Significant Favorable Changes Research Articles

Abstract 4119635: The Effect of Exercise Training on Apolipoproteins: A Trial Sequence Meta-Analysis.

Background: The role of lipoprotein sub-units in the development of CVD not as well understood as for the standard lipid profile. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effect of Exercise training (ExTr) effect on common lipid sub-units. Methods: We conducted a systematic search for randomized, controlled trials of ExTr versus sedentary controls that reported lipid sub-units Apo AI, Apo AII, Apo B, HDL-2, HDL-3 and Lp(a) up until January 31, 2024. Results: We included 24 included studies with 27 intervention groups, with a total of 1,429 participants, 775 ExTr and 654 control. We found significant favourable anti-atherogenic changes in Apo A1; MD 5.96 mg/dL 95% CI (3.63, 8.30); Apo B; MD -0.11 mg/dL (-0.19, -0.04); HDL-2; MD 1.28 mg/dL 95% CI (0.28, 2.28). Our TSA analysis showed that futility was achieved for Apo A1, but not for Apo B and HDL-2. The minimal clinically important differences (MCID) for Apo A1, Apo B and HDL-2 were 0.76 mg/dL, 0.02 mg/dL and 0.26 mg/DL respectively, meaning ExTr is capable of adequately achieving clinical significance for these 3 outcomes. Analyses of Apo A2, Lp(a)and HDL-3 were not significant and these TSA analyses failed to show futility. Conclusion: ExTr produces significant improvements in ApoA1, Apo B and HDL-2, with the MCID achieved and evidence of futility reached for all three of these outcomes. The effect of ExTr on Apo A2, Lp(a)and HDL-3 is unclear as futility has not been reached. ExTr changes observed in Apo AI are similar in size to those from statin trials that were associated with an 11% reduction in CV events.

ARE THERE NON-RESPONDERS TO HIIT IN CANCER SURVIVORS? CHANGES IN CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS, BODY COMPOSITION AND SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION

INTRODUCTION High intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to elicit significant improvements in VO2peak in cancer survivors. Only 46-60% of healthy individuals are reported to respond to exercise interventions, though this rate has not been investigated in cancer survivors. AIMS: To determine the response rate in cancer survivors over 28-weeks of HIIT as measured by changes in cardiorespiratory fitness. Secondarily, the study aimed to observe associations between changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition and inflammatory markers. METHODS 131 survivors of breast, prostate or colorectal cancer were observed over 28-weeks of HIIT (4x4 minutes; 85-95% HRpeak). VO2peak, body composition and markers of systemic inflammation were assessed at baseline, four-, 16- and 28-weeks. An improvement in VO2peak of 3.5 ml.kg-1.min-1 was used as a standard of minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Body composition was measured using DEXA, and inflammatory markers were assessed for each timepoint. RESULTS 59.6% of participants improved their VO2peak greater than MCID (+3.5 ml.kg-1.min-1) and these individuals were retrospectively classified as responders. Responders showed improvements in VO2peak at four- and 16-weeks and maintained this change through to 28-weeks (0-4 weeks: +2.92 ml.kg-1.min-1, p<0.001; 0-16 weeks: +5.70 ml.kg-1.min-1, p<0.001; and 0-28 weeks: +5.30 ml.kg-1.min-1, p<0.001). No significant change in VO2peak was seen in non-responders (40.4%). Time since treatment, cancer type, and cancer treatment were all found to contribute to a model predicting VO2peak change (R=0.464, R2 = 21.5%., adj R2=16.1%, p<0.001). Body composition and inflammatory markers improved in response to training however were not associated with VO2peak change. CONCLUSIONS HIIT elicited a MCID in VO2peak in almost 60% of cancer survivors. Independent to VO2peak change and cancer type, survivors showed significant favourable changes in inflammation and body composition in response to training.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Heart Transplant Recipients: A Review

Organ transplantation is a therapeutic alternative for patients with end-stage organ failure resulting from chronic or acute disease. In this context, health-related quality of life is an important multidimensional concept to evaluate the benefits of transplantation. To identify changes in health-related quality of life experienced by heart transplant patients. Systematic review of cross-sectional, prospective, qualitative studies published in English from January 2020 to December 2022 in Cochrane Library, Medline, OVID, PubMed, and Web of Science, following PRISMA guidelines. We identified forty-three articles, 21 cross-sectional, 10 prospective, and 12 qualitative, in addition to including information on the pre-transplant stage. A significant favorable change in most quality-of-life parameters is verified, which is persistent even after 20 years. Heart transplantation represents a successful therapeutic alternative that not only prolongs life but also makes it possible to achieve an adequate health-related quality of life. Family and social support are crucial elements that impact adjustment and quality of life during the pre- and post-transplant process.

Effects of Elastodontic Appliance on the Pharyngeal Airway Space in Class II Malocclusion

Background: The present study analyzed the changes obtained on the upper airway and hyoid bone dimensions in a group of patients with skeletal Class II malocclusion treated with functional elastodontic devices compared to an untreated control group. Methods: A group of 33 patients (19 females and 14 males) with Class II malocclusion treated with AMCOP® SC elastodontic device was compared with a control group of 35 subjects (17 females and 18 males) with untreated Class II malocclusion. Lateral cephalograms were available at the start (T0) and end of treatment/period of observation (T1). Cephalometric analysis was performed and linear measurements to evaluate airway space and hyoid bone position were also obtained. A multivariate analysis of variance for repeated measures (MANOVA) was performed to determine the effects of interactions for the groups for time. Results: Statistically significant differences were found in the study group from T0 and T1 with an improvement of superior upper airway (SPAS p < 0.0001), while in the control group it did not change in a statistically significant way from T0 to T1. The MANOVA test showed statistically significant differences between the two groups for the changes of SPAS (p = 0.003), IAS (p = 0.049), and H-C3 vertical (p = 0.038) values. Conclusions: Functional elastodontic therapy produced significant favorable airway changes in skeletal class II subjects.

The interrelationship between barriers impeding the adoption of off-site construction in developing countries: The case of Chile

Off-site construction (OSC) has been recognized for its capacity to transform the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry from a labour-intensive to a modernized and sustainable industry. OSC is growing in developed countries; however, in developing countries, there are deep barriers that do not allow for significant changes in favour of OSC adoption. To understand and overcome these challenges, many studies have identified numerous OSC barriers but mostly consider them isolated. This approach has been shown to be ineffective because several barriers interact simultaneously, and many of them are not easily visible. Therefore, this research develops a systemic approach to understanding the interrelationship of OSC barriers, doing so in the context of the AEC industry of Chile. Based on a multidimensional analysis, the current methodology consisted of (i) an extensive literature review and several discussions with experts to determine the main OSC barriers and their dimensions, (ii) impact measurement and prioritization of OSC barriers, (iii) qualitative and quantitative correlation using statistical tools, and (iv) network analysis. The research identified ten dimensions containing 74 OSC barriers. These dimensions address the areas related to cultural aspects, quality, market, finance, design and development, innovation and technology, people's skills, policies and regulations, documentation and communication, and logistics. The results suggest that the main OSC barriers are the poor leading role of the government in promoting OSC, lack of early integration of the value chain, lack of collaborative work among stakeholders, and conservatism of the AEC industry. Furthermore, the research results show that this approach rigorously identifies the interrelationship among OSC barriers, demonstrating the systemic behaviour of OSC barriers in which they enhance their impact by interacting with each other even with barriers outside their own dimensions.

CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT ALTERNATIVES TO REMOVE STAINS DUE TO DENTAL FLUOROSIS TYPE IV. IN VITRO STUDY

Introduction: Type IV dental fluorosis compromises the aesthetic and psychological expectations of patients. The main cause is excessive intake of fluoride during dental development. Conservative treatments for the removal of some pigmentations are microabrasion and combination with tooth whitening. There are new products on the market, such as Antivet®, which is proposed in this study for comparison with other treatments. Materials and methods: 12 dental organs were stored in 0.2% thymol at 37°C, which were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 (OP): (n=3) Opalustre®, group 2 (OP+PH): (n=3) treated with Opalustre® adding Whiteness HP Maxx 35%®, group 3 (ANT) (n=3): treated with Antivet® and group 4 (ANT+PH): (n=3) treated with Antivet® and Whiteness HP Maxx 35%®. Microabrasion was performed with Opalustre® for 60 seconds at 10 intervals for a total of 10 minutes of exposure. The abrasion with Antivet® was carried out for 10 minutes, at the end the neutralizing solution of the same treatment was placed for one minute. Whiteness HP Maxx 35%® was applied seven days after the treatments with Opalustre® and Antivet®, for 15 minutes, making 2 more applications for a total of 45 minutes of exposure. The specimens were taken to SEM/EDS (JEOL FE-SEM JSM-7800F) and color measurements were taken with VITA EasyShade V ® spectrophotometer. Statistical process control: The Kolmogórov-Smirnov test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed with a significance level of .05 in the statistical package IBM SPSS Statistics 23. Results: in the ANT group, SEM images show the loss of the aprismatic layer and an etched surface in which the periphery of the enamel prisms appeard removed. On the ANT+PH group an etched surface was observed around the enamel rods, slight erosion and porosity on the enamels surface. In the mineral content there was a statistically significant difference between the study groups of the minerals C, P, F and Ca (p < 0.05) For the color measurement, there was a statistically significant difference in the ΔE value between the OP group compared to the ANT group with a p-value of 0.031, being the highest value in ANT. Conclusion: The Antivet® treatment showed a more significant favorable color change in the L*, a*, and b* values, as well as an increase in the concentration of Ca and P.

Effect of maxillary and mandibular extrusion arches on dentoskeletal changes in adults with anterior open bite: a quantitative analysis.

To quantify dentoskeletal changes accompanying the use of extrusion arches during the treatment of anterior open bite (AOB) in adults. A total of 23 adult patients with an AOB of -3.05 mm ± 1.27 mm were treated with upper and lower extrusion arches after the alignment phase. Lateral cephalograms were taken before placement of the extrusion arch, immediately after closure of the open bite (T2), and at the end of orthodontic treatment (T3). Data were statistically analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance and the Bonferroni post hoc test for pairwise comparisons (α = 0.05). Successful closure of AOB, with an overall change in overbite of 4.73 ± 1.93 mm, was achieved in an average of 3.8 months and remained stable at T3. Upper and lower incisors were significantly extruded by 2.05 mm ± 0.72 mm and 2.54 mm ± 1.63 mm, respectively, and significantly retroclined by 6.36° ± 1.63° and 8.45° ± 3.83°, respectively, with a resultant increase in the interincisal angle of 12.80° ± 2.09°. Statistically significant intrusion and mesial tipping (P < .001) of the maxillary and mandibular first molars were observed at T2. Dentoskeletal changes remained stable at T3, except for a significant reduction of the mesial tipping of the maxillary and mandibular first molars. The combined use of maxillary and mandibular extrusion arches resulted in significant favorable dentoskeletal changes that led to the successful closure of AOB during a short duration of treatment.

E‐mobility in Slovakia by 2030—End of oil dependency?

AbstractMore European countries seriously depend on oil supplies from Russia primarily via one pipeline, which makes energy security weaker. This energy balance brings a massive problem for the import intensity; therefore, e‐mobility might be a potential solution for the trade deficits of many European countries. Battery Electric Vehicles and Plug‐In Hybrid Electric vehicles have been introduced within the priorities of the EC but also by car manufacturing companies worldwide. By 2050, massive growth of Electric vehicles (EVs) is expected, and significant changes in favour of electric cars have to be observed in new car sales till 2030. The article's main objective is to investigate whether and to what extent new sales of e‐cars bring lower oil imports to Slovakia. The authors use three scenarios (based on regression models) differentiating market force intensity and regulation stringency till 2030. The significant findings of the models provide an estimated number of EVs on Slovak roads in 2030 and significant oil import cuts stemming from oil import substitution. The conclusion suggests that by 2030, Slovak oil imports will only slightly decrease due to e‐mobility penetration, even in the most optimistic scenario.

Long-term evaluation of soft tissue profile changes induced by Herbst appliance followed by fixed appliances

The present investigation aimed to evaluate, by cephalometric analysis, the soft tissue profile changes in adolescents with Class II Division 1 malocclusion, treated with Herbst appliance (Stage I) and fixed appliances (Stage II), followed-up for an average of 4 years (Stage III). The adolescents were divided into two groups: treated group (TG) - 33 adolescents with Class II malocclusions (17 boys and 16 girls) consecutively treated with Herbst appliance and fixed appliances; control group (CG) - 28 adolescents (13 boys and 15 girls) with untreated Class II malocclusions. Lateral cephalograms were obtained immediately before (T1) and after (T2) Herbst treatment, after fixed appliances (T3), and on average, 4 years after orthodontic treatment. Intergroup comparison was evaluated by t or Mann-Whitney tests. The TG was evaluated by analysis of variance followed by Tukey test or Friedman test followed by Dunn’s test. Compared to the CG, the TG showed significant favorable changes at Stage I: decrease in facial convexity, upper lip retrusion, lower lip protrusion, improvement of soft tissue pogonion and increase in mentolabial angle. The total posttreatment period (T2-T4) of the TG showed: increase in H line-Prn, and upper and lower lips retrusion, while the others variables remained stable. This study suggests that Herbst therapy improved features of soft tissue facial profile, which were maintained after fixed appliances and for an average of 4 years posttreatment, although the convex facial characteristic has prevailed.

Evaluation of Skeletal, Dentoalveolar, and Sagittal Airway Changes Induced by the Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance (MARA) in Class II Malocclusion: A Retrospective Controlled Study on Lateral Cephalograms

The aim of the study was to evaluate the changes in skeletal, dentoalveolar, and airway dimensions induced by the mandibular anterior repositioning appliance (MARA) in the treatment of Class II malocclusion. A group of 24 Class II patients treated with MARA was evaluated with lateral cephalograms at the start (13.8 ± 2 years) and at the end of treatment (15.7 ± 1.9 years) and compared with a matched untreated Class II group of 20 subjects selected from the archive of the AOOF Legacy. Statistical comparisons were performed with the Student’s t-test. No significant differences were observed for the sagittal airway dimensions. The MARA group showed a significant improvement of Wits (−1.4 mm; p = 0.009) and ANB angle (−0.6°; p = 0.038), a reduction in the overjet (−1.9 mm; p = 0.001), of the overbite (−1.5 mm; p = 0.005), an improvement of molar relationship (1.8 mm; p = 0.000) and a proclination of the lower incisors (2.7°; p = 0.012). During active treatment, MARA did not produce significant favorable changes in the sagittal airway dimensions in Class II subjects when compared with untreated controls. Clinically, these findings highlighted that MARA was able to provide an effective correction of Class II malocclusion with favorable dentoskeletal changes.

Evaluation of Two Training Programs Designed to Enhance Performance on the Army Combat Fitness Test Among ROTC Cadets.

Physical fitness is foundational to the U.S. Army as a component of combat readiness, and accurate assessment of readiness is imperative for mission success and soldiers' health and safety. To this end, the Army has developed the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), which more accurately assesses these abilities and may aid development of a more combat-ready force. Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) programs nationwide are often challenged by limited structured training time, as well as access to equipment and training space. Development and/or adaptation of a training program that addresses these limitations would benefit ROTC programs nationally. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare a standard military fitness training program to High-Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) in ROTC cadets. We hypothesized that a HIFT program would be more effective than the standard military program developed by the DoD on both ACFT performance and assessment of common Warrior Tasks and Battle Drills (WTBDs). This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Colorado State University (CSU). Participants were recruited from CSU's Army ROTC program. Before and upon completion of the training intervention, participants completed a battery of testing, conducted over three visits. The first visit consisted of body composition assessment and measurement of aerobic capacity (VO2max). Visit 2 was the ACFT, and Visit 3 was a "benchmark test" to assess WTBD performance. Participants then completed 10 weeks of group training. Once weekly, participants completed the Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes (DALDA) survey to monitor the risk of overtraining. Responses to training and survey responses were examined using two-way analysis of variance (time × group) with repeated measures. Baseline characteristics were compared using Student's t-test to assess pre-intervention differences between groups. Pearson product correlations were used to test relationships between ACFT performance, body composition, and performance on the benchmark assessment. The significance level alpha was set at P < .05. Twenty-five men and 10 women competed the study (n = 35). Mean age was 19.8 ± 1.3 years, range 18-23. There were no significant changes in absolute or relative VO2max within or between groups. We found no difference in body mass, but did find a small but statistically significant favorable change in body composition, with no difference between groups. Overall ACFT scores and scores in five of the six events increased significantly across both groups, with no significant differences between groups. For the benchmark test, there was no significant difference between pre- and post-intervention benchmark scores, time to completion, 1,600-m ruck time, or accuracy. DALDA survey results indicate no apparent risk for overtraining. Three 60-minute sessions per week of moderate-high-intensity training elicited improvements in ACFT scores, with no statistically significant differences between training programs. For this population of ROTC cadets, implementing a structured training program with expert oversight appears to be effective. Based on the successes and unanticipated challenges encountered in this study, training programs that emphasize intensity, train a wide variety of movements, maximize adherence, and are adaptable to a variety of situations are likely to be successful at improving ACFT scores.

