Does Intense Endurance Workout Have an Impact on Serum Levels of Sex Hormones in Males?

The benefits of physical activity and sports are widely known and proved to be crucial for overall health and well-being. In this research, the authors decided to measure the impact of endurance training in a professional male rowing team on the serum concentration levels of testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and nitric oxide (NO) and apolipoprotein A1 (Apo-A1). Proper levels of the serum concentration are necessary in order to maintain physical effectiveness. Authors analyzed the data and reviewed the former conterminous articles to find the possible mechanisms leading to changes of serum concentration of certain hormones and molecules. The direct effect of physical activity was a decrease in testosterone serum concentration (from 7.12 ± 0.4 to 6.59 ± 0.35 (ng/mL)), sex hormone binding globulin serum concentration (from 39.50 ± 2.48 to 34.27 ± 2.33 (nmol/L)), nitric oxide serum concentration (from 440.21 ± 88.64 to 432 ± 91.89 (ng/mL)), increase in estradiol serum concentration (from 78.2 ± 11.21 to 83.01 ± 13.21 (pg/mL)) and no significant increase in Apo-A1 serum concentration (from 2.63 ± 0.2 to 2.69 ± 0.21 (mg/mL)). Low testosterone concentration in OTS may be a consequence of increased conversion to estradiol, because gonadotropic stimulation is maintained. Apo-A1 serum concentration was measured due to a strong connection with testosterone level and its possible impact of decreasing cardiovascular risk.

Equianalgesic potency ratios of opioids used in patient-controlled analgesia: A network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine equianalgesic potency ratios for opioids with an -evidence-based approach without the use of pre-existing potency tables. DESIGN: Frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing opioids in patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). SETTING: A systematic review. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), and Web of Science identified relevant RCTs from start of recording to 2019. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: RCTs comparing opioids via intravenous PCA in acute pain, with comparable resulting pain scores and identical treatment with coanalgesics at study level. The quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool with six items. RESULTS: 52 RCTs were identified with data for 16 opioids. Primary endpoint was the inverted ratio of means of the total consumption administered via PCA, which resembles the analgesic potency. The calculated analgesic potencies were sufentanil 423 [95 percent CI 334.99; 532.96], fentanyl 58 [48.22; 68.60], buprenorphine 37 [26.66; 50.81], remifentanil 13 [9.37; 19.13], alfentanil 7 [4.02; 11.01], hydromorphone 6 [4.96; 8.43], oxymorphone 6 [4.46; 8.84], butorphanol 4.5 [3.05; 6.73], diamorphine 2.2 [1.16; 4.10], morphine 1, oxycodone 0.9 [0.65; 1.34], piritramide 0.9 [0.55; 1.56], nalbuphine 0.7 [0.54; 0.95], pethidine 0.12 [0.10; 0.15], meptazinol 0.08 [0.03; 0.20], and tramadol 0.08 [0.07; 0.10]. CONCLUSIONS: The results in part contradict the values from the literature, which have been criticized for their imprecision. From clinical experience however, our findings seem very plausible. Short-acting opioids are less potent compared to longer acting drugs, eg, morphine, probably due to shorter intervals for -readministration.

Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers' Levels in Obese Patients.

In view of research suggesting a possible beneficial impact of vitamin D on systemic inflammatory response, the authors decided to investigate an influence of vitamin D supplementation on serum levels of certain inflammatory markers in obese patients. The current study included such biomarkers as interleukin-6 (IL-6), pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), C-X3-C Motif Chemokine Ligand 1 (CX3CL1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and nitric oxide (NO). The measurements were performed with the ELISA method before and after 3-month-long supplementation of 2000 IU of vitamin D orally. The results showed that the therapy did not induce any statistically significant changes in serum levels of MCP-1, IL-6, CX3CL1, and PACAP. The supplementation was related to a significant increase in measurements of NO and AOPP levels, although the correlation analysis between vitamin D concentration after its supplementation and the concentration of the molecular parameters did not show significant relation. In conclusion, our study seems to contradict certain aspects of findings available in the literature regarding the vitamin D's impact.

Effects of Energy Drink Consumption on Physical Performance and Potential Danger of Inordinate Usage.

The rise in energy drink (ED) intake in the general population and athletes has been achieved with smart and effective marketing strategies. There is a robust base of evidence showing that adolescents are the main consumers of EDs. The prevalence of ED usage in this group ranges from 52% to 68%, whilst in adults is estimated at 32%. The compositions of EDs vary widely. Caffeine content can range from 75 to 240 mg, whereas the average taurine quantity is 342.28 mg/100 mL. Unfortunately, exact amounts of the other ED elements are often not disclosed by manufacturers. Caffeine and taurine in doses 3-6 mg/kg and 1-6 g, respectively, appear to be the main ergogenic elements. However, additive or synergic properties between them seem to be implausible. Because of non-unified protocol design, presented studies show inconsistency between ED ingestion and improved physical performance. Potential side effects caused by abusive consumption or missed contraindications are the aspects that are the most often overlooked by consumers and not fully elucidated by ED producers. In this review, the authors aimed to present the latest scientific information on ED components and their possible impact on improving physical performance as well as to bring emphasis to the danger of inordinate consumption.

