Publications by authors named "Mariana Franchi"

β-alanine is the rate-limiting point for the endogenous synthesis of carnosine in skeletal muscle. Carnosine has a wide range of implications for health, normal function and exercise performance. Whilst the physiological relevance of carnosine to different tissues remains enigmatic, β-alanine administration is a useful strategy to investigate the physiological roles of carnosine in humans.

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Purpose: To investigate the effects of chronic beta-alanine (BA) supplementation on muscle taurine content, blood clinical markers and sensory side-effects.

Methods: Twenty-five healthy male participants (age 27 ± 4 years, height 1.75 ± 0.

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Purpose: Cross-sectional studies suggest that training can increase muscle carnosine (MCarn), although longitudinal studies have failed to confirm this. A lack of control for dietary β-alanine intake or muscle fiber type shifting may have hampered their conclusions. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on MCarn.

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Article Synopsis
  • This study looked at the impact of 24 weeks of β-alanine (BA) supplementation on muscle carnosine levels, gene expression, and high-intensity cycling performance in 25 active males.
  • Results showed significant increases in muscle carnosine content at every measurement point during supplementation, with maximal increases of approximately +25.66 mmol/kg dm, while participants taking a placebo saw no changes.
  • The study concluded that BA not only boosts carnosine content but also enhances cycling capacity; however, the variability in individual responses suggests that other factors may influence how much carnosine is built up in muscles.
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The persistent organic pollutant p,p'-DDE, the major metabolite of the insecticide DDT, has displayed evidence of endocrine disruption through the inhibition of androgen binding to androgen receptors in different species. Although p,p'-DDE was continuously detected in wild fish with abnormal gonad development such as intersex, little is known about its mode of action during gonad development in fish. To elucidate the potential endocrine effects of this pollutant in zebrafish (Danio rerio), juveniles (30 days post hatch) were exposed to p,p'-DDE during the critical window of sexual differentiation.

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