The effects of a 10-week step aerobics training on VO 2 max, isometric strength, and body composition of young women

Health status is partly determined by physical fitness level. Physical fitness can be developed through different physical activities under condition that regularity and intensity are maintained on optimal level. One of such physical activities is step aerobics - one of the most popular collective fitness forms offered in fitness clubs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of step aerobics training on VO2max, isometric strength and body composition of young female students. Female students aged 19-21 of University of Physical Education and Sport in Gdańsk were subjects in this study. VO2max, isometric strength of elbow flexors and knee extensors, as well as body composition, were measured week before and week after a ten-week step aerobics training. For statistical analysis, basic descriptive statistics and student’s t-test were applied for dependent variables. After ten weeks of training there were no statistically significant changes in body composition, probably due to lack of calorie intake control. Significant changes were observed in isometric strength of elbow flexors but no changes in isometric strength of knee extensors. There was a compensation in isometric strength noted between left and right leg after ten weeks of training, where left leg was weaker than the right leg before training. Significant changes were noted in VO2max values, which increased from 42.04 ml/kg/min-1 to 45.71 ml/kg/min-1. Step aerobics training can sufficiently increase VO2max in young females and has a potential in developing strength of upper extremities. When body composition is the main purpose, diet should be taken under consideration

Comparison of the efficiency of two commercial kits – ELFA and Western blot in estimating the phase of <i>Toxoplasma gondii</i> infection in pregnant women

Sera of 89 pregnant women were selected according to the results of ELFA IgM, IgG and avidity IgG, and tested with commercial tests IgM, IgG and avidity IgG Western Blot (WB) to compare the efficacy of both techniques in determining the phase of T. gondii infection. In total, 81 of 89 tested sera (91.0%) were classified as positive, both in the ELFA and WB tests for the presence of anti- Toxoplasma antibodies of class IgG, indicating a past infection, while the prevalence of anti- Toxoplasma positive reactions associated with the antibodies of class IgM indicating a recent infection was much lower – 31.5% and 20.2%, respectively. Sera of 81 women were also tested in the ELFA and WB tests for avidity, e.g. ability of forming high-molecular IgG antibody complexes. Low or medium results in these tests (in this study all classified as low), indicating a recent infection, were detected by ELFA and WB in 22.2% and 45.7% of the total examined samples, respectively. The Spearman’s rank test for correlation, performed for recognition of quantitative data of the ELFA and WB tests (index, units or points), revealed a highly significant correlation between the ELFA and WB tests for homologous classes of antibodies, both for IgM and IgG (p0.05), except for the WB test for IgM antibodies, which showed a significant correlation with the ELFA test for IgG antibodies (p<0.01). A highly significant negative correlation between the ELFA and WB test for IgM antibodies and ELFA and WB tests for IgG avidity was demonstrated (p<0.01), except for a relationship between the WB test for IgM and WB for avidity, which was not significant. Such negative correlations are theoretically expected, as strong complexes with the participation of IgG antibodies are absent in the early phase of toxoplasmosis when early antibodies of IgM class are present. Summarizing, this study indicates the high usefulness of the commercial ELFA and WB tests in serodiagnostics of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. Special attention should be paid to parallel detection of IgM antibodies and low values in the ELFA and WB tests for IgG avidity, which indicates a recent infection which may be associated with a clinical form of congenital toxoplasmosis and damage to the foetus

Prevalence of infections and co-infections with 6 pathogens in <i>Dermacentor reticulatus</i> ticks collected in eastern Poland

