Unveiling the link: exploring muscle oxygen saturation in fibromyalgia and its implications for symptomatology and therapeutic strategies.

Fibromyalgia, characterized as a complex chronic pain syndrome, presents with symptoms of pervasive musculoskeletal pain, significant fatigue, and pronounced sensitivity at specific anatomical sites. Despite extensive research efforts, the origins of fibromyalgia remain enigmatic. This narrative review explores the intricate relationship between muscle oxygen saturation and fibromyalgia, positing that disruptions in the oxygenation processes within muscle tissues markedly influence the symptom profile of this disorder. Muscle oxygen saturation, crucial for muscle function, has been meticulously investigated in fibromyalgia patients through non-invasive techniques such as near-infrared spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. The body of evidence consistently indicates substantial alterations in oxygen utilization within muscle fibers, manifesting as reduced efficiency in oxygen uptake during both rest and physical activity. These anomalies play a significant role in fibromyalgia's symptomatology, especially in terms of chronic pain and severe fatigue, potentially creating conditions that heighten pain sensitivity and accumulate metabolic byproducts. Hypothesized mechanisms for these findings encompass dysfunctions in microcirculation, mitochondrial irregularities, and autonomic nervous system disturbances, all meriting further research. Understanding the dynamics of muscle oxygen saturation in fibromyalgia is of paramount clinical importance, offering the potential for tailored therapeutic approaches to alleviate symptoms and improve the quality of life for sufferers. This investigation not only opens new avenues for innovative research but also fosters hope for more effective treatment strategies and improved outcomes for individuals with fibromyalgia.

Assessing the dark personality traits with observer reports: A meta-analysis of inter-rater agreement on the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad traits.

Assessing dark personality traits with self-reports may be hampered by biases such as socially desirable responding. To address this, observer reports could be an effective complement or alternative to self-reports. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the correlations of observer reports of the Dark Triad and Dark Tetrad traits with these traits' self-reports. A comprehensive search in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and PsycINFO yielded 24 studies that met the inclusion criteria (with 32 effect sizes) and included the assessment of at least one of the dark traits. Results showed positive self-observer correlations of medium-high magnitude for psychopathy (r = 0.47) and of medium magnitude for narcissism and Machiavellianism (respectively, r = 0.44 and 0.41). In addition, for Machiavellianism and psychopathy, it was shown that the better acquainted the observer and the observed, the higher the self-observer correlations. For sadism, no results could be obtained because only one study included the assessment of this trait. This is the first meta-analysis of inter-rater agreement in assessing the Dark Tetrad. The findings suggest that observer reports could be a supplement or even be alternatives to self-reports when assessing the Dark Tetrad traits.

Screening and Characterization of 1,8-Cineole-Based Solvents as an Alternative to Hexane for Obtaining Nonpolar Compounds from Plant-Based Milk Coproducts.

The design of new hydrophobic solvents is essential for replacing the toxic hexane for extracting nonpolar compounds such as fatty acids. On the other hand, the full use of plant matrices seeking to obtain new food and pharmaceutical products from their coproducts has also been the focus of sustainable processes. This study proposed new solvents for replacing hexane to extract fatty acids and hydrophobic bioactive compounds from coproducts obtained from almond- and peanut-based milk processing. The COSMO-RS method was used to select terpene-based mixtures to substitute hexane. Experimentally, four liquid solvents were formed from 1:2 tetradecanol/1,8-cineole (TE/EU), 1:2 camphor/1,8-cineole (CA/EU), 1:1 oleic acid/1,8-cineole (OL/EU), and 1:1 menthol/1,8-cineole (ME/EU). DSC analyses indicated the reduction of the CA/EU, OL/EU, and ME/EU melting points concerning their components. However, the melting point values predicted by the COSMO for obtaining eutectic mixtures differed. CA/EU was the only mixture with a melting point lower than the COSMO-RS-predicted one. In contrast, the FTIR spectra did not provide a clear visualization of the hydrogen bond formation between camphor and 1,8-cineole. This could be due to the formation of weak hydrogen bonds, a phenomenon observed in other studies. Nevertheless, these solvents have the advantage of low viscosity, a promising feature that likely facilitated mass transfer in the extraction of hydrophobic compounds from almond and peanut coproducts. ME/EU provided the same global extraction yield as hexane and higher phytosterol extraction from almond coproducts. On the other hand, CA/EU provided the same global yield and squalene content as hexane from peanut coproducts. The extracts can be directly used in food and pharmaceutical applications since the solvents are usually part of the formulations. However, DSC and TGA-DTA analyses indicated possible ways to separate the solvents.

The prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with metastatic disease to the spine.

Introduction: The prevalence of depression and anxiety in cancer patients is approximately 15% and 20%. Unfortunately, depression has been demonstrated to negatively impact patients after spinal fusion surgeries and is associated with worse overall survival in cancer patients. The rates of depression and anxiety have yet to be reported in patients with metastatic spine disease. The objective of this study was to determine the rate of depression and anxiety in patients with metastatic spine disease. Materials and Methods: Patients >18 years of age at our institution who presented with metastatic spinal disease between 2017 and 2022 were identified through query search and verified by chart review of operative and biopsy notes. Patients who carried a depression and anxiety diagnosis were identified through a review of documentation in the electronic medical record. Demographic and surgical characteristics were recorded. Results: One hundred and fifty patients were identified. The average age and Charlson Comorbidity Index were 63.5 ± 13.0 and 8.34 ± 2.76, respectively. There were 84 (56.0%) males, 28 (18.7%) patients carrying a diagnosis of diabetes, and 40 (26.7%) current smokers. There were 127 (84.7%) surgeries performed for spinal metastases. The most common operative location was the thoracic spine (42.5%), while the sacrum was the least common (2.36%). Overall, 20.00% of our cohort carried a diagnosis of depression, 17.3% carried a diagnosis of anxiety, and 28.7% carried a diagnosis of either depression or anxiety. The most common primary cancers were lung (20.67%), breast (17.33%), and prostate cancers (15.33%). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates elevated rates of depression and anxiety in patients with spinal metastatic disease relative to the general population. When evaluating patients with spinal metastases, spine surgeons have an opportunity to screen for symptoms and place an early referral to a mental health professional.

A Particle Method for the Multispecies Landau Equation.

The multispecies Landau collision operator describes the two-particle, small scattering angle or grazing collisions in a plasma made up of different species of particles such as electrons and ions. Recently, a structure preserving deterministic particle method (Carrillo et al. in J. Comput. Phys. 7:100066, 2020) has been developed for the single species spatially homogeneous Landau equation. This method relies on a regularization of the Landau collision operator so that an approximate solution, which is a linear combination of Dirac delta distributions, is well-defined. Based on a weak form of the regularized Landau equation, the time dependent locations of the Dirac delta functions satisfy a system of ordinary differential equations. In this work, we extend this particle method to the multispecies case, and examine its conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, and decay of entropy properties. We show that the equilibrium distribution of the regularized multispecies Landau equation is a Maxwellian distribution, and state a critical condition on the regularization parameters that guarantees a species independent equilibrium temperature. A convergence study comparing an exact multispecies Bobylev-Krook-Wu (BKW) solution to the particle solution shows approximately 2nd order accuracy. Important physical properties such as conservation, decay of entropy, and equilibrium distribution of the particle method are demonstrated with several numerical examples.

Functional analysis of regA paralog rlsD in Volvox carteri.

Volvox carteri is an excellent system for investigating the origins of cell differentiation because it possesses just two cell types, reproductive gonidia and motile somatic cells, which evolved relatively recently. The somatic phenotype depends on the regA gene, which represses cell growth and reproduction, preventing cells expressing it from growing large enough to become gonidia. regA encodes a putative transcription factor and was generated in an undifferentiated ancestor of V. carteri through duplication of a progenitor gene whose ortholog in V. carteri is named rlsD. Here we analyze the function of rlsD through knockdown, overexpression, and RNA-seq experiments, to gain clues into the function of a member of an understudied putative transcription factor family and to obtain insight into the origins of cell differentiation in the volvocine algae. rlsD knockdown was lethal, while rlsD overexpression dramatically reduced gonidial growth. rlsD overexpression led to differential expression of approximately one-fourth of the genome, with repressed genes biased for those typically overexpressed in gonidia relative to somatic cells, and upregulated genes biased toward expression in soma, where regA expression is high. Notably, rlsD overexpression affects accumulation of transcripts for genes/Pfam domains involved in ribosome biogenesis, photosynthetic light harvesting, and sulfate generation, functions related to organismal growth, and responses to resource availability. We also found that in the wild type, rlsD expression is induced by light deprivation. These findings are consistent with the idea that cell differentiation in V. carteri evolved when a resource-responsive, growth-regulating gene was amplified, and a resulting gene duplicate was co-opted to repress growth in a constitutive, spatial context.

Mechanistic in vitro study of the effect of Cucurbita moschata (Cucurbitaceae) on carbohydrate digestive enzymes.

Diabetes is marked by postprandial hyperglycemia (PHG), an abnormal rise in blood glucose after meals. A key therapeutic goal to reduce PHG is the inhibition of α-amylase (αAM) and α-glucosidase (αGL), enzymes that break down carbohydrates into sugars. Cucurbita moschata has been shown to inhibit both enzymes. However, its inhibition mechanism has not been explored. This study investigated the in vitro inhibition mechanisms of αAM and αGL and conducted a metabolomic analysis of C. moschata (edible part) water-extract (CME), aiming to preliminarily identify its bioactive compounds (BCs). The inhibitory mechanisms were determined using Lineweaver-Burk plots. The BCs were identified and quantified using HPLC-QTOF-MS, employing both targeted and untargeted metabolomic approaches. CME had a significant higher effect (p < 0.05) on αAM activity than against αGL with IC50 of 28.99 and 698.42 mg/mL, respectively. The extract showed mixed and uncompetitive type inhibitions on αAM and αGL, respectively. The lowest inhibition constant (Ki) was 47.68 mg/mL on αAM activity at 20 mg/mL. Untargeted metabolic profiling by UPLC-MS-ESI-QTOF putatively identified 30 compounds in CME, such as amino acids, vitamins, phytohormones, fatty acids, cucurbitacins and phenolic acids, and flavonoids. Functional analysis of CME identified significant pathways, including pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis and phenylpropanoids, among others. The targeted analysis by UPLC-MS-ESI-QqQ allowed us to identify 12 compounds, with l-phenylalanine, p-hydroxybenzoic, and p-coumaric acid as majors. This study demonstrated the inhibitory potential of CME on αAM and αGL activities, which may be attributed to its metabolites. Thus, this plant represents a valuable source of BC against PHG. Practical Application: The research highlights that Cucurbita moschata has significant potential in managing postprandial hyperglycemia in diabetic patients by inhibiting enzymes like α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In addition, the identification of its compounds emphasizes its importance as a source of bioactive compounds. Therefore, C. moschata could be effectively utilized in the development of nutraceuticals or as an ingredient in functional foods specifically designed for postprandial hyperglycemia management. Thus, integrating C. moschata as part of the daily diet could offer patients with diabetes a natural alternative to control their blood glucose levels after eating.

Effect of sub-micron deformations at opposing strain rates on the micromagnetic behaviour of non-oriented electrical steel.

We are entering an era of re-electrification, seeking high-power density electrical machines with minimal resource use. Significant performance gains in electrical machines have been achieved through precise manufacturing processes, including the shaping/cutting of soft magnetic materials. However, most studies have evaluated magnetic performance at a macro level, focusing on components, while the fundamental mechanisms, e.g., how the micromagnetic behaviour is affected by mechanical interference, remain unclear. In this study, we examine the impact of sub-micron deformations at opposing strain rates (10-2 to 101 s-1) on the micromagnetic behaviour of soft magnetic non-oriented electrical steel. Using a diamond probe to indent within a single grain of polycrystalline material at different velocities, we induce quasi-static and dynamic mechanical loading. Our analysis, employing magnetic force microscopy, transmission Kikuchi diffraction, and scanning transmission electron microscopy with a pixelated detector, reveals that magnetic texture disturbances rely on the time-dependent dislocation dynamics of the Fe-BCC material. Additionally, we compress micro-pillars to further investigate these effects under bulk-isolated deformation. These findings highlight the importance of considering even ultra-small loads, such as nano-indentations and micro-pillar compressions, in the manufacturing of next-generation electric machines, as they can affect magnetic texture and performance.

Superchiral Light Emerging from Bound States in the Continuum in Metasurfaces of Si Nanorod Dimers.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) in all-dielectric metasurfaces enhance light-matter interaction at the nanoscale due to their infinite Q factors and strong field confinement. Among a variety of phenomena already reported, their impact on chiral light has recently attracted great interest. Here we investigate the emergence of intrinsic and extrinsic optical chirality associated with the excitation of BICs in various metasurfaces made of Si nanorod dimers on a quartz substrate, comparing three cases: parallel nanorods (neutral) and shifted and slanted dimers, with/without index-matching superstrate. We analyze both the circular dichroism (CD) of the far-field (FF) interaction and the helicity of the near-field (NF) distribution. We show that the best approach to achieve chiral response in the FF based on extrinsic chirality is to exploit quasi-BICs (q-BICs) appearing in the case of slanted nanorod dimers. By contrast, the helicity density is largely enhanced in the case of shifted dimers, as it presents intrinsic chirality, with values 2 orders of magnitude larger than those of circularly polarized plane waves. These so-called superchiral electromagnetic fields concentrated at the nanoscale within the metasurface hold promise of appealing implications in phenomena such as strong-coupling, photoluminescence emission, or other local light-matter interactions.

Prevalence and incidence of uveitis in patients with spondyloarthritis: the impact of the biologics era. Data from International ASAS-COMOSPA Study.

OBJECTIVES: Uveitis is a common extra-musculoskeletal manifestation in Spondyloarthritis (SpA). The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence of uveitis in SpA patients, its association with geographical areas and to determine whether its incidence was different before and after the biological era. METHODS: ASAS-COMOSPA is a retrospective study that includes patients fulfilling ASAS SpA classification criteria from 22 countries. The overall prevalence of uveitis was calculated, and factors associated with the onset of a first episode of uveitis were evaluated using a Cox regression. A Log-Rank test was performed to compare the new onset of uveitis in the no biological era (SpA onset before 2000) vs biological era (SpA onset after 2000). RESULTS: 3984 patients were included. The likelihood of presenting a first uveitis episode increased over time, from a prevalence of 10.5% (95%CI 9.5%-11.4%) at the time of the SpA diagnosis to 46.6% (41.6%-51.5%) after 30 years since the SpA diagnosis. HLA-B27 positivity, family history of uveitis, peripheral enthesitis and IBD were associated with higher risk of uveitis. Patients with SpA disease onset after year 2000 showed a lower prevalence of uveitis compared with disease onset before year 2000 (8.2% vs 25.5%, p< 0.01), as well as a lower incidence (2.8 per 100 PY vs 6.1 per 100 PY, respectively). CONCLUSION: In our study the risk of having suffered from at least one episode of uveitis ranged from 10% at the time of the diagnosis of axSpA to 47% after 30 years of disease duration. Patients with disease onset after biologic therapy introduction showed a significantly lower prevalence and incidence of first episodes of uveitis.

Blastocystis occurrence and subtype diversity in European wild boar (Sus scrofa) from the Iberian Peninsula.

The ongoing increase in wild boar populations across Europe has fostered human-wildlife conflicts, including the transmission of emerging pathogens with zoonotic importance. Blastocystis is a ubiquitous, faecal-oral transmitted protist that can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and is observed in humans and animals worldwide. The role of wildlife in the epidemiology of Blastocystis is insufficiently understood. Thus, we investigated the occurrence and subtype diversity of Blastocystis in free-ranging wild boars from the Iberian Peninsula using conventional PCR and next-generation amplicon sequencing of a fragment of the ssu RNA gene. A total of 459 wild boar faecal samples were collected across Spain (n = 360) and Portugal (n = 99) between 2014 and 2021. Blastocystis was present in 15.3% (70/459; 95% CI 12.1-18.9) of the wild boars analysed, and its occurrence was significantly higher in Portugal (34.3%, 34/99; 95% CI 25.1-44.6) than in Spain (10.0%, 36/360; 95% CI 7.1-13.6). Seven Blastocystis subtypes (ST5, ST10b, ST13-ST15, ST24b, and ST43) were detected among the surveyed wild boar populations, with greater variability detected in Portuguese samples. ST5 was identified in all the Blastocystis-positive animals, whereas 14.3% of them harboured ST mixed colonisations. Our results demonstrate that Blastocystis ST5 is particularly adapted to infect wild boars. The additional identification of zoonotic STs reinforces the role of wild boars as spreaders of zoonotic infections with public health significance.

