Strength gain through eccentric isotonic training without changes in clinical signs or blood markers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Aerobic Training Prevents Dexamethasone-Induced Peripheral Insulin Resistance

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

High intensity exercise training worsens alveolar destruction in pulmonary emphysema rats

OBJECTIVE: Investigation of standard intensities of physical exercise is important to better comprehend and develop rehabilitation programs for emphysema. We aimed to evaluate the effects of different intensities (moderate and high-intensity) of physical exercise on the development of a protease-induced (papain intratracheal instillation) emphysema in rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomly separated into five groups that received intratracheal instillation of papain solution or vehicle: (i) papain high intensity exercise, (ii) papain moderate exercise, (iii) saline high intensity exercise, (iv) saline sedentary and (v) papain sedentary. Forty days after intratracheal instillation, the exercise groups were submitted to an exercise-training protocol on a treadmill during 10 weeks, 5 days/week, at 0.9 km/h (Papain and saline high exercise), or at 0.6 km/h (papain moderate exercise).We measured respiratory system elastance and resistance, the collagen fiber lung parenchyma, and the pulmonary mean linear intercept. RESULTS: All animal groups that received papain instillation presented higher alveolar wall destruction compared to animals that received only saline solution. The papain high intensity exercise group presented higher values of mean linear intercept compared to emphysema groups that were trained at a moderate intensity or not submitted to exercise. CONCLUSION: High intensity exercise training worsened alveolar destruction in an experimental model of emphysema in rats when compared to moderate intensity exercise, or to no exercise.

Effects of strength and balance training on the mobility, fear of falling and grip strength of elderly female fallers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of virtual reality and strength training on the balance, fear of falling and handgrip strength of older women with a history of falls. The fear of falling, mobility and grip strength were evaluated in 11 elderly fallers (72.4 ± 5.2 years). The faller group was submitted to 12 weeks of virtual reality and muscle strength training. The results showed improvement in mobility (p = 0.0004) and in the fear of falling (p = 0.002). No significant difference was observed for hand grip strength. It can be concluded that virtual reality and muscle strength interventions are beneficial for mobility and fear of falling in older women with a history of falls.

Treatment of Dyslipidemia with Statins and Physical Exercises: Recent Findings of Skeletal Muscle Responses

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação dos efeitos do treinamento do exercício físico aeróbico de curta duração em pacientes hospitalizados com DPOC exacerbado

Pós-graduação em Fisiopatologia em Clínica Médica - FMB

How do laryngeal and respiratory functions contribute to differentiate actors/actresses and untrained voices?

Purpose. The present study aimed to compare actors/actresses's voices and vocally trained subjects through aerodynamic and electroglottographic (EGG) analyses. We hypothesized that glottal and breathing functions would reflect technical and physiological differences between vocally trained and untrained subjects.Methods. Forty participants with normal voices participated in this study (20 professional theater actors and 20 untrained participants). In each group, 10 male and 10 female subjects were assessed. All participants underwent aerodynamic and EGG assessment of voice. From the Phonatory Aerodynamic System, three protocols were used: comfortable sustained phonation with EGG, voice efficiency with EGG, and running speech. Contact quotient was calculated from EGG. All phonatory tasks were produced at three different loudness levels. Mean sound pressure level and fundamental frequency were also assessed. Univariate, multivariate, and correlation statistical analyses were performed.Results. Main differences between vocally trained and untrained participants were found in the following variables: mean sound pressure level, phonatory airflow, subglottic pressure, inspiratory airflow duration, inspiratory airflow, and inspiratory volume. These variables were greater for trained participants. Mean pitch was found to be lower for trained voices.Conclusions. The glottal source seemed to have a weak contribution when differentiating the training status in speaking voice. More prominent changes between vocally trained and untrained participants are demonstrated in respiratory-related variables. These findings may be related to better management of breathing function (better breath support).

Improvement of the physical performance is associated with activation of NO/PGC-l alpha/mtTFA signaling pathway and increased protein expressions of electron transport chain in gastrocnemius muscle from rats supplemented with L-arginine

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effects of different resistance training frequencies on flexibility in older women

Objective: The main purpose of the investigation reported here was to analyze the effect of resistance training (RT) performed at different weekly frequencies on flexibility in older women.Participants and methods: Fifty-three older women (>= 60 years old) were randomly assigned to perform RT either two (n= 28; group "G2x"), or three (n= 25; group "G3x") times per week. The RT program comprised eight exercises in which the participants performed one set of 10-15 repetitions maximum for a period of 12 weeks. Anthropometric, body-composition, and flexibility measurements were made at baseline and post-study. The flexibility measurements were obtained by a fleximeter.Results: A significant group-by-time interaction (P<0.01) was observed for frontal hip flexion, in which G3x showed a higher increase than G2x (+12.8% and +3.0%, respectively). Both groups increased flexibility in cervical extension (G2x=+19.1%, G3x=+20.0%), right hip flexion (G2x=+14.6%, G3x=+15.9%), and left hip flexion (G2x=+25.7%, G3x=+19.2%), with no statistical difference between groups. No statistically significant differences were noted for the increase in skeletal muscle mass between training three versus two times a week (+7.4% vs +4.4%, respectively).Conclusion: Twelve weeks of RT improves the flexibility of different joint movements in older women, and the higher frequency induces greater increases for frontal hip flexion.

