Beneficios del entrenamiento vibratorio en el sistema neuromuscular de los adultos mayores

Introduction: The vibration training may be an option for optimal intervention to prevent muscle loss in older adults.Objective: To assess the effectiveness of vibration training in the neuromuscular system of the elderly.Methods: Literature review in Medline, CINAHL, WOS and PEDro data by combining the descriptors of Medical Subject Headings concerning vibration training, muscle strength, muscle mass and seniors.Results: Studies located on the vibration training in older people were done as either the only intervention, or in combination with other strength exercises, aerobic, balance or flexibility. The diversity of protocols hinders comparison between studies.Conclusion: WBV training proves to be a healthy method, adequate and effective in the strength of the elderly population, but with similar results to conventional resistance exercise.Introducción: El entrenamiento vibratorio puede ser una opción de intervención óptima para prevenir la pérdida de masa muscular en adultos mayores. Objetivo: Comprobar la efectividad del entrenamiento vibratorio en el sistema neuromuscular de los adultos mayores.Material y método: Revisión bibliográfica en las bases de datos Medline, CINAHL, WOS y PEDro, mediante la combinación de los descriptores del Medical Subjects Headings referentes a entrenamiento vibratorio, fuerza muscular, masa muscular y personas mayores. Resultados: Los estudios localizados sobre el entrenamiento vibratorio en personas mayores se realizaron, bien como única intervención, o en combinación con otro tipo de ejercicios de fuerza, aeróbicos,  de equilibrio o de flexibilidad. La diversidad de protocolos empleados dificulta una comparación entre estudios.Conclusión: El entrenamiento con plataformas vibratorias demuestra ser un método de entrenamiento de la fuerza seguro, adecuado y eficaz para la población de mayor edad, pero con resultados similares al ejercicio de resistencia convencional

Can Reproductive Health Voucher Programs Improve Quality of Postnatal Care? A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood Voucher Scheme

This study tests the group-level causal relationship between the expansion of Kenya’s Safe Motherhood voucher program and changes in quality of postnatal care (PNC) provided at voucher-contracted facilities. We compare facilities accredited since program inception in 2006 (phase I) and facilities accredited since 2010-2011 (phase II) relative to comparable non-voucher facilities. PNC quality is assessed using observed clinical content processes, as well as client-reported outcome measures. Two-tailed unpaired t-tests are used to identify differences in mean process quality scores and client-reported outcome measures, comparing changes between intervention and comparison groups at the 2010 and 2012 data collection periods. Difference-in-differences analysis is used to estimate the reproductive health (RH) voucher program’s causal effect on quality of care by exploiting group-level differences between voucher-accredited and non-accredited facilities in 2010 and 2012. Participation in the voucher scheme since 2006 significantly improves overall quality of postnatal care by 39% (p=0.02), where quality is defined as the observable processes or components of service provision that occur during a PNC consultation. Program participation since phase I is estimated to improve the quality of observed maternal postnatal care by 86% (p=0.02), with the largest quality improvements in counselling on family planning methods (IRR 5.0; p=0.01) and return to fertility (IRR 2.6; p=0.01). Despite improvements in maternal aspects of PNC, we find a high proportion of mothers who seek PNC are not being checked by any provider after delivery. Additional strategies will be necessary to standardize provision of packaged postnatal interventions to both mother and new-born. This study addresses an important gap in the existing RH literature by using a strong evaluation design to assess RH voucher program effectiveness on quality improvement

Respiration, phytoplankton size and the metabolic balance in the Atlantic gyres

The balance between plankton photosynthesis (GPP) and community respiration (CR) in the euphotic zone (net community production, NCP) is an essential driver of the biological carbon pump. Deficient datasets and a lack of knowledge of the mechanisms regulating CR cause poor empirical models and oversimplified parameterisations that maintain NCP as one of the most important unknowns for projections of the carbon pump. One important unresolved issue is the unexpected lack of empirical relationships between CR and the biomass or size-structure of the phytoplankton, which undermines the use of remotely sensed observations to predict net community metabolism. Here we analyse the spatial variation of plankton metabolism, chlorophyll a concentration (Chla), pico- and nanophytoplankton abundance and size-fractionated primary production (14CPP) along a latitudinal (49°N–46°S) transect of 73 stations across the Atlantic Ocean (AMT-22 cruise). The use of depth-weighted rates (rates integrated to the depth of 0.1% PAR, divided by the regionally varying depth of integration) markedly improved the depiction of latitudinal patterns and the significance of relationships, over volumetric or integrated rates. Depth-weighted CR showed clear and consistent latitudinal patterns with relevance for the distribution of NCP. Depth-weighted Chla and CR exhibited a significant relationship (CRZ=1.42ChlaZ-0.21, r2 = 0.69, N=37, p<0.001) with potential for the difficult prediction of CR. A general ratio of 1.42 mmolO2 mgChla-1 d-1 and a threshold Chla for net heterotrophy of ca. 0.25 mgChla m-3 can be tentatively proposed for the Atlantic, although further analyses of spatial and seasonal variation are necessary. We observed unusually positive NCP rates in the central part of the N gyre, due to a marked decrease of CR in a patch of high Synechococcus spp. abundance and high 14CPP by large phytoplankton. However, no relationship was observed between size-fractionated 14CPP and CR or the GPP : CR ratio during the cruise, contradicting the hypothesis that food web functioning is determined by the phytoplankton size structure. Such independence, together with the persistence of distinct GPP : CR and 14CPP : NCP relationships in distinct biogeographic provinces suggest a resilience of trophic dynamics and the existence of alternative ecosystem states, whose implications for projections of the metabolic state of the ocean are discussed

A spatial approach for the epidemiology of antibiotic use and resistance in community-based studies: the emergence of urban clusters of Escherichia coli quinolone resistance in Sao Paulo, Brasil

Copyright © Kiffer et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2011 This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background Population antimicrobial use may influence resistance emergence. Resistance is an ecological phenomenon due to potential transmissibility. We investigated spatial and temporal patterns of ciprofloxacin (CIP) population consumption related to E. coli resistance emergence and dissemination in a major Brazilian city. A total of 4,372 urinary tract infection E. coli cases, with 723 CIP resistant, were identified in 2002 from two outpatient centres. Cases were address geocoded in a digital map. Raw CIP consumption data was transformed into usage density in DDDs by CIP selling points influence zones determination. A stochastic model coupled with a Geographical Information System was applied for relating resistance and usage density and for detecting city areas of high/low resistance risk. Results E. coli CIP resistant cluster emergence was detected and significantly related to usage density at a level of 5 to 9 CIP DDDs. There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. Conclusions There were clustered hot-spots and a significant global spatial variation in the residual resistance risk after allowing for usage density. The usage density of 5-9 CIP DDDs per 1,000 inhabitants within the same influence zone was the resistance triggering level. This level led to E. coli resistance clustering, proving that individual resistance emergence and dissemination was affected by antimicrobial population consumption

Airway response to respiratory syncytial virus has incidental antibacterial effects.

RSV infection is typically associated with secondary bacterial infection. We hypothesise that the local airway immune response to RSV has incidental antibacterial effects. Using coordinated proteomics and metagenomics analysis we simultaneously analysed the microbiota and proteomes of the upper airway and determined direct antibacterial activity in airway secretions of RSV-infected children. Here, we report that the airway abundance of Streptococcus was higher in samples collected at the time of RSV infection compared with samples collected one month later. RSV infection is associated with neutrophil influx into the airway and degranulation and is marked by overexpression of proteins with known antibacterial activity including BPI, EPX, MPO and AZU1. Airway secretions of children infected with RSV, have significantly greater antibacterial activity compared to RSV-negative controls. This RSV-associated, neutrophil-mediated antibacterial response in the airway appears to act as a regulatory mechanism that modulates bacterial growth in the airways of RSV-infected children

Evaluation of different total leishmania amazonensis antigens for the development of a first-generation vaccine formulated with a toll-like receptor-3 agonist to prevent cutaneous leishmaniasis

Unfortunately, no any vaccine against leishmaniasis has been developed for human use. Therefore, a vaccine based on total Leishmania antigens could be a good and economic approach; and there are different methodologies to obtain these antigens. However, it is unknown whether the method to obtain the antigens affects the integrity and immune response caused by them. OBJECTIVES: to compare the protein profile and immune response generated by total L. amazonensis antigens (TLA) produced by different methods, as well as to analyse the immune response and protection by a first-generation vaccine formulated with sonicated TLA (sTLA) and polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [Poly (I:C)]. METHODS: TLA were obtained by four different methodologies and their integrity and immune response were evaluated. Finally, sTLA was formulated with Poly (I:C) and their protective immune response was measured. FINDINGS: sTLA presented a conserved protein profile and induced a strong immune response. In addition, Poly (I:C) improved the immune response generated by sTLA. Finally, sTLA + Poly (I:C) formulation provided partial protection against L. amazonensis infection. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: The protein profile and immune response depend on the methodology used to obtain the antigens. Also, the formulation sTLA + Poly (I:C) provides partial protection against cutaneous leishmaniasis in mice.Fil: Germano, Maria Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Lozano, Esteban Sebastián. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Sanchez, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Bruna, Flavia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Garcia Bustos, Maria Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Patología Experimental. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud. Instituto de Patología Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Sosa Lochedino, Arianna Lourdes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Salomón, María Cristina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Fernandes, Ana Paula. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Mackern Oberti, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; ArgentinaFil: Cargnelutti, Diego Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentin

Chitosan encapsulation modulates the effect of capsaicin on the tight junctions of MDCK cells

Capsaicin has known pharmacological effects including the ability to reversibly open cellular tight junctions, among others. The aim of this study was to develop a strategy to enhance the paracellular transport of a substance with low permeability (FITC-dextran) across an epithelial cell monolayer via reversible opening of cellular tight junctions using a nanosystem comprised by capsaicin and of chitosan. We compared the biophysical properties of free capsaicin and capsaicin-loaded chitosan nanocapsules, including their cytotoxicity towards epithelial MDCK-C7 cells and their effect on the integrity of tight junctions, membrane permeability and cellular uptake. The cytotoxic response of MDCK-C7 cells to capsaicin at a concentration of 500 μM, which was evident for the free compound, is not observable following its encapsulation. The interaction between nanocapsules and the tight junctions of MDCK-C7 cells was investigated by impedance spectroscopy, digital holographic microscopy and structured illumination fluorescence microscopy. The nanocapsules modulated the interaction between capsaicin and tight junctions as shown by the different time profile of trans-epithelial electrical resistance and the enhanced permeability of monolayers incubated with FITC-dextran. Structured illumination fluorescence microscopy showed that the nanocapsules were internalized by MDCK-C7 cells. The capsaicin-loaded nanocapsules could be further developed as drug nanocarriers with enhanced epithelial permeability

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

A Novel Docetaxel-Loaded Poly (ε-Caprolactone)/Pluronic F68 Nanoparticle Overcoming Multidrug Resistance for Breast Cancer Treatment

Multidrug resistance (MDR) in tumor cells is a significant obstacle to the success of chemotherapy in many cancers. The purpose of this research is to test the possibility of docetaxel-loaded poly (ε-caprolactone)/Pluronic F68 (PCL/Pluronic F68) nanoparticles to overcome MDR in docetaxel-resistance human breast cancer cell line. Docetaxel-loaded nanoparticles were prepared by modified solvent displacement method using commercial PCL and self-synthesized PCL/Pluronic F68, respectively. PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles were found to be of spherical shape with a rough and porous surface. The nanoparticles had an average size of around 200 nm with a narrow size distribution. The in vitro drug release profile of both nanoparticle formulations showed a biphasic release pattern. There was an increased level of uptake of PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles in docetaxel-resistance human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 TAX30, when compared with PCL nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity of PCL nanoparticles was higher than commercial Taxotere®in the MCF-7 TAX30 cell culture, but the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). However, the PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles achieved significantly higher level of cytotoxicity than both of PCL nanoparticles and Taxotere®(p < 0.05), indicating docetaxel-loaded PCL/Pluronic F68 nanoparticles could overcome multidrug resistance in human breast cancer cells and therefore have considerable potential for treatment of breast cancer