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This study evaluated the effect of 24-week Taichi training and Taichi plus resistance band training on pulmonary diffusion capacity and glycemic control in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Forty-eight patients with T2DM were randomly divided into three groups: Group A—Taichi training: practiced Taichi 60 min/day, 6 days/week for 24 weeks; Group B—Taichi plus resistance band training: practiced 60-min Taichi 4 days/week plus 60-min resistance band training 2 days/week for 24 weeks; and Group C–controls: maintaining their daily lifestyles. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was applied to predict diffusion capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide (DLCO) by fasting blood glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), von Willebrand Factor (vWF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), vascular endothelial growth factor, and prostaglandin I-2. Taichi with or without resistance band training significantly improved DLCO, increased insulin sensitivity, eNOS and NO, and reduced fasting blood glucose, insulin, HbA1c, TNF-α, vWF, IL-6, ICAM-1, and ET-1. There was no change in any of these variables in the control group. DLCO was significantly predicted (R2 = 0.82) by insulin sensitivity (standard-β = 0.415, P<0.001), eNOS (standard-β = 0.128, P = 0.017), TNF-α (standard-β = -0.259, P = 0.001), vWF (standard-β = -0.201, P = 0.007), and IL-6 (standard-β = -0.175, P = 0.032) in patients with T2DM. The impact of insulin sensitivity was the most important predictor for the variation of DLCO based on the multiple regression modeling. This study demonstrates that 24-week Taichi training and Taichi plus resistance band training effectively improve pulmonary diffusion capacity and blood glycemic control in patients with T2DM. Variation of DLCO is explained by improved insulin sensitivity and endothelial function, and reduced inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, vWF, and IL-6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study tested the hypothesis that healthy aging attenuates cognitive practice effects and, consequently, limits the familiarity-associated reductions in heart rate (HR) and breathing frequency (BF) responses during retesting. Methods : Twenty-one cognitively normal older and younger adults (65 ± 2 vs. 26 ± 1 years old) participated in the study. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Digit-Span-Test (DST), Trail Making Test (TMT-B), and California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) were administered twice at 3-week intervals, while HR and BF were monitored by electrocardiography and plethysmography, respectively. Results : Cognitive performances were not affected by the age factor, and the retest factor only affected CVLT-II. HR and BF increased only in the younger adults (p <.01) during cognitive tests; retesting attenuated these responses (retest factor p <.01). Long-delay free-recall in CVLT-II was unchanged in cognitively normal older versus younger adults. Healthy aging did not diminish short-term memory assessed by DST and CVLT-II short-delay or long-delay free-recalls. Conclusions : Only CVLT-II, but not MMSE, DST or TMT-B, demonstrated cognitive retesting practice effects in the younger and older adults. Cognitive testing at 3-week intervals in cognitively normal older and younger subjects revealed divergent cardiorespiratory responses to MMSE, DST, and TMT-B cognitive testing, particularly HR, which increased only in younger adults and to a lesser extent during retesting despite the absence of practice effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To mimic biological systems' healing mechanism and sensory motion, the combination of self‐healing, perception, and actuation in a singular soft artificial material is required, which would be enormously valuable for soft robotics that commit to obtaining multifunction and local sensing capacities approaching living organisms. However, most existing soft somatosensory actuators lack self‐healing capability to injuries, and suffer from insufficient actuating performance and sensitivity, and complicated manufacturing operations. Herein, a bioinspired conductive photo‐responsive architecture is reported. Rapidly photo‐responsive anthracene, self‐healing matrix with dynamic interactions, and high‐conductivity slideable silver nanowires chemically integrated with matrix are respectively utilized to mimic the neuromuscular system and effectors, biological tissue systems, and nerve cords and receptors of octopus tentacles. Such a soft somatosensory actuator exhibits rapid actuation (light‐driven bending velocity, 10o s−1), distinctive intrinsic strain sensitivity (gauge factor, 90.88), and decent self‐healing efficiency (92.2%). As a proof of concept, octopi tentacles‐inspired smart grippers are fabricated for various photo‐responsive motions including bending, weightlifting and object grasping that can contemporaneously detect actions by real‐time resistance changes and provide information feedback. This work is anticipated to bring fresh horizons in the design of multifunctional sensory actuating materials and establish a pathway for the advancement of self‐diagnostic soft robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]