Effects Of Long-term Training Research Articles

Effects of Long-lasting Volleyball Training on Tubulointerstitial Damage in Adolescent Female Athletes

In adolescent female athletes, monitoring physical condition using non-invasive methods such as urine could speed the provision of information to athletes and coaches, thereby preventing injuries and promoting improved performance. On this matter, it has been reported that physical stress is cumulatively increased by prolonged training in adolescent female athletes. Given the potential to monitor the cumulative effects of long-term training at the level of renal function, this could provide appropriate feedback to adolescent female athletes regarding their physical condition. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to clarify the accumulative effects of long-term volleyball training on renal damage, based on urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP), in adolescent female athletes. Twenty-one eumenorrhoeic female volleyball players (as baseline values; age: 16.4±0.8 years, height: 161.9±5.8 cm, body mass: 55.6±5.7 kg, BMI: 21.8±1.2 kg/m2, body fat: 24.5±3.0 % [mean±SD]) participated in this study. All athletes carried out volleyball training in the school gym, which consisted of ball handling, specialized drills, and practical game-style exercises, including physical (aerobic/anaerobic) training. The training cycle was six days per week, with approximately 2 to 2.5 hours of volleyball training per day. In order to determine the cumulative effects of tubular injury (urinary L-FABP), urine samples were collected before and after volleyball club activities on three successive days (Days 1, 3, and 5) at 0 (baseline) and 10 months (two consecutive summer seasons), respectively, for the later analysis of urinary L-FABP using chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay. Student's T-test was performed on the analyzed data of urine samples collected prior to the club activity, using values calculated as the mean of three consecutive days. No significant difference was observed in urinary L-FABP after 10 months of volleyball training (μg/g creatinine; 1.39±1.6 for 0 month, 1.17±0.8 for 10 months, respectively). The results of this study may partially explain the possibility that training adaptation occurred or that a threshold to overtraining was not reached after one year of training. Since physiological and environmental factors such as heat stress are presumed to be intricately involved in long-term training in a non-air-conditioned indoor environment, the biomarkers used in this experiment may be important dependent variables in monitoring overtraining of female indoor athletes. Supported partly by funds from Wesco Scientific Promotion Foundation (2022-71 to N. Y.) in Japan. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Efficacy of a Soft Robotic Exoskeleton to Improve Lower Limb Motor Function in Children with Spastic Cerebral Palsy: A Single-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Soft robotic exoskeletons (SREs) are portable, lightweight assistive technology with therapeutic potential for improving lower limb motor function in children with cerebral palsy. To understand the effects of long-term SRE-assisted walking training on children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP), we designed a study aiming to elucidate the effects of SRE-assisted walking training on lower limb motor function in this population. In this randomized, single-blinded (outcome assessor) controlled trial, forty children diagnosed with SCP were randomized into the routine rehabilitation (RR) group (N = 20) and the SRE group (N = 20) for comparison. The RR group received routine rehabilitation training, and the SRE group received routine rehabilitation training combined with SRE-assisted overground walking training. Assessments (without SRE) were conducted pre- and post-intervention (8 weeks after the intervention). The primary outcome measures included the 10 m walk test (10MWT) and the 6 min walk test (6MWT). Secondary outcome measures comprised the gross motor function measure-88, pediatric balance scale modified Ashworth scale, and physiological cost index. Both groups showed significant improvements (p < 0.01) across all outcome measures after the 8-week intervention. Between-group comparisons using ANCOVA revealed that the SRE group demonstrated greater improvement in walking speed from the 10MWT (+6.78 m/min, 95% CI [5.74-7.83]; p < 0.001) and walking distance during the 6MWT (+34.42 m, 95% CI [28.84-39.99]; p < 0.001). The SRE group showed greater improvement in all secondary outcome measures (p < 0.001). The study findings suggested that the integration of SRE-assisted overground walking training with routine rehabilitation more effectively enhances lower limb motor function in children with SCP compared to routine rehabilitation alone.

Spatiotemporal analysis of the effects of exercise on the hemodynamics of the aorta in hypertensive rats using fluid-structure interaction simulation

Abstract Background and Objective Hemodynamic changes that lead to increased blood pressure represent the main drivers of organ damage in hypertension. Prolonged increases to blood pressure can lead to vascular remodeling, which also affects vascular hemodynamics during the pathogenesis of hypertension. Exercise is beneficial for relieving hypertension, however the mechanistic link between exercise training and how it influences hemodynamics in the context of hypertension is not well understood. Methods n exercise model was developed using spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) subject to a 12-week treadmill training regime. The heart rates and blood pressures of rats were measured using the tail cuff method, while micro-computed tomography (CT) scanning was used to develop three-dimensional structures of rat aorta, and ultrasound was used to detect rat aortic blood flow and changes to vessel wall structures. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) models were used to simulate and measure hemodynamic parameters of the rat aortic vessels. In parallel, Masson staining was performed on fixed samples of blood vessels to investigate collagen volume fraction. Hypertensive rats in the sedentary and long-term exercise training groups were subjected to a single bout exercise training, and their aortic hemodynamic parameters were analyzed before, 5 min, 24 h, and 72 h after the single bout exercise. Results Of the two models, in comparison to actual ultrasonic measurement values recorded, we found that numerical simulation results from the FSI model could more accurately model blood flow in the ascending aorta of hypertensive rats, compared to the CFD model. Moreover, longterm exercise training improved local hemodynamic parameters of blood vessels, and led to improvements in adverse hemodynamic features documented, including time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), oscillatory shear index (OSI), and relative residence time (RRT). Longterm exercise training of SHR also improved local vascular collagen deposition in the aorta, while improvements in vascular remodeling were also correlated with favorable hemodynamic parameters. Compared with sedentary SHR, signals for low TAWSS regions of the aortic arch in SHR on the long-term exercise regime shifted to the position of the ascending aorta after a single bout of exercise. Conclusions This study demonstrates that FSI is informative to study the spatiotemporal effects of long-term exercise training on hemodynamic changes within the aortas of hypertensive rats, and that long-term exercise is beneficial through its effects to modulate vascular hemodynamics in hypertension.

The effect of long-term soccer training on left ventricular structure and function in elite male youth soccer players.

Cardiac adaptations in elite, male adolescent youth soccer players have been demonstrated in relation to training status. The time course of these adaptations and the delineation of the influence of volatile growth phases from the training effect on these adaptations remain unclear. Consequently, the aims of the study were to evaluate the impact of 3 years of elite-level soccer training on changes in left ventricular (LV) structure and function in a group of highly trained elite youth male soccer players (SP) as they transitioned through the pre-to-adolescent phase of their growth. Twenty-two male youth SP from the highest Level of English Premier League Academy U-12 teams were evaluated once a year for three soccer seasons as the players progressed from the U-12 to U-14 teams. Fifteen recreationally active control participants (CON) were also evaluated over the same 3-year period. Two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography was used to quantify LV structure and function. After adjusting for the influence of growth and maturation, training-induced increases in Years 2 and 3 were noted for: LV end diastolic volume (LVEDV; p = 0.02) and LV end systolic volume (LVESV; p = 0.02) in the SP compared to CON. Training-induced decrements were noted for LV ejection fraction (LVEF; p = 0.006) and TDI-S' (p < 0.001). An increase in training volume (Years 2 and 3) were aligned with LV volumetric adaptations and decrements in systolic function in the SP that were independent from the influence of rapid somatic growth. Decrements in systolic function were suggestive of a functional reserve for exercise.

Effect of long-term cervical extensor exercise program on functional disability, pain intensity, range of motion, cervical muscle mass, and cervical curvature in young adult population with chronic non-specific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe prevalence of chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP) is on the rise among the young adult population. We herein aimed to compare the effects of long-term specific cervical extensor training and stretching exercises on improving this chronic disorder in young adults.MethodsIn this prospective, randomized, controlled study, 70 participants aged 18–35 years with CNNP and cervical lordosis loss were included. The participants were assigned to undergo either specific cervical extensor training (observation group) or perform usual stretching exercises (control group). The exercise duration was set at 12 months, with 9 months at the clinic and 3 months at home. The outcome assessments included changes in the neck disability index, visual analog scale from baseline, cervical range of motion (CROM), cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of cervical extensors, and cervical curvature from baseline. The outcome measures were compared between groups at 3, 6, and 12 months of follow-up.ResultsAll 70 participants underwent randomization, and no significant differences in demographics and baseline data were found between the two groups. The observation group showed a greater improvement in neck disability index and visual analog scale scores at the 12-month follow-up than the control group. Additionally, a more substantial increase in CROM and CSAs of cervical extensors was observed in the observation group at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups (P < 0.05). Although more participants in the observation group achieved cervical lordosis at the 12-month follow-up, the difference was marginally nonsignificant (9% in the control group vs. 28% in the observation group, P = 0.075).ConclusionsIn young adults with CNNP, long-term specific cervical extensor training was associated with a more significant clinically meaningful improvement in disability, pain, and CROM than stretching exercises. The increased CSAs of cervical extensors may potentially contribute to the restoration of cervical lordosis.Trial registration The study is registered at the Chinese domestic clinical trial (ChiCTR2000040009) at Chictr.org. The date of registration: November 18, 2020.

EFFECTS OF AEROBIC EXERCISE ON INFLAMMATION MARKERS AMONG OVERWEIGHT WOMEN

The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of 12 weeks of aerobic exercise on inflammation markers among overweight women. A sample of 20 overweight females between the ages of 18 to 24 years were recruited from the Women's University of Azad Jammu &amp; Kashmir Bagh. Plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anthropometric parameters were checked before and after 12 weeks of aerobic training (AT). Paired sample T-test was used for changes over time. The study revealed a significant effect of aerobic exercise on participant’s CRP (4.98 ± 1.65 vs 3.74 ± .61 P = 0.003) and IL-6 (8.41 ± 4.02 vs 5.22 ± 2.93 P = 0.001) levels. The study also found significant positive effects of long-term aerobic training on weight and BMI. Aerobic training significantly improves CRP and IL-6 and anthropometric measurements such as waist-hip ratio (WHR) weight and body mass index (BMI). The training protocol used can be used as a good tool for the reduction of weight and maintenance of good health, especially for females. Being overweight should not be considered trivial and needs special consideration and awareness for the serious consequences associated with obesity and overweight.

Investigation into white matter microstructure differences in visual training by using an automated fiber tract subclassification segmentation quantification method

Visual training has emerged as a useful framework for investigating training-related brain plasticity, a highly complex task involving the interaction of visual orientation, attention, reasoning, and cognitive functions. However, the effects of long-term visual training on microstructural changes within white matter (WM) is poorly understood. Therefore, a set of visual training programs was designed, and automated fiber tract subclassification segmentation quantification based on diffusion magnetic resonance imaging was performed to obtain the anatomical changes in the brains of visual trainees. First, 40 healthy matched participants were randomly assigned to the training group or the control group. The training group underwent 10 consecutive weeks of visual training. Then, the fiber tracts of the subjects were automatically identified and further classified into fiber clusters to determine the differences between the two groups on a detailed scale. Next, each fiber cluster was divided into segments that can analyze specific areas of a fiber cluster. Lastly, the diffusion metrics of the two groups were comparatively analyzed to delineate the effects of visual training on WM microstructure. Our results showed that there were significant differences in the fiber clusters of the cingulate bundle, thalamus frontal, uncinate fasciculus, and corpus callosum between the training group compared and the control group. In addition, the training group exhibited lower mean fractional anisotropy, higher mean diffusivity and radial diffusivity than the control group. Therefore, the long-term cognitive activities, such as visual training, may systematically influence the WM properties of cognition, attention, memory, and processing speed.

Effect of long-term Tai Chi training on Parkinson’s disease: a 3.5-year follow-up cohort study

BackgroundTai Chi has shown beneficial effects on the motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD), but no study has reported the effect of long-term Tai Chi training.ObjectiveTo examine whether...

Pathological and structural study of cardiac striated muscle and quadriceps along with the study of microscopic changes in liver, kidney and lung tissue following short-term and long-term resistance exercises in male rats

Background. Resistance exercise is a method designed to increase muscle strength and endurance, leading to beneficial physiological changes in various tissues. The aim of this study is to investigate the pathological and structural effects of short-term and long-term resistance training on various tissues of male rats, including cardiac striatum, quadriceps, liver, kidney, and lung tissue. Methods. Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: one-month control, four-month control, one-month exercise, and four-month exercise. After the exercise period, the animals were anesthetized and dissected to separate various tissues, which were then treated with formalin and prepared for analysis. Results. The study findings showed that liver tissue did not show significant histopathological changes in response to exercise. However, in the heart tissue, mild hyperemia and hypertrophy of muscle cells were observed in the exercise groups compared to the control groups. In the quadriceps muscle, hypertrophy was observed to a lesser extent in the one-month exercise group and to a greater extent in the four-month exercise group. There was a significant difference in the diameter of the muscle cells of the quadriceps muscle between the one-month and four-month exercise groups, indicating the beneficial effects of long-term exercise. Additionally, an increase in the size of the epithelial tissue of the urinary tubes was observed in both exercise groups, which indicates an increase in kidney function due to exercise. Conclusion. Overall, the results of this study show that resistance exercise can lead to beneficial physiological changes in various tissues, especially with long-term exercise. Understanding these changes can increase our knowledge about the benefits of exercise. Practical Implications. Resistance exercises, through actions such as hyperemia, hypertrophy of muscle cells, and hypertrophy of the epithelial tissue of urinary tubes, improve the efficiency of the heart, kidneys and muscles during sports exercises, especially with long-term exercise.

Effect of Long-term Exercise Training on the Endothelial Function in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Trial.

Effect of Long-term Exercise Training on the Endothelial Function in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Trial.

Long-term exercise training and inflammatory biomarkers in healthy subjects: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

This meta-analysis investigated the effect of long-term exercise training (ET) including aerobic, resistance, and multicomponent ET on the levels of inflammatory biomarkers in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving healthy subjects. We searched seven databases for articles until May 1st, 2023. A random-effect meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, meta-regressions as well as trim and fill method were conducted using STATA 16.0. Thirty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, involving 2,557 healthy subjects (mean age varies from 21 to 86 years). Long-term ET induced significantly decreased in the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) (SMD -0.16, 95% CI -0.30 to -0.03, p = 0.017), C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD -0.18, 95% CI -0.31 to -0.06, p = 0.005), as well as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) (SMD -0.43, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.24, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that Long-term ET conducted for more than 12 weeks and exercise of moderate intensity had greater anti-inflammatory effects. Meta-regression analysis showed that the reduction in CRP level induced by long-term ET was weakened by increasing exercise intensity. Long-term ET induced significant anti-inflammatory effects in healthy subjects. Long-term ET-induced anti-inflammatory effects were associated with exercise of moderate intensity and training conducted for more than 12 weeks.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/# myprospero, PROSPERO, identifier CRD42022346693.

Characteristics of brain activation in high-level football players at different stages of decision-making tasks off the ball: an fMRI study.

This study aimed to examine the neural mechanisms underlying the decision-making process of off-ball movements among high-level football players and ordinary college students, as well as the effect of long-term skill training on these neural mechanisms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The study recruited 20 professional college football players as the expert group (EG) and 20 novice football players with no background in sports-related disciplines as the novice group (NG). The participants performed the motor video observation and button-decision-making tasks, and fMRI data were acquired, pre-processed, and analyzed. During the decision-making process regarding running without the ball, whole-brain fMRI scans were conducted on both the EG and NG. The analysis of these scans revealed noteworthy disparities in brain activity between the two groups. These disparities were observed during tasks involving motor video observation and button-based decision-making. According to the behavioral data, the EG made more correct decisions than the NG (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference in their reaction speed (p > 0.05). During video observation, both the EG and NG exhibited simultaneous activation in the frontoparietal cognitive area, primary somatosensory cortex, visual cortex, and insula. However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of activated brain regions [false discovery rate (FDR) corrected to p < 0.05]. Regarding button-press decisions, the areas of the brain that were commonly activated in both the NG and EG were primarily located in the frontoparietal cognitive area, temporal cortex, and cuneus cortex. Notably, the left superior temporal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, and left middle occipital gyrus exhibited greater activation in the NG compared to those in the EG (FDR corrected to p < 0.05). This study demonstrated that during motor video observation, the EG's sports experience and professional knowledge can help them achieve better visual information processing strategies in specific areas of sports. During button decision-making, the EG was more economical, whereas the NG required more brain function activity to process visual information, confirming the "neural efficiency" hypothesis.

