A comparison between elite swimmers and kayakers on upper body push and pull strength and power performance

The aim of the present study was to compare the load-power curve expressed at bench press (PR) and prone bench pull (PU) between elite swimmers and kayakers. Another aim was to calculate the strength and power PR/PU ratio in the same populations. Fifteen elite swimmers (SW: age = 23.8 ± 2.9 y; body mass = 82.8 ± 5.6 kg; body height = 184.1 ± 4.6 cm) and 13 elite kayakers (KA: age = 23.8 ± 2.9 y; body mass = 91.0 ± 3.5 kg; body height = 180.1 ± 5.4 cm) were assessed for PR 1RM and PU 1RM. They were then assessed for power produced at 40, 60 and 80% of 1RM in both PR and PU. The area under the load-power curve (AUC) and PR/PU ratios were calculated for both the SW and KA groups. The KA group showed significantly higher PR1RM (+18.2%; p = 0.002) and PU1RM (+25.7%; p < 0.001) compared to the SW group. Significant group differences were also detected for PUAUC (p < 0.001) and for the PR/PU power ratio (p < 0.001). No significant group differences were detected for PRAUC (p = 0.605) and for the PR/PU strength ratio (p = 0.065; 0.87 and 0.82 in SW and KA, respectively). The present findings indicate that elite KA were stronger and more powerful than elite SW in the upper body. Not consistently with other athletic populations, both KA and SW athletes were stronger and more powerful in upper body pull compared to push moves

EXPEDITIOUS METHODS OF URBAN SURVEY FOR SEISMIC VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENTS

Abstract. The aim of the proposal is to illustrate how expeditious procedures of urban survey carried out through photomodeling can be the most suitable representation tool in combination with an expeditious procedure for assessing the seismic vulnerability of the historic building heritage in Italian city centres. For some years, in fact, the research group is developing a protocol for the rapid assessment of the seismic vulnerability of masonry aggregate buildings in Italian historic centres.The protocol is based on the determination of synthetic indicators providing a preventive quantification of the possible earthquake damage. This evaluation procedure is oriented to prevent and reduce the current vulnerability, aiming at the conservation and preservation of the historic building heritage. The synthetic indicators are defined by identifying expeditious evaluation procedures based on the typical evolutionary processes suffered by each aggregate in its planimetric and height development, on the construction techniques and on the design concepts used in the local area; these aspects are directly correlated to failure modes.The application of the entire process (starting from the rapid survey phases up to the final restitution of the seismic vulnerability assessment results) is illustrated for the historic centre of Imola. The ancient nucleus of this city constitutes an excellent example, as it is clearly representative of the Emilian historical architecture both for the processes of formation and transformation of the inhabited area, both for what concerns the constructive characterization deriving from the local building traditions

Amine-Rich Carbon Dots as Novel Nano-Aminocatalytic Platforms in Organic Synthesis

The development of novel and effective metal-free catalytic systems, which can drive value-added organic transformations in environmentally benign solvents (for instance, water), is highly desirable. Moreover, these new catalysts need to be harmless, easy-to-prepare, and potentially recyclable. In this context, amine-rich carbon dots (CDs) have recently emerged as promising nano-catalytic platforms. These nitrogen-doped nanoparticles, which show dimensions smaller than 10 nm, generally consist of carbon cores that are surrounded by shells containing numerous amino groups. In recent years, organic chemists have used these surface amines to guide the design of several synthetic methodologies under mild operative conditions. This Concept highlights the recent advances in the synthesis of amine-rich carbon dots and their applications in organic catalysis, including forward-looking opportunities within this research field

Passive drag in young swimmers: Effects of body composition, morphology and gliding position

The passive drag (Dp) during swimming is affected by the swimmer’s morphology, body density and body position. We evaluated the relative contribution of morphology, body composition, and body position adjustments in the prediction of a swimmer’s Dp. This observational study examined a sample of 60 competitive swimmers (31 male and 29 female) with a mean (±SD) age of 15.4 ± 3.1 years. The swimmer’s Dp was measured using an electro-mechanical towing device and the body composition was assessed using a bioelectrical impedance analyser. Body lengths and circumferences were measured in both the standing position and the simulated streamlined position. Partial correlation analysis with age as a control variable showed that Dp was largely correlated (p < 0.05) with body mass, biacromial-and bi-iliac-breadth, streamline chest circumference and breadth. Body mass, Body Mass Index, chest circumference and streamline chest circumference showed a significant and moderate to strong effect (η2 > 0.55) on Dp. Body mass was the best predictor of Dp explaining 69% of the variability. These results indicate that swimmers with lower Dp values were: (i) slimmer, with lower fat and fat-free mass; (ii) thinner, with lower shoulder breadth, chest circumference, and streamline trunk diameters (iii), shorter, with lower streamline height. These findings can be used for talent identification in swimming, with particular reference to the gliding performance

