Hydrotherapy for the Treatment of Pain in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating neurological disease. Several studies have reported that complementary and alternative therapies can have positive effects against pain in these patients. Objective. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program against pain and other symptoms in MS patients. Methods. In this randomized controlled trial, 73 MS patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group for a 20-week treatment program. The experimental group underwent 40 sessions of Ai-Chi exercise in swimming pool and the control group 40 sessions of abdominal breathing and contraction-relaxation exercises in therapy room. Outcome variables were pain, disability, spasm, depression, fatigue, and autonomy, which were assessed before the intervention and immediately and at 4 and 10 weeks after the last treatment session. Results. The experimental group showed a significant (P < 0.028) and clinically relevant decrease in pain intensity versus baseline, with an immediate posttreatment reduction in median visual analogue scale scores of 50% that was maintained for up to 10 weeks. Significant improvements were also observed in spasm, fatigue, disability, and autonomy. Conclusion. According to these findings, an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program improves pain, spasms, disability, fatigue, depression, and autonomy in MS patients

Objects-based Image Analysis for Mapping Natura 2000 Habitats to Improve Forest Management.

Clasificación de una imagen de alta resolución "Quickbird" con la técnica de análisis de imágenes en base a objeto

Contribución del aplanado de morteros de cal para restauración sobre muretes de mampostería

Los morteros con base cal, han sido materiales descritos en los tratados antiguos de arquitectura, permitidos en muchos documentos que rigen los trabajos de restauración de bienes inmuebles patrimoniales y actualmente son los materiales más empleados en la restauración y conservación del patrimonio de mampostería natural en muchos sitios del mundo. La cal puede ser normalizada o bien puede ser apagada en sitio como describe Vitrubio en sus Libros de Arquitectura; los áridos pueden ser ígneos, metamórficos o sedimentarios; para modificar las propiedades físicas y mecánicas básicas de los morteros de cal suelen agregarse aditivos orgánicos e inorgánicos. La restauración y conservación de los edificios de mampostería coloniales es un reto en México. Tenemos 9 ciudades coloniales cuyos centros históricos están en el listado de Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la Unesco. Todas edificadas con mamposterías de rocas naturales y aplanadas con morteros de cal y aditivos orgánicos. Inicialmente se recubrían las rocas que carecían de labrado, cánones dictados por la arquitectura en boga. Con la modernización y masificación del transporte, los residuos vertidos a la atmósfera han deteriorado la calidad del aire ambiental resultando en pátinas, costras negras, daño antropogénico en superficies expuestas, devitrificación de la matriz de las rocas. Del uso sugerido de emplear morteros como protección en los monumentos arquitectónicos coloniales, método relativamente simple y económico, se ha revisado también su efecto sobre la resistencia mecánica. Este trabajo hace una comparación entre pilas de mampostería de arcilla recocida adheridas con mortero de cal adicionado con fibras desecadas y pulverizadas de nopal cactus opuntia y pilas con las mismas características, pero recubiertas en ambas caras con el mortero mencionado.Tópico 4.- Morteros de cal, materiales cálcicos y cementíceos. Evaluación de propiedades y composición. Mampostería de ladrillos. Caracterización. Evaluación de patologías y Refuerzo

Hydrotherapy for the Treatment of Pain in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating neurological disease. Several studies have reported that complementary and alternative therapies can have positive effects against pain in these patients. Objective. The objective was to investigate the effectiveness of an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program against pain and other symptoms in MS patients. Methods. In this randomized controlled trial, 73 MS patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group for a 20-week treatment program. The experimental group underwent 40 sessions of Ai-Chi exercise in swimming pool and the control group 40 sessions of abdominal breathing and contraction-relaxation exercises in therapy room. Outcome variables were pain, disability, spasm, depression, fatigue, and autonomy, which were assessed before the intervention and immediately and at 4 and 10 weeks after the last treatment session. Results. The experimental group showed a significant (P &lt; 0.028) and clinically relevant decrease in pain intensity versus baseline, with an immediate posttreatment reduction in median visual analogue scale scores of 50% that was maintained for up to 10 weeks. Significant improvements were also observed in spasm, fatigue, disability, and autonomy. Conclusion. According to these findings, an Ai-Chi aquatic exercise program improves pain, spasms, disability, fatigue, depression, and autonomy in MS patients

