Fitness in contemporary dance: a systematic review.

It has been suggested that dancers are less fit compared to other athletes. However, the majority of studies make their arguments based on data deriving mainly from ballet. Therefore, the aim of the current review was to investigate: a) aerobic and anaerobic fitness, muscular strength and body composition characteristics in contemporary dancers of different levels, and b) whether supplementary exercise interventions, in addition to normal dance training, further improves contemporary dance performance. Three databases (Medline, Cochrane and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health research database) were searched to identify publications regarding the main fitness components of contemporary professional and student dancers. At a professional level, it appears that contemporary dancers demonstrate higher maximal oxygen uptake and higher scores in muscular endurance than ballet dancers. However, contemporary dance students are equally fit compared to their ballet counterparts and their body composition is also very similar. Only two studies have investigated the effects of supplementary exercise training on aspects of dance performance. Further research is needed in order to confirm preliminary data, which suggest that the implementation of additional fitness training is beneficial for contemporary dance students to achieve a better performance outcome

Treatment of primary membranous nephropathy: where are we now?

In the last 10 years, basic science and clinical research have made important contributions to the understanding and management of primary membranous nephropathy (MN). The identification of antibodies directed against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) and thrombospondin type-1 domain-containing 7A protein have added a new perspective on diagnosis, monitoring the immunological activity, predicting prognosis and guiding therapy in patients with primary MN. Mounting evidence suggests that quantification and follow-up of antiPLA2R Abs levels can help in assessing prognosis and evaluate the response to treatment. The kidney disease improving global outcomes guidelines published in 2012 have not been updated. New data on the use of rituximab suggest it should be considered as a potential initial therapy in the treatment of patients with primary MN

Clinicopathologic predictors of renal outcomes in light chain cast nephropathy: a multicenter retrospective study

Light chain cast nephropathy (LCCN) in multiple myeloma often leads to severe and poorly reversible acute kidney injury. Severe renal impairment influences the allocation of chemotherapy and its tolerability; it also affects patient survival. Whether renal biopsy findings add to the clinical assessment in predicting renal and patient outcomes in LCCN is uncertain. We retrospectively reviewed clinical presentation, chemotherapy regimens, hematologic response, and renal and patient outcomes in 178 patients with biopsy-proven LCCN from 10 centers in Europe and North America. A detailed pathology review, including assessment of the extent of cast formation, was performed to study correlations with initial presentation and outcomes. Patients presented with a mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 13 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m2, and 82% had stage 3 acute kidney injury. The mean number of casts was 3.2/mm2 in the cortex. Tubulointerstitial lesions were frequent: acute tubular injury (94%), tubulitis (82%), tubular rupture (62%), giant cell reaction (60%), and cortical and medullary inflammation (95% and 75%, respectively). Medullary inflammation, giant cell reaction, and the extent of cast formation correlated with eGFR value at LCCN diagnosis. During a median follow-up of 22 months, mean eGFR increased to 43 ± 30 mL/min/1.73 m2. Age, β2-microglobulin, best hematologic response, number of cortical casts per square millimeter, and degree of interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IFTA) were independently associated with a higher eGFR during follow-up. This eGFR value correlated with overall survival, independently of the hematologic response. This study shows that extent of cast formation and IFTA in LCCN predicts the quality of renal response, which, in turn, is associated with overall survival.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Toward the observation of interference effects in nonlinear Compton scattering

The photon spectrum from electrons scattering on multiple laser pulses exhibits interference effects not present for scattering on a single pulse. We investigate the conditions required for the experimental observation of these interference effects in electron-laser collisions, in particular analysing the roles of the detector resolution and the transverse divergence of the pump electron beam.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Association between selected physical fitness parameters and aesthetic competence in contemporary dancers.

The physical demands imposed on contemporary dancers by choreographers and performance schedules make their physical fitness just as important to them as skill development. Nevertheless, it remains to be confirmed which physical fitness components are associated with aesthetic competence. The aim of this study was to: 1. replicate and test a novel aesthetic competence tool for reliability, and 2. investigate the association between selected physical fitness components and aesthetic competence by using this new tool. Seventeen volunteers underwent a series of physical fitness tests (body composition, flexibility, muscular power and endurance, and aerobic capacity) and aesthetic competence assessments (seven individual criteria commonly used by selected dance companies). Inter-rater reliability of the aesthetic competence tool was very high (r = 0.96). There were significant correlations between the aesthetic competence score and jump ability and push-ups (r = 0.55 and r = 0.55, respectively). Stepwise backward multiple regression analysis revealed that the best predictor of aesthetic competence was push-ups (R(2) = 0.30, p = 0.03). Univariate analyses also revealed that the interaction of push-ups and jump ability improved the prediction power of aesthetic competence (R(2) = 0.44, p = 0.004). It is concluded that upper body muscular endurance and jump ability best predict aesthetic competence of the present sample of contemporary dancers. Further research is required to investigate the contribution of other components of aesthetic competence, including upper body strength, lower body muscular endurance, general coordination, and static and dynamic balance

Energy Expenditure in Professional Dance Sport

The aim of the present study was to determine the intensity of each Standard and Latin-American dance in relation to the values of maximal oxygen uptake assessed by a dance-specific protocol. A total of 12 professional dancers (six couples: three Standard and three Latin-American; ranging in age from 18 to 29 years; six males and six females) were recruited from the Italian Dance Sport Federation. To measure energy expenditure, each couple performed progressively demanding routine dance sequences. Each sequence lasted for 1 minute and 30 seconds and was specific to each dance of the respective discipline (Standard and Latin-American) in terms of tempo and choreography. The energy consumption of the dancers was measured during the last 30 seconds of each dance and the total energy expenditure calculated. Recovery between dance sequences was reached when the oxygen consumption returned to near resting values. To assess the maximal oxygen uptake, an incremental dance-specific test was used. This test consisted of uninterrupted performance of the five dances specific to each dance of the respective discipline. Parametric techniques were used to detect significant differences in metabolic energy required between dances and genders. The alpha level of significance was set at p < 0.05. The metabolic energy required to perform the individual dances was maximal or greater than maximal in almost all specialties of DanceSport, except for male and female Standard in the English waltz and Latin-American females in the rumba. The energy expenditure measured during the last 30 seconds of each dance underestimated the metabolic energy requirement by 15% to 32% in Standard dances and 35% to 42% in Latin-American dances (p < 0.05)

Body composition and ballet injuries: a preliminary study

To date, the effects of body composition on injury occurrence and healing times in dancers have received limited scientific attention. The aim of the current study was to determine possible associations between somatotype, percent body fat, and self-reported injury characteristics in dance students. Forty-two full-time ballet students (11 male, 31 female) from two vocational dance schools volunteered for the study. The Heath-Carter protocol and Siri equation were adopted to calculate somatotype and percent body fat (%BF), respectively. Injury types, together with the time taken to recover from injury, were assessed using a recall injury questionnaire. Results revealed that the sample was classified as balanced-mesomorph somatotype (endomorphy – mesomorphy – ectomorphy = 3.4±0.9 – 3.9±1.4 – 3.2±1.2). Ectomorphy was a strong predictor of the number of acute injuries sustained (F1,36 = 5.4, p = 0.026); these parameters also revealed a significant negative correlation (r = –0.37, p = 0.016). Significant negative correlations were observed between the dancers’ total time off due to injury and %BF (r = –0.31, p = 0.048) and between the total time off resulting from acute injury and both %BF (r = –0.32, p = 0.04) and ectomorphy (r = –0.42, p = 0.005). The number of overuse injuries sustained and time off due to overuse injury also were correlated with mesomorphy (r = –0.38, p = 0.015 and r = –0.33, p = 0.032, respectively). It was concluded that high ectomorphy ratings, low %BF values, and low mesomorphy ratings are linked to injury. More relevant research is required on dancers from different genres

Physical fitness and severity of injuries in contemporary dance

Limited data are available on whether different physical fitness levels are associated with injury severity in contemporary dancers. The aim of this study was to investigate this association in female dancers. Five professional contemporary dancers and 11 dance students in pre-professional training volunteered (n = 16). All participants underwent selected fitness assessments (anthropometry, flexibility, muscular power and endurance, aerobic capacity) and completed a seven-item recall questionnaire about their last 12-month injury history. Pearson’s coefficients detected significant negative correlations between the total number of days off due to injuries and standing vertical jump (r = –0.66; p = 0.014). Backward regression analysis also revealed that days off due to injuries was best predicted from standing vertical jump performance (p = 0.014). Results suggest that a reduced level of lower body muscular power is associated with increased severity of injuries in female contemporary dancers. More research using appropriate methodological designs, such as sample size calculations and randomization and the use of contemporary dance movements only, is needed to investigate the effects of physical fitness levels on injury severity in contemporary dance

Familial antiglomerular basement membrane disease in zero human leukocyte antigen mismatch siblings

Reported cases of familial Antiglomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease are extremely rare. The single gene mutations that may play a role in the development of familial anti-GBM disease are currently unidentified. While human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR15 is known to be associated with an increased risk of anti-GBM disease, HLA types in patients with familial anti-GBM disease have never been reported. We present a case of a 65-year-old woman with rapidly-progressive glomerulonephritis and pulmonary involvement, consistent with Goodpasture's syndrome. Two of her 15 siblings also had a history of anti-GBM disease during adolescence and both received a kidney transplant. Our patient and her siblings were smokers and had also had exposure to kerosene, a low-viscosity hydrocarbon. HLA testing was performed and showed identical HLA typing (0 of 6 HLA mismatch) as one of her brothers with anti-GBM disease. Interestingly, they both had HLA-DR15. Despite severe acute kidney injury requiring hemodialysis, the patient responded well to the standard therapy with cyclophosphamide, plasmapheresis, and systemic corticosteroids. At her 3-month follow-up visit, the patient's kidney functions had recovered, and hemodialysis was discontinued. Concluding, we illustrate an extremely rare familial anti-GBM disease involving 3 siblings with potential links of HLA-DR15 and environmental triggers with the development of familial anti-GBM disease