Tensiomyography detects early hallmarks of bed-rest-induced atrophy before changes in muscle architecture.

In young and older people skeletal muscle mass is reduced after as little as seven days of disuse. The declines in muscle mass after such short periods are of high clinical relevance, particularly in older people who show higher atrophy rate, and a slower, or even a complete lack of muscle mass recovery after disuse. Ten men (24.3± 2.6 years) underwent 35 days of 6° head-down tilt bed rest followed by 30 days of recovery. During bed rest, a neutral energy balance was maintained, with three weekly passive physiotherapy sessions to minimise muscle soreness and joint stiffness. All measurements were performed in a hospital at days 1-10 (BR1-BR10), day 16 (BR16), 28 (BR28) and 35 (BR35) of bed rest, and day 1 (R+1), 3 (R+3) and 30 (R+30) after reambulation. Vastus medialis obliquus (VMO), vastus medialis longus (VML) and biceps femoris (BF) thickness (d) and pennation angle (Θ) were assessed by ultrasonography, while twitch muscle belly displacement (Dm) and contraction time (Tc) were assessed with tensiomyography. After bed rest, d and Θ decreased by 13-17% in all muscles (P<.001) and had recovered at R+30. Dm was increased by 42.3-84.4% (P<.001) at BR35 and preceded the decrease in d by 7, 5 and 3 days in VMO, VML and BF, respectively. Tc increased only in BF (32.1%; P<.001) and was not recovered at R+30. Tensiomyography can detect early bed-rest-induced changes in muscle with higher sensitivity before overt architectural changes and atrophy can be detected

Korelacija med časom krčenja mišice biceps femoris in hitrostjo šprinta je pri otrocih nižja kot pri odraslih

Biceps femoris is a major propulsor muscle in sprinting and its contraction time negatively correlates to the running speeds of adults. Our aim was to compare age and gender-related correlations between vastus lateralis and biceps femoris contraction times and running speeds during a longitudinal study of 9- to 14-year old children. On a yearly basis we conducted vastus lateralis and biceps femoris tensiomyographic measurements of muscle contraction time and maximal running speeds measured during 7 meter sprints with flying starts using photocells in 107 children (53 boys). Vastus lateralis contraction time was not correlated with the running speed. However, biceps femoris contraction time was negatively correlated with the running speed only in boys after the age of 12.9 years (Pearson r ranges from -0.391 to -0.426p < 0.002). It was concluded that biceps femoris contraction time is far less correlated with running speed than in adult athletes (Pearson r = -0.60)however, the correlation is gender and age-specific. It seems that the knee flexor and hip extensor, biceps femoris, is not as yet the major determinant of running speed in 9- to 14-year old children at that age.Skeletna mišica biceps femoris je pomembna za propulzijo v fazi odriva med tekom in vemo, da je njen čas krčenja negativno povezan z maksimalno hitrostjo teka pri odraslih moških. Zato smo si za cilj zastavili, da preverimo povezavo med časom krčenja mišic vastus lateralis in biceps femoris pri otrocih, glede na spol in starost. V longitudinalni 5-letni študiji smo spremljali 107 otrok (53 dečkov) s periodično letnimi meritvami telesnih značilnosti, maksimalne hitrosti teka in kontraktilnih lastnosti omenjenih mišic z uporabo Tenziomiografije. Otroci so bili na začetku stari 9 let in na koncu 14 let. Ugotovili smo, da čas krčenja mišice vastus lateralis ni povezan z maksimalno hitrostjo teka. Medtem, ko je bil čas krčenja mišice biceps femoris negativno povezan z maksimalno hitrostjo teka, a le pri dečkih po 12.9 letu starosti (Pearsonov r med -0.391 in -0.426p < 0.002). Zaključimo lahko, da je čas krčenja mišice biceps femoris bistveno manj povezan z maksimalno hitrostjo teka pri otrocih, kot pri odraslih (Pearsonov r = -0.60). Sklepamo lahko, da mišica biceps femoris pri tej starosti otrok še ni poglaviten dejavnik maksimalne hitrosti teka

Differences between skeletal muscle contractile parameters estimated from transversal tensiomyographic and longitudinal torque twitch response

Contractile properties of skeletal muscle are studied for various purposes and mainly by means of force or torque twitch responses. This study compared contractile properties estimated from isometric longitudinal and transversal vastus lateralis twitch mechanical actions using torque and tensiomyography (TMG) as assessment methods, respectively. We calculated delay, contraction, sustain, half relaxation time and peak amplitude from the maximal twitch response obtained by both methods in 19 healthy males (age 46.1±17.8 years). Results indicated a shorter delay (Δ=-23.4%; p<.001) and contraction time (Δ=-42.7%; p<.001) when calculated from the transversal tensiomyographic actions, and shorter half relaxation time (Δ=-26.2%; p=.025) when calculated from the longitudinal torque actions, while no difference in sustain time was found. Delay and contraction time did not correlate significantly when correlated between longitudinal and transversal actions; however, sustain time (r=.478; p=.038) and half relaxation time (r=.608; p=.006) did. In conclusion, the tensiomyography and torque gives different information reflecting that different mechanisms affect longitudinal and transversal twitch skeletal muscle deformations. Tensiomyographic response of skeletal muscle’s transversal actions likely reflects more intrinsic contractile properties

Residential proximity to oil and gas production sites and hematologic malignancies: A case-control study

Background We investigated the association between residential proximity to oil and gas production sites and hematologic malignancies, due to a cancer cluster in the German state of Lower Saxony. Methods A registry-based case-control study was conducted including 3978 cases of hematologic malignancies diagnosed within 2013-2016 and 15,912 frequency-matched controls randomly drawn by population registries. Residential proximity to 5333 oil and gas production sites at the time of diagnosis was calculated. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between living within 1 km of any exposure site and developing a hematologic malignancy. Models were adjusted for matching variables sex, age group, district, and year of diagnosis as well as for proximity to main streets and to agricultural land. Results We found no association between the development of hematologic malignancies and the proximity to all oil and gas production sites (odds ratio: 0.97;95% confidence interval: 0.85, 1.11). Focusing on gas production sites increased the odds of developing hematologic cancer (odds ratio: 1.19;95% confidence interval: 0.97, 1.45). In stratified analyses, associations were stronger in women and for acute myeloblastic leukemia. We also found an association in the district where the initial cluster occurred. Conclusions Our results suggest that residential proximity to oil and gas production is not a risk factor for all hematologic malignancies in general. Sporadic and past exposures are the most likely scenarios for mechanisms involving oil and gas production, leading to increased risk for certain subtypes of cancer in certain populations

LOWER CORRELATION BETWEEN BICEPS FEMORIS CONTRACTION TIME AND MAXIMAL RUNNING SPEED IN CHILDREN THAN IN ADULTS: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY IN 9- TO 14-YEAR OLD CHILDREN

Biceps femoris is a major propulsor muscle in sprinting and its contraction time negatively correlates to the running speeds of adults. Our aim was to compare age and gender- related correlations between vastus lateralis and biceps femoris contraction times and running speeds during a longitudinal study of 9- to 14-year old children. On a yearly basis we conducted vastus lateralis and biceps femoris tensiomyographic measurements of muscle contraction time and maximal running speeds measured during 7 meter sprints with flying starts using photocells in 107 children (53 boys). Vastus lateralis contraction time was not correlated with the running speed. However, biceps femoris contraction time was negatively correlated with the running speed only in boys after the age of 12.9 years (Pearson r ranges from -0.391 to -0.426; < 0.002). It was concluded that biceps femoris contraction time is far less correlated with running speed than in adult athletes (Pearson r = -0.60); however, the correlation is gender and age- specific. It seems that the knee flexor and hip extensor, biceps femoris, is not as yet the major determinant of running speed in 9- to 14-year old children at that age

The effect of a cluster-randomized controlled trial on lifestyle behaviors among families at risk for developing type 2 diabetes across Europe: the Feel4Diabetes-study

The Feel4Diabetes-study has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme [Grant Agreement: n degrees 643708]. The content of this article reflects only the authors' views and the European Community is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.Background: This study investigated the effect of the Feel4Diabetes-intervention, a 2-year multilevel intervention, on energy balance-related behaviors among European families at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Intervention effects on self-reported physical activity, sedentary behavior and eating behaviors were investigated across and within the participating countries: Belgium, Finland, Greece, Spain, Hungary and Bulgaria. Methods: Families were recruited through schools, located in low socio-economic status areas. In total, 4484 families at risk for developing type 2 diabetes were selected using the FINDRISC-questionnaire. Parents' and children's energy balance-related behaviors data were collected by questionnaires at three time points (baseline, mid- and post intervention). Families assigned to the intervention group were invited to participate in a 2-year school-, community-, and family-based intervention to promote a healthier lifestyle, including counseling sessions (first intervention year) and text messages (second intervention year). Families assigned to the control group received standard care, including medical check-up results and recommendations and tips regarding a healthy lifestyle. To assess the intervention-effects, Mixed Models were conducted using the R-Package "lmer "with R v3.2. Results: Significant intervention effects were found on a certain number of families' lifestyle behaviors. Significant favorable intervention effects were detected on parents' water consumption and consumption of fruit and vegetables, and on children's consumption of sweets and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. Analyses by country revealed significant favorable intervention effects on water consumption and on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in Belgian parents and on fruit and vegetable consumption among Belgian children, on sweets consumption among Spanish parents and children, and on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity among Finnish children. Unfavorable intervention effects were found on the consumption of soft drinks and sugar-containing juices among Hungarian children and parents, while when examining the intervention effects for the overall population and per country, 10 from the 112 investigated outcome variables were improved in the intervention group compared to the control group (9%). Conclusions: The Feel4Diabetes-intervention managed to improve a certain number of targeted lifestyle behaviors while the intervention was not effective on a large number of targeted lifestyle behaviors. The findings of the current study are encouraging, but further research is needed on how we can further improve effectiveness of lifestyle interventions to prevent type 2 diabetes in families at risk.European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme 64370

Gli incanti, la terra e l'interiorit\ue0 di Simone Movio

La musica di Simone Movio viene descritta attraverso i suoi punti di riferimento, terra e incanto e interpretata di fronte al mondi disincantato