Potential Improvement in Rehabilitation Quality of 2019 Novel Coronavirus by Isometric Training System; Is There "Muscle-Lung Cross-Talk"?

Effects of aerobic exercise training in oxidative metabolism and mitochondrial biogenesis markers on prefrontal cortex in obese mice

BACKGROUND

To evaluate the effects of 8 weeks of Aerobic Physical Training (AET) on the mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative balance in the Prefrontal Cortex (PFC) of leptin deficiency-induced obese mice (ob/ob mice).

METHODS

Then, the mice were submitted to an 8-week protocol of aerobic physical training (AET) at moderate intensity (60% of the maximum running speed). In the oxidative stress, we analyzed Malonaldehyde (MDA) and Carbonyls, the enzymatic activity of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Glutathione S Transferase (GST), non-enzymatic antioxidant system: reduced glutathione (GSH), and Total thiols. Additionally, we evaluated the gene expression of PGC-1α SIRT-1, and ATP5A related to mitochondrial biogenesis and function.

RESULTS

In our study, we did not observe a significant difference in MDA (p = 0.2855), Carbonyl's (p = 0.2246), SOD (p = 0.1595), and CAT (p = 0.6882) activity. However, the activity of GST (p = 0.04), the levels of GSH (p = 0.001), and Thiols (p = 0.02) were increased after 8 weeks of AET. Additionally, there were high levels of PGC-1α (p = 0.01), SIRT-1 (p = 0.009), and ATP5A (p = 0.01) gene expression after AET in comparison with the sedentary group.

CONCLUSIONS

AET for eight weeks can improve antioxidant defense and increase the expression of PGC-1α, SIRT-1, and ATP5A in PFC of ob/ob mice.

Baseline physical activity is associated with reduced mortality and disease outcomes in COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, physically active individuals may be at lower risk of fatal outcomes. However, to date, no meta-analysis has been carried out to investigate the relationship between physical activity (PA) and fatal outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to explore the hospitalisation, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and mortality rates of COVID-19 patients with a history of PA participation before the onset of the pandemic, and to evaluate the reliability of the evidence. A systematic search of MEDLINE/PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and medRxiv was conducted for articles published up to January 2022. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to compare disease severity and mortality rates of COVID-19 patients in physically active and inactive cases. Twelve studies involving 1,256,609 patients (991,268 physically active and 265,341 inactive cases) with COVID-19, were included in the pooled analysis. The overall meta-analysis compared with inactive controls showed significant associations between PA with reduction in COVID-19 hospitalisation (risk ratio (RR) = 0.58, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.46-0.73, P = 0.001), ICU admissions (RR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.52-0.81, P = 0.001) and mortality (RR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.38-0.59, P = 0.001). The protective effect of PA on COVID-19 hospitalisation and mortality could be attributable to the types of exercise such as resistance exercise (RR = 0.27, 95% CI 0.15-0.49, P = 0.001) and endurance exercise (RR = 0.41, 95% CI 0.23-0.74, P = 0.003), respectively. Physical activity is associated with decreased hospitalisation, ICU admissions, and mortality rates of patients with COVID-19. Moreover, COVID-19 patients with a history of resistance and endurance exercises experience a lower rate of hospitalisation and mortality, respectively. Further studies are warranted to determine the biological mechanisms underlying these findings.

A Brief Overview of the Effects of Exercise and Red Beets on the Immune System in Patients with Prostate Cancer

Research over the past few decades has focused on the use of functional ingredients such as an active lifestyle and proper diet as a treatment for many diseases in the world. Recent studies have shown a variety of health benefits for red beets and their active ingredients such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, blood pressure and fat reduction, anti-diabetic, and anti-obesity effects. This review article examines the effects of exercise and red beet consumption and the effective mechanisms of these two interventions on cellular and molecular pathways in prostate cancer. However, there is a significant relationship between an active lifestyle and proper diet with the incidence of cancer, and the use of these natural interventions for cancer patients in the treatment protocol of avoidance patients. Furthermore, this review article attempts to examine the role and effect of exercise and beetroot nutrition on prostate cancer and provide evidence of the appropriate effects of using natural interventions to prevent, reduce, and even treat cancer in stages. In addition, we examine the molecular mechanisms of the effectiveness of exercise and beetroot consumption. Finally, the use of natural interventions such as exercising and eating beets due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties, due to the lack or low level of side effects, can be considered an important intervention for the prevention and treatment of cancer.

Exploring the Correlation between Time Management, the Mediterranean Diet, and Physical Activity: A Comparative Study between Spanish and Romanian University Students

BACKGROUND

The investigation started from the premise that there are links between time management (TM), physical activity (PA), and the Mediterranean diet (MD). The aim of our study is to determine the correlation between the variables TM, the MD, and PA in Spanish and Romanian university students.

METHODS

The study was conducted on a group of 296 students (198 Romanian and 98 Spanish students between the ages of 23.44 ± 5.92 years, with 108 males and 188 females, where 171 were from the sports faculty and 125 were from the psychology faculty), using the Time Management Questionnaire (TMQ) to measure TM, the KIDMED test to measure MD, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) to measure PA.

RESULTS

The obtained results show that there are significant differences, regarding MD and PA, between the Romanian and Spanish respondents, between the respondents from the sports faculty and those from the psychology faculty, and between the female and male respondents. The TM variable did not show a significant difference depending on the country, faculty, or gender. There was only a significant relationship between the MD and the other two variables (TM and PA).

CONCLUSIONS

Significant differences were observed between the variables the MD and PA, but not TM, depending on the country, gender, and faculty. There was only a significant correlation between the MD and the other two variables (TM and PA). The results provided us with relevant data for the need for a TM protocol to improve the MD adherence and PA in university students.

Effects of 8 Weeks of High-Intensity Interval Training and Spirulina Supplementation on Immunoglobin Levels, Cardio-Respiratory Fitness, and Body Composition of Overweight and Obese Women

Simple Summary

Overweight and obese, like other forms of malnutrition, have been shown to affect immune function through changing immunoglobin or cardio-respiratory fitness levels and cell-mediated immune responses. Although calorie restriction and exercise are the most common therapies for obesity or overweight, it is unclear what kind of supplementation these people should take or how much exercise they should perform. Hence, in this study, we examined the effect of 8 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with spirulina supplementation on the humoral immunity, cardio-respiratory fitness, and body composition of overweight and obese women. The results demonstrated that spirulina supplementation with HIIT not only decreased fat free mass but also boosted immunoglobin-A, which plays an important role in the immune system.

Abstract

Our study examined the effect of 8 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and spirulina supplementation on the humoral immunity, cardio-respiratory fitness, and body composition of overweight and obese women. Thirty sedentary women (height: 161.7 ± 2.8 cm, body mass: 75.8 ± 8.4 kg, body mass index [BMI]: 28.8 ± 2.5 kg/m², age: 25.1 ± 6.7 years) were divided into three groups: placebo with HIIT group, spirulina group (SG), or combined group (CG). Exercise groups performed HIIT for 8 weeks, with three sessions per week and four to seven repetitions in each session of 30 s running and 30 s walking; the intensity was established at 90% of the maximum heart rate. Supplementation groups received 6 g of spirulina powder per day. Fasting blood samples were collected before and after 8 weeks to determine the concentrations of immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG). There was a significant group-by-time interaction for fat free mass (FFM; p = 0.001, f = 8.52, ηp² = 0.39) and IgA (p = 0.036, f = 3.86, ηp² = 0.22). The post hoc analysis revealed that CG reduced FFM significantly (p = 0.012, g = −0.55) after training. CG and SG showed significantly greater IgA concentrations after 8 weeks (p = 0.02, g = 0.70 and p = 0.001, g = 0.34, respectively). We conclude that spirulina supplementation with HIIT affects the body composition (lower FFM) but also boosts IgA, which plays an important role in the immune system.

Recent Progress in Applicability of Exercise Immunology and Inflammation Research to Sports Nutrition

This article focuses on how nutrition may help prevent and/or assist with recovery from the harmful effects of strenuous acute exercise and physical training (decreased immunity, organ injury, inflammation, oxidative stress, and fatigue), with a focus on nutritional supplements. First, the effects of ketogenic diets on metabolism and inflammation are considered. Second, the effects of various supplements on immune function are discussed, including antioxidant defense modulators (vitamin C, sulforaphane, taheebo), and inflammation reducers (colostrum and hyperimmunized milk). Third, how 3-hydroxy-3-methyl butyrate monohydrate (HMB) may offset muscle damage is reviewed. Fourth and finally, the relationship between exercise, nutrition and COVID-19 infection is briefly mentioned. While additional verification of the safety and efficacy of these supplements is still necessary, current evidence suggests that these supplements have potential applications for health promotion and disease prevention among athletes and more diverse populations.

Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise Potential Favorable Effect Against COVID-19: The Role of Renin-Angiotensin System and Immunomodulatory Effects

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by a novel coronavirus (CoV) named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor of SARS-CoV-2, it has a strong interaction with the renin angiotensin system (RAS). Experimental studies have shown that the higher levels of ACE2 or increasing ACE2/ACE1 ratio improve COVID-19 outcomes through lowering inflammation and death. Aerobic moderate intensity physical exercise fights off infections by two mechanisms, the inhibition of ACE/Ang II/AT1-R pathway and the stimulation of ACE2/Ang-(1-7)/MasR axis. Exercise can also activate the anti-inflammatory response so that it can be a potential therapeutic strategy against COVID-19. Here, we summarize and focus the relation among COVID-19, RAS, and immune system and describe the potential effect of aerobic moderate intensity physical exercise against CoV as a useful complementary tool for providing immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which is a novel intervention that requires further investigation.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students' Mental Health and Sleep in Saudi Arabia

Background: Mental health problems are prevalent among university students in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students’ mental health and sleep in Saudi Arabia. Method: A total of 582 undergraduate students from Saudi Arabia aged between 18 and 45 years old (M = 20.91, SD = 3.17) completed a cross-sectional online questionnaire measuring depression, anxiety, stress, resilience, and insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020). Analysis included an independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Hierarchical regression analysis. Results: Undergraduate students reported high levels of depression, anxiety, and perceived stress and low levels of resilience (p < 0.001) during the pandemic. In addition, students reported experiencing insomnia. A hierarchical regression analysis indicated that lower resilience, high levels of insomnia, having a pre-existing mental health condition, and learning difficulties (such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, or dyscalculia) were significantly associated with high levels of depression and stress. In addition, lower resilience, a high level of insomnia, and pre-existing mental health conditions were significantly associated with high levels of anxiety. Finally, a lower level of psychological resilience and a high level of insomnia were significantly associated with increased levels of depression, anxiety and stress within university students. Conclusion: This study has provided evidence that a lower level of psychological resilience and insomnia were associated with mental health problems among undergraduate students in Saudi Arabia, thus enhancing psychological resilience and interventions to support sleep and mental health are vital to support student well-being outcomes throughout the pandemic.