Explore the vast range of titles available.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an accepted method for determining autonomic nervous system activity and cardiovascular risk in various populations. This study assessed the validity and reliability of a commercially available finger photoplethysmography (PPG) system for measuring pediatric HRV in a real-world setting. Sixteen healthy children (4.06 ± 0.58 years) were recruited. The PPG system was compared to the Polar H10 heart rate (HR) sensor validated against ECG (gold standard) for HRV measurement. Seated short-term resting R-R intervals were recorded simultaneously using both systems. Recordings were performed on 3 days at the participants’ school. Paired t-tests, effect sizes and Bland–Altman analyses determined the validity of the PPG system. The relative and absolute reliability of both systems were calculated. No HRV parameters were valid for the PPG system. Polar H10 yielded moderate (0.50–0.75) to good (0.75–0.90) relative reliability with R-R intervals and the standard deviation of instantaneous and continuous R-R variability ratio showing the best results (ICCs = 0.84). Polar H10 displayed better absolute reliability with the root mean square of successive differences, R-R intervals and HR showing the lowest values (TEM% < 12%). The use of the Polar H10 and not the PPG system is encouraged for HRV measurement of young children in an educational real-world setting.

Using an expert consensus-based approach, a rugby union Video Analysis Consensus (RUVAC) group was formed to develop a framework for video analysis research in rugby union. The aim of the framework is to improve the consistency of video analysis work in rugby union and help enhance the overall quality of future research in the sport. To reach consensus, a systematic review and Delphi method study design was used. After a systematic search of the literature, 17 articles were used to develop the final framework that described and defined key actions and events in rugby union (rugby). Thereafter, a group of researchers and practitioners with experience and expertise in rugby video analysis formed the RUVAC group. Each member of the group examined the framework of descriptors and definitions and rated their level of agreement on a 5-point agreement Likert scale (1: strongly disagree; 2: disagree; 3: neither agree or disagree; 4: agree; 5: strongly agree). The mean rating of agreement on the five-point scale (1: strongly disagree; 5: strongly agree) was 4.6 (4.3–4.9), 4.6 (4.4–4.9), 4.7 (4.5–4.9), 4.8 (4.6–5.0) and 4.8 (4.6–5.0) for the tackle, ruck, scrum, line-out and maul, respectively. The RUVAC group recommends using this consensus as the starting framework when conducting rugby video analysis research. Which variables to use (if not all) depends on the objectives of the study. Furthermore, the intention of this consensus is to help integrate video data with other data (eg, injury surveillance).

To find the shortest, acceptable stabilization period before recording resting, supine ultra-short-term Ln RMSSD and heart rate (HR). Thirty endurance-trained male athletes (age 24.1 ± 2.3 years, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) 64.1 ± 6.6 ml·kg-1·min-1) and 30 male students (age 23.3 ± 1.8 years, VO2max 52.8 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1·min-1) were recruited. Upon awaking at home, resting, supine RR intervals were measured continuously for 10 min using a Polar V800 HR monitor. Ultra-short-term Ln RMSSD and HR values were calculated from 1-min RR interval segments after stabilization periods from 0 to 4 min in 0.5 min increments and were compared with reference values calculated from 5-min segment after 5-min stabilization. Systematic bias and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) including 90% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and magnitude based inference was conducted. The stabilization periods of up to 30 s for athletes and up to 60 s for students showed positive (possibly to most likely) biases for ultra-short-term Ln RMSSD compared with reference values. Stabilization periods of 60 s for athletes and 90 s for students showed trivial biases and ICCs were 0.84; 90% CI 0.72 to 0.91, and 0.88; 0.79 to 0.94, respectively. For HR, biases were trivial and ICCs were 0.93; 0.88 to 0.96, and 0.93; 0.88 to 0.96, respectively. The shortest stabilization period required to stabilize Ln RMSSD and HR was set at 60 s for endurance-trained athletes and 90 s for university students.

Consumption of anthocyanins (ACNs), due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects, has been proposed for the prevention and treatment of several different diseases and conditions. ACNs are recognized as one of the leading nutraceuticals for prolonging health benefits through the attenuation of oxidative stress, and inflammatory or age-related diseases. Increased consumption of ACNs has the potential to attenuate the damage ensuing from oxidative stress, inflammation, enhance cardiometabolic health, and delay symptoms in predisposed neuropathology. A myriad of evidence supports ACN consumption as complementary or standalone treatment strategies for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), neurodegenerative diseases, as well as, more recently, for the modulation of gut bacteria and bone metabolism. While these findings indicate the beneficial effects of ACN consumption, their food sources differ vastly in ACN composition and thus potentially in their physiological effects. Consumption of foods high in ACNs can be recommended for their potential beneficial health effects due to their relatively easy and accessible addition to the everyday diet.

Background The use of exercise as a priming strategy to enhance sport performance is becoming increasingly popular in professional sports and as an area of research interest. Early research suggests that the acute physiological responses to exercise can positively influence performance for up to 48 h. There is yet to be a comprehensive review of exercise strategies which could be implemented specifically on the day of competition. Objectives The aim of this systematic review was to provide a synthesis of research investigating acute exercise interventions as game day priming strategies for team-sport athletes to improve physical performance and athlete readiness when implemented in the 1–12 h prior to competition. Methods A literature search of SPORTDiscus, PubMed and Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials was conducted. A total of 6428 studies were retrieved and assessed against the following inclusion criteria: (1) randomised controlled trials and non-randomised comparative studies with reported pre–post intervention outcomes; (2) exercise interventions were applied 1–12 h prior to the assessment of outcome measures. Studies were excluded if they used nutrition, supplementation, pre-heating, pre-cooling, stretching, massage or vibration training as the priming strategies, or if interventions were performed at altitude or in hypoxic environments. Studies were assessed for methodological quality at the study level using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Results Twenty-nine studies satisfied the eligibility criteria and were included in this review. Studies were categorised as resistance training; cycling; running; and other strategies. Resistance training using heavy loads at low volumes increased strength and power measures following a 4–6 h recovery, with limited improvements observed following shorter (1–3 h) and longer (6–12 h) recovery periods. Running-based sprint priming led to improvements in subsequent sprint and repeat sprint performance following a 5–6 h recovery, whereas cycling improved counter-movement jump height in a single study only. No significant differences were reported in any performance measures following endurance-based running or cycling strategies. Physiological markers, such a hormone and blood lactate responses, showed mixed results between studies. Conclusions High-intensity low-volume resistance training leads to a greater physiological and performance response than high-volume resistance training. Maximal running sprints may be more effective than maximal cycling sprints due to an increased physiological demand; however, loading protocols must also be considered in conjunction with exercise volume and movement specificity to achieve a beneficial response for subsequent performance. There is limited evidence to suggest endurance cycling or running exercise is beneficial as a priming strategy.

Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the largest cause of death in breast cancer survivors. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of exercise intensity on aerobic fitness and autonomic cardiac regulation (heart rate variability (HRV)) and salivary biomarkers of the stress systems (HPA-axis, cortisol; sympathetic nervous system, α-amylase) and mucosal immunity (secretory(s)-IgA), markers of increased risk of CVD in breast cancer survivors. Methods Participants were randomly assigned to; 1) high intensity interval training (HIIT); 2) moderate-intensity, continuous aerobic training (CMIT); or 3) a wait-list control (CON) for a 12-week (36 session) stationary cycling intervention. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2peak ), resting HRV and salivary biomarkers were measured at baseline 2–4 d pre-intervention and 2–4 d post the last exercise session. Results Seventeen participants were included in this study (62 ± 8 years, HIIT; n  = 6, CMIT; n  = 5, CON; n = 6). A significant improvement ( p  ≤ 0.05) was observed for VO 2peak in the HIIT group; 19.3% (B = 3.98, 95%CI = [1.89; 4.02]) and a non-significant increase in the CMIT group; 5.6% (B = 1.96, 95%CI = [− 0.11; 4.03]), compared with a 2.6% (B = − 0.64, 95%CI = [− 2.10; 0.82]) decrease in the CON group. Post intervention improvements in HRV markers of vagal activity (log (ln)LF/HF, LnRMSSD) and sympathetic nervous system (α-amylase waking response) occurred for individuals exhibiting outlying (> 95% CI) levels at baseline compared to general population. Conclusion High intensity interval training improved cardiovascular fitness in breast cancer survivors and improved cardiac regulation, and sympathetic nervous system (stress) responses in some individuals. High-intensity interval training was safe and effective for breast cancer survivors to participate in with promising results as a time efficient intensity to improve physical health and stress, reducing CVD risk. Trial registration This pilot study was retrospectively registered through the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR): ACTRN12620000684921 .

Functional foods and beverages are becoming one of the leading food products on the global market today. This is predominately due to the consumer, industry and research-related interests in the use of food-derived products for the management of several chronic conditions. The diversity of currently available functional food products also provides an opportunity for the use of fruit-based sorbets as a carrier of functional ingredients. Therefore, the aim of this literature review is to explore the use of sorbets as a functional food product, which is one commercial method that can be utilized to provide health benefits, extend the shelf life of foods, and preserve nutrients and improve taste. Firstly, we provide an overview of sorbets as a functional food matrix, their development and implications for the absorption of functional ingredients in humans. We discuss the developmental considerations of functional foods, such as the technical conditions and physicochemical and organoleptic properties through which functional foods can provide beneficial health effects. These include product stability, metabolism of the functional food ingredient, its interactions with the food matrix and limitations related to its production. There is a paucity of clinical data that investigate the long-term health effects of products claiming additional functional benefits. Given the extensive potential benefits of functional bioactive food compounds and their heavy prevalence in the market, extensive research and further regulation is needed to ensure health recommendations for large populations in longitudinal clinical studies warranting any functional claim.

