How long does the biological effect of a red light-emitting diode last on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells?

This research investigated the duration of the influence of red light-emitting diodes (LED, 630 nm; output power: 2452.5 mW; laser beam: 163.5 cm2; irradiance: 15 mW/cm2; radiant exposure: 4 J/cm2) on different periods after irradiation (6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h) on adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells' (AdMSCs) metabolism and paracrine factors. AdMSCs were irradiated three times every 48 h. Twenty-four hours after the last irradiation, there was a higher MTT absorbance, followed by a decrease after 48 h. The cells' secretome showed increased levels of IL-6 and VEGF after 12 and 24 h, but this was reversed after 48 h. Additionally, LED irradiation resulted in higher levels of nitrite and did not affect oxidative stress markers. LED irradiation had significant effects on AdMSCs after 24 h compared to other groups and its control group.

Co-designing strategies to improve advance care planning among people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds with cancer: iCanCarePlan study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Advance care planning (ACP) describes the process of supporting individuals at any age or stage of health to consider and share their personal values, life goals, and preferences regarding future health care. Engaging in ACP is associated with better-quality of care in which people receive care in lines with their wishes, values and preferences. Direct translations of ACP guides and resources do not attend to the considerable inter- and intra-ethnic variations in cultural and religious or spiritual beliefs that shape preferences among people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. ICanCarePlan is a three-year project that aims to determine the prevalence of ACP documentation among people from CALD backgrounds with cancer, identify resources available and their use to support ACP among CALD communities, identify barriers and facilitators of person-centred ACP, and to develop, through co-design with consumers and clinicians, approaches that enhance the process ACP for people from CALD backgrounds. METHOD: A mixed-method sequential approach will be used comprising of four studies. Study one is retrospective medical record review of approximately 1500 medical records to establish the prevalence of ACP documentation among CALD patient records in cancer services. Study two is a document analysis synthesising the resources available in the Australian health system to support ACP. Study three is a qualitative study with healthcare staff and consumers to explore barriers and enablers of person-centred ACP. Evidence generated from studies one to three will inform the conduct of co-design with stakeholders to develop approaches to improve ACP processes among CALD communities. Language, technical and financial support for meaningful involvement with consumers from CALD backgrounds throughout this project is outlined. A plan for distress management is also made due to sensitive nature of the topic. The research project has also established a project steering group consisting of three consumer members who are from CALD backgrounds. DISCUSSION: The project will address a national priority issue for a growing population of CALD communities in Australia. The project will provide novel evidence of ACP among CALD communities and novel strategies developed with stakeholders to enhance uptake and experiences of ACP.

To be or not to B27 positive: implications for the phenotypes of axial spondyloarthritis outcomes. Data from a large multiracial cohort from the Brazilian Registry of Spondyloarthritis.

BACKGROUND: There is a remarkable variability in the frequency of HLA-B27 positivity in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA), which may be associated with different clinical presentations worldwide. However, there is a lack of data considering ethnicity and sex on the evaluation of the main clinical and prognostic outcomes in mixed-race populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of HLA-B27 and its correlation with disease parameters in a large population of patients from the Brazilian Registry of Spondyloarthritis (RBE). METHODS: The RBE is a multicenter, observational, prospective cohort that enrolled patients with SpA from 46 centers representing all five geographic regions of Brazil. The inclusion criteria were as follow: (1) diagnosis of axSpA by an expert rheumatologist; (2) age ≥18 years; (3) classification according to ASAS axial. The following data were collected via a standardized protocol: demographic data, disease parameters and treatment historical. RESULTS: A total of 1096 patients were included, with 73.4% HLA-B27 positivity and a mean age of 44.4 (±13.2) years. Positive HLA-B27 was significantly associated with male sex, earlier age at disease onset and diagnosis, uveitis, and family history of SpA. Conversely, negative HLA-B27 was associated with psoriasis, higher peripheral involvement and disease activity, worse quality of life and mobility. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that HLA-B27 positivity was associated with a classic axSpA pattern quite similar to that of Caucasian axSpA patients around the world. Furthermore, its absence was associated with peripheral manifestations and worse outcomes, suggesting a relevant phenotypic difference in a highly miscegenated population.

A nontoxic strontium nanoparticle that holds the potential to act upon osteocompetent cells: An in vitro and in vivo characterization.

