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This manuscript presents practical recommendations for managing acute attacks and implementing preventive immunotherapies for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD), a rare autoimmune disease that causes severe inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), primarily affecting the optic nerves, spinal cord, and brainstem. The pillars of NMOSD therapy are attack treatment and attack prevention to minimize the accrual of neurological disability. Aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G antibodies (AQP4-IgG) are a diagnostic marker of the disease and play a significant role in its pathogenicity. Recent advances in understanding NMOSD have led to the development of new therapies and the completion of randomized controlled trials. Four preventive immunotherapies have now been approved for AQP4-IgG-positive NMOSD in many regions of the world: eculizumab, ravulizumab - most recently-, inebilizumab, and satralizumab. These new drugs may potentially substitute rituximab and classical immunosuppressive therapies, which were as yet the mainstay of treatment for both, AQP4-IgG-positive and -negative NMOSD. Here, the Neuromyelitis Optica Study Group (NEMOS) provides an overview of the current state of knowledge on NMOSD treatments and offers statements and practical recommendations on the therapy management and use of all available immunotherapies for this disease. Unmet needs and AQP4-IgG-negative NMOSD are also discussed. The recommendations were developed using a Delphi-based consensus method among the core author group and at expert discussions at NEMOS meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Scapular dyskinesis is a common problem in athletes, especially overhead sports such as volleyball and basketball. The biomechanical and neurocognitive impairments are involved in the occurrence of the scapular dyskinesis. Based on previous studies about the whole-body vibration (WBV) effects on the athletes training, musculoskeletal injuries and neuromuscular responses, the current study focused on the investigation immediate effectiveness of WBV on neurocognitive parameters (reaction time and anticipatory skill) in overheads athletes with and without scapular dyskinesis. Methods: Thirty athletes with (n = 15) and without (n = 15) scapular dyskinesis participated in this interventional-observational study. The WBV applied with 30 Hz frequency and 5 mm amplitude in the modified push-up position in two groups. The scapular dyskinesis and neurocognitive parameters were recorded by the Caliper test and the Speed Anticipation Reaction Time (SART) system. Results: The Caliper measurement in three positions of arm significantly reduced after the WBV in the athletes with scapular dyskinesis (P < 0.005). The auditory complex choice reaction time significantly declined after the WBV between two groups (P = 0.042). Also, there was a correlation between the visual complex choice reaction time and 0 degree of abduction in both groups (P = 0.022). Conclusion: The WBV in the modified push-up position has immediately positive effects on neurologic and cognition skills in athletes with and without scapular dyskinesis. Based on these findings, WBV may have good potential for improved outcomes such as neurocognitive abilities and correction of scapular dyskinesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, a pyridyl containing porphyrin, C46H36N8O4 (denoted as Tris@NTPP) and its derived polyoxometalate-porphyrin hybrid, [C4H9)4N]3[C41H26N7NHCO(NH)C(OCH2)3MnMo6 O18(OCH2)3C(NH)CONHN7 H26C41] (denoted as NTPP@POM) in which two pyridyl containing porphyrin moieties hanged onto one Anderson polyoxometalate, have been successfully synthesized and thoroughly characterized. Fluorescence quenching was observed in NTPP@POM as compared with its precursor Tris@NTPP inferring the transfer of electron/energy from porphyrin moiety to POM moiety. NTPP@POM showed notably enhanced nonlinear absorption (β = 2.32 × 10–5 esu) than Tris@NTPP (β = 0.73 × 10–5 esu). These NLO responses were associated with fluorescence decay mechanism which oriented the singlet excited(*S) states and triplet excited(*T) states of Tris@NTPP and NTPP@POM. Life time decay studies revealed that NTPP@POM (τ2 = 5.32 ns) were stayed for shorter time in excited triplet state than Tris@NTPP (τ2 = 10 ns), implying shorter life time led towards higher NLO responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edge-functionalization of graphene is emerging as a powerful chemical method for the construction of π-delocalized highly-planar graphene nanoconjugates that are not accessible through surface-supported syntheses. Herein, a graphene-porphyrin nanoconjugate via a robust pyrazine (pz) linkage has been obtained by condensing 2,3-diamino-5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin (DA-TPP) with ortho-quinone (o-quinone) moieties at edge sites of graphene oxide (GO). The as-prepared GO-pz-TPP exhibits an intense absorption extending from 375 to 900 nm and a high quenching yield (98%) of fluorescence, indicating a strong electronic coupling effect between GO and TPP units. GO-pz-TPP displays strong nonlinear optical (NLO) absorption and giant NLO coefficients with 800 and 1,030 nm fs laser, in sharp contrast to traditional graphene-porphyrin nanohybrids only NLO-active towards ns laser. Such a dramatic NLO performance towards femtosecond pulsed laser has not been achieved in any carbon-chromophores nanohybridized materials to date. This work validates the π-extended edge-functionalization strategy as a means to tune the NLO properties of graphene, thereby providing a new paradigm for the assembly of versatile optoelectronic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the electronic absorption spectroscopy of 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and its fluorinated derivatives (F2TCNQ and F4TCNQ), well-known electron-accepting molecules in common organic solvents (toluene, chlorobenzene, acetonitrile, and ethanol) under controlled exposure to air (O2) and UV light. All compounds (FxTCNQ (x = 0, 2, 4)) were stable in a neutral state (FxTCNQ0) in toluene and chlorobenzene, even under both O2 and UV light. On the other hand, in EtOH, the formation of FxTCNQ·− was monitored upon controlled exposure to O2 or UV light. Especially in air-equilibrated ethanol upon the UV-illumination, efficient α,α-dicyano-p-toluoylcyanide anion (DCTC−) and its fluorinated derivatives were generated evinced by the absorption peak near 480 nm, whereas the reaction was shut off by removing O2 or blocking UV light, thereby keeping FxTCNQ·− stable. However, even in deaerated ethanol, upon the UV-illumination, the anion formation of TCNQ and its fluorinated derivatives (FxTCNQ·−, x = 0, 2, 4) was inevitable, showing the stability of FxTCNQ0 depends on the choice of solvent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of electromyography (EMG) biofeedback on scapular positions and muscle activities during scapular-focused exercises in oral cancer patients with accessory nerve dysfunction.Methods: Twenty-four participants were randomly allocated to the motor-control with biofeedback group (N = 12) or the motor-control group (N = 12) immediately after neck dissection. Each group performed scapular-focused exercises with conscious control of scapular orientation for 3 months. EMG biofeedback of upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), and lower trapezius (LT) was provided in the motor-control with biofeedback group. Scapular symmetry measured by modified lateral scapular slide test; shoulder pain; active range of motion (AROM) of shoulder abduction; upper extremity function; maximal isometric muscle strength of UT, MT, and LT; and muscle activities during arm elevation/lowering in the scapular plane were evaluated at baseline and the end of the intervention.Results: After the 3-month intervention, only the motor-control with biofeedback group showed improving scapular symmetry. Although both groups did not show significant improvement in shoulder pain, increased AROM of shoulder abduction and muscle strength of the UT and MT were observed in both groups. In addition, only the motor-control with biofeedback group had improved LT muscle strength, upper extremity function, and reduced UT and MT muscle activations during arm elevation/lowering.Conclusions: Early interventions for scapular control training significantly improved shoulder mobility and trapezius muscle strength. Furthermore, by adding EMG biofeedback to motor-control training, oral cancer patients demonstrated greater effectiveness in stabilizing scapular position, muscle efficiency, and upper extremity function than motor-control training alone.Trial Registration: Institutional Review Board: This study was approved by the Chang Gung Medical Foundation Institutional Review Board (Approval No: 201901788A3. Approval Date: 2 January, 2020).Clinical Trial Registration: This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04476004. Initial released Date: 16 July, 2020). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of online-supervised versus workplace corrective exercises on neck–shoulder pain (NSP), sick leave, posture, workability, and muscular activity among office workers with the upper crossed syndrome (UCS). Methods: We performed a parallel-group randomized control trial at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran, assigning 36 office workers to online-supervised, workplace, and control groups (mean (SD) age 38.91 ± 3.87, 38.58 ± 7.34, 37.00 ± 8.12). Inclusion criteria were alignment alteration (forward head (≥ 45°), rounding shoulder (≥ 52°), rounding back (≥ 42°), and pain intensity ≥ 3 in neck and shoulder. The two intervention groups performed 8-week exercise program, while the control group continued usual activities. Primary (NSP and sick leave) and secondary outcomes [postural angles, workability, and muscular activity were measured by VAS, outcome evaluation questionnaire (OEQ), photogrammetry, workability index, and EMG, respectively, at the baseline and an 8-week follow-up]. Results: ANCOVA results revealed improvements for the online-supervised group versus control for NSP (P = 0.007), postural angles (P = 0.000, P = 0.001, P = 0.005), workability (P = 0.048, P = 0.042), and upper trapezius activation (P = 0.024, P = 0.016), respectively. Using paired t tests, both intervention groups improved from baseline to follow-up for NSP (P = 0.000, P = 0.002), forward head posture (P = 0.000, P = 0.000), round shoulders (P = 0.001, P = 0.031), and round back (P = 0.034, P = 0.008), respectively. Related parameters of workability (P = 0.041, P = 0.038), upper trapezius (P = 0.005, P = 0.005, P = 0.022), and serratus anterior (P = 0.020, P = 0.015) changed only in the online-supervised group. Conclusion: Online-supervised corrective exercise seems to improve a range of parameters related to work performance. These findings are highly applicable in light of the ongoing COVID pandemic; many workers have to work from home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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