A comparison of a GPS device and a multi-camera video technology during official soccer matches: Agreement between systems

The aim of this study was to compare the agreement of the movement demands data during a soccer match (total distance, distance per minute, average speed, maximum speed and distance covered in different speed sectors) between an optical tracking system (Mediacoach System) and a GPS device (Wimu Pro). Participants were twenty-six male professional soccer players (age: 21.65 ± 2.03 years; height: 180.00 ± 7.47 cm; weight: 73.81 ± 5.65 kg) from FC Barcelona B, of whom were recorded a total of 759 measurements during 38 official matches in the Spanish second division. The Mediacoach System and the Wimu Pro were compared using the standardized mean bias, standard error of estimate, intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), coefficient of variation (%), and the regression equation to estimate data for each variable. In terms of agreement between systems, the magnitude of the ICC was almost perfect (> 0.90-1.00) for all variables analyzed. The coefficient of the variations between devices was close to zero (< 5%) for total distance, distance per minute, average speed, maximum speed, and walking and jogging, and between 9% and 15% for running, intense running, and sprinting at low and at high intensities. It can be observed that, compared to Wimu Pro the Mediacoach System slightly overestimated all the variables analyzed except for average speed, maximum speed, and walking variables. In conclusion, both systems can be used, and the information they provide in the analyzed variables can be interchanged, with the benefits implied for practitioners and researchers.

Cushing's disease in dogs: cabergoline treatment

The treatment of pituitary-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) in dogs has for a long time been focused on inhibiting the adrenal gland using drugs such as o-p'-DDD, Ketoconazole and Trilostane, without attacking the primary cause: the corticotrophinoma. Corticotroph cells can express the D2 dopaminergic receptor; therefore cabergoline (Cbg) could be effective as a treatment. Follow-up over 4 years was carried out in 40 dogs with PDH that were treated with Cbg (0.07 mg/kg/week. Out of the 40 dogs, 17 responded to Cbg (42.5%). A year after the treatment, there was a significant decrease in ACTH (p<0.0001), alpha-MSH (p<0.01), urinary cortisol/creatinine ratio (p<0.001), and of the tumor size (p<0.0001) evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance. Dogs responding to Cbg lived significantly longer (p<0.001) than those in the control group. To conclude, Cbg is useful in 42.5% of dogs with PDH, justifying its use as a treatment.

Method for analysis of polymer-supported organic compounds using mass spectrometry direct insertion

A new approach on the use of mass spectrometry direct-insertion and a quadrupole detector for analysis of organic compounds supported in solid phase has been developed. This is a simple and efficient method based on cleavage due to the thermal-instability of the benzylic group of most commercial resins. The cleavage of supported compounds takes place in the spectrometer as a consequence of the high temperature in the instrument's chamber. These compounds are detected using a similar fragmentation pattern and a molecular ion corresponding to the same compound obtained by traditional synthesis. Polymer degradation fragments do not interfere with the spectrum interpretation, because only a few peaks and low intensities are detected. We report here the identification of different types of compounds supported in Merrifield resin, such as bis-o-aminobenzamides and simple aromatic and aliphatic compounds, using this new approach.

Scapular hibernoma fortuitously discovered on myocardial perfusion imaging through Tc-99m tetrofosmin

A 49-year-old man was hospitalized for precordial pain. The result of a resting electrocardiograph was normal. Tc-99m tetrofosmin stress myocardial imaging was performed and uptake in the area of the left scapula was seen. The abnormality was caused by a subcutaneous tumor. Histologic examination revealed a hibernoma.

Impaired monocyte function in primary biliary cirrhosis

A study was carried out on the chemotactic capacity and monocyte adherence in 11 patients with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC); 26 cases of Alcoholic Liver Disease (CALD); 18 cases of Chronic Active Hepatitis (CAH) and 43 controls. Overall, the chemotactic response was depressed in all patients and was correlated with the degree of hepatic affectation only in the CALD and CAH cases. In PBC, a chemotactic defect could be observed against all the chemoattractant agents employed, the sera from these patients being unable to inhibit the movement of control monocytes. In contrast, in CADL and CAH no disturbance was observed in locomotion against homologous activated serum whereas the serum of those patients was able to inhibit the chemotaxis of control monocytes. The adherence capacity was only depressed in the PBC patients. Our results suggest that in PBC there is a functional monocyte disturbance which in contrast to the situation in other hepatopathies, seems to be primary and may arise at the cellular level.

Monocyte function in the elderly

Monocyte function was studied in 20 hospitalized elderly and 23 young adult subjects. 99mTc-monocyte chemotaxis, glass adhesion, S. aureus 14C-alanine phagocytosis and 51Cr-erythrocyte cytotoxicity (Natural Killer) (NK) and Antibody-mediated (ADCC) activities were studied. Monocyte function, as determined by the above test, was not significantly depressed in the elderly when compared with the young adult control group. Our results suggest that the immunologic abnormalities and the increased risk of infections observed with aging cannot be attributed to a deficit in monocyte function.