In August 1998 his left front tire blew out and rolled his vehicle five and a half times. He was ejected though the driver’s side window, and his body collided with his own vehicle in mid-air — resulting in a spinal cord injury and spinal fractures at T-12 L-1, requiring titanium rods to be vertically bolted to his spine.
By 2005, Nick Scott graduated from University of Ottawa and became a personal trainer. He founded wheelchair-bodybuilding.com and is dedicated to increasing the awareness and popularity of wheelchair bodybuilding.
Google has rolled out Flu Trends (www.google.org/flutrends), which uses computers to process millions of Internet searches people make for keywords that might be related to the flu — for instance “thermometer” “cough,” or “fever.” Flu Trends displays the results on a map of the U.S. and shows a chart of changes in flu activity around the country. Historical flu trend data are also overlayed. The x-axis of the graph represents the months of the year. Flu activity is represented in the y-axis. The data is meaningful because the Google division that created Flu Trends found a strong correlation between the number of Internet searches related to the flu and the number of people reporting flu symptoms.
A study at the University of Pittsburgh Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center reports that women who exercised 275 minutes per week (1835 kcal activity energy expenditure) showed a weight loss of 10% or more of initial body weight at 24 months of training.
Four behavioral weight loss groups were studied (201 overweight & obese women): Physical activity energy expenditure: 1000kcal/wk with moderate intensity Physical activity energy expenditure: 1000kcal/wk with vigorous intensity Physical activity energy expenditure: 2000kcal/wk with moderate intensity Physical activity energy expenditure: 2000kcal/wk with vigorous intensity
All participants were told to reduce food intake to 1200 to 1500 kcal/day. The BMI (Body Mass Index) range of the women was 27 to 40 kg/m^2.
The research team led by John Jakicic concluded that the addition of 275 mins/wk of physical activity, in combination with a reduction in energy intake, is important in allowing overweight women to sustain a weight loss of more than 10%.
New estimates of new AIDS/HIV infection show that least 56,000 people become infected with the AIDS virus every year in the United States — 40 percent more than previous calculations, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Saturday.
Actual infection rates have not risen but better methods of measuring newly diagnosed infections and extrapolating these to the general population led to the higher estimates, which reveals that the HIV epidemic is — and has been — worse than previously known. Results indicate that approximately 56,300 new HIV infections occurred in the United States in 2006.
The CDC’s former estimate was 40,000 infections per year.
The CDC said the epidemic has been stable since the late 1990s, “though the number of new HIV infections remains unacceptably high.”
Analysis shows that new infections peaked in the mid-1980s at approximately 130,000 infections per year and reached a low of about 50,000 in the early 1990s.
Deaths from AIDS: 15,000 to 18,000 Americans die every year of AIDS.
The most severely impacted segments of the population are gay and bisexual men and black men and women.
Worldwide number of people living with HIV in 2007: 33 million people are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS.
Worldwide new HIV infections in 2007: 2.5 million (2.1 million adults, 420,000 children)
Worldwide deaths from AIDS: 2.1 million each year. Children account for about 330,000 of AIDS death each year.
Doctors from Seattle, Washington have for the first time successfully treated a malignant melanoma skin cancer patient with cells cloned from his own immune system.
The ground-breaking treatment for advanced melanoma (Stage 4), or skin cancer, led to a long remission for the patient who was given his own cloned infection-fighting T-cells, according to Dr. Cassian Yee, lead author of the study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Yee and associates from the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle removed CD4+ T-cells, a type of white blood cell, from a 52-year-old man whose melanoma had spread to a groin lymph node and to one of his lungs.
The T-cells which specifically fight melanoma were modified and expanded in the laboratory and five billion cells were then infused into the patient, who received no other kind of treatment.
Two months later no tumors were found during scans of the patient’s organs. He has been cancer free for two years, according to Yee.
“We were surprised by the anti-tumor effect of these CD4 T cells and its duration of response,” Yee said. “For this patient we were successful, but we would need to confirm the effectiveness of therapy in a larger study.”
It was the first case to show that cloned cells from a patient’s own immune system can successful combat skin cancer. If further tests confirm the efficiency of the method, it could be used in some 25 percent of patients with late-stage skin cancer, the study said.
Using a patient’s own immune system to combat cancer, called immunotherapy, is a growing area of research that aims to develop less-toxic cancer treatments than standard chemotherapy and radiation.
About 160,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed around the world every year, particularly affecting white men living in very sunny climates. According to the World Health Organization, about 48,000 people die from melanoma every year.
Although it usually affects the skin, in rare cases it can also infect the eyes and intestines.
Danish research published in the European Journal of Epidemiology reported in April 2008 that deaths of children from fathers age 45-49 occurred at 1.77 times the rate of those fathered by men aged between 25 and 30. Deaths of children from fathers aged 50 or more occurred at 1.59 times the rate of those fathered by men aged between 25 and 30.
The deaths of many of the children of the older fathers were related to congenital defects such as problems of the heart and spine, which increase the risk of infant mortality. But there were also higher rates of accidental death (injuries or poisoning), which researchers speculate might be explained by the increased likelihood of suffering from autism, epilepsy or schizophrenia.
In the study among 100,000 children born between 1980 and 1996 , 831 died before age 18, the majority when they were less than one year old.
Meniscal tear rehabilitation As an athlete, your number one concern is getting back to full strength as soon as possible so that you can return to training and competition. That is why appropriate rehabilitation is extremely important. Rehabilitation for a meniscal tear often includes the following:
Rest Take a break from activities that stress the knee joint. With rest, the knee will be less painful. Some meniscal tears will heal with time.
Ice Apply ice in 15-minute periods during the first 24 hours after the injury and for several days after if needed. This helps reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain.
Compression Wrap the knee in an elastic bandage. This will help stop swelling and provide support and protection for the knee. Do not pull the elastic tightly.
Elevation Keep the injured knee raised for the first 24 hours, including during sleep. This will help drain fluid and reduce swelling.
Use anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen to reduce inflammation and speed up recovery.
Blood vessels will feed the outer edges of the meniscus, giving that part the potential to heal on its own. Small tears on the outer edges often heal themselves with rest.
Although rest, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and avoiding the activity that caused the injury are the main steps for rehabilitating a meniscal tear, more serious conditions may require surgery. Your doctor may also prescribe physical therapy to stretch and strengthen the quadriceps muscle, which connects to the patella, to help maintain muscle strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Exercises for meniscal tears The following exercises, which place no extreme mechanical or weight-bearing stress on the knee, patellar tendon, or kneecap and use full range of knee motion, can be very effective during rehabilitation. However, they are not a substitute for physician consultation or rehabilitation by a rehabilitation specialist. Please consult your physician for questions about your specific knee injury.
Unloading the knee Put a light weight (5 to 10 pounds) on your ankle and sit in a position that allows the leg to dangle (on a bench, tall stool, edge of bed). Hold for 5 to 15 minutes, 1 to 3 times a day. Repeat for the other knee.
Knee extension Sit in a chair and rest your foot on another chair across from you so that the knee is slightly raised. Gently push the raised knee toward the floor using only leg muscles. Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds, then rest a minute. Repeat 10 times. Do every day up to 3 times a day.
Alternative knee extension exercise Sit on the floor or bed with your legs extended, and place a rolled-up towel underneath your Achilles tendon. Gently push your raised knee toward the floor. Hold the stretch for 5 to 10 seconds, then rest a minute; repeat 10 times. Do every day up to 3 times.
Resistance exercises for building strength The following resistance exercises help to build strength.
Knee extension Use a leg extension resistance training machine. Begin the exercise seated with the knees at as nearly full flexion as the machine being used will permit. Start with an amount of resistance that can be overcome with no pain. Fully extend the knees and hold this position for 3 to 5 seconds. Slowly return to the beginning position, rest for 5 seconds, then repeat this cycle for a total of 10 times. Increase resistance from one training session to the next as pain permits.
Knee flexion Use a leg flexion resistance training machine. Begin the exercise laying face downward with the knee as extended as the machine will allow. Start with an amount of resistance that can be overcome with no pain. Fully flex the knees and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Slowly return to the beginning position and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat this cycle for a total of 10 times. Increase resistance from one training session to the next as pain permits.
During rehabilitation from prepatellar bursitis, you’ll need to maintain strength of the thigh muscles. The following exercises do this without adding undue stress on the knee:
Half-knee bends Stand with back flat against a wall, arms at sides, feet at shoulder width, and heels about a foot from the wall. Allow the knees to bend slowly, lowering the body weight until the knees are flexed at a 45-degree angle, or until pain intervenes. Immediately return slowly to the upright position and rest for 5 seconds. Repeat this cycle for a total of 10 to 15 times.
Quadriceps setting While sitting in a chair, straighten your leg and hold. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Do the exercises with both knees, up to 3 times each day.
Alternative quadriceps exercise Lie on a flat, firm surface with legs extended. Then raise one leg, 12 inches off the surface and use it to trace a “T” pattern in the air. To start, repeat 5 to 10 times. Do the exercises every day, up to 3 times each day.
Wall slide Leaning with your back against a wall, bend your knees 30 degrees, sliding down the wall, then straighten up again. Move slowly and smoothly. Keep your feet and legs parallel, and center your kneecap over your second toe. Repeat 5 to 10 times, 1 to 3 times a day.
If you have increased soreness after doing these exercises, it may help to ice your
knee or knees for 10 to 20 minutes. Place a bag of ice or frozen vegetables over the joint, with a towel between to protect the skin. Other helpful measures include elevating your leg on a chair, and taking acetaminophen before or after exercise if ice alone is inadequate.
If increased soreness or pain lasts for more than 2 hours after exercise, you should cut back to fewer repetitions of the strength exercises; then gradually build up again.
Alternative exercises During the period when normal training should be avoided, alternative exercises may be used. These activities should not require any actions that create or intensify pain at the site of injury. They include:
swimming
swimming
water running
stationary bicycle (add resistance gradually from one session to the next, as pain allows)
When can I return to my sport or activity? The goal of rehabilitation is to return to your sport or activity as soon as is safely possible. If you return too soon you may worsen your injury, which could lead to permanent damage. Everyone recovers from injury at a different rate. Return to your activity is determined by how soon your meniscal tear recovers, not by how many days or weeks it has been since your injury occurred.
Generally, full use of the affected knee should be delayed until all symptoms subside. In the interim, activities that place no pressure on the knees, such as swimming or cycling, can maintain cardiovascular fitness.
You may safely return to your sport or activity when, starting from the top of the list and progressing to the end, each of the following is true:
the knee can bend and straighten without pain
you are able to jump on the injured leg without pain
you are able to jog in a straight line without pain
swelling is gone
normal strength of the quadriceps muscles has returned
How long will the effects of the injury last? A meniscal tear caused by overuse often resolves after two weeks if you refrain from the activity that caused the problem and use the proper rehabilitation techniques. In more serious cases, symptoms may last months and may require surgery.
When surgery is required Keep in mind that if your meniscal tear requires surgery, the damaged knee needs time to heal before exercise can begin. While in the hospital, patients start partial weight bearing with exercises to re-establish knee joint mobility and normal gait. In these cases, you may be required to wear a brace and use crutches for the first six weeks.
A physical therapy program usually begins with range-of-motion and resistive exercises, then incorporates power, aerobic and muscular endurance, flexibility, and coordination drills.
Surgery to remove the damaged meniscus may be necessary if your knee locks and is accompanied by pain.
Meniscal tears also often happen in combination with other injuries such as a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Sort of abducted and externally rotated leg position while taking off boot caused a “pop” — no pain or immediate swelling. Later in the week some swelling noticed. Also some pain, notably during seated calf raise exercise on new seated calf raise machine.
Ice and Elevation recommended over phone. Discussed physician office visit.
Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, hired by commissioner Bud Selig to examine steroids in baseball has released The Mitchell Report — a 409-page report of information that concludes that steroids are rampant in baseball. All thirty baseball teams were affected by the scandal.
There’s an All-Star associated with drug use at every position. Some were linked to Human Growth Hormone, others to steroids.
Rick Ankiel Roger Clemens Eric Gagne Jason Giambi Troy Glaus Jose Guillen Paul Lo Duca Gary Matthews Jr. Andy Pettitte Brian Roberts Miguel Tejada Full list below …
Players were linked to drug use in various ways—some were identified as users, some as buyers and some referenced from media reports and other investigations. Jose Canseco’s book “Juiced” also was cited.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig in a press conference at: Three Steps for Resolution Underway:
1. Embrace recommendations of Senator Mitchell (Mitchell made 20 recommendations).
2. Active players on the list will acted upon on a case-by-case basis. Any discipline will be made public.
3. Continue to find ways to detect and get rid of performance-enhancing drugs.
Already banned: Steroid, amphetamines and human growth hormone. New resources will be reserved for finding ways to detect and combat use of human growth hormone. Human Growth Hormone is not listed in The Partnership for a Drug-Free America Drug Guide on drugfree.com. Anabolic steroids are banned by all major sports bodies including the Olympics, the NBA, the NHL, as well as the NFL.
Baseball players have moved from steroids to human growth hormone, which is harder to detect. Commissioner Bud Selig implied in today’s press conference that Human Growth Hormone was almost impossible to detect (futile or hopeless). However, the World Anti-Doping Agency has the following information on their website:
Project: “Determination of Inter-Day Variations in hGH Markers in Athletes”
Human growth hormone (hGH) is assumed to be abused as an anabolic hormone among athletes to enhance their physical performance.
Several methods to detect hGH doping are under development, among others the “Marker approach”.
Application of hGH effectuates a number of processes in the organism, which can lead to changes in the concentration of peptides and proteins. Some of these parameters measurable in serum are insulin-like growth factor I (IGF- I), acid labile subunit (ALS), IGF-binding protein-3, N-terminal propeptide of the type III procollagen (PIIINP), crosslinks (ICTP) and osteocalcin.
The concentration of these markers vary inter-individually. Therefore it is impossible to discriminate between treated and untreated athletes using only one of these markers. As a consequence, it is necessary to calculate a discriminant function combining some of these parameters. As a result of our hGH application study with 15 athletes, we published recently a discriminant function which separated hGH-treated and placebo-treated subjects clearly. [Emphasis added.]
On the other hand there are indications that some markers are influenced by physical activities. As shown in some studies, acute physical stress influences the levels of these markers not very strong and only temporarily, but there are no data concerning the effects on long-term variation in physical stress (e.g. changes in intensity, category of physical activity, intermission and restart of training) on the parameters until now.
The proposed study will give information about the long-term intra-individual variations of hGH markers and about the effects of long-term changes in physical activities on the hGH marker level.
WADA has received criticism from the National Football League Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw. When asked if the NFL will use WADA tests on NFL players, he stated “I have no confidence in WADA or their kits. I have my doubts about WADA and their history. I am not willing to accept them as an authority on this.” He wrote in an e-mail to The Charlotte Observer in January 2007.
The full alphabetical list of baseball players connected to steroids by use or possession:
Alphabetical list of baseball players cited under “Alleged Internet Purchases of Perfor
mance Enhancing Substances By Players in Major League Baseball.”
Rick Ankiel David Bell Paul Byrd Jose Canseco Jay Gibbons Troy Glaus Jason Grimsley Jose Guillen Darren Holmes Gary Matthews Jr. John Rocker Scott Schoeneweis Ismael Valdez Matt Williams Steve Woodard
Alphabetical list of baseball players linked through Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative (BALCO): Marvin Benard Barry Bonds Bobby Estalella Jason Giambi Jeremy Giambi Benito Santiago Gary Sheffield Randy Velarde
* Please note that extra care was taken to get the right detail for players with common names, but that errors are possible where Exercise-Reports.com may have referenced the wrong player with the same name as the alleged steroid or human growth hormone-related baseball player. Also each player may or may not have been actually convicted of steroid/human growth hormone/drug use or related allegations and are not actually guilty unless they have been convicted in a court of law. In other words, Exercise-reports.com is not reporting that these players are guilty. Exercise-Reports.com is reporting that each player was on the list in the Mitchell Report.
George Mitchell is a director of the Boston Red Sox, and some questioned the occurrence of conflict of interest.
More information … Major League Baseball — mlb.com Partnership for a Drugfree America — Drugfree.org Major League Baseball Players Association — mlbplayers.com Example Bodybuilding Supplement Forum: anabolicminds.com
The World Anti-Doping Agency maintains a “Prohibited List” on the official website (wada-ama.org). The Prohibited List (List) was first published in 1963 under the leadership of the International Olympic Committee. Since 2004, as mandated by the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), WADA is responsible for the preparation and publication of the List.
The List is a cornerstone of the Code and a key component of harmonization.
The Prohibited Substance List is an International Standard identifying Substances and Methods prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition, and in particular sports.
Substances and methods are classified by categories (e.g., steroids, stimulants, gene doping).
The use of any Prohibited Substance by an athlete for medical reasons is possible by virtue of a Therapeutic Use Exemption.
Keywords: steroids, human growth hormone, anabolic steroids, testosterone, supplements, urine test, drug test, MLB, Major League Baseball, retired, active players, inactive players
