Identification of factors associated with potential doping behavior in sports: A cross-sectional analysis in high-level competitive swimmers

Background: Doping behavior, including the misuse of performance-enhancing drugs, is currently a serious problem in sports, and the efficacy of preventive efforts directly depends on information regarding the associations among different precipitating factors (PF) and doping behavior. This study aimed to establish the PF of potential doping behavior (PDB) in competitive swimmers. Methods: The study included 301 swimmers from Slovenia (153 females, 16.4 \ub1 2.4 years), tested during the 2017 National Championship. Variables were collected by previously validated questionnaires, which included questions on sociodemographics, sports-related factors, consumption of dietary supplements, knowledge of doping, factors of hesitation, and doping-related factors (i.e., number of doping tests, opinion about the presence of doping in sport). The PDB (positive, neutral, or negative intention toward doping) was observed as a criterion, while other variables were included as predictors in multinomial regression analyses (with \u201cnegative\u201d as reference value), which additionally controlled for gender and age category (cadet-, junior-, and senior-level) as confounders. Results: The results confirmed higher susceptibility to doping in males (positive: odds ratio (OR): 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.27\u20136.04), those swimmers who reported higher alcohol consumption (neutral: OR: 2.18, 95%CI: 1.06\u20134.16, positive: OR: 2.14, 95%CI: 1.05\u20134.37), and those regularly used dietary supplements (positive: OR: 3.62, 95%CI: 1.25\u201310.52). Competitive achievement in Olympic-(neutral: OR: 0.57, 95%CI: 0.41\u20130.81, positive: OR: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.39\u20130.88), and non-Olympic disciplines (positive: OR: 0.54, 95%CI: 0.35\u20130.83) was protective against PDB. Swimmers who were more concerned about the negative social consequences of doping behavior (i.e., condemnation by family and friends) were less likely to declare a positive intention toward the PDB (family condemnation: OR: 0.69, 95%CI: 0.56\u20130.86, friends\u2019 condemnation: OR: 0.65, 95%CI: 0.52\u20130.80). Conclusions: The results of the study provide more precise insight into the specific factors associated with PDB in swimming. The established precipitating factors should be incorporated into targeted anti-doping campaigns in this sport

Nasal Tip Projection and Facial Attractiveness

Objectives/Hypothesis: Six nasal tip projection (NTP) ratios from Goode, Simons, Baum, Powell, and Crumley guide clinical and academic practice on quantifying NTP, but none have been empirically correlated with facial attractiveness. This study's objectives were to determine: 1) if there is a correlation between these ratios and facial attractiveness; and 2) which of the six ratios has the greatest linkage to overall facial attractiveness. Study Design: Basic research study. Methods: There were 300 digital portraits of women (ages 18-25 years) randomly paired and morphed to create 300 synthetic lateral facial images rated by 78 raters in the community. NTP ratios were measured in each portrait. Results: None of the ratios correlated with facial attractiveness. For the Baum, Powell, and Simons ratio, facial attractiveness increased as NTP deviated 1 and 2 standard deviations from the ideal, whereas facial attractiveness decreased as NTP deviated from the Goode and Crumley ideal ratios. The most attractive faces had NTP ratios consistent with previous expert opinion findings. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study to empirically correlate these six landmark NTP ratios with facial attractiveness. Although there was no correlation with any of the six ratios, the ideal ratios proposed by Goode and Crumley impacted facial aesthetics the most. Although the ideal ratios are useful in establishing rhinoplasty guidelines, they should only be used as a part of the management in achieving an aesthetic face on the whole, as they may not be robust enough to correlate with overall facial attractiveness

Deleterious Effects of Intermittent Recombinant Parathyroid Hormone on Cartilage Formation in a Rabbit Microfracture Model: a Preliminary Study

Intermittent parathyroid hormone administration can enhance fracture healing in an animal model. Despite the success of exogenous parathyroid hormone on fracture healing and spine fusion, few studies have examined the role of parathyroid hormone on cartilage formation. We determined the effects of intermittent parathyroid hormone on cartilage formation in a rabbit microfracture model of cartilage regeneration. Twelve rabbits were divided into three equal groups: (1) microfracture alone, (2) microfracture + parathyroid hormone daily for 7 days, and (3) microfracture + parathyroid hormone for 28 days. Nonoperated contralateral knees were used as controls. The animals were sacrificed at 3 months and gross and histologic analysis was performed. The microfracture alone group demonstrated the most healing on gross and histologic analysis. Treatment with either 1 or 4 weeks of parathyroid hormone inhibited cartilage formation. Although discouraging from a cartilage repair point of view, this study suggests that the role parathyroid hormone administration has in clinical fracture healing must be examined carefully. Although parathyroid hormone is beneficial to promote healing in spine fusion and midshaft fractures, its deleterious effects on cartilage formation suggests that it may have adverse effects on the outcomes of periarticular fractures such as tibial plateau injuries that require cartilage healing for a successful clinical outcome

Organizing Pneumonia Induced by Ablative Radioembolization for the Treatment of Hepatic Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Organizing pneumonia is a recognized complication after external beam radiotherapy of breast and lung cancer but has not been described after radioembolization. A 67-year-old female who underwent ablative trans-arterial radioembolization for the treatment of hepatic metastatic renal cell carcinoma adjacent to the diaphragm presented with computed tomography findings of asymptomatic organizing pneumonia in the lower lobes. A follow-up computed tomography 8 months after conservative management demonstrated near-total resolution of the previous pulmonary parenchymal disease. The patient continues to remain asymptomatic and shows no evidence of residual tumor 10 months after radioembolization.</jats:p

Maßnahmen zur Infektionsüberwachung während der COVID-19 Pandemie in Deutschland

Introduction: To address the question as to which infection surveillance measures are used during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Germany and how they differ from pre-existing approaches.Methods: In accordance with the systematic approach of a scoping review, a literature search was conducted in national and international medical literature databases using a search string. The search in the databases was limited to the period from 01.01.2000 to 15.11.2020 and has been subsequently completed by hand search until 08.03.2021. A hand search, even beyond 15.11.2020, seemed necessary and reasonable, since due to the dynamics of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a large number of articles and regulations are being published very quickly at short notice.Results: The literature search resulted in the following number of hits in the databases listed below: PubMed: 165 articles Cochrane: 1 review and 35 studies Web of Science: 217 articles Robert Koch Institute: 49 articles Thus, a total of 467 hits were identified, with a total of 124 hits being duplicates. From these, 138 articles were considered relevant to the COVID-19 infection surveillance situation in Germany based on established criteria. After reading the full texts, 92 articles and websites were ultimately included in the scoping review.Discussion: Many of the lessons learned from previous outbreaks seem to have been implemented in the infection surveillance measures during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Most of the changes compared with previous measures were based on technological streamlining of existing procedures and changes and more inclusion of the population in different infection surveillance measures.Einleitung: Es wird der Frage nachgegangen, welche Maßnahmen zur Infektionsüberwachung während der aktuellen COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland eingesetzt werden und wie sie sich von bereits bestehenden Ansätzen unterscheiden.Methoden: Entsprechend der systematischen Vorgehensweise eines Scoping Reviews wird eine Literaturrecherche in nationalen und internationalen medizinischen Literaturdatenbanken mittels Suchstring durchgeführt. Die Suche in den Datenbanken ist auf den Zeitraum vom 01.01.2000 bis zum 15.11.2020 begrenzt und anschließend per Handsuche bis zum 08.03.2021 ergänzt. Eine Handsuche, auch über den 15.11.2020 hinaus, erscheint notwendig und sinnvoll, da aufgrund der Dynamik der laufenden COVID-19-Pandemie sehr kurzfristig eine große Anzahl von Artikeln und Verordnungen veröffentlicht werden.Ergebnisse: Die Literaturrecherche hat die folgende Anzahl von Treffern in den unten aufgeführten Datenbanken ergeben: PubMed: 165 Artikel Cochrane: 1 Review und 35 Studien Web of Science: 217 Artikel Robert Koch-Institut: 49 Artikel Somit sind insgesamt 467 Treffer identifiziert worden, wobei insgesamt 124 Treffer Duplikate sind. Anhand festgelegter Kriterien werden 138 Artikel als relevant für die COVID-19-Infektionssurveillance in Deutschland eingestuft, und nach dem Lesen der Volltexte schließlich 92 Artikel und Webseiten in den Scoping Review aufgenommen.Diskussion: Viele der Maßnahmen, die aufgrund früherer Ausbruchsgeschehen bekannt sind, scheinen auch bei der jetzigen Infektionsüberwachung während der laufenden COVID-19-Pandemie in Deutschland umgesetzt worden zu sein. Die meisten Änderungen im Vergleich zu früheren Maßnahmen betreffen technologische Neuerungen sowie eine stärkere Einbeziehung der Bevölkerung in die verschiedenen Maßnahmen zur Infektionsüberwachung