Validity and reliability of a light-based electronic target for testing response time in fencers

Response time is a fencing fundamental sensorimotor skill. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to examine the efficacy of a light-based electronic target in fencers, designed to measure and train this entity. Ninety-five fencers (M=53; F=42) were tested in regard to their response time, using a light-based electronic target, for three different attack types: simple attack, the lunge, and an attack following a 1.5-m thrust. All participants were divided into elite vs. novice fencers. Elite fencers had national and international rankings, and were again divided with regard to used weapon: épéeists (n=32; M=19; F=13) and foilists (n=30; M=13; F=17). Measurement was evaluated for validity/reliability, sensitivity/specificity, and correlation. Reliability was high for all attack types (ICC 0.94-0.96). Lower response times were found in males for two attack types with good sensitivity (81-93%)/specificity (50-91%) for all attack types. Elite fencers responded faster than novice fencers for all attack types (P<0.001), whereas elite males were faster than females for two attack types (P<0.01). Lower response times in females correlated with level for one attack type (r=0.797, P<0.05). In conclusion, the light-based electronic target system was found to be highly reliable and therefore could be used by fencing athletes as a further measure of performance

Early botulinum toxin type a injection for post-stroke spasticity: A longitudinal cohort study

Early management of spasticity may improve stroke outcome. Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is recommended treatment for post-stroke spasticity (PSS). However, it is usually administered in the chronic phase of stroke. Our aim was to determine whether the length of time between stroke onset and initial BoNT-A injection has an effect on outcomes after PSS treatment. This multicenter, longitudinal, cohort study included stroke patients (time since onset 90 days, the MAS were higher at 4 and 12 weeks than at 24 weeks compared to those injected ≤90 days since stroke. Our findings suggest that BoNT-A treatment for PSS should be initiated within 3 months after stroke onset in order to obtain a greater reduction in muscle tone at 1 and 3 months afterwards

ROLE OF EARLY BOTULINUM TOXIN TYPE A INJECTION IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH POSTSTROKE SPASTICITY: PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) has proven to be safe and effective in the treatment of poststroke spasticity (PSS).1 To date, there is encouraging evidence regarding BoNT-A as an early intervention for PSS.2 However, its use remains outside usual daily practice. Thus, the aim of this observational multicenter study was to evaluate the role of early BoNT-A injection in the management of PSS in adults. Methods: Inclusion criteria: muscle tone !1+ and &lt;4 on the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) at the affected limbs, time from stroke &lt;12 months, and no previous BoNT-A treatment. Baseline assessment was made at the injection visit. BoNT-A dose was adjusted per targeted muscle, depending on the level of spasticity and the clinical presentation. The MAS (primary outcome), Motricity Index, Fugl-Meyer assessment, and Modified Rankin Scale scores were evaluated at 4 (T1), 12 (T2), and 24 (T3) weeks after BoNT-A injection. Results: Between June 2015 and August 2018, 84 patients were recruited. Here we present preliminary analysis involving 59 patients (22 females, 37 males; mean age, 64.9 years) with PSS (mean time from onset, 127.8 days). Thirty-three patients were injected with abobotulinumtoxinA, 15 patients were injected with onabotulinumtoxinA and 11 patients were injected with incobotulinumtoxinA. For the primary outcome, we found that time between stroke onset and BoNT-A injection was directly associated (Spearman correlation) with the MAS score of the following muscles: elbow flexors at T1 (P1\u204440.046) and T2 (P1\u204440.020); forearm pronators at T2 (P1\u204440.021) and T3 (P1\u204440.031); wrist flexors at T1 (P1\u204440.019) and T2 (P1\u204440.043); finger flexors at T1 (P1\u204440.001) and T2 (P1\u204440.003); thumb flexors at T1 (P1\u204440.017); and ankle plantar flexors at T1 (P1\u204440.020) and T2 (P1\u204440.020). Conclusions: Our preliminary results support the hypothesis that early treatment of PSS with BoNT-A may lead to lower levels of muscle hyper- tonia up to 1, 3, and 6 months after injection

Adenovirus protein VII binds the A-box of HMGB1 to repress interferon responses.

Viruses hijack host proteins to promote infection and dampen host defenses. Adenovirus encodes the multifunctional protein VII that serves both to compact viral genomes inside the virion and disrupt host chromatin. Protein VII binds the abundant nuclear protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and sequesters HMGB1 in chromatin. HMGB1 is an abundant host nuclear protein that can also be released from infected cells as an alarmin to amplify inflammatory responses. By sequestering HMGB1, protein VII prevents its release, thus inhibiting downstream inflammatory signaling. However, the consequences of this chromatin sequestration on host transcription are unknown. Here, we employ bacterial two-hybrid interaction assays and human cell culture to interrogate the mechanism of the protein VII-HMGB1 interaction. HMGB1 contains two DNA binding domains, the A- and B-boxes, that bend DNA to promote transcription factor binding while the C-terminal tail regulates this interaction. We demonstrate that protein VII interacts directly with the A-box of HMGB1, an interaction that is inhibited by the HMGB1 C-terminal tail. By cellular fractionation, we show that protein VII renders A-box containing constructs insoluble, thereby acting to prevent their release from cells. This sequestration is not dependent on HMGB1's ability to bind DNA but does require post-translational modifications on protein VII. Importantly, we demonstrate that protein VII inhibits expression of interferon β, in an HMGB1-dependent manner, but does not affect transcription of downstream interferon-stimulated genes. Together, our results demonstrate that protein VII specifically harnesses HMGB1 through its A-box domain to depress the innate immune response and promote infection

Development and rasch validation of an observational assessment tool of upper limb functional impairment in stroke survivors. Functional assessment test for upper limb

Objective: To develop and validate a quick observational clinical tool, the Functional ASsessment Test for Upper Limb (FAST-UL), for the evaluation of upper limb impairment in goal-directed functional-oriented motor tasks after stroke. Design: Observational, cross-sectional, psychometric study. Setting: Inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation clinic. Participants: A total of 188 post-stroke survivors (mean age 65.2±17.7 years, 61% men, 48% with ischemic stroke and 66% in the sub-acute phase; N=188). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Principal component analysis and Rasch analysis through a Partial Credit Model were used to assess the structure and psychometric properties of the 5 items of the FAST-UL (Hand to Mouth [HtM], Reach to Target, Prono-Supination, Grasp and Release, and Pinch and Release [PaR]). Results: The Cronbach's α equal to 0.96 was indicative of an acceptable internal consistency; the reliability, as measured through the Person Separation Reliability equal to 0.87, was good. The FAST-UL tool was unidimensional. All the FAST-UL items were found to fit well the Rasch measurement model. The easiest to perform FAST-UL item was the HtM movement while the most difficult was the PaR movement. Conclusions: The FAST-UL is a quick, easy-to-administer observational assessment tool of upper limb motor impairment in post-stroke survivors with good item-level psychometric properties

Clinical efficacy of botulinum toxin type A in patients with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis: An observational longitudinal study

Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is the treatment of choice for focal spasticity, with a concomitant effect on pain reduction and improvement of quality of life (QoL). Current evidence of its efficacy is based mainly on post stroke spasticity. This study aims to clarify the role of BoNT-A in the context of non-stroke spasticity (NSS). We enrolled 86 patients affected by multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and traumatic brain injury with clinical indication to perform BoNT-A treatment. Subjects were evaluated before injection and after 1, 3, and 6 months. At every visit, spasticity severity using the modified Ashworth scale, pain using the numeric rating scale, QoL using the Euro Qol Group EQ-5D-5L, and the perceived treatment effect using the Global Assessment of Efficacy scale were recorded. In our population BoNT-A demonstrated to have a significant effect in improving all the outcome variables, with different effect persistence over time in relation to the diagnosis and the number of treated sites. Our results support BoNT-A as a modifier of the disability condition and suggest its implementation in the treatment of NSS, delivering a possible starting point to generate diagnosis-specific follow-up programs. Clinical trial identifier: NCT04673240

Lipid Corona Formation from Nanoparticle Interactions with Bilayers and Membrane-Specific Biological Outcomes

While mixing nanoparticles with certain biological molecules can result in coronas that afford some control over how engineered nanomaterials interact with living systems, corona formation mechanisms remain enigmatic. Here, we report spontaneous lipid corona formation, i.e. without active mixing, upon attachment to stationary lipid bilayer model membranes and bacterial cell envelopes, and present ribosome-specific outcomes for multi-cellular organisms. Experiments show that polycation-wrapped particles disrupt the tails of zwitterionic lipids, increase bilayer fluidity, and leave the membrane with reduced ζ-potentials. Computer simulations show contact ion pairing between the lipid headgroups and the polycations’ ammonium groups leads to the formation of stable, albeit fragmented, lipid bilayer coronas, while microscopy shows fragmented bilayers around nanoparticles after interacting with Shewanella oneidensis. Our mechanistic insight can be used to improve control over nano-bio interactions and to help understand why some nanomaterial/ligand combinations are detrimental to organisms, like Daphnia magna, while others are not. </a