25-Hydroxyvitamin D, IGF-1, and Waist Circumference A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: Waist circumference has been shown to have a link to various forms of chronic disease and low levels of Vitamin D (25(OH)D) and IGF-1. The purpose of this study is to assess if there is a relationship with Vitamin D (25(OH)D) and IGF-1 levels and waist circumference. Methods: As part of a cross-sectional correlation study, participants were males and females (n=26), ages 25-65, who were students at UNLV and/or individuals who attend local health and wellness facilities as well as attendees of classes held by the UNLV Nutrition Center. Participants reported to UNLV to review and sign informed consent and submit a finger stick blood draw under sterile conditions as well as resting blood pressure and waist circumference. The finger stick blood draw sample was used to obtain serum 25(OH)D and IGF-1 levels using ELISA kits. Participants completed food frequency questionnaires asking about eating habits prior to study and surveys were administered to determine level and type of physical activity. Participants then reported to a local Quest Diagnostics at their convenience to obtain a fasting comprehensive metabolic panel. Data were collected and evaluated using Microsoft Excel and SPSS software. Results: Subjects were separated into two groups according to waist circumference (Female \u3e35 , Male \u3e40 ) Data reflected no significant difference between large waist and normal waist circumference groups in regards to both IGF-1 and 25(OH)D. Data did reflect, however, that a significant relationship between IGF-1 and waist circumference did exist (P=.006). Although, a significant relationship between 25(OH)D and waist circumference did not exist. Conclusion: Waist circumference has an inverse relationship to IGF-1. Abdominal obesity may cause a reduction in the amount of free IGF-1 produced by the body which could increase risk for chronic disease. Obtaining waist circumference as well as activity level is relatively convenient in medical treatment settings and could provide clinicians with more valuable information regarding patient\u27s level of risk for disease

Investigation of Acute Response to Carbohydrate in Subsequent Resistance Training

Resistance training has been shown to have several positive benefits to health including increasing muscle size and strength, reducing risk of sarcopenia with aging, and is associated with reduced risk of mortality. A cornerstone in accomplishing these goals is to progressively overload the muscle by increasing training volume to promote muscle protein synthesis following training stimulation. Total training volume has been demonstrated in the literature to be a prime determinant of muscle hypertrophy and overall training performance. Carbohydrate (CHO) manipulation has been observed as a potential ergogenic aid when training demands are high. Current research investigating nutrition related to exercise is well-documented to address how macronutrient consumption affects performance in endurance exercise; however, there are inconclusive data related to appropriate timing, intake, and macronutrient composition of meals relative to fueling resistance training sessions. This dissertation describes three experiments designed to understand the influence of CHO intake on resistance training performance. Experiments 1 and 2 were conducted using the same subjects; all of whom completed the same conditions. Experiment 3 was a unique set of conditions with different subjects than Experiments 1 and 2. The purpose of Experiments 1 and 2 were to determine if CHO intake influenced training volume. For Experiments 1 and 2, all subjects completed 5 conditions consisting of different CHO drink manipulations. The analysis for Experiment 1 was focused on a single CHO drink as well as water and a sham condition. The analysis for Experiment 2 was focused on different CHO concentrations. Experiment 3 consisted of three conditions (CHO, water, sham) but subjects were asked to rinse the drink in the mouth then spit the drink out (i.e., no intake). Experiment 1: The purpose of Experiment 1 was to specifically investigate if the ingestion of a liquid CHO prior to resistance training would enhance training volume of an acute, squat training session. Methods: 16 participants (males = 14; females = 2), mean age 29 ± 8.8 years, with resistance training experience (\u3e1 year) and ability to squat 61.4 kg for at least ten repetitions completed three conditions (water, sham, or CHO) and performed a squat protocol consisting of five sets with 180 seconds rest between sets. The first three sets consisted of ten repetitions while the fourth and fifth set consisted of repetitions to voluntary termination. Training volume was calculated by multiplying total repetitions and then multiplying by load used. Training volume was analyzed between conditions using one-by-five repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Training volume was not different between conditions (F2,30 = 0.481 p = 0.623). Conclusion: The primary observation of this investigation was that ingestion of a liquid CHO prior to training does not enhance training volume during an acute, squat training session. The first experiment demonstrated that consuming a 9% CHO solution prior to a squat session had no effect on training volume. However, research is limited on alterations in concentration of CHO consumed prior to acute squat training sessions. Experiment 2 The purpose of Experiment 2 was to investigate if the ingestion of various doses of a liquid CHO prior to resistance training would enhance training volume of an acute, squat training session. Methods: Participants of this experiment were the same participants used for Experiment 2 of this research. 16 participants (males = 14; females = 2), mean age 29 ± 8.8 years, with resistance training experience (\u3e1 year) and ability to squat 61.4 kg for at least ten repetitions completed five intake conditions (water, sham, 9%, 18%, 4.5% CHO) and performed a squat protocol consisting of five sets with 180 seconds rest between sets. The first three sets consisted of ten repetitions while the fourth and fifth sets consisted of repetitions to voluntary termination. Training volume was calculated by multiplying total repetitions and then multiplying by load used. Training volume was analyzed between conditions using one-by-five repeated measures ANOVA. The analysis was focused on the CHO 9%, CHO 18%, and CHO 4.25% intake conditions. Results: Training volume was not different between conditions (F4,60 = 1.687, p = .165). Conclusion: The primary observation of this investigation is that ingestion of various doses of a liquid CHO prior to training does not enhance training volume during an acute, squat training session. Experiment 2 demonstrated that altering concentration of CHO intake prior to squat training had no effect training volume. Based upon an analysis of these data, it seems that ingestion of CHO prior to squat training may not provide an ergogenic effect for training volume. Although, using a mouth rinse in place of ingestion could potentially provide an ergogenic effect for resistance training. Experiment 3 The purpose of Experiment 3 was to evaluate whether or not CHO mouth rinse would affect resistance training performance. Specifically, investigating if the use of CHO mouth rinse prior to training sets of squats would enhance training volume of an acute, squat training session. Methods: Participants for Experiment 3 were new to the experiment. 15 participants (males = 13; females = 2), mean age 31 ± 11 years, with resistance training experience (\u3e1 year) and ability to squat 61.4 kg for at least ten repetitions completed three conditions using mouth rinse (water, sham, or CHO) and performed a squat protocol consisting of five sets with 180 seconds rest between sets. The first three sets consisted of ten repetitions while the fourth and fifth set consisted of repetitions to voluntary termination. Mouth rinse was used immediately prior to the fourth and fifth sets (i.e., complete set 3, three-minute rest, rinse, set 4, threeminute rest, rinse, set 5). Training volume was calculated by multiplying total repetitions and then multiplying by load used. Training volume was analyzed between conditions using one-bythree repeated measures ANOVA. Results: Training volume was not different between conditions (F2,28 = 1.681 p = 0.204). Conclusion: The primary observation of this investigation was that use of CHO mouth rinse prior to training sets does not enhance training volume during an acute, squat training session. In summary of all three experiments, it was determined that CHO intake nor mouth rinse influenced training volume. It is concluded that CHO manipulation, whether ingested or rinsed in the mouth, does not provide an ergogenic benefit to training volume in an acute squat training session with an intensity o

Vitamin D Status and Bone Mineral Density in Female Collegiate Dancers and Cheerleaders

Bone mineral density reflects an athlete’s cumulative history of energy availability, physical activity, and menstrual status, as well as nutritional and environmental factors. Although sports with high-impact loading are associated with higher bone mineral density than low-impact or non-impact sports, confounding variables are differences in the athletes’ body size and sport-specific training. The purpose of this study was to determine if bone mineral density (BMD) and vitamin D status are different between two groups of female collegiate athletes who have comparable body size/weight requirements, but who engage in qualitatively different training regimens. Full body, spine and dual femur BMD was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in members of a university pep-dance team (n = 10) or cheer team (n = 9), ages 18-22. Plasma vitamin D status was assessed by ELIZA. There was no significant difference between the groups for total body BMD (1.23 g/cm2 dance vs 1.22 g/cm2 cheer, P = 0.70), spine BMD (1.39 g/cm2 dance vs 1.36 g/cm2 cheer, P = 0.72) or dual femur BMD (1.20 g/cm2 dance vs 1.11 g/cm2, P = 0.23). Insufficient serum vitamin D status (20-32 ng/mL) was found in 74% of the athletes (27 ± 4 ng/mL, dance and 25 ± 8 ng/mL, cheer). In addition, estimated daily vitamin D and calcium intakes were less than the RDA for both dancers and cheerleaders. Despite nutritional insufficiencies, BMD was not significantly different between the low-impact activity pep dance team and high-impact activity cheer team, suggesting that the type of physical activity was not as important for BMD in these athletes as participating in 20+ hours a week of physical activity, which could have counteracted the negative effects of the nutrient insufficiencies on their bone health

Sampling a Littoral Fish Assemblage: Comparison of Small-Mesh Fyke Netting and Boat Electrofishing

We compared small-mesh (4-mm) fyke netting and boat electrofishing for sampling a littoral fish assemblage in Muskegon Lake, Michigan. We hypothesized that fyke netting selects for small-bodied fishes and electrofishing selects for large-bodied fishes. Three sites were sampled during May (2004 and 2005), July (2005 only), and September (2004 and 2005). We found that the species composition of captured fish differed considerably between fyke netting and electrofishing based on nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS). Species strongly associated with fyke netting (based on NMDS and relative abundance) included the brook silverside Labidesthes sicculus, banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus, round goby Neogobius melanostomus, mimic shiner Notropis volucellus, and bluntnose minnow Pimephales notatus, whereas species associated with electrofishing included the Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, catostomids (Moxostoma spp. and Catostomus spp.), freshwater drum Aplodinotus grunniens, walleye Sander vitreus, gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum, and common carp Cyprinus carpio. The total length of fish captured by electrofishing was 12.8 cm (95% confidence interval ¼ 5.5– 17.2 cm) greater than that of fish captured by fyke netting. Size selectivity of the gears contributed to differences in species composition of the fish captured, supporting our initial hypothesis. Thus, small-mesh fyke nets and boat electrofishers provided complementary information on a littoral fish assemblage. Our results support use of multiple gear types in monitoring and research surveys of fish assemblages. Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2007, Originally published in the North American Journal of Fisheries Management 27: 825-831, 2007

Using Hexoskin Wearable Technology to Obtain Body Metrics During Trail Hiking

International Journal of Exercise Science 8(4): 425-430, 2015. Use of wearable technology to obtain various body metrics appears to be a trending phenomenon. However there is very little literature supporting the notion that these apparatuses can be used for research purposes in the field. The purpose of this study was to utilize Hexoskin wearable technology shirts (HxS) to obtain data in a pilot study using a trail hiking situation. Ten individuals (male, n = 4, female n = 6) volunteered to participate. On the first day, volunteers completed two approximately flat trail hikes at a self-preferred pace with a 15-minute rest between trials. On the second day, participants completed a strenuous uphill hike (17.6% grade) with a 15-minute rest at the summit and then completed the downhill portion. Body metrics provided by the HxS were average heart rate (HR), maximal HR (MHR), total energy expenditure (EE), average respiratory rate (RR), maximal respiratory rate (MRR), total steps (SC), and cadence (CA). Other measurements obtained were systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Data were analyzed using both one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with significance accepted at p≤0.05 and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each variable. Both were determined using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS). No significant differences for trail type were noted for MHR (p=0.38), RR (p=0.45) or MRR (p=0.31). The uphill trail elicited significantly elevated HR (up=154±24 bpm, easy=118±11 bpm, down=129±19 bpm; p=0.04) and EE (up=251±78 kcal, easy=124±38 kcal, down=171±52 kcal; p=0.02). Significant ICC were observed for DBP (r = 0.80, p = 0.02), RR (r = 0.98, p = 0.01), SC (r = 0.97, p = 0.01) and RPE (r = 0.94, p = 0.01). Non-significant correlation were noted for uphill RR vs CA (r=0.51, p=0.16) or RPE vs SBP (r=0.03, p=0.94), HR (r=0.60, p=0.12), and MHR (r=0.70, p=0.051). We utilized HxS to provide physiological data in an applied setting. It should be noted that HR did not register in 5 out of 10 subjects on the easy trail, and 8 of 10 participants during the uphill hike. Additionally, estimated EE appears to be linked to HR intensity. Future investigations taken in an outdoor environment should take these findings into consideration

Using Hexoskin Wearable Technology to Obtain Body Metrics in a Trail Hiking Setting

