Beta-Alanine for Improving Exercise Capacity, Muscle Strength, and Functional Performance of Older Adults: A Systematic Review.

Background/objective:  Beta-alanine supplementation increases muscle carnosine content and also improves exercise capacity and performance in young adults, with mixed findings emerging from the few studies investigating its effects on older participants. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review the evidence regarding the effects of beta-alanine on exercise capacity, muscle strength, and functional performance of older adults.

Methods:  This systematic review was conducted following the specific methodological guidelines of the Preferred Report Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses and the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale.

A conceptual model for evaluating eco-efficiency of thermal spraying processes.

Thermal spraying (TS) is one of the main processes for obtaining surfaces with the desired protective properties in various industrial applications. TS is an energy-intensive treatment required to heat the application material and consumes different resources. To assess the environmental impact of TS, it becomes necessary to integrate an approach that jointly analyses and evaluates the economic and environmental variables influencing the system.

Facial recognition, laterality judgement, alexithymia and resulting central nervous system adaptations in chronic primary headache and facial pain-A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Patients with chronic headaches and chronic oro-facial pain commonly present psychosocial issues that can affect social interactions. A possible reason could be that patients with these disorders might present impairments in facial recognition, laterality judgement and also alexithymia. However, a systematic review summarizing the effects of facial emotion recognition, laterality judgement and alexithymia in individuals with headaches and oro-facial pain is still not available.

Anterior cruciate ligament: A brief narrative review of main risk factors for injury and re-injury.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the main injuries in professional and amateur athletes of different sports. Hundreds of thousands of ACL ruptures occurs annually, and only 55% of the athletes return to competitive level, with a 15 times higher chance of suffering a second injury. 60% of these injuries occur without physical contact and since they occur in the acute process, they can cause joint effusion, muscle weakness and functional incapacity.

Resistance Exercise Sessions Comprising Multijoint vs. Single-Joint Exercises Result in Similar Metabolic and Hormonal Responses, But Distinct Levels of Muscle Damage in Trained Men.

Barbosa, PH, Bueno de Camargo, JB, Jonas de Oliveira, J, Reis Barbosa, CG, Santos da Silva, A, Dos-Santos, JW, Verlengia, R, Barreira, J, Braz, TV, and Lopes, CR. Resistance exercise sessions comprising multijoint vs. single-joint exercises result in similar metabolic and hormonal responses, but distinct levels of muscle damage in trained men.

The effectiveness of different types of acupuncture to reduce symptoms and disability for patients with orofacial pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of different types of acupuncture in reducing pain, improving maximum mouth opening and jaw functions in adults with orofacial pain.

Methods: Six databases were searched until 15 June 2023. The Cochrane risk of bias tool and GRADE were employed to evaluate bias and overall evidence certainty.

Intention-to-Treat Analysis in Clinical Research: Basic Concepts for Clinicians.

This review presents a comprehensive summary and critical evaluation of intention-to-treat analysis, with a particular focus on its application to randomized controlled trials within the field of rehabilitation. Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, we conducted a methodological review that encompassed electronic and manual search strategies to identify relevant studies. Our selection process involved two independent reviewers who initially screened titles and abstracts and subsequently performed full-text screening based on established eligibility criteria.

Acute Effect of the "Zero Point" Method on Muscle Thickness and Muscle Damage in Trained Men.

The "zero point" method allows for lower intensities for an exercise session without impairing the total training volume. This study aimed to compare the effects of the "zero point" versus the traditional method on muscle responses and muscle damage in trained men. Fifteen experienced men (age: 27.

Association between Contextual Factors and Affordances in the Home Environment of Infants Exposed to Poverty.

Home environments of infants exposed to poverty exhibit fewer affordances for child development. This study aimed to investigate the association between contextual factors and affordances in the home environments of infants facing poverty. Term infants ( = 128) were divided into two groups: (1) exposed group (EG), comprising term infants exposed to poverty, and (2) comparison group (CG), consisting of term infants classified with medium and high socio-economic status.

Influence of polymorphisms in IRS1, IRS2, MC3R, and MC4R on metabolic and inflammatory status and food intake in Brazilian adults: An exploratory pilot study.

Polymorphisms in genes of leptin-melanocortin and insulin pathways have been associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes. We hypothesized that polymorphisms in IRS1, IRS2, MC3R, and MC4R influence metabolic and inflammatory markers and food intake composition in Brazilian subjects. This exploratory pilot study included 358 adult subjects.

Effectiveness of therapeutic exercise for the management of cervicogenic headache: A systematic review.

Objective: The main aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise for managing pain and disability in patients with cervicogenic headache (CEH).

Methods: A protocol for this systematic review was published in PROSPERO (CRD42019122703). PRISMA and AMSTAR2 standards were followed.

Pain, smartphone overuse and stress in physiotherapy university students: An observational cross-sectional study.

Background: There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and stress levels in university students in the health area. The current study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of pain in the cervical region, lumbar spine, and upper and lower limbs in university students in the final year of physiotherapy; and to determine the correlation between smartphone overuse, stress level, and musculoskeletal pain.

Methods: This is observational cross-sectional study.

Muscle Hypertrophy Responses to Changes in Training Volume: A Retrospective Analysis.

