Search

Gilberto Santos Morais Junior,1 Vinicius Carolino Souza,2 Wilcelly Machado-Silva,2 Adriane Dallanora Henriques,2 Andressa Melo Alves,1 Danilo Barbosa Morais,1 Otávio Toledo Nóbrega,2 Ciro José Brito,3 Roberto Jerônimo dos Santos Silva11Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), São Cristóvão, Sergipe, 2Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal, 3Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, BrazilAbstract: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) consists of a set of metabolic and endocrine disorders which evolve into deficiency in insulin action and hyperglycemia. Physical exercise is considered the main intervention to prevent and control T2DM. Literature has suggested that circulating microRNAs (miRs) help to understand responses to physical activity among diabetic patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the acute effect of two interventions (strength and cardiovascular) on the total, whole blood circulating concentrations of miR-126, miR-146a and miR-155 in older adults with and without T2DM. A total of 23 male and female older adults (68.2±5.3 years) participated in the trial, 13 of whom presented with controlled T2DM and 10 were nondiabetics. They underwent both interventions separately, performed with intensity from 60% to 70% of reserve heart rate. Glucose and miRs levels were quantified and compared across groups with baseline titers as covariables. Diabetic patients showed more reduction in serum blood glucose than nondiabetics, with a great magnitude of reduction after the strength training intervention, which was paralleled by a positive change of the whole blood circulating levels of miR-146a, but not of the other miRs. Our report supports evidence that miR-146a levels in peripheral blood leukocytes are negatively associated with a state of insulin resistance, which is suggested as a novel marker to trace response to antidiabetic interventions.Keywords: diabetes, physical exercise, microRNA, elderly, biomarker

José Aderval Aragão,1,5 Ana Terra Fonseca-Barreto,2 Ciro José Brito,1,3 Danilo Ribeiro Guerra,1 José Carlos Nunes-Mota,4 Francisco Prado Reis5 1Master's Degree Program in Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil; 2School of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil; 3Department of Physical Education, Universidade Federal de Sergipe (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil; 4Department of Morphology, (UFS), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil; 5School of Medicine, Universidade Tiradentes (UNIT), Aracaju, Sergipe, Brazil Abstract: Five hundred students attending higher education institutions in northeastern Brazil responded to questionnaires about their anatomy classes; students represented a variety of different health sciences disciplines. Analysis of the responses revealed the participation of teaching assistants in a large percentage of classes and the use of teaching resources, particularly images, from conventional radiographs to magnetic resonance images. The number of classes for cadaver dissection and the number of students with access to that type of class were small. In most cases, dissection was performed according to anatomic regions or systems. Medicine and nursing students had the highest number of practical dissection classes. Most students were assessed using practical and theoretical tests. Findings revealed conditions similar to those found elsewhere. Resources should be renewed and used to improve teaching for students whose courses demand the study of human anatomy. Keywords: educational assessments, gross anatomy, dissection, education medical undergraduate, anatomic models

Variable resistance training has been widely used in athletic preparation., Objectives: To analyze the use of currents (VRT) and the traditional method (TRAD) on speed, power and temperature in a training session., Methods: Fourteen paralympic powerlifting (PP) athletes took part over three weeks. In week 1, familiarization and 1RM tests took place, and, in weeks 2 and 3, pre- and post-training took place, where the propulsive mean velocity and power and temperatures were assessed before and after, at 24 h and 48 h., Results: There was a difference in the sternal pectoral temperatures before and after VRT ( p = 0.040) and at 48 h for TRAD and VRT ( p = 0.018); in the clavicular pectoralis before and after VRT and TRAD ( p = 0.003); in the anterior deltoid after and at 48 h for TRAD and VRT ( p = 0.026 and p = 0.017); and in the triceps after and at 24 h and 48 h between TRAD and VRT ( p = 0.005). In the training series, the MPV was significant in TRAD between Set1 and Set5 ( p = 0.003), in training (VRT) between Set1 and Set5 ( p = 0.001) and in Set5 between the methods ( p = 0.047). For power, there was a difference between Set1 and 5 in TRAD ( p = 0.016) and VRT ( p = 0.002)., Conclusion: We conclude that training with currents (VRT) promoted greater muscle fatigue when compared to traditional training.

This study delves into the intricate details of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) by examining key variables such as maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), aerobic energy (EAER), anaerobic energy (EAN), and accumulated O2 deficit (DOA). By investigating associations and comparing athletes in the -61 kg bantamweight and -66 kg featherweight weight divisions, we aim to shed light on their physiological characteristics. The sample consisted of 20 male volunteers separated into two paired groups: ten athletes in the category up to 61 kg (age: 27.7 ± 5.9 years old, height: 170.9 ± 3.4 cm, body mass: 72.8 ± 1.4 kg, fat percentage: 9.5% ± 3.0%, professional experience: 7.5 ± 7.1 years) and ten athletes up to 66 kg (age: 27.6 ± 2.9 years old, height: 176.0 ± 5.5 cm, body mass: 77.0 ± 1.5 kg, fat percentage: 7.85% ± 0.3%, professional experience: 5.5 ± 1.5 years). Remarkably, our findings revealed striking similarities between the two weight divisions. Furthermore, we discovered a negative correlation between VO2 peak and the number of MMA fights, indicating a potential impact of professional experience on aerobic capacity (r = -0.65, p < 0.01). Additionally, the number of fights exhibited negative correlations with anaerobic energy (r = -0.53, p < 0.05) and total energy cost (r = -0.54, p < 0.05). These results provide valuable insights for designing training programs in the context of MMA. While training both weight divisions together can be beneficial, it is equally crucial to incorporate specific weight-class-focused training to address each division's unique physical demands and requirements., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Gonçalves, Miarka, Maurício, Teixeira, Brito, Ignácio Valenzuela Pérez, Slimani, Znazen, Bragazzi and Reis.)

Aims: To evaluate peppermint essential oil (PEO) inhalation's effect on young soccer athletes' motor performance., Methods: A randomized crossover design was used to test the effect of the PEO. Eleven U-17 soccer players were evaluated into two conditions (PEO and Placebo - PLA). The players were tested in squat jump and countermovement jump and inhaled PEO or PLA and 10 min later performed the physical tests again. A mixed ANOVA was performed to test the hypotheses., Results: Main effects were found for the time in jumping height in the CMJ (p = 0.037). No main and interaction effects were found in the SJ variables., Conclusion: From the results, decrease CMJ performance acutely, both conditions presented decrease in JH, but based in effect size, PLA decrease is higher (more sample size for corroborate this) possibly due to improvements in the eccentric yielding sub-phase, where mentioned phase could be reflecting neural changes (required experimental verification). The PEO could be the interest in trainers for use before of match or in the half-time for minimize the decreased of physical performance by the rest., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In judo combat, the approach and gripping phases play a crucial role in determining victory, and it is believed that they can be influenced by the current rules. The objective of this study was to compare the technical-tactical actions executed by female judokas in the approach and gripping subphases during international competitions held in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic cycles, which featured different rules. We analyzed 1332 combat videos from the top 20 female judo athletes in the world rankings. These videos were equally distributed across weight divisions in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic cycles (48 kg = 132; 52 kg = 72; 57 kg = 109; 63 kg = 96; 70 kg = 69; 78 kg = 106; >78 kg = 82; total = 666 combats per cycle). The athletes in the 2020 cycle spent more time executing approach actions without contact with the judogi (formless: 2020 = 26.9; 2016 = 21.3 s; p < 0.001) and less time attempting grips (2020 = 24.6; 2016 = 31.2 s; p < 0.001) than the 2016 athletes. Additionally, the 2020 athletes spent less time on one-handed grips (left collar: 2020 = 7.1; 2016 = 7.9 s; p = 0.017; right sleeve: 2020 = 4.6; 2016 = 5.6 s; p = 0.018; left sleeve: 2020 = 4.7; 2016 = 5.2 s; p = 0.031) compared to the 2016 athletes. In both Olympic cycles, athletes devoted the most time to traditional grips (left collar right sleeve: 2016 = 12.3 ± 19.9; 2020 = 12.2 ± 17.5; right collar left sleeve: 2016 = 11.5 ± 20.6; 2020 = 12.3 ± 19.9 s). Differences in the approach subphases between Olympic cycles had varying impacts on different weight divisions (formless = 52 kg, 57 kg, 78 kg; right anteroposterior = 52 kg, 57 kg, 70 kg; grip attempts = 57 kg, 63 kg, 70 kg, 78 kg, >78 kg; p < 0.05), as did changes in grip types (right collar; left collar; left sleeve = 70 kg; right sleeve = >78 kg; right dorsal = 63 kg; left dorsal = 63 kg, 78 kg; right collar left sleeve = 48 kg, 52 kg; right dorsal left sleeve = 78 kg; right dorsal left collar = 48 kg, 70 kg; right dorsal left dorsal = 48 kg, 63 kg; p < 0.05). There were notable technical-tactical shifts in the behavior of female athletes between the Olympic cycles with different rules, and these findings should be taken into account for specialized training in female judo., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests., (© 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Abstract: Antoniettô, NR, Bello, FD, Carrenho Queiroz, AC, Berbert de Carvalho, PH, Brito, CJ, Amtmann, J, and Miarka, B. Suggestions for professional mixed martial arts training with pacing strategy and technical-tactical actions by rounds. J Strength Cond Res 37(6): 1306-1314, 2023-This study compared the pacing strategy and motor actions used in mixed martial arts combats ending by knockout/technical knockout (KO/TKO) or submission. All of the sample bouts ended in KO/TKO and consisted of 1,564 rounds of 678 bouts. The bouts were separated by round (R) of bouts ending (ER) in the first round ( n = 192), first (1R × 2ER) and second (2R × 2ER) of bouts ending in the second round ( n = 172), and first (1R × 3ER), second (2R × 3ER), and third (3R × 3ER) of bouts ending in the third round ( n = 1,200). The analyses were performed according to the duration (∆) in each phase: ∆ standing preparatory activity time, ∆ standing combat activity time, ∆ ground preparatory activity time, and ∆ ground combat activity time and their technical-tactical actions (attempted and landed strikes to the head, body and leg, takedowns, and submissions). The main results demonstrated a shorter ∆ standing preparatory activity time in 1R × 1ER (95.6 ± 62.9 seconds) and 2R × 2ER (93.6 ± 67.9 seconds) vs. 2R × 3ER (160.5 ± 87.4 seconds) and 3R × 3ER (144.0 ± 88.5 seconds) with fewer strikes attempted and landed to the head, body, and legs ( p ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed ( p > 0.05) between ∆ standing combat activity time, but lower attempted and landed takedowns and strikes to the head, body, and leg frequencies. There were shorter ∆ ground combat activity time ( p ≤ 0.05) in 1R × 1ER (23.4 ± 45.5) and 2R × 2ER (25.3 ± 41.9) vs. 2R × 3ER (50.4 ± 69.9) and 3R × 3ER (52.9 ± 74.2), with lower attempted submissions, chokes, and attempted and landed strikes to the head, body, and leg frequencies observed. These results contribute to the information developed from current research to help improve the quality of training and promote effective athletic preparation related to pacing strategy and performance models., (Copyright © 2023 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a technology easy to use for clinical purposes as a pre-diagnostic tool for many health conditions. However, the analysis process of a thermographic image needs to be meticulous to make an appropriate decision. The adipose tissue is considered a potential influence factor in the skin temperature (Tsk) values obtained by IRT. This study aimed to verify the influence of body fat percentage (%BF) on Tsk measured by IRT in male adolescents. A total of 100 adolescents (16.79 ± 0.97 years old and body mass index of 18.41 ± 2.32 kg/m²) was divided into two groups through the results of a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analysis: obese ( n = 50, %BF 30.21 ± 3.79) and non-obese ( n = 50, %BF 11.33 ± 3.08). Thermograms were obtained by a FLIR T420 infrared camera and analyzed by ThermoHuman ® software version 2.12, subdividing the body into seven regions of interest (ROI). The results showed that obese adolescents presented lower mean Tsk values than the non-obese for all ROIs ( p < 0.05), with emphasis on the global Tsk (0.91 °C) and anterior (1.28 °C) and posterior trunk (1.18 °C), with "very large" effect size values. A negative correlation was observed in all the ROI ( p < 0.01), mainly in the anterior (r = -0.71, p < 0.001) and posterior trunk (r = -0.65, p < 0.001). Tables of thermal normality were proposed for different ROIs according to the classification of obesity. In conclusion, the %BF affects the registered Tsk values in male Brazilian adolescents assessed by IRT.

Purpose: Despite the growing works analyzing exercise-induced thermoregulatory adjustments through thermography, the skin temperature (Tsk) response of the same muscle groups underwent to different exercise demands has not been investigated. This study analyzed the behavior of Tsk of the same muscle groups when exercised with different demands in rowing. Methods: Eighteen men underwent three performance tests on a rowing ergometer: whole-body 2,000 m test (RT WB ), upper-body (RT UB ), and lower-body (RT LB ) tests. In each condition, thermograms were recorded before (pre), immediately after test (post), and at 10 (REC 10 ), 20 (REC 20 ), and 30 (REC 30 ) minutes post-exercise recovery. Tsk was measured at the pectoral (control body region), upper back, quadriceps, brachial biceps, and forearm. Results: Pectoral-Tsk reduced comparably in response to all testing conditions ( p < .05). Upper back-Tsk decreased post ( p < .001) and returned to baseline in the RT UB (REC 10 , p = 1.0) and RT WB (REC 30 , p = .128), while remained reduced in the RT LB ( p < .001). Quadriceps-Tsk reduced post ( p < .05) and returned to baseline in the RT WB and RT LB at REC 10 ( p = 1.0), remaining reduced in the RT UB during recovery ( p < .05). Regarding the upper limbs, Tsk increased more markedly in the RT UB versus RT WB during the recovery period ( p < .05); in the RT LB , biceps-Tsk remained below baseline over time ( p < .05), whereas the forearm-Tsk was restored at REC 10 ( p = 1.0). Conclusion: Manipulating the muscle groups involved in rowing alters the Tsk response within equal ROI. Exercise-induced Tsk changes can reflect local hemodynamic and thermoregulatory adjustments.

Coaches and psychologists can use time-motion analysis to elaborate specific interventions for female BJJ athletes, increasing specific training context and reducing unnecessary psychological and physical demands and injuries. Therefore, the present study aimed to analyze high-level BJJ female athletes in the 2020 Pan-American Games by comparing the weight categories on the time-motion analysis. The time-motion analysis (i.e., approach, gripping, attack, defensive actions, transition, mounting, guard, side control, and submissions) of 422 high-level female BJJ combats was divided and compared by weight category as follows: Rooster ( n  = 8), Light Feather ( n  = 18), Feather ( n  = 122), Light ( n  = 84), Middle ( n  = 74), Medium Heavy ( n  = 44), Heavy ( n  = 36), Super Heavy ( n  = 36), using p  ≤ 0.05. The main results indicated that the Super heavyweight category [3.1 (5.8;119.9) s] had a shorter gripping time than other weight categories, p  ≤ 0.05. In contrast, roosters [7.2 (3.5;64.6) s] had longer gripping, transition [14.0 (4.8;29.6) s], and attack time [76.2 (27.7, 93.2)] than the light feather, middlers, and heavier weight categories, p  ≤ 0.05. These findings should be considered for the psychological interventions and training prescription., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Santos, Soto, de Brito, Brito, Aedo-Muñoz, Slimani, Bragazzi, Znazen and Miarka.)

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a technology that has been used as an auxiliary tool in the diagnostic process of several diseases and in sports monitoring to prevent injuries. However, the evaluation of a thermogram can be influenced by several factors that need to be understood and controlled to avoid a misinterpretation of the thermogram and, consequently, an inappropriate clinical action. Among the possible factors that can affect IRT are anthropometric factors, especially those related to body composition. Based on these, our objective was to verify the influence of Body Mass Index (BMI) on skin temperature (Tsk) in male adolescents. One hundred male adolescents (age: 16.83 ± 1.08 years; body mass: 66.51 ± 13.35 kg; height: 1.75 ± 7.04 m and BMI: 21.57 ± 4.06 kg/m 2 ) were evaluated and divided into three groups, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) proposed classification ranges: underweight (n = 33), normal weight (n = 34) and overweight/obesity (n = 34). Thermograms were obtained using the FLIR T420 thermal imager after a period of acclimatization of the subjects in a controlled environment (temperature: 21.3 ± 0.7 °C and humidity: 55.3 ± 2.2%); they were evaluated using the ThermoHuman® software, integrating the original regions of interest (ROI) into seven larger ROIs. The results showed that underweight individuals had higher Tsk values than normal weight and overweight/obese individuals for all evaluated ROIs, and overweight/obese individuals had lower Tsk values than normal weight individuals for most evaluated ROIs, except for arms region. BMI showed a correlation of -0.68 and -0.64 for the anterior and posterior regions of the trunk, respectively. Thermal normality tables were proposed for various ROIs according to BMI classification. Our study demonstrated that BMI can affect the Tsk values assessed by IRT and needs to be considered to interpret the thermograms., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Exercise, including resistance exercise with high loads, has positive hemodynamic responses such as reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), Pressure Product Rate (PPR), and estimated myocardial oxygen volume (MVO 2 ). Caffeine (CA), used to improve performance, tends to interfere with BP and HR. This study aimed to analyze the effects of CA supplementation on hemodynamic indicators in Paralympic weightlifting (PP). The exercise was performed on 14 male athletes (32.4 ± 8.5 years; 81.7 ± 21.9 kg) for three weeks. Two conditions were evaluated: supplementation with CA Anhydrous 9 mg/kg and with placebo (PL). The adapted bench press was used, with 5 × 5 at 80% 1RM. We evaluated BP, HR, PPR, and MVO 2 , before, after, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 min, and 24 h later. The CA presented higher absolute values in the pressure indicators than the PL, and after 24 h there was an inversion. The HR was higher in the CA and showed a reduction after 10 min. The PPR and MVO 2 in the CA presented absolute values greater than the PL, and 24 h later there was an inversion. There was no hypotensive effect, but the use of CA did not present risks related to PPR and MVO 2 , demonstrating the safe use of this supplement in adapted strength sports.

This study compared the time of female judo combat phases in international competitions between two Olympic cycles (2016; 2020) according to weight divisions (48 kg = 132; 52 kg = 72; 57 kg = 109; 63 kg = 96; 70 kg = 69; 78 kg = 106; >78 kg = 82; total = 666 combats/cycle). The behaviors of 1,332 high-level female judo combats were randomly observed over two Olympic cycles (2016 = 666; 2020 = 666) from the top 20 athletes in the world ranking by weight division. We performed time-motion analysis according to the combat phase and sequential judo actions (approach, gripping, attack, defense, groundwork, pause, and effort: pause ratio) considering the moment when the combat ended (Regular time = RT; Golden score = GS). The weight division groups were compared between Olympic cycles (2016; 2020), and p < 0.05 was defined as significant. The main results showed that 2020 athletes spent less time in the gripping ( p  = 0.005), attack ( p < 0.001), defense ( p < 0.001), groundwork ( p< 0.001) and pause ( p  = 0.002) phases than 2016 athletes. However, compared by the end-of-combat, 2020 female athletes spent less time in all combat phases for RT combats ( p < 0.001), and more time in the approach phase for GS combats ( p < 0.05) than in 2016. The 2016 weight divisions showed a higher diversity in the effort: pause ratio (2.5:1-3.4:1), whereas the 2020 weight divisions had values closer to each other (2.8,1-3:1). Analyzing each weight division separately and by the end-of-combat, the main results showed that ( p < 0.05): 48, 63, 70, and 78 kg reduced the time in almost every phase of RT combat (except for: 63 kg = gripping and attack; 70 kg = approach and groundwork; 78 kg = approach); 48 and 57 kg increased the groundwork time in GS combats whereas 78 kg decreased; 52 kg and 78 kg increased the GS approach time. The temporal behavior of the combats changed between the Olympic cycles with different rules. These data must be considered to understand the characteristics of each group and to prescribe specialized training in female judo., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Barreto, Miarka, dos Santos Silva, Bragazzi, Slimani, Znazen, Soto, Aedo-Muñoz and Brito.)

Background: Due to the absence of evidence in the literature on Paralympic Powerlifting the present study investigated various methods to assess bench press maximum repetition and the way each method influences the measurement of minimum velocity limit (MVT), load at zero velocity (LD0), and force-velocity (FV)., Objective: To evaluate the precision of the multi-point method using proximal loads (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% of one repetition maximum; 1RM) compared to the four-point method (50, 60, 70, and 80% of 1RM) and the two-point method using distant loads (40 and 80% and 50 and 80% of 1RM) in in the MVT, LD0, and FV, in bench press performed by Paralympic Powerlifters (PP)., Methods: To accomplish this, 15 male elite PP athletes participated in the study (age: 27.7 ± 5.7 years; BM: 74.0 ± 19.5 kg). All participants performed an adapted bench press test (free weight) with 6 loads (40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% 1RM), 4 loads (50, 60, 70, and 80% 1RM), and 2 loads (40-80% and 50-80% 1RM). The 1RM predictions were made by MVT, LD0, and FV., Results: The main results indicated that the multiple (4 and 6) pointsmethod provides good results in the MVT (R 2  = 0.482), the LD0 (R 2  = 0.614), and the FV (R 2  = 0.508). The two-point method (50-80%) showed a higher mean in MVT [1268.2 ± 502.0 N; ICC95% 0.76 (0.31-0.92)], in LD0 [1504.1 ± 597.3 N; 0.63 (0.17-0.86)], and in FV [1479.2 ± 636.0 N; 0.60 (0.10-0.86)]., Conclusion: The multiple-point method (4 and 6 points) and the two-point method (40-80%) using the MVT, LD0, and FV all showed a good ability to predict bench press 1RM in PP., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This research study verified the technical-tactical actions during the mixed martial arts (MMA) fights to generate serious enough injury to stop the MMA round, determining technical-tactical potential risk factors for injury in official MMA combats, according to Concussion or Resignation per Submission. A total of 990 rounds with concussions and 627 resignations per submission were considered with severe injury (i.e., a fight ended by a doctor or referee). All injuries were diagnosed and managed by attending ringside physicians during the MMA fights and rounds and had a continuous technical-tactical behavior analysis, p ≤ 0.05. The leading cause of concussion was due to head trauma (~90%), with higher dependence on head strikes scored actions. Comparisons between Concussion and Resignation per Submission combats demonstrated differences between distance head strikes actions [13(6,25) vs. 9(4,18) frequencies], clinch head strikes actions [1(0;4) vs . 1(0;3) frequencies], ground head strikes actions [1(0;8) vs. 2(0;10) frequencies] and takedowns actions [0(0;1) vs . 1(0;2) frequencies]. This information may provide significant evidence regarding the doctor stoppage in concussion combats and when it could be called by officials supervising MMA., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Miarka, Soto, Aedo-Muñoz, Maurício, Müller, Bragazzi and Brito.)

Purpose of Review: To verify the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO 3 ) supplementation on biochemical and physical measurements of combat sports athletes., Recent Findings: A systematic review of articles indexed in three databases (PubMed, CAPES journal, and Google Scholar) was carried out until October 2020, using descriptors related to NaHCO 3 supplementation in combat sports. First, 38 articles were identified. Next, eight articles were selected through the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the articles was assessed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale (8 and 9 points). Blood lactate, rating of perceived exertion, Special Judo Fitness Test, Dummy throw, and mean and peak powers for Wingate were evaluated. Random effects meta-analysis was used, the effect size was adjusted by corrected Hedges' g, and the heterogeneity is explored by I 2 . The results were obtained through weighted average and 95% CI, and the significance limit was set as p < 0.05. NaHCO 3 supplementation had a significant effect on increasing blood lactate (p = 0.006) of the athletes studied. However, the performance measures (rating of perceived exertion, power, and specific performance) did not show a significant difference (p ˂ 0.05). In conclusion, NaHCO 3 supplementation causes a significant increase in blood lactate, indicating an ergogenic effect on buffer, which can delay the onset of fatigue and contribute to the performance of combat sports athletes. New experimental studies need to be published that assess the effect of acute and chronic NaHCO 3 supplementation in specific combat sports tests and in women., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The objective was to assess the instrumental validity and the test-retest reliability of a low-cost hand-held push dynamometer adapted from a load-cell based hanging scale (tHHD) to collect compressive forces in different ranges of compressive forces. Three independent raters applied 50 pre-established compressions each on the tHHD centered on a force platform in three distinct ranges: ~70 N, ~160 N, ~250 N. Knee isometric strength was also assessed on 19 subjects in two sessions (48 h apart) using the tHHD anchored by an inelastic adjustable strap. Knee extension and flexion were assessed with the participant seated on a chair with the feet resting on the floor, knees, and hips flexed at 90°. The isometric force peaks were recorded and compared. The ICC and the Cronbach's α showed excellent consistency and agreement for both instrumental validity and test-retest reliability (range: 0.89-0.99), as the correlation and determination coefficients (range: 0.80-0.99). The SEM and the MDC analysis returned adequate low values with a coefficient of variation less than 5%. The Bland-Altman results showed consistency and high levels of agreement. The tHHD is a valid method to assess the knee isometric strength, showing portability, cost-effectiveness, and user-friendly interface to provide an effective form to assess the knee isometric strength.

This study verifies associated factors with trait and state anxiety in professional soccer teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sample was composed of 315 athletes, coaches, and physical trainers of professional soccer teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. From this amount, 214 were classified with trait anxiety, and 315 were classified with state anxiety using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). This study is an epidemiological and cross-sectional study. We applied an observational method, and we performed a remote measurement. The measurement was made via online questionnaires in male and female individuals working on soccer teams (soccer professionals or athletes) who could be affected by anxiety during social isolation in the COVID-19 pandemic. Each questionnaire was composed of sociodemographic questions, self-perceived performance, and STAI. The main results indicated a significant difference between female vs. male soccer professionals in state anxiety (54.97 ± 9.43 vs. 57.65 ± 9.48 index) and trait anxiety (54.21 ± 5.74 vs. 55.76 ± 6.41 index) with higher results in men. Sociodemographic variables impacted significant differences between female and male athletes and professionals of soccer clubs, and anxiety during the pandemic COVID-19 period impacted self-perceived performance analysis. The present results highlight the importance of cognitive behavior therapy for professional soccer teams., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Esteves, Brito, Müller, Brito, Valenzuela Pérez, Slimani, Bragazzi and Miarka.)

This study aimed to determine the impact of a soccer game on the creatine kinase (Ck) response and recovery and the specific Global Positioning System (GPS)-accelerometry-derived performance analysis during matches and comparing playing positions. A sample composed of 118 observations of 24 professional soccer teams of the Brazil League Serie A was recruited and classified according to playing positions, i.e., Left/Right Defenders ( D = 30, age: 25.2 ± 5.8 years, height: 187 ± 5.5 cm, weight: 80 ± 5.8 kg), Offensive Midfielders (OM = 44, age: 25.1 ± 0.2 years, height: 177 ± 0.3 cm, weight: 73 ± 1.2 kg), Forwards ( F = 9, age: 25.1 ± 0.2 years, height: 176.9 ± 4.3 cm, weight: 74.5 ± 2.1 kg), Left/Right Wingers ( M = 23, age: 24.5 ± 0.5 years, height: 175 ± 1.1 cm, weight: 74 ± 4.4 kg), and Strikers ( S = 12, age: 28 ± 0.2 years, height: 184 ± 1.0 cm, weight: 80 ± 1.4 kg). Blood Ck concentration was measured pre-, immediately post-, and 24 h postgame, and the GPS-accelerometry parameters were assessed during games. Findings demonstrated that Ck concentrations were higher at all postgame moments when compared with pregame, with incomplete recovery markers being identified up to 24 h after the game (range: 402-835 U/L). Moreover, Midfielders (108.6 ± 5.6 m/min) and Forwards (109.1 ± 8.3 m/min) had a higher relative distance vs. other positions (100.9 ± 10.1 m/min). Strikers [8.2 (8.1, 9.05) load/min] and Defenders [8.45 (8, 8.8) load/min] demonstrated lower load/min than Wingers [9.5 (9.2, 9.8) load/min], Midfielders [10.6 (9.9, 11.67) load/min], and Forwards [11 (10.65, 11, 15) load/min]. These results could be used to adopt specific training programs and recovery strategies after match according to the playing positions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Freire, Brito, Esteves, Tannure, Slimani, Znazen, Bragazzi, Brito, Soto, Gonçalves and Miarka.)

This study measured the effect of caffeine on brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity and the energy expenditure (EE) of subjects with high (HBAT) or low (LBAT) activation. We performed a quasi-experimental double-blind protocol in which 24 physically active healthy men were measured (age: 24.1 ± 6.0 yrs; BM: 75.3 ± 14.4 kg; HT: 171.8 ± 5.9 cm; BMI: 25.5 ± 4.9 kg/m 2 ). Infrared thermography (IRT) protocol was used to separate the participants into the groups according to the BAT activation: high (HBAT; n = 11) and low (LBAT; n = 13). All participants ingested a single supplement caffeine capsule (CAF) of 375 mg (~5 mg/kg BM) or placebo (PLA). Our experimental protocol measured two groups (HBAT and LBAT) under two conditions (CAF and PLA), with intake 30-min before the data collection. BAT activity lasted 60-min (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60 min) and was estimated by IRT in subclavicular (Δ SCV) and external (Δ EXT) regions of interest (ROI) and EE by indirect calorimetry. The main results indicated that HBAT at 40-min showed an increased EE versus the other groups and conditions (p = 0.009). There was a significant difference for BAT activation at the 30 (p = 0.019), 40 (p = 0.009), 50 (p = 0.007) and 60 min (p = 0.012) between HBAT-CAF vs. LBAT-CAF. There was also a significant difference at the 20 (p = 0.024), 30 (p = 0.036), 50 (p = 0.05) and 60 min (p = 0.011) between HBAT-CAF vs. HBAT-PLA. In conclusion CAF intake (≈5 mg) increases the thermogenic activity of BAT in healthy young men and increases EE in HBAT subjects., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Nutritional ergogenic aids are foods or nutrients that can improve physical performance. Among these foods with ergogenic properties, caffeine has shown that it can increase the fat catabolism, strength, and improve the cognition and time reaction of an athlete, therefore, it is hoped that it can improve the performance of judokas. This study through a double-blind crossover (supplement X placebo) protocol, investigated the effects caffeine supplementation (single capsule containing 5 mg/kg body mass intake 60 min before the session) on biochemical, anthropometrical, physical, subjective and hemodynamic variables measured before, during and after two typical judo trainingcxs sessions (120-min: 40-min of gymnastics; 40-min of specific technics and; 40-min of judo combat)., Methods: 8 high-level athletes (21.4 ± 2.0 years; 83.6 ± 15.2 kg; 1.8 ± 0.1 m; 17.9 ± 7.0 Fat%) were evaluated before and after each training for body mass, hydration, upper and lower limb power, performance in the special judo fitness test (SJFT), free fatty acids (FFA) in plasma, uric acid, glucose, lactate, heart rate, and pain. In addition, heart rate, FFA in plasma, uric acid, glucose, lactate, rating of perceived exertion and pain were assessed during the training., Results: At 120 min, supplementation resulted in a higher concentration of plasma FFA (1.5 ± 0.5 vs. 1.0 ± 0.3 mmol/L; p = 0.047) and lactate (4.9 ± 1.8 vs. 3.0 ± 1.2 mmol/L; p = 0.047), and a lower concentration of uric acid (5.4 ± 0.9 vs. 7.0 ± 1.5 mg/dL; p = 0.04). Supplementation also resulted in performance maintenance (fatigue index) in the SJFT (Δ0.3 ± 2.0 vs Δ1.7 ± 2.5, for caffeine and placebo respectively, p = 0.046). No adverse effects were observed., Conclusion: Based on the applied dose, intake time, and sample of this study, we can conclude that caffeine produces an ergogenic biochemical effect, and improves performance in judo athletes.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) scores have good predictive value for atherosclerosis-related outcomes in the geriatric population. The low availability of cardiac computed tomography is an obstacle to assess CAC in clinical practice. Thus, clinical signs with a good degree of association with CAC can help to estimate cardiovascular risk, particularly in low-income populations., Objectives: To assess whether clinical, biochemical and functional measures explain the CAC scores in older individuals., Methods: We characterized 89 non-institutionalized older volunteers (≥ 80 years old) by means of a comprehensive biochemical and anthropometric evaluation along with assessments of CAC scores determined by computerized tomography, and tested their association with walking speed test (WS) and handgrip strength (HS) performance., Results: Analyses of variance showed that body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) differed significantly (p ≤ 0.01 and p ≤ 0.03; respectively) across quartiles, so that subsequent tests were adjusted for anthropometry. ANCOVA revealed that the two lower quartiles of CAC had better performance in WS compared to the third and fourth quartiles (p ≤ 0.04). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that WS scores exhibit enough power (R 2  = 0.379, p = 0.05) to explain CAC scores. There were no significant differences for HS between quartiles (p = 0.87)., Conclusion: WS is associated and explain CAC scores, and may be useful to stratify atherosclerotic burden in apparently healthy very old individuals regardless of body composition., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to verify the quarantine's effects during a serious viral outbreak on the cardiovascular and performance associated with the Yo-Yo test in a sample of professional soccer players. 20 high-level soccer players ( n = 20; age: 26 ± 4 years-old; weight: 76.85 ± 6.7 kg; height: 179 ± 6 cm) participated in this study. The intermittent Yo-Yo test was performed pre- and post- COVID-19 quarantine in a random order. During each test, the soccer players' running performance outcomes were monitored using a portable 5-Hz GPS with a 100 Hz accelerometer and a paired t -test was conducted at a p -value of ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated significant differences between pre- versus post-COVID-19 quarantine in the following variables: relative distance (161.7 ± 5.9 > 141.1 ± 33.8 m/min), maximal speed (18.7 ± 0.9 > 18.2 ± 0.6 km/h), acceleration (60 ± 20 frequency > 52 ± 16 frequency), deceleration (34 ± 13 frequency > 27 ± 6 frequency), sprints > 19 km/h [0.8 (0.2;3)% >0.5 (0;0.5)%], and in high intensity running distance [16.48 (2.68;41.64)m > 0.827 (0.164;3.0)m]. We concluded that COVID-19-related restrictions and quarantine COVID-19 demonstrated adverse effects on professional soccer players' Yo-Yo tests performance., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Albuquerque Freire, Tannure, Sampaio, Slimani, Znazen, Bragazzi, Aedo-Muñoz, Sobarzo Soto, Brito and Miarka.)

Brito, CJ, Moreira, DG, Ferreira, JJ, Díaz-de-Durana, AL, Miarka, B, Bouzas Marins, JC, and Sillero-Quintana, M. Immune response related with skin thermal pattern in judokas: A new application for infrared thermography? J Strength Cond Res 34(10): 2886-2894, 2020-This study investigated the association between body skin temperature (BST) and immune response after judo training, and compared the immune responses considering 2 post-training skin thermal pattern ("spots"-SPT and "localized"-LOC). For this, we evaluated 32 (25-male) black-belt judokas from the Spanish Junior National Team (18.0 ± 3.5 years, 72.4 ± 18.4 kg, and 17.1 ± 7.5% body fat). White blood cell and BST measurements were performed at pre-training, immediately, 1, and 24-hour post-training. Body skin temperature (° C) was estimated by skin temperature from 4 regions of interest (chest, upper arm, thigh, and calf). The main results indicated that 13 judokas were classified as SPT and 19 as LOC. In comparison with LOC, SPT had a significantly lower BST post-training (SPT = 33.0 ± 0.4 vs. LOC = 33.6 ± 0.8° C; p = 0.016), lower blood concentration of leukocytes (SPT = 7.9 ± 1.9 vs. LOC = 8.9 ± 1.9 cells × 10 per mm; p ≤ 0.001), and neutrophils (SPT = 5.5 ± 1.7 vs. LOC = 6.1 ± 2.2 cells × 10 per mm; p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the BST and immune response after judo training seem to be not associated. However, when the skin thermal pattern is considered, the SPT skin thermal pattern presented a lower post-training BST, blood leukocytes, and neutrophils in comparison with the LOC group. These results show a possible relationship between skin thermal pattern and immune responses for the first time; however, further studies are needed to confirm the evidence presented here.

This brief research report showed technical-tactical behaviors of male and female judo cadets during combats, comparing the frequency and time of judo combat actions, techniques and penalties. The data was composed for 3,240 sequential technical-tactical behavior analysis from 108 female and 300 male cadet combats recorded of public judo championships. Combat, standing combat moments, approach action, gripping action, attack, groundwork actions and pause moment were observed and determinant technical-tactical behaviors (frequencies of actions, penalties and type of attacks) analysis were done with FRAMI software, followed by Mann-Whitney and Student's t -test, p ≤ 0.05. Our main results indicated that male cadets with 58.66s ± 50.26s demonstrated longer gripping action than female with 38.44s ± 30.44s, as standing combat ( tachi-waza ) had differences between male with 96.8s ± 72s and female athletes with 75.85s ± 56.97s. Moreover, male cadets had higher sacrifice techniques ( sutemi-waza ) actions than female athletes. This information could be used to a best performance associated with "psyching-up" as much as it could be used on physical training and technical-tactical ability of female and male cadets., (Copyright © 2020 Miarka, Pérez, Aedo-Muñoz, da Costa and Brito.)

The aim of the study was to compare motor action variables of judo combat phases and technical biomechanical assessment of the seven weight categories. The sample was composed of 638 bouts (176 of extra lightweight <66 kg, 289 of half lightweight 66 > 73 kg, 180 of lightweight 73 > 81 kg, 244 of half middleweight 81 > 90 kg, 174 of middleweight 81 > 90 kg, 151 of half heavyweight 90 > 100 kg and 142 of heavyweight >100 kg) during motor actions of approach, gripping, attack, defense and groundwork combat phases, verifying the interactions between them by Markov chains and comparisons by Kruskall-Wallis and Dunn post hoc tests (p ≤ .05). The results demonstrated that lighter weight categories showed higher approach phases than the heavyweight category, and the lightweight group demonstrated higher defensive action frequencies than the half lightweight category and heavyweight athletes. Heavyweight and middleweight categories demonstrated higher groundwork combat frequencies than lighter weights, and the heavyweight category showed higher pause frequencies than the lightweight category. Regarding the decision-making model, the main transitions presented by the Markov chains showed higher prevalence of the following combinations: gripping occurring before the lever and length attacks, lever attack followed by the length attack, and length attack occurring earlier than the groundwork phase., (© 2020 Dany Alexis Sobarzo Soto, Esteban Aedo-Muñoz, Ciro José Brito, Suzi Camey, Bianca Miarka, published by Sciendo.)

The present study compared emotional intelligence and anxiety between six combat sports of lower, intermediate and high-level female and male athletes. The sample was composed by 444 athletes (age: 24.7 ± 8.8 years, body mass: 72.4 ± 12.1 kg, height: 1.82 ± 0.3 m, and practice time: 13.1 ± 7.4 years) separated by sex (male n = 273, female n = 171) from different combat sports (jiu-jitsu n = 142, judo n = 137, karate n = 57, kendo n = 63, taekwondo n = 25, and freestyle wrestling n = 20) of three levels (high-level n = 57, intermediate n = 137 and low-level n = 142). Inventory of situations and anxiety response (ISRA) provided an independent evaluation for the three systems: cognitive, motor and physiological, as well as a total with four factors of analysis (anxiety before the evaluation, interpersonal, phobic and before habitual, and daily situations). Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) verified emotional intelligence scales. Descriptive results are demonstrated by percentage or median (first quartile Q1; third quartile Q3), Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests were conducted to compare groups, p ≤ 0.05. The main results demonstrated 10% more total anxiety for wrestling and judo compared to the other groups ( p ≤ 0.05). Female athletes showed 15% more anxiety than men, while emotional attention demonstrated 10% better results for women. Significant differences were observed between high- versus low-level athletes in the total anxiety with 85 (44; 143) versus 122 (69; 186) of ISRA index and emotional repair with 30 (25; 34) versus 27 (22; 32) of TMMS-24 index. Emotional intelligence seems to be higher in female and in higher level, while anxiety appears to be prevalent in judo and wrestling, low-level and in female athletes. These outcomes provide support for the hypothesis that emotional abilities are an important contributor to emotional intelligence, particularly differentiating high level athletes than other levels. Results can be incorporated into strategies for reducing anxiety and improving emotional intelligence, considering particularities of gender and level groups., (Copyright © 2020 Fernández, Brito, Miarka and Díaz-de-Durana.)

Recent evidence suggests changes in circulating microRNA levels may be promising biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD). We hypothesized that whole-blood microRNAs may be useful to identify individuals with established AD. For this purpose, a sample of community-dwelling women (≥55 years old) carrying the ApoE ∊4 allele were clinically evaluated using the American Psychiatric Association/ Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , Fourth edition and the Alzheimer Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale criteria to diagnose probable AD, and the Clinical Dementia Rating scale to stage the dementia. A set of 25 mature microRNAs was rationally selected for evaluation based on experimental evidence of interaction with genes linked to the late-onset AD neuropathology. Whole-blood concentrations were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Compared to patients without dementia, a median 3-fold decrease in miR-9 levels was found among patients with AD ( P = .001). Our findings support blood-borne miR-9 as a candidate biomarker for probable AD, embodied by evidence from the literature of its implication in amyloidogenesis.

This study compared grappling motor actions of male mixed martial arts (MMA) athletes considering outcome types from Ultimate Fighting Championship ( UFC) bouts. A validated protocol of technical-tactical analysis was utilized as in previous studies addressing MMA performance analysis, and Kruskall Wallis and U Mann-Whitney tests were applied to compare effects of types of outcome decisions (Split vs. Unanimous Decision vs. Knockout-KO/Technical-knockout-TKO vs. Submission). Unanimous Decision showed higher frequencies of takedowns attempted/round than KO/TKO and Submission outcomes (p ≤ 0.05; 1.9 ± 1.9 vs. 1.3 ± 1.4 vs. 1.0 ± 1.1 attempts). Bouts with Split Decision demonstrated higher takedowns/round than bouts ended by Submission (p = 0.048; 0.4 ± 0.7 vs. 0.2 ± 0.6 attempts). TKO/KO showed lower values of sweeps/round (p = 0.008, 0.0 ± 0.0 vs. 0.1 ± 0.3 attempts) and takedowns attempted/round (p = 0.014, 1.3 ± 1.4 vs. 2.0 ± 1.6 attempts) than bouts ending by Split Decision. The Submission outcome showed a higher frequency of submissions attempted/round than KO/TKO and Unanimous Decision (p ≤ 0.041, 0.3 ± 0.7 vs 0.2 ± 0.5 vs 0.2 ± 0.5). These results show a large specificity in the type of grappling attack/situation according to the strategy to end the combat. These results also show that the grappling strategy and tactics are variable depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the athletes, and can be used by coaches and athletes to develop specific training programs.

Purposes : To determine actions during bouts that generate serious enough injury to stop the bout; verifying the injury incidence, types, and prevalence of doctor stoppages (doc-stoppage); and identify potential risk factors by analyzing technical-tactical profiles for injury in sanctioned mixed martial arts bouts taking place over a 12-y period. Methods : This research analyzed 440 paired mixed martial arts matches separated by doc-stoppage (n = 220) and no doc-stoppage (n = 220) from 2002 to 2014. Technical knockouts for doc-stoppage were diagnosed and managed by attending ringside doctors, and the time-motion variables were categorized into total combat time separated by low- or high-intensity activities per round, stand-up, or groundwork actions, P  ≤ .05. Results : The main cause of injuries in doc-stoppage situations was due to facial injuries (>90%), with 87.1% occurring after striking actions during the second round. Lacerations were the leading type of injury, which occurred with 80% frequency. The results showed differences between doc-stoppage and no doc-stoppage for standing combat with low-intensity actions (130.6 [8.5] s vs 83.3 [6.9] s for first round; 115.7 [10.5] s vs 100.1 [9.6] s for second round, and 121.5 [19.5] s vs 106.3 [11.7] s for third round) and total strike attempts (34.5, 23.0-51.8 vs 25.0, 12.0-40.8); in standing combat, head strike attempts (21, 10-33 vs 11, 4-21) and body strikes (2.5, 1.0-5.8 vs 1.0-2), and in groundwork combat, head strikes landed (0.0-3.0 vs 0.0-5.0). Conclusions : This research showed higher values of strike attempts with 2 main orientations, namely the head (on the ground and in stand-up actions) and body (in stand-up actions), and may provide important information regarding the technical knockout and when it can be called by officials supervising mixed martial arts bouts.

This study verified the performance probabilities by mixed martial arts rounds by the same athletes, doing paired comparisons of time-motion and actions before and after 10 y. The sample was composed of 845 Ultimate Fighting Championship rounds of 45 athletes separated into before (M1, age range 34-44 y) and after (M2, age range 44-54 y). Motor-control (takedowns, submissions, chokes, locks, strike actions to the head, and body and leg strikes attempted and landed) and time-motion (high and low intensities and standing and ground times) analyses were done. The main results showed significant differences (P ≤ .05) in total strikes landed (M1 22 [13; 34] > M2 18 [10; 31.7]), total strikes attempted (M1 41 [24.5; 62] > M2 35 [21; 48]), single head strikes attempted (M1 19 [9; 34.5] > M2 16.5 [9; 28]), single body strikes landed (M1 1 [0; 4] > M2 1 [0; 2]), single body strikes attempted (M1 2 [0; 5] > M2 1 [0; 3]), takedowns attempted (M1 1 [0; 2] > M2 1 [0; 2]), standing combat time (M1 2:10.28 [1:38.95] > M2 1:55.56 [1:32.17]), and low-intensity time (M1 2:11.45 [1:38.95] > M2 1:56.26 [1:31.89]). Variables that increased the probability to be associated with over the years were body strikes landed, head strikes landed, total strikes landed, and single strikes attempted, whereas body strikes attempted, head strikes attempted, total strikes attempted, and submission attempted had a negative association with mixed martial arts years of experience. Therefore, M2 athletes should be focused on standing combat time combined with strikes-landed actions, targeting the head-it has the highest potential performance probability and avoid unsuccessful body-strike attempts and submissions-which has the lowest potential performance probability over 10 years.

Background and Aim: Inflammatory and methylation imbalances occur in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of the present study was to analyze the effect of acute resistance exercise on the inflammatory profile and on DNA methylation of elderly patients with T2DM using metformin., Methods: For this purpose, we enrolled 22 male and female older adults (68.2 ± 5.3 years), of whom 13 had controlled T2DM (D) under metformin use and 9 were nondiabetics (ND). All subjects underwent a neuromuscular circuit (8 exercises in 40 min, with each exercise performed in 3 sets of 40 s each and a 20-s interval between repetitions)., Results: The main results indicated a significant difference between groups for baseline interleukin (IL)-10, with a higher concentration in the D group compared to the ND group (p = 0.019). An increase in IL-6 concentration after intervention was observed in group D (p = 0.035). No effect was observed in total DNA methylation within or between groups., Conclusions: The resistance training protocol applied in this study modulates the IL-10 and IL-6 concentrations in elderly people with T2DM and under metformin use, possibly as a result of physiological adaptations, with no effect on nondiabetic elderly. No effects on absolute levels of DNA methylation were observed., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

The present study aimed to compare pacing and decision making of athletes competing in judo, with particular attention paid to effort-pause ratios occurring in the championship phases of the Olympic Games and non-Olympic Games. The sample was composed of 53,403 sequential actions analyzed during 611 performances of the non-Olympic Games (eliminatory n = 330, quarterfinals n = 60, semi-final n = 88, repechage n = 21, third place playoff n = 26, and final n = 79) and 163 from the Olympic Games (eliminatory n = 71, quarterfinals n = 13, semi-final n = 26, repechage n = 20, third place playoff n = 24, and final n = 14). The analysis of effort-pause ratios included separating bouts into states of approach, gripping, attack, groundwork and pause, according to frequency and time. A Markov multi-state model and analysis of variance were applied (p ≤ 0.05). Approach time presented differences of the eliminatory Olympic Games (7.3 ± 3.2 s) versus final non-Olympic Games (6.0 ± 2.2s), and the third place playoff Olympic Games (8.1 ± 2.3 s) versus semi-final (6.2 ± 2.4 s) and third place playoff (5.9 ± 2.1 s) of the non-Olympic Games, and the semi-final Olympic Games (8.6 ± 2.3 s) versus eliminatory (6.5 ± 2.3 s), quarter-finals (6.5 ± 1.7 s), semi-final (6.2 ± 2.4 s), repechage (6.2 ± 2.2 s), third place playoff (5.9 ± 2.1 s), and final (6.0 ± 2.0 s) of the non-Olympic Games. Pause time presented differences of the semi-final Olympic Games (6.8 ± 2.1 s) versus eliminatory (5.1 ± 3.1 s). The present data suggest a focus on pacing strategy during championship phases, which mimic the requirements of judo combats.

The goals of this study were to develop reference values for waist circumference (WC) in Brazilian children between 6-10 years old and to evaluate the WC performance in predicting cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in children. This is a population-based epidemiological cross-sectional study, in which 1,397 children participated, with a 6-10 years old probability sampling and from public and private schools in the city of Uberaba, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. WC was measured at the waist narrowest point (WC1) and at the umbilicus level (WC2). Blood samples and blood pressure were collected to determine the MetS diagnosis. There was a significant effect of age (p = 0.001), anatomical point (WC1 vs. WC2, p = 0.001) and sex-anatomical point interaction (p = 0.016) for WC. Smoothed sex- and age-specific 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th and 95th percentile curves of WC1 and WC2 were designed by the LMS method. WC was accurate to predict MetS, for all ages [area under the ROC curve (AUC) > 0.79 and p < 0.05], regardless of sex. This study presented percentile curves for WC at two anatomical points in a representative sample of Brazilian children. Furthermore, WC was shown to be a strong predictor of cardiovascular risk factors and MetS in children.

Background and Aim: Due to the high incidence of vascular diseases, it is necessary to identify new circulating or structural markers for predicting risk for chronic diseases. Some studies suggest that MMP1 gene polymorphisms are associated with the enzyme expression levels in situ (e.g., in atherosclerotic plaques)., Objectives: Thus, the study of this polymorphism may help understanding the pathophysiology of coronary disease., Methods: We performed cross-sectional clinical and laboratory evaluations (including measurement of intima-media thickness of carotid arteries) and genotyping of the MMP1 SNP rs495366 (A/G) in 366 elderly people., Results: No significant differences between genotypes were noted for biochemical, metabolic, inflammatory, or clinical variables except for a significant difference in intima-media thickness for the left carotid artery and a trend toward significance for the right counterpart., Conclusion: Carriers of the allele associated with lower MMP1 expression (allele A) presented greater carotid thickness. We suggest that the phenomenon can be explained by impaired remodeling of the arterial wall (poor degradation of collagen fibers in this scenario), yielding carotid wall thickening and a greater intrinsic risk for cerebrovascular events.

Nitric oxide (NOx) availability in biological systems is associated with either favorable or unfavorable outcomes. In this sense, several studies bring about evidence that unbalanced NOx production may be underlying to the pathophysiology of vascular disorders. Our study investigated the possible association of clinical, biochemical and inflammatory variables with total circulating levels of NOx in elderly patients devoid of major inflammatory conditions. Clinical (demographics, lifestyle, anthropometry, pressoric traits) and biochemical characteristics (lipemic, glycemic and hormonal profiles) were assessed from 168 geriatrics outpatients eligible for primary care for age-related disorders. Furthermore, circulating levels of 10 inflammatory mediators and of NOx were measured. Correlation tests analyzed categorical or continuous traits according to serum NOx and found no association between NOx and any of the clinical or laboratory data but a negative correlation between plasma NOx concentrations and levels of the immune mediator IL17a (r = -0.236; P = 0.004). Evidence for a correlation between circulating NOx and IL17 is already present in the literature, mostly from studies conducted under inflammatory conditions. Our hypothesis is that such negative correlation can be attributed to an endogenous homeostatic system that IL17 production by the constitutively produced NOx from the vascular endothelium., Competing Interests: None.

