Glutamine supplementation and immune function during heavy load training.

Athletes with heavy training loads are prone to infectious illnesses, suggesting that their training may suppress immune function. This study sought to determine whether supplementation with the amino acid glutamine, which supports immune health, alters immune function in athletes during heavy load training. 24 athletes were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 12) or a control group (n = 12). Athletes exercised using heavy training loads for 6 weeks. Athletes in the experimental group took 10 g glutamine orally once a day beginning 3 weeks after initial testing, while athletes in the control group were given a placebo. Immune function was assessed by measuring the following immunity markers: CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell counts, serum IgA, IgG, and IgM levels, and natural killer (NK) cell activity both before and after the completion of training. The percentages of circulating CD8⁺ T cells were significantly different before (39.13 ± 5.87%) and after (26.63 ± 3.95%) training in the experimental group (p < 0.05). Although CD8⁺ T cell percentages in the control group were similar before (38.57 ± 5.79%) and after (37.21 ± 5.58%) training, the post-training CD8⁺ T cell percentages were significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). The ratios of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ cells in the experimental group were significantly different before (0.91 ± 0.14) and after (1.39 ± 0.19) training (p < 0.05). The CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratios in the control group were similar before (0.93  ± 0.15) and after (0.83 ± 0.11) training, but the post-training CD4⁺T/CD8⁺ T cell ratio was higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05). NK cell activity was also significantly different between the two groups after training (experimental, 25.21 ± 3.12 vs. control, 20.21 ± 2.59; p < 0.05). However, no differences were observed in serum IgA, IgG, or IgM levels. Thus, glutamine supplementation may be able to restore immune function and reduce the immunosuppressive effects of heavy-load training.

Effect of Tai Chi exercise in combination with auricular plaster on patients with lumbar muscle strain.

OBJECTIVE: observe the effect of Tai Chi exercise on the patients with the chronic lumbar muscle strain under the intervention treatment of auricular plaster. METHODS: 74 middle-aged and elderly patients, suffering from the chronic lumbar muscle strain, are randomly and equally divided into an observation group and a control group, with 37 patients in each group. The patients in the control group do Tai Chi exercise, while those in the observation group are treated by the auricular plaster therapy in addition to Tai Chi exercise. Evaluate and compare the disease conditions of the patients in the two groups before the treatment and after 12 weeks' treatment. RESULTS: after 12 weeks' treatment, the patients in the two groups have been improved differently in comparison with those before the treatment (P < 0.05). However, the cure rate, the excellence rate and total effective rate of the observation group are superior to those of the control group, respectively P < 0.05 or P < 0.01, thus their difference shows statistic significance. CONCLUSION: after 12 weeks' Tai Chi exercise, it exercises an obvious curative effect on the patients with lumbar muscle strain but the curative effect is more remarkable if it is combined with auricular plaster therapy.

Conspicuous effect on treatment of mild-to-moderate COPD by combining deep-breathing exercise with oxygen inhalation.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can lead to respiratory failure, but current pharmacological treatments focus on symptom relief or slowing disease progression. Here, the effectiveness of an alternative therapy combining deep-breathing exercises and oxygen inhalation therapy was assessed in mild-to-moderate COPD patients. Forty-two male mild-to-moderate COPD patients were randomly divided into a deep-breathing training group, an oxygen inhalation group, and a combination group (n=14 in each). In the deep-breathing training group, the patients were treated only by the deep-breathing exercise; in the oxygen inhalation group, the patients were treated only by oxygen inhalation; in the combination group, the patients were treated by combining the deep-breathing exercises with oxygen inhalation. Before treatment, there were no statistical differences in the general characteristics or lung function indexes between the three groups of patients (P > 0.05). However, after treatment, patients in the combination group had significantly better lung function indexes than they did before treatment, and their improvement was also superior to that of patients from the deep-breathing training group and the oxygen inhalation group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Thus, a treatment method combining deep-breathing exercise with oxygen inhalation offers more significant lung function improvement in COPD patients than either the deep-breathing exercise or oxygen inhalation alone. This approach should be further explored for use in the clinic.

Dance combined with magnetic pulse stimulates the ability of walk and balance in elder people.

OBJECTIVE: Observe the treatment effect on elderly people's waling and balance ability under the stimulation and intervention of waving dance combined with magnetic pulse. METHOD: 96 elderly people are Involved in the research and the random number table method is divided into observation group and control group; there are 48 people in each group. The control group on the basis of routine daily activities increase waving dance for training treatment; the observation group take training treatment together with the control group, plus magnetic pulse for stimulation treatment. Inspection and control shall be made to relevant indicators of subject's walk and balance ability at the time when they are selected and after they go through 6-month treatment. RESULT: after 6-month treatment, we found that indicators of walk and balance ability of these two groups of patients have been improved to different extent compared to those indicators when selected (all P<0.05). While the observation group have more significant improvement effect when compared to the improvement effect made by the contract group. Most of indicators are obviously superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). The differences have statistics significance. CONCLUSION: waving dance could obviously improve elderly people's walk and balance ability, and the improvement effect could be ever more significant when combined treatment with magnetic pulse stimulation. Such effect is obviously better than the effect improved only by waving dance.

Effect of Tai-chi exercise on lower limb muscle strength, bone mineral density and balance function of elderly women.

UNLABELLED: To study the effect of Tai-chi exercise on lower limb muscle strength, bone mineral density and balance function of elderly female, 105 urban elderly women, who do insufficient exercise in daily life, are selected as the subject and randomly divided into an observation group (Tai Chi Group), a control group I (Dance Group) and a control group II (Walking Group). Each group is consists of 35 women. Among them, the women in the observation group do Tai-chi exercise once a day, while the women in the control group I dance once a day and in the control group II stick to brisk walking once a day. All women in the three groups do the above said exercises for 40 minutes and the exercise intensity is controlled to be medium. At the time of selection and after 4, 8 and 12 months upon their exercises, respectively detect and compare the lower limb skeletal muscle mass, lower limb muscle strength, bone mineral density and balance function of the subject. RESULTS: At the time of selection, the general information of the subjects in the three groups show no significant difference (P > 0.05); however, after 4 months' exercise, most of the study indexes in the control group I and group II are improved significantly (P < 0.05), while most of the study indexes in the observation group show no significant difference (P > 0.05) in comparison with those at the time of selection and their general improvement effect is slightly lower than that in the control group; after 8 months, relevant study indexes of the subjects in the three groups are significantly improved (P < 0.05) in comparison with those at the time of selection, especially, the effect in the observation group is more obvious and is better than that of the control group II (P < 0.05). 12 months later, the effect of the observation group is improved significantly from day to day when comparing to theose in the control group I and group II (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Compared with the senile dance and walking exercises, the short-term Tai-chi exercise effect is not obvious, however, once the exercise period is extended, that is, continuous exercise for 8 months or even above 12 months, the advantage of Tai Chi is more and more significant. The study suggests that as a fitness measure, Tai Chi is more suitable for long-term exercise and its short-term effect is not obvious.

Influence of Tai Chi exercise cycle on the senile respiratory and cardiovascular circulatory function.

OBJECTIVE: Observe the improvement effect of different cycles of Tai Chi exercise on the senile respiratory and cardiovascular circulatory function. METHODS: Select 180 elderly men who don't usually do the fitness exercise and then ask them to do Tai Chi exercise. Test their related indicators respectively prior to exercise and upon exercise for 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. ① The cardiac pump function indicator: "Stroke Volume", "Ejection Fraction" and "Heart Rate"; ② Rheoencephalogram (REG) indicator: "Inflow time", "Wave Amplitude"; ③ Pulmonary ventilation indicator: "Vital Capacity" (VC), "Maximum Minute Ventilation" (MMV). RESULTS: ① Compared with the indicators before exercise, each indicator has no significant difference after 3 months of exercise and a part of indicators are improved after 6 months of exercise, but most indicators have no significant differences; ② After 12 months of the exercise, compared with those indicators before exercise, the tested indicators are obviously improved. Specific data indicates that stroke volume (mL) is increased to 71.82 ± 10.93 from 66.21 ± 11.35 and the ejection fraction (%) is improved to 67.89 ± 4.94 from 60.54 ± 5.02, but the heart rate (times/min) is reduced to 67.15 ± 8.39 from 76.62 ± 8.40, mean P<0.05; inflow time (s) is shortened to 0.13 ± 0.04 from 0.17 ± 0.05; the amplitude (Ω) is increased to 1.19 ± 0.23 from 0.97 ± 0.21 before exercise and mean P<0.05; the vital capacity (L) is increased to 3.57 ± 1.39 from 2.84 ± 0.32; maximum minute ventilation (L/min) is improved to 117.25 ± 14.86 from 97.26 ± 14.71, mean P<0.05. CONCLUSION: The short-term Tai Chi exercise that is less than six months the following 6 months has no significant effect on the senile respiratory and cardiovascular circulatory function, however, with the longer exercise duration, after 12 months' exercise, it can significantly improve the effect.

Effect of Tai Chi exercise on the physical and mental health of the elder patients suffered from anxiety disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Observe the effect of Tai Chi exercise on the rehabilitation of elder patients suffered from the anxiety disorder. METHODS: 32 elder patients suffered from the anxiety disorder are randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group and each of them consists of 16 patients. The control group only receives the drug therapy, while the experimental group is treated with Tai Chi exercise in addition to the drug therapy. When they are chosen and 45 days after treatment, they are respectively evaluated by Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) and Generic Quality of Life Inventory-74 (GQOLI-74). The cured patients stop the drug therapy, but the cured patients in the experimental group continue to do Tai Chi exercise after stopping the drug therapy. After tracing and investigating each cured patient for 2 months, test and evaluate whether their disease reoccurs within the 2 months. RESULTS: After 45 days' treatment, it is found that HAMA and GQOLI-74 scores of the patients in the experimental group are improved significantly in comparison with those in the time of their selection and those in the control group (P<0.05); upon tracing and investigation of the cured patients, it is found that the recurrence rate is 42.86% in the control group, while that of the experimental group is only 9.09%. CONCLUSION: After the elder patients suffered from the anxiety disorder are treated with Tai Chi exercise in addition to the drug therapy, their effect is more significant than those who only are treated by the drug. Meanwhile, if the patients are only treated by the drug, their disease is easy to reoccur after curing. However, if they insist on Tai Chi exercise, the recurrence rate is low and the effect is significant.

Treatment effect of the method of Tai Chi exercise in combination with inhalation of air negative oxygen ions on hyperlipidemia.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the improvement effect of the treatment method of Tai Chi exercise in combination with inhalation of the air negative oxygen ions on the blood lipid indicator of the patient suffering from the hyperlipidemia. METHODS: 56 patients, who are diagnosed with hyperlipidemia, are the study objects and divided into an observation group and a control group by the random number method. Each group consists of 28 patients. The patients in the control group do Tai Chi exercise for about 60 min once a day; the patients in the observation group, in addition to Tai Chi exercise, are treated by inhalation of the air negative oxygen ions. Before the treatment and after 6 months' treatment, respectively test and compare body fat content, blood lipid, blood rheology and psychological adaptation as well as other indicators for these two groups of patients. RESULTS: In comparison with the ordinary materials of the patients in two groups before the treatment, it shows no significant difference, P>0.05; after they are respectively treated for 6 months, it is found that the testing indicators of the patients in two groups are improved to some extent, but those of the observation group are better. Compared with the improvement effect of the control group, the difference has statistical significance, P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Tai Chi Exercise can improve the blood lipid indicator of the patient suffering from hyperlipidemia to some extent, however, the treatment method, in combination with inhalation of air negative oxygen ion, can obtain better effect than that of single Tai Chi exercise. Tip: the environment of the exercise plays an important intervention role in the treatment effect.

Combined effects of astragalus soup and persistent Taiji boxing on improving the immunity of elderly women.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the combined effects of astragalus soup and persistent Taiji boxing on improving the immunity of women of advanced years. DESIGN: 120 elderly women lacking daily exercise were chosen as the study subjects. By using the table of random numbers, they were then divided into the control group and the experiment group, consisting of 60 each. The control group practiced Taiji boxing for 45 minutes twice a day. The experiment group did the same, and, in addition, took astragalus soup after each boxing. Indexes related to physical immunity of the two groups were observed and compared when they were first chosen, when the alternative treatment was applied three, six and twelve months later, respectively. RESULTS: The two groups demonstrated no significant differences in general data and research indexes when chosen (P > 0.05). Three months after the two groups were chosen and treated differently, the control group demonstrated no significant improvement while most indexes of the experiment group improved considerably (P > 0.05). After six months, the related indexes of both groups improved substantially (P < 0.05) and the improvement with the experiment was even clearer (P < 0.05). Twelve months later, the improvement with the experiment group was more noticeable (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In a relatively short period of three months, Taiji boxing produces no noticeable effect on the improvement of immunity in elderly women. However, when they resume the exercise for another three months and longer, Taiji boxing has a noticeable advantage and the effect is the most favorable when it is combined with astragalus soup.

Relaxation training during chemotherapy for breast cancer improves mental health and lessens adverse events.

OBJECTIVE: Mental health issues like anxiety and depression and other adverse events often accompany chemotherapy for breast cancer and can result in reduced quality of life for patients. The present study was aimed to determine whether relaxation training intervention reduces anxiety and other adverse reactions during chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Using a prospective, randomized study design, patients with breast cancer were divided into a control group (n=50) and an experimental group (n=50). Patients in the control group received routine nursing care; those in the experimental group received routine nursing care plus relaxation training, which comprised controlled abdominal breathing and progressive muscle relaxation. Anxiety Inventory and Rotterdam Symptom checklists were administered to patients in both groups before and after chemotherapy to assess mental and physical health status. Mean scores were compared by ANOVA. RESULTS: Mean baseline scores were similar between control and experimental groups before chemotherapy began. Following chemotherapy, all measures in the control group significantly increased from baseline while all measures in the experimental group were similar to baseline. After chemotherapy, mental and physical health scores in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Relaxation training during chemotherapy can reduce anxiety and other adverse events in postoperative breast cancer patients. This should be considered a valuable complementary approach in improving patient care.

Correlation of von Willebrand factor gene polymorphism and coronary heart disease.

To characterize von Willebrand factor (vWF) gene polymorphisms at site A1381T and the correlation of plasma vWF levels with coronary heart disease, the vWF genotypes at site A1381T were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in patients diagnosed with coronary heart disease and normal controls (n=110 per group), and plasma vWF levels were measured by enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed that the plasma vWF levels were higher in the experimental group than in the control group and had no association with gender (t=11.69, p<0.05). In the experimental group, the plasma vWF levels were higher in the patients with the AG genotype than in those with the GG genotype (p<0.05). In the control group, the plasma vWF levels of the subjects with blood type O were significantly lower than those of the individuals with other blood types (p<0.05). In the experimental group, all blood types had significantly higher plasma vWF levels than the control group and the difference was significant among different blood types (p<0.05). In summary, vWF gene polymorphisms at site A1381T were not associated with coronary heart disease, but plasma vWF levels were influenced by vWF gene polymorphisms at site A1381T, blood type and coronary heart disease.

Association study of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 gene polymorphisms and coronary heart disease.

While a number of genetic and environmental risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) have been identified, the list of potential risk factors remains long. One candidate is dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH2), which is known to be polymorphic in humans. The gene product indirectly increases the endogenous production of nitric oxide, an anti-atherogenic molecule. Therefore, alterations in DDAH2 activity may indirectly result in an increased risk of CHD. We studied allele and genotype distributions for two polymorphic loci of DDAH2, rs805305 and rs2272592, in 180 patients with CHD and 180 healthy controls. Disease history and other clinical data were recorded. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine the genotype at rs805305, and ligase detection reaction (LDR) was used to determine the genotype at rs2272592. Systolic blood pressure and blood triglyceride and glucose levels were higher, and history of hypertension, diabetes, smoking and alcohol use was more common in the patients with CHD (P<0.05). However, the genotype and allele frequencies at the two polymorphic loci of DDAH2 were not statistically different between the two groups. Therefore, no association was observed between the DDAH2 polymorphisms at rs805305 and rs2272592 and CHD.