Regional phase angle, not whole-body, is augmented in response to pre-season in professional soccer players.

The objective of this article was to assess the effects of six-week pre-season training on whole-body and regional bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived parameters, body composition, power, and aerobic performance in professional soccer players. Ten professional soccer athletes participated in the present study. Whole-body and regional hamstrings BIA-derived parameters [resistance, reactance, impedance, phase angle (PhA)], body composition, total body water (TBW), intracellular (ICW), and extracellular (ECW) were measured before, at mid-point, and after sixth week of the pre-season. Power (countermovement jump and squat jump) and aerobic capacity (Yo-Yo test) were measured before and after pre-season. There was a significant increase in the regional PhA (+13.9%) but not in the whole-body. There was a reduction in fat mass (-4.1%), an increase in fat-free mass (+1.7%), TBW (+8.3%), ICW (+8.8%), and ECW (+7.6%), as well as an increase in jump height (+11.0%) and distance covered in the Yo-Yo test (+34.7%). From our results, it is possible to suggest that pre-season training can induce an increase in hamstring PhA as well as body recomposition and improvement of physical fitness in professional soccer players.

A compendium of physical exercise-related human genes: an 'omic scale analysis.

Regular exercise is an exogenous factor of gene regulation with numerous health benefits. The study aimed to evaluate human genes linked to physical exercise in an 'omic scale, addressing biological questions to the generated database. Three literature databases were searched with the terms 'exercise', 'fitness', 'physical activity', 'genetics' and 'gene expression'. For additional references, papers were scrutinized and a text-mining tool was used. Papers linking genes to exercise in humans through microarray, RNA-Seq, RT-PCR and genotyping studies were included. Genes were extracted from the collected literature, together with information on exercise protocol, experimental design, gender, age, number of individuals, analytical method, fold change and statistical data. The 'omic scale dataset was characterized and evaluated with bioinformatics tools searching for gene expression patterns, functional meaning and gene clusters. As a result, a physical exercise-related human gene compendium was created, with data from 58 scientific papers and 5.147 genes functionally correlated with 17 Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. While 50.9% of the gene set was up-regulated, 41.9% was down-regulated. 743 up- and 530 down-regulated clusters were found, some connected by regulatory networks. To summarize, up- and down-regulation was encountered, with a wide genomic distribution of the gene set and up- and down-regulated clusters possibly assembled by functional gene evolution. Physical exercise elicits a widespread response in gene expression.

Supraphysiological doses of nandrolone decanoate disrupts spermatogenesis but did not interfere on embryo rate.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 10 mg/kg/week of nandrolone decanoate (DECA - Deca Durabolin®) on body composition, hormonal levels, spermatic parameters, redox status, and morphometric parameters of testicle and epididymis; furthermore, the fertility capacity of Wistar rats was measured thought in vitro fertilization (IVF). The animals (n = 16) were divided into two groups: control group (CTRL, n = 8), which received only vehicle composed by peanut oil and 10% of the benzoic alcohol and nandrolone decanoate group (DECA, n = 8), which received intramuscular injections of DECA for 8 weeks, both groups were treated for 8 weeks. The results demonstrate significative decrease in visceral fat, testosterone levels, and thiol content on epididymis, reduction on normal sperm parameters, and deleterious effect on testicles and epididymis tissue morphology showing reduction of germ height and luminal diameter on the DECA group. Thus, it can be concluded that high doses of nandrolone decanoate impairs male reproductive parameters.

Mechanism of molecular interaction of sitagliptin with human DPP4 enzyme - New Insights.

