Investigating cryopreservation techniques for maintaining morphology and in vitro viability of cartilage and skin from Spix's yellow-toothed cavies (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831) for conservation through biobanks.

Conservation of the genetic diversity through skin and cartilage biobanks represents an essential strategy for maintaining biodiversity. Biobanks for the wild species of the order Rodentia have been little studied. Considering that the cryopreservation technique has specific relationships with the tissue and species of interest, we propose investigating different techniques for preserving tissue integrity and cell viability after cartilage and skin culture from Spix's yellow-toothed cavies. Subsequently, two techniques [solid-surface vitrification (SSV) vs. slow freezing (SF)] were used for cartilage and skin cryopreservation. Tissues not subjected to cryopreservation were used as controls. All tissues were evaluated for morphology and proliferation by histological techniques. Moreover, fragments were cultured, and cells were evaluated for viability, proliferation, metabolism, and apoptosis. Regardless of the cryopreservation technique, no differences were observed for the thickness of the epidermis, dermis, skin, spinous and basal layers, fibroblasts, and proliferative activity regarding the number of nucleolar organizer regions (NOR). SSV ensured better maintenance of epidermal cells, normal chondrocytes, filled gaps, collagen fibers, proliferative activity by NOR area/cell, and reduced perinuclear halos and empty gaps compared to SF. SF ensured the conservation of corneum thickness compared to the control. Although both techniques promoted cell recovery after culture, cells from SF resulted in better subconfluence time and day with cell growth around fragments compared to SSV. In conclusion, both cryopreservation techniques resulted in viable cells after culture. However, SSV promoted better maintenance of tissue morphological integrity, and SF ensured the preservation of all cell quality parameters in Spix's yellow-toothed cavies.

Use of intracranial compliance to assist arterial blood pressure adjustment in critical patients: Short report and review of the literature.

Background: Blood pressure management is extremely important to prevent cerebral hypoxia and influence the outcome of critically ill patients. In medicine, precise instruments are essential to increase patient safety in the intensive care unit (ICU), including intracranial compliance (ICC) monitoring. A new technology developed by Brain4care, makes it possible to analyze the waveform of intracranial pressure (ICP) non-invasively associated with ICC, and this instrument was used in the patient for monitoring. Case Description: A 40-year-old male underwent aortic endocarditis surgery involving 182-min extracorporeal circulation and 9-min aortic clamping. Post-surgery, he exhibited a seizure bilateral mydriasis, followed by isochoric pupils and rapid foot movements. Neuroprotection measures were applied in the ICU, with noninvasive ICC monitoring initiated to assess intervention effectiveness. Conclusion: The non-invasive measurement of ICP can help clinical decision-making regarding the optimization of adapted protocols for neuroprotection in the ICU.

Correction: Alves et al. WNK2 Inhibits Autophagic Flux in Human Glioblastoma Cell Line. Cells 2020, 9, 485.

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Large acute epidural hematoma from head pin fixation fracture.

Regarding head immobilization practices in neurosurgery, secondary fixation fractures are rare, underscoring the importance of precise pin positioning and an adequate force in the three-point clamp to achieve adequate fixation. Attention should be given to factors such as changes in bone metabolism.

Degradation of Dyes Catalyzed by Aminophenyl-Substituted Mn-Porphyrin Immobilized on Chloropropyl Silica Gel and Evaluation of Phytotoxicity.

A heterogenized Mn(III) porphyrin-based catalyst was prepared for dye degradation. The new Mn(III) complex of 5,15-bis(4-aminophenyl)-10,20-diphenylporphyrin was immobilized, via covalent bond, in chloropropyl silica gel, generating the material (Sil-Cl@MnP) with a loading of 23 µmol manganese porphyrin (MnP) per gram of Sil-Cl. This material was used as a catalyst in degradation reactions of model dyes, a cationic dye [methylene blue (MB)] and an anionic dye (reactive red 120, RR120), using PhI(OAc)2 and H2O2 as oxidants. The oxidation reactions were carried out after the dye reached adsorption/desorption equilibrium with the catalytic material, with a much higher percentage of adsorption being observed for the cationic MB dye (20%) than for the anionic RR120 dye (3%), which may be associated with electrostatic attraction or repulsion effects, respectively, with the negatively charged surface of the silica (zeta potential measurement for Sil-Cl@MnP, ζ = -19.2 mV). In general, there was a higher degradation percentage for MB than for RR120, probably because the size and charge of RR120 would hinder its approach to the MnP active species on the silica surface. With respect to the oxidant, the PhI(OAc)2-based systems showed a higher degradation percentage than those of H2O2. It was observed that the increase in the oxidant concentration promoted a significant increase in the degradation of MB, with a degradation of approximately 65%. The efficiency of the catalyst was also evaluated after successive additions of the oxidant every 2 h, and it can be seen that the catalyst had no loss of efficiency, with a degradation percentage greater than 80% being observed after 8 h of reaction. The phytotoxicity of the products formed in the system was evaluated in a 1:23.5:188 molar ratio Sil-Cl@MnP: MB:PhI(OAc)2 was used. In these studies, phytotoxicity was found for the germination of lettuce seeds when the original solution was used without dilution; however, when diluted (10% V/V), the results were close to the positive and negative controls. Thus, the material obtained proved to be a potential candidate for application in the degradation reactions of environmental pollutants.

