Is profitable to play in Spanish Soccer First Division?

El artículo presenta la primera fase de un estudio del fútbol español, cuyo objetivo es averiguar si es rentable jugar en Primera División de fútbol (1ª) para cualquier equipo profesional y si todos los clubes de 2ªA deberían aspirar al ascenso. Se comparan resultados en la población seleccionada y en dos grupos de la misma: equipos que se han mantenido en 1ª y equipos ascensor. Se examinan mediante análisis exploratorio de datos resultados económicos y deportivos, se identifican factores que influyen en su variación y se clasifican los clubes según dichos factores. También se determina la influencia de ascensos y descensos en los resultados. Se deduce que los equipos ascensor obtienen peores resultados aun jugando en la misma liga. Además, a su estabilidad económico financiera le afecta más el ascenso y descenso continuo que el mantenerse en una categoría concreta. Finalmente, que la “gestión del miedo” no siempre conduce a una mejor clasificación y añade tensión financiera. Se concluye que no a todos los clubes les conviene militar en 1ª división de fútbol, que ésta debe reestructurarse y se debe reforzar la 2ªAThe paper presents the first phase of a Spanish football study. The aim is to determine if it is profitable to play in 1ª D league for any professional team and if all clubs in 2ª A division should aspire to climb. Various results are compared in the selected population and also in two groups identified: equipment that have remained in 1ªD and “elevator teams”. The economics and sports results are examined by exploratory data analysis. We identify factors that are influence in change and the teams are classified according to these factors. Finally the influence of promotion and relegation in these results is determined. It follows that the "Fear Management" doesn’t always lead to better classification and adds financial stress, “elevator equipment” that perform worse even playing in the same league and its economic and financial stability will most affect the rise and decline that continued the stay in a particular category. We conclude: not all clubs suit them military in 1ª, it would be to restructure and strengthen the 2ª

Physical Demands of Top-class Soccer Assistant Refereeing During High-standard Matches

This study examined the physical demands experienced by top-class assistant referees during high-standard football matches. Computerized match analyses and heart rate recordings were performed on 18 international assistant referees during the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. Total distance covered averaged 5752+/-554 m, of which 34% was covered at a high-intensity (>13 km.h (-1)). Sidewards movements represented 30% of total match distance. Both total distance (r=0.67; P<0.01) and high-intensity activities (r=0.52; P<0.05) were related to the displacements of the ball in the same match. The distance covered by high-speed running in this tournament was 255% greater (P<0.001) than that covered during the under-17 World Championship 2003. Mean heart rate during the game was 140+/-11 b.min (-1) (78+/-4% HR (max)). Mean heart rate during a 5-min interval of the match was related in part (r=0.31; P<0.001) to the amount of high-intensity activities performed within the same match-period. The results of this study show that the physical demands imposed on assistant referees are influenced by the movements of the ball and the standard of the competition

Activity profile of top-class association football referees in relation to fitness test performance and match standard

The aim of this study was to examine the kinematic activity profiles, cardiovascular responses and physical fitness of top-class football referees (n=11) during the FIFA Confederations Cup 2005. Computerised match-analyses (n=9) were performed with a two-dimensional photogrammetric video system, and the cardiovascular demand imposed on the referees (n=12) was measured using heart rate recordings. Total distance covered was 10,218, s=643 m of which 3531, s=510 m was covered at high intensities (>3.6 m.s(-1)). Both total distance covered (r2=0.59; P=0.02) and high-intensity activities (r2=0.44; P=0.05) were related to the distance covered by the ball in the same match. The referees ran at high speed 37% further (P=0.01) in the actual tournament than during under-17 top-level officiating. After the 5-min interval during which high-speed running peaked, in the following 5 min the performance was reduced by 19% (P=0.01) in relation to the mean of the game. Mean heart rate was 161, s=9 b.min(-1) (86, s=3% of maximal heart rate (HRmax)). Mean heart rate (expressed as percentage of HRmax) was related in part (r2=0.36; P5 m.s(-1)) best describes the physical performance of referees; (3) heart rate recording can be a useful tool to determine the most intense periods of a match and (4) the new fitness tests adopted by FIFA were poor predictors of match activities

Response to a Salmonella Typhimurium challenge in piglets supplemented with protected sodium butyrate or Bacillus licheniformis : effects on performance, intestinal health and behavior

Salmonella spp. is one of the worldwide leading causes of food-borne illnesses for which the inclusion of probiotics or organic acids in animal feeds can be useful control methods. Experimental models are utilized to test the efficacy of strategies against pathogens, but they exhibit limitations which may preclude finding sensible evaluation parameters. The objective of this work is to evaluate the efficacy of 2 different feed additives; a Bacillus licheniformis based probiotic and a protected sodium butyrate (SB) salt, using an experimental model of salmonellosis and, second, to explore if behavior analysis can be used as a sensible evaluation tool for additives evaluation. A total of 78 piglets weaned at 24 d, 8.3 kg BW, were used. Seventy-two were placed in 3 rooms of 8 pens (3 animals/pen) with evenly distributed treatments (n = 8): CON, control group with plain diet; PRO, plain diet with 1 kg/t of Proporc (10 9 cfu of B. licheniformis /kg of feed), and BUT, plain diet with 3 kg/t of Gustor BP70 (2.1 g of partially protected SB salt/kg of feed). Remaining piglets (n = 6) were separated and used as a challenge negative control. The experiment lasted 16 d. After 1 wk of adaptation, animals were challenged with 5 × 10 8 cfu of Salmonella Typhimurium. One pig per pen was euthanized and sampled at d 4 and 8 post-inoculation (PI). There were no significant differences among treatments for ADFI, ADG, G:F, rectal temperature, fecal consistency, pH, ammonia, short-chain fatty acids and lactic acid concentrations, cytokine TNF-α, Pig-MAP acute-phase proteins and histological parameters. However, both products were equally able to reduce colonization and shedding of Salmonella (P = 0.016 for PRO and BUT vs. CON). In addition, PRO treatment had a positive effect on behavioral displays, particularly exploring (P < 0.05 vs. CON), feeding (P < 0.05 vs. CON and BUT) and other active behaviors (P < 0.05 vs. CON and BUT) in the morning period (0830 to 1030 h). In the afternoon (1400 to 1600 h), the challenge effect was most significant. Pigs were less active after the challenge (P < 0.001), with a decrease in positive contacts (P = 0.004), exploration (P < 0.001) and feeding behaviors (P < 0.001) on d 3 PI, in comparison with before the challenge. Accordingly, many lying conducts increased at d 3 PI (P < 0.05). In conclusion, both treatments had positive effects against Salmonella, and behavior analysis appears to be a sensible tool to be considered

Concerted involvement of Cdx/Hox genes and Wnt signaling in morphogenesis of the caudal neural tube and cloacal derivatives from the posterior growth zone

Decrease in Cdx dosage in an allelic series of mouse Cdx mutants leads to progressively more severe posterior vertebral defects. These defects are corrected by posterior gain of function of the Wnt effector Lef1. Precocious expression of Hox paralogous 13 genes also induces vertebral axis truncation by antagonizing Cdx function. We report here that the phenotypic similarity also applies to patterning of the caudal neural tube and uro-rectal tracts in Cdx and Wnt3a mutants, and in embryos precociously expressing Hox13 genes. Cdx2 inactivation after placentation leads to posterior defects, including incomplete uro-rectal septation. Compound mutants carrying one active Cdx2 allele in the Cdx4-null background (Cdx2/4), transgenic embryos precociously expressing Hox13 genes and a novel Wnt3a hypomorph mutant all manifest a comparable phenotype with similar uro-rectal defects. Phenotype and transcriptome analysis in early Cdx mutants, genetic rescue experiments and gene expression studies lead us to propose that Cdx transcription factors act via Wnt signaling during the laying down of uro-rectal mesoderm, and that they are operative in an early phase of these events, at the site of tissue progenitors in the posterior growth zone of the embryo. Cdx and Wnt mutations and premature Hox13 expression also cause similar neural dysmorphology, including ectopic neural structures that sometimes lead to neural tube splitting at caudal axial levels. These findings involve the Cdx genes, canonical Wnt signaling and the temporal control of posterior Hox gene expression in posterior morphogenesis in the different embryonic germ layers. They shed a new light on the etiology of the caudal dysplasia or caudal regression range of human congenital defects.AICR project grant: (08-0199); Dutch Earth and Life Sciences grant: (820.02.005); 6th Framework Programme Network of Excellence `Cells into Organs'; Dutch government grant: (Bsik Program 03038); Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia grant: (PTDC/BIA-BCM/110638/2009); Centro de Biologia do Desenvolvimento grant: (POCTI-ISFL-4-664)

TP53 and MDM2 single nucleotide polymorphisms influence survival in non-del(5q) myelodysplastic syndromes

Abstract:P53 is a key regulator of many cellular processes and is negatively regulated by the human homolog of murine double minute-2 (MDM2) E3 ubiquitin ligase. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of either gene alone, and in combination, are linked to cancer susceptibility, disease progression, and therapy response. We analyzed the interaction of TP53 R72P and MDM2 SNP309 SNPs in relationship to outcome in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Sanger sequencing was performed on DNA isolated from 208 MDS cases. Utilizing a novel functional SNP scoring system ranging from +2 to -2 based on predicted p53 activity, we found statistically significant differences in overall survival (OS) (p = 0.02) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.02) in non-del(5q) MDS patients with low functional scores. In univariate analysis, only IPSS and the functional SNP score predicted OS and PFS in non-del(5q) patients. In multivariate analysis, the functional SNP score was independent of IPSS for OS and PFS. These data underscore the importance of TP53 R72P and MDM2 SNP309 SNPs in MDS, and provide a novel scoring system independent of IPSS that is predictive for disease outcome

Producción innovadora y sustentable en un sistema acuapónico en la provincia de Buenos Aires

La acuicultura es el cultivo de organismos acuáticos vegetales y animales que involucra intervenciones en el proceso de cría para aumentar la producción. Es probablemente, en la última década el sector de producción de alimentos de más rápido crecimiento y representa casi el 50 por ciento del pescado destinado a la alimentación a nivel mundial (FAO, 2014). En los sistemas de recirculación acuícola, se cultivan organismos acuáticos en forma intensiva, esto implica utilizar pequeños espacios para lograr altas producciones, a través de la aplicación de tecnologías de tratamiento del agua que implica un uso más sustentable, utilizando al máximo el recurso haciendo a este sistema altamente amigable con el medioambiente. La acuaponia es la integración de la acuicultura y la hidroponía en un sistema de producción. Los cultivos hidropónicos son los llamados cultivos sin suelo, estos nuevos sistemas de cultivo no solo prescinden del suelo, sino también de un sustrato material sólido y en su lugar se utiliza un sustrato líquido, de donde absorberán los nutrientes las raíces para sus procesos metabólicos. Los sistemas de recirculación acuícolas y cultivos hidropónicos han experimentado una gran expansión en el mundo no solo por sus altos rendimientos, sino también por su mejor uso de la tierra y agua, métodos simples de control de contaminación, mejora de la gestión de los factores productivos, mayor calidad de los productos y mayor seguridad alimentaria. (FAO, 2014)