Exercise Training Program Research Articles

Associations of Cardiac myosin binding protein C to Troponin I in patients with chronic heart failure during exercise. A substudy of the SMARTEX-HF trial

Abstract Aim Cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyC) has shown promise being more sensitive than cardiac troponins, rising faster after myocardial infarction[i]. Its association to hs-cTnI in heart failure patients during physical activity is not known. The aim of this study was to assess the association between a novel biomarker: cMyC and the clinically used high sensitivity cardiac Troponin I (hs-cTnI) during a 12-week exercise training program in patients with chronic symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). The changes of biomarkers in plasma levels in an intervention group, performing structured exercise programs, were compared to those in a control group, instructed to perform regular recommended exercise (RRE) according to current guidelines. Methods and results This was a post hoc analysis of the SMARTEX-HF trial in 215 patients with symptomatic heart failure (HF) with Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction (LVEF) <35% and NYHA II-III. The patients were randomly assigned to High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT, n=77), Moderate Continuous Training (MCT, n=65) or RRE, (n=73) for 12 weeks. Measurements and clinical data were acquired before and after the 12-week intervention. In 191 patients, plasma was available for hs-cTnI testing and in 189 patients plasma was available for cMyC testing. Due to the lack of a normal distribution, the values were log transformed. There was a significant association of change in log hs-cTnI and change in log cMyC (Pearson correlation R=0.52 (95% CI 0.37- 0.66) p<0.001) (Figure 1). For any 10% increase in cMyC level, the ratio of the hs-cTnI level increased with approximately 5% (Figure 2). There was no association between the levels of cMyC at baseline and change in hs-cTnI at 12 weeks. Conclusion Changes in levels of the novel biomarker cMyC was significantly associated with hs-cTnI plasma levels in patients with symptomatic chronic HFrEF during a structured 12 week exercise training program. Being more sensitive, it may indicate a role as a future marker of subclinical myocardial damage.Models with adjustmentsMarginal effect at the mean

Exploring frailty: muscle strength, functional capacity, activities of daily living and cognition in adult congenital heart disease

Purpose The study aimed to assess frailty in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) and to compare muscle strength, functional capacity, activities of daily living (ADL), and cognition between frail and non-frail ACHD patients. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study design was used. Sixty people with ACHD aged between 18 and 45 years were included. Frailty was determined according to the Fried criteria. Peripheral muscle strength was assessed with a digital dynamometer, functional capacity with the 6-min walk test (6MWT), ADL with the Glittre ADL test, and cognition with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test. Results Frailty was seen in 38.33% (frail = 23 and non-frail = 37) of the participants. In the frail patients, dominant knee extensor strength (p = 0.002), shoulder abductor strength (p = 0.005), 6MWT distance (p = 0.021), and MoCA score (p = 0.005) were significantly lower than those in the non-frail patients. Glittre ADL test (p = 0.002) was significantly higher in the frail patients. Conclusions Muscle strength, functional capacity, ADL, functional mobility, and cognition were lower in the frail participants with ACHD. Early assessment of frailty in ACHD and planning individualized exercise training programs for frail individuals may be a strategy to reduce the impact of frailty on adverse clinical outcomes.

Immune system benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by pulmonary and systemic inflammation. Inflammatory mediators show relationships with shortness of breath, exercise intolerance and health related quality of life. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), a comprehensive education and exercise training programme, is the most effective therapy for COPD and is associated with reduced exacerbation and hospitalization rates and increased survival. Exercise training, the primary physiological intervention within PR, is known to exert a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect in health and chronic diseases. The question of this review article is whether exercise training can also make such a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect in COPD. Experimental studies using smoke exposure mice models suggest that the response of the immune system to exercise training is favourably anti-inflammatory. However, the evidence about the response of most known inflammatory mediators (C-reactive protein, tumour necrosis factor α, interleukin 6, interleukin 10) to exercise training in COPD patients is inconsistent, making it difficult to conclude whether regular exercise training has an anti-inflammatory effect in COPD. It is also unclear whether COPD patients with more persistent inflammation are a subgroup that would benefit more from hypothesized immunomodulatory effects of exercise training (i.e., personalized treatment). Nevertheless, it seems that PR combined with maintenance exercise training (i.e., lifestyle change) might be more beneficial in controlling inflammation and slowing disease progress in COPD patients, specifically in those with early stages of disease.

A Novel Low-Impact Resistance Exercise Program Increases Strength and Balance in Females Irrespective of Menopause Status.

The reduction in sex hormone production across the menopause transition is thought to accelerate age-related decline in muscle mass, strength, and stability, increasing the risk of falls and fractures. We aimed to investigate whether a novel low-impact resistance exercise program could improve strength, balance, and body composition and whether any improvement was affected by menopause status. Seventy healthy, moderately active pre- (PRE; 46.7 ± (SD) 3.2 years), peri- (PERI; 52.3 ± 2.2 years) or post- (POST; 57.0 ± 2.5 years) menopausal females, not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), were randomised to continue habitual physical activity (CON; n = 25) or complete a supervised resistance exercise program 4 days/week for 12 weeks (EXC; n = 45). Strength at the hip and shoulder (isokinetic dynamometer), dynamic balance (Y-balance), flexibility (sit-and-reach & back-scratch), muscle thickness (rectus femoris, vastus intermedius (VI) and medial deltoid), and lean and %body fat (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured before and after training. Results: Hip abduction and flexion peak torque (19 ± 48 and 20 ± 17%, respectively, P < 0.05), posterolateral and posteromedial balance (12 ± 15 and 13 ± 15%, respectively, P < 0.001), flexibility (21 ± 36%, P < 0.001), VI thickness (12 ± 19%, P = 0.032), lean mass (2 ± 2%, P = 0.007), all increased over 12 weeks in EXC, but not CON, with no difference in response between PRE, PERI or POST. The changes in shoulder strength and body mass over 12 weeks were not different between CON and EXC. This is the first study to demonstrate that the decline in sex hormones, and increase in age, across the menopause transition does not affect the ability of lower limb (hip) strength and balance to adapt to a low-impact resistance exercise training program in females not taking HRT.

Exploring the effect of exercise training on breast cancer's pathologic response and tumor immune microenvironment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and the percentage of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are established prognostic biomarkers in early breast cancer (BC). While exercise training is effective as supportive care throughout the BC journey, its impact on the efficacy of NAC is unknown. This study aims to investigate the influence of a supervised exercise training program (SETP) on pCR and TILs in BC women undergoing NAC. Retrospective exploratory analysis of the subgroup of BC patients treated with NAC included in a clinical trial randomizing to STEP and control arm. Endpoints were pCR, biopsy, and stromal TILs. Sixty-four participants were included, with a mean age of 50.3 ± 10.1years, predominantly stage II and III disease (n = 58, 90.6%), HER2 + (n = 23, 35.9%), or triple-negative (n = 19, 29.7%) tumors. pCR was achieved in 56.7% and 55.9% in the STEP and control arm (p = 0.950). In the STEP arm, median TILs were 5.0 (0.0-80.0) and 5.0 (5.0-30.0), while in the control arm, 5.0 (0.0-90.0) and 0.0 (0.0-30.0) for biopsy and tumor site, respectively. The difference in TILs between arms was 0.04 (confidence interval (CI 95%) - 13.6, 13.7; p = 0.995) and - 4.3 (CI 95% - 11.5, 2.9; (p = 0.233) for biopsy and tumor site, respectively. No statistically significant difference was discerned between the groups concerning TILs of the biopsy. However, a marginally higher TIL level at the tumor site was associated with the SETP arm. No differences were discerned within and between groups on both pCR and TILs, in possible relation to the exploratory nature of the analysis. Future adequately powered research is warranted.

Adherence to Exercise in People with Lung or Head and Neck Cancer: Self-Reported Symptoms and Motivation During Cancer Treatment Need to Be Considered.

Objectives: Symptoms and motivation may impact adherence to home-based exercise training programs (HETP) during cancer treatment (CT) for lung or head and neck cancer. This study aimed to identify self-reported symptoms and their frequency, as well as motivation towards an HETP during CT for primary lung or head and neck cancer. Associations between symptoms and motivation with HETP adherence were also investigated. Methods: Participants underwent CT combined with an HETP that included aerobic (walk-based) and resistance training (Theraband®). Weekly assessment was conducted using a questionnaire developed by the researchers, evaluating the presence of symptoms. A scale (0 to 10) was used to assess motivation towards the HETP. Adherence was defined as the ratio between HETP sessions completed vs. the number prescribed. Symptom frequency was recorded as the number of weeks a symptom was experienced. Linear regression was used to explore associations. Results: Twenty-four participants were included (61 ± 7 yr; 21 males; head and neck cancer n = 18; median treatment duration: 9 [7 to 11] weeks). The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue (33%), malaise (24%) and dysphagia (23%). Average score for motivation to exercise was 6.4 ± 2.0. Adherence to the HETP was 47%. Malaise was associated with reduced adherence to HETP (p = 0.002), explaining 35% of the variance. Motivation was associated with increased adherence (p = 0.008), explaining 28% of the variance. Conclusions: Fatigue, malaise and dysphagia were among the most frequently reported symptoms during treatment. Malaise and self-motivation to exercise can significantly influence adherence to HETPs. Symptom and motivational support might be necessary when implementing HETPs during CT.

Home-Based Digital Exercise Training Program to Improve Physical Function of Older Sepsis Survivors: Protocol of the HEAL Sepsis Randomized Clinical Trial.

While sepsis, an exaggerated response to infection, can affect people of all age groups, it is more prevalent in middle-aged and older adults. Older adults suffer worse short-term and long-term outcomes than younger patients. Older sepsis survivors are commonly discharged to long-term acute care facilities, where they often die within 1 year. Those who return home from the hospital lose the momentum of physical function improvement after early inpatient rehabilitation, and often face exacerbation of comorbidities and decline in physical function. Additionally, patients who are discharged home often live at distant locations and are not able to commute to rehabilitation centers due to their poor health status. Therefore, remotely delivered exercise interventions tailored to this population hold promise to improve physical function safely and effectively after sepsis. However, this type of intervention has yet to be tested in this population. This study aims to assess the safety, feasibility, and ease of recruitment and retention of participants for a remotely delivered physical activity intervention for improving physical function in middle-aged and older sepsis survivors. The proposed intervention will be delivered through a digital health platform that comprises a patient-facing mobile app and a 12-week physical activity program specifically designed for middle-aged and older sepsis survivors with poor health status who may face challenges participating in traditional out-patient or community-based exercise interventions. This study is ongoing and plans to enroll 40 sepsis survivors aged 55 years and older who will be randomized to either a remotely delivered exercise intervention group or a control group (electronic health diary). Both groups will use a tablet containing the Health in Motion app (Blue Marble Health). The intervention group will receive a clinician-designed personalized avatar-guided home exercise program and reminders while the control group will self-report daily activities using the in-app health diary feature. This study is the first to use a home-based, remotely monitored 12-week exercise program to improve physical function in sepsis survivors. This study will evaluate the safety, feasibility, and efficacy, providing the necessary knowledge to design and calculate power for future larger trials. This study will provide important information for planning a future randomized clinical trial to test the efficacy of a remotely delivered exercise intervention in this high-risk population. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05568511; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05568511. DERR1-10.2196/60270.

SPECIFICITIES OF PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PARALYSIS IN A FAMILY-ORIENTED MODEL OF INTERVENTIONS

Families with a child with cerebral palsy (CP) face a number of medical, economic, legal, educational and psychological problems from the moment of birth. The main responsibility for the child's development lies with families, as it is there that key aspects of the child's personality are formed. There is a clear dependence of a child's psychological and physical health on the psychological climate of the family. Children with such disorders need to be provided with favorable conditions that will help compensate for the consequences of their disabilities. They need the support of qualified specialists and, most importantly, a warm and friendly attitude from their parents and the environment [1]. It should be emphasized that there are a number of factors that contribute to the psychological maladjustment of children with cerebral palsy in the family environment, which should be known to the child's relatives. First and foremost, it is the inadequate assessment of physical and mental development by parents, as well as the psychological atmosphere in the family. These factors cause deformation of the child's psyche and complicate his or her social adaptation, and negatively affect motor activity and treatment and rehabilitation processes. There are two sides to this situation: on the one hand, parents who find it difficult to understand the complexity of the situation and the child who needs special care, treatment and education. Physical rehabilitation requires the active participation of the person being rehabilitated, but with children, especially young children, this process is too complex for quality rehabilitation and requires the participation of parents. It is also important to take into account the role of the family in the development of motor skills, as it helps to integrate therapeutic techniques into the child's daily life. The aim of the study was to analyze the latest research and approaches to determine the peculiarities of cooperation between a physical therapist and families raising children with cerebral palsy. Using the Internet search databases and the bibliosemantic method, the peculiarities of applying a family-centered approach, motor training, principles of neuroplasticity and home exercise programs to improve the motor activity of children with cerebral palsy were determined. This article describes some peculiarities of physical therapist's work with patients suffering from cerebral palsy. The peculiarity is that these patients are children and when working with children, unlike adults where motivation comes first, intervention approaches in children are formed on the basis of pleasure. Accordingly, various specialists should be involved at all stages to ensure the normal functioning and development of the child. However, the role of parents in this process remains no less important, as they should be the main link that connects these processes for the well-being of the child. The review analyses research on motor training and home exercise programs. The family-centred approach to physical rehabilitation for children with cerebral palsy emphasizes the role of the family as a key factor in achieving goals and improving the child's quality of life. Involving the family in physical therapy helps to integrate therapeutic techniques into the daily life of the child and his or her family. Conclusions. The family-centred approach is characterised by the active participation of the family in the rehabilitation process. This is important because the family plays a crucial role in supporting and motivating the child during treatment. This approach not only provides treatment, but also provides the family with the knowledge, skills and resources to continue to help the child in their daily lives. This approach aims not only to improve the child's functioning, but also to help the child become part of the wider family and social environment. This promotes greater integration and independence. Thus, the family-centred approach to physical rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy demonstrates the importance of family support and integration during treatment, contributing to the comprehensive improvement of both the physical and psychosocial condition of the child.

12509 Identification Of Novel Exercise Training-induced Circulating Proteins: Hemostatic, Apoptotic, And Key Neuronal Factors

Abstract Disclosure: A. Shalit: None. M. Vamvini: None. P. Nigro: None. L.K. Simpson: None. H. Pan: None. J.M. Dreyfuss: None. L.J. Goodyear: Grant Recipient; Self; Daiichi Sankyo. R.J. Middelbeek: None. Exercise training induces a plethora of health benefits including improved glucose homeostasis, decreased cardiovascular disease, and improved cognitive function. An emerging concept is that many of these beneficial effects of exercise are mediated through the secretion of humoral factors into the blood. Identification of these exercise-regulated factors hold promise for novel treatments for disease. Here, we performed proteomic analysis to discover novel circulating factors in response to endurance exercise training in human participants. Given that nutritional status can affect the circulating proteome, another aim was to determine if proteomic adaptations to exercise training have similar effects under both fasted and random-fed conditions. Sedentary normoglycemic participants (3M/5F, age 22-41y) performed a supervised 10-week exercise training program, which by week 4 was 4x60 min exercise at 65-70% V̇O2peak. Fasted and random-sampling morning blood draws were collected pre-training and between 24-72 hours following the final training session. Proteomic detection was by SOMAscan. Exercise training significantly improved V̇O2peak by 17% (p=0.003). Out of 1,310 detected proteins, exercise training significantly changed 293 proteins in the fasted state and 360 proteins in the random-sampling state (p&amp;lt;0.05). Integration showed that 172 proteins were changed under both nutritional conditions (123 upregulated and 49 downregulated). Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) of the commonly upregulated proteins showed that training resulted in enrichment in neuronal, hemostatic, and apoptotic pathways, whereas the downregulated proteins were enriched in neuronal and extracellular matrix processes. Since neuronal pathways were identified in both up and downregulated proteins, we focused our analysis there, identifying 31 upregulated and 4 downregulated neuronally-associated proteins. Importantly, exercise training reduced levels of CDK5, a protein that is hyperactivated in neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, GSTP1, a direct inhibitor of CDK5, along with downstream proteins inhibited by CDK5 (RAC1, STUB1, 14-3-3ε/YWHAE, HSP90AA1, CFL1), were significantly increased following exercise training.In conclusion, exercise training regulates circulating factors involved in neuronal, hemostatic, apoptotic, and extracellular matrix pathways, with these effects being independent of nutritional status. Our finding of exercise training-induced decreases in multiple proteins of the CDK5 pathway, a pathway whose downregulation is associated with neuroprotection, identify CDK5 as a novel and potentially important mediator of the beneficial effects of exercise training on cognitive function. Presentation: 6/1/2024

Effects of aerobic training on cardiopulmonary fitness in patients with long COVID-19: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundLong COVID-19 is characterized by systemic deterioration of the entire body, leading to significant physical and mental disorders. Exercise training has the potential to improve persistent symptoms and cardiopulmonary functions.MethodThis was a single-center, randomized, controlled trial. Twenty-four patients aged 18 to 75 years who had a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection and long COVID symptoms. Patients were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive either a 4-week exercise training program or an attention control group. The training group participated in 12 supervised aerobic sessions on a cycling ergometer over 4 weeks. The outcomes were to assess the impact of a 4-week aerobic exercise on the persistent symptoms and cardiopulmonary fitness, the surrogate endpoints of COVID-19 recovery and cardiopulmonary health.ResultsAfter the 4-week intervention, significant reductions were observed in the total number of symptoms in the training group. Specifically, 67.8% of patients in the training group exhibited reduced or completely resolved symptoms, in comparison to 16.7% in the control group (P = 0.013). After adjusting for gender, significant improvements in the training group were observed for exercise time (Pgroup*time = 0.028), maximum load (Pgroup*time = 0.01), and peak VO2 (Pgroup*time = 0.001), as well as O2 pulse (Pgroup*time = 0.042) and maximum heart rate (Pgroup*time = 0.007). The score of Short Form-12, depression, anxiety, perceived stress, and insomnia did not show significant changes between groups (Pgroup*time > 0.05).ConclusionA supervised aerobic training program has the potential to alleviate persistent symptoms and improve exercise tolerance in patients with long COVID-19. Further research is necessary to confirm these effects in a large population. This intervention could be easily implemented in non-hospital settings, potentially benefiting a broader range of individuals.Trial registration numberClinicalTrials.gov NCT05961462. Registered on July 25, 2023.

Physical exercise post-treatment in breast cancer: a longitudinal study

The prevalence of breast cancer has been progressively rising as a result of advancements in anti-cancer therapies, however, these patients also experience a variety of long-term adverse effects from their illness and treatments. The current study sought to determine how an exercise training intervention influenced physical and mental health indices in breast cancer patients. A total of 30 female breast cancer patients (aged 42.81 ± 3.31 years, body mass index (BMI) 26.87 ± 0.59 kg/m2, and waist circumference 97.61 ± 1.94 cm) engaged in 12 weekly exercise regimens twice weekly that comprised aerobic, resistance, and flexibility activities. The exercise intervention improved participants' cardiorespiratory fitness, BMI, waist circumference, and muscle function, including sitting to standing, sit-ups, and push-ups. It also showed positive results for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, self-reported fatigue, quality of life, and physical, cognitive, and emotional functioning (p &lt; 0.001). In conclusion, our results imply that the advantages of an exercise training program may help breast cancer patients lessen the negative impacts of treatment-related factors on physical performance, overall quality of life, and mental health. Keywords: breast cancer; physical exercise; anxiety; post-traumatic stress disorder; quality of life

Skeletal Muscle Fiber Adaptations Are Distinct In Different Exercise Training Programs In Healthy, Older Adults

Skeletal Muscle Fiber Adaptations Are Distinct In Different Exercise Training Programs In Healthy, Older Adults

Adherence Patterns and Health Outcomes in Spanish Young Women Participating in a Virtual-Guided HIIT Program: Insights from the Randomized Controlled WISE Trial

Background/Objectives. A notable decline in physical activity from late adolescence to early adulthood affects young women especially. This study aimed to investigate adherence to an unsupervised virtual-guided high-intensity interval training (HIIT) exercise program among young women in Spain. Methods. A total of 106 participants were recruited and randomized to the Women’s Involvement in Steady Exercise (WISE) trial exercise program, administered remotely via a mobile app, and a control group. The primary outcome was adherence measured through daily steps. Secondary variables were patient-reported outcomes of physical activity, quality of sleep, and quality of life, assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Health Lifestyle and Personal Control Questionnaire (HLPCQ), respectively. The assessments were performed over 6 months, before the intervention (T0), at the halfway of the program (T1), and at the end (T2). Results. Daily steps revealed a decrease from baseline to final assessment in both groups. Secondary outcomes indicated a shift in physical activity levels, showing a transition from low to moderate and high activity perception. While sleep quality deteriorated post-intervention, quality of life showed no changes. Conclusions. The WISE trial highlights the potential and challenges of an unsupervised virtual-guided HIIT program for young women. While an improvement in physical activity levels was noticed, it also led to a decrease in daily steps and poorer sleep quality. These findings suggest a complex relationship between exercise and lifestyle factors, which could potentially have the greatest impact.

Effectiveness Of An Exercise Training Program On Post-covid-19 Patients

Effectiveness Of An Exercise Training Program On Post-covid-19 Patients

A Remotely Delivered, Aerobic And Resistance Exercise Training Program For Mental Health In Women Living With And Beyond Breast Cancer

A Remotely Delivered, Aerobic And Resistance Exercise Training Program For Mental Health In Women Living With And Beyond Breast Cancer

The Effect of Water Sports on the Performance of Adolescent Boys

In our education system sports has given the importance at school and college levels. Even though enriching athletic performance is a real problem in our country. Many rural students are up to the mark and willing for hardworking but due to lack of facilities they are lagging behind. Consequently, the participation of students in track and field athletics in Indian schools is also amazingly very less. They prefer major games because maximum incentives and importance are given by the sports world. Out media highlights mostly the sports starts of cricket, football, hockey, badminton, tennis, etc. but rarely gives importance to track and field athletes. Presently the status of 100 meters sprint event especially for boys have enriched as a competitive sports. The excitement and thrill provided by this particular event has won the heart of common man. After the pretest, with 100 meters sprint, the experimental group underwent a training programme of aqua exercises and control group did not participate in any training programme but they were following their daily routine in the school. The training program has been conducted three days in a week alternatively, for total period of 12 weeks. The training schedule prepared by the investigator was applied to the experimental group. The mid test of both the groups administered after every two weeks. A total five mid tests were administered and post test was administered after 12 week training program. The 100 meter sprint performance was considered as the main dependent variable as selected in this study and the training intervention (i. e. aqua exercises) was considered as independent variable. And finally it help to conclude that through the aqua exercise training program module there was gradual and useful improvement in performance ability of 100 meter sprint of school going boys.

Myokines May Be the Answer to the Beneficial Immunomodulation of Tailored Exercise-A Narrative Review.

Exercise can regulate the immune function, activate the activity of immune cells, and promote the health of the organism, but the mechanism is not clear. Skeletal muscle is a secretory organ that secretes bioactive substances known as myokines. Exercise promotes skeletal muscle contraction and the expression of myokines including irisin, IL-6, BDNF, etc. Here, we review nine myokines that are regulated by exercise. These myokines have been shown to be associated with immune responses and to regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and maturation of immune cells and enhance their function, thereby serving to improve the health of the organism. The aim of this article is to review the effects of myokines on intrinsic and adaptive immunity and the important role that exercise plays in them. It provides a theoretical basis for exercise to promote health and provides a potential mechanism for the correlation between muscle factor expression and immunity, as well as the involvement of exercise in body immunity. It also provides the possibility to find a suitable exercise training program for immune system diseases.

Exercise activates AMPK in mouse and human pancreatic islets to decrease senescence.

Beta (β)-cell senescence contributes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). While exercise is vital for T2DM management and significantly affects cellular ageing markers, its effect on β-cell senescence remains unexplored. Here, we show that short-term endurance exercise training (treadmill running, 1 h per day for 10 days) in two male and female mouse models of insulin resistance decreases β-cell senescence. In vivo and in vitro experiments revealed that this effect is mediated, at least in part, by training-induced increases in serum glucagon, leading to activation of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signalling in β-cells. AMPK activation resulted in the nuclear translocation of NRF2 and decreased expression of senescence markers and effectors. Remarkably, human islets from male and female donors with T2DM treated with serum collected after a 10-week endurance exercise training programme showed a significant decrease in the levels of senescence markers. These findings indicate that exercise training decreases senescence in pancreatic islets, offering promising therapeutic implications for T2DM.

Effects of 12 Weeks of Combined Exercise Training in Normobaric Hypoxia on Arterial Stiffness, Inflammatory Biomarkers, and Red Blood Cell Hemorheological Function in Obese Older Women.

The present study examined the effect of 12-week combined exercise training in normobaric hypoxia on arterial stiffness, inflammatory biomarkers, and red blood cell (RBC) hemorheological function in 24 obese older women (mean age: 67.96 ± 0.96 years). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups (normoxia (NMX; n = 12) and hypoxia (HPX; n = 12)). Both groups performed aerobic and resistance exercise training programs three times per week for 12 weeks, and the HPX group performed exercise programs in hypoxic environment chambers during the intervention period. Body composition was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis equipment. Arterial stiffness was measured using an automatic waveform analyzer. Biomarkers of inflammation and oxygen transport (tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 (IL-6), erythropoietin (EPO), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)), and RBC hemorheological parameters (RBC deformability and aggregation) were analyzed. All variables showed significantly more beneficial changes in the HPX group than in the NMX group during the intervention. The combined exercise training in normobaric hypoxia significantly reduced blood pressure (systolic blood pressure: p < 0.001, diastolic blood pressure: p < 0.001, mean arterial pressure: p < 0.001, pulse pressure: p < 0.05) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (p < 0.001). IL-6 was significantly lower in the HPX group than in the NMX group post-test (p < 0.001). Also, EPO (p < 0.01) and VEGF (p < 0.01) were significantly higher in the HPX group than in the NMX group post-test. Both groups showed significantly improved RBC deformability (RBC EI_3Pa) (p < 0.001) and aggregation (RBC AI_3Pa) (p < 0.001). The present study suggests that combined exercise training in normobaric hypoxia can improve inflammatory biomarkers and RBC hemorheological parameters in obese older women and may help prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Improved heart rate variability in postmenopausal women following short-term combined exercise training

Imbalances in cardiac autonomic nervous systems are associated with cardiovascular risk factors and poor cardiac outcomes. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a practical and reproducible measure of cardiac autonomic nervous system function. Exercise training promotes positive adjustments in HRV. However, previous studies have reported mixed results. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of short-term combined exercise training on heart rate variability in post-menopausal women. Thirty-four women aged 50-80 years, at least 12 months post-menopause, were divided into a control (CON) group and an exercise (EX) training group. The participants in the exercise group underwent a 2-week of combined exercise program consisting of aerobic, strength, flexibility, and balance exercises. HRV was recorded using an Actiheart device, before and after the final exercise intervention in a sitting position. The significant main effects of time and group were found in the parameter of SDNN (p time = 0.039; p group = 0.026). Post-hoc analysis showed a borderline increase in SDNN in the EX group (POST: 48.79 ± 17.88 VS 44.54 ± 17.39, p = 0.055). No significant change was observed in the CON group (POST: 35.55 ± 13.51 VS 33.17 ± 8.74, p = 0.288). Statistical analysis of other HRV components revealed no significant results (all P &gt; 0.05). In conclusion, a 2-week of combined exercise training program, including aerobic, resistance, balance, and flexibility exercises improves global cardiac autonomic function in post-menopausal women. Keywords: combined exercise training, heart rate variability, blood pressure, menopause, and women