Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influencia del empleo de juegos cooperativos y competitivos de voleibol, en la detección de zonas libres en el campo contrario

La finalidad de la presente investigacion es conocer el efecto del entrenamiento de voleibol basado en el empleo de juegos cooperativos y competitivos con reglas que obliguen a centrarse en diversos aspectos perceptivos y decisionales sobre la deteccion de zonas libres en el campo contrario, medido a traves de una prueba de campo creada para este fin y donde tratan de respetarse las condiciones que suceden en la situacion real de juego. En el estudio se ha empleado un diseno de dos grupos con grupo control con pretest y postest. La muestra esta constituida por dos grupos de 8 sujetos extraidos al azar de un grupo natural de jugadoras de voleibol de categoria infantil y cadete. La variable independiente se aplico durante 15 sesiones de entrenamiento (60 minutos en cada una de ellas) realizando durante las mismas diversos juegos competitivos y cooperativos con determinadas caracteristicas. Los resultados obtenidos muestran un aumento considerable en el porcentaje de aciertos en la deteccion de zonas libres en el campo contrario, por parte del grupo experimental, tras la aplicacion de este tipo de entrenamiento. El grupo control obtuvo valores similares en el pretest y postest, disminuyendo levemente el porcentaje medio de aciertos en el segundo caso
Neuroprotective efficacy of estrogen in experimental spinal cord injury in rats

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to neurological deficits and motor dysfunction. Methylprednisolone, the only drug used for treating SCI, renders limited neuroprotection and remains controversial. Estrogen is one of the most potent multiactive neuroprotective agents and it is currently under investigation in our laboratory for its efficacy in SCI. The present review briefly summarizes our earlier findings on the therapeutic potential of pharmacological/supraphysiological levels of estrogen in SCI and outlines our ongoing research, highlighting the efficacy of physiological levels of estrogen against neuronal injury, axonal degeneration, and gliosis and also the molecular mechanisms of such neuroprotection in experimental SCI. Furthermore, our ongoing studies designed to explore the different translational potential of estrogen therapy suggest that this multiactive steroid may act as an adjunct therapy to promote angiogenesis, thus enhancing the functional recovery following chronic SCI. Taken together, these studies confirm that estrogen is a potential therapeutic agent for treating SCI.
Severe asthma: from characteristics to phenotypes to endotypes

Asthma, and severe asthma, in particular, is increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous disease. While traditional views of asthma have centered around a childhood onset disease with an allergic component, several large scale network studies are now confirming that severe asthma can present in multiple different ways, only 30–50% of which meet traditional childhood onset allergic criteria. To understand the different groups better, initial studies have attempted to define phenotypes of severe asthma. A phenotype is defined as the integration of different characteristics that are the product of the interaction of the patient's genes with the environment. Both clinical and statistical approaches have identified at least 3–5 phenotypes of severe asthma. However, these phenotypes, in isolation, do not identify the immunopathology that makes these clinical phenotypes distinct or identifies a target population for a specific approach to therapy. As biological characteristics are identified, phenotypes should continue to evolve towards asthma endotypes. The identification of these endotypes, either by matching biology, genetics and therapeutic responses to therapy with clinically or statistically defined phenotypes or through unbiased genetic and genomic approaches, remains limited. Moving forward, this integration of genetics, biology and clinical characteristics should substantially enhance our ability to effectively treat complex heterogeneous diseases, such as severe asthma.
Germplasm evaluation in beef cattle--Cycle IV: postweaning growth and puberty of heifers.

