Study of postural control and body balance in subjects with Down syndrome

Purpose. Body imbalance and poor postural control have negative impact on gait and may increase the risk of falling in healthy individuals as well as those with Down syndrome (DS). Since people with DS have lower physical levels than people who do not present this condition, the purpose of our research was to compare features of postural control and body balance between subjects affected by DS and a control sample. Methods. Participants enrolled were divided into the following two groups: A DS group (DSG; n = 22; 9 females and 13 males; age range: 16-36 years) and an age-matched control group (CG; n = 25; 11 females and 14 males; age range: 16-36 years). All participants were subjected to t…

Physical Activity Levels and Related Energy Expenditure during COVID-19 Quarantine among the Sicilian Active Population: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey Study

Background: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Italian government has adopted containment measures to control the virus’s spread, including limitations to the practice of physical activity (PA). The aim of this study was to estimate the levels of PA, expressed as energy expenditure (MET–minute/week), among the physically active Sicilian population before and during the last seven days of the COVID-19 quarantine. Furthermore, the relation between this parameter and specific demographic and anthropometric variables was analyzed. Methods: 802 Sicilian physically active participants (mean age: 32.27 ± 12.81 years; BMI: 23.44 ± 3.33 kg/m2) were included in the study and…

Arbitrarily shaped plates analysis via Line Element-Less Method (LEM)

Abstract An innovative procedure is introduced for the analysis of arbitrarily shaped thin plates with various boundary conditions and under generic transverse loading conditions. Framed into Line Element-less Method, a truly meshfree method, this novel approach yields the solution in terms of the deflection function in a straightforward manner, without resorting to any discretization, neither in the domain nor on the boundary. Specifically, expressing the deflection function through a series expansion in terms of harmonic polynomials, it is shown that the proposed method requires only the evaluation of line integrals along the boundary parametric equation. Further, minimization of appropri…

CFD-PBM simulation of Mg(OH)2 precipitation from saltwork brine

The influence of stomatognatic apparatus in atletic performance: the effects of the palatal exteroceptors stimulation in football players

Study of quotient of gross motor ability in children with Down Syndrome

Physical characteristics of moderately active men after 8 weeks of ‘‘calisthenics’’ training

Aim: Calisthenics was originally a term used to define body weight exercises [1–3]. This term is now used to define a world wide spread sport based on body weight exercises. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand the effects of calisthenics (sport) on sedentary individuals. Methods: 28 male participants (24.2 ± 4.2 years; 67.0 ± 8.3 kg; 173.3 ± 5.2 cm) were divided into two groups, a Calisthenics based intervention group (CIG) and a control group (CG). The CGI exercised for 8 weeks. Each participant underwent a postural assessment, a handgrip test (HG), a push-up and a pull-up test. Each participant was tested at baseline and post intervention. Results: The CGI improved their po…

Effectiveness of a Physical Education Program on the Motor and Pre-literacy Skills of Preschoolers From the Training-To-Health Project: A Focus on Weight Status

Many studies reported a positive relationship between motor skills, cognitive functions, and school performance in school-age children; however, little is known in preschool children. The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a physical education program (PEP) on locomotor, object control skills, and pre-literacy cognitive functions in a wide population of preschoolers and verify whether weight status could influence these abilities. In the context of the Training-to-Health Project, a sample of 1,029 preschoolers was recruited in kindergartens from the urban area of Palermo (Italy). Their gross motor and pre-literacy skills were tested before (PRE) and after (POST…

Effects of an adapted physical activity program on psychophysical health in elderly women.

Giuseppe Battaglia,1,2 Marianna Bellafiore,1,2 Marianna Alesi,1,2 Antonio Paoli,3 Antonino Bianco,1,2 Antonio Palma1,2 1Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, 2Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Unit, University of Palermo, Palermo, 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padua, Italy Background: Several studies have shown the positive effects of adapted physical activity (APA) on physical and mental health (MH) during the lifetime. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a specific APA intervention program in the improvement of the health-related quality of life (QOL) and functional condition of spine in elderly women. Method…

UNA PANORAMICA SULL’ANEMIA SIDEROPENICA NEGLI ATLETI/AN OVERVIEW ON IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA IN ATHLETES

Diversi studi in letteratura riportano come la capacità prestativa degli atleti di endurance sia fortemente compromessa in seguito all’insorgenza di anemia sideropenica. Questa, infatti, è una delle più importanti cause di overtraining negli atleti che pratica attività sportive di lunga durata come: la maratona, la marcia, il ciclismo. Tra le diverse cause di anemia ferropriva ricordiamo: una dieta inadeguata a soddisfare le richieste di ferro dell’organismo, una riduzione dell’assorbimento di ferro a livello intestinale e/o un’eccessiva perdita di questo elemento da parte dell’atleta. Il controllo periodico tramite analisi ematochimiche, metaboliche e funzionali potrebbe essere un valido s…

FLUID AND ELECTROLYTE SUPPLEMENTATION IN ATHLETES AND FITNESS PEOPLE. A REVIEW

Il presente lavoro pone l’accento sull'importanza di una corretta idratazione sia per gli atleti sia per i sedentari. E’ infatti noto che l'acqua e i componenti in essa disciolti sono di fondamentale importanza per mantenere inalterate le principali funzioni del nostro organismo. Sono stati analizzati in particolare i sali minerali contenuti nell’acqua e nelle bevande utilizzate per la loro integrazione. E’ infatti invalso l'uso e l'abuso di integratori salini per gli atleti sulla cui utilità sono presenti in letteratura diversi contributi. Gli AA hanno anche approfondito il tema della sudorazione e le situazioni in cui aumentano le perdite di fluidi corporei cercando di capire come atleti …

EFFETTI DELLA TERAPIA MULTISISTEMICA IN ACQUA SULLE ABILITA’ GROSSOMOTORIE E COGNITIVE IN SOGGETTI CON DISTURBO DELLO SPETTRO AUTISTICO

Lo scopo del presente studio è stato quello di studiare gli effetti della “terapia multisistemica in acqua” (TMA) sulle abilità grossomotorie e cognitive in bambini con disturbo dello spettro autistico. Le attività hanno coinvolto sei soggetti e si sono svolte attraverso la “pianificazione” di un intervento individualizzato e interpersonale volto a ridurre i sintomi e migliorare le capacità comunicative e relazionali del bambino avvalendosi degli ambienti strutturati delle piscine pubbliche. Dopo l’intervento terapeutico, i soggetti hanno mostrato un miglioramento del quoziente di sviluppo grosso-motorio e una modificazione degli schemi cognitivi, comportamentali, comunicativi ed emotivi. I…

A web-based survey about protein supplementation amongst net-surfers. An innovative approach using Protein Project Google App©

Web surveys present methodological challenges including lower response rates as compared to other survey methods like face to face interview, self reports using questionnaire and phone interview. The efficacy and appropriateness of design elements of invitations to participate in a web survey is not yet well understood for many reasons. To understand the feasibility of this innovative approach, an experiment (Protein Project) with key questions regarding protein supplementation was set up according to previous findings (Goston et al. 2004; Bianco et al. 2011). A Google App© was used to generate a questionnaire with seven-items and subsequently the created form was redirected to various soci…

Social distancing in chronic migraine during the covid-19 outbreak: Results from a multicenter observational study

Background: The restrictions taken to control the rapid spread of COVID-19 resulted in a sudden, unprecedented change in people’s lifestyle, leading to negative consequences on general health. This study aimed to estimate the impact of such changes on migraine severity during 2020 March–May lockdown. Methods: Patients affected by migraine with or without aura, diagnosed by expert physicians, completed a detailed interview comprehensive of: assessment of migraine characteristics

Parental recognition of overweight as a health problem in school-age children living in a inner-city-neighborhood of Palermo, Italy: a cross-sectional study

Influence of Vertical Dimension of Occlusion on Peak Force During Handgrip Tests in Athletes

Background: In contact sports, such as martial arts, protection from oral injuries is generally recommended. Several authors have focused on the effects of wearing such oral protective gear on sports performances and, in particular, occlusal devices. Although many studies have shown improvements in athletic performance, especially in maximal isometric strength, to date there is still no consensus on the issue. Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate differences in isometric handgrip before and after the application of an occlusal splint (OS) in martial arts athletes. Methods: A repeated measures within-subjects design was adopted for the study. Twenty-five young martial arts athlet…

Oxidant/antioxidant response of rhythmic gymnastics trainers following high intensity interval exercise training

Effects of spatial dispersion and damping on exciton absorption

Exciton absorption is studied in the spatially dispersive case. The energy-propagation properties of the medium are used to define the absorption coefficient. The interplay of dispersion and damping in determining the absorption coefficient is discussed and a critical value of the damping above which the dispersion effects disappear is derived analytically. Furthermore, the dependence of the spectral and of the integrated absorption coefficient on the auxiliary boundary condition is discussed.

Indagine conoscitiva sulla pratica sportiva nella Città di Palermo, II parte.

ASSESSMENT OF CARDIO-RESPIRATORY FITNESS (CRF) WITHOUT EXERCISE TESTING AND ASSOCIATION OF CRF WITH WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE (WC) IN YOUNG ADULTS

Teoria, tecnica e didattica della pallacanestro in carrozzina

Le capacità prestative degli individui, siano essi normodotati o con disabilità, è risaputo, migliorano notevolmente con l’aumentare del loro stato di salute psicofisico (Battaglia e coll. 2013). Un organismo stressato da una condizione patologica cronica necessità di svolgere un’attività fisica adattata allo stato di salute che lo caratterizza, poiché senza di essa finirebbe per perdere il senso più concreto dell'esistenza: “il movimento”. Il punto centrale non è dunque l'attività fisica di per sé o il tempo impiegato per svolgerla, ma piuttosto riguarda le modalità con le quali la si svolge. La scienza del movimento guarda all'individuo e alla sua complessità attraverso una valutazione ar…

The Development of Motor and Pre-literacy Skills by a Physical Education Program in Preschool Children: A Non-randomized Pilot Trial

It is known in the literature that fundamental motor skill acquisition is strongly associated with the development of neuromotor, cognitive, social, and emotional aspects in childhood. Unfortunately, in Italy, the physical education teacher is not included in the school’s core personnel, and it is very hard to find a specific physical education program (PEP) that could improve preschool children’s motor and cognitive status. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the quotient of gross motor development (QGMD) and pre-literacy skills concerning visual analysis and spatial orientation abilities changed after 16 weeks of PEP (2 h/week) in preschool children. We conducted a school-bas…

Molecular factors involved in the angiogenesis process of exercised mouse hearts

Kinematics of Cervical Spine during Rowing Ergometer at Different Stroke Rates in Young Rowers: A Pilot Study

Background: Research on biomechanics in rowing has mostly focused on the lumbar spine. However, injuries can also affect other body segments. Thus, the aim of this pilot study was to explore any potential variations in the kinematics of the cervical spine during two different stroke rates on the rowing ergometer in young rowers. Methods: Twelve young rowers of regional or national level were recruited for the study. The experimental protocol consisted of two separate test sessions (i.e., a sequence of 10 consecutive strokes for each test session) at different stroke rates (i.e., 20 and 30 strokes/min) on an indoor rowing ergometer. Kinematics of the cervical spine was assessed using an iner…

Pain Perception and Stabilometric Parameters in People With Chronic Low Back Pain After a Pilates Exercise Program

Various exercise interventions, such as Pilates exercises and traditional physical therapy methods, are employed to decrease low back pain (LBP). Nonspecific low back pain (NSLBP) is distinct from LBP, however, as the distribution of pain is restricted to the region between the costal margin and the inferior gluteal. The aim of our randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effects of a program of Pilates exercises on pain perception and stabilometric parameters in patients with NSLBP. Thirty-eight participants were randomly allocated, using a 1:1 scheme, to either the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG). The EG completed a 14-week program of Pilates exercises, performed thri…

Expression Pattern of Angiogenic Factors in Healthy Heart in Response to Physical Exercise Intensity

Recently, many studies showing the regeneration potential of both cardiac and hematopoietic stem cells in adult heart following injury were definitively retracted by the literature. Therefore, stimulating myocardial angiogenesis becomes to be important for preventing cardiovascular diseases. Regular endurance exercise has been reported to induce capillary growth in healthy and diseased myocardium resulting in cardioprotective phenotype. Previously, we demonstrated a significantly increased capillary proliferation in mouse hearts following 30 and 45 days of endurance training. In the present study, we examined the localization and expression pattern of vascular endothelial growth factor rece…

Influence of Operational Strategies for the Recovery of Magnesium Hydroxide from Brines at a Pilot Scale

The continuous depletion of minerals caused by land mining and the increase in their demand have pushed the development of novel sustainable technological processes for mineral recovery from unconventional sources. In this context, magnesium (Mg) has gained considerable attention for its peculiar properties and high relevance of its compounds, such as magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)2. In the present work, the influence of several operating conditions on the Mg(OH)2 precipitation process was thoroughly investigated by adopting a novel multiple feed-plug flow reactor. The influence of (i) initial Mg2+ concentrations in the feed stream; (ii) brine and alkaline flow rates; and (iii) the product rec…

Effects of a specific training protocol on body composition and balance in healthy elderly women

Analysis of myoD and connexin-43 expression in gluteus maximum muscle of young mice after endurance training

