Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity: a systematic review following COSMIN guidelines.

Background: The current standard of care in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) requires regular assessment of disease activity (DA). All standard RA DA measurement instruments require joint counts to be undertaken by a healthcare professional with/without a blood test. Few healthcare providers have the capacity to assess patients as frequently as stipulated by guidelines.

Global Reach 2018: sympathetic neural and hemodynamic responses to submaximal exercise in Andeans with and without chronic mountain sickness.

Andeans with chronic mountain sickness (CMS) and polycythemia have similar maximal oxygen uptakes to healthy Andeans. Therefore, this study aimed to explore potential adaptations in convective oxygen transport, with a specific focus on sympathetically mediated vasoconstriction of nonactive skeletal muscle. In Andeans with (CMS, = 7) and without (CMS, = 9) CMS, we measured components of convective oxygen delivery, hemodynamic (arterial blood pressure via intra-arterial catheter), and autonomic responses [muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA)] at rest and during steady-state submaximal cycling exercise [30% and 60% peak power output (PPO) for 5 min each].

Evaluation of the lights4violence program: reduction in machismo and acceptance of violence among adolescents in Europe.

Background: Machismo and acceptance of violence (AV) against women are part of the social construction of hegemonic masculinity and are related to the risk of dating violence. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the Lights4Violence program in reducing machismo and AV in secondary school students from different European cities.

Methods: Quasi-experimental longitudinal study using a convenience sample of 1,146 high school students from different European cities (12-17 years old) including 575 intervention group students (59.

Extracellular Vesicles in Atherosclerosis Research.

The methodologies described in this chapter inform on how to incorporate extracellular vesicles (EV) in model systems to investigate their role in the initiation and progression of the atherosclerotic plaque. The section will cover application of EV in coagulation and thrombus formation, monocytic migration, and adhesion to endothelial monolayers. These methodologies can be used with EV isolated from any cell type and under any conditions.

Associations with Post-Consultation Health-Status in Primary Care Managed Acute Exacerbation of COPD.

Background: It has been demonstrated that antibiotic prescribing for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AECOPD) can be safely reduced in primary care when general practitioners have access to C-reactive protein (CRP) rapid testing.

Aim: To investigate the factors associated with post-consultation COPD health status in patients presenting with AECOPD in this setting.

Design And Setting: A cohort study of patients enrolled in a randomised controlled trial.

The procoagulant effects of extracellular vesicles derived from hypoxic endothelial cells can be selectively inhibited by inorganic nitrite.

Background: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from endothelial cells are elevated in cardiovascular disease and promote inflammation and coagulation. Hypoxia is often a key feature and is itself a potent stimulator of increased EV production. Inorganic nitrite (NO) has beneficial and protective effects that are enhanced in hypoxia.

Optimising long-term athletic development: An investigation of practitioners' knowledge, adherence, practices and challenges.

Long-term athletic development practices have been recommended for the past two decades. However, limited research exists exploring the knowledge and skills required by practitioners to optimise long-term athletic development. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, adherence, practices, and challenges of practitioners responsible for delivering long-term athletic development.

Effects of a 10-Month Neuromuscular Training Program on Strength, Power, Speed, and Vault Performance in Young Female Gymnasts.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate a 10-month neuromuscular training (NMT) intervention on isometric and dynamic kinetics, standing long jump (SLJ) distance, speed, and sport-specific performance.

Methods: Forty-three prepubertal female gymnasts were allocated into either a gymnastics + NMT (gNMT; n = 16), gymnastics only (GYM, n = 15), or maturity-matched control (CON; n = 12) group. The gNMT followed a 10-month, twice-weekly NMT program that targeted movement competency, strength, power, and speed.

Aortic haemodynamics: the effects of habitual endurance exercise, age and muscle sympathetic vasomotor outflow in healthy men.

Purpose: We determined the effect of habitual endurance exercise and age on aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), augmentation pressure (AP) and systolic blood pressure (aSBP), with statistical adjustments of aPWV and AP for heart rate and aortic mean arterial pressure, when appropriate. Furthermore, we assessed whether muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) correlates with AP in young and middle-aged men.

Methods: Aortic PWV, AP, aortic blood pressure (applanation tonometry; SphygmoCor) and MSNA (peroneal microneurography) were recorded in 46 normotensive men who were either young or middle-aged and endurance-trained runners or recreationally active nonrunners (10 nonrunners and 13 runners within each age-group).

A Countermovement Jump for the Midterm Assessment of Force and Power Exertion After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess force and power exertion during a countermovement jump after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using either semitendinosus and gracilis or bone-patellar tendon-bone graft.

Design: One hundred-nineteen semitendinosus and gracilis and 146 bone-patellar tendon-bone participants performed a countermovement jump on two force platforms after 3 (T1) and 6-9 mos (T2) from surgery. Twenty-four healthy participants served as control group.

Comparison of Weightlifting, Traditional Resistance Training and Plyometrics on Strength, Power and Speed: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

Background: Weightlifting training (WLT) is commonly used to improve strength, power and speed in athletes. However, to date, WLT studies have either not compared training effects against those of other training methods, or been limited by small sample sizes, which are issues that can be resolved by pooling studies in a meta-analysis. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of WLT compared with traditional resistance training (TRT), plyometric training (PLYO) and/or control (CON) on strength, power and speed.

Prevalence and antibiotic resistance of O157:H7 in beef at a commercial slaughterhouse in Moro, Kwara State, Nigeria.

Background: Gastroenteritis due to foodborne disease is a leading cause of death in developing countries. In Nigeria, there is an increasing demand for beef. Yet, there is no surveillance for O157:H7 contamination of raw beef and little is known about the carriage of this pathogen in Nigeria's livestock.

Kids With Altitude: Acute Mountain Sickness and Changes in Body Mass and Total Body Water in Children Travelling to 3800 m.

Introduction: We explored the incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS) and extravascular lung water (ELW) in children in relation to changes in body composition and peripheral blood oxygenation (SO) during 1 week of acclimatization to 3800 m.

Methods: In a prospective cohort study, 10 children (7 female, ages 7-14 y) and 10 sex-matched adults (ages 23-44 y) traveled via automobile from sea level to 3000 m for 2 nights, followed by 4 nights at 3800 m. Each morning, body mass and body water (bioelectrical impedance), SO (pulse oximetry), AMS (Lake Louise Questionnaire), and ELW (transthoracic echocardiography) were measured.

Detecting Noise-Induced Cochlear Synaptopathy by Auditory Brainstem Response in Tinnitus Patients With Normal Hearing Thresholds: A Meta-Analysis.

Noise-induced cochlear synaptopathy (CS) is defined as a permanent loss of synapses in the auditory nerve pathway following noise exposure. Several studies using auditory brainstem response (ABR) have indicated the presence of CS and increased central gain in tinnitus patients with normal hearing thresholds (TNHT), but the results were inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to review the evidence of CS and its pathological changes in the central auditory system in TNHT.

CHoosing Active Role Models to INspire Girls (CHARMING): protocol for a cluster randomised feasibility trial of a school-based, community-linked programme to increase physical activity levels in 9-10-year-old girls.

Background: In the UK, there is evidence that girls' physical activity tends to decline to a greater extent than boys as they enter adolescence. 'Role models' could play a vital role in inspiring girls to become or remain physically active. The CHARMING Programme is a primary school-based community linked role-model programme, co-developed in 2016, with children, parents, schools and wider stakeholders.

Effects of High Intensity Exercise on Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Status in Untrained Humans: A Systematic Review.

Participation in exercise promotes health. High intensity exercise (HIE) has become increasingly popular among the general population, however, its effects on exercise-induced oxidative stress and antioxidant status in untrained humans is not clear. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the influence of HIE on oxidative stress and antioxidant status in untrained humans.

The influence of maturation on exercise-induced cardiac remodelling and haematological adaptation.

Cardiovascular and haematological adaptations to endurance training facilitate greater maximal oxygen consumption ( ), and such adaptations may be augmented following puberty. Therefore, we compared left ventricular (LV) morphology (echocardiography), blood volume, haemoglobin (Hb) mass (CO rebreathing) and in endurance-trained and untrained boys (n = 42, age = 9.0-17.

Nitric oxide contributes to cerebrovascular shear-mediated dilatation but not steady-state cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide.

Cerebrovascular CO reactivity (CVR) is often considered a bioassay of cerebrovascular endothelial function. We recently introduced a test of cerebral shear-mediated dilatation (cSMD) that may better reflect endothelial function. We aimed to determine the nitric oxide (NO)-dependency of CVR and cSMD.

The Validation and Reliability of the Food and Health Questionnaire to Assess Health and Nutrition Knowledge.

Purpose: This study aimed to translate and test the content validity and reliability of an English questionnaire used in the American food and health survey.

Methods: The questionnaire was developed using 6 stages, then examined for test-retest. A total of 672 participants were recruited for validation and reliability.

Neurostimulation, doping, and the spirit of sport.

There is increasing interest in using neuro-stimulation devices to achieve an ergogenic effect in elite athletes. Although the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) does not currently prohibit neuro-stimulation techniques, a number of researchers have called on WADA to consider its position on this issue. Focusing on trans-cranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) as a case study of an imminent so-called 'neuro-doping' intervention, we argue that the emerging evidence suggests that tDCS may meet WADA's own criteria (pertaining to safety, performance-enhancing effect, and incompatibility with the 'spirit of sport') for a method's inclusion on its list of prohibited substances and methods.

Movement strategy correspondence across jumping and cutting tasks after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

There are currently a multitude of tests used to assess readiness to return to sport (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). The aim of this study was to establish the extent to which movement strategies transfer between three common assessment tasks to help improve design of athlete testing batteries following ACLR. A cohort of 127 male patients 8-10 months post-ACLR and 45 non-injured controls took part in the study.

Effects of electronic cigarette e-liquid flavouring on cigarette craving.

Background: E-liquid flavour restrictions may discourage electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) uptake among youth. However, possible unintended consequences may include reduced appeal and effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Non-tobacco flavours appear to be important for smoking cessation, but how and why are currently unclear.

Twenty-Four-Hour Central (Aortic) Systolic Blood Pressure: Reference Values and Dipping Patterns in Untreated Individuals.

Central (aortic) systolic blood pressure (cSBP) is the pressure seen by the heart, the brain, and the kidneys. If properly measured, cSBP is closer associated with hypertension-mediated organ damage and prognosis, as compared with brachial SBP (bSBP). We investigated 24-hour profiles of bSBP and cSBP, measured simultaneously using Mobilograph devices, in 2423 untreated adults (1275 women; age, 18-94 years), free from overt cardiovascular disease, aiming to develop reference values and to analyze daytime-nighttime variability.