The Influence of Noise in the Neurofeedback Training Sessions in Student Athletes.

Considering that athletes constantly practice and compete in noisy environments, the aim was to investigate if performing neurofeedback training in these conditions would yield better results in performance than in silent ones. A total of forty-five student athletes aged from 18 to 35 years old and divided equally into three groups participated in the experiment (mean ± SD for age: 22.02 ± 3.05 years). The total neurofeedback session time for each subject was 300 min and were performed twice a week. The environment in which the neurofeedback sessions were conducted did not seem to have a significant impact on the training's success in terms of alpha relative amplitude changes (0.04 ± 0.08 for silent room versus 0.07 ± 0.28 for noisy room, p = 0.740). However, the group exposed to intermittent noise appears to have favourable results in all performance assessments (p = 0.005 for working memory and p = 0.003 for reaction time). The results of the study suggested that performing neurofeedback training in an environment with intermittent noise can be interesting to athletes. Nevertheless, it is imperative to perform a replicated crossover design.

Antimicrobial Activity and Antiadherent Effect of Peruvian Psidium guajava (Guava) Leaves on a Cariogenic Biofilm Model.

AIM: Phytomedicine has been commonly practiced as a form of traditional medicine in various cultures for the treatment of oral diseases. Recently, it has gained importance as an alternative to conventional treatment. Several extracts of plants and fruits have been recently evaluated for their potential activity against microorganisms involved in the development of dental caries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and antiadherent effect of the crude organic extract (COE) and three partitions (aqueous, butanolic, and chloroformic) of Psidium guajava (guava) leaves on a cariogenic biofilm model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Guava leaves were obtained from the mountains of northern Peru, where they grow wild and free of pesticides. The antimicrobial activity of the COEs and partitions against Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus gordonii was determined by measuring the inhibition halos, while the effect on biofilm adhesion was determined by measuring the optical density using spectrophotometry. RESULTS: An antibacterial effect of the COE and chloroformic partition against S. gordonii (p < 0.05) was found, as was a significant effect on biofilm adherence, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.78 mg/mL, which was maintained throughout the 7 days of evaluation. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the COEs and their chloroformic partition have antimicrobial and antibiotic effects against this strain of S. gordonii, making them of particular interest for evaluation as a promising alternative for the prevention of dental caries. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: By knowing the antimicrobial effect of Psidium guajava, this substance can be effectively used in products aimed to prevent dental caries and periodontal disease.