Purpose
This study aims to evaluate the role of physical habits and chronotype on sleep patterns in a sample of Italian elderly population.
Methods
One-hundred Italian elderly individuals (50 males; ...mean age ± SD 70.9 ± 6.3 years) were enrolled and completed the Morningness–Eveningness Questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Moreover, we evaluated the lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, LDL values, total cholesterol/HDL and LDL/HDL ratios).
Results
Active subjects (AS) collected better PSQI value compared to inactive subjects (IS) (mean ± SD 5.3 ± 3.1 vs 6.2 ± 3.4). The AS made less use of sleep medications (
p
< 0.003) and reported less sleep disturbances (
p
< 0.003) and daytime dysfunctions (
p
< 0.006) compared to IS. PSQI final and component scores for neither types (N-types) were lower compared to those of morning types (M-types). Referring to the females, active N-type collected lower PSQI value compared to active M-types (mean ± SD 3.9 ± 3 vs 6.2 ± 3.5, respectively;
p
< 0.05). Active M-types made less use of sleep medications (
f
< 0.05;
p
< 0.02) and had less sleep dysfunction (
f
< 0.03;
p
< 0.03) compared to inactive M-types, while active N-types reported less daytime dysfunctions (
f
< 0.03;
p
< 0.03) compared to inactive N-types. Focusing on males, active M-types reported less disturbances compared to inactive N-types (
f
< 0.05;
p
< 0.05). IS showed lower HDL level compared to AS (
p
< 0.005).
Conclusions
M-types had worst sleeping habits compared to N-types. IS had worse global sleep quality, more sleep disturbances and made greater use of sleep medications than AS did. An active lifestyle could be considered as useful tool to improve sleep and reduces sleep problems during aging.
Stem cells have huge applications in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Their use is currently not restricted to the life-threatening diseases but also extended to disorders ...involving the structural tissues, which may not jeopardize the patients’ life, but certainly influence their quality of life. In fact, a particularly popular line of research is represented by the regeneration of bone and cartilage tissues to treat various orthopaedic disorders. Most of these pioneering research lines that aim to create new treatments for diseases that currently have limited therapies are still in the bench of the researchers. However, in recent years, several clinical trials have been started with satisfactory and encouraging results. This article aims to review the concept of stem cells and their characterization in terms of site of residence, differentiation potential and therapeutic prospective. In fact, while only the bone marrow was initially considered as a “reservoir” of this cell population, later, adipose tissue and muscle tissue have provided a considerable amount of cells available for multiple differentiation. In reality, recently, the so-called “stem cell niche” was identified as the perivascular space, recognizing these cells as almost ubiquitous. In the field of bone and joint diseases, their potential to differentiate into multiple cell lines makes their application ideally immediate through three main modalities: (1) cells selected by withdrawal from bone marrow, subsequent culture in the laboratory, and ultimately transplant at the site of injury; (2) bone marrow aspirate, concentrated and directly implanted into the injury site; (3) systemic mobilization of stem cells and other bone marrow precursors by the use of growth factors. The use of this cell population in joint and bone disease will be addressed and discussed, analysing both the clinical outcomes but also the basic research background, which has justified their use for the treatment of bone, cartilage and meniscus tissues.
The aim of this study was to investigate the combined effects of aerobic exercise training and traditional treatment on body mass index (BMI) and aerobic capacity compared to the traditional ...treatment alone in patients with binge-eating disorder (BED). Fourteen BED patients were divided into Intervention Group (IG,
n
= 6) and Control Group (CG,
n
= 8). All patients participated into the weekly multidisciplinary program. In addition, IG underwent an aerobic exercise-training period of 6 months. At baseline and after 6 months of intervention, both groups underwent measurements of BMI and six-minute walk test (6MWT). BMI reduced in both groups (47.2 ± 5.5 and 42.7 ± 5.1 kg/m
2
in IG PRE and IG POST, respectively;
p
< 0.01; 46.6 ± 6.9 and 44.3 ± 6.1 kg/m
2
in CG PRE and CG POST, respectively;
p
< 0.01), but IG obtained a greater reduction than CG. Indeed, a BMI reduction of −4.50 kg/m
2
in IG occurred while in CG decreased by −2.30 kg/m
2
(
p
< 0.05). The IG improved the 6MWT (435.9 ± 106.2 and 519.1 ± 151.5 m in IG PRE and IG POST, respectively;
p
< 0.01). In addition, the CG improved 6MWT (455.5 ± 114.9 and 502.5 ± 110.7 m in CG PRE and CG POST, respectively;
p
< 0.01) probably because of the influence of diet and changes in body composition, even though the difference did not achieve statistical significance. Changes induced by the combined intervention were significantly greater than traditional treatment alone, suggesting that the addition of physical exercise constitutes a novel potential therapeutic approach in eating disorders.
