Differences in vocal brain areas and astrocytes between the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird.

The house wren shows complex song, and the rufous-tailed hummingbird has a simple song. The location of vocal brain areas supports the song's complexity; however, these still need to be studied. The astrocytic population in songbirds appears to be associated with change in vocal control nuclei; however, astrocytic distribution and morphology have not been described in these species. Consequently, we compared the distribution and volume of the vocal brain areas: HVC, RA, Area X, and LMAN, cell density, and the morphology of astrocytes in the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird. Individuals of the two species were collected, and their brains were analyzed using serial Nissl- NeuN- and MAP2-stained tissue scanner imaging, followed by 3D reconstructions of the vocal areas; and GFAP and S100ß astrocytes were analyzed in both species. We found that vocal areas were located close to the cerebral midline in the house wren and a more lateralized position in the rufous-tailed hummingbird. The LMAN occupied a larger volume in the rufous-tailed hummingbird, while the RA and HVC were larger in the house wren. While Area X showed higher cell density in the house wren than the rufous-tailed hummingbird, the LMAN showed a higher density in the rufous-tailed hummingbird. In the house wren, GFAP astrocytes in the same bregma where the vocal areas were located were observed at the laminar edge of the pallium (LEP) and in the vascular region, as well as in vocal motor relay regions in the pallidum and mesencephalon. In contrast, GFAP astrocytes were found in LEP, but not in the pallidum and mesencephalon in hummingbirds. Finally, when comparing GFAP astrocytes in the LEP region of both species, house wren astrocytes exhibited significantly more complex morphology than those of the rufous-tailed hummingbird. These findings suggest a difference in the location and cellular density of vocal circuits, as well as morphology of GFAP astrocytes between the house wren and the rufous-tailed hummingbird.

Influence of Vertical-Oriented vs. Horizontal-Oriented Combined Strength Training in Young Basketball Players.

ABSTRACT: Sánchez-Sabaté, J, Gutiérrez, H, Marco-Contreras, LA, Younes-Egana, O, Gonzalo-Skok, O, and Piedrafita, E. Influence of vertical-oriented vs. horizontal-oriented combined strength training in young basketball players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This study aimed to compare the effects of 8-week combined vertical-oriented vs. horizontal-oriented training interventions in basketball athletes. Eighteen highly trained U-16 basketball players participated in this study and were randomly assigned to either a combined vertical-oriented training group (CVG, n = 9) or a combined horizontal-oriented training group (CHG, n = 9). Bilateral and unilateral vertical jump height, unilateral horizontal jump distance, 5-m, 10-m, and 20-m sprint times, change-of-direction sprint times, and a limb symmetry index were among the measured performance variables. Combined strength training was performed twice a week for 8 weeks. CVG was compounded by the squat exercise (3 sets of 6-8 R at 30-45% 1 repetition maximum [1RM]), jump squats (2 sets of 6 R, at 5-12.5% body mass [BM]), and vertical jumps (3-4 sets × 6 R). CHG included the hip thrust exercise (3 sets of 6-8 R at 30-45% 1RM), sled towing sprints (2-3 R, at 5-12.5% BM), and sprints (3-4 R of 20-m). Within-group differences showed significant (p < 0.05 and statistical power >80%) improvements in unilateral vertical jumping with the right leg after both training interventions. By contrast, only CHG improved 5-m, 10-m, and 20-m sprint times (p < 0.05 and statistical power >80%). Significant effects were observed for CHG compared with CVG in 5-m, 10-m, and 20-m sprint times (p < 0.05 and statistical power >80%). This study reinforces the importance of oriented-combined training based on force-vector specificity target, mainly in horizontal-oriented actions.

Running Economy in the Vertical Kilometer.

New and promising variables are being developed to analyze performance and fatigue in trail running, such as mechanical power, metabolic power, metabolic cost of transport and mechanical efficiency. The aim of this study was to analyze the behavior of these variables during a real vertical kilometer field test. Fifteen trained trail runners, eleven men (from 22 to 38 years old) and four women (from 19 to 35 years old) performed a vertical kilometer with a length of 4.64 km and 835 m positive slope. During the entire race, the runners were equipped with portable gas analyzers (Cosmed K5) to assess their cardiorespiratory and metabolic responses breath by breath. Significant differences were found between top-level runners versus low-level runners in the mean values of the variables of mechanical power, metabolic power and velocity. A repeated-measures ANOVA showed significant differences between the sections, the incline and the interactions between all the analyzed variables, in addition to differences depending on the level of the runner. The variable of mechanical power can be statistically significantly predicted from metabolic power and vertical net metabolic COT. An algebraic expression was obtained to calculate the value of metabolic power. Integrating the variables of mechanical power, vertical velocity and metabolic power into phone apps and smartwatches is a new opportunity to improve performance monitoring in trail running.

Latency Reduction and Packet Synchronization in Low-Resource Devices Connected by DDS Networks in Autonomous UAVs.

Real-time flight controllers are becoming dependent on general-purpose operating systems, as the modularity and complexity of guidance, navigation, and control systems and algorithms increases. The non-deterministic nature of operating systems creates a critical weakness in the development of motion control systems for robotic platforms due to the random delays introduced by operating systems and communication networks. The high-speed operation and sensitive dynamics of UAVs demand fast and near-deterministic communication between the sensors, companion computer, and flight control unit (FCU) in order to achieve the required performance. In this paper, we present a method to assess communications latency between a companion computer and an RTOS open-source flight controller, which is based on an XRCE-DDS bridge between clients hosted in the low-resource environment and the DDS network used by ROS2. A comparison based on the measured statistics of latency illustrates the advantages of XRCE-DDS compared to the standard communication method based on MAVROS-MAVLink. More importantly, an algorithm to estimate latency offset and clock skew based on an exponential moving average filter is presented, providing a tool for latency estimation and correction that can be used by developers to improve synchronization of processes that rely on timely communication between the FCU and companion computer, such as synchronization of lower-level sensor data at the higher-level layer. This addresses the challenges introduced in GNC applications by the non-deterministic nature of general-purpose operating systems and the inherent limitations of standard flight controller hardware.

Bird community effects on avian malaria infections.

In community assembly processes, interspecific interactions play an important role in shaping community diversity, especially at the local scale. Changes in species richness or abundance can modify local infectious disease dynamics, either reducing or increasing the risk of transmission within the community. This study evaluates the effects of bird community on avian haemosporidians infections in a Neotropical region. Bird samples were collected from areas surrounding three dams, and molecular analysis were performed to identify blood-parasitic haemosporidia infecting the birds. Generalized linear models were used to analyze the relationships between the bird community and the prevalence, number of infections, and richness of avian haemosporidian lineages. Non-significant effects of bird community dominance and richness on the prevalence of avian parasites and the number of infections of Haemoproteus were found. However, there was evidence of an amplification effect. Host dominance was associated with the total number of infections, the number Plasmodium infections and the expected richness of Plasmodium lineages, while the expected richness of Haemoproteus lineages was associated with the richness of bird species. These findings highlight the role of host community dominance and richness in the dynamics of parasite infections, potentially influenced by the availability of competent hosts. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of blood parasite diversity in tropical birds within a relatively understudied region of South America.

[Risk factors for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in the Hispanic-Mexican population.] / Factores de riesgo de la enfermedad hepática grasa asociada a disfunción metabólica en población hispano-mexicana.

OBJECTIVE: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a poor attended disease, which has gained attention due the elevated number of cases in countries as Mexico, where the incidence is the number 4th globally. MAFLD develops in obese or overweighted individuals and is characterized by triglycerides accumulation in the liver, this condition can develop to hepatocellular carcinoma. It has been observed that MAFLD depends on the genetics and lifestyle. Due to the high prevalence of this disease among Hispanic population, we focused on this study in the characteristics and prevalence of MAFLD in Mexican patients. METHODS: In this study were included 572 overweighted and obese patients, who underwent a screening analysis using the fatty liver index (IHG), clinical parameters were analysed, demographic and comorbidities. Frequency of variables were obtained, and the data were analysed by Chi-square test or Fisher test, odd ratio (OR) and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: A MALFD prevalence of 37% were obtained, where the history of familiar obesity, paracetamol usage, carbohydrate and fat intake are shown to be risk factors. It was found that high blood pressure, central obesity and hypertriglyceridemia were also associated to the MAFLD development. On the other hand, physical exercise was a protector factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the necessity to study the MAFLD causalities in Mexican patients, focused on the paracetamol intake.

