β2-adrenergic agonists do not improve physical performance in healthy individuals

All beta-2 agonists are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA, www.wada-ama.org). However, its use may be permitted in athletes who are granted a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). [...]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

β2-adrenergic agonists and doping: Where do we stand?

Hostrup et al1 kindly commented on our previous paper related to the enhancement of physical performance by β2-agonists.2 First, we would like to thank the authors for their review and acknowledge that our title and conclusions may have been misleading because, in fact, they only refer to endurance/aerobic-dominated performances [...]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Resistance training on postural balance, physical fitness, and fibromyalgia impact: pilot study of online intervention

is a chronic disease with diverse physical and psychological symptoms and impairments. The present pilot study aims to evaluate the implementation of a previously protocoled online resistance training program in postural balance, physical fitness, and fibromyalgia impact, as well as adaptations and strategies necessary for a better followup of the participant during the program. Three participants with an average age of 53.67 (SD=5.51) years and medical diagnosis of fibromyalgia performed eight weeks of online resistance training exercises (2/week). Physical fitness and postural balance (force platform), fibromyalgia impact (FIQ), and symptoms (VAS) were evaluated before the exercises and after 16 sessions. The variation from pre- to post-training intervention was determined by calculating the percentage of change in each variable. All participants showed gains in countermovement jump (11 to 46%) and reduced pain intensity (10 to 19%). Two out of three participants showed improvement in the countermovement jump with free arms (4 and 28%), medicine ball throw (2 and 42%), mood state (20 to 32%), also a reduction in FIQ (4 and 27%), center of pressure (COP) velocity with eyes open (10 and 7%), COP displacement with eyes open (6 and 9%), anxiety (15 to 84%) and fatigue (10 to 41%). Only one participant has shown improvements in sleep quality (6%). Changes in balance with eyes closed were not found. The online resistance training program protocol showed promising results in this pilot study, with potential gains in neuromuscular performance and balance, and reducing the negative symptoms associated with fibromyalgia. Adaptations were necessary throughout the program for better applicability.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Karyotype and NOR-banding of mitotic chromosomes of some Vitis L. species

Chromosome studies were performed in V. champinii, V. cinerea, V. girdiana, V. labrusca, V. rotundifolia, V. rupestris and V. vinifera with the purpose of species characterization using chromosome morphometric data and NOR banding. A median ideogram was obtained for each species. The karyotype formula obtained varied from 7m + 12sm to 9m + 11sm. The species showed moderate chromosome asymmetry values according to TF% form, Stebbins, Romero Zarco and Paszko indices. V. champinii and V. girdiana were apart from the other species by CVcl and CVci graphic representation and also formed a group apart in the dendrogram based on Euclidian distances. The chromosome pair number 3 harbors the secondary constriction and a satellite segment in all species analyzed with Giemsa staining and it may be the same observed after NOR banding technique. It seems that the process of speciation in the North American Euvitis species studied involved some discrete changes in chromosome morphometry which have been reflected in the asymmetry index

Aluminum induces lipid peroxidation and aggregation of human blood platelets

Aluminum (Al3+) intoxication is thought to play a major role in the development of Alzheimer's disease and in certain pathologic manifestations arising from long-term hemodialysis. Although the metal does not present redox capacity, it can stimulate tissue lipid peroxidation in animal models. Furthermore, in vitro studies have revealed that the fluoroaluminate complex induces diacylglycerol formation, 43-kDa protein phosphorylation and aggregation. Based on these observations, we postulated that Al3+-induced blood platelet aggregation was mediated by lipid peroxidation. Using chemiluminescence (CL) of luminol as an index of total lipid peroxidation capacity, we established a correlation between lipid peroxidation capacity and platelet aggregation. Al3+ (20-100 µM) stimulated CL production by human blood platelets as well as their aggregation. Incubation of the platelets with the antioxidants nor-dihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) (100 µM) and n-propyl gallate (NPG) (100 µM), inhibitors of the lipoxygenase pathway, completely prevented CL and platelet aggregation. Acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) (100 µM), an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase pathway, was a weaker inhibitor of both events. These findings suggest that Al3+ stimulates lipid peroxidation and the lipoxygenase pathway in human blood platelets thereby causing their aggregatio