Polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene (ACE-I/D) differentiates the aerobic and speed performance of football players.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the distribution of ACE-I/D polymorphisms on Brazilian football players performance in aerobic capacity, strength and speed tests. METHODS: The participants in this study were 212 Brazilian first division male football players genotyped in DD, ID or II. Genotyping of DNA from leucocytes was performed using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism methods. We evaluated speed using a 30-meter sprint test with speed measured at 10 meters (V10), 20 meters (V20), and 30 meters (V30); muscular strength using counter-movement-jump and squat jump tests; and aerobic endurance using the Yo-Yo endurance test. The athletes were ranked in ascending order according to their performance in each test and divided into quartiles: first quartile (0-25%, weak), second (25-50%, normal), third (50-75%, good), and fourth (75-100%, excellent); these were clustered according to genotype frequency. RESULTS: We identified significant differences in the V20 test values and in the aerobic capacity test. Higher frequencies of the ACE-DD genotype were observed in the excellent performance group in the V20. In the aerobic capacity test, higher frequencies of the ACE-II genotype were observed in excellent and good performance groups. CONCLUSIONS: Players with higher performance in anaerobic and aerobic tests are ACE-DD and ACE-II genotypes, respectively.

Aerobic exercise training prevents impairment in renal parameters and in body composition of rats fed a high sucrose diet.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of swimming training (T) on the renal system and body composition parameters in young animals treated with a high sucrose diet (SUD) during 12 weeks. RESULTS: The SUD impaired the physical performance, increased the body adiposity index (BAI), Lee index (LI) and retroperitoneal adipose tissue (RAT) weight, plasma creatinine and number renal cells nuclei, decreased urinary volume and urinary creatinine excretion besides creatinine clearance. The T reversed the increased the BAI, LI, RAT weight, plasma and urinary creatinine, creatinine clearance and number renal cells nuclei in addition to promoting decrease in urinary protein excretion. This study found that eight weeks of swimming physical training protected renal function and restored normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values. Swimming training also contributed to prevention of the onset of a renal inflammatory process and caused a decrease in the risk of development of obesity promoted by SUD decreasing the body composition parameters (BAI, LI, and RAT weight).

Ultrafast charge transfer dynamics pathways in two-dimensional MoS2-graphene heterostructures: a core-hole clock approach.

Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures are attractive candidates for optoelectronic nanodevice applications. The charge transport process in these systems has been extensively investigated, however the effect of coupling between specific electronic states on the charge transfer process is not completely established yet. Here, interfacial charge transfer (CT) in the MoS2/graphene/SiO2 heterostructure is investigated from static and dynamic points of view. Static CT in the MoS2-graphene interface was elucidated by an intensity quenching, broadening and a blueshift of the photoluminescence peaks. Atomic and electronic state-specific CT dynamics on a femtosecond timescale are characterized using a core-hole clock approach and using the S1s core-hole lifetime as an internal clock. We demonstrate that the femtosecond electron transfer pathway in the MoS2/SiO2 heterostructure is mainly due to the electronic coupling between S3p-Mo4d states forming the Mo-S covalent bond in the MoS2 layer. For the MoS2/graphene/SiO2 heterostructure, we identify, with the support of density functional calculations, new pathways that arise due to the high density of empty electronic states of the graphene conduction band. The latter makes the transfer process time in the MoS2/graphene/SiO2/Si twice as fast as in the MoS2/SiO2/Si sample. Our results show that ultrafast electron delocalization pathways in van der Waals heterostructures are dependent on the electronic properties of each involved 2D material, creating opportunities to modulate their transport properties.