Purpose
The aim of the current study was to investigate the effects of a running fatiguing protocol on the peak torque joint angle and the peak torque in hamstrings vs. quadriceps.
Methods
Twenty-one ...male runners underwent a running fatiguing protocol consisting of 40 min at a speed corresponding at first ventilatory threshold. Before and after the fatiguing protocol, isokinetic concentric and eccentric hamstrings and concentric quadriceps peak torque was measured at 60 and 300 deg s
−1
. The peak torque joint angle (i.e. the angle at which the peak torque was exerted) was recorded. The conventional
H
conc
:
Q
conc
ratio and the functional
H
ecc
:
Q
conc
ratio were also calculated.
Results
The peak torque joint angle increased (i.e. shifted toward shorter muscle length) in hamstrings in eccentric at 60 deg s
−1
(ES = 1.35) and at 300 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.71) and in concentric modality at 300 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.50) but not at 60 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.23). No change occurred in quadriceps at 60 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.15) and 300 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.20). Peak torque deteriorated in both hamstrings and quadriceps, irrespective of the testing modality (ES 0.95–1.90) Functional
H
ecc
:
Q
conc
ratio decreased at 60 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.74) and 300 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.85). No change in conventional
H
conc
:
Q
conc
ratio occurred at 60 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.12) and 300 deg s
−1
(ES = 0.14).
Conclusion
The fatigue-induced changes in peak torque joint angle in hamstrings but not in quadriceps and the simultaneous decrements in the functional
H
ecc
:
Q
conc
ratio may point a reduced hamstrings resistive capacity, with implications for hamstrings strain injury risk.
Physical activity and breast cancer Montaruli, Angela; Patrini, Patrizia; Roveda, Eliana ...
Sport sciences for health,
07/2012, Letnik:
8, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Knowledge of the relationships between risks and benefits of a given lifestyle is fundamental to being able to change life-long habits responsible for the development of pathological processes. ...Breast cancer is a widely studied pathology of vast social importance. It is important to identify the most appropriate lifestyle to give the organism the necessary tools to prevent tumour development. Physical exercise can act on and modify the different risk factors responsible for the development of both the primary pathology of breast cancer and relapses, thus reducing mortality. The various hypotheses of the biological routes through which physical activity can reduce risk indicate involvement of the following mechanisms: reduction in body weight, reduction in circulating levels of sex hormones, reduction in insulin resistance, reduction in leptin and adiponectin and modulation of the immune system. Recent discoveries on the mechanisms of cancer development indicate that cancer is the chronic pathology par excellence, and it is highly unlikely that it will be possible to eliminate it by concentrating all our efforts on tumour treatment techniques alone; it will be necessary to cure the whole organism in depth. Physical activity can be considered an “anticancer biology” that succeeds in exploiting the breakthroughs of medicine and our natural defences.
Intense physical exercise activates the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical axis but little is known about changes in glucocorticoid sensitivity at the target cell level. No data are available on ...the acute effects of exercise on 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) type 1 activity, which generates biologically active cortisol from inactive cortisone and is expressed also in skeletal muscle. Fifteen healthy, trained males (age mean ± SE 28 ± 1) were assessed on three non-consecutive days: at rest, during an endurance and strength sessions. During each session, between 1000 and 1600 hours, 6-h urine and four salivary samples were collected. Urinary total tetrahydrocortisol (THF) + alloTHF, tetrahydrocortisone (THE), cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) were measured with HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry; urinary-unconjugated F and E were measured by HPLC-UV. Salivary cortisol and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured by RIA and ELISA, respectively. Both endurance and strength exercises caused an increase in (THF + alloTHF)/THE ratio (mean ± SE 1.90 ± 0.07 and 1.82 ± 0.05 vs. 1.63 ± 0.06,
P
< 0.01 and
P
= 0.03, respectively), consistent with increased systemic 11β-HSD type 1 activity. No relationship was found with age, BMI,
maximal power load or perceived exertion. No significant change was apparent in F/E ratio, an index of 11β-HSD type 2 activity. No effect of exercise on salivary cortisol and IL-6 was observed, whereas a significant effect of sampling time was found. Intense physical exercise acutely increases systemic 11β-HSD type 1 activity in humans. Such an increase may lead to higher cortisol concentration in target tissues, notably in skeletal muscle where it could contribute to limit exercise-induced muscle inflammatory response.
The expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the central nervous system (CNS) and the expression of its high-affinity trkB receptor on neuron surfaces are known to depend on neuron ...activity. The expression of BDNF (mRNA and protein) and trkB mRNA shows circadian oscillations in rat hippocampal homogenates. We investigated circadian variations in trkB expression in specific areas of the adult rat hippocampal formation by immunohistochemistry. In sets of two experiments performed in the spring, 39 2-month-old male Wistar rats were accustomed to a 12-h light–12-h dark cycle for 2 weeks. Three animals were then sacrificed every 4 h. Forty-micrometer-thick coronal sections of hippocampal formation were obtained and processed for trkB immunohistochemistry. Cell staining intensity was assessed by image analysis of different hippocampal areas on five sections per animal. Circadian rhythmicity was evaluated by the cosinor method. Statistically significant circadian variations in trkB expression were found in dentate gyrus, entorhinal cortex, and the CA3 and hilar regions of the hippocampus, with highest expression during the first half of the dark (activity) period. These findings suggest a relationship between trkB expression and the physiological neuronal activation of wakefulness. TrkB receptor expression in the hippocampal regions studied was continuous and changes were gradual over the 24-h cycle, suggesting that more complex regulatory mechanisms also intervened.
The potency of exercise as a nonphotic time cue compared to the solar cycle in influencing entrainment (organism synchronization within the 24-h period) has yet to be defined. Above the Arctic Circle ...during winter the sun remains below the horizon for several weeks and during summer remains above the horizon for several weeks. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effects related to exercising time on the circadian structure under conditions of lack of daylight and continuous daylight. The experiments were carried out at 70° North, above the Arctic Circle. Ten healthy females (age 24±5 years) were divided into two groups: an exercise and a control group. The subjects in the exercise group performed the same exercise routine at two different times of day (0900 and 1800 hours) both in January (twilight period) and in May (continuous daylight period). Continuous heart rate data were collected and analysed by the cosinor method. The acrophase values were significantly modified in the exercise group during evening exercise in January showing a delay compared with morning exercise and compared with the control group (3 h and 1.5 h, respectively), while in May this effect was not seen. The results indicate that in continuous daylight, the potency of exercise in modulating the circadian phase seems to be suppressed. However, these findings need to be verified in a larger poulation.
Intense physical exercise activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis but little is known about changes in glucocorticoid sensitivity at the target cell level. No data are available on ...the acute effects of exercise on 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD) type 1 activity, which generates biologically active cortisol from inactive cortisone and is expressed also in skeletal muscle. Fifteen healthy, trained males (age mean ± SE 28 ± 1) were assessed on three non-consecutive days: at rest, during an endurance and strength sessions. During each session, between 1000 and 1600 hours, 6-h urine and four salivary samples were collected. Urinary total tetrahydrocortisol (THF) + alloTHF, tetrahydrocortisone (THE), cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) were measured with HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry; urinary-unconjugated F and E were measured by HPLC-UV. Salivary cortisol and interleukin (IL)-6 were measured by RIA and ELISA, respectively. Both endurance and strength exercises caused an increase in (THF + alloTHF)/THE ratio (mean ± SE 1.90 ± 0.07 and 1.82 ± 0.05 vs. 1.63 ± 0.06, P < 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively), consistent with increased systemic 11β-HSD type 1 activity. No relationship was found with age, BMI, (ProQuest: Formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted; see image) maximal power load or perceived exertion. No significant change was apparent in F/E ratio, an index of 11β-HSD type 2 activity. No effect of exercise on salivary cortisol and IL-6 was observed, whereas a significant effect of sampling time was found. Intense physical exercise acutely increases systemic 11β-HSD type 1 activity in humans. Such an increase may lead to higher cortisol concentration in target tissues, notably in skeletal muscle where it could contribute to limit exercise-induced muscle inflammatory response.PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
