CLASSIFICATION OF FOUR DELIVERY STYLES OF PITCHING MOTON IN YOUNG BASEBALL PLAYERS

The purpose of this study was to examine the release positions of the throwing arm and of the trunk in four delivery styles (overarm, three-quarter arm, sidearm and underarm) of the baseball pitching motion, and to identify criteria to define the four delivery styles based upon the positions of both the trunk and throwing arm (upper arm) segments. Thirty-four pitching motions were videotaped using the 3D DLT method. These motions were qualitatively classified by coaches’ observation into 15 overarm, 7 three-quarter arm, 7 sidearm and 5 underarm deliveries. The angles for the trunk lateral tilt and upper arm elevation in the global coordinate system were quantified, and regression analysis revealed a linear relationship between the two angles. Criteria based on these angles were developed that matched the coaches’ observations well, demonstrating that the baseball pitching motion could be quantitatively classified into the four delivery styles

DIFFERENCES AMONG THE OVERHAND, THREE-QUARTER, SIDEARM AND UNDERHAND DELIVERY STYLES IN BASEBALL PITCHERS

The aim of the study was to clarify the biomechanical differences among the overhand (OS), three-quarter (TS), sidearm (SS) and underhand (US) styles of baseball pitching. About 700 pitches were videotaped using the 3D DLT method. The fastest pitch of each pitcher was used to establish criteria for the separation of the pitches into the four styles based on coaches’ observation and on trunk lateral tilt and upper arm elevation angles. Forty-nine pitches were selected for analysis, and classified into 18 OS, 10 TS, 10 SS and 11 US deliveries. Twenty-six kinematic and kinetic variables were calculated and analyzed. Trunk lateral tilt and upper arm elevation angles were significantly larger in the order OS-TS-SS-US. Ball velocity was significantly slower in the US group than in the other three. Significant differences were found among the groups in six kinematic and five kinetic variables. The slow ball velocity in the US group may have been causally linked to the significantly smaller forces and torques of the US group in relation to the other three

Dose-dependent decrease in anti-oxidant capacity of whole blood after irradiation: A novel potential marker for biodosimetry

Many reports have demonstrated that radiation stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by mitochondria for a few hours to a few days after irradiation. However, these studies were performed using cell lines, and there is a lack of information about redox homeostasis in irradiated animals and humans. Blood redox homeostasis reflects the body condition well and can be used as a diagnostic marker. However, most redox homeostasis studies have focused on plasma or serum, and the anti-oxidant capacity of whole blood has scarcely been investigated. Here, we report changes in the anti-oxidant capacity of whole blood after X-ray irradiation using C57BL/6 J mice. Whole-blood anti-oxidant capacity was measured by electron spin resonance (ESR) spin trapping using a novel spin-trapping agent, 2-diphenylphosphinoyl-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrole N-oxide (DPhPMPO). We found that whole-blood anti-oxidant capacity decreased in a dose-dependent manner (correlation factor, r > 0.9; P < 0.05) from 2 to 24 days after irradiation with 0.5–3 Gy. We further found that the red blood cell (RBC) glutathione level decreased and lipid peroxidation level increased in a dose-dependent manner from 2 to 6 days after irradiation. These findings suggest that blood redox state may be a useful biomarker for estimating exposure doses during nuclear and/or radiation accidents

Risk-adjusted therapy for pediatric non-T cell ALL improves outcomes for standard risk patients: results of JACLS ALL-02

This study was a second multicenter trial on childhood ALL by the Japan Childhood Leukemia Study Group (JACLS) to improve outcomes in non-T ALL. Between April 2002 and March 2008, 1138 children with non-T ALL were enrolled in the JACLS ALL-02 trial. Patients were stratified into three groups using age, white blood cell count, unfavorable genetic abnormalities, and treatment response: standard risk (SR), high risk (HR), and extremely high risk (ER). Prophylactic cranial radiation therapy (PCRT) was abolished except for CNS leukemia. Four-year event-free survival (4yr-EFS) and 4-year overall survival (4yr-OS) rates for all patients were 85.4% ± 1.1% and 91.2% ± 0.9%, respectively. Risk-adjusted therapy resulted in 4yr-EFS rates of 90.4% ± 1.4% for SR, 84.9% ± 1.6% for HR, and 66.5% ± 4.0% for ER. Based on NCI risk classification, 4yr-EFS rates were 88.2% in NCI-SR and 76.4% in NCI-HR patients, respectively. Compared to previous trial ALL-97, 4yr-EFS of NCI-SR patients was significantly improved (88.2% vs 81.2%, log rank p = 0.0004). The 4-year cumulative incidence of isolated (0.9%) and total (1.5%) CNS relapse were significantly lower than those reported previously. In conclusion, improved EFS in NCI-SR patients and abolish of PCRT was achieved in ALL-02