OBJETIVO: La enfermedad hepática grasa asociada a disfunción metabólica (MAFLD) es una enfermedad poco considerada, que ha recibido atención debido al número de casos en países como México, donde ocupa el 4º lugar mundial de incidencia. La MAFLD se desarrolla en personas con sobrepeso u obesidad y se caracteriza por la acumulación de triglicéridos en el hígado, donde puede evolucionar hacia carcinoma hepatocelular. Se ha observado que la MAFLD depende de la genética y del estilo de vida. Tomando en cuenta la alta prevalencia de MAFLD en la población hispana, nos enfocamos en este trabajo en estudiar la prevalencia y características relacionadas con esta enfermedad en pacientes mexicanos. METODOS: En este estudio se incluyeron 572 pacientes con sobrepeso u obesidad, a los cuales se les realizó un análisis de cribado mediante el índice de hígado graso (IHG), se analizaron parámetros clínicos, demográficos y comorbilidades. Se obtuvieron frecuencias de las variables y se analizaron los datos mediante chi cuadrado o exacta de Fisher, razón de momios (OR) y regresión logística binaria. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvo una prevalencia del 37% de MAFLD, donde la historia familiar de obesidad, el uso de paracetamol, así como el consumo de carbohidratos y grasas fueron factores de riesgo para su desarrollo. Se encontró que la hipertensión arterial, la obesidad visceral y la hipertrigliceridemia también estaban asociados al desarrollo de la MAFLD. Por otro lado, el ejercicio fue un factor protector. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de realizar estudios relacionados con las causalidades de la MAFLD en los pacientes mexicanos, principalmente en el uso del paracetamol.

Factores de riesgo de la enfermedad hepática grasa asociada a disfunción metabólica en población hispano-mexicana / Risk factors for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in the Hispanic-Mexican population

FUNDAMENTOS: La enfermedad hepática grasa asociada a disfunción metabólica (MAFLD) es una enfermedad poco considerada,que ha recibido atención debido al número de casos en países como México, donde ocupa el 4º lugar mundial de incidencia. La MAFLDse desarrolla en personas con sobrepeso u obesidad y se caracteriza por la acumulación de triglicéridos en el hígado, donde puedeevolucionar hacia carcinoma hepatocelular. Se ha observado que la MAFLD depende de la genética y del estilo de vida. Tomando encuenta la alta prevalencia de MAFLD en la población hispana, nos enfocamos en este trabajo en estudiar la prevalencia y características relacionadas con esta enfermedad en pacientes mexicanos. MÉTODOS: En este estudio se incluyeron 572 pacientes con sobrepeso u obesidad, a los cuales se les realizó un análisis de cribadomediante el índice de hígado graso (IHG), se analizaron parámetros clínicos, demográficos y comorbilidades. Se obtuvieron frecuenciasde las variables y se analizaron los datos mediante chi cuadrado o exacta de Fisher, razón de momios (OR) y regresión logística binaria. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvo una prevalencia del 37% de MAFLD, donde la historia familiar de obesidad, el uso de paracetamol, así comoel consumo de carbohidratos y grasas fueron factores de riesgo para su desarrollo. Se encontró que la hipertensión arterial, la obesidadvisceral y la hipertrigliceridemia también estaban asociados al desarrollo de la MAFLD. Por otro lado, el ejercicio fue un factor protector. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados ponen de manifiesto la necesidad de realizar estudios relacionados con las causalidades dela MAFLD en los pacientes mexicanos, principalmente en el uso del paracetamol.(AU)

BACKGROUND: Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a poor attended disease, which has gained at-tention due the elevated number of cases in countries as Mexico, where the incidence is the number 4 th globally. MAFLD developsin obese or overweighted individuals and is characterized by triglycerides accumulation in the liver, this condition can develop tohepatocellular carcinoma. It has been observed that MAFLD depends on the genetics and lifestyle. Due to the high prevalence of thisdisease among Hispanic population, we focused on this study in the characteristics and prevalence of MAFLD in Mexican patients. METHODS: In this study were included 572 overweighted and obese patients, who underwent a screening analysis using the fatty liverindex (IHG), clinical parameters were analysed, demographic and comorbidities. Frequency of variables were obtained, and the data wereanalysed by Chi-square test or Fisher test, odd ratio (OR) and binary logistic regression. RESULTS: A MALFD prevalence of 37% were obtained, where the history of familiar obesity, paracetamol usage, carbohydrate andfat intake are shown to be risk factors. It was found that high blood pressure, central obesity and hypertriglyceridemia were alsoassociated to the MAFLD development. On the other hand, physical exercise was a protector factor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show the necessity to study the MAFLD causalities in Mexican patients, focused on the paracetamol intake.(AU)

