512 research outputs found
Effect of distinct impact loading sports on body composition in pre-menarcheal girls.
No full textIntroduction. - The aim of this preliminary work was to explore the effect of distinct impact loading sport and different amount (h/w) of impact activity on body composition of pre-menarcheal girls.Subjects and methods. - This study included 30 pre-menarcheal girls (aged 8.0-12.9 years) training for at least 1 year in volleyball (VOLLEY, n=10) or artistic gymnastics at high (HGYM, n=10) and low (LGYM, n=10) amount (h/w) of training. Body composition (bone mineral content [BMC], fat-free soft tissue mass [FFST], fat mass [FM], and %FM) was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at the total body (TB) and regional (arms, legs, trunk) level as well as specific axial skeleton sites (thoracic and lumbar spine, pelvis).Results. - After adjusting for body mass and stature, TB composition measurements were all significantly (P<0.01) different in the three groups of pre-menarcheal athletes. VOLLEY had lower BMC and FFST, and greater FM and %FM vs. both HGYM and LGYM. The main difference between LGYM and HGYM was greater %FM in the former. Similar results were found at the regional level (but for similar BMC in the legs) and at lumbar spine and pelvis.Conclusion. - This study suggests that in pre-menarcheal girls training in impact loading activity, difference in sport type mainly affect %FM, and the amount of impact activity (h/w) has major impact on BMC accrual. (C) 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved
ENCONTROS ETNOGRÁFICOS COM NEUSA CAVEDON
No full textMy objective in this text is to talk about Neusa Cavedon’s meetings with Anthropology and Ethnography, as well as my own meeting with Neusa and these fields. I use the word meeting, because I speak more about the relationships established than about the protagonists. For the description of these meetings I use in a more voluminous way my own memories, since I am both author and character of this text. In the course of the narrative of my meetings – with the field diary, with the idea-value of relativization, with the ethnographic field – I also intend to contribute with the reflection on the ethnographic fieldwork and its learning process. I analyze, finally, that these meetings generated a deepening of anthropological knowledge and a voluminous training of ethnographic fieldwork, constituting a relevant accumulation of learning and knowledge for the field of Administration.Mi objetivo en este texto es hablar de los encuentros de Neusa Cavedon con la Antropología y la Etnografía, así como de mi propio encuentro con Neusa y estos campos. Utilizo la palabra encuentro, porque hablo más de las relaciones establecidas que de las protagonistas. Para la descripción de estos encuentros utilizo de manera más voluminosa mis propios recuerdos, ya que soy a la vez autora y personaje de este texto. En el curso de la narración de mis encuentros – con el diario de campo, con la idea-valor de relativización, con el campo etnográfico – también pretendo contribuir con la reflexión sobre la creación etnográfica y su proceso de aprendizaje. Analizo, finalmente, que estos encuentros generaron una profundización de los conocimientos antropológicos y una formación voluminosa de la producción etnográfica, constituyendo una acumulación relevante de aprendizajes y conocimientos para el campo de la Administración.Meu objetivo neste texto é discorrer acerca dos encontros de Neusa Cavedon com a Antropologia e a Etnografia, assim como o meu próprio encontro com Neusa e esses campos. Uso a palavra encontro, pois discorro mais sobre as relações constituídas do que sobre as protagonistas. Para a descrição desses encontros utilizo de modo mais volumoso as minhas próprias memórias, visto que sou simultaneamente autora e personagem deste texto. No decorrer da narrativa dos meus encontros – com o diário de campo, com a ideia-valor da relativização, com o campo etnográfico – viso também contribuir com a reflexão sobre o fazer etnográfico e seu processo de aprendizagem. Analiso, por fim, que esses encontros geraram um aprofundamento do saber Antropológico e um treino volumoso do fazer etnográfico, constituindo um relevante acúmulo de aprendizagens e saberes para o campo da Administração
Long-term changes of body composition in an elite soccer player and its association with cognition: a ten-year retrospective study
No full textBACKGROUND: In soccer, understanding of long-term body composition changes associated with training and competition would be useful for both players and coaches. However, studies of this kind are hampered by frequent interclub transfer, changes in club policy or continued availability of the relevant facilities.METHODS: In this work we tracked lean and fat mass of an elite soccer player along ten consecutive years by means of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, which was carried out at preseason, mid-season, and end-season. Cognitive performance was also evaluated.RESULTS: Correlation analysis showed that whole-body and regional fat mass increases with age (P=0.009 or less). Repeated measure ANOVA showed that whole-body lean soft tissue mass tended to cycle along the competitive season (P=0.059) with an increase at mid-season and, to a lesser extent, end-season vs. preseason. Fat mass and lean soft tissue mass respectively increased (P=0.018) and tended to decrease (P=0.083) during off-season. Several seasonal changes in body composition were statistically meaningful (i.e., >least significant change). Average reaction time in visual attention task test increased with fat mass (r=0.866, P=0.001).CONCLUSIONS: These novel results highlight body composition trajectories and their relationship with cognition in an elite soccer player
PO-0962: A Dirichlet process mixture model for automatic segmentation of 18F-FDG PET-CT images
No full textno availabl
Body composition in Karate: a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry study
No full textKarate is a widely practiced combat sport. Karatekas' body composition has typically been obtained in small groups using skinfolds or bioelectric impedance. In this work, we assessed three-compartment body composition using the accurate dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry technique (QDR Horizon, Hologic) in a large sample (n = 58; 74% males) of black belt karatekas. Stature-adjusted body composition indices (fat mass index; fat-free mass index; bone mineral apparent density) were calculated. The Student's t-test was used for group-group analysis. Correlation was assessed using the Pearson's r. The ability of fat-free soft tissue mass to predict bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density was assessed with linear regression. Reference mean and quartile values for whole-body and regional body composition were obtained for the male athletes. The body composition indices were generally more favorable in the male than female karatekas. The bone mineral apparent density was similar in the males and females at all sites except the right leg. The fat-free soft tissue mass predicted the bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density with good accuracy (R-2 = 0.542-0.827; p < 0.001 for all models). The data presented in this paper are expected to be of use for karate coaches, physical trainers, and participants interested in assessing and monitoring athletes' body composition
Long-Term Outcome After Surgery for Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: A Single-Center Experience
No full textBackground Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a rare C cells-derived tumor, with a hardly predictable long-term prognosis. This study was aimed to evaluate the predictive factors of cure and survival after surgery for MTC in a monocentric series.
