Lakoff (1996) claims that a person is conceptualized as two different entities, SUBJECT and SELF. In the expression I am not myself today, the subject I and the self myself are expressed as two ...different entities. Lakoff’s claim has been further investigated in English, Japanese, and other languages, but it has not been pursued in other modalities. In this paper, in order to determine whether the same metaphors are observed not only in verbal but also in other modes, the picturebook Hey, Al is analyzed, exploring the DIVIDED PERSON metaphors and other SELF metaphors.
The analysis reveals that, around its main theme, finding one’s true identity, the picturebook Hey, Al demonstrates diverse SELF metaphors, such as the DIVIDED PERSON metaphor, the OBJECTIVE-SUBJECT metaphor, the INNER SELF metaphor, the SPLIT SELF metaphor, the ABSENT-SUBJECT metaphor, the TRUETO-YOURSELF metaphor, the SELF-AS-COMPANION metaphor, the LOSS-ofSELF metaphor, and the TRUE-SELF metaphor. KCI Citation Count: 0
Although sleep quality and physical activity (PA) may influence on arterial stiffness, the combined effects of these two factors on arterial stiffness remain unknown. A total of 103 healthy ...middle-aged and older men and women (aged 50–83 years) with no history of cardiovascular disease and depression were included in this study. Arterial stiffness was measured using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV), and femoral-ankle PWV (faPWV). Poor sleepers were defined as those with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score of >5.5. Using an accelerometer for seven consecutive days, low levels of PA were defined as low moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) <19.0 min/day and low step counts <7100 steps/day, respectively. Poor sleepers with low PA levels, as determined by MVPA and daily steps, showed higher cfPWV, but not faPWV or baPWV, in middle-aged and older adults. Furthermore, in the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analyses adjusted for age, obesity, dyslipidemia, and sedentary behavior, the cfPWV result remained significant. Our study revealed that the coexistence of poor sleep quality and decreased PA (low MVPA or daily steps) might increase central arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults. Therefore, adequate sleep (good and sufficient sleep quality) and regular PA, especially at appropriate levels of MVPA (i.e., at least of 7100 steps/day), should be encouraged to decrease central arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults.
The Klotho gene is a suppressor of the aging phenomena, and the secretion as well as the circulation of Klotho proteins decrease with aging. Although habitual exercise has antiaging effects (e.g., a ...decrease in arterial stiffness), the relationship between Klotho and habitual exercise remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the effect of habitual exercise on Klotho, with a particular focus on arterial stiffness. First, we examined the correlation between plasma Klotho concentration and arterial stiffness (carotid artery compliance and β-stiffness index) or aerobic exercise capacity oxygen uptake at ventilatory threshold (VT) in 69 healthy, postmenopausal women (50-76 years old) by conducting a cross-sectional study. Second, we tested the effects of aerobic exercise training on plasma Klotho concentrations and arterial stiffness. A total of 19 healthy, postmenopausal women (50-76 years old) were divided into two groups: control group and exercise group. The exercise group completed 12 wk of moderate aerobic exercise training. In the cross-sectional study, plasma Klotho concentrations positively correlated with carotid artery compliance and VT and negatively correlated with the β-stiffness index. In the interventional study, aerobic exercise training increased plasma Klotho concentrations and carotid artery compliance and decreased the β-stiffness index. Moreover, the changes in plasma Klotho concentration and arterial stiffness were found to be correlated. These results suggest a possible role for secreted Klotho in the exercise-induced modulation of arterial stiffness.
Background
Lifestyle modification (i.e., