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Introduction: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has a priming effect on post- stroke motor rehabilitation., Objective: We verified whether tDCS combined with task-specific training was superior to nonintervention, task-specific training, or simulated intervention in improving spatio-temporal gait parameters and functional mobility in stroke patients., Methods: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, and LILACS for articles published until May 2024, using terms related to stroke, tDCS, and task-specific training. The risk of bias was assessed using the PEDro scale. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology was used to classify the certainty of the evidence for each outcome. Meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model., Results: A total of 1,685 studies were identified, of which 18 were included in the qualitative analysis. Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis; all outcomes were classified as "very low quality." Improvements in walking speed only were associated with tDCS combined with task-specific training (mean difference [MD], 0.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04, 0.07; p  < 0.001; I  = 0%). There were no differences in other spatio-temporal gait parameters or functional mobility., Conclusion: This systematic review provides low-quality evidence that tDCS, in combination with task-specific training, increases speed in individuals after stroke. Both interventions, tDCS and task-specific training, are inexpensive and easy to implement; therefore, the mean estimate may be considered clinically worthwhile, although the CIs spans both clinically trivial and worthwhile effects., Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO; number CRD42023396021).

Polygala paniculata is a medicinal plant that harbors a remaining unknown microbiome. Those plants are known for their analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and are widely found in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Herein, we report the isolation of the endophyte Bacillus velezensis GPP30 with a draft genome estimated at 4.0 Mpb., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory and autoimmune disease that significantly limits an individual's activities of daily living (ADLs) and negatively affects their social participation as it progresses. The impact of activities and participation must be continuously assessed, and the Glittre-ADL is a validated test for MS to assess functional capacity in tasks similar to ADLs., Objective: To evaluate whether the Glittre-ADL test is a valid method for assessing functional mobility in individuals with MS and moderate disability or those who use assistive devices., Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled 30 individuals in two groups: 1) MS group ( n  = 15); and 2) healthy control group ( n  = 15). The MS group underwent three functional mobility tests: 1) Glittre-ADL; 2) Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25FWT); and 3) Timed Up and Go (TUG) while the healthy group underwent only the Glittre-ADL test., Results: An association was found between the Glittre-ADL time and T25FWT ( r  = 0.78, p  < .001) and TUG ( r  = 0.56, p  = .030) times. In the MS group, statistically significant differences were found in time (F = 2.88, p  = .038) and speed (F = 5.17, p  = .024) between laps. A statistically significant difference was observed between the total time in the MS and control groups (Area Under Curve - AUC: 0.982, p  < .0001). A total time > 46.0s represents the reduction of functional performance during ADLs in individuals with MS (sensitivity: 93.3%; specificity: 92.2%)., Conclusion: The Glittre-ADL test is a valid tool for assessing functional mobility in individuals with MS and mild to moderate disability (EDSS score ≤ 6.5).

In this study, we report the isolation and identification of an endophytic strain of Burkholderia cepacia (COPS strain) associated with Polygala paniculata roots. Polygala plants are rich sources of promising microbiomes, of which the literature reports several pharmacological effects, such as trypanocidal, antinociceptive, anesthetic, anxiolytics, and anticonvulsant activities. B. cepacia COPS belongs to a new sequence type (ST 1870) and harbors a genome estimated in 8.3 Mbp which exhibits the aminoglycosides and beta-lactams resistance genes aph (3')-IIa and bla TEM-116 , respectively. Analysis performed using MLST, average nucleotide identity, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization support its species-level identification and reveals its novel housekeeping genes alleles gyr B, lep A, and pha C. The root endophyte B. cepacia COPS drew our attention from a group of 14 bacterial isolates during the primary screening for being potentially active against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Micrococcus luteus ATCC 9341, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 and exhibited the broad-spectrum activity against phytopathogenic fungi. In addition, COPS strain showed production of protease, lipase, and esterase in solid media, and its natural product extract showed potent inhibition against fungal plant pathogens, such as Moniliophthora perniciosa , whose antagonism index (89.32%) exceeded the positive control (74.17%), whereas Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Ceratocystis paradoxa showed high percentages of inhibition (85.53% and 82.69%, respectively). COPS crude extract also significantly inhibited S. epidermidis ATCC 35984, E. faecium ATCC 700221 (MIC values of 32  μ g/mL for both), E. faecalis ATCC 29212 (64  μ g/mL), and S. aureus ATCC 25923 (128  μ g/mL). We observed moderate antagonistic activity against A. baumannii ATCC 19606 and E. coli ATCC 25922 (both at 512  μ g/mL), as well as potent cytotoxic effects on Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major promastigote forms with 78.25% and 57.30% inhibition. In conclusion, this study presents for the first time the isolation of an endophytic B. cepacia strain associated with P. paniculata and enough evidence that these plants may be considered a rich source of microbes for the fight against neglected diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Felipe de Paula Nogueira Cruz et al.)

The development of new and cost-effective alternative therapeutic strategies to treat leishmaniasis has become a high priority. In the present study, the antileishmanial activity of Strychnos pseudoquina St. Hil. was investigated and pure compounds that presented this biological effect were isolated. An ethyl acetate extract was prepared, and it proved to be effective against Leishmania amazonensis. A bioactivity-guided fractionation was performed, and two flavonoids were identified, quercetin 3-O-methyl ether and strychnobiflavone, which presented an effective antileishmanial activity against L. amazonensis, and studies were extended to establish their minimum inhibitory concentrations (IC50), their leishmanicidal effects on the intra-macrophage Leishmania stage, as well as their cytotoxic effects on murine macrophages (CC50), and in O+ human red blood cells. The data presented in this study showed the potential of an ethyl acetate extract of S. pseudoquina, as well as two flavonoids purified from it, which can be used as a therapeutic alternative on its own, or in association with other drugs, to treat disease evoked by L. amazonensis.