Effects of Laser Acupuncture on Metabolic Functions of Sedentary People: A Double-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

Laser acupuncture regulates energy flow and restores body fluid metabolism. To evaluate the effects of the laser acupuncture protocol (LAP) on hepatic and renal metabolism in sedentary people. Longitudinal, double-blind, and randomized clinical trial with 29 participants, adults, both sexes, sedentary, without pre-existing metabolic diseases, subdivided into control and laser groups.

Magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy versus open surgical corpus callosotomy for pediatric refractory epilepsy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: Magnetic resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a novel, minimally invasive alternative to traditional open surgery corpus callosotomy (CC). We aim to compare both approaches in terms of time of hospitalization and surgical procedure, complications, and efficacy outcomes.

Methods: A systematic search on PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases was performed for studies directly comparing MRgLITT and open surgery for refractory epilepsy in children.

Cadmium Exposure and Noncommunicable Diseases in Environmentally Exposed Brazilian Population: Cross-Sectional Study without Association of Polymorphism.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic metal which is harmful to humans and the environment. Cd levels and adverse effects may be associated with genetic polymorphisms in genes involved in its toxicokinetics. This study investigated Cd levels in 198 residents of a condominium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, built on industrial steel slag waste and the influence of glutathione S-transferase pi isoform 1 () rs1695 A>G polymorphism.

Understanding the Enamel Disintegration and Posteruptive Breakdown of Demarcated Opacities on Molar Incisor Hypomineralisation.

This review aims to present scientific knowledge regarding the demarcated opacities of molar incisor hypomineralisation (MIH) and factors that clarify the occurrence of posteruptive enamel breakdown. The demarcated opacities have distinct boundaries with the adjacent nonaffected enamel and may vary in color among white, creamy, yellow, and brownish. The hypomineralised enamel is more porous and less organized than the nonaffected enamel.

Ultrasonography as a way of evaluating the diaphragm muscle in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The respiratory muscles in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients have reduced strength and resistance, leading to loss of the functional ability of these muscles. Lung hyperinflation is one of the main alterations, and air trapping is the main factor limiting diaphragmatic mobility (DM) in these patients; however, its correlation with functional parameters, exercise capacity, and indicators of disease severity remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess DM in stable COPD patients and relate the findings with parameters such as the 6-minute walk test distance, forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) %predicted, residual volume (RV) %predicted, and dyspnea.

Combination of Searches for Higgs Boson Pair Production in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS Detector.

This Letter presents results from a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair production using 126-140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. At 95% confidence level (CL), the upper limit on the production rate is 2.9 times the standard model (SM) prediction, with an expected limit of 2.

Studies of the Energy Dependence of Diboson Polarization Fractions and the Radiation-Amplitude-Zero Effect in WZ Production with the ATLAS Detector.

This Letter presents the first study of the energy dependence of diboson polarization fractions in WZ→ℓνℓ^{'}ℓ^{'}(ℓ,ℓ^{'}=e,μ) production. The dataset used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector. Two fiducial regions with an enhanced presence of events featuring two longitudinally polarized bosons are defined.

Questionnaire and polysomnographic evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea in a cohort of post-COVID-19 patients.

To evaluate the efficiency of 5 screening questionnaires for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), OSA frequency, and the association between OSA and COVID-19 severity in recent COVID-19 cases, and to compare the use of the oxygen desaturation index (ODI) as an alternative measure for the respiratory disturbance index (RDI). This open cohort study recruited patients with recent COVID-19 (within 30-180 days) diagnosed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Participants were screened for OSA using the following 5 sleep disorder questionnaires prior to undergoing type I polysomnography: the Sleep Apnea Clinical Score (SACS), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), STOP-Bang score, No-Apnea score, and Berlin questionnaire.

Olive Leaves as a Source of Anticancer Compounds: In Vitro Evidence and Mechanisms.

Olive trees not only produce olives but also generate a substantial amount of waste and by-products, including leaves, pomace (the solid remains after pressing olives for oil), and wastewater from the olive oil-making process. The waste products, particularly the leaves, contain bioactive compounds, especially phenolic compounds, known for their health benefits, such as high antioxidant potential and the ability to reduce inflammation. These compounds have shown promise in preventing and treating cancer.

Succession from acetoclastic to hydrogenotrophic microbial community during sewage sludge anaerobic digestion for bioenergy production.

To assess microbial dynamics during anaerobic digestion (AD) of sewage sludge (SWS) from a municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP), a Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) assay at 37 °C under mono-digestion conditions was conducted. Utilizing the Illumina MiSeq platform, 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing unveiled a core bacterial community in the solid material, showcasing notable variations in profiles. The research investigates changes in microbial communities and metabolic pathways to understand their impact on the efficiency of the digestion process.

Sustainable application of modified Luffa cylindrica biomass for removal of trimethoprim in water by adsorption with process optimization.

The present study describes a set of methodological procedures (seldom applied together), including (i) development of an alternative adsorbent derived from abundant low-cost plant biomass; (ii) use of simple low-cost biomass modification techniques based on physical processing and chemical activation; (iii) design of experiments (DoE) applied to optimize the removal of a pharmaceutical contaminant from water; (iv) at environmentally relevant concentrations, (v) that due to initial low concentrations required determination by ultra-performance liquid phase chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). A central composite rotational design (CCRD) was employed to investigate the performance of vegetable sponge biomass (Luffa cylindrica), physically processed (crushing and sieving) and chemically activated with phosphoric acid, in the adsorption of the antibiotic trimethoprim (TMP) from water. The optimized model identified pH as the most significant variable, with maximum drug removal (91.

Fat Distribution and its Correlation with Insulin Resistance, Androgen Markers, and Proinflammatory Cytokines in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

The high cardiometabolic risk associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) may be linked to central fat accumulation. This study compared fat distribution between women with PCOS and controls matched by body mass index. It also sought to determine if insulin resistance (IR), androgens, or inflammatory markers correlate with body composition parameters in PCOS patients.

Effect of uneven tolerance to human disturbance on dominance interactions of top predators.

Anthropogenic activities may alter felid assemblage structure, facilitating the persistence of tolerant species (commonly mesopredators), excluding ecologically demanding ones (top predators) and, consequently, changing coexistence rules. We aimed to determine how human activities influence intraguild relationships among top predators and their cascading effects on mesopredators, which remain poorly understood despite evidence of top carnivore decline. We used structural equation modeling at a continental scale to investigate how habitat quality and quantity, livestock density, and other human pressures modified the intraguild relations of the 3 species that are at the top of the food chain in the Neotropics: jaguars (Panthera onca), pumas (Puma concolor), and ocelots (Leopardus pardalis).

Energy-Dense and Low-Fiber Dietary Pattern May Be a Key Contributor to the Rising Obesity Rates in Brazil.

Hybrid methods are a suitable option for extracting dietary patterns associated with health outcomes. This study aimed to identify the dietary patterns of Brazilian adults (20-59 years old; = 28,153) related to dietary components associated with the risk of obesity. Data from the 2017-2018 Brazilian National Dietary Survey were analyzed.

Exploring Maternal Socio-Demographic Factors Shaping Children's Dietary Patterns in Brazil: Results from the 2019 National Health Survey.

This study aimed to identify the dietary patterns of Brazilian children aged 6-23 months and to investigate their association with maternal socio-demographic factors. Data from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey were used in this cross-sectional study. Mothers of 1616 children aged 6-23 months reported on their children's dietary intake.

Metabolic consequences of interesterified palm oil and PCB-126 co-exposure in C57BL/6 mice.

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is defined as morphofunctional changes in the liver. Studies have shown that Westernized eating patterns and environmental pollutants can directly induce the development of MASLD. This study evaluates the effect of co-exposure to interesterified palm oil (IPO) and 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB-126) on the progression of MASLD in an animal model.