Search

Long-distance runners require aerobic capacity as well as sprinting ability for superior performance; however, the factors which determine the sprinting ability of long-distance runners remain undetermined. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to examine the association between thigh muscle size and sprinting ability in national-level male long-distance runners. Nineteen male long-distance runners with 5000 m personal-best times of 13:12.63–14:14.87 participated in this study, and transaxial images of their right thighs were collected using magnetic resonance imaging. The cross-sectional areas of the quadriceps femoris, hamstrings, and adductor muscles were calculated from the transaxial images at 30%, 50%, and 70% of the distance from the greater trochanter to the lower edge of the femur; these areas were normalized by body mass. Sprint times for 100 m and 400 m were recorded on an all-weather track. The results revealed positive correlations between the normalized cross-sectional areas of the quadriceps femoris at 50% and 70% of the thigh length and the 100 m (r = 0.666, p = 0.002 and r = 0.531, p = 0.019, respectively) and 400 m sprint times (r = 0.769, p < 0.001 and r = 0.580, p = 0.009, respectively); hence, the larger the quadriceps, the slower the sprint speed. However, no association was found between the normalized cross-sectional areas of the hamstrings or adductor muscles and sprinting performance. Therefore, running motions which activate the quadriceps femoris much more than the hamstrings and adductor muscles should be avoided by national-level long-distance runners.

Purpose: Increases in maximal oxygen uptake () and running economy improve performance in long-distance runners. Nevertheless, long-distance runners require sprinting ability to win, especially in the final phase of competitions. The authors determined the relationships between performance and sprinting ability, as well as other abilities in elite long-distance runners. Methods: The subjects were 12 elite long-distance runners. Mean official seasonal best times in 5000-m (5000 m-SB) and 10,000-m (10,000 m-SB) races within 1 year before or after the examination were 13:58.5 (0:18.7) and 28:37.9 (0:25.2) (mean [SD]), respectively. The authors measured 100-m and 400-m sprint times as the index of sprinting ability. They also measured and running economy ( at 300 m·min−1 of running velocity). They used a single correlation analysis to assess relationships between 5000 m-SB or 10,000 m-SB and other elements. Results: There were significant correlations between 5000 m-SB was significantly correlated with 100-m sprint time (13.3 [0.7] s; r = .68, P = .014), 400-m sprint time (56.6 [2.7] s; r = .69, P = .013), and running economy (55.5 [3.9] mL·kg−1·min−1; r = .59, P = .045). There were significant correlations between 10,000 m-SB and 100-m sprint time (r = .72, P = .009) and 400-m sprint time (r = .85, P (72.0 [3.8] mL·kg−1·min−1). Conclusions: The authors' data suggest that sprinting ability is an important indicator of performance in elite long-distance runners.

A subset S of vertices in a graph G is a secure dominating set of G if S is a dominating set of G and, for each vertex u ⁄ ∈ S , there is a vertex v ∈ S such that u v is an edge and ( S ∖ { v } ) ∪ { u } is also a dominating set of G . The secure domination number γ s ( G ) is the cardinality of a smallest secure dominating set of G . In this paper, we propose a linear-time algorithm for finding the secure domination number of cographs.

Purpose: The study determined whether the increase in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of psoas major, which is known as a hip-flexion muscle, by resistance training combined with running training improves the performance of long-distance runners. Methods: Subjects were 8 well-trained male long-distance runners. The personal best time in a 5000-m race was 15:10.0 (0:20.5) (mean [SD]). Each subject performed resistance training twice per week with running training for 12 weeks. The authors used 3 resistance training regimens that would train the hip flexor muscles. Training intensity was a maximum of 10 repetitions. The training amount was 3 sets × 10 times during the first 4 weeks followed by 4 sets × 10 times during the last 8 weeks. The authors measured the CSA of psoas major using magnetic resonance imaging and the performance of long-distance runners using a constant velocity running test before (pre) and after (post) the training term. Results: The combination training significantly (P d = 0.34) increased the CSA of psoas major (pre: 16.2 [1.5] cm2, post: 16.7 [1.4] cm2) and significantly (P d = 1.41) improved the duration of the constant velocity running test (pre: 500 [108] s, post: 715 [186] s). Moreover, multiple regression analysis showed that the pre to post change in the duration of the constant velocity exercise was significantly correlated with the change in CSA of the psoas major. Conclusion: The authors suggest that resistance training of psoas major with running training is correlated with an improvement in the performance of long-distance runners.

A WO3 photoelectrode immobilizing a fibrous gold nanoparticle (AuNP) assembly using an amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide was constructed and its ability for photocurrent generation upon visible light irradiation was investigated. AuNPs attached using Aβ peptide (Aβ-AuNP) assemble with a fibrous structure at pH 4.5, which disperses at pH 11. The modified Aβ-AuNPs are immobilized on the surface of WO3 fabricated on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) electrode (Aβ-AuNPass@WO3/FTO or Aβ-AuNPdis@WO3/FTO, respectively). The photocurrent generation response of the Aβ-AuNPass@WO3/FTO electrode is clearly increased relative to that of Aβ-AuNPdis@WO3/FTO upon visible light irradiation (λ = 420–750 nm), indicating that the fibrous AuNP assembly enhances the visible light response of the WO3 photoelectrode.

Purpose Effort sense has been suggested to be involved in the hyperventilatory response during intense exercise (IE). However, the mechanism by which effort sense induces an increase in ventilation during IE has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between effort-mediated ventilatory response and corticospinal excitability of lower limb muscle during IE. Eight subjects performed 3 min of cycling exercise at 75-85 % of maximum workload twice (IE1st and IE2nd). IE2nd was performed after 60 min of resting recovery following 45 min of submaximal cycling exercise at the workload corresponding to ventilatory threshold. Vastus lateralis muscle response to transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex (motor evoked potentials, MEPs), effort sense of legs (ESL, Borg 0-10 scale), and ventilatory response were measured during the two IEs. The slope of ventilation (l/min) against CO2 output (l/min) during IE2nd (28.0 +/- 5.6) was significantly greater than that (25.1 +/- 5.5) during IE1st. Mean ESL during IE was significantly higher in IE2nd (5.25 +/- 0.89) than in IE1st (4.67 +/- 0.62). Mean MEP (normalized to maximal M-wave) during IE was significantly lower in IE2nd (66 +/- 22 %) than in IE1st (77 +/- 24 %). The difference in mean ESL between the two IEs was significantly (p < 0.05, r = -0.82) correlated with the difference in mean MEP between the two IEs. The findings suggest that effort-mediated hyperventilatory response to IE may be associated with a decrease in corticospinal excitability of exercising muscle.

In this study, the topic model was applied to specify the topics of the discussions in community disaster risk management workshops in Kunigami village, Okinawa, Japan. 20 topics were extracted from the text data of the workshop discussions held at 8 communities in the village. Not only the issues on natural hazards, but also the issues on local factors and mitigation activities were specified.

Background The DMD gene encoding dystrophin is mutated in Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal progressive muscle wasting disease. DMD has also been shown to act as a tumor suppressor gene. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a mesodermal sarcoma that shares characteristics of skeletal muscle precursors. Products of the DMD gene in RMS have not yet been fully clarified. Here, DMD products were analyzed in CRL-2061 cells established from alveolar RMS. Methods The 14-kb long DMD cDNA was PCR amplified as 20 separated fragments, as were nine short intron regions. Dystrophin was analyzed by Western blotting using an antibody against the C-terminal region of dystrophin. Results Sixteen of the 20 DMD cDNA fragments could be amplified from CRL-2061 cells as muscle cDNA. Three fragments included aberrant gene products, including one in which exon 71 was omitted and one each with retention of introns 40 and 58. In one fragment, extending from exon 70 to 79, no normally spliced product was obtained. Rather, six alternatively spliced products were identified, including a new product deleting exon 73, with the most abundant product showing deletion of exon 78. Although dystrophin expression was expected in CRL-2061 cells, western blotting of cell lysates showed no evidence of dystrophin, suggesting that translation of full-length DMD mRNA was inhibited by intron retention that generated a premature stop codon. Intron specific PCR amplification of nine short introns, showed retention of introns 40, 58, and 70, which constituted about 60, 25 and 9%, respectively, of the total PCR amplified products. The most abundant DMD transcript contained two abnormalities, intron 40 retention and exon 78 skipping. Conclusions Intron-specific PCR amplification showed that DMD transcripts contained high levels of introns 40, 58 and 70. Retention of these introns may have been responsible for the lack of dystrophin expression by CRL-2061 cells, thereby abolishing the tumor suppressor activity of dystrophin.

To determine that whether arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2) affects ventilation (VE) during recovery from impulse-like exercises of various intensities, subjects performed four impulse-like tests with different workloads. Each test consisted of a 20-sec impulse-like exercise at 80 rpm and 60-min recovery. Blood samples were collected at rest and during recovery to measure blood ions and gases. VE was measured continuously during rest, exercise and recovery periods. A significant curvilinear relationship was observed between VE and pH during recovery from the 300 and 400 watts tests in all subjects. VE was elevated during recovery from the 100 watts test despite no change in any of the humoral factors. Arterialized carbon dioxide (PaCO2) kinetics showed fluctuation, being increased at 1 min and decreased at 5 min during recovery, and this fluctuation was more enhanced with increase in exercise intensity. There was a significant relationship between VE and PaCO2 during recovery from the 300 and 400 watts tests in all subjects. The results of the present study demonstrate that pH and neural factors drive VE during recovery from impulse-like exercise and that fluctuation in PaCO2 controls VE as a feedback loop and this feedback function is more enhanced as the work intensity increases.

In order to test our hypothesis that muscle condition has an effect on the cognition of self-motion and consequently on the ventilatory response during exercise, six healthy subjects performed a moderate incremental exercise test (IET) on a cycle ergometer under two conditions [resistance exercise condition (REC) and control condition (CC)]. In the REC, resistance exercise (30 incline leg presses) was conducted during two sessions scheduled at 48 and then 24 h prior to the IET. For the CC, the subjects were instructed to refrain from participating in strenuous exercise for a period of 2 days prior to the IET. In the IET, the workload was increased from 78 to 118 watts in steps of 8 watts every 3 min. Although the ventilatory response during the IET was significantly higher in the REC than in the CC, there were no significant differences in cognitive indexes (RPE and awareness of change in workload) between the two conditions. In addition, the magnitude of muscle soreness was significantly higher in the REC than in the CC. However, the level of soreness in the REC was very low, and there were no significant differences in blood lactate concentration and integrated EMG between the two conditions. These results suggest that a change in peripheral neural reflex is the primary cause of increased ventilatory response to moderate exercise after resistance exercise, although the role of a cognitive element cannot be absolutely excluded.

Inspiratory muscle fatigue (IMF) may limit exercise performance. A few studies have reported that IMF occurs after short-duration swimming exercise, but whether short-duration running can induce IMF remains unclear. Intra-abdominal pressure is increased during running through diaphragmatic activation to stabilize the spine during movements of the upper limbs. This occurs along with the increased inspiratory muscle effort associated with increased respirations during exercise; thus, we hypothesized that short-duration running exercise would induce IMF. To test this hypothesis, we measured maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) before and after 400- and 800-m track running sessions. Eight female middle-distance (400, 800 m) runners performed a 400- and 800-m running test. Maximal inspiratory pressure was measured before and after each test using a portable autospirometer. The mean MIPs were significantly lower after running than before running; values obtained were 107 ± 25 vs. 97 ± 27 cmH2O (p = 0.01, effect size [ES] = 0.65) and 108 ± 26 vs. 92 ± 27 cmH2O (p = 0.01, ES = 0.74) before vs. after the 400- and 800-m tests, respectively. The mean MIP after the 800-m test was significantly lower than after the 400-m test (p = 0.04, ES = 0.48). There was no correlation between IMF value and running time (r = 0.53 and r = -0.28 for either the 400- and 800-m tests, respectively; p > 0.05). In conclusion, IMF occurs after short-duration running exercise. Coaches could consider prescribing inspiratory muscle training or warm-up in an effort to reduce the inevitable IMF associated with maximal effort running.

This paper presents an interconnect waveform calculation method with parameter variation for high accurate timing analysis. Using circuit moment sensitivity for parameter variation, proposed method successfully calculated the interconnect waveform with less than 50% delay 1.2 (%) error and about 103 order × acceleration compared with PSpice® Monte Carlo simulation.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of muscle glycogen reduction on surface electromyogram (EMG) activity and effort sense and ventilatory responses to intense exercise (IE). Eight subjects performed an IE test in which IE [100–105% of peak O2 uptake (\( \dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{peak}}}} \)), 2 min] was repeated three times (IE1st, IE2nd and IE3rd) at 100–120-min intervals. Each interval consisted of 20-min passive recovery, 40-min submaximal exercise at ventilatory threshold intensity (51.5 ± 2.7% of \( \dot{V}{\text{O}}_{{2{\text{peak}}}} \)), and a further resting recovery for 40–60 min. Blood pH during IE and subsequent 20-min recovery was significantly higher in the IE3rd than in the IE1st (P < 0.05). Effort sense of legs during IE was significantly higher in the IE3rd than in the IE1st and IE2nd. Integrated EMG (IEMG) measured in the vastus lateralis during IE was significantly lower in the IE3rd than in the IE1st. In contrast, mean power frequency of the EMG was significantly higher in the IE2nd and the IE3rd than in the IE1st. Ventilation (\( \dot{V}{\text{E}} \)) in the IE3rd was significantly higher than that in the IE1st during IE and the first 60 s after the end of IE. These results suggest that ventilatory response to IE is independent of metabolic acidosis and at least partly associated with effort sense elicited by recruitment of type II fibers.

To determine whether post-exercise ventilation is related to decrease in blood pH and also whether post-exercise ventilation, associated or not with decreased blood pH, involves an increase in central motor command during exercise, we examined the effects of NaHCO3 ingestion on the ventilatory response (\( {\dot{\text{V}}} \)E), integrated electromyogram (iEMG) and effort sense of legs (ESL) during intense exercise (IE) and subsequent active recovery. Subjects performed two IE tests (105–110% of maximal work rate, 2 min) after ingestion of NaHCO3 or CaCO3. Subjects performed light load exercise (20 W) before and after IE for 6 min and 30 min, respectively. Although there was a significant difference in blood pH between the two conditions during and after IE, \( {\dot{\text{V}}} \)E, iEMG and ESL were similar. iEMG returned to the pre-IE level immediately after the end of IE, while ESL showed slow recovery. \( {\dot{\text{V}}} \)E decreased rapidly until about 50 s after the end of IE (fast phase) and then showed a slow recovery kinetics (slow phase). The ventilatory responses during the fast phase and during the slow phase were correlated with ESL at the end of IE and from 3 min after the end of IE, respectively. Moreover, there was no significant difference in the slopes and intercepts of regression lines between \( {\dot{\text{V}}} \)E and ESL under the two conditions in both phases. These results suggest that the ventilatory response after IE is associated with effort sense indirectly-elicited by central motor command, but the effort sense-mediated response is not affected by blood pH.

Background Some endurance athletes exhibit exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia during high-intensity exercise. Inhalation of hyperoxic gas during exercise has been shown to counteract this exercise-associated reduction in hemoglobin oxygen saturation (SaO2), but the effects of hyperoxic gas inhalation on performance and SaO2 during high-intensity intermittent exercise remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of hyperoxic gas inhalation on performance and SaO2 during high-intensity intermittent cycling exercise. Methods Eight male cyclists performed identical intermittent exercise tests (five sets of 3-min high-intensity cycling alternated with 3-min active recovery periods) under two different inspired air conditions, hyperoxia (HO; FiO2 = 0.36) and normoxia (NO; FiO2 = 0.21). The fifth set of each test was terminated at exhaustion, and the exercise time to exhaustion was recorded. Variables associated with arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2) were measured using an ear pulse oximeter. Results Time to exhaustion under HO conditions was significantly longer than under NO conditions (34.9 ± 4.6 vs. 30.0 ± 2.5 min, P = 0.004, ES = 1.32). SpO2 was maintained under HO conditions but decreased under NO conditions. Conclusions Hyperoxic gas inhalation during the entire high-intensity intermittent exercise enhanced exercise performance in male cyclists.