Paraoxonase and oxidative stress changes in left and right ventricles of exhaustively exercised rats.

Exhaustive exercise can cause subclinical inflammation to the heart, as it is an oxidative tissue that works continuously. The effect of exhaustive exercise on left and right ventricles (LVs, RVs) may be different. It is claimed that paraoxonase-1 (PON1), an antioxidant enzyme, has a cardioprotective effect on oxidative stress. Rats were separated as non-exercised controls (Con), those euthanized immediately after (E-0) and 24 h after exhaustive exercise (E-24). Cardiac troponin-I (cTnI), total antioxidant status (TAS), total oxidant status (TOS), PON1 activities, and histological findings in LV and RV of the exhausted rats were evaluated. TAS and PON1 levels were lower in LVs compared with RVs of all groups. TOS levels were high in LVs compared with RVs of all groups. In LVs, TAS levels decreased significantly in the E-0 group while PON1 activity decreased in E-0 and E-24 groups compared with controls. In LVs, TOS levels decreased significantly in E-0 and E-24 groups, but in RVs a decrease was seen only in the E-0 group. cTnI levels increased significantly in the E-0 group and decreased to control levels in the E-24 group. Considering the histological and biochemical findings, exhaustive exercise affected the heart to the maximum during and just after exhaustion, and LV was influenced more than RV.

"Long-term callisthenic exercise-related changes in blood lipids, homocysteine, nitric oxide levels and body composition in middle-aged healthy sedentary women".

"Regular physical exercise plays an important role in reducing obesity, preventing hyperglycemia, lowering blood lipids and reducing systemic blood pressure. But the question about the nature of the relationship between homocysteine, nitric oxide and physical activity remains unanswered. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of callisthenic exercises on plasma lipids, homocysteine (Hcy), total nitric oxide (NOx) and body composition in middle-aged healthy sedentary women. Forty-two middle-aged women (ages: 28-49; mean: 41.40 ± 7.3 years) were asked to perform a callisthenic exercise 50 min per session, 3 times per week for 12 weeks in a sports hall. Before and after the exercise, plasma lipids (total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and triglyceride), Hcy and NO were determined. Body composition, including body mass index, fat percentage, fat free mass, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rates were measured. After a 12-week callisthenic exercise program, plasma NOx and Hcy levels were found to be significantly increased (P < 0.05). Body composition parameters, lipid profile, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures and heart rate significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Aerobic callisthenic exercises characterized by 50 min/day and 3 days/week resulted in positive changes in important health parameters like reducing obesity, lowering blood lipids and increasing plasma NOx. Cardiovascular improvements might be dependent on the increase of NOx values. But callisthenic exercise in such intensity did not lower the plasma Hcy level. Moreover, Hcy level increased significantly. The result shows that if the Hcy is in the normal levels in healthy subjects, long-term callisthenic exercise do not decrease the Hcy levels despite some beneficial effects on health. On the contrary, the Hcy levels are increased by long-term callisthenic exercises."

Influences of acute and chronic aerobic exercise on the plasma homocysteine level.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Elevated plasma homocysteine (PH) levels have been identified as a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The aims of this study were to investigate the influences of submaximal acute aerobic exercise and aerobic training on PH levels and lipid profiles. METHODS: 69 volunteer subjects (21.12 +/- 2.08 years) were randomized to three groups as acute, training and control groups. Examination and blood samples were collected before and immediately after exercise in the acute group and before and 6 weeks later in the training and control groups. RESULTS: A significant increase in PH concentration was recorded immediately after aerobic exercise, compared with baseline values (p = 0.001). Although, in the training group, total cholesterol (p = 0.00) and LDL cholesterol (p = 0.001) decreased significantly after training, no significant changes in PH concentration, HDL cholesterol (p = 0.087) and triglyceride (p = 194) levels were found. CONCLUSIONS: It can be said that the PH level increases following submaximal acute aerobic exercise, but does not alter after submaximal aerobic training due to training duration or intensity. Therefore, submaximal aerobic training decreases lipid profiles independent of the PH level.

Interleukin-6 and hepcidin expression changes in cardiac tissue of long-term trained and untrained rats after exhaustive exercise

Background/aim: Exercise benefits the cardiovascular system, but strenuous exercise can cause cardiac damage and induce cytokine production, particularly that of interleukin-6 (IL-6). Hepcidin, which is primarily regulated by IL-6, increases after exercise. Hepcidin is a possible protective factor against the adverse effects of strenuous exercise such as oxidative stress. The aim of the study is to reveal that training increases hepcidin and attenuates increased levels of IL-6 in the hearts of exhaustively exercised rats by comparing the IL-6 and hepcidin mRNA expression levels in trained and untrained groups.Materials and methods: Thirty male Wistar albino rats were assigned to the following groups: sedentary controls (Con); untrained animals that acutely completed exhaustive exercise and were sacrificed immediately after exhaustion (UT-i) or 1 day after exhaustion (UT-1); and long-term trained animals that completed exhaustive exercise and were sacrificed immediately after exhaustion (T-i) or 1 day after exhaustion (T-1). mRNA levels were examined by reverse transcription PCR. Results: IL-6 levels significantly increased in the UT-i, T-i, and T-1 groups compared to the Con group (P = 0.000, P = 0.024, P = 0.001), with maximal IL-6 expression found in the UT-i group. Hepcidin levels significantly increased in the T-1 group (P = 0.000) compared to the control. Conclusion: Increased IL-6 levels in rats show that exhaustive exercise can cause cardiac inflammation. However, long-term training attenuated the severity of the inflammation. The possible protective effect of increased hepcidin in the trained groups can be explained by the antiinflammatory effects of IL-6 and long-term training.

