Effects of L-Leucine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Adipokine Markers in Untrained Perimenopausal and Postmenopausal Women.

ABSTRACT: Chapman-Lopez, TJ, Funderburk, LK, Heileson, JL, Wilburn, DT, Koutakis, P, Gallucci, AR, and Forsse, JS. Effects of L-leucine supplementation and resistance training on adipokine markers in untrained perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): 526-532, 2024-This study examined the effects of supplementing 5 g of leucine compared with a placebo during a 10-week resistance training program on body composition parameters and adipokine concentrations in untrained, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Thirty-five women were randomly assigned to 2 groups-leucine (LEU, n = 17) and placebo (PLC, n = 18)-in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Each group consumed the supplement or placebo every day and completed a resistance training program for 10 weeks. Using 3-day food records, a diet was assessed before the intervention and after its cessation. Body composition was assessed preintervention and postintervention using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Moreover, the concentrations of adipokines, such as adiponectin, visfatin, leptin, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), were assessed preintervention and postintervention. Both groups showed an increase in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) area ( p = 0.030) and fat-free mass (FFM; p = 0.023). There were significant group differences in concentrations of visfatin ( p = 0.020) and leptin ( p = 0.038) between the PLC and LEU groups. Visfatin displayed higher concentrations in the PLC group and leptin displayed higher concentrations in the LEU group. In addition, there were significant decreases in adiponectin concentrations for both groups (LEU: 652 ± 513 to 292 ± 447 pg·ml -1 ; PLC: 584 ± 572 to 245 ± 356 pg·ml -1 , p = 0.002) and MCP-1 only decreased in the PLC group (253 ± 119 to 206 ± 106 pg·ml -1 , p = 0.004). There were significant decreases in adiponectin concentrations in both groups and a decrease in MCP-1 concentrations in the PLC group. These decreases may be due to both adipokines possible relationship with VAT area. However, it is not known whether leucine has underlying properties that hinder changes in MCP-1 concentrations.

Effects of Static Contemporary Western Yoga vs. a Dynamic Stretching Exercise Program on Body Composition, Balance, and Flexibility.

ABSTRACT: Chapman-Lopez, TJ, Moris, JM, Petty, G, Timon, C, and Koh, Y. Effects of static contemporary western yoga vs. a dynamic stretching exercise program on body composition, balance, and flexibility. J Strength Cond Res 37(5): 1064-1069, 2023-Essentrics is a dynamic full-body stretching workout, which has recently earned its popularity in the field of yoga because of its potential for improvement in balance, flexibility, and weight loss while adding enjoyment to the workout without any discomfort and pain. However, the effects of Essentrics on overall health have not been well studied, particularly in a younger, physically healthy population. Thirty-five subjects (27 females and 8 males, age = 20.4 ± 0.2 years, and body mass index = 22.58 ± 0.55 kg·m-2) were assigned to 2 groups-contemporary western yoga (CWY, n = 20) and Essentrics (ESS, n = 15). Each group met 3 times per week for a total of 45-50 minutes per day for 6 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), flexibility (sit-and-reach), and balance (lower extremity Y-balance) were assessed before and after the 6-week program. The balance test included 3 reaches (anterior, posteromedial [PM], and posterolateral [PL] and composite reach distance). Each reach was averaged for the right and left sides and then normalized to leg length. Data were analyzed using an analysis of variance with repeated measures (p ≤ 0.05), and a post hoc test was performed for any significant interactions. There were no significant group differences between CWY and ESS in balance and flexibility. Following the 6-week yoga programs, balance was improved as follows: PM (87.13 ± 11.64 cm to 92.25 ± 9.91 cm, p = 0.001), PL (82.88 ± 11.28 to 88.62 ± 9.62 cm, p = 0.002), composite reach distance (CRD) (225.96 ± 27.17 to 238.26 ± 22.98 cm, p = 0.001), normalized PM (98.31 ± 11.68 to 104.27 ± 11.14%, p = 0.001), normalized PL (93.60 ± 11.98 to 100.15 ± 10.70%, p = 0.001), and normalized CRD (255.12 ± 27.89 to 269.21 ± 25.07%, p = 0.001). Flexibility was also improved from 51.42 ± 8.24 to 53.38 ± 7.04 cm (p = 0.010) following the 6-week workout programs. Total body fat percentage was significantly reduced only in the CWY group (24.44 ± 6.73 to 23.51 ± 6.32%, p = 0.002). Regardless of the type of stretching workout, both dynamic and static workouts improved flexibility and balance. Thus, individuals seeking to improve balance and flexibility can benefit from either dynamic or static yoga program.

Body Composition, Eicosapentaenoic Acid, and Vitamin D are Associated with Army Combat Fitness Test Performance.

Background: The Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), an updated and newly developed metric to assess combat readiness, may require specialized exercise and nutritional interventions. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between body composition, erythrocyte long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA), serum vitamin D (VITD) and ACFT performance. Methods: Sixty cadets (43 males, 17 females; 20.9 ± 3.8 years; 173.6 ± 10.2 cm; 75.6 ± 13.7 kg) completed the 6-event ACFT (3-repetition maximum trap-bar deadlift [3DL], standing power toss [SPT], hand-release pushups [HRPU], sprint-drag-carry shuttle run [SDC], leg tuck [LTK], or plank [PLK], and 2-mile run [2MR]), body composition analysis via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (percent body fat [%BF], lean body mass [LBM], fat-free mass index [FFMI (LBM+bone mineral content)]), and an omega-3 questionnaire. A sub-sample (n = 50) completed blood draws for fatty acid (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA] and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) and VITD analysis. Significance was set at p < .05. Results: Lower %BF predicted better performance on all ACFT events (p < .05), except the PLK. Higher LBM was predictive of better performance on the 3DL, SPT, and SDC (p < .05), but no other events. Adjusted FFMI was positively correlated with the 3DL, SPT, HRPU, SDC, and ACFT scores (p < .01 for all). Cadet EPA and DHA dietary intake and omega-3 erythrocyte status was well below established recommendations (25.6 ± 33.9 mg, 58.3 ± 78.1 mg, respectively) and an omega-3 index (O3i = %EPA+%DHA in erythrocytes) of 3.96 ± 1.36%, respectively. EPA was associated with better performance on the 3DL (r = 0.280, p = .049), SPT (r = 0.314, p = .027), LTK (r = 0.316, p = .047), and PLK (r = 0.837, p = .003). After adjusting for body composition, erythrocyte EPA only remained predictive of PLK scores (p = .006). Every 0.1% increase in EPA translated into 5.4 (95% CI: 2.1, 8.8) better PLK score. The O3i or DHA were not associated with any performance variables. Cadets' average serum VITD status was 38.0 ± 14.9 ng∙ml-1. VITD was associated with 3DL (r = 0.305, p = .031), HRPU (r = 0.355, p = .011), 2MR (r = 0.326, p = .021), and total ACFT score (r = 0.359, p = .011). VITD remained predictive of each event after adjustment for body composition. Every 10 ng∙ml-1 increase in VITD was associated with 3-point increase in 3DL, HRPU, 2MR scores, and a 13-point increase in the total ACFT score. Conclusions: Our data highlight the importance of measures of muscularity, LBM and FFMI, on ACFT performance. Additionally, EPA and VITD status is associated with various strength, power, and muscular and aerobic endurance components of the ACFT. While these results could help professionals better assess and train military personnel, especially since these measures are modifiable through exercise and dietary interventions, they are ultimately hypothesis generating and warrant further exploration.

Pancreatic cancer risk and levels of trace elements.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Knowledge on the aetiology of exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC) is scant. The best established risk factor for EPC is tobacco smoking. Among other carcinogens, tobacco contains cadmium, a metal previously associated with an increased risk of EPC. This study evaluated the association between concentrations of trace elements in toenails and EPC risk. METHODS: The study included 118 EPC cases and 399 hospital controls from eastern Spain. Levels of 12 trace elements were determined in toenail samples by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. OR and 95% CI, adjusted for potential confounders, were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Significantly increased risks of EPC were observed among subjects whose concentrations of cadmium (OR 3.58, 95% CI 1.86 to 6.88; p(trend)=5×10(-6)), arsenic (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.08 to 3.78; p(trend)=0.009) and lead (OR 6.26, 95% CI 2.71 to 14.47; p(trend)=3×10(-5)) were in the highest quartile. High concentrations of selenium (OR 0.05, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.15; p(trend)=8×10(-11)) and nickel (OR 0.27, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.59; p(trend)=2×10(-4)) were inversely associated with the risk of EPC. CONCLUSION: Novel associations are reported of lead, nickel and selenium toenail concentrations with pancreas cancer risk. Furthermore, the results confirm previous associations with cadmium and arsenic. These novel findings, if replicated in independent studies, would point to an important role of trace elements in pancreatic carcinogenesis.

Methods suitable for high-throughput screening of siRNAs and other chemical compounds with the potential to inhibit rotavirus replication.

Rotaviruses are an important cause of severe gastroenteritis in children under two years of age. Two vaccines have become recently available, however, there are no specific pharmacological interventions of rotavirus disease. Recently, libraries of siRNAs or libraries of chemical compounds that can be tested for their ability to inhibit biological processes have been developed. To search these libraries for drugs or siRNAs that may prevent rotavirus replication it is necessary to have methods for high-throughput screening. In this study several methods to quantify rotavirus replication in cell culture were evaluated; the cell death and viral protein expression assays were compared, and an in-cell Western method based on infrared detection that allows the simultaneous quantification of viral antigen and total protein content in the same cell culture well was developed. This is an easy, inexpensive method for detection of viral replication, and it is compatible with high-throughput screening.

In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma blood concentrations of some organochlorine compounds and coffee intake are independently associated with KRAS mutations.

While KRAS activation is a fundamental initiating event in the aetiopathogenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA), environmental factors influencing the occurrence and persistence of KRAS mutations remain largely unknown. The objective was to test the hypothesis that in PDA there are aetiopathogenic relationships among concentrations of some organochlorine compounds (OCs) and the mutational status of the KRAS oncogene, as well as among the latter and coffee intake. Incident cases of PDA were interviewed and had blood drawn at hospital admission (N = 103). OCs were measured by high-resolution gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Cases whose tumours harboured a KRAS mutation had higher concentrations of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethene (DDE) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) 138, 153 and 180 than cases with wild-type KRAS, but differences were statistically significant only for p,p'-DDT and PCBs 138 and 153. The association between coffee intake and KRAS mutations remained significant (P-trend < 0.015) when most OCs where accounted for. When p,p'-DDT, PCB 153, coffee and alcohol intake were included in the same model, all were associated with KRAS (P = 0.042, 0.007, 0.016 and 0.025, respectively). p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE and PCB 138 were significantly associated with the two most prevalent KRAS mutations (Val and Asp). OCs and coffee may have independent roles in the aetiopathogenesis of PDA through modulation of KRAS activation, acquisition or persistence, plausibly through non-genotoxic or epigenetic mechanisms. Given that KRAS mutations are the most frequent abnormality of oncogenes in human cancers, and the lifelong accumulation of OCs in humans, refutation or replication of the findings is required before any implications are assessed.

Relationship between blood concentrations of heavy metals and cytogenetic and endocrine parameters among subjects involved in cleaning coastal areas affected by the 'Prestige' tanker oil spill.

