Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “RECREATION”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources

Altered vitamin B12 status in recreational endurance athletes.

This study aimed to compare the vitamin B(12)and folate status of recreational endurance athletes and inactive controls by modern biomarkers. In 72 athletes (38 +/- 7 y) and 46 inactive controls (38 +/- 9 y) serum levels of vitamin B(2), methylmalonic acid (MMA), holotranscobalamin II (holoTC), folate, and homocysteine (Hcy) were measured. Vitamin B(12)and folate levels of both groups were comparable, but athletes had higher median (25.-75. percentile) MMA [242 (196 to 324) versus 175 (141 to 266) nmol/L] and holoTC concentrations [67 (52 to 93) versus 55 (45 to 70) pmol/L] than controls. Hcy was slightly lower in athletes [9.2 (7.2 to 12.6) versus 10.8 (8.9 to 12.9) nmol/L]. In controls, we found the following correlations: vitamin B(12)and MMA (r = -0.38), vitamin B(12)and holoTC (r = 0.51), MMA and holoTC (r = -0.36). In athletes, MMA did not correlate with vitamin B(12)and holoTC. Our data suggests an altered vitamin B(12)metabolism in recreational athletes that needs further investigation.

Adult↗

RETRACTED: Severe dopaminergic neurotoxicity in primates after a common recreational dose regimen of MDMA ("ecstasy").

The prevailing view is that the popular recreational drug (+/-)3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, or "ecstasy") is a selective serotonin neurotoxin in animals and possibly in humans. Nonhuman primates exposed to several sequential doses of MDMA, a regimen modeled after one used by humans, developed severe brain dopaminergic neurotoxicity, in addition to less pronounced serotonergic neurotoxicity. MDMA neurotoxicity was associated with increased vulnerability to motor dysfunction secondary to dopamine depletion. These results have implications for mechanisms of MDMA neurotoxicity and suggest that recreational MDMA users may unwittingly be putting themselves at risk, either as young adults or later in life, for developing neuropsychiatric disorders related to brain dopamine and/or serotonin deficiency.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Evaluation of Enterolert for enumeration of enterococci in recreational waters.

Enterolert (IDEXX Laboratories Inc., Westbrook, Maine), a semiautomated, most probable number method for enumeration of enterococci, was compared with the standard membrane filter method by parallel testing of 138 marine and freshwater recreational bathing water samples. No statistically significant difference and a strong linear correlation were found between methods. Culturing of 501 Enterolert test wells resulted in false-positive and false-negative rates of 5.1 and 0.4%, respectively. Less time for setup, incubation (24 versus 48 h), and reading of Enterolert permits more efficient monitoring of recreational bathing areas.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

A rapid, specific membrane filtration procedure for enumeration of enterococci in recreational water.

A two-step membrane filter (MF) method with mE medium, upon which the membrane must be incubated for 48 h and then transferred to a substrate medium to differentiate enterococci, is recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to measure enterococci in fresh and marine recreational waters. The original mE medium was modified by reducing the triphenyltetrazolium chloride from 0.15 to 0.02 g/liter and adding 0.75 g of indoxyl beta-D-glucoside per liter. The new MF medium, mEI medium, detected levels of enterococci in 24 h comparable to those detected by the original mE medium in 48 h, with the same level of statistical confidence. In addition, the use of mEI medium eliminated the need to transfer the membrane to a substrate medium to differentiate enterococci from other genera of the fecal streptococcal group. Colonies from mEI medium were examined to determine the rates of false-positive and false-negative occurrences. mEI medium had a false-positive rate of 6.0% and a false-negative rate of 6.5%. Interlaboratory testing of the MF method with mEI medium demonstrated that the relative reproducibility standard deviations among laboratories ranged from 2.2% for marine water to 18.9% for freshwater. The comparative recovery studies, specificity determinations, and multilaboratory evaluation indicated that mEI medium has analytical performance characteristics equivalent to those of mE medium. The simplicity of use and decreased incubation time with mEI medium will facilitate the detection and quantification of enterococci in fresh and marine recreational waters.

Culture Media↗

Enterococci as indicators of Lake Michigan recreational water quality: comparison of two methodologies and their impacts on public health regulatory events.

