Effect of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with gait and mobility training on functionality in children with cerebral palsy: study protocol for a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial

Background: The project proposes three innovative intervention techniques (treadmill training, mobility training with virtual reality and transcranial direct current stimulation that can be safely administered to children with cerebral palsy. The combination of transcranial stimulation and physical therapy resources will provide the training of a specific task with multiple rhythmic repetitions of the phases of the gait cycle, providing rich sensory stimuli with a modified excitability threshold of the primary motor cortex to enhance local synaptic efficacy and potentiate motor learning. Methods/design A prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled, analytical, clinical trial will be carried out.Eligible participants will be children with cerebral palsy classified on levels I, II and III of the Gross Motor Function Classification System between four and ten years of age. The participants will be randomly allocated to four groups: 1) gait training on a treadmill with placebo transcranial stimulation; 2) gait training on a treadmill with active transcranial stimulation; 3) mobility training with virtual reality and placebo transcranial stimulation; 4) mobility training with virtual reality and active transcranial stimulation. Transcranial direct current stimulation will be applied with the anodal electrode positioned in the region of the dominant hemisphere over C3, corresponding to the primary motor cortex, and the cathode positioned in the supraorbital region contralateral to the anode. A 1 mA current will be applied for 20 minutes. Treadmill training and mobility training with virtual reality will be performed in 30-minute sessions five times a week for two weeks (total of 10 sessions). Evaluations will be performed on four occasions: one week prior to the intervention; one week following the intervention; one month after the end of the intervention;and 3 months after the end of the intervention. The evaluations will involve three-dimensional gait analysis, analysis of cortex excitability (motor threshold and motor evoked potential), Six-Minute Walk Test, Timed Up-and-Go Test, Pediatric Evaluation Disability Inventory, Gross Motor Function Measure, Berg Balance Scale, stabilometry, maximum respiratory pressure and an effort test. Discussion This paper offers a detailed description of a prospective, double-blind, randomized, controlled, analytical, clinical trial aimed at demonstrating the effect combining transcranial stimulation with treadmill and mobility training on functionality and primary cortex excitability in children with Cerebral Palsy classified on Gross Motor Function Classification System levels I, II and III. The results will be published and will contribute to evidence regarding the use of treadmill training on this population. Trial registration ReBEC RBR-9B5DH

Oxidative stress in blood plasma in persons who are submitted to cold water immersion after acute physical exercise

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a influência da crioimersão corporal (CIC) imediata ao esforço físico agudo no estresse oxidativo (EOx) no plasma sanguíneo. Participaram do presente estudo 12 homens, com idade média de 22±1 anos, submetidos ao teste de esforço físico intenso em esteira, seguido de CIC em um tanque com água a 10ºC durante 10 minutos contínuos. Do repouso ao final da CIC, os indivíduos foram monitorados através de alguns parâmetros como: o índice de percepção subjetiva do esforço (IPE) expresso conforme escala de Borg, frequência cardíaca (FC), pressão arterial (PA) e temperatura corporal (TC) através da temperatura timpânica. A análise morfológica do EOx plasmático foi realizada de acordo com o método denominado Morfologia Óptica do Estresse Oxidativo no Plasma (MEOP), utilizando-se gotas de sangue capilar. Observou-se uma significativa elevação (p<0,01) no grau do estresse oxidativo plasmático após a realização do esforço físico, em relação ao respectivo grau em repouso. Porém, esta elevação no grau do EOx foi significativamente reduzida (p<0,001) em função da CIC. Embora sejam necessários mais estudos científicos com o MEOP, concluiu-se que, para o presente estudo, este teste mostrou-se viável. Os dados encontrados no presente estudo sugerem que a CIC em água a 10ºC por 10 minutos imediatos ao esforço físico agudo com intensidade alta, apresenta-se como uma importante conduta fisioterapêutica para a normalização do EOx pós-esforço

The use of resorcine adhesive in repairing osteochondral's defect in knees of rabbits O uso do adesivo de resorcina na reparação de defeito osteocondral em joelhos de coelhos

PURPOSE: To study the morphology of the articulation of the knee of rabbits after the repairing of the defect osteochondral standardized with resorcina adhesive or metallic synthesis. METHODS: The procedure was to the creation of the defect osteochondral in femoral medial condylus of the knee of 80 rabbits, The animals were distributed in two groups with continuations of 7 and 42 days and submitted to the technique G (resection and retreat of the fragment osteochondral of the femoral medial condylus and relocation with resorcina adhesive), technique S (resection and retreat of the fragment osteochondral of the femoral medial condylus and relocation and metallic synthesis) or technique C (resection and retreat of the fragment osteochondral of the femoral medial condylus, leaving the empty standard defect the control). It was Made clinical study, radiographic, macroscopic and histological in two groups. RESULTS: the resorcina adhesive provokes: necrosis of the fragment osteochondral in 100% and 95%, degeneration 90% and 100%, free body in 80% and 65% respectively in the group I and II; compared with the metallic synthesis that it presented: necrosis in 25% and 35%, degeneration 25% and 35%, free body in 35% and 10% respectively in the group I and II. CONCLUSION: the resorcinol adhesive, related with the necrosis, cartilaginous degeneration and detachment of the fragment osteochondral lives frequently that the metallic synthesis.<br>OBJETIVO: Estudar a morfologia da articulação do joelho de coelhos após a reparação de um defeito osteocondral padronizado com adesivo de resorcina ou síntese metálica. MÉTODOS: Procedeu-se à criação de um defeito osteocondral em côndilo femoral medial do joelho de 80 coelhos. Os animais foram distribuídos em dois grupos com seguimentos de 7 e 42 dias e submetidos à técnica G (ressecção e retirada do fragmento osteocondral do côndilo femoral medial e recolocação com adesivo de resorcina), técnica S (ressecção e retirada do fragmento osteocondral do côndilo femoral medial e recolocação e síntese metálica) ou técnica C (ressecção e retirada do fragmento osteocondral do côndilo femoral medial, deixando o defeito padrão vazio como controle). Fez-se estudo clínico, radiográfico, macroscópico e histológico nos dois grupos. RESULTADOS: o adesivo de resorcina provoca: necrose do fragmento osteocondral em 100% e 95%, degeneração 90% e 100%, corpo livre em 80% e 65% respectivamente no grupo I e II; comparado com a síntese metálica que apresentou: necrose em 25% e 35%, degeneração 25% e 35%, corpo livre em 35% e 10% respectivamente no grupo I e II. CONCLUSÃO: o adesivo de resorcina, está relacionado com a necrose, degeneração cartilaginosa e despreendimento do fragmento osteocondral com maior freqüência que a síntese metálica

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data

NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES: a data set on carnivore distribution in the Neotropics

Mammalian carnivores are considered a key group in maintaining ecological health and can indicate potential ecological integrity in landscapes where they occur. Carnivores also hold high conservation value and their habitat requirements can guide management and conservation plans. The order Carnivora has 84 species from 8 families in the Neotropical region: Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Otariidae; Phocidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae. Herein, we include published and unpublished data on native terrestrial Neotropical carnivores (Canidae; Felidae; Mephitidae; Mustelidae; Procyonidae; and Ursidae). NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES is a publicly available data set that includes 99,605 data entries from 35,511 unique georeferenced coordinates. Detection/non-detection and quantitative data were obtained from 1818 to 2018 by researchers, governmental agencies, non-governmental organizations, and private consultants. Data were collected using several methods including camera trapping, museum collections, roadkill, line transect, and opportunistic records. Literature (peer-reviewed and grey literature) from Portuguese, Spanish and English were incorporated in this compilation. Most of the data set consists of detection data entries (n = 79,343; 79.7%) but also includes non-detection data (n = 20,262; 20.3%). Of those, 43.3% also include count data (n = 43,151). The information available in NEOTROPICAL CARNIVORES will contribute to macroecological, ecological, and conservation questions in multiple spatio-temporal perspectives. As carnivores play key roles in trophic interactions, a better understanding of their distribution and habitat requirements are essential to establish conservation management plans and safeguard the future ecological health of Neotropical ecosystems. Our data paper, combined with other large-scale data sets, has great potential to clarify species distribution and related ecological processes within the Neotropics. There are no copyright restrictions and no restriction for using data from this data paper, as long as the data paper is cited as the source of the information used. We also request that users inform us of how they intend to use the data