Factors related to postmenopausal muscle performance: a cross-sectional population-based study

The aim of the present study was to investigate cross-sectionally the association of postmenopausal muscle strength with simple performance tests. A random sample of 1,166 naturally postmenopausal women (born 1932–1941) was selected from the Kuopio Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention (OSTPRE) study cohort. Grip and quadriceps strength were measured with strain gauge dynamometers and reported in both absolute values (KPa and kg) and per kilogram of body mass (N cm^–2 kg^–1 and N kg^–1). In addition, two performance tests, ability to stand on one foot and ability to squat down to touch the floor were carried out. A five-category self-assessment of overall health (very good, good, moderate, bad, and very bad) was obtained by postal questionnaire. The women that were able to stand on one foot and able to squat down to touch the floor had greater grip and quadriceps strength than their counterparts (P<0.001 and P<0.03 in ANOVA, respectively). In addition, self-assessed health had a strong positive association with muscle strength in the grip and leg extensor muscles in ANOVA (P<0.001 between very good and moderate or poorer state of health) and regression model (P<0.001). Adjustment for age, duration of menopause, body mass, height, physical activity level, use of HRT, and number of diseases and medications did not change any of the main effects. Also, there were no differences in results between absolute measurement values and values reported per kilogram of body mass. According to the present study, a simple performance test may be useful in the prediction of postmenopausal muscle strength. Furthermore, self-assessed state of health is strongly associated with muscle strength in postmenopausal women.     

Interlimb coupling strength scales with movement amplitude

The relation between movement amplitude and the strength of interlimb interactions was examined by comparing bimanual performance at different amplitude ratios (1:2, 1:1, and 2:1). For conditions with unequal amplitudes, the arm moving at the smaller amplitude was predicted to be more strongly affected by the contralateral arm than vice versa. This prediction was based on neurophysiological considerations and the HKB model of coupled oscillators. Participants performed rhythmic bimanual forearm movements at prescribed amplitude relations. After a brief mechanical perturbation of one arm, the relaxation process back to the initial coordination pattern was examined. This analysis focused on phase adaptations in the unperturbed arm, as these reflect the degree to which the movements of this arm were affected by the coupling influences stemming from the contralateral (perturbed) arm. The thus obtained index of coupling (IC) reflected the relative contribution of the unperturbed arm to the relaxation process. As predicted IC was larger when the perturbed arm moved at a larger amplitude than did the unperturbed arm, indicating that coupling strength scaled with movement amplitude. This result was discussed in relation to previous research regarding sources of asymmetry in coupling strength and the effects of amplitude disparity on interlimb coordination.     

Lymphocyte proliferation in response to acute heavy resistance exercise in women: influence of muscle strength and total work

Little is understood about the immune responses to heavy resistance exercise. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of physical strength and the ability to do more total work on lymphocyte proliferation after an acute bout of heavy resistance exercise. A group of 50 healthy but non-strength trained women were recruited for the study and tested for their one repetition maximum (i.e. 1 RM or maximal mass lifted once). From the normal distribution of strength the top and bottom 8 women [mean age 22.5 (SD 3.1) years] were asked to volunteer to define our two groups (i.e. high strength and low strength). The two groups were significantly different (P<0.05) in 1 RM squat strength [low strength 39.9 (SD 4.6) kg, 0.65 (SD 0.08) kg·kg body mass^–1 and high strength 72.2 (SD 10.7) kg, 1.1 (SD 0.12) kg·kg body mass^–1] but were not significantly different in body mass, age, activity levels, and menstrual status (all in same phase). Each performed a resistance exercise protocol consisting of six sets of 10 RM squats with 2 min rest between the sets. The 10 RM loads and total work were significantly greater in the high strength group than in the low strength group. Blood samples were obtained pre-exercise and immediately post-exercise for test for lactate (significant increase with exercise) and cortisol (no changes) concentrations with no differences noted between groups. Immunological assays on the blood samples determined the incorporation of tritiated thymidine by lymphocytes in responses to concanavalin A (ConA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Following the squat exercise, there was a significant decrease in lymphocyte responsiveness to PWM in the high strength but not in the low strength group for both total proliferation and proliferation adjusted per B or T cell. On the other hand, lymphocytes from the low strength group proliferated to a significantly greater extent (adjusted per T cell) in response to ConA and PHA. These data indicate that the heavy resistance exercise protocol reduced the lymphocyte proliferative responses only in the stronger group of subjects. This effect may have been due to the high absolute total work and the greater exercise stress created by the resistance exercise protocol in the high strength group. Therefore, individuals performing at the same relative exercise intensity (i.e. 10 RM) in a resistance exercise protocol may have different immune responses stemming from differences in absolute total work performance. Electronic Publication     

Structural-mechanical properties and swelling of protein complexes of hyaluronate and protein-chrondroitin-4-sulfate

Structural-mechanical strength and swelling of gels consisting of gelatin and potassium hyaluronate (PHY) or potassium protine-chondroitin-4-sulfate (PPCS) were shown to depend on the ratio between the components. With low concentrations of PHY and PPCS the minimum of structural-mechanical strength coincided with the maximum of swelling of the gels. In zones of neutralization of the positive electric charges of gelatin by macropolyanions, high structural-mechanical strength of the gels coincided with the minimum of swelling. In high concentrations of PHY, structural-mechanical strength and swelling of the gel became equal to the values characteristic of a gel consisting of gelatin only, but in high concentration of PPCS there was an additional parallel increase in this strength and in swelling of the gel.(Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR S. S. Debov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 10, pp. 1211–1213, October, 1976.     

皮质骨圈在椎弓根钉固定系统中支撑作用的生物力学评价

目的：了解脊椎椎弓根钉固定系统在人体皮质骨圈（allograft fusion cage,AFC)植入椎间隙前后对脊柱稳定性的影响。方法：在8具新鲜成年猪离体腰椎标上，以L2－3，L3－R，L4－5节段为实验对象，测试各节段在正常状态下（正常组）、椎间盘切除并Steffee钢板固定（内固定组）、椎间盘切除AFC植入Steffee钢板固定（AFC组）等三种种状态下的轴向压缩刚度。结果：（1）内固定组节段轴向压缩刚度为正常组的14．0％；（2）AFC组节段的轴向压缩刚度明显增加，达到了正常椎间的轴向压缩刚度；（3）在相同轴向压缩载荷作用下，AFC给椎弓根钉受力移位较内固定组明显减小。结论：脊椎椎弓根钉固定系统在AFC椎间植入后，对脊椎稳定性较无AFC植入显著增强，其受力移位明显减小，即可显著减少临床断钉。钢板折弯的机会。     

Muscle hypertrophy following 5‐week resistance training using a non‐gravity‐dependent exercise system

Aim: The efficacy of a mechanical, gravity‐independent resistance exercise (RE) system to induce strength gains and muscle hypertrophy was validated. Designed for space crew in orbit, this technique offers resistance during coupled concentric and eccentric actions by utilizing the inertia of a rotating flywheel(s), set in motion by the trainee. Methods: Ten middle‐aged (30–53 years) men and women performed four sets of seven maximal, unilateral (left limb) knee extensions two or three times weekly for 5 weeks. Knee extensor force and electromyographic (EMG) activity of the three superficial quadriceps muscles were measured before and after this intervention. In addition, with the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), volume of individual knee extensor and ankle plantar flexor muscles was assessed. Results: Over the 12 training sessions, the average concentric (CON) and eccentric (ECC) force generated during exercise increased by 11% (P < 0.05). Likewise, maximal isometric strength (maximal voluntary contraction, MVC) at 90 and 120° knee angle increased by (P < 0.05) 11 and 12% respectively, after training. Neither individual quadriceps muscle showed a change (P > 0.05) in maximal integrated EMG (iEMG) activity. Quadriceps muscle volume increased by 6.1% (P < 0.05). Although the magnitude of response varied, all individual quadriceps muscles showed increased (P < 0.05) volume after training. As expected, ankle plantar flexor volume of the trained limb was unchanged (P > 0.05). Likewise, MVC, CON and ECC force, iEMG and knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle volume were unaltered (P > 0.05) in the right, non‐trained limb. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the present RE regimen produces marked muscle hypertrophy and important increases in maximal voluntary strength and appears equally effective as RE paradigms using gravity‐dependent weights, in this regard.     

Eccentric and concentric torque-velocity relationships during arm flexion and extension

Summary Forty men were tested with a computerized dynamometer for concentric and eccentric torques during arm flexion and extension at 0.52, 1.57, and 2.09 rad·s^–1. Based on the summed concentric and eccentric torque scores, subjects were placed into a high strength (HS) or low strength (LS) group. The eccentric and concentric segments of the torque-velocity curves (TVCs) were generated using peak torque and constant-angle torque (CAT) at 1.57 and 2.36 rad. Angle of peak torque was also recorded. Compared to LS, HS had significantly greater estimated lean body mass (+ 10.2 kg) and approximately 25% greater average torque output. Reliability of the peak torque scores on 2 days in 20 subjects wasr0.85. The difference between observed torques and the mathematically computed criterion torque scores averaged 1% for three validation loads that ranged from 11.4 to 90.4 kg. Statistical analysis revealed that torque output in LS plateaued at low concentric velocities and was also flattened with increasing eccentric velocities. Conversely, torque ouptput for HS increased with decreasing concentric velocities and increased with increasing eccentric velocities. The method of plotting the TVCs for peak or CAT did not influence the pattern of TVC. Eccentric flexion peak torque occurred at a significantly shorter muscle length (1.88 rad) than concentric torque (2.12 rad). This difference was also present for extension; it was 1.88 rad for eccentric and 2.03 rad for concentric torque. These findings are discussed in terms of study design, neural inhibition, activation history, muscle-tendon elasticity, muscle fiber types, muscle architecture, and methodological considerations. The present results illustrate the importance of strength level to explain individual differences in TVC.     

Improvement of cognitive function by blood flow restriction training: mechanisms and applications北大核心

BACKGROUND: Blood flow restriction training is a new resistance training. Blood flow restriction training can not only influence muscle strength, mass and physical ability, but also induce and activate related signaling pathways such as neural plasticity and cognitive function. However, current studies have not systematically evaluated the effects of blood flow restriction training on the cognitive ability of different populations, and the neurobiological mechanism by which blood flow restriction training improves cognitive function is not fully understood. Moreover, the application solutions of blood flow restriction training are still not fully understood. OBJECTIVE: To review the existing experimental studies on the influence of blood flow restriction training on cognitive function of different populations, deeply analyze the potential neurobiological mechanisms, and summarize the previous rational programs of blood flow restriction training that improve cognitive function, in order to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the safe and effective application of this technology. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and CNKI databases were retrieved using “blood flow restriction training, pressure training, blood flow restriction therapy, blood flow restriction, pressure blood block training, blood block, cognitive function, cognitive ability” as Chinese keywords and “blood flow restriction therapy, KAATSU training, KAATSU volume, resistance training, BFR therapy, BFRT, blood flow restriction exercise, cognition, cognitive function” as English keywords. The search deadline was October 2022. Relevant inclusion criteria were established according to the research needs and finally 84 articles were included for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The experimental studies regarding the influence of blood flow restriction training on cognitive ability mainly select healthy people as subjects in an attempt to explore its application value in healthy elderly populations. However, in general, there are few studies on elderly people and patients with cognitive dysfunction. Blood flow restriction training can be used as a key factor to trigger positive neural adaptation to a certain extent by applying hypoxic stimulation to the extremity to induce transient brain oxygen deficiency. Blood flow restriction training can significantly improve the levels of bioactive molecules related to the improvement of cognitive function, mainly including insulin-like growth factor 1, growth hormone, vascular endothelial growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, lactic acid, hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivation factor 1α and norepinephrine. The formulation of blood flow restriction training application programs involves the selection of training participants, the determination of exercise factors and the setting of cuff pressure and its width. Future studies should pay attention to the comparison of the application effects of different blood flow restriction training methods in different populations, so as to make the clinical application of blood flow restriction training more perfect and reasonable, providing more theoretical basis for blood flow restriction training to improve cognitive function in patients with cognitive dysfunction. © 2023, Publishing House of Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research. All rights reserved.     

Relationship between passive properties of the calf muscles and plantarflexion concentric isokinetic torque characteristics

The purpose of this study was to use a model of aging to examine the relationships between passive properties of the calf muscles and plantarflexion concentric isokinetic torque characteristics. Eighty-one active women 20–84 years of age were tested using a Kin-Com isokinetic dynamometer interfaced with electromyography (EMG). The passive properties were tested by stretching the muscles from relaxed plantarflexion to a maximal dorsiflexion (DF) angle at a rate of 5°·s^–1 (0.087 rad·s^–1) with minimal raw EMG activity (<0.05 mV). The maximal concentric torque was tested from maximal passive DF into plantarflexion at four randomly ordered velocities of 30, 60, 120, and 180°·s^–1. Pearson correlation coefficients (Bonferroni adjusted) indicated a hierarchical order of high to moderate positive correlations between four passive properties and the peak and mean concentric torque for all test velocities. Correlation coefficients for the four passive properties ranged from 0.50 to 0.78 (P<0.001), and the coefficients of determination (r ²) from higher to lower were: (1) maximal DF passive resistive torque (r ²: 0.50–0.62), (2) length extensibility (r ²: 0.40–0.49), (3) maximal muscle length (r ²: 0.28–0.41), and (4) passive elastic stiffness in the last half of the full-stretch range of motion (r ²: 0.25–0.31). The maximal DF passive resistive torque and the length extensibility accounted for 50–62% and 40–49% of the variability in the concentric torque, respectively. The results indicate that the concentrically stronger calf muscles of active women were positively correlated with passively stronger, longer, and stiffer calf muscles, which are characteristics of the calf muscles of younger women. Further studies are needed to examine whether therapeutic interventions, such as stretching and strengthening, can promote adaptations in the calf muscles of older women to attain these more youthful characteristics. Electronic Publication     

基于骨和无有机成分骨与羟基磷灰石压缩性能实验比较的强度分析

目的分析判定以珊瑚为基体,通过水热交换法制成的羟基磷灰石植入体内后的强度是否可以达到活体骨的水平。方法实验测量羟基磷灰石、含有机成分的骨、无有机成分的骨的压缩极限应力。通过对比羟基磷灰石、骨及无有机成分的骨的压缩强度差别,确定胶原纤维对骨压缩强度的作用,进而应用经验模型预估人造羟基磷灰石在一定空隙度(0.1～0.5)范围变化时的强度。结果羟基磷灰石、骨及无有机成分的压缩强度分别为14.1 GPa、207 GPa和31.7 GPa。结论去除骨中的有机成分后其压缩强度降低约80%。水热交换法制成的羟基磷灰石抗压强度可能高于骨内羟基磷灰石,这种骨替代材料植入体内后,随着骨和纤维组织在内部生长,其强度有可能达到活体骨的水平。