Lung function profiles and aerobic capacity of adult cigarette and hookah smokers after 12 weeks intermittent training

Introduction: Pulmonary function is compromised in most smokers. Yet it is unknown whether exercise training improves pulmonary function and aerobic capacity in cigarette and hookah smokers and whether these smokers respond in a similar way as do non-smokers.Aim: To evaluate the effects of an interval exercise training program on pulmonary function and aerobic capacity in cigarette and hookah smokers.Methods: Twelve cigarette smokers, 10 hookah smokers, and 11 non-smokers participated in our exercise program. All subjects performed 30 min of interval exercise (2 min of work followed by 1 min of rest) three times a week for 12 weeks at an intensity estimated at 70% of the subject’s maximum aerobic capacity (VO2max). Pulmonary function was measured using spirometry, and maximum aerobic capacity was assessed by maximal exercise testing on a treadmill before the beginning and at the end of the exercise training program.Results: As expected, prior to the exercise intervention, the cigarette and hookah smokers had significantly lower pulmonary function than the non-smokers. The 12-week exercise training program did not significantly affect lung function as assessed by spirometry in the non-smoker group. However, it significantly increased both forced expiratory volume in 1 second and peak expiratory flow (PEF) in the cigarette smoker group, and PEF in the hookah smoker group. Our training program had its most notable impact on the cardiopulmonary system of smokers. In the non-smoker and cigarette smoker groups, the training program significantly improved VO2max (4.4 and 4.7%, respectively), v VO2max (6.7 and 5.6%, respectively), and the recovery index (7.9 and 10.5%, respectively).Conclusions: After 12 weeks of interval training program, the increase of VO2max and the decrease of recovery index and resting heart rate in the smoking subjects indicated better exercise tolerance. Although the intermittent training program altered pulmonary function only partially, both aerobic capacity and life quality were improved. Intermittent training should be advised in the clinical setting for subjects with adverse health behaviors.Keywords: cigarette smokers; hookah smokers; pulmonary function; aerobic capacity; interval trainin

Young para-athletes display more hedonic well-being than people with disabilities not taking part in competitive sports: insights from a multi-country survey

Hedonic well-being relates to how individuals experience and rate their lives. People with disabilities due to their pathology may more frequently suffer from anxiety and depressive disorders than their able-bodied counterparts. Sports participation is an essential way to cope with disability. On the other hand, compared with their able-bodied peers, para-athletes undergo a unique series of stressors. Little is known in terms of hedonic well-being in this specific population. We present the results of a multi-country survey of self-perceived hedonic well-being by para-athletes of different sports disciplines and a control group (disabled individuals not playing competitive sports), using the "Psychological General Well-Being Index" (PGWBI). We included 1,208 participants, aged 17.39 years, 58.4% male, 41.6% female, and 70.3% para-athletes. Para-athletes exhibited higher well-being than disabled people, for all domains of the PGWBI scale. The nature of disability/impairment was significant, with those with acquired disability reporting lower well-being. Those taking part in wheelchair basketball, para-athletics, and para-swimming competitions had a higher likelihood of reporting well-being, whereas those engaged in wheelchair rugby exhibited lower well-being compared with controls. This large-scale investigation can enable a better understanding of the self-perceived hedonic well-being of disabled people

Swimming and the human microbiome at the intersection of sports, clinical, and environmental sciences. A scoping review of the literature

The human microbiota is comprised of more than 10–100 trillion microbial taxa and symbiotic cells. Two major human sites that are host to microbial communities are the gut and the skin. Physical exercise has favorable effects on the structure of human microbiota and metabolite production in sedentary subjects. Recently, the concept of “athletic microbiome” has been introduced. To the best of our knowledge, there exists no review specifically addressing the potential role of microbiomics for swimmers, since each sports discipline requires a specific set of techniques, training protocols, and interactions with the athletic infrastructure/facility. Therefore, to fill in this gap, the present scoping review was undertaken. Four studies were included, three focusing on the gut microbiome, and one addressing the skin microbiome. It was found that several exercise-related variables, such as training volume/intensity, impact the athlete’s microbiome, and specifically the non-core/peripheral microbiome, in terms of its architecture/composition, richness, and diversity. Swimming-related power-/sprint- and endurance-oriented activities, acute bouts and chronic exercise, anaerobic/aerobic energy systems have a differential impact on the athlete’s microbiome. Therefore, their microbiome can be utilized for different purposes, including talent identification, monitoring the effects of training methodologies, and devising ad hoc conditioning protocols, including dietary supplementation. Microbiomics can be exploited also for clinical purposes, assessing the effects of exposure to swimming pools and developing potential pharmacological strategies to counteract the insurgence of skin infections/inflammation, including acne. In conclusion, microbiomics appears to be a promising tool, even though current research is still limited, warranting, as such, further studies

Lagranulomatose De Wegener Apropos De Trois Localisations Orl Rares

La granulomatose de Wegener (GW) est une vascularite nécrosante granulomateuse présentant un tropisme particulier pour les voies aériennes supérieures. Nous rapportons 3 cas de la GW correspondants à des localisations ORL rares de la maladie : orbito-meningée, laryngée et linguale. Le but de nos études est d\'analyser les particularités épidemiologiques et cliniques de cette pathologie.Wegener\'s Granulomatosis (WG) is a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis that has a strong affinity for the upper respiratory tract. We report 3cases of rare ORL locations of Wegener\'s Granulomatosis (orbit, larynx and tongue). The aim of our study is to analyse the characteristic features of WG. Journal Tunisien d\'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale Vol. 16 2006: pp. 26-2

Mucormycose Otocerebrale: À Propos D\'un Cas

La mucormycose est une affection mycosique rare mais souvent fatale, survenant sur des terrains débilités. Elle est due à la prolifération de champignons cosmopolites de la famille de mucorales. Elle entraîne des lésions délabrantes et extensives des parties molles avec risque de thromboses vasculaires. Observation : nous rapportons l\'observation d\'une petite fille, âgée de 3 ans , issue d\'un mariage consanguin, hypotrophe, hospitalisée pour otite externe évoluant depuis 3 semaines. La patiente a bénéficié d\'une antromastoidectomie et a été mise sous antibiotiques. Devant une aggravation de l\'état local, avec extension de la nécrose et destruction du conduit auditif externe, une infection mycosique est fortement suspectée, sur un terrain particulier de déficit immunitaire probable. L\'examen parasitologique d\'un prélèvement local a mis en évidence la présence de filaments mycéliens dont la culture a isolé un Rhizopus oryzae, confirmé aussi par l\'étude anatomopathologique. L\'exploration de l\'immunité a mis en évidence un déficit de l\'immunitaire céllulaire.Un traitement par amphotéricine B était mal toléré (choc anaphylactique), l\'évolution spontanée était rapidement défavorable avec une extension locorégionale importante et une thrombophlébite du sinus latéral homolatéral, aboutissement au décés. Conclusion : la localisation oto cérebrale de la mucormycose est exeptionnelle, on doit y penser devant une otite externe maligne sur un terrain particulier. La prise en charge doit être urgente afin d\'augmenter les chances de survie.Mucormycosis is a relatively rare, potentially life-threatening, fungal infection. It occurs predominately in immunocompromised hosts. Vascular invasion, thrombosis and rapid ischemic necrosis of infected tissue are the most characteristic features of this pathology. Early diagnosis and consequently effective treatment are needed to save life in this fatal condition. Report: We report a case of otocerebral mucormycosis occurring in an hypotrophic 3-years old girl suffering from language retardation and chronic diarrhea. Immune system\'s exploration revealed a profound cell-mediated immunity defect. The diagnosis was suspected because of the rapidly extensive necrosis of the external ear conduct, the existence of lateral sinus thrombosis and the resistance to an aggressive antibiotic therapy.The diagnosis was confirmed by identifying Rhizopus oryzae by pathological examination of the necrotic tissue. Treatment by intravenous amphotericin B was certainly lately begun and unfortunately complicated by anaphylactic shock. Because no alternative drug was possible, such as liposomal amphotericin B, the girl rapidly died. Conclusion: Otocerebral mucormycosis is extremely rare.It must be considered when ear lesions are necrotic and rapidly extensive mainly in patients with predisposing conditions. Successful treatment requires tissue excision and early injection of amphotericin B, preferably in its liposomal presentation. Journal Tunisien d\'ORL et de chirurgie cervico-faciale Vol. 16 2006: pp. 42-4

Planetary sleep medicine. Studying sleep at the individual, population, and planetary level

Circadian rhythms are a series of endogenous autonomous oscillators that are generated by the molecular circadian clock which coordinates and synchronizes internal time with the external environment in a 24-h daily cycle (that can also be shorter or longer than 24 h). Besides daily rhythms, there exist as well other biological rhythms that have different time scales, including seasonal and annual rhythms. Circadian and other biological rhythms deeply permeate human life, at any level, spanning from the molecular, subcellular, cellular, tissue, and organismal level to environmental exposures, and behavioral lifestyles. Humans are immersed in what has been called the “circadian landscape,“ with circadian rhythms being highly pervasive and ubiquitous, and affecting every ecosystem on the planet, from plants to insects, fishes, birds, mammals, and other animals. Anthropogenic behaviors have been producing a cascading and compounding series of effects, including detrimental impacts on human health. However, the effects of climate change on sleep have been relatively overlooked. In the present narrative review paper, we wanted to offer a way to re-read/re-think sleep medicine from a planetary health perspective. Climate change, through a complex series of either direct or indirect mechanisms, including (i) pollution- and poor air quality-induced oxygen saturation variability/hypoxia, (ii) changes in light conditions and increases in the nighttime, (iii) fluctuating temperatures, warmer values, and heat due to extreme weather, and (iv) psychological distress imposed by disasters (like floods, wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and infectious outbreaks by emerging and reemerging pathogens) may contribute to inducing mismatches between internal time and external environment, and disrupting sleep, causing poor sleep quantity and quality and sleep disorders, such as insomnia, and sleep-related breathing issues, among others. Climate change will generate relevant costs and impact more vulnerable populations in underserved areas, thus widening already existing global geographic, age-, sex-, and gender-related inequalities

Persistence of anal squamous intraepithelial lesions and anal HPV infection in HIV-infected patientsdespite immune restoration under cART

International audiencen.

The Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model: Group Summary Report

CONTENTS: 1. Synopsis, 2. The MSSM Spectrum, 3. The Physical Parameters, 4. Higgs Boson Production and Decays, 5. SUSY Particle Production and Decays, 6. Experimental Bounds on SUSY Particle Masses, 7. References.Comment: 121 pages, latex + epsfig, graphicx, axodraw, Report of the MSSM working group for the Workshop "GDR-Supersym\'etrie",France. Rep. PM/98-4

Independent and combined effects of all-out sprint and low-intensity continuous exercise on plasma oxidative stress biomarkers in trained judokas

The purpose of this study was to assess oxidative stress biomarkers prior to and following different forms of exercise. Ten elite male judokas (age: 18.1±1.7 years, athletic experience: 6 years with a training frequency of 6 Judo-sessions/week) performed three cycle ergometry sessions comprising a 30s Wingate test (MAX), 30 min at 60% maximal-aerobic-power-output (LOW) or these two exercise protocols combined (COMBINED) in a repeated-measures design. Venous blood-samples were collected before, and 0(P0), 5(P5), 10(P10) and 20(P20) min after each exercise protocol and assessed for malondialdehyde concentration ([MDA]), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) content, and total-antioxidant-status (TAS). Plasma [MDA] was found to be increased above baseline at P0 and P5 in the MAX, LOW and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05), but was greater at P10 and P20 in the LOW condition compared to MAX and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05). Plasma GPX and SOD content increased above baseline at P0 in MAX and COMBINED and at P5 in LOW (p<0.05), with GR content being similar between groups at P0 and P5 (p>0.05). Twenty min post-exercise, plasma GPX, SOD, GR content and TAS were lower in the MAX compared to the LOW and COMBINED conditions (p<0.05). In conclusion, the findings from this study reveal that redox-related biomarkers exhibited divergent response dynamics following different forms of exercise, which might have implications for understanding the mechanisms of exercise-induced skeletal muscle fatigue and adaptive remodeling