Search

Background: Sport has high social valence and is a primary context for physical activity for the majority of youth. The aim of this study was to estimate the contribution of participation in organized sport to the total daily energy expenditure and also to its moderate-to-vigorous portion in male adolescents. Methods: The sample comprised 165 Portuguese male youth, aged 13 to 16 years. Physical activity was assessed with a multi- method approach (Actigraph GT1M accelerometer plus 3-day diary record). Differences in the intensities of physical activity and sedentary behavior of male sport participants and nonsport participants were compared using independent sample t-test. Results: Male participants in organized sports spent significantly more time in moderate-to-vigorous activities than nonparticipants, although the P-value for the 15 to 16 years age-group was marginal (P = .08) on the weekend days. In addition, male adolescents spent 11% to 13% of total daily energy expenditure in organized sports which corresponded to 35% to 42% of the moderate-to-vigorous portion of daily energy expenditure. Conclusion: Organized sport appears to be a relevant component of daily activity energy expenditure to promote healthy lifestyles among male adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using 95% limits of agreement (LOA), this study examined the reproducibility of indices of isokinetic leg strength in pubertal soccer players. Following familiarization, 23 boys performed isokinetic assessments of the knee joint muscles at 1.08, 2.16, and 4.32 rad/s during concentric exercise and at 2.16 rad/s during eccentric actions on two separate occasions. Peak torque values were recorded and reciprocal and bilateral muscle group ratios were calculated. As random error was heteroscedastic, 95% ratio LOA were employed. Systematic bias for the various measurements ranged from 0.97 to 1.07 for all data. Random variation associated with eccentric assessments of the hamstrings, concentric H:Q ratio calculated at 1.08 rad/s, and HECC:QCON ratios appeared narrow enough to be of practical use (×/÷ 1.05 to 1.20). Random errors associated with H:Q ratios calculated at high concentric velocities (4.32 rad/s) and during eccentric exercise (×/÷ 1.10 to1.37), and in all bilateral muscle group ratios (×/÷ 1.15 to 1.43) were too broad, rendering them prone to misinterpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the influence of sexual maturity on peak VO2 and blood lactate responses to exercise using serum testosterone levels as an objective measure of maturity. Testosterone levels were determined in venous blood samples obtained from 12- to 16-year-old males (n =50). Peak VO2 and percentage of peak VO2 at blood lactate levels of 2.5 and 4.0 mmol·L-1 were determined during incremental treadmill running. Standard multiple regression revealed that body mass, age, and height explained 74% of the variance in peak VO2 scores. The addition of serum testosterone to the equation failed to produce a significant increase in the explained variance. Correlation coefficients between testosterone and the lactate variables were not significant (p > .05). These findings do not support the hypothesis that hormonal changes per se during sexual maturation play an important role in the development of peak VO2 and blood lactate responses to exercise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of oral presentations presented at the Third Annual International Conference of the North American Society of Pediatric Exercise Medicine. The conference was held on September 15-18, 1988, in Washington, D.C. The focus of the presentations is research and study in the field of exercise science and physical fitness for children. Topics featured in the abstracts include cardiac output response in exercise after congenital heart disease treatment, strength measured in lean and obese adolescent males, and weight fluxuations among high school wrestlers.

The extent of individual differences in relative endurance and physiological response was examined in adolescent boys (n=22) and compared to data of prepubescent boys (n=21) and adult men (n=21). Subjects performed two (test and retest) relative endurance cycle ergometer tests at an initial rate of 105% VO2 max, which they attempted to maintain for 8 minutes. Relative endurance performance was defined as the revolutions for each minute of the test (RPM). There were no differences among groups for the total revolutions turned or the total percent dropoff from the initial rate. All groups had similar patterns for consistency of RPM except for Minute 3. The prepubescent boys exhibited the greatest within-individual variation (St) for HR, especially after Minute 4 (p<.05). On the average, a greater proportion of the total variability in HR was due to Si in comparison to true individual differences (Si) for the prepubescents (47%) than either the adolescents (13%) or the adults (11%). The adolescents had the lowest proportion of total variability in VO2 due to Si (adolescents 9%, adults 16%, prepubescents 26%). The data support an earlier hypothesis of a threshold age effect on the stability of individual differences for physiological response during relative endurance exercise. A change may occur during adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watching television or listening to music while exercising can serve as motivating factors, making it more pleasant to exercise for some people. However, it is unknown whether these stimuli influence food intake and/or physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) for the remainder of the day, potentially impacting energy balance and weight control. We examined the effects of watching television or listening to music while exercising on post-exercise energy intake and expenditure. Our study was a randomized crossover design, in which 24 male adolescents (mean age: 14.9 ± 1.1 years) completed three 30-min experimental conditions consisting of walking/jogging on a treadmill at 60% of heart rate reserve while (1) watching television; (2) listening to music; or (3) exercising with no other stimulus (control). An ad libitum lunch was offered immediately after the experimental conditions, and a dietary record was used to assess food intake for the remainder of the day. An Actical accelerometer was used to estimate PAEE until bedtime. The primary outcome measure was post-exercise energy intake and expenditure (kJ). We found that exercising while watching television or listening to music did not significantly affect post-exercise energy intake or energy expenditure. Exercising on a treadmill was found to be significantly more enjoyable while watching television than with no stimulus present. Ratings of perceived exertion were not significantly different between conditions. Overall, our results suggest that watching television or listening to music while exercising does not impact post-exercise energy intake or expenditure in male adolescents, which may have positive implications for adolescents who may need additional motivation to participate in physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-report measures of physical activity (PA) are easy to use and popular but their reliability is often questioned. Therefore, the general aim of the present study was to investigate the association of PA questionnaires with accelerometer derived PA, in a sample of adolescent boys. In total, 191 pubertal boys (mean age 14.0 years) completed three self-report questionnaires and wore an accelerometer (ActiGraph GT1M) for 7 consecutive days. The PA questionnaires were: International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF), Tartu Physical Activity Questionnaire (TPAQ), and the Inactivity subscale from Domain-Specific Impulsivity (DSI) scale. All three questionnaires were significantly correlated with accelerometer derived MVPA: the correlations were 0.31 for the IPAQ-SF MVPA, 0.34 for the TPAQ MVPA and -0.29 for the DSI Inactivity scale. Nevertheless, none of the questionnaires can be used as a reliable individual-level estimate of MVPA in male adolescents. The boys underreported their MVPA in IPAQ-SF as compared to accelerometer-derived MVPA (respective averages 43 and 56 minutes); underreporting was more marked in active boys with average daily MVPA at least 60 minutes, and was not significant in less active boys. Conversely, MVPA index from TPAQ overestimated the MVPA in less active boys but underestimated it in more active boys. The sedentary time reported in IPAQ-SF was an underestimate as compared to accelerometer-derived sedentary time (averages 519 and 545 minutes, respectively). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & objectives: Allostatic load (AL) is a cumulative measure of physiological deregulation and is influenced by multiple factors including nutrition. The objectives of the study were to assess AL among adolescent boys (15-19 yr) and delineate its association with psychological stress and micronutrient status. Methods: A cross-sectional, school-based study was conducted among 370 adolescent boys of five higher secondary schools from Hyderabad, India. Perceived stress, adolescent life event stress (ALES), psychological morbidity and coping were measured. Biomarkers of AL included dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate, 12-h urinary cortisol, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, lipid profile, body mass index and blood pressure. Micronutrient status with respect to iron (haemoglobin, ferritin, hepcidin, soluble transferrin receptor), folate, vitamins B12, C and A were analyzed in a sub-sample of 146 boys. AL score ≥3 was calculated from eight biomarkers. Results: Fourteen per cent participants had no AL but 34.3 per cent had AL score of ≥ 3. Unadjusted means of ALES scores were significantly different (P = 0.045) among participants with low [mean, 95% confidence interval (CI): 580, 531-629] and high (663, 605-721) AL. After controlling for confounders, the means were significantly different for controllable life event sub-scale of ALES (P = 0.048). Adjusted hepcidin concentrations were significantly higher among participants with high AL (means, 95% CI, 27.2, 24.0-30.8 for high AL; 22.1, 20.2-24.2 μg/l for low AL, P = 0.014). Interpretation & conclusions: Build-up of AL was found in adolescent boys and was positively associated with life event stress. Iron nutrition and stress exhibited a positive association through hepcidin. The study provides a link between iron nutrition, physiological deregulation and stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 80 years (1925-2001/8) the physical development of children in the city of Minsk has undergone substantial changes. During the 20th century the developmental processes of growth acceleration were quite active and resulted in an increase in body length of more than 10 cm in both sexes: height in 18-year-old boys/girls increased on average by 1,61/1,37 cm/ per decade between 1925 and 2001/8. At the turn of the 20th- 21st centuries, a stabilization in growth processes was noted, as well as significant gracilization in the stature of girls, which can be partly explained by social factors. The growth processes of young boys and girls nowadays are more intense than those of previous generations. A faster pace of growth has revealed itself in the shift of growth curve crossing points. In 1925, the interval between the first and the second crossing was extended over time (it lasted for 5-7 years), however, in 2001/8 it had shrunk to 1-4 years. The changes witnessed in growth processes coincided with major changes in social, economic and political life - the fall of the Soviet Union, consolidation of Belarus' independence, World War II, and urbanization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of differences in certain morphological characteristics and aerobic energy supply ability among three age categories of Croatian male teenage tennis players was the aim of this cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 60 players classified into three categories by age: U12 (n=20; 12.1±0.4 years), U14 (n=20; 14.0±0.6 years) and U16 (n=20; 15.9±0.4 years). Nine morphological body measures were taken: body height; body mass; skinfolds of the back, upper arm, chest, abdomen, thigh, lower leg and suprailiocristal. Also, six variables of cardiopulmonary function were obtained using spirometry and spiroergometry testing. Basic statistical parameters were calculated and ANOVA was applied using Tukey's post-hoc method. Statistically significant differences were obtained in the variable maximum treadmill speed (p<.01) and maximum treadmill speed at the anaerobic threshold (p<.01). Aerobic levels of the Croatian U12, U14 and U16 tennis players were in line with the requirements of high-performance tennis. The results indicated that the conducted physical conditioning and tennis-specific training programmes had a positive effect on the development of aerobic energy capacity indicators in the examined young tennis players. However, due to the age of subjects, the effect of dynamic processes of growth and maturation on the obtained results in the aerobic capacity test cannot be overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between sociocultural influences to attain an ideal body and body change strategies (BCS) in Spanish adolescent boys of different weight status. A total of 594 Spanish boys ( M = 13.94 years, SD = 0.20) participated. Measures included in the study were weight status according to body mass index (BMI), sociocultural influences (perceived pressures to attain an ideal body, general internalization of an ideal body, internalization of an athletic-ideal body), BCS to lose/control weight (dieting, healthy and unhealthy weight-control behaviors), and BCS to gain weight and muscles. Underweight boys engaged more frequently in weight-gain behaviors. Overweight boys reported higher levels of perceived sociocultural pressures and general internalization compared to normal-weight boys, and were more likely to be engaged in BCS to lose/control weight compared with the other weight-status groups. There were no differences between groups in terms of internalization of an athletic-ideal body and BCS to increase muscles. Future research and prevention programs should consider male-specific behaviors and weight-status differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the role of specific magazine types and television programs on drive for thinness and muscularity in adolescent boys. A sample of 182 adolescent boys with an average age of 15.2 years completed questionnaire measures of magazine and television consumption, drive for thinness and drive for muscularity. Different media genres showed varying relationships with drive for thinness and muscularity. Specifically, the consumption of men's magazines and the viewing of soap operas emerged as significant unique predictors of drive for thinness, with the consumption of men's magazines also offering unique prediction of drive for muscularity. A comprehensive approach that considers both type and genre of media is critical in increasing our understanding of the complex relationships between media exposure and disordered eating in adolescent boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a cross-sectional design, this study quantified the relationship between the digit ratio (2D:4D) and muscular strength in 57 adolescent boys. 2D:4D was very likely a moderate negative correlate of handgrip strength, even after adjustment for age and body size. This result may reflect the organizational benefits of prenatal testosterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the relationship between adolescent life-event stress (ALES), inflammatory markers and its connection with hepcidin and biomarkers of iron status among adolescent boys. Topics discussed include the use of the 40-item Adolescent Life Event Stress Scale to evaluate stress due to life events experienced by the participants and the association between adolescent life-event stress with elevated hepcidin mediated via IL-6 but not resulting to hypoferremia.

Introduction: The present study is an attempt to evaluate the incidence of malnutrition as well as obesity. We have evaluated physical growth and sexual maturity rating of 10-18 years adolescent boys-overweight Vs Normal Vs Underweight. Material and Methods: A random sample of 530 adolescent boys (one private English Medium and one Govt. Hindi Medium School) between the ages of 10-18 years during the period of August 2008 to August 2009 constituted the material for this study. Weight, Height and BMI and Sexual maturation rating (SMR) were calculated. Results: Nearly 39% of the adolescent boys studied were either underweight (31%) or overweight (8%). All overweight adolescent boys have their mean weight more as compared to WHO 50thcentile. Normal weight and underweight adolescent boys have lesser mean weight as compared to WHO 50thcentile. All overweight and normal weight adolescent boys have their mean height lesser as compared to WHO 50thcentile. All underweight adolescent boys except for age group of 12 yr have their mean height lesser as compared to WHO 50thcentile. Underweight boys achieved different stages of genital growth prior to normal weight and overweight boys but lag behind as compared to Tanner. It was obvious that underweight boys achieved different stages of pubic hair growth prior to normal weight and overweight boys. Conclusion: Present study indicates that incidence of overweight children is also increasing significantly. Adolescent psychological need should be assessed and they should be given knowledge regarding their normal sexual growth pattern to decrease their anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study tested the hypothesis that the kinetic response would be slowed in untrained (UT) but not trained (T) teenage participants whilst cycling at 115revmin−1 compared to 50revmin−1. Eight UT and seven T boys completed two square-wave transitions to very heavy-intensity exercise pedalling at 50revmin−1 and 115revmin−1. In UT at the higher pedal rate, the phase II was significantly (P <0.01) slower (50revmin−1: 32±5 vs. 115revmin−1: 42±11s) and the relative slow component was significantly (P <0.01) elevated (50revmin−1: 10±3 vs. 115revmin−1: 16±5%). The phase II (50revmin−1: 26±4 vs. 115revmin−1: 22±6s) and relative slow component (50revmin−1: 14±5 vs. 115revmin−1: 17±3%) were unaltered by pedal rate in T (P >0.05). These data are consistent with the notion that kinetics are influenced by muscle fibre recruitment in youth but this effect is attenuated in endurance trained teenage boys. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Objectives: The aim of the study is to examine the anthropometric values and the somatotypes of male children from different branches in physical education lessons and regular movement training. Methods: Two hundred and eighteen volunteer subjects at the age of 16, namely, 68 soccer players, 89 persons practising fitness and 70 sedentary have participated in the study. In the research, sitting height, crawl length, body width parameters, body environment and somatotypic parameters of the subjects are measured. In this work, the highest humeral width value is achieved by the soccer group, where it is found to be no different from the fitness group (P >0.05) and to be significantly higher than the sedentary group (P <0.05). When femur width parameter is examined, it is determined that the soccer group is higher than the other two groups and that the fitness group is significantly higher than the sedentary group. In the study, while the highest endomorph value is obtained from sedentary group, it is found to be significantly higher than the other two groups (P <0.05). While the highest mesomorph value is achieved from soccer group and the lowest value is achieved from sedentary group, it is determined that each of these three groups is significantly different from one another (P <0.05). While the highest ectomorph value is achieved from fitness group (P <0.05), it is found to be significantly higher than the other two groups (P <0.05). Conclusions: Consequently, it can be said that the soccer players have more optimal dimension, environment and somatotypical structure when compared to those practising fitness and the sedentary group (P <0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes a study which examined the physiological demands placed upon adolescent rugby union players and the ways in which exercises and strength training activities can replicate those demands. The physical demands of male adolescents were examined via time-motion analysis using global positioning satellite tracking devices.

