Effectiveness of Water-Based Exercise in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disease that, due to dyspnea, decreases patients' physical function and quality of life. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of water-based exercise (WE) in improving functional capacity and respiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD. It consisted of a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from the last 10 years, found in PubMed, PEDro, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Methodological quality was analyzed using the PEDro scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Regarding the evaluation of functional capacity, mainly assessed were lung function, respiratory muscle strength, and maximal or aerobic exercise. The results showed that WE improves functional capacity compared to a non-exercising control group (SMD: 73.42; IC 95%: 40.40 to 106.45; I2: 0%). There are no statistically significant differences between a WE treatment and a land exercise (LE) treatment (p = 0.24) in functional capacity, nor with respect to respiratory muscle strength (p = 0.97). These data should be interpreted with caution, as more RCTs with aquatic intervention in COPD patients are needed to elucidate whether there are differences between WE or LE according to patient characteristics and comorbidities.

Effectiveness of Video Games as Physical Treatment in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis: Systematic Review.

Physical training at home by making individuals play active video games is a new therapeutic strategy to improve the condition of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). We reviewed studies on the use of video games and their benefits in the treatment of CF. We conducted a systematic review with data from six databases (PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, PEDro, and Cochrane library plus) since 2010, according to PRISMA standards. The descriptors were: "Cystic Fibrosis", "Video Game", "Gaming Console", "Pulmonary Rehabilitation", "Physiotherapy", and "Physical Therapy". Nine articles with 320 participants met the inclusion criteria and the study objective. Patients who played active video games showed a high intensity of exercise and higher ventilatory and aerobic capacity compared to the values of these parameters in tests such as the cardiopulmonary stress test or the six-minute walk test. Adequate values of metabolic demand in these patients were recorded after playing certain video games. A high level of treatment adherence and satisfaction was observed in both children and adults. Although the quality of the included studies was moderate, the evidence to confirm these results was insufficient. More robust studies are needed, including those on evaluation and health economics, to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

Comparative study among Spanish students of health sciences degrees: Facing death.

The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and attitudes of students of health sciences faculties (medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy) regarding specific issues related to death and end of life in both professional and personal realms. A descriptive, cross-sectional, and multi-center approach was used. The modified Bugen Scale for facing death was used. The study population (411 students) encompassed three distinct groups: students from the degrees of medicine, nursing, and physiotherapy. In total, 12 items showed significant differences between the three groups. The sample presented a moderate level of perceived competency in the ability to face death. We found significant differences in the scores obtained by the three groups regarding their ability to face the death of people who are emotionally close. Furthermore, the sample demonstrated a good level of self-efficacy when facing death, with nursing students displaying the greatest emotional involvement when compared to their colleagues studying medicine and physiotherapy. It is therefore recommended that study curricula of future health professionals contain specific training in end-of-life care.

Effectiveness of positive expiratory pressure on patients over 16 years of age with cystic fibrosis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive disease that involves the cells that produce mucus and sweat, affecting many organs, especially the lungs. Positive expiratory pressure (PEP) devices generate a pressure opposite to that exerted by the airways during expiration, thus improving mucociliary clearance. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of PEP devices as a resource to facilitate the mucus removal and other outcomes in people with CF, as well as the possible adverse effects derived from their use. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA standards. The descriptors were 'cystic fibrosis', 'PEP', and 'physiotherapy and/or physical therapy'. The search was performed in four databases: PubMed, PEDro, and Web of Science and Scopus, in July 2021. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) over the last 10 years. The methodological quality of the studies was analyzed and meta-analysis was performed with Review Manager software. RESULTS: Ten RCTs met the objectives and criteria, with a total of 274 participants. The trials score a moderate methodological quality on the PEDro scale. No clear results were obtained on whether PEP provides better lung function than other breathing techniques (such as airway clearance); but it does achieve a higher rate of lung clearance than physical exercise. CONCLUSIONS: PEP is more effective than usual care or no intervention, although there is not enough evidence to confirm that PEP achieves improvements in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) compared with other techniques. It is a safe technique, without adverse effects.

Efficacy of Physiotherapy Treatment in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) refers to painful cramps before and/or during menstruation. There is a need for emphasis on alternative methods of conservative treatment, so as to reduce the dependence on drugs for alleviating the symptoms. The aim was to find out the effectiveness of some physiotherapy techniques in the treatment of PD. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA standards. The descriptors were "dysmenorrhea", "physical the-rapy", "physiotherapy", and "manual therapy". The search was performed in five databases: Scopus, PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, and Medline, in February 2021. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials over the last six years. Articles not related to the treatment of PD or using pharmacology as the main treatment were excluded. Nine articles met the objectives and criteria, with a total of 692 participants. The most used scale to measure pain was the VAS (visual analogue scale). The main techniques were isometric exercises, massage therapy, yoga, electrotherapy, connective tissue manipulation, stretching, kinesio tape, progressive relaxation exercises and aerobic dance. Meta-analysis shows benefits of physiotherapy treatment for pain relief compared with no intervention or placebo (MD: -1.13, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.64, I2: 88%). The current low-quality evidence suggests that physiotherapy may provide a clinically significant reduction in menstrual pain intensity. Given the overall health benefits of physiotherapy and the low risk of side effects reported, women may consider using it, either alone or in conjunction with other therapeutic modalities.

The Influence of Teachers on Motivation and Academic Stress and Their Effect on the Learning Strategies of University Students.

Students often experience the university period as a very stressful time. The teacher is a key figure who can cushion this stressful experience for the student. This study therefore aims to analyse the influence of teachers from the Self-Determination Theory perspective on academic stress, motivation, critical thinking, metacognitive strategies and academic performance in university students. The study involved 2456 university students with an average age of 22.51 years. A structural equation model was created to analyse the causal relationships between the variables. The results showed that the psychological controlling of the teacher positively predicted academic stress while autonomy support negatively predicted academic stress. Academic stress negatively predicted motivation, metacognitive strategies, critical thinking and academic performance. Academic motivation positively predicted metacognitive strategies and critical thinking. Finally, metacognitive strategies and critical thinking positively predicted academic performance. These results highlight the importance of the role that the teacher adopts during classes and the protective factor of academic motivation in the presence of stress.

[Histological alterations in the liver and increased serum proteins in chickens fed with diet containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae]. / Alteraciones histológicas hepáticas e incremento de proteínas séricas en pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas suplementadas con Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of diet supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), on the liver morphology, serum activities of aspartateaminotrasferase (AST) and alanineaminotransferase (ALT), and the serum concentration of total proteins, albumin and the different fractions (alpha, beta, gamma) of globulin in chickens. Two groups of Hubbar x Hubbar strain chickens (each = 16), were fed with a diet T1 (commercial food without SC) and T2 (commercial food with SC) for 42 days. Thereafter, animals were sacrificed and samples of blood and liver were obtained. Macroscopic features and relative weight of livers remained in the normal ranges in both groups. High percent of T2 chickens (p < 0.05) showed hepatic alterations with proliferation/dilation of biliary ducts and increased degree of vacuolization. Tricromic stain showed elevated perivascular fibrosis in T2. The ultrastructural study showed fibroblast like cells, increased amount of collagen fibers, cytoplasm vacuolization of hepatocytes and loss of cellular and mitochondrial integrates. No significant differences were observed in the activities of AST and ALT between groups. Increased concentrations of total proteins and alpha2, beta and gamma globulins and decreased albumin were observed in the serum of T2 group. These findings may be related to a hepatotoxic effect of SC and chickens could have the risk of further increased hepatic failure with a prolonged exposition to this diet.

Efecto del consumo de cultivo de levaduras Saccharomyces cerevisiae y/o selenio en pollos de engorde expuestos a bajos niveles de aflatoxina B1 en la dieta: 2: morfología hepática / Effect of Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture and/or selenium intake on broiler exposed to low levels of aflatoxin B1 in the ration: 2: hepatic morphology

El presente estudio fue conducido para determinar el efecto de 0,1 por ciento de cultivo de levaduras Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1026 (Sc)y/o 2mg/kg de selenio (Se) en el alimento contaminado con 0,07mg/kg (70 ppb) de aflatoxina B1 (AFB1 ), sobre la morfología hepática de pollos de engorde. Un total de 480 pollos Hubbar x Hubbar, machos, de un día de nacidos, fueron asignados al azar para recibir 8 tipos de dietas durante 42 días, cada una con 4 replicas de 15 pollos, estas correspondieron a los siguientes tratamientos (T) T1 : grupo control que consiste en alimento comercial (AC) sin niveles detectables de aflatoxina; T2: AC + AFB1; T3: AC + Sc; T4: AC + AFB1 + Sc; T5: AC + Se; T6: AC + AFB1 + Se; T7: AC + Sc + Se; T8: AC + AFB1 + Sc + Se. La ingestión de Sc y/o Se en el alimento sin o con AFB1 , no causaron lesiones macroscópicas en los hígados. Se observó un incremento (P<0,05) del peso relativo del hígado en el T4 comparado con el T1 y T3 y en los pollos del T5 y T6 (P<0,01) con relación al T 1. Los T con Sc y/o Se en el alimento sin y con AFB1 , presentaron una significativa frecuencia de lesiones hepatotóxicas con respecto al T 1, sin embargo la combinación de Sc + Seen el alimento con AFB1 (T8), disminuyó el grado de severidad de las lesiones hepatotóxicas, en comparación al grado de hepatotoxicidad de las aves que recibieron estos aditivos por separado (T4 y T6). Estos resultados indican un aparente sinergismo de ambos aditivos para disminuir la hepatotoxicidad causada por la ingestión de alimento con AFB1.

This trial was undertaken to determine the effects of 0.1% the yeast culture Saceharonyces cerevisiae1026 (Sc) and/or 2mg/kg of selenium (Se) added to contaminated foodstuff with 0,07mg/kg (70 ppb) of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), on hepatic morphology of broiler chickens. 480 1-day-old male Hubbar x Hubbar chickens were chosen randomly to receive 8 sorts of diets for 42 days, each diet with 4 replicates of 15 chickens. Those diets corresponded to the fallowing treatments (T): T1: control group receiving commercial food (CF) without detectable aflatoxin levels; T2: CF + AFB1; T3: CF + Sc; T4: CF + AFB1 + Sc; T5: CF + Se; T6: CF +AFB1 + Se; T7: CF + Sc + Se; T8: CF + AFB1 + Sc + Se. Neither Sc or Se added to foodstuff alone or in combination with or without AFB1, caused macroscopic lesions in liver. A relative liver weight increase was observed in T4 compared with T1 and T3 (P<0.05) and in chickens from T5 and T6 (P<0.01) compared with T1. Treatments with Sc and/or Se were shown to have a significative higher frequency of hepatotoxic lesions compared with that of T1. However, Sc + Se added together to AFB1 contaminated food (T8) diminished the hepatotoxic lesions’ severity grading compared to the hepatotoxcity grade found in T4 and T6. This result indicates an apparent synergistic effect of both additives as for diminishing hepatotoxicity caused by AFB1-contaminated foodstuff Ingestion.

Alteraciones histológicas hepáticas e incremento de proteínas séricas en pollos de engorde alimentados con dietas suplementadas con Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Histological alterations in the liver and increased serum proteins in chickens fed with diet containing Saccharomyces cerevisiae

El presente estudio fue realizado para determinar el efecto del alimento suplementado con cultivo de Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SC), sobre la morfología hepática, las actividad sérica de la aspartatoaminotrasferasa (AST) y la alaninoaminotransferasa (ALT), la concentración de proteínas totales (PT), la albúmina, y las fracciones a, b y g de las globulinas, en pollos de engorde. Se utilizaron dos grupos de pollos Hubbar x Hubbar (n = 16 cada uno), que recibieron la dieta T1 (alimento comercial sin SC) y la dieta T2 (alimento comercial con 0,1 por ciento de SC) durante 42 días. Se obtuvieron muestras de suero sanguíneo y de hígado, para los estudios. No se observó cambios macroscópicos, ni variación significativa del peso hepático relativo. Microscópicamente se evidenció mayor porcentaje (P < 0,05) de lesiones hepatotóxicas con proliferación/dilatación de conductos biliares y alto grado de vacuolización en pollos del grupo T2. La tinción tricrómica demostró mayor grado de fibrosis perivascular en T2. La ultraestructura del T2 reveló células semejantes a fibroblastos, abundantes fibras de colágeno, vacuolización y alteración de la matriz citoplasmática de hepatocitos, ruptura celular y edema mitocondrial. A nivel sanguíneo, no se detectó diferencia en los valores de AST y ALT. Se apreció aumento de las PT, disminución de la albúmina y aumento de las globulinas (a2, ß y y) a los 42 días de experimentación. Estos hallazgos indican probables alteraciones hepáticas por consumo del SC, existiendo el posible riesgo de agravarlas, cuando se prolongue la exposición a esta dieta a las aves de corral.

Hiperplasia quística papilar adenomatosa de conductos biliares en pollos de engorde: primeros casos reportados en Venezuela / Cystic papillary adenomatous bile duct hyperplasia in broiler chickens first report in Venezuela

Se describen los hallazgos histopatológicos de ochenta casos de hiperplasia adenomatosa de conductos biliares (34,7 por ciento), de un total de doscientos treinta hígados de pollos de engorde de 36 a 52 días de edad, decomisados en dos plantas procesadoras. Los hígados se observaron aumentados de tamaño, pálidos, de superficie irregular, de aspecto granular, áreas de necrosis manera de puntillao blanquecino, exudado fibrinoso en cápsula y hemorragias petequiales subcapsulares. Al corte, el parénquima mostró consistencia dura y en algunas ocasiones con formaciones quísticas. Por histopatología se observó infiltración focal de mononucleares alrededor de conductos y en el perénquima, constituidos por linfocitos, plasmocitos y granulositos inmaduros en espacios portales, de generación vacuolar y necrosis de hepatocitos, fibrosis interlobulillar, perilobulillar y espacios portales engrosados con marcada fibroplasia. El cambio histopatológico más relevante fue la hiperplasia de leve a severa de conductos biliares, con dilatación, proliferación, colestasis y colangiohiperplasia quística papilar adenomatosa con fibrosis hepática severa en los casos estudiados