Estrogen deficiency, long-term immobilization, and/or aging are commonly related to bone mass loss, thus increasing the risk of fractures. One option for bone replacement in injuries caused by either traumas or pathologies is the use of orthopedic cement based on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA). Nevertheless, its reduced bioactivity may induce long-term detachment from the host tissue, resulting in the failure of the implant. In view of this problem, we developed an alternative PMMA-based porous cement (pPMMA) that favors cell invasion and improves osteointegration with better biocompatibility. The cement composition was changed by adding bioactive strontium-nanoparticles that mimic the structure of bone apatite. The nanoparticles were characterized regarding their physical-chemical properties, and their effects on osteoblasts and osteoclast cultures were assessed. Initial in vivo tests were also performed using 16 New Zealand rabbits as animal models, in which the pPMMA-cement containing the strontium nanoparticles were implanted. We showed that the apatite nanoparticles in which 90% of Ca2+ ions were substituted by Sr2+ (NanoSr 90%) upregulated TNAP activity and increased matrix mineralization. Moreover, at the molecular level, NanoSr 90% upregulated the mRNA expression levels of, Sp7, and OCN. Runx2 was increased at both mRNA and protein levels. In parallel, in vivo tests revealed that pPMMA-cement containing NanoSr 90%, upregulated two markers of bone maturation, OCN and BMP2, as well as the formation of apatite minerals after implantation in the femur of rabbits. The overall data support that strontium nanoparticles hold the potential to up-regulate mineralization in osteoblasts when associated with synthetic biomaterials.

Using historical habitat loss to predict contemporary mammal extirpations in Neotropical forests.

Understanding which species will be extirpated in the aftermath of large-scale human disturbance is critical to mitigating biodiversity loss, particularly in hyperdiverse tropical biomes. Deforestation is the strongest driver of contemporary local extinctions in tropical forests but may occur at different tempos. The 2 most extensive tropical forest biomes in South America-the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon-have experienced historically divergent pathways of habitat loss and biodiversity decay, providing a unique case study to investigate rates of local species persistence on a single continent. We quantified medium- to large-bodied mammal species persistence across these biomes to elucidate how landscape configuration affects their persistence and associated ecological functions. We collected occurrence data for 617 assemblages of medium- to large-bodied mammal species (>1 kg) in the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon. Analyzing natural habitat cover based on satellite data (1985-2022), we employed descriptive statistics and generalized linear models (GLMs) to investigate ecospecies occurrence patterns in relation to habitat cover across the landscapes. The subregional erosion of Amazonian mammal assemblage diversity since the 1970s mirrors that observed since the colonial conquest of the Atlantic Forest, given that 52.8% of all Amazonian mammals are now on a similar trajectory. Four out of 5 large mammals in the Atlantic Forest were prone to extirpation, whereas 53% of Amazonian mammals were vulnerable to extirpation. Greater natural habitat cover increased the persistence likelihood of ecospecies in both biomes. These trends reflected a median local species loss 63.9% higher in the Atlantic Forest than in the Amazon, which appears to be moving toward a turning point of forest habitat loss and degradation. The contrasting trajectories of species persistence in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest domains underscore the importance of considering historical habitat loss pathways and regional biodiversity erosion in conservation strategies. By focusing on landscape configuration and identifying essential ecological functions associated with large vertebrate species, conservation planning and management practices can be better informed.

Uso de la pérdida histórica de hábitat para predecir la desaparición de mamíferos contemporáneos en los bosques neotropicales Resumen Tener conocimiento de cuáles especies desaparecerán después de una perturbación humana es de suma importancia para mitigar la pérdida de la biodiversidad, particularmente en los biomas híper diversos. La deforestación es la principal causante de las extinciones locales contemporáneas en los bosques tropicales, aunque puede ocurrir en diferentes tiempos. Los dos bosques tropicales más extensos de América del Sur - el Bosque Atlántico y la Amazonia - han experimentado formas históricamente divergentes de pérdida de hábitat y decadencia de biodiversidad, lo que proporciona un caso único de estudio para investigar las tasas de persistencia de las especies locales en un solo continente. Cuantificamos la persistencia de las especies de mamíferos de talla mediana a grande en estos dos bosques para aclarar cómo la configuración del paisaje afecta su persistencia y las funciones ecológicas asociadas. Recolectamos datos de presencia de 617 ensambles de especies de mamíferos de talla mediana a grande (>1 kg) en el Bosque Atlántico y en la Amazonia. Analizamos la cobertura natural del hábitat con base en datos satelitales (1985-2022) y empleamos estadística descriptiva y modelos lineales generalizados (MLG) para investigar los patrones de presencia de las eco especies en relación con la cobertura del hábitat en los distintos paisajes. La erosión subregional de la diversidad de ensambles de mamíferos en la Amazonia desde los 70s es igual a la observada en el Bosque Atlántico desde la conquista colonial, dado que 52.8% de todos los mamíferos amazónicos se encuentran en una trayectoria similar. Cuatro de los cinco grandes mamíferos en el Bosque Atlántico estaban propensos a desaparecer, mientras que el 53% de los mamíferos amazónicos estaban vulnerables a desaparecer. Una mayor cobertura natural del hábitat incrementó la probabilidad de persistencia de las eco especies en ambos bosques. Estas tendencias reflejaron una pérdida mediana de especies locales 63.9% mayor en el Bosque Atlántico que en la Amazonia, lo cual parece dirigirse hacia un momento decisivo para la degradación y pérdida del hábitat del bosque. Las trayectorias contrastantes de la persistencia de especies en el Bosque Atlántico y la Amazonia destacan la importancia de considerar dentro de las estrategias de conservación las maneras en las que se ha perdido históricamente el hábitat y la erosión de la biodiversidad regional. Si nos enfocamos en la configuración del paisaje y en la identificación de las funciones ecológicas esenciales asociadas con las especies grandes de vertebrados, podemos informar de mejor manera a la planeación de la conservación y las prácticas de manejo.

The historical ecology of the world's largest tropical country uniquely chronicled by its municipal coat-of-arms symbology.

Coats-of-arms representing municipal counties express local patterns of rural economics, natural resource and land use, features of the natural capital, and the cultural heritage of either aborigines or colonists. We reconstruct the subnational economic and political timeline of the world's largest tropical country using municipal coats-of-arms to reinterpret Brazil's historical ecology. We assessed all natural resource, biophysical, agricultural, and ethnocultural elements of 5,197 coats-of-arms (93.3%) distributed throughout Brazil. We extracted socioenvironmental co-variables for any municipality to understand and predict the relationships between social inequality, environmental degradation, and the historical ecology symbology. We analyzed data via ecological networks and structural equation models. Our results show that the portfolio of political-administrative symbology in coats-of-arms is an underutilized tool to understand the history of colonization frontiers. Although Brazil is arguably Earth's most species-rich country, generations of political leaders have historically failed to celebrate this biodiversity, instead prioritizing a symbology depicted by icons of frontier conquest and key natural resources. Brazilian historical ecology reflects the relentless depletion of the natural resource capital while ignoring profound social inequalities. Degradation of natural ecosystems is widespread in Brazilian economy, reflecting a legacy of boom-and-bust rural development that so far has failed to deliver sustainable socioeconomic prosperity.

A dataset for benchmarking Neotropical anuran calls identification in passive acoustic monitoring.

Global change is predicted to induce shifts in anuran acoustic behavior, which can be studied through passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). Understanding changes in calling behavior requires automatic identification of anuran species, which is challenging due to the particular characteristics of neotropical soundscapes. In this paper, we introduce a large-scale multi-species dataset of anuran amphibians calls recorded by PAM, that comprises 27 hours of expert annotations for 42 different species from two Brazilian biomes. We provide open access to the dataset, including the raw recordings, experimental setup code, and a benchmark with a baseline model of the fine-grained categorization problem. Additionally, we highlight the challenges of the dataset to encourage machine learning researchers to solve the problem of anuran call identification towards conservation policy. All our experiments and resources have been made available at https://soundclim.github.io/anuraweb/ .

Light-emitting Diode Can Enhance the Metabolism and Paracrine Action of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

This study investigated the influence of red light-emitting diodes (LED, 630 nm) on different irradiation parameters and the number of applications on mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue (AdMSCs) metabolism and paracrine factors. The AdMSCs were irradiated with a LEDbox device (output power: 2452.5 mW; laser beam: 163.5 cm2 ; irradiance: 15 mW cm-2 ) using radiant exposures of 0.5, 2, and 4 J cm-2 , respectively. AdMSCs were irradiated once or every 48 h up to three irradiations. All molecular analyses were performed 24 h after the last irradiation. LED did not induce changes in cell count, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. A significant repercussion of the LED has been noticed after three irradiations with 4 J cm-2 . AdMSCs had higher levels of IL-6, IGF-1, and NOx index. A higher ATP content and MMT/Resazurin assay were identified in AdMSCs irradiated three times with 4 J cm-2 . Mitochondrial basal respiration, maximal respiration and proton leak under metabolic stress were reduced by 0.5 and 2 J cm-2 irradiations. These data showed that three LED irradiations with 4 J cm-2 may be a suitable parameter for future AdMSCs therapy because of its improved metabolic activity, ATP content, and IL-6, IGF-1, and nitric oxide secretion.

