Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is strength-training frequency a key factor to develop performance adaptations in young elite soccer players?

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a combined strength-training programme (full-back squat, YoYoTM leg curl, plyometrics and sled towing exercises) on performance in elite young soccer players and to examine the effects when this training programme was performed one or two days per week. Thirty-six male soccer players (U-17 to U-19) were recruited and assigned to experimental groups (EXP1: 1 s w−1; EXP2: 2 s w−1) or a control group (CON). Performance was assessed through a countermovement jump (CMJ) test (relative peak power [CMJPP] and CMJ height [CMJH]), a 20-m linear sprint test with split-times at 10-m, and a change of direction test (V-cut test) 1 week before starting the training programme and also 1 week after performing such training programme. Within-group analysis showed substantial improvements in CMJ variables (ES: 0.39–0.81) and COD (ES: 0.70 and 0.76) in EXP1 and EXP2, while EXP2 also showed substantial enhancements in all linear sprinting tests (ES: 0.43–0.52). Between-group analysis showed substantially greater improvements in CMJ variables (ES: 0.39–0.68) in experimental groups in comparison to CON. Furthermore, EXP2 achieved a substantial better performance in 20-m (ES: 0.48–0.64) than EXP1 and CON. Finally, EXP2 also showed greater enhancements in 10-m (ES: 0.50) and V-cut test (ES: 0.52) than EXP1. In conclusion, the combined strength-training programme improved jumping ability, independently of training frequency, though the achievement of two sessions per week also enhanced sprinting abilities (linear and COD) in young soccer players.
Oral Supplementation With Bovine Colostrum Prevents Septic Shock and Brain Barrier Disruption During Bloodstream Infection in Preterm Newborn Pigs

ABSTRACT Preterm infants have increased risk of neonatal sepsis, potentially inducing brain injury, and they may benefit from early initiation of enteral milk feeding. Using preterm pigs as models, we hypothesized that early provision of bovine colostrum to parentally nourished newborns protects against sepsis and neuroinflammation during bloodstream infection. Preterm newborn pigs were administered 109 CFU/kg of intra-arterial Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE, an opportunistic pathogen often causing sepsis in preterm infants), followed by administration of total parenteral nutrition (TPN, SE + TPN, n = 15) or oral provision of bovine colostrum with supplementary parenteral nutrition (SE + COL, n = 14), and compared with uninfected, TPN-nourished controls (CON + TPN, n = 11). SE-infected animals showed multiple signs of sepsis, including lethargy, hypotension, respiratory acidosis, internal organ hemorrhages, cellular responses (leukopenia, thrombocytopenia), brain barrier disruption, and neuroinflammation. At 24 h, colostrum supplementation reduced the SE abundance in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF, both P < 0.05). Furthermore, colostrum feeding normalized arterial blood pressure (38.5 ± 1.20 vs. 30.6 ± 3.79 mmHg), pH (7.37 ± 0.02 vs. 7.10 ± 0.07), and lactate (1.01 ± 0.11 vs. 4.20 ± 1.20 mM, all P < 0.05), and increased motor activity, to levels in controls (P < 0.001). Finally, colostrum-fed animals showed reduced blood–CSF barrier permeability and CSF leukocyte levels, and this was accompanied by normalized gene expression of tight junction proteins (Occludin, Claudin-5, both P < 0.05) and reduced expression of leukocyte chemoattractants (CXCL9-11, all P < 0.01). Early oral supplementation with bovine colostrum prevents septic shock and ameliorates brain barrier disruption and neuroinflammation during bloodstream infection in preterm pigs. Bovine colostrum supplementation may improve resistance against systemic infection in immature, immune-compromised preterm infants.
Viruses causing childhood diarrhoea in the developing world

Purpose of review Acute gastroenteritis is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children in the developing world. With improvements in hygiene and sanitation, the burden of disease due to bacterial and parasitic infections has decreased and an increasing proportion of diarrhoea hospitalizations are attributed to viruses. This review focuses on enteric viruses and their role in childhood diarrhoea in the developing world. Recent findings With the use of sensitive molecular techniques, it is evident that a significant proportion of childhood diarrhoea is attributable to enteric viruses, with at least one viral agent in nearly 43% of samples from childhood diarrhoea in developing countries. Rotaviruses remain the most common pathogens in children, followed by noroviruses in almost all countries. There is increasing evidence that both rotaviruses and caliciviruses spread beyond the gut in a large proportion of infections. Summary The review highlights the importance of viral agents of gastroenteritis in developing countries. Wider use of molecular techniques is resulting in rapid identification of new or emerging strains and in the detection of extra-intestinal spread. There is a need to better understand susceptibility and immune response to these agents to be able to design suitable interventions.
Propranolol induced G0/G1/S phase arrest and apoptosis in melanoma cells via AKT/MAPK pathway

Both preclinical and epidemiology studies associate β-adrenoceptors-blockers (β-blockers) with activity against melanoma. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear, especially in acral melanoma. In this study, we explored the effect of propranolol, a non-selective β-blocker, on the A375 melanoma cell line, two primary acral melanoma cell lines (P-3, P-6) and mice xenografts. Cell viability assay demonstrated that 50μM-400μM of propranolol inhibited viability in a concentration and time dependent manner with an IC50 ranging from 65. 33μM to 148. 60μM for 24h −72h treatment, but propranolol (less than 200μM) had no effect on HaCaT cell line. Western blots showed 100μM propranolol significantly reduced the expression of Bcl-2 while increasing the expressions of Bax, cytochrome c, cleaved capase-9 and cleaved caspase-3, and down-regulated the levels of p-AKT, p-BRAF, p-MEK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 in melanoma cells, after a 24h incubation. The in vivo data confirmed the isolation results. Mice received daily ip. administration of propranolol at the dose of 2 mg/kg for 3 weeks and the control group was treated with the same volume of saline. The mean tumor volume at day 21 in A375 xenografts was 82.33 ± 3.75mm3vs. 2044.67 ± 54.57mm3 for the propranolol-treated mice and the control group, respectively, and 31.66 ± 4.67 mm3 vs. 1074.67 ± 32.17 mm3 for the P-3 xenografts. Propranolol also reduced Ki67, inhibited phosphorylation of AKT, BRAF, MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in xenografts. These are the first data to demonstrate that propranolol might inhibit melanoma by activating the intrinsic apoptosis pathway and inactivating the MAPK and AKT pathways.
cag Pathogenicity island-dependent upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase-7 in infected patients with Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection has been involved in the pathogenesis of most important gastroduodenal diseases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large family of zincendopeptidases which play important roles in degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and various inflammatory diseases. Therefore, we examined MMP-7 mRNA levels in the gastric mucosa of patients with H. pylori infection and evaluated the effects of virulence factors, such as vacA (vacuolating cytotoxin A) and cagA (cytotoxin-associated gene), in H. pylori-infected patients upon the MMP-7 mRNA mucosal levels. We also determined the correlation between mucosal MMP-7 mRNA levels and the types of disease. Total RNA was extracted from gastric biopsies of 50 H. pylori-infected patients and 50 uninfected individuals. Mucosal MMP-7 mRNA expression level in H. pylori-infected and non-infected gastric biopsies was determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presences of cagA and vacA virulence factors was evaluated using PCR. MMP-7 expression was significantly higher in biopsies of patients infected with H . pylori compared to uninfected individuals. In addition, mucosal MMP-7 mRNA expression in H. pylori-infected patients significantly associated with the cagA status and the types of disease. Our results suggest that MMP-7 might be involved in the pathogenesis of H. pylori. Peptic ulcer was associated with cag pathogenicity island-dependent MMP-7 upregulation.
Influence Mechanisms of Rainfall and Terrain Characteristics on Total Nitrogen Losses from Regosol

The upper reach of the Yangtze River is an ecologically sensitive region where water loss, soil erosion, and nonpoint source (NPS) pollution are serious issues. In this drainage area, regosol is the most widely distributed soil type. Cultivation on regosol is extensive and total nitrogen (TN) has become a common NPS pollutant. Artificial rainfall experiments were conducted to reveal the influence mechanisms of rainfall and terrain on TN losses from regosol. The results showed that there were positive correlations between precipitations and TN loads but negative ones between precipitations and TN concentrations. Furthermore, negative correlations were more obvious on fields with slopes of 5° and 25° than on other slopes. With increasing rainfall intensity, TN loads rose simultaneously. However, TN concentration in runoff-yielding time presented a decline over time. As far as terrain was concerned, TN loads grew generally but not limitlessly when slopes increased. Similarly, TN concentrations also rose with rising slopes; upward trends were more obvious for steeper slopes. Furthermore, the initial runoff-yielding time became longer for steeper slopes and the differences under various rainfall intensity conditions diminished gradually.
Bias in parametric estimation: reduction and useful side‐effects

The bias of an estimator is defined as the difference of its expected value from the parameter to be estimated, where the expectation is with respect to the model. Loosely speaking, small bias reflects the desire that if an experiment is repeated indefinitely then the average of all the resultant estimates will be close to the parameter value that is estimated. The current article is a review of the still‐expanding repository of methods that have been developed to reduce bias in the estimation of parametric models. The review provides a unifying framework where all those methods are seen as attempts to approximate the solution of a simple estimating equation. Of particular focus is the maximum likelihood estimator, which despite being asymptotically unbiased under the usual regularity conditions, has finite‐sample bias that can result in significant loss of performance of standard inferential procedures. An informal comparison of the methods is made revealing some useful practical side‐effects in the estimation of popular models in practice including: (1) shrinkage of the estimators in binomial and multinomial regression models that guarantees finiteness even in cases of data separation where the maximum likelihood estimator is infinite and (2) inferential benefits for models that require the estimation of dispersion or precision parameters.
High Hemocyte Load Is Associated with Increased Resistance against Parasitoids in Drosophila suzukii, a Relative of D. melanogaster

Among the most common parasites of Drosophila in nature are parasitoid wasps, which lay their eggs in fly larvae and pupae. D. melanogaster larvae can mount a cellular immune response against wasp eggs, but female wasps inject venom along with their eggs to block this immune response. Genetic variation in flies for immune resistance against wasps and genetic variation in wasps for virulence against flies largely determines the outcome of any fly-wasp interaction. Interestingly, up to 90% of the variation in fly resistance against wasp parasitism has been linked to a very simple mechanism: flies with increased constitutive blood cell (hemocyte) production are more resistant. However, this relationship has not been tested for Drosophila hosts outside of the melanogaster subgroup, nor has it been tested across a diversity of parasitoid wasp species and strains. We compared hemocyte levels in two fly species from different subgroups, D. melanogaster and D. suzukii, and found that D. suzukii constitutively produces up to five times more hemocytes than D. melanogaster. Using a panel of 24 parasitoid wasp strains representing fifteen species, four families, and multiple virulence strategies, we found that D. suzukii was significantly more resistant to wasp parasitism than D. melanogaster. Thus, our data suggest that the relationship between hemocyte production and wasp resistance is general. However, at least one sympatric wasp species was a highly successful infector of D. suzukii, suggesting specialists can overcome the general resistance afforded to hosts by excessive hemocyte production. Given that D. suzukii is an emerging agricultural pest, identification of the few parasitoid wasps that successfully infect D. suzukii may have value for biocontrol.
Experimental characterization of the near-wake of a cross flow water turbine with LDV measurements

Recent developments in tidal energy converter tec hnology and turbine array projects require fast and robust simulation tools. The simple actuator disc model sh ows discrepancies as far as the wake and speed reco ve y is concerned. Blade tip vortices as well as wake rotat ion provide a strong contribution to turbulence pro duction that is not reproduced in basic actuator disc model. An effecti v modification of kε conservation equation has been proposed to account for non-linear scale interaction behind an axial-flow turbine. The aim of this study is to pro vide reference data to understand the near-wake dynamic in the case of a cross-flow turbine and build an actuator disc mod el ad-hoc. Nearwake of a Darrieus turbine is investigated with LDV measurements up to 3 diameters behind the rotor.
Exploiting Adversarial Jamming Signals for Energy Harvesting in Interference Networks

Anti-jamming interference alignment (IA) is an effective method for battling adversarial jammers for IA networks. Nevertheless, the number of antennas may not be enough to make it feasible in anti-jamming IA. Besides, the abundant power from the jammers and interferences, which used to be deemed as a harmful factor, can be exploited for energy harvesting (EH) by the legitimate users as a power supply. Thus, in this paper, we propose an anti-jamming opportunistic IA (OIA) scheme with wireless EH, which optimizes the transmission rate and EH together. In the proposed scheme, to make the anti-jamming IA network feasible, we select some of the users to transmit information at each time slot, and EH is performed by the other unselected users. Furthermore, to improve the performance of the proposed scheme, EH is also performed by the selected users, and the transmit power and power partition coefficient are jointly optimized to minimize the total transmit power of the OIA network. To reduce the computational complexity of the joint optimization, a suboptimal algorithm is also developed with much lower complexity. Extensive simulation results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed anti-jamming OIA scheme with wireless EH.
On the Parameterized Complexity and Kernelization of the Workflow Satisfiability Problem

A workflow specification defines a set of steps and the order in which these steps must be executed. Security requirements may impose constraints on which groups of users are permitted to perform subsets of these steps. A workflow specification is said to be satisfiable if there exists an assignment of users to workflow steps that satisfies all the constraints. An algorithm for determining whether such an assignment exists is important, both as a static analysis tool for workflow specifications and for the construction of runtime reference monitors for workflow management systems. Finding such an assignment is a hard problem in general, but work by Wang and Li [2010] using the theory of parameterized complexity suggests that efficient algorithms exist under reasonable assumptions about workflow specifications. In this article, we improve the complexity bounds for the workflow satisfiability problem. We also generalize and extend the types of constraints that may be defined in a workflow specification and prove that the satisfiability problem remains fixed-parameter tractable for such constraints. Finally, we consider preprocessing for the problem and prove that in an important special case, in polynomial time, we can reduce the given input into an equivalent one where the number of users is at most the number of steps. We also show that no such reduction exists for two natural extensions of this case, which bounds the number of users by a polynomial in the number of steps, provided a widely accepted complexity-theoretical assumption holds.
The Deformation and Ageing of Mild Steel

Mild steel deforms by a series of bands of plastic deformation called Luders bands. In heavy tensile specimen a complexs series of bands may arise, but in thin wire specimens it is shown that only single bands are formed. Measurements have been made of the propagation stress and Luders strain for these single bands, and the effects which occur on ageing deformed specimens have been studied. A critical examination of current theories of the upper yield point - the stress at which bands first appear - is also undertaken
Heart and Mitochondria: Pathophysiology and Implications for Cardiac Surgeons

Abstract Excluding the heart from systemic circulation during cardiac surgery renders the myocardium ischemic, resulting in cardiac damage. In addition, another hit to the myocardium will occur upon restoration of blood flow, in the reperfusion phase. Experimental data from animal models have revealed that loss of cardiac metabolic flexibility and mitochondrial dysfunctions contributes to contractile impairment in hypertrophied, failing, obese, and diabetic hearts. Such diseased hearts are prone to myocardial ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury. Although analyses in human cardiac samples are not as comprehensive as animal data, similar disease-associated metabolic and mitochondrial changes exist. Considering increasing age and comorbidities in patients nowadays, it is not surprising that I/R injuries remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery. Mitochondria have emerged as critical targets but also key regulators of myocardial I/R injury, and the extent of mitochondrial damage is a major determinant of myocardial I/R injury. Although cardioprotective mechanisms are diverse, many come together and involve steps at the point of mitochondria. We will, therefore, provide a description of mitochondrial alterations observed in various cardiac disease states and discuss the current experimental knowledge of the role of mitochondria in I/R and of potential protective mechanisms against myocardial I/R injury involving mitochondria. Within this review, we will focus on the protection against I/R injury conferred by caloric restriction (CR) and by ischemic conditioning. Further research is needed to establish whether strategies targeting mitochondria, which have been proposed from preclinical studies, could be translated into cardioprotective therapies against I/R injury in patients.
The ubiquitin-proteasome system functionally links neuronal Tomosyn-1 to dendritic morphology

