Physiotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcers are chronic wounds that are difficult to heal, with a high rate of recurrent hospitalizations. Due to its multifactorial complexity, treatment must be considered as multidisciplinary, with adjuvant therapy required to aid the healing process. OBJECTIVES: To identify physiotherapeutic interventions for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers through a systematic literature review. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Cochrane Library, SciELO and Web of Science were searched in April 2020. STUDY SELECTION OR ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: The inclusion criteria for this review were: randomised controlled trial published in the last 5 years; written in Portuguese, English or Spanish; subjects aged> 18 years with a diagnosis of diabetic foot ulcers; and physiotherapeutic intervention in combination with multidisciplinary wound management. The methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. RESULTS: Eight studies were included. Physiotherapists can treat diabetic foot ulcers using therapeutic exercises, electrotherapy, manual therapy and assistive technologies. All physiotherapeutic interventions were adjuvant to standard treatment for wounds provided by other health professionals. The main outcomes were wound size and healing time, with highly favourable results obtained for the experimental groups compared with the control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Therapeutic exercise, electrotherapy, manual therapy and assistive technologies are physiotherapeutic modalities that, when combined with standard treatment, have been shown to be beneficial in the healing of diabetic foot ulcers.

Immediate Effects of Hypnosis, Mindfulness Meditation, and Prayer on Cold Pressor Outcomes: A Four-Arm Parallel Experimental Study.

Purpose: Previous research supports the usefulness of hypnosis (HYP), mindfulness meditation (MM), and prayer as pain self-management strategies in adults with chronic pain. However, their effects on acute pain have been less researched, and no previous head-to-head study compared the immediate effects of these three approaches on pain-related outcomes. This study compared the immediate effects of HYP, MM, and Christian prayer (CP) on pain intensity, pain tolerance, and stress as assessed by heart rate variability (HRV). Participants and Methods: A total of 232 healthy adults were randomly assigned to, and completed, a single 20-minute session of MM, SH, CP, or an attention control (CN), and underwent two cycles (one pre- and one post-intervention) of Cold Pressor Arm Wrap (CPAW). Sessions were audio-delivered. Participants responded to pre- and post-intervention pain intensity measurements. Pain tolerance (sec) was assessed during the CPAW cycles. HRV was assessed at baseline, and at pre- and post-intervention CPAW cycles. The study protocol was pre-registered at the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT04491630). Results: Small within-group decreases in pain intensity and small increases in pain tolerance were found for HYP and MM from the pre- to the post-intervention. Small within-group improvements in the LH/HF ratio were also found for HYP. The exploratory between-group pairwise comparisons revealed a medium effect size effects of HYP on pain tolerance relative to the control condition. The effects of CP were positive, but small and not statistically significant. Only small to medium, though non-significant, Time × Group interaction effects were found. Conclusion: Study results suggest that single short-term HYP and MM sessions, but not biblical-based CP, may be useful for acute pain self-management, with HYP being the slightly superior option. Future research should compare the effects of different types of prayer and examine the predictors and moderators of these pain approaches' effects on pain-related outcomes.

Brown Algae Fucus vesiculosus in Pasta: Effects on Textural Quality, Cooking Properties, and Sensorial Traits.

Fucus vesiculosus is a brown seaweed rich in iodine, fucoxanthin, and phlorotannins, all known to be bioactive compounds associated with health-promoting events. The enrichment of a staple food such as pasta with seaweed flour, could convey health benefits without changing eating habits. In this work, F. vesiculosus flour (FVF) was incorporated into durum wheat pasta at 1, 5.5, and 10% gradient levels. The pasta enriched with FVF needed additional water during dough formation and required more cooking time, resulting in higher weight gain but also increased cooking loss (observed with 5.5 and 10%). The fracturability of raw pasta decreased for all the FVF pasta, though the cooked firmness and hardness were only affected with the inclusion of 10% FVF. The substitution of wheat semolina with FVF at a 10% level caused an increase in the pasta's fiber content, which resulted in a more discontinuous protein-matrix structure, as observed at the microscopic level. Untrained consumers were very positive about the overall sensory traits of the pasta with low supplementation levels (1 and 5.5%). About 72% of panelists selected the 1% FVF pasta as their favorite sample. The utilization of FVF in pasta should be targeted at low inclusion levels to cope with the expected texture quality and prevent the impairment of the sensory traits.

Kinesiology tape increases muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity: Effects of the direction of tape application.

