To fuse or not to fuse: surgical strategies for recurrent lumbar disc herniation from a 16-nation study.

Objective: Variations exist among surgeons in the treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation (LDH), generating major issues in decision-making models. The authors aimed to identify international nuances in surgical treatment patterns, highlight the differences in responses in each country group and different treatment trends across countries, and identify factors that influence surgical decisions.

Methods: An online survey with preformulated answers was submitted to 292 orthopedic surgeons and 223 neurosurgeons from 16 countries regarding 3 clinical vignettes (recurrence without low back pain, recurrence with severe low back pain, and recurrence with 2-level disc disease).

Submaximal low-load resistance exercise with blood flow restriction produces similar results to low-load exercise to failure for muscle size and strength, but not endurance.

Purpose: To examine the effects of submaximal low-load resistance exercise with and without blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle size, strength, cross-education of strength, and muscular endurance with BFR compared to low-load exercise to failure.

Methods: 144 participants were randomly assigned to: (1) submaximal low-load exercise (LL, n = 37), (2) submaximal low-load exercise with BFR (LL + BFR, n = 35), (3) low-load exercise to failure (LL-Failure, n = 36), and (4) non-exercise control (CON, n = 36). Training consisted of 2 sets of 30% 1RM elbow flexion exercise, performed 3 days/week for 6 weeks.

Spatial and policy analysis of livability in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, USA.

A livable city ensures safety, health, inclusivity, sustainability, housing, mobility, and opportunities for all. The Global Observatory of Healthy and Sustainable Cities (GOHSC) launched the 1000 Cities Challenge to assess urban health and sustainability globally. This study uses the GOHSC's spatial and policy indicators to evaluate livability in St.

Analysis of the Thermal Oxidation of Biodiesel with and without Coffee Leaf Extract Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (H NMR).

Biodiesel is a renewable and biodegradable alternative fuel, but its susceptibility to oxidative degradation compromises its storage stability and performance. Synthetic antioxidants are commonly used to mitigate this issue. However, there is growing interest in natural antioxidants as sustainable alternatives.

Genome-wide gene expression changes in breast cancer cells following very low-dose exposure to pesticides (glyphosate and atrazine) at drinking water levels.

Glyphosate and atrazine, two widely used herbicides, may induce subtle molecular changes even at low levels encountered in the drinking water of some populations. This study assessed structural and RNA expression changes in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines after 72-h exposures to glyphosate (50 or 500 ppb) and atrazine (2 or 20 ppb). These doses are commonly found in drinking water and falls below or within the maximum residue levels recommended or allowed in the drinking water of populations in Brazil and the USA.

CD4 differentiated T regulatory cells is modified by physical fitness and visceral adipose tissue in young adults-A cross-sectional study.

Central adiposity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness are modifiable risk factors for various diseases. This study investigated their impact on CD4 differentiated T regulatory (Treg) cell responses. Thirty-eight young adults were classified into high cardiorespiratory fitness/low visceral adipose tissue (High V̇O-Low VAT, n = 20) and low cardiorespiratory fitness/high VAT (Low V̇O-High VAT, n = 18).

Pesticide exposome reveals oxidative stress and immune response disruptions in occupationally exposed women with breast cancer.

Rural women are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, but the molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly understood. This study investigates the impact of chronic pesticide exposure on systemic and tissue-level protein expressions in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Plasma and tumor samples were collected from 215 women diagnosed with breast cancer; among them, 128 patients were occupationally exposed (n = 128) and 87 patients were not occupationally exposed (87) were analyzed for further studies.

Effect of the Thermal Activation on the Adsorption Capacity of Cationic and Anionic Dyes in Magnetic Carbon.

The sustainable synthesis of multifunctional magnetic carbons was achieved using sugar cane bagasse by hydrothermal carbonization with ferric nitrate, followed by thermal activation under CO and N at 500-900 °C. Structural, magnetic, and surface characterizations were performed to evaluate their physicochemical properties and explore their potential for environmental applications, including the adsorption of cationic and anionic dyes. Activation at 700 °C significantly enhanced the material properties, particularly under N, yielding a high specific surface area (241 m g), notable magnetization (27.

Safety of the 6-min walk test in adults with severe asthma.

Background: This study aimed to assess the safety of 6-min walk test (6MWT) in people with severe asthma compared with non-severe asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and healthy controls. Secondly, we sought to compare 6MWT outcomes between adults with severe asthma receiving monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb) or not.

Methods: A total of 403 participants (severe asthma n = 175; non-severe asthma n = 64; COPD n = 99; controls n = 65) underwent a cross-sectional multidimensional assessment that included a 6MWT.

Neuroimaging in posterior cortical atrophy: an integrative review for clinicians and radiologists.

Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is most frequently an atypical variant of Alzheimer's disease that primarily manifests through visual symptoms of cortical origin. This review provides a comprehensive overview of neuroimaging in PCA, addressing key anatomical and clinical aspects as well as characteristic findings across different imaging modalities. It is intended for non-radiologist clinicians and radiologists who may encounter cognitive dysfunction less frequently, aiming to enhance early recognition and accurate interpretation of imaging studies.

Polymorphisms in Hg-related genes and their impact on mercury burden and oxidative stress biomarkers among riverside Amazonian populations.

Mercury (Hg) is a widespread environmental contaminant, with methylmercury (MeHg) being its most toxic and bioavailable form. MeHg accumulates in aquatic food chains, leading to significant human exposure, particularly in Amazonian riverine populations where fish is a dietary staple. This study examined the impact of genetic polymorphisms on Hg exposure levels and oxidative stress biomarkers in 329 individuals from riverside communities in the Brazilian Amazon.

Where there is smoke, there is fire: long- and mid-range biomass burning role on São Paulo's state air quality.

Prolonged exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) is the leading environmental risk factor for human health. In Brazil, frequent wildfires during dry seasons, especially in the Amazon, Cerrado, and more recently the Pantanal, significantly increase PM levels, often exceeding national and international air quality standards. This study analyzed ten years of PM data from 25 monitoring stations across São Paulo State and used 1464 backward trajectories from the HYSPLIT model to assess the influence of open biomass burning and long-range pollutant transport.

Proportion of disordered eating among Latin American university students: A multicountry cross-sectional study.

Background: Pursuing a university degree is a complex experience that may increase susceptibility to disordered eating behaviors. However, the proportion of disordered eating among university students in Latin America remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the proportion of disordered eating and their associated factors among Latin American undergraduate university students.

An Ultrasonication-Assisted Green Process for Simultaneous Production of a Bioactive Compound-Rich Extract and a Multifunctional Fibrous Ingredient from Spent Coffee Grounds.

Spent coffee grounds (SCGs) are lignocellulosic residues generated from producing espresso or soluble coffee and have no commercial value. This study aimed to develop a new single-step process for extracting bioactive compounds from SCGs based on ultrasonication in an aqueous medium and simultaneously recovering the residual solid fraction, resulting in the integral utilization of the residue. This process resulted in a liquid aqueous extract (LAE) rich in bioactive compounds (caffeine: 400.

Liver glycogen catabolism in young adult Goto-Kakizaki rats.

Liver glycogen catabolism was investigated in young adult Goto-Kakizaki rats (GK group) and compared with non-diabetic Wistar rats (Control group). The diabetic condition of GK rats was confirmed by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. Glycogen catabolism was intensified during the infusion of epinephrine (10 μM, 20 μM, and 40 μM), phenylephrine (2 μM, 4 μM, and 6 μM), and glucagon (1 nM) in both Control and GK livers.

Impact of resistance training on sleep quality, mental health, and functional capacity in older women with varying baseline sleep quality: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of 12 weeks of resistance training (RT) on sleep quality, mental health, cognitive function, and functional capacity among older women with both good and poor subjective sleep quality.

Methods: A total of 160 older women (69.2 ± 5.

Chronic restraint stress associations with sperm global DNA hypermethylation: Impacts on male reproductive function in rats.

Recent evidence indicates the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in the adaptive biological responses to chronic restraint stress. However, the impact of stress on the epigenetic programming of germ cells and subsequent effects on reproductive capacity remain understudied. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of chronic restraint stress in sperm global DNA methylation and male reproductive function in Wistar rats.

Minimal Hip Flexion Increase During Gait After Femoroacetabular Impingement Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Pre- and Postoperative 3-Dimensional Motion Analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of surgical treatment on gait biomechanics in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS).

Methods: A comprehensive search of 6 databases (from inception to 2024) was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (CRD4202347397). Studies using 3-dimensional motion analysis to examine gait kinematics and/or kinetics in patients with FAIS before and after hip surgery were included.

Knee osteoarthritis prediction from gait kinematics: Exploring the potential of deep neural networks and transfer learning methods for time series classification.

Recent advances in artificial intelligence methods have allowed improved disease diagnosis using fast and low-cost protocols. The present study explored the potential of different deep neural networks (DNNs) and transfer learning methods to detect knee osteoarthritis patients from gait kinematic time series encoded as image representations. Gait lower limbs kinematic data were collected from 27 patients with knee osteoarthritis and 27 asymptomatic healthy individuals.

Therapeutic potential of thymol, carvacrol, and biogenic silver nanoparticle against avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC): alternatives to the use of antimicrobials.

Antimicrobial resistance represents a significant threat to global public health, and poultry production is a critical sector within this context. Since the use of antimicrobials in poultry farming can promote the selection of resistant bacterial strains, the search for effective alternatives is essential. Thymol and carvacrol, two aromatic monoterpenes, as well as biogenic silver nanoparticles (bio-AgNP) have antimicrobial potential.

Health Promotion and Diagnosis of Oral Diseases in Institutionalized Elderly People: An Experience Report.

This study presents the findings of an academic extension project focused on promoting oral health and diagnosing oral lesions in institutionalized elderly individuals. The project involved visits by students and faculty to two nursing homes in southern Brazil. Data collection included extraoral and intraoral clinical examinations and educational activities such as lectures and the distribution of printed materials on oral and denture hygiene.

Establishing In Vitro Models of Dorsal Root Ganglia Culture: Complementary Approaches for Investigating Cancer-Nerve Crosstalk.

The contribution of the nervous system to the tumor microenvironment and the importance of neural invasion as a route for cancer dissemination are being increasingly recognized. Interactions of cancer cells with neurons can promote their invasion around and into nerves, a feature of many cancers with poor clinical outcomes. In vitro models to study reciprocal interactions between neurons and cancer cells provide valuable tools for understanding cancer spread and identifying approaches to mitigate it.

Inhibitory activity of amino acid derivatives against native Cryptococcus neoformans urease and ligand-enzyme binding profile by nuclear Paramagnetic Relaxation Enhancement and Saturation Transfer Difference NMR.

Studies on ligand-enzyme binding modes on functional microorganism ureases are currently unexplored mainly due to the difficulties in obtaining purified native or recombinant microbial ureases. The investigation of interactions with small ligands, kinetic parameters and most of inhibitor screening is usually performed using the commercially available plant urease model. Herein, the unique urease paramagnetic Ni(II) bimetallic center and saturation transfer from protein to ligand protons were explored by NMR to access the ligand-urease binding profile in Cryptococcus neoformans cell lysates.

Timing matters: modeling the effects of gestational cannabis exposure on social behavior and microglia in the developing amygdala.

Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug during pregnancy, with use steadily increasing in the United States as legalization and decriminalization expand to more states. Many pregnant individuals use cannabis to reduce adverse symptoms of pregnancy, considering it to be less harmful than other pharmaceuticals or alcohol. The primary psychoactive component of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), is a partial agonist of the candidate receptors of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) and 2 (CB2R).

Male reproductive system in Aegla (Decapoda: Aeglidae) and its anatomic-histological and ultrastructural relationship with other anomuran crabs.

The male reproductive system (MRS) of decapods in the genus Aegla remains poorly understood from both histological and ultrastructural perspectives. This study provides a comparative description of the anatomy, histology, and ultrastructure of the MRS in multiple Aegla species, with the aim of exploring their phylogenetic relationships with representatives of the superfamilies Lomisoidea and Chirostyloidea. Anatomically, the MRS of Aegla is located in the cephalothorax and consists of a bilateral structure.