The aim of this study was to examine and to compare alterations in the secretion of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) during different exercise-testing protocols in moderately trained men. Fifteen healthy male physical education students were studied (mean age 22·3 ± 2·5 years, training experience 12·3 ± 2·5 years, height 1·80 ± 0·06 m, weight 77·4 ± 8·2 kg). Participants performed an initial graded maximal exercise testing on a treadmill for the determination of VO(2max) (duration 7·45-9·3 min and VO(2max) 55·05 ± 3·13 ml kg(-1) min(-1) ) and were examined with active recovery (AR), passive recovery (PR) and continuous running (CR) in random order. Blood samples for plasma ANP concentration were taken at rest (baseline measurement), immediately after the end of exercise as well as after 30 min in passive recovery time (PRT). The plasma ANP concentration was determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The results showed that ANP plasma values increased significantly from the rest period to maximal values. In the short-term graded maximal exercise testing the ANP plasma values increased by 56·2% (44·8 ± 10·4 pg ml(-1) versus 102·3 ± 31·3 pg ml(-1) , P<0.001) and in the CR testing the ANP levels increased by 29·2% (44·8 ± 10·4 pg ml(-1) versus 63·3 ± 19·8 pg ml(-1) , P<0.001) compared to the baseline measurement. Moreover, the values of ANP decreased significantly (range 46·4-51·2%, P<0.001) in PRT after the end of the four different exercise modes. However, no significant difference was evident when ANP values at rest and after AR and PR were compared. It is concluded that the exercise testing protocol may affect the plasma ANP concentrations. Particularly, short-term maximal exercise significantly increases ANP values, while the intermittent exercise form of active and passive recovery decreases ANP concentrations.

• MeSH
• Atrial Natriuretic Factor blood   metabolism   MeSH
• Running physiology   MeSH
• Exercise physiology   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Rest physiology   MeSH
• Radioimmunoassay methods   MeSH
• Physical Education and Training MeSH
• Education methods   MeSH
• Exercise Test methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Atrial Natriuretic Factor MeSH

UNLABELLED: Spiroergometrical testing with the load graded upto symptom-limited maximum with the determination of anaerobic threshold begins to be a routine method in exercise testing of cardiac patients. Functional parameters according to available data depend on the source of load and may be influenced by the protocol of testing, too. That is why we decided to compare two protocols used in chronic heart failure patients exercise testing. 11 male and 3 female patients (NYHA II, III) suffering from chronic heart failure were subjected to the symptom-limited tests (protocol A-0.25 W.kg (-1/3 minutes with one minute breaks; protocol B-25 W + 10 W/2 minutes). There was no statistically significant differences in the symptom-limited values of main functional parameters. The AT level parameters did not differ significantly, as well. Anaerobic threshold could be determined in all patients using the protocol A and in 11 cases using the protocol B. The difference in rates was not statistically significant. The workload duration using the protocol B was significantly shorter (9.7 +/- 3.8 minutes vs. 16.4 +/- 3.6 minutes). CONCLUSIONS: Protocol B is less time demanding and therefore it is more suitable for determination of the symptom-limited parameters in the clinical routine. Anaerobic threshold can be determined by protocol A more often than by protocol B. Therefore, protocol A appears to be more suitable for the individual prescription of the appropriate physical activity and for scientific purposes, too.

• MeSH
• Anaerobic Threshold MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Heart Failure diagnosis   MeSH
• Exercise Test methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH

This work presents a quick clinical protocol for dark-adapted chromatic (DAC) perimetry as well as a novel clinical tool, scotopic chromatic pupil campimetry (CPC). The goal of the study was to explore the applicability of these methods in a clinical setting, their test-retest repeatability, and the congruence of the results. Local rod sensitivity was assessed at 36 locations within 30° eccentricity of the visual field in 15 healthy subjects (mean age 43 ± 16 years; 7 females and 8 males) with DAC perimetry (red and cyan stimuli) and CPC 2 times in repeated measurements. The duration of individual measurements was 370 ± 5 s for CPC and 366 ± 62 s for DAC perimetry. The intraclass correlation (ICC) coefficient was 0.53 for DAC perimetry cyan stimuli, 0.67 for red stimuli, and 0.93 for CPC. However, the spatial resolution of CPC was substantially smaller than in DAC perimetry. We did not find a correlation of DAC perimetry and CPC measurements on the global or the local level. In comparison to DAC perimetry, CPC shows a superior intervisit repeatability in detecting functional changes in the rod population in an objective way with lower spatial resolution. Our results also indicate that these 2 methods measure the rod function in different ways and could thus constitute complementary scotopic functional diagnostics.

• Keywords
• Chromatic pupil campimetry, Dark-adapted chromatic perimetry, Hereditary retinal diseases, Retina function, Rod function,
• MeSH
• Dark Adaptation MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Clinical Protocols MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Visual Field Tests * MeSH
• Healthy Volunteers MeSH
• Visual Fields * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Middle Aged MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Performance is judged using a variety of methods to ensure uniformity between competitions. Uchikomi Fitness Test (UFT) could accomplished between morning qualifying and evening finals. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of different warm-up protocols on UFT at different times of the day in female judokas. Ten volunteer women who had been practising judo on a regular basis for more than 5 years and actively competed in international tournaments took part in this study. Judokas completed UFT, either after no-warm-up (NWU), specific warm-up (SWU), and linear+lateral warm-up (FWU) protocols for two times a day in the morning: 09:00-11:00 and in the evening: 16:00-18:00, on non-consecutive days. In conclusion, there was a significant increase in UFT scores (F = 9.89; p = 0.002), a + b (F = 4.42; p = 0.04) and heart rate (F = 28.99; p < 0.001) in the early evening compared to the morning. Increases in UFT performance were observed in the SWU protocol compared to the NWU and FWU protocols (p < 0.05). However, the interaction between time of day and warm protocol was not significant (p > 0.05). The UFT performance revealed diurnal variation, and the judokas' performances may be favourably affected more in the late hours, particularly following SWU procedures.

• Keywords
• combat sports, diurnal variation, judo, martial arts, specific testing,
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

UNLABELLED: Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening disease for which early diagnosis following newborn screening (NBS) improves the prognosis. We performed a prospective assessment of the immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT)/DNA/IRT protocol currently in use nationwide, versus the IRT/pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) and IRT/PAP/DNA CF NBS protocols. Dried blood spots (DBS) from 106,522 Czech newborns were examined for IRT concentrations. In the IRT/DNA/IRT protocol, DNA-testing was performed for IRT ≥ 65 ng/mL. Newborns with IRT ≥ 200 ng/mL and no detected cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) mutations were recalled for a repeat IRT. In the same group of newborns, for both parallel protocols, PAP was measured in DBS with IRT ≥ 50 ng/mL. In PAP-positive newborns (i.e., ≥1.8 if IRT 50-99.9 or ≥1.0 if IRT ≥ 100, all in ng/mL), DNA-testing followed as part of the IRT/PAP/DNA protocol. Newborns with at least one CFTR mutation in the IRT/DNA/IRT and IRT/PAP/DNA protocols; a positive PAP in IRT/PAP; or a high repeat IRT in IRT/DNA/IRT were referred for sweat testing. CONCLUSION: the combined results of the utilized protocols led to the detection of 21 CF patients, 19 of which were identified using the IRT/DNA/IRT protocol, 16 using IRT/PAP, and 15 using IRT/PAP/DNA. Decreased cut-offs for PAP within the IRT/PAP protocol would lead to higher sensitivity but would increase false positives. Within the IRT/PAP/DNA protocol, decreased PAP cut-offs would result in high sensitivity, an acceptable number of false positives, and would reduce the number of DNA analyses. Thus, we concluded that the IRT/PAP/DNA protocol would represent the most suitable protocol in our conditions.

• MeSH
• Antigens, Neoplasm blood   MeSH
• Biomarkers blood   MeSH
• Cystic Fibrosis blood   diagnosis   genetics   MeSH
• False Negative Reactions MeSH
• False Positive Reactions MeSH
• Genetic Markers MeSH
• Clinical Protocols MeSH
• Lectins, C-Type blood   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• DNA Mutational Analysis MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor blood   MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Neonatal Screening methods   MeSH
• Sweat chemistry   MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator genetics   MeSH
• Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins MeSH
• Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
• Dried Blood Spot Testing MeSH
• Trypsinogen blood   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Infant, Newborn MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Clinical Trial MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antigens, Neoplasm MeSH
• Biomarkers MeSH
• CFTR protein, human MeSH Browser
• Genetic Markers MeSH
• Lectins, C-Type MeSH
• Biomarkers, Tumor MeSH
• Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator MeSH
• Pancreatitis-Associated Proteins MeSH
• REG3A protein, human MeSH Browser
• Trypsinogen MeSH

BACKGROUND: Exercise capacity is well known to be an important prognostic factor in patients with cardiovascular disease and among healthy persons. AIM: To determine if there are any differences between the peak exercise response during exercise treadmill testing with the individualized ramp protocol and the modified Bruce protocol in elderly patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 40 patients (both male and female), aged 70 years and older, who had not had a baseline history of the confirmed coronary artery disease or heart failure diagnoses. All patients underwent exercise treadmill testing using modified Bruce protocol and individualized ramp protocol for 2 consecutive days. Peak heart rate, peak systolic and diastolic blood pressure, peak pressure-rate double product, exercise duration, and peak metabolic equivalents were recorded in both tests. Perceived level of exertion was evaluated using the Borg 10-point scale. RESULTS: The average duration of exercise was longer for the ramp protocol than for the modified Bruce protocol. When the modified Bruce protocol was used, patients achieved a lower workload than they did in using the ramp protocol. The rating of perceived exertion using the revised Borg scale (0 to 10) was 5.6±1.4 for the ramp protocol and 8.7±1.4 for the modified Bruce protocol, which indicates that the patients found the ramp protocol easier. CONCLUSION: In elderly patients the individualized ramp treadmill protocol allows to achieve the optimal test duration with higher degrees of workload and greater patient comfort during the test more often than does the modified Bruce protocol.

• Keywords
• elderly adults, exercise capacity, exercise treadmill testing, individualized ramp protocol, modified Bruce protocol,
• MeSH
• Blood Pressure * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Metabolic Equivalent MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Oxygen Consumption * MeSH
• Heart Rate * MeSH
• Physical Exertion MeSH
• Exercise Tolerance * MeSH
• Exercise Test methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Aged, 80 and over MeSH
• Aged MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH

Treatment with L-asparaginase is associated with coagulation disturbances with deep venous thrombosis being the most common clinical consequence. Use of the calibrated automated thrombogram allows precise estimation of thrombin generated in vitro. We show the first data on thrombin generation, measured by calibrated automated thrombography (CAT), in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with L-asparaginase. Thrombin generation was measured by means of CAT in 23 children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Samples were obtained at predefined time points during the induction and reinduction phase of acute lymphoblastic leukemia-intercontinental Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster (BFM) 2000 or Associazione Italiana Ematologica Oncologia Pedaitrica Interim BFM 2000 protocols. Antihrombin and fibrinogen were measured on the same sample. Twenty-eight sets of thrombin generation measurements were collected from 23 patients. We observed no significant effect of antithrombin deficiency and/or hypofibrinogenemia on thrombin generation. Endogenous thrombin generation and peak thrombin were significantly higher during induction than in the reinduction phase (P < 0.001). Four patients with severe infection experienced an increase in thrombin generation, reaching maximum in a median of 7.5 days after the onset of infection. Two of those patients developed deep venous thrombosis at the time of peaked endogenous thrombin generation. Thrombin generation in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated according to BFM protocols is significantly higher during the induction phase compared with reinduction and is not substantially affected by hypofibrinogenemia and/or antithrombin deficiency. Severe infection during the induction phase enhances thrombin generation with subsequent risk of thrombosis.

• MeSH
• Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma blood   drug therapy   MeSH
• Automation MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Calibration MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Prospective Studies MeSH
• Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols therapeutic use   MeSH
• Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic MeSH
• Thrombin biosynthesis   MeSH
• Blood Coagulation Tests methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Child, Preschool MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Thrombin MeSH

Background: Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, demand for diagnostic testing has increased drastically, resulting in shortages of necessary materials to conduct the tests and overwhelming the capacity of testing laboratories. The supply scarcity and capacity limits affect test administration: priority must be given to hospitalized patients and symptomatic individuals, which can prevent the identification of asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals and hence effective tracking and tracing policies. We describe optimized group testing strategies applicable to SARS-CoV-2 tests in scenarios tailored to the current COVID-19 pandemic and assess significant gains compared to individual testing. Methods: We account for biochemically realistic scenarios in the context of dilution effects on SARS-CoV-2 samples and consider evidence on specificity and sensitivity of PCR-based tests for the novel coronavirus. Because of the current uncertainty and the temporal and spatial changes in the prevalence regime, we provide analysis for several realistic scenarios and propose fast and reliable strategies for massive testing procedures. Key Findings: We find significant efficiency gaps between different group testing strategies in realistic scenarios for SARS-CoV-2 testing, highlighting the need for an informed decision of the pooling protocol depending on estimated prevalence, target specificity, and high- vs. low-risk population. For example, using one of the presented methods, all 1.47 million inhabitants of Munich, Germany, could be tested using only around 141 thousand tests if the infection rate is below 0.4% is assumed. Using 1 million tests, the 6.69 million inhabitants from the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, could be tested as long as the infection rate does not exceed 1%. Moreover, we provide an interactive web application, available at www.grouptexting.com, for visualizing the different strategies and designing pooling schemes according to specific prevalence scenarios and test configurations. Interpretation: Altogether, this work may help provide a basis for an efficient upscaling of current testing procedures, which takes the population heterogeneity into account and is fine-grained towards the desired study populations, e.g., mild/asymptomatic individuals vs. symptomatic ones but also mixtures thereof. Funding: German Science Foundation (DFG), German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, and Austrian Science Fund (FWF).

• Keywords
• COVID-19, RT-PCR, SARS-CoV-2, group testing, informative testing, pooling,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Pandemics MeSH
• SARS-CoV-2 * MeSH
• COVID-19 Testing MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Brazil MeSH

OBJECTIVE: The article aimed to assess the benefit of incorporating maternal serum thyroid disease marker levels (thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine) into first trimester Down syndrome screening protocols. METHODS: Statistical modelling was used to predict performance with and without the thyroid markers. Two protocols were considered: the combined test and the contingent cell-free DNA (cfDNA) test, where 15-40% women are selected for cfDNA because of increased risk based on combined test results. Published parameters were used for the combined test, cfDNA and the Down syndrome means for thyroid-stimulating hormone and free thyroxine; other parameters were derived from a series of 5230 women screened for both thyroid disease and Down syndrome. RESULTS: Combined test: For a fixed 85% detection rate, the predicted false positive rate was reduced from 5.3% to 3.6% with the addition of the thyroid markers. Contingent cfDNA test: For a fixed 95% detection rate, the proportion of women selected for cfDNA was reduced from 25.6% to 20.2%. CONCLUSIONS: When screening simultaneously for maternal thyroid disease and Down syndrome, thyroid marker levels should be used in the calculation of Down syndrome risk. The benefit is modest but can be achieved with no additional cost. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

• MeSH
• Biomarkers blood   MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Down Syndrome blood   complications   diagnosis   physiopathology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Thyroid Diseases blood   diagnosis   MeSH
• Mass Screening methods   MeSH
• Predictive Value of Tests MeSH
• Prenatal Diagnosis methods   MeSH
• Pregnancy Trimester, First blood   MeSH
• Sensitivity and Specificity MeSH
• Thyroid Gland physiopathology   MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Thyroid Function Tests methods   MeSH
• Thyrotropin analysis   blood   MeSH
• Thyroxine analysis   blood   MeSH
• Cell-Free Nucleic Acids analysis   blood   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Evaluation Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Biomarkers MeSH
• Thyrotropin MeSH
• Thyroxine MeSH
• Cell-Free Nucleic Acids MeSH

PURPOSE: Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders (PGT-M) allows early diagnosis in embryos conceived in vitro. PGT-M helps to prevent known genetic disorders in affected families and ensures that pathogenic variants in the male or female partner are not passed on to offspring. The trend in genetic testing of embryos is to provide a comprehensive platform that enables robust and reliable testing for the causal pathogenic variant(s), as well as chromosomal abnormalities that commonly occur in embryos. In this study, we describe PGT protocol that allows direct mutation testing, haplotyping, and aneuploidy screening. METHODS: Described PGT protocol called OneGene PGT allows direct mutation testing, haplotyping, and aneuploidy screening using next-generation sequencing (NGS). Whole genome amplification product is combined with multiplex PCR used for SNP enrichment. Dedicated bioinformatic tool enables mapping, genotype calling, and haplotyping of informative SNP markers. A commercial software was used for aneuploidy calling. RESULTS: OneGenePGT has been implemented for seven of the most common monogenic disorders, representing approximately 30% of all PGT-M indications at our IVF centre. The technique has been thoroughly validated, focusing on direct pathogenic variant testing, haplotype identification, and chromosome abnormality detection. Validation results show full concordance with Sanger sequencing and karyomapping, which were used as reference methods. CONCLUSION: OneGene PGT is a comprehensive, robust, and cost-effective method that can be established for any gene of interest. The technique is particularly suitable for common monogenic diseases, which can be performed based on a universal laboratory protocol without the need for set-up or pre-testing.

• Keywords
• Aneuploidy, Monogenic disorders, Next-generation sequencing, Preimplantation genetic testing,
• MeSH
• Aneuploidy MeSH
• Blastocyst pathology   MeSH
• Genetic Testing methods   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mutation genetics   MeSH
• Preimplantation Diagnosis * methods   MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing methods   MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Pregnancy MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH