Search

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of 2 modes of aerobic exercise (continuous or intermittent) on maximum strength (1 repetition maximum, 1RM) and strength endurance (maximum repetitions at 80% of 1RM) for lower- and upper-body exercises to test the acute hypothesis in concurrent training (CT) interference. Eight physically active men (age: 26.9 +/- 4.2 years; body mass: 82.1 +/- 7.5 kg; height: 178.9 +/- 6.0 cm) were submitted to: (a) a graded exercise test to determine V(.-)O2max (39.26 +/- 6.95 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) and anaerobic threshold velocity (3.5 mmol x L(-1)) (9.3 +/- 1.27 km x h(-1)); (b) strength tests in a rested state (control); and (c) 4 experimental sessions, at least 7 days apart. The experimental sessions consisted of a 5-kilometer run on a treadmill continuously (90% of the anaerobic threshold velocity) or intermittently (1:1 minute at V(.-)O2max). Ten minutes after the aerobic exercise, either a maximum strength or a strength endurance test was performed (leg press and bench press exercises). The order of aerobic and strength exercises followed a William's square distribution to avoid carryover effects. Results showed that only the intermittent aerobic exercise produced an acute interference effect on leg strength endurance, decreasing significantly (p < 0.05) the number of repetitions from 10.8 +/- 2.5 to 8.1 +/- 2.2. Maximum strength was not affected by the aerobic exercise mode. In conclusion, the acute interference hypothesis in concurrent training seems to occur when both aerobic and strength exercises produce significant peripheral fatigue in the same muscle group.

The present study cross-sectionally investigated the influence of training status, route difficulty and upper body aerobic and anaerobic performance of climbers on the energetics of indoor rock climbing. Six elite climbers (EC) and seven recreational climbers (RC) were submitted to the following laboratory tests: (a) anthropometry, (b) upper body aerobic power, and (c) upper body Wingate test. On another occasion, EC subjects climbed an easy, a moderate, and a difficult route, whereas RC subjects climbed only the easy route. The fractions of the aerobic (W(AER)), anaerobic alactic (W(PCR)) and anaerobic lactic (W[La(-)]) systems were calculated based on oxygen uptake, the fast component of excess post-exercise oxygen uptake, and changes in net blood lactate, respectively. On the easy route, the metabolic cost was significantly lower in EC [40.3 (6.5) kJ] than in RC [60.1 (8.8) kJ] (P < 0.05). The respective contributions of the W (AER), W (PCR), and W[La(-)] systems in EC were: easy route = 41.5 (8.1), 41.1 (11.4) and 17.4% (5.4), moderate route = 45.8 (8.4), 34.6 (7.1) and 21.9% (6.3), and difficult route = 41.9 (7.4), 35.8 (6.7) and 22.3% (7.2). The contributions of the W (AER), W (PCR), and W[La(-)] systems in RC subjects climbing an easy route were 39.7 (5.0), 34.0 (5.8), and 26.3% (3.8), respectively. These results indicate that the main energy systems required during indoor rock climbing are the aerobic and anaerobic alactic systems. In addition, climbing economy seems to be more important for the performance of these athletes than improved energy metabolism.

The present study had as objectives (1) to compare the morphological and functional characteristics of the male judo players of the Brazilian Team A (n=7) with the judo players of Teams B and C (reserves; n=15), and (2) to verify the association between the variables measured. Thus, 22 athletes from the seven Olympic weight categories were submitted to: a body composition evaluation (body mass, height, ten skinfolds, eight circumferences, three bone diameters and percent body fat estimation); the Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT); maximal strength tests (one repetition-maximum, 1 RM, in bench press, row, and squat); and the Cooper test. One-way analysis of covariance was used to compare the groups. The relationships between variables were determined by the Pearson coefficient correlation. The significance level was fixed at 5%. No significant difference was found in any variable between them. The main significant correlations observed were between the following variables: VO2max and number of throws in the SJFT (r=0.79); percent body fat and estimated VO2max (r=-0.83) and number of throws in the SJFT (r=-0.70); chest circumference and bench press 1 RM (r=0.90) and in the row (r=0.80); and thigh circumference and squat 1 RM (r=0.86). However, there was no significant correlation between circumferences and 1 RM/kg of body mass. According to these results the main conclusions are: (1) the physical variables measured do not discriminate performance when analysis is directed to the best athletes; (2) a higher percent body fat is negatively correlated with performance in activities with body mass locomotion (Cooper test and the SJFT); (3) judo players with higher aerobic power performed better in high-intensity intermittent exercise; (4) judo players with bigger circumferences present bigger absolute maximal strength.

Aim: The objective of this study was to verify the effects of active (AR) and passive recovery (PR) after a judo match on blood lactate removal and on performance in an anaerobic intermittent task (4 bouts of upper body Wingate tests with 3-min interval between bouts; 4WT)., Methods: The sample was constituted by 17 male judo players of different competitive levels: A) National (Brazil) and International medallists (n. 5). B) State (São Paulo) medallists (n. 7). C) City (São Paulo) medallists (n. 5). The subjects were submitted to: 1) a treadmill test for determination of V.O2peak and velocity at anaerobic threshold (VAT); 2) body composition; 3) a 5-min judo combat, 15-min of AR or PR followed by 4WT., Results: The groups did not differ with respect to: body weight, V.O2peak, VAT, body fat percentage, blood lactate after combats. No difference was observed in performance between AR and PR, despite a lower blood lactate after combat (10 and 15 min) during AR compared to PR. Groups A and B performed better in the high-intensity intermittent exercise compared to athletes with lower competitive level (C)., Conclusion: The ability to maintain power output during intermittent anaerobic exercises can discriminate properly judo players of different levels. Lactate removal was improved with AR when compared to PR but AR did not improve performance in a subsequent intermittent anaerobic exercise.

Retention and transfer of the technique of o-soto-gari by 32 9-yr.-old children was optimized by conditions of acquisition similar to those of competition.

In the past decade there has been an increasing use of high dose of chemo-radiotherapy in the treatment of poor prognosis solid tumors of childhood. The autologous bone marrow transplantation is the most used technique for circumventing the infectious and haemorrhagic complications occurring in the prolonged period of myelotoxicity. The faster recovery assured by the peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) makes this procedure an attractive alternative. The advent of new apheretic modalities and the use of combinations of active antineoplastic drugs with various growth factors, such as G-CSF, GM-CSF and IL-3, has allowed to collect and concentrate the mononuclear fraction of peripheral blood leukocytes. The optimal timing for the collection is a crucial point and the utilization of flow cytometry for the determinations of circulating CD34+ cells in the peripheral blood is so far the best indicator for successful apheresis. The authors describe their experience in 16 children affected by poor prognosis neuroblastoma who had undergone high dose chemotherapy followed by G-CSF administration and PBPC collection. The details of apheretic techniques and the characteristics of conditioning regimen and haematologic recovery after PBPC reinfusion are also presented.

The aim of this study was to test whether prolonged administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) would allow the collection by leukapheresis of PBHP in patients with SAA. For this purpose, nine SAA patients, 7 to 46 years old, six of whom were enrolled at diagnosis of their disease and three after previous immunosuppression had failed, were treated with antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) (day 1 to 5), cyclosporin A (5 mg/kg/d orally) (day 6 to 90) and G-CSF 5 micrograms/kg/d (day 6 to 90). A total of 40 leukaphereses were performed, (range 2 to 7 per patient), between days +10 and +168 from G-CSF treatment. White blood cell count at the time of harvest ranged from 1.2 to 18.1 x 10(9)/L. Results can be summarized as follows: the median number of cells collected per patient was 5.0 x 10(8)/kg (range 2.6 to 18.7), the median number of CD34+ cells was 1.8 x 10(6)/kg (range 0.27 to 3.8) and the median number of colony-forming units granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) was 3.9 x 10(4)/kg (range 0 to 39). Twenty leukaphereses performed between days +33 and +77 of G-CSF treatment grew granulocyte macrophages and erythroid colonies in vitro. No colony growth was obtained from 20 leukaphereses performed before day +33 or after day +80. In six patients the total number of CFU-GM recovered were in the range described for autologous peripheral blood stem cell grafts. (2.6 to 39 x 10(4)/kg). In conclusion, this study suggests that circulating hematopoietic progenitors can be recovered after ALG priming and after at least 1 month of G-CSF treatment in a proportion of patients with SAA. Whether these cells will be suitable for autologous transplantation remains to be determined.

A rosetting test with papain-treated erythrocytes was set up and evaluated for the detection of minor erythrocyte populations (chimerism), which can be distinguished by their antigenic differences. The test, for Rh system antigenic differences, has been able to detect erythrocyte populations with a 0.5: 1000 density and a sensitivity 3-4 times as high as that of the antiglobulin test. Critical elements for the optimization of the test are: the final ratio between papain-treated erythrocytes and erythrocytes examined (2:1); the specificity check of the antiserum used which, considering the increased sensitivity, must be performed by the rosetting test itself; the accurate and delicate resuspension of the final pellet. Some disadvantages are the impossibility to detect antigenicity that can be altered by papain and, above all, the scarce possibility of quantifying, if not roughly, the size of the minor population.

We review 30 cases of pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus followed over an 8-year period at our institution. The female to male ratio was 3.3:1; the age at diagnosis ranged between 3.5 and 16 years. On first admission, renal involvement was detected in the majority of the patients, as assessed by laboratory findings and/or clinical manifestations. Other frequently observed symptoms were fever, skin rashes, arthralgias and/or arthritis and serositis. All of the patients were treated with corticosteroids and most of them also received immunosuppressive drugs in order to control disease activity. Two patients were lost to the follow-up, five died and only one of the 23 evaluable patients is off therapy after a median follow-up of 5 years. This study confirms that pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus is a very aggressive disease.

The availability of reliable and standardizable procedures with low contamination risk and less prominent loss in MNC, would solve the existing perplexities about the systematic use of this passage. We tried to experiment Areman's et al protocol that utilizes the CS 3000 blood cell processor without gradient, making some changes and comparing the results with those achieved with the COBE 2991 on Ficoll. Some aspects should be defined, but the preliminary results are undoubtedly of great interest.

Auranofin [S-triethylphosphine gold-2,3,4,6 tetra-O-acetyl-l-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside) SK&F 39162) has been administered at 0.1-0.25 mg/kg/day as the sole remission-inducing drug to 46 children affected with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). There were 22 males and 24 females; 12 children were affected with pauciarticular onset JCA, 26 with polyarticular onset JCA and 8 with systemic onset JCA. Three sets of efficacy criteria were evaluated quarterly: eight clinical, (Ritchie Index, number of affected, swollen and limited joints, number of joint with increased temperature, morning stiffness, Steinbrocker functional class, physician's disease evaluation), three hematochemical and one therapeutical. In most patients a panel of immunological parameters was routinely performed inclusive of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets, serum immunoglobulins and C3c-C4 complement components. Patients who showed a definite improvement of at least two out of the three orders of efficacy criteria were classified as responders to auranofin. Out of the 35 patients evaluable after at least six months of treatment there were 24 (68%) responders. Nonresponders had a basal higher level of serum IgA and a basal lower level of serum C4. Both responders and nonresponders presented a reduction of the T4/T8 ratio during auranofin treatment, while only in responders did the basal high levels of IgG and C3c show a definite decrease.

High dose chemo-radiotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) is known to be an effective treatment in stage IV neuroblastoma (NB). Since October '84, 19 children with NB (12 relapsed or resistant: Group A; 7 in first CR: Group B) received ablative therapy (AT) consisting of VCR (4 mg/mg), L-PAM (140 mg/mg) and fractionated TBI (1000 Rads). Induction strategy at diagnosis or at relapse included high dose Peptichemio, 2-3 cycles of Vincristine-Cyclophosphamide--high dose Platinum and surgery. Bone marrow was harvested after 2 evaluation proved negative by cytomorphology, histology and immunofluorescence. Mononuclear cells (median 6.7 x 10(7)/kg) were cryopreserved and reinfused without purging. At the time of AT in Group A8 children were in CR, 4 had minimal diseases; in Group B 6 were in CR and one in PR. One toxicity-related death occurred on day 7 in a child in first CR; median duration of granulocytopenia 0.5 x 10(9)/l and thrombocytopenia less than 50 x 10(9)/l were 20 days (R: 9-40) and 27 days (R: 11-51) respectively. Persistent immune thrombocytopenia occurred in 4 children. Fever higher tha 38 degrees C developed in all patients: sepsis was documented in 6 patients. Extramedullary toxicity was moderate: GI tract was the most affected. Two out of 5 children who received AT having residual disease achieved CR; relapse or progression of disease occurred in all these patients. Four out of 8 children in second or subsequent CR and 4 out of 5 in first CR are alive and well at 3-12 months (median 7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The human erythroleukemia cell line K562 can be induced to erythroid terminal differentiation by several chemical agents. The property of inducing cellular differentiation in vitro has also been demonstrated for different antineoplastic agents commonly used in therapeutic protocols. The molecular events involved during erythroid differentiation are wholly unknown. Here we demonstrate that K562 cells, undergoing differentiation by the alkylating agent Cisplatin (cis-diamminedichloro platinum (II), CDDP) employed in clinical protocols for the treatment of solid tumors, are induced to produce haemoglobin. Down modulation of the transferrin receptor (Tfr), highly represented on the cell surface, is also observed during the early stages of differentiation. Furthermore, Tf receptor expression correlates with cell growth, is down regulated and lost during terminal differentiation. The Tfr down regulation is an early event, before haemoglobin production, during cell differentiation. The data suggest that CDDP can induce terminal differentiation in K562 cells in vitro, like other antineoplastic agents.

A positive direct antiglobulin test (DAT) and hemolytic anemia are uncommon side effect of cisplatin (CDDP) therapy. A 9-year-old girl treated for extraosseus Ewing's sarcoma with a multiagent regimen, including 200 mg/m2 CDDP preceded by vincristine (VCR) and cyclophosphamide (CY), developed a positive DAT, followed by hemolytic anemia. When CDDP therapy was discontinued, the DAT became negative and no signs of anemia were observed during the maintenance treatment, which included VCR and actinomycin D.