Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AdMSC) for the treatment of secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis: A triple blinded, placebo controlled, randomized phase I/II safety and feasibility study

Background Currently available treatments for secondary progressive multiple sclerosis(SPMS) have limited efficacy and/or safety concerns. Adipose-mesenchymal derived stem cells(AdMSCs) represent a promising option and can be readily obtained using minimally invasive procedures. Go to: Patients and methods In this triple-blind, placebo-controlled study, cell samples were obtained from consenting patients by lipectomy and subsequently expanded. Patients were randomized to a single infusion of placebo, low-dose(1x106cells/kg) or high-dose(4x106cells/kg) autologous AdMSC product and followed for 12 months. Safety was monitored recording adverse events, laboratory parameters, vital signs and spirometry. Expanded disability status score (EDSS), magnetic-resonance-imaging, and other measures of possible treatment effects were also recorded. Go to: Results Thirty-four patients underwent lipectomy for AdMSCs collection, were randomized and thirty were infused (11 placebo, 10 low-dose and 9 high-dose); 4 randomized patients were not infused because of karyotype abnormalities in the cell product. Only one serious adverse event was observed in the treatment arms (urinary infection, considered not related to study treatment). No other safety parameters showed changes. Measures of treatment effect showed an inconclusive trend of efficacy. Conclusion Infusion of autologous AdMSCs is safe and feasible in patients with SPMS. Larger studies and probably treatment at earlier phases would be needed to investigate the potential therapeutic benefit of this technique

Bioactive compounds content and total antioxidant activity of two savoy cabbages

Se han identificado, cuantificado y comparado los compuestos bioactivos, así como la actividad antioxidante in vitro, de dos cultivos de repollo, Dama y Leticia, cultivados en el oeste de España. Encontramos que el cv. Dama, presentado en general, mejora los resultados en comparación con el cv. Leticia. El cv. Dama presentó una mayor concentración de clorofila (2,26 mg / 100 g de peso en fresco), un contenido fenólico total (102,71 mg de equivalente de ácido clorogénico / 100 g en peso fresco) y unos glucosinolatos totales intactos (195,22 μmol de equivalente de sinigrina / 100 g de peso fresco). Así, el cv. Dama exhibió unos valores más altos de actividad antioxidante in vitro.The bioactive compounds, as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity of two Savoy cabbage cultivars, Dama and Leticia, grown in west of Spain under similar conditions were identified, quantified and compared. We found that cv. Dama presented in general betters results when compared with cv. Leticia. Cv. Dama presented higher concentrations of chlorophyll a (2.26 mg/100 g fresh weight), total phenolic content (102.71 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight) and total intact glucosinolates (195.22 μmol of sinigrin equivalent/100 g fresh weight). Thus, cv. Dama exhibited higher values of in vitro antioxidant activity.María Fernanda Fernández León agradece la ayuda prestada por el Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria (INIA) Trabajo parcialmente patrocinado por la Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Proyecto GR10006 Los autores agradecen el estudio de campo realizado en la Finca La Orden-Valdesequera (Junta de Extremadura) a partir de muestras de colpeerReviewe

Validación al Español de la Herramienta de Evaluación de los Cuidados, Caring Assessment Tool (CAT-V)

Resume Objetivo: traduzir para castelhano e avaliar a consistência interna da escala Caring Assessment tool, CAT-V de Joanne Duffy, no marco conceitual de Jean Watson, e como objetivo secundário avaliar as suas propriedades psicométricas. Existem ferramentas desenhadas para medir a percepção do paciente sobre os cuidados dispensados, entre as quais o CAT-V, objeto de nosso interesse com o fim de poder ser aplicado aos doentes hispano falantes. Métodos: para cumprir com os objetivos serão feitas sequencialmente a tradução e retro tradução da escala a validar através de um procedimento padronizado. A versão definitiva da escala foi validada numa amostra de 349 pacientes procedente de quatro hospitais públicos e dois privados de Madrid, Espanha. Resultados: o instrumento foi traduzido e validado com uma consistência elevada (alfa de Cronbach 0,953). Conclusão: a tradução do CAT-V considera que o mesmo pode-se consistuir um instrumento adequado para a avaliação de cuidados prestados a pacientes nos centros de saúde ibero-americanos cuja língua falada seja o castelhano.Resumen Objetivo: traducir y validar al castellano de la escala Caring Assessment tool, CAT-V, de Joanne Duffy, dentro del marco conceptual de Jean Watson, como objetivo secundario, se plantea evaluar sus propiedades psicométricas. Existen herramientas diseñadas con el fin de medir la percepción del paciente sobre los cuidados dispensados, entre ellos el CAT-V, es objeto de nuestro interés, a fin de que pueda ser utilizado en pacientes hispanohablantes. Método: para cumplir con los objetivos, se plantea, secuencialmente, la realización de la traducción y retro-traducción de la escala a validar, a través de procedimiento normalizado. La versión definitiva de esa escala se validó en una muestra de 349 pacientes procedente de cuatro hospitales públicos y dos hospitales privados en Madrid, España. Resultados: el instrumento fue traducido y validado la con una consistencia interna elevada (alfa de Cronbach .953). El análisis factorial posterior ha puesto de manifiesto una estructura de tres factores, hallazgo no coincidente con los datos procedentes de la población norteamericana. Conclusión: se considera que la traducción del CAT-V es un instrumento adecuado para su utilización en la evaluación de los cuidados a pacientes en centros sanitarios iberoamericanos cuya lengua sea el Castellano.Resume Objective: to translate and validate to Spanish the Caring Assessment Scale tool, CAT-V, by Joanne Duffy, within the framework of Jean Watson; as a secondary objective, it is proposed to evaluate its psychometric properties. There are tools designed to measure the patient’s perception of provided cares, including CAT-V, the subject of our interest, in a way that it can be used in Spanish-speaking patients. Methods: to meet the objectives, it was performed sequential translation and retro-translation of the scale to be validated, through a standardized procedure. The final version of that scale was validated in a sample of 349 patients from four public and two private hospitals in Madrid, Spain. Results: The instrument was translated and validated with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha .953). The subsequent factor analysis revealed a three-factor structure, not coincident with the data from the US population. Conclusion: it is considered that the translation of CAT-V is a suitable instrument to be used in the evaluation of patient care in Ibero-american health centers whose language is Spanish

