Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare a single two-dimensional image processing system (IMAGE) to underwater weighing (UWW) for measuring body volume (BV) and subsequently estimating body fat percentage (%Fat), fat mass (FM), and fat-free mass (FFM) via a 3-compartment (3C) model. Methods: A sample of participants age 18-39 yr was recruited for this study (n = 67, 47.8% female). BV was measured with UWW and predicted via the IMAGE software. The BV estimates from UWW (3C UWW ) and IMAGE (3C IMAGE ) were separately combined with constant total body water and body mass values for 3C model calculation of %Fat, FM, and FFM. Results: BV obtained from the IMAGE was 67.76 ± 12.19 and 67.72 ± 12.04 L from UWW, which was not significantly different (P = 0.578) and very largely correlated (r = 0.99, P < 0.001). When converted to %Fat (3C UWW = 21.01% ± 7.30%, 3C IMAGE = 21.08% ± 7.04%, P = 0.775), FM (3C UWW = 14.68 ± 5.15 kg, 3C IMAGE = 14.78 ± 5.08 kg, P = 0.578), and FFM (3C UWW = 57.00 ± 13.20 kg, 3C IMAGE = 56.90 ± 12.84 kg, P = 0.578) with the 3C model, no significant mean differences and very large correlations (r values ranged from 0.96 to 0.99) were observed. In addition, the standard error of estimate, total error, and 95% limits of agreement for all three metrics were small and considered acceptable. Conclusions: An IMAGE system provides valid estimates of BV that accurately estimates body composition in a 3C model.

No abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if rowing performance was associated with fat mass (FM) or fat-free mass (FFM) measured using a novel 2D digital image analysis system. Nineteen female rowers (ages = 20.3 ± 1.0 years, weight = 73.8 ± 8.3 kg, height = 172.7 ± 4.7 cm) participated in this study. FM and FFM were estimated with a smartphone application that uses an automated 2D image analysis program. Rowing performance was measured using a 2 km (2k) timed trial on an indoor ergometer. The average speed of the timed trial was recorded in raw units (m·s−1) and adjusted for body weight (m·s−1·kg−1). FFM was significantly correlated to unadjusted 2k speed (r = 0.67, p < 0.05), but not for FM (r = 0.44, p > 0.05). When 2k speed was adjusted to account for body weight, significant correlations were found with FM (r = −0.56, p < 0.05), but not FFM (r = −0.34, p > 0.05). These data indicate that both FM and FFM are related to rowing performance in female athletes, but the significance of the relationships is dependent on overall body mass. In addition, the novel 2D imaging system appears to be a suitable field technique when relating body composition to rowing performance.

No abstract

Clinical practice guidelines support cognitive rehabilitation for people with a history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and cognitive impairment, but no class I randomized clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of self-administered computerized cognitive training. The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a self-administered computerized plasticity-based cognitive training programmes in primarily military/veteran participants with a history of mTBI and cognitive impairment. A multisite randomized double-blind clinical trial of a behavioural intervention with an active control was conducted from September 2013 to February 2017 including assessments at baseline, post-training, and after a 3-month follow-up period. Participants self-administered cognitive training (experimental and active control) programmes at home, remotely supervised by a healthcare coach, with an intended training schedule of 5 days per week, 1 h per day, for 13 weeks. Participants (149 contacted, 83 intent-to-treat) were confirmed to have a history of mTBI (mean of 7.2 years post-injury) through medical history/clinician interview and persistent cognitive impairment through neuropsychological testing and/or quantitative participant reported measure. The experimental intervention was a brain plasticity-based computerized cognitive training programme targeting speed/accuracy of information processing, and the active control was composed of computer games. The primary cognitive function measure was a composite of nine standardized neuropsychological assessments, and the primary directly observed functional measure a timed instrumental activities of daily living assessment. Secondary outcome measures included participant-reported assessments of cognitive and mental health. The treatment group showed an improvement in the composite cognitive measure significantly larger than that of the active control group at both the post-training [+6.9 points, confidence interval (CI) +1.0 to +12.7, P = 0.025, d = 0.555] and the follow-up visit (+7.4 points, CI +0.6 to +14.3, P = 0.039, d = 0.591). Both large and small cognitive function improvements were seen twice as frequently in the treatment group than in the active control group. No significant between-group effects were seen on other measures, including the directly-observed functional and symptom measures. Statistically equivalent improvements in both groups were seen in depressive and cognitive symptoms.