Garlic Extracts: Effect of pH on Inhibition of Helicobacter pylori.

The present work studies the influence of pH on the stability of thiosulfinates, compounds responsible for the bacteriostatic properties shown by ethanolic and acetonic garlic extracts (EGE and AGE) against the in vitro growth of Helicobacter pylori (Hp), a bacterium which is implicated in the etiology of diverse gastrointestinal diseases. The influence of pH and time on the stability of thiosulfinates and the microbiological activities of EGE and AGE has been evaluated at human body temperature (37 °C) and in a pH range of 0.9-4.7. A marked decrease in thiosulfinate concentration was observed in a relatively short time at pH values below 2.0. However, at pH values over 2.0, the samples maintained 70% of thiosulfinate concentration for 12 h. The inhibition halo diameters showed a maximum value at pH 2.50, with an inhibition halo of 28.94 ± 0.61 mm. The reduction in the activity at pH values below 2.0 was particularly remarkable. These results suggest that, for medical application, the pH of the selected extracts must only be maintained above 2 to maintain a high level of antibacterial activity. This fact would overcome the need for proton pump inhibitors and/or antibiotics during the treatment of Hp infections in human patients.

Color and Stability of Anthocyanins of Chagalapoli (Ardisia compressa K.) Fruit Added to an Isotonic Beverage as Microcapsules and as Free Extract.

The demand for natural pigments in the food industry is increasing. Color and stability of anthocyanins of chagalapoli (Ardisia compressa K.) fruit added to an isotonic beverage as microcapsules and free extract were evaluated at two temperatures (4 and 25 °C) in the absence of light. Anthocyanins degradation followed first-order kinetics in the evaluated conditions. The stability of anthocyanins, measured by the variables reaction rate (K), half-life time (t1/2), and anthocyanin retention (AR), was affected significantly (p < 0.01) by temperature. At the end of storage at 4 °C, AR was 91.2 ± 0.28% and 89.63 ± 0.22% in the beverages with microcapsules (BM) and with anthocyanins from extract (BE), respectively, without a significant difference (p ≥ 0.05) between them. However, at 25 °C, AR in the BM was 53.72 ± 0.27%, a significantly lower value (p ≤ 0.05) than that in BE (58.83 ± 1.37%). The color difference values (ΔE) in beverages stored at 4 °C were 3.81 and 2.17 for BM and BE, respectively, while at 25 °C, it was 8.57 and 8.21, respectively. The most stable anthocyanin was cyanidin 3-galactoside. Chagalapoli anthocyanins, both as microcapsules or as an extract, are adequate for adding natural color to isotonic beverages.

Accumulative weekly load in a professional football team: with special reference to match playing time and game position.

The aim of this study was to compare weekly accumulative load during the in-season competitive period by professional soccer players according to the amount of time played in official matches (90-min, >60-min, <60-min, and 0-min) regarding the players' position. Twenty-four professional outfield football players were monitored by GPS devices during training sessions and official matches and the accumulative weekly load were calculated for the following external load variables: total distance (TD; m), high speed running (HSR; >19.8 km·h-1), sprint meters (SPR; >25.2 km·h-1), high metabolic load distance (HMLD; >25.5 W·kg-1), number of accelerations (ACC; >3 m·s-2) and decelerations (DEC; <-3 m·s-2). This study revealed that players (as a whole o per demarcation) with more match playing time had a higher accumulative weekly load for most of the variables, but particularly at TD and HMLD (90-min and >60-min vs. <60-min and 0-min), HSR (90-min vs. <60-min and 0-min) and SPR (90-min vs. <60-min and 0-min). In addition, less positional variation was observed in relation to the competition requirements. This information would allow coaches to refine the required load with the objective of optimizing performance to soccer players.

Postoperative radiotherapy in resected non-small cell lung cancer: The never-ending story.

This manuscript collects in a joint and orderly manner the existing evidence at the present time about postoperative treatment with radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer. It also systematically reviews the current evidence, the international recommendations in the most relevant guidelines, the most controversial aspects in clinical and pathological staging, the specific technical aspects of radiotherapy treatment, and also collects all the potential risk factors that have been postulated as significant in the prognosis of these patients, evaluating the possibility of segmenting a particularly sensitive subpopulation with a high risk of relapse on which an adjuvant treatment with radiotherapy could have an impact on their clinical evolution. Finally, currently active trials that aspire to provide more evidence on this topic are reviewed.

Adjuvant treatment in lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Adjuvant treatment for both small-cell and non-small-cell lung cancer is a controversial topic. There are no published results from prospective studies that either confirm or reject the benefit of adjuvant radiotherapy, although the presentation of recent studies at a number of conferences questions whether there should be a change in the paradigm of adjuvant RT for lung cancer. AIM: The main goal of this study is to review the most relevant publications on the topic, updating the state of the matter regarding adjuvant radiotherapy following lung surgery, and analyzing the role of chemotherapy in the process. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: This review aims to assess the potential benefit of PORT in NSCLC and SCLC patients by looking at recent research. In doing so, it will be possible to determine which patients might benefit from it as adjuvant treatment after pulmonary resection.

Management and Outcomes of Critically-Ill Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia at a Safety-net Hospital in San Francisco, a Region with Early Public Health Interventions: A Case Series

BackgroundFollowing early implementation of public health measures, San Francisco has experienced a slow rise and a low peak level of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and deaths. Methods and FindingsWe included all patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) at the safety net hospital for San Francisco through April 8, 2020. Each patient had [≥]15 days of follow-up. Among 26 patients, the median age was 54 years (interquartile range, 43 to 62), 65% were men, and 77% were Latinx. Mechanical ventilation was initiated for 11 (42%) patients within 24 hours of ICU admission and 20 patients (77%) overall. The median duration of mechanical ventilation was 13.5 days (interquartile range, 5 to 20). Patients were managed with lung protective ventilation (tidal volume [≤]8 ml/kg of ideal body weight and plateau pressure [≤]30 cmH2O on 98% and 78% of ventilator days, respectively). Prone positioning was used for 13 of 20 (65%) ventilated patients for a median of 5 days (interquartile range, 2 to 10). Seventeen (65%) patients were discharged home, 1 (4%) was discharged to nursing home, 3 (12%) were discharged from the ICU, and 2 (8%) remain intubated in the ICU at the time of this report. Three (12%) patients have died. ConclusionsGood outcomes were achieved in critically ill patients with COVID-19 by using standard therapies for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) such as lung protective ventilation and prone positioning. Ensuring hospitals can deliver sustained high-quality and evidence-based critical care to patients with ARDS should remain a priority.

Monitoring and Tracking the Evolution of a Viral Epidemic Through Nonlinear Kalman Filtering: Application to the Covid-19 Case

This work presents a novel methodology for systematically processing the time series that report the number of positive, recovered and deceased cases from a viral epidemic, such as Covid-19. The main objective is to unveil the evolution of the number of real infected people, and consequently to predict the peak of the epidemic and subsequent evolution. For this purpose, an original nonlinear model relating the raw data with the time-varying geometric ratio of infected people is elaborated, and a Kalman Filter is used to estimate the involved state variables. A hypothetical simulated case is used to show the adequacy and limitations of the proposed method. Then, several countries, including China, South Korea, Italy, Spain, UK and the USA, are tested to illustrate its behavior when real-life data are processed. The results obtained clearly show the beneficial effect of the social distancing measures adopted worldwide, confirming that the Covid-19 epidemic peak is left behind in those countries where the outbreak started earlier, and anticipating when the peak will take place in the remaining countries.

EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF A TREAT-AND-EXTEND REGIMEN WITH AFLIBERCEPT IN TREATMENT-NAIVE PATIENTS WITH TYPE 3 NEOVASCULARIZATION: A 52-Week, Single-Arm, Multicenter Trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate 52-week efficacy and safety of a treat-and-extend regimen of intravitreal aflibercept 2 mg on treatment-naive Type 3 neovascularization lesions. METHODS: Phase IV, prospective, open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial including patients with untreated Stage I/II Type 3 neovascularization lesions and baseline best-corrected visual acuity between 78 and 23 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters. Primary endpoint: mean change in best-corrected visual acuity from baseline at 52 weeks. RESULTS: Thirty-two eyes from 32 patients were included (mean ± SD age: 78.2 ± 7.7 years, 68.8% females, baseline best-corrected visual acuity: 57.9 ± 15.4 [Snellen fraction 20/70]). Best-corrected visual acuity increased by 10.5 ± 15.9 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters at Week 52 (P = 0.0001). The mean foveal and choroidal thickness decreased by 129.1 ± 80.1 µm (P < 0.0001) and 64.3 ± 96.5 (P = 0.0001), respectively. The proportion of patients with intraretinal/subretinal fluid decreased from 28 (87.5%) at baseline to 3 (11.5%) at Week 52 (P < 0.0001). Pigment epithelial detachment and lesion area showed nonsignificant changes over 52 weeks. The mean number of injections was 8.0 ± 2.0. Seven (21.9%) patients experienced treatment-related adverse events and two (6.3%) experienced serious adverse events; one (3.1%) ocular serious adverse event requiring treatment withdrawal, endophthalmitis, and one (3.1%) nonocular spontaneously resolved serious adverse event, palpitations. One (3.1%) patient experienced an APTC ATE: nonfatal stroke not related to trial treatment. CONCLUSION: A treat-and-extend regimen of aflibercept improves visual acuity and retinal edema in eyes with Type 3 neovascularization over 52 weeks with good tolerability.

The most demanding passages of play in football competition: a comparison between halves.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the differences between halves in the most demanding passages of play in football players according to playing position and duration-specific activity. Global positioning system data were collected from twenty-three football players from a reserve squad of the Spanish La Liga. A total of 265 individual match half data were analysed across the competitive season. Players were categorised based on positional groups: full-back (FB), central defender (CD), midfielder (MF), offensive midfielder (OMF) and forwards (FW). The most demanding passage of match play was analysed using a rolling average method, where maximal values were calculated for five different time durations (1, 3, 5, 10 min and half completed) using distance (m·min-1), high metabolic load distance (HMLD; m·min-1) and average metabolic power (AMP; W·kg-1) as variables of interest. The differences between the first and second half increased as the rolling duration increased, reaching the greatest difference between halves in the complete half (45 min) in all the variables studied (ES = 0.54 ± 0.15, 0.75 ± 0.15 and 0.76 ± 0.15 in distance, HMLD and AMP). The CDs were the players that presented the greatest differences, and it was in the AMP variable where the greatest differences between the first and second half were found. Large decreases in AMP were found for CD (ES = -1.30 ± 0.36) and moderate decreases were found in AMP for FB (ES = -0.84 ± 0.30) and OMF (ES = -0.78 ± 0.37). These results provide insight into the most demanding passages of play to inform training practices for specific football playing positions.

Positional demands for various-sided games with goalkeepers according to the most demanding passages of match play in football.

The main aim was to determine the differences between four training games and competitive matches (CM) according to position and compared to the most demanding passages (MDP) of competitive match play. Global Positioning System data were obtained from 21 football players belonging to the reserve squad of a Spanish La Liga club during the 2015/16 season. The training games were small-sided games (SSGs) with 5 and 6 and large-sided games with 9 and 10 outfield players per team. The players were categorized based on positional groups: full back (FB), central defender (CD), midfielder (MF), offensive midfielder (OMF), and forward (FW). The variables recorded were the distance covered (DIS), DIS at high speed (HSR; >19.8 km·h-1), DIS at sprint (SPR; >25.2 km·h-1), high metabolic load distance (HMLD; >25.5 W·kg-1) all in m·min-1, average metabolic power (AMP; W·kg-1) and number of high-intensity accelerations (ACC; >3 m·s-2) and decelerations (DEC; <-3 m·s-2), both in n·min-1. The MDP was analysed using a rolling average method for AMP as a criterion variable, where maximal values were calculated for time windows of 5 and 10 minutes of CM and after that compared with the training game formats. As the SSG format increases, all the rest of the variables increase and the number of cases with significant interposition differences also increases (effect size [ES]: DIS: 0.7-2.2; HSR: 0.7-2.1; SPR: 0.8-1.4; HMLD: 0.9-2.0; AMP: 0.8-1.9; ACC: 0.8-1.7; DEC: 0.5-1.7). The large-sided game 10v10 + 2 goalkeepers over-stimulates sprint values relative to MDP (all: 121.0% of MDP, ES=0.5-1.8). This study provides useful information for coaching staff on the heightened impact of different training game formats on physical load, considering positional differences in relation to the MDP of competitive match play.

Positional Differences in the Most Demanding Passages of Play in Football Competition.

The aim of this investigation was to determine the position and duration specific activity of the most demanding passages of play in football players. Global positioning system data were collected from twenty-three football players across a competitive season. A total of 605 individual match files were analysed. Players were categorised based on positional groups; full-back (FB), central defender (CD), midfielder (MF), wide midfielders (WMF) and forwards (FW). The most demanding passage of a match play was analysed using a rolling average method, where maximal values were calculated for four different time durations (1', 3', 5' and 10') using distance (m·min-1), high metabolic load distance (HMLD) and average metabolic power (AMP) as variables of interest. Using distance as the criterion variable, MF and WMF positions covered greater distance, and fewer sprinting meters (>7.0 m·s-1, m·min-1). With HMLD as the criterion variable, the values for WMF and MF positions were higher than the CD and FW positions. The MF and WMF positions performed more high-intensity accelerations and decelerations when the criterion variable was AMP. These results provide an understanding of the most demanding passages of play to inform training practices for specific football playing positions.

A Wireless Sensor System for Real-Time Monitoring and Fault Detection of Motor Arrays.

This paper presents a wireless fault detection system for industrial motors that combines vibration, motor current and temperature analysis, thus improving the detection of mechanical faults. The design also considers the time of detection and further possible actions, which are also important for the early detection of possible malfunctions, and thus for avoiding irreversible damage to the motor. The remote motor condition monitoring is implemented through a wireless sensor network (WSN) based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The deployed network uses the beacon-enabled mode to synchronize several sensor nodes with the coordinator node, and the guaranteed time slot mechanism provides data monitoring with a predetermined latency. A graphic user interface offers remote access to motor conditions and real-time monitoring of several parameters. The developed wireless sensor node exhibits very low power consumption since it has been optimized both in terms of hardware and software. The result is a low cost, highly reliable and compact design, achieving a high degree of autonomy of more than two years with just one 3.3 V/2600 mAh battery. Laboratory and field tests confirm the feasibility of the wireless system.

Cancer Stem-like Cells Act via Distinct Signaling Pathways in Promoting Late Stages of Malignant Progression.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) play key roles in long-term tumor propagation and metastasis, but their dynamics during disease progression are not understood. Tumor relapse in patients with initially excised skin squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) is characterized by increased metastatic potential, and SCC progression is associated with an expansion of CSC. Here, we used genetically and chemically-induced mouse models of skin SCC to investigate the signaling pathways contributing to CSC function during disease progression. We found that CSC regulatory mechanisms change in advanced SCC, correlating with aggressive tumor growth and enhanced metastasis. ß-Catenin and EGFR signaling, induced in early SCC CSC, were downregulated in advanced SCC. Instead, autocrine FGFR1 and PDGFRα signaling, which have not been previously associated with skin SCC CSC, were upregulated in late CSC and promoted tumor growth and metastasis, respectively. Finally, high-grade and recurrent human skin SCC recapitulated the signaling changes observed in advanced mouse SCC. Collectively, our findings suggest a stage-specific switch in CSC regulation during disease progression that could be therapeutically exploited by targeting the PDGFR and FGFR1 pathways to block relapse and metastasis of advanced human skin SCC.

Topographic optical profilometry of steep slope micro-optical transparent surfaces.

Optical profilometers based on light reflection may fail at surfaces presenting steep slopes and highly curved features. Missed light, interference and diffraction at steps, peaks and valleys are some of the reasons. Consequently, blind areas or profile artifacts may be observed when using common reflection micro-optical profilometers (confocal, scanning interferometers, etc…). The Topographic Optical Profilometry by Absorption in Fluids (TOPAF) essentially avoids these limitations. In this technique an absorbing fluid fills the gap between a reference surface and the surface to profile. By comparing transmission images at two different spectral bands we obtain a reliable topographic map of the surface. In this contribution we develop a model to obtain the profile under micro-optical observation, where high numerical aperture (NA) objectives are mandatory. We present several analytical and experimental results, validating the technique's capabilities for profiling steep slopes and highly curved micro-optical surfaces with nanometric height resolution.

Oxfendazole as successful treatment of Taenia hydatigena metacestodes in naturally infected pigs

The efficacy of oxfendazole (OFZ) on Taenia hydatigena metacestodes, also called Cysticercus tenuicollis ( C. tenuicollis), was studied in 648 raising pigs. This study was performed in Tumbes Department in Peru, an endemic area for cysticercosis. Pigs were randomized in two groups; untreated group (. n = 142) did not receive any treatment and treated group ( n = 506) received OFZ treatment at a single dose of 30 mg/kg body weight. Six months after treatment, the pigs were necropsied. The prevalence of infection by C. tenuicollis among the pigs was 27.5% (39/142) and 2.0% (10/506) in untreated and treated groups, respectively. Untreated group was infested only with viable cysts, whereas treated group had no viable cysts. All the cysts found in treated group presented degeneration, with a thick membrane, and they contained milky fluid and fibrous tissue. A single dose of OFZ was effective against C. tenuicollis, thus providing an alternative drug for controlling this parasite in pigs.

Toward "pseudo-haptic avatars": modifying the visual animation of self-avatar can simulate the perception of weight lifting.

In this paper we study how the visual animation of a self-avatar can be artificially modified in real-time in order to generate different haptic perceptions. In our experimental setup, participants could watch their self-avatar in a virtual environment in mirror mode while performing a weight lifting task. Users could map their gestures on the self-animated avatar in real-time using a Kinect. We introduce three kinds of modification of the visual animation of the self-avatar according to the effort delivered by the virtual avatar: 1) changes on the spatial mapping between the user’s gestures and the avatar, 2) different motion profiles of the animation, and 3) changes in the posture of the avatar (upper-body inclination). The experimental task consisted of a weight lifting task in which participants had to order four virtual dumbbells according to their virtual weight. The user had to lift each virtual dumbbells by means of a tangible stick, the animation of the avatar was modulated according to the virtual weight of the dumbbell. The results showed that the altering the spatial mapping delivered the best performance. Nevertheless, participants globally appreciated all the different visual effects. Our results pave the way to the exploitation of such novel techniques in various VR applications such as sport training, exercise games, or industrial training scenarios in single or collaborative mode.

Polysomnographic analysis of bruxism.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) defines sleep bruxism as a stereotyped movement disorder characterized by clenching and grinding of the teeth during sleep. Bruxism is found in 14%-20% of children, 8% of adults <60 years old, and 3% of adults >60 years old. The mandibular movements of bruxism can be confused with rhythmic mandibular movements associated with other sleep disorders, such as arousals/microarousals, limb movement disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Polysomnography (PSG) is the study of sleep disorders based on the recording of physiological events throughout an entire night of sleep. This system involves electroencephalography, electrooculography, and electromyography of the submental/suprahyoid, tibialis anterior, mentalis, masseter, and temporal muscles, through which signs of sleep bruxism can be identified. The aim of the present study was to identify bruxism during a night of sleep in a laboratory. Thirty patients were analyzed clinically and underwent PSG. The descriptive analysis correlated apnea, arousals, and limb movements in the 12 patients who exhibited signs and symptoms of sleep bruxism. Of these patients, 4 were confirmed through PSG to have bruxism. In a comparison between the 4 patients with confirmed bruxism (PSGB group) and the 8 patients confirmed not to have bruxism (NPSGB group), the respiratory event index was lower in the PSGB group (13.17 and 17.95, respectively). The mean leg movement index was higher in the PSGB group than the NPSGB group in total sleep time (21.36 and 8.42, respectively) and in rapid eye movement sleep time (34.54 and 10.30, respectively).

