The relationship between body composition and physical fitness in 14 year old adolescents residing within the Tlokwe local municipality, South Africa: The PAHL study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little is known about the relationship between body composition and physical fitness in 14 year-old high school adolescents of South Africa. Baseline data from a longitudinal study on physical activity and health (PAHLS) may provide valuable information for future studies, hence to inform public health policy makers. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of underweight, normal weight and overweight among adolescents aged 14 years in the Tlokwe Local Municipality of the North West Province of South Africa, and to assess the association between physical fitness and body composition separately for boys and girls, adjusted for race and locality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Body weight, height and triceps, and subscapular skinfolds of 256 adolescents (100 boys and 156 girls) aged 14 years were measured, and percentage body fat and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. BMI was used to determine underweight, normal weight and overweight based on the standard criterion. Physical fitness was assessed by standing broad jump, bent arm hang and sit-ups according to the EUROFIT fitness standard procedures. Multinomial logistic regression analyses stratified for gender and adjusted for race (black or white), and the locality (urban or township) of the schools were used to analyze the data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the total group 35.9% were underweight and 13.7% overweight. Boys were more underweight (44%) than girls (30.7%). The prevalence of overweight was 8% in boys and 17.3% in girls. BMI was strongly (p = 0.01) related with percentage body fat. Strong and significant positive associations between physical fitness and BMI for the underweight girls with high physical fitness scores (OR, 10.69 [95%CI: 2.81-40.73], and overweight girls with high physical fitness scores (OR, 0.11 [95%CI: 0.03-0.50]) were found. Non-significant weaker positive relationship between physical fitness and BMI for the underweight boys with high physical fitness scores (OR, 1.80 [95%CI: 0.63-5.09]), and the overweight boys with high physical fitness scores (OR, 0.18 [95%CI: 0.02-1.78]) were found.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both underweight and overweight among boys and girls in Tlokwe Local Municipality exist, and their effects on physical fitness performances were also noticed. As such, strategic physical activity, interventions or follow-up studies recognizing this relationship particularly in the overweight adolescents are needed. In addition, authorities in health and education departments dealing with adolescents should make use of this evidence base information in policies development.</p

Long-term efficacy of botulinum toxin A for treatment of blepharospasm,hemifacial spasm, and spastic entropion: a multicentre study using two drug-dose escalation indexes

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term effectiveness and safety of botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT-A) treatment in patients with blepharospasm (BEB), hemifacial spasm (HFS), and entropion (EN) and to use for the first time two modified indexes, 'botulin toxin escalation index-U' (BEI-U) and 'botulin toxin escalation index percentage' (BEI-%), in the dose-escalation evaluation. METHODS: All patients in this multicentre study were followed for at least 10 years and main outcomes were clinical efficacy, duration of relief, BEI-U and BEI-%, and frequency of adverse events. RESULTS: BEB, HFS, and EN patients received a mean BoNT-A dose with a significant inter-group difference (P<0.0005, respectively). The mean (+/-SD) effect duration was statistically different (P=0.009) among three patient groups. Regarding the BoNT-A escalation indexes, the mean (+/-SD) values of BEI-U and BEI-% were statistically different (P=0.035 and 0.047, respectively) among the three groups. In BEB patients, the BEI-% was significantly increased in younger compared with older patients (P=0.008). The most frequent adverse events were upper lid ptosis, diplopia, ecchymosis, and localized bruising. CONCLUSIONS: This long-term multicentre study supports a high efficacy and good safety profile of BoNT-A for treatment of BEB, HFS, and EN. The BEI indexes indicate a significantly greater BoNT-A-dose escalation for BEB patients compared with HFS or EN patients and a significantly greater BEI-% in younger vsolder BEB patients. These results confirm a greater efficacy in the elderly and provide a framework for long-term studies with a more flexible and reliable evaluation of drug-dose escalation

Eagleton (Terry). The Function of Criticism : From 'The Spectator' to Post-Structuralism

Neetens W. Eagleton (Terry). The Function of Criticism : From 'The Spectator' to Post-Structuralism. In: Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire, tome 63, fasc. 3, 1985. Langues et littératures modernes — Moderne taal- en letterkunde. pp. 605-607

Eagleton (Terry). The Function of Criticism : From 'The Spectator' to Post-Structuralism

Neetens W. Eagleton (Terry). The Function of Criticism : From 'The Spectator' to Post-Structuralism. In: Revue belge de philologie et d'histoire, tome 63, fasc. 3, 1985. Langues et littératures modernes — Moderne taal- en letterkunde. pp. 605-607

Orbital hemangiopericytoma

Unilateral subclinical proptosis remains a challenge for the early diagnosis of an often unexpected orbital disease. CAT scan of orbit and brain revealed in a 62-year-old Caucasian man an intraorbital intraconical spherical space-taking mass with a highly heterogeneous texture, containing an unusually dense nodule. After removal, a not malignant tumor (hemangiopericytoma) was diagnosed. Beyond expectation, one year later there were visual complaints without important proptosis and a relapse was confirmed; three months afterwards the whole orbit was invaded and had to be exenterated. A highly malignant invading (hemangiopericytoma) tumor was diagnosed confirming the unpredictability of the behavior of these tumors. © 1993 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe