exercise

Purpose: Lipolysis is regulated by lipolytic hormones, like insulin, cortisol, growth Hormone (GH), and catecholamines. Unregulated lipolysis results in the accumulation of free fatty acids (FFAs), leading to dysfunction of cells and death. Thus, the main aim of this study was to determine the effects of interval and traditional resistance exercise on hormonal control of adipose-tissue lipolysis in healthy young men.Methods: Twelve healthy males (Mean ± SD; age, 25.5 ± 3.1 years; Body mass index, 24.2 ± 2.0 kg/m2) performed tradition resistance exercise (TRE) at 80% of 1RM (3 sets of 6 repetitions) with 2 min passive recovery, and an interval resistance exercise (IRE) trial at 60% of 1RM (3 sets of 6 repetitions) followed by active recovery (1 set of 6 repetitions at 20% of 1RM). Three blood samples were taken before and immediately after exercise, and after one-hour recovery and were analyzed to measure epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and GH. Results: Statistical analyses of the data revealed that concentrations of cortisol and GH increased in response to resistance exercise and significantly decreased (p < 0.05) during the recovery period. Although there were no significant differences between the two protocols for cortisol concentration, GH increases following IRE were profoundly higher than TRE protocol. Epinephrine and norepinephrine increased (p < 0.05) in response to both resistance exercise trials, though, no between-group differences were found for these variables. Conclusion: The results of our study showed increases in GH, cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in two resistance exercise protocols which may lead to increases in fat oxidation.

Physiotherapy treatments employ complex approaches tailored to the patient’s diagnosis. Exercise is the primary strategy to enhance rehabilitation processes for most individuals. However, electrophysical agents, such as Photobiomodulation (PBM), that utilize specific wavelengths of light to penetrate tissues and stimulate cellular activity, can modulate various biological processes and may improve physiotherapy outcomes. This non-invasive treatment can reduce pain and inflammation, promote tissue repair, and accelerate tissue healing. Currently, PBM has numerous applications, including pain and inflammation treatment, wound healing (such as diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, post-surgery wounds, and skin grafts in burn injuries), and the management of musculoskeletal disorders (such as arthritis, tendinopathies, muscle injuries, and spinal disorders). It is also utilized to improve muscle performance and recovery in rehabilitation and sports. Additionally, transcranial PBM has shown promise in enhancing neurorehabilitative processes by facilitating the recovery of cognitive and motor functions in various types of lesions. The safety and efficacy of this treatment allow it to be incorporated alongside regular exercises and manual therapies as an adjunctive treatment, potentially enhancing outcomes in different areas of rehabilitation.

Introduction: Childhood obesity is one of the current themes of medical research, being considered not so much a multidimensional condition but primarily a real problem of worldwide interest.The aim of our randomized study was to evaluate and compare the effects of physical exercise associated with an educational program on clinical-functional status in overweight and obese children.Material and method: Participants were children hospitalized, through the emergency service, in the Pediatric Department, Craiova Municipal Clinical Hospital, between June and November 2023. 93 overweight and obese children, aged between 2 and 16 years, were evaluated (clinical, paraclinical and functional) by a multidisciplinary team and randomized into the control group (group C – 63 children) and the study group (group S – 30 children). After the resolution of the acute digestive or respiratory disease, the children in group S underwent a program to restore their functional status, based on educational measures (following the 5-2-1-0 rule) and physical exercises, for 12 weeks. Anthropometric data were measured (height, weight, body mass index); physical performance wasevaluated by gait analysis (we used the BTS G – WALK / BTS G – SENSOR 2 system, BTS Bioengineering Corp, Italy) with the determination of four parameters – the Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test, the symmetry index, the walking test six minutes (6 MWT) and walking cadence or average cadence (steps/min) in both groups of children.The results were obtained by analyzing the differences in values obtained in the two moments T1 (initial) and T2 (after three months). The proportion of girls and boys was approximately equal within obesity class in each study group. Although we did not obtain statistically significant differences between the monitored parameters, between the two groups, for the two evaluation moments, the children in Group S had a clearly favorable evolution for physical performance parameters, whose average value was improved in T2. Anthropometric data did not change.Conclusion: The present study confirms the effectiveness of the multimodal (educational-kinetic) program for the physical performance of overweight/obese children. The sustained running of the program at home, with the involvement of the family and the school environment, is essential for the well-being of these children, with a favorable impact on the quality of life later.

Background: The Intercostal Stretch Technique is one of the physiotherapy techniques that is used to solve different respiratory problems. It is used for increasing chest expansion and diaphragm excursion improvement and also intra-thoracic lung volume. Aim: The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the intercostal stretch technique.Methodology: A narrative review. In this study, an RCT study was used to review the intervention.Results: Several articles are used to discuss the effectiveness of the intercostal stretch technique. In stable COPD, diaphragmatic breathing and the intercostal stretch technique both work equally well to improve chest expansion and functional capacity while lowering dyspnea. Research has shown that IC stretch outperforms the anterior basal lift technique in lowering heart and respiratory rates while increasing oxygen saturation. According to this study, IC stretching in conjunction with breathing control may improve dynamic lung parameters, particularly FEV1/FVC%, more than breathing control alone. Patients with COPD have an increased functional exercise capacity and reduced dyspnea when aerobic training and respiratory muscle stretching are combined. Conclusion: Different articles demonstrated that IC stretch improved lung function, expired tidal volume, decreased dyspnea, and increased chest expansion.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age, characterized by ovarian dysfunction and a leading cause of infertility due to ovulatory issues. Lifestyle interventions, including dietary modifications, exercise, and weight management, are considered first-line therapies for women with PCOS; however, the optimal treatment remains unidentified. The Fertility Diet (FD), introduced in 2007, represents a dietary approach that may positively impact fertility by emphasizing specific micronutrients, dietary composition modifications, weight management, and increased physical activity. This narrative review aims to evaluate how various components of the Fertility Diet influence ovulation and overall fertility, assessed through a fertility diet score. The findings of this study suggest that adherence to the Fertility Diet, particularly higher intake of the monounsaturated to trans-fat ratio, and increased vegetable protein intake, may positively influence fertility outcomes in individuals with PCOS. In contrast, high consumption of animal protein and high glycemic load food may have adverse effects. However, the current evidence remains insufficient for definitive conclusions, warranting further interventional studies to explore this relationship.

The National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) is a public institution created by Law 9782/1999, which integrates the field of Collective Health and acts in the prevention, control, and inspection of sanitary conditions in various sectors, such as food, health, pharmacies, hospitals, and commercial establishments. Its main objective is to guarantee the protection of public health, ensuring that products, services, and environments comply with established standards, to promote health and preventing diseases. To exercise its inspection and control function, Sanitary Surveillance has the power of sanitary police, which gives it the authority to apply necessary measures and curb practices that pose risks to the health of the population.The performance of the Sanitary Surveillance is fundamental to prevent health risks in any part of society and to guarantee national programs for patient safety. It is also essential to prevent diseases, control risks, and monitor compliance with health standards and specific regulations. The police power of Sanitary Surveillance consists of establishing norms and technical regulations, carrying out inspections and inspections, issuing temporary or permanent interdiction orders in establishments that do not comply with the norms, as well as forwarding complaints to the Public Ministry in cases of crimes against public health. Arrests carried out by Sanitary Surveillance agents are extreme measures and applied in serious situations of risk to public health or when there is repeated disrespect for sanitary regulations. The prohibited establishments have the right of defense and may seek to regularize the situation to obtain the release of activities.The performance of the Sanitary Surveillance has significant impacts on the prevention of disease outbreaks and epidemics. Identifying and correcting inappropriate practices helps to prevent the spread of pathogenic agents and reduce the risk of contagion in collective environments. The institution’s preventive and supervisory activities contribute to reducing risks to the population’s health, preventing disease outbreaks, food poisoning, and the proliferation of pests, among other problems. Finally, the importance of exercising police power with transparency, impartiality, and respect for individual rights is emphasized, always aiming at the collective interest and the promotion of the common good. In summary, Health Surveillance plays an essential role in protecting public health, seeking to ensure that the population has access to safe products and services, contributing to the improvement of quality of life and disease prevention.

Rationale: Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is a progressive vascular remodeling disease with elevated pulmonary vascular resistance that is lethal. While therapeutic progress was recently made with endothelin, nitric oxide, and prostacyclin pathway-based therapy for the treatment of PAH, the disease is currently incurable with a high cost of morbidity and mortality. Sotatercept, a new activin receptor IIA-Fc fusion protein, may prove to be a game-changer as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of PAH by regulating the growth factor signaling aberration of PAH.Methods: It is a narrative review of evidence for the drug Sotatercept for Group 1 PAH from a systematic literature search for clinical trials, mechanism studies, and regulatory data up to 2024. Pivotal clinical trials such as PULSAR, SPECTRA, STELLAR, and ZENITH were evaluated for efficacy, safety, and comparative results.Results: Sotatercept is a TGF-β family member ligand trap that rebalances activin/BMP signaling to target vascular remodeling. Clinically, striking effects were shown with exercise (40.8 m improvement in STELLAR 6MWD), pulmonary hemodynamics (PVR reduction of 146-240 dyn·s·cm-5 in PULSAR), as well as clinical measures (76% reduction of composite morbidity/mortality through ZENITH). On the background with an acceptable drug safety profile of predominantly hematologic effects, as well as injection site reaction, benefits were achieved. Comparison with analyses implies at least similar, if superior in some dimensions, efficacy of current PAH therapies.Conclusion: Sotatercept is a new therapeutic option for PAH as the first drug to act on the activin/BMP pathway. With its strong effect on several clinically relevant end points, it is a “fourth pillar” of PAH therapy. Clinical trials will determine its place in the algorithm, ascertain other combinations, and potentially identify its utility for other types of pulmonary hypertension.