We investigated the effects of underwater exercise plus hot-spring bathing on middle aged people.
Twenty-five subjects (mean age: 59.6±8.9 years) were divided into three groups (A, B, and C) and examined. Group A (three males, seven females) was subjected to underwater exercise and hot-spring bathing. Group B (eight females) was subjected to underwater exercise and fresh water bathing. Group C (seven females) was a control group (no exercise and no bathing).
Group A and B performed underwater exercise consisting of underwater walking, basic exercise, and swimming for 70 minutes. Group A was then subjected to hot-spring bathing (sodium bicarbonate spring, PH 8.0, 39°C) for 20min, and while Group B was subjected to fresh-water bathing (30°C).
Blood pressure was measured and blood tests were conducted early in the morning on the day of exercise plus bathing and on the following day. Further, Profile of Mood Status (POMS) tests were also conducted on the day following the exercise with bathing and data were compared.
The findings were as follows.
1) On the day following the exercise plus bathing, group A (underwater exercise plus hot-spring bathing) had significantly lower diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, CD4, red blood cells, hematocrit and total protein when compared with values before treatment (p<0.05).
2) After the exercise plus bathing, group A (underwater exercise plus hot-spring bathing) had significantly lower levels of depression-dejection, anger-hostility and confusion in POMS tests when compared with those of Group C (control group, no exercise and no bathing) (p<0.05).
We concluded that underwater exercise plus hot-spring bathing has good effects on the health of middle aged people.

OBJECTIVESIn addition to having health-promoting effects, exercise is considered to induce oxidative stress. To clarify whether increased oxygen consumption during exercise induces oxidative stress, we investigated the effects of aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise on a series of oxidative damage markers.

METHODSOne group of subjects performed aerobic exercise and another group performed anaerobic exercise with similar workloads, but with different levels of oxygen consumption. Blood and urine samples were collected before, immediately after, and 3, 9, and 24 h after exercise. Serum uric acid (UA) and creatine phosphokinase were evaluated. As markers of oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA, we evaluated serum 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, urinary F(2)-isoprostanes, serum protein carbonyls, and leukocyte 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine.

RESULTSOxygen consumption was significantly greater during aerobic exercise. Although UA level increased immediately after aerobic exercise and decreased thereafter, UA level did not change after anaerobic exercise. The two types of exercise had significantly different effects on the change in UA level. After anaerobic exercise, the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal significantly increased at 24 h and 3 h, respectively. The levels of creatine phosphokinase and F(2)-isoprostanes decreased after exercise. The two types of exercise caused no apparent significant differences in the levels of these biomarkers.

CONCLUSIONThe findings suggest that similar workloads of anaerobic exercise and aerobic exercise induce reactive oxygen species (ROS) differently: aerobic exercise seems to initially generate more ROS, whereas anaerobic exercise may induce prolonged ROS generation. Although more oxygen was consumed during aerobic exercise, the generated ROS did not induce significant oxidative damage. Oxygen consumption per se may not be the major cause of exercise-induced oxidative damage.

Background/Aims: Application of polyglycolic acid (PGA) sheets using fibrin glue in post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) ulcers to prevent bleeding has been reported to be difficult with the conventional delivery method because of gravity. This study assessed the usefulness of the envelope-based delivery system with and against gravity in living pigs. Methods: PGA sheets were applied on post-ESD ulcers with and against gravity six times each using the conventional and envelope methods, respectively. The PGA sheet delivery time and the endoscopic and histological findings of the treated ulcer floors were compared. Results: With gravity, the median PGA sheet application time was 1.00 (0.68–1.30) min/cm2 and 0.32 (0.18–0.52) min/cm2 with the conventional and envelope techniques (p=0.002), respectively, and against gravity, it was 1.20 (1.13–1.63) min/cm2 and 0.50 (0.39–0.58) min/cm2 (p=0.002), respectively. Against gravity, the endoscopic and histological findings revealed that the conventional group had insufficient fixation of the PGA sheets, but the envelope groups had sufficient fixation. The results with gravity were similar between the groups. Conclusions The envelope method makes it possible to deliver PGA sheets to the stomach quickly and cover ulcers appropriately both with and against gravity in living pigs.

Background/Aims: Endoscopic self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement is currently the standard technique for treating unresectable malignant distal biliary obstructions (MDBO). Therefore, covered SEMS with longer stent patency and fewer migrations are required. This study aimed to assess the clinical performance of a novel, fully covered SEMS for unresectable MDBO. Methods: This was a multicenter single-arm prospective study. The primary outcome was a non-obstruction rate at 6 months. The secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS), recurrent biliary obstruction (RBO), time to RBO (TRBO), technical and clinical success, and adverse events. Results: A total of 73 patients were enrolled in this study. The non-obstruction rate at 6 months was 61%. The median OS and TRBO were 233 and 216 days, respectively. The technical and clinical success rates were 100% and 97%, respectively. Furthermore, the rate of occurrence of RBO and adverse events was 49% and 21%, respectively. The length of bile duct stenosis (<2.2 cm) was the only significant risk factor for stent migration. Conclusions The non-obstruction rate of a novel fully covered SEMS for MDBO is comparable to that reported earlier but shorter than expected. Short bile duct stenosis is a significant risk factor for stent migration.