Validity and Internal Consistency of the Preschool-FLAT, a New Tool for the Assessment of Food Literacy in Young Children from the Training-To-Health Project

Background: The importance of assessing “food literacy” since youth has been highlighted and, to this purpose, valid and consistent instruments are needed. This study aimed to assess the validity and internal consistency of the preschool-FLAT (Food Literacy Assessment Tool). Methods. 505 children from 21 kindergartens, recruited within the Training-to-Health Project in Palermo (Italy), underwent oral sessions and activities on food-related aspects. Their knowledge/skills were recorded in the preschool-FLAT. The following scale measures were assessed: Content validity; internal consistency (Chronbach’s alpha coefficients); construct validity (Structural Equation Modeling&md…

Gross motor coordination: We have a problem! A study with the Körperkoordinations Test für Kinder in youth (6-13 Years)

The main goal of our cross-sectional research was to determine the current values of gross motor coordination (GMC) of Italian boys and girls between 6 and 13 years of age. Secondary goals were to study gender differences, and the four subtests trend with ages. Results were compared with the references proposed by KTK authors and with similar searches. Anthropometric measurements and KTK data from 2,206 schoolchildren (girls: n = 1,050; boys: n = 1,156) were collected. The KTK raw score (RS) increased with the age of the subjects (r = 0.678; p < 0.001). In 11–13-year-old subjects, the increase in results is less than in younger subjects. RS showed differences by gender (F = 5.899; p …

Relationship between anthropometric parameters, strength and speed in school children

Fluid-structure interaction and flow redistribution in membrane-bounded channels

The hydrodynamics of electrodialysis and reverse electrodialysis is commonly studied by neglecting membrane deformation caused by transmembrane pressure (TMP). However, large frictional pressure drops and differences in fluid velocity or physical properties in adjacent channels may lead to significant TMP values. In previous works, we conducted one-way coupled structural-CFD simulations at the scale of one periodic unit of a profiled membrane/channel assembly and computed its deformation and frictional characteristics as functions of TMP. In this work, a novel fluid&ndash

Walking in Natural Environments as Geriatrician’s Recommendation for Fall Prevention: Preliminary Outcomes from the “Passiata Day” Model

Background: The Geriatric Unit of the University of Palermo developed the “Passiata Day” model, a green exercise intervention consisting of a one-hour walk, once/week, in a city park. The purpose of this study was to assess body balance in older people who walked regularly compared to sedentary people. Methods: 106 older people (75 women and 31 men; mean age: 72.3 ± 8.2 years) without fall history were invited to participate voluntarily in this natural environment walking program. After six months, both the participants who had taken part regularly in the walk (i.e., the physical activity group (PAG; n = 72; 54 women and 18 men; mean age: 70.7 ± 7.2 years)), and wh…

Physical activity programs for balance and fall prevention in elderly: A systematic review

BACKGROUND: Due to demographic changes the world's population is progressively ageing. The physiological decay of the elderly adult may lead to a reduction in the ability to balance and an increased risk of falls becoming an important issue among the elderly. In order to counteract the decay in the ability to balance, physical activity has been proven to be effective. The aim of this study is to systematically review the scientific literature in order to identify physical activity programs able to increase balance in the elderly. METHODS: This review is based on the data from Medline-NLM, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, and SPORTDiscuss and includes randomized control trials that have analyzed balan…

Performance profile analysis of unipedal paralympic sprinter: a case report

The principal goal of elite athlete is to compete in international sporting events like Olympic or Paralympic Games. For this reason, athletes submit to multi-year training program (Vaeyens R et al., 2009; Ratel S, 2011). However, there are individuals who qualify to compete in the Paralympics even without a sporting past. The aim of this work was to examine the performance profile of a female paralympic sprinter [age: 37 years; mass: 58.2 Kg; height: 1.61m; BMI: 22.45; athletic category: T44 (100 m; 200 m)] with a 1/3 right lower limb unilateral transtibial amputation since the age of 2 years and 6 moths and lacking a sporting history. In particular, we analyzed used macrocycle, workload p…

Protein supplements consumption: a comparative study between the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy

Background: Protein supplements are extensively used among commercial gym users and athletes. Although demographic information amongst such consumption has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study is to compare protein supplement consumption in commercial gym users, both from the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy. Methods: A face-to-face questionnaire has been administered to 561 subjects. 207 from the city centre (CC) and 354 from the suburbs (SB) of Palermo, Italy. Protein supplement consumption, frequency of use and association with other dietary supplements has been investigated. Subsequently frequency distribution has been used for demographic assessment. Results: 30…

Recovery of magnesium hydroxide from real bitterns

Attività motorie e disabilità intellettive e mentali

Identification of Mg(OH)2 precipitation kinetics with population balances and CFD

Group fitness activities for the elderly: an innovative approach to reduce falls and injuries

Aim The aim of this study was to examine the opportunity to adopt, for the elderly, already validated function ability tests to better understand how to prevent falls and injuries and to better plan group fitness activities like ballroom dance classes (e.g., Valzer, Polka, Mazurka). Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Barthel Index (BI) were administered and the occurrence of falls during the previous 2 years was evaluated by anamnesis. One hundred and twenty-two elderly subjects living in Palermo city participated to the study. According to the anamnesis, subjects were divided into two groups: experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). T…

RUOLO DELL’ESERCIZIO FISICO NELLA QUALITÀ DI VITA DI SOGGETTI CON SCLEROSI MULTIPLA. ROLE OF EXERCISE IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN SUBJECTS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

La sclerosi multipla è una patologia neurodegenerativa cronica che ha un impatto considerevole sullo stato fisico, psicologico e sociale dei pazienti, influenzando negativamente la loro qualità di vita. Tra i fattori contribuenti ad una ridotta qualità di vita sono inclusi la presenza di dolore, spasmi, sindromi depressive, l’aumento della fatica e la riduzione della forza muscolare, mobilità ed autonomia nella deambulazione. Accanto alla medicina convenzionale, varie forme di medicina complementare ed alternativa, tra cui l’esercizio fisico, sono utilizzate dai soggetti con sclerosi multipla. Tuttavia, poche sono le prove scientifiche a sostegno della loro efficacia nel ridurre i sintomi d…

Patisiran Enhances Muscle Mass after Nine Months of Treatment in ATTRv Amyloidosis: A Study with Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and Handgrip Strength

Background and aims. Hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv) is caused by mutations in the TTR gene, leading to misfolded monomers that aggregate generating amyloid fibrils. The clinical phenotype is heterogeneous, characterized by a multisystemic disease affecting the sensorimotor, autonomic functions along with other organs. Patisiran is a small interfering RNA acting as a TTR silencer approved for the treatment of ATTRv. Punctual and detailed instrumental biomarkers are on demand for ATTRv to measure the severity of the disease and monitor progression and response to treatment. Methods. Fifteen patients affected by ATTRv amyloidosis (66.4 ± 7.8 years, six males) …

Improved postural control after dynamic balance training in older overweight women

Background and Aims: Many studies have reported a greater frequency of falls among older women than men under conditions which stress balance. Previously, we have found an improvement in static balance in older women with an increased support surface area and an equal load redistribution on both feet in response to a dynamic balance training protocol. The aim of the present study was to examine whether the same training program and body composition would have effects on the postural control of older overweight women. Methods: Ten healthy women (68.67 ± 5.50 years; 28.17 ± 3.35 BMI) participated in a five-week physical activity program. This included dynamic balance exercises such as heel-to…

The effects of postural exercise protocol in young female volleyball players with knee valgus

Gross-Motor and Cognitive Abilities in Down Syndrome: The efficacy of an integrated Exercised Training

LOCALIZATION OF SEVERAL ANGIOGENIC FACTORS IN THE MOUSE MYOCARDIUM IN RESPONSE TO ENDURANCE TRAINING

Introduction: Previous studies carried out in our laboratory showed the presence of hypertrophy associated with angiogenesis in the mouse myocardium in response to endurance training (I). Moreover, we analysed the expression of several angiogenic factors as VEGFR- 1/Flt-1, VEGFR-2/Flk-1, HIF-1a, iNOS and MMP-9 showing that the exercise differently regulates their expression levels in the angiogenic hearts according to the intensity and length of endurance training (II). The aim of this study was to examine the localization of VEGFR-1/Flt-1, VEGFR-2/Flk-1, HIF-1a, iNOS and MMP-9 in the same experimental model in order to observe in which cells these proteins are expressed in response to exer…

Influence of a Specific Aquatic Program on Social and Gross Motor Skills in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Three Case Reports

Swimming pool activities revealed to be efficacious to train psychomotor skills and increase adaptive behaviors in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a specific multi-systemic aquatic therapy (CI-MAT) on gross motor and social skills in three adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Methods: three adolescents with ASD of which two boys (M1 with a chronological age of 10.3 years and a mental age of 4.7 years; M2 with a chronological age of 14.6 and a mental age inferior to 4 years) and one girl (chronological age of 14.0 and a mental age inferior to 4 years). The study was divided into three phases: …

The effects of physical training without equipment on pain perception and balance in the elderly: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Research supports a link between exercise and falls prevention in the older population. OBJECTIVES: Our aims were to evaluate pain perception and balance skills in a group of elderly subjects and to examine the consequences of a standardized equipment-free exercise program intervention on these variables. The study utilized a randomized controlled trial method. METHODS: 92 subjects were recruited from a rural Sicilian village (Resuttano, Sicily, Italy). Subjects were randomly split into two groups, an experimental group (EG; n = 49) and a control group (CG; n = 43). Qualified fitness instructors delivered the standardized physical exercise program for the EG whilst the CG did no…

The influence of the stomatognathic system on explosive strength: A pilot study

[Purpose] Recent findings suggest there is an interesting interaction between the stomatognathic system and the musculoskeletal system. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the influence of the temporomandibular joint on the explosive strength of the lower limbs. [Subjects and Methods] An observational study was carried out. The subjects were 60 male football players who voluntarily participated in the investigation. After a warm-up phase of 10 minutes, each participant performed three Squat Jumps (SJ) with different mandible positions: mouth closed and mouth open. SJ heights were recorded using a Sensor Medica force platform and the FreeMed system. [Results] Sixty participants we…

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) Does Not Affect Sports People’s Explosive Power: A Pilot Study

Purpose: This study is aimed to preliminary investigate whether transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) could affect explosive power considering genetic background in sport subjects.Methods: Seventeen healthy sports volunteers with at least 3 years of sports activities participated in the experiment. After 2 weeks of familiarization performed without any stimulation, each participant received either 50 Hz-tACS or sham-tACS. Before and after stimulation, subjects performed the following tests: (1) the squat jump with the hands on the hips (SJ); (2) countermovement jump with the hands on the hips (CMJ); (3) countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJ-AS); (4) 15-s Bosco’s test; (5) s…

Motor development and Down syndrome

Abstract The chapter aims to analyze motor development in Down syndrome (DS) population. In the light of a holistic perspective to typical and atypical development, there is a renewed scientific interest on the role of motor skills to promote general health. A multidisciplinary approach, that involves findings from psychology, neuroscience, kinesiology and education is employed. Motor proficiency is a set of functions necessary for everyday life which allow moving around in the environment and manipulating tools; it's typically articulated into posture, gross motor and fine motor skills. Ample research highlighted a strong correlation among Intellectual Quotient and motor skills demonstrati…

Vibration-based identification of mechanical properties of orthotropic arbitrarily shaped plates: Numerical and experimental assessment

Abstract An innovative procedure is introduced for the identification of the mechanical parameters of orthotropic plates of arbitrary shape, under various boundary conditions, based on vibration data. The method employs a combination of a convenient Rayleigh-Ritz approach and Particle-Swarm Optimization to estimate elastic constants of the orthotropic material in a straightforward manner, without requiring computationally demanding iterative Finite Element analyses. Specifically, the pb-2 Rayleigh-Ritz procedure is extended and applied to deal with orthotropic plates, simplifying the approach to more easily treat generic plate shapes, taking advantage of the Green's theorem. The method is t…

EFFECTS OF OVERLOADED STRENGTH TRAINING ON VERTICAL JUMPING PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

A novel 2D model for the assessment of deformation-induced flow redistribution phenomena in electrodialysis units

Inherently fluorescent polyaniline nanoparticles in a dynamic landscape

Abstract In this paper we report for the first time on the emissive behavior of two polyaniline (PANI) nanoparticle systems produced via oxidative chemical polymerization in the presence of either poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) or chitosan as polymeric stabilizers in water. The emission from PANI nanoparticles is irreversibly quenched by an increase of pH of the suspending medium from acid to neutral (chitosan–PANI) or alkaline (PVA–PANI). Conversely, PANI nanorods synthesized in the same conditions of the above, but in presence of poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone), is not emissive at any pH. The role of the polymeric surfactant as a soft template is key in controlling the morphology and the properties …

Effects of a constant and incremental workload training protocol on upper body strenght gains

Gender differences in upper and lower limb strength response to 8 weeks of resistance training

EFFECTS OF THE SPORT-SPECIFIC TRAINING BACKGROUND ON SEATED MEDICINE BALL THROW IN YOUNG BASKET- BALL AND VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Introduction A sport-specific training background (SSTB) based on the nature of sport might affect explosive power of upper limbs in athletes (Izquierdo et al., 2002). However, there have been no attempts to study this in young female players from different ball games background. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sport-specific training background on explosive power of upper limbs in basketball [BP] and volleyball players [VP]. Methods In the present study, thirty one short-limbed girls (Scelic Index ≥54.6) of which 11 age-matched control sedentary subjects [SS] (age: 15.00+/-0.52 years, BMI: 21.10+/-2.09, SI: 55.45+/-1.45, sedentary life: 3 years); 10 bask…

The relationship between type 2 diabetes family history, body composition and blood basal glycemia in sedentary people.

The aim of this study was to verify whether there is a positive correlation between family history to type 2 diabetes mellitus and body mass and composition, and alterations in blood basal glycaemia levels in sedentary male and female. Anthropometric variables, blood parameters, body composition and body surface area were evaluated on 183 male and 237 female sedentary individuals. Participants were classified into two groups: FH(+) (family history positive) and FH(-) (familiar history negative) according to their medical history. The FH(+) group showed higher values of body mass and body surface area than FH(-) group. These differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05) for the femal…

Effects of sport-specific training background on performance of volleyball and basketball athletes

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of 3 years of sport-specific training background (SSTB) on throwing performance and vertical jumping in young female players of team sports. Methods: Thirty-one healthy adolescent girls, of which 11 age-matched control subjects [C], 10 volleyballers (VP) and 10 basketballers (BP) were considered in our analysis. The vertical jumping performance was evaluated by squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump with (CMJ-AS) and without arm swing (CMJ) using Optojump system (Microgate S.R.L., Italy). Instead, the throwing performance was measured by seated backward overhead ball throw (SBOMBT) and seated chest pass throw (SCPT) using a 3-kg rubber m…

Brain Modulation by Electric Currents in Fibromyalgia: A Structured Review on Non-invasive Approach With Transcranial Electrical Stimulation

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a complex disorder where widespread musculoskeletal pain is associated with many heterogenous symptoms ranging from affective disturbances to cognitive dysfunction and central fatigue. FMS is currently underdiagnosed and often very poorly responsive to pharmacological treatment. Pathophysiology of the disease remains still obscure even if in the last years fine structural and functional cerebral abnormalities have been identified, principally by neurophysiological and imaging studies delineating disfunctions in pain perception, processing and control systems. On such basis, recently, neurostimulation of brain areas involved in mechanism of pain processing and …

PROTEIN SUPPLEMENT USE AMONG NETSURFERS VISITING HEALTH AND FITNESS COMMUNITY: FINDINGS FROM AN INTERNET-BASED SURVEY

Introduction It is largely known that protein supplement (PS) use is a widespread and accepted practice by athletes and people who attend commercial gyms (Bianco et al., 2011). However, only few studies have been carried out in order to investigate supplement use and lifestyle in netsurfers of health and fitness community. For this reason the purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate the use of PS, age and lifestyle of people who visited a specific Italian sporting website: www.fitnessa360.com. Methods 273 subjects netsurfing in the www.fitnessa360.com completed the 6-item online-questionnaire about age, gender, daily cigarette consumption, protein supplement use, information sou…

Multi-physical modelling of Reverse ElectroDialysis

Energy extraction from salinity gradients (salinity gradient power, SGP) represents a novel and valuable renewable energy source. Among the existing SGP technologies, reverse electrodialysis (RED) is the oldest and one of the most promising. RED is a membrane-based electrochemical process that directly converts the salinity gradient energy into electric current. More precisely, in a RED unit two solutions at different concentration flow in two series of alternated channels, which are formed by piling two alternated series of cation and anion exchange membranes (CEMs and AEMs, respectively). The chemical potential difference between the two solutions generates an electric potential differenc…

The involvement of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in heart exercise-related angiogenesis

Background Little is known about the involvement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in cardiac vascular remodelling induced by exercise. Our aim was to evaluate and localize MMP-2 and MMP-9’s activities in relation to capillary proliferation in mouse hearts trained for 15, 30 and 45 days. Methods Sixty-three mice were randomly assigned to 7 groups: four control sedentary groups (C0, C15, C30 and C45) and three groups trained by an endurance protocol (T15, T30 and T45). MMP-2 and MMP-9 were examined with zymography and immunostaining analyses. Capillary proliferation was evaluated counting the number of CD31-positive cells. Results Different activity patterns of the latent form of both MMPs…

Effetti dell’allenamento di endurance sulla microvascolarizzazione del miocardio di topo

Characterization of magnesium hydroxide from highly concentrated MgCl2 solutions

Recovery of Lithium Carbonate from Dilute Li-Rich Brine via Homogenous and Heterogeneous Precipitation

An extensive experimental campaign on Li recovery from relatively dilute LiCl solutions (i.e., Li+ similar to 4000 ppm) is presented to identify the best operating conditions for a Li2CO3 crystallization unit. Lithium is currently mainly produced via solar evaporation, purification, and precipitation from highly concentrated Li brines located in a few world areas. The process requires large surfaces and long times (18-24 months) to concentrate Li` up to 20,000 ppm. The present work investigates two separation routes to extract Li+ from synthetic solutions, mimicking those obtained from low-content Li+ sources through selective Li+ separation and further concentration steps: (i) addition of …

EFFECTS OF A TRAINING PROGRAM ON MEDICINE BALL THROWING PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Introduction It is often recommended that off-season training programs aim to develop muscular strength and power in volleyball players (Marques et al., 2008). However, improvements in performance may be possible with a well-designed training regimen. The purpose of this case report is to study the effects of a specific training program to improve explosive power of upper limbs in young female volleyball players. Methods In the present study were included twenty one short-limbed girls (Scelic Index ≥54.6) of which 11 age-matched control sedentary subjects [SS] (age: 15.00+/-0.52 years, BMI: 21.10+/-2.09, SI: 55.45+/-1.45) and 10 volleyball players [VP] (age: 14.50+/-0.97 years, BMI: 22.17+/…

Effects of high-intensity circuit training, low-intensity circuit training and endurance training on blood pressure and lipoproteins in middle-aged overweight men.

Background The aim of this study was to determine the physiological effects of an high-intensity circuit training (HICT) on several cardiovascular disease risk factors in healthy, overweight middle-aged subjects, and to compare the effects of HICT to traditional endurance training (ET) and low-intensity circuit training (LICT). Methods Fifty-eight participants (ages 61±3.3 yrs, BMI 29.8±0.9) were randomly assigned to one of the three exercise treatment groups: HICT, LICT and ET. The three groups exercised three times per week, 50 min per session for 12 weeks. Baseline and after intervention anthropometric characteristics: body weight (BW), fat mass (FM); blood pressure: diastolic (DBP) and …

Körperkoordinations test für Kinder: A short form is not fully satisfactory

Assessment of motor competence (MC) is crucial to finding deficiencies in children's motor development. Because of the need to ensure validity, reliability, and feasibility, the selection of contemporary testing batteries is a difficult task. Many papers report the validity of the KTK test in describing MC in school aged children. KTK consists of 4 four separate items: walking back, jumping sideways, moving sideways, and hopping for height. Some authors suggested the use of a short version of KTK that includes 3 items excluding one subtest: hopping for height. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of short versions of Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK). A sample of 2,231 part…

ANALYSIS OF INDUCIBLE NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE AND HYPOXIA-INDUCIBLE FACTOR-1ALPHA IN THE VASCULAR REMODELLING OF EXERCISED MOUSE HEARTS

WHAT IS FITNESS

Physical fitness assessment in Goalball: A scoping review of the literature

Background Goalball is a Paralympic sport for visually impaired athletes. Although it is widely practiced, a great variety of tests are adopted to evaluate athletes' physical fitness. Therefore, the objective was to identify the physical fitness tests adopted in this sport to find the common aspects between them and, eventually, to propose a standard operating procedure. Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines were adopted. The studies were extracted from PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. A selection process by title, abstract, and full-text, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, was …

Il ruolo educativo della psicomotricità in età evolutiva: il vissuto dei Genitori e dei Docenti

La nozione di "schema corporeo" a partire dagli anni Sessanta, trova spazio tra gli obiettivi e le finalità riferiti all'educazione motoria e fisica a scuola. Attraverso i contributi della psicomotricità di P. Vayer, P. Aucouturier, J. Le Boulch, si fanno strada principi educativi e metodologici che vedono l'Educazione del e attraverso il corpo quale strumento fondamentale di conoscenza di sé, di un metodo di apprendimento che coinvolge in egual misura l'emozionale e il cognitivo. Il suo graduale riconoscimento quale centro di identità da cui parte ogni esperienza, ha dato luogo ad una crescente attenzione alle potenzialità conoscitive del corpo, ma anche di quelle espressive delle emozioni…

Physical Activity and Sports Practice in Children and Adolescents at the Time of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Hypothetical Future Scenarios and Preventive Practical Applications

As a logical and direct consequence of the closure of schools and sports facilities, an expected reduction in the practice of physical activity (PA) and sports has been detected in both children and adolescents all over the world. Hence, we analysed the short-term and long-term consequences of the lack/low level of PA and sports activity in this population, which we referred to as primary and secondary risks, respectively, the latter of which have to be considered in hypothetical future scenarios.

SEDENTARY BEHAVIOURS IN RELATION TO BODY-MASS-INDEX DEFINED EXCESS OF WEIGHT IN TEENAGERS LIVING IN A SMALL URBAN CENTRE OF SICILY, ITALY

Introduction: Epidemiological studies indicate that sedentary behaviours are associated with obesity independently of physical activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of sedentary behaviours with excess of weight in a sample of children living in a smallest Sicilian town where several confounding factors could be presumed to play a limited role because of a very homogeneous daily lifestyle. Methods: The investigation involved a randomly selected sample of 100 pupils attending the first grade of secondary education school of a smallest town with 5,485 inhabitants. Sedentary behaviour was assessed by administering a questionnaire including questions about time spent…

Parental recognition of overweight as a health problem in school-age children living in an inner-city neighborhood of Palermo, Italy: a cross-sectional study

ISBN: 978-88-89876-08-

Endurance Training and Heart Agiogenesis: new insights

Effects of a dynamic balance training protocol on podalic support in older women. Pilot Study

Background and aims: The foot provides the only direct contact with supporting surfaces and therefore plays an important role in all postural tasks. Changes in the musculoskeletal and neurological characteristics of the foot with advancing age can alter plantar loading patterns and postural balance. Several studies have reported that exercise training improves postural performance in elderly individuals. The aim of our study was to investigate the effectiveness of a dynamic balance training protocol performed for 5 weeks on the support surface, percentage distribution of load in both feet, and body balance performance in healthy elderly women. Methods: Ten subjects (68.67±5.50 yrs old; 28.1…

Sports massage with ozonised oil or non-ozonised oil: Comparative effects on recovery parameters after maximal effort in cyclists

Abstract OBJECTIVES: To study the effects of passive rest (PR) and sports massage with (SMOZO) and without (SM) ozonised oil on sports performance psycho-physiological indices in competitive amateur cyclists after 3 pre-fatiguing Wingate cycle and post-recovery ramp tests. DESIGN: An intra-subjects experimental design with repeated measures. SETTING: Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, University of Padua. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen male competitive cyclists (age: 27 ± 3.5 years, body weight: 77.6 ± 8.3 kg, height: 178 ± 7.7 cm) were studied. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects' power output (P), heart rate (HR), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) score and blood lactate (BL) clearance in response …

Membrane Deformation and Its Effects on Flow and Mass Transfer in the Electromembrane Processes

In the membrane processes, a trans-membrane pressure (TMP) may arise due to design features or operating conditions. In most applications, stacks for electrodialysis (ED) or reverse electrodialysis (RED) operate at low TMP (&lt

The development of motor skills by a physical education programme in preschool children: a preschool-based controlled trial

Purpose: Unlike other European countries, Italian kindergartens do not include the physical education teacher in the school organic personnel. This is frequently associated with the lack of opportunities to perform physical education by preschool children. The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a specific physical education program (PEP) on the quotient of gross motor development (QGMD) in preschool children. Methods: We conducted a school-based non-randomised controlled trial. It involved 119 children, clustered in a control group (CG, n = 29, age 52.1 ± 8.65 months; height 1.1 ± 0.07 m, body weight 19.2 ± 5.55 kg, body mass index (BMI) 16.9 ± 3.16) and an intervention group (…

STUDY OF SAGITTAL SPINAL ROM IN ELDERLY WOMEN AFTER A SPECIFIC FLEXIBILITY-TRAINING PROGRAM

The reduction of spinal mobility is one luckless consequence of the aging process. In particular, scarcity of exercise appears to be the principal reason of aging-related spinal dysfunction syndrome, which is characterized by adaptive shortening of soft tissue and a partial loss of range of spinal motion (1). Several recommendations promoting the spinal flexibility in elderly people are based on stretching programs that include static and ballistic exercises and PNF techniques (2). Several studies showed that specific training programs could improve body balance (3), bodyweight distribution on feet (4), muscle strength and flexibility (5) in elders. In particular, Imagama et al. (2011) show…

Changes in plasmatic redox status following low-moderate interval exercise training in rhythmic gymnastics trainers

“CALCIAPENSIERI” PROJECT: AN ADD-ON TREATMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SUBJECTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Introduction If physical activity is a pivotal component of good health for everyone, there is an increasing emphasis on its importance for psychiatric patients affected from schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s dementia, major depressive disorder (Knochel et al. 2012). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soccer practice on the self reported health quality of life (SRHQL) and sports performance (SP) in psychotic subjects. Methods Eighteen schizophrenic male patients were randomized into either a trained (TG) and control group (CG). TG was trained for 12 weeks by two soccer training sessions/week. CG did not perform any regular sports activity during experimental period. Anthropome…

Match Load Physical Demands in U-19 Professional Soccer Players Assessed by a Wearable Inertial Sensor

Background: Wearable inertial sensors are poorly used in soccer to monitor external load (EL) indicators. However, these devices could be useful for improving sports performance and potentially reducing the risk of injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the EL indicators (i.e., cinematic, mechanical, and metabolic) differences between playing positions (i.e., central backs, external strikers, fullbacks, midfielders, and wide midfielder) during the first half time of four official matches (OMs). Methods: 13 young professional soccer players (Under-19; age: 18.5 &plusmn; 0.4 years; height: 177 &plusmn; 6 cm; weight: 67 &plusmn; 4.8 kg) were monitored through a wearable inertial sens…

Effects of Sicilian Opuntia ficus-indica juice on heart rate variability after a maximal exercise in young physically active women

Does the exercise training intensity affect plasmatic redox status in rhythmic gymnastic?

