Immunostimulant effects of the dietary Spirulina (
Spirulina plantensis) were studied in carp,
Cyprinus carpio. For this purpose, fish were fed with Spirulina and the parameters of non-specific ...defence mechanisms, including phagocytosis and production of superoxide anion were performed at 1, 3 and 5 days after Spirulina administration. The results showed that Spirulina enhanced responses of phagocytic activity and superoxide anion production in kidney phagocytic cells. This activation of kidney cells was observed for at least 5 days post treatment. The expression of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α genes also increased in fish treated with spirulina. On the other hand, the expression of IL-10 gene was decreased. Furthermore, the numbers of
Aeromonas hydrophila were decreased in the liver and kidney of spirulina-treated fish. These findings suggest that dietary Spirulina has immunostimulatory effects on the innate immune system of carp.
Background
Given the concern for health‐related consequences of an elevated body mass index (BMI; obesity), the potential consequences of a low BMI in children are often overlooked. The purpose was ...to evaluate the relationship between the BMI across its entire spectrum and motor coordination (MC) in children 6–10 years.
Methods
Height, weight, and MC (Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder, KTK test battery) were measured in 1,912 boys and 1,826 girls of 6–10 years of age. BMI (kg/m2) was calculated. KTK scores for each of the four tests were also converted to a motor quotient (MQ). One‐way ANOVA was used to test differences in the BMI, individual test items, and MQ among boys and girls within age groups. Sex‐specific quadratic regressions of individual KTK items and the MQ on the BMI were calculated. Girls and boys were also classified into four weight status groups using International Obesity Task Force criteria: thin, normal, overweight, and obese. Differences in specific test items and MQ between weight status groups were evaluated by age group in each sex.
Results
Thirty‐one percent of the sample was overweight or obese, whereas 5% was thin. On average, normal weight children had the highest MQ in both sexes across the age range with few exceptions. Overweight/obese children had a lower MQ than normal weight and thin children. The quadratic regression lines generally presented an inverted parabolic relationship between the BMI and MC and suggested a decrease in MC with an increase in the BMI.
Conclusion
In general, BMI shows a curvilinear, inverted parabolic relationship with MC in children 6–10 years.
Longitudinal changes in height, weight and physical performance were studied in 33 Flemish male youth soccer players from the Ghent Youth Soccer Project. The players' ages at the start of the study ...ranged from 10.4 to 13.7 years, with a mean age of 12.2 ± 0.7 years. Longitudinal changes were studied over a 5 year period. Peak height velocity and peak weight velocity were determined using non-smoothed polynomials. The estimations of peak height velocity, peak weight velocity and age at peak height velocity were 9.7 ± 1.5 cm · year
−1
, 8.4 ± 3.0 kg · year
−1
and 13.8 ± 0.8 years, respectively. Peak weight velocity occurred, on average, at the same age as peak height velocity. Balance, speed of limb movement, trunk strength, upper-body muscular endurance, explosive strength, running speed and agility, cardiorespiratory endurance and anaerobic capacity showed peak development at peak height velocity. A plateau in the velocity curves was observed after peak height velocity for upper-body muscular endurance, explosive strength and running speed. Flexibility exhibited peak development during the tear after peak height velocity. Trainers and coaches should be aware of the individual characteristics of the adolescent growth spurt and the training load should also be individualized at this time.
This study evaluates the contributions of age, skeletal maturation, body size and composition, training and playing position to the development of agility and dribbling speed in young male soccer ...players (10-18 years) followed longitudinally. 83 players defenders (n=35), midfielders (n=27), forwards (n=21) were followed annually over 5 years (average: 4.4 observations per player). Skeletal age (SA), stature, body mass, triceps and subscapular skinfolds, agility and dribbling speed were measured annually. Body composition was estimated from the 2 skinfolds. Annual training volume was estimated from weekly participation forms completed by coaches. The multiplicative allometric models with the best statistical fit showed that statural growth of 1 cm predicts 1.334 s and 1.927 s of improvement in agility and dribbling speed, respectively. Significant independent effects of fat-free mass and annual volume training were found for agility and dribbling speed, respectively (P<0.05). Predicted agility (from 12 to 18 years of SA) and dribbling speed (from 13 to 18 years of SA) differed significantly among players by playing positions (midfielders>forwards>defenders). The present results provide developmental models for the interpretation of intra- and inter-individual variability in agility and dribbling speed among youth soccer players across adolescence, and may provide a framework for trainers and coaches to develop and evaluate individualized training protocols.
We compare the dust attenuation properties of two samples of galaxies purely selected in the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) near-ultraviolet band (NUV; 1750-2750 Å, λmean=2310 Å) and in the ...far-infrared (FIR) at 60 μm. These samples are built using the GALEX and IRAS sky surveys over ~600 deg2. The NUV-selected sample contains 95 galaxies detected down to NUV=16 mag (AB system). Eighty-three galaxies in this sample are spiral or irregular, and only two of them are not detected at 60 μm. The FIR-selected sample is built from the IRAS PSCz survey, which is complete down to 0.6 Jy. Among the 163 sources, we select 118 star-forming galaxies that are well measured by IRAS; all but one are detected in NUV, and 14 galaxies are not detected in the far-ultraviolet band (FUV; 1350-1750 Å, λmean=1530 Å). The dust-to-ultraviolet (NUV and FUV) flux ratio is calibrated to estimate the dust attenuation at both wavelengths. The median value of the attenuation in NUV is found to be ~1 mag for the NUV-selected sample, versus ~2 mag for the FIR-selected one. Within both samples, the dust attenuation is found to correlate with the luminosity of the galaxies. Almost all the NUV-selected galaxies and two-thirds of the FIR-selected sample exhibit a lower dust attenuation than expected from the tight relation found previously for starburst galaxies between dust attenuation and the slope of the ultraviolet continuum. The situation is reversed for the remaining third of the FIR-selected galaxies: their extinction is higher than that deduced from their FUV-NUV color and the relation for starbursts.
