Biochemistry/history* ; China ; Exercise/physiology* ; History, 20th Century ; History, 21st Century ; Humans ; Sports Medicine/history*

Catecholamines ; blood ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Water Sports ; physiology

Blood Chemical Analysis ; Humans ; Water Sports ; physiology

Irisin is a circulating myokine induced by exercise, which is a cleaved version of fibronectin type III domain containing protein 5 (FNDC5). It can promote the browning of white fat tissue, increase energy consumption, and decrease weight. Irisin plays an important role in the regulation of various diseases, such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. Different types of exercise have different effects on irisin level in blood circulation, and moderate exercise can reduce cardiovascular symptoms. In this paper, the cardiovascular protective effect of irisin and its research progress in the field of exercise are reviewed, hoping to provide a new target for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Cardiovascular Diseases ; prevention & control ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Exercise ; Fibronectins ; physiology ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Sports Medicine

Although marathon has been considered as a simple or natural event, the multiple factors affect its performance such as physique and physical fitness including physical, technical, and mental factors. Academic disciplinary topics for talent identification in marathon performance are supported by physical characteristics, exercise physiology, biochemistry, nutrition, psychology, biomechanics, development and growth, evaluation and measurement. The scientific factors of marathon consist of physical and physiological characteristics of runners, overcoming trial of environmental effects, nutritional and psychological approach, ergogenic aid, effective training program, shoes and clothes. Especially, cardiopulmonary-related physical fitness is evaluated by maximal oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, oxygen transport rate, and lactate tolerance. These scientific approaches for the improvement of running performance have been applied to the pick-up of excellent runner, exercise training, and actual running race for the overcome of limiting factors as environmental condition, exercise-induced fatigue, and injury, etc. In conclusion, we must consider the scientific factors for actual running race with physiological or psychological paradigm, technical application, nutritional approach, genetic analysis and information and communication and technology (ICT) convergence science for the scientific consideration of improvement in marathon running performance.
Anaerobic Threshold ; Aptitude ; Biochemistry ; Clothing ; Continental Population Groups ; Education ; Fatigue ; Genetics ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Lactic Acid ; Oxygen ; Physical Fitness ; Physiology ; Psychology ; Running ; Shoes ; Sports*

Athletes ; Humans ; Microcirculation ; Muscles ; physiology ; Sports

Recreational diving is an exciting and adventurous sport, but is also potentially hazardous. Despite its inherent hazards, an increasing number of people enjoy SCUBA (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) diving; the number of diving-related accidents is therefore also likely to increase. Divers might face physical or psychological stresses from the unfamiliar or hostile underwater environment, which can lead to fatal accidents. To investigate deaths related to SCUBA diving, a forensic pathologist should understand the types and mechanisms of injuries and illnesses unique to SCUBA diving. Postmortem examination of diving fatalities is therefore a formidable task for most forensic pathologists because cases are sparse and the process requires an understanding of diving physiology, diving equipment, and the underwater environment. The primary aim of autopsies in SCUBA diving fatalities is to detect evidence of pulmonary barotrauma, intravascular gas, or pre-existing illnesses. Standard autopsy protocol for SCUBA diving-related deaths should include methods to detect intravascular gas and gas accumulation in the tissue or body cavity through plain radiographs or Computerized Tomography (CT) scans. Analysis of the gas components is also helpful for determining the origin of the gas. Here, the author proposes a practical method for performing an autopsy on a person who died while SCUBA diving.
Autopsy* ; Barotrauma ; Diving* ; Humans ; Methods ; Physiology ; Preexisting Condition Coverage ; Respiration ; Sports ; Stress, Psychological

Isokinetic technology in testing and training is the most advanced practical technique in the evaluation of muscle function. This method is a continuous dynamic test in the full range of the joint motion which has strong pertinence at the aspect of assessing muscle strength, and is an objective and quantitative method for reflecting each point's muscle strength in the range of the joint motion. This article reviews the key concepts, brief history of development and influencing factors of isokinetic technology in testing and training, introduces the progress in the field of rehabilitation medicine and sport science, etc., and discusses the future exploration in forensic science.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Isometric Contraction/physiology* ; Joints/physiopathology* ; Muscle Contraction/physiology* ; Muscle Strength/physiology* ; Muscle Strength Dynamometer ; Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology* ; Physical Education and Training/methods* ; Physical Exertion ; Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ; Posture ; Range of Motion, Articular/physiology* ; Sports Medicine ; Wounds and Injuries/rehabilitation*

Growth Hormone (GH) is an important and powerful metabolic hormone that is secreted in a pulsatile pattern from cells in the anterior pituitary, influenced by several normal and pathophysiological conditions. Human GH was first isolated in the 1950s and human derived cadaveric GH was initially used to treat patients with GH deficiency. However, synthetic recombinant GH has been widely available since the mid-1980s and the advent of this recombinant GH boosted the abuse of GH as a doping agent. Doping with GH is a well-known problem among elite athletes and among people training at gyms, but is forbidden for both medical and ethical reasons. It is mainly the anabolic and, to some extent, the lipolytic effects of GH that is valued by its users. Even though GH's rumour as an effective ergogenic drug among athletes, the effectiveness of GH as a single doping agent has been questioned during the last few years. There is a lack of scientific evidence that GH in supraphysiological doses has additional effects on muscle exercise performance other than those obtained from optimised training and diet itself. However, there might be synergistic effects if GH is combined with, for example, anabolic steroids, and GH seems to have positive effect on collagen synthesis. Regardless of whether or not GH doping is effective, there is a need for a reliable test method to detect GH doping. Several issues have made the development of a method for detecting GH doping complicated but a method has been presented and used in the Olympics in Athens and Turin. A problem with the method used, is the short time span (24-36 hours) from the last GH administration during which the test effectively can reveal doping. Therefore, out-of-competition testing will be crucial.However, work with different approaches to develop an alternative, reliable test is ongoing.
Body Composition ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; Doping in Sports ; Growth Hormone ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Humans ; Lipolysis ; Muscle, Skeletal ; drug effects ; physiology

Androgen doping in power sports is undeniably rampant worldwide. There is strong evidence that androgen administration in men increases skeletal muscle mass, maximal voluntary strength and muscle power. However, we do not have good experimental evidence to support the presumption that androgen administration improves physical function or athletic performance. Androgens do not increase specific force or whole body endurance measures. The anabolic effects of testosterone on the skeletal muscle are mediated through androgen receptor signaling. Testosterone promotes myogenic differentiation of multipotent mesenchymal stem cells and inhibits their differentiation into the adipogenic lineage. Testosterone binding to androgen receptor induces a conformational change in androgen receptor protein, causing it to associate with beta-catenin and TCF-4 and activate downstream Wnt target genes thus promoting myogenic differentiation. The adverse effects of androgens among athletes and recreational bodybuilders are under reported and include acne, deleterious changes in the cardiovascular risk factors, including a marked decrease in plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDL) cholesterol level, suppression of spermatogenesis resulting in infertility, increase in liver enzymes, hepatic neoplasms, mood and behavioral disturbances, and long term suppression of the endogenous hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Androgens are often used in combination with other drugs which may have serious adverse events of their own. In spite of effective methods for detecting androgen doping, the policies for screening of athletes are highly variable in different countries and organizations and even existing policies are not uniformly enforced.
Androgens ; adverse effects ; pharmacology ; physiology ; Doping in Sports ; Humans ; Sports ; Weight Lifting