Manuel Rosety-Rodríguez

Low-grade systemic inflammation and leptin levels were improved by arm cranking exercise in adults with chronic spinal cord injury.

OBJECTIVE To ascertain the effect of arm cranking exercise on improving plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines and adipokines in untrained adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN Longitudinal study. SETTING Community-based supervised intervention. PARTICIPANTS Men (N=17) with complete SCI at or below T5 volunteered for this study. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention (n=9) or control group (n=8) using a concealed method. INTERVENTION A 12-week arm cranking exercise program of 3 sessions per week consisted of warm-up (10-15min), arm crank (20-30min; increasing 2min and 30s every 3wk) at a moderate work intensity of 50% to 65% of heart rate reserve (starting at 50% and increasing 5% every 3wk), and cool-down (5-10min). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 were determined. Furthermore, physical fitness (maximum oxygen consumption [V˙O2max]) and body composition (anthropometric index, waist circumference, and body mass index) were also assessed. RESULTS Plasma levels of leptin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-6 were significantly decreased after the completion of the training program. Similarly, the anthropometric index and waist circumference were diminished too. A moderate correlation was found between leptin and the anthropometric index. Finally, V˙O2max was significantly increased, suggesting an improvement of physical fitness in the intervention group. No changes were found in the control group. CONCLUSIONS Arm cranking exercise improved low-grade systemic inflammation by decreasing plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, it also reduced plasma leptin levels. Long-term, well-conducted studies are still required to determine whether these changes may improve clinical outcomes of adults with chronic SCI.

A 12-week aerobic training programme reduced plasmatic allantoin in adolescents with Down syndrome

Objective To assess the influence of a 12-week training programme on plasmatic levels of allantoin, an in vivo marker for oxidative stress, in adolescents with Down syndrome. This finding would be of great interest, since oxidative damage has been proposed as a pathogenic mechanism of several pathologies in this population. Materials To reach this goal, 31 male adolescents with Down syndrome (16.3 (1.1) years; 155.2 (5.7) cm; 70.8 (4.5) kg) performed a 12-week training programme, three sessions per week, consisting of warm-up (15 min) followed by a main part (20–35 min (increasing 5 min each 3 weeks)) at a work intensity of 60–75% of peak heart rate (increasing by 5% each 3 weeks) and then a cool-down period (10 min). According to previous studies, it should be emphasised that the maximal heart rate for individuals with Down syndrome was predicted by the equation HRmax = 194.5–(0.56 age). The control group included seven age-, sex- and BMI-matched adolescents with trisomy 21 that did not perform any training programme. The levels uric acid and allantoin were assayed in plasma by HPLC. This protocol was approved by an institutional ethics committee. Results When compared with baseline, plasmatic levels of allantoin were decreased significantly (22.09 (1.62) vs 18.74 (1.38) μmol/l; p<0.001) after being exercised. Furthermore, the allantoin/uric acid ratio was decreased significantly (0.071 (0.006) vs 0.059 (0.004); p<0.05). On the contrary, no changes were reported in controls. Conclusion A 12-week aerobic programme significantly reduced oxidative damage expressed in terms of plasmatic allantoin content in adolescents with Down syndrome. Further studies on this topic are required.

Arm-Cranking Exercise Reduced Oxidative Damage in Adults With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of a 12-week arm-cranking exercise program on reducing oxidative damage in untrained adults with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN Randomized controlled trial. SETTING Community-based supervised intervention. PARTICIPANTS Male adults with complete SCI at or below the fifth thoracic level (T5) (N=17) volunteered for this study. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention (n=9) or control (n=8) group using a concealed method. INTERVENTION A 12-week arm-cranking exercise program, 3 sessions/wk, consisting of warming-up (10-15min) followed by a main part in arm-crank (20-30min [increasing 2min and 30s every 3wk]) at a moderate work intensity of 50% to 65% of the heart rate reserve (starting at 50% and increasing 5% every 3 weeks) and by a cooling-down period (5-10min). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Plasmatic levels of total antioxidant status as well as erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity were measured. Lipid and protein oxidation were determined as malondialdehyde and carbonyl group levels, respectively. Furthermore, physical fitness and body composition were assessed. RESULTS When compared with baseline results, maximum oxygen consumption was significantly increased (P=.031), suggesting an improvement in physical fitness in the intervention group. Regarding the antioxidant defense system, it was found that both total antioxidant status (P=.014) and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity (P=.027) were significantly increased at the end of the training program. As a consequence, plasmatic levels of malondialdehyde (P=.008) and carbonyl groups (P=.022) were significantly reduced. CONCLUSION A 12-week arm-cranking exercise program improved the antioxidant defense system in adults with chronic SCI, which may finally attenuate both lipid and protein oxidation in this population.

Aerobic Training Improved Low-Grade Inflammation in Obese Women with Intellectual Disability.

BACKGROUND Obesity is a major health problem in people with intellectual disabilities. It is also widely accepted that low-grade systemic inflammation associated to obesity plays a key role in the pathogenic mechanism of several disorders. Fortunately, physical activity has shown to improve inflammation in people with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Accordingly, we assessed the influence of aerobic training on pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in women with Down syndrome. METHODS To achieve this outcome, 20 premenopausal obese young women with Down syndrome volunteered for this study. Eleven were randomly assigned to the intervention group and performed a 10-week aerobic training programme, three sessions per week, consisting of a warm-up then a 30- to 40-min treadmill exercise at a work intensity of 55-65% of peak heart rate followed by a cooling-down period. The control group included nine age-, sex- and body mass index-matched women with Down syndrome. Fat mass percentage and fat distribution were measured. Plasmatic levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6 and fibrinogen were assessed by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assessed by nephelometry. RESULTS Plasmatic levels of TNF-α (11.7 ± 1.6 vs. 9.2 ± 1.3 pg/ml; P = 0.022), IL-6 (8.2 ± 1.1 vs. 6.1 ± 0.9 pg/ml; P = 0.014) and high sensitive CRP (0.62 ± 0.11 vs. 0.53 ± 0.09 mg/dl; P = 0.009) were significantly reduced in the intervention group. Further, significant correlations between plasmatic and anthropometric parameters were found. CONCLUSION A 10-week training programme reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase proteins in obese young women with Down syndrome. Long-term, well-conducted studies are still required to determine whether correction of this low-grade inflammation improves clinical outcomes of women with trisomy 21.

Aerobic training at moderate intensity reduced protein oxidation in adolescents with Down syndrome

Individuals with Down syndrome have been generally described as having high levels of oxidative stress, which have been associated to an increased morbidity. Fortunately, recent studies have reported that aerobic training may upregulate antioxidant defence system both in general population and individuals with trisomy 21. Accordingly, the present study was conducted to ascertain the effectiveness of aerobic training in reducing protein oxidation. To achieve this goal, 31 adolescents with Down syndrome performed a 12‐week training program on a treadmill with 3 days/week, consisting of warm‐up (15 min), main part (20–35 min) at a work intensity of 60–75% of peak heart rate (HRmax=194.5–[0.56 age]) and cool‐down (10 min). A control group included seven age‐, sex‐ and BMI‐matched adolescents with trisomy 21 that did not perform any training program. Plasma carbonyl content was determined by means of a slightly modified Levine method. Pre‐ and post‐training carbonyl contents were 1.98±0.2 [95% confidence intervals (95% CI): 1.94–2.02] nmol/mg protein and 1.16±0.1 (95% CI: 1.14–1.18) nmol/mg protein, respectively. When compared with baseline values, it was decreased significantly (1.98±0.2 vs 1.16±0.1; P<0.001). It was concluded that 12‐week exercise program significantly reduced protein oxidation in adolescents with Down syndrome. Further long‐term follow‐up studies are required to determine whether correction of this oxidant imbalance improves clinical outcomes of individuals with trisomy 21.

A 6-week training program increased muscle antioxidant system in elderly diabetic fatty rats

Summary Background It is widely accepted that oxidative stress is associated with the physiopathology of type 2 diabetes mellitus. In fact, it has been pointed out as a therapeutic target in T2DM. Fortunately, several papers have reported that long-term training programs improved the antioxidant system in young and adult diabetic rats. Accordingly, this study was designed to assess the influence of a shorter training program in elderly diabetic fatty rats. Material/Methods Study subjects were 24 male homozygous Zucker diabetic fatty rats (Gmi, fa/fa) aged 18 weeks with an average weight of 370–450 g. After a 2-week period of environmental adaptation, animals were randomly distributed into the Exercised Group (n=12) that performed a 6-week swimming training protocol and the Sedentary Group (n=12). Animals were sacrificed under anesthesia 24 h after the last exercise session. Serum metabolic profile was determined. Total antioxidant status (TAS), MnSOD expression, glutathione status and ROS generation were assayed in gastrocnemius muscle. Results When compared with controls, exercised rats significantly improved their metabolic profile. Total antioxidant status (0.19±0.002 vs. 0.13±0.002 μg/mg protein; p<0.001) and MnSOD expression (8471±90 vs. 6258±102 U/μg protein; p=0.003) were also increased in exercised rats. Conclusions A 6-week swimming training program improved the antioxidant system in elderly fatty diabetic rats. Fortunately, this improvement was enough to reduce oxidative damage, expressed as protein oxidation. A major finding of this study was that our training protocol lasted just 6 weeks, in contrast to longer protocols previously published.

