Introduction : Since the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), the number... more Introduction : Since the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), the number of patients dying from AIDS has fallen by more than two thirds. However, treatment causes a number of side effects, especially metabolic problems. Aim of this study was to evaluate fitness and health benefits of fitwalking, as moderate aerobic exercise, with or without strength exercise, in people with HIV infection receiving HAART. Methods : Twenty HIV-infected, HAART-treated, sedentary male subjects performed an outdoor 12-week protocol consisting of 60 min of fitwalking at 65-75% of HRmax, 3 sessions a week. Eight subjects also performed, at each session, 30 min circuit training at 65% of 1RM. Subjects were tested at baseline (BL) and 12 weeks (W12) by: 6 Min Walking Test (6MWT); maximal number of crunches in 30 sec; 1 RM test (lat machine, chest press, leg extension, sitting calf, leg press); general and morphometric examination (heart rate, blood pressure, BMI, waist, hip and leg circumference); blood examination (cytometry, fasting total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, tryglicerides, glucose, insulin; AST/ALT, ALP, gGT, creatinine, CPK, HbA1c; CD4+ lymphocytes and plasma HIV-RNA level). Differences between groups were tested by the Mann-Withney test and differences over time by the Wilcoxon-signed rank test. BL differences between groups; results are expressed as [median (Q1-Q3)]. Results Out of 20 subjects, 18 [49.45 (43.75-54.33) yrs; BMI 24.95 (21.35-26.18) kg/m2] completed the 12-week training protocol and 9 (50%) attended 6565% of the training sessions. In the whole group, 6MWT distance improved significantly at W12 compared to BL [722.5 (695-830) vs. 675 (627.5-691) m, p=0.002]. At W12 a significant reduction was observed in BMI [24.95 (21.35-26.18) vs. 25.20 (22.71-26.87) kg/m2, p=0.009], waist circumference [92.00 (85.75-96.00) vs. 93.00 (86.25-97.25) cm, p=0.03] and LDL cholesterol [121 (102-135.5) vs. 131 (115-154) mg/dL, p=0.035]. The 8 subjects of the fit-strength group showed a significant increase of strength performance at W12. W12 changes of distance at 6MWT, waist and LDL level did not differ significantly between these subjects and those performing fitwalking only; BMI reduction was more marked in the latter subjects [23.95 (21.08-26.95) vs. 23.89 (21.53-27.13) kg/m2, p=0.054]. Discussion Fitwalking, with or without strength exercise, improved the aerobic fitness, morphometric variables and LDL cholesterol level in HIV-infected treated subjects. It can be offered to these patients to control the side effects of HAAR
Basketball involves high-intensity bouts interspersed with brief/incomplete recovery periods. As ... more Basketball involves high-intensity bouts interspersed with brief/incomplete recovery periods. As a result repeated-sprint ability and change of direction training assume logical validity in basketball. Ball-drill games (BD) were suggested as a viable training to provide a range of specific physiological adaptation in basketball. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of BD with Sprint Training (ST), and Generic Training (GT) on sprint ability and agility in basketball players. Thirty male regional-level players (17.3 \ub1 0.8 years, 74.2 \ub1 9.8 kg, 181.7 \ub1 7.3 cm) were matched according to VO2max and Anthropometrics and randomly assigned to 3 training groups: BDG (n=12, 4x4min 3 vs 3 at 95% of HRmax with 3-min passive recovery), STG (n=9, 3x6x20m shuttle running with 20-sec and 4-min recovery between bouts and series respectively) and GTG (n=9, control group, generic basketball technical/tactical exercises). Players were tested before and after 8 training weeks (2 sessions/week, 2hrs/session), for force platform Squat Jump and Countermovement Jump; Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIRTL1); Agility T-test (forward, lateral, and backward running); Line sprinting over 5/10/20 m and Line drill (LD). No time x group differences were found in jumping and sprinting performance. Significant improvements were reported for YYIRTL1 in BDG (+21%, p<0.05) and STG (+30%, p<0.05). Agility T-test performance showed significant improvements in BDG (-3.4%, p<0.05) and STG (-4.7%, p<0.05). LD test performance was enhanced in the BDG (-1.3 %, p<0.05) and STG (-2.2%, p<0.05). No significant changes in performance occurred in the GTG. These results showed that BD and ST may enhance aerobic and anaerobic fitness if added to usual training. BD, promoting skill development, should be considered as a valuable training tool when pursuing a holistic performance development in basketball players. Researches addressing the concurrent use of BD and ST are warranted
In many sport specialties, gravitational or centrifugal forces may importantly interfere with phy... more In many sport specialties, gravitational or centrifugal forces may importantly interfere with physiological functions. We realised a new wearable system, based on textile technology, for the assessment of cardiorespiratory signals and accelerations in sport and work activities performed in altered gravity, through uninterrupted long-term recordings (up to 28 hours), with no interference with the subjects’ behaviour. The system, named MagIC, consists of a vest made of cotton and lycra embedding two textile ECG electrodes, a textile piezoresistive transducer for measuring the respiratory frequency, and two small 3D MEMS accelerometers for assessing the subject’s movements and a seismocardiogram (i.e., the recording of body vibrations due to the heart beat). Sensors are connected to a small electronic module placed on the vest which digitalizes signals at 150 Hz, stores data on a memory card and/or wireless transmits them to an external PDA. The system has been previously tested on car...
Thermoneutral head-out water immersion (HOWI) is well known as analogue for simulating the fluid ... more Thermoneutral head-out water immersion (HOWI) is well known as analogue for simulating the fluid shifts observed during weightlessness. Various studies have demonstrated that HOWI can induce cardiovascular changes similar to those observed in spaceflight, however no investigations have studied the effects of HOWI on brain function thus far. While magnetic resonance imaging, the state-of-the-art for brain imaging, is bound to specialized laboratory, recent advances in portable electroencephalography (EEG) technology allow studying brain function in various settings. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effect of fluid shifts during short-term HOWI on electro-cortical activity, with respect to cardiovascular changes. 32 young healthy men were exposed to either 60 min of seated HOWI or seated dry control (CON), preceded by a 10 min baseline seated measurement. 3 periods of 2-min electro-cortical activity and cardiovascular data (impedance cardiography and continuos bloo...
In selected hypertensive subjects, cardiovascular adaptation to warm environments may be inadequa... more In selected hypertensive subjects, cardiovascular adaptation to warm environments may be inadequate or even harmful: heating associated to mudpack therapy may cause unexpected hypotension. How different antihypertensive drugs may affect the cardiovascular response to mudpack therapy is poorly studied.
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 2009
Bouldering contests consist of a series of short routes, called ''problems'', whi... more Bouldering contests consist of a series of short routes, called ''problems'', which shall be climbed without ropes. The purpose of this study was to determine blood lactate [Lac] concentration and heart rate (HR) adaptations both during an official bouldering competition and a simulated contest. Eleven Italian elite climbers (6 males, 5 females) were tested from two bouldering national competitions (BNC). [Lac] assessments were done before and 2, 4, 6, 8 min after the contest. On a separate occasion, 9 different elite climbers (6 males, 3 females), matched for anthropometric features and ranking, were assessed in a simulated bouldering contest (SBC), under conditions and difficulties comparable to BNC. HR was measured through the whole performance; [Lac] was assessed before and 3 min after the achievement of each problem. The ascending time in both BNC and SBC was 391+/-85 s and 551+/-96 s (P<0.001), respectively. During SBC the mean HR peak of each problem was 93...
Oxygen consumption (V\u307O2), heart rate (HR) and cost of locomotion (C, energy required to cove... more Oxygen consumption (V\u307O2), heart rate (HR) and cost of locomotion (C, energy required to cover 1 m per unit of transported mass) were measured in 14 paraplegics (age 19-59 yrs, BW 48-100 Kg, injury level C7-T11), during both wheelchair (Whch) and orthosis-assisted locomotion at 2-4 speeds, up to exhaustion (peak value, p). Subjects were divided into three groups; the HIP Guidance Orthosis Orlau Parawalker (PW, n=4), the Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (RGO, n=6) and the RGO with functional neuromuscular stimulation (RGO+FNS, n=4). Alms of the study were: a) to find out indicators of the poor long-term compliance (all but 2 RGO withdrawals in 5 yrs) on the basis of cost of locomotion and physical fitness; b) to assess selection criteria for the assignment of the different type of orthoses; c) to estimate whether electrical stimulation improves locomotion reducing fatigue. In RGO+FNS walking the slope difference of HR/V\u307O2 curves between Whch and orthosis (\u394slHR/V\u307O2) is significantly lower than in the other groups (=0 beats-l-1 for RGO+FNS vs 39 and 61 beats-I-1, for RGO and PW, respectively). Neither C, nor V\u307O2P or \u394slHR/V\u307O2 correlates with ortnosis length of use. C was higher (p<0.05) in RGO+FNS at low speeds (0.4-0.7 Km/h), but for medium to high speeds (0.7-1 Km/h) C was similar for the 3 orthoses, averaging 0.9*0.1 mlO2\ub7m-1\ub7Kg-1. It appears that: a) the poor long-term compliance for orthosis use depends on mechanisms (presumably psychological) apparently not related to fitness level; b) only those subjects who can deambulate at higher speeds might be suitable for electrical-stimulated types of orthosis. Hypothesis is made that adequate psychological and specific muscular training may improve compliance
On the basis of indirect evidences it has been hypothesized that during space missions the almost... more On the basis of indirect evidences it has been hypothesized that during space missions the almost complete absence of gravity might impair the baroreflex control of circulation. In the first part of this paper we report results obtained from a series of experiments carried out to directly verify this hypothesis during the 16-day STS 107 Shuttle flight. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity was assessed in four astronauts before flight (baseline) and at days 0-1, 6-7 and 12-13 during flight, both at rest and while performing moderate exercise. Our results indicate that at rest the baroreflex sensitivity significantly increased in the early flight phase, as compared to pre-flight values and tended to return to baseline in the mid-late phase of flight. During exercise, baroreflex sensitivity was lower than at rest, without any difference among pre-flight and in-flight values. These findings seem to exclude the hypothesis of an impairment of the baroreflex control of heart rate during exposure to microgravity, at least over a time window of 16 days. In the second part of the paper we propose a novel textile-based methodology for heart rate and other vital signs monitoring during gravity stress. The positive results obtained from its use during parachute jumps support the use of smart garments for the unobtrusive assessment of physiological parameters in extreme environments.
Seismocardiography is the body-surface recording of vibrations produced by the beating heart. A h... more Seismocardiography is the body-surface recording of vibrations produced by the beating heart. A high frequency (HF) accelerometric component of the seismocardiogram (SCG) is related to the heart sounds generated by the closure of atrio-ventricular and semilunar valves. This paper evaluates the feasibility of recording the SCG component associated to cardiac sounds by means of a wearable device originally designed for monitoring ECG, respiratory movements, body accelerations and posture in freely moving subjects. The method is based on the averaging of the HF component of the acceleration vector measured by the wearable system, and on the subsequent extraction of features from its envelope. The method is applied on data recorded in healthy volunteers in different postures and during sleep. Results indicate that it is possible to reliably identify the time of occurrence of the first and second heart sound within the cardiac cycle. They also show significant differences in the HF component of SCG between supine and standing postures. Analyzing the HF SCG in a volunteer sleeping at high altitude (4554 m asl) substantial differences were also found among three body positions (lying supine or on the left or right side). These differences are likely to reflect changes in cardiac mechanics induced by different postures of the body.
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy - CARDIOVASC DRUG THERAPY, 1998
The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of trimetazidin... more The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of trimetazidine during reflow of ischemic hearts is mediated by energy sparing and ATP pool preservation during ischemia. Isolated rat hearts (controls and rats treated with 10-6 M trimetazidine, n = 17 per group) underwent the following protocol: baseline perfusion at normal coronary flow (20 minutes), low-flow ischemia at 10% flow (60 minutes), and reflow (20 minutes). We measured contractile function, O2 uptake, lactate release, venous pH and PCO2, and the tissue content of high-energy phosphates and their metabolites. During baseline, trimetazidine induced higher venous pH and lower PCO2 without influencing performance and metabolism. During low-flow ischemia, trimetazidine reduced myocardial performance (P = 0.04) and ATP turnover (P = 0.02). During reflow, trimetazidine improved performance (91 ± 6% versus. 55 ± 6% of baseline), prevented the development of diastolic contracture and coronary res...
ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) may b... more ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) may be critically associated to running performance in marathon runners of low-to-medium level. In particular, fast performers show accentuated resting bradycardia and enhanced post-competition vasodilation.PURPOSE: To evaluate HR and BP in elite Kenyan runners and to assess the possible relationship, if any, between these variables and the marathon performance time.METHODS: Thirteen male elite Kenyan runners (28±4 yrs; 60.7±5.5 kg; 171±6 cm; last marathon time: 2 h and 9±3 min) and 10 high-level Caucasian runners (32±5 yrs; 67.8±9.7 kg; 175±5 cm; last marathon time: 2 h and 20±11 min) were enrolled. The morning (at least 12 h after the last training session) post-awakening systolic and diastolic BP and HR (V5 lead) were monitored on a beat-to-beat basis in supine position at rest for 10 min.RESULTS: No differences were observed between Kenyan and Caucasian runners in heart rate (47±3 vs. 49±8 bpm, respectively,) and systolic (112±9 vs. 113±5 mmHg, respectively) BP. On the contrary, diastolic BP (72±9 vs.77±4 mmHg, p&lt;0.05 in Kenyan vs. Caucasian subjects) was significantly reduced in Kenyan athletes. Unexpectedly, a significant negative relationship (r=-0,61; p=0.03) was observed between diastolic BP and last marathon performance time, but in Kenyan runners only. Performance time had no correlation with heart rate and systolic BP in both groups.CONCLUSION: The comparable resting bradycardia observed in both groups of athletes suggests a similar effect of strenuous endurance training on the parasympathetic control of heart rhythm. The lower diastolic BP level in Kenyan runners may be due to different sympathetic control of peripheral resistances in lower limb muscles. The negative association of diastolic BP with running performance (marathon time increases of about 1 min for each 5 mmHg of diastolic BP reduction), observed in Kenyan athletes only, needs further interpretation.
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness
The present study aimed to: 1) define the anthropometric and physiological profiles of female pro... more The present study aimed to: 1) define the anthropometric and physiological profiles of female professional yoga practitioner compared to that of other athletes; 2) evaluate the energy expenditure (EE) during a yoga session. The percentage fat mass (FM%) and fat free mass (FFM%), the maximal aerobic power (VO2max), the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensor muscles and the maximal anaerobic alactacid power (Wmax) were assessed in a group of yoga practitioners (Yo), long distance runners (LDR), sprinters (Spr), karate practitioners (Ka) and sedentary control subjects (Con). EE was evaluated in Yo during a yoga session (execution of a sequence of six yoga postures, called asanas). FM% was significantly higher in Con (24.2±2.6%) than in other groups (18±1.9%, pooled data, P<0.05). FFM% did not differ among groups. VO2max was higher in LDR (55.6±1.8 mL min-1 kg-1) compared to other groups (41.7±3 mL min-1 kg-1, pooled data, P<0.05). MVC and Wmax were higher in Yo, Spr...
