Association of Mediterranean Diet Adherence with Disease Progression Characteristics, Lifestyle Factors and Overall Survival in Gastric Cancer Patients

© 2023 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/BACKGROUND: The Mediterranean diet (MD) exerts a protective effect against cancer development and progression; however, the evaluation of its impact on gastric cancer still remains quite scarce. The present study aims to evaluate the association of MD adherence during the lifespan with disease progression characteristics, lifestyle factors and overall survival in gastric carcinoma patients. METHODS: This is an observational, cross-sectional study conducted on 186 gastric cancer patients followed up for a median time interval of 57 months or until death due to cancer disease. Tumor histopathological characteristics were retrieved from patients' medical records, while validated questionnaires assessing, immediately after the time of diagnosis, health-related quality of life, physical activity levels, sleep quality, depression, anxiety and MD adherence during the lifespan were used. RESULTS: Higher MD adherence during the lifespan was significantly associated with younger patients (p = 0.0106), regular smoking (p < 0.0001), abnormal BMI status (p < 0.0001), intestinal-type gastric carcinoma (p = 0.0111), high tumor histopathological grade (p < 0.0001) and earlier disease stage (p < 0.0001). Moreover, patients with elevated MD adherence during their lifespan showed significantly better health-related quality of life (p < 0.0001), higher physical activity levels (p < 0.0001), more adequate sleep quality (p < 0.0001) and lower prevalence of depression (p = 0.0003) and anxiety (p = 0.0006) compared to those with reduced MD adherence. In multiple regression analysis, elevated MD compliance during the lifespan was independently correlated with longer overall patient survival after adjustment for several confounders (Cox regression analysis, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Higher MD adherence during the lifespan was associated with less advanced tumor histopathology characteristics and favorable mental and physical lifestyle factors. Moreover, higher MD adherence during the lifespan was also independently correlated with longer overall survival in gastric carcinoma patients. Thus, adopting a healthy dietary pattern like the MD during the lifespan may act as a preventive agent in combination with a healthy lifestyle against gastric cancer development and progression.Peer reviewe

Judo Injuries Frequency in Europe's Top-Level Competitions in the Period 2005-2020.

BACKGROUND: The present study assesses the frequency of injury in Europe's top-level judokas, during top-level competitions, and defines risk factors. METHODS: The members of the EJU Medical Commission collected injury data over the period of 2005 to 2020 using the EJU Injury Registration Form at Europe's top judoka tournaments. RESULTS: Over the 15 years of the study, 128 top-level competitions with 28,297 competitors were included; 699 injuries were registered. Of all competitors, 2.5% needed medical treatment. The knee (17.4%), shoulder (15.7%), and elbow (14.2%) were the most common anatomical locations of injury. Sprains (42.2%) were by far the most frequent injury type, followed by contusions (23.1%). Of all contestants, 0.48% suffered an injury which needed transportation to hospital. There was a statistically significant higher frequency of elbow injuries in female athletes (p < 0.01). Heavy-weight judokas suffered a remarkably low number of elbow injuries, with more knee and shoulder injuries. Light-weight judokas were more prone to elbow injuries. CONCLUSIONS: We found there was a low injury rate in top-level competitors, with a greater frequency of elbow injuries in female judokas. During the 15 years of injury collection data, an injury incidence of 2.5% was found, with a remarkable high injury rate in the women's -52 kg category, and statistically significantly more elbow injuries in women overall

Digital droplet RT‐LAMP increases speed of SARS‐CoV‐2 viral RNA detection

Abstract Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT) remains one of the most reliable methods for pathogen identification. However, conventional bulk NAATs may not be sufficiently fast or sensitive enough for the detection of clinically‐relevant pathogens in point‐of‐care testing. Here, we have developed a digital droplet RT‐LAMP (ddRT‐LAMP) assay that rapidly and quantitatively detects the SARS‐CoV‐2 viral E gene in microfluidic drops. Droplet partitioning using ddRT‐LAMP significantly accelerates detection times across a wide range of template concentrations compared to bulk RT‐LAMP assays. We discover that a reduction in droplet diameter decreases assay times up to a certain size, upon which surface adsorption of the RT‐LAMP polymerase reduces reaction efficiency. Optimization of drop size and polymerase concentration enables rapid, sensitive, and quantitative detection of the SARS‐CoV‐2 E gene in only 8 min. These results highlight the potential of ddRT‐LAMP assays as an excellent platform for quantitative point‐of‐care testing

Evaluation of a novel brachial cuff-based oscillometric method for estimating central systolic pressure in hemodialysis patients

Background/Aims: Elevated wave reflections and arterial stiffness, as well as ambulatory blood pressure (BP) are independent predictors of cardiovascular risk in end-stage-renaldisease. This study is the first to evaluate in hemodialysis patients the validity of a new ambulatory oscillometric device (Mobil-O-Graph, IEM, Germany), which estimates aortic BP, augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV). Methods: Aortic SBP (aSBP), heart rate-adjusted AIx (AIx(75)) and PWV measured with Mobil-O-Graph were compared with the values from the most widely used tonometric device (Sphygmocor, ArtCor, Australia) in 73 hemodialysis patients. Measurements were made in a randomized order after 10 min of rest in the supine position at least 30 min before a dialysis session. Brachial BP (mercury sphygmomanometer) was used for the calibration of Sphygmocor&apos;s waveform. Results: Sphygmocor-derived aSBP and AIx(75) did not differ from the relevant Mobil-O-Graph measurements (aSBP: 136.3 ± 19.6 vs.133.5 ± 19.3 mm Hg, p = 0.068; AIx(75): 28.4 ± 9.3 vs. 30.0 ± 11.8%, p = 0.229). The small difference in aSBP is perhaps explained by a relevant difference in brachial SBP used for calibration (146.9 ± 20.4 vs. 145.2 ± 19.9 mm Hg, p = 0.341). Sphygmocor PWV was higher than Mobil-O-Graph PWV (10.3 ± 3.4 vs. 9.5 ± 2.1 m/s, p &lt; 0.01). All 3 parameters estimated by Mobil-O-Graph showed highly significant (p &lt; 0.001) correlations with the relevant measurements of Sphygmocor (aSBP, r = 0.770; AIx(75), r = 0.400; PWV, r = 0.739). The Bland-Altman Plots for aSBP and AIx(75) showed acceptable agreement between the two devices and no evidence of systemic bias for PWV. Conclusion: As in other populations, acceptable agreement between Mobil-O-Graph and Sphygmocor was evident for aSBP and AIx(75) in hemodialysis patients; PWV was slightly underestimated by Mobil-O-Graph. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses following an acute bout of isokinetic exercise in obese women with knee osteoarthritis

Background: Obesity is associated with osteoarthritis and it is accompanied by chronic inflammation and elevated oxidative stress. Strengthening-type exercise is used in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rehabilitation. This study determined how acute isokinetic exercise influences inflammatory responses of obese middle-aged women with KOA. Methods: Ten obese women with KOA and 10 age/weight-matched controls performed an isokinetic exercise protocol. Assessment of performance (knee extensor/flexor torque), muscle soreness (DOMS), knee flexibility (KJRM), and pain, and blood collection were performed pre-exercise, post-exercise, and at 24. h post-exercise. Blood was analyzed for creatine kinase activity (CK), lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), CRP, leukocytes, uric acid, IL-6, TBARS, lipid hydroperoxides (LPX), protein carbonyls (PC), oxidized (GSH) and reduced glutathione (GSSG), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPX). Results: Physical function remained unaltered by exercise (only torque at 90°/s decreased at 24 h). Exercise increased DOMS throughout recovery but KJRM and pain remained unchanged. CK, LDH, and uric acid increased similarly in both groups. CRP remained unaffected by exercise while IL-6 increased only post-exercise. TBARS, PC, LPH, GSSG, and TAC increased only post-exercise in both groups. GSH and GSH/GSSG declined post-exercise and normalized thereafter. Catalase and GPX increased only in patients post-exercise. Conclusion: Isokinetic exercise induces only a mild inflammatory response of very short duration (&lt; 24 h) without affecting physical function and pain in KOA patients suggesting that moderate strengthening-type exercise may be safe for this patient cohort. These results indicate that KOA patients may be able to receive another exercise stimulus after only 48. h. Clinical relevance: Isokinetic exercise produces minimal inflammation and pain in knee osteoarthritis patients, could be performed every 48. h during rehabilitation, and up-regulates patients&apos; antioxidant system. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Oxidative stress and inflammatory responses following an acute bout of isokinetic exercise in obese women with knee osteoarthritis

Background: Obesity is associated with osteoarthritis and it is accompanied by chronic inflammation and elevated oxidative stress. Strengthening-type exercise is used in knee osteoarthritis (KOA) rehabilitation. This study determined how acute isokinetic exercise influences inflammatory responses of obese middle-aged women with KOA. Methods: Ten obese women with KOA and 10 age/weight-matched controls performed an isokinetic exercise protocol. Assessment of performance (knee extensor/flexor torque), muscle soreness (DOMS), knee flexibility (KJRM), and pain, and blood collection were performed pre-exercise, post-exercise, and at 24 h post-exercise. Blood was analyzed for creatine kinase activity (CK), lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), CRP, leukocytes, uric acid, IL-6, TBARS, lipid hydroperoxides (LPX), protein carbonyls (PC), oxidized (GSH) and reduced glutathione (GSSG), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase activity, and glutathione peroxidase activity (GPX). Results: Physical function remained unaltered by exercise (only torque at 90 degrees/s decreased at 24 h). Exercise increased DOMS throughout recovery but KJRM and pain remained unchanged. CK, LDH, and uric acid increased similarly in both groups. CRP remained unaffected by exercise while IL-6 increased only post-exercise. TBARS, PC, LPH, GSSG, and TAC increased only post-exercise in both groups. GSH and GSH/GSSG declined post-exercise and normalized thereafter. Catalase and GPX increased only in patients post-exercise. Conclusion: Isokinetic exercise induces only a mild inflammatory response of very short duration (<24 h) without affecting physical function and pain in KOA patients suggesting that moderate strengthening-type exercise may be safe for this patient cohort. These results indicate that KOA patients may be able to receive another exercise stimulus after only 48 h. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Human memory B cells originate from three distinct germinal center-dependent and -independent maturation pathways

Multiple distinct memory B-cell subsets have been identified in humans, but it remains unclear how their phenotypic diversity corresponds to the type of responses from which they originate. Especially, the contribution of germinal center-independent responses in humans remains controversial. We defined 6 memory B-cell subsets based on their antigen-experienced phenotype and differential expression of CD27 and IgH isotypes. Molecular characterization of their replication history, Ig somatic hypermutation, and class-switch profiles demonstrated their origin from 3 different pathways. CD27(-)IgG(+) and CD27(+)IgM(+) B cells are derived from primary germinal center reactions, and CD27(+)IgA(+) and CD27(+)IgG(+) B cells are from consecutive germinal center responses (pathway 1). In contrast, natural effector and CD27(-)IgA(+) memory B cells have limited proliferation and are also present in CD40L-deficient patients, reflecting a germinal center-independent origin. Natural effector cells at least in part originate from systemic responses in the splenic marginal zone (pathway 2). CD27(-)IgA(+) cells share low replication history and dominant Ig lambda and IgA2 use with gut lamina propria IgA+ B cells, suggesting their common origin from local germinal center-independent responses (pathway 3). Our findings shed light on human germinal center-dependent and -independent B-cell memory formation and provide new opportunities to study these processes in immunologic diseases. (Blood. 2011;118(8):2150-2158