Analysis of the consumption of sports supplements in elite fencers according to sex and competitive level.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the consumption of sports supplements (SS) in competitive level fencers and compare differences based on sex and competitive level (international and national). Methods: A total of 49 fencers (18 men and 31 women) of national (n = 16) and international (n = 33) level completed a questionnaire with questions about SS consumption and the possible repercussions on health and / or sports performance. The results were analyzed based on the different categorizations established by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), as well as by sex and level of competence to which the participants belonged to. Results: 46.9% of fencers have consumed SS with the main motivation being performance improvement (34.2%). Medical doctors were the individuals who were more likely to advise men to consume SS (50.0% vs 5.6%; OR = 3.29 [1.50–7.20]). Friends were most likely to advise women (38.9% vs 8.3%; OR = 1.75 [1.05–2.93]). The most consumed SS were sport drinks (44.9%), vitamin C (43.4%), sport bars (38.8%), and caffeine (28.6%). In regards to the SS categories, it was observed differences in the interaction level·sex in medical supplements (p = 0.017). In addition, there was a higher prevalence of whey protein consumption in women (25.8% vs 0%; p = 0.020) and iron consumption in men (33% vs 6.5%; p = 0.039). Conclusions: The prevalence of SS use in fencers is within the values previously reported in athletes of the same competitive level. There were no differences by sex and competitive level in the total consumption of SS, nor in each of the groups of level of evidence, being sport drinks, bars and caffeine the most consumed SS.post-print572 K

Real-time evolution of a large-scale relativistic jet

Context. Astrophysical jets are ubiquitous in the Universe on all scales, but their large-scale dynamics and evolution in time are hard to observe since they usually develop at a very slow pace. Aims. We aim to obtain the first observational proof of the expected large-scale evolution and interaction with the environment in an astrophysical jet. Only jets from microquasars offer a chance to witness the real-time, full-jet evolution within a human lifetime, since they combine a 'short', few parsec length with relativistic velocities. Methods. The methodology of this work is based on a systematic recalibraton of interferometric radio observations of microquasars available in public archives. In particular, radio observations of the microquasar GRS 1758-258 over less than two decades have provided the most striking results. Results. Significant morphological variations in the extended jet structure of GRS 1758-258 are reported here that were previously missed. Its northern radio lobe underwent a major morphological variation that rendered the hotspot undetectable in 2001 and reappeared again in the following years. The reported changes confirm the Galactic nature of the source. We tentatively interpret them in terms of the growth of instabilities in the jet flow. There is also evidence of surrounding cocoon. These results can provide a testbed for models accounting for the evolution of jets and their interaction with the environment.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysics Letter

Operational realization of quantum vacuum ambiguities

We provide a reinterpretation of the quantum vacuum ambiguities that one encounters when studying particle creation phenomena due to an external and time-dependent agent. We propose a measurement-motivated understanding: Each way of measuring the number of created particles selects a particular vacuum. This point of view gives a clear and physical meaning to the time evolution of the number of particles produced by the agent as the counts in a specific detector and, at the same time relates commonly used quantization prescriptions to particular measurement setups.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Late vacuum choice and slow roll approximation in gravitational particle production during reheating

In the transition between inflation and reheating, the curvature scalar typically undergoes oscillations which have significant impact on the density of gravitationally produced particles. The commonly used adiabatic vacuum prescription for the extraction of produced particle spectra becomes a non-reliable definition of vacuum in the regimes for which this oscillatory behavior is important. In this work, we study particle production for a scalar field non-minimally coupled to gravity, taking into account the complete dynamics of spacetime during inflation and reheating. We derive an approximation for the solution to the mode equation during the slow-roll of the inflaton and analyze the importance of Ricci scalar oscillations in the resulting spectra. Additionally, we propose a prescription for the vacuum that allows to safely extrapolate the result to the present, given that the test field interacts only gravitationally. Lastly, we calculate the abundance of dark matter this mechanism yields and compare it to observations.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure

Searching for gene clusters related to virulence by coding sequence conservation

Motivation: Due to the increasing world population, the need to improve food production is growing. This can be helped byfighting the pathogens which affect the main crops as maize, wheat, barley and sugar cane. Among those, biotrophic parasitessuch as smut fungi can be found. To study how those microorganisms infect their host, the model system Ustilago maydis canbe used.U. maydis secretes protein effectors to infect its host, and at least 25% of them are known to be grouped in 13 different geneclusters. In addition to these characterized clusters, 7 new clusters have been described in the bibliography but notexperimentally tested. The aim of this work is to find out new clusters with features similar to the known ones (controls), mainlylow conservation, which can affect the infection process.Methods: To achieve this goal, candidate gene clusters were initially discovered based on coding sequence conservation viathe computational tool AnABlast [1], which highlitghted genomic coding region with conservation signal similar to the initialcontrols. Then, the candidates were functionally annotated using the tool Sma3s_v2 [2]. To select the best candidates, aprincipal component analysis (PCA) was done using the following factors, which were trained with the controls: sequenceconservation obtained by a similarity search by Blast against close organisms (Ensembl fungi phylogeny), expression dataduring infection, and signal peptide presence (SignalP and TargetP), usually present in effectors.Currently, a laboratory experiment has been began to elucidate if the chosen candidates affect the pathogenity, deleting themby homologous recombination.Results: We have been able to identify 49 new clusters by comparing their coding signal with those already known. After thesubsequent analysis three of them, and one from the bibliography have been chosen to be tested in laboratory to elucidatetheir virulence phenotype (swelling and tumors).In the PCA our best candidate is located among the clusters previously described as pathogenic, showing genes beingsecreted with high levels of expressionConclusions: In brief, we propose that putative cluster of virulence sequences could be found by the presented strategy. So,it could constitute a new silico approach to find out specific genes involved in different biological processes such as inffection

Real-time evolution of a large-scale relativistic jet

Context. Astrophysical jets are ubiquitous in the Universe on all scales, but their large-scale dynamics and evolution in time are hard to observe since they usually develop at a very slow pace. Aims. We aim to obtain the first observational proof of the expected large-scale evolution and interaction with the environment in an astrophysical jet. Only jets from microquasars offer a chance to witness the real-time, full-jet evolution within a human lifetime, since they combine a "short", few parsec length with relativistic velocities. Methods. The methodology of this work is based on a systematic recalibraton of interferometric radio observations of microquasars available in public archives. In particular, radio observations of the microquasar GRS 1758-258 over less than two decades have provided the most striking results. Results. Significant morphological variations in the extended jet structure of GRS 1758-258 are reported here that were previously missed. Its northern radio lobe underwent a major morphological variation that rendered the hotspot undetectable in 2001 and reappeared again in the following years. The reported changes confirm the Galactic nature of the source. We tentatively interpret them in terms of the growth of instabilities in the jet flow. There is also evidence of surrounding cocoon. These results can provide a testbed for models accounting for the evolution of jets and their interaction with the environment.Instituto Argentino de RadioastronomíaFacultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Comportamiento de Zika y sus complicaciones en el departamento de Córdoba, 2016.

Objective.  Determine the behaviour of the Zika virus and its complications in the department of Cordoba, 2016, recommending epidemiological surveillance actions and control of vectors to minimize event’s effect. Materials and methods. Descriptive, quali-quantitative and cross-sectional study.  A search of electronic data bases of new cases of Zika and its complications was performed. Results.  By 2016 until 18 epidemiologic week, the behaviour of Zika in Cordoba was 2153 cases, which has been increasing to 469 cases in reference to 4 epidemiologic week. Female population was the most affected with 1626 cases (75,5%), of which 740 was registered in pregnant women, being Monteria the most incident municipality until 17 epidemiologic week.  The incidence of complications with suspected of have had Zika, in the department was 21 cases, of which 2 (9,5%) was microcephaly.  The most incident neurologic syndrome was Guillain-Barré syndrome with 8 cases (38,1%).  Conclusion. The behaviour of Zika in Cordoba, shows the link between complications ́s increasing and previous Zika infection; it is supplemented by researches worldwide. Giving importance to the implementation of prevention and promotion actions aimed at decreasing the risk of complications, morbidity and mortality in those with Zika.Objetivo. Determinar el comportamiento de Zika y sus complicaciones en el departamento de Córdoba, año 2016 con el fin de recomendar acciones de vigilancia epidemiológica y control de vectores que contribuyan a mitigar el efecto del evento. Materiales y métodos. Estudio descriptivo, cualicuantitativo y transversal. Se hizo revisión de bases de datos de casos nuevos de Zika y sus complicaciones. Resultados. El comportamiento de Zika en Córdoba para el año 2016 hasta la semana epidemiológica 18, evidencia el registro de 2153 casos. Con un incremento en la semana epidemiológica 4, en la cual se notificaron 469 casos. La población femenina fue la más afectada con 1626 casos (75,5%), de los cuales 740 se registraron en gestantes siendo Montería el municipio líder hasta la semana epidemiológica 17. El número de complicaciones con sospecha de Zika registradas en el departamento fue de 21, de los cuales 2 casos (9,5%) corresponden a microcefalia. El Síndrome autoinmunitario más incidente fue el Síndrome de Guillain Barré (SGB) con 8 casos (38,1%). Conclusiones. El comportamiento de Zika en Córdoba, demuestra la relación entre el aumento complicaciones previa infección por Zika y se sustenta con investigaciones realizadas a nivel mundial. Dando importancia a la implementación de acciones de promoción y prevención que disminuyan el riesgo de complicaciones y tasas de morbimortalidad por Zika.&nbsp

Virtual reality training platform for flexible ureterorenoscopy interventions with a minimally invasive surgical robot

The total number of ureteroscopy (URS) interventions during the past years has dramatically increased due to the ongoing technological advances and the benefits associated with these techniques. However, the current URS procedure presents some drawbacks to urologic surgeons. The LITHOS project was created with the main objective of developing a surgical robotic system for flexible ureterorenoscopic lithotripsy interventions, offering a technological solution that meets the real needs of both patients and surgeons in this type of procedures. In this paper, a virtual reality environment for flexible ureterorenoscopy interventions is presented. The proposed environment provides a suitable training platform for surgeons manipulating the surgical robotic system