Oxidative dtress status and placental implications in diabetic rats undergoing swimming exercise after embryonic implantation

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

Chromium or L-carnitine supplementation during an aerobic conditioning program mildly modified the energy metabolism biomarker response in Mangalarga Marchador fillies

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Exercise training improves ambulatory blood pressure but not arterial stiffness in heart transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the most prevalent comorbidity after heart transplantation (HT). Exercise training (ET) is widely recommended as a key non-pharmacologic intervention for the prevention and management of hypertension, but its effects on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and some mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension have not been studied in this population. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ET on ABP and arterial stiffness of HT recipients.METHODS: 40 HT patients, randomized to ET (n = 31) or a control group (n = 9) underwent a maximal graded exercise test, 24-hour ABP monitoring, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) assessment before the intervention and at a 12-week follow-up assessment. The ET program was performed thrice-weekly and consisted primarily of endurance exercise (40 minutes) at similar to 70% of maximum oxygen uptake (Vo(2MAX))RESULTS: The ET group had reduced 24-hour (4.0 +/- 1.4 mm Hg, p < 0.01) and daytime (4.8 +/- 1.6 mm Hg, p < 0.01) systolic ABP, and 24-hour (7.0 +/- 1.4 mm Hg, p < 0.001) daytime (7.5 +/- 1.6 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and nighttime (5.9 +/- 1.5 mm Hg, p < 0.001) diastolic ABP after the intervention. The ET group also had improved Vo(2MAX) (9.7% +/- 2.6%, p < 0.001) after the intervention. However, PWV did not change after ET. No variable was changed in the control group after the intervention.CONCLUSIONS: The 12-week ET program was effective for reducing ABP but not PWV in heart transplant recipients. This result suggesfs that endurance ET may be a tool to counteract hypertension in this high-risk population. (C) 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.

Can low-level laser therapy when associated to exercise decrease adipocyte area?

Obesity affects approximately 20% of the world population, and exercise is the primary non-pharmacological therapy. The combined use of exercise and low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may potentiate the effects promoted by exercise. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise in combination with phototherapy on adipocyte area, activity of the enzyme citrate synthase and muscle morphological analysis. We used 64 Wistar rats, which were divided into eight groups with 8 rats each: sedentary chow-diet (SC); sedentary chow-diet plus laser therapy (SCL), exercised chow-diet (EC); exercised chow-diet plus laser therapy (ECL); sedentary high-fat diet (SH); sedentary high-fat diet plus laser therapy (SHL); exercised high-fat diet (EH); exercised high-fat diet, laser therapy (EHL). The animals were submitted to a program of swimming training for 90min/5 times per week for 8weeks and LLLT (GA-Al-AS, 830nm) at a dose of 4.7J/point and a total energy of 9.4J/animal, with duration of 47s, which was applied to both gastrocnemius muscles after exercise. We conclude that the combined use of exercise and phototherapy increases the activity of the enzyme citrate synthase and decreases the white adipocyte area epididymal, retroperitoneal and visceral in obese rats, enhancing the effects of exercise.

Effect of community-based physical exercise interventions carried out in primary helath care on plasma inflammatory biomarkers and cardiorespiratory fitness

Pós-graduação em Ciências da Motricidade - IBRC

Square stepping exercise: uma nova atividade física para idosos

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chronic Conventional resistance exercise reduces blood pressure in stage 1 Hypertensive men

Moraes, MR, Bacurau, RFP, Casarini, DE, Jara, ZP, Ronchi, FA, Almeida, SS, Higa, EMS, Pudo, MA, Rosa, TS, Haro, AS, Barros, CC, Pesquero, JB, Wurtele, M, and Araujo, RC. Chronic conventional resistance exercise reduces blood pressure in stage 1 hypertensive men. J Strength Cond Res 26(4): 1122-1129, 2012-To investigate the antihypertensive effects of conventional resistance exercise (RE) on the blood pressure (BP) of hypertensive subjects, 15 middle-aged (46 +/- 3 years) hypertensive volunteers, deprived of antihypertensive medication (reaching 153 +/- 6/93 +/- 2 mmHg systolic/diastolic BP after a 6-week medication washout period) were submitted to a 12-week conventional RE training program (3 sets of 12 repetitions at 60% 1 repetition maximum, 3 times a week on nonconsecutive days). Blood pressure was measured in all phases of the study (washout, training, detraining). Additionally, the plasma levels of several vasodilators or vasoconstrictors that potentially could be involved with the effects of RE on BP were evaluated pre- and posttraining. Conventional RE significantly reduced systolic, diastolic, and mean BP, respectively, by an average of 16 (p < 0.001), 12 (p < 0.01), and 13 mm Hg (p < 0.01) to prehypertensive values. There were no significant changes of vasoactive factors from the kallikrein-kinin or renin-angiotensin systems. After the RE training program, the BP values remained stable during a 4-week detraining period. Taken together, this study shows for the first time that conventional moderate-intensity RE alone is able to reduce the BP of stage 1 hypertensive subjects free of antihypertensive medication. Moreover, the benefits of BP reduction achieved with RE training remained unchanged for up to 4 weeks without exercise.

Effects of an adapted physical activity program on the physical condition of elderly women: an analysis of efficiency

Background: Specific research tools and designs can assist in identifying the efficiency of physical activity in elderly women. Objectives: To identify the effects of physical activity on the physical condition of older women. Method: A one-year-long physical activity program (123 sessions) was implemented for women aged 60 years or older. Four physical assessments were conducted, in which weight, height, BMI, blood pressure, heart rate, absences, grip strength, flexibility, VO2max, and static and dynamic balance were assessed. The statistical analyses included a repeated measures analysis, both inferential (analysis of variance - ANOVA) and effect size (Cohen's d coefficient), as well as identification of the participants' efficiency (Data Envelopment Analysis - DEA). Results: Despite the observation of differences that depended on the analysis used, the results were successful in the sense that they showed that physical activity adapted to older women can effectively change the decline in physical ability associated with aging, depending on the purpose of the study. The 60-65 yrs group was the most capable of converting physical activity into health benefits in both the short and long term. The >65 yrs group took less advantage of physical activity. Conclusions: Adherence to the program and actual time spent on each type of exercise are the factors that determine which population can benefit from physical activity programs. The DEA allows the assessment of the results related to time spent on physical activity in terms of health concerns. Article registered in Clinicaltrials.gov under number NCT01558401.

Effect of continuous and interval exercise training on the PETCO2 response during a graded exercise test in patients with coronary artery disease

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the following: 1) the effects of continuous exercise training and interval exercise training on the end-tidal carbon dioxide pressure (PETCO2) response during a graded exercise test in patients with coronary artery disease; and 2) the effects of exercise training modalities on the association between PETCO2 at the ventilatory anaerobic threshold (VAT) and indicators of ventilatory efficiency and cardiorespiratory fitness in patients with coronary artery disease. METHODS: Thirty-seven patients (59.7 +/- 1.7 years) with coronary artery disease were randomly divided into two groups: continuous exercise training (n = 20) and interval exercise training (n = 17). All patients performed a graded exercise test with respiratory gas analysis before and after three months of the exercise training program to determine the VAT, respiratory compensation point (RCP) and peak oxygen consumption. RESULTS: After the interventions, both groups exhibited increased cardiorespiratory fitness. Indeed, the continuous exercise and interval exercise training groups demonstrated increases in both ventilatory efficiency and PETCO2 values at VAT, RCP, and peak of exercise. Significant associations were observed in both groups: 1) continuous exercise training (PETCO(2)VAT and cardiorespiratory fitness r = 0.49; PETCO(2)VAT and ventilatory efficiency r = -0.80) and 2) interval exercise training (PETCO(2)VAT and cardiorespiratory fitness r = 0.39; PETCO(2)VAT and ventilatory efficiency r = -0.45). CONCLUSIONS: Both exercise training modalities showed similar increases in PETCO2 levels during a graded exercise test in patients with coronary artery disease, which may be associated with an improvement in ventilatory efficiency and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Diaphragmatic Breathing Training Program Improves Abdominal Motion During Natural Breathing in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Yamaguti WP, Claudino RC, Neto AP, Chammas MC, Gomes AC, Salge TM, Moriya HT, Cukier A, Carvalho CR. Diaphragmatic breathing training program improves abdominal motion during natural breathing in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2012;93:571-7. Objective: To investigate the effects of a diaphragmatic breathing training program (DBTP) on thoracoabdominal motion and functional capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Design: A prospective, randomized controlled trial. Setting: Academic medical center. Participants: Subjects (N=30; forced expiratory volume in Is, 4270 +/- 13% predicted) were randomly allocated to either a training group (TG) or a control group (CG). Interventions: Subjects in the TG completed a 4-week supervised DBTP (3 individualized weekly sessions), while those in the CG received their usual care. Main Outcome Measures: Effectiveness was assessed by amplitude of the rib cage to abdominal motion ratio (RC/ABD ratio) (primary outcome) and diaphragmatic mobility (secondary outcome). The RC/ABD ratio was measured using respiratory inductive plethysmography during voluntary diaphragmatic breathing and natural breathing. Diaphragmatic mobility was measured by ultrasonography. A 6-minute walk test and health-related quality of life were also evaluated. Results: Immediately after the 4-week DBTP, the TG showed a greater abdominal motion during natural breathing quantified by a reduction in the RC/ABD ratio when compared with the CG (F=8.66; P<.001). Abdominal motion during voluntary diaphragmatic breathing after the intervention was also greater in the TG than in the CG (F=4.11; P<.05). The TG showed greater diaphragmatic mobility after the 4-week DBTP than did the CG (F=15.08; P<.001). An improvement in the 6-minute walk test and in health-related quality of life was also observed in the TG. Conclusions: DBTP for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease induced increased diaphragm participation during natural breathing, resulting in an improvement in functional capacity.

