Comparison of soccer instep kicking kinematics with and without elastic taping.

The present study aimed to determine the effect of elastic taping on soccer instep kicking kinematics. Fifteen male university soccer players performed maximal instep kicking with and without Y-shaped elastic taping on the skin surface of the rectus femoris muscle. Their kicking motions were captured at 500 Hz using a motion capture system. The thickness of the rectus femoris muscle was measured using an ultrasound scanner prior to the kicking session. The thickness of the rectus femoris muscle and kicking leg kinematics in both the conditions were compared. The thickness of the rectus femoris muscle increased significantly after elastic tape application. In conjunction with this change, kinematic variables of the kicking leg, such as peak hip flexion angular velocity and knee and foot linear velocities significantly increased. However, there was no change in the knee extension angular and hip linear velocities. The elastic tape application caused deformation of the rectus femoris muscle and improvement of the instep kicking performance. The study findings provide a new insight on the effect of elastic taping on dynamic sports performance, such as in soccer instep kicking.

[Inhibition of Growth of Seed-Borne Fungi and Aflatoxin Production on Stored Peanuts by Allyl Isothiocyanate Vapor].

Aspergillus parasiticus contamination of peanuts results in the production of highly toxic metabolites, such as aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, and its incidence in imported peanuts is reported to be increasing. Here, we examined whether the antifungal compound allyl isothiocyanate (AIT), which is present in mustard seed, could inhibit the growth of seed-borne fungi and aflatoxin-producing fungi. Peanuts produced in China and Japan were inoculated with A. parasiticus and exposed to AIT vapor released by a commercial mustard seed extract in closed containers under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity. AIT in the inoculated peanut samples reached its highest concentration of 44.8 ng/mL at 3 hr and decreased to 5.6 ng/mL after 9 weeks. Although AIT decreased the growth of the seed-borne fungi during the test period, the inoculated fungi survived. All tested peanuts samples were analyzed for aflatoxin using the HPLC method. There was a correlation between the number of aflatoxin-producing fungi and the total amount of aflatoxin production in the inoculated peanut samples. Our results indicate that AIT was effective in inhibiting the growth of seed-borne fungi and aflatoxin-producing fungi.

[Inhibition of aflatoxin production and fungal growth on stored corn by allyl isothiocyanate vapor].

Studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of allyl isothiocyanate (AIT) vapor treatment with a commercial mustard seed extract (Wasaouro(®)) in controlling aflatoxin-producing fungi on stored corn. The concentration of AIT in the closed container peaked at 54.6 ng/mL on the 14th day and remained at 21.8 ng/mL on the 42nd day. AIT inhibited visible growth of aflatoxigenic molds in unsterilized corn and in sterilized corn inoculated with various aflatoxigenic fungi. However, fungi such as Aspergillus glaucus group, A. penicillioides and A. restrictus were detected by means of culture methods.