Arm-stroke descriptor variability during 200-M front crawl swimming

The present study aimed to explore the variability of the arm-stroke temporal descriptors between and within laps during middle-distance swimming event using IMMUs. Eight male swimmers performed a 200-m maximum front-crawl in which the inter-lap and intra-lap variability of velocity, stroke rate, stroke-phases duration and arm-coordination index were measured through five units of IMMU. An algorithm computes the 3D coordinates of the wrist by means the IMMU orientation and the kinematic chain of upper arm biomechanical model, and it recognizes the start events of the four arm-stroke phases. Velocity and stroke rate had a mean value of 1.47 ± 0.10 m·s−1 and 32.94 ± 4.84 cycles·min−1, respectively, and a significant decrease along the 200-m (p < 0.001; η2 = 0.80 and 0.47). The end of each lap showed significantly lower stroke rate compared to the start and the middle segment (p < 0.05; η2 = 0.55). No other significant inter-lap and intra-lap differences were detected. The two main findings are: (i) IMMUs technology can be an effective solution to continuously monitor the temporal descriptors during the swimming trial; (ii) swimmers are able to keep stable their temporal technique descriptors in a middle-distance event, despite the decrease of velocity and stroke rate

Efficacy of 90Y ibritumomab-tiuxetan treatment in a case of resistant gastric MALT non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Treatment modalities for resistant/relapsing gastric mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) are not yet well standardized. In the past, most patients were treated surgically with a gastrectomy, while, more recently, radiotherapy and systemic approaches (chemotherapy and immunotherapy) have been used with improving results

Large-scale risk analysis in the Arno river basin (Italy)

We present the methodologies adopted and the outcomes obtained in the analysis of landslide risk in the basin of the Arno River (Central Italy) in the framework of a project sponsored by the Basin Authority of the Arno River, started in the year 2002 and completed at the beginning of 2005. A new landslide inventory of the whole area was realized, using conventional (aerialphoto interpretation and field surveys) and non-conventional methods (e.g. remote sensing techniques such as DInSAR and PS-InSAR). The great majority of the mapped mass movements are rotational slides (75%), solifluctions and other shallow slow movements (17%) and flows (5%), while soil slips, and other rapid landslides, seem less frequent everywhere within the basin. The assessment of landslide hazard in terms of probability of occurrence in a given time, based for mapped landslides on direct and indirect observations of the state of activity and recurrence time, has been extended to landslide-free areas through the application of statistical methods implemented in an artificial neural network (ANN). Unique conditions units (UCU) were defined by the map overlay of landslide preparatory factors (lithology, land cover, slope gradient, slope curvature and upslope contributing area) and afterwards used to construct a series of model vectors for the training and test of the ANN. Model validation confirms that prediction results are very good, with an average percentage of correctly recognized mass movements of about 85%. The analysis also revealed the existence of a large number of unmapped mass movements, thus contributing to the completeness of the final inventory. Temporal hazard was estimated via the translation of state of activity in recurrence time and hence probability of occurrence. The definition of position, typology and characteristics of the elements at risk has been carried out with two different methodologies, partially derived from the “Plans d’Exposition au Risque” proposed in France: i) buildings and infrastructures were directly extracted from digital terrain cartography at the 1:10,000 scale, whilst ii) nonurban land use was identified and mapped based on an updated and improved CORINE land cover map at the 1:50,000 scale. The definition of the exposure of the elements at risk relies upon contingent valuation methods and form-based interviews. Landslide intensity, usually defined as proportional to kinetic energy, was obtained considering landslide typology as a proxy for expected velocity. In the case of the Arno River Basin the definition of intensity is influenced by the fact that the large majority of mass movements are deep-seated reactivated slides evolving into flows. Two main cases were so considered: deep-seated rotational slides and shallow flows or planar slides with virtually constant depth. In the latter case, intensity as a function of volume was set proportional to the area of the mapped phenomenon. In the former case, a simple geometric model was used to compute the volume. Intersection of hazard values with vulnerability and exposure figures, obtained by reclassification of digital vector mapping at 1:10,000 scale, lead to the definition of risk values for each terrain unit for different periods of time into the future. Numerical results indicate that in absence of mitigation measures, large economic losses must be expected due to landslide activity in the few next years. The final results of the research are now undergoing a process of integration and implementation within land planning and risk prevention policies and practices at local and national level

Phycobiliproteins from Arthrospira Platensis (Spirulina): A New Source of Peptides with Dipeptidyl Peptidase-IV Inhibitory Activity

Arthrospira platensis (spirulina) is a cyanobacterium, which contains mainly two phycobiliproteins (PBP), i.e., C-phycocyanin (C-PC) and allophycocyanin (APC). In this study, PBP were hydrolyzed using trypsin, and the composition of the hydrolysate was characterized by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Furthermore, the potential anti-diabetic activity was assessed by using either biochemical or cellular techniques. Findings suggest that PBP peptides inhibit DPP-IV activity in vitro with a dose-response trend and an IC50 value falling in the range between 0.5 and 1.0 mg/mL. A lower inhibition of the DPP-IV activity expressed by Caco-2 cells was observed, which was explained by a secondary metabolic degradation exerted by the same cells