Absolute reliability and concurrent validity of hand held dynamometry and isokinetic dynamometry in the hip, knee and ankle joint: Systematic review and meta-analysis

Indexación: Scopus.The purpose of the study is to establish absolute reliability and concurrent validity between hand-held dynamometers (HHDs) and isokinetic dynamometers (IDs) in lower extremity peak torque assessment. Medline, Embase, CINAHL databases were searched for studies related to psychometric properties in muscle dynamometry. Studies considering standard error of measurement SEM (%) or limit of agreement LOA (%) expressed as percentage of the mean, were considered to establish absolute reliability while studies using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) were considered to establish concurrent validity between dynamometers. In total, 17 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The COSMIN checklist classified them between fair and poor. Using HHDs, knee extension LOA (%) was 33.59%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 23.91 to 43.26 and ankle plantar flexion LOA (%) was 48.87%, CI 35.19 to 62.56. Using IDs, hip adduction and extension; knee flexion and extension; and ankle dorsiflexion showed LOA (%) under 15%. Lower hip, knee, and ankle LOA (%) were obtained using an ID compared to HHD. ICC between devices ranged between 0.62, CI (0.37 to 0.87) for ankle dorsiflexion to 0.94, IC (0.91to 0.98) for hip adduction. Very high correlation were found for hip adductors and hip flexors and moderate correlations for knee flexors/extensors and ankle plantar/dorsiflexors.https://www.degruyter.com/view/j/med.2017.12.issue-1/med-2017-0052/med-2017-0052.xm

Mapping out the quasicondensate transition through the dimensional crossover from one to three dimensions

By measuring the density fluctuations in a highly elongated weakly interacting Bose gas, we observe and quantify the transition from the ideal gas to a quasicondensate regime throughout the dimensional crossover from a purely one-dimensional (1D) to an almost three-dimensional (3D) gas. We show that that the entire transition region and the dimensional crossover are described surprisingly well by the modified Yang-Yang model. Furthermore, we find that at low temperatures the linear density at the quasicondensate transition scales according to an interaction-driven scenario of a longitudinally uniform 1D Bose gas, whereas at high temperatures it scales according to the degeneracy-driven critical scenario of transverse condensation of a 3D ideal gas

Helping Students Understand Health Statistics

Mathematical and statistical information is often presented to patients after receiving health care. Previous research would suggest that people often have difficulty understanding statistical information, especially when it is presented in a single event probability format. According to previous research, the difficulty arises from numerical literacy, presentation format and an interaction of both. The goal of the current study is to determine the accuracy of students’ estimates of having an STD, after receiving a positive test result in a simulated clinical setting. Three different formats were manipulated to help students understand the statistical information frequencies, single event probability, and an icon array. Contrary to previous research, a three step hierarchical logistic regression determined that none of the formats were aiding in the accuracy of students’ estimates of having chlamydia. In fact, very few students estimated the correct likelihood they had an STD after receiving a positive test result. Possible limitations and future research are discussed

Resurgence of Islamic Education in China

In the years immediately following the end of the decade known as the Cultural Revolution (1966- 1976), the Muslims of China lost no time in rebuilding their devastated communities. After ten years of intensive and often violent persecution by government forces in which all forms of religious expression were outlawed and hundreds of religious leaders were imprisoned, Muslim communities throughout China began slowly to restore their religious institutions and revive their religious activities. The re-establishment of educational institutions plays a vital role in this still ongoing process

Spinal motor neuron loss occurs through a p53-and-p21-independent mechanism in the Smn

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a pediatric neuromuscular disease caused by genetic deficiency of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. Pathological hallmarks of SMA are spinal motor neuron loss and skeletal muscle atrophy. The molecular mechanisms that elicit and drive preferential motor neuron degeneration and death in SMA remain unclear. Transcriptomic studies consistently report p53 pathway activation in motor neurons and spinal cord tissue of SMA mice. Recent work has identified p53 as an inducer of spinal motor neuron loss in severe Δ7 SMA mice. Additionally, the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor P21 (Cdkn1a), an inducer of cell cycle arrest and mediator of skeletal muscle atrophy, is consistently increased in motor neurons, spinal cords, and other tissues of various SMA models. p21 is a p53 transcriptional target but can be independently induced by cellular stressors. To ascertain whether p53 and p21 signaling pathways mediate spinal motor neuron death in milder SMA mice, and how they affect the overall SMA phenotype, we introduced Trp53 and P21 null alleles onto the Sm

TRACE ELEMENTS IN SHEEP AND GOATS REPRODUCTION: A REVIEW

The reproduction of small ruminants like goats and sheep managed under extensive range grazing conditions can be affected by nutrients availability and especially by the mineral content of the forages resources on the rangeland. It has been particularly demonstrated that trace elements can have equally, beneficial or detrimental effects, depending on its balance, on reproductive functions in small ruminants. Trace elements as copper, molybdenum, selenium and zinc play key role on the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids; however, the mode of action by which these elements affect reproduction in sheep and goats are not completely understood, due to the complexity in the mode of action of the metallobiomolecules and the neuro-hormonal relationship. In this way, their absence or presence of these minerals in several organs, fluids, or tissues of the reproductive tract have allowed obtaining information on the metabolism and the role of these elements on reproduction in sheep and goats. On this regard, the objective of this document is to review the relationships and effects of some trace elements, on reproductive events in sheep and goats

