INFLUENCE OF FELDENKRAIS METHOD ON SPINE HEALTH IN PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. PILOT STUDY/INFLUENZA DEL METODO FELDENKRAIS SULLA SALUTE DEL RACHIDE IN MUSICISTI ORCHESTRALI PROFESSIONISTI. STUDIO PILOTA

Obiettivo: Lo scopo di questo studio è stato quello di esaminare se il Metodo Feldenkrais fosse utile per migliorare la flessibilità muscolare e ridurre il dolore alla schiena in musicisti orchestrali professionisti. Materiali e metodi: Diciassette partecipanti sono stati reclutati da un orchestra sinfonica di Palermo (Italia) e divisi casualmente in un gruppo di controllo (C, n = 8) e un gruppo Feldenkrais (F, n = 9). Il primo non ha partecipato al protocollo Feldenkrais e a qualsiasi altra attività fisica; mentre il secondo ha preso parte ad un programma costituito da quattro lezioni di gruppo di Consapevolezza Attraverso il Movimento (CAM) eseguito 2 ore alla settimana per 4 settimane. Al fine di valutare lo stato di salute della colonna vertebrale, abbiamo usato il sit-and-reach test ed il trunk lift test. Le differenze all'interno di ogni gruppo e tra il gruppo C e il gruppo F sono state rispettivamente esaminate con il test di Wilcoxon e quello di Mann-Whitney; e considerate significative con p ≤ 0,05. Risultati: La flessibilità muscolare del bicipite femorale e della regione lombare, e la forza, la flessibilità e la resistenza dei muscoli estensori del tronco era leggermente aumentata nel gruppo F rispetto al gruppo C dopo il protocollo Feldenkrais; anche se questa variazione non era statisticamente significativa. Diversamente, il gruppo C ha mostrato una riduzione del 5% in entrambi i test dopo 4 settimane. Dopo il protocollo Feldenkrais, l’altezza del gruppo F era significativamente maggiore rispetto a prima del trattamento. Inoltre, abbiamo trovato che il numero dei partecipanti, che hanno dichiarato di avere dolore forte e frequente alla schiena e agli arti, diminuiva durante il periodo di svolgimento del protocollo Feldenkrais. Questo effetto era maggiore nella regione cervicale rispetto a quella lombare e agli arti superiori. Conclusioni: I nostri risultati mostrano che il Metodo Feldenkrais ha effetti positivi sulla flessibilità muscolare e supporta l'uso di questo metodo per sciogliere le tensioni e le contrazioni muscolari che possono causare dolore nei musicisti orchestrali professionisti.Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore whether Feldenkrais Method was useful for improving muscular flexibility and reducing back pain in professional orchestral musicians. Materials and methods: Seventeen participants were recruited from a symphony orchestra of Palermo (Italy) and randomly divided in a control group (C, n=8) and a Feldenkrais group (F, n=9). The first didn’t participate in the Feldenkrais protocol and any other physical activity; while the second took part into a program consisting of four Awareness through movement (ATM) classes performed 2 hours/week for 4 weeks. In order to assess muscle fitness of spine, we used sit-and-reach and trunk lift test. The differences within each group and between C and F groups were respectively examined with Wilcoxon matched pair test and Mann-Whitney test; and considered significant with p≤0.05. Results: The muscular flexibility of hamstring and low back, and trunk extensor strength, flexibility and endurance slightly increased in F group compared with C group after Feldenkrais protocol even if this variation was not statistically significant. Differently, C group showed a reduction by 5% in both tests after 4 weeks. After Feldenkrais protocol, height of F group was significantly bigger than before treatment. Moreover, we found that the number of participants, who stated to have strong and frequent pain in the back and limbs, decreased during performing the Feldenkrais protocol. This effect was bigger in the cervical than lumbar spine and upper limbs.Conclusion: Our outcomes illustrate that Feldenkrais method has positive effects on muscle flexibility and supports the use of this method for dissolving muscle tensions and contractions that can cause pain in professional orchestral musicians

A multi-gap magnetorheological clutch with permanent magnet

This paper describes the design and testing of a novel permanent magnet clutch based on a magnetorheological fluid. It was inspired by a prototype previously developed by the authors and contains a novel gap shape conceived to reduce torque loss in the disengaged operating mode. Several geometries and material arrangements were investigated and the performance in terms of transmissible torque in different operating conditions was assessed using finite element numerical models. The prototype was manufactured and some experimental tests were performed. The new prototype was rated on the basis of performance indices and the design effectiveness was proven by a higher value of efficiency in the disengaged operating mode

Analysis of the role of elution buffers on the separation capabilities of dielectrophoretic devices

Field flow fractionation dielectrophoretic (FFF-DEP) devices are currently used, among the others, for the separation of tumor cells from healthy blood cells. To this end specific suspension/elution buffers (EBs), with reduced conductivity (with respect to that of the cell cytoplasm) are generally used. In this paper we investigate the long-term alterations of the cells and elution buffers. We find that the EB conductivity is critically modified within few minutes after cells suspension. In turn, this modification results in a change the ideal separation frequency of the FFF-DEP device. On the other hand we prove that DEP manipulation is preserved for more than three hours for cells suspended in the considered EBs. Keywords: Dielectrophoresis, Elution buffer, Circulating tumor cells, Cell motilit

The role of the LISTANet Consortium in the European DEDIPAC-KH project

Aim:To improve understanding of the determinants of dietary, physical activity (PA), and sedentary behaviours, the European multi-disciplinary consortium on “Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity Knowledge Hub” (DEDIPAC-KH) includes 46 consortia and organisations supported by joint programming grants from 12 countries across Europe (Lakerveld et al., 2014). Six Italian Universities (e.g., Cassino, Chieti-Pescara, Palermo, Roma Foro Italico, Roma Sapienza, and UCSC) participating in the LISTANet consortium supported by MIUR (B84G14000040008) contributed to the Thematic Area2 “Determinants of dietary, PA, and sedentary behaviours across the life course and in vulnerable groups”. In particular, the coordinator of LISTANet Prof Capranica and Prof. MacDonncha from the Irish Physical Activity and Health Consortium act as Work Package (WP) Leaders of PA determinants (WP2.2). Methods: A mix of methods has been used in identifying PA determinants by developing PA taxonomy and a European framework (EU-PAD), seven umbrella systematic literature reviews (e.g., behavioural, biological, economic, physical, policy, psychological, and socio-cultural), and identifying ongoing/recently completed European-funded projects and data sets for secondary data analyses. Results: LISTANet participated in DEDIPAC-KH meetings/seminars/courses/conferences, and organized two workshops dedicated to the EU-PAD framework and umbrella SLRs. Outcomes included internal reports, presentations to international conferences, and scientific papers submitted for publications. Conclusions: The DEDIPAC-KH project represents an excellent start in setting up a complex, cross-country, organisational structure to: 1) guide a European strategic plan for novel and multi-disciplinary research addressing the complexity of determinants of PA behaviours across the life course; and 2) identify key aspects for potential strategies and intervention programmes to implement multi-sectoral European policies in PA. Finally, the cumulated experience of LISTANet could be valuable to fully exploit effective research and actions to increase PA levels of Italian citizens

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction > 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR < 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR > 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening