Human growth, biological maturation, motor performance and contextual factors in Madeira children

The central aims of this study were: (1) to construct age- and gender-specific percentiles for motor coordination (MC), (2) to analyze the change, stability, and prediction of MC, (3) to investigate the relationship between motor performance and body fatness, and (4) to evaluate the relationships between skeletal maturation and fundamental motor skills (FMS) and MC. The data collected was from the ���Healthy Growth of Madeira Children Study��� and from the ���Madeira Child Growth Study���. In these studies, MC, FMS, skeletal age, growth characteristics, motor performance, physical activity, socioeconomic status, and geographical area were assessed/measured. Generalized additive models for location, scale and shape, mixed between-within subjects ANOVA, multilevel models, and hierarchical regression (blocks) were some of the statistical procedures used in the analyses. Scores on walking backwards and moving sideways improved with age. It was also found that boys performed better than girls on moving sideways. Normal-weight children outperformed obese peers in almost all gross MC tests. Inter-age correlations were calculated to be between 0.15 and 0.60. Age was associated with a better performance in catching, scramble, speed run, standing long jump, balance, and tennis ball throwing. Body mass index was positively associated with scramble and speed run, and negatively related to the standing long jump. Physical activity was negatively associated with scramble. Semi-urban children displayed better catching skills relative to their urban peers. The standardized residual of skeletal age on chronological age (SAsr) and its interaction with stature and/or body mass accounted for the maximum of 7.0% of variance in FMS and MC over that attributed to body size per se. SAsr alone accounted for a maximum of 9.0% variance in FMS and MC over that attributed to body size per se and interactions between SAsr and body size. This study demonstrates the need to promote FMS, MC, motor performance, and physical activity in children.

Headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with mass spectrometry as a powerful analytical tool for pro���ling the terpenoid metabolomic pattern of hop-essential oil derived from Saaz variety

Hop(HumuluslupulusL.,Cannabaceaefamily)isprizedforitsessentialoilcontents,usedin beer production and, more recently, in biological and pharmacological applications. In this work,a methodinvolvingheadspace solid-phase microextractionand gas chromatography��� mass spectrometry was developed and optimized to establish the terpenoid (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes) metabolomic pattern of hop-essential oil derived from Saaz variety as a mean to explore this matrix as a powerful biological source for newer, more selective, biodegradable and naturally produced antimicrobial and antioxidant compounds. Different parameters affecting terpenoid metabolites extraction by headspace solid-phase microextraction were considered and optimized: type of ���ber coatings, extraction temperature, extraction time, ionic strength, and sample agitation. In the optimized method, analytes were extracted for 30 min at 40 C in the sample headspace with a 50/30 m divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane coating ���ber. The methodology allowed the identi���cation of a total of 27 terpenoid metabolites, representing 92.5% of the total Saaz hop-essential oil volatile terpenoid composition. The headspace composition was dominated by monoterpenes (56.1%, 13 compounds), sesquiterpenes (34.9%, 10), oxygenated monoterpenes (1.41%, 3), and hemiterpenes (0.04%, 1) some of which can probably contribute to the hop of Saaz variety aroma. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the main metabolites are the monoterpene -myrcene (53.0��1.1% of the total volatile fraction), and the cyclic sesquiterpenes, -humulene (16.6 �� 0.8%), and -caryophyllene (14.7 �� 0.4%), which together represent about 80% of the total volatile fraction from the hop-essential oil. These���ndingssuggestthatthismatrixcanbeexploredasapowerfulbiosourceofterpenoid metabolites.

A especializa����o metab��lica em jovens futebolistas do escal��o de iniciados e infantis

O trabalho com jovens futebolistas dever�� ser escudado em elevados n��veis de conhecimento sobre as capacidades f��sicas e a forma como estas se desenvolvem nas crian��as. O objetivo do presente trabalho �� de perceber se se observa a exist��ncia de especializa����o metab��lica em jovens futebolistas pertencentes ao escal��o de iniciados (idade: 13 a 15 anos) e infantis (idade: 10 a 12 anos). Para responder ao objetivo definido, avaliou-se a pot��ncia aer��bia (PA) e a pot��ncia anaer��bia (PAN) de uma amostra constitu��da por 64 participantes. Destes, 11 eram praticantes federados infantis de futebol (idade: 11,7 �� 0,5 anos; peso: 44,1 �� 6,9 Kg; IMC: 20,6 �� 2,7 kg/m2), e 21 participantes federados iniciados de futebol (Idade: 13,9 �� 0,7 anos; Peso: 54,9 �� 10,6 Kg; IMC: 20,5 �� 3,0 kg/m2). O grupo de controlo era constitu��do por 11 participantes do escal��o et��rio de infantis (Idade 10,9 �� 0,3 anos; Peso 40,1 Kg �� 7,3; IMC: 19,2 �� 2,4 kg/m2) e 21 participantes do escal��o et��rio de iniciados (Idade: 13,9 �� 0,8 anos; Peso: 58,9 �� 11,7 Kg; IMC: 22,1 �� 4,4 kg/m2), mas sem pr��tica desportiva federada. A PA (protocolo de Balke modificado com an��lise direta de gases) e a PAN (protocolo Wingate para o trem inferior) foram avaliadas e comparadas entre grupos, assim como o n��vel de correla����o entre as vari��veis aer��bias e as vari��veis anaer��bias (SPSS 20.0). Os resultados verificados indicam que para o escal��o de infantis o treino n��o �� um factor conducente a uma superior PA e PAN entre os grupos mas que para o escal��o dos iniciados a pr��tica regular da modalidade produz efeitos sobre estas componentes. No entanto, no que concerne h�� especializa����o metab��lica, esta n��o se verifica em nenhum escal��o embora se possa admitir que h�� indicadores de que esta se comece a manifestar no escal��o de iniciados.