Exploring circular RNAs as biomarkers for Parkinson's disease and their expression changes after aerobic exercise rehabilitation.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are circularized single-stranded ribonucleic acids that interacts with DNA, RNA, and proteins to play critical roles in cell biology. CircRNAs regulate microRNA content, gene expression, and may code for specific peptides. Indeed, circRNAs are differentially expressed in neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson's disease (PD), playing a potential role in the mechanisms of brain pathology. The RNA molecules with aberrant expression in the brain can cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the bloodstream, which enable their use as non-invasive PD disease biomarker. Promising targets with valuable discriminatory ability in combined circRNA signatures include MAPK9_circ_0001566, SLAIN1_circ_0000497, SLAIN2_circ_0126525, PSEN1_circ_0003848, circ_0004381, and circ_0017204. On the other hand, regular exercises are effective therapy for mitigating PD symptoms, promoting neuroprotective effects with epigenetic modulation. Aerobic exercises slow symptom progression in PD by improving motor control, ameliorating higher functions, and enhancing brain activity and neuropathology. These improvements are accompanied by changes circRNA expression, including hsa_circ_0001535 (circFAM13B) and hsa_circ_0000437 (circCORO1C). The sensitivity of current methods for detecting circulating circRNAs is considered a limitation. While amplification kits already exist for low-abundant microRNAs, similar kits are needed for circRNAs. Alternatively, the use of digital PCR can help overcome this constraint. The current review examines the potential use of circRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers of PD and to assess the effects of rehabilitation. Although circRNAs hold promise as targets for PD diagnosis and therapeutics, further validation is needed before their clinical implementation.

The Biological Role of Platelet Derivatives in Regenerative Aesthetics.

Bioproducts derived from platelets have been extensively used across various medical fields, with a recent notable surge in their application in dermatology and aesthetic procedures. These products, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), play crucial roles in inducing blood vessel proliferation through growth factors derived from peripheral blood. PRP and PRF, in particular, facilitate fibrin polymerization, creating a robust structure that serves as a reservoir for numerous growth factors. These factors contribute to tissue regeneration by promoting cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration and collagen/elastin production. Aesthetic medicine harnesses these effects for diverse purposes, including hair restoration, scar treatment, striae management, and wound healing. Furthermore, these biological products can act as adjuvants with other treatment modalities, such as laser therapy, radiofrequency, and microneedling. This review synthesizes the existing evidence, offering insights into the applications and benefits of biological products in aesthetic medicine.

Global-scale brittle plastic rheology at the cometesimals merging of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

Observations of comet nuclei indicate that the main constituent is a mix of ice and refractory materials characterized by high porosity (70-75%) and low bulk strength (10-4-10-6 MPa); however, the nature and physical properties of these materials remain largely unknown. By combining surface inspection of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and three-dimensional (3D) modeling of the independent concentric sets of layers that make up the structure of its two lobes, we provide clues about the large-scale rheological behavior of the nucleus and the kinematics of the impact that originated it. Large folds in the layered structure indicate that the merging of the two cometesimals involved reciprocal motion with dextral strike-slip kinematics that bent the layers in the contact area without obliterating them. Widespread long cracks and the evidence of relevant mass loss in absence of large density variations within the comet's body testify that large-scale deformation occurred in a brittle-plastic regime and was accommodated through folding and fracturing. Comparison of refined 3D geologic models of the lobes with triaxial ellipsoids that suitably represent the overall layers arrangement reveals characteristics that are consistent with an impact between two roughly ellipsoidal cometesimals that produced large-scale axial compression and transversal elongation. The observed features imply global transfer of impact-related shortening into transversal strain. These elements delineate a model for the global rheology of cometesimals that could be possible evoking a prominent bonding action of ice and, to a minor extent, organics.

