Shoulder tensiomyography and isometric strength in swimmers before and after a fatiguing protocol

Context. Shoulder muscles are active during front crawl swimming to provide propulsion and stabilize the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints. It has been proposed that fatigue might contribute to altered activation of these muscles and represent a risk factor for injuries. Tensiomyography (TMG) might represent a non-invasive tool to detect exercise-induced neuromuscular fatigue changes in contractile parameters of the skeletal muscles, and it has never been used in the shoulder muscles in swimmers. Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of a fatiguing swimming protocol on shoulder muscles TMG parameters and isometric strength in competitive swimmers. Design. A cross-sectional study. Setting. A swimming pool facility. Patients or Other Participants. Sixteen young front crawl competitive swimmers were invited to participate in the study, and 14 of them (21 y, range 17-26, 11 males 3 females) completed all the assessments before and after a 30-min high-intensity swimming training. Main Outcome Measure(s). The main outcome included the TMG assessment which was performed on seven muscles of the shoulder according to front crawl biomechanics and applicability of the technique, in order to obtain data such as time to contraction and muscle belly radial displacement (Dm), whereas isometric strength was assessed with a digital dynamometer during shoulder flexion, extension, external rotation and internal rotation. Results. Fatigue induced a smaller Dm (-0.5 mm, 95% CI: -0.7 - -0.3, p< 0.001, pη2= 0.692), mostly observable in latissimus dorsi and pectoralis major muscles. Only shoulder extension showed a significant isometric strength reduction after the fatiguing protocol (-0.03 N/kg, 95% CI: -0.05 - -0.01, p= 0.045, pη2= 0.275). Conclusions. This study provides preliminary evidence for the usefulness of TMG to detect fatigue-induced changes in contractile properties of the shoulder muscles in swimmers, in particular the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and lower trapezius

Neurostimolatore impiantabile per il trattamento di epilessia farmaco-resistente.

L’epilessia è una condizione neurologica cronica caratterizzata dalla ricorrenza di crisi epilettiche che si manifestano quando un gruppo di neuroni cerebrali scarica potenziali di azione in modo sincrono. In questo elaborato di tesi si fornisce al lettore una panoramica sui vari tipi di epilessia e le conseguenti crisi basandosi sulla classificazione ILAE (International League Against Epilepsy). Si espongono i metodi diagnostici per individuare le zone cerebrali da cui originano le scariche epilettiche e i trattamenti disponibili per controllare la patologia soffermandosi sulle terapie per epilessia farmaco-resistente. In particolare viene studiato un nuovo neurostimolatore impiantabile (Reactive Neurostimulator, RNS) proposto dalla società privata Neuropace al fine di normalizzare l’attività cerebrale anomala prima che il soggetto possa avvertire i sintomi di un attacco. Si esaminano i componenti strutturali di RNS e si analizza uno studio clinico prospettico i cui risultati, nettamente positivi, hanno portato la Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ad approvare il dispositivo RNS come terapia aggiuntiva in pazienti di età superiore ai 18 anni con epilessia parziale farmaco-resistente con crisi localizzate in non più di due zone cerebrali

Kinematic Characterization of Movements During the Tinetti Test

The improvement in life expectancy has led to a corresponding increase in people suffering from chronic illnesses as well as in subjects at high risk of falling. Various scales exist in literature to evaluate fall risk in ambulatory settings among which the Tinetti Test is the most used. However, only trained healthcare professionals can conduct this test. In order to make this scale available to a growing number of older people outside hospital and to reduce the high inter operator bias in scoring the exercises, a less provider dependent system is necessary. In this preliminary study, which can be used as a benchmark for future evaluation of individuals at risk of falling, some parameters were extracted from a wireless 3D magnetic inertial sensor applied on the chest of 30 young healthy participants. Each subject performed four exercises from the Tinetti balance test: arising from a chair (1), standing balance with open (2), and closed eyes (3) and sitting down (4). For exercises (1) and (4), the duration of movement and the maximum angular amplitude were calculated, while for exercises (2) and (3) the fractal dimension and the spectral power were evaluated. The obtained values, directly correlated with the exercises, showed a low variability among subjects, resulting as potential candidates for the characterization of the movement during the Tinetti test, enabling non-expert operators to assess the falling risk

Relationship Between Personality and Kinematic Parameters of Handwriting

Motor and cognitive systems are largely involved in producing handwriting that develops with age becoming more and more personalized until it reaches a style proper to the subject. This fact has led graphologists to assert that by examining the handwriting it is possible to somehow trace the personality of the writer. Many studies have been carried out to demonstrate this assumption but they are all based on the graphic examination of the tract left on the sheet of paper. On the other hand, recently it has been possible to examine writing through the use of digital tablets capable of providing information also on the kinematic of the movement, extracting parameters used to examine in particular dysgraphia and some neurological pathologies. Aim of this study was to determine possible relationships between kinematic parameters extracted using digital tablets and personality traits. Sixty-one subjects took part in the study, executing three writing tasks (fast and accurate writing of an Italian phrase and fast sequence of cursive lowercase letters “lelele” without pen lifting for 30 s) and a personality test (IPIP-NEO-120). The linear regression between each of fourteen characteristic of handwriting and each of the five personality traits was computed. The results showed that four out of five main psychological tracts presented a linear relation with one or more kinematic characteristics. This study offers a first glance at a complex series of correlations, which will be investigated in future researches

Can ducks with subtype-specific protective immunity and without enteric shedding, allow influenza infection of other ducks?

Recent studies showed that low-pathogenic (LP) avian influenza viruses (AIVs) stuck on wild ducks' feathers during migration can be infectious. In addition, experimental reproduction of AIV infection by allopreening route, showed that viruses stuck on ducks’ feathers could be infectious several weeks after the end of enteric viral shedding. In this work we investigated whether infectious AIVs covering feathers may evade the duck’s immune system. Cloacal swabs, feather swabs and serum samples were collected from 202 wild mallards trapped in Central Italy during the wintering and spring migration (December 2006-March 2007). Both feather and cloacal swabs were screened by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, specific for virus matrix gene, and then tested by virus isolation (VI) assays. Sera were tested for the presence of antibodies against influenza A virus nucleoprotein by NP-ELISA. Seroprevalence for influenza A virus was 89% (179/202); 51.4% (92/179) and 19.5% (35/179) of these seropositive mallards, tested RT-PCR positive for AIVs on feather and in cloaca respectively. LPAIVs were isolated from 12 feather swabs and from 11 cloacal swabs. NP-ELISA positive sera from 10 ducks found to be H10N7 VI-positive on feathers and VI-negative from cloaca were also investigated by hemagglutination inhibition assay (HI), using as antigen an LPAIV H10N7 strain isolated from feather swabs in this study. HI results showed that one of 10 mallards was immune against homologous H10N7, showing an HI titre of 1:32-64. Our results show evidences suggesting that birds carrying viruses on their feathers might have a post-infection immunity and play an active role in spreading AIVs infection in nature

Serological evidences showing the involvement of free-living pheasants in the influenza ecology

From 1995 to 2002, 219 sera were collected in Northern Italy from wild pheasants, in order to establish the possible involvement of these Galliformes birds in the influenza ecology. A serological survey for avian influenza viruses (AIVs) was carried out by ELISA test in order to detect type A influenza antibodies. The overall seroprevalence was 12.3%, with yearly values ranging from 0% to 42.5%. No antibodies against either H5 or H7 AIV subtypes were found by hemagglutination-inhibition test. Data from 16 recaptured birds, among 113 animals banded for individual identification, showed seroconversions in 2 pheasants. Our results indicate AIV circulation in free-living pheasants; the involvement of this land-based bird species in influenza ecology is discussed

Long-Term Serological Investigations of Influenza A Virus in Free-Living Wild Boars (Sus scrofa) from Northern Italy (2007&ndash;2014)

Influenza A viruses (IAV) have been repeatedly demonstrated to circulate in wild suid populations. In this study, serum samples were collected from 2618 free-ranging wild boars in a protected area of Northern Italy between 2007 and 2014, and firstly screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the presence of antibodies against IAV. The ELISA-positive samples were further tested by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assays performed using antigen strains representative of the four major swine IAV (sIAV) lineages circulating in Italy: avian-like swine H1N1, pandemic-like swine H1N1, human-like swine H1N2 and human-like swine H3N2. An overall seroprevalence of 5.5% (145/2618) was detected by ELISA, with 56.7% (80/141) of screened sera tests positive by HI assay. Antibodies against H1N1 subtypes were the most prevalent beginning in 2009&mdash;with the highest detection in the first quarter of the year&mdash;until 2013, although at a low level. In addition, antibodies to H3N2 subtype were found during six years (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014) whereas H1N2 antibodies were detected in 2012 only. Of the HI-positive samples, 30% showed reactivity to both H1N1 and H3N2 subtypes. These results provide additional insight into the circulation dynamics of IAV in wild suid populations, suggesting the occurrence of sIAV spillover events from pigs to wild boars