The Effects of Sport Participation on Student-Athletes’ and Non-Athlete Students’ Social Life and Identity

This study examined perceived athletic identity, sport commitment, and the effect of sport participation to identify the impact of athletic participation on college students. This study surveyed 163 student-athletes (59%) and 112 non-athlete students (41%) from a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division-I affiliated institution (males = 172, 62.5%; females = 103, 37.5%). The survey questionnaire was developed and modified from four well-established instruments, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, the Sport Commitment Model, the Life Roles Inventory-Values Scales, and Athletic Involvement on the Social Life. The data collection process was initiated and completed in the 2008 spring semester. Seven sub-factors: Personal Role, Importance of Sport, Personal Attributes, Expectation of Others, Core Benefits, Social Relationship and Special Behaviors, were identified through a series of factor analyses. The participants placed their athletic role highly and moderately agreed with the researchers’ proposed core benefits of athletic participation. Overall, the findings supported past research in regards to gender and year in college difference, influence in perceived athletic identity due to sport specificity, and benefits of sport involvement. Variation in participants’ responses based on different demographic characteristics, suggestions for improving current supportive programs, and direction for future studies are further discussed

Prognosis of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in Relation to Serum Thyrotropin and Thyroglobulin Antibody Status at Time of Diagnosis

BACKGROUND: Serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentration and thyroid autoimmunity may be of prognostic importance in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Preoperative serum TSH level has been associated with higher DTC stage in cross-sectional studies; data are contradictory on the significance of thyroid autoimmunity at the time of diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess whether preoperative serum TSH and perioperative antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) were associated with thyroid cancer stage and outcome in DTC patients followed by the National Thyroid Cancer Treatment Cooperative Study, a large multicenter thyroid cancer registry. METHODS: Patients registered after 1996 with available preoperative serum TSH (n=617; the TSH cohort) or perioperative TgAb status (n=1770; the TgAb cohort) were analyzed for tumor stage, persistent disease, recurrence, and overall survival (OS; median follow-up, 5.5 years). Parametric tests assessed log-transformed TSH, and categorical variables were tested with chi square. Disease-free survival (DFS) and OS was assessed with Cox models. RESULTS: Geometric mean serum TSH levels were higher in patients with higher-stage disease (Stage III/IV=1.48 vs. 1.02 mU/L for Stages I/II; p=0.006). The relationship persisted in those aged ≥45 years after adjusting for sex (p=0.01). Gross extrathyroidal extension (p=0.03) and presence of cervical lymph node metastases (p=0.003) were also significantly associated with higher serum TSH. Disease recurrence and all-cause mortality occurred in 37 and 38 TSH cohort patients respectively, which limited the power for survival analysis. Positive TgAb was associated with lower stage on univariate analysis (positive TgAb in 23.4% vs. 17.8% of Stage I/II vs. III/IV patients, respectively; p=0.01), although the relationship lost significance when adjusting for age and sex (p=0.34). Perioperative TgAb was not an independent predictor of DFS (hazard ratio=1.12 [95% confidence interval=0.74-1.69]) or OS (hazard ratio=0.98 [95% confidence interval=0.56-1.72]). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative serum TSH level is associated with higher DTC stage, gross extrathyroidal extension, and neck node metastases. Perioperative TgAb is not an independent predictor of DTC prognosis. A larger cohort is required to assess whether preoperative serum TSH level predicts recurrence or mortality

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

The Effects of Sport Participation on Student-Athletes’ and Non-Athlete Students’ Social Life and Identity

This study examined perceived athletic identity, sport commitment, and the effect of sport participation to identify the impact of athletic participation on college students. This study surveyed 163 student-athletes (59%) and 112 non-athlete students (41%) from a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division-I affiliated institution (males = 172, 62.5%; females = 103, 37.5%). The survey questionnaire was developed and modified from four well-established instruments, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, the Sport Commitment Model, the Life Roles Inventory-Values Scales, and Athletic Involvement on the Social Life. The data collection process was initiated and completed in the 2008 spring semester. Seven sub-factors: Personal Role, Importance of Sport, Personal Attributes, Expectation of Others, Core Benefits, Social Relationship and Special Behaviors, were identified through a series of factor analyses. The participants placed their athletic role highly and moderately agreed with the researchers’ proposed core benefits of athletic participation. Overall, the findings supported past research in regards to gender and year in college difference, influence in perceived athletic identity due to sport specificity, and benefits of sport involvement. Variation in participants’ responses based on different demographic characteristics, suggestions for improving current supportive programs, and direction for future studies are further discussed

Mental Illness and Sports

An article written in part by Steven Chen and published in the Fall 2016 issue of the Kentucky Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Journal, pages 25-35

Weight loss motivations: a latent class analysis approach

OBJECTIVE: To identify subgroups of adults with respect to weight loss motivations and assess factors associated with subgroup membership. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey among 414 overweight/ obese employees in 12 Massachusetts high schools was conducted. Latent class analysis (LCA) defined distinct weight loss motivation classes. Multinomial logistic regression assessed participant characteristics with class membership. RESULTS: Three classes emerged: improving health; improving health and looking/feeling better; and improving health, looking/feeling, better and improving personal/social life. Compared to class 1, class 2 was more likely to be female and younger and class 3 was more likely to be female, younger, have children at home, and perceive themselves as very over-weight. CONCLUSIONS: Findings can inform targeted weight loss interventions

Prognosis of differentiated thyroid cancer in relation to serum thyrotropin and thyroglobulin antibody status at time of diagnosis

Background: Serum thyrotropin (TSH) concentration and thyroid autoimmunity may be of prognostic importance in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Preoperative serum TSH level has been associated with higher DTC stage in cross-sectional studies; data are contradictory on the significance of thyroid autoimmunity at the time of diagnosis. Objective: We sought to assess whether preoperative serum TSH and perioperative antithyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) were associated with thyroid cancer stage and outcome in DTC patients followed by the National Thyroid Cancer Treatment Cooperative Study, a large multicenter thyroid cancer registry. Methods: Patients registered after 1996 with available preoperative serum TSH (n=617; the TSH cohort) or perioperative TgAb status (n=1770; the TgAb cohort) were analyzed for tumor stage, persistent disease, recurrence, and overall survival (OS; median follow-up, 5.5 years). Parametric tests assessed log-transformed TSH, and categorical variables were tested with chi square. Disease-free survival (DFS) and OS was assessed with Cox models. Results: Geometric mean serum TSH levels were higher in patients with higher-stage disease (Stage III/IV=1.48 vs. 1.02mU/L for Stages I/II; p=0.006). The relationship persisted in those aged 45 years after adjusting for sex (p=0.01). Gross extrathyroidal extension (p=0.03) and presence of cervical lymph node metastases (p=0.003) were also significantly associated with higher serum TSH. Disease recurrence and all-cause mortality occurred in 37 and 38 TSH cohort patients respectively, which limited the power for survival analysis. Positive TgAb was associated with lower stage on univariate analysis (positive TgAb in 23.4% vs. 17.8% of Stage I/II vs. III/IV patients, respectively; p=0.01), although the relationship lost significance when adjusting for age and sex (p=0.34). Perioperative TgAb was not an independent predictor of DFS (hazard ratio=1.12 [95% confidence interval=0.74-1.69]) or OS (hazard ratio=0.98 [95% confidence interval=0.56-1.72]). Conclusions: Preoperative serum TSH level is associated with higher DTC stage, gross extrathyroidal extension, and neck node metastases. Perioperative TgAb is not an independent predictor of DTC prognosis. A larger cohort is required to assess whether preoperative serum TSH level predicts recurrence or mortality