Training effects of set- and repetition-interval rest time on recumbent-boxing exercise: Could virtual reality improve further?

This study examined the influence of set-interval and repetition-interval rest time of virtual reality (VR) boxing game in supine-lying posture. Fifty healthy middle-aged adults were randomly assigned into VR and non-VR groups to perform six different exercise protocols with varying set-interval and repetition-interval rest times (S0R0, S0R1/3, S0R2/3, S40R0, S40R1/3, and S40R2/3). Analysis on the non-VR group showed significant differences between exercise protocols for average heart rate (p < 0.001), maximum ventilation volume (p < 0.001), respiratory quotient (p < 0.001), oxygen pulse (p < 0.001), and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) (p = 0.003). VR appeared to have no further improvement on physical training effects in middle-aged adults, while the participants reported negative experience that might be associated with the over-exertion. Future study might need to explore game design elements that can accommodate high-exertion exercises.

Modified lumbo-pelvic exercise to alleviate mild stress urinary incontinence in middle-aged females.

Urinary incontinence is one of the common clinical problems of females passing middle age. Traditional pelvic floor muscle training to alleviate urinary incontinence is too dull and unpleasant. Therefore, we were motivated to purpose a modified lumbo-pelvic exercise training incorporating simplified dancing components with pelvic floor muscle training. The objective of this study was to evaluate the 16-week modified lumbo-pelvic exercise program that incorporated dance and abdominal drawing-in maneuvers. Middle-aged females were randomly assigned into the experimental (n = 13) and control (n = 11) groups. Compared to the control group, the exercise group significantly reduced body fat, visceral fat index, waistline, waist-hip ratio, perceived incontinence score, frequency of urine leakage, and pad testing index (p < 0.05). In addition, there were significant improvements in pelvic floor function, vital capacity, and muscle activity of the right rectus abdominis (p < 0.05). This indicated that the modified lumbo-pelvic exercise program can promote benefits of physical training and alleviate urinary incontinence in middle-aged females.

Pilot testing of a simplified dance intervention for cardiorespiratory fitness and blood lipids in obese older women.

INTRODUCTION: Dance interventions require long learning periods and exert high joint loading. Therefore, a simple dance intervention is required. AIMS: To examine the effects of simplified dance on body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and blood lipid levels in obese older women. METHOD: Twenty-six obese older women were randomly assigned to exercise and control groups. The dance exercise involved pelvic tilt and rotation with basic breathing techniques. Anthropometry, cardiorespiratory fitness, and blood lipid levels were measured at baseline and after the 12-week training. RESULTS: The exercise group had lower total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and improved VO2max after the 12-week training than at baseline; however, no significant difference was observed for the control group. Additionally, the exercise group had lower triglycerides and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Simplified dance interventions have the potential to improve blood composition and aerobic fitness in obese older women.

SLC7A11, a Potential Therapeutic Target Through Induced Ferroptosis in Colon Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Ferroptosis induced by SLC7A11 has an important translational value in the treatment of cancers. However, the mechanism of SLC7A11 in the pathogenesis of colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is rarely studied in detail. Methods: SLC7A11 expression was explored with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases, and Western blot assay. The correlation of SLC7A11 expression with the abundance of infiltrating immune cells was evaluated via the TIMER database. The relation of SLC7A11 expression with immune cell markers was investigated via Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The co-expression genes of SLC7A11 were screened by R packages, and the PPI was constructed via the STRING database. SLC7A11 and co-expressed gene modulators were selected by NetworkAnalyst and DSigDB database. The correlations between SLC7A11 and cancer immune characteristics were analyzed via the TIMER and TISIDB databases. Results: SLC7A11 is overexpressed in most tumors, including COAD. The expression level of SLC7A11 has a significant correlation with the infiltration levels of CD8+ T cells, neutrophils, and dendritic cells in COAD. The infiltrated lymphocyte markers of Th1 cell such as TBX21, IL12RB2, IL27RA, STAT1, and IFN-γ were strongly correlated with SLC7A11 expression. Five hub genes co-expressed with SLC7A11 that induce ferroptosis were identified, and mir-335-5p, RELA, and securinine have regulatory effects on it. SLC7A11 was negatively correlated with the expression of chemokines and chemokine receptors, such as CCL17, CCL19, CCL22, CCL23, CXCL14, CCR10, CX3CR1, and CXCR3, in COAD. Conclusion: SLC7A11 may play a role in induced ferroptosis and regulating tumor immunity, which can be considered as potential therapeutic targets in COAD.

Effects of Tai-Chi and Running Exercises on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Biomarkers in Sedentary Middle-Aged Males: A 24-Week Supervised Training Study.

This study examined the effectiveness of Tai-Chi and running exercises on cardiorespiratory fitness and biomarkers in sedentary middle-aged adults under 24 weeks of supervised training. Methods Thirty-six healthy middle-aged adults (55.6 ± 5.3 yr) were randomly assigned into Tai-Chi, running and control groups. During a 24-week training period, the Tai-Chi and running groups were asked to perform exercises for 60 min/day and 5 days/week, which were supervised by Tai-Chi and running instructors throughout. Resting heart rate, lean mass, blood pressure and blood lipids were measured, and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max, Vmax and Peak heart rate) was assessed at the baseline and the 12- and 24-week interventions. Results Compared to the no-exercise control group, both the Tai-Chi and running groups significantly decreased resting heart rate, diastolic blood pressure and cardiorespiratory fitness and increased lean mass across the training session (p < 0.05). Compared to the Tai-Chi group, the running group showed greater improvement in VO2max and Vmax (p < 0.05) and reduced triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.05). Conclusion Both Tai-Chi and running exercise showed beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and enhanced health-related outcomes in middle-aged adults. Although Tai-Chi exercises were less effective in VO2max than running, Tai-Chi may be considered as a plausible alternative to running exercises that can be achieved in the indoor-based setting.

Swallow Detection with Acoustics and Accelerometric-Based Wearable Technology: A Scoping Review.

Swallowing disorders, especially dysphagia, might lead to malnutrition and dehydration and could potentially lead to fatal aspiration. Benchmark swallowing assessments, such as videofluoroscopy or endoscopy, are expensive and invasive. Wearable technologies using acoustics and accelerometric sensors could offer opportunities for accessible and home-based long-term assessment. Identifying valid swallow events is the first step before enabling the technology for clinical applications. The objective of this review is to summarize the evidence of using acoustics-based and accelerometric-based wearable technology for swallow detection, in addition to their configurations, modeling, and assessment protocols. Two authors independently searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL. Eleven (n = 11) articles were eligible for review. In addition to swallowing events, non-swallowing events were also recognized by dry (saliva) swallowing, reading, yawning, etc., while some attempted to classify the types of swallowed foods. Only about half of the studies reported that the device attained an accuracy level of >90%, while a few studies reported poor performance with an accuracy of <60%. The reviewed articles were at high risk of bias because of the small sample size and imbalanced class size problem. There was high heterogeneity in assessment protocol that calls for standardization for swallowing, dry-swallowing and non-swallowing tasks. There is a need to improve the current wearable technology and the credibility of relevant research for accurate swallowing detection before translating into clinical screening for dysphagia and other swallowing disorders.