A psychomotor rehabilitation intervention to improve health and well-being indicators of institutionalized older adults.

INTRODUCTION Institutionalization tends to exacerbate the usual fragility and disability associated with the ageing process (Heppenstall, Wilkinson, Hanger, Keeling, & Pearson, 2011). In turn, poor health and well-being compromise older adults’ quality of life. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of a psychomotor rehabilitation program on health and well-being indicators of institutionalized older adults. METHODOLOGY A total of 42 nursing home residents (84 ± 6.2 years) participated in the study: 21 were allocated to the experimental group (EG: engaged the rehabilitation program twice a week for 75 min), and 21 were allocated to the control group (CG: maintained daily institution activities). The Mini Mental State Examination was used to screen severe cognitive impairment as an exclusion criteria. Mood states, pain, disability and self-rated health were assessed through the Profile of Mood States, the P4 Pain Scale, the Barthel Index, and the EuroQol visual analogue scale, respectively. After finishing the study, the CG attended the rehabilitation program.RESULTS Comparisons showed that: in terms of mood states, both groups showed improvements in tension, whereas only the EG demonstrated improvements in depression, anger, vigor, fatigue, and confusion (treatment effect: -0.23 to -2.60); the EG experienced a decrease in pain (treatment effect: 0.21 to 0.50), while the CG showed an increase; finally, in terms of the disability level and the self-rated health the EG experienced no changes, whereas these indicators worsened in the CG (p <0.05). CONCLUSION The psychomotor program was able to revert the expected loss of health and well-being characteristic of older people, particularly the institutionalized ones. Specifically, the program was effective in improving the mood states and in decreasing pain of the nursing home residents, as well as in maintaining their disability level and health status. These findings suggest that the general adherence of nursing home residents to psychomotor rehabilitation programs may improve the quality of life of our oldest adults

A Strategy for GC/MS Quantification of Polar Compounds via their Silylated Surrogates: Silylation and Quantification of Biological Amino Acids

Substitution of polar functionalized compounds with silylated (e.g., trimethylsilylated) surrogates prior to GC/ MS analysis is a widely used analytical strategy. Calibration is a most demanding step of this strategy. In fact, a calibration function is usually acquired by converting known amounts of the pure analyte to its silylated surrogate using the same conditions employed for processing unknown samples. The cumbersome need of acquiring a new calibration function prevents, to a large extend, the possibility of modifying silylation and instrumental settings on a sample by sample basis as would be appropriate in a number of cases. The modified standard additions calibration method, suggested in this paper, overcomes this difficulty by integrating in a single analytical procedure calibration and sample analysis. Furthermore, the suggested procedure compensates for matrix effects which may be a serious source of inaccuracy and is a tool that can be used during method development in order to find the most suitable silylation conditions for a given analyte. The implementation and benefits of the modified standard additions calibration method are explored in this paper on the basis of a symbolic but enlightening experiment dealing with the very representative GC/MS quantification of biological amino acids via their trimethylsilylated derivatives

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) Assay by Adsorptive Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (Adcsv) at the Hanging Mercury Drop Electrode (HMDE)

In this study the interactions of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) with a mercury surface are investigated. Firstly, by using Cyclic Voltammetry, it is demonstrated that Riboflavin can be efficiently accumulated, by adsorption from buffered solutions containing an excess of NaClO4, onto the mercury drop of a HMDE. Secondly, it is shown that the adsorbed Riboflavin can be reduced through an electrochemical reaction whose stoichiometry is extricated by confronting simulated with experimental CV voltammograms acquired in a range of pH between about four and nine. Finally, the cathodic current, sustained by the surface reduction of Riboflavin, is exploited for assaying Riboflavin via Differential Pulse Adsorption Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (DP AdCSV) within the frame of the standard additions calibration procedure. By applying the suggested DP AdCSV procedure with standard voltammetric equipment, typical DP settings and pre-electrolysis time of about 10 s, a linear response is maintained if Riboflavin concentration in the electrolysed solution does not exceed about 2 mg/l. On the other side, a limit of detection (expressed as the concentration of Riboflavin in the electrolysed solution) of 7 μg/l has been achieved with a pre-electrolysis time of 68 s

The Isolation and Identification of Bacteria on Feathers of Migratory Bird Species

Worldwide, bacteria are the most ubiquitous microorganisms, and it has been extensively demonstrated that migratory wild birds can increase bacterial global scale dispersion through long-distance migration and dispersal. The microbial community hosted by wild birds can be highly diverse, including pathogenic strains that can contribute to infections and disease spread. This study focused on feather and plumage bacteria within bird microbial communities. Samples were collected during ornithological activities in a bird ringing station. Bacterial identification was carried out via DNA barcoding of the partial 16S rRNA gene. Thirty-seven isolates of bacteria were identified on the chest feathers of 60 migratory birds belonging to three trans-Saharan species: Muscicapa striata, Hippolais icterina, and Sylvia borin. Our results demonstrate the possibility of bacterial transfer, including pathogens, through bird migration between very distant countries. The data from the analysis of plumage bacteria can aid in the explanation of phenomena such as migratory birds’ fitness or the development of secondary sexual traits. Moreover, these results have deep hygienic–sanitary implications, since many bird species have synanthropic behaviors during their migration that increase the probability of disease sprea

pH and Acid-Base Equilibrium Calculations via a Matrix Representation of Solutions of Acids and/or Bases

In this article we implement the idea of representing an aqueous solution of acids and/or bases with a matrix from which the pH and equilibrium concentrations of all species in any described solution can be extracted. Given that this matrix can be readily generated using an ad hoc MS Excel sheet, whatever pH calculation is reduced to the problem of selecting a row from the matrix by using as a guide the proton balance equation in the solution. A special scheme is presented allowing the needed proton balance relation to be derived from the specified solution data in all cases. This preserves the fundamental unity of the topic without sacrificing chemical understanding and simplicity. By consequence, the presented calculation technique is eminently suitable to be used in introductory courses as a complement, an extension or a substitute whenever the usual way of dealing with the topic (which, in general, consists in developing a menu of special cases, formulas and/or algebraic procedures) is judged insufficient. A MS Excel file named , attached to the present paper as supporting material, allows the matrix representation of any given solution to be developed in a very short time

Bacterial inactivation/sterilization by argon plasma treatment on contaminated titanium implant surfaces: in vitro study

Background: Surface treatment by argon plasma is widely used as the last step of the manufacturing process of titanium implant fixtures before their sterilization by gamma rays. The possibility of using such a technology in the daily clinical practice is particularly fascinating. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of the argon plasma treatment on different titanium implant surfaces previously exposed in vitro to bacterial contamination. Material and Methods: Sterile c.p. titanium implant discs with turned (T, Sa: 0.8μm), sandblasted/acid-etched (SAE, Sa: 1.3μm) and titanium plasma sprayed (TPS, Sa: 3.0μm) surface were used in this study. A strain of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans ATCC3718 was grown at 37°C under anaerobic conditions for 24 h and then transferred on six discs for each of the three surface types. After 24 hours, a half of the contaminated discs (control group) were directly used to evaluate the colony forming units (CFUs). The other half of the contaminated discs (test group) were treated in an argon plasma chamber for 12 minutes at room temperature prior to be analyzed for CFU counting. All assays were performed using triplicate samples of each material in 3 different experiments. Results: When the CFU counting was carried out on control discs, a total of 1.50x106±1.4x105, 1.55x106±7.07x104 and 3.15x106±2.12x105 CFU was respectively assessed for T, SAE and TPS discs, without statistically significant differences among the three surfaces. On the contrary, any trace of bacterial contamination was assessed for titanium discs treated in the argon plasma chamber prior to be analyzed, irrespectively to the implant surface tested. Conclusions: Within the limit of this study, reported data suggested that the argon plasma technology could be efficiently used to decontaminate/sterilize previously infected titanium implant surfaces

Toxicity Effects of Functionalized Quantum Dots, Gold and Polystyrene Nanoparticles on Target Aquatic Biological Models: A Review

Nano-based products are widespread in several sectors, including textiles,medical-products, cosmetics, paints and plastics. Nanosafety and safe-by-design are driving nanoparticle (NP) production and applications through NP functionalization (@NPs). Indeed, @NPs frequently present biological effects that differ fromthe parentmaterial. This paper reviews the impact of quantumdots (QDs), gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and polystyrene-coredNPs (PSNPs), evidencing the role ofNP functionalization in toxicity definition. Key biological models were taken into consideration for NP evaluation: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, fresh- (F) and saltwater (S)microalgae (Raphidocelis subcapitata (F), Scenedesmus obliquus (F) and Chlorella spp. (F), and Phaeodactylum tricornutum (S)), Daphnia magna, and Xenopus laevis. QDs are quite widespread in technological devices, and they are known to induce genotoxicity and oxidative stress that can drastically change according to the coating employed. For example, AuNPs are frequently functionalized with antimicrobial peptides, which is shown to both increase their activity and decrease the relative environmental toxicity. P-NPs are frequently coated with NH2 for cationic and COOH for anionic surfaces, but when positively charged toxicity effects can be observed. Careful assessment of functionalized and non-functionalized NPs is compulsory to also understand their potential direct and indirect effects when the coating is removed or degraded

Comparative assessment of the quality of commercial black and green tea using microbiology analyses

Drinking tea constitutes a tradition which is deeply rooted in the culture of several countries. Moreover, in recent years, tea consumption is growing all over the world. Improper herbal tea storage (long periods, humid environments) represents a relevant health hazard for consumers because of the growth of bacteria and molds

What is in your cup of tea? DNA Verity Test to characterize black and green commercial teas

In this study, we used several molecular techniques to develop a fast and reliable protocol (DNA Verity Test, DVT) for the characterization and confirmation of the species or taxa present in herbal infusions. As a model plant for this protocol, Camellia sinensis, a traditional tea plant, was selected due to the following reasons: its historical popularity as a (healthy) beverage, its high selling value, the importation of barely recognizable raw product (i.e., crushed), and the scarcity of studies concerning adulterants or contamination. The DNA Verity Test includes both the sequencing of DNA barcoding markers and genotyping of labeled-PCR DNA barcoding fragments for each sample analyzed. This protocol (DVT) was successively applied to verify the authenticity of 32 commercial teas (simple or admixture), and the main results can be summarized as follows: (1) the DVT protocol is suitable to detect adulteration in tea matrices (contaminations or absence of certified ingredients), and the method can be exported for the study of other similar systems; (2) based on the BLAST analysis of the sequences of rbcL+matK±rps7-trnV(GAC) chloroplast markers, C. sinensis can be taxonomically characterized; (3) rps7-trnV(GAC) can be employed to discriminate C. sinensis from C. pubicosta; (4) ITS2 is not an ideal DNA barcode for tea samples, reflecting potential incomplete lineage sorting and hybridization/introgression phenomena in C. sinensis taxa; (5) the genotyping approach is an easy, inexpensive and rapid pre-screening method to detect anomalies in the tea templates using the trnH(GUG)-psbA barcoding marker; (6) two herbal companies provided no authentic products with a contaminant or without some of the listed ingredients; and (7) the leaf matrices present in some teabags could be constituted using an admixture of different C. sinensis haplotypes and/or allied species (C. pubicosta)

Protamine-like proteins have bactericidal activity. The first evidence in Mytilus galloprovincialis.

The major acid-soluble protein components of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis sperm chromatin consist of the protamine-like proteins PL-II, PL-III and PL-IV, an intermediate group of sperm nuclear basic proteins between histones and protamines. The aim of this study was to investigate the bactericidal activity of these proteins since, to date, there are reports on bactericidal activity of protamines and histones, but not on protamine-like proteins. We tested the bactericidal activity of these proteins against Gram-positive bacteria: Enterococcus faecalis and two different strains of Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Gram-negative bacteria: Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhmurium, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, and Escherichia coli. Clinical isolates of the same bacterial species were also used to compare their sensitivity to these proteins. The results show that Mytilus galloprovincialis protamine-like proteins exhibited bactericidal activity against all bacterial strains tested with different minimum bactericidal concentration values, ranging from 15.7 to 250 µg/mL. Furthermore, these proteins were active against some bacterial strains tested that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. These proteins showed very low toxicity as judged by red blood cell lysis and viability MTT assays and seem to act both at the membrane level and within the bacterial cell. We also tested the bactericidal activity of the product obtained from an in vitro model of gastrointestinal digestion of protamine-like proteins on a Gram-positive and a Gram-negative strain, and obtained the same results with respect to undigested protamine-like proteins on the Gram-positive bacterium. These results provide the first evidence of bactericidal activity of protamine-like-proteins