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[Display omitted] • Seepages containing ecosystems of oil-degrading microbes in the Riutort oil shale mine. • Aerobic microbes were predominant in samples but facultative ones were also present. • Bioremediation of soil and microbial enhanced oil recovery experiments were conducted. • The Riutort consortium degraded 50.8% of TPH in oily sludge from La Libertad Refinery. • This consortium and its metabolites achieved a 7.2% incremental recovery of Ancón oil. Preservation of the environment of the Riutort oil shale mine for more than a century has favored the presence of a paradigmatic ecosystem of oil-degrading microorganisms. After extensive sampling and analysis by 16S rRNA sequencing, a marked prokaryotic community comprising diverse groups of bacteria (genus such as Methylobacter , Thiothrix , and Desulfobacca) and archaea (e.g., Methanobrevibacter genus) with hydrocarbon-degrading activity was found. Aerobic microorganisms were predominant in several samples but facultative microorganisms were also present, and there was an interesting transition to strict anaerobic conditions in some areas. One of the samples contained oil degrading aerobic bacteria such as Pseudomonas spp. and Brevundimonas spp. Of the microbes studied, we conducted a laboratory assessment of the capacity of this specific consortium for bioremediation of petroleum-polluted soil and microbial enhanced oil recovery processes. To this end, we used oily sludge-contaminated soil from La Libertad Refinery and cores from the Ancón Field, respectively, both sites in southwestern Ecuador. The Riutort consortium degraded 50.8% of total petroleum hydrocarbons, 64.2% of saturates, 41.3% of aromatics, and 37.4% of polar compounds after a 60-day incubation using oily sludge as the sole source of carbon. The performance of this consortium reflects its notable potential for bioremediation purposes. In turn, flooding with the natural Riutort consortium and its metabolites achieved a 7.2% (v/v) incremental recovery of crude oil through a sand-pack assay. These results are comparable to those reported using synthetic bacterial consortia, and thus reveal the great interest of the study seepages, not only for understanding microbial activities in oil degradation but also their use in biotechnological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study of a 32-year- -old male patient with sporadic smoking and social alcohol drinking with no history of chronic degenerative or pathological diseases relevant to the current clinical condition. Topics include appearance of a hyperemic exophytic lesion in the skin, which was prone to profuse bleeding when touched or from rubbing clothes; and Physical examination confirmed the presence of a mass measuring with the skin covering the hyperemia.

Surface liquid and solid hydrocarbons are common in Cretaceous carbonate exposures throughout the Basque Cantabrian Basin (N Spain). This study investigates the oil shows that appear in the upper Albian-lower Cenomanian reefal limestones cropping out in the eastern margin of the basin in order to assess potential source rocks and common characteristics with other oil occurrences in the basin. Specifically, the study focuses on (i) the petrography and fluid inclusion thermometry of the host rock and cements, and (ii) geochemistry of the hydrocarbons including biomarkers and isotopes. Geochemistry results indicate that the studied oils, in a way similar to previously reported hydrocarbons from the eastern Basque Cantabrian Basin, were generated from marine carbonate source rocks deposited in a hypersaline environment. However, their isotopic signatures are notably different, and thus discard a common source rock. Moreover, the studied oils are notably different from those reported elsewhere in the basin, both in the western and northern parts. The petrography of the calcite cements and the fluid inclusion thermometry suggests a scenario of condensates to light oils HC migration trapped in burial calcite cements at a minimum temperature of 174 °C. The generation, migration and entrapment of these oils took likely place between Turonian and Campanian time in close association with the elevated heat flow resulting from the rift extension. Following this stage, a second entrapment of heavy to asphaltene-rich oils occurred at 72 °C, likely during the Late Cretaceous to early Cenozoic uplift related to the early stages of inversion of the Basque Cantabrian Basin. The elevated temperature of the oil entrapment suggests the occurrence of abnormal geothermal gradients in the eastern Basque Cantabrian Basin during the middle Late Cretaceous, which is ultimately associated with the opening of the Bay of Biscay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika is an emerging disease in Venezuela and in the state of Zulia, it generally evolves in a benign manner and can produce complications such as Guillain-Barré syndrome and microcephaly in newborns. Itis proposed to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of the Zika outbreak and the cases of microcephaly. The research is descriptive, cross-sectional, conducted from May 2016 to March 2017. The population consisted of 1,155 suspected cases, with a sample of 228 patients, resulting in 108 positive PCR in real time. The largest number of cases occurred at the age of 17 to 33 years (59.3%), with a predominance of females (81.5%), in the municipalities of Maracaibo and San Francisco (75%). In relation to the symptomatology, the frequent are rash (84.3%), headache and fever (76.9%), while arthralgia (65.7%) and myalgia (47.2%) are less common. During the outbreak, there were two deaths of the male sex, representing 1.9%; 146 cases with Guillain-Barré syndrome and 7 cases with microcephaly, corresponding to the male sex (85%), with a newborn gestational age of 37.4 weeks and 85% survival. The main recommendation should be directed to the control of the transmitting vector of the disease and to make the diagnosis of the suspicious cases for their confirmation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rich and complex chemistry of tungsten was employed to synthesize innovative WO 3 nanoplatelets/nanosheets by simple anodization in acidic electrolytes containing different concentrations of complexing agents or ligands, namely F − and H 2 O 2 . The morphological and photoelectrochemical properties of these nanostructures were characterized. The best of these nanostructures generated stable photocurrent densities of ca. 1.8 mA cm − 2 at relatively low bias potentials (for WO 3 ) of 0.7 V Ag/AgCl under simulated solar irradiation, which can be attributed to a very high active surface area. This work demonstrates that the morphology and dimensions of these nanostructures, as well as their photoelectrochemical behavior, can be controlled by adjusting the ligand concentration in the electrolytes, hence providing an easy and non-expensive route to fabricate and customize high-performance nanostructured photocatalysts for clean energy production and environmental applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major and trace element concentrations in fresh and altered coals in outcrops and coalfields from Táchira and Mérida states (Venezuela), as well as from Napo and Pastaza provinces (Ecuador), have been determined to establish inorganic parameters not dependent of weathering effects. Noteworthy is that the Ti/Zr ratio is approximately constant in each sedimentary basin even for great distances (>100 km). Worldwide data of trace elements analysis in coal samples support the stated Ti/Zr ratio constancy in different basins for fresh and weathered ones. Therefore, Ti/Zr ratio can be considered a rapid tool to easily identify coal seam correlations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Basque–Cantabrian Basin (NE Spain) has been considered one of the most interesting areas for hydrocarbon exploration in the Iberian Peninsula since the 60th to 70th of last century. This basin is characterized by the presence of numerous outcrops of tar sands closely associated with fractures and Triassic diapirs. The aims of this work is to establish the diagenetic evolution of the Upper Cretaceous reservoir rocks with special emphasis in the emplacement of oil and their impact on reservoir quality. The studied rocks are constituted of carbonates and sandstones that contain massive quantities of bitumen filling vugs and fractures. Petrographic results indicate that the carbonate rocks from Maestu outcrops are bioclastic grainstones and wackestones, whereas the tar sandstones from Atauri and Loza outcrops are dominated by quartzarenites and subordinated subarkoses. The paragenetic sequence of the main diagenetic phases and processes include, pyrite, bladed and drusy calcite cement, calcite overgrowths, silicification of bioclasts and microcrystalline rhombic dolomite cement, and first stage of oil emplacement, blocky calcite cement, coarse crystalline calcite cement, calcitized dolomite, calcite veins, saddle dolomite and stylolites filled by the second phase of oil entrance. Together with the above mentioned diagenetic alterations, the arenites are affected by early kaolinitization of feldspars and the scarce formation of clay rim and epimatrix of illite. All sandstones and dolomitized carbonate rocks show high intercrystalline and intergranular porosity which is full by biodegraded hydrocarbons (solid bitumen). The biodegradation affects alkanes, isoprenoids and partially hopanes and steranes saturated hydrocarbons. Aromatics hydrocarbons, like naphthalenes, phenanthrenes, dibenzothiophenes and triaromatics are also affected by biodegradation. Results indicate that the first HC emplacement corresponds to early stage of calcite and dolomite cementation, and the second and more important emplacement is related to fracturation processes resulting in the formation of excellent reservoirs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid TiO 2 -WO 3 nanostructures has been synthesized by electrochemical anodization under controlled hydrodynamic conditions followed by electrodeposition in the presence of different contents of Na 2 WO 4 (5, 15 and 25 mM) and H 2 O 2 (20, 30 and 40 mM). The influence of the electrolyte used for electrodeposition on the morphology, crystalline structure and photoelectrochemical response for water splitting has been evaluated through Field Emission Electronic Microscopy, High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy, Confocal Raman Spectroscopy, Grazing Incidence X Ray Diffraction, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Atomic Force microscopy and photocurrent versus potential measurements. Additionally, a statistical multi-factor categorical analysis was performed to determine the most significant influential parameters. Results show that hybrid TiO 2 -WO 3 nanostructures formed by simple anodization and subsequent electrodeposition with 30 mM H 2 O 2 and 25 mM Na 2 WO 4 present the highest photocurrent response, 60% higher if compared to TiO 2 anodized nanotubes, solving the main problems presented during the usual fabrication of heterostructures, i.e. high temperatures, pressures, number of chemicals and time. [Display omitted] • TiO 2 -WO 3 nanostructures were synthesized by anodization followed by electrodeposition. • Different H 2 O 2 and Na 2 WO 4 concentrations were used for electrodeposition. • Interaction between Na 2 WO 4 and H 2 O 2 concentrations is statistically significant. • Nanostructures synthesized with 30 mM H 2 O 2 were the best photocatalysts. • An increase in the photocurrent of 50–60% with respect to the TiO2 nanotubes was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

hIORT1 is a mAb, which defines an epitope non sequencial on CD6 molecule, a T cell surface glycoprotein that is expressed at high levels by peripheral blood T cells and medullary thymocytes, a small fraction of peripherical blood B cells, and some cells of the brain, where it has been show to play a role in human T cell activation. The Center of Molecular Immunology have recently produced this mAb aiming to use it in immunotherapies, but production is monitored by means of FACS, resulting in a very expensive process. Furthemore our group have generated transgenic mice which express hIORT1 in milk, that's why we also need a system, cheaper than FACS to check the expression levels in livestock. The most effective could be an immunoenzimatic system but to success, play a key rol to obtain a recombinant antigen. Taking all this elements together, we designed primers to obtain the CD6 extracellular domain, the fragment was amplified by PCR and cloned in a bacterial expression vectors. The protein obtained as described, was expressed in inclusion bodies, was extracted using high molar levels of guanidine hydrochloride and DTT, and purified by affinity and IMAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two controlled efficacy studies were conducted to determine the effective dose of fosfatriclaben (FTCB) and compare its fasciolicidal efficacy with that of three commercial products against eggs and adult stages of Fasciola hepatica in artificially infected cattle. In study 1, 20 trematode-free Holstein Friesian steers were infected on day 0 with 500 F. hepatica metacercariae. Ten weeks after infection and the steers were confirmed to be positive for trematode eggs through a modified sedimentation method. On day 75, they were divided into five groups of four animals each for treatment. Group 1 (G1) served as the untreated control; G2, G3, and G4 received FTCB at 4, 6, and 8 mg/kg/ intramuscularly (IM), respectively. G5 received a combined treatment of triclabendazole (TCBZ) (12 mg/kg IM + ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg IM). Individual faecal analyses were performed on days -8, 0, 70, 75, and 105 to evaluate the reduction in trematode eggs. Four weeks after treatment, the steers were humanely slaughtered to harvest the livers and remove the parasites present in the bile ducts. Efficacy was evaluated by the reduction in fecal egg counts or in number of adult parasites, compared to the untreated control. The effective FTCB dose was 6 mg/kg. Once the effective dose was determined, study 2 was conducted on another 20 steers infected with 500 F. hepatica metacercariae, to compare the effectiveness of FTCB with three commercials fasciolicides. All procedures were performed as described in study 1, and treatments were as follows: Group 1 (G1), closantel (5 mg/kg subcutaneously (SC)); G2, TCBZ (12 mg/kg IM) + ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg IM); G3, FTCB (6 mg/kg IM); G4, triclabendazole (12 mg/kg) + albendazole (5 mg/kg/PO (orally); and G5 served as an untreated control. The results indicated that all tested compounds were highly effective in the reduction of faecal egg excretion (99.7-100%) and adult parasites (98.9-100%), except closantel, which exhibited low efficacy (74.4%) when tested against adult trematodes. We concluded that the effective dose of FTCB for cattle was 6 mg/kg IM, which is half the recommended clinical dose of the commercial combination of TCBZ and ivermectin. The fasciolicidal efficacy of FTCB was like the other three flukicides in reducing adult F. hepatica and Fasciola eggs; however, closantel was not sufficiently efficient against adult flukes., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that no conflict of interest exists, therefore we have nothing to declare., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The placenta plays an essential role in pregnancy, leading to proper fetal development and growth. As an organ with multiple physiological functions for both mother and fetus, it is a highly energetic and metabolically demanding tissue. Mitochondrial physiology plays a crucial role in the metabolism of this organ and thus any alteration leading to mitochondrial dysfunction has a severe outcome in the development of the fetus. Pregnancy-related pathological states with a mitochondrial dysfunction outcome include preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus. In this review, we address the role of mitochondrial morphology, metabolism and physiology of the placenta during pregnancy, highlighting the roles of the cytotrophoblast and syncytiotrophoblast. We also describe the relationship between preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, gestational diabesity and pre-pregnancy maternal obesity with mitochondrial dysfunction., (© 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2024 The Physiological Society.)

Endocrine disruptors chemicals (EDCs) pose significant health risks, including cancer, behavioral disorders, and infertility. In this study, we employed the photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) technique with optimized tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) nanostructures as a photoanode to degrade three diverse EDCs: methiocarb, dimethyl phthalate, and 4-tert-butylphenol. PEC degradation tests were carried out for individual contaminants and a mixture of them, assessing efficiency across different EDC families. Ultra High-Performance Liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry was used to control the course of the experiments. For individual solutions, 4-tert-butylphenol and methiocarb were 100% degraded at 1 hour of PEC degradation. Among the tested EDCs, dimethyl phthalate showed the highest resistance to degradation when treated individually. However, when assessed in a mixture with the other EDCs, the degradation efficiency of dimethyl phthalate increased compared to its individual treatment. Furthermore, four degradation intermediates were identified for each contaminant. Finally, toxicity tests revealed that the initial solution was more toxic than the samples treated for all the contaminants tested, except for the phthalate., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of an incremental running exercise until exhaustion on twitch responses and jump capacity in endurance trained runners. For this purpose, 8 experienced endurance male runners were required to perform neuromuscular function tests before and after a submaximal running bout (control condition -CTR-) or an incremental running test to volitional exhaustion (experimental conditions -EXP-). The twitch interpolation technique was used to assess voluntary activation and muscle contractile properties before and after each condition (CTR and EXP). Countermovement jump was also used to assess the stretch-shortening cycle function before and after both conditions. In addition, rating of perceived exertion, heart rate, blood lactate and skin temperature were also recorded. Only EXP improved jump performance, however, it was also accompanied by a reduction in maximal voluntary contraction and the peak twitch force of the knee extensors evoked by electrical stimulation at 10 Hz (Db10). It is likely that reductions in maximal voluntary contraction may be related to an excitation-contraction coupling failure (i.e. low-frequency fatigue) as suggest the reduction in the Db10. The current results confirm that acute changes in jump performance may not be appropriate to evaluate acute fatigue in endurance trained runners., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2023 Márquez, González-Hernandez, Jiménez-Reyes, Colomer-Poveda and Boullosa.)

The present systematic review aimed to determine the chronic effects of the combination of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and exercise on motor function and performance outcomes. We performed a systematic literature review in the databases MEDLINE and Web of Science. Only randomized control trials that measured the chronic effect of combining exercise (comprising gross motor tasks) with tDCS during at least five sessions and measured any type of motor function or performance outcome were included. A total of 22 interventions met the inclusion criteria. Only outcomes related to motor function or performance were collected. Studies were divided into three groups: (a) healthy population (n = 4), (b) neurological disorder population (n = 14), and (c) musculoskeletal disorder population (n = 4). The studies exhibited considerable variability in terms of tDCS protocols, exercise programs, and outcome measures. Chronic use of tDCS in combination with strength training does not enhance motor function in healthy adults. In neurological disorders, the results suggest no additive effect if the exercise program includes the movements pretending to be improved (i.e., tested). However, although evidence is scarce, tDCS may enhance exercise-induced adaptations in musculoskeletal conditions characterized by pain as a limiting factor of motor function.

Purpose: We tested if an acute ascending to 2320 m above sea level (asl) affects corticospinal excitability (CSE) and intracortical inhibition (SICI) measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) at rest, before, during and after a traditional hypertrophy-oriented resistance training (R T ) session. We also explored whether blood lactate concentration (BLa), ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), perceived muscular pain and total training volume differed when the R T session was performed at hypoxia (H) or normoxia (N)., Methods: Twelve resistance-trained men performed eight sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of one repetition maximum of a bar biceps curl at N (SpO 2  = 98.0 ± 0.9%) and H (at 2320 asl, SpO 2  = 94.0 ± 1.9%) in random order. Before each session, a subjective well-being questionnaire, the resting motor threshold (rMT) and a single pulse recruitment curve were measured. Before, during and after the R T session, BLa, RPE, muscle pain, CSE and SICI were measured., Results: Before the R T session only the rMT differed between H (- 5.3%) and N (ES = 0.38). RPE, muscle pain and BLa increased through the R T session and were greater at H than N (12%, 54% and 15%, respectively) despite a similar training volume (1618 ± 468 kg vs. 1638 ± 509 kg). CSE was reduced during the R T session (~ 27%) but recovered ten minutes after, regardless of the environmental condition. SICI did not change after any R T session., Conclusions: The data suggest that acute exposure to moderate hypoxia slightly increased the excitability of the most excitable structures of the corticospinal tract but did not influence intracortical or corticospinal responses to a single R T session., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) and zinc oxide (ZnO) are n-type semiconductors with numerous applications in photocatalysis. The objective of this study was to synthesize and characterize different types of nanostructures (WO 3 , WO 3 -Mo, TiO 2 , and TiO 2 -ZnO) for a comparison of hybrid and pure nanostructures to use them as a photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic degradation of emerging contaminants. With the aim of comparing the properties of both samples, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and confocal laser-Raman spectroscopy were used to study the morphology, composition, and crystallinity, respectively. Electrochemical impedances, Mott-Schottky, and water splitting measurements were performed to compare the photoelectrochemical properties of photoanodes. Finally, the photoelectrocatalytic degradation of the pesticide Imazalil was carried out with the best optimized nanostructure (TiO 2 -ZnO)., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

The aim of the present cross-sectional study was to determine if chronic rock climbing and climbing-specific resistance training (RT) would modify the reticulospinal tract (RST) efficacy. Sixteen healthy, elite level climbers (CL; n = 16, 5 F; 29.8 ± 6.7 years) with 12 ± 7 years of climbing and climbing-specific RT experience and 15 healthy recreationally active participants (CON; n = 15, 4 F; 24.6 ± 5.9 years), volunteered for the study. We quantified RST efficacy by comparing the effects of a startle stimulus over reaction time (R time ) and measured rate of force development (RFD) and surface electromyography (sEMG) in representative muscles during powerful hand grip contractions. Both groups performed two R time tasks while performing rapid, powerful gripping with the right hand (Task 1) or during 3-s-long maximal voluntary right hand grip contractions in response to an imperative visual signal alone (V), or combined with a auditory-non startle stimulus (A) or/and startling auditory stimulus (S). We also tested the reproducibility of these responses on two separate days in CON. Intersession reliability ranged from 0.34 to 0.96 for all variables. The CL versus CON was 37% stronger (p = 0.003). The S stimulus decreased R time and increased RFD and sEMG in both groups during both tasks (all p < 0.001). R time was similar between groups in all conditions. However, CL had a greater RFD from 50 to 100 ms compared with CON only after the S stimulus in both tasks (p < 0.05, d = 0.85-0.96). The data tentatively suggest that chronic rock climbing and climbing-specific RT might improve RST efficacy, by increasing RST input to the α-motoneurons., (© 2023 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science In Sports published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: Rial-Vázquez, J, Nine, I, Guerrero-Moreno, JM, Rúa-Alonso, M, Fariñas, J, Márquez, G, Giráldez-García, MA, Méndez-Bouza, KY, López-Pillado, H, Coutado-Sánchez, E, Losada-Rodríguez, A, and Iglesias-Soler, E. Face masks at the gym: physiological responses and mechanical performance are not compromised by wearing surgical or filtering facepiece 2 masks in healthy subjects. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): 1404-1410, 2023-This study explored the effects of wearing 2 types of face masks on mechanical performance and physiological responses during high-intensity resistance exercise. Twelve healthy men performed 3 workout protocols in a randomized order: wearing a surgical or filtering facepiece 2 (FFP2) mask or without a mask. Each workout consisted of 3 sets of 10 repetitions of bench press (BP) and parallel squat (SQ) with a 12 repetition maximum load, including 2 minutes of recovery between sets and exercises. Mechanical performance was evaluated through the mean propulsive velocity and the number of repetitions completed during each session. Physiological responses were the oxygen saturation (SpO2), blood lactate concentration, heart rate (HR), and HR variability. Perceived exertion was recorded after each set, and The Beck Anxiety Inventory scale was completed at the end of each workout. The number of repetitions completed and the session mean propulsive velocity {(BP [m·s-1]: surgical: 0.35 ± 0.05; FFP2: 0.36 ± 0.04; nonmask: 0.38 ± 0.06) and (SQ: surgical: 0.43 ± 0.05; FFP2: 0.40 ± 0.07; nonmask: 0.41 ± 0.05)} were similar between conditions (p > 0.05). Heart rate recorded during sessions was similar across conditions: surgical: 119 ± 14, FFP2: 117 ± 13, and nonmask: 118 ± 10 bpm (p = 0.919). Face masks had no effect on SpO2, blood lactate concentration, HR variability, perceived exertion, and anxiety values (p > 0.05). Face masks do not compromise strength performance, physiological parameters, and perceived comfort of young and healthy individuals during a high-intensity resistance training session., (Copyright © 2022 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Abstract: Janicijevic, D, González-Hernández, JM, Jiménez-Reyes, P, Márquez, G, and García-Ramos, A. Longitudinal effects of traditional and rest redistribution set configurations on explosive-strength and strength-endurance manifestations. J Strength Cond Res 37(5): 980-986, 2023-This study aimed to compare the long-term effects of resistance training programs based on traditional and rest redistribution set configurations on explosive-strength and strength-endurance performance of lower-body and upper-body muscles. Thirty physically active men were randomly assigned to a traditional group (TRG: 6 sets of 5 repetitions with 3 minutes of interset rest) or a rest redistribution group (RRG: 30 sets of 1 repetition with 31 seconds of interrepetition rest). The training program lasted 6 weeks (2 sessions·wk -1 ), and in each training session, the squat and bench press exercises were performed with maximal concentric effort against approximately the 75% of the 1 repetition maximum. Before and after training, explosive-strength performance (peak velocity reached at submaximal loads during the countermovement jump and bench press throw) and strength-endurance performance (mean set velocity of 10 repetitions using both traditional and cluster sets in the squat and bench press) were assessed. Significant improvements in all dependent variables were observed after training for both the TRG ( p ≤ 0.004; effect size [ES] = 0.63-3.06) and RRG ( p ≤ 0.001; ES = 0.58-3.23). The magnitude of the changes was comparable for both groups with the only exception of the larger improvements observed in the RRG for the bench press mean set velocity using both traditional (ES = 0.77) and cluster (ES = 0.82) set configurations. Traditional and rest redistribution set configurations are equally effective to improve lower-body explosive strength, lower-body strength endurance, and upper-body explosive strength, whereas rest redistribution set configurations could induce greater adaptations in upper-body strength endurance., (Copyright © 2022 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Parkinson's disease is currently a global public health challenge due to the rapid growth of aging populations. To understand its pathophysiology is necessary to study the functional correlation between the basal ganglia (BG) and the cerebellum, which are involved in motor control. Herein, we explored multiunit electrical activity (MUA) in the cerebellum of rats with induced Parkinsonism as a result of lesions following bilateral placement of electrodes and passing of current in the ventrolateral striatum (VLS). In one control group, the electrodes descended without electrical current, and another group was left intact in VLS. MUA was recorded in Sim B and Crus II lobes, and in the dentate nucleus (DN) during the execution of exploration behaviors (horizontal and vertical) and grooming. The lesioned and sham groups showed a decrease in MUA amplitude in the Crus II lobe compared to the intact group in all recorded behaviors. However, Sim B and DN did not express differences. Both electrical and physical insults to the VLS induced Parkinsonism, which results in less MUA in Crus II during the execution of motor behaviors. Thus, this type of Parkinsonism is associated with a decrease in the amplitude of Crus II.

Ambient Assisted Living Systems (AALSs) use information and communication technologies to support care for the growing population of older adults. AALSs focus on providing multidimensional support to families, primary care facilities, and patients to improve the quality of life of the elderly. The literature has studied the qualities of AALSs from different perspectives; however, there has been little discussion regarding the operational experience of developing and deploying such systems. This paper presents a literature review based on the PRISMA methodology regarding operational facilitators and barriers of AALSs. This study identified 750 papers, of which 61 were selected. The results indicated that the selected studies mentioned more barriers than facilitators. Both barriers and facilitators concentrate on aspects of developing and configuring the technological infrastructure of AALSs. This study organizes and describes the current literature on the challenges and opportunities regarding the operation of AALSs in practice, which translates into support for practitioners when developing and deploying AALSs.

Objectives: The main aim of this study was to determine the effects of set configuration during five weeks of unilateral knee extension resistance training on untrained knee extensors performance., Methods: Thirty-five subjects were randomly assigned to traditional training (TTG; n=14), rest-redistribution (RRG; n=10) and control group (CON; n=11). TTG and RRG groups trained the dominant knee extensors twice a week with the 10-repetition maximum (RM) load. TTG performed four sets of eight repetitions with three min-rest between sets and RRG 32 repetitions with 17.4 seconds of rest between each one. Before and after interventions, anthropometry, muscle thickness (MT), pennation angle (PA), 1RM, number of repetitions with 10RM pretest load (N10RM), maximum propulsive power (MPP) and maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) were measured., Results: 1RM of the untrained leg increased only in the TTG group ( p <0.001, 10.3% compared with Pre-test). 1RM, MPP and N10RM increased in the trained leg in both TTG ( p <0.001) and RRG ( p <0.001). No changes occurred in MT or PA., Conclusions: These results suggest that, when it is not possible to perform bilateral exercises (e.g., leg injury), traditional set configurations should be recommended to improve maximal voluntary force in the untrained leg., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest.

Purpose: To explore the role of NBN as a pan-cancer susceptibility gene., Experimental Design: Matched germline and somatic DNA samples from 34,046 patients were sequenced using Memorial Sloan Kettering-Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets and presumed pathogenic germline variants (PGV) identified. Allele-specific and gene-centered analysis of enrichment was conducted and a validation cohort of 26,407 pan-cancer patients was analyzed. Functional studies utilized cellular models with analysis of protein expression, MRN complex formation/localization, and viability assessment following treatment with γ-irradiation., Results: We identified 83 carriers of 32 NBN PGVs (0.25% of the studied series), 40% of which (33/83) carried the Slavic founder p.K219fs. The frequency of PGVs varied across cancer types. Patients harboring NBN PGVs demonstrated increased loss of the wild-type allele in their tumors [OR = 2.7; confidence interval (CI): 1.4-5.5; P = 0.0024; pan-cancer], including lung and pancreatic tumors compared with breast and colorectal cancers. p.K219fs was enriched across all tumor types (OR = 2.22; CI: 1.3-3.6; P = 0.0018). Gene-centered analysis revealed enrichment of PGVs in cases compared with controls in the European population (OR = 1.9; CI: 1.3-2.7; P = 0.0004), a finding confirmed in the replication cohort (OR = 1.8; CI: 1.2-2.6; P = 0.003). Two novel truncating variants, p.L19* and p.N71fs, produced a 45 kDa fragment generated by alternative translation initiation that maintained binding to MRE11. Cells expressing these fragments showed higher sensitivity to γ-irradiation and lower levels of radiation-induced KAP1 phosphorylation., Conclusions: Burden analyses, biallelic inactivation, and functional evidence support the role of NBN as contributing to a broad cancer spectrum. Further studies in large pan-cancer series and the assessment of epistatic and environmental interactions are warranted to further define these associations., (©2022 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Introduction and Objective: A new coronavirus produces a disease designated as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Vaccination against COVID-19 has resulted in decreased mortality. Postmortems of vaccinated patients play an important part in the forensic analysis of adverse effects after vaccination, which is essential for determining its efficacy and security. The main objective of this study was to describe the results of autopsies of patients vaccinated for SARS-CoV-2 carried out in two major centers in Colombia., Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study of 121 autopsies was performed following Colombian regulations in two main hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia, between March 1st and April 31st, 2021., Results: 118 of the 121 patients (97.52%) had been vaccinated with CoronaVac (Sinovac); only 3 had received other vaccines. Sudden cardiac death was the leading cause of death, with pulmonary embolism another critical finding. No relation between the cause of death and vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 was found., Conclusions: A clinical autopsy is a vital for an accurate post-mortem diagnosis. Any relation between the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and the cause of death should be carefully studied in order to provide the general public with evidence-based information about the safety of the vaccination., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedad Española de Anatomía Patológica. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Adequate pain control is essential to the comprehensive management of pediatric patients within the emergency department.The aim of this study is to evaluate parents' knowledge about pain in the pediatric population patient and secondarily describe erroneous concepts that can affect a correct children's pain management., Methods: A single-center descriptive study of cross-sectional surveys was performed between October and December 2018, with a previously validated ad hoc and anonymous questionnaire consisting of 9 items. All parents/guardians participating in the study had a child aged 0 to 18 years who had been admitted to the emergency department., Results: Sixty-nine percent (n = 315) were women, 49.9% (n = 226) had university degrees and only 11% (n = 50) had professions related to the healthcare system. A linear association was observed between the number of correct answers and the level of education (β = 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.76-1.32; P < 0.001), as well as between parents with professions related to the healthcare system compared with other professions (61.4% vs 51.2% with P = 0.005). The responses of Spanish parents offered better results than answers obtained from parents from the American continent (56.4% vs 41.4% with P < 0.001). No differences were observed between parents of children with chronic diseases., Conclusions: In our study, we observed that a considerable percentage of parents hold misconceptions about how children express pain, and therefore, it would be necessary to encourage formation programs for parents to help identify, evaluate, and correctly treat pain in their children., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this work, WO 3 nanostructures were synthesized with different complexing agents (0.05 M H 2 O 2 and 0.1 M citric acid) and annealing conditions (400 °C, 500 °C and 600 °C) to obtain optimal WO 3 nanostructures to use them as a photoanode in the photoelectrochemical (PEC) degradation of an endocrine disruptor chemical. These nanostructures were studied morphologically by a field emission scanning electron microscope. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was performed to provide information of the electronic states of the nanostructures. The crystallinity of the samples was observed by a confocal Raman laser microscope and X-ray diffraction. Furthermore, photoelectrochemical measurements (photostability, photoelectrochemical impedance spectroscopy, Mott-Schottky and water-splitting test) were also performed using a solar simulator with AM 1.5 conditions at 100 mW·cm -2 . Once the optimal nanostructure was obtained (citric acid 0.01 M at an annealing temperature of 600 °C), the PEC degradation of methylparaben (C O 10 ppm) was carried out. It was followed by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, which allowed to obtain the concentration of the contaminant during degradation and the identification of degradation intermediates. The optimized nanostructure was proved to be an efficient photocatalyst since the degradation of methylparaben was performed in less than 4 h and the kinetic coefficient of degradation was 0.02 min -1 .

Different studies have observed that respiratory muscle training (RMT) improve the endurance and strength of the respiratory muscles, having a positive impact on performance of endurance sports. Nevertheless, it remains to be clarified how to improve the efficiency of such training. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the acute physiological responses produced by training the respiratory muscles during exercise with flow resistive devices because such information may support us improve the efficiency of this type of training. A search in the Medline, Science Direct, Web of Science and Scopus databases was conducted, following the PRISMA guidelines. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the PEDro scale. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria and a total of 212 subjects were included in the studies. The RMT method used in all studies was flow resistive loading, whereas the constant load exercise was the most common type of exercise among the studies. The results obtained seem to indicate that the use of this type of training during exercise reduces the performance, the lactate (La - ) values and the ventilation, whereas the end - tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (P CO2 ) is increased., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this work the effect of noble metal on the photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid herbicide using TiO 2 as support was studied. The metals and concentration were: Rh, Ru, Pt and Au and 1, 0.98, 1.89, and 1.91 wt% respectively. Rhodium was taken as reference for this experiment. The samples were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), UV-vis absorption spectra, N 2 physisorption (BET Specific Surface Area), High Annular Angle Analysis Darkfield (HAADF) and Transmission Electron Microscopy Scanning (STEM), H 2 chemisorption, optical emission spectroscopy with inductive coupling plasma analysis (ICP-OES), solid fluorescence, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and OH quantification. The presence of the anatase crystalline phase was mostly confirmed in all samples. The band gap decreased with the presence of metal (from 3.24 to 2.92 eV). The specific area was a function of the metal particle size. The metal particle diameter showed the following sequence Pt > Ru > Au > Rh. By XPS, TiO 2 does not manifest changes in oxidation states, but when impregnated with metals, only Pt shows the highest abundance of any oxidized state (Pt 2+ ). The presence of metal reveals less electron-hole recombination compared with titanium oxide. The results of photocatalytic activity showed that Pt and Rh are the two metals with the highest mineralization (99.0 and 98.3%, respectively)., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Purpose : The aim of this study was to explore the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on sprint performance and the horizontal force-velocity (F-v) profile. Method : Thirty-two healthy subjects (25 men and 7 women; age = 21.8 ± 2.4 years) completed three sessions separated by 1 week following a double-blinded crossover design. Each session consisted of two maximal sprints of 30 meters that were performed after applying ANODAL, CATHODAL or SHAM tDCS over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) for 15 minutes at 2 mA. The 30-m time and the horizontal F-v profile variables (theoretical maximal force [ F 0 ], theoretical maximal velocity, Fv slope, maximal power [Pmax], decrease in the ratio of horizontal-to-resultant force, and maximal ratio of horizontal-to-resultant force) were compared between the tDCS conditions. Results : No significant differences between the tDCS conditions were observed for any variable ( p range = 0.061 to 0.842). The magnitude of the differences was negligible for most of the comparisons (effect size [ES] < 0.20) with the only exception of P max and F 0 which were greater for the ANODAL compared to the SHAM condition (both ES = 0.20). Conclusions : The application of tDCS over the DLPFC is not effective to increase non-fatigued sprint performance.

Epivigila is a Chilean integrated epidemiological surveillance system with more than 17,000,000 Chilean patient records, making it an essential and unique source of information for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Nevertheless, given the extensive volume of data controlled by Epivigila, it is difficult for health professionals to classify vast volumes of data to determine which symptoms and comorbidities are related to infected patients. This paper aims to compare machine learning techniques (such as support-vector machine, decision tree and random forest techniques) to determine whether a patient has COVID-19 or not based on the symptoms and comorbidities reported by Epivigila. From the group of patients with COVID-19, we selected a sample of 10% confirmed patients to execute and evaluate the techniques. We used precision, recall, accuracy, F1-score, and AUC to compare the techniques. The results suggest that the support-vector machine performs better than decision tree and random forest regarding the recall, accuracy, F1-score, and AUC. Machine learning techniques help process and classify large volumes of data more efficiently and effectively, speeding up healthcare decision making.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate potential differences in circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (cpRNFL) thickness and segmented macular retinal layers between dominant and nondominant eyes on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in a pediatric population., Design: Cross-sectional study., Participants: 89 healthy children attending a general pediatric clinic., Methods: Participants underwent sighting dominant testing and macular and cpRNFL spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Segmented macular layer thicknesses and cpRNFL thickness were compared for individual patients based on their ocular dominance., Results: Ocular dominance occurred particularly in the right eye (64.7%). Dominant and nondominant eyes did not differ significantly in axial length or spherical equivalent refraction; axial length: 22.99 ± 1.17 mm versus 22.98 ± 1.19 mm; p = 0.51 and spherical equivalent refraction: -0.09 ± 2.68 D versus 0.32 ± 2.93 D; p = 0.41. In the comparison of the macular ganglion layer the average thickness in the 1 mm central Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study area was significantly different between the dominant and nondominant eye (16.56 ± 6.02 μm vs 17.58 ± 8.32 μm; p = 0.02). However, when compensating with Bonferroni, this difference was no longer statistically significant. There were no differences in the analyses of average global and sectorial cpRNFL thickness in dominant and nondominant eyes., Conclusion: Dominant eyes demonstrated no significantly thicker average macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), Ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness or cpRNFL thickness. No ocular characteristic was found to be associated with the relative dominance of an eye in eyes with low anisometropia., (Copyright © 2021 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the validity of the five-level TRIPED-GM pediatric triage system., Methods: Unicentric, observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study of 485 patients aged 0-16 years in the pediatric emergency department of the HGU Gregorio Marañon. Two measures of validity were used: a direct measure calculated by the sensitivity and specificity obtained based on the number of infratriages and overtriages of the priorities given by classification nurses compared with a panel of experts and another indirect measure by the length of stay, the resources consumed and the percentage of income for each priority level., Results: 10 patients were incorrectly classified, 4 (0.8%) were considered infratriages and 6 (1.2%) overtriages. The results showed a sensitivity of 99.45% (95% CI 96.5-99.97%) and a specificity of 99.01% (95% CI 96.9-99.7%) for high priorities (P2 and P3) and 98.99% (95% CI 96.8-99.6%) and 98.4% (95% CI 96.84-99.74%) respectively for low priorities (P4 and P5). The quadratic weighted Kappa index was 0.96 (95% CI 0.94-0.98; p = 0.0000). Resource consumption showed moderate Spearman correlation coefficients as the priority level increased. The percentage of admissions and the need for observation increased as the priority level p = 0,000 increased, not requiring observation or admitting any patients with priority 5., Conclusions: The TRIPED-GM pediatric triage system is valid for use in emergency departments with similar patients., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: López-Pérez, ME, Romero-Arenas, S, Colomer-Poveda, D, Keller, M, and Márquez, G. Psychophysiological responses during a cycling test to exhaustion while wearing the elevation training mask. J Strength Cond Res 36(5): 1282-1289, 2022-The aim of this study was to investigate the psychophysiological effects of wearing the elevation training mask (ETM). Twelve men performed time-to-exhaustion (TTE) tests at 75% of peak power output with and without wearing the ETM. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), breathing discomfort (BD), and oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured during the TTE. Prefrontal cortex (PFC) and vastus lateralis oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin were monitored using near-infrared spectroscopy. At the end of each test, blood lactate values (La-) were collected, and subjects completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The mask caused a reduction in the TTE (-37.7%; p < 0.001) and in the SpO2 (-2%; p < 0.001). Beck Anxiety Inventory scores were negatively correlated with the changes observed in the TTE (r = -0.77; p < 0.01). La-, HR, and muscle oxygenation displayed similar results across conditions. In conjunction with an increased hemodynamic response in the PFC, subjects reported higher RPE and BD values in the ETM condition (p < 0.01). Finally, BAI scores were negatively correlated with the changes observed in the TTE (r = -0.77; p < 0.01). This study suggests that wearing the ETM induces psychophysiological alterations affecting the exercise tolerance and limiting the performance., (Copyright © 2020 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Objectives: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence, characteristics, and intensity of children's pain in emergency departments. The secondary purpose was to evaluate the interobserver agreement regarding the level of pain perceived by professionals, parents, and children., Methods: This was a multicenter, survey-based research study on 0- to 18-year-old patients visiting 1 of the 15 hospitals that form part of the Working Group on Analgesia and Sedation of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine between October and December 2018. The surveys recorded pain presence, intensity, characteristics, and location., Results: The study included 1216 surveys. At the time of the interview, 646 patients were experiencing pain, a prevalence of 53.1% (95% confidence interval, 50.3%-55.9%), with 25.38% reporting mild, 36.68% moderate, and 37.46% intense pain. Among the patients, 29.9% had abdominal pain and 14.1% pain in their legs.The pain lasted less than 24 hours in 48.2% of the patients, whereas only 3.0% experienced pain during more than 15 days. The parents of 50.7% of the children had provided an analgesic at home.Interrater agreement regarding pain levels was k = 0.35 between professionals and children, k = 0.38 between children and parents, and k = 0.17 between parents and professionals. For children unable to cooperate, the agreement between professional/child and the parents was k = 0.11., Conclusions: Pain is a common symptom among emergency department patients, and its evaluation should therefore be obligatory. We found low interrater agreement on pain levels between patients, professionals, and parents, which confirms how difficult it is to accurately evaluate pain intensity., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Regular physical exercise has shown great benefits in preventing age-related functional losses and in improving the perception of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older people. To optimize these benefits, it would be interesting to evaluate what type of exercise is better. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of heavy-resistance training on mobility and HRQoL in older women. Forty healthy, untrained older women (60−75 years) were randomly assigned to three groups: circuit resistance training (CRT, n = 15), traditional resistance training (TRT, n = 15) or the control group (CG, n = 10). During the 12-week training period, both experimental groups performed training with heavy loads, twice a week. Before and after the training period, the Timed Up and Go test, as a proxy of mobility, and the perception of HRQoL were evaluated. TRT and CRT resulted in a statistically significant improvement in the Timed Up and Go test (−5.4 and −10.3%, respectively; p < 0.05), but only the improvement after CRT was significantly greater than changes in the CG (p < 0.001). Only CRT elicited improvements in several dimensions of the perception of the HRQoL questionnaire, such as: physical functioning (13%, p < 0.001), general health (8.1%; p = 0.048), vitality (17.7%; p < 0.001), role emotional (6.7%; p = 0.044) and physical component summary (6.3%; p = 0.001). The change in the CRT group was greater than in the CG (p < 0.001) in the physical functioning score. The present findings show that CRT might be a time- (and hence cost-) effective alternative to trigger multiple positive functional and psychological adaptations in older women.

The role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as an ergogenic aid is receiving attention from scientists to optimize sport performance. Most studies have examined the effects of tDCS on endurance performance during continuous tasks, while the effect of tDCS on high-intensity intermittent tasks has been less investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the acute effects of tDCS on sprint performance and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during a repeated sprint ability (RSA) task. Twenty-five healthy males (age: 22.0 ± 2.5 years) participated in a randomized crossover study consisting of three experimental sessions (anodal, cathodal or sham tDCS) separated by 1 week. Each session consisted of (I) tDCS protocol (15 min at 2 mA applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex [DLPFC]), (II) warm-up and (III) RSA task (ten 30-m running sprints separated by 30 s). Total time and RPE values were recorded for each sprint. The two-way ANOVA applied on sprint time did not reveal a significant main effect of tDCS condition ( p  = .200) neither a significant tDCS condition × number of sprint interaction ( p  = .716). Similarly, no significant differences were observed for the fatigue index ( p  = .449), RSAmean ( p  = .200) or RPE after each sprint ( p range = .116-.890). The magnitude of the differences between the tDCS conditions ranged from negligible to small (effect sizes ≤ 0.33). These results suggest that the application of tDCS over the DLPFC is not effective to increase sprint performance or reduce RPE during a RSA task. HIGHLIGHTS Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that could modulate neuromuscular performance.This study aimed to explore the short-term effects of tDCS on sprint performance and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during a repeated sprint ability (RSA) task.The application of either ANODAL or CATHODAL tDCS over the DLPFC for 15 minutes did not affect the sprint time of single repeated sprints or the overall metrics of RSA performance (RSAmean and fatigue index).The application of either ANODAL or CATHODAL tDCS over the DLPFC for 15 minutes did not affect the ratings of perceived exertion measured during the repeated sprints task.

The population is aging worldwide, creating new challenges to the quality of life of older adults and their families. Falls are an increasing, but not inevitable, threat to older adults. Information technologies provide several solutions to address falls, but smart homes and the most available solutions require expensive and invasive infrastructures. In this study, we propose a novel approach to classify and detect falls of older adults in their homes through low-resolution infrared sensors that are affordable, non-intrusive, do not disturb privacy, and are more acceptable to older adults. Using data collected between 2019 and 2020 with the eHomeseniors platform, we determine activity scores of older adults moving across two rooms in a house and represent an older adult fall through skeletonization. We find that our twofold approach effectively detects activity patterns and precisely identifies falls. Our study provides insights to physicians about the daily activities of their older adults and could potentially help them make decisions in case of abnormal behavior.

Background: Evaluating health information system (HIS) quality is strategically advantageous for improving the quality of patient care. Nevertheless, few systematic studies have reported what methods, such as standards, processes, and tools, were proposed to evaluate HIS quality., Objective: This study aimed to identify and discuss the existing literature that describes standards, processes, and tools used to evaluate HIS quality., Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using review guidelines focused on software and systems. We examined seven electronic databases-Scopus, ACM (Association for Computing Machinery), ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, and PubMed-to search for and select primary studies., Results: Out of 782 papers, we identified 17 (2.2%) primary studies. We found that most of the primary studies addressed quality evaluation from a management perspective. On the other hand, there was little explicit and pragmatic evidence on the processes and tools that allowed for the evaluation of HIS quality., Conclusions: To promote quality evaluation of HISs, it is necessary to define mechanisms and methods that operationalize the standards in HISs. Additionally, it is necessary to create metrics that measure the quality of the most critical components and processes of HISs., (©René Noël, Carla Taramasco, Gastón Márquez. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 08.03.2022.)

This review has identified evidence about pseudomyopia as the result of an increase in ocular refractive power due to an overstimulation of the eye's accommodative mechanism. It cannot be confused with the term "secondary myopia", which includes transient myopic shifts caused by lenticular refractive index changes and myopia associated with systemic syndromes. The aim was to synthesize the literature on qualitative evidence about pseudomyopia in terms that clarify its pathophysiology, clinical presentation, assessment and diagnosis and treatment. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed and the Scopus database was carried out for articles published up to November 2021, without a data limit. This review was reported following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Following inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 54 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The terms pseudomyopia and accommodation spasm have been found in most of the studies reviewed. The review has warned that although there is agreement on the assessment and diagnosis of the condition, there is no consensus on its management, and the literature describes a range of treatment.

Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Abstract: Romero-Arenas, S, Calderón-Nadal, G, Alix-Fages, C, Jerez-Martínez, A, Colomer-Poveda, D, and Márquez, G. Transcranial direct current stimulation does not improve countermovement jump performance in young healthy men. J Strength Cond Res 35(10): 2918-2921, 2021-The main purpose of this study was to report the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance in young healthy men. Seventeen healthy male subjects volunteered for the study (age: 22.4 ± 2.6 years; body mass: 71.8 ± 8.7 kg; height: 174.6 ± 5.9 cm; and CMJ height: 36.8 ± 6.3 cm). After a familiarization session, subjects underwent 3 experimental conditions, 7 days apart, in a randomized, double-blinded crossover design: anodal, cathodal, and sham tDCS. The stimulation was applied over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for 15 minutes. During experimental sessions, subjects completed a warm-up and 3 CMJ trials separated by 1 minute before and after each of the 3 experimental conditions. Countermovement jump height and muscular peak power were extracted from the best CMJ in each moment. A 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance with time and condition as factors were performed for CMJ height and muscular peak power. Effect size analysis was conducted using Cohen's d coefficient. The analysis did not show either significant main effects or interactions for both time and condition factors in the CMJ performance (p > 0.05). Furthermore, effect size was trivial for all conditions (d: 0.01-0.14) in CMJ height and muscular peak power. These findings suggest that tDCS may not be a valuable tool to improve vertical jump performance., (Copyright © 2019 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Unilateral muscle contractions are often accompanied by the activation of the ipsilateral hemisphere, producing associated activity (AA) in the contralateral homologous muscles. However, the functional role of AA is not fully understood. We determined the effects of voluntary suppression of AA in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI), on force steadiness during a constant force isometric contraction of the contralateral FDI. Participants (n = 17, 25.5 years) performed two trials of isometric FDI contractions as steadily as possible. In Trial 1, they did not receive feedback or explicit instructions for suppressing the AA in the contralateral homologous FDI. In Trial 2, participants received feedback and were asked to voluntarily suppress the AA in the contralateral nontarget FDI. During both trials, corticospinal excitability and motor cortical inhibition were measured. The results show that participants effectively suppressed the AA in the nontarget contralateral FDI (-71%), which correlated with reductions in corticospinal excitability (-57%), and the suppression was also accompanied by increases in inhibition (27%) in the ipsilateral motor cortex. The suppression of AA impaired force steadiness, but the decrease in force steadiness did not correlate with the magnitude of suppression. The results show that voluntary suppression of AA decreases force steadiness in the active hand. However, due to the lack of association between suppression and decreased steadiness, we interpret these data to mean that specific elements of the ipsilateral brain activation producing AA in younger adults are neither contributing nor detrimental to unilateral motor control during a steady isometric contraction., (© 2021 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Abstract: Romero-Arenas, S, López-Pérez, E, Colomer-Poveda, D, and Márquez, G. Oxygenation responses while wearing the elevation training mask during an incremental cycling test. J Strength Cond Res 35(7): 1897-1904, 2021-The Elevation Training Mask 2.0 (ETM) is a commercial training mask that purportedly simulates altitude training, although their effects have not been conclusively demonstrated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of wearing the ETM on muscle and brain oxygenation responses during a maximal incremental cycling test, as well as the influence of this device on the heart rate (HR) response, perception of effort (rating of perceived exertion [RPE]), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), blood lactate (La+), and performance (POpeak). Fourteen active males completed an incremental cycling test to volitional exhaustion in 2 separate and counterbalanced conditions, wearing the mask set at 9,000 feet (i.e., 2743 m) and a control condition (CTR, without ETM). During the trial, muscle and cerebral oxygenation were monitored continuously using near-infrared spectroscopy. Heart rate, RPE, and SaO2 were also recorded from the beginning of the test until the volitional exhaustion. La+ was measured at the end of each test. Wearing the ETM significantly reduced the POpeak by -6.9 ± 6.6% (p = 0.002) and this was accompanied by lower La+ values (-12.8 ± 21.6%; p = 0.027). SaO2 was also significantly lower at maximal intensity in comparison with the CTR condition (-1.5 ± 0.3%; p = 0.028). However, both HR and RPE showed a similar trend during both sessions, as well as muscle oxygenation. Nevertheless, the mask caused an increase in brain oxygenation compared with the CTR condition (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that wearing the ETM causes a pronounced increase in O2Hb and tHb in the frontoparietal cortex without any change in the muscle oxygenation., (Copyright © 2019 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Little is known about promotoras' professional experiences engaging in Latinx health promotion. In this promotora-led community-based participatory study, we purposively recruited and interviewed 30 Spanish-speaking promotoras who worked in Los Angeles County and who had at least 5 years of experience as promotoras. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, findings revealed promotoras self-identified as health professionals who offered unique, insider perspectives. Challenges arose as employers viewed promotoras as volunteer lay health workers, while promotoras desired opportunities for professional growth. Motivation to continue working as promotoras stemmed from their commitment to Latinx communities. We provide recommendations to strengthen community-based capacity for advancing Latinx health., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Unilateral resistance training has been shown to improve muscle strength in both the trained and the untrained limb. One of the most widely accepted theories is that this improved performance is due to nervous system adaptations, specifically in the primary motor cortex. According to this hypothesis, increased corticospinal excitability (CSE), measured with transcranial magnetic stimulation, is one of the main adaptations observed following prolonged periods of training. The principal aim of this review is to determine the degree of adaptation of CSE and its possible functional association with increased strength in the untrained limb., Development: We performed a systematic literature review of studies published between January 1970 and December 2016, extracted from Medline (via PubMed), Ovid, Web of Science, and Science Direct online databases. The search terms were as follows: (transcranial magnetic stimulation OR excitability) AND (strength training OR resistance training OR force) AND (cross transfer OR contralateral limb OR cross education). A total of 10 articles were found., Conclusion: Results regarding increased CSE were inconsistent. Although the possibility that the methodology had a role in this inconsistency cannot be ruled out, the results appear to suggest that there may not be a functional association between increases in muscle strength and in CSE., (Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: The integration of different layers of omics information is an opportunity to tackle the complexity of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and to identify new predictive biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. Our aim was to integrate DNA methylation and gene expression data in an effort to identify biomarkers related to cardiovascular disease risk in a community-based population. We accessed data from the Framingham Offspring Study, a cohort study with data on DNA methylation (Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip; Illumina) and gene expression (Human Exon 1.0 ST Array; Affymetrix). Using the MOFA2 R package, we integrated these data to identify biomarkers related to the risk of presenting a cardiovascular event., Results: Four independent latent factors (9, 19, 21-only in women-and 27), driven by DNA methylation, were associated with cardiovascular disease independently of classical risk factors and cell-type counts. In a sensitivity analysis, we also identified factor 21 as associated with CVD in women. Factors 9, 21 and 27 were also associated with coronary heart disease risk. Moreover, in a replication effort in an independent study three of the genes included in factor 27 were also present in a factor identified to be associated with myocardial infarction (CDC42BPB, MAN2A2 and RPTOR). Factor 9 was related to age and cell-type proportions; factor 19 was related to age and B cells count; factor 21 pointed to human immunodeficiency virus infection-related pathways and inflammation; and factor 27 was related to lifestyle factors such as alcohol consumption, smoking and body mass index. Inclusion of factor 21 (only in women) improved the discriminative and reclassification capacity of the Framingham classical risk function and factor 27 improved its discrimination., Conclusions: Unsupervised multi-omics data integration methods have the potential to provide insights into the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. We identified four independent factors (one only in women) pointing to inflammation, endothelium homeostasis, visceral fat, cardiac remodeling and lifestyles as key players in the determination of cardiovascular risk. Moreover, two of these factors improved the predictive capacity of a classical risk function.

Abstract: González-Hernández, JM, García-Ramos, A, Colomer-Poveda, D, Tvarijonaviciute, A, Cerón, J, Jiménez-Reyes, P, and Márquez, G. Resistance training to failure vs. not to failure: acute and delayed markers of mechanical, neuromuscular, and biochemical fatigue. J Strength Cond Res 35(4): 886-893, 2021-This study aimed to compare acute and delayed markers of mechanical, neuromuscular, and biochemical fatigue between resistance training sessions leading to or not to failure. Twelve resistance-trained men completed 2 sessions that consisted of 6 sets of the full-squat exercise performed against the 10 repetitions maximum load. In a randomized order, in one session the sets were performed to failure and in the other session the sets were not performed to failure (5 repetitions per set). Mechanical fatigue was quantified through the recording of the mean velocity during all repetitions. The neuromuscular function of the knee extensors was assessed through a maximal voluntary contraction and the twitch interpolation technique before training, immediately after each set, and 1, 24, and 48 hours post-training. Serum creatine kinase (CK) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured before training and 1, 24, and 48 hours post-training to infer muscle damage. Alpha was set at a level of 0.05. A higher velocity loss between sets was observed during the failure protocol (-21.7%) compared with the nonfailure protocol (-3.5%). The markers of peripheral fatigue were generally higher and long lasting for the failure protocol. However, the central fatigue assessed by the voluntary activation was comparable for both protocols and remained depressed up to 48 hours post-training. The concentrations of CK and AST were higher after the failure protocol revealing higher muscle damage compared with the nonfailure protocol. These results support the nonfailure protocol to reduce peripheral fatigue and muscle damage, whereas the central fatigue does not seem to be affected by the set configuration., (Copyright © 2021 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Repetitive, monotonic, and effortful voluntary muscle contractions performed for just a few weeks, i.e., resistance training, can substantially increase maximal voluntary force in the practiced task and can also increase gross motor performance. The increase in motor performance is often accompanied by neuroplastic adaptations in the central nervous system. While historical data assigned functional relevance to such adaptations induced by resistance training, this claim has not yet been systematically and critically examined in the context of motor performance across the lifespan in health and disease. A review of muscle activation, brain and peripheral nerve stimulation, and imaging data revealed that increases in motor performance and neuroplasticity tend to be uncoupled, making a mechanistic link between neuroplasticity and motor performance inconclusive. We recommend new approaches, including causal mediation analytical and hypothesis-driven models to substantiate the functional relevance of resistance training-induced neuroplasticity in the improvements of gross motor function across the lifespan in health and disease., (Copyright © 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of training load (25% vs. 75% of one repetition maximum [1RM]) and fatigue (failure vs. non-failure) during four weeks of unilateral knee extension resistance training (RT) on maximal voluntary force in the trained and the untrained knee extensors. Healthy young adults (n = 42) were randomly assigned to control (CON, n = 9, 24 ± 4.3 years), low-load RT to failure (LLF, n = 11, 21 ± 1.3 years, three sets to failure at 25% of 1RM), high-load RT to failure (HLF, n = 11, 21 ± 1.4 years, three sets to failure at 75% of 1RM), and high-load RT without failure (HLNF, n = 11, 22 ± 1.5 years, six sets of five repetitions at 75% of 1RM) groups. Before and after the four weeks of training, 1RM, maximal voluntary isometric force, and corticospinal excitability (CSE) were measured. 1RM in the trained (20%, d = 0.70, 15%, d = 0.61) and the untrained knee extensors (5%, d = 0.27, 6%, d = 0.26) increased only in the HLF and HLNF groups, respectively. MVIC force increased only in the trained leg of the HLF (5%, d = 0.35) and HLNF groups (12%, d = 0.67). CSE decreased in the VL of both legs in the HLNF group (-19%, d = 0.44) and no changes occurred in the RF. In conclusion, high- but not low-load RT improves maximal voluntary force in the trained and the untrained knee extensors and fatigue did not further enhance these adaptations. Voluntary force improvements were unrelated to CSE changes in both legs., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)