Browsing by Author "Altun, M"

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    Acute responses of strength-related gene expressions to maximum strength and force sense acuity
    Altun, M; Balcan, E; Batir, S; Gökmen, MH; Özgünes, S; Öztel, Z
    Background/aim: Although high muscle strength worsens the sense of force, it is unknown whether there is a relationship between this deterioration and the underlying molecular mechanisms. This study examined the relationship between decreased force sense (FS) acuity and strength -related gene expressions. Materials and methods: Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and FS (50% MVIC) tests were performed on the knee joints of twenty-two subjects. The expression analyses were evaluated by qRT-PCR in blood samples taken before, after MVIC, after 50% MVIC, and 15 min after the test. Results: MVIC and FS error values were significantly correlated with each other (r = .659, p = .001). The qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the expressed mRNAs of the interleukin 6 (IL -6), alpha-actinin 3 (ACTN3), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), brain -derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor (CNTFR) genes dramatically increased until 50% MVIC and subsequently decreased 15 min after the exercise (p < .05). The muscle -specific creatine kinase (CKMM), myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and G -protein beta 3 subunit (GNB3) genes reached their peak expression levels 30 min after MVIC (p < .05). ACE and ACTN3 gene expression increased significantly in parallel with the increased FS error (p < .05). These gene expression fluctuations observed at 50% MVIC and after the rest could be related to changes in cellular metabolism leading to fatigue. Conclusion: The time points of gene expression levels during exercise need to be considered. The force acuity of those whose maximal force develops too much may deteriorate.
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    Effect of Force Sense to Active Joint Position Sense and Relationships between Active Joint Position Sense, Force Sense, Jumping and Muscle Strength
    Kaynak, H; Altun, M; Tok, S
    We aimed to investigate the effect of external load on the joint position sense (JPS) accuracy and its relation to the target jump height. The present study also aimed to explore the relationship between force sense (FS) and maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). Participants' MVIC levels were determined during the 45-degree knee extension task. Then, participants were asked to execute a knee JPS task with external load (EL-JPS) and with no-load (EL-JPS). To assess jumping accuracy participants were instructed to jump with their 50% of maximum jump height. Results indicated that EL-JPS error values were lower than NL-JPS. EL-JPS was correlated to jumping errors. However, the relationship between NL-JPS and jumping errors was not significant. A significant correlation was found between MVIC and FS errors.
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    Effects of 2 Different External Loads on Joint Position Sense and the Relationship Between Muscle Strength and Force Sense
    Altun, M
    Context: Joint position sense (JPS) tests of proprioception lack ecological validity because the testing conditions are so different from the normal function that they can contribute little to understanding the role proprioception plays in daily and sporting activities. Objective: To evaluate the effect of low and high external load on the knee JPS and to investigate the relationship between maximum voluntary isometric contraction and force sense (FS). Design: Experimental study. Setting: Research laboratory. Participants: A total of 47 volunteers with no history of knee pathology. Interventions: Three active JPS tests performed with no load, low load, and high load were compared at the 45 degrees target angle. For isometric FS test, 50% load was used. For isotonic low load and high load JPS tests, 30% and 70% loads were applied, respectively. Main Outcome Measures: To analyze obtained data set 2-way multiple analysis of variance, repeated measures of analysis of variance, paired sample t test, and the Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Results: JPS was not affected by gender (male and female) and activity levels (sedentary, recreational, and trained). Results of the repeated measure of analysis of variance demonstrated the significant main effect of loads (P= .001). Significant differences were found between no load, low load, and high load JPS (P= .001). A positive and significant correlation was found between maximum voluntary isometric contraction and FS error values (r = .41, P= .001). Conclusions: The results suggest that as the load level increases, the knee JPS improves. Knee JPS assessed under external load may be a more appropriate alternative to the nature of the sport. Those with higher muscle strength have a worse FS.
