Applying high-density surface EMG to the study of neuromuscular disorders: a systematic review.

Objective: High-density surface electromyography (HD-sEMG) is a non-invasive and quantitative tool for studying neuromuscular disorders, enabling assessments of muscle excitation, motor unit (MU) characteristics and firing patterns. This systematic review reports the published evidence on the clinical applications of HD-sEMG across neuromuscular disorders, identifying the range of disorders studied, indexes utilized, and gaps in the literature.

Methods: Systematic searches in PubMed and Scopus identified 200 studies, of which 55 met the inclusion criteria.

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on excess deaths: descriptive study, Pernambuco, 2020-2022.

Objective: To estimate the excess deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic in Pernambuco between 2020 and 2022.

Methods: This descriptive study used data from the Mortality Information System (SIM). The excess deaths, expressed as the observed-to-expected deaths ratio, and the P-score, expressed as the proportional excess deaths, were evaluated.

Harmonic minimization method for plasmonic diffraction grating sensor design.

The design of diffraction gratings is a critical challenge in numerous fields of applied optics, including integrated optics, spectroscopy, and plasmonics. This work introduces a strategy for optimizing the design of diffraction-based plasmonic sensors. The proposed harmonic minimization method bridges low-complexity diffraction formalisms with structures that are more feasible for fabrication using widely adopted manufacturing processes.

Is soleus intrinsic motor neuron excitability contributing to motor deficits in runners with Achilles tendinopathy?

Objective: Soleus weakness is suggested to contribute to Achilles tendinopathy (AT) in runners. Since muscle force relies on the ability of motor units firing at high frequencies, and intrinsic motor neuron excitability contributes to firing rate modulation, soleus inhibition and hypoexcitability may contribute to AT soleus weakness. This study investigated soleus motor neuron excitability by comparing: (i) estimates of persistent inward currents (Δf and Δf/k), which is known to modulate excitability; (ii) brace height, which is related to neuromodulatory input onto motor neurons; (iii) attenuation slopes, which estimate the influence of inhibitory input onto the motor units; and (iv) and motor unit firing rates between runners with and without mid-portion AT.

Anti-PGL-I seropositivity and development of leprosy in contacts: a comprehensive analysis of sociodemographic determinants, genetic susceptibility, and exposure characteristics to Mycobacterium leprae.

Background: Leprosy is an infectious disease that remains hyperendemic in several Brazilian regions. Patient contacts face a higher risk for infection and illness, which can subsequently contribute to the persistence of the disease.

Objective: This study investigates the risk factors associated with anti-phenolic glycolipid-I (anti-PGL-I) seropositivity and leprosy development among contacts of leprosy patients in a highly endemic region.

Specialized medical care in primary care using telemedicine in Northeast Brazil: a descriptive study, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil, 2022-2023.

Objective: To describe an interconsultation project with specialists and family health teams participating in a telemedicine project in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil.

Methods: Descriptive study with evaluation of TeleNordeste Project interconsultations. Data collection began in November 2022, with consultations with a cardiologist, neurologist, psychiatrist and endocrinologist made available to primary health centers.

Kinetic determination of ethyl carbamate in sugarcane spirits exploiting digital videos.

Kinetic methods are useful analytical methods, whose widespread application is often hindered by the need for strict time control. In this study, digital videos obtained using a smartphone camera were exploited for the first time for a kinetic enzymatic method. The inhibition of the acetylcholinesterase activity on the hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine to thiocholine was exploited for ethyl carbamate determination.

Seasonality in the reproductive cycles of the coconut palm: an analysis of basal temperatures, duration and harvest estimates in the Northeast of Pará, Brazil.

The green dwarf coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) has an extreme economic importance in Brazil, especially in the state of Pará, the third largest national producer. The phenological aspects of these plants can undergo changes according to the environment to which they are subjected, so the objective was to determine the basal temperatures, quantify the duration of the reproductive phase and verify the effect of climatic seasonality on the thermal accumulation of the green dwarf coconut tree, in the northeast region of Pará, Brazil.

Omega-3-Enriched Fish oil reduces the chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in mice.

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide and conventional chemotherapy frequently induce irreversible adverse effects in patients. Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common adverse effect of both paclitaxel (PTX) and oxaliplatin (OXA) chemotherapies, affecting approximately 30-50% of patients. As cancer survival rates have improved, the efforts of scientific community to develop new strategies for preventing CIPN are also growing.

Effect of foot position during plantarflexion on the neural drive to the gastrocnemii in runners with Achilles tendinopathy.

Runners with Achilles tendinopathy have reduced neural drive to the gastrocnemius lateralis. Positioning feet-inwards (feet-in) can influence gastrocnemii activity in healthy individuals. Therefore, this study investigated if pointing (feet-in) during isometric plantarflexion would increase gastrocnemius lateralis electromyography root mean square amplitude (RMS) and motor unit discharge rates (MUDR), compared to feet-neutral (feet-neutral), in Achilles tendinopathy.

Assessing the Effect of Riluzole on Motor Unit Discharge Properties.

This study aims to determine if Riluzole usage can change the function and excitability of motor neurons. The clinical data and indices of motor neuron excitability were assessed using high-density surface EMG parameters from 80 ALS participants. The persistent inward current was assessed using the discharge rate from paired motor units obtained from the tibialis anterior muscle.

Combined left atrial appendage occlusion and catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation versus isolated left atrial appendage occlusion: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Data on the effects of combined left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) and catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) remain limited. We aimed to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing LAAO and CA versus isolated LAAO.

Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for studies comparing combined LAAO and CA versus isolated LAAO in patients with atrial fibrillation.

MMP13 Expression and Activity Suggest Its Role in Bone Resorption in Ameloblastomas.

Background: Ameloblastoma is a locally destructive benign odontogenic tumor. While the neoplastic cells of conventional ameloblastoma can infiltrate the connective tissue and bone, in unicystic ameloblastoma the epithelium is encapsulated. The mechanisms driving ameloblastoma's bone resorption remains unclear.

Abatacept inhibits Th17 differentiation and mitigates α-synuclein-induced dopaminergic dysfunction in mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a multifaceted disease characterized by degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, which results in motor and non-motor dysfunctions. Accumulation of α-synuclein (αSYN) in Lewy bodies is a key pathological feature of PD. Although the exact cause of PD remains unknown, accumulating evidence suggests that brain infiltration of T cells plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of disease, contributing to neuroinflammation and dopaminergic neurodegeneration.

Enhancing the epidemiological surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 using Sanger sequencing to identify circulating variants and recombinants.

Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in December 2019, more than 12,000 mutations in the virus have been identified. These could cause changes in viral characteristics and directly impact global public health. The emergence of variants is a great concern due to the chance of increased transmissibility and infectivity.

First Case Report of Bilateral Parotid Lymphoepithelial Carcinoma.

Background/aim: The parotid is the largest salivary gland and is located anteriorly to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and laterally to the ramus of the mandible. Neoplasms in this gland are relatively rare, with 80% being benign and 20% malignant, primarily represented by mucoepidermoid carcinoma. In the head and neck region, lymphoepithelial carcinoma (LEC) accounts for 0.

Local age-dependent neuromodulation in Rhodnius prolixus antennae.

Kissing bugs do not respond to host cues when recently molted and only exhibit robust host-seeking several days after ecdysis. Behavioral plasticity has peripheral correlates in antennal gene expression changes through the week after ecdysis. The mechanisms regulating these peripheral changes are still unknown, but neuropeptide, G-protein coupled receptor, nuclear receptor, and takeout genes likely modulate peripheral sensory physiology.

Characterization of the gut bacterial and viral microbiota in latent autoimmune diabetes in adults.

Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) is a heterogeneous disease characterized by autoantibodies against insulin producing pancreatic beta cells and initial lack of need for insulin treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate if individuals with LADA have an altered gut microbiota relative to non-diabetic control subjects, individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D), and individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Bacterial community profiling was performed with primers targeting the variable region 4 of the 16S rRNA gene and sequenced.

Immunogenicity and safety of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac) using two-dose primary protocol in children and adolescents (Immunita-002, Brazil): A phase IV six-month follow up.

Introduction: Vaccines are essential for the prevention and control of several diseases, indeed, monitoring the immune response generated by vaccines is crucial. The immune response generated by vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents is not well defined regarding to the intensity and medium to long-term duration of a protective immune response, which may point out the need of booster doses and might support the decisions in public health.

Objective: The study aims to evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine (CoronaVac) in a two-dose primary protocol in children and adolescent aging from 3 to 17 years old in Brazil.

Methotrexate and Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment Change the Oral-Gut Microbiota in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Prospective Cohort Study.

This study evaluated the changes in the composition of oral-gut microbiota in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) caused by methotrexate (MTX) and non-surgical periodontal treatment (NSPT). Assessments were performed at baseline (T0), 6 months after MTX treatment (T1), and 45 days after NSPT (T2). The composition of the oral and gut microbiota was assessed by amplifying the V4 region of the 16S gene from subgingival plaques and stools.

Mitotherapy prevents peripheral neuropathy induced by oxaliplatin in mice.

Oxaliplatin (OXA) is an antineoplastic agent used for the treatment of cisplatin-resistant tumours, presenting lower incidence of nephrotoxicity and myelotoxicity than other platinum-based drugs. However, OXA treatment is highly associated with painful peripheral neuropathy, a well-known and relevant side effect caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. The transfer of functional exogenous mitochondria (mitotherapy) is a promising therapeutic strategy for mitochondrial diseases.

Psychometric Support for a Brazilian Version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Teamwork in Sport (MATS-B).

In this study, we investigated psychometric support for a version of the Multidimensional Assessment of Teamwork in Sport (MATS) that would be suitable for Brazilian athletes. Four translators participated in the back-translation of this instrument from English to Portuguese, two specialists synthesized the Portuguese and English back-translation versions, and 10 experts assessed the questionnaire items and judged their content validity. To evaluate structural validity, we performed confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

Stability and Reactivity of the Phenalene and Olympicene Isomers.

The phenalene (triangulene) and olympicene molecules belong to the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon class, which have attracted substantial technological interest due to their unique electronic properties. Electronic structure calculations serve as a valuable tool in investigating the stability and reactivity of these molecular systems. In the present work, the multireference calculations, namely, the complete active space second-order perturbation theory and multireference averaged quadratic coupled cluster (MR-AQCC), were employed to study the reactivity and stability of phenalene and olympicene isomers, as well as their modified structures where the sp-carbon at the borders were removed.