The frequency of poor-water-quality advisories issued in Milwaukee and Racine, Wisconsin, in the absence of identifiable sources of contamination brought into question the reliability of the present indicator organism, Escherichia coli. Enteroccoci have been suggested as an alternative to E. coli for freshwater monitoring due to their direct correlation to swimmer-associated gastroenteritis. The purpose of this research was threefold: (i) to explore enterococci as an alternative to E. coli for monitoring freshwater Lake Michigan beaches, (ii) to evaluate the impact of the two indicators on regulatory decisions, and (iii) to compare membrane filtration m-enterococcus agar with indoxyl-beta-D-glucoside to a chemical substrate technique (Enterolert) for the recovery of enterococci. Recreational water samples from Milwaukee (n = 305) and Racine (n = 153) were analyzed for the enumeration of E. coli and enterococci using IDEXX Colilert-18 and Enterolert. Correlation between the indicators was low (R(2) = 0.60 and 0.69). Based on U.S. Environmental Protection Agency bacterial indicator threshold levels of risk for full body immersion, using enterococci would have resulted in 56 additional unsafe-recreational-water-quality advisories compared to the total from using E. coli and the substrate-based methods. A comparison of the two enterococcal methods (n = 124) yielded similar results (R(2) = 0.62). This was further confounded by the frequent inability to verify enterococci from those wells producing fluorescence by the defined substrate test using conventional microbiological methods. These results suggest that further research is necessary regarding the use of defined substrate technology interchangeably with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-approved membrane filtration test for the detection of enterococci from fresh surface water.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Self-reported long-term effects of diving and decompression illness in recreational scuba divers.

The aim of this study was to examine the long-term effects of neurological decompression illness (NDCI) on recreational divers. Thirty-seven divers who had been treated for neurological decompression illness at least 2 years previously, and a control group of 50 divers with no history of decompression illness, responded to a postal questionnaire. Divers in the accident group reported more symptoms of neurological damage, were more likely to believe that diving had a deleterious effect on their health and were more likely to indicate symptoms of psychiatric morbidity. The quantity of diving in the year preceding the survey was associated with reports of neurological damage in both groups and with symptoms of psychiatric morbidity in the accident group. Although requiring confirmation from a longitudinal study, these results suggest that recreational diving can have negative long-term consequences for health, particularly after decompression illness.

Adult↗

Isokinetic strength of the quadriceps and hamstrings and functional ability of anterior cruciate deficient knees in recreational athletes.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that increasing the hamstrings and quadriceps (H:Q) isokinetic strength ratio will, in the short term, improve the functional ability of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) deficient knee. METHODS: The isokinetic muscular characteristics at a speed of 60 degrees s-1 and 180 degrees s-1 of 46 recreational athletes with an arthroscopically confirmed ACL tear were determined using the Cybex II+ isokinetic dynamometer. The variables tested included peak torque, endurance ratio, total work output, and explosive power. Functional ability was scored with the Cincinnati rating system, measuring the severity of pain and swelling, the degree of giving way, and the overall ability to walk, run, ascent and descent stairs, jump and twist. RESULTS: Among all muscular characteristics, the H:Q ratio at 180 degrees s-1 at 30 degrees of knee flexion was shown to have the highest correlation to the functional score (r = 0.6249, P < 0.001). All variables involving hamstring strength were shown to be significantly correlated to the functional ability score (P < 0.01), while none of the variables involving quadriceps strength showed significant correlation with the functional ability of the injured knee. CONCLUSIONS: The H:Q ratio is strongly correlated to the functional ability of ACL deficient knees in Chinese recreational athletes. It could be used as an additional measure to guide in the decision making process in the management of ACL deficient knees.

Adult↗

Effects of tennis training on lipid metabolism and lipoproteins in recreational players.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the short term effects of tennis training on lipid metabolism and to find out if a typical tennis training programme has positive longitudinal effects on cardiovascular risk factors in recreational players. METHODS: The experimental design consisted of an exercise study and a subsequent longitudinal study. In the exercise study the short term metabolic effects of a two hour technically orientated tennis training (TT) session and a running intensive tennis training (RIT) session were investigated in 16 recreational tennis players (eight men: 46 (SD 7) years, 177 (6) cm, 81 (10) kg; and eight women: 44 (5) years, 165 (5) cm, 64 (6) kg). In the longitudinal study the long term effects of a six week RIT programme in 22 players (11 men and 11 women) of similar characteristics were compared with those in 16 control subjects (eight men and eight women). The results of the exercise study (higher lipolytic activity and cardiopulmonary demand, as well as acceptance by the players) led to the RIT method being chosen for all training sessions in the longitudinal study. RESULTS: In RIT, significantly higher values for heart rate (148 (SD 10) v 124 (11) beats/minute) and lactate (2.8 (1.1) v 1.5 (0.6) mmol/l), significantly higher post exercise concentrations of serum glycerol (0.37 (0.15) v 0.29 (0.14) mmol/l) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (1.31 (0.55) v 1.20 (0.50) mmol/l) and a higher acceptance than in TT (15 of the 16 players preferred RIT) were found. During the six week tennis training programme the changes in body weight (-1.41 (1.56) v 0.00 (1.50) kg) and anaerobic threshold (1.04 (0.84) v -0.08 (0.92) km/h) were significantly different between the training and control group. In the training group several parameters of the lipoprotein profile tended to change in an antiatherosclerotic direction. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that typical regular tennis training influences cardiovascular risk factors in a positive manner and can be suggested as an attractive alternative to other current health orientated sports programmes. A more frequent use of running intensive exercises during tennis training is recommended.

Adult↗

Relation between isokinetic muscle strength and functional capacity in recreational athletes with chondromalacia patellae.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of isokinetic exercise on pain and functional test scores of recreational athletes with chondromalacia patellae (CMP) and to examine the correlation between isokinetic parameters and functional tests or pain score. METHODS: The functional ability of 30 recreational athletes with unilateral CMP was evaluated using six different tests. Pain scores were assessed during daily activities before and after the treatment protocol. Isokinetic exercise sessions were carried out at angular velocities of 60 degrees /s (25-90 degrees range of flexion) and 180 degrees /s (full range). These sessions were repeated three times a week for six weeks. RESULTS: Quadriceps and hamstring peak torque, total work, and endurance ratios had improved significantly after the treatment, as did the functional parameters and pain scores. There was a poor correlation between the extensor endurance ratio and one leg standing test. A moderate correlation between the visual analogue scale and the extensor endurance ratio or flexion endurance ratio was also found. CONCLUSIONS: The isokinetic exercise programme used in this study had a positive effect on muscle strength, pain score, and functional ability of knees with CMP. The improvement in the functional capacity did not correlate with the isokinetic parameters.

Adult↗

Risk of otitis externa after swimming in recreational fresh water lakes containing Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an outbreak of otitis externa was due to bathing in recreational fresh water lakes and to establish whether the outbreak was caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the water. DESIGN: Matched case-control study. SETTING: The Achterhoek area, the Netherlands. SUBJECTS: 98 cases with otitis externa and 149 controls matched for age, sex, and place of residence. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratios for type of swimming water and frequency of swimming; presence of P aeruginosa in ear swabs and fresh water lakes. RESULTS: Otitis externa was strongly associated with swimming in recreational fresh water lakes in the previous two weeks (odds ratio 15.5 (95% confidence interval) 4.9 to 49.2) compared with non-swimming). The risk increased with the number of days of swimming, and subjects with recurrent ear disease had a greatly increased risk. The lakes met the Dutch bathing water standards and those set by the European Commission for faecal pollution in the summer of 1994, but P aeruginosa was isolated from all of them, as well as from the ear swabs of 78 (83%) of the cases and 3 (4%) of the controls. CONCLUSIONS: Even when current bathing water standards are met, swimming can be associated with a substantial risk of otitis externa because of exposure to P aeruginosa. People with recurrent ear disease should take special care when swimming in waters containing P aeruginosa.

Adult↗

Gamma hydroxybutyrate--a coma inducing recreational drug.

The effects of gamma hydroxybutyrate, a coma inducing recreational drug, are described and illustrated by case reports of five patients presenting to accident and emergency (A&E). All had depressed levels of consciousness. There was strong circumstantial evidence of gamma hydroxybutyrate ingestion in all cases, and laboratory evidence in two. All recovered and supportive treatment. gamma Hydroxybutyrate has become a fashionable recreational drug. The majority of people who have ingested it will recover spontaneously without long term sequelae but its toxic effects may be dramatic while they last, particularly when it is taken with other drugs or alcohol.

