Anthropometric characteristics according to the role performed by World Tour road cyclists for their team

Certain anthropometric characteristics are required for athletes to successfully perform in elite endurance sports. The present study aims to analyse the anthropometric characteristics of professional cyclists according to their specialty. Anthropometric measurements were conducted of the body composition of 76 male professional road cyclists in line with International Society for Advancement of Kinanthropometry protocol. Fat mass did not differ (p > 0.05) between climbers, all-rounders and flat specialists, although the following anthropometric variables did differ according to the role played within the team (p < 0.05): Body mass (climbers: 63.8 ± 3.6, all-rounders: 68.8 ± 5.3, flat specialists: 74.5 ± 5.6 kg) skeletal body mass (climbers: 29.7 ± 1.6, all-rounders: 31.4 ± 1.9, flat specialists: 33.5 ± 2.4 kg); body surface area (climbers: 1.78 ± 0.07, all-rounders: 1.89 ± 0.10, flat specialists: 1.96 ± 0.1 m2); frontal area (climbers: 0.33 ± 0.01, all-rounders: 0.35 ± 0.02, flat specialists: 0.36 ± 0.02 m2). Anthropometric characteristics differ between world-class cyclists depending on their specialty. These differences could influence performance in relation to different types of road cycling competitions. The present study identified characteristics that could be used by coaches to evaluate their athletes in the context of elite or professional road cycling.HighlightsNormative reference values of a large sample of professional cyclists of the highest category are presented.Anthropometric characteristics differ between world-class cyclists depending on their specialty.Body mass, BMI, height and skeletal muscle mass are determining factors to determine the role of the cyclist.

Validity of a novel device for indoor analysis of cyclists' drag area

PURPOSE

Cyclists need to measure aerodynamic resistance accurately and reliably, as well as economically. Devices such as Notio Aerostick, an equipment device that includes one pitot tube, have appeared for this purpose. The aim of this study is, therefore, to test the reliability and degree of agreement in the evaluation of the CdA (coefficient of aerodynamic drag), assessed by means of the Notio Aerostick compared to the Virtual Elevation (VE) and Martin mathematical models.

METHOD

Seventeen professional cyclists rode in a 250-metre-long velodrome covered with a concrete surface with their own time trial bikes. Each cyclist completed three rides of 15 laps at constant speed for the evaluation of the CdA, each of them in a different position [Baseline (B), Change 1 (C1) and Change 2 (C2)].

RESULTS

The differences in CdA between methods were found for Martin in comparison with VE in all positions (p <.001) and with Notio Aerostick in B and C2 (p> .05). About differences of CdA for each method, considering between position changes, the results were the same for VE and Martin, but different for Notio Aerostick.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that, notwithstanding Notio Aerostick is valid if we compare CdA values with respect to VE, since the direction of their between-positions CdA changes differs, the results of their aerodynamic evaluation could lead us to recommend different final setups. We need studies that evaluate different units of the Notio Aerostick device as well as the reliability and precision of each sensor that includes Notio Aerostick.HighlightsThe CdA calculated by the Notio Aerostick and VE, a mathematical model previously validated, can be interchangeable, however the final position recommended by each method may be different, since the changes in the following position are given by the changes of the CdA in the previous position.None of the three methods allowed elite cyclists to measure statistically significant differences between the proposed setups.Although the CdA differences between positions were not significant, they can be decisive in the final result of a time trial competition.

Validity and reliability of different smartphones applications to measure HRV during short and ultra-short measurements in elite athletes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Heart rate variability (HRV) has been proposed as a useful marker that can show the performance adaptation and optimize the training process in elite athletes. The development of wearable technology permits the measurement of this marker through smartphone applications. The purpose of this study is to assess the validity and reliability of short and ultra-short HRV measurements in elite cyclists using different smartphone applications.

METHOD

Twenty-six professional cyclists were measured at rest in supine and in seated positions through the simultaneous use of an electrocardiogram and two different smartphone applications that implement different technologies to measure HRV: Elite HRV (with a chest strap) and Welltory (photoplethysmography). Level of significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Compared to an electrocardiogram, Elite HRV and Welltory showed no differences neither in supine nor in seated positions (p > 0.05) and they showed very strong to almost perfect correlation levels (r = 0.77 to 0.94). Furthermore, no differences were found between short (5 min) and ultra-short (1 min) length measurements. Intraclass correlation coefficient showed good to excellent reliability and the standard error of measurement remained lower than 6%.

CONCLUSION

Both smartphone applications can be implemented to monitor HRV using short- and ultra-short length measurements in elite endurance athletes.

Population collapse of habitat-forming species in the Mediterranean: a long-term study of gorgonian populations affected by recurrent marine heatwaves

Understanding the resilience of temperate reefs to climate change requires exploring the recovery capacity of their habitat-forming species from recurrent marine heatwaves (MHWs). Here, we show that, in a Mediterranean highly enforced marine protected area established more than 40 years ago, habitat-forming octocoral populations that were first affected by a severe MHW in 2003 have not recovered after 15 years. Contrarily, they have followed collapse trajectories that have brought them to the brink of local ecological extinction. Since 2003, impacted populations of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) and the red coral Corallium rubrum (Linnaeus, 1758) have followed different trends in terms of size structure, but a similar progressive reduction in density and biomass. Concurrently, recurrent MHWs were observed in the area during the 2003-2018 study period, which may have hindered populations recovery. The studied octocorals play a unique habitat-forming role in the coralligenous assemblages (i.e. reefs endemic to the Mediterranean Sea home to approximately 10% of its species). Therefore, our results underpin the great risk that recurrent MHWs pose for the long-term integrity and functioning of these emblematic temperate reefs.

Knowledge is power: Issues of measuring training and performance in cycling

Mobile power meters provide a valid means of measuring cyclists' power output in the field. These field measurements can be performed with very good accuracy and reliability making the power meter a useful tool for monitoring and evaluating training and race demands. This review presents power meter data from a Grand Tour cyclist's training and racing and explores the inherent complications created by its stochastic nature. Simple summary methods cannot reflect a session's variable distribution of power output or indicate its likely metabolic stress. Binning power output data, into training zones for example, provides information on the detail but not the length of efforts within a session. An alternative approach is to track changes in cyclists' modelled training and racing performances. Both critical power and record power profiles have been used for monitoring training-induced changes in this manner. Due to the inadequacy of current methods, the review highlights the need for new methods to be established which quantify the effects of training loads and models their implications for performance.

Road Cycling and Mountain Biking Produces Adaptations on the Spine and Hamstring Extensibility

The purposes of this study were as follows: 1) to analyse the influence of training in road cycling or cross-country mountain biking on sagittal spinal curvatures, pelvic tilt and trunk inclination in cyclists of both cycling modalities; 2) to evaluate the specific spinal posture and pelvic tilt adopted on the road bicycle and cross-country mountain bike; and 3) to compare the spinal sagittal capacity of flexion and pelvic tilt mobility as well as hamstring muscle extensibility among road cyclists, cross-country mountain bikers and non-cyclists. Thirty matched road cyclists, 30 mountain bikers and 30 non-cyclists participated in this study. The road cyclists showed significantly greater thoracic kyphosis and trunk inclination than did the mountain bikers and non-cyclists in a standing posture. On the bicycle, the road bicycling posture was characterised by greater lumbar flexion and more significant anterior pelvic tilt and trunk inclination compared with the mountain biking posture. The thoracic spine was more flexed in mountain biking than in road cycling. Road cyclists had significantly greater hamstring muscle extensibility in the active knee extension test, and showed greater anterior pelvic tilt and trunk inclination capacity in the sit-and-reach test, compared with mountain bikers and non-cyclists.

A novel three-dimensional biosensor based on aluminum oxide: application for early-stage detection of human interleukin-10

Immunosensors based on electrolyte-oxide-semiconductors (EOS) have been extensively researched over the last few decades. By electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) the specific molecular biorecognition of the antibody-antigen (Ab-Ag) can be detected providing an alternative quantitative system to immunoassay techniques. The electrochemical variations from a fabricated immunosensor can provide quantitative values for the analyte of interest at reduced costs and analysis time. In this context, a novel EOS substrate based on aluminum oxide (Al2O3) grown by atomic layer deposition on silicon was applied. The interaction between recombinant human (rh) interleukin-10 (IL-10) with the corresponding monoclonal antibody (mAb) for early cytokine detection of an anti-inflammatory response due to left ventricular assisted device implantation was studied. For this purpose, a 3D biosensor was composed of multi-walled carbon nanotubes with carboxylic acid functionalities (multi-walled carbon nanotubes-COOH) to increase the surface area for the range of human IL-10 detection. These were activated with N-hydroxysuccinimide and N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-N'-ethyl-carbodiimide hydrochloride for the immobilization of the anti-human IL-10 mAb. First, the interaction between the Ab and Ag was observed by fluorescence patterning to ensure that the biorecognition event was achievable. Then, EIS is explained for the quantification of commercial human IL-10 on this capacitance-based EOS macroimmuno-FET sensor.

Global regime shift dynamics of catastrophic sea urchin overgrazing

A pronounced, widespread and persistent regime shift among marine ecosystems is observable on temperate rocky reefs as a result of sea urchin overgrazing. Here, we empirically define regime-shift dynamics for this grazing system which transitions between productive macroalgal beds and impoverished urchin barrens. Catastrophic in nature, urchin overgrazing in a well-studied Australian system demonstrates a discontinuous regime shift, which is of particular management concern as recovery of desirable macroalgal beds requires reducing grazers to well below the initial threshold of overgrazing. Generality of this regime-shift dynamic is explored across 13 rocky reef systems (spanning 11 different regions from both hemispheres) by compiling available survey data (totalling 10 901 quadrats surveyed in situ) plus experimental regime-shift responses (observed during a total of 57 in situ manipulations). The emergent and globally coherent pattern shows urchin grazing to cause a discontinuous ‘catastrophic’ regime shift, with hysteresis effect of approximately one order of magnitude in urchin biomass between critical thresholds of overgrazing and recovery. Different life-history traits appear to create asymmetry in the pace of overgrazing versus recovery. Once shifted, strong feedback mechanisms provide resilience for each alternative state thus defining the catastrophic nature of this regime shift. Importantly, human-derived stressors can act to erode resilience of desirable macroalgal beds while strengthening resilience of urchin barrens, thus exacerbating the risk, spatial extent and irreversibility of an unwanted regime shift for marine ecosystems.

Co-infection with Ascaris lumbricoides modulates protective immune responses against Giardia duodenalis in school Venezuelan rural children

We evaluated the effect of Ascaris lumbricoides on Giardia duodenalis infection and TH1/TH2 type immune mechanisms toward this parasite in 251 rural parasitized and 70 urban non-parasitized school children. The children were classified according to light (0-5000 eggs/g faeces) or moderate (>5001-50,000 eggs/g faeces) A. lumbricoides infection. Anti G. duodenalis skin hyper-reactivity, IgE, IgG, IL-13, IFN γ, IL6 and IL-10 levels were compared among G. duodenalis infected and non-infected children according to light or moderate A. lumbricoides infection. It was found that 62% of the A. lumbricoides moderately infected children were co-infected by G. duodenalis compared to 45% of the lightly infected group. After treatment, 42% of the A. lumbricoides moderately group were infected with G. duodenalis compared to 11% of their lightly counterparts, being A. lumbricoides IL-10 levels higher (p<0.0001) in the moderately infected group. In the A. lumbricoides lightly parasitized children, G. duodenalis infection was associated to a significant increase (p<0.005) of the levels of G. duodenalis IL-13, IFN-γ, IL-6, IgE, IgG and skin test hyper reactivity. In contrast, there was no effect of G. duodenalis infection in the elevation of these parameters among the A. lumbricoides moderately parasitized group, being those levels similarly lower as those observed in the control group. Inverse correlations were found between the levels of anti G duodenalis antibodies, skin test hyper-reactivity and cytokines with the intensity of A. lumbricoides infection (p>0.0001) and A. lumbricoides IL-10 levels (p>0.0001), suggesting that co-infection with A. lumbricoides may affect both TH1 and TH2 type immunity against G. duodenalis that may play an important role in the susceptibility to the infection after chemotherapy in children from endemic areas.

[Early hospital mortality due to infectious diseases]

BACKGROUND

Infectious diseases are an important health problem. Early hospital mortality (EHM) (first 48 hours after hospital admission) give us information about the etiology and the focus of infection. This study was designed because no articles have been found about this subject.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We reviewed the medical records coded by the ICD-9-CM of all patients that suffered from EHM due to infectious diseases during the period 1992 to 1999.

RESULTS

Of all the patients analyzed, 0.7% died of EHM, and of theses, 6.9% were due to an infectious disease. Median age was 73.2 years; 56.1% were men. Index of comorbidity was higher than 1 in 59,9%, and 70,7% never has been admitted to the hospital before. At admission, fever was present in 43.9%. The illness severity was 60.9% sepsis, 24.4% severe sepsis, 13.4% septic shock and 1.2% multiorgan failure. Causes of death were respiratory (76.8%; pneumonia 58.5%). Pneumonia was more frequent among aged 65 years and older (p = 0.03). In 69.5% no microbiological techniques were performed with independence of the clinical severity or the presence or absence of fever. In 85.4% the casual agent was unidentified, but in the case of isolation, gram positive was the most frequent microorganism.

CONCLUSIONS

Infections are an important cause of EHM, and community-acquired respiratory tract infection (mainly pneumonia) the most frequent cause of EHM. Patients were admitted to the hospital with sepsis in 60.9%, perhaps due to a diagnostic or therapeutic delay. Among aged 65 years and older, microbiological diagnostic procedures were rarely employed.

[Spirometry: quality in the respiratory medicine clinics of a public health care area]

BACKGROUND

Spirometry can be considered a routine way to evaluate patients with respiratory complaints, both inside and outside the hospital setting.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the quality of spirometry in a public health care area with respect to two factors: the technicians' performance and the calibration of spirometers.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Four health care clinics were studied. Four technicians participated and the four spirometers were tested at different volumes (calibration syringes 1L and 3L) and different flows (explosive decompression). Eight patients with COPD participated in the study of inter-technician variability.

RESULTS

Agreement among the technicians was very high: 0.98-0.99 for FEV1 and 0.91-0.98 for FVC. The mean results obtained by the technicians were: FEV1 = 2.15 0.03, range 2.20-2.14; FVC = 3.25 0.05, range 3.30-3.21 (ns). Volumetric readings from the spirometers were correct for the 1I calibration syringe, but 2 out of 4 spirometers lost linearity with the 3I calibration syringe. One spirometer gave readings out of range for all flow levels, and 2 out of 4 spirometers were out of range at low flows.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Results obtained by different technicians were not significantly different and there was high agreement among them, confirming that performance of spirometry was good. 2. The spirometers showed poor linearity at low flows.

Seasonality in coastal benthic ecosystems

For historical reasons, knowledge about seasonality in the dynamics of marine benthic suspension feeders from temperate areas comes mainly from studies of cold temperate seas. Recent surveys of Mediterranean taxa show different patterns from those observed in cold temperate seas, which are characterized by winter dormancy. In the Mediterranean, summer dormancy predominates among taxa and appears to be related to energetic constraints. Temperature and food availability are crucial to the dynamics of benthic suspension feeders. However, because these factors tend to be positively correlated in cold temperate seas, it is difficult to distinguish between their effects. Such correlation does not occur in Mediterranean ecosystems. The contrast between recent studies in the Mediterranean and in other areas can help to disentangle confounded environmental controls.

Skin cancer in heart transplant recipients

BACKGROUND

The frequency of skin cancer in organ transplant recipients is high, up to 15%.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to determine the incidence of skin cancer in patients who underwent immunosuppression after heart transplantation and to determine the factors important in the appearance of skin cancer.

METHODS

We studied the frequency of skin cancer in 92 of 111 patients after they underwent heart transplantation between January 1984 and December 1993.

RESULTS

At least one cutaneous neoplasm (squamous cell carcinoma and/or basal cell carcinoma) developed in 14 patients (15.2%). The basal cell carcinoma to squamous cell carcinoma ratio was 1:1.5. The skin cancer appeared an average of 31.5 months after transplantation; the average was 36 months for squamous cell carcinoma and 25.3 months for basal cell carcinoma. Cumulative risk rose from 4.3% at 1 year up to 43.8% at 7 years after transplantation. The overall incidence of both types of skin cancer was 45.3 per 1000 posttransplant person-years, with an incidence of 25.8 for basal cell carcinoma and 29.1 for squamous cell carcinoma. Most skin cancers developed between 2 and 3 years after transplantation. All patients were exposed to a significant amount of ultraviolet radiation and had skin type II or III. We did not find a significant association between skin cancer and haplotype HLA-A3, HLA-A11, HLA-DR, and the number of mismatches for HLA-B.

CONCLUSION

We found an increased progressive cumulative incidence of skin cancer in heart transplant recipients for two reasons: (1) immunosuppression and increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation in some patients, and (2) the skin type of certain patients. We emphasize the need for photoprotection in this group of patients and regular skin cancer screening examinations.

Pathologic pulmonary findings in children with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a study of ten cases

Lung tissue and tissue from the lymphoreticular system obtained at open biopsy and/or autopsy were studied in ten children with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). One or both parents of nine of the children had AIDS or risk factors for AIDS. The remaining child had hemophilia. The following pulmonary lesions were seen: 1) diffuse alveolar damage (DAD), 2) Pneumocystis carinii and/or cytomegalovirus pneumonitis, 3) lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP), and 4) desquamative interstitial pneumonitis (DIP). Combinations of such factors as mechanical ventilation, oxygen therapy, and opportunistic infection played a role in the pathogenesis of DAD. Opportunistic infections were related to the defective cell-mediated immunity in these children. The clinical, epidemiologic, immunologic, and pathologic features of the thymuses of these patients indicate that the immune deficiency was unlikely to have been of congenital origin. The immunologic abnormalities may also have been related to the pathogenesis of LIP and DIP. Neither LIP nor DIP has been described in adults with AIDS. Open lung biopsy is of practical importance in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary disease in children with AIDS.