Reliability and Construct Validity of Yo-Yo Tests in Untrained and Soccer-Trained Schoolgirls Aged 9-16.

PURPOSE: The reliability and construct validity of three age-adapted-intensity Yo-Yo tests were evaluated in untrained (n = 67) vs. soccer-trained (n = 65) 9- to 16-year-old schoolgirls. METHODS: Tests were performed 7 days apart for reliability (9- to 11-year-old: Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 children's test; 12- to 13-yearold: Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 1; and 14- to 16-year-old: Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2). RESULTS: Yo-Yo distance covered was 40% (776 ± 324 vs. 556 ± 156 m), 85% (1252 ± 484 vs. 675 ± 252 m) and 138% (674 ± 336 vs. 283 ± 66 m) greater (p ≤ .010) for the soccer-trained than for the untrained girls aged 9-11, 12-13 and 14-16 years, respectively. Typical errors of measurement for Yo-Yo distance covered, expressed as a percentage of the coefficient of variation (confidence limits), were 10.1% (8.1-13.7%), 11.0% (8.6-15.4%) and 11.6% (9.2-16.1%) for soccer players, and 11.5% (9.1-15.8%), 14.1% (11.0-19.8%) and 10.6% (8.5-14.2%) for untrained girls, aged 9-11, 12-13 and 14-16, respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficient values for test-retest were excellent (0.795-0.973) in both groups. No significant differences were observed in relative exercise peak heart rate (%HRpeak) between groups during test and retest. CONCLUSION: The Yo-Yo tests are reliable for determining intermittent-exercise capacity and %HRpeak for soccer players and untrained 9- to 16-year-old girls. They also possess construct validity with better performances for soccer players compared with untrained age-matched girls, despite similar %HRpeak.

MSI phenotype and MMR alterations in familial and sporadic gastric cancer.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a major pathway involved in gastric carcinogenesis occurring in 20% of gastric cancer (GC). However, it is not clear whether MSI phenotype preferentially occurs in the sporadic or familial GC, when stringent inclusion criteria are used. The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of MSI and hypermethylation of MLH1 promoter in a large series of familial GC patients (non-HNPCC and non-CDH1-related) and sporadic cases. Additionally, we analysed the immunoexpression of MMR proteins in a fraction of cases. Overall, the frequency of familial GC was 7.1%, and the frequency of hereditary tumours was 4.6%. MSI phenotype and MLH1 hypermethylation frequencies were not statistical different between familial and sporadic GC settings. Further, the MSI phenotype was not associated with any clinico-pathological features studied in the familial GC setting, whereas in the sporadic setting, it was associated with older age, female gender and intestinal histotype. Using our stringent Amsterdam-based clinical criteria to select familial GC (number of cases, age of onset), we verified that sporadic and familial cases differed in gender but shared histopathological features. We verified that the frequency of MSI was similar in familial and sporadic GC settings, demonstrating that this molecular phenotype is not a hallmark of familial GC in contrast to what is verified in HNPCC. Moreover, we observed that the frequency of MLH1 hypermethylation is similar in sporadic and familial cases suggesting that in both settings MSI is not associated to MMR genetic alterations but in contrast to epigenetic deregulation.

Sucrosomial Iron Supplementation for the Treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients Refractory to Oral Iron Treatment.

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a common manifestation of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Oral iron supplements are the treatment of choice, but are not always well tolerated. Sucrosomial® iron (SI) may represent an alternative. This prospective study assessed the tolerability and effectiveness of SI, and quality of life (QoL) of IDA-IBD patients who were intolerant to oral iron salts. The study included 52 individuals treated with 1 capsule/day for 12 weeks. Tolerability was assessed through a gastrointestinal symptom severity questionnaire. Hemoglobin (Hb) levels and clinical symptoms of IDA were analyzed. QoL was assessed using IBDQ-9 and EuroQoL questionnaires. The percentage of patients with excellent/good health increased from 42.9% to 94.3%. Mean Hb concentration significantly increased at all follow-up visits (p < 0.05). Almost all participants (96.9%) were adherent to the study medication. Patients' QoL improved (IBDQ-9: from 60.9 to 65.5). Patients also improved in mobility (71.8% to 78.1%), usual activities (51.3% to 68.7%), pain/discomfort (41.0% to 53.1%), and extreme depression/anxiety problems (7.7% to 3.2%); they worsened in self-care (100% to 90.6%), but perceived an enhancement in their global health [EQ-VAS score: 61.9 (±26.1) to 66.9 (±20.3)]. SI was well tolerated and improved IDA symptoms, IBD activity, and patients' QoL. In conclusion, SI should be considered in IDA-IBD patients.

Immunophenotype and TCR-Vbeta repertoire of peripheral blood T-cells in acute infectious mononucleosis.

Although a number of studies on the phenotypic changes that occur after T-cell activation have already been published, the specific immunophenotypic features of T-lymphocytes and the frequency at which TCR-variable region (TCR-V) restricted T-cell expansions occur "in vivo" during acute viral infection still remains to be established. We report on the immunophenotype and TCR-V repertoire of peripheral blood T-cells from 28 patients with acute infectious mononucleosis. Immunophenotypic studies were performed by flow cytometry using direct immunofluorescence techniques and stain-and-then-lyse sample preparation protocols with three- and four-colour combinations of monoclonal antibodies directed against a large panel of T- and NK-cell associated markers, activation- and adhesion-related molecules and TCR-Vbeta, -Vgamma and -Vdelta families. Nearly all patients (27/28) showed a massive expansion of CD8(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) T cells, the majority (>90%) of which displayed an immunophenotype compatible with T-cell activation: CD2(+high), CD7(+low), CD11a(+high), CD38(+high), HLA-DR(+high), CD28(+/-low), CD45RO(+high), CD45RA(-/+low), CD11b(-/+low), CD11c(+/-low), CD16(-), CD56(-), CD57(-), CD62L(-), CD94(-), CD158a(-), CD161(-), NKB1(-). Additionally, the levels of both CD3 and CD5 were slightly decreased compared to those found in normal individuals. Late-activation antigens, such as CD57, were found in small proportions of CD8(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) T-cells. Increased numbers of CD4(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) T-cells, TCRgammadelta(+) T-cells and NK-cells were also noticed in 17, 16 and 13 of the 28 cases studied, respectively. Evidence for activation of CD4(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) and TCRgammadelta(+) T-cells relied on changes similar to those described for CD8(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) although less pronounced, except for higher levels of both CD5 and CD28 in the absence of reactivity for CD11c on CD4(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) T-cells and higher levels of CD161 and CD94 on TCRgammadelta(+) T-cells. Small expansions of one or more TCR-Vbeta families accounting for 12 +/- 7% of either the CD8(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) or the CD4(+)/TCRalphabeta(+) T-cell compartment were found in 12 of 14 patients studied, whereas the distribution of the TCR-Vgamma and -Vdelta repertoires tested in 2 of the individuals with expanded TCRgammadelta(+) T-cells was similar to that observed in control individuals. The results presented here provide evidence for an extensive T-cell activation during acute viral infection and establish the immunophenotype patterns associated with this condition.

Efeito de um programa de treino em idosos: comparação da avaliação isocinética e isotônica / Effects of a physical activity program in older people: comparison between isokinetic and isotonic evaluation

O objetivo principal deste estudo foi o de avaliar o efeito de um programa complementar de atividade física na força muscular de idosos em função do método de avaliação.Dezenove idosos(12mulheres e sete homens) com idade média de 68,7 ± 4,2 anos, um peso médio de 66,8 ± 8,6 kg e altura média de 1,6 ± 0,1 m, participaram num programa complementar de atividade física durante seis meses, englobando sessões de atividade física generalizada (2 x sem.; 50 min) e de treino específico de força em máquinas de resistência variável (2 x sem.; 40-50 min). A força muscular foi avaliada isotônica e isocineticamente em quatro períodos distintos: inicial (“baseline”), intermédio (três meses após), final (seis meses após) e destreino (um mês após término da atividade). Assim, o teste de uma repetição máxima (1RM) foi utilizado como medida da força concêntrica dinâmica para a extensão e flexão do joelho. A força máxima isocinética dos extensores e flexores do joelho foi avaliada, em ambos os membros, através de um dinamômetro isocinético (Biodex System 2, USA), em duas velocidades distintas: 60º/s e 180º/s. Os resultados foram os seguintes: a) a força dos músculos extensores e flexores do joelho aumentou após treino, com particular evidência no membro não-dominante; b) existe uma especificidade da resposta de adaptação relativamente ao método deavaliação utilizado, sendo que os resultados da avaliação da força de forma isocinética foram inferiores aosobtidos pela avaliação isotônica através do método de 1RM; c) na avaliação pelo método de 1RM, ao contrário da avaliação isocinética, para além das melhorias após seis meses de treino, foram observadas alterações significativas, quer nos flexores, quer nos extensores do joelho após os três primeiros meses de treino, não sendo, no entanto, observadas alterações nos últimos três meses; d) em oposição aos resultados obtidos pela avaliação isotônica, o destreino não teve um impacto significativo na redução dos níveis de força isocinética dos idosos. Conclui-se que um programa complementar de atividade física parece ser suficientemente intenso e específico para induzir melhorias na força muscular de idosos independentes. No entanto, a magnitude de resposta de adaptação e desadaptação após treino e destreino, é dependente do método de avaliação utilizado.

Esforço contínuo vs esforço intermitente: adaptaçäo bioquímica / Continous exercise vs intermittent exercise: biochemical adaptation

Foi estudo o efeito crônico de dois tipos de exercício (intermitente e contínuo) sobre a atividade de algumas enzimas do músculo do ratinho. O programa de treinos teve a duraçäo de 6 meses, 5 dias por semana, e foi executado num tapete rolante adaptado para animais. O grupo sujeito a corrida intermitente realizou o exercício a uma velocidade de 975m/h com fases de esforço de 30 segundos e com períodos de recuperaçäo de igual duraçäo. O grupo sujetio a exercício contínuo realizou o protocolo com igual velocidade sem fases de recuperaçäo. Os dois protocolos tiveram a duraçäo de 2 x 30 minutos com intervalo de 10 minutos. Foi analisada a atividade enzimática da creatina-quinase (CK), da lactato-desidrogenase (LDH) e da citrato-sintetase (CS). Näo foi encontrada qualquer variaçiao signficativa entre os grupos exercitados, apesar de se ter verificado näo só uma descida da atividade da LDH e uma subida da atividade da CK nos grupos exercitados, mas também uma descida ligeiro da atividade da CS no grupo intermitente e um aumento da atividade da CS no grupo sujeito a esforço contínuo. Os resultados sugerem diferentes mecanismos da adaptaçäo enzimática aos diferentes programas de treino

Modelo de intestino curto e de neoesfíncter no intestino delgado de suínos / A swine model of short bowel and samll intestine neosphincter

Racional - A perda de grande extensão do intestino delgado ocorre em diversas situações clínicas, geralmente relacionadas à necessidade de ressecção cirúrgica. A função primordial do intestino é absorção de nutrientes; sua integridade é fundamental para a sobrevivência de todo e qualquer animal...