The contribution of chronological age, skeletal age (Fels method) and body size to variance in peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test was examined in 3 competitive age groups of Brazilian ...male soccer players: 10-11 years (U-12, n=15), 12-13 years (U-14, n=54) and 14-15 years (U-16, n=23). Body size and soccer-specific aerobic fitness were measured. Body composition was predicted from skinfolds. Analysis of variance and covariance (controlling for chronological age) were used to compare soccer players by age group and by skeletal maturity status within of each age group, respectively. Relative skeletal age (skeletal age minus chronological age), body size, estimated fat-free mass and performance on the Carminatti Test increased significantly with age. Carminatti Test performance did not differ among players of contrasting skeletal maturity status in the 3 age groups. Results of multiple linear regressions indicated fat mass (negative) and chronological age (positive) were significant predictors of peak velocity derived from the Carminatti Test, whereas skeletal age was not a significant predictor. In conclusion, the Carminatti Test appears to be a potentially interesting field protocol to assess intermittent endurance running capacity in youth soccer programs since it is independent of biological maturity status.
Relationships among skeletal age (SA), body size and fundamental motor skills (FMS) and motor performance were considered in 155 boys and 159 girls 3‐6 years of age. Stature and body mass were ...measured. SA of the hand‐wrist was assessed with the Tanner‐Whitehouse II 20 bone method. The Test of Gross Motor Development, 2nd edition (TGMD‐2), and the Preschool Test Battery were used, respectively, to assess FMS and motor performance. Based on hierarchical regression analyses, the standardized residuals of SA on chronological age (SAsr) explained a maximum of 6.1% of the variance in FMS and motor performance in boys (ΔR23, range 0.0%‐6.1%) and a maximum of 20.4% of the variance in girls (ΔR23, range 0.0%‐20.4%) over that explained by body size and interactions of SAsr with body size (step 3). The interactions of the SAsr and stature and body mass (step 2) explained a maximum of 28.3% of the variance in boys (ΔR22, range 0.5%‐28.3%) and 16.7% of the variance in girls (ΔR22, range 0.7%‐16.7%) over that explained by body size alone. With the exception of balance, relationships among SAsr and FMS or motor performance differed between boys and girls. Overall, SA per se or interacting with body size had a relatively small influence in FMS and motor performance in children 3‐6 years of age.
Background: Reduced vital capacity (VC) and forced vital capacity (FVC) are associated with lead (Pb) exposure.
Aim: The objective of this study is to analyse the effects of Pb on FVC and the shuttle ...run performance.
Subjects and methods: Data were available for 184 male and 189 female Polish schoolchildren aged 10-15 years. Regression analysis was performed of shuttle run performance (dependent) on Pb and FVC.
Results: Shuttle run time increased by 1.75 (± 0.77) and 1.97 (± 0.77) seconds for each 10 µg/dL increase in Pb blood among males and females, respectively. Higher shuttle run times indicate poorer performance. Average unadjusted blood Pb level in the sample was 5.27 μg/dL (± 0.19 SE) and 3.82 μg/dL (± 0.10 SE), respectively. Path analysis was used to assess the association of Pb level with shuttle run time. Blood Pb had a significant negative effect on VC (B= −13.60 ± 3.28 SE, p < 0.0001) and FVC (B = −13.08 ± 3.27, p < 0.0001). FVC had a small but significant effect on shuttle run time (B = −0.04 ± 0.007, p < 0.0001). Pb had a significant effect on the residual of shuttle run time among males (B = 1.59 ± 0.75, p < 0.03) and females after the effect of FVC was removed (B = 1.49 ± 0.73, p < 0.04).
Conclusions: Thus, Pb had direct and indirect effects that increased shuttle run time, i.e. negatively affected performance.
Single-pulse Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and Laser-Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass-Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) were applied for mapping the silver and copper distribution in
...Helianthus Annuus
L. samples treated with contaminant in controlled conditions. For Ag and Cu detection the 328.07 nm Ag(I) and 324.75 nm Cu(I) lines were used, respectively. The LIBS experimental conditions (mainly the laser energy and the observation window) were optimized in order to avoid self-absorption effect in the measured spectra. In the LA-ICP-MS analysis the Ag 107 and Cu 63 isotopes were detected. The capability of these two analytical techniques for high-resolution mapping of selected trace chemical elements was demonstrated.
This study examined concurrent and prospective associations between objective measures of biological maturation, body composition and physical activity (PA) in adolescent males (n = 671) and females ...(n = 680). Participants born to women recruited to the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children birth cohort study were assessed at 11 and 13 years. Percentage of predicted adult stature was used as an estimate of biological maturation. PA and time sedentary was assessed over 7 consecutive days using Actigraph accelerometers. Body composition was assessed using whole‐body DXA scans. At 11 and 13 years, maturity in males was inversely associated with accelerometer counts‐per‐minute (CPM) and time engaged in light PA, and positively associated with time sedentary. In females, maturity was inversely associated with accelerometer (CPM) at 11 but not 13 years. Adjusting for accelerometer wear times and corresponding activity levels at 11 years, maturity and percentage fat mass at 11 years did not predict any indices of PA or sedentary behavior in males or females at 13 years. Whereas advanced maturation in males is associated with less PA and more sedentary behavior at 11 and 13 years, maturity at 11 does not predict PA or sedentary behavior at 13 years in either sex.
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