BACKGROUND The relevance of the remodeling pattern in the model of rats exposed to cigarette smoke is not known. OBJECTIVE Analyzing the presence of different remodeling patterns in this model and its relation with the ventricular function. METHODS Smoking rats (n=47) have been divided according to the geometry pattern, analyzed by echocardiogram: normal (normal mass index and normal relati...

Although several studies have examined the cardiac functional determinants of exercise capacity, few have investigated the effects of structural remodeling. The current study evaluated the association between cardiac geometry and exercise capacity. Subjects with ejection fraction 50% and no valvular disease, myocardial ischemia, or arrhythmias were identified from a large prospective exercise e...

The purpose of present study was to compare the effect of Ia afferent attenuation on the activity of alpha motor neuron (MN) during concentric and eccentric action. Eight male subjects were enrolled in the present study. The experiments consisted of two sessions of MVC measurements, since all subjects performed both maximal concentric and eccentric action. EMG signals were simultaneously measur...

Although several studies have examined the cardiac functional determinants of exercise capacity, few have investigated the effects of structural remodeling. The current study evaluated the association between cardiac geometry and exercise capacity. Subjects with ejection fraction > or = 50% and no valvular disease, myocardial ischemia, or arrhythmias were identified from a large prospective exe...

1 Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of “Tor Vergata” Rome (Italy). 2 SPO Sport Performance Optimization Lab, CNMSS, Tunis (Tunisia) 3 UR CIAMS – Motor Control and Perception Group, Sport Sciences Department, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay (France). 4 School of Exercise and Sport Science, University of Verona (Italy). 5 Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha (Qatar). Authors subm...

2 ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation in eight superficial lower limb muscles during execution of barbell back squats while in barefoot and athletic shoe conditions. It was hypothesized that greater muscle activity would be seen when squats were performed in barefoot conditions. Six participants were included in the study (means: 21.33±1.53 years, 170.45±11.33cm ...

BACKGROUND Studies regarding the association between prehypertension and the structual changes of left heart are scanty. However, which type of the geometrical change of left heart is predominated one in prehypertension and hypertension is controversial. It is therefore important to investigate geometrical and functional changes of left heart in adults with prehypertension and hypertension beca...

This study was designed to investigate the modulations of H-reflex and V-wave responses during passive and maximal active dynamic actions. Experiments were performed on 16 healthy males [age: 24 +/- 4 (SD) yr]. Maximal H-reflexes (Hmax) and M-waves (MmaxR) were evoked at the same muscle length during passive isometric, shortening and lengthening actions and during maximal voluntary isometric, c...

The quantification of the progression of muscle fatigue during a sustained contraction is a valuable tool in several clinical applications, ranging from the evaluation of functional impairment to the development of specific rehabilitative and training protocols. In these fields, great importance is given to isokinetic contractions. The aim of this work was twofold: first, to propose signal proc...

UNLABELLED Previous literature suggests that muscular involvement and biomechanical changes elicit different responses between overground and treadmill training. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of training on two different treadmill designs on the conventional (CR; concentric only) and functional (FR; eccentric to concentric) hamstring and quadriceps strength ratios. Fift...