Effect of 12 weeks of resistance exercise on post-exercise hypotension in stage 1 hypertensive individuals

Post-exercise hypotension (PEH), the reduction of blood pressure (BP) after a single bout of exercise, is of great clinical relevance. As the magnitude of this phenomenon seems to be dependent on pre-exercise BP values and chronic exercise training in hypertensive individuals leads to BP reduction; PEH could be attenuated in this context. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether PEH remains constant after resistance exercise training. Fifteen hypertensive individuals (46 +/- 8 years; 88 +/- 16 kg; 30 +/- 6% body fat; 150 +/- 13/93 +/- 5mm Hg systolic/diastolic BP, SBP/DBP) were withdrawn from medication and performed 12 weeks of moderate-intensity resistance training. Parameters of cardiovascular function were evaluated before and after the training period. Before the training program, hypertensive volunteers showed significant PEH. After an acute moderate-intensity resistance exercise session with three sets of 12 repetitions (60% of one repetition maximum) and a total of seven exercises, BP was reduced post-exercise (45-60 min) by an average of aproximately -22mm Hg for SBP, -8mm Hg for DBP and -13 mm Hg for mean arterial pressure (P<0.05). However, this acute hypotensive effect did not occur after the 12 weeks of training (P>0.05). In conclusion, our data demonstrate that PEH, following an acute exercise session, can indeed be attenuated after 12 weeks of training in hypertensive stage 1 patients not using antihypertensive medication. Journal of Human Hypertension (2012) 26, 533-539; doi:10.1038/jhh.2011.67; published online 7 July 2011

Early 4-Week Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Training in Elderly Patients After Heart Surgery

The aim of this study was to assess the effects on exercise performance of supplementing a standard cardiac rehabilitation program with additional exercise programming compared to the standard cardiac rehabilitation program alone in elderly patients after heart surgery.

