Effectiveness of Mechanical Horse-Riding Simulators on Postural Balance in Neurological Rehabilitation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Mechanical horse-riding simulators consist of a device that mimics the movement of a real horse, generating between 50 and 100 three-dimensional physical movements (forward and back, left and right, up and down). The main objective of this study is to analyze the effectiveness of mechanical horse-riding simulators to improve postural balance in subjects with neurological disorders. The search was conducted during January-March 2019 in PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus. The methodological quality of the studies was evaluated through the PEDro scale. A total of seven articles were included in this systematic review, of which four contributed information to the meta-analysis. Statistical analysis showed favorable results for balance in stroke patients, measured by the Berg Balance Scale (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 3.24; 95%; confidence interval (CI): 1.66-4.83). Not conclusive results were found in sitting postural balance, measured using the Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66) Sitting Dimension, in patients with cerebral palsy. Most studies have shown beneficial effects on postural balance compared with conventional physical therapy. However, due to the limited number of articles and their low methodological quality, no solid conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of this therapy

Myeloid cell deficiency of p38γ/p38δ protects against candidiasis and regulates antifungal immunity

Fundació la Marató de TV3 (GrantNumber(s): 20133431; Grant recipient(s): Ana Cuenda) Wellcome Trust (GrantNumber(s): 97377, 102705; Grant recipient(s): GORDON D. BROWN) Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (GrantNumber(s): SAF2016-79792-R, SAF2014- 52009-R, SAF2013-45331-R; Grant recipient(s): Ana Cuenda, SUSANA ALEMANY) Medical Research Council (GrantNumber(s): MR/N006364/1; Grant recipient(s): GORDON D. BROWN) ERC Consolidator Grant (GrantNumber(s): 310372; Grant recipient(s): Mihai Netea)Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Measurement of the W-Pair Production Cross Section and W-Decay Branching Fractions in e+e−e^{+}e^{-} Interactions at s\sqrt{s}= 189 GeV

The data collected by the L3 experiment at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of $188.6~\rm{Ge\kern -0.1em V}$ are used to measure the W-pair production cross section and the W-boson decay branching fractions. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 176.8~pb$^{-1}$. The total cross section for W-pair production, combining all final states, is measured to be $\sigma_{\rm{WW}}= 16.24 \pm 0.37~(stat.) \pm 0.22~(syst.)$~pb. Including our data collected at lower centre-of-mass energies, the hadronic branching fraction of the W-boson is determined to be $B(\rm{W} \rightarrow \rm{qq})= \left[ 68.20 \pm 0.68~(stat.) \pm 0.33~(syst.)\right]~\%$. The results agree with the Standard Model predictions.The data collected by the L3 experiment at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV are used to measure the W-pair production cross section and the W-boson decay branching fractions. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 176.8pb^-1. The total cross section for W-pair production, combining all final states, is measured to be sigma_WW = 16.24 +/- 0.37(stat.) +/- 0.22(syst.) pb. Including our data collected at lower centre-of-mass energies, the hadronic branching fraction of the W-boson is determined to be B(W ->qq) = [68.20 +/- 0.68 (stat.) +/- 0.33 (syst.) ] %. The results agree with the Standard Model predictions.The data collected by the L3 experiment at LEP at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV are used to measure the W-pair production cross section and the W-boson decay branching fractions. These data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 176.8 pb −1 . The total cross section for W-pair production, combining all final states, is measured to be σ WW =16.24±0.37 (stat.)±0.22 (syst.) pb. Including our data collected at lower centre-of-mass energies, the hadronic branching fraction of the W-boson is determined to be B (W→qq)=[68.20±0.68 (stat.)±0.33 (syst.)]%. The results agree with the Standard Model predictions

Measurement of the effective weak mixing angle by jet-charge asymmetry in hadronic decays of the Z boson

The coupling of the Z boson to quarks is studied in a sample of about 3.5 million hadronic Z decays collected by the L3 experiment at LEP from 1991 to 1995. The forward-backward quark charge asymmet ry is measured by means of a jet charge technique. From the measured asymmetries, the effective weak mixing angle is determined to be \begin{center} $\STE = 0.2327 \pm 0.0012(\mbox{\emph{stat.}} ) \pm 0.0013(\mbox{\emph{syst.}}).

Search for new physics phenomena in fermion-pair production at LEP

The measurements of hadron and lepton--pair production cross sections and lepton--pair forward--backward asymmetries performed with the L3 detector at centre--of--mass energies between 130 GeV and 172 GeV are used to search for new physics phenomena. New physics effects involving four fermion vertices -- contact interactions -- are looked for in all channels. For hadron production the exchange of virtual leptoquarks and scalar quarks is studied. No evidence for deviations from the Standard Model expectations is found. Lower limits on the scale $\Lambda$ of contact interactions in the range 1.2 -- 7.1 TeV are obtained at the 95\% confidence level for various models. Upper limits on the coupling strengths of leptoquarks and scalar quarks are derived

Heavy Quarkonium Production in Z Decays

We report measurements of the inclusive production of heavy quarkonium states in $\mathrm {Z}$ decays based on the analysis of 3.6 million hadronic events collected by the L3 detector at LEP. The measurement of inclusive J production and an improved $95\%$ confidence level upper limit on $\Upsilon$ production are presented. In addition, two independent measurements of the ratio, $f_{\mathrm{p}}$, of prompt J mesons to those from B decay are made using two different isolation cuts to separate prompt J mesons from J mesons produced in the decays of b hadrons. The results are: % \begin{eqnarray} \mathrm{Br}(\mathrm{Z} \rightarrow \mathrm{J} + \mathrm{X}) & = & (3.21 \pm 0.21 \; \mathrm{(stat.)} \; ^{+ 0.19}_{- 0.28} \; \mathrm{(sys.)} ) \times 10^{-3} \; , \nonumber \\ \mathrm{Br}(\mathrm {Z} \rightarrow \Upsilon(\mathrm{1S} + X) & < & 4.4 \times 10^{-5} \; , \nonumber \\ %% f_{\mathrm{p}} & = & (7.1 \pm 2.1 \; \mathrm{(stat.)} \; \pm 1.2 \; \mathrm{(sys.)} \; ^{+1.5}_{-0.8} \;\mathrm{(theo.)} ) \times 10^{-2} \; . \nonumbe

Study of Neutral-Current Four-Fermion and ZZ Production in e+e−e^+ e^- Collisions at s\sqrt{s}= 183 GeV

Study of Neutral--Current Four--Fermion and ZZ \\ Production in $\rm e^+ e^-$ Collisions at $\rm \sqrt{s}=$ 183 GeV A study of neutral--current four--fermion processes is performed using a data sample corresponding to 55.3~pb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected by the L3 detector at LEP at an average centre--of--mass energy of 183~\GeV. The neutral--current four--fermion cross sections for final states with a pair of charged leptons plus jets and with four charged leptons are measured to be consistent with the Standard Model predictions. Events with fermion pair masses close to the Z boson mass are selected in all observable final states and the ZZ production cross section is measured to be %\begin{center} $\rm \sigma_{ZZ} = 0.30 ^{+0.22\,\,+0.07}_{-0.16\,\,-0.03}\,\mathrm{pb},$ %\end{center} in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. No evidence for the existence of anomalous triple gauge boson ZZZ and ZZ$\gamma$ couplings is found and limits on these couplings are set

Inclusive Charm Production in Two-Photon Collisions at LEP

The cross section of charm production in $\mathrm{\gamma \gamma}$ collisions $\mathrm{\sigma (e^+e^- \rightarrow e^+e^-c\bar{c} X)}$ is measured at LEP with the L3 detector at centre of mass energies from 91 GeV to 183 GeV. Charmed hadrons are identified by electrons and muons from semi-leptonic decays. The direct process $\mathrm{\gamma \gamma \rightarrow c \bar{c}}$ is found to be insufficient to describe the data. The measured cross section values and event distributions require contributions from resolved processes, which are sensitive to the gluon density in the photon

Search for R-Parity Breaking Sneutrino Exchange at LEP

We report on a search for R--parity breaking effects due to supersymmetric tau--sneutrino exchange in the reactions e+e- to e+e- and e+e- to mu+mu- at centre--of--mass energies from 91~{\GeV} to 172~{\GeV}, using the L3 detector at LEP. No evidence for deviations from the Standard Model expectations of the measured cross sections and forward--backward asymmetries for these reactions is found. Upper limits for the couplings $\lambda_{131}$ and $\lambda_{232}$ for sneutrino masses up to m_{\SNT} \leq 190~\GeV are determined from an analysis of the expected effects due to tau sneutrino exchange

Search for charged Higgs bosons in e+e−e^+ e^- collisions at centre-of-mass energies between 130 and 183 GeV

A search for pair-produced charged Higgs bosons is performed with the L3 detector at LEP using data collected at centre-of-mass energies from \mbox{130 to 183 \GeV{}}, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 88.3 \pb. The Higgs decays into a charm and a strange quark or into a tau lepton and its associated neutrino are considered. The observed candidates are consistent with the expectations from Standard Model background processes. A lower limit of 57.5 \GeV{} on the charged Higgs mass is derived at 95\% CL, independent of the decay branching ratio \mathrm{Br(H^\pm\ra \tau\nu)}