Effects of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy on antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli.

This study used Electron Cryo-tomography (ECT) and fluorescent images to evaluate antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) on the envelope architecture of a Gram-negative bacteria and the effects of combined therapy of aPDT and antibiotics. Standard and clinical suspension of Escherichia coli were submitted to photodynamic treatment with methylene blue solution (100µM) and a 100 mW LED emitting at 660 nm with 3 and 18 J of energy. As a control group, a suspension of E. coli was submitted to penicillin V for 60 min at 30 °C, to compare the damage in cell wall structure. After treatment, ECT images were collected and E. coli biofilms were grown in glass-cover slides and stained with live/dead staining for fluorescence analysis before and after treatments. Bacteria were also submitted to disc diffusion and MIC50 tests with Ampicillin, Amoxicillin + Clavulanic acid, Clindamycin and Erythromycin. For in vivo experiment Galleria mellonella larvae were infected with E. coli and treated with antibiotics, aPDT or combined therapy. ECT images presented damage to cell walls and vesicles structures inside and outside the bacteria and fluorescent images showed dose dependent effect of aPDT. Antibiotic or aPDT alone did not improve the survival of caterpillars, but the combined therapy significantly increased survival curve. ECT and fluorescent images shows that aPDT seems to promote micro-damages to cell envelope and causes the production of membrane vesicles permeabilizing cell membranes. The results showed that pre-treating bacterial cells with a photosensitizer and light make them more susceptible to antibiotics and could be an alternative to local infection treatment by resistant bacteria.

Does Night Training Load Affect Sleep Patterns and Nocturnal Cardiac Autonomic Activity in High-Level Female Soccer Players?

Purpose: To analyze whether exercise training conducted at night disturbs sleep and affects nocturnal cardiac autonomic control in high-level female athletes. Methods: A total of 18 high-level female soccer players (mean [SD] age 20.4 [2.1] y) wore actigraphs and heart-rate (HR) monitors during night sleep throughout night training days (n = 8) and resting days (n = 8), for 3 consecutive weeks. This was a longitudinal study that measured internal training load, sleep, nocturnal cardiac autonomic activity, and well-being ratings prior to training sessions. Results: Training load varied across training days (eg, training impulse range, mean [SD]; effect size, ES [95% confidence interval]: 72.9 [18.8] to 138.4 [29.6] a.u.; F4,62 = 32.331; ηp2=.673 [.001-.16], large effect; P < .001). However, no differences in subjective well-being ratings were observed, although ES was large. Total sleep time (training days vs resting days: 07:17 [00:47] h vs 07:51 [00:42] h; ES = 0.742 [0.59-0.92], P = .005; moderate effect) and sleep-onset time (00:58 [00:19] h vs 00:44 [00:16] h; ES = 0.802 [0.68-0.94], P = .001; moderate effect) were negatively affected after night training. In addition, small effects were detected for wake-up time, time in bed, and sleep latency (P > .05). No differences were detected in HR variability during sleep (range of lnRMSSD: 4.3 [0.4] to 4.5 [0.4] ln[ms] vs 4.6 [0.3] to 4.5 [0.4] ln[ms]; F3,52 = 2.148; P > .05; ηp2=.112 [.01-.25], medium effect), but HR during sleep was significantly higher after training days (range of HR: 56 [4] to 63 [7] beats/min vs 54 [4] to 57 [6] beats/min; F2,32 = 15.956; P < .001; ηp2=.484 [.20-.63], large effect). Conclusion: Overall, the results indicate that exercise training conducted at night may disturb sleep and affect HR, whereas limited effects can be expected in HR variability assessed during sleep in high-level female soccer players.

Effects of Late-Night Training on "Slow-Wave Sleep Episode" and Hour-by-Hour-Derived Nocturnal Cardiac Autonomic Activity in Female Soccer Players.

PURPOSE: To assess the sensitivity of nocturnal heart-rate-variability-monitoring methods to the effects of late-night soccer training sessions in female athletes. METHODS: Eleven female soccer players competing in the first division of the Portuguese soccer league wore heart-rate monitors during sleep at night throughout a 1-wk competitive in-season microcycle, after late-night training sessions (n = 3) and rest days (n = 3). Heart rate variability was analyzed through "slow-wave sleep episode" (10-min duration) and "hour by hour" (all the RR intervals recorded throughout the hours of sleep). Training load was quantified by session rating of perceived exertion (281.8 [117.9] to 369.0 [111.7] arbitrary units [a.u.]) and training impulse (77.5 [36.5] to 110.8 [31.6] a.u.), added to subjective well-being ratings (Hopper index = 11.6 [4.4] to 12.8 [3.2] a.u.). These variables were compared between training and rest days using repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The log-transformed slow-wave sleep-episode cardiac autonomic activity (lnRMSSD [natural logarithm of the square root of the mean of the sum of the squares of differences between adjacent normal RR intervals] varying between 3.92 [0.57] and 4.20 [0.60] ms; [Formula: see text]; 95% confidence interval, .01-.26), lnHF (natural logarithm of high frequency), lnLF (natural logarithm of low frequency), lnSD1 (natural logarithm of short-term beat-to-beat variability), and lnSD2 (natural logarithm of long-term beat-to-beat variability), and the nontransformed LF/HF were not different among night-training session days and rest days (P > .05). Considering the hour-by-hour method (lnRMSSD varying between 4.05 [0.35] and 4.33 [0.32] ms; [Formula: see text]; 95% confidence interval, .26-.52), lnHF, lnLF, lnSD1, and lnSD2 and the nontransformed LF/HF were not different among night-training session days and rest days (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Late-night soccer training does not seem to affect nocturnal slow-wave sleep-episode and hour-by-hour heart-rate-variability indices in highly trained athletes.

Individual match playing time during the season affects fitness-related parameters of male professional soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of an entire season on physical fitness parameters (PFPs) in male professional soccer players (N = 18). Performance in 5- and 30-m sprint (T5 and T30), countermovement jump (CMJ), agility (T-test), knee extensor (KE) and knee flexor (KF) isokinetic strength, hamstrings/quadriceps strength ratio (H/Q) and bilateral differences (BDs), and Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test 2 (YYIE2) was evaluated in 4 moments (E1-E4) throughout the season. Individual match playing time was quantified. Significant improvements in CMJ and YYIE2 from E1 to E2 were observed (p < 0.05-0.01). The T30 improved from E2 to E3 (p < 0.01). The CMJ decreased from E2 to E3 and E4, and YYIE2 from E2 to E4 (p < 0.05). There were increments in the H/Q ratio and Agility from E1 and E2 to E3 and E4 (p < 0.05-0.01). Significant correlations were found in all evaluation points between different PFPs and between changes in strength parameters and agility, T5 and T30, CMJ, and YYIE2 (p < 0.05-0.001). Influence of individual match playing time was correlated to changes in T5 (E1 to E3; r = -0.705), KE nondominant leg (KEND; E2 to E3; r = 0.786), and KF (E3 to E4; r = 0.575-0.590). The interrelationship between muscle strength (e.g., KE), sprint (e.g., T5), and jump abilities (CMJ) suggests the importance of muscle strength and power training for soccer. This study suggests that the systematic participation of the players in soccer matches favors the increase and maintenance of soccer players KE and KF muscle strength and sprint ability (T5). Thus, given the unique demands of actual match play, coaches should try to incorporate a competitive friendly match in the weekly training cycle of nonstarter players.

Prostatic biopsy directed with endorectal MR spectroscopic imaging findings in patients with elevated prostate specific antigen levels and prior negative biopsy findings: early experience.

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate the accuracy of transrectal ultrasonography (US)-guided biopsy directed with magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopic imaging in patients with an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) level and negative findings at prior biopsy by using subsequent biopsy results as the reference standard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The committee on human research approved this study, and written informed consent was obtained. MR imaging and MR spectroscopic imaging were performed in 42 men (age range, 45-75 years; average age, 63.3 years; median age, 65 years) with negative findings at two or more prostatic biopsies and at digital rectal examination. MR spectroscopic data were rated on a scale of 1 (benign) to 5 (malignant) on the basis of standardized metabolic criteria. Abnormal voxels were overlaid on the corresponding transverse transrectal US images and used to perform voxel-guided biopsy of the prostate. All patients subsequently received an extended-pattern biopsy scheme. RESULTS: Thirty-one of 42 patients demonstrated metabolic abnormalities that were suspicious for cancer (voxels with scores > or = 4). Eleven patients with negative MR spectroscopic imaging results also had negative biopsy findings. Cancer was detected in 17 (55%) of 31 men with positive MR spectroscopic imaging findings (voxels with scores > or = 4) with a sensitivity of 100%, specificity of 44%, positive predictive value of 55%, negative predictive value of 100%, and accuracy of 67%. In men with at least one spectroscopic voxel with a score of 5 (12 of 17 men), the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy were 71%, 84%, 75%, 81%, and 79%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Metabolic data from MR spectroscopic imaging can be transferred to transrectal US images and used to sample regions of cancer in men with rising PSA levels and negative findings at prior biopsy with good accuracy.