Methods A retrospective analysis of the long-term outcomes was assessed in 255 MTC patients operated between 1980 and 2015 at Padua University hospital.
Results Sporadic MTC occurred in 65.1% and hereditary MTC in 34.9% of patients. At a median follow-up of 93 months (range 7-430), the cure rate was 56.8%. The overall 10-year survival was 84.4%, and MTC-related death rate was 15.3%. Patients who died because of MTC had a median age of 61 years (range 21-84) and were at stages III-IV in all cases; deaths occurred in 18% of sporadic MTC, 6% of MEN2a and 66.7% of MEN2b patients. None of the patients at stages I-II died because of the disease, but 17.7% had persistent/recurrent disease. Based on univariate analysis, age, gender, genetic variant, extent and year of surgery, tumor size, lymph-nodal metastases and tumor stage significantly affected cure and survival rates. At multivariate analysis, only patient- and tumor-related features (age, lymph-nodal status and stage) remained significant independent prognostic factors.
Conclusions Radical surgery is the only chance of definitive cure in MTC, but it is possible only at early stage; in advanced stages, even extensive surgery could not grant cure and prolonged survival. Stage, nodal metastases and age remain the main predictive factors for cure and survival
Performance of a Motion Tracking System During Cyberknife Robotic Radiosurgery
No full textCyberknife (Accuracy Inc., Ca) is a robotic radio-surgery system that includes a compact 6 MV linac delivering up to 800 cGy per minute, and an automate arm to aim at any part of the body from any angle. An essential tool is the guidance system based on x-ray imaging cameras located on supports around the patient. A Cyberknife system has been operational at the Vicenza (Italy) Hospital for years and is mainly employed for treating benign and malignant tumors, and Arterior-Venous Malformations. In radiation therapy, delivery of high doses to targets that move with respiration is challenging because of possible spatial inaccuracies. The purpose of this work was to estimate the accuracy of the prediction algorithm used to compensate for system latency in a real-time respiratory tracking system. We have analyzed respiratory signals of 30 patients who had lung or liver Cyberknife treatments. The “Synchrony” (Accuracy Inc.) motion tracking system we use is based on the correlation between the position of LED markers, detected in real time, and the position of internal markers, sampled through x-ray imaging. The position of the external LED signals, though read in real time, must be predicted to compensate for a few hundred ms time lag in the feedback loop that redirects the beam to the current target position. The respiratory signals were described employing their frequency power spectrum, as recently proposed by other authors.
Prediction errors above 1.5 mm, lasting for periods longer than 5 seconds were observed for irregular breathers. These episodes correlate to the presence of a bimodal distribution in the power spectral density, and of very low frequencies contribution. A more refined approach would include a personalized choice of the prediction algorithm based on the very first minutes of treatment. Patient training aimed at reducing breathing irregularities might also result in improved spatial accuracy
RESOLUTION OF HYPERTENSION AND SECONDARY ALDOSTERONISM AFTER SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PRIMARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM.
No full textTotal scatter factors of small beams: a multidetector and Monte Carlo study.
No full textThe scope of this study was to estimate total scatter factors (S(c,p)) of the three smallest collimators of the Cyberknife radiosurgery system (5-10 mm in diameter), combining experimental measurements and Monte Carlo simulation. Two microchambers, a diode, and a diamond detector were used to collect experimental data. The treatment head and the detectors were simulated by means of a Monte Carlo code in order to calculate correction factors for the detectors and to estimate total scatter factors by means of a consistency check between measurement and simulation. Results for the three collimators were: S(c,p) (5 mm) = 0.677 +/- 0.004, S(c,p) (7.5 mm) = 0.820 +/- 0.008, S(c,p) (10 mm) = 0.871 +/- 0.008, all relative to the 60 mm collimator at 80 cm source-to-detector distance. The method also allows the full width at half maximum of the electron beam to be estimated; estimations made with different collimators and different detectors were in excellent agreement and gave a value of 2.1 mm. Correction factors to be applied to the detectors for the measurement of S(c,p) were consistent with a prevalence of volume effect for the microchambers and the diamond and a prevalence of scattering from high-Z material for the diode detector. The proposed method is more sensitive to small variations of the electron beam diameter with respect to the conventional method used to commission Monte Carlo codes, i.e., by comparison with measured percentage depth doses (PDD) and beam profiles. This is especially important for small fields (less than 10 mm diameter), for which measurements of PDD and profiles are strongly affected by the type of detector used. Moreover, this method should allow S(c,p) of Cyberknife systems different from the unit under investigation to be estimated without the need for further Monte Carlo calculation, provided that one of the microchambers or the diode detector of the type used in this study are employed. The results for the diamond are applicable only to the specific detector that was investigated due to excessive variability in manufacturing
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