The rehabilitation of children with brain tumors using exergames: a scoping review protocol.

Objective: To map the literature on the use of exergames in the rehabilitation of school-age children with brain tumors, in any context.

Method: Scoping review protocol developed using the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The search will include aggregators, databases, indexes, repositories, and research browsers, without limitation as to the year of publication.

Sustainability in Higher Education: Experience report on achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective: Describe the activities aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), implemented by a polytechnic higher education institution, in the northern region of Portugal.

Methods: This is an experience report from a Higher Education Institution, which characterizes the contribution to the SDGs, within the scope of teaching, research, campus and leadership.

Results: In total, 1247 activities were mapped, with a preponderance in the "people" dimension (685 activities), with SDG 3 being the most prominent.

Brazil-Portugal Comparison: Education, Health and Social Development in light of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Objective: to comparatively analyze the health, education and social development systems of Brazil and Portugal, their relationship with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development averages.

Method: exploratory and descriptive qualitative research, through documentary analysis. The indicators address health, education and social development, considering life expectancy, mortality, prevalence of chronic diseases, literacy, educational performance and poverty rates.

Insights on the evolution and adaptation toward high-altitude and cold environments in the snow leopard lineage.

How snow leopard gradually adapted to the extreme environments in Tibet remains unexplored due to the scanty fossil record in Tibet. Here, we recognize five valid outside-Tibet records of the snow leopard lineage. Our results suggest that the snow leopard dispersed out of the Tibetan Plateau multiple times during the Quaternary.

Multi-tissue characterization of the constitutive heterochromatin proteome in Drosophila identifies a link between satellite DNA organization and transposon repression.

Noncoding satellite DNA repeats are abundant at the pericentromeric heterochromatin of eukaryotic chromosomes. During interphase, sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins cluster these repeats from multiple chromosomes into nuclear foci known as chromocenters. Despite the pivotal role of chromocenters in cellular processes like genome encapsulation and gene repression, the associated proteins remain incompletely characterized.

Effects of using microalgae in poultry diets on the production and quality of meat and eggs: a review.

1. This review was conducted to examine the nutritional composition of microalgae and their effects as a feed ingredient in poultry diets, delving into their influence on the production and quality of meat and eggs. Data collection focused on peer-reviewed scientific articles, with no limitation on the temporal horizon.

Differences in technical and clinical perspectives on AI validation in cancer imaging: mind the gap!

Good practices in artificial intelligence (AI) model validation are key for achieving trustworthy AI. Within the cancer imaging domain, attracting the attention of clinical and technical AI enthusiasts, this work discusses current gaps in AI validation strategies, examining existing practices that are common or variable across technical groups (TGs) and clinical groups (CGs). The work is based on a set of structured questions encompassing several AI validation topics, addressed to professionals working in AI for medical imaging.

Environmental impact of disposable face masks: degradation, wear, and cement mortar incorporation.

Polypropylene (PP) disposable face masks (DFMs) are essential for limiting airborne infectious diseases. This study examines the behavior of DFMs under three scenarios: (i) exposure to the natural environment, (ii) simulated high-energy aquatic environments through an abrasion test, and (iii) incorporation into cement-based mortars. In the natural weathering experiment, after 117 days, the DFMs exhibited photodegradation, resulting in chemical alterations in carbonyl and hydroxyl groups.

Temporal lobe epilepsy with isolated amygdala enlargement: anatomo-electro-clinical features and long-term outcome.

Background: Temporal lobe epilepsy with isolated amygdala enlargement (TLE-AE) still lacks a definite characterization and controversies exist.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study identifying brain MRI scans with isolated AE between 2015 and 2021. We collected clinical and paraclinical data of patients with TLE-AE and evaluated the outcome.

Impact of Nutrition on the Gut Microbiota: Implications for Parkinson's Disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifactorial neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and by the anomalous accumulation of α-synuclein aggregates into Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites. Research suggests 2 distinct subtypes of PD: the brain-first subtype if the pathology arises from the brain and then spreads to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the body-first subtype, where the pathological process begins in the PNS and then spreads to the central nervous system. This review primarily focuses on the body-first subtype.

Glia: The Cellular Glue that binds Circadian Rhythms and Sleep.

Glia are increasingly appreciated as serving an important function in the control of sleep and circadian rhythms. Glial cells in Drosophila and mammals regulate daily rhythms of locomotor activity and sleep as well as homeostatic rebound following sleep deprivation. In addition, they contribute to proposed functions of sleep, with different functions mapping to varied glial subtypes.

Outcomes of mechanical thrombectomy for medium vessel occlusion in acute ischemic stroke patients with ASPECTS 4-5 vs. 6-7: a retrospective, multicenter, and multinational study.

Introduction: Mechanical thrombectomy (MT) efficacy in medium vessel occlusion (MeVO) stroke, particularly in patients with low Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score (ASPECTS), remains less explored.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from 443 AIS patients treated with MT for MeVO and low ASPECTS (4-7) at 37 centers across North America, Asia, and Europe, from September 2017 to July 2021. Patients were categorized into ASPECTS of 4-5 and 6-7.

Predictors of drooling severity in people with Parkinson's disease.

Background: Drooling, defined as the unintentional loss of saliva from the anterior oral cavity, remains poorly understood in terms of the underlying clinical factors in people with Parkinson's disease (PwP). This study aims to clarify these factors by analyzing predictors and secondarily the correlates with the severity of drooling in PwP.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 42 PwP with drooling and 59 without drooling.

Do Defense Mechanisms and Dissociation Symptoms Link the Association Between Adverse Childhood Experience and Somatization Symptoms in Faroese Adolescents.

Exposure to multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is a risk factor for the development and increase in somatization symptoms among adolescents. Defense mechanisms and dissociation may play a key role in the association between these variables. The aim of the study was to analyze the indirect association between direct and indirect exposure to ACEs with somatization symptoms through defense mechanisms and dissociation symptoms in Faroese adolescents.

Exploring structural, magnetic, and catalytic diversity in tetranuclear {CuO} cubane cores and a dinuclear complex derived from closely related ligand systems.

The coordination compounds featuring a {CuO} core, typically bridged by hydroxo or alkoxo groups, are particularly intriguing due to their notable magnetic properties and catalytic activity. In this study, we explored the synthesis and characterization of four new Schiff base ligands and their subsequent complexation with Cu salts, which resulted in the formation of three tetranuclear complexes: [Cu(L)]·2HO (1), [Cu(L)(HL)](Cl)(NO)·5HO (2), and [Cu(L)] (3), as well as one dinuclear complex: [Cu(L)] (4). These tetranuclear complexes all feature a {CuO} core, but with differing coordination environments around the Cu centers.

Cardiovascular diseases, prevention and management of complications in older adults and frail patients treated for elective or post-traumatic hip orthopaedic interventions.

Due to the aging population, focusing on healthy aging has become a global priority. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and frailty, characterized by increased vulnerability to adverse stress and health events, interact synergistically in advanced age. In older adults, hip fractures are a frequent dramatic "life-transition" event.

The role of multi-modality imaging for the assessment of left atrium and left atrial appendage. A clinical consensus statement of the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI), European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

Structural, architectural, contractile or electrophysiological alterations may occur in the left atrium (LA). The concept of LA cardiopathy is supported by accumulating scientific evidence demonstrating that LA remodeling has become a cornerstone diagnostic and prognostic marker. The structure and the function of LA and left atrial appendage (LAA) which is an integral part of the LA, are key elements for a better understanding of multiple clinical conditions, most notably atrial fibrillation (AF), cardioembolism, heart failure and mitral valve diseases.

Topical Application onto the Eyelid Skin: Is it a Feasible Delivery Route of Ophthalmic Drugs?

Topical application of ophthalmic drugs remains to be the preferred delivery method. Eye drops lead the pharmaceutical forms due to ease of application. Despite the poor bioavailability of drugs administered topically, especially related to the dilution and excretion by tear fluid, the absence of controlled drug delivery, and the poor compliance within pediatric and senior populations, eye drops and ointments are still the first choices in eye--related disorders management.

A Menu for Microbes: Unraveling Appetite Regulation and Weight Dynamics Through the Microbiota-Brain Connection Across the Lifespan.

Appetite, as the internal drive for food intake, is often dysregulated in a broad spectrum of conditions associated with over- and under-nutrition across the lifespan. Appetite regulation is a complex, integrative process comprising psychological and behavioral events, peripheral and metabolic inputs, and central neurotransmitter and metabolic interactions. The microbiota-gut-brain axis has emerged as a critical mediator of multiple physiological processes, including energy metabolism, brain function, and behavior.

Impact of ultrasound settings on lung vertical artefacts: an observational study in mechanically ventilated patients.

Introduction: The number of vertical artefacts (VAs) in lung ultrasound (LUS) impacts patients' clinical management. This study aimed to demonstrate the influence of ultrasound settings on the number of VAs in patients under invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).

Methods: Patients under IMV were recruited for LUS, including three breathing cycles with a motionless curvilinear probe on the thoracic region with the most VAs.

Cryogenic, but not hypothermic, preservation disrupts the extracellular matrix of cell sheets.

Cell sheet (CS)-based approaches hold significant potential for tissue regeneration, relying on the extracellular matrix (ECM) for success. Like in native tissues, the ECM provides structural and biochemical support for cellular homeostasis and function. Effective preservation strategies that maintain ECM integrity are critical to enhance the therapeutic potential of CS-based approaches.

Long-term monitoring data on (Newman, 1838) (Coleoptera, Rutelidae) across the Azorean Islands.

Background: The Japanese Beetle, Newman, 1838 (Coleoptera, Rutelidae), is a univoltine agricultural pest that poses a serious threat to various agricultural crops. For more than 16 years, the Azorean official authorities have implemented a Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) programme that is crucial for understanding the dynamics of insect pests, such as the Japanese Beetle, and their impacts on agricultural ecosystems. The significance of this long-term monitoring extends beyond understanding the pest's life cycle.

Exploring environmental risk in soils: Leveraging open data for non-sampling assessment?

Soil contamination by heavy metals (HM) is a critical area of research. Traditional methods involving sample collection and lab analysis are effective but costly and time-consuming. This study explores whether geostatistical analysis with GIS and open data can provide a faster, more precise, and cost-effective alternative for HM contamination assessment without extensive sampling.