bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Incidence of sports injuries in elite competitive and recreational windsurfers
Authors: Dyson R , Buchanan M , Hale T 
Published: March 2006

Objective:To investigate the incidence of injury in windsurfing and to consider methods of prevention.Methods:A total of 107 raceboard (RB) and wave/slalom (WS) national/international competitors and recreational (REC) windsurfers completed a questionnaire on injury incidence over two years. Recurrent injury, ability level, and any preventive measures taken were noted.Results:Overall the injury incidence was 1.5/person/year. The WS group suffered more injuries (2.0/person/year) than the RB (1.0) or REC (1.2) group. The most common injury was muscle strain at 35% of new injuries, much higher than in earlier studies. Overall 45% of new injuries were muscle/tendon strains (RB 55%, WS 42%, and REC 43%) and 8% were ligament sprains. In the WS group cuts and abrasions were common. The WS and REC groups reported five and one case of concussion respectively. Nearly a quarter (22%) of new lower body injuries were lower back muscular strain, with 34% of recurrent injuries. Approximately 60% of the remaining lower body soft tissue injuries involved the knee or lower leg, with the ankle/foot most often involved. The shoulder, upper arm, and elbow were the sites of 41% of new upper body soft tissue injuries. The WS group reported 250% more recurrent muscular strains than the RB group. Recurrent ligament injuries (particularly knee) were most common in the WS group. The RB group reported recurrent serious bruising to the lower leg.Conclusion:The injury incidence was 1.5/person/year with a high incidence of new and recurrent muscular strain. Lower back muscular strain was prevalent, indicating the need for preventive measures. Wave/slalom was associated with more new and recurrent injuries and the need for head protection.
Reversal in fatigued athletes of a defect in interferon γ secretion after administration ofLactobacillus acidophilus
Authors: Clancy R L , Gleeson M , Cox A , Callister R , Dorrington M , D’Este C , Pang G , Pyne D , Fricker P , Henriksson A 
Published: March 2006

Background:Fatigue and impaired performance in athletes is well recognised and has been loosely linked to “overtraining”. Reduced concentration of IgA in the saliva and increased shedding of Epstein Barr virus (EBV) have been associated with intense training in elite athletes.Objective:To determine whether athletes presenting with fatigue and impaired performance had an immune defect relevant to defective containment of EBV infection, and whether a probiotic preparation (Lactobacillus acidophilus) shown to enhance mucosal immunity in animal models could reverse any detected abnormality.Results:The fatigued athletes had clinical characteristics consistent with re-activation of EBV infection and significantly (p  =  0.02) less secretion of interferon (IFN) γ from blood CD4 positive T cells. After one month of daily capsules containing 2 × 1010colony forming units ofL acidophilus, secretion of IFNγ from T cells had increased significantly (p  =  0.01) to levels found in healthy control athletes. A significant (p  =  0.03) increase in salivary IFNγ concentrations in healthy control athletes after the one month course ofL acidophilusdemonstrated in man the capacity for this probiotic to enhance the mucosal IFNγ concentration.Conclusion:This is the first evidence of a T cell defect in fatigued athletes, and of its reversal following probiotic therapy.
Attitudes towards exercise and physical activity behaviours in Greek schoolchildren after a year long health education intervention
Authors: Christodoulos A D , Douda H T , Polykratis M , Tokmakidis S P 
Published: March 2006

Objective:To examine the short term effects of a health education programme on Greek primary schoolchildrenMethods:The school based intervention programme was applied to 29 children in the 6th grade of the 2nd Primary School of Agios Stefanos (∼12 000 inhabitants); 49 pupils from the 1st Primary School constituted the control group. To assess the effectiveness of the intervention, attitude and behavioural variables were measured before and after the intervention.Results:After adjustment for initial differences in the assessed variables, pupils who took part in the intervention had more positive attitudes towards physical activity than the control group and scored significantly more highly on their intention to participate in physical activity. Moreover, pupils in the intervention group reported more hours/week spent in organised physical activities than pupils in the control group (mean (SD) 3.54 (0.32)v2.54 (0.26), p<0.020). Finally, a higher proportion of pupils in the intervention classes matched the recommendations of 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily (77.4%v55.1%, p<0.043).Conclusions:Within the limitations of the study, the data show that school health education programmes have the potential to slow the age related decline in physical activity and help pupils establish lifelong, healthy physical activity patterns. Promoting healthy habits and physical activity behaviours during childhood may prevent some of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the Greek population, and also decrease direct healthcare costs and improve quality of life.
A cross sectional study of the respiratory health of workers handling printing toner dust
Authors: Nakadate T , Yamano Y , Adachi C , Kikuchi Y , Nishiwaki Y , Nohara M , Satoh T , Omae K 
Published: March 2006

Background:Although recent case reports have suggested possible respiratory effects of solid toner dust inhalation, this hypothesis has not been verified by epidemiological studies.Objectives:To conduct a cross sectional study to evaluate the association between the biological indices of lung fibrosis and toner dust exposure in an occupational cohort handling solid toner dust in their work life.Methods:A total of 600 male toner workers and 212 control subjects were surveyed in terms of their subjective respiratory symptoms, pulmonary functions, and chest radiographic findings. In addition to the exposure history, the current working conditions and personal exposure levels to toner dust were also examined.Results:Although subjects handling toner for more than 20 years tended to show a higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms and minimal chestxray abnormalities, there was no consistent relation between the exposure to toner dust and the biological responses of the respiratory system.Conclusion:Deterioration of respiratory health related to toner dust exposure is less likely to occur in current well controlled work environments, especially if the powdered toner is handled carefully. Nonetheless, it is important to collect further epidemiological evidence on the biological effects of toner dust inhalation, preferably using a longitudinal study design.
How consistently distributed are the socioeconomic differences in severe back morbidity by age and gender? A population based study of hospitalisation among Finnish employees
Authors: Kaila-Kangas L , Keskimäki I , Notkola V , Mutanen P , Riihimäki H , Leino-Arjas P 
Published: March 2006

Aims:To study the socioeconomic distribution of severe back morbidity by age and gender, and to examine to what extent the differences in back morbidity between socioeconomic groups are particularly related to manual work in different age groups.Methods:Hospital admissions in 1996 for back disorders of 25–64 year old men (3123 of a total 743 961) and women (3043 of 773 936) from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register were linked with demographic and socioeconomic data from the 1995 population census. Poisson regression analysis was used to calculate the rate ratios for back related hospitalisation by occupational class and education. The distribution of cases according to occupational status and education was presented in relation to the whole occupationally active workforce by age and gender.Results:Blue-collar (manual) workers had a higher risk of being hospitalised because of back disorders compared with white-collar employees (non-manual) in all age groups among both genders. Manual work versus non-manual work was associated with a 1.3 to 1.4-fold risk (95% CI 1.0 to 1.8) among women and a 1.3 to 1.6-fold risk (95% CI 1.1 to 2.2) among men. The risk of hospitalisation was further inversely associated with educational level within manual and non-manual work in all other age groups except in those aged 55–64 years. Gender related differences were much smaller compared with the socioeconomic ones.Conclusions:Socioeconomic differences in back morbidity leading to hospitalisation were consistent by age and gender. The results suggest that not only the physical strenuousness of work, but also other causes of severe back disorders are clustered around a subject’s socioeconomic status, indicated by formal education. This may have implications for prevention and the planning of rehabilitation.
Reported occupational respiratory diseases in Catalonia
Authors: Orriols R , Costa R , Albanell M , Alberti C , Castejon J , Monso E , Panades R , Rubira N , Zock J-P 
Published: March 2006

Objectives:A voluntary surveillance system was implemented in Catalonia (Spain) to ascertain the feasibility, incidence, and characteristics of occupational respiratory diseases and compare them with those of the compulsory official system.Methods:In 2002, in collaboration with the Occupational and Thoracic Societies of Catalonia, occupational and chest physicians and other specialists were invited to report, on a bimonthly basis, newly diagnosed cases of occupational respiratory diseases. Information requested on each case included diagnosis, age, sex, place of residence, occupation, suspected agent, and physician’s opinion on the likelihood that the condition was work related. Compulsory official system data derived from statistics on work related diseases for possible disability benefits declared by insurance companies, which are responsible for declaring these diseases to the Autonomous Government of Catalonia.Results:Of 142 physicians seeing patients with occupational respiratory diseases approached, 102 (74%) participated. Three hundred and fifty nine cases were reported, of which asthma (48.5%), asbestos related diseases (14.5%), and acute inhalations (12.8%) were the most common. Physicians rated 63% of suspected cases as highly likely, 28% as likely, and 8% as low likelihood. The most frequent suspected agents reported for asthma were isocyanates (15.5%), persulphates (12.1%), and cleaning products (8.6%). Mesothelioma (5.9%) was the most frequent diagnosis among asbestos related diseases. The number of acute inhalations reported was high, with metal industries (26%), cleaning services (22%), and chemical industries (13%) being the most frequently involved. The frequency of occupational respiratory diseases recorded by this voluntary surveillance system was four times higher than that reported by the compulsory official system.Conclusions:The compulsory scheme for reporting occupational lung diseases is seriously underreporting in Catalonia. A surveillance programme based on voluntary reporting by physicians may provide better understanding of the incidence and characteristics of these diseases. Persulphates and cleaning products, besides isocyanates, were the most reported causes of occupational asthma. Metal industries and cleaning services were the occupations most frequently involved in acute inhalations with a remarkably high incidence in our register.
The effect of tissue type-plasminogen activator deletion and associated fibrin(ogen) deposition on macrophage localization in peritoneal inflammation
Authors: Massa Christine , Braine Emma , Lenzo Jason , Turner Amanda , Way Kerrie , Hamilton John , Cook Andrew , Vlahos Ross 
Published: March 2006

SummaryThere are two plasminogen activators (PAs), urokinase type-PA (u-PA) and tissue type-PA (t-PA). While u-PA is considered to be involved in cellular migration and tissue remodeling and t-PA in fibrinolysis, this distinction is not always clear-cut. With the use of u-PA and t-PA gene deficient mice (u-PA-/and t-PA-/mice, respectively) we have assessed the role of each PA in acute peritonitis. The cellular infiltrate in both thioglycolateand antigen-induced peritoneal exudates was unaffected in u-PA-/mice; in contrast, in t-PA-/mice, the macrophage numbers, particularly of the Mac-1hi population, in the peritoneal cavity by day4 were significantly reduced compared to wild-type mice. However, examination of the peritoneal wall revealed in fact increased numbers of macrophages adhering on/in the cavity lining at all time points studied; in addition, increased fibrin(ogen) staining was observed for these mice. The reduced macrophage numbers in the peritoneal cavities of t-PA-/mice could be increased by administration of plasmin or t-PA prior to harvesting the thioglycolate-elicited exudates. These results suggest that t-PA and not u-PA is the PA controlling fibrinolysis in murine peritonitis. In its absence macrophages adhere to the accumulated fibrin(ogen) on/in the cavity wall lining, most likely via Mac-1 binding, thus affecting migration into and/or out of the peritoneal cavity. They also highlight the need to examine both the peritoneal cavity and wall in order to monitor accurately the extent of a peritoneal inflammatory reaction. Peritoneal inflammation in t-PA-/mice represents a useful model to study the progression of intra-abdominal adhesions during surgery and clinical peritonitis.
High urokinase expression contributes to the angiogenic properties of endothelial cells derived from circulating progenitors
Authors: Basire Agnès , Sabatier Florence , Ravet Sophie , Lamy Edouard , Mialhe Agnès , Zabouo Gwladys , Paul Pascale , Gurewich Victor , Sampol José , Dignat-George Françoise 
Published: March 2006

SummaryEndothelial progenitor cells (EPC) displaya unique ability to repair vascular injury and promote neovascularization although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR) play a critical role in cell migration and angiogenesis by facilitating proteolysis of extracellular matrix.The aim of the present study was to characterize the uPA/uPAR-dependent proteolytic potential of EPC outgrown from human umbilical cord blood and to analyze its contribution to their angiogenic properties in vitro. Cells derived from EPC (EPDC), presenting typical features of late outgrowth endothelial cells, were compared to mature endothelial cells, represented by human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Using quantitative flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and zymography, we demonstrated that EPDC displayed higher levels of uPA and uPAR. In conditioned culture media, uPA-dependant proteolytic activity was also found to be significantly increased in EPDC.This activity was paralleled bya higher secretion of pro-metalloproteinase-2 (pro-MMP-2). Inhibition of EPDC-associated uPA by monoclonal antibodies that block either uPA activity or receptor binding, significantly reduced proliferation, migration and capillary like tube formation. Moreover, tumor necrosis factoralpha and vascular endothelial growth factor,known to be locally secreted in ischemic areas, further increased the proteolytic potential of EPDC by up-regulating uPA and uPAR expression respectively.The EPDC response to these factors was found to be more pronounced than that of HUVEC. In conclusion, these findings indicated that EPDC are characterized by high intrinsic uPA/uPAR-dependent proteolytic potential that could contribute to their invasive and angiogenic behaviour.
Effect of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition on macro- and microcirculation in a model of rat endotoxic shock
Authors: Pullamsetti Soni , Maring Daniel , Ghofrani Hossein , Mayer Konstantin , Weissmann Norbert , Rosengarten Bernhard , Lehner Martin , Schudt Christian , Boer Rainer , Grimminger Friedrich , Seeger Werner , Schermuly Ralph 
Published: March 2006

SummaryTreatment of hemodynamic instability in septic shock often demands the administration of vasopressor agents, although these may have deleterious effects on microcirculatory homeostasis. Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) has been suggested as an alternative therapeutic approach, as NO formation may be excessively increased in sepsis. To compare the effects of epinephrine titration, non-selective NOS inhibition by L-NMMA and selective inhibition of inducible NOS (iNOS) by 1400W on hemodynamics and on the regulation of microcirculation in a rat model of endotoxic shock, we intravenously injected endotoxin (LPS) or saline to male Wist ar rats and after 2 hours randomized LPS treated rats into four different groups that received either saline, norepinephrine, L-NMMA or 1400W (n=6 per group). Three hours after LPS administration, rats presented with severe systemic arterial hypotension (64 ± 3 vs. 115 ± 4 mmHg, p<0.001), unresponsiveness to volume treatment, lactate acidosis and a marked increase in plasmatic nitrite and nitrate levels (15 ±8 vs. 263 ± 47 µM, p<0.001). Measurement of the tissue oxygenation in the ileum mucosal layer by the Erlangen micro-lightguide spectrophotometer (EMPHO) technique demonstrated marked heterogeneity of hemoglobin saturation, with appearance of low oxygenated areas. Norepinephrine, usually stabilizing blood pressure (99 ±7 vs. 67 ±4 mmHg 60 min after infusion, p<0.01), increased lactate formation (7.9± 0.2 vs. 3.7 ± 0.5 mM, p<0.001) and drastically increased low oxygenated regions in the ileum mucosal layer. L-NMMA similarly increased blood pressure (92 ±6 vs. 67 ±4 mmHg 60 min after infusion, p<0.05), but did not enhance lactate acidosis. However, some further deterioration of mucosa oxygenation was again noted. 1400W forwarded stabilization of blood pressure (88 ± 5 vs. 67 ±4 mmHg 60 min after injection, p<0.05), reduced plasmatic nitrite and nitrate levels similar to L-NMMA, without an aggravation of lactate acidosis. In addition, mucosal oxygenation did not deteriorate in response to this agent. Thereby, we conclude that in a rat model of endotoxic shock selective iNOS inhibitors are superior to non-specific NOS inhibitors and in particular to norepinephrine for the treatment of macro-and microcirculatory abnormalities in experimental septic shock.
Association of factor V gene polymorphisms (Leiden; Cambridge; Hong Kong and HR2 haplotype) with recurrent idiopathic pregnancy loss in Tunisia
Authors: Zammiti Walid , Mtiraoui Nabil , Mercier Eric , Abboud Nesrine , Saidi Sarra , Mahjoub Touhami , Almawi Wassim , Gris Jean-Christophe 
Published: March 2006

SummaryInherited thrombophilia has been shown to be linked with fetal loss. We performed a case-control study on the association between thrombosis-related polymorphisms in the factor V (FV) gene (Leiden, Cambridge, Hong Kong; HR2 haplotype) and idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) in Tunisian women. A total of 348 women with RPL, and 203 control women were studied, corresponding to 1,250 pregnancy losses and 1,200 successful pregnancies. FV Leiden was seen in 19.4% of patients (4.3% in the homozygous state) and in 5.5% of controls. The prevalence of the FV HR2 haplotype was similar in patients and controls, but with 7 homozygous patients for 1 control. FV Cambridge and Hong Kong were absent from both patients and controls. The study of all pregnancy losses evidenced that the frequency of the factor V Leiden polymorphism was zero in women who had miscarried before7 weeks of gestation, and then sharply increased to a plateau. After categorization of pregnancy losses (before8 weeks of gestation; weeks 8 and 9; weeks 10 to 12; from the 13th week of gestation onwards), heterozygous and homozygous factor V Leiden polymorphisms, and homozygous FV HR2 haplotype, were associated with significant and independent risks of pregnancy loss during weeks 8 and 9, which increased during weeks 10 to 12, then culminated after week 12. In Tunisian women with idiopathic RPL, factor V Leiden polymorphism and homozygous FV HR2 haplotype are not a risk factor for very early pregnancy loss, before 8 weeks of gestation, but are thereafter associated with significant clinical risks, which gradually increase from the 8th week onwards.
Thrombophilic risk factors and homocysteine levels in Behçet’s disease in eastern Spain and their association with thrombotic events
Authors: Ricart José , Todolí José , Calvo Javier , Villa Piedad , Estellés Amparo , España Francisco , Santaolaria Marisa , Corella Dolores , Aznar Justo , Vayá Amparo 
Published: March 2006

SummaryBehçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in which thrombosis occurs in about 30% of patients. The prothrombotic mechanisms are unknown. Thrombophilic defects and hyperhomocysteinaemia may be involved in the pathogenesis of thrombotic events, although results have been controversial. Moreover, no information is available on this issue for eastern Spain.We studied the prevalence of inherited and acquired thrombophilic risk factors in 79 patients with BD (43 men, 36 women) who had (n = 23) or did not have (n = 56) thrombosis, and in 84 healthy control subjects (42 men, 42 women). Risk factors examined were antithrombin, protein C and protein S levels, factor V Leiden, the prothrombin G20210A mutation, the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism, and acquired thrombophilic risk factors, including anticardiolipin antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, and serum homocysteine levels. There were no differences between patients and controls in any of the parameters studied.When we studied BD patients with and without thrombotic events, the only thrombophilic defect that differed was the prothrombin G20210A mutation: Three out of 23 patients with thrombosis were carriers, compared with none of 56 patients without thrombosis (p = 0.022).Two of the three carriers developed catastrophic or recurrent thrombotic episodes; one wasa homozygous carrier of the G20210A prothrombin mutation and the other was doubly heterozygous for the G20210A prothrombin mutation and factor V Leiden. A meta-analysis demonstrated an association of factor V Leiden and prothrombin mutation with thrombosis in BD. When studies from Turkey were excluded from the meta-analysis, only the prothrombin G20210A mutation was associated with thrombosis.