Spirulina supplementation during gradual weight loss in competitive wrestlers.

We aimed to assess the effects of spirulina supplementation during gradual weight loss on serum concentrations of follistatin (FST), myostatin (MST), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and body composition in competitive wrestlers. Forty competitive wrestlers (age: 22 (sem 2) years) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: gradual weight loss + spirulina (SP; n 20) or gradual weight loss + placebo (PL; n 20). Subjects in both groups lost weight according to a designed diet over 12 d and were required to reduce baseline body mass (BM) by 4%. Subjects in the SP group received two tablets of spirulina, while subjects in the PL received two tablets of placebo before each meal. Concentrations of mentioned serum markers and body composition were measured before and after the interventions. BM (SP = -3·1 kg and PL = -2·9 kg), body fat percentage (BFP) (SP = -2·1 % and PL = -0·6 %), fat mass (FM) (SP = -2·2 kg and PL = -0·9 kg) and skeletal muscle mass (SP = -1·4 kg and PL = -1·5 kg) significantly decreased in both groups (P < 0·05). The changes in BFP and FM were significantly greater in SP compared with the PL group (P < 0·001). Additionally, MST (SP = -0·1 ng/ml), AST (SP = -2·1 u/l) and ALT (SP = -2·7 u/l) concentrations significantly diminished in SP group (P = 0·005), while FST (PL = -0·1 ng/ml) and IGF-1 (PL = -2·6 ng/ml) concentrations significantly decreased in PL group (P < 0·05). Spirulina supplementation during gradual weight loss is beneficial in reducing BFP, FM, MST and liver enzymes while maintaining IGF-1 and FST concentrations in competitive wrestlers.

Endurance exercise improves avoidance learning and spatial memory, through changes in genes of GABA and relaxin-3, in rats.

Different exercise patterns, neurotransmitters, and some genes have numerous effects on learning and memory. This research aims to investigate the long-term effects of submaximal aerobic exercise on spatial memory (SM), passive avoidance learning (PAL), levels of serum relaxin-3, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), RLN3 gene, and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65/67 genes) in the brainstem of adult male Wistar rats. Fifty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: aerobic exercise groups, performed on a treadmill running (TR), for 5 weeks (Ex5, n = 10), 10 weeks (Ex10, n = 10), involuntary running wheel group for 5 weeks (IRW5, n = 10), sham (Sh, n = 10) and control (Co, n = 10). Consequently, SM, PAL, serum relaxin-3, GABA, and GAD65/67 and RLN3 genes were measured by ELISA and PCR. Ex5, Ex10 and IRW5 improved significantly SM (p ≤ 0.05), PAL (p ≤ 0.001) and decreased significantly relaxin-3 (p ≤ 0.001). RLN3 in the brain also decreased. However, it was not significant. GABA and GAD65/GAD67 increased significantly (p ≤ 0.05) in Ex5, Ex10 compared to Sh and Co. Aerobic exercise enhanced SM and PAL in Ex compared to Co and Sh. However, duration and type of exercise affected the level of enhancement. The serum relaxin-3 and RLN3 gene displayed reverse functions compared to GABA and GAD65/67 genes in Ex. Therefore, the changes of neurotransmitters in serum relaxin-3, GABA, and their genes: RLN3 and GAD65/67 respectively, influenced learning and memory meaningfully.

Fitness Monitoring in Elite Soccer Players: Group vs. Individual Analyses.

Rabbani, A, Kargarfard, M, and Twist, C. Fitness monitoring in elite soccer players; group vs. individual analyses. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3250-3257, 2020-The aims of this study were to (a) examine changes in group and individual HR measures during a submaximal warm-up test, and (b) investigate the relationship between accumulated internal training loads and HR changes during an in-season phase among elite soccer players (n = 14). Before and after an in-season phase (24 days), exercise HR (HRex) and HR recovery (HRR) expressed either as the number of beats recovered (HRR60s) or as the mean HR (HRpost1) during 1 minute of recovery were analyzed. Heart rate measures were expressed as the % of maximal HR. Session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE) was computed for all training/match sessions. Group and individual HR changes were analyzed using magnitude-based inferences. Pearson correlation coefficients were also used to examine the relationships. Group analyses of HR changes revealed there were possibly to likely trivial changes in all HR measures. When analyzing individual data, no substantial change was observed for HRR60s%. However, substantial changes in HRex% and HRpost1% were observed for 4/14 and 5/14 players, respectively. The relationships between HRex% and HRpost1% were nearly perfect (r = 0.90, confidence limits [0.82-0.95]). The associations between changes in HRex% and HRpost1% were also nearly perfect (r = 0.92, 0.80-0.97). A very large inverse correlation was observed between HRex% and accumulated sRPE (r = -0.75, -0.44 to -0.90). This study highlights the value of conducting individual vs. group aerobic fitness monitoring. This study also showed the importance of how HRR is reported when aerobic fitness monitoring of elite soccer players.

Variations of external load variables between medium- and large-sided soccer games in professional players.

This study compared the relative physical demands of official matches and sided games (medium and large) in professional soccer players by means of a global positioning system. Twenty-three professional male soccer players (24.63[Formula: see text]2.84 years old; 180.94[Formula: see text]6.49 cm; 77.19[Formula: see text]6.46 kg; 52.99[Formula: see text]5.01 VO2max) participated in the study. Total distance, running distance, sprinting distance, number of sprints, and acceleration sum were quantified per minute to compare the different games. Running distance in full match was greater than in 5vs5+GK (d = 2.303, moderate effect), 6vs6+GK (d = 1.719, moderate effect) and 9vs9+GK (d = 1.084, minimum effect) sided games. Greater values for sprinting distance were found in the full match compared to 5vs5+GK (d = 3.673, strong effect), 6vs6+GK (d = 2.606, moderate effect) and 9vs9+GK (d = 1.903, moderate effect) sided games. However, the load was greater in the 5vs5+GK game compared to the 6vs6+GK (d = 1.323, moderate effect) and 9vs9+GK (d = 1.030, minimum effect) games and the full match (d = 1.478, moderate effect). This study revealed that medium-sided games are not appropriate for simulating the sprinting conditions of official full matches. However, medium-sided games are more intense than full matches in that accelerations are made more often in medium-sided games.

Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the Impact of Aquatic Exercise Training on Functional Capacity, Balance, and Perceptions of Fatigue in Female Patients With Multiple Sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of an 8-week aquatic exercise training program on functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Randomized controlled design. SETTING: Referral center of an MS society. PARTICIPANTS: Women (N=32; mean age ± SD, 36.4±8.2y) with diagnosed relapsing-remitting MS. After undergoing baseline testing by a neurologist, participants were allocated to either an intervention (aquatic training program, n=17) or a control group (n=15). INTERVENTIONS: The intervention consisted of an 8-week aquatic training program (3 supervised training sessions per week; session duration, 45-60min; 50%-75% estimated maximum heart rate). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Six-minute walk test (6-MWT), balance (Berg Balance Scale [BBS]), and perceptions of fatigue (Modified Fatigue Impact Scale; [MFIS]) at baseline and after the 8-week intervention. Differences over time between the experimental and control groups were assessed by a 2×2 (group by time) repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: Thirty-two women completed the 8-week aquatic training intervention (experimental group, n=17; control group, n=15). All outcome measures improved in the experimental group: 6-MWT performance (pretest mean ± SD, 451±58m; posttest mean ± SD, 503±57m; P<.001); BBS (pretest mean ± SD, 53.59±1.70; posttest mean ± SD, 55.18±1.18; P<.001), and MFIS (pretest mean ± SD, 43.1±14.6; posttest mean ± SD, 32.8±5.9; P<.01). A significant group-by-time interaction was evident between the experimental and control groups for 6-MWT (P<.001, partial eta2 [ηp2]=.551), BBS (P<.001, ηp2=.423), and MFIS (P<.001, ηp2=.679). CONCLUSIONS: Aquatic exercise training improved functional capacity, balance, and perceptions of fatigue in women with MS.

Reliability and Validity of a Submaximal Warm-up Test for Monitoring Training Status in Professional Soccer Players.

Rabbani, A, Kargarfard, M, and Twist, C. Reliability and validity of a submaximal warm-up test for monitoring training status in professional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 326-333, 2018-Two studies were conducted to assess the reliability and validity of a submaximal warm-up test (SWT) in professional soccer players. For the reliability study, 12 male players performed an SWT over 3 trials, with 1 week between trials. For the validity study, 14 players of the same team performed an SWT and a 30-15 intermittent fitness test (30-15IFT) 7 days apart. Week-to-week reliability in selected heart rate (HR) responses (exercise heart rate [HRex], heart rate recovery [HRR] expressed as the number of beats recovered within 1 minute [HRR60s], and HRR expressed as the mean HR during 1 minute [HRpost1]) was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and typical error of measurement expressed as coefficient of variation (CV). The relationships between HR measures derived from the SWT and the maximal speed reached at the 30-15IFT (VIFT) were used to assess validity. The range for ICC and CV values was 0.83-0.95 and 1.4-7.0% in all HR measures, respectively, with the HRex as the most reliable HR measure of the SWT. Inverse large (r = -0.50 and 90% confidence limits [CLs] [-0.78 to -0.06]) and very large (r = -0.76 and CL, -0.90 to -0.45) relationships were observed between HRex and HRpost1 with VIFT in relative (expressed as the % of maximal HR) measures, respectively. The SWT is a reliable and valid submaximal test to monitor high-intensity intermittent running fitness in professional soccer players. In addition, the test's short duration (5 minutes) and simplicity mean that it can be used regularly to assess training status in high-level soccer players.

Efficacy of massage on muscle soreness, perceived recovery, physiological restoration and physical performance in male bodybuilders.

It is believed that sport massage after intensive exercise might improve power and perceptual recovery in athletes. However, few studies have been done in this area. This study aimed to examine the effect of massage on the performance of bodybuilders. Thirty experienced male bodybuilders were randomly assigned to either a massage group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). Both groups performed five repetition sets at 75-77% of 1RM of knee extensor and flexor muscle groups. The massage group then received a 30-min massage after the exercise protocol while the control group maintained their normal passive recovery. Criteria under investigation included: plasma creatine kinase (CK) level, agility test, vertical jump test, isometric torque test, and perception of soreness. All variables were measured over 6 time periods: baseline, immediately after the DOMS inducing protocol, right after the massage, and 24, 48, and 72 h after the massage. Both groups showed significant (P < .001) decreases in jumping, agility performance, and isometric torque, but significant (P < .001) increases in CK and muscle soreness levels. The massage group in general demonstrated a better recovery rate. As such, a post-exercise massage session can improve the exercise performance and recovery rate in male bodybuilders after intensive exercise.

Effects of polluted air on cardiovascular and hematological parameters after progressive maximal aerobic exercise.

PURPOSE: Exercising or doing physical activity in polluted air could expose a person to the adverse health effects of air pollution. This study aimed to compare the cardiovascular and hematologic indices following an incremental exercise test (shuttle run) under clean versus polluted air conditions. METHODS: Nineteen male athletes aged 21-27 years were assigned to either a trained athletes group (TA, n = 10) or a complete training cessation/detrained athletes group (DA, n = 9) at least 3-4 months after their competitive season. All participants performed the multi-stage shuttle run test on two separate days in either polluted air (37.4 carbon monoxide part per million) or clean air (2.5 carbon monoxide part per million) condition. RESULTS: When compared to the clean air environment, progressive incremental exercise in polluted air condition significantly (p < .05) decreased maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), red blood cell count, and hematocrit for both TA and DA groups. Meanwhile, the participants' mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean red blood cell volume, white blood cells, and platelets in these two groups increased significantly (p < .05) when they were exercised in the polluted air ambiance. Maximal heart rate and heart rate recovery showed significant (p = .04) increases only in the DA group. However, hemoglobin concentration remained unchanged in both groups. CONCLUSION: Acute exposure to high concentrations of pollutants during exercise resulted in decline in cardiovascular functions and hematological parameters in healthy athletes.

Intensive resistance exercise and circadian salivary testosterone concentrations among young male recreational lifters.

Strength and morphological adaptations to resistance exercise are mediated in part by anabolic hormones such as testosterone, yet the time course of variability in circadian hormone concentrations is not well characterized. This study, investigated how the circadian rhythm of salivary testosterone is altered by resistance exercise in young men. Twenty healthy young male recreational lifters (age, 18.0 ± 1.3 years) with 2 years of experience in weightlifting were recruited. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, and subjects were randomly assigned to either the resistance exercise group (n = 10), who completed a series of resistance exercise (3 times a week, in the afternoon, 6-7 repetitions, at 85% of 1 repetition maximum for 3 weeks), or a control group (n = 10), who did not exercise during the 3 weeks. Before and after the study, an unstimulated saliva sample (2 ml) was taken every 2 hours for a maximum of 16 hours during each day. A significant decrease was observed in the resistance exercise (44.2%, p = 0.001) and control group (46.1%, p = 0.001) for salivary testosterone at each time point compared with baseline (p = 0.001). There was also no significant difference between the exercise and resting conditions in both groups for salivary testosterone (p > 0.05), except a significantly higher increase by 38.4% vs. -0.02% (p = 0.001), at 1730 hours during exercise sessions in the resistance exercise group compared with the control group. Resistance exercise has no noteworthy effect on circadian secretion of salivary testosterone throughout the 16 waking hours. These results indicate that athletes can undertake resistance exercise in either the morning or afternoon with the knowledge that a similar testosterone response can be expected regardless of the time of day.

