Diabetes is a major risk factor for tendinopathy, and tendon abnormalities are common in diabetic patients. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg)-induced diabetes and insulin therapy on tendon mechanical and cellular properties. Sprague-Dawley rats ( n = 40) were divided into the following four groups: nondiabetic (control), 1 wk of diabetes (acute), 10 wk of diabetes (chronic), and 10 wk of diabetes with insulin treatment (insulin). After 10 wk, Achilles tendon and tail fascicle mechanical properties were similar between groups ( P > 0.05). Cell density in the Achilles tendon was greater in the chronic group compared with the control and acute groups (control group: 7.8 ± 0.5 cells/100 μm², acute group: 8.3 ± 0.4 cells/100 μm², chronic group: 10.9 ± 0.9 cells/100 μm², and insulin group: 9.2 ± 0.8 cells/100 μm², P < 0.05). The density of proliferating cells in the Achilles tendon was greater in the chronic group compared with all other groups (control group: 0.025 ± 0.009 cells/100 μm², acute group: 0.019 ± 0.005 cells/100 μm², chronic group: 0.067 ± 0.015, and insulin group: 0.004 ± 0.004 cells/100 μm², P < 0.05). Patellar tendon collagen content was ∼32% greater in the chronic and acute groups compared with the control or insulin groups (control group: 681 ± 63 μg collagen/mg dry wt, acute group: 938 ± 21 μg collagen/mg dry wt, chronic: 951 ± 52 μg collagen/mg dry wt, and insulin group: 596 ± 84 μg collagen/mg dry wt, P < 0.05). In contrast, patellar tendon hydroxylysyl pyridinoline cross linking and collagen fibril organization were unchanged by diabetes or insulin ( P > 0.05). Our findings suggest that 10 wk of streptozotocin-induced diabetes does not alter rat tendon mechanical properties even with an increase in collagen content. Future studies could attempt to further address the mechanisms contributing to the increase in tendon problems noted in diabetic patients, especially since our data suggest that hyperglycemia per se does not alter tendon mechanical properties.

This scoping review provides an overview of the relationship between physical activity, physical fitness, cognition, and academic outcomes in Latino school-aged children and identifies areas for future research. A primary search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ERIC for original-research articles meeting the inclusion criteria; the search results were uploaded into PICO Portal and assessed by two independent reviewers. Of the 488 initial search results, 50 articles were eligible for full-text review, and 38 were included in this review. Most studies were cross-sectional, conducted in the United States or Chile, and included children 5–18 years old. Overall, the majority of articles reported positive associations between physical activity or physical fitness and cognitive outcomes (n = 11/12; 91.7%), and physical activity or physical fitness and academic outcomes (n = 22/28; 78.6%). In sum, this review provided consistent evidence for higher amounts of physical activity and greater physical fitness to be associated with various positive cognitive and academic outcomes in a school-aged Latino population. This scoping review also elucidated a substantial gap in the research regarding study design, with a discernible lack of interventional efforts. Future studies should test physical activity interventional strategies to optimize cognitive and academic outcomes in school-aged Latino populations.

Background: Elderly people are particularly affected by rising systolic blood pressure (SBP). We hypothesized that resting blood pressure (RBP)-reducing isometric exercise training (IET) can be delivered in a group setting with older adults. Methods: Participants (63–88 years; N = 19) completed IET at 30% maximum voluntary contraction, 3 days a week for 12 weeks. RBP was measured weekly throughout, plus 6 weeks posttraining. Control participants did not engage in IET (N = 5). Changes in RBP were assessed using a 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Results: IET induced significant reductions in SBP (−10.5 mmHg; P < 0.05), but SBP also declined unexpectedly in the control group (−4.5 mmHg; P < 0.05). Diastolic blood pressure declined in the IET group only (−4.7 mmHg; P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between groups for SBP or diastolic blood pressure (P > 0.05). At 6 weeks posttraining, SBP was still 9.4 mmHg below baseline in the IET group only. A unique finding was that the clinically significant RBP reductions persisted for 6 weeks after IET. Conclusions: Handgrip IET may be an effective antihypertensive intervention, which persists for several weeks in older adults, even when training ceases.

Objective: Work from home (WFH) is increasingly common, although 24-hour movement behaviors during WFH have rarely been studied. The goal of this study was to compare behaviors among WFH and office-based desk workers. Methods: This was a secondary analysis of baseline data from the RESET BP randomized clinical trial among inactive desk workers from 2017–2022 (N = 275). Twenty-four–hour behaviors were measured using wrist and thigh-worn accelerometers along with questionnaires. Results: WFH accumulated significantly higher device-measured prolonged sedentary behavior (+0.4 hr/d) and self-reported screen time (+0.5 hr/d) compared to office workers (P < 0.05). WFH also had greater device-measured sleep duration (+0.3 hr/d), later wake time (+37 min/d), and lower wake time variability (−0.2 hr/d) (P < 0.05). Conclusions: WFH desk workers had different 24-hour behavior profiles compared to office workers. Future research should target interventions improving waking behaviors, while maintaining healthy sleep, for WFH desk workers.

The alpha-2-adrenergic agonist drug dexmedetomidine induces sleep-like sedation and reduces global metabolic rate. Drug-induced metabolic suppression sustained over days in humans could be a strategy for reducing energy expenditure (EE), oxygen consumption (VO ₂ ), and carbon dioxide production (VCO ₂ ) during prolonged rescue or austere conditions with limited life-support. We tested the feasibility of reducing EE, VO ₂ and VCO ₂ measured with intermittent indirect calorimetry using subcutaneous infusion of dexmedetomidine 1 µg/kg/hour for 18 hours per day over five days in healthy adults. Five participants received multiple days of dexmedetomidine in a laboratory setting, and five separate participants received placebo for one or five days. Relative to resting metabolic rate, dexmedetomidine infusion reduced VO ₂ (effects, 95%CI, at 6-hour time epoch: −0.084 L/min, −0.145 to −0.023), VCO ₂ (−0.067 L/min, −0.130 to −0.005) and EE (−577 kcal/day, −1016 to −137). Relative to placebo, dexmedetomidine produced light sedation (Richmond Agitation Sedation Score: −1.25; 95%CI −1.70 to −0.80 relative to placebo), with lower heart rate (−15 beats/minute; 95%CI −23 to −7) and core body temperature (−1.3ºC; 95%CI −1.7 to −0.8). Dexmedetomidine effects on all physiological variables decreased over time and were absent after day 2. Maximum and minimum plasma drug levels did not change over days. Participants reported rebound anxiety and insomnia after the study. Administering a sedating level of dexmedetomidine that reduces VO ₂ , VCO ₂ , and EE for 2 days was feasible in healthy adults. However, tolerance to drug effects develops by 3 days, which is a critical limitation for long-term use of this drug regimen.