Introduction : Since the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), the number... more Introduction : Since the introduction of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART), the number of patients dying from AIDS has fallen by more than two thirds. However, treatment causes a number of side effects, especially metabolic problems. Aim of this study was to evaluate fitness and health benefits of fitwalking, as moderate aerobic exercise, with or without strength exercise, in people with HIV infection receiving HAART. Methods : Twenty HIV-infected, HAART-treated, sedentary male subjects performed an outdoor 12-week protocol consisting of 60 min of fitwalking at 65-75% of HRmax, 3 sessions a week. Eight subjects also performed, at each session, 30 min circuit training at 65% of 1RM. Subjects were tested at baseline (BL) and 12 weeks (W12) by: 6 Min Walking Test (6MWT); maximal number of crunches in 30 sec; 1 RM test (lat machine, chest press, leg extension, sitting calf, leg press); general and morphometric examination (heart rate, blood pressure, BMI, waist, hip and leg circumference); blood examination (cytometry, fasting total, HDL and LDL cholesterol, tryglicerides, glucose, insulin; AST/ALT, ALP, gGT, creatinine, CPK, HbA1c; CD4+ lymphocytes and plasma HIV-RNA level). Differences between groups were tested by the Mann-Withney test and differences over time by the Wilcoxon-signed rank test. BL differences between groups; results are expressed as [median (Q1-Q3)]. Results Out of 20 subjects, 18 [49.45 (43.75-54.33) yrs; BMI 24.95 (21.35-26.18) kg/m2] completed the 12-week training protocol and 9 (50%) attended 6565% of the training sessions. In the whole group, 6MWT distance improved significantly at W12 compared to BL [722.5 (695-830) vs. 675 (627.5-691) m, p=0.002]. At W12 a significant reduction was observed in BMI [24.95 (21.35-26.18) vs. 25.20 (22.71-26.87) kg/m2, p=0.009], waist circumference [92.00 (85.75-96.00) vs. 93.00 (86.25-97.25) cm, p=0.03] and LDL cholesterol [121 (102-135.5) vs. 131 (115-154) mg/dL, p=0.035]. The 8 subjects of the fit-strength group showed a significant increase of strength performance at W12. W12 changes of distance at 6MWT, waist and LDL level did not differ significantly between these subjects and those performing fitwalking only; BMI reduction was more marked in the latter subjects [23.95 (21.08-26.95) vs. 23.89 (21.53-27.13) kg/m2, p=0.054]. Discussion Fitwalking, with or without strength exercise, improved the aerobic fitness, morphometric variables and LDL cholesterol level in HIV-infected treated subjects. It can be offered to these patients to control the side effects of HAAR
Basketball involves high-intensity bouts interspersed with brief/incomplete recovery periods. As ... more Basketball involves high-intensity bouts interspersed with brief/incomplete recovery periods. As a result repeated-sprint ability and change of direction training assume logical validity in basketball. Ball-drill games (BD) were suggested as a viable training to provide a range of specific physiological adaptation in basketball. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects of BD with Sprint Training (ST), and Generic Training (GT) on sprint ability and agility in basketball players. Thirty male regional-level players (17.3 \ub1 0.8 years, 74.2 \ub1 9.8 kg, 181.7 \ub1 7.3 cm) were matched according to VO2max and Anthropometrics and randomly assigned to 3 training groups: BDG (n=12, 4x4min 3 vs 3 at 95% of HRmax with 3-min passive recovery), STG (n=9, 3x6x20m shuttle running with 20-sec and 4-min recovery between bouts and series respectively) and GTG (n=9, control group, generic basketball technical/tactical exercises). Players were tested before and after 8 training weeks (2 sessions/week, 2hrs/session), for force platform Squat Jump and Countermovement Jump; Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (YYIRTL1); Agility T-test (forward, lateral, and backward running); Line sprinting over 5/10/20 m and Line drill (LD). No time x group differences were found in jumping and sprinting performance. Significant improvements were reported for YYIRTL1 in BDG (+21%, p<0.05) and STG (+30%, p<0.05). Agility T-test performance showed significant improvements in BDG (-3.4%, p<0.05) and STG (-4.7%, p<0.05). LD test performance was enhanced in the BDG (-1.3 %, p<0.05) and STG (-2.2%, p<0.05). No significant changes in performance occurred in the GTG. These results showed that BD and ST may enhance aerobic and anaerobic fitness if added to usual training. BD, promoting skill development, should be considered as a valuable training tool when pursuing a holistic performance development in basketball players. Researches addressing the concurrent use of BD and ST are warranted
In many sport specialties, gravitational or centrifugal forces may importantly interfere with phy... more In many sport specialties, gravitational or centrifugal forces may importantly interfere with physiological functions. We realised a new wearable system, based on textile technology, for the assessment of cardiorespiratory signals and accelerations in sport and work activities performed in altered gravity, through uninterrupted long-term recordings (up to 28 hours), with no interference with the subjects’ behaviour. The system, named MagIC, consists of a vest made of cotton and lycra embedding two textile ECG electrodes, a textile piezoresistive transducer for measuring the respiratory frequency, and two small 3D MEMS accelerometers for assessing the subject’s movements and a seismocardiogram (i.e., the recording of body vibrations due to the heart beat). Sensors are connected to a small electronic module placed on the vest which digitalizes signals at 150 Hz, stores data on a memory card and/or wireless transmits them to an external PDA. The system has been previously tested on car...
Thermoneutral head-out water immersion (HOWI) is well known as analogue for simulating the fluid ... more Thermoneutral head-out water immersion (HOWI) is well known as analogue for simulating the fluid shifts observed during weightlessness. Various studies have demonstrated that HOWI can induce cardiovascular changes similar to those observed in spaceflight, however no investigations have studied the effects of HOWI on brain function thus far. While magnetic resonance imaging, the state-of-the-art for brain imaging, is bound to specialized laboratory, recent advances in portable electroencephalography (EEG) technology allow studying brain function in various settings. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effect of fluid shifts during short-term HOWI on electro-cortical activity, with respect to cardiovascular changes. 32 young healthy men were exposed to either 60 min of seated HOWI or seated dry control (CON), preceded by a 10 min baseline seated measurement. 3 periods of 2-min electro-cortical activity and cardiovascular data (impedance cardiography and continuos bloo...
In selected hypertensive subjects, cardiovascular adaptation to warm environments may be inadequa... more In selected hypertensive subjects, cardiovascular adaptation to warm environments may be inadequate or even harmful: heating associated to mudpack therapy may cause unexpected hypotension. How different antihypertensive drugs may affect the cardiovascular response to mudpack therapy is poorly studied.
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness, 2009
Bouldering contests consist of a series of short routes, called ''problems'', whi... more Bouldering contests consist of a series of short routes, called ''problems'', which shall be climbed without ropes. The purpose of this study was to determine blood lactate [Lac] concentration and heart rate (HR) adaptations both during an official bouldering competition and a simulated contest. Eleven Italian elite climbers (6 males, 5 females) were tested from two bouldering national competitions (BNC). [Lac] assessments were done before and 2, 4, 6, 8 min after the contest. On a separate occasion, 9 different elite climbers (6 males, 3 females), matched for anthropometric features and ranking, were assessed in a simulated bouldering contest (SBC), under conditions and difficulties comparable to BNC. HR was measured through the whole performance; [Lac] was assessed before and 3 min after the achievement of each problem. The ascending time in both BNC and SBC was 391+/-85 s and 551+/-96 s (P<0.001), respectively. During SBC the mean HR peak of each problem was 93...
Oxygen consumption (V\u307O2), heart rate (HR) and cost of locomotion (C, energy required to cove... more Oxygen consumption (V\u307O2), heart rate (HR) and cost of locomotion (C, energy required to cover 1 m per unit of transported mass) were measured in 14 paraplegics (age 19-59 yrs, BW 48-100 Kg, injury level C7-T11), during both wheelchair (Whch) and orthosis-assisted locomotion at 2-4 speeds, up to exhaustion (peak value, p). Subjects were divided into three groups; the HIP Guidance Orthosis Orlau Parawalker (PW, n=4), the Reciprocating Gait Orthosis (RGO, n=6) and the RGO with functional neuromuscular stimulation (RGO+FNS, n=4). Alms of the study were: a) to find out indicators of the poor long-term compliance (all but 2 RGO withdrawals in 5 yrs) on the basis of cost of locomotion and physical fitness; b) to assess selection criteria for the assignment of the different type of orthoses; c) to estimate whether electrical stimulation improves locomotion reducing fatigue. In RGO+FNS walking the slope difference of HR/V\u307O2 curves between Whch and orthosis (\u394slHR/V\u307O2) is significantly lower than in the other groups (=0 beats-l-1 for RGO+FNS vs 39 and 61 beats-I-1, for RGO and PW, respectively). Neither C, nor V\u307O2P or \u394slHR/V\u307O2 correlates with ortnosis length of use. C was higher (p<0.05) in RGO+FNS at low speeds (0.4-0.7 Km/h), but for medium to high speeds (0.7-1 Km/h) C was similar for the 3 orthoses, averaging 0.9*0.1 mlO2\ub7m-1\ub7Kg-1. It appears that: a) the poor long-term compliance for orthosis use depends on mechanisms (presumably psychological) apparently not related to fitness level; b) only those subjects who can deambulate at higher speeds might be suitable for electrical-stimulated types of orthosis. Hypothesis is made that adequate psychological and specific muscular training may improve compliance
On the basis of indirect evidences it has been hypothesized that during space missions the almost... more On the basis of indirect evidences it has been hypothesized that during space missions the almost complete absence of gravity might impair the baroreflex control of circulation. In the first part of this paper we report results obtained from a series of experiments carried out to directly verify this hypothesis during the 16-day STS 107 Shuttle flight. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity was assessed in four astronauts before flight (baseline) and at days 0-1, 6-7 and 12-13 during flight, both at rest and while performing moderate exercise. Our results indicate that at rest the baroreflex sensitivity significantly increased in the early flight phase, as compared to pre-flight values and tended to return to baseline in the mid-late phase of flight. During exercise, baroreflex sensitivity was lower than at rest, without any difference among pre-flight and in-flight values. These findings seem to exclude the hypothesis of an impairment of the baroreflex control of heart rate during exposure to microgravity, at least over a time window of 16 days. In the second part of the paper we propose a novel textile-based methodology for heart rate and other vital signs monitoring during gravity stress. The positive results obtained from its use during parachute jumps support the use of smart garments for the unobtrusive assessment of physiological parameters in extreme environments.
Seismocardiography is the body-surface recording of vibrations produced by the beating heart. A h... more Seismocardiography is the body-surface recording of vibrations produced by the beating heart. A high frequency (HF) accelerometric component of the seismocardiogram (SCG) is related to the heart sounds generated by the closure of atrio-ventricular and semilunar valves. This paper evaluates the feasibility of recording the SCG component associated to cardiac sounds by means of a wearable device originally designed for monitoring ECG, respiratory movements, body accelerations and posture in freely moving subjects. The method is based on the averaging of the HF component of the acceleration vector measured by the wearable system, and on the subsequent extraction of features from its envelope. The method is applied on data recorded in healthy volunteers in different postures and during sleep. Results indicate that it is possible to reliably identify the time of occurrence of the first and second heart sound within the cardiac cycle. They also show significant differences in the HF component of SCG between supine and standing postures. Analyzing the HF SCG in a volunteer sleeping at high altitude (4554 m asl) substantial differences were also found among three body positions (lying supine or on the left or right side). These differences are likely to reflect changes in cardiac mechanics induced by different postures of the body.
Cardiovascular Drugs and Therapy - CARDIOVASC DRUG THERAPY, 1998
The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of trimetazidin... more The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the beneficial effect of trimetazidine during reflow of ischemic hearts is mediated by energy sparing and ATP pool preservation during ischemia. Isolated rat hearts (controls and rats treated with 10-6 M trimetazidine, n = 17 per group) underwent the following protocol: baseline perfusion at normal coronary flow (20 minutes), low-flow ischemia at 10% flow (60 minutes), and reflow (20 minutes). We measured contractile function, O2 uptake, lactate release, venous pH and PCO2, and the tissue content of high-energy phosphates and their metabolites. During baseline, trimetazidine induced higher venous pH and lower PCO2 without influencing performance and metabolism. During low-flow ischemia, trimetazidine reduced myocardial performance (P = 0.04) and ATP turnover (P = 0.02). During reflow, trimetazidine improved performance (91 ± 6% versus. 55 ± 6% of baseline), prevented the development of diastolic contracture and coronary res...
ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) may b... more ABSTRACT Previous studies have shown that heart rate (HR) and diastolic blood pressure (BP) may be critically associated to running performance in marathon runners of low-to-medium level. In particular, fast performers show accentuated resting bradycardia and enhanced post-competition vasodilation.PURPOSE: To evaluate HR and BP in elite Kenyan runners and to assess the possible relationship, if any, between these variables and the marathon performance time.METHODS: Thirteen male elite Kenyan runners (28±4 yrs; 60.7±5.5 kg; 171±6 cm; last marathon time: 2 h and 9±3 min) and 10 high-level Caucasian runners (32±5 yrs; 67.8±9.7 kg; 175±5 cm; last marathon time: 2 h and 20±11 min) were enrolled. The morning (at least 12 h after the last training session) post-awakening systolic and diastolic BP and HR (V5 lead) were monitored on a beat-to-beat basis in supine position at rest for 10 min.RESULTS: No differences were observed between Kenyan and Caucasian runners in heart rate (47±3 vs. 49±8 bpm, respectively,) and systolic (112±9 vs. 113±5 mmHg, respectively) BP. On the contrary, diastolic BP (72±9 vs.77±4 mmHg, p&lt;0.05 in Kenyan vs. Caucasian subjects) was significantly reduced in Kenyan athletes. Unexpectedly, a significant negative relationship (r=-0,61; p=0.03) was observed between diastolic BP and last marathon performance time, but in Kenyan runners only. Performance time had no correlation with heart rate and systolic BP in both groups.CONCLUSION: The comparable resting bradycardia observed in both groups of athletes suggests a similar effect of strenuous endurance training on the parasympathetic control of heart rhythm. The lower diastolic BP level in Kenyan runners may be due to different sympathetic control of peripheral resistances in lower limb muscles. The negative association of diastolic BP with running performance (marathon time increases of about 1 min for each 5 mmHg of diastolic BP reduction), observed in Kenyan athletes only, needs further interpretation.
The Journal of sports medicine and physical fitness
The present study aimed to: 1) define the anthropometric and physiological profiles of female pro... more The present study aimed to: 1) define the anthropometric and physiological profiles of female professional yoga practitioner compared to that of other athletes; 2) evaluate the energy expenditure (EE) during a yoga session. The percentage fat mass (FM%) and fat free mass (FFM%), the maximal aerobic power (VO2max), the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) of knee extensor muscles and the maximal anaerobic alactacid power (Wmax) were assessed in a group of yoga practitioners (Yo), long distance runners (LDR), sprinters (Spr), karate practitioners (Ka) and sedentary control subjects (Con). EE was evaluated in Yo during a yoga session (execution of a sequence of six yoga postures, called asanas). FM% was significantly higher in Con (24.2±2.6%) than in other groups (18±1.9%, pooled data, P<0.05). FFM% did not differ among groups. VO2max was higher in LDR (55.6±1.8 mL min-1 kg-1) compared to other groups (41.7±3 mL min-1 kg-1, pooled data, P<0.05). MVC and Wmax were higher in Yo, Spr...
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