The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of athletes' respiratory muscle strength, as assessed through maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory pressure (MEP), on aerobic endurance, as indicated by maximal oxygen consump-tion (Max VO2) kinetics. Respiratory muscle strength was assessed using a digital spirometer (Pony FX Cosmed, Italy), while maximal oxygen utilization capacity was measured using a breath-by-breath automatic portable gas analysis system (Cosmed K5, Italy). Statistical analysis was conducted utilizing SPSS 22.0. Based on the standardized regression coefficients (β), it was found that MEP (mean ± SD: 130.95 ± 42.82) and inspiratory diaphragmatic circumference values significantly influenced ventilatory equivalent (VE), oxygen consumption (VO2), and carbon dioxide pro-duction (VCO2). Conversely, the remaining predictor variables did not exhibit a sig-nificant effect on VE (mean ± SD: 134.80 ± 36.69), VO2 (mean ± SD: 3877.52 ± 868.47 ml), and VCO2 (mean ± SD: 4301.27 ± 1001.07 ml). In contrast, measurements of chest circumference (mean ± SD: 91.40 ± 10.72 cm), MEP, and diaphragmatic cir-cumference during inspiration (mean ± SD: 95.20 ± 10.21 cm) were found to signifi-cantly impact Max VO2 (mean ± SD: 58.52 ± 10.74 ml/kg/min), while the other pre-dictor variables did not demonstrate a significant effect on Max VO2. Conclusively, the study revealed that measured values of diaphragmatic circumference during inspiration and MEP exerted a notable influence on Max VO2, VE, VO2, and VCO2. Our findings underscore the importance of considering respiratory muscle strength in assessing and enhancing athletes' aerobic performance. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of the interplay between respiratory function and exercise capacity, offering potential avenues for optimizing training regimens and perfor-mance outcomes in athletic contexts.

Background: Chronic lateral epicondylitis challenges the therapeutical approach; underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood; neuropathic pain and central and peripheral sensitization may explain the fact that botulinum toxin was found to play a role in pain and function management. Methods: We searched the literature for MeSH terms: lateral epicondylitis or synonyms and botulinum toxin. Results: We found 14 papers containing trials on botulinum toxin injection into the tendon or into the extensor muscles (particularly extensor carpi radialis brevis and extensor communis digitorum). We followed the administration pathways, doses, timing and side effects. Conclusion: With chronic course, the focus of the therapy shifts from the afflicted tendon to the inserting muscles, as muscle contracture may create a vicious loop to perpetuate and aggravate the disease. Doses, timing and side effects are discussed.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the association between periampullary diverticulum (PAD) and difficult biliary cannulation, as well as to evaluate the impact of different types of PAD on the cannulation success rate and adverse events. Methods: A total of 636 patients who underwent endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) during the study period were prospectively studied and divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of PAD. In group A, 126 patients had PAD compared with 510 patients in group B without PAD. The primary outcome measurements were ERCP procedures time, selective cannulation techniques, and cannulation difficulty in addition to cannulation success rate and ERCP-related adverse events. The difficult cannulation was analyzed using logistic regression considering age, co-morbidities, the presence of PAD types, and indications as independent factors. Results: The average cohort age was 65.30±16.67 years, and 52.7% were male. Significant higher rates of choledocholithiasis, cholangitis, and biliary pancreatitis were reported in the group of PAD (p<0.05). Successful selective cannulation was achieved in 97.6% in group A and 95.3% in group B (p>0.05). The cannulation time was significantly longer in the presence of PAD (5.1 min, vs. 4.09 min, p<0.05). There was no significant difference in the rate of overall adverse events and post ERCP pancreatic PEP. Conclusion: The presence of PAD did not affect the duration or success of the ERCP procedure. Furthermore, it was associated with longer cannulation time and increase in the cannulation difficulty, especially with PAD type 1.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has proven to be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence and disease as secondary prevention (evidence-based intervention) in patients who have suffered from myocardial infarction (MI). CR is a multidisciplinary path in which the patient is followed pharmacologically, from a psychological, nutritional, nursing and physiotherapy point of view. Post-MI patients present a reduction in the performance of the diaphragm muscle, the main inspiratory muscle, and this condition can become a risk factor for further relapses or for the onset of heart failure. Despite the solidity of the international guidelines for CR, the latter are lacking in specifically indicating an evaluation and training path regarding the inspiratory muscles in post-MI patients who have not undergone cardiac surgery. The article reviews the information on the adaptation of the diaphragm post-MI and highlights the need for clearer indications for a rehabilitation process that gives importance to the diaphragm.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) presents a significant health concern, particularly among Hispanic women in the United States, who exhibit a disproportionately higher chance of developing an advanced disease when compared to the non-Hispanic population. Emerging evidence suggests coagulation factor X, encoded by F10 gene, has a potential role in inhibiting cancer cell migration. However, comprehensive investigations into the differential expression patterns of F10 in Hispanic versus non-Hispanic females remain limited. RNA-sequencing data was acquired from the TCGA database for white female patients, 166 non-Hispanic and 25 Hispanic. A statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05) 2.06-fold increase in F10 expression levels was detected in disease-free tumors compared to recurrent PTC tumors. Furthermore, an increase in F10 gene expression levels was also observed corresponding to approximately a 1.74-fold increase in non-Hispanic patients compared to Hispanic patients. The probability of tumor recurrence was 1.82 times higher in the cohort with low expression of F10 compared to the high expression cohort, correlating with the lower disease-free rates observed in Hispanic patients’ cohort when compared to non-Hispanics. This finding underscores the relevance of ethnic disparities in molecular profiles for understanding cancer susceptibility. Identifying F10 as a potential prognostic biomarker highlights avenues for targeted interventions and contributes to improving diagnostic and treatment strategies for diverse patient populations.

The Australian tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) is home to approximately 18 percent of the nation’s total vascular plant species. Over the past century, human activity and industrial development have caused global climate changes, posing a severe and irreversible danger to the entire land-based ecosystem, and WTWHA is no exception. The current average annual temperature of WTWHA in FNQ is 24 °C. However, in the coming years (by 2030), the average annual temperature increase is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 °C compared to the climate observed between 1986 and 2005. Looking further ahead to 2070, the anticipated temperature rise is projected to be between 1.0 and 3.2 °C, with the exact range depending on future emissions. We identified 84 plant species endemic to the WTWHA in FNQ, which are already experiencing climate change threats. Few of these plants are used in herbal medicines. This study comprehensively reviewed metabolomics studies conducted on these 84 plant species until now toward understanding their physiological and metabolomics responses to global climate change. This review also discusses: i) recent developments in plant metabolomics studies that can be applied to study and understand the interactions of wet tropical plants with climatic stress, ii) medicinal plants and isolated phytochemicals with structural diversity, and iii) reported biological activities of crude extracts and isolated compounds.

Mechanical properties of cardiomyocytes from different transmural regions are heterogeneous in the left ventricular wall. The cardiomyocyte mechanical environment affects this heterogeneity because of mechano-electric feedback mechanisms. In the present study, we investigated the effects of load upon transmural differences in contraction of subendocardial (ENDO) and subepicardial (EPI) single cells isolated from the murine left ventricle. Various loads were applied to the cells using carbon fiber techniques for single myocytes. To simulate experimentally obtained results and to predict mechanisms underlying the cellular response to change in load, our mathematical models of the ENDO and EPI cells were used. Extent of the transmural gradient in the time course of contractions was independent of the loading conditions where unloaded and heavy loaded (isometric) contractions were examined, but the regional gradient of the relaxation time characteristics tended to decrease when the load decreased. Under auxotonic contractions, time to peak contraction (T_max) was significantly longer in ENDO cells than in EPI cells at low preload. An increase in preload (axial stretch) prolonged T_max in both cell types; however, the prolongation was greater in EPI cells, resulting in a decrease in transmural gradient in T_max at high preload. The [Ca²⁺]_i transient decay time constant was consistent with the greater preload dependency in T_max of EPI cells. Our modified mathematical models reproduced experimental results, suggesting that differences in cooperativity of cross bridges and calcium troponin C complex interactions between the ENDO and EPI cardiomyocytes may contribute to the different cellular responses to stretch, which may provide a decrease in transmural dispersion of cellular shortening in the intact heart.

Fungal infections caused by Candida spp. are responsible for high hospital morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, there is a continuous search for new antifungal medicines, particularly ones with anti-Candida activity. This review analyzed articles published between 2002 and 2023 considering the anti-Candida activity of chemical compounds identified or isolated in plants of the Anacardiaceae family. In addition, the in-silico prediction of the isolated compounds described was performed. The analysis of 35 studies showed that extracts, essential oils, and compounds from the anti-Candida activity were frequently determined in vitro using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The most commonly tested species were Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei, and C. guilliermondii, respectively. Essential oils were the most used form (37% of the studies). The isolated compounds with antifungal effects include cardanol, estragole, trans-anethole, β-caryophyllene, myrcene, catechin-3-o-rhamnoside, β-sitosterol-3-O-glucoside, 24Z-isomasticadienolic acid, oleanolic acid, and oleanolic aldehyde. The in-silico evaluation of those isolated compounds revealed the compounds' drug-likeness and possible antifungal activity. However, some of them showed high toxicity. In conclusion, compounds from the Anacardiaceae family show promise for developing new therapeutic antifungal drugs, especially in combination with conventional antifungals.

Although a growing number of evidence emphasizes superior of VATS over conventional thoracotomy, still is little known about early postoperative diaphragm muscle function after lobectomy via these two approahces. To fill the gap in existing literature, we conducted comparative study between VATS and conventional thoracotomy in terms of postoperative diaphragm muscle function, assessing its contractility, strength, magnitude of effort and potential risk of dysfunction such as: atrophy and paralysis. A total of 59 patients (30 after VATS), who underwent anatomical pulmonary resection at our institution, were enrolled into this study. The control group was consisted of 28 health subjects without medical condition could contribute to diaphragm dysfunction. Diaphragm muscle was assessed before and after surgery using ultrasonography. We found that both surgical approaches were associated with postoperative impairment of diaphragm muscle function - compared to baseline data. Postoperative reduction of diaphragm contraction was demonstrated in all of 59 patients. In case of control group, the differences between measurements were no observed. We noted that lobectomy via thoracotomy was linked with greater percentage of patients with diaphragm paralysis or/and atrophy that VATS. Similar findings were observed in refer to diaphragm magnitude effort, as well as, diaphragm contraction strength, where minimal invasive surgery was associated with better diaphragm function parameters - in comparison to thoracotomy. Disturbance of diaphragm work was reported both at operated and non-operated side. Upper right and left lobectomy was connected with greater diaphragm function impairment than other segments. In conclusion, VATS technique seems to be less invasive than conventional thoracotomy providing a better postoperative function of a main respiratory muscle.

Objective: Lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) may occur with trauma-related vascular injury and various vascular diseases, during the use of a tourniquet, temporary clamping of the aorta in aortic surgery, and acute or bilateral acute femoral artery occlusion. Mitochondrial dysfunction and increased basal oxidative stress in diabetes may cause an increase in the effects of increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial dysfunction due to IRI. It is of great importance to examine therapeutic approaches that can minimize the effects of IRI, especially for patient groups under chronic oxidative stress. Cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles mimic the antioxidant enzymes and act as a catalyst that scavenges ROS. In this study, it was aimed to investigate whether CeO2 has protective effects on skeletal muscles in lower extremity IRI in mice with streptozocin-induced diabetes. Methods: A total of 38 Swiss albino mice were divided into six groups as follows: control group (group C, n=6), diabetes group (group D, n=8), diabetes-CeO2 (group DCO, n=8), diabetes-ischemia/reperfusion (group DIR, n=8), and diabetes-ischemia/reperfusion-CeO2 (group DIRCO, n=8). DCO and DIRCO groups were given doses of CeO2 0.5mg/kg intraperitoneally 30 minutes before the IR procedure. A 120-minute ischemia-120-minute reperfusion period with 100% O2 was performed. At the end of the reperfusion period, muscle tissues were removed for histopathological and biochemical examinations. Results: Total antioxidant status (TAS) levels were found to be significantly lower in group DIR compared with group D (p=0.047 and p=0.022, respectively). In group DIRCO and total oxidant status (TOS) levels were found to be significantly higher than in group DIR (p

This report elucidates a case of papillary carcinoma of the Thyroglossal Duct Cyst in a 19-year-old female. The swelling at presentation was suprahyoid, fixed and non-mobile with deglutition or tongue protrusion. Papillary carcinoma was diagnosed post-op through histopathological examination and a follow-up total thyroidectomy was planned. As the origin of TGDC papillary carcinoma is highly debated, no evidence-based guidelines yet exist as to the best line of treatment, however, Sistrunk’s procedure followed by total/near total thyroidectomy is widely considered the standard management practice in such cases.

The genetic causes of the differentiated, highly treatable and mostly non-fatal papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) are not yet fully known. The widely accepted PTC etiology blames altered sequence or/and expression level of certain biomarker genes. However, our previous studies found that the PTC biomarkers played significantly lower roles than the personalized PTC Gene Master Regulators. Our publicly accessible gene expression data from the cancer nodule and the surrounding normal tissue of surgically removed PTC tumor were re-analyzed to determine the transcriptomic effects on the genomic fabrics responsible for the DNA replication, repair and transcription. Tumor results were compared to the gene expression profiles of the papillary (BCPAP) and the anaplastic (8505C) human thyroid cancer cell lines. The analyses were carried out from the Genomic Fabric Paradigm (GFP) perspective that provides the most theoretically possible comprehensive characterization of the transcriptome and its alterations in disease. The study indicated that, in addition to regulating numerous genes, changes in the homeostatic control of transcript abundances and remodeling of the gene networks had major contributions to the PTC occurrence, resilience and proliferation. Therefore, the molecular mechanisms responsible for gene expression control and inter-coordination should also be considered when designing personalized anti-cancer gene therapies.

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has classified papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) into indolent RAS-like and aggressive BRAF-like based on its distinct driver gene mutations. This study aimed to assess clinicopathology and pERK1/2 expression variations between BRAF-like and RAS-like PTCs and establish predictive models for BRAFV600E and RAS-mutated PTCs. A total of 222 PTCs underwent immunohistochemistry staining to assess pERK1/2 expression and Sanger sequencing to analyze the BRAF and RAS genes. Multivariate logistic regression was employed to develop prediction model. Independent predictors for the BRAFV600E mutation include a nuclear score of 3, the absence of capsules, an aggressive histology variant, and pERK1/2 levels exceeding 10% (X2=0.128, P&gt;0.05, AUC=0.734, P&lt;0.001). RAS mutation predictive model includes follicular histology variant and pERK1/2 expression &gt;10% (X2=0.174, P&gt;0.05, AUC=0.8, P&lt;0.001). We proposed using the prediction model concurrently with four potential combination group outcomes. PTC cases included in combination of low BRAFV600E-scoring group and high RAS-scoring group are categorized as RAS-like (adjOR=4.857, P=0.01, 95% CI=1.470-16.049). PTCs included in combination of high BRAFV600E-scoring group and low RAS-scoring group are categorized as BRAF-like PTCs (adjOR=3.091, P=0.001, 95% CI=1.594-5.995). The different prediction models indicate variations in biological behaviour between BRAF-like and RAS-like PTCs, necessitating adjustments in treatment approaches.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) accounts for approximately 85%-90% of all thyroid cancers. BRAFV600E mutation is a highly specific target for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and may have a reciprocal causative relationship with iodide-metabolizing genes. Here, we performed a review of studies published in the past 10 years to determine the relationship between iodine intake and BRAFV600E mutation in patients with PTC. We searched the MEDLINE, PubMed, and EMBASE databases for studies published from 2009 to 2019; seven partially matched the selection criteria and were suitable for review, and five passed all selection criteria. We divided the patients into three groups by iodine intake: low (urinary iodine concentration [UIC] &lt;100 μg/L), adequate (UIC 100–200 μg/L), and high iodine intake groups (UIC ≥200 μg/L). Between-group analysis revealed no significant differences in the odds ratio of the prevalence of BRAFV600E mutation between the high and adequate/low iodine intake groups and between the adequate and low iodine intake groups. To further analyzed the results of studies, they exhibited U-shaped curves in the relation of deficient and excessive dietary iodine intake in BRAFV600E mutation. The results might suggest that iodine intake slightly influences the prevalence of BRAFV600E mutation in patients with PTC despite the heterogeneity of studies. Further research should explore potential mechanisms underlying the associations between iodine intake and BRAF mutation in PTC. The systematic review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021279462).

The vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has long served as a model system for studying synapse structure, function and development. Over the last several decades a neuron-specific isoform of agrin, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, has been identified as playing a central role in synapse formation at all vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular synapses. While agrin was initially postulated to be the inductive molecule that initiates synaptogenesis, this model has been modified in response to work showing that postsynaptic differentiation can develop in the absence of innervation, and that synapses can form in transgenic mice in which the agrin gene is ablated. In place of a unitary mechanism for neuromuscular synapse formation, studies in both mice and zebrafish have led to the proposal that two mechanisms mediate synaptogenesis, with some synapses being induced by nerve contact while others involve the incorporation of prepatterned postsynaptic structures. Moreover, the current model also proposes that agrin can serve two functions, to induce synaptogenesis and to stabilize new synapses, once these are formed. This review examines the evidence for these propositions, and concludes that it remains possible that a single molecular mechanism mediates synaptogenesis at all NMJs, and that agrin acts as a stabilizer, while its role as inducer is open to question. Moreover, if agrin does not act to initiate synaptogenesis, it follows that as yet uncharacterized molecular interactions are required to play this essential inductive role. Several alternatives to agrin for this function are suggested, including focal pericellular proteolysis and integrin signaling, but all require experimental validation.

(1) The purpose of this study was to compare the percentages of quarterly change for each of the variables analysed (height, weight, body fat percentage and muscle mass) as a function of the quarter in a sample of adolescent football players. (2) The sample consisted of young male football players of different categories belonging to a high-performance football academy, (more than 5 years in football and have spent 1 full year at the academy). (3) Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed for the anthropometric variable, P_value

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has two main histologic variants: classical-PTC (CL-PTC) and follicular variant PTC (FV-PTC). Recently, due to its similar features to benign lesions, the encapsulated FV-PTC variant was reclassified as noninvasive follicular thyroid neoplasm with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). Nonetheless, specific molecular signatures are not yet available. It is well known that telomere-related genome instability is caused by inappropriate DNA repair of dysfunctional telomeres and that mechanisms involved in the damaged telomere repair processing may led to detrimental outcomes, altering the 3D nuclear telomere and genome organization in cancer cells. This pilot study aimed to evaluate whether a specific nuclear telomere architecture might characterize NIFTP, potentially distinguishing it from other PTC histologic variants. Our findings demonstrate that 3D telomere profiles of CL-PTC and FV-PTC were different from NIFTP and that NIFTP more closely resembles follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA). NIFTP has longer telomeres than CL-PTC and FV-PTC samples and telomere length overlaps in NIFTP and FTA. There was no association between BRAF expression and telomere length in all tested samples. Our data showing that 3D nuclear telomere organization is altered differently in thyroid cancer variants, suggest that this parameter might guide clinical management of NIFTP. Although further investigations in a larger cohort of patients are necessary to corroborate our observations, telomere-related genomic instability might be of value in the diagnosis of NIFTP and allow for a more appropriate selection of the correct treatment.

Day by day, the share of renewable energy-based power plants such as offshore wind farms and photovoltaic power plants, in the present-day power systems is escalating. Nevertheless, most of these power-producing facilities have been located quite far away from the load centers. At this stage, HVDC power systems provide satisfactory options due to qualities such as reduced line losses, substantial controllability, and environmental advantages. Nevertheless, unique converter designs are required to combine asynchronous HVDC networks with each other and with already existing high voltage alternating current (HVAC) networks. In this study, based on the above special cases, a unique DC-DC modular multilevel converter (MMC) architecture is presented that provides an excellent solution for both integrating modern asynchronous HVDC networks and integrating these modern HVDC power systems with existing asynchronous HVAC power systems. The mathematical analysis of the recommended DC-DC MMC design has been examined in detail and the power transfer between two asynchronous power grids has been realized in a simulation environment. Efficient bilateral power transmission has been made achievable by the control system. The recommended DC-DC MMC topology has shown to be a highly successful approach, in the interconnection of HVDC power systems, according to the simulation results.

Publically available (own) transcriptomic data were re-analyzed to quantify the alteration of functional pathways in the thyroid cancer, establish the gene hierarchy, identify potential gene targets and predict the effects of their manipulation. The expression data were generated from one case of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and from genetically manipulated BCPAP (papillary) and 8505C (anaplastic) human thyroid cancer cell lines. The study used the genomic fabric perspective that considers the transcriptome as a multi-dimensional mathematical object based on the three independent characteristics that can be derived for each gene from the expression data. We found remarkable remodeling of the thyroid hormone synthesis, cell cycle, oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis pathways. Serine peptidase inhibitor, Kunitz type, 2 (SPINT2) was identified as the Gene Master Regulator of the investigated PTC. The substantial increase of the expression synergism of SPINT2 with apoptosis genes in the cancer nodule with respect to the surrounding normal tissue (NOR) suggests that its experimental overexpression may force the PTC cells into apoptosis with negligible effect on the NOR cells. The predictive value of the expression coordination for the expression regulation was validated with data from 8505C and BCPAP cells before and after lentiviral transfection with DDX19B.

Background Sarcopenia is a state with progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. It is a serious complication occurring in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients which increases morbidity and mortality rate. Sarcopenia is diagnosed when loss of both compartments - muscle strength and skeletal muscle quality or quantity are present. However, there are still numerous patients, also with CKD, diagnosed as pre-sarcopenic individuals with low muscle strength and normal skeletal muscle quality or quantity and conversely, with correct muscle strength and decreased skeletal muscle mass, who are prone to develop sarcopenia in future life. It is crucial to examine numerous variables possibly associated with changes of skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength in terms of preventing the development of sarcopenia. The aim of the study was to investigate anthropometric and clinical correlates and sources of variation in both skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength in advanced stages of CKD. Methods The study sample consisted of 84 non-dialysis dependent patients of both sexes (including 45.2% of women) with eGFR < 45 ml/min/1.73m2: 26.2% with eGFR 30-44 mL/min/1.73 m2, 65.5% with eGFR 15-29 mL/min/1.73 m2 and 8.3% with eGFR < 15 mL/min/1.73 m2. Muscle strength was estimated by measuring hand grip strength (HGS) with the use of handheld hydraulic dynamometer. Muscle quantity was measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy using Body Composition Monitor. Appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) was calculated according to Lin’s formula. Serum creatinine, urea, uric acid and albumin were measured. Results In bivariate analysis we found that ASM significantly and positively correlated with anthropometric variables such as body mass (r=0.903, p

Epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between high body mass index (BMI) and papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). We assessed the clinical and histopathological features of PTC in patients with a higher BMI and compared them to analogous parameters in PTC patients with a normal BMI. We retrospectively analyzed 5,021 medical records of patients admitted and surgically treated for thyroid tumors in one center between 2008 and 2018. Finally, we extracted data from 523 adult patients with PTC and stratified patients into two groups according to BMI: Group 1 with BMI < 25 kg/m² and Group 2 with BMI ≥25 kg/m². Data stratification was performed to estimate the association of overweight and obesity with clinical and histopathological features of PTC in both univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analyses. Overall, compared to patients with a normal BMI, overweight and obese patients had a greater risk of minimal extrathyroidal extension (minimal ETE), multifocality and bilaterality of PTC (p<0.001 for all). Analysis did not show that BMI was significantly associated with more advanced tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage (p=0.894). Obesity and overweight were significantly associated with higher aggressiveness of PTC. When considering various management options for PTC patients, these findings regarding overweight and obesity should be taken into consideration during the decision-making process.

The importance of various markers such as sclerostin, Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), Irisin, receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL), and Vitamin D have been well studied in bone metabolism. Additionally, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukine-6 (IL-6) have been identified to hinder muscle protein synthesis, leading to the loss of muscle and strength. However, a research gap exists in the understanding their role in muscle function and physical activity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the serum levels of sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, IL-6, RANKL, Vitamin D, and TNF-α and assess their relationships with upper and lower body strength in young adults. In this study, 38 college-aged students 18-23 years participated and completed the protocols. The participants’ lower and upper body strength were assessed by the vertical jump test (Just Jump, Probotic, AL) with a Tendo FitroDyne (Tendo Sports Machines, Trencin, Slovak Republic) and handgrip (HG) dynamometry (Takei Scientific Instruments, Yashiroda, Japan), respectively. Fasting morning blood samples were analyzed for serum levels of the biomarkers by ELISA. The results indicate significant sex differences in sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, and vitamin D levels (p<0.05). Furthermore, a positive association was observed between sclerostin, DKK-1, and vitamin D, with lower body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). Conversely, a significant negative correlation was observed between TNF-α and upper-body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). The results suggest that these markers may have a distinct effect on muscle performance, underscoring the need for further investigation to elucidate the concept of muscle-bone crosstalk.

Background: Molecular genetic events are among the numerous factors affecting the clinical course of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Recent studies have demonstrated that aberrant expression of miRNA, as well as different thyroid-related genes, correlate with the aggressive clinical course of PTC and unfavorable treatment outcome, which opens up new avenues for using them in personalization of the treatment strategy for patients with PTC. In the present work, our goal was to assess the applicability of molecular markers in preoperative diagnosis of aggressive variants of papillary thyroid cancer. Methods: The molecular genetic profile (expression levels of 34 different markers and BRAF mutation) was studied for 108 cytology specimens collected by fine-needle aspiration biopsy in patients with PTC having different clinical manifestations. Results: Statistically significant differences with adjustment for multiple comparisons (p &lt; 0.0015) for clinically aggressive variants of PTC were obtained for four markers: miRNA-146b, miRNA-221, FN1, and CDKN2A. Weak statistical correlation (0.0015&lt; р&lt;0.05) was observed for miRNA-31, -375, -551b, -148b, -125b, mtDNA, CITED1, TPO, HMGA2, CLU, NIS, SERPINA1, TFF3, and TMPRSS4. Conclusions: The recurrence risk of papillary thyroid carcinoma can be preoperatively predicted using miRNA-221, the fibronectin and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A genes.

The diagnosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma has always been a concerned and challenging issue and it is very important and meaningful to have a definite diagnosis before the operation. In this study, we tried to use an artificial intelligence algorithm instead of medical statistics to analyze the genetic fingerprint from gene chip results to identify papillary thyroid carcinoma. We trained 20 artificial neural network models with differential genes and other important genes related to the cell metabolic cycle as the list of input features, and apply them to the diagnosis of papillary thyroid cancer in the independent validation data set. The results showed that when we used the DEGs and all genes lists as input features the models got the best diagnostic performance with AUC=98.97% and 99.37% and the accuracy were both 96%. This study revealed that the proposed artificial neural network models constructed with genetic fingerprints could achieve a prediction of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Such models can support clinicians to make more accurate clinical diagnoses. At the same time, it provides a novel idea for the application of artificial intelligence in clinical medicine.

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of ovarian cancer (OC) it promotes rapid cell growth and the associated metastasis. Identifying new bioactive compounds to target angiogenesis may provide valuable paradigms as therapeutic strategies. Melatonin is a well-characterized indoleamine that possesses important anti-angiogenic properties in a set of aggressive solid tumors. Herein, we evaluated the role of melatonin therapy on the angiogenic signaling pathway in OC of an ethanol-preferring rat model that mimics the same pathophysiological conditions occurring in women. OC was chemically induced with a single injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) under the ovarian bursa. After the rats developed serous papillary OC, half of the animals received i.p. injections of melatonin (200 µg/100 g body weight/day) for 60 days. Serum levels of melatonin were higher following therapy, and the expression of its receptor MT1R was significantly increased in OC-bearing rats, regardless of ethanol intake. TGFB1, a transforming growth factor-beta1, was reduced only after melatonin treatment. Importantly, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was severely reduced after melatonin therapy in animals given or not given ethanol. Conversely, the levels of VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1) was diminished after ethanol consumption, regardless of melatonin therapy, and VEGFR2 was only reduced following melatonin. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α was augmented with ethanol consumption, and notably, melatonin significantly reduced their levels. Collectively, our results suggest that melatonin attenuates angiogenesis in OC of an animal model of ethanol consumption; this provides a possible complementary therapeutic opportunity for concurrent OC chemotherapy.

Loss of muscle mass and strength are progressing with aging. Exercise is a beneficial method to prevent physical disfunction and habitual exercise improve the muscle quality. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of a long-term habitual exercise on the senescence-accelerated mice prone8 (SAMP8). 27wk SAMP8 were used in this study. Mice were classified into 28 (28w) and 44 weeks old. The 44-week group was divided into the sedentary group (44w) and a group exercising for 16 weeks (44w+Ex). The 44w+Ex performed habitual exercise from 28 to 44 weeks. Additionally, grip strength tests were performed with mice aged 28 and 44 weeks. Mice were dissected and collected muscle samples and measured muscle weight at 44w. Gastrocnemius was decreased in 44w but were unchanged in 44w+Ex. Grip strength in 44w was lower trend, but there was no change in 44w+Ex. The phosphorylation levels of Akt and p70S6K as a protein synthesis marker were decreased in 44w. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV(COXIV) mRNA and protein levels decreased in 44w. These results suggested that long-term habitual exercise attenuated muscle mass and strength decline through improving muscle protein synthesis and mitochondrial function. In conclusion, long-term habitual exercise attenuated muscle mass and strength decline.

Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is commonly characterized by multifocality, which is associated with aggressive features and a less favorable prognosis. The current study aimed to compare the clinicopathologic characteristics and long-term oncological outcomes of bilateral and unilateral multifocal PTC. The medical records of 1745 patients with multifocal PTC who underwent thyroid surgery at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The clinicopathological characteristics and recurrence rates were compared based on cancer laterality. Further, 357 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy were matched to investigate the recurrence risk and disease-free survival (DFS). Before propensity score matching (PSM), there was no significant difference in the recurrence rate between the bilateral and unilateral multifocal PTC groups. Cancer laterality was not a predictor of DFS based on the Cox regression analyses. However, after PSM, unilateral multifocality was associated with a significantly high risk of recurrence. Similarly, unilateral multifocality was associated with a significantly poor DFS based on the Kaplan–Meier analysis. Compared with bilateral PTC, unilateral multifocal PTC was associated with a poor DFS. A comprehensive preoperative examination should be performed to detect multifocality before the initial surgical intervention for optimal treatment. Postoperative short-term follow-up is recommended for unilateral multifocal PTC for recurrence surveillance.

The study aimed to analyze thoracic and lumbar erector spinae muscle activations during 3D elongation exercises in individuals with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Participants included 24 adolescents, meeting specific criteria such as a Cobb angle between 10° and 20°, and not having undergone surgical or brace treatments. EMG data were collected to evaluate muscle activations. The study found no significant interaction between exercise type and the side of the curve, but a significant main effect of exercise type on muscle activation, irrespective of Cobb angle. Different exercise types significantly affected muscle activity, with the highest activations in the TheraBand exercise, followed by manual and without equipment conditions. This suggests that exercise type significantly impacts muscle engagement in AIS patients, providing valuable insights for targeted exercise program design. The study, however, focused on short-term muscle activation, not long-term Cobb angle progression, pointing to the need for further research in this area.

(1) Background: Neurologic and musculoskeletal diseases represent a considerable portion of the underlying etiologies responsible for the widely prevalent symptoms of pain, weakens, numbness, and paresthesia. Because of the subjective and often nonspecific nature of these symptoms, different diagnostic modalities have been explored and utilized.; (2) Methods: Literature review; (3) Results: Nerve and muscle biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing many of the responsible neurological and musculoskeletal conditions. However, the need for invasive tissue sampling is diminishing as more investigations explore alternative diagnostic modalities. Because of this, it is important to explore the current role of neurosurgical intervention for nerve and muscle biopsies and its current relevance in the diagnostic landscape of neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. With consideration of the role of nerve and muscle biopsy, it is also important to explore innovations and emerging techniques for conducting these procedures. This review explores the indications and emerging techniques for neurological intervention for nerve and muscle biopsies; (4) Conclusions: The role of neurosurgical intervention for nerve and muscle biopsy remains relevant in diagnosing many neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. Biopsy is especially relevant as a supportive point of evidence for diagnosis in atypical cases. Additionally, emerging techniques have been explored to guide diagnostics and biopsy, conduct less invasive biopsies, and reduce risks of worsening neurologic function and other symptoms secondary to biopsy.

Background: Evaluating muscle mass and function among stroke patients is important. However, evaluating muscle volume and function is not easy due to the disturbance of consciousness and paresis. Temporal muscle thickness (TMT) has been introduced as a novel surrogate marker for muscle mass, function, and nutritional status. We herein performed a narrative literature review on temporal muscle and stroke to understand the current meaning of the TMT in the clinical stroke practice. Methods: The search was performed in PubMed, last updated in October 2021. Report on temporal muscle morphomics and stroke-related diseases or clinical entities were collected. Results: Four studies reported on TMT and subarachnoid hemorrhage, 2 intracerebral hemorrhage, 2 ischemic stroke, 2 standard TMT values, and 2 nutritional status. TMT was reported as a prognostic factor for several diseases, surrogate markers for skeletal muscle mass, and an indicator of nutritional status. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasonography were used to measure TMT. Conclusions: TMT is gradually used as a prognostic factor of stroke or surrogate marker for skeletal muscle mass and nutritional status. Establishing standard methods to measure TMT and large prospective studies to investigate the further relationship between TMT and diseases are needed.

The growing attention for plug-in electric vehicles, and the associated high-performance demands, have initiated a development trend towards highly efficient and compact on-board battery chargers. These isolated ac-dc converters are most commonly realized using two conversion stages, combining a non-isolated power factor correction (PFC) rectifier with an isolated dc-dc converter. This, however, involves two loss stages and a relatively high component count, limiting the achievable efficiency and power density and resulting in high costs. In this paper a single-stage converter approach is analyzed to realize a single-phase ac-dc converter, combining all functionalities into one conversion stage and thus enabling a cost-effective efficiency and power density increase. The converter topology consists of a quasi-lossless synchronous rectifier followed by an isolated dual active bridge (DAB) dc-dc converter, putting a small filter capacitor in between. To show the performance potential of this bidirectional, isolated ac-dc converter, a comprehensive design procedure and multi-objective optimization with respect to efficiency and power density is presented, using detailed loss and volume models. The models and procedures are verified by a 3.7 kW hardware demonstrator, interfacing a 400 V dc-bus with the single-phase 230 V, 50 Hz utility grid. Measurement results indicate a state-of-the-art efficiency of 96.1% and power density of 2.2 kW/dm³, confirming the competitiveness of the investigated single-stage DAB ac-dc converter.

In the surgical treatment of lung cancer, systemic mediastinal lymph node dissection, as one important routine procedure, has been accepted by most peers in the world. However, due to the special location of some mediastinal lymph nodes, the difficulty of dissection, and the negative preoperative CT results, the specific scope of lymph node dissection is still controversial. Especially the second group, which is located at the top of thorax, is likely to be overlooked for the above reasons. Here, we report a case of lung adenocarcinoma in which the preoperative CT showed no abnormal lymph nodes in the second group and also no enlarged lymph nodes of the second group were found during the surgery, yet lymphadenectomy was still performed according the routine with the lymph node of station 2 being sampled. In the postoperative pathological report, cancer cells were found in the second group, instead of lung adenocarcinoma, these cells come from thyroid and were proved to be papillary thyroid carcinoma, which is unusual because no obvious indication of thyroid carcinoma was found in preoperative color doppler ultrasound of superficial lymph nodes.

We aimed to determine whether A-mode ultrasound (US) can provide accurate and reliable measurements comparable to those obtained through B-mode US, under diverse conditions. Thirty healthy participants (15 female, 15 male) underwent measurements of subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT), muscle thickness (MT), and muscle quality (MQ) in the trapezius and biceps brachii muscle with both US modes after and before exercises designed to stimulate the respec-tive muscles. In three key indices, the results demonstrated high validity of A-mode, with min-imal mean differences between the two devices less than 0.91mm and intraclass correlation coef-ficients exceeding 0.95 at all measures. Also, Correlation coefficients between error scores and average scores for the trapezius and biceps brachii muscles suggested no evidence of systematic error. The trapezius MT and MQ significantly increased, and biceps brachii MT significantly in-creased after exercise (p<0.05). Notably, both A-mode and B-mode exhibited the same tendency in these post-exercise changes in muscle. This study suggests that low-cost and low-resolution A-mode US provides measurements of SFT, MT, and MQ similar to more expensive, high-resolution B-mode imaging. A-mode US can serve as an affordable and portable alternative for muscle assessment.

Background/Objectives: Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause variable symptoms, which may be irreversible if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. We aimed to develop a widely accepted expert consensus to guide the practice of diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the literature published in PubMed since January 2003. Data were used to design a two-round Delphi survey to study the level of consensus among 42 experts. Results: The panelists agreed on the need for educational and organizational changes in the current medical practices for diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Recognition of clinical symptoms should receive the highest priority in establishing the diagnosis. There is agreement that the serum B12 concentration is useful as a screening marker, whereas methylmalonic acid or homocysteine can support the diagnosis. Patient lifestyle, disease history and medications can provide clues to the cause of B12 deficiency. Regardless of the cause of the deficiency, initial treatment with parenteral B12 was regarded as the first choice for patients with acute and severe manifestations of B12 deficiency. The use of high-dose oral B12 at different frequencies may be considered for long-term treatment. Prophylactic B12 supplementation should be considered for specific high-risk groups. Conclusions: There is a consensus that clinical symptoms need to receive more attention in establishing a diagnosis. B12 laboratory markers can support the diagnosis. The severity of clinical symptoms, the causes of B12 deficiency and the treatment goals govern decisions regarding the route and dose of B12 therapy.

Muscle is one of the most critical organs for mammals, which governs multiple movement and physiological functions. Circular RNA (circRNA) is a kind of novel endogenous RNA without 5'-Caps and 3'-poly(A) structures formed by pre-mRNA's back-splicing. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) control the production and degradation of circRNA, help nucleus-cytoplasm transport and locate circRNA, and regulate circRNA translation. Therefore, circRNAs and the chaperoned RBPs play critical roles in muscle growth, development, and disease progression. In this review, we systematically characterize the possible molecular mechanism of circRNA-protein interactions. Also, we summarize the latest researches on circRNA-protein interactions in muscle development and diseases. Besides, we provide several valid prediction methods and experimental verification approaches. Our review reveals the importance of circRNAs and their protein chaperones and provides a reference for further study in this field.

The manual muscle test (MMT) is a flexible diagnostic tool, which is used in many disciplines, applied in several ways. The main problem is the subjectivity of the test. The MMT in the version of a “break test” depends on the tester’s force rise and the patient’s ability to resist the applied force. As a first step, the investigation of the reproducibility of the testers’ force profiles is required for valid application. The study examined the force profiles of n=29 testers (n=9 experiences (Exp), n=8 little experienced (LitExp), n =12 beginners (Beg)). The testers performed 10 MMTs according to the test of hip flexors, but against a fixed leg to exclude the patient’s reaction. A handheld device recorded the temporal course of the applied force. The results show significant differences between Exp and Beg concerning the starting force (padj=0.029), the ratio of starting to maximum force (padj=0.005) and the normalized mean Euclidean distances between the 10 trials (padj=0.015). The slope is significantly higher in Exp vs. LitExp (p=0.006) and Beg (p=0.005). The results also indicate that experienced testers show inter-tester differences and partly even a low intra-tester reproducibility. That highlights the necessity of an objective MMT-assessment. Furthermore, an agreement on a standardized force profile is required – a suggestion is given.

Key features of glycogen metabolism in excitable tissues are not well-explained by current concepts. Glycogen stores in brain and skeletal muscle are generally considered to function as local glucose reserves, to be utilized during transient mismatches between glucose supply and demand; however, quantitative measures show that blood glucose supply is likely never rate-limiting for energy metabolism in either brain or muscle under physiological conditions. These tissues nevertheless do normally utilize glycogen during intervals of increased energy demand, despite the availability of free glucose, and despite the ATP cost of cycling glucose through glycogen polymer. This seemingly wasteful shunt can be explained by considering the effect of glycogenolysis on the amount of energy derived from ATP (ΔG’ATP). ΔG’ATP is diminished by elevations in Pi, such as occur at sites of rapid ATP hydrolysis and net phosphocreatine consumption. Glycogen utilization counters this effect by sequestering Pi in glycolytic metabolites (glycogen_n + Pi → glycogen_n-1 + glucose-1-phosphate → phosphorylated glycolytic intermediates), and thereby maintains the amount of energy obtained from ATP at sites of rapid ATP consumption. This thermodynamic effect may be particularly important in the narrow, spatially constricted astrocyte processes that ensheath neuronal synapses. This effect can also explain the co-localization of glycogen and cytosolic phosphocreatine in brain astrocytes, glycolytic super-compensation in brain when glycogen is not available, and aspects of exercise physiology in muscle glycogen phosphorylase deficiency (McArdle’s disease).

The Jeryak, a hybrid offspring of Gannan yak and Jersey cattle, exhibits evident hybrid advantages over the Gannan yak in terms of production performance and other various aspects. The small non-coding RNAs known as miRNAs exert a significant regulatory influence on gene expression post-transcriptionally. However, the regulatory mechanism of miRNA associated with muscle development in Jeryak remains elusive. To elucidate the regulatory role of miRNAs in orches-trating the skeletal muscle development in Jeryak, we selected dorsal longissimus muscle tissues from Gannan yak and Jeryak for transcriptome sequencing analysis. A total of 230 (DE)miRNAs and 1819 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs) were identified in the longest dorsal muscle of Gannan yak and Jeryak. The functional enrichment analysis revealed a significantly enrichment of target genes from differentially expressed (DE)miRNAs and DEMs in signaling pathways associ-ated with muscle growth, such as the Ras signaling pathway and the MAPK signaling pathway. The network of interactions between miRNA and mRNA suggested that some differentially ex-pressed miRNAs, including miR-2478-z, miR-339-x, novel-m0036-3p and novel-m0037-3p, played a pivotal role in facilitating muscle development. These findings help us to deepen our under-standing of the hybrid dominance of Jeryaks and provide a theoretical basis for further research on the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs associated with Jeryak muscle growth and development.

Prenatal maternal feeding plays an important role in fetal development and has potential to cause long-lasting epigenetic modifications. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that serve as one epigenetic mechanism. Though miRNAs have crucial roles in fetal programming, growth, and development, there are limited data regarding maternal diet and sheep miRNA expression. Therefore, weanalyzed high and low maternal dietary protein for miRNA expression in sheep fetal longissimus dorsi. Pregnant ewes were fed an isoenergetic high-protein (HP, 160–270 g/day), low-protein (LP, 73–112 g/day), or standard protein diet (SP, 119–198 g/day) during pregnancy. miRNA expression profiles were evaluated using the Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array. Twelve up-regulated, differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs) were identified targeting 65 genes. The oar-3957-5p miRNA was highly up-regulated in LP and SP compared to HP. Previous transcriptome analysis identified integrin and non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase genes targeted by miRNAs detected in the current experiment. A total of 28 GO terms and 10 pathway-based gene sets were significantly (padj &lt; 0.05) enriched in target genes. Most genes targeted by identified miRNAs are involved in immune and muscle disease pathways. Our study shows dietary protein intake during pregnancy affects fetal skeletal muscle epigenetics via miRNA expression.

The frequency of concurrent thyroid cancer in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) varies. While the pathological association between thyroid and parathyroid disorders is frequently noted, the co-occurrence of parathyroid adenoma and papillary thyroid cancer is exceptionally rare. Furthermore, the occurrence of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal space is exceedingly rare. Ectopic parathyroid glands present considerable complexities in both diagnosis and surgical management, especially within the realm of surgical intervention. The potential inability to accurately identify and excise ectopic parathyroid adenomas during the initial surgery may lead to an increased morbidity and recurrence, requiring high-risk reoperations. Therfore, the evaluation of anatomical variations through the utilization of relevant diagnostic tools plays a crucial role in guiding decisions pertaining to clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, surgical interventions, and operative strategies for parathyroid tumors. We present the case of a 51-year-old female patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma in the right thyroid lobe and an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal space confirmed through surgical intervention. This case sheds light on the unusual occurrence of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal region within a thyroid cancer patient, providing valuable insights within the realm of thyroid malignancies.

Background: Obesity among pregnant women is common, and their offspring are predisposed to obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes. Circulating metabolites that are related to insulin resistance and are associated with this decreased tissue-specific uptake are unknown. Here, we assessed metabolite profiles in elderly women and who were either female offspring from obese mothers (OOM) or offspring of lean mothers (OLM). Metabolic changes were tested for associations with metrics for insulin resistance. Methods: 37 elderly women were separated into an elderly offspring from obese mothers (OOM; n = 17) and elderly offspring from lean/normal weight mothers (OLM; n = 20) groups. We measured plasma metabolites using 1H-NMR and also insulin-dependent tissue specific glucose uptake in skeletal muscle were assessed. Associations were made between metabolites and glucose uptake. Results: Compared to the OLM group, we found that the 22:6 docosahexaenoic acid percentage of the total long chain n-3 fatty acids (DHA/FA) was significantly lower in OOM (P = 0.015). DHA/FA associated significantly to skeletal muscle GU (P = 0.031) and M-value in the OLM group only (P = 0.050). Conclusions: DHA/FA is associated with insulin-dependent skeletal muscle glucose uptake and that this association is significantly weakened in the offspring of obese mothers.

Muscle mass at admission is important to survive stroke, and stroke-induced sarcopenia is a serious problem because of its poor prognosis. Muscle mass measurement and monitoring are essential for appropriate re-habilitation and nutrition management. Several methods are used to assess skeletal muscle mass in stroke, such as computed tomography (CT), ultrasonography, bioelectrical impedance analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, biomarkers, and anthropometrics. In stroke, a head CT is used to estimate muscle mass by measuring the temporal muscle. However, it is mostly retrospectively conducted due to radiation exposure. After stroke, limb muscle atrophy and diaphragm dysfunction are observed using ultrasound. However, ultrasound requires an understanding of the methods and skill. A bioelectrical impedance analysis can be used to assess muscle mass in patients after a stroke unless they have dynamic fluid changes. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry is used for follow-up after hospital discharge. Urinary titin N-fragment and serum C-terminal agrin fragment reflect muscle atrophy after stroke. Anthropometrics may be useful with limited resources. We summarized the features of each measurement and proved the recent evidence to properly measure and monitor skeletal muscle mass after stroke.

Vitamin D, unlike the micronutrients, vitamins A, E and K, is largely obtained, not from food, but by the action of solar UV light on its precursor, 7-dehydrocholesterol, in skin. With the decline in UV light intensity in winter, most skin production of vitamin D occurs in summer. Because no defined storage organ or tissue has been found for vitamin D, it has been assumed that adequate vitamin D status in winter can only be maintained by oral supplementation. Skeletal muscle cells have now been shown to incorporate the vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) from blood into the cell cytoplasm where it binds to cytoplasmic actin. This intracellular DBP provides an array of specific binding sites for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) which diffuses into the cell from the extracellular fluid. When intracellular DBP undergoes proteolytic breakdown, the bound 25(OH)D is then released and diffuses back into blood. This uptake and release of 25(OH)D by muscle, accounts for the very long half-life of this metabolite in the circulation. As 25(OH)D concentration in blood declines in winter, its cycling in and out of muscle cells appears to be upregulated. Parathyroid hormone is the most likely factor enhancing the repeated cycling of 25(OH)D between skeletal muscle and blood. This mechanism appears to have evolved to maintain adequate vitamin D status in winter.

Vitamin D, unlike the micronutrients, vitamins A, E and K, is largely obtained, not from food, but by the action of solar UV light on its precursor, 7-dehydrocholesterol, in skin. With the decline in UV light intensity in winter, most skin production of vitamin D occurs in summer. Because no defined storage organ or tissue has been found for vitamin D, it has been assumed that adequate vitamin D status in winter can only be maintained by oral supplementation. Skeletal muscle cells have now been shown to incorporate the vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) from blood into the cell cytoplasm where it binds to cytoplasmic actin. This intracellular DBP provides an array of specific binding sites for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) which diffuses into the cell from the extracellular fluid. When intracellular DBP undergoes proteolytic breakdown, the bound 25(OH)D is then released and diffuses back into blood. This uptake and release of 25(OH)D by muscle, accounts for the very long half-life of this metabolite in the circulation. As 25(OH)D concentration in blood declines in winter, its cycling in and out of muscle cells appears to be upregulated. Parathyroid hormone is the most likely factor enhancing the repeated cycling of 25(OH)D between skeletal muscle and blood. This mechanism appears to have evolved to maintain adequate vitamin D status in winter.

Background: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) has been employed for the endoscopic treatment of common bile duct stones (CBDSs), and a high success rate of stone removal has been reported. However, EST is associated with the risk of bleeding, perforation, and sphincter of Oddi function disruption. To avoid these risks, endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) is an option for CBDS. Sphincter of Oddi function preservation decreases long-term biliary infection and gallstone recurrence. EPBD may have advantages in children who require a long follow-up. However, there have been few reports on pediatric cases, particularly in infants. Methods: From September 2017 to December 2023, we performed EPBD for four pediatric CBDSs. The patients were aged from 5 months to 8 years; including two infants aged 5 and 6 months. Furthermore, we reviewed the stone removal rate and complications of 545 ESTs performed at high-volume centers and 13 EPBD-reported cases in children with CBDSs. Results: CBDSs of all patients who underwent EPBD in our institution were successfully removed. No bleeding or perforation was noted, and pancreatitis was observed in three patients. In an analysis of 545 ESTs in children, the stone removal rate was high, ranging from 83% to 100% (mean, 96%). The incidence of pancreatitis was 0%–9.6% (mean, 4.4%), and the grade of pancreatitis was almost mild. The bleeding frequency was 1.3%–5.4% (mean, 2.7%). According to the grade of bleeding, seven and four cases were mild (64%) and moderate (36%), respectively, Compared with adult cases who underwent EST, the frequency of pancreatitis and bleeding was almost similar in children.; however once bleeding occur, it has a higher risk of leading to blood transfusion in children. Stone removal by EPBD in children was 100% successful. All complications were pancreatitis, and its frequency was 46% (6/13 patients, including five mild cases and one moderate case), which is higher than that of EST and adult cases who underwent EPBD. In most children with pancreatitis, pancreatic enzyme levels returned to normal within 2–3 days following EPBD, and no severe cases caused by EPBD were reported. Conclusions: CBDS removal by EPBD in children has a high success rate with very low risk of bleeding and perforation. Although pancreatitis frequently occurs, most cases are mild. Sphincter of Oddi function preservation by EPBD is expected to prevent long-term stone recurrence and biliary tract infection, and EPBD is considered an effective method for CBDS removal in children.

In this study we used a recently developed ex vivo-in vitro model to assess the effect of feeding older adults a casein protein hydrolysate (CPH) compared with non-bioactive non-essential amino acid (NEAA) supplement on Muscle Protein Synthesis (MPS) and Breakdown (MPB). Serum from six healthy older males following overnight fast and 60 min postprandial ingestion of CPH or NEAA (0.33 g.kg^-1 body mass) was used to condition C2C12 myotube media. CPH-fed serum significantly increased MPS compared to fasted serum. In addition, CPH-fed serum induced myotube growth and markedly suppressed atrogin-1, but not MuRF1, expression. Comparatively, no change in MPS, myotube growth and gene expression was observed following NEAA-fed serum treatment. CPH-fed serum from older adults stimulated de novo MPS, suppressed markers of protein breakdown and resulted in myotube growth, indicating a potential role for CPH as a dietary protein source to prevent age-related sarcopenia.

Skeletal muscles are crucial for voluntary movements, and impairments in their function significantly impact our activity. Dysferlin, a protein predominantly present in skeletal muscle, is a focal point of extensive research due to its vital role in muscle repair and maintenance. This study investigates Dysferlin's levels and function in skeletal muscles, emphasizing its significance and the potential effects of its dysregulation on fast and slow muscle fibers. We employed Western blotting on two different rat muscles. The results revealed distinct expressions of Dysferlin in fast and slow fibers, as demonstrated by Western blotting. We propose that Dysferlin may have a metabolic role in addition to its involvement in the repair mechanism.

The aim of this paper was to test isolated and pre-selected bacteria strains from Nile tilapia intestinal mucus, collected in Brazilian commercial fish farming, to use as probiotics in the feeding. The variable were growth performance, hematology, microbiology and immunology. These strains were submitted to in vitro inhibition tests of pathogenic bacteria. Then, they were identified by PCR and sequencing, and comparing using the BLAST software. The experiment was carried out in the Fisheries Institute, Sao Paulo, Brazil, for 84 days, following the randomized experiment design with seven treatments and three replicates (21 experimental units): T0 – control, T1 – Bacillus velezensis, T2 – Bacillus pumilus, T3 – Bacillus subtilis, T4 –Enterococcus hirae T5 – Enterococcus faecium and T6 – mix of bacteria strains used to this experiment. The variables analyzed were: growth performance, DGGE (Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis), phagocytes respiratory burst activity, hematology and bromatology. As result, the bacteria strains B. pumilus (T2) and all bacteria mix (T6), included in Nile tilapia diet, promoted better biomass values, with similar feed conversion rate of control group (p<0,05). Apparently, the microorganisms use does not affect the health and well-fare of the fish. The hematology index, except basophils and thrombocytes numbers do not demonstrated differences among the groups, as well as glycemia, lactate level, respiratory burst and lysozyme activities. In conclusion, the isolated and pre-selected bacteria from intestinal mucus of Nile tilapia, B. pumilus (T2) and mix (T6 - B. velezensis, B. pumilus, B. subtilis, E. hirae and E. faecium) improve the growth performance and may be used as probiotics for Nile tilapia.

Bladder cancer (BC) possesses distinct molecular profiles that influence progression depending on its biological nature and delivered treatment intensity. Muscle-invasive BC (MIBC) and non-MIBC (NMIBC) demonstrate great intrinsic heterogeneity regarding different prognoses, survival, progression, and treatment outcomes. Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is the standard of care in treating NMIBC and serves both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, despite the prevalent recurrence and progression among many patients. In particular, flat urothelial car-cinoma in situ and urothelial carcinoma with lamina propria invasion are the major precursors of MIBC. A new‐generation photosensitizer, 5‐Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA), demonstrates high tumor specificity by illuminating the tumor lesion with a specific wavelength of light to produce fluorescence, and has been studied for photodynamic diagnosis to detect precise tumor areas by TURBT. Additionally, it has been applied for treatment by producing its cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, as well as screening for urological carcinomas by excreting porphyrin in the blood and urine. Moreover, 5-ALA may contribute to screening before and after TURBT in NMIBC. Here, we summarize the updated evidence and ongoing research on photodynamic technology for NMIBC, providing insight into the potential for improving patient outcomes.

To assess cognitive impairment and affective symptoms and their association with damage to normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in patients with clinically isolated syndrome (CIS), we compared neuropsychological test scores between patients with CIS and healthy controls, and examined correlations between these and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) outcomes in patients with CIS. Forty patients with CIS and 40 healthy participants were tested with the set of neuropsychological tests, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Single-voxel 1H-MRS was performed on frontal and parietal NAWM of patients with CIS to assess ratios of N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) to creatine (Cr), myo-inositol (mI), and choline (Cho), as well as mI/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios. Patients with CIS had lower cognitive performance, higher scores for the BDI and anxiety subscale of HADS than healthy controls. There were significant correlations between the following neuropsychological tests and metabolic ratios in the frontal NAWM: Stroop Color-Word Test and Cho/Cr, Symbol Digit Modalities Test and mI/Cr as well as NAA/mI, Go/no-go reaction time and NAA/Cho as well as NAA/mI, Californian Verbal Learning Test and NAA/Cr. BDI scores were related to frontal NAA/mI and parietal NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios, whereas HADS-depression scores were associated with frontal NAA/Cr and NAA/mI, and parietal NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios. HADS-anxiety correlated with parietal NAA/Cr ratio. This study suggests that neurochemical changes in the NAWM assessed with single-voxel 1H-MRS are associated with cognitive performance and affective symptoms in patients with CIS.

(1) Background: Intravesical Chemotherapy is standard of care in intermediate risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Different agents are used across the world based on availability, cost and practice patterns. Epirubicin (EPI), one of these agents is used by many centers over many decades. However, its true differential efficacy compared to other agents and its tolerability is still poorly reported. We aimed to assess the differential efficacy and safety of intravesical EPI in NMIBC patients. (2) Methods: A systematic search of PUBMED, Webofscience, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases was performed on December 31, 2023. We reviewed 28 studies that included patients treated EPI after TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumors) for NMIBC and who compared oncological outcomes such as recurrence and progression to other adjuvant treatment such as Mitomycin C (MMC), Gemcitabine (GEM) and BCG. Further, we looked at the safety profile of EPI at room temperature under hyperthermia intravesically and at the oncological outcomes when administrated with hyperthermia; (3) Results: When compared to other chemotherapeutics (MMC/GEM), EPI seemed to be equally effective; however, EPI seems less effective in preventing disease management recurrence compared to BCG intravesical. The most common adverse events of EPI include cystitis, dysuria, and pollakiuria. (4) Conclusions: EPI exhibits similar oncological performances to Gemcitabine and Mitomycin C currently used for adjuvant therapy in NMIBC. Novel delivery mechanisms such as hyperthermia are promising newcomers.

Although sarcopenia is known to be a risk factor for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), whether NAFLD is a risk factor for the development of sarcopenia is not clear. We investigated bidirectional relationships between NAFLD and low skeletal muscle mass index (LSMI) using three different datasets. Participants were classified into LSMI and normal groups. LSMI was defined as a body mass index (BMI)-adjusted appendicular skeletal muscle mass &lt;0.789 in men and &lt;0.512 in women or as the sex-specific lowest quintile of BMI-adjusted total skeletal muscle mass. NAFLD was determined according to NAFLD liver fat score or abdominal ultrasonography. The NAFLD groups showed a higher hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LSMI than the normal groups (HRs=1.213, 95% CIs=1.050–1.402). The LSMI groups also showed a higher HRs with 95% CIs for NAFLD than normal groups (HRs=1.564, 95% CIs=1.378–1.775). Participants with NAFLD had consistently less skeletal muscle mass over 12 years of follow-up. In conclusion, LSMI and NAFLD showed a bidirectional relationship. Maintaining muscle mass should be emphasized in the management of NAFLD.

KLHL genes and the related KBTBD genes encode components of the Cullin-E3 ubiquitin ligase complex and typically target tissue-specific proteins for degradation, thereby affecting differentiation, homeostasis, metabolism, cell signaling, and the oxidative stress response. Despite their importance in normal cell function and in disease (KLHL40, KLHL41, KBTBD13, KEAP1, and ENC1), previous studies that examined epigenetic factors affecting transcription were predominantly limited to promoter DNA methylation. Using diverse tissue and cell culture whole-genome profiles, we examined 17 KLHL or KBTBD genes preferentially expressed in skeletal muscle or brain to identify tissue-specific enhancer and promoter chromatin, open chromatin (DNaseI hypersensitivity), and DNA hypomethylation. Sixteen of the 17 genes displayed muscle- or brain-specific enhancer chromatin in their gene bodies, and most exhibited specific intergenic enhancer chromatin as well. Seven genes were embedded in a super-enhancer. The enhancer chromatin regions typically displayed foci of DNA hypomethylation at peaks of open chromatin. In addition, we found evidence that gene neighbors (HHATL and FBXO32) of KLHL40 and KLHL38 harbor enhancer chromatin that likely upregulates the adjacent KLHL gene. Many KLHL/KBTBD genes had tissue-specific promoter chromatin at their 5’ ends, but surprisingly, two (KBTBD11 and KLHL31) had constitutively unmethylated promoter chromatin in their 3’ exons that overlaps a retrotransposed KLHL gene. Our findings demonstrate the importance of expanding epigenetic analyses beyond the 5’ ends of genes in studies of normal and abnormal gene regulation.

Introduction: Isolated terminal ileitis (ITI) is commonly found associated with Crohn’s disease but it has other etiologies too. Other common causes of ITI include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, tuberculosis and other bacterial/parasitic infections, neoplasia, radiation or other autoimmune disorders. Methods: After obtaining IRB approval, a retrospective chart review was conducted on patients with biopsy proven ITI from May 2011 to May 2016 at our academic medical Centre. Data was collected pertaining to demographics, body mass index (BMI), associated Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, treatment received and other causes of ileitis noted. Data was analyzed using SPSS software with chi square used to analyze categorical variables. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 229 patients with clinical symptoms and ITI on biopsy were reviewed. The mean age of our patients was 43.7 years old. Of the patient group, 49% (n=113/229) were males and the rest were females. Only 42% of patients with ITI were eventually diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Stool cultures were performed in 37% (n=86/229) of patients with positive results in 0.04% (n=4/86) of the patients. Most patients were treated with antibiotics after diagnosis of ileitis without determination of the exact etiology of the condition. Amongst those evaluated, one had tuberculosis, one had ischemic ileitis and one had Meckel’s diverticulum. NSAID use accounted for 26% (n=59/229) of ITI cases. Treatment generally involved antibiotics, initiation of biologics or use of 5-aminosalicylic acid products. The mean length of hospitalization was 1.25 days. Mean BMI of our patients was 25 kg/m2 and there was no statistically significant association noted between ITI and BMI. Presence of Crohn’s disease with ITI had a statistically significant association with positive clostridium difficile infection and subsequent need for treatment with biologics for isolated disease (p<0.001). Conclusions: Isolated terminal ileitis is commonly associated with Crohn’s disease but there are other conditions that should be suspected and can mimic Crohn’s disease histologically and endoscopically in the Ileum. NSAIDS are an important cause of ITI and need to be specifically inquired from the patient. If not considered it can result in misdiagnosis of Crohn’s disease and inappropriate treatment. Hence being aware of the wide range of differential diagnoses that can present with inflammation of the terminal ileum is important to avoid this inadvertent mislabeling. This retrospective study highlights the importance of other differentials when considering the management of a patient with ITI and not just focusing on only Crohn’s disease as the possible etiology.

We investigate the production of an isolated attosecond pulse (IAP) via the phase-matching gating of high-harmonic generation by intense laser pulses. Our study is based on the integration of the propagation equation for the fundamental and generated fields with nonlinear polarisation found via the numerical solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation. We study the XUV energy as a function of the propagation distance (or the medium density) and find that the onset of the IAP production corresponds to the change from linear to quadratic dependence of this energy on the propagation distance (or density). Finally, we show that the upper limit of the fundamental pulse duration for which the IAP generation is feasible is defined by the temporal spreading of the fundamental pulse during the propagation. This nonlinear spreading is defined by the difference of the group velocities for the neutral and photoionised medium.

Lean body mass (LBM) is correlated with powerlifting performance in athletes competing in different bodyweight classes. However, it remains unknown whether changes in LBM are correlated with performance changes in powerlifters preparing for a competition. Aim of the study was to investigate the changes in LBM and performance in powerlifters preparing for a competition. Eight male powerlifters (age 31.7±9.8years, height 1.77±0.06m, weight 99.2±14.6kg) and three female powerlifters (age 32.7±16.3years, height 1.54±0.06m, weight 66.6±20.9kg), participated in the study. Athletes followed individualized periodized training programs for 12 weeks aiming to maximize their performance for the national championship. Maximum strength (1-RM) in squat, bench press, and deadlift, body composition, grip strength, anaerobic power, quadriceps’ cross sectional area and vastus lateralis muscle architecture were measured before and after the training period. Significant increases were found after the training period in squat (5.8±7.0%, P

Skeletal muscle (SKM), despite comprising ~40% of body mass, is rare. This review explores the mechanisms that help to explain this rarity, including unique SKM architecture and function, which prohibits development of new cancer as well as negates potential metastasis to SKM. SKM also presents a unique immune environment that may magnify the anti-tumorigenic effect. Moreover, the SKM microenvironment manifests characteristics such as decreased extracellular matrix stiffness and altered lactic acid, pH, and oxygen levels that may interfere with tumor development. SKM also secretes anti-tumorigenic myokines and other molecules. Collectively, these mechanisms help account for the rarity of SKM cancer.

The global shrimp farming industry is impacted by various infectious diseases, leading to marked production losses. Virulent Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains (VPAHPND) and other Vibrio species cause acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in shrimp. We isolated a binary toxin PirA/B-bearing V. campbellii strain (HJ-2023) from a Korean shrimp farm. The biochemical characteristics and antibiotic susceptibility of HJ-2023 were analyzed and compared to those of PirA/B-bearing VPAHPND. Non-AHPND-causing V. campbellii was the control. The pathogenicity of each strain was analyzed in white-leg shrimp. Phylogenetic analysis classified the isolated HJ-2023 strain as V. campbellii. Biochemical tests confirmed distinct properties of HJ-2023, compared to the genetically similar V. harveyi group. The AHPND-causing toxin gene of HJ-2023 showed 100% similarity to the rpoD gene of VCAHPND. An antibiotic disc susceptibility test indicated that HJ-2023 showed resistance to ampicillin, clindamycin, lincomycin, and erythromycin, which is effective against gram-positive bacteria, and showed weak sensitivity to gentamycin. Furthermore, HJ-2023 was 25% less toxic than VPAHPND but could be lethal during aquaculture-related outbreaks. These results highlight the complexity and virulence of AHPND-causing strains through multiple pathways and confirm the pathogenicity of V. campbellii, which increases the risk posed by AHPND to shrimp aquaculture. Our findings could help prevent AHPND.

The age-related loss of muscle mass and strength is referred to as “sarcopenia”. The combined effect of sarcopenia and osteoporosis is a devastating threat to the old adult, accounting for reduced mobility, risk for falls and subsequent fractures. In previous studies, we observed a high degree of inter-individual variability of paraspinal muscle fatty infiltration, one most relevant index of muscle wasting. This aspect solicited us to develop a computerized method to quantitatively characterize muscle fatty infiltration in aging and diseases. Magnetic resonance images of paraspinal muscles from 58 women of different age (age range 23-85 years) and physio-pathological status (healthy young, pre-menopause, post-menopause, and os-teoporosis), were used to set up the method. It is based on fractal analysis of lean muscle area (contractile muscle) to estimate muscle fatty infiltration. In particular, lacunarity was computed by parameter β from our hyperbola model function, used to fit the GBA (gliding box algorithm) curvilinear plot. Succolarity was estimated by parameter µ, for the four main directions, through an algorithm implemented on purpose. Results show that fractal lacunarity, by quantifying muscle fatty infiltration, can discriminate be-tween osteoporosis and healthy aging while succolarity can separate the other three groups showing similar lacunarity. Therefore, fractal features of contractile muscle, by measuring fatty infiltration, can represent good indices of sarcopenia in aging and disease.

The pneumatic muscle is an actuator well known for its inherited compliance. In the last years, there have been a lot of applications of these actuators, mainly oriented toward medical devices. However, there are few papers that use muscle as a model associated with mechanical structures. These actuators are difficult to control because their stiffness depends on the applied pressure, determining a non-linear behavior. This article presents a model, created in Matlab, considering the muscle as a kinematic structure. The model is simulated as an individual structure and a PID controller is applied to test the response. Then, these results are validated by experimental tests done in the laboratory on different types of muscles. Comparison results validate the accuracy of the model.

Chronic pulmonary diseases such as asthma, COPD, and Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis are significant causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Currently, there is no radical treatment for many chronic pulmonary diseases, and the treatment options focus on relieving the symptoms and improving lung function. Therefore, efficient therapeutic agents are highly needed. Bronchial epithelial cells and airway smooth muscle cells and their crosstalk play a significant role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Thus, targeting the interactions of these two cell types could open the door to a new generation of effective therapeutic options. However, the studies on how these two cell types interact and how their crosstalk adds up to respiratory diseases are not well established. With the rise of modern research tools and technology, such as lab-on-chip, organoids, co-culture techniques, and advanced immunofluorescence imaging, a substantial degree of evidence about these cell interactions emerged. Hence, this contribution aims to summarize the growing evidence of bronchial epithelial cells and airway smooth muscle cells crosstalk under normal and pathophysiological conditions. The review first deliberates the effects of both healthy and stressed epithelial cells on airway smooth muscle cells, taking into account three themes; contraction, migration, and proliferation. Then, it discusses the impact of airway smooth muscle cells on the epithelium in inflammatory settings. Later, it examines the role of airway smooth muscle cells in the early development of bronchial epithelial cells and their recovery after injury.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder caused by degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. The disease process leads from lower motor neuron involvement to progressive muscle atrophy, weakness, fasciculations for the upper motor neuron involvement to spasticity. Muscle atrophy in ALS is caused by a dysregulation in the molecular network controlling fast and slow muscle fibres. Denervation and reinnervation processes in skeletal muscle occur in the course of ALS and are modulated by rehabilitation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that modulate a wide range of biological functions under various pathophysiological conditions. MiRNAs can be secreted by various cell types and they are markedly stable in body fluids. MiR-1, miR-133 a, miR-133b, and miR-206 are called “myomiRs” and are considered markers of myogenesis during muscle regeneration and neuromuscular junction stabilization or sprouting. We observed a positive effect of a standard aerobic exercise rehabilitative protocol conducted for six weeks in 18 ALS patients during hospitalization in our center. We correlated clinical scales with molecular data on myomiRs. After six weeks of moderate aerobic exercise, myomiRNAs were down-regulated, suggesting an active proliferation of satellite cells in muscle and increased neuromuscular junctions. Our data suggest that circulating miRNAs modulate during skeletal muscle recovery in response to physical rehabilitation in ALS.

Hedgehog (Hh) proteins are prototypical morphogens known to regulate epithelial/mesenchymal interactions during embryonic development. In addition to its pivotal role in embryogenesis, the Hh signaling pathway may be recapitulated in post-natal life in a number of physiological and pathological conditions, including ischemia. This review highlights the involvement of Hh signaling in ischemic tissue regeneration and angiogenesis, with particular attention to the heart, the brain, and the skeletal muscle. Updated information on the potential role of the Hh pathway as a therapeutic target in ischemic condition is also presented.

We aimed to assess the prognostic value of BRAFV600E mutation in a series of 127 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cases as a single factor, as well as in synergic interaction with other standard risk factors. All cases were tested for BRAFV600E mutation by real-time PCR. Event-free survival (EFS) was calculated between the date of the first evaluation and the date of occurrence of an adverse event (tumor recurrence/distant metastasis) or the date of the last known status. The prevalence of BRAFV600E mutation was 57.2%. The Kaplan-Meyer analysis showed a significant reduction of EFS among cases harboring BRAFV600E mutation compared to non-mutated cases (p=0.010). In addition, BRAFV600E mutation was found to better predict adverse outcomes when associated with the following risk factors: age≥55 years-old (p<0.001), male gender (p<0.001), conventional (p=0.005) and tall cell (p=0.014) histology, tumor size&gt;40mm (p=0.001), extrathyroidal extension (p=0.001), multifocality (p=0.001) and lymph node metastasis (p&lt;0.001). In univariate analysis, a 3.74-fold increased risk for a reduced EFS (p=0.018) was found for BRAFV600E mutated cases. Our results highlight the prognostic value of BRAFV600E mutation in PTCs. Moreover, the synergic interaction between BRAFV600E mutation and other risk factors seems more valuable in terms of prognosis, compared to BRAFV600E mutation alone.

Parthenium incanum (Mariola) is used in Mexico to treat stomach and liver disorders. Reports have shown that the genus Parthenium contains biologically active metabolites. This work aimed to isolate and identify biologically active compounds with trypanocidal activity. The extracts were obtained through static maceration and extraction with successive reflux using different solvents. After that, they were fractionated with column chromatography, and the obtained fractions were compared by TLC; similar fractions were pooled and concentrated. A bioguided assay was performed with S. aureus ATCC 25923, using agar diffusion techniques and bioautography to determine preliminary biological activity. Active fractions were obtained and purified from a preparative TLC plate. The obtained compounds were identified as parthenin and coronopolin by TLC, FT-IR, and HPLC-MS. Finally, they were evaluated against the Ninoa strain of Trypanosoma cruzi, obtaining an IC50 of up to 45±2.5 ppm. It was concluded that P. incanum contains compounds with trypanocidal activity.

This paper presents a comprehensive review that highlights the characteristics of non-isolated step-up converters based on high boost voltage lifting techniques. The paper categorises the high boost techniques: multistage/multilevel, switched capacitor, voltage multiplier, voltage lift, switched inductor, and magnetic coupling. The paper also discusses in detail the advantages and disadvantages for each category such as cost, complexity, power density, reliability and efficiency. The number of passive and active components, voltage gain, voltage stress, switching frequency, efficiency and power rating are also compared. Although the paper considers coupling inductors in the context of the non-isolated converter, the focus of the entire article is on the non-isolated high voltage step-up techniques. The key contribution in this paper is the review of high boosting techniques rather than the DC /DC converters. This allows divergence of new ideas and new power converters that will help provide highly efficient and flexible power converters for several applications where the sending end voltage is very low as photovoltaic systems. In addition, many applications and control techniques of DC/DC converters are summarised in this paper.

The majority of Candida species are known as non-pathogenic yeasts and rarely involved in human diseases. However, recently case reports of human infections caused by non-albicans Candida species have increased, mostly in immunocompromised hosts. Our study aimed to describe and caracterise as thoroughly as possible, a new species of the Candida genus, named here Candida massiliensis (PMML0037), isolated from a clinical sample of human sputum. We compared genetic data based on the sequences of four genetic regions: "Internal Transcribed Spacers" of rRNA, D1/D2 domains (28S large subunit rRNA) and part of the genes encoding Translation Elongation Factor 1-α and β-tubulin2, to morphological characters, from scanning electron microscopy (TM 4000 Plus, SU5000), physiological, including the results of oxidation and assimilation tests of different carbon sources by the Biolog system, and chemical mapping by Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. Lastly, the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile was performed using the E-testTM exponential gradient method. The multilocus analysis supported the genetic position of Candida massiliensis (PMML0037) as a new species of the genus Candida, and the phenotypic analysis highlighted its unique morphological and chemical profile when compared to other Candida species included in the study.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between bat swing speed (BSS) and muscle thickness and lateral asymmetry of the trunk and limbs in collegiate baseball players. Twenty-four collegiate baseball players participated in this study. The maximum BSS in hitting a teed ball was measured using a motion capture system. The muscle thicknesses of the trunk (upper abdominal rectus, central abdominal rectus, lower abdominal rectus, abdominal wall, and multifidus lumborum), upper limb, and lower limb were measured using a B-mode ultrasonography. Lateral asymmetry between each pair of muscles was determined as the ratio of the thickness of the dominant side to that of the non-dominant side. Significant positive correlations were observed between BSS and muscle thicknesses of the abdominal wall and multifidus lumborum on the dominant side (r = 0.426 and 0.431, respectively; p < 0.05), while nearly significant positive correlations were observed between BSS and muscle thicknesses on the non-dominant side. No significant correlations were found between BSS and lateral asymmetry of all muscles. These findings indicate the importance of the trunk muscles for bat swing, and the lack of association between BSS and lateral asymmetry of muscle size.

The fungus Xylaria sp. Z184, harvested from the leaves of Fallopia convolvulus (L.) Á. Löve, has been isolated for the first time. Chemical investigation of the methanol extract of this strain’s culture broth led to the discovery of three new pyranone derivatives fallopiaxylaresters A-C (1–3) and a new bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoid named fallopiaxylarol A (4), along with the first complete set of spectroscopic data for the previously-reported pestalotiopyrone M (5). Known pyranone derivatives (6–11), sesquiterpenoids (12–14), isocoumarin derivatives (15–17), and an aromatic allenic ether (18) were co-isolated. Their structures were elucidated by the interpretation of HRESIMS, 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical computation method. The antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and α-glucosidase inhibitory activities of selected compounds and crude extract were evaluated in vitro. The extract inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in murine RAW264.7 macrophage cells, with an inhibition rate of 77.28 ± 0.82% at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. The compounds 5, 7 and 8 displayed weak antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus areus subsp. aureus at a concentration of 100 μM.

At secondary healthcare, Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales (CREs) such as observed in Klebsiella pneumoniae are a global public health priority with significant clinical outcomes. In this study, we describe clinical, phenotypic, and genotypic characteristics of three pan-drug resistant (PDR) isolates that demonstrated extended resistance to conventional and novel antimicrobials. All patients had risk factors for acquisition of multidrug resistant organisms while microbiological susceptibility testing showed resistance to all conventional antimicrobials. Advanced susceptibility testing demonstrated resistance to broad agents such as ceftazidime-avibactam, ceftolozane-tazobactam, and meropenem-vaborbactam. Nevertheless, all isolates were susceptible to cefiderocol, one of the novel antimicrobials that demonstrated potent in vitro activity against resistant Gram-negative bacteria including CREs pointing towards potential therapeutic role for PDR pathogens. Expanded genomic studies revealed multiple antimicrobial resistant genes (ARGs), including blaNMD-5 and blaOXA derivative types as well as a mutated outer membrane porin protein (OmpK37).

Mucormycosis is known to be a rare opportunistic infection caused by Syncephalastrum species, which are Mucorales fungi of the Zygomycetes class. These moulds are rarely involved in clinical diseases and are generally seen as contaminants in the clinical laboratory. However, in recent years, case reports of human infections due to Syncephalastrum have increased, especially in immunocompromised hosts. In this study, we describe two new Syncephalastrum species, which were isolated from human nails and sputum samples from two different patients. We used several methods of genomic and phenotypic characterisation. The phenotypic analysis, relied on morphological features, analysed both by optical and scanning electron microscopy. We used Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight mass spectrometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and BiologTM technology to characterise the proteomic, chemical mapping, and carbon source assimilation profiles, respectively. The genomic analysis relied on multilocus sequence analysis of the rRNA internal transcribed spacers and D1/D2 large-subunit domains, and fragments of the translation elongation factor 1-alpha, and the β-tubulin genes. The two novel species in the genus Syncephalastrum, namely S. massiliense PMMF0073 and S. timoneanum PMMF0107, have a similar morphology to S. racemosum, but each display distinct phenotypic and genotypic features. The polyphasic approach, combining the results of complementary phenotypic and genomic assays, was instrumental in describing and characterising these two new Syncephalastrum species.

Intrammary infections are a major problem for dairy sheep farms, and Streptococcus uberis is one of the main etiological agents of ovine mastitis. Surveys on antimicrobial resistance are still limited in sheep and characterization of isolates is important for acquiring information on resistance and for optimizing therapy. In this study, a sampling of 124 S. uberis isolates collected in Sardinia (Italy) from sheep milk was analysed by multilocus-sequence typing (MLST) and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for genetic relatedness. All isolates were also subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility analysis by the disk diffusion test using a panel of 14 antimicrobials. Resistance genes were detected by PCR assays. MLST analysis revealed that the isolates were grouped into 86 sequence types (STs), of which 73 were new genotypes, indicating a highly diverse population of S. uberis. The most frequently detected lineage was the clonal complex (CC)143, although representing only 13.7% of all characterized isolates. A high level of heterogeneity was also observed among the SmaI PFGE profiles, with 121 unique patterns. Almost all (96.8%) isolates were resistant to at least one antimicrobial, while all exhibited phenotypic susceptibility to oxacillin, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and ceftiofur. Of the antimicrobials tested, the highest resistance rate was found against streptomycin (93.5%), kanamycin (79.8%) and gentamicin (64.5%), followed by novobiocin (25%) and tetracycline-TE (19.3%). Seventy-four (59.7%) isolates were simultaneously resistant to all aminoglycosides tested. Seventeen isolates (13.7%) exhibited multidrug resistance. All aminoglycosides-resistant isolates were PCR negative for aad-6 and aphA-3’ genes. Among the TE-resistant isolates, the tetM gene was predominant, indicating that the resistance mechanism is mainly mediated by the protection of ribosomes and not through the efflux pump. Three isolates were resistant to erythromycin, and two of them harboured the ermB gene. This is the first study reporting a detailed characterization of the S. uberis strains circulating in Sardinian sheep. Further investigations will be needed to understand the relationships between S. uberis genotypes, mastitis severity, and intra-mammary infection dynamics in the flock, as well as to monitor the evolution of antimicrobial resistance.

This paper proposes a novel approach, based on the adaptive rate processing and analysis, for the isolated speech recognition. The idea is to smartly combine the event-driven signal acquisition and windowing along with adaptive rate processing, analysis and classification for realizing an effective isolated speech recognition. The incoming speech signal is digitized with an event-driven A/D converter (EDADC). The output of EDADC is windowed with an activity selection process. These windows are later on resampled uniformly with an adaptive rate interpolator. The resampled windows are de-noised with an adaptive rate filter and their spectrum are computed with an adaptive resolution short time Fourier transform (ARSTFT). Later on, the magnitude, Delta and Delta-Delta spectral coefficients are extracted. The Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) technique is employed to compare these extracted features with the reference templates. The comparison outcomes are used to make the classification decision. The system functionality is tested for a case study and results are presented. An 8.2 times reduction in acquired number of samples is achieved by the devised approach as compared to the classical one. It aptitudes a significant computational gain and power consumption reduction of the proposed system over the counter classical ones. An average subject dependent isolated speech recognition accuracy of 96.8% is achieved. It shows that the proposed approach is a potential candidate for the automatic speech recognition applications like rehabilitation centers, smart call centers, smart homes, etc.

Abstract Although we know something about single cell neuromuscular junction, It is still mysterious how multiple skeletal muscle cells coordinate to complete the intricate spatial curve movement. Here I propose a hypothesis that skeletal muscle cell populations with action potentials are alligned according to a curved manifolds on space(a curved shape on space) and the skeletal muscle also moves according to this corresponding shape(manifolds) when an specific motor nerve impulses are transmitted. the action potential of motor nerve fibers has the characteristics of time curve manifold and this time manifold curve of motor nerve fibers come from visual cortex in which a spatial geometric manifolds are formed within the synaptic connection of neurons. This spatial geometric manifolds of the synaptic connection of neurons orginate from spatial geometric manifolds in outside nature that are transmitted to brain through the cone cells and ganglion cells of the retina.Further,the essence of life is that life is an object that can move autonomously and the essence of life's autonomous movement is the movement of proteins. theoretically, due to the infinite diversity of geometric manifold shapes in nature, the arrangement and combination of 20 amino acids should have infinite diversity, and the geometric manifold formed by protein three-dimensional spatial structure should also have infinite diversity.

Despite the popularity of theraphosids, detailed reports on bite symptoms are still limited to few geographic regions and subfamilies. We therefore examined 363 published bite reports and noticed muscles cramps caused by theraphosids from nearly all continents and subfamilies. Symptoms are mostly locally restricted and mild, but 12.7% of victims experience pronounced cramps with highest incidence rates by Poecilotheriinae, Harpactirinae and Stromatopelminae subfamilies. We discuss how variations in venom quantity correlate with muscle cramp prevalence.

Background: Knee joint is a common site for injury among younger people, the purpose of this study is to measure the skeletal muscle endurance and strength on people with prior knee reconstruction surgery. Methods: Young healthy female subjects were tested who reported having knee reconstruction surgery of over one year prior to testing. The skeletal muscle endurance index of the hamstring and quadriceps muscles was determined as the decline in the specific muscle acceleration in response to 2, 4, and 6 Hz electrical stimulation. Maximal isometric muscle strength (MVC) was measured in the hamstring and quadriceps muscles. Results: The hamstring muscles in the affected leg had less endurance than the non-affected leg at 6 Hz stimulation (55.5 ± 13.2% versus 78.0 ± 13.3%, P = 0.01). Muscle endurance was not reduced in the quadriceps muscles in the affected leg compared to the non-affected leg at 6 Hz stimulation (78.0 ± 13.3% versus 80.3 ± 10.0%, P = 0.69). There were no differences in MVC between the affected and non-affected legs for either the hamstring (P= 0.20) or quadriceps muscles (p = 0.67). Conclusions: Muscle endurance is reduced in the hamstring muscles at least one-year post injury, while hamstring strength is not. Reduced hamstring muscle endurance could be a result of a lack of focus on muscle endurance during rehabilitation after injury and may contribute to re-injury in the particular muscle even in people who have recovered muscle strength.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent progressive muscular dystrophy, and the guidelines recommend the regular assessment of respiratory muscle function. This study aimed to assess the relationship between maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure (SNIP) measurements and upright-supine spirometry parameters in children with DMD, predictability of upright-supine spirometry in terms of diaphragm involvement, and impact of nutrition on muscle strength. This prospective cross-sectional study examined patients with DMD by comparing upright and supine FVC, MIP, MEP, and SNIP measurements. Forty-four patients were included in the study. The mean patient age was 10.8±2.9 years. Twenty-five patients were ambulatory. A significant decrease in FVC, FEV1, and FEF25-75 values was detected in the supine position in both ambulatory and nonambulatory patients (p&lt;0.05). All patients had low MIP, MEP, and SNIP measurements (less than 60 cm H2O). MIP, MEP, and SNIP values were significantly lower in patients with malnutrition than in those without (p&lt;0.05). To accurately assess respiratory muscle strength, supine FVC should be combined with upright FVC, MIP, MEP, and SNIP measurements. It is crucial to regularly screen patients for malnutrition, as this can significantly affect respiratory muscle function during pulmonology follow-up.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is the most common muscle disease of older people and is clinically characterized by slowly progressive asymmetrical muscle weakness, predominantly affecting quadriceps, deep finger flexors and foot extensors. At present there are no enduring treatments for this relentless disease that eventually leads to severe disability and wheelchair dependency. Although sIBM is considered a rare muscle disorder, its prevalence is certainly higher as the disease is often undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. The histopathogical phenotype of sIBM muscle biopsy includes muscle fiber degeneration and endomysial lymphocytic infiltrates that mainly consist of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells surrounding nonnecrotic muscle fibers expressing MHCI. Muscle fiber degeneration is characterized by vacuolization and accumulation of congophilic misfolded multi-protein aggregates, mainly in their non-vacuolated cytoplasm. Many players have been identified in sIBM pathogenesis including environmental factors, autoimmunity, abnormalities of protein transcription and processing, accumulation of several toxic proteins, impairment of autophagy and ubiquitin proteasome system, oxidative and nitrative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, myonuclear degeneration, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Aging has been also proposed as a contributor to the disease. However, the interplay between these processes and the primary event that leads to the coexistence of autoimmune and degenerative changes is still under debate. Here, we outline our current understanding of disease pathogenesis, focusing on degenerative mechanisms, and discuss the possible involvement of aging.

Resistance training is beneficial to adults for improving muscle strength and reducing the body composition. Nevertheless, little is known regarding online resistance training on anthropometric parameters and muscular strength (MS) in overweight female adolescents. This study aimed to examine the effects of online resistance training on anthropometric parameters and muscular strength (MS) in overweight female adolescents. This prospective, single-center, single-blinded, randomized controlled study included 60 overweight female adolescents who were divided into a control group (n=30) and an intervention group (n=30). The intervention group performed online resistance training, which focused on body weight training of 12 components (4 sets, 12 repetitions) for 45 min, three times per week, for 12 weeks. The intensity of training was 65–75%. Anthropometric parameters, including body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body circumference measurements (BCM), and muscle strength (MS), were assessed. All parameters were measured at weeks 0, 8, and 12. Within-group and between-group comparisons were performed. The results revealed improvements in MS, BW, BMI, and BCM in the intervention group. However, chest circumference was not significant. These findings suggest that online resistance training was effective in improving MS and reducing the body composition and circumference.

We aimed to provide a comprehensive assessment of exercise physiology of adult Fontan patients (FP) and factors limiting functional capacity (FC). A prospective single-centre study of 37 FP aged ≥16years and 19 healthy-controls (HC), who underwent CPET on cycle-ergometer in February-March 2022. Lung function was impaired in FP, mostly mild restrictive pattern (56.8%). Mean peakVO2 was 21±5.4ml/kg/min, 55% predicted. Morphologically left-single ventricle showed higher peakVO2%predicted (57.4±14.4% vs 43.4±8.1%, p=0.045). A lower peakVO2%predicted was observed in patients with an early flattened and/or descending O2 pulse at maximal exertion (52±14% vs 62±12.5, p=0.04 and 47.6±9% vs 60±14 respectively, p=0.018) and chronotropic insufficiency (53±12% vs 69.8±20%, p=0.008). Strong positive correlation was observed between %OUES and peakVO2%predicted (r=0.726, p>0.001). PeakVO2%predicted was progressively higher as the level of physical activity increased (low-level 49.5±14%, moderate-level 55±12%, intense-level 69±20%). FP showed lower inspiratory muscle strength compared to HC but it was no statistically associated with either peakVO2 or VE/VCO2 slope. In FP OUES is a useful submaximal parameter in those who fail to reach maximal exertion. Chronotropic insufficiency and early flattened or descending oxygen pulse slope were factors associated with low peakVO2. Regular intense physical activity improves FC. Although FP have inspiratory muscle weakness, its impact on FC is unclear.

Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is likely the most important modifiable element for the growth of skeletal muscle. However, a detailed investigation of PA’s impact on preschoolers’ of skeletal muscle development is lacking. This study aimed to determine whether PA level is related to skeletal muscle thickness among preschool children. Methods: 275 healthy preschoolers between the ages 4–6 were instructed to wear an accelerometer for 4 consecutive days. The daily steps and minutes spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and total PA (TPA) were examined. Muscle thickness (MT) was measured by B-mode ultrasonography. The MT was measured at the anterior (AT) and posterior thigh (PT) and the anterior (AL) and posterior lower leg (PL). Results: Boys were more physically active and engaged in significantly more TPA and MVPA on weekdays compared with girls. Compared with that on the weekends, more physical activity, and significantly greater number of daily steps and higher TPA and MVPA were recorded for both boys and girls on the weekdays. Multivariable regression analyses, after adjusting for daylight duration, indicated that a daily increase in the TPA and MVPA would lead to higher muscle size in AT (β=1.11 and β=1.37, p<0.05), and PL (β=1.18 and β=0.94, p<0.05) among preschool children. Conclusions: The time spent involved in most of the different categories of MVPA was significantly higher for boys than for girls on the weekdays and weekends. MVPA was positively correlated with greater skeletal muscle development in the lower body.

Nudibranchs are marine gastropod mollusks that have been extensively studied for their poten-tial to yield new bioactive compounds. This review aims to share data about the chemical and biological activity of extracts and isolated compounds from nudibranchs. The systematic review followed the PRISMA (a systematic review protocol) and covers the studies from the literature published from January 1950 to September 2023, and various scientific databases, including Elsevier, web of science, ACS publications, Taylor and Francis, Wiley Online Library, MDPI, Springer and the Marine Pharmacology website. The results presented are based on the complete set of studies that met our inclusion criteria. Among the selected studies, chemical characteriza-tion was the focus in 79.6% of cases, while biological activity assessment accounted for 20.4%. Ten different types of biological activity assays were performed, with the most frequently studied activities being cytotoxicity (43.6%), antimycobacterial (43.6%), and ichthyotoxic (9.8%) effects. Most positive results obtained from these assays were related to antimycobacterial, cytotoxicity, and ichthyotoxic activities. Eight different types of metabolites were identified, with terpenes be-ing the most prevalent (78.5% of articles), followed by alkaloids (8.1%) and aromatic polyketides (4.7%). Gathering the existing evidence can aid in identifying research gaps and planning future investigations. Our findings indicate that certain nudibranch families, such as Cadlinidae, have received limited attention in terms of studies conducted, yet show promising results in terms of biological activities.

N-Acyl-homoserine lactones, the Quorum sensing signaling molecules predominantly found in gram-negative bacteria, which regulate several bacterial genes including virulence and antibiotic resistant genes. The study was aimed to identify and characterize QS and QQ bacteria from different samples. 5 samples with different ecological background were collected from soil and 10 samples from hospital setup. 31 different bacteria were isolated with either QS or QQ activities all together. CV026 and A136 biosensor strains were used for the detection of QS and QQ positive strains. QS activity was observed by cross streaking test of bacteria against CV026, it was affirmed that 13 isolates from the soil and 5 from hospital equipment’s showed positive QS activity. QQ activity of each isolate was tested by well diffusion assay, C6-HSL and C12-HSL were our candidate AHL molecules. The AHL molecule degradation was detected in 4 isolates of soil and none from the samples obtained from hospital setup. The total of 6 strongly positive QS and QQ isolates were identified and selected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that these isolates were closely related to Pseudomonas, Bacillus and Exiguobacterium genera. In contrast, 1 Gram positive bacterial isolate was also purified with QS potential.

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), considered one of the most common metabolic disorders, has dramatically increased and resulted in higher rate of morbidity and mortality around the world, in the past decade. It is well known that insulin resistance in target tissues and a deficiency in insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells are the main characteristic of type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was the bio-evaluation of compounds isolated from three selected plant species; namely, Salvia africana-lutea, Leonotis ocymifolia and Plectranthus madagascariensis, for their glucose uptake ability. Methanolic extracts were produced from the arterial part of each plant. Compounds were identified using different spectroscopic techniques. The glucose uptake ability of each compound was then evaluated in mammalian cells using 2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate. The cytotoxicity of each compound was established via the MTT assay. Chromatographic purification of the three plant species yielded fifteen pure terpenoids. Compounds 1 (p = 0.0031), 8 (p = 0.0053), and 6 (p = 0.0086), showed a marked increase in glucose uptake, with p values of p=0.0031, p=0.0053 and p=0.0086, respectively. Additionally, 1, 4 and 6 exhibited cytotoxicity toward mammalian tissue with a decrease in cell viability of ~70%, ~68% and ~67%, respectively. The results suggested that several compounds demonstrated a marked increase in glucose uptake while two of the compounds exhibited signs of cytotoxicity. It may, therefore, be suggested that these compounds be considered as potential candidates for novel plant-derived alternative therapies in the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the normative values of muscles’ contractile properties, lateral symmetry, and the impact of aging on muscle contractility in gymnastics. Materials and Methods: A survey of 81 athletes from different disciplines was undertaken: MAG (n = 26), WAG (n = 28), and RG (n = 27). The athletes’ average age was 15.41 ± 5.03 years. We try to establish the normative values for contraction time (muscle pairs) in gymnastics for Slovenian athletes for ten skeletal muscles. Results: Athletes’ age affects contractility in a negative way. Differences between the duration of contractility and age were found in all disciplines: m. BF (r = 0.48, p < 0.001), m. TB (r = 0.37, p < 0.013), m. ES (r = 0.17, p < 0.025), m. VL (r = 0.36, p < 0.00) and m. VM (r = 0.40, p < 0.000) at a statistical significance of p < 0.05. Conclusions: A comparison between the left and right sides shows little asymmetry in WAG and that the occurrence of injuries is in the middle range. In RG we see a bigger deviation, which could trigger the emergence of pain or injury in m. BF (13%) and m. GL (14.5%), but in MAG the deviation is greater in m. BB (12%), m. BF (11%) and m. GM (13%).

Due to its time effective, joint friendly and highly customizable character whole-body-electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is regarded as a feasible solution for a large variety of training issues particularly in the area of non-athletic application. To identify gaps in research and summarize prevalent evidence we conducted an evidence map on outcomes addressed by WB-EMS trials in middle-aged to older, non-athletic adults. Based on a comprehensive systematic search in five databases and two study registers according to PRISMA, 54 projects published in 80 articles were included. More than 90% of the studies reported outcomes related to the physical fitness or function domain. Body composition parameters were addressed by two thirds of the projects. Health-related outcomes addressed by WB-EMS included cancer/neoplasm (n=7), endocrine regulation (n=8), glucose metabolism (15), nervous system diseases (n=2), cardiovascular system diseases (n=22), non-specific chronic low back pain (n=4), osteopenia (n=5) and diseases of the renal system (n=12). Outcomes related to inflammation were addressed 18 times. Of importance, no studies reported clinically relevant adverse effects related to the WB-EMS intervention. In summary, while considerable evidence on outcomes related to fitness/function and body composition is prevalent, evidence gaps of WB-EMS research were particular evident for diseases of the nervous and cerebrovascular system.

Modern technologies can satisfy human needs only with the use of large quantities of fertilizers and pesticides that are harmful to the environment. For this reason, it is possible to develop new technologies for sustainable agriculture. The process could be made by using endophytic microorganisms with a (possible) positive effect on plant vitality. Bacterial endophytes have been reported as plant growth promoters in several kinds of plants under normal and stress conditions. In this study, isolates of bacterial endophytes from the roots and leaves of Miscanthus giganteus plants were tested for the presence of plant growth-promoting properties and their ability to inhibit pathogens of fungal origin. Pantoea ananatis and Pseudomonas libanensis were the predominant bacteria in leaves whereas other pseudomonads prevailed in roots. Selected bacterial isolates were able to solubilize inorganic phosphorus, to fix nitrogen, and to produce IAA, ACC deaminase and siderophore. Leaf bacterial isolate Pantoea ananatis 50 OL 2 had high production of siderophores and weak capabilities for phytohormone production. The root bacterial isolate of Pseudomonas libanensis 5 OK 7A showed the best results of phytohormone production. Four fungal cultures - Fusarium sporotrichioides DBM 3229, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum SS-01, Botrytis cinerea and Sphaerodes fimicola were used to test the antifungal activity and these cultures were selected for their representatives of known pathogenic fungi families, especially for crops. All selected roots endophyte isolates significantly inhibited the pathogenic growth of Fusarium sporotrichoides with a mean inhibition diamater (zone ≥ 5 mm). These results demonstrated that the root endophytic Pseudomonas sp. could be used as biofertilizer for crops.

The main objective of this study is to compare and investigate the proximate, sensory parameters of the biscuits fortified with (1) whey protein concentrate (WPC), (2) isolated soy protein (ISP) at various proportions as a source of protein enrichment. The fortified biscuits were analysed for sensory and proximate analysis. The study evaluated and compared the effect of fortifying whey protein concentrate and isolated soy protein at various proportions T0 control (0%), T1 (5%), T2 (10%), T3 (15%), T4 (20%). The protein content in both WPC and ISP samples tends to increase, but much higher in WPC formulated biscuits. At 20% WPC the protein content peaked to 29.11%, other nutritional components such as fat, ash, fibre and moisture content of WPC samples increased significantly, whereas no such significant changes were observed and only linear increase of protein content were in ISP fortified samples. The sensory analysis of ISP fortified samples were acceptable up to 10% proportion, exceeding 10% showed unacceptable results, on comparison WPC biscuits were acceptable at all proportions, more desirable at 20% WPC. Conclusively, fortifying biscuits with either WPC or ISP might be a source of protein without any significant effect on the quality of biscuits.

Mink astrovirus infection remains a poorly understood disease entity, and the aetiological agent itself causes disease with a heterogeneous course, including gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms. This paper presents cases of astrovirus infection in mink from continental Europe. RNA was isolated from the brains and intestines of animals showing symptoms typical of shaking mink syndrome (n = 6). RT-PCR was used to detect astrovirus genetic material, and the reaction products were separated on a 1% agarose gel. The specificity of the reaction was confirmed by sequencing all samples. The presence of astrovirus RNA was detected in each of the samples tested. Sequencing and bioinformatic analysis indicated the presence of the same variant of the virus in all samples. Comparison of the variant with the sequences available in bioinformatics databases confirmed that the Polish isolates form a separate clade, closely related to Danish isolates. The similarity of the Polish variant to those isolated in other countries ranged from 2.4% (in relation to Danish isolates) to 7.1% (in relation to Canadian isolates). Phylogenetic relationships between variants appear to be associated with the geographic distances between them. To our knowledge, this work describes the first results on the molecular epidemiology of MAstV in continental Europe. The detection of MAstV in Central Europe indicates the need for further research to broaden our understanding of the molecular epidemiology of MAstV in Europe.

We construct a real square system related to a given over-determined real system. We prove that the simple real zeros of the over-determined system are the simple real zeros of the related square system and the real zeros of the two systems are one-to-one correspondence with the constraint that the value of the sum of squares of the polynomials in the over-determined system at the real zeros is identically zero. After certifying the simple real zeros of the related square system with the interval methods, we assert that the certified zero is a local minimum of the sum of squares of the input polynomials. If the value of the sum of the squares of the input polynomials at the certified zero is equal to zero, it is a zero of the input system. As an application, we also consider the heuristic verification of the isolated zeros of polynomial systems and their multiplicity structures. Notice that a complex system with complex zeros can be transformed into a real system with real zeros.

(1) Background: Spontaneous isolated intramural hematoma of the superior mesenteric artery (SIHSMA) is a rare entity often considered as a subset of spontaneous isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SIDSMA). It is characterized by a completely thrombosed false lumen with or without ulcer-like projection with computed tomography (CT) imaging. The recent literature describes few reports with a relatively short-term follow-up. The natural course, prognosis, and treatment options for SIHSMA still lack consensus. We present two cases of acute abdominal pain in a young man due to IMH of the superior mesenteric artery with an extensive literature review. (2) Case report: A 46-year-old male patient was submitted to an urgent CTA for acute abdominal pain, showing the presence of an isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery, determining significant stenosis of the vessel with collateral vessel patency. The patient referred to a recent COVID-19 infection, whose course was paucisymptomatic. He was treated conservatively with antiplatelet therapy and corticosteroid treatments, and, after a few days, the symptomatology completely regressed; also, 2-month- control CTA showed the complete IMH regression and the absence of any signs of residual stenosis. The second patient is a 61-year-old male patient who was submitted to an urgent CTA for acute abdominal pain, showing the presence of an isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery, not determining significant vessel stenosis. He was treated conservatively with antiplatelet therapy and corticosteroid treatment, and after a few days, the symptomatology completely regressed, and the radiological control showed a complete dissection regression. (3) Conclusion: SISHSMA is a rare entity of vascular pathology, and conservative management represents the best medical strategy. We propose corticosteroid treatment as one of the most appropriate tools in the conservative treatment of SISHSMA.

Coffee processing generates a huge amount of waste which contains many natural products. Here, we report the discovery of a panel novel cell-penetrating and metal-ion binding microproteins designated coffeetide cC1a-c and cL1-6 from the husk of two popular coffee plants, Coffea canephora and Coffea liberica, respectively. Combining sequence determination and database search, we showed that the prototypic coffeetide cC1a is a 37-residue, eight-cysteine microprotein with a hevein-like cysteine motif but without a chitin-binding domain. NMR determination of cC1a revealed a compact structure that confers it resistance to heat and proteolytic degradation. Disulfide mapping together with chemical synthesis revealed that cC1a has a ginsentide-like, and not a hevein-like, disulfide connectivity. In addition, transcriptomic analysis showed that the 98-residue micrcoproten-like coffeetide precursor contains a three-domain arrangement like ginsentide precursors. Molecular modeling together with experimental validation revealed a Mg2+ and Fe3+ binding pocket at the N-terminus formed by three glutamic acids. Importantly, cC1a is amphipathic with a continuous stretch of 19 apolar amino acids, and which enables its cell penetration to target intracellular proteins, despite being highly negatively charged. Our findings suggest that coffee by-products could provide a source of ginsentide-like bioactive peptides that have potential to target intracellular proteins.

Fermented rice is known as a healthy food due to the presence of lactic acid bacteria as fermentative microorganisms. The study was carried out to discover and characterize the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from white and red fermented rice (BG varieties). Fermentation was carried out naturally by soaking red, white, raw and cooked rice in water using an earthen pot. Species were confirmed based on 16S r DNA gene sequencing and studied for phenotypic characteristics including morphological, physiological (growth temperature, salt tolerance, milk coagulation) and biochemical characteristics (carbohydrate fermentation pattern) using API 50CH kits. Distinct clusters like cocci (48), diplo cocci (30) and rods (30) shaped bacteria were observed from fermented rice. Five species of lactic acid bacteria including Latilactobacillus curvatus GR Lb1,2 10 and 11 (predominant Bacillus species), Latilactobacillus graminis Lb8, Limosilactobacillus fermentum GRLb17, Weissella confuse GRLb4 and Pediococcus pentosaceus GRLc1 were identified. The base pair length of amplified DNA for the isolates was 1500 Bp. The beneficial physiological and biochemical properties of isolated Lactobacillus species from fermented rice revealed their potential applications in the food industry.

Acetic acid bacteria (AAB) form a bacterial film on the surface of alcoholic solutions and ferment ethanol to acetic acid while also producing bioactive compounds. To discover functional AAB for industrial use, we isolated and selected strains from farm-produced vinegars using a CaCO3-containing medium. The seven strains belonged to Acetobacter cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus. Physiological properties were determined, including ethanol tolerance at up to 12% (v/v). Acidification at a growth temperature of 40 ℃ was seen for GHA 7, GYA 23, JGB 21-17, and GHA 20 strains, which may be useful in vinegar production where thermotolerant AAB are required. The seven AAB isolates had strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Antioxidant activity was 2- and 4-fold higher, respectively, for A cerevisiae and A. pasteurianus than for the control, 1% acetic acid. We also observed 91.3% inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity for the KSO 5 strain, higher than that for the positive control, 0.1% captopril (76.9%). All strains showed complete inhibition of α-glucosidase, except JGB 21-17 and GHA 7 with 98.3% inhibition. Our work suggests usefulness of the strains selected as seed strains for highly efficient production of functional vinegar and illustrates identification of useful functional characteristics on a scientific basis.

This study is the first report of the successful cultivation of Dinophysis norvegica isolated from Japanese coastal waters (7 of 48 isolated cells were established as the clonal cultures, 14.5%) and their toxin content and production. The strains were maintained at relatively high abundance (>2,000 cells mL-1) for more than one year when fed on Mesodinium rubrum with the addition of Teleaulax amphioxeia. At the end of the one-month incubation, the total amounts of pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1) and okadaic acid (OA) were 132.0-375.0 ng mL-1 (n = 7), 0.7-3.6 ng mL-1 (n = 3) and trace level OA (n = 1), respectively. Similarly, the cell quota of PTX2 and DTX1 were 60.6-152.4 pg cell-1 (n = 7) and 0.5-1.2 pg cell-1 (n = 3), respectively. These data indicated that toxin production varies depending on the strains in this species. In the growth experiment, D. norvegica grew, but it was very slow first 12 days. However, after that they grew exponentially with the maximum growth rate of 0.56 divisions day-1 (during Day 24-27), reaching a maximum concentration of 3,000 cells mL-1 at the end of incubation (Day 36), suggesting that they have a long lag phase. In the toxin production, OA was not at a detectable level (≤ 0.010 ng mL-1) during the 36 days of incubation except for Day 6. The concentration of DTX1 and PTX2 showed similar patterns as described for vegetative growth, but the toxin production still increased on Day 36 (1.3 ng mL-1 and 154.7 ng mL-1 in DTX1 and PTX2, respectively). The findings of this study provide novel information on the toxin content and production in D. norvegica as well as details on the culturing and maintenance of the species.

Staphylococcus aureus frequently causes subclinical mastitis around the world with high impact in milk industry and public health. Essential oils (EO) are recognized antimicrobials that can be synergistic with antibiotics. The main objective of this study was evaluating the essential oil (EO) of Melaleuca armillaris as an adjuvant of erythromycin (ERY) for the alternative treatment of bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. The Minimum Inhibitory and Bactericidal Concentrations (MIC and MBC) of EO, ERY, and its combinations were established against S. aureus at different pHs (7.4, 6.5 and 5.0), emulating extra and intracellular conditions. Sensible (N=3) and resistant (N=3) strains to ERY and S. aureus ATCC 29213 as control were used. Math models were applied to described the antibacterial activity of EO and combinations EO-ERY. The EO was bactericidal against all the strains independently of the pH with a slightly improvement in acid conditions. The synergism between EO and ERY was estimated by the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FIC) and by mathematical modeling of the bacterial killing data. Synergism was observed with ERY, where combinations had bactericidal activity also even with pH modification. M. armillaris EO is an interesting adjuvant for ERY, being a promissory option for further analysis of intracellular efficacy against S. aureus.

Background: Muscle wasting is a common phenomenon in oncology and appears to be alleviated by exercise training. This study aims to determine the degree of aggressiveness of cancer-induced muscle wasting in two different phenotypic muscles, and whether exercise training can attenuate this muscle dysfunction. Methods: Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four experimental groups, two control groups (sedentary and exercised) and two breast cancer model groups (sedentary and exercised) induced by 1-methyl-1-nitrosoureia (MNU). After 35 weeks of endurance training the animals were sacrificed and the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles were harvested for morphometric analysis. Results: A significant reduction in cross-sectional area (P < 0.05) was found in both muscles of sedentary tumor-bearing animals. Interstitial fibrosis was significantly higher in the gastrocnemius of sedentary tumor-bearing animals (P < 0.05), but not in the soleus. A shift from large to small fibers was observed in the gastrocnemius of sedentary tumor-bearing animals. Long-term exercise training was able to prevent this cancer-related mus-cle dysfunction. Conclusions: The Gastrocnemius muscle showed a very pronounced reduction in cross-sectional area and marked interstitial fibrosis in sedentary animals with tumors. The soleus muscle showed a less pronounced but significant reduction in cross-sectional area, and collagen deposition did not differ between tumor groups. These contrasting results confirm that can-cer-induced muscle wasting can affect specific fiber types, and specific muscles, namely fast glycolytic muscles, and that exercise training can act to improve it.

NIRS uses the relative absorption of light at 850nm and 760nm, to determine skeletal muscle oxygen saturation. Previous studies have used the ratio of both signals to report muscle oxygen saturation. Purpose: To evaluate the different approaches used to represent muscle oxygen saturation, and to evaluate the pulsations of the O₂heme and Heme signal. Method: Twelve participants, ages 20-29years were tested on the forearm flexor muscles using continuous wave NIRS at rest. Measurements were taken during 2-3mins rest, during physiological calibration (5-minuts Ischemia) and during reperfusion. Results: There was a significant difference in pulse size between O₂heme and Heme signal at the three locations (p < 0.05). Resting oxygen saturation was 58.8+9.2%, 69.6+3.9%, and 89.2+6.9% when calibrated using O₂heme, TSI, and Heme, respectively. Conclusion: The difference in magnitude of O₂heme and Heme pulse with each heartbeat might suggest different anatomical locations of these signals, which propose calibrating with just one of the signals instead of the ratio of both. Calculations of physiological calibration must account for increased blood volume in the tissue, because of the changes in blood volume which appear to be primarily from the O₂heme signal. Resting oxygen levels calibrated with Heme agrees with theoretical oxygen saturation.

This study analyzes the efficacy of trapezius muscle electromyography (EMG) in discerning mental states, namely stress and meditation. Fifteen healthy participants were monitored to assess their physiological responses to mental stressors and meditation. Sensors were affixed to both the right and left trapezius muscles to capture EMG signals, while simultaneous electroencephalography (EEG) was conducted to validate cognitive states. Our analysis of various EMG features, considering frequency ranges and sensor positioning, revealed significant changes in trapezius muscle activity during stress and meditation. Notably, low-frequency EMG features facilitated enhanced stress detection. For accurate stress identification, sensor configurations can be limited to the right trapezius muscle. Furthermore, the introduction of a novel method for determining asymmetry in EMG features suggests that applying sensors on bilateral trapezius muscles can improve the detection of mental states. This research presents a promising avenue for efficient cognitive state monitoring through compact and convenient sensing.

Background: A careful work-up before Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) consists not only of measuring anatomical conditions but also assessment of frailty. Previous studies have evaluated body composition parameters, primarily fat and muscle mass. Few data are available on other frailty parameters, which, however, can be easily determined by pre-TAVR computed tomography (CT). Objectives: The primary objective was to investigate the impact of total muscle area (TMA) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT), as frailty parameters, on 5-year all-cause mortality in patients undergoing TAVR. Methods: Between 01/2017 and 12/2018, consecutive TAVR patients undergoing CT-angiography scan enabling TMA and VAT measurement were included. A single axial image was acquired at the level of the middle third lumbar vertebra to perform TMA and VAT measurements using dedicated slicing software (Sliceomatic, TomoVision). Results: A total of 500 patients qualified for TMA analysis. Age was not associated with a higher risk of 5-year mortality HR 1.02 (95% CI: 0.998 - 1.049; p=0.069). Body surface area normalized TMA (nTMA) was significantly associated with 5-year all-cause mortality (HR 0.927, 95% CI: 0.927-0.997; p= 0.033), while VAT had no effect (HR 1.002, 95% CI: 0.99-1.015; p= 0.7). The effect of nTMA on 5- year all-cause mortality was gender-dependent: the protective effect of higher nTMA was found in male patients (pinteraction: sex * nTMA = 0.007). The combination of normalized TMA and VAT was not associated with higher mortality rates. Conclusion: Normalized TMA derived from routine CT before TAVR complements frailty assessment in patients undergoing TAVR.