Downhill running excessive training inhibits hypertrophy in mice skeletal muscles with different fiber type composition

The aim of this study was to verify the effects of running overtraining protocols performed in downhill, uphill, and without inclination on the proteins related to hypertrophy signaling pathway in extensor digitorum longus (EDL) and soleus of C57BL/6 mice. We also performed histological and stereological analyses. Rodents were divided into control (CT; sedentary mice), overtrained by downhill running (OTR/down), overtrained by uphill running (OTR/up), and overtrained by running without inclination (OTR). The incremental load, exhaustive, and grip force tests were used as performance evaluation parameters. 36 h after the grip force test, EDL and soleus were removed and immediately used for immunoblotting analysis or stored at -80°C for histological and stereological analyses. For EDL, OTR/down decreased the protein kinase B (Akt) and tuberous sclerosis protein 2 (TSC2) phosphorylation (p), and increased myostatin, receptor-activated Smads (pSMAD2-3), and insulin receptor substrate-1 (pIRS-1; Ser307/636). OTR/down also presented low and high relative proportions of cytoplasm and connective tissue, respectively. OTR/up increased the mammalian target of rapamycin (pmTOR), 70-kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (pS6K1) and pSMAD2-3, and decreased pTSC2. OTR decreased pTSC2 and increased pIRS-1 (Ser636). For soleus, OTR/down increased S6 ribosomal protein (pS6RP) and pSMAD2-3, and decreased pIRS-1 (Ser639). OTR/up decreased pS6K1, pS6RP and pIRS-1 (Ser639), and increased pTSC2 (Ser939), and pSMAD2-3. OTR increased pS6RP, 4E-binding protein-1 (p4E-BP1), pTSC2 (Ser939), and pSMAD2-3, and decreased pIRS-1 (Ser639). In summary, OTR/down inhibited the skeletal muscle hypertrophy with concomitant signs of atrophy in EDL. The effects of OTR/up and OTR depended on the analyzed skeletal muscle type. J. Cell. Physiol. 9999: 1-12, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of an isostretching training protocol to increase the musculoarticular flexibility and other physiological aspetcs on the quality of life

Purpose: To apply the technique of Isostretching in a group of people over age 50 years and compare the flexibility of the posterior muscular chain before and after treatment, observing whether there was improvement in quality of life after the end of the sessions. Method: Eleven healthy and sedentary people from 51 to 74 years old participated in the study, which was conducted in Brazil. To evaluate the flexibility we applied the SF-36 questionnaire and test flexion of the spine before and after the study. Eight domains were accessed with the scores ranging form zero to one hundred. Results And Discussion:The technique was effective to gain flexibility of the posterior muscle group, which results in better quality of life for the participants. The results show that the domains related to physical health obtained the highest scores (“functional capacity”, “limitation in physical aspects” and “pain”). These aspects are strongly emphasised in a physical therapy treatment.

Effects of strength and power training on neuromuscular adaptations and jumping movement pattern and performance

Effects of strength and power training on neuromuscular adaptations and jumping movement pattern and performance. J Strength Cond Res 26(12): 3335-3344, 2012-This study aimed at comparing the effects of strength and power training (ST and PT) regimens on neuromuscular adaptations and changes on vertical jump performance, kinetics, and kinematics parameters. Forty physically active men (178.2 +/- 7.0 cm; 75.1 +/- 8.6 kg; 23.6 +/- 3.5 years) with at least 2 years of ST experience were assigned to an ST (n = 14), a PT (n = 14), or a control group (C; n = 12). The training programs were performed during 8 weeks, 3 times per week. Dynamic and isometric maximum strength, cross-sectional area, and muscle activation were assessed before and after the experimental period. Squat jump (SJ) and countermovement jump (CMJ) performance, kinetics, and kinematics parameters were also assessed. Dynamic maximum strength increased similarly (p < 0.05) for the ST (22.8%) and PT (16.6%) groups. The maximum voluntary isometric contraction increased for the ST and PT groups (p < 0.05) in the posttraining assessments. There was a main time effect for muscle fiber cross-sectional area (p < 0.05), but there were no changes in muscle activation. The SJ height increased, after ST and PT, because of a faster concentric phase and a higher rate of force development (p < 0.05). The CMJ height increased only after PT (p < 0.05), but there were no significant changes in its kinetics and kinematics parameters. In conclusion, neuromuscular adaptations were similar between the training groups. The PT seemed more effective than the ST in increasing jumping performance, but neither the ST nor the PT was able to affect the SJ and the CMJ movement pattern (e.g., timing and sequencing of joint extension initiation).

Effects of strength and power training on neuromuscular variables in older adults

The purpose of this study was to compare the neuromuscular adaptations produced by strength-training (ST) and power-training (PT) regimens in older individuals. Participants were balanced by quadriceps cross-sectional area (CSA) and leg-press 1-repetition maximum and randomly assigned to an ST group (n = 14; 63.6 +/- 4.0 yr, 79.7 +/- 17.2 kg, and 163.9 +/- 9.8 cm), a PT group (n = 16; 64.9 +/- 3.9 yr. 63.9 +/- 11.9 kg, and 157.4 +/- 7.7 cm), or a control group (n = 13; 63.0 +/- 4.0 yr, 67.2 +/- 10.8 kg, and 159.8 +/- 6.8 cm). ST and PT were equally effective in increasing (a) maximum dynamic and isometric strength (p < .05), (b) increasing quadriceps muscle CSA (p < .05), and (c) decreasing electrical mechanical delay of the vastus lateralis muscle (p < .05). There were no significant changes in neuromuscular activation after training. The novel finding of the current study is that PT seems to be an attractive alternative to regular ST to maintain and improve muscle mass.

Do muscle strengthening exercises improve performance in the 6-minute walk test in postmenopausal women?

Background: Walking speed seems to be related to aerobic capacity, lower limb strength, and functional mobility, however it is not clear whether there is a direct relationship between improvement in muscle strength and gait performance in early postmenopausal women. Objective: To evaluate the effect of muscle strengthening exercises on the performance of the 6-minute walk test in women within 5 years of menopause. Methods: The women were randomized into control group (n=31), which performed no exercise, and exercise group (n=27), which performed muscle strengthening exercises. The exercises were performed twice a week for 3 months. The exercise protocol consisted of warm-up, stretching, and strengthening of the quadriceps, hamstring, calf, tibialis anterior, gluteus maximus, and abdominal muscles, followed by relaxation. Muscular strength training started with 60% of 1MR (2 series of 10-15 repetitions), reaching 85% until the end of the 3-month period (4 series of 6 repetitions each). Results: The between-group comparisons pre- and post-intervention did not show any difference in distance walked, heart rate or blood pressure (p>0.05), but showed differences in muscle strength post-intervention, with the exercise group showing greater strength (p<0.05). In the within-group comparison, there were differences in final heart rate and quadriceps and hamstring strength pre- and post-intervention in the exercise group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results suggest that muscle strengthening of the lower limbs did not improve performance in the 6-minute walk test in this population of postmenopausal women. Trial registration ACTRN12609001053213.

Endurance exercise training increases APPL1 expression and improves insulin signaling in the hepatic tissue of diet-induced obese mice, independently of weight loss

Hepatic insulin resistance is the major contributor to fasting hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. The protein kinase Akt plays a central role in the suppression of gluconeogenesis involving forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1 alpha (PGC-1a), and in the control of glycogen synthesis involving the glycogen synthase kinase beta (GSK3 beta) in the liver. It has been demonstrated that endosomal adaptor protein APPL1 interacts with Akt and blocks the association of Akt with its endogenous inhibitor, tribbles-related protein 3 (TRB3), improving the action of insulin in the liver. Here, we demonstrated that chronic exercise increased the basal levels and insulin-induced Akt serine phosphorylation in the liver of diet-induced obese mice. Endurance training was able to increase APPL1 expression and the interaction between APPL1 and Akt. Conversely, training reduced both TRB3 expression and TRB3 and Akt association. The positive effects of exercise on insulin action are reinforced by our findings that showed that trained mice presented an increase in Foxo1 phosphorylation and Foxo1/PGC-1a association, which was accompanied by a reduction in gluconeogenic gene expressions (PEPCK and G6Pase). Finally, exercised animals demonstrated increased at basal and insulin-induced GSK3 beta phosphorylation levels and glycogen content at 24?h after the last session of exercise. Our findings demonstrate that exercise increases insulin action, at least in part, through the enhancement of APPL1 and the reduction of TRB3 expression in the liver of obese mice, independently of weight loss. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 29172926, 2012. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.