Biomechanical factors associated with patellofemoral pain in children and adolescents.

To investigate the biomechanical factors associated with patellofemoral pain in children and adolescents. A cross-sectional, population-based study conducted in Brazil from 2019 to 2023, involving students from public schools. Adjusted prevalence ratios and their respective 95% confidence intervals for the outcome in relation to independent variables were calculated for association analysis, adopting a significance level of 5%. Out of the total of 283 students, 152 were female and 182 were aged between 16 and 18 years old. A positive association was observed between the presence of patellofemoral pain and a poor movement quality in both lower limbs (right side: p = 0.04 and left side: p = 0.04) as well as with dynamic valgus of the left lower limb (p < 0.01). Patellofemoral pain in children and adolescents is associated with poor movement quality in the lower limbs and dynamic valgus of the left lower limb. Actions targeting these biomechanical factors may be crucial for early diagnosis and clinical treatment of this disfunction.

Exploring a De Novo Route to Bradyrhizose: Synthesis and Isomeric Equilibrium of Bradyrhizose Diastereomers≠.

A de novo asymmetric strategy for the synthesis of d-bradyrhizose diastereomers from an achiral ketoenolester precursor is described. Key transformations used in the stereodivergent approach include two Noyori asymmetric reductions, an Achmatowicz rearrangement, diastereoselective alkene oxidations, and the first example of a palladium(0)-catalyzed glycosylation of a vinylogous pyranone. The isomeric composition of the bicyclic reducing sugars obtained was analyzed and their behaviour was compared to the natural product, revealing key stereocentres that impact the overall distribution.

Sexual dysfunction in women with breast cancer of Northeast Brazil: a retrospective longitudinal study.

Breast cancer treatment leads to physical and psychological changes. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of sexual dysfunction and its risk factors in women diagnosed with breast cancer. This retrospective cohort study included women diagnosed and treated for breast cancer (exposed group, n = 90) and healthy women (non-exposed group, n = 93). Data were collected from February 2019 to October 2021 in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Northeast Brazil), from medical records and using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Data were collected from medical records and using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. Primary outcomes were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The Mann-Whitney test was used to analyze FSFI domains between groups. The exposed group had a 74% incidence of sexual dysfunction and 3.9 times increased chances of having sexual dysfunction compared with the non-exposed group (OR 3.9, CI 1.8 to 8.2, p < 0.001). Presence of comorbidities increased the chances of sexual dysfunction by 2.5 times (OR 2.5, CI 1.2 to 4.9, p = 0.009). Women diagnosed and treated for breast cancer had a higher incidence of sexual dysfunction than healthy women. Furthermore, comorbidities also increased the chances of sexual dysfunction regardless of exposure to breast cancer.

Urinary Incontinence in Physically Active Older Women of Northeast Brazil.

Low- and moderate-impact physical activity (PA) is associated with the prevention of urinary incontinence (UI). The objective of the cross-sectional study presented herein is to analyze the factors associated with UI in physically older active women who participate in senior community groups. The variable UI was measured by the International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF). Socioeconomic variables were also collected, along with data on life habits and clinical history. The multivariate analysis employed Poisson's Regression with robust variance for factors associated with UI. Of the 106 participants evaluated, 54.7% presented UI, of which stress incontinence was more frequent, with 40.6%. UI presented a statistically significant association with dizziness/loss of balance during Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (prevalence ratio-PR 1.48; 95% CI 1.06-2.07) and nocturia (PR 1.63; 95% CI 1.05-2.55). Despite PA being a protection factor, UI presented an elevated prevalence in the older population, and therefore, other biological, social, and cultural aspects could also contribute to the occurrence of UI in this age group. Moreover, physically active older women with UI presented nocturia and dizziness/loss of balance during ADL, regardless of education levels and the number of births. These findings can help improve multi-professional programs aimed at promoting, preventing, and managing UI in the public.

Structure-activity relationship of avocadyne.

