YokoCo

Since vaccination remains the only effective protection against orthopox virus-induced diseases such as smallpox or monkeypox, the strategic use and stockpiling of these vaccines remains of significant public health importance. The approved liquid-frozen formulation of Bavarian Nordic's Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA-BN) smallpox vaccine has specific cold-chain requirements, while the freeze-dried (FD) formulation of this vaccine provides more flexibility in terms of storage conditions and shelf life. In this randomized phase 3 trial, the immunogenicity and safety of 3 consecutively manufactured lots of the FD MVA-BN vaccine was evaluated. A total of 1129 healthy adults were randomized to 3 treatment groups (lots 1 to 3) and received 2 vaccinations 4 weeks apart. For both neutralizing and total antibodies, a robust increase of geometric mean titer (GMT) was observed across all lot groups 2 weeks following the second vaccination, comparable to published data. For the primary results, the ratios of the neutralizing antibody GMTs between the lot group pairs ranged from 0.936 to 1.115, with confidence ratios well within the pre-specified margin of equivalence. Results for total antibodies were similar. In addition, seroconversion rates were high across the 3 lots, ranging between 99.1 % and 99.7 %. No safety concerns were identified; particularly, no inflammatory cardiac disorders were detected. The most common local solicited adverse events (AEs) reported across lot groups were injection site pain (87.2%) and erythema (73.2%), while the most common general solicited adverse events were myalgia, fatigue, and headache in 40.6% to 45.5% of all participants, with no meaningful differences among the lot groups. No related serious AEs were reported. In conclusion, the data demonstrate consistent and robust immunogenicity and safety results with a freeze-dried formulation of MVA-BN. Clinical Trial Registry Number: NCT03699124.

Photobiomodulation therapy (PTB) is a therapeutic possibility for temporomandibular disorders (TMD), but its effectiveness and protocols for use remain controversial. This study is a RCT that compared the effectiveness of PTB on pain points of the masticatory muscles and TMJs, located through palpation versus application of pre-established points in women with painful TMD, diagnosis by DC/TMD (Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders – Brazilian Portuguese version). Therefore, a total sample of 54 women, aged between 18 and 60 years, was investigated. Volunteers were randomly randomized and PTB was applied in four different groups with a dose of 4 J and 6 J divided into pre-established application points (PE – G1) and pain points (PD – G2) – Groups 4PE, 4PD, 6PE and 6PD. Four laser applications were performed with a wavelength of 780 nm, one session per week, totaling one month of therapy. The following assessments were performed: DC/TMD, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), McGill Questionnaire – Short Version (SF-MPQ) and Pain Intensity, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Friedman's test was used for within-group comparisons, while the Mann-Whitney test was used for between-group comparisons (p < 0.05). According to the results, laser application on pain points (G2) was more effective. McGill's results showed that regardless of dose, the pain point application group had better outcomes (p = 0.004). Pain intensity evaluation (last days) also showed that application at the pain points was more effective regardless of dose (p = 0.0002). Medians and interquartile deviations showed overall that PTB was more effective at pain points, with a trend towards better outcomes at the 6 J dose. Therefore, it can be concluded that in women with chronic painful TMD, the application of PTB at pain points is more effective than the application at pre-established points. Therefore, individualized PTB protocols are proposed, based on examination palpation of the masticatory structures.

Development of safe and effective vaccine options is crucial to the success of fight against COVID-19 pandemic. Herein, we report interim safety and immunogenicity findings of the phase 1&2 trials of ERUCoV-VAC, an inactivated whole virion SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

The definitive pathogenic mechanisms underlying chronic migraine (CM) remain unclear. Mounting evidence from functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies suggests that the caudate nucleus (CN) plays a role in the cognitive, sensory, and emotional integration of pain information in patients with migraine. However, evidence concerning the role played by CN in CM patients is limited. Here, we used the CN as the seed to explore patterns of functional connectivity (FC) among healthy controls (HCs), patients with episodic migraine (EM), and patients with CM.

Assess the existing evidence base in order to synthesise the current qualitative findings for the impact of chronic health conditions on the school lives of young people.

Exercise is the most recommended treatment for chronic low back pain (CLBP) and is effective in reducing pain, but the mechanisms underlying its effects remain poorly understood. Exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH) may play a role and is thought to be driven by central pain modulation mechanisms. However, EIH appears to be disrupted in many chronic pain conditions and its presence in people with CLBP remains unclear. As people suffering from chronic pain often exhibit psychological factors and central sensitization symptoms influencing pain perception, EIH might be associated to these factors.

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating form of pain arising from injury or disease of the nervous system that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite its prevalence, the underlying mechanisms of neuropathic pain are still not fully understood. Dendritic spines are small protrusions on the surface of neurons that play an important role in synaptic transmission. Recent studies have shown that dendritic spines reorganize in the superficial and deeper laminae of the spinal cord dorsal horn with the development of neuropathic pain in multiple models of disease or injury. Given the importance of dendritic spines in synaptic transmission, it is possible that studying dendritic spines could lead to new therapeutic approaches for managing intractable pain. In this review article, we highlight the emergent role of dendritic spines in neuropathic pain, as well as discuss the potential for studying dendritic spines for the development of new therapeutics.

This study assessed patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in individuals with persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) to better understand how living with aPL may affect their quality of life.

Caffeine consumption is a risk factor for chronic daily headache, but few studies have addressed relationships between pediatric patient caffeine levels and headache severity. We examined associations between serum and urine caffeine levels and headache severity in childhood and adolescence migraine cases.