Quantification and Scavenging Ability of Antioxidants in Bottled Tea

Bottled tea is made from brewed leaves of the Camelia sinensis plant. These leaves contain molecules called polyphenols that have aromatic rings with many alcohol groups. Different fermentation processes of the leaves lead to different types of tea, including black, oolong, green, and white tea. The polyphenols present in bottled tea have antioxidant properties, which have been seen to prevent certain types of diseases. Antioxidants work by stabilizing highly unstable free radicals, which are missing an electron in their orbital. Different studies have concluded contradictory results about which type of tea contains the highest quantity of antioxidants. There has been limited research in the activity of antioxidants in commercially brewed tea. The goal of our research is to analyze the quantity of different antioxidants present in bottled tea, and then analyze their effectiveness by examining their activity. Quantification is conducted with UV-Vis Photospectrometry to look at the total polyphenol content as well as individual classes of compounds. Reactivity is conducted to mimic a cellular response to the presence of a radical when there are polyphenols present, and to oxidize the polyphenols to measure their capacity for oxidation

Pablo Larios y el Royal Calpe Hunt como ejemplo de relaciones transfronterizas entre Gibraltar y España durante el siglo XIX y principios del XX

This article discusses the social and political networks set up during the late nineteenth century and first half of the twentieth for the benefit of the Royal Calpe Hunt. The Hunt was a military fox hunt based in Gibraltar but, given the geographical limitations on the Rock, hunting would take place in the Campo de Gibraltar. The Calpe Hunt was, by its very nature, a very visual and audible representation of Englishness, a military affair, and one reminiscent of an imperial pursuit. Such was the spectacle that it was impossible to have ridden across the frontier unperceived or unheard. Neither could they have hunted over Spanish country without a considerable degree of cooperation from landowners. Access was a central concern and a major gatekeeper to hunting grounds in Spain was Pablo Larios, Marqués de Marzales (1862-1938), who, as Master of the Hunt, became responsible for the establishment networks between Gibraltar and Spain.; El Royal Calpe Hunt era una montería de carácter militar, establecida en Gibraltar durante el siglo XIX, pero que, dadas las limitaciones geográficas del Peñón, salía a cazar zorros en el entorno del Campo de Gibraltar. Existía cierta resistencia a tal uso, pero esto no nos debe sorprender dada el carácter militar y elitista de la montería. Por tanto, era inevitable que tomara la forma de un desfile militar y de hecho el acceso a muchas fincas dependía en gran parte en el establecimiento y mantenimiento de redes transfronterizas basadas en relaciones recíprocas y monetarias. También dependía de la influencia de un individuo clave, Pablo Larios, Marqués de Marzales (1862-1938), cuyos esfuerzos ayudaron a forjar relaciones políticas y sociales entre Gibraltar y España

Extraction of Stride Events From Gait Accelerometry During Treadmill Walking

Objective: evaluating stride events can be valuable for understanding the changes in walking due to aging and neurological diseases. However, creating the time series necessary for this analysis can be cumbersome. In particular, finding heel contact and toe-off events which define the gait cycles accurately are difficult. Method: we proposed a method to extract stride cycle events from tri-axial accelerometry signals. We validated our method via data collected from 14 healthy controls, 10 participants with Parkinson's disease, and 11 participants with peripheral neuropathy. All participants walked at self-selected comfortable and reduced speeds on a computer-controlled treadmill. Gait accelerometry signals were captured via a tri-axial accelerometer positioned over the L3 segment of the lumbar spine. Motion capture data were also collected and served as the comparison method. Results: our analysis of the accelerometry data showed that the proposed methodology was able to accurately extract heel and toe-contact events from both feet. We used t-tests, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mixed models to summarize results and make comparisons. Mean gait cycle intervals were the same as those derived from motion capture, and cycle-to-cycle variability measures were within 1.5%. Subject group differences could be similarly identified using measures with the two methods. Conclusions: a simple tri-axial accelerometer accompanied by a signal processing algorithm can be used to capture stride events. Clinical impact: the proposed algorithm enables the assessment of stride events during treadmill walking, and is the first step toward the assessment of stride events using tri-axial accelerometers in real-life settings

Microbial community assembly differs across minerals in a rhizosphere microcosm.

Mineral-associated microbes drive many critical soil processes, including mineral weathering, soil aggregation and cycling of mineral-sorbed organic matter. To investigate the interactions between soil minerals and microbes in the rhizosphere, we incubated three types of minerals (ferrihydrite, kaolinite and quartz) and a native soil mineral fraction near roots of a common Californian annual grass, Avena barbata, growing in its resident soil. We followed microbial colonization of these minerals for up to 2.5 months - the plant's lifespan. Bacteria and fungi that colonized mineral surfaces during this experiment differed across mineral types and differed from those in the background soil, implying that microbial colonization was the result of processes in addition to passive movement with water to mineral surfaces. Null model analysis revealed that dispersal limitation was a dominant factor structuring mineral-associated microbial communities for all mineral types. Once bacteria arrived at a mineral surface, capacity for rapid growth appeared important, as ribosomal copy number was significantly correlated with relative enrichment on minerals. Glomeromycota (a phylum associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) appeared to preferentially associate with ferrihydrite surfaces. The mechanisms enabling the colonization of soil minerals may be foundational in shaping the overall soil microbiome composition and development of persistent organic matter in soils

Demographic and Clnical Characteristics of Military Service Members Hospitalized Following a Suicide Attempt versus Suicide Ideation

Psychiatric hospitalization for a suicide attempt (SA), rather than suicide ideation (SI) alone, is a stronger risk indicator for eventual suicide death. Yet, little is known about demographic and clinical characteristics differentiating those admitted for SA versus SI. Understanding these differences has implications for assessment and treatment. A retrospective review of electronic medical records (EMRs) was performed on service members (n = 955) admitted for SA or SI at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center between 2001–2006. Service members hospitalized for SA were younger compared to those hospitalized for SI. The proportion of women admitted for SA was significantly higher than those admitted for SI whereas their male counterparts showed the opposite pattern. Patients admitted for SA, versus SI, had significantly higher prevalence of adjustment disorder with mixed disturbance of emotion and conduct (MDEC), personality disorder not otherwise specified (PDNOS), and borderline personality disorder (BPD). Patients admitted for SI had significantly higher prevalence of adjustment disorder with depressed mood and deferred Axis II diagnosis, compared to those admitted for SA. There were no significant between-group differences in the average or median number of documented prior suicide attempts. Findings highlight the need for more standardized assessment, diagnostic decision-making, and documentation practices for all patients

Training simulated patients: evaluation of a training approach using self-assessment and peer/tutor feedback to improve performance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Most medical schools use simulated patients (SPs) for teaching. In this context the authenticity of role play and quality of feedback provided by SPs is of paramount importance. The available literature on SP training mostly addresses instructor led training where the SPs are given direction on their roles. This study focuses on the use of peer and self evaluation as a tool to train SPs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>SPs at the medical school participated in a staff development and training programme which included a) self-assessment of their performance while observing video-tapes of their role play using a structured guide and b) peer group assessment of their performance under tutor guidance. The pre and post training performance in relation to authenticity of role play and quality of feedback was blindly assessed by students and tutors using a validated instrument and the scores were compared. A focus group discussion and a questionnaire assessed acceptability of the training programme by the SPs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The post-training performance assessment scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than the pre-training scores. The degree of improvement in the quality of feedback provided to students was more when compared to the improvement of role play. The acceptability of the training by the SPs was very satisfactory scoring an average of 7.6 out of 10. The majority of the SPs requested the new method of training to be included in their current training programme as a regular feature.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Use of structured self-reflective and peer-interactive, practice based methods of SP training is recommended to improve SP performance. More studies on these methods of training may further refine SP training and lead to improvement of SP performance which in turn may positively impact medical education.</p