Effects of rTMS and tDCS on neuropathic pain after brachial plexus injury: a randomized placebo-controlled pilot study.

Neuropathic pain after brachial plexus injury (NPBPI) is a highly disabling clinical condition and is increasingly prevalent due to increased motorcycle accidents. Currently, no randomized controlled trials have evaluated the effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS) in patients suffering from NPBPI. In this study, we directly compare the efficacy of 10-Hz rTMS and anodal 2 mA tDCS techniques applied over the motor cortex (5 daily consecutive sessions) in 20 patients with NPBPI, allocated into 2 parallel groups (active or sham). The order of the sessions was randomised for each of these treatment groups according to a crossover design and separated by a 30-day interval. Scores for "continuous" and "paroxysmal" pain (primary outcome) were tabulated after the last stimulation day and 30 days after. Secondary outcomes included the improvement in multidimensional aspects of pain, anxiety state and quality of life from a qualitative and quantitative approach. Active rTMS and tDCS were both superior to sham in reducing continuous (p < 0.001) and paroxysmal (p = 0.002; p = 0.02) pain as well as in multidimensional aspects of pain (p = 0.001; p = 0.002) and anxiety state (p = < 0.001; p = 0.005). Our results suggest rTMS and tDCS are able to treat NPBPI with little distinction in pain and anxiety state, which may promote the use of tDCS in brachial plexus injury pain management, as it constitutes an easier and more available technique.Clinical Trial Registration: http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/, RBR-5xnjbc - Sep 3, 2018.

Probing the Polysulfide Confinement in Two Different Sulfur Hosts for a Mg|S Battery Employing Operando Raman and Ex-Situ UV-Visible Spectroscopy.

We study here the Mg-polysulfide confinement inside two structurally different model porous materials, viz., toray carbon paper (TC) and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT), using operando Raman and postcycling ex-situ UV-vis spectroscopy. Sulfur encapsulated inside CNT (CNT-S) and TC (TC-S) serves as S-cathodes in a rechargeable room temperature Mg|S battery. Operando Raman spectroscopy indicates the presence of higher-order Mg-polysulfides at the CNT cathode. This is due to the combination of their entrapment inside CNT and also possibly to their localization in the liquid electrolyte in the vicinity of CNT-S. This finding is directly correlated to the ex-situ UV-vis spectroscopy, which shows a lesser degree of Mg-polysulfide dissolution into the electrolyte solution. In comparison, TC-S, where sulfur is encapsulated within the open matrix formed by the nanofiber network of the carbon paper, displays poorer polysulfide confinement. The distinct differences in their abilities to confine the Mg-polysulfides are corroborated by battery performance. In the current density range (0.05-1) C, the battery with CNT-S displays much higher specific capacities, being nearly two times that of TC-S at 1 C.

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation and Mirror Therapy for Neuropathic Pain After Brachial Plexus Avulsion: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Pilot Study.

Introduction: Although transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and mirror therapy (MT) have benefits in combating chronic pain, there is still no evidence of the effects of the simultaneous application of these techniques in patients with neuropathic pain. This study aims to assess the efficacy of tDCS paired with MT in neuropathic pain after brachial plexus injury. Methods: In a sham controlled, double-blind, parallel-group design, 16 patients were randomized to receive active or sham tDCS administered during mirror therapy. Each patient received 12 treatment sessions, 30 min each, during a period of 4 weeks over M1 contralateral to the side of the injury. Outcome variables were evaluated at baseline and post-treatment using the McGill questionnaire, Brief Pain Inventory, and Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Long-term effects of treatment were evaluated at a 3-month follow-up. Results: An improvement in pain relief and quality of life were observed in both groups (p ≤ 0.05). However, active tDCS and mirror therapy resulted in greater improvements after the endpoint (p ≤ 0.02). No statistically significant differences in the outcome measures were identified among the groups at follow-up (p ≥ 0.12). A significant relationship was found between baseline pain intensity and outcome measures (p ≤ 0.04). Moreover, the results showed that state anxiety is closely linked to post-treatment pain relief (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Active tDCS combined with mirror therapy has a short-term effect of pain relief, however, levels of pain and anxiety at the baseline should be considered. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04385030.

Aspectos atuais da reprodução humana assistida post mortem no Brasil

Objetivo - A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo estudar o polêmico tema da inseminação artificial post mortem. Metodologia - Trata-se de uma pesquisa bibliográfica. Realizada por meio de levantamento de material bibliográfico, livros e artigos científicos. Resultados e discussão - A doutrina brasileira atualmente divide-se em duas correntes com relação à referida temática: àqueles que defendem a ser plenamente possível a prática da inseminação artificial post mortem e a outra corrente que entende não ser possível tal prática. Conclusão - Portanto, os avanços tecnológicos na área da reprodução humana assistida, trazem novos paradigmas para o estudo do direito, visto que tal prática afeta e transforma as relações de família, irradiando efeitos jurídicos tanto para o direito de família, como para o direito sucessório

A triazine-based covalent organic polymer for efficient CO2 adsorption.

A new triazine functionalized hexagonally ordered covalent organic polymer (TRITER-1) has been synthesized via the Schiff-base condensation reaction between a tailor made triamine 1,3,5-tris-(4-aminophenyl)triazine (TAPT) and terephthaldehyde. This ordered porous polymer showed a high BET surface area (716 m(2) g(-1)) and an excellent CO2 uptake capacity of 58.9 wt% at 273 K under 5 bar pressure.