Effects of a maintenance period on ambulatory blood pressure and morning blood pressure surge in young normotensives post isometric training.

Isometric resistance training (IRT) has emerged as an efficacious therapeutic intervention to reduce ambulatory blood pressure (BP), and BP diurnal variability. However, once the required decreases in BP have been achieved the efficacy of implementing a reduced maintenance dose is not understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an 8-week maintenance period (8-week) following the cessation of the prescribed 8-week IRT in young normotensives.

Effects of detraining on neuromuscular function and structural adaptations following once- or twice-weekly eccentric resistance training in older adults.

Background: Eccentric resistance training elicits greater preservation of training-induced muscular adaptations compared with other training modalities, however the detraining profiles of different training dosages remain unknown.

Aims: To examine the detraining effects following once- or twice-weekly eccentric-specific resistance training in older adults.

Methods: Twenty-one older adults (age = 70.

Effects of once- versus twice-weekly eccentric resistance training on muscular function and structure in older adults: a randomised controlled trial.

Adherence rates to current twice-weekly strength training guidelines are poor among older adults. Eccentric-only training elicits substantial improvements in muscle function/size so the aim of this study was to compare the effects of once- versus twice-weekly eccentric training programmes on muscle function/size in older adults. Thirty-six participants (69.

The acute and repeated bout effects of multi-joint eccentric exercise on physical function and balance in older adults.

Purpose: Eccentric muscle actions generate high levels of force at a low metabolic cost, making them a suitable training modality to combat age-related neuromuscular decline. The temporary muscle soreness associated with high intensity eccentric contractions may explain their limited use in clinical exercise prescription, however any discomfort is often alleviated after the initial bout (repeated bout effect). Therefore, the aims of the present study were to examine the acute and repeated bout effects of eccentric contractions on neuromuscular factors associated with the risk of falling in older adults.

Effects of isometric resistance training and detraining on ambulatory blood pressure and morning blood pressure surge in young normotensives.

Isometric resistance training (IRT) has been shown to reduce resting and ambulatory blood pressure (BP), as well as BP variability and morning BP surge (MBPS). However, there are no data available regarding how long after cessation of IRT these effects are maintained. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 8 weeks of detraining on resting BP, ambulatory BP and MBPS following 8 weeks of IRT in a population of young normotensive individuals and to further substantiate previously reported reductions in MBPS following IRT.

The Comparative Effect of Different Timings of Whole Body Cryotherapy Treatment With Cold Water Immersion for Post-Exercise Recovery.

Despite several established benefits of Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) for post-exercise recovery, there is a scarcity of research which has identified the optimum WBC protocol for this purpose. This study investigated the influence of WBC treatment timing on physiological and functional responses following a downhill running bout. An additional purpose was to compare such responses with those following cold water immersion (CWI), since there is no clear consensus as to which cold modality is more effective for supporting athletic recovery.

The Effect of Repetitive Whole Body Cryotherapy Treatment on Adaptations to a Strength and Endurance Training Programme in Physically Active Males.

Despite its potential merit in sport and exercise recovery, the implications of repetitive Whole Body Cryotherapy (WBC) during training programmes require further review due to the possibility of repetitive cold interfering with long term adaptations. This study investigated the impact of two weekly 3 min WBC sessions (30 s at -60°C, 150 s at -120°C) on adaptations to a 6 week strength and endurance training programme. Sixteen male participants (mean ± SD age 33.

Effects of isometric leg training on ambulatory blood pressure and morning blood pressure surge in young normotensive men and women.

Despite the reported association between diurnal variations in ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and elevated cardiovascular disease risk, little is known regarding the effects of isometric resistance training (IRT), a practical BP-lowering intervention, on ambulatory BP and morning BP surge (MBPS). Thus, we investigated whether (i) IRT causes reductions in ambulatory BP and MBPS, in young normotensives, and (ii) if there are any sex differences in these changes. Twenty normotensive individuals (mean 24-h SBP = 121 ± 7, DBP = 67 ± 6 mmHg) undertook 10-weeks of bilateral-leg IRT (4 × 2-min/2-min rest, at 20% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) 3 days/week).

The Effects of Age and Body Fat Content on Post-Downhill Run Recovery Following Whole Body Cryotherapy.

This study explored the effects of age and body fat content on responses to whole body cryotherapy (WBC) following a downhill running bout. Forty-one male participants (mean ± SD age 42.0 ± 13.

Effects of isometric resistance training on resting blood pressure: individual participant data meta-analysis.

Background: Previous meta-analyses based on aggregate group-level data report antihypertensive effects of isometric resistance training (IRT). However, individual participant data meta-analyses provide more robust effect size estimates and permit examination of demographic and clinical variables on IRT effectiveness.

Methods: We conducted a systematic search and individual participant data (IPD) analysis, using both a one-step and two-step approach, of controlled trials investigating at least 3 weeks of IRT on resting systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure.

Stretch imposed on active muscle elicits positive adaptations in strain risk factors and exercise-induced muscle damage.

Introduction: Stretching highly-contracted plantar flexor muscles (isokinetic eccentric contractions) results in beneficial adaptations in muscle strain risk factors; however its effects in other muscle groups, and on architectural characteristics and exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD), are unknown.

Methods: The influence of a 6-week knee extensor training program was studied in 26 volunteers (13 control; 13 experimental). Before and after the training program, passive and maximal isometric and eccentric knee extensor moments and range of motion (ROM) were recorded on an isokinetic dynamometer with simultaneous ultrasound imaging of vastus lateralis (VL).

Acute Response to a 2-Minute Isometric Exercise Test Predicts the Blood Pressure-Lowering Efficacy of Isometric Resistance Training in Young Adults.

Background: This work aimed to explore whether different forms of a simple isometric exercise test could be used to predict the blood pressure (BP)-lowering efficacy of different types of isometric resistance training (IRT) in healthy young adults. In light of the emphasis on primary prevention of hypertension, identifying those with normal BP who will respond to IRT is important. Also, heightened BP reactivity increases hypertension risk, and as IRT reduces BP reactivity in patients with hypertension, it warrants further investigation in a healthy population.

Reductions in Resting Blood Pressure in Young Adults When Isometric Exercise Is Performed Whilst Walking.

Aerobic and isometric training have been shown to reduce resting blood pressure, but simultaneous aerobic and isometric training have not been studied. The purpose of this study was to compare the changes in resting systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) after 6 weeks of either (i) simultaneous walking and isometric handgrip exercise (WHG), (ii) walking (WLK), (iii) isometric handgrip exercise (IHG), or control (CON). Forty-eight healthy sedentary participants (age 20.

Reductions in ambulatory blood pressure in young normotensive men and women after isometric resistance training and its relationship with cardiovascular reactivity.

Background: There has been very little published work exploring the comparative effects of isometric resistance training (IRT) on blood pressure (BP) in men and women. Most of the previously published work has involved men and used resting BP as the primary outcome variable. Early evidence suggests that IRT is particularly effective in older women and has a positive influence on ambulatory BP, a better predictor of disease risk.

Stretching of Active Muscle Elicits Chronic Changes in Multiple Strain Risk Factors.

Introduction: The muscle stretch intensity imposed during "flexibility" training influences the magnitude of joint range of motion (ROM) adaptation. Thus, stretching while the muscle is voluntarily activated was hypothesized to provide a greater stimulus than passive stretching. The effect of a 6-wk program of stretch imposed on an isometrically contracting muscle (i.

Double-leg isometric exercise training in older men.

Double-leg isometric training has been demonstrated to reduce resting blood pressure in young men when using electromyographic activity (EMG) to regulate exercise intensity. This study assessed this training method in healthy older (45-60 years.) men.

Effects of the intensity of leg isometric training on the vasculature of trained and untrained limbs and resting blood pressure in middle-aged men.

The purpose of this study was to establish whether changes in resting blood pressure and the vasculature of trained and untrained limbs are dependent on training intensity, following isometric-leg training. Thirty middle-aged males undertook an 8 week training programme (4 × 2 min bilateral-leg isometric contractions 3 times per week). Two groups trained at either high (HI; 14%MVC) or low (LO; 8%MVC) intensity a third group (CON) acted as controls.

Detection of pathogenic copy number variants in children with idiopathic intellectual disability using 500 K SNP array genomic hybridization.

Background: Array genomic hybridization is being used clinically to detect pathogenic copy number variants in children with intellectual disability and other birth defects. However, there is no agreement regarding the kind of array, the distribution of probes across the genome, or the resolution that is most appropriate for clinical use.

Results: We performed 500 K Affymetrix GeneChip array genomic hybridization in 100 idiopathic intellectual disability trios, each comprised of a child with intellectual disability of unknown cause and both unaffected parents.

A patient with vertebral, cognitive and behavioural abnormalities and a de novo deletion of NRXN1alpha.

The authors report a patient with mild mental retardation, autistic features, multiple vertebral malformations, and an unusual facial appearance who carries a de novo submicroscopic deletion of chromosome 2p16.3. The patient's deletion is approximately 320 kb in size and includes only the part of the NRXN1 gene that codes for the neurexin1alpha promoter and initial coding exons.

Assessment of algorithms for high throughput detection of genomic copy number variation in oligonucleotide microarray data.

Background: Genomic deletions and duplications are important in the pathogenesis of diseases, such as cancer and mental retardation, and have recently been shown to occur frequently in unaffected individuals as polymorphisms. Affymetrix GeneChip whole genome sampling analysis (WGSA) combined with 100 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping arrays is one of several microarray-based approaches that are now being used to detect such structural genomic changes. The popularity of this technology and its associated open source data format have resulted in the development of an increasing number of software packages for the analysis of copy number changes using these SNP arrays.

LongSAGE profiling of nine human embryonic stem cell lines.

To facilitate discovery of novel human embryonic stem cell (ESC) transcripts, we generated 2.5 million LongSAGE tags from 9 human ESC lines. Analysis of this data revealed that ESCs express proportionately more RNA binding proteins compared with terminally differentiated cells, and identified novel ESC transcripts, at least one of which may represent a marker of the pluripotent state.

Novel deletions of 14q11.2 associated with developmental delay, cognitive impairment and similar minor anomalies in three children.

Methods And Results: We identified de novo submicroscopic chromosome 14q11.2 deletions in two children with idiopathic developmental delay and cognitive impairment. Vancouver patient 5566 has a approximately 200 kb deletion and Vancouver patient 8326 has a approximately 1.

Oligonucleotide microarray analysis of genomic imbalance in children with mental retardation.

The cause of mental retardation in one-third to one-half of all affected individuals is unknown. Microscopically detectable chromosomal abnormalities are the most frequently recognized cause, but gain or loss of chromosomal segments that are too small to be seen by conventional cytogenetic analysis has been found to be another important cause. Array-based methods offer a practical means of performing a high-resolution survey of the entire genome for submicroscopic copy-number variants.