Effectiveness of mind-body exercises in chronic respiratory diseases: an overview of systematic reviews with meta-analyses.

PURPOSE: To gather evidence on the effectiveness and safety of qigong, tai chi, and yoga to modulate symptoms associated with chronic respiratory diseases. METHODS: A search of systematic reviews was conducted in CINHAL, Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, and the Cochrane Library from inception to November 2022. Systematic reviews with meta-analyses investigating physical and psychological measures were eligible. The methodological quality of systematic reviews (AMSTAR-2), the spin of information in abstracts, and the overlap of primary studies were explored. RESULTS: Twenty-seven systematic reviews involving 37 000 participants, 146 studies, and 150 meta-analyses were included. Reviews investigated asthma (n = 4) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (n = 23). Most reviews discussed their findings without considering the risk of bias of primary studies. The overlap ranged between slight (5%) and very high (35%). Yoga was better than control interventions to improve symptoms related with asthma. In adults with COPD, qigong improved dyspnoea, exercise endurance, lung function, and quality of life, while tai chi and yoga increased exercise endurance. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of yoga on symptoms associated with asthma varied depending on the lung function parameter and the control group. Qigong, tai chi, and yoga could be effective to improve COPD-related symptoms, especially exercise endurance.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONQigong, tai chi, and yoga could be effective to improve symptoms associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Mind-body exercises promote self-care management and can be individually tailored.Due to no adverse effects, these interventions can be endorsed for rehabilitation as they appear to yield benefits.

Are movement-based mindful exercises (QIGONG, TAI CHI, AND YOGA) beneficial for stroke and Parkinson's disease? A scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: To synthesize evidence from systematic reviews on the effects of qigong, tai chi, and yoga in people with neurological diseases. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane Library until September 2022. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR 2 tool. A qualitative synthesis of included reviews and meta-analyses was performed. Citation matrices and the corrected covered area were used to explore the overlap of randomized controlled trials among reviews. RESULTS: Nineteen systematic reviews (containing 74 trials and 80 meta-analyses) in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) or stroke were included. The critical domains of the AMSTAR 2 were not satisfied in more than half of the reviews, and only 4 evaluated the certainty of the evidence. The overlap was very high (21.7%) and high (11%) for tai chi studies in PD and stroke, respectively. In people with PD, qigong, yoga, and tai chi can improve balance, with tai chi being beneficial to increase functional mobility. For stroke patients, tai chi was better than controls to enhance motor function and independence, but not for health-related quality of life and quality of sleep. Findings on balance, walking ability and depression were inconclusive in stroke population. CONCLUSIONS: Qigong, tai chi, and yoga appear to be effective to improve balance performance in people with PD. Tai chi practice enhances motor function and independency in stroke patients.

Mind-body practices for cancer-related symptoms management: an overview of systematic reviews including one hundred twenty-nine meta-analyses.

PURPOSE: Mind-body practices such as qigong, tai chi, or yoga combine physical movements, deep breathing, and meditation techniques aiming to improve how people self-care. Our purpose was to develop an overview of systematic reviews to summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of mind-body practices for cancer-related symptoms management. METHODS: CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were used to search systematic reviews with meta-analysis from inception until March 2022. Cancer-related symptoms such as fatigue, pain, psychological measures, and overall quality of life were chosen as outcomes of interest. The methodological quality of each systematic review was assessed using AMSTAR 2. Citation matrices were developed, and the corrected covered area was calculated to explore the potential primary study overlap. RESULTS: A total of 38 systematic reviews comprising 134 distinct primary studies and 129 separate meta-analyses were included. The items of AMSTAR 2 regarding the review protocol, the reasons to choose a specific research design, and the provision of a list of studies that justify their exclusion were scarcely performed. The primary study overlap was moderate for qigong trials and high for both tai chi and yoga trials. Mainly, we found that qigong showed promising effects to reduce fatigue. Tai chi produced positive effects in reducing anxiety. Yoga improved anxiety, depression, distress, stress, and overall quality of life. Finally, the effects of mind-body practices on pain were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS: Qigong, tai chi, and yoga could be effective approaches to relief cancer-related symptoms in adults with different cancer diagnoses.

Evaluation of mismatch negativity as a marker for language impairment in autism spectrum disorder.

BACKGROUND: The identification of an early and objective marker of language impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has the potential to lead to earlier language intervention for affected children. The mismatch negativity (MMN), a passive auditory evoked potential, offers insight into the brain's ability to direct attention to novel sounds. Since exposure to speech is necessary for learning to map meaning onto phonemes, we predicted slower MMN responses to speech sounds would indicate presence of language impairment in ASD. METHODS: We explored the relationship between MMN latency in children ages 5-10 with ASD plus language impairment (ASD + LI), ASD minus language impairment (ASD-LI), and typically developing children (TD) during an auditory oddball experiment presenting speech and pure tone sounds. RESULTS: Contrary to our prediction, children with ASD + LI demonstrated decreased MMN latency in the left hemisphere in response to novel vowel sounds compared to children with ASD-LI and TD controls. Parent responses to the Sensory Experiences Questionnaire revealed that all participating individuals with ASD were hypersensitive to sounds. CONCLUSIONS: Our results lend support to the theory that some children with ASD + LI have increased connectivity in primary sensory cortices at the expense of connectivity to association areas of the brain. This may account for faster speech sound processing despite low language scores in these children. Future studies should focus on individuals with language impairment and hyper-or hyposensitivity to sounds.

Immediate and short-term radiological changes after combining static stretching and transcutaneous electrical stimulation in adults with cavus foot: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Cavus foot is a deformity represented by an increased and rigid medial longitudinal arch, and it is often associated with persistent pain and gait disturbances. None of the conservative conventional treatments for cavus foot have shown conclusive evidence of effectiveness, and so further is research needed to understand how to manage this condition better. This study aimed to assess the immediate and short-term radiological changes after combining static stretching and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the plantar fascia in adults with idiopathic cavus foot. METHODS: A randomized, single-blinded clinical trial was conducted. Sixty-eight participants with idiopathic cavus foot, as determined by an internal Moreau-Costa-Bertani angle (MCBA) less than 125° in a lateral weight-bearing foot radiograph, were equally distributed into a neuromuscular stretching group (NSG) or a control group (no intervention). The NSG underwent a single session, combining transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation with static stretching of the plantar fascia. Primary measurements of 3 angles were taken using a lateral weight-bearing foot radiograph: the internal MCBA; the calcaneal pitch angle (CPA); and the first metatarsal declination angle (FMDA). Outcomes were collected at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 1 week after intervention. RESULTS: Analysis of variance revealed a significant group effect for all angles (all, P < .05). NSG participants showed a significant increase in the internal MCBA (P = .03), and a significant decrease in the CPA (P = .01) and FMDA (P = .04) from baseline to immediately postintervention. These changes remained statistically significant 1 week after the intervention (all, P < .05). CONCLUSION: The combination of static stretching and transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the plantar fascia, compared with no treatment, achieved immediate and short-term changes in the internal MCBA, the CPA, and the FMDA, which resulted in flattening the medial longitudinal plantar arch in adults with idiopathic cavus foot.

A Tyrosinase Inhibitor from a Nitrogen-Enriched Chemically Engineered Extract.

The enzyme tyrosinase is involved in the biosynthesis of melanin and the enzymatic browning of fruits and vegetables, and therefore, its inhibitors have potential to treat hyperpigmentary disorders or to function as food antibrowning agents. The use of hydrazine monohydrate as a reagent to prepare chemically engineered extracts can lead to semisynthetic compounds that contain the portion N-N, a fragment rarely found in natural products and present in some tyrosinase inhibitors. Here, we report the tyrosinase inhibition screening of a series of chemically engineered extracts that are diversified by reaction with hydrazine. LC-MS was used to evaluate the change in composition produced by the reaction. Bioguided fractionation of the most active chemically engineered extract, prepared from Matricaria recutita L., led to the discovery of a pyrazole that inhibits tyrosinase with an IC50 value of 28.20 ± 1.13 µM. This compound was produced by a one-pot double chemical transformation of its natural precursor, which includes an unexpected selective removal of one -OH group.

Axillary local anesthetic spread after the thoracic interfacial ultrasound block - a cadaveric and radiological evaluation / Dispersão axilar de anestésico local após bloqueio interfascial torácico guiado por ultrassom - estudo radiológico e em cadáver

Abstract Background Oral opioid analgesics have been used for management of peri- and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing axillary dissection. The axillary region is a difficult zone to block and does not have a specific regional anesthesia technique published that offers its adequate blockade. Methods After institutional review board approval, anatomic and radiological studies were conducted to determine the deposition and spread of methylene blue and local anesthetic injected respectively into the axilla via the thoracic inter-fascial plane. Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies were then conducted in 15 of 34 patients scheduled for unilateral breast surgery that entailed any of the following: axillary clearance, sentinel node biopsy, axillary node biopsy, or supernumerary breasts, to ascertain the deposition and time course of spread of solution within the thoracic interfascial plane in vivo. Results Radiological and cadaveric studies showed that the injection of local anesthetic and methylene blue via the thoracic inter-fascial plane, using ultrasound guide technique, results in reliable deposition into the axilla. In patients, the injection of the local anesthetic produced a reliable axillary sensory block. This finding was supported by Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies that showed hyper-intense signals in the axillary region. Conclusions These findings define the anatomic characteristics of the thoracic interfascial plane nerve block in the axillary region, and underline the clinical potential of this novel nerve block.

Resumo Justificativa Os analgésicos orais à base de opioides têm sido usados para o manejo da analgesia nos períodos peri e pós-operatório de pacientes submetidos à linfadenectomia axilar. A região axilar é uma zona difícil de bloquear e não há registro de uma técnica de anestesia regional específica que ofereça o seu bloqueio adequado. Métodos Após a aprovação do Conselho de Ética institucional, estudos anatômicos e radiológicos foram feitos para determinar a deposição e disseminação de azul de metileno e anestésico local, respectivamente injetados na axila via plano interfascial torácico. Exames de ressonância magnética foram então feitos em 15 de 34 pacientes programados para cirurgia de mama unilateral que envolveria qualquer um dos seguintes procedimentos: esvaziamento axilar, biópsia de linfonodo sentinela, biópsia de linfonodo axilar ou mamas supranumerárias, para verificar a deposição e o tempo de propagação da solução dentro do plano interfascial torácico in vivo. Resultados Estudos radiológicos e em cadáveres mostraram que a injeção de anestésico local e azul de metileno via plano interfascial torácico com a técnica guiada por ultrassom resulta em deposição confiável na axila. Nos pacientes, a injeção de anestésico local produziu um bloqueio sensitivo axilar confiável. Esse achado foi corroborado por estudos de ressonância magnética que mostraram sinais hiperintensos na região axilar. Conclusões Esses achados definem as características anatômicas do bloqueio da região axilar e destacam o potencial clínico desses novos bloqueios.

[Axillary local anesthetic spread after the thoracic interfacial ultrasound block - a cadaveric and radiological evaluation]. / Dispersão axilar de anestésico local após bloqueio interfascial torácico guiado por ultrassom - estudo radiológico e em cadáver.

BACKGROUND: Oral opioid analgesics have been used for management of peri- and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing axillary dissection. The axillary region is a difficult zone to block and does not have a specific regional anesthesia technique published that offers its adequate blockade. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, anatomic and radiological studies were conducted to determine the deposition and spread of methylene blue and local anesthetic injected respectively into the axilla via the thoracic inter-fascial plane. Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies were then conducted in 15 of 34 patients scheduled for unilateral breast surgery that entailed any of the following: axillary clearance, sentinel node biopsy, axillary node biopsy, or supernumerary breasts, to ascertain the deposition and time course of spread of solution within the thoracic interfascial plane in vivo. RESULTS: Radiological and cadaveric studies showed that the injection of local anesthetic and methylene blue via the thoracic inter-fascial plane, using ultrasound guide technique, results in reliable deposition into the axilla. In patients, the injection of the local anesthetic produced a reliable axillary sensory block. This finding was supported by Magnetic Resonance Imaging studies that showed hyper-intense signals in the axillary region. CONCLUSIONS: These findings define the anatomic characteristics of the thoracic interfascial plane nerve block in the axillary region, and underline the clinical potential of this novel nerve block.

Thermal stability of oils added with avocado (Persea americana cv. Hass) or olive (Olea europaea cv. Arbequina) leaf extracts during the French potatoes frying.

Effect of the addition of avocado (Persea americana cv. Hass) or olive (Olea europaea cv. Arbequina) hydroalcoholic leaf extracts (AHE and OHE, respectively) on thermal stability of canola oil (CO) and high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) during French potatoes frying at 180°C was studied. The extracts were characterized by the total phenolic content, phenol chromatographic profiles and antioxidant activity. B-type trimer procyanidins were the major phenolic compounds identified in AHE. OHE showed higher phenol content, antioxidant activity regarding AHE. CO+OHE and HOSO+OHE decreased the formation of polar compounds and showed an anti-polymeric effect with respect to oils without extracts, whereas AHE extract showed a prooxidant effect on HOSO. Therefore, OHE showed an antioxidant effect on HOSO and CO under the studied conditions. In addition, all systems (CO+AHE, HOSO+AHE, CO+OHE and HOSO+OHE) increased the retention of tocopherols. These results demonstrate the potential utility of OHE as natural antioxidant for oils.

Reverse Phase Compatible TLC-Bioautography for Detection of Tyrosinase Inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: Reverse phase chromatography and bioautographic assays are key tools for natural product bioguided isolation; however, their direct coupling has not been fully achieved. OBJECTIVES: To develop a bioautographic assay to detect tyrosinase inhibitors present in complex matrices sorbed on reverse phase (RP) TLC-plates that can be used for bioguided isolation of bioactive compounds. METHODS: Enzyme gel entrapment with an amphiphilic copolymer was used for assay development. The gel turns into a brown "skin like" colour due to tyrosinase catalysed oxidation of l-tyrosine. The inhibitors are visualised as clear spots against a brown coloured background. RESULTS: The assay was able to localise cinnamaldehyde in Cinnamomum cassia essential oil, as its main constituent with known tyrosinase inhibition properties. The assay allowed the detection of 0.03% (w/w) of kojic acid co-spotted with a methanolic extract of Sphaeralcea bonariensis and chromatographed on RP-TLC. CONCLUSION: The developed assay is able to detect, with high sensitivity, tyrosinase inhibitors present in complex matrices that were chromatographed in RP-TLC. Results can be easily read by colour change, inhibitors appear as clear spots in a darker background. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Relationship between Agronomic Parameters, Phenolic Composition of Grape Skin, and Texture Properties of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo.

The relationship between the agronomic parameters of grapevine and the phenolic composition of skin of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Tempranillo grapes was assessed. The physical and mechanical properties of berries and their skins were also determined and correlated to the chemical composition. Results showed a significant negative correlation between grapevine vigor-related parameters (such as leaf area and bunch weight) and anthocyanin composition, whereas the percentage (w/w) of seeds was negatively correlated with the amount of flavanols of grape skins. Texture properties of grape skins also showed an important relationship with chemical composition. Berry hardness showed a negative correlation with the coumaroyl-anthocyanin derivatives, but it was positively correlated to skin flavanic composition. Moreover, significant regressions with high coefficients of determination were found between phenolic composition and grapevine vigor-related and texture variables, thus pointing out that these parameters might be useful for estimating the phenolic composition of grape skins.

Multiresponse Optimisation Applied to the Development of a TLC Autography for the Detection of Tyrosinase Inhibitors.

INTRODUCTION: Autographic methods are useful tools to detect bioactive compounds in complex matrixes. Experimental design and optimisation techniques were implemented for the development of an autographic assay suitable for the detection of tyrosinase inhibitors. OBJECTIVES: To develop an autographic assay to detect tyrosinase inhibitors using gel entrapped enzyme, experimental design and response surface methodology (RSM) to optimise conditions with a minimum number of experiments. METHODS: Gel entrapment was used for the assay and the effects of four factors on the sensitivity and the detection limit for known inhibitors of the enzyme were evaluated. The factors were: tyrosinase amount (TA), L-tyrosine amount (LTA), incubation time and incubation temperature. RESULTS: The assay allowed the detection of kojic acid in an extract of Calamagrostis viridiflavescens (Poir.) Steud spiked with 0.1% w/w. CONCLUSION: The developed assay is able to detect tyrosinase inhibitors present in complex matrixes in a reproducible way.

Microencapsulation of pulp and ultrafiltered cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) extracts and betanin stability during storage.

Pulp (CP) and ultrafiltered (UF) cactus pear extracts were encapsulated with Capsul (C) by applying a central composite design (CP-C and UF-C systems) by spray-drying. To evaluate the effect of the extract, microparticles obtained under optimal conditions were characterised and stored at 60 °C. Betacyanin and betaxanthin encapsulation efficiency reached values above 98% for both systems studied. This efficiency was attributed to strong interactions between betalains and the polymer. Betalain degradation in CP-C and UF-C microparticles followed pseudo-first order kinetics. The betacyanin degradation rate constant was significantly higher for CP-C than for UF-C. These results suggested that the mucilage or higher sugar content of CP increased the hygroscopicity of the CP-C microparticles, leading to the degradation of betalain. The hydrolysis pathway was the main mechanism of betanin degradation during microparticle storage. These results demonstrate the potential utility of both CP-C and UF-C microparticles as natural colourants for healthy foods.

Efectos fisiológicos inducidos por los programas de hipoxia intermitente / Physiological effects induced by intermittent hypoxia programs

Entre las estrategias de entrenamiento en condiciones de altitud simulada más utilizadas, destaca la exposición a hipoxia intermitente (IHE),la cual se aplica mediante la estancia pasiva en habitaciones con ambiente hipóxico o a través de la respiración de aire con menos concentración de O2, junto con el método denominado entrenamiento en hipoxia intermitente (IHT), que consiste en llevar a cabo sesiones de entrenamiento en condiciones de hipoxia(1) .Los efectos de los programas de exposición y entrenamiento en hipoxia intermitente se relacionan con un incremento de la eritropoyesis, una mejora de parámetros fisiológicos relacionados con el rendimiento aeróbico como el umbral anaeróbico o el consumo máximo de oxígeno y un incremento del rendimiento anaeróbico. Tal como observamos en la literatura, los programas IHT parecen ser mucho más beneficiosos que los de IHE para incrementar el rendimiento deportivo, ya que se observa una mejora del rendimiento deportivo con entrenamientos de alta intensidad en hipoxia (aproximadamente en la zona del umbral anaeróbico) debido al incremento de la eficiencia mitocondrial y de la regulación del pH y del lactato(2). Fundamentalmente esto se debe a que el ejercicio intenso en hipoxia juega un rol importante en las adaptaciones moleculares del tejido muscular, si bien, en este campo de investigación aun hay preguntas básicas que deben ser contestadas(3) (AU)

Between simulated altitude conditions strategies for training used, highlights the exposure to intermittent hypoxia (IHE), which is implemented through the passive stay in rooms with hypoxic ambient or by breathing air with a lower concentration of O2 and the method called intermittent hypoxic training (IHT), which is doing by hypoxia training sessions(1).The effects of exposure and training programs in intermittent hypoxia are associated with increase derythropoiesis, an improvement of physiological parameters related to aerobic performance as anaerobic threshold or maximum oxygen consumption and increased anaerobic performance. As noted in the literature, IHT programs appear to be much more beneficial than IHE to improve athletic performance as it is an improvement of athletic performance with high-intensity training in hypoxia (approximately the area of anaerobic threshold) due to increased mitochondrial efficiency and pH regulation and lactate(2), this is due mainly to intense exercise in hypoxia plays an important role in molecular adaptations of musclet issue, although in this field of research there are still basic questions to be answered(3) (AU)