This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the effects of out-of-school physical activity (PA) interventions, based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), on basic psychological needs ...(BPN), motivation toward PA, and PA levels in youths.
Systematic review and meta-analyses.
We searched for intervention studies examining the effects of PA interventions based on SDT implemented outside the school published in English and Spanish in six electronic databases up to January 2022.
Outcomes of interest were BPN, motivation, and PA levels. In total, nine studies were included in this review. Seven individual meta-analyses were conducted for each variable, revealing nonsignificant clustered effects for the outcomes autonomy satisfaction (g = 0.12, 95% CI -0.31, 0.55), competence satisfaction (g = 0.02, 95% CI -0.28, 0.32), relatedness satisfaction (g = 0.13, 95% CI -0.43, 0.68), autonomous motivation (g = 0.15, 95% CI -0.38, 0.67), controlled motivation (g = 0.12, 95% CI -0.32, 0.55), amotivation (g = -0.36, 95% CI -0.88, 0.16), and PA behavior (g = 0.02, 95% CI -0.08, 0.12).
Meta-analyses suggest that out-of-school PA interventions based on SDT are not effective in increasing levels of needs satisfaction, types of motivation, and PA levels.
The most prevalent diseases of our time, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) (including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer) are rising worldwide. All of them ...share the condition of an "inflammatory disorder", with impaired immune functions frequently caused or accompanied by alterations in gut microbiota. These multifactorial maladies also have in common malnutrition related to physiopathology. In this context, diet is the greatest modulator of immune system-microbiota crosstalk, and much interest, and new challenges, are arising in the area of precision nutrition as a way towards treatment and prevention. It is a fact that the westernized diet (WD) is partly responsible for the increased prevalence of NCDs, negatively affecting both gut microbiota and the immune system. Conversely, other nutritional approaches, such as Mediterranean diet (MD), positively influence immune system and gut microbiota, and is proposed not only as a potential tool in the clinical management of different disease conditions, but also for prevention and health promotion globally. Thus, the purpose of this review is to determine the regulatory role of nutritional components of WD and MD in the gut microbiota and immune system interplay, in order to understand, and create awareness of, the influence of diet over both key components.
Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the most common form of cancer in women. A large proportion of patients begin with localized disease and undergo treatment with ...curative intent, while another large proportion of patients debuts with disseminated metastatic disease. In the last subgroup of patients, the prognosis in recent years has changed radically, given the existence of different targeted therapies thanks to the discovery of different biomarkers. Serological, histological, and genetic biomarkers have demonstrated their usefulness in the initial diagnosis, in the follow-up to detect relapses, to guide targeted treatment, and to stratify the prognosis of the most aggressive tumors in those with breast cancer. Molecular markers are currently the basis for the diagnosis of metastatic disease, given the wide variety of chemotherapy regions and existing therapies. These markers have been a real revolution in the therapeutic arsenal for breast cancer, and their diagnostic validity allows the classification of tumors with higher rates of relapse, aggressiveness, and mortality. In this sense, the existence of therapies targeting different molecular alterations causes a series of changes in tumor biology that can be assessed throughout the course of the disease to provide information on the underlying pathophysiology of metastatic disease, which allows us to broaden our knowledge of the different mechanisms of tissue invasion. Therefore, the aim of the present article is to review the clinical, diagnostic, predictive, prognostic utility and limitations of the main biomarkers available and under development in metastatic breast cancer.
SUMMARY
Microtremors are produced by multiple random sources close to the surface of the Earth. They may include the effects of multiple scattering, which suggests that their intensities could be ...well described by diffusion‐like equations. Within this theoretical framework, the average autocorrelation of the motions at a given receiver, in the frequency domain, measures average energy density and is proportional to the imaginary part of the Green's function (GF) when both source and receiver are the same.
Assuming the seismic field is diffuse we compute the H/V ratio for a surface receiver on a horizontally layered medium in terms of the imaginary part of the GF at the source. This theory links average energy densities with the GF in 3‐D and considers the H/V ratio as an intrinsic property of the medium. Therefore, our approach naturally allows for the inversion of H/V, the well‐known Nakamura's ratio including the contributions of Rayleigh, Love and body waves. Broad‐band noise records at Texcoco, a soft soil site near Mexico City, are studied and interpreted using this theory.
Mesoamerican nephropathy (MeN), an epidemic in Central America, is a chronic kidney disease of unknown cause. In this article, we argue that MeN may be a uric acid disorder. Individuals at risk for ...developing the disease are primarily male workers exposed to heat stress and physical exertion that predisposes to recurrent water and volume depletion, often accompanied by urinary concentration and acidification. Uric acid is generated during heat stress, in part consequent to nucleotide release from muscles. We hypothesize that working in the sugarcane fields may result in cyclic uricosuria in which uric acid concentrations exceed solubility, leading to the formation of dihydrate urate crystals and local injury. Consistent with this hypothesis, we present pilot data documenting the common presence of urate crystals in the urine of sugarcane workers from El Salvador. High end-of-workday urinary uric acid concentrations were common in a pilot study, particularly if urine pH was corrected to 7. Hyperuricemia may induce glomerular hypertension, whereas the increased urinary uric acid may directly injure renal tubules. Thus, MeN may result from exercise and heat stress associated with dehydration-induced hyperuricemia and uricosuria. Increased hydration with water and salt, urinary alkalinization, reduction in sugary beverage intake, and inhibitors of uric acid synthesis should be tested for disease prevention.
Since the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic was declared a year ago, the search for vaccines has become the top priority in order to restore normalcy after 2.5 million deaths worldwide, overloaded sanitary ...systems, and a huge economic burden. Vaccine development has represented a step towards the desired herd immunity in a short period of time, owing to a high level of investment, the focus of researchers, and the urge for the authorization of the faster administration of vaccines. Nevertheless, this objective may only be achieved by pursuing effective strategies and policies in various countries worldwide. In the present review, some aspects involved in accomplishing a successful vaccination program are addressed, in addition to the importance of vaccination in a pandemic in the face of unwillingness, conspiracy theories, or a lack of information among the public. Moreover, we provide some updated points related to the landscape of the clinical development of vaccine candidates, specifically, the top five vaccines that are already being assessed in Phase IV clinical trials (BNT162b2, mRNA-1273, AZD1222, Ad26.COV2.S, and CoronaVac).
The influence of biochar derived from a hardwood tree (Quercus serrate Murray) on the dynamics of the microbial community during the composting of poultry manure (PM) and cow manure (CM) was ...evaluated by phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFAs). Changes in the PLFA patterns were related to key composting properties (C/N ratio, temperature, and bulk density) as the major drivers of the dynamics of the microbial community. At the beginning of the process, the fungal biomass was significantly greater in PM and CM than in the respective co-composted materials with biochar (PMB and CMB); this difference declined gradually during the process. In contrast, the Gram+ to Gram− ratio was increased by the presence of biochar. After 12weeks of composting, factor analysis based on the relative abundances of single PLFAs revealed changes in the microbial community structure which depended on the original organic wastes (CM vs PM).
► The influence of biochar on the community during composting evaluated by PLFAs. ► Changes in the microbial community structure related to physic-chemical changes. ► Microbial community structure changed after 12 weeks of composting with biochar. ► Changes in the community depended on the origin of manure composted with biochar.
Abstract The agronomic use of compost and biochar as soil amendments may exhibit contrasting results in terms of soil fertility and plant nutrition. The effects of the biennial application of ...biochar, compost and a blend of compost:biochar (90:10; % dw:dw) on the agronomical performance of an organically managed and well established 25-year-old olive orchard was assessed 5 years after the initial application. The agronomical evaluation was based on the assessment of the soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, and the assessment of the soil fertility by both crop production and nutritional status of the orchard, and the bioassay with olive plantlets. Biochar mainly benefited the physical properties (bulk density, total porosity, aeration, water retention capacity) of soil, especially in the top 0–5 cm. Compost and its blend with biochar improved microbial activity, soil nutritional status (increasing the content of soluble organic C, N, and P) and favoured the formation of aggregates in soil. The bioassay conducted with young plantlets confirmed the enhanced soil fertility status in the three amended treatments, particularly in the case of biochar and its blend with compost. However, this effect was not significantly observed in the adult plants after 5 years of application, reflecting the slow response of adult olive trees to changes in fertilization. Based on these results, alongside the desirable long-residence time of biochar in soil and the ready availability of compost, the blend of biochar with compost assayed in this study is defined as a valid strategy for preparing high quality soil organic amendments.
Identifying patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease in primary prevention is a challenging task. This study aimed at detecting subclinical atherosclerosis burden in non-diabetic hypertensive ...patients in a primary care centre.
Clinical, anthropometric and analytical data were collected from patients with hypertension who were free from clinical vascular disease and diabetes. The cardiovascular risk was assessed using the SCORE system. Subclinical atherosclerosis burden was assessed by carotid ultrasonography (intima-medial thickness IMT and plaque) and measurement of the ankle-brachial index (ABI).
Out of 140 patients, 59 (42%) have carotid plaque, 32 (23%) have IMT higher than 75% and 12 (9%) have an ABI < 0.9. Total atherosclerosis burden was present in 91 (65%) of the subjects. Consequently, 59 (42%) patients were re-classified into the very high-risk category. In multivariate analyses, smoking, creatinine levels and duration of hypertension were associated with atherosclerosis burden. In contrast, only smoking and age were associated with the presence of carotid plaque. Almost 90% of patients were treated with hypotensive drugs, half of them combined several drugs and 60% were well-controlled. Only 30% received statins in monotherapy and only less than 20% had an LDL cholesterol < 100 mg/dL.
In non-diabetic hypertensive patients managed at a primary care centre, 4 out of 10 had subclinical atherosclerosis burden and were re-classified into the very high- risk category. There was clear undertreatment with lipid-lowering drugs of most LDL cholesterol inappropriate levels, according to current clinical guidelines.
Chronic venous disease (CVD) comprises a spectrum of morphofunctional disorders affecting the venous system, affecting approximately 1 in 3 women during gestation. Emerging evidence highlights ...diverse maternofetal implications stemming from CVD, particularly impacting the placenta. While systemic inflammation has been associated with pregnancy-related CVD, preliminary findings suggest a potential link between this condition and exacerbated inflammation in the placental tissue. Inflammasomes are major orchestrators of immune responses and inflammation in different organs and systems. Notwithstanding the relevance of inflammasomes, specifically the NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3)- which has been demonstrated in the placentas of women with different obstetric complications, the precise involvement of this component in the placentas of women with CVD remains to be explored. This study employs immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) to examine the gene and protein expression of key components in both canonical and non-canonical pathways of the NLRP3 inflammasome (NLRP3, ASC-apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a C-terminal caspase recruitment domain-caspase 1, caspase 5, caspase 8, and interleukin 1β) within the placental tissue of women affected by CVD. Our findings reveal a substantial upregulation of these components in CVD-affected placentas, indicating a potential pathophysiological role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the development of this condition. Subsequent investigations should focus on assessing translational interventions addressing this dysregulation in affected patient populations.
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