Publications by authors named "Ylva Hellsten"

Background: Diabetic foot ulcers are a frequent and serious complication of diabetes with a high risk of amputation. Exercise has been shown to promote wound healing; however, patients with non-healing foot ulcers have limited ability to exercise due to the foot ulcer. Other strategies are therefore warranted.

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The risk of cardiovascular disease increases significantly after menopause. We sought to assess the impact of different activity levels on cardiac structure and function in postmenopausal women. We grouped age-similar, postmenopausal women by self-reported physical activity levels over two decades.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assessed the impact of 14 days of Low Energy Availability (LEA) versus Optimal Energy Availability (OEA) on trained female endurance athletes, focusing on their metabolism, insulin sensitivity, and exercise performance.
  • Participants followed a controlled diet with specific calorie intakes and maintained their regular training, revealing that LEA negatively impacted a 20-minute endurance performance by about 7.8% while increasing fat utilization.
  • Despite changes in fat metabolism, LEA did not significantly affect glucose control or skeletal muscle oxidative capacity, indicating a need for further research on its long-term effects on training quality and recovery.
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In the Greenlandic Inuit population, 4% are homozygous carriers of a genetic nonsense TBC1D4 p.Arg684Ter variant leading to loss of the muscle-specific isoform of TBC1D4 and an approximately tenfold increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Here we show the metabolic consequences of this variant in four female and four male homozygous carriers and matched controls.

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While it is well-established that a period of interval training performed at near maximal effort, such as speed endurance training (SET), enhances intense exercise performance in well-trained individuals, less is known about its effect on cardiac morphology and function as well as blood volume. To investigate this, we subjected 12 Under-20 Danish national team ice hockey players (age 18 ± 1 years, mean ± SD) to 4 weeks of SET, consisting of 6-10 × 20 s skating bouts at maximal effort interspersed by 2 min of recovery conducted three times weekly. This was followed by 4 weeks of regular training (follow-up).

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Article Synopsis
  • A study investigated how 14 days of low energy availability (LEA) affects the immune function and exercise performance in female endurance athletes.
  • Twelve athletes participated in a crossover study, alternating between optimal energy availability (OEA) and LEA diets, with blood samples taken for analysis.
  • Results showed that LEA increased certain immune-related proteins and cortisol levels, impaired white blood cell activity during exercise, and negatively impacted exercise performance, which persisted even after a refueling period.
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Purpose: We investigated the effects of low- and high-volume speed endurance training (SET), with a reduced training volume, on sprint ability, short- and long-term exercise capacity, muscle mitochondrial properties, ion transport proteins, and maximal enzyme activity in highly trained athletes.

Methods: Highly trained male cyclists (maximal oxygen consumption (V̇O 2max ): 68.3 ± 5.

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The significant morbidity and premature mortality of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is largely associated with its cardiovascular consequences. Focus has long been on the arterial atheromatosis of DM giving rise to early stroke and myocardial infarctions, whereas less attention has been given to its non-ischemic cardiovascular consequences. Irrespective of ischemic changes, T2DM is associated with heart failure (HF) most commonly with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

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We showed an association between atrial fibrillation and rare loss-of-function (LOF) variants in the cardiac splicing regulator RBM20 in 2 independent cohorts. In a rat model with loss of , we demonstrated altered splicing of sarcomere genes (, , , and ), and differential expression in key cardiac genes. We identified altered sarcomere and mitochondrial structure on electron microscopy imaging and found compromised mitochondrial function.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess the effects of 10 days of low energy availability (LEA) followed by 2 days of optimal energy availability (OEA) on athletic performance in trained females.
  • Results showed that LEA led to decreased body mass and impaired athletic performance, including reduced muscle glycogen and sprint ability.
  • After 2 days of recovery with OEA, some performance measures improved but still did not match the levels seen with consistent OEA.
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Sufficient delivery of oxygen and metabolic substrates, together with removal of waste products, are key elements of muscle performance. Capillaries are the primary site for this exchange in skeletal muscle and the degree of muscle capillarization affects diffusion conditions by influencing mean transit time, capillary surface area and diffusion distance. Muscle capillarization may thus represent a limiting factor for performance.

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Objective: To evaluate if high-intensity interval training three times weekly for 12 weeks improves asthma control in overweight, postmenopausal women with uncontrolled, late-onset asthma.

Methods: The reported study is a randomized clinical pilot study (www.clinicaltrials.

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Aim: Histidine-containing dipeptides (HCDs) are pleiotropic homeostatic molecules with potent antioxidative and carbonyl quenching properties linked to various inflammatory, metabolic, and neurological diseases, as well as exercise performance. However, the distribution and metabolism of HCDs across tissues and species are still unclear.

Methods: Using a sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS approach and an optimized quantification method, we performed a systematic and extensive profiling of HCDs in the mouse, rat, and human body (in n = 26, n = 25, and n = 19 tissues, respectively).

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Although regular physical activity is known to improve cardiovascular health in men, evidence for its beneficial effects in postmenopausal females is less convincing and it remains unclear whether initiation of exercise training soon after, rather than many years after menopause impacts the magnitude of training-induced adaptations. We evaluated exercise-induced changes in markers of thrombotic risk and conduit artery function in recent compared with late postmenopausal females. Fourteen recent and 13 late healthy postmenopausal females completed 8 wk of regular intensive exercise training, consisting of floorball and cycling.

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Aims: The aim of this study is to examine whether colchicine improves β adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilation in humans by conducting a double-blinded, placebo-controlled intervention study. Colchicine treatment has known beneficial effects on cardiovascular health and reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Studies in isolated rodent arteries have shown that colchicine can enhance β adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilation, but this has not been determined in humans.

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Exercise-induced skeletal muscle angiogenesis is a well-known physiological adaptation that occurs in humans in response to exercise training and can lead to endurance performance benefits, as well as improvements in cardiovascular and skeletal tissue health. An increase in capillary density in skeletal muscle improves diffusive oxygen exchange and waste extraction, and thus greater fatigue resistance, which has application to athletes but also to the general population. Exercise-induced angiogenesis can significantly contribute to improvements in cardiovascular and metabolic health, such as the increase in muscle glucose uptake, important for the prevention of diabetes.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study examined whether high-intensity interval spinning training affects resting sympathetic activity and baroreflex control in both hypertensive and normotensive men, with the hypothesis that only hypertensive men would see a reduction in blood pressure after training.
  • - Over 8 weeks, both groups showed reduced muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) with training, but only the hypertensive group experienced a significant decrease in blood pressure (4 mmHg). Both groups had similar training adherence and intensity.
  • - The findings suggest that changes in MSNA and baroreflex sensitivity may not directly explain the decrease in blood pressure seen in un-medicated hypertensive men following exercise training.
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Although ageing impairs cardiovascular health in both men and women, the timeline is different between the sexes. This is at least partially attributed to the loss of oestrogen in women at midlife, in connection with menopause. Oestrogen has protective effects on the cardiovascular system, and menopause consequently leads to a rapid and significant decline in cardiovascular health.

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Unlabelled: The risk of thrombotic events dramatically increases with age and may be accelerated in women by the cessation of endogenous estrogen production at menopause. Patients at risk of thrombosis are prescribed dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT; aspirin and a P2Y antagonist) and are encouraged to participate in regular physical activity, as these modalities improve nitric oxide and prostacyclin-mediated inhibition of platelet aggregation.

Methods: We assessed prostacyclin sensitivity as well as basal platelet reactivity with and without in vitro DAPT before and after an 8-week high-intensity exercise training program in 13 healthy, sedentary postmenopausal women.

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Background: The voltage-gated potassium channel (Kv)7.4 and Kv7.5 channels contribute to the β-adrenoceptor-mediated vasodilatation.

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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of intensity and duration of continuous and interval exercise training on capillarization in skeletal muscle of healthy adults.

Methods: PubMed and Web of Science were searched from inception to June 2021. Eligibility criteria for studies were endurance exercise training >2 wk in healthy adults, and the capillary to fiber ratio (C:F) and/or capillary density (CD) reported.

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Introduction: Regular exercise training reduces arterial blood pressure, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Here, we evaluated the potential involvement of pannexin 1, an ATP releasing channel, in the blood pressure-reducing effect of training.

Methods: Middle-age men, 13 normotensive and 14 nonmedicated stage 1 hypertensive, completed 8 wk of intensive aerobic cycle training.

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Background: In preclinical models, the pannexin-1 channel has been shown to be involved in blood pressure regulation through an effect on peripheral vascular resistance. Pannexin-1 releases ATP, which can activate constrictive purinergic receptors on the smooth muscle cells. Pannexin-1 opening is proposed to be mediated by α-adrenergic receptors to potentiate sympathetic constriction.

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The decline in estrogen at menopause poses a critical challenge to cardiovascular and metabolic health. Recently, a growing interest in the role of phytoestrogens, with a particular focus on isoflavones, has emerged as they can bind to estrogen receptors and may mimic the roles of endogenous estrogen. Fermented red clover extract (RC) contains isoflavones with superior bioavailability compared to non-fermented isoflavones, however little is known regarding the impact of isoflavones on cardiovascular and metabolic health.

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Aerobic training can improve vascular endothelial function in-vivo. The aim of this study was to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this improvement in isolated human microvascular endothelial cells. Sedentary males, aged 57 ± 6 years completed 8 weeks of intense aerobic training.

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