The sinking of the 'Prestige' oil tanker in front of the Galician coast (NW of Spain) in November 2002 offered a unique opportunity to analyze intermediate cytogenetic and endocrine effects among people exposed to the complex mixture of substances that oil constitutes, including several toxic heavy metals. In this work we evaluated the relationship between exposure to heavy metals (blood concentrations of aluminium, cadmium, nickel, lead and zinc) and genotoxic parameters (sister chromatid exchanges, micronucleus test and comet assay) or endocrine parameters (plasmatic concentrations of prolactin and cortisol) in subjects exposed to 'Prestige' oil during cleaning tasks developed after the spillage. Concentrations of lead were significantly related to the comet assay even after adjusting by age, sex and smoking. Cortisol concentrations were significantly influenced by aluminium, nickel (both, inversely) and cadmium (positively). Women had clearly higher concentrations of prolactin and cortisol, even when adjusting by age, smoking, cadmium, aluminium or nickel. Plasmatic cortisol was jointly influenced by gender, smoking and aluminium or nickel (all p<0.05). In women there was a strong relationship between concentrations of cadmium and prolactin (beta=0.37, p=0.031). When the effects of cadmium, aluminium and nickel on cortisol were simultaneously assessed, only the latter two metals remained statistically significant. Among parameters analysed, cortisol appeared to be the most sensitive to the effects of metal exposure. Plasma levels of cortisol deserve further evaluation as a potentially relevant biomarker to assess the effects of exposure to heavy metals.

Food and nutrient intakes and K-ras mutations in exocrine pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: No studies have investigated the relation between K-ras mutations and dietary factors in exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC), and fewer than 10 studies have done so in other neoplasms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Incident cases of EPC were prospectively identified, and interviewed face-to-face during hospital admission. Food and nutrient intakes were measured with a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to compare EPC cases (n = 107) with and without K-ras mutations (case-case study). RESULTS: K-ras mutations were more common among daily consumers of milk and other dairy products than among non-daily consumers: the odds ratio adjusted by total energy, age, sex, smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption (ORa) was 5.1 (95% CI 1.1 to 24.5, p = 0.040). For all dairy products, including butter, the ORa for the medium and upper tertiles of intake were 5.4 and 11.6, respectively (p for trend = 0.023). The ORa for regular coffee drinkers further adjusted by dairy consumption was 4.7 (95% CI 1.1 to 20.7, p = 0.043). K-ras mutated cases reported a lower intake of vitamin E (ORa = 0.2, p for trend = 0.036), polyunsaturated fats and omega 3 fatty acids (ORa = 0.2; p for trend <0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Results support the hypothesis that in EPC exposure to specific dietary components or contaminants may influence the occurrence or persistence of K-ras mutations.

The influence of lipid and lifestyle factors upon correlations between highly prevalent organochlorine compounds in patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer.

We aimed to analyse the influence of cholesterol and triglycerides, and of tobacco, coffee and alcohol consumption upon correlations between serum concentrations of organochlorine compounds (OCs) in patients with exocrine pancreatic cancer (EPC). Incident cases of EPC diagnosed in eastern Spain were prospectively identified (N=144). OCs were analysed by high-resolution gas chromatography with electron-capture detection. A strong correlation was observed between hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH) (Spearman's rho=0.758). beta-HCH showed rho>0.4 with p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, PCB138 and PCB153 (all p<0.001). Some correlations among compounds were slightly affected by tobacco, coffee or alcohol consumption. We observed a striking diversity of correlation patterns by strata of cholesterol and triglycerides. Most correlations were higher in the lowest category of triglycerides than in the lowest category of cholesterol. Most coefficients above 0.7 were seen in the lowest category of triglycerides (e.g., OC pairs p,p'-DDT and HCB, p,p'-DDT and beta-HCH, p,p'-DDE and beta-HCH, or HCB and beta-HCH). Correlations among OCs may be stronger when concentrations of triglycerides are low than when they are high. This is compatible with a dilution in the early phases of cancer and with a concentration effect as triglycerides become lower in the advanced phases of the disease.