Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the hematologic, biochemical, and physiologic characteristics of male elite and professional basketball players during an annual training season.Materials and Methods: This study included 18-34-year-old healthy males (elite and professional basketball athletes) and involved VO2 max and counter movement jump performance tests, as well as measurements of hematocrit, hemoglobin, ferritin, red blood cell volume, creatine kinase, and cortisol levels.Blood sampling was conducted at the beginning, mid-way, and at completion of the training season after a 48-h rest period.Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17.00) and included t-tests and twoway analyses of variance (ANOVA) with and without repeated measures.Results: There was no difference between the groups in terms of anthropometric characteristics.Elite athletes showed a 12.4% increase in VO2 max compared to professional athletes.Regarding hematologic parameters, elite athletes were characterized by a 3.87% decrease in hematocrit levels mid-season as well as a 4.62% decrease in hemoglobin levels at the end of the training season compared to professional athletes.In terms of intra group differences within the training period, serum creatine kinase levels were 53.5% higher for the elite athletes mid-season, compared to the two abovementioned measurements at the beginning and the end of the training season.Conclusion: In an effort to elucidate the effect of training season and athletic level on hematologic, biochemical, and physiologic parameters, we showed that the performance level greatly affected the hematologic and biochemical profile.More importantly, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and serum creatine kinase were the parameters that were mostly affected.Our results indicate the importance of athletic level and different training regimens at different parts of the training season.However, more research is needed to explore the biological significance of the current findings.
PURPOSE: The implantation of expandable microballoons has proved successful for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. This led us to test its effectiveness in the treatment of severe fecal incontinence. METHODS: Six patients (four male), of average age of 43 (range, 29-60) years, with severe fecal incontinence, underwent implantation of expandable microballoons in the submucosa of the anal canal. The implantation was performed under intravenous sedation as an outpatient procedure. Anal manometry, endosonography, and incontinence assessment with a scoring system were performed before and after the implantation. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 8.6 (range, 7-12) months, the incontinence scores improved in all patients from an average of 16.16 (standard deviation: ± 1.6) before the implantation to an average of 5 (standard deviation: ± 1.26) after the procedure. The anal pressure at rest was not improved in any patient (mean: 50.16 before treatment to a mean of 53 after treatment). No significant adverse events were associated with the procedure, and no serious postim-plantation complications were noted. DISCUSSION: Anal implantation of expandable microballoons seems to be a simple, safe, and effective method that restores the fecal continence without hindering normal defecation.
Serum phosphate levels were studied in 18 patients with acute intestinal infarction as proved by laparotomy. Serum phosphate was increased preoperatively (6.12 +/- 0.75 mg/dl) in 94.4 per cent of cases. False-positive results were not recorded. The rise in phosphate was observed 4-12 hr (6.82 +/- 2.65) after the beginning of symptoms and was significantly higher when compared with both normal limits (3-5 mg/dl) and phosphate levels of 24 patients with acute abdominal conditions not associated with intestinal ischemia. This study suggests that determination of serum phosphate should be used as screening method for early detection and treatment of patients with acute intestinal ischemia.
The aim of this study was 2-fold: a) to describe the physiological and technical characteristics of elite young basketball players, and b) to examine the relationship between certain field and laboratory tests among these players.Thirteen male players of the junior's Basketball National team (age: 18.5 +/- 0.5 years, mass: 95.5 +/- 8.8 kg, height: 199.5 +/- 6.2 cm, body fat: 11.4 +/- 1.9%, means+/-SD) performed a run to exhaustion on the treadmill, the Wingate test and 2 types of vertical jump. On a separate day, the field tests (control dribble, defensive movement, speed dribble, speed running, shuttle run and dribble shuttle run) were conducted.Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and ventilatory threshold were 51.7 +/- 4.8 ml/kg/min and 77.6 +/- 7.0% VO2max, respectively. Maximum power output was 10.7 +/- 1.3 Watts/kg and mean power (Pmean) 8.0 +/- 0.7 Watts/kg. Counter-movement and squat jump height were 40.1 +/- 3.7 and 39.8 +/- 4.0 cm, respectively. Performance in control dribble (13.70 +/- 0.96 s), speed dribble (4.24 +/- 0.75 s), high intensity shuttle run (27.90 +/- 1.04 s) and dribble shuttle run (29.50 +/- 1.22 s) was correlated with Pmean (r=-0.58, r=-0.62, r=-0.56 and r=-0.73, respectively, p<0.05). Percent body fat was negatively correlated with all the above field tests (r=0.63, r=0.57, r=0.66, r=0.65, respectively, p<0.05).These players presented a moderate VO2max and anaerobic power. The significant correlation between Pmean and certain field tests indicates that these tests could be used for the assessment of anaerobic capacity of young basketball players.
Self-expanding metal stents have long been used in the management of patients with malignant esophageal and malignant biliary obstruction. The aim of the present study was to report on the palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction using self-expanding endoprostheses.Between March 1993 and December 1994, 12 patients (eight women, four men, mean age 64 years) suffering from malignant gastric outlet obstruction due to recurrent gastric carcinoma (seven patients) and pancreatic head carcinoma (five patients) presented with an inability to eat and intractable vomiting. The patients were managed with peroral insertion of self-expanding metal stents.Peroral introduction of the stent with the aid of a stabilizing overtube was successful in all patients, with the stent being supported as it was being advanced through the stenosis. Proper release of the stent into the stenotic area was achieved in all cases, relieving the intractable vomiting. The procedure was accomplished without any complications. All patients were able to eat semisolid food four days after the stent insertion. Apart from an asymptomatic partial stent occlusion in one patient, no other complications were seen during the short-term follow-up one, two, and three months after discharge.These preliminary results suggest that self-expanding stents can effectively relieve malignant gastric outlet obstruction.
IntroductionH.J. Freudenberger (1974) first studied the burnout concept in the called helping and described it as a physical and behavioural syndrome. Later, Maslach (1976) extended the significance of the term and described burnout as a multidimensional syndrome which is revealed with feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment; afflicting professionals of various fields. The main characteristics of these professions are stressful periods and extended interpersonal relations.Coaching in sports and games because of the long season is a particularly stressful profession and the pressure to win can lead coaches directly to burnout. The first studies regarding burnout, correlated demographical (e.g. individual or team sports, age), situational (e.g. work overload, professional or support, conflict of role), and dispositional characteristics (e.g. hardiness, leadership style, competitive trait anxiety) with the frequency and intensity of burnout (Caccese & Mayerberg, 1984; Capel, et al., 1987; Dale & Weinberg, 1989; Hunt, 1984; Kelley & Gill, 1993; Kelley, et al., 1999; Martin, et al., 1999).A very important study regarding burnout in the athletic environment is that of Smith (1986), which based on previous conclusions tried to summarize the knowledge for the nature, causes and consequences of burnout, within a cognitive-affective model. Smith underlined the parallel situational, cognitional, psychological and behavioural components of and burnout. He also supported that the individual differences of personality and motives, affected all the consequent components of and burnout. Many researchers supported their research efforts on this model, while others tried to confirm it.Kelley (1990), based on Smiths' model examined various personal/situational factors on a simple stressmediation model of burnout among basketball N.C.A.A. and N.A.I.A. teacher-coaches. Independent variables were coaching experience, gender, coaching problems, coaching and social support; the of stress was mediator variable, and the three dimensions of burnout were dependent variables. The results revealed that basketball coaches reported moderate and high levels in all burnout dimensions. Also, through this model, it was widely supported that, support, issues and lead to higher levels of perception, which consequently predicted higher levels of burnout.Based on the previous study Kelley and Gill (1993) examined an expanded model with a sample of baseball and softball male (N=131) and female (N=118) coaches, at the beginning and at the end of the season. Researchers added the personal factor of to the prediction variables and compared the new data with those of the previous study. The results of path analysis confirmed the previous model. Coaches with lower levels of hardiness and higher concerns on issues, reported higher levels of perceived and consequently higher professional burnout, while the high levels of perceived and burnout were correlated with lower levels of support. Winning percentage was not connected with appraisal, while both of male and female coaches suffered from moderate levels of burnout.Another two investigations of Kelley et al., (1999), and Martin et al. (1999), on and burnout models, confirmed all previous investigations and totally supported the following results: (a) support functions as moderator of and burnout, and (b) is a direct predictor of all burnout dimensions.Conclusively, Kelley's initial studies (1990, 1994, 1999), supported the utilization of simple mediation models for the understanding of the burnout syndrome in environment. However, additional evaluation of this perception is further imposed. …
'/%3e%3c/defs%3e%3cpath fill='%23012169' d='M0 0h10080v5040H0z'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='.6' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23b)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='.4' d='m0 0 6 3m0-3L0 3' clip-path='url(%23c)' transform='scale(840)'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23fff' stroke-width='840' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cpath stroke='%23e4002b' stroke-width='504' d='M2520 0v2520M0 1260h5040'/%3e%3cg fill='%23fff'%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23d' x='2520' y='3780'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='4200'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='6300' y='2205'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='7560' y='840'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23a' x='8680' y='1869'/%3e%3cuse xlink:href='%23e' x='8064' y='2730'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)