Search

Doxorubicin (DOX), a potent chemotherapy agent, useful in the treatment of solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias, is limited by its potentially lethal cardiotoxicity. However, exercise has been consistently shown to mitigate the side effects of DOX, including cardiotoxicity. To date, most studies examining the relationship between exercise and DOX-induced cardiotoxicity have focused on aerobic exercise, with very few examining the role of anerobic activity. Therefore, this investigation explored the potential of creatine (CR) and resistance training (RT) in preserving cardiac health during DOX therapy. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were grouped into RT, RT + CR, sedentary (SED), and SED + CR, with each division further branching into saline (SAL) or DOX-treated subsets post-10 weeks of RT or SED activity. RT comprised progressive training utilizing specialized cages for bipedal stance feeding. CR-treated groups ingested water mixed with 1% CR monohydrate and 5% dextrose, while control animals received 5% dextrose. At week 10, DOX was administered (2 mg/kg/week) over 4-weeks to an 8 mg/kg cumulative dose. Cardiac function post-DOX treatment was assessed via transthoracic echocardiography. Left ventricular diameter during diastole was lower in DOX + CR, RT + DOX, and RT + CR + DOX compared to SED + DOX ( p < 0.05). Additionally, cardiac mass was significantly greater in RT + CR + DOX SED + DOX animals ( p < 0.05). These results suggest RT and CR supplementation, separately and in combination, could attenuate some measures of DOX-induced cardiotoxicity and may offer a cost-effective way to complement cancer treatments and enhance patient outcomes. More investigations are essential to better understand CR's prolonged effects during DOX therapy and its clinical implications.

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) results in wide-ranging cellular and systemic dysfunction in the acute and chronic time frames after the injury. Chronic SCI has well-described secondary medical consequences while acute SCI has unique metabolic challenges as a result of physical trauma, in-patient recovery and other post-operative outcomes. Here, we used high resolution mass spectrometry approaches to describe the circulating lipidomic and metabolomic signatures using blood serum from mice 7 d after a complete SCI. Additionally, we probed whether the aporphine alkaloid, boldine, was able to prevent SCI-induced changes observed using these 'omics platforms'. We found that SCI resulted in large-scale changes to the circulating lipidome but minimal changes in the metabolome, with boldine able to reverse or attenuate SCI-induced changes in the abundance of 50 lipids. Multiomic integration using xMWAS demonstrated unique network structures and community memberships across the groups.

Abstract: Pearson, JR, Moodie, N, Stout, KW, Hawkins, WC, Matuszek, M, Graham, ZA, Siedlik, JA, Vardiman, JP, and Gallagher, PM. Similar responses in the Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathway after different lower-body exercise volumes in recreationally active men. J Strength Cond Res 37(5): 1034-1041, 2023-This project examined the differences between a single set (SS) compared to multiple sets (MS) of resistance exercise on the Akt/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathway, the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 ( IGF-1 ), and the receptor for IGF -1 ( IGF-1R ) to better understand the types of resistance training protocols that are most beneficial in stimulating the muscle hypertrophic response. Sixteen healthy men were randomly selected into 2 groups of 8. Subjects in each group received 3 biopsies: (a) before exercise, (b) 15 minutes postexercise, and (c) 180 minutes postexercise. Subjects in the SS group performed 1 set of leg press to failure at 80% of their predetermined 1 repetition maximum (1RM). Subjects in the MS group performed 2 sets of 10 repetitions and 1 set to failure at 80% of their predetermined 1RM, with 3 minutes of rest between each set. Our results indicated no group × time interactions in the concentration of Akt signaling proteins. Furthermore, there were no group × time interactions in IGF-1 or IGF-1R expression. However, phosphorylated 4E-binding protein 1 levels increased 150% from pre to 180 minutes post ( p = 0.005). In addition, there was a significantly greater increase in IGF-1R expression in the SS group compared with the MS group (7.99 ± 10.07 vs. 4.41 ± 6.28; p = 0.026). Collectively, we found that a SS of resistance training evokes a similar acute Akt/PKB pathway response as MS in recreationally active men., (Copyright © 2023 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Pathogenic variants in KMT5B , a lysine methyltransferase, are associated with global developmental delay, macrocephaly, autism, and congenital anomalies (OMIM # 617788). Given the relatively recent discovery of this disorder, it has not been fully characterized. Deep phenotyping of the largest ( n  = 43) patient cohort to date identified that hypotonia and congenital heart defects are prominent features that were previously not associated with this syndrome. Both missense variants and putative loss-of-function variants resulted in slow growth in patient-derived cell lines. KMT5B homozygous knockout mice were smaller in size than their wild-type littermates but did not have significantly smaller brains, suggesting relative macrocephaly, also noted as a prominent clinical feature. RNA sequencing of patient lymphoblasts and Kmt5b haploinsufficient mouse brains identified differentially expressed pathways associated with nervous system development and function including axon guidance signaling. Overall, we identified additional pathogenic variants and clinical features in KMT5B -related neurodevelopmental disorder and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of the disorder using multiple model systems.

The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) was developed to prepare Marines for complex battlefield situations that include hand-to-hand combat and ethical decision making. The objective of this study was to quantify changes in ethical decision-making following MCMAP training. Fifty-five, active duty, newly enlisted U.S. Marines (Males: n = 37; age = 19 ± 1 years; height = 176 ± 7 cm; mass = 74 ± 7 kg; Females: n = 18; age = 20 ± 2 years; height = 164 ± 6 cm; mass = 61 ± 6 kg) volunteered for this investigation and were assessed three times over 6 weeks, with 3 weeks between each visit, using serial blood samples for cortisol, norepinephrine, and epinephrine collected before training and during recovery [Immediate Post (IP), 15, 30, 45 and 60 min]. The Moral Functioning Continuum was used to quantify moral function before training, IP, 30, and 60 min post. Moral intention exhibited an acute response to training with significantly impaired decision making immediately post training. Moreover, both moral intention and moral judgement worsened over the visits suggesting a chronic impairment related to time in training suggesting a functional change in ethical decision-making following acute bouts of MCMAP., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

COVID-19 emerged at varying intervals in different regions of the United States in 2020. This report details the epidemiologic and genetic evolution of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) during the first year of the epidemic in the state of Nebraska using data collected from the Creighton Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) health system. Statistical modelling identified age, gender, and previous history of diabetes and/or stroke as significant risk factors associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients. In parallel, the viral genomes of over 1,000 samples were sequenced. The overall rate of viral variation in the population was 0.07 mutations/day. Genetically, the first 9 months of the outbreak, which include the initial outbreak, a small surge in August and a major outbreak in November 2020 were primarily characterized by B.1. lineage viruses. In early 2021, the United Kingdom variant (B.1.1.7 or alpha) quickly became the dominant variant. Notably, surveillance of non-consensus variants detected B.1.1.7 defining mutations months earlier in Fall 2020. This work provides insights into the regional variance and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the Nebraska region during the first year of the pandemic., 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 Siedlik, Watson, Raine, Cheng, Goering, Stessman and Belshan.)

This study examined the influence of muscle activation and motor unit number estimation (MUNE) on early phase voluntary rate of torque development (RTD) in younger (YM) and older (OM) men. Thirty-two YM (n = 17; Age = 22 yrs) and OM (n = 15; Age = 74 yrs) volunteered to participate in this study. Early phase RTD (first 50 ms of a rapid isometric contraction; RTD 50 ) and normalized surface electromyography (first 50 ms of muscle excitation; nEMG 50 ) were recorded from the right quadricep muscle group. MUNE was examined from the right vastus lateralis. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that nEMG 50 had a significant effect on RTD 50 independent of age group ( p  ≤ 0.001). nEMG 50 had a significant effect on RTD 50 in the OM group (p = 0.037). MUNE had no effect on RTD 50 independent of age. Older adults may depend more on muscle activation at contraction onset of early phase RTD compared to younger adults.

Introduction: It is widely accepted that pathophysiological changes to the central nervous system of persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) result in negative effects on motor function. However, less information is known regarding the pathology of PD on skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a fatiguing isometric knee extension protocol on muscle mechanics using evoked twitch contractions in persons with PD and in non-impaired older adults (OLD)., Methods: Evoked twitch contractions were examined during a fatiguing protocol in PD (66 ± 9 yr, n = 8) and OLD (65 ± 10 yr, n = 5). Participants performed 5-sec maximal isometric voluntary contractions of the quadriceps femoris with 5-sec rest for 3-min. Every 30-sec during rest intervals, a maximal transcutaneous electrical stimulus was administered to the quadriceps femoris to quantify evoked peak twitch torque (pTT), peak relaxation rate (pRR), and peak rate of torque development (pRTD)., Results: A large effect of voluntary fatigue (%decline) was observed ( g  = 1.58). There were no significant differences in pTT (p = 0.09; 95% CI:-3.6, 0.28) or pRR (p = 0.11; 95% CI:-31, 3.6). However, the slope decline of pRTD in OLD (-35.4 ± 24.7) was greater than PD (-11.5 ± 11.4; p = 0.03), indicating that skeletal muscle in persons with PD is less fatigable compared to non-impaired older adults., Conclusion: The rate, not the maximum capacity, of torque generation of the muscle during a fatiguing knee extension protocol was affected by PD. Future studies are warranted to identify the mechanism(s) responsible for the observed differences in skeletal muscle contractile characteristics and potential myofiber distribution variation in PD., 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., (© 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Neutralizing-antibody (nAb) is the major focus of most ongoing COVID-19 vaccine trials. However, nAb response against SARS-CoV-2, when present, decays rapidly. Given the myriad roles of antibodies in immune responses, it is possible that antibodies could also mediate protection against SARS-CoV-2 via effector mechanisms such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), which we sought to explore here., Methods: Plasma of 3 uninfected controls and 20 subjects exposed to, or recovering from, SARS-CoV-2 infection were collected from U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies in the plasma samples. SARS-CoV-2 specific neutralizing capability of these plasmas was assessed with SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped virus. ADCC activity was assessed with a calcein release assay., Results: SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies were detected in all COVID-19 subjects studied. All but three COVID-19 subjects contained nAb at high potency (>80% neutralization). Plasma from 19/20 of COVID-19 subjects also demonstrated strong ADCC activity against SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, including two individuals without nAb against SARS-CoV-2., Conclusion: Both neutralizing and non-neutralizing COVID-19 plasmas can mediate ADCC. Our findings argue that evaluation of potential vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 should include investigation of the magnitude and durability of ADCC, in addition to nAb., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Previous research has shown that resistance training (RT) before doxorubicin (DOX) treatment attenuates the decline in muscle dysfunction; however, the effect of RT during DOX treatment is less known., Purpose: Investigate the effects of RT before and during a 4-wk course of incremental DOX treatment on skeletal muscle function., Methods: Male, Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 36) were randomly assigned to the following groups: sedentary+saline (SED + SAL), sedentary+DOX (SED + DOX), RT + SAL, or RT + DOX. The RT protocol utilized a raised cage model, which provided progressive hindlimb loading throughout the 14-wk study, whereas SED animals were kept in normal housing. Starting at week 10, DOX-treated animals received 3 mg·kg DOX weekly for 4 wk (12 mg·kg cumulative); whereas SAL-treated groups received 0.9% NaCl as a placebo. Grip strength was recorded at 0, 10, 12, and 14 wk. Ex vivo muscle function was performed on excised soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) from the right hind limb 5 d after the last injection and were analyzed for expression of creatine kinase (CK) and creatine transporters., Results: SED + DOX-treated animals had significantly lower EDL mass compared with SED + SAL- and RT + DOX-treated animals. Grip strength, EDL maximal force, and EDL force development were significantly lower in SED + DOX-treated animals compared with RT + SAL and SED + SAL. No significant differences in EDL function were found between RT + DOX and RT + SAL animals. DOX treatment reduced expression of CK in the SOL, which abated with RT., Conclusions: Low-intensity RT may attenuate the decline in skeletal muscle function during incremental DOX treatment.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in rapid muscle atrophy and an oxidative-to-glycolytic fiber-type shift. Those with chronic SCI are more at risk for developing insulin resistance and reductions in glucose clearance than able-bodied individuals, but how glucose metabolism is affected after SCI is not well known. An untargeted metabolomics approach was utilized to investigate changes in whole-muscle metabolites at an acute (7-day) and subacute (28-day) time frame after a complete T9 spinal cord transection in 20-week-old female C57BL/6 mice. Two hundred one metabolites were detected in all samples, and 83 had BinBase IDs. A principal components analysis showed the 7-day group as a unique cluster. Further, 36 metabolites were altered after 7- and/or 28-day post-SCI ( p values <0.05), with 12 passing further false discovery rate exclusion criteria; of those 12 metabolites, three important glycolytic molecules-glucose and downstream metabolites pyruvic acid and lactic acid-were reduced at 7 days compared to those values in sham and/or 28-day animals. These changes were associated with altered expression of proteins associated with glycolysis, as well as monocarboxylate transporter 4 gene expression. Taken together, our data suggest an acute disruption of skeletal muscle glucose uptake at 7 days post-SCI, which leads to reduced pyruvate and lactate levels. These levels recover by 28 days post-SCI, but a reduction in pyruvate dehydrogenase protein expression at 28 days post-SCI implies disruption in downstream oxidation of glucose.

