Influence of altitude training modality on performance and total haemoglobin mass in elite swimmers

We compared changes in performance and total haemoglobin mass (tHb) of elite swimmers in the weeks following either Classic or Live High:Train Low (LHTL) altitude training. Twenty-six elite swimmers (15 male, 11 female, 21.4 ± 2.7 years; mean ± SD) were divided into two groups for 3 weeks of either Classic or LHTL altitude training. Swimming performances over 100 or 200 m were assessed before altitude, then 1, 7, 14 and 28 days after returning to sea-level. Total haemoglobin mass was measured twice before altitude, then 1 and 14 days after return to sea-level. Changes in swimming performance in the first week after Classic and LHTL were compared against those of Race Control (n = 11), a group of elite swimmers who did not complete altitude training. In addition, a season-long comparison of swimming performance between altitude and non-altitude groups was undertaken to compare the progression of performances over the course of a competitive season. Regardless of altitude training modality, swimming performances were substantially slower 1 day (Classic 1.4 ± 1.3% and LHTL 1.6 ± 1.6%; mean ± 90% confidence limits) and 7 days (0.9 ± 1.0% and 1.9 ± 1.1%) after altitude compared to Race Control. In both groups, performances 14 and 28 days after altitude were not different from pre-altitude. The season-long comparison indicated that no clear advantage was obtained by swimmers who completed altitude training. Both Classic and LHTL elicited ~4% increases in tHb. Although altitude training induced erythropoeisis, this physiological adaptation did not transfer directly into improved competitive performance in elite swimmers.     

Attitudes of Medical Students,Clinicians and Sports Scientists Towards Exercise Counselling

We compared the amount of exercise undertaken by medical students, clinicians, and sport scientists with the National Australian Physical Activity (NAPA) Guidelines. A second aim was to compare attitudes to exercise counselling as preventive medicine between university- and clinic-based professionals. The research setting was a university medical school and a sports science sports medicine centre. A 20-item questionnaire was completed by 216 individuals (131 medical students, 43 clinicians and 37 sports scientists). Self-reported physical activity habits, exercise counselling practices and attitudes towards preventive medicine were assessed. The physical activity undertaken by most respondents (70%) met NAPA Guidelines. General practitioners had significantly lower compliance rates with NAPA Guidelines than other professionals. More than half of clinicians and medical students (54%) were less active now compared with levels of activity undertaken prior to graduate training. Most physicians (68%) reported they sometimes discuss physical activity with patients. In contrast, the majority of non-medically qualified respondents (60%) said they never discuss physical activity with their doctor. Most respondents (70%) had positive attitudes to exercise counselling. Sports scientists and respondents who were highly active in childhood had more positive attitudes to exercise counselling than others. Health professionals in this study were more active than the general population, however healthy exercise habits tend to deteriorate after the commencement of medical training. Despite the important role of doctors in health promotion, the degree of exercise counselling to patients is low.

Key points

• The rate of exercise counselling by doctors to patients is low
• Sports physicians and scientists have substantially more positive attitudes to exercise counselling than clinicians and medical students
• Medical schools have a responsibility to promote physical activity of students and improve training in exercise counselling

Key words: Physical activity, exercise, counselling, university, medical school, attitudes.     

Automated high-dimensional flow cytometric data analysis

Flow cytometric analysis allows rapid single cell interrogation of surface and intracellular determinants by measuring fluorescence intensity of fluorophore-conjugated reagents. The availability of new platforms, allowing detection of increasing numbers of cell surface markers, has challenged the traditional technique of identifying cell populations by manual gating and resulted in a growing need for the development of automated, high-dimensional analytical methods. We present a direct multivariate finite mixture modeling approach, using skew and heavy-tailed distributions, to address the complexities of flow cytometric analysis and to deal with high-dimensional cytometric data without the need for projection or transformation. We demonstrate its ability to detect rare populations, to model robustly in the presence of outliers and skew, and to perform the critical task of matching cell populations across samples that enables downstream analysis. This advance will facilitate the application of flow cytometry to new, complex biological and clinical problems.     

输液中注射用头孢米诺钠的稳定性

1材料和方法 1.1材料日本岛津10-Arp高效液相色谱仪,C18柱(5 μm,4.6 mm×150 mm),PHS-3C型pH计(上海雷磁仪器厂);注射用头孢米诺钠(南昌立健药业有限公司,批号:20040701),50 g/L葡萄糖注射液(四川科伦大制药有限公司,批号:040912-091),100 g/L葡萄糖注射液(湖南科伦大制药有限公司,批号:040710-07),9 g/L氯化钠注射液(湖南科伦大制药有限公司,批号:040926-06),葡萄糖氯化钠注射液(湖南科伦大制药有限公司,批号:040929-06),甲硝唑注射液(安徽双鹤药业有限公司,批号:040926-2E);甲醇、冰醋酸、四氢呋喃均为分析纯.     

Longitudinal association of preference-weighted health-related quality of life measures and substance use disorder outcomes

Aim To examine the construct validity of generic preference‐weighted health‐related quality of life measures in a sample of patients with a substance use disorder (SUD). Design Longitudinal (baseline and 6‐month follow‐up) data from a research study that evaluated interventions to improve linkage and engagement with SUD treatment. Setting A central intake unit that referred patients to seven SUD treatment centers in a Midwestern US metropolitan area. Participants A total of 495 individuals with a SUD. Measurements Participants completed two preference‐weighted measures: the self‐administered Quality of Well‐Being scale (QWB‐SA) and the standard gamble weighted Medical Outcomes Study SF‐12 (SF‐6D). They were also administered two clinical assessments: all seven domains of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI) and a symptom checklist based on the DSM‐IV. Construct validity was determined via the relationships between disease‐specific SUD and generic measures. Findings In unadjusted analyses, the QWB‐SA and SF‐6D change scores were correlated significantly with six ASI subscale change scores, but not with employment status. In adjusted repeated‐measures analyses, three of seven ASI subscale scores were significant predictors of QWB‐SA and 5/7 ASI subscale scores were significant predictors of SF‐6D. Abstinence and problematic use at follow‐up were significant predictors of QWB‐SA and SF‐6D. Effect sizes ranged from 0.352 to 0.400 for abstinence and ?0.484 to ?0.585 for problematic use. Conclusions Generic preference‐weighted health‐related quality of life measures show moderate to good associations with substance‐use specific measures and in certain circumstances can be used in their stead. This study provides further support for the use of the Quality of Well‐Being scale and Medical Outcomes Study SF‐12 in clinical and economic evaluations of substance use disorder interventions.     

Use of the quality of well-being self-administered version (QWB-SA) in assessing health-related quality of life in depressed patients

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between depression severity and the Quality of Well-Being scale self-administered version (QWB-SA) in subjects diagnosed with current major depression. METHODS: The research design was prospective and observational. Data were collected on a convenience sample of 58 subjects. Additional measures included the Quality of Well-Being scale interviewer-version (interviewer-QWB), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17), Beck Depression Inventory, and each were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, and 4 months postmedication treatment. RESULTS: Cross-sectional and longitudinal QWB-SA scores were significantly correlated with depression severity and the interviewer-QWB. Treatment response, defined as 50% improvement in HRSD-17, was associated with 0.10 and 0.16 unit changes in the QWB-SA at 4 weeks and 4 months, respectively. The QWB-SA was significantly and negatively correlated with cross-sectional and longitudinal depression severity. LIMITATIONS: The study design was observational and used a convenience sample of subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The QWB-SA is less expensive to administer than the interviewer-QWB and is a useful alternative for determining the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of treatments for depression relative to other physical and mental illness treatments.