Maturational effect on physical capacities and anabolic hormones in under-16 elite footballers: a cross-sectional study

Sport Sciences for Health - The purposes of this study were to describe the fitness and hormonal levels according to playing time (PT) (i.e., PT during season less (PT1) or more (PT2) than 50% of...     

Chest pain on questionnaire and prediction of major ischaemic heart disease events in men

Objective To examine the prediction of major ischaemic heartdisease events by questionnaire-assessed chest pain and othersymptoms. Design Population-based prospective study. Subjects 7735 randomly selected men, aged 40–59 yearsat entry. Methods Symptoms and history of diagnosed ischaemic heart diseasewere ascertained by administered questionnaire at baseline.Follow-up was for an average of 14·7 years, for firstmajor ischaemic heart disease event. Results During follow-up, 969 men had a major ischaemic heartdisease event. ‘Definite’ angina (chest pain fulfillingall WHO criteria) and ‘possible’ angina (exertionalchest pain without all other WHO criteria) were associated withsimilar ischaemic heart disease outcome, and a single combinedangina category was used. In the whole cohort, the relativerisks (95% CI) of a major ischaemic heart disease event were2·03 (1·61, 2·57) for angina only, 2·13(1·72, 2·63) for possible myocardial infarctiononly and 4·50 (3·57, 5·66) for angina pluspossible myocardial infarction, compared to no chest pain. Therelative risk for recall of an ischaemic heart disease diagnosiswas 3·98 (3·36, 4·71). Only 33% of menwith angina or possible myocardial infarction symptoms recalleda previous ischaemic heart disease diagnosis. In men withoutrecall of an ischaemic heart disease diagnosis (in whom 82%of events during follow-up occurred), chest pain symptoms remainedpredictive of major ischaemic heart disease events with relativerisks (95% CI) of 1·69 (1·27, 2·24) forangina only, 1·49 (1·12, 1·97) for possiblemyocardial infarction only and 2·55 (1·44, 4·53)for angina plus possible myocardial infarction. ‘Otherchest pain’ increased risk of a major ischaemic heartdisease event by 1·19 (1·01, 1·40) comparedto no chest pain. Symptoms of breathlessness or calf pain onwalking increased ischaemic heart disease risk in men with ‘otherchest pain’ and in men without chest pain, but had nofurther effect on ischaemic heart disease risk in men with symptomsof angina or possible myocardial infarction. Conclusions In defining angina by chest pain questionnaire,the exertional component is the crucial criterion. When usingquestionnaire-assessed symptoms to determine ischaemic heartdisease risk, information on previous ischaemic heart diseasediagnoses should be taken into account. The majority of menwith angina or possible myocardial infarction symptoms do nothave a diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease, but they remainat significantly increased risk of a major ischaemic heart diseaseevent. The value of breathlessness and calf pain on walkingin stratifying ischaemic heart disease risk is restricted tomen with ‘other chest pain’ or no chest pain.     

Chronic withdrawal of a high-palatable obesity-inducing diet completely reverses metabolic and vascular abnormalities associated with dietary-obesity in the rat

Chronic consumption of a high-palatable diet induces obesity and markedly impairs arterial relaxation. We have recently reported that endothelial function is only partially resorted after acute withdrawal of palatable diet. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate the effects of chronic withdrawal of high-palatable obesity-inducing diet on metabolic and vascular function in rats. Wistar rats were fed either standard laboratory chow throughout (controls) or given a highly-palatable diet (diet-fed) for 15 weeks; or fed the diet for 8 weeks and then returned to chow (diet-to-chow) for further 7 weeks before sacrifice. Diet-fed rats had higher body weight, fat mass, liver and heart weight than both chow-fed and diet-to-chow groups (P<0.01 for all). Compared with chow-fed and diet-to-chow groups, diet-fed rats had significantly raised fasting plasma levels of insulin, leptin and triglycerides levels (each +180%; P<0.0001), but not glucose or non-esterified fatty acids. There were no significant differences between any metabolic parameters between chow-fed and diet-to-chow groups. Mesenteric arteries showed no significant differences between any groups in KCl-induced tension generation, while diet-fed groups had significantly higher noradrenaline-induced vasoconstriction than both chow-fed and diet-to-chow groups. Maximum endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation responses to carbamylcholine (CCh) were significantly (by 23%; P<0.001) attenuated in the diet-fed group. This defect was abolished in the diet-to-chow group. There were no significant differences in endothelium-independent vasorelaxation responses to sodium nitroprusside between the three groups. In conclusion, palatable diet induces obesity and metabolic abnormalities as well as a marked endothelial dysfunction. These abnormalities are completely reversed by chronic withdrawal of the obesity-inducing high-palatable diet.     

A randomized controlled trial of nursing home and long-stay geriatric ward care for elderly people.

This paper reports outcome data on mental and physical ability levels, mortality and accident rates, from a randomized controlled trial evaluating health authority funded nursing home and long-stay geriatric ward care in one inner London health district. There were no differences between settings in mortality rates, although respondents randomized to the nursing homes deteriorated more rapidly in overall, mental and functional ability levels. Previous analyses reported that they also experienced a higher accident rate than respondents in the wards. However, observational data from the evaluation clearly indicated that quality of life in the homes was superior to that in the wards. We conclude that the more rapid physical decline and greater risk of accident in the nursing homes have to be balanced against an inferior quality of life in the hospital, and that a judgement is not easy to make on behalf of other people.     

Green and ecofriendly bio-removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solution using biologically activated banana peel waste

Using of bio-wastes in dye adsorption is one of the greenest influential applied techniques for the removal of dyestuff from the industrial effluents and it considered as waste management. In the current study, banana peel waste (BPW) was used as an inexpensive and eco-friendly adsorbent for methylene blue (MB) dye. Mechanical pretreatment of BPW was carried out and followed by biological activation using Rhizopus microspores. MB dye was adsorbed by mechanically pretreated BPW (mBPW) by 31%. Moreover, the day nine fermented BPW fibers (mbBPW) is the best time for R. microspores to complete activation, where adsorption ratio reached to about 96.5%. Likewise, enzymes activity was recorded the highest activity after this period of fermentation, where enzymes activity of cellulase, xylanase, lignin peroxidase, poly phenol oxidase and laccase were 0.75, 0.68, 0.38, 0.55 and 0.32 U/ml, respectively. The FT-IR, SEM and BET were used to observe the effect of treatment on the BPW. Otherwise, the kinetics study is illustrated that the adsorption of MB with mbBPW fitted with pseudo-first-order kinetic models. However, the adsorption parameters indicated that the Langmuir model is better to describe the adsorption of dye with excellent maximum adsorption capacity 991 mg/g. In conclusion, biologically activated BPW is very efficient for dye adsorption as well as waste management.     

The effect of light-emitting diode and laser on mandibular growth in rats

Objective:To evaluate the effect of a light-emitting diode (LED) and/or low-level laser (LLL) with or without the use of anterior bite jumping appliances (also known as functional appliances [FAs]) on mandibular growth in rats.Materials and Methods:Thirty-six 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 200 g were obtained from Charles River Canada (St. Constant, QC, Canada) and were divided into six groups of six animals each. Groups were as follows: group 1: LLL; group 2: LLL + FA; group 3: LED; group 4: LED + FA; group 5: FA; and group 6: control (no treatment). Mandibular growth was evaluated by histomorphometric and micro computed tomographic (microCT) analyses.Results:The LED and LED + FA groups showed an increase in all condylar tissue parameters compared with other groups.Conclusion:The LED-treated groups showed more mandibular growth stimulation compared with the laser groups.     

A needs assessment survey of dental public health graduate education in Saudi Arabia

Objectives

The Faculty of Dentistry at King Abdulaziz University (KAU) is planning to develop a master’s program in dental public health (DPH). To develop a curriculum for this program, a needs assessment was conducted in order to identify the level of DPH expertise that currently exists in Saudi Arabia, to identify gaps in knowledge, and to explore current perceptions regarding this type of program.

Methods

A competency-based survey instrument was administered to private and government affiliated dental practitioners in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and competencies in DPH were assessed. In addition, questions were submitted that addressed preferred strategies of teaching, curriculum delivery methods, course content, and prerequisites for DPH. These data were combined with data previously collected from dentists holding academic positions at KAU (n = 146) and were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System version 9.3 software. Mean values and frequencies were calculated for the study variables. Proportional odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated to assess differences in educational preferences and DPH competencies according to age, gender, and qualification.

Results

Most of the participants (95%) reported a need for a DPH graduate program. The respondents had a basic knowledge of DPH and moderate experience in DPH competencies. A variety of preferred educational strategies and methods were identified and differences in educational preferences according to age, gender, and qualification of the respondents were identified. The responses obtained also acknowledged skills and competencies that the participants considered most important for a DPH practice and that would be important for students accepted into a DPH graduate program.

Conclusions

This needs assessment survey represents a preliminary step in establishing a DPH graduate program that addresses current gaps in knowledge and in the practice of public health dentistry. This survey also provided valuable feedback regarding the development of course content for a graduate education program in DPH.