Are Conditional Cash Transfers Effective in Urban Areas? Evidence from Mexico

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs have spread worldwide as a new form of social assistance for the poor. Previous evaluations of CCT programs focus mainly on rural settings, and little is known about their effects in urban areas. This paper studies the short-term (one and two-year) effects of the Mexican Oportunidades CCT program on urban children/youth. The program provides financial incentives for children/youth to attend school and for family members to visit health clinics. To participate, families had to sign up for the program and be deemed eligible. Difference-in-difference propensity score matching estimates indicate that the program is successful in increasing school enrollment, schooling attainment and time devoted to homework and in decreasing working rates of boys.conditional cash transfer programs, matching estimators, program evaluation

Conhecimentos da cultura corporal de crianças não escolarizadas: a investigação como fundamento para o currículo

The main objective of the present study was to identify the knowledge that children with no education have about the practices of corporal culture and its vision about the appropriation of those during physical education lessons .Starting from the presumption that the social cultural approach of the component that suggests a curricula design that adopts as a starting point the background knowledge of the students. The investigated community consisted of 48 students of the first grade of a municipal public that were dealing with their first scholar experience. The data, obtained through the semi-structured interviews, were submitted to the analysis of Bardin content (2000). As a relevant finding stands out the diversity of knowledge that the students have about the manifestations of corporal culture, fact that contradicts some elements present in the speech of Physical Education teachers and that allows a curricula design different from the component’s curricula.O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal identificar os saberes que crianças não escolarizadas possuem sobre as práticas da cultura corporal e sua visão sobre a apropriação destas pelas aulas de Educação Física. Partiu-se do pressuposto que a abordagem sociocultural do componente sugere um desenho curricular que adote como ponto de partida, os saberes patrimoniais dos educandos. A comunidade investigada constituiu-se de 48 alunos matriculados no primeiro ano do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública municipal que enfrentavam sua primeira experiência escolar. Os dados, obtidos mediante a utilização de entrevistas semi-estruturadas, foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo de Bardin (2000). Como descoberta relevante destaca-se a diversidade de conhecimentos que os alunos possuem sobre as manifestações da cultura corporal, fato que contradiz alguns elementos presentes no discurso dos professores de Educação Física e que proporciona organização curricular diferenciada para o componente

Mechanical properties of treadmill surfaces compared to other overground sport surfaces

The mechanical properties of the surfaces used for exercising can affect sports performance and injury risk. However, the mechanical properties of treadmill surfaces remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess the shock absorption (SA), vertical deformation (VD) and energy restitution (ER) of different treadmill models and to compare them with those of other sport surfaces. A total of 77 treadmills, 30 artificial turf pitches and 30 athletics tracks were assessed using an advanced artificial athlete device. Differences in the mechanical properties between the surfaces and treadmill models were evaluated using a repeated-measures ANOVA. The treadmills were found to exhibit the highest SA of all the surfaces (64.2 ± 2; p < 0.01; effect size (ES) = 0.96), while their VD (7.6 ± 1.3; p < 0.01; ES = 0.87) and ER (45 ± 11; p < 0.01; ES = 0.51) were between the VDs of the artificial turf and track. The SA (p < 0.01; ES = 0.69), VD (p < 0.01; ES = 0.90) and ER (p < 0.01; ES = 0.89) were also shown to differ between treadmill models. The differences between the treadmills commonly used in fitness centers were much lower than differences between the treadmills and track surfaces, but they were sometimes larger than the differences with artificial turf. The treadmills used in clinical practice and research were shown to exhibit widely varying mechanical properties. The results of this study demonstrate that the mechanical properties (SA, VD and ER) of treadmill surfaces differ significantly from those of overground sport surfaces such as artificial turf and athletics track surfaces but also asphalt or concrete. These different mechanical properties of treadmills may affect treadmill running performance, injury risk and the generalizability of research performed on treadmills to overground locomotion.Sin financiación3.275 JCR (2019) Q1, 15/64 Instruments & Instrumentation; Q2, 22/86 Chemistry, Analytical, 77/266 Engineering, Electrical & Electronic0.653 SJR (2019) Q1, 38/374 Instrumentation; Q2, 41/126 Analytical Chemistry, 107/683 Information Systems, 207/1409 Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 993/2754 Medicine (miscellaneous), 60/231 Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics; Q3, 239/456 BiochemistryNo data IDR 2019UE

Effect of Natural Turf, Artificial Turf, and Sand Surfaces on Sprint Performance. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of natural turf, artificial turf, and sand on sprint performance in different sports and to determine how the sport surface affects sprint performance. A systematic search was conducted in Pubmed, Web of Sciences, and SPORTDiscus databases. Out of 5644 studies, 11 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The studies were very heterogeneous, as they examined different structural characteristics or quality parameters. The studies on natural turf and sand showed significant improvements on sprint speed during training. On the other hand, the analysis of fatigue did not reveal significant differences in the deterioration of sprint speed on both natural and artificial turf. Significance was set at p < 0.05. In conclusion, although lower performance in sprint was reported on sand, further studies are needed to explain the differences in sprint on natural and artificial turf

The Effects of Football Practice on Nutritional Status and Body Composition in Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Dietary patterns, exercise, sport, and physical activity have been shown to improve body composition in children. This systematic review with meta-analysis analyzed the effects of practicing football on body composition (fat mass, lean body mass, and bone mineral content) in children. An initial search in PubMed, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus was carried out in April 2021 to identify relevant articles. Inclusion criteria required children up to 12 years of age with a minimum football intervention duration of 10 weeks. Methodological quality of the articles was evaluated using the PEDro scale. Between the 1803 articles originally founded, only 14 articles were included in the meta-analysis. A total of 1643 subjects between the 14 studies were identified. The review and meta-analysis were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and used Review Manager and Full Meta-Analysis software. The results between the control and experimental groups showed significantly better lean body mass and fat mass values in the experimental group (p < 0.05). Football practice was positively associated with increases in lean body mass (mean difference of 1.55; 95% CI, 0.96, 2.15), decreases in fat mass (mean difference of −0.81; 95% CI, −1.49, −0.13), and increases in whole body bone mineral content (mean difference of 117.68; 95% CI, 83.69, 151.67). In conclusion, the results of this systematic review with meta-analysis suggest that football positively affects body composition in children. However, further research is needed to confirm the results for bone mineral content.A.H.-M. acknowledges the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities for funding the development of his PhD. (Grant no.: FPU18/03222). S.M.-C. acknowledges the University of Castilla-La Mancha for funding the development of his PhD. (2019/5964). J.G.-U. acknowledges “Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional, Programa Operativo de la Región de Castilla-La Mancha” (2018/11744) for funding the development of his research

T22-PE24-H6 Nanotoxin Selectively Kills CXCR4-High Expressing AML Patient Cells In Vitro and Potently Blocks Dissemination In Vivo

Altres ajuts: EU COST Action CA 17140; CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya; ICREA AcademiaDespite advances in the development of targeted therapies for acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most patients relapse. For that reason, it is still necessary to develop novel therapies that improve treatment effectiveness and overcome drug resistance. We developed T22-PE24-H6, a protein nanoparticle that contains the exotoxin A from the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa and is able to specifically deliver this cytotoxic domain to CXCR4 + leukemic cells. Next, we evaluated the selective delivery and antitumor activity of T22-PE24-H6 in CXCR4 + AML cell lines and BM samples from AML patients. Moreover, we assessed the in vivo antitumor effect of this nanotoxin in a disseminated mouse model generated from CXCR4 + AML cells. T22-PE24-H6 showed a potent, CXCR4-dependent antineoplastic effect in vitro in the MONO-MAC-6 AML cell line. In addition, mice treated with nanotoxins in daily doses reduced the dissemination of CXCR4 + AML cells compared to buffer-treated mice, as shown by the significant decrease in BLI signaling. Furthermore, we did not observe any sign of toxicity or changes in mouse body weight, biochemical parameters, or histopathology in normal tissues. Finally, T22-PE24-H6 exhibited a significant inhibition of cell viability in CXCR4 high AML patient samples but showed no activity in CXCR4 low samples. These data strongly support the use of T22-PE24-H6 therapy to benefit high-CXCR4-expressing AML patients

Cane toad Rhinella Marina Venom Causes Small Intestine Damage in CD1 Mice

Objetivo. Describir el daño celular que provoca el veneno de Rhinella marina en el intestino delgado en un modelo murino. Métodos. Se realizó un ensayo para determinación de la LD50, y posteriormente 16 ratones machos CD1 con un peso aproximado entre 20 y 25 gramos.&nbsp; se dividieron aleatoriamente en dos grupos de 8 ratones cada uno. a) Control que recibió aceite de maíz (vehículo) vía intragástrica b) Intoxicado con 250 mg/Kg del veneno vía intragástrica, a las 74 horas se sacrificaron los animales y se obtuvo la primera parte del intestino delgado para su análisis histológico y evaluación de la lipoperoxidación. Resultados. Se observó en el grupo intoxicado a diferencia del control, un aumento de la lipoperoxidación, atrofia de las microvellosidades y leucocitosis de la submucosa. Conclusión. El veneno de sapo Rhinella marina, produce daño, inflamación y peroxidación del intestino delgado, lo cuál está relacionado con las alteraciones digestivas que se ha observado cuando algunos animales sobre todo perros y gatos lo ingieren por accidente.Objective. Describe cellular damage caused by Rhinella marina venom in the small intestine in a murine model. Methods. A test was carried out to determine the LD50, and subsequently 16 male CD1 mice weighing approximately between 20 and 25 grams were randomly divided into two groups of 8 mice each. a) Control that received corn oil (vehicle) Ig. b) Intoxicated with 250 mg/Kg of the poison ig. After 74 hours, the animals were sacrificed and the first part of the small intestine was obtained for histological analysis and evaluation of lipoperoxidation. Results. An increase in lipoperoxidation, microvilli atrophy and submucosal leukocytosis was observed in the intoxicated group, unlike the control group. Conclusion. Rhinella marina toad venom causes damage, inflammation and peroxidation of the small intestine. This is related to the digestive alterations that have been observed when some animals, especially dogs and cats, ingest it by accident

Thrombospondin-1 mediates muscle damage in brachio-cervical inflammatory myopathy and systemic sclerosis

To describe the clinical, serologic and histologic features of a cohort of patients with brachio-cervical inflammatory myopathy (BCIM) associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and unravel disease-specific pathophysiologic mechanisms occurring in these patients. We reviewed clinical, immunologic, muscle MRI, nailfold videocapillaroscopy, muscle biopsy, and response to treatment data from 8 patients with BCIM-SSc. We compared cytokine profiles between patients with BCIM-SSc and SSc without muscle involvement and controls. We analyzed the effect of the deregulated cytokines in vitro (fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and muscle cells) and in vivo. All patients with BCIM-SSc presented with muscle weakness involving cervical and proximal muscles of the upper limbs plus Raynaud syndrome, telangiectasia and/or sclerodactilia, hypotonia of the esophagus, and interstitial lung disease. Immunosuppressive treatment stopped the progression of the disease. Muscle biopsy showed pathologic changes including the presence of necrotic fibers, fibrosis, and reduced capillary number and size. Cytokines involved in inflammation, angiogenesis, and fibrosis were deregulated. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), which participates in all these 3 processes, was upregulated in patients with BCIM-SSc. In vitro, TSP-1 and serum of patients with BCIM-SSc promoted proliferation and upregulation of collagen, fibronectin, and transforming growth factor beta in fibroblasts. TSP-1 disrupted vascular network, decreased muscle differentiation, and promoted hypotrophic myotubes. In vivo, TSP-1 increased fibrotic tissue and profibrotic macrophage infiltration in the muscle. Patients with SSc may present with a clinically and pathologically distinct myopathy. A prompt and correct diagnosis has important implications for treatment. Finally, TSP-1 may participate in the pathologic changes observed in muscle

Idoneidad y validez de herramientas que fomentan el aprendizaje asociativo a partir de exámenes tipo test

Depto. de Salud Pública y Materno - InfantilFac. de MedicinaFALSEsubmitte