Efficacy of nutrition therapy with food rich in methionine for treating nonalcoholic fatty liver / Eficacia de la terapia nutricional con alimentos ricos en metionina para el tratamiento de hígado graso no alcohólico

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to Non Alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis, and liver cancer. The treatment for NAFLD involves modification of caloric intake and physical activity. NAFLD has a pro-oxidant nature; therefore, it is logical to suppose that the antioxidant methionine can be used as a treatment for this disease. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-methionine dietary therapy on patients with NAFLD. Materials and methods. A randomized clinical study was conducted over three months. In this study, 121 NAFLD patients participated, and the age of the participants was ≥ 20 years (experimental group included 56 and control group 65), all of whom were randomized and matched by sex, recluted from the ISSSTE hospital in Xalapa, Mexico. The patients were instructed to consume food to cover the recommended methionine daily doses, and the daily amount consumed was calculated. Methionine effect was measured as NAFLD regression and quality of life improvement. Results. Nutritional therapy induced NAFLD regression and diminished central fat accumulation, blood pressure, and the fatty liver index. Some parameters, such as liver enzymes, did not changed. The quality of life of patients improved after treatment. Conclusions. In this study, we show a hepatoprotective effect induced only in three months of chances in the diet, thus, a longer diet may generate more relevant benefits in the resistant parameters of our study(AU)

La enfermedad del hígado graso no alcohólico (NAFLD) puede conducir a la esteatohepatitis no alcohólica (NASH), la cirrosis y el cáncer de hígado. El tratamiento para NAFLD es la modificación de la ingesta calórica y la actividad física. Debido a que NAFLD tiene una naturaleza pro-oxidante; es lógico suponer que el antioxidante metionina puede utilizarse en el tratamiento de esta enfermedad. Objetivo. el presente trabajo evaluó el papel de la terapia nutricional con alimentos ricos en metioninaen pacientes con NAFLD. Materiales y Métodos. Se realizó un ensayo clínico aleatorizado durante tres meses. Participaron en el estudio 121 pacientes con NAFLD con edad ≥ 20 años (56 en el grupo experimental y 65 en el control), todos aleatorizados y pareados por sexo, reclutados de la Clínica Hospital ISSTE en la ciudad de Xalapa, México, en el año 2015. Se instruyó a los pacientes en consumir los alimentos hasta completar la dosis diaria recomendada de metioninay se calculó la cantidad diaria consumida. Su efecto se midió como la regresión de NAFLD y la mejora de la calidad de vida. Resultados. La terapia nutricional retrocedió NAFLD; disminuyó la acumulación de grasa central, la presión arterial y el índice de hígado graso. Algunos parámetros, como las enzimas de la función hepática, no se modificaron con el tratamiento. Otro parámetro fue la mejora de la calidad de vida de los pacientes tratados. Conclusiones. En este trabajo mostramos un impacto hepatoprotector producido con tan solo tres meses de cambios en la dieta, por lo que una dieta más prolongada podría generar beneficios aún más significativos en los parámetros resistentes en nuestro protocolo(AU)

Mobile health platform for self-management of pediatric cystic fibrosis: Impact on patient-centered care outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Previously, we adapted a mobile health platform (Genia) to the needs of patients and families in a pediatric CF center in the United States. In this feasibility study, we tested the impact of Genia on measures of patient-centered care. METHODS: In a one-group pre-post study with adolescents with CF and caregivers of children with CF, we tested Genia's effect over 6 months on patient satisfaction with chronic illness care (PACIC) and shared decision-making (CollaboRate). Feasibility and acceptability were assessed with exit interviews and app analytics. RESULTS: The intervention included 40 participants: 30 caregivers of children with CF age ≤14 years and 10 patients with CF age ≥15 years. The use of Genia was associated with increased satisfaction with care (p = 0.024), including delivery system and decision support (p = 0.017), goal setting (p = 0.006), and shared decision-making (p<0.001). The use of Genia was associated with nominal improvements in all QOL domains and symptom scales. The platform was feasible, with participants recording more than 4,400 observations (mean 84.2) and submitting 496 weekly reports (mean 13.8) and 70 quarterly reports (mean 1.8), and acceptable (95% retention rate). For participants, the most useful app feature was pre-visit reports (66.7%), and the top symptom trackers were those for cough (23.7%), appetite (21.1%), energy (18.4%), and medicines (18.4%). CONCLUSION: The use of Genia over 6 months was feasible, acceptable, and associated with improved measures of patient-centered care. Study results support wider use of Genia in clinical settings. Efficacy for clinical outcomes should be assessed in a randomized clinical trial.

Outcomes of children with cystic fibrosis screen positive, inconclusive diagnosis/CFTR related metabolic syndrome.

Background: Some infants undergoing newborn screening (NBS) tests have inconclusive sweat chloride test (SCT) results that lead to the designation of Cystic Fibrosis Screen Positive, Inconclusive Diagnosis/CFTR-related metabolic syndrome (CFSPID/CRMS). Some proportion of them transition to a CF diagnosis, but no predictive markers can stratify which are at risk for this transition. We report single-center outcomes of children with CRMS. Methods: We retrospectively identified all infants born in Alabama from 2008 through 2020 referred to our CF Center with an elevated immunoreactive trypsinogen level (IRT) associated with a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutation (IRT+/DNA+) who had at least one SCT result documented. Infants were classified per established guidelines as Carrier, CRMS, or CF based on the IRT+/DNA+ and SCT results. The electronic health record was reviewed for follow-up visits until the children received a definitive diagnosis (to carrier or CF) according to current diagnostic guidelines for CF, or through the end of the 2020 year. Results: Of the 1,346 infants with IRT+ and at least 1 CFTR mutation identified (IRT+/DNA+), 63 (4.7%) were designated as CRMS. Of these infants, 12 (19.1%) transitioned to Carrier status (CRMS-Carrier), 40 (63.5%) of them remained CRMS status (CRMS-Persistent) and 11 (17.5%) of them transitioned to a diagnosis of CF (CRMS-CF). Of the 11 children in the CRMS-CF group, 4 (36%) had an initial SCT 30-39 mmol/L, 4 (36%) had an initial SCT 40-49 mmol/L and 3 (27%) had an initial SCT 50-59 mmol/L. These children also had higher initial sweat tests and greater yearly increases in sweat chloride values than others with CRMS. We found that in comparison to children in the CRMS-P group, a greater proportion of children in the CRMS-CF group cultured bacteria like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, had smaller weight-for-height percentiles and remained smaller over time despite slightly greater growth. Conclusion: Infants with an inconclusive diagnosis of CF should continue to receive annual care and management given their potential risk of transition to CF. Further research is needed to assess whether certain phenotypic patterns, clinical symptoms, diagnostic tests or biomarkers could better stratify these children.

Precision Landing of a Quadcopter Drone by Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor in a GPS-Denied Environment.

This paper describes the deployment, integration, and demonstration of a Smartphone Video Guidance Sensor (SVGS) as a novel technology for autonomous 6-DOF proximity maneuvers and precision landing of a quadcopter drone. The proposed approach uses a vision-based photogrammetric position and attitude sensor (SVGS) to estimate the position of a landing target after video capture. A visual inertial odometry sensor (VIO) is used to provide position estimates of the UAV in a ground coordinate system during flight on a GPS-denied environment. The integration of both SVGS and VIO sensors enables the accurate updating of position setpoints during landing, providing improved performance compared with VIO-only landing, as shown in landing experiments. The proposed technique also shows significant operational advantages compared with state-of-the-art sensors for indoor landing, such as those based on augmented reality (AR) markers.

Intelligent diagnosis of flip chip solder joints with resolution enhanced SAM image.

Scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) technique has been applied to defect inspection in electronic devices. With the increase of packaging density, detection of the micro-defects in high density devices becomes more and more challenging. The SAM test is suffering from sacrificing the spatial resolution to reach a certain penetration depth of the ultrasonic waves. So it is necessary to enhance the resolution level of the SAM image. In this paper, a wavelet based resolution enhancement technique was investigated to reconstruct a high quality image for SAM test of the flip chip packages. The stationary wavelet transform was adopted to decompose the captured SAM image into four frequency subbands, and the high frequency subbands were enhanced by adding the difference matrix in the intermediate stage, and a super resolution SAM image was derived from combining all the subbands by using the Inverse Discrete Wavelet Transform. Then the solder joints segmented from the SR-SAM image were classified by using the SVM algorithm. The results validated that the proposed technique is effective to improve the detection accuracy of SAM test.

Geographical differences in the use of oral corticosteroids in patients with severe asthma in Spain: heat map based on existing databases analyses.

BACKGROUND: Although there are currently alternative treatments to the long-term use of oral corticosteroids (OCS) in severe asthma, recent studies show excessive use depending on geography and differences in medical practice. The objective of the study was to describe the differences in OCS use for severe asthma across the Spanish geography. METHODS: This is a real-world study using existing databases (year 2019): longitudinal patient database (EMR), based on electronic medical records, and database of pharmacological consumption (Sell-in) in basic healthcare areas. With EMR, the percentage of OCS prescriptions corresponding to patients with severe asthma (ICD-9 "asthma" and prescription of biological treatment and/or high dose of inhaled corticosteroids/long-acting inhaled ß2 agonists) was calculated. This percentage was transferred to the OCS consumption of each basic healthcare area as reported in the Sell-in database and a national heat map was created. The estimation of OCS use in patients with severe asthma per 100,000 inhabitants for each region was calculated by grouping basic healthcare areas and the mean OCS use per patient for different regions in Spain was also estimated. RESULTS: Patients with severe asthma in Spain were mostly female (69.6%), with a mean age (SD) of 57.6 years (18.01). Median time (Pc25-Pc75) since asthma diagnosis was 83.1 months (34.65-131.56). Of all patients with OCS prescriptions in 2019 identified in EMR, 4.4% corresponded to patients with severe asthma. Regions with the highest OCS use were Asturias, Andalucía, and Galicia, whereas those with the lowest use were Navarra, Baleares, Madrid and País Vasco. The mean OCS use per patient with severe asthma in 2019 throughout Spain was 1099.85 mg per patient, ranging from 782.99 mg in Navarra to 1432.64 in Asturias. CONCLUSIONS: There are geographical differences between Spanish regions with respect to the use of OCS in patients with severe asthma. The national mean consumption of OCS per patient with severe asthma and year is above the limits that indicate good asthma control.

Tuberculin skin test versus QuantiFERON-TB gold in-tube for latent tuberculosis screening in people living with HIV in a resource-limited setting.

OBJECTIVE: To compare QuantiFERON-TB Gold-in-Tube (QFT) and tuberculin skin test (TST) in the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) among people living with HIV (PLWHIV). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out between 2017-2018. Tuberculin skin test and QFT were performed and their concordance was measured. The gold standard for LTBI was defined as positivity to any of the tests. A logistic regression model was carried out to predict the QFT result in patients with a negative TST. RESULTS: A total of 510 PLWHIV were included, with 409 (80.2%) being male. The mean age of the patients was 41.3 ± 11.8 years. The median time since HIV diagnosis was 5 years (IQR 2-10), with a median CD4+ count of 541 (IQR 340-757) cells/mm3. Overall, 20 patients had an isolated TST+, 22 an isolated QFT+ and 15 had both positive. Concordance between tests showed a kappa coefficient of .37. Overcrowding was the only predictor for a positive QFT after a negative TST (p = .003). CONCLUSION: There was fair agreement between tests in PLWHIV. In conditions of limited access to QTF, a TST-based strategy could be considered, with sequential use of QTF in high-risk patients with a negative result, especially those who live in overcrowded conditions.

Prevalence, attitude, knowledge, and risk perception towards COVID-19 in COPD patients associated to biomass exposure.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients due to biomass exposure (BE-COPD) could be more affected than COPD due to tobacco smoke (TE-COPD) by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The aim of this work was to determine the prevalence of COVID-19 in BE-COPD and TE-COPD and if housing conditions, poor attitude, knowledge, and risk perception towards COVID-19, particularly in BE-COPD women, could represent a risk factor for contagion.An 11% prevalence of COVID-19 was found with no significant difference between COPD groups. The BE-COPD group showed poorer socioeconomic status. No significant differences were found to be associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection regarding housing conditions, poor knowledge, attitude, and risk perception towards COVID-19. Living in urban areas and perceiving risk in COVID-19 were significantly associated with increased adherence to sanitary measures and concern of contagion. Around 40% of all patients showed poor risk perception and adherence to sanitary measures towards COVID-19.

Efectividad de adicionar elongación de la cápsula posterior a un programa de ejercicios en pacientes con síndrome de pinzamiento subacromial: estudio clínico aleatorizado / Effectiveness of adding posterior capsule stretching after an exercise program in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome: a randomized clinical study

Objetivo: Determinar la efectividad clínica de adicionar el ejercicio de elongación de “estiramiento acostado” a un programa de ejercicios específicos en pacientes con síndrome de pinzamiento subacromial (SPSA). Diseño: Estudio clínico aleatorizado ciego simple. Método: Se reclutaron en forma prospectiva 64 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico e imagenológico de SPSA, quienes fueron asignados a dos grupos al azar. El grupo control (n = 32) recibió un programa de ejercicios de 12 semanas, el grupo de intervención (n = 32) recibió el mismo programa más un ejercicio de elongación de la cápsula posterior. Ambos grupos fueron evaluados al inicio y al finalizar el tratamiento. La medida de resultado primaria fue la función del hombro con el cuestionario Constant-Murley, las medidas de resultado secundarias fueron la función de la extremidad superior con el cuestionario DASH y el dolor en reposo y al movimiento con la escala visual analógica (EVA).Resultados: Todos los pacientes completaron el estudio. Al finalizar el tratamiento el cuestionario Constant-Murley mostró una diferencia de 3 puntos (p = 0.864) y el cuestionario DASH una diferencia fue de 2 puntos (p = 0.941), ambas diferencias son a favor del grupo de intervención, pero no son ni clínica ni estadísticamente significativas. Para la EVA en reposo la diferencia fue de 0,2 cm (p = 0,096) y la EVA al movimiento fue de 0,4 cm (p = 0,378), en ambas la diferencia en la reducción del dolor fue mayor en el grupo control. Conclusión: A corto plazo, adicionar el ejercicio de “estiramiento acostado” no proporciona un beneficio clínico ni estadísticamente significativo con respecto a la mejora funcional o la reducción del dolor en pacientes con SPSA.(AU)

Objective: To determine the clinical effectiveness of adding the exercise of “sleep-stretch” to a specific exercise program in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). Design: Randomized controlled trial, single-blinded. Methods: Sixty-four patients with clinical and imagenologic diagnosis of SIS were prospectively recruited, who were randomly allocated to two groups. The control group (n = 32) received a 12-week exercise program, and intervention group (n = 32) received the same program plus stretching of the posterior capsule. Both groups were assessed at baseline and at the end of the treatment. The primary outcome measure was shoulder function assessed with Constant-Murley questionnaire. Secondary outcomes measures were upper limb function assessed with the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, and pain at rest and movement with visual analog scale (VAS). Results: All patients completed the trial. At the end of the treatment, Constant-Murley questionnaire showed a difference of 3 points (p = 0.864), and the DASH questionnaire a difference was 2 points (p = 0.941), both differences were in favor of the intervention group, but they are neither clinically or statistically significant. For the VAS at rest the difference was 0.2 cm (p = 0.096) and the VAS at movement was 0.4 cm (p = 0.378), both differences in pain reduction was greater in the control group.Conclusion: In the short term, the addition of a “sleep-stretch” exercise does not provide a clinically or statistically significant benefit with respect to functional improvement or pain reduction in patients with SIS.(AU)

Enhancing Solid-Phase Extraction of Tamoxifen and Its Metabolites from Human Plasma Using MOF-Integrated Polyacrylonitrile Composites: A Study on CuBTC and ZIF-8 Efficacy.

This study investigates electrospun fibers of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), particularly CuBTC and ZIF-8, in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) for the solid-phase extraction (SPE) of Tamoxifen (TAM) and its metabolites (NDTAM, ENDO, and 4OHT) from human blood plasma. The focus is on the isolation, pre-concentration, and extraction of the analytes, aiming to provide a more accessible and affordable breast cancer patient-monitoring technology. The unique physicochemical properties of MOFs, such as high porosity and surface area, combined with PAN's stability and low density, are leveraged to improve SPE efficiency. The study meticulously examines the interactions of these MOFs with the analytes under various conditions, including elution solvents and protein precipitators. Results reveal that ZIF-8/PAN composites outperform CuBTC/PAN and PAN alone, especially when methanol is used as the protein precipitator. This superior performance is attributed to the physicochemical compatibility between the analytes' properties, like solubility and polarity, and the MOFs' structural features, including pore flexibility, active site availability, surface polarity, and surface area. The findings underscore MOFs' potential in SPE applications and provide valuable insights into the selectivity and sensitivity of different MOFs towards specific analytes, advancing more efficient targeted extraction methods in biomedical analysis.

Attack and Defense Performance in Goalball: A Proposal for Throwing, Balance and Acoustic Reaction Evaluation.

Goalball is a sport for visually impaired athletes, where the roles of attack and defense change continuously during the game. Performance evaluation should consider the variables that determine the throwing and the stop and clearance of the ball. The aim of this study is to evaluate the precision and velocity of the ball throwing in goalball, besides core stability and balance as variables that determine an optimal throwing. Moreover, a novel acoustic reaction time is applied to analyze the defense performance. Eight goalball players (33 ± 9 years old; 77.8 ± 22.7 kg; 174 ± 13 cm; 10 ± 5 years of experience) were recruited to assess ball velocity, with a radar gun, and throwing accuracy. Anthropometry, static balance, and core stability were assessed using a computerized pressure platform. Acoustic reaction time was measured with a photoelectric system. A significant positive correlation was found between throwing speed and the years of experience (Ç· = 0.714, p = 0.047), height (Ç· = 0.786, p = 0.021), dominant leg surface area of the stabilogram (Ç· = 0.738, p = 0.037), and non-dominant leg center of pressure mean velocity (Ç· = 0.714, p = 0.017). In the present pilot study, height and years of experience are correlated to throwing velocity. This is also the first test proposal to assess throwing precision and complex acoustic reaction in goalball players, which could be used to assess the level of performance in future studies.

Factors associated with clinical progression to severe COVID-19 in people with cystic fibrosis: A global observational study.

BACKGROUND: This international study aimed to characterise the impact of acute SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with cystic fibrosis and investigate factors associated with severe outcomes. Methods Data from 22 countries prior to 13th December 2020 and the introduction of vaccines were included. It was de-identified and included patient demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, outcomes and sequalae following SARS-CoV-2 infection. Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate factors associated with clinical progression to severe COVID-19, using the primary outcome of hospitalisation with supplemental oxygen. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 was reported in 1555 people with CF, 1452 were included in the analysis. One third were aged <18 years, and 9.4% were solid-organ transplant recipients. 74.5% were symptomatic and 22% were admitted to hospital. In the non-transplanted cohort, 39.5% of patients with ppFEV1<40% were hospitalised with oxygen verses 3.2% with ppFEV >70%: a 17-fold increase in odds. Worse outcomes were independently associated with older age, non-white race, underweight body mass index, and CF-related diabetes. Prescription of highly effective CFTR modulator therapies was associated with a significantly reduced odds of being hospitalised with oxygen (AOR 0.43 95%CI 0.31-0.60 p<0.001). Transplanted patients were hospitalised with supplemental oxygen therapy (21.9%) more often than non-transplanted (8.8%) and was independently associated with the primary outcome (Adjusted OR 2.45 95%CI 1.27-4.71 p=0.007). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to show that there is a protective effect from the use of CFTR modulator therapy and that people with CF from an ethnic minority are at more risk of severe infection with SARS-CoV-2.

The aflatoxin inhibitors capsaicin and piperine from Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits modulate the antioxidant system in Aspergillus parasiticus.

Several aflatoxin inhibitors can modulate the antioxidant system in fungi. In this work, the effect of the ethanolic extract of Capsicum chinense and Piper nigrum fruits, capsaicin, and piperine on the expression of the aflE, aflG, aflH, aflI, aflK, aflL, aflO, aflP, and aflQ genes involved in the aflatoxin biosynthetic pathway in Aspergillus parasiticus were studied by qRT-PCR analysis. As well as, the effect on the expression of fungal antioxidant genes (sod1, catA, and cat2) and enzymatic activity of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Results reveal that the highest (p < 0.05) radial growth inhibition (68 and 86%) and aflatoxins production inhibition (73 and 80%) was observed with capsaicin and piperine respectively, at 300 µg/mL, instead of the ethanolic extract at the same concentration. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that compounds and extracts at 300 µg/mL induced a down-regulation of aflatoxin genes and an up-regulation on the fungal antioxidant genes. CAT activity increased by 23.15, 36.65, 51.40, and 65.50%, in the presence of C. chinense and P. nigrum extract, capsaicin, and piperine exposure, respectively. While SOD activity was not significantly impacted (p > 0.05). In conclusion, the capsaicin and piperine, two antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic compounds produce an up-regulation of antioxidant defense genes accompanied by an enhancement of catalase enzymatic activity in A. parasiticus.