Principal components analysis to evaluate complex association of polymorphisms in ACE and ACTN3 genes and the extent of cardiovascular adaptive changes in elite athletes.

BACKGROUND: Present article aims at clarifying the association of ACE and ACTN3 polymorphisms with adaptive heart changes in elite athletes from power, endurance and mixed sport disciplines using the principal component analysis (PCA). METHODS: Overall, 281 elite male athletes are divided into three groups: strength-type sports, endurance and mixed sports. After anthropometric measurements, physical and ultrasound examination of the heart, the athletes were exposed to a physical load test. All groups were analyzed for functional ACE and ACTN3 polymorphisms. In order to convert a set of examined, possibly correlated adaptive cardiovascular changes into a set of values of linearly uncorrelated variables we used principal component analysis (PCA). RESULTS: The type of sport significantly affects not only the athlete's anthropometric characteristics, but also on the scope and specificity of the investigated adaptive cardiovascular changes. Athletes from the mixed group of sports showed the best working efficiency of the heart. PCA showed that the type of sport, but not genetic predisposition affects the co-adaptation of complex traits. CONCLUSIONS: Effect of genotype, type of sport and their interaction on observed variability in morpho-functional cardiovascular adaptive changes in elite athletes can be used for a better understanding of the clinical phenomenon of athlete's heart and sudden cardiac death syndrome.

Echocardiographic Characterization of Left Heart Morphology and Function in Highly Trained Male Judo Athletes.

The long-term practice of judo can lead to various changes in the heart including increased dimensions of the left ventricle in diastole and thickening of the interventricular septum and the posterior wall of the left ventricle. This study aimed to assess left ventricular morphology and function in elite male judokas. A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted that included a total of 20 subjects, 10 judokas, and 10 healthy non-athletes aged 24 ± 2.85 years. Demographic and anthropometric data were analyzed. All subjects underwent a medical examination and a two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiogram. Different parameters of left ventricular morphology and function were measured and compared between athletes and non-athletes. Left ventricle mass and LV mass index were higher in judokas than in non-athletes (p < 0.05), as well as PW thickness (9.78 ± 0.89 mm vs. 8.95 ± 0.76 mm). A total of six (n = 6) of athletes had eccentric hypertrophy, while others had normal heart geometry. LVEDd, LVEDs, LVEDd/BSA, and LVEDs/BSA were significantly higher in judokas (p < 0.05). LVEDd in athletes ranged from 48 to 62 mm. These values, combined with normal diastolic function, ejection fraction, and shortening fraction, indicate that the judokas' cardiac adaptation was physiological rather than pathological.

Isokinetic Profile of Elite Serbian Female Judoists.

Elite judo athletes undergo vigorous training to achieve outstanding results. In pursuit of achieving competitive success, the occurrence of injuries amongst judo athletes is not rare. The study aimed to perform a knee flexors and extensors isokinetic torque analysis in elite female judo athletes. Fifty-eight elite female judo athletes of the Serbian national team (21.02 ± 3.11 years; 62.36 ± 11.91 kg, 165.04 ± 10.24 cm, training experience 12.72 ± 2.98 years) volunteered to participate in this study. The range of motion (ROM) was set at 90°. Testing was performed in a concentric-concentric mode for the testing speed of 60 °/s. Five maximal voluntary contractions of knee extensors and knee flexors muscle groups were measured for both legs. The obtained data showed a statistically significant difference in absolute torque values among different categories as heavier athletes demonstrated higher values. Post hoc analysis showed a significant difference between weight categories, as heavier athletes demonstrated higher values, while no significant differences in normalized torque values for different weight categories were observed. The implementation of new elements and training modalities may improve performance and prevent lateral asymmetry, thus reducing the risk of injury.

Polymorphisms in ACE and ACTN3 Genes and Blood Pressure Response to Acute Exercise in Elite Male Athletes from Serbia.

Physiological adaptations to various types of prolonged and intensive physical activity, as seen in elite athletes from different sports, include changes in blood pressure (BP) response to acute exercise. Also, functional polymorphisms of the angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE) and alfa-actinin-3 (ACTN3) genes are shown to be associated with BP parameters changes, both in athletes and sedentary population. In this study, an Alu insertion (I)/deletion (D) polymorphism in ACE gene, as well as nonsense mutation in the gene encoding ACTN3 have been scored in 107 elite Serbian athletes classified according to their sporting discipline to power/sprint (short distance runners/swimmers), endurance (rowers, footballers, middle-distance swimmers) or mixed sports (water polo, handball, volleyball players). Presence of nonfunctional allele in ACTN3 is associated with significantly increased maximal systolic BP (SBPmax, p = 0.04). Athletes with Alu insertion in ACE had significantly (p = 0.006) larger decline of systolic BP after 3 minutes of recovery (SBPR3), calculated as the percentage of maximal SBP response during exercise stress testing. Concomitant presence of non-functional variant in ACTN3 gene decreased this beneficiary effect of ACE mutation on SBPR3. Long term enrollment in power/sprint sports significantly increased resting diastolic BP (DBPrest: 74 mmHg) and SBPmax (197 mmHg) and improved SBPR3 (74.8%) compared to enrolment in endurance (72 mmHg; 178 mmHg; 81.1%) and mixed sports (69 mmHg; 185 mmHg; 80.0%). Lack of the effect of genotype by sport interaction on BP parameters suggests that the long-term effects of different disciplines on BP are not mediated by these two genes.

The training type influence on male elite athletes' ventilatory function.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To assess and compare measured ventilatory volumes (forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), peak expirium flow (PEF) and maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV)), ventilatory function capacities (forced vital capacity (FVC) and vital capacity (VC)) and FEV1/VC ratio in a sample of power and endurance elite athletes and their age-matched and sex-matched sedentary control group. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was applied on male elite athletes (n=470) who were classified according to the type of the predominantly performed exercise in the following way: group 1: endurance group (EG=270), group 2: power athletes group (SG=200) and group 3: sedentary control group (CG=100). The lung VC, FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, PEF and MVV were measured in all of the observed subjects, who were also classified with regard to body mass index (BMI) and the percentage of the body fat (BF%). RESULTS: The CG had the highest BF% value, while the endurance group had the lowest BMI and BF% value, which is significantly different from the other two groups (p<0.05). The observed values of VC, FVC and FEV1 in the EG were significantly higher than those from the other two groups (p<0.05). There were no differences concerning the observed FEV1/FVC ratio. CONCLUSIONS: A continued endurance physical activity leads to adaptive changes in spirometric parameters (VC, FVC and FEV1), highlighting the fact that there is a need for specific consideration of different respiratory 'pattern' development in different types of sport, which also has to be further evaluated.

Multifunctional Eu3+- and Er3+/Yb3+-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles synthesized by reverse micelle method.

Synthesis of Eu(3+)- and Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles in reverse micelles and their multifunctional luminescence properties are presented. Using cyclohexane, Triton X-100, and n-pentanol as the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant, respectively, crystalline nanoparticles with ~4 nm diameter are prepared at low temperatures. The particle size assessed using transmission electron microscopy is similar to the crystallite size obtained from X-ray diffraction measurements, suggesting that each particle comprises a single crystallite. Eu(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles emit red light through downconversion upon UV excitation. Er(3+)/Yb(3+)-doped GdVO4 nanoparticles exhibit several functions; apart from the downconversion of UV radiation into visible green light, they act as upconvertors, transforming near-infrared excitation (980 nm) into visible green light. The ratio of green emissions from (2)H11/2 → (2)I15/2 and (4)S3/2 → (4)I15/2 transitions is temperature dependent and can be used for nanoscale temperature sensing with near-infrared excitation. The relative sensor sensitivity is 1.11%K(-1), which is among the highest sensitivities recorded for upconversion-luminescence-based thermometers.