Avocado consumption is associated with numerous health benefits. Avocadyne is a terminally unsaturated, 17-carbon long acetogenin found almost exclusively in avocados with noted anti-leukemia and anti-viral properties. In this study, specific structural features such as the terminal triple bond, odd number of carbons, and stereochemistry are shown to be critical to its ability to suppress mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and impart selective activity in vitro and in vivo. Together, this is the first study to conduct a structure-activity analysis on avocadyne and outline the chemical moieties critical to fatty acid oxidation suppression.

Anti-inflammatory activity of Jatropha curcas L. in brain glial cells primary cultures.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae), a medicinal plant known in Brazil as "Pinhão Manso", is highly adaptable, being cultivated in different tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiinflammatory activities have been attributed to different parts of the plant. In the central nervous sytem (CNS), neuroinflammation is mediated by glial cells, mainly by astrocytes and microglia, a process that plays an important role in neurodegenerative diseases and other CNS disorders. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory activity of the methanolic extract obtained from the leaves of J. curcas L. (MEJc) in primary cultures of glial cells submited to inflammatory stimulus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Primary cultures of glial cells obtained from the cerebral cortex of neonate Wistar rats were treated with MEJc (0.1-50,000 µg mL-1) and its fractions (FnJc) (0.1 µg mL-1) with or without lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli (LPS) (1 µg mL-1). Cell viability was determined with MTT test. Modifications in glial cell morphology were investigated by means of phase contrast microscopy and May-Grünwald staining. The reactivity of astrocytes and microglia were investigated with immunocytochemistry for GFAP, Iba1 and transcription factor NF-kB, as well as with Greiss reaction to determine the nitric oxide (NO) production. RESULTS: MEJc at 0.1-1000 µg mL-1 was non-toxic to glial cells and the DE50 was 10.794 µg mL-1. The treatment with LPS induced the activation of astrocytes and microglia marked by morphological modifications and changes in the expression of GFAP and Iba1, as well as the increase in NF-kB expression and NO production. Treatment with MEJc inhibited the morphological modifications, changes in GFAP and Iba1 expression, and the increase in NF-kB and NO production induced by LPS. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that the MEJc and its fractions modulate inflammatory response of astrocytes and microglia to LPS and may be considered as a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroinflammation-related diseases.

Metabolic Syndrome in HIV-patients in Antiretroviral Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: The global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) among people living with HIV/AIDS varies from 20% to 33%. OBJECTIVE: to estimate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and associated factors in a group of HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with HIV-infected patients from a reference center in Bahia, Brazil. We evaluated clinical, socio-demographic and anthropometric data. MS was defined according to the guidelines of International Diabetes Federation. RESULTS: We evaluated 152 patients with mean age of 47.3±11.6 years, 59.2% male. The main comorbidities detected were diabetes (3.3%) hypertriglyceridemia (9.3%) and metabolic syndrome (MS,38.2%). Patients with MS were predominantly women (55.2% vs 31.9%; p=0.005), older [52.1 (10.4) vs 44.3 (11.3); p<0.001], and had overweight (74.1% vs 23.4%; p<0.001). After multivariate analysis MS remained associated with age (OR = 1.076; 95% CI: 1.030 - 1.125), female sex (OR = 2.452; 95% CI: 1.114 - 5.374) and family history of hypertension (OR = 3.678; 95% CI: 1.431 - 9.395). CONCLUSION: Almost half of the HIV-infected patients in Bahia presents with MS which seems to be driven by classical risk factors.

De Novo Asymmetric Synthesis of Avocadyne, Avocadene, and Avocadane Stereoisomers.

The de novo asymmetric synthesis of all possible stereoisomers of two polyketide natural products, avocadyne, avocadene, and the saturated variant avocadane, is described. The stereodivergent synthesis of the 12 congeners is accomplished in 4-6 steps from an achiral acylpyruvate derivative, which, in turn, is prepared in five steps from commercially available materials. The approach uses, sequentially, a Noyori asymmetric reduction, a diastereoselective chelate- or directed reduction of a ß-hydroxyketone, and an ester reduction to a primary alcohol.