Search Results (1,628)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of simultaneously combining therapeutic scapular retraction exercise with and without Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) in amateur female handball players with scapular dyskinesis. Methods: In a randomized, single-blind, controlled trial, the sample (n = 34) was randomized into two groups (Group 1 (n = 17) and Group 2 (n = 17)). The intervention consisted of applying a supervised scapular retraction exercise (SRE) program alone or combined with NMES for 4 weeks (2 ss/week). Scapular Static Positioning Assessment parameters (upper and lower horizontal distance of the scapula from the spine (mm)), internal rotation range of motion (degrees), and external rotation strength (newtons and BW%) were measured. Results: A significant interaction was found to favor the group that received the supervised SRE program + NMES (Group 1) in upper horizontal distance (F_1,30 = 30.93 [p < 0.000]; d = 0.65); lower horizontal distance (F_1,30 = 12.79 [p = 0.001]; d = 0.72); ER Strength (N) (F_1,30 = 19.58 [p < 0.000] d = 0.71); and ER Strength (BW%) (F_1,30 = 16.84 [p < 0.000]) d = 0.69), which was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001 for p < 0.05). In the analysis for treatment benefit, the number needed to treat (NNT) was 2 for upper scapular positioning and 4 for external rotation strength. Conclusions: NMES improves the Scapular Static Positioning and ER Strength when combined with an SRE program in amateur female handball players diagnosed with scapular dyskinesis, with clinically relevant effects. These findings, while promising, are based on a small sample and should be confirmed in larger studies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Adolescence is a critical period for the early detection of metabolic syndrome (MetS), a condition that increases the risk of cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood. Timely identification of at-risk adolescents enables targeted prevention strategies. This study aimed to analyze the discriminative capacity and accuracy of six biochemical and/or anthropometric indices related to lipid metabolism and adiposity for the early detection of MetS in a sample of Spanish adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out according to the STROBE guidelines. A sample of 981 adolescents aged 11–16 years old were randomly recruited from schools in Southeastern Spain. The presence or absence of MetS was determined according to the International Diabetes Federation criteria. The following biochemical and/or anthropometric indices were evaluated: triglyceride glucose index, visceral adiposity index, logarithm children’s lipid accumulation product, triglyceride glucose-body mass index, triglyceride glucose-waist circumference, and triglyceride glucose-waist-to-hip ratio. Results: The triglyceride glucose-waist-to-hip ratio and triglyceride glucose-body mass index parameters were the strongest indicators associated with MetS in boys and girls, respectively, after adjusting for several factors. Moreover, all evaluated indices showed optimal AUC values, with the visceral adiposity index and triglyceride glucose-waist circumference index exhibiting the highest discriminative capacity in both genders. Conclusions: The evaluated biochemical and anthropometric indices—particularly visceral adiposity index and triglyceride-glucose-waist circumference—show promise as accessible biomarkers for identifying adolescents at metabolic risk. These indices may serve as practical tools in preventive health strategies aimed at improving metabolic health by screening adolescents at risk of MetS, thereby helping to reduce the future burden of non-communicable diseases. Full article

Botrytis cinerea is a highly versatile pathogenic fungus, causing significant damage across a wide range of plant species. A central focus of this review is the recent advances made through proteomics, an advanced molecular tool, in understanding the mechanisms of B. cinerea infection. Recent advances in mass spectrometry-based proteomics—including LC-MS/MS, iTRAQ, MALDI-TOF, and surface shaving—have enabled the in-depth characterization of B. cinerea subproteomes such as the secretome, surfactome, phosphoproteome, and extracellular vesicles, revealing condition-specific pathogenic mechanisms. Notably, in under a decade, the proportion of predicted proteins experimentally identified has increased from 10% to 52%, reflecting the rapid progress in proteomic capabilities. We explore how proteomic studies have significantly enhanced our knowledge of the fungus secretome and the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which play key roles in pathogenesis, by identifying secreted proteins—such as pH-responsive elements—that may serve as biomarkers and therapeutic targets. These technologies have also uncovered fine regulatory mechanisms across multiple levels of the fungal proteome, including post-translational modifications (PTMs), the phosphomembranome, and the surfactome, providing a more integrated view of its infection strategy. Moreover, proteomic approaches have contributed to a better understanding of host–pathogen interactions, including aspects of the plant’s defensive responses. Furthermore, this review discusses how proteomic data have helped to identify metabolic pathways affected by novel, more environmentally friendly antifungal compounds. A further update on the advances achieved in the field of proteomics discovery for the organism under consideration is provided in this paper, along with a perspective on emerging tools and future developments expected to accelerate research and improve targeted intervention strategies. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is not only the third most common cancer worldwide, with 1.1 million new cases per year; it is also the second leading cause of cancer death. However, mortality has decreased since 2012 due to early detection programs and better therapeutic approaches. While many patients are diagnosed at an early stage, there is up to 50% relapse after optimal initial treatment. Therefore, it is crucial to explore the mechanism underlying the development of recurrences and metastasis. It is known that tumors release dormant cells that escape chemotherapy and nest in a target organ without proliferating. Under certain circumstances that are not yet entirely clear, they can be activated and metastasize. Therefore, the objective of this work is to explore the detailed mechanisms of dormancy, including early detection of recurrence and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of CRC. The specific objectives are to determine biomarkers that may be useful in identifying dormant cells to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) after surgery and predicting disease progression, as well as evaluating biomarkers that are susceptible to therapeutic intervention. Full article

Background: Angiosarcomas (ASs) represent a heterogeneous and highly aggressive subset of tumors that respond poorly to systemic treatments and are associated with short progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The aim of this study was to develop and validate an immune-related prognostic model—termed the AS score—using data from two independent sarcoma cohorts. Methods: A prognostic model was developed using a previously characterized cohort of 25 angiosarcoma samples. Candidate genes were identified via the Maxstat algorithm (Maxstat v0.7-25 for R), combined with log-rank testing. The AS score was then computed by weighing normalized gene expression levels according to Cox regression coefficients. For external validation, transcriptomic data from TCGA Sarcoma cohort (n = 253) were analyzed. The Immunoscore—which reflects the tumor immune microenvironment—was inferred using the ESTIMATE package (v1.0.13) in R. All statistical analyses were performed in RStudio (v 4.0.3). Results: Four genes—IGF1R, MAP2K1, SERPINE1, and TCF12—were ultimately selected to construct the prognostic model. The resulting AS score enabled the classification of angiosarcoma cases into two prognostically distinct groups (p = 0.00012). Cases with high AS score values, which included both cutaneous and non-cutaneous forms, exhibited significantly poorer outcomes, whereas cases with low AS scores were predominantly cutaneous. A significant association was observed between the AS score and the Immunoscore (p = 0.025), with higher Immunoscore values found in high-AS score tumors. Validation using TCGA sarcoma cohort confirmed the prognostic value of both the AS score (p = 0.0066) and the Immunoscore (p = 0.0029), with a strong correlation between their continuous values (p = 2.9 × 10⁻⁸). Further survival analysis, integrating categorized scores into four groups, demonstrated robust prognostic significance (p = 0.00021). Notably, in tumors with a low Immunoscore, AS score stratification was not prognostic. In contrast, among cases with a high Immunoscore, the AS score effectively distinguished outcomes (p < 0.0001), identifying a subgroup with poor prognosis but potential sensitivity to immunotherapy. Conclusions: This combined classification using the AS score and Immunoscore has prognostic relevance in sarcoma, suggesting that angiosarcomas with an immunologically active microenvironment (high Immunoscore) and poor prognosis (high AS score) may be prime candidates for immunotherapy and this approach warrants prospective validation. Full article

The thermo-chemical treatment of dental implants leads to the formation of sodium titanate crystals on their surface. When in contact with blood, these crystals dissolve and trigger an ionic exchange cascade, resulting in the formation of a calcium apatite layer. This study, carried out both in vitro and in an animal model, aimed to determine whether the cooling rate of the treatment affects the size of the deposited crystals, and whether this in turn influences wettability and early bone-to-implant contact (BIC). A total of 50 dental implants and 50 titanium discs were treated using four different cooling rates, along with a control group. Crystal size was analyzed on implant surfaces using scanning electron microscopy, and wettability was assessed on titanium discs using a goniometer. Finally, the implants were placed in the tibiae of 13 rabbits, and histological analysis was performed after three weeks to compare BIC among groups. Results suggest that a cooling rate of 75 °C/h produces smaller sodium titanate crystals, which are associated with significantly improved surface wettability and a higher percentage of bone-to-implant contact after 3 weeks of healing (p < 0.05). Full article

