The Effect of Ergogenic Supplements and Mediterranean Diet on Cycling Performance. Differences According to Duration and Intensity.

Aims: To record the prevalence and the type of supplement use among cyclists and to estimate the effect of caffeine, carbohydrates, energy drinks and meddiet score on 200m and 4km cycling time-trial performances in a Greek sample.Methods: Fifty male cycling athletes aged 32±20 years participated in a randomized, double-blind study. The subjects were submitted to anthropometric measurements and body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance. All participants completed the meddiet Score questionnaire and a validated questionnaire about their ergogenic aids’ preference. The athletes performed two cycling trials (200m and 4km) and their records were taken down and were evaluated according to their consumption of caffeine, carbohydrates and energy drinks and their meddiet score. For the statistical analysis SPSS, v20 was used.Results: Greek cyclists had a mean BMI value of 23.65±2.74 and a mean body fat percentage of 15.82±8.33. Endurance and speed performances were improved with caffeine consumption when compared to no consumption (7.42±3.92min vs 12.5±3.16min, p<0.001 and 20.75±15.69sec vs 34.07±16.25sec, p<0.05, respectively), as well as with energy drinks’ consumption (8.77±4.15min vs 13.25±2.47min, p<0.001 and 20.35±14.08sec vs 39.14±14.38sec, p<0.001, respectively). Carbohydrates’ intake improved performance in the endurance test (7.60±3.72min vs 12.86±2.92min, p<0.001), but did not have a positive influence in the speed test (25.73±18.68sec vs 33.08±15.95sec, p>0.05).Conclusions: Ergogenic aids had a positive effect on the athletic performance in terms of speed and endurance in cyclists.

Blood-based analysis of type-2 diabetes mellitus susceptibility genes identifies specific transcript variants with deregulated expression and association with disease risk

Despite significant progress by genome-wide association studies, the ability of genetic variants to conduce to the prediction or prognosis of type-2 diabetes (T2D) is weak. Expression analysis of the corresponding genes may suggest possible links between single-nucleotide polymorphisms and T2D phenotype and/or risk. Herein, we investigated the expression patterns of 24 T2D-susceptibility genes, and their individual transcript variants (tv), in peripheral blood of T2D patients and controls (CTs), applying RNA-seq and real-time qPCR methodologies, and explore possible associations with disease features. Our data revealed the deregulation of certain transcripts in T2D patients. Among them, the down-regulation of CAPN10 tv3 was confirmed as an independent predictor for T2D. In patients, increased expression of CDK5 tv2, CDKN2A tv3 or THADA tv5 correlated positively with serum insulin levels, of CDK5 tv1 positively with % HbA1c levels, while in controls, elevated levels of TSPAN8 were associated positively with the presence of T2D family history. Herein, a T2D-specific expression profile of specific transcripts of disease-susceptibility genes is for the first time described in human peripheral blood. Large-scale studies are needed to evaluate the potential of these molecules to serve as disease biomarkers

Exercise monitoring of young adults using a Facebook application

Facebook, with a record 1.7+ billion monthly active users, is increasinglythe platform of choice for a multitude of e-Health applications. This workpresents our experience in exercise monitoring using a custom-builtFacebook application for activity self-reporting. A group of young adults (n= 49, Age = 24 ± 7, BMI = 22.5 ± 3) took part in a 5-week pilot study,part of the NutriHeAl intervention project. Participants reported their dailyexercise activities for an average of 33±5 days and were also equippedwith Digital Pedometers (Fibit Zips) for the full duration, allowing theevaluation of their activity reporting accuracy by comparing steps x min-1to a “truth ceiling” value for two pre-defined exercise categories (2+ & 3+MET intensity). We found that users not only reported their exerciseconsistently for an extended period of time but also achieved an averageaccuracy score of 71±21% (82± 18% for 2+MET exercises), making thisnovel exercise monitoring methodology a formidable tool for a modernphysician’s digital arsenal. In addition, the developed tools and processescan easily be re-used in other e-Health applications

3D-ultrastructure, functions and stress responses of gastropod (Biomphalaria glabrata) rhogocytes.

Rhogocytes are pore cells scattered among the connective tissue of different body parts of gastropods and other molluscs, with great variation in their number, shape and size. They are enveloped by a lamina of extracellular matrix. Their most characteristic feature is the "slit apparatus", local invaginations of the plasma membrane bridged by cytoplasmic bars, forming slits of ca. 20 nm width. A slit diaphragm creates a molecular sieve with permeation holes of 20×20 nm. In blue-blooded gastropods, rhogocytes synthesize and secrete the respiratory protein hemocyanin, and it has been proposed-though not proven-that in the rare red-blooded snail species they might synthesize and secrete the hemoglobin. However, the cellular secretion pathway for respiratory proteins, and the functional role(s) of the enigmatic rhogocyte slit apparatus are still unclear. Additional functions for rhogocytes have been proposed, notably a role in protein uptake and degradation, and in heavy metal detoxification. Here we provide new structural and functional information on the rhogocytes of the red-blooded freshwater snail Biomphalaria glabrata. By in situ hybridization of mantle tissues, we prove that rhogocytes indeed synthesize hemoglobin. By electron tomography, the first three dimensional (3D) reconstructions of the slit apparatus are provided, showing detail of highly dense material in the cytoplasmic bars close to the slits. By immunogold labelling, we collected evidence that a major component of this material is actin. By genome databank mining, the complete sequence of a B. glabrata nephrin was obtained, and localized to the rhogocytes by immunofluorescence microscopy. The presence of both proteins fit the ultrastructure-based hypothesis that rhogocytes are related to mammalian podocytes and insect nephrocytes. Reactions of the rhogocytes to deprivation of food and cadmium toxification are also documented, and a possible secretion pathway of newly synthesized respiratory proteins through the slit apparatus is discussed

Associations between Christian Orthodox Church Fasting and Adherence to the World Cancer Research Fund’s Cancer Prevention Recommendations

Objective: Studies regarding the health effects of religious fasting have increased in the last decade. The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between Christian Orthodox Church (COC) fasting recommendations and cancer risk, with a specific focus on fibre, fruit, vegetables, and red and processed meat consumption. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, participants included 361 individuals from Northern Greece. One hundred and seventy-six participants followed the COC fasting regime for more than 10 years, and 185 participants did not follow any restrictive dietary patterns. Diet was assessed using a 114-item food frequency questionnaire. Results: Fasters had a more favourable dietary intake compared to non-fasters, with fasters having a higher consumption of fruit and vegetables (p = 0.009) and a significantly lower consumption of total processed meat (p < 0.001) compared to non-fasters. No significant differences were observed in the consumption of fibre and red meat consumption between the two groups. Conclusions: Following the World Cancer Research Fund Cancer Recommendations, fasters are at a potentially lowering risk of developing colorectal cancer than non-fasters due to their more favourable dietary intake. Furthermore, higher consumption of fruit and vegetables with a lower consumption of total processed meat contributes to lower the risk of metabolic syndrome. Public health strategies based on following the structured COC fasting recommendations might hopefully contribute to the prevention of metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer

Core/shell protein-reactive nanogels via a combination of RAFT polymerization and vinyl sulfone postmodification

Aim: A promising nanogel vaccine platform was expanded toward antigen conjugation. Materials & methods: Block copolymers containing a reactive ester solvophobic block and a PEG-like solvophilic block were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer polymerization. Following self-assembly in DMSO, the esters allow for core-crosslinking and hydrophilization by amide bond formation with primary amines. Free thiols were accessed at the polymer chain ends through aminolysis of the reversible addition-fragmentation chain-transfer groups, and into the nanogel core by reactive ester conversion with cysteamine. Subsequently, free thiols were converted into vinyl sulfone moieties. Results: Despite sterical constraints, nanogel-associated vinyl sulfone moieties remained well accessible for cysteins to enforce protein conjugation successfully. Conclusion: Our present findings provide a next step toward well-defined vaccine nanoparticles that can co-deliver antigen and a molecular adjuvant

FRET monitoring of intracellular ketal hydrolysis in synthetic nanoparticles

Degradable synthetic crosslinking is a versatile strategy to harness nanomaterials against disassembly in a complex physiological medium prompted by dilution effects or competitive interaction. In particular, chemical bonds such as ketals that are stable at physiological conditions but are cleaved in response to disease-mediated or intracellular conditions (e.g., a mildly acidic pH) are of great relevance for biomedical applications. Despite the range of spectroscopic or chromatographic analyses methods that allow chemical degradation in solution to be assessed, it is much less straightforward to interrogate synthetic nanomaterials for their degradation state when located inside a living organism. We demonstrate a method based on FRET analysis to monitor intracellular disassembly of block-copolymer-derived nanoparticles engineered with a FRET couple on separate polymer chains, which after self-assembly are covalently crosslinked with a pH-sensitive ketal-containing crosslinker

Light microscopy of paraffin-embedded tissue sections of <i>B. glabrata</i>.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Total scan of a diagonal cut through the animal. (<b>B</b>) Total scan as in (A), but from a section 0.4 mm closer towards the body surface. d, dart sac; f, foot; g, ganglion; h, head; i, intestine with food mass; lf, lime fold; lr, lime ridge; m, mantle; o, ovo-testis; p, propodium; v, visceral hump. (<b>C</b>) Mantle tissue section, showing many scattered cells (arrow, double arrow) embedded in the connective tissue between muscle cells (asterisk). (<b>D</b>, <b>E</b>) At higher magnification, weakly stained cells filled with a homogeneous material (arrows) are discernable from somewhat smaller, strongly stained cells that are filled with a dense lamellar material (double arrows). Corresponding electron microscopical images (see Fig. 3) revealed that the strongly stained cells are rhogocytes and that the lamellar material is mostly endoplasmic reticulum and dense granula. The weakly stained cells are mucus glands. Movat’s pentachrome staining (A, B, D) and hematoxylin & eosin staining (C, E) were applied.</p