Maximal Work Capacity Research Articles

Yogistic efficacy on cardiopulmonary capacities, endurance efficiencies and musculoskeletal potentialities in female college students.

Physical exercise participation among female students is significantly compromised throughout the academic periods of college or university due to scholastic demands and also by less parental and community encouragements. Thus, physical inactivity in female college students leads to less musculoskeletal efficiency and work performance. Customized yogic module may be considered to enhance both aerobic and anaerobic power, pulmonary capacity and musculoskeletal efficiency for the improvement of systemic body functions among female college students. A randomized, controlled parallel study design (n = 60; age = 20.16±2.05 years), on sedentary female college students practicing customized yogic module (n = 30) for 5 days / week for 3 months (60 min daily in the morning) to observe anthropometric, physiological, cardiopulmonary and muscular endurance indices. After yogic practice, a significant reduction in body fat (p < 0.05) (%), heart rate (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p < 0.001), double product (p‹0.01) and rate pressure product (p < 0.05) were estimated. Significant improvement (p < 0.001) in vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 sec was also observed. Evaluation of hand grip strength, maximal oxygen consumption and physical work capacity showed significant increase (p < 0.01) after yogic intervention. A three-month customized yogic training improved resting physiological activities, cardiopulmonary functions, musculoskeletal strength and endurance fitness due to focused breathing, mindfulness meditation and by stretching-strengthening patterns for achieving recreational physical activity among female college students.

Machine learning-assisted high-throughput screening of MOFs for efficient adsorption and separation of CF4/N2

There is an imperative need for top-performing materials with extraordinary adsorption selectivity and working capacity, in order to achieve productive adsorption of CF4 in a CF4/N2 mixture. In this work, the High-Throughput Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (HT-GCMC) simulation method and the Machine Learning (ML) method were employed to predict and screen the adsorption performance of 10 143 computation-ready experimental metal-organic frameworks (CoRE-MOFs) for separating CF4/N2 mixed gas. Through computational simulation and ML prediction, 15 and 73 highly promising adsorbents were selected out of the 690 randomly sampled MOFs and the CoRE-MOFs database. The selection process was based on criteria that balanced favorable CF4 selectivity, working capacity, and regenerability: selectivity >60, working capacity >70 mg g−1 (0.8 mmol g−1) and regenerability >70%. The maximum observed capacity of the 15 top evaluated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) was: 52.85 mg g−1 (0.6 mmol g−1) at 1 bar; and 204.90 mg g−1 (2.3 mmol g−1) at 10 bar. The maximum working capacity was 152.06 mg g−1 (1.7 mmol g−1) and the highest selectivity reached was 118.12 (YEGCUJ) and 101.80 (VEHLIE) at 1 bar and 10 bar, respectively. Notably, the most promising MOFs exhibited elevated Zn content relative to the overall MOF population and also possessed a significant nitrogen content. This result should serve as a compelling motivation to further investigate the utilisation of MOFs with a high Zn content (e. g. zeolitic imidazolate frameworks), for enhanced adsorption applications.

Hereditary human diseases with skeletal pathology – molecular pathogenesis and clinical characteristics

Differential diagnosis of hereditary diseases is challenging due to similar clinical manifestations, diversity of nosologies, wide clinical variability and genetic heterogeneity, severity, rare frequency and complex molecular etiology. In some of them, connective tissue as a whole is involved in the pathological process, affecting almost all organs and systems of the human body, and in particular bone tissue, disrupting its remodeling and microarchitecture. The defect can occur at any of the stages of remodeling: during the initiation process, during bone resorption, osteoblast differentiation, osteoid mineralization, etc. Violation of the microarchitecture of bone tissue is accompanied by the development of low-traumatic fractures and deformities, early osteoarthritis, the formation of contractures and chronic pain syndrome. Genetic studies of patients have expanded knowledge about the molecular signaling pathways that coordinate bone development and metabolism, the nature of disease inheritance, clinical features, and specific bone biomarkers. This article provides an overview of key cellular mechanisms, features of diagnosis and treatment of hereditary human diseases that affect the condition of bone tissue and skeleton: osteogenesis imperfecta, EhlersDanlos syndrome, Marfan syndrome, juvenile osteoporosis, hypophosphatasia, osteopetrosis, progressive diaphyseal dysplasia, mucopolysaccharidoses, achondroplasia, multiple hereditary exostoses. Doctors of different specialties can encounter these diseases, and making a correct diagnosis will make it possible to determine the correct algorithm for patient management and begin timely treatment, the ability to prevent the development of severe complications, improve the quality of life of patients, restore maximum working capacity and reduce the percentage of disability.

Return to work after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Survivors of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) often recover without severe physical or cognitive deficits. However, strikingly low levels of engagement in productive employment have also been reported in aSAH patients with good or excellent outcomes. Knowledge about return to work (RTW) after aSAH and predictors of no RTW remain limited and controversial. The study aimed to delineate the return to maximum work capacity up to 5 years after the ictus in a larger number of consecutive aSAH patients from the entire aSAH severity spectrum and to identify demographic and medical predictors of no RTW. Data were acquired from a prospective institutional database. We included all 500 aSAH survivors aged > 18 years who were treated between January 2012 and March 2018. In addition to gathering data on work status and the type of work at ictus, we retrieved demographical data and assessed aSAH severity based on the quantification of subarachnoid, intraventricular, and intraparenchymal blood (ICH), as well as the World Federation of Neurological Societies (WFNS) grade. We registered the mode of aneurysm repair (endovascular or surgical) and recorded complications such as vasospasm, newly acquired cerebral infarctions, and chronic hydrocephalus. Furthermore, work status and the grade of fatigue at follow-up were registered. RTW was assessed among 299 patients who were employed at ictus. Among them, 63.2% were women, and their age was 51.3 ± 9.4 (20-71) years. Return to gainful employment was 51.2%, with complete RTW accounting for 32.4%. The independent predictors of no RTW at ictus were age, the WFNS grade 3, and active smoking. The strongest independent predictor was the presence of clinically significant fatigue, which increased the risk of not returning to work by 5-fold. The chance to return to gainful employment significantly increased with the individual's years of education prior to their hemorrhage. The mode of aneurysm repair was not relevant with regard to RTW. Patients in the WFNS grades 1-2 more often returned to work than those in the WFNS grades 3-5, but our results indicate that neurological motor deficits are linked closer to no RTW than aSAH severity per se. Fatigue needs to be addressed as an important element on the path to return to work integration.

Synergistic actuation performance of artificial fern muscle with a double nanocarbon structure

Electrochemically powered carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn muscles are of increasing interest because of their advantageous features as artificial muscles. They are light, and have high electrical properties, mechanical strength, and chemical stability. Twist-based CNT yarn muscles show superior actuation performance: 30 times the work capacity and 85 times the power density of natural muscles. Despite achieving these high performances, there is still potential for performance improvement because their twisted structure is not fully utilized. In particular, designing a cross-sectional structure that allows ions to freely enter and exit the twisted structure of the yarn muscle is necessary. Here, we propose highly enhanced artificial muscles with high chemical stability that consist of only nanocarbon materials of carbon nanoscroll (CNS) and twisted CNT yarns. The CNS/CNT yarn muscles (CCYM) can improve the ion accessibility and utilization of the twist structure. The maximum contractile stroke, work capacity, power density, and energy conversion efficiency of the CCYM were 20.11%, 2.26 J g−1, 0.53 W g−1, and 3.39%, which are 1.4-, 1.4-, 4.8, and 4.3 times that of the pristine CNT yarn muscles, respectively. The effects of CNS on CCYM were confirmed by experimental and theoretical analyses. Additionally, in a solid electrolyte, which opens up new application possibilities, the CCYM demonstrates high actuation performance (16.38%) with very low input energy.

Chiral design of tough spring-shaped hydrogels for smart umbrellas

Developing hydrogel artificial muscles to mimic the motion of natural muscles has long attracted scientists from the perspective of materials science for potential applications in soft robotics. However, rational design of hydrogel artificial muscles with large stroke, rapid actuation speed, and high work capacity remains a major challenge. Herein, we reported two kinds of chiral spring-shaped hydrogels that were prepared via consecutive shaping process (e.g., stretching, twisting, folding, coiling, and fixing). By switching the chirality of coil, homochiral muscle and heterochiral muscle were obtained, respectively. Homochiral muscle could rapidly expand to 560% with an average speed of 6.7 % s−1 in response to NIR irradiation, whose maximum work capacity reached 45 J kg−1. On contrary, heterochiral muscle contracted 69% within 1 min under NIR irradiation with a maximum work capacity of 33 J kg−1. Interestingly, the parasol containing homochiral muscles opened autonomously during dehydration process, while the umbrellas containing heterochiral muscle could opened rapidly when water was applied. This work provided an innovative strategy for developing tough hydrogel muscles with opposite chiralities.

Gastrointestinal disorders and leaky gut syndrome in endurance athletes

Gastrointestinal disorders are common in endurance-sport athletes, and can negatively affect physical performance and general health. During long lasting exercises such like ultramarathon, triathlon, marathon a characteristic phenomenon is the increase in the concentration many proinflammatory markers and proteins such like IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alfa, LPS, CK and C-reactive protein. Despite observed biochemical changes on of the typical “side effects” of physical activity is increased intestinal permeability, also called to as leaky gut.&#x0D; Recent research has demonstrated that even one hour of of intense endurance training note even with a maximum work capacity can lead to leaky gut symptoms and gastrointestinal disorders.&#x0D; Increased intestinal permeability is accomplished with changes of numerus molecular biomarkers, that indicate presence of this disease state and the degradation of the intestinal mucosa, such like lipopolysaccharides, zonulin, lactulose/rhamnose ratio, occludin and I-FABP, and many other.&#x0D; The understanding of this processes and understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of leaky gut syndrome can lead to funding new methods and means of both avoiding and treating this condition.

Hemoglobin, maximal heart rate and work capacity, as well as time to exhaustion are significantly improved with combined hypoxia and aerobic exercise training in healthy adults: a meta-analysis

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background/Introduction Hypoxic conditions have been used for a variety of reasons and have been implemented in multiple ways in an attempt to improve physiologic performance. Hypoxic conditions are administered via real or simulated altitude or by breathing lower levels of oxygen via facemask to improve different physiologic processes. Maximal work capacity (MWC) and time to exhaustion (TTE) are important factors related to sports performance. It is unclear how aerobic exercise (AE) with hypoxia effects MWC, TTE, and maximal heart rate (MHR) as well as hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) concentrations. Purpose Examine the effects of chronic AE with and without hypoxia on MWC, TTE, MHR, Hgb, and Hct. Methods A comprehensive search using PubMed, Cochrane, and PEDro was performed using a variety of keyword permutations on "hypoxia" and "aerobic exercise" in healthy adults. Inclusion criteria were studies with both a control and experimental group in which chronic AE was performed with and without hypoxia and MWC and TTE were provided in Watts and seconds, respectively. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Statistical analyses were performed using R with sub-analyses examining changes in Hgb, Hct, and MHR. Results A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria yielding a total sample size of 389 healthy adults. Study quality ranged from 4 to 6 out of 10 (mode=5). Significant tests for the overall effect of AE with hypoxia compared to AE without hypoxia on MWC and TTE were found under random-effects models (Z=2.83, p&amp;lt;.001, 95% C.I. = 0.29-1.60 and Z=2.94, p&amp;lt;.001, 95% C.I. = 0.80-4.00, respectively). A significant test for the overall effect of AE with hypoxia compared to AE without hypoxia on Hgb was also found (Z=2.06, p=.03, 95% C.I. = 0.01-0.60; fixed-effects model), but a non-significant overall effect on Hct was observed (Z=1.24, p=.21, 95% C.I. = -0.19-0.85; random-effects model). A significant test for the overall effect of AE with hypoxia compared to AE without hypoxia on MHR was also found (Z=2.84, p&amp;lt;.001, 95% C.I. = 0.19-1.04). Substantial heterogeneity was observed in all analyses (I2 range of 64% - 89%). Conclusions Chronic AE with hypoxia elicits a significantly greater increase in MWC and TTE compared to AE without hypoxia in healthy adults. The significant improvement in Hgb and increased MHR provides a rationale for the improvement in MWC and TTE associated with chronic AE combined with hypoxia. Improvements in MWC and TTE have the capacity to improve sport performance. Further investigation of AE with and without hypoxia on specific sports and on other physiologic measures is warranted.

A whole blood approach improves speed and accuracy when measuring mitochondrial respiration in intact avian blood cells.

Understanding mitochondrial biology and pathology is key to understanding the evolution of animal form and function. However, mitochondrial measurement often involves invasive, or even terminal, sampling, which can be difficult to reconcile in wild models or longitudinal studies. Non-mammal vertebrates contain mitochondria in their red blood cells, which can be exploited for minimally invasive mitochondrial measurement. Several recent bird studies have measured mitochondrial function using isolated blood cells. Isolation adds time in the laboratory and might be associated with physiological complications. We developed and validated a protocol to measure mitochondrial respiration in bird whole blood. Endogenous respiration was comparable between isolated blood cells and whole blood. However, respiration towards oxidative phosphorylation was higher in whole blood, and whole blood mitochondria were better coupled and had higher maximum working capacity. Whole blood measurement was also more reproducible than measurement on isolated cells for all traits considered. Measurements were feasible over a 10-fold range of sample volumes, although both small and large volumes were associated with changes to respiratory traits. The protocol was compatible with long-term storage: after 24 h at 5°C without agitation, all respiration traits but maximum working capacity remained unchanged, the latter decreasing by 14%. Our study suggests that whole blood measurement provides faster, more reproducible, and more biologically and physiologically relevant (mitochondrial integrity) assessment of mitochondrial respiration. We recommend future studies to take a whole blood approach unless specific circumstances require the use of isolated blood cells.

Impacts of Pressure Training Intervention with Yogic Practices on Ability of Kicking and Self-Confidence among Football Players

The purpose of the study was to investigate the impacts of pressure training with yogic practices on ability of kicking and self-confidence among football players. Forty out of handball players were randomly selected from Coimbatore district, selected players were divided into two groups consisting of 20 football players. No attempt was made equate the groups. The age of the subjects ranged between 18 to 23 years. The influence of the pressure training with yogic practice was assessed on fitness. The training load was increased from the maximum working capacity of the subject doing pilot study. The study was formulated as pre and post-test random group design, in which forty were divided into two equal groups. The experimental group-1(n=20) underwent Pressure training and group -2 served as control group (n=20). In this study, only one training program were adopted as independent variables and ability of kicking and self-confidence was selected as dependent variable and it was tested by warner soccer skill test, performance was recorded in points and self-confidence was tested by CSAI-II Inventory was recorded in scoring. The training period of this intervention 6 days in a week for twelve weeks. The collected pre and post data was critically analyzed with dependent‘t’ test. The level of significance was fixed at 0.05 levels for all the cases in order to find out the significance. The result clearly proved that the pressure training demonstrated better improvement on ability of kicking and self-confidence and self-confidence.

The Effect Of Eight-week Sprint Interval Training On Aerobic Ability Of Elite Female Badminton Players

Because of the fast ball speed, high swing frequency and short intervals, the badminton event requires athletes to complete fast running, sudden start or stop, change of direction and continuous high-intensity multiple shots on the field. There are high requirements for athletes' aerobic capacity. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of 8-week Sprint Interval Training (SIT) on enhancing the aerobic exercise ability of female badminton athletes from the perspective of oxygen transport and utilization. METHODS: Sixteen elite female badminton players were selected and random divided into experimental group (SIT group) and control group (CON group). The SIT group underwent three sprint interval trainings per week, including two power bike trainings and one multi-ball training. The CON group performed two Fartlek runs and one regular shuttlecock-feeding training per week for a total of eight weeks. Before and after intervention, the two groups of athletes were tested for aerobic capacity via YO-YO IR2, maximal oxygen uptake, lactate clearance rate, and the arterial occlusion muscle oxygen content test performed by Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) instrument. Subsequently, players' muscle oxygen consumption and other related parameters were compared between two groups using repeated-measures ANOVA, considering pre-post effect. RESULTS: The running distance of YO-YO IR2 of SIT group increased from 725 ± 132.9 m to 840 ± 126.5 m (p < 0.05). The VT-VO2 of SIT group increased from 1940.1 ± 112.8 ml/min to 2176.9 ± 78.6 ml/min (p < 0.05), VT/VO2max increased from 75 ± 4% to 82 ± 4% (p < 0.05), and the lactate clearance rate was raised from 21 ± 5% to 27 ± 4% (p < 0.05). The ΔO2Hb of SIT group decreased from 4.8 ± 0.5 μm to 4.4 ± 0.5 μm (p < 0.05), the oxygen consumption of muscle decreased from 0.62 ± 0.06 mlO2/min/100 g to 0.57 ± 0.06 mlO2/min/100 g (p < 0.05), and the full recovery time of O2Hb declined from 9.99 ± 1.9 s to 9.44 ± 1.5 s (p < 0.05), O2Hb over-recovery increased from 4.79 ± 0.5 μm to 5.19 ± 0.6 μm (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SIT can improve maximum aerobic working capacity, aerobic recovery ability and oxygen utilization efficiency by improving the oxygen uptake and utilization ability of badminton players’ skeletal muscles, thus boosting the their rapid repeated sprinting ability.

Role of Lateral Fusion in Deformity Surgery.

Various techniques exist to surgically treat adult spinal deformity. Traditionally, anterior-based or posterior-based procedures with or without the addition of osteotomies were utilized. More recently, lateral-based approaches to correcting deformity have become more established and widely utilized. This may include the use of large footprint interbody devices with varying degrees of lordosis. Additionally, more powerful corrective techniques via lateral approach include anterior column release of the anterior longitudinal ligament and corpectomy. These present with unique risks that are typically related to the lateral approach, however, have been shown to reduce blood loss, decrease neurologic risk, and morbidity as they can be done through a less invasive approach. This review presents the variable deformity correction techniques that are available to the spinal surgeon, as well as the evidence and evolution of lateral-based techniques.

Abstract 11980: Patients With Esophageal Cancer Show Reduction in Myocardial Function and Reduced Oxygen Consumption During Exercise After Chemo-Radiotherapy

Introduction: Chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) may induce myocardial dysfunction, congestive heart failure and impaired physical performance in patients with esophageal cancer (EC). We aimed to investigate left ventricular function at rest and at peak exercise using echocardiography (ECHO) before and after completed CRT. Material and Methods: We enrolled 47 EC patients, referred to curative CRT, (41.4-50 Gy in 23-28 fractions and carboplatin, paclitaxel) followed by surgery (nCRT), n=38 or CRT, n=9. Evaluation included myocardial function, physical performance, cardiac biomarkers, electrocardiogram, ECHO at rest and during stress, and by cardiopulmonary exercise test before and post CRT. The primary endpoint was changes in LV global longitudinal strain (GLS). Secondary endpoints were LVEF, LV diastolic function, LVEF and GLS at peak exercise and maximal oxygen consumption. Results: Median age was 67 years, 94% males. The median time to post CRT follow-up was 1 day (IQR 0,6). There was a significant drop in LVEF and GLS at rest 56.7 % vs. 53.8% and 17.6 % vs. 16.4%, respectively (p=0.03; p=0.004). Ten patients had an absolute fall of at least 5% in LVEF and 2.5% in GLS. Signs of LV diastolic dysfunction increased from 13% to 21%, p=ns. Peak VO2 and maximal work capacity significantly decreased 21.2 vs. 18.8 and 5.9 vs. 5.4 respectively (p =0.000 and p=0.000). We found a weak correlation between change in GLS at peak exercise and fall in VO2 max (r=0.369 p=0.018). Conclusion: Left ventricular function and physical performance decreased in patients with EC after completed CRT. The decrease of peak V02 performance was only weakly significant related to the changes of peak LV function which indicates that other factors are involved in the decline of the physical performance after CRT. Keywords Esophageal cancer, chemoradiotherapy, cardiac function, working capacity, cardiotoxicity.

