Evaluation of goal scoring patterns between the 2016 copa America and the 2016 European championship

© 2018, Asian Journal of Sports Medicine. Background: Soccer is one of the most popular worldwide sports and performance is dependentuponmanyfactors including technical, biomechanical, tactical, psychological and physiological aspects. Previous investigations have identified that the frequency of goals increases as matches progress, however, previous research in this area is limited as it is based on data from very few competitions. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to examine the goal scoring patterns between two major international tournaments, the 2016 European championship and the 2016 Copa America. Methods: The sample consisted of 83 games: 51 games from the 2016 European Championship and 32 from the 2016 Copa America. Results: A total of 197 goals scored in 83 games were analysed. Analyses revealed that a significantly greater percentage of total match goals were scored in the first half Copa America matches compared to the European championship (47.8% vs. 39.3%, P = 0.02). No differences were found in the second half between tournaments. There was a significantly higher goal scoring frequency in the second half (60.7%) compared to the first half (39.3%) in the European championship (P = 0.02), but no differences were found between halves for the Copa America. Chi square analysis revealed a significantly (P < 0.01) higher goal scoring frequency in the first 15-minute interval for the Copa America (24%) compared to the first 15 minutes of the European Championship (12%). Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate that South American nations appear to take an offensive approach in the first 15 minutes which is indicative that there may be a country-related style of play related to goal scoring patterns in major international tournaments. Future studies need to extend this research across several international tournaments and/or between club versus country to determine if there is a country-related style of play element to goal scoring patterns between European and South American international tournaments

A 71-nucleotide deletion in the periaxin gene in an Italian patient with late-onset slowly progressive demyelinating CMT

Background: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) constitutes a group of heterogeneous hereditary motor and sensor neuropathies. Mutations in the periaxin (PRX) gene cause CMT4F with an autosomal recessive early-onset demyelinating neuropathy and are extremely rare in a non-Romani white population. Methods: We report on a 66-year-old Italian man presenting with slowly progressive and late-onset demyelinating CMT. The molecular analysis was performed using a custom panel containing 39 genes associated with the CMT phenotype. Results: The patient harbored a homozygous PRX 71-nucleotide deletion (c.3286_3356del71, I1096fsX17). Conclusions: This is the first report that describes such a genetic mutation in a population of non-Romani origin

Low-fiber alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) meal in the laying hen diet: Effects on productive traits and egg quality

Abstract This study was designed to determine the effects on laying performance and egg quality resulting from partial substitution of soybean meal (SBM) with low-fiber alfalfa (LFA; Medicago sativa L.) meal in the diet of early-phase laying hens. ISA Brown layers, 18 wk of age, were randomly allocated to 2 dietary treatments and fed for 10 wk. The hens were fed 2 wheat middling–based diets: a control diet, which contained SBM (15% of diet), and a test diet containing LFA (15% of diet) as the main protein source. Low-fiber alfalfa meal was obtained by a combination of sieving and air-classification processes. Feed intake was recorded daily, and egg production was calculated on a hen-day basis; eggs from each group were weekly collected to evaluate egg components and quality. The partial substitution of SBM with LFA had no adverse effect on growth performance of early-phase laying hens. Egg production and none of the egg-quality traits examined were influenced by dietary treatment, except for yolk color (

Can sleep be used as an indicator of overreaching and overtraining in athletes?

Heales, LJ ORCiD: 0000-0002-4510-3324; Lastella, AM ORCiD: 0000-0003-1793-3811; Sargent, C ORCiD: 0000-0001-5340-4701; Vincent, GE ORCiD: 0000-0002-7036-7823To achieve optimal athletic performance and competition readiness, it is crucial to balance the highest appropriate training stimulus with sufficient recovery. Excessive and/or progressive increases in training load are integral to improving athletic performance (Halson, 2014). However, increased training loads and/or inadequate recovery can result in maladaptation to training, and if continued, can lead to the development of overreaching/overtraining (Meeusen et al., 2013; Cadegiani and Kater, 2017). In terms of recovery, sleep is an essential component of an athlete’s recuperation due to its physiological and psychological restorative effects (Dinges et al., 1997; Pejovic et al., 2013). Sleep quantity and quality declines following augmented increases (+30%) in training load (Hausswirth et al., 2014), and poor sleep is a common complaint among overreached and/or overtrained athletes (Wall et al., 2003). Regardless of whether reduced sleep is a cause or effect of overreaching and/or overtraining, it is possible that measures of sleep could serve as an indicator of the presence of overreaching and/or overtraining. This opinion article will examine the current research underpinning the relationship between insufficient sleep and the development of overreaching/overtraining, describe the implications for practitioners (e.g., sport and exercise scientists, coaches), and identify areas for future research

Production and destination of sewage sludge in the piemonte region (Italy): The results of a survey for a future sustainable management

The management of sewage sludge originated from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is an urgent issue. In 2019, the local authority of the Piemonte region started a survey with the aim of collecting recent data concerning wastewater and sludge management in the WWTPs located in its own territory. The survey’s results revealed that 60% of the sludge (51,000 t, as dry substance, d.s.) produced by the local WWTPs was recovered or disposed of outside of the region, and a similar amount of sludge was recovered in agriculture directly or after composting. The increase in the costs to accommodate sewage sludge in recovery or disposal plants, followed to a recent Italian Sentence (27958/2017), and the more and more stringent requirements fixed by lots of European countries for the application of sludge in agriculture, are pushing the Piemonte region authority to re-organize its own network for sludge management, with solutions based onto proximity and diversification. Whether the provisions of the current German legislation are applied in the future also in Italy, approx. 90% of sewage sludge produced into the Piemonte region should be incinerated, with a subsequent step of phosphorous recovery. The new regional plan, according to the Regional Address Deed, should consider a diversification of sludge treatment and recovery practices. On this basis, a need for new plants for around 40,000 t d.s./y could be planned

Ultrasound semiautomatic versus manual estimation of carotid intima-media thickness : reproducibility and cardiovascular risk stratification

Aims: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is used increasingly as an imaging biomarker of cardiovascular risk (CVR). Our aim was to compare semiautomatic CIMT (sCIMT) versus manual CIMT (mCIMT) for reproducibility and prediction of CVR. Materials and methods: Two independent readers measured sCIMT and mCIMT on previously acquired images of the right common carotid artery of 200 consecutive patients. Measurements were performed twice, four weeks apart; sCIMT was reported along with an image quality index (IQI) provided by the software. CVR stratification was compared for thresholds established by mCIMT studies, adapted for sCIMT according to a regression model. Results: sCIMT (median 0.67 mm, interquartile range [IQR] 0.57\u20120.76 mm) was significantly lower (p&lt;0.001) than mCIMT (median 0.76 mm, IQR 0.63\u20120.84 mm; \u3c1=0.832, p&lt;0.001, slope 0.714, intercept 0.124). Overall, intra-reader reproducibility was 76% for sCIMT and 83% for mCIMT (p=0.002), inter-reader reproducibility 75% and 76%, respectively (p=0.316). In 129 cases with IQI 650.65, reproducibility was significantly higher (p 640.004) for sCIMT than for mCIMT (intra-reader 85% versus 83%, inter-reader 80% versus 77%,). The agreement between sCIMT and mCIMT for CVR stratification was fair both overall (\u3ba=0.270) and for IQI 650.65 (\u3ba=0.345), crude concordance being 79% and 88%, respectively. Conclusions: Reproducibility of sCIMT was not higher than mCIMT overall but sCIMT was significantly more reproducible than mCIMT for high-IQI cases. sCIMT cannot be used for CVR stratification due to fair concordance with mCIMT, even for high IQI. More research is required to improve image quality and define sCIMT-based thresholds for stratification of CVR

Inhibition of protein farnesylation enhances the chemotherapeutic efficacy of the novel geranylgeranyltransferase inhibitor BAL9611 in human colon cancer cells

Proteins belonging to the ras superfamily are involved in cell proliferation of normal and neoplastic tissues. To be biologically active, they require post-translational isoprenylation by farnesyl-transferase and geranylgeranyl-transferase. Enzyme inhibition by drugs may thus represent a promising approach to the treatment of cancer. Therefore, the combined effect of BAL9611, a novel inhibitor of geranylgeranylation, and manumycin, a farnesyl-transferase inhibitor, was evaluated on the SW620 human colon cancer cell line which harbours a mutated K-ras gene. BAL9611 and manumycin dose-dependently inhibited SW620 cell growth with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of 0.47 ± 0.03 and 5.24 ± 1.41 μM (mean ± SE), respectively. The isobologram analysis performed at the IC 50 level revealed that the combined treatment was highly synergistic with respect to cell growth inhibition. BAL9611 and manumycin were able to inhibit the geranylgeranylation of p21rhoA and farnesylation of p21ras; both drugs inhibited p42ERK2/MAPK phosphorylation, but their combination was more effective than either drug alone. Moreover, the enhanced inhibition of cell growth in vitro by the BAL9611-manumycin combination was also observed in vivo in CD nu/nu female mice xenografted with SW620 tumours. Finally, both drugs were able to induce cell death by apoptosis in vitro and in vivo, as demonstrated by perinuclear chromatin condensation, cytoplasm budding and nuclear fragmentation, and interoligonucleosomal DNA digestion. In conclusion, the inhibition of protein farnesylation enhances the chemotherapeutic effect of BAL9611 in vitro and in vivo in a synergistic fashion, as a result of the impairment of post-translational isoprenylation of proteins and phosphorylation of p42ERK2/MAPK, whose activation is associated with post-translational geranylgeranylation and farnesylation of p21rhoA and p21ras. © 2001 Cancer ResearchCampaign http://www.bjcancer.co

Comparative pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic evaluation of branded and generic formulations of meloxicam in healthy male volunteers

PURPOSE: The primary aim of the present study was to assess the pharmacokinetic bioequivalence between a generic formulation of meloxicam 15 mg tablets (Meloxicam Hexal) and its respective brand product (Mobic), in order to verify whether the generic product conforms to the regulatory standards of bioequivalence in the postmarketing setting. As a secondary exploratory aim, the pharmacodynamic effects of the two formulations were also evaluated by means of rating scales following hyperalgesia induced by cutaneous freeze injury. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A single 15 mg dose of generic or branded meloxicam tablets was administered to 24 healthy male volunteers in a crossover fashion. Plasma samples, collected for 24 hours after dosing, were assayed for meloxicam concentration by a validated highperformance liquid chromatography method. RESULTS: THE ANALYSIS OF PHARMACOKINETIC PARAMETERS DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO MELOXICAM FORMULATIONS: the 90% confidence intervals fell within the acceptance range of 80%-125% (0.84-1.16 for area under the curve [0-24], and 0.89-1.23 for peak concentration). No difference in the pharmacodynamic end point was observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The pharmacokinetic profiles of the two meloxicam formulations confirm the regulatory criteria for bioequivalence; pharmacodynamic data indicate a similar antihyperalgesic effect. The two formulations can be used interchangeably in the clinical setting

A survey of the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of patients with suspected Lynch syndrome in Latin America

Background: Genetic counselling and testing for Lynch syndrome (LS) have recently been introduced in several Latin America countries. We aimed to characterize the clinical, molecular and mismatch repair (MMR) variants spectrum of patients with suspected LS in Latin America. Methods: Eleven LS hereditary cancer registries and 34 published LS databases were used to identify unrelated families that fulfilled the Amsterdam II (AMSII) criteria and/or the Bethesda guidelines or suggestive of a dominant colorectal (CRC) inheritance syndrome. Results: We performed a thorough investigation of 15 countries and identified 6 countries where germline genetic testing for LS is available and 3 countries where tumor testing is used in the LS diagnosis. The spectrum of pathogenic MMR variants included MLH1 up to 54%, MSH2 up to 43%, MSH6 up to 10%, PMS2 up to 3% and EPCAM up to 0.8%. The Latin America MMR spectrum is broad with a total of 220 different variants which 80% were private and 20% were recurrent. Frequent regions included exons 11 of MLH1 (15%), exon 3 and 7 of MSH2 (17 and 15%, respectively), exon 4 of MSH6 (65%), exons 11 and 13 of PMS2 (31% and 23%, respectively). Sixteen international founder variants in MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 were identified and 41 (19%) variants have not previously been reported, thus representing novel genetic variants in the MMR genes. The AMSII criteria was the most used clinical criteria to identify pathogenic MMR carriers although microsatellite instability, immunohistochemistry and family history are still the primary methods in several countries where no genetic testing for LS is available yet. Conclusion: The Latin America LS pathogenic MMR variants spectrum included new variants, frequently altered genetic regions and potential founder effects, emphasizing the relevance implementing Lynch syndrome genetic testing and counseling in all of Latin America countries.Radium Hospital Foundation (Oslo, Norway) in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript, Helse Sør-Øst (Norway) in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript, the French Association Recherche contre le Cancer (ARC) in the analysis, and interpretation of data, the Groupement des Entreprises Françaises dans la Lutte contre le Cancer (Gefluc) in the analysis, and interpretation of data, the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (ANRT, CIFRE PhD fellowship to H.T.) in the analysis, and interpretation of data and by the OpenHealth Institute in the analysis, and interpretation of data. Barretos Cancer Hospital received financial support by FINEP-CT-INFRA (02/2010)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio