Swimming training repercussion on metabolic and structural bone development; benefits of the incorporation of whole body vibration or pilometric training; the RENACIMIENTO project

Introduction: Enviromental factors such as exercise participation and nutrition have often been linked to bone improvements. However, not all sports have the same effects, being non-osteogenic sports such as swimming defined as negative or neutral sports to practice regarding bone mass by some authors, similarly exercisediet interaction in especific groups is still not clear. Objective: To present the methodology of the RENACIMENTO project that aims to evaluate body composition and more specifically bone mass by several techniques in adolescent swimmers and to observe the effects and perdurability of whole body vibration (WBV) and jumping intervention (JIN) on body composition and fitness on this population and explore posible diet interactions. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: 78 swimmers (12-17 y) and 26 sex- and agematched controls will participate in this study. Dual energy X-ray, peripheral Quantitative Computed Tomography, Quantitative Ultrasound, Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis, and anthropometry measurements will be performed in order to evaluate body composition. Physical activity, nutrition, pubertal development and socio-economical status may act as confounders of body composition and therefore will also be registered. Several fitness factors regarding strength, endurance, performance and others will also be registered to evaluate differences with controls and act as confounders. A 7- month WBV therapy will be performed by 26 swimmers consisting of a training of 15 minutes 3 times per week. An 8 month JIM will also be performed by 26 swimmers 3 times per week. The remaining 26 swimmers will continue their normal swimming training. Four evaluations will be performed, the first one in order to describe differences between swimmers and controls. The second one to describe the effects of the interventions and the third and fourth evaluations to describe the perdurability of the effects of the WBV and JIN. Conclusion: The RENACIMIENTO project will allow to answer several questions regarding body composition, fitness, bone mass and interaction with diet of adolescent swimmers, describe swimming as a positive, negative or neutral sport to practice regarding these parameters and elucidate the effects and perdurability of WBV and JIM on body composition. Introducción: En la actualidad se ha demostrado que el ejercicio físico y la nutrición mejoran la masa ósea. Sin embargo, existen deportes de bajo impacto como la natación que no presentan efectos positivos en su desarrollo. Además, la interacción ejercicio-dieta y su efecto osteogénico sigue sin estar clara. Objetivo: Presentar la metodología del proyecto RENACIMIENTO que tiene por objetivo evaluar la composición corporal del nadador adolescente y más concretamente la masa ósea a través de diversas técnicas. Además se pretenden determinar los efectos y la perdurabilidad que pueden tener el entrenamiento vibratorio (WBV) y una intervención con saltos (JIN) sobre la composición corporal y condición física de estos adolescentes, explorando la posible interacción con la dieta. Diseño: Ensayo clínico aleatorizado. Metodología: 78 nadadores (12-17 años) y 26 controles del mismo sexo y edad participarán en el estudio. Se utilizarán absorciometría dual de rayos-x, tomografía axial computerizada, ultrasonidos cuantitativo, bioimpedancia eléctrica, y medidas antropométricas para evaluar la composición corporal. La actividad física, nutrición, desarrollo puberal y status socio-económico podrían actuar como covariables de la composición corporal y por lo tanto también serán registradas. Se evaluarán diversos factores de la condición física relacionados con la fuerza, resistencia, rendimiento y otros para definir las diferencias con los controles y para que sirvan como covariables. 26 nadadores realizarán una intervención de WBV 7 meses 15 minutos 3 veces por semana. Además otros 26 nadadores realizarán una JIN 3 veces por semana durante 8 meses. Los 26 nadadores restantes continuarán con su entrenamiento habitual de natación. Se realizaran 4 evaluaciones, la primera de ellas para describir las diferencias existentes entre nadadores y controles, la segunda para describir los efectos de las intervenciones realizadas y la tercera y cuarta para evaluar la perdurabilidad de estas intervenciones. Conclusión: El proyecto RENACIMIENTO permitirá contestar a diversas preguntas relacionadas con la composición corporal, condición física y masa ósea de los nadadores adolescentes y el posible efecto combinado dieta-ejercicio en esta población. Definirá la natación como un deporte positivo, neutral o negativo en relación con estos parámetros y esclarecerá los efectos y perdurabilidad de la WBV y JIN sobre la composición corporal

