A retrospective comparison of physical health in regular recreational table tennis participants and sedentary elderly men.

Objectives: This study investigated the benefits of regular recreational table tennis games for body composition, physical performance and muscle strength of older adult men. Methods: We compared twenty older male regular table tennis players (RTTP) and twenty age- and weight-matched sedentary participants (SP). Body composition (LM, lean mass; FM, fat mass; BMD, bone mineral density), physical function, and muscle strength were analyzed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, short physical performance battery (SPPB) and a hand-held dynamometer, respectively. Results: The RTTP had a higher elbow flexor, knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle strength than the SP. The RTTP had a higher total, regional (arm, leg and lumbar spine), and site-specific (trochanter and Ward’s triangle) BMD, and a lower fat mass, in total and regional terms (arm, leg, and truck) as well as percentage of body mass, than the SP. RTTP had a higher SPPB score and performed the 400-m walk in a shorter time than SP. Conclusions: These data suggest that regular table tennis has beneficial effects on muscle strength, physical performance and body composition, and is a potent activity to improve health in older adults

Virus-Induced Type I Interferon Deteriorates Control of Systemic Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Infection

BACKGROUND: Type I interferon (IFN-I) predisposes to bacterial superinfections, an important problem during viral infection or treatment with interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha). IFN-I-induced neutropenia is one reason for the impaired bacterial control; however there is evidence that more frequent bacterial infections during IFN-alpha-treatment occur independently of neutropenia. METHODS: We analyzed in a mouse model, whether Pseudomonas aeruginosa control is influenced by co-infection with the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). Bacterial titers, numbers of neutrophils and the gene-expression of liver-lysozyme-2 were determined during a 24 hours systemic infection with P. aeruginosa in wild-type and Ifnar(-/-) mice under the influence of LCMV or poly(I:C). RESULTS: Virus-induced IFN-I impaired the control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This was associated with neutropenia and loss of lysozyme-2-expression in the liver, which had captured P. aeruginosa. A lower release of IFN-I by poly(I:C)-injection also impaired the bacterial control in the liver and reduced the expression of liver-lysozyme-2. Low concentration of IFN-I after infection with a virulent strain of P. aeruginosa alone impaired the bacterial control and reduced lysozyme-2-expression in the liver as well. CONCLUSION: We found that during systemic infection with P. aeruginosa Kupffer cells quickly controlled the bacteria in cooperation with neutrophils. Upon LCMV-infection this cooperation was disturbed

Integrated Ugi-Based Assembly of Functionally, Skeletally, and Stereochemically Diverse 1,4-Benzodiazepin-2-ones

A practical, integrated and versatile U-4CR-based assembly of 1,4-benzodiazepin-2-ones exhibiting functionally, skeletally, and stereochemically diverse substitution patterns is described. By virtue of its convergence, atom economy, and bond-forming efficiency, the methodology documented herein exemplifies the reconciliation of structural complexity and experimental simplicity in the context of medicinal chemistry projects.This work was financially supported by the Galician Government (Spain), Projects: 09CSA016234PR and GPC-2014-PG037. J.A. thanks FUNDAYACUCHO (Venezuela) for a predoctoral grant and Deputación da Coruña (Spain) for a postdoctoral research grant. A.N.-V. thanks the Spanish government for a Ramón y Cajal research contract

A retrospective comparison of physical health in regular recreational table tennis participants and sedentary elderly men

Objectives: This study investigated the benefits of regular recreational table tennis games for body composition, physical performance and muscle strength of older adult men. Methods: We compared twenty older male regular table tennis players (RTTP) and twenty age-and weight-matched sedentary participants (SP). Body composition (LM, lean mass; FM, fat mass; BMD, bone mineral density), physical function, and muscle strength were analyzed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, short physical performance battery (SPPB) and a hand-held dynamometer, respectively. Results: The RTTP had a higher elbow flexor, knee extensor and plantar flexor muscle strength than the SP. The RTTP had a higher total, regional (arm, leg and lumbar spine), and site-specific (trochanter and Ward’s triangle) BMD, and a lower fat mass, in total and regional terms (arm, leg, and truck) as well as percentage of body mass, than the SP. RTTP had a higher SPPB score and performed the 400-m walk in a shorter time than SP. Conclusions: These data suggest that regular table tennis has beneficial effects on muscle strength, physical performance and body composition, and is a potent activity to improve health in older adults

Design of a Thiosemicarbazide-Functionalized Calix[4]arene Ligand and Related Transition Metal Complexes: Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Studies

In this study, we synthesized a new thiosemicarbazide-functionalized calix[4]arene L and its Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ transition metal complexes. For characterization several techniques were employed: Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), 13C-NMR, 15N-NMR, correlation spectroscopy (COSY), nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY), electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and elemental analysis. To explore the capability of the thiosemicarbazide function hosted on a calix[4]arene scaffold for growth inhibition of bacteria, fungi, and cancerous tumor cells, a series of biological evaluations were performed. For L, the antimicrobial tests revealed a higher antibacterial activity against gram-positive Bacillus subtilis and a lower activity against gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), whereas the gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus shows resistance. All examined metal derivatives show an enhancement of the antibacterial activity against gram-negative E. coli bacteria, with a more significant improvement for the Ni2+ and Zn2+ complexes. MTT assays showed a considerable in vitro anticancer activity of Co2+, Ni2+, and Cu2+ complexes against Saos-2 bone cancer cell lines. The activity is ascribable to the inorganic ions rather than calixarene ligand. Hemolysis assay results demonstrated that all compounds have high blood compatibility