Efficacy of a cysteine protease inhibitor compared with enalapril in murine heart failure models.

Cysteine proteases calpains contribute to heart failure (HF), but it remains unknown whether their inhibition provides any benefit compared to standard pharmacological treatment for HF. Here, we characterize the pharmacological properties of NPO-2270 (NPO) as a potent inhibitor of cysteine proteases. Then, we describe that acute administration of NPO in rodent models of transient ischemia at the time of reperfusion reduces myocardial infarction, while its chronic oral administration attenuates adverse remodeling and cardiac dysfunction induced by ischemic and non-ischemic pathological stimuli more effectively than enalapril when given at the same dose. Finally, we provide evidence showing that the effects of NPO correlate with calpain inhibition and the preservation of the T-tubule morphology, due at least in part to reduced cleavage of the calpain substrate junctophilin-2. Together, our data highlight the potential of cysteine protease inhibition with NPO as a therapeutic strategy for the treatment of heart failure.

Antiviral Treatment and Risk of Hearing Loss in Asymptomatic and Mild Symptomatic Infants With Congenital Cytomegalovirus.

BACKGROUND: To assess hearing outcomes at 24 months of age in infants with mild congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection, depending on whether they have received antiviral treatment or not. METHODS: A retrospective study within the European Registry of Children with cCMV was performed. Included children had cCMV diagnosed in utero/in the first 21 days of life, with normal physical examination, alanine aminotransferase <80 U/L and platelets >100,000 cs/mm3 and absence of hearing loss (HL) at birth. Cranial ultrasound (cUS) and/or cranial magnetic resonance imaging was normal or with minor findings (isolated lenticulostriate vasculopathy and/or germinolysis/caudothalamic or subependymal cysts, and/or focal/multifocal white matter involvement). The main outcome was the presence of HL at 24 months of age. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-six patients met inclusion criteria. A total of 34.7% received antiviral treatment with valganciclovir/ganciclovir. Children treated had lower gestational age, birth weight and head circumference, and maternal primary infection was less frequent. Among treated children, 21.3% presented minor findings in cUS versus 6.3% in nontreatment group (P = 0.003). Nine patients (4.6%) developed HL at 24 months. Among children with HL, 20% presented minor findings in cUS versus 11.3% in non-HL group (P = NS). HL rate was similar in treated and nontreated groups (4.6% vs. 6.3%; P = 0.6). CONCLUSIONS: One-third of the children were treated with antivirals and infants with minor neuroimaging findings at birth were more likely to receive antiviral. There were no differences in the prevalence of HL at 2 years of age between treated and not-treated children. Minor neuroimaging findings were not clearly associated with an increased risk of delayed onset HL.

Solid acids as cocatalysts in the chelation-assisted hydroacylation of alkenes and alkynes.

The use of homogeneous Brønsted acid cocatalysts (such as benzoic acid) in hydroacylation reactions via imine intermediates has been extensively studied. However, the use of heterogeneous cocatalysts has been limited to montmorillonite K10. Thus, we can use other solid acids to increase the efficiency of the reaction. In this study, we describe the effects of sulfated zirconia, Al-MCM-41 or superacid modified montmorillonite on the hydroacylation of alkenes and alkynes with aldehydes via imine intermediates and in the presence of the Wilkinson complex. Furthermore, we addressed the dual role of montmorillonite, a redox reagent in the presence of TEMPO and an acid solid, allowing the direct use of benzyl alcohols as substrates to generate saturated or α,ß-unsaturated ketones.

Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Representation Among US Academic Spine Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Although diversity has improved across certain orthopaedic subspecialties, enhancing diversity within spine surgery has remained a challenge. We aimed to investigate the current state of sex, racial, and ethnic diversity among academic orthopaedic spine surgeons in the United States. METHODS: In January 2024, a cross-sectional analysis of orthopaedic spine surgery faculty in the United States was conducted using the Doximity database to identify eligible surgeons. Fellowship-trained orthopaedic spine surgeons (professor, associate professor, and assistant professor) who graduated residency between 1990 and 2022 were included. Race, sex, academic rank, residency year of graduation, and H-Index scores were recorded using publicly available information from faculty profile pages and the Doximity database. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-two spine faculty were included in the analysis: 95.1% men and 4.84% women. Across race and ethnicity, 315 surgeons (69.7%) were White, 111 (24.6%) Asian, 15 (3.32%) Black or African American, and 11 (2.43%) Hispanic or Latino or of Spanish origin. Of the 101 professor-level surgeons, 3 (2.97%) were Black men. Among female professors, none were Black, Asian, or Hispanic/Latino. No Hispanic or Latino female professors, associate professors, or assistant professors were identified. The sex and race/ethnicity demographics that have increased in percentage over time include White women (0.92% to 6.08%), Asian men (11.0% to 26.5%), Asian women (0% to 1.66%), and Hispanic/Latino men (1.83% to 3.87%). The surgeon demographic groups that demonstrated minimal fluctuations over time included Black men, Black women, and Hispanic/Latino women. CONCLUSION: Our findings demonstrate that underrepresentation among academic spine surgeons remains an ongoing challenge that warrants increased attention. Enhancing the representation of Black and Hispanic men, as well as Black, Asian, and Hispanic women, in spine surgery requires a deliberate effort at every level of orthopaedic training.

Thyroid peroxidase antibodies were associated with prevalent carotid intima-media thickness in middle-age and older adults: the ELSA-Brasil cohort.

PURPOSE: Understanding the relationship between antithyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) could provide insights into the mechanisms linking thyroid autoimmunity and cardiovascular disease. We aimed to explore the association of multiple categories of TPOAb with the increased cIMT at baseline and at follow-up in participants from the ELSA-Brasil Study. METHODS: This prospective cohort study analyzed data from 9,264 participants (51.5 ± 8.9 years old, 55.9% women) without a history of cardiovascular disease. Fasting serum TPOAb levels were determined. Values of cIMT equal to or above one deviation standard of the sample's mean were classified as increased cIMT at baseline. The increased cIMT after the 8-year follow-up was calculated after excluding participants with increased cIMT at baseline. Multivariate analyses were done using binary logistic and Poisson regression models. RESULTS: The increased cIMT was prevalent in 14.3% of the participants at baseline and its development occurred in 16.8% participants during the cohort. After adjustment for all confounder variables, TPOAb detectability (OR = 1.84, 95%CI = 1.21-2.79), and low detectable (OR = 1.81, 95%CI = 1.18-2.75), high detectable (OR = 2.01, 95%CI = 1.29-3.11) and positive (OR = 1.70, 95%CI = 1.07-2.70) TPOAb were positively associated with increased cIMT at baseline. The associations of low and high detectable TPOAb and increased cIMT at baseline were consistent when excluding those with thyroid dysfunction. There was no statistically significant association between TPOAb levels and increased cIMT at follow-up (p > 0.05), neither for all sample nor for euthyroid individuals. CONCLUSION: Different levels of TPOAb, including its detectability, were associated with increased cIMT at baseline in the studied sample. We highlight that may be relevant to consider the levels of TPOAb detectability as possible marker of increased cardiovascular risk.

Practical courses on advanced methods in macromolecular crystallization: 20 years of history and future perspectives.

The first Federation of European Biochemical Societies Advanced Course on macromolecular crystallization was launched in the Czech Republic in October 2004. Over the past two decades, the course has developed into a distinguished event, attracting students, early career postdoctoral researchers and lecturers. The course topics include protein purification, characterization and crystallization, covering the latest advances in the field of structural biology. The many hands-on practical exercises enable a close interaction between students and teachers and offer the opportunity for students to crystallize their own proteins. The course has a broad and lasting impact on the scientific community as participants return to their home laboratories and act as nuclei by communicating and implementing their newly acquired knowledge and skills.