Moderate exercise may attenuate some aspects of immunosenescence

BACKGROUND: Immunosenescence is related to the deterioration of many immune functions, which may be manifested in increased susceptibility to infection, cancer, and autoimmunity. Lifestyle factors, such as diet or physical activity, may influence the senescence of the immune system. It is widely accepted that moderate physical activity may cause beneficial effects for physical and psychological health as well as for the immune system activity in aged people. METHODS: Thirty elderly women aged 62 to 86 were subjected to a two-years authorized physical activity program. Peripheral blood lymphocytes distribution and the production of cytokines involved in the immune response development and regulation (IL-2, IL-4 and IFN-γ) were investigated. The same parameters were evaluated in two control groups of women: a sedentary group of 12 elderly women selected for the second round of the physical activity program and in a group of 20 sedentary young women. Flow cytometry methods were used for the examination of surface markers on peripheral blood lymphocytes and intracellular cytokines expression. RESULTS: The distribution of the main lymphocytes subpopulations in the peripheral blood of elderly women did not show changes after long-term moderate physical training. The percentage of lymphocytes expressing intracellular IL-2 was higher in the group of women attending 2-years physical activity program than in the control group of elderly sedentary women, and it was similar to the value estimated in the group of young sedentary women. There was no difference in the intracellular expression of IL-4 and IFN-γ between the active and elderly sedentary women. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that moderate, long-term physical activity in elderly women may increase the production of IL-2, an important regulator of the immune response. This may help ameliorate immunosenescence in these women

The rise and fall of the Roman fort in Apsaros: recent numismatic evidence

Archaeological discoveries made since 2014 at the site of the Roman fort in Apsaros/Gonio (Georgia) have shed more light on the earliest as well as later stages of the presence of the Roman army on the Colchis coast and on the history of the Apsaros fort itself. The paper reports on the new findings concerning the chronology of the Roman fort, and an essential part of the conclusions draws upon the results of numismatic research on recent coin finds from the site. Six years of fieldwork by a Polish-Georgian team have uncovered the remains of a possible horreum, built in the last decade of Nero’s reign, underlying a balneum constructed probably during Trajan’s Parthian war and rebuilt under Hadrian into a praetorium; a fine mosaic floor decorated with geometric motifs was found in one of the rooms of this early 2nd-century structure

Effects of Organized Physical Activity on Selected Health Indices among Women Older than 55 Years

The main aim of this study was to determine health benefits among women older than 55 years who participated in organized, group-based physical activity (OPA). Thirty-five women aged 65.0 ± 7.3 years volunteered for this study. The classical and nonclassical cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors were measured before and after a 2-week OPA camp in a remote location and 3 months of OPA. Self-guided physical activity was analyzed 18 months after OPA. Two-week effects included significant decreases in body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP) and resting heart rate, improved exercise capacity (EC), improved low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), cholesterol, and other atherogenic lipid indices (ALI), and a reduction in 10-year estimated risk of death from CVD. Three-month effects included a further decrease in systolic BP, improvements in EC and HDL-C, and maintenance of lower levels of ALI, as well as lower CVD risk. The implementation of the OPA programme had a positive impact on somatic features, exercise capacity, biochemical indices, and risk for death from CVD. The presented programme can be regarded as an effective element of primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases among women older than 55 years

Gonio (Apsaros) in Adjara: Excavation of a Roman Fort Interim Report on the First Season of the Polish-Georgian Archaeological Expedition

The Roman fort of Apsaros in Gonio (Adjara, Georgia) still holds answers to many issues connected with the Roman military presence on the Chorokhi river in ancient Colchis. In 2014, a Polish team joined the Georgian expedition to carry out excavation in two sectors directly east of the centrally located principia. The sites were chosen based on a study of the results of geophysical prospection carried out in 2012. Two phases, dated to the early and late Roman periods respectively, were recorded. The early Roman architecture was interpreted as part of the installations and structures of a large bathhouse ( balneae ), including a mosaic floor in one of the rooms. The building was destroyed at least twice, most likely in a catastrophic fire. The article discusses the stratigraphy and the dating of the early Roman balneae based on glass artifacts and coins.Oskar Kubra

Zmniejszenie ryzyka sercowo-naczyniowego wśród nieaktywnych fizycznie kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym podczas zorganizowanej aktywności fizycznej

Background: Cardiovascular (CV) diseases are a major cause of death in elderly women. Aerobic training improves component CV risk factors. Long-term, higher-intensity, group-based and home-based exercise training has been shown to improve exer­cise performance. However, it is not clear if short-term, group-based or home-based training with an educational programme permanently improves cardiometabolic parameters in elderly women. Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of organised physical activity programmes dedicated to elderly, sedentary women. Methods: Thirty-five sedentary women, aged > 55 years (mean 65.4 ± 7.3 years) were enrolled in a two-week group-based physical training programme of moderate intensity (2.5–5.0 METs) followed by three months of organised, home-based physical activity targeting all major muscle groups with special emphasis on postural muscles, combined with an educational programme about physical activity and CV risk. Eighteen months of self-guided physical activity was the final stage of training. Medical examination and blood samples were collected at baseline and after each step of exercises. Results: Each step of training resulted in a reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.05), body mass index (p < 0.05), waist to hip ratio (p < 0.02), and low-density lipoprotein (p < 0.05) as compared to baseline. The time of exercise (p < 0.01), maximal tolerated load, and maximal oxygen consumption (p < 0.001) were significantly improved after two-weeks of training, as well as the high-density lipoprotein (p < 0.001). These changes remained significant after three months. Finally, the 10-year risk of fatal CV disease reduced significantly (p < 0.05). After 18 months 2/3 of subjects continued physical activity at a sufficient level to achieve additional health benefits according to the World Health Organisation. Conclusions: Organised, group-based exercise followed by home-based training and self-guided physical activities constantly improves cardiometabolic parameters and reduces CV risk.Wstęp: Choroby układu sercowo-naczyniowego (CV) są główną przyczyną zgonów wśród starszych kobiet. Trening aerobowy poprawia składowe czynniki ryzyka CV. Wykazano, że długotrwały, grupowy trening fizyczny o dużej intensywności w warunkach domowych poprawia wydolność fizyczną. Nie jest jednak jasne, czy krótkotrwałe, grupowe szkolenia i trening w warunkach domowych z dodatkowym programem edukacyjnym trwale poprawiają parametry kardio-metaboliczne u starszych kobiet. Cel: Celem pracy była ocena wpływu krótkotrwałego programu aktywności fizycznej przeznaczonego dla nieaktywnych fizycznie kobiet w okresie pomenopauzalnym na czynniki ryzyka sercowo-naczyniowego. Metody: U 35 nieaktywnych fizycznie kobiet w wieku ponad 65 lat (średnia 65,4 ± 7,3 roku) zastosowano 2-tygodniowy trening fizyczny o umiarkowanej intensywności (2,5–5,0 METs), następnie przeprowadzono 3-miesięczną, zorganizowaną, domową aktywność fizyczną, nacelowaną na główne grupy mięśniowe, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem mięśni posturalnych, połączoną z programem edukacyjnym dotyczącym aktywności fizycznej i ryzyka CV. Samodzielnie prowadzona, 18-miesięczna aktywność fizyczna była ostatnim etapem szkolenia. Badanie lekarskie i próbki krwi zebrano na początku badania i po każdym etapie ćwiczeń. Wyniki: W wyniku każdego etapu ćwiczeń obserwowano obniżenie wartości skurczowego i rozkurczowego ciśnienia tętniczego (p < 0,05), wskaźnika masy ciała (BMI; p < 0,05), wskaźnika talia-biodra (p < 0,02) oraz lipoprotein o niskiej gęstości (LDL; p < 0,05) w stosunku do wartości wyjściowych. Po 2-tygodniowym treningu znamiennie wydłużył się czas wykonywania wysiłku (p < 0,01), maksymalne tolerowane obciążenie (VO2max; p < 0,001) oraz stężenie lipoprotein o wysokiej gęstości (HDL; p < 0,001). Te zmiany utrzymały znamienność statystyczną po okresie 3-miesięcznej domowej aktywności fizycznej. Ponadto 10-letnie ryzyko zgonu z przyczyn kardiologicznych istotnie się obniżyło (p < 0,05). Po 18 miesiącach od zakończe­nia programu 2/3 uczestniczek kontynuowało aktywność fizyczną na poziomie wystarczającym do osiągniecia dodatkowych korzyści zdrowotnych wg Światowej Organizacji Zdrowia. Wnioski: Zorganizowany, krótkotrwały, grupowy trening z następowym domowym programem ćwiczeń fizycznych i samodzielnie prowadzona aktywność fizyczna trwale poprawiają parametry sercowo-metaboliczne oraz zmniejszają ryzyko sercowo-naczyniowe