Topographic optical profilometry by absorption in liquids.

Optical absorbance within a liquid is used as a photometric probe to measure the topography of optical surfaces relative to a reference. The liquid fills the gap between the reference surface and the measuring surface. By comparing two transmission images at different wavelengths we can profile the height distribution in a simple and reliable way. The presented method handles steep surface slopes (<90°) without difficulty. It adapts well to any field of view and height range (peak to valley). A height resolution in the order of the nanometer may be achieved and the height range can be tailored by adapting the concentration of water soluble dyes. It is especially appropriate for 3D profiling of transparent complex optical surfaces, like those found in micro-optic arrays and for Fresnel, aspheric or free-form lenses, which are very difficult to measure by other optical methods. We show some experimental results to validate its capabilities as a metrological tool and handling of steep surface slopes.

[Quality of life after biochemical recurrence in patients with prostate cancer. How and how long do patients live after biochemical recurrence?]. / Calidad de vida después recidiva bioquímica en los pacientes con cáncer de próstata. ¿Cómo y cuánto viven los pacientes después de recidiva bioquímica?

Routine monitoring of PSA in patients with localized prostate cancer radically treated permits to identify those with biochemical recurrence only. Treatment options for biochemical failure include observation, surgery, radiotherapy alone or combined with hormonal therapy, brachytherapy, cryotherapy and hormone therapy exclusively. These treatments determine a specific pattern of changes (urinary function, bowel, sexual and hormonal) that can negatively impact the quality of life, so that the indication must be made in a judicious way and always in consonance with patient's expectations and preferences. Decisions on how and when to treat biochemical failure are complicated and the impact of salvage therapy on clinical outcome is unknown. Rates of prostate cancer control after salvage therapy with prostatectomy, brachytherapy or cryotherapy vary between 20-80% of cases according to selected patient characteristics. Because individuals with BF may be clinically asymptomatic for many years without treatment, it is essential that physicians and patients have a clear understanding of the potential impact of these on the quality of life.

Novel oncologic drugs: what they do and how they affect images.

Targeted therapies are designed to interfere with specific aberrant biologic pathways involved in tumor development. The main classes of novel oncologic drugs include antiangiogenic drugs, antivascular agents, drugs interfering with EGFR-HER2 or KIT receptors, inhibitors of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, and hormonal therapies. Cancer cells usurp normal signal transduction pathways used by growth factors to stimulate proliferation and sustain viability. The interaction of growth factors with their receptors activates different intracellular pathways affecting key tumor biologic processes such as neoangiogenesis, tumor metabolism, and tumor proliferation. The response of tumors to anticancer therapy can be evaluated with anatomic response assessment, qualitative response assessment, and response assessment with functional and molecular imaging. Angiogenesis can be measured by means of perfusion imaging with computed tomography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging allows imaging evaluation of tumor cellularity. The main imaging techniques for studying tumor metabolism in vivo are positron emission tomography and MR spectroscopy. Familiarity with imaging findings secondary to tumor response to targeted therapies may help the radiologist better assist the clinician in accurate evaluation of tumor response to these anticancer treatments. Functional and molecular imaging techniques may provide valuable data and augment conventional assessment of tumor response to targeted therapies. Supplemental material available at http://radiographics.rsna.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1148/rg.317115108/-/DC1.