Valentina Contrò

An innovative way to highlight the power of each polymorphism on the elite athletes phenotype expression

The purpose of this study was to determine the probability of soccer players having the best genetic background that could increase performance, evaluating the polymorphism that are considered Performance Enhancing Polymorphism (PEPs) distributed on five genes: PPARα, PPARGC1A, NRF2, ACE e CKMM. Particularly, we investigated how each polymorphism works directly or through another polymorphism to distinguish elite athletes from non-athletic population. Sixty professional soccer players (age 22.5 ± 2.2) and sixty healthy volunteers (age 21.2± 2.3) were enrolled. Samples of venous blood was used to prepare genomic DNA. The polymorphic sites were scanned using PCR-RFLP protocols with different enzyme. We used a multivariate logistic regression analysis to demonstrate an association between the five PEPs and elite phenotype. We found statistical significance in NRF2 (AG/GG genotype) polymorphism/soccer players association (p < 0.05) as well as a stronger association in ACE polymorphism (p =0.02). Particularly, we noticed that the ACE ID genotype and even more the II genotype are associated with soccer player phenotype. Although the other PEPs had no statistical significance, we proved that some of these may work indirectly, amplifying the effect of another polymorphism; for example, seems that PPARα could acts on NRF2 (GG) enhancing the effect of the latter, notwithstanding it had not shown a statistical significance. In conclusion, to establish if a polymorphism can influence the performance, it is necessary to understand how they act and interact, directly and indirectly, on each other.

Neurobiology of performance anxiety:A new approach

High anxiety is the base not only for depression development but also to impulsive aggression manifestation. In the previous study we revealed the differences in neurohumoral status in animals with submissive and dominant behavioral types. Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis hyperactivity, the increase in noradrenaline and the decrease in serotonin levels in limbicocortical regions were observed in submissive male rats (high anxiety). Due to these results, we studied an interrelation between anxiety level and aggressiveness index and its components. The research involved 138 participants: 121 young men aged 18 to 22 years and 17 male adolescents within the age range 15-16 years. They were asked to answer Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Eysenck Personality Inventory. The anxiety level was assessed in points. The aggressiveness index, physical, verbal and indirect aggressions were estimated in a percentage of the maximum level. No correlation between the anxiety level and the aggressiveness index was found in whole group of young men. Whole group was separated into three subgroups depending on anxiety level: with high, moderate and low anxiety levels. Strong positive correlation between anxiety level and aggression index in men with high anxiety level and negative correlation between these two parameters in men with low anxiety level were revealed. In last subgroup the correlation was statistically insignificant. In men with moderate anxiety level no correlation between anxiety level and aggression index was observed. This interrelation may be taken into account in anxiety treatment and in the prevention of impulsive aggression manifestation. In whole group of male adolescents no correlation between anxiety and aggressiveness index was found. Obtained data indicate the necessity of participants division depending on anxiety level and using the closed age groups to study the mechanisms of aggression development.T hypothesis of the present study is that N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist and 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5HT1a) agonist will restore brain serotonin levels and can have role in the treatment of depression. Depression hypothesis is majorly based on neurochemical alteration. The neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and glutamate have a strong interlink. The mice were divided into 7 groups consisting of 6 animals each. Depression was induced with P-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). On first day 300 mg/kg and on alternative days 100 mg/kg was administered to all the groups. The drug treatment memantine, 8-OH DPAT and their combination was continued for 14 days. Fluoxetine was used as a positive control. Behavioral screening, neurotransmitters and neurochemical were measured in different regions of control and serotonin depleted mice brain to assess the anti-depressant property of the drugs. The histopathological examination was also carried out. The results have shown that, depletion of brain serotonin level with PCPA treatment and resulted in reduced locomotion, anxiety behavior and ambulation with no alteration in rearing and grooming behaviors. The NMDA antagonist memantine, 5-HT1a agonist 8-OH DPAT and their combination have shown no significant change in locomotion. Whereas memantine 40 mg/kg have shown increased anxiolytic activity. The mice treated with memantine and its combination with 8-OH DPAT has shown significant change in force swim test. In neurotransmitters, the memantine and 8-OH DPAT group exhibited significant reduction in glutamate and aspartate levels, whereas GABA levels were increased. Histopathological report shows focal areas of degeneration in cerebrum region with PCPA treatment and drug treatments restored the morphology of the brain. Hence, it can be concluded that, memantine, 8-OH DPAT and their combination have better result in improving the depressive symptoms induced with PCPA than the positive control fluoxetine.C is an oral 1, 5-benzodiazepine used worldwide for the treatment of many types of Epilepsies, although it is currently only approved for Lennox–Gastaut syndrome in the USA. This anticonvulsant and anxiolytic therapeutic has repeatedly demonstrated great efficacy and a high safety profile in refractory epilepsy as well as in a few monotherapy trials in both children and adults. Clobazam allosterically activates the GABAA receptor, and it binds less to subunits that mediate sedative effects than other benzodiazepines. It acts quickly, maintaining a therapeutic effect for a long duration due to its active metabolite, N-desmethylclobazam. Dosage is between 5 mg and 40 mg a day, depending on patient weight, efficacy, and tolerability. Efficacy tolerance has not been a problem in the best studies. Clobazam has provided many benefits to epileptic patients. It should be used by clinicians early as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of refractory epilepsy and even considered as monotherapy in a broad spectrum of epilepsy syndromes.BACKGROUND: Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is a disease with high potential of disability and high rates of mortality. It affects females more than males. The estimated annual incidence of CVT is 3 to 4 cases per 1 million, but the incidence rate is much higher in Iran. It particularly increases in Ramadan and Zilhijjah months of the Islamic calendar. We hypothesized that the use of contraceptive components especially during the month of Ramadan is associated with an increase in the risk of CVT in women.Quetiapine is a novel antipsychotic drug. However, there is limited clinical evidence regarding prescribing patterns for quetiapine when used as maintenance treatment for bipolar disorder. Thirty-six albino rats were divided into 3 equal groups: control normal group [1] without exposure to chronic restraint for 6 hours daily/21 days, group [2] received DMSO 5% (v:v), as a solvent of quetiapine, with exposure to chronic restraint for 6 hours daily/21 days and group [3] received quetiapine 10 mg/kg/day ip for 3 weeks during exposure to chronic restraint for 6 hours daily/21 days. Intraperitoneal (ip) administration of quetiapine at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 3 weeks significantly (p<0.05) reduces the duration of immobility recorded by the forced swimming test (FST) and significantly (p<0.05) increases the contents of GABA neurotransmitter in hippocampus homogenates. The present study adds a positive implication of quetiapine, as an antipsychotic drug, on both the immobility and the reduction of GABA content in hippocampus of albino rats exposed restraint model for 21 days.Single i. m. injection of amitriptyline in rats in high doses of 10-30 mg/kg causes a weak an- tidepressive effect because only in 1.3-1.7 times decrease immobilization in Porsolt test. In the specified doses amitriptyline exhibits appreciable sedative effect because in 3-6 times decrease horizontal activity, and also in 2-2.5 times decrease vertical activity of rats in the open field test. Combined single i.m. injection of amitriptyline in a small dose of 3 mg/kg and high dose of 30 mg/kg with phenylephine in threshold, noneffective alone dose of 0.02 mg/kg, causes the ma- ximal antidepressive effect because decreases immobilization in Porsolt test, accordingly, in 3 and 4.6 times, but does not produce side sedative effect in the open field test. The basis of the mec- hanism of potentiation of antidepressive action and elimination of sedative action of amitriptyline is the stimulation of gastric mucosa afferents by phenylephine.

