

The α-synuclein seed amplification assay: Interpreting a test of Parkinson's pathology.

The α-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA) sensitively detects Lewy pathology, the amyloid state of α-synuclein, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The αSyn-SAA harnesses the physics of seeding, whereby a superconcentrated solution of recombinant α-synuclein lowers the thermodynamic threshold (nucleation barrier) for aggregated α-synuclein to act as a nucleation catalyst ("seed") to trigger the precipitation (nucleation) of monomeric α-synuclein into pathology. This laboratory setup increases the signal for identifying a catalyst if one is present in the tissue examined.

Is rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder a marker of Parkinson's disease severity?

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by motor and non-motor features. There are several proposed clinical markers to define disease severity. However, if rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) is associated with worse prognosis of both motor and non-motor findings in PD is unknown.

Body composition differences in older adults with and without Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Background: Research on body composition and fat distribution in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has presented conflicting findings.

Objective: Compare body composition and anthropometric measurements in older adults with and without AD.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following Cochrane guidelines and PRISMA standards.

Cytokine Profiles Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Meningitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review evaluated the correlation between inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with meningitis. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until March 2024. A total of 139 articles were identified; 7 studies were eligible, and 3 provided data for the meta-analysis.

Twenty-four weeks of combined training in different environments, aquatic and land, in the type 2 diabetes management (Aquatic and Land Exercise for Diabetes -ALED): protocol of a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Physical exercise is crucial in type 2 diabetes management (T2D), and training in the aquatic environment seems to be a promising alternative due to its physical properties and metabolic, functional, cardiovascular, and neuromuscular benefits. Research on combined training in aquatic and dry-land training environments is scarce, especially in long-term interventions. Thus, this study aims to investigate the effects of combined training in both environments on health outcomes related to the management of T2D patients.

Parasite infections: how inflammation alters brain function.

Parasitic infections can profoundly impact brain function through inflammation within the central nervous system (CNS). Once viewed as an immune-privileged site, the CNS is now recognized as vulnerable to immune disruptions from both local and systemic infections. Recent studies reveal that certain parasites, such as Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, can invade the CNS or influence it indirectly by triggering neuroinflammation.

Conventional methods and electronic apical locator in determining working length in different primary teeth: systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.

Aim: The aim of the current systematic review was to investigate differences in the measurement of working length in primary teeth between electronic apex locators (EAL) and radiographic methods (conventional radiography [CR] and digital radiography [DR]).

Methods: A systematic search was conducted in six electronic databases (Medline via PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Virtual Health Library, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews). Gray literature and reference lists of included studies were also examined.

Application of the Sponge Model Implants in the Study of Vaccine Memory in Mice Previously Immunized with LBSap.

Background/objectives: Considering the large number of candidates in vaccine-testing studies against different pathogens and the amount of time spent in the preclinical and clinical trials, there is a pressing need to develop an improved in vivo system to quickly screen vaccine candidates. The model of a polyester-polyurethane sponge implant provides a rapid analysis of the specific stimulus-response, allowing the study of a compartmentalized microenvironment. The sponge implant's defined measurements were standardized as a compartment to assess the immune response triggered by the vaccinal antigen.

Susceptibility of Tambaqui () to Nile Tilapia-Derived and .

Nile tilapia () and tambaqui () are the two most produced freshwater fishes in Brazil. This study investigated the potential pathogenicity of and , previously isolated from diseased Nile tilapia, to tambaqui. Experimental infection trials were conducted in juvenile tambaqui at a dose of approximately 10 CFU fish, assessing clinical signs, mortality, bacterial recovery, and histopathological changes.

Infection in Wild Trahira () and Farmed Arapaima () in Brazil: An Interspecies Transmission in Aquatic Environments Shared with Nile Tilapia ().

is an important pathogen responsible for cases of high mortality in farmed and wild fish worldwide. In Brazil, this bacterium has been commonly associated with outbreaks in Nile tilapia farms, but other native fish species are also susceptible. Since floating cages are one of the most common culture systems used in the country, the close contact between farmed tilapia and native fish species presents a risk concerning the transmission of this pathogen.

Mitochondrial Genomes of Mammals from the Brazilian Cerrado and Phylogenetic Considerations for the Orders Artiodactyla, Carnivora, and Chiroptera (Chordata: Mammalia).

We assembled and annotated the complete mitochondrial genomes of (hoary fox), (bush dog), (white-lipped peccary), and (Brazilian free-tailed bat). The mitogenomes exhibited typical vertebrate structures, containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a D-loop region. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the 13 protein-coding genes revealed robust relationships among species within Carnivora, Chiroptera, and Artiodactyla, corroborating previous studies.

Innovative Approaches in Knee Osteoarthritis Treatment: A Comprehensive Review of Bone Marrow-Derived Products.

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic articular disease characterized by the progressive degeneration of cartilage and bone tissue, leading to the appearance of subchondral cysts, osteophyte formation, and synovial inflammation. Conventional treatments consist of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), analgesics, and glucocorticoids. However, the prolonged use of these drugs causes adverse effects.

Humic Acid Derived from Vermicompost Inhibits Alveolar Bone Degradation and Protects Against Renal Injury in an Experimental Model of Periodontitis.

Periodontal disease (PD) leads to the destruction of supportive tissues through an inflammatory response induced by biofilm accumulation. This low-grade systemic inflammation from PD increases the risk of comorbidities. Among potential therapeutic agents for PD, humic acids (HAs) are notable for their anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on the Birth Weight of Children Born in a Brazilian Metropolis.

Objective: To assess the birth weight of newborns whose mothers gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A cross-sectional study based on data collected from medical records and through postnatal interviews to assess maternal and neonatal health outcomes (n = 470) during the pandemic. All participants were assisted in three Brazilian public hospitals in 2020.

Obesogenic Environment in a Minas Gerais State Metropolis, Brazil: Analysis of Crime Rates, Food Shops and Physical Activity Venues.

The aim of the present study is to identify obesogenic environment profiles to find the obesogenic environment pattern for Belo Horizonte City. The current research followed the ecological approach and was substantiated by data from food shops, public sports venues, crime rates (homicides and robberies) and the rate of accidents with pedestrians. Descriptive analyses and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted in Stata software, version 14.

Leishmania sp. can affect the cardiovascular system of dogs - A systematic review of over 80 years.

Cardiovascular involvement in Leishmania sp. infections still requires further elucidation, with cutaneous and organic changes being more frequently observed. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of cardiovascular involvement in dogs with canine visceral leishmaniasis, considering a publication span of over 80 years.

Mucosal-adapted bacteriophages as a preventive strategy for a lethal Pseudomonas aeruginosa challenge in mice.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an emergent threat due to the antimicrobial resistance crisis. Bacteriophages (phages) are promising agents for phage therapy approaches against P. aeruginosa.