Regular Moderate-intensity Exercise Research Articles

Effects of Exercise Intensity Differences in Forest Therapy Programs on Immunoglobulin A and Dehydroepiandrosterone Levels in Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of exercise intensity and the duration of an exercise-based forest therapy program on physiological changes in older adults. The forest therapy program consisted of 20 sessions over 10 weeks. Forty-one older adults aged 65 years and older were divided into no treatment (daily activity group) and experimental (forest therapy) groups. The experimental group was further divided into the medium-intensity forest exercise group and the high-intensity forest exercise group to analyze physiological changes according to exercise intensity and duration. The physiological changes were analyzed by collecting saliva and measuring changes in the levels of immunoglobulin A and dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone used to predict aging. Changes within the daily activity group and the forest therapy group after their respective exercises were analyzed using paired t-tests. Saliva testing was performed before and in weeks 5 and 10 of the program and analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance to assess the effects of the forest therapy on the medium-intensity forest exercise group and the high-intensity forest exercise group based on the duration of exercise. As a result of the study, a significant increase in immunoglobulin A was observed in the medium-intensity forest exercise group. The daily activity group and the high-intensity forest exercise group showed an increase, but there was very little change and no significance. Changes in dehydroepiandrosterone decreased in the daily activity group and significantly increased in the moderate-intensity forest exercise group at 5 and 10 weeks, showing that regular moderate-intensity forest exercise has an effect on dehydroepiandrosterone. The high-intensity forest exercise group improved over time, but no significant level of change was observed. This study shows that forest exercise has a beneficial effect on immunoglobulin A and dehydroepiandrosterone levels in older adults.

Effect of exercise on different factors affecting the immune system

Abstract Exercise has been shown to improve immune competence. The immune system functions to distinguish between ‘self’ and ‘non-self’ and is composed of innate and adaptive immune cells. Exercise, especially regular moderate-intensity exercise, has positive effects on the immune system, including enhanced vaccination responses, reduced inflammation, improved neutrophil activity, and longer leukocyte telomeres. Sedentary lifestyles contribute to an increased risk of diseases, while regular exercise is beneficial for immune function and overall health. The effects of exercise on the immune system depend on factors such as exercise intensity, duration, and type. Exercise-induced immune responses vary in different populations, including young and elderly individuals, with variations in the magnitude and extent of the effects. Exercise has been associated with reduced immunosenescence and improved vaccine-induced immunity. Factors such as age, sex, genetics, microbial diversity, and environmental influences also impact immune function. Understanding the complex relationship between exercise, external factors, and immune responses is important for developing tailored interventions and improving health outcomes. More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms and implications of exercise on the immune system. The objective of the study was to assess the impact of exercise on variations of the immune system caused by various factors, providing further insights into the complex relationship between exercise and immunity.

Exercise-mediated macrophage polarization modulates the targeted therapeutic effect of NAFLD: a review.

This review aims to explore the exercise-mediated hepatic macrophage polarization mechanism and its effect on improving and regulating non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) by analyzing the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the cause of the influence of hepatic macrophage polarization. In addition to exploring the varied effects of different exercise types on macrophage polarization regulation in NAFLD, to provide a direction and basis for the treatment of NAFLD. The research methodology involved a comprehensive search of the PubMed database using specific keywords such as "NAFLD", "macrophage polarization", and "exercise", to retrieve relevant literature published. (1) The main factors inducing NAFLD were high-fat diet, obesity, insulin resistance (IR), changes in gut microbiota, and genetic variation in susceptibility. (2) Drug treatment, nutrient induction, microfactor induction, physiological environment induction, and other factors can induce the polarization of hepatic macrophages and affect NAFLD. (3) Different intensities, types, and frequencies of exercise have different effects on polarization macrophages, and may also differently effects improving liver inflammation, fibrosis, and NAFLD. Curently, regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is the most effective therapy for treating NAFLD. Approaches to ameliorate NAFLD with exercise involve strategies to alter macrophage polarization by inhibiting M1 or driving M2 activation. However, research on the different types of exercise-mediated macrophage polarization mechanisms and differences in therapeutic effects is not yet sufficient. Future research is necessary to explore the exact mechanisms and differences in the effects of different exercises on the treatment of NAFLD.

Alterations in expression of α1-adrenergic receptors possibly are involved in prevention of age-associated apoptosis in rat hippocampus by treadmill exercise.

Exercise is assumed to attenuate age-related neuronal apoptosis, but the detailed mechanism(s) is not fully understood. α1-adrenergic receptors (ARs) can either trigger or suppress apoptosis, therefore, here we determined the impact of treadmill exercise on the expression of the apoptosis regulatory proteins as well as α1-AR subtypes α1A- and α1B-ARs, in order to elucidate a possible association between apoptosis and the hippocampal expression of α1-ARs in aged male rats. Twenty-one male Wistar rats were divided into 3groups (n=7): young control, aged sedentary, and aged+exercise. Western blot for α1A- and α1B-ARs as well as pro-(Bax and p53) and anti-apoptotic (Bcl2) proteins wasconducted. An 8-week regular moderate-intensity treadmill exercise intervention was carried out in exercise group. In aged rats, α1A-AR expression in the hippocampus was significantly increased, and exercise markedly prevented this event. While α1B-AR expression was no altered with aging, a marked reduction in α1B-AR level was detected in exercise group when compared to aged group. Furthermore, pro-apoptotic protein levels of Bax and p53 were upregulated and anti-apoptotic protein Bcl2 was downregulated in the aging hippocampus, but could be reversed by treadmill exercise. In the present research, exercise-induced reduction in α1A- and α1B-ARs was associated with an obvious downregulation of Bax/Bcl2 ratio in aged rats, suggesting that exercise may inhibit apoptosis through regulating α1-ARs, particularly α1A-AR. Our study suggests that manipulations attenuating α1-AR activity, including nonselective α1-adrenergic antagonists, may protect against hippocampal neurodegeneration in aging brains.

The effect of moderate-intensity exercises on physical fitness, adiposity, and cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi males university students.

Physical inactivity has been linked to several non-communicable diseases. This cross-sectional study investigated the impact of moderate-intensity exercise on physical fitness, adiposity, and cardiovascular risk factors in 284 Saudi male university students in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia between 2017 and 2019. The physical activity (PA) intervention comprised three (120 minutes each) sessions of moderate intensity on non-consecutive days each week, delivering a total of 360 minutes of PA per week for ten weeks. We measured physical fitness using VO2 max calculations and assessed adiposity and cardiovascular risk factors using a range of parameters, such as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, body adiposity index, and body fat percentage. Our study found a significant increase in VO2 max after ten weeks of moderate-intensity exercise (<0.001). Additionally, body adiposity indices were significantly reduced before and after the intervention (p<0.001), as were cardiovascular risk factors. Our findings suggest that regular moderate-intensity exercise effectively improves physical fitness, decreases adiposity, and lowers cardiovascular risk factors in Saudi male adults. We recommend that policymakers and public health practitioners increase physical activity among university students by launching a campaign on social media and through.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis: Effect of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise on bone proteomics in ovariectomized rats.

This study aimed to identify the key proteins in the bone mass of ovariectomized (OVX) rats after a period of regular moderate-intensity treadmill exercise and to investigate their effects using tag mass spectrometry and quantitative proteomics with a view to improving the understanding and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Sixty three-month-old female Sprague-Dawley tats of specific-pathogen-free grade were randomly and equally divided into a sham operation group, ovariectomized group (OVX) and ovariectomized combined exercise (OVX + EX) group, and the latter took moderate-intensity treadmill exercise for 17 weeks. After this period of time, body composition and bone density were measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and serum bone metabolism indicators were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. In addition, the bone microstructure was examined using micro-computed tomography and scanning of the femur, and femur proteins were subject to proteomic analysis. Compared with the rats in the OVX group, the bone metabolism indicators in the OVX + EX group decreased significantly, femur bone density increased significantly, the number of the trabeculae increased, and continuity was higher. In the OVX + EX group, 17 proteins were significantly upregulated and 33 significantly downregulated. The main gene ontology and signaling pathways enriched by the proteins were identified as the tumor necrosis factor-mediated signaling pathways. The protein-protein interaction network identified the key proteins, and the correlation analysis of these proteins and the bone parameters found histone deacetylase 8(HDAC8) and leucine-rich transmembrane and O-methyltransferase domain containing (LRTOMT) and trimethylguanosine synthase 1(TGS1) and ankyrin repeat domain 46(ANKRD46) to be the key targets of exercise in relation to postmenopausal osteoporosis. Moderate-intensity treadmill exercise significantly improved the bone mass of OVX rats, and differentially expressed proteins, such as HDAC8 and LRTOMT and TGS1 and ANKRD46, could be the target of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise.

Novel insights into exhaustive exercise-induced myocardial injury: Focusing on mitochondrial quality control.

Regular moderate-intensity exercise elicits benefit cardiovascular health outcomes. However, exhaustive exercise (EE) triggers arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. Therefore, a better understanding of unfavorable heart sequelae of EE is important. Various mechanisms have been postulated for EE-induced cardiac injury, among which mitochondrial dysfunction is considered the cardinal machinery for pathogenesis of various diseases. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC) is critical for clearance of long-lived or damaged mitochondria, regulation of energy metabolism and cell apoptosis, maintenance of cardiac homeostasis and alleviation of EE-induced injury. In this review, we will focus on MQC mechanisms and propose mitochondrial pathophysiological targets for the management of EE-induced myocardial injury. A thorough understanding of how MQC system functions in the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis will provide a feasible rationale for developing potential therapeutic interventions for EE-induced injury.

A Cross-Sectional Study Examining the Association between Physical Activity and Perinatal Depression

Background and Objectives: International organisations recommend that women without illness should have regular moderate-intensity physical exercise throughout their pregnancy and postpartum period as a measure to prevent possible pathologies in both the mother and the newborn. Physical activity during pregnancy reduces the likelihood of depression during pregnancy and after childbirth, benefiting both the pregnant woman and the foetus. However, most pregnant women are known to be inactive. The Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) analyses the level of physical activity of pregnant women. These data are correlated with the variable depression, for which the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) during pregnancy was used. Materials and Methods: The research employed a cross sectional study design on ninety-nine pregnant women. Results: The data on physical activity in relation to depression in those pregnant women who had not previously suffered from depression were 719.29 METS min/wk compared with 624.62 METS min/wk in those who had. And for pregnant women who suffered from depression at the time of the study, their physical activity was 698.25 METS min/wk, while those who did not suffer from depression reached 826.57 METS. Conclusions: Pregnant women without depression are much more active. A favourable employment situation or a high level of education is directly related to higher physical activity. Physical activity and higher energy expenditure occur at home, as opposed to activity carried out as transport, exercise or at work.

Physical exercise, immune response, and susceptibility to infections-current knowledge and growing research areas.

This review presents state-of-the-art knowledge and identifies knowledge gaps for future research in the area of exercise-associated modifications of infection susceptibility. Regular moderate-intensity exercise is believed to have beneficial effects on immune health through lowering inflammation intensity and reducing susceptibility to respiratory infections. However, strenuous exercise, as performed by professional athletes, may promote infection: in about half of athletes presenting respiratory symptoms, no causative pathogen can be identified. Acute bouts of exercise enhance the release of pro-inflammatory mediators, which may induce infection-like respiratory symptoms. Relatively few studies have assessed the influence of regularly repeated exercise on the immune response and systemic inflammation compared to the effects of acute exercise. Additionally, ambient and environmental conditions may modify the systemic inflammatory response and infection susceptibility, particularly in outdoor athletes. Both acute and chronic regular exercise influence humoral and cellular immune response mechanisms, resulting in decreased specific and non-specific response in competitive athletes. The most promising areas of further research in exercise immunology include detailed immunological characterization of infection-prone and infection-resistant athletes, examining the efficacy of nutritional and pharmaceutical interventions as countermeasures to infection symptoms, and determining the influence of various exercise loads on susceptibility to infections with respiratory viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. By establishing a uniform definition of an "elite athlete," it will be possible to make a comparable and straightforward interpretation of data from different studies and settings.

Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise as an adjunct intervention to improve sleep quality among rotating shift nurses.

Nurses working rotating shifts (RS) are at risk of circadian rhythm disruption, which can affect sleep quality and can lead to emotional stress, anxiety, and depression. Aerobic exercise is a type of repetitive and structured physical activity that involves the metabolic system, which utilizes oxygen to produce energy and has been demonstrated to improve shift-workers' health and well-being. The main purpose of engaging in regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is to improve cardiopulmonary fitness and functional capacity. When engaging in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, the increase in arterial pressure is accompanied by a simultaneous increase in heart rate, which signifi-cantly contributes to the rise in blood pressure, which is reversed after exercise due to an increase in parasympathetic activity and a decrease in sympathetic activity. Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise includes walking at a moderate pace, water aerobics, dancing, recreational swimming, gardening, table tennis, and stair climbing at a moderate pace and represents a cost-effective health promotion strategy for im-proving sleep quality and duration. Adherence to a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program may increase both sleep quality and duration by improving melatonin concentrations, endocrine activities, heart rate and slow wave sleep among nurses working RS. Occupational medicine practitioners should consider creating a workplace health promotion program that incorporates moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for RS-nurses to minimize the impact of shift work on their sleep quality.

Relationship between Walking Activity and Sleep Quality among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Purpose To explore the relationship between walking activity and sleep quality among elderly. Design A cross-sectional, correlation study with purposive sampling was conducted on participants with a walking habit but not regular moderate-intensity exercise. Methods Data were collected by structured questionnaires, including the Walking Activity Questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Findings The total walking time per week and frequency of walking per day were significant predictors of sleep quality. Conclusions Walking can help older community-dwelling adults improve their sleep quality. Clinical evidence Walking more than once per day and total walking time per week ≥210 minutes were associated with good sleep quality.

Acute Effects of Heart Rate-Controlled Exergaming on Vascular Function in Young Adults.

Objective: Acute and regular moderate-intensity endurance exercise (MIEE) is known to positively affect vascular function. The present study assessed if an exercise session in an innovative exergame called the ExerCube can induce similar vascular reactions as an MIEE session. Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight healthy recreationally active participants (13 females and 15 males; aged 24.8 ± 3.9 years; with body mass index 23.2 ± 2.3 kg/m2) completed an exergaming session (EGS) in the ExerCube (25 minutes) and an MIEE session on a treadmill (35 minutes, 65%-70% of maximal heart rate [HR]) in a randomized order. Both before and throughout the 45 minutes after the training sessions, pulse wave velocity (PWV), total peripheral resistance (TPR), stroke volume (SV), and HR were recorded. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Board of the Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (Medical Faculty of the Martin-Luther-Universität 2019-177). Results: There were different hemodynamic responses to both types of exercises. PWV was significantly decreased 45 minutes after the EGS (P < 0.001). No significant changes were detected after MIEE (P = 0.109). TPR was significantly lower after both exercise sessions (P < 0.01). Only the EGS resulted in a significant decrease in SV 15 minutes after exercise (P < 0.001). The HR was significantly (P < 0.05) higher after both exercise sessions. After the EGS, the increase in HR was still significantly higher (P = 0.011) 45 minutes after the session. The interaction effects revealed significant differences in PWV (15 minutes, P = 0.035; 30 minutes, P = 0.004; and 45 minutes, P < 0.001), favoring the EGS. Conclusion: The EGS seems to induce a relevant exercise stimulus that can modulate vascular function. Therefore, this exergame may present an effective tool for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Body mass index and physical activity in seven-year-old children whose mothers exercised during pregnancy: follow-up of a multicentre randomised controlled trial

BackgroundThere are limited data on long-term outcomes of children whose mothers have followed exercise interventions during pregnancy. The aim of this paper was to investigate whether regular moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy affected the children’s body mass index (BMI) and physical activity (PA) at 7 years of age, and determine the relationship between children’s and mothers’ BMI and PA.MethodsThis was a follow-up of a multicentre randomised controlled trial, carried out at St. Olavs Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, and Stavanger University Hospital, Norway (2007–2009 and 2014–2016). Women were randomised to follow a 12-week structured exercise protocol or standard antenatal care during pregnancy. At the 7-year follow-up, parents reported their child’s height, weight, and PA. The mothers also reported their own weight and PA. Main outcome variables were BMI, frequency and duration of moderate to vigorous PA (MVPA), and intensity of PA.ResultsA total of 855 women were randomised to exercise (n = 429) or standard antenatal care (n = 426) during pregnancy. At follow-up, 164 (38.2%) children and mothers in the intervention group and 117 (27.5%) in the control group participated. We found no group differences in the children’s iso-BMI or PA. Findings were similar when we performed stratified analyses by sex, except boys in the control group spent more time on electrical devices than boys in the intervention group. Subgroup analyses of children of mothers who adhered to the exercise protocol and sensitivity analyses excluding children born preterm, children admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, and children with diseases or health problems at the 7-year follow-up, did not change the results. Children’s BMI, weekly leisure time MVPA and intensity of PA correlated with mothers’ BMI, daily exercise, and intensity of exercise.ConclusionsRegular moderate intensity exercise during pregnancy did not affect BMI or PA of the children at 7 years. Good maternal health should be encouraged as it may influence the health of the next generation.Trial registrationThe initial RCT study was registered in ClinicalTrials.govNCT00476567.

Community-based smoking cessation treatment for adults with high anxiety sensitivity: a randomized clinical trial.

People with anxiety disorders are more likely to smoke and less likely to succeed when they try to quit. Anxiety sensitivity may underlie both phenomena, such that people with high anxiety sensitivity react to interoceptive distress by avoidance. This study aimed to test the efficacy of an exercise program that induced interoceptive distress and thereby created tolerance to this distress in a safe environment. Randomized clinical trial at four YMCA branches in Austin, Texas, USA. Participants [n=150; 130 (86.7%) white; 101 (67.3%) female; meanage =38.6, standard deviation (SD)age =10.4] were adult, daily smokers with high anxiety sensitivity motivated to quit smoking, who reported no regular moderate-intensity exercise. Participants were assigned a YMCA personal trainer who guided them through a 15-week intervention aerobic exercise program. Participants assigned to the personalized intervention trained at 60-85% of their heart rate reserve (HRR), whereas participants assigned to the control intervention trained at 20-40% of their HRR. Participants in both groups received standard behavioral support and nicotine replacement therapy. The primary outcome was biologically verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) at 6-month follow-up. Sixty-one per cent of participants were available at the 6-month follow-up. PPA at 6months was higher in the personalized intervention than the control intervention [27.6 versus 14.8%; odds ratio (OR)=2.20, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.28, 3.80, P=0.005], assuming missing at random. Anxiety sensitivity declined in both groups with no evidence that this differed between groups. An exercise program of high intensity increased abstinence from smoking in people with high anxiety sensitivity, but may not have done so by reducing anxiety sensitivity.

Does exercise have healing and preventive roles in COVID-19 pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which occurred in Wuhan in China on December 31, 2019, spread rapidly to 6 continents and hundreds of countries. Scientists continue to work on effective treatment protocols and vaccine development to stop the spread of this pandemic. Currently, anti-virus strategies are as important as treatment methods. It is known that physical exercise is one of the pillars of a healthy life and reduces the risk of developing non-infectious diseases which endanger the immune system significantly. Besides, regular moderate intensity exercise has preventive effects against cardiovascular diseases, respiratory tract infections, obesity, and diabetes. In this review, we aimed to discuss whether physical activity has a protective effect and present new information to ameliorate the wellbeing of individuals during the pandemic, so they are less affected by COVID-19. From this point of view, experimental and clinical studies on this subject were analyzed. Literature reviews showed that maintaining physical exercise during the COVID-19 outbreak is crucial for the recovery of patients with obesity, lung, and heart diseases. However, it can be said that asymptomatic young and middle-aged individuals with positive COVID-19 tests can overcome the disease more easily and in a shorter time.

Effect of moderate intensity aerobic training on cardiac autonomic system function and nitric oxide levels in middle-aged males with metabolic syndrome

Background and Aims: The sedentary lifestyle in individuals with metabolic syndrome is a main threatening risk for their health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise with 65% of maximal oxygen consumption on heart rate variability and vascular nitric oxide levels in middle-aged males with metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods: In total, 30 middle-aged men with metabolic syndrome were randomly divided into control and aerobic training groups. At the pretest and posttest, the values ​​of metabolic risk indices, heart rate variability, and nitric oxide were measured in both groups. The aerobic training group performed aerobic exercise for eight weeks at 65% of maximal oxygen consumption. The data were analyzed using the independent and paired t-tests. Results: According to the results, after comparing the values obtained from the posttest and pretest, there was a significant difference between the training and control groups regarding the fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, metabolic Z score, Standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), Square root of the mean squared differences of successive NN intervals (rMSSD), very-low-frequency (VLF), High frequency (HF), and vascular nitric oxide levels. Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels were significantly different in the aerobic training group, compared to those of the control group and LF as well as LF/HF at the pretest (P=0.01). However, despite slight changes in high lipoprotein and blood pressure levels, there was no significant difference in the aerobic training group, compared to the control group and pre-test. Conclusion: Regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise can be used as an appropriate exercise protocol to improve cardiovascular function for males with metabolic syndrome.

Creatine Supplementation, Physical Exercise and Oxidative Stress Markers: A Review of the Mechanisms and Effectiveness.

Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their elimination by antioxidant mechanisms. ROS degrade biogenic substances such as deoxyribonucleic acid, lipids, and proteins, which in turn may lead to oxidative tissue damage. One of the physiological conditions currently associated with enhanced oxidative stress is exercise. Although a period of intense training may cause oxidative damage to muscle fibers, regular exercise helps increase the cells’ ability to reduce the ROS over-accumulation. Regular moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to increase antioxidant defense. Endogenous antioxidants cannot completely prevent oxidative damage under the physiological and pathological conditions (intense exercise and exercise at altitude). These conditions may disturb the endogenous antioxidant balance and increase oxidative stress. In this case, the use of antioxidant supplements such as creatine can have positive effects on the antioxidant system. Creatine is made up of two essential amino acids, arginine and methionine, and one non-essential amino acid, glycine. The exact action mechanism of creatine as an antioxidant is not known. However, it has been shown to increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the capability to eliminate ROS and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). It seems that the antioxidant effects of creatine may be due to various mechanisms such as its indirect (i.e., increased or normalized cell energy status) and direct (i.e., maintaining mitochondrial integrity) mechanisms. Creatine supplement consumption may have a synergistic effect with training, but the intensity and duration of training can play an important role in the antioxidant activity. In this study, the researchers attempted to review the literature on the effects of creatine supplementation and physical exercise on oxidative stress.

Combined aerobic and resistance training improves physical and executive functions in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Exercise is considered as an adjuvant therapeutic modality to alleviate symptoms of several rheumatic diseases. However, data regarding the benefits of exercise to patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are relatively scant. This study aimed to assess the effects of regular, moderate-intensity, aerobic exercise combined with resistance training on women with SLE who had no regular exercise. Patients were recruited and allocated into either the exercise or control group by their willingness. Patients in the exercise group (n = 12) underwent 12 weeks of combined exercise (five days per week), whereas those in the control group (n = 11) maintained their usual lifestyle. At baseline, there were no between-group differences in body composition, disease activity, two-kilometer walking test, and executive function test. After the combined exercise intervention for 12 weeks, significant improvements of both fitness index and reaction time to the stimuli in the go/no-go test were observed in the exercise group, but not in the control group. The disease activities in both study groups did not change significantly at the end of the study period. Our results suggest that regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise combined with resistance training improves the physical and executive functions of SLE patients without exacerbating disease activity.

Effectiveness of Exercises in Glycaemic Control and Maternal Outcome among Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus- A Pilot study

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus is a common medical problem that is very often seen in pregnancy in the present era. Pregnant women should keep in mind their health and lifestyle considerations or else pregnancy will end up with many complications. Pre-existing factors and pregnancy factors will be contributing and make pregnancy more complicated. Exercises are recommended as a healthy practice which prevents many diseases and provides a healthy life. Aim: To evaluate the glycaemic level by focusing on exercises to improve the maternal outcome. Materials and Methods: A Pilot study with Quasi-experimental pre-post control group design with 30 Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) women (15 in each group) were selected who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study was conducted in tertiary care Hospital between June 2019 and December 2019. Based on the convenience sampling technique, the setting was selected and a simple random technique was adopted to select the subjects. The 15 subjects were included in each groups, both intervention and control group. Exercises were taught for the interventional group of women for 12 weeks. Regular treatment was continued for both groups which include medication, diet and regular walking. Pre-test and post-test glycaemic scores were done for both the groups. Mann-whitney test, ANOVA, post-hoc test, paired Eta square were also used and IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 was used. Results: The study shows there was a significant difference in the pre-Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS) and post FBS values in the intervention group p-value &lt;0.027. The paired Eta square value was 0.303 which showed a moderate effect of the exercise on the glycaemic value in the interventional group. There was a significant difference in the pre glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and post HbA1c values in both the intervention and control group was p-value &lt;0.023 and p-value &lt;0.025, respectively. The maternal outcome shows increased severity of the complications in the control group while comparing with the intervention group such as pre-eclampsia, operative interference, and preterm deliveries. But there was no significant difference in the maternal outcome observed between intervention and control group p-value &gt;0.05. Conclusion: Regular moderate-intensity aerobic and resistance exercise training during pregnancy is associated with lower blood glucose level. Thus, study concluded that exercise has a moderate effect on glycaemic control.

Aerobic exercise offsets endothelial dysfunction induced by repetitive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in young healthy men.

Consumption of a single, sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) impairs vascular endothelial function. Regular aerobic exercise improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation; however, it is unknown whether these beneficial effects persist with frequent SSB consumption. Therefore, the purpose of this study was twofold; we studied the effects of repetitive SSB consumption (75 g d-glucose, 3 times/day) for 1 wk (Glu, n = 13, 23 ± 4 yr, 23.5 ± 3.4 kg/m2) on endothelium-dependent vasodilation (FMD). Then, in a separate cohort, we investigated whether 45 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on five separate days offset the hypothesized decrease in FMD during the Glu protocol (Glu+Ex, n = 11, 21 ± 3 yr, 23.8 ± 2.4 kg/m2). Baseline, fasting [glucose] (P = 0.15), [insulin] (P = 0.25), %FMD (P = 0.48), absolute FMD (P = 0.66), and shear rate area under the curve (SRAUC; P = 0.82) were similar between groups. Following the interventions, fasting [glucose] (Glu: 94 ± 6 to 92 ± 6 mg/dL, Glu+Ex: 89 ± 8 to 87 ± 6 mg/dL, P = 0.74) and [insulin] (Glu: 11.3 ± 6.2 to 11.8 ± 8.9 μU/mL, Glu+Ex: 8.7 ± 2.9 to 9.4 ± 3.2 μU/mL, P = 0.89) were unchanged. %FMD was reduced in Glu (6.1 ± 2.2 to 5.1 ± 1.3%) and increased in Glu+Ex (6.6 ± 2.2 to 7.8 ± 2.4%, P < 0.05 for both). SRAUC increased similarly in both Glu [17,715 ± 8,275 to 22,922 ± 4,808 arbitrary units (A.U.)] and Glu+Ex (18,216 ± 4,516 to 21,666 ± 5,392 A.U., main effect of time P < 0.05). When %FMD was adjusted for SRAUC, attenuation was observed in Glu (0.41 ± 0.18 to 0.23 ± 0.08%/s × 103, P < 0.05) but not Glu+Ex (0.38 ± 0.14 to 0.38 ± 0.13%/s × 103, P = 0.88). Despite unchanged fasting [glucose] and [insulin], repeated consumption of SSBs impaired conduit artery vascular endothelial function. Additionally, subjects who engaged in regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise did not demonstrate the same SSB-induced endothelial dysfunction. Collectively, these data suggest aerobic exercise may offset the deleterious effects of repetitive SSB consumption.