Effect of swim sprints on throwing accuracy and velocity in female collegiate water polo players.

Unlabelled: Swim sprints are a central component of water polo competitions; however, a paucity of data describes the effect of repeated swim sprints on game-like performances. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of repeated swim sprints on water polo throwing velocity and accuracy. Eleven female community college water polo players (age: 18.

Muscle activation when performing the chest press and shoulder press on a stable bench vs. a Swiss ball.

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a stable surface (bench) vs. an unstable surface (Swiss ball) on muscle activation when performing the dumbbell chest press and shoulder press. Sixteen healthy men (24.

A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press.

The bench press exercise exists in multiple forms including the machine and free weight bench press. It is not clear though how each mode differs in its effect on muscle activation. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation of the anterior deltoid, medial deltoid, and pectoralis major during a Smith machine and free weight bench press at lower (70% 1 repetition maximum [1RM]) and higher (90% 1RM) intensities.

Influence of recovery duration after a potentiating stimulus on muscular power in recreationally trained individuals.

Research examining postactivation potentiation (PAP) in recreationally trained individuals (RTI) shows mixed results. Because the balance of PAP and fatigue after heavy-load exercise influences performance outcomes, recovery duration after the stimulus might explain inconsistent results noted in RTI. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of recovery duration after a potentiating stimulus on muscular power in RTI.

Relationship between force-time and velocity-time characteristics of dynamic and isometric muscle actions.

Previous research has investigated the force-time curve characteristics of isometric and dynamic muscle actions; however, few studies have addressed their relationship to dynamic exercise velocity-time variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between velocity-time characteristics (high pull and vertical jump peak velocity and rate of velocity development [HPPV, HPRVD, VJPV, VJRVD]), force-time characteristics (isometric peak force [IsoPF], body mass adjusted isometric peak force [IsoPF/BM], isometric rate of force development at different millisecond windows [IsoRFD50-250], dynamic peak force [HPPF], body mass adjusted dynamic peak force [HPPF/BM]), and vertical jump height (VJHeight). Nineteen recreationally trained men (age 23.

Interaction of Borrelia burgdorferi Hbb with the p66 promoter.

Borrelia burgdorferi, an agent of Lyme disease, encodes the beta(3)-chain integrin ligand P66. P66 is expressed by B. burgdorferi in the mammal, in laboratory media, and as the bacteria are acquired or transmitted by the tick, but is not expressed by the bacterium in unfed ticks.

Leptospira interrogans binds to human cell surface receptors including proteoglycans.

Leptospirosis is a global public health problem, primarily in the tropical developing world. The pathogenic mechanisms of the causative agents, several members of the genus Leptospira, have been underinvestigated. The exception to this trend has been the demonstration of the binding of pathogenic leptospires to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and its components.

Effect of warm-up with different weighted bats on normal baseball bat velocity.

Traditionally, baseball players have used a heavy bat for warm-up before competition. Because bat velocity is an essential component to hitting a baseball, and because players warm up differently, there is a need to investigate the best way to maximize post warm-up bat velocity. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of warm-up with different weighted bats on normal baseball bat velocity.

Effect of potentiating exercise volume on vertical jump parameters in recreationally trained men.

High-force activities have demonstrated postactivation potentiation (PAP) and may enhance performance in athletes; however, the efficacy of high-force activities to generate PAP in recreationally trained men remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of high-force back squat volume on vertical jump (VJ) height, ground reaction force (GRF), impulse (IMP), and takeoff velocity (TOV) in recreationally trained men. Sixteen recreationally trained men (age 24.

Effect of delayed-onset muscle soreness on elbow flexion strength and rate of velocity development.

Eccentric muscle actions cause muscle damage and lead to delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), which may impair performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of DOMS on elbow flexion strength and rate of velocity development (RVD). Nineteen college male subjects performed 6 tests (pre- and posteccentric and every 24 hours for 4 days).

Comparison of mechanomyographic amplitude and mean power frequency for the rectus femoris muscle: cycle versus knee-extensor ergometry.

The purpose of this study was to compare the mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude and mean power frequency (MPF) versus power output relationships for the rectus femoris (RF) muscle during incremental cycle (CE) and knee-extensor (KE) ergometry in the same subjects. Eight men performed incremental CE and KE tests to exhaustion while the MMG signal was recorded from the RF muscle. Polynomial regression analyses on the composite and subject-by-subject basis indicated that the relationship between MMG amplitude versus power output was best-fit with a linear model for the composite data and each subject for the KE test, whereas the relationship was best-fit with a linear model for the composite data, but either linear, quadratic, or cubic for the CE test.

High prevalence of spirochetosis in cholera patients, Bangladesh.

The microbes that accompany the etiologic agent of cholera, Vibrio cholerae, are only now being defined. In this study, spirochetes from the genus Brachyspira were identified at high titers in more than one third of cholera patients in Bangladesh. Spirochetosis should now be tracked in the setting of cholera outbreaks.

Comparison of electromyographic responses for the superficial quadriceps muscles: cycle versus knee-extensor ergometry.

The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyographic (EMG) amplitude and mean power frequency (MPF) versus power output relationships for the three superficial quadriceps muscles during incremental cycle (CE) and knee-extensor (KE) ergometry in the same subjects. Eight men performed incremental CE and KE tests to exhaustion. Surface EMG signals were recorded simultaneously from the vastus lateralis (VL), rectus femoris (RF), and vastus medialis (VM).

Leaf-level water use efficiency determined by carbon isotope discrimination in rice seedlings: genetic variation associated with population structure and QTL mapping.

Increasing the water use efficiency (WUE) of our major crop species is an important target of agricultural research. Rice is a major water consumer in agriculture and it is also an attractive genetic model. We evaluated leaf-level WUE in young rice seedlings using carbon isotope discrimination (Delta(13)C) as an indicator of the trait.

A new ventilatory threshold equation for aerobically trained men and women.

The purposes of the present study were to (i) modify previously published ventilatory threshold (VT) equations using the constant error (CE) values for aerobically trained individuals from a recent study; (ii) cross-validate the modified equations to determine their accuracy for estimating VT in aerobically trained individuals; (iii) derive a new non-exercise based equation for estimating VT in aerobically trained individuals if the modified equations are found to be inaccurate; and (iv) cross-validate the new VT equation using the Predicted REsidual Sum of Squares (PRESS) statistic and an independent sample of aerobically trained individuals. Two hundred and eight (n = 208) aerobically trained men and women (mean +/- SD: age = 38.8 +/- 10.

Size of the embryoid body influences chondrogenesis of mouse embryonic stem cells.

For applications in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are commonly pre-differentiated in the form of embryoid bodies (EBs). The uncontrolled cell differentiation in EBs results in a highly heterogeneous cell population, an unfavourable condition for therapeutic development. The purpose of this study was to determine an optimal size of EBs for chondrogenic differentiation.

The effect of short-term VertiMax vs. depth jump training on vertical jump performance.

The ability to generate lower body explosive power is considered an important factor in many athletic activities. Thirty-one men and women, recreationally trained volunteers, were randomly assigned to 3 different groups (control, n = 10; VertiMax, n = 11; and depth jump, n = 10). A Vertec measuring device was used to test vertical jump height pre- and post-training.

Estimating national landfill methane emissions: an application of the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Waste Model in Panama.

This paper estimates national methane emissions from solid waste disposal sites in Panama over the time period 1990-2020 using both the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Waste Model spreadsheet and the default emissions estimate approach presented in the 1996 IPCC Good Practice Guidelines. The IPCC Waste Model has the ability to calculate emissions from a variety of solid waste disposal site types, taking into account country- or region-specific waste composition and climate information, and can be used with a limited amount of data. Countries with detailed data can also run the model with country-specific values.

Strategies for cardiopulmonary exercise testing of pectus excavatum patients.

The purpose of this paper is to provide strategies for cardiopulmonary exercise testing of pectus excavatum patients. Currently, there are no standardized methods for assessing cardiovascular and pulmonary responses in this population; therefore, making comparisons across studies is difficult if not impossible. These strategies are intended for physicians, pulmonary technicians, exercise physiologists, and other healthcare professionals who conduct cardiopulmonary exercise testing on pectus excavatum patients.

Acute effects of heavy-load squats on consecutive squat jump performance.

Postactivation potentiation (PAP) and complex training have generated interest within the strength and conditioning community in recent years, but much of the research to date has produced confounding results. The purpose of this study was to observe the acute effects of a heavy-load back squat [85% 1 repetition maximum (1RM)] condition on consecutive squat jump performance. Twelve in-season Division I male track-and-field athletes participated in two randomized testing conditions: a five-repetition back squat at 85% 1RM (BS) and a five-repetition squat jump (SJ).

Mechanomyographic responses of the superficial quadriceps femoris muscles to incremental isometric muscle actions.

The purpose of this study was to compare the composite and individual relationships for mechanomyographic (MMG) amplitude vs. torque during incremental isometric muscle actions. Ten women and six men (mean age +/- SD = 21.

An assessment of cinacalcet HCl effects on bone histology in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Aims: Cinacalcet lowers plasma parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT), but the bone histologic response has not been described. This prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessed the effects of cinacalcet on bone histology and serum markers of bone metabolism in dialysis patients with sHPT.

Methods: Patients with intact PTH (iPTH) > or = 300 pg/ml were randomly assigned 2:1 to receive cinacalcet or placebo with concurrent vitamin D and/or phosphate binder therapy.

The effect of single versus multiple sets on strength.

Research has previously been divided on whether performing resistance training with a single set per training session is as effective for increasing strength as training with multiple sets. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of single sets versus multiple sets on strength. Forty subjects were randomly assigned into 1 of 3 groups: control (C; n = 8), single set (SS; n = 14), or multiple sets (MS; n = 18) to perform 8 maximal knee extensions at 60 degrees .

Borrelia burgdorferi BBB07 interaction with integrin alpha3beta1 stimulates production of pro-inflammatory mediators in primary human chondrocytes.

Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, activates multiple signalling pathways leading to induction of pro-inflammatory mediators at sites of inflammation. Binding of B. burgdorferi to integrin alpha(3)beta(1) on human chondrocytes activates signalling leading to release of several pro-inflammatory mediators, but the B.