Standardization use of the international classification of functioning, disability and health in the determination of health status in patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.

PURPOSE: To propose a standardized method for the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) to describe the health status in Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome (PACS) and investigate interrater agreement in the linking process in instruments and clinical exams using the ICF categories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional and interrater agreement study that followed the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies. Two raters performed the linking coding process in instruments of quality of life, anxiety and depression, fatigue and pulmonary function, inspiratory muscle strength and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. The codes were qualified by standards defined to each instrument and exams. RESULTS: The instrument with the lowest Cohen's Kappa coefficient was anxiety and depression (k = 0.57). Forty ICF codes were linked to clinical instruments and exams. The fatigue instrument presented a higher degree of disability by the qualification process, from severe to complete, in the linked codes. CONCLUSION: The study presents a standardized method for the assessment of the health status of patients with PACS through ICF. Restriction in work performance, socialization and family relationships as well as disabilities in physical endurance, fatigue and exercise tolerance were found in the sample. The agreement between the raters was moderate to perfect, demonstrating that the method can be reproducible.

The body structures and functions, environmental factors, activities and participation in a person's environment are determinant aspects of his health.Ways to measure these aspects are key to assessing health not only as absence of disease, so the International Classification of Disability and Functional Health demonstrates the ability to fully describe health.This study proposes a standardization in the use of the tool to facilitate usability in clinical practice.

Effects of a mat Pilates-based exercise program for low back pain in helicopter pilots of the Brazilian Air Force: Randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Helicopter pilots may present chronic low back pain due to vibration exposure and asymmetric posture during flight. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effects of a Pilates-based exercise program on low back pain of helicopter pilots of the Brazilian Air Force. METHODS: This is a randomized controlled trial with fifteen helicopter pilots of the Brazilian Air Force, who were assessed for pain intensity (Numerical Pain Rating Scale), disability associated with low back pain, and spine muscle endurance in three positions: trunk extension (Ito test) and left and right lateral bridge. Individuals were randomly distributed into the regular exercises group (REG) (n = 7), oriented to maintain their exercise routine, and Pilates group (PG) (n = 8), which performed an exercise program based on Pilates method twice a week for 12 weeks. Reassessments occurred after 6 and 12 weeks. Data were analyzed on SPSS 20.0 software using a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: PG showed a significant reduction in low back pain after 12 weeks of training compared with REG (mean difference of 3.5 points, p < 0.0001). We also observed increased endurance of trunk extensors (p = 0.002) and right (p = 0.001) and left lateral muscles (p = 0.001) in the PG compared with REG. However, the indexes of disability did not change between groups. CONCLUSION: Pain intensity was significantly reduced while spine muscle endurance increased in PG compared with REG after intervention; thus, Pilates-based exercises should be considered in physical conditioning programs for helicopter pilots.

Novel putative causal mutations associated with fat traits in Nellore cattle uncovered by eQTLs located in open chromatin regions.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) and backfat thickness (BFT) are critical economic traits impacting meat quality. However, the genetic variants controlling these traits need to be better understood. To advance knowledge in this area, we integrated RNA-seq and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified in genomic and transcriptomic data to generate a linkage disequilibrium filtered panel of 553,581 variants. Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) analysis revealed 36,916 cis-eQTLs and 14,408 trans-eQTLs. Association analysis resulted in three eQTLs associated with BFT and 24 with IMF. Functional enrichment analysis of genes regulated by these 27 eQTLs revealed noteworthy pathways that can play a fundamental role in lipid metabolism and fat deposition, such as immune response, cytoskeleton remodeling, iron transport, and phospholipid metabolism. We next used ATAC-Seq assay to identify and overlap eQTL and open chromatin regions. Six eQTLs were in regulatory regions, four in predicted insulators and possible CCCTC-binding factor DNA binding sites, one in an active enhancer region, and the last in a low signal region. Our results provided novel insights into the transcriptional regulation of IMF and BFT, unraveling putative regulatory variants.

Frequency, complications, and mortality of inhalation injury in burn patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Burns are tissue traumas caused by energy transfer and occur with a variable inflammatory response. The consequences of burns represent a public health problem worldwide. Inhalation injury (II) is a severity factor when associated with burn, leading to a worse prognosis. Its treatment is complex and often involves invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV). The primary purpose of this study will be to assess the evidence regarding the frequency and mortality of II in burn patients. The secondary purposes will be to assess the evidence regarding the association between IIs and respiratory complications (pneumonia, airway obstruction, acute respiratory failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome), need for IMV and complications in other organ systems, and highlight factors associated with IIs in burn patients and prognostic factors associated with acute respiratory failure, need for IMV and mortality of II in burn patients. METHODS: This is a systematic literature review and meta-analysis, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA). PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS/VHL, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL databases will be consulted without language restrictions and publication date. Studies presenting incomplete data and patients under 19 years of age will be excluded. Data will be synthesized through continuous (mean and standard deviation) and dichotomous (relative risk) variables and the total number of participants. The means, sample sizes, standard deviations from the mean, and relative risks will be entered into the Review Manager web analysis software (The Cochrane Collaboration). DISCUSSION: Despite the extensive experience managing IIs in burn patients, they still represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis and accurate measurement of its damage are complex, and therapies are essentially based on supportive measures. Considering the challenge, their impact, and their potential severity, IIs represent a promising area for research, needing further studies to understand and contribute to its better evolution. The protocol of this review is registered on the International prospective register of systematic reviews platform of the Center for Revisions and Disclosure of the University of York, United Kingdom (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero), under number RD42022343944.

Retrosigmoid versus middle fossa approach for hearing and facial nerve preservation in vestibular schwannoma surgery: A systematic review and comparative meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign tumors arising from vestibular nerve's Schwann cells. Surgical resection via retrosigmoid (RS) or middle fossa (MF) is standard, but the optimal approach remains debated. This meta-analysis evaluated RS and MF approaches for VS management, emphasizing hearing preservation and Cranial nerve seven (CN VII) outcomes stratified by tumor size. METHODS: Systematic searches across PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Embase identified relevant studies. Hearing and CN VII outcomes were gauged using the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Gardner Robertson, and House-Brackmann scores. RESULTS: Among 7228 patients, 56 % underwent RS and 44 % MF. For intracanalicular tumors, MF recorded 38 % hearing loss, compared to RS's 54 %. In small tumors (<1.5 cm), MF showed 41 % hearing loss, contrasting RS's lower 15 %. Medium-sized tumors (1.5 cm-2.9 cm) revealed 68 % hearing loss in MF and 55 % in RS. Large tumors (>3cm) were only reported in RS with a hearing loss rate of 62 %. CONCLUSION: Conclusively, while MF may be preferable for intracanalicular tumors, RS demonstrated superior hearing preservation for small to medium-sized tumors. This research underlines the significance of stratified outcomes by tumor size, guiding surgical decisions and enhancing patient outcomes.

Reusable graphite-based electrochemical sensors for L-dopa and dopamine detection.

A fully reusable electrochemical device is proposed for the first time made from laser cutting and a homemade conductive ink composed of carbon and nail polish. As a sensor substrate, we applied polymethyl methacrylate, which allows the surface to be renewed by simply removing and reapplying a new layer of ink. In addition to the ease of renewing the sensor's conductive surface, the design of the device has allowed for the integration of different forms of analysis. The determination of L-Dopa was performed using DPV, which presented a linear response range between 5.0 and 1000.0 µmol L-1, and a LOD of 0.11 µmol L-1. For dopamine, a flow injection analysis system was employed, and using the amperometric technique measurements were performed with a linear ranging from 2.0 to 100.0 µmol L-1 and a LOD of 0.26 µmol L-1. To demonstrate its applicability, the device was used in the quantification of analytes in pharmaceutical drug and synthetic urine samples.

Heparin-stabilized gold nanoparticles embedded in graphene for the electrochemical determination of esculetin.

A conductive nanocomposite consisting of heparin-stabilized gold nanoparticles embedded in graphene was prepared and characterized to develop an electrochemical sensor for the determination of esculetin in tea and jam samples. The gold nanoparticles were characterized by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The different proportions of graphene in the nanocomposite were evaluated and characterized by electrochemical practices. The heterostructure material on the glassy carbon electrode with esculetin showed π-π stacking interactions with an adsorption-controlled process. The voltammetric profile of esculetin using the proposed nanomaterial presented oxidation and reduction peaks at +0.61 and +0.58 V vs. Ag/AgCl, respectively, facilitating the electron transfer with esculetin through the transfer of two moles of protons and two moles of electrons per mole of esculetin. Using optimized conditions and square wave voltammetry, the calibration curve was obtained with two linear ranges, from 0.1 to 20.5 µmol L-1, with a detection limit of 43.0 nmol L-1. The electrochemical sensor showed satisfactory results for repeatability and stability, although interferences were observed in the presence of high concentrations of ascorbic acid or quercetin. The sensor was successfully applied in the determination of esculetin in samples of mulberry jam, white mulberry leaf tea, and white mulberry powder tea, presenting adequate recovery ranges. This directive provides valuable insights for the development of novel electrochemical sensors using heparin-based conductive nanomaterials with improved sensitivity and sensibility.

PD-L1 expression and microsatellite instability (MSI) in cancer of unknown primary site.

BACKGROUND: Cancer of unknown primary site (CUP) is a heterogeneous group of tumors for which the origin remains unknown. Clinical outcomes might be influenced by regulatory processes in its microenvironment. Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a predictive biomarker for cancer immunotherapy and its status, as well as co-occurrence with PD-L1 expression, is poorly evaluated. We aim to evaluate the expression of PD-L1 and the status of MSI in CUP and their possible associations with clinical-pathological features. METHODS: The combined positive score (CPS) PD-L1 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. MSI status was assessed using a hexa-plex marker panel by polymerase chain reaction followed by fragment analysis. RESULTS: Among the 166 cases, MSI analysis was conclusive in 120, with two cases being MSI positive (1.6%). PD-L1 expression was positive in 18.3% of 109 feasible cases. PD-L1 expression was significantly associated with non-visceral metastasis and a dominance of nodal metastasis. The median overall survival (mOS) was 3.7 (95% CI 1.6-5.8) months and patients who expressed PD-L1 achieved a better mOS compared to those who did not express PD-L1 (18.7 versus 3.0 months, p-value: < .001). ECOG-PS equal to or more than two and PD-L1 expression were independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis (2.37 and 0.42, respectively). CONCLUSION: PD-L1 is expressed in a subset (1/5) of patients with CUP and associated with improved overall survival, while MSI is a rare event. There is a need to explore better the tumor microenvironment as well as the role of immunotherapy to change such a bad clinical outcome.

Modulating the properties and structure of lignins produced by alkaline delignification of sugarcane bagasse pretreated with two different mineral acids at pilot-scale.

Sugarcane bagasse was pretreated with dilute phosphoric acid or sulfuric acid to facilitate cellulose hydrolysis and lignin extraction. With phosphoric acid, only 8 % of the initial cellulose was lost after delignification, whereas pretreatment with sulfuric acid resulted in the solubilization of 38 % of the initial cellulose. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the process using phosphoric acid produced approximately 35 % more glucose than that using sulfuric acid. In general, the lignins showed 95-97 % purity (total lignin, w/w), an average molar mass of 9500-10,200 g mol-1, a glass transition temperature of 140-160 °C, and a calorific value of 25 MJ kg-1. Phosphoric acid lignin (PAL) was slightly more polar than sulfuric acid lignin (SAL). PAL had 13 % more oxidized units and 20 % more OH groups than SAL. Regardless of the acid used, the lignins shared similar properties, but differed slightly in the characteristics of their functional groups and chemical bonds. These findings show that pretreatment catalyzed with either of the two acids resulted in lignin with sufficiently good characteristics for use in industrial processes.

Identification of metabolic pathways and key genes associated with atypical parkinsonism using a systems biology approach.

Atypical parkinsonism (AP) is a group of complex neurodegenerative disorders with marked clinical and pathophysiological heterogeneity. The use of systems biology tools may contribute to the characterization of hub-bottleneck genes, and the identification of its biological pathways to broaden the understanding of the bases of these disorders. A systematic search was performed on the DisGeNET database, which integrates data from expert curated repositories, GWAS catalogues, animal models and the scientific literature. The tools STRING 11.0 and Cytoscape 3.8.2 were used for analysis of protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The PPI network topography analyses were performed using the CytoHubba 0.1 plugin for Cytoscape. The hub and bottleneck genes were inserted into 4 different sets on the InteractiveVenn. Additional functional enrichment analyses were performed to identify Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways and gene ontology for a described set of genes. The systematic search in the DisGeNET database identified 485 genes involved with Atypical Parkinsonism. Superimposing these genes, we detected a total of 31 hub-bottleneck genes. Moreover, our functional enrichment analyses demonstrated the involvement of these hub-bottleneck genes in 3 major KEGG pathways. We identified 31 highly interconnected hub-bottleneck genes through a systems biology approach, which may play a key role in the pathogenesis of atypical parkinsonism. The functional enrichment analyses showed that these genes are involved in several biological processes and pathways, such as the glial cell development, glial cell activation and cognition, pathways were related to Alzheimer disease and Parkinson disease. As a hypothesis, we highlight as possible key genes for AP the MAPT (microtubule associated protein tau), APOE (apolipoprotein E), SNCA (synuclein alpha) and APP (amyloid beta precursor protein) genes.

A conserved antigen induces respiratory Th17-mediated broad serotype protection against pneumococcal superinfection.

Several vaccines targeting bacterial pathogens show reduced efficacy upon concurrent viral infection, indicating that a new vaccinology approach is required. To identify antigens for the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae that are effective following influenza infection, we performed CRISPRi-seq in a murine model of superinfection and identified the conserved lafB gene as crucial for virulence. We show that LafB is a membrane-associated, intracellular protein that catalyzes the formation of galactosyl-glucosyl-diacylglycerol, a glycolipid important for cell wall homeostasis. Respiratory vaccination with recombinant LafB, in contrast to subcutaneous vaccination, was highly protective against S. pneumoniae serotypes 2, 15A, and 24F in a murine model. In contrast to standard capsule-based vaccines, protection did not require LafB-specific antibodies but was dependent on airway CD4+ T helper 17 cells. Healthy human individuals can elicit LafB-specific immune responses, indicating LafB antigenicity in humans. Collectively, these findings present a universal pneumococcal vaccine antigen that remains effective following influenza infection.

Perfusion tomography in early follow-up of acute traumatic subdural hematoma: a case series.

Perfusion Computed Tomography (PCT) is an alternative tool to assess cerebral hemodynamics during trauma. As acute traumatic subdural hematomas (ASH) is a severe primary injury associated with poor outcomes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cerebral hemodynamics in this context. Five adult patients with moderate and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ASH were included. All individuals were indicated for surgical evacuation. Before and after surgery, PCT was performed and cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and mean transit time (MTT) were evaluated. These parameters were associated with the outcome at 6 months post-trauma with the extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOSE). Mean age of population was 46 years (SD: 8.1). Mean post-resuscitation Glasgow coma scale (GCS) was 10 (SD: 3.4). Mean preoperative midline brain shift was 10.1 mm (SD: 1.8). Preoperative CBF and MTT were 23.9 ml/100 g/min (SD: 6.1) and 7.3 s (1.3) respectively. After surgery, CBF increase to 30.7 ml/100 g/min (SD: 5.1), and MTT decrease to 5.8s (SD:1.0), however, both changes don't achieve statistically significance (p = 0.06). Additionally, CBV increase after surgery, from 2.34 (SD: 0.67) to 2.63 ml/100 g (SD: 1.10), (p = 0.31). Spearman correlation test of postoperative and preoperative CBF ratio with outcome at 6 months was 0.94 (p = 0.054). One patient died with the highest preoperative MTT (9.97 s) and CBV (4.51 ml/100 g). CBF seems to increase after surgery, especially when evaluated together with the MTT values. It is suggested that the improvement in postoperative brain hemodynamics correlates to favorable outcome.

Longitudinal strain and myocardial work in symptomatic patients having recovered from COVID-19 and possible associations with the severity of the disease.

