Increasing eccentric contraction duration enhances resistance exercise-induced inhibitory control improvement while reducing the exertion perception: A pilot study in young men.

Low-intensity resistance exercise with slow movement and tonic force generation (LRST) effectively improves cognitive inhibitory control (IC) while heightening the subjective perception, which is a barrier to exercise adherence. Compared with concentric (CON) contractions, eccentric (ECC) contractions have greater brain activation related to cognitive functions while decreasing subjective perception. Therefore, we examined whether LRST with a longer duration of ECC contraction (ECC-LRST) could further enhance exercise-induced IC improvement while reducing the subjective perception, compared with traditional LRST.

Effects of Medication Period and Gastrin Levels on Endoscopic Gastric Mucosal Changes in Long-Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Users.

: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use has increased worldwide, including in continuous and longer-term users. Recent reports highlight PPI-related endoscopic gastric mucosal changes, including fundic gland polyps, hyperplastic polyps, multiple white and flat elevated lesions, cracked and cobblestone-like mucosa (CCLM), and black spots. PPI use elevates gastrin levels because of acid inhibition, and hypergastrinemia might be relevant to these findings.

Impact of resistance training and chicken intake on vascular and muscle health in elderly women.

Background: Resistance training is a well-known exercise therapy for preventing and improving lacks of muscle mass, strength, and quality with advances in age; however, its effects on arterial stiffness are not beneficial. Additionally, a higher intake of protein, which is an effective nutrient for muscle health, results in lower arterial stiffness. Whether the combination of moderate to high-intensity resistance training and high-protein intake would improve muscle mass, strength, and quality and cancel the resistance training-induced increase in arterial stiffness in elderly women remains unclear.

Combined Aerobic Exercise Training and Intake Reduces Arterial Stiffness through Enhanced Arterial Nitric Oxide Production in Obese Rats.

This study aimed to assess the effect of a combination of aerobic exercise training (ET) and (CH) intake on arterial nitric oxide (NO) production and arterial stiffness in obese rats. Twenty-week-old obese male rats were randomly grouped into four ( = 6): OBESE-SED (sedentary control), OBESE-ET (treadmill 25 m/min, 1 h, 5 d/week), OBESE-CH (0.5% powder in normal diet), and OBESE-ET+CH (combination of ET and CH intake) groups.

Acute salivary antimicrobial peptide secretion response to different exercise intensities and durations.

Antimicrobial peptides, key players of innate mucosal immunity in the oral cavity, exert antibacterial and bacteriolytic effects. This study aimed to clarify the effects of acute exercise at different intensities and durations on salivary antimicrobial peptide levels. In a randomized crossover trial, 14 young healthy untrained men performed intensity trials [cycling at 35%, 55%, and 75% of maximal oxygen uptake (V̇o) for 30 min] and duration trials (cycling at 55% V̇o for 30, 60, and 90 min).

Effect of resistance training and chicken meat on muscle strength and mass and the gut microbiome of older women: A randomized controlled trial.

This study investigated the effects of white meat, such as chicken, intake combined with resistance training on muscle mass and strength in the elderly women, and whether the underlying mechanism involves changes in the gut microbiota. Ninety-three volunteers (age 59-79 years) were randomly allocated to sedentary control with placebo (Sed + PL) or chicken meat (Sed + HP) and resistance training with placebo (RT + PL) or chicken meat (RT + HP). Resistance training sessions were performed 3 d/week for 12 weeks using leg extensions and curls.

PAI-1 Regulates the Cytoskeleton and Intrinsic Stiffness of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Background: Plasma concentration of PAI-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1) correlates with arterial stiffness. Vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) express PAI-1, and the intrinsic stiffness of SMCs is a major determinant of total arterial stiffness. We hypothesized that PAI-1 promotes SMC stiffness by regulating the cytoskeleton and that pharmacological inhibition of PAI-1 decreases SMC and aortic stiffness.

Effects of different exercise intensities or durations on salivary IgA secretion.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine changes in salivary immunoglobulin A (s-IgA) secretion at different intensities or durations of acute exercise.

Methods: Twelve healthy untrained young males were included in randomized crossover trials in Experiment 1 (cycling exercise for 30 min at a work rate equivalent to 35%, 55%, and 75% maximal oxygen uptake [ O]) and Experiment 2 (cycling exercise at 55% O intensity for 30, 60, and 90 min). Saliva samples were collected at baseline, immediately after, and 60 min after each exercise.

Online citizen sciences reveal natural enemies and new occurrence data of Fujie, Shimizu & Maeto, 2021 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae).

Background: Citizen science is a research approach that involves collaboration between professional scientists and non-professional volunteers. The utilisation of recent online citizen-science platforms (e.g.

Relationships between circulating irisin levels, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiometabolic risk: a cross-sectional study in Japanese adults.

High cardiorespiratory fitness levels achieved through regular aerobic exercise are associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk. The exercise-induced myokine irisin possibly mediates these associations, but these relationships are unclear. This study aimed to clarify the relationships between circulating irisin levels, cardiorespiratory fitness levels, and cardiometabolic risk factors adjusted for sex and age.

Intake with Resistance Training Improves Muscle Quantity and Quality in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Resistance training and intake have a positive effect on muscle. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether 12-week intake combined with resistance exercise more effectively improves muscle quantity, quality, and cardiometabolic parameters in healthy middle-aged and older adults. This study is a double-blind trial with 66 volunteers (21 males/45 females; age 53 ± 5 years; body weight 61 ± 11 kg; BMI 24 ± 4 kg) who were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary-control with placebo (Sed and PL) or Dioscorea (Sed and Dio) and resistance training with placebo (RT and PL) or Dioscorea (RT and Dio).

Aerobic exercise training-induced alteration of gut microbiota composition affects endurance capacity.

This study aimed to clarify whether aerobic exercise training-induced alterations in the gut microbiota affect physiological adaptation with endurance exercise capacity. In study 1, ICR mice were randomly divided into three groups: vehicle intake + sedentary (V+S), vehicle intake + exercise training (V+Ex) and antibiotic intake + exercise training (AB+Ex). In the exercise training groups, treadmill running was performed for 8 weeks.

A case report of a collision tumor composed of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and peri-pancreatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma.

Background: Collision tumors are composed of two distinct tumor components. Collision tumors composed of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and malignant lymphoma occurring in the pancreas have not been previously described in the scientific literature. In this case report, we describe a unique patient with a collision tumor composed of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and peri-pancreatic mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma occurring in the pancreas.

Effect of Exogenous Acute β-Hydroxybutyrate Administration on Different Modalities of Exercise Performance in Healthy Rats.

Purpose: A ketone body (β-hydroxybutyrate [β-HB]) is used as an energy source in the peripheral tissues. However, the effects of acute β-HB supplementation on different modalities of exercise performance remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the effects of acute β-HB administration on the exercise performance of rats.

Effect of acute high-intensity intermittent exercise on serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor concentrations.

Background: This study aimed to examine changes in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations after exhaustive high-intensity intermittent exercise (HIIE) and non-exhaustive HIIE, and to compare the two conditions.

Methods: Eight healthy male college students (age: 22±1 year) participated in exhaustive (sets: 6-7) and non-exhaustive (sets: 5) HIIE. In both conditions, participants repeated sets of 20 seconds of exercise at 170% V̇O2max with 10 seconds of rest between sets.

Wild Watermelon-Extracted Juice Ingestion Reduces Peripheral Arterial Stiffness with an Increase in Nitric Oxide Production: A Randomized Crossover Pilot Study.

Wild watermelon contains various nutrients, but the effect of its acute ingestion on arterial stiffness is unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether a single bout of acute ingestion of wild watermelon-extracted juice decreased arterial stiffness concomitant with an increase in nitric oxide (NO) production. Twelve healthy young female participants were tested under two conditions in a randomized, double-blind crossover study: (1) a beverage containing 90 g of wild watermelon extract and (2) a control beverage: a placebo.

Role of adropin in arterial stiffening associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Adropin is a peptide largely secreted by the liver and known to regulate energy homeostasis; however, it also exerts cardiovascular effects. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that low circulating levels of adropin in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) contribute to arterial stiffening. In support of this hypothesis, we report that obesity and T2D are associated with reduced levels of adropin (in liver and plasma) and increased arterial stiffness in mice and humans.

Four weeks of lower-limb static stretching reduces regional arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older women.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify whether habitual lower-limb stretching intervention reduces regional arterial stiffness at the stretched site in middle-aged and older women.

Methods: In this study, the effects of 4 weeks of lower-limb static stretching (of the hip extensor and flexor, knee extensor and flexor, and plantar flexor muscles) were investigated on systemic, central, and peripheral arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity in 14 healthy middle-aged and older women randomly assigned to either a sedentary control group (67.3 ± 5.

Time-dependent relationships between exercise training-induced changes in nitric oxide production and hormone regulation.

Aerobic exercise training (AT) reduces aging-induced deterioration of arterial stiffness and is associated with arterial nitric oxide (NO) production via changes in apelin and adropin as NO-upregulating hormones, and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) as a NO-downregulating hormone. However, the time-dependent effects of AT on NO production via NO-regulating hormones remain unclear. This study aimed to determine whether AT-induced changes in the time course of NO production via NO-regulating hormones, participate in the AT-induced improvement in central arterial stiffening with advancing age.

Prior beetroot juice ingestion offsets endothelial dysfunction following prolonged sitting.

Nutritional strategies to prevent endothelial dysfunction following prolonged sitting remain largely unknown. Given that beetroot juice (BRJ) ingestion enhances nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, we aimed to evaluate whether prior BRJ ingestion would prevent sitting-induced endothelial dysfunction in the leg. Eleven healthy young males ( = 7) and females ( = 4) underwent two experimental trials of prolonged sitting with prior: ) placebo (PL) ingestion (PL trial) and ) BRJ ingestion (BRJ trial).

The genus Marshall (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Euphorinae) from Japan, with description of a new species.

Six Japanese species belonging to the genus Marshall, 1898 (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) were recorded and photographed. Three species, Belokobylskij, Schmiedeknecht and Tobias (= Luo & Chen ), are new to Japan, and a new species, is described. An identification key to the Japanese species of is also provided.

Aerobic exercise training-induced follistatin-like 1 secretion in the skeletal muscle is related to arterial stiffness via arterial NO production in obese rats.

Follistatin-like 1 (FSTL1), which is mainly secreted from skeletal muscle and myocardium, upregulates protein kinase B (Akt) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation in vascular endothelial cells. It is unclear whether skeletal muscle- and myocardium-derived FSTL1 secretion induced by aerobic exercise training is involved in the reduction of arterial stiffness via arterial NO production in obese rats. This study aimed to clarify whether aerobic exercise training-induced FSTL1 secretion in myocardium and skeletal muscle is associated with a reduction in arterial stiffness via arterial Akt-eNOS signaling pathway in obese rats.

Effect of small-incision sutureless cataract surgery on the natural course of astigmatism over 10 to 20 years.

Purpose: To retrospectively assess astigmatic changes over 10 years and 20 years after small-incision cataract surgery.

Setting: 5 ophthalmic surgical sites in Japan.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Impact of 5-fluorouracil on anaerobic digestion using sewage sludge.

The role of bacterial interaction is vital to control bacterial functions; however, it has not been fully understood in microbial consortia (including anaerobic digestion). In this study, fluorouracil (FU), which is an anticancer agent and a quorum sensing (QS) inhibitor to some of the Gram-negative bacteria was found to inhibit methane production from sewage sludge under anaerobic conditions, as shown in a result where methane production in the presence of FU was eight times lower than the control (sewage sludge without FU). Whereas FU did not influence the hydrolysis process, in the acidogenesis/acetogenesis process, butyrate, and acetate accumulated in samples with FU.

Acute effects of the different relaxation periods during passive intermittent static stretching on arterial stiffness.

To clarify whether the relaxation period during stretching affects the degree of elevated shear rate and the degree of reduction of arterial stiffness, we examined relaxation duration to build an adequate stretching protocol. In Experiment 1, the changes in cardiac output, the shear rate in the posterior tibial artery, and blood volume in the calf muscle were measured during recovery (0-60 s) from a single bout of one-legged passive calf stretching in 12 healthy young men. In Experiment 2, the effects of different relaxation periods (5-, 10-, 20-, and 60-s) of passive one-legged intermittent calf stretching (30-s × 6 sets) on the femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity (faPWV) as an index of peripheral arterial stiffness were identified in 17 healthy young men.