Phytochemical Composition of the Decoctions of Greek Edible Greens (Chórta) and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Properties.

Wild or semi-wild edible greens (chórta) are an integral part of the traditional Greek Mediterranean diet due to their nutritional value, containing various phytonutrients beneficial to human health. Water-based decoctions of chórta are widely consumed in Greek alternative medicine as health promoting agents. This study examined the chemical profile of the decoctions of eight edible plants, Cichorium intybus, C. endivia, C. spinosum, Crepis sancta, Sonchus asper, Carthamus lanatus, Centaurea raphanina, and Amaranthus blitum, by UPLC-ESI-HRMS and HRMS/MS analysis, to determine possibly bioactive constituents. The profiles of the plants from the Asteraceae family are dominated by the presence of phenolic acids and flavonoid derivatives, whereas the A. blitum decoction is rich in triterpene saponins. Interestingly, the Centaurea raphanina decoction was found to be extremely rich in flavanones, particularly in the aglycone pinocembrin. Further phytochemical investigation and fractionation of this extract resulted in the isolation and identification of five compounds: phlorin (1), syringin (2), pinocembrin (3), pinocembroside (4), and pinocembrin-7-O-neohesperidoside (5). The extracts were also tested for their antioxidant and differential cytotoxic activity against tumor cells. C. raphanina was found to be differentially toxic against metastatic tumor cells. In conclusion, we found that Greek edible greens are a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites and their consumption could contribute to the maintenance of overall health.

Development and Validation of a Kit to Measure Drink Antioxidant Capacity Using a Novel Colorimeter.

Measuring the antioxidant capacity of foods is essential, as a means of quality control to ensure that the final product reaching the consumer will be of high standards. Despite the already existing assays with which the antioxidant activity is estimated, new, faster and low cost methods are always sought. Therefore, we have developed a novel colorimeter and combined it with a slightly modified DPPH assay, thus creating a kit that can assess the antioxidant capacity of liquids (e.g., different types of coffee, beer, wine, juices) in a quite fast and low cost manner. The accuracy of the colorimeter was ensured by comparing it to a fully validated Hitachi U-1900 spectrophotometer, and a coefficient was calculated to eliminate the observed differences. In addition, a new, user friendly software was developed, in order to render the procedure as easy as possible, while allowing a central monitoring of the obtained results. Overall, a novel kit was developed, with which the antioxidant activity of liquids can be measured, firstly to ensure their quality and secondly to assess the amount of antioxidants consumed with the respective food.

How can bioinformatics and toxicogenomics assist the next generation of research on physical exercise and athletic performance.

The past 2-3 decades have seen an explosion in analytical areas related to "omic" technologies. These advancements have reached a point where their application can be and are being used as a part of exercise physiology and sport performance research. Such advancements have drastically enabled researchers to analyze extremely large groups of data that can provide amounts of information never before made available. Although these "omic" technologies offer exciting possibilities, the analytical costs and time required to complete the statistical approaches are substantial. The areas of exercise physiology and sport performance continue to witness an exponential growth of published studies using any combination of these techniques. Because more investigators within these traditionally applied science disciplines use these approaches, the need for efficient, thoughtful, and accurate extraction of information from electronic databases is paramount. As before, these disciplines can learn much from other disciplines who have already developed software and technologies to rapidly enhance the quality of results received when searching for key information. In addition, further development and interest in areas such as toxicogenomics could aid in the development and identification of more accurate testing programs for illicit drugs, performance enhancing drugs abused in sport, and better therapeutic outcomes from prescribed drug use. This review is intended to offer a discussion related to how bioinformatics approaches may assist the new generation of "omic" research in areas related to exercise physiology and toxicogenomics. Consequently, more focus will be placed on popular tools that are already available for analyzing such complex data and highlighting additional strategies and considerations that can further aid in developing new tools and data management approaches to assist future research in this field. It is our contention that introducing more scientists to how this type of work can complement existing experimental approaches within exercise physiology and sport performance will foster additional discussion and stimulate new research in these areas.

Oxidative stress in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate whether systemic oxidative stress is increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). METHODS: A total of 18 patients with severe OSAS and 13 controls were included in the study. Inclusion criteria for OSAS patients were: snoring and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of >30 in full polysomnography, no previous treatment for OSAS, non-smoking status, and a medical history of being free of comorbidities known to increase oxidative stress. Controls were recruited among subjects assessed for snoring in the Sleep Laboratory Department if they had AHI<5. At baseline, patients were evaluated by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and underwent spirometry, echocardiography, and full polysomnographic study. Blood samples were collected for evaluation of oxidative stress biomarkers [protein carbonyls, reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione, 8-isoprostane, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), catalase activity, Cu-Zn superoxide dysmutase (SOD), total antioxidant capacity (TAC)] before and on the morning following polysomnography. RESULTS: The overnight (morning-night) change (%) of GSH/GSSG ratio and GSH was significantly different between OSAS and controls (p = 0.03 and p = 0.048, respectively). Plasma protein carbonyls, erythrocyte catalase activity, 8-isoprostane, SOD, TBARS, and TAC plasma values were not different between OSAS and controls (p > 0.05). No significant correlation was found between changes in the levels of biomarkers and AHI, arousal, or desaturation index. CONCLUSION: The present prospective investigation in a population free of comorbidities or factors which may increase systemic oxidative stress provides evidence that obstructive sleep apnea per se might be associated with increased oxidative burden possibly via GSH/GSSG pathway.

The effect of exercise-induced hypoxemia on blood redox status in well-trained rowers.

Exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia (EIAH), characterized by decline in arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO(2)), is a common phenomenon in endurance athletes. Acute intensive exercise is associated with the generation of reactive species that may result in redox status disturbances and oxidation of cell macromolecules. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether EIAH augments oxidative stress as determined in blood plasma and erythrocytes in well-trained male rowers after a 2,000-m rowing ergometer race. Initially, athletes were assigned into either the normoxemic (n = 9, SaO(2) >92%, [Formula: see text]: 62.0 ± 1.9 ml kg(-1) min(-1)) or hypoxemic (n = 12, SaO(2) <92%, [Formula: see text]: 60.5 ± 2.2 ml kg(-1 )min(-1), mean ± SEM) group, following an incremental [Formula: see text] test on a wind resistance braked rowing ergometer. On a separate day the rowers performed a 2,000-m all-out effort on the same rowing ergometer. Following an overnight fast, blood samples were drawn from an antecubital vein before and immediately after the termination of the 2,000-m all-out effort and analyzed for selective oxidative stress markers. In both the normoxemic (SaO(2): 94.1 ± 0.9%) and hypoxemic (SaO(2): 88.6 ± 2.4%) rowers similar and significant exercise increase in serum thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, protein carbonyls, catalase and total antioxidant capacity concentration were observed post-2,000 m all-out effort. Exercise significantly increased the oxidized glutathione concentration and decreased the ratio of reduced (GSH)-to-oxidized (GSSG) glutathione in the normoxemic group only, whereas the reduced form of glutathione remained unaffected in either groups. The increased oxidation of GSH to GSSG in erythrocytes of normoxemic individuals suggest that erythrocyte redox status may be affected by the oxygen saturation degree of hemoglobin. Our findings indicate that exercise-induced hypoxemia did not further affect the increased blood oxidative damage of lipids and proteins observed after a 2,000-m rowing ergometer race in highly-trained male rowers. The present data do not support any potential link between exercise-induced hypoxemia, oxidative stress increase and exercise performance.

The prognostic role of micronutrient status and supplements in COVID-19 outcomes: A systematic review.

Micronutrients constitute an adjuvant treatment for respiratory viral infections. Since there is no effective antiviral therapy for COVID-19 yet, adjuvant intervention for the survival of critically ill patients may be significant. Search of the PubMed, CINAHL and Cochrane databases was carried out to find human studies investigating the prognostic role of micronutrient status and the effects of micronutrient supplementation intervention in COVID-19 outcomes of adult patients. Patients with certain comorbidities (diabetes mellitus type 2, obesity, renal failure, liver dysfunction etc.) or pregnant women were excluded. 31 studies (27 observational studies and 4 clinical trials) spanning the years 2020-2021, pertaining to 8624 COVID-19 patients (mean age±SD, 61 ± 9 years) were included in this systematic review. Few studies provided direct evidence on the association of serum levels of vitamin D, calcium, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium to patients' survival or death. Vitamin D and calcium were the most studied micronutrients and those with a probable promising favorable impact on patients. This review highlights the importance of a balanced nutritional status for a favorable outcome in COVID-19. Micronutrients' deficiency on admission to hospital seems to be related to a high risk for ICU admission, intubation and even death. Nevertheless, evidence for intervention remains unclear.

Study of Stability, Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activity of Chios Mastic Gum Fractions (Neutral, Acidic) after Encapsulation in Liposomes.

Mastic gum is a resinous sap produced by Pistacia lentiscus growing in the island of Chios (Greece) and has been recognized since Antiquity for its distinctive aroma as well as medical properties (antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory ones). The oral absorption of Chios Mastic gum (an insoluble polymer of poly-ß-myrcene is among the most abundant contents) is poor due to its low water-solubility. We report in this study, two different Chios mastic gum extracts, the acidic mastic gum extract-AMGE-and the neutral one-NMGE, both prepared after removal of the contained polymer in order to ameliorate solubility and enhance in vivo activity. Liposomes are presented as a promising delivery system due to their physicochemical and biophysical properties to increase stability and absorption efficiency of the mastic gum extracts within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability in GI simulated conditions together with cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity of the two extracts (AMGE and NMGE) after encapsulation in a well characterized liposome formulation. Liposomes-AMGE complex showed an improved stability behavior in GI simulated conditions. Both assayed extracts showed significant dose dependent inhibition against the growth of liver cancer HepG2 cells and an interesting antimicrobial activity against several microorganisms. Conclusively, encapsulation could be evaluated as a beneficial procedure for further applications of mastic resin.

Cardiovascular adaptations and inflammation in marathon runners.

Long-distance running has become increasingly popular. Cardiovascular adaptations to exercise are relevant to the specific sports and this is also the case in long-distance running. Significant changes regarding inflammatory and endothelial markers along with indices of oxidative stress are observed in marathon and ultra-marathon runners. However, data linking inflammatory marker levels with cardiovascular adaptations to marathon running are limited. The aim of the present study was to describe the cardiovascular adaptations observed in a group of ultra-marathon runners and the association with a series of inflammatory and endothelial markers measured in their plasma. A total of 43 ultra-marathon runners were assessed by echocardiography and a treadmill exercise test. Blood samples were used for tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, C-reactive protein, creatine phosphokinase (CPK) and oxidative stress indice measurements. Ultra-marathon runners who presented augmented left ventricular (LV) end diastolic diameters >55 mm had higher ADMA values (1.07±0.07 vs. 0.99±0.08 µmol/ml, P<0.01) and lower CPK values (192.5±21.3 vs. 219.1±37.3 mg/dl, P<0.05) compared with those with normal LV diameters. Runners with a moderate and severe abnormal indexed LV mass >131 g/m2 had statistically significant higher TNF-α values compared with runners, with mildly elevated and a normal LV mass indexed (16.2±1.42 vs. 14.0+1.16 pg/ml, P<0.05). Runners with an abnormal left atrial volume index (LAVI; >29 ml/m2) had higher IL-6 values compared with runners with a normal LAVI (1.09+0.19 vs. 0.99±0.08 pg/ml, P<0.05). ROC curves analysis revealed that ADMA values were able to predict an abnormal LV diameter detected by echocardiography [P<0.05; area under the curve (AUC), 0.763], while TNF-α values could predict an abnormal LV mass in marathon runners (P<0.05; AUC, 0.78). On the whole, the present study demonstrates that, in ultra-marathon runners, cardiovascular adaptations to running are characterized by a specific pattern of changes in inflammatory and endothelial markers, which in turn can be used to predict the occurrence of the observed adaptations.

Cardiotoxicity of Chemical Substances: An Emerging Hazard Class.

(1) Background: Human health risks and hazards from chemical substances are well regulated internationally. However, cardiotoxicity, is not defined as a stand-alone hazard and therefore there are no defined criteria for the classification of substances as cardiotoxic. Identifying and regulating substances that cause cardiovascular adverse effects would undoubtedly strengthen the national health systems. (2) Methods: To overcome the aforementioned gap, a roadmap is proposed for identifying regulatory criteria from animal studies and endorse legislation in order to classify substances as cardiotoxic. The roadmap consists of: (i) the identification of the appropriate animal species and strains; (ii) the identification of the lines of scientific evidence (e.g., histopathological, biochemical and echocardiographic indices etc.) from animal studies with relevance to humans; (iii) the statistical analysis and meta-analysis for each line of scientific evidence after exposure to well-established cardiotoxicants to humans (e.g., anthracyclines) in order to identify threshold values or range of normal and/ or altered values due to exposure; (iv) validation of the above described lines of evidence in animals exposed to other alleged cardiotoxic substances (e.g., anabolic androgen steroids (AAS) and pesticides); (v) establishment of mechanisms of action based on information of either known or alleged cardiotoxicants; and (vi) introduction of novel indices and in silico methods. (3) Results: Preliminary results in rats indicate a clear distinction from normal values to values measured in rats exposed to anthracyclines regarding left ventricle (LV) fractional shortening (FS) and LV ejection fraction (EF). A distinctive pattern is similarly observed for Creatine Kinase-Myocardial Band isoenzyme (CK-MB) and cardiac tissue glutathione (GSH). These findings are encouraging and indicate that there is room for targeted research to this end, and that these specific indices and biochemical markers should be further investigated in order to be developed to regulatory criteria. (4) Conclusions: Further research should be conducted by both the scientific and regulatory community that aims to clearly define the cardiotoxicity hazard caused by chemicals and develop a full set of scientific criteria.

Blood oxidative stress markers after ultramarathon swimming.

Data on redox balance in response to marathon swimming are lacking, whereas findings from studies using other types of ultraendurance exercise are controversial. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ultramarathon swimming on selective blood oxidative stress markers. Five well-trained male swimmers aged 28.8 (6.0) years participated in the study. Blood samples were obtained before and after the ultramarathon swimming, for full blood count analysis and determination of protein carbonyls, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The swimmers swam 19.4 (3.4) hours, covering 50.5 (15.0) km. Hematocrit and erythrocyte count, and leukocyte, neutrophil and monocyte counts were significantly elevated after swimming, whereas protein carbonyls, TBARS and TAC did not significantly change. The findings of the present study indicate that well-trained swimmers were able to regulate a redox homeostasis during ultra-long duration swimming. It is also postulated that the relatively low intensity of marathon swimming may not be a sufficient stimulus to induce oxidative stress in well-trained swimmers. The fact that low-intensity long-duration exercise protocols are not associated with oxidative damage is useful knowledge for coaches and athletes in scheduling the content of the training sessions that preceded and followed these exercise protocols.

The Significance of Redox Biomarkers in the Evaluation of the Antioxidant Profile In Vitro and In Vivo.

The present Special Issue of Antioxidants, entitled The Significance of Redox Biomarkers in the Evaluation of the Antioxidant Profile In Vitro and In Vivo, ten research articles emphasize the significance of adopting reliable redox biomarkers to determine the antioxidant activities of bioactive compounds in vitro and to assess blood and tissue redox status in vivo [...].

Nicotinic cholinergic system and COVID-19: In silico identification of interactions between α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and the cryptic epitopes of SARS-Co-V and SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoproteins.

SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus that originated in Wuhan in December 2019 and has spread globally. Studies have shown that smokers are less likely to be diagnosed with or be hospitalized for COVID-19 but, once hospitalized, have higher odds for an adverse outcome. We have previously presented the potential interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), due to a "toxin-like" epitope on the Spike glycoprotein, with homology to a sequence of a snake venom toxin. This epitope coincides with the well-described cryptic epitope for the human anti-SARS-CoV antibody CR3022. In this study, we present the molecular complexes of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoproteins, at their open or closed conformations, with the model of the human α7 nAChR. We found that all studied protein complexes' interface involves a large part of the "toxin-like" sequences of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoproteins and toxin binding site of human α7 nAChR. Our findings provide further support to the hypothesis about the protective role of nicotine and other cholinergic agonists. The potential therapeutic role of CR3022 and other similar monoclonal antibodies with increased affinity for SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein against the clinical effects originating from the dysregulated cholinergic pathway should be further explored.

Effects of Anti-Inflammatory Treatment and Surgical Intervention on Endothelial Glycocalyx, Peripheral and Coronary Microcirculatory Function and Myocardial Deformation in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients: A Two-Arms Two-Stage Clinical Trial.

Sixty inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients (45 Crohn disease and 15 ulcerative colitis, 40 ± 13 years, 53% male) were examined at baseline and 4 months after intervention (surgical (35 patients) or anti-TNFa treatment (25 patients)). IBD severity, using Mayo score, Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) and biomarkers, was correlated with cardiovascular markers. At baseline, the disease severity, the white blood cells (WBC) values and the reducing power (RP) were significantly correlated with the aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) (r = 0.4, r = 0.44 and r = 0.48, p < 0.05) and the lateral mitral E' velocity (r = 0.35, p < 0.05 and r = 0.3, p < 0.05). Four months after intervention, there was a reduction of WBC (1962.8/mm3 ± 0.425/mm3, p < 0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP) (8.1 mg/L ± 1.7 mg/L, p < 0.001), malondialdehyde (MDA) (0.81 nmol/mg ± 0.37, p < 0.05) and glycocalyx perfused boundary region (PBR 5-25) (0.24 µm ± 0.05 µm, p < 0.01). Moreover, the brachial flow mediated dilatation (FMD), the coronary flow reserve (CFR) and the left ventricle global longitudinal strain (LV GLS) were significantly improved for both groups (4.5% ± 0.9%, 0.55 ± 0.08, 1.4% ± 0.35%, p < 0.01), while a more significant improvement of PWV/GLS was noticed in the anti-TNFa group. IBD severity is associated with vascular endothelial, cardiac diastolic, and coronary microcirculatory dysfunction. The systemic inflammatory inhibition and the local surgical intervention lead to significant improvement in endothelial function, coronary microcirculation and myocardial deformation.

Children and Parents' Awareness Regarding Potential Hazards Derived from the Use of Chemical Products in Greece.

Over the last decades, human activities prompted the high production and widespread use of household chemical products, leading to daily exposure of humans to several chemicals. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency of chemicals' use by children and parents in Greece and estimate the level of risk awareness and understanding among them. A total of 575 parents and children were asked to answer an anonymous, closed-ended, validated, and self-administered questionnaire. One-third of the children and almost half of the parents participating in the study believed that commonly used chemical products do not pose any risk to human health or to the environment, despite the product labelling. The majority of both children (61.8%) and parents (70.6%) were informed about product safety via the product labelling. Around 20% in both groups could not differentiate between systemic toxicity and acute lethal effects depicted by pictograms on the label and milder hazards, such as skin irritation. Moreover, the information on hazard and precautionary statements appearing on the label was very poorly perceived. Therefore, as both children and parents seem not to clearly identify the hazards and risks arising from the use of everyday chemical products, targeted awareness policies should be implemented to support the safe use of household products.

Thrombosis and Haemostasis challenges in COVID-19 - Therapeutic perspectives of heparin and tissue-type plasminogen activator and potential toxicological reactions-a mini review.

The coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 pandemic is a major challenge for the health systems worldwide. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), is one of the most common complications of the COVID-19 infection. The activation of the coagulation system plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ARDS. The development of lung coagulopathy involves thrombin generation and fibrinolysis inhibition. Unfractionated heparin and its recently introduced counterpart low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), are widely used anticoagulants with a variety of clinical indications allowing for limited and manageable physio-toxicologic side effects while the use of protamine sulfate, heparin's effective antidote, has made their use even safer. Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) is approved as intravenous thrombolytic treatment. The present narrative review discusses the use of heparin and tPA in the treatment of COVID-19-induced ARDS and their related potential physio-toxicologic side effects. The article is a quick review of articles on anticoagulation in COVID infection and the potential toxicologic reactions associated with these drugs.

Improved strategies to counter the COVID-19 pandemic: Lockdowns vs. primary and community healthcare.

COVID-19 pandemic mitigation strategies are mainly based on social distancing measures and healthcare system reinforcement. However, many countries in Europe and elsewhere implemented strict, horizontal lockdowns because of extensive viral spread in the community which challenges the capacity of the healthcare systems. However, strict lockdowns have various untintended adverse social, economic and health effects, which have yet to be fully elucidated, and have not been considered in models examining the effects of various mitigation measures. Unlike commonly suggested, the dilemma is not about health vs wealth because the economic devastation of long-lasting lockdowns will definitely have adverse health effects in the population. Furthermore, they cannot provide a lasting solution in pandemic containment, potentially resulting in a vicious cycle of consecutive lockdowns with in-between breaks. Hospital preparedness has been the main strategy used by governments. However, a major characteristic of the COVID-19 pandemic is the rapid viral transmission in populations with no immunity. Thus, even the best hospital system could not cope with the demand. Primary, community and home care are the only viable strategies that could achieve the goal of pandemic mitigation. We present the case example of Greece, a country which followed a strategy focused on hospital preparedness but failed to reinforce primary and community care. This, along with strategic mistakes in epidemiological surveillance, resulted in Greece implementing a second strict, horizontal lockdown and having one of the highest COVID-19 death rates in Europe during the second wave. We provide recommendations for measures that will reinstate primary and community care at the forefront in managing the current public health crisis by protecting hospitals from unnecessary admissions, providing primary and secondary prevention services in relation to COVID-19 and maintaining population health through treatment of non-COVID-19 conditions. This, together with more selective social distancing measures (instead of horizontal lockdowns), represents the only viable and realistic long-term strategy for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation.

Time-course of changes in oxidative stress and antioxidant status responses following a soccer game.

Exercise-induced muscle damage is associated with an acute-phase inflammatory response characterized by phagocyte infiltration into muscle and free radical production. Although soccer includes intense eccentric muscle actions that cause muscle damage, the oxidative stress responses after a soccer game are currently unknown. The present investigation attempted to determine the responses of circulating levels of oxidative stress and antioxidant status markers during recovery from a soccer game. Twenty soccer players (experimental group) were assigned to 2 different teams that competed against each other (2 × 45 minutes). Ten other players served as controls (rested). Creatine kinase (CK) activity, uric acid, leukocyte count, malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbnyls (PC), reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase, glutathione peroxidase activity (GPX), delayed-onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), and anaerobic performance (speed, vertical jump performance) were measured before and following (immediately post, 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours) the game. Performance deteriorated (2-17%, p < 0.05) throughout recovery. Leukocytosis developed (p < 0.05) immediately following the game and at 24 hours. Both CK and DOMS (3-8-fold, p < 0.05) increased from baseline and remained elevated (p < 0.05) through 48 hours. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), PC, uric acid, GPX, and TAC increased (13-67%, p < 0.05) throughout recovery, whereas catalase was elevated (38%, p < 0.05) only immediately after the game. GSH/GSSG declined (17-75%, p < 0.05) throughout recovery. Our results suggest that oxidative stress is markedly upregulated by a soccer game, probably as a part of the exercise-induced inflammatory response, and is accompanied by a marked deterioration of anaerobic performance for as long as 72 hours.

Identifying early abdominal obesity risk in adolescents by telemedicine: A cross-sectional study in Greece.

Obesity and thus, lipotoxicity, is a major health risk factor. Modern exposure to environmental chemicals has contributed significantly to the obesity epidemic. The purpose of this study was to assess, via telemedicine and using bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in schools, the levels of adiposity and other body composition parameters of Greek adolescents in relation with their metabolic syndrome (MetS) characteristics. A representative sample (1575 adolescents, 14.4 ± 1.7 years-old) of the Attica region population, underwent body composition assessment of fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and total body water (TBW) and was evaluated for anthropometric and MetS characteristics. Males demonstrated higher FFM% and TBW% but lower FM% than females. Adolescents with abdominal obesity/MetS (n = 149/n = 40) demonstrated significantly (P < 0.001) higher body mass index (BMI 27.8 ± 3.8 kg/m2/30.2 ± 4.2 kg/m2) and FM (33.6 ± 9.7%/35.0 ± 10.5%) but significantly (P < 0.001) lower FFM (34.2 ± 5.7%/33.8 ± 6.2%) and TBW (45.6 ± 6.7%/44.6 ± 7.2%) than adolescents without abdominal obesity/MetS (BMI 20.9 ± 2.8 kg/m2/21.3 ± 3.2 kg/m2; FM 19.2 ± 6.9%/20.2 ± 8.0%; FFM 41.3 ± 4.4%/40.8 ± 4.8%; TBW 55.5 ± 4.8%/54.8 ± 5.5%). Findings suggest that early "osteosarcopenic" elements of abdominal obesity/MetS may exist even in adolescence. The application of BIA, incorporated in the new approach methodology of telemedicine in schools, identified adolescents at risk for obesity complications.

Tocilizumab improves oxidative stress and endothelial glycocalyx: A mechanism that may explain the effects of biological treatment on COVID-19.

We investigated the effects of tocilizumab on endothelial glycocalyx, a determinant of vascular permeability, and myocardial function in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eighty RA patients were randomized to tocilizumab (n = 40) or conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) and glucocorticoids (GC) (n = 40) for 3 months. Forty healthy subjects with similar age and sex served as controls. We measured: (a)perfused boundary region (PBR) of the sublingual arterial microvessels (increased PBR indicates reduced glycocalyx thickness), (b)pulse wave velocity (PWV), (c)global LV longitudinal strain (GLS), (d)global work index (GWI) using speckle tracking echocardiography and e)C-reactive protein (CRP), malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyls (PCs) as oxidative stress markers at baseline and post-treatment. Compared to controls, RA patients had impaired glycocalyx and myocardial deformation markers (P < 0.05). Compared with baseline, tocilizumab reduced PBR(2.14 ± 0.2 versus 1.97 ± 0.2 µm; P < 0.05) while no significant differences were observed post-csDMARDs + GC(P > 0.05). Compared with csDMARDs + GC, tocilizumab achieved a greater increase of GLS, GWI and reduction of MDA, PCs and CRP(P < 0.05). The percent improvement of glycocalyx thickness (PBR) was associated with the percent decrease of PWV, MDA, PCs and the percent improvement of GLS and GWI(P < 0.05). Tocilizumab improves endothelial function leading to a greater increase of effective myocardial work than csDMARDs + GC through a profound reduction of inflammatory burden and oxidative stress. This mechanism may explain the effects of tocilizumab on COVID-19. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: url: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT03288584.

[Corrigendum] What is considered cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines in animal studies.

Subsequently to the publication of this paper, the authors have realized that the name of the seventh listed author, Dimitrios Stagos, was spelt incorrectly (it appeared as 'Stagkos' in print). The corrected author list is shown above. The authors regret that the name of the seventh author on the paper was spelt incorrectly, and apologize to the readers for any inconvenience caused.[the original article was published in Oncology Reports 44: 798-818, 2020; DOI: 10.3892/or.2020.7688].