Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Johnson C. Y. Pang, Amy S. N. Fu, Stanley K. H. Lam, B. Peng, Allan C. L. Fu
Summary: This study aimed to compare the effect of ultrasound-guided dry needling (DN) with traditional DN in the treatment of pain and dysfunction for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). The results showed that ultrasound-guided DN with exercise therapy may be more effective than traditional DN with exercise therapy or exercise therapy alone in reducing pain.
Article
Neurosciences
Leyang Li, Su Chen, Hiroyuki Yokoyama, Hidetoshi Kaburagi, Takashi Hirai, Kunikazu Tsuji, Mitsuhiro Enomoto, Yoshiaki Wakabayashi, Atsushi Okawa
Summary: Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) leads to severe functional loss in extremities, and delayed nerve repair results in muscle denervation and atrophy. To better understand NMJ degeneration and regeneration after PNI, we established two models of nerve repair in mice and compared their outcomes. Our results suggest that allogeneic nerve grafting is more effective than end-to-end neurorrhaphy in promoting functional recovery and increasing reinnervated NMJs and Schwann cells in the target muscle. Further investigation is needed to explore the relationship between NMJ and Schwann cells in the target muscle.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Gerardo Portilla, Francisco Montero de Espinosa
Summary: This article introduces a new device that combines ultrasound and dry needling treatments. The non-thermal effects of ultrasound can amplify the effects of the needle by locally enhancing its effects. The ultrasound transducer can rotate in 3D space to align itself with the direction of the needle. The computer controls the angulation of the array and the focus position, allowing for electronic focusing of the acoustic pressure on the needle tip and its surroundings.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Soo-Won Yun, Young-Hoo Son, Dong-Yun Lee, Yoon-Jung Shin, Myung Joo Han, Dong-Hyun Kim
Summary: The study showed that oral administration of probiotics Lactobacillus plantarum NK151 and Bifidobacterium bifidum NK175 increased tear secretion in mice with ELA-induced dry eye, reduced cornea/conjunctiva inflammation, and modulated gut microbiota composition.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Muneera Waheed Alfarhan, Heba Al-Hussaini, Narayana Kilarkaje
Summary: Type 2 diabetes negatively affects testicular structure and function, increasing oxidative DNA damage and BER protein levels. PPAR-γ modulation has minimal impact on testicular structural changes, but affects oxidative DNA damage and BER proteins.
CHEMICO-BIOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS
(2022)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Daniel Fernandez-Sanchis, Natalia de la Cruz, Carolina Jimenez-Sanchez, Marina Gil-Calvo, Pablo Herrero, Sandra Calvo
Summary: Dry needling is a cost-effective alternative for individuals with chronic stroke, providing good results at a relatively low cost compared to sham dry needling.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anna Staehli Wiser, James Dunning, Casey Charlebois, Paul Bliton, Firas Mourad
Summary: This study found that dry needling (DN) treatment resulted in significant improvements in pain and function in patients with Carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis (OA) of the thumb. After six sessions of DN treatment over 12 weeks, there were significant improvements in thumb pain and function.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Orthopedics
Faeze Naseri, Mehdi Dadgoo, Mohammadreza Pourahmadi, Morteza Nakhaei Amroodi, Shirin Azizi, Pouria Tabrizian, Ali Amiri
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effect of implementing 4 sessions of myofascial trigger point dry needling (MTrP-DN) in combination with a multimodal rehabilitation protocol for postoperative shoulder pain following rotator cuff repair (RCR) surgery. The study will randomly assign participants into two groups, one receiving MTrP-DN and the other receiving sham dry needling (S-DN), along with other rehabilitation measures. The primary outcome measure is the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain, and secondary outcome measures include Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPDI), range of motion (ROM), strength, and adverse events.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Maria Munoz, Jan Dommerholt, Sara Perez-Palomares, Pablo Herrero, Sandra Calvo
Summary: Dry needling is increasingly used in clinical practice, but the impact of antithrombotic drugs on dry needling has not been investigated. This paper aims to review the current knowledge of antithrombotic therapy in the context of dry needling and explore guidelines of other needling approaches. According to published data, taking antithrombotic medication should not be considered an absolute contraindication for dry needling techniques.
PAIN RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Manuel Rodriguez-Huguet, Maria Jesus Vinolo-Gil, Jorge Gongora-Rodriguez
Summary: Chronic Neck Pain (CNP) is a leading cause of disability worldwide, and dry needling (DN) has been found to be an effective treatment option for CNP. This review assessed the effectiveness of DN in the treatment of CNP and found positive outcomes in the short-term and follow-up periods.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Martina Fiumara, Samuele Ferrari, Attya Omer-Javed, Stefano Beretta, Luisa Albano, Daniele Canarutto, Angelica Varesi, Chiara Gaddoni, Chiara Brombin, Federica Cugnata, Erika Zonari, Matteo Maria Naldini, Matteo Barcella, Bernhard Gentner, Ivan Merelli, Luigi Naldini
Summary: Base and prime editors have shown potential for precise genetic engineering, but their cellular responses and genotoxicity are not well understood. This study compared the efficiency, toxicity, and genotoxicity between base and prime editors and Cas9 in human hematopoietic cells. The findings suggest that these editors can induce harmful effects and genotoxicity, raising concerns for their clinical applications.
NATURE BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Magally Ramirez-Ramirez, Francisca Fernandez-Valverde, Andrea Resendiz-Garcia, Mirna G. Martinez-Damas, Luis Javier Cano-Martinez, Alejandro Zentella-Dehesa, Ramon M. Coral-Vazquez
Summary: Several studies have shown the beneficial effects of Epicatechin (Epi) on skeletal muscle in murine models, muscular dystrophy patients, diabetic patients, and murine sarcopenia models. Epi enhances antioxidant pathways, improves muscle architecture, and accelerates skeletal muscle repair after chemically induced damage. The study found that Epi significantly reduced damage area and hypertrophy in the Tibialis anterior muscle of mice with BaCl2-induced damage. In addition, Epi increased the expression of beta-catenin (active) and myogenic proteins such as MyoD and Myogenin.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITIONAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eleuterio A. Sanchez Romero, Tifanny Lim, Jorge Hugo Villafane, Gurvan Boutin, Victor Riquelme Aguado, Aitor Martin Pintado-Zugasti, Jose Luis Alonso Perez, Josue Fernandez Carnero
Summary: This study found that verbal suggestions did not influence the perception of post-needling soreness or changes in sensorimotor variables of temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Marjolein Chys, Kayleigh De Meulemeester, Indra De Greef, Carlos Murillo, Wouter Kindt, Yassir Kouzouz, Bavo Lescroart, Barbara Cagnie
Summary: The number of systematic reviews on Dry Needling (DN) has increased rapidly, but rigorous evidence on its clinical effectiveness is lacking. This umbrella review includes 36 systematic reviews and finds that DN is effective for short-term pain reduction regardless of the body region. However, results on physical functioning outcomes are inconsistent. More research is needed on mid- and long-term effects, and standardization of DN protocols is necessary.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Physiology
Cesar Augustus Zocoler de Sousa, Ana Paula Renno Sierra, Bryan Steve Martinez Galan, Jaqueline Fernanda de Sousa Maciel, Richelieau Manoel, Hermes Vieira Barbeiro, Heraldo Possolo de Souza, Maria Fernanda Cury-Boaventura
Summary: Endurance exercise increases the expression of exercise-induced peptides that aid in muscle repair and regeneration. A study on marathon runners showed an increase in various exercise-induced cytokines immediately after the race, including IL-6, IL-8, TNF-alpha, IL-10, decorin, GDF-15, BDNF, follistatin, and FGF-21. The decrease in myostatin, IL-15, musclin, and apelin levels post-race suggested muscle regeneration.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Editorial Material
Respiratory System
Anna Sanchez-Corral, Marina Garcia-de-Acilu, Manel Santafe, Oriol Roca
ARCHIVOS DE BRONCONEUMOLOGIA
(2021)
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
R. Margalef, M. Bosque, P. Monclus, P. Flores, F. Minaya-Munoz, F. Valera-Garrido, M. M. Santafe
EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Carreras, Rebecca Martinez-Moreno, Mel Lina Pinsach-Abuin, Manel M. Santafe, Pol Goma, Ramon Brugada, Fabiana S. Scornik, Guillermo J. Perez, Sara Pagans
Summary: The study revealed that denervation induces the expression of the adult cardiac Scn5a isoform in rat skeletal muscle, leading to significant changes in the transcriptome. The enrichment of H3K27ac and H3K4me3, as well as binding of the transcription factor Gata4 near the Scn5a promoter region, suggest similar mechanisms regulate Scn5a expression in denervated muscle and cardiac tissue.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Integrative & Complementary Medicine
Ramon Margalef, Marc Bosque, Francisco Minaya-Munoz, Fermin Valera-Garrido, Manel M. Santafe
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the safety of the PNE procedure by analyzing possible alterations of the needles employed. The results showed that PNE applied according to conventional protocols appeared to be safe and athermal, without observable changes in temperature or needle morphology in in vitro studies.
ACUPUNCTURE IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Physiology
Marina Garcia-de-Acilu, Andres Pacheco, Manel Santafe, Francisco-Javier Ramos, Juan C. Ruiz-Rodriguez, Ricard Ferrer, Oriol Roca
Summary: This study suggests that the plethysmographic variability index (PVi) may predict preload responsiveness in patients treated with nasal high flow (NHF), aiding in guiding fluid administration. PVi could be utilized in the daily clinical decision-making process for critically ill patients treated with NHF to provide adequate resuscitation volume.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Isabel Salvat, Cristina Adillon, Eva Maria Andres, Sonia Monterde, Jordi Miro
Summary: The study developed a Conceptualization of Pain Questionnaire (COPAQ) to assess children's understanding of pain, and confirmed its good psychometric properties. The questionnaire was calibrated using the Rasch model, providing reliable and valid results for monitoring changes in children's thoughts about pain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Marc Bosque, Ramon Margalef, Oscar Carvajal, David Alvarez, Manel M. M. Santafe
Summary: This study analyzed the need for repetitive punctures on muscles in different situations and confirmed the effectiveness of dry needling in different animal models. The results showed that dry needling caused injuries to muscle fibers, but blood vessels and intramuscular nerves were minimally affected.
PAIN RESEARCH & MANAGEMENT
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fermin Valera-Garrido, Ramon Margalef, Marc Bosque, Francisco Minaya-Munoz, Manel M. Santafe
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) on muscle regeneration. The results showed that PNE could accelerate muscle regeneration in cases of partial muscle injuries. The experimental findings demonstrated that PNE facilitated muscle regeneration in the injured limb where electric current was applied, leading to a shorter recovery time for damaged muscle tissue.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Neurosciences
Josep Tomas, Maria A. Lanuza, Manel M. Santafe, Victor Cilleros-Mane, Laia Just-Borras, Marta Balanya-Segura, Aleksandra Polishchuk, Laura Nadal, Marta Tomas, Neus Garcia
Summary: In recent years, the role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) in the mammalian neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has been extensively studied. The presence of mAChRs in the presynaptic membrane allows for autocrine feedback and direct activity-dependent interaction between competing axons during development. They also interact with other metabotropic receptors, downstream kinases, and voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) to regulate synaptic elimination and monoinnervation of musculoskeletal cells.
MOLECULAR NEUROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Critical Care Medicine
Irene Telias, Matias Madorno, Tai Pham, Thomas Piraino, Remi Coudroy, Michael C. Sklar, Eumorfia Kondili, Savino Spadaro, Tobias Becher, Chang-Wen Chen, Tommaso Mauri, Lise Piquilloud, Laurent Brochard
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Anesthesiology
Pol Monclus, Marc Bosque, Ramon Margalef, M. Teresa Colomina, Francisco J. Valderrama-Canales, Laia Just, Manel M. Santafe
Summary: This study aimed to verify the effectiveness of shock wave treatment for myofascial trigger points. The results showed that shock wave treatment eliminated the trigger points in mice muscles and reduced the frequency of neurotransmitter release, thus having a therapeutic effect.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Marc Bosque, Ramon Margalef, Albert Llaveria, Manel M. Santafe
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the relationship between stress and spontaneous neurotransmission. It was found that both acute and chronic stress significantly increased spontaneous neurotransmission. This may be related to the genesis or maintenance of myofascial pain.
BEHAVIOURAL BRAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Wiktoria Matuska, Jakub Matuska, Elzbieta Skorupska, Maria Siwek, Pablo Herrero, Manel M. Santafe
Summary: This paper summarizes the available literature on modeling nociplastic pain and myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). It includes studies describing animal model creation and presents the results of experiments. Although there is currently insufficient evidence to describe MTrPs as nociplastic pain, this study provides a possible direction for detecting and studying the correlation between MTrPs and nociplastic pain in animal models.
JOURNAL OF PAIN RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Critical Care Medicine
Oriol Roca, Oriol Caritg, Manel Santafe, Francisco J. Ramos, Andres Pacheco, Marina Garcia-de-Acilu, Ricard Ferrer, Marcus J. Schultz, Jean-Damien Ricard
Summary: The study found that closed-loop oxygen control improves oxygen administration in patients with moderate to severe acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) treated with high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO), increasing the percentage of time spent in the optimal oxygenation range and decreasing the workload of healthcare personnel.
Article
Hematology
Candido Diaz-Lagares, Laura Fox, Alejandra Garcia-Roche, Manel Santafe, Irene Romera, Pere Barba, Andres Pacheco, Elisa Roldan, Erika Plata-Menchaca, Oriol Roca, Marcos Perez, David Valcarcel, Ricard Ferrer
Summary: Allo-HSCT recipients admitted to the ICU have a high in-hospital mortality risk. Factors such as SOFA score on day 1, need for vasopressors on day 3, and nondecreasing SOFA score on day 5 are independently associated with in-hospital mortality.
TRANSPLANTATION AND CELLULAR THERAPY
(2021)