Exercise influence on immune response

ABSTRACT The study of the influence of exercise on immune response is a field in constant grow since the 1970s. The main areas studied are infection of upper respiratory airways in athletes submitted to extenuating exercises, the exercise as a model of stress and the effects of training as an adaptive mechanism to cope with stress. Exercise promotes an imbalance in organic homeostasis, and all of the systems, including the immune system, must adequate their function to this new situation. The responses to exercise can be expressed as acute response, a transitory response to stress and chronic adaptive response, when training provides better conditions for the organism to cope with stress. In both situations the components of the immune system, the cellular and humoral arms of the innate and adaptive systems, are affected by exercise. Not as a rule, one can say that moderate exercise is associated with a better function of the immune system and high intensity exercise in stressful situations is associated with a transitory state of immunodepression.RESUMO O estudo da relação entre o exercício e a resposta imune teve grande impulso a partir da metade da década de 70, tendo como principais áreas de interesse o estudo da infecção de vias aéreas superiores em atletas submetidos a grandes esforços, o exercício como modelo de estresse e a resposta do treinamento como resposta adaptativa frente a situações de estresse. A descrição da interação entre os sistemas imune e neuroendócrino foi de importância capital no desenvolvimento desses estudos. O exercício gerando um desvio da homeostase orgânica leva à reorganização das respostas de diversos sistemas, entre eles o sistema imune. É adequado dividir a resposta ao exercício em resposta aguda, resposta transitória ao estresse e resposta de adaptação crônica, na qual o treinamento capacita o organismo a lidar com o estímulo estressante de maneira mais adequada. Ambas as respostas afetam os diversos componentes do sistema imune, tanto a resposta inata em seu componente celular compreendendo neutrófilos, macrófagos e células natural killer, como em seu componente humoral, proteínas de fase aguda, sistema do complemento e enzimas, como o sistema imune adaptativo, em seu componente celular (linfócitos T e B), como no componente humoral (anticorpos e citocinas). Apesar das incorreções que cometemos quando das generalizações, podemos dizer que, de modo geral, o exercício de intensidade moderada, praticado com regularidade, melhora a capacidade de resposta do sistema imune, enquanto o exercício de alta intensidade praticado sob condições estressantes provoca um estado transitório de imunodepressão.Universidade de São Paulo Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas Departamento de HistologiaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM) Disciplina de ImunologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Disciplina de ImunologiaSciEL

Efeito da temporada de basquetebol profissional sobre o perfil lipídico

The aim of the present study was to verify the effect of the professional basketball season on the lipids profile. Seven professional players (age: 23.6±4.3 years; body mass: 110.2±17.5 kg; height: 195.4±10.3 cm) were evaluated before and after a period ranging 4 moths, during national professional basketball season (2 games per week, 2 to 3 tactical and technical exercise workout, 2 to 3 strength exercise workout, 1 to 2 recuperative workout and 1 day of passive rest, all of then as a median per week). Blood samples and anthropometric measures were taken. The first visit was made before the beginning of the season and the second visit two days (48 hours) after the ending of the last game of the season. The lipids profile (triglyceride, VLDL, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and total cholesterol) was analyses by commercial kits (Labtest®, Brazil). The comparison between the results (before and after) was carried through by non-parametric Wilcoxon pair test. The level of significance of 5% was used (p < 0.05). After basketball season, a reduction in the LDL-cholesterol plasma concentrations was demonstrated (before: 111.40±9 mg/dL after: 84.60±8.50 mg/dL; p < 0.05), as well as in total cholesterol (before: 171.20±6.44 mg/dL after: 148.20±6.37 mg/dL; p < 0.05). Besides, increase in rate the HDL/total cholesterol was found (before: 0.22±0.03 after: 0.27±0.06; p < 0.05). The results herein found indicate that the basketball season may induce changes in LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol and in rate the HDL/total cholesterol concentrations, suggesting a modulatory effect on the lipid profile in professional basketball player after 4 moths season.O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o efeito da temporada de basquetebol profissional sobre o perfil lipídico. Sete jogadores profissionais (idade: 23,6±4,3 anos; massa corporal: 110,2±17,5 kg; estatura: 195,4±10,3 cm) foram avaliados antes e após um período de 4 meses, relativos a uma temporada nacional de basquetebol profissional (2 partidas por semana, 2 a 3 sessões de treinos técnicos e tático, 2 a 3 sessões de treino de musculação, 1 a 2 sessões de treino regenerativo e 1 dia de descanso passivo, sendo todos a média por semana) . Os jogadores foram submetidos a analise antropométrica e coleta sangüínea. A primeira visita foi feita antes do início da temporada e a segunda visita dois dias (48 horas) após o término da última partida da temporada. Foram realizadas análises do perfil lipídico (triacilglicerol, VLDL, LDL-colesterol, HDL-colesterol, e colesterol total) por kits comerciais (Labtest®, Brasil). A comparação entre os resultados foi realizada pareadamente (antes e depois o início da temporada) por teste não paramétrico de Wilcoxon. Utilizou-se o nível de significância de 5% (p < 0,05). Após a temporada, foi demonstrada diminuição nas concentrações da LDL-colesterol (pré: 111,40±9 mg/dL vs pós: 84,60±8,50 mg/dL; p < 0,05), bem como do colesterol total (pré: 171,20±6,44 mg/dL vs pós: 148,20±6,37 mg/dL; p < 0,05). Além disso, foi encontrado aumento na taxa HDL/colesterol total (pré: 0,22±0,03 vs pós: 0,27±0,06; p < 0,05). Os resultados indicam que a temporada de basquetebol profissional pode induzir alterações na concentração de LDL-colesterol, de colesterol total e na taxa HDL/colesterol total, sugerindo um efeito modulador sobre o perfil lipídico de jogadores profissionais de basquetebol após uma temporada de 4 meses

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora