Stress is a common problem among university students and studies showed that involvement in exercise could help in reducing stress. However, information regarding the effect of high intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) using a resistant tube on stress among inactive and moderate active young male university students is limited. Hence, the aim of this study is to examine the effect of high intensity PRT using a resistant tube on psychological stress level, cortisol, DHEA and physical fitness in this population. A total of 30 male university students were participated in this quasi-experiment study. Intervention group (n = 14, age: 21.50 ± 1.37 yr) was participaned to carry out high intensity PRT by using resistant tube 3 times per week for 10 weeks; control group (n = 16, age: 21.29 ± 1.86 yr) was asked to continue their current lifestyle as usual. Before and after 10 weeks of intervention, psychological stress was measured by using PSS and SLSI questionnaires; cortisol and DHEA level were measured by using ELISA method. Timed up-and-go (TUG) used to examine dynamic balance and handgrip strength test used to measure muscle strength. Findings showed that the increased of DHEA level after 10 weeks of intervention was significantly difference between control and intervention groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant group difference in changes over time in anthropometric and body composition measurements, stress scores, cortisol level and physical fitness. High intensity PRT using resistant tube may be beneficial in increasing DHEA level among young male adults, which can act as a stress biochemical indicator.
Stress, Psychological

OBJECTIVETo summarize the 8-year experience of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) on liver malignancies and explore the effect and prognostic factors.

METHODSFrom August 1999 to February 2007, 803 patients with liver malignancies, among which there were 672 with primary liver cancer (PLC) and 131 with liver metastasis, were treated with RFA. There were 781 cases who were performed percutaneously under the guidance of ultrasound, 8 cases under CT, 9 cases with laparoscopy and 5 cases with laparotomy. And there were 117 cases who were treated by RFA combined with percutaneous ethanol injection and 108 cases by RFA combined with trans-catheter arterial chemoembolization.

RESULTSIn the treatment of all the 803 patients with liver malignancies, the mortality was 0.25%, the rate of severe complications was 0.37%. The rate of complete ablation was 92.5%, the loco-recurrence rate was 13.8% and the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-year survivals were 95.1%, 85.6%, 75.7%, 60.7% and 47.5%, respectively. For the 672 patients with PLCs, the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-year survivals with stage Ia (Chinese staging system) were 97.8%, 91.5%, 84.6%, 77.1% and 61.9%, respectively, with stage Ib were 93.9%, 83.7%, 69.8%, 45.1% and 42.2%, respectively, with stage II were 86.2%, 67.3%, 47.3%, 17.2% and 0, respectively, and the 1, 2-year survivals with stage III were 67.8% and 0, respectively (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSRFA is a safe and effective method for liver malignancy, and the tumor size and stage are important prognostic factors.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Catheter Ablation ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; mortality ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Analysis ; Survival Rate ; Treatment Outcome