Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 10-week exercise therapy regimen on activities of daily living (ADL) and perceived health status in patients with Parkinson disease.

The results of this study demonstrated that 1 h of intermittent hypoxic exposure for 15 consecutive days has no effect on aerobic or anaerobic performance.

Recent studies suggest that patients with multiple sclerosis(MS) have low levels of neurotrophic factors such as nerve growth factor(NGF), brain-derived neurothrophic factor(BDNF) and the vitamin D-binding protein(VDBP), and exercise training may affects these factors in people with MS. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a combined exercise training programon the serum levels of neurotrophic factos in women with MS. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in 24 volunteer MS patients(Expanded Disability Status Scale range of 1–5). Resting serum levels of BDNF, NGF, VDBP, body composition variables, and disability scale values were determined before and  after the intervention. The intervention consisted of  three sessions of combined training a week for 12 weeks(two sessions of aerobic and one session of resistance training, progressively). Aerobic training consisted of interval training with 4-13 repetition of aerobic activity at 40-55% of heart rate reserve; and resistance training consisted of 8-12 repetitions with 60-80% of 1RM for eight movements. The results showed a significant decrease in body fat percentage (p=0.003) and disability scale value(p=0.007) in the experimental group. no other significant changes was observed for other variables or in the control group. This study indicates that although the combined aerobic and resistance training in three non-consecutive days per week for 12 weeks has no effect on NGF, BDNF, and VDBP; however with positive effects on the body fat percentage and disability scale value can be for women with MS.

Two modalities of applying hypoxia at rest are reviewed in this paper: intermittent hypoxic exposure (IHE), which consists of hypoxic air for 5-6 min alternating with breathing room air for 4-5 min during sessions lasting 60-90 min, or prolonged hypoxic exposure (PHE) to normobaric or hypobaric hypoxia over up to 3 h/day. Hypoxia with IHE is usually in the range of 12-10%, corresponding to an altitude of about 4000-6000 m. Normobaric or hypobaric hypoxia with PHE corresponds to altitudes of 4000-5500 m. Five of six studies applying IHE and all four well-controlled studies using PHE could not show a significant improvement with these modalities of hypoxic exposure for sea level performance after 14-20 sessions of exposure, with the exception of swimmers in whom there might be a slight improvement by PHE in combination with a subsequent tapering. There is no direct or indirect evidence that IHE or PHE induce any significant physiological changes that might be associated with improving athletic performance at sea level. Therefore, IHE and PHE cannot be recommended for preparation of competitions held at sea level.

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Background: Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis and arterial malformations. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) vs. continuous Aerobic training on pre-atherosclerotic and anti-atherosclerotic biomarkers levels in obese and overweight children. Methods: This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Forty-five obese and overweight children (age: 11.06 ± 0.98 years, BMI: 25.12 ± 1.28 kg/m 2 ) were randomly assigned to a HIIT group (n = 15, 3 sessions per week, 100% -110% MAS intensity), aerobic group (n = 15, 3 sessions per week, 40% -70% HRR intensity) and control group (no exercise, n = 15), which participated in the study for 12 weeks. Physical, physiological and blood variables measured at the beginning and end of the 12-week study. Descriptive statistics used to describe the variables and inferential statistics were used to data analysis Results: The results showed a significant increase in serum levels of salusin-α and NO in both training groups, but the contribution of HIIT was more significant in the intergroup review. Also, the levels of salusin-β, body weight, BMI, %BF, WHR and TG/HDL ratio were significantly decreased in both training groups, which were more significant in the HIIT group. Conclusions: According to our findings, the use of HIIT seems to be considered as an important factor in preventing chronic diseases of passive lifestyle for obese and overweight children. Therefore, to improve cardiometabolic health in obese and overweight children, we recommend regular physical activity with greater emphasis on HIIT.

Background: Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is a noninvasive approach to examine endothelial function. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on FMD and circulating levels of adropin and nitric oxide (NO) in females with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Thirty females with type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned into two equal groups of HIIT and control. The exercise program consisted of three sessions a week for 12 weeks. Each training session included 4 × 4-minute running intervals at 85 - 95% of maximal heart rate (HRmax) with 3-minute active recoveries at 50 - 60% of HRmax. Circulating levels of adropin, NO, glucose, HbA1c, insulin, HOMA-IR, as well as lipid profile, and body composition parameters were measured before and after the intervention. Results: A significant increase of FMD% was observed after the intervention in the HIIT group (P = 0.001). In addition, the circulation levels of adropin and NO enhanced as a result of HIIT (P = 0.012 and P < 0.001, respectively). There were also significant positive effects on the levels of lipid profile (except for HDL), FBS, and HbA1c; as well as on the insulin resistance and the body composition variables. There were no significant changes in the control group except an increase in the total cholesterol levels (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The results showed that 12 weeks of the HIIT program could improve the endothelial function, glucose-related indices, lipid profile, and body composition variables in females with type 2 diabetes.

Background Lifestyle interventions are the first-line treatment for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), highly prevalent in the community. This study aimed to examine the 8-week separate and combined effects of aerobic training (AT) and pomegranate juice intake (PJI) on insulin resistance and serum levels of liver enzymes, liver enzymes, and insulin resistance in men with T2DM. Methods This study evaluated the alterations of anthropometric indices, insulin resistance, and liver enzymes in 40 middle-aged men (40–50) with T2DM. Participants were randomly assigned into four groups: AT+PJI (n = 10); AT (n = 10); PJI (n = 10), and control (C) (n = 10). The AT program consisted of 60–75% of maximum heart rate (HRmax), 40–60 min/day, and 3 days/wk. Participants in the PJI group consumed 240 ml of pomegranate juice (sugar or additive-free) daily for 8 weeks. Results AT+PJI, PJI, and AT groups decreased anthropometric indices, HOMA-IR, and liver enzymes after 8 weeks. In contrast, the C group significantly increased the mentioned variables after the intervention. The result showed that AT+PJI significantly lowered liver enzymes, anthropometric indices, and HOMA-IR than AT or PJI alone. Also, the results of this study showed no significant difference between AT and PJI groups. However, in these groups, significant improvements in these variables were observed compared to the control group. Conclusion Due to the effect of combined AT+PJI in improving T2DM risk factors, it could be recommended for T2DM patients to prevent increased liver enzymes and insulin resistance.