Serious Game with Electromyography Feedback and Physical Therapy in Young Children with Unilateral Spastic Cerebral Palsy and Equinus Gait: A Prospective Open-Label Study.

The clinical effects of a serious game with electromyography feedback (EMGs_SG) and physical therapy (PT) was investigated prospectively in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP). An additional aim was to better understand the influence of muscle shortening on function. Thirty children with USCP (age 7.6 ± 2.1 years) received four weeks of EMGs_SG sessions 2×/week including repetitive, active alternating training of dorsi- and plantar flexors in a seated position. In addition, each child received usual PT treatment ≤ 2×/week, involving plantar flexor stretching and command strengthening on dorsi- and plantar flexors. Five-Step Assessment parameters, including preferred gait velocity (normalized by height); plantar flexor extensibility (XV1); angle of catch (XV3); maximal active ankle dorsiflexion (XA); and derived coefficients of shortening, spasticity, and weakness for both soleus and gastrosoleus complex (GSC) were compared pre and post treatment (t-tests). Correlations were explored between the various coefficients and gait velocities at baseline. After four weeks of EMGs_SG + PT, there was an increase in normalized gait velocity from 0.72 ± 0.13 to 0.77 ± 0.13 m/s (p = 0.025, d = 0.43), a decrease in coefficients of shortening (soleus, 0.10 ± 0.07 pre vs. 0.07 ± 0.08 post, p = 0.004, d = 0.57; GSC 0.16 ± 0.08 vs. 0.13 ± 0.08, p = 0.003, d = 0.58), spasticity (soleus 0.14 ± 0.06 vs. 0.12 ± 0.07, p = 0.02, d = 0.46), and weakness (soleus 0.14 ± 0.07 vs. 0.11 ± 0.07, p = 0.005, d = 0.55). At baseline, normalized gait velocity correlated with the coefficient of GSC shortening (R = -0.43, p = 0.02). Four weeks of EMGs_SG and PT were associated with improved gait velocity and decreased plantar flexor shortening. A randomized controlled trial comparing EMGs_SG and conventional PT is needed.

Prosopis juliflora as a new cosmetic ingredient: Development and clinical evaluation of a bioactive moisturizing and anti-aging innovative solid core.

Prosopis juliflora is an invasive plant distributed throughout the world and presents metabolites of interest for cosmetology. The aim of this work was to develop a new polysaccharide-based ingredient from P. juliflora and analyze its application in a solid core formulation that upon contact with water instantly forms a gel to improve moisturizing and anti-aging skin properties. Purified extracts by gel chromatography were characterized by NMR and LC-DAD-MS-MS. The in vitro and in vivo safety, antioxidant activity, formulation development and clinical evaluation were performed. The extract was characterized as containing an α-glucan and phenolics. It was non-cytotoxic, non-phototoxic and no skin reactions were observed in vivo. Antioxidant activity were present through different mechanisms. Clinical evaluation reinforced the potential of P. juliflora in skin hydration and microrelief improvement. This innovative form proved to be a prototype of a new product and the first study of an α-glucan as a cosmetic ingredient.

Is heart rate variability affected by distinct motor imagery strategies?

Although some studies have reported significant changes in autonomic responses according to the perspective-taking during motor imagery [first person perspective (1P) and third person perspective (3P)], investigations on how the strategies adopted to mentally simulate a given movement affect the heart rate variability (HRV) seem so far unexplored. Twenty healthy subjects mentally simulated the movement of middle-finger extension in 1P and 3P, while electrocardiogram was recorded. After each task, the level of easiness was self-reported. Motor imagery ability was also assessed through the revised version of Movement Imagery Questionnaire (MIQ-R) and a mental chronometry index. The traditional measures of HRV in the time- and frequency-domain were compared between 1P and 3P tasks by using Student's t-test for dependent samples. The MIQ-R results showed that subjects had the same facility to imagine movements in 1P or 3P. The mental chronometry index revealed a similar temporal course only between 1P and execution, while the 3P strategy had a shorter duration. Additionally, the subjective report was similar between the experimental tasks. Regarding the HRV measures, the low frequency component, in log-transformed unit, was significantly higher (p=0.017) in 1P than 3P, suggesting a higher activity of the sympathetic system during 1P. This log-transformed HRV parameter seems to be more sensitive than normalized values for the assessment of the motor imagery ability, together with questionnaires, scales and mental chronometry.

Evaluation of impacts of climate change and local stressors on the biotechnological potential of marine macroalgae: a brief theoretical discussion of likely scenarios

Climate change can be associated with variations in the frequency and intensity of extreme temperatures and precipitation events on the local and regional scales. Along coastal areas, flooding associated with increased occupation has seriously impacted products and services generated by marine life, in particular the biotechnological potential that macroalgae hold. Therefore, this paper analyzes the available information on the taxonomy, ecology and physiology of macroalgae and discusses the impacts of climate change and local stress on the biotechnological potential of Brazilian macroalgae. Based on data compiled from a series of floristic and ecological works, we note the disappearance in some Brazilian regions of major groups of biotechnological interest. In some cases, the introduction of exotic species has been documented, as well as expansion of the distribution range of economically important species. We also verify an increase in the similarities between the Brazilian phycogeographic provinces, although they still remain different. It is possible that these changes have resulted from the warming of South Atlantic water, as observed for its surface in southeastern Brazilian, mainly during the winter. However, unplanned urbanization of coastal areas can also produce similar biodiversity losses, which requires efforts to generate long-term temporal data on the composition, community structure and physiology of macroalgae.

Avaliação da força muscular respiratória e do peak flow em pacientes com distrofia muscular do tipo Duchenne submetidos à ventilação não invasiva e à hidroterapia / Evaluation of the respiratory muscle force and the peak flow in patients with Duchenne

Introdução: A distrofia muscular descreve um grupo de miopatias geneticamente determinadas com curso progressivo. A distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) é a mais comum na infância, sendo uma desordem recessiva ligada ao cromossomo X. O presente estudo buscou avaliar a força muscular respiratória e o peak flow em pacientes com DMD submetidos à ventilação não invasiva (VNI) e hidroterapia. Metodologia: Participaram 6 voluntários do sexo masculino, entre 13 e 19 anos, divididos em dois grupos; controle (tratados com hidroterapia) e experimental (tratados com hidroterapia associada à VNI), os quaisforam avaliados antes e após a 10ª e a 20ª sessão. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram uma diferença significativa (p<0,05) quando comparamos a PEmáx entre os grupos controle e experimental após a 10ª (p=0,025) e a 20ª sessão (p=0,005). Conclusão: O estudo demonstrou que a VNI foi capaz de influenciar um aumento de sua expectativa de vida, segundo relato dospróprios pacientes, e que a hidroterapia foi uma terapêutica favorável na melhora da musculatura expiratória em pacientes com DMD e que não são portadores de escoliose.

Introduction: Muscular dystrophy describes a group of genetically determined myopathy with a progressive course. Duchennemuscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most frequent type in childhood and is a recessive disorder related to the X chromosome. The present study is an effort to evaluate the respiratory muscle force and the peak flow in patients with DMD exposed to non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and hydrotherapy. Methodology: Six male volunteers between the ages of 13 and 19 weredivided into two groups: control group (treated with hydrotherapy) and experimental group (PImáx < 60cmH2O, treated with hydrotherapy combined with NIV). The volunteers were analyzed after the 10th and 20th session. Results: Results show asignificant difference (p < 0.05) when comparing PEmáx in control and in experimental group after the 10th (p = 0.025) and 20th (p = 0.005) session. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that the NIV was able to promote an increase in the patients’ life expectancy, according to their own reports. It also showed that hydrotherapy was a suitable therapeutics for the improvement of the expiratory musculature in patients with DMD and not carriers of scoliosis.