The impact of low back pain and disability on frailty levels in older women: longitudinal data from the BACE-Brazil cohort.

METHODS: This is a longitudinal observational study with a convenience subsample from the international Back Complaints in the Elders (BACE)-Brazil. Frailty was assessed by researchers at baseline, 6 and 12 months according to the Frailty Phenotype. Pain was assessed using a Numerical Pain Scale (NPS). Disability was assessed using the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 155 older women (70.4 ± 5.4 years) participated. Follow-up for 6 and 12 months in this study was associated with a change of older women to worse frailty levels (OR = 2.83, 95% CI 1.98-4.67; p < 0.01). A significant association was observed between greater pain intensity and the transition of the older women through the frailty levels (ß = - 0.73; p < 0.01) when inserting the pain variable at baseline of the statistical model. Older women who reported greater pain intensity worsened their frailty level. The same happened when the disability variable was inserted in the model (ß = - 0.74; p < 0.01). The criteria proposed by Fried et al. were able to identify frailty throughout the follow-up and no prevalence of any item. CONCLUSIONS: In older women, relevant factors such as pain and disability are closely linked to the frailty phenomenon. Thus, the frailty syndrome must be assessed, monitored and treated in relation to the individualities of older adults, as those with back pain and greater disabilities are more susceptible to frailty.

Risk factors for non-specific low back pain in older people: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To conduct a systematic review about risk factors associated with non-specific low back pain (LBP) in older people. METHODS: The study protocol was prospectively registered with Prospero (CRD42020191619). This systematic review with meta-analysis included cohort studies that investigated risk factors for LBP in older people. The following databases were searched up to 12 December 2020: MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science. Two independent reviewers appraised methodological quality using the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Cohort Studies instrument. RESULTS: We identified 3939 potentially relevant publications. After removing duplicates, screening title, and abstracts, we assessed 86 publications in full text. We included the remaining 11 publications for analysis. There is strong evidence that depressive symptoms are a risk of reporting future back pain onset (I2 = 52,7%, Odds ratio 1.4, CI 1.28-1.53). CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms are a risk factor for LBP in older people. Due to the limitations of the literature, the role of some risk factors remains unclear. An additional high-quality prospective cohort is needed to better elucidate these relationships.

The effect of kinesiophobia in older people with acute low back pain: longitudinal data from Back Complaints in the Elders (BACE).

This study aimed to investigate the course of low back pain (LBP) intensity over a period of 12 months in older people with and without kinesiophobia.This was an international multicenter study. LBP intensity was examined by using the Numerical Pain Scale at baseline and over five follow-up periods. The Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire was used to measure patients' beliefs and fears. The study included 532 older adults (non kinesiophobic = 227; kinesiophobic = 305). The individuals had moderate pain at baseline, with a significant difference observed between the groups. Participants showed a rapid improvement in the first 6 weeks, followed by minor improvements in the succeeding months. However, a significant difference between groups remained during the follow-up period. Independently, kinesiophobia is a significant prognostic factor. These findings suggest the importance of screening for psychosocial factors in the management of older patients with LBP. Practice implications: patients need to be warned that pain can be perpetuated by inappropriate avoidance behaviors that may later lead to disability.

Documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem em contexto pré-hospitalar: viatura médica de emergência e reanimação / Documentation of nursing care in a pre-hospital context: emergency and resuscitation medical vehicle

