Short- and medium-term effects of manual therapy on cervical active range of motion and pressure pain sensitivity in latent myofascial pain of the upper trapezius muscle: a randomized controlled trial

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of different manual techniques on cervical ranges of 17 motion and pressure pain sensitivity in subjects with latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle. 18 Methods: One hundred seventeen volunteers, with a unilateral latent trigger point on upper trapezius due to computer 19 work, were randomly divided into 5 groups: ischemic compression (IC) group (n = 24); passive stretching group (n = 20 23); muscle energy technique group (n = 23); and 2 control groups, wait-and-see group (n = 25) and placebo group 21 (n = 22). Cervical spine range of movement was measured using a cervical range of motion instrument as well as 22 pressure pain sensitivity by means of an algometer and a visual analog scale. Outcomes were assessed pretreatment, 23 immediately, and 24 hours after the intervention and 1 week later by a blind researcher. A 4 × 5 mixed repeated- 24 measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of the intervention and Cohen d coefficient was used. 25 Results: A group-by-time interaction was detected in all variables (P b .01), except contralateral rotation. The 26 immediate effect sizes of the contralateral flexion, ipsilateral rotation, and pressure pain threshold were large for 3 27 experimental groups. Nevertheless, after 24 hours and 1 week, only IC group maintained the effect size. 28 Conclusions: Manual techniques on upper trapezius with latent trigger point seemed to improve the cervical range of 29 motion and the pressure pain sensitivity. These effects persist after 1 week in the IC group. (J Manipulative Physiol 301 Ther 2013;xx:1-10

Multiplicação de brotos in vitro em três cultivares de bananeira.

Apesar de ser considerada uma das plantas mais consumidas no Brasil, a produtividade média da banana no país é de 10 t/ ha/ ano, sendo que algumas doenças se constituem os principais fatores por esse baixo rendimento. A utilização de mudas de cultivares melhoras e livres de doenças é uma alternativa para aumentar a produtividade Para isso, a técnica de micropropagação tem se mostrado eficaz para a obtenção de mudas sadias e de qualidade e auxiliado os programas de melhoramento genético para a multiplicação rápida de genótipos selecionados. Visando a multiplicação rápida de três cultivares via micropropagação foi realizada a assepsia de ápices caulinares e inoculados em meio MS, com BAP 2,5 mg/L no estabelecimento e BAP 4,5 mg/L durante vários subcultivos. Os resultados mostraram que houve uma produtividade média de 2,03 brotos por ápice caulinar entre as cultivares, e a cultivar PV 0376 apresentou maior, multiplicação de brotos em relação as outras cultivares, média de 2,26 brotos, seguidas de 2,10 e 1,75 nas cultivares Pacovan ken e Thap maeo, respectivamente

The rise of taxon-specific epitope predictors

Computational predictors of immunogenic peptides, or epitopes, are traditionally built based on data from a broad range of pathogens without consideration for taxonomic information. While this approach may be reasonable if one aims to develop one-size-fits-all models, it may be counterproductive if the proteins for which the model is expected to generalize are known to come from a specific subset of phylogenetically-related pathogens. There is mounting evidence that, for these cases, taxon-specific models can outperform generalist ones, even when trained with substantially smaller amounts of data. In this comment we provide some perspective on the current state of taxon-specific modelling for the prediction of linear B-cell epitopes, and the challenges faced when building and deploying these predictors

Manual but not instrument-assisted cervical manipulation reduces pain and disability in subjects with nonspecific neck pain: double-blinded, randomized clinical trial

There is limited evidence comparing the effects of manual and instrumented-assisted manipulations among adults with neck pain. Our purpose was to determine the effects of a multisession regime of manual and instrument-assisted cervical manipulation on pain, disability, perception of change, and muscle properties in subjects with nonspecific neck pain. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in 32 subjects with nonspecific neck pain. Two groups received three sessions of cervical (C3/C4) manipulation, one group manual and the other instrument-assisted, a third group received three sessions of sham manipulation, and a fourth group served as a control. Self-reported pain, pressure pain thresholds, neck disability, patient perception of change, and properties (tonus, stiffness, and elasticity) of the upper trapezius and biceps brachii were assessed at baseline, immediately after the first session and 15 days after the end of the intervention. After the end of the intervention, the percentage of changes in the visual analogue scale score, Neck Disability Index, and Patient Global Perception of Change score were significantly higher in the manual group in comparison with the other groups (p < 0.05). No between-group differences were observed in the percentage of changes in tonus, stiffness, and elasticity of the four muscles at the end of the intervention. We concluded that three sessions of C3/C4 manual manipulation improved pain and disability in subjects with nonspecific neck pain.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Rubella in Sub-Saharan Africa and sensorineural hearing loss: a case control study

Rubella infection can affect several organs and cause birth defects that are responsible for congenital rubella syndrome (CRS). Congenital hearing loss is the most common symptom of this syndrome, occurring in approximately 60% of CRS cases. Worldwide, over 100 000 babies are born with CRS every year. There is no specific treatment for rubella, but the disease is preventable by vaccination. Since 1969, the rubella vaccine has been implemented in many countries, but in Africa, only a few countries routinely immunize against rubella. The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of infection from the wild-type rubella virus in São Tomé and Príncipe by determining rubella seroprevalence with a DBS method. The goal of this study was to reinforce the need for implementation of the rubella vaccine in this country. As secondary objectives, the validation of a DBS method was first attempted and an association between seroprevalence and hearing loss was assessed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Polymer-induced tubulation in lipid vesicles

A mechanism of extraction of tubular membranes from a lipid vesicle is presented. A concentration gradient of anchoring amphiphilic polymers generates tubes from bud-like vesicle protrusions. We explain this mechanism in the framework of the Canham-Helfrich model. The energy profile is analytically calculated and a tube with a fixed length, corresponding to an energy minimum, is obtained in a certain regime of parameters. Further, using a phase-field model, we corroborate these results numerically. We obtain the growth of tubes when a polymer source is added, and the bud-like shape after removal of the polymer source, in accordance with recent experimental results

Treatment options beyond immunotherapy in patients with wild-type lung adenocarcinoma: a Delphi consensus

Purpose: Immunotherapy-based approaches are standard first-line treatments for advanced/metastatic lung cancer or for chemoradiotherapy consolidation in locally advanced disease. Uncertainty on how to treat patients at disease progression prompted us to develop a consensus document on post-immunotherapy options in Spain for patients with advanced wild-type lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: After extensive literature review, a 5-member scientific committee generated 33 statements in 4 domains: general aspects (n = 4); post-durvalumab in locally advanced disease (n = 6); post-first-line immunotherapy ± chemotherapy in advanced/metastatic disease (n = 11); and post-first-line platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced/metastatic disease (n = 12). A panel of 26 lung cancer experts completed 2 Delphi iterations through an online platform rating their degree of agreement/disagreement (first-round scale 1–5 and second-round scale 1–4, 1 = strongly disagree, 4/5 = strongly agree) for each statement. Second-round consensus: ≥ 70% of responses were in categories 1/2 (disagreement) or 3/4 (agreement). Results: Consensus was reached for 2/33 statements in the first Delphi round and in 29/31 statements in the second round. Important variables informing treatment at disease progression with an immunotherapy-based treatment include: disease aggressiveness, previous treatment, accumulated toxicity, progression-free interval, PD-L1 expression, and tumour mutational burden. A platinum-based chemotherapy should follow a first-line immunotherapy treatment without chemotherapy. Treatment with docetaxel + nintedanib may be appropriate post-durvalumab in refractory patients or following progression to first-line chemotherapy + immunotherapy, or second-line chemotherapy after first-line immunotherapy, or first-line chemotherapy in some patients with low/negative PD-L1 expression, or second-line immunotherapy after first-line chemotherapy. Conclusions: To support decision making following progression to immunotherapy-based treatment in patients with advanced wild-type lung adenocarcinoma, a consensus document has been developed.The project was funded by Boehringer Ingelheim