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Background: The relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and its possible determinants in post-COVID-19 survivors has not been systematically assessed., Objectives: To identify and summarize studies comparing cardiorespiratory fitness measured by cardiopulmonary exercise testing in COVID-19 survivors versus non-COVID-19 controls, as well as to determine the influence of potential moderating factors., Methods: We conducted a systematic search of MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and SciELO since their inceptions until June 2022. Mean differences (MD), standard mean differences (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Subgroup and meta-regression analyses were used to evaluate potential moderating factors., Results: 48 studies (3372 participants, mean age 42 years, and with a mean testing time of 4 months post-COVID-19) were included, comprising a total of 1823 COVID-19 survivors and 1549 non-COVID-19 controls. After data pooling, VO 2 peak (SMD=1.0 95% CI: 0.5, 1.5; 17 studies; N = 1273) was impaired in COVID-19 survivors. In 15 studies that reported VO 2 peak values in mL/min/kg, non-COVID-19 controls had higher peak VO 2 values than COVID-19 survivors (MD=6.2, 95% CI: 3.5, 8.8; N = 905; I 2 =84%). In addition, VO 2 peak was associated with age, time post-COVID-19, disease severity, presence of dyspnea, and reduced exercise capacity., Conclusion: This systematic review provides evidence that cardiorespiratory fitness may be impaired in COVID-19 survivors, especially for those with severe disease, presence of dyspnea, and reduced exercise capacity. Furthermore, the degree of reduction of VO 2 peak is inversely associated with age and time post-COVID., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Associação Brasileira de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação em Fisioterapia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess exercise capacity, lung and physical function in COVID-19 survivors, and the association of lesion-level characteristics assessed by chest computed tomography, probable sarcopenia, and percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide with clinical and functional variables., Methods: This study was conducted in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. All patients had a laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 exposure history, pulmonary function, computed tomography, and functionality of the participants between 1 and 3 months of diagnosis of the disease were collected., Results: A total of 135 patients after COVID-19 recovery were included in this study. Probable sarcopenia, reduction in percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and a lower 6-min walk distance were observed after COVID-19 infection. Computed tomography>50% was associated with a longer length of stay and a lower percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Probable sarcopenia diagnosis was associated with a worse percentage of the predicted 6-min walk distance in relation to the predicted, absolute 6-min walk distance (m), percentage of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide, and percentage of total lung capacity., Conclusion: Muscle disability and lung dysfunction are common in COVID-19 survivors. Hospitalization was associated with the worst muscle force and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide. Computed tomography characteristics could be a marker of prolonged hospital stay after the acute phase of COVID-19. Additionally, the probable diagnosis of sarcopenia could be a marker of impact on walking distance. These results highlight the need for long-term follow-up of those patients and rehabilitation programs.

Objective: To examine the effects of high-intensity interval training on the functioning and health-related quality of life of post-stroke patients., Methods: We searched the following electronic databases: MEDLINE/Pubmed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PEDro database, and Scielo up to January 2022 for randomized controlled trials that investigated the effects of high-intensity interval training in post-stroke patients. Two reviewers selected the studies independently. Study quality was evaluated using the PEDro scale. The mean difference (MD), standard mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated., Results: Nine studies met the study criteria (375 patients). The age of the participants ranged from 55.8 to 72.1 years. The studies included patients within 2 weeks of stroke onset to patients longer than 1 month of stroke. High-intensity interval training resulted in improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen uptake) MD (3.8 mL/kg/min, 95% CI: 2.62, 5.01, n  =  91), balance MD 5.7 (95% CI: 3.50, 7.91; N = 64), and gait speed SMD (0.2 m/s; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.27; N = 100) compared with continuous aerobic training. The health-related quality of life did not differ between the groups. Compared to usual care, high-intensity interval training improved the cardiorespiratory fitness SMD (0.5 95% CI: 0.14, 0.81, n  =  239). No serious adverse events were observed., Conclusions: The findings of this systematic review show that high-intensity interval training was more efficient than continuous aerobic training to gain cardiorespiratory fitness, balance and gait speed in post-stroke patients. In addition, compared to usual care, high-intensity interval training improved cardiorespiratory fitness.

Objective:: To investigate whether isokinetic muscle strengthening improves muscle strength, mobility, and gait in post-stroke patients., Methods:: We searched for randomized controlled trials at PubMed/Medline, SciELO, PEDro, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, from the earliest date available to June 2018. Randomized controlled trials that examined the effects of isokinetic muscle strengthening versus other rehabilitation interventions or control in post-stroke patients were included. Study quality was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 test., Results:: In total, 13 studies (347 patients) focusing on the use of isokinetic in rehabilitation following stroke were included. All trials were of low-to-moderate quality. Isokinetic muscle strengthening improved muscle strength WMD 0.8 (95% CI: 0.2, 1.4; N = 96), mobility WMD -2.03 seconds (95% CI: -2.9, -1.1; N = 111) and gait speed WMD 0.9 m/s (95% CI: 0.05, 1.8; N = 87)., Conclusion:: Isokinetic muscle strengthening seems to be a useful strategy for improving muscle strength, mobility, and gait in post-stroke patients.

Chitosan has attracted much interest due to its special physical and chemical properties related to drug administration. Nanoparticles delivery systems from Vi Antigen are a promising approach in the struggle against typhoid fever. In this paper, we reported the obtainment and the characterization of Vi Antigen by Infrared spectroscopy as well as Molecular Modeling and Computational Chemistry studies of the Chitosan-Vi Antigen interaction through theoretical models. The results of the theoretical and experimental Infrared spectroscopy showed important bands related to N-Acetyl and O-Acetyl groups present in Vi Antigen. Important interactions related to its adsorption were observed through three-dimensional optimized structures. Two models were proposed for the Chitosan-Vi Antigen in adsorption system, one as a monomer and another as an optimized tetrasaccharide antigen. The Molecular Modeling studies presented the best conformation and binding site on the nanoparticle Chitosan-Vi Antigen in models proposed. Interactions were observed between O-Acetyl and N-Acetyl groups the Vi Antigen and hydroxy, amino and methyl groups the Chitosan., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The hypothesis that jugular thrombosis (JT) may cause a mass in the cervical region is usually overlooked. The objective of the present study was to identify the characteristics of neck masses resulting from JT in cancer patients and to analyze the possible reasons for their formation. A retrospective study was conducted on 8 patients with JT affected by 3 types of neoplasia, ie, carcinomas (3 cases), adenocarcinomas (3 cases), and lymphomas (2 cases) located in the breast, digestive apparatus, lymphatic system (2 cases each), lung and an undetermined site (1 case each), diagnosed over the last 12 years. The most frequent symptom of JT was the presence of a mass in the supraclavicular space (62.5% of cases) deeply located on the anterior margin of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and diagnosed by computed tomography and ultrasound. The masses were slightly hardened, with a clearly defined upper limit and an imprecise lower limit and with an irregular surface. The patients also presented with cough, hoarseness, pain during movements, facial edema, and collateral circulation. In one of the patients with a lung cancer, JT symptoms preceded the symptoms of cancer by 2 months. Hypercoagulation, compression, and invasion of a vessel possibly explain the occurrence of JT in these patients.