BACKGROUND: Although autologous osteochondral mosaicplasty is widely used as a procedure for osteochondritis dissecans lesions, the effectiveness of this procedure in elbow lesions remains unclear. Our aim was to clarify the surgical efficacy of mosaicplasty for teenage athletes with advanced lesions of capitellar osteochondritis dissecans. METHODS: From 2001 to 2006, nineteen teenage male patients who were competitive athletes and had advanced lesions of capitellar osteochondritis dissecans underwent mosaicplasties. The mean age of the patients was 14.2 years. The surgical technique involved obtaining small-sized cylindrical osteochondral grafts with a mean diameter of 3.5 mm from the lateral periphery of the femoral condyle at the level of the patellofemoral joint and transplanting the grafts (mean, 3.3 grafts) to pre- pared osteochondral defects. The patients were evaluated clinically and radiographically at a mean of forty-five months after surgery. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were free from elbow pain, and one had mild pain occasionally. The mean total arc of elbow motion and standard deviation increased significantly from 112° ± 17° preoperatively to 128° ± 12° postoperatively (p < 0.005). The mean clinical score described by Timmerman and Andrews (with a maximum of 200 points) improved significantly from 131 ± 23 points preoperatively to 191 ± 15 points postoperatively (p < 0.0001). All patients except one had an excellent or good clinical result. All donor knees were graded as excellent on the basis of the Lyshoim knee scoring system. All patients except two returned to a competitive level of the sport they had previously played. Neither loose-body formation nor secondary osteoarthritic changes were found in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: The current midterm results indicate that mosaicplasty can provide satisfactory clinical outcomes for teenage athletes with advanced capitellar osteochondritis dissecans lesions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study investigated the ultrasound appearance of the patellar tendon attachment to the tibia throughout puberty in young tennis players with and without Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD). Twenty-eight competitive players (17 boys), aged 10.6–15.3 years, had bilateral ultrasound imaging of the patellar tendon attachment to the tibia at baseline and 1 year later. On each occasion, anthropometric measurements, pubertal status and injury history were recorded. Ultrasound appearance of the patellar tendon attachment was categorized into three stages: cartilage attachment, insertional cartilage and mature attachment. Stage 1 appearance, a large anechoic region with or without ossicles and irregularity of the apophysis that are classically associated with OSD, was found in eight players, seven of them were pain free. A majority (62%) of the patellar tendons in stage 1 at baseline progressed toward stage 2 or stage 3 1 year later. Likewise the patellar tendon attachment in most athletes with cartilage insertion showed progression to a mature enthesis over 1 year. The imaging appearance that is classically interpreted as OSD was common in asymptomatic knees. This ultrasonographic description of the patellar tendon attachment to the tibia during growth provides a reference for the assessment of bone tendon attachments in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the results of a study which investigated the impact of a weight training exercise called a half squat on teenage male soccer players. The experimental protocol included a cycling force-velocity test, jump tests, and a kinematics analysis. It was found that a program of barbell squats improved the strength and power of the soccer players.

The half maximal constant (k (el)) of the relative rate of carbohydrate oxidation (relCHO) was individually approximated (relCHO = 100/(1 + k (el)/BLC(2)) as a function of the blood lactate concentration (BLC) in 11 pre-pubertal boys and 11 male adolescents (age: 11.6 +/- 0.1 vs. 16.4 +/- 0.2 years, height: 151.6 +/- 1.7 vs. 182.4 +/- 2.3 cm, body mass: 38.2 +/- 1.1 vs. 68.7 +/- 2.3 kg, all P < 0.001) during incremental cycle ergometry. k (el) explained 89.0 +/- 2.2 and 91.9 +/- 2.2% of the variance of the reliance on CHO in boys and adolescents respectively (both P < 0.001). No difference in k (el) [1.34 +/- 0.40 vs. 1.48 +/- 0.30 (mmol l(-1))(2)] was found between boys and adolescents. The BLC was lower (P < 0.05) in boys when relCHO was higher than 91.2 +/- 2.1 and 92.1 +/- 1.3% in boys and adolescents respectively. This seems to explain why the reliance on CHO and the BLC are independent of maturation in the moderate and heavy exercise intensity domain and the BLC but not the relCHO which is higher under severe and maximal exercise conditions in more mature subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study included 414 adolescent boys aged 11–17 years and their fathers who volunteered as subjects. All the subjects belonged to Punjabi speaking Khatri, an endogamous urban population residing in Delhi, India. A set of five skinfold thicknesses: biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac and medial calf along with body weight and stature were taken on all the subjects to report the pattern of subcutaneous fat distribution and responsiveness of different skinfold sites to fat deposition with variation in total body fat content. It has been noticed that 16- and 17-year-old sons assumed the pattern of subcutaneous fat distribution of their fathers, which was in favour of trunkal fat. Responsiveness of the five skinfold sites towards deposition of fat varied from site to site in various age groups with suprailiac skinfold sites found to be the most responsive followed by subscapular site. The sensitivity of skinfold sites to fat deposition with increase in weight was found to be greater in middle aged men (fathers) than growing boys (adolescent sons). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the body composition and dietary intake of 44 adolescent tennis players. After being divided into two groups (age 10-13 years and age 14-18), the players had their weight, height, and sexual maturation assessed. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to assess body composition. Food intake was obtained from a non-consecutive 4-day food record. The data were analysed using the Virtual Nutri v.1.0 software and compared with the present recommendations for adolescent athletes or dietary reference intakes. Body mass index and body fat for tennis practice were adequate for 89% and 71% of the tennis players respectively, regardless of age group. A calorie deficit greater than 10% of energy expenditure was observed in 32% of the sample. Fifty percent of the athletes consumed carbohydrates in accordance with recommended values. Protein and lipid intakes were above recommended values, while fibre, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and folic acid intakes were below recommendation for 98%, 80%, 100%, 100%, and 98% of the tennis players respectively. The observed nutritional deficiencies represent an additional barrier for adolescents engaged in competitive sports to achieve an optimum nutrition to maintain growth, health, and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the topic of boys' voices and the male changing voice as discussed in issues of the periodical The Music Educators Journal (MEJ). An historical overview is offered of challenges in the classroom regarding teaching adolescent boys how to sing. The author contends that teaching boy singers about the physiology of their changing voices enhances learning. Common themes in the MEJ articles include male identity in choral groups and sports analogies. Other topics include the growth of the larynx, the vocal range of boys, unison songs, pedagogical approaches, and gender segregation of music classes.

