The effect of different subtalar joint pronation amounts on postural stability, function and lower extremity alignment in healthy individuals.

INTRODUCTION: The prone foot posture has a negative effect on postural stability, function, and knee valgus, but to our knowledge, the contribution of the degree of pronation has not been examined. METHODS: 39 participants aged 18-40, with Foot Posture Index (FPI) scores between 6-12 and without any pain complaints were included. Participants with 6-9 points were included in the pronation group (PG) (n = 19), and participants with 10-12 points were included in the hyperpronation group (HPG) (n = 20). Static and dynamic postural stability, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM), and frontal plane projection angles (FPPA) were measured for all participants. RESULTS: The initial data of the participants are distributed homogeneously. In the intergroup evaluation only FPI-1 (p = 0.001; p < 0.05), FPI-4 (p = 0.00; p < 0.05), FPI-5 (p = 0.00; p < 0.05) and FPI-T (p = 0.000; p < 0.05) scores were found significantly different. CONCLUSION: Pronation and hyperpronation of the subtalar joint did not lead to a difference in postural stability, function, and knee valgus in healthy individuals. It may be more beneficial to focus on the prone posture rather than the degree of pronation.

Functionality and jump performance in patellar tendinopathy with the application of three different treatments.

OBJECTIVES: The aim is to assess performance characteristics in jumps and functionality in participants with patellar tendinopathy and compare changes with various tendinopathy treatments in the short and medium term. As a secondary objective, the study aims to verify the relationship between changes in knee functionality assessed by the VISA-P and jump capacity in the different treatment groups. DESIGN: A double-blinded randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Recruitment was conducted at sport clubs, with 48 participants with patellar tendinopathy included in the study. Participants were randomized into groups: dry needling (DN), percutaneous electrolysis (PNE), and sham needling as the control group (CG), all combined with eccentric exercise (EE). Functionality and performance during jumps, including squat jump (SJ) and counter movement jump (CMJ), were assessed. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in functionality between the pre-test and post-test evaluations, as well as between the pre-test and follow-up evaluations, in all three groups (p < 0.001). The DN group experienced an improvement in eccentric power (p = 0.021). A moderate correlation was found between the pre-test and post-test changes in functionality and SJ maximum concentric force (r = 0.63, p < 0.01, CI: 0.1; 0.8), CMJ maximum concentric force (r = 0.52, p = 0.05, CI: -0.01; 0.8), and CMJ eccentric power in the DN group (r = 0.63, p = 0.01, CI: 0.1; 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: Eccentric exercise could be effective in improving functionality in patellar tendinopathy and DN could improve eccentric power in jumps performance. Moreover, the DN group experienced an increase in functionality that correlated with the improvements found in jump performance in eccentric power and concentric strength.

The effect of horse riding simulator on upper extremity skills, trunk control and functionality in cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of horse riding simulator on upper extremity skills, trunk control and functionality in cerebral palsy (CP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included total 32 CP, 16 in horse riding simulator group (HRSG) and 16 in control group (CG). ABILHAND-Kids, Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JTHFT), Gross Motor Function Measurement-sitting dimension (GMFM-B), Trunk Control Measurement Scale (TCMS), Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) were evaluated before and after procedure. RESULTS: It was observed that there were improvements in both groups for ABILHAND-Kids scores after intervention, but the change in HRSG was significantly higher (p < 0.001). For all parameters of JTHFT (except writing dominant, non-dominant, turning cards-dominant), there was a significant difference between groups in favor of HRSG (p < 0.001-0.002). There was no change in GMFM-B values with intervention for both groups (p > 0.05). There were significant changes in favor of HRSG group in terms TCMS-Total (p = 0.003). There were significant changes in HRSG compared to CG for PEDI (pPEDI-Self-care<0.001, pPEDI-Mobility<0.001, pPEDI-Social function=0.016, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: It has been found that HRS in addition to conventional physiotherapy have positive effects on upper extremity skills, trunk control and functional abilities in daily life in the rehabilitation process of CP.The study protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05518370).

Horse riding simulator (HRS) in addition to the routine physiotherapy is an effective method to improve upper extremity skills in children with CP.HRS may be an effective method to improve functional abilities of the children with Cerebral Palsy (CP).HRS is suitable for indoor use and has positive therapeutic effects on children with CP.The type and difficulty of the movements can be programmed gradually with HRS.

The Response of the Gut Physiological Function and Microbiome of a Wild Freshwater Fish (Megalobrama terminalis) to Alterations in Reproductive Behavior.

The fish gut microbiome is well known for its role in degrading nutrients to improve the host's digestion and absorption efficiency. In this study, we focused on the core physiological adaptability during the various reproductive stages of the black Amur bream (Megalobrama terminalis) to explore the interaction mechanisms among the fish host gut mucosal structure, gut enzyme activity, and gut microbial metabolism in the course of the host's reproductive cycle. Our findings showed that M. terminalis exhibited locomotion metabolic type (aids in sporting) in the reproductive stage, and a change to visceral metabolic type (aids in digestion) during non-reproductive and post-reproductive stage phases. The impact of metabolic type selection and energy demand during various reproductive stages on fish nutrition strategy and digestive function was substantial. Our resulted showed that mitochondria in intestinal epithelial cells of reproductive M. terminalis appeared autophagy phenomenon, and the digestive enzyme activities in the intestines of reproductive M. terminalis were lower than those in the non-reproductive and post-reproductive individuals. Moreover, these differences in nutrition strategy have a prominent impact on the gut microbiome of reproductive M. terminalis, compared to non-reproductive and post-reproductive samples. Our findings showed that reproductive females had lower levels of alpha diversity compared to non-reproductive and post-reproductive females. Our results also showed a greater functional variety and an increase in functional genes related to carbohydrate, lipid, amino acid, cofactors, and vitamin metabolic pathways in the NRS and PRS group. It is noteworthy that an enrichment of genes encoding putative enzymes implicated in the metabolism of taurine and hypotaurine was observed in the RS samples. Our findings illustrated that the stability and resilience of the gut bacterial community could be shaped in the wild fish host-microbiome interactions during reproductive life history.

Cr-doping promoted surface reconstruction of Ni3N electrocatalysts toward efficient overall water splitting.

Understanding and utilizing the dynamic changes of electrocatalysts under working conditions are important for advancing the sustainable hydrogen production. Here, we for the first time report that Cr-doping can promote the in situ reconstruction of a self-supported Ni3N electrocatalyst (Cr-Ni3N/NF) during oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions (OER and HER), and therefore improve the electrocatalytic water splitting performance. As identified by in situ measurements and theoretical calculations, Cr-doping enhances OH- adsorption during OER at anode and thereby boosts the transformation of Ni3N pre-catalysts to defect-rich nickel oxyhydroxide (NiOOH) active species. Meanwhile, it facilitates the generation of Ni3N/Ni(OH)2 at cathodes due to effective H2O activation, leading to the fast HER kinetics on the Ni3N/Ni(OH)2 interfaces. Notably, the optimal Cr-Ni3N/NF displays good OER and HER performance in 1.0 M KOH electrolytes, with low overpotentials of 316 and 188 mV to achieve the current density of ± 100 mA cm-2, respectively. Benefiting from its bi-functionality and self-supporting property, an alkaline electrolyzer equipped with Cr-Ni3N/NF as both anode and cathode affords a small voltage of 1.72 V at 100 mA cm-2, along with 100 h operation stability. Elucidating that Cr-doping can boost in situ reconfiguration and consequently the electrocatalytic activity, this work would shed new light on the rational design and synthesis of electrocatalysts via directional reconstructions.

What Chinese Women Seek in Mental Health Apps: Insights from Analyzing Xiaohongshu User Posts during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Gender disparity poses a prominent obstacle to achieving effective mental health outcomes in digital healthcare. Despite women being more inclined to use mental health apps and seeking designs tailored to their specific needs, there is limited research on the factors influencing female users' engagement with these apps. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated its disproportionate impact on women's mental health. This study investigates female users' posts (n = 5538) about mental health apps during the pandemic, using data collected via a Python web crawler from Xiaohongshu, a popular female-centric social media platform in China. A mixed-methods approach used qualitative thematic analysis and quantitative descriptive statistics. Among these posts, therapeutic functionality emerged as the highest priority, followed by credibility and user experience, with specific design elements highlighted as particularly significant. These findings provide valuable insights for mental health researchers and developers, including you, aiming to create gender-tailored mobile solutions to address the mental health challenges faced by women, especially during future pandemics.

Association between Mid-Term Functionality and Clinical Severity in Patients Hospitalized for Pulmonary Embolism.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between clinical severity and functionality, occupational performance, and health-related quality of life in patients hospitalized with pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism patients were grouped by clinical severity using the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index. Those scoring ≥160 were in the high-severity group (HSG); those scoring < 160 in the low-moderate group (LMSG). The main variables were functionality assessed by the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS), self-perception of occupational performance assessed by the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), pain and fatigue assessed by a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and health-related quality of life assessed by the EuroQol-5Dimensions (EQ-5D). Patients were evaluated at hospital admission and at 1-month and 3-month follow-up. At admission, there were significant differences between groups in the WHODAS and health-related quality of life in favor of the LMSG. At 1-month and at 3-month follow-up, there were significant differences between the LMSG and HSG in WHODAS, COMP, NRS pain, fatigue and EQ-5D scores in favor of the LMSG. An association exists between clinical severity and mid-term functionality, self-perception of occupational performance, pain, fatigue, and health-related quality of life in PE patients.

Recent Advances on the Functionalities of Polyoxometalate-Based Ionic Liquids.

Polyoxometalate (POM)-based ionic liquids (POM-ILs) are gaining increasing attention due to their diverse structures and functionalities. POMs in POM-ILs not only act as essential structural building blocks but also play a crucial role in their functional performance. With the incorporation of POMs, POM-ILs find applications in various fields such as chemical catalysis, energy science, materials science, sensors, and more. The abundant availability of POMs and other building blocks in POM-ILs, along with their versatile combination possibilities, present promising opportunities for the future. Rather than focusing solely on discovering new structures of POM-ILs, current developments in this field emphasize exploring their functions, leading to the emergence of numerous new applications. Summarizing these advancements aids in understanding the latest trends and facilitates rapid evolution. This review examines the recent five years' worth of results to analyze the new functions of POM-ILs, categorizing them based on their unique characteristics.

Postural and Lumbopelvic Control: Crucial Factors in the Functionality of Patients with Low Back Pain-A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders in adults worldwide. Alterations in postural and lumbopelvic control and functionality appear to be determining factors in its resolution. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed. Patients with LBP were enrolled. Lumbar pain; postural control (PC), total area of the center of pressure (TACOP), and the velocity of the center of pressure (VCOP); lumbopelvic control (LPC); and functionality were evaluated. Statistical tests were implemented to determine differences between sex and age and correlation models among the variables. Results: Thirty adult patients with LBP were analyzed. A strong relationship was found between pain and functionality [r = 0.64; p < 0.001]. A moderate relationship was found between pain and TACOP [r = 0.395; p = 0.031]. A moderate relationship was observed between TACOP and functionality [0.413; p = 0.023] and between LPC and TACOP [r = 0.416; p = 0.001]. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant impact of LBP on postural control, lumbopelvic control, and functionality. These results highlight the importance of addressing postural and lumbopelvic control in LBP treatment. No significant differences based on gender and age were found, but all clinical variables differed significantly between the LBP and control groups, underscoring the unique impairments associated with LBP.

Analysis of functionality, pain and quality of life after surgically treated ankle fractures in active and inactive individuals.

Although the ankle is often involved in low energy trauma, high-energy trauma may occur, being this considered more serious and more common of affecting young and active men. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate and compare the functionality, pain and quality of life of active and inactive adult individuals whose ankle fracture was surgically treated. Seventy-six patients split into two groups (active, n = 58 X inactive, n = 18), of the men (active, n = 38; inactive, n = 9) and women (active, n = 20; inactive, n = 9) gender participated in this prospective study. The IPAQ, MMSE, SF-36, VAS, sociodemographic and clinical questionnaires were applied in person right after surgery. The SF-36 and VAS questionnaires were reapplied 3 months in average after the surgery. Active and inactive patients of both genders show significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in the functional capacity and physical aspect domains; and the bodily pain domain revealed significant difference in active and inactive men (p ≤ 0.05) between the periods post-surgical and 3 months after surgery (on average). Moderate and significant correlations were found (p ≤ 0.05) between functional capacity, physical aspect and bodily pain domains of the SF-36 and the VAS pain scores for active and inactive patients of both genders in the final follow-up period. Other significant correlations (p < 0.05) for inactive men (physical aspect and bodily pain) and inactive women (functional capacity and bodily pain) are observed (after 3 months of surgery). Three months after surgery (on average), active and inactive men had functional limitations and pain symptoms. These factors seem to have negatively influenced the patient's social involvement, worsening their quality of life. Most active and inactive patients had a positive self-perception of their general health status, emotional aspects and mental health domains. Regarding active women, we observed lower energy and vitality after the same postoperative period.

Functionalized Thienopyrazines on NiOx Film as Self-Assembled Monolayer for Efficient Tin-Perovskite Solar Cells Using a Two-Step Method.

Three functionalized thienopyrazines (TPs), TP-MN (1), TP-CA (2), and TPT-MN (3) were designed and synthesized as self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) deposited on the NiOx film for tin-perovskite solar cells (TPSCs). Thermal, optical, electrochemical, morphological, crystallinity, hole mobility, and charge recombination properties, as well as DFT-derived energy levels with electrostatic surface potential mapping of these SAMs, have been thoroughly investigated and discussed. The structure of the TP-MN (1) single crystal was successfully grown and analyzed to support the uniform SAM produced on the ITO/NiOx substrate. When we used NiOx as HTM in TPSC, the device showed poor performance. To improve the efficiency of TPSC, we utilized a combination of new organic SAMs with NiOx HTM, the TPSC device exhibited the highest PCE of 7.7% for TP-MN (1). Hence, the designed NiOx/TP-MN (1) acts as a new model system for the development of efficient SAM-based TPSC. To the best of our knowledge, the combination of organic SAMs with anchoring CN/CN or CN/COOH groups, and NiOx HTM for TPSC has never been reported elsewhere. The TPSC device based on the NiOx/TP-MN bilayer exhibits great enduring stability for performance, retaining ~80% of its original value for shelf storage over 4000 h.

Calligraphic interdigitated capacitive sensors for green electronics.

This study presents a novel approach to fabricating interdigitated capacitive (IDC) touch sensors using graphite-based pencils on a wood substrate. The sensors were designed to detect touches and pressure variations, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for sensor fabrication. The fabrication process involved abrasion of graphite pencils on a wooden substrate to create conductive traces, followed by the integration of interdigitated electrode structures. Capacitance variations resulting from touch interactions were investigated to calibrate sensor responses for tailored tasks. The sensitivity of the sensor was found to be 1.2 pF/kPa, highlighting its responsiveness to pressure variations. Additionally, the sensors were interfaced with an Arduino Uno microcontroller board to demonstrate practical applications, such as replicating arrow key functionality. Additionally, the sensors exhibit sensitivity to environmental factors, with the relative change in capacitance increasing from 0.1 to 0.65 as relative humidity ranges from 30 to 90%. Furthermore, variations in temperature from 30 to 60ºC result in a relative change in capacitance increasing to approximately 0.5. The results indicate the feasibility and versatility of using wood-based substrates and graphite-based pencils for fabricating IDC touch sensors, offering promising prospects for sustainable and accessible sensor technology.

Tackling bisexual erasure: An explorative comparison of bisexual, gay and straight cisgender men's body image.

Previous body image research often grouped both gay and bisexual men into a single category: sexual minoritised men, limiting our understanding of how sexual identity influences body image. However, there is strong reason to believe that bisexual and gay men experience distinct body image concerns. Here, we explored motivations to alter one's leanness and muscularity, as well as (dis)satisfaction with body fat, muscularity, height and penis size, and functionality appreciation across gay, bisexual, and straight cisgender men. We sampled 378 white participants aged 18 to 85 (nbisexual = 125, ngay = 128, nstraight = 125). We found that bisexual men were significantly less motivated to be lean and showed lower muscularity dissatisfaction relative to gay men but showed comparable levels to straight men. Our findings demonstrate that despite research perceiving the body image of bisexual and gay men as homogenous, they experience differences in their body image concerning leanness and muscularity dissatisfaction. Future body image research should incorporate this understanding by not artificially grouping bisexual and gay cisgender men and instead acknowledging the potential uniqueness in their experiences.

Kinetics and toxicity of nanoplastics in ex vivo exposed human whole blood as a model to understand their impact on human health.

The ubiquitous presence of nanoplastics (NPLs) in the environment is considered of great health concern. Due to their size, NPLs can cross both the intestinal and pulmonary barriers and, consequently, their presence in the blood compartment is expected. Understanding the interactions between NPLs and human blood components is required. In this study, to simulate more adequate real exposure conditions, the whole blood of healthy donors was exposed to five different NPLs: three polystyrene NPLs of approximately 50 nm (aminated PS-NH2, carboxylated PS-COOH, and pristine PS- forms), together with two true-to-life NPLs from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) of about 150 nm. Internalization was determined in white blood cells (WBCs) by confocal microscopy, once the different main cell subtypes (monocytes, polymorphonucleated cells, and lymphocytes) were sorted by flow cytometry. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) induction was determined in WBCs and cytokine release in plasma. In addition, hemolysis, coagulation, and platelet activation were also determined. Results showed a differential uptake between WBC subtypes, with monocytes showing a higher internalization. Regarding iROS, lymphocytes were those with higher levels, which was observed for different NPLs. Changes in cytokine release were also detected, with higher effects observed after PLA- and PS-NH2-NPL exposure. Hemolysis induction was observed after PS- and PS-COOH-NPL exposure, but no effects on platelet functionality were observed after any of the treatments. To our knowledge, this is the first study comprehensively evaluating the bloodstream kinetics and toxicity of NPL from different polymeric types on human whole blood, considering the role played by the cell subtype and the NPLs physicochemical characteristics in the effects observed after the exposures.

