Combined endurance and resistance circuit training in highly trained/top-level female race walkers: a case report

Race walking can be considered as a long-distance performance and it can be described as the technical and athletic expression of fast walking. The physiological determinants of these performances have been well documented; moreover, several recent studies demonstrated that concurrent strength and endurance training can improve performance in endurance athletes. Thus, the purpose of this report was to monitor the adaptations of a combined strength, performed by circuit resistance training (CRT), and endurance programme in two top level female race walkers. The subjects were examined before and after 12 weeks of CRT and endurance training and performed an incremental field test to determine maximum oxygen uptake (.VO_2max), running economy (RE) and lactate threshold (LT). The results showed that 12 weeks of combined CRT and endurance programme did not correspond to an alteration in.VO_2max and RE, while improvements in LT and 5-km performance were seen.     

Postoperative bleeding following notchplasty in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: thermal radio frequency versus powered instrumentation

This study compared postoperative bleeding during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction following notchplasty by power instrumentation with that following radiofrequency. Between January 1998 and April 1998 we prospectively divided 24 consecutive patients undergoing arthroscopic ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft into two groups. Notchplasty was performed by powered instrumentation in group A (n=12) and by radiofrequency in group B (n=12). Two Redi-Vac suction drains were placed, one intra-articularly and the other subcutaneously at the harvest site and tibial tunnel. All drains were removed 48 h postoperatively. The first drainage measurement (end of surgery, 6 a.m. postoperative day 1) showed average total bleeding of 124.16 cc in group A and 65.41 cc in group B (P<0.001); per hour this was 10.21 cc in group A and 5.49 cc in group B (P<0.001). The second drainage measurement (6 a.m. postoperative day 2) showed average total bleeding of 44.55 cc in group A and 17.78 cc in group B (P<0.01); per hour this was 1.85 cc in group A and 0.74 cc in group B (P<0.001). Radiofrequency technology can be used when performing intercondylar notchplasty in ACL reconstruction. As a result of this technique postoperative intra-articular bleeding was significantly reduced.     

Ghrelin levels are reduced in prepubertal epileptic children under treatment with carbamazepine or valproic acid

A relationship between ghrelin and epilepsy has been already shown in humans, although the results are controversial. Ghrelin levels are reduced in obesity. Epileptic patients progressively develop a therapy‐linked weight gain; however, the mechanisms for this have not been fully explained. The aim of our study is to evaluate if ghrelin secretion is modulated by treatment with carbamazepine or valproic acid in young prepubertal epileptic children. Ghrelin levels were reduced in normal‐weight young epileptic prepubertal children under treatment with carbamazepine (p < 0.0001) or valproic acid (p < 0.006) compared to healthy age‐ and weight‐matched subjects. Ghrelin was also lower in children under carbamazepine when compared to those under valproic acid (p < 0.01). A derangement in ghrelin secretion in epilepsy during specific pharmacologic therapies and independent of weight gain could be hypothesized.     

Endocytoscopic classification of preneoplastic lesions in the colorectum

Purpose  

The aim of this study is to assess the capability of endocytoscopy (ECS) in differentiating neoplastic from nonneoplastic lesions in the colorectum and to validate an ECS classification.     

New trends in the treatment of undifferentiated carcinomas of the thyroid

INTRODUCTION: Malignant tumours of the thyroid are generally classified as either well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma, which is composed of papillary and follicular carcinoma, or undifferentiated/anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC). ATC is not only the most lethal disease in the field of endocrine surgery but also one of the most aggressive tumours characterized by an almost invariable fatal outcome, which only very rarely exceeds a 1-year course. DISCUSSION: The impact of surgical resection in association with external beam radiation on ATC outcome has been extensively investigated also in studies based on multicentric database, and there is a general agreement on the significance of a complete resection of the tumour. It has been difficult up to now to collect data regarding chemotherapy adjuvant treatment. In spite of the lack of an extensive review about the results of this kind of treatment by itself or as part of a multimodal approach, it seems that among the several chemotherapy agents experienced, none proved to influence significantly ATC prognosis. Neither doxorubicin (the most commonly used) nor other drugs, such as cisplatin, bleomycin, fluorouracil or cyclophosphamide, showed any real efficacy in controlling the disease. CONCLUSION: The most recent development in this field seems to be represented by the possibility offered by PPARg agonists; even more promising might be the use of adenovirus-mediated p53 tumour suppressor gene therapy or BMP-7. All these new therapies need further confirmation coming from ongoing clinical trials such as those involving the use of vascular and growth factor-targeted agents.