Differences in the Impact of Various Types of Exercise on Irisin Levels: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Irisin, a myokine that is responsive to exercise, induces significant changes in subcutaneous adipose tissue. By promoting the browning of white fat tissue, it enhances energy expenditure, thereby addressing overweight and obesity. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the effects of different types of physical exercises on irisin levels in overweight and obese adults. Methods: Specifically, the review focused on studies involving obese or overweight individuals who participated in exercise training for a minimum of 8 weeks, with measured and reported changes in serum irisin levels compared to a control group. Data were collected from four databases (Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed, and Scopus). The risk of bias was assessed using the Begg and Egger tests, and the results were synthesized. Results: Initial searches identified 560 titles, out of which only seven met the criteria for inclusion in the systematic review. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant increase in serum irisin concentration (SMD = 0.957, P = 0.005) among obese and overweight individuals who engaged in exercise, compared to the passive control group. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) (SMD = 1.229, P < 0.001) had a more pronounced effect on increasing serum irisin levels than other exercise protocols. Furthermore, the effectiveness of exercise varied based on the participants' weight status (significant changes for overweight individuals; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for obese individuals; P = 0.1), age (significant changes for those under 40 years old; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for those over 40 years old; P = 0.322), and gender (significant changes for men; P < 0.001 and insignificant changes for women; P = 0.285). Conclusions: Consequently, exercise can elevate serum irisin levels, leading to alterations in adipose tissue phenotype and thermogenesis, ultimately contributing to weight reduction in obese and overweight individuals.

High-Protein Diets during either Resistance or Concurrent Training Have No Detrimental Effect on Bone Parameters in Resistance-Trained Males.

BACKGROUND: The effects of combining resistance training (RT) and concurrent training (CT; resistance + endurance training) with varied protein doses on bone measures remain poorly understood. Hence, we conducted a comparison of the impacts of two high-protein diets (1.6 or 3.2 g kg-1 d-1) over 16 weeks in resistance-trained males, either with CT or RT alone. METHODS: A total of forty-eight males, all of whom were resistance-trained, had the following demographics: 26.6 ± 6 years, body mass index: 25.6 ± 2.9 kg m-2 administered either 3.2 g kg-1 d-1 protein (CT2; n = 12; RT2; n = 12) or 1.6 g kg-1 d-1 protein (CT1; n = 12; RT1; n = 12) during 16 weeks (four sessions·w-1). Bone parameters were assessed pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: There was no significant interaction between the intervention group and time for the legs, arms, ribs, or pelvis area BMC and BMD (p > 0.05). For the BMD of the pelvis and the BMC of the right ribs, however, there were significant time effects noted (p < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between the intervention group and time in the lumbar and thoracic spines, with a particular time effect noted for the thoracic spine region (p < 0.05). The regional differences in skeletal responses to the intervention are highlighted by these data. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that the intake of two high-protein diets combined with RT and CT during 16 weeks had no adverse effects on bone tissue parameters. While these findings indicate that protein intake between 2 and 3 times the current RDI does not promote bone demineralization when consumed in conjunction with exercise, future studies investigating the long-term effects of chronic high protein intake on bone tissue health are warranted.

Effects of 16 weeks of two different high-protein diets with either resistance or concurrent training on body composition, muscular strength and performance, and markers of liver and kidney function in resistance-trained males.

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether resistance (RT) and concurrent training (CT; resistance plus endurance training) combined with different protein intakes have differential effects on muscle hypertrophy, strength, and performance. Therefore, we compared the effects of two high-protein diets (1.6 or 3.2 g.kg-1.d-1) during 16 weeks of either CT or RT alone in resistance-trained males. METHODS: Forty-eight resistance-trained males (age: 26 ± 6 yr, body mass index: 25.6 ± 2.9 kg.m-2) performed 16 weeks (four sessions·w-1) of CT or RT with either 1.6 g.kg-1.d-1 protein (CT1; n = 12; RT1; n = 12) or 3.2 g.kg-1.d-1 protein (CT2; n = 12; RT2; n = 12). Training adaptations were assessed pre-, mid-, and post-intervention. RESULTS: All measures of performance (endurance, vertical jump, and pull-up), lean mass, muscle strength, and power significantly increased post-intervention in all groups, but peak power gains were greater in RT2 compared with RT1 and CT1 (p < .05). VO2max significantly increased in both CT groups (p < .001). Select biochemical markers of kidney and liver function significantly increased within the RT2 and CT2 groups (p < .05), however, no between-group differences were apparent (p > .05). CONCLUSIONS: With the exception of peak power, intake of 1.6 g.kg-1.d-1 of protein appears sufficient to maximize gains in lean mass, muscle strength, performance, and aerobic capacity during both RT and CT without influencing markers of kidney and liver function, indicating this daily protein amount is effective and safely tolerated in young, healthy adults.

The Effects of 4-Week Aerobic Exercise on the Levels of CCl2, CCl5, and their Respective Receptors in Female BALB/C Mice Suffering from Breast Cancer.

Background: The studies reported that chemokines Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) and Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5) have tumor-promoting roles in breast cancer (BC). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of 4 weeks of continuous aerobic exercise (AE) on chemokines CCL2 and CCL5 and their relative receptors in animal model of human BC. Materials and Methods: BALB/c mice were divided randomly into four groups included cancer control (CC) and three other groups. The total duration of the experiment was 14 weeks, including 2 weeks of familiarization of mice with treadmills and three of 4-week periods of experiment. Tumor inoculation and formation were performed in the second 4-week period. Group 1 received AE in the first 4-week, Group 2 received AE in the second 4-week and Group 3 in the third 4-week. Results: The CCL2 was reduced significantly in Groups 1, 2, and 3 compared to control (F3,12= 4705, P = 0.0001). In terms of CCL5, a significant decrease was seen only between Group 3 and control. Western blot results showed a significant reduction in C-C chemokine receptor Type 2 (CCR2) between Group 1 versus CC and Group 2 versus CC (F3,20= 1.812, P = 0.004). In terms of C-C chemokine receptor Type 5 (CCR5) a significant decrease was observed between Group 2 versus control and Group 3 versus control (F3,20= 273.3, P = 0.042), (P = 0.004). Conclusion: It can be concluded that 4-week AE significantly reduces the chemokines CCL2 and CCL5 and their respective receptors levels CCR5 and CCR2 in different stages, and it may have an inhibitory effect on tumor growth.

The Effect of 4 Weeks Aerobic Exercise Training with Detraining Courses in Various Prevention Phases on BCl-2 and BAX Genes Expression and Proteins.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise with detraining in different phases of prevention on BCL2 Associated X (BAX) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCl-2) gene expression and proteins. Methods: For this purpose, 32 female Balb-c mice (18-20 g) were purchased and randomly assigned to primordial prevention (A), primary prevention (B), secondary prevention (C), and control (D). A group performed aerobic exercise for 4 weeks, after 4T1 cells injection detrained for 8 weeks. Group B performed aerobic exercise for 4 weeks immediately after injecting 4T1 cells and then detrained for 4 weeks. In C group, the 4T1 cells were first injected and did not perform any activity for 4 weeks, followed by 4 weeks of aerobic exercise. Forty-eight hours after the last training session and detraining courses, after anesthesia, sacrificing, and tissue removal, were performed. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT PCR) was used to measure gene expression and Western blot (WB) was used to measure protein content. One-way Analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used to analyze data. Results: The results showed that aerobic exercise in A, B, and C groups compared to D group reduced BCl-2 gene expression and protein and increased BAX gene expression and protein. Conclusions: Therefore, exercise can cause apoptosis in tumor cells by increasing pre-apoptotic factors and decreasing antiapoptotic factors in tumor cells, and consequently improving the disease status.

The effects of gradual vs. rapid weight loss on serum concentrations of myokines and body composition in overweight and obese females.

Context: Research has shown the modulations of Follistatin (FST) and Myostatin (MST) following weight loss.Objective: We evaluated the effects of gradual weight loss (GWL) and rapid weight loss (RWL) on serum MST, FST, and body composition in overweight and obese females.Materials and methods: Thirty-six overweight and obese females successfully completed the study interventions: GWL (n = 18) or RWL (n = 18). Serum MST and FST concentrations, as well as anthropometric measurements, were collected at baseline and at the conclusion of each weight loss intervention.Results: MST concentration significantly (p < .05) decreased in the GWL; while FST concentration, body fat percentage and skeletal muscle mass significantly declined in both conditions. The loss in skeletal muscle mass was significantly greater in RWL relative to GWL.Discussion and conclusion: GWL was more effective than RWL in preserving skeletal muscle mass in overweight and obese females. Moreover, GWL leads to declines in MST concentrations.

The Effects of 12 Weeks of Concurrent and Combined Training on Inflammatory Markers, Muscular Performance, and Body Composition in Middle-Aged Overweight and Obese Males.

AIM: Previous studies have focused on the order of endurance and resistance training when performing concurrent training (CT). However, no study has compared the effects of combined training with CT orders on inflammatory markers, muscular performance, and body composition in overweight and obese males. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of 12 weeks of CT and combined training on the aforementioned markers in overweight and obese males. METHODS: Sixty middle-aged overweight and obese males (age 51 ± 4 years) were randomly assigned into one of four groups: endurance followed by resistance training (ER; n = 15), resistance followed by endurance training (RE; n = 15), combined resistance and endurance training (COM), or control (CON; n = 15). Anthropometric, body composition, inflammatory marker, and muscular performance measurements were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks. RESULTS: FFM remained unchanged in all three intervention groups (p > 0.05). Reductions in FM in the RE group were significantly greater than in CON (p = 0.038). The increases in serum concentrations of adiponectin in the RE group were significantly greater than in all other groups (p < 0.05). Increased serum concentrations of CTRP3 in all intervention groups were significantly greater than the CON group (p < 0.05); moreover, the increases in the RE group were significantly greater than CON (p < 0.001). Regarding CTRP5, the increase in RE was significantly greater than COM (p = 0.014). The RE group experienced significantly greater increases in CTRP9 than all other groups (p < 0.05), and the decreases in serum concentrations of CRP and TNF-α were significantly greater in the RE group compared to CON and ER (p < 0.05). Vo2max in the ER group was significantly greater than COM (p = 0.009), and all interventions resulted in higher gains compared to CON (p < 0.05). The increases in leg press strength, chest press strength, lower-body power, and upper-body power in the RE group were significantly greater than in the COM group (p < 0.05). In addition, the increases in chest press strength in the ER group were significantly greater than COM (p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of training order, CT improved inflammatory markers, body composition, power, and VO2max. Notably, our analysis indicated significantly greater improvements in adiponectin, CTRP5, CTRP9, CRP, and TNF-α levels when RT preceded ET in CT sessions compared to other exercise training sequences. These findings suggested that the order of exercise training may have a significant impact on the effectiveness of CT on inflammatory markers, which has potential implications for exercise prescription and optimization of health-related training outcomes.

The impact of an after-school physical activity program on health-related fitness of mother/daughter pairs: CASPIAN study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of parental support and involvement in a low-cost intervention for the improvement of health-related fitness of high school girls through an after-school physical activity (PA) program. METHODS: This multi-site study was conducted in 2006-2007 in 7 provinces in Iran. The study population comprised of two groups of children. The first group consisted of 206 children who were randomly selected from female students (7th-10th grade) and their mothers (n=204). Another 60 children (without their mothers) were randomly selected as the control group. Overall, during 12 weeks, 24 sessions of after-school aerobic exercise were held. Health-related fitness data were collected pre- and post-intervention. RESULTS: The findings are based on 470 participants. The after-school PA significantly improved body mass index, resting heart rate, cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility and muscle strength and endurance in children in both groups, and in mothers. Improvement in the physiological measures of the children in the mother/daughter group was significantly better than the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that after-school PA may provide an effective model for improving the health-related fitness of high school girls and their mothers. Our data show that family support, including mother's participation, contributes to enhanced health-related achievements in adolescent girls.

Effect of aquatic exercise training on fatigue and health-related quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of aquatic exercise training on fatigue and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial, 4-week and 8-week follow-up. SETTING: Referral center of a multiple sclerosis society. PARTICIPANTS: Women (N=32) diagnosed with relapsing-remitting MS (mean age ± SD, 32.6±8.0y) were recruited into this study. After undergoing baseline testing by a neurologist, participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention (aquatic exercise) or a control group. INTERVENTIONS: The intervention consisted of 8 weeks supervised aquatic exercise in a swimming pool (3 times a week, each session lasting 60min). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: At baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks, fatigue and HRQOL were assessed by a blind assessor using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale and the Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 questionnaire, respectively. A mixed-model approach to repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to detect within- and between-subject effects. RESULTS: Findings are based on 21 patients (10 from the exercise group and 11 from the control group) who had data available on outcomes. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups at the baseline. Patients in the aquatic exercise group showed significant improvements in fatigue and subscores of HRQOL after 4 and 8 weeks compared with the control group. Results obtained from the intention-to-treat analysis were consistent with those of per-protocol analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that aquatic exercise training can effectively improve fatigue and HRQOL of patients with MS and should be considered in the management of this relatively common public health problem.

Effects of 8-Week Noncontinuous Aerobic Exercise on the Levels of CCL2, CCL5, and their Respective Receptors in Female BALB/C Mice Suffering from Breast Cancer.

Background: Recently, the importance of chemokines and their receptors in carcinogenesis and the protective role of aerobic exercise in primary cancer development and progression is highlighted. Based on the facts that endurance exercise may result in hypoxia condition, and in addition, the effect of exercise therapy on the levels of CCL2, CCR2, and their related receptors in breast cancer (BC) model has not been investigated so far, therefore we aimed to evaluate the effect of eight-week noncontinuous aerobic training on the levels of CCL2, CCL5, and their related receptors; CCR2 and CCR5 in female BALB/C mice with BC. Methods: Thirty-two BALB/C mice (4-5 weeks old) were randomly divided to four 8-member groups of control and experimental. The experimental group received 8 weeks of noncontinuous aerobic exercises (AEs) while the control group did not receive any exercises during these 8 weeks. After last of experiment, 5 ml of blood was taken from each rat's lower inferior vein. The plasma levels of CCL2 and CCL5 were measured by ELISA and CCR2 and CCR5 by western blot. Tumor volume also measured in each step. Data were analyzed using the ANOVA test and the SPSS v. 0.24 Software. Results: After 8 weeks of participation in noncontinuous AEs, a statistically significant decrease was made between the control and experimental groups in terms of CCL2, CCL5, and CCR2 levels, as well as tumor volume. However, there was no significant difference between groups in terms of CCR5 level. Conclusions: It can be concluded that the 8 weeks of noncontinuous AEs did not result in CCR5 reduction while resulting in a statistically significant decrease in CCL2, CCL5, CCR2, and tumor volume.

Effects of 12-week moderate aerobic exercise on ROCK2 activity, hs-CRP and glycemic index in obese patients with impaired glucose tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a chronic low-grade inflammatory state that is related to prediabetes, increased Rhoassociated kinase 2 (ROCK2) activity and concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Therefore, the study was conducted to investigate the effects of 12-week moderate aerobic exercise on ROCK2 activity, hs-CRP, glycosylated hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and glycemic index in obese patients with impaired glucose tolerance. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental design with pre and post-test, 42 obese men with prediabetes [mean±SD, age: 44.73 ± 3.30 years, body mass index (BMI): 33.22 ± 2.05 kg/m2, HbA1c: 6.29% ± 0.75] were allocated into two randomized homogeneous groups: Aerobic training group (AT, n = 22) or control group (C, n = 20). Exercise group performed a moderate aerobic exercise program three sessions per week, 60 min per session for 12 weeks. Body mass, BMI, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), serum levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-B); HbA1c, hs-CRP, or ROCK2 activity were measured before and after the study period. The data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA 2 × 2 and paired sample t-test at a significant level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: AT caused a significant reduction in body mass (p ≤ 0.001), BMI (p = 0.04), HOMA-B (p = 0.003), serum levels of FBG (p = 0.002), HbA1c (p = 0.039), hs-CRP (p ≤ 0.0001), and ROCK2 activity (p = 0.001). In contrast, in the same group, a significant increase was observed in VO2max (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that moderate aerobic exercise was an effective and safe method to prevent type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in obese men with prediabetes by improving glucose metabolism, reduction of body mass, ROCK2 activity and serum levels of hs-CRP.