-
IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and... Jun 2024Robotic rehabilitation has been shown to match the effects of conventional physical therapy on motor function for patients with neurological diseases. Rehabilitation...
Robotic rehabilitation has been shown to match the effects of conventional physical therapy on motor function for patients with neurological diseases. Rehabilitation robots have the potential to reduce therapists' workload in time-intensive training programs as well as perform actions that are not replicable by human therapists. We investigated the effects of one such modality that cannot be achieved by a human therapist: assistance and resistance within the electromechanical delay between muscle activation and muscle contraction during arm extension. We found increased muscle activation when providing robotic assistance within this electromechanical delay. Assistance provided within this delay moves the participant's arm quicker than their own muscle and increases the subsequent peak voluntary muscle activation compared to normal arm extension by 68.97 ± 80.05% (SE = 0.021; p = 0.007). This is surprising since all previous literature shows that muscle activation either decreases or does not change when participants receive robotic assistance. As a consequence, traditional robotic rehabilitation incrementally reduces assistance as the patient improves to maintain levels of muscle activation which is suggested to be important for neuronal repair. The present result may enable therapists to no longer have to choose between providing assistance or increasing muscle activation. Instead, therapists may be able to provide assistance while also increasing muscle activation.
PubMed: 38935467
DOI: 10.1109/TNSRE.2024.3419688 -
Voprosy Kurortologii, Fizioterapii, I... 2024The number of middle-aged and elderly population is increasing every year. At the same time, the course of most chronic diseases worsens with age, which can be explained...
UNLABELLED
The number of middle-aged and elderly population is increasing every year. At the same time, the course of most chronic diseases worsens with age, which can be explained by significant changes in body composition, including redistribution and increase of fat mass and decrease in muscle and skeletal mass. Thus, a decrease in muscle mass becomes intrinsic for the body from the age of 40 and develops on average by 0.5-1.0% per year. The prevalence of patients with sarcopenia is estimated to be between 11 and 50% in different age groups of population: middle, elderly and senile. In addition, the decline in physical activity associated with the urbanization and automation of labor exacerbates the disease at a younger age, which predicts an increase in the number of such patients in the future.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the role of physical rehabilitation in sarcopenia.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A systematic review including studies found in PubMed, MedLine, Scopus and Web of Science Core Collections databases for 2019-2022 was conducted. The used enrollment criteria were the following: systematic reviews, including cross-over or cohort studies targeting at persons aged from 40 to 90 years of both sexes, with available data on sarcopenia, its severe form or other combinations of physical performance markers called sarcopenia. The mandatory parameter for inclusion in the study was the presence of the effectiveness assessment of physical rehabilitation without limiting its parameters. The systematic review was performed in accordance with the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020.
RESULTS
The best kind of training are 30-60-minute comprehensive methods with predominance of resistance exercises with minimum duration of the course of 3 months and frequency of 3 inconsistent in-person trainings per week under the supervision of a specialist for patients with sarcopenia in order to increase muscle strength and mass, as well as performance. The intensity should consist of the following parameters: start with fewer sets but more repetitions (12-15) with less intensity (55% of maximum) and move to more sets with less repetition (4-6) and greater intensity (>80% of maximum).
CONCLUSION
This article describes the parameters of exercises that are most effective in terms of muscle strength and mass increase and safe for patients. The compilation and further study of this complex in practice are needed.
Topics: Sarcopenia; Humans; Female; Male; Aged; Middle Aged; Adult; Aged, 80 and over
PubMed: 38934959
DOI: 10.17116/kurort202410103156 -
Medicine and Science in Sports and... Jun 2024We investigated the effects of a 16-week combined exercise training on body composition, metabolic and inflammatory markers in sedentary middle-aged workers. We also...
PURPOSE
We investigated the effects of a 16-week combined exercise training on body composition, metabolic and inflammatory markers in sedentary middle-aged workers. We also assessed whether significant alterations in metabolic markers were associated with changes in health-related outcomes.
METHODS
This randomized controlled trial involved 46 participants randomly allocated into control and exercise groups. The exercise group performed 16-week combined aerobic and resistance training for 75 min/session, 3 times/week. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and after 16-week intervention to determine lipid profile, metabolic and inflammatory markers as primary outcomes.
RESULTS
A total of 36 participants completed the intervention (53.70 ± 6.92 years old) (n = 18 in each group). Waist circumference (interaction effect: F = 7.423, p = 0.002), fat mass (interaction effect: F = 5.070, p = 0.011), and muscle mass (interaction effect: F = 5.420, p = 0.007) were improved in the exercise group compared to the control group. Fasting glucose increased after the 16-week follow-up (time effect: F = 73.253, p < 0.001), without an intergroup difference. Insulin levels were greater in the control compared to exercise group (group effect: F = 6.509, p = 0.015). The control group tended to increase the HOMA-IR index (interaction effect: F = 3.493, p = 0.070) and to decrease the QUICKI index (interaction effect: F = 3.364, p = 0.075) to a greater extent compared to the exercise group. Exercise group reduced leptin (interaction effect: F = 11.175, p = 0.002) and adiponectin (interaction effect: F = 4.437, p = 0.043) concentrations in a greater magnitude than control group. IL-6 (time effect: F = 17.767, p < 0.001) and TNF-α (time effect: F = 9.781, p = 0.004) concentrations decreased after the intervention, without an intergroup difference. IL-17A levels increased in the control compared to exercise group (interaction effect: F = 5.010, p = 0.033). Effects on adiponectin, IL-6 and IL-17A levels seem to depend on baseline BMI, age, and sex. Percentage changes in leptin correlated positively with changes in HOMA-IR index in the exercise (r = 0.565, p = 0.015) and control (r = 0.670, p = 0.002) groups.
CONCLUSIONS
A combined training program can be an effective strategy to improve body composition and inflammatory markers and prevent marked reductions in insulin sensitivity among middle-aged workers.
PubMed: 38934517
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003510 -
Medicine and Science in Sports and... Jun 2024Androgen receptor (AR) expression and signaling has been regarded as a mechanism for regulating muscle hypertrophy. However, little is known about the associations...
PURPOSE
Androgen receptor (AR) expression and signaling has been regarded as a mechanism for regulating muscle hypertrophy. However, little is known about the associations between acute and chronic changes in skeletal muscle total AR, cytoplasmic AR (cAR), nuclear AR (nAR) and AR DNA-binding (AR-DNA) induced by resistance training (RT) and hypertrophy outcomes in women and men. This study aimed to investigate the acute and chronic effects of RT on skeletal muscle total AR, cAR, nAR contents and AR-DNA in women and men. Additionally, we investigated whether these acute and chronic changes in these markers were associated with muscle hypertrophy in both sexes.
METHODS
Nineteen women and 19 men underwent 10 weeks of RT. Muscle biopsies were performed at baseline, 24 h after the first RT session and 96-120 h after the last session. AR, cAR and nAR were analyzed using Western blotting, and AR-DNA using an ELISA-oligonucleotide assay. Fiber cross-sectional area (fCSA) was analyzed through immunohistochemistry and muscle cross-sectional area (mCSA) by ultrasound.
RESULTS
At baseline, men demonstrated greater nAR than women. Baseline cAR was significantly associated with type II fCSA hypertrophy in men. Acutely, both sexes decreased AR and cAR, whereas men demonstrated greater decreases in nAR. After 10 weeks of RT, AR and nAR remained unchanged, men demonstrated greater cAR compared to women, and both sexes decreased AR-DNA activity. Acute and chronic changes in AR markers did not correlate with muscle hypertrophy (type I/II fCSA and mCSA) in women or men.
CONCLUSIONS
Baseline cAR content may influence hypertrophy in men, while neither RT-induced acute nor chronic changes in AR, cAR, nAR, and AR-DNA are associated with muscle hypertrophy in women or men.
PubMed: 38934511
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003509 -
Medicine and Science in Sports and... Jun 2024The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a proteostatic process that is activated in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. It is currently unclear how aging influences...
BACKGROUND
The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a proteostatic process that is activated in response to endoplasmic reticulum stress. It is currently unclear how aging influences the chronic and adaptive UPR in human skeletal muscle. Here we determined the effect of aging on UPR activation at rest, in response to exercise, and the associations with muscle function.
METHODS
Thirty young (20-35 yrs) and 50 older (65-85 yrs) individuals were enrolled. Vastus lateralis biopsies were performed at rest and 3 hrs and 48 hrs after a single bout of resistance exercise. The abundance of UPR-related transcripts and proteins were measured by RNA sequencing and Western blotting, respectively. Fractional synthetic rates (FSR) of muscle protein were determined by mass spectrometry following intravenous infusion of 13C6 phenylalanine.
RESULTS
Older adults demonstrated elevated transcriptional and proteomic markers of UPR activation in resting muscle. Resting UPR gene expression was negatively associated with muscle strength and power in older adults. The UPR is similarly activated by acute resistance exercise in young and older adults and positively associated with muscle function but not the anabolic response to exercise.
CONCLUSIONS
Skeletal muscle from older adults exhibits chronically activated UPR, which accompanies functional decline. The adaptive UPR is a proteostatic mechanism that is upregulated in response to exercise in young and older adults and positively associated with muscle function.
PubMed: 38934509
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003508 -
Journal of the International Society of... Dec 2024The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) provides an objective and critical review of the use of a ketogenic diet in healthy exercising adults, with a focus... (Review)
Review
POSITION STATEMENT
The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) provides an objective and critical review of the use of a ketogenic diet in healthy exercising adults, with a focus on exercise performance and body composition. However, this review does not address the use of exogenous ketone supplements. The following points summarize the position of the ISSN.
UNLABELLED
1. A ketogenic diet induces a state of nutritional ketosis, which is generally defined as serum ketone levels above 0.5 mM. While many factors can impact what amount of daily carbohydrate intake will result in these levels, a broad guideline is a daily dietary carbohydrate intake of less than 50 grams per day.
UNLABELLED
2. Nutritional ketosis achieved through carbohydrate restriction and a high dietary fat intake is not intrinsically harmful and should not be confused with ketoacidosis, a life-threatening condition most commonly seen in clinical populations and metabolic dysregulation.
UNLABELLED
3. A ketogenic diet has largely neutral or detrimental effects on athletic performance compared to a diet higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat, despite achieving significantly elevated levels of fat oxidation during exercise (~1.5 g/min).
UNLABELLED
4. The endurance effects of a ketogenic diet may be influenced by both training status and duration of the dietary intervention, but further research is necessary to elucidate these possibilities. All studies involving elite athletes showed a performance decrement from a ketogenic diet, all lasting six weeks or less. Of the two studies lasting more than six weeks, only one reported a statistically significant benefit of a ketogenic diet.
UNLABELLED
5. A ketogenic diet tends to have similar effects on maximal strength or strength gains from a resistance training program compared to a diet higher in carbohydrates. However, a minority of studies show superior effects of non-ketogenic comparators.
UNLABELLED
6. When compared to a diet higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat, a ketogenic diet may cause greater losses in body weight, fat mass, and fat-free mass, but may also heighten losses of lean tissue. However, this is likely due to differences in calorie and protein intake, as well as shifts in fluid balance.
UNLABELLED
7. There is insufficient evidence to determine if a ketogenic diet affects males and females differently. However, there is a strong mechanistic basis for sex differences to exist in response to a ketogenic diet.
Topics: Diet, Ketogenic; Humans; Athletic Performance; Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Body Composition; Ketosis; Sports Nutritional Sciences; Dietary Carbohydrates; Exercise; Physical Endurance
PubMed: 38934469
DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2024.2368167 -
Infection and Drug Resistance 2024Persistent infections caused by (), which are resistant to antibiotic treatment, pose a growing global public health concern. Biofilm formation is known to be...
BACKGROUND
Persistent infections caused by (), which are resistant to antibiotic treatment, pose a growing global public health concern. Biofilm formation is known to be associated with persistent infections due to its role in enhancing antimicrobial resistance and the tolerance of many pathogenic bacteria.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims to evaluate the biofilm formation of clinical isolates of and its impact on antibiotic eradication.
METHODS
The thickness, morphology, and structure of biofilms derived from nine strains were examined using confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Subsequently, the susceptibility of both planktonic and biofilm bacteria was assessed through the determination of minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum biofilm eradication concentration for amoxicillin, clarithromycin, levofloxacin, and tetracycline.
RESULTS
The results revealed varying biofilm thicknesses and densities among the strains, characterised by the presence of numerous filaments intertwining and connecting bacterial cells. Additionally, several cases exhibited susceptibility based on MIC measurements but resistance according to MBEC measurements, with MBEC indicating a higher resistance rate. Pearson Correlation analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between biofilm thickness and MBEC results (0 < < 1), notably significant for amoxicillin ( = 0.801, = 0.009) and tetracycline ( = 0.696, = 0.037).
CONCLUSION
Different strains of exhibit variations in their capacity to release outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and form biofilms. Biofilm formation can influence the effectiveness of amoxicillin and tetracycline in eradicating susceptible bacterial strains.
PubMed: 38933776
DOI: 10.2147/IDR.S468126 -
Journal of Applied Physiology... Jun 2024Resistance training (RT) remains the most effective treatment for age-related declines in muscle mass. However, many older adults experience attenuated muscle...
Resistance training (RT) remains the most effective treatment for age-related declines in muscle mass. However, many older adults experience attenuated muscle hypertrophy in response to RT when compared to younger adults. This may be attributed to underlying molecular processes that are dysregulated by aging and exacerbated by improperly prescribed RT weekly volume, intensity, and/or frequency doses. MicroRNA (miRNA) are key epigenetic regulators that impact signaling pathways and protein expression within cells, are dynamic and responsive to exercise stimuli, and are often dysregulated in diseases. In this study, we used untargeted miRNA-seq to examine miRNA in skeletal muscle and serum-derived exosomes of older adults (n = 18, 11M/7F, 66±1y) who underwent 3x/wk RT for 30 weeks [e.g., high intensity 3x/wk (HHH, n = 9) or alternating high-low-high intensity (HLH, n = 9)], after a standardized four-week wash-in. Within each tissue, miRNAs were clustered into modules based on pairwise correlation using Weighted Gene Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA). Modules were tested for association with the magnitude of RT-induced thigh lean mass (TLM) change (as measured by DXA). While no modules were unique to training dose, we identified miRNA modules in skeletal muscle associated with TLM gains irrespective of exercise dose. Using miRNA-target interactions, we analyzed key miRNAs in significant modules for their potential regulatory involvement in biological pathways. Findings point toward potential miRNAs that may be informative biomarkers and could also be evaluated as potential therapeutic targets as an adjuvant to RT in order to maximize skeletal muscle mass accrual in older adults.
PubMed: 38932684
DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00680.2023 -
Nutrients Jun 2024It is a common belief amongst strength and power athletes that nutritional supplementation strategies aid recovery by shifting the anabolic/catabolic profile toward... (Review)
Review
It is a common belief amongst strength and power athletes that nutritional supplementation strategies aid recovery by shifting the anabolic/catabolic profile toward anabolism. Factors such as nutrient quantity, nutrient quality, and nutrient timing significantly impact upon the effectiveness of nutritional strategies in optimizing the acute responses to resistance exercise and the adaptive response to resistance training (i.e., muscle growth and strength expression). Specifically, the aim of this review is to address carbohydrates (CHOs), protein (PRO), and/or amino acids (AAs) supplementation strategies, as there is growing evidence suggesting a link between nutrient signaling and the initiation of protein synthesis, muscle glycogen resynthesis, and the attenuation of myofibrillar protein degradation following resistance exercise. Collectively, the current scientific literature indicates that nutritional supplementation strategies utilizing CHO, PRO, and/or AA represents an important approach aimed at enhancing muscular responses for strength and power athletes, primarily increased muscular hypertrophy and enhanced strength expression. There appears to be a critical interaction between resistance exercise and nutrient-cell signaling associated with the principle of nutrient timing (i.e., pre-exercise, during, and post-exercise). Recommendations for nutritional supplementation strategies to promote muscular responses for strength and athletes are provided.
Topics: Humans; Dietary Supplements; Dietary Proteins; Dietary Carbohydrates; Resistance Training; Amino Acids; Athletes; Muscle, Skeletal; Muscle Strength; Sports Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
PubMed: 38931241
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121886 -
Nutrients Jun 2024Previous studies have reported that TT genotype carriers of the adenosine A2a receptor () gene rs5751876 polymorphism have better ergogenic and anti-inflammatory... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Previous studies have reported that TT genotype carriers of the adenosine A2a receptor () gene rs5751876 polymorphism have better ergogenic and anti-inflammatory responses to caffeine intake compared to C allele carriers. The aim of the present study was twofold: (1) to investigate the association of the rs5751876 polymorphism with acute caffeine supplementation on hormonal (growth hormone and testosterone) response to resistance exercise (RE); (2) to examine the relationship between the rs5751876 polymorphism and the resting levels of growth hormone and testosterone in athletes who are light caffeine consumers. A double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study involving 30 resistance-trained men (age 21.7 ± 4.1) was conducted to assess the impact of caffeine supplementation on serum growth hormone (GH) and testosterone (TS) levels before, immediately after, and 15 min post-RE. One hour before engaging in resistance exercise, subjects were randomly administered 6 mg of caffeine per kg of body mass or a placebo (maltodextrin). After a 7-day washout period, the same protocol was repeated. Resting testosterone and growth hormone levels were examined in the sera of 94 elite athletes (31 females, age 21.4 ± 2.8; 63 males, age 22.9 ± 3.8). Caffeine consumption led to significantly greater increases in GH and TS in men with the TT genotype compared to C allele carriers. Furthermore, in the group of athletes, carriers of the TT genotype had significantly higher testosterone ( = 0.0125) and growth hormone ( = 0.0365) levels compared to C allele carriers. In conclusion, the gene rs5751876 polymorphism may modify the effect of caffeine intake on the hormonal response to exercise.
Topics: Humans; Caffeine; Male; Double-Blind Method; Cross-Over Studies; Resistance Training; Receptor, Adenosine A2A; Young Adult; Testosterone; Adult; Female; Dietary Supplements; Athletes; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Genotype; Human Growth Hormone; Polymorphism, Genetic; Exercise
PubMed: 38931158
DOI: 10.3390/nu16121803