Usefulness of heart rate recovery parameters to monitor cardiovascular adaptation in elite athletes: The impact of the type of sport.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine heart rate (HR) recovery after maximal test in elite athletes who compete in high dynamic, high static, and in mixed sport disciplines; to assess differences in HR recovery between these groups of athletes; and to measure the association of HR index (HRI) with heart adaptation variables to determine whether these values were correlated with the type of exercise. METHODS: One hundred and ninety-four elite athletes were divided into three groups according to the predominant type of exercise performed: endurance (n = 40), strength-sprinter (n = 36), and ball-game players (n = 118). They performed maximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill and were subjected to echocardiography. The rate of decline (HR recovery) was calculated as the difference between maximum and recovery HRs (HRrec1 and HRrec3). The HRI was calculated as HRmax - 1-min post-exercise HR (HRrec1). RESULTS: The most significant correlation of HRI was with posterior wall diameter and left ventricular (LV) mass index (r = 0.43 and r = 0.51; p = 0.012 and p = 0.003, respectively). LV mass index [Beta (B) = 0.354, p = 0.001] was an independent predictor of HRI and HRrec1. HRI may be an effective tool for discrimination of physiological and "gray zone" LV hypertrophy, with area under the curve of 0.545 (95% CI = 0.421-0.669, p = 0.0432). HRI displayed a sensitivity of 50% and specificity of 52.2% at the optimal cut-off value of 23.5. CONCLUSION: HR recovery pattern, especially HRI, may offer a timely and efficient tool to identify athletes with autonomous nervous system adaptive changes.

[Injection of PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia : a systematic review of the literature]. / Injection de PRP (Plasma riche en plaquettes) comme traitement de l'alopécie androgénétique : une revue systématique de la littérature.

INTRODUCTION: Androgenetic alopecia is the most frequent alopecia both in men and women. Despite it affects a large proportion of the population, they are few therapeutic options often restrictive. The injection of PRP in alopecic areas is a new and easy therapeutic option. The aim of this article is to systematically review the literature about this topic by analysing the articles describing the clinical results of this new technique in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia in men and / or women with a follow-up of minimum 6 months. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review of the PRISMA type from several databases was carried out and identified 7 articles meeting the following inclusion criteria: 1) articles describing the clinical results of the injection of PRP for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, 2 ) in men and / or women, 3) written in English or French, 4) with clinical follow-up of at least 6 months, and 5) with objective criteria for follow-up of patients and observed complications. These prospective clinical studies are analyzed and compared qualitatively. CONCLUSION: This systematic review of the literature resulted in a qualitative analysis of 7 scientific studies on the effect of PRP injection as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia. Although all the studies concluded in a favorable effect of this new treatment, a larger, rigorous study with objective analysis of the therapeutic effect is necessary.

INTRODUCTION: L'alopécie androgénétique est l'alopécie la plus fréquente que ce soit chez l'homme ou la femme. Bien qu'elle touche une grande partie de la population, les options thérapeutiques sont peu nombreuses et souvent contraignantes. L'injection de PRP dans les zones alopéciques est une nouvelle possibilité de traitement plus simple. Cet article a pour objectif de réaliser une revue systématique sur le sujet en analysant les articles décrivant les résultats cliniques de cette nouvelle technique dans le traitement de l'alopécie androgénétique, chez l'homme et/ou la femme, comprenant un followup de minimum 6 mois. Matériel et méthodes : Une revue systématique de type PRISMA au départ de plusieurs banques de données a été réalisée et a identifié 7 articles remplissant les critères d'inclusion suivants : (1) articles décrivant les résultats cliniques de l'injection de PRP pour le traitement de l'alopécie androgénétique, (2) chez l'homme et/ou la femme, (3) écrits en anglais ou en français, (4) avec un suivi clinique de minimum 6 mois, (5) avec description de critères objectifs pour le suivi des patients et des complications observées. Ces études cliniques prospectives sont analysées et comparées qualitativement. CONCLUSION: Cette revue systématique de la littérature a permis de réaliser une analyse qualitative de 7 études scientifiques sur l'effet de l'injection du PRP comme traitement de l'alopécie androgénétique. Bien que l'ensemble des études analysées soit en faveur d'un effet favorable de ce nouveau traitement, une étude de plus grande ampleur, rigoureuse avec analyse objective de l'effet thérapeutique est nécessaire.

Hyperosmotic stress induces cell cycle arrest in retinal pigmented epithelial cells.

Osmotic changes occur in many tissues and profoundly influence cell function. Herein, we investigated the effect of hyperosmotic stress on retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells using a microarray approach. Upon 4-h exposure to 100 mM NaCl or 200 mM sucrose, 79 genes were downregulated and 72 upregulated. Three gene ontology categories were significantly modulated: cell proliferation, transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter and response to abiotic stimulus. Fluorescent-activated cell sorting analysis further demonstrated that owing to hyperosmotic stimulation for 24 h, cell count and cell proliferation, as well as the percentage of cells in G0/G1 and S phases were significantly decreased, whereas the percentage of cells in G2/M phases increased, and apoptosis and necrosis remained unaffected. Accordingly, hyperosmotic conditions induced a decrease of cyclin B1 and D1 expression, and an activation of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that hypertonic conditions profoundly affect RPE cell gene transcription regulating cell proliferation by downregulation cyclin D1 and cyclin B1 protein expression.

Proxidant* antioxidant balance in supplemented elite female volleyball athletes during a six week training period.

AIM: The objectives of this study were: 1) to evaluate pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance (PAB) associations with the commonly measured parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidatve defence in elite female volleyball athletes; 2) to investigate changes in the parameters of oxidative stress during a period of intense training and dietary antioxidant supplementation. METHODS: Twenty-seven female volleyball players participated in this study. Blood samples were collected the day before the pre-competitive mesocycle training period began. After the first blood sample donation and during the next six weeks fourteen players (supplemented group) received a cocktail of antioxidants while thirteen of them (control group) received no dietary supplementation. The following parameters were measured: reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), superoxide anion (O2-), malondialdehyde (MDA), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), biological antioxidative potential (BAP), paraoxonase activity toward paraoxon (POase) and diazoxon (DZOase), superoxide dismutase (SOD), total sulphydryl group concentration (SH groups) and pro-oxidant-antioxidant balance. RESULTS: Significant associations were observed between biomarkers of oxidative damage with PAB in multiple linear regression model in the supplemented and the control groups (82.3% vs. 83.1%) before training and in the control group (82.1%) after training. Significant associations between antioxidative defence parameters and PAB values were found in the supplemented group after six-weeks of training (57%). CONCLUSION: In the absence of antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were dependent on the association with biomarkers of oxidative damage before and after training. After a six-week training period and the applied antioxidant supplementation, PAB values were under the influence of non-enzymatic anti-oxidative defence.

Oxidative stress and anti-oxidative defense in schoolchildren residing in a petrochemical industry environment.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the possible relationship between industrial air pollution and oxidative stress in schoolchildren by comparing parameters from children residing in two nearby localities with contrasting environmental conditions. PARTICIPANTS: 42 schoolchildren (12-15 years) from Pancevo (site of Serbias largest petrochemical installation) formed the exposed group. 82 schoolchildren from Kovacica village, located 30 km north of Pancevo, formed the non-exposed group. METHODS: Oxidative stress status, anti-oxidative defense parameters, paraoxonase-1 status, lipid status, glucose concentration and leukocyte counts were compared in two groups. RESULTS: The children from Pancevo showed higher level of oxidative stress demonstrated by an elevated malondialdehyde concentration (P <0.001) and decreased superoxide dismutase activity (P<0.01) in comparison to the non-exposed group. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested a relationship between the presence of air pollutants and increased oxidative stress in schoolchildren residing in an industrial environment.

Long-term effects of oxidative stress in volleyball players.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of long-term training on elite female volleyball players and to determine parameters that could discriminate them according to the level of oxidative stress-associated adaptation. Fifty-four elite female volleyball players were divided into 3 groups (1: below-average training experience <8.0 years, 2: average training experience between 8.0 and 10.5 years and 3: above-average training experience >10.5 years). The measured parameters were reactive oxygen metabolites, biological anti-oxidative potential, superoxide anion, malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, lipid hydroperoxides, paraoxonase activity, superoxide-dismutase activity and sulphydryl groups. Multiple discriminant analysis of the oxidative stress status parameters between the three groups of athletes indicated a statistically significant difference (Wilks' lambda=0.458, X(2)=35.898, p=0.031). The most important discriminant variables, superoxide-dismutase and superoxide anion, were the best indicators of differences between groups with different training experience. The significantly higher values were found in Group 3 compared with Group 1 in superoxide-dismutase activity (141+/-32 vs. 86+/-46; p=0.002), sulphydryl groups (p=0.031), and reactive oxygen metabolites (p=0.042). The significantly lower superoxide anion was found between Group 3 and Group 1 (377+/-187 vs. 1183+/-905; p=0.001). Oxidative stress status parameters adequately discriminated 68.5% of athletes with different training experience.

[Research on HBsAg: comparison between two methods of the third generation, RPHA and IEA]. / Ricerca dell'HBsAg: confronto tra due tecniche di terza generazione, RPHA ed IEA.

Two tests of the 3rd generation were evaluated for the identification of HBsAg: the reverse hemoagglutination and the enzymatic immunoassay. The results of the study, carried out on 2,434 sera of occasional and periodic donors, have been slightly discordant. It was confirmed the greater sensibility of the IEA test over the RHA and there was a high incidence of false positive results of the IEA test probably caused by the presence in the sera of an elevated concentration of lipid and/or Hb. However, we can consider the RHA a useful test adaptable as an emergency test while the IEA method, being more sensible, can be used as a basic screening test.