ACE and ACTN3 genes polymorphisms among female Hungarian athletes in the aspect of sport disciplines.

The aim of the study was to determine the importance of two sport-associated gene polymorphisms, alpha-actinin-3 R577X (ACTN3) and angiotensin-converting enzyme I/D (ACE), among Hungarian athletes in different sports. The examination was carried out only on women (n = 100). Sport-specific groups were formed in order to guarantee the most homogeneous clusters. Human genomic DNA was isolated from blood, and genotyping was performed by polymerase chain reaction. To measure the differences between the participating groups, Chi-squared test was performed using Statistica 9.0 for Windows® (significance level: p < 0.05). In comparing the ACE I/D allele frequencies, significant difference was detected between water polo (I = 61.11%; D = 38.89%) and combat sports (I = 35.71%, D = 64.29%) athletes (p < 0.03). There was no statistical difference when ACE I/D alleles in combat sports and kayaking/rowing (p > 0.05) were compared. A similarity was detectable in the I allele frequencies of the water polo (61.11%) and kayaking/rowing (56.67%) groups. The ACTN3 R/X polymorphism showed no differences in comparison with the sport groups. R allele frequencies were higher in every group compared to the X allele. The potential significance of the ACE I allele in sports of an aerobic nature was not clearly confirmed among Hungarian athletes.

Retrospective Study of the Hungarian National Transplant Team's Cardiorespiratory Capacity.

The low availability of donor organs requires long-term successful transplantation as an accepted therapy for patients with end-stage renal and liver diseases. The health benefits of regular physical activity are well known among healthy individuals as well as patients under rehabilitation programs. Our aim was to describe the cardiorespiratory capacity of the Hungarian National Transplant Team. Twenty-five kidney (n = 21) or liver (n = 4) transplant athletes participated in this study. Maximal cardiorespiratory capacity (VO2max) was measured on a treadmill with the use of gas analysis. After a resting pulmonary function test, subjects completed a vita maxima test until exhaustion. Aerobic capacity of transplant athletes was higher than the age- and sex-predicted cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max, 109.9 ± 21.7% of the predicted values; P = .0101). Resting respiratory function indicators exceeded 80% of predicted age- and sex-matched normal values. There were positive correlations between VO2max and workload (r(2) = 0.40; P = .0463), metabolic equivalent (r(2) = 0.72; P < .0001), and oxygen pulse (r(2) = 0.30; P = .0039). However, age showed negative correlation with VO2max (r(2) = 0.32; P = .0031), and there was no significant correlation between graft age and maximal oxygen consumption (r(2) = 0.15; P = .4561). Although the small amount of participants can not represent the general kidney and liver transplant population, the excellent cardiorespiratory performance suggests that a normal level of physical capacity is available after transplantation and can be even higher with regular physical activity. This favorable physiologic background leads to a state that provides proper graft oxygenization, which is an important factor in long-term graft survival.

Fitness and nutritional status of female medical university students.

The aim of this comparison was to evaluate the nutritional status and cardio-respiratory fitness of future health professionals, namely university students engaged in medical studies. It was assumed that the lifestyle of such students would be reflected by healthy body composition and fitness performance indicators. Altogether 1,560 volunteer, female, university students of three institutions were investigated in 2008. Height, body weight, BMI, body fat content and 800 m run test means were compared.The height, weight and BMI means did not differ significantly but PE students recorded the lowest mean body fat (18.34% vs. 24.37 and 25.12%) and shortest mean running time (203 s vs. 239 and 243 s). Among the medical (11.23%) and technical university students (19.95%) statistically the same prevalence of obesity was observed.High body fat content and low running performance of medical students were in contrast with our hypothesis. Their prevalence of overweight/obesity and low fitness did not differ from that of relatively sedentary technical university students and the average Hungarian young adult population. Thus, it is questionable how young health professionals will promote the necessity and positive effects of regular physical activity if they do not apply them to their own lifestyle.

Effects of attending elevated level school physical education in 7 to 11-year-old boys.

The aim of the present longitudinal study of four years was to analyse differences in growth patterns, age-related changes in body fat and physical performance in schoolchildren taking part either in normal or in elevated level physical education at school.Nine data collection sessions were carried out between 2002 and 2006 in 18 schools. The sample consisted of 521 non-athletic volunteer boys (PE=116, contrast = 405).The inter-group differences between mean height, body weight, body mass index, relative body fat content, mean scores in 30 m dash, 400 m run, and standing long jump as well as the patterns of change with age were analysed in this comparison. Between-observation differences were tested by repeated measures ANOVA. In case of a significant F-test Tukey's post-hoc tests were used. Age dependence was also studied by linear regression analysis.The between-group differences in mean height were not significant, but the slope of height increase with age was significantly greater in the PE boys. The PE boys were significantly lighter through all the nine observations and the slope of age-related weight increase was statistically faster in the group of contrast subjects. Both the BMI means and percent body fat means were consistently and significantly greater in the contrast group and faster increases were found in the group of the less active boys. The mean physical performances of the PE boys were consistently and significantly better. Their slopes of increase were statistically different.