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Vaughan P Nicholson, Mark R McKean, Brendan J Burkett School of Health and Sport Sciences, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD, Australia Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of BodyBalance® training on balance, functional task performance, fear of falling, and health-related quality of life in adults aged over 55 years.Participants and methods: A total of 28 healthy, active adults aged 66±5 years completed the randomized controlled trial. Balance, functional task performance, fear of falling, and self-reported quality of life were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Participants either undertook two sessions of BodyBalance per week for 12 weeks (n=15) or continued with their normal activities (n=13).Results: Significant group-by-time interactions were found for the timed up and go (P=0.038), 30-second chair stand (P=0.037), and mediolateral center-of-pressure range in narrow stance with eyes closed (P=0.017). There were no significant effects on fear of falling or self-reported quality of life.Conclusion: Twelve weeks of BodyBalance training is effective at improving certain balance and functional based tasks in healthy older adults. Keywords: postural control, yoga, tai chi, center of pressure, exercise

The gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPr) has gained recognition as a promising target for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications in a variety of human cancers. This study aims to explore the primary tumor detection capabilities of [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging, specifically in newly diagnosed intra-prostatic prostate cancer lesions (PCa). Following PRISMA-DTA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies) guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted using the Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Data regarding patient characteristics and imaging procedure details-including the type of radiotracer used, administered activity, image acquisition time, scanner modality, criteria, and detection rate of index test-were extracted from the included studies. The pooled patient-and lesion-based detection rates, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI), were calculated using a random effects model. The final analysis included 9 studies involving 291 patients and 350 intra-prostatic lesions with [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging in primary PCa. In per-patient-based analysis of [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging, the pooled detection rates of overall and patients with Gleason score ≥ 7 were 87.09% (95% CI 74.98-93.82) and 89.01% (95% CI 68.17-96.84), respectively. In per-lesion-based analysis, the pooled detection rate [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging was 78.54% (95% CI 69.8-85.29). The pooled detection rate mpMRI (multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging) in patient-based analysis was 91.85% (95% CI 80.12-96.92). The difference between the detection rates of the mpMRI and [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging was not statistically significant (OR 0.90, 95% CI 0.23-3.51). Our findings suggest that [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET imaging has the potential as a diagnostic target for primary PCa. Future research is needed to determine the effectiveness of [ 68 Ga] Ga-GRPr PET in delivering additional imaging data and guiding therapeutic decisions., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to The Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine.)

Background: The main objective is to discuss why treatment of non-prostate cancers with [ 177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-radioligand achieved only low tumor dose in most published cases, despite high uptake on PSMA PET. We use a patient with renal cell carcinoma as an illustrative example. Furthermore, we discuss how the problem with early washout and low tumor dose might be overcome by using a radionuclide with shorter half-life, matching the target binding residence time., Case Presentation: [ 68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT of a 56-year old man with metastatic renal cell carcinoma showed high lesion uptake. One dose of 6.9 GBq [ 177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T was administrated. Post-therapy dosimetry was performed with SPECT/CT and whole-body planar imaging after 5, 24 and 48 h. Doses to target lesions were only 0.2-0.5 Gy. No treatment effect was achieved., Conclusion: Rapid tumor washout of [ 177 Lu]Lu-PSMA-I&T and low tumor dose despite high uptake of [ 68 Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 are most likely caused by localization of PSMA-receptors on neovasculature rather than on the tumor cells, and unlike in prostate cancer cells, the PSMA-RL / PSMA-receptor complex is not internalized. To overcome the problem with early washout, the use of a radionuclide with shorter half-life matching the target binding residence time will be needed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Treatment with 177 Lu-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-617 ( 177 Lu-vipivotide tetraxetan [Pluvicto]) prolongs both progression-free and overall survival in advanced PSMA-positive metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Data examining specifically neurologic symptoms after 177 Lu-PSMA-617 treatment are scarce. In this study, we aimed to review the neurologic findings in a large cohort of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients undergoing 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. Methods: The clinical records and imaging data of patients who received their initial dose of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 between March 2022 and November 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients presenting for medical evaluation, regardless of specific specialty appointments, with new or worsening neurologic symptoms were included in the study. Results: A total of 185 patients underwent 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. The median age was 70 y (range, 58-90 y). The mean follow-up time was 12.04 ± 2.87 mo. Fifty-five new or worsening neurologic symptoms were observed in 50 patients (27%, 50/185). Of these, 27 (11.9%, 27/185) reported altered taste. Eleven patients (6%, 11/185) experienced dizziness with no other clear etiology; 2 of these patients were admitted to the emergency department (ED). Paresthesia symptoms were reported in 6 patients (3.2%, 6/185). Five patients (2.7%, 5/185) reported headaches, 3 of these patients were admitted to the ED because of the severity of the symptoms. Two patients (1.08%, 2/185) presented with extremity weakness. Two patients (1.08%, 2/185) had an ischemic stroke and were admitted to the ED. One patient (0.05%, 1/185) exhibited gait disturbances. In total, 7 patients (3.78%, 7/185) were admitted to the ED because of neurologic symptoms. None of the patients discontinued or failed to complete the 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy because of neurologic symptoms. Conclusion: After 177 Lu-PSMA-617 treatment, the most common neurologic symptoms were dysgeusia and dizziness. In this study, our follow-up period and population size might not have been sufficient to detect delayed or uncommon neurologic symptoms. In patients without neurologic symptoms or central nervous system metastases before treatment, we found the development of severe neurologic problems to be rare and unlikely to require discontinuation of treatment., (© 2024 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.)

Background: Many patients use artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots as a rapid source of health information. This raises important questions about the reliability and effectiveness of AI chatbots in delivering accurate and understandable information., Purpose: To evaluate and compare the accuracy, conciseness, and readability of responses from OpenAI ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard to patient inquiries concerning the novel 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy for prostate cancer., Materials and Methods: Two experts listed the 12 most commonly asked questions by patients on 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. These twelve questions were prompted to OpenAI ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard. AI-generated responses were distributed using an online survey platform (Qualtrics) and blindly rated by eight experts. The performances of the AI chatbots were evaluated and compared across three domains: accuracy, conciseness, and readability. Additionally, potential safety concerns associated with AI-generated answers were also examined. The Mann-Whitney U and chi-square tests were utilized to compare the performances of AI chatbots., Results: Eight experts participated in the survey, evaluating 12 AI-generated responses across the three domains of accuracy, conciseness, and readability, resulting in 96 assessments (12 responses x 8 experts) for each domain per chatbot. ChatGPT-4 provided more accurate answers than Bard (2.95 ± 0.671 vs 2.73 ± 0.732, p =0.027). Bard's responses had better readability than ChatGPT-4 (2.79 ± 0.408 vs 2.94 ± 0.243, p =0.003). Both ChatGPT-4 and Bard achieved comparable conciseness scores (3.14 ± 0.659 vs 3.11 ± 0.679, p =0.798). Experts categorized the AI-generated responses as incorrect or partially correct at a rate of 16.6% for ChatGPT-4 and 29.1% for Bard. Bard's answers contained significantly more misleading information than those of ChatGPT-4 ( p = 0.039)., Conclusion: AI chatbots have gained significant attention, and their performance is continuously improving. Nonetheless, these technologies still need further improvements to be considered reliable and credible sources for patients seeking medical information on 177 Lu-PSMA-617 therapy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Belge Bilgin, Bilgin, Childs, Orme, Burkett, Packard, Johnson, Thorpe, Riaz, Halfdanarson, Johnson, Sartor and Kendi.)

Antiamyloid therapies for Alzheimer disease recently entered clinical practice, making imaging biomarkers for Alzheimer disease even more relevant to guiding patient management. Amyloid and tau PET are valuable tools that can provide objective evidence of Alzheimer pathophysiology in living patients and will increasingly be used to complement 18 F-FDG PET in the diagnostic evaluation of cognitive impairment and dementia. Parkinsonian syndromes, also common causes of dementia, can likewise be evaluated with a PET imaging biomarker, 18 F-DOPA, allowing in vivo assessment of the presynaptic dopaminergic neurons. Understanding the role of these PET biomarkers will help the nuclear medicine physician contribute to the appropriate diagnosis and management of patients with cognitive impairment and dementia. To successfully evaluate brain PET examinations for neurodegenerative diseases, knowledge of the necessary protocol details for obtaining a reliable imaging study, inherent limitations for each PET radiopharmaceutical, and pitfalls in image interpretation is critical. This review will focus on underlying concepts for interpreting PET examinations, important procedural details, and guidance for avoiding potential interpretive pitfalls for amyloid, tau, and dopaminergic PET examinations., (© 2024 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.)

The field of theranostics is rapidly advancing, driven by the goals of enhancing patient care. Recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) and its innovative theranostic applications have marked a critical step forward in nuclear medicine, leading to a significant paradigm shift in precision oncology. For instance, AI-assisted tumor characterization, including automated image interpretation, tumor segmentation, feature identification, and prediction of high-risk lesions, improves diagnostic processes, offering a precise and detailed evaluation. With a comprehensive assessment tailored to an individual's unique clinical profile, AI algorithms promise to enhance patient risk classification, thereby benefiting the alignment of patient needs with the most appropriate treatment plans. By uncovering potential factors unseeable to the human eye, such as intrinsic variations in tumor radiosensitivity or molecular profile, AI software has the potential to revolutionize the prediction of response heterogeneity. For accurate and efficient dosimetry calculations, AI technology offers significant advantages by providing customized phantoms and streamlining complex mathematical algorithms, making personalized dosimetry feasible and accessible in busy clinical settings. AI tools have the potential to be leveraged to predict and mitigate treatment-related adverse events, allowing early interventions. Additionally, generative AI can be utilized to find new targets for developing novel radiopharmaceuticals and facilitate drug discovery. However, while there is immense potential and notable interest in the role of AI in theranostics, these technologies do not lack limitations and challenges. There remains still much to be explored and understood. In this study, we investigate the current applications of AI in theranostics and seek to broaden the horizons for future research and innovation., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease leading to progressive motor degeneration and ultimately death. It is a complex disease that can take a significantly long time to be diagnosed, as other similar pathological conditions must be ruled out for a definite diagnosis of ALS. Noninvasive imaging of ALS has shed light on disease pathology and altered biochemistry in the ALS brain. Other than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), two types of functional imaging, positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), have provided valuable data about what happens in the brain of ALS patients compared to healthy controls. PET imaging has revealed a specific pattern of brain metabolism through [ 18 F]FDG, while other radiotracers have uncovered neuroinflammation, changes in neuronal density, and protein aggregation. SPECT imaging has shown a general decrease in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in ALS patients. This educational review summarizes the current state of ALS imaging with various PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals to better understand the pathophysiology of ALS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Ayaan M. Jamali et al.)

Theranostics is the combination of two approaches-diagnostics and therapeutics-applied for decades in cancer imaging using radiopharmaceuticals or paired radiopharmaceuticals to image and selectively treat various cancers. The clinical use of theranostics has increased in recent years, with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of lutetium 177 ( 177 Lu) tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid octreotate (DOTATATE) and 177 Lu-prostate-specific membrane antigen vector-based radionuclide therapies. The field of theranostics has imminent potential for emerging clinical applications. This article reviews critical areas of active clinical advancement in theranostics, including forthcoming clinical trials advancing FDA-approved and emerging radiopharmaceuticals, approaches to dosimetry calculations, imaging of different radionuclide therapies, expanded indications for currently used theranostic agents to treat a broader array of cancers, and emerging ideas in the field. Keywords: Molecular Imaging, Molecular Imaging-Cancer, Molecular Imaging-Clinical Translation, Molecular Imaging-Target Development, PET/CT, SPECT/CT, Radionuclide Therapy, Dosimetry, Oncology, Radiobiology © RSNA, 2023.

In tau PET, a reliable method to detect early tau accumulation in the brain is crucial. Noise, artifacts, and off-target uptake impede detection of subtle true-positive ligand binding. We hypothesize that identifying voxels with stable activity over time can enhance detection of true-positive tau. Methods: In total, 339 participants in the clinical spectrum ranging from clinically unimpaired to Alzheimer disease dementia underwent at least 2 serial tau PET scans with flortaucipir. The overlap index (OI) method was proposed to detect spatially identical, voxelwise SUV ratio (SUVR) elevation when seen sequentially in serial tau PET scans. The association of OI with tau accumulation, clinical diagnosis, and cognitive findings was evaluated. Results: OI showed good dynamic range in the low-SUVR window. Only OI was able to identify subgroups with increasing tau PET signal in low-SUVR meta-region-of-interest (ROI) groups. OI showed improved association with early clinical disease progression and cognitive scores versus meta-ROI SUVR measures. Conclusion: OI was more sensitive to tau signal elevation and longitudinal change than standard ROI measures, suggesting it is a more sensitive method for detecting early, subtle deposition of neurofibrillary tangles., (© 2022 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.)

Background: In swimming, the period between the end of the swimming warmup and the beginning of competition is critical to performance, here termed the transition phase. Several options are available during this phase, necessitating a systematic review to understand if optimal strategies exist., Objectives: To synthesise and critically evaluate the current literature investigating land-based warmup interventions on subsequent performance in competitive swimmers., Methods: A search of three electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCO SPORTDiscus and Web of Science) was conducted to identify original studies until February 2022. Selection criteria dictated that (i) a control condition was used, (ii) participants were ≥ 15 years of age, (iii) a pool-based warmup was done prior to the land-based warmup. A total of 25 articles met the selection criteria., Results: Reducing the transition phase duration by at least half led to consistently faster time-trial times of between 1.1-1.5% for all included studies. Passive warmups using clothing interventions resulted in mostly faster time-trial's of 0.4-0.8% with increases in skin temperature frequent, though little change occurred in core temperature. The methodology of passive respiratory warmups were vastly different with positive time-trial's effects ranging between 0.9-1.1% for two studies, though one reported no meaningful difference. Active warmups led to consistently faster time-trial's between 0.7-0.9%, though the unpinning factors are not clear. Warmups which combined passive and active options frequently led to faster time-trial's between 0.8-3%. Upper and combined limb post-activation performance enhancement led to mostly unfavourable time-trial changes. Lower limb exclusive protocols results were inconsistent, with limited beneficial effects on time-trial or start performance reported following plyometric protocols. However, there does appear merit in heavier loaded lower limb protocols., Conclusion: Each of a reduced transition phase length, and passive, active or combination warmup have demonstrated improvements in swimming performance. Conversely, PAPE protocols should be used with caution, especially when including the upper limbs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Lutetium 177 ( 177 Lu) DOTA-0-Tyr3-Octreotate (DOTATATE) peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) is an effective treatment for advanced gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. This review presents a clinical practice workflow that has been successful since 177 Lu DOTATATE PRRT was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The workflow relies heavily on the input of a multidisciplinary team and involves a nuclear medicine consultation service, tumor board, and specific preparations in advance of therapy and day-of-therapy procedures. A systematic checklist designed to ensure appropriate selection of treatment candidates and identification of any concerns to address to safely administer PRRT is provided. All patients were evaluated with gallium 68 DOTATATE PET/CT, and in cases of high-grade tumors, they were also evaluated with fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT, with imaging findings reviewed as part of the systematic checklist before PRRT. Adverse effects are discussed and imaging follow-up regimens are reviewed, including alternative diagnostic contrast materials. Approaches to multiple challenging patient scenarios are illustrated through case examples. Finally, alternative theranostic radionuclides and treatment strategies are discussed., (© RSNA, 2020.)

Introduction: This study examines the utility of electroencephalography (EEG) in clinical decision making in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients in regards to the prescription of antiseizure medications., Methods: Patients were grouped as having positive EEG (+) for epileptiform activity or negative EEG (-). These studies were no more than 30 minutes in length. Patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed for antiepileptic drug (AED) use before, during, and on discharge from AIS hospitalization., Results: Of the 509 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 24 (4.7%) had a positive EEG. Patients did not significantly differ with respect to any demographic or baseline characteristics with the exception of prior history of seizure. In the EEG- group, AEDs were discontinued in only 3.5% of patients. In the EEG+ group, only 37.5% of patients had an initiation or change to their AED regimen within 36 hours of the study. 62.5% of the EEG+ group had a cortical stroke. Significance . Our results indicate that vascular neurologists are not using spot EEGs to routinely guide inpatient AED management. EEGs may have greater utility in those with a prior history of seizures and cortical strokes. Longer or continuous EEG monitoring may have better utility in the AIS population if there is clinical suspicion of seizure., Competing Interests: None of the authors has any conflict of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Rahul Rao et al.)

Background: The presence of pain during movement typically results in changes in technique. However, the physical properties of water, such as flotation, means that water-based exercise may not only reduce compensatory movement patterns but also allow pain sufferers to complete exercises that they are unable to perform on land. The purpose of this study was to assess bilateral kinematics during double-leg squats and single-leg squats on land and in water in individuals with unilateral anterior knee pain. A secondary aim was to quantify bilateral asymmetry in both environments in affected and unaffected individuals using a symmetry index., Methods: Twenty individuals with unilateral knee pain and twenty healthy, matched controls performed body weight double- and single-leg squats in both environments while inertial sensors (100 Hz) recorded trunk and lower body kinematics. Repeated-measures statistics tested for environmental effects on movement depths and peak angles within the anterior knee pain group. Differences in their inter-limb symmetry in each environments was compared to the control group using analysis of variance tests., Results: Water immersion allowed for greater movement depths during both exercises (double-leg squat: +7 cm, p  = 0.032, single-leg squat: +9 cm, p  = 0.002) for the knee pain group. The double-leg squat was symmetrical on land but water immersion revealed asymmetries in the lower body frontal plane movements. The single-leg squat revealed decreased hip flexion and frontal plane shank motions on the affected limb in both environments. Water immersion also affected the degree of lower limb asymmetry in both groups, with differences also showing between groups., Conclusions: Individuals with anterior knee pain achieved increased squat depth during both exercises whilst in water. Kinematic differences between the affected and unaffected limbs were often increased in water. Individuals with unilateral anterior knee pain appear to utilise different kinematics in the affected and unaffected limb in both environments., Competing Interests: This project was conducted in accordance to the approval by the Human Ethics Research Committee at the University of the Sunshine Coast, which approved the research protocol and data collection instruments (S/15/742). All participants signed a written informed consent prior to any data collection.A signed consent form was provided for the publication of Fig. 1.The authors declare no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Aquatic exercises can be used in clinical and sporting disciplines for both rehabilitation and sports training. However, there is limited knowledge on the influence of water immersion on the kinematics of exercises commonly used in rehabilitation and fitness programs. The aim of this study was to use inertial sensors to quantify differences in kinematics and movement variability of bodyweight squats, split squats, and single-leg squats performed on dry land and whilst immersed to the level of the greater trochanter. During two separate testing sessions, 25 active healthy university students (22.3±2.9 yr.) performed ten repetitions of each exercise, whilst tri-axial inertial sensors (100 Hz) recorded their trunk and lower body kinematics. Repeated-measures statistics tested for differences in segment orientation and speed, movement variability, and waveform patterns between environments, while coefficient of variance was used to assess differences in movement variability. Between-environment differences in segment orientation and speed were portrayed by plotting the mean difference ±95% confidence intervals (CI) throughout the tasks. The results showed that the depth of the squat and split squat were unaffected by the changed environment while water immersion allowed for a deeper single leg squat. The different environments had significant effects on the sagittal plane orientations and speeds for all segments. Water immersion increased the degree of movement variability of the segments in all exercises, except for the shank in the frontal plane, which showed more variability on land. Without compromising movement depth, the aquatic environment induces more upright trunk and shank postures during squats and split squats. The aquatic environment allows for increased squat depth during the single-leg squat, and increased shank motions in the frontal plane. Our observations therefore support the use of water-based squat tasks for rehabilitation as they appear to improve the technique without compromising movement depth.