Carbapenem resistance is considered one of the greatest current threats to public health, particularly in the management of infections in clinical settings. Carbapenem resistance in bacteria is mainly due to mechanisms such as the production of carbapenemases (such as the imipenemase IMP, or other enzymes like VIM, NDM, and KPC), that can be detected by several laboratory tests, including immunochromatography and automated real-time PCR (qPCR). Methods: As part of local studies to monitor carbapenem-resistant bacteria in Costa Rica, two cases were initially identified with inconsistent IMP detection results. A possible gene drop-out in the automated qPCR test was suggested based on the negative result, contrasting with the positive result by immunochromatography and whole-genome sequencing. We hypothesized that molecular testing could be optimized through the development of tailored assays to improve the detection of IMP genes. Thus, using IMP gene sequences from the local isolates and regional sequences in databases, primers were redesigned to extend the detection of IMP alleles of regional relevance. Results: The tailored qPCR was applied to a local collection of 119 carbapenem-resistant isolates. The genomes of all 14 positive cases were sequenced, verifying the results of the custom qPCR, despite the negative results of the automated testing. Conclusions: Guided by whole-genome sequencing, it was possible to extend the molecular detection of IMP alleles circulating in Latin America using a tailored qPCR to overcome IMP gene drop-out and false-negative results in an automated qPCR. Full article

Orthognathic surgery (OS) is a complex procedure commonly used to treat dentofacial deformities (DFDs). These conditions, related to jaw position or size and often involving malocclusion, affect approximately 15% of the population. Due to the complexity of OS, accurate planning is essential. Digital assessment using computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) tools enhances surgical predictability. However, limitations in soft tissue simulation often require surgeon input to optimize aesthetic results and minimize surgical impact. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of virtual surgery planning (VSP) by analyzing the relationship between planning deviations and surgical satisfaction. A single-center, retrospective study was conducted on 16 patients who underwent OS at San Pedro University Hospital of La Rioja. VSP was based on CT scans using Dolphin Imaging software (v12.0, Patterson Dental, St. Paul, MN, USA) and surgeries were guided by VSP-designed occlusal splints. Outcomes were assessed using the Orthognathic Quality of Life (OQOL) questionnaire and deviations were measured through pre- and postoperative imaging. The results showed high satisfaction scores and good overall outcomes, despite moderate deviations from the virtual plan in many cases, particularly among Class II patients. A total of 63% of patients required VSP modifications due to poor soft tissue fitting, with 72% of these being Class II DFDs. Most deviations involved less maxillary advancement than planned, while maintaining optimal occlusion. This suggests that VSP may overestimate advancement needs, especially in Class II cases. No significant differences in satisfaction were observed between patients with low (<2 mm) and high (>2 mm) deviations. These findings support the use of VSP as a valuable planning tool for OS. However, surgeon experience remains essential, especially in managing soft tissue behavior. Improvements in soft tissue prediction are needed to enhance accuracy, particularly for Class II DFDs. Full article

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rapidly progressive and fulminant disease that affects the central nervous system caused by the free-living amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins is considered as one of the key steps in the success of the infection and could represent an interesting target to be explored in the prevention and treatment of the disease. In this work, the effect of two sesquiterpenes with proven anti-Naegleria activity on the adhesion of the parasite was evaluated using an in vitro ECM-based model, compared with the reference drugs amphotericin B and staurosporine. Both laurinterol and (+)-elatol inhibited the adhesion of the N. fowleri trophozoites to the main proteins of the ECM when treating them at different concentrations and exposure times. This work not only reinforces the therapeutic potential of laurinterol and (+)-elatol against N. fowleri infection but also introduces the application of ECM-based adhesion assays as a novel and valuable tool for screening candidate compounds that disrupt host–pathogen interactions critical to PAM pathogenesis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare autoimmune peripheral neuropathy that affects both the myelin sheaths and axons of the peripheral nervous system. It is the leading cause of acute neuromuscular paralysis worldwide, with an annual incidence of less than two cases per 100,000 people. Although most patients recover, a small proportion do not regain mobility and even remain dependent on mechanical ventilation. In this study, we refer to the analysis of samples collected from GBS patients at different defined time points during hospital recovery and performed by a medical or research group. Methods: The conditions for whole blood collection, peripheral blood mononuclear cell isolation, and serum collection from GBS patients and volunteer donors are explained. Aliquots of these human samples have been used for red blood cell phenotyping, transcriptomic and proteomic analyses, and serum biochemical parameter studies. Results: The initial sporadic preservation of human samples from GBS patients and control volunteers enabled the creation of a biobank collection for current and future studies related to the diagnosis and treatment of GBS. Conclusions: In this article, we describe the laboratory procedures and the integration of a GBS biobank collection, local medical services, and academic institutions collaborating in its respective field. The report establishes the intra-disciplinary and inter-institutional network to conduct long-term longitudinal studies on GBS. Full article

The rise in online communication platforms has significantly increased exposure to harmful discourse, presenting ongoing challenges for digital moderation and user well-being. This paper introduces the EsCorpiusBias corpus, designed to enhance the automated detection of sexism and racism within Spanish-language online dialogue, specifically sourced from the Mediavida forum. By means of a systematic, context-sensitive annotation protocol, approximately 1000 three-turn dialogue units per bias category are annotated, ensuring the nuanced recognition of pragmatic and conversational subtleties. Here, annotation guidelines are meticulously developed, covering explicit and implicit manifestations of sexism and racism. Annotations are performed using the Prodigy tool (v1. 16.0) resulting in moderate to substantial inter-annotator agreement (Cohen’s Kappa: 0.55 for sexism and 0.79 for racism). Models including logistic regression, SpaCy’s baseline n-gram bag-of-words model, and transformer-based BETO are trained and evaluated, demonstrating that contextualized transformer-based approaches significantly outperform baseline and general-purpose models. Notably, the single-turn BETO model achieves an ROC-AUC of 0.94 for racism detection, while the contextual BETO model reaches an ROC-AUC of 0.87 for sexism detection, highlighting BETO’s superior effectiveness in capturing nuanced bias in online dialogues. Additionally, lexical overlap analyses indicate a strong reliance on explicit lexical indicators, highlighting limitations in handling implicit biases. This research underscores the importance of contextually grounded, domain-specific fine-tuning for effective automated detection of toxicity, providing robust resources and methodologies to foster socially responsible NLP systems within Spanish-speaking online communities. Full article

Objectives: Pelvic tumor resections demand high surgical precision to ensure clear margins while preserving function. Although patient-specific instruments (PSIs) improve osteotomy accuracy, positioning errors remain a limitation. This study evaluates the feasibility, accuracy, and usability of a novel dual-function augmented reality (AR) system for intraoperative guidance in PSI positioning and osteotomy execution using a head-mounted display (HMD). The system provides dual-function support by assisting both PSI placement and osteotomy execution. Methods: Ten fresh-frozen cadaveric hemipelves underwent AR-assisted internal hemipelvectomy, using customized 3D-printed PSIs and a new in-house AR software integrated into an HMD. Angular and translational deviations between planned and executed osteotomies were measured using postoperative CT analysis. Absolute angular errors were computed from plane normals; translational deviation was assessed as maximum error at the osteotomy corner point in both sagittal (pitch) and coronal (roll) planes. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Bland–Altman plots were used to assess intra-workflow cumulative error. Results: The mean absolute angular deviation was 5.11 ± 1.43°, with 86.66% of osteotomies within acceptable thresholds. Maximum pitch and roll deviations were 4.53 ± 1.32 mm and 2.79 ± 0.72 mm, respectively, with 93.33% and 100% of osteotomies meeting translational accuracy criteria. Wilcoxon analysis showed significantly lower angular error when comparing final executed planes to intermediate AR-displayed planes (p < 0.05), supporting improved PSI positioning accuracy with AR guidance. Surgeons rated the system highly (mean satisfaction ≥ 4.0) for usability and clinical utility. Conclusions: This cadaveric study confirms the feasibility and precision of an HMD-based AR system for PSI-guided pelvic osteotomies. The system demonstrated strong accuracy and high surgeon acceptance, highlighting its potential for clinical adoption in complex oncologic procedures. Full article