Incorporating Practical Degree of Saturation in Capacity Estimation of On-Street, Mid-Block, Off-Line Bus Stops

The effectiveness of an on-street bus facility depends on the general traffic that shares the lane used by buses. The Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual (TCQSM) methodology was used to estimate facility bus capacity based on critical stop operation. Hisham et al. provided an improved understanding of performance of an on-street, mid-block, off-line bus stop by relating bus stop capacity to the adjacent lane traffic flow rate. Using the TCQSM methodology, bus stop capacity was determined by adopting an estimated operation margin that relates to a design bus stop failure rate. However, failure rate is theoretically ambiguous and difficult to quantify in practice, particularly under high volume traffic conditions. In contrast, degree of saturation is a direct measure of operating conditions experienced by buses using the stop, and by the adjacent lane general traffic, so it directly affects approach delay and queuing. The aim of this study was to better understand performance at on-street, mid-block, off-line bus stops by considering degrees of saturation of loading areas and the adjacent lane rather than design failure rate according to the TCQSM methodology, and to ensure that waiting times upstream of bus stops are kept to acceptable levels by determining bus stop maximum working capacity.

Personal protective equipment for Health care workers donning for COVID-19 areas: Walking a tight rope between safety and comfort!

Dear Editor, Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has infected more than 180 million cases worldwide. The frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) battling the disease need to don into personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from the infection.[1] An N95 respirator is a protective mask designed to achieve an efficient filtration (block at least 95% of particles >0.3 μm in size). Its incorrect use could compromise its protective effect and may even increase the risk of infection.[23] This is especially important for anesthesiologists who are frequently involved in aerosol-generating procedures like noninvasive ventilation, tracheal intubation or extubation. The most important consideration for the effectiveness of a mask is its fit on the HCWs face and its filtration efficacy. A tightly fit mask may lead to discomfort, claustrophobia, pressure on the face and difficulty in breathing.[1] Previous studies have observed that the HCW's compliance with use of N95 mask and the recommended PPE is generally poor because the respirators reduce the maximal physical work capacity by increasing the inspiratory resistance, expiratory resistance, and dead space. COVID areas have limited air conditioning and the non-valved masks may become wet with usage earlier due to inability to dissipate humidity. The resistance offered by the non-valved masks during expiration may lead to headache, inability to concentrate, shortness of breath, dizziness, rise in blood pressure, and fatigue due to accumulation of carbon dioxide.[4] This may increase mask handling and increase the risk of infection to the HCW. In addition, non-valved N95 masks may increase the fogging of goggles and face shield and that makes procedures like intubation difficult for HCW especially with a prolonged donning (6–8 h period usually), in the already cumbersome conditions (PPE and aerosol box).[5] The valved variety allows unimpeded exhalation through one-way valve. An exhalation valve in the N95 masks may help to dissipate humidity, heat, and carbon dioxide from the dead space and decrease exhalation resistance. However, an infected person wearing a valved mask may spread the virus to others around him. No previous study has identified the impact of mask type on COVID-19 transmission. A valved N95 mask may be more acceptable for the HCW, but there is a distinct possibility of transmition of the infection to others. This can be minimized by daily screening of the HCWs before coming for duty, maintaining a safe distance from each other and wearing a surgical mask over it. The stress of working in COVID areas with PPE during the present pandemic has already dented the morale of HCWs. We should ensure comfort of the HCWs along with the safety for others. Based on logical thinking a valved mask should be avoided when working in non-COVID or COVID suspect areas. However, in COVID positive areas where prolonged continuous donning in full PPE is required and risk of infection from HCW to others is negligible, valved mask would offer the best balance of breathing comfort and safety to the provider. Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) also mentions that valve in N95 masks reduces the exhalation resistance and makes it more comfortable to wear without reducing their efficacy in prevention of infection to the HCWs caring for COVID positive patients.[6] Further research could give invaluable insights for clarifying the risks and level of safety associated with the use of either type of devices and in framing appropriate policies regarding the appropriate type of PPE in various circumstances. We would urge the manufacturers to deliberate into mask designs with appropriate certification like 'SITARA' and are universally acceptable to all HCWs in tackling the pandemic of COVID-19. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.

Is There an Exercise-Intensity Threshold Capable of Avoiding the Leaky Gut?

Endurance-sport athletes have a high incidence of gastrointestinal disorders, compromising performance and impacting overall health status. An increase in several proinflammatory cytokines and proteins (LPS, I-FABP, IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, C-reactive protein) has been observed in ultramarathoners and triathlon athletes. One of the most common effects of this type of physical activity is the increase in intestinal permeability, known as leaky gut. The intestinal mucosa's degradation can be identified and analyzed by a series of molecular biomarkers, including the lactulose/rhamnose ratio, occludin and claudin (tight junctions), lipopolysaccharides, and I-FABP. Identifying the molecular mechanisms involved in the induction of leaky gut by physical exercise can assist in the determination of safe exercise thresholds for the preservation of the gastrointestinal tract. It was recently shown that 60 min of vigorous endurance training at 70% of the maximum work capacity led to the characteristic responses of leaky gut. It is believed that other factors may contribute to this effect, such as altitude, environmental temperature, fluid restriction, age and trainability. On the other hand, moderate physical training and dietary interventions such as probiotics and prebiotics can improve intestinal health and gut microbiota composition. This review seeks to discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in the intestinal mucosa's adaptation and response to exercise and discuss the role of the intestinal microbiota in mitigating these effects.

Endurance Training Improves Oxygen Uptake and Endurance Capacity in Patients With Moderate to Severe Valvular Disease.

Aim: Peak oxygen uptake (peakVO2) is one of the strongest predictors of survival in patients with valvular heart disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether endurance training improves peakVO2 and endurance capacity in patients with moderate-severe aortic and mitral valve disease.Methods: 30 patients with moderate-severe valvular heart disease were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of endurance training (TG) (n = 16) or standard care (SC) (n = 14). PeakVO2 and maximum working capacity (Wattmax) were assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing, as well as submaximal endurance test at 80% of peakVO2 at baseline and after 12 weeks.Results: There was a significant improvement in peakVO2 from 27.2 ± 5.9 ml/kg to 30.4 ± 6.3 ml/kg (P < 0.001) in TG compared to the SC (peakVO2 from 24.6 ± 4.4 to 24.7 ± 3.8) and in the Wattmax from 151.8 ± 41.0 Watt to 171.2 ± 49.7 Watt in the TG compared to the SC (152.9 ± 35.6 Watt to 149.2 ± 28.4 Watt). The endurance capacity increased significantly from 17.0 ± 9.4 min to 32.8 ± 16.8 min (p = 0.003) in the TG compared to the SC (11.7 ± 6.2 min to 11.2 ± 7.6 min). The heart rate during the endurance test decreased in the TG from 154 ± 14 b/min to 142 ± 20 b/min for the same workload. No changes could be seen in the SC.Conclusion: Endurance training in patients with moderate to severe valvular heart disease increased significantly the peakVO2 as well as the endurance capacity.

Philippine Normal Reference Values for Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing

Performance on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is influenced by genetic, racial and environmental factors. This study aimed to establish the Maximum Working Capacity, Peak oxygen uptake (VO₂), Peak carbon dioxide output (VCO₂), Tidal Volume (TV) for normal Filipinos during exercise and derive prediction equation models for Maximum Working Capacity, Peak VO₂, Peak VCO₂ and maximum attained TV. The maximal cardiopulmonary responses were analyzed for one hundred eighteen healthy sedentary adult Filipino subjects who underwent CPET using a symptom limited incremental progressive cycle ergometer driven protocol. A Vista Mini-CPX Model 17670 was used. Models for predicting VO₂ max, VCO₂ peak, TV peak, and Work Max were derived with height, weight, age and sex being screened for significance as predictors. Linear and non-linear regression analyses were done. The maximum working capacity for males was 154.21±26.6 watts and 93.02±15.57 watts for females while the peak VO₂ for males was 4.90±3.11 and 4.56±2.41 liters/minute for females. The predictive formulae derived from this study for maximum work capacity, peak VO₂, VCO₂ and tidal volume had acceptable correlation coefficients and performed as well as other published predictive equations based on Caucasian and Asian populations. Differences between races as to performance in exercise testing was confirmed in this study.

Tuning the reversibility of hair artificial muscles by disulfide cross-linking for sensors, switches, and soft robotics.

Tensile and torsional artificial muscles from biocompatible and biodegradable materials are highly desired for soft robotics, sensors, and controllers in bio-related applications. Twisted fibers can be used to prepare tensile and torsional artificial muscles, while torsional tethering is always required to avoid release of the inserted twist, which adds complexity to the device design. Moreover, the tuning of the reversibility of twisted fiber artificial muscles has not been realized. Here disulfide cross-linking was used to prepare novel tether-free hygroresponsive tensile and torsional fiber artificial muscles in twisted hair fibers. Increasing the cross-linking level converted the fiber artificial muscle from irreversible to reversible actuation. Different types of actuations including rotation, contraction, and elongation were realized for the twisted, the homochirally coiled, and the heterochirally coiled hair fibers, respectively. A reversible torsional fiber artificial muscle showed 122.4° mm-1 rotation, homochiral and heterochiral fiber artificial muscles showed 94% contraction and 3000% elongation, respectively, and a maximum work capacity and energy density of 6.35 J kg-1 and 69.8 kJ m-3, respectively, were realized, on exposure to water fog. This work provides a new strategy for preserving the inserted twist in bio-fiber artificial muscles and for tuning of muscle reversibility, which show application perspectives in biocompatible smart materials, sensors, and robotics.

Accelerating Discovery of Metal-Organic Frameworks for Methane Adsorption with Hierarchical Screening and Deep Learning.

In recent years, machine learning (ML) methods have made significant progress, and ML models have been adopted in virtually all aspects of chemistry. In this study, based on the crystal graph convolutional neural networks algorithm, an end-to-end deep learning model was developed for predicting the methane adsorption properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). High-throughput grand canonical Monte Carlo calculations were carried out on the computation-ready, experimental MOF database, which contains approximately 11 000 MOFs, to construct the data set. An area under the curve of 0.930 for the test set proved the reliability of the developed deep learning model. To assess the transferability of the model, we applied it to predict the methane adsorption volume for some randomly selected covalent organic frameworks and zeolitic imidazolate framework materials. The results indicated that the model could also be suitable for other porous materials. We also applied it to the hierarchical screening of a hypothetical MOFs database (∼330 000 MOFs). Four hypothetical MOFs were demonstrated to have the highest performance in methane adsorption. A calculated maximum working capacity of 145 cm3/cm3 at 5-35 bar and 298 K indicated that the hypothetical MOF is close to the Department of Energy's 2015 target of 180 cm3/cm3. Further analyses on all screened out MOFs established correlations between some structural features with the working capacity. The successful incorporation of ML and hierarchical screening can accelerate the discovery of new materials not just for gas adsorption, but also other areas involving interactions in materials and molecules.