Effect of a High-Intensity Circuit Training Program on the Physical Fitness of Wildland Firefighters

[EN] Wildland firefighting implies high physical and psychological demands for the personnel involved. Therefore, good physical fitness can help increase the work efficiency of wildland firefighters (WFFs) and safeguard their health. High-intensity circuit training (HICT) could be a good alternative to improve the physical condition of WFFs since it stands out for its functionality and economy. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the effects of HICT on the WFFs’ physical fitness. The study involved 9 WFFs (8 males and 1 female; 29.8 ± 2.8 years; 175.6 ± 6.7 cm) who completed a training program and 9 WFF candidates (8 males and 1 female; 24.7 ± 6.6 yr, 176.5 ± 7.0 cm) as a control group. WFFs performed an 8-week HICT program (two weekly training sessions). The training sessions lasted approximately 45 min and were performed at an intensity >80% of maximal heart rate and RPE values >7.5. At the beginning and the end of the intervention, subjects’ physical fitness (i.e., aerobic capacity, cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular resistance and explosive strength) was assessed through different tests. After completing the training program, WFFs had significantly increased (p < 0.05) the speed at which the ventilatory thresholds were determined (12.4 ± 13.9 and 5.7 ± 7.3% for the ventilatory and respiratory compensation thresholds, respectively) and also their abdominal (31.2 ± 17.2%), lumbar (34.1 ± 13.5%) and upper limb (13.3 ± 16.0%) strength. Moreover, improvements (p < 0.05) in the explosive strength of legs (7.1 ± 5.8%) and performance in a specific physical employment test (12.2 ± 6.1%) were observed. In conclusion, the results of this study show that an 8-week high-intensity circuit training program could be an effective and safe method to improve WFFs’ physical fitness and performance.S

Chronic Pain in Spanish Wildland Firefighters

[EN] The work performed by wildland firefighters (WFFs) is very demanding owing to the conditions in which they have to operate. It has been reported that these professionals walk long distances over unstable and steep terrain carrying heavy loads, handle tools manually and repeatedly and are subject to a high level of thermal stress. Under such conditions, the risk of developing chronic pain (CP) is high, although despite this, there are no available data pertaining to CP among WFFs, to the best of our knowledge. As such, the aim of this study is to describe CP in Spanish helitack crews, for which purpose 221 WFFs (203 men and 18 women) completed an online self-report questionnaire. Approximately 60% of WFFs reported suffering from CP, of which 45.5% had CP in more than one body region at the same time. Age and length of service were associated with the probability of suffering from CP. Likewise, the age and height of WFFs and weight of the protective equipment used increased the prevalence of CP. Lastly, gender and job position affected CP location, with women and forepersons reporting greater prevalence of CP in the lower limbs. To conclude, the results obtained suggest the major prevalence of CP among Spanish WFFs, with current data suggesting in turn the importance that age, stature, gender, length of service, weight of protective equipment and job position have on the prevalence and location of CP

Laboratory assessment of heat strain in female and male wildland firefighters

[EN] Wildland firefighters (WFF) face a set of specific work-related factors that directly affect their physical and cognitive abilities and compromise their health and safety. The working conditions include hard physical work and environmental conditions that combine high temperatures and high radiant heat. Such environments make using personal protective equipment (PPE) mandatory to protect them from risks. This fact restricts heat removal and adds extra weight, increasing thermal strain and the risk of heat-related illnesses on WFF. Since the number of females WFF has increased, it is necessary to study the repercussions of heat stress on this group. To date, it is not yet well-known whether sex-related differences in thermoregulation will be relevant when the individuals are wearing PPE and performing high physical effort in a hot environment. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the physiological response when performing moderate to high-intensity effort in a hot-dry environment while wearing PPE according to sex. Twenty WFF 10 females [23.9 ± 3.2 yr, 163.8 ± 3.4 cm and 62.7 ± 9.1 kg] and 10 males [31.9 ± 6.6 yr, 178.8 ± 5.8 cm and 73.9 ± 7.7 kg]) performed a 125 min treadmill test in a controlled ambient (30 ºC and 30% relative humidity). The protocol consisted of two exercise stages where WFF performed different continuous and variable exercise bouts in order to mimic the effort performed during real deployments. Participants wore the full standard PPE during the test. Oxygen uptake (VO2), heart rate (HR), core temperature (CT) and chest temperature (SkT) were monitored throughout the test. HR and CT were used to calculate the physiological strain index (PSI). Differences in body mass pre-post trials corrected for fluid intake were used to calculate sweat production (SwP), sweating rate (SwR), and evaporative efficiency (EE). Differences (p < 0.05) between females and males were found in %VO2max (62.5 ± 7.4 vs 55.3 ± 5.), HR (155 ± 10 vs 134 ± 14 beats·min–1), % of maximal HR (81.3 ± 3.5 vs 42.3 ± 6.5), CT (38.0 ± 10 vs 37.7 ± 0.33 ºC), SkT (36.0 ± 0.6 vs 35.3 ± 0.6 ºC) and PSI (4.1 ± 0.5 vs 3.5 ± 0.6). Even though SwR was higher (p < 0.05) for male participants (1001.5 ± 268.3 ml) compared to females (647.5 ± 145.9 ml), females had higher EE (32.9 ± 4.6 vs 16.7 ± 6.2 %). In conclusion, performing high-intensity exercise in hot-dry conditions while wearing PPE leads to a higher thermal and cardiovascular load for female WFF, making them more susceptible to heat illness. These results could be linked to lower aerobic fitness, sweating rate, and hormonal aspects that increased the thermal burden

Slt2 MAPK association with chromatin is required for transcriptional activation of Rlm1 dependent genes upon cell wall stress.

The regulation of gene expression through the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway in yeast is mainly coordinated by the MAPK Slt2 and the transcription factor Rlm1. In this work, we elucidate a new role for Slt2 as a part of the transcriptional activation machinery that regulates CWI gene expression in response to cell wall stress. We show that Slt2 is recruited to promoters and coding regions of CWI Rlm1-dependent genes in response to stress. This phenomenon is dependent both on the activation of the MAPK and its kinase activity. Slt2 binding is also dependent on Rlm1 and SWI/SNF and SAGA complexes. During the initial steps of transcription, the catalytic activity of Slt2 on Rlm1 is critical for the binding of the activator to promoters in response to stress. In addition, Slt2 itself acts as a transactivator, as it is able to induce the transcription of CWI responsive genes when it is bound to promoters through the Rlm1 binding domain independently of its catalytic activity. Slt2 interacts with RNA Pol II in a Rlm1-dependent manner to provide further support to a role of this MAPK as an integral component of the transcriptional complexes under cell wall stress. Selective recruitment and progression of the complex Slt2-RNA Pol II from the promoters to the coding regions of Rlm1-dependent genes does not rely on Paf1, suggesting a different mechanism from that which is exerted by Slt2 on the Swi4/Swi6 (SBF)-regulated genes

Análisis de las pruebas de aptitud-acceso a los cuerpos de bombero de estructura: tipos de pruebas y rol del sexo

[EN] The aim of this study was to analyze the type of physical selection tests used in different national calls for access to struc-tural firefighters service and to describe the sex differences applied in the cut-score of the applicants. For this, 49 national calls be-tween the years 2011-2020 were studied. The physical tests of the calls were classified according to their nature: generic (physical fitness assessment) or specific (work requirements assessment). In addition, the difference between the cut-score required of women and man in each of the tests was calculated. 85.7% of the calls made some type of differentiation by sex in the pass, 8.2% did not make a differentiation and 6.1% did not apply any differentiation in the pass but in the scale. In all calls there was some generic selec-tion test, and in 57.1% only generic tests were performed. The mean difference between the marks required for men and women was 17.6 ± 7.9%. The mean value of the differences by sex in the specific tests was 18.3 ± 8.4%. In conclusion, the most used tests in the firefighters’ selection processes were the generic ones. There was a great heterogeneity both in the tests used and in the scales applied. Although in most of the calls some type of differentiation by sex was established, there does not seem to be a homogeneity of criteria for its establishment.[ES]El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar el tipo de pruebas físicas de selección utilizadas en diferentes convocatorias nacionales de acceso al servicio de Salvamento y Extinción de Incendios y describir las diferencias aplicadas en las marcas mínimas exigidas en función del sexo de los aspirantes. Para ello, se estudiaron 49 convocatorias de acceso a nivel nacional entre los años 2011-2020. Las pruebas físicas de las convocatorias fueron clasificadas en función de su carácter: genéricas (evaluación de las capaci-dades físicas básicas) o específicas (evaluación de los requerimientos laborales). Además, la diferencia entre las marcas exigidas a las mujeres y los hombres fue calculada en cada una de las pruebas. El 85.7% de las convocatorias realizaron algún tipo de diferenciación por sexo en el apto, el 8.2% no realizaron diferenciación y el 6.1% no aplicaron ninguna diferenciación en el apto, pero si en el baremo. En todas las convocatorias hubo alguna prueba de selección genérica, y en el 57.1% únicamente se realizaron pruebas gené-ricas. La diferencia media entre las marcas exigidas a los hombres y las mujeres fue del 17.6 ± 7.9%. El valor medio de las diferencias por sexo en las pruebas específicas fue del 18.3 ± 8.4%. En conclusión, las pruebas de selección más utilizadas fueron las genéricas, existiendo una gran heterogeneidad tanto en las pruebas utilizadas como en los baremos aplicados. Aunque en la mayoría de las con-vocatorias se estableció algún tipo de diferenciación por sexo, no parece existir una homogeneidad de criterios para su establecimien-to.SIEl presente trabajo ha contado con la financiación del Fondo Social Europeo, Programa Operativo de Castilla y León a través de la Consejería de Educación para la contra-tación de investigadores predoctorales y de la Consejería de Industria, Comercio y Empleo (INVES-TUN/22/LE/0001), Junta de Castilla y León

Evidence of shared bovine viral diarrhea infections between red deer and extensively raised cattle in south-central Spain

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a pestivirus that affects cattle production worldwide and that can infect other ungulates such as cervids and even wild boar (Sus scrofa). It is believed that domestic livestock can become infected through contact with wild animals, though it is known that infection can spread among wild animals in the absence of contact with livestock. Little is known about the sharing of BVDV infection between wild and domestic animals in the same habitat, which is important for designing eradication campaigns and preventing outbreaks, especially on hunting estates with high animal densities

Control of Gene Expression via the Yeast CWI Pathway

Living cells exposed to stressful environmental situations can elicit cellular responses that guarantee maximal cell survival. Most of these responses are mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades, which are highly conserved from yeast to humans. Cell wall damage conditions in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae elicit rescue mechanisms mainly associated with reprogramming specific transcriptional responses via the cell wall integrity (CWI) pathway. Regulation of gene expression by this pathway is coordinated by the MAPK Slt2/Mpk1, mainly via Rlm1 and, to a lesser extent, through SBF (Swi4/Swi6) transcription factors. In this review, we summarize the molecular mechanisms controlling gene expression upon cell wall stress and the role of chromatin structure in these processes. Some of these mechanisms are also discussed in the context of other stresses governed by different yeast MAPK pathways. Slt2 regulates both transcriptional initiation and elongation by interacting with chromatin at the promoter and coding regions of CWI-responsive genes but using different mechanisms for Rlm1- and SBF-dependent genes. Since MAPK pathways are very well conserved in eukaryotic cells and are essential for controlling cellular physiology, improving our knowledge regarding how they regulate gene expression could impact the future identification of novel targets for therapeutic intervention

Influence of Personal Protective Equipment on Wildland Firefighters’ Physiological Response and Performance during the Pack Test

[EN] The Pack Test (PT) is a widely used test to establish readiness for work in wildland firefighting. It is common to perform this test dressed in regular exercise clothing. However, wildland firefighters (WFF) have to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during their deployments, which increases the physiological strain and reduces their work capacity. This study aimed to analyse the impact of full PPE on PT performance. Nine male professional WFF performed in random order a PT walking at the fastest possible self-pace wearing two different clothing configurations: (i) traditional short sports gear (SG) and (ii) the PPE currently used by Spanish WFF. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion and lap time were recorded during the PT. In addition, oxygen uptake (VO2) was estimated through the individual VO2–HR relationship previously obtained during a graded exercise test. There was a significant decrease in the PT performance (i.e., completion time) (~12%, p < 0.05) in PPE. The physiological demands with this configuration were significantly higher (~10%, p < 0.05). WFF spent ~13 min above the anaerobic threshold in PPE vs. ~4 min in SG. A multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that PT performance variation might be explained by the maximal aerobic velocity (84.5%) in PPE and the VO2max (75.9%) in SG. In conclusion, wearing complete PPE increases WFF’s physiological strain, which translates into a significant PT performance reduction. Performing the test walking at the fastest possible self-pace wearing the PPE would better reflect the high-intensity effort periods reported in real scenarios

Secondary CoQ10 deficiency, bioenergetics unbalance in disease and aging

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) deficiency is a rare disease characterized by a decreased accumulation of CoQ10 in cell membranes. Considering that CoQ10 synthesis and most of its functions are carried out in mitochondria, CoQ10 deficiency cases are usually considered a mitochondrial disease. A relevant feature of CoQ10 deficiency is that it is the only mitochondrial disease with a successful therapy available, the CoQ10 supplementation. Defects in components of the synthesis machinery caused by mutations in COQ genes generate the primary deficiency of CoQ10. Mutations in genes that are not directly related to the synthesis machinery cause secondary deficiency. Cases of CoQ10 deficiency without genetic origin are also considered a secondary deficiency. Both types of deficiency can lead to similar clinical manifestations, but the knowledge about primary deficiency is deeper than secondary. However, secondary deficiency cases may be underestimated since many of their clinical manifestations are shared with other pathologies. This review shows the current state of secondary CoQ10 deficiency, which could be even more relevant than primary deficiency for clinical activity. The analysis covers the fundamental features of CoQ10 deficiency, which are necessary to understand the biological and clinical differences between primary and secondary CoQ10 deficiencies. Further, a more in-depth analysis of CoQ10 secondary deficiency was undertaken to consider its origins, introduce a new way of classification, and include aging as a form of secondary deficiency.Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía, Grant/Award Numbers: UPO-1259581, UPO-126247, UPO-1265673; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Grant/Award Number: PI17/01286; Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte, Grant/Award Numbers: FPU14/04873, FPU16/0326

Automatic Discrimination of Species within the Enterobacter cloacae Complex Using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry and Supervised Algorithms

The Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) encompasses heterogeneous clusters of species that have been associated with nosocomial outbreaks. These species may have different acquired antimicrobial resistance and virulence mechanisms, and their identification is challenging. This study aims to develop predictive models based on matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) profiles and machine learning for species-level identification. A total of 219 ECC and 118 Klebsiella aerogenes clinical isolates from three hospitals were included. The capability of the proposed method to differentiate the most common ECC species (Enterobacter asburiae, Enterobacter kobei, Enterobacter hormaechei, Enterobacter roggenkampii, Enterobacter ludwigii, and Enterobacter bugandensis) and K. aerogenes was demonstrated by applying unsupervised hierarchical clustering with principal-component analysis (PCA) preprocessing. We observed a distinctive clustering of E. hormaechei and K. aerogenes and a clear trend for the rest of the ECC species to be differentiated over the development data set. Thus, we developed supervised, nonlinear predictive models (support vector machine with radial basis function and random forest). The external validation of these models with protein spectra from two participating hospitals yielded 100% correct species-level assignment for E. asburiae, E. kobei, and E. roggenkampii and between 91.2% and 98.0% for the remaining ECC species; with data analyzed in the three participating centers, the accuracy was close to 100%. Similar results were obtained with the Mass Spectrometric Identification (MSI) database developed recently (https://msi.happy-dev.fr) except in the case of E. hormaechei, which was more accurately identified with the random forest algorithm. In short, MALDI-TOF MS combined with machine learning was demonstrated to be a rapid and accurate method for the differentiation of ECC species