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Objective: To evaluate the evidence of effectiveness of exergame-based rehabilitative interventions on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in persons with chronic diseases. TYPE: Systematic review and meta-analysis., Literature Survey: Randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials of exergame rehabilitation interventions in populations with chronic diseases reporting HRQoL outcomes were identified by searching PubMed, Scopus, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Google Scholar, using keywords and MeSH terms for papers published between January 2005 and March 2019., Methodology: Risk of bias was assessed by using the PEDro scale. The Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system was used to score the quality of evidence. Pooled effects were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) or weighted mean difference (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was weighted by inconsistency I 2 tests., Synthesis: Thirty-four trials were identified (1594 participants). Overall, the evidence was low quality. Exergames significantly improved HRQoL in populations with chronic diseases, with a small effect size (32 studies; 1544 participants; SMD 0.24; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.4; I 2  = 27%) and specifically in people with neurological disorders (20 studies, 956 participants, SMD 0.22; 95% CI 0.2 to 0.4; I 2  = 49%), rheumatologic diseases (four studies, 210 participants, SMD 0.39; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.7; I 2  = 4%), and cardiorespiratory and chronic metabolic conditions (five studies, 309 participants, SMD 0.23; 95% CI 0.0 to 0.5; I 2  = 0%). Exergaming interventions in health care settings demonstrated similarly small but positive effects (22 studies, 905 participants, SMD 0.30; 95% CI 0.1 to 0.5; I 2  = 41%), whereas those carried out in home-based contexts did not., Conclusions: Exergame-based rehabilitative interventions performed in health care settings led to small but statistically significant improvements in HRQoL in persons with chronic diseases., (© 2020 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)

Aim: To investigate the role of maximum tumour diameter (D-max) reduction rate at CT examination in predicting histopathological tumour regression grade (TRG according to the Becker grade), after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), in patients with resectable advanced gastric cancer (AGC)., Materials and Methods: Eighty-six patients (53 M, mean age 62.1 years) with resectable AGC (≥T3 or N+), treated with NAC and radical surgery, were enrolled from 5 centres of the Italian Research Group for Gastric Cancer (GIRCG). Staging and restaging CT and histological results were retrospectively reviewed. CT examinations were contrast enhanced, and the stomach was previously distended. The D-max was measured using 2D software and compared with Becker TRG. Statistical data were obtained using "R" software., Results: The interobserver agreement was good/very good. Becker TRG was predicted by CT with a sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 97.3% and 90.9% for Becker 1 (D-max reduction rate > 65.1%), 76.4% and 80% for Becker 3 (D-max reduction rate < 29.9%), and 70.8% and 83.9% for Becker 2. Correlation between radiological and histological D-max measurements was strongly confirmed by the correlation index (c.i.= 0.829)., Conclusions: D-max reduction rate in AGC patients may be helpful as a simple and reproducible radiological index in predicting TRG after NAC.

This work has studied the effect of pH on specific growth rate mu, yield factor Y, and specific substrate consumption rate U for two mixed microbial populations (sludge A and B) in a batch reactor with a limiting substrate (phenol). The mathematical analysis of mu and U as a function of pH has been applied not only to the results of the present work but also to other published data. On the basis of the results obtained, the following remarks can be made: (a) The effect of pH on bacterial activity differed for the two sludges; (b) variations in pH of one unit more or less than optimum pH can give rise to appreciable variations in mu and U; and (c) with regard to the mixed populations used in this study, the mu or U and pH data for the range investigated can be suitably described by a parabolic relation.