Índice Manchester de incapacidade associada ao pé doloroso no idoso: tradução, adaptação cultural e validação para a língua portuguesa / Manchester foot pain associated disability index in the feet of elderly people: cultural adaptation, validation, and translation into the portuguese language

OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi realizar a tradução e a adaptação e estudar as propriedades das medidas: reprodutibilidade, validade e consistência interna do índice Manchester de incapacidade associada ao pé doloroso no idoso (MFPDI) para a língua portuguesa. MÉTODOS: O MFPDI foi traduzido e adaptado culturalmente para uma população de idosos, residentes na cidade de São Paulo. Foram avaliados 85 pacientes ambulatoriais com idade de 60 anos ou mais, de ambos os sexos, que apresentavam dor nos pés de 30 mm ou mais na escala analógica visual de dor (EVA). Os pacientes foram submetidos ao MFPDI por três vezes, visto que na primeira vez cada paciente foi avaliado pelos entrevistadores 1 e 2 no mesmo dia, e no período máximo de 15 dias cada paciente foi, novamente, avaliado pelo entrevistador 1 para realizar a fase de reprodutibilidade. Para verificar a validade, foram colhidas medidas sociodemográficas, morfológicas e valores da escala analógica visual. E para a consistência interna foi aplicado o alfa de Cronbach, a fim de verificar a confiabilidade das respostas nas três entrevistas. RESULTADOS: Ao utilizar o processo metodológico, foi possível observar que a população ambulatorial entrevistada apresentou incapacidade funcional associada ao pé doloroso. A consistência interna foi alta (alfa de Cronbach = 0,80) entre as entrevistas. A validade foi obtida comparando-se o MFPDI com a EVA, sendo possível observar que, apesar de baixa, a correlação foi significante (p < 0,001). CONLUSÃO: Com o processo de tradução e adaptação cultural do MFPDI demonstraram-se as propriedades de medida de reprodutibilidade, validade e consistência interna.

OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to translate into Portuguese, make adaptations, and study the reproducibility, validation and internal consistency of the parameters of the "Manchester Foot-Pain Disability Index". METHODS: The MFPDI was translated and culturally adapted in a population of eighty-five (85) elderly people, living in the city of São Paulo, seen at the outpatient clinics of the .Instituto de Geriatria e Gerontologia of the Escola Paulista de Medicina. The patients had at least 60 years-old, of either sex, displaying foot pain of at least 30 mm on a visual analog scale (VAS). Patients were evaluated by 3 times by the MFPDI, in such a way that on the first time each patient was evaluated by the interviewers 1 and 2 at the same day; to assess reproducibility, within the next 15 days each patient was evaluated again by the interviewer 1. Validation was verified by checking for social and demographic data, as well as morphological and VAS values. Internal consistency was checked by means of the Cronbach alpha, assessing reproducibility of the answers in the three interviews. RESULTS: The MFPDI index demonstrated that this population presented functional inability associated to foot pain. The internal consistency between interviews was high (Alpha of Cronbach = 0.80). Though presenting a weak correlation, there was a significant validity comparing MFPDI and the VAS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The translation and cultural adaptation of the MFPDI provide a reproducible, consistent and valuable tool to evaluate foot pain.

Alterações plantares em pacientes com artrite reumatoide / Foot alterations in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Objetivo: Identificar as alterações plantares em pacientes reumáticos. Métodos: Foram avaliados 45 pacientes com diagnóstico de artrite reumatoide, com idade igual ou acima de 20 anos, do sexo masculino ou feminino. Os pacientes foram avaliados individualmente, quando foram coletados dados sociodemográficos (idade, gênero, raça e estado civil) e realizado o exame físico dos pés. Resultados: Dos 45 pacientes avaliados, 24,4% não apresentaram acometimentos nos pés, 15,6% apresentaram lesões de pele, 24,4% lesões nas unhas, 11,1% lesões vasculares e 24,4% deformidades de dedos. Foi observado que 60% apresentaram pé plano, seguido pelo pé cavo com 31,1%, pé equino 8,9% e 42,2% não apresentaram comprometimento nos pés, sendo considerados normais. Pacientes com pés valgos foram 28,9%, 22,2% com pés dolorosos e 6,6% com pés varos. Na avaliação dos calçados, 39 dos 45 pacientes estavam usando sapatos inadequados, ou seja, 89% dos pacientes. Houve uma maior frequência de pacientes sem dor (19%), utilizando-se a EVA (0 mm) seguida de dores quantificadas em 20 mm (16%) e EM 100 mm (16%). Conclusão: Através de uma avaliação simples foi possível observar as principais alterações que acometem os pés reumatoides, levando à dor e incapacidade. Com esse estudo foi descoberta a importância de se realizar uma avaliação detalhada nos pés e calçados, a fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida desses pacientes. Futuros estudos são necessários para determinar um calçado adequado que possa reduzir as alterações plantares e aliviar a dor nos pés reumatoides.