Search

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) is a global health condition that affects thousands of people. CMP can substantially affect the functional capacity and quality of life of the people impacted, resulting in high costs for health care and social security systems. Sociodemographic factors may play a significant role in pain chronification prevention and control programs. Thus, current risk factors for CMP must be seriously considered as part of an interdisciplinary management strategy. The purpose of the study was to identify the primary sociodemographic characteristics of CMP patients at a multidisciplinary and specialized center for chronic pain. This is a retrospective investigation based on a review of medical records. Age, gender, income, and the time of onset of pain symptoms were among the variables included in the analyzed data. To analyze variables related to the duration of discomfort, a multiple regression model was utilized. Sociodemographic factors explained 37.94% of experiencing prolonged pain, according to the study's findings. Being female and having a family income above the minimum wage were variables that were directly proportional to discomfort duration. Age was not associated with a prolonged duration of pain perception.

The SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2019) etiological agent, which has a high contagiousness and is to blame for the outbreak of acute viral pneumonia, is the cause of the respiratory disease COVID-19. The use of natural products grew as an alternative treatment for various diseases due to the abundance of organic molecules with pharmacological properties. Many pharmaceutical studies have focused on investigating compounds with therapeutic potential. Therefore, this study aimed to identify potential antiviral compounds from a popular medicinal plant called Moringa oleifera Lam. against the spike, M pro , ACE2, and RBD targets of SARS-CoV-2. For this, we use molecular docking to identify the molecules with the greatest affinity for the targets through the orientation of the ligand with the receptor in complex. For the best results, ADME-TOX predictions were performed to evaluate the pharmacokinetic properties of the compounds using the online tool pkCSM. The results demonstrate that among the 61 molecules of M. oleifera , 22 molecules showed promising inhibition results, where the compound ellagic acid showed significant molecular affinity (-9.3 kcal.mol -1 ) in interaction with the spike protein. These results highlight the relevance of investigating natural compounds from M. oleifera as potential antivirals against SARS-CoV-2; however, additional studies are needed to confirm the antiviral activity of the compounds.

The failure of axons to regenerate after a spinal cord injury (SCI) remains one of the greatest challenges in neuroscience. The initial mechanical trauma is followed by a secondary injury cascade, creating a hostile microenvironment, which not only is not permissive to regeneration but also leads to further damage. One of the most promising approaches for promoting axonal regeneration is to maintain the levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), specifically by a phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor expressed in neural tissues. Therefore, in our study, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of an FDA-approved PDE4 inhibitor, Roflumilast (Rof), in a thoracic contusion rat model. Results indicate that the treatment was effective in promoting functional recovery. Rof-treated animals showed improvements in both gross and fine motor function. Eight weeks post-injury, the animals significantly recovered by achieving occasional weight-supported plantar steps. Histological assessment revealed a significant decrease in cavity size, less reactive microglia, as well as higher axonal regeneration in treated animals. Molecular analysis revealed that IL-10 and IL-13 levels, as well as VEGF, were increased in the serum of Rof-treated animals. Overall, Roflumilast promotes functional recovery and supports neuroregeneration in a severe thoracic contusion injury model and may be important in SCI treatment.

Viruses with encephalitogenic potential can cause neurological conditions of clinical and epidemiological importance, such as Saint Louis encephalitis virus , Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus , Eastern equine encephalitis virus , Western equine encephalitis virus , Dengue virus , Zika virus , Chikungunya virus , Mayaro virus and West Nile virus . The objective of the present study was to determine the number of arboviruses with neuroinvasive potential isolated in Brazil that corresponds to the collection of viral samples belonging to the Department of Arbovirology and Hemorrhagic Fevers, Evandro Chagas Institute (SAARB/IEC) of the Laboratory Network of National Reference for Arbovirus Diagnosis from 1954 to 2022. In the analyzed period, a total of 1,347 arbovirus samples with encephalitogenic potential were isolated from mice; 5,065 human samples were isolated exclusively by cell culture; and 676 viruses were isolated from mosquitoes. The emergence of new arboviruses may be responsible for diseases still unknown to humans, making the Amazon region a hotspot for infectious diseases due to its fauna and flora species characteristics. The detection of circulating arboviruses with the potential to cause neuroinvasive diseases is constant, which justifies the continuation of active epidemiological surveillance work that offers adequate support to the public health system regarding the virological diagnosis of circulating arboviruses in Brazil.

Blood loss in sheep can have different causes and may result in anemia. We aimed to evaluate the clinical, hematological, and biochemical alterations and the oxidative stress generated by acute blood loss. Eighteen healthy sheep underwent phlebotomy to remove 40% of the blood volume and were evaluated clinically and by laboratory tests for clinical, biochemical, and blood gas variables and to assess oxidative stress before induction (T0), 30 min (T30 min), and 6 (T6 h), 12 (T12 h), and 24 h (T24 h) after blood loss. The sheep showed tachycardia from T30 min until T24 h, reduction in the hematocrit, number of erythrocytes, and hemoglobin concentration, with lower values at T24 h and increase in the number of leukocytes from T12 h on. There was a reduction in blood pH and oxygen pressure at T30 min, increased lactate concentration and reduced blood bicarbonate at this time. There was an increase in urea concentration from T6 h until the end of the study, with no change in creatinine levels. The animals did not show changes in the concentration of malonaldehyde, and in the activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase, but there was a reduction in the concentration of reduced glutathione at T24 h. The acute loss of 40% of blood volume is capable of promoting relevant clinical, hematological, blood gas, and biochemical alterations, and contributed to the appearance of oxidative stress with reduced glutathione concentration, suggesting that this process generated free radicals in sufficient quantity to diminish the action of antioxidants.