Soccer is played by more than 250 million people worldwide. Repeatedly heading the ball may place soccer players at high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI). This study evaluates the long-term effects of RSHI on neurochemistry in athletes without a history of clinically diagnosed concussion, but with a high exposure to RSHI. Eleven former professional soccer players (mean age 52.0±6.8 years) and a comparison cohort of 14 age- and gender-matched, former non-contact sport athletes (mean age 46.9±7.9 years) underwent 3T magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and neurocognitive evaluation. In the soccer players a significant increase was observed in both choline (Cho), a membrane marker, and myo-inositol (ml), a marker of glial activation, compared with control athletes. Additionally, ml and glutathione (GSH) were significantly correlated with lifetime estimate of RSHI within the soccer group. There was no significant difference in neurocognitive tests between groups. Results of this study suggest an association between RSHI in soccer players and MRS markers of neuroinflammation, suggesting that even subconcussive head impacts affect the neurochemistry of the brain and may precede neurocognitive changes. Future studies will need to determine the role of neuroinflammation in RSHI and the effect on neurocognitive function.

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Soccer players are at high risk for repetitive subconcussive head impact when heading the ball. Whether this leads to long-term alterations of the brain's structure associated with cognitive decline remains unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate cortical thickness in former professional soccer players using high-resolution structural MR imaging. Fifteen former male professional soccer players (mean age 49.3 [SD 5.1] years) underwent high-resolution structural 3 T MR imaging, as well as cognitive testing. Fifteen male, age-matched former professional non-contact sport athletes (mean age 49.6 [SD 6.4] years) served as controls. Group analyses of cortical thickness were performed using voxel-based statistics. Soccer players demonstrated greater cortical thinning with increasing age compared to controls in the right inferolateral-parietal, temporal, and occipital cortex. Cortical thinning was associated with lower cognitive performance as well as with estimated exposure to repetitive subconcussive head impact. Neurocognitive evaluation revealed decreased memory performance in the soccer players compared to controls. The association of cortical thinning and decreased cognitive performance, as well as exposure to repetitive subconcussive head impact, further supports the hypothesis that repetitive subconcussive head impact may play a role in early cognitive decline in soccer players. Future studies are needed to elucidate the time course of changes in cortical thickness as well as their association with impaired cognitive function and possible underlying neurodegenerative process.

Ferumoxtran-10-enhanced MR imaging significantly improves nodal staging in patients with bladder cancer by depicting metastases even in normal-sized lymph nodes.

Object The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of repetitive head impacts on white matter integrity that were sustained during 1 Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) ice hockey season, using advanced diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Methods Twenty-five male ice hockey players between 20 and 26 years of age (mean age 22.24 ± 1.59 years) participated in this study. Participants underwent pre- and postseason 3-T MRI, including DTI. Group analyses were performed using paired-group tract-based spatial statistics to test for differences between preseason and postseason changes. Results Tract-based spatial statistics revealed an increase in trace, radial diffusivity (RD), and axial diffusivity (AD) over the course of 1 season. Compared with preseason data, postseason images showed higher trace, AD, and RD values in the right precentral region, the right corona radiata, and the anterior and posterior limb of the internal capsule. These regions involve parts of the corticospinal tract, the corpus callosum, and the superior longitudinal fasciculus. No significant differences were observed between preseason and postseason for fractional anisotropy. Conclusions Diffusion tensor imaging revealed changes in white matter diffusivity in male ice hockey players over the course of 1 season. The origin of these findings needs to be elucidated.

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The purpose of this study was to compare some biomechanical variables of decathletes and world class sprinters while running the 100 metre race. Sixteen Swiss national decathletes and three world class American sprinters were filmed by a 16 mm Locam (100 fps) camera at the 70 m mark of the race. The co-ordinates for a 26-point stick figure were digitised and then submitted to analysis by a computer programme which produced quantitative data for 12 biomechanical variables. The data indicated that world-class sprinters differed from decathletes in running the 100 m dash by having (1) an optimal combination of a larger stride length and higher stride frequency (2) a smaller thigh angle at contact which shortens the contact time (3) a larger stride landing angle (4) a greater average acceleration of the thigh angle and (5) a larger trunk angle which contributes to a larger trunk/thigh angle. Although other factors such as culture, training, physique and racial differences may influence differences in performance between American worldclass sprinters and Swiss decathletes, these data do indicate that biomechanical variables may contribute to differences in 100 m dash performance. INTRODUCTIONMany authorities today consider inherent ability to be the prime factor underlying the production of world class performance in the 100 metre sprint. Usually, sprinters who have natural ability try sprint competition and develop without any significant coaching on technique. An important question is: how can the lessendowed sprint athlete approach the performance of the world class sprinter? He can only do this by utilising

l PURPOSE: To estimate the prevalence of abnormalities in visual function and ocular structures associated with the long-term use of tamoxifen citrate.. METHODS:A single-masked, crossesectional study involving multiple community and institu* tional ophthalmologic departments was conducted with a volunteer sample of 303 women with breast cancer currently taking part in a randomized clinical trial to determine the efficacy of tamoxifen (20 mglday) in preventing recurrences. Particie pants included women who had never been on drug (n = 85); women who had taken tamoxifen

ObjectiveRepetitive subconcussive head impacts (RSHI) may lead to structural, functional, and metabolic alterations of the brain. While differences between males and females have already been suggested following a concussion, whether there are sex differences following exposure to RSHI remains unknown. The aim of this study was to identify and to characterize sex differences following exposure to RSHI.MethodsTwenty-five collegiate ice hockey players (14 males and 11 females, 20.6 ± 2.0 years), all part of the Hockey Concussion Education Project (HCEP), underwent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) before and after the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) ice hockey season 2011–2012 and did not experience a concussion during the season. Whole-brain tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were used to compare pre- and postseason imaging in both sexes for fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD). Pre- and postseason neurocognitive performance were assessed by the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT).ResultsSignificant differences between the sexes were primarily located within the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF), the internal capsule (IC), and the corona radiata (CR) of the right hemisphere (RH). In significant voxel clusters (p < 0.05), decreases in FA (absolute difference pre- vs. postseason: 0.0268) and increases in MD (0.0002), AD (0.00008), and RD (0.00005) were observed in females whereas males showed no significant changes. There was no significant correlation between the change in diffusion scalar measures over the course of the season and neurocognitive performance as evidenced from postseason ImPACT scores.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest sex differences in structural alterations following exposure to RSHI. Future studies need to investigate further the underlying mechanisms and association with exposure and clinical outcomes.