Occurrence of co-infections with various pathogens in ixodid ticks creates a risk of increased severity of tick-borne diseases in humans and animals exposed to bite of the ticks carrying multiple pathogens. Accordingly, co-infections in ticks were subject of numerous analyses, but almost exclusively with regard to Ixodes ricinus complex whereas potential tick vectors belonging to other genera were much less studied. Taking into consideration the role of Dermacentor reticulatus in the transmission of various pathogens, we carried out for the first time the comprehensive statistical analysis of co-infections occurring in this tick species. An attempt was made to determine the significance of the associations between 6 different pathogens occurring in D. reticulatus (Tick-borne encephalitis virus = TBEV, Anaplasma phagocytophilum , Rickettsia raoultii , Borrelia burgdorferi s. l., Babesia spp., Toxoplasma gondii ), using 2 statistical methods: determination of Odds Ratios (ORs) and the Fisher’s exact test. 634 questing Dermacentor reticulatus ticks (370 females and 264 males) were collected in 2011– 2013 by flagging the lower vegetation in 3 localities in the area of Łęczyńsko-Włodawskie Lakeland, situated in the Lublin region of eastern Poland. The presence of individual pathogens was detected by PCR. Ticks were infected most often with Rickettsia raoultii (43.8%), less with TBEV (8.5%), and much less with Babesia spp., Toxoplasma gondii , Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (2.5%, 2.1%, 1.6% and 1.1%, respectively). The locality-dependent variability proved to be significant for TBEV (χ 2 =11.063; P=0.004) and Toxoplasma gondii (χ 2 =11.298; P=0.0035), but not for other pathogens. Two hundred seventy (42.6%) of the examined ticks were infected only with a single pathogen, and 54 (8.5%) showed the presence of dual co-infections, each with 2 pathogens. The most common were dual infections with participation of Rickettsia raoultii (7.41%); next, those with participation of the TBEV (5.21%), Toxoplasma gondii (1.58%), Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. (1.26%), Anaplasma phagocytophilum (0.95%), and Babesia spp. (0.63%). On the total number of 15 possible associations, in 9 cases co-infections occurred whereas in 6 cases they were not detected. The most noteworthy were positive co-infections with the participation of TBEV, which proved to be weakly significant (0.05&lt;P&lt;0.1) in associations with Toxoplasma gondii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum , with Odds Ratios over 3.3 and 4.4, respectively. The values of Odds Ratios exceeded 3.0 also at the co-infections of Rickettsia raoultii with B. burgdorferi s.l., and T. gondii with Babesia spp., but these associations did not attain a significance level. The co-infections of Rickettsia raoultii with Babesia spp. appeared not to be significant (0.05&lt;P&lt;0.1) with OR below 0.3. In conclusion, co-infections with various pathogens in D. reticulatus ticks seem to be relatively rare and mostly not significant

Associations between the dopamine D4 receptor gene polymorphisms and personality traits in elite athletes

Personality traits and temperament may affect sports performance. Previous studies suggest that dopamine may play an important role in behavior regulation and physical exercise performance. The aim of this study is to determine associations between dopamine D4 receptor gene (DRD4 Ex3) polymorphisms and personality traits (such as neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeability and conscientiousness) in elite combat athletes. A total of 302 physically active, unrelated, self-reported Caucasian participants were recruited for this study. The participants consisted of 200 elite male combat athletes and 102 healthy male participants (control group). For personality trait measurements, the NEO Five-Factor Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory questionnaires were used. For the genetic assays, blood was collected and all samples were genotyped using the real-time PCR method. A 2 x 3 factorial ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences on the Openness NEO Five Factor Inventory scale for both examined factors, i.e. sport status and genetics DTD4 Ex3. Combat athletes achieved higher scores on the Conscientiousness NEO-FFI scale when compared to controls (7.18 vs 5.98). On the other hand, combat athletes scored lower on the Openness scale in comparison with control group (4.42 vs. 4.63). Subjects with the DRD4 Ex3 s/s genotype had lower results on the openness scale in comparison with participants with the DRD4 Ex3 s/1 genotype (4.01 vs. 4.57) and higher DRD4 Ex3 1/1 genotype (4,01 vs. 3,50). In conclusion, we found an association between the dopamine D4 receptor gene in variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphisms and athletic status for two NEO-FFI factors: Openness and Conscientiousness. The DRD4 exon 3 polymorphism may be associated with the selected personality traits in combat athletes, thereby modulating athletes’ predisposition to participate in high risk sports

Streptococcus suis: a re-emerging pathogen associated with occupational exposure to pigs or pork products. Part I – Epidemiology

Streptococcus suis (ex Elliot 1966, Kilpper-Bälz & Schleifer 1987) is a facultatively anaerobic Gram-positive ovoid or coccal bacterium surrounded by a polysaccharide capsule. Based on the antigenic diversity of the capsule, S. suis strains are classified serologically into 35 serotypes. Streptococcus suis is a commensal of pigs, commonly colonizing their tonsils and nasal cavities, mostly in weaning piglets between 4–10 weeks of age. This species occurs also in cattle and other mammals, in birds and in humans. Some strains, mostly those belonging to serotype 2, are also pathogenic for pigs, as well as for other animals and humans. Meningitis is the primary disease syndrome caused by S. suis , both in pigs and in humans. It is estimated that meningitis accounted for 68.0% of all cases of human disease reported until the end of 2012, followed by septicaemia (including life-threatening condition described as ‘streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome’ – STSLS), arthritis, endocarditis, and endophthalmitis. Hearing loss and/or ves tibular dysfunction are the most common sequelae after recovery from meningitis caused by S. suis , occurring in more than 50% of patients. In the last two decades, the number of reported human cases due to S. suis has dramatically increased, mostly due to epidemics recorded in China in 1998 and 2005, and the fulminant increase in morbidity in the countries of south-eastern Asia, mostly Vietnam and Thailand. Out of 1,642 cases of S. suis infections identified between 2002–2013 worldwide in humans, 90.2% occurred in Asia, 8.5% in Europe and 1.3% in other parts of the globe. The human disease has mostly a zoonotic and occupational origin and occurs in pig breeders, abattoir workers, butchers and workers of meat processing facilities, veterinarians and meat inspectors. Bacteria are transmitted to workers by close contact with pigs or pig products, usually through contamination of minor cuts or abrasions on skin of hands and/or arms, or by pig bite. A different epidemiologic situation occurs in the Southeast Asian countries where most people become infected by habitual consumption of raw or undercooked pork, blood and offal products in the form of traditional dishes. Prevention of S. suis infections in pigs includes vaccination, improvement in pig-raising conditions, disinfection and/or fumigation of animal houses, and isolation of sick animals at the outbreak of disease. Prevention of human infections comprises: protection of skin from pig bite or injury with sharp tools by people occupationally exposed to pigs and pig products, prompt disinfection and dressing of wounds and abrasions at work, protection of the respiratory tract by wearing appropriate masks or repirators, consulting a doctor in the case of febrile illness after exposure to pigs or pork meat, avoidance of occupations associated with exposure to pigs and pork by immunocompomised people, avoidance of consumption of raw pork or pig blood, adequate cooking of pork, and health education

Potential role of ticks of the species Dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus in the circulation of parasitic protozoa: Theileria spp., Babesia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in the natural environment

Wprowadzenie i cel pracy. Kleszcze są zaliczane do obligatoryjnych ektopasożytów kręgowców lądowych, w tym również i człowieka. Stanowią rezerwuar, niekiedy wektor wielu drobnoustrojów chorobotwórczych (bakterii, wirusów i pierwotniaków) zagrażających zdrowiu zwierząt i ludzi. Głównym celem pracy była próba oceny, czy powszechnie występujące w Polsce kleszcze z gatunku Ixodes ricinus i Dermacentor reticulatus mogą stanowić potencjalny wektor i rezerwuar dla pierwotniaków: Babesia i Theileria, oraz Toxoplasma gondii, a tym samym odgrywać rolę w krążeniu tych patogenów w przyrodzie. Skrócony opis stanu wiedzy. Do grupy pierwotniaków występujących w kleszczach należą rodzaje Theileria spp., Babesia spp., i jak stwierdzono w ostatnich badaniach – Toxoplasma gondii. Rodzaje Theileria i Babesia stanowią duże zagrożenie głównie dla zwierząt, powodując m.in. gorączkę wschodniego wybrzeża, tropikalną tejleriozę, babeszjozę. Z kolei Toxoplasma gondii to pierwotniak szczególnie niebezpieczny dla kobiet w ciąży, który może wywoływać trwałe i nieodwracalne wady płodu. Dotychczasowe badania potwierdzają obecność tych pierwotniaków u niektórych gatunków kleszczy, jak również możliwość współwystępowania niektórych z nich w jednym osobniku. Podsumowanie. Z punktu widzenia zdrowia publicznego, badania dotyczące potencjalnej roli kleszczy w transmisji pasożytniczych pierwotniaków mogą przyczynić się do oceny realnego zagrożenia nabycia infekcji w przypadku pokłucia przez kleszcze. Szczególne znaczenie dla kobiet ciężarnych miałyby wyniki dotyczące roli kleszczy jako alternatywnej drogi w transmisji Toxoplasma gondii – czynnika etiologicznego toksoplazmozy.Introduction and objective. Ticks are classified into obligatory eco-parasites of terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. They constitute a reservoir, sometimes a vector of many pathological microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) threatening the health of humans and animals. The primary objective of the study was an attempt to evaluate whether ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, commonly occurring in Poland, may constitute a potential vector and reservoir for the protozoa: Babesia, Theileria, and Toxoplasma gondii, and at the same time, play a role in the circulation of these pathogens in nature. Brief description of the state of knowledge. The genera Theileria spp., Babesia spp, and as has been found in recent years, Toxoplasma gondii belong to the group of protozoa occurring in ticks. The genera Theileria and Babesia create a great risk, mainly for animals, causing, among others, east coast fever, tropical theileriosis and babesiosis. In the case of Toxoplasma gondii, this protozoan is especially dangerous for pregnant women, and may cause permanent and irreversible foetal defects. Studies to-date confirm the presence of these protozoa in some species of ticks, as well as the possibility of co-occurrence of some of them in one individual tick. Summing up. From the aspect of public health, studies concerning the potential role of ticks in the transmission of parasitic protozoa may contribute to the assessment of the actual risk of infection in the case of tick bites. The results concerning the role of ticks as an alternative route of transmission of T. gondii – the etiologic factor of toxoplasmosis, would be of a special importance for pregnant women

Spiroplasma – an emerging arthropod-borne pathogen?

Spiroplasma is a genus of wall-less, low-GC, small Gram-positive bacteria of the internal contractile cytoskeleton, with helical morphology and motility. The genus is classified within the class Mollicutes. Spiroplasma / host interactions can be classified as commensal, pathogenic or mutualist. The majority of spiroplasmas are found to be commensals of insects, arachnids, crustaceans or plants, whereas a small number of species are pathogens of plants, insects, and crustaceans. Insects are particularly rich sources of spiroplasmas. The bacteria are common in haematophagous arthropods: deerflies, horseflies, mosquitoes, and in ticks, where they may occur abundantly in salivary glands. The ability of spiroplasmas to propagate in rodents was experimentally proven, and Spiroplasma infections have been reported recently in humans. Some authors have purported an etiological role of Spiroplasma in causing transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), but convincing proof is lacking. The possibility for humans and other vertebrates to be infected with Spiroplasma spp. in natural conditions is largely unknown, as well as the possibility of the transmission of these bacteria by ticks and haematophagous insects. Nevertheless, in the light of new data, such possibilities cannot be excluded

Potential role of ticks of the species dermacentor reticulatus and Ixodes ricinus in the circulation of parasitic protozoa: Theileria spp., Babesia spp. and Toxoplasma gondii in the natural environment

Wprowadzenie i cel pracy. Kleszcze są zaliczane do obligatoryjnych ektopasożytów kręgowców lądowych, w tym również i człowieka. Stanowią rezerwuar, niekiedy wektor wielu drobnoustrojów chorobotwórczych (bakterii, wirusów i pierwotniaków) zagrażających zdrowiu zwierząt i ludzi. Głównym celem pracy była próba oceny, czy powszechnie występujące w Polsce kleszcze z gatunku Ixodes ricinus i Dermacentor reticulatus mogą stanowić potencjalny wektor i rezerwuar dla pierwotniaków: Babesia i Theileria, oraz Toxoplasma gondii, a tym samym odgrywać rolę w krążeniu tych patogenów w przyrodzie. Skrócony opis stanu wiedzy. Do grupy pierwotniaków występujących w kleszczach należą rodzaje Theileria spp., Babesia spp., i jak stwierdzono w ostatnich badaniach – Toxoplasma gondii. Rodzaje Theileria i Babesia stanowią duże zagrożenie głównie dla zwierząt, powodując m.in. gorączkę wschodniego wybrzeża, tropikalną tejleriozę, babeszjozę. Z kolei Toxoplasma gondii to pierwotniak szczególnie niebezpieczny dla kobiet w ciąży, który może wywoływać trwałe i nieodwracalne wady płodu. Dotychczasowe badania potwierdzają obecność tych pierwotniaków u niektórych gatunków kleszczy, jak również możliwość współwystępowania niektórych z nich w jednym osobniku. Podsumowanie. Z punktu widzenia zdrowia publicznego, badania dotyczące potencjalnej roli kleszczy w transmisji pasożytniczych pierwotniaków mogą przyczynić się do oceny realnego zagrożenia nabycia infekcji w przypadku pokłucia przez kleszcze. Szczególne znaczenie dla kobiet ciężarnych miałyby wyniki dotyczące roli kleszczy jako alternatywnej drogi w transmisji Toxoplasma gondii – czynnika etiologicznego toksoplazmozy.Introduction and objective. Ticks are classified into obligatory eco-parasites of terrestrial vertebrates, including humans. They constitute a reservoir, sometimes a vector of many pathological microorganisms (bacteria, viruses and protozoa) threatening the health of humans and animals. The primary objective of the study was an attempt to evaluate whether ticks of the species Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus, commonly occurring in Poland, may constitute a potential vector and reservoir for the protozoa: Babesia, Theileria, and Toxoplasma gondii, and at the same time, play a role in the circulation of these pathogens in nature. Brief description of the state of knowledge. The genera Theileria spp., Babesia spp, and as has been found in recent years, Toxoplasma gondii belong to the group of protozoa occurring in ticks. The genera Theileria and Babesia create a great risk, mainly for animals, causing, among others, east coast fever, tropical theileriosis and babesiosis. In the case of Toxoplasma gondii, this protozoan is especially dangerous for pregnant women, and may cause permanent and irreversible foetal defects. Studies to-date confirm the presence of these protozoa in some species of ticks, as well as the possibility of co-occurrence of some of them in one individual tick. Summing up. From the aspect of public health, studies concerning the potential role of ticks in the transmission of parasitic protozoa may contribute to the assessment of the actual risk of infection in the case of tick bites. The results concerning the role of ticks as an alternative route of transmission of T. gondii – the etiologic factor of toxoplasmosis, would be of a special importance for pregnant women