Cerebrovascular CO reactivity and dynamic cerebral autoregulation through the eighth decade of life and their implications for cognitive decline.

Aging is accompanied by a decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF), especially in the presence of preclinical cognitive decline. The role of cerebrovascular physiology including regulatory mechanisms of CBF in processes underlying aging and subclinical cognitive decline is, however, not fully understood. We explored changes in cerebrovascular CO reactivity and dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA) through the eighth decade of life, and their relation with early cognitive decline.

Reduced specific force in patients with mild and severe facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy.

Background: Specific force, that is the amount of force generated per unit of muscle tissue, is reduced in patients with facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). The causes of reduced specific force and its relation with FSHD disease severity are unknown.

Methods: Quantitative muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), measurement of voluntary maximum force generation and quadriceps force-frequency relationship, and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were performed in 12 genetically confirmed patients with FSHD and 12 controls.

Analysis of human neutrophil phenotypes as biomarker to monitor exercise-induced immune changes.

The amplitude of the innate immune response reflects the degree of physiological stress imposed by exercise load. An optimal balance of exercise intensity and duration is essential for a balanced immune system and reduces the risk of dysfunction of the immune system. Therefore, it is hypothesized that neutrophils, as key players in the innate immune system, can be used as biomarker in detecting overtraining.

The sustained effects of extending cardiac rehabilitation with a six-month telemonitoring and telecoaching programme on fitness, quality of life, cardiovascular risk factors and care utilisation in CAD patients: The TeleCaRe study.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to assess the acute and sustained effects of a six-month heart-rate-based telerehabilitation programme, following the completion of cardiac rehabilitation (CR), on peak oxygen uptake (peakVO), quality of life (QoL), cardiovascular risk factors and care utilisation in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: A total of 122 patients with CAD were randomised, after the completion of CR, to an intervention group with six months of telemonitoring and telecoaching (TELE) or a control group with a traditional six-month follow-up programme with monthly calls (CON). The primary outcome was peakVO at 12 months, to assess the sustained effects of TELE.

Muscle fiber dysfunction contributes to weakness in inclusion body myositis.

Atrophy and fatty infiltration are important causes of muscle weakness in inclusion body myositis (IBM). Muscle weakness can also be caused by reduced specific force; i.e.

Impact of a Graded Exercise Program on V˙O2peak and Survival in Heart Failure Patients.

Introduction: Although exercise therapy has the potential to improve health outcomes of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), less than 50% of patients adhere to prescribed physical activity guidelines 1 yr after cardiac rehabilitation. We aimed to assess the effects of an extended cardiac rehabilitation program with 12 months of graded exercise therapy (GET) and resistance exercise training (RT) on exercise capacity and long-term survival in patients with CHF.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included 60 CHF patients between 2009 and 2010.

Dynamic Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow in Patients With Alzheimer Disease.

Cerebral autoregulation and baroreflex sensitivity are key mechanisms that maintain cerebral blood flow. This study assessed whether these control mechanisms are affected in patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer disease, as this would increase the risks of antihypertensive treatment. We studied 53 patients with dementia (73.

The acute effect of black tea consumption on resistance artery endothelial function in healthy subjects. A randomized controlled trial.

Background & Aims: Black tea is a main source of flavonoids in the Western diet and has been associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease, possibly through lowering blood pressure. These effects may be mediated through improving endothelial function of resistance arteries. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the acute impact of black tea on forearm resistance artery endothelial function in healthy, normotensive middle-aged subjects.

Benefits of lifelong exercise training on left ventricular function after myocardial infarction.

Background Endurance exercise training induces cardio-protective effects, but athletes are not exempted from a myocardial infarction. Evidence from animal studies suggests that exercise training attenuates pathological left ventricular remodelling following myocardial infarction. We tested the hypothesis that lifelong exercise training is related to attenuated pathological left ventricular remodelling after myocardial infarction as evidenced by better left ventricular systolic function in veteran athletes compared to sedentary peers.

Cooling interventions for athletes: An overview of effectiveness, physiological mechanisms, and practical considerations.

Exercise-induced increases in core body temperature could negative impact performance and may lead to development of heat-related illnesses. The use of cooling techniques prior (pre-cooling), during (per-cooling) or directly after (post-cooling) exercise may limit the increase in core body temperature and therefore improve exercise performance. The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge in the field of pre-cooling, per-cooling and post-cooling.

Vascular Adaptation to Exercise in Humans: Role of Hemodynamic Stimuli.

On the 400th anniversary of Harvey's Lumleian lectures, this review focuses on "hemodynamic" forces associated with the movement of blood through arteries in humans and the functional and structural adaptations that result from repeated episodic exposure to such stimuli. The late 20th century discovery that endothelial cells modify arterial tone via paracrine transduction provoked studies exploring the direct mechanical effects of blood flow and pressure on vascular function and adaptation in vivo. In this review, we address the impact of distinct hemodynamic signals that occur in response to exercise, the interrelationships between these signals, the nature of the adaptive responses that manifest under different physiological conditions, and the implications for human health.

Correlation of carotid artery reactivity with cardiovascular risk factors and coronary artery vasodilator responses in asymptomatic, healthy volunteers.

Objectives: Carotid artery reactivity (CAR%), involving carotid artery diameter responses to a cold pressor test (CPT), is a noninvasive measure of conduit artery function in humans. This study examined the impact of age and cardiovascular risk factors on the CAR% and the relationship between CAR% and coronary artery vasodilator responses to the CPT.

Methods: Ultrasound was used to measure resting and peak carotid artery diameters during the CPT, with CAR% being calculated as the relative change from baseline (%).

Decrease in Ionized and Total Magnesium Blood Concentrations in Endurance Athletes Following an Exercise Bout Restores within Hours-Potential Consequences for Monitoring and Supplementation.

Magnesium is essential for optimal sport performance, generating an interest to monitor its status in athletes. However, before measuring magnesium status in blood could become routine, more insight into its diurnal fluctuations and effects of exercise itself is necessary. Therefore, we measured the effect of an acute bout of exercise on ionized (iMg) and total plasma magnesium (tMg) in blood obtained from 18 healthy well-trained endurance athletes (age, 31.

Vascular Function and Structure in Veteran Athletes after Myocardial Infarction.

Purpose: Although athletes demonstrate lower cardiovascular risk and superior vascular function compared with sedentary peers, they are not exempted from cardiac events (i.e., myocardial infarction [MI]).

Myocardial Fibrosis in Athletes.

Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is a common phenomenon in the late stages of diverse cardiac diseases and is a predictive factor for sudden cardiac death. Myocardial fibrosis detected by magnetic resonance imaging has also been reported in athletes. Regular exercise improves cardiovascular health, but there may be a limit of benefit in the exercise dose-response relationship.

Rationale and design of a randomised clinical trial for an extended cardiac rehabilitation programme using telemonitoring: the TeleCaRe study.

Background: Despite the known positive effects of cardiac rehabilitation and an active lifestyle, evidence is emerging that it is difficult to attain and sustain the minimum recommendations of leisure time physical activity. The long-term benefits are often disappointing due to lack of adherence to the changes in life style. Qualitative research on patients' perspectives suggests that motivation for lifestyle change tends to diminish around 3 months after the index-event.

Maximum Inspiratory Pressure is a Discriminator of Pneumonia in Individuals With Spinal-Cord Injury.

Background: Respiratory complications remain a major cause of mortality among individuals with spinal-cord injury (SCI). The present study investigated whether respiratory function is a discriminator of pneumonia in individuals with SCI and is aimed to determine the best predictive parameter.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Impact of volunteer-related and methodology-related factors on the reproducibility of brachial artery flow-mediated vasodilation: analysis of 672 individual repeated measurements.

Objectives: Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a popular technique to examine endothelial function in humans. Identifying volunteer and methodological factors related to variation in FMD is important to improve measurement accuracy and applicability.

Methods: Volunteer-related and methodology-related parameters were collected in 672 volunteers from eight affiliated centres worldwide who underwent repeated measures of FMD.

Exercise Improves Insulin Sensitivity in the Absence of Changes in Cytokines.

Purpose: The benefits of aerobic exercise training on insulin sensitivity in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS) are, at least in part, associated with changes in cytokines. Recent studies identified novel cytokines (e.g.

Monitoring creatine and phosphocreatine by (13)C MR spectroscopic imaging during and after (13)C4 creatine loading: a feasibility study.

Creatine (Cr) supplementation to enhance muscle performance shows variable responses among individuals and different muscles. Direct monitoring of the supplied Cr in muscles would address these differences. In this feasibility study, we introduce in vivo 3D (13)C MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of the leg with oral ingestion of (13)C4-creatine to observe simultaneously Cr and phosphocreatine (PCr) for assessing Cr uptake, turnover, and the ratio PCr over total Cr (TCr) in individual muscles.

Glycemic control during consecutive days with prolonged walking exercise in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: Despite its general benefits for health, exercise complicates the maintenance of stable blood glucose concentrations in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The aim of the current study was to examine changes in food intake, insulin administration, and 24-h glycemic control in response to consecutive days with prolonged walking exercise (∼8h daily) in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Methods: Ten individuals with type 1 diabetes participating in the worlds' largest walking event were recruited for this observational study.

Impact of flavonoid-rich black tea and beetroot juice on postprandial peripheral vascular resistance and glucose homeostasis in obese, insulin-resistant men: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Insulin-stimulated muscle blood flow facilitates plasma glucose disposal after a meal, a mechanism that is impaired in obese, insulin-resistant volunteers. Nitrate- or flavonoid-rich products, through their proposed effects on nitric oxide, may improve postprandial blood flow and, subsequently, glucose disposal. To investigate whether a single dose of nitrate-rich beetroot juice or flavonoid-rich black tea lowers postprandial muscle vascular resistance in obese volunteers and alters postprandial glucose or insulin concentrations.

Lifelong Exercise Patterns and Cardiovascular Health.

Objective: To determine the relationship between lifelong exercise dose and the prevalence of cardiovascular morbidity.

Patients And Methods: From June 1, 2011, through December 31, 2014, 21,266 individuals completed an online questionnaire regarding their lifelong exercise patterns and cardiovascular health status. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was defined as a diagnosis of myocardial infarction, stroke, or heart failure, and cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) were defined as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or type 2 diabetes.