The Effect of Rehabilitation Program for Rotator Cuff Injury According to Functional variables in Female Volleyball Players in Sulaymania Governorate

The research aim at identifying the effect of rehabilitation program using stretching exercises (Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation) PNF in rotator cuff partial tear in female volleyball players according to functional variables. The researchers used the experimental method on (9) volleyball players with partial tear in the rotator cuff. They used the experimental method and the data was collected and treated using proper statistical operations to conclude significant differences between pre and posttests in heart pulse, blood pressure, and muscle mass percentage. Finally the researchers recommended using stretching to facilitated PNF in rehabilitating rotor cuff as well as using these exercises have a positive role in healing all functional variables to their normal state.

Dietary Calcium Intake and Fat Mass in Spanish Young Adults: The Role of Muscle Strength

Obesity is declared as a chronic multifaceted health problem, and young adults may be particularly vulnerable to weight gain. This study aims to identify the role of dietary calcium intake and the muscle strength index in handling excess of fat mass in young adults and to examine if the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage is mediated by muscle strength. A cross-sectional study including 355 Spanish college students (aged 21.05 ± 3.11) was performed during the 2017–2018 academic year. Pearson correlation coefficients were estimated to determine the relationship between dietary calcium intake, fat mass percentage, body mass index, muscle strength components, and total energy intake. ANCOVA models were used to analyze the differences in the muscle strength index by total dietary calcium intake categories, as well as the differences in % fat mass by total dietary calcium intake and muscle strength index categories, controlling for different sets of confounders. A mediator analysis was conducted to test if the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage was explained by muscle strength. Data on the fat mass percentage, dietary calcium intake, and muscle strength index as the sum of the standardized z-score of the standing long jump and z-score of handgrip/weight were collected. The muscle strength index was significantly better in young adults with higher dietary calcium intake. Moreover, the fat mass percentage was significantly lower in those with a higher dietary calcium intake and a better muscle strength index. Finally, the relationship between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage was fully mediated by muscle strength (z = −1.90; p < 0.05), explaining 33.33% of this relationship. This study suggests that both a major dietary calcium intake and muscle strength are associated with fat mass percentage. Moreover, muscle strength mediates the link between dietary calcium intake and fat mass percentage. Therefore, both high dietary calcium intake and exercise activities aimed at improving muscle strength levels may help to prevent the cardiometabolic risk associated with an excess of fat mass in young people.

The study of the charge relaxation kinetics in polyethylene with nanofillers

The work focuses on the study of the charge relaxation kinetics in composite materials based on polyethylene. Time dependences of the electretic potential differences for samples with different mass values of the filler, as well as dependences of conductivity from the mass percentage of the filler, were achieved. The conductivity curves were analyzed according to the modern theory of intrinsic conductivity.

Modification of Low-Density Slag Cementing Slurry with SiC Whiskers at High Temperature

The aim of this study was to improve the mechanical properties of a slag solidified body at high temperatures. Composite materials with different contents of SiC whiskers were prepared and characterized using techniques such as mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). When the SiC whisker addition is 1% mass percentage, the compressive and tensile strength of the slag solidified body after hydration for 7 days increased by 10.2% and 39.3%, respectively, and Young’s modulus decreased by 16.8%. The results show that the addition of SiC whiskers can enhance the mechanical properties of solidified slag bodies at high temperatures. According to the test results, the hydration products of the slag solidified body mainly consist of honeycomb tobermorite (C-S-H) gel at high temperatures in addition to a small number of spherical products. The spheres are connected to form a dense structure; however, noticeable cracks were present. The addition of SiC whiskers effectively inhibited the initiation and further development of microcracks and improved the bearing capacity of the slag solidified body.

DECOMPOSITION OF LEAF LITTER IN THE BRAZILIAN CERRADO, CERRADÃO AND FOREST ENVIRONMENTS IN THE AMAZON, BRAZIL

The soils of the Amazon region, despite being under one of the densest forests in the world, are mostly characterized by low nutrient availability, with litter being the main nutrient input route. The present work aimed to evaluate the litter decomposition in forest, Cerrado and Cerradão environments in the Amazon. The litter decomposition rate was estimated by mass loss analysis using litter bags. The collections were performed at intervals of 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, 180, 210, 240, 270 and 300 days, with four replications. Once collected, the material contained in each litter bag was placed to dry to obtain the dry mass. And so, the remaining mass percentage, the decomposition rates (k) and the half-life time (t1/2) are estimated. During the studied period, the Cerrado environment presented the lowest constant k (0.0017 g g-1 day-1) and consequently longer half-life (407 days). The monthly deposition in Cerrado input ranged from Mgha-1mother1 (June to September). Among the evaluated environments, the forest presented the highest decomposition speed and Cerrado presented the lowest one. It was evidenced that the decomposition process for all studied environments occurred with greater intensity in the rainy season.

DIABETES OR OBESITY; MAJOR EFFECTOR OF ALTERED LEVELS OF GHRELIN AND LEPTIN

Background: Ghrelin and leptin are the key hormones involved in the energy homeostasis and plays a relevant role in regulating hunger and satiety stimuli afferent to the brain. Abnormalities in the levels of ghrelin and leptin are often associated with the obesity and type 2 diabetes complications. However, there are no studies clarifying whether ghrelin and leptin levels have stronger association with obesity or Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Aims:To evaluate and compare the independent effect of major dening factors of obesity and diabetes on ghrelin and leptin concentrations. Materials And Methods: Anthropometric measures such as height, weight, waist (WC) and hip circumference (HC), Body mass index (BMI), Basal metabolic rate (BMR), fat percentage, lean body mass, were taken. Assessed daily physical activity and energy intake. Biochemical parameters such as fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, HBA1c, ghrelin, leptin and insulin levels were measured. Statistical Analysis: One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Chi-square (χ2) test Pearson's correlation coefcients, Multiple stepwise linear regression model analysis were performed. Result: The diabetic subjects irrespective of obesity showed signicantly higher waist to hip ratio, HOMAIR levels of fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose and signicantly lower levels of Ghrelin than non-diabetics. Similarly, obese subjects irrespective of diabetes have signicantly higher BMR and higher levels of Leptin than non-diabetics. Asignicantly higher BMI, fat mass percentage and lower lean body mass percentage were observed in obese subjects irrespective of diabetes than non-obese subjects. Among non-obese, diabetics have higher BMI, Fat mass percentage and lower lean body mass percentage. The levels of insulin were signicantly higher in diabetic obese subjects. HOMAIR (P≤0.0001) and Postprandial glucose (P≤0.05) showed negative independent effect and QUICKI (P≤0.0001) showed positive independent effect on the levels of ghrelin. BMI (P≤0.05) showed a positive effect and lean body mass percentage (P≤0.0001) showed an inverse effect on levels of leptin. Conclusion: It is evident from the study that low levels of ghrelin are predominantly associated with diabetes parameters when compared to parameters of obesity and on the contrary increased leptin levels have much stronger association with measures of obesity than diabetes. Evidence of altered leptin and ghrelin levels in these disorders infers vice versa, their respective roles in obesity and lean diabetes.

Encouraging physical fitness in Brazilian adolescents with excess weight: can they outperform their eutrophic peers in some activities?

Background There is the need to encourage physical activity (PA) among adolescents with overweight or obesity. Objectives The present study aimed to assess the relationship between health-related physical fitness (PF) and nutritional status, and to identify those activities more suited to adolescents with excess weight. Methods This cross-sectional study included 3,062 in-school adolescents, aged 10–18 years. We collected information on sex, age, weight, height, skinfold thickness, trunk height and leg length, and calculated body mass index (BMI) z-score, fat mass percentage, and peak height velocity (PHV). Participants were tested for PF by the 20-m shuttle run test (cardiorespiratory fitness); medicine ball throw and standing long jump tests (musculoskeletal fitness) and sit and reach test (flexibility). We used generalized linear mixed models (GLMM) to analyze the relationship between nutritional status and performance in the fitness tests, controlled for maturity offset and fat mass percentage. Results 1,563 (51%) were boys, mean age 12.6 years (±1.8), 22.8% were overweight and 12.5% had obesity. In both sexes, adolescents with obesity did better in the upper body strength test than their eutrophic peers. Boys with obesity had worse cardiorespiratory fitness and lower body muscular strength than eutrophic boys. Girls with obesity had similar cardiorespiratory fitness and better lower body strength than eutrophic girls. Conclusion In muscular strength fitness tests, adolescents with obesity performed similarly to, or better than, their eutrophic peers. Motivation to maintain regular PA is reinforced by positive experiences. Interventions that emphasize muscular strength PF should be developed for adolescents with obesity.

Melatonin Supplementation and Anthropometric Indices: A Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Clinical Trial

Obesity, as the most common metabolic disorder in the world, is characterized by excess body fat. This study is aimed at determining the effects of melatonin supplementation on body weight, nody mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and body fat mass percentage (BFMP) in people with overweight or obesity. Thirty eight overweight or class-I obese adult individuals were recruited in the study (8 men and 30 women). Participants prescribed a weight-loss diet and then randomly were allocated to melatonin or placebo groups. Participants received either a 3-milligram melatonin or placebo tablet per day for 12 weeks. In order to assess differences at the significance level of 0.05, repeated measure ANOVA and paired t -test were used. According to the results, a significant reduction was found in participants’ body weight, WC, and BMI in both groups ( p = 0.001 ). However, for the last six weeks, significant reductions of these parameters were observed only in the melatonin group ( p = 0.01 ). The BFMP of participants in the melatonin group showed a significant reduction at the end of the study compared to the initial measurements ( p = 0.008 ). Nevertheless, the results of the present study alone are not sufficient to conclude on the effects of melatonin consumption on anthropometric indices, and it seems that further studies are required in this regard.

Relation of Physical Activity Level to Postural Balance in Obese and Overweight Spanish Adult Males: A Cross-Sectional Study

The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of physical activity level on postural control in obese and overweight Spanish adult males. Forty-three males aged between 25 and 60 years old were included. Anthropometric, body composition, and physical activity variables were assessed, and postural control was evaluated using the Sensory Organization Test. No correlation was found between the level of physical activity and postural control, assessed by the Sensory Organization Test within the whole sample. However, within the group with a higher total fat mass percentage, non-sedentary individuals presented improved scores on the somatosensory organization test when compared to sedentary individuals (96.9 ± 1.8 vs. 95.4 ± 1.2; p < 0.05) and poorer scores on the composite equilibrium score (73.4 ± 7.2 vs. 79.2 ± 6.9; p < 0.05). The altered integration of somatosensory inputs most likely affects the tuning, sequencing, and execution of balance strategies in sedentary men with a high total fat mass percentage.