Wearable near-infrared spectroscopy: reliability and sensitivity among different endurance cycling exercise intensities

The present study investigated the reliability and sensitivity of a wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (wNIRS) device in moderate and heavy exercise intensity domains. On three separate days, eleven males performed an incremental test to exhaustion, and in the following visits, four submaximal constant-load bouts (i.e., test and retest) were performed in the moderate-intensity domain (100 and 130 W) and heavy-intensity domain (160 and 190 W). The local tissue oxygen saturation index (SmO2) and pulmonary oxygen uptake (V̇O2) were measured continuously. The absolute SmO2 and V̇O2 values and the change (Δ) from the 3rd to 6th min of exercise were calculated. There was good reliability for SmO2 measurements, as indicated by the high intraclass correlation coefficient analysis (ICC ≥0.84 for all) and low coefficient of variation between the two trials (CV ≤4.1% for all). Steady-state responses were observed for SmO2 and V̇O2 from the 3rd to the 6th min in the two moderate-intensity bouts (P>0.05), whereas SmO2 decreased and V̇O2 increased from the 3rd to the 6th min in the two heavy-intensity bouts (P<0.05). Together, these findings suggested that the SmO2 measured with a wNIRS device is reliable and sensitive to track local metabolic changes provoked by slight increments in exercise intensity.

Correlation analysis between peripheral blood dendritic cell subsets and PD-1 in patients with peritoneal adenocarcinoma

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore the association between differential percentages of dendritic cell (DC) subsets in peripheral blood and malignancy (grade and lymph node metastasis) of peritoneal adenocarcinoma patients and the frequencies of dendritic cell subsets in the normal controls. The peripheral blood of 30 patients with peritoneal adenocarcinoma and 12 healthy controls were collected for multicolor flow cytometry analysis. Peritoneal adenocarcinoma patients were grouped according to the malignant degree (grade and lymph node metastasis). Percentages of myeloid DCs (mDCs) and its subsets MDC1 and MDC2 in DCs were lower in peripheral blood of patients with peritoneal adenocarcinoma than in normal controls. The percentages of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and CD16+mDCs in DCs were higher than in normal controls. Compared with poor differentiation grade, patients with well/moderate differentiation grade had an increased percentage of CD16+mDCs. Contrary to CD16+mDCs, the percentage of MDC1 was lower in the well/moderate differentiation grade group. In patients with no lymph node metastasis, pDCs and CD16+mDCs levels were higher compared with patients with lymph node metastasis. mDCs and MDC1 levels had opposite results. pDCs were positively correlated with CD16+mDCs in peripheral blood of peritoneal patients, as was mDCs and MDC1. CD16+mDCs were negatively correlated with MDC1. The percentages of pDCs and CD16+mDCs in DCs were positively correlated with CD3+CD8+T cells, and pDCs also positively correlated with CD8+PD-1+T cells. Our results revealed that DCs subsets correlated with peritoneal adenocarcinoma malignancy. Dendritic cells play an independent role in the immune function of peritoneal adenocarcinoma.

Effect of Long-term Peripheral Nerve Stimulation on Neuro-Muscular Complex Morphologic Recovery in Experiment / Efecto de la Estimulación del Nervio Periférico a Largo Plazo sobre la Recuperación Morfológica del Complejo Neuromuscular en Experimento

SUMMARY: Peripheral nerve injury is an extremely important medical and socio-economic problem. It is far from a solution, despite on rapid development of technologies. To study the effect of long-term electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves, we used a domestically produced electrical stimulation system, which is approved for clinical use. The study was performed on 28 rabbits. Control of regeneration was carried out after 3 month with morphologic techniques. The use of long-term electrostimulation technology leads to an improvement in the results of the recovery of the nerve trunk after an injury, both directly at the site of damage, when stimulation begins in the early period, and indirectly, after the nerve fibers reach the effector muscle.

