Metabolic Load Research Articles

The Emerging Role of Autophagy as a Target of Environmental Pollutants: An Update on Mechanisms.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved cellular system crucial for cellular homeostasis that protects cells from a broad range of internal and extracellular stresses. Autophagy decreases metabolic load and toxicity by removing damaged cellular components. Environmental contaminants, particularly industrial substances, can influence autophagic flux by enhancing it as a protective response, preventing it, or converting its protective function into a pro-cell death mechanism. Environmental toxic materials are also notorious for their tendency to bioaccumulate and induce pathophysiological vulnerability. Many environmental pollutants have been found to influence stress which increases autophagy. Increasing autophagy was recently shown to improve stress resistance and reduce genetic damage. Moreover, suppressing autophagy or depleting its resources either increases or decreases toxicity, depending on the circumstances. The essential process of selective autophagy is utilized by mammalian cells in order to eliminate particulate matter, nanoparticles, toxic metals, and smoke exposure without inflicting damage on cytosolic components. Moreover, cigarette smoke and aging are the chief causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-emphysema; however, the disease's molecular mechanism is poorly known. Therefore, understanding the impacts of environmental exposure via autophagy offers new approaches for risk assessment, protection, and preventative actions which will counter the harmful effects of environmental contaminants on human and animal health.

Saturated Fatty Acids Consumed in Smoothies Increase Glucose and Metabolic Load Index in Young Adults Compared to Polyunsaturated Omega-3-Fatty Acids.

Introduction: Chronic diets high in saturated fat (SF) and omega-6-fatty acids (O6FAs) elevate fasting triglycerides (TRGs) and glucose (GLU). Postprandial TRGs, GLU, and Metabolic Load Index (MLI) are better predictors of disease risk compared to fasting levels alone. Conversely, diets high in omega-3 fatty acids (O3FAs) may be cardioprotective. Unfortunately, many existing postprandial studies are not standardized to body weight and given in an amount individuals would typically consume in their daily lives; the MLI is not calculated, and varying types of fat content are not examined. Therefore, we sought to determine whether SF, O3FAs, or O6FAs altered postprandial TRGs, GLU, and MLI from a standardized mixed meal. Methods: Fifteen individuals (6 M and 9 F) visited the laboratory three times, separated by at least 48 h, to consume HFM smoothies with varying FA composition (SF, high O6FAs, and high O3FAs). The smoothies were standardized to 12 kcal/kg body weight, 63% total fat, and 0.72 g/kg sugar. TRGs and GLU were collected at baseline and at 2 h and 4 h postprandially; the MLI was calculated by summing the TRG and GLU responses at each time point. Results: There was a significant increase in TRGs across time points (p < 0.001). For TRGs, there was a trend toward a significant interaction between smoothie type and time (p = 0.06) due to the increase in TRGs in the SF compared to the O3FA smoothie. There was an increase in postprandial GLU that varied across smoothie types (p = 0.036). Taken together, the MLI was elevated in the SF smoothie compared to the O3FAs at 2 h (p = 0.041). Conclusion: A SF smoothie in the morning elevated the metabolic load compared to an O3FA smoothie. Mechanisms of action in the competing clearance of TRGs and GLU warrant further investigation.

Dysregulated UPR and ER Stress Related to a Mutation in the Sdf2l1 Gene Are Involved in the Pathophysiology of Diet-Induced Diabetes in the Cohen Diabetic Rat.

The Cohen Diabetic rat is a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus that consists of the susceptible (CDs/y) and resistant (CDr/y) strains. Diabetes develops in CDs/y provided diabetogenic diet (DD) but not when fed regular diet (RD) nor in CDr/y given either diet. We recently identified in CDs/y a deletion in Sdf2l1, a gene that has been attributed a role in the unfolded protein response (UPR) and in the prevention of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. We hypothesized that this deletion prevents expression of SDF2L1 and contributes to the pathophysiology of diabetes in CDs/y by impairing UPR, enhancing ER stress, and preventing CDs/y from secreting sufficient insulin upon demand. We studied SDF2L1 expression in CDs/y and CDr/y. We evaluated UPR by examining expression of key proteins involved in both strains fed either RD or DD. We assessed the ability of all groups of animals to secrete insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) over 4 weeks, and after overnight feeding (postprandial) over 4 months. We found that SDF2L1 was expressed in CDr/y but not in CDs/y. The pattern of expression of proteins involved in UPR, namely the PERK (EIF2α, ATF4 and CHOP) and IRE1 (XBP-1) pathways, was different in CDs/y DD from all other groups, with consistently lower levels of expression at 4 weeks after initiation of DD and coinciding with the development of diabetes. In CDs/y RD, insulin secretion was mildly impaired, whereas in CDs/y DD, the ability to secrete insulin decreased over time, leading to the development of the diabetic phenotype. We conclude that in CDs/y DD, UPR participating proteins were dysregulated and under-expressed at the time point when the diabetic phenotype became overt. In parallel, insulin secretion in CDs/y DD became markedly impaired. Our findings suggest that under conditions of metabolic load with DD and increased demand for insulin secretion, the lack of SDF2L1 expression in CDs/y is associated with UPR dysregulation and ER stress which, combined with oxidative stress previously attributed to the concurrent Ndufa4 mutation, are highly likely to contribute to the pathophysiology of diabetes in this model.

Seasonal analysis of match load in professional soccer players: An observational cohort study of a Swiss U18, U21 and first team.

The aim of this study was to quantify and compare various external match load measures in three age groups and leagues in male soccer (U18 in highest league of their age group vs U21 in fourth highest league vs first team in highest league). In this retrospective observational cohort study accelerations, decelerations, absolute and relative high-speed running as well as sprint distance, dynamic stress load, explosive distance, high intensity bursts total distance, high metabolic load (HML) distance, speed intensity, total distance, total time, and total loading were assessed in 416 individual player matches of 59 players. All these external load measures showed large inter-individual variability. At a group level, one-way ANOVAs or Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed statistically significant differences between the three teams for all measures analyzed (all p < 0.05), except accelerations. The first team displayed statistically significant higher dynamic stress load, explosive distance, HML distance, speed intensity, total distance and total loading compared to the two youth teams (all p < 0.05). The U18 featured statistically significant higher number of decelerations, absolute and relative high-speed running distance, high metabolic load distance, speed intensity, relative sprint distance, total distance, and total time than the U21, while for U21 higher dynamic stress load was observed than for U18 (all p < 0.05). Based on our data we conclude a routinely monitoring of match loads of different age groups and competitive settings to be required to 1) provide an indication of what players need to be prepared for, 2) track the athletic and match evolution, and 3) individually tailor training programs allowing players to fulfill the short- and long-term sport-specific requirements.

Is skin autofluorescence a novel non-invasive marker in diabetes? A systematic review and meta-analysis of case-control studies.

The advanced glycation end product (AGE) is produced from the nonenzymatic reaction between glucose and macromolecules by aging. Accumulation of AGE causes functional and structural changes in body proteins that lead to impairment of tissue protein functions. We aimed to validate AGE measurement by skin autofluorescence (SAF) in diabetes mellitus (DM) compared to the nondiabetes population. We searched the PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases from their inception till September 18, 2022, for casecontrol studies measuring AGE by SAF. Nonhuman studies, as well as review articles, study proposals, editorials, case reports, or congress posters, were excluded. We used a random effects model to assess the standard mean difference (MD) of age, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, and SAF between diabetes and nondiabetes individuals. Higher SAF in DM patients indicated more accumulation of AGE compared with the nondiabetic population. Furthermore, HbA1c was considerably higher in DM patients. The MD of age, male gender, and BMI were significantly different between the DM individuals, compared with nondiabetic subjects, which can lead to altered SAF level and AGE production. There was a remarkable heterogeneity between diabetes and nondiabetes when measuring age, gender, and BMI, as well as HbA1c and SAF level. This study could not confirm the validity of SAF as a surrogate marker in diabetes patients. Interestingly, metabolic load and high BMI can increase SAF, considerably. Altogether, SAF could be helpful in the future as a marker for metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

The effect of pitch size manipulation during small sided-games performed by different age category football players: a pilot study

This research aimed to analyse the pitch size manipulation effect on internal and external load and to study the age effect on the studied variables in different small-sided games (SSGs) formats. Male U-12 (n = 8), U-15 (n = 8) youth football players, and U-23 (n = 8) professional cohorts participated in the study. Two SSGs formats were analyzed, goalkeeper (GK) + 4 vs. 4 + GK, 3 minutes play in 20 × 30 m and 24 × 36 m, with 3 minutes rest between bouts. The variance analysis Anova two-way was used to analyse two independent factors, pitch size, and age group. The playing area manipulation had an effect under the following variables: distance (p &lt; 0.001), speed 0–6 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), speed 12–18 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), speed 18–21 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), accelerations (Ac.) 1–2 m/s2(p &lt; 0.001), decelerations (Dc.) 2–3 m/s2 (p &lt; 0.001), metabolic power (Pmet) (p &lt; 0.001) and high metabolic load distance (HMLD) (p &lt; 0.001). The age group influenced the distance covered (p &lt; 0.001), speed 0–6 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), speed 6–12 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), speed 12–18 km/h (p &lt; 0.001), speed 21–24 km/h (p = 0.030), Ac. 1–2 m/s2 (p &lt; 0.001), Ac. 1–2 m/s2 (p &lt; 0.001Pmet (p &lt; 0.001), HMLD (p &lt; 0.001) and training impulse (TRIMP)(p &lt; 0.001). Playing area manipulation in football SSGs promotes an increase in external load intensity, namely, larger areas are suitable for larger effects at high speeds (&gt;21 km/h) and TRIMP. A careful and detailed evaluation of training tasks, considering the different age category football players, is important to optimize the planning in football, aiming at improving players’ condition and performance and avoiding health problems and injuries.

Understanding the impact of hamstring injuries on match performance in Spanish professional soccer players

This study aimed to analyze the changes in match physical demands in professional soccer players after sustaining a hamstring injury, which was categorized based on injury severity. Seventy-two hamstring injuries involving sixty-four professional soccer players from the Spanish LaLiga™ were considered for this study. All injuries were classified according to their severity as moderate (resulting in eight to 28 missed days) and major (resulting in more than 28 missed days). Mediacoach video-tracking system collected time and external load variables and subsequently compared them between the pre-injury and return-to-play periods. The analyzed variables included distance covered at different velocities (i.e., total distance, at 18-21 km.h−1, at 21-24 km.h−1, and at more than 24 km.h-1), the number of sprints, accelerations, decelerations, and high metabolic load distance (HMLD). The results showed that players with both moderate and major injuries played fewer minutes after injury (p&amp;lt;.001 to p&amp;lt;.05) and experienced a decrease in maximum speed (p&amp;lt;.01 to p&amp;lt;.05), covering less total distance (p&amp;lt;.05) and exhibiting a decrease (p&amp;lt;.05) in average speed (only observed in players with major injuries). Additionally, moderately injured players experienced a reduction in the number of maximum accelerations (p&amp;lt;.05) and decelerations (p&amp;lt;.05), high metabolic load distance/min (p&amp;lt;.05), and average accelerations (p&amp;lt;.05). Furthermore, a significant reduction in the magnitude of maximum decelerations was observed in players with major injuries (p&amp;lt;.05). These findings highlight the importance of implementing strategies that enable the attainment of initial levels of high-intensity actions and maximum speed in reconditioning programs following hamstring injuries.

ASSOCIATIONS AMONG LATENT FACTORS OF METABOLIC LOAD, BRAIN VOLUME, AND COGNITION IN HEALTHY AGING

Abstract Metabolic syndrome (MetS) refers to risk factors for cardiovascular disease associated with reduced physical fitness, higher disease burden, and impaired cognitive functions. Available evidence indicates that metabolic functioning is related to brain structure at the level of specific indicators, such as hypertension and voxel-based morphometry, respectively. However, attempts to relate metabolic load to brain morphology at the construct level using structural equation modeling are scarce. Here, we used confirmatory factor analysis to: (a) examine level and change associations among latent factors of metabolic risk, regional grey-matter integrity (GMI), and cognition; (b) test whether these associations differ by sex. Analyses were based on a sample of 1,100 healthy adults (52% female) aged 60 to 88 years from the Berlin Aging Study II, and included MRI data for a sub sample of 341 (37 % female) individuals. Metabolic risk was defined by waist circumference, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and high-density lipoprotein; regional GMI by mean diffusivity, magnetization ratio transfer ratio, and VBM-based volume estimates; and cognition, represented by the three latent constructs episodic memory, working memory and fluid intelligence. Initial analyses indicate that individuals with lower metabolic risk show greater GMI in prefrontal cortex. Also, we found that greater prefrontal GMI was associated with higher fluid intelligence and working memory in men only. Additionally, we investigated the effects of previous levels of metabolic risk and cognition on subsequent changes in both domains over time. We highlight the benefits of latent factors for establishing brain-behavior relations, and discuss putative physiological substrates of individual differences in GMI.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN METABOLIC HEALTH AND 5 EPIGENETIC CLOCKS IN THE BERLIN AGING STUDY II (BASE-II)

Abstract The diagnosis of metabolic syndrome (MetS) relies on cut-off values for five cardiovascular risk factors, three of which must be met to make the diagnosis. While this approach has certain advantages in the clinical setting, it only allows a binary classification relying on cut-off values. Thus, individuals receiving the same MetS diagnosis may differ in terms of disease severity. We have recently developed a continuous measure of the metabolic load (MetL) that was calculated as a latent factor from indicators that are used to diagnose the MetS enabling a more differentiated assessment. DNA methylation age acceleration (DNAmAA) is a widely accepted biomarker of aging which can be derived from a variety of epigenetic clocks. However, it is still unclear which aspects of aging these biomarkers represent best. Aim of the current study was to evaluate whether and how the MetS and MetL relate to DNAmAA derived from five epigenetic clocks (7-CpG clock, Horvath’s clock, Hannum’s clock, PhenoAge, and GrimAge). MetS was diagnosed according to the AHA/IDF/NHLBI criteria (2009) and the latent MetL factor was extracted from a confirmatory factor analysis considering the same diagnostic parameters. DNAmAA estimated from PhenoAge and GrimAge were significantly associated with MetS (beta=0.036 and beta=0.063, both p&amp;lt;0.05) and MetL (both beta=0.009 and p&amp;lt;0.05) in regression analyses adjusted for age and gender including 1,100 participants from the follow-up assessments of the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II, mean age 75.6 ±3.8 years). The results will be discussed with respect to clinical relevance in the context of current literature.

A Database of Static Thermal Insulation and Evaporative Resistance Values of Dutch Firefighter Clothing Items and Ensembles.

The rescue operations' environment can impair firefighters' performance and increase the risk of injuries, e.g., burns and hyperthermia. The bulk and carried weight of heavy protection contributes to lower physical performance, higher metabolic load and internal body heat production. For recommending optimal protection for the tasks and incident scenarios, knowledge of clothing thermal properties is needed. However, detailed data on firefighter protective clothing systems are not available. The aim of the study was to provide scientific background and a dataset that would allow for validation of thermo-physiological models for task-specific conditions of rescue work. Thermal insulation of 37 single items and their variations and 25 realistic protective clothing ensembles were measured on a thermal manikin. Twelve (12) ensembles that evenly covered the whole insulation range were selected for evaporative resistance testing. The equations for summing up individual item's insulation to ensemble insulation and calculating clothing area factor were derived from the dataset. The database of a firefighter clothing system was created. In addition, the local and regional thermal properties of the clothing ensembles were provided for use in future validation of advanced thermo-physiological models for rescue worker exposure predictions and for designing decision aid tools.

