Can a Multidisciplinary Weight Loss Treatment Improve Motor Performance in Children with Obesity? Results from an Observational Study.

In the last two decades, the relationship between weight status and children's motor skill competence has been receiving increasing attention, given its possible role in the prevention and treatment of obesity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a multidisciplinary obesity treatment on motor performance in a sample of Italian children and adolescents. Visual and auditory reaction time (VRT and ART), vertical jump elevation (VJE) and power (VJP), body mass index (BMI) and BMI-standard deviation score (BMI-SDS), waist circumference (WC), body composition, dietary habits and physical activity (PA) levels were assessed at baseline and at 6- and 12-month follow-up.

Caloric Restriction (CR) Plus High-Nitrate Beetroot Juice Does Not Amplify CR-Induced Metabolic Adaptation and Improves Vascular and Cognitive Functions in Overweight Adults: A 14-Day Pilot Randomised Trial.

Caloric restriction (CR) and dietary nitrate supplementation are nutritional interventions with pleiotropic physiological functions. This pilot study investigates the combined effects of CR and nitrate-rich beetroot juice (BRJ) on metabolic, vascular, and cognitive functions in overweight and obese middle-aged and older adults. This was a two-arm, parallel randomized clinical trial including 29 participants allocated to CR + BRJ ( = 15) or CR alone ( = 14) for 14 days.

Classroom Active Breaks to Increase Children's Physical Activity: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Province of Naples, Italy.

Background: Classroom Active Breaks (CABs), short active sessions integrated in the school time, have been recognized as a promising tool to reduce sedentary behavior and increase Physical Activity (PA) levels in children. "AulAttiva" is a six-month CABs-based program implemented in primary schools of the province of Naples. The aim of this study was to evaluate its effectiveness by comparing PA and sedentary time of participating pupils respect to a control group, considering also their weight status.

Arterial Network Geometric Characteristics and Regulation of Capillary Blood Flow in Hamster Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation.

This study was aimed to characterize the geometric arrangement of hamster skeletal muscle arteriolar networks and to assess the rhythmic diameter changes of arterioles to clarify regulatory mechanisms of the capillary perfusion. The experimental study was carried out in male Syrian hamsters implanted with a plastic chamber in the dorsum skin under pentobarbital anesthesia. The skeletal muscle microvessels were visualized by fluorescence microscopy.

Rat Pial Microvascular Changes During Cerebral Blood Flow Decrease and Recovery: Effects of Cyanidin Administration.

The reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to play a major role in many pathophysiological conditions, such as ischemia and reperfusion injury. The present study was aimed to evaluate the cyanidin (anthocyanin) effects on damages induced by rat pial microvascular hypoperfusion-reperfusion injury by cerebral blood flow decrease (CBFD) and subsequent cerebral blood flow recovery (CBFR). In particular, the main purpose was to detect changes in ROS production after cyanidin administration.

Low-Frequency Components in Rat Pial Arteriolar Rhythmic Diameter Changes.

This study aimed to analyze the frequency components present in spontaneous rhythmic diameter changes in rat pial arterioles. Pial microcirculation was visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Rhythmic luminal variations were evaluated via computer-assisted methods.

Laser Speckle Imaging of Rat Pial Microvasculature during Hypoperfusion-Reperfusion Damage.

The present study was aimed to assess the blood flow oscillatory patterns in rat pial microvessels during 30 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and 60 min reperfusion by laser speckle imaging (LSI). Pial microcirculation was visualized by fluorescence microscopy. The blood flow oscillations of single microvessels were recorded by LSI; spectral analysis was performed by Wavelet transform.

Malvidin's Effects on Rat Pial Microvascular Permeability Changes Due to Hypoperfusion and Reperfusion Injury.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the malvidin's protective effects on damage induced by 30 min bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and 60 min reperfusion (RE) in rat pial microcirculation. Rat pial microcirculation was observed using fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Western blotting analysis was performed to investigate the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), phosphorylated eNOS (p-eNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) expression.

The Effects of Vaccinium myrtillus Extract on Hamster Pial Microcirculation during Hypoperfusion-Reperfusion Injury.

Introduction: The present study was aimed to assess the in vivo hamster pial microvessel alterations due to 30 min transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) and reperfusion (60 min); moreover, the neuroprotective effects of Vaccinium myrtillus extract, containing 34.7% of anthocyanins, were investigated.

Materials And Methods: Two groups of male hamsters were used: the first fed with control diet and the other with Vaccinium myrtillus supplemented diet.

Effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) on rat pial microvascular remodeling after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Previous studies have shown that the pial microcirculation remodeling improves neurological outcome after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), accompanied by higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), modulating in vivo angiogenesis. This study was aimed to assess the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) infused after MCAO on rat pial microcirculation. Animals were subjected to 2 h MCAO followed by BM-MSCs infusion into internal carotid artery.

Neuroprotective Effect of VEGF-Mimetic Peptide QK in Experimental Brain Ischemia Induced in Rat by Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion.

We investigated the effect of the VEGF-mimetic peptide, QK, on ischemic brain damage and on blood-brain barrier permeability in the rat. QK administered by the intracerebroventricular, intravenous, or intranasal route caused a 40% decrease in ischemic brain damage induced by permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery relative to that in controls. No increase in the volume of the ischemic hemisphere compared to that of the contralateral nonischemic hemisphere was observed in rats treated with QK, suggesting that this peptide did not cause brain edema.

Effects of Citrus Flavonoids Against Microvascular Damage Induced by Hypoperfusion and Reperfusion in Rat Pial Circulation.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vivo protective effects of hesperidin or diosmin or apigenin on damage induced by transient BCCAO and reperfusion.

Methods: Rat pial microcirculation was observed through a closed cranial window, using fluorescence microscopy. Pial arterioles were classified in five orders according to the Strahler's method.

Effects of oleuropein and pinoresinol on microvascular damage induced by hypoperfusion and reperfusion in rat pial circulation.

Objective: The present study was aimed to assess the in vivo acute effects of oleuropein or/and pinoresinol, polyphenols widely diffused in natural sources, on rat pial microvascular responses during transient BCCAO and reperfusion.

Methods: Rat pial microcirculation was visualized by fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Pial arterioles were classified into five orders of branching.

Pial microvascular responses induced by transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in Zucker rats.

This study was aimed to assess the in vivo geometric and functional characteristics of lean Zucker (ZL) and obese Zucker rat (ZO) pial microvascular networks and to evaluate the vascular responses to cerebral hypoperfusion-reperfusion. Rat pial microcirculation was observed by fluorescence microscopy through a closed cranial window. Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) lasted 30 min and reperfusion 60 min.

Microvascular responses to aldosterone in hamster cheek pouch microcirculation.

The aim of the present study was to assess the in vivo effects of aldosterone topically applied on the hamster cheek pouch microcirculation under baseline conditions or during ischemia-reperfusion. Male Syrian hamsters were anesthetized, tracheotomized and intubated. They were studied under baseline conditions or submitted to ischemia-reperfusion.