Norm Values of Muscular Strength Across the Life Span in a Healthy Swiss Population: The COmPLETE Study.

Background: Grip strength is used to estimate whole-body strength for health surveillance purposes. Explosive strength is considered important, yet economic measures able to detect early deterioration of neuromuscular capabilities are lacking. Whether handgrip maximum rate of force development (GRFD) or whole-body strength tests are better predictors of lower body power than handgrip maximum strength (GF) and their trajectories throughout the life span are unknown.

Should sports and exercise medicine be taught in the Swiss undergraduate medical curricula? A survey among 1764 Swiss medical students.

Objectives: The global lack of sports and exercise medicine (SEM) teaching at medical schools contrasts with evidence that physical activity (PA) plays a major role in preventing and treating non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The aims of this study were to (a) examine whether Swiss medical students are expected to acquire SEM-related skills and knowledge, (b) systematically reviewed SEM teaching in the Swiss undergraduate medical curricula, (c) assess if Swiss medical students are aware of SEM and (d) whether they would like SEM to be included in their curricula.

Methods: Two authors independently screened the 'Principal Relevant Objectives and Framework for Integrative Learning and Education in Switzerland' (PROFILES) for SEM-related learning objectives and reviewed the curricula.

Diurnal and day-to-day variations in isometric and isokinetic strength.

Time-of-day effects in strength performance have been extensively investigated due to their relevance in competitive sports. However, most studies use large measurement intervals making it difficult to monitor potential performance changes throughout the day. Furthermore, previous studies have exclusively focused on how the time of day affects strength on a group level and ignored the individual differences in the times of peak performance.

Motor imagery ability assessments in four disciplines: protocol for a systematic review.

Introduction: Motor imagery (MI) is a very popular and well-accepted technique in different disciplines. Originating from sport and psychology, MI is now also used in the field of medicine and education. Several studies confirmed the benefits of MI to facilitate motor learning and skill acquisition.

Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity and low-density lipoprotein subfractions after a 2-year treatment with atorvastatin in adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

Background: The objective of the study was to assess the effect of atorvastatin on inflammation markers and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions.

Methods: In a prospective, randomized, double-blind pilot study involving 28 adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D), lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and subfractions of LDL were measured at baseline, after 1 year and 2 years of treatment with atorvastatin (10 mg/day) vs. placebo.

Accelerometer-based quantification of 6-minute walk test performance in patients with chronic heart failure: applicability in telemedicine.

Background: Distance walked in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is an important prognostic parameter used clinically to assess functional status in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). In this study, we investigated if alternative performance parameters with similar prognostic value can be gained from accelerometers.

Methods And Results: Fifty CHF patients (age, 60.

Sequentially based analysis versus image based analysis of Intima Media Thickness in common carotid arteries studies - do major IMT studies underestimate the true relations for cardio- and cerebrovascular risk?

Background: Image-based B-mode ultrasound has gained popularity in major studies as a non-invasive method of measuring cardio- and cerebrovascular risk factors. However, none of the major studies appears to have paid sufficient attention to the variation in end diastolic wall process. By using sequentially based analyses (SBA) of Intima-Media Thickness (IMT), the general purpose of this study was to show that the current image based (ECG tracked) analysis (IBA) has some major variations and might underestimate the true relations for cardiovascular events and stroke for IMT measurement.

Physical activity throughout life reduces the atherosclerotic wall process in the carotid artery.

Background: Good cardiorespiratory fitness has been associated with a reduced risk for clinical events of atherosclerotic vascular diseases. It is still unclear how this relates to a slower progression of the early atherosclerosis wall process.

Method: Using a dynamic model, we generated new parameters for describing the pathologic wall process in the carotid artery, based on an automatic layer detection system.

Weight loss without losing muscle mass in pre-obese and obese subjects induced by a high-soy-protein diet.

Objective: To determine change of weight, body composition, metabolic and hormonal parameters induced by different intervention protocols.

Design: Randomized, controlled study including participants exhibiting a BMI between 27.5 and 35.