Miarka, B, Brito, CJ, Moreira, DG, and Amtmann, J. Differences by ending rounds and other rounds in time-motion analysis of mixed martial arts: implications for assessment and training. J Strength Cond Res 32(2): 534-544, 2018-This study aimed to support training program development through the comparison of performance analysis of professionals mixed martial art (MMA) athletes in the bouts that were not finished by points. Using digital recordings of each bout, we analyzed 1,564 rounds (678 bouts) which were separated by ending and other rounds. Our results indicated that knockout/technical knockout is the main outcome that defines the ending round (≈60%); however, there is a higher frequency of ending by submission on the first and second rounds (>30%). Bouts ending during the first or second rounds had shorter total time and standing combat with low intensity than ending in the third round (91.5 ± 71.4, 93.4 ± 67.5, and 143.2 ± 87.4; for low intensity in the first, second, and third rounds, respectively; p ≤ 0.05), whereas standing combat time with high intensity was longer in the last round in comparison to bouts that finished in the first or second rounds (7.4 ± 9.2, 9.7 ± 18.0, and 17.7 ± 29.1 for high intensity in the first, second, and third rounds, respectively; p ≤ 0.05). The lower time dedicated to low-intensity stand-up combat actions, regardless of round, and forcefulness of the actions in groundwork in the first and second rounds seem to be elements that increase the probability of success in professional MMA bouts; these factors have essential implications related to training program design.

It is well known that skin temperature varies due to circadian rhythm. Although there is information available for men, little is known about women's circadian rhythm in the analysis of skin temperature (Tsk) using infrared thermography. The objective of this study is to identify Tsk variations on different body regions in women through infrared thermography during the day. The sample consisted of 20 female (mean age of 20.5 ± 1.3 years, body weight of 62.2 ± 9.2kg and height of 165.0 ± 4.7cm). Oneway ANOVA for repeated measures, and Cosinor analysis was used to determine the MESOR, amplitude and acrophase of Tsk. The regions of the forearm, upper arm and anterior and posterior legs in the lower limbs, as well as the chest and scapulae in the upper limbs showed higher variability throughout the day. In general, distal regions had lower values compared with the central regions, and the pectoral region had the lowest standard deviation values. Tsk of the analyzed regions at different times show significant differences between periods of the day in young active women, showing the minimum absolute values for both Tsk in the early morning. These results highlight the need to consider the time of day when analyzing women's skin temperature. Future studies should report the time of day when the images were collected, as well as consider the circadian rhythm when making comparisons., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to identify the skin temperature (Tsk) behavior to understand the acute cross-effect after unilateral training of lower-limbs. Seventeen healthy young men (weight, 75.2±5.5 kg; height, 1.8±0.1 m; age, 22.5±1.6 years) were divided into two groups: high-trained (n=8) and low-trained (n=9). All participants performed: (a) one-repetition maximum (1RM) testing protocol on the leg press, (b) a unilateral training protocol (4×10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM for leg press and 4×10 repetitions at 50% of 1RM for knee extension). Pre- and posttraining thermal images were recorded. The main results showed that independent of the limb (exercised vs. nonexercised), differences between low- and high-trained were observed for all regions of interest (ROI) except for the anterior knee: posttraining, 30-min and 60-min posttraining in nonexercised limb. The increase of contralateral Tsk was more than 50% on the ROIs corresponding to the exercises muscles 30-min post-training in low-trained but was not so high in high-trained ( P <0.05). Low-trained subjects incremented more the Tsk than high-trained in both legs after exercise. In conclusion, we observed an acute contralateral Tsk effect to unilateral training on the Tsk of the nonexercised limb, reliant on the training level of the subject., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

The importance of using infrared thermography (IRT) to assess skin temperature (t sk ) is increasing in clinical settings. Recently, its use has been increasing in sports and exercise medicine; however, no consensus guideline exists to address the methods for collecting data in such situations. The aim of this study was to develop a checklist for the collection of t sk using IRT in sports and exercise medicine. We carried out a Delphi study to set a checklist based on consensus agreement from leading experts in the field. Panelists (n = 24) representing the areas of sport science (n = 8; 33%), physiology (n = 7; 29%), physiotherapy (n = 3; 13%) and medicine (n = 6; 25%), from 13 different countries completed the Delphi process. An initial list of 16 points was proposed which was rated and commented on by panelists in three rounds of anonymous surveys following a standard Delphi procedure. The panel reached consensus on 15 items which encompassed the participants' demographic information, camera/room or environment setup and recording/analysis of t sk using IRT. The results of the Delphi produced the checklist entitled "Thermographic Imaging in Sports and Exercise Medicine (TISEM)" which is a proposal to standardize the collection and analysis of t sk data using IRT. It is intended that the TISEM can also be applied to evaluate bias in thermographic studies and to guide practitioners in the use of this technique., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study compared motor actions and spatiotemporal changes between weight divisions from Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC™), conducting a practical application for mixed martial arts (MMA) training. For this, we analyzed 2814 rounds of all weight divisions by motor actions and spatiotemporal changes according actions and time of the Keeping distance, Clinch and Groundwork combat phases. We observed differences between weight divisions in the keeping distance on stand-up combat (p≤0.001; with lower time in Featherweight 131.4s and bantamweight 127.9s) clinch without attack (p≤0.001; with higher timer in Flyweight 11.4s and Half-middleweight 12.6s) and groundwork without attack (p≤0.001; with higher timer in Half-middleweight 0.9s). During keeping distance, half-middleweight presented a higher frequency of Head Strikes Landed (p=0.026; 7±8 times) and attempted (p=0.003; 24±22 times). In clinch actions heavyweight present a higher frequency (p≤0.023) of head strike landed (3±7 times) and attempted (4±9 times) and half-middleweight for body strikes (p≤0.023) landed (2±5 times) and attempted (3±5 times). At the last, during groundwork, Bantamweight present a higher frequency (p≤0.036) of head strikes landed (8±10 times) and attempted (10±13 times) body strikes landed (p≤0.044; 3±5 times) and attempted (3±6 times). This study reveals important point to training and provide a challenge applied referential to the conditioning plains. From the weight divisions differences should be aware of the increase in the frequency of distance actions, especially in light and middleweights. On the Ground, bantamweight can focus on striking and grappling actions than others., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies indicate positive home advantage in judo; however, the factors that influence home advantage have yet to be fully explored. This study investigated the potential differences in technical-tactical variables between home and visiting athletes. A total of 1411 video recorded matches were analyzed (123 home, 1288 away) from 36 international judo competitions contested in 2011-12. The matches were analyzed by the following criteria: combat phases (approach, gripping, attack, defense, groundwork and pause), penalties (by the athlete or the opponent) and the types of attacks (with or without a score). Elite judo athletes competing in their home country attacked more frequently using trunk/leg couple techniques ( p < 0.011) and scored more frequently with arm/leg couple techniques ( p < 0.001), while visiting judo athletes received fewer scores from penalties ( p < 0.001) and engaged in more frequent pauses during competition ( p < 0.01). The results of this study provide an outline of technical-tactical differences that may contribute to home advantage in judo.