La lesión de los nervios periféricos es un problema médico y socioeconómico extremadamente importante. Sin embargo, y a pesar del rápido desarrollo de las tecnologías, aún no tiene solución. Para estudiar el efecto de la estimulación eléctrica a largo plazo de los nervios periféricos, utilizamos un sistema de estimulación eléctrica de producción nacional, que está aprobado para uso clínico. El estudio se realizó en 28 conejos. El control de la regeneración se realizó a los 3 meses con técnicas morfológicas. El uso de tecnología de electro estimulación a largo plazo conduce a una mejora en los resultados de la recuperación del tronco nervioso después de una lesión, tanto directamente en el lugar del daño, cuando la estimulación comienza en el período temprano, como indirectamente, después de que las fibras nerviosas alcanzan el músculo efector.

Manutenção do cateter central de inserção periférica neonatal: protocolo de revisão de escopo / Maintenance of the neonatal peripherally inserted central catheter: a scoping review protocol

OBJETIVO: Mapear e sintetizar as evidências sobre os cuidados realizados por enfermeiros para a manutenção do cateter central de inserção periférica neonatal. MÉTODO: O protocolo foi construído seguindo as recomendações do Instituto Joanna Briggs (JBI), atendendo às diretrizes Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A revisão de escopo descreverá e mapeará as evidências científicas relativas à manutenção do cateter central de inserção periférica neonatal presentes nas literaturas nacionais e internacionais.

OBJECTIVE: To map and synthesize the evidence regarding the care provided by nurses for the maintenance of neonatal peripherally inserted central catheters. METHOD: The protocol was developed following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) recommendations, adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. The scoping review will describe and map the scientific evidence of maintaining neonatal peripherally inserted central catheters from the national and international literature.

Tumor maligno de la vaina nerviosa periférica: reporte de un caso / Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, a case report

Resumen El tumor maligno de la vaina nerviosa periférica (TMVNP) es un sarcoma de alto grado de malignidad. Es poco frecuente, agresivo y generalmente se localiza en tronco y miembros inferiores. Se presenta mayormente en pacientes con neurofibormatosis tipo 1, aunque no siempre se encuentra esta asociación. Este tumorcomparte características histológicas e inmunohistoquímicas con el melanoma, lo que puede dificultar el diagnóstico. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con TMVNP, en el cual los hallazgos histológicos iniciales condujeron a un diagnósticoerróneode melanoma.

Abstract Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) is a high-grade sarcoma. It is rare, aggressive and generally located on the trunk and lower limbs. It occurs in a high percentage of patients with neurofibormatosis type 1, although this association is not always found. This tumor shares histological and immunohistochemical characteristics with melanoma, which can make diagnosis difficult. We present the case of a patient with MPNST, in whom the initial histological findings led to an erroneous diagnosis of melanoma.

Effect of uncontrolled type-II diabetes mellitus and Its duration on nerve conduction parameters in adult Sudanese patients in Khartoum State

Background: Peripheral neuropathy is a serious complication of diabetes, which has socioeconomic consequences as well as a reduced quality of life. Early neuropathic process recognition and management could alter its course and considerably reduce the associated morbidity and mortality. This study determines the effect of long-term glycemic control on diabetic peripheral neuropathy in people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods: A hospital-based study was carried out at the National Centre of Neurosciences and Ibrahim Malik Hospital in Khartoum. All individuals who were older than 18 years and have had T2DM for less than 10 years were recruited. Using accepted techniques, the BMI, HbA1c level, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) were measured. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 25.0 software. P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Of the 95 patients with T2DM, 52 were male patients. Our findings showed that as the duration of diabetes increased, the sensory velocity reduced from 64.07 ± 3.22 to 54.00 ± 5.34 and the motor nerve from 63.39 ± 2.38 to 53.87 ± 2.08 (P = 0.05, P = 0.003, respectively). Additionally, with increased duration of diabetes, a significant decrease was seen in both motor nerve amplitude from 8.79 ± 3.11 to 6.94 ± 1.84 (P = 0.05) and sensory nerve amplitude from 25.71 ± 5.70 to 19.51 ± 6.51 (P = 0.003). Also, all parameters of NCS (velocity and amplitude) decreased when Hb A1c was >6 ­ sensory velocity from 63.96 ± 2.36 to 55.49 ± 2.43 (P = 0.03) and motor velocity from 63.00 ± 2.59 to 51.44 ± 1.66 (P = 0.02). And sensory amplitude decreased from 26.91 ± 1.26 to 20.85 ± 2.1 (P = 0.05), while motor amplitude decreased from 6.88 ± 3.55 to 6.61 ± 3.29 (P = 0.05). Additionally, there is a substantial (P = 0.05) correlation between sensory and motor amplitudes and the BMI. Conclusion: High BMI and poorly controlled (high HbA1c) long-term diabetes had a negative impact on all nerve conduction study parameters

