ICFAR Leverhulme Visiting Professor Events, Alison Knowles in Conversation

The Leverhulme Visiting Professor Events were a joint project by ICFAR and Queen Mary University to host the New York based writer, Professor Bonnie Marranga in London

Acute effects of gluteal warm up on knee valgus motion during jumping and landing in adolescent females

This study aimed to assess the effect of a ninety second gluteal warm-up (GW) on knee valgus motion during take-off and landing tasks in adolescent females; assess its efficacy on jump performance; and assess whether those with Generalised Joint Hypermobility (GJH) respond differently. GJH has been linked to greater knee injury risk and gluteal muscle action has been linked to a reduction of knee valgus motion, a known factor in knee injury, as well as improved jump performance. Where warm-up time is limited, a 90 second warm-up that activates the gluteal muscles could prove very useful and this study sought to establish whether this warm-up could acutely affect physical performance and whether it has potential use in injury prevention by reducing excessive knee-valgus motion. Twenty-three active females (age 16 ± 1.38 years, weight 58.43 ± 12.81kg) participated. Joint mobility was assessed using a Beighton’s test (scores ≥ 4 being classified as GJH). Participants attended two sessions and carried out both the GW and a standard dynamic warm up (DW). CMJ height was measured using Pasco force platforms and analysed through SparkVue software. Knee valgus angles were recorded during CMJ take-off and landing, as well as drop landings from a 32cm high platform. Angles were assessed using Kinovea 2D video analysis software. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess the effects of warm-up on knee valgus motion and jump height. Warm-up did not significantly affect jump height or knee valgus motion and those with GJH did not on the whole, respond differently to their non-hypermobile counterparts. Non-hypermobiles did respond to a gluteal warm-up with a reduction in knee valgus during take-off but no difference during landing was found. In conclusion, the short gluteal warm-up performed equally well when compared to a longer dynamic warm-up suggesting it may be useful in sports settings where speed of preparation is paramount, but it did not appear to be any better at acutely affecting knee valgus mechanics in those with GJH. Key words: Hypermobility, Lower Limb Kinematics, Injury Prevention

A qualitative study exploring perceived environmental determinants of physical activity behaviour in children

In this article, we consider children’s perceptions of their social and physical outdoor environment in relation to their physical activity (PA) behaviour in Scotland, United Kingdom. Drawing from a pilot study, participants included three groups of children aged between ten and twelve of mixed gender (n=15). Visual and verbal representations of their perceived environment were analysed to assess environmental determinants of PA. Results found an absence of suitable play affordances, safety, parental restriction, and environmental aesthetics was a key factor to children spending time outdoors. Strengths and limitations of the study are discussed, as are implications for policy and practice

Parental perceptions and key determinants of sedentary behaviour in children aged 2-11 years old

This poster discusses parental perceptions and key determinants of sedentary behaviour in children aged 2-11 years old

The effect of a home-based strength training program on type 2 diabetes risk in obese Latino boys

This paper is designed to determine the effects of a home-based strength training (HBST) intervention on insulin sensitivity (SI), compensatory acute insulin response and β-cell function, body composition measures, and maximum strength in obese Latino boys. A total of 26 obese Latino males aged between 14 and 18 years were randomized to either a twice-weekly (n=15) or a control group (C; n=15) for 16 weeks. HBST for 16 weeks, composed of two 1-h sessions per week. Outcome measures were assessed pre-and post-intervention/control condition and included SI, acute insulin response to glucose (AIR) and disposition index (DI), fasting glucose, 2-h glucose, body composition using waist-hip circumferences, body mass index (BMI), dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, blood pressure, and strength by 1-repetition maximum. A repeated measures GLM was used to assess differences in changes in outcome measures, between the C and the HBST groups. There were no significant overall intervention effects on any of the outcome variables (p<0.05). These results suggest that an HBST does not improve SI, maximal strength or decrease adiposity in obese Latino boys

Body size dissatisfaction among young Chinese children in Hong Kong: a cross sectional study.

To determine the potential predictors of body size dissatisfaction in Chinese children. The Child’s Body Image Scale was used to assess body size perception and dissatisfaction. BMI was calculated from objectively measured height and weight. Predictors of body size dissatisfaction were examined by logistic regression analysis. Hong Kong, China. Six hundred and twenty children (53 % boys, aged 6·1–12·9 years) from a state-run primary school. Female sex (adjusted OR (AOR)=1·91; 95 % CI 1·32, 2·76), age (AOR=2·62; 95 % CI 1·65, 4·16 for 8–10 years; AOR=2·16; 95 % CI 1·38, 3·38 for >10 years), overweight (AOR=6·23; 95 % CI 3·66, 10·60) and obesity (AOR=19·04; 95 % CI 5·64, 64·32) were positively associated with desire to be thinner. Size misperception was a strong predictor of body size dissatisfaction, irrespective of actual weight status (AOR=1·90; 95 % CI 1·02, 3·54 for overestimation; AOR=0·43; 95 % CI 0·27, 0·67 for underestimation). Body size dissatisfaction is prevalent among Chinese children as young as 6 years. Female sex, age, overweight, obesity and overestimation of size were associated with increased desire to be thinner. These findings emphasise the importance of preventing body image issues from an early age

Uncertainty in current and future health wearables

Expect inherent uncertainties in health-wearables data to complicate future decision making concerning user health

ToTem: A phase Ib trial of temisirolimus with gemcitabine and cisplatin.

Background: gemcitabine (G) and cisplatin (C) is a standard-of-care, combination chemotherapy regimen for neoadjuvant treatment of muscle-invasive and palliative treatment of advanced bladder cancer (BC). More effective regimens are urgently needed, with no significant improvements on GC in more than a decade. Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a rational target for BC therapy, as abnormalities are commonly seen in mTOR’s upstream activators/downstream effectors in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. We therefore performed a Phase Ib trial, combining escalating doses of the mTOR inhibitor, temsirolimus (T) with GC. Methods: following regulatory and ethical approvals, eligible patients with advanced malignancy were treated with one or more doses of intravenous (IV) T plus fixed doses of IV GC in a 21-day (d) cycle. Previous unpublished data suggest a possible interaction between G and T. We therefore pursued a cautious escalation strategy (see table), as a precaution against excessive toxicity. Results: 14 patients (3 BC, 2 lung, 2 ovarian, 7 other cancers; 7 previous platinum exposure) were treated, at 4 dose schedules in 2 UK centers. There were no treatment-related deaths or SUSARs. Of 14 SAEs, 4 were SARs, in 10 individuals, 7 of whom had received IMP. Addition of 10mg T on d15, then d8&15 was tolerated, but DLTs were encountered when administering three 10mg doses of T, both on d1,8&15 (neutropenia; hypokalaemia) and d2,9&15 (febrile neutropenia; rash). T was omitted because of myelosuppression on d15, cycle 1 in 6/8 patients scheduled to receive 3 doses of T. Conclusions: it has not been feasible to add three, weekly doses of T to GC, even at low T doses, in the patient group tested, because of predominantly hematological toxicity. We plan to amend the schedule to include two doses of T, on d2&9, informed by data from pre-planned PK analyses of patients already treated. ToTem was developed by the UK NCRI Bladder Cancer Clinical Studies Group, sponsored by Cardiff University, funded by Cancer Research UK, and supported by supply of free drug and distribution costs from Pfizer. Clinical trial information: 31546330