Muscle, functional and cognitive adaptations after flywheel resistance training in stroke patients : a pilot randomized controlled trial

Resistance exercise (RE) improves neuromuscular function and physical performance after stroke. Yet, the effects of RE emphasizing eccentric (ECC; lengthening) actions on muscle hypertrophy and cognitive function in stroke patients are currently unknown. Thus, this study explored the effects of ECC-overload RE training on skeletal muscle size and function, and cognitive performance in individuals with stroke. Thirty-two individuals with chronic stroke (≥6 months post-stroke) were randomly assigned into a training group (TG; n = 16) performing ECC-overload flywheel RE of the more-affected lower limb (12 weeks, 2 times/week; 4 sets of 7 maximal closed-chain knee extensions; <2 min of contractile activity per session) or a control group (CG; n = 16), maintaining daily routines. Before and after the intervention, quadriceps femoris volume, maximal force and power for each leg were assessed, and functional and dual task performance, and cognitive functions were measured. Quadriceps femoris volume of the more-affected leg increased by 9.4 % in TG. Muscle power of the more-affected, trained (48.2 %), and the less-affected, untrained limb (28.1 %) increased after training. TG showed enhanced balance (8.9 %), gait performance (10.6 %), dual-task performance, executive functions (working memory, verbal fluency tasks), attention, and speed of information processing. CG showed no changes. ECC-overload flywheel resistance exercise comprising 4 min of contractile activity per week offers a powerful aid to regain muscle mass and function, and functional performance in individuals with stroke. While the current intervention improved cognitive functions, the cause-effect relationship, if any, with the concomitant neuromuscular adaptations remains to be explored. Clinical Trial

Evaluación de fertilización orgánica en cafeto (Coffea arabica) con pequeños productores de Santander, Colombia

Today, the agricultural sciences face the double challenge of meeting the increasing global food demand and ensuring a sustainable development for humanity. In this study we focused on the coffee production system, evaluating the hypothesis of whether, in the region of the study, the use of organic fertilizers for this crop offers equivalent or better results than those obtained by using traditional fertilizers. Specifically, we aimed to: Evaluate the use of bocashi (fermented rice bran) and worm compost as organic fertilizers to promote vegetative growth, and plant health in the coffee crop; and determine the influence of temperature in preparing bocashi. We applied a randomized complete blocks design with three treatments: bocashi, worm compost and traditional organic compost. The evaluated variables were: plant height, number of leaves per plant, and the incidence of fungal pathogens. Three farms were chosen in different localities in the Municipality of Ocamonte-Santander to cover the agro-climatic conditions of the region, the Castillo variety was used. Physical-chemical soil analysis was performed in order to determine the nutrients available to plants at the moment of planting. Chemical analysis was also performed for the organic composts in order to determine their influence on the evaluated variables. Our results allowed us to accept the hypothesis. Although, the bocashi showed greater values in terms of chemical composition compared with the worm compost, the latter induced a more favorable response in vegetative development in coffee plants.Key words: Bocashi, worm compost, organic coffee, sustainable agriculture.La agricultura en la actualidad tiene el reto de suplir la demanda existente por alimentos a nivel mundial, como también, proporcionar un desarrollo sostenible para la humanidad. Para el presente trabajo el modelo escogido fue café, generando la hipótesis que al utilizar abonos orgánicos para la fertilización del cultivo, se obtendría igual o mejores resultados que al aplicar la fertilización tradicional de la zona de estudio. Para lo cual se plantearon los siguientes objetivos: Evaluar el efecto del bocashi y lombricompuesto como fertilizantes orgánicos en el desarrollo vegetativo y sanidad del cultivo de cafeto; y determinar la influencia de la temperatura en la elaboración de bocashi. Se trabajó un diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar (BCA); los tratamientos fueron: bocashi, lombricompuesto y fertilización tradicional orgánica y las variables evaluadas fueron: altura y número de hojas por planta, así como, incidencia de patógenos fungosos. Se escogieron tres fincas ubicadas en diferentes sectores del municipio de Ocamonte-Santander para tener mayor representación de las condiciones agroclimáticas de la región, donde se estableció la variedad Castillo. Se realizó análisis físico-químico de los suelos, para determinar los nutrientes disponibles a las plantas al momento de la siembra, igualmente, se hizo análisis químico a los abonos orgánicos para determinar su influencia sobre las variables evaluadas. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron aceptar la hipótesis, y aunque químicamente el bocashi registró mayores valores que el lombricompuesto, este último, indujo mejor respuesta en el desarrollo vegetativo del cafeto.Palabras clave: Bocashi, lombricompuesto, café orgánico, agricultura sostenible

Evaluation of organic fertilizers in coffee (Coffea arabica), in small holdings of Santander, Colombia

La agricultura en la actualidad tiene el reto de suplir la demanda existente por alimentos a nivel mundial, como también, proporcionar un desarrollo sostenible para la humanidad. Para el presente trabajo el modelo escogido fue café, generando la hipótesis que al utilizar abonos orgánicos para la fertilización del cultivo, se obtendría igual o mejores resultados que al aplicar la fertilización tradicional de la zona de estudio. Para lo cual se plantearon los siguientes objetivos: Evaluar el efecto del bocashi y lombricompuesto como fertilizantes orgánicos en el desarrollo vegetativo y sanidad del cultivo de cafeto; y determinar la influencia de la temperatura en la elaboración de bocashi. Se trabajó un diseño de Bloques Completos al Azar (BCA); los tratamientos fueron: bocashi, lombricompuesto y fertilización tradicional orgánica y las variables evaluadas fueron: altura y número de hojas por planta, así como, incidencia de patógenos fungosos. Se escogieron tres fincas ubicadas en diferentes sectores del municipio de Ocamonte-Santander para tener mayor representación de las condiciones agroclimáticas de la región, donde se estableció la variedad Castillo. Se realizó análisis físico-químico de los suelos, para determinar los nutrientes disponibles a las plantas al momento de la siembra, igualmente, se hizo análisis químico a los abonos orgánicos para determinar su influencia sobre las variables evaluadas. Los resultados obtenidos permitieron aceptar la hipótesis, y aunque químicamente el bocashi registró mayores valores que el lombricompuesto, este último, indujo mejor respuesta en el desarrollo vegetativo del cafeto

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection are often non-specific, and there is no definitive test for the accurate diagnosis of infection. The 'omics' approaches to identifying biomarkers from the host-response to bacterial infection are promising. In this study, lipidomic analysis was carried out with plasma samples obtained from febrile children with confirmed bacterial infection (n = 20) and confirmed viral infection (n = 20). We show for the first time that bacterial and viral infection produces distinct profile in the host lipidome. Some species of glycerophosphoinositol, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine and cholesterol sulfate were higher in the confirmed virus infected group, while some species of fatty acids, glycerophosphocholine, glycerophosphoserine, lactosylceramide and bilirubin were lower in the confirmed virus infected group when compared with confirmed bacterial infected group. A combination of three lipids achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.911 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.98). This pilot study demonstrates the potential of metabolic biomarkers to assist clinicians in distinguishing bacterial from viral infection in febrile children, to facilitate effective clinical management and to the limit inappropriate use of antibiotics

Identification of regulatory variants associated with genetic susceptibility to meningococcal disease.

Non-coding genetic variants play an important role in driving susceptibility to complex diseases but their characterization remains challenging. Here, we employed a novel approach to interrogate the genetic risk of such polymorphisms in a more systematic way by targeting specific regulatory regions relevant for the phenotype studied. We applied this method to meningococcal disease susceptibility, using the DNA binding pattern of RELA - a NF-kB subunit, master regulator of the response to infection - under bacterial stimuli in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. We designed a custom panel to cover these RELA binding sites and used it for targeted sequencing in cases and controls. Variant calling and association analysis were performed followed by validation of candidate polymorphisms by genotyping in three independent cohorts. We identified two new polymorphisms, rs4823231 and rs11913168, showing signs of association with meningococcal disease susceptibility. In addition, using our genomic data as well as publicly available resources, we found evidences for these SNPs to have potential regulatory effects on ATXN10 and LIF genes respectively. The variants and related candidate genes are relevant for infectious diseases and may have important contribution for meningococcal disease pathology. Finally, we described a novel genetic association approach that could be applied to other phenotypes

Atrasentan and renal events in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (SONAR): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Short-term treatment for people with type 2 diabetes using a low dose of the selective endothelin A receptor antagonist atrasentan reduces albuminuria without causing significant sodium retention. We report the long-term effects of treatment with atrasentan on major renal outcomes. Methods: We did this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial at 689 sites in 41 countries. We enrolled adults aged 18–85 years with type 2 diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)25–75 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 of body surface area, and a urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR)of 300–5000 mg/g who had received maximum labelled or tolerated renin–angiotensin system inhibition for at least 4 weeks. Participants were given atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily during an enrichment period before random group assignment. Those with a UACR decrease of at least 30% with no substantial fluid retention during the enrichment period (responders)were included in the double-blind treatment period. Responders were randomly assigned to receive either atrasentan 0·75 mg orally daily or placebo. All patients and investigators were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was a composite of doubling of serum creatinine (sustained for ≥30 days)or end-stage kidney disease (eGFR <15 mL/min per 1·73 m 2 sustained for ≥90 days, chronic dialysis for ≥90 days, kidney transplantation, or death from kidney failure)in the intention-to-treat population of all responders. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01858532. Findings: Between May 17, 2013, and July 13, 2017, 11 087 patients were screened; 5117 entered the enrichment period, and 4711 completed the enrichment period. Of these, 2648 patients were responders and were randomly assigned to the atrasentan group (n=1325)or placebo group (n=1323). Median follow-up was 2·2 years (IQR 1·4–2·9). 79 (6·0%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 105 (7·9%)of 1323 in the placebo group had a primary composite renal endpoint event (hazard ratio [HR]0·65 [95% CI 0·49–0·88]; p=0·0047). Fluid retention and anaemia adverse events, which have been previously attributed to endothelin receptor antagonists, were more frequent in the atrasentan group than in the placebo group. Hospital admission for heart failure occurred in 47 (3·5%)of 1325 patients in the atrasentan group and 34 (2·6%)of 1323 patients in the placebo group (HR 1·33 [95% CI 0·85–2·07]; p=0·208). 58 (4·4%)patients in the atrasentan group and 52 (3·9%)in the placebo group died (HR 1·09 [95% CI 0·75–1·59]; p=0·65). Interpretation: Atrasentan reduced the risk of renal events in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease who were selected to optimise efficacy and safety. These data support a potential role for selective endothelin receptor antagonists in protecting renal function in patients with type 2 diabetes at high risk of developing end-stage kidney disease. Funding: AbbVie

Handbook of Active Ageing and Quality of Life: From Concepts to Applications

La edición de este libro estuvo a cargo de Fermina Rojo-Pérez y Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas.El documento adjunto contiene la cubierta, portada e índice del libro.This handbook presents an overview of studies on the relationship of active ageing and quality of life. It addresses the new challenges of ageing from the paradigm of positive ageing (active, healthy and successful) for a better quality of life. It provides theoretical perspectives and empirical studies, including scientific knowledge as well as practical experiences about the good ageing and the quality of later life around the world, in order to respond to the challenges of an aged population. The handbook is structured in 4 sections covering theoretical and conceptual perspectives, social policy issues and research agenda, methods, measurement instrument-scales and evaluations, and lastly application studies including domains and geographical contexts.Peer reviewe

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection ar

Plasma lipid profiles discriminate bacterial from viral infection in febrile children

Fever is the most common reason that children present to Emergency Departments. Clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of bacterial infection are often non-specific, and there is no definitive test for the accurate diagnosis of infection. The 'omics' approaches to identifying biomarkers from the host-response to bacterial infection are promising. In this study, lipidomic analysis was carried out with plasma samples obtained from febrile children with confirmed bacterial infection (n = 20) and confirmed viral infection (n = 20). We show for the first time that bacterial and viral infection produces distinct profile in the host lipidome. Some species of glycerophosphoinositol, sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine and cholesterol sulfate were higher in the confirmed virus infected group, while some species of fatty acids, glycerophosphocholine, glycerophosphoserine, lactosylceramide and bilirubin were lower in the confirmed virus infected group when compared with confirmed bacterial infected group. A combination of three lipids achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.911 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.98). This pilot study demonstrates the potential of metabolic biomarkers to assist clinicians in distinguishing bacterial from viral infection in febrile children, to facilitate effective clinical management and to the limit inappropriate use of antibiotics