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This scoping review presents an overview of physical fitness parameters in rhythmic gymnastics as well as the association of fitness with gymnasts' performance, competitive level, and age. PubMed, Scopus, and Sport Discus databases were searched. Of the 586 records retrieved, 41 studies met the inclusion criteria (n = 1915 participants). The included studies examined flexibility, aerobic capacity, muscle power, muscle endurance, muscle strength, sprint speed, agility, balance, and coordination. Performance was associated with flexibility, aerobic capacity, lower-limb muscle power, agility, muscular endurance, balance, and coordination from a young age. Flexibility, aerobic capacity, and muscle power were, in general, higher in high-level gymnasts than in low-level gymnasts or controls. Older rhythmic gymnasts demonstrated higher scores than the younger ones in flexibility, aerobic capacity, balance, and sport-specific coordination but not in muscle endurance, while some studies reported a decline in muscle power with age. Supplementary physical fitness training improved all physical abilities irrespective of the gymnasts' level. Rhythmic gymnastics training alone improved muscle power, agility, speed, muscular endurance, and balance to a lesser extent than targeted fitness training. Muscular strength, speed, and agility are largely under-researched in rhythmic gymnastics. Emphasis should be given to targeted strength and power training due to the high mechanical loads placed on skeletally immature athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On behalf of the Strength and Conditioning Society (SCS) and the Hellenic Society of Biochemistry and Exercise Physiology (EEVFA), we are pleased to present the abstracts of the SCS 6th Annual Meeting and EEVFA—11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise. The event was held at the Hellenic Olympic Committee headquarters in Athens, Greece, on 19–22 October 2023, and comprised several invited sessions from international and national speakers on a variety of topics related to biochemistry and exercise physiology, strength and conditioning practices and their application to health, injury prevention and sports performance. These included strength training in high-performance sports, sport science and training–competition load management in elite environments, biochemistry and exercise physiology and prescription, nutrition and biomechanics, among others. The conference also included different practical workshops conducted by renowned academics and practitioners on eccentric training, change of direction ability and strength and power training in professional team-sports, and ergospirometry and exercise prescription in specific populations. Finally, the event disseminated up-to-date strength and conditioning research by providing practitioners and researchers with the opportunity to present their most recent findings. In this regard, all abstracts of the communications presented at the SCS 6th Annual Meeting—EEVFA—11th International Congress of Biochemistry and Physiology of Exercise can be found in this Conference Report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk for undernutrition. The aim of our study was to describe the growth parameters of Italian children with CHD compared to healthy children. We performed a cross-sectional study collecting the anthropometric data of pediatric patients with CHD and healthy controls. WHO and Italian z-scores for weight for age (WZ), length/height for age (HZ), weight for height (WHZ) and body mass index (BMIZ) were collected. A total of 657 patients (566 with CHD and 91 healthy controls) were enrolled: 255 had mild CHD, 223 had moderate CHD and 88 had severe CHD. Compared to CHD patients, healthy children were younger (age: 7.5 ± 5.4 vs. 5.6 ± 4.3 years, p = 0.0009), taller/longer (HZ: 0.14 ± 1.41 vs. 0.62 ± 1.20, p < 0.002) and heavier (WZ: −0,07 ± 1.32 vs. 0.31 ± 1.13, p = 0.009) with no significant differences in BMIZ (−0,14 ± 1.24 vs. –0.07 ± 1.13, p = 0.64) and WHZ (0.05 ± 1.47 vs. 0.43 ± 1.07, p = 0.1187). Moderate and severe CHD patients presented lower z-scores at any age, with a more remarkable difference in children younger than 2 years (WZ) and older than 5 years (HZ, WZ and BMIZ). Stunting and underweight were significantly more present in children affected by CHD (p < 0.01). In conclusion, CHD negatively affects the growth of children based on the severity of the disease, even in a high-income country, resulting in a significant percentage of undernutrition in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is classically considered a disease of the left ventricle, right ventricular (RV) involvement has also been reported, though still not extensively characterized. We present a case of biventricular HCM with significant RV involvement in the absence of a left intraventricular gradient: RV outflow tract gradient due to hypertrophy and near obliteration of the RV cavity. Significant RV hypertrophy may cause reduced RV diastolic filling and/or RV outflow obstruction, with potentially increased incidence of symptoms of heart failure, arrhythmias, and pulmonary thromboembolism. The optimal treatment for these patients is unclear. Our patient underwent complete treatment and elimination of right ventricular obstruction, resulting in improved symptoms and a significant reduction in postoperative gradients. Direct relief of outflow tract obstruction can be achieved with low morbidity and good intermediate- to long-term results. Conventional surgery may provide significant symptomatic improvement and should thus be considered in the setting of HCM with outflow obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between force–time characteristics of isometric leg press (ILP) and countermovement jump (CMJ) with vastus lateralis (VL) muscle architecture, was examined in 19 female athletes (aged 23.2 ± 5.4 years). Peak force (PF), average rate of force development (ARFD) and rate of force development (RFD) at different time epochs were calculated from the force–time curve, as well as CMJ jump height and power. Significant correlations were found between ILP-PF and CMJ power (r = 0.658, p < 0.01), while both variables were correlated with VL thickness and fascicle length (r = 0.471 to 0.648, p < 0.05). Significant correlations were also observed between ILP-RFD epochs and VL fascicle length (r = 0.565 to 0.646, p < 0.05) and between CMJ height with VL thickness (r = 0.523, p < 0.05). Furthermore, positive correlations were found between ILP and CMJ in ARFD (r = 0.625, p < 0.01) and RFD epochs (r = 0.464 to 0.566, p < 0.05). ILP-PF and muscle thickness accounted for 52.8% (p = 0.002) of the variance in CMJ power. These results suggest that isometric force time characteristics are associated with power generation during dynamic muscle actions. Furthermore, VL muscle thickness and fascicle length are associated with rapid force production in female athletes, irrespective of the type of muscle action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ghrelin receptor, a growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R), is expressed in the pancreas. Emerging evidence indicates that GHS-R is involved in the regulation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), but the mechanism by which GHS-R regulates GSIS in the pancreas is unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of GHS-R on GSIS in detail using global Ghsr−/− mice (in vivo) and Ghsr-ablated pancreatic islets (ex vivo). GSIS was attenuated in both Ghsr−/− mice and Ghsr-ablated islets, while the islet morphology was similar between WT and Ghsr−/− mice. To elucidate the mechanism underpinning Ghsr-mediated GSIS, we investigated the key steps of the GSIS signaling cascade. The gene expression of glucose transporter 2 (Glut2) and the glucose-metabolic intermediate—glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) were reduced in Ghsr-ablated islets, supporting decreased glucose uptake. There was no difference in mitochondrial DNA content in the islets of WT and Ghsr−/− mice, but the ATP/ADP ratio in Ghsr−/− islets was significantly lower than that of WT islets. Moreover, the expression of pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 (Pdx1), as well as insulin signaling genes of insulin receptor (IR) and insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 (IRS1/IRS2), was downregulated in Ghsr−/− islets. Akt is the key mediator of the insulin signaling cascade. Concurrently, Akt phosphorylation was reduced in the pancreas of Ghsr−/− mice under both insulin-stimulated and homeostatic conditions. These findings demonstrate that GHS-R ablation affects key components of the insulin signaling pathway in the pancreas, suggesting the existence of a cross-talk between GHS-R and the insulin signaling pathway in pancreatic islets, and GHS-R likely regulates GSIS via the Akt-Pdx1-GLUT2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a central role in the neuropathology associated with status epilepticus (SE) and is implicated in the development of epilepsy. While excitotoxic mechanisms are well-known mediators affecting mitochondrial health following SE, whether hyperactivation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) also contributes to SE-induced mitochondrial dysfunction remains to be examined. Here we first evaluated the temporal evolution of poly-ADP-ribosylated protein levels in hippocampus following kainic acid-induced SE as a marker for PARP-1 activity, and found that PARP-1 was hyperactive at 24 h following SE.We evaluated oxidative metabolism and found decreased NAD+ levels by enzymatic cycling, and impaired NAD+-dependent mitochondrial respiration as measured by polarography at 24 h following SE. Stereological estimation showed significant cell loss in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subregions 72 h following SE. PARP-1 inhibition using N-(6-Oxo-5,6-dihydro-phenanthridin-2-yl)- N,N-dimethylacetamide (PJ-34) in vivo administration was associated with preserved NAD+ levels and NAD+-dependent mitochondrial respiration, and improved CA1 neuronal survival. These findings suggest that PARP-1 hyperactivation contributes to SE-associated mitochondrial dysfunction and CA1 hippocampal damage. The deleterious effects of PARP-1 hyperactivation on mitochondrial respiration are in part mediated through intracellular NAD+ depletion. Therefore, modulating PARP-1 activity may represent a potential therapeutic target to preserve intracellular energetics and mitochondrial function following SE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), the Social Desirability Scale (SDS) and provided information on their training. It was found that 16.3% of competitive gymnasts and 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts scored ≥20 in EAT-26, indicating disordered eating behavior. Competitive gymnasts scored higher than non-competitive in the total score of EAT-26 (p = 0.027), as well as in the total score of WPS-F, the sport and coaches weight pressures sub-scale and the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale (p < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that sport and coaches weight pressures, appearance and performance weight pressures and body mass index accounted for 30.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in competitive gymnasts, while the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale accounted for 16.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in non-competitive gymnasts. Sport and coaches weight pressures are associated with ED in competitive gymnasts, while body appearance and performance demands correlate with ED in female gymnasts irrespective of competitive level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrocnemius medialis (GM) architecture and ankle angle were compared between flexibility trained (n = 10) and not trained (n = 6) female athletes, aged 8–10 years. Ankle angle, fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness were measured at the mid-belly and the distal part of GM, at rest and at the end of one min of static stretching. Flexibility trained (FT) and not trained athletes (FNT) had similar fascicle length at the medial (4.19 ± 0.37 vs. 4.24 ± 0.54 cm, respectively, p = 0.841) and the distal part of GM (4.25 ± 0.35 vs. 4.18 ± 0.65 cm, respectively, p = 0.780), similar pennation angles, and muscle thickness (p > 0.216), and larger ankle angle at rest (120.9 ± 4.2 vs. 110.9 ± 5.8°, respectively, p = 0.001). During stretching, FT displayed greater fascicle elongation compared to FNT at the medial (+1.67 ± 0.37 vs. +1.28 ± 0.22 cm, respectively, p = 0.048) and the distal part (+1.84 ± 0.67 vs. +0.97 ± 0.97 cm, respectively, p = 0.013), larger change in joint angle and muscle tendon junction displacement (MTJ) (p < 0.001). Muscle thickness was similar in both groups (p > 0.053). Ankle dorsiflexion angle significantly correlated with fascicle elongation at the distal part of GM (r = −0.638, p < 0.01) and MTJ displacement (r = −0.610, p < 0.05). Collectively, FT had greater fascicle elongation at the medial and distal part of GM and greater MTJ displacement during stretching than FNT of similar age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Τhis study examined changes in hip joint flexion angle after an intermittent or a continuous static stretching protocol of equal total duration. Twenty-seven female subjects aged 19.9 ± 3.0 years (14 artistic and rhythmic gymnasts and 13 team sports athletes), performed 3 min of intermittent (6 × 30 s with 30 s rest) or continuous static stretching (3 min) of the hip extensors, with an intensity of 80–90 on a 100-point visual analogue scale. The order of stretching was randomized and counterbalanced, and each subject performed both conditions. Hip flexion angle was measured with the straight leg raise test for both legs after warm-up and immediately after stretching. Both stretching types equally increased hip flexion angle by ~6% (continuous: 140.9° ± 20.4° to 148.6° ± 18.8°, p = 0.047; intermittent: 141.8° ± 20.3° to 150.0° ± 18.8°, p = 0.029) in artistic and rhythmic gymnasts. In contrast, in team sports athletes, only intermittent stretching increased hip flexion angle by 13% (from 91.0° ± 7.2° to 102.4° ± 14.5°, p = 0.001), while continuous stretching did not affect hip angle (from 92.4° ± 6.9° vs. 93.1° ± 9.2°, p = 0.99). The different effect of intermittent vs. continuous stretching on hip flexion between gymnasts and team sports athletes suggests that responses to static stretching are dependent on stretching mode and participants training experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the effects of 8 weeks of plyometric training on jumping, sprinting, and change of direction (COD) performance. Methods: Fifty female 7–9-year-old gymnasts were randomly assigned to a plyometric training group (PG; n = 33), that performed supplementary plyometric training twice per week, and a control group (CG; n = 17) that continued regular training. The following tests were performed before and after the intervention: 10 and 20 m sprints, 5 + 5 m and 10 + 10 m COD tests, one-leg and two-leg countermovement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ), squat jump (SJ), and standing long jump (SLJ). Results: Only a main effect for time was found for all jumping performance parameters (p = 0.001). However, the improvement of one- and two-leg CMJ in PG had a greater effect size than CG (0.72 and 0.67 vs. 0.34 and 0.18, respectively). Group × time interactions were found for 10 and 20 m sprint tests (p = 0.018 and p = 0.011, respectively) and for 10 + 10 m COD (p = 0.008) with the post hoc test showing improvement only for the PG (p = 0.001, 0.001, and 0.003 and d = 1.1, 1.14, and 0.6, respectively). Conclusions: Supplementary plyometric training increased sprint and COD performance more than regular gymnastics training, while jumping performance was equally improved in both groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal nutrition is essential to improve short- and long-term outcomes in newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD). Nevertheless, several issues on nutritional management and concerns about the potential risk of complications related to enteral feeding exist. This narrative review aims to summarize and discuss the available literature on enteral feeding in term infants with CHD. A wide variability in feeding management exists worldwide. Emerging approaches to improve nutritional status and outcomes in infants with CHD include: implementation of a standardized enteral feeding protocol, both preoperative and postoperative, clearly defining time of initiation and advancement of enteral feeds, reasons to withhold, and definitions of feeding intolerance; early minimal enteral feeding; enteral feeding in stable term infants on hemodynamic support; evaluation of enteral feeding in term infants with umbilical arterial catheters and during prostaglandin infusion; assessment and support of oro-motor skills; and promotion and support of breastfeeding and provision of mother's own milk or donor milk when mother's own milk is not available. As evidence from term infants is scarce, available observations and recommendations partially rely on studies in preterm infants. Thus, well-designed studies assessing standardized clinically relevant outcomes are needed to provide robust evidence and shared recommendations and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effects of a short-duration supplementary strength–power training program on neuromuscular performance and sport-specific skills in adolescent athletes. Twenty-three female "Gymnastics for All" athletes, aged 13 ± 2 years, were divided into a training group (TG, n = 12) and a control group (CG, n = 11). Both groups underwent a test battery before and after 10 weeks of intervention. TG completed, in addition to gymnastics training, a supplementary 7–9 min program that included two rounds of strength and power exercises for arms, torso, and legs, executed in a circuit fashion with 1 min rest between rounds, three times per week. Initially, six exercises were performed (15 s work–15 s rest), while the number of exercises was decreased to four and the duration of each exercise was increased to 30 s (30 s rest) after the fifth week. TG improved countermovement jump performance with one leg (11.5% ± 10.4%, p = 0.002) and two legs (8.2% ± 8.8%, p = 0.004), drop jump performance (14.4% ± 12.6%, p = 0.038), single-leg jumping agility (13.6% ± 5.2%, p = 0.001), and sport-specific performance (8.8% ± 7.4%, p = 0.004), but not 10 m sprint performance (2.4% ± 6.6%, p = 0.709). No change was observed in the CG (p = 0.41 to 0.97). The results of this study indicated that this supplementary strength–power program performed for 7–9 min improves neuromuscular and sport-specific performance after 10 weeks of training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined heart rate (HR) responses during a sport-specific high-intensity circuit training session to indirectly assess cardiorespiratory stress in child athletes. Seventeen, female gymnasts, aged 9–11 years performed two 5-min 15 s sets of circuit exercise, interspersed by a 3 min rest interval. Each set included five rounds of five gymnastic exercises (7 s work, 7 s rest) executed with maximal effort. During the first circuit training set, peak heart rate (HR) was 192 ± 7 bpm and average HR was 83 ± 4% of maximum HR (HRmax), which was determined in a separate session. In the second set, peak HR and average HR were increased to 196 ± 8 bpm (p < 0.001, d = 0.55) and to 89 ± 4% HRmax (p < 0.001, d = 2.19), respectively, compared with the first set. HR was above 80% HRmax for 4.1 ± 1.2 min during set 1 and this was increased to 5.1 ± 0.4 min in set 2 (p < 0.001, d = 1.15). Likewise, HR was above 90% of HRmax for 2.0 ± 1.2 min in set 1 and was increased to 3.4 ± 1.7 min in set 2 (p < 0.001, d = 0.98). In summary, two 5-min 15 s sets of high-intensity circuit training using sport-specific exercises, increased HR to levels above 80% and 90% HRmax for extended time periods, and thus may be considered as an appropriate stimulus, in terms of intensity, for improving aerobic fitness in child female gymnasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rett syndrome is a severe neurodevelopmental disorder affecting mostly females and is caused by loss-of-function mutations in the MECP2 gene that encoded the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2. The pathogenetic mechanisms of Rett syndrome are not completely understood and metabolic derangements are emerging as features of Rett syndrome. We performed a semi-quantitative tandem mass spectrometry-based analysis that measured over 900 metabolites on blood samples from 14 female subjects with Rett syndrome carrying MECP2 mutations. The metabolic profiling revealed alterations in lipids, mostly involved in sphingolipid metabolism, and sphinganine/sphingosine, that are known to have a neurotrophic role. Further investigations are required to understand the mechanisms underlying such perturbations and their significance in the disease pathogenesis. Nevertheless, these metabolites are attractive for studies on the disease pathogenesis and as potential disease biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined gastrocnemius medialis (GM) architectural properties and ankle joint range of motion (ROM) between female athletes with different flexibility training background. Methods: Elite rhythmic gymnasts (n = 10) were compared to national level volleyball athletes (n = 10). Fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness at the medial and the distal part of GM, and ankle ROM were measured at rest and during 1 min of static stretching. Results: At rest, rhythmic gymnasts displayed longer fascicles compared to volleyball athletes, at the medial (5.93 ± 0.27 vs. 4.74 ± 0.33 mm, respectively, p = 0.001) and the distal part of GM (5.63 ± 0.52 vs. 4.57 ± 0.51 mm, respectively, p = 0.001), smaller pennation angle at the medial part (22.4 ± 2.5 vs. 25.8 ± 2.4°; respectively, p = 0.001) and greater ankle angle (121.7 ± 4.1 vs. 113.2 ± 3.7°, respectively, p = 0.001). During the 1 min of static stretching, gymnasts displayed greater fascicle elongation at the distal part (p = 0.026), greater maximal ankle dorsiflexion (p < 0.001) and muscle tendon junction displacement (p < 0.001) with no difference between groups in pennation angles (p > 0.145), muscle thickness (p > 0.105), and fascicle elongation at mid-belly (p = 0.063). Conclusions: Longer muscle fascicles at rest and greater fascicle elongation at the distal part of GM may contribute to the greater ankle ROM observed in rhythmic gymnasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]