Exercise training in normobaric hypoxia in endurance runners. III. Muscular adjustments of selected gene transcripts

We hypothesized that specific muscular transcript level adaptations participate in the improvement of endurance performances following intermittent hypoxia training in endurance-trained subjects. Fifteen male high-level, long-distance runners integrated a modified living low-training high program comprising two weekly controlled training sessions performed at the second ventilatory threshold for 6 wk into their normal training schedule. The athletes were randomly assigned to either a normoxic (Nor) (inspired O2 fraction = 20.9%, n = 6) or a hypoxic group exercising under normobaric hypoxia (Hyp) (inspired O2 fraction = 14.5%, n = 9). Oxygen uptake and speed at second ventilatory threshold, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), and time to exhaustion (Tlim) at constant load at VO2 max velocity in normoxia and muscular levels of selected mRNAs in biopsies were determined before and after training. VO2 max (+5%) and Tlim (+35%) increased specifically in the Hyp group. At the molecular level, mRNA concentrations of the hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha (+104%), glucose transporter-4 (+32%), phosphofructokinase (+32%), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1alpha (+60%), citrate synthase (+28%), cytochrome oxidase 1 (+74%) and 4 (+36%), carbonic anhydrase-3 (+74%), and manganese superoxide dismutase (+44%) were significantly augmented in muscle after exercise training in Hyp only. Significant correlations were noted between muscular mRNA levels of monocarboxylate transporter-1, carbonic anhydrase-3, glucose transporter-4, and Tlim only in the group of athletes who trained in hypoxia (P < 0.05). Accordingly, the addition of short hypoxic stress to the regular endurance training protocol induces transcriptional adaptations in skeletal muscle of athletic subjects. Expressional adaptations involving redox regulation and glucose uptake are being recognized as a potential molecular pathway, resulting in improved endurance performance in hypoxia-trained subjects.

Exercise training in normobaric hypoxia in endurance runners. II. Improvement of mitochondrial properties in skeletal muscle

This study investigates whether adaptations of mitochondrial function accompany the improvement of endurance performance capacity observed in well-trained athletes after an intermittent hypoxic training program. Fifteen endurance-trained athletes performed two weekly training sessions on treadmill at the velocity associated with the second ventilatory threshold (VT2) with inspired O2 fraction = 14.5% [hypoxic group (Hyp), n = 8] or with inspired O2 fraction = 21% [normoxic group (Nor), n = 7], integrated into their usual training, for 6 wk. Before and after training, oxygen uptake (VO2) and speed at VT2, maximal VO2 (VO2 max), and time to exhaustion at velocity of VO2 max (minimal speed associated with VO2 max) were measured, and muscle biopsies of vastus lateralis were harvested. Muscle oxidative capacities and sensitivity of mitochondrial respiration to ADP (Km) were evaluated on permeabilized muscle fibers. Time to exhaustion, VO2 at VT2, and VO2 max were significantly improved in Hyp (+42, +8, and +5%, respectively) but not in Nor. No increase in muscle oxidative capacity was obtained with either training protocol. However, mitochondrial regulation shifted to a more oxidative profile in Hyp only as shown by the increased Km for ADP (Nor: before 476 +/- 63, after 524 +/- 62 microM, not significant; Hyp: before 441 +/- 59, after 694 +/- 51 microM, P < 0.05). Thus including hypoxia sessions into the usual training of athletes qualitatively ameliorates mitochondrial function by increasing the respiratory control by creatine, providing a tighter integration between ATP demand and supply.

Effects of a comprehensive rehabilitation program on quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure

This evaluation was performed to assess the effects of a new, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation program on generic and disease-specific quality of life related to exercise tolerance in stable chronic heart failure patients. Fifty-one patients (aged 59+/-11 years; 84% men) were treated for 12 weeks. Patients underwent optimized drug treatment, exercise training, and counseling and education. At baseline and at the end of the program, functional status, exercise capacity, and quality of life were assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey and the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Left ventricular ejection fraction and New York Heart Association functional class, as well as measures of physical fitness and walking distance covered in 6 minutes, improved significantly (by 11%-20% and by 58% on average, respectively). Physical functioning (effect size, 0.38; p<0.0001), role functioning (effect size, 0.17; p<0.05), and mental component score (effect size, 0.47; p<0.0001) on the questionnaire improved significantly. Disease-specific quality of life improved in sum score (effect size, 0.24; p<0.0001) and physical component score (effect size, 0.35; p<0.0001). The latter was inversely correlated to improvement in peak power output (r= -0.31; p<0.05). In patients with stable chronic heart failure, significant improvements in both generic and disease-specific quality of life related to improved exercise tolerance can be achieved within 12 weeks of comprehensive rehabilitation.