scholarly journals Immunological Modulation in Long-Term Karate Practitioners

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Juan M. Manzaneque ◽  
Francisca M. Vera ◽  
Gabriel A. Carranque ◽  
Francisco M. Rodríguez-Peña ◽  
Federico Navajas ◽  
...  

Karate is a Japanese martial arts system with potential physical and psychological benefits. However, karate has been scarcely investigated from a psychobiological perspective, and its effects on the immune system remain virtually unknown. We designed the present study with the aim of analyzing the effects of karate practice on immunological parameters. 27 healthy male volunteer subjects participated in the study, 15 in the experimental group and 12 in the control. Experimental subjects were all karate players who had practiced this martial art for a minimum of three years attending regular lessons at a karate training center, in the evening, two to three days per week. Blood samples for the quantification of immunological parameters (total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, IgG, IgA, and IgM) were taken in both groups. A t-test for independent groups was performed in each dependent variable; a value of p<0.05 was considered to be significant. Karate practitioners exhibited a significantly higher number of total leukocytes (p<0.02), monocytes (p<0.01), and lymphocytes (p<0.01), a higher percentage of monocytes (p<0.01), and greater serum concentrations of IgG (p<0.02) and IgM (p<0.01). Our findings show that long-term karate practice is related to a broad modulation of immune parameters, including total and specific leukocyte counts, as well as immunoglobulin concentrations. This peculiar immunomodulatory profile, apart from its psychobiological relevance, may have noteworthy clinical implications.

1998 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 366-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
François Trudeau ◽  
Louis Laurencelle ◽  
Janie Tremblay ◽  
Mirjana Rajic ◽  
Roy J. Shephard

The purpose of this project was to undertake a long-term follow-up of participants in the Trois-Rivières Growth and Development Study. Some 20 years after their initial involvement in the program, two groups were compared: experimental subjects (n =150) who had received 5 one-hour sessions of specialized physical education per week throughout their 6 years of primary school, and the original control group (n = 103). All subjects completed a questionnaire regarding current patterns of physical activity (PA), attitudes and beliefs about PA, and perceived barriers to PA. Principal results indicate: (a) More experimental than control women exercise 3 times or more per week, (b) experimental subjects more commonly perceived their health to be very good to excellent, (c) control subjects in general felt less psychological dependency on exercise, and (d) women in the experimental group had a lower relative risk of back problems.


AAESPH Review ◽  
1978 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
James V. Kahn

This study was an attempt to train severely and profoundly retarded children to improve their level of functioning on a measure of object permanence. The subjects were eight children living in a residential facility for severely and profoundly retarded children. The subjects were matched for age, etiology, and level of cognitive functioning and then randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The findings indicated large improvements on the object permanence measure for all four experimental subjects, with smaller improvements by all four of these subjects in other areas of sensorimotor intelligence. Long-term retention of these improvements was also evidenced. Only one control subject demonstrated any improvement, and it was considered negligible. The results are discussed, and possible practical implications are suggested.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 242-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Éva Kállay

Abstract. The last several decades have witnessed a substantial increase in the number of individuals suffering from both diagnosable and subsyndromal mental health problems. Consequently, the development of cost-effective treatment methods, accessible to large populations suffering from different forms of mental health problems, became imperative. A very promising intervention is the method of expressive writing (EW), which may be used in both clinically diagnosable cases and subthreshold symptomatology. This method, in which people express their feelings and thoughts related to stressful situations in writing, has been found to improve participants’ long-term psychological, physiological, behavioral, and social functioning. Based on a thorough analysis and synthesis of the published literature (also including most recent meta-analyses), the present paper presents the expressive writing method, its short- and long-term, intra-and interpersonal effects, different situations and conditions in which it has been proven to be effective, the most important mechanisms implied in the process of recovery, advantages, disadvantages, and possible pitfalls of the method, as well as variants of the original technique and future research directions.


Author(s):  
Т.П. Ветлугина ◽  
Е.В. Матафонова ◽  
Н.А. Бохан ◽  
В.Б. Никитина ◽  
А.И. Мандель ◽  
...  

Цель исследования: изучение динамики показателей иммунитета и уровня кортизола у больных опийной наркоманией в процессе терапии синдрома отмены. Методика. В исследование включено 136 больных опийной наркоманией (инъекции экстракта опия) с сформировавшейся физической зависимостью. Пациенты получали в стационаре стандартную терапию с полной отменой наркотика. Исследование проводилось на следующих этапах: при поступлении в стационар (опийный абстинентный синдром - ОАС); на 5-7-е сут. терапии (переход в постабстинентное состояние - ПАС); на 25-28-е сут. лечения (становление терапевтической ремиссии - СТР). Лабораторные методы включали определение количества лимфоцитов с рецепторами CD3, CD4, CD8, СD16, с рецепторами к дофамину (D-RFC); содержание иммуноглобулинов М, G, А, уровня кортизола и циркулирующих иммунных комплексов (ЦИК) в сыворотке крови. Результаты. Основной иммуноэндокринный паттерн на всех этапах терапии синдрома отмены характеризуется дефицитом субпопуляций Т-лимфоцитов CD3, CD4, СD8; увеличением числа лимфоцитов с рецепторами к дофамину (D-RFC); активацией гуморальных факторов иммунитета (IgM, IgG, ЦИК); высокой концентрацией кортизола. На этапе ОАС и ПАС эти изменения были наиболее выражены; на 25-28-е сут. лечения отмечена позитивная динамика Т-лимфоцитов СD3 и цитотоксических Т-лимфоцитов (СD8); хелперы/индукторы CD4 оставались устойчиво сниженными; D-RFC лимфоциты, параметры гуморального иммунитета и концентрация кортизола - повышенными. Длительный срок наркотизации при употреблении высоких доз наркотика связан с большей выраженностью нарушений. Заключение. Установленная дизрегуляция параметров иммуноэндокринной системы у больных опийной наркоманией на всех этапах терапии синдрома отмены в наблюдаемые сроки (25-28 сут.) свидетельствует о неустойчивости достигнутой терапевтической ремиссии и необходимости проведения дальнейших реабилитационных мероприятий. The purpose: investigate changes in immunity parameters and cortisol level in subjects with opiate addiction during the treatment of opiate withdrawal syndrome. Methods. The study enrolled 136 subjects with opiate addiction with physical dependence receiving injections of opium extract. Patients received conventional therapy with complete opiate withdrawal. The study was performed at the following stages: at admission to the hospital (acute withdrawal syndrome (AWS); on days 5-7 of therapy (transition into post-withdrawal state - PWS); on days 25-28 of therapy (formation of therapeutic remission - FTR). Laboratory methods included determination count of lymphocytes with receptors CD3, CD4, CD8, СD16, with receptors to dopamine (D-RFC); the serum levels of IgМ, IgG, IgА, cortisol, circulating immune complexes (CIC). Results. The principal immunoendocrine pattern for all stages of withdrawal syndrome therapy is characterized in comparison to the reference normal values quantitative deficit of CD3, CD4, СD8 Т-lymphocyte subpopulations, increased count of lymphocytes with receptors to dopamine, activation of humoral immunity factors (IgM, IgG, CIC), high cortisol level. At AWS and PAS stages such changes are most pronounced; on days 25-28 of therapy positive changes in cytotoxic Т-lymphocytes (СD8) and Т-lymphocytes СD3 was revealed. CD4 count remained steadily reduced, count of lymphocytes with receptors to dopamine and cortisol level were elevated. Clinical and immunological analysis demonstrated that consumption of high opiate doses, long-term narcotization are associated with higher intensity of disorders detected. Conclusion. Dysregulation of immunoendocrine parameters was revealed in subjects with opiate addiction at all stages of withdrawal syndrome therapy within the term observed evidencing instability of therapeutic remission achieved and necessity in further rehabilitation events.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 118
Author(s):  
Anna Skarpańska-Stejnborn ◽  
Mirosława Cieślicka ◽  
Hanna Dziewiecka ◽  
Sławomir Kujawski ◽  
Anita Marcinkiewicz ◽  
...  

An intensive physical exercise program could lead to a decrease in immune system function. Effects of long-term supplementation of bovine colostrum on the response of immune function on physical exercise test in athletes were examined. Twenty-seven elite female basketball players (age 16–19) were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. Eventually, n = 11 athletes completed intervention in the experimental group (3.2 g bovine colostrum orally twice a day for 24 weeks), while n = 9 athletes in the control group were given a placebo. Before the supplementation, after 3 and 6 months, subjects performed the physical exercise stress test. Before, just after, and 3 h after physical exercise testing, blood was drawn and immune system indicators were examined. Plasma interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-2, IL-10, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha, creatine kinase (CK MM), immunoglobulin G (IgG), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), and WBC, lymphocyte (LYM), monocyte (MON), and granulocyte (GRA) were measured. A statistically significant change in IL-10 in response to the exercise program during the supplementation period in both groups was observed (p = 0.01). However, the results of the rest of the comparisons were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Contrary to our initial hypothesis, there were no significant effects of bovine supplementation on the dynamics of immune system function indicators.


Author(s):  
A.M. Pasquino ◽  
A. Albanese ◽  
M. Bozzola ◽  
G.E. Butler ◽  
F. Buzi ◽  
...  

AbstractIdiopathic short stature (ISS) is a term used to describe the status of children with short stature that cannot be attributed to a specific cause. Many children diagnosed as having ISS have partial GH insensitivity, which can result from disturbances at various points of the GH-IGF-I axis. Several clinical studies on spontaneous growth in ISS showed that adult height was almost in the range of target height. GH treatment led to adult height not significantly higher than the pretreatment predicted adult height in most reports. No metabolic side effects have been observed, even when the dose was higher than in GH deficiency. Manipulation of puberty with gonadotrophin releasing hormone analogues reported by a few authors in a small number of children has shown conflicting results. Long-term psychological benefits of GH therapy for short normal children have not been demonstrated to date.


2017 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 483-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hsueh-Hsing Pan ◽  
Li-Fen Wu ◽  
Yu-Chun Hung ◽  
Chi-Ming Chu ◽  
Kwua-Yun Wang

This experimental study investigated long-term effectiveness of two educational methods on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) about palliative care consultation services (PCCS) among nurses, recruited from a medical center located in Northern Taiwan in 2015, using a stratified cluster sampling method, with 88 participants in multimedia (experimental) and 92 in traditional paper education (control) group. Data were collected using KAP-PCCS questionnaire before education, immediately after, and 3rd and 6th month after education. Results showed that both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI significantly increased immediately after, and at the 3rd month after education for the experimental group; the K-PCCSI remained significantly higher for the experimental group at the 6th month. The highest increase in scores for both K-PCCSI and P-PCCSI was observed at the 3rd month. There was no significant change in A-PCCS in both groups after follow-up periods, when compared before education. Therefore, using multimedia every 3 months to continue strengthening their knowledge may increase the referrals of terminal patients to PCCS.


Infection ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 194-196
Author(s):  
Renata Calzia ◽  
Rita Piscopo ◽  
Carla Navone ◽  
Barbara Ciravegna ◽  
S. Raffanti ◽  
...  

2002 ◽  
Vol 92 (4) ◽  
pp. 1619-1627 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Choukèr ◽  
L. Smith ◽  
F. Christ ◽  
I. Larina ◽  
I. Nichiporuk ◽  
...  

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of long-term confinement on stress-permissive neuroendocrine and immune responses in humans. Two groups of four male subjects were confined 240 days ( group 240) or 110 days ( group 110) in two space modules of 100 or 200 m3, respectively. During confinement, none of the volunteers developed psychic stress as could be examined and verified by a current stress test. However, in g roup 240 but not in group 110, the diurnal rhythm of cortisol secretion was slightly depressed and the urine excretion of norepinephrine significantly increased. The innate part of the immune system became activated as seen by a rise in the number of circulating granulocytes and the enhanced expression of β2-integrins. In contrast, the ratio of T-helper to T-suppressor cells decreased. All these effects, observed during confinement, were even more pronounced in both groups when values of endocrinological and immunological parameters were compared between before and 1 wk after the end of the confinement period. Hence, return to normal life exerts pronounced effects to a much higher degree, irrespective of how long or under which conditions individuals were confined. Because the delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction against recall antigens remained unaffected, it is to be presumed that confinement appears to induce distinct sympathoadrenergic activation and immunological changes but no clinically relevant immunosuppression.


2002 ◽  
Author(s):  

A PCORI-funded study provides new information for primary care clinicians about the need to monitor long-term cardiovascular risks in transgender women receiving hormone therapy. Approximately 1.4 million transgender people live in the United States. Many transgender women pursue medical transition with hormone therapy including estrogen to align their bodies with their female gender identity. Evidence suggests that medical transition confers significant psychological benefits including reduced depression, anxiety, and suicidality and improved quality of life. However, the risks of using estrogen, including cardiovascular risks, are not well understood. Recent evidence on these risks can help inform decisions and improve care for transgender women who are currently using or formerly used estrogen.


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