The effects of aerobic and strength exercises on pulmonary function tests and quality of life in asthmatic patients

"nBackground: Asthma is a major health condition in Iran. This randomized clinical trial was aimed for the comparison of the effects of two exercise protocols (aerobic and aerobic-strength) on the pulmonary indices and quality of life of asthmatic patients."n "nMethods: The study was conducted in pulmonary ward of Dr Shariati Hospital in Tehran, and Research Center of Exercise Medicine of Tehran in 2009. Fifty six asthmatic patients were selected and after two weeks of education, their spirometric parameters were recorded and the St George's respiratory questionnaire was completed. Then patients were randomly assigned to two groups of A and B. For ten weeks group A did the aerobic-strength exercises and group B did only the aerobic ones at home. At the end, again their spirometric parameters were recorded and the questionnaire was completed. Finally 42 patients completed the study. "n "nResults: After the intervention, FEV1 and FVC but not FEV1/FVC increased in group A. There were no changes in these parameters in group B. In addition, post-intervention FEV1 and FVC were significantly higher in group A than group B. All scores of St George's respiratory questionnaire were significantly improved in both groups but they were not different between them."n "nConclusions: Our findings showed that regular aerobic exercises, individually or concomitant with strength exercises, could improve vital signs and quality of life of mild to moderate asthmatic patients. However, only aerobic exercises with strength ones improve spirometric parameters. Therefore, a combination of both aerobic and strength exercises could be considered in treatment protocols of asthmatic patients

Los yacimientos de vertebrados del Mioceno medio de Somosaguas (Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid): implicaciones paleoambientales y paleoclimáticas

The Middle Miocene vertebrate fossil sites from the Somosaguas Campus of the Complutensian University of Madrid (Pozuelo de Alarcón) have provided many fossils from 23 mammal species, dated in local zone E (MN5, Middle Aragonian). In this work we show new research results which allow recognizing a new species of rhinoceros for the Madrid Basin (Prosantorhinus douvillei) and defining a new species of hamster (Cricetodon soriae nov. sp.). The succession shows several episodes of debris-flow deposits transporting bones, pebbles and arkosic sands, discordant below and above lacustrine sediments. The deposits contain an alteration sequence of micas, with neomorphic clays progressively more evolved and caliche lining on top, wich indicate increasing aridity. The richness of the Somosaguas fossil association allows us to relate this site with other assemblages of similar age, which gives a biogeographical pattern close to the palaearctic-palaeotropical transition associations. This is coincident with the palaeoclimatic data provided by the mammalian association, which indicates the presence of tropical conditions with strong hydric seasonality. A mosaic of environments integrated within a savanna biome is inferred in the area, combining open areas and small woodlands associated to a lacustrine environment. The isotopic analyses indicate a progressive cooling and drying trend, which correlates with the inferred global climatic changes in this period around 14 million years ago.Los yacimientos de vertebrados del Mioceno medio del Campus de Somosaguas de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Pozuelo de Alarcón) han proporcionado numerosos restos pertenecientes a 23 especies de mamíferos datados en la zona local E (MN5, Aragoniense Medio). En este trabajo se presentan nuevas aportaciones a su estudio, que han permitido descubrir una especie de rinoceronte no citada anteriormente en la cuenca de Madrid (Prosantorhinus douvillei) y la definición de una especie nueva de hámster (Cricetodon soriae nov. sp.). La sucesión muestra varios episodios de coladas de tipo debris-flow con transporte de huesos, rocas y arcosas discordantes por debajo y por encima de un relleno lacustre. Los depósitos contienen una secuencia de alteración de micas con arcillas de neoformación progresivamente más evolucionadas y vetas de caliche hacia techo, indicando aridez creciente. La riqueza del conjunto de macro y microvertebrados de los yacimientos de Somosaguas permite relacionarlo con el de otros yacimientos de edad similar, resultando en un patrón biogeográfico de transición paleártico-paleotropical. Esto coincide con los datos paleoclimáticos aportados por la fauna de mamíferos, que indican la existencia de condiciones tropicales con estacionalidad hídrica muy marcada. Se infiere la existencia en el área de un mosaico de ambientes dentro de un bioma de sabana, combinando áreas abiertas y bosquetes asociados al medio lacustre. El análisis isotópico indica un progresivo enfriamiento y aridez, que se correlaciona con los cambios climáticos inferidos a escala global en este período, hace unos 14 millones de años.La Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM), la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (CAM) y el Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (MCYT) han proporcionado financiación para la realización de las excavaciones a lo largo del último lustro (AE00-0256-DIF). La realización de este trabajo se enmarca dentro de los proyectos BTE2002-1430, BTE2003-03001, CGL2004-02094/BTE, CGL2005-03900/BTE, CGL2006-01773/BTE y CGL2006-04646/BTE del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia y PR1/06-14470-B de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. La UCM y la CAM concedieron ayudas a los grupos de investigación UCM-CAM 910161 sobre Registro Geológico de Períodos Críticos: Factores Paleoclimáticos y Paleoambientales y UCM-CAM 910607 sobre Evolución de Mamíferos y Paleoambientes Continentales Cenozoicos. M.H.F. disfruta de un contrato UCM del Programa «Ramón y Cajal» del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. M.J.S. disfruta de un contrato CSIC del Programa «Juan de la Cierva» del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.Peer reviewe

RESEARCH ARTICLE Body-size structure of Central Iberian mammal fauna reveals semidesertic conditions during the middle Miocene Global Cooling Event

We developed new quantitative palaeoclimatic inference models based on the body-size structure of mammal faunas from the Old World tropics and applied them to the Somosaguas fossil site (middle Miocene, central Iberian Peninsula). Twenty-six mammal species have been described at this site, including proboscideans, ungulates, carnivores, insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. Our analyses were based on multivariate and bivariate regression models correlating climatic data and body-size structure of 63 modern mammal assemblages from Sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The results showed an average temperature of the coldest month higher than 26ÊC for the Somosaguas fossil site, a mean annual thermal amplitude around 10ÊC, a drought length of 10 months, and an annual total precipitation greater than 200 mm per year, which are climate conditions typical of an ecotonal zone between the savanna and desert biomes. These results are congruent with the aridity peaks described over the middle Aragonian of Spain and particularly in the local biozone E, which includes Somosaguas. The aridity increase detected in this biozone is associated with the Middle Miocene Global Cooling Event. The environment of Somosaguas around 14 Ma was similar to the current environment in the Sahel region of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the boundary area between the Kalahari and the Namib in Southern Africa, south-central Arabia, or eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. The distribution of modern vegetation in these regions follows a complex mosaic of plant communities, dominated by scattered xerophilous shrublands, semidesert grasslands, and vegetation linked to seasonal watercourses and ponds.Peer reviewe