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This study compared 6 weeks of incline treadmill interval training (INC) performed on a 10 % treadmill grade using either sprint-like efforts or slower, longer bouts. 24 individuals were randomly assigned between 2 groups that each completed 2 INC and one 30-min level-grade sessions⋅wk-1. Training intensities, bout durations and the number of intervals per INC session were the velocity associated with VO2max (Vmax), 30 s and 10-14 (INCShort n = 12), and 68 %Vmax, ~3 min and 4-6 (INCLong n = 12), respectively. All 30-min sessions were at 65 %Vmax. Pre- and post-testing assessed VO2max; lactate threshold (VLT); running economy; and time-to-exhaustion at various conditions including 80 %Vmax and 20 % grade (CFMod). Both groups improved significantly in all tests; additionally, INCShort improved significantly more so in VLT and CFMod despite INCLong performing more than 2 times the running each INC session (P < 0.05). Mean effect size (ES) of the relative improvement in a majority of tests revealed a trivial to very large ES of INCShort vs. INCLong training (ES range: 0.05-4.05). We conclude sprintlike INC better than slower, longer INC at improving a key determinant of distance running performance (VLT), and better at preparing individuals for running on courses with a variety of grades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dynamic soft tissue mobilisation (STM) on hamstring flexibility in healthy male subjects. Methods: Forty five males volunteered to participate in a randomised, controlled single blind design study. Volunteers were randomised to either control, classic STM, or dynamic STM intervention. The control group was positioned prone for 5 mm. The classic STM group received standard STM techniques performed in a neutral prone position for 5 mm. The dynamic STM group received all elements of classic STM followed by distal to proximal longitudinal strokes performed during passive, active, and eccentric loading of the hamstring. Only specific areas of tissue tightness were treated during the dynamic phase. Hamstring flexibility was quantified as hip flexion angle (HFA) which was the difference between the total range of straight leg raise and the range of pelvic rotation. Pre- and post-testing was conducted for the subjects in each group. A one-way ANCOVA followed by pairwise post-hoc comparisons was used to determine whether change in HFA differed between groups. The α level was set at 0.05. Results: Increase in hamstring flexibility was significantly greater in the dynamic STM group than either the control or classic STM groups with mean (standard deviation) increase in degrees in the HFA measures of 4.7 (4.8), -0.04 (4.8), and 1.3 (3.8), respectively. Conclusions: Dynamic soft tissue mobilisation (STM) significantly increased hamstring flexibility in healthy mole subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taping is often used to manage the high rate of knee injuries in ballet dancers; however, little is known about the effect of taping on lower-limb biomechanics during ballet landings in the turnout position. This study investigated the effects of Kinesiotape ( KT), Mulligan's tape ( MT) and no tape ( NT) on knee and hip kinetics during landing in three turnout positions. The effect of taping on the esthetic execution of ballet jumps was also assessed. Eighteen pain-free 12-15-year-old female ballet dancers performed ballet jumps in three turnout positions, under the three knee taping conditions. A Vicon Motion Analysis system (Vicon Oxford, Oxford, UK) and Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. ( Watertown, Massa chusetts, USA) force plate collected lower-limb mechanics. The results demonstrated that MT significantly reduced peak posterior knee shear forces ( P = 0.025) and peak posterior ( P = 0.005), medial ( P = 0.022) and lateral ( P = 0.014) hip shear forces compared with NT when landing in first position. KT had no effect on knee or hip forces. No significant differences existed between taping conditions in all landing positions for the esthetic measures. MT was able to reduce knee and the hip forces without affecting the esthetic performance of ballet jumps, which may have implications for preventing and managing knee injuries in ballet dancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Mulligan's tape ( MT) and kinesio tape ( KT) with no tape ( NT) on hip and knee kinematics and kinetics during running. Twenty-nine female recreational runners performed a series of 'run-throughs' along a 10-m runway under the three taping conditions. Two force plates and a 14-camera Vicon motion analysis system ( Oxford Metrics, Inc., Oxford, UK) captured kinematic and kinetic data for each dependent variable from ground contact to toe off. Comparisons of each dependent variable under three taping conditions were assessed through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences ( SPSS; SPSS, Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA; P-value < 0.01) using repeated measure analyses of variance. For each dependent variable with a P-value < 0.01, repeated measures with pairwise comparisons and Bonferroni adjustment were conducted to compare the three taping conditions. MT induced a significant reduction in anterior and posterior hip forces, knee flexion angular velocity, knee extensor moments, and hip flexion and extension moments compared with NT and KT ( P = 0.001). There was no difference in hip or knee, kinematics or kinetics, between KT and NT ( P = 1.000). MT appears to influence hip and knee biomechanics during running in an asymptomatic sample, whereas KT appeared to be biomechanically not different from NT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzyme 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase (DAD) catalyses the conversion of 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and formic acid with the incorporation of molecular oxygen. Whilst the vast majority of dioxygenases cleave within the aromatic ring of the substrate, DAD is very unusual in that it is involved in C-C bond cleavage in a substituent of the aromatic ring. There is evidence that the enzyme is a homotetramer of 20.3 kDa subunits, each containing nonhaem iron, and its sequence suggests that it belongs to the cupin family of dioxygenases. In this paper, the first X-ray structure of a DAD enzyme from the Gram-negative bacterium Alcaligenes sp. 4HAP is reported, at a resolution of 2.2 Å. The structure establishes that the enzyme adopts a cupin fold, forming dimers with a pronounced hydrophobic interface between the monomers. The catalytic iron is coordinated by three histidine residues (76, 78 and 114) within a buried active-site cavity. The iron also appears to be tightly coordinated by an additional ligand which was putatively assigned as a carbonate dianion since this fits the electron density optimally, although it might also be the product formate. The modelled carbonate is located in a position which is highly likely to be occupied by the α-hydroxyketone group of the bound substrate during catalysis. Modelling of a substrate molecule in this position indicates that it will interact with many conserved amino acids in the predominantly hydrophobic active-site pocket where it undergoes peroxide radical-mediated heterolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enzyme 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone dioxygenase (or DAD) catalyses the conversion of 2,4′-dihydroxyacetophenone to 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and formic acid with the incorporation of molecular oxygen. Whilst the vast majority of dioxygenases cleave within the aromatic ring of the substrate, DAD is very unusual in that it is involved in C-C bond cleavage in a substituent of the aromatic ring. There is evidence that the enzyme is a homotetramer of 20.3 kDa subunits each containing nonhaem iron and its sequence suggests that it belongs to the cupin family of dioxygenases. By the use of limited chymotrypsinolysis, the DAD enzyme from Alcaligenes sp. 4HAP has been crystallized in a form that diffracts synchrotron radiation to a resolution of 2.2 Å. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine in a cross sectional study the influence of femoral torsion (FT) and passive hip external rotation (PER) on turnout (TO). Starting age, years of classical ballet training, and current and past dance training intensity were assessed to determine their influence on FT, PER, and TO in pre-professional female dancers. Methods: Sixty four dancers (mean (SD) age 18.16 (1.80) years) were recruited from four different dance training programmes. They completed a dance history questionnaire. FT was measured using a clinical method. PER was measured with the subjects prone, and TO was measured with the subjects standing. Results: Mean TO was 136°, mean unilateral PER was 49.4°, and mean FT was 18.4°. A positive correlation was observed between PER combined (PERC) and TO (r = 0.443, p<0.001). A negative association was found between FT combined (FTC) and PERC (r = -0.402, p = 0.001). No association was found between starting age or years of classical ballet training and FTC, PERC, or TO. Dancers who trained for six hours a week or more during the 11-14 year age range had less FT than those who trained less (mean difference 6°, 95% confidence interval 1 .4 to 10.3). Students currently training for longer had higher levels of TO (p<0.001) but comparable PERC and FTC. Conclusion: FT is significantly associated with PERC. Dancers who trained for six hours a week or more at 11-14 years of age had significantly less FT. FTC had a significant influence on PERC, but no influence on the execution of TO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the differences in hip external rotation (ER) strength and inner, outer, and total hip ER range of motion (ROM) between dancers and non-dancers and between left and right sides in each group. METHODS: Seventy one subjects (34 dancers and 37 non-dancers) volunteered for this study. The strength (truncated range average torque (TRAT), work, and angle specific torque (AST)) of the hip external rotator muscle group, through the full available active hip ER ROM, was evaluated using concentric isokinetic (30 degrees /s) testing on a KinCom dynamometer. Adjustment for lean body mass (LBM) was made for comparison of strength between groups. A two way repeated analysis of covariance was used to compare strength between groups. A two way repeated analysis of variance was used to compare strength between sides and ROM between groups and sides. Bonferroni correction was made for multiple analyses, and significance was accepted at p

Objectives: To evaluate the differences in hip external rotation (ER) strength and inner, outer, and total hip ER range of motion (ROM) between dancers and non-dancers and between left and right sides in each group. Methods: Seventy one subjects (34 dancers and 37 non-dancers) volunteered for this study. The strength (truncated range average torque (TRAT), work, and angle specific torque (AST)) of the hip external rotator muscle group, through the full available active hip ER ROM, was evaluated using concentric isokinetic (30°/s) testing on a KinCom dynamometer. Adjustment for lean body mass (LBM) was made for comparison of strength between groups. A Iwo way repeated analysis of covariance was used to compare strength between groups. A two way repeated analysis of variance was used to compare strength between sides and ROM between groups and sides. Bonferroni correction was made for multiple analyses, and significance was accepted at p ⩽ 0.05. Results: AST at 0°, 20°, 30°, and 40° of hip ER was greater in the dancers than the non-dancers (p ⩽ 0.022). TRAT, work, AST0°, AST20°, and AST30° of hip ER were all greater on the right side than the left (p = 0.007) in both groups. Dancers had greater inner ER ROM (p = 0.013) and less outer ER ROM than non-dancers (p⩽0.001). There was no difference in total ER ROM between groups (p = 0.133). The right side had greater inner ER (p⩽O.OO1) and total ER ROM(p⩽0.001) than the left in both groups. Conclusions: Ballet dancers have greater inner range, angle specific strength and inner range ER ROM, demonstrated by a shift in the dancers' strength curves. This shift in the strength curve towards the inner range of hip ER may be an adaptive training response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a 21-year-old male with severe haemophilia A and a FVIII inhibitor. It describes the bilateral upper limb compartment syndrome induced by strenuous exercise in a patient with haemophilia A and a low titre inhibitor. The case highlights the importance of clinical intervention for patients with haemophilia who develop significant musculoskeletal complications and identifies the risk of non-traumatic compartment syndrome in persons with haemophilia.

Albino rats immunized with sonicated microfilaria! antigen incorporated in Freund's complete adjuvant, produce antibodies that promote cell-mediated adhesion and killing of Litomosoides carinii microfilariae in vitro. Using highly purified cell populations, it has been shown that macrophage's and neutrophils are mos active in this phenomenon. Eosinophils. while adhering readily Eo parasites in the presence of the antibody, did not affect the viability of the parasites when observed after 24 hr incubation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]