Analysis of body composition and blood parameters on 20 subjects after 6 months of training with SuperJump

The “Jill Cooper’s aerobic accellerator system” uses high quality rebound, modified to increase the acceleration, create a more accommodating work surface, greater stability and cushioning to protect joints. Thanks to the three forces of acceleration, deceleration, and the force of gravity, for each jump, the one-way valves of the lymphatic pathways open and close pushing the lymph towards the next “closed”. This action allows the lymphatic system to make a full turn faster than usual. We investigate the effects of 6 months of training on 20 subjects (age: 37 ± 19; weight: 74 ± 19 Kg; height:164,5 ± 13,5 cm; BMI: 28,13 ± 6,876 Kg/m2; % body fat: 26 ± 14,7 Kg). Antropometric parameters were detected used a Bioimpedance analyzer (BF 302 Ormon BIA); blood samples were collected by a clinical specialized center to analyze lipid profile (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglycerides) as well as white and red blood cells (WBC and RBC). All these tests were performed before and after training. At the end of the six months of training all the determinations (body composition and blood tests) was made. The results obtained suggest that this system of fitness training got a great changement both on physical form (increase lean body mass at the expense of fat mass) that in blood parameters (all had a decrease statistical significance). The most relevant data covered the variation of blood parameters and in particular of the lipid profile: HDL, Triglycerides, LDL, total cholesterol. Also as regards the blood cells, the results were detected mainly on the number of basophils, lymphocytes and eusinofili regarding the white cells. The results of this study are still preliminary, but the premises stimulate interesting to perform further investigations in this direction, with a higher number of subjects.