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Despite various research approaches,there is still conflicting evidence as to the worthiness of injury prediction tools in football. This study was aiming at investigating correlations between injuries of amateur male football players and the results of a Functional Movement Screen (FMS). Using an observational design, ten amateur teams of the fifth and sixth division (Deutscher Fuball-Bund) were examined by means of FMS scores prior to a tenweek off- and main- season observation period (July to September 2013). The assessment included injuries and football exposure times during training and competition. Injury was defined as concerning the lower limb, and as non-contact with time loss of at least three days. After a drop-out of 56% (125 out of 221), 96 players could be analysed. We calculated a total exposure time of 1.770 hours (competition 289 h, training 1,481 h). We observed 10 injury incidents concerning 8 players, occurring exclusively during training. The according incidence was 6.8 injuries per 1.000 training hours. There were no significantdifferences between injured and uninjured players neither for any FMS item nor for the total score except for the hurdle step (Z=-2.059; p=0.040). Only the ratings for the hurdle step task and the injury state were correlated significantly (rpbis=0.209; p=0.041). Even if taking into account some experimental limitations, we conclude that the FMS does not allow a valid injury prediction in the field of amateur male football players.KEY WORDS: Football, Functional Movement Screen, Injury Prediction

This paper intends to give an umbrella overview of both low back pain (LBP) management in the general population focusing on exercise therapy and specific recommendations for LBP in athletes. We have included systematic reviews and international guidelines starting from the year 2000. Among all the varying concepts, advice to stay active was most evidentlybeneficial for chronic LBP patients in general. There was strong evidencethat unspecific exercise therapy was not more effective than cognitive-behavioral concepts, and also that specific back exercises should not be advised for chronic unspecific LBP.Individually tailored and supervised exercise programs were more effective, but in general there were no differences in the efficacy of differing types of specific exercise concepts; and even classification within the pool of heterogeneous LBP syndromes and a consecutively specified exercise management did not lead to conclusive LBP management solutions. It may be proposed that future research should focus more on the problem of chronic pain in general than on unspecific back pain.For athletes,the literature mirrors an understanding of LBP, which is specific according to sports-specific demands on the back rather than on LBP which is chronic and of unknown origin. Evidence-based guideline recommendations for the management of LBP and exercises in athletes are still lacking, or merely suggested. So far, athletes suffering from chronic unspecific LBP are treated like the general population.KEY WORDS: Low Back Pain, Exercise Therapy, General Population, Athletes, Umbrella Review

Fluorescent staining using optical brighteners (diaminostilbenes) affords the semispecific and rapid detection of fungal elements in clinical specimens. After yielding a first hint of mycosis, the identification of the involved fungal genus is often desirable in cases when culture proves unsuccessful. In such cases, immunohistochemistry or in situ hybridisation may further the diagnosis with respect to establish an appropriate therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 60 patients with acute myocardial infarction (pain < or = 4 h), we examined the value of ST segment monitoring in predicting early reperfusion, resulting left ventricular damage, and complications during hospitalization. Two criteria were determined by observation of the ST segment elevation during the first 4 h following initiation of thrombolysis. Early reperfusion was assessed by an early increase of the creatine phosphokinase (CK) with measurements taken in 15-min intervals. Cardiac catheterization was performed on days 11 +/- 5. According to the CK measurements, a reduction of the ST elevation > or = 50% within 1 h of serial ECG follow-up (ST criterion A) was the best indicator of early reperfusion (sensitivity 84%, specificity 80%, positive predictive value 93%, negative predictive value 67%). Simple comparison of the ST segment in the initial ECG and an ECG recorded 3 h later (ST criterion B) was less accurate according to the detection of early reperfusion (sensitivity 68%, specitivity 93%, positive predictive value 97%, negative predictive value 50%). However, contrary to ST criterion A, criterion B was useful in predicting subsequent left ventricular damage. Patients with a resolution of the initial ST elevation > or = 70%/3 h showed smaller regional wall motion abnormalities (dyssynergic area 21.3 +/- 20.3 vs 33.8 +/- 18.4, p < 0.01) and a better left ventricular ejection fraction (57.7 +/- 11.6 vs 50.2 +/- 12.6, p < 0.05). Patients with early reduction of the ST elevation following either criterion experienced fewer critical events (reinfarction, reischemia, death). In conclusion, the investigated criteria are useful in assessing reperfusion of the infarcted artery following thrombolysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Assessing disease activity in SLE is often difficult due to the multiple organ systems involved. Three recent disease activity indices (SLAM, BILAG, and SLEDAI) are being increasingly used. Retrospective investigations comparing these indices have not been performed. We compared SLAM, BILAG, and SLEDAI in a retrospective study of 52 patients with SLE. SLAM and BILAG were found to correlate well with one another and with clinicians' evaluations of disease activity (as measured by intensity of immunosuppressive treatment). They correlated less well or insignificantly with laboratory parameters (ESR, anti-ds-DNA-antibodies). If practicability is also considered, SLAM, in particular, appears to be suitable for retrospective evaluation of disease activity in SLE.

11 patients with severe SLE were treated with plasmapheresis and subsequent pulse cyclophosphamide. In all patients rapid improvement was observed. After another 6 months of immunosuppression any treatment was withdrawn. The remissions remained stable in 6/8 patients during the follow-up period of 7-33 (mean: 21) months.