Mice depleted for Exchange Proteins Directly Activated by cAMP (Epac) exhibit irregular liver regeneration in response to partial hepatectomy

The exchange proteins directly activated by cAMP 1 and 2 (Epac1 and Epac2) are expressed in a cell specific manner in the liver, but their biological functions in this tissue are poorly understood. The current study was undertaken to begin to determine the potential roles of Epac1 and Epac2 in liver physiology and disease. Male C57BL/6J mice in which expression of Epac1 and/or Epac2 are deleted, were subjected to partial hepatectomy and the regenerating liver was analyzed with regard to lipid accumulation, cell replication and protein expression. In response to partial hepatectomy, deletion of Epac1 and/or Epac2 led to increased hepatocyte proliferation 36 h post surgery, and the transient steatosis observed in wild type mice was virtually absent in mice lacking both Epac1 and Epac2. The expression of the protein cytochrome P4504a14, which is implicated in hepatic steatosis and fibrosis, was substantially reduced upon deletion of Epac1/2, while a number of factors involved in lipid metabolism were significantly decreased. Moreover, the number of Küpffer cells was affected, and Epac2 expression was increased in the liver of wild type mice in response to partial hepatectomy, further supporting a role for these proteins in liver function. This study establishes hepatic phenotypic abnormalities in mice deleted for Epac1/2 for the first time, and introduces Epac1/2 as regulators of hepatocyte proliferation and lipid accumulation in the regenerative process

Nutritional Supplement Practices of Professional Ugandan Athletes: A Cross-Sectional Study

BackgroundThe use of nutritional supplements (NS) places athletes at great risk for inadvertent doping. Due to the paucity of data on supplement use, this study aimed to determine the proportion of Ugandan athletes using nutritional supplements and to investigate the athletes’ motivation to use these supplements.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in which an interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 359 professional athletes participating in individual (boxing, cycling, athletics) and team (basketball, rugby, football, netball, and volleyball) sports. The data were categorized, and a Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.ResultsOf the 359 athletes, 48 (13.4%) used nutritional supplements. Carbohydrate supplements, energy drinks, vitamin and mineral supplements, fish oils, and protein supplements were the most common supplements used by athletes. NS use was significantly more common among athletes who played rugby and basketball (X 2 = 61.101, p \u3c 0.0001), athletes who had played the sport for 5-10 years (X 2 = 7.460, p = 0.024), and athletes who had attained a tertiary education (X 2 = 33.377, p \u3c 0.0001). The athletes’ occupation had no bearing on whether they used supplements. Nutritionists/dieticians, retail stores and pharmacies were the most common sources of NS products, whereas health practitioners, online media and teammates were the most common sources of information regarding NS. Most athletes used NS to improve their physical performance and health.ConclusionsCompared to NS use by athletes elsewhere, NS use among Ugandan athletes was low. However, determinants of athlete NS use in the current study (category of sport and duration of time spent playing the sport) are similar to those reported elsewhere

Doping knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Ugandan athletes': A cross-sectional study

Background. Despite the development of advanced drug testing systems, both deliberate and inadvertent doping in sports is increasing in elite, amateur and school sports. As a result, alternative approaches that seek to influence an athlete’s attitudes are needed to address the growing doping concerns that threaten both the health and well being of the athlete as well as the legitimacy of the sport. Therefore, the current study set out to establish the doping attitudes, knowledge and practices of professional Ugandan athletes, gathering information that may guide the design of more efficient doping prevention programs. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study of 384 professional Ugandan athletes from four contact team sports (basketball, football, handball and rugby) and two individual sports (athletics and cycling). An Interviewer administered questionnaire used contained; questions about the doping behavior, the performance enhancement attitude scale (PEAS), and doping use belief (DUB) statements. Results. Approximately 60 % of the athletes reported familiarity with information on doping and that most of this information came from fellow colleagues (41.9 %), individual or team coaches (29.7 %) or the media (15.6 %). However, nearly 80 % of these athletes could not correctly define doping. The overall mean PEAS score, a measure of doping attitudes, for all study participants was 39.8 ± 14.8. Female athletes (PEAS: 41.1 ± 15.1), athletes with a prior doping history (PEAS: 44.1 ± 15.6) and athletes from the sport of athletics (PEAS: 56.6 ± 17.4) had higher mean PEAS scores than their respective counterparts. Regarding doping behaviors/practices, 9.3 % of the study participants had been offered a doping agent at some point, although only 3.9 % of the athletes acknowledged recent use. Conclusions. The confessed use of doping agents in this study was low, which may suggest that fewer athletes use doping agents in Uganda. However, there is still an urgent need for educational anti-doping programs to address the knowledge gaps observed amongst athletes in this study. Modifying the existing Physical education curriculum for inclusion of more content about doping in sport could provide the basis for doping prevention programs amongst amateur athletes in Ugandan primary and secondary schools

Incentive Use in Research: Protecting Vulnerable Populations from Exploitation

Global investment in Medical Research and Development has markedly increased in the last few decades. However, due to the decreasing public altruism, researchers have come under increased pressures from the funding bodies to produce results. Out of desperation, some researchers have resorted to using incentives as a means of sourcing for volunteers. Consequently, the research burden has disproportionately been shared among the most vulnerable populations in the society. Incentives especially monetary ones present an ethical dilemma because of the uncertainties’ surrounding the morality, amount and type of payment, vulnerability of volunteers and possible threats to voluntary participation. Several studies done on the use of incentives in medical research have noted that financial motivation was the number one reason for subjects to volunteer in Medical research. Mutual benefit and freedom of choice by participants were given as reasons to support their use. However, scientists who are against the use of incentives believe that they are coercive or undue inducements, and may influence a subjects’ ability to give an informed consent. Guidelines exist that protect vulnerable groups from exploitation, although none sheds light into the use of incentives. Nonetheless, in the face of the waning public altruism, the benefits of using incentives far outweigh the dangers, although researchers should avoid situations where their use may become problematic. As a mode of payment to research subjects, researchers should adopt a combination of the Dickerts’ Wage and re-imbursement models as guides in quantifying the incentive. [Archives Medical Review Journal 2013; 22(3.000): 408-417

The Effects of Manual Therapy and PRIMFIT Unstable Surface Balance Training on Walking Gait Cycle Post an Acute Grade 3 Inversion Ankle Sprain: A Case Study

This case demonstrates the effectiveness of a rehabilitation product and protocol that incorporates manual therapy and unstable surface training. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the effect of a four-week unstable training protocol using PRIMFIT product in conjunction with manual physical therapy on walking gait in a 17-year old, with grade 3 ankle sprain and multiple ligament tears. A PRIMFIT protocol was designed and performed biweekly under supervision of a physical therapist and also biweekly by the patient independently. Patient\u27s walking gait was tested once a week using an OPTOGAIT System. The patient demonstrated significant clinical and statistical improvements in all gait and time parameters measured by OPTOGAIT system, as well as increased ankle mobility, decreased swelling and markedly decreased pain. For this patient, a combination of manual therapy techniques, PRIMFIT product and rehabilitation exercises were able to significantly improve and normalize walking gait, in addition to eliminating swelling and pain. However, further research is needed with additional cases, especially those with similar or other injuries to develop the efficacy of the PRIMFIT product and protocol

A descriptive prospective study of sports medicine practices for athletes in Uganda

Background: Many international sporting organizations have recommended practices to reduce the risk of injury. These practices include screening for injury, having appropriate emergency medical care, and protocols for managing injury before return-to-play. The extent of the uptake of these practices in a developing country such as Uganda, is unknown.Methodology: Using a descriptive case study approach, this investigation focused on a sample of injured athletes (n = 75) in Uganda from four main sports associations (football, athletics, basketball and rugby). The data were collected through observations and interviews after the injury. Using a best medical practice framework the phases of emergency, intermediate, rehabilitative, and return-to-sports participation were described.Result: Nine conditions/types of injury were included. The results revealed a lack of specific pre-season screening or re- turn-to-play readiness for all the injured athletes. Further, there was a lack of application of best practice principles for most of the injury types. For athletes who received medical care, the results show inconsistencies and inadequacies from the acute stage of the injury to return-to-sports participation.Conclusion: This study identified barriers such as up-to-date knowledge among the sports resource providers; the gaps for appropriate and adequate specific facilities for managing injured athletes, and policies to mandate care of injured athletes. These barriers detract from applying best medical practices

Additional file 1: of Doping knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Ugandan athletes’: a cross-sectional study

Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale (PEAS). (DOC 48 kb

Prevention and Management of Sport-Related Concussions in Uganda: A Case Study

Head injuries in sports often go unnoticed and untreated with a risk of increasing the severity of neurological difficulties for affected athletes. While there is much research on athletes in developed countries, the data on athletes from developing countries is lacking. Using a descriptive case study approach, this report focuses on concussions from four main sports (football, athletics, basketball and rugby). Emphasis was placed on those athletes who had been identified with a sport-related concussion (SRC). The phases of emergency, intermediate, rehabilitative, and return to sports participation were considered in this study. Three SRC cases from both male and female athletes were observed and interviewed for post-injury management from the emergency phase to return to sports participation. There was evidence of lack of specific pre-season screening of athletes for concussion history and standard care for concussed athletes in all the three cases observed using the best medical practice framework. Our study shows barriers such as knowledge among the sports resource providers; a law and policies to mandate care, and the absence of specific facilities for managing athletes with concussions. Implementation of sports health care policies is necessary to mandate care for athletes. Strategies for prevention and management of concussions are necessary, especially through increasing the awareness and knowledge using the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT). Further studies with larger samples are encouraged to ascertain the magnitude of existing barriers