Positronium image of the human brain in vivo.

Positronium is abundantly produced within the molecular voids of a patient's body during positron emission tomography (PET). Its properties dynamically respond to the submolecular architecture of the tissue and the partial pressure of oxygen. Current PET systems record only two annihilation photons and cannot provide information about the positronium lifetime.

Discrete symmetries tested at 10 precision using linear polarization of photons from positronium annihilations.

Discrete symmetries play an important role in particle physics with violation of CP connected to the matter-antimatter imbalance in the Universe. We report the most precise test of P, T and CP invariance in decays of ortho-positronium, performed with methodology involving polarization of photons from these decays. Positronium, the simplest bound state of an electron and positron, is of recent interest with discrepancies reported between measured hyperfine energy structure and theory at the level of 10 signaling a need for better understanding of the positronium system at this level.

Early detection of deterioration in COVID-19 patients by continuous ward respiratory rate monitoring: a pilot prospective cohort study.

Background: Tachypnea is among the earliest signs of pulmonary decompensation. Contactless continuous respiratory rate monitoring might be useful in isolated COVID-19 patients admitted in wards. We therefore aimed to determine whether continuous monitoring of respiratory patterns in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 predicts subsequent need for increased respiratory support.

Serum and Urine Metabolomic Profiling of Newly Diagnosed Treatment-Naïve Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background And Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a prevalent chronic noncurable disease associated with profound metabolic changes. The discovery of novel molecular indicators for unraveling IBD etiopathogenesis and the diagnosis and prognosis of IBD is therefore pivotal. We sought to determine the distinctive metabolic signatures from the different IBD subgroups before treatment initiation.

ProTheRaMon - a GATE simulation framework for proton therapy range monitoring using PET imaging.

Objective: This paper reports on the implementation and shows examples of the use of the ProTheRaMon framework for simulating the delivery of proton therapy treatment plans and range monitoring using positron emission tomography (PET). ProTheRaMon offers complete processing of proton therapy treatment plans, patient CT geometries, and intra-treatment PET imaging, taking into account therapy and imaging coordinate systems and activity decay during the PET imaging protocol specific to a given proton therapy facility. We present the ProTheRaMon framework and illustrate its potential use case and data processing steps for a patient treated at the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB) proton therapy center in Krakow, Poland.

Correction to: Effects of behavioural activation on substance use and depression: a systematic review.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

Smoking cessation and depressive symptoms at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up.

Background: The relationship between tobacco and depressive symptoms has been examined. However, there is little information on the evolution of these symptoms when an individual quits. The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of depressive symptoms over time (pre-, post-treatment, 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-months follow-up) in relation to smoking status 12 months after having received a psychological treatment for smoking cessation.

Motivation to quit as a predictor of smoking cessation and abstinence maintenance among treated Spanish smokers.

Introduction: Although quitting motivation predicts smoking cessation, there have been inconsistent findings regarding motivation predicting long-term maintenance of abstinence. Moreover, most such research has been conducted in North America and the United Kingdom. The aim of this study was to examine motivation to quit as a predictor of smoking cessation and of abstinence maintenance in a Spanish sample.

[Do adolescents who use stimulants have a different personality?].

Stimulant consumption is especially important in our context because its use has greatly increased in recent years. The aim of the present study is to analyze the differences between stimulant users and nonusers (under 18 years old) in personality characteristics assessed with the MACI. The sample comprises 398 youths between 14 and 17 years old who were selected through random sampling in their homes or in recreational night spots.

Subtypes of smokers who attend psychological treatment in order to stop smoking.

The aim of this study is to identify subtypes of smokers who attended psychological treatment during the period 2006-2008 for smoking cessation from a sample of current smokers (N = 202) from Galicia, Spain. Eight instruments were used for data collection. Demographic variables, smoking variables, and psychopathological characteristics were clustered to establish typologies of smokers.

Effect of poultry decontaminants concentration on growth kinetics for pathogenic and spoilage bacteria.

Various chemical compounds are currently under review for final approval as poultry decontaminants in the European Union (EU). Concentration is among the factors considered by the EU authorities in the evaluation of these treatments. The aim of this research was to compare the growth parameters for pathogenic and spoilage bacteria in presence of high and low concentrations of poultry decontaminants to assess whether such treatments could involve a potential sanitary risk for consumers.

Effectiveness of trisodium phosphate, acidified sodium chlorite, citric acid, and peroxyacids against pathogenic bacteria on poultry during refrigerated storage.

The effects of dipping treatments (15 min) in potable water or in solutions (wt/vol) of 12% trisodium phosphate (TSP), 1,200 ppm acidified sodium chlorite (ASC), 2% citric acid (CA), and 220 ppm peroxyacids (PA) on inoculated pathogenic bacteria (Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Salmonella Enteritidis, Escherichia coli, and Yersinia enterocolitica) and skin pH were investigated throughout storage of chicken legs (days 0, 1, 3, and 5) at 3 +/- 1 degrees C. All chemical solutions reduced microbial populations (P < 0.001) as compared with the control (untreated) samples.

Effect of various chemical decontamination treatments on natural microflora and sensory characteristics of poultry.

Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council provides a legal basis permitting the use of antimicrobial treatments to remove surface contamination from poultry. This paper reports the results of research into the effects on natural microflora, pH, and sensorial characteristics achieved by dipping chicken legs (15 min, 18+/-1 degrees C) into solutions (wt/vol) of 12% trisodium phosphate (TSP), 1200 ppm acidified sodium chlorite (ASC), 2% citric acid (CA), 220 ppm peroxyacids (Inspexx 100; PA), and water.

Comparison of pathogenic and spoilage bacterial levels on refrigerated poultry parts following treatment with trisodium phosphate.

This study was undertaken to determine whether trisodium phosphate decontamination of poultry could give a competitive advantage to pathogens and increase microbiological risk to consumers. Chicken legs were co-inoculated with similar concentrations of pathogenic (Salmonella Enteritidis or Listeria monocytogenes) and spoilage (Pseudomonas fluorescens or Brochothrix thermosphacta) bacteria. Samples were dipped in TSP (12%, 15 min) or were non-treated (control).

Effectiveness of trisodium phosphate treatment against pathogenic and spoilage bacteria on poultry during refrigerated storage.

To determine the efficacy of trisodium phosphate (TSP) against pathogenic and spoilage bacteria on poultry and to assess the influence of the bacterial combination of inoculum on TSP effect, chicken legs were coinoculated with similar concentrations of a pathogenic (Salmonella enterica ser. Enteritidis or Listeria monocytogenes) and a spoilage (Pseudomonas fluorescens or Brochothrix thermosphacta) bacteria. Samples were dipped in TSP (12%, 15 min) or were not treated (control).