This study assessed associations between changes in the weekly number of sets performed and the percentage change in muscle thickness of the biceps (MT) and triceps (MT) brachii muscles. Through a retrospective analysis, sixty-eight resistance-trained subjects that participated in previous studies had their previous training volumes analyzed and compared to the volume imposed during each individual study. The relationship between variables was determined through correlation and a k-cluster analysis was performed to subdivide the participants into three groups and classified as:<0%; 0-50%, and >50% increase in the number of sets for both muscle groups.

Effectiveness of Manual Trigger Point Therapy in Patients with Myofascial Trigger Points in the Orofacial Region-A Systematic Review.

The objective was to compile, synthetize, and evaluate the quality of the evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the effectiveness of manual trigger point therapy in the orofacial area in patients with or without orofacial pain. This project was registered in PROSPERO and follows the PRISMA guidelines. Searches (20 April 2021) were conducted in six databases for RCTs involving adults with active or latent myofascial trigger points (mTrPs) in the orofacial area.

Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Warm-Up on Physical Exercise: A Systematic Review.

This study aimed to systematically review the literature to examine the effects of inspiratory-muscle warm-up (IMW) on the inspiratory, metabolic, respiratory and performance parameters of a main exercise performed by athletes and healthy and active individuals. This systematic review included randomized studies in English based on the criteria of the PICOS model. The exclusion criteria adopted were studies that applied inspiratory exercise to: i.

Chronic Effects of Inter-Set Static Stretching on Morphofunctional Outcomes in Recreationally Resistance-Trained Male and Female.

: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of resistance training (RT) with inter-set static stretching (IS) versus traditional RT (TRT) on morphofunctional outcomes in recreationally resistance-trained male and female. : Twenty-two recreationally-trained subjects were allocated to IS group (n = 12) or TRT (n = 10) and completed eight weeks of RT. The only difference between the groups was that IS group included static stretching between sets, while the TRT rested between the sets.

Does beta-alanine supplementation enhance adaptations to resistance training? A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study.

The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of beta-alanine supplementation on muscle strength and thickness. Nineteen resistance-trained men (age: 27.3 ± 5.

Effectiveness of electrotherapy for the treatment of orofacial pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials and controlled trials that examined the effectiveness of electrotherapy in the treatment of patients with orofacial pain.

Data Source: Medline, Embase, CINAHL PLUS with Full text, Cochrane Library Trials, Web of Science, and Scopus.

Review Methods: A data search (last update, July 1, 2022) and a manual search were performed (October 5, 2022).

A Bibliographic Analysis of Primary Studies on Physical Activity and COVID-19 during 2020-2021.

Physical distancing and restrictions have been implemented to reduce the transmission rate of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In contrast, the impact of the pandemic on levels of physical activity has been the subject of studies worldwide. Since the first reported case in December 2019, the number of scientific studies on COVID-19 has grown in a way that has never been seen before.

What are the best parameters of low-level laser therapy to reduce pain intensity and improve mandibular function in orofacial pain? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of laser therapy for managing patients with orofacial pain (OFP). In addition, to determine which parameters provide the best treatment effects to reduce pain, improve function, and quality of life in adults with OFP.

Methods: Systematic review.

Effect of caffeine on mitochondrial biogenesis in the skeletal muscle - A narrative review.

Caffeine is one of the most widely used substances as recreational drug for performance-enhancement in sport, underpinned by a strong evidence base. Although the effects of caffeine are widely investigated within the scope of performance physiology, the molecular effects of caffeine within skeletal muscle remain unclear. Evidence from in vitro and in vivo models suggest that caffeine regulates the glucose metabolism in the skeletal muscle.

Manipulating Resistance Training Variables to Induce Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy: A Brief Narrative Review.

The regular practice of resistance training (RT) has been shown to induce relevant increases in both muscle strength and size. In order to maximize these adaptations, the proper manipulation of RT variables is warranted. In this sense, the aim of the present study was to review the available literature that has examined the application of the acute training variables and their influence on strength and morphological adaptations of healthy young adults.

Complex Network Model Reveals the Impact of Inspiratory Muscle Pre-Activation on Interactions among Physiological Responses and Muscle Oxygenation during Running and Passive Recovery.

Although several studies have focused on the adaptations provided by inspiratory muscle (IM) training on physical demands, the warm-up or pre-activation (PA) of these muscles alone appears to generate positive effects on physiological responses and performance. This study aimed to understand the effects of inspiratory muscle pre-activation (IM) on high-intensity running and passive recovery, as applied to active subjects. In an original and innovative investigation of the impacts of IM on high-intensity running, we proposed the identification of the interactions among physical characteristics, physiological responses and muscle oxygenation in more and less active muscle to a running exercise using a complex network model.

An Examination of Two Resistance Training Frequency Techniques in Morphological and Functional Adaptations of the Patellar Tendon.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of distinct resistance training frequencies with equated-volume conditions in morphological and functional adaptations of the patellar tendon. Twenty-seven recreationally resistance-trained subjects (men [n=17] and women [n=10]) (age: 20.8 ± 1.

Performance, Detection, Contamination, Compliance, and Cointervention Biases in Rehabilitation Research: What Are They and How Can They Affect the Results of Randomized Controlled Trials? Basic Information for Junior Researchers and Clinicians.

Bias is a systematic error that can cause distorted results leading to incorrect conclusions. Intervention bias (i.e.