Effect of rapid-eye-movement sleep deprivation on rat hypothalamic prostaglandins.

In this study, we investigated thyroid hormones, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)) and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) levels in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep-deprived rats compared with controls. The aim of the present study was to detect the effect of REM sleep deprivation (RSD) especially on hypothalamic prostaglandin levels. Twenty-seven male rats were randomly assigned in three groups as dry cage control, yoked control, and RSD. RSD rats were sleep deprived for 10 consecutive days. At the end of 10th day all rats were sacrificed for measurement. Our results indicated that total triiodothyronine (T(3)) and thyroxine (T(4)) decreased in the RSD group while there was no change in TSH. We also measured hypothalamic PGD(2) and PGE(2) levels, but we could not find any significant change between groups.

Can we use nerve gliding exercises in women with carpal tunnel syndrome?

This study investigated the effectiveness of nerve gliding exercises used in combination with conservative treatment approaches in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. A total of 35 hands of 26 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome were divided into 2 groups. Static volar wrist splints were applied to 16 hands in the control group, and these patients were trained to modify their functional activities in accordance with conservative treatment. In the experimental group, nerve gliding exercises were applied to 19 hands that were also treated conservatively. A day-and-night splint, together with the conservative training program, was applied for 6 weeks to both groups. Subsequently, a night splint only was used in both groups, and nerve gliding exercises were continued in the experimental group for the remaining 4 weeks. Pretreatment and posttreatment assessments of pain, sensation, muscle strength, and grip and pinch strength, along with Tinel and Phalen tests, were performed in all cases; electrophysiologic measurements were recorded. Significant progress was detected in both control and experimental groups during the posttreatment phase compared with the initial phase (P < .05). However, when the 2 groups were compared, the experimental group in which nerve gliding exercises were added to conservative therapy approaches demonstrated more rapid pain reduction; these patients also showed greater functional improvement, especially in grip strength (P < .05).

Comparison of hippocampal interleukin-6 immunoreactivity after exhaustive exercise in both exercise-trained and untrained rats.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Exhaustive exercise is a strong stress factor and can impact cytokine production in the brain. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is produced in greater amounts than any other cytokine in response to exercise, and its effects are closely related to both exercise duration and intensity. In this study, we measured the differences between the amount of IL-6 reactivity of the hippocampus after an exhaustive session ofrunning in long-term exercise-trained and untrained rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The exercise-trained group ran on a treadmill for 12 weeks. Both groups were forced to run until exhaustion. Each group of rats was sacrificed immediately, 1 day, or 3 days after exhaustion and the brains were evaluated for IL-6 immunoreactivity in the hippocampus. RESULTS: Hippocampal IL-6 immunoreactivity was absent in controls, mild to severe in untrained rats, and weak to mild in long-term-trained rats. The most prominent increase in IL-6 was observed in the untrained rats sacrificed 1 day after exhaustion. CONCLUSION: Exercise to exhaustion resulted in increased IL-6 levels in brain slices in both groups of rats, but long-term exercise training protected the hippocampus from exposure to an extreme increase in IL-6. The immediate effects of these cytokine levels were observed 1 day after exhaustion.

Comparison of pressure pain threshold, grip strength,dexterity and touch pressure of dominant and non-dominant hands within and between right-and left-handed subjects.

This study was done to evaluate differences in pressure pain threshold, grip strength, manual dexterity and touch pressure threshold in the dominant and non-dominant hands of right- and left-handed subjects, and to compare findings within and between these groups. Thirty-nine right-handed and twenty-one left-handed subjects participated in the study. Pressure pain threshold was assessed using a dolorimeter, grip strength was assessed with a hand-grip dynamometer, manual dexterity was evaluated using the VALPAR Component Work Sample-4 system, and touch pressure threshold was determined using Semmes Weinstein monofilaments. Results for the dominant and non-dominant hands were compared within and between the groups. In the right-handed subjects, the dominant hand was significantly faster with the VALPAR Component Work Sample-4, showed significantly greater grip strength, and had a significantly higher pressure pain threshold than the non-dominant hand. The corresponding results for the two hands were similar in the left-handed subjects. The study revealed asymmetrical manual performance in grip strength, manual dexterity and pressure pain threshold in right-handed subjects, but no such asymmetries in left-handed subjects.