Analysis of seasonal training volume and working capacity in elite female rowers.

Preceding the 1988 Olympic Games 6 elite female rowers were regularly subjected to an exercise test on a rowing ergometer (REM-test) with a time interval of about 5 weeks. Daily training volume was analysed in terms of rowed kilometres (RKM) and training time (TOTMIN, rowing and land training). The purpose of this study was to investigate the training volume during a season and to study possible changes in the working capacity of elite female rowers. The REM-test consisted of 3 consecutive blocks: 3 min warming up, 5 min standard load at anaerobic threshold and 2 min "all-out". Blood lactic acid concentration (LA) was determined for the construction of a LA-power curve. The power at 4.0 mmol/l (P4) was estimated as a measure of the aerobic capacity. The "all-out" score was used for calculating the maximal power (PM). Results show that both RKM and TOTMIN increase (range resp. 40-400% and 20-25%) when compared with the initial value. P4 also increases, in parallel with changes in both RKM and TOTMIN, with 8-10% of the initial value. PM increases continuously during the season up to 10% of its initial value. However, based on maximal heart rate and lactate values, it is concluded that PM was maximal in only 15% of the tests. Our data suggests that evaluation of training volume in elite female rowers is better done with P4 than with PM. The behaviour of P4 shows a parallel with the seasonal changes in the training load.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

氯仿重结晶棉酚的质量研究

报道了氯仿重结晶的棉酚的化学性质,样品在不同温度下干燥恒重后,经熔点、薄层层析、紫外光谱、红外光谱、X-射线衍射、热重量分析、元素(C,H,Cl)分析及棉酚合量测定等一系列的分析,确证了在60℃以下棉酚与氯仿成溶剂化物(solvate)。随着干燥温度的升高或在室温长时间的贮存,此现象逐渐消失,100℃真空干燥恒重后成为纯棉酚。     

High-affinity growth hormone (GH)-binding protein (GHBP), body fat mass, and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 predict the GHBP response to GH therapy in adult GH deficiency syndrome

The study objective was to investigate which baseline factors can accurately predict plasma high-affinity growth hormone (GH)-binding protein (GHBP) levels after GH replacement therapy in patients with GH deficiency (GHD). The study group consisted of 36 GHD patients (22 men and 14 women; mean age, 43.1 years; (range, 21 to 60) known to have adult-onset GHD for many years (range, 4 to 22). They were randomly divided into a GH-treated group (n = 19) and a placebo group (n = 17). Body composition (assessed by bioelectrical impendance analysis [BIA]), plasma GHBP (fast protein liquid chromatography [FPLC] size-exclusion gel chromatography), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and IGF-binding protein-3 ([IGFBP-3] radioimmunoassays) were measured before and after 6 months. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with the plasma GHBP level after 6 months as the dependent variable was used to unravel significant explanatory (or predictor) variables. In contrast to placebo therapy, GH replacement therapy increased the mean plasma levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 to the normal range, whereas a small but statistically significant increase in plasma GHBP was observed. The combination of baseline plasma GHBP, body fat mass, and IGFBP-3 predicts posttreatment GHBP levels accurately (adjusted R2 = .97), indicating that baseline variables such as age, gender, fat-free mass, and IGF-I have no contribution. Furthermore, reliability analysis showed that the observed and predicted values for GHBP fit a strict parallel model. These findings indicate that the variations in body fat mass and IGFBP-3 among adult GHD subjects explain the reported variable response of GHBP to GH replacement therapy.     

The relationship between smartphone use and subjective musculoskeletal symptoms and university students

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of smartphones by university students in selected areas, their musculoskeletal symptoms, and the associated hazard ratio. [Subjects and Methods] This involved the completion of a self-administered questionnaire by dental hygiene students in Seoul, Gyeonggido, and Gyeongsangbukdo. The 292 completed copies of the questionnaire were then analyzed. [Results] The most painful body regions after the use of smartphones were found to be the shoulders and neck. In the musculoskeletal system, back pain was found to have a positive correlation with the size of the smartphone’s liquid crystal display (LCD) screen, and pain in legs and feet were found to have a negative correlation with the length of time that the smartphone was used. As a result, it was revealed that the use of a smartphone was correlated with musculoskeletal symptoms. [Conclusion] Therefore, in today’s environment, where the use of smartphones is on the rise, it is necessary to improve the ways that they are used and to develop a preventive program to alleviate the symptoms of musculoskeletal damage.Key words: Smartphone, Musculoskeletal symptoms, Prevent     

Delaying aging and the aging-associated decline in protein homeostasis by inhibition of tryptophan degradation

Toxicity of aggregation-prone proteins is thought to play an important role in aging and age-related neurological diseases like Parkinson and Alzheimer's diseases. Here, we identify tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (tdo-2), the first enzyme in the kynurenine pathway of tryptophan degradation, as a metabolic regulator of age-related α-synuclein toxicity in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. Depletion of tdo-2 also suppresses toxicity of other heterologous aggregation-prone proteins, including amyloid-β and polyglutamine proteins, and endogenous metastable proteins that are sensors of normal protein homeostasis. This finding suggests that tdo-2 functions as a general regulator of protein homeostasis. Analysis of metabolite levels in C. elegans strains with mutations in enzymes that act downstream of tdo-2 indicates that this suppression of toxicity is independent of downstream metabolites in the kynurenine pathway. Depletion of tdo-2 increases tryptophan levels, and feeding worms with extra l-tryptophan also suppresses toxicity, suggesting that tdo-2 regulates proteotoxicity through tryptophan. Depletion of tdo-2 extends lifespan in these worms. Together, these results implicate tdo-2 as a metabolic switch of age-related protein homeostasis and lifespan. With TDO and Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase as evolutionarily conserved human orthologs of TDO-2, intervening with tryptophan metabolism may offer avenues to reducing proteotoxicity in aging and age-related diseases.     

The diagnostic value of fine needle aspiration in parotid lumps

Introduction

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a safe and quick method of diagnosing superficial lumps, which aids preoperative planning. However, FNA of the parotid gland has not gained the widespread acceptance noted in other head and neck lumps. The aim of this study was to determine the ability of FNA of the parotid gland to differentiate benign and malignant disease, and to determine the impact on surgical outcome.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of 201 consecutive parotid operations with preoperative FNA in a large district hospital in the UK was performed. The diagnostic characteristics were calculated for benign and malignant disease, and the impact on surgical procedure was determined.

Results

In identifying benign disease, FNA has a sensitivity of 85% and a specificity of 76%. In detecting malignant disease, FNA has a sensitivity and specificity of 52% and 92% respectively. A false positive on FNA was associated with a higher incidence of neck dissection.

Conclusions

FNA is a useful diagnostic test. However, owing to low sensitivity, it is necessary to interpret it in the context of all other clinical information.