Effects of synchronous, auditory stimuli on running performance and heart rate

Research has demonstrated that the human being tends to couple body movements and external, acoustic stimuli (metronome or music). This effect is called auditory-motor synchronization. Motivational music possesses qualities which distract from feelings like fatigue and exertion. Combining these two effects may enhance the sports performance even more. Investigations showed that runners can increase their original cadence up to 2%. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of accelerated, synchronized stimuli on the running performance. Therefore, 28 students (15 ♀, 13 ♂) of the Institute of Sports Science in Innsbruck were asked to do two cooper tests each. After run 1 (no auditory signal), the sample was divided into two groups. In run 2, which took place on a different day, one group listened to music while running; the other group was stimulated by the sound of a metronome. Distance (m) and average heartrate were measured. 75% of the athletes achieved a greater distance under the influence of an acoustic stimulus. In fact, the running distance changed significantly using an acoustic stimulus: +61 m (SD ± 100) or 2.1% (SD ± 3.6). In group 1 (music), the performance improved up to + 3.8% (SD ± 3.3). This difference was significant compared to group 2 (metronome). The average heart rate decreased by 1.5 beats (SD ± 5) from run 1 to run 2. Influenced by music, the average heart rate measured 179 beats (SD ± 8) in contrast to 182 beats (SD ± 10) in run 1 (no acoustic stimulus). If the tempo of the acoustic stimulus is adapted to the accelerated cadence of an athlete (maximum 2%), improved distances due to the synchronization effect can be achieved. In combination with the motivating qualities of music, improved effects in sport performances could be produced

Probing the relevance of the hippocampus for conflict-induced memory improvement

The hippocampus plays a key role for episodic memory. In addition, a small but growing number of studies has shown that it also contributes to the resolution of response conflicts. It is less clear how these two functions are related, and how they are affected by hippocampal lesions in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Previous studies suggested that conflict stimuli might be better remembered, but whether the hippocampus is critical for supporting this interaction between conflict processing and memory formation is unknown. Here, we tested 19 patients with MTLE due to hippocampal sclerosis and 19 matched healthy controls. Participants performed a face-word Stroop task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) followed by a recognition task for the faces. We tested whether memory performance and activity in brain regions implicated in long-term memory were modulated by conflict during encoding, and whether this differed between MTLE patients and controls. In controls, we largely replicated previous findings of improved memory for conflict stimuli. While MTLE patients showed response time slowing during conflict trials as well, they did not exhibit a memory benefit. In controls, neural activity of conflict resolution and memory encoding interacted within a hippocampal region of interest. Here, left hippocampal recruitment was less efficient for memory performance in incongruent trials than in congruent trials, suggesting an intrahippocampal competition for limited resources. They also showed an involvement of precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex during conflict resolution. Both effects were not observed in MTLE patients, where activation of the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex instead predicted later memory. Further research is needed to find out whether our findings reflect widespread functional reorganization of the episodic memory network due to hippocampal dysfunction

Chlamydia pneumoniae Hides inside Apoptotic Neutrophils to Silently Infect and Propagate in Macrophages

BACKGROUND: Intracellular pathogens have developed elaborate strategies for silent infection of preferred host cells. Chlamydia pneumoniae is a common pathogen in acute infections of the respiratory tract (e.g. pneumonia) and associated with chronic lung sequelae in adults and children. Within the lung, alveolar macrophages and polymorph nuclear neutrophils (PMN) are the first line of defense against bacteria, but also preferred host phagocytes of chlamydiae. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We could show that C. pneumoniae easily infect and hide inside neutrophil granulocytes until these cells become apoptotic and are subsequently taken up by macrophages. C. pneumoniae infection of macrophages via apoptotic PMN results in enhanced replicative activity of chlamydiae when compared to direct infection of macrophages, which results in persistence of the pathogen. Inhibition of the apoptotic recognition of C. pneumoniae infected PMN using PS- masking Annexin A5 significantly lowered the transmission of chlamydial infection to macrophages. Transfer of apoptotic C. pneumoniae infected PMN to macrophages resulted in an increased TGF-ss production, whereas direct infection of macrophages with chlamydiae was characterized by an enhanced TNF-alpha response. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, our data suggest that C. pneumoniae uses neutrophil granulocytes to be silently taken up by long-lived macrophages, which allows for efficient propagation and immune protection within the human host

Bergführerin

eingereicht von Lisa-Maria Pfleiderer, BScAbstract in englischer SpracheMasterarbeit Universität Innsbruck 202

Bergf\ufchrerin

eingereicht von Lisa-Maria Pfleiderer, BScAbstract in englischer SpracheMasterarbeit Universit\ue4t Innsbruck 202

De-tabooing the menstrual cycle in sports – A qualitative approach

Introduction Embarrassed and afraid to discomfort their – predominantly male – coach when talking about the menstrual cycle (MC), in elite sports populations 73-89% of female athletes avoided doing so, despite noticing an impact on training and performance (Solli et al., 2020; von Rosen et al., 2022). The aim of this study was to identify whether the topic of the MC in the context of sports is a persistent taboo and which measures could contribute to de-stigmatization. Methods The World Café method developed by Brown and Isaacs (2005), a qualitative research technique characterized by a creative approach to participatory action research (PAR), was conducted with 28 adult amateur athletes (15 males, 13 females) aged 20 to 35 years. An interactive workshop, consisting of a lecture on the current state of the scientific literature regarding the interaction between sport and the MC, was followed by small group conversations. Through three separate tables consisting of up to 10 randomly assigned people (mixed-gender groups) and three rounds of conversations per table, guiding questions to the following topics were discussed: “Perception of MC as a taboo subject in sports” (table 1); “Importance & learnings of the workshop” (table 2); “Self-experience effects of MC on performance” (table 3). The documents resulting from the World Café method (tablecloths and cardboard papers) were captured in photographs. Table conversations were recorded and transcribed anonymously. A qualitative content analyses according to Mayring and Fenzl (2022), using an inductive category-building approach, was applied. Data was analysed with MAXQDA 24 software. Results MC was reported to be a persistent taboo as perceived to be less communicated due to the prevalence of the following conditions: 1) degree of intimacy regarding the relation to the counterpart, 2) sex of the dialog partner, 3) generation and socialisation, 4) consensus, 5) communication and wording and 6) type of sport. The investigated male amateur athletes phrased “readiness to listen” but most of the times shy away from initiating a conversation because of an existing lack of knowledge or feeling uncomfortable crossing the opposite’s personal boundary. Several female participants described “readiness to talk” about MC (when talking to other women) but addressed the gap of neutral wording when it comes to mixed-sex conversation. From the respondents’ point of view, the topic of the MC in the context of elite sport is perceived as less of a taboo subject, as an enhanced number of female athletes are talking about it in public and media coverage is increasing. Application of different communication media and available edited knowledge was reported to be helpful when de-tabooing and de-emotionalising the topic. Discussion & Conclusion In line with previous studies (Gopalan et al., 2024), the societal taboo against the MC is evident as communication about it is limited under certain conditions. This study highlights mixed-gender perceptions regarding opportunities to foster consensus and professionalism in athletic communities. De-tabooing strategies should consider adapted content and communication media to appeal to different target groups. References Brown, J., & Isaacs, D. (2005). The World Café: Shaping our futures through conversations that matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Gopalan, S. S., Mann, C., & Rhodes, R. E. (2024). Impact of symptoms, experiences, and perceptions of the menstrual cycle on recreational physical activity of cyclically menstruating individuals: A systematic review. Preventive Medicine, 184, Article 107980. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2024.107980 Mayring, P., & Fenzl, T. (2022). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse [Qualitative content analysis]. In N. Baur, & J. Blasius (Eds.), Handbuch Methoden der empirischen Sozialforschung (3rd ed., pp. 691-706). Springer VS. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-37985-8 Solli, G. S., Sandbakk, S. B., Noordhof, D. A., Ihalainen, J. K., & Sandbakk, Ø. (2020). Changes in self-reported physical fitness, performance, and side effects across the phases of the menstrual cycle among competitive endurance athletes. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, 15(9), 1324–1333. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2019-0616 von Rosen, P., Ekenros, L., Solli, G. S., Sandbakk, Ø., Holmberg, H. C., Hirschberg, A. L., & Fridén, C. (2022). Offered support and knowledge about the menstrual cycle in the athletic community: A cross-sectional study of 1086 female athletes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), Article 11932. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19191193

Effects of synchronous, auditory stimuli on running performance and heart rate

Research has demonstrated that the human being tends to couple body movements and external, acoustic stimuli (metronome or music). This effect is called auditory-motor synchronization. Motivational music possesses qualities which distract from feelings like fatigue and exertion. Combining these two effects may enhance the sports performance even more. Investigations showed that runners can increase their original cadence up to 2%. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of accelerated, synchronized stimuli on the running performance. Therefore, 28 students (15 ♀, 13 ♂) of the Institute of Sports Science in Innsbruck were asked to do two cooper tests each. After run 1 (no auditory signal), the sample was divided into two groups. In run 2, which took place on a different day, one group listened to music while running; the other group was stimulated by the sound of a metronome. Distance (m) and average heartrate were measured. 75% of the athletes achieved a greater distance under the influence of an acoustic stimulus. In fact, the running distance changed significantly using an acoustic stimulus: +61 m (SD ± 100) or 2.1% (SD ± 3.6). In group 1 (music), the performance improved up to + 3.8% (SD ± 3.3). This difference was significant compared to group 2 (metronome). The average heart rate decreased by 1.5 beats (SD ± 5) from run 1 to run 2. Influenced by music, the average heart rate measured 179 beats (SD ± 8) in contrast to 182 beats (SD ± 10) in run 1 (no acoustic stimulus). If the tempo of the acoustic stimulus is adapted to the accelerated cadence of an athlete (maximum 2%), improved distances due to the synchronization effect can be achieved. In combination with the motivating qualities of music, improved effects in sport performances could be produced.</jats:p