International Journal of Exercise Science 8(4): 425-430, 2015. Use of wearable technology to obtain various body metrics appears to be a trending phenomenon. However there is very little literature supporting the notion that these apparatuses can be used for research purposes in the field. The purpose of this study was to utilize Hexoskin wearable technology shirts (HxS) to obtain data in a pilot study using a trail hiking situation. Ten individuals (male, n = 4, female n = 6) volunteered to participate. On the first day, volunteers completed two approximately flat trail hikes at a self-preferred pace with a 15-minute rest between trials. On the second day, participants completed a strenuous uphill hike (17.6% grade) with a 15-minute rest at the summit and then completed the downhill portion. Body metrics provided by the HxS were average heart rate (HR), maximal HR (MHR), total energy expenditure (EE), average respiratory rate (RR), maximal respiratory rate (MRR), total steps (SC), and cadence (CA). Other measurements obtained were systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Data were analyzed using both one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with significance accepted at p≤0.05 and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each variable. Both were determined using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS). No significant differences for trail type were noted for MHR (p=0.38), RR (p=0.45) or MRR (p=0.31). The uphill trail elicited significantly elevated HR (up=154±24 bpm, easy=118±11 bpm, down=129±19 bpm; p=0.04) and EE (up=251±78 kcal, easy=124±38 kcal, down=171±52 kcal; p=0.02). Significant ICC were observed for DBP (r = 0.80, p = 0.02), RR (r = 0.98, p = 0.01), SC (r = 0.97, p = 0.01) and RPE (r = 0.94, p = 0.01). Non-significant correlation were noted for uphill RR vs CA (r=0.51, p=0.16) or RPE vs SBP (r=0.03, p=0.94), HR (r=0.60, p=0.12), and MHR (r=0.70, p=0.051). We utilized HxS to provide physiological data in an applied setting. It should be noted that HR did not register in 5 out of 10 subjects on the easy trail, and 8 of 10 participants during the uphill hike. Additionally, estimated EE appears to be linked to HR intensity. Future investigations taken in an outdoor environment should take these findings into consideration

Using Hexoskin Wearable Technology to Obtain Body Metrics in a Trail Hiking Setting

International Journal of Exercise Science 8(4): 425-430, 2015. Use of wearable technology to obtain various body metrics appears to be a trending phenomenon. However there is very little literature supporting the notion that these apparatuses can be used for research purposes in the field. The purpose of this study was to utilize Hexoskin wearable technology shirts (HxS) to obtain data in a pilot study using a trail hiking situation. Ten individuals (male, n = 4, female n = 6) volunteered to participate. On the first day, volunteers completed two approximately flat trail hikes at a self-preferred pace with a 15-minute rest between trials. On the second day, participants completed a strenuous uphill hike (17.6% grade) with a 15-minute rest at the summit and then completed the downhill portion. Body metrics provided by the HxS were average heart rate (HR), maximal HR (MHR), total energy expenditure (EE), average respiratory rate (RR), maximal respiratory rate (MRR), total steps (SC), and cadence (CA). Other measurements obtained were systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Data were analyzed using both one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) with significance accepted at p≤0.05 and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for each variable. Both were determined using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software (SPSS). No significant differences for trail type were noted for MHR (p=0.38), RR (p=0.45) or MRR (p=0.31). The uphill trail elicited significantly elevated HR (up=154±24 bpm, easy=118±11 bpm, down=129±19 bpm; p=0.04) and EE (up=251±78 kcal, easy=124±38 kcal, down=171±52 kcal; p=0.02). Significant ICC were observed for DBP (r = 0.80, p = 0.02), RR (r = 0.98, p = 0.01), SC (r = 0.97, p = 0.01) and RPE (r = 0.94, p = 0.01). Non-significant correlation were noted for uphill RR vs CA (r=0.51, p=0.16) or RPE vs SBP (r=0.03, p=0.94), HR (r=0.60, p=0.12), and MHR (r=0.70, p=0.051). We utilized HxS to provide physiological data in an applied setting. It should be noted that HR did not register in 5 out of 10 subjects on the easy trail, and 8 of 10 participants during the uphill hike. Additionally, estimated EE appears to be linked to HR intensity. Future investigations taken in an outdoor environment should take these findings into consideration