This study investigated the effects of acute, pre-exercise, hydrogen rich water (HRW) ingestion on running time to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed in trained track and field runners. Twenty-four, male runners aged 17.5 ± 1.8 years, with body mass index = 21.0 ± 1.3 kg⋅m-2, and maximal oxygen uptake = 55.0 ± 4.6 ml⋅kg-1⋅min-1 (mean ± standard deviation) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. All runners ingested 1260 ml of HRW which was divided into four doses and taken at 120 min (420 ml), 60 min (420 ml), 30 min (210 ml), and 10 min (210 ml) prior to exercise. The running protocol consisted of three phases: warm-up performed at 10 km⋅h-1 for 3 min, followed by a transition phase performed at an individually determined speed (10 km⋅h-1 + maximal aerobic speed)/2 for 1 min, and finally the third phase performed at individual maximal aerobic speed until exhaustion. Time to exhaustion, cardiorespiratory variables, and post-exercise blood lactate concentration were measured. When running to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed, compared with placebo, HRW had no significant effects on the following variables: time to exhaustion (217 ± 49 and 227 ± 53 s, p = 0.20), post-exercise blood lactate concentration (9.9 ± 2.2 and 10.1 ± 2.0 mmol⋅L-1, p = 0.42), maximal heart rate (186 ± 9 and 186 ± 9 beats⋅min-1, p = 0.80), and oxygen uptake (53.1 ± 4.5 and 52.2 ± 4.7 ml⋅kg-1⋅min-1, p = 0.33). No variable assessed as a candidate moderator was significantly correlated with time to exhaustion (Spearman's correlation coefficients ranged from -0.28 to 0.30, all p ≥ 0.16). Pre-exercise administration of 1260 ml of HRW showed no ergogenic effect on running performance to exhaustion at maximal aerobic speed in trained track and field runners.

ObjectivesTo summarise the evidence from interventions investigating the effects of out of care setting activities on people with dementia living in residential aged care.DesignA systematic review.MethodsA systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library) was performed to identify intervention trials published from journal inception to January 2020. Controlled trials, or quasi-experimental trials, which measured pre-intervention, post-intervention or during-intervention outcomes, where the participants were required to leave the care setting to participate in an intervention, were eligible for inclusion. Quality appraisal of the studies was performed following the Cochrane Collaboration’s Risk of Bias or Newcastle-Ottawa Scale tools.ResultsOf the 4155 articles screened, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria from 9 different studies. The number of participants in the studies ranged from 6 to 70 people living with dementia and lasted for 3 weeks up to 5 months. The interventions were aquatic exercise, wheelchair cycling, art gallery discussion groups, an intergenerational mentorship programme, horse riding, walking and outdoor gardening. Overall, the studies indicated preliminary evidence of psychological (n=7), physical (n=4) and physiological (n=1) benefits, and all interventions were feasible to conduct away from the aged care facilities. However, the low number of participants in the included studies (n=177), the absence of a control group in all but three studies, and potential for selection bias, limits the generalisability of the findings.ConclusionsActivities outside of the residential aged care setting have the potential to be effective at providing a range of benefits for people living with dementia. Higher quality studies are required to encourage care providers to implement these type of activities in dementia care settings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020166518.

To examine the effects of a probiotic protocol on the incidence and severity of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in elite rugby union athletes across an international competition season. Associations were also investigated between salivary biomarkers of stress (cortisol, alpha-amylase) and mucosal immunity (secretory(s)-IgA). A double-blind RCT was conducted over 27-weeks, divided into three stages: (1) control period; (2) domestic competition; and (3) international competition. Athletes were assigned a probiotic (n = 9) or placebo (n = 10) supplement. Ultrabiotic 60™ or placebo was taken with food twice daily for 17 weeks and SB Floractiv™ 250 mg added twice daily during stage three. Five infections were diagnosed by the team sports physician across the 27-weeks, three within the intervention period in athletes randomised to the placebo group. No significant group x time interaction effects for salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase or s-IgA were identified over the 27-week time period, although a significant main effect for group and time was identified for salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and s-IgA (p < 0.05 for all). When considering stage, significant differences were identified in stage one with s-IgA lower in the probiotic group (p = 0.015). In stage two and three, salivary cortisol was higher in the probiotic group (p = 0.016 and p = 0.001 respectively), and salivary alpha-amylase was higher in the probiotic group in stage three (p = 0.007). The probiotic protocol used in this study was associated with an increase in salivary alpha-amylase supporting its possible role as a host defence peptide.