Automatic selection of acoustic features using a lazy spitting method

The increasing amount of music data approaching the scale of ten million of tracks poses the challenge of organizing such huge information. Audio Tag Classification is a sub-area in Music Information Retrieval. Its objective is to predict human motivated tags given the acoustic data. One major problem in this procedure is the training of the classifier. An important step in the training is the selection of the appropriate acoustical features. This paper explores two selection approaches: greedy and spitting. Experimental results indicate that the proposed spitting algorithm has a superior performance both in classification (F-measure score) and speed (lower computational requirements).Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Daily sitting for long periods increases the odds for subclinical atheroma plaques

Sedentarism is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but currently it is not clear how a sedentary behavior such as long sitting time can affect atherosclerosis development. This study examined the relationship between sitting time and the prevalence of carotid and femoral subclinical atherosclerosis. A cross-sectional analysis based on a subsample of 2082 participants belonging to the Aragon Workers’ Health Study was carried out. Ultrasonography was used to assess the presence of plaques in carotid and femoral territories; the validated Spanish version of the questionnaire on the frequency of engaging in physical activity used in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals’ was used to assess physical activity and sitting time; and demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were obtained by trained personnel during the annual medical examination. Participants were categorized into <9 h/day and ≥9 h/day sitting time groups. After adjusting for several confounders, compared with participants that remain seated <9 h/day, those participants who remain seated ≥9 h/day had, respectively, OR = 1.25 (95%CI: 1.01, 1.55, p < 0.05) and OR = 1.38 (95%CI: 1.09, 1.74, p < 0.05) for carotid and any-territory plaque presence. Remaining seated ≥9 h/day is associated with higher odds for carotid and any-territory plaque presence independently of physical activity levels and other cardiovascular risk factors

Can Physical Activity Reduce the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Apolipoprotein e4 Carriers? A Systematic Review

Physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of cognitive decline (CD) in the general population. However, little is known about whether the presence of the apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 allele (APOE e4) could modify this beneficial effect. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze and synthetize the scientific evidence related to PA levels and CD risk in cognitively healthy APOE e4 carriers. Four electronic databases were analyzed. Only original articles with longitudinal study design were selected to analyze the relationship between PA and CD in APOE e4 carriers. Five studies were included in the systematic review. All studies except one stated that PA is a protective factor against CD in APOE e4 carriers. Moreover, partial support was found for the hypothesis that a greater amount and intensity of PA are more beneficial in CD prevention. The results support the idea that PA is a protective factor against CD in APOE e4 carriers. Nevertheless, it would be necessary to carry out further studies that would allow these findings to be contrasted

Is Vibration Training Good for Your Bones? An Overview of Systematic Reviews

Whole-body vibration (WBV) intervention studies and reviews have been increasing lately. However, the results regarding its effects on bone tissue in different populations are still inconclusive. The goal of this overview was to summarize systematic reviews assessing the effects of WBV training on bone parameters. Three electronic databases were scanned for systematic reviews and meta-analyses evaluating the effects of WBV on bone tissue. The search had no time restrictions and was limited to articles written in English. Vibration protocols and the main bone parameters included in each review were extracted. Methodological quality was assessed and analyses were conducted stratifying by age. 17 reviews and meta-analyses fulfilled the inclusion criteria. No increase or small improvements in bone mineral density (BMD) after WBV interventions were observed in reviews regarding postmenopausal women. One intervention study regarding young adults was included and reported no bone-related benefits from WBV. Most reviews including children and adolescents with compromised bone mass showed an improvement of BMD at lower limbs, lumbar spine, and whole body. In conclusion, WBV interventions seem to help children and adolescents with compromised bone mass to increase their BMD, but these improvements are limited in postmenopausal women and there is insufficient evidence for young adults. Further research is also needed to identify the ideal parameters of WBV training focused on bone health

A Study of the Heuristics Applied to Casandra Virtual Keyboard

Nowadays computers have became an important channel of communication for handicapped people through chat, social networks, blogs, digital newspapers, magazines, and wikipedias. Switching devices combined with virtual keyboards allow the physically impaired user to operate many applications that are not adapted to disabilities. In this paper we describe the many heuristics included in the virtual keyboard Casandra. Experimental results show how useful such heuristics are. The handicapped user may reach the speed of 4.1 words per seconds using all the heuristics.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Design of a Computer Model for the Identification of Adolescent Swimmers at Risk of Low BMD

This paper aims to elaborate a decision tree for the early detection of adolescent swimmers at risk of presenting low bone mineral density (BMD), based on easily measurable fitness and performance variables. The BMD of 78 adolescent swimmers was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans at the hip and subtotal body. The participants also underwent physical fitness (muscular strength, speed, and cardiovascular endurance) and swimming performance assessments. A gradient-boosting machine regression tree was built to predict the BMD of the swimmers and to further develop a simpler individual decision tree. The predicted BMD was strongly correlated with the actual BMD values obtained from the DXA (r = 0.960, p 2). According to a simple decision tree (74% classification accuracy), swimmers with a body mass index (BMI) lower than 17 kg/m2 or a handgrip strength inferior to 43 kg with the sum of both arms could be at a higher risk of having a low BMD. Easily measurable fitness variables (BMI and handgrip strength) could be used for the early detection of adolescent swimmers who are at risk of suffering from low BMD

May Young Elite Cyclists Have Less Efficient Bone Metabolism?

The purpose of this work was to describe changes in metabolic activity in the bones of young male competitive cyclists (CYC) as compared with age-matched controls (CON) over a one-year period of study. Eight adolescent male cyclists aged between fourteen and twenty, and eight age-matched controls participated in this longitudinal study. Serum osteocalcin (OC), amino-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PINP), beta-isomerized C-telopeptides (&#946;-CTx) and plasma 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], were investigated by an electrogenerated chemiluminescence immunoassay. Analysis of variance revealed no significant differences in formation and resorption markers between cyclists and controls. Within the groups, both CYC and CON showed decreased OC at &#8722;30% and &#8722;24%, respectively, and PINP where the figures were &#8722;28% and &#8722;30% respectively (all p &lt; 0.05). However, only the CYC group showed a decrease in [25(OH)D], lower by 11% (p &lt; 0.05). The similarity in the concentrations of markers in cyclists and controls seems to indicate that cycling does not modify the process of bone remodeling. The decrease in vitamin D in cyclists might be detrimental to their future bone health

Apparent selective advantage of leucism in a coastal population of Southern caracaras (Falconidae)

Background: Southern caracaras are medium-sized raptors with a large range stretching to the southern tip of South America. An aberrant, leucistic plumage is found commonly along the coast of Chubut Province (Patagonia, Argentina). Leucistic birds do not produce dark melanin in their feathers. However, they are not albinos because their eyes are not red. No genetic studies of caracara plumages are known. Hypothesis: The high frequency of leucistic birds in Chubut Province arises because of natural selection. Methods: Map the distribution of leucistic individuals relative to normal individuals. Combine a variety of anecdotal natural history observations, collected over 20 years, into a logical inference. Observations: Leucistic caracaras were found only along a 250-km stretch of rocky oceanic islands and continental outcrops with large seabird colonies in Chubut Province. In the rest of their range, Southern caracaras have dark plumage. Where they do occur, leucistic birds are frequent and co-occur with dark-plumaged birds. Intermediate individuals, presumably heterozygotes, exist. Leucism is not related to age or sex. Leucistic individuals are restricted to a particular habitat. Gene flow has not homogenized the coastal and inland populations. Results: Leucism is not simply due to inbreeding producing more homozygous individuals. Leucism is not due to genetic drift. Leucism is not an environmental effect on individual physiology or development. Leucism is not a transient (plastic) phenomenon. Where they occur frequently, leucistic Southern caracaras are apparently favoured by natural selection, either directly or by pleiotropy.Fil: Edelaar, Pim. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Biológica de Doñana; EspañaFil: Donazar, José. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Estación Biológica de Doñana; EspañaFil: Soriano, Matías. Estación Científica de Bahía Bustamante; ArgentinaFil: Santillán, Miguel Angel. Universidad Nacional de La Pampa. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Recursos Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez Zevallos, Diego Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Garcia Borboroglu, Jorge Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Lisnizer, Nora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Gatto, Alejandro Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Agüero, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Passera, Carlos A.. Causana Viajes; ArgentinaFil: Ebert, Luis Augusto. Centro Universitario Leonardo Da Vinci (uniasselvi); BrasilFil: Bertellotti, Néstor Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, Guillermo. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales; EspañaFil: Abril, Monica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Escudero, Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Quintana, Flavio Roberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentin