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(1) Background: This study aims to explore the changes in urinary metabolomic profile among trained young males following acute intermittent rowing training (AIRT), and to identify potential urinary biomarkers associated with exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). (2) Methods: 22 trained young males were recruited to perform AIRT. The changes in blood biochemical indexes associated with EIMD were analyzed. EIMD occurrence was evaluated using blood biochemical indexes, muscle function, and pain assessment. The changes in urinary metabolites were determined using untargeted metabolomic analysis. (3) Results: Four blood biochemical indices, including creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase-MB, and hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, were significantly elevated immediately after AIRT. Furthermore, an obvious immune response appeared, and countermovement jump performance significantly decreased. Among 384 urinary metabolites, 33 were significantly upregulated, and 12 were downregulated immediately after AIRT. Upregulated metabolites were mainly involved in phenylacetate metabolism, ammonia recycling, the urea cycle, and glutathione metabolism. Four potential urinary biomarkers were identified, including 2'-Deoxycytidine, cytosine, Phenylacetaldehyde, and Pyridoxamine. (4) Conclusions: AIRT induced EIMD in all participants and significantly altered urinary metabolite profiles. The changes in urinary metabolites and pathways were due to the metabolic adaptation to oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and ammonia metabolism imbalance. The selected four potential urinary biomarkers provide important evidence for the further development of a non-invasive, urine-based method for the immediate assessment of EIMD.

Concurrent training (CT) is emerging as a practical and effective approach to enhance body composition, cardiovascular function, and muscle mass, thereby elevating overall individual health. This study aims to systematically investigate the effects of short- and long-term concurrent aerobic and resistance training on circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals. The electronic databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, Embase, Wan Fang Database, and Web of Science, were systematically searched for articles on \"concurrent training\" and \"irisin\" published from their inception to 30 November 2023. The pooled effect size was determined using standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The study protocol received registration with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42023494163). All nine studies, encompassing a total of 264 participants, were randomized controlled trials and met the eligibility criteria. Results indicate that short- and long-term concurrent training moderately increased circulating irisin levels compared to the control group (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.33-0.80],  = 0.00; = 36.6%, heterogeneity  = 0.106). Subgroup analyses revealed that both equal to or less than 10 weeks (SMD = 0.78, 95% CI [0.18-1.37],  = 0.01; = 62.3%, heterogeneity  = 0.03) and more than 10 weeks (SMD = 0.45, 95% CI [0.14-0.76],  = 0.00; = 0%, heterogeneity  = 0.54) of concurrent training significantly increased circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals. There were no significant between-group differences (  = 0%,  = 0.34). Additionally, concurrent training significantly increased irisin levels in overweight or obese participants (SMD = 1.06, 95% CI [0.34-1.78],  = 0.00; = 50.6%, heterogeneity  = 0.13) and in type 2 diabetes patients (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI [0.30-1.10],  = 0.00; = 0%, heterogeneity  = 0.99). However, no significant effect was observed in patients with metabolic syndrome (SMD = 0.21, 95% CI [-0.25-0.68],  = 0.37; = 38.7%, heterogeneity  = 0.18). There were significant between-group differences (  = 53.9%,  = 0.11). Lastly, concurrent training significantly increased circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals aged 45-60 years (SMD = 0.56, 95% CI [0.25-0.86],  = 0.00; = 6.5%, heterogeneity  = 0.38), and a significant increase in irisin levels was observed 12 h post-intervention (SMD = 0.70, 95% CI [0.35-1.05],  = 0.00; = 0%, heterogeneity  = 0.74). However, none of the above categorical variables showed significant between-group differences. Short- and long-term concurrent training can effectively improve circulating irisin levels in overweight or obese individuals. However, the effects of short- and long-term concurrent training should consider the participants' health status, age, and the timing of post-exercise measurements to maximize health benefits.

Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is the most common health risk in physical exercise. However, instant and non-invasive methods for EIMD prediction have not been reported. Urine is a promising tool for EIMD prediction. However, urinary metabolite variations after EIMD occurrence have not been revealed, and potential biomarkers have not been identified. In this study, eighteen young students without regular exercise habits were recruited to perform high-intensity rowing exercise. EIMD occurrence was determined using blood biochemical analyses and pain assessment. The changes in urinary metabolites were revealed by quasi-targeted metabolomics. Results demonstrated that high-intensity rowing exercise induced EIMD and obviously changed urinary metabolites, including 23 upregulated metabolites and 26 downregulated metabolites. These differential metabolites were related to energy metabolism, exercise performance, and antioxidant metabolism. Among these metabolites, potential urinary biomarkers were identified with high sensitivity and specificity.

Recent studies indicate that older adults (aged 55 years and above) represent a critical period for changes in circulating brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels and cognitive function. Regular aerobic exercise (AE) has been recognized as a promising non-pharmacological strategy to influence neuroplasticity and cognitive function, primarily through the regulation of BDNF. However, inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the specific effects of three AE modalities-walking, running, and cycling-on circulating BDNF levels in older adults. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of these AE modalities on BDNF levels in the elderly through a meta-analysis, and to further compare the relative effectiveness of various exercise protocols using network meta-analysis. A systematic search was conducted from database inception to June 10, 2025, in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and Scopus. The methodological quality and risk of bias of the included studies were assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were conducted using Stata software (version 18, StataCorp LLC, United States). A total of 17 studies involving 900 older participants were included. Meta-analysis indicated that three AE modalities significantly increased circulating BDNF levels (SMD = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.06 to 1.18, = 0.03). Subgroup analysis revealed that the intervention effect was significantly influenced by participants' health status ( < 0.01). Specifically, the interventions had positive effects in healthy individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment. Exercise-related variables such as modality, intensity, and the interval were identified as potential moderators. Network meta-analysis demonstrated that protocols involving low-intensity short-duration walking (WLS) were superior to other exercise protocols ( < 0.05), and protocols involving moderate-intensity short-duration walking (WMS) were more effective in increasing BDNF levels than high-intensity long-duration walking ( < 0.05). Surface under the cumulative ranking curve results further supported the superiority of WLS (99.9%) and WMS (83.7%) over other exercise protocols. Walking, running, and cycling are effective for improving circulating BDNF levels in older adults; however, the magnitude of improvement depends on participants' health status and specific exercise prescription. Interventions involving walking at low to moderate intensity demonstrated favorable efficacy. This effect may be more favorable in healthy individuals and those with mild cognitive impairment. Future studies should further investigate the influence of total exercise volume on outcomes and adopt more rigorous and standardized protocols to facilitate the development of standardized exercise strategies, thereby improving comparability and reducing heterogeneity in future analyses. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, Identifier CRD420251068909.

This study aims to investigate the impact of cluster set resistance training combined with high-intensity interval training (CSRT-HIIT) on the body composition, cardiovascular and muscular fitness of untrained young men. Twenty-two participants were randomly assigned to the CSRT-HIIT or traditional resistance training combined with high-intensity interval training (TRT-HIIT). Both groups had cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness measured before and after the intervention. Compared to the baseline, significant increases were observed in the 1RM weights for squat, bench press, deadlift, and rowing, as well as the maximum training volume at 70% 1RM, maximum oxygen uptake, standing long jump, and the thickness of the pectoralis major, biceps brachii, and rectus femoris in both the CSRT-HIIT and TRT-HIIT groups after the intervention, with a significant decrease in body fat percentage ( < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found between the groups for these variables ( > 0.05). Twelve weeks of both CSRT-HIIT and TRT-HIIT significantly improved cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in untrained young men, demonstrating that the novel CSRT-HIIT is an equally effective alternative to traditional TRT-HIIT.

Heart rate variability (HRV), a cardiac vagal tone indicator, has been proven to predict performance on some cognitive tasks that rely on the prefrontal cortex. However, the relationship between vagal tone and working memory remains understudied. This study explores the link between vagal tone and working memory function, combined with behavioral tasks and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). A total of 42 undergraduate students were tested for 5-min resting-state HRV to obtain the root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD) data, and then divided into high and low vagal tone groups according to the median of rMSSD data. The two groups underwent the n-back test, and fNIRS was used to measure the neural activity in the test state. ANOVA and the independent sample -test were performed to compare group mean differences, and the Pearson correlation coefficient was used for correlation analysis. The high vagal tone group had a shorter reaction time, higher accuracy, lower inverse efficiency score, and lower oxy-Hb concentration in the bilateral prefrontal cortex in the working memory tasks state. Furthermore, there were associations between behavioral performance, oxy-Hb concentration, and resting-state rMSSD. Our findings suggest that high vagally mediated resting-state HRV is associated with working memory performance. High vagal tone means a higher efficiency of neural resources, beneficial to presenting a better working memory function.

Background: Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) is the most common health risk in training. So far, EIMD diagnosis predominantly relies on blood biochemical analysis or medical imaging. EIMD prediction by using saliva shows great prospects in public fitness. Methods: A total of 18 participants performed high-intensity rowing training. Blood biochemical indicator and pain analyses indicated EIMD occurrence. Pseudo-targeted metabolomics techniques were utilized to analyze changes in salivary metabolites after exercise. Results: A total of 43 salivary metabolites significantly increased while 31 salivary metabolites significantly decreased after exercise. The upregulated metabolites were related to hormone secretion, antioxidation, and muscle repair. A partial least squares discriminant analysis model was established, and three potential salivary biomarkers for EIMD prediction were screened. The sensitivity and specificity of single biomarkers achieved more than 88.9% and 94.4% in classification of EIMD occurrence, respectively. The accuracy of classification increased to ~100% with multiple metabolites. Conclusion: Salivary metabolites significantly changed after high-intensity rowing training and EIMD occurrence. Some salivary metabolites exhibited similar trends with blood biochemical indicators. Salivary biomarkers have great prospects in EIMD prediction, and better performance was achieved with multiple salivary metabolites.

Background This study aims to investigate the effects of 8 weeks equivalent-volume resistance training (RT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) performed within same session or alternated weekly on body composition, cardiorespiratory function, and muscular fitness in young adult males. Methods Twenty-three young adult males were randomly assigned to either the A group (RT and HIIT performed within the same session, n  = 11) or the B group (RT and HIIT were alternated weekly, n  = 12). Body composition, cardiorespiratory function, and muscular fitness were assessed at baseline (T1), the fifth week (T2), and the ninth week (T3). Baseline differences and training effects were analyzed using independent sample t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA, respectively. Results No significant group differences were found at baseline ( P  > 0.05). Post-intervention, body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and thickness significantly improved over time ( P  < 0.05), but no significant group or interaction effects. Maximum power output significantly increased at T2 and T3 compared to T1 ( P  < 0.05), while VO₂max, METs, and Maximum Minute Ventilation significantly increased only at T3 compared to T1 ( P  < 0.05), with no significant group or interaction effects. Both groups showed significant improvements in maximal strength during the intervention ( P  < 0.05). Endurance repetitions, particularly in the squat exercise, showed significant improvement initially ( P  < 0.05), followed by a downward trend, and no significant group or interaction effects were found. Conclusions Concurrent training, whether performed within the same session or alternated weekly, elicited comparable improvements in body composition, cardiorespiratory, and muscular outcomes in young adult males. Both arrangements promoted beneficial adaptations, indicating flexibility in concurrent training design. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered on 24 June 2025 at www.chictr.org.cn with identification number ChiCTR2500104848.

Background High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been shown to enhance cardiovascular health. However, there is a lack of research investigating the specific cardiovascular effects of different HIIT training modes. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the acute effects of cycling-type high intensity interval training (C-HIIT) and resistance-type high intensity interval training (R-HIIT) on arterial stiffness, cardiac autonomic modulation, and cardiac biomarkers in healthy young men. Methods This is a cross-over randomized trial. Eleven healthy active young men took part in both C-HIIT and R-HIIT. Cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), heart rate variability (HRV), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured before, immediately and 30 min after the exercise in C-HIIT and R-HIIT. Meanwhile, blood samples for cardiac troponin-T (cTnT) and amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were assessed using ELISA before, 5min and 35min after exercise. Results There was a significant time × group interaction effect ( P  = 0.019, η p 2  = 0.182) and time main effect for ⊿CAVI ( P  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.729), and R-HIIT resulted in a more significant reduction in ⊿CAVI compared to C-HIIT (− 0.60 ± 0.30, P  = 0.043, d  = 0.924) immediately after exercise. There was a significant time main effect was observed for SBP ( P  = 0.001, η p 2  = 0.304). A significant time main effect for lnHF ( P  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.782), lnRMSSD ( P  < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.693), and LF/HF ( P  = 0.001, η p 2  = 0.302) of HRV was observed. A significant time main effect was observed for cTnT ( P  = 0.023, η p 2  = 0.193) and NT-proBNP ( P  = 0.001, η p 2  = 0.334) of cardiac biomarkers. Conclusion R-HIIT and C-HIIT elicited similar acute responses in cardiac autonomic modulation and cardiac biomarkers. However, R-HIIT was more effective in reducing arterial stiffness in healthy young men. Furthermore, the increase in cardiac biomarkers induced by both C-HIIT and R-HIIT was reversible. Trial registration The study was prospectively registered on 22 February 2022 at www.chictr.org.cn with identification number ChiCTR2200056897.

Natriuretic peptide type C (NPPC) secreted by mural granulosa cells (MGCs) maintains oocyte meiotic arrest via the activation of guanylyl cyclase-linked natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2). Here, we investigated the effect of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β on NPPC expression in MGCs and oocyte maturation. TGF-β ligands (TGFB1 and TGFB3, but not TGFB2) and receptors (TGFBR1 and TGFBR2) were predominantly expressed in MGCs. The activation of the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) receptor by FSH/equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) increased the levels of TGFB1, TGFBR2, and TGF-β downstream SMAD proteins in MGCs, which were decreased following the activation of the luteinizing hormone (LH) receptor by human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). TGF-β significantly increased the gene and protein levels of NPPC in cultured MGCs through SMAD3 binding to Nppc promoter regions. In the presence of FSH, TGF-β further increased NPPC levels and inhibited oocyte meiotic resumption of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). Moreover, Tgfbr2 -specific depletion in granulosa cells using Fshr-Cre mice reduced NPPC mRNA and protein levels, resulting in the weak maintenance of oocyte meiotic arrest within large antral follicles. Tgfbr2 depletion also impaired follicle development, ovulation, and female fertility. Taken together, TGF-β-promoted NPPC in MGCs is involved in maintaining oocyte meiotic arrest. FSH and LH could regulate NPPC levels in MGCs via TGF-β and then control the process of oocyte meiosis.