William Romani - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by William Romani

Research paper thumbnail of ILL Receipt

Background: Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) often requires surgery and extensive r... more Background: Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) often requires surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Women who participate in collegiate sports and military drills are more likely to injure their ACL than are men participating in similar activities. The influence of the normal fluctuation of sex hormones on the physical properties of the ACL is one potential cause for this disparity. The purpose of this study was to report the correlation between estradiol, estrone, estriol, progesterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and ACL stiffness during three phases of the menstrual cycle in normally cycling, healthy females. Methods: We tested ACL stiffness and collected blood from 20 female subjects who were not using oral contraception during three phases of their menstrual cycle. Ligament stiffness was tested with the KT-2000TM knee arthrometer (MEDmetric, San Diego, CA). Concentrations of estradiol and SHBG were assessed via radioimmunoassay (RIA). Progesterone, estri...

Research paper thumbnail of Sex, Collagen Expression, and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Strength in Rats

Journal of athletic training, 2010

Context:Sex-specific responses to steroid sex hormones have been suggested as a potential cause f... more Context:Sex-specific responses to steroid sex hormones have been suggested as a potential cause for the disparate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates between male and female athletes. Type 1 collagen (T1C) and type 3 collagen (T3C) are crucial structural components that define the ligament's ability to withstand tensile loads. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an important mediator of downstream collagen synthesis and remodeling, but the sex-specific mechanisms of collagen mRNA expression and ACL strength are unknown.Objective:To examine the influence of sex on T1C and T3C mRNA expression and mass-normalized stiffness and peak failure load in the ACLs of skeletally mature rats.Design:Observational study.Setting:Basic sciences and biomechanical testing laboratories.Patients or Other Participants:Nineteen 12-week-old male (n = 9) and female (n = 10) Sprague Dawley rats.Main Outcome Measure(s):We used real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine T1C and T3C mRNA expression and a hydraulic materials testing device to measure ACL stiffness and failure load. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare the groups.Results:Female rats had lower amounts of T3C mRNA expression and higher normalized ACL tangent stiffness and failure load than male rats.Conclusions:These findings suggest that sex-specific differences in T1C and T3C mRNA expression may play an important role in the downstream mechanical properties of the ACL.

Research paper thumbnail of The association between physical activity and hot flash severity, frequency, and duration in mid-life women

American Journal of Human Biology, 2009

The value of physical activity to reduce vasomotor symptoms has yet to be determined conclusively... more The value of physical activity to reduce vasomotor symptoms has yet to be determined conclusively. As a result, we used a cross-sectional population-based design to examine the association between self reported physical activity level and hot flash symptoms in 45−54-year-old women. Participants (n = 603) completed a detailed survey to report physical activity level at work, home, and leisure as well as a detailed history of the frequency and severity of hot flash symptoms. Results showed that higher levels of physical activity were significantly associated with increasing odds of moderate or severe hot flashes (P for trend = 0.02). These findings suggest that there is a positive relation between physical activity and moderate or severe hot flash symptoms but no relation between physical activity and the reporting of any hot flashes, daily hot flashes, or hot flashes experienced for greater than 1 year. Am. J. Hum. Biol.

Research paper thumbnail of Mechanisms and management of stress fractures in physically active persons

Journal of athletic training, 2002

To describe the anatomy of bone and the physiology of bone remodeling as a basis for the proper m... more To describe the anatomy of bone and the physiology of bone remodeling as a basis for the proper management of stress fractures in physically active people. We searched PubMed for the years 1965 through 2000 using the key words stress fracture, bone remodeling, epidemiology, and rehabilitation. Bone undergoes a normal remodeling process in physically active persons. Increased stress leads to an acceleration of this remodeling process, a subsequent weakening of bone, and a higher susceptibility to stress fracture. When a stress fracture is suspected, appropriate management of the injury should begin immediately. Effective management includes a cyclic process of activity and rest that is based on the remodeling process of bone. Bone continuously remodels itself to withstand the stresses involved with physical activity. Stress fractures occur as the result of increased remodeling and a subsequent weakening of the outer surface ofthe bone. Once a stress fracture is suspected, a cyclic ma...

Research paper thumbnail of ILL Receipt

Background: Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) often requires surgery and extensive r... more Background: Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) often requires surgery and extensive rehabilitation. Women who participate in collegiate sports and military drills are more likely to injure their ACL than are men participating in similar activities. The influence of the normal fluctuation of sex hormones on the physical properties of the ACL is one potential cause for this disparity. The purpose of this study was to report the correlation between estradiol, estrone, estriol, progesterone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and ACL stiffness during three phases of the menstrual cycle in normally cycling, healthy females. Methods: We tested ACL stiffness and collected blood from 20 female subjects who were not using oral contraception during three phases of their menstrual cycle. Ligament stiffness was tested with the KT-2000TM knee arthrometer (MEDmetric, San Diego, CA). Concentrations of estradiol and SHBG were assessed via radioimmunoassay (RIA). Progesterone, estri...

Research paper thumbnail of Sex, Collagen Expression, and Anterior Cruciate Ligament Strength in Rats

Journal of athletic training, 2010

Context:Sex-specific responses to steroid sex hormones have been suggested as a potential cause f... more Context:Sex-specific responses to steroid sex hormones have been suggested as a potential cause for the disparate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates between male and female athletes. Type 1 collagen (T1C) and type 3 collagen (T3C) are crucial structural components that define the ligament's ability to withstand tensile loads. Messenger RNA (mRNA) is an important mediator of downstream collagen synthesis and remodeling, but the sex-specific mechanisms of collagen mRNA expression and ACL strength are unknown.Objective:To examine the influence of sex on T1C and T3C mRNA expression and mass-normalized stiffness and peak failure load in the ACLs of skeletally mature rats.Design:Observational study.Setting:Basic sciences and biomechanical testing laboratories.Patients or Other Participants:Nineteen 12-week-old male (n = 9) and female (n = 10) Sprague Dawley rats.Main Outcome Measure(s):We used real-time polymerase chain reaction to determine T1C and T3C mRNA expression and a hydraulic materials testing device to measure ACL stiffness and failure load. Nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to compare the groups.Results:Female rats had lower amounts of T3C mRNA expression and higher normalized ACL tangent stiffness and failure load than male rats.Conclusions:These findings suggest that sex-specific differences in T1C and T3C mRNA expression may play an important role in the downstream mechanical properties of the ACL.

Research paper thumbnail of The association between physical activity and hot flash severity, frequency, and duration in mid-life women

American Journal of Human Biology, 2009

The value of physical activity to reduce vasomotor symptoms has yet to be determined conclusively... more The value of physical activity to reduce vasomotor symptoms has yet to be determined conclusively. As a result, we used a cross-sectional population-based design to examine the association between self reported physical activity level and hot flash symptoms in 45−54-year-old women. Participants (n = 603) completed a detailed survey to report physical activity level at work, home, and leisure as well as a detailed history of the frequency and severity of hot flash symptoms. Results showed that higher levels of physical activity were significantly associated with increasing odds of moderate or severe hot flashes (P for trend = 0.02). These findings suggest that there is a positive relation between physical activity and moderate or severe hot flash symptoms but no relation between physical activity and the reporting of any hot flashes, daily hot flashes, or hot flashes experienced for greater than 1 year. Am. J. Hum. Biol.

Research paper thumbnail of Mechanisms and management of stress fractures in physically active persons

Journal of athletic training, 2002

To describe the anatomy of bone and the physiology of bone remodeling as a basis for the proper m... more To describe the anatomy of bone and the physiology of bone remodeling as a basis for the proper management of stress fractures in physically active people. We searched PubMed for the years 1965 through 2000 using the key words stress fracture, bone remodeling, epidemiology, and rehabilitation. Bone undergoes a normal remodeling process in physically active persons. Increased stress leads to an acceleration of this remodeling process, a subsequent weakening of bone, and a higher susceptibility to stress fracture. When a stress fracture is suspected, appropriate management of the injury should begin immediately. Effective management includes a cyclic process of activity and rest that is based on the remodeling process of bone. Bone continuously remodels itself to withstand the stresses involved with physical activity. Stress fractures occur as the result of increased remodeling and a subsequent weakening of the outer surface ofthe bone. Once a stress fracture is suspected, a cyclic ma...