Hormonal and inflammatory responses to different types of sprint interval training.

We evaluated the effect of different types of sprint interval sessions on the balance between anabolic and catabolic hormones and circulating inflammatory cytokines. Twelve healthy elite junior handball players (17-25 years) participated in the study. Exercise consisted of increasing distance (100 m, 200 m, 300 m, 400 m) and decreasing distance (400 m, 300 m, 200 m, 100 m) sprint interval runs on a treadmill (at random order), at a constant work rate of 80% of the personal maximal speed (calculated from the maximal speed of a 100 m run).

Resting measures and physiological responses to exercise for the determination of prognosis in patients with chronic heart failure: useful tools for clinical decision-making.

Despite recent advances in the management of chronic heart failure (CHF), the prognosis of many of these patients remains dire. The need for an accurate prognosis in these patients has led to the identification of several indicators purported to represent the impact of the disease. Such indicators often are obtained at rest and are not always accurate at determining the clinical status of CHF patients.

Interaction between SNPs in the NRF2 gene and elite endurance performance.

Nuclear respiratory factor 2 (NRF2), a member of the Cap-N-Collar family of transcription factors, plays an important role in the mitochondrial biogenesis, and variants of NRF2 gene have been associated with endurance performance. The aims of the present study were 1) to compare NRF2 A/C (rs12594956) and NRF2 C/T (rs8031031) genotype and allele frequencies between athletes of sports with different demands (endurance vs. sprinters) as well as between competitive levels (elite level vs.

Is the interaction between HIF1A P582S and ACTN3 R577X determinant for power/sprint performance?

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression in response to hypoxia and has been associated with athletic performance. The aims of this study were (1) to determine the frequency distribution of HIF1A Pro582Ser (rs11549465) polymorphism among 155 Israeli athletes (sprinters and endurance athletes) and 240 healthy controls and (2) to analyze the influence of the interaction between HIF1A Pro582Ser and ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) genotypes on sprint performance. There were no differences across the HIF1A genotype and allele frequencies among endurance athletes, sprinters, and controls.

Is there an interaction between PPARD T294C and PPARGC1A Gly482Ser polymorphisms and human endurance performance?

Functional Gly482Ser (rs8192678) and T294C (rs2016520) polymorphisms in the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 (PPARGC1A) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPARD) genes, respectively, have been associated with mRNA and/or protein activity. The aim of this study was to determine their frequency distribution among 155 Israeli athletes (endurance athletes and sprinters) and 240 healthy control subjects. There were no differences between the endurance athletes, the sprinters and the control group across the PPARD T294C genotypes (P = 0.

The response of circulating brain natriuretic peptide to academic stress in college students.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a cardiac peptide, has been implicated in the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) responses to psychological stressors. The influence of academic stress on circulating concentration of the N-terminal fragment of BNP precursor (NT-proBNP), and in relation to the stress hormone (cortisol) response was studied in 170 college students undergoing major examinations. Just prior to the examination, we measured self-estimated stress level, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), heart rate (HR), plasma levels of cortisol, and NT-proBNP.

NRF2 intron 3 A/G polymorphism is associated with endurance athletes' status.

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency distribution of nuclear respiratory factor 2 (NRF2) intron 3 A/G polymorphism (rs7181866) among 155 Israeli athletes (endurance athletes and sprinters) and 240 healthy controls. Results showed that there was a significantly higher proportion of the AG genotype, rather than the AA genotype, in the group of endurance athletes compared with the sprinters (P = 0.014) and controls (P = 0.

Serum oxidative stress level correlates with clinical parameters in chronic systolic heart failure patients.

Background: Serum oxidative stress (OS) level has an important role in the inflammatory process of heart failure.

Hypothesis: The study was designed to analyze serum OS levels in chronic heart failure (HF) patients and to examine the relation between OS levels and other clinical and prognostic parameters of HF.

Methods: We studied 82 consecutive chronic symptomatic HF patients with systolic LV dysfunction (ejection fraction <45%).

The guanine nucleotide binding protein beta polypeptide 3 gene C825T polymorphism is associated with elite endurance athletes.

A functional C825T polymorphism in the human guanine nucleotide binding protein beta polypeptide 3 (GNB3) gene has been associated with enhanced G protein activation. Since reports regarding the interaction between physical activity and the GNB3 C825T polymorphism are limited and inconsistent, the aim of this study was to determine the frequency of C825T alleles among 155 elite Israeli athletes (endurance athletes and sprinters) and 234 healthy control subjects. Genotyping for GNB3 C825T was performed using polymerase chain reaction on DNA from leucocytes.

IL6 (-174) and TNFA (-308) promoter polymorphisms are associated with systemic creatine kinase response to eccentric exercise.

Exertional rhabdomyolysis is a complex and poorly understood entity. The inflammatory system has an important role in muscle injury and repair. Serum creatine kinase (CK) is often used as systemic biomarker representing muscle damage.

Genotype-phenotype associations between chymase and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphisms in chronic systolic heart failure patients.

Purpose: Angiotensin II, which plays a crucial role in the myocardial remodeling process of heart failure, is generated via the angiotensin-converting enzyme and chymase pathways. We studied angiotensin-converting enzyme and chymase-1 polymorphisms in patients with systolic heart failure and the correlation with clinical status and left ventricular function.

Methods: We genotyped 195 patients with heart failure and systolic left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction <40%) for angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion (I)/deletion (D) and chymase-1 (-1903G/A) polymorphisms.

The effect of long-term beta-adrenergic receptor blockade on the oxygen delivery and extraction relationship in patients with coronary artery disease.

Purpose: We evaluated the effects of long-term beta-blocker treatment on the balance between oxygen delivery and extraction at peak oxygen uptake (VO2) and at target heart rate training (anaerobic threshold).

Methods: Fifteen patients with coronary artery disease performed paired peak cardiopulmonary and submaximal exercise tests on a cycle ergometer with and without atenolol treatment. Thirty minutes following the submaximal tests, participants pedaled 10 minutes at a workload corresponding to that of the anaerobic threshold attained.

Left ventricular contractility in response to upright isometric exercise in heart transplant recipients and healthy men.

Purpose: We evaluated left ventricular contractility during upright isometric exercise, in heart transplant recipients (HTRs) and in healthy controls, using ejection fraction and end-systolic pressure/volume ratio indexes.

Methods: Fifteen healthy men (40 +/- 13 years) and 10 HTRs (42 +/- 12 years) underwent dead lift (DL) test at 30% of maximal effort for 3 minutes. Echocardiographic variables were measured during the final 45 seconds.

ACE ID genotype affects blood creatine kinase response to eccentric exercise.

Unaccustomed exercise may cause muscle breakdown with marked increase in serum creatine kinase (CK) activity. The skeletal muscle renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in exercise metabolism and tissue injury. A functional insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism in the angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) gene (rs4646994) has been associated with ACE activity.

The ACE deletion allele is associated with Israeli elite endurance athletes.

An Alu insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism in the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) gene has been associated with ACE activity. Opposing effects on elite athletic performance have been proposed for the I and D alleles; while the D allele favours improved endurance ability, the I allele promotes more power-orientated events. We tested this hypothesis by determining the frequency of ACE ID alleles amongst 121 Israeli top-level athletes classified by their sporting discipline (marathon runners or sprinters).

What maintains energy supply at peak aerobic exercise in trained and untrained older men?

Background: Aging-related changes occur mainly in the cardiopulmonary system and skeletal muscles, bringing about a reduction in physical performance. Consequently, maximal oxygen uptake (VO(2)max) decreases.

Objectives: The current study investigated exercise oxygen utilization during maximal aerobic exercise in trained and untrained elderly.

What maintains the metabolic cost at maximal exercise in heart transplant recipients and coronary artery disease patients?

Background: In this study we assess the influence of disease status on hemodynamic and cardiac output values, as measured by oxygen utilization at peak aerobic exercise, in heart transplant recipients (HTRs) and coronary artery disease patients (CAD).

Methods: Fifteen CAD patients and 13 HTRs (40.2 +/- 12.

Igf-I and fgf-2 responses to wingate anaerobic test in older men.

insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), play a role in aging associated muscle loss. The effect of fitness level on IGF-I and FGF-2 responses to all-out anaerobic exercise in older men was studied. Twenty four healthy older males: 12 higher fit (58 ± 1y) and 12 lower fit (59 ± 1y) underwent the Wingate anaerobic test.

Left ventricular systolic function during treadmill walking with load carriage in adolescents.

Backpack carriage occurs in day-to-day tasks and has applications in school, physical training, recreational activities and sports. Using metabolic cart and echocardiograph, this study determined and examined the effects of two different load carriages on left ventricular function during 30 min. of treadmill walking in healthy adolescent male subjects.

Left ventricular function at peak all-out anaerobic exercise in older men.

Background: All-out anaerobic exercise may be dangerous for the older population, due to hypoxia and inappropriate blood pressure response.

Objectives: This study compared and evaluated left ventricular function at peak all-out anaerobic effort in 12 well-trained older (58 +/- 1 years) and 12 young men (22 +/- 1 years).

Methods: Subjects were studied by echocardiography at peak all-out anaerobic exercise, on a cycle ergometer.