Search results for "General Agricultural and Biological Sciences"
showing 10 items of 1320 documents
Tensiomyographical responsiveness to peripheral fatigue in quadriceps femoris
2020
Background Fatigue influences athletic performance and can also increase the risk of injury in sports, and most of the methods to evaluate it require an additional voluntary effort. Tensiomyography (TMG), which uses electrical stimulation and a displacement sensor to evaluate muscle contraction properties of one or more muscle bellies, has emerged as a technique that can assess the presence of peripheral and central fatigue without requiring additional voluntary efforts. However, the evaluation of the TMG’s ability to detect fatigue is limited, both at the level of muscle bellies and statistical methods. Thus, the aim of the present study was twofold: (i) to examine and compare the tensiom…
Preliminary identification and quantification of steroid hormones in the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus
2012
In the present preliminary study, we used a gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) method to identify and quantify steroid hormones, their precursors and metabolites in whole body of red palm weevil (RPW) R. ferrugineus adults. We identified a total of seven steroids by single ion monitoring mode (SIM) analysis and compared them to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library. The steroids include: dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estrone, estradiol-17β, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol and cholesterol, whereas pregnenolone, pregnan-20-one-17-hydroxy and corticosterone were not detected. This study shows that some invertebrate groups seem to use partially or tot…
Children’s physical activity and sedentary time compared using assessments of accelerometry counts and muscle activity level
2018
Background This research compared accelerometry (ACC)-derived and muscle electromyography (EMG)-based estimates of physical activity (PA) and sedentary time in typical PA tasks and during the daily lives of children. Methods Data was included from two exploratory studies. In Study I, 6–7-year-old children (n = 11, 64% girls) were assessed for eight PA tasks (walking, stair negotiation, climbing, crawling, swinging, balancing, trampoline jumping and a game of tag). In Study II, 7–9-year-old children (n = 14, 38% girls) were assessed for six PA tasks (walking, sitting, static squat, single leg hops, jump for height and standing long jump), and daily PA during one day with and one day without…
Reliability and validity of a new accelerometer-based device for detecting physical activities and energy expenditure.
2018
Background Objective assessments of sedentary behavior and physical activity (PA) by using accelerometer-based wearable devices are ever expanding, given their importance in the global context of health maintenance. This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of a new accelerometer-based analyzer (Fibion) for detecting different PAs and estimating energy expenditure (EE) during a simulated free-living day. Methods The study consisted of two parts: a reliability (n = 18) and a validity (n = 19) test. Reliability was assessed by a 45 min protocol of repeated sitting, standing, and walking (i.e., 3 × 15 min, repeated twice), using both Fibion and ActiGraph. Validity was assesse…
The vaccinaTion & Hpv Knowledge (THinK) questionnaire: a reliability and validity study on a sample of women living in Sicily (southern-Italy)
2019
Objective The aim of this study was to introduce the VaccinaTion & Hpv Knowledge (THinK) questionnaire to assess knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) and attitude to HPV-vaccination. Its reliability and validity was demonstrated in a sample of women living in Sicily (southern Italy). Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on a sample of 220 women at the “Paolo Giaccone” University Hospital in Palermo (Sicily), aged 18–61. Data were analyzed through Cronbach’s alpha and exploratory factor analysis, followed by a structural equation model with measurement component. The two-level data structure was explicitly considered. Results Three dimensions were found: “knowledge of HP…
Growth factors and cell kinetics: a mathematical model applied to Il-3 deprivation on leukemic cell lines.
1992
We assume the existence of a specific G1 protein which is an initiator of DNA replication. This initiator is supposed to be synthesized according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In order to start DNA replication, it is assumed that this G1 specific protein must be produced in a required amount. Intra-cellular growth inhibitors and extra-cellular growth factors control the production of the initiator. This model allows to calculate the average G1 phase time as a function of the various chemical concentrations of nutrients, enzymes, growth inhibitors and growth factors. This model is compared to cell kinetics experiments on a leukemic cell line responding to Interleukin 3 deprivation. The curve…
Analytical model for the long- distance tracer-transport in plants
2011
International audience; Recent investigations of long-distance transport in plants using non-invasive tracer techniques such as C radiolabeling monitored by positron emission tomography (PET) combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed the need of dedicated methods to allow a quantitative data analysis and comparison of such experiments. A mechanistic compartmental tracer transport model is presented, defined by a linear system of partial differential equations (PDEs). This model simplifies the complexity of axial transport and lateral exchanges in the transport pathways of plants (e.g. the phloem) by simulating transport and reversible exchange within three compartments using j…
Bioaccumulation of Trace Elements from Aqueous Solutions by Selected Terrestrial Moss Species
2022
The interrelationship between metal concentrations in mosses and their surroundings prompts research toward examining their accumulation properties, as it is particularly important for their usage in biomonitoring studies that use mosses. In this study, the kinetics of elemental sorption in three moss species (Pleurozium schreberi, Dicranum polysetum, and Sphagnum fallax) were investigated under laboratory conditions. Sorption from metal salt solutions was carried out under static conditions with decreasing elemental concentration. Functional groups responsible for binding metal cations to the internal structures of the mosses were also identified. It was shown that the equilibrium state wa…
1H NMR-Based Metabolomics to Assess the Impact of Soil Type on the Chemical Composition of Nero d’Avola Red Wines
2023
: In this study, the soil effect on the micro-component composition of Nero d'Avola wines obtained from different locations was investigated through 1H NMR-based metabolomics. Two different approaches were applied: the targeted (TA) and the non-targeted one (NTA). The former differentiated the wines by profiling (i.e., by identifying and quantifying) a number of different metabolites. The latter provided wine fingerprinting by processing the entire spectra with multivariate statistical analysis. NTA also allowed investigation of the hydrogen bond network inside wines via the analysis of 1H NMR chemical shift dispersions. Results showed that the differences among wines were due not only to t…
Training-induced increase in Achilles tendon stiffness affects tendon strain pattern during running
2019
Background During the stance phase of running, the elasticity of the Achilles tendon enables the utilisation of elastic energy and allows beneficial contractile conditions for the triceps surae muscles. However, the effect of changes in tendon mechanical properties induced by chronic loading is still poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that a training-induced increase in Achilles tendon stiffness would result in reduced tendon strain during the stance phase of running, which would reduce fascicle strains in the triceps surae muscles, particularly in the mono-articular soleus. Methods Eleven subjects were assigned to a training group performing isometric single-leg plantarflexion co…