Breast density has been shown to be a strong, independent risk factor for breast cancer. Unfortunately, mammography is less accurate on dense breast tissue compared to fattier breast tissue. Multiple studies suggest a solution to this by demonstrating the ability of supplemental screening ultrasound to detect additional malignant lesions in women with dense breast tissue but negative mammography. In particular, supplemental screening ultrasound may be beneficial to women with dense breast tissue and intermediate or average risk for breast cancer, women in specific ethnic populations with greater prevalence of dense breast tissue, and women living in resource-poor healthcare environments. Although magnetic resonance imaging is currently recommended for women with high risk for breast cancer, not all women can access or tolerate a magnetic resonance imaging examination. Notably, ultrasound does not require intravenous gadolinium and may be an alternative for women with socioeconomic or medical restrictions, which limit their access to magnetic resonance imaging. Limitations of supplemental screening ultrasound include a substantial rate of false-positives, increased cost, and limited resource availability, particularly in regard to the time required for image interpretation. Additional clinical experience with this application of ultrasound, improved patient selection criteria, and new technology, such as the promising results seen with automated whole breast ultrasound, may address these limitations. In light of recent legislation in some states that has called for discussing supplemental imaging with patients who have dense breast tissue, the optimal role for supplemental screening ultrasound merits further exploration., (Copyright © 2016 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

An MRI of the brain and spine of an 11-year-old male revealed the following abnormality which is consistent with his chronic condition.

This study determined the physical fitness, match-activity profiles and physiological responses of representative tag football players and examined the relationship between physical fitness and the match-activity profile. Microtechnology devices and heart rate (HR) chest straps were used to determine the match-activity profiles of sixteen tag football players for five matches during the 2014 Australian National Championships. The relationships between lower body muscular power, straight line running speed and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 2 (Yo-Yo IR2) and the match-activity profile were examined using Pearson's correlation coefficients. Outside players had greater lower body muscular power (ES = 0.98) and straight line running speed (ES = 1.03-1.18) than inside players, and also covered greater very high-speed running (VHSR) distance/min (ES = 0.67) and reached higher peak running speeds (ES = 0.95) during matches. Inside and outside players performed a similar number of repeated high-intensity effort (RHIE) bouts and reported similar mean and maximum efforts per RHIE bout. However, there were differences between playing positions for mean and maximal RHIE effort durations (ES = 0.69-1.15) and mean RHIE bout recovery (ES = 0.56). Inside and outside players also reported small to moderate differences (ES = 0.43-0.80) for times spent in each HR zone. There were a number of moderate to very large correlations between physical fitness measures and match-activity profile variables. This study found lower body muscular power, straight line running speed and Yo-Yo IR2 to be related to the match-activities of representative tag football players, although differences between inside and outside players suggest that athlete testing and training practices should be modified for different playing positions.

The purpose of this study was to: a) identify changes in jump height and perceived well-being as indirect markers of fatigue, b) determine the internal and external workloads performed by players, and c) examine the influence of Yo-Yo IR2 on changes in jump height, perceived well-being and internal and external workloads during a tag football tournament. Microtechnology devices combined with heart rate (HR) chest straps provided external and internal measures of match work-rate and workload for twelve male tag football players during the 2014 Australian National Championships. Jump height and perceived well-being were assessed prior to and during the tournament as indirect measures of fatigue. Changes in work-rate, workload and fatigue measures between high- and low-fitness groups were examined based on players' Yo-Yo IR2 score using a median split technique. The low- and high-fitness groups reported similar mean HR, PlayerloadTM/min, and distance/min for matches, however the low-fitness group reported higher perceived match-intensities (ES = 0.90-1.35) for several matches. Further, the high-fitness group reported higher measures of tournament workload, including distance (ES = 0.71), PlayerloadTM (ES = 0.85) and Edwards' training impulse (TRIMP) (ES = 1.23) than the low-fitness group. High- and low-fitness groups both showed large decreases (ES = 1.46-1.49) in perceived well-being during the tournament, although jump height did not decrease below pre-tournament values. Increased Yo-Yo IR2 appears to offer a protective effect against player fatigue despite increased workloads during a tag football tournament. It is vital that training programs adequately prepare tag football players for tournament competition to maximise performance and minimise player fatigue.

Memory acquisition and synaptic plasticity are accompanied by changes in the intrinsic excitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons. These activity-dependent changes in excitability are mediated by modulation of intrinsic currents which alters the responsiveness of the cell to synaptic inputs. The afterhyperpolarization (AHP), a major contributor to the regulation of neuronal excitability, is reduced in animals that have acquired several types of hippocampus-dependent memory tasks and also following synaptic potentiation by high frequency stimulation. BK channels underlie the fast AHP and contribute to spike repolarization, and this AHP is reduced in animals that successfully acquired trace-eyeblink conditioning. This suggests that BK channel function is activity-dependent, but the mechanisms are unknown. In this study, we found that blockade of BK channels with paxilline (10 μM) decreased I AHP amplitude and increased spike half-width and instantaneous frequency in response to a +100 pA depolarization. In addition, induction of long term potentiation (LTP) by theta burst stimulation (TBS) in CA1 pyramidal neurons reduced BK channel's contribution to I AHP, spike repolarization, and instantaneous frequency. This result indicates that BK channel activity is decreased following synaptic potentiation. Interestingly, blockade of mammalian target of rapamycin (MTORC1) with rapamycin (400 nM) following synaptic potentiation restored BK channel function, suggesting a role for protein translation in signaling events which decreased postsynaptic BK channel activity following synaptic potentiation.

Current judging of race walking in international competitions relies on subjective human observation to detect illegal gait, which naturally has inherent problems. Incorrect judging decisions may devastate an athlete and possibly discredit the international governing body. The aim of this study was to determine whether an inertial sensor could improve accuracy, monitor every step the athlete makes in training and/or competition. Seven nationally competitive race walkers performed a series of legal, illegal and self-selected pace races. During testing, athletes wore a single inertial sensor (100 Hz) placed at S1 of the vertebra and were simultaneously filmed using a high-speed camera (125 Hz). Of the 80 steps analyzed the high-speed camera identified 57 as illegal, the inertial sensor misidentified four of these measures (all four missed illegal steps had 0.008 s of loss of ground contact) which is considerably less than the best possible human observation of 0.06 s. Inertial sensor comparison to the camera found the typical error of estimate was 0.02 s (95% confidence limits 0.01-0.02), with a bias of 0.02 (±0.01). An inertial sensor can thus objectively improve the accuracy in detecting illegal steps (loss of ground contact) and, along with the ability to monitor every step of the athlete, could be a valuable tool to assist judges during race walk events.

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels were measured in 198 cord blood samples from 192 apparently normal pregnancies from 24 weeks of gestation to term. Simple linear regression analysis yielded a standard curve for IgM development during pregnancy showing a 0.5 mg/dl increase in IgM per week of gestation. This curve allows the comparison of fetal IgM levels from pregnancies considered to be at risk for intrauterine infection.