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The effects of long-term omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation during endurance training on tryptophan (Trp) metabolism and mental state of healthy individuals have not been evaluated so far. Concentrations of plasma Trp, its metabolites and IL-6 were assessed in 26 male runners before and after a 12-week training program combined with supplementation of n-3 PUFAs (O-3 + TRAIN group) or medium chain triglycerides (MCTs; TRAIN group). After the 12-week program participants' mood before and after stress induction was also assessed. The effects of the same supplementation protocol were evaluated also in 14 inactive subjects (O-3 + SEDEN group). Concentrations of 3-hydroxykynurenine (3-HK) and picolinic acid (PA) significantly increased only in the O-3 + TRAIN group ( p  = 0.01; η p 2 = 0.22 and p  = 0.01; η p 2 = 0.26). Favorable, but not statistically significant changes in the concentrations of kynurenic acid (KYNA) ( p  = 0.06; η p 2 = 0.14), xanthurenic acid (XA) ( p  = 0.07; η p 2 = 0.13) and 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid (3-HAA) ( p  = 0.06; η p 2 = 0.15) and in the ratio of neurotoxic to neuroprotective metabolites were seen also only in the O-3 + TRAIN group. No changes in mood and IL-6 concentrations were observed in either group. Supplementation with n-3 PUFAs during endurance training has beneficial effects on Trp's neuroprotective metabolites. Trial registry : This study was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with identifier NCT05520437 (14/07/2021 first trial registration and 2018/31/N/NZ7/02962 second trial registration).

Background and study aim It is well known that professional physical training may be one of the factors modifying s circulating serum level of growth hormone, testosterone and cortisol. However, the effect of high-intensity upper and lower body Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT) on the serum hormone levels in association to vitamin D status still remains unspecified. The aim of the current study was to verify hypotheses that a longstanding background in elite gymnastics training induces adaptive changes in hormonal homeostasis during upper- and lower-body WAnT, and that these changes are modulated by muscle group engagement and vitamin D status. Materials and methods Fifteen elite male artistic gymnasts (21.3 ± 3.4 years-old) and 14 physically active men (the control group, 20.2 ± 1.1) voluntarily participated in this study. Blood was collected using venipuncture procedures (antecubital vein) in tree timepoints: before, immediately and 60 min after WAnT. Hormone measurements consisted of levels of free human growth hormone (hGH), testosterone and cortisol in blood serum. Measurement was made using chemiluminescence method. Vitamin D active metabolites, 25-hydroxyvitamin D 2 [25(OH)D 2 ] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 [25(OH)D 3 ], as a proportion of the total serum concentration of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], were analysed using the commercially available Total 25OH Vitamin D ELISA kits. Results Significantly higher performance during upper-body WAnT were observed in professional gymnasts’ groups, for mean power normalized to body mass. Furthermore, gymnasts showed higher serum concentration for hGH, and testosterone immediately after upper-body WAnT. An inverse relationship was observed in cortisol, whose concentration changes were greater in the control group. Additionally, in control group, baseline vitamin D positively correlated with cortisol changes post lower-body WAnT but negatively with testosterone changes immediately after lower-body WAnT. Conclusions Gymnastic training affects anaerobic performance and hormonal status by altering the serum concentrations of hGH, cortisol, and testosterone in response to anaerobic exercise. Moreover, hormonal status is associated with vitamin D concentration, and shows its significant regulating properties in post exercises response.

Researchers have studied the effects of exercise on serum methyl-arginine and vitamin D metabolites; however, the effects of exercise combined with antioxidants are not well documented. Since oxidative stress affects the metabolism of vitamin D and methyl-arginine, we hypothesised that the antioxidant coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) might modulate exercise-induced changes. A group of twenty-eight healthy men participated in this study and were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The exercise test was performed until exhaustion, with gradually increasing intensity, before and after the 21-day CoQ10 supplementation. Blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 3 and 24 h after exercise. CoQ10, vitamin D metabolites, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine, methylarginine, dimethylamine, arginine, citrulline, and ornithine were analysed in serum samples. CoQ10 supplementation caused a 2.76-fold increase in the concentration of serum CoQ10. Conversely, the 25(OH)D3 concentration increased after exercise only in the placebo group. ADMA increased after exercise before supplementation, but a decrease was observed in the CoQ10 supplementation group 24 h after exercise. In conclusion, our data indicate that CoQ10 supplementation modifies the effects of exercise on vitamin D and methyl-arginine metabolism, suggesting its beneficial effects. These findings contribute to the understanding of how antioxidants like CoQ10 can modulate biochemical responses to exercise, potentially offering new insights for enhancing athletic performance and recovery.

Researchers have studied the effects of exercise on serum methyl-arginine and vitamin D metabolites; however, the effects of exercise combined with antioxidants are not well documented. Since oxidative stress affects the metabolism of vitamin D and methyl-arginine, we hypothesised that the antioxidant coenzyme Q (CoQ ) might modulate exercise-induced changes. A group of twenty-eight healthy men participated in this study and were divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. The exercise test was performed until exhaustion, with gradually increasing intensity, before and after the 21-day CoQ supplementation. Blood samples were collected before, immediately after, and 3 and 24 h after exercise. CoQ , vitamin D metabolites, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), symmetric dimethylarginine, methylarginine, dimethylamine, arginine, citrulline, and ornithine were analysed in serum samples. CoQ supplementation caused a 2.76-fold increase in the concentration of serum CoQ . Conversely, the 25(OH)D concentration increased after exercise only in the placebo group. ADMA increased after exercise before supplementation, but a decrease was observed in the CoQ supplementation group 24 h after exercise. In conclusion, our data indicate that CoQ supplementation modifies the effects of exercise on vitamin D and methyl-arginine metabolism, suggesting its beneficial effects. These findings contribute to the understanding of how antioxidants like CoQ can modulate biochemical responses to exercise, potentially offering new insights for enhancing athletic performance and recovery.

Objectives. The proposal of this study was to evaluate the effect of acute and ten-day ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) training procedure on the Wingate Anaerobic Test (WAnT), the ferritin H (FTH), ferritin L (FTL), and transferrin receptor 1 (TFRC) mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), and anaerobic performance. Method. 34 healthy men volunteers (aged 20.7 ± 1.22 years) participated in the study. The effects of bilateral upper limb IPC and sham controlled condition were assessed in two experimental protocols: (a) the influence of acute (one time) IPC based on an experimental crossover study design and (b) the influence of ten-day IPC training treatment based on a random group assignment. At the beginning and at the end of each experiment upper body WAnT was performed and blood samples were collected to assess gene expression via quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results. No significant effect of one-time ischaemic preconditioning procedure was observed on upper body WAnT performance. Ten-day IPC training significantly increased upper limbs relative mean power (from 5.29 ± 0.50 to 5.79 ± 0.70 (W/kg), p < 0.05). One-time IPC caused significant decrease in FTH, FTL, and TFRC mRNA levels while 10 days of IPC resulted in significant increase of FTH and FTL mRNA (from 2 ∧ 254.2 to 2 ∧ 1678.6 (p = 0.01) for FTH and 2 ∧ 81.5 to 2 ∧ 923 (p = 0.01) for FTL) and decrease in TFRC mRNA. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that ten-day IPC training intervention significantly affects upper limb relative peak power. The observed overexpression of FTH and FTL genes could be associated with adaptation response induced by prolonged IPC.

Fluoroindate glasses co-doped with Pr 3+ /Er 3+ ions were synthesized and their near-infrared luminescence properties have been examined under selective excitation wavelengths. For the Pr 3+ /Er 3+ co-doped glass samples several radiative and nonradiative relaxation channels and their mechanisms are proposed under direct excitation of Pr 3+ and/or Er 3+ . The energy transfer processes between Pr 3+ and Er 3+ ions in fluoroindate glasses were identified. In particular, broadband near-infrared luminescence (FWHM = 278 nm) associated to the 1 G 4  →  3 H 5  (Pr 3+ ), 1 D 2  →  1 G 4  (Pr 3+ ) and 4 I 13/2  →  4 I 15/2  (Er 3+ ) transitions of rare earth ions in fluoroindate glass is successfully observed under direct excitation at 483 nm. Near-infrared luminescence spectra and their decays for glass samples co-doped with Pr 3+ /Er 3+ are compared to the experimental results obtained for fluoroindate glasses singly doped with rare earth ions.

The effects of Sm3+ content on the optical properties and bioactivity of 13-93 bioactive glass were presented. Sm3+ doped glass fibers drawn from bioactive glass were analyzed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for the determination of ion release. Optical analysis of the Sm3+ ions in bioactive glass fibers was used for degradation monitoring. While the fibers were immersed in SBF solution, changes in their luminescence spectra under 405 nm laser excitation were measured continuously for 48 h. The morphology of the fibers after the immersion process was determined by SEM/EDS. It was shown that the proposed approach to the analysis of changes in Sm3+ ion luminescence is a sensitive method for the monitoring of degradation processes and the formation of hydroxycarbonate-apatite (HCA) layers on glass fiber surfaces. SEM/EDS measurements showed a significant deterioration on the surface of the fibers and the formation of HCA on 13-93_02Sm bioactive glass. The optical analysis of the time constant indicated that bioactive glass fibers doped with 2 %mol Sm3+ degrade at a rate almost five times slower than 13-93_02Sm.

Optical fiber with YPO 4 :Pr 3+ nanocrystals (NCs) is presented for the first time using the glass powder—NCs doping method. The method’s advantage is separate preparation of NCs and glass to preserve luminescent and optical properties of NCs once they are incorporated into optical fiber. The YPO 4 :Pr 3+ nanocrystals were synthesized by the co-precipitation and hydrothermal methods, optimized for size (< 100 nm), shape, Pr 3+ ions concentration (0.2 mol%), and emission lifetime. The core glass was selected from the non-silica P 2 O 5 -containing system with refractive index ( n  = 1.788) close to the NCs ( n o  = 1.657, n e  = 1.838). Optical fiber was drawn by modified powder-in-tube method after pre-sintering of glass powder—YPO 4 :Pr 3+ (wt 3%) mixture to form optical fiber preform. Luminescent properties of YPO 4 :Pr 3+ and optical fiber showed their excellent agreement, including sharp Pr 3+ emission at 600 nm ( 1 D 2 – 3 H 4 ) and 1 D 2 level lifetime (τ = 156 ± 5 µs) under 488 nm excitation. The distribution of the YPO 4 :Pr 3+ NCs in optical fiber were analyzed by TEM-EDS in the core region (FIB-SEM-prepared). The successful usage of glass powder—NCs doping method was discussed in the aspect of promising properties of the first YPO 4 :Pr 3+ doped optical fiber as a new way to develop active materials for lasing applications, among others.

An investigation of the crystallization kinetics of 45S5 Bioglass® using differential scanning calorimetry is presented in this paper. Thermal analysis was performed using the Friedman method. The activation energy and the Avrami index were calculated. The glass samples were subjected to additional controlled heat treatment at 620 °C in order to obtain bioactive glass-ceramics with enhanced mechanical properties. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) measurements indicated the formation of the glass-ceramic structures of three cyclosilicates: Na4Ca4(Si6O18) or Na6Ca3(Si6O18) or Na16Ca4(Si12O36). Based on middle infrared region (MIR) results, it can be concluded that the crystalline phase present in the tested materials was Na6Ca3(Si6O18) (combeite). Material was doped with Eu3+ ions, which act as a spectroscopic probe for monitoring the structural changes in the glass matrix. The decreasing value of the fluorescence intensity radio parameter indicated symmetry around the europium ions and, thus, the arrangement of the glass structure. The bioactive properties of the examined glass-ceramics were also determined. The bioactive glass fibers doped with Eu3+ were manufactured using two different methods. Its structural and luminescent properties were examined.

This work reports on the fabrication and analysis of near-infrared and mid-infrared luminescence spectra and their decays in fluoroindate glasses co-doped with Yb3+/Ho3+. The attention has been paid to the analysis of the Yb3+→ Ho3+ energy transfer processed ions in fluoroindate glasses pumped by 976 nm laser diode. The most effective sensitization for 2 μm luminescence has been obtained in glass co-doped with 0.8YbF3/1.6HoF3. Further study in the mid-infrared spectral range (2.85 μm) showed that the maximum emission intensity has been obtained in fluoroindate glass co-doped with 0.1YbF3/1.4HoF3. The obtained efficiency of Yb3+→ Ho3+ energy transfer was calculated to be up to 61% (0.8YbF3/1.6HoF3), which confirms the possibility of obtaining an efficient glass or glass fiber infrared source for a MID-infrared (MID-IR) sensing application.