Adult↗

Bike speed measurements in a recreational population: validity of self reported speed.

OBJECTIVE: Speed at the time of a bicycle crash is an important determinant of the amount of energy transmitted. Controlling for speed is thus important in the evaluation of outcomes and effectiveness of intervention strategies. This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of self reported speed in a population of recreational cyclists. METHODS: Children's and adults' bicycle speeds were measured with a radar gun as they rode along a closed road at weekend recreational events. Cyclists were then stopped and asked to estimate their speed. Measured speed, cyclist's estimate of their speed, age, and sex were documented. Parents were also asked to estimate their child's speed. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty two cyclists from 4 to 80 years of age participated. Seventy per cent were children 13 years of age or younger. The mean (SD) speed of this group was 8.9 (2.5) mph. Cyclists age 14 and older were traveling at a mean speed of 9.7 (2.87) mph. Estimated speeds were significantly higher than measured speeds for this older group, but there was no significant difference between mean measured and estimated speeds for the younger riders. There was also no significant difference between measured and estimated speed for males and females. Parents estimated their child's speed quite accurately. CONCLUSIONS: Self reported speeds for children were in close agreement with measured speeds and, thus, are sufficiently accurate to be a useful measure of crash severity in evaluating helmet effectiveness.

Adolescent↗

Isometric cervical extension strength of recreational and experienced cyclists.

The effect for cyclists of the typical forward sitting position on neck strength and its possible relationship to neck pain have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to measure the peak isometric cervical extension strength (PICES) of both recreational and experienced road cyclists and to compare these values to those of noncyclists. Subjects, 45 men between the ages of 18 and 40, were tested for voluntary PICES through a 126 degrees range of motion on a MedX cervical extension machine. No significant differences were found between the three groups in PICES at any angle. When expressed relative to body weight, significant differences in PICES were found at 126 degrees between the control group and the recreational cyclist group (p < 0.05), and between the control group and the experienced cyclist group (p < 0.01), but not at any other angle. Furthermore, no significant differences in strength were found between cyclists experiencing neck pain and those who did not. These data indicate that the cervical muscles of cyclists have not adapted by increasing maximal isometric strength above that of noncyclists, and that the neck pain frequently reported may be due to fatigue from sustained muscular contractions associated with time spent cycling, rather than from muscle weakness.

Adolescent↗

Cyclic ovarian function in recreational athletes.

In 17 female recreational athletes, ovarian function was monitored using daily hormone measurements and serial ultrasound determinations. Whereas 11 out of 13 women of a control group showed estradiol (E2) maxima beyond 470 pmol/l, progesterone (P4) maxima of 19 nmol/l or more, and a luteal phase length of 9 days or more, only 10 out of 17 athletes satisfied these criteria. Six athletes showed disturbed follicular development, and one athlete showed luteal phase disturbance. Both athletes with disturbed menstrual function (n = 7) and athletes fulfilling the above-mentioned minimal criteria (n = 10) had lower E2 concentrations in all phases of the menstrual cycle (P less than 0.05). P4 concentrations were significantly decreased in the group with disturbed menstrual function (P less than 0.05). Maximal aerobic capacity in the two athlete groups was similar. Neither athlete group showed the expected increase in caloric intake compared with the sedentary controls. It is concluded that recreational running is associated with altered ovarian function. Inadequate nutritional adaptation may be a contributing factor.

Adult↗

The sub-acute effects of recreational ecstasy (MDMA) use: a controlled study in humans.

All previous studies of the sub-acute effects of ecstasy have failed to adequately control for group differences in psychopathology and past and concurrent substance use. The present study was designed to avoid these limitations. At an initial pre-drug baseline, a sample of 38 regular ecstasy users provided full substance histories and completed measures of personality and self-reported psychopathology. We then collected daily subjective measures of mood, cognitive impairment, restless sleep, sexual desire, craving for ecstasy and concomitant use of other substances for the next 9 days. The 20 participants who subsequently opted to take ecstasy during the 9-day assessment period reported modest sub-acute effects of ecstasy on negative mood and subjective cognitive impairment compared to those who did not after controlling for baseline group differences in psychopathology and frequency of ecstasy use. There were no significant sub-acute effects of ecstasy on interest in sexual activity or craving for ecstasy. After further controlling for co-use of alcohol with ecstasy, and the sub-acute effects of ecstasy on sleep, the sub-acute effect on mood remained marginally statistically significant but the subacute effect on cognitive impairment did not. The present findings suggest that the sub-acute effects of ecstasy in regular recreational users are relatively modest and transient but that such genuine effects may have been masked by, perhaps more clinically significant, chronic sequelae of regular ecstasy use in all previous studies of recreational ecstasy users.

Adolescent↗

Recreational ecstasy use and depression.

Research in laboratory animals has shown that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or ecstasy) destroys serotonergic axons in the brain at certain doses. Serotonin is known to take part in the regulation of mood in humans. Many researchers have hypothesized that if recreational ecstasy use destroys serotonergic axons, then a corresponding decline in the mood of ecstasy users should be seen. The purpose of the present study was to look at the relationship between recreational ecstasy use and depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II. No significant differences were found between Beck Depression Inventory-II scores of heavy ecstasy users and ecstasy-naive college students. No significant relationships were found between Beck Depression Inventory-II scores and any of the measures of ecstasy use. Most ecstasy users who had been diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder reported that being diagnosed preceded their use of ecstasy.

Adolescent↗

MDMA in humans: factors which affect the neuropsychobiological profiles of recreational ecstasy users, the integrative role of bioenergetic stress.

Many recreational ecstasy/MDMA users display neuropsychobiological deficits, whereas others remain problem free. This review will investigate some of the drug and non-drug factors which influence the occurrence of these deficits. Acute and chronic MDMA usage are both important. Intensive use within a session is often associated with more problems. In term of lifetime usage, novice users generally remain unimpaired, whereas most heavy users report memory or other psychobiological problems which they attribute to ecstasy. These complaints are confirmed by objective deficits in working memory, attention, frontal-executive, and episodic memory tasks. Psychobiological deficits include disturbed sleep, sexual dysfunction, reduced immuno-competence, and increased oxidative stress. Further MDMA-related factors which may contribute to these changes, include acute and chronic tolerance, and drug dependence. Around 90ñ95% of ecstasy/MDMA users also take cannabis, and this can independently contribute to the adverse neuropsychobiological pro.les; although in some situations the acute co-use of these two drugs may be interactive rather than additive, since cannabis has relaxant and hypothermic properties. Alcohol, nicotine, amphetamine, and other drugs, can also affect the psychobiological pro.les of ecstasy polydrug users in complex ways. Pure MDMA users are rare but they have been shown to display significant neurocognitive deficits. Psychiatric aspects are debated in the context of the diathesis-stress model. Here the stressor of ecstasy polydrug drug use, interacts with various predisposition factors (genetic, neurochemical, personality), to determine the psychiatric outcome. Recreational MDMA is typically taken in hot and crowded dances/raves. Prolonged dancing, feeling hot, and raised body temperature, can also be associated with more psychobiological problems. This is consistent with the animal literature, where high ambient temperature and other metabolic stimulants boost the acute effects of MDMA, and cause greater serotonergic neurotoxicity. In conclusion, the neuropsychobiological effects of MDMA are modulated by a wide range of drug and non-drug factors. These multiple influences are integrated within a bioenergetic stress model, where factors which heighten acute metabolic distress lead to more neuropsychobiological problems.

Affect↗

Recreational and master athletic activity does not affect free and total prostate-specific antigen levels but lowers the free-to-total prostate-specific antigen ratio.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and the ratio of free-to-total PSA are widely used tumour markers, but the effect of exercise on these parameters is unclear. We aimed to determine whether long-term physical training was associated with changes in serum PSA by comparing PSA concentrations in middle-aged master athletes (n = 12), recreational athletes (n = 12) and sedentary controls (n = 12). Serum total PSA and free PSA concentrations were assessed using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay; there were no significant differences among the groups. The free-to-total PSA ratio was significantly lower statistically in master athletes compared with recreational athletes, but this is not clinically significant as both values (0.22 versus 0.31, respectively) were within the normal range. These results indicate that the free-to-total PSA ratio may be affected by long-term athletic training, and could be important when evaluating athletes with prostate-related disorders.

Adult↗