The claim that the effects of kinesiology tape are different depending on the direction of tape application needs to be clearly ascertained. This study aimed to determine the immediate effects of two forearm kinesiology tape applications on muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity of young individuals. Thirty-nine participants (15 men and 24 women) were randomized (1:1:1) to: the facilitatory group, receiving kinesiology tape applied from origin to insertion; the inhibitory group, receiving kinesiology tape applied from insertion to origin; or, a control group, without any intervention. The mechanical properties - tone, elasticity, and stiffness - of the forearm muscles were measured with a handheld mechanical impulse-based myotonometric device before and 30 min after the kinesiology tape application. Only the application of kinesiology tape from origin to insertion significantly increased muscle tone [16.6 (2.5) to 17.4 (3.5) Hz, p = 0.036], stiffness [318.3 (52) to 355.0 (87) N/m, p = 0.004], and elasticity [0.98 (0.1) to 1.10 (0.1), p = 0.023]. No changes were observed in both inhibitory kinesiology tape and the control group. In conclusion, kinesiology tape application has different effects depending on the direction of the taping application. The facilitatory tapping increased muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness.

Diverse operant control of different motor cortex populations during learning.

During motor learning,1 as well as during neuroprosthetic learning,2-4 animals learn to control motor cortex activity in order to generate behavior. Two different populations of motor cortex neurons, intra-telencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons, convey the resulting cortical signals within and outside the telencephalon. Although a large amount of evidence demonstrates contrasting functional organization among both populations,5,6 it is unclear whether the brain can equally learn to control the activity of either class of motor cortex neurons. To answer this question, we used a calcium-imaging-based brain-machine interface (CaBMI)3 and trained different groups of mice to modulate the activity of either IT or PT neurons in order to receive a reward. We found that the animals learned to control PT neuron activity faster and better than IT neuron activity. Moreover, our findings show that the advantage of PT neurons is the result of characteristics inherent to this population as well as their local circuitry and cortical depth location. Taken together, our results suggest that the motor cortex is more efficient at controlling the activity of pyramidal tract neurons, which are embedded deep in the cortex, and relaying motor commands outside the telencephalon.

The Red Seaweed Grateloupia turuturu Prevents Epidermal Dysplasia in HPV16-Transgenic Mice.

The role of dietary profiles in promoting or reducing the risk of multiple types of cancer is increasingly clear, driving the search for balanced foods and nutraceuticals. The red seaweed Grateloupia turuturu has been used as human food showing a balanced nutritional profile. This study aims to test in vivo chemopreventive effects of G. turuturu against cutaneous pre-malignant lesions in transgenic mice for the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16). Forty-four female HPV+/- or HPV-/- mice received a standard diet or were supplemented with 10% G. turuturu for 22 consecutive days. Cutaneous lesions (ear and chest skin) were identified histologically. Complementarily, the weights and histology of internal organs as well as blood biochemical and DNA integrity parameters were also assessed. G. turuturu consistently reduced the incidence of epidermal dysplasia induced by HPV16 on both cutaneous sites. Moreover, biochemical, DNA integrity and histological analyses confirmed G. turuturu edibility as no signs of toxicity were found. Dietary supplementation with G. turuturu is an effective and safe chemopreventive strategy in this model.

Prayer as a pain intervention: protocol of a systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Pain is a universal experience and the most common reason for seeking healthcare. Inadequate pain management negatively impacts numerous aspects of patient health. Multidisciplinary treatment programmes, including psychosocial interventions, are more useful for pain management than purely biomedical treatment alone. Recently, researchers showed increasing interest in understanding the role of spirituality/religiosity and spiritual/religious practices on pain experience, with engagement in religious practices, such as prayer, showing to positively impact pain experience in religious individuals. This systematic review will seek to summarise and integrate the existing findings from randomised controlled trials assessing the effects of prayer and prayer-based interventions on pain experience. METHODS: The systematic review procedures and its report will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Electronic searches in nine databases (Web of Science Core Collection, MEDLINE, SCIELO Citation Index, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trial, PsycINFO, Scopus, LILACS and Open-SIGLE) will be performed to identify randomised controlled trials of prayer-based interventions. Two independent researchers will assess studies for inclusion and extract data from each paper. Risk of bias assessment will be assessed independently by two reviewers based on the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials statement. Qualitative synthesis of the body of research will be conducted using a narrative summary synthesis method. Meta-analysis will be limited to studies reporting on the same primary outcome. Formal searches are planned to start in June 2021. The final report is anticipated to be completed by September 2021. DISCUSSION: Findings will be useful to (1) understand the condition of our knowledge in this field and (2) provide evidence for prayer effectiveness in reducing pain intensity and pain-related stress and increasing pain tolerance in adults experiencing acute or chronic pain. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020221733.

Toxicological and anti-tumor effects of a linden extract (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) in a HPV16-transgenic mouse model.

Tilia platyphyllos Scop. is a popular broad-leaved tree, native to Central and Southern Europe. Hydroethanolic extracts rich in phenolic compounds obtained from T. platyphyllos Scop. have shown in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. The aim of this work was to evaluate the therapeutic properties of a hydroethanolic extract obtained from T. platyphyllos in HPV16-transgenic mice. The animals were divided into eight groups according to their sex and phenotype. Four groups of female: HPV+ exposed to linden (HPV linden; n = 6), HPV+ (HPV water; n = 4), HPV- exposed to linden (WT linden; n = 5) and HPV- (WT water; n = 4) and four groups of male: HPV+ exposed to linden (HPV linden; n = 5), HPV+ (HPV water; n = 5), HPV- exposed to linden (WT linden; n = 5) and HPV- (WT water; n = 7). The linden (Tilia platyphyllos Scop.) extract was orally administered at a dose of 4.5 mg/10 mL per animal (dissolved in water) and changed daily for 33 days. The hydroethanolic extract of T. platyphyllos consisted of protocatechuic acid and (-)-epicatechin as the most abundant phenolic acid and flavonoid, respectively, and was found to be stable during the studied period. In two male groups a significant positive weight gain was observed but without association with the linden extract. Histological, biochemical, and oxidative stress analyses for the evaluation of kidney and liver damage support the hypothesis that the linden extract is safe and well-tolerated under the present experimental conditions. Skin histopathology does not demonstrate the chemopreventive effect of the linden extract against HPV16-induced lesions. The linden extract has revealed a favourable toxicological profile; however, additional studies are required to determine the chemopreventive potential of the linden extract.

Pea Protein Nanoemulsion Effectively Stabilizes Vitamin D in Food Products: A Potential Supplementation during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Vitamin D deficiency is a global issue which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic-related lockdowns. Fortification of food staples with vitamin D provides a solution to alleviate this problem. This research explored the use of pea protein nanoemulsion (PPN) to improve the stability of vitamin D in various food products. PPN was created using a pH-shifting and ultrasonication combined method. The physicochemical properties were studied, including particle size, foaming ability, water holding capacity, antioxidant activity, and total phenolic contents. The fortification of several food formulations (non-fat cow milk, canned orange juice, orange juice powder, banana milk, and infant formula) with vitamin D-PPN was investigated and compared to raw untreated pea protein (UPP) regarding their color, viscosity, moisture content, chemical composition, vitamin D stability, antioxidant activity, and morphology. Finally, a sensory evaluation (quantitative descriptive analysis, and consumer testing) was conducted. The results show that PPN with a size of 21.8 nm protected the vitamin D in all tested products. PPN may serve as a potential carrier and stabilizer of vitamin D in food products with minimum effects on the taste and color. Hence, PPN may serve as a green and safe method for food fortification during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COPAHS Study: protocol of a randomised experimental study comparing the effects of hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and spiritual practices on experimental pain in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increasing interest in studying the potential benefits of so-called complementary and alternative approaches for pain management, such as hypnosis and mindfulness-based interventions. More recently, researchers have been interested in studying the effects of spiritual practices on pain experience as well. These practices may increase pain tolerance, result in a positive re-appraisal of pain and influence other psychological variables that are known to be associated with pain experience. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the immediate effects of self-hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, and a spiritual intervention relative to a control condition for increasing pain tolerance and reducing pain intensity and pain-related stress, in response to experimental painful stimulation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Recruitment is anticipated to start in November 2020. This is a randomised quantitative experimental mixed-design repeated-measures study with three assessment points: baseline (T0), pre-test (T1) and post-test (T2). Eligible healthy adults will be randomised to one of the four study conditions. Interventions will be a 20-minute audio-guided practice of either self-hypnosis, mindfulness meditation, or Christian prayer. Participants in the control group will not be instructed to use any specific strategy during the painful stimulation. Participants will be submitted to a first cycle of Cold Pressor Arm Wrap. They will then listen to a 20-minute audio recording inducing one of the three interventions, or, in the case of the control group, to a 20-minute audio recording of text from a natural history textbook. Primary outcomes are pain intensity and pain tolerance. Pain-related stress as measured by salivary cortisol level and heart rate variability are secondary outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by ISPA-University Institute's internal Ethics Committee for Research on 3rd December 2018 (reference I/010/12/2018). Findings will be published in peer-reviewed indexed journals and presented at conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT04491630). Stage: pre-results.

Immune-mediated febrile response in female rats: Role of central hypothalamic mediators.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces fever through cytokines like receptor-activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), triggering mediators like prostaglandins (PG), endothelin-1 (ET-1), corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF), substance P (SP) and endogenous opioids. LPS-induced fever is reduced in females compared with males except in ovariectomized (OVX) females which show increased fever mediated by PG. The present study aimed to identify the mediators involved in fever in intact and OVX female rats. Fever was induced with LPS (50 µg/kg) intraperitoneally or CRF (2.5 µg), ET-1 (1 pg), morphine (10 µg) and SP (500 ng) intracerebroventricularly in sham-operated and OVX rats. The role of RANKL was evaluated with osteoprotegerin (OPG, 1 µg, intracerebroventricularly). Expression of RANK, CRFI/II, ETB, µ-opioid (MOR) and NK1 receptors was evaluated by confocal microscopy. Besides LPS, only morphine induced fever in OVX rats while all mediators induced fever in sham-operated animals. OPG abolished LPS-induced fever in OVX but not sham-operated animals. Overall, fever involves similar central mediators in cycling females and males but only morphine induced fever in OVX females. Importantly, RANK/RANKL participates in LPS-induced fever in OVX females, as in males but not in cycling females.

Ptaquiloside from bracken (Pteridium spp.) promotes oral carcinogenesis initiated by HPV16 in transgenic mice.

Bracken (Pteridium spp.) is a common weed that is consumed as food especially in Asia, and is suspected of promoting carcinogenesis induced by papillomaviruses in the digestive and urinary systems. This is particularly worrying because the incidence of head-and-neck cancers associated with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is rapidly increasing, and HPV co-carcinogens urgently need to be identified. This study tested the hypothesis that two bracken compounds, ptaquiloside and rutin, are able to promote head-and-neck and bladder carcinogenesis in HPV16-transgenic mice. Expression of HPV16 E6 and E7 in oral and bladder tissues was confirmed using quantitative real-time PCR. Mice were exposed orally to ptaquiloside (0.5 mg per animal per week for 10 weeks from 20 weeks-old) or rutin (413 mg kg-1 day-1 for 24 weeks from 6 weeks-old), sacrificed at 30 weeks-old and studied histologically. HPV16 E6 and E7 expression was higher in oral mucosa compared with the bladder (p 0.001). Importantly, ptaquiloside, but not rutin, increased the incidence of oral squamous cell carcinomas (p = 1.2 × 10-8) in HPV16-transgenic mice. Also, cancers of unexposed transgenic mice were restricted to the tongue base, while ptaquiloside-exposed mice showed multifocal lesions throughout the oral cavity. Wild-type controls showed no oral lesions. No bladder lesions were observed in any treated or untreated group. These results indicate that ptaquiloside from bracken is able to promote oral carcinogenesis initiated by HPV16. Rutin did not show any carcinogenic effects in this model. The absence of bladder lesions may reflect an insufficient incubation period or factors related to the specific viral oncogenes present in this model.

Dietary Supplementation with the Red Seaweed Porphyra umbilicalis Protects against DNA Damage and Pre-Malignant Dysplastic Skin Lesions in HPV-Transgenic Mice.

Some diet profiles are associated with the risk of developing cancer; however, some nutrients show protective effects. Porphyra umbilicalis is widely consumed, having a balanced nutritional profile; however, its potential for cancer chemoprevention still needs comprehensive studies. In this study, we incorporated P. umbilicalis into the diet of mice transgenic for the human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), which spontaneously develop pre-malignant and malignant lesions, and determined whether this seaweed was able to block lesion development. Forty-four 20-week-old HPV+/- and HPV-/- mice were fed either a base diet or a diet supplemented with 10% seaweed. At the end of the study, skin samples were examined to classify HPV16-induced lesions. The liver was also screened for potential toxic effects of the seaweed. Blood was used to study toxicological parameters and to perform comet and micronucleus genotoxicity tests. P. umbilicalis significantly reduced the incidence of pre-malignant dysplastic lesions, completely abrogating them in the chest skin. These results suggest that P. umbilicalis dietary supplementation has the potential to block the development of pre-malignant skin lesions and indicate its antigenotoxic activity against HPV-induced DNA damage. Further studies are needed to establish the seaweed as a functional food and clarify the mechanisms whereby this seaweed blocks multistep carcinogenesis induced by HPV.

Water Extraction Kinetics of Bioactive Compounds of Fucus vesiculosus.

Brown macroalgae, particularly those from Fucus genus, are a rich and balanced source of bioactive nutrients and phytochemicals, such as dietary fibres (fucoidans, laminarins, and/or alginates), phlorotannins, and fucoxanthin, and some minerals, such as iodine, which have been demonstrated to possess numerous health-promoting properties. In fact, aqueous extracts of Fucus vesiculosus have been used as food supplements due to its rich content in bioactive compounds, though no study has been published on the optimization of this operation. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the impact of different extraction temperatures (25 °C, 50 °C, 75 °C, 100 °C, and 120 °C) and times (5 min, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h) on the recovery of those bioactive compounds. The temperature was observed to positively influence the extraction of crude mass and of fucose polysaccharides only at 75 °C and above, and of iodine extraction at 50 °C and above. At these temperatures, time also showed to increase yields. Yields of crude extract, fucose, and iodine were successfully mathematically modelled with a power law, and its maximum yields were obtained at the highest temperature studied (120 °C) and longest extraction time (4 h). Iodine yield at these conditions provided extracts with relevant content to contribute to the recommended daily ingestion. Phlorotannins were significantly recovered at 120 °C though evidence of degradation was observed during time.

Dimethylaminoparthenolide reduces the incidence of dysplasia and ameliorates a wasting syndrome in HPV16-transgenic mice.

The nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) has been implicated in the progression of cancers induced by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV). In cancer patients, NF-κB is also thought to drive a chronic systemic inflammatory status, leading to cachexia. This study addressed the ability of dimethylaminoparthenolide (DMAPT), a water-soluble NF-κB inhibitor, to block the development of HPV-induced lesions and wasting syndrome in HPV16-transgenic mice. Mice received DMAPT orally (100 mg/kg/day), once a day, for 6 consecutive weeks. Body weight was monitored weekly along with food and water intake. After 6 weeks the animals were submitted to a grip strength test and sacrificed for specimen collection. Skin samples were analyzed histologically and for expression of NF-κB-regulated genes Bcl2 and Bcl2l1. Gastrocnemius muscles were weighted and analyzed for expression of NF-κB subunits p50, p52, p65, and Rel-B. DMAPT reduced the incidence of epidermal dysplasia (18.2% versus 33.3% in HPV16+/- untreated mice). This was associated with reduced expression of Bcl2 and Bcl2l1 (p = .0003 and p = .0014, respectively) and reduced neutrophilic infiltration (p = .0339). Treated mice also showed partially preserved bodyweight and strength, which were independent of the expression levels of NF-κB subunits in skeletal muscle.These results suggest that NF-κB inhibition may be a valid strategy against HPV-induced lesions in vivo and warrant further preclinical tests particularly in the set of combination therapies. In addition, the data may support the use of DMAPT to prevent wasting syndrome.

Hydrotherapy and medical entrepreneurship: the "water spell" of Ricardo Jorge.

Between 1886 and 1893, the doctor and hygienist Ricardo Jorge was linked to a commercial and medical project on the waters of Gerês. Known for many centuries and used for therapeutic purposes, they were administered on an empirical basis. When new chemical analyses were first published, the empirical properties of these waters took on a new role in hydrotherapy based on their now proven mineral and medicinal qualities. The article discusses in detail Ricardo Jorge's business venture, framing it in the context of the economic collection and treatment potential of mineral waters and the revival of the phenomenon of hydrotherapy, legitimized by new developments in the chemical analysis of waters. The commercial failure to exploit the water resources highlights the difficulties of this project and the complexity of the professional practice of hydrological medicine, although it resulted in a strengthening of Ricardo's authority and prestige in the field of hydrotherapy.

Habits.

What is a habit? One problem with the concept of habit has been that virtually everyone has their own ideas of what is meant by such a term. Whilst not eschewing folk psychology, it is useful to re-examine dictionary definitions of 'habit'. The Oxford Dictionary of English defines habit as "a settled or regular tendency or practice, especially one that is hard to give up" and also "an automatic reaction to a specific situation". The latter, reassuringly, is not too far from what has come to be known as stimulus-response theory.

HPV16 induces a wasting syndrome in transgenic mice: Amelioration by dietary polyphenols via NF-κB inhibition.

Cancer patients often show a wasting syndrome for which there are little therapeutic options. Dietary polyphenols have been proposed for treating this syndrome, but their usefulness in cases associated with human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced cancers is unknown. We characterized HPV16-transgenic mice as a model of cancer cachexia and tested the efficacy of long-term oral supplementation with polyphenols curcumin and rutin. Both compounds were orally administered to six weeks-old HPV16-transgenic mice showing characteristic multi-step skin carcinogenesis, for 24weeks. Skin lesions and blood, liver and spleen inflammatory changes were characterized histologically and hematologically. Hepatic oxidative stress, skeletal muscle mass and the levels of muscle pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB were also assessed. Skin carcinogenesis was associated with progressive, severe, systemic inflammation (leukocytosis, hepatitis, splenitis), significant mortality and cachexia. Curcumin and rutin totally suppressed mortality while reducing white blood cells and the incidence of splenitis and hepatitis. Rutin prevented muscle wasting more effectively than curcumin. Preservation of muscle mass and reduced hepatic inflammation were associated with down-regulation of the NF-κB canonical pathway and with reduced oxidative stress, respectively. These results point out HPV16-transgenic mice as a useful model for studying the wasting syndrome associated with HPV-induced cancers. Dietary NF-κB inhibitors may be useful resources for treating this syndrome.

Hidroterapia e empreendedorismo médico: o «feitiço hídrico» de Ricardo Jorge / Hydrotherapy and medical entrepreneurship: the "water spell" of Ricardo Jorge

Entre 1886 e 1893, o médico e higienista Ricardo Jorge esteve ligado a um projeto de valorização comercial e terapêutica das águas do Gerês. Conhecidas desde há longos séculos e alvo de habituais peregrinações terapêuticas assentes numa tradição de base empírica, as propriedades curativas dessas águas passam a assumir um papel de maior destaque a partir da década de 80 do século XIX quando as análises químicas começam a servir propósitos de avaliação das suas qualidades mineromedicinais. Este artigo aborda detalhadamente o projeto médico-empresarial ricardiano em torno da hidroterapia, enquadrando-o no contexto da valorização económica e terapêutica das águas mineromedicinais, no reavivar do fenómeno do termalismo e na legitimação da hidrologia pelos progressos na avaliação química das águas. Apesar do insucesso comercial na exploração dos recursos hídricos, esta incursão ricardiana mostra as dificuldades do projecto e a complexidade do exercício profissional da medicina hidrológica, mas também o reforço da autoridade e prestígio de Ricardo Jorge no campo da hidroterapia (AU)

Between 1886 and 1893, the doctor and hygienist Ricardo Jorge was linked to a commercial and medical project on the waters of Gerês. Known for many centuries and used for therapeutic purposes, they were administered on an empirical basis. When new chemical analyses were first published, the empirical properties of these waters took on a new role in hydrotherapy based on their now proven mineral and medicinal qualities. The article discusses in detail Ricardo Jorge's business venture, framing it in the context of the economic collection and treatment potential of mineral waters and the revival of the phenomenon of hydrotherapy, legitimized by new developments in the chemical analysis of waters. The commercial failure to exploit the water resources highlights the difficulties of this project and the complexity of the professional practice of hydrological medicine, although it resulted in a strengthening of Ricardo's authority and prestige in the field of hydrotherapy

Kinesiology taping does not change fibularis longus latency time and postural sway.

BACKGROUND: Kinesiology tape seems to improve muscle force, although little is known regarding its effect on latency time and postural sway. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of kinesiology taping on fibularis longus latency time and postural sway in healthy subjects. METHODS: Thirty participants were equally randomized into three groups, two experimental groups receiving kinesiology tape (EG1, from origin to insertion; EG2, from insertion to origin) and a control group. Before and 20-min after the intervention, postural sway was assessed on a force platform and fibularis longus latency time was recorded with surface electromyography during a sudden inversion perturbation. RESULTS: At baseline, no differences were found between groups regarding age, anthropometrics variables, postural sway and fibularis longus latency time. In both experimental groups, the application of tape did not change postural sway and fibularis longus latency time (EG1: 93.7 ± 15.0 to 89.9 ± 15.6 ms; EG2, 81.24 ± 14.21 to 81.57 ± 16.64, p < 0.05). Also, no changes were observed in the control group. CONCLUSION: Kinesiology tape seems not to enhance fibularis longus reaction time and postural sway in young healthy subjects.