Nos últimos anos, a documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem, tem evoluído substancialmente, devido à evolução do conhecimento da disciplina de enfermagem, devido às necessidades impostas pelas políticas de saúde, mas também pela progressiva mudança de paradigma na conceção dos cuidados de enfermagem por parte dos seus profissionais. Em Portugal, esta realidade não é diferente, no entanto, em determinados contextos da prática, como é o caso do contexto pré-hospitalar e mais especificamente da Viatura Médica de Emergência e Reanimação, a prática da documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem, ainda é subvalorizada. A inexistência de instrumentos próprios de registo, aliada à forte preponderância de modelos de cuidados centrados na doença e no modelo biomédico, bem como a especificidade dos cuidados prestados neste contexto, tem contribuído para esta desvalorização. Reconhecendo a importância fundamental que a documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem assume, também, neste contexto e a evidente escassez de estudos que contemplem os registos produzidos pelos enfermeiros e os resultados obtidos com os cuidados de enfermagem prestados, desenvolvemos este estudo, no sentido de compreender a perceção dos enfermeiros relativamente à documentação de cuidados de enfermagem à pessoa em situação crítica no contexto de pré-hospitalar ­ VMER. Para a consecução deste estudo, assente num paradigma qualitativo, de caracter exploratório descritivo, recorremos à entrevista semiestruturada enquanto método de recolha de dados. Participaram no estudo oito enfermeiros que integram a equipa da Viatura Médica de Emergência e Reanimação de um hospital do Norte de Portugal. Os dados obtidos foram agregados através da técnica de análise de conteúdo, tendo emergido as seguintes áreas temáticas: cuidados de enfermagem prestados; a informação documentada; fatores que interferem na documentação, as sugestões de melhoria da documentação e os contributos da documentação de cuidados de enfermagem no contexto pré-hospitalar. Os resultados indicam que os cuidados prestados no contexto pré-hospitalar se centram essencialmente no indivíduo, circunscritos ao domínio da função e assentes no modelo biomédico. Da informação documentada sobressai a subdocumentação dos cuidados de enfermagem, fortemente influenciada pelos registos centrados no médico, pela desvalorização da prática da documentação, pelos condicionalismos dos instrumentos de registo e pela própria informação documentada. Os contributos da documentação dos cuidados enunciadas pelos participantes são reveladores da importância que lhe atribuem, destacando-se a continuidade, a qualidade, a segurança e qualidade dos cuidados, a investigação, auditorias e o suporte legal. São evidenciadas sugestões no sentido de otimizar a documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem no contexto pré-hospitalar através da criação de espaços de reflexão, da reestruturação dos instrumentos de registo e da informação a documentar. O estudo permite concluir a elevada relevância atribuída pelos participantes à documentação dos cuidados de enfermagem, no entanto, os cuidados de enfermagem documentados não traduzem os cuidados de enfermagem prestados nem a tomada de decisão do enfermeiro.

In recent years, the documentation of nursing care has evolved substantially, due to the evolution of knowledge in the discipline of nursing, due to the needs imposed by health policies, but also due to the progressive change in the paradigm in the design of nursing care by nurses. its professionals. In Portugal, this reality is no different, however, in certain contexts of practice, such as the pre-hospital context and more specifically in the Emergency and Reanimation Medical Vehicle, the practice of documenting nursing care is still undervalued . The lack of proper recording instruments, combined with the strong preponderance of models of care centered on the disease and on the biomedical model, as well as the specificity of the care provided in this context, has contributed to this devaluation. Recognizing the fundamental importance that the documentation of nursing care assumes, also in this context and the evident scarcity of studies that address the records produced by nurses and the results obtained with the nursing care provided, we developed this study, in order to understand the nurses' perception regarding the documentation of nursing care for people in critical situations in the pre-hospital context ­ VMER. In order to carry out this study, based on a qualitative paradigm, with an exploratory-descriptive character, we used semi-structured interviews as a data collection method. Eight nurses who are part of the team of the Emergency Medical Vehicle and Resuscitation of a hospital in Northern Portugal participated in the study. The data obtained were aggregated using the content analysis technique, and the following thematic areas emerged: nursing care provided; the documented information; factors that interfere with the documentation, suggestions for improving documentation and the contributions of nursing care documentation in the pre-hospital context. The results indicate that the care provided in the pre-hospital context is essentially centered on the individual, limited to the domain of function and based on the biomedical model. From the documented information, under-documentation of nursing care stands out, strongly influenced by records centered on the physician, by the devaluation of the practice of documentation, by the constraints of recording instruments and by the documented information itself. The contributions of the documentation of care mentioned by the participants reveal the importance they attribute to it, highlighting the continuity, quality, safety and quality of care, research, audits and legal support. Suggestions are made to optimize the documentation of nursing care in the pre-hospital context through the creation of spaces for reflection, restructuring of the recording instruments and the information to be documented. The study allows us to conclude the high relevance attributed by the participants to the documentation of nursing care, however, documented nursing care does not reflect the nursing care provided or the nurse's decision-making.

Interacting elevational and latitudinal gradients determine bat diversity and distribution across the Neotropics.

New World bats are heavily affected by the biophysical setting shaped by elevation and latitude. This study seeks to understand the patterns of bat species diversity across elevational, latitudinal and vegetation height gradients throughout the Neotropics. Systematically gathered putative and empirical data on bat species distribution across the entire Neotropics were examined using descriptive statistics, spatial interpolation of bat taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity, generalized linear models, generalized linear mixed models and phylogenetic generalized least squares. We uncoupled the effects of elevation, latitude and vegetation height to predict Neotropical bat diversity, showing that dietary level, home range and habitat breadth were the most important ecological traits determining coarse-scale bat distributions. Latitude was largely responsible for sorting the regional species pool, whereas elevation appears to apply an additional local filter to this regional pool wherever tropical mountains are present, thereby shaping the structure of montane assemblages. Bats provide multiple ecosystem services and our results can help pinpoint priority areas for bat research and conservation across all Neotropics, elucidate the thresholds of species distributions, and highlight bat diversity hotspots at multiple scales.

Assembleias de morcegos neotropicais são fortemente moldadas pelo ambiente biofísico que, por sua vez, é determinado pela elevação e latitude. Buscamos compreender neste estudo os padrões de diversidade de espécies de morcegos em gradientes de altitude, latitude e altura da vegetação ao longo de todo o domínio neotropical. Examinamos dados teóricos e empíricos sobre a distribuição de espécies de morcegos neotropicais, coletados sistematicamente, usando estatística descritiva, interpolação espacial de diversidade taxonômica, funcional e filogenética, modelos lineares generalizados, modelos lineares generalizados mistos e modelos generalizados filogenéticos. Desacoplamos os efeitos da altitude, latitude e altura da vegetação para predizer a diversidade de morcegos neotropicais, mostrando que nível trófico, tamanho da área de vida e especificidade de uso de habitats foram os traços ecológicos mais importantes que determinam as distribuições de morcegos em grande escala. A latitude foi amplamente responsável por determinar o conjunto regional de espécies, enquanto que a elevação parece aplicar um filtro local adicional no conjunto quando na presença de montanhas tropicais, moldando assim a estrutura das assembleias montanas de morcegos. Os morcegos atuam em vários serviços ecossistêmicos e nossos resultados podem ajudar a identificar áreas prioritárias para pesquisa e conservação de morcegos em toda a região neotropical, elucidar os limites de distribuição de espécies e destacar pontos críticos de diversidade de morcegos em múltiplas escalas.

Urinary symptoms in older people with low back pain: Prevalence, clinical, and functional factors associated.

AIMS: To identify the prevalence, clinical and functional factors associated with urinary symptoms (US) in community-dwelling older adults with acute low back pain (LBP). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of data's baseline of Back Complaints in the Elders Consortium. All elders had LPB heightened. We analyzed data on urinary symptoms, intensity of pain (Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), disability (Roland Morris [RM]), depressive symptoms (CES-D), and gait speed (m/s) in the Brazilian older adults. The sample was of 586 consecutive participants of BACE-Study. Ethical approval was obtained. In addition to the prevalence analysis, logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of US was 18.4% and were associated with CES-D (odds ratio [OR] = 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66-4.86), slower gait speed (OR = 0.33; 95% CI 0.14-0.78), and LBP-related disability (OR = 1.09; 95% CI 1.04-1.13) after adjusting for radiculophaty and other confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS: In community-dwelling older people with LBP, US were associated with depressive symptoms, gait speed, and disability. Our findings may provide a new framework for US management with respect to clinical and functional capacity. Specific physical examinations should be encouraged to assess the with acute LBP and US. Others factors can be associated with US in elders with LBP.

Not all species will migrate poleward as the climate warms: The case of the seven baobab species in Madagascar.

It is commonly accepted that species should move toward higher elevations and latitudes to track shifting isotherms as climate warms. However, temperature might not be the only limiting factor determining species distribution. Species might move to opposite directions to track changes in other climatic variables. Here, we used an extensive occurrence data set and an ensemble modelling approach to model the climatic niche and to predict the distribution of the seven baobab species (genus Adansonia) present in Madagascar. Using climatic projections from three global circulation models, we predicted species' future distribution and extinction risk for 2055 and 2085 under two representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and two dispersal scenarios. We disentangled the role of each climatic variable in explaining species range shift looking at relative variable importance and future climatic anomalies. Four baobab species (Adansonia rubrostipa, Adansonia madagascariensis, Adansonia perrieri¸ and Adansonia suarezensis) could experience a severe range contraction in the future (>70% for year 2085 under RCP 8.5, assuming a zero-dispersal hypothesis). For three out of the four threatened species, range contraction was mainly explained by an increase in temperature seasonality, especially in the North of Madagascar, where they are currently distributed. In tropical regions, where species are commonly adapted to low seasonality, we found that temperature seasonality will generally increase. It is, thus, very likely that many species in the tropics will be forced to move equatorward to avoid an increase in temperature seasonality. Yet, several ecological (e.g., equatorial limit, or unsuitable deforested habitat) or geographical barriers (absence of lands) could prevent species to move equatorward, thus increasing the extinction risk of many tropical species, like endemic baobab species in Madagascar.

Tropical deforestation induces thresholds of reproductive viability and habitat suitability in Earth's largest eagles.

Apex predators are threatened globally, and their local extinctions are often driven by failures in sustaining prey acquisition under contexts of severe prey scarcity. The harpy eagle Harpia harpyja is Earth's largest eagle and the apex aerial predator of Amazonian forests, but no previous study has examined the impact of forest loss on their feeding ecology. We monitored 16 active harpy eagle nests embedded within landscapes that had experienced 0 to 85% of forest loss, and identified 306 captured prey items. Harpy eagles could not switch to open-habitat prey in deforested habitats, and retained a diet based on canopy vertebrates even in deforested landscapes. Feeding rates decreased with forest loss, with three fledged individuals dying of starvation in landscapes that succumbed to 50-70% deforestation. Because landscapes deforested by > 70% supported no nests, and eaglets could not be provisioned to independence within landscapes > 50% forest loss, we established a 50% forest cover threshold for the reproductive viability of harpy eagle pairs. Our scaling-up estimate indicates that 35% of the entire 428,800-km2 Amazonian 'Arc of Deforestation' study region cannot support breeding harpy eagle populations. Our results suggest that restoring harpy eagle population viability within highly fragmented forest landscapes critically depends on decisive forest conservation action.

Use of healthcare services and therapeutic measures associated with new episodes of acute low back pain-related disability among elderly people: a cross-sectional study on the Back Complaints in the Elders - Brazil cohort.

BACKGROUND: Patients with low back pain frequently undergo a variety of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, but some of these have uncertain effectiveness. This highlights the importance of the association of healthcare services and therapeutic measures relating to disability. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the use of healthcare services and therapeutic measures among Brazilian older adults with disability-related low back pain. DESIGN AND SETTING: Observational cross-sectional study on baseline assessment data from the Back Complaints in the Elders - Brazil (BACE-B) cohort. METHODS: The main analyses were based on a consecutive sample of 602 older adult participants in BACE-B (60 years of age and over). The main outcome measurement for disability-related low back pain was defined as a score of 14 points or more in the Roland Morris Questionnaire. RESULTS: Visits to doctors in the previous six weeks (odds ratio, OR = 1.82; 95% confidence interval, CI 1.22-2.71) and use of analgesics in the previous three months (OR = 1.57; 95% CI 1.07-2.31) showed statistically significant associations with disability-related low back pain. The probability of disability-related low back pain had an additive effect to the combination of use of healthcare services and therapeutic measures (OR = 2.57; 95% CI 1.52-4.36). The analyses showed that this association was significant among women, but not among men. CONCLUSIONS: Occurrence of the combined of consultations and medication use was correlated with higher chance of severe disability among these elderly people with nonspecific low back pain. This suggested that overuse and "crowding-in" effects were present in medical services for elderly people.

Enhancing the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Light-Emitting Diode: Implications and Molecular Mechanisms.

This study evaluated the effects of light-emitting diode (LED) on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). An electronic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science database for articles published from 1980 to February 2020. Ten articles met the search criteria and were included in this review. The risk of bias was evaluated to report quality, safety, and environmental standards. MSCs were derived from adipose tissue, bone marrow, dental pulp, gingiva, and umbilical cord. Protocols for cellular irradiation used red and blue light spectrum with variations of the parameters. The LED has been shown to induce greater cellular viability, proliferation, differentiation, and secretion of growth factors. The set of information available leads to proposing a complex signaling cascade for the action of photobiomodulation, including angiogenic factors, singlet oxygen, mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase, Janus kinase/signal transducer, and reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, although our results suggest that LED can boost MSCs, a nonuniformity in the experimental protocol, bias, and the limited number of studies reduces the power of systematic review. Further research is essential to find the optimal LED irradiation parameters to boost MSCs function and evaluate its impact in the clinical setting.

Inquérito sorológico de brucelose em machos e fêmeas bovinas em fazendas do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul / Serological survey of brucellosis in males and females of cattle in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul

Objetivou-se avaliar a ocorrência de animais soro reagentes à brucelose bovina em fazendas localizadas no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, por meio de exame sorológico utilizando o Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT) e discutir as possíveis diferenças entre as soroprevalências de fêmeas e machos. Foram avaliados, a partir do teste de triagem com Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT), 724 bovinos da raça Nelore, sendo 274 machos e 450 fêmeas, provenientes de oito propriedades com histórico de problemas reprodutivos. O teste foi procedido conforme o protocolo determinado pelo Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). Os resultados demonstraram baixa soroprevalência da doença nos bovinos testados, sendo detectada prevalência para a doença de 1,10% nos machos e 2,88% nas fêmeas.Quando se considera o touro isoladamente nos rebanhos, pode-se perceber que a fertilidade é muito mais importante nos machos do que nas fêmeas individualmente, uma vez que os touros podem se acasalar com um número muito maior de fêmeas, seja na monta natural ou na inseminação artificial, demonstrando a importância do inquérito epidemiológico na população geral, principalmente nos machos. A maior frequência da doença foi encontrada nas fêmeas podendo estar relacionada à infecção por Brucella spp. no ambiente decorrente de parto ou aborto tornando as fêmeas transmissoras permanentes da doença.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of seroreactive animals to bovine brucellosis in farms located in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, by means of a serological examination using the Acidified Buffered Antigen (AAT) and to discuss the possible differences between the seroprevalence of females and males. A total of 724 Nellore cattle, 274 males and 450 females, from eight farms with a history of reproductive problems, were evaluated using the screening test with Acidified Buffered Antigen (AAT). The test was carried out according to the protocol determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA).The results showed a low seroprevalence of the disease in the tested cattle, with a prevalence of 1.10% in males and 2.88% in females.When considered the bull alone in herds, it can be shown that fertility is much more important in males than in females individually, since bulls can mate with a much larger number of females, either in natural mating or in artificial insemination, demonstrating the importance of epidemiological survey in the general population, especially in males. The highest frequency of the disease was found in females and may be related to infection by Brucella spp. in the environment from childbirth or abortion making females permanent transmitters of the disease.

Inquérito sorológico de brucelose em machos e fêmeas bovinas em fazendas do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul / Serological survey of brucellosis in males and females of cattle in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul

Objetivou-se avaliar a ocorrência de animais soro reagentes à brucelose bovina em fazendas localizadas no Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul, por meio de exame sorológico utilizando o Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT) e discutir as possíveis diferenças entre as soroprevalências de fêmeas e machos. Foram avaliados, a partir do teste de triagem com Antígeno Acidificado Tamponado (AAT), 724 bovinos da raça Nelore, sendo 274 machos e 450 fêmeas, provenientes de oito propriedades com histórico de problemas reprodutivos. O teste foi procedido conforme o protocolo determinado pelo Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). Os resultados demonstraram baixa soroprevalência da doença nos bovinos testados, sendo detectada prevalência para a doença de 1,10% nos machos e 2,88% nas fêmeas.Quando se considera o touro isoladamente nos rebanhos, pode-se perceber que a fertilidade é muito mais importante nos machos do que nas fêmeas individualmente, uma vez que os touros podem se acasalar com um número muito maior de fêmeas, seja na monta natural ou na inseminação artificial, demonstrando a importância do inquérito epidemiológico na população geral, principalmente nos machos. A maior frequência da doença foi encontrada nas fêmeas podendo estar relacionada à infecção por Brucella spp. no ambiente decorrente de parto ou aborto tornando as fêmeas transmissoras permanentes da doença.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of seroreactive animals to bovine brucellosis in farms located in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, by means of a serological examination using the Acidified Buffered Antigen (AAT) and to discuss the possible differences between the seroprevalence of females and males. A total of 724 Nellore cattle, 274 males and 450 females, from eight farms with a history of reproductive problems, were evaluated using the screening test with Acidified Buffered Antigen (AAT). The test was carried out according to the protocol determined by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA).The results showed a low seroprevalence of the disease in the tested cattle, with a prevalence of 1.10% in males and 2.88% in females.When considered the bull alone in herds, it can be shown that fertility is much more important in males than in females individually, since bulls can mate with a much larger number of females, either in natural mating or in artificial insemination, demonstrating the importance of epidemiological survey in the general population, especially in males. The highest frequency of the disease was found in females and may be related to infection by Brucella spp. in the environment from childbirth or abortion making females permanent transmitters of the disease.