PURPOSE:: Testicular hypotrophy is the most widely accepted indication for correcting adolescent varicocele. Previous studies in adolescents have shown a relationship between increasing grade of varicocele and the likelihood of testicular hypotrophy. As this relationship has significant clinical implications, we studied the correlation between grade and testicular volume disproportion in our adolescent varicocele population.MATERIALS AND METHODS:: We reviewed the adolescent varicocele database at our institution. A total of 168 patients 8 to 21 years old were studied. We routinely calculated testis volumes using scrotal ultrasound. Testicular disproportion was calculated using the equation [(size of unaffected testis) − (size of affected testis)]/(size of unaffected testis) × 100%. Disproportion was categorized as less than 10%, 10% to 20% and more than 20%. Varicoceles were graded by an attending urologist with the patient standing, using the system of Dubin and Amelar. Analysis of variance and Pearson chi-square indicated no significant differences in volume differential between varicocele grades.RESULTS:: Mean ± SD volume differential was 18% ± 15% for grade I, 25% ± 20% for grade II and 19% ± 14% for grade III. ANOVA revealed no significant difference in mean volume differential between the 3 varicocele grades (p = 0.10). When categorizing patients into 3 levels of volume differential (less than 10%, 10% to 20%, more than 20%) no significant correlation was observed between varicocele and volume differential (p = 0.48, chi-square test).CONCLUSIONS:: Grade of varicocele does not correlate with presence or severity of testicular disproportion in adolescent boys with varicocele as measured by scrotal ultrasound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study on possible reasons for an increased interest in violence, stemming from several tragic murders committed by adolescent boys. Risk factors associated with people who become violent and kill people; Definition of conditions for the four levels of human behavior, intrapsychic, interpersonal, intragroup and intergroup; Suggestions.

Explores whether consumption of 15 gram oligofructose per day stimulates calcium absorption in male adolescents. Results showing an increase in true fractional calcium absorption after consumption of oligofructose; Double stable-isotope technique; Nondigestable oligosaccharides; Composition of the oligofructose-containing product.

Examines the algorithms of delayed puberty. Definition of puberty; Indications on the onset of puberty in girls and boys; Lists on the possible causes of puberty.

The article presents the results of a study which investigated the structure of the palate in teenage boys for the purpose of determining its impact on the Class I and Class II types of malocclusion. Details of the experimental protocol. It was found that width measurements were characteristically distinct, whereas height and length were not useful for distinguishing Class I from Class II.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the results of a clinical trial conducted by N. Mauras et al on the efficacy of oral anastrozole for treatment of gynaecomastia in adolescent males.

An abstract of the article "THE EFFECT OF TIME IN SPORT TRAINING TO PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE AND ANTHROPOMETRICAL PARAMETERS IN 10-11 YEAR OLD YOUNG BOYS" by I. Pontaga is presented.

An abstract of the article "VIGOROUS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CONTENT IN ADOLESCENT BOYS" by E. Maciuleviciene and R. Sadzeviciene is presented.

Presents an abstract of the study titled `Effect of anaerobic exercise on the immune system of 8- to 17-year-old trained and untrained boys,' S.R. Boas, M.L. Joswiak et al, published in a 1996 issue of `Journal of Pediatrics.'