Cardiovascular responses to postural change and aerobic capacity among middle-aged men and women before and after aerobic physical training

OBJETIVO: Comparar respostas cardiovasculares a Manobra Postural Passiva (Tilt Test) e capacidade cardiorrespiratória em homens e mulheres de meia-idade antes e após treinamento físico aeróbio. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Sete homens - GH (44,6±2,1 anos) e sete mulheres - GM (51,7±4,8 anos), participaram de treinamento físico aeróbio por 12 semanas. Foi realizado protocolo de Tilt Test (cinco minutos supino, dez minutos inclinado 70º, cinco minutos supino), com monitoração da pressão arterial e freqüência cardíaca. Para mensuração da capacidade cardiorrespiratória foi realizado protocolo em cicloergômetro. RESULTADOS: Na condição sedentária, GH mostrou maior influência parassimpática no controle da freqüência cardíaca evidenciada por maior intervalo RR (iRR) durante Tilt Test. Na condição treinada, os valores de iRR de ambos os grupos se assemelham, tendo as mulheres iRR maior em supino, mas na inclinação os homens mantêm iRR mais elevado. Para pressão arterial, as mulheres permanecem com valores superiores após treino, mas a freqüência cardíaca tende a se assemelhar em ambos. Já na capacidade cardiorrespiratória, homens e mulheres têm um padrão de comportamento semelhante após treino. Com exceção dos valores absolutos da freqüência cardíaca, sem diferenças entre os grupos, para todas as outras variáveis os homens obtiveram valores superiores aos das mulheres. Observa-se ainda que, após o treinamento, houve redução significativa dos valores de pressão arterial no GM, mesmo continuando superiores aos dos homens. CONCLUSÃO: O treinamento parece ter reduzido os níveis pressóricos nas mulheres, além de serem observadas melhorias na capacidade cardiorrespiratória de ambos os grupos, permanecendo os homens com melhor desempenho do que as mulheres.OBJECTIVE: To compare the cardiovascular responses to passive postural maneuvers (tilt test) and the cardiorespiratory capacity in middle-aged men and women, before and after aerobic physical training. METHODS: Seven men (44.6±2.1 years old) and seven women (51.7±4.8 years old) participated in aerobic physical training for 12 weeks. The tilt test protocol (five minutes supine, ten minutes tilted at 70º and five minutes supine) was followed, with arterial blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. A cycle ergometer protocol was used to measure cardiorespiratory capacity. RESULTS: In the sedentary condition, men showed greater parasympathetic influence in heart rate control, as demonstrated by their higher RR interval (iRR) during the tilt test. After training, the iRR values became more similar in the two groups, although the women had higher iRR in the supine position and the men continued to present higher iRR under tilted conditions. The women's blood pressures continued to be higher after training, but heart rate tended to become similar in the two groups. The cardiorespiratory capacity patterns in the two groups were similar after training. Except for absolute heart rate values, for which there were no differences between the groups, the men's values were higher than those of the women for all other variables. It was also observed that, after the training, the women's blood pressures were significantly lower, even though their pressures remained higher than the men's. CONCLUSIONS: The training seemed to reduce the women's arterial blood pressure levels and improve both groups' cardiorespiratory capacity, but the men continued to present better performance than the women

Cardiovascular responses to postural change and aerobic capacity among middle-aged men and women before and after aerobic physical training

OBJETIVO: Comparar respostas cardiovasculares a Manobra Postural Passiva (Tilt Test) e capacidade cardiorrespiratória em homens e mulheres de meia-idade antes e após treinamento físico aeróbio. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Sete homens - GH (44,6±2,1 anos) e sete mulheres - GM (51,7±4,8 anos), participaram de treinamento físico aeróbio por 12 semanas. Foi realizado protocolo de Tilt Test (cinco minutos supino, dez minutos inclinado 70º, cinco minutos supino), com monitoração da pressão arterial e freqüência cardíaca. Para mensuração da capacidade cardiorrespiratória foi realizado protocolo em cicloergômetro. RESULTADOS: Na condição sedentária, GH mostrou maior influência parassimpática no controle da freqüência cardíaca evidenciada por maior intervalo RR (iRR) durante Tilt Test. Na condição treinada, os valores de iRR de ambos os grupos se assemelham, tendo as mulheres iRR maior em supino, mas na inclinação os homens mantêm iRR mais elevado. Para pressão arterial, as mulheres permanecem com valores superiores após treino, mas a freqüência cardíaca tende a se assemelhar em ambos. Já na capacidade cardiorrespiratória, homens e mulheres têm um padrão de comportamento semelhante após treino. Com exceção dos valores absolutos da freqüência cardíaca, sem diferenças entre os grupos, para todas as outras variáveis os homens obtiveram valores superiores aos das mulheres. Observa-se ainda que, após o treinamento, houve redução significativa dos valores de pressão arterial no GM, mesmo continuando superiores aos dos homens. CONCLUSÃO: O treinamento parece ter reduzido os níveis pressóricos nas mulheres, além de serem observadas melhorias na capacidade cardiorrespiratória de ambos os grupos, permanecendo os homens com melhor desempenho do que as mulheres.OBJECTIVE: To compare the cardiovascular responses to passive postural maneuvers (tilt test) and the cardiorespiratory capacity in middle-aged men and women, before and after aerobic physical training. METHODS: Seven men (44.6±2.1 years old) and seven women (51.7±4.8 years old) participated in aerobic physical training for 12 weeks. The tilt test protocol (five minutes supine, ten minutes tilted at 70º and five minutes supine) was followed, with arterial blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. A cycle ergometer protocol was used to measure cardiorespiratory capacity. RESULTS: In the sedentary condition, men showed greater parasympathetic influence in heart rate control, as demonstrated by their higher RR interval (iRR) during the tilt test. After training, the iRR values became more similar in the two groups, although the women had higher iRR in the supine position and the men continued to present higher iRR under tilted conditions. The women's blood pressures continued to be higher after training, but heart rate tended to become similar in the two groups. The cardiorespiratory capacity patterns in the two groups were similar after training. Except for absolute heart rate values, for which there were no differences between the groups, the men's values were higher than those of the women for all other variables. It was also observed that, after the training, the women's blood pressures were significantly lower, even though their pressures remained higher than the men's. CONCLUSIONS: The training seemed to reduce the women's arterial blood pressure levels and improve both groups' cardiorespiratory capacity, but the men continued to present better performance than the women.12539240

Evaluation of allelic forms of the erythrocyte binding antigen 175 (EBA-175) in Plasmodium falciparum field isolates from Brazilian endemic area

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The <it>Plasmodium falciparum </it>Erythrocyte Binding Antigen-175 (EBA-175) is an antigen considered to be one of the leading malaria vaccine candidates. EBA-175 mediates sialic acid-dependent binding to glycophorin A on the erythrocytes playing a crucial role during invasion of the <it>P. falciparum </it>in the host cell. Dimorphic allele segments, termed C-fragment and F-fragment, have been found in high endemicity malaria areas and associations between the dimorphism and severe malaria have been described. In this study, the genetic dimorphism of EBA-175 was evaluated in <it>P. falciparum </it>field isolates from Brazilian malaria endemic area.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was carried out in rural villages situated near Porto Velho, Rondonia State in the Brazilian Amazon in three time points between 1993 and 2008. The allelic dimorphism of the EBA-175 was analysed by Nested PCR.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The classical allelic dimorphism of the EBA-175 was identified in the studied area. Overall, C-fragment was amplified in a higher frequency than F-fragment. The same was observed in the three time points where C-fragment was observed in a higher frequency than F-fragment. Single infections (one fragment amplified) were more frequent than mixed infection (two fragments amplified).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These findings confirm the dimorphism of EBA175, since only the two types of fragments were amplified, C-fragment and F-fragment. Also, the results show the remarkable predominance of CAMP allele in the studied area. The comparative analysis in three time points indicates that the allelic dimorphism of the EBA-175 is stable over time.</p

Hepatitis B virus: molecular genotypes and HBeAg serological status among HBV-infected patients in the southeast of Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knowledge of HBV genotype is very important for clinical treatment. Studies have suggested possible pathogenic and therapeutic differences among HBV genotypes. The aim of this study was to determine HBV subtypes and genotypes in HBV-infected patients in our region (southeast Brazil) and to correlate results with clinical and histopathological data.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and thirty-nine HBsAg-positive patients were included in the study. All patients were anti-HCV and anti-HIV negative (64% male; mean age 42 ± 14.5 years; range 7-80 years; 84% Caucasian) and were followed up at the University Hospital. A method for genotyping and subtyping HBV by partial HBsAg gene sequencing with primers common to all known genotypes was used. The viral load was measured by Amplicor Monitor assay (Roche).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HBV genotype A was the most prevalent (55%), while genotypes C, D and F were found in 3%, 38% and 4% of HBV-infected patients, respectively. Among the patients infected by genotype A, 18.3% (14/76) were African descendents and, among the patients infected by genotype D, 11.3% (6/53) were also African descendents. In the four patients infected with genotype C, 2 were Asian descendents and 2 were Caucasians. All (7) genotype F infected patients were Caucasians. Seventy percent of our HBsAg-positive patients were HBeAg negative (62% genotypes A; 26.2% D; 7.1% C and 4.7%F). The viral load of HBV-DNA was about 5 times higher in HBeAg-positive than in HBeAg-negative patients. About 40% of these patients had alanine aminotransferase of up to 1.5 times the normal level. The mean stage of fibrosis in genotype A patients (2.8) was significantly higher than the mean stage of fibrosis in genotype D patients (2.0) (P = 0.0179).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The genotypes encountered in our HBV-infected patients were apparently a consequence of the types of immigration that occurred in our region, where European and African descendents predominate. The HBeAg-negative status predominated, possibly due to the length of time of infection. The viral load in HBeAg-positive patients was higher than in HBeAg-negative individuals. The fibrosis grade in genotype A-infected patients was more advanced than genotype D-infected patients.</p