Importance of frequency and intensity of strength training for work ability among physical therapists

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between frequency and intensity of strength training participation and work ability among physical therapists (PTs). The Work Ability Index questionnaire (WAI) and a questionnaire about participation in strength training during leisure time were administered to a sample of Spanish PTs. In addition, participants provided information on gender, age, body mass index, education, substance use, working experience and working hours per week. The odds for having excellent WAI (score 44–49) as a function of intensity or frequency of strength training participation were determined using binary logistic regression controlled for various confounders. Data from 981 PTs were analysed. High-intensity strength training (> 80% 1 RM) showed strong associations with excellent WAI (odds ratio = 9.7; 95% confidence interval, 2.9–31.6). In addition, performing strength training more than 3 times per week was associated with excellent WAI (odds ratio = 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.24–2.59), however, no significant associations were found with lower levels of frequency and intensities. High-intensity strength training 3 times per week is associated with excellent WAI among PTs. Training programs meeting these features may importantly contribute to maintain or improve WAI

Improving prediction of COVID-19 evolution by fusing epidemiological and mobility data

[EN] We are witnessing the dramatic consequences of the COVID¿19 pandemic which, unfortunately, go beyond the impact on the health system. Until herd immunity is achieved with vaccines, the only available mechanisms for controlling the pandemic are quarantines, perimeter closures and social distancing with the aim of reducing mobility. Governments only apply these measures for a reduced period, since they involve the closure of economic activities such as tourism, cultural activities, or nightlife. The main criterion for establishing these measures and planning socioeconomic subsidies is the evolution of infections. However, the collapse of the health system and the unpredictability of human behavior, among others, make it difficult to predict this evolution in the short to medium term. This article evaluates different models for the early prediction of the evolution of the COVID¿19 pandemic to create a decision support system for policy¿makers. We consider a wide branch of models including artificial neural networks such as LSTM and GRU and statistically based models such as autoregressive (AR) or ARIMA. Moreover, several consensus strategies to ensemble all models into one system are proposed to obtain better results in this uncertain environment. Finally, a multivariate model that includes mobility data provided by Google is proposed to better forecast trend changes in the 14¿day CI. A real case study in Spain is evaluated, providing very accurate results for the prediction of 14¿day CI in scenarios with and without trend changes, reaching 0.93 R2, 4.16 RMSE and 1.08 MAE.This work has been partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, under Grants RYC2018-025580-I, RTI2018-096384-B-I00, RTC-2017-6389-5 and RTC2019-007159-5, by the Fundacion Seneca del Centro de Coordinacion de la Investigacion de la Region de Murcia under Project 20813/PI/18, by the "Conselleria de Educacion, Investigacion, Cultura y Deporte, Direccio General de Ciencia i Investigacio, Proyectos AICO/2020", Spain, under Grant AICO/2020/302 and a predoctoral contract by the Generalitat Valenciana and the European Social Fund under Grant ACIF/2018/219.García-Cremades, S.; Morales-García, J.; Hernández-Sanjaime, R.; Martínez-España, R.; Bueno-Crespo, A.; Hernández-Orallo, E.; López-Espín, JJ.... (2021). Improving prediction of COVID-19 evolution by fusing epidemiological and mobility data. Scientific Reports. 11(1):1-16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-94696-2S11611

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) on Biological and Body Composition Variables in Patients with Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

In order to assess the impact of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on biological and body composition variables in patients with musculoskeletal disorders (MSKD), a systematic search on PubMed (Medline), CENTRAL, CINAHL, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus was conducted. Standardized mean differences (SMD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and pooled in a meta-analysis using the random-effects model. The effectiveness of HIIT on waist circumference, muscle mass, resting heart rate, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, C-reactive protein, body weight, and body fat were determined. GRADE, risk of bias 2, and PEDro scales were employed. HIIT compared to no intervention, minimal intervention, or usual care did not show significant results in its favor on any of the variables studied, except for the resting heart rate when compared with no intervention (SMD = −0.33; 95% CI: −0.63, −0.04; heterogeneity Q value: 0.14; p = 0.93; I2 = 0%). In addition, HIIT also does not seem to be more effective than moderate-intensity continuous training. Based on the results, it seems that HIIT has almost no significant effects on biological and body composition variables, except for resting heart rate, in patients with MSKD

Doñana. Acta vertebrata. vol 21 (1)

Alimentación del visón americano (Mustela vison Schreber) en el rio Voltoya (Ávila, cuenca del Duero)Bone density and breaking stress in relation to consistent fracture position in fallow deer antlersHábitos alimentarios de la cabra montés (Capra pyrenaica) en zonas de distinta altitud de los puertos de Tortosa y Beceite. Referencia a la dieta de machos y hembrasDensidad y distribución de los nidos de la gaviota patiamarilla Larus cachinnans en las Islas Medes. Efectos asociados al hábitat y al descasteLa dieta alimenticia de Sorex minutus (Linnaeus, 1766) en el Pirineo occidental (Norte de la Penínsila Ibérica).Estimas del espacio vital y calidad del hábitat a lo largo del invierno en tres especies de peces (Cyprinidae) de un rio de régimen mediterráneoNew records of Bolivian mammals in the collection of the Estación Biológica de Doñana.Variabilidad intraespecífica de Labrus merula Linneo, 1758 (Pisces, Labridae) en la región sudatlántica de la Penísula ibericaMortalidad estacional de aves en una carretera del P.N. de L'Albufera de Valencia (E. de España)Presencia de Symphodus (Crenilabrus) ocellatus bertini (Pras, 1961) (Pisces, Labridae) en el sur de la Pemínsula Ibérica.Peer reviewe

Pulmonary vascular remodeling and prognosis in patients evaluated for heart transplantation: insights from the OCTOPUS-CHF study

[Abstract] Objective: In patients with advanced heart failure, the intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) of subsegmental pulmonary artery measurements is correlated with right heart catheterization parameters. Our aim was to study the prognostic value of pulmonary OCT, right heart catheterization data, and the echocardiographic estimation of pulmonary pressure in patients studied for elective heart transplants. Methods: This research is an observational, prospective, multicenter study involving 90 adults with a one-year follow-up. Results: A total of 10 patients (11.1%) died due to worsening heart failure before heart transplantation, 50 underwent a heart transplant (55.6%), and 9 died in the first year after the transplant. The patients with and without events (mortality or heart failure-induced hospitalization) had similar data regarding echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and pulmonary OCT (with a median estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure of 42.0 mmHg, interquartile range (IQR) of 30.3-50.0 vs. 47.0 mmHg, IQR 34.6-59.5 and p = 0.79, median pulmonary vascular resistance of 2.2 Wood units, IQR 1.3-3.7 vs. 2.0 Wood units, IQR 1.4-3.2 and p = 0.99, and a median pulmonary artery wall thickness of 0.2 ± 0.5 mm vs. 0.2 ± 0.6 mm and p = 0.87). Conclusion: Pulmonary vascular remodeling (evaluated with echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and pulmonary OCT) was not associated with prognosis in a selected sample of adults evaluated for elective heart transplants. Pulmonary OCT is safe and feasible for the evaluation of these patients.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI18/00254European Regional Development Fund; CB16/11/0050

Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling and Prognosis in Patients Evaluated for Heart Transplantation: Insights from the OCTOPUS-CHF Study

Objective: In patients with advanced heart failure, the intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) of subsegmental pulmonary artery measurements is correlated with right heart catheterization parameters. Our aim was to study the prognostic value of pulmonary OCT, right heart catheterization data, and the echocardiographic estimation of pulmonary pressure in patients studied for elective heart transplants. Methods: This research is an observational, prospective, multicenter study involving 90 adults with a one-year follow-up. Results: A total of 10 patients (11.1%) died due to worsening heart failure before heart transplantation, 50 underwent a heart transplant (55.6%), and 9 died in the first year after the transplant. The patients with and without events (mortality or heart failure-induced hospitalization) had similar data regarding echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and pulmonary OCT (with a median estimated pulmonary artery systolic pressure of 42.0 mmHg, interquartile range (IQR) of 30.3-50.0 vs. 47.0 mmHg, IQR 34.6-59.5 and p = 0.79, median pulmonary vascular resistance of 2.2 Wood units, IQR 1.3-3.7 vs. 2.0 Wood units, IQR 1.4-3.2 and p = 0.99, and a median pulmonary artery wall thickness of 0.2 +/- 0.5 mm vs. 0.2 +/- 0.6 mm and p = 0.87). Conclusion: Pulmonary vascular remodeling (evaluated with echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and pulmonary OCT) was not associated with prognosis in a selected sample of adults evaluated for elective heart transplants. Pulmonary OCT is safe and feasible for the evaluation of these patients

Cardiac Insulin Resistance in Subjects With Metabolic Syndrome Traits and Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE Experimental evidence suggests that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with changes in cardiac metabolism. Whether this association occurs in humans is unknown. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS 821 asymptomatic individuals from the Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis (PESA) study (50.6 [46.9-53.6] years, 83.7% male) underwent two whole-body 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance (18F-FDG PET-MR) 4.8 ± 0.6 years apart. Presence of myocardial 18F-FDG uptake was evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. No myocardial uptake was grade 0, while positive uptake was classified in grades 1-3 according to target-to-background ratio tertiles. RESULTS One hundred fifty-six participants (19.0%) showed no myocardial 18F-FDG uptake, and this was significantly associated with higher prevalence of MetS (29.0% vs. 13.9%, P < 0.001), hypertension (29.0% vs. 18.0%, P = 0.002), and diabetes (11.0% vs. 3.2%, P < 0.001), and with higher insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR, 1.64% vs. 1.23%, P < 0.001). Absence of myocardial uptake was associated with higher prevalence of early atherosclerosis (i.e., arterial 18F-FDG uptake, P = 0.004). On follow-up, the associations between myocardial 18F-FDG uptake and risk factors were replicated, and MetS was more frequent in the group without myocardial uptake. The increase in HOMA-IR was associated with a progressive decrease in myocardial uptake (P < 0.001). In 82% of subjects, the categorization according to presence/absence of myocardial 18F-FDG uptake did not change between baseline and follow-up. MetS regression on follow-up was associated with a significant (P < 0.001) increase in myocardial uptake. CONCLUSIONS Apparently healthy individuals without cardiac 18F-FDG uptake have higher HOMA-IR and higher prevalence of MetS traits, cardiovascular risk factors, and early atherosclerosis. An improvement in cardiometabolic profile is associated with the recovery of myocardial 18F-FDG uptake at follow-up.The PESA study is funded by the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) and Santander Bank. B.I. is supported by the European Commission (grant numbers 819775 and 945118), by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2019- 110369RB-I00), and by the Red Madrilena de ~ Nanomedicina en Imagen Molecular-Comunidad de Madrid (S2017/BMD-3867 RENIM-CM). A.D. is an Alfonso Martin Escudero fellow and is scientifically supported by La Caixa Foundation. The CNIC is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MCIN), and the Pro CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (grant CEX2020-001041-S funded by MICIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033).S

Dinosaur bonebed amber from an original swamp forest soil

Dinosaur bonebeds with amber content, yet scarce, offer a superior wealth and quality of data on ancient terrestrial ecosystems. However, the preserved palaeodiversity and/or taphonomic characteristics of these exceptional localities had hitherto limited their palaeobiological potential. Here, we describe the amber from the Lower Cretaceous dinosaur bonebed of Ariño (Teruel, Spain) using a multidisciplinary approach. Amber is found in both a root layer with amber strictly in situ and a litter layer mainly composed of aerial pieces unusually rich in bioinclusions, encompassing 11 insect orders, arachnids, and a few plant and vertebrate remains, including a feather. Additional palaeontological data¿charophytes, palynomorphs, ostracods¿ are provided. Ariño arguably represents the most prolific and palaeobiologically diverse locality in which fossiliferous amber and a dinosaur bonebed have been found in association, and the only one known where the vast majority of the palaeontological assemblage suffered no or low-grade pre-burial transport. This has unlocked unprecedentedly complete and reliable palaeoecological data out of two complementary windows of preservation¿the bonebed and the amber¿from the same site

A method to establish marine bio-regions in the pelagic ecosystem based on phytoplanktonic communities. Aplication to the southern Spanish coast

Bioregions in the pelagic ecosystem are frequently established on the basis of remotely sensed properties of the sea surface, such as sea surface temperature or sea surface chlorophyll concentration. Those works dealing with the regionalization of the marine ecosystem by means of the use of properties of the water column are less frequent, and even less those that obtain the data from periodic in situ monitoring programs, which are scarce. In this work we use time series of micro, nano and pico-phytoplanktonic abundances in the upper 100 m of the continental shelves of the Gulf of Cadiz and the Alboran Sea from the projects STOCA and RADMED (southern coast of Spain, Western Mediterranean). The use of times series allows us to estimate the median phytoplanktonic abundances of several phytoplanktonic groups along the water column. These statistics differ substantially from those abundances obtained for one particular campaign, reflecting the large seasonal and inter-annual variability of phytoplanktonic communities. These median profiles, estimated for the four seasons of the year and for several phytoplanktonic groups characterize each of the locations sampled in the aforementioned monitoring programs and are used for establishing the similarity between them. Then, these locations are grouped using a cluster analysis. Using some simulations from numerical experiments we determine which metrics and methods of analysis are the more suitable ones for the regionalization of the area of study. A bootstrap method is also used to determine which differences among bioregions can be considered as statistically significant. Despite the existence of a fast current that connects the Gulf of Cadiz and the Alboran Sea, our results show that the outer part of the Gulf of Cadiz shelf, and that of the Alboran Sea, can be considered as two differentiated bioregions. The latter region shows a higher productivity with a higher abundance of large cells such as diatoms, and the dominance of Synechococcus bacteria over Prochlorococcus ones

Paleoecología y cultura material en el complejo tumular prehistórico de Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real)

Castillejo del Bonete es un complejo tumular situado en el borde meridional de la Meseta Ibérica, ocupado en fechas calcolíticas y de la Edad del Bronce, vinculado a la Cultura de las Motillas. Materiales arqueológicos muy diversos han sido recuperados asociados a las arquitecturas del lugar (túmulos, corredores, potentes muros, etc.). Se presenta un avance de la investigación paleoecológica sobre las colecciones de carbón, polen y microvertebrados. Además se presentan cuentas de piedra y madera, colgantes de concha, material lítico, la colección cerámica, nuevas metalografías e industria metálica y botones de marfil. El conjunto de estas evidencias arqueológicas pone de manifiesto la celebración ritual de banquetes y ofrendas durante la Prehistoria Reciente en una cueva monumentalizada mediante túmulos en el interior de la Península Ibérica