Effect of recovery on the treatment of delayed onset muscle soreness and muscle performance

La práctica de ejercicio físico intenso requiere de una adecuada recuperación para evitar el síndrome de sobre entrenamiento y la aparición de lesiones deportivas. La recuperación es esencial para ayudar a los atletas a manejar la fatiga mental y física sin comprometer el nivel de rendimiento cuando se reanuda la práctica y el entrenamiento. Se ha demostrado que la elección de una correcta recuperación posterior a un ejercicio intenso no habitual, juega un papel importante en el rendimiento de los deportistas y en la forma en que son capaces de manejar el dolor y otros síntomas relacionados como la inflamación, la disminución del rango de movimiento, de la fuerza, de la velocidad, y de la flexibilidad. La selección de un protocolo de recuperación específico y los correspondientes parámetros (intensidad, duración, frecuencia…) aún no está clara, y su impacto y eficacia en el trastorno muscular, la debilidad, el dolor y el rendimiento siguen siendo controvertidos y no concluyentes. En consecuencia, esta tesis doctoral tiene como objetivo identificar y desarrollar una visión profunda sobre los antecedentes científicos y la validez de los protocolos de recuperación reportados en la literatura y mostrar el efecto de protocolos de recuperación activos y pasivos sobre el dolor y el rendimiento muscular entre individuos jóvenes activos. Para dar respuesta a estos objetivos, se realizó una revisión sistemática, un ensayo de control aleatorizado y un estudio cuasi experimental. En el primer estudio se realizó una revisión sistemática de la literatura en cinco bases de datos, de acuerdo con las pautas descritas en la declaración de elementos de informes preferidos para revisiones sistemáticas y meta-análisis (PRISMA). En este trabajo se identifican los beneficios, y limitaciones, proporcionando un enfoque práctico para individuos activos, entrenadores y terapeutas acerca de qué tipo de recuperación activa podría mejorar el nivel de rendimiento después de actividades extenuantes. Adicionalmente, un estudio cuasi-experimental, en el que se examinó una muestra de 35 participantes durante tres días. La metodología del estudio se basó en la comparación intra-sujeto de ambas piernas, que permitiera demostrar la eficacia de una combinación de masaje e inmersión en agua fría sobre la percepción del dolor, la altura del salto, la fuerza isométrica máxima y variables cinemáticas de la marcha. Finalmente se diseñó un ensayo controlado aleatorio con un diseño cruzado incluyó a 31 jóvenes participantes activos. Se llevó a cabo un experimento de cuatro días, en dos sesiones idénticas separadas por un período de tres semanas, para probar un protocolo de recuperación activa que consistía en un ejercicio de intervalos de alta intensidad en pendiente positiva. En este estudio, se evaluaron y analizaron el dolor, la creatina-quinasa, la inflamación muscular, la altura del salto, la velocidad del sprint y la repetición máxima (1RM). Los resultados de esta tesis doctoral mostraron que la recuperación activa en general, incluyendo correr y trotar, ejercicio en el agua, yoga y contracciones musculares aisladas ofrece un manejo limitado del dolor. Además, la inflamación y la rigidez muscular después del ejercicio intensivo se redujeron con la actividad física general y el yoga, respectivamente, y la disminución de la fuerza muscular es menor después del ejercicio en el agua. Además, una combinación de masaje e inmersión en agua fría no parece disminuir significativamente el dolor, aumentar el rendimiento muscular o mejorar los parámetros de la marcha en comparación con ningún tratamiento. Y finalmente, un protocolo de recuperación activa que consiste en ejercicio en intervalos de alta intensidad cuesta arriba no ofrece un beneficio destacable en comparación con el descanso pasivo, sin embargo su implementación no aumenta el dolor ni agrava el rendimiento muscular, por lo que se puede realizar sin ningún daño. The practice of intensive physical exercise requires an appropriate recovery in order to avoid overtraining syndrome and the emergence of sports injuries. Recovery is highly essential in helping athletes to deal with mental and physical fatigue without compromising their performance level when practice and training are resumed. Following any unaccustomed activity, it has been demonstrated that the choice of the proper recovery plays an important role in athletes’ performance, and the management of soreness and other related symptoms such as inflammation, swelling and decrease in range of motion, strength, speed, and flexibility. The selection of a specific recovery protocol and the corresponding subsequent parameters, such as intensity, duration, and frequency, is still unclear, and its impact and efficiency on muscle disorder, weakness, pain, and performance remains controversial and inconclusive. Consequently, this doctoral thesis aims to highlight and to develop a deep insight into the scientific background and validity of recovery protocols reported in the literature. Moreover, the main objective is to demonstrate the effect of active and passive recovery protocols on pain and muscle performance among young active individuals. To respond to these objectives, a systematic review, a randomized controlled trial, and a quasi-experimental study were performed. The first study systematically reviewed the literature from five databases according to the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The benefits and limitations are identified in this paper, providing a practical approach for active individuals, coaches, and therapists regarding what type of active recovery could enhance performance level following strenuous activities. Moreover, a quasi-experimental study in which a sample of 35 participants was examined for three days. The methodology in this study was based on an intra-subject comparison of both legs, to investigate the effectiveness of a combination of massage and cold water immersion (CWI) on pain, jump height, maximum isometric force, and gait kinematic variables. Finally, a randomized controlled trial with a crossover design included 31 young active participants. A four-day experiment was conducted in two identical sessions separated by a three-week period, to test an active recovery protocol consisting of an uphill high-intensity interval exercise. In this study, pain, creatine kinase (CK), muscle inflammation, jump height, sprint speed, and one repetition maximum (1RM) were assessed and analyzed. The results of this doctoral thesis show that active recovery in general, including running and jogging, exercise in water, yoga, and isolated muscle contractions offers limited management on soreness. Furthermore, inflammation and muscle stiffness following intensive exercise were reduced by general physical activity and yoga, respectively, and the decrease in muscular strength is less following exercise in water. Additionally, a combination of massage and CWI does not seem to significantly decrease soreness, increase muscle performance, or improve gait parameters compared to no treatment. Finally, an active recovery protocol consisting of uphill high-intensity interval exercise does not offer a remarkable benefit in comparison with passive rest, however its implementation does not increase soreness nor aggravate muscle performance, thus it can be performed without any harm.<br /

La política estructural comunitaria y la iniciativa comunitaria INTERREG en el horizonte de la ampliación de la Unión Europea

La política estructural no figuraba expresamente en el Tratado de Roma pero, actualmente, se ha convertido en uno de los pilares fundamentales de la construcción europea. En este contexto, la Iniciativa Comunitaria INTERREG permitió a la Europa de los quince desarrollar nuevas formas de cooperación con las que mejoró la situación socioeconómica de las zonas fronterizas, en el transcurso de los últimos años, provocando una mejor integración en el Mercado Interior. Por ello la cooperación transfronteriza, transnacional e interregional se ha convertido en una de las prioridades fundamentales de la Unión con el fin de promover la integración y reducir la fragmentación económica y social creada por las fronteras nacionales. Asimismo la Iniciativa Comunitaria INTERREG III, en el horizonte de la ampliación comunitaria, adquiere particular relieve y tendrá que asumir nuevas acciones transfronterizas para fomentar la cooperación entre los antiguos y los nuevos Estados miembros de la Unión. _________________________________________The Structural Policy was not explicitly mentioned in the Treaty of Rome, but at present it can be considered as one of the fundamental pillars in the European construction. Within the Structural Actions the Community Initiative INTERREG has allowed the fifteen member countries of the Community to develop new forms of co-operation which have improved the socio-economic situation in cross-border, transnational areas during the last few years, providing thereby a further and better integration of these areas into the single market. Cross-border, transnational and interregional co-operation has become therefore one of the first priorities of the Union. Its main objective is to strengthen market integration and to reduce the socio-economic fragmentation created by national frontiers. Furthermore, the Community Initiative INTERREG III acquires a particular relevance on the new horizon of enlargement, given that it will have to assume new cross-border and transnatinal actions to promote co-operation between the present and future new members of the Union

Caracterización antigénica e inmunogénica de la proteína F del metapneumovirus humano y de proteínas quiméricas con la proteína homóloga del virus respiratorio sincitial humano

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología Molecular . Fecha de lectura: 15-12-2017Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human respiratory syncytial virus (hRSV) are members of the new Pneumoviridae family of viruses, recently detached from the Paramyxoviridae family. Both viruses, but particularly hRSV, account for the majority of bronchiolitis and severe lower respiratory tract infections worldwide in infants and very young children, and they are also a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly and immunocompromised adults. hMPV and hRSV are similar in genomic organization, viral structure, antigenicity and clinical symptoms. There are no licensed hMPV or hRSV vaccines currently available. Efforts to control these pathogens are now focused on the prophylactic use of neutralizing antibodies against the fusion protein (F) and the development of efficacious and safety vaccines based on the F glycoprotein, which is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies and is thus a critical vaccine antigen. The F protein promotes fusion of the virus and the cell membranes during virus entry. While the fusion membrane occurs, the F protein transits from a metastable pre-fusion conformation to a highly stable post-fusion conformation. The recently determined atomic structures of hRSV F and hMPV F in the postfusion conformation have revealed a high degree of structural similarity, including known antigenic sites such as antigenic sites II and IV. However, no cross-neutralization is observed in polyclonal antibody responses raised after immunization with purified viral F proteins, despite sporadic reports of cross-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In this Thesis we first describe the generation and characterization of a panel of mAbs based on their postfusion conformational specificity, or their neutralization activity. Some of these antibodies could be mapped onto hMPV F antigenic sites II and IV. The main objective of this Thesis was to design chimeric F proteins in which certain antigenic sites of one virus were replaced by the equivalent antigenic site of the other virus. The antigenic changes were monitored with virus-specific mAbs to confirm that the resulting chimeric proteins gained site-specific epitopes of the heterologous virus. Moreover, mice immunization with these chimeras induced polyclonal cross-reactive and cross-neutralizing antibody responses and mice were even protected against a challenge with the virus used for grafting of the Resumen en inglés heterologous antigenic site. These results set the path for the generation of “universal vaccines” that could protect against infections by the Pneumoviridae

Preliminary study on non-viral transfection of F9 (factor IX) gene by nucleofection in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Background. Hemophilia is a rare recessive X-linked disease characterized by a deficiency of coagulation factor VIII or factor IX. Its current treatment is merely palliative. Advanced therapies are likely to become the treatment of choice for the disease as they could provide a curative treatment. Methods. The present study looks into the use of a safe non-viral transfection method based on nucleofection to express and secrete human clotting factor IX (hFIX) where human adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells were used as target cells in vitro studies and NOD. Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ mice were used to analyze factor IX expression in vivo studies. Previously, acute liver injury was induced by an injected intraperitoneal dose of 500 mg/kg body weight of acetaminophen. Results. Nucleofection showed a percentage of positive cells ranging between 30.7% and 41.9% and a cell viability rate of 29.8%, and cells were shown to secrete amounts of hFIX between 36.8 and 71.9 ng/mL. hFIX levels in the blood of NSG mice injected with ASCs transfected with this vector, were 2.7 ng/mL 48 h after injection. Expression and secretion of hFIX were achieved both in vitro cell culture media and in vivo in the plasma of mice treated with the transfected ASCs. Such cells are capable of eventually migrating to a previously damaged target tissue (the liver) where they secrete hFIX, releasing it to the bloodstream over a period of at least five days from administration. Conclusions. The results obtained in the present study may form a preliminary basis for the establishment of a future ex vivo non-viral gene/cellular safe therapy protocol that may eventually contribute to advancing the treatment of hemophilia

Cycling and bone health: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Cycling is considered to be a highly beneficial sport for significantly enhancing cardiovascular fitness in individuals, yet studies show little or no corresponding improvements in bone mass. METHODS: A scientific literature search on studies discussing bone mass and bone metabolism in cyclists was performed to collect all relevant published material up to April 2012. Descriptive, cross-sectional, longitudinal and interventional studies were all reviewed. Inclusion criteria were met by 31 studies. RESULTS: Heterogeneous studies in terms of gender, age, data source, group of comparison, cycling level or modality practiced among others factors showed minor but important differences in results. Despite some controversial results, it has been observed that adult road cyclists participating in regular training have low bone mineral density in key regions (for example, lumbar spine). Conversely, other types of cycling (such as mountain biking), or combination with other sports could reduce this unsafe effect. These results cannot yet be explained by differences in dietary patterns or endocrine factors. CONCLUSIONS: From our comprehensive survey of the current available literature it can be concluded that road cycling does not appear to confer any significant osteogenic benefit. The cause of this may be related to spending long hours in a weight-supported position on the bike in combination with the necessary enforced recovery time that involves a large amount of time sitting or lying supine, especially at the competitive level

Bone related health status in adolescent cyclists

PURPOSE: To describe bone status and analyse bone mass in adolescent cyclists. METHODS: Male road cyclists (n = 22) who had been training for a minimum of 2 years and a maximum of 7 years with a volume of 10 h/w, were compared to age-matched controls (n = 22) involved in recreational sports activities. Subjects were divided in 2 groups based on age: adolescents under 17 yrs (cyclists, n = 11; controls, n = 13) and over 17 yrs (cyclists, n = 11; controls, n = 9). Peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)max) was measured on a cycloergometer. Whole body, lumbar spine, and hip bone mineral content (BMC), density (BMD) and bone area were assessed using dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Volumetric BMD (vBMD) and bone mineral apparent density (BMAD) were also estimated. RESULTS: The BMC of cyclists was lower for the whole body, pelvis, femoral neck and legs; BMD for the pelvis, hip, legs and whole body and legs bone area was lower but higher in the hip area (all, P≤0.05) after adjusting by lean mass and height. The BMC of young cyclists was 10% lower in the leg and 8% higher in the hip area than young controls (P≤0.05). The BMC of cyclists over 17 yrs was 26.5%, 15.8% and 14.4% lower BMC at the pelvis, femoral neck and legs respectively while the BMD was 8.9% to 24.5% lower for the whole body, pelvis, total hip, trochanter, intertrochanter, femoral neck and legs and 17.1% lower the vBMD at the femoral neck (all P≤0.05). Grouped by age interaction was found in both pelvis and hip BMC and BMD and in femoral neck vBMD (all P≤0.05). CONCLUSION: Cycling performed throughout adolescence may negatively affect bone health, then compromising the acquisition of peak bone mass

El fracaso de Copenhague desde la teoría de juegos

Los acuerdos medioambientales de carácter supranacional parecen “condenados” a no funcionar debido, fundamentalmente, a la característica del propio medio ambiente como bien público global. Si uno de los agentes implicados toma la iniciativa con movimientos hacia un cambio tecnológico, más respetuoso en términos medioambientales y más eficiente en términos energéticos, podría cambiar los resultados y lograr la buscada reducción en los niveles de contaminación. La UE ha adoptado esa posición pero la cumbre de Copenhague, lejos de corroborar que el resto de países seguirán la estrategia iniciada por la UE, ha sido un fracaso en términos de mayor compromiso por parte de países que, de momento, siguen fuera del protocolo, básicamente EEUU. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar qué circunstancias han podido propiciar (intencionadamente o no) el fracaso en la búsqueda de apoyos en la cumbre de Copenhague