Effects of Tribulus terrestris L. on Sport and Health Biomarkers in Physically Active Adult Males: A Systematic Review

[EN] Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) is a plant used in traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, and sports nutrition to improve health and performance. However, no conclusive evidence exists about the potential beneficial effects of TT on sport and health biomarkers in physically active adults. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and the modified McMaster Critical Review Form for methodological quality assessment, we systematically reviewed studies indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed, to assess the effects of TT on immunological, hematological, biochemical, renal, lipidic, hormonal behavior, and anti-inflammatory response in physically active adult males. Among 340 records identified in the search, a total of 7 studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Overall, participants supplemented with TT displayed significant improvements in lipid profile. Inflammatory and hematological biomarkers showed moderate beneficial effects with no significant changes on renal biomarkers. No positive effects were observed on the immune system response. Additionally, no TT-induced toxicity was reported. In conclusion, there was no clear evidence of the beneficial effects of TT supplementation on muscle damage markers and hormonal behavior. More studies are needed to confirm the benefits of TT due to the limited number of studies available in the current literature.S

Health-Related Quality of Life in Pregnant Women during the First Trimester in Northern Spain: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

[EN] Background: Achieving the optimal quality of life is currently a health challenge for the world’s population. Pregnancy is a stressful period of life that affects women’s quality of life. Aims: This study aimed to describe and analyse the health-related quality of life in pregnant women during their first trimester in a health area in the north of Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out. A total of 359 women completed the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Results: The sample consisted of 57.9% primiparous women, 30% had experienced a previous abortion, and 7.2% were foreign women. The mean age was 33.53 years. The sum of the physical and mental component values was below 50 points. Notably, 4.17% of women reported a worsening of their health in the last year, and 28.69% had an increased depression risk. Conclusion: Being a foreigner, prenatal abortion, previous caesarean section, previous children, or assisted reproduction techniques are the variables that have a negative association with some dimensions of quality of life in pregnant women.S

The Effects of 6 Weeks of Tribulus terrestris L. Supplementation on Body Composition, Hormonal Response, Perceived Exertion, and CrossFit® Performance: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

[EN] Tribulus terrestris L. (TT) supplementation have been shown to enhance sports performance in many but not all studies. Moreover, data regarding the potential impact of TT supplementation on CrossFit® endurance is limited. This study aimed to determine whether TT supplementation improve body composition, hormonal response, and performance among CrossFit® athletes. In a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, a total of 30 healthy CrossFit®-trained males were randomly allocated to receive either 770 mg of TT supplementation or a placebo daily for 6 weeks. Body mass, fat mass, fat composition, testosterone and cortisol levels, and CrossFit® performance (5 common Workouts of the Day: back squat, bench press, dead lift, Grace, and CrossFit® Total) were assessed before and after intervention. There were no significant group x time interactions for the outcomes of the study except for testosterone levels and bench press performance (p < 0.05). TT supplementation did not impact enhance performance or body composition in CrossFit® male athletes. However, TT supplementation may act as a testosterone booster helping the recovery after physical loads and mitigating fatigueS

Evaluation of different postharvest conditions to preserve the amount of bioactive compounds, physicochemical quality parameters and sensory attributes of ‘Sweetheart’ cherries.

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) ‘Sweetheart’ were harvested at different production regions from Portugal (Cova da Beira and Portalegre) and Spain (Valle de Jerte). Cherries were harvested at their commercial maturation according to the empirical knowledge of external color corresponding to good quality. Fruits were stored and evaluated in order to study their quality on the harvest day and during a period of 21 days, at cold storage (1 ºC, 95% RH). The sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’ is a well-known variety and a highly appreciated one but fruits present a short shelf life. On the other hand the effect of different “terroir” on cherry characteristics should be known and clarified. Fruits from day 0, considered without storage, were kept at 20ºC and analyzed. Every weak, 3 replicas were randomly picked up and 10 fruits from each one were submitted to several analyses after fruit temperature stabilized at 20ºC. Several quality parameters were evaluated: external colour (L*, a*, b*), texture, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and the ratio between soluble solid contents (SSC) and tritratable acidity (TA). Fruits from different orchards and locations were significantly different according to these parameters. Fruits from Cova da Beira were less firm comparing with other two regions, Valle de Jerte and Portalegre, which may indicate a higher maturation rate at harvest in those fruits. This is in accordance with SSC/titratable acidity rate suggesting a late harvest in Cova da Beira comparing with other two orchards, however fruits from Cova da Beira exhibit a poor color at harvest. These results clearly showed a lower correlation between SSC and firmness considering fruits origin

Electromyography: A Simple and Accessible Tool to Assess Physical Performance and Health during Hypoxia Training. A Systematic Review

Producción CientíficaHypoxia causes reduced partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood and induces adaptations in skeletal muscle that may affect individuals&rsquo; physical performance and muscular health. These muscular changes are detectable and quantifiable by electromyography (EMG), an instrument that assesses electrical activity during active contraction at rest. EMG is a relatively simple and accessible technique for all patients, one that can show the degree of the sensory and motor functions because it provides information about the status of the peripheral nerves and muscles. The main goal of this review is to evaluate the scientific evidence of EMG as an instrument for monitoring different responses of skeletal muscles subjected to external stimuli such as hypoxia and physical activity. A structured search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in Medline/PubMed, Scielo, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Plus. The search included articles published in the last 25 years until May 2020 and was restricted to English- and Spanish-language publications. As such, investigators identified nine articles that met the search criteria. The results determined that EMG was able to detect muscle fatigue from changes in the frequency spectrum. When a muscle was fatigued, high frequency components decreased and low frequency components increased. In other studies, EMG determined muscle activation increased during exercise by recruiting motor units and by increasing the intensity of muscle contractions. Finally, it was also possible to calculate the mean quadriceps quadratic activity used to obtain an image of muscle activation. In conclusion, EMG offers a suitable tool for monitoring the different skeletal muscle responses and has sufficient sensitivity to detect hypoxia-induced muscle changes produced by hypoxic stimuli. Moreover, EMG enhances an extension of physical examination and tests motor-system integrity

Electromyography: a simple and accessible tool to assess physical performance and health during hypoxia training. A systematic review

Hypoxia causes reduced partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood and induces adaptations in skeletal muscle that may affect individuals’ physical performance and muscular health. These muscular changes are detectable and quantifiable by electromyography (EMG), an instrument that assesses electrical activity during active contraction at rest. EMG is a relatively simple and accessible technique for all patients, one that can show the degree of the sensory and motor functions because it provides information about the status of the peripheral nerves and muscles. The main goal of this review is to evaluate the scientific evidence of EMG as an instrument for monitoring different responses of skeletal muscles subjected to external stimuli such as hypoxia and physical activity. A structured search was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in Medline/PubMed, Scielo, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Plus. The search included articles published in the last 25 years until May 2020 and was restricted to English- and Spanish-language publications. As such, investigators identified nine articles that met the search criteria. The results determined that EMG was able to detect muscle fatigue from changes in the frequency spectrum. When a muscle was fatigued, high frequency components decreased and low frequency components increased. In other studies, EMG determined muscle activation increased during exercise by recruiting motor units and by increasing the intensity of muscle contractions. Finally, it was also possible to calculate the mean quadriceps quadratic activity used to obtain an image of muscle activation. In conclusion, EMG offers a suitable tool for monitoring the different skeletal muscle responses and has sufficient sensitivity to detect hypoxia-induced muscle changes produced by hypoxic stimuli. Moreover, EMG enhances an extension of physical examination and tests motor-system integrity

The effects of 6 weeks of Tribulus terrestris L. supplementation on body composition, hormonal response, perceived exertion, and CrossFit® performance: A randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled study

Producción CientíficaTribulus terrestris L. (TT) supplementation have been shown to enhance sports performance in many but not all studies. Moreover, data regarding the potential impact of TT supplementation on CrossFit® endurance is limited. This study aimed to determine whether TT supplementation improve body composition, hormonal response, and performance among CrossFit® athletes. In a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial, a total of 30 healthy CrossFit®-trained males were randomly allocated to receive either 770 mg of TT supplementation or a placebo daily for 6 weeks. Body mass, fat mass, fat composition, testosterone and cortisol levels, and CrossFit® performance (5 common Workouts of the Day: back squat, bench press, dead lift, Grace, and CrossFit® Total) were assessed before and after intervention. There were no significant group x time interactions for the outcomes of the study except for testosterone levels and bench press performance (p < 0.05). TT supplementation did not impact enhance performance or body composition in CrossFit® male athletes. However, TT supplementation may act as a testosterone booster helping the recovery after physical loads and mitigating fatigue