Using Ultra-Wide Band to Analyze Soccer Performance through Load Indicators during a Full Season: A Comparison between Starters and Non-Starters

The objectives of this study are: (1) to compare match load demands through load indicators between starters and substitutes, and (2) analyze the degree of correlation in the variables analyzed in this investigation. Twenty-two semi-professional soccer players were analyzed during a full season’s 38 official matches. Participants were assigned to two different groups according to their participation in the game: (a) starting-up players (≥90 min played) vs. substitute players (≥45 min played in the second half). Statistical analysis was performed by using Mann–Whitney U test to conduct pairwise comparison and Spearman correlation to demands correlation in each group. Significant differences in both absolute and relative variables in player load (P, p &lt; 0.01; p &lt; 0.01), metabolic power (MP, p &lt; 0.01; p = 0.15), equivalent distance index (EDI, p = 0.87; p &lt; 0.01), dynamic stress load (DSI, p &lt; 0.01; p = 0.977), energy expenditure (EE, p &lt; 0.01; p &lt; 0.01), high metabolic load events (HMLE, p &lt; 0.01; p &lt; 0.01), and high metabolic load distance (HMLD, p &lt; 0.01; p = 0.09). Overall, high direct correlations in the starting-up group in absolute and relative demands of PL, PM, HMLD, EE, and DSL were found, as well as high inverse correlation in the substitute group in all variables, excluding DSL and HMLD. In conclusion, the absolute differences found suggested a different training load management during training sessions.

Increased mitochondrial proton leak and glycolysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in type-1-diabetes

Changes in cellular bioenergetics such as mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis may play a role in the pathogenesis of various diseases including type 1 diabetes (T1D). We used Seahorse extracellular flux technology to analyse the efficiency of glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from fresh blood samples from fifteen long-term T1D individuals with albuminuria (five females) with an average (±SD) age of 58 (±14) years and 15 age and sex-matched healthy non-diabetic controls. In T1D PBMCs, mitochondrial proton leak was higher (T1D: 21,3 ± 1,46 pmol/min; controls: 17,3 ± 1,24 pmol/min; p = 0,049) and glucose (5 mM) suppressed mitochondrial proton leak more than in healthy controls. Further, PBMCs from T1D individuals had higher glycolysis compared with healthy controls (T1D: 9,68 ± 0,94 mpH/min; controls: 7,07 ± 0,64 mpH/min; p = 0,032). Correlation analysis of circulating inflammatory factors identified Leukaemia Inhibitor factor 1 (LIF) being negatively correlated with PBMC glycolysis. Our results suggest that mitochondrial and glycolytic pathways of PBMCs from long-term T1D individuals with albuminuria might be dysfunctional, possibly due to increased cellular metabolic load and/or oxidative stress in which inflammatory factors could play a role.

Local brain environment changes associated with epileptogenesis.

Plastic change of the neuronal system has traditionally been assumed to be governed primarily by the long-term potentiation/depression mechanisms of synaptic transmission. However, a rather simple shift in the ambient ion, transmitter and metabolite concentrations could have a pivotal role in generating plasticity upon the physiological process of learning and memory. Local brain environment and metabolic changes could also be the cause and consequences of the pathogenesis leading to epilepsy. Governing of the local brain environment is the primal function of astrocytes. The metabolic state of the entire brain is strongly linked to the activity of the lateral hypothalamus. In this study, plastic change of astrocyte reactions in the lateral hypothalamus was examined using epileptogenesis as an extreme form of plasticity. Fluorescent sensors for calcium or pH expressed in astrocytes were examined for up to one week by in vivo fibre photometry in freely moving transgenic male mice. Optical fluctuations on a timescale of seconds is difficult to assess because these signals are heavily influenced by local brain blood volume changes and pH changes. Using a newly devised method for the analysis of the optical signals, changes in Ca2+ and pH in astrocytes and changes in local brain blood volume associated with hippocampal-stimulated epileptic seizures were extracted. Following a transient alkaline shift in the astrocyte triggered by neuronal hyperactivity, a prominent acidic shift appeared in response to intensified seizure which developed with kindling. The acidic shift was unexpected as transient increase in local brain blood volume was observed in response to intensified seizures, which should lead to efficient extrusion of the acidic CO2. The acidic shift could be a result of glutamate transporter activity and/or due to the increased metabolic load of astrocytes leading to increased CO2 and lactate production. This acidic shift may trigger additional gliotransmitter release from astrocytes leading to the exacerbation of epilepsy. As all cellular enzymic reactions are influenced by Ca2+ and pH, changes in these parameters could also have an impact on the neuronal circuit activity. Thus, controlling the astrocyte pH and/or Ca2+ could be a new therapeutic target for treatment of epilepsy or prevention of undesired plasticity associated with epileptogenesis.

Association Between Behavioral, Biological, and Genetic Markers of Cardiovascular Health and MRI Markers of Brain Aging: A Cohort Study.

The life's simple 7 approach was proposed to define cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics. We sought to investigate the associations between behavioral, biological, and genetic markers for CVH and vascular brain aging in older adults. This population-based cohort study included participants who had repeated brain MRI measures from 2001 to 2003 to 2007-2010 (i.e., count of perivascular spaces, volumes of white matter hyperintensity [WMH] and gray matter, and lacunes). At baseline, global, behavioral, and biological CVH metrics were defined and scored following the life's simple 7 approach and categorized into unfavorable, intermediate, and favorable profiles according to tertiles. The metabolic genetic risk score was calculated by counting 15 risk alleles associated with hypertension, diabetes, or dyslipidemia. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects and Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age, sex, and education. The study sample consisted of 317 participants (age 60 years or older; 61.8% women). Favorable and intermediate (vs unfavorable) global CVH profiles were related to slower WMH progression, with β-coefficients (95% CI) being -0.019(-0.035-0.002) and -0.018(-0.034-0.001), respectively. Favorable and intermediate (vs unfavorable) biological CVH profiles were significantly related to slower WMH increase only in people aged 60-72 years. CVH profiles were not related to progression of other brain measures. Furthermore, a higher metabolic genetic risk score (range: 6-21) was associated with faster WMH increase (β-coefficient = 0.005; 95% CI: 0.003-0.008). There were statistical interactions of metabolic genetic risk score with global and behavioral CVH profiles on WMH accumulation. A higher metabolic genetic risk score was related to faster WMH accumulation, with β-coefficients being 0.015(0.007-0.023), 0.005(0.001-0.009), and 0.003(-0.001 to 0.006) among people with unfavorable, intermediate, and favorable global CVH profiles, respectively; the corresponding β-coefficients were 0.013(0.006-0.020), 0.006(0.003-0.009), and 0.002(-0.002 to 0.006) among people with unfavorable, intermediate, and favorable behavioral CVH profiles. Intermediate to favorable global CVH profiles in older adults are associated with slower vascular brain aging. The association of metabolic genetic risk load with accelerated vascular brain aging was evident among people with unfavorable to intermediate, but not favorable, CVH profiles. These findings highlight the importance of adhering to favorable CVH profiles, especially healthy behaviors, in vascular brain health.

Within-week differences in external training load demands in elite volleyball players

PurposeThe aim of this study was to analyze the within-week differences in external training intensity in different microcycles considering different playing positions in women elite volleyball players.MethodsThe training and match data were collected during the 2020–2021 season, which included 10 friendly matches, 41 league matches and 11 champions league matches. The players’ position, training/match duration, training/match load, local positioning system (LPS) total distance, LPS jumps, accelerations, decelerations, high metabolic load distance (HMLD), acute and chronic (AC) mean and AC ratio calculated with the rolling average (RA) method and the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) method, monotony and strain values were analyzed.ResultsAll the variables except strain, Acc/Dec ratio and acute mean (RA) showed significant differences among distance to match days. Regarding the players’ positions, the only difference was found in the AC ratio (EWMA); in all microcycles, the middle blocker player showed workload values when compared with the left hitter, setter and libero.ConclusionOverall, the analysis revealed that the intensity of all performance indicators, except for strain, acc/dec and acute mean load (RA), showed significant differences among distance to match day with moderate to large effect sizes. When comparing players’ positions, the middle blocker accumulated the lowest loads. There were no significant differences among other positions.

The eight-week concurrent training effect on functional capacity in person living with unilateral transtibial amputation: A randomized controlled trial

IntroductionThe main causes of amputation include vascular diseases, trauma, cancer, and congenital limb abnormalities. The person with transtibial amputation (TA) is affected by a greater cardiorespiratory, metabolic, and muscular load to walk and perform daily activities. The sedentary lifestyle contributes to the process of chronic non-communicable diseases. The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of eight-week concurrent training (CT) for dependent variables as muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, agility, and postural balance in persons with unilateral TA. MethodsA eight-week, randomized, controlled trial. Thirty-one people using prostheses for three or more months were selected. They were randomly divided into two groups: Experimental Group (EG; n = 17) – concurrent training and Control group (CG; n = 14) - no training. All patients were evaluated at the baseline and after eight weeks by the functional performance, isokinetic knee evaluation, static and dynamic posturography and cardiopulmonary test. ResultsThe patients showed improvements in all measures after training (size effect >0.80). ConclusionThe main limitations are the sample size, related to the socioeconomic status and availability training and no comparison to other types of training. Eight weeks of CT was effective and favorably modified the dependent variables in TA patients. Therefore, CT is a good option to improve functional performance after the regular rehabilitation program discharge and decreases the metabolic and functional deficits of these patients.

Oil-degrading bacterial consortium from Gulf of Mexico designed by a factorial method, reveals stable population dynamics

We describe an assembled marine bacterial consortium designed for bioremediation of oil-contaminated seawater, based on a statistical method using a Plackett-Burman (PB) experimental approach. The final consortium consists of four bacteria isolated from the Gulf of Mexico, from four genera: Pseudomonas, Halopseudomonas, Paenarthrobacter, and Alcanivorax. Individually, bacterial oil removal by these microorganisms was evaluated by gravimetry, reaching 39% at maximum after 75 days, whereas in consortium it was ~62%. We also measured biodegradation levels by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) observing 12 polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation analyzed and n-alkanes degradation with a preference for specific chain length. Consortium population analysis using the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA showed a stable community, suggesting that the metabolic load was distributed among bacteria and that stable dynamic interactions were achieved. In this work, we show that the use of a factorial method for synthetic consortium design offers the possibility of improving oil degradation efficiency with stable bacterial populations.

High metabolic load distance in professional soccer according to competitive level and playing positions.

BackgroundHigh metabolic load distance provides global information about the soccer players’ total high-intensity activities. Thus, this study aimed to examine the Spanish professional soccer players’ high metabolic load distance profile, comparing competitive level and playing positions.MethodsA total of 18,131 individual match observations were collected from outfield players competing during the 2018/2019 and 2019/20 seasons in the First and Second Spanish Professional Soccer Leagues (LaLiga™). High Metabolic Load Distance (HMLD; distance covered with a power consumption above 25.5 W·kg−1 and accelerations or decelerations (e.g., accelerating from 2 to 4 m·s−2 for 1 s) were included), and HMLD per minute (HMLDmin) were analyzed by the ChryonHego® video-tracking system. Players were classified according to their playing position as follows: Central Backs (CB), Full Backs (FB), Center Midfields (CM), Wide Midfields (WM), and Forwards (FW).ResultsNo differences between competitive levels were found in any variable when all players were analyzed conjointly except for HMLDmin overall and during the second half. However, when playing positions were considered, differences between competitive levels were observed in all positions, mainly in HMLD and HMLD during the first-half variables. In addition, several differences between playing positions were observed, with CB presenting the lowest values in all variables compared to their counterparts in both competitive levels, whereas CM in First Division and WM in Second Division showed the highest values in the HMLD variables.DiscussionThe findings are of interest to analyze the HMLD in professional soccer players, enabling the adaptation and individualization of training in this population according to the competitive level and specific playing position of each player.

Overexpression of bacteriophage T4 and T7 endolysins differentially regulate the metabolic fingerprint of host Escherichia coli

Bioactive proteins are often overexpressed in different host systems for biotechnological/biomedical applications. Endolysins are natural bactericidal proteins that cleave the bacterial peptidoglycan membrane, and have the potential to be the next-generation enzybiotics. Therefore, the present study aims to elucidate the impact of two endolysins (T4L, T7L) overexpression on metabolic fingerprint of E. coli using NMR spectroscopy. The 1H NMR-based metabolomics analysis revealed global metabolite profiles of E. coli in response to endolysins. The study has identified nearly 75 metabolites, including organic acids, amino acids, sugars and nucleic acids. RNA Polymerase (RNAP) has been considered as reference protein for marking the specific alterations in metabolic pathways. The data suggested downregulation of central carbon metabolic pathway in both endolysins overexpression, but to a different extent. Also, the endolysin overexpression have highlighted the enhanced metabolic load and stress generation in the host cells, thus leading to the activation of osmoregulatory pathways. The overall changes in metabolic fingerprint of E. coli highlights the enhanced perturbations during the overexpression of T4L as compared to T7L. These untargeted metabolic studies shed light on the regulation of molecular pathways during the heterologous overexpression of these lytic enzymes that are lethal to the host.

Neither Resistance Or Aerobic Training Improve Postprandial Lipemia Or Glycemia In Post-menopausal Women.

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for women. Post-menopausal (PM) women are particularly vulnerable in terms of adverse cardiometabolic risk factors, including impairments in glucose and lipid metabolism. Acute resistance and aerobic exercise are efficacious for improving postprandial metabolic glucose (GLU) and triglycerides (TG), however it is unclear if chronic training elicits improvements in postprandial metabolism in PM women. Purpose: To determine if 16 weeks of progressive resistance (RT) or aerobic (AT) training improve postprandial GLU and TG in PM women. Methods: Forty-eight PM women (56 ± 5 y) completed 16 weeks of RT (n = 18), AT (n = 16), or no exercise (control (CON; n = 14)). PM women in the RT group completed 2-4 sets of 9 exercises for the major muscle groups at 50-70% of one repetition maximum on 3 d·wk-1. PM women in the AT group walked, jogged, or cycled at 50-65% of heart rate reserve on 5 d·wk-1. PM women in the CON group maintained habitual physical activity and dietary habits. Before and after the intervention period, participants arrived to the lab after a 10-h fast and having abstained from exercise for at least 72 h. Participants’ GLU and TG were measured while fasted (BL), and 2 h and 4 h after consuming a standardized high-fat, high-sugar meal (12 kcal/kg body weight; 61% fat, 25% carbohydrate). Metabolic load index (MLI) was calculated as the sum of GLU and TG at each time point. Trapezoidal area under the curve (tAUC) and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were calculated for GLU, TG, and MLI. Non-normally distributed data were log-transformed for analyses, which included two-way mixed effects models (group * time). Results: The GLU tAUC decreased (p = 0.025) from pre- to post-intervention independent of group (539.7 ± 53.6 vs. 520.0 ± 59.63 mg/d x 4 hr). No significant interactions or main effects were observed for any other outcome (p = 0.134 - 0.814). Conclusions: Neither 16 weeks of RT or AT influenced postprandial TG or GLU in PM women. These data may suggest that chronic exercise training does not modify postprandial metabolic response to mixed meals independent of acute exercise, or otherwise that PM women are resistant to the potential beneficial effects of chronic training on postprandial metabolism. Future studies are needed to examine these possibilities.