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The Global Observatory for Physical Activity – GoPA! country cards were launched last Dec 4th in London [1]. GoPA! was created in response to the urgent call to action to prevent the physical inactivity pandemic described in the Lancet physical activity series back in 2012 [2,3]. These population, researcher and policy maker friendly profiles aim to contribute promoting physical activity worldwide. Each profile put together a set of prevalence, health burden, research, surveillance and policy indicators. Each country has a representative that reviews the content presented in the card. Italy was launched in the first set of cards and it has an interesting profile. Main questions that were answered

Background The decline of health among university students represents an important and growing public health concern. Health problems and unhealthy lifestyle habits are common among many students, but factors influencing students’ health are not fully understood. Methods Italian university students from different study programs and curriculum years were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire, collecting data about age, gender, curriculum year, study program and health-related quality of life (QOL). Two latent factors were extracted: physical component summary score and mental component summary score. T-test, one-way ANOVA, multivariate and age and sex-stratified analyses were performed. Results Students scored relatively poor on health-related QOL, with an overall mental component summary score of 41,3% (± 10,0) and physical component summary score of 52,9% (±6,0), with significantly higher mental component summary score for male students (P = < 0,005). Studying economics, law (b = −2,513, P = 0,007) or engineering (b = −2,762; P = 0,001) was associated to negatively influence students’ health. Conclusions Factors such as study program are associated with health-related QOL. Further longitudinal studies assessing additional socio-demographic factors are needed to fully assess what influences students’ health. Students’ health should be at the top of the agenda of public health researchers, academic supervisors and policy-makers.

AimsSport specialization is an actual trend in youth athletes, but it can increase injury risk. The aim was to determine the eventual correlation between sports specialization and injury risk in various sports, using a biopsychosocial approach.Methods169 sport-specialized athletes completed [(38 female, 131 male); overall (11.2 ± 2.7 years), (56.28 ± 15.72 kg), (161.3 ± 15.52 cm)] a self-reported questionnaire regarding sociodemographic (age, gender, educational level), physical-attitudinal, injuries and psychological-attitudinal To analyze data univariate and correlate analyses were used.ResultsOf 169 athletes enrolled, 53% were single-sport specialized (reported participation in one sport and trained > 8 months/year). In team sports (100%, OR = 0.75; p = 0.022) a high risk of having to remain at rest for up to 1 month because of overuse was observed. Males who suffered direct trauma (70%; OR = 1.03; p = 0.006) in the team group (95%, OR = 0.09; p = 0.008) were more exposed to that type of injury, and also the type of specialization figured significantly (p = 0.047). In addition, interoceptive awareness correlates with injury (95%, 1.04, p = 0.01). This study shows that, even though young athletes seem to be at a high risk of becoming injured, early team sport specialization and a high performance level cannot be considered to be the only risk factors.

The use of doping substances is growing not only in young athletes performing competitive and non-competitive sports, but also in amateur sports, thereby representing a social and public health problem. The aim of this study was to measure knowledge, attitudes and opinions on doping and drugs and their effects, among students of secondary schools, and to assess the effectiveness of a health education intervention. "Enjoy the Sport- the school against doping and addiction 2.0" is a program developed to discourage the use of drugs, in particular doping drugs, by introducing information on the origins, on the effects of drugs and examples of appropriate lifestyles. This project was conceived by C.I.S.C.O.D. (Comitato Italiano Sport Contro Droga), an association of the C.O.N.I. and carried out with its support.The "Enjoy" project was a study with a one-arm experimental design and with a pre-post evaluation. A multiple-choice questionnaire was used to measure adolescents' knowledge, attitudes and opinions on doping and its effects. A descriptive analysis and post-pre intervention comparison was performed with the McNemar test.There was a significant increase in participants' knowledge of doping substances indicated by the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) (plt;0.001) and a better understanding of the meaning of the term "doping". A decrease in the number of adolescents who would use doping substances (pre = 0.06%; post = 0.0%) was observed, as well as an increase in the number of adolescents who do not consider fair that athletes of any level should use substances that alter their performance (pre = 83.7%; post = 85%). A significant increase was observed in the proportion of participants who believe that athletes should not use doping substances because they are harmful to the human organism (pre = 38.6%; post = 51.7%) (plt;0.001).The project "Enjoy the Sport" contributed to increasing the health literacy of secondary school students about doping (and consequent awareness of the negative aspects of drug use). Schools, therefore, are an appropriate setting for implementing educational interventions for the prevention of doping. However, it is fundamental to integrate knowledge and action, especially in the context of family, sport and sports associations.

Recently a new version of International Physical Activity Questionnaire was performed for adolescent (IPAQ-A), but there is no Italian version yet. The aim of the study is to examine the test-retest reliability of an Italian version of short IPAQ-A.A sample of 10- to 18-year-old children and adolescents was considered. The IPAQ questionnaires were administered twice, the second time two days after the first administration. Test-retest reliability and internal reliability of the questionnaire were determined using ICC and Cronbach's α, respectively.Two hundred and seventy-seven questionnaires were collected. The response rate was 97% but 57% of the sample completed all the items in the questionnaire. Forty-three percent of the students have not completed all the items and its age distribution shown that 93.5% was in 10-13 years old. Overall internal reliability (Cronbach's α=0.84) and test-retest reliability for 16 out of 23 items (ICC0.70) were high.The study presents missing and unreasonably values. However, the study underlines pros and cons of the IPAQ-A: high reliability and feasibility to measure the physical activity especially in adolescent aged 14-18 years; the IPAQ-A needs of attention and it hasn't to leave it to the self-compilation but give support especially in the youngers.

Background Inmates have a poorer health status than the general population. The physical activity is well know that improve the wellness of the people. This multicentric cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between Quality of Life (QoL) and physical activity levels among Italian prisoners. Methods Inmates from eight prisons compiled a questionnaire. The Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) was used to measure inmates' weekly physical activity levels (MATwk). Their QoL was measured using two components of Short Form with 12 items (SF12): MCS (mental score) and PCS (physical score). Results A total of 636 questionnaires were compiled. High level of MET was significantly (P

The present study aims to highlight the importance of physical activity in the workplace and its fundamental role for the wellness of an individual. The relationship between sedentary lifestyle and health is supported by several epidemiological studies and inactivity is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease, chronic conditions and cancer. According to the World Health Organization, physical activity represents: "any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure". The promotion of regular physical activity, including its promotion in the workplace is of fundamental importance since a close correlation exists between good health and physical activity. Moreover, regular physical activity improves psycho-physical performance, social relationships, work performance and reduces sickness, absenteeism from work and work injuries.

Habitual physical activity has beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk reduction by improving vascular function but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. To address this issue, we performed a cross-sectional study comparing 50 physically active (PA) adults with 50 sedentary controls matched for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors. PA subjects had significantly higher flow-mediated dilation (FMD) than controls and higher serum levels of nitrite/nitrate, a marker of nitric oxide generation. In addition, PA subjects showed lower levels of urinary isoprostanes, a marker of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and lower serum levels of sNox2-dp, a validated assay to measure Nox2 activity, one of the most important enzymes producing ROS in the blood cells. FMD was independently correlated with sNox2-dp, after adjusting for possible confounding factors. Our observation leads to the hypothesis that, in adults, regular exercise preserves artery dilation through Nox2 decreased activity. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1576-1581.

Study Type – Therapy (cohort) Level of Evidence 2b What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? We show that (i) docetaxel re-treatment, after a treatment-free interval, preserves activity; (ii) the treatment is especially well tolerated in patients who were effectively pretreated with docetaxel; and (iii) it could be speculated that combining docetaxel with other agents in this setting might be safe and result in greater activity. OBJECTIVE To determine the activity and tolerability of docetaxel re-treatment after first-line therapy with docetaxel in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Between November 2005 and January 2009, 45 patients initially responding to docetaxel and then experiencing disease progression after a period of biochemical remission of at least 5 months were enrolled in a prospective multicenter study and re-treated with docetaxel. The primary endpoint was the biochemical response (biochemical partial response defined as >50% prostate-specific antigen [PSA] decline); secondary endpoints were objective response, toxicity, progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS Partial PSA responses were observed in 11 patients (24.5%), 4 (25%) of whom also had an objective response. The treatment was well tolerated, with grade 1–2 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, vomiting and peripheral neuropathy noted in 18 (40%), 11 (24.5%), 8 (17.8%), and 6 (13.3%) patients, respectively. The most common grade 3 toxicity was neutropenia, which was observed in 8 patients (17.8%). Median PFS was 5 months and median OS was 13 months. CONCLUSIONS Docetaxel re-treatment preserves anti-tumour activity and is well tolerated in a selected population of pretreated patients with CRPC. Further randomized trials are needed to confirm our preliminary results.

The objective of this study was to evaluate intravesical gemcitabine in high-risk nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) refractory to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). This was a prospective multicentre single-arm trial. Eligible patients were those with high-risk NMIBC refractory to BCG therapy, for which radical cystectomy was indicated but not conducted because of patient refusal or ineligibility. Patients received intravesical gemcitabine twice weekly at a dose of 2000 mg/50 ml for 6 weeks, and then weekly for 3 weeks at 3, 6, and 12 months. Outcome measures were recurrence rate, time to first recurrence, progression rate and complications. Twenty patients were enrolled and included in the analysis. Median follow-up was 15.2 months. Fifty-five percent (11 patients) developed disease recurrence. Mean time to the first recurrence was 3.5 months and 45% (five patients) of recurring patients had disease progression. Overall, treatment was well tolerated. Urinary symptoms represented the primary adverse events. The role of gemcitabine used as second-line treatment in high-risk BCG-refractory NMIBC patients who refused or were unsuitable for radical cystectomy remains to be defined. Further clinical research in this area is needed.

