Evaluation of specific anaerobic power in 12–14-year-old male rowers

No previous study had applied the modified Wingate rowing test to young athletes (i.e. children and adolescents). The aims of this study were to evaluate the trial-to-trial reliability of a rowing-modified Wingate test in a group of 12–14-year-old rowers (n = 98) and to compare anaerobic power values among the 12-, 13-, and 14-year-old rowers after accounting for differences in physical maturity and body size. Each subject performed two “all-out” 30-s trials on a Concept II rowing ergometer. The trials were separated by a 15-min active recovery period, which included walking and stretching and ensured the participants’ full recovery. The test proved to be highly reliable, with coefficients of variations of 2.4 and 2.9% (CI = 2.1–3.4%) and intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.994 and 0.996 (CI = 0.991–0.997) for mean power and peak power, respectively. The ANCOVA analyses accounting for differences in body size and level of physical maturity (assessed using indices of pubic hair) and the Bonferroni post hoc tests identified the 14-year-olds as having significantly greater adjusted mean power and peak power values (P < 0.01) than the other two age groups, while the differences between the 12- and 13-year-olds in terms of mean power and peak power were not significant. Our findings indicate (1) that the rowing-modified Wingate test may be reliably used for the assessment of specific anaerobic performance in 12–14-year-old rowers and (2) that factors other than physical maturity and body size are partly responsible for the increase in anaerobic power during growth.     

Damage to superior parietal cortex impairs pointing in the sagittal Plane

Neurophysiology and neuroimaging research implicates distinct regions of posterior parietal cortex for reaching versus grasping and for completing these movements in central versus peripheral space. Typically, visuomotor tasks only examine movements made in the frontoparallel plane. We examined a patient with a right superior parietal lesion encompassing the parietal-occipital junction, the intraparietal sulcus and the putative human homologue of V6A on pointing tasks in the sagittal or frontoparallel planes. The patient did not demonstrate a speed-accuracy trade-off, but did show larger times post-peak velocity for all movement directions. Her movements in the sagittal axis were more disordered than movements in the frontoparallel plane. These data indicate a role for superior parietal cortex in fine tuning of visually guided movements and more particularly for movements made back towards the body.

Structure and function of collectin liver 1 (CL-L1) and collectin 11 (CL-11, CL-K1)

The collectins are a group of innate immune proteins structurally characterized by their content of a carbohydrate recognition domain and a collagen-like region. Collectin liver 1 (CL-L1) and collectin 11 (CL-11, alias collectin kidney 1, CL-K1) are the more recently described members of this group. Their genomic organization and protein structure reveal many similarities. However, CL-11 is a serum protein, whereas CL-L1 appears to be restricted to the cytosol of cells such as hepatocytes. Specificity analyses of the CRDs reveal some differences in their preferences for saccharides: CL-11 binds most avidly to l-fucose and d-mannose, whereas CL-L1 shows preference for d-mannose, d-fucose, N-acetylglucosamine, and surprisingly also d-galactose. CL-11 binds to various microorganisms including Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Influenza A virus. Polymorphisms in the CL-11 gene (COLEC11) leading to deficiencies have recently been identified as causative for 3MC syndrome. The 3MC syndrome is associated with a wide spectrum of developmental features including facial dysmorphism, cognitive impairment, hearing loss and vesicorenal anomalies. Similar polymorphic associations were reported for the mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease 3 (MASP-3), and falls into line with the observation that CL-11 is found in circulating complexes with MASP-1/3. These findings suggest dual or overlapping functions of CL-11 in innate immunity and in fetal development.     

Validation of the Sensewear Armband during recreational in-line skating

Multi-sensor body monitors that combine accelerometry with other physiological data are designed to overcome drawbacks of accelerometers in assessing activities with little or no vertical movement. One of such devices is the Sensewear Armband (SWA) which has been extensively validated during various activities. However, very few of the validation studies included activities other than walking and running. The aim of this investigation was to assess the validity of the SWA during recreational in-line skating. Nineteen participants (11 females and 8 males), 28 (±6) years of age, performed in-line skating exercise on a circular track at a self-selected pace. Energy expenditure was measured with the SWA and the Cosmed K4b² breath-by-breath portable metabolic unit. The mean (SD) energy expenditure during in-line skating estimated by the SWA [25.5 (5.8) kJ/min] was significantly lower compared with indirect calorimetry [44.2 (9.7) kJ/min, P < 0.001]. Similarly, the mean (SD) MET values recorded by the SWA were also lower compared with IC [5.3 (1.0) METs vs. 9.1 (1.6) METs, P < 0.001]. The ratio limits of agreement suggest that in 95% of cases the SWA will underestimate the energy expenditure and MET values during in-line skating by as much as 24–56% compared with indirect calorimetry. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that the SWA is not able to overcome the drawbacks of accelerometry in assessing activities with limited vertical movement.     

Tumor immune surveillance and ovarian cancer

In the past few years, cancer immunotherapies have produced promising results. Although traditionally considered unresponsive to immune therapy, increasing evidence indicates that ovarian cancers are, in fact, immunogenic tumors. This evidence comes from diverse epidemiologic and clinical data comprising evidence of spontaneous antitumor immune response and its association with longer survival in a proportion of ovarian cancer patients; evidence of tumor immune evasion mechanisms and their association with short survival in some ovarian cancer patients; and finally pilot data supporting the efficacy of immune therapy. Below we will discuss lessons learned on the biology underlying ovarian cancer immune rejection or tolerance and we will discuss its association with clinical outcome. We will discuss the role of angiogenesis and the tumor endothelium on regulation of the antitumor immune response with a special emphasis on the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the suppression of immunological processes, which control tumor progression and its unique crosstalk with endothelin systems, and how their interactions may shape the antitumor immune response. In addition, we will discuss mechanisms of tumor tolerance through the suppression or exhaustion of effector cells and how these could be countered in the clinic. We believe that understanding these pathways in the tumor microenvironment will lead to novel strategies for enhancing ovarian cancer immunotherapy.     

Structural change in Medicare funding: Impact on the dietetics workforce

Aim:  To review the dietetic workforce profile and share of Enhanced Primary Care claims in the context of the Strengthening Medicare support for allied health services.
Methods:  Dietitians Association of Australia membership data from 2004 to 2007 were analysed to assess changes in the number and work hours of private practice dietitians. Medicare data for 2004–2005 to 2006–2007 were reviewed regarding uptake and distribution of allied health consultations.
Results:  The number of allied health Enhanced Primary Care consultations doubled between 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, with similar increases in 2006–2007. Physiotherapists claimed most, followed by podiatrists, then dietitians. Dietitians claimed most consultations per provider in 2004–2005 and 2005–2006, surpassed by podiatrists and diabetes educators in 2006–2007. The number and full-time equivalents of private practice dietitians increased since 2004. Almost one-third of members were engaged in private practice work by 2007. Approximately half of these worked eight hours or fewer per week in this setting over the period surveyed (45.9–50.8%).
Conclusions:  Medicare funding for allied health has provided structural change and presents an opportunity for growth in the private sector of dietetics. While the number and full-time equivalents of private practice dietitians increased since 2004, the anticipated sharp increase relative to other work areas was not seen. Dietetics had a high uptake of Medicare consultations per provider and consultations increased each year; however, the declining share of total consultations demonstrates that dietitians are not using the opportunity presented by Medicare to the same degree as some allied health professions.