The Effect of Perilla frutescens extract on the oxidative stability of model food emulsions

The polyphenolic profile of leaves and stalks of Perilla frutescens, was assessed as a source of natural antioxidants. The amount of caffeic and rosmarinic acids, determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), were 0.51 mg/g dry weight (DW) and 2.29 mg/g DW, respectively. The measurement of scavenging capacity against the 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) radical cation, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), and the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) were 65.03 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g DW, 179.60 mg TE/g DW and 44.46 mg TE/g DW, respectively. P. frutescens extracts also showed good antioxidant properties in 10% sunflower oil-in-water emulsions during storage at 32 °C. Perilla extract at 320 ppm was as effective as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) at 20 ppm in slowing down the formation of hydroperoxides as measured by peroxide value, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and hexanal content. The results of this study indicate that extract of P. frutescens may be suitable for use in the food matrix to help achieve potential health benefits

Reinforced Concrete Building with IED Detonation: Test and Simulation

There is growing concern about the possibility of a suicide bomber being immolated when the army forces or the law enforcement agencies discover the place where they prepare their material or simply find themselves inside a building. To study the possible effects that these improvised explosive devices (IEDs) would have on the structures, eight tests were carried out with various configurations of IEDs with vest bombs inside a reinforced concrete (including walls and roof) building constructed ad hoc for these tests. These vests were made with different explosives (black powder, ANFO, AN/AL, PG2). For the characterization of these tests, a high-speed camera and pressure and acceleration sensors were used. The structure behaved surprisingly well, as it withstood all the first seven detonations without apparent structural damage. In the last detonation, located on the ground and with a significant explosive charge, the structural integrity of the roof and some of the walls was compromised. The simulation of the building was carried out with the LS-DYNA software with a Lagrangian formulation for the walls, using the LBE (based on CONWEP) module for the application of the charge. Despite the difficulty of this simulation, the results obtained, in terms of applied pressures and measured accelerations, are acceptable with differences of about 20%

Linezolid for infective endocarditis. A structured approach based on a national database experience

Current data on the frequency and efficacy of linezolid (LNZ) in infective endocarditis (IE) are based on small retrospective series. We used a national database to evaluate the effectiveness of LNZ in IE. This is a retrospective study of IE patients in the Spanish GAMES database who received LNZ. We defined 3 levels of therapeutic impact: LNZ 50% of the total treatment, and > 50% of the LNZ doses prescribed in the first weeks of treatment), and LNZ ? 7 days not fulfilling the high-impact criteria (LNZ-NHI). Effectiveness of LNZ was assessed using propensity score matching and multivariate analysis of high-impact cases in comparison to patients not treated with LNZ from the GAMES database matched for age-adjusted comorbidity Charlson index, heart failure, renal failure, prosthetic and intracardiac IE device, left-sided IE, and Staphylococcus aureus. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included IE complications and relapses

Role of proton pump inhibitors dosage and duration in Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment: Results from the European Registry on H. pylori management

Background: Management of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection requires co-treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the use of antibiotics to achieve successful eradication. Aim: To evaluate the role of dosage of PPIs and the duration of therapy in the effectiveness of H. pylori eradication treatments based on the ‘European Registry on Helicobacter pylori management’ (Hp-EuReg). Methods: Hp-EuReg is a multicentre, prospective, non-interventionist, international registry on the routine clinical practice of H. pylori management by European gastroenterologists. All infected adult patients were systematically registered from 2013 to 2022. Results: Overall, 36,579 patients from five countries with more than 1000 patients were analysed. Optimal (≥90%) first-line-modified intention-to-treat effectiveness was achieved with the following treatments: (1) 14-day therapies with clarithromycin-amoxicillin-bismuth and metronidazole-tetracycline-bismuth, both independently of the PPI dose prescribed; (2) All 10-day (except 10-day standard triple therapy) and 14-day therapies with high-dose PPIs; and (3) 10-day quadruple therapies with clarithromycin-amoxicillin-bismuth, metronidazole-tetracycline-bismuth, and clarithromycin-amoxicillin-metronidazole (sequential), all with standard-dose PPIs. In first-line treatment, optimal effectiveness was obtained with high-dose PPIs in all 14-day treatments, in 10- and 14-day bismuth quadruple therapies and in 10-day sequential with standard-dose PPIs. Optimal second-line effectiveness was achieved with (1) metronidazole-tetracycline-bismuth quadruple therapy for 14- and 10 days with standard and high-dose PPIs, respectively; and (2) levofloxacin-amoxicillin triple therapy for 14 days with high-dose PPIs. None of the 7-day therapies in both treatment lines achieved optimal effectiveness. Conclusions: We recommend, in first-line treatment, the use of high-dose PPIs in 14-day triple therapy and in 10-or 14-day quadruple concomitant therapy in first-line treatment, while standard-dose PPIs would be sufficient in 10-day bismuth quadruple therapies. On the other hand, in second-line treatment, high-dose PPIs would be more beneficial in 14-day triple therapy with levofloxacin and amoxicillin or in 10-day bismuth quadruple therapy either as a three-in-one single capsule or in the traditional scheme

Enteritis secundaria a nivolumab, una causa creciente de diarrea

La inmunoterapia es una herramienta cada vez más utilizada en el campo de la oncología. Conviene conocerla debido a sus crecientes usos, entre los que se incluye el tratamiento de tumores del aparato digestivo (hepatocarcinoma1, adenocarcinoma colorrectal con alta inestabilidad en microsatelites2) así como por las reacciones adversas que con elevada frecuencia afectan al tubo digestivo. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 74 años, con antecedentes personales de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC) y melanoma con metástasis pulmonares. Debido a estas patologías tomaba de manera habitual inhaladores de salbutamol y había estado en tratamiento con nivolumab, suspendido hacía cuatro meses tras conseguir una respuesta radiológica completa de las metástasis pulmonares. El paciente refería cuadro diarreico de un mes de evolución, consistente en tres a cuadro deposiciones (Bristol 5-6) sin productos patológicos, que afectaban el descanso nocturno, asociaban molestias centroabdominales intermitentes y pérdida de peso de unos 3-4 kg. No había ingerido alimentos crudos, antibióticos o nuevas medicaciones. Tampoco había convivientes con la misma sintomatología ni había realizado viajes al extranjero. Negaba cualquier otra sintomatología y antecedentes familiares de interés. La exploración física era anodina a excepción de unas ligeras molestias a la palpación profunda en mesogastrio..

Aproximación al manejo de la disección del tronco celíaco

El dolor abdominal constituye uno de los motivos de consulta más frecuentes en los servicios de Urgencias y de Aparato Digestivo. Además, el diagnóstico diferencial supone un importante reto, dado el amplio abanico de entidades clínicas que pueden provocarlo, algunas de ellas con un pronóstico desfavorable. En este sentido, en algunas cohortes no se ha llegado a un diagnóstico específico en más de un 30% de los casos1, 2. Se presenta el caso de un varón de 40 años, fumador activo desde hace más de 20 años, sin otros antecedentes personales ni familiares de interés, excepto traumatismo cerrado abdominal hace cuatro años, que no seguía tratamiento farmacológico habitual. Presentaba dolor abdominal epigástrico continuo e irradiado hacia ambos hipocondrios, de ocho horas de evolución. No asociaba ictericia mucocutánea ni coluria o acolia, tampoco náuseas ni vómitos ni alteraciones en el ritmo y características de las deposiciones. No presentaba fiebre, síndrome constitucional ni otra sintomatología asociada. A la exploración física destacaba dolor a la palpación de epigastrio, sin signos de irritación peritoneal, con peristaltismo y pulsos distales conservados. Asimismo, no presentaba signos de colagenopatía. Para una primera aproximación diagnóstica se realizó analítica de sangre, destacando como únicos hallazgos ligera alteración del perfil hepático (AST 66 U/L, ALT 58 U/L, GGT 106 U/L, FA 76 U/L) con amilasemia, ..

Enhancement of antimicrobial activities of whole and sub-fractionated white tea by addition of copper (II) sulphate and vitamin C against 'Staphylococcus aureus'; a mechanistic approach.

WT showed no efficacy in the combinations tested. WTF was enhanced with copper (II) sulphate and further with vitamin C. WT and WTF increased acidity of copper (II) sulphate possibly via the formation of chemical complexes. The difference in WT/WTF absorbance possibly represented substances less concentrated or absent in WTF. Investigations to establish which WTF component/s and in what proportions additives are most effective against target organisms are warranted

Bovine serum albumin produces a synergistic increase in the antioxidant activity of virgin olive oil phenolic compounds in oil-in-water emulsions

Virgin olive oil is valued for its flavor, but unacceptable off-flavors may develop on storage in food products containing this oil due to oxidation. The oxidative stability of oil-in-water emulsions containing bovine serum albumin (BSA) and virgin olive oil phenolic compounds was studied. Four oil-in-water emulsions with and without BSA and phenols isolated from virgin olive oil were prepared. These model systems were stored at 60 degrees C to speed up lipid oxidation. Primary and secondary oxidation products were monitored every three days. Peroxide values and conjugated diene contents were determined as measures of the primary oxidation products. p-Anisidine values and volatile compounds were determined as measures of the secondary oxidation products. This latter determination was carried out by headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography. Although olive oil phenolic compounds and BSA contributed some antioxidant activity when present as individual additives, the combination of BSA with phenols in an emulsion showed 58-127% synergy, depending on which analytical method was used in the calculation. The emulsion containing phenolic compounds and BSA showed a low level of deterioration after 45 days of storage at 60 degrees C