PURPOSE: Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inactivates a range of bioactive peptides. The cleavage of insulinotropic peptides and glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) by DPP4 directly influences glucose homeostasis. This study aimed to describe the mode of interaction between sitagliptin (an antidiabetic drug) and human DPP4 using in silico approaches. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Docking studies were conducted using AutoDock Vina, 2D and 3D schematic drawings were obtained using PoseView and PLIP servers, and the DPP4-sitagliptin complex was visualized with Pymol software. RESULTS: The best affinity energy to form the DPP4-sitagliptin complex was E-value â€‹= â€‹- 8.1 â€‹kcal â€‹mol-1, as indicated by docking simulations. This result suggests a strong interaction. According to our observations, hydrophobic interactions involving the amino acids residues Tyr663 and Val712, hydrogen bonds (Glu203, Glu204, Tyr663, and Tyr667), π-Stacking interactions (Phe355 and Tyr667), and halogenic bonds (Arg123, Glu204, and Arg356) were prevalent in the DPP4-sitagliptin complex. Root Mean Square Deviation prediction also demonstrated that the global structure of the human DPP4 did not have a significant change in its topology, even after the formation of the DPP4-sitagliptin complex. CONCLUSION: The stable interaction between the sitagliptin ligand and the DPP4 enzyme was demonstrated through molecular docking simulations. The findings presented in this work enhance the understanding of the physicochemical properties of the sitagliptin interaction site, supporting the design of more efficient gliptin-like iDPP4 inhibitors.

Transcriptional Profiling of SARS-CoV-2-Infected Calu-3 Cells Reveals Immune-Related Signaling Pathways.

The COVID-19 disease, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in late 2019 and rapidly spread worldwide, becoming a pandemic that infected millions of people and caused significant deaths. COVID-19 continues to be a major threat, and there is a need to deepen our understanding of the virus and its mechanisms of infection. To study the cellular responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection, we performed an RNA sequencing of infected vs. uninfected Calu-3 cells. Total RNA was extracted from infected (0.5 MOI) and control Calu-3 cells and converted to cDNA. Sequencing was performed, and the obtained reads were quality-analyzed and pre-processed. Differential expression was assessed with the EdgeR package, and functional enrichment was performed in EnrichR for Gene Ontology, KEGG pathways, and WikiPathways. A total of 1040 differentially expressed genes were found in infected vs. uninfected Calu-3 cells, of which 695 were up-regulated and 345 were down-regulated. Functional enrichment analyses revealed the predominant up-regulation of genes related to innate immune response, response to virus, inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. These transcriptional changes following SARS-CoV-2 infection may reflect a cellular response to the infection and help to elucidate COVID-19 pathogenesis, in addition to revealing potential biomarkers and drug targets.

trans-Caryophyllene, a natural sesquiterpene, causes tracheal smooth muscle relaxation through blockade of voltage-dependent Ca²âº channels.

trans-Caryophyllene is a major component in the essential oils of various species of medicinal plants used in popular medicine in Brazil. It belongs to the chemical class of the sesquiterpenes and has been the subject of a number of studies. Here, we evaluated the effects of this compound in airway smooth muscle. The biological activities of trans-caryophyllene were examined in isolated bath organs to investigate the effect in basal tonus. Electromechanical and pharmacomechanical couplings were evaluated through the responses to K⁺ depolarization and exposure to acetylcholine (ACh), respectively. Isolated cells of rat tracheal smooth muscle were used to investigate trans-caryophyllene effects on voltage-dependent Ca²âº channels by using the whole-cell voltage-clamp configuration of the patch-clamp technique. trans-Caryophyllene showed more efficiency in the blockade of electromechanical excitation-contraction coupling while it has only minor inhibitory effect on pharmacomechanical coupling. Epithelium removal does not modify tracheal smooth muscle response elicited by trans-caryophyllene in the pharmacomechanical coupling. Under Ca²âº-free conditions, pre-exposure to trans-caryophyllene did not reduce the contraction induced by ACh in isolated rat tracheal smooth muscle, regardless of the presence of intact epithelium. In the whole-cell configuration, trans-caryophyllene (3 mM), inhibited the inward Ba²âº current (I(Ba)) to approximately 50% of control levels. Altogether, our results demonstrate that trans-caryophyllene has anti-spasmodic activity on rat tracheal smooth muscle which could be explained, at least in part, by the voltage-dependent Ca²âº channels blockade.

Pulmonary impairment in type 2 diabetic rats and its improvement by exercise.

AIM: We aimed to evaluate whether the streptozotocin-induced diabetic model can generate lung functional, histological and biochemical impairments and whether moderate exercise can prevent these changes. METHODS: Wistar rats were assigned to control (CTRL), exercise (EXE), diabetic (D) and diabetic with exercise (D+EXE) groups. We used the n5-STZ model of diabetes mellitus triggered by a single injection of streptozotocin (STZ, 120 mg/kg b.w., i.p.) in newborn rats on their 5th day of life. EXE and D+EXE rats were trained by running on a motorized treadmill, 5 days a week for 9 weeks. Blood glucose, body weight, food intake, exercise capacity, lung mechanics, morphology, and antioxidant enzymatic activity were analysed. RESULTS: On the 14th week of life, diabetic rats exhibited a significant impairment in post-prandial glycaemia, glucose tolerance, body weight, food intake, lung function (tissue viscance, elastance, Newtonian resistance and hysteresis), morphological parameters, redox balance and exercise capacity. Physical training completely prevented the diabetes-induced alterations, except for those on fasting blood glucose, which nevertheless remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: Mild diabetes in n5-STZ-treated rats jeopardized pulmonary mechanics, morphology and redox balance, which confirms the occurrence of diabetes-induced pneumopathy. Moreover, moderate exercise completely prevented all diabetes-induced respiratory alterations.

High-Intense Interval Training Prevents Cognitive Impairment And Increases The Expression Of Muscle Genes Fndc5 And Ppargc1a In A Rat Model Of Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world, characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function, whose main histopathological landmark is the accumulation of ß-amyloid in the brain. OBJECTIVE: It is well known that exercise is a neuroprotective factor and that muscles produce and release myokines that exert endocrine effects in inflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Thus, this work intends to establish the relationship between the benefits of exercise through the chronic training of HIIT on cognitive damage induced by the Alzheimer's model by the injection of ß amyloid 1-42. METHODS: For this purpose, forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: Sedentary Sham (SS), Trained Sham (ST), Sedentary Alzheimer's (AS), and Trained Alzheimer's (AT). Animals were submitted to stereotactic surgery and received a hippocampal injection of Aß1-42 or a saline solution. Seven days after surgery, twelve days of treadmill adaptation followed by five maximal running tests (MRT) and fifty-five days of HIIT, rats underwent the Morris water maze test. The animals were then euthanized, and their gastrocnemius muscle tissue was extracted to analyze the Fibronectin type III domain containing 5 (FNDC5), PPARG Coactivator 1 Alpha (PPARGC1A), and Integrin subunit beta 5 (ITGB5-R) expression by qRT-PCR in addition to cross-sectional areas. RESULTS: The HIIT prevents the cognitive deficit induced by the infusion of amyloid ß 1-42 (p<0.0001), causes adaptation of muscle fibers (p<0.0001), modulates the gene expression of FNDC5 (p<0.01), ITGB5 (p<0.01) and PPARGC1A (p<0.01), and induces an increase in peripheral protein expression of FNDC5 (p<0.005). CONCLUSION: Thus, we conclude that HIIT can prevent cognitive damage induced by the infusion of Aß1-42, constituting a non-pharmacological tool that modulates important genetic and protein pathways.

Serum and Urinary Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin Are Not Associated With Serum Redox Parameters in Amateur Athletes After an Ultramarathon.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between oxidative stress and NGAL levels in blood and urine of amateur athletes after participating in a 100 km ultramarathon. Methodology: The sample was composed of seven athletes, submitted to anthropometric assessment, cardiopulmonary exercise test, collection of urine and blood, measurement of body weight. The rate of perceived exertion (RPE), competition duration, heart rate (HR), energy expenditure and oxygen consumption (V'O2") were also measured during the event. The energy consumption during the race was verified at its end. The analyses were based on the means (M) and respective standard deviations (SD), with statistical significance set at 5% (p < 0.05). Paired t-test was used for comparison between the periods before and after the competition, and Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to measure the linear correlation between quantitative variables. Results: Body mass index (BMI) of the sample was 25.75 kg/m2 ± 3.20, body fat percentage 18.54% ± 4.35% and V'O2"max 48.87% ± 4.78. Glucose, cortisol, and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) (p < 0.01) as well as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) active were higher after the race when compared to basal values. Moreover, lactate, creatinine, microalbuminuria, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p < 0.001) were also higher after the race. After the competition, there was a significant correlation only between serum NGAL and creatinine, which was classified as strong and positive (r: 0.77; p < 0.05). There was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of body weight after the event (72.40 kg ± 9.78) compared to before it (73.98 kg ± 10.25). In addition, we found an increase of RPE (p < 0.001) after the race. The competition lasted 820.60 min (±117.00), with a 127.85 bpm (±12.02) HR, a 2209.72 kcal ± 951.97 energy consumption, 7837.16 kcal ± 195.71 energy expenditure, and 28.78 ml/kg/min-1 (±4.66) relative V'O2"max. Conclusion: The lack of correlation between oxidative stress biomarkers and serum and urine NGAL suggests that NGAL is more sensitive to inflammatory processes than to ROS levels.