Association of serum magnesium and distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy among Filipino patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective@#This study aims to determine the association of serum magnesium with distal symmetric peripheral neuropathy among persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM).@*Methodology@#A cross-sectional analytical study among adult Filipinos with Type 2 DM. Logistic regression was used to determine the association of serum magnesium with DSPN diagnosed by the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument. The null hypothesis was rejected at 0.05α-level of significance.@*Results@#The average serum magnesium levels were similar between those with versus without DSPN (2.06 ± 0.32 vs 2.05 ± 0.23, p = 0.873); the same was seen for corrected magnesium. There is insufficient evidence to demonstrate a significant statistical difference between those with and without DSPN in relation to glycemic control (HbA1c and FBS). Likewise, there is no significant statistical correlation between serum magnesium levels with HbA1c, FBS, BMI, or duration of diabetes.@*Conclusion@#This present study could not demonstrate any association between DSPN and serum magnesium, even after adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidity.

Advances in peripheral defocus and myopia prevention and control / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

The global prevalence of myopia is increasing year by year, leading to many ocular health issues and social problems. In recent years, it has been confirmed that peripheral defocus is closely related to the occurrence and development of myopia. Alteration of the state of peripheral defocus can significantly influence the progression of myopia and emmetropization, but the exact mechanisms are still unclear. At present, there is no method that can completely control myopia. Nowadays, the main controlling methods, including orthokeratology lens, peripheral defocus lens and multi-focal soft lens, have been confirmed to be closely related to peripheral defocus. In this paper, we will review and summarize the development and effect of these peripheral defocus relating control methods. In addition, the researches on the related mechanisms of peripheral retinal defocus and myopia prevention and control at home and abroad are reviewed, as well as the potential mechanisms of peripheral defocus, with a view to further improving the controlling effects of existing methods, developing new prevention and control methods and reducing the incidence and progression of myopia.

Expert Consensus on Clinical Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine：Aural Vertigo / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Aural vertigo frequently encountered in the otolaryngology department of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） mainly involves peripheral vestibular diseases of Western medicine， such as Meniere's disease， benign paroxysmal positional vertigo， vestibular neuritis， and vestibular migraine， being a hot research topic in both TCM and Western medicine. Western medical therapies alone have unsatisfactory effects on recurrent aural vertigo， aural vertigo affecting the quality of life， aural vertigo not relieved after surgery， aural vertigo with complex causes， and children's aural vertigo. The literature records and clinical practice have proven that TCM demonstrates unique advantages in the treatment of aural vertigo. The China Association of Chinese medicine sponsored the "17th youth salon on the diseases responding specifically to TCM： Aural vertigo" and invited vertigo experts of TCM and Western medicine to discuss the difficulties and advantages of TCM diagnosis and treatment of aural vertigo. The experts deeply discussed the achievements and contributions of TCM and Western medicine in the diagnosis and treatment of aural vertigo， the control and mitigation of the symptoms， and the solutions to disease recurrence. The discussion clarified the positioning and advantages of TCM treatment and provided guidance for clinical and basic research on aural vertigo.

Impacts of andrographolide on sciatic nerve function damage in diabetic peripheral neuropathy rats by regulating HMGB1/RAGE signaling pathway / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To investigate the impacts of andrographolide on sciatic nerve function injury in diabetic peripheral neuropathy （DPN） rats by regulating high-mobility group protein box 1 （HMGB1）/receptor for advanced glycation end products （RAGE） signal pathway. METHODS A total of 84 rats were randomly divided into the control group （normal saline）， DPN group （normal saline）， low-dose andrographolide group （0.833 mg/kg）， high-dose andrographolide group （3.332 mg/kg）， lipoic acid group （positive control， 0.1 g/kg）， recombinant rat HMGB1 protein （rHMGB1） group （8 μg/kg）， and high-dose andrographolide+ rHMGB1 group， with 12 rats in each group. All rats except those in the control group were fed with high glucose and high fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin to establish the DPN rat model. After 24 hours of successful modeling， medication was administered daily for 8 weeks. The changes in fasting blood glucose， mechanical pain threshold， heat pain threshold and sciatic nerve conduction velocity were detected. Pathological changes in the sciatic nerve of rats and the activity of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and the content of malondialdehyde （MDA） in the sciatic nerve of rats were also detected. Besides， the expressions of HMGB1， RAGE proteins and phosphorylation level of nuclear factor κB p65（NF-κB p65） protein in rat sciatic nerves were found. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the pathological damage of the sciatic nerve of rats in the DPN group was strengthened， the fasting blood glucose， heat pain threshold， MDA content and the 诊治。E-mail：dqiaur@163.com expressions of HMGB1， RAGE proteins and phosphorylation level of NF-κB p65 protein were increased （P＜0.05）， while the mechanical pain threshold， sensory nerve conduction velocity， motor nerve conduction velocity， and SOD activity were decreased/slowed down （P＜0.05）. Compared with the DPN group， the above indexes were significantly potentiated in the andrographolide low- and high-dose groups and lipoic acid group （P＜0.05）， and the corresponding trends in the rHMGB1 group were opposite to those in the above three administration groups （P＜0.05）. Moreover， rHMGB1 attenuated the hypoglycemic effect of high-dose andrographolide on blood glucose and the improvement of oxidative stress injury in the sciatic nerve of DPN rats （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Andrographolide may reduce blood glucose by inhibiting the HMGB1/RAGE pathway and oxidative stress， thus ameliorating sciatic nerve injury in DPN rats.

Advances in influential factor and drug treatment studies for taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy / 中国药房

There are millions of patients with taxane-induced peripheral neuropathy （TIPN）， and there is no effective treatment or prevention measure in clinical practice. The occurrence of TIPN may be related to the dosage form of paclitaxel drugs， genetic and molecular markers， drug dosage and chemotherapy cycle， patient factors， etc. At present， drugs for treating TIPN mainly include those that inhibit axonal degeneration （such as dosazosin， tamsulosin）， prevent mitochondrial dysfunction （such as glutathione trisulfides， antioxidants α -lipoic acid）， improve calcium imbalance in the internal environment （Shaoyao gancao decoction， N-type voltage-gated calcium channel inhibitor IPPQ）， and inhibit neuroinflammation （such as chemokine inhibitors and selective interleukin-8 receptor inhibitors DF2726A）. Further exploration of drug treatment strategies targeting different induction mechanisms is expected to become a new direction for precise clinical prevention and personalized treatment of TIPN.

