Effects of Community Exercise Therapy on Metabolic, Brain, Physical, and Cognitive Function Following Stroke : A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial

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Measurement And Modeling Of Short Copper Cables For Ultra-wideband Communication

High-speed communication using the copper network, originally installed for telephony, is one of the dominant Internet access techniques. Several variants of a technology referred to as digital subscriber line (DSL) have been developed, standardized and installed during the last two decades. Essentially, DSL achieves high rates by exploiting wide bands of the copper cable channel. The shorter the cable, the wider the band that can be used efficiently for communication. Current DSL standards foresee the use of bands up to 30MHz. Cable properties have been studied by means of measurements, characterization and modeling up to frequencies of 30MHz. Recent investigations have shown that it is feasible both from technical and from economical point of view to exploit very short cables (up to 200m) even further and use bands above 30MHz. A prerequisite for further evaluation and the design of such ultra-wideband copper (UWBC) systems is the extension of existing cable models to higher frequencies. This paper presents wideband measurement results of insertion loss and crosstalk coupling in a 10-pair cable of various length values for frequencies up to 200MHz. We compare the results with extrapolations of cable models that are established in the 30MHz-range.6390Chen, W.Y., (1998) DSL: Simulation Techniques and Standards Development for Digital Subscriber Line Systems, , Macmillan Technical Publishing, ISBN 1-57870-017-5G.selt: Updated issues list for G.selt (2004) ITU-T Temporary Document SS U09, , ITU-TAsymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) transceivers (1999) ITU Recommendation G.992.1, , ITU-T, JuneAsymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) transceivers (1999) ITU Recommendation G.992.2, , ITU-T, JuneAsymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) extended bandwidth (ADSL2+) (2005) ITU Recommendation G.992.5, , ITU-TStarr, T., Cioffi, J.M., Silverman, P., (1998) Understanding Digital Subscriber Line Technology, , Prentice Hall, Englewood CliffsDedieu, H., The copper channel - Loop charactersitics and models (2005) Fundamentals of DSL Technology, , ch. 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The role of hydrogen sulfide in homocysteine-induced cardiodynamic effects and oxidative stress markers in the isolated rat heart

This study aimed to assess the role of H2S in homocysteine-induced cardiodynamic effects in the isolated rat heart. The hearts were retrogradely perfused according to the Langendorff technique. The maximum and minimum rates of pressure in the left ventricle (dp/dt max, dp/dt min), systolic and diastolic left ventricular pressures (SLVP, DLVP), heart rate (HR), and coronary flow (CF) were measured. A spectrophotometrical method was used to measure the following oxidative stress markers: index of lipid peroxidation (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), nitrite level (NO2−), superoxide anion radicals (O2•−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations. The administration of 10 µmol/l DL-homocysteine (DL-Hcy) alone decreased dp/dt max, SLVP, and CF but did not change any oxidative stress parameters. The administration of 10 µmol/l DL-propargylglycine (DL-PAG) decreased all cardiodynamic parameters and increased the concentration of O2•−. The co-administration of DL-Hcy and DL-PAG induced a significant decrease in all estimated cardiodynamic parameters and decreased the concentration of NO2− and O2•− but increased the levels of TBARS and H2O2. Homocysteine shows a lower pro-oxidative effect in the presence of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), which indicates a potential anti-oxidative capacity of H2S

Pathophysiology of exercise intolerance in chronic diseases: the role of diminished cardiac performance in mitochondrial and heart failure patients

Objective: Exercise intolerance is a clinical hallmark of chronic conditions. The present study determined pathophysiological mechanisms of exercise intolerance in cardiovascular, neuromuscular, and metabolic disorders. Methods: In a prospective cross-sectional observational study 152 patients (heart failure reduced ejection fraction, n=32; stroke, n=34; mitochondrial disease, n=28; type two diabetes, n=28; and healthy controls, n=30) performed cardiopulmonary exercise testing with metabolic and haemodynamic measurements. Peak exercise O2 consumption and cardiac power output were measures of exercise tolerance and cardiac performance. Results: Exercise tolerance was significantly diminished in patients compared with controls (ie, by 45% stroke, 39% mitochondria disease, and 33% diabetes and heart failure, p<0.05). Cardiac performance was only significantly reduced in heart failure (due to reduced heart rate, stroke volume, and blood pressure) and mitochondrial patients (due reduced stroke volume) compared with controls (ie, by 53% and 26%, p<0.05). Ability of skeletal muscles to extract oxygen (ie, arterial-venous O2 difference) was diminished in mitochondrial, stroke, and diabetes patients (by 24%, 22%, and 18%, p<0.05), but increased by 21% in heart failure (p<0.05) compared with controls. Cardiac output explained 65% and 51% of the variance in peak O2 consumption (p<0.01) in heart failure and mitochondrial patients, whereas arterial-venous O2 difference explained 69% (p<0.01) of variance in peak O2 consumption in diabetes, and 65% and 48% in stroke and mitochondrial patients (p<0.01). Conclusions: Different mechanisms explain exercise intolerance in patients with heart failure, mitochondrial dysfunction, stroke and diabetes. Their better understanding may improve management of patients, their stress tolerance and quality of life

Changes in disease burden in Poland between 1990–2017 in comparison with other Central European countries: A systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Systematic collection of mortality/morbidity data over time is crucial for monitoring trends in population health, developing health policies, assessing the impact of health programs. In Poland, a comprehensive analysis describing trends in disease burden for major conditions has never been published. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) provides data on the burden of over 300 diseases in 195 countries since 1990. We used the GBD database to undertake an assessment of disease burden in Poland, evaluate changes in population health between 1990–2017, and compare Poland with other Central European (CE) countries

A Minimal Threshold of c-di-GMP Is Essential for Fruiting Body Formation and Sporulation in Myxococcus xanthus

Generally, the second messenger bis-(3’-5’)-cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP) regulates the switch between motile and sessile lifestyles in bacteria. Here, we show that c-di-GMP is an essential regulator of multicellular development in the social bacterium Myxococcus xanthus. In response to starvation, M. xanthus initiates a developmental program that culminates in formation of spore-filled fruiting bodies. We show that c-di-GMP accumulates at elevated levels during development and that this increase is essential for completion of development whereas excess c-di-GMP does not interfere with development. MXAN3735 (renamed DmxB) is identified as a diguanylate cyclase that only functions during development and is responsible for this increased c-di-GMP accumulation. DmxB synthesis is induced in response to starvation, thereby restricting DmxB activity to development. DmxB is essential for development and functions downstream of the Dif chemosensory system to stimulate exopolysaccharide accumulation by inducing transcription of a subset of the genes encoding proteins involved in exopolysaccharide synthesis. The developmental defects in the dmxB mutant are non-cell autonomous and rescued by co-development with a strain proficient in exopolysaccharide synthesis, suggesting reduced exopolysaccharide accumulation as the causative defect in this mutant. The NtrC-like transcriptional regulator EpsI/Nla24, which is required for exopolysaccharide accumulation, is identified as a c-diGMP receptor, and thus a putative target for DmxB generated c-di-GMP. Because DmxB can be—at least partially—functionally replaced by a heterologous diguanylate cyclase, these results altogether suggest a model in which a minimum threshold level of c-di-GMP is essential for the successful completion of multicellular development in M. xanthus

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990-2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

SummaryBackground The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. Methods We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors—the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). Findings Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6–58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8–42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. Interpretation Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

International meta-analysis of PTSD genome-wide association studies identifies sex- and ancestry-specific genetic risk loci.

The risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following trauma is heritable, but robust common variants have yet to be identified. In a multi-ethnic cohort including over 30,000 PTSD cases and 170,000 controls we conduct a genome-wide association study of PTSD. We demonstrate SNP-based heritability estimates of 5-20%, varying by sex. Three genome-wide significant loci are identified, 2 in European and 1 in African-ancestry analyses. Analyses stratified by sex implicate 3 additional loci in men. Along with other novel genes and non-coding RNAs, a Parkinson's disease gene involved in dopamine regulation, PARK2, is associated with PTSD. Finally, we demonstrate that polygenic risk for PTSD is significantly predictive of re-experiencing symptoms in the Million Veteran Program dataset, although specific loci did not replicate. These results demonstrate the role of genetic variation in the biology of risk for PTSD and highlight the necessity of conducting sex-stratified analyses and expanding GWAS beyond European ancestry populations