Side Effect Rates of Opioids in Equianalgesic Doses via Intravenous Patient-Controlled Analgesia: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Side effects of opioids used for the treatment of acute pain frequently limit their analgesic quality. Many studies have compared opioid side effects in patient-controlled analgesia (PCA), but it remains unclear whether there are specific side effect profiles that can be exploited when choosing an opioid for a patient. In this review, we wanted to determine the risk ratios (RRs) for the most common side effects when using different opioids for intravenous PCA in equianalgesic doses and rank the substances accordingly. METHODS: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), and Web of Science identified 63 randomized controlled trials comparing opioids under equianalgesic conditions. Inclusion criteria were comparable pain stimulus between groups, equal coanalgesic treatment, and comparable resulting pain scores. Quality of studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool with 6 items. Frequentistic network meta-analysis was conducted with morphine as the comparator. This method not only summarizes all estimated effects from direct comparisons of different interventions but also allows for indirect comparisons between interventions that can be linked via the common comparator, in which case the indirect evidence can be used to enhance the precision of the direct comparisons. Primary end points of this study were RRs for nausea and vomiting, pruritus, and events of sedation, as well as mean differences for scores of sedation. Events of respiratory depression were counted. Secondary end point was patient satisfaction (mean difference). The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42017062355). RESULTS: Sixteen opioid interventions were compared in the largest network (nausea and vomiting outcome) and 7 opioid interventions in the smallest network (sedation events outcome). Most interventions did not differ from morphine on the primary outcomes (side effects), with some exceptions. Buprenorphine had a significantly higher RR of nausea and vomiting, whereas fentanyl had a lower RR of nausea and vomiting. Nalbuphine, butorphanol, methadone, and pethidine/meperidine had a lower risk of pruritus. Respiratory depression was rare (22 of 2452 patients). Pethidine/meperidine, fentanyl, and oxymorphone caused significantly lower sedation scores. Tramadol caused significantly lower satisfaction scores, whereas oxycodone, alfentanil, remifentanil, fentanyl, and pethidine/meperidine caused significantly higher satisfaction scores. CONCLUSIONS: The opiate chosen for treatment most likely has little effect on the incidence of pruritus and nausea/vomiting, although considerable differences exist in terms of better and worse opioids in the presented rankings. Larger differences between drugs were observed with regard to sedation and patient satisfaction, and choosing the appropriate opioid may help to improve PCA in this regard.

Predictors of technical success and rate of complications of image-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung needle biopsy of pulmonary tumors.

PURPOSE: To investigate predictors of technical success and complications of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of potentially malignant pulmonary tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 2008 to 2009, technical success and rate of complications of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic lung needle biopsies of patients with suspicious pulmonary tumors were retrospectively evaluated. The influence on technical success and rate of complications was assessed for intervention-related predictors (lesion diameter, length of biopsy pathway, number of pleural transgressions, and needle size) and patient-related predictors (age, gender, reduced lung function). In addition, technical success and rate of complications were compared between different interventional radiologists. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-eight patients underwent biopsies by 15 interventional radiologists. The overall technical success rate was 84.1% and was significantly different between interventional radiologists (range 25%-100%; p<0.01). Intervention-related and patient-related predictors did not influence the technical success rate. The overall complication rate was 59.4% with 39.1% minor complications and 21.0% major complications. The rate of complications was influenced by lesion diameter and distance of biopsy pathway. Interventional radiologist-related rates of complications were not statistically different. CONCLUSIONS: Technical success of percutaneous, transthoracic lung needle biopsies of pulmonary tumors is probably dependent on the interventional radiologist. In addition, lesion diameter and length of biopsy pathway are predictors of the rate of complications.

Inflammatory reaction as determinant of foreign body reaction is an early and susceptible event after mesh implantation.

PURPOSE: To investigate and relate the ultrashort-term and long-term courses of determinants for foreign body reaction as biocompatibility predictors for meshes in an animal model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three different meshes (TVT, UltraPro, and PVDF) were implanted in sheep. Native and plasma coated meshes were placed bilaterally: (a) interaperitoneally, (b) as fascia onlay, and (c) as muscle onlay (fascia sublay). At 5 min, 20 min, 60 min, and 120 min meshes were explanted and histochemically investigated for inflammatory infiltrate, macrophage infiltration, vessel formation, myofibroblast invasion, and connective tissue accumulation. The results were related to long-term values over 24 months. RESULTS: Macrophage invasion reached highest extents with up to 60% in short-term and decreased within 24 months to about 30%. Inflammatory infiltrate increased within the first 2 hours, the reached levels and the different extents and ranking among the investigated meshes remained stable during long-term follow up. For myofibroblasts, connective tissue, and CD31+ cells, no activity was detected during the first 120 min. CONCLUSION: The local inflammatory reaction is an early and susceptible event after mesh implantation. It cannot be influenced by prior plasma coating and does not depend on the localisation of implantation.

Computer simulation of Lorentz electron micrographs of thin magnetic particles.

Lorentz electron microscopy is a powerful tool for high-resolution studies of magnetic structures, not only in continuous thin films, but also in spatially limited, i.e. individual particles. In addition to the experimental studies of magnetic particulate media it is interesting to simulate images in order to compare them with experimental results, as it is practiced in high-resolution electron microscopy. This paper introduces a software package which simulates the Lorentz microscopical image of magnetic structures in thin particles. While other simulation programs deal with infinite magnetic films with homogeneous thickness, the major difference in our calculation is that we take into account the finite dimensions of the particle for specimens of various sizes and shapes. That means the phase shift due to the inner potential depending on the geometrical shape of a magnetic particle is added to the phase shift depending on its magnetic microstructure. The following article presents the computation methods and its results and compares it with experimental findings.