Influencia del ejercicio físico moderado en la actividad catalasa eritrocitaria de adolescentes con síndrome de Down

Fundamento y objetivo Las personas con sindrome de Down presentan un mayor dano oxidativo que la poblacion general. De ahi el interes por determinar si la actividad fisica regular podria mejorar la actividad de enzimas antioxidantes eritrocitarias como la catalasa. Sujetos y metodo Un grupo de 31 adolescentes varones –media (desviacion estandar) de edad de 16,1 (1,1) anos– con trisomia 21 participaron en un programa de entrenamiento de 12 semanas, a razon de 3 sesiones/semana de 45-60 min de duracion y con una intensidad del 60- 75% de la frecuencia cardiaca maxima teorica, calculada segun la siguiente ecuacion: 194,5 – (0,56 × edad [en anos]). Formaron el grupo control 7 adolescentes con trisomia 21 ajustados por sexo, edad e indice de masa corporal. Se extrajeron muestras de sangre venosa 72 h antes del inicio del programa y una vez completado para la posterior determinacion de la actividad de la catalasa en el hemolisado mediante el metodo de Beutler (expresado en U/gHb). Resultados El programa de entrenamiento incremento, aunque no de forma significativa, la actividad catalasa de los participantes: media de 1.607,0 (231) frente a 1.663,2 (280) U/gHb (p = 0,151). No se observo ningun cambio entre los controles. Conclusiones El programa de entrenamiento de 12 semanas no incremento significativamente la actividad catalasa eritrocitaria. Se necesitan futuros estudios para conocer mejor la influencia del ejercicio regular en el metabolismo redox en este grupo poblacional.

In vitro acute toxicity of anionic surfactant linear alkylbenzene sulphonate (LAS) on the motility of gilthead (Sparus aurata L.) sperm

This paper describes the acute toxicity of a known anionic surfactant, Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonate (LAS), on the quality of gilthead Sparus aurata L. sperm. The parameter used to judge exposure effectiveness was sperm motility as well as its fertilizing ability after being combined with unexposed gilthead eggs. Preincubation of sperm suspensions with concentrations of LAS of 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mg/L caused decrease in sperm motility and fertilizing ability. In this respect, percentages of motile sperm were respectively 89.8+/-9.8, 81.7+/-16.3, 69.5+/-21.3, 57.1+/-19.1 and 21.2+/-10.9%. With regard to the percentage of fertilization success, the results were 85.7+/-8.1, 75.1+/-20.2, 62.9+/-19.7, 52.7+/-19.2 and 14.2+/-7.9% respectively. At concentrations of LAS of 0.5 mg/L or higher, the differences in both percentage of motility and fertilizing ability with controls were significant (p<5%). Although extrapolation from the laboratory to the field requires caution, the results of this work demonstrated that low-level surfactant pollution may impact directly on reproduction of the free gametes (sperm) released into water. It may lead to a long-term decline and eventual extinction of gilthead populations in nature when they are located close to effluents that are either untreated or receive inadequate secondary treatment. It is also quite important because this species constitutes an important link in the food chain and its death via exposure to surfactants may imbalance the littoral ecosystem.

Resistance circuit training reduced inflammatory cytokines in a cohort of male adults with Down syndrome

Background It is widely accepted that muscle strength plays a key role on functional tasks of daily living and employability in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). Recent studies have also reported resistance training may improve chronic inflammation in other clinical situations. This is the first study conducted to determine the effect of resistance circuit training on low-grade systemic inflammation in adults with DS. Material/Methods A total of 40 young male adults with DS were recruited for the trial through different community support groups for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. They had medical approval for physical activity participation. Twenty-four were randomly assigned to perform resistance circuit training with 6 stations, 3 days per week for 12 weeks. Exercise intensity was based on function of the 8RM assessments. The control group included 16 age-, sex-, and BMI-matched adults with Down syndrome. Plasma levels of leptin, adiponectin, and TNF-α were assessed by commercial ELISA kits. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assessed by nephelometry. Body composition was also determined, measuring fat-free mass percentage and waist circumference (WC). This protocol was approved by our Institutional Ethics Committee. Results Plasma levels of leptin, TNF-α, and IL-6 were significantly decreased after the completion of the training program, as were fat-free mass and WC. No sports-related injuries or withdrawals from the program were reported during the entire study period. No changes were observed in the control group. Conclusions Resistance circuit training improved low-grade systemic inflammation in male sedentary adults with DS.

A short-term arm-crank exercise program improved testosterone deficiency in adults with chronic spinal cord injury

PURPOSE To determine the influence of arm-crank exercise in reproductive hormone levels in adults with chronic SCI. Further objectives were to assess the influence of arm-crank exercise on muscle strength and body composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS Seventeen male adults with complete SCI at or below the 5th thoracic level (T5) volunteered for this study. Participants were randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 9) or control group (n = 8) using a concealed method. The participants in the intervention group performed a 12-week arm-crank exercise program, 3 sessions/week, consisting of warming-up (10-15 min) followed by a main part in arm-crank (20-30 min [increasing 2 min and 30 seconds each three weeks]) at a moderate work intensity of 50-65% of heart rate reserve (HRR) (starting at 50% and increasing 5% each three weeks) and by a cooling-down period (5-10 min). Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), testosterone and estradiol were determined by ELISA. Muscle strength (handgrip) and body composition (waist circumference [WC]) were assessed. RESULTS After the completion of the training program, testosterone level was significantly increased (p = 0.0166;d = 1.14). Furthermore, maximal handgrip and WC were significantly improved. Lastly, a significant inverse correlation was found between WC and testosterone (r =- 0.35; p = 0.0377). CONCLUSION The arm-crank exercise improved reproductive hormone profile by increasing testosterone levels in adults with chronic SCI. A secondary finding was that it also significantly improved muscle strength and body composition in this group.