Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Are Associated with Pain Intensity and Shoulder Disability in Adults with Chronic Shoulder Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal conditions, and for people over 40 years old, it represents the musculoskeletal pain with the greatest impact on quality of life. Psychological factors, such as fear-avoidance beliefs, are associated with musculoskeletal pain, and several studies suggest that they can influence various treatment outcomes. Our objective was to explore the cross-sectional association between fear-avoidance beliefs and shoulder pain intensity and disability in subjects with chronic shoulder pain.

Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities.

Madagascar's unique biota is heavily affected by human activity and is under intense threat. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the conservation status of Madagascar's terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity by presenting data and analyses on documented and predicted species-level conservation statuses, the most prevalent and relevant threats, ex situ collections and programs, and the coverage and comprehensiveness of protected areas. The existing terrestrial protected area network in Madagascar covers 10.

Full-waveform inversion based on generalized Rényi entropy using patched Green's function techniques.

The estimation of physical parameters from data analyses is a crucial process for the description and modeling of many complex systems. Based on Rényi α-Gaussian distribution and patched Green's function (PGF) techniques, we propose a robust framework for data inversion using a wave-equation based methodology named full-waveform inversion (FWI). From the assumption that the residual seismic data (the difference between the modeled and observed data) obeys the Rényi α-Gaussian probability distribution, we introduce an outlier-resistant criterion to deal with erratic measures in the FWI context, in which the classical FWI based on l2-norm is a particular case.

Can the immunological system of the upper respiratory tract, improved by physical exercise, act as a first immunological barrier against SARS-CoV-2?

Introduction: The main route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is the upper respiratory tract via cell membranes, including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane host-associated serine protease transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2). Both enzymes present in the nasal epithelium are the first direct point of contact for SARS-CoV-2. In this sense, the mucosal immune mechanisms of the upper respiratory tract, including immunoglobulin A (IgA), could be enhanced by physical exercise and be the first defense mechanism against the transmission and infection of SARS-CoV-2.

A facile synthesis of CuBiO hierarchical dumbbell-shaped nanorod cluster: a promising photocatalyst for the degradation of caffeic acid.

The present study reports on the synthesis of Cu-bismuth oxide (CuBiO)-based nanorods by using a simple co-precipitation method for the photocatalytic degradation of caffeic acid (CA). The incorporation of Cu metal ions during the synthesis of CuBiO nanorods might be advantageous to avoid the aggregation and control the leach out of metal ions. The calculated bandgap values of ~ 1.

Pilot Research to Develop a Nursing Digital Health Capability Framework in Chile.

The Global Digital Health Strategy emphasizes digital health workforce development to reach a sustainable health system. In Chile, a digital health capability framework to support the transition towards digital health and workforce development is still missing. A survey will be applied at a national level.

Changes in oral health inequalities in adults in Chile.

Unlabelled: The adult population in Chile has a high prevalence of dental caries and non-functional dentition. Fifteen years after the Health Reform, aimed to reduce health inequalities, it is necessary to analyse changes in social inequalities in oral health in Chilean adults.

Methods: A secondary analysis of data from 2003 and 2016-2017 National Health Surveys (NHS) in Chile was performed on seven oral health outcomes in adults: prevalence of untreated caries, prevalence of severe untreated caries, number of teeth with untreated caries, prevalence of functional dentition, prevalence of edentulism, number of remaining natural teeth and utilization of dental services.

Bimetal (Fe/Zn) doped BiOI photocatalyst: An effective photodegradation of tetracycline and bacteria.

Tetracycline (TC) is one of the most commonly used broad-spectrum antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection. TC antibiotics enter into the environment because of partial metabolism in the humans and animals, thereby increasing the environmental toxicity. Therefore, it is highly needed to treat TC antibiotics from the water system.

A novel bimetallic (Fe/Bi)-povidone-iodine micro-flowers composite for photocatalytic and antibacterial applications.

The present work describes the synthesis of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) assisted Fe-BiOI based Fe/Bi-povidone‑iodine (Fe/Bi-P-I) micro-flowers based composite and its photocatalytic and antibacterial applications. The Fe/Bi-P-I micro-flowers-based composite material was synthesized using a simple co-precipitation method. The prepared Fe/Bi-P-I micro-flowers-based composite materials were characterized using various characterization techniques and tested against photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) dye and antibacterial analysis.

Three-dimensional (3D) polymer-metal-carbon framework for efficient removal of chemical and biological contaminants.

The continuously increased existence of contaminants such as chemical and biological mainly dye, bacteria, and heavy metals ions (HMI) in water bodies has increased environmental concern due to their hostile effects on living things. Therefore, there is necessity to be developed newer materials that skirmishes such environmental menace. The present works focus on the synthesis of a novel three-dimensional (3D) polymer-metal-carbon (3D-PMC) framework for the exclusion of contaminants (chemical and biological) from water bodies.

Strategic Doping Approach of the Fe-BiOI Microstructure: An Improved Photodegradation Efficiency of Tetracycline.

The present study describes the strategic doping of Fe metal ions into a BiOI microstructure using and processes to synthesize a Fe-BiOI microstructure and their effect on photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC). The data suggested that Fe-BiOI (Fe-BiOI-In) has superior performance compared to Fe-BiOI (Fe-BiOI-Ex) due to the uniform dispersion of Fe within the Fe-BiOI material. Calculated bandgaps ∼1.

Two novel heteropolymer-forming proteins maintain the multicellular shape of the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.

Polymerizing and filament-forming proteins are instrumental for numerous cellular processes such as cell division and growth. Their function in stabilization and localization of protein complexes and replicons is achieved by a filamentous structure. Known filamentous proteins assemble into homopolymers consisting of single subunits - for example, MreB and FtsZ in bacteria - or heteropolymers that are composed of two subunits, for example, keratin and α/β tubulin in eukaryotes.

Recent advances on microneedle arrays-mediated technology in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

Regarding the increasing prevalence of cancer throughout the globe, the development of novel alternatives for conventional therapies is inevitable to circumvent limitations such as low efficacy, complications, and high cost. Recently, microneedle arrays (MNs) have been introduced as a novel, minimally invasive, and low-cost approach. MNs can delivery both small molecule and macromolecular drugs or even nanoparticles (NPs) to the tumor tissue in a safe and controlled manner.

Effects of drying processes on composition, microstructure and health aspects from maqui berries.

The aim of this study is to determine the effects of different drying methods, including freeze drying (FD), convective drying, sun drying, infrared drying and vacuum drying (VD), on the chemical composition and microstructure of maqui berries as well as their anti-inflammatory and antidiabetic activities. Results showed that all dried samples have high unsaturated fatty acids contents (up to 83%) and high total dietary fiber contents (above 50%). Also, one hundred grams of dried berries provide between 11 and 21% of the recommended daily intake of α-tocopherol.

A craniometry-based predictive model to determine occlusal vertical dimension.

Statement Of Problem: Craniometry is a method of determining the occlusal vertical dimension (OVD); the current prediction models do not consider factors such as facial type and sex or normalizing the OVD by using 1 main variable.

Purpose: The purpose of this clinical study was to determine whether sex, facial type, and age can influence the creation of a predictive model by using the right or left eye-to-ear distance to determine the OVD in dentate and edentate individuals.

Material And Methods: Healthy individuals (N=385) (238 women, 147 men) aged between 18 and 50 years were classified according to sex, age, and facial type.

Vacuum drying application to maqui ( [Mol] Stuntz) berry: Weibull distribution for process modelling and quality parameters.

In this study, maqui berries were subjected to vacuum drying at 40-80 °C to assess and compare the effect on proximate composition, dietary fiber, phenolic and flavonoid compounds, antioxidant capacity and sugar content. The Weibull model was used for describing the vacuum drying process. The results indicated that the highest retention of total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) was obtained after drying at 80 °C.

Some physical features of the Burr-type-XII distribution.

Aspects related to driven nonequilibrium systems considered in Beck-Cohen superstatistics (BCS) formalism and, in addition, the unbiased maximum entropy density estimation, show the pertinence of considering the three-parameter Burr-type-XII distribution as a suitable way to describe stationary states of complex and nonequilibrium systems. The above is shown following a variant to the procedure presented in the formulation of BCS, which consists of the incorporation of an expanded Boltzmann factor through the Mittag-Leffler function. On the other hand, maximization of Shannon-Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy and other generalized forms of entropy show that the Burr-type-XII distribution may emerge as the least informative distribution for the mentioned systems.

Psychometric Properties of the 20-Item Toronto Alexithymia Scale in the Chilean Population.

Alexithymia can be defined as inability to identify and describe emotions in the self. Has shown to be related to several psychological and pathological processes that can result in unsatisfactory interpersonal relationships and decreased social adjustment. Advances in research of alexithymia require the development and validation of assessment instruments, and its application to different population.

Evaluation of phenolic profiles and antioxidant capacity of maqui (Aristotelia chilensis) berries and their relationships to drying methods.

Background: Five drying methods (freeze, convective, sun, infrared, and vacuum drying) were applied to maqui berries to establish their effect on phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity. Total phenolic, total flavonoid, and total anthocyanin contents were measured by spectrophotometry, anthocyanin and phenolic profiles were analyzed by chromatography, and the antioxidant capacity was determined. This study is probably the first to demonstrate the variation and stability of bioactive compounds from maqui berries after applying different drying methods.

Conspecific plants are better 'nurses' than rocks: consistent results revealing intraspecific facilitation as a process that promotes establishment in a hyper-arid environment.

Harsh environmental conditions in arid ecosystems limit seedling recruitment to microhabitats under nurse structures, such as shrubs or rocks. These structures, however, do not necessarily afford the same benefits to plants because nurse rocks provide only physical nurse effects, whereas nurse plants can provide both physical and biological nurse effects. Nevertheless, if the nurse plant is a conspecific, the benefits it provides may be outweighed by higher mortality due to negative density-dependent processes; consequently, negative density-dependence is expected to limit plants from acting as nurses to their own seedlings.

Strong dependence of a pioneer shrub on seed dispersal services provided by an endemic endangered lizard in a Mediterranean island ecosystem.

The accelerating rate of vertebrate extinctions and population declines threatens to disrupt important ecological interactions, altering key ecosystem processes such as animal seed dispersal. The study of highly specialized mutualistic interactions is crucial to predict the consequences of population declines and extinctions. Islands offer unique opportunities to study highly specialized interactions, as they often have naturally depauperated faunas and are experiencing high rates of human-driven extinctions.