Fluctuations of Jump Height in Male Basketball Players: Analysis of a Competitive Season.

The present study aimed to determine whether neuromuscular fatigue monitored through countermovement jump height was a reliable and helpful marker for monitoring acute (session) and chronic (between sessions/periods of the season) fatigue throughout an entire basketball season. A longitudinal observational study analyzed the neuromuscular performance (i.e., through countermovement jump) during a basketball season. Fourteen semiprofessional male basketball players participated in the study between September 2021 and May 2022 (34 weeks, 102 practices, and 1574 jumps analyzed). Upon waking up, they completed an online wellness questionnaire. Before practices began, players performed three countermovement jumps on a contact platform after a structured warm-up, repeating the protocol at the end of each practice. Ten minutes after finishing such practice, they also reported perceived exertion's muscular and cardiovascular ratings. The preseason was the period of the season with the lowest absolute countermovement jump height levels (2.06 to 2.50 cm; d = 1.92 to 2.74, very large, p < 0.02). Average pre-session jumps were very largely higher on Wednesdays (0.62 cm, 95% CI = 0.29 - 0.95, p = 0.0095, d = 2.09) and Fridays (0.62 cm, 95% CI = 0.06 - 0.88, p = 0.06, d = 1.43) compared to Mondays. The countermovement jump is a valuable marker for assessing fatigue in semiprofessional basketball players. Games played on weekends mainly and consistently affected Monday's jumping performance, showing the lowest average values. Finally, preseason values were lower than those observed for the rest of the season.

Enhancement of phonemic verbal fluency in multilingual young adults by transcranial random noise stimulation.

Several studies have analyzed the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on verbal fluency tasks in non-clinical populations. Nevertheless, the reported effects on verbal fluency are inconsistent. In addition, the effect of other techniques such as transcranial random noise stimulation (tRNS) on verbal fluency enhancement has yet to be studied in healthy multilingual populations. This study aims to explore the effects of tRNS on verbal fluency in healthy multilingual individuals. Fifty healthy multilingual (Spanish, English and Basque) adults were randomly assigned to a tRNS or sham group. Electrodes were placed on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left inferior frontal gyrus. All participants performed phonemic and semantic verbal fluency tasks before, during (online assessment) and immediately after (offline assessment) stimulation in three different languages. The results showed significantly better performance by participants who received tRNS in the phonemic verbal fluency tasks in Spanish (in the online and offline assessment) and English (in the offline assessment). No differences between conditions were found in Basque nor semantic verbal fluency. These findings suggests that tRNS on the left prefrontal cortex could help improve phonemic, yet not semantic, fluency in healthy multilingual adults.

In-situ acetylation followed by liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography - mass spectrometry for the determination of bromophenols in urine.

A novel and simple method combining in-situ acetylation, liquid-liquid extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been developed for the quantification of 10 bromophenols in urine, used as biomarkers of exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers. The analytical process involves an enzymatic hydrolysis of the bromophenol glucuronide fraction followed by an aqueous derivatization of the phenol group with acetic anhydride. A subsequent liquid-liquid extraction of the sample with hexane allows the injection of the organic layer, using a programmed temperature vaporizer, into a gas chromatograph coupled to a single quadrupole mass spectrometer. Quantification is performed by the standard addition method. Limits of detection are in the pg mL-1 range. Trueness, assessed in terms of percentages of recovery, varies between 100 % and 118 % in synthetic urine and between 79 % and 117 % in human urine. Precision, assessed at two different levels, 0.25 ng mL-1 and 2.5 ng mL-1, shows values of relative standard deviation below 14 % both in intra- and inter-day studies for both matrices. The method has been applied to the analysis of seven urine samples, measuring concentrations higher than the LOQ in three of them. These levels are in agreement with others found in literature, but they have been obtained by applying a much simpler and faster protocol. In addition, the replacement of silylating reagents by acetic anhydride, to derivatize the phenol moiety, provides a greener alternative to other GC-MS procedures published up to date.

A multi-site study on sex differences in cortical thickness in non-demented Parkinson's disease.

Clinical, cognitive, and atrophy characteristics depending on sex have been previously reported in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, though sex differences in cortical gray matter measures in early drug naïve patients have been described, little is known about differences in cortical thickness (CTh) as the disease advances. Our multi-site sample comprised 211 non-demented PD patients (64.45% males; mean age 65.58 ± 8.44 years old; mean disease duration 6.42 ± 5.11 years) and 86 healthy controls (50% males; mean age 65.49 ± 9.33 years old) with available T1-weighted 3 T MRI data from four international research centers. Sex differences in regional mean CTh estimations were analyzed using generalized linear models. The relation of CTh in regions showing sex differences with age, disease duration, and age of onset was examined through multiple linear regression. PD males showed thinner cortex than PD females in six frontal (bilateral caudal middle frontal, bilateral superior frontal, left precentral and right pars orbitalis), three parietal (bilateral inferior parietal and left supramarginal), and one limbic region (right posterior cingulate). In PD males, lower CTh values in nine out of ten regions were associated with longer disease duration and older age, whereas in PD females, lower CTh was associated with older age but with longer disease duration only in one region. Overall, male patients show a more widespread pattern of reduced CTh compared with female patients. Disease duration seems more relevant to explain reduced CTh in male patients, suggesting worse prognostic over time. Further studies should explore sex-specific cortical atrophy trajectories using large longitudinal multi-site data.

First confirmed case of equine pythiosis in Northern Veracruz, Mexico.

A clinical case of an adult horse with invasive, ulcerative, proliferative, pyogranulomatous disease of the skin (tumor) in the shoulder region is presented. The mass had a granulomatous and crater-shaped appearance, with serosanguinous discharge and the presence of fistulas with caseous material. The tumor was removed by surgery and sent to the laboratory for diagnosis. Histopathology was performed using Grocott-Gomori methenamine silver stain. The presence of necrotic material, fibrosis, infiltrated cells, and brown-colored hyphae, characteristic of members of the genus Pythium, were observed. To identify the infecting species, conventional PCRs for the amplification of the ITS-1 was carried out. Histopathological and PCR tests confirmed infection by a Pythium insidiosum strain closely associated with previous records from the US and Central America. Our report represents the first molecularly confirmed case of equine pythiosis in Mexico.

Autonomous Parameter Balance in Population-Based Approaches: A Self-Adaptive Learning-Based Strategy.

Population-based metaheuristics can be seen as a set of agents that smartly explore the space of solutions of a given optimization problem. These agents are commonly governed by movement operators that decide how the exploration is driven. Although metaheuristics have successfully been used for more than 20 years, performing rapid and high-quality parameter control is still a main concern. For instance, deciding the proper population size yielding a good balance between quality of results and computing time is constantly a hard task, even more so in the presence of an unexplored optimization problem. In this paper, we propose a self-adaptive strategy based on the on-line population balance, which aims for improvements in the performance and search process on population-based algorithms. The design behind the proposed approach relies on three different components. Firstly, an optimization-based component which defines all metaheuristic tasks related to carry out the resolution of the optimization problems. Secondly, a learning-based component focused on transforming dynamic data into knowledge in order to influence the search in the solution space. Thirdly, a probabilistic-based selector component is designed to dynamically adjust the population. We illustrate an extensive experimental process on large instance sets from three well-known discrete optimization problems: Manufacturing Cell Design Problem, Set covering Problem, and Multidimensional Knapsack Problem. The proposed approach is able to compete against classic, autonomous, as well as IRace-tuned metaheuristics, yielding interesting results and potential future work regarding dynamically adjusting the number of solutions interacting on different times within the search process.

Premorbid adjustment as predictor of long-term functionality: Findings from a 10-year follow-up study in the PAFIP-cohort.

The literature indicates that patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders often show deficits in premorbid adjustment. Additionally, these impairments have been correlated with critical disease parameters, evident in both early and advanced stages. The principal objective of this study was to investigate the association between premorbid adjustment and functional outcomes a decade following the initial episode of psychosis. A cluster analysis was performed to group patients according to their premorbid adjustment scores as assessed with the Premorbid Adjustment Scale (PAS). The measurements of The Disability Assessment Scale (DAS), The Global Assessment of Function (GAF) scale, ​​and The Quality of Life Scale (QLS) were used to compare the functionality of the groups at a 10-year follow-up. A total of 231 patients were classified into three groups based on their premorbid adjustment: "good PAS", "deteriorating PAS", and "chronically poor PAS". The three groups differed significantly in their sociodemographic and cognitive baseline characteristics. At the 10-year follow-up, "good PAS" group had better scores than the other groups in the variables of functionality and quality of life. The relationship found between premorbid adjustment and long-term functional results in patients with psychosis can help us predict the evolution of patients and act accordingly.

Storytelling: una metodología de aprendizaje activo para la enseñanza de la psicología social en la educación superior / Storytelling: a methodology for active learning in Social Psychology teaching

En los últimos años la educación superior está promoviendo el uso de metodologías activas para la mejora del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. En este artículo se analiza la utilidad del storytelling en la enseñanza de Psicología Social. Con este fin, 363 estudiantes universitarios participaron en la investigación, realizando una práctica grupal en la que debían escribir una historia utilizando conceptos de la asignatura, elaborar un informe explicativo, y leer las historias de otro grupo. Asimismo, cumplimentaron unos cuestionarios de valoración tanto de la práctica de storytelling como de otras dos representativas de la asignatura. La metodología empleada fue tanto cuantitativa como cualitativa. Los resultados muestran que el storytelling es percibido por los estudiantes como útil y es mejor valorado que los ejercicios de comparación, además de predecir el rendimiento académico (calificaciones en el examen teórico). Por último, se debaten las limitaciones del estudio (como la ausencia de grupo control) y las oportunidades de investigación futura, generalizando a otras áreas de conocimiento e incorporando una exposición pública de las historias desarrolladas

In recent years, higher education is promoting the use of active methodologies to improve the teaching-learning process. This paper analyzes the usefulness of storytelling in Social Psychology teaching. To that end, 363 university students participated in the research, performing a group exercise in which they had to write a story using concepts of Social Psychology, prepare an explanatory report, and read the stories of another group. Moreover, they also completed questionnaires assessing both the storytelling exercise and two other representative exercises of the subject. The methodology used was both quantitative and qualitative. The results show that storytelling is perceived as useful and it's valued higher than the comparison exercises by the students, in addition to predicting the academic performance (grades in the theory test). Finally, the limitations of the study are discussed, such as the absence of a control group and opportunities for further research, and also generalizing to other areas of knowledge and incorporating a public presentation of the stories

Reparación quirúrgica de coartación aórtica en lactantes menores / Surgery repair of aortic coarctation in infancy

Objetivo: Conocer la experiencia con la corrección quirúrgica de coartación aórtica en niños menores de 6 meses de edad, incluidos los neonatos, a corto y mediano plazo, haciendo énfasis en la morbimortalidad. Método: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo. Incluidos los pacientes menores de 6 meses de edad sometidos a corrección quirúrgica de coartación aórtica. Datos obtenidos de la revisión de expedientes electrónicos. Resultados: Se incluyeron 20 pacientes con coartación aórtica. La técnica quirúrgica empleada fue coartectomía ampliada en 19 pacientes y en uno se realizó colgajo de arteria subclavia. El tiempo promedio de pinzamiento aórtico fue de 18min. El gradiente posquirúrgico promedio determinado por ecocardiografía fue de 12.2 mmHg. Un paciente falleció por sepsis secundaria a foco neumónico. La principal morbilidad posquirúrgica inmediata fue la hipertensión arterial sistémica en 7 pacientes, infección intrahospitalaria en 4 pacientes, con desarrollo de sepsis, un paciente se reoperó por gradiente alto. Un paciente presentó síndrome colestásico. Dieciocho pacientes requirieron transfusión en algún momento de su estancia intrahospitalaria. Y el tiempo promedio de estancia intrahospitalaria fue 12 días. Conclusión: La coartectomía ampliada ha tenido resultados favorables, la técnica quirúrgica empleada ha mostrado baja mortalidad y complicaciones relacionadas con la técnica, y el seguimiento muestra bajo índice de recoartación.

Objective: The study's purpose is to present our experience with surgical correction of aortic coarctation in infants, at short and medium term, particularly morbidity and mortality. Method: This is a retrospective observational and descriptive trial. We included all infant Infancy; patients undergoing surgical correction of AC. All data were obtained from the clinical database of the hospital. Results: We included 20 patients with AC. The surgical technique was extended coarctectomy in 19 patients and, in one patient, a subclavian artery flap was performed. In all patients, the average time of aortic clamping was 18 min. The residual gradient measured by echocardiography was in average of 12.2 mmHg. One patient died of sepsis secondary to pneumonia. The main cause of immediate postoperative morbidity was systemic hypertension in seven patients, nosocomial infection in four patients with development of sepsis, one patient had to be reoperated due to high gradient. One patient had cholestatic syndrome. Eighteen patients required a transfusion at some time during their hospital stay. Average in-hospital stay was of 12 days. Conclusion: The aortic coarctation surgery has had favorable results so far and we can conclude that the program has been successful. The surgical technique has shown low mortality and complications and midterm follow-up shows low rate of recoarctation.

Complicaciones del trauma craneoencefálico severo en la unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos / Complications of severe cranioencephalic trauma in the pediatric intensive care unit

Introducción: el trauma craneoencefálico severo es responsable de serias complicaciones médicas que exacerban la lesión cerebral secundaria, y frecuentemente son la causa de muerte. Ojetivo: conocer las particularidades de las complicaciones médicas en pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico severo en la unidad de cuidados intensivos del hospital pediátrico Octavio de la Concepción y de la Pedraja durante los años comprendidos entre 2007-2009. Métodos: estudio descriptivo en pacientes con trauma craneoencefálico, durante el período comprendido entre los años 2007-2009, para analizar las complicaciones que influyeron en su evolución clínica. Resultados: la edad más representada fue la comprendida entre los 11-15 años (56,90 por ciento); los pacientes incluidos en el grupo de 1-5 años resultaron más vulnerables a las complicaciones médicas. Las fracturas inestables (62,96 por ciento), la rotura de vísceras macizas (51,85 por ciento) y la insuficiencia respiratoria (44,44 por ciento) fueron las manifestaciones clínicas más evidentes al momento del ingreso. En la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos las complicaciones médicas frecuentes resultaron ser los trastornos hidroelectrolíticos (94,28 por ciento) y la desnutrición (77,14 por ciento). La hiperglicemia y el distrés respiratorio se relacionaron de manera significativa con la mortalidad. El 92,59 por ciento de los fallecidos sumaron 3 puntos en la escala de Glasgow. La ventilación mecánica fue independiente de las complicaciones médicas. Conclusiones: los traumas de cráneo severos son la base para el desarrollo de varias y graves complicaciones que plantean muchos problemas en la práctica médica

Introduction: the severe cranioencephalic trauma re responsible of serious medical exacerbating the secondary cerebral lesion and frequently are the cause of death. Objective: to know the particularities of the medical complications in patients presenting with severe cranioencephalic trauma seen in the Octavio de la Concepción y de la Pedraja Children Hospital from 2007 to 2009. Methods: a descriptive study was conducted in patients presenting with cranioencephalic trauma from 2007 to 2009 to analyze the complication influencing in its clinical course. Results: the age with a greater predominance was that between 11-15 years (56,90 percent); the patients included in the 1-5 years group were more vulnerable to medical complications. The unstable fractures (62,96 percent), break of solid viscera (51,85 percent) and the respiratory failure (44,44 percent) were the more obvious clinical manifestations at admission. In the Intensive Care Unit the more frequent clinical complications were: hydroelectric disorders (94,28 percent) and malnutrition (77,14 percent). Hyperglycemia and respiratory distress were significantly related to mortality. The 92,59 percent of deceased added 3 points in the Glasgow's scale. Mechanical ventilation was independent of medical complications. Conclusions: the severe cranial traumata are the basis for the development of some and severe complications present as a problem in the medical practice

Cor triatriatum sinistrum: estrategia diagnóstica y terapéutica / Cor triatriatum a rare congenital cardiac malformation of diagnostic difficulty

Introducción. El cor triatriatum sinistrum es una membrana fibromuscular anómala en aurícula izquierda que la divide en 2 cavidades, con grados variables de obstrucción. Material y métodos. Estudio retrospectivo, longitudinal y descriptivo, que muestra 10 pacientes tratados en el Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez en 26 años, diagnosticados con ecocardiografía. Resultados. En ningún caso fue necesario realizar estudios adicionales ya que la ecocardiografía fue definitiva en el diagnóstico. La media de edad fue 16.9 meses; distribución por sexos 1:1. Dos pacientes murieron. El seguimiento a largo plazo promedió 46.8 meses en los 8 pacientes restantes. Conclusión. La ecocardiografía fue diagnóstica e identificó anomalías cardiacas congénitas asociadas. El abordaje por atriotomía derecha permitió una excelente exposición, la resección de la membrana obstructiva y la resolución de defectos asociados, demostrando ser la medida terapéutica definitiva. Esta es la serie pediátrica más grande reportada en nuestro país a la fecha.

Introduction. We define cor triatriatum sinistrum as an anomalous fibromuscular membrane in the left atrium which divides it into 2 cavities with variable degrees of obstruction. Material and methods. In this retrospective, longitudinal and descriptive study we show a series of ten patients treated at the Hospital Infantil de Mexico in a 26 year-experience diagnosed by echocardiography. Results. No additional studies were necessary. Median age was 16.9 months; sex distribution was 1:1, registering mortality in 2 patients (20%). Long-term follow-up in 8 remaining patients had a mean of 46.8 months. Echocardiography is diagnostic and identifies associated congenital cardiac anomalies; right atriotomy approach provides excellent exposure and allows resection of the obstructive membrane. It also allows resolution of associated defects and is the preferential approach. Conclusion. This is the largest pediatric series reported to date in our country.

Bases permanentes de acrílico para el registro de relaciones intermaxilares: ventajas, técnica y presentación de un caso / Permanent acryllic bases for registering intermaxillary relationships : advantages, techniques and case report

Se presenta una tecnica no descrita anteriormente en Costa Rica, para la construccion de protesis completas en dos etapas, asi como un caso clinico en que se utiliza la tecnica descrita. La primera etapa es el procesado de bases de registro permanentes de acrilico, apartir de las impresiones definitivas. La segunda es el procesado para unir las piezas dentales artificiales a estas bases. Las ventajas que se obtinen al procesar las protesis completas en dos etapas son expuestas, en comparacion con el procesado tradicional en un solo paso. Se considera que el contar con bases permanentes temprano en el tratamiento del paciente, le ayudara a este acostumbrarse a las nuevas dentaduras permitiendo una evaluacion temprana de retencion, estabilidad, estencion de los borde, y diferentes aspectos funcionales de las bases definitivas. Los autores recomiendan el uso de esta tecnica, ya que reduce el tiempo total de tratamiento, incrementando al mismo tiempo la calidad del mismo