Cervical cancer screening and abnormalities among women in a residential drug-rehabilitation program.

Women in a residential drug-rehabilitation program had lower rates of cervical screening attendance and higher rates ofdetected abnormalities than women attending a local Well Women's Clinic. As a result ofthis study we plan to include a more comprehensive sexual health history into routine women's health consultations.

The human genome and sport, including epigenetics, gene doping, and athleticogenomics.

Hugh Montgomery's discovery of the first of more than 239 fitness genes together with rapid advances in human gene therapy have created a prospect of using genes, genetic elements, and cells that have the capacity to enhance athletic performance (to paraphrase the World Anti-Doping Agency's definition of gene doping). This brief overview covers the main areas of interface between genetics and sport, attempts to provide a context against which gene doping may be viewed, and predicts a futuristic legitimate use of genomic (and possibly epigenetic) information in sport.

The human genome and sport, including epigenetics and athleticogenomics: a brief look at a rapidly changing field.

Since Hugh Montgomery discovered the first of what are now nearly 200 "fitness genes", together with rapid advances in human gene therapy, there is now a real prospect of the use of genes, genetic elements, and/or cells that have the capacity to enhance athletic performance (to paraphrase the World Anti-Doping Agency's definition of gene doping). This overview covers the main areas of interface between genetics and sport, attempts to provide a context against which gene doping may be viewed, and suggests a futuristic legitimate use of genomic (and possibly epigenetic) information in sport.

Understanding muscle architectural adaptation: macro- and micro-level research.

Recent research using muscle-imaging techniques has revealed a remarkable plasticity of human muscle architecture where significant changes in fascicle lengths and angles have resulted from the chronic performance, or cessation, of strong muscle contractions. However, there is a paucity of data describing architectural adaptations to chronic stretching, disuse and immobilization, illness, and aging, and those data that are available are equivocal. Understanding their impact is important in order that effective interventions for illness/injury management and rehabilitation, and programs to improve the physical capacity of workers, the aged and athletes can be determined. Nonetheless, recent advances in myocellular research could provide a framework allowing the prediction of architectural changes in these understudied areas. Examination of the site-specific response to mechanical stress of calpain-dependent ubiquitin-proteasome proteolysis, or of the cellular response to stress after the knockout (or incapacitation) of sarcomeric and cytoskeletal proteins involved in cellular signal transduction, provides an exciting paradigm by which myocellular adaptation can be described. Such research might contribute to the understanding of macro-level changes in muscle architecture.

Thigh-muscles strength training, dance exercise, dynamometry, and anthropometry in professional ballerinas.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effects of 12 weeks of quadriceps and hamstring strength training on torque levels after a dance exercise and on selected anthropometric parameters. The sample consisted of 22 (ages, 25 +/- 1.3 years) full-time professional ballerinas who were randomly assigned into experimental (n = 12) and control (n = 10) groups. A dance routine designed to cause fatigue within 5 minutes, isokinetic dynamometry, and anthropometric assessments were conducted before and after strength training in both groups. Before strength training, the dance routine resulted in significant reductions of hamstring (p < 0.001) and quadriceps (p < 0.001) peak torques in both subject groups. However, after strength training, only control subjects demonstrated such torque decrements (p < 0.001) after the dance routine. Furthermore, the experimental group revealed greater knee extension (119 vs. 138 N.m; p < 0.001) and flexion (60 vs. 69 N.m; p < 0.001) torques, smaller sum of skinfolds (33.6 vs. 27.8 mm; p < 0.01), more fat-free mass (37.7 vs. 39.4 kg; p < 0.05), but unchanged body mass (p > 0.05) and thigh circumferences (p > 0.05). A negative relationship (p < 0.001) was found between initial strength levels and improvements measured at the end of the 12-week program. These results suggest that supplementary strength training for hamstring and quadriceps muscles is beneficial to professional ballerinas and their dancing; weaker individuals are more likely to benefit from such regimens than their stronger counterparts, whereas increases in thigh-muscle strength do not alter selected aesthetic components.

The characteristics and effects of motivational music in exercise settings: the possible influence of gender, age, frequency of attendance, and time of attendance.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the characteristics and effects of motivational music in British gymnasia. The secondary purpose was to determine whether the characteristics and effects of motivational music were invariant in relation to gender, age, frequency of gymnasium attendance, and the time of day at which exercise participants attended gymnasia. METHODS: Participants (n=532) from 29 David Lloyd Leisure exercise facilities across Britain responded to a questionnaire that was designed to assess music preferences during exercise via 2 open-ended questions and 1 scaled-response item. RESULTS: A content analysis of the questionnaire data yielded 45 analytic properties that were grouped into the following categories: specific music factors, general music factors, music programme factors, delivery factors, televisual factors, personal factors, contextual factors, and psychophysical response factors. The relative incidence of these analytic properties across gender groups (male/female), age groups (16-26 y, 27-34 y, 35-45 y, 46+ y), frequency of attendance groups (low, medium, high), and time of attendance groups (morning, afternoon, evening) was tested by use of chi(2) analyses. Of the personal variables tested, age exerted the greatest influence on musical preference during exercise; older participants expressed a preference for quieter, slower, and generally less overtly stimulative music. CONCLUSION: Music programmes that are prescribed to accompany exercise should be varied in terms of musical idiom and date of release. Such programmes will account for the preferences of different groups of exercise participants that attend gymnasia at different times of the day. Further, the music chosen should be characterised by a strong rhythmical component.

Circadian effects on the acute responses of salivary cortisol and IgA in well trained swimmers.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether time of day significantly affects salivary cortisol and IgA levels before and after submaximal swimming. METHODS: Fourteen male competitive swimmers (mean (SD) age 18 (3.2) years) volunteered to participate in the study. In a fully randomised, cross over design, each subject performed 5 x 400 m front crawl at 85 (1.2)% of their seasonal best time (277 (16) seconds), with one minute rest between each 400 m, at 0600 and 1800 hours on two separate days. Timed, unstimulated saliva samples were collected before and after exercise. Saliva samples were analysed for cortisol and IgA by radioimmunoassay and single radial immunodiffusion respectively. RESULTS: Significant time of day effects (am and pm respectively) were observed in IgA concentration (0.396 (0.179) v 0.322 (0.105) mg/ml, p<0.05), IgA secretory rate (0.109 (0.081) v 0.144 (0.083) mg/min, p<0.01), and saliva flow rate (0.31 (0.23) v 0.46 (0.22) ml/min, p<0.001) before exercise (all values mean (SD)). Differences in cortisol levels before exercise (1.09 (0.56) v 0.67 (0.94) microg/dl) approached significance (p = 0.059). The exercise protocol did not significantly affect IgA concentration and secretory rate (p>0.05) but, in comparison with values before exercise, caused significant alterations in cortisol (p<0.01) and saliva flow rate (p<0.01). There was no significant interaction effect of time of day by exercise on any salivary variables measured (p>0.05). However, most of the values of the salivary variables before exercise were significantly inversely related to their exercise induced response (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest a significant circadian variation in the variables measured before exercise, without showing a significant effect on their acute responses to exercise.

Exercise and outdoor ambient air pollution.

OBJECTIVES: To establish by literature survey: (a) levels at which air pollutants are considered damaging to human health and to exercisers in particular; (b) the current ambient levels experienced in the United Kingdom; (c) whether athletes are especially at risk. METHODS: Six major urban air pollutants were examined: carbon monoxide (CO); nitrogen oxides (NO(X)); ozone (O(3)); particulate matter (PM(10)); sulphur dioxide (SO(2)); volatile organic compounds (VOCs). RESULTS: CO is detrimental to athletic performance. NO(2) is of concern to human health, but outdoor levels are low. O(3) poses a potentially serious risk to exercising athletes. Decrements in lung function result from exposure, and there is evidence that athletic performance may be affected. Detrimental effects may occur at low ambient levels, but there is no scientific consensus on this matter. PM(10) is causing concern in the scientific community. Blood lead accumulation during exercise indicates that personal exposure to toxic compounds associated with PM(10) may be magnified. Generally, outdoor ambient levels of SO(2) are too low to cause a problem to the athlete, except the asthmatic athlete. The few studies on exposure of exercisers to VOCs are reviewed. CONCLUSIONS: Athletes and exercisers should avoid exercising by the road side even though levels of the more noxious air pollutants have been controlled in the United Kingdom. O(3) is particularly damaging to athletes; it reaches its highest concentrations on hot bright days in rural areas.

The effects of rest and subsequent training on selected physiological parameters in professional female classical dancers.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a six-week summer break and of dance preparations at the beginning of the new season following the break, on selected physiological parameters. Seventeen professional ballerinas (mean age 27.2 +/- 1.4 years, mean height 160.2 +/- 6.2 cm) volunteered. They were assessed just before and immediately after their normal summer break, during which very little or no physical work was reported. Eight of these dancers were assessed for a third time, 2-3 months after the end of the break, while they were into preparing for the new season. More specifically, compared to pre-break data, the six-weeks of holiday was followed by a 15% overall increase in the three flexibility tests (from 334 to 386 degrees, P < 0.01), a 14% increase in peak anaerobic power (from 350 to 400 watts; P < 0.01), a 16% increase in leg strength (from 143 to 166 Nm; P < 0.01) (i.e. the mean performance of left and right knee extension added to the mean performance of left and right knee flexion), and a 10% increase in VO2max (from 41.2 to 45.2 ml/kg/min; P < 0.05). The third set of data, 2-3 months after the end of the break, revealed further significant increases by 24% in leg-strength (P < 0.005) and 17% in VO2max (P < 0.01) compared to pre-holiday data. Despite the lack of a control group, the present results fit with the hypothesis of a degree of "burnout" at the end of the season, which negatively affected the mechanisms of fitness and conditioning. A six-week summer-break can act as a restorer of these mechanisms. Two to three months into the new season, positive adaptations to exercise appeared to confirm recovery from the "burnout" or overtraining phenomenon. More research is required on the effects of demanding dance schedules on fitness and conditioning, and how such schedules might adversely affect dance performance and dancers' careers.

Seasonal variations of injury and overtraining in elite athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess reported injuries and cases of overtraining in relation to training and competition cycles, aerobic versus anaerobic sport, and gender. METHODS: A total of 163 elite male and 94 elite female athletes from eight different sports volunteered. They reported 212 musculoskeletal injuries and 38 cases of the overtraining syndrome. These injuries and cases of overtraining were then arranged according to the training or competition cycle in which they occurred, whether the sufferers were male or female athletes, and the metabolic characteristics of the sports in which the injuries and overtraining occurred. RESULTS: The preparation (October to February), precompetition (March to May), and competition (June to August) cycles were associated with 9%, 19%, and 32% of the injuries reported by the men, respectively, and with 8%, 10%, and 22% of the injuries reported by the women, respectively. For the same cycles, cases of overtraining were found to be 15%, 24%, and 35% for the men, respectively, and 4%, 7%, and 15% for the women, respectively. For both men and women, the competition cycle produced significantly more injuries and incidents of overtraining than the preparation and precompetition cycles (p < 0.05 vs p < 0.005). Similarly, precompetition revealed significantly more injuries (p < 0.05) in men, but not in women, compared with the preparation cycle. Also, male athletes reported a significantly higher number of injuries during the precompetition (p < 0.05) and competition (p < 0.01) cycles, and more cases of overtraining during the competition cycle (p < 0.01) than did their female counterparts. No differences were found when the data were arranged according to dominant metabolic characteristics of the sports in which the injuries and overtraining occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Elite athletes are more likely to become injured or overtrained during the precompetition and, especially, competition cycles than in the preparation cycle. Parallel seasonal variations were also found when data were analyzed for aerobic versus anaerobic sport and gender.

Microwaves for menorrhagia: a new fast technique for endometrial ablation.

Current ablative techniques for treating menorrhagia are unsatisfactory. We tried microwave energy, delivered by an 8 mm diameter probe in the uterine cavity, to treat 23 patients with functional menorrhagia. The mean treatment time was 2 min 12 s (range 50-310 s). 6 months after treatment the success rate is 83%, 13 patients (57%) are amenorrhoeic, and six (26%) are experiencing light menstruation. Three initial failures have been successfully retreated. The technique is safe, and is easier and quicker to perform than current alternatives.

Maximal voluntary quadriceps strength patterns in Olympic overtrained athletes.

Peak torques were studied in 10 elite male overtrained athletes and 10 controls matched for sex, age, sport, and performance level. Isokinetic concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) of quadriceps muscle were assessed at the angular velocities of 60 degrees, 120 degrees, and 180 degrees.s-1. Sustained isometric MVCs were also measured at knee angles of 10 degrees, 45 degrees, and 80 degrees of flexion. Six seconds after the beginning of each isometric MVC, a 40-Hz electrical stimulation was superimposed on the MVC for a further 6 s. The overtrained subjects developed significantly smaller CON peak torques at 180 degrees.s-1 (P < 0.001), although ECC torques were similar at all three velocities. ECC/CON ratios were higher in the overtrained subjects at 120 degrees.s-1 (P < 0.01) and 180 degrees.s-1 (P < 0.001) compared with the controls. Isometric MVCs at 10 degrees and 45 degrees knee flexion were lower in the overtrained at P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively. Also in the overtrained subjects, at knee angle of 10 degrees, the addition of the electrical stimulation to the isometric MVC produced an increase (P < 0.05) in torque levels. It is suggested that impaired central drive may account for the present findings.