Physiology Commons^™

Directing Attention Externally Produces Consistent Vertical Jump Assessment Results, Logan T. Markwell, Hubert Makaruk, Vanessa Frost-Piedrahita, Jared M. Porter

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(5): 448-457, 2023. Recent research has demonstrated that consistent external attentional focus instructions produce more reliable jumping measurements compared to non-consistent focus of attention instructions. While previous research has examined the effects of different external attentional focus instructions, less is known about different external focus of attention instruction effects during a vertical jump. Given that previous work has demonstrated that consistent external focus of attention instructions produced reliable jumping estimations, we hypothesized that using multiple methods to direct attention externally would produce consistent vertical jump results. Using a within-participant design, college aged students (n …

Reliability Of A Novel Automated Ultrasound Technology For Body Composition Assessment And Comparisons With Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, Adam Bradley, Lukus Klawitter, Emma Carver, Zach Johnson, Ryan Mcgrath, Sherri Stastny, Bryan Christensen, Kyle Hackney

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 393-401, 2023. Body composition tools vary in reliability, portability, and accessibility. The purpose of this study was to evaluate test-retest reliability of MuscleSound® (MS) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for both two compartment (region) and three compartment (tissue) models. A secondary aim was to compare body composition values produced by both devices. Fifty participants (n = 25 male, n = 25 female) aged 18-39 years completed two body composition assessments, twice in a single session. Participants arrived at the lab after a 12-hour fast. DXA required participants to lay supine for 10-15 minutes …

Effects Of Different Percentages Of Blood Flow Restriction On Muscle Oxygen Saturation While Walking, Clayton Shriver, Yvette Figueroa, Jayson R. Gifford, Patrick Davis

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 411-428, 2023. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of different relative pressures of blood flow restriction (BFR) on muscle oxygen saturation (SmO₂) while walking at 3.0 mph (4.83 kph). Fifteen physically active healthy adults performed seven 5-minute stages of walking at 3.0 mph with a blood flow restriction cuff applied to the proximal portion of the left or right leg while bilateral SmO₂ changes were measured using near infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) on the medial head of the gastrocnemius (GM) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles. Other measurements including …

Arch Stiffness Does Not Determine Running Economy In Recreational Runners, Ian Bradford, Padraig Kirkwood, Jared Eddy, Phillip Essenmacher, Jean L. Mccrory, Brian K. Leary

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 402-410, 2023. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between foot length, arch stiffness, and running economy in recreational runner at low running velocities. Sixteen trained endurance (age 20.5 ± 0.4 yrs, height 172 ± 1.8 cm, and mass 68.53 ± 2.40 kg) athletes had their foot anthropometrics and running economy measured. Foot anthropometrics including Foot Length (FL), Arch Stiffness Index (ASI), and Achilles Tendon Moment Arm Length (ATML) were assessed. Subjects then completed a maximal oxygen consumption (VO_2max) test and running economy (RE) assessment. RE was measured …

Training Status Impacts Metabolic Response To A High-Protein Weight Loss Diet In Recreationally Resistance-Trained Females., Alyssa A. Olenick, Regis C. Pearson, Nathan T. Jenkins

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 377-392, 2023. This study investigated the effects of a novel high-protein diet template on postprandial metabolism and body composition (e.g., waist and hip circumference, body fat (%), fat mass, fat-free mass) in recreationally resistance-trained females. Fifteen females adhered to an eight-week high-protein dietary intervention (~1.5-1.6 g·kg^-1·day^-1) administered via template format. Pre- and post-intervention visits included anthropometrics, measurement of body composition, and an acute high-fat meal challenge. The high-fat meal challenge (61% fat) consisted of fasting postprandial blood glucose, resting metabolic rate (RMR), fat and carbohydrate oxidation assessed at 60-, 120-, …

Anthropometric Predictors Of Conventional Deadlift Kinematics And Kinetics: A Preliminary Study, Dale S. Keith, Daniel Scherrer, Brandon Nunley, Jake R. Boykin, Jacob J. Green, Madelin R. Siedler, Christian Rodriguez, Patrick S. Harty, Matthew T. Stratton, John R. Harry, Grant M. Tinsley

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(1): 429-447, 2023. The purpose of this preliminary analysis was to determine if there are relationships between anthropometric characteristics (arm length, torso length, thigh length, and shank length) and conventional deadlift (CDL) kinematics and kinetics during a 5 sets of 5 repetitions (5 x 5) CDL routine in resistance-trained males. Eleven males who had experience with the deadlift exercise were included in this analysis (age: 21.5 ± 1.4 y; height: 180.7 ± 5.7 cm; body mass: 89.9 ± 16.0 kg). Anthropometrics were measured by a 3-dimensional optical scanner. The participants underwent a 5 x 5 …

Endothelial Cell Nrf2-Ko Attenuates Endothelial Function And Skeletal Muscle Antioxidant Capacity, Elizabeth J. Pekas, Cody P. Anderson, Michael F. Allen, Kollyn B. Jallen, Dong Gun Jin, Andres Benitez-Albiter, Christian D. Sanchez Tato, Lie Gao, Neha Dhyani, Tara L. Rudebush, Irving H. Zucker, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRODUCTION: Endothelial cells line the inner surface of blood vessels and play a major role in modulating blood flow and gas exchange. Endothelial dysfunction is thought to be a contributor to cardiovascular disease development, and it is well-accepted that excessive reactive oxygen species (harmful molecules) likely contribute to endothelial dysfunction. The transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is considered the master regulator of cellular protection in response to elevated reactive oxygen species. Therefore, Nrf2 may be a potential therapeutic target to protect against endothelial dysfunction. However, the roles of endothelial cell-specific Nrf2 on endothelial function are not …

Impaired Hydrogen Sulfide Protein Expression In Patients With Peripheral Artery Disease, Dong Gun Jin, Kollyn B. Jallen, Liz Pekas, Song-Young Park

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

INTRODUCTION: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gaseous signaling molecule that serves various roles in the vasculature, such as upregulating angiogenesis, vascular smooth muscle relaxation, protecting endothelial function, and regulating redox balance. Despite H₂S’s positive impacts on vascular homeostasis, it is important to note that its actions depend on its concentrations. At high concentrations, H₂S has been reported to increase oxidative stress damage, such as oxidation of cysteine residues and lipid peroxidation. This may indicate that H₂S may act as a ‘double-edged sword’ in the field of vascular physiology. Peripheral artery disease (PAD) …

Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Participates In The Host Response To Intra-Amniotic Inflammation Leading To Preterm Labor And Birth, Tomi Kanninen, Li Tao, Roberto Romero, Yi Xu, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez, Jose Galaz, Zhenjie Liu, Derek Miller, Dustyn Levenson, Jonathan M. Greenberg, Jonathan Panzer, Justin Padron, Kevin Theis, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: To determine if bacteria (Ureaplasma parvum and Sneathia spp.) associated with intra-amniotic infection can trigger the induction of cytokine Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in human amnion epithelial cells (hAECs) in vitro.

Material or subjects: Amniotic fluid and chorioamniotic membrane (CAM) were collected from women with sPTL who delivered at term (n=30) or preterm without intra-amniotic inflammation (n=34), with sterile intra-amniotic inflammation (SIAI, n=27), or with intra-amniotic infection (IAI, n=17). Amnion epithelial cells (AECs), Ureaplasma parvum, and Sneathia spp. were also utilized.

Methods: The expression of TSLP, TSLPR, and IL-7Rα was evaluated in amniotic fluid or CAM by …

Movement, Behavior, And Trophic Ecology Of A Pelagic Predator Guild In The Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, Ryan Keith Logan

All HCAS Student Capstones, Theses, and Dissertations

Pelagic apex predators exert strong influences on ecological communities, and often support valuable commercial or recreational fisheries worldwide. Yet, due to their rarity and pelagic lifestyle, many species, such as billfishes, have proven particularly difficult to study at resolutions necessary to define dynamics of recovery from fishery interaction, physical interaction with environmental features and prey exploitation, and competitive interactions among other billfish predators. This leads to a paucity of knowledge on billfish ecology and habitat use, and hinders management efforts. With the ever-improving and miniaturization of technology and oceanographic datasets, the ability to define and quantify these interactions of fish …

Estimates Of Agreement Between Three Low-Cost And One High-Cost Bioelectrical Impedance Analyzers Using Classical And Contemporary Dancers., Roberto González Marenco, Martha Medina-Escobedo, Joaquín Blanco-Castillo, Jorge Euan-Zapata, Saile Chan-Kantún, José Sanguino-Pinzón José, Cinthia Gamboa-Pereyra

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(4): 353-363, 2023. The aim of this study was to determine the concordance between the estimates of three low-cost and one high-cost electrical bioimpedance equipment (BIA) in classical and contemporary dancers. Participation in the study included 28 subjects (15 men and 13 women) 18 to 35 years old, who perform classical and/or modern dance, thrice weekly, from 60 to 120 min per session, for 10 years or more. Those who presented any disease, consumed drugs, supplements or multivitamins; had prostheses, surgical metal parts or pacemakers, had problems maintaining the correct anatomical positions for taking measurements, …

Changes In Physical Activity During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Assessment, Andrew Corbett, Kathryn E. Wilson, Andrew Van Horn, Jessica D. Ayers, Hector Hurmuz, Athena Aktipis

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(5): 327-341, 2023. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic in March 2020. Resulting containment protocols altered the day-to-day lives of people around the globe, impacting typical physical activity patterns. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to understand how physical activity changes occurred during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants (n = 271) completed a survey including a qualitative item asking for descriptions of how their physical activity had changed, as well as a categorical item asking whether they had become more active, stayed equally as active, or become less active …

The Effect Of A Division 1 Women’S Basketball Strength And Conditioning Protocol On Mental Toughness, Zach Olivan, Jeff Cherubini, Andreas Stamatis Dr.

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(5): 315-326, 2023. Mental toughness (MT) is a popularized term in sports since it has been found to be positively related to performance. Self-assessment is the most common method of MT data collection. In the strength and conditioning (S&C) context, MT research has focused on males with a notable lack of female participants. Division 1 NCAA strength and conditioning coaches (SCC) spend more hours with their athletes during offseason training than any other coach. The purpose of this study was to measure the perceived effectiveness of an off-season S&C training regimen on MT levels of …

Heart Rate Variability As A Neuroautonomic Marker To Assess The Impact Of Karate Training – An Observational Pediatric Study, Puneet Bhattacharya Ms, Sridip Chatterjee, Samiran Mondal, Dilip Roy

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 342-352, 2023. Habitual physical activity improves heart functions and parasympathetic tone; Karate training is considered as a moderate physical activity with rhythmical breathing patternology. Heart rate variability (HRV) is an electrophysiological tool which measures cardio autonomic homeostasis; is used in the present study as an indirect marker to measure neurocognitive development with karate training. The aim of the present study was to find out the impact of regular karate training on cardiac autonomic responses through Heart Rate Variability (HRV) between karate players and age-sex matched active controls. A total of 30 male school-going children …

Comparable Acute Metabolic Responses When Walking With Blood Flow Restriction And Walking With Load Carriage: Implication For Tactical Professionals, Nathan D. Dicks, Sean J. Mahoney, Allison M. Barry, Katie J. Lyman, Kyle J. Hackney

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 16(2): 304-314, 2023. The current study aimed to investigate exercise with blood flow restriction (BFR) as a low-intensity conditioning strategy in tactical professionals with load carriage. During the low-intensity exercise, researchers examined the acute metabolic responses from low-intensity BFR walking, walking with load carriage, and walking with BFR and load carriage. Twelve healthy adult males (age = 21.8 ± 1.5 yrs, height = 181.3 ± 7.2 cm, body mass = 84.4 ± 11.1 kg and BMI = 25.6 ± 2.6 kg^.m²) completed five bouts of 3-min treadmill walking at 4.8 kmh …

Impact Of The Dimethyl Sulfoxide Reductase Superfamily On The Evolution Of Biogeochemical Cycles, Michael Wells, Minjae Kim, Denise M. Akob, Partha Basu, John F. Stolz

UK CARES Faculty Publications

The dimethyl sulfoxide reductase (or MopB) family is a diverse assemblage of enzymes found throughout Bacteria and Archaea. Many of these enzymes are believed to have been present in the last universal common ancestor (LUCA) of all cellular lineages. However, gaps in knowledge remain about how MopB enzymes evolved and how this diversification of functions impacted global biogeochemical cycles through geologic time. In this study, we perform maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses on manually curated comparative genomic and metagenomic data sets containing over 47,000 distinct MopB homologs. We demonstrate that these enzymes constitute a catalytically and mechanistically diverse superfamily defined not …

Loss Of Peroxiredoxin Iv Protects Mice From Azoxymethane/Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colorectal Cancer Development, Pratik Thapa, Hong Jiang, Na Ding, Yanning Hao, Aziza Alshahrani, Eun Young Lee, Junichi Fujii, Qiou Wei

Markey Cancer Center Faculty Publications

Peroxiredoxin IV (Prx4), a typical two-cysteine-containing member of the peroxidase family, functions as an antioxidant to maintain cellular redox homeostasis through the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via cycles of oxidation–reduction reactions. Under oxidative stress, all Prxs including Prx4 are inactivated as their catalytic cysteines undergo hyperoxidation, and hyperoxidized two-cysteine Prxs can be exclusively repaired and revitalized through the reduction cycle catalyzed by sulfiredoxin (Srx). Previously, we showed that Prx4 is a preferred substrate of Srx, and knockout of Srx in mice leads to resistance to azoxymethane/dextran sulfate sodium (AOM/DSS)-induced colon carcinogenesis. To further understand the significance of the …

Chronic Environmental Circadian Disruption Increases Atherosclerosis And Dyslipidemia In Female, But Not Male, Apolipoproteine-Deficient Mice, Jeffrey M. Chalfant, Deborah A. Howatt, Victoria B. Johnson, Lisa R. Tannock, Alan Daugherty, Julie S. Pendergast

Saha Cardiovascular Research Center Faculty Publications

Shift work chronically disrupts circadian rhythms and increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms linking shift work and cardiovascular disease are largely unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of chronically shifting the light-dark (LD) cycle, which models the disordered exposure to light that may occur during shift work, on atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the progressive accumulation of lipid-filled lesions within the artery wall and is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease. We studied ApolipoproteinE-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice that are a well-established model of atherosclerosis. Male and female ApoE−/− mice were housed in control 12L:12D …

Hemodynamics And Arterial Stiffness In Response To Oral Glucose Loading In Individuals With Type Ii Diabetes And Controlled Hypertension, Yu Lun Tai, Smaran Marupudi, Gabriel A. Figueroa, Ryan D. Russell

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes (T2D), the fastest growing pandemic, is typically accompanied by vascular complications. A central hallmark of both T2D and vascular disease is insulin resistance which causes impaired glucose transport and vasoconstriction concomitantly. Those with cardiometabolic disease display greater variation in central hemodynamics and arterial elasticity, both potent predictors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, which may be exacerbated by concomitant hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia during glucose testing. Thus, elucidating central and arterial responses to glucose testing in those with T2D may identify acute vascular pathophysiologies triggered by oral glucose loading.

Aim: This study compared hemodynamics and arterial stiffness to …

The Real-Time Classification Of Competency Swimming Activity Through Machine Learning, Larry Powell, Seth Polsley, Drew Casey, Tracy Hammond

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Every year, an average of 3,536 people die from drowning in America. The significant factors that cause unintentional drowning are people’s lack of water safety awareness and swimming proficiency. Current industry and research trends regarding swimming activity recognition and commercial motion sensors focus more on lap swimming utilized by expert swimmers and do not account for freeform activities. Enhancing swimming education through wearable technology can aid people in learning efficient and effective swimming techniques and water safety. We developed a novel wearable system capable of storing and processing sensor data to categorize competitive and survival swimming activities on a mobile …