Background the seat of the kayaker represent the principal contact point to express mechanical Energy. Methods therefore we investigated the reliability of the Wii Balance Board measures in the kayak vs. on the ground. Results Bland-Altman test showed a low systematic bias on the ground (2.85%) and in kayak (-2.13%) respectively; while 0.996 for Intra-class correlation coefficient. Conclusion the Wii Balance Board is useful to assess postural sway in kayak.

The Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic and progressive neuro-degenerative pathology that starts in adult age and usually leads patients to death for respiratory distress after 3 years from the onset of symptoms In some studies, vigorous and continuous physical activity due to heavy working activity and sport is associated with ALS. On the other hand other studies are against this association. A study carried out in Europe found overall physical activity is associated with reduced odds of having ALS (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.48-0.89), and the same protective factor is seen for work-related physical activity (OR=0.56, 95% CI=0.36-0.87) and organized sports (OR=0.49, 95% CI=0.32-0.75. A recent literature review found that football/soccer may be considered as a possible risk factor for ALS (level C) and there is a strong need for further research that must take into account the numerous confounding factors that could be present in this field. However only well conducted observational studies, such as cohort and case-control studies, carried out with the same design in different countries could give a final answer to this suspected but still unconfirmed association

Background The ACTN3 gene may influence performance in team sports, in which sprint action and high-speed movements, regulated by the anaerobic energy system, are crucial to the ultimate success of a match. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) polymorphism and elite team sport athletic status in Italian male athletes. Methods We compared the genotype and allele frequency of the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism between team sport athletes (n = 75), endurance athletes (n = 40), sprint/power athletes (n = 64), and non-athletic healthy controls (n = 192) from Italy. Genomic DNA was collected using a buccal swab. Extraction was performed according to the manufacturer’s directions provided with a commercially available kit (Qiagen S.r.l., Milan, Italy). Results Team sport athletes showed a lower frequency of the 577RR genotype compared to the 577XX genotype than sprint/power athletes (p = 0.044). However, the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism was not associated with team sport athletic status compared to endurance athletes and non-athletic controls. Conclusions Our results agree with a recent large-scale study involving athletes from Spain, Poland, and Russia. The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism was not associated with team sport athletic status compared to endurance athletes and non-athletic controls.

Background: the aim of this pilot study was to evaluate whether proprioceptive-motor training using the Wii Balance Board (WBB) might improve postural sway in healthy subjects.Methods: twenty-five healthy subjects were trained for six weeks (two sessions per week) with 5 “video games”: Wii Fit Plus (WFP) program. Before and after training: Basic Balance, Single-leg Balance, Agility, Stability and Motion (lower limb: right-left and both leg) were measured using the Wii Balance Board.Results: the Wilcoxon Test showed improvements at the end of the training program compared to the baseline conditions. Basic Balance increased during the WFP (33.33%) and was associated with a 19.92% decrease in center of pressure (COP) lenght. The Single-leg Balance results incremented after the WFP (left 29.09% vs. right 47.92%) and accompanied by a decrement in COP (left 28.71% vs. right 30.45%). The values for the Agility test increased both in WFP and COP (28.57% and 58.57%, respectively). The Stability test scores increased in the WFP (66.67%) along with a consequent decrease in COP (10.53%). Finally, the Motion test values increased in the WFP (73.17%), whilst COP for this test decreased (12.02%). These results indicate that 6 weeks of virtual training produced a good adaptability. Younger participants (20 years.Conclusions: significant improvements in all participants were observed, indicating that virtual training can influence posture and balance in healthy people. Because of its characteristics of low cost and easy availability, a portable system for balance training for everyone offers the possibility to more readily measure motor skill and to gauge improvement.

Medical assessment of bone health often uses quantitative computed tomography (QCT) scans and requires a reliable segmentation of bone geometry from surrounding tissues for a quick determination of bone mineral mass. Because of its shape and position in the body, the femur is one of the most challenging bones to investigate. In the current study, we developed a new automated way to accurately evaluate both the shape and the mineral mass of cadaveric femur. The results were achieved through a series of steps including the segmentation of bone tissue from sets of QCT images, the estimation of the bone’s outer surface, the calculation of the volume enclosed, and finally the evaluation of bone mineral mass in a user-defined region. We compared our algorithms outputs to results obtained by expert manual segmentation and those obtained using other

The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) and the physical activity of liver transplant recipients compared with the general population. The case-controlled pilot study was accomplished through the administration of 2 questionnaires: 36-item Medical Outcomes Study, Short-Form General Health Survey (SF-36) for quality of life (10 scores) and International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) to estimate the physical activity (metabolic equivalent score). Fifty-four patients who underwent liver transplantation using the piggyback technique and 108 controls from the general population at the orthopedic ambulatories were enrolled between 2002 and 2009. Participants had a mean age of 55 years (range, 41–73). The multivariate analysis showed significant differences for some scales of the SF-36: liver transplant recipients displayed lower values for “Mental Composite Score” (P = .043), “physical activity” (P = .001), “role limitations due to physical health” (P = .006), “role limitations due to the emotional state” (P = .006), and “mental health” (P = .010). The metabolic equivalent positively associated with all examined SF-36 scales. The present study focused on the QOL and physical activity of liver transplant recipients, demonstrating that transplant recipients scored lower than the general population. Liver transplantation may allow full recovery of health status, but the physical and social problems persist in some patients. Interventions aimed at improving rehabilitation programs, regular psychosocial support, and follow-up in all phases of treatment may give patients a more satisfying lifestyle after transplantation.

The oxygen required to meet metabolic needs of all tissues is delivered by the erythrocyte, a small, flexible cell, which, in mammals, is devoid of a nucleus and mitochondria. Despite its simple appearance, this cell has an important role in its own distribution, enabling the delivery of oxygen to precisely meet localized metabolic need. When an erythrocyte enters in a hypoxic area, a signalling pathway is activated within the cell resulting in the release of ATP in amounts adequate to activate purinergic receptors on vascular endothelium, which trigger secretion of nitric oxide and other factors resulting in vasodilatation. Among other mechanisms, binding of deoxyhemoglobin to the cytoplasmic domain of the anion-exchange protein band 3 is probably involved in this pathway. The present study investigates the effect of amyloid β peptide exposure on this molecular mechanism. We report that deoxygenated human erythrocytes fail to release ATP following 24 h exposure to amyloid β peptide. Concurrently, amyloid β peptide induces caspase 3 activation. Preincubation of amyloid β peptide treated erythrocytes with a specific inhibitor of caspase 3 prevents amyloid-induced caspase 3 activation and restores the erythrocyte’s ability to release ATP under deoxygenated conditions. Since the activity of red cell phosphofructokinase, a key step in glycolytic flux, is not modified within the red cell following amyloid peptide exposure, it is likely that ATP release reduction is not dependent on glycolytic flux alterations. It has also been suggested that the heterotrimeric G protein, Gi, and adenylyl cyclase are downstream critical components of the pathway responsible for ATP release. We show that cAMP synthesis and ATP release are not failed in amyloid-peptide-treated erythrocytes in response to incubation with mastoparan 7 or forskolin plus 3-isobutyl-1-methyl xanthine, agents that stimulate cAMP synthesis. In conclusion, these results indicate that amyloid β peptide inhibits ATP release from deoxygenated erythrocytes by activating red cell caspase 3, suggesting a pathophysiologic role for vascular amyloid peptide in Alzheimer’s disease.

F. Misiti1 and D. Masala. Department of Health and Motor Sciences, University of Cassino, V.le Bonomi 03043, Cassino (FR), Italy. F. Orsini. Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry Institute, Catholic University, School of Medicine, L.go F. Vito n.1, CAP 00168, Rome, Italy. M.E. Clementi. CNR, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM), L.go F. Vito n.1, CAP 00168 Rome, Italy. E. Tellone and A. Galtieri. Organic and Biological Chemistry Department, University of Messina, via Salita Sperone 31, 98166 Messina, Italy. B. Giardina. Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry Institute, Catholic University, School of Medicine, L.go F. Vito n.1, CAP 00168, Rome, Italy; CNR, Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare (ICRM), L.go F. Vito n.1, CAP 00168 Rome, Italy.

Background: the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a Visual Feedback Training (VFT) of the centre of pressure (COP) on postural sway in young karate athletes. Methods: 38 young male karate athletes were recruited and randomly in 2 groups: experimental group (SG; n=19, age =16.54 ± 2.00 yrs) and the control group (CG; n= 19, age 16.45 ± 1.53 yrs). The SG performed a battery test of VFT on stabilometric platform screening in a monitor of COP in a real time. During 10-min of the test, athlete tries to bring his own body to the centre of COP. CG followed the same procedure of SG without receiving any feedback of their COP. Results: ANOVA revealed an interaction training for type × F(1,360)=78.892 at p