Coronavirus disease 2019 is associated with long-term depressive symptoms in Spanish older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has serious physiological and psychological consequences. The long-term (>12 weeks post-infection) impact of COVID-19 on mental health, specifically in older adults, is unclear. We longitudinally assessed the association of COVID-19 with depression symptomatology in community-dwelling older adults with metabolic syndrome within the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus cohort. METHODS: Participants (n = 5486) aged 55-75 years were included in this longitudinal cohort. COVID-19 status (positive/negative) determined by tests (e.g. polymerase chain reaction severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, IgG) was confirmed via event adjudication (410 cases). Pre- and post-COVID-19 depressive symptomatology was ascertained from annual assessments conducted using a validated 21-item Spanish Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Multivariable linear and logistic regression models assessed the association between COVID-19 and depression symptomatology. RESULTS: COVID-19 in older adults was associated with higher post-COVID-19 BDI-II scores measured at a median (interquartile range) of 29 (15-40) weeks post-infection [fully adjusted ß = 0.65 points, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15-1.15; p = 0.011]. This association was particularly prominent in women (ß = 1.38 points, 95% CI 0.44-2.33, p = 0.004). COVID-19 was associated with 62% increased odds of elevated depression risk (BDI-II ≥ 14) post-COVID-19 when adjusted for confounders (odds ratio; 95% CI 1.13-2.30, p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 was associated with long-term depression risk in older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome, particularly in women. Thus, long-term evaluations of the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and preventive public health initiatives are warranted in older adults.

Changes in Physical Performance Throughout Professional Soccer Match-Play.

ABSTRACT: Oliva-Lozano, JM, Granero-Gil, P, and Panascì, M. Changes in physical performance throughout professional soccer match-play. J Strength Cond Res 38(1): 123-127, 2024-The aim of this study was to explore the changes in physical performance by playing position throughout professional soccer match-play. Global Positioning Systems were used for the collection of external load measures during 35 matches. Each match was divided into 15-minute periods. Physical performance varied according to the period in distance covered ( F = 25.69; p < 0.001; partial eta-squared [ηp 2 ] = 0.11), sprinting distance (SPD, F = 4.35; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.02), sprinting actions (SPAs, F = 5.19; p < 0.001), high-intensity accelerations (Acc+3, F = 2.18; p = 0.05; ηp 2 = 0.01), high-intensity decelerations (Dec+3, F = 4.51; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.02), and high-metabolic load distance (HMLD, F = 5.59; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.03). The period with the greatest mean physical performance was usually from the first half of the matches: 0-15 minutes (distance, Acc+3, and Dec+3) and 30-45 minutes (HMLD, SPA, and SPD). However, the lowest mean physical performance compared with the rest of 15-minute periods was observed in the 60-75-minute period (distance, HMLD, Acc+3, and Dec+3), except for SPA and SPD (15-30 minutes and 75-90 minutes). Overall, no significant differences ( p > 0.05) were observed in the physical performance between the extratime periods. In addition, the playing position had a significant effect on all performance variables ( F = 39.99-133.29; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.14-0.34). Central defenders showed the lowest physical performance throughout the periods of match-play, whereas wide midfielders showed the greatest physical performance in all variables, except for distance covered, in which midfielders had the greatest performance. In conclusion, there were changes in physical performance during the matches depending on the period of match-play and playing position.

Blood flow restriction as a post-exercise recovery strategy: A systematic review of the current status of the literature.

The aim of this study was to systematically review the current literature on blood flow restriction (BFR) as a post-exercise recovery strategy. Experimental studies investigating the effect of BFR on recovery after exercise were included. Only studies meeting the following inclusion criteria were selected: (a) studies investigating about BFR as a post-exercise recovery strategy in athletes and healthy individuals; (b) the full text being available in English; (c) experimental research study design. Studies that exclusively analyzed BFR as a recovery strategy during the exercise (e.g., recovery strategy between bouts of exercise) were excluded. A literature review was conducted on the PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science electronic databases up until May 7th, 2023. The main findings were that (i) 9 studies investigated passive BFR as a post-exercise recovery strategy, which shows a significant lack of research in both team and individual sports (especially in female populations), and only 2 studies used active BFR protocols; (ii) although a high quality range of studies was observed, there were methodological limitations such as BFR interventions that were usually conducted after fatiguing protocols or fitness tests, which may not represent the real exercise (e.g., a sprint session of 6 sets of 50 m may induce muscle damage but it does not represent the demands of a team sport like rugby or soccer); (iii) there is a lack of consistency in BFR protocols (e.g., number of cycles or duration of the occlusion-reperfusion periods) for recovery; (iv) some studies showed beneficial effects while others found no positive or detrimental effects of BFR as a post-exercise recovery strategy in comparison with the control/SHAM group. In conclusion, only 11 studies investigated BFR as a post-exercise recovery strategy and there is not any significant amount of evidence in team or individual sports (especially in female populations). BFR could be a potential post-exercise recovery strategy, but practitioners should use caution when applying this method of recovery for their athletes and clients. In addition, it would be of interest for high performance-related practitioners to have a better understanding of the benefits of BFR interventions combined with either active or passive forms of exercise as a post-exercise recovery strategy.

Integrated Bioluminescent Immunoassays for High-Throughput Sampling and Continuous Monitoring of Cytokines.

Immunoassays show great potential for the detection of low levels of cytokines, due to their high sensitivity and excellent specificity. There is a particular demand for biosensors that enable both high-throughput screening and continuous monitoring of clinically relevant cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα). To this end, we here introduce a novel bioluminescent immunoassay based on the ratiometric plug-and-play immunodiagnostics (RAPPID) platform, with an improved intrinsic signal-to-background and an >80-fold increase in the luminescent signal. The new dRAPPID assay, comprising a dimeric protein G adapter connected via a semiflexible linker, was applied to detect the secretion of IL-6 by breast carcinoma cells upon TNFα stimulation and the production of low concentrations of IL-6 (∼18 pM) in an endotoxin-stimulated human 3D muscle tissue model. Moreover, we integrated the dRAPPID assay in a newly developed microfluidic device for the simultaneous and continuous monitoring of changes in IL-6 and TNFα in the low-nanomolar range. The luminescence-based read-out and the homogeneous nature of the dRAPPID platform allowed for detection with a simple measurement setup, consisting of a digital camera and a light-sealed box. This permits the usage of the continuous dRAPPID monitoring chip at the point of need, without the requirement for complex or expensive detection techniques.

Plasma metabolite profiles associated with the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research lifestyle score and future risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: A healthy lifestyle (HL) has been inversely related to type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, few studies have identified a metabolite profile associated with HL. The present study aims to identify a metabolite profile of a HL score and assess its association with the incidence of T2D and CVD in individuals at high cardiovascular risk. METHODS: In a subset of 1833 participants (age 55-80y) of the PREDIMED study, we estimated adherence to a HL using a composite score based on the 2018 Word Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations. Plasma metabolites were analyzed using LC-MS/MS methods at baseline (discovery sample) and 1-year of follow-up (validation sample). Cross-sectional associations between 385 known metabolites and the HL score were assessed using elastic net regression. A 10-cross-validation procedure was used, and correlation coefficients or AUC were assessed between the identified metabolite profiles and the self-reported HL score. We estimated the associations between the identified metabolite profiles and T2D and CVD using multivariable Cox regression models. RESULTS: The metabolite profiles that identified HL as a dichotomous or continuous variable included 24 and 58 metabolites, respectively. These are amino acids or derivatives, lipids, and energy intermediates or xenobiotic compounds. After adjustment for potential confounders, baseline metabolite profiles were associated with a lower risk of T2D (hazard ratio [HR] and 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54, 0.38-0.77 for dichotomous HL, and 0.22, 0.11-0.43 for continuous HL). Similar results were observed with CVD (HR, 95% CI: 0.59, 0.42-0.83 for dichotomous HF and HR, 95%CI: 0.58, 0.31-1.07 for continuous HL). The reduction in the risk of T2D and CVD was maintained or attenuated, respectively, for the 1-year metabolomic profile. CONCLUSIONS: In an elderly population at high risk of CVD, a set of metabolites was selected as potential metabolites associated with the HL pattern predicting the risk of T2D and, to a lesser extent, CVD. These results support previous findings that some of these metabolites are inversely associated with the risk of T2D and CVD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The PREDIMED trial was registered at ISRCTN ( http://www.isrctn.com/ , ISRCTN35739639).

Corticolimbic DCC gene co-expression networks as predictors of impulsivity in children.

Inhibitory control deficits are prevalent in multiple neuropsychiatric conditions. The communication- as well as the connectivity- between corticolimbic regions of the brain are fundamental for eliciting inhibitory control behaviors, but early markers of vulnerability to this behavioral trait are yet to be discovered. The gradual maturation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), in particular of the mesocortical dopamine innervation, mirrors the protracted development of inhibitory control; both are present early in life, but reach full maturation by early adulthood. Evidence suggests the involvement of the Netrin-1/DCC signaling pathway and its associated gene networks in corticolimbic development. Here we investigated whether an expression-based polygenic score (ePRS) based on corticolimbic-specific DCC gene co-expression networks associates with impulsivity-related phenotypes in community samples of children. We found that lower ePRS scores associate with higher measurements of impulsive choice in 6-year-old children tested in the Information Sampling Task and with impulsive action in 6- and 10-year-old children tested in the Stop Signal Task. We also found the ePRS to be a better overall predictor of impulsivity when compared to a conventional PRS score comparable in size to the ePRS (4515 SNPs in our discovery cohort) and derived from the latest GWAS for ADHD. We propose that the corticolimbic DCC-ePRS can serve as a novel type of marker for impulsivity-related phenotypes in children. By adopting a systems biology approach based on gene co-expression networks and genotype-gene expression (rather than genotype-disease) associations, these results further validate our methodology to construct polygenic scores linked to the overall biological function of tissue-specific gene networks.

Predictors of severe hemolytic anemia and its impact on major outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus: Data from a multiethnic Latin American cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictors of the occurrence of severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and its impact on damage accrual and mortality in SLE patients. METHODS: Factors associated with time to severe AIHA (hemoglobin level ≤7 g/dL) occurring from the onset of SLE symptoms were examined by Cox proportional hazards regressions. The association of severe AIHA with mortality was examined by logistic regression analyses while its impact on damage was by negative binomial regression. RESULTS: Of 1,349 patients, 49 (3.6%) developed severe AIHA over a mean (SD) follow-up time of 5.4 (3.8) years. The median time from the first clinical manifestation to severe AIHA was 111 days (IQR 43-450). By multivariable analysis, male sex (HR 2.26, 95% CI 1.02-4.75, p = 0.044), and higher disease activity at diagnosis (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.08, p = 0.025) were associated with a shorter time to severe AIHA occurrence. Of the SLEDAI descriptors, only hematologic (leukopenia and/or thrombocytopenia) showed a certain trend toward significance in the multivariable analysis (HR 2.36, 95% CI 0.91-6.13, p = 0.0772). Severe AIHA contributed neither to damage nor to mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Severe AIHA occurs during the early course of SLE. Male sex and higher disease activity at diagnosis emerged as independent predictors of a shorter time to severe AIHA occurrence. Although not statistically significant, hematological abnormalities at SLE diagnosis could predict the occurrence of severe AIHA in a shorter time. Damage and mortality did not seem to be impacted by the occurrence of severe AIHA.

Learning the progression patterns of treatments using a probabilistic generative model.

Modeling a disease or the treatment of a patient has drawn much attention in recent years due to the vast amount of information that Electronic Health Records contain. This paper presents a probabilistic generative model of treatments that are described in terms of sequences of medical activities of variable length. The main objective is to identify distinct subtypes of treatments for a given disease, and discover their development and progression. To this end, the model considers that a sequence of actions has an associated hierarchical structure of latent variables that both classifies the sequences based on their evolution over time, and segments the sequences into different progression stages. The learning procedure of the model is performed with the Expectation-Maximization algorithm which considers the exponential number of configurations of the latent variables and is efficiently solved with a method based on dynamic programming. The evaluation of the model is twofold: first, we use synthetic data to demonstrate that the learning procedure allows the generative model underlying the data to be recovered; we then further assess the potential of our model to provide treatment classification and staging information in real-world data. Our model can be seen as a tool for classification, simulation, data augmentation and missing data imputation.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and adherence to Mediterranean diet in an adult population: the Mediterranean diet index as a pollution level index.

BACKGROUND: Research related to sustainable diets is is highly relevant to provide better understanding of the impact of dietary intake on the health and the environment. AIM: To assess the association between the adherence to an energy-restricted Mediterranean diet and the amount of CO2 emitted in an older adult population. DESIGN AND POPULATION: Using a cross-sectional design, the association between the adherence to an energy-reduced Mediterranean Diet (erMedDiet) score and dietary CO2 emissions in 6646 participants was assessed. METHODS: Food intake and adherence to the erMedDiet was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaire and 17-item Mediterranean questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics were documented. Environmental impact was calculated through greenhouse gas emissions estimations, specifically CO2 emissions of each participant diet per day, using a European database. Participants were distributed in quartiles according to their estimated CO2 emissions expressed in kg/day: Q1 (≤2.01 kg CO2), Q2 (2.02-2.34 kg CO2), Q3 (2.35-2.79 kg CO2) and Q4 (≥2.80 kg CO2). RESULTS: More men than women induced higher dietary levels of CO2 emissions. Participants reporting higher consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole cereals, preferring white meat, and having less consumption of red meat were mostly emitting less kg of CO2 through diet. Participants with higher adherence to the Mediterranean Diet showed lower odds for dietary CO2 emissions: Q2 (OR 0.87; 95%CI: 0.76-1.00), Q3 (OR 0.69; 95%CI: 0.69-0.79) and Q4 (OR 0.48; 95%CI: 0.42-0.55) vs Q1 (reference). CONCLUSIONS: The Mediterranean diet can be environmentally protective since the higher the adherence to the Mediterranean diet, the lower total dietary CO2 emissions. Mediterranean Diet index may be used as a pollution level index.

Association between serum copper levels and risk of cardiovascular disease: A nested case-control study in the PREDIMED trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Certain trace elements have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between serum copper (S-Cu) levels and the risk of a first event of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a population of older adults with high cardiovascular risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a case-control study nested within the PREDIMED trial. During a median follow-up of 4.8 years, a total of 207 incident cases diagnosed with CVD were matched for sex, age, and intervention group with 436 controls. Personal interviews, reviews of medical records, and validated questionnaires were used to assess known CVD risk factors. Biological serum samples were collected annually. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry analysis was used to determine S-Cu levels. Adjusted odds ratios were calculated using multivariate conditional logistic regression models. All participants had S-Cu levels within the reference values, 750 µg/L to 1450 µg/L. Among men, but not among women, the mean S-Cu concentration was higher in cases 1014.1 µg/L than in controls 959.3 µg/L; (p = 0.004). In men, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for CVD was 2.36 (95% CI 1.07-5.20 for the comparison of the highest vs. the lowest quartile; p for trend = 0.02), in women, it was 0.43 (95% CI 0.11-1.70; p for trend = 0.165). CONCLUSION: In older Spanish men with high cardiovascular risk, a significant association was observed between high S-Cu levels, but still within the reference values, and an increased risk of a first event of CVD. Our findings suggest a sex difference in CVD risk and S-Cu levels. To confirm this relationship and to analyze the differences observed between men and women, further studies are needed.

Metabolic syndrome criteria and severity and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in an adult population.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has become a growing risk factor of some non-communicable diseases. Increase of greenhouse gas emissions affects the planet. AIMS: To assess the association between MetS severity and amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted in an adult population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study (n = 6646; 55-76-year-old-men; 60-75-year-old-women with MetS). METHODS: Dietary habits were assessed using a pre-validated semi quantitative 143-item food frequency questionnaire. The amount of CO2 emitted due to the production of food consumed by person and day was calculated using a European database, and the severity of the MetS was calculated with the MetS Severity Score. RESULTS: Higher glycaemia levels were found in people with higher CO2 emissions. The risk of having high severe MetS was related to high CO2 emissions. CONCLUSIONS: Low CO2 emissions diet would help to reduce MetS severity. Advantages for both health and the environment were found following a more sustainable diet. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN, ISRCTN89898870 . Registered 05 September 2013.

Effects of three spontaneous ventilation modes on respiratory drive and muscle effort in COVID-19 pneumonia patients.

BACKGROUND: High drive and high effort during spontaneous breathing can generate patient self-inflicted lung injury (P-SILI) due to uncontrolled high transpulmonary and transvascular pressures, with deterioration of respiratory failure. P-SILI has been demonstrated in experimental studies and supported in recent computational models. Different treatment strategies have been proposed according to the phenotype of elastance of the respiratory system (Ers) for patients with COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effect of three spontaneous ventilation modes on respiratory drive and muscle effort in clinical practice and their relationship with different phenotypes. This was achieved by obtaining the following respiratory signals: airway pressure (Paw), flow (V´) and volume (V) and calculating muscle pressure (Pmus). METHODS: A physiologic observational study of a series of cases in a university medical-surgical ICU involving 11 mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at the initiation of spontaneous breathing was conducted. Three spontaneous ventilation modes were evaluated in each of the patients: pressure support ventilation (PSV), airway pressure release ventilation (APRV), and BiLevel positive airway pressure ventilation (BIPAP). Pmus was calculated through the equation of motion. For this purpose, we acquired the signals of Paw, V´ and V directly from the data transmission protocol of the ventilator (Dräger). The main physiological measurements were calculation of the respiratory drive (P0.1), muscle effort through the ΔPmus, pressure‒time product (PTP/min) and work of breathing of the patient in joules multiplied by respiratory frequency (WOBp, J/min). RESULTS: Ten mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia at the initiation of spontaneous breathing were evaluated. Our results showed similar high drive and muscle effort in each of the spontaneous ventilatory modes tested, without significant differences between them: median (IQR): P0.1 6.28 (4.92-7.44) cm H2O, ∆Pmus 13.48 (11.09-17.81) cm H2O, PTP 166.29 (124.02-253.33) cm H2O*sec/min, and WOBp 12.76 (7.46-18.04) J/min. High drive and effort were found in patients even with low Ers. There was a significant relationship between respiratory drive and WOBp and Ers, though the coefficient of variation widely varied. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, none of the spontaneous ventilatory methods tested succeeded in reducing high respiratory drive or muscle effort, regardless of the Ers, with subsequent risk of P-SILI.

The impact of urinary incontinence on multiple health outcomes: an umbrella review of meta-analysis of observational studies.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: We aimed to capture the breadth of health outcomes that have been associated with the presence of Urinary Incontinence (UI) and systematically assess the quality, strength, and credibility of these associations through an umbrella review and integrated meta-analyses. METHODS: We assessed meta-analyses of observational studies based on random-effect summary effect sizes and their p-values, 95% prediction intervals, heterogeneity, small-study effects, and excess significance. We graded the evidence from convincing (Class I) to weak (Class IV). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: From 3172 articles returned in search of the literature, 9 systematic reviews were included with a total of 41 outcomes. Overall, 37 out of the 41 outcomes reported nominally significant summary results (p < 0.05), with 22 associations surviving the application of a more stringent p-value (p < 10-6). UI was associated with worse scores than controls in female sexual function (Class II), while it was also associated with a higher prevalence of depression (odds ratio [OR] = 1.815; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.551-2.124), and anxiety (OR = 1.498; 95% CI: 1.273-1.762) (Class IV). UI was associated with poorer quality of life (QoL), higher rate of mortality (hazard ratio = 2.392; 95% CI: 2.053-2.787) an increase in falls, frailty, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, and fecal incontinence (Class IV). CONCLUSIONS: UI is associated with female sexual dysfunction, with highly suggestive evidence. However, the evidence of other adverse outcomes including depression, anxiety, poorer QoL, higher mortality, falls, pressure ulcers, diabetes, arthritis, fecal incontinence, and frailty is only weak. A multidimensional approach should be taken in managing UI in the clinical setting.

8-Oxoguanine DNA Glycosylase 1 Upregulation as a Risk Factor for Obesity and Colorectal Cancer.

DNA damage has been extensively studied as a potentially helpful tool in assessing and preventing cancer, having been widely associated with the deregulation of DNA damage repair (DDR) genes and with an increased risk of cancer. Adipose tissue and tumoral cells engage in a reciprocal interaction to establish an inflammatory microenvironment that enhances cancer growth by modifying epigenetic and gene expression patterns. Here, we hypothesize that 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (OGG1)-a DNA repair enzyme-may represent an attractive target that connects colorectal cancer (CRC) and obesity. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying the development of CRC and obesity, the expression and methylation of DDR genes were analyzed in visceral adipose tissue from CRC and healthy participants. Gene expression analysis revealed an upregulation of OGG1 expression in CRC participants (p < 0.005) and a downregulation of OGG1 in normal-weight healthy patients (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the methylation analysis showed the hypermethylation of OGG1 in CRC patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, expression patterns of OGG1 were found to be regulated by vitamin D and inflammatory genes. In general, our results showed evidence that OGG1 can regulate CRC risk through obesity and may act as a biomarker for CRC.

Pentoxifylline Inhibits TNF-α/TGF-ß1-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via Suppressing the NF-κB Pathway and SERPINE1 Expression in CaSki Cells.

Cervical cancer (CC) is one of the most common and deadly types of female cancer worldwide. Late diagnosis in CC increases the risk of tumor cells spreading to distant organs (metastasis). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a fundamental process of cancer metastasis. Inflammation can lead to tumor progression, EMT induction, and metastasis. The inflammatory microenvironment is a potent inducer of EMT; inflammatory cytokines such as Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß1) activate transcriptional factors such as STAT3, Snail, Smad, and the Nuclear Factor kappa light-chain-enhancer of activated beta cells (NF-κΒ), which drive EMT. Anti-inflammatory compounds may be an option in the disruption of EMT. PenToXifylline (PTX) possesses potent anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB activity. In addition, PTX exerts an anti-fibrotic effect by decreasing Smad2/3/4. We hypothesize that PTX could exert anti-EMT effects. CaSki human cervical tumor cells were exposed to TNF-α 10 ng/mL and TGF-ß1 alone or in combination for 5 days. Our results revealed that TNF-α and TGF-ß1 induced N-cadherin and Vimentin, confirming the induction of EMT. Furthermore, the combination of cytokines synergized the expression of mesenchymal proteins, enhanced IκBα and p65 phosphorylation, and upregulated Serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1) mRNA. PTX pretreatment prior to the addition of TNF-α and TGF-ß1 significantly reduced N-cadherin and Vimentin levels. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this effect of PTX has been reported. Additionally, PTX reduced the phosphorylation of IκB-α and p65 and significantly decreased SERPINE1 expression, cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In conclusion, PTX may counteract EMT in cervical cancer cells by decreasing the NF-κB and SERPINE1.

Using Microtechnology and the Fourier Transform for the Analysis of Effective Activity Time in Professional Soccer.

ABSTRACT: Oliva-Lozano, JM, Chmura, P, Granero-Gil, P, and Muyor, JM. Using microtechnology and the Fourier Transform for the analysis of effective activity time in professional soccer. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2491-2495, 2023-This study aimed to investigate the use of the fast Fourier transform (FFT) for the analysis of effective activity time in professional soccer by (a) exploring the relationship between this variable and standard external load parameters and (b) analyzing the effective activity time during official professional soccer matches. Twenty-six male players participated in the study. Each player was categorized as midfielder, central defender, full-back, wide-midfielder, or forward. Tracking systems based on inertial sensors (4 3D accelerometers, 3 3D gyroscopes, and 1 magnetometer), and global positioning systems technology were used to collect external load measures for 35 matches. Each match was analyzed considering 15-minute periods to explore the evolution of effective activity time during the matches. The extra time from each match was also included. Fast Fourier transform duration may be a representative variable of effective activity time, given the strong positive correlation with the external load variables ( p < 0.001). The linear regression analysis showed that the variables that significantly contributed to the model ( R2 = 0.97) were the total of steps and the distance covered. The mean effective activity time in soccer match play was ∼48.69 minutes. This time significantly changed depending on factors such as the period of the match ( F = 239.05; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.60) or playing position ( F = 16.99; p < 0.001; ηp 2 = 0.06). The greatest effective activity time was observed for all playing positions in the 0'-15' period. However, the 60'-75' period showed the lowest effective activity times compared with the rest of the 15-minute periods for all positions except for forwards (75'-90'). From a practical standpoint, sports performance practitioners may consider these results to improve the individualization of training and match demands. Also, a more accurate indicator of exercise intensity may be obtained (e.g., multiplying the rating of perceived exertion by the effective activity time).

Natural Plasmodium falciparum Infection Stimulates Human Antibodies to MSP1 Epitopes Identified in Mice Infection Models upon Non-Natural Modified Peptidomimetic Vaccination.

(1) Background: Malaria, a vector-borne infectious disease, is caused by parasites of the Plasmodium genus, responsible for increased extreme morbidity and mortality rates. Despite advances in approved vaccines, full protection has not yet been achieved upon vaccination, thus the development of more potent and safe immuno-stimulating agents for malaria prevention is a goal to be urgently accomplished. We have focused our research on a strategy to identify Plasmodium spp. epitopes by naturally acquired human antibodies and rodent malaria infection models immunized with site-directed non-natural antigens. (2) Methods: Some predictive algorithms and bioinformatics tools resembling different biological environments, such as phagosome-lysosome proteolytic degradation, affinity, and the high frequency of malaria-resistant and -sensitive HLA-II alleles were regarded for the proper selection of epitopes and potential testing. Each epitope's binding profile to both host cells and HLA-II molecules was considered for such initial screening. (3) Results: Once selected, we define each epitope-peptide to be synthesized in terms of size and hydrophobicity, and introduced peptide-bond surrogates and non-natural amino acids in a site-directed fashion, and then they were produced by solid-phase peptide synthesis. Molecules were then tested by their antigenic and immunogenic properties compared to human sera from Colombian malaria-endemic areas. The antigenicity and protective capacity of each epitope-peptide in a rodent infection model were examined. The ability of vaccinated mice after being challenged with P. berghei ANKA and P. yoelii 17XL to control malaria led to the determination of an immune stimulation involving Th1 and Th1/Th2 mechanisms. In silico molecular dynamics and modeling provided some interactions insights, leading to possible explanations for protection due to immunization. (4) Conclusions: We have found evidence for proposing MSP1-modified epitopes to be considered as neutralizing antibody stimulators that are useful as probes for the detection of Plasmodium parasites, as well as for sub-unit components of a site-directed designed malaria vaccine candidate.

Characterizing Permutation-Based Combinatorial Optimization Problems in Fourier Space.

Comparing combinatorial optimization problems is a difficult task. They are defined using different criteria and terms: weights, flows, distances, etc. In spite of this apparent discrepancy, on many occasions, they tend to produce problem instances with similar properties. One avenue to compare different problems is to project them onto the same space, in order to have homogeneous representations. Expressing the problems in a unified framework could also lead to the discovery of theoretical properties or the design of new algorithms. This article proposes the use of the Fourier transform over the symmetric group as the tool to project different permutation-based combinatorial optimization problems onto the same space. Based on a previous study (Kondor, 2010), which characterized the Fourier coefficients of the quadratic assignment problem, we describe the Fourier coefficients of three other well-known problems: the symmetric and nonsymmetric traveling salesperson problem and the linear ordering problem. This transformation allows us to gain a better understanding of the intersection between the problems, as well as to bound their intrinsic dimension.

Monitoring physical match performance relative to peak locomotor demands: implications for training professional soccer players.

This study aimed to analyse physical performance relative to peak locomotor demands of match play. Data were collected during 13 professional soccer matches. Initially, the 1-minute peak values were registered in each match, including the percentage of the total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (HSRD), sprinting distance (SPD), and high-metabolic load distance (HMLD), and a total of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations (Acc+Dec). Secondly, the time (measured in minutes) spent at different percentage ranges for the 1-minute peak values registered in each match was calculated. Thirdly, the physical performance required in the different percentage ranges for the 1-minute peak values were obtained. Finally, the time and physical performance required above the 90-minute average demands were calculated. The 90-minute average for all playing positions represented ~53% of the total distance (TD), ~23.4% of high-metabolic load distance (HMLD), ~16% of high-speed running distance (HSRD), ~11% of the total of high-intensity accelerations and decelerations (Acc+Dec), and ~6% of sprinting distance (SPD) for the 1-minute peak values. Likewise, statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in the physical performance and time spent between specific percentage ranges for the 1-minute peak locomotor demands were also noted. In addition, all the variables reported that the physical performance required for above 90-minute average demands were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than the 90-minute average demands. Therefore, these findings may guide the prescription of training intensity by considering the physical performance relative to the peak locomotor demands of match play.

Is there any relationship between match running, technical-tactical performance, and team success in professional soccer? A longitudinal study in the first and second divisions of LaLiga.

The aim of this study was to analyze the association between teams' success at the end of the season and match running, and technical-tactical performance in two professional soccer leagues. Match running, and technical-tactical performance data were collected during two consecutive seasons. A Factor Analysis was conducted to reduce the number of performance variables into a fewer number of factors. The scree plot with parallel analysis revealed that five factors should be retained. Then, a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explain which variables and factors were more associated with teams' success at the end of the season. The main findings of this study were that factor 3, which was correlated with goals scored, possessions ending with a goal, shots on target, goals from set plays, goals from a direct free kick, offsides, and goals conceded, was the most important contributor to teams' success (ß = 0.66). In addition, this study observed a significant interaction (p = 0.001) between the second division of LaLiga and factor 2, which correlated with total distance (TD), sprinting distance (SPD), and sprinting actions (SPA) when opponent team owns the ball, tackles, shots inside the box, and fouls received. This implies that factor 2 had a different effect on the total points at the end of the season depending on the league. However, factor 2 had no effect on the first division. In conclusion, technical-tactical performance variables were usually more closely linked to the team's success in both leagues than match running performance data. Regarding the technical-tactical performance, teams may focus on drills that promote goal situations, shooting accuracy, the total of shots performed in match play, and set pieces. However, defensive skills need to be reinforced considering the importance of goals conceded for team success in both divisions. When it comes to the match running performance, teams are encouraged to focus on offensive actions, in which they possess and run with the ball (especially at high speed) and defensive actions in which the players perform continuous and high-intensity physical efforts to prevent the opponents from scoring, avoid counterattacks, stay compact, and defend the area and goal.