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Using a Combination of Indirect Calorimetry, Infrared Thermography, and Blood Glucose Levels to Measure Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans

In mammals, brown adipose tissue (BAT) is activated rapidly in response to cold in order to maintain body temperature. Although BAT has been studied ...

La Trobe University

It has been suggested that the positive position of the O'Brien test (shoulder flexion, horizontal adduction, and internal rotation) tensions the bicipital labral complex relative to the negative position (shoulder flexion, horizontal adduction, and external rotation). This study measured active and passive tension in the long head of biceps in the 2 positions of the O'Brien test to validate the proposed anatomic basis of the test. Active tension was measured using surface electromyography of the long head of biceps in 12 healthy young adults. Passive tension was measured using a load cell attached to the intracapsular tendon of the long head of biceps in 5 cadaver specimens. Active and passive tension were higher in the negative position, thus refuting the proposed anatomic basis of the test. Although there may be an alternative basis for the test, the failure to support the proposed anatomic basis may partly explain the variable likelihood ratios obtained in clinical accuracy studies of the O'Brien test. The results of this study reinforce the need for anatomic validation during the development of clinical testing procedures.

An evaluation of the anatomic basis of the O'Brien active compression test for superior labral anterior and posterior (SLAP) lesions.

Do clinical tests accurately diagnose rotator cuff pathology?

Most clinical tests cannot accurately diagnose rotator cuff pathology: a systematic review.

Both Biceps Load tests I and II rely on an increase in tension in the long head of biceps to identify a superior labral anterior and posterior (SLAP) lesion. This study aimed to evaluate the anatomical basis of Biceps Load tests I and II by measuring activity in the long head of biceps in the two clinical tests. Activity in the long head of biceps was measured in 12 healthy young participants using surface electromyography. Activity was only minimally increased in both Biceps Load I and II compared with the resting position. In the absence of convincing support for the anatomical basis of the test, investigations of diagnostic accuracy need to be replicated in order for the reported high accuracy of Biceps Load I and II tests to be supported with confidence.

An evaluation of the anatomical basis of the Biceps Load tests I and II for superior labral anterior and posterior (SLAP) lesions.

In 2009 the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia is introducing a common first year for 11 different undergraduate courses in the faculty. Current prerequisite science entry requirements vary with course and range from none to at least two science or mathematics subjects and from approximately 50 to 99 in Equivalent National Tertiary Entrance Rank (ENTER) scores. Under the previous structure, students in different courses completed a variety of different subjects at first year. Concern about the ability of such disparate groups to complete a common first year led to the current investigation of the relationships between year 12 (final year of secondary school) science subjects and performance in first year university bioscience subjects. Year 12 results for all science-related units and ENTER scores were obtained for all Victorian students enrolling in a first year course in the Faculty of Health Sciences in 2005 and 2006. Regression and other analyses were conducted for five first year bioscience subjects. The ENTER score was the best predictor of academic performance in all units except regional anatomy. Performance in many secondary school science subjects was highly predictive of performance in physiology, combined systematic physiology and anatomy and biomechanics units, but again not for regional anatomy units. It appears that year 12 performance in science subjects and ENTER scores may be important predictors of success in physiology, but not regional anatomy subjects at university. It is possible that regional anatomy is an entirely new subject area that requires new types of learning unrelated to year 12 science subjects.

Secondary school science predictors of academic performance in university bioscience subjects.

Shoulder injuries associated with the throwing and fielding demands of the game are common in elite cricketers. This study aimed to identify the factors associated with shoulder injuries in an elite junior squad.

Altered scapula position in elite young cricketers with shoulder problems.

Asynchronous online discussion forums are increasingly common in blended learning environments but the relationship to student learning outcomes has not been reported for anatomy teaching. Forums were monitored in two multicampus anatomy courses; an introductory first year course and a second year physiotherapy-specific course. The forums are structured with a separate site for each course module and moderated weekly by staff. Students are encouraged to post to new threads (initial post) and answer queries in threads started by others (reply post). Analysis of forums was conducted separately for each course and included overall activity (posts and views) for a full semester and a detailed analysis for one week in the middle of semester. Students were classified as zero, moderate, or high contributors to the forums based on the number of posts. Final mark for the course was related to level of forum contribution using nonparametric tests. Forum threads were characterized as task-focused, administrative, or other. A higher proportion of second year (36%) than first-year (17%) students posted on the forums and the postings were more likely to be task-focused and student initiated. Second-year students that posted frequently to the forum gained a higher final mark for the course than those that did not post or only posted a moderate number of times (P < 0.01). This relationship was not evident for first-year students who had a much higher proportion of administrative threads. Forums in anatomy courses can be powerful learning tools encouraging deeper learning and improved learning outcomes.

Student outcomes associated with use of asynchronous online discussion forums in gross anatomy teaching.

To analyse the effect of exercise-based rehabilitation programs for improving lower limb muscle strength in individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis (OA). A systematic search utilizing seven databases identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating lower limb strength outcomes of exercise-based interventions for participants with hip or knee OA. All studies were screened for eligibility and methodological quality. Quality of evidence was assessed using Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Data were pooled and meta-analyses performed where appropriate. Forty RCTs were included and the majority (77%) involved resistance based exercise programs. For knee OA populations, there was high quality evidence for improved knee extension (standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.47, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.29, 0.66) and flexion strength (SMD = 0.74, 95% CI 0.56, 0.92) with low-intensity resistance program when compared to a control at short term (ST) follow-up. There was moderate quality evidence for a large effect favouring high-intensity resistance programs (SMD = 0.76, 95% CI 0.47, 1.06) when compared to a control. This effect was sustained at intermediate term (IT) follow-up (SMD = 0.80, 95% CI 0.44, 1.17). Few studies reported on outcomes at long term (LT) follow-up. Only one study reported on a population with hip OA. When compared to a control group, high-intensity resistance exercise demonstrated moderate quality of evidence for large and sustained improvements for knee muscle strength in knee OA patients. Further work is needed to compare different modes of exercise at a LT follow-up for knee OA patients and to address the dearth of literature evaluating exercise interventions in people with hip OA.

Efficacy of rehabilitation programs for improving muscle strength in people with hip or knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Clinical practice guidelines recommend exercise as the first line of management for hip osteoarthritis, yet high-quality evidence from Cochrane reviews suggest only slight benefits for pain and physical function; and no benefit on quality of life (low-quality evidence). However, the scope of physical impairments identified in people with hip osteoarthritis may not have been adequately addressed with targeted rehabilitation options in previous randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Potential targeted options include gait retraining to address spatio-temporal impairments in walking; motor control training to address deep gluteal (gluteus minimus) dysfunction; and progressive, high-intensity resistance exercises to address atrophy of the gluteal muscles. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of a targeted gluteal rehabilitation programme that incorporates gait retraining, motor control and progressive, high-intensity resistance-strength training, to address physical activity levels and self-reported physical function in people with mild to moderate disability from hip osteoarthritis.

Targeted gluteal exercise versus sham exercise on self-reported physical function for people with hip osteoarthritis (the GHOst trial - Gluteal exercise for Hip Osteoarthritis): a protocol for a randomised clinical trial.

Between-session reliability of electromyographic data is important for confidence in interpreting the role of muscles in functional tasks but critical if these data are to be compared before and after an intervention that seeks to change pathological patterns of muscle activity. The gluteus medius (GMed) and minimus (GMin) are known to have functionally discrete segments that are highly active during stance phase of gait and stepping tasks. This study measured the between-session reliability of activity patterns, mean amplitudes and time to peak (TTP) activity of these muscle segments. Intramuscular electrodes were placed in 3 segments of GMed and 2 segments of GMin in 10 healthy young adults for each of two testing sessions held two weeks apart. Participants completed six repetitions of comfortable speed walking trials, step-up and step-down tasks with activity patterns for each muscle segment time- and amplitude-normalized and averaged across trials. Re-test reliability for was high for activity patterns (coefficient of mean correlation ranging from 0.890 to 0.998) across all tasks and muscle segments and only two pairwise comparisons showing differences in amplitude between sessions. With standardized data collection and analysis procedures, GMed and GMin muscle segment activity patterns show good between-session reliability for weightbearing tasks.

Rod A. Green

La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science,
Department of Rural Clinical Sciences,
La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Department of Rural Clinical Sciences

La Trobe University

Using a Combination of Indirect Calorimetry, Infrared Thermography, and Blood Glucose Levels to Measure Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans

Rod A. Green

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science,Department of Rural Clinical Sciences,La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Department of Rural Clinical Sciences

La Trobe University

Using a Combination of Indirect Calorimetry, Infrared Thermography, and Blood Glucose Levels to Measure Brown Adipose Tissue Thermogenesis in Humans

La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science,
Department of Rural Clinical Sciences,
La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, Department of Rural Clinical Sciences