Altering the expression of Tomosyn-1 (Tomo-1), a soluble, R-SNARE domain–containing protein, significantly affects behavior in mice, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans. Yet, the mechanisms that modulate Tomo-1 expression and its regulatory activity remain poorly defined. Here, we found that Tomo-1 expression levels influence postsynaptic spine density. Tomo-1 overexpression increased dendritic spine density, whereas Tomo-1 knockdown (KD) decreased spine density. These findings identified a novel action of Tomo-1 on dendritic spines, which is unique because it occurs independently of Tomo-1's C-terminal R-SNARE domain. We also demonstrated that the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), which is known to influence synaptic strength, dynamically regulates Tomo-1 protein levels. Immunoprecipitated and affinity-purified Tomo-1 from cultured rat hippocampal neurons was ubiquitinated, and the levels of ubiquitinated Tomo-1 dramatically increased upon pharmacological proteasome blockade. Moreover, Tomo-1 ubiquitination appeared to be mediated through an interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase HRD1, as immunoprecipitation of Tomo-1 from neurons co-precipitated HRD1, and this interaction increases upon proteasome inhibition. Further, in vitro reactions indicated direct, HRD1 concentration–dependent Tomo-1 ubiquitination. We also noted that the UPS regulates both Tomo-1 expression and functional output, as HRD1 KD in hippocampal neurons increased Tomo-1 protein level and dendritic spine density. Notably, the effect of HRD1 KD on spine density was mitigated by additional KD of Tomo-1, indicating a direct HRD1/Tomo-1 effector relationship. In summary, our results indicate that the UPS is likely to participate in tuning synaptic efficacy and spine dynamics by precise regulation of neuronal Tomo-1 levels.
PHLDA3 overexpression in hepatocytes by endoplasmic reticulum stress via IRE1–Xbp1s pathway expedites liver injury

Objective Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is involved in liver injury, but molecular determinants are largely unknown. This study investigated the role of pleckstrin homology-like domain, family A, member-3 (PHLDA3), in hepatocyte death caused by ER stress and the regulatory basis. Design Hepatic PHLDA3 expression was assessed in HCV patients with hepatitis and in several animal models with ER stress. Immunoblottings, PCR, reporter gene, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and mutation analyses were done to explore gene regulation. The functional effect of PHLDA3 on liver injury was validated using lentiviral delivery of shRNA. Results PHLDA3 was overexpressed in relation to hepatocyte injury in patients with acute liver failure or liver cirrhosis or in toxicant-treated mice. In HCV patients with liver injury, PHLDA3 was upregulated in parallel with the induction of ER stress marker. Treatment of mice with tunicamycin (Tm) (an ER stress inducer) increased PHLDA3 expression in the liver. X box-binding protein-1 (Xbp1) was newly identified as a transcription factor responsible for PHLDA3 expression. Inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) (an upstream regulator of Xbp1) was required for PHLDA3 induction by Tm, whereas other pathways (c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)) were not. PHLDA3 overexpression correlated with the severity of hepatocyte injury in animal or cell model of ER stress. In p53-deficient cells, ER stress inducers transactivated PHLDA3 with a decrease in cell viability. ER stress-induced hepatocyte death depended on serine/threonine protein kinase B (Akt) inhibition by PHLDA3. Lentiviral delivery of PHLDA3 shRNA to mice abrogated p-Akt inhibition in the liver by Tm, attenuating hepatocyte injury. Conclusions ER stress in hepatocytes induces PHLDA3 via IRE1–Xbp1s pathway, which facilitates liver injury by inhibiting Akt.