Early studies in exercise immunology suggested acute bouts of exercise had an immunosuppressive effect in human subjects. However, recent data, show acute bouts of combined aerobic and resistance training increase both lymphocyte activation and proliferation. We quantified resistance exercise-induced changes in the activation state of CD4 + T lymphocytes via surface protein expression and using a medically relevant model of infection (HIV-1). Using a randomized cross-over design, 10 untrained subjects completed a control and exercise session. The control session consisted of 30-min seated rest while the exercise session entailed 3 sets × 10 repetitions of back squat, leg press, and leg extensions at 70% 1-RM with 2-min rest between each set. Venous blood samples were obtained pre/post each session. CD4 + T lymphocytes were isolated from whole blood by negative selection. Expression of activation markers (CD69 & CD25) in both nonstimulated and stimulated (costimulation through CD3 + CD28) cells were assessed by flow cytometry. Resistance exercised-induced effects on intracellular activation was further evaluated via in vitro infection with HIV-1. Nonstimulated CD4 + T lymphocytes obtained postexercise exhibited elevated CD25 expression following 24 h in culture. Enhanced HIV-1 replication was observed in cells obtained postexercise. Our results demonstrate that an acute bout of resistance exercise increases the activation state of CD4 + T lymphocytes and results in a greater susceptibility to HIV-1 infection in vitro. These findings offer further evidence that exercise induces activation of T lymphocytes and provides a foundation for the use of medically relevant pathogens as indirect measures of intracellular activation., (© 2019 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.)

Assessment of heart rate variability (HRV) is a common approach to examine cardiac autonomic nervous system modulation that has been employed in a variety of settings. Frequently, both the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and SD1, which is a Poincaré plot component, have been used to quantify short-term heart rate variability. It is not typically appreciated, however, that RMSSD and SD1 are identical metrics of HRV. As a reminder to clinicians and researchers who use and study HRV, we show both empirically and mathematically that RMSSD and SD1 are identical metrics. Because the homology between RMSSD and SD1 is not commonly known, the inclusion of both measures has been reported in many recent publications. The inappropriate use of such redundant data may affect the interpretation of HRV studies. Muscle Nerve 56: 674-678, 2017., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: Asthma is a common chronic childhood disease worldwide. Socioeconomic status, genetic predisposition and environmental factors contribute to its incidence and severity. A disproportionate number of children with asthma are economically disadvantaged and live in substandard housing with potential indoor environmental exposures such as cockroaches, dust mites, rodents and molds. These exposures may manifest through epigenetic mechanisms that can lead to changes in relevant gene expression. We examined the association of global DNA methylation levels with socioeconomic status, asthma severity and race/ethnicity., Methods: We measured global DNA methylation in peripheral blood of children with asthma enrolled in the Kansas City Safe and Healthy Homes Program. Inclusion criteria included residing in the same home for a minimum of 4 days per week and total family income of less than 80% of the Kansas City median family income. DNA methylation levels were quantified by an immunoassay that assessed the percentage of 5-methylcytosine., Results: Our results indicate that overall, African American children had higher levels of global DNA methylation than children of other races/ethnicities (p = 0.029). This difference was more pronounced when socioeconomic status and asthma severity were coupled with race/ethnicity (p = 0.042) where low-income, African American children with persistent asthma had significantly elevated methylation levels relative to other races/ethnicities in the same context (p = 0.006, Hedges g = 1.14)., Conclusion: Our study demonstrates a significant interaction effect among global DNA methylation levels, asthma severity, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status.

Recent work investigating exercise induced changes in immunocompetence suggests that some of the ambiguity in the literature is resultant from different cell isolation protocols and mitogen selection. To understand this effect, we compared post-exercise measures of T cell activation and proliferation using two different stimulation methods (costimulation through CD28 or stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin [PHA]). Further, we investigated whether exercise induced changes are maintained when T cell isolation from whole blood is delayed overnight in either a room temperature or chilled (4°C) environment. As expected, an increased proliferation response was observed post-exercise in T cells isolated from whole blood of previously trained individuals immediately after blood collection. Also, cells stimulated with PHA after resting overnight in whole blood were not adversely impacted by the storage conditions. In contrast, allowing cells to rest overnight in whole blood prior to stimulation through CD28, lessened the proliferation observed by cells following exercise rendering both the room temperature and chilled samples closer to the results seen in the control condition. Changes in early markers of activation (CD25), followed a similar pattern, with activation in PHA stimulated cells remaining fairly robust after overnight storage; whereas cell activation following stimulation through CD3+CD28 was disproportionately decreased by the influence of overnight storage. These findings indicate that decisions regarding cell stimulation methods need to be paired with the timeline for T cell isolation from whole blood. These considerations will be especially important for field based studies of immunocompetence where there is a delay in getting whole blood samples to a lab for processing as well as clinical applications where a failure to isolate T cells in a timely manner may result in loss of the response of interest., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Healthcare professionals are concerned that athletes have the capability to intentionally underperform on baseline computerized neurocognitive assessments in an effort to expedite their return to the field of play following a concussion. The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of overlapping validity measures will provide better sensitivity for detecting malingering athletes on a baseline computerized neurocognitive assessment., Methods: Twenty male, collegiate rugby players (mean age 23±4 years) participated in this study. Subjects completed 2 Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) assessments within a 7-day interval. The initial test, non-malingering baseline (NM), was performed adhering to ImPACT's normal sequence of instructions. Immediately prior to the second assessment, the malingering attempt (MA), each participant was instructed to "underperform on the test" in such a way that it was not obvious they were trying to score poorly., Results: ImPACT detected 70% (N.=14) of the malingerers using internal validation measures, whereas the trained physician identified 80% of the malingerers (N.=16) including all of the malingerers detected by ImPACT. The Schatz Word Memory Check identified 100% of malingering tests., Conclusions: These data indicate that the combination of a trained physician review and ImPACT test measures are more successful at recognizing possible malingers than use of the ImPACT validity measures alone. The Schatz Word Memory Check was highly effective at identifying invalid baseline tests and should be considered a valid test measure for future clinical reviews.