Exercise Prevents Glucocorticoid-Induced Myocardial 4-Hydroxynonenal Production.

Long-term administration of glucocorticoids (GCs) increases myocardial oxidative stress. 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) protein adducts, a marker of oxidative damage, have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. Exercise training has been shown to have a protective effect on the heart by lowering the level of oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of long-term dexamethasone treatment and exercise training on myocardial 4-HNE levels. Twenty-four female Wistar albino rats were assigned to sedentary control-saline treated (C, n = 8), sedentary-dexamethasone treated (D, n = 8), and exercise training-dexamethasone treated (DE, n = 8) groups. Daily dexamethasone was injected for 28days at a 1mgkg-1 dose, while C animals were injected with the same volume of saline subcutaneously. DE animals underwent an exercise training protocol of 60min/day, 5days a week, at 25m/min-1 (0% grade) for 28days. Left ventricular 4-HNE, Hsp72 levels, and pHsp25/Hsp25 ratio were determined by Western blot. The administration of dexamethasone led to a significant elevation in 4-HNE levels in the myocardium of adult rats (p < 0.05; D vs. C). The concurrent implementation of exercise training impeded this increase (p > 0.05; DE vs. C). Exercise training induced a threefold increase in myocardial Hsp72 expression (p < 0.001; DE vs. C and D) and attenuated the dexamethasone-induced increase in Hsp25 phosphorylation (p < 0.05; C vs. D) (p < 0.001; DE vs. D). Our results indicate that long-term administration of dexamethasone is associated with an increase in cardiac 4-HNE levels, which is hindered by the addition of exercise training.

Effect of Tai-chi on balance, mood, cognition, and quality of life in women with multiple sclerosis: A one-year prospective study

IntroductionOne of the most debilitating problems encountered by people with multiple sclerosis (MS) is the loss of balance and coordination. Our study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effectiveness of one year of Tai-chi exercise in patients with MS using both subjective and objective methods, including posturography. MethodsThis was a single-group longitudinal one-year study performed from the 1st of January 2019 to the 1st of January 2020. The primary outcomes of interest were the Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest) and static posturography measures as objective methods to detect subtle changes associated with postural control/balance impairment. Secondary outcomes were measures of depression, anxiety, cognitive performance, and quality of life. All objective and subjective parameters were assessed four times: at baseline, and after three, six and 12 months of regular Tai-chi training. The difference was calculated as a subtraction of baseline values from every timepoint value for each measurement. If the normality test was passed, parametric one-sample t-test was used, if failed, Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to test the difference between the baseline and each timepoint. Alpha was set to 0.017 using Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. ResultsOut of 25 patients with MS enrolled, 15 women with MS (mean age 44.27 years) were included for statistical analyses after completing the 12-month program. After 12 months, significant improvements were found in all objective balance and gait tests: Mini-BESTest (p<0.001), static posturography measures (total area of the centre of foot pressure – TA; p = 0.015), 25 Feet Walk Test (25FWT; p = 0.001), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory – BAI; p = 0.005) and cognition tests (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test – PASAT; p = 0.003). Measures of depression (Beck Depression Inventory – BDI; p = 0.071), cognition (Symbol Digit Modalities Test – SDMT; p = 0.079), and health-related quality of life (European Quality of Life 5-Dimensions Questionnaire – EQ-5D-5L; p = 0.095) showed a trend of improvement but were not significant, which could be the result of a small sample and increased bias due the type II error. ConclusionAccording to these preliminary results, this study indicates the possible beneficial effects of long-term Tai-chi training on patients with MS. Although these findings need to be confirmed by further studies with a larger sample of participants of both genders and require more rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCT) design, our findings support the recommendation of regular and long-term Tai-chi exercise in patients with MS. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (retrospectively registered): NCT05474209

The effect of long-term strength training on serum levels of betatrophin and irisin in elderly men with type 2 diabetes

Background. The irisin and betatrophin hormones are involved in insulin resistance. Considering the muscle weakness of elderly diabetics, this study aimed to investigate the effect of 21 weeks of strength training on betatrophin and irisin serum levels in type 2 diabetic elderly men. Methods. This semi-experimental study was conducted on type 2 diabetic men with an average age of 70.85±2.90 years. The strength training protocol was performed twice a week for 21 weeks. The exercises consisted of three stages: 1- muscle endurance, 2- muscle hypertrophy, and 3- maximum strength training. Fasting blood glucose levels and serum levels of insulin, betatrophin, and irisin were measured in two phases before and after the exercises. Results. The serum levels of insulin, irisin, and betatrophin in the diabetes control group were lower than in the healthy group (P&lt;0.05) and 21 weeks of strength training increased the serum levels of insulin, irisin, and betatrophin, and decreased body weight and fasting blood glucose levels in elderly diabetic men compared to the control group (P&lt;0.05). Conclusion. Strength training improved metabolic disorders in diabetics and increased secretion of irisin and betatrophin following exercise which indicated that exercise may have a protective mechanism in diabetes. Practical Implications. Stationary movements by performing strength activities, through the development of skeletal muscles of diabetics, improve insulin sensitivity and harvest more glucose in the body. In addition, these exercises can be a protective mechanism to prevent or delay the complications of type 2 diabetes by increasing irisin and betatrophin levels.

Relating Dispositional Mindfulness and Long-Term Mindfulness Training with Executive Functioning, Emotion Regulation, and Well-Being in Pre-adolescents

The present study examined whether both dispositional mindfulness without mindfulness training and mindfulness resulting from longer-term mindfulness training are positively associated with pre-adolescents’ well-being, via enhanced executive functioning (EF) and emotion regulation. EF was assessed in a GoNoGo task via behavioral performance and event-related potentials. Study 1 (N = 62) investigated associations of dispositional mindfulness without mindfulness training with EF, well-being and emotion regulation; longitudinal Study 2 with an active control group compared the effects of long-term mindfulness training (N = 28) with a positive psychology intervention (N = 15). Dispositional mindfulness without training was associated with lower EF, unrelated to emotion regulation and the relationship with well-being was mixed. Long-term mindfulness training was positively related to EF and well-being (reduced negative affect), but was uncorrelated with emotion regulation and mindfulness scores. Taken together, long-term mindfulness training was found to have mixed effects. Further research is required in this area.

Architectural and Mechanical Changes after Five Weeks of Intermittent Static Stretch Training on the Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle of Active Adults

We investigated the effects of intermittent long-term stretch training (5 weeks) on the architectural and mechanical properties of the muscle-tendon unit (MTU) in healthy humans. MTU's viscoelastic and architectural properties in the human medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle and the contribution of muscle and tendon structures to the MTU lengthening were analyzed. Ten healthy volunteers participated in the study (four females and six males). The passive stretch of the plantar flexor muscles was achieved from 0° (neutral ankle position) to 25° of dorsiflexion. Measurements were obtained during a single passive stretch before and after the completion of the stretching protocol. During the stretch, the architectural parameters of the MG muscle were measured via ultrasonography, and the passive torque was recorded by means of a strain-gauge transducer. Repeated-measure ANOVA was applied for all parameters. When expressed as a percentage for all dorsiflexion angles, the relative torque values decreased (p < 0.001). In the same way, architectural parameters (pennation angle and fascicle length) were compared for covariance and showed a significant difference between the slopes (ANCOVA p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively) suggesting a modification in the mechanical behavior after stretch training. Furthermore, the values for passive stiffness decreased (p < 0.05). The maximum ankle range of motion (ROM) (p < 0.01) and the maximum passive torque (p < 0.05) increased. Lastly, the contribution of the free tendon increased more than fascicle elongation to the total lengthening of the MTU (ANCOVA p < 0.001). Our results suggest that five weeks of intermittent static stretch training significantly change the behavior of the MTU. Specifically, it can increase flexibility and increase tendon contribution during MTU lengthening.

Attenuation of SCI-Induced Hypersensitivity by Intensive Locomotor Training and Recombinant GABAergic Cells.

The underlying mechanisms of spinal cord injury (SCI)-induced chronic pain involve dysfunctional GABAergic signaling and enhanced NMDA signaling. Our previous studies showed that SCI hypersensitivity in rats can be attenuated by recombinant rat GABAergic cells releasing NMDA blocker serine-histogranin (SHG) and by intensive locomotor training (ILT). The current study combines these approaches and evaluates their analgesic effects on a model of SCI pain in rats. Cells were grafted into the spinal cord at 4 weeks post-SCI to target the chronic pain, and ILT was initiated 5 weeks post-SCI. The hypersensitivity was evaluated weekly, which was followed by histological and biochemical assays. Prolonged effects of the treatment were evaluated in subgroups of animals after we discontinued ILT. The results show attenuation of tactile, heat and cold hypersensitivity in all of the treated animals and reduced levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL1β and TNFα in the spinal tissue and CSF. Animals with recombinant grafts and ILT showed the preservation of analgesic effects even during sedentary periods when the ILT was discontinued. Retraining helped to re-establish the effect of long-term training in all of the groups, with the greatest impact being in animals with recombinant grafts. These findings suggest that intermittent training in combination with cell therapy might be an efficient approach to manage chronic pain in SCI patients.

Effects of long-term exercise training on physiological signals and personality traits in women in law enforcement

Law enforcement teams across the globe experience the highest occupational stress and stress-related diseases. Physical exercise and an active lifestyle are recommended as part of their profession to equip them to fight stress and related health adversities. The research is carried out using objective measures of Heart Rate Variability (HRV), Electro Dermal Activity (EDA), Heart Rate Recovery (HRR), and subjective questionnaires. HRV was generated with an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal acquired using NI myRIO 1900 interfaced with the Vernier EKG sensor. HRR was acquired with the help of a Polar chest strap exercise heart rate monitor and EDA acquisition was carried out with Mindfield E-Sense electrodes. Then statistical features are extracted from the collected data, and feed to the AQCNN (Aquila convolution neural network) classifier to predict the stress. Signal analyses were done in Kubios 4.0, Ledalab V3.x in a MATLAB environment. The results pointed out that exercise training is effective in increasing the vagal tone of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and hence improves the recovery potential of the cardiovascular system from stress. The proposed AQCNN method improves the accuracy by 95.12% which is better than 93.13%, 85.36% and 80.13% from Statistical technique, CNN and ML-SVM respectively. The findings have the potential to influence decision-making in the selection and training of recruits in high-stress positions, hence optimizing the cost and time of training by identifying maladaptive recruits early.

Пролонгированное действие методик физкультурно-оздоровительных занятий на мужчин пожилого возраста

The relevance of the topic is justified by the lack of studies on the prolonged effect of long-term recreational physical training of elderly men on the development of their physical qualities and physical performance as integral indicators of the assessment of morpho-functional systems of the body, long-term adaptation of the body to graduated (primarily strength) exercise. The aim of the study is to identify and evaluate the prolonged effect of the developed first and second variants of the methods of physical culture and wellness classes that were tested during the first and second stages of eight-month-long cycles and the ten years of pedagogical experiments on the dynamics of the manifestation of physical qualities, physical performance of one contingent of men aged 60 to 65 and 64 to 69. Experimental work was carried out in the Tomsk-Klub wellness center in Tomsk for ten years, from 2010 to 2019. Men aged 60-69 took part in the experiment. The research methods are: analysis of scientific and methodological literature, materials of own research; methods of interpretation of research results, pedagogical observation; testing of physical qualities; assessment of physical performance; pedagogical experiment; methods of mathematical statistics. The specificity of prolonged action has been proved, two variants of methods of physical culture and wellness classes have been developed to adapt the body of elderly men to long-term targeted and graduated (primarily strength) exercise. Adaptation is characterized by the specificity of the manifestation of types of strength qualities when performing exercises that differ in biomechanical structure. 10 years of systematic classes of health-improving physical culture of men aged 60 to 69, according to the first variant of the technique, slow down the involutional aging processes: the preservation of functional reserves of the cardiovascular, respiratory and neuromuscular systems, economical adaptation of the body to long-term physical loads are observed. The second variant of the methodology of physical culture and wellness classes (based on the first variant, but supplemented with a developed methodology for the use of restorative means) proved to be more effective during the first and second stages of eight-month-long pedagogical experiments than the first variant of the methodology for it provides a prolonged effect on the stabilization of the functional capabilities of physiological systems, mechanisms of long-term adaptation of the body to graduated (primarily strength) exercise, which is manifested in the stable dynamics of the development of strength, strength endurance, statistical strength endurance, physical performance in men aged 65 to 69 in the parameters they had when they were 60 to 64.