The aim of the current meta-analysis was to determine the effects of acute and chronic interval training (IT) on serum and plasma BDNF concentrations in healthy young adults. A literature search was ...performed using six databases until February 2020. The TESTEX scale was used to assess the quality of studies. Effect sizes (ES) were computed and two-tailed α values < 0.05 and non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were considered statistically significant. Heterogeneity, inconsistency (I
), and small-study effects using the Luis Furuya-Kanamori (LFK) index were examined. Fifteen studies (n = 277 participants, age = 24 ± 3 years) were included. The overall effects of IT on circulating BDNF concentrations were moderate and significant (ES = 0.62, 95% CI 0.00, 1.24, heterogeneous (p < 0.001), highly inconsistent (I
= 90%), and with major asymmetry (LFK index = 2.76). The acute effect of IT on peripheral BDNF levels was large and significant (ES = 1.10, 95% CI 0.07, 2.14), heterogeneous (p < 0.001), highly inconsistent (I
= 92%), and with major asymmetry (LFK index = 3.34). The chronic effect of IT on circulating BDNF was large and significant (ES = 0.93, 95% CI 0.40, 1.46), heterogeneous (p < 0.001), with moderate inconsistency (I
= 70%), and minor asymmetry (LFK index = 1.21). Acute and chronic IT elicited a moderate increase in serum and plasma BDNF concentrations in a healthy young population.
Guided image processing techniques are widely used to extract meaningful information from a guiding image and facilitate the enhancement of the guided one. This paper specifically addresses the ...challenge of guided thermal image super-resolution, where a low-resolution thermal image is enhanced using a high-resolution visible spectrum image. We propose a new strategy that enhances outcomes from current guided super-resolution methods. This is achieved by transforming the initial guiding data into a representation resembling a thermal-like image, which is more closely in sync with the intended output. Experimental results with upscale factors of ×8 and ×16, demonstrate the outstanding performance of our approach in guided thermal image super-resolution obtained by mapping the original guiding information to a thermal-like image representation.
Environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle have been shown to influence the development of some intestinal mucosal lesions that may be precursors of colorectal cancer (CRC). The presence of ...these alterations seems to be associated with misbalanced immunological parameter levels. However, it is still unclear as to which immunological parameters are altered in each phase of CRC development. In this work, we aimed to study the potential relationships of immunological and metabolic parameters with diet in a CRC-related lesion context. Dietary information was obtained using an annual semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) from 93 volunteers classified via colonoscopy examination according to the presence of intestinal polyps or adenocarcinoma. Cytokines, chemokines, and adipokines were determined from serum samples. We observed a reduction in adiponectin according to the damage to the mucosa, accompanied by an increase and decrease in C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and resistin, respectively, in CRC cases. The presence of aberrant crypt foci (ACF) in the polyp group was associated with higher tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentrations. Vegetables were directly correlated with adiponectin and resistin levels, while the opposite occurred with red meat. A bioactive compound, soluble pectin, showed a negative association with TNF-α. Future dietary strategies could be developed to modulate specific immunological parameters in the context of CRC.
The immune response type organized against viral infection is determinant in the prognosis of some infections. This work has aimed to study Th polarization in acute COVID-19 and its possible ...association with the outcome through an observational prospective study. Fifty-eight COVID-19 patients were recruited in the Medicine Department of the hospital "12 de Octubre," 55 patients remaining after losses to follow-up. Four groups were established according to maximum degree of disease progression. T-helper cell percentages and phenotypes, analyzed by flow cytometer, and serum cytokines levels, analyzed by Luminex, were evaluated when the microbiological diagnosis (acute phase) of the disease was obtained. Our study found a significant reduction of %Th1 and %Th17 cells with higher activated %Th2 cells in the COVID-19 patients compared with reference population. A higher percent of senescent Th2 cells was found in the patients who died than in those who survived. Senescent Th2 cell percentage was an independent risk factor for death (OR: 13.88) accompanied by the numbers of total lymphocytes (OR: 0.15) with an AUC of 0.879. COVID-19 patients showed a profile of pro-inflammatory serum cytokines compared to controls, with higher levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-15, and IP-10. IL-10 and IL-13 were also elevated in patients compared to controls. Patients who did not survive presented significantly higher levels of IL-15 than those who recovered. No significant differences were observed according to disease progression groups. The study has shown that increased levels of IL-15 and a high Th2 response are associated with a fatal outcome of the disease.
This thesis has implemented innovative techniques in the field of computer vision using visible and near-infrared spectrum images, applying deep learning through convolutional networks, especially ...GANs' architectures, which are specialists in generating information and also includes meta techniques -learning to tackle the problem of determining the similarity of images of a different spectrum. In this research, with this type of convolutional networks, different supervised and unsupervised techniques have been created to solve challenging problems, like detect the similarity of patches of different spectra (visible-infrared), colorized images of the near-infrared spectrum, estimation of vegetation index (NDVI) and the haze removal present on RGB images using NIR images. For all these techniques different variants of the GAN's networks, such as standard, conditional, stacked, and cyclic have been used. Also, a metric-based meta-learning approach has been implemented. It should be mentioned that together with the implementation of adversarial network models, the use of multiple loss functions has been proposed to improve the generalization and increase the effectiveness of the models. The experiments were performed with paired and unpaired images, given the different supervised and unsupervised architectures implemented, respectively. The experimental results obtained in each of the approaches implemented in the doctoral work compared with the techniques of the state of the art were shown to be more effective.
When Spain began the transition from the Old Regime to liberalism, the business career of the Marquis of Sargadelos was unique. In an institutional scenario in which being a 'profit seeker' was an ...almost indispensable prerequisite to overcoming the steep barriers to the entry of manufacturing initiatives, and in a society where the capital accumulated in commercial and manufacturing ventures was diverted to the purchase of rural land, Ibáñez was an exception to the norm in two senses: first, for his willingness to take a risk on new industries, and second, for his efforts to update the available technology. It is in this sense that he might be described as a 'Schumpeterian entrepreneur'. The aim of this article is to consider Ibáñez's business career from a new perspective, both what it has in common with the classical business cycle of the time and the unique features of his industrial initiatives.
Primary infection and/or reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in kidney transplant recipients (KTR) favor rejection and mortality. T follicular helper cells (TFH) could contribute to protection ...against CMV. Circulatory TFH (cTFH) were studied pretransplant and early posttransplant in 90 CMV seropositive KTR not receiving antithymocyte globulin or antiviral prophylaxis, followed‐up for 1 year. Patients who presented CMV infection had significantly lower cTFH and activated cTFH pretransplant and early posttransplant. Pretransplant activated cTFH were also lower within patients who developed CMV disease. Pre‐ and 14 days posttransplant activated cTFH were an independent protective factor for CMV infection (HR 0.41, p = .01; and 0.52, p = .02, respectively). KTR with low cTFH 7 days posttransplant (<11.9%) had lower CMV infection‐free survival than patients with high cTFH (28.2% vs. 67.6%, p = .002). cTFH were associated with CMV‐specific neutralizing antibodies (Nabs). In addition, IL‐21 increased interferon‐γ secretion by CMV‐specific CD8+ T cells in healthy controls. Thus, we show an association between cTFH and lower incidence of CMV infection, probably through their cooperation in CMV‐specific Nab production and IL‐21‐mediated enhancement of CD8+ T cell activity. Moreover, monitoring cTFH pre‐ and early posttransplant could improve CMV risk stratification and help select KTR catalogued at low/intermediate risk who could benefit from prophylaxis.
Circulatory T follicular helper cells may protect against cytomegalovirus reactivation by promoting neutralizing antibody production and fostering effector cellular responses by secreting IL‐21 and also may serve as a biomarker to identify CMV seropositive patients at high risk of cytomegalovirus reactivation.
This paper examines the relation between visitor behaviour and certain features of a number of major green spaces in the city of Granada, south-eastern Spain, focussing on key urban, ecological and ...landscape-related issues. Information on user profiles and numbers, the various uses made of these areas, their design, plant species richness and local urban and sociological background, was collected by means of in situ observation in a total of ten urban green spaces with surface areas of over 5000m2. Findings indicated that these spaces were used largely for purposes directly related to well-being: recreational and sporting activities, socialising, or simply relaxing. Interestingly, the most common activities in each space were governed by features intrinsic to the space itself: accessibility, design, maintenance and plant richness and distribution, all of which affected the health-related attributes and aesthetic value of the space. The study also highlighted a number of serious deficiencies in certain green spaces, which will need to be addressed in future action plans and replanning projects as an essential step in ensuring that they meet the real needs and expectations of the target population. The information provided by this research may prove particularly valuable for improving the systemic functions of green spaces in Mediterranean cities sharing similar bioclimatic and sociological features, and for ensuring that they fulfil the role assigned to green spaces in sustainable cities.
Primary health care (PHC) has increased in global relevance as it has been demonstrated to be a useful strategy to promote community access to health services. Multilateral organizations and national ...governments have reached a consensus regarding the basic principles of PHC, but the application of these varies from country to country due to the particularities of local health systems.This article aims to review and summarize PHC strategies and the configuration of health networks in Latin American and Caribbean countries.The review was carried out using keywords in at least 9 databases. Papers in languages other than English, Portuguese, and Spanish were excluded, while non-refereed articles and regional gray literature were incorporated. As a result, 1,146 papers were identified. After three instances of analysis, 142 articles were selected for this investigation. Data were analyzed according to an analysis by theme.The evidence collected on health reforms in the region reflects the need to intensify care strategies supported by PHC and care networks. These must be resilient to changes in the population's needs and must be able to adapt to contexts of epidemiological accumulation.
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