Uptake and effectiveness of a primary cardiovascular prevention program in an underserved multiethnic urban community

Background and aimsCardiometabolic risk is increased among disadvantaged people and ethnic minorities. Paradoxically, their uptake of primary cardiovascular prevention is relatively low. New strategies are needed to tackle this public health problem. Aims of this study were to assess the uptake (as well as its determinants) and effectiveness of a primary cardiovascular prevention program for communities devised to facilitate access of disadvantaged and inclusion of ethnic minorities in addition to providing a state-of-the-art interdisciplinary personalized care. Methods and resultsSingle center, hospital-based, open study. All the residents in an underserved multiethnic urban community aged 40–65 years (n = 1646, 43.6% immigrants) were proactively invited by post mail to participate in a cardiovascular prevention program and different approaches were adopted to promote accessibility and inclusiveness. Program uptake was 23% and individual features independently associated with program uptake were status of immigrant (OR [CI 95%]: 3.6 [2.6–5.1]), higher educational level (3.6 [2.8–4.7]), and female gender (1.6 [1.2–2.1]). Retention was 82% at 6 months and 69% at 12 months. A predefined outcome of global cardiovascular risk improvement at 12 months in subjects with glycaemia >126 mg/dl, LDL-C >115 mg/dl, systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg or BMI >28 at baseline was reached in 35%, 33%, 37% and 7% of the patients, respectively. 20% of smokers quitted and significant favorable changes were reported in diet quality, anxiety, depression and physical activity. ConclusionAccess inequalities to effective prevention may be counteracted, but increasing global uptake requires further upstream sensitization and awareness actions. Registered in ClinicalTrials.govNCT03129165.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of effect of yoga and meditation on endothelial system

Abstract Background/Introduction Endothelial dysfunction plays an important role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Studies reported either an improvement in endothelial function by yoga and meditation or no significant effect. A systematic review and meta-analysis of effect of yoga on endothelial function is not available. Purpose The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the effectiveness of yoga and meditation on endothelial function in healthy subjects or patients of any age or gender. Methods Authors performed a systematic search for relevant research studies as per the PRISMA guidelines. The Pubmed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Cochrane controlled register of trials (CENTRAL) were screened from inception to November 2020. The search strategy was constructed around yoga based techniques, meditation and endothelial function. All the yoga-based interventional studies on endothelial function: controlled, uncontrolled, randomized, non-randomized and cross-over were included for this review. A narrative synthesis and descriptive analysis was done due to diverse methodology of all selected studies. We carried out a formal meta-analysis of controlled trials that assessed flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) which is a gold-standard measure of endothelial function.The quality of the studies was assessed using Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) tool. Results A total of 18 studies were included for review involving 1024 participants. Of these, 10 were RCT, one randomized cross-over study, 4 non-randomized studies and three single-group (before-after) studies. The total duration of yoga intervention ranged from 10 days to 52 weeks. Among the 18 selected studies, yoga training showed a significant favorable change in the measures of endothelial function in 12 studies (involving either healthy individuals or patients with coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, migraine and dysmenorrhea) while 6 studies did not find any significant effect. Among the 15 controlled trials, 7 assessed FMD while the remaining evaluated different biomarkers of endothelial function such as circulating endothelial microparticles, asymmetric dimethyl arginine, nitric oxide or endothelin-1. Hence the results of 7 controlled trials assessing FMD were included for meta-analysis (n=384 participants) which showed a significant increase in brachial FMD by yoga practice (Mean difference = −2.02%, 95% CI: −3.72, −0.32, p=0.02). The heterogeneity between the studies was 76% (τ2=3.31, χ2=25.28) (Fig. 1). Conclusions Yoga and meditation can significantly improve endothelial function in healthy individuals and patients with cardiovascular disease or risk factors. Yoga and meditation can be applied clinically as a lifestyle modality for endothelial protection and cardiovascular prevention and rehabilitation. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Initiation and long-term use of tolvaptan for patients with worsening heart failure through hospital and clinic cooperation.

ABSTRACTWorsening heart failure (WHF) has a negative impact on the prognosis of patients with heart failure. Adequate management of non-hospitalized episodes of WHF, regarded as “outpatient WHF”, may reduce the frequency of emergent/urgent hospitalization for acute heart failure; thus, the patients’ cardiac parameters return to their clinical baseline. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of tolvaptan initiation during planned hospitalization of patients with “outpatient WHF” through hospital and clinic cooperation. The data from 28 patients with outpatient WHF referred by general practitioners to hospital were assessed. Tolvaptan administration was initiated during planned hospitalization and continued in the clinics. Patients were followed-up for 12 months. None of the patients required withdrawal of tolvaptan due to adverse effects. During the follow-up period, the loop diuretic dosage significantly decreased. There were significant favorable changes in the levels of serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, natriuretic peptide and body weight. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that the cardiac death- and HF-related hospitalization-free survival rates were significantly higher among the patients who were administered tolvaptan for the outpatient WHF than the propensity score-matched patients who were administered tolvaptan for acute heart failure requiring emergent/urgent hospitalization. In conclusion, tolvaptan may be safe and effective for the long-term management of outpatient WHF through hospital and clinic cooperation.

Longevity and reproductive traits in Angus cattle: Genetic parameters, predicted and realized genetic change

The objectives of this study were to estimate genetic parameters for longevity and reproductive and to evaluate their likely consequences on selection. We used calving records of 10,517 Aberdeen Angus cows, born between 1975 and 2012, with first calving in spring, from bulls with 5 or more daughters, herds with 25 or more observations, and pertaining to contemporary groups of 5 or more cows. Longevity variables were length of productive life (LPL) and stayability at 5 years (ST5); the reproductive variables were days to first calving (days1), calving success at second parity (CS2), and success of having the first three consecutive calvings (S3). CS2, S3 and ST5 were defined as binary, and days1 and LPL as continuous variables. A multi-trait, threshold-linear model was used, including contemporary group effects (herd-year of birth; days1 also included management group), age at first calving (covariate), and the genetic effect of the animal. Given the parameters, five strategies were explored to predict annual genetic progress: selection of 5% or 25% of progeny tested males, with progeny groups of 5 or 15 daughters (no selection in females), and mass selection of 75% in females (no selection in males). Annual realized genetic trends and correlated responses when selecting for ST5, CS2 or S3 were also calculated. The estimates (mean ± standard deviation a posteriori) of heritability for longevity traits were 0.08±0.03 for LPL and 0.11±0.05 for ST5; for reproductive traits, estimations were 0.08±0.02 for days1, 0.23±0.04 for S3, and 0.24±0.04 for CS2. The genetic correlation between LPL and ST5 was favourable and large (0.79); and were also favourable and large for reproductive characteristics (negative, -0.66 for days1-S3 and -0.73 for days1-CS2, and positive, +0.83 for S3-CS2). Correlations between longevity and reproduction were variable, from not different from zero (days1 with ST5 and LPL) to medium (+0.45 for ST5-S3). Realized annual genetic trends indicated small but significant favourable changes for ST5 and LPL, and unfavorable for days1, CS2 and S3. Correlated responses were, in general, also favourable, although less than the progress achieved by direct selection. There are wide possibilities for genetic improvement in these characteristics.

ESTRATEGIA PILOTO DE TRANSFERENCIA TECNOLÓGICA DE LIXIVIADO PARA HIGO EN IXEHUACO, XOCHIAPULCO, PUEBLA, MEXICO

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; Since 1942, no public or private research institution in our country has generated methodological applications in the field on the subject of Agricultural Technology Transfer with a systemic approach. &lt;strong&gt;Objective. &lt;/strong&gt;Understand the complex processes and relationships in the operation of a strategy&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;for figs in Ixehuaco, Xochiapulco, Puebla. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology. &lt;/strong&gt;The research described in this document belongs to the General project for the Massification of Agricultural Technology Transfer. This begins with a phase of Diagnosis-Diagnostic to understand the transmission are the main problems in the chosen territory; where the second order observer in a process of identification of innovators will be responsible for conducting a demonstration plot composed of three phases: 1. Application of a questionnaire to find out how much they know about leachate. 2. Theoretical-practical explanation. 3. Application of the initial questionnaire which with a before and after test (McNemar) is known what is the level of technology transferred. &lt;strong&gt;Results. &lt;/strong&gt;The Strategy implemented within what includes the different forms of fertilization and the demonstration; achieved significant favorable changes in the management of leachate technology in agroecosystem controllers (McNemar 5.82; gl = 1.0; Chi²= 0.016). &lt;strong&gt;Implications.&lt;/strong&gt; The application of the systemic approach in the subject of technology transfer is fundamental to be seen as an organized totality, where all the actors can be involved. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusions. &lt;/strong&gt;The theories used plausibly helped to understand the behavior of the studied Social System, so the strategy for the transfer of applied agricultural technology achieved positive changes in the producer´s knowledge about the leachate technology used for fertilization in fig cultivation. The factors involved in the adoption of technology in fig cultivation, in order of importance were: cultural, social, political, economic and human.&lt;/p&gt;

Benefits of Resistance Training in Early and Late Stages of Frailty and Sarcopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies.

Sarcopenia and frailty are age-related syndromes with negative effects on the quality of life of older people and on public health costs. Although extensive research has been carried out on the effects of physical exercise and physical syndromes, there is a knowledge gap when it comes to the effect of resistance training on muscular strength, physical performance, and body composition at early (prevention) and late (treatment) stages in both syndromes combined. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis (CRD42019138253) to gather the evidence of randomized controlled trials examining the effects of resistance training programs lasting ≥8 weeks on strength, physical function, and body composition of adults ≥65 years old diagnosed with pre-sarcopenia, sarcopenia, pre-frailty, or frailty. A search from the earliest record up to and including December 2020 was carried out using the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. A total of 25 studies (n = 2267 participants) were included. Meta-analysis showed significant changes in favour of resistance training for handgrip (ES = 0.51, p = 0.001) and lower-limb strength (ES = 0.93, p < 0.001), agility (ES = 0.78, p = 0.003), gait speed (ES = 0.75, p < 0.001), postural stability (ES = 0.68, p = 0.007), functional performance (ES = 0.76, p < 0.001), fat mass (ES = 0.41, p = 0.001), and muscle mass (ES = 0.29, p = 0.002). Resistance training during early stages had positive effects in all variables during early stages (ES > 0.12), being particularly effective in improving gait speed (ES = 0.63, p = 0.016) and functional strength (ES = 0.53, p = 0.011). Based on these results, resistance training should be considered as a highly effective preventive strategy to delay and attenuate the negative effects of sarcopenia and frailty in both early and late stages.

Outcome comparison between radiochemotherapy and surgery in the management of locally advanced non-metastatic laryngeal cancer a single institution experience

he treatment of locally advanced non-metastatic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma is very controversial. Total laryngectomy associated with lymph node dissection and adjuvant radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy is considered the gold standard treatment. The functional impairment on voice and breathing that result from this approach called for discussion of preservation of this organ. Since the publication of the Veterans' Study in 1991 on laryngeal cancer and the confirmation by subsequent randomized trials of an equivalent survival, treatment strategies for advanced laryngeal carcinoma have shown significant changes in favour of an organ-sparing approach by chemoradiotherapy. Purpose: We aim to assess the outcome of locally advanced non-metastatic laryngeal cancer classified as (T3NxM0 -T4NxM0) by comparing the carcinological results and the survival at one and three years between two cohorts of patients, one treated by surgery and the other by organ preservation protocols. Between the two series, we will analyze the carcinological outcomes, local control, local and lymph node recurrence, distant metastases, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival, lymph Node-free survival, and metastatic evolution. Results: 106 patients were treated for locally advanced squamous cell laryngeal carcinoma of the ENT department and radiation Oncology department of Mohamed VI University hospital between January 2014 and December 2018; Sixty-three patients in surgery group I and forty-three patients in group II went on organ sparing approach by radiochemotherapy. The two groups were compared according to local tumor control, local recurrence, lymph node recurrence, and distant metastasis. Early deaths and patients who were lost to follow-up were excluded from this analysis. The average age was 61 years in the surgery group versus 60 years in the RCC. The male predominance was marked in both treatment groups, 102 were male (96.23%) and only 4 female (3.77 %.).88.7% were smokers with an average consumption of 26.4 package-years. Only 15% of our smoking patients reported a withdrawal period estimated at two months on average. Alcohol-smoking synergy was observed in 19% of cases. In the surgery group, 47 patients or 83.9% had local tumor control compared to 12 patients or 41.4% in the radio-chemotherapy group with a statistically significant difference p&lt;0.0001. Local recurrence was observed in 8 patients (14.5%) in the surgery group against 6 patients (46.2%) in the radio-chemotherapy cohort with a p= 0.02. We noted that there was a large number of missing data (30 patients) in the radio-chemotherapy group due to the large number of patients who were lost to follow-up, early deaths, and patients who did not progress well after treatment. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of lymph node recurrence and metastatic progression. At 1 year, Overall survival was 87.9% of patients were alive (n=51 out of 58) in the surgery arm versus 60.6% (n=20 out of 33) in the radio-chemotherapy arm. At 3 years overall survival was 77.5% for surgery versus 48.4% for radiotherapy (p= 0.005).Lymph node free recurrence and metastatic free progression at 1 year was 94.5% in the surgery group compared with 84.6% for radio-chemotherapy. Survival at 3 years was 85.4% versus 53.8% respectively (p=0.05).In the chemoradiation therapy group, there were 30 missing data due to a large number of deaths and loss of the follow-up during the first year without any indication of the presence or absence of recurrence, compared to 8 missing data for the radio-chemotherapy group. Conclusion: The optimal treatment for advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx is highly controversial. Total laryngectomy associated with cervical lymph node dissection remains the gold standard of treatment but organ-sparing protocols are as effective as surgical therapy. However, in our study, total laryngectomy plus lymph node dissection showed better survival outcomes in terms of locoregional control and significantly increased overall survival and recurrence-free survival. This makes surgery the treatment of choice in the management of locally advanced non-metastatic laryngeal cancer in our single institutional Moroccan setting. Possible reasons for these results may be poor patient selection, inadequate follow-up, incomplete treatment, and interrupted treatment sessions but also the long delay in consultation. Patients and professionals should be made aware of the small but significant disadvantage of the non-surgical therapy approach as part of the shared decision-making process when selecting treatment. Both surgery and radio-chemotherapy can be effective if the treatment indications are well directed. These indications depend on several many several parameters and should be considered at the multidisciplinary consultation meetings and adapted on a case-by-case basis.

A Strip-Till One-Pass System as a Component of Conservation Agriculture

Conservation agriculture has three main pillars, i.e., minimum tillage, permanent soil cover, and crop rotation. Covering the soil surface with plant residues and minimum mechanical soil disturbance can all result from introducing a strip-till one-pass (ST-OP) system. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the ST-OP technology on the management of plant residues, soil properties, inputs, and emissions related to crop cultivation. We compared the effect of a ST-OP system against conventional tillage (CT) using a plough, and against reduced, non-ploughing tillage (RT). Four field experiments were conducted for evaluating the covering of soil with plant residues of the previous crop, soil loss on a slope exposed to surface soil runoff, soil structure and aggregate stability, occurrence of soil organisms and glomalin content, soil moisture and soil water reserve during plant sowing, labour and fuel inputs, and CO2 emissions. After sowing plants using ST-OP, 62.7–82.0% of plant residues remained on the soil surface, depending on the previous crop and row spacing. As compared with CT, the ST-OP system increased the stability of soil aggregates of 0.25–2.0 mm diameter by 12.7%, glomalin content by 0.08 g·kg−1, weight of earthworms five-fold, bacteria and fungi counts, and moisture content in the soil; meanwhile, it decreased soil loss by 2.57–6.36 t·ha−1 year−1, labour input by 114–152 min·ha−1, fuel consumption by 35.9–45.8 l·ha−1, and CO2 emissions by 98.7–125.9 kg·ha−1. Significant favourable changes, as compared with reduced tillage (RT), were also found with respect to the stability index of aggregates of 2.0–10.0 mm diameter, the number and weight of earthworms, as well as bacteria and fungi counts.

Physical development in the early years: the impact of a daily movement programme on young children’s physical development

ABSTRACT Poor physical development in young children has been shown to impact readiness for school, behaviour, social development and academic achievement. This research sought to explore whether a physical intervention programme (Movement for Learning) can improve children’s physical development. The Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd edition, MABC-2) was used to assess 108 children (aged 4–5) from three schools in the UK at the start and end of the Reception Year (4–5 years). A monitoring and evaluation survey was completed by 37 teachers which highlighted ways in which the programme had impacted children. Univariate ANOVA using change scores showed significant changes in favour of the intervention group who had undertaken the movement programme.