Study aim: The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological cost of three consecutive official boxing fights played during a 3-day tournament and two non-contact specific drills against handheld pads of the same time-profile as the contest, 4 × 2 minutes with 1-minute intervals between them. This assessment was based on the determination of selected hormones and metabolites in the blood sampled directly prior to the contests and throughout short-term post-contest recovery. Material and methods: A female amateur boxer was enrolled on the study during a 3-day Polish Boxing Championship, where one match was played on each day. The timing of capillary blood sampling during each match and the drill was as follows: 10 minutes prior to the effort, and 3 and 30 minutes after its completion. Cortisol (C), testosterone (T), and glucose (G) were determined in the serum, while lactate (LA) was determined in the blood. In addition, prior to each effort, serum creatine kinase (CK) and urea (U) was determined. Directly after each effort, the perception of fatigue (PF) was rated. Results: G, C, and T during official matches were significantly higher than those during non-contact drills. Post-event G, C, T, and LA were higher compared to pre-event values. Conclusions: An official boxing match produced higher stress than a drill of the same time-profile and similar modality. Changes in blood indices corresponded well with the perception of fatigue.
Mineralization procedures for blood and urine suitable for the determination of arsenic by Hydride Generation Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (HGAAS) are studied on model samples, and the results are utilized in biological monitoring investigations. The objective of this work is to obtain good total As recoveries for both matrices regardless of added As species (As(III), As(V), DMA, MMA, AsB, or AsC). Prior to the HGAAS analyses, preparation procedures were controlled under optimised conditions by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS). Two preparation procedures for urine give As recoveries close to 100% by HGAAS: a) dry ashing at 420°C with Mg(NO3)2 on a hot plate, and b) microwave oven decomposition with (NH4)2S2O8. For blood samples, As recoveries by HGAAS range between 95 and 108% for all species when using dry ashing after a pretreatment of samples with HNO3 and H2O2 in a microwave oven. Wet digestion with (NH4)2S2O8 in a microwave oven gives recoveries very near 100% for Asinorg. and MMA. For other As species in spiked blood samples, recoveries of less than 20% As are found. Precision and detection limits obtained by both techniques are evaluated as well. For arsenic concentrations of 20 μg dm−3 or more in blood and urine, a chemical modifier is recommended for GFAAS analysis; it may or may not be proceeded by a mineralization step. For low As levels encountered in the unexposed population, the HGAAS technique provides reliable results only if a very complete mineralization procedure is used.
Ageing has a strong influence on the changes of the rheological parameters of blood. Then the level of fibrinogen increases which influences the rise of plasma viscosity, red cell aggregation and the whole blood viscosity. The level of fibrinogen in humans varies from 2.0 to 4.0 g/l. Whereas in people ageing, who are over 60, its rate increases from 3.3 to 4.0 g/l, which is an upper limit of the norm. In old people the erythrocytes become less deformable, making for an increase of blood viscosity and decreasing the speed of the flow through the blood vessels. The foregoing rheological blood changes are factors of risk for cardiovascular diseases among old people. That is why it is essential to improve the rheological blood parameters in old people by the training application. It is observed that people who led a sedentary lifestyle and who take up regular physical activity have better blood parameters than those described above: a decrease of blood viscosity and positive changes of elastic red cell properties. The observed decrease of plasma viscosity after endurance training application can cause a permanent reduction of heart strain, an increase of tissue blood circulation and can result in a decrease of cardiovascular complications. In the review article the issue of changes of the rheological parameters of blood which take place while ageing and the influence of physical activity on rheological blood indicators have been presented.
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