EFFECT OF SEASON ON SERUM COPPER AND ZINC CONCENTRATIONS IN CROSSBRED GOATS HAVING DIFFERENT REPRODUCTIVE STATUS UNDER SEMIARID RANGELAND CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN MEXICO STATE

The effect of season (rainy: RS, and dry: DS) and reproductive status on copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations in blood serum of crossbred goats (BW= 36.01 ± 1.59 kg) were studied under semiarid rangeland conditions in Southern Mexico State. Blood samples from 80 crossbred goats were taken each season (RS and DS). The goats were clustered into 10 different groups considering their reproductive status. Concentrations of Cu and Zn in serum were assayed using atomic absorption. Data were analyzed using a general linear model procedure for a completely randomized design and differences among means were examined using a Tukey test. Blood serum concentrations of Cu and Zn were affected by reproductive status and season (P<0.001). In relation to the season, Cu and Zn serum levels were lower in RS than DS (P<0.05). Overall, kidded goats had the highest values (P<0.01) for Cu than other animals in both seasons (RS or DS). Anestrous goats had the lowest concentrations (P<0.01) for Zn during RS, while all goats at their second or more kidding, rearing single or twins, showed the highest concentrations of Zn (P<0.001) in this season. Adult goats in Southern Mexico State showed a deficiency of Cu and Zn, especially during RS. As such, mineral supplements should be provided with respect to these elements in feeding systems for goats under semiarid rangeland conditions in order to evaluate their impact on health and reproduction

Corinth terraces re-visited: Improved paleoshoreline determination using Pleiades-DEMs

International audienceThe newest generation of satellites have greatly improved the capabilities of optical imagery over the last decade. Ground resolution has increased by one order of magnitude (to sub-metric pixel images), and improved sensors allow images to be located with an absolute accuracy of within a few meters. Better-resolved images facilitate refined tectonic studies of faults, basins, terraces, and other geomorphic features as it provides the opportunity to extract detailed topographic information. We have developed high-resolution digital elevation models (DEMs) in eight locations in Greece from tri-stereo satellite images acquired by the new Pleiades platform of CNES. With 0.5m resolution, these DEMs are state-of-the-art in comparison to previous DEMs made from satellite imagery. In this study we explore the potential of one of these DEMs, in the eastern Gulf of Corinth, for the analysis of a flight of marine terraces

A selective strategy for targeting primary hyperoxaluria diseases

Funding Information: Authors wish to thank the Centro de Instrumentación Científico-Técnica (CICT) of the University of Jaén, Spain, for partial financial support. A.A.-A. is grateful for the postdoctoral fellowship from Fundación Alfonso Martín Escudero. Authors acknowledge the use of the National Facility ELECMI ICTS, node “Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas” at Universidad de Zaragoza. This research has also partially been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grant RTI2018-098560-B-C22) and by the Andalusian Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento (FEDER program 2014-2020: grant number 1380682). This work was partially supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry-LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020). Funding Information: This research has also partially been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grant RTI2018-098560-B-C22) and by the Andalusian Consejería de Economía y Conocimiento (FEDER program 2014-2020: grant number 1380682). This work was partially supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry-LAQV, which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020). Funding Information: Authors wish to thank the Centro de Instrumentación Científico-Técnica (CICT) of the University of Jaén, Spain, for partial financial support. A.A.-A. is grateful for the postdoctoral fellowship from Fundación Alfonso Martín Escudero. Authors acknowledge the use of the National Facility ELECMI ICTS, node “Laboratorio de Microscopias Avanzadas” at Universidad de Zaragoza. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)Primary hyperoxalurias (PHs) are a group of inherited alterations of the hepatic glyoxylate metabolism that result in an excess of oxalate production by the oxidation of glyoxylate by the human lactate dehydrogenase A enzyme (hLDHA). The selective liver inhibition of this enzyme is one of the therapeutic strategies followed in the treatment of this disease. Even though several efforts have been recently performed using gene silencing by the RNA interference approach, small-molecule inhibitors that selectively reach hepatocytes are preferred since they present the advantages of a lower production cost and better pharmacological properties. In that sense, the design, synthesis, and physicochemical characterization by NMR, FTIR, DLS and TEM of two nanocarriers based on chitosan conjugates (1, non-redox-sensitive; 2, redox-sensitive) have been performed to (i) achieve the selective transport of hLDHA inhibitors into hepatocytes and (ii) their disruption once they reach the hepatocytes cytosol. Polymer 2 self-assembled into micelles in water and showed high drug loadings (19.8–24.5 %) and encapsulation efficiencies (31.9–40.8%) for the hLDHA inhibitors (I-III) tested. The non-redox-sensitive micelle 1 remained stable under different glutathione (GSH) concentrations (10 μM and 10 mM), and just a residual release of the inhibitor encapsulated was observed (less than 10 %). On the other hand, micelle 2 was sufficiently stable under in vitro physiological conditions (10 μM, GSH) but it quickly disassembled under the simulated reducing conditions present inside hepatocytes (10 mM GSH), achieving a 60 % release of the hLDHA inhibitor encapsulated after 24 h, confirming the responsiveness of the developed carrier to the high levels of intracellular GSH.publishersversionpublishe