Publications by authors named "Robert C Hickner"

Increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and microvascular endothelial disruptions occur with natural ageing, but often transpire before the detection of cardiometabolic conditions including hypertension. Age-related increases in blood pressure are driven by complex systemic changes with poorly understood integrated mechanisms. The deconditioning experienced by ageing skeletal muscle from mid-life is associated with reduced microvascular blood flow and increased peripheral resistance, suggesting that vasodilatory decrements in the muscle may precede the age-related increases in blood pressure.

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Introduction: Chronic pain affects 19% of adults in the United States, with increasing prevalence in active and aging populations. Pain can limit physical activity and activities of daily living (ADLs), resulting in declined mental and social health. Nutritional interventions for pain currently target inflammation or joint health, but few influence both.

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Glucocorticoids induce a myopathy that includes loss of muscle mass and strength. Resistance exercise may reverse the muscle loss because it induces an anabolic response characterized by increases in muscle protein synthesis and potentially suppressing protein breakdown. Whether resistance exercise induces an anabolic response in glucocorticoid myopathic muscle is unknown, which is a problem because long-term glucocorticoid exposure alters the expression of genes that may prevent an anabolic response by limiting activation of pathways such as the mechanistic target of rapamycin in complex 1 (mTORC1).

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Inguinal white adipose tissue (iWAT) is essential for the beneficial effects of exercise training on metabolic health. The underlying mechanisms for these effects are not fully understood, and here, we test the hypothesis that exercise training results in a more favorable iWAT structural phenotype. Using biochemical, imaging, and multi-omics analyses, we find that 11 days of wheel running in male mice causes profound iWAT remodeling including decreased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and increased vascularization and innervation.

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Purpose Of Review: Connective tissue injuries are prevalent in active and aging populations, leading to chronic pain and decreased function. Turnover of this tissue is not well understood, especially as it relates to aging and injury. Supplementation of collagen peptides has been shown to improve connective tissue recovery and pain through increased collagen production.

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Osteoporosis is a major health concern in aging populations, where 54% of the U.S. population aged 50 and older have low bone mineral density (BMD).

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Muscle mass is important for health. Decreased testicular androgen production (hypogonadism) contributes to the loss of muscle mass, with loss of limb muscle being particularly debilitating. Androgen replacement is the only pharmacological treatment, which may not be feasible for everyone.

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Creatine is an organic compound, consumed exogenously in the diet and synthesized endogenously via an intricate inter-organ process. Functioning in conjunction with creatine kinase, creatine has long been known for its pivotal role in cellular energy provision and energy shuttling. In addition to the abundance of evidence supporting the ergogenic benefits of creatine supplementation, recent evidence suggests a far broader application for creatine within various myopathies, neurodegenerative diseases, and other pathologies.

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Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, functioning in conjunction with creatine kinase to play a quintessential role in both cellular energy provision and intracellular energy shuttling. An extensive body of literature solidifies the plethora of ergogenic benefits gained following dietary creatine supplementation; however, recent findings have further indicated a potential therapeutic role for creatine in several pathologies such as myopathies, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disturbances, chronic kidney disease and inflammatory diseases. Furthermore, creatine has been found to exhibit non-energy-related properties, such as serving as a potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

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Pre-sleep whey protein intake has been shown to improve overnight muscle protein synthesis, muscle size and strength, and muscle recovery. Despite a growing interest in alternative protein sources, such as plant-based protein, there is no evidence regarding the efficacy of plant-based proteins consumed pre-sleep. Therefore, we aimed to compare whey vs.

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Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality largely due to increased cardiovascular disease risk. This study examined the relationships among protein consumption and sources on glycemic control and cardiovascular health in individuals with prediabetes and T2D. Sixty-two overweight or obese participants with prediabetes or T2D, aged 45-75 years were stratified into the following three groups based on protein intake: <0.

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Exercise is a key component of a healthy lifestyle as it helps maintain a healthy body weight and reduces the risk of various morbidities and co-morbidities. Exercise is an acute physiological stress that initiates a multitude of processes that attempt to restore physiological homeostasis and promote adaptation. A component of the stress response to exercise is the rapid release of hormones from the adrenal gland including glucocorticoids, the catecholamines and aldosterone.

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Vitamin D is known to elicit a vasoprotective effect, while vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for endothelial dysfunction (ED). ED is characterized by reduced bioavailability of a potent endothelium-dependent vasodilator, nitric oxide (NO), and is an early event in the development of atherosclerosis. In endothelial cells, vitamin D regulates NO synthesis by mediating the activity of the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS).

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Background: To date, no studies have directly compared the differences between presleep and daytime protein (PRO) consumption on localized and systemic fat metabolism in active women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of presleep compared with daytime PRO supplementation on subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAAT) lipolysis and whole-body substrate utilization in women.

Methods: Thirteen young (mean ± SE age: 22 ± 1 y; BMI: 24.

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Article Synopsis
  • NADPH oxidases (NOX) are enzymes that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are crucial in causing vascular dysfunction, particularly in endothelial cells lining blood vessels.* -
  • Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide (NO) for proper blood flow; however, oxidative stress can disrupt this function, leading to conditions like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.* -
  • The review intends to explain how normal endothelial functions work and emphasize how NOX contributes to endothelial dysfunction, especially in the context of impaired glucose regulation.*
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Unlabelled: Peroxisomes are essential for lipid metabolism and disruption of liver peroxisomal function results in neonatal death. Little is known about how peroxisomal content and activity respond to changes in the lipid environment in human skeletal muscle (HSkM).

Aims: We hypothesized and tested that increased peroxisomal gene/protein expression and functionality occur in HSkM as an adaptive response to lipid oversupply.

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The extent to and manner in which psychological states change as a function of physical effort and related physiological responses have been addressed separately in various theoretical frameworks. The authors explored a proposed conceptual scheme examining the relationships among perceived exertion, attentional allocation, and affective responses under different workload domains. Thirty male participants performed an incremental cycling test to assess the progression of rating of perceived exertion, attentional focus, affect, and felt arousal along a parallel increase in heart rate using ventilatory threshold as a reference point.

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In rodent skeletal muscle, acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthetase 5 (ACSL-5) is suggested to localize to the mitochondria but its precise function in human skeletal muscle is unknown. The purpose of these studies was to define the role of ACSL-5 in mitochondrial fatty acid metabolism and the potential effects on insulin action in human skeletal muscle cells (HSKMC). Primary myoblasts isolated from vastus lateralis (obese women (body mass index (BMI) = 34.

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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cold ambient temperature on lactate kinetics with and without a preceding warm-up in female cyclists/triathletes. Seven female cyclists/triathletes participated in this study. The randomized, crossover study included 3 experimental visits that comprised the following conditions: () thermoneutral temperature (20 °C; NEU); () cold temperature (0 °C) with no active warm-up (CNWU); and () cold temperature (0 °C) with 25-min active warm-up (CWU).

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This study investigated the effect of acute full-body resistance exercise [RE; one set of 10 repetitions at 40% 1 repetition maximum (1RM) and three sets of 10 repetitions at 65% 1RM] on subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SCAAT) lipolysis and whole body substrate oxidation in young (age: 22 ± 1 yr), normal-weight and body fatness (body mass index: 20 ± 1 kg/m; %body fat: 28.7 ± 1.4%), resistance-trained women.

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Blood or biopsies are often used to characterize metabolites that are modulated by exercising muscle. However, blood has inputs derived from multiple tissues, biopsies cannot discriminate between secreted and intracellular metabolites, and their invasive nature is challenging for frequent collections in sensitive populations (e.g.

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Objective: To investigate changes in nutritive blood flow as well as interstitial glucose and lactate within an active myofascial trigger point (MTrP) following massage.

Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Subjects were recruited from the general population; procedures were conducted at a research center affiliated with a university hospital.

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Unlabelled: Poor suppression of lipolysis and blunted increase in blood flow after meal ingestion in obese adults may indicate resistance to the antilipolytic action of insulin. Exercise may be used to normalize lipolytic responses to food intake by increasing insulin sensitivity.

Purpose: To determine if acute bouts of aerobic exercise and/or excise training alter lipolytic and blood flow responses to food intake in lean (LN) and obese (OB) children.

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Purpose: Exercise training promotes skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis and an increase in maximal oxygen consumption. Primary myotubes retain some metabolic properties observed in vivo but it is unknown whether this includes exercise-induced mitochondrial adaptations. The goal of this study was to test if primary myotubes from exercise-trained women have higher mitochondrial content and maximal oxygen consumption compared with untrained women.

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