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    Effects of local cold applications to leg muscles and knee joint on 30-m sprint performance
    Altun, M
    BACKGROUND. Purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of local cold application (LCA) to leg muscles and knee joint on 30-m sprint performance. Differently from other studies, we applied local cold by isolating the muscles of gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstring and joint of knee. METHODS. Participants who are male and female with no joint or muscle disease volunteered for the study. Sprint tests without a pre-cooling and with LCA of four anatomical regions were performed in random order for each region in different days. In each test session, participants performed a 30-m sprint test without pre-cooling initially. Then after fifteen minutes of LCA the sprint test was repeated. 161 participants joined the 1st test with LCA to gastrocnemius muscles. 129 participants joined the 2nd test with LCA to quadriceps muscles. 122 participants joined the 3rd test with LCA to hamstring muscles. 129 participants joined the 4th test with LCA to knee joints. 73 participants joined all of the four test. RESULTS. 30-m sprint times were significantly increased according to applied LCA in all test (P< 0,01), which means 30-m sprint performances decreased. After LCA to gastrocnemius, hamstring, quadriceps muscles and knee joint, 30-m sprint performances significantly deteriorated (P< 0,01) by 0,150ss (3,3%), 0,154ss (3,4%), 0,163ss (3,6%) and 0,182ss (4,1%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Our results show that LCA decreased sprint performance at different rates. During sporting events, injured athletes often return to competition after LCA because of the reduction in pain. In this case should it be noted that sprint performance may decrease according to the applied regions of cold at different rates.
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    Practice patterns for oropharyngeal cancer in radiation oncology centers of Turkey
    Karakoyun-Celik, O; Altun, M; Olmezoglu, A; Büyükpolat, MY; Ozkok, S; Akmansu, M; Cengiz, M; Onal, C; Dizman, A; Esassolak, M
    Aims and background. The aim of the study was to review the current clinical practices of radiation oncologists involved in the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer. Methods and study design. The daily practices of radiation oncology centers for patients diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer in 2010 were evaluated by a two-part questionnaire that separately assessed the information of the participating center and the charts of the treated patients. Results. A total of 22 centers participated in the study, and 105 oropharyngeal cancer patients reported for our review. The use of positron emission tomography was a common practice in staging and radiotherapy planning. Multidisciplinary head and neck cancer clinics were available in 14 (64%) centers and were absent in 8 centers. Thirty-six of the 105 patients were not evaluated by a multidisciplinary clinic before the initiation of therapy, and adjuvant radiotherapy administration was found to be higher in this group. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement was not a routine practice in any of the centers. Seventy-five patients received chemotherapy 46 concurrently with radiotherapy and 29 as induction chemotherapy. Two centers administered conventional radiotherapy alone, 20 centers conformal radiotherapy, and 7 centers were able to provide intensity-modulated radiotherapy. Conclusions. Across all the centers there were small differences in the pretreatment evaluation of patients with oropharyngeal cancer. The greatest difference was in the technical delivery of radiation, with most of the centers using conformal radiotherapy despite the increasing availability of intensity-modulated radiotherapy. The use of chemotherapy has more readily adopted the current international standards in the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer.
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    Effect of hot and cold applications on elbow proprioception
    Kaynak, H; Altun, M; Özer, M; Akseki, D
    BACKGROUND: Purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of cold application (CA) and hot application (HA) on elbow proprioception in healthy volunteers. CA and HA were applied locally during 15 minutes on the elbow joint and the effect was measured after that. METHODS: A repeated-measure design with 6 (2x3) randomly assigned test conditions: 1) no application on 30 degrees angle; 2) after HA on 30 degrees angle; 3) after CA on 30 degrees angle; 4) no application on 60 degrees angle; 5) after HA on 60 degrees angle and 6) after CA on 60 degrees angle. A total of 82 healthy volunteers (35 women, 47 men) whose ages ranged between 18 and 28 years (20.93 +/- 2.13) were included in the study. Proprioception of the elbow was measured by using a digital goniometer with the technique of active joint position sense at the beginning of the study. The tests were repeated at weekly intervals after applying cold or hot in mixed order. Two target angles were defined 30 and 60 degrees of elbow flexion. RESULTS: Reproduction errors were significantly decreased following HA in both target angles (P<0.017). Following CA, significantly increased reproduction error was found only in 30-degree target angle (P<0.017). CONCLUSIONS: We obtained increased elbow proprioception following HA, which means increased proprioceptive acuity of the elbow but a decrease following CA in healthy volunteers. These findings may be useful in prevention and treatment of sports injuries, if supported by future studies.