Psychophysiological effects of massage-myofascial release after exercise: a randomized sham-control study

This is a copy of an article published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine © 2008 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.; Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is available online at: http://online.liebertpub.com.Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of massage on neuromuscular recruitment, mood state, and mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) after high-intensity exercise. Design: This was a prospective randomized clinical trial using between-groups design. Setting: The study was conducted at a university-based sports medicine clinic. Participants: Sixty-two (62) healthy active students age 18–26 participated. Interventions: Participants, randomized into two groups, performed three 30-second Wingate tests and immediately received whole-body massage-myofascial induction or placebo (sham ultrasound/magnetotherapy) treatment. The duration (40 minutes), position, and therapist were the same for both treatments. Main outcome measures: Dependent variables were surface electromyography (sEMG) of quadriceps, profile of mood states (POMS) and mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) of trapezius and masseter muscles. These data were assessed at baseline and after exercise and recovery periods. Results: Generalized estimating equations models were performed on dependent variables to assess differences between groups. Significant differences were found in effects of treatment on sEMG of Vastus Medialis (VM) (p 0.02) and vigor subscale (p 0.04). After the recovery period, there was a significant decrease in electromyographic (EMG) activity of VM (p 0.02) in the myofascial-release group versus a nonsignificant increase in the placebo group (p 0.32), and a decrease in vigor (p 0.01) in the massage group versus no change in the placebo group (p 0.86). Conclusions: Massage reduces EMG amplitude and vigor when applied as a passive recovery technique after a high-intensity exercise protocol. Massage may induce a transient loss of muscle strength or a change in the muscle fiber tension–length relationship, influenced by alterations of muscle function and a psychological state of relaxation.The trial was funded by a research project grant (11/UPB10/06) from the Spanish Higher Sports Council

Effective and Asymptotic Critical Exponents of Weakly Diluted Quenched Ising Model: 3d Approach Versus ϵ1/2\epsilon^{1/2}-Expansion

We present a field-theoretical treatment of the critical behavior of three-dimensional weakly diluted quenched Ising model. To this end we analyse in a replica limit n=0 5-loop renormalization group functions of the $\phi^4$-theory with O(n)-symmetric and cubic interactions (H.Kleinert and V.Schulte-Frohlinde, Phys.Lett. B342, 284 (1995)). The minimal subtraction scheme allows to develop either the $\epsilon^{1/2}$-expansion series or to proceed in the 3d approach, performing expansions in terms of renormalized couplings. Doing so, we compare both perturbation approaches and discuss their convergence and possible Borel summability. To study the crossover effect we calculate the effective critical exponents providing a local measure for the degree of singularity of different physical quantities in the critical region. We report resummed numerical values for the effective and asymptotic critical exponents. Obtained within the 3d approach results agree pretty well with recent Monte Carlo simulations. $\epsilon^{1/2}$-expansion does not allow reliable estimates for d=3.Comment: 35 pages, Latex, 9 eps-figures included. The reference list is refreshed and typos are corrected in the 2nd versio

Ising model on 3D random lattices: A Monte Carlo study

We report single-cluster Monte Carlo simulations of the Ising model on three-dimensional Poissonian random lattices with up to 128,000 approx. 503 sites which are linked together according to the Voronoi/Delaunay prescription. For each lattice size quenched averages are performed over 96 realizations. By using reweighting techniques and finite-size scaling analyses we investigate the critical properties of the model in the close vicinity of the phase transition point. Our random lattice data provide strong evidence that, for the available system sizes, the resulting effective critical exponents are indistinguishable from recent high-precision estimates obtained in Monte Carlo studies of the Ising model and \phi^4 field theory on three-dimensional regular cubic lattices.Comment: 35 pages, LaTex, 8 tables, 8 postscript figure

First and second eye cataract surgery and driver self-regulation among older drivers with bilateral cataract: A prospective cohort study

Background: Driving a car is the most common form of transport among the older population. Common medical conditions such as cataract, increase with age and impact on the ability to drive. To compensate for visual decline, some cataract patients may self-regulate their driving while waiting for cataract surgery. However, little is known about the self-regulation practices of older drivers throughout the cataract surgery process. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of first and second eye cataract surgery on driver self-regulation practices, and to determine which objective measures of vision are associated with driver self-regulation. Methods: Fifty-five older drivers with bilateral cataract aged 55+ years were assessed using the self-reported Driving Habits Questionnaire, the Mini-Mental State Examination and three objective visual measures in the month before cataract surgery, at least one to three months after first eye cataract surgery and at least one month after second eye cataract surgery. Participants' natural driving behaviour in four driving situations was also examined for one week using an in-vehicle monitoring device. Two separate Generalised Estimating Equation logistic models were undertaken to assess the impact of first and second eye cataract surgery on driver-self-regulation status and which changes in visual measures were associated with driver self-regulation status. Results: The odds of being a self-regulator in at least one driving situation significantly decreased by 70% after first eye cataract surgery (OR: 0.3, 95% CI: 0.1-0.7) and by 90% after second eye surgery (OR: 0.1, 95% CI: 0.1-0.4), compared to before first eye surgery. Improvement in contrast sensitivity after cataract surgery was significantly associated with decreased odds of self-regulation (OR: 0.02, 95% CI: 0.01-0.4). Conclusions: The findings provide a strong rationale for providing timely first and second eye cataract surgery for older drivers with bilateral cataract, in order to improve their mobility and independence

Building consensus about eHealth in Slovene primary health care: Delphi study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Slovenia's national eHealth strategy aims to develop an efficient, flexible and modern health care informatics framework that would be comparable to the most successful EU countries. To achieve this goal, the gap between availability and usage of information and communication technology by primary care physicians needs to be reduced.</p> <p>As recent efforts show, consensus on information and communication technology purpose and usage in primary care needs to be established before any national information and communication technology solutions are developed.</p> <p>The aim of this study was to identify the most appropriate measures in implementation of Slovene national eHealth strategy and to suggest an appropriate model for success by using the three round Delphi study.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An e-mail based, three-round Delphi study was undertaken to achieve consensus from a selected sample of nationally recognized experts from the fields of primary health care and medical informatics. The aim of this study was to identify the most appropriate measures and key obstacles in implementation of eHealth in Slovene primary health care by using the Delphi study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>High levels of consensus on the majority of suggested measures were achieved among all study participants, as well as between the subgroups of experts from primary health care and medical informatics. All aims of the three-round Delphi study on eHealth implementation in Slovenian primary health care were achieved.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The three round decision Delphi process has proven to be effective for developing outcomes, ranking key priorities in primary care eHealth development, and achieving consensus among the most influential experts in that field. This consensus is an important contribution to future national eHealth strategies in the field of primary health care.</p

Responses of Invertebrate Drift to Streamside Brush Removal

Invertebrate drift, a principle food of trout, was sampled in the Little Plover River once a month from June 1976 through August 1977 to determine if removal of woody streamside vegetation increased drift number and biomass, and altered taxonomic composition. Simultaneous drift net samples of invertebrates and detritus were collected in a Meadow Zone, two Brushy Zones, and a Treatment Zone where the streamside brush was removed from both stream banks in spring 1973. Results were compared between zones and to pretreatment drift and benthos studies conducted in 1972-73. Brush removal was initiated to improve trout habitat and the sport fishery. Numbers and biomass of drifting aquatic invertebrates in the Treatment Zone were not significantly different from drift in the Upper and Lower Brushy Zones in 1976-77, four years after brush removal, or from drift in the Treatment Zone in 1972, before removal. Benefits of brush removal to invertebrate growth and reproduction from increased area of productive substrate (aquatic vegetation) in the Treatment Zone may have been nullified by unusually high water temperatures, low stream flow, and thick ice. Numbers and biomass of aquatic drift in the Meadow Zone were significantly higher than in the other zones in 1976-77 as well as in 1972. Greater abundance of aquatic drift in the Meadow Zone was probably related to greater amounts of productive substrates (aquatic vegetation and gravel) and a richer detritus food base than in the other zones. There was no significant difference in total drift between zones. Drifting detritus in the Treatment Zone was significantly greater than in the Lower Brushy Zone and similar to detritus. in the Meadow and Upper Brushy Zones. Mean monthly drift per 100m^3 of discharge in the Meadow Zone, Treatment Zone, Upper Brushy Zone, and Lower Brushy Zone were: total numbers, 814, 677, 327, and 798 organisms; aquatic numbers, 660, 192, 153, 146 organisms; aquatic biomass, including molluscs, 9.45, 2.12, 1.30, and 3.91 grams, and without molluscs, 2.13, 0.43, 0.31, and 0.30 grams; detritus weight, 15.6, 8.3, 11.0, and 5.5 g dry wt/100m^3. Aquatic drift comprised 44.3% of the number and 96.0% of the biomass of the total invertebrate drift in all zones combined. Terrestrial drift was much more abundant in the Treatment and Lower Brushy Zones than in the Meadow and Upper Brushy Zones. Only in the Lower Brushy Zone were aquatic numbers significantly higher in 1976-77 than in the pretreatment drift study in 1972, however, terrestrial and total drift were significantly greater in all zones in 1976-77. There was no significant difference in drifting detritus between studies. The monthly mean number of drifting taxa in the Treatment Zone (29} was significantly greater than in the Upper Brushy Zone (19}, similar to that in the Lower Brushy Zone (30}, and less than that in the Meadow Zone (37). All zones except the Upper Brushy Zone had significantly higher numbers of taxa in 1976-77 than in 1972. Gammarus spp. decreased in importance from 1972 to 1976-77, whereas Lymnaea spp. and Chironomidae increased, probably due to higher water temperatures.Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, the Central Wisconsin Chapter of Trout Unlimite