THE EVALUATION OF MUSCLE FLEXIBILITY IN YOUNG SOCCER PLAYERS

Introduction The agility and coordination are two of many attributes required to become a successful player. Several reports have showed that the training of muscle flexibility leads to improvements both in the coordinative and technical performance, and in the process of motor learning (1). The aim of our study was to evaluate the flexibility of shoulders, trunk and lower limbs in young male soccer players compared to that of sedentary subjects. Methods Twelve players (age: 20.00 ± 3.74 years; weight: 74.25 ± 6.80 kg; height: 178.92 ± 6.65 cm) belonging all to the same soccer team and ten sedentary subjects (age: 21.8 ± 3.12 years; weight: 73.60 ± 5.29 kg; height: 179.50 ± 5.78) were teste…

Significant reduction of physical activity in patients with neuromuscular disease during COVID-19 pandemic: the long-term consequences of quarantine

Abstract Background Quarantine was the measure taken by governments to control the rapid spread of COVID-19. This restriction resulted in a sudden change in people’s lifestyle, leading to an increase in sedentary behavior and a related decrease in the practice of physical activity (PA). However, in neuromuscular diseases patients need to perform regular PA to counteract the negative consequences of the disease. Hence, the aim of this study was to estimate the levels of PA, measured as energy expenditure (MET–minute/week), among patients with neuromuscular disease (NMD) before and during the last week of quarantine. Methods A total of 268 Italian subjects, living in Sicily, completed an adap…

Effects of a Postural Exercise Program on Vertical Jump Height in Young Female Volleyball Players with Knee Valgus

Background: Although a knee valgus position is related to the increase in injury risk in volleyball players, there is a lack of studies on the relationship between knee valgus and vertical jump (VJ) performance. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a postural exercise program on VJ height in young female volleyball players with knee valgus. Methods: This pilot study included 19 young female volleyball players divided into the following groups: the Valgus Experimental Group (VEG); the Valgus Control Group (VCG); and the Neutral Control Group (NCG). All three groups carried out the same volleyball training program. In addition, only the VEG underwent a 3-month postur…

Motor Coordination and Global Development in Subjects with Down Syndrome: The Influence of Physical Activity

Background: Many research studies have investigated motor impairments and delayed development in children with Down Syndrome (DS). However, very few studies detected these features in adults with DS. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between motor coordination and global development in subjects with DS, including adults. Furthermore, the second aim was to detect any differences in motor coordination and global development as a function of the practice of physical activity (PA) in this population. Methods: Twenty-five participants with DS (10 f, 15 m), with a chronological mean age of 27.24 years and development mean age of cognitive area of 4.93 years, were enrolled an…

A study on sports activities performed by Palermo football club fans

Introduction: It is known that sport is able to evoke high levels of emotional attachment and identification (Sutton et al., 1997). This phenomenon can be a factor stimulating the practice of football mainly at a young age. The aim of this study was to explore whether Palermo fans do sports activities and especially football. Methods: Several websites and telecasts mainly followed by Palermo fans were used to select the participants for this study and invite them to fill in a questionnaire. The data collected were elaborated by statistical analysis. Results: 899 fans filled in the questionnaire (743 men and 156 women). The average age of women was 32.74 ± 11.13 years; while that of men was …

Analysis of Rectangular Orthotropic Membranes for Mechanical Properties Identification through Load-Displacement Data

In this paper, an innovative procedure is introduced for the identification of the mechanical properties of orthotropic membranes based on load-displacement data. To this end, novel functional forms of the displacement components for rectangular membranes are appropriately introduced. Unknown coefficients of these displacement functions are determined, minimizing the total potential energy of the membrane. The energy method is then combined with an optimization procedure to estimate the elastic constants of the membranes in a straightforward manner. Specifically, a genetic algorithm is used to minimize a properly defined objective function directly related to the sought mechanical propertie…

Soccer practice as vehicle to improve sporting performance and psychophysical health in psychotic subjects

In recent years there has been a growing attention in the use of soccer as a vehicle to improve mental health. Local health organizations are beginning to understand that soccer may be an effective way to promote good mental health and help increase access to, and uptake of, services for mental health service users (Pringle 2009). The aim of this study was to investigate effects of soccer practice on the psychophysical perception and performance in psychotic subjects. Eighteen overweight male subjects, 10 trained psychotics [TPs] (age: 36+/-6 years; height: 164+/-7.00 cm; weight: 77.44+/-13.60 kg; BMI: 28.55+/-3.70) and 8 no-trained psychotics [NTPs] (age: 35+/-5 years; height: 163+/-4.00 c…

Un salutare esercizio

Radiotherapy prolongs the survival of advanced non-smallcell lung cancer patients undergone to an immune-modulating treatment with dose-fractioned cisplatin and metronomic etoposide and bevacizumab (mPEBev)

// Pierpaolo Pastina 1 , Valerio Nardone 1 , Cirino Botta 2 , Stefania Croci 1 , Paolo Tini 1 , Giuseppe Battaglia 1 , Veronica Ricci 3 , Maria Grazia Cusi 4 , Claudia Gandolfo 4 , Gabriella Misso 5 , Silvia Zappavigna 5 , Michele Caraglia 5,6 , Antonio Giordano 6,7 , Donatella Aldinucci 8 , Pierfrancesco Tassone 2,6 , Pierosandro Tagliaferri 2 , Luigi Pirtoli 1 and Pierpaolo Correale 1,9 1 Radiotherapy Unit, Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy 2 Medical Oncology Unit, AUO “Mater Domini”, “Magna Graecia” University, Catanzaro, Italy 3 Radiology Unit,Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Neuroscience, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Ita…

Multi-physical modelling of reverse electrodialysis

Abstract Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is an electrochemical membrane process that directly converts the energy associated with the concentration difference between two salt solutions into electrical energy by means of a selective controlled mixing. The physics of RED involves the interaction of several phenomena of different nature and space-time scales. Therefore, mathematical modelling and numerical simulation tools are crucial for performance prediction. In this work, a multi-physical modelling approach for the simulation of RED units was developed. A periodic portion of a single cell pair was simulated in two dimensions. Fluid dynamics was simulated by the Navier-Stokes and continuity …

FITNESS IN PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF THE METABOLIC SYNDROME: A CASE REPORT

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and persons who are less active and less fit have a 30% to 50% greater risk for high blood pressure and others metabolic diseases. The objective of this study was to improve the cardio-respiratory fitness, and to reduce body weight in an obese, hypertensive and sedentary man (Metabolic Syndrome Case Report). The anthropometrics and physiological characteristics were recorded before, during and after the experimentation. The subject performed a specific fitness program for eleven months (70 sessions). The results showed a significant reduction of Body Mass (p<0.001). Moreover the resting blood pressure recorded at the end…

A web-based survey about protein supplemantion amongst net-surfers. An innovative approach using Protein Project Google App

Indagine conoscitiva sulla pratica sportiva nella Città di Palermo, I parte.

THE ANALYSIS OF BODY BALANCE IN A PARALYMPIC SPRINTER: A CASE REPORT

Introduction Trans-tibial amputation is responsible for biomechanical changes (i.e. absence of muscles, bones and joints) and modifications in both afferent and efferent projections. Because of these impairments, body balance is difficult to control and falls are a significant problem for trans-tibial amputees (Curtze et al., 2010). The aim of our study was to evaluate whether specific exercises can improve body balance in a paralympic sprinter (category: T-44) after 7 weeks of training. Methods The athlete was a healthy and active female subject (age: 37 years; weight: 58.2 Kg; height: 161cm; BMI: 22.45) with an unilateral transtibial amputation to 1/3 of the right lower limb since the age…

Influence of a flexibility training program on psychophysical health of elderly women

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of a specific flexibility training program on the spinal health status and the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in female older subjects. Methods: Thirty older women were recruited in a senior centre of Palermo and randomly assigned in two groups: trained group [TG] (n: 17; age: 68.35±6.04 years; BMI: 27.28±3.08) and control group [CG] (n: 13; age: 69.69±7.94 years; BMI: 27.88±2.81). TG was trained for 8 weeks by two sessions/week. In particular, every training session included three phases: warm up (~10 min), central period (~50 min) including specific exercises to train spinal flexibility, and cool down (~10 min)1. CG did not pe…

Intellectual disabilities and physical education

Protein supplementation and dietary behaviours of resistance trained men and women attending commercial gyms: a comparative study between the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy

Background: It is anecdotally recognized that commercial gym users assume supplements in order to improve performance or health. However, dietary behaviours of people and athletes attending commercial gyms have been poorly studied. The exact amount and frequency of dietary supplements consumption are still needed to be investigated. The main purpose of this study is to understand the quantity and quality of food intake, as well as dietary supplementation in people attending commercial gyms. Secondly to compare the city centre and the suburbs of Palermo, Italy. Methods: A face-to-face questionnaire was administered to 561 subjects, 207 from the city centre (CC) and 354 from the suburbs (SB) …

RELAZIONE TRA HANDGRIP E FAMILIARITÀ AL DIABETE DI TIPO 2: UNO STUDIO PILOTA/ RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HANDGRIP: RESULTS OF A PILOT STUDY

Obiettivo: È stata analizzata la possibile relazione, su un campione della popolazione siciliana, tra il grado di familiarità al diabete di tipo 2, i parametri antropometrici ed alcuni test di forza specifica. Materiali e metodi: In modalità random sono stati selezionati 88 uomini e 27 donne, distinti in FH- (assenza di familiarità per il diabete di tipo 2), FH+ (con un componente in linea indiretta con la malattia) ed FH++ (con un genitore affetto dalla malattia). Sono stati rilevati i parametri antropometrici, i parametri cardiovascolari ed è stato rilevato l’handgrip ad entrambe le mani. Le differenze tra i gruppi sono state analizzate con il test ANOVA ed attraverso correlazioni paramet…

A novel colorimetric experimental technique for the characterisation of metal hydroxides reactive crystallization phenomena

The reactive crystallization of metal hydroxides constitutes a field of raising interest driven by the importance of metals recovery and the wide industrial applications of their hydroxides. A popular example is related to the case of magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2), which is widely employed in the fields of water treatment, desulphurization of fuel gases, pharmaceutical industry, refractory field and flame retardants

Postural stability in subjects with whiplash injury symptoms: results of a pilot study

Posturographic tests can be used to assess and confirm the body's imbalance in subjects with whiplash injury. Further studies with larger cohorts are necessary to confirm this pilot study.To verify through a posturographic exam the qualitative and quantitative alterations of postural stability in subjects with previous cervical trauma in comparison with healthy subjects.A total of 42 subjects were analysed for the study; 22 as the control group (NM) and 20 (WM) with a positive anamnesis of whiplash injury from 3 to 12 month from diagnosis through a force platform. Centre of pressure (CoP) movements of the two groups with their eyes open and closed were recorded.During the closed eye test, t…

THE ROLE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN MANAGEMENT OF BODY WEIGHT IN PSYCHOTIC SUBJECTS

Psychotic subjects live an unhealthy lifestyle that tends to reinforce the metabolic syndrome (1). It is known, indeed, that antipsychotic treatments stimulate appetite (2) and induce weight gain (3). Several therapeutic approaches including psycho-educational behavioral interventions and exercise training programs have been elaborated in order to manage antipsychotic-induced weight gain (4,5). Wirshing et al. (2006) elaborated a specific project based on oral presentations in order to educate psychotic subjects about lifestyle changes they can adopt to reduce weight gain. They showed that patients with mental illness are able to benefit from educational presentations about nutrition and a …

Anti-cancer activity of dose-fractioned mPE +/- bevacizumab regimen is paralleled by immune-modulation in advanced squamous NSLC patients

Background: Results from the BEVA2007 trial, suggest that the metronomic chemotherapy regimen with dose-fractioned cisplatin and oral etoposide (mPE) +/− bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody to the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), shows anti-angiogenic and immunological effects and is a safe and active treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) patients. We carried out a retrospective analysis aimed to evaluate the antitumor effects of this treatment in a subset of patients with squamous histology. Methods: Retrospective analysis was carried out in a subset of 31 patients with squamous histology enrolled in the study between September 2007 and September 2015. All o…

Effects of a ludic-motor program on motor development and early literacy skills in preschool children

There is insufficient evidence in the literature about many correlations between motor and cognitive skills in 3-5 year old children [1]. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the development of the gross motor skills and the prerequisites of reading/writing following a ludic-motor program (LMP) in pre-school children. This study has involved 189 children (age: 4.62 ± 0.97 years; height: 107.83 ± 7.82 cm, body weight: 19.84 ± 4.95 kg) attending 8 kindergartens in Palermo. The children were randomly divided in a control group (C, n= 29), a 1-intervention group (I-1, n= 120) and a 2-intervention group (I-2, n= 40). I-1 and I-2 respectively performed 4 and 10 hours/week…

Interrelationship Between Age, Gender, and Weight Status on Motor Coordination in Italian Children and Early Adolescents Aged 6–13 Years Old

Although numerous evidences reported a negative correlation between motor coordination (MC) and overweight/obesity in children and adolescents, the interrelationship between age, gender, and weight status is still debatable. Hence, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between MC and weight status according to age and gender across childhood and early adolescence in a large sample of Italian elementary and middle school students. A number of 1961 Italian school students (1,026 boys, 935 girls) was stratified in three consecutive age groups (6–7, 8–10, and 11–13 years) and four weight status categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) accordi…

EFFECTS OF A SPECIFIC FLEXIBILITY TRAINING PROGRAM ON SPINAL RANGE OF MOTION IN OLDER WOMEN

Introduction Aging-related reduced spinal mobility can interfere with the execution of important functional skills and activities in elderly women. However there is a lack of studies about the effects of range of motion exercises on flexibility outcomes in older populations and a lack of consensus regarding the prescription of stretching exercises for older adults (ACSM, 2009). For these reasons the purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which spinal extension and flexion could be improved in a population of older women participating in a 8-week flexibility training program. Methods Thirty female volunteers were cluster randomized into either a control group [CG] (n: 13; age: 69…

New insights into the role of matrix metalloproteinases in heart angiogenesis induced by exercise

Angiogenesis induced by exercise has been observed in both cardiac and skeletal muscle and plays a fundamental role in maintaining tissue function adequate to the increase in metabolic requests. Mechanical and haemodynamic forces are strong starters of angiogenic process via regulation of secondary mediators such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A crucial step of vessel sprouting is the degradation of the basement membrane and remodelling of the extracellular matrix (ECM) by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). It has long been accepted that MMPs are involved in the angiogenesis, but the exact mechanisms are not well characterized. Cryptic fragments and neo-epitopes released by pr…

Fluid-structure interaction in electromembrane processes: modelling of membrane deformation, fluid dynamics and mass transfer

In recent years, water and energy supply issues have boosted a noticeable interest in the scientific community on electromembrane processes such as electrodialysis and reverse electrodialysis. In order to gain an important place in the industrial market, technological challenges on various aspects are involved for the optimization of these processes. In this context, profiled membranes exhibit interesting performances and offer countless geometric alternatives. However, the mechanical behavior of the membranes and its interaction with fluid dynamics has been poorly investigated so far. In membrane-based processes, a trans-membrane pressure (Ptm) between the different solutions flowing throu…

Use of dietary supplements and dietary behaviour among young people who exercise at gyms

Influence of a specific aquatic adapted physical activity in a child with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A case study

Aquatic environment offers an exciting and motivating place for children and aquatic exercise programs provide an appropriate setting for early educational interventions in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a specific Multi-systemic Aquatic Therapy (CI-MAT) on gross motor and adaptive skills in a child with ASD. The study was divided into three phases: baseline, 12-week CI-MAT program and Post-Test. Child was administered a battery of tests incorporating anthropometric measurements, gross motor development test (TGM test), Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS) and Psychoeducational Profile (PEP-3) before and after a …

COMPARISON OF VERTICAL JUMPING PERFORMANCE AMONG YOUNG SEDENTARY SUBJECTS, BASKETBALL AND VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS

Introduction: The ability to jump high is considered important in a number of sports. It is commonly accepted that the use of the arms increases jump height (I). In particular, in some sport situations such as basketball and volleyball the ability to utilize arm swing is fundamental in order that players may reach the maximum performance. Instead, sedentary subjects are not usually able to utilize efficiently upper-limb motion compare to active people during vertical jumping performance. The purpose of this study was to examine flight time (sec.) [Ft], jump height (cm) [Jh] during vertical jumping by countermovement [CMJ] with and without arm swing in young, sedentary subjects and basketbal…

INCREASED EXPRESSION OF TITIN IN MOUSE GASTROCNEMIUS MUSCLE AFTER AN ENDURANCETRAINING PROGRAM

A novel global postural alteration? Qualitative assessment of hallux valgus and swallowing disorder in human posture: A preliminary investigation on the incidence during age span for promoting psycho-physical and postural well-being

Hallux Valgus (HV) and Swallowing Disorder (SD) are two multifactorial postural and biomechanical alterations. It is very important to look for the incidence of these two conditions in order to promote psycho-physical and postural well-being. Our study aimed to clinically assess the presence of HV and SD in a large group with different ages spans. Fours skilled professionals performed the assessment following clinical criteria. A total of 61 volunteers subjects (163.5 ± 14.1 cm; 59.7 ± 15.7 kg; 22.9 ± 13.2 yrs.) were selected for the study. The 51% of the sample showed the HV alteration, 30% and 73% respectively for male and female. Regarding ages cluster, the HV was present in 44% under 20…

Effects of water temperature on swimmers

Training session intensity affects plasma redox status in amateur rhythmic gymnasts

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine systemic responses of oxidant/antioxidant status following 2 training sessions of different intensity in amateur rhythmic gymnasts. Methods: Before the experimental training, 10 female gymnasts performed a gradually increased exercise test to assess maximal heart rate, maximal oxygen consumption, and anaerobic threshold. They executed 2 intermittent training sessions separated by 48 h of recovery (48 h-post R): the first was performed at low-moderate intensity (LMI) and the second at high intensity (HI). Blood samples were collected immediately pre- and post-training and 48 h-post R. Hydroperoxide level (OxL) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC)…

Selective activation of shoulder, trunk, and arm muscles: A comparative analysis of different push-up variants

Context The push-up is a widely used exercise for upper limb strengthening that can be performed with many variants. A comprehensive analysis of muscle activation during the ascendant phase (AP) and descendant phase (DP) in different variants could be useful for trainers and rehabilitators. Objective To obtain information on the effect of different push-up variants on the electromyography (EMG) of a large sample of upper limb muscles and to investigate the role of the trunk and abdomen muscles during the AP and DP. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting University laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Eight healthy, young volunteers without a history of upper extremity or spine injury.…

Quale tipo di allenamento fa bene al cuore?

L’antica evidenza che i cuori dei così detti animali “atletici” (lepri, ratti selvaggi) abbiano una più alta densità capillare rispetto a quelli di specie più sedentarie con un simile peso corporeo (conigli, ratti di laboratorio) supporta l’ipotesi che sedute di allenamento ripetute nel tempo siano in grado di aumentare la vascolarizzazione del miocardio. Il rimodellamento vascolare capillare del cuore in risposta all’esercizio fisico è noto dipendere dalla sezione e dall’allocazione dei vasi lungo l’albero coronarico, dai fattori molecolarie meccanici, dall’età dei soggetti e dal tipo di programma di allenamento. Un lungo allenamento di endurance, in particolare, sembra essere il modello e…

Effects of a physical education program on the development of early literacy abilities in preschool children

Introduction Several studies showed a relationship between physical activity and cognition in school-aged children (Carson et al 2015). The aim of this study was to analyse whether the amount and frequency of a physical education (PE) program affected the early reading and writing skills in preschool children. Methods This study involved 189 children (age: 4.62 ± 0.97 years; height: 107.83 ± 7.82 cm, body weight: 19.84 ± 4.95 kg) of 8 Palermo kindergartens who were randomly divided in a control group (C, n= 29), a 1-intervention group (I-1, n= 120) and a 2-intervention group (I-2, n= 40). I-1 and I-2 children performed a PE program of 16-week length for 4 and 10 hours/week, respectively (to…

A scoping review on how physical fitness is evaluated in sitting volleyball players

Introduction: Sitting volleyball is a widely practiced paralympic sport. A correct and standardized physical evaluation helps coaches to plan and manage the training. It is also important to evaluate physical fitness accurately and adopt standardized protocols to compare and normalize the data. The aim of the study was to evaluate physical fitness evaluation methods adopted in sitting volleyball and to eventually propose standard operating procedures. Evidence acquisition: English-written and peer-reviewed original articles were included in this review. The population studied was composed only of athletes practicing sitting volleyball. Articles were searched on the electronic databases PubM…

Influenza della familiarità al diabete di tipo 2 sulle caratteristiche antropo-biometriche di giovani calciatori

Experimental Investigation of the Modal Response of a Rail Span during and after Wheel Passage

This paper examines the vibrations of a rail span (rail section between two consecutive sleepers) during and after the passage of a rail car’s wheel as well as under impact hammer excitation. In literature, the dynamic response of railway tracks under moving loads has been studied extensively. Many of these studies focus on the responses in relation to displacement/force-time histories and wave propagation parameters. These responses are investigated for the time instants when rail car wheels transverse over the rail spans of interest. In this context, an investigation of responses in relation to modal parameters during and after moving loads might provide additional information. Such info…

Evolving role of physical education on psycho-motor development in children with disabilities

Changes in spinal range of motion after a flexibility training program in elderly women

Giuseppe Battaglia,1,2 Marianna Bellafiore,1,2 Giovanni Caramazza,2 Antonio Paoli,3 Antonino Bianco,1,2 Antonio Palma1,2 1Department of Law, Society, and Sport Sciences, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; 2Sicilian Regional Sports School of Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI), Sicily, Italy; 3Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy Background: Aging-related reduced spinal mobility can interfere with the execution of important functional skills and activities in elderly women. Although several studies have shown positive outcomes in response to spinal flexibility training programs, little is known about the management of sets and repetitions in traini…

Drug Prescription and Delirium in Older Inpatients: Results From the Nationwide Multicenter Italian Delirium Day 2015-2016

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the association between polypharmacy and delirium, the association of specific drug categories with delirium, and the differences in drug-delirium association between medical and surgical units and according to dementia diagnosis. Methods Data were collected during 2 waves of Delirium Day, a multicenter delirium prevalence study including patients (aged 65 years or older) admitted to acute and long-term care wards in Italy (2015-2016); in this study, only patients enrolled in acute hospital wards were selected (n = 4,133). Delirium was assessed according to score on the 4 "A's" Test. Prescriptions were classified by main drug categories; polypharmacy w…

Family history to type 2 diabetes influence on body parameters of young soccer players

The aim of our study was to analyze the difference of phenotype in healthy soccer players with family history of type 2 diabetes and healthy soccer players without family history of type 2 diabetes. The anthropometric parameters and body composition was analysed. The group with positive family history (FH+) had the highest values of wrist circumference (p<0.05) associated with not statistically significant increase of body fat mass and fat free mass. Also, the heart function was analysed. FH+ players had a diastolic basal pressure values higher than other group, but other functional parameters were the same. Analysing lung function indicators, FH+ players showed significant greater FEV1 and…

Mechanical-fluid dynamics coupled model for profiled Ion Exchange Membranes design

In this work, we developed an advanced model useful for the design of profiled IEMs, based on the coupled simulation of local mechanical deformations and of fluid dynamics and associated mass transport phenomena within deformed channels

Upper body strength endurance evaluation: A comparison between the handgrip strength and three body weight tests

BACKGROUND: The hand-grip strength test has been widely adopted to evaluate upper limb strength. Other field based tests as push-ups and pull-ups are commonly used for the same purpose. It is however unclear if these may be used interchangeably for upper body strength evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate strength endurance of the upper body and understand which test could be the most appropriate for upper body evaluation. METHODS: Thirty-eight healthy young male participants were tested with three tests comprised of: 1) push-ups (PS), 2) pull-ups (PL) and 3) parallel dips (PD) performed to exhaustion. Grip strength (GS), total number of repetitions, time-…

Validity and reliability of an inertial sensor device for specific running patterns in soccer

Electronic performance tracking devices are largely employed in team sports to monitor performance and improve training. To date, global positioning system (GPS) based devices are those mainly used in soccer training. The aim of this study was to analyse the validity and reliability of the inertial sensor device (ISD) in monitoring distance and speed in a soccer-specific circuit and how their performance compare to a GPS system. 44 young male soccer players (age: 14.9 ± 1.1, range 9–16, years, height: 1.65 ± 0.10 m, body mass: 56.3 ± 8.9 kg) playing in a non-professional soccer team in Italy, participated in the study. We assessed the players trough a soccer running sport-specific circuit. …

"Delirium Day": a nationwide point prevalence study of delirium in older hospitalized patients using an easy standardized diagnostic tool

Background To date, delirium prevalence in adult acute hospital populations has been estimated generally from pooled findings of single-center studies and/or among specific patient populations. Furthermore, the number of participants in these studies has not exceeded a few hundred. To overcome these limitations, we have determined, in a multicenter study, the prevalence of delirium over a single day among a large population of patients admitted to acute and rehabilitation hospital wards in Italy. Methods This is a point prevalence study (called “Delirium Day”) including 1867 older patients (aged 65 years or more) across 108 acute and 12 rehabilitation wards in Italian hospitals. Delirium wa…

MECCANISMI FISIOLOGICI E STRUMENTALI DI PROTEZIONE DEL RACHIDE DURANTE LA PRATICA DEL FITNESS

La protezione del rachide durante l’esecuzione di esercizi con sovraccarichi nella pratica del Fitness, al di là di ovvie e banali raccomandazioni, sull’entità del carico e sul mantenimento delle curve fisiologiche, spesso non viene adeguatamente sottolineata. Ancor meno vengono evidenziate le implicazioni della respirazione e del meccanismo della cosìdetta IAP (Intra Abdominal Pressure) sulla protezione del rachide sotto carico e durante esercizio. In questa review vengono analizzati gli studi, compresi quelli basilari e pioneristici di Nachemson, sui meccanismi fisiologici di protezione del rachide da sollecitazioni compressive durante l’esecuzione di esercizi; viene inoltre analizzata l’…

Effects of physical activity on postural balance in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from pilot study

Dynamic response of equivalent orthotropic plate model for stiffened plate: numerical-experimental assessment

Abstract Over the last two decades, homogenization-based modeling techniques have attracted considerable attention. In fact, through these methods, structures such as corrugated or stiffened plates, commonly referred to as structurally orthotropic plates, can be approximately studied as equivalent flat plates with orthotropic behavior. Specifically, these homogenization techniques allow for the direct determination of the equivalent flexural and torsional rigidities which appear in the governing equation for the deflection of the equivalent orthotropic plate. It is worth noting that, the determined equivalent material properties retain the dependence on the geometric parameters of the origi…

How Does the Amount of a Physical Education Intervention Affect Gross Motor Coordination in Early Childhood?

Little is known about the dose–response of physical education interventions on motor coordination in preschoolers. Our aim was to investigate whether the development of motor skills changed depending on different amounts of a physical education program (PEP) in children aged 3–5 years. One hundred forty-five children were recruited from kindergartens and randomly divided into a control group (CG, n = 28), which did not perform any PEP, and two intervention groups, which performed 4 h/week (I1, n = 78) and 10 h/week (I2, n = 39) of a PEP for 16 weeks. Each lesson was set in the form of a programmed game in order to produce fun, thus increasing enthusiasm for participation. Before and after t…

Effects of pilates exercise programs in people with chronic low back pain: a systematic review

The Pilates method has recently become a fast-growing popular way of exercise recommended for healthy individuals and those engaged in rehabilitation. Several published studies have examined the effects of Pilates method in people with chronic low back pain (LBP). The objective of this study is to describe and provide an extensive overview of the scientific literature comparing the effectiveness of the Pilates method on pain and disability in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP. The study is based on the data from the following sources: MEDLINE-NLM, MEDLINE-EBSCO, Scopus Elsevier, Cochrane, DOAJ, SciELO, and PLOSONE. Original articles and systematic reviews of adults with chronic nonspeci…

Investigating prismatic adaptation effects in handgrip strength and in plantar pressure in healthy subjects.

Abstract Background Prismatic Adaptation (PA) is a visuomotor procedure inducing a shift of the visual field that has been shown to modulate activation of a number of brain areas, in posterior (i.e. parietal cortex) and anterior regions (i.e. frontal cortex). This neuromodulation could be useful to study neural mechanisms associated with either postural measures such as the distribution of plantar pressure or to the generation of muscle strength. Indeed, plantar pressure distribution is associated to activation of high-level cognitive mechanisms taking place within the posterior regions of the brain dorsal stream, especially of the right hemisphere. Conversely, hand force mostly rely on sen…

INFLUENCE OF FELDENKRAIS METHOD ON SPINE HEALTH IN PROFESSIONAL ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANS. PILOT STUDY/INFLUENZA DEL METODO FELDENKRAIS SULLA SALUTE DEL RACHIDE IN MUSICISTI ORCHESTRALI PROFESSIONISTI. STUDIO PILOTA

Obiettivo: Lo scopo di questo studio è stato quello di esaminare se il Metodo Feldenkrais fosse utile per migliorare la flessibilità muscolare e ridurre il dolore alla schiena in musicisti orchestrali professionisti. Materiali e metodi: Diciassette partecipanti sono stati reclutati da un orchestra sinfonica di Palermo (Italia) e divisi casualmente in un gruppo di controllo (C, n = 8) e un gruppo Feldenkrais (F, n = 9). Il primo non ha partecipato al protocollo Feldenkrais e a qualsiasi altra attività fisica; mentre il secondo ha preso parte ad un programma costituito da quattro lezioni di gruppo di Consapevolezza Attraverso il Movimento (CAM) eseguito 2 ore alla settimana per 4 settimane. A…

The surprising influence of family history to type 2 diabetes on anaerobic performance of young male élite athletes

Aims/Hypothesis It is known that family history to type 2 diabetes induces anthropometric changes in various populations. Regular physical activity can induce adaptations in these subjects regularizing body composition and anthropometric parameters. The aim of this study is therefore to understand if family history to type 2 diabetes affects anaerobic performance in young male élite athletes. Methods Forty six young male élite athletes were tested. Thirty three without family history to type 2 diabetes (FH-) and thirteen with family history to type 2 diabetes (FH+). Anthropometric parameters, body composition, physiological parameters and athletic performance were assessed. Results Weight (…

THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS ON CHILDREN WITH PREVIOUS NEOPLASIA

Introduction:There is a lack of data investigating the effects of physical activity (PA) on adolescent and young adultsurvivors of child- hoods’leukemia, moreover some authors suggest that children with diagnosis of leukemia (LK) are showing decreased level of fitness and a moderate risk for developing neuromuscular and musculoskeletal complications.We aim to verify if, in children involved in an individualized physical exercise program, the above-mentionedlow fitness level may be prevented or at least reduced. Subjects and methods:We assessed the level of physical fitness on children with diagnosis of leukemia during the post-chemotherapy period. We evaluated the fitness in 9 children (8.3…

VALUTAZIONE DELLA PRESTAZIONE DI SALTO VERTICALE IN SOGGETTI SEDENTARI, GIOCATORI DI PALLAVOLO E DI PALLACANESTRO

La prestazione di salto verticale risulta essere uno degli elementi caratterizzanti il gioco della pallavolo e della pallacanestro. Tuttavia, poco è noto circa gli effetti dei loro modelli prestativi sulla capacità di salto verticale in giovani atlete. Lo scopo di questo lavoro, è stato, pertanto, quello di valutare, in soggetti sedentari e giocatori di pallavolo e pallacanestro di sesso femminile, il tempo di volo e l’altezza di salto durante l’esecuzione dello squat jump (SJ) e del counter-movement jump (CMJ). Dai risultati ottenuti il modello prestativo appare essere un fattore condizionante la prestazione di salto verticale nei soggetti allenati. E in particolare, i gesti tecnici della …

Transcranial alternating current stimulation and sports performance: an explorative study of the association with the genetic background

Adaptations of foot in point fight athletes

A 2-D model of electrodialysis stacks including the effects of membrane deformation

Abstract Membrane-based processes have gained a relevant role in many engineering applications. Much effort has been devoted to thoroughly understand the fundamental phenomena behind them. However, membrane deformation has been taken into consideration only recently, although much evidence has shown its impacts in many applications. This work presents a novel 2-D, multi-scale, semi-empirical process model able to predict the behavior and the performance of Electrodialysis (ED) systems in cross-flow configurations in the presence and absence of local membrane deformations. The model exploits the results and the simulation approaches of previous fluid-structure investigations performed by the…

Determination of a strength index for upper body local endurance strength in sedentary individuals: a cross sectional analysis.

A range of balance between flexor and extensor muscles is fundamental in order to prevent pathologies caused by bad postures or to ensure health of the joint as a measure of prevention of overtraining in specific muscle groups. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the ratio between “pulling” and “pushing” strength in sedentary individuals. 212 healthy participants, of both genders (139 male and 73 female; age 32 ± 13.3 years, weight 70.2 ± 14.1 kg, height 173 ± 9 cm) were retained for investigation. Strength was assessed through a new methodology: Pulling through a lat-pulldown test while pushing strength through a chest-press test. Both tests were performed to exhaustion with an …

Effects of eight weeks of time-restricted feeding (16/8) on basal metabolism, maximal strength, body composition, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk factors in resistance-trained males.

Background: Intermittent fasting (IF) is an increasingly popular dietary approach used for weight loss and overall health. While there is an increasing body of evidence demonstrating beneficial effects of IF on blood lipids and other health outcomes in the overweight and obese, limited data are available about the effect of IF in athletes. Thus, the present study sought to investigate the effects of a modified IF protocol (i.e. time-restricted feeding) during resistance training in healthy resistance-trained males. Methods: Thirty-four resistance-trained males were randomly assigned to time-restricted feeding (TRF) or normal diet group (ND). TRF subjects consumed 100 % of their energy needs…

The variation of the balance strategy during the lifespan: a pilot stduy

Investigation of Reverse ElectroDialysis Units by Multi-Physical Modelling

Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is an electrochemical membrane process that converts the salinity gradient energy between two solutions into electric current, by using ion exchange membranes. A novel multi-physical approach for RED modelling is proposed. 2-D simulations of one cell pair with tertiary current distribution (Nernst–Plank equation and local electroneutrality) were performed. Moreover, the Donnan exclusion theory was implemented for simulating double layer phenomena. Transport phenomena and electrochemical behavior were well described. The influence of membrane/channel configuration, dilute concentration and feeds velocity on the process performance was assessed. For a dilute conc…

Phase Ib study of poly-epitope peptide vaccination to thymidylate synthase (TSPP) and GOLFIG chemo-immunotherapy for treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer patients

ABSTRACT: Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a tumor-associated enzyme critical for DNA replication and main 5′-fluorouracil (5′-FU) target. TSPP/VAC1 is a multi-arm trial phase-Ib trial program aimed to investigate the toxicity and biomodulatory activity of a poly-epitope-peptide vaccine to TS (TSPP) in cancer patients (pts). Here, we present the results of the TSPP/VAC1/arm C trial aimed to evaluate TSPP in combination with chemo-immunotherapy in pretreated metastatic colo-rectal cancer (mCRC) pts. Twenty-nine pts, 14 males and 15 females, received poly-chemotherapy with gemcitabine [GEM; 1,000 mg/sqm, day-1], oxaliplatin [OX; 80 mg/sqm, day-2], levofolinate [100 mg/sqm, days 1–2], bolus/infusi…

STUDY OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN FUTSAL

The purpose of this study was to evaluate gender differences in futsal male and female professional players with at least three years of sports practice at the federal level. For this reason we analyzed the anthropometric characteristics and athletic performance by standardized agility and speed tests such as: Agility T-test, 20-m Sprint test and shuttle test. We found significant sex and role-related differences in futsal game in agreement with the scientific literature that show a best performance of male soccer players than female ones in Agility T-test, 20-m Sprint test and shuttle test.

Association between internal load responses and recovery ability in U19 professional soccer players: A machine learning approach

Background The objective of soccer training load (TL) is enhancing players’ performance while minimizing the possible negative effects induced by fatigue. In this regard, monitoring workloads and recovery is necessary to avoid overload and injuries. Given the controversial results found in literature, this study aims to better understand the complex relationship between internal training load (IL) by using rating of perceived exertion (RPE), recovery, and availability (i.e., subjective players’ readiness status). Methods In this cross-sectional study, twenty-two-professional soccer players (age: 18.5 ± 0.4 years, height: 177 ± 6 cm, weight: 67 ± 6.7 kg) competing in the U19 Italian Champion…

INVOLVEMENT OF VEGF RECEPTOR SYSTEM IN THE ANGIOGENESIS OF HIPERTTROPHIC HEARTS OF TRAINED MICES

Soccer practice as an add-on treatment in the management of individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

Giuseppe Battaglia,1,3 Marianna Alesi,2 Michele Inguglia,4 Michele Roccella,2 Giovanni Caramazza,3 Marianna Bellafiore,1,3 Antonio Palma1,3 1Department of Law, Social and Sport Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy; 2Department of Psychology, University of Palermo, Palermo Italy; 3Regional Sports School of CONI Sicilia, Sicily, Italy; 4Local Health of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Abstract: Physical activity is an important aspect of good health for everyone; it is even more important for psychiatric patients who usually live an unhealthy lifestyle. In recent years, there has been growing focus on the use of soccer as a vehicle to improve the health of subjects with severe mental illness…

A Comparison of Five Maintenance Therapies for Reflux Esophagitis

Patients with reflux esophagitis have a high rate of relapse within one year after therapy is discontinued.We enrolled 175 adults with endoscopy-confirmed reflux esophagitis in a prospective study comparing five maintenance therapies. All the patients were initially treated with omeprazole (40 mg orally once a day) for four to eight weeks, and healing was confirmed by endoscopy. Participants were then stratified according to their initial grade of esophagitis and randomly assigned to 12 months of treatment with one of the following: cisapride (10 mg three times a day), ranitidine (150 mg three times a day), omeprazole (20 mg per day), ranitidine plus cisapride (10 mg three times a day), or …

Analisi della frequenza cardiaca e della concentrazione di lattato ematico in soggetti sovrappeso allenati con uno specifico protocollo di spinning.

Migraine and Sport in a Physically Active Population of Students: Results of a Cross‐Sectional Study

Abstract Objective: In this study, we explored the relationship between migraine and sport in a physically active population of students, analyzing the risk of migraine among sporty students. Background: The relationship between sport and migraine is controversial; moreover, several studies report on sport as a migraine trigger, but there is evidence that physical activity could have a relevant role in migraine prevention. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the validated ID-migraine questionnaire including specific demo-anthropometric (gender, age, weight, height) and sports variables on a potentially active student population of the University of Palermo. Evaluation in p…

How does economic status influence the fitness level in young healthy students? The Asso Project

Evaluation of the Purity of Magnesium Hydroxide Recovered from Saltwork Bitterns

Magnesium has been listed among the 30 critical raw materials by the European Union. In recent years, many green and sustainable alternative Mg2+ sources have been sought to satisfy the EU’s demand and to avoid mineral ore consumption. In this context, saltwork bitterns, the by-products of solar sea salt production, have attracted much attention thanks to their high Mg2+ concentrations (up to 80 g/L) and low Ca2+ and bicarbonate contents (&lt;0.5 g/L). Although investigations on Mg2+ extraction from bitterns in the form of Mg(OH)2(s) have already been performed, product purity has never been properly addressed. Mg(OH)2(s) is a chemical compound of great interest and extensive utility in num…

Study of gross motor skill performance in kindergarten children

Several studies show a high decline in coordinative motor skills in childhood (Roth et al., 2009). For this reason, promotion of physical activity and motor skills appear to be a valuable mean to improve children’s development in today’s kindergartens. The purpose of the investigation was to study the effects of a specific training program to train gross motor skills in kindergarten children. Forty-one preschool children (27 females and 14 males) were cluster randomized into either a control group [CG] (n: 19; age: 4.68+/-0.82 years; height: 1.11+/-0.07 m; weight: 21.51+/-4.88 kg) and a trained group [TG] (n: 22; age: 4.55+/-0.51 years; height: 1.12+/-0.06 m; weight: 21.95+/-4.87 kg). The T…

The evaluation of motor skills on young soccer player: an innovative approach

Whiplash injure and human body balance: a force platform analysis.

Whiplash injury is common trauma in occidental countries, its evaluation is estimated commonly clinically. Posturography may be used to verify body human imbalance whiplash injury related. The aim of this study was to analyze human body equilibrium in both sexes and verify if posturographic test can be used to assess body human imbalance in subjects with whiplash injury. We selected 41 volunteers of both sexes to analyze human body balance trough a force platform of health subjects and subjects with whiplash injure. Recording the Centre of Pressure (CoP) movements of these groups with open and closed eyes, we found that in both sexes, subjects with cervical injure had a significant increase…

Effects of physical activity on postural balance in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: results from a pilot study

Background: The juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the main rheumatic disease in pediatric age. The rheumatic diseases are main causes of physical disability and have high economic costs for society. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the physical activity can prevent the decline in balance related diseases in children with previous diagnosis of JIA. Materials and Methods: Fifty-six subjects were enrolled in this study. Thirty-nine healthy subjects were included in the control group (CG) and seventeen in juvenile idiopathic arthritis group (JIAG). Subsequently, the JIAG was stratified in two ones, respectively: JIAG active (JIAG-ACT) and JIAG sedentary (JIAG-SED). The analysis was…

An Interaction Path of Mothers’ and Preschoolers’ Food-and Physical Activity-Related Aspects in Disadvantaged Sicilian Urban Areas

Background: The relationship between mothers and their children’s lifestyle is still unclear, especially in disadvantaged areas. Consequently, the study aims to identify a path explaining the extent to which maternal eating habits and physical activity (PA) level predict food-related aspects, PA practice and Quotient of Gross Motor Development (QGMD) in preschoolers from disadvantaged urban areas. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 79 dyads of mothers and children were recruited from kindergartens. Information related to family socio-demographic aspects, mothers’ and children’s dietary intake frequencies and PA/sedentariness, mothers’ weight and height, mothers’ perception o…

Expression of metabotropic glutamate receptors in murine thymocytes and thymic stromal cells

RT-PCR combined with immunoblotting showed the expression of group-I (mGlu1 and 5) and group-II (mGlu2 and 3) metabotropic glutamate receptors in whole mouse thymus, isolated thymocytes and TC-1S thymic stromal cell line. Cytofluorimetric analysis showed that mGlu-5 receptors were absent in CD4(-)/CD8(-) but present in more mature CD4(+) CD8(+) and CD4(+)CD8(-) thymocytes. mGlu-1a receptors showed an opposite pattern of expression with respect to mGlu5, whereas mGlu2/3 receptor expression did not differ between double negative and double positive cells. mGlu receptors expressed in both thymic cell components were functional, as indicated by measurements of polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis or…

Operational analysis of a novel reactive crystallizer for the production of Magnesium Hydroxide from waste brines

Protein supplementation in strength and conditioning adepts: knowledge, dietary behavior and practice in Palermo, Italy

Abstract Background It is known that supplement use is a widespread and accepted practice by athletes and people who attend commercial gyms. Little is known about protein supplement amongst people undertaking strength training in commercial gyms in Italy when compared to the US. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the use of protein supplementation, alone or in association with other supplements, and dietary behavior amongst regular fitness center attendees in Palermo, Italy. Design Resistance training information have been collected from 800 regular fitness center attendees for the initial analysis. A specific questionnaire was generated for the experimentation. Data were co…

NOVEL TOOLS FOR THE MECHANICAL ANALYSIS OF THIN PLATES AND RELEVANCE ON MEMBRANE-BASED TECHNOLOGIES

The relationship between moderate hearing loss with balance and postural control

STUDIO DEL PROFILO PRESTATIVO DI UNA VELOCISTA PARALIMPICA

L’obiettivo principale di un atleta di elite è quello di partecipare a manifestazioni sportive di elevato livello agonistico e di grande prestigio internazionale quali i Giochi Olimpici o Paralimpici. Affinché ciò avvenga, nella maggior parte dei casi, gli atleti seguono complesse programmazioni pluriennali di allenamento. Tuttavia, alcuni soggetti privi di un passato sportivo raggiungono in breve tempo i limiti di qualificazione richiesti per partecipare a gare di livello internazionale. Lo scopo del lavoro è stato, pertanto, quello di esaminare il percorso prestativo di una velocista disabile attraverso l’analisi della distribuzione dei carichi di lavoro e dei tempi di gara caratterizzant…

IMPROVING EQUILIBRIUM BY SHORT-TERM BALANCE TRAINING IN HEALTHY OLDER WOMEN

HUMAN BALANCE EVALUATION IN SUBJECTS WITH CERVICAL INJURIES COMPARED TO HEALTHY SUBJECTS: RESULTS OF A PILOT STUDY

Introduction It is very important that forensic medicine properly calculates the biological damage not only through the disturbance indicated by the patient, but more accurately through instrumental diagnosis. Our aim was to verify through posturography the qualitative and quantitative alterations of postural stability in subjects with cervical trauma, compared to the control group. Methods We analysed 78 subjects, selecting 42 volunteers and distinguishing a control group of 22 normal men (NM) and a group of 20 men (WM) with a positive anamnesis of whiplash injury for six months. Through a force platform, we recorded the Centre of Pressure (CoP) movements of these groups, both with their e…

Effect of a modified intermittent fasting on strenght body composition and metabolic varables after 8 weeks of resistance training in amateur body builders

A novel fluid-structure 2D modelling tool for the assessment of membrane deformation effects on electrodialysis units performances

Influence of Geographical Area and Living Setting on Children's Weight Status, Motor Coordination, and Physical Activity

This study was aimed (i) to examine the effect of living setting (rural vs. urban), geographical area (North vs. Center vs. South), and gender (boys vs. girls) on weight status, motor coordination, and physical activity (PA) level of Italian school-age children; (ii) to examine differences in the neighborhood walkability of different school areas from different geographical areas and living settings; and (iii) to examine whether motor coordination, PA level, geographical areas, living setting, neighborhood walkability, and gender could predict children's weight status. We assessed anthropometric parameters, gross motor coordination, and PA level in 1,549 children aged between 8 and 13 years…

The effects of extra-virgin olive oil supplemented with Vit. E and Q10 on plasma antioxidant capacity and aerobic performance in athletes

Heat shock protein 70 and exercise: morphofunctional relationships

Improvement of gross motor and cognitive abilities by an exercise training program: three case reports

Marianna Alesi,1 Giuseppe Battaglia,2 Michele Roccella,1 Davide Testa,1 Antonio Palma,2 Annamaria Pepi1 1Department of Psychology, 2Department of Law, Social and Sport Science, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy Background: This work examined the efficacy of an integrated exercise training program (coach and family) in three children with Down syndrome to improve their motor and cognitive abilities, in particular reaction time and working memory. Methods: The integrated exercise training program was used in three children with Down syndrome, comprising two boys (M1, with a chronological age of 10.3 years and a mental age of 4.7 years; M2, with a chronological age of 14.6 years and a ment…

SELF-ESTEEM AND POSTURE: AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM OF PEDAGOGIC AND POSTURAL TRAINING

SELF-ESTEEM AND POSTURE: AN INNOVATIVE PROGRAM OF PEDAGOGIC AND POSTURAL TRAINING Bellafiore, M.1,3, Battaglia, G.1,3, Caramazza, G.2,3, Storniolo,F.1, Costantino, D.3, Bianco, A.1,3, Palma, A.1,3. 1: DISMOT (Palermo, Italy), 2: PhD in “Human Diet and Nutri- tion” (Palermo, Italy), 3: Regional Sport School of Sicily CONI (Olympic National Italian Committee, Italy). Introduction It is known that exists a strong interaction between psycho-emotional aspects and postural system. A deficit in self-esteem can be associated with an altered conception of own body imagine which reflects itself in the behavior and posture of the person. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a program…

Group fitness activities on elderly: an useful approch to prevent injuries and dropping out

INVOLVEMENT OF VEGF RECEPTOR SYSTEM IN THE ANGIOGENESIS OF HYPERTROPHIC HEARTS OF TRAINED MICE

The impact of physical activity on psychological health during Covid-19 pandemic in Italy

The worldwide spread of COVID-19 has upset the normality of Italian daily life, forcing population to social distancing and self-isolation. Since the containment precautions also concern sport-related activities, home workout remained the only possibility to play sports and stay active during the pandemic. The present study aimed to examine changes in the physical activity levels during self-quarantine in Italy, and the impact of exercise on psychological health. A total of 2974 Italian subjects has completed an online survey, but only 2524 subjects resulted eligible for this study. The questionnaire measured the total weekly physical activity energy expenditure before and during quarantine…

Identification of Bending Modes of Vibration in Rails by a Laser Doppler Vibrometer on a Moving Platform

This paper introduces a method to identify the bending modes of vibration of railway tracks by using a laser Doppler vibrometer (LDV) mounted on a moving platform. Two sets of experiments were conducted at Transportation Technology Center Inc. (TTCI) in Pueblo Colorado, in order to validate the proposed method. First, the bending vibration modes were identified using the signals collected from a rail span (rail section between two consecutive sleepers) by accelerometers under moving car excitation. Then, vibration measurements from rail spans were obtained by using an LDV mounted on the moving railcar. All tests were carried out at four different rail car speeds: 8 km/h (5 mph), 16 km/h (10…

A simulation tool for ion exchange membrane crystallization of magnesium hydroxide from waste brine

Abstract Increasing attention is nowadays paid to the management and valorisation of industrial waste brines aiming also at the recovery of raw materials. Magnesium has been listed as a Critical Raw Material by EU, prompting researchers to investigate novel routes for its recovery. Within this framework, a novel Crystallizer with Ion Exchange Membrane (CrIEM), is proposed as an innovative way to recover magnesium from industrial waste brines exploiting low-cost alkaline reactants. In the present work, a novel mathematical model of the CrIEM process is proposed to provide a useful tool for its design in different working conditions. Batch and feed & bleed continuous configurations have been …

ANALISI VOCALE DI EMISSIONI FONATORIE SOTTO SFORZO SUB-MASSIMALE: UN CASO STUDIO

La laringe rappresenta il principale organo vocale, ma riveste anche un ruolo determinante nell'attività muscolare. E' noto infatti che la funzione di fissazione della laringe partecipi alla stabilizzazione dell'intera gabbia toracica, durante il compimento di uno sforzo attraverso l'accollamento cordale e la manovra di Valsalva, la laringe, dunque, ricopre un ruolo primario anche in questa funzione, come dimostrato dagli studi sui soggetti laringectomizzati, i quali riferiscono difficoltà nel sollevare oggetti pesanti dopo l'intervento (1). In ambito sportivo atleti ed istruttori possono evidenziare, durante la pratica, emissioni di sforzo sfocianti nel malmenage vocale esponendosi al risc…

Voce e Sport: la disfonia muscolo-tensiva da malmenage vocale nell'atleta e nel coaching (Studio preliminare)

Le indagini sperimentali sono state condotte al fine di indagare l'utilizzo della voce in am- bito sportivo, in un'ottica di prevenzione e di educazione/rieducazione della voce di pro- fessionisti e dilettanti del settore. Al fine di identificare correlazioni e fattori di rischio legati alle singole discipline, abbiamo formulato e applicato il "Protocollo di Valutazione per i Di- sturbi della Voce in Ambito Sportivo", conducendo un'analisi statistica descrittiva, svolta attraverso i questionari di consapevolezza vocale, su un campione di 44 istruttori e 100 atleti e, successivamente, testando un gruppo di 34 sportivi con una valutazione clinica, percettiva e spettro-acustica digitale degli …

Motor Conduction Studies and Handgrip in Hereditary TTR Amyloidosis: Simple Tools to Evaluate the Upper Limbs

PurposeHereditary transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (ATTRv) is caused by mutations in the TTR gene, leading to misfolded monomers that aggregate generating amyloid fibrils. The clinical phenotype is heterogeneous, and characterized by a multisystemic disease affecting the sensorimotor and autonomic functions along with other organs.Materials and MethodsAll the patients were assessed by complete neurological assessment, neurophysiological evaluation, of the median nerve, and handgrip analysis. The data are presented as means and standard deviations. Parametric and non-parametric assessments have been performed to identify differences between groups. Pearson's correlation has been…

Analisi numerica degli effetti della deformazione di membrane a scambio ionico sulla distribuzione dei fluidi in canali di Elettrodialisi

L’elettrodialisi (ED) è una promettente tecnologia a membrana utilizzata in diversi campi, ad esempio nella dissalazione delle acque e nell’industria alimentare. L’ED usa un potenziale elettrico per indurre una migrazione selettiva di cationi ed anioni da una soluzione elettrolitica ad un’altra, sfruttando membrane a scambio ionico. Membrane anioniche e cationiche sono alternativamente collocate all’interno di una unità ED. A queste sono solitamente interposti spaziatori che prevengono il contatto tra le membrane e delineano i canali in cui scorrono le soluzioni. L’utilizzo di membrane profilate consente di costruire unità prive di tradizionali spaziatori a rete non conduttivi. In genere, l…

Food literacy predictors and associations with physical and emergent literacy in pre-schoolers: results from the Training-to-Health Project

AbstractObjective:Food literacy (FL) is a crucial need encompassing basic literacy and fundamental movement skills. The present study aimed to investigate the FL level in pre-schoolers and to evaluate the effect of potential predictors and the associations with gross motor and emergent literacy skills.Design:Cross-sectional study conducted within the Training-to-Health Project.Setting:Kindergartens (n 21) in the Palermo City Council, Italy.Participants:Pre-school children aged 3–6 years (n 921) followed education sessions on nutritional topics, practical activities and compiled prearranged sheets. FL was assessed by the five-domain toolkit ‘preschool-FLAT’; gross motor and emergent literacy…

Significant modifications in body composition and cardio-respiratory fitness induced by a specific indoor cycling protocol

Postural and neuromuscular strategies during upright stance and hand standing

Analysis of weight status and back pain in public employees

Pressure-Induced Deformation of Pillar-Type Profiled Membranes and Its Effects on Flow and Mass Transfer

In electro-membrane processes, a pressure difference may arise between solutions flowing in alternate channels. This transmembrane pressure (TMP) causes a deformation of the membranes and of the fluid compartments. This, in turn, affects pressure losses and mass transfer rates with respect to undeformed conditions and may result in uneven flow rate and mass flux distributions. These phenomena were analyzed here for round pillar-type profiled membranes by integrated mechanical and fluid dynamics simulations. The analysis involved three steps: (1) A conservatively large value of TMP was imposed, and mechanical simulations were performed to identify the geometry with the minimum pillar density…

Analysis of particles size distributions in Mg(OH)2 precipitation from highly concentrated MgCl2 solutions

Magnesium is a raw material of great importance, which attracted increasing interest in the last years. A promising route is to recover magnesium in the form of Magnesium Hydroxide via precipitation from highly concentrated Mg2+ resources, e.g. industrial or natural brines and bitterns. Several production methods and characterization procedures have been presented in the literature reporting a broad variety of Mg(OH)2 particle sizes. In the present work, a detailed experimental investigation is aiming to shed light on the characteristics of produced Mg(OH)2 particles and their dependence upon the reacting conditions. To this purpose, two T-shaped mixers were employed to tune and control the…

Modelling and Identification of Mg(OH)2 precipitation kinetics from highly concentrated Mg2+ solutions

Sport e disabilità psichica: una complementare strategia d’intervento

L’attività motoria è nota essere in grado di migliorare la salute psicofisica dei soggetti con disabilità mentale (Hutchinson, 1999) ed, in particolare, il gioco del calcio risulta essere un importante veicolo d’intervento nella riabilitazione psichiatrica (Pringle, 2009). Lo scopo del presente lavoro è stato quello di studiare gli effetti della pratica del calcio sulla condizione prestativa e psicofisica in soggetti psicotici dopo 8 settimane di allenamento. Metodi: Hanno partecipato allo studio 10 soggetti in sovrappeso (età: 36±6 anni; peso: 77.44±13.60 Kg; altezza: 164.44±7.00 cm; IMC: 28.55±4.06), afferenti nell’anno 2008 alle strutture psichiatriche di Palermo e Provincia e la cui ido…

Minivolley and motor skills: an exeperimental study

Inclusive physical activity games at school: The role of teachers’ attitude toward inclusion

IntroductionInclusive physical activity games at school can be useful for teachers dealing with students with disabilities. The use of inclusive strategies and games can be directly linked to teachers’ self-efficacy and familiarity with the inclusive strategies, while it could be indirectly influenced by their attitude toward inclusion and, in a smaller part, by social desirability in their response. Moreover, teachers’ responses could be different among the different school grades. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to investigate the role of attitude toward inclusion, social desirability, self-efficacy, and familiarity in the use of physical activity games at school in teachers fr…

THE USE OF SPORTS DRINKS IN SPORTS AND FITNESS AMBIT

Introduction Sport drinks are beverages aimed at rehydrating the body, restoring the electrolytes (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Cl, P) and energy reinstatement (carbohydrates and other nutrients). As is well established in research5, the concentration of these substances decreases as a result of sustained strain and, in some cases, these can even finish and alter the organic functionality1,7. Sport drinks were born for the purpose of performance and are classified based on their concentration/litre in isotonic beverages (with an electrolytic composition more or less similar to body fluids [about 300 mOsm /L] with medium – rapid assimilation), hypotonic beverage (with an electrolytic composition lower tha…

Unipedal vertical jumping performance in soccer players

Introduction: The muscular strength between the dominant and non-dominant legs of soccer players has been the centre of research that has highlighted contradictory results. Several researchers have reported symmetry between the dominant and non-dominant legs, whereas others suggest the existence of a significant asymmetry. Kicking and cutting skills in soccer are clearly unilateral, require asymmetrical motor patterns and can lead to the development of asymmetrical adaptations in the musculoskeletal function of the lower limbs (Fousekis et al., 2010). The purpose of this study was to examine the flight time [FT] and jump height [JH] during a vertical one-legged countermovement jump by domin…

Radiation synthesis of polyaspartamide functionalised hydrogels for sustained release of fragrances

The aim of the present investigation is to assess the possibility of obtaining a biocompatible material device which is able to deliver oil-soluble fragrances in air over a length of time. Aqueous solutions of polyaspartamide functionalised with glycidyl methacrylate have been cross linked through gamma irradiation in the presence of a lipophilic model fragrance, emulsified prior to irradiation. Two emulsification conditions have been considered at two different concentrations of both fragrance and surfactant in water. Chemical hydrogels have been obtained in correspondence to two irradiation absorbed doses and have been characterised for their solubility properties and swelling ability in …

The Effect of COVID-19 Lockdown Measures on Physical Activity Levels and Sedentary Behaviour in a Relatively Young Population Living in Kosovo

To abate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, different restriction measures were imperative, limiting the possibility to be engaged in physical activity. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on physical activity (PA) levels expressed as energy expenditure (MET-min/week) and sedentary behaviour in Kosovo. The possible association between PA levels and other factors was analyzed. 1633 participants (age range: 13 to 63 years; mean: 24.70 ± 9.33 years; body height: 172 ± 10.57 cm; body mass: 69.10 ± 13.80 kg; BMI: 23.09 ± 3.63 kg/m2) participated in the study, categorized by age, gender, BMI, and living area. An online survey, including an adapted version of the…

How does physical education affect the development locomotor and object control skills in preschool children?

Introduction Unlike other European countries, in Italian kindergartens the physical education (PE) teacher is not including in the school organic personnel. This is frequently associated with lack of opportunities to perform PE by preschool children. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse whether the effects of a PE program on the development of locomotor and object control skills in preschool children would depend on the hour amount of intervention. Methods This study involved 189 children (age: 4.62 ± 0.97 years; Height: 107.83 ± 7.82 cm, body weight: 19.84 ± 4.95 kg) of 8 Palermo kindergartens who were randomly divided in a control group (C, n= 29), an intervention group 1 (I1, …

INFLUENCE OF FAMILY HISTORY OF TYPE 2 DIABETES ON PHENOTYPE AND PERFORMANCE IN YOUNG PEOPLE OF BOTH SEX.

The type 2 diabetes is commonly considered a complex genetic disease, resulting from interactions between multiple genes and environmental factors without any single factor having strong independent effects. We studied the influence of family history to type 2 diabetes on physical phenotype of 47 health adolescents. In both sexes groups with positive family history (FH+) had the highest values of stature and body weight (p<0.05 for males, not significant for females), waist circumference (p<0.05 for males, not significant for females), and wrist circumference (p=0.05 for males, not significant for females). Considering performance, FH+ males showed a significant higher performance in power …

A TRAINING PROTOCOL INTEGRATED OF PILATES- AND YOGA-BASED EXERCISES FOR WOMEN WITH BACK PAIN

A TRAINING PROTOCOL INTEGRATED OF PILATES- AND YOGA-BASED EXERCISES FOR WOMEN WITH BACK PAIN Bellafiore, M.1,3, Battaglia, G.1,3, Caramazza, G.2,3, Fantauzzo, V.1, Bianco, A.1,3, Palma, A.1, 3. 1: DISMOT (Palermo, Italy), 2: PhD in “Human Diet and Nutrition” (Palermo, Italy), 3: Regional Sport School of Sicily CONI (Olympic National Italian Committee, Italy). Introduction Pilates and Yoga are bodymind activities recently become very popular in Italian fitness gyms. Their outcomes have been studied separately and it has been reported that both reduce low back pain affecting either the physiological and mental aspects (Posadzki et al., 2011; Tilbrook et al., 2011). However, few evidences are …

Evaluation of the podalic support in subjects with dyslexia: a pilot study

Effects of game funcional model on jump performance in youg basketballers and volleyballers

E-beam irradiation and UV photocrosslinking of microemulsion-laden poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) hydrogels for ‘‘in situ’’ encapsulation of volatile hydrophobic compounds

Gelled microemulsions are the subject of considerable scientific and commercial interest. Many efforts are currently devoted to improving their toxicological profile and functioning as biocompatible diffusion barrier for the controlled delivery of hydrophobic compounds. In the present investigation, a non-ionic polymeric surfactant was chosen to generate an oil-in-water microemulsion of a model fragrance in the presence of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP). The microemulsion was then subjected to either electron-beam or UV-irradiation to induce free-radical crosslinking of PVP at low temperature and in the absence of crosslinking agents, catalysts and initiators. Irradiation conditions with…

Activation of mGlu3 Receptors Stimulates the Production of GDNF in Striatal Neurons

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors have been considered potential targets for the therapy of experimental parkinsonism. One hypothetical advantage associated with the use of mGlu receptor ligands is the lack of the adverse effects typically induced by ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists, such as sedation, ataxia, and severe learning impairment. Low doses of the mGlu2/3 metabotropic glutamate receptor agonist, LY379268 (0.25-3 mg/kg, i.p.) increased glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) mRNA and protein levels in the mouse brain, as assessed by in situ hybridization, real-time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunohistochemistry. This increase was prominent in the striatum, …

PERFORMING SOCCER GAME AFFECTS THE VELOCITY, AGILITY AND PSYCHOPHYSICAL CONDITION IN PSYCHOTIC SUBJECTS

Introduction Physical activity is an important aspect of good health for everyone and is even more important for psychiatric patients who usually live an unhealthy lifestyle and assume medications that tend to reinforce their metabolic syndrome (Kopp, 2009). The purpose of this study was to examine whether performing soccer game by psychotic subjects has effects on their velocity, agility and psychophysical perception. Methods Methods Eighteen overweight male subjects, 8 no-trained psychotics [NTPs] (age: 35.00+/-5.00 years; height: 163.00+/-4.00 cm; BMI: 25.00-29.90) and 10 trained psychotics [TPs] (age: 36.00+/-6.00 years; height: 164.00+/-7.00 cm; BMI: 25.00- 29.90) from Local Health of …