Live high - train low altitude camps can enhance endurance power at sea level by 1-2% (Levine & Stray-Gunderson, 1997). More convenient methods to simulate altitude exposure are now available, but their effects on performance are less well characterized. In this study, we investigated intermittent hypoxic training (IHT) using an Hypoxicator, a device that produces oxygen-depleted air that athletes breathe intermittently through masks in a small group at a central venue. Twelve highly-competitive, male cyclists and multi-sport athletes (IHT group) underwent IHT in two, four-week bouts separated by eight weeks. Bout one consisted of 20 one-hour exposures and bout two 18 exposures where normal and low-oxygenated air was breathed in alternating five-minute intervals. The percentage of oxygen inhaled by the subjects was adjusted to produce an oxygen saturation of the blood of 88-92% in the first week of the study, decreasing to 76-80% (equivalent to an altitude of approximately 6000m) in the final week. A control group of 13 similar athletes did not use the Hypoxicator. Performance trials and blood tests were at four-week intervals; there were 3 trials (familiarization and reliability) before use of the Hypoxicator, 3 trials after to determine the effect of simulated altitude, then a second four-week exposure and one more trial. The measures of performance were mean power in a 16-km time trial on a Kingcycle ergometer (IHT group only) and power in a lactate-threshold test at 3 mmol/L above baseline (both groups). The measures from the blood tests were haemoglobin and haematocrit. There was a gradual but erratic improvement in performance in the time trial and lactate threshold tests over the course of the study in both groups, indicating an improvement through training. Relative to the last baseline test (Trial 3), the IHT group showed a 0.6% decrease in mean power over and above the effect of training in the 16-km time trial in Trial 4, nine days after last use of IHT. There was a 0.3% increase in mean power independent of the training effect in Trial 7, after the second round of altitude exposure. Uncertainty in these changes in performance was ±3.5% (95% confidence interval). The changes in lactate threshold in trials 4 and 7 indicate a possible improvement as a result of IHT exposure. Uncertainty in these changes was ±4.0%. There were negligible changes in the haemoglobin and hematocrit of either group at any time. There was small evidence of high responders, who were probably subjects with the DD genotype for the angiotensin converting enzyme gene. The time exposed to IHT had no bearing on performance and there was no evidence "peak" in results at either four or eight weeks after exposure to IHT. In summary, four weeks of IHT exposure probably resulted in a trivial effect on 16-km time-trial performance and the effort-independent measures provided no further clear-cut evidence of a performance improvement.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Univ., 2008. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

In recent years there has been a surge in interest concerning high intensity intermittent exercise training (HIT) due to its ability to confer rapid notable cardio-metabolic health benefits. Specifically, HIT has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glycaemic control as well as other cardiovascular health factors after just 2 weeks of training (typically 6 training sessions). This thesis investigated the potential therapeutic role of HIT training within obese cohorts specifically addressing metabolic health, inclusive of inflammatory profiles and glycaemic control.

Physical factors, such as hydrologic variability, are major structuring forces of prairie stream communities. Macroinvertebrate and algae densities can both decrease sharply in response to floods and drying. Less is known about the influences of biological factors, such as fishes. The influence of fishes on macroinvertebrate communities varies with environmental factors and other biologic interactions, ranging from neutral to strong negative effects on some populations, and the strength of these interactions sometimes appear linked to hydrology. Drying intermittent streams leave permanent water refugia that may be hotspots for interactions between fishes and invertebrates. Effects of fishes on macroinvertebrate communities may vary with invertebrate life cycle stages (e.g., larvae, emerging adults, colonizing adults). I examined macroinvertebrate communities (benthic and emerging) and algal biomass across a range of permanent stream pool sites at Konza Prairie Biological Station with naturally varying densities of fishes. I also manipulated fish densities in a mesocosm experiment to address how fishes may also be effecting colonization during recovery from hydrologic disturbance. Fish biomass had a negative impact on invertebrate abundance, but not biomass or taxa richness, in natural pools. Total fish biomass was not correlated with total insect emergence in natural pools, but orangethroat darter (Etheostoma spectabile) biomass was inversely correlated with emerging Chironomidae biomass (r2 = 0.43, p = 0.047) and individual midge body size (r2 = 0.61, p = 0.014). Predatory fish biomass and a date interaction appeared in top linear models, indicating fish may also delay insect emergence from natural pools. Fish presence reduced abundance of colonizing insects (p < 0.001) and total invertebrate biomass (p = 0.001) in mesocosms. Mesocosm insect communities in pools without fishes were characterized by more Chironomidae, Culicidae, and Corduliidae (p < 0.001 for all). Chlorophyll-a increased between sampling dates in mesocosms, but did not differ between treatments. Not all life stages showed the same response to fishes, illustrating the need for understanding life histories in order to interpret the influence of fishes. Understanding how fishes in prairie streams affect ecosystem structure and function is critical for conservation and management of remaining grassland streams. Results suggest fishes can influence colonization and community structure in prairie stream pools, which serve as important refugia during hydrologic disturbance and source areas for colonists during recovery.

Extensas áreas de produção de arroz irrigado podem ser afetadas pela escassez de água durante o ciclo da cultura, dependendo das precipitações pluviais e do gerenciamento dos mananciais hídricos pelo produtor. A irrigação intermitente é uma alternativa para a otimização do uso da água pela lavoura. Entretanto, esse manejo altera a dinâmica e disponibilidade de nutrientes na solução do solo, podendo afetar também a cultura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eletroquímica e a dinâmica de nutrientes na solução do solo, assim como a resposta do arroz ao parcelamento da adubação nitrogenada, em diferentes sistemas de irrigação. O experimento foi conduzido no campo, no ano agrícola de 2012/13, em um Gleissolo, na Estação Experimental do Arroz (EEA) do Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), em Cachoeirinha/RS. Os tratamentos testados foram: irrigação contínua e irrigação intermitente com uma e duas supressões no estágio vegetativo. Nas subparcelas, o manejo de aplicação de N constou de 0 kg ha-1 e 150 kg ha-1 em duas e três vezes. A eletroquímica é afetada pelos sistemas de irrigação e influenciam a dinâmica e disponibilidade dos nutrientes na solução do solo. Na irrigação contínua a disponibilidade dos nutrientes é maior em relação às irrigações intermitentes. Embora a biomassa e o acúmulo do nitrogênio sejam afetados, a produtividade não diferenciou entre os sistemas de irrigação e o manejo de adubação nitrogenada. A intermitência pode ser utilizada como uma ferramenta para melhorar a eficiência de utilização do nitrogênio pela cultura do arroz irrigado. / Large areas of irrigated rice production can be affected by water scarcity during the crop cycle, depending on rainfall and management of water sources by farmer. Intermitent irrigation is an alternative to the optimization of water use by the crop. However, this management modifies the nutrient dynamics and availability in the soil solution and may also affect the crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate the electrochemical and nutrient dynamics in the soil solution, as well as the response of rice to the split of nitrogen fertilization under different irrigation systems. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in the 2012/13 agricultural season, on an Albaqualf soil in the Rice Experiment Station of Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), in Cachoeirinha/RS. The treatments tested were: continuous flooding and intermittent irrigation with one and two dry cycles in the vegetative stage. Subplots consisted of nitrogen application of 0 kg ha-1 and 150 kg ha-1 in two and three splits. The soil solution electrochemistry is affected by irrigation systems and influence the nutrients dynamics and availability. In continuous flooding, nutrients availability is greater compared to intermittent irrigation. Although biomass and nitrogen accumulation are affected, grain yield did not differ between the irrigation systems and nitrogen fertilization management. The intermittent irrigation can be used as a tool to improve the nitrogen use efficiency by irrigated rice.

Extensas áreas de produção de arroz irrigado podem ser afetadas pela escassez de água durante o ciclo da cultura, dependendo das precipitações pluviais e do gerenciamento dos mananciais hídricos pelo produtor. A irrigação intermitente é uma alternativa para a otimização do uso da água pela lavoura. Entretanto, esse manejo altera a dinâmica e disponibilidade de nutrientes na solução do solo, podendo afetar também a cultura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eletroquímica e a dinâmica de nutrientes na solução do solo, assim como a resposta do arroz ao parcelamento da adubação nitrogenada, em diferentes sistemas de irrigação. O experimento foi conduzido no campo, no ano agrícola de 2012/13, em um Gleissolo, na Estação Experimental do Arroz (EEA) do Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), em Cachoeirinha/RS. Os tratamentos testados foram: irrigação contínua e irrigação intermitente com uma e duas supressões no estágio vegetativo. Nas subparcelas, o manejo de aplicação de N constou de 0 kg ha-1 e 150 kg ha-1 em duas e três vezes. A eletroquímica é afetada pelos sistemas de irrigação e influenciam a dinâmica e disponibilidade dos nutrientes na solução do solo. Na irrigação contínua a disponibilidade dos nutrientes é maior em relação às irrigações intermitentes. Embora a biomassa e o acúmulo do nitrogênio sejam afetados, a produtividade não diferenciou entre os sistemas de irrigação e o manejo de adubação nitrogenada. A intermitência pode ser utilizada como uma ferramenta para melhorar a eficiência de utilização do nitrogênio pela cultura do arroz irrigado. / Large areas of irrigated rice production can be affected by water scarcity during the crop cycle, depending on rainfall and management of water sources by farmer. Intermitent irrigation is an alternative to the optimization of water use by the crop. However, this management modifies the nutrient dynamics and availability in the soil solution and may also affect the crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate the electrochemical and nutrient dynamics in the soil solution, as well as the response of rice to the split of nitrogen fertilization under different irrigation systems. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in the 2012/13 agricultural season, on an Albaqualf soil in the Rice Experiment Station of Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), in Cachoeirinha/RS. The treatments tested were: continuous flooding and intermittent irrigation with one and two dry cycles in the vegetative stage. Subplots consisted of nitrogen application of 0 kg ha-1 and 150 kg ha-1 in two and three splits. The soil solution electrochemistry is affected by irrigation systems and influence the nutrients dynamics and availability. In continuous flooding, nutrients availability is greater compared to intermittent irrigation. Although biomass and nitrogen accumulation are affected, grain yield did not differ between the irrigation systems and nitrogen fertilization management. The intermittent irrigation can be used as a tool to improve the nitrogen use efficiency by irrigated rice.

Extensas áreas de produção de arroz irrigado podem ser afetadas pela escassez de água durante o ciclo da cultura, dependendo das precipitações pluviais e do gerenciamento dos mananciais hídricos pelo produtor. A irrigação intermitente é uma alternativa para a otimização do uso da água pela lavoura. Entretanto, esse manejo altera a dinâmica e disponibilidade de nutrientes na solução do solo, podendo afetar também a cultura. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eletroquímica e a dinâmica de nutrientes na solução do solo, assim como a resposta do arroz ao parcelamento da adubação nitrogenada, em diferentes sistemas de irrigação. O experimento foi conduzido no campo, no ano agrícola de 2012/13, em um Gleissolo, na Estação Experimental do Arroz (EEA) do Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), em Cachoeirinha/RS. Os tratamentos testados foram: irrigação contínua e irrigação intermitente com uma e duas supressões no estágio vegetativo. Nas subparcelas, o manejo de aplicação de N constou de 0 kg ha-1 e 150 kg ha-1 em duas e três vezes. A eletroquímica é afetada pelos sistemas de irrigação e influenciam a dinâmica e disponibilidade dos nutrientes na solução do solo. Na irrigação contínua a disponibilidade dos nutrientes é maior em relação às irrigações intermitentes. Embora a biomassa e o acúmulo do nitrogênio sejam afetados, a produtividade não diferenciou entre os sistemas de irrigação e o manejo de adubação nitrogenada. A intermitência pode ser utilizada como uma ferramenta para melhorar a eficiência de utilização do nitrogênio pela cultura do arroz irrigado. / Large areas of irrigated rice production can be affected by water scarcity during the crop cycle, depending on rainfall and management of water sources by farmer. Intermitent irrigation is an alternative to the optimization of water use by the crop. However, this management modifies the nutrient dynamics and availability in the soil solution and may also affect the crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate the electrochemical and nutrient dynamics in the soil solution, as well as the response of rice to the split of nitrogen fertilization under different irrigation systems. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in the 2012/13 agricultural season, on an Albaqualf soil in the Rice Experiment Station of Instituto Rio Grandense do Arroz (IRGA), in Cachoeirinha/RS. The treatments tested were: continuous flooding and intermittent irrigation with one and two dry cycles in the vegetative stage. Subplots consisted of nitrogen application of 0 kg ha-1 and 150 kg ha-1 in two and three splits. The soil solution electrochemistry is affected by irrigation systems and influence the nutrients dynamics and availability. In continuous flooding, nutrients availability is greater compared to intermittent irrigation. Although biomass and nitrogen accumulation are affected, grain yield did not differ between the irrigation systems and nitrogen fertilization management. The intermittent irrigation can be used as a tool to improve the nitrogen use efficiency by irrigated rice.

As dietas intermitentes (IF) compreendem ciclos alternados de 24 horas de jejum e alimentação. Como os efeitos de IF sobre o balanço redox não são bem conhecidos, esse trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar os efeitos desta dieta sobre o estado redox de diferentes tecidos de ratos. Após um mês de tratamento, os fígados dos ratos em IF apresentaram um aumento de capacidade respiratória mitocondrial juntamente com níveis elevados de proteínas carboniladas. Verificou-se ainda um aumento em danos oxidativos no cérebro destes animais. IF promoveu significativa proteção contra danos oxidativos no coração, enquanto que não houve alterações no estado redox do músculo esquelético. Os efeitos metabólicos de IF também foram investigados com o intuito de compreender os mecanismos envolvidos com o menor peso e a hiperfagia promovidos por esta intervenção. Observou-se que o menor peso dos ratos submetidos à IF é consequência de um aumento em taxas metabólicas em dias de alimentação somado à oxidação lipídica aumentada durante o jejum. A hiperfagia, por sua vez, é consequencia de elevação nos níveis de neurotransmissores orexigênicos hipotalâmicos, mesmo quando estes animais estão alimentados. Os níveis do neutransmissor TRH também foram modulados por esta dieta, o que pode estar relacionado com as alterações de taxas metabólicas observadas no modelo. Concluímos, portanto, que as dietas intermitentes promovem modificações funcionais no hipotálamo que estão associadas com diferenças no peso corpóreo e no apetite. Além disso, IF afeta o balanço redox de forma tecido específica, levando a um desbalanço oxidativo no fígado e no cérebro e à proteção contra danos oxidativos no coração. / Intermittent fasting (IF) is a dietary intervention that comprises 24 hour cycles alternating ad libitum feeding and fasting. We address here the effects of IF on redox state in different tissues, which are still poorly understood. After one month on the diet, IF rats livers presented increased mitochondrial respiratory capacity along with increased levels of protein carbonyls. Surprisingly, IF animals also presented an increase in oxidative damage in the brain. Conversely, IF promoted a substantial protection against oxidative damage in the heart. No difference in redox homeostasis was observed in the skeletal muscle. We also assessed metabolic effects of IF to uncover the mechanisms involved in the lower body mass and loss of feeding control in IF rats. As measured calorimetrically, IF animals presented high metabolic rates during feeding days and increased lipid oxidation on fasting days, which explains the lower body weight. IF-induced overeating was a consequence of increased expression of hypothalamic orexigenic neurotransmitters, even on feeding days. THR levels also were changed, in parallel with the feeding-dependent alterations on metabolic rates. Overall, we find that intermittent fasting promotes functional hypothalamic alterations associated with differences in body weight and appetite. In addition, IF affects redox balance in a tissue-specific manner, leading to redox imbalance in the liver and brain, as well as protection against oxidative damage in the heart

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) consists of repeated, involuntary breathing suspension during sleep. These events induce rapid depletion/repletion of blood/tissue oxygen content, a phenomenon known as intermittent hypoxia. Aside from causing daytime sleepiness, the most important health consequence of OSA is a 2-fold increase in cardiovascular (CVD) risk. Animal studies provide evidence that intermittent hypoxia, a simulating model of OSA, causes important rise in plasma TG, especially in the postprandial state. However, the underpinning mechanisms linking intermittent hypoxia to altered postprandial TG levels remain unknown. As such, the objective of this study was to characterize the effects of acute intermittent hypoxia on postprandial TG levels in 2 distinct lipoprotein subtypes in humans: chylomicrons which are secreted by the intestine and carry dietary lipids, and denser TG carriers (mainly VLDL) which are secreted by the liver and carry endogenous lipids. Methods: The research consisted of a randomized crossover design. In collaboration with the Sleep laboratory at Montfort Hospital, 7 individuals diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea were recruited through phone calls as well as 8 healthy individuals without OSA from the University of Ottawa. While lying on a bed, participants were given a meal after which they were exposed for 6 hours to normoxia or intermittent hypoxia corresponding to moderate OSA, e.g. 15 hypoxic events per hour. Blood lipid levels were measured hourly.  Results: Plasma TG levels increased over time in both experimental conditions and tended to be greater under 6-h exposure to intermittent hypoxia (p=0.093, effect size ηp2= 0.383.). This trend toward higher total plasma TG under intermittent hypoxia was attributable to increased levels in denser TG carrying lipoproteins such as VLDL and CM remnants (p= 0.009, ηp2 = 0.173).  Conclusion: Acute intermittent hypoxia, a simulating model of obstructive sleep apnea, tends to negatively affect postprandial TG levels, which is attributable to an increase in denser TG carrying lipoprotein levels such as VLDL and CM remnants. These results lend support to the increase in blood lipid levels in animal studies observing the effect of acute hypoxia in mice.  Contribution to advancement of knowledge: This proposed research will allow a better understanding of the mechanisms by which obstructive sleep apnea may alter blood lipid profile. This information will be beneficial to the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea related dyslipidemia and contribute to reduce CVD risk in the large proportion of obstructive sleep apnea patients who are reluctant to current treatment avenues.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Yo-Yo intermittent recovery testing ability and 20-meter sprint times in NCAA Division I men’s and women’s collegiate soccer players. Results show no significant (p = >0.05) relationship between the distance covered in the Yo-Yo IR1 test and 20-meter sprint times in the female players and a significant correlation between the two tests in the male players (r = -0.33). A non-significant relationship between the tests in female players may be due to greater variation in the total distance covered during the Yo-Yo IR1 test and small variation in 20-meter sprint times. The inclusion of speed and resistance training may be beneficial in developing the anaerobic speed reserve in female collegiate soccer players, leading to improvement in the Yo-Yo IR1 test performance. Improving the sprinting capabilities of male collegiate soccer players may also improve Yo-Yo IR1 test performance.