Field-based tests for the assessment of physical fitness in children and adolescents practicing sport: A systematic review within the ESA program

High levels of physical fitness (PF) can positively affect both health and cognitive function, thus monitoring its levels in youth can help increase health and quality of life in adult populations later on. This systematic review aims to identify PF field-based tests used in young European populations practicing sport to find tools that are adequate for the considered target involving a new battery within the Enriched Sport Activities (ESA) project. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was followed. In the 83 identified articles, the main tests used were: vertical/horizontal jumps (for muscular strength/power); push-ups, running at maximum effort, sit-ups (for muscular strength/endurance); multistage non-intermittent and intermittent tests (for aerobic endurance); sit and reach (for flexibility); sprinting and agility T-tests (for speed and agility, respectively); 10 x 5 m shuttle run (SR) (for both speed and agility). Few studies assessed coordination, reaction time, power, and balance. Although the selected tests are widely used and validated, they do not determine all PF aspects and do not reflect sport-specific features. A final decision was made for the inclusion of the following tests: standing broad jump, seated medicine ball throw, 20 m SR test, 30 m sprint, Illinois test, and a new test, i.e., the crunning test, to assess different skill-related components at once. The use of this combination of tests allows for the assessment of all PF components and can help planning eective training programs and cultivate sporting talent

EPIdemiology of Surgery-Associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) : Study protocol for a multicentre, observational trial

More than 300 million surgical procedures are performed each year. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after major surgery and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. However, there is a large variation in the incidence of reported AKI rates. The establishment of an accurate epidemiology of surgery-associated AKI is important for healthcare policy, quality initiatives, clinical trials, as well as for improving guidelines. The objective of the Epidemiology of Surgery-associated Acute Kidney Injury (EPIS-AKI) trial is to prospectively evaluate the epidemiology of AKI after major surgery using the latest Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) consensus definition of AKI. EPIS-AKI is an international prospective, observational, multicentre cohort study including 10 000 patients undergoing major surgery who are subsequently admitted to the ICU or a similar high dependency unit. The primary endpoint is the incidence of AKI within 72 hours after surgery according to the KDIGO criteria. Secondary endpoints include use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality during ICU and hospital stay, length of ICU and hospital stay and major adverse kidney events (combined endpoint consisting of persistent renal dysfunction, RRT and mortality) at day 90. Further, we will evaluate preoperative and intraoperative risk factors affecting the incidence of postoperative AKI. In an add-on analysis, we will assess urinary biomarkers for early detection of AKI. EPIS-AKI has been approved by the leading Ethics Committee of the Medical Council North Rhine-Westphalia, of the Westphalian Wilhelms-University Münster and the corresponding Ethics Committee at each participating site. Results will be disseminated widely and published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at conferences and used to design further AKI-related trials. Trial registration number NCT04165369

The prevalence of mental retardation by gender, age of diagnosis and location in Zonguldak province, Turkey

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of mental retardation by gender, age of diagnosis, and location in Zonguldak, Turkey. Methods: The data of 1909 mentally retarded children recorded between 1995 and 2003 was obtained from the Learning Disability Guidance and Research Centre. Age, gender, IQ scores, the age of diagnosis, and living areas of cases were evaluated. Results: The distribution of mental retardation was as follows; 304 cases (15.9%) were profound and severe, 1060 (55.6%) were moderate and mild, and 545 (28.5%) were borderline. The prevalence of mental retardation was 12.1% (male: 15.1%, female: 9.1%). Of the cases, 1327 (69.5%) lived in urban areas. Conclusion: Most individuals with severe mental retardation become enrolled in the service system during early childhood, but children with mild mental retardation, especially those with no other neurological impairments, may never enter the system or may not do so until puberty. Most of our cases were diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 10. This proves the importance of school guidance of learning disability and their collaboration with The Learning Disability Guidance and Research Center

The prevalence of mental retardation by gender, age of diagnosis and location in Zonguldak province, Turkey

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of mental retardation by gender, age of diagnosis, and location in Zonguldak, Turkey. Methods: The data of 1909 mentally retarded children recorded between 1995 and 2003 was obtained from the Learning Disability Guidance and Research Centre. Age, gender, IQ scores, the age of diagnosis, and living areas of cases were evaluated. Results: The distribution of mental retardation was as follows; 304 cases (15.9%) were profound and severe, 1060 (55.6%) were moderate and mild, and 545 (28.5%) were borderline. The prevalence of mental retardation was 12.1% (male: 15.1%, female: 9.1%). Of the cases, 1327 (69.5%) lived in urban areas. Conclusion: Most individuals with severe mental retardation become enrolled in the service system during early childhood, but children with mild mental retardation, especially those with no other neurological impairments, may never enter the system or may not do so until puberty. Most of our cases were diagnosed between the ages of 6 and 10. This proves the importance of school guidance of learning disability and their collaboration with The Learning Disability Guidance and Research Center

Nanostructured biomaterials with antimicrobial properties

The present review is intended to bring together the main advances in the field of nanostructured biomaterials with antimicrobial properties. It is generally accepted that the discovery of antibiotics was of great importance but, nowadays new antimicrobial agents are needed and/or their better administration routes. The limitation of the use of antibiotics is essential because of the following reasons: the excessive use of antibiotics leads to the development of antibiotic resistant microorganisms; there are some alternatives for many types of infections, many of these alternatives being less toxic and do not lead to antibiotic similar resistance. In compliance with the above presented, the use of antibiotic is recommended to be eliminated (when alternatives are available) or to be reduced by using combined therapy when possible or to administrate these drugs through targeted or loco-regional drug delivery systems. © 2014 Bentham Science Publishers

Mechanical behavior of PCL Nano fibers

27th Symposium and Annual Meeting of the International Society for Ceramics in Medicine, 2015 -- 27 October 2015 through 29 October 2015 --The biomedical applications of Poly (e-caprolactone) (PCL) have an extensive usage area such as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, cartilage defects and biomedical implants. Because of the PCL's high biocompatibility and excellent mechanical features some implants have been designed for getting remarkable results. Clinically approved fibers ranging from 500 nm to 750 nm were produced by electrospinning method. The mechanical properties of the fiber scaffolds were performed via tensile testing and results were measured by special programme. Five different fiber scaffolds which they produced in various compositions have been used for this research. © 2016 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland

Chronic cadmiun exposure affects the antioxidant defense system in heart of ovariectomized rats

They were divided into four groups and only two groups were undergone ovariectomy operation. One of the other two groups was used for control and the other one was for Cd administration in healthy rats. Only one of the ovariectomized groups was received Cd administration ten weeks after the surgery. Cd administrations were carried out intraperitonealy for 18 weeks. At the end of this treatment period, rats were decapitated and then, heart tissues were removed. Superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the heart of rats were measured. In the ovariectomized group, MDA concentration was significantly increased whereas SOD and CAT activities were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In the cadmium exposed rats, MDA, SOD and CAT levels were found to be significantly higher than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Similar results were obtained in the Ovx-Cd group. In conclusion, chronic cadmium exposure and ovariectomy induce the oxidative stress in the heart tissues by increasing lipid peroxidation and alter the antioxidant enzyme activities