Test-retest reliability of electrical impedance myography in hamstrings of healthy young men.

Several techniques are available to assess muscle tissue status, including electrical impedance myography (EIM). Despite being used in the assessment of neuromuscular status in injury and response to exercise, reliability data for hamstrings muscles are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the test-retest reliability of EIM components on hamstrings. Twenty-one healthy males (25.3 ± 3.4 years; 173 ± 6.7 cm; and 79.7 ± 15.9 kg) volunteered for this study. Subjects completed two visits, separated by seven days to collect EIM components (resistance, reactance, impedance, and phase angle) in the longitudinal and transversal axis of hamstrings in both thighs, using a bioimpedance device and Ag/AgCL adhesive contact electrodes. The electrode arrangement was in the muscular belly, half the distance between origin and insertion of the hamstrings. Reliability was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), minimal detectable change (MDC), and Bland-Altman plots. We observed high to excellent reliability (ICC > 0.85) between all EIM components, except for reactance with MDC ranged from 2.0 to 10.8 and the mean bias in Bland-Altman plots ranged from -0.02 to 2.48 (95% limits of agreement from -9.98 to 11.20). From our findings, the hamstrings assessment using EIM technique is reliable to assess muscle tissue; therefore, it enables the evaluation of changes/adaptations in clinical and applied contexts.

Neuroprotective mechanisms of chronic physical exercise via reduction of ß-amyloid protein in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease: A systematic review.

AIMS: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common irreversible chronic neurodegenerative disease. It is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of ß-amyloid protein (Aß), which triggers homeostatic breakage in several physiological systems. However, the effect of chronic exercise on the formation of Aß as an alternative therapy has been investigated. This systematic review examines the antiamyloid effect of different types and intensities of exercise, seeking to elucidate its neuroprotective mechanisms. MAIN METHODS: The research was conducted in the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science, using the following descriptors: "amyloid beta" (OR senile plaque OR amyloid plaque) and "exercise" (OR physical activity OR training). The risk of bias was evaluated through SYRCLE's Risk of Bias for experimental studies. KEY FINDINGS: 2268 articles were found, being 36 included in the study. A higher frequency of use of mice with genetic alterations was identified for the Alzheimer's disease (AD) model (n = 29). It was used as chronic training: treadmill running (n = 24), voluntary running wheel (n = 7), swimming (n = 4) and climbing (n = 2). The hippocampus and the cortex were the most investigated regions. However, physiological changes accompanied by the reduction of Aß and associated with AD progression were verified. It is concluded that exercise reduces the production of Aß in models of animals with AD. SIGNIFICANCE: Nevertheless, this effect contributes to the improvement of several physiological aspects related to Aß and that contribute to neurological impairment in AD.

Transcriptional profile in rat muscle: down-regulation networks in acute strenuous exercise.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise is a health promotion factor regulating gene expression and causing changes in phenotype, varying according to exercise type and intensity. Acute strenuous exercise in sedentary individuals appears to induce different transcriptional networks in response to stress caused by exercise. The objective of this research was to investigate the transcriptional profile of strenuous experimental exercise. METHODOLOGY: RNA-Seq was performed with Rattus norvegicus soleus muscle, submitted to strenuous physical exercise on a treadmill with an initial velocity of 0.5 km/h and increments of 0.2 km/h at every 3 min until animal exhaustion. Twenty four hours post-physical exercise, RNA-seq protocols were performed with coverage of 30 million reads per sample, 100 pb read length, paired-end, with a list of counts totaling 12816 genes. RESULTS: Eighty differentially expressed genes (61 down-regulated and 19 up-regulated) were obtained. Reactome and KEGG database searches revealed the most significant pathways, for down-regulated gene set, were: PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, RAF-MAP kinase, P2Y receptors and Signaling by Erbb2. Results suggest PI3K-AKT pathway inactivation by Hbegf, Fgf1 and Fgr3 receptor regulation, leading to inhibition of cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. Cell signaling transcription networks were found in transcriptome. Results suggest some metabolic pathways which indicate the conditioning situation of strenuous exercise induced genes encoding apoptotic and autophagy factors, indicating cellular stress. CONCLUSION: Down-regulated networks showed cell transduction and signaling pathways, with possible inhibition of cellular proliferation and cell degeneration. These findings reveal transitory and dynamic process in cell signaling transcription networks in skeletal muscle after acute strenuous exercise.

Effect of involuntary chronic physical exercise on beta-amyloid protein in experimental models of Alzheimer's disease: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

The excessive deposition of ß-amyloid proteins (Aß) is directly correlated with the establishment and development of Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Current treatments for AD only reduce symptoms instead of acting on Aß, the primary etiological agent. Hence, the anti-amyloid effect of regular exercise has been widely investigated as an alternative therapy. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the anti-amyloid effect of regular physical exercise in animal models of AD. The search was conducted on the electronic databases Pubmed, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science without data limitation and using the following describers: "amyloid beta" (OR senile plaque OR amyloid plaque) and "exercise" (OR physical activity OR training). The risk of bias was evaluated using the SYRCLE's tool. Meta-analyses were conducted using models of random continuous effects. A total of 36 studies were selected and most used: transgenic mice (n = 29), treadmill training, duration of 12 weeks (interval of 4 to 28 weeks), rate of 60 min/day (interval of 30 min and up until free access) and speed of 12 m/min (interval of 3.2 to 32 m/min). The hippocampus and cortex were the most frequently investigated regions. Meta-analysis demonstrated a decrease in Aß with greater effect in unspecified isoforms Meta-analysis demonstrated a decrease in Aß with greater effect in unspecified isoforms (N = 4; SMD = -2.71, IC 95%: -3.59, -1.84, p < 0.00001, Q2 = 3.38, I2 = 11%) and Aß1-42 (N = 21; SMD = -1.94, IC 95%: -2.37, -1.51, p < 0.00001, Q2 = 33,37, I2 = 40%). Concerning training, greater effect was found with: 1) swimming (N = 4; SMD = -1.98, IC 95%: -3,28 - -0,68, p = 0.003, Q2 = 9.74, I2 = 69%), 2) moderate intensity (N = 4; SMD = -2.03, IC 95%: -3.31 - -0.75, p < 0.005, Q2 = 12.68, I2 = 76%); 3) duration up to six weeks (N = 6; N = 6; SMD = -2.35, IC 95%: -3.15 - -1.55, p < 0.00001, Q2 = 8.38, I2 = 40%); 4) young animals (SMD = -2.00, IC 95%: -2.59 - -1.42, p < 0.00001, Q2 = 24.90, I2 = 52%); 5) in the amygdala region (N = 1; SMD = -8.56, IC 95%: -12.88 - -4.23, p = 0.0001) and females (N = 4; SMD = -2.14, IC 95%: -3.48 - -0.79, p = 0.002, Q2 = 10.31, I2 = 71%). However, the reduction of Aß was associated with decrease of amyloidogenic pathway and increase of non-amyloidogenic. Hence, regular physical exercise demonstrated anti-amyloid effect in experimental models of AD through positive alterations in APP processing through different signaling pathways.

Satellite cell activation induced by aerobic muscle adaptation in response to endurance exercise in humans and rodents.

Although the requirement of satellite cells activation and expansion following injury, mechanical load or growth stimulus provoked by resistance exercise has been well established, their function in response to aerobic exercise adaptation remains unclear. A clear relationship between satellite cell expansion in fiber-type specific myosin heavy chain and aerobic performance has been related, independent of myonuclear accretion or muscle growth. However, the trigger for this activation process is not fully understood yet and it seems to be a multi-faceted and well-orchestrated process. Emerging in vitro studies suggest a role for metabolic pathways and oxygen availability for satellite cell activation, modulating the self-renewal potential and cell fate control. The goal of this review is to describe and discuss the current knowledge about the satellite cell activation and expansion in response to aerobic exercise adaptation in human and rodent models. Additionally, findings about the in vitro metabolic control, which seems be involved in the satellite cell activation and cell fate control, are presented and discussed.

Regulation of muscle plasticity and trophism by fatty acids: A short review.

The skeletal muscle tissue has a remarkable ability to alter its plastic structural and functional properties after a harmful stimulus, regulating the expression of proteins in complex events such as muscle regeneration. In this context, considering that potential therapeutic agents have been widely studied, nutritional strategies have been investigated in order to improve the regenerative capacity of skeletal muscle. There is evidence of the modulatory action of fatty acids, such that oleic and linoleic acids, that are abundant in Western diets, on muscle function and trophism. Thus, fatty acids appear to be potential candidates to promote or impair the recovery of muscle mass and function during regeneration, since they modulate intracellular pathways that regulate myogenesis. This study is the first to describe and discuss the effect of fatty acids on muscle plasticity and trophism, with emphasis on skeletal muscle regeneration and in vitro differentiation of muscle cells.

Anaerobic threshold employed on exercise training prescription and performance assessment for laboratory rodents: A short review.

Several studies have generated numerous terms in the field of exercise training prescription and performance assessment that often do not match the information previously demonstrated by many other works, generating much debate and resulting in an immense pool of scientific results. Several protocols in exercise training prescription and performance assessment have been proposed for these purposes by many reasons. In the field of exercise science, the protocol must be thoroughly investigated and provide real tools to be reproducible. Many laboratories have been adapting and developing evaluation protocols and testing on physical training of rodents in different experimental conditions. In this context, mice, rats and rabbits are preferentially chosen due to easy manipulation and good response to exercise, and comparable at results obtained with humans in compatible effort intensities. But, the exercise training programs and aerobic-anaerobic transition assessment proposed for animal models vary extensively, depending on the species, gender, age, type of stimulus, type of exercise, type of method and also on the specific objectives of the program. This short review demonstrates the need in offering tools performed by invasive measurement to assess the anaerobic threshold by blood lactate employed on evolution of aerobic-anaerobic parameters of rodents. The objective of this short review was to present and to discuss physical evaluation protocols applications to rodents. The table submitted may give a basis for anaerobic threshold employed on exercise training prescription and performance assessment for laboratory rodents in future research.

Differential Expression of NADPH Oxidases Depends on Skeletal Muscle Fiber Type in Rats.

NADPH oxidases (NOX) are important sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in skeletal muscle, being involved in excitation-contraction coupling. Thus, we aimed to investigate if NOX activity and expression in skeletal muscle are fiber type specific and the possible contribution of this difference to cellular oxidative stress. Oxygen consumption rate, NOX activity and mRNA levels, and the activity of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as the reactive protein thiol levels, were measured in the soleus (SOL), red gastrocnemius (RG), and white gastrocnemius (WG) muscles of rats. RG showed higher oxygen consumption flow than SOL and WG, while SOL had higher oxygen consumption than WG. SOL showed higher NOX activity, as well as NOX2 and NOX4 mRNA levels, antioxidant enzymatic activities, and reactive protein thiol contents when compared to WG and RG. NOX activity and NOX4 mRNA levels as well as antioxidant enzymatic activities were higher in RG than in WG. Physical exercise increased NOX activity in SOL and RG, specifically NOX2 mRNA levels in RG and NOX4 mRNA levels in SOL. In conclusion, we demonstrated that NOX activity and expression differ according to the skeletal muscle fiber type, as well as antioxidant defense.

Sensorial, structural and functional response of rats subjected to hind limb immobilization.

AIMS: This study analyzed the sensorial, structural and functional response of rats subjected to paw immobilization. MAIN METHODS: Animal pelvis, hip, knee and ankle were immobilized using waterproof tape during two weeks for assessment of sensorial response to thermal (hot plate test) and mechanical stimuli (Von Frey test), motor system structure (histology and radiography) and muscle function (soleus contractility). KEY FINDINGS: Disuse animals became more responsive to thermal stimuli (49%), although less responsive to mechanical challenge (58%). Disuse animals showed local injuries such as reduction in muscle fiber diameter (16.7% in gastrocnemius, 5.7% in soleus), contractile activity (55% of the control maximal tonic contraction) and tibia cortical thickness (9.3%), besides increased nitrite:protein ratio, suggestive of protein degradation. Disuse also evoked systemic adaptations that include increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase (36.1%) and alkaline phosphatase (400%), but reduction in calcium (8.4%) and total serum protein (5.5%), especially albumin (34.2%). SIGNIFICANCE: Two weeks of functional paw disuse leads to local and systemic harmful adaptive changes in sensorial and structural systems. This study brings new insights into nervous and motor system mechanism associated with therapeutic limb immobilization in muscle and skeletal pathological conditions.

Functional analysis of gait with insole use in diabetic female rats: a cross-sectional study / Análise funcional da marcha com uso de palmilhas em ratas diabéticas: um estudo transversal / Análisis funcional de la marcha con uso de plantillas en ratas diabéticas: un estudio transversal

ABSTRACT Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that is characterized by causing damage to the peripheral nervous system, generating sensory and motor changes. Objective: This study aims at analyzing the impact of the use of different orthotic insoles on the gait of diabetic female rats. Methods: Twenty-six female Wistar rats were randomly divided into the Control and Diabetic groups. The mechanical sensitivity test was performed manually on the surface of the animals' hind paws using the von Frey test. The functional evaluation was carried out on an adapted platform where the animals were stimulated to walk in order to capture images of the ventral region for measurements of the right and left hind paws. After the images were collected they were processed using Kinovea software version 0.8.27 to assess: stride distance, time, speed and acceleration. Results: There was a reduction in the weight of the animals in the Diabetic Group (p = 0.0018), associated with hyperglycemia (p = <0.0001), and a decrease in mechanical sensitivity as compared to the Control Group (p = 0.0372). Gait analysis showed a reduction in stride speed (p = 0.0482) and acceleration (p = 0.0149), with the silicone orthosis in the Diabetic Group. Conclusions: The silicone orthosis demonstrated a reduction in stride speed and acceleration, without compromising the other variables in the diabetic rats. The other insoles showed no functional difference between groups. Even though the animals showed a change in sensitivity at the end of 28 days of DM induction, this time does not appear to have been able to develop extensive changes in the rats' gait function. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - Investigating the Results of Treatment.

RESUMO Introdução: O diabetes mellitus é uma doença crônica que se caracteriza por causar danos no sistema nervoso periférico, gerando alterações sensitivas e motoras. Objetivos: O presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o impacto do uso de diferentes órteses do tipo palmilha sobre a marcha de ratas diabéticas. Métodos: Vinte e seis ratas Wistar foram divididas randomicamente nos grupos Controle e Diabético. O teste de sensibilidade mecânica foi realizado manualmente na superfície da pata traseira dos animais com o teste de von Frey. A avaliação funcional foi feita em plataforma adaptada, na qual as ratas foram estimuladas a deambular, a fim de captar imagens da região ventral para medições das patas traseiras direita e esquerda. Depois da coleta, as imagens foram processadas no software Kinovea versão 0.8.27 para avaliar distância, tempo, velocidade e aceleração de um passo. Resultados: Observou-se redução do peso dos animais no Grupo Diabético (p = 0,0018), associado à hiperglicemia (p = <0,0001) e diminuição da sensibilidade mecânica em comparação com o Grupo Controle (p = 0,0372). Na análise da marcha, verificou-se redução da velocidade (p = 0,0482) e aceleração de um passo (p = 0,0149) com a órtese de silicone no Grupo Diabético. Conclusões: A órtese de silicone demonstrou redução da velocidade e da aceleração do passo, sem comprometimento das demais variáveis nas ratas diabéticas. As demais palmilhas não demonstraram diferença funcional entre os grupos. Ainda que os animais tenham apresentado alteração de sensibilidade, ao final de 28 dias de indução do DM, esse tempo parece não ter sido capaz de desenvolver alterações amplas na função da marcha das ratas. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - Investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: La diabetes mellitus es una enfermedad crónica que se caracteriza por causar daños al sistema nervioso periférico, generando alteraciones sensitivas y motoras. Objetivos: El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo analizar el impacto del uso de diferentes ortesis, del tipo plantilla sobre la marcha de ratas diabéticas. Métodos: Veintiséis ratas Wistar fueron divididas aleatoriamente en los grupos Control y Diabético. El test de sensibilidad mecánica fue realizado manualmente en la superficie de la pata trasera de los animales con el test de von Frey. La evaluación funcional fue hecha en plataforma adaptada, en la que se estimuló a las ratas a deambular, a fin de capturar imágenes de la región ventral para mediciones de las patas traseras derecha e izquierda. Después de la colecta, las imágenes se procesaron en el software Kinovea versión 0.8.27, para evaluar distancia, tiempo, velocidad y aceleración de un paso. Resultados: Se observó una reducción del peso de los animales en el Grupo Diabético (p = 0,0018), asociado a la hiperglucemia (p = <0,0001), y disminución en la sensibilidad mecánica en comparación con el Grupo Control (p = 0,0372). En el análisis de la marcha, se verificó reducción de la velocidad (p = 0,0482) y una aceleración de un paso (p = 0,0149), con la ortesis de silicona en el Grupo Diabético. Conclusiones: La ortesis de silicona demostró reducción de la velocidad y de la aceleración del paso, sin compromiso de las demás variables en las ratas diabéticas. Las demás plantillas no demostraron diferencia funcional entre los grupos. Aunque los animales hayan presentado alteración de la sensibilidad, al final de 28 días de inducción de DM, ese tiempo parece no haber sido capaz de desarrollar alteraciones amplias en la función de la marcha de las ratas. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - Investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Pesquisa translacional na era pós-genômica: avanços na área da transcriptômica / Translational research in the post-genomic era: advances in the field of transcriptomics

RESUMO A pesquisa translacional envolve a interface entre a pesquisa básica e a clínica médica com o intuito de gerar produtos ou processos inovadores para introduzi-los nos protocolos clínicos e nos sistemas de saúde. O objetivo desse ensaio foi apresentar uma visão geral dos avanços da transcriptômica, subsidiados pela disponibilidade e utilização das novas tecnologias da informação e biologia molecular. Na busca pelo diagnóstico preciso e menos invasivo, testes transcriptômicos utilizam assinaturas de expressão gênica visando detectar doenças neurodegenerativas (Parkinson e Alzheimer), autoimunes (lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, granulomatose de Wegener), insuficiência cardíaca, autismo e câncer (de mama, colorretal, hepático e de pulmão). No sistema de saúde inglês as diretrizes clínicas incorporam oito testes transcriptômicos, todos com foco no câncer. No Brasil testes genômicos com base nas sequências de DNA são regulamentados para diagnosticar anomalias congênitas, tanto no Sistema Único de Saúde, como na saúde suplementar, mas os testes moleculares não avançaram no âmbito da transcriptômica diagnóstica. O sistema de saúde brasileiro deveria ir além dos testes de análise genômica e iniciar o processo de regulamentação das tecnologias transcriptômicas de diagnóstico. No futuro, testes diagnósticos avaliando múltiplos perfis de expressão gênica podem se transformar em exames de rotina numa forma de triagem molecular.

ABSTRACT Translational research involves the interface between basic research and medical practice in order to generate innovative products or processes to introduce them into clinical protocols and health systems. The objective of this essay was to present an overview of transcriptomic advances, subsidized by the availability and use of new information technologies and molecular biology. In the search for accurate and less invasive diagnosis, transcriptomic tests use gene expression signatures to detect neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson and Alzheimer), autoimmune (systemic lupus erythematosus, Wegener's granulomatosis), heart failure, autism and cancer (breast, colorectal, hepatic and lung). In the English health system the clinical guidelines incorporate eight transcriptomic tests, all with a focus on cancer. In Brazil genomic tests based on DNA sequences are regulated to diagnose congenital anomalies both in the Unified Health System and in supplementary health, but the molecular tests have not advanced in the scope of the diagnostic transcriptomics. The Brazilian health system should go beyond the tests of genomic analysis and begin the process of regulation of transcriptomic diagnostic technologies. In the future, diagnostic tests evaluating multiple gene expression profiles may become routine exams in a form of molecular screening.