Strength field tests performance are correlated with isokinetic strength of shoulder rotator muscles in female handball players

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the isokinetic shoulder strength of the athletes and their performance on strength field tests. Data on the balance and functional strength ratios of the internal and external rotator muscles of shoulders of handball players was also investigated.

METHODS

Twenty-seven female athletes (23±3.4 years, 71±10.6 kg and 173.3±7.1 cm) underwent an isokinetic assessment of the strength of the shoulder rotator muscles. Athletes also performed the following strength field tests: bench press test, lying bench barbell row test, handgrip test, and medicine ball throwing.

RESULTS

The bench press test results and the lying bench barbell row test results were significantly correlated with the concentric internal and external rotator peak torques at 1.05 rad.s-1 and 5.23 rad.s-1, with total work at 1.05 rad.s-1 and with average power at 5.23 rad.s-1 (r=0.51 to 0.81).

CONCLUSION

We suggested the use of field test to infer about internal and external rotator muscular strength, but not to infer about isokinetic muscular strength ratios. These findings could be useful to coaches and trainers.

P2-14-09: Comparison between Spanish and Peruvian Patients with Early Breast Cancer

Purpose : Breast Cancer (BC) is a genetic, heterogeneous disease and has a remarkable variability according to racial factors. Hypothetic explanations for these disparities include differences in tumor biology. The present study was designed to compare clinical and pathological features between Peruvian Latinas and Spanish women with BC; interest of this analysis increases if we take into account the relationship among historic ancestries of both ethnic groups (Incas emporium and Spanish conquers).

Methods : Information was retrospectively reviewed from patients files and pathologic reports from Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Neoplasicas (INEN) in Lima- Peru, and Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid- Spain. In order to produce comparative information and avoid subjective clinical measurements we selected only non-metastatic and non-bilateral invasive BC cases that underwent surgery as initial therapy. BC cases were classified as molecular subtypes: Luminal A [RE+ and/or RP+, HER2−], Lum B [RE+ and/or RP+, HER2+], triple negative (TN) [RE-, RP-, HER2−] and HER2 [RE-, RP-, HER2+]. Variables were compared with the X2 test and survival curves were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The study included 3765 BC cases. The Spanish cohort involved 1539 (40.9%) women consecutively diagnosed between 1997 and 2007 (median follow-up of 7.9 years). The Peruvian cohort involved 2226 (59.1%) women consecutively diagnosed between 2000 and 2006 (median follow-up of 6.3 years).

In terms of pathological features, grade I tumors were more frequent in Spanish (16.2%) than Peruvian women (9.6%) (p<0.001). Higher rates of lobular histology were also found in Spanish (12.5%) than Peruvian (6.0%) women (p<0.001). Spanish cases presented at earlier stages when evaluated by lymph node status (N0 in 58.9% vs 47.1%) (p<0.001) or by tumor size (T1 in 37.9% vs 17-2%). Conservative surgery were more frequent among Spanish cases (50.6% vs 16.8%) (p<0.001). TN molecular subtype were more frequent among Peruvian cases (22.5% vs 12.4%) (p<0.001).

Brain (10.4% vs5.3%), and skin and subcutaneous (7.1% vs 2.4%) metastases were more frequently found in Peruvian patients. On the other hand, contralateral breast cancer was more frequent among Spanish patients (12.2% vs 2.8%).

And when evaluated by molecular subtypes, bone metastases in TN were more frequent among Spanish (25.4%) than Peruvian (18.5%) cases.

HER2+ Tumors with Lack Steroid Receptors Showed a Shorter DFS but Similar OS Compared to HER2+ Tumors That Also Express ER and/or PR

Background: HER2 expression is widely measured on tumor tissue from breast cancer patients since it gives prognostic and predictive information. Data suggest that breast cancer growth is regulated by the coordinated action of the estrogen receptor (ER) and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. The aim of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the additional prognostic value of the ER/PR status for the subset of patients with HER2-positive tumors.Methods: From 2000-2002, 203 breast tumors were tested for HER2 and steroid receptors levels. HER2-positivity was defined as ≥2 copies of the HER2 gene by FISH or 3+ by IHC. A cut-off point of 10 % was used as positivity for ER and/or progesterone receptor (PR) levels.Results: Among the 203 patients, 103 had HER2+/ER-/PR- tumors and 100 had HER2+/ER+ and/or PR+ tumors. Patients' characteristics were comparable between the two groups as far as age, menopausal status, pTNM (stage I-II-III) status and type of initial therapy. All patients had surgery followed by standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy and hormonal therapy if the tumor was ER+ or PR+. No patients received adjuvant treatment with trastuzumab. The median follow-up for the entire cohort was 73 months (range 12-110). Comparisons of disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) as well as site of first recurrence were made between the two groups. The 5-year DFS was statistically different between the two groups: 69.9% for HER2+/ER-/PR- patients and 81.0% for the HER2+/ER+ and/or PR+ (p=0.037). The 5-year OS was not different between the two groups with 82.5% for HER2+/ER-/PR- patients and 86.0% for the HER2/ER+ and/or PR+ (p=0.402).Conclusions: Patients with HER2+/ER-/PR- breast cancers treated with surgery and standard adjuvant chemotherapy exhibit a statistically worse DFS compared to patients with HER2+/ER+ and/or PR+ tumors. However, overall survival was similar in both groups; additional factors should be evaluated to explain this finding.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 6052.

Regeneration of the enteric nervous system in the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima

Among higher metazoans, echinoderms exhibit the most impressive capacity for regeneration. Holothurians, or sea cucumbers, respond to adverse stimuli by autotomizing and ejecting their visceral organs, which are then regenerated. Neuronal fibers and cell bodies are present within the viscera, but previous regeneration studies have not accounted for the nervous component. We used light microscopic immunocytochemistry and ultrastructural studies to describe the regeneration of the enteric nervous system in the sea cucumber Holothuria glaberrima. This study provides evidence that the enteric nervous system of this echinoderm regenerates after evisceration and that in 3-5 weeks the regenerated system is virtually identical to that of noneviscerated animals. The regeneration of the enteric nervous system occurs parallel to the regeneration of other organ components. Nerve fibers and cells are observed within the mesenterial thickenings that give rise to the new intestine and within the internal connective tissue prior to lumen formation. We also used bromodeoxyuridine incorporation to show that proliferation of the neuronal population occurs in the regenerating intestine. The regeneration of the nervous system commands high interest because members of the closely related phylum Chordata either lack or have a very limited capacity to regenerate their nervous system. Thus, holothurians provide a model system to study enteric nervous system regeneration in deuterostomes.

Environmental motivations for migration: population pressure, poverty, and deforestation in the Philippines

"This paper uses a multinomial discrete choice model and data from the Philippines to examine migrant choice between alternative destinations. Travel costs and perceived opportunities at the upland frontier are more important than general (upland plus lowland) destination attributes that indicate more developed social infrastructure or greater expected welfare. For example, migration streams are larger to destinations where the public share of forestland and the road system are larger. These features also characterize regions of more rapid deforestation. Therefore, emigration policies must recognize their effects on deforestation at the frontier--and their anticipated indirect effects on downstream environments."

Age-related increase in an advanced glycation end product in penile tissue

Nonenzymatic glycosylation (glycation) of proteins, often referred to as the Maillard reaction, has been proposed to play a role in age and diabetes-related processes by forming protein and DNA adducts and cross-links. These cross-links may contribute to erectile dysfunction by scavenging nitric oxide, which is needed for erection. As the basis for a possible role of the advanced Maillard reaction in age-related erectile dysfunction, we investigated the presence of the specific advanced glycation endproduct (AGE) pentosidine in penile corpus cavernosum tissue and penile tunica albuginea tissue as a function of age. A total of 23 penile tissue specimens were obtained at autopsy, from which 19 samples of tunica albuginea and 21 samples of corpus cavernosum were derived. In addition, 13 penile corporal and tunical specimens were procured at the time of insertion of a penile prosthesis, from which 12 tunica albugineal specimens and 10 samples of corpus cavernosum were derived. Collagen was extracted with acetic acid and pepsin digestion, and the final insoluble collagen product was acid-hydrolyzed with 6 N HCL for 24 h at 110 degrees C. Pentosidine was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography using a reverse-phase column. The level of pentosidine (expressed in picomoles per milligram of insoluble collagen) was found to increase with age in cadaver as well as living penile corporal and tunical albugineal tissues. Best-fit analysis revealed an exponential increase in both types of cadaver penile tissue, with regression equations of y = 15.29 x 10(9.9e-3x), R2 = 0.79, being obtained in the tunica and y = 13.2 x 10(7.63e-3x), R2 = 0.56, in the corpora. These correspond to 6- and 4-fold increases in pentosidine levels from puberty to the age of 100 years (P < 0.05), respectively. Mean pentosidine levels were higher in the tunica than in the corpora. Comparison of pentosidine levels in the tunica versus the corpora revealed a weakly linear correlation (y = 24.88 + 1.08x, R2 = 0.32). Levels in the tunical and corporal specimens from the living human specimens fell with the predicted confidence intervals of the cadaveric tissue. Tunical specimens from patients who underwent repair or revision of a previously inserted penile prosthesis had very low levels of pentosidine. The exponential age-related increase in pentosidine observed in both types of penile tissue suggests an impairment of collagen turnover, which could be related to the advanced glycation reaction in aging. It is not known whether pentosidine itself is directly associated with erectile dysfunction, but its formation is usually accompanied by extensive tissue modification. Formation of advanced Maillard reaction products, which is greatly accelerated in aging, diabetes, and uremia, could contribute to erectile dysfunction in these syndromes.