Effect of dog breed and body conformation on vertical ground reaction forces, impulses, and stance times

OBJECTIVES: To assess whether fully normalised vertical ground reaction forces and stance times obtained at a trot depend on dog breed or body conformations. METHODS: Peak vertical forces (PVF), vertical impulses (VI), stance times (ST), and ratio of forelimb impulse to total impulse (RVI) of 54 dogs of seven different breeds were normalised to body weight and body size according to the theory of dynamic similarity, and were tested for differences between breeds. Breeds were Borzoi, Bernese Mountain dog, Great Dane, Labrador Retriever, Landseer, Rhodesian Ridgeback, and Rottweiler. Body length ratio (BLR) and body mass index (BMI) were also compared between breeds. RESULTS: Significant differences between breeds were found for the normalised forelimb PVF, VI and ST, and hindlimb PVF. Looking at individual breeds, it was most evident that Borzois had a lower forelimb VI, and a higher hindlimb PVF than the other breeds. This resulted in Borzois having a lower RVI compared to other dogs, indicating a more caudally located centre of gravity. Only a few differences in gait parameters were found between other dog breeds. The BMI was significantly lower in Borzois than in other breeds, but was otherwise not associated with gait parameters. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Force plate data of dogs of different breeds are not necessarily comparable, even after full normalisation to body weight and body size. Group comparisons should only be made when the groups consist of breeds with similar body conformation

Impact of gastrointestinal side effects on patients’ reported quality of life trajectories after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Data from the prospective, observational pros-it CNR study

Radiotherapy (RT) represents an important therapeutic option for the treatment of localized prostate cancer. The aim of the current study is to examine trajectories in patients’ reported quality of life (QoL) aspects related to bowel function and bother, considering data from the PROState cancer monitoring in ITaly from the National Research Council (Pros-IT CNR) study, analyzed with growth mixture models. Data for patients who underwent RT, either associated or not associated with androgen deprivation therapy, were considered. QoL outcomes were assessed over a 2-year period from the diagnosis, using the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (Italian-UCLA-PCI). Three trajectories were identified for the bowel function; having three or more comorbidities and the use of 3D-CRT technique for RT were associated with the worst trajectory (OR = 3.80, 95% CI 2.04–7.08; OR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.22–3.87, respectively). Two trajectories were identified for the bowel bother scores; diabetes and the non-Image guided RT method were associated with being in the worst bowel bother trajectory group (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.06–2.67; OR = 2.57, 95% CI 1.70–3.86, respectively). The findings from this study suggest that the absence of comorbidities and the use of intensity modulated RT techniques with image guidance are related with a better tolerance to RT in terms of bowel side effects

Disease-specific and general health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients: The Pros-IT CNR study

Background: The National Research Council (CNR) prostate cancer monitoring project in Italy (Pros-IT CNR) is an observational, prospective, ongoing, multicentre study aiming to monitor a sample of Italian males diagnosed as new cases of prostate cancer. The present study aims to present data on the quality of life at time prostate cancer is diagnosed. Methods: One thousand seven hundred five patients were enrolled. Quality of life is evaluated at the time cancer was diagnosed and at subsequent assessments via the Italian version of the University of California Los Angeles-Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). Results: At diagnosis, lower scores on the physical component of the SF-12 were associated to older ages, obesity and the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities. Lower scores on the mental component were associated to younger ages, the presence of 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities and a T-score higher than one. Urinary and bowel functions according to UCLA-PCI were generally good. Almost 5% of the sample reported using at least one safety pad daily to control urinary loss; less than 3% reported moderate/severe problems attributable to bowel functions, and sexual function was a moderate/severe problem for 26.7%. Diabetes, 3+ moderate/severe comorbidities, T2 or T3-T4 categories and a Gleason score of eight or more were significantly associated with lower sexual function scores at diagnosis. Conclusions: Data collected by the Pros-IT CNR study have clarified the baseline status of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. A comprehensive assessment of quality of life will allow to objectively evaluate outcomes of different profile of care

Top level professional soccer players: association between gene polymorphisms and myDNA copy number as potential factors in modulating exercise-related phenotypes

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Inquadramento delle reti regionali VLNDEF e TAMDEF (Antartide) nel sistema di riferimento globale

L’obiettivo del presente lavoro è di definire le strategie più opportune per l’inquadramento delle reti antartiche di stazioni permanenti ed episodiche in un sistema di riferimento globale. Lo studio è stato focalizzato in particolare sulla rete antartica di stazioni permanenti e sulle sottoreti regionali VLNDEF e TAMDEF, allo scopo di ottenere informazioni circa la cinematica superficiale della Terra Vittoria (Antartide). L’approccio scelto per l’inquadramento è stato sviluppato in tre fasi: inquadramento delle stazioni permanenti presenti nella regione oggetto di studio, connessione dei siti delle due reti regionali alle stazioni permanenti precedentemente inquadrate, elaborazione di tutte le informazioni a livello di equazioni normali. Per l’analisi dei dati è stato utilizzato il Bernese GPS software v5.0. Per l’elaborazione dei dati sono stati utilizzati parametri e modelli standard, eseguendo per alcuni di essi dei test per verificare quanto essi incidessero sull’analisi del dato e quali fossero le scelte migliori per la soluzione finale. L’analisi delle serie storiche ha evidenziato quali stazioni permanenti fossero affidabili per la connessione delle reti regionali. L’analisi spettrale delle stesse ha messo in rilievo la presenza di segnali periodici che influenzano la determinazione delle velocità, in particolar modo per la componente verticale. I risultati ottenuti mostrano un andamento ben determinato per quanto riguarda le velocità planimetriche, mentre, sono ancora incerte, in termini di spostamento verticale assoluto, a seconda del sistema di riferimento utilizzato, ITRF2000 o ITRF2005. Questo lascia ancora irrisolto il problema dell’interpretazione dei risultati da utilizzare come condizioni al contorno per i modelli geodinamici delle zone oggetto di studio

The Low Temperature Synthesis of Very Small and Non-Crystalline Iron-Based Nanoparticles: Application in Alkene Hydrosilylation

International audienceThis work describes the synthesis of ultra-small non-crystalline and non-metallic iron-based nanoparticles in solution from easily accessible commercial products in mild conditions. These colloidal suspensions were further used to generate well-defined solids containing metallic iron or iron oxide NPs. While classical magnetic and crystalline Fe nanoparticles are inactive in alkene hydrosilylation, such original NPs were active in 1-octene hydrosilylation with 1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptamethyltrisiloxane (MD'M) showing that the non-crystallinity and the organometallic character of the starting Fe NPs are an asset to generate a specific catalytic activity

Review of tropospheric temperature, absolute humidity and integrated water vapour from the HAMSTRAD radiometer installed at Dome C, Antarctica, 2009-14

The HAMSTRAD (H2O Antarctica Microwave Stratospheric and Tropospheric Radiometers) instrument is a microwave radiometer installed at Dome C (Antarctica, 75\ub006'S, 123\ub021'E, 3233 m a.m.s.l.) dedicated to the tropospheric measurements of temperature, absolute humidity and integrated water vapour (IWV). The aim of the present paper is to review the entire HAMSTRAD dataset from 2009 to 2014 with a 7-minute integration time from 0 to 10 km by comparison with coincident radiosondes launched at 12h00 UTC at Dome C. Based upon an extensive evaluation of biases and time correlation coefficients (r), we can state: i) IWV is of excellent quality (r>0.98) and can be used without retrieving significant bias, ii) temperature is suitable for scientific analyses over 0-10 km with a high time correlation with radiosondes (r>0.80) and iii) absolute humidity is suitable for scientific analyses over 0-4 km with a moderate time correlation against radiosondes (r>0.70). The vertical distribution of temperature (0-10 km) and absolute humidity (0-4 km) is subject to biases that need to be removed if the analyses require the use of vertical profiling. The HAMSTRAD dataset is provided in open access to the scientific community