Determining factors related to impaired spinal and hip mobility in patients with axial spondyloarthritis : longitudinal results from the DESIR cohort

Copyright information: © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.Objective: To investigate the determinants of impaired spinal and hip mobility in patients with early axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). Methods: Five-year longitudinal data from the DEvenir des Spondyloarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes (DESIR) cohort were analysed. Associations were investigated using generalised estimating equations, using Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI) linear or each of the five components of BASMI as dependent variables, and clinical and demographic variables as independent variables in univariable models. Multivariable analyses were performed, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Data from 644 patients and 5152 visits were analysed. Higher BASMI values were independently and positively associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score C reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) (adjusted B (adjB)=0.21; 95% CI=0.15 to 0.28), MRI spinal inflammation score (adjB=0.11; 95% CI=0.04 to 0.19), enthesitis score (adjB=0.02; 95% CI=0.01 to 0.04) and age (adjB=0.02; 95% CI=0.01 to 0.03). All BASMI components were independently associated with ASDAS-CRP and MRI spinal inflammation, except for maximal intermalleolar distance (reflecting hip mobility), which was not associated with MRI spinal inflammation. Conclusion: In early axSpA, spinal mobility impairment is independently determined by clinical disease activity, MRI spinal inflammation, enthesitis and age. The influence of spinal inflammation prevails in early axSpA, as opposed to spinal structural damage, which may become more relevant in later disease stages.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Potential relevance of differential settlements in earthquake-induced liquefaction damage assessment

The assessment of vulnerability of buildings subjected to earthquake-induced liquefaction requires the definition of an integrated damage scale accounting both for ground motion damage and ground permanent movements, which cause rigid-body settlement and tilt of the building but also flexural demand on members due to differential settlement of pad footings. Nevertheless, most of the existing procedures for the estimation of differential settlements rely only in soil characteristics, thus neglecting the influence of building stiffness on the soil-structure interaction. In the present work, based on simplified modelling of soil-structure variability and on preliminary assumption of force distributions, representative values of members' demand due to differential settlement are proposed. A simple approach relying on the structure-to-soil stiffness ratio and the equivalent soil degradation extent under pad footings is adopted. The methodology is calibrated by means of a parametric linear analysis for a set of planar frames. Relative flexural demand due to differential settlements normalised to the seismic flexural demand are obtained. Results show that their relevance may not be very severe, thus damage assessment of differential settlements could be likely accounted separately from flexural and rigid-body demand

Shoulder Torque Production and Muscular Balance after Long and Short Tennis Points

Tennis is an asymmetric sport characterized by a systematic repetition of specific movements that may cause disturbances in muscular strength, power, and torque. Thus, we assessed (i) the torque, power, ratio production, and bilateral asymmetries in the shoulder’s external and internal rotations at 90 and 180°/s angular velocities, and (ii) the point duration influence of the above-mentioned variables. Twenty competitive tennis players performed external and internal shoulder rotations; an isokinetic evaluation was conducted of the dominant and non-dominant upper limbs before and after five and ten forehands. A higher torque production in the shoulder’s internal rotations at 90 and 180°/s was observed for the dominant vs. non-dominant sides (e.g., 63.1 ± 15.6 vs. 45.9 ± 9.8% and 62.5 ± 17.3 vs. 44.0 ± 12.6% of peak torque/body mass, p < 0.05). The peak torque decreased only after ten forehands (38.3 ± 15.8 vs. 38.2 ± 15.8 and 39.3 ± 16.1 vs. 38.1 ± 15.6 Nm, respectively, p < 0.05), but without impacting speed or accuracy. Unilateral systematic actions of tennis players caused contralateral asymmetries, evidencing the importance of implementing compensatory training. The forehand kinematic assessment suggests that racket and wrist amplitude, as well as speed, are important success determinants in tennis.SIThis research received no external funding

Isolation of a laccase-coding gene from the lignin-degrading fungus Phlebia brevispora BAFC 633 and heterologous expression in Pichia pastoris

Aims: Isolate and characterize a laccase-encoding gene (lac I) of Phlebia brevispora BAFC 633, as well as cloning and expressing cDNA of lac I in Pichia pastoris. And to obtain a purified and characterized recombinant laccase to analyse the biotechnological application potential. Methods and Results: Lac I was cloned and sequenced, it contains 2447 pb obtained by PCR and long-distance inverse PCR. Upstream of the structural region of the laccase gene, response elements such as metals, antioxidants, copper, nitrogen and heat shock were found. The coding region consisted of a 1563-pb ORF encoding 521 amino acids. Lac I was functionally expressed in P. pastoris and it was shown that the gene cloned using the α-factor signal peptide was more efficient than the native signal sequence, in directing the secretion of the recombinant protein. Km and highest kcat/Km values towards ABTS, followed by 2,6-dimethylphenol, were similar to other laccases. Lac I showed tolerance to NaCl and solvents, and nine synthetic dyes could be degraded to different degrees. Conclusions: Lac I-encoding gene could be successfully sequenced having cis-acting elements located at the regulatory region. It was found that lac I cDNA expressed in P. pastoris using the α-factor signal peptide was more efficient than the native signal sequence. The purified Lac I exhibited high tolerance towards NaCl and various solvents and degraded some recalcitrant synthetic dyes. Significance and Impact of the Study: The cis-acting elements may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of laccase gene expression. These results may provide a further insight into potential ways of optimizing fermentation process and also open new frontiers for engineering strong promoters for laccase production. The Lac I stability in chloride and solvents and broad decolorization of synthetic dyes are important for its use in organic synthesis work and degradation of dyes from textile effluents respectively.Fil: Fonseca, Maria Isabel. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Molina, Melisa Antonella. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Winnik, D. L.. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Busi, María Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Rosario. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos. Universidad Nacional de Rosario. Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas. Centro de Estudios Fotosintéticos y Bioquímicos; ArgentinaFil: Fariña, Julia Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos; ArgentinaFil: Villalba, Laura. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zapata, Pedro Dario. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

IS THERE ANY TRANSFER BETWEEN COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP AND SWIMMING TRACK START PERFORMANCE?

The aim of this study was to determine if the countermovement jump could predict swimming starts performance. Ten elite swimmers performed one maximal countermovement jump on an extensometric force platform and three maximal track start on an instrumented starting block. Results showed an inverse relationship between 15 m starting time and jump variables (r = -0.86, -0.64 and -0.92 for jump height, peak vertical force and peak power, respectively; p \u3c 0.05) and no significant correlation between relative peak vertical force and start variables. Regression equation for 15 m time prediction was defined by jump height and peak vertical force (r = 0.890, adjusted r2 = 0.734). In addition, results suggest that swimmers with higher jumps and higher peak vertical force are faster on the 15m mark when using a track start

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE: THE FLORA IN URBAN BACKYARDS OF DIFFERENT SOCIAL CLASSES

Outside the gate of the outer court there is a large garden of about four acres with a wall all around it. It is full of beautiful trees-pears, pomegranates, and the most delicious apples. There are luscious figs also, and olives in full growth. The fruits never rot nor fail all the year round, neither winter nor summer, for the air is so soft that a new crop ripens before the old has dropped. Pear grows on pear, apple on apple