Constraining the pˉ/p\bar{p}/p Ratio in TeV Cosmic Rays with Observations of the Moon Shadow by HAWC

An indirect measurement of the antiproton flux in cosmic rays is possible as the particles undergo deflection by the geomagnetic field. This effect can be measured by studying the deficit in the flux, or shadow, created by the Moon as it absorbs cosmic rays that are headed towards the Earth. The shadow is displaced from the actual position of the Moon due to geomagnetic deflection, which is a function of the energy and charge of the cosmic rays. The displacement provides a natural tool for momentum/charge discrimination that can be used to study the composition of cosmic rays. Using 33 months of data comprising more than 80 billion cosmic rays measured by the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) observatory, we have analyzed the Moon shadow to search for TeV antiprotons in cosmic rays. We present our first upper limits on the $\bar{p}/p$ fraction, which in the absence of any direct measurements, provide the tightest available constraints of $\sim1\%$ on the antiproton fraction for energies between 1 and 10 TeV.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Accepted by Physical Review

Measurement of the Crab Nebula Spectrum Past 100 TeV with HAWC

We present TeV gamma-ray observations of the Crab Nebula, the standard reference source in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy, using data from the High Altitude Water Cherenkov (HAWC) Gamma-Ray Observatory. In this analysis we use two independent energy-estimation methods that utilize extensive air shower variables such as the core position, shower angle, and shower lateral energy distribution. In contrast, the previously published HAWC energy spectrum roughly estimated the shower energy with only the number of photomultipliers triggered. This new methodology yields a much improved energy resolution over the previous analysis and extends HAWC's ability to accurately measure gamma-ray energies well beyond 100 TeV. The energy spectrum of the Crab Nebula is well fit to a log parabola shape $\left(\frac{dN}{dE} = \phi_0 \left(E/\textrm{7 TeV}\right)^{-\alpha-\beta\ln\left(E/\textrm{7 TeV}\right)}\right)$ with emission up to at least 100 TeV. For the first estimator, a ground parameter that utilizes fits to the lateral distribution function to measure the charge density 40 meters from the shower axis, the best-fit values are $\phi_o$=(2.35$\pm$0.04$^{+0.20}_{-0.21}$)$\times$10$^{-13}$ (TeV cm$^2$ s)$^{-1}$, $\alpha$=2.79$\pm$0.02$^{+0.01}_{-0.03}$, and $\beta$=0.10$\pm$0.01$^{+0.01}_{-0.03}$. For the second estimator, a neural network which uses the charge distribution in annuli around the core and other variables, these values are $\phi_o$=(2.31$\pm$0.02$^{+0.32}_{-0.17}$)$\times$10$^{-13}$ (TeV cm$^2$ s)$^{-1}$, $\alpha$=2.73$\pm$0.02$^{+0.03}_{-0.02}$, and $\beta$=0.06$\pm$0.01$\pm$0.02. The first set of uncertainties are statistical; the second set are systematic. Both methods yield compatible results. These measurements are the highest-energy observation of a gamma-ray source to date.Comment: published in Ap

Fire models and methods to map fuel types: The role of remote sensing.

Understanding fire is essential to improving forest management strategies. More specifically, an accurate knowledge of the spatial distribution of fuels is critical when analyzing, modelling and predicting fire behaviour. First, we review the main concepts and terminology associated with forest fuels and a number of fuel type classifications. Second, we summarize the main techniques employed to map fuel types starting with the most traditional approaches, such as field work, aerial photo interpretation or ecological modelling. We pay special attention to more contemporary techniques, which involve the use of remote sensing systems. In general, remote sensing systems are low-priced, can be regularly updated and are less time-consuming than traditional methods, but they are still facing important limitations. Recent work has shown that the integration of different sources of information andmethods in a complementary way helps to overcome most of these limitations. Further research is encouraged to develop novel and enhanced remote sensing techniques

Aspectos clínicos y epidemiológicos de los síndromes de Apert y Crouzon en España

Epidemiología y Teratología: Resultados sobre los datos del ECEMCApert and Crouzon syndromes are the most frequent ones among those syndromes with craniosynostosis. We have used data from the Spanish Collaborative Study of Congenital Malformations (ECEMC), to analyze some clinical and epidemiological characteristics of both syndromes. A total of 19 cases of Apert and 21 cases of Crouzon syndromes were identified among 1,914,726 liveborn infants. Their birth prevalence has diminished along the time although the decrease is only statistically significant for Crouzon syndrome. Mean parental ages, and mean differences between the parental ages, are significantly higher in Apert cases than in controls, what is indicating a relationship between paternal age and mutations for this syndrome. The differences between the parental ages of Crouzon cases and controls are not statistically significant. All the cases with Apert syndrome of our series were the first occurrence in the family, while 38.10% of the Crouzon cases were familial. We also observed a significant increasing linear trend in the frequency of infants with Apert syndrome, with the increasing paternal age, which is more noticeable since the age of 35 years. However, this is not observed for Crouzon cases whether sporadic or familial. Regarding the clinical aspects, Apert syndrome is more frequently associated to other defects than Crouzon syndrome. With respect to the affectation of hands in the Apert cases, the most frequent defect was the so-called "mitten hand", wich was present in 50% of our cases. In 28.57% the first finger was separated from the rest that are fused. Interestingly, in one case only the fifth finger was separated for the other four that remain fused.N

The impact of polyphenols on chondrocyte growth and survival: a preliminary report

Background: Imbalances in the functional binding of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) to their receptors (FGFRs) have consequences for cell proliferation and differentiation that in chondrocytes may lead to degraded cartilage. The toxic, proinflammatory, and oxidative response of cytokines and FGFs can be mitigated by dietary polyphenols. Objective: We explored the possible effects of polyphenols in the management of osteoarticular diseases using a model based on the transduction of a mutated human FGFR3 (G380R) in murine chondrocytes. This mutation is present in most cases of skeletal dysplasia and is responsible for the overexpression of FGFR3 that, in the presence of its ligand, FGF9, results in toxic effects leading to altered cellular growth. Design: Different combinations of dietary polyphenols derived from plant extracts were assayed in FGFR3 (G380R) mutated murine chondrocytes, exploring cell survival, chloride efflux, extracellular matrix (ECM) generation, and grade of activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. Results: Bioactive compounds from Hibiscus sabdariffa reversed the toxic effects of FGF9 and restored normal growth, suggesting a probable translation to clinical requests in humans. Indeed, these compounds activated the intracellular chloride efflux, increased ECM generation, and stimulated cell proliferation. The inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation was interpreted as the main mechanism governing these beneficial effects. Conclusions: These findings support the rationale behind the encouragement of the development of drugs that repress the overexpression of FGFRs and suggest the dietary incorporation of supplementary nutrients in the management of degraded cartilage.The authors are grateful for the constant support provided by the Hospital Universitari de Sant Joan and the Universitat Rovira i Virgili. Salvador Fernández-Arroyo is the recipient of a Sara Borrell grant (CD12/00672) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. The authors also thank the Andalusian Regional Government Council of Innovation and Science for the Excellence Project P11-CTS-7625 and Generalitat Valenciana for the project PROMETEO/2012/007. This work was also supported by projects of the Fundación Areces and the Fundación MAGAR