Effects of two neuromuscular training programs on running biomechanics with load carriage: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background In recent years, athletes have ventured into ultra-endurance and adventure racing events, which tests their ability to race, navigate, and survive. These events often require race participants to carry some form of load, to bear equipment for navigation and survival purposes. Previous studies have reported specific alterations in biomechanics when running with load which potentially influence running performance and injury risk. We hypothesize that a biomechanically informed neuromuscular training program would optimize running mechanics during load carriage to a greater extent than a generic strength training program. Methods This will be a two group, parallel randomized controlled trial design, with single assessor blinding. Thirty healthy runners will be recruited to participate in a six weeks neuromuscular training program. Participants will be randomized into either a generic training group, or a biomechanically informed training group. Primary outcomes include self-determined running velocity with a 20 % body weight load, jump power, hopping leg stiffness, knee extensor and triceps-surae strength. Secondary outcomes include running kinetics and kinematics. Assessments will occur at baseline and post-training. Discussion To our knowledge, no training programs are available that specifically targets a runner’s ability to carry load while running. This will provide sport scientists and coaches with a foundation to base their exercise prescription on

Validação da equação de Brzycki para a estimativa de 1-RM no exercício supino em banco horizontal Validez de la ecuación de Brzycki para la estimativa de 1-RM en ejercicio press de banco Validation of the Brzycki equation for the estimation of 1-RM in the bench press

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a validade da equação proposta por Brzycki para a predição de uma repetição máxima (1-RM) no exercício supino em banco horizontal. Para tanto, 50 homens (22,2 &plusmn; 3,5 anos; 64,7 &plusmn; 8,6kg), sedentários ou moderadamente ativos, foram inicialmente submetidos a seis sessões de testes de 1-RM no exercício supino em banco horizontal, com 48 horas de intervalo entre cada sessão, para a determinação da carga máxima. Posteriormente, um protocolo de resistência de força foi executado para a determinação de 7 a 10-RM. Os critérios utilizados para a validação incluíram: teste t de Student para amostras dependentes, para comparação entre os valores médios obtidos pela equação preditiva e pelo teste de 1-RM; coeficiente de correlação de Pearson, para análise do grau de associação entre as medidas; erro padrão de estimativa (EPE), para avaliação do grau de desvio dos dados individuais ao longo da reta produzida; erro total (ET), para a verificação do desvio médio dos valores individuais da reta de identidade; erro constante (EC), para análise da diferença entre os valores médios obtidos no teste de 1-RM e preditos pela equação proposta. Nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significante foi verificada entre os valores produzidos pelo teste de 1-RM e a equação de Brzycki (P > 0,05). Tanto o EPE quanto o ET foram relativamente baixos (2,42kg ou 3,4% e 1,55kg ou 2,2%, respectivamente), bem como o EC (0,22kg ou 0,3%). Além disso, o valor do coeficiente de correlação encontrado foi extremamente elevado (r = 0,99; P < 0,05), demonstrando, assim, forte associação entre os valores encontrados pelo teste de 1-RM e a equação de Brzycki. Portanto, a equação analisada por este estudo atendeu satisfatoriamente aos critérios de validação estabelecidos pela literatura. Os resultados sugerem que a equação de Brzycki parece ser uma alternativa bastante atraente para a estimativa dos valores de 1-RM no exercício supino em banco horizontal, a partir da execução de testes submáximos de 7 a 10-RM, em homens adultos sedentários ou moderadamente ativos.<br>El objetivo de este estudio ha sido analizar la validez de la ecuación propuesta por Brzycki para la predicción de una repetición máxima (1-RM) en el ejercicio press de banco. Para esto, 50 hombres (22,2 &plusmn; 3,5 años; 64,7 &plusmn; 8,6 kg), sedentarios o moderadamente activos, fueron inicialmente sometidos a seis sesiones de tests de 1-RM en ejercicio press de banco, con 48 horas de intervalo entre cada sesión, para determinar la carga máxima. Posteriormente, un protocolo de resistencia de fuerza fue ejecutado para determinar de 7-10-RM. Los criterios utilizados para la validación incluyeron: test "t" de Student para muestras dependientes, para comparar los valores medios obtenidos por la ecuación predictiva y por el test de 1-RM; coeficiente de correlación de Pearson, para analizar el grado de asociación entre las medidas; error padrón de estimativa (EPE), para la evaluación del grado del desvío de los datos individuales a lo largo de la recta producida; error total (ET), para verificar el desvío medio de los valores individuales de la recta de identidad; error constante (EC), para el análisis de la diferencia entre los valores medios obtenidos en el test de 1-RM y proveídos por la ecuación propuesta. Ninguna diferencia estadística significante fue verificada entre los valores producidos por el test de 1-RM y la ecuación de Brzycki (P > 0,05). Tanto el EPE como el ET fueron relativamente bajos (2,42 kg o 3,4% y 1,55 kg o 2,2%, respectivamente), así como el EC (0,22 kg o 0,3%). Además de esto, el valor del coeficiente de correlación encontrado fue extremamente elevado (r = 0,99; P < 0,05), mostrando así una fuerte asociación entre los valores encontrados por el test de 1-RM y la ecuación de Brzycki. Por tanto, la ecuación analizada por este estudio atendió satisfactoriamente a los criterios de validez establecidos por la literatura. Los resultados sugieren que la ecuación de Brzycki parece ser una alternativa bastante atrayente para estimar los valores de 1-RM en el ejercicio press de banco, a partir de la ejecución de tests submáximos de 7-10-RM, en hombres adultos sedentarios o moderadamente activos.<br>The aim of the present study was to analyze the validation of the equation proposed by Brzycki for the prediction of a maximum repetition (1-RM) in the bench press. Fifty sedentary or moderately active male subjects (22.2 &plusmn; 3.5 years; 64.7 &plusmn; 8.6 kg), were initially submitted to six test sessions of 1-RM in the bench press, with 48 hours of interval between each session, in order to determine the maximum workload. A protocol of force resistance was then performed for the determination of 7-10-RM. The used criteria for the validation included: t-Student test for dependent samples, for comparison among the mean values obtained by the predictive equation and by the 1-RM test; Pearson correlation coefficient for analysis of the association degree among the measurements; standard error of estimate (SEE) for evaluation of the mean deviation degree of the individual data along the produced line; total error (TE) for the verification of the mean deviation of the individual values of the identity line; constant error (CE) for analysis of the difference among the mean values obtained in the 1-RM test and predicted by the proposed equation. None statistically significant difference was verified among the values produced by the 1-RM test and the Brzycki equation (P > 0.05). Both the SEE and the TE were relatively low (2.42 kg or 3.4% and 1.55 kg or 2.2%, respectively), as well as the CE found (0.22 kg or 0.3%). Moreover, the correlation coefficient value found was extremely high (r = 0.99; P < 0.05), thus showing a strong association between the values found by the 1-RM test and the Brzycki equation. Therefore, the equation analyzed by this study satisfied the validation criteria established by the literature. The results suggest that the Brzycki equation seems to be a fairly attractive alternative for the estimation of 1-RM values in the bench press from the performance of submaximal tests of 7-10-RM, in sedentary or moderately active male adults

Conservação de goiabas tratadas com emulsões de cera de carnaúba Postharvest conservation of guavas through carnauba wax emulsion applications

A goiaba é um fruto muito perecível. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos de ceras à base de carnaúba na conservação pós-colheita de goiabas Pedro Sato sob condição ambiente. Utilizaram-se cinco ceras comerciais: Citrosol AK (18%), Citrosol M (10%), Fruit wax (18 a 21%), Meghwax ECF-100 (30%) e Cleantex wax (18,5 a 20,5%), as quais foram aplicadas manualmente, na proporção de 0,15 a 0,20mL por fruta. Frutas sem aplicação de cera foram utilizadas como controle. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com 6 tratamentos, 4 repetições e 5 frutas por parcela. As goiabas foram caracterizadas imediatamente após a colheita e avaliadas aos 2, 4 e 6 dias após a aplicação dos tratamentos. As ceras exerceram pouca influência nos teores de sólidos solúveis totais, acidez total titulável e ácido ascórbico, porém, foram eficientes em retardar o amadurecimento, reduzir a perda de massa e a incidência de podridões. A cera Meghwax ECF-100 apresenta potencial para utilização em goiabas, porém há necessidade de ser avaliada em maior diluição, para evitar alterações indesejáveis.<br>Guavas are very perishable fruits. Therefore, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the effects of several carnauba based waxes in the postharvest life of Pedro Sato guavas under room conditions. Five commercial waxes were used: Citrosol AK (18%), Citrosol M (10%), Fruit wax (18 a 21%), Meghwax ECF-100 (30%) e Cleantex wax (18,5 a 20,5%). The waxes were applied manualy in the rate of 0.15 to 0.20mL of wax per fruit. Control fruits were not treated. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 6 treatments, 4 replicates per treatment and 5 fruits as experimental unit. Guavas were evaluated at harvest and at every 2 days until the 6th day after treatments. Waxing had little effect on total soluble solids, total titratable acidity and ascorbic acid contents. However, the waxes were efficient in delaying ripening and reducing mass loss and decay incidence. The Meghwax ECF-100 shows potential for its use in guavas, although it needs to be tested in lower concentrations to avoid ripening problems

<i>Ureaplasma diversum</i> Genome Provides New Insights about the Interaction of the Surface Molecules of This Bacterium with the Host

<div><p>Whole genome sequencing and analyses of <i>Ureaplasma diversum</i> ATCC 49782 was undertaken as a step towards understanding <i>U</i>. <i>diversum</i> biology and pathogenicity. The complete genome showed 973,501 bp in a single circular chromosome, with 28.2% of G+C content. A total of 782 coding DNA sequences (CDSs), and 6 rRNA and 32 tRNA genes were predicted and annotated. The metabolic pathways are identical to other human ureaplasmas, including the production of ATP via hydrolysis of the urea. Genes related to pathogenicity, such as urease, phospholipase, hemolysin, and a Mycoplasma Ig binding protein (MIB)—Mycoplasma Ig protease (MIP) system were identified. More interestingly, a large number of genes (n = 40) encoding surface molecules were annotated in the genome (lipoproteins, multiple-banded antigen like protein, membrane nuclease lipoprotein and variable surface antigens lipoprotein). In addition, a gene encoding glycosyltransferase was also found. This enzyme has been associated with the production of capsule in mycoplasmas and ureaplasma. We then sought to detect the presence of a capsule in this organism. A polysaccharide capsule from 11 to 17 nm of <i>U</i>. <i>diversum</i> was observed trough electron microscopy and using specific dyes. This structure contained arabinose, xylose, mannose, galactose and glucose. In order to understand the inflammatory response against these surface molecules, we evaluated the response of murine macrophages J774 against viable and non-viable <i>U</i>. <i>diversum</i>. As with viable bacteria, non-viable bacteria were capable of promoting a significant inflammatory response by activation of Toll like receptor 2 (TLR2), indicating that surface molecules are important for the activation of inflammatory response. Furthermore, a cascade of genes related to the inflammasome pathway of macrophages was also up-regulated during infection with viable organisms when compared to non-infected cells. In conclusion, <i>U</i>. <i>diversum</i> has a typical ureaplasma genome and metabolism, and its surface molecules, including the identified capsular material, represent major components of the organism immunopathogenesis.</p></div