Construction of Knowledge Graph Based on Literature Data by Taking Treatment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy with Traditional Chinese Medicine as An Example / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo systematically sort out the knowledge framework and conceptual logic relationship of "disease-syndrome-treatment-prescription-medicine" in the existing literature on traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN）， to construct of the knowledge map of TCM treatment of DPN， and to promote the explicitation of the implicit knowledge in the literature on the treatment of DPN with TCM. MethodTaking the literature of China National Knowledge Infrastructure about TCM treatment of DPN as the main data source， TCM-related concepts and entities were constructed by manual citation， and the corresponding relationships between the entities were established. Structured data were formed by processing with Python 3.7， and the knowledge graph was constructed based on Neo4j 3.5.34 graph database. ResultThe resulting knowledge graph with TCM diagnosis and treatment logic， defined 12 node labels such as prescriptions， Chinese medicines and syndrome types at the schema layer， as well as 4 types of relationships， such as inclusion， correspondence， selection and composition. It could support the query and discovery of nodes（syndrome elements， syndrome types and treatment methods）， as well as the relationship between each node. ConclusionBased on the literature data， this study constructed a knowledge map for TCM treatment of DPN， which brought together various methods of TCM treatment of DPN， including internal and external treatment. The whole chain knowledge structure of syndrome differentiation and classification for DPN treatment is formed from syndrome element analysis， syndrome type composition to treatment method selection， which can provide new ideas and methods for literature data to serve clinical and scientific research work， as well as reference for visualization of TCM literature knowledge， intellectualization of TCM knowledge services and the standardization of TCM diagnosis and treatment.

Inhibition of Oxidative Stress of Sciatic Nerve in Diabetic Rats by Tangbikang Granules Regulating AMPK/PGC-1α/SIRT3 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Tangbikang granules on oxidative stress of sciatic nerve in diabetic rats by regulating adenylate activated protein kinase/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α/mitochondrial Sirtuins 3 （AMPK/PGC-1α/SIRT3） signaling pathway. MethodThe spontaneous obesity type 2 diabetes model was established using ZDF rats. After modeling， they were randomly divided into high， medium， and low dose Tangbikang granule groups （2.5， 1.25， 0.625 g·kg-1·d-1） and lipoic acid group （0.026 8 g·kg-1·d-1）， and the normal group was set up. The rats were administered continuously for 12 weeks after modeling. The blood glucose of rats was detected before intervention and at 4， 8， 12 weeks after intervention. At the 12th week， motor nerve conduction velocity （MNCV）， sensory nerve conduction velocity （SNCV）， nerve blood flow velocity， mechanical pain threshold， and thermal pain threshold were detected. The sciatic nerve was taken for hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining to observe the tissue morphology. The ultrastructure of the sciatic nerve was observed by transmission electron microscope. The expression levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in sciatic nerve were determined by enzyme-related immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The mRNA expressions of AMPKα， AMPKβ， PGC-1α， and SIRT3 in sciatic nerve were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the normal group， fasting blood glucose in the model group was increased at each time point （P<0.01）. The mechanical pain threshold was decreased （P<0.05）， and the incubation time of the hot plate was extended （P<0.01）. MNCV， SNCV， and nerve blood flow velocity decreased （P<0.05）. The expression level of SOD was decreased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of MDA， IL-1β， and TNF-α were increased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of AMPKα， AMPKβ， PGC-1α， and SIRT3 were decreased （P<0.01）. The structure of sciatic nerve fibers in the model group was loose， and the arrangement was disordered. The demyelination change was obvious. Compared with the model group， the fasting blood glucose of rats in the high dose Tangbikang granule group was decreased after the intervention of eight weeks and 12 weeks （P<0.01）. The mechanical pain threshold increased （P<0.05）. The incubation time of the hot plate was shortened （P<0.01）. MNCV， SNCV， and Flux increased （P<0.05）. The expression level of SOD was increased （P<0.01）. The expression levels of MDA， IL-1β， and TNF-α were decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of AMPKα， AMPKβ， PGC-1α， and SIRT3 were increased （P<0.01）. The sciatic nerve fibers in the high-dose Tangbikang granule group were tighter and more neatly arranged， with only a few demyelinating changes. The high， medium， and low dose Tangbikang granule groups showed a significant dose-effect trend. ConclusionTangbikang granules may improve sciatic nerve function in diabetic rats by regulating AMPK/PGC-1α/SIRT3 signaling pathway partly to inhibit oxidative stress.

Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Based on Mitochondrial Quality Control： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy（DPN） is a neurodegenerative disease of diabetes mellitus involving peripheral nervous system damage， which is characterized by axonal degenerative necrosis， Schwann cell apoptosis and demyelination of nerve myelin sheath as the main pathological features， this disease is highly prevalent and is a major cause of disability in diabetic patients. Currently， the pathogenesis of DPN may be related to oxidative stress， inflammatory response， metabolic abnormality， and microcirculation disorder. The treatment of DPN in modern medicine mainly starts from controlling blood glucose， nourishing nerves and improving microcirculation， which can only alleviate the clinical symptoms of patients， and it is difficult to fundamentally improve the pathological damage of peripheral nerves. Mitochondrial quality control refers to the physiological mechanisms that can maintain the morphology and functional homeostasis of mitochondria， including mitochondrial biogenesis， mitochondrial dynamics， mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondrial autophagy， and abnormal changes of which may cause damage to peripheral nerves. After reviewing the literature， it was found that traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） can improve the low level of mitochondrial biogenesis in DPN， maintain the balance of mitochondrial dynamics， inhibit mitochondrial oxidative stress and mitochondrial autophagy， and delay apoptosis of Schwann cells and neural axon damage， which has obvious effects on the treatment of DPN. With the deepening of research， mitochondrial quality control may become one of the potential targets for the research of new anti-DPN drugs， therefore， this paper summarized the research progress of TCM in treating DPN based on four aspects of mitochondrial quality control， with the aim of providing a theoretical research basis for the discovery of new drugs.

Establishment of a 21-color Panel for the Detection of Immune Cell Subsets in Human Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Tumor Tissues with Flow Cytometry / 中国肺癌杂志

BACKGROUND@#With the rise of multicolor flow cytometry, flow cytometry has become an important means to detect the immune microenvironment of lung cancer, but most of them are used to detect the proportion of cell subsets or the function of major cell subsets, and they cannot be detected at the same time. Therefore, a reliable 21-color flow cytometry protocol was established to detect the immune cell subsets in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor tissues.@*METHODS@#Cell membrane surface antibodies cluster of differentiation (CD)45, CD3, CD19, CD4, CD8, programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), CD39, CD103, CD25, CD127, chemokine receptor 8 (CCR8), CD56, CD11c, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR, CD38, CD27, CD69, CD62L, CD45RA, CCR7 and nucleic acid dye L/D were used to develop the protocol. Firstly, antibody titration experiments, voltage optimization, subtraction of one color staining and single color staining experiments were carried out for each antibody, and after the experimental conditions and detection schemes were determined, the feasibility of the scheme was verified by using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) specimens of six healthy adult volunteers. Tumor tissue samples from 6 NSCLC patients were tested and analyzed.@*RESULTS@#The established 21-color flow cytometry protocol was used to detect the tumor tissue samples of 6 NSCLC patients, and the proportion of each cell subset in lung cancer tissue, as well as the immunophenotype and differentiation of the main cell population, were analyzed.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The successfully established 21-color flow cytometry protocol is suitable for the detection of PBMCs and NSCLC tissue samples, which provides an effective new idea for monitoring the immune microenvironment status in lung cancer.

Alpha-synuclein dynamics bridge Type-I Interferon response and SARS-CoV-2 replication in peripheral cells

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests a double-faceted role of alpha-synuclein (α-syn) following infection by a variety of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Although α-syn accumulation is known to contribute to cell toxicity and the development and/or exacerbation of neuropathological manifestations, it is also a key to sustaining anti-viral innate immunity. Consistently with α-syn aggregation as a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, most studies investigating the biological function of α-syn focused on neural cells, while reports on the role of α-syn in periphery are limited, especially in SARS-CoV-2 infection. RESULTS: Results herein obtained by real time qPCR, immunofluorescence and western blot indicate that α-syn upregulation in peripheral cells occurs as a Type-I Interferon (IFN)-related response against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Noteworthy, this effect mostly involves α-syn multimers, and the dynamic α-syn multimer:monomer ratio. Administration of excess α-syn monomers promoted SARS-CoV-2 replication along with downregulation of IFN-Stimulated Genes (ISGs) in epithelial lung cells, which was associated with reduced α-syn multimers and α-syn multimer:monomer ratio. These effects were prevented by combined administration of IFN-ß, which hindered virus replication and upregulated ISGs, meanwhile increasing both α-syn multimers and α-syn multimer:monomer ratio in the absence of cell toxicity. Finally, in endothelial cells displaying abortive SARS-CoV-2 replication, α-syn multimers, and multimer:monomer ratio were not reduced following exposure to the virus and exogenous α-syn, suggesting that only productive viral infection impairs α-syn multimerization and multimer:monomer equilibrium. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides novel insights into the biology of α-syn, showing that its dynamic conformations are implicated in the innate immune response against SARS-CoV-2 infection in peripheral cells. In particular, our results suggest that promotion of non-toxic α-syn multimers likely occurs as a Type-I IFN-related biological response which partakes in the suppression of viral replication. Further studies are needed to replicate our findings in neuronal cells as well as animal models, and to ascertain the nature of such α-syn conformations.

Health and lifestyle parameters in peripheral artery disease at two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic: comparison between men and women

ABSTRACT Objective: This study analyzed the impact of sex on self-reported health and lifestyle parameters in peripheral artery disease patients at two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this longitudinal study, 99 patients with peripheral artery disease (53 men and 46 women) were evaluated during two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic ( i.e ., at onset: May to August 2020, and on follow-up: May to August 2021). Patients were interviewed via telephone, and information regarding lifestyle and health parameters was obtained. Results: At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, health and habit parameters were similar between women and men, with 63.0% and 45.3% indicating frequent fatigue, 73.9% and 84.9% reporting increased sitting time, and 23.9% and 39.6% practicing physical activity, respectively. At follow-up, difficulties in physical mobility (women: from 26.1% to 73.9%, p<0.001; men: from 39.6% to 71.7%, p=0.001) and the frequency of hospitalization for reasons other than COVID-19 increased similarly in women and men (women: from 4.3% to 21.7%, p=0.013; men: from 9.4% to 24.5%, p=0.038). The other parameters were similar between the periods. Conclusion: Self-reported physical mobility difficulties and hospitalization frequency increased in women and men with peripheral artery disease.

Duplex ultrasound and pedal acceleration time as tools to evaluate foot perfusion: a literature review / Ultrassonografia dúplex e tempo de aceleração plantar como ferramentas para avaliar a perfusão do pé: uma revisão da literatura

Abstract Currently, the standard non-invasive test for diagnosing Peripheral Arterial Disease is the Ankle-Brachial Index. However, this test becomes unfeasible in a certain population. New evidence proposes the pedal acceleration time, an ultrasound index, as an alternative test. An integrative bibliographic review was carried out between June 3, 2022 and January 8, 2023, to investigate this new index as a tool to assess foot perfusion. Papers published in English, Portuguese, or Spanish between 2012 and 2022 were searched on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scielo, using the keywords "Peripheral Arterial Disease" AND "Acceleration Time" AND (Pedal OR Plantar). Research that didn't assess foot perfusion using the methods of interest or did not present human data and also case series or reports were excluded. Seven out of the sixty-six articles identified in the searches were selected for the review, all of which had notable methodological limitations. Pedal acceleration time seems to be able to diagnose and stratify and may reflect prognosis.

Resumo Atualmente, o teste não invasivo padrão para diagnosticar a doença arterial periférica é o índice tornozelo-braquial, porém, em uma determinada população, este torna-se inviável. Novas evidências propõem o tempo de aceleração plantar, que é um índice ultrassonográfico, como alternativa. Para investigá-lo no contexto do estudo da perfusão do pé, uma revisão bibliográfica integrativa foi realizada entre 03/06/2022 e 08/01/2023. Artigos em inglês, português ou espanhol, publicados entre 2012 e 2022 foram pesquisados através das ferramentas PubMed, Google Scholar e SciELO, com as palavras-chave "Peripheral Arterial Disease" AND "Acceleration Time" AND (Pedal OR Plantar). Pesquisas que não avaliaram a perfusão do pé pelos métodos de interesse, sem dados em humanos e relatos ou séries de casos, foram excluídos. Dos 66 artigos, 7 foram selecionados; todos com notáveis limitações metodológicas. O tempo de aceleração plantar aparenta ser capaz de diagnosticar, estratificar e prognosticar os doentes.

Relação entre o índice de resistência vascular e o sucesso hemodinâmico de revascularizações distais dos membros inferiores / Vascular resistance index and the immediate hemodynamic success of lower limb distal artery revascularization

Resumo Contexto A cirurgia de revascularização é proposta para restaurar o fluxo sanguíneo para o pé nos casos de isquemia crítica (IC) devido a doença arterial obstrutiva periférica dos membros inferiores (MMII). O uso de ultrassonografia com Doppler (USD) vem despontando nos últimos anos como um método de grande valor para o planejamento cirúrgico dessa intervenção. Objetivos Avaliar a relação entre o índice de resistência (IR), mensurado por meio de USD, e o sucesso hemodinâmico imediato da cirurgia de revascularização dos MMII em pacientes com IC. Métodos O tipo de estudo empregado foi a coorte prospectiva, na qual foram avaliados 46 pacientes portadores de IC dos MMII submetidos à operação de revascularização infrainguinal por angioplastia ou em ponte de agosto de 2019 a fevereiro de 2022. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à avaliação clínica vascular, à USD com medida do IR das artérias distais dos MMII, à arteriografia dos MMII e à aferição do índice tornozelo-braquial (ITB) no período pré-operatório. No pós-operatório imediato, todos os pacientes foram submetidos à nova aferição do ITB. Resultados Entre os 46 pacientes avaliados, 25 (54,3%) eram do sexo masculino. A idade variou de 32 a 89 anos (média de 67,83). Quanto ao sucesso hemodinâmico, avaliado pela comparação do ITB pré e pós-operatório, constatou-se que 31 (67,4%) pacientes apresentaram sucesso hemodinâmico após cirurgia de revascularização (aumento do ITB em 0,15 ou mais). Foi observada correlação positiva (p ≤ 0,05) entre o IR da artéria distal revascularizada do MMII e o sucesso hemodinâmico imediato avaliado pela aferição do ITB (IR menor e sucesso hemodinâmico). Conclusões Na presente pesquisa foi observada uma correlação positiva entre o índice de resistência arterial distal e o sucesso hemodinâmico nas revascularizações dos membros inferiores, avaliada através do índice tornozelobraquial, de forma que, quanto menor foi o IR, maior o sucesso hemodinâmico obtido.

Abstract Background Revascularization surgery is used to attempt to restore blood flow to the foot in patients with critical ischemia (CI) caused by peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs (LL). Ultrasonography with Doppler (USD) SAH emerged in recent years as a highly valuable method for planning this surgical intervention. Objectives To evaluate the relationship between the resistance index (RI), measured with USD, and immediate hemodynamic success of LL revascularization surgery in patients with CI. Methods The study design was a prospective cohort assessing 46 patients with LL CLI who underwent operations to perform infrainguinal revascularization by angioplasty or bypass from August 2019 to February 2022. All patients underwent preoperative clinical vascular assessment with USD including measurement of the RI of distal LL arteries, LL arteriography, and measurement of the ankle-brachial index (ABI). All patients had their ABI measured again in the immediate postoperative period. Results Forty-six patients were assessed, 25 (54.3%) of whom were male. Age varied from 32 to 89 years (mean: 67.83). Hemodynamic success was assessed by comparison of preoperative and postoperative ABI, showing that hemodynamic success was achieved in 31 (67.4%) patients after revascularization surgery (ABI increased by 0.15 or more). A positive correlation (p ≤ 0.05) was observed between the RI of the distal revascularized LL artery and immediate hemodynamic success assessed by ABI (lower RI and hemodynamic success). Conclusions This study observed a positive correlation between the resistance index of the distal artery and immediate hemodynamic success of lower limb revascularizations, as assessed by the ankle-brachial index, so that the lower the RI the greater the hemodynamic success achieved.