Background/Objectives: The composition of the thrombus is not taken into account in the etiology determination of patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS); however, it varies depending on the origin of the thrombus, as atherothrombotic thrombi contain more red blood cells and cardioembolic thrombi contain more fibrin and platelets. Radiomics has the potential to provide quantitative imaging data that may vary depending on the composition of thrombi. The aim of this study is to predict cardioembolic and atherothrombotic thrombi using radiomic features (RFs) from non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) brain scans. Methods: A total of 845 RFs were extracted from each of the 41 patients included in the study. A predictive model was used to classify patients as either cardioembolic or atherothrombotic, and the results were compared with the TOAST criteria-based classification. Results: Ten RFs (one shape feature and nine texture features) were found to demonstrate a statistically significant correlation with cardioembolic or atherothrombotic origins. The predictive radiomics model achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.842 and an accuracy of 0.902 (p < 0.001) in classifying stroke etiology. Conclusions: Radiomics based on NCCT can help to determine the etiology of AIS. Full article

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), indoor air quality (IAQ) is becoming a serious global concern due to its significant impact on human health. However, not all relevant health parameters are currently regulated. For example, particle number concentration (PNC) and its associated carbonaceous species, such as black carbon (BC), which are classified as carcinogenic by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), are not currently regulated. Compared with IAQ studies in other types of buildings, studies focusing on IAQ in hospitals or other healthcare facilities are scarce. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the impact of these outdoor pollutants, among others, on the indoor environment of a hospital under different atmospheric conditions. To identify the seasonal influence, two different periods of two consecutive seasons (summer 2020 and winter 2021) were selected for the measurements. Regulated pollutants (NO, NO₂, O₃, PM₁₀, and PM_2.5) and nonregulated pollutants (PM₁, PNC, and equivalent BC (eBC)) in outdoor air were simultaneously measured indoor and outdoor. This study also investigated the impact of indoor activities on indoor air quality. In the absence of indoor activities, outdoor sources significantly contribute to indoor traffic-related pollutants. Indoor and outdoor (I-O) measurements showed similar behavior, but indoor concentrations were lower, with peak levels delayed by up to two hours. Seasonal variations in indoor/outdoor ($\mathrm{I}/\mathrm{O}$) ratios were lower for particles than for associated gaseous pollutants. Particle infiltration depended on particle size, with it being higher the smaller the particle size. Indoor activities also significantly affected indoor pollutants. PM_x (especially PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) concentrations were mainly modulated by walking-induced particle resuspension. Vertical eBC profiles indicated a relatively well-mixed environment. Ventilation through open windows rapidly altered indoor air quality. Outdoor-dominant pollutants (PNC, eBC, and NO_X) had $\mathrm{I}/\mathrm{O}$ ratios ≥ 1. Staying in the room with an open window had a synergistic effect, increasing the $\mathrm{I}/\mathrm{O}$ ratios for all pollutants. Higher I/O ratios were associated with turbulent outdoor conditions in both unoccupied and occupied conditions. Statistically significant differences were observed between stable (TKE ≤ 1 m² s⁻²) and unstable (TKE > 1 m² s⁻²) conditions, except for NO₂ in summer. This finding was particularly significant when the wind direction was westerly or easterly during unstable conditions. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the behavior of indoor particulate matter and related pollutants. These pollutants are highly variable, and knowledge about them is crucial for determining their health effects, particularly in public buildings such as hospitals, where information on IAQ is often limited. More measurement data is particularly important for further research into I-O transport mechanisms, which are essential for developing preventive measures and improving IAQ. Full article

Background/Objectives: Asprosin is the endogenous ligand of the olfactory Olfr734 receptor linked to MASLD and glucose metabolism. Despite the involvement of asprosin in these processes, little has been published on the specific role of Olfr734 in liver function. The aim of this work is therefore to study the specific role of the olfactory Olfr734 receptor in MASLD and glucose metabolism. Methods: To achieve this objective, we performed a genetic inhibition specifically to inhibit Olfr734 in the livers of male mice. We then studied the progression of MASLD in DIO mice. In addition, we studied the glucose metabolism in hypoglycemia states and postprandial glucose production in standard diet-fed mice. Finally, analyses of liver biopsies from patients with obesity and with or without T2DM were conducted. Results: We found that hepatic Olfr734 levels vary according to changes in nutritional status and its knockdown effect in the liver is to increase the hepatic lipid content in DIO mice. Our results also showed that OLFR734 expression is involved in the adaptive response in terms of glucose production to nutrient availability. Finally, the hepatic human Olfr734 ortholog named OR4M1 has been observed to be at significantly higher levels in male patients with T2DM. Conclusions: This study increases understanding of the mechanisms by which the modulation of Olfr734 expression affects liver function. Full article