Pro-cycling team cyclist assignment for an upcoming race.

Professional bicycle racing is a popular sport that has attracted significant attention in recent years. The evolution and ubiquitous use of sensors allow cyclists to measure many metrics including power, heart rate, speed, cadence, and more in training and racing. In this paper we explore for the first time assignment of a subset of a team's cyclists to an upcoming race. We introduce RaceFit, a model that recommends, based on recent workouts and past assignments, cyclists for participation in an upcoming race. RaceFit consists of binary classifiers that are trained on pairs of a cyclist and a race, described by their relevant properties (features) such as the cyclist's demographic properties, as well as features extracted from his workout data from recent weeks; as well additional properties of the race, such as its distance, elevation gain, and more. Two main approaches are introduced in recommending on each stage in a race and aggregate from it to the race, or on the entire race. The model training is based on binary label which represent participation of cyclist in a race (or in a stage) in past events. We evaluated RaceFit rigorously on a large dataset of three pro-cycling teams' cyclists and race data achieving up to 80% precision@i. The first experiment had shown that using TP or STRAVA data performs the same. Then the best-performing parameters of the framework are using 5 weeks time window, imputation was effective, and the CatBoost classifier performed best. However, the model with any of the parameters performed always better than the baselines, in which the cyclists are assigned based on their popularity in historical data. Additionally, we present the top-ranked predictive features.

Long- and short-term effects of androgens in human umbilical artery smooth muscle.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of androgens in the regulation of human umbilical artery (HUA) contractility. The short-term effects of testosterone on the tone of the HUA were investigated, as were the long-term effects of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on the expression of some proteins involved in the contractile process. Endothelium-denuded HUA were treated for 24 h with DHT (2 µmol/L) or the vehicle control (ethanol) to analyse the genomic effects of androgens. Twenty-four hour treatment of HUA with DHT increased the mRNA expression of the ß(1)-subunit of the large-conductance Ca(2+)-activated (BK(Ca)) channel and decreased expression of the α-subunit of L-type calcium channels. In organ bath studies, testosterone (1-100 µmol/L) produced similar relaxant responses in DHT- and vehicle-treated HUA rings precontracted with 5-HT, histamine and KCl. However, the relaxation response obtained by the combined application of testosterone (100 µmol/L) and nifedipine (10 µmol/L) was significantly greater in DHT- compared with vehicle-treated HUA. The results indicate that the rapid vasorelaxant effects of testosterone that are dependent on both BK(Ca) and voltage-sensitive potassium (K(V)) channel activity in control arteries become dependent solely on K(V) channel activity in DHT-treated HUA. Thus, the present study reveals the importance of the investigation of both the short- and long-term effects of androgens in human arteries.

PREVALENCE OF POSTURAL CHANGES IN SCHOOL CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS.

Objective: Investigate the prevalence of postural changes and correlate them with body weight and the weight of schoolchildren's backpacks in a school in the city of São João del-Rei-MG. Material and. Methods: The study is an original type, with a cross-sectional design, where 109 schoolchildren of both sexes and mean age of 13 years were evaluated. The New York scale was used for posture analysis, measuring body weight, height, backpack weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). The ANOVA statistical test and Pearson's correlation test were used, considering a significance level of 0.05. Results: According to the results, the general average of the scores of postural problems was 68.7 points, with a predominance in the head, spine, hips, trunk, and abdomen. The regions of shoulder, feet, and neck presented mean scores below seven. The mean height was 1.61 m, body weight 56.03 kg, backpack weight 4.49 kg and BMI was 21.51 kg/m. Conclusion: Postural alterations are highly prevalent among the evaluated students. The most affected body segments are the head, spine, hips, trunk, and abdomen. However, this finding was not related to the weight of the backpacks or the students' body weight. However, different parameters must be used to analyze the factors that may be related to such findings, such as ergonomic changes, inadequate habits, growth spurt, among others. Evidence Level III,Cross-sectional Observational Study.

Objetivo: Investigar a prevalência de alterações posturais e correlacionar com o peso corporal e o peso das mochilas dos escolares em uma escola no município de São João del-Rei-MG. Métodos: O estudo é do tipo original, com delineamento transversal onde foram avaliados 109 escolares, com média de idade de 13 anos, de ambos os sexos. A escala de Nova Iorque foi utilizada para análise de postura, medição do peso corporal, altura, peso da mochila e Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC). Foi utilizado o teste estatístico ANOVA e o teste de correlação de Pearson, considerando o nível de significância de 0,05. Resultados: De acordo com os resultados, a média geral dos escores dos problemas posturais foi de 68,7 pontos, com predomínio na região da cabeça, coluna, nos quadris, no tronco, e no abdômen. As regiões dos ombros, pés e pescoço apresentaram médias de escores menores que 7. A média da altura foi de 1,61m, do peso corporal de 56,03kg, do peso das mochilas de 4,49 kg e 21,51 kg/m do IMC. Conclusão: Conclui-se que existe uma alta prevalência de alterações posturais entre os escolares avaliados. Sendo que, os segmentos corporais mais comprometidos são, a cabeça, a coluna vertebral, os quadris, o tronco e o abdômen. No entanto, esse achado não foi relacionado ao peso das mochilas ou ao peso corporal dos escolares. Assim, diferentes parâmetros devem ser utilizados para analisar os fatores que podem estar relacionados a tais achados, como alterações ergonômicas, hábitos inadequados, estirão de crescimento, entre outros. Nível de Evidência III, Estudo Transversal Observacional.

Complex Transcriptional Profiles of the PPP1R12A Gene in Cells of the Circulatory System as Revealed by In Silico Analysis and Reverse Transcription PCR.

The myosin light chain phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1), encoded by the PPP1R12A gene, is a key component of the myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) protein complex. MYPT1 isoforms have been described as products of the cassette-type alternative splicing of exons E13, E14, E22, and E24. Through in silico analysis of the publicly available EST and mRNA databases, we established that PPP1R12A contains 32 exons (6 more than the 26 previously reported), of which 29 are used in 11 protein-coding transcripts. An in silico analysis of publicly available RNAseq data combined with validation by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR allowed us to determine the relative abundance of each transcript in three cell types of the circulatory system where MYPT1 plays important roles: human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), human saphenous vein smooth muscle cells (HSVSMC), and platelets. All three cell types express up to 10 transcripts at variable frequencies. HUVECs and HSVSMCs predominantly express the full-length variant (58.3% and 64.3%, respectively) followed by the variant skipping E13 (33.7% and 23.1%, respectively), whereas in platelets the predominant variants are those skipping E14 (51.4%) and E13 (19.9%), followed by the full-length variant (14.4%). Variants including E24 account for 5.4% of transcripts in platelets but are rare (<1%) in HUVECs and HSVSMCs. Complex transcriptional profiles were also found across organs using in silico analysis of RNAseq data from the GTEx project. Our findings provide a platform for future studies investigating the specific (patho)physiological roles of understudied MYPT1 isoforms.

Prevalence of postural changes in school children and adolescents / Prevalência de alterações posturais em crianças e adolescentes escolares

ABSTRACT Objective Investigate the prevalence of postural changes and correlate them with body weight and the weight of schoolchildren's backpacks in a school in the city of São João del-Rei-MG. Material and Methods The study is an original type, with a cross-sectional design, where 109 schoolchildren of both sexes and mean age of 13 years were evaluated. The New York scale was used for posture analysis, measuring body weight, height, backpack weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). The ANOVA statistical test and Pearson's correlation test were used, considering a significance level of 0.05. Results According to the results, the general average of the scores of postural problems was 68.7 points, with a predominance in the head, spine, hips, trunk, and abdomen. The regions of shoulder, feet, and neck presented mean scores below seven. The mean height was 1.61 m, body weight 56.03 kg, backpack weight 4.49 kg and BMI was 21.51 kg/m. Conclusion Postural alterations are highly prevalent among the evaluated students. The most affected body segments are the head, spine, hips, trunk, and abdomen. However, this finding was not related to the weight of the backpacks or the students' body weight. However, different parameters must be used to analyze the factors that may be related to such findings, such as ergonomic changes, inadequate habits, growth spurt, among others. Evidence Level III,Cross-sectional Observational Study.

RESUMO Objetivo Investigar a prevalência de alterações posturais e correlacionar com o peso corporal e o peso das mochilas dos escolares em uma escola no município de São João del-Rei-MG. Métodos O estudo é do tipo original, com delineamento transversal onde foram avaliados 109 escolares, com média de idade de 13 anos, de ambos os sexos. A escala de Nova Iorque foi utilizada para análise de postura, medição do peso corporal, altura, peso da mochila e Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC). Foi utilizado o teste estatístico ANOVA e o teste de correlação de Pearson, considerando o nível de significância de 0,05. Resultados De acordo com os resultados, a média geral dos escores dos problemas posturais foi de 68,7 pontos, com predomínio na região da cabeça, coluna, nos quadris, no tronco, e no abdômen. As regiões dos ombros, pés e pescoço apresentaram médias de escores menores que 7. A média da altura foi de 1,61m, do peso corporal de 56,03kg, do peso das mochilas de 4,49 kg e 21,51 kg/m do IMC. Conclusão Conclui-se que existe uma alta prevalência de alterações posturais entre os escolares avaliados. Sendo que, os segmentos corporais mais comprometidos são, a cabeça, a coluna vertebral, os quadris, o tronco e o abdômen. No entanto, esse achado não foi relacionado ao peso das mochilas ou ao peso corporal dos escolares. Assim, diferentes parâmetros devem ser utilizados para analisar os fatores que podem estar relacionados a tais achados, como alterações ergonômicas, hábitos inadequados, estirão de crescimento, entre outros. Nível de Evidência III, Estudo Transversal Observacional.

Overexpression of a functional calcium-sensing receptor dramatically increases osteolytic potential of MDA-MB-231 cells in a mouse model of bone metastasis through epiregulin-mediated osteoprotegerin downregulation.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Osteolytic bone metastases are observed in advanced cases of breast cancer. In vitro data suggest that the activity of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) expressed by metastatic cells could potentiate their osteolytic potential. This study aimed to demonstrate in vivo the involvement of the CaSR in breast cancer cells osteolytic potential and to identify potential targets linked to CaSR activity. METHODS AND RESULTS: MDA-MB-231 stably transfected with plasmids containing either a full-length wild-type CaSR (CaSR-WT), or a functionally inactive dominant negative mutant (CaSR-DN) or an empty vector (EV) were intratibially injected into Balb/c-Nude mice. X-ray analysis performed 19 days after injection showed a dramatic increase of osteolytic lesions in mice injected with CaSR-WT-transfected cells as compared to mice injected with EV- or CaSR-DN-transfected cells. This was associated with decreased BV/TV ratio and increased tumor burden. Epiregulin, an EGF-like ligand, was identified by a DNA microarray as a possible candidate involved in CaSR-mediated osteolysis. Indeed, in vitro, CaSR overexpression increased both epiregulin expression and secretion as compared to EV- or CaSR-DN-transfected cells. Increased epiregulin expression was also detected in osteolytic bone lesions from mice injected with CaSR-WT-transfected MDA-MB-231. In vitro, exposure of osteoblastic cells (HOB and SaOS2) to exogenous epiregulin significantly decreased OPG mRNA expression. Exposure of osteoblastic cells to conditioned media prepared from CaSR-WT-transfected cells also decreased OPG expression. This effect was partially blocked after addition of an anti-epiregulin antibody. CONCLUSIONS: Overexpression of a functional CaSR in metastatic breast cancer cells dramatically amplifies their osteolytic potential through epiregulin-mediated OPG downregulation.