Postweaning growth, puberty, and pregnancy traits were evaluated for 783 F1 heifers sired by Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Shorthorn, Galloway, Longhorn, Nellore, Piedmontese, and Salers bulls and out of Angus and Hereford dams in Cycle IV of the Germplasm Evaluation (GPE) Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. The Hereford and Angus sires included a sample of bulls born from 1982 to 1985 (1980s HA) as well as reference sires born from 1963 to 1970 (REF HA) used in previous cycles of the GPE program. Breed group of sire had a significant (P<.01) effect on age and weight at puberty, on 200-, 400-, and 550-d weights, on ADG from 200 to 400 and from 400 to 550 d, and 550-d hip height, but it did not influence (P<.05) pregnancy rate. Mean age and weight at puberty were predicted from the cumulative distribution because of censoring of data in each tail of the distribution. Sire breed group rankings (and predicted means in days) for age at puberty were as follows: Piedmontese (332), Shorthorn (338), Charolais (348), REF HA (348), Galloway (351), 1980s HA (352), Salers (355), Longhorn (357), and Nellore (405). Sire breed group rankings (and predicted means in kilograms) for weight at puberty were Longhorn (283), Piedmontese (298), Galloway (305), REF HA (309), Shorthorn (329), 1980s HA (330), Salers (338), Nellore (341), and Charolais (345). Sire breed group rankings (and least squares means in kilograms) for 200-d weight were Charolais (229), Salers (225), Nellore (221), Shorthorn (220), Piedmontese (215), 1980s HA (215), Galloway (209), REF HA (206), and Longhorn (197), with differences >8.3 kg significant. Rankings for 400-d weight (kilograms) were Charolais (390), Shorthorn (384), Salers (380), 1980s HA (374), Nellore (364), REF HA (356), Piedmontese (353), Galloway (348), and Longhorn (321), with differences >11.5 kg significant. Rankings for 550-d weight (kilograms) were Charolais (445), Salers (430), Shorthorn (429), 80's HA (422), Nellore (420), Piedmontese (401), REF HA (398), Galloway (389), and Longhorn (371), with differences >11.7 kg significant. Rankings for 550-d hip height (centimeters) were Nellore (132.2), Charolais (131.9), Salers (129.9), Shorthorn (129.5), Piedmontese (126.7), 1980s HA (126.1), Longhorn (125.3), Galloway (121.7), and REF HA (121.5), with differences >1.35 cm significant. Breed of sire had significant effects on growth and puberty traits of heifers.
Is there increased monozygotic twinning after assisted reproductive technology?

Over the past two decades there has been an association between assisted reproductive technologies and increased monozygotic twinning. The association is not clear nor are the causes of assisted reproductive technology‐related monozygotic twinning understood, although there are several theories as to the possible mechanisms involved. This review looks at some of the assisted reproductive technologies which may be associated with an increased risk of monozygotic twinning such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, assisted hatching and blastocyst transfers. Determining the true incidence of monozygotic twinning after assisted reproductive technologies is important as there is a well‐documented increase in perinatal morbidity and mortality of monozygotic twins compared to singleton and dizygotic pregnancies.
The Role of Back Injury or Trauma in Lumbar Disc Degeneration: An Exposure-Discordant Twin Study

Study Design. Exposure discordant twin study. Objective. To investigate the effect of injury on lumbar disc degeneration in monozygotic twins with discordant exposures to recalled previous injury/trauma to the lumbar spine. Summary of Background Data. Disc degeneration is considered a primary source of low back pain. Despite this, important determinants of disc degeneration other than genotype have not been identified. One possible important determinant of disc degeneration that has undergone limited investigation is previous back injury. Methods. We compared disc degeneration between 37 male monozygotic twin pairs with discordant exposures to recalled previous injury/trauma to the lumbar spine. Data on injury history were obtained through an extensive structured interview. Disc degeneration was assessed using quantitative measures of disc height and disc signal intensity. Results. Disc degeneration did not differ between twins who reported previous back injury and their uninjured cotwins. This finding was consistent for both disc height and disc signal intensity regardless of whether mean scores or greatest difference at any one lumbar level was used in the analysis. Disc height averaged 0.3 mm higher in the injured twin (P = 0.302), and was on average 0.05% higher at the level of the greatest cotwin difference (P = 0.302). There was no evidence that greater period since injury resulted in greater twin differences in disc degeneration. Conclusion. The current study suggests that back injury based on patient report is not an important predictor of future disc degeneration.
Cytoplasmic Ca2+ oscillations evoked by receptor stimulation, G‐protein activation, internal application of inositol trisphosphate or Ca2+: simultaneous microfluorimetry and Ca2+ dependent Cl‐ current recording in single pancreatic acinar cells.

The effects of acetylcholine (ACh), cholecystokinin (CCK), internally applied GTP‐gamma‐S, inositol trisphosphate [Ins (1,4,5) P3] or Ca2+ on the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration [( Ca2+]i) were assessed by simultaneous microfluorimetry (fura‐2) and measurement of the Ca2(+)‐dependent Cl‐ current (patch‐clamp whole‐cell recording) in single internally perfused mouse pancreatic acinar cells. ACh (0.1‐0.2 microM) evoked an oscillating increase in [Ca2+]i measured in the cell as a whole (microfluorimetry) which was synchronous with oscillations in the Ca2(+)‐dependent Cl‐ current reporting [Ca2+]i close to the cell membrane. In the same cells a lower ACh concentration (0.05 microM) evoked shorter repetitive Cl‐ current pulses that were not accompanied by similar spikes in the microfluorimetric recording. When cells did not respond to 0.1 microM ACh, caffeine (1 mM) added on top of the sustained ACh stimulus resulted in [Ca2+]i oscillations seen synchronously in both types of recording. CCK (10 nM) also evoked [Ca2+]i oscillations, but with much longer intervals between slightly broader Ca2+ pulses. Internal perfusion with 100 microM GTP‐gamma‐S evoked [Ca2+]i oscillations with a similar pattern. Ins (1,4,5) P3 (10 microM) evoked repetitive shortlasting spikes in [Ca2+]i that were only seen in the Cl‐ current traces, except in one small cell where these spikes were also observed synchronously in the microfluorimetric recording. Caffeine (1 mM) broadened these Ca2+ pulses. [Ca2+]i was also directly changed, bypassing the normal signalling process, by infusion of a low or high Ca2+ solution into the pipette. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
NATURAL ANTIMICROBIALS AND THEIR ROLE IN VAGINAL HEALTH: A SHORT REVIEW.

Lactobacillus species maintain the vaginal ecosystem in a healthy condition by production of antimicrobial substances. Depletion of lactobacilli in the vagina results in bacterial vaginosis (BV), where the normal flora is replaced by several bacterial pathogens, usually Gardnerella vaginalis and obligate anaerobes. BV may cause complications such as premature labor, low birth weight and increased risk of HIV acquisition. The currently recommended antibiotic treatments for BV are not always effective and often lead to reoccurrence of the infection. In many cases, this is due to the antibiotic-resistant forms of the pathogens. Therefore, there is an interest in the development of treatments using antimicrobials derived primarily from Lactobacillus spp. , such as ribosomally produced antimicrobial peptides (bacteriocins) and lactic acid. These substances effectively inhibit pathogenic bacteria, are safe and do not pose any threat to healthy vaginal Lactobacillus spp. It may be possible to find an effective treatment against BV while reducing the infection's reoccurrence and the treatment-related complications through hurdle technology. This would be achieved by combining antimicrobials produced by Lactobacillus spp. with different natural antimicrobials obtained from plants or other non-pathogenic organisms.
A clinical trial of propofol vs midazolam for procedural sedation in a pediatric emergency department.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness, recovery time from sedation, and complication rate of propofol with those of midazolam when used for procedural sedation in the pediatric emergency department (PED). METHODS A prospective, blinded, randomized, clinical trial comparing propofol and midazolam was conducted in the PED of a tertiary pediatric center. Eligible patients were aged 2-18 years with isolated extremity injuries necessitating closed reduction. All patients received morphine for pain, then were randomized to receive propofol or midazolam for sedation. Vital signs, pulse oximetry, and sedation scores were recorded prior to sedation and every 5 minutes thereafter until recovery. Recovery time, time from cast completion to discharge, and other time intervals during the PED course and all sedation-related complications were also recorded. RESULTS Between August 1996 and October 1997, 91 patients were enrolled. Demographic data, morphine doses, and sedation scores were similar between the propofol and midazolam groups. Mean +/- SD recovery time for the propofol group was 14.9+/-11.1 minutes, compared with 76.4+/-47.5 minutes for the midazolam group, p<0.001. Mild transient hypoxemia was the most significant complication, occurring in 5 of 43 (11.6%) patients given propofol and 5 of 46 (10.9%) patients given midazolam (odds ratio 1.08, 95% CI = 0.24 to 4.76). CONCLUSION In this study, propofol induced sedation as effectively as midazolam but with a shorter recovery time. Complication rates for propofol and midazolam were comparable, though the small study population limits the power of this comparison. Propofol may be an appropriate agent for sedation in the PED; however, further study is necessary before routine use can be recommended.
Illness perceptions account for variation in positive outlook as well as psychological distress in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Psychological distress in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is associated with adverse clinical outcomes, and appears highly related to patients' illness perceptions. This study aimed to investigate the association between illness perceptions, psychological distress, positive outlook and physical outcomes in RA. Two hundred and thirty patients aged >18 years and prescribed at least one disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) were recruited from outpatient clinics across Hertfordshire (England). Patients completed a questionnaire that assessed psychological distress and positive outlook (Depression, Anxiety and Positive Outlook Scale), illness perceptions (IPQ-R) and functional disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire). Information regarding prescribed medication and disease activity [Disease Activity Score (DAS28)] was collected from medical notes. Psychological distress, but not positive outlook, was associated with functional disability and DAS28. After controlling for sex, age and DAS28, perceptions of greater symptomatology (identity) and lesser understanding of RA (coherence) were significantly associated with increased psychological distress. Perceptions of greater treatment control were associated with greater positive outlook, but only for those with low DAS28. Coherence was also associated with positive outlook. These findings indicate that illness perceptions may influence psychological distress and positive outlook in RA patients, and may therefore be a useful basis for future psychological interventions.
Retinopathy is independently related to microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

UNLABELLED AIM, SUBJECTS AND METHODS: To evaluate whether microalbuminuria is related to retinopathy in type 2 diabetes, we studied a sample of 125 known diabetic subjects with a mean disease duration of 11 years (range 5-22 years), aged 46-71 years, by ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography and fluoresceine angiography. Urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) was measured by nephelometry and the fractional clearance of albumin, i.e. in relation to creatinine was calculated from spot samples. The subjects were classified into groups based on the UAER/24 h. RESULTS Microalbuminuria was present if UAER was 30-300 mg/24 h and overt nephropathy when UAER > or = 300 mg/24 h. Background (> or = 2 microaneurysms or > or = 2 hemorrhages or > or = 1 more advanced lesions, except proliferative changes) and proliferative retinopathies were found in 21% and in 3%, respectively. Subjects with microalbuminuria (p = 0.026) and overt nephropathy (p = 0.002) had more frequently background retinopathy than their counterparts with a normal UAER (chi2-test). A multivariate logistic regression model was obtained for background retinopathy (chi2 = 37.5, p = 0.0000039, OR 14.9, correct prediction of negative outcome in 97% and of positive outcome in 30.4%) including the following variables. The fractional clearance of albumin independently explained background retinopathy (OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.3-12, p = 0.028). Insulin therapy (p = 0.0017), diabetes duration (p = 0.048), blood glucose at 2 h in standard oral glucose tolerance test (p = 0.009) and low fasting serum HDL cholesterol (p = 0.023) also independently explained retinopathy. Age, gender, BMI, systolic blood pressure, ACE inhibitor therapy, fasting serum total cholesterol and triglyceride, blood glucose or insulin, hemoglobin A1c, glucagon-stimulated C peptide response, glomerular filtration rate or smoking habits did not independently explain retinopathy. CONCLUSION We conclude that microalbuminuria is related to background retinopathy in type 2 diabetes.
Infliximab in ulcerative colitis

In the past few decades treatment of ulcerative colitis has been significantly advanced both pharmacologically and surgically. However, rapidly relapsing disease activity despite maintenance therapy, chronic activity despite immunosuppressants and severe or even fulminant acute attacks potentially necessitating colectomy still constitute a challenge to gastroenterologists and their patients. Newer pathophysiological concepts have fostered the development of targeted therapies. In particular, the identification of locally and systemically overexpressed pro-inflammatory cytokines has promoted the generation of specific antibodies. Following the conception of T-helper cell populations and their associated cytokine profile, antibodies against tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) had been thought to be primarily successful in Crohn’s disease. Randomized controlled trials demonstrated the efficacy of infliximab, a chimeric anti-TNF-a antibody, in patients with both luminal and fistulizing disease. While initially rapid and sustained remission was expected to be achievable in a high percentage of patients, refractoriness, loss of response and the need for maintenance treatment in the responder group soon became characteristic of this so-called biological treatment modality. Furthermore, significant safety concerns arose when, without securing a causal relationship in every case, opportunistic infections, tuberculosis, sepsis, lymphomas and fatalities were observed in infliximab-exposed patients. This perception has now led to a very reasonable risk assessment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease that embraces not only new drugs, but also components of the standard treatment approach such as steroids and immunosuppressants. When introducing new treatment modalities in clinical practice, the potential benefits and risks have to be considered. In comparison to the natural course, innovative therapy should have a significant impact on the clinical condition and the quality of life. Recently, a population-based study on 378 patients with ulcerative colitis (Olmsted County, Minnesota, USA, 194
[Construction of cDNA library of Aspergillus niger H1 and screening of phosphate-dissolving related gene].

OBJECTIVE To obtain phosphate-dissolving genes from cDNA library of Aspergillus niger H1. METHODS The double-stranded cDNA was synthesized using switching mechanism at 5'end of RNA transcript technique and ligated to the vector pBluescript II SK (+). We transformed recombinant plasmid into E. coli HST08, resulting in a primary cDNA library. We screened clones with phosphate-dissolving activities on the insoluble phosphate medium and blasted the sequence in National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). To study the phosphate dissolving mechanisms of the cloned gene, we analyzed the changes of the pH value, the soluble phosphate content and the production of organic acids in the insoluble phosphate liquid medium inoculated with the clones harboring the phosphate-dissolving gene. RESULTS A cDNA library of A. niger H1 was successfully constructed. Titer tests showed that the content of constructed A. niger H1 cDNA library reached 5.65 x 10(6) cfu/mL, in which the percentage of recombinant clones was 99.15%. We screened 61 clones with phosphate-dissolving activities on the solid medium with insoluble phosphate. The corresponding gene in one of these clones was identified. The full length cDNA of clone H-54 was 839 bp, encoding a predicted protein with 180 amino acid residues. The expression of phosphate-dissolving gene in E. coli enhanced organic acids secretion and improved the phosphate solubilizing activity. Formic acid and acetic acid were found in 12 h, and malic acid and alpha-ketoglutarate were secreted in 24 h. The clone H-54 decreased the pH value of medium from 6.32 to 3.93 and released soluble phosphate up to 0.105 mg/mL in 36 h. CONCLUSION We had obtained a phosphate-dissolving gene designated psgA from Aspergillus niger H1.
Ketogenic diet: Predictors of seizure control

Background: The ketogenic diet is an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for medically resistant epilepsy. The aim of this study was to identify any predictors that may influence the response of ketogenic diet. Methods: A retrospective chart review for all patients with medically resistant epilepsy was performed at a tertiary care epilepsy center from 1996 to 2012. Patient- and diet-related variables were evaluated with respect to seizure reduction at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12-month intervals and divided into four possible outcome classes. Results: Sixty-three patients met inclusion. Thirty-seven (59%) reported >50% seizure reduction at 3 months with 44% and 37% patients benefiting at 6-month and 12-month follow up, respectively. A trend toward significant seizure improvement was noted in 48% patients with seizure onset >1 year at 12-month (p = 0.09) interval and in 62% patients with >10 seizure/day at 6-month interval (p = 0.054). An ordinal logistic regression showed later age of seizure to have higher odds of favorable response at 1-month (p = 0.005) and 3-month (p = 0.013) follow up. Patients with non-fasting diet induction were more likely to have a favorable outcome at 6 months (p = 0.008) as do females (p = 0.037) and those treated with higher fat ratio diet (p = 0.034). Conclusion: Our study reports the effectiveness of ketogenic diet in children with medically resistant epilepsy. Later age of seizure onset, female gender, higher ketogenic diet ratio and non-fasting induction were associated with better odds of improved seizure outcome. A larger cohort is required to confirm these findings.