Objective: Lymphocyte proliferative responses are commonly used to assess immune function in clinical settings, yet it is unclear how proliferative capacity is altered by exercise. This analysis aims to quantitatively assess the proliferative response of lymphocytes following an acute bout of exercise., Methods: Electronic databases were searched for articles containing the keywords "exercise" OR "acute" OR "aerobic" OR "resistance training" OR "immune function" AND "proliferation" AND "lymphocyte." Initial results yielded 517 articles of which 117 were reviewed in full. Twenty-four articles met the inclusion criteria. Calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding standard errors (SE) were integrated using random-effect models., Results: Analyses uncovered evidence for suppression of proliferative capacity following acute exercise in general (SMD=-0.18, 95% CI: -0.21, -0.16) with long duration, high intensity exercise exhibiting a moderate suppressive effect (SMD=-0.55, 95% CI: -0.86, -0.24). Discordant proliferative responses for long duration, high intensity exercise in competitive versus non-competitive settings were identified with enhanced proliferation (SMD=0.46, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.89) observed following competitive events and a large suppressive effect detected for similar activities outside of a competitive environment (SMD: -1.28, 95% CI: -1.61, -0.96) (p=0.02)., Conclusion: Evidence suggests lymphocyte proliferation is suppressed following acute bouts of exercise, with exercise lasting longer than one hour having a greater magnitude of effect regardless of exercise intensity. Variations in observed effect sizes across intensity, duration, and competitive environment further highlight our need to acknowledge the impact of study designs in advancing our understanding of exercise immunology., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Combined physical and psychological stress events have been associated with exacerbated endocrine responses and increased alterations in immune cell trafficking when compared to exercise stress alone. Military training programs are rigorous in nature and often purposefully delivered in environments combining high levels of both physical and mental stress. The objective of this study was to assess physiological and cognitive changes following U.S. Marine Corps Martial Arts training. Seven active-duty, male Marines were observed during a typical Marine Corps Martial Arts training session. Immune parameters, including immunomodulatory cytokines, and hormone concentrations were determined from blood samples obtained at baseline, immediately post training (IP) and at 15min intervals post-training to 1h (R15, R30, R45, R60). Assessments of cognitive moral functioning (moral judgment and intent) were recorded at intervals during recovery. There were significant fluctuations in immunoendocrine parameters. Peak endocrine measures were observed within the IP-R15 time interval. Distributions of circulating immune cells were significantly altered with neutrophils and all lymphocyte subsets elevated at IP. IFN-γ and IL-17a exhibited small, non-significant, parallel increases over the recovery period. Moral functioning was informed by different social identities during the recovery resulting in changes in moral decision-making. These data demonstrate that the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program induces significant alterations in lymphocyte and leukocyte distributions, but does not shift the balance of Th1/Th2 cytokines or induce a systemic inflammatory response. The program does, however, induce alterations in moral decision-making ability associated with the observed endocrine responses, even suggesting a potential interaction between one's social identities and endocrine responses upon moral decision-making., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Context: Analysis of injury and illness data collected at large international competitions provides the US Olympic Committee and the national governing bodies for each sport with information to best prepare for future competitions. Research in which authors have evaluated medical contacts to provide the expected level of medical care and sports medicine services at international competitions is limited., Objective: To analyze the medical-contact data for athletes, staff, and coaches who participated in the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico, using unsupervised modeling techniques to identify underlying treatment patterns., Design: Descriptive epidemiology study., Setting: Pan American Games., Patients or Other Participants: A total of 618 U.S. athletes (337 males, 281 females) participated in the 2011 Pan American Games., Main Outcome Measure(s): Medical data were recorded from the injury-evaluation and injury-treatment forms used by clinicians assigned to the central US Olympic Committee Sport Medicine Clinic and satellite locations during the operational 17-day period of the 2011 Pan American Games. We used principal components analysis and agglomerative clustering algorithms to identify and define grouped modalities. Lift statistics were calculated for within-cluster subgroups., Results: Principal component analyses identified 3 components, accounting for 72.3% of the variability in datasets. Plots of the principal components showed that individual contacts focused on 4 treatment clusters: massage, paired manipulation and mobilization, soft tissue therapy, and general medical., Conclusions: Unsupervised modeling techniques were useful for visualizing complex treatment data and provided insights for improved treatment modeling in athletes. Given its ability to detect clinically relevant treatment pairings in large datasets, unsupervised modeling should be considered a feasible option for future analyses of medical-contact data from international competitions.

Introduction: We examined motor unit (MU) control properties of resistance-trained (RT) and endurance-trained (ET) individuals., Methods: Five RT (age 25 ± 4 years) and 5 ET (age 19 ± 1 years) subjects participated. Surface electromyography (EMG) data were recorded from the vastus lateralis during isometric trapezoid muscle actions at 40% and 70% of maximal voluntary contraction. Decomposition and wavelet transform techniques were applied to the EMG signals to extract the firing events of single MUs and EMG intensity across the frequency spectrum., Results: There were significant differences between RT and ET for the mean MU firing rate and derecruitment threshold versus recruitment threshold relationships and EMG intensity at various wavelet bands during the linearly increasing, steady force, and linearly decreasing segments of the trapezoid contraction., Conclusions: MU behavior is altered as a function of training status and is likely the result of differences in the physical properties of the MU., (© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Context: Various modalities have been used to pretreat skeletal muscle to attenuate inflammation., Objective: To determine the effects of short-wave diathermy (SWD) preheating treatment on inflammation and stress markers after eccentric exercise., Design: Controlled laboratory study., Setting: University laboratory setting., Patients or Other Participants: Fifteen male (age = 22 ± 4.9 years, height = 179.75 ± 9.56 cm, mass = 82.22 ± 12.67 kg) college-aged students., Intervention(s): Seven participants were selected randomly to receive 40 minutes of SWD heat treatment (HT), and 8 participants served as the control (CON) group and rested without SWD. Both groups completed 7 sets of 10 repetitions of a high-intensity eccentric exercise protocol (EEP) at 120% of the 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) leg extension., Main Outcome Measure(s): We biopsied muscles on days 1, 3 (24 hours post-EEP), and 4 (48 hours post-EEP) and collected blood samples on days 1, 2 (4 hours post-EEP), 3, and 4. We determined 1-RM on day 2 (24 hours post-SWD) and measured 1-RM on days 3 and 4. We analyzed the muscle samples for interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α, and heat shock protein 70 and the blood for serum creatine kinase., Results: We found a group × time interaction for intramuscular IL-6 levels after SWD (F2,26 = 7.13, P = .003). The IL-6 decreased in HT (F1,6 = 17.8, P = .006), whereas CON showed no change (P > .05). We found a group × time interaction for tumor necrosis factor α levels (F2,26 = 3.71, P = .04), which increased in CON (F2,14 = 7.16, P = .007), but saw no changes for HT (P > .05). No group × time interactions were noted for 1-RM, heat shock protein 70, or creatine kinase (P > .05)., Conclusions: The SWD preheating treatment provided a treatment effect for intramuscular inflammatory myokines induced through high-intensity eccentric exercise but did not affect other factors associated with intense exercise and inflammation.

The purpose of this study was to determine the agreement of physiological parameters measured during exercise testing on 2 devices at established power outputs (POs). Ten trained male cyclists were recruited. The devices used for comparison were the Lode stationary bicycle ergometer (SBE) (Lode Excalibur) and the PowerTap Pro+ (BPT) (Saris Cycling Group) mobile ergometer. The physiological parameters recorded at established PO (50, 100, 150, 200, 250 W) were heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption ((Equation is included in full-text article.)), pulmonary ventilation (VE), blood lactate, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Subjects were randomized once to the SBE and 3 times to a bicycle equipped with a BPT. After 15 minutes of unloaded pedaling, the trial began with 5 minutes of cycling at 50 W. Intensity increased by 50 W every 5 minutes up to 250 W. Physiological measures were recorded at each PO. Bland-Altman plots were constructed including computation of the ratio of half the range of limits of agreement and the mean of the pairwise means along with bivariate regression calculations for analysis of the linear association between device measurements. Moderate to good agreement was found for HR with agreement improving as PO increased. Comparisons of (Equation is included in full-text article.)found agreement increased as the PO increased. VE, RPE, and lactate did not consistently provide similar measures across trials. The level of agreement between HR and (Equation is included in full-text article.)when comparing the SBE and BPT suggests that the PowerTap Pro+ is a sufficient tool for estimating PO and associated physiological parameters in the field.