Effects of neural mobilization in patients after lumbar microdiscectomy due to intervertebral disc lesion.

BACKGROUND: Neural mobilization (NM) techniques have been shown to improve the neural tissue's viscoelastic properties that may lead to recover of the function of the nerve after lumbar spine surgery. This study aimed to determine the effects of NM in addition to standard rehabilitation on lumbar and sciatic pain intensity, disability level, and quality of life in patients after receiving a microdiscectomy of the intervertebral lumbar disc (IVD). METHODS: Twenty-four participants (age 41.3 ± 8.3 years old) within 3-4 weeks of a microdiscectomy of an IVD were randomly allocated to control (CTRL; n = 12) or NM group (n = 12). The CTRL group received ten standard rehabilitation sessions. The NM group received the same rehabilitation sessions with the addition of NM techniques. The intensity of lumbar and sciatic pain (visual analogue scale), disability level (Oswestry disability index), and health-related quality of life (SF-36 questionnaire) were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Within-group analysis revealed a significant reduction in lumbar (p < 0.05) and sciatic pain intensity (p < 0.001), disability level (p < 0.001), and improvement in the physical function and problems, vitality, emotional well-being, and pain SF-36 items (p < 0.05) in both groups. There were no statistical differences between groups in all outcomes. CONCLUSION: A standard rehabilitation protocol alone or in combination with NM techniques are equally effective in reducing pain and disability level, as well as improving quality of life in patients after a microdiscectomy due to intervertebral lumbar disc lesion.

Study of virgin olive oil clarification by settling under dynamic conditions.

BACKGROUND: Vertical centrifugation is the main method for virgin olive oil (VOO) clarification. However, in recent years, settling tanks are also being used to clarify the oils from decanters. They can operate under static or dynamic conditions. In this work, vertical centrifugation and settling under dynamic conditions for VOO clarification and their effects on VOO characteristics were compared. RESULTS: VOO quality parameters were not affected by the clarification systems studied. The vertical centrifugal separator (VCS) showed higher clarification efficiency, giving clarified oils with higher phenol content and better sensory characteristics. VOOs clarified by dynamic settling showed notable losses of phenols and worse sensory characteristics, since the tank purge system was not efficient, with most of the impurities remaining in the tanks. CONCLUSION: The VCS with minimal water addition is a quick operation with low water consumption and is a better option to produce VOOs of improved quality, especially in terms of longer shelf life and preservation of positive sensory notes. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Sterol composition of virgin olive oil of forty-three olive cultivars from the World Collection Olive Germplasm Bank of Cordoba.

BACKGROUND: In olive oil, sterols constitute the majority of the unsaponifiable fraction. In recent years there has been increased interest in the sterols of olive oil for their health benefits and their importance to virgin olive oil (VOO) quality regulation. RESULTS: Forty-three olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars from the World Olive Germplasm Bank, IFAPA Centro 'Alameda de Obispo', Cordoba, Spain were studied for their oil sterol composition and total content. The main sterols found in olive oil were ß-sitosterol, Δ(5) -avenasterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, most of them showing high variability. Most cultivars showed total sterol contents within the limits established by EU regulations, although 28% of VOOs analysed were outside the limits established for total content and/or for individual sterols. Over the group of cultivars, total sterol contents ranged from 855 to 2185 mg kg(-1) . CONCLUSION: The high variability observed was due to the genetic component, since other agronomic and technological factors were similar. Because of the high variability, the sterol fraction can be considered as a useful tool to characterize and discriminate monovarietal VOOs. The results can be useful for nutritionists for VOO inclusion in nutrition studies. Furthermore, the variability observed can be applied in olive breeding projects to select the parents of new olive cultivars with an improved sterol fraction. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Accelerated atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed Western diets containing palm oil compared with extra virgin olive oils: a role for small, dense high-density lipoproteins.

To test the hypothesis that extra virgin olive oils from different cultivars added to Western diets might behave differently than palm oil in the development of atherosclerosis, apoE-deficient mice were fed diets containing different cultivars of olive oil for 10 weeks. Female mice were assigned randomly to one of the following five groups: (1-4) fed chow diets supplemented with 0.15% (w/w) cholesterol and 20% (w/w) extra virgin olive oil from the Arbequina, Picual, Cornicabra, or Empeltre cultivars, and (5) fed a chow diet supplemented with 0.15% cholesterol and 20% palm oil. Compared to diets containing palm oil, a Western diet supplemented with one of several varieties of extra virgin olive oil decreased atherosclerosis lesions, reduced plaque size, and decreased macrophage recruitment. Unexpectedly, total plasma paraoxonase activity, apoA-I, plasma triglycerides, and cholesterol played minor roles in the regulation of differential aortic lesion development. Extra virgin olive oil induced a cholesterol-poor, apoA-IV-enriched lipoparticle that has enhanced arylesterase and antioxidant activities, which is closely associated with reductions in atherosclerotic lesions. Given the anti-atherogenic properties of extra virgin olive oil evident in animal models fed a Western diet, clinical trials are needed to establish whether these oils are a safe and effective means of treating atherosclerosis.