Modulation of physico-chemical and technofunctional properties of quinoa protein isolate: Effect of precipitation acid.

The typically low solubility and gelation capacity of plant proteins can impose challenges in the design of high-quality plant-based foods. The acid used during the precipitation step of plant protein isolate extraction can influence protein functionality. Here, acetic acid and citric acid were used to extract quinoa protein isolate (QPI) from quinoa flour, as these acids are more kosmotropic than the commonly used HCl, promoting the stabilisation of the native protein structure. While proximate analysis showed that total protein was similar for the three isolates, precipitation with kosmotropic acids increased soluble protein, which correlated positively with gel strength. Microstructure analysis revealed that these gels contained a less porous protein network with lipid droplet inclusions. This study shows that the choice of precipitation acid offers an opportunity to tailor the properties of quinoa protein isolate for application, a strategy that is likely applicable to other plant protein isolates.

Unveiling differential impact of heat and microwave extraction treatments on the structure, functionality, and digestibility of jack bean proteins extracted under varying extraction pH.

The poor extractability and digestibility of jack beans restrict their application in food systems. Thermal treatment could be a processing tool to disrupt the compact conformation of the plant matrix and inactivate inherent antinutrients. Therefore, this research investigated the impact of conventional heat-aided (HA-) and microwave-aided (MA-) extraction treatments on the structure, functional properties, and digestibility of jack bean protein concentrate (JBPC) under varying extraction pH. The novelty brought by the present study is establishing the thermal treatment/extraction pH combinations for improving techno-functionalities and digestibility of JBPC. Heat (50 °C for 1 h) and sequential microwave power (400 W, 600 W, and 800 W for 5 min) at three extraction pH (9.0, 10.0, and 11.0) were studied. Upon increasing extraction pH, a significant decrease in the protein content, and ß-Sheet structure was observed, in the order of pH 11.0 > 10.0 > 9.0. JBPC extracted using HA treatments displayed the highest contents of surface hydrophobicity (90.02) and sulfhydryl groups. In functional properties, MA-extracted JBPC under 400 W showed significantly improved solubility (93.45 %), emulsifying activity index (45.23 m2/g), and foaming capacity (141.70 %) when compared to other thermal treatments. The degree of hydrolysis result revealed that MA treatment improved the JBPC in vitro digestibility at a low power level of 400 W. These findings suggest that MA extraction treatment can improve the functional and nutritional properties of JBPC regardless of the extraction pH, and thus, expand the potential application in food systems.

Effect of exogenous selenium on physicochemical, structural, functional, thermal, and gel rheological properties of mung bean (Vigna radiate L.) protein.

Selenium (Se) biofortification during the growth process of mung bean is an effective method to improve the Se content and quality. However, the effect of Se biofortification on the physicochemical properties of mung bean protein is unclear. The objective of this study was to clarify the changes in the composition, Se forms, particle structure, functional properties, thermal stability, and gel properties of mung bean protein at four Se application levels. The results showed that the Se content of mung bean protein increased in a dose-dependent manner, with 7.96-fold (P1) and 8.52-fold (P2) enhancement at the highest concentration. Exogenous Se application promotes the conversion of inorganic Se to organic Se. Among them, selenomethionine (SeMet) and methyl selenocysteine (MeSeCys) replaced Met and Cys through the S metabolic pathway and became the dominant organic Se forms in Se-enriched mung bean protein, accounting for more than 80 % of the total Se content. Exogenous Se at 30 g/hm2 significantly up-regulated protein content and promoted the synthesis of sulfur-containing protein components and hydrophobic amino acids in the presence of increased levels of SeMet and MeSeCys. Meanwhile, Cys and Met substitution altered the sulfhydryl groups (SH), ß-sheets, and ß-turns of protein. The particle size and microstructural characteristics depend on the protein itself and were not affected by exogenous Se. The Se-induced increase in the content of hydrophobic amino acids and ß-sheets synergistically increases the thermal stability of the protein. Moderate Se application altered the functional properties of mung bean protein, which was mainly reflected in the significant increase in oil holding capacity (OHC) and foaming capacity (FC). In addition, the increase in SH and ß-sheets induced by exogenous Se could alter the protein intermolecular network, contributing to the increase in storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″), which resulted in the formation of more highly elastic gels. This study further promotes the application of mung bean protein in the field of food processing and provides a theoretical basis for the extensive development of Se-enriched mung bean protein.

Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Novel Thiazolidine-2,4-Dione-Acridine Hybrids as Antitumor Agents.

This study focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of new compounds that integrate thiazolidine-2,4-dione, acridine moiety, and an acetamide linker, aiming to leverage the synergistic effects of these pharmacophores for enhanced therapeutic potential. The newly designed molecules were efficiently synthesized through a multi-step process and subsequently transformed into their hydrochloride salts. Comprehensive spectroscopic techniques, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and elemental analysis, were employed to determine the molecular structures of the synthesized compounds. Biological evaluations were conducted to assess the therapeutic potential of the new compounds. The influence of these derivatives on the metabolic activity of various cancer cell lines was assessed, with IC50 values determined via MTT assays. An in-depth analysis of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) revealed intriguing insights into their cytotoxic profiles. Compounds with electron-withdrawing groups generally exhibited lower IC50 values, indicating higher potency. The presence of the methoxy group at the linking phenyl ring modulated both the potency and selectivity of the compounds. The variation in the acridine core at the nitrogen atom of the thiazolidine-2,4-dione core significantly affects the activity against cancer cell lines, with the acridin-9-yl substituent enhancing the compounds' antiproliferative activity. Furthermore, compounds in their hydrochloride salt forms demonstrated better activity against cancer cell lines compared to their free base forms. Compounds 12c·2HCl (IC50 = 5.4 ± 2.4 µM), 13d (IC50 = 4.9 ± 2.9 µM), and 12f·2HCl (IC50 = 4.98 ± 2.9 µM) demonstrated excellent activity against the HCT116 cancer cell line, and compound 7d·2HCl (IC50 = 4.55 ± 0.35 µM) demonstrated excellent activity against the HeLa cancer cell line. Notably, only a few tested compounds, including 7e·2HCl (IC50 = 11.00 ± 2.2 µM), 7f (IC50 = 11.54 ± 2.06 µM), and 7f·2HCl (IC50 = 9.82 ± 1.92 µM), showed activity against pancreatic PATU cells. This type of cancer has a very high mortality due to asymptomatic early stages, the occurrence of metastases, and frequent resistance to chemotherapy. Four derivatives, namely, 7e·2HCl, 12d·2HCl, 13c·HCl, and 13d, were tested for their interaction properties with BSA using fluorescence spectroscopic studies. The values for the quenching constant (Ksv) ranged from 9.59 × 104 to 10.74 × 104 M-1, indicating a good affinity to the BSA protein.

Noninvasive Electromagnetic Neuromodulation of the Central and Peripheral Nervous System for Upper-Limb Motor Strength and Functionality in Individuals with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

(1) Background: Restoring arm and hand function is one of the priorities of people with cervical spinal cord injury (cSCI). Noninvasive electromagnetic neuromodulation is a current approach that aims to improve upper-limb function in individuals with SCI. The aim of this study is to review updated information on the different applications of noninvasive electromagnetic neuromodulation techniques that focus on restoring upper-limb functionality and motor function in people with cSCI. (2) Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were used to structure the search protocol. A systematic review of the literature was performed in three databases: the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). (3) Results: Twenty-five studies were included: four were on transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), four on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), two on transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS), ten on functional electrical stimulation (FES), four on transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and one on neuromuscular stimulation (NMS). The meta-analysis could not be completed due to a lack of common motor or functional evaluations. Finally, we realized a narrative review of the results, which reported that noninvasive electromagnetic neuromodulation combined with rehabilitation at the cerebral or spinal cord level significantly improved upper-limb functionality and motor function in cSCI subjects. Results were significant compared with the control group when tSCS, FES, TENS, and NMS was applied. (4) Conclusions: To perform a meta-analysis and contribute to more evidence, randomized controlled trials with standardized outcome measures for the upper extremities in cSCI are needed, even though significant improvement was reported in each non-invasive electromagnetic neuromodulation study.