Controlled pore anisotropy in chitosan-gelatin cryogels for use in bone tissue engineering.

In tissue engineering, the development of an appropriate scaffold is crucial to provide a framework for new tissue growth. The use of cryogels as scaffolds shows promise due to their macroporous structure, but the pore size, distribution, and interconnectivity is highly variable depending on the fabrication process. The objective of the current research is to provide a technique for controlled anisotropy in chitosan-gelatin cryogels to develop scaffolds for bone tissue engineering application.

Validation of Plantar Pressure and Reaction Force Measured by Moticon Pressure Sensor Insoles on a Concept2 Rowing Ergometer.

The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of plantar pressure and reaction force measured using the Moticon and Pedar-x sensor insoles while rowing on a Concept2 ergometer. Nineteen participants performed four 500 m trials of ergometer rowing at 22-24 strokes/min; two trials wearing Moticon insoles and two wearing Pedar-x insoles in a randomised order. Moticon and Pedar-x insoles both showed moderate to strong test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.

The Impact of Functional Overreaching on Post-exercise Parasympathetic Reactivation in Runners.

While post-exercise heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) has been shown to increase in response to training leading to improvements in performance, the effect of training leading to decrements in performance (i.e., overreaching) on this parameter has been largely ignored.

Heart rate acceleration at relative workloads during treadmill and overground running for tracking exercise performance during functional overreaching.

Maximal rate of heart rate (HR) increase (rHRI) as a measure of HR acceleration during the transition from rest to exercise, or during an increase in workload, tracks exercise performance. rHRI assessed at relative rather than absolute workloads may track performance better, and a field test would increase applicability. This study therefore aimed to evaluate the sensitivity of rHRI assessed at individualised relative workloads during treadmill and overground running for tracking exercise performance.

Contributions of Arousal, Attention, Distinctiveness, and Semantic Relatedness to Enhanced Emotional Memory: An Event-Related Potential and Electrocardiogram Study.

Enhanced emotional memory (EEM) describes memory benefits for emotional items, traditionally attributed to impacts of arousal at encoding; however, attention, semantic relatedness, and distinctiveness likely also contribute in various ways. The current study manipulated arousal, semantic relatedness, and distinctiveness while recording changes in event-related potentials and heart rate during memory encoding. Trials were classified as remembered or forgotten by immediate recall performance.

Optimisation of assessment of maximal rate of heart rate increase for tracking training-induced changes in endurance exercise performance.

The maximal rate of heart rate (HR) increase (rHRI), a marker of HR acceleration during transition from rest to submaximal exercise, correlates with exercise performance. In this cohort study, whether rHRI tracked performance better when evaluated over shorter time-periods which include a greater proportion of HR acceleration and less steady-state HR was evaluated. rHRI and five-km treadmill running time-trial performance (5TTT) were assessed in 15 runners following one week of light training (LT), two weeks of heavy training (HT) and 10-day taper (T).

Training Quantification and Periodization during Live High Train High at 2100 M in Elite Runners: An Observational Cohort Case Study.

The questionable efficacy of Live High Train High altitude training (LHTH) is compounded by minimal training quantification in many studies. We sought to quantify the training load (TL) periodization in a cohort of elite runners completing LHTH immediately prior to competition. Eight elite runners (6 males, 2 females) with a V̇O of 70 ± 4 mL·kg·min were monitored during 4 weeks of sea-level training, then 3-4 weeks LHTH in preparation for sea-level races following descent to sea-level.

Correction to: The effect of functional overreaching on parameters of autonomic heart rate regulation.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The presentation of Equation was incorrect.

Optimization of Maximal Rate of Heart Rate Increase Assessment in Runners.

Purpose: Correlations between fatigue-induced changes in exercise performance and maximal rate of heart rate (HR) increase (rHRI) may be affected by exercise intensity during assessment. This study evaluated the sensitivity of rHRI for tracking performance when assessed at varying exercise intensities.

Method: Performance (time to complete a 5-km treadmill time-trial [5TTT]) and rHRI were assessed in 15 male runners following 1 week of light training, 2 weeks of heavy training (HT), and a 10-day taper (T).

Maximal rate of heart rate increase correlates with fatigue/recovery status in female cyclists.

Purpose: Being able to identify how an athlete is responding to training would be useful to optimise adaptation and performance. The maximal rate of heart rate increase (rHRI), a marker of heart rate acceleration has been shown to correlate with performance changes in response to changes in training load in male athletes; however, it has not been established if it also correlates with performance changes in female athletes.

Methods: rHRI and cycling performance were assessed in six female cyclists following 7 days of light training (LT), 14 days of heavy training (HT) and a 10 day taper period.

The effect of functional overreaching on parameters of autonomic heart rate regulation.

Purpose: Correlations between fatigue-induced changes in performance and maximal rate of HR increase (rHRI) may be affected by differing assessment workloads. This study evaluated the effect of assessing rHRI at different workloads on performance tracking, and compared this with HR variability (HRV) and HR recovery (HRR).

Methods: Performance [5-min cycling time trial (5TT)], rHRI (at multiple workloads), HRV and HRR were assessed in 12 male cyclists following 1 week of light training (LT), 2 weeks of heavy training (HT) and a 10-day taper (T).

The Effect of Training at 2100-m Altitude on Running Speed and Session Rating of Perceived Exertion at Different Intensities in Elite Middle-Distance Runners.

Purpose: To determine the effect of training at 2100-m natural altitude on running speed (RS) during training sessions over a range of intensities relevant to middle-distance running performance.

Methods: In an observational study, 19 elite middle-distance runners (mean ± SD age 25 ± 5 y, VOmax, 71 ± 5 mL · kg · min) completed either 4-6 wk of sea-level training (CON, n = 7) or a 4- to 5-wk natural altitude-training camp living at 2100 m and training at 1400-2700 m (ALT, n = 12) after a period of sea-level training. Each training session was recorded on a GPS watch, and athletes also provided a score for session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE).

Tracking Performance Changes With Running-Stride Variability When Athletes Are Functionally Overreached.

Purpose: Stride-to-stride fluctuations in running-stride interval display long-range correlations that break down in the presence of fatigue accumulated during an exhaustive run. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether long-range correlations in running-stride interval were reduced by fatigue accumulated during prolonged exposure to a high training load (functional overreaching) and were associated with decrements in performance caused by functional overreaching.

Methods: Ten trained male runners completed 7 d of light training (LT), 14 d of heavy training (HT) designed to induce a state of functional overreaching, and 10 d of light training (LT) in a fixed order.

Monitoring Athletic Training Status Through Autonomic Heart Rate Regulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Autonomic regulation of heart rate (HR) as an indicator of the body's ability to adapt to an exercise stimulus has been evaluated in many studies through HR variability (HRV) and post-exercise HR recovery (HRR). Recently, HR acceleration has also been investigated.

Objective: The aim of this systematic literature review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of negative adaptations to endurance training (i.

Contextualizing Parasympathetic Hyperactivity in Functionally Overreached Athletes With Perceptions of Training Tolerance.

Purpose: Heart-rate variability (HRV) as a measure of autonomic function may increase in response to training interventions leading to increases or decreases in performance, making HRV interpretation difficult in isolation. This study aimed to contextualize changes in HRV with subjective measures of training tolerance.

Methods: Supine and standing measures of vagally mediated HRV (root-mean-square difference of successive normal RR intervals [RMSSD]) and measures of training tolerance (Daily Analysis of Life Demands for Athletes questionnaire, perception of energy levels, fatigue, and muscle soreness) were recorded daily during 1 wk of light training (LT), 2 wk of heavy training (HT), and 10 d of tapering (T) in 15 male runners/ triathletes.

Altitude training and haemoglobin mass from the optimised carbon monoxide rebreathing method determined by a meta-analysis.

Objective: To characterise the time course of changes in haemoglobin mass (Hbmass) in response to altitude exposure.

Methods: This meta-analysis uses raw data from 17 studies that used carbon monoxide rebreathing to determine Hbmass prealtitude, during altitude and postaltitude. Seven studies were classic altitude training, eight were live high train low (LHTL) and two mixed classic and LHTL.

Within-subject variation in hemoglobin mass in elite athletes.

Unlabelled: Illicit autologous blood transfusion to improve performance in elite sport is currently undetectable, but the stability of longitudinal profiles of an athlete's hemoglobin mass (Hbmass) might be used to detect such practices.

Purpose: Our aim was to quantify within-subject variation of Hbmass in elite athletes, and the effects of potentially confounding factors such as reduced training or altitude exposure.

Methods: A total of 130 athletes (43 females and 87 males) were measured for Hbmass an average of six times during a period of approximately 1 yr using carbon monoxide rebreathing.

An attempt to quantify the placebo effect from a three-week simulated altitude training camp in elite race walkers.

Purpose: To quantify physiological and performance effects of hypoxic exposure, a training camp, the placebo effect, and a combination of these factors.

Methods: Elite Australian and International race walkers (n = 17) were recruited, including men and women. Three groups were assigned: 1) Live High:Train Low (LHTL, n = 6) of 14 h/d at 3000 m simulated altitude; 2) Placebo (n = 6) of 14 h/d of normoxic exposure (600 m); and 3) Nocebo (n = 5) living in normoxia.

Effectiveness of intermittent training in hypoxia combined with live high/train low.

Elite athletes often undertake altitude training to improve sea-level athletic performance, yet the optimal methodology has not been established. A combined approach of live high/train low plus train high (LH/TL+TH) may provide an additional training stimulus to enhance performance gains. Seventeen male and female middle-distance runners with maximal aerobic power (VO2max) of 65.

Effects of simulated and real altitude exposure in elite swimmers.

The effect of repeated exposures to natural and simulated moderate altitude on physiology and competitive performance of elite athletes warrants further investigation. This study quantified changes in hemoglobin mass, performance tests, and competitive performance of elite swimmers undertaking a coach-prescribed program of natural and simulated altitude training. Nine swimmers (age 21.

Reproducibility of performance changes to simulated live high/train low altitude.

Unlabelled: Elite athletes often undertake multiple altitude exposures within and between training years in an attempt to improve sea level performance.

Purpose: To quantify the reproducibility of responses to live high/train low (LHTL) altitude exposure in the same group of athletes.

Methods: Sixteen highly trained runners with maximal aerobic power (VO2max) of 73.

Analysis of lap times in international swimming competitions.

Swimming performances were analysed for the top 16 finishers (semi-finalists, finalists) in nine international competitions over a 7-year period (1530 males, 1527 female). Total race time and intermediate lap times were log-transformed and analysed for effects of sex (male, female), stroke (freestyle, form strokes, individual medley), event (100, 200, and 400 m), and place (1-16). Between-athlete correlations characterized the relationship of each lap to final time, and within-athlete estimates quantified the effect of lap time on improvements in final time.