COVID-19 may have residual consequences in multiple organs, including the cardiovascular system. The purpose of the present investigation is to quantify myocardial function in symptomatic individuals with long COVID and investigate the association between illness severity and myocardial function. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in which symptomatic individuals with previous COVID-19 underwent echocardiographic analysis of left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LVGLS) and myocardial work (MW). Individuals also performed cardiopulmonary testing (CPX) to assess peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak). Differences between illness severity subgroups were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test. Correlations were calculated using the Spearman correlation test. Multilinear regressions were performed to evaluate the influences of COVID-19 severity, body mass index, age, and sex on MW. Fifty-six individuals were included (critical subgroup: 17; moderate/severe subgroup: 39), 59% females; median age: 56 years (IQR: 43-63). CPX revealed a substantial reduction in VO2peak (median of 53% of predicted values). LVGLS were not statistically different between subgroups. Global wasted work (GWW) was higher in the critical subgroup [146 (104-212) versus 121 (74-163) mmHg%, p = 0.01], and global work efficiency (GWE) was lower in this subgroup [93 (91-95) versus 94 (93-96), p = 0.03]. Illness severity was the only independent predictor of GWW and GWE (GWW: r2 = 0.167; p = 0.009; GWE: r2 = 0.172; p = 0.005) in multilinear regressions. In our study with long COVID-19 individuals, despite having a similar LVGLS, patients had subclinical LV dysfunction, demonstrated only by an increase in GWW and a decrease in GWE.

Effects of Upper-Body and Lower-Body Conditioning Activities on Postactivation Performance Enhancement During Sprinting and Jumping Tasks in Female Soccer Players.

ABSTRACT: Santos da Silva, V, Nakamura, FY, Gantois, P, Nogueira Gouveia, JN, Peña, J, Beato, M, and Abade, E. Effects of upper-body and lower-body conditioning activities on postactivation performance enhancement during sprinting and jumping tasks in female soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 38(2): 342-349, 2024-This study aimed to investigate the postactivation performance enhancement (PAPE) effects of "specific" (half-back squat) and "nonspecific" (bench press) conditioning activities on sprinting and jumping performances in female soccer players. Fourteen players (mean ± SD : age = 22.3 ± 4.0 years; body mass = 60.2 ± 7.8 kg; height = 164.1 ± 4.2 cm) competing at national level (first League) participated in this within-subject crossover study. The players performed a warm-up protocol including 3 sets of 3 repetitions of half-back-squat or bench press exercises at 90% 1RM or a warm-up protocol without lifting weights (i.e., control condition). Forty-meter shuttle sprints (20 + 20 m with change of direction [COD-180°]), countermovement jump (CMJ), and horizontal jump (HJ) performances were recorded 6 minutes after the conditioning activities protocols or the control condition. Nonsignificant large positive effects were found for the HJ after the half-back-squat (ES = 1.68; p > 0.05) and bench press (ES = 1.68; p > 0.05) protocols. Although nonsignificant, HJ changes ( Δ = 0.07 m) were greater than the smallest worthwhile change (0.02 m) and standard error of measurement (0.03 m) after both conditioning activities. Moreover, no significant changes were found for sprint and CMJ performance after neither half-back-squat nor bench press protocols ( p > 0.05). In conclusion, both specific and nonspecific conditioning activities using heavy loads (i.e., 90% 1RM) may be suitable to enhance individual HJ. Finally, both conditioning activities are potentially ineffective for increasing sprint and CMJ performance in the context of this study.

Body image perception and dissatisfaction in resistance training practitioners: A critical review of the literature of Brazilian studies and assessment tools used.

This study aimed to review the findings on body image (BI) dissatisfaction and muscle dysmorphia (MD) in Brazilian RT practitioners and the differences in the assessment tools used. A critical review of studies with searches in PubMed, Brazilian Virtual Health Library, SciELO, PsycInfo, and SPORTDiscus databases was conducted. A total of 23 studies were included. Nine tools were used to assess BI dissatisfaction or MD: three questionnaires and six visual scales. The overall mean BI dissatisfaction was 56.5% (59.2% in men vs 57.3% in women). The mean MD was 42.4% (45.1% in women vs 38.5% in men). BI dissatisfaction and MD are related to women seeking slimness and men wanting to increase muscle mass. In conclusion, the frequency of BI was high in both sexes, and MD, when identified, was higher in women. The scales and questionnaires used differ significantly in depth and scope for the same purpose.