Effect of Sugar- and Polyphenol-Rich, Diluted Cloudy Apple Juice on the Intestinal Barrier after Moderate Endurance Exercise and in Ultra-Marathon Runners.

Background: Exercise and the consumption of sugars result in a dysfunction of the intestinal barrier (IB). Here, we determined the effect of sugar in a natural matrix on the intestinal barrier after moderate (A) and intensive endurance exercise (B).

Method: The IB function was determined before (pre) and after running (post), and 120 and 180 min after consuming the drink by measuring serum endotoxin concentrations (lipopolysaccharides-LPS), IL-6, CD14, and i-FABP.

Functional and Morphological Differences of Muscle Mitochondria in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Post-COVID Syndrome.

Patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or post-COVID syndrome (PCS) exhibit a reduced physiological performance capability. Impaired mitochondrial function and morphology may play a pivotal role. Thus, we aimed to measure the muscle mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) capacity and assess mitochondrial morphology in CFS and PCS patients in comparison to healthy controls (HCs).

COVID-19 in Female and Male Athletes: Symptoms, Clinical Findings, Outcome, and Prolonged Exercise Intolerance-A Prospective, Observational, Multicenter Cohort Study (CoSmo-S).

Background: An infection with SARS-CoV-2 can lead to a variety of symptoms and complications, which can impair athletic activity.

Objective: We aimed to assess the clinical symptom patterns, diagnostic findings, and the extent of impairment in sport practice in a large cohort of athletes infected with SARS-CoV-2, both initially after infection and at follow-up. Additionally, we investigated whether baseline factors that may contribute to reduced exercise tolerance at follow-up can be identified.

Blood Profiling of Athletes after COVID-19: Differences in Blood Profiles of Post-COVID-19 Athletes Compared to Uninfected Athletic Individuals-An Exploratory Analysis.

Blood profiling data in athletic populations and their respective responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection are lacking. Thus, this exploratory pilot study aimed to analyze and compare clinical blood markers in previously infected trained athletes (ATH; 30 m/29 f) and a not previously infected healthy athletic control group (HC; 12 m/19 f). The ATH group undertook a sports medical examination which included extended blood analyses.

Monitoring of strength, inflammation and muscle function in allogenic stem-cell transplantation patients - a pilot study for novel biomarker and risk stratification determination.

Background: Low aerobic capacity is associated with an increased mortality risk in allogenic stem-cell transplantation (alloSCT) patients, but currently used risk scores in the pre-transplantation workup are still underestimating physical activity as a prognostic factor.

Aim: To examine the physical condition, muscle function, blood inflammation and training adherence of alloSCT patients during inpatient time to identify potential biomarkers associated with development of myopathy and sarcopenia.

Methods: Patients undergoing alloSCT were examined at four time points (T0: before alloSCT; T: hospital admission; T1: engraftment; T2: inpatient discharge).

Inflammation and severity of depressive symptoms in physically active individuals after COVID-19 - An exploratory immunopsychological study investigating the effect of inflammation on depressive symptom severity.

Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection is a risk factor for the development of depressive symptoms such as lack of energy, loss of interest, and depressed mood. Inflammatory processes might underline this association. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between inflammatory markers and the severity of depression after SARS-CoV-2 infection and the predictive effect of inflammatory markers on the severity of depressive symptoms.

SARS-CoV-2 Altered Hemorheological and Hematological Parameters during One-Month Observation Period in Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients.

Hematological and hemorheological parameters are known to be altered in COVID-19; however, the value of combined monitoring in order to deduce disease severity is only scarcely examined. A total of 44 acute SARS-CoV-2-infected patients (aCOV) and 44 age-matched healthy controls (Con) were included. Blood of aCOV was sampled at admission (T0), and at day 2 (T2), day 5 (T5), day 10 (T10), and day 30 (T30) while blood of Con was only sampled once.

Recovery of performance and persistent symptoms in athletes after COVID-19.

Introduction: After the acute Sars-CoV-2-infection, some athletes suffer from persistent, performance-impairing symptoms, although the course of the disease is often mild to moderate. The relation between cardiopulmonary performance and persistent symptoms after the acute period is still unclear. In addition, information about the development of this relationship is lacking.

Kynurenine serves as useful biomarker in acute, Long- and Post-COVID-19 diagnostics.

Introduction: In patients with SARS-CoV-2, innate immunity is playing a central role, depicted by hyperinflammation and longer lasting inflammatory response. Reliable inflammatory markers that cover both acute and long-lasting COVID-19 monitoring are still lacking. Thus, we investigated one specific inflammatory marker involved as one key player of the immune system, kynurenine (Kyn), and its use for diagnosis/detection of the Long-/Post-COVID syndrome in comparison to currently used markers in both serum and saliva samples.

Differences in Immune Response During Competition and Preparation Phase in Elite Rowers.

Metabolic stress is high during training and competition of Olympic rowers, but there is a lack of biomedical markers allowing to quantify training load on the molecular level. We aimed to identify such markers applying a complex approach involving inflammatory and immunologic variables. Eleven international elite male rowers (age 22.

Altered Hemorheology in Fontan Patients in Normoxia and After Acute Hypoxic Exercise.

Background: The Fontan circulation is a unique palliation procedure for several congenital heart defects. Impaired exercise capacity has previously been demonstrated in these patients and also a higher risk for cardiopulmonary mortality. Hemorheology was shown to affect cardiopulmonary capacity and in turn to be affected by regular exercise and hypoxia but none of these have been investigated in Fontan patients so far.

Impact of A Six Week Training Program on Ventilatory Efficiency, Red Blood Cell Rheological Parameters and Red Blood Cell Nitric Oxide Signaling in Young Sickle Cell Anemia Patients: A Pilot Study.

Patients with sickle cell anemia (SCA) show impaired ventilatory efficiency, altered blood rheology, high levels of oxidative/nitrosative stress and enhanced hemolysis with large amounts of circulating free hemoglobin, which reduces nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. The aim of the study was to investigate whether physical exercise could improve these physiological and biological markers described to contribute to SCA pathophysiology. Twelve SCA patients participated in a controlled six weeks training program with moderate volume (two sessions per week with 15-30 min duration per session) and intensity (70% of the first ventilatory threshold).

Effect of acute exercise on RBC deformability and RBC nitric oxide synthase signalling pathway in young sickle cell anaemia patients.

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is characterized by reduced red blood cell (RBC) deformability and nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. The aim of the study was to investigate whether exercise might affect these parameters in SCA. SCA patients and healthy controls (AA) performed an acute submaximal exercise test until subjects reached the first ventilatory threshold (VT 1).

Cryopreservation of red blood cells: Effect on rheologic properties and associated metabolic and nitric oxide related parameters.

Aim: High glycerol cryopreservation of red blood cells (RBCs) reduces metabolic processes at ultralow temperatures but less is known regarding the effect of cryopreservation on RBC nitric oxide (NO) metabolism, haemorheological properties, structural behaviour and membrane fragility.

Methods: Blood from ten healthy participants was sampled, glycerolized and stored at -80 °C (SB). Aliquots were thawed and further processed after 4, 8 and 12 weeks, respectively.

The red-vine-leaf extract AS195 increases nitric oxide synthase-dependent nitric oxide generation and decreases oxidative stress in endothelial and red blood cells.

The red-vine-leaf extract AS195 improves cutaneous oxygen supply and the microcirculation in patients suffering from chronic venous insufficiency. Regulation of blood flow was associated to nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent NO (nitric oxide) production, and endothelial and red blood cells (RBC) have been shown to possess respective NOS isoforms. It was hypothesized that AS195 positively affects NOS activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and RBC.

Increase in Red Blood Cell-Nitric Oxide Synthase Dependent Nitric Oxide Production during Red Blood Cell Aging in Health and Disease: A Study on Age Dependent Changes of Rheologic and Enzymatic Properties in Red Blood Cells.

Aim: To investigate RBC-NOS dependent NO signaling during in vivo RBC aging in health and disease.

Method: RBC from fifteen healthy volunteers (HC) and four patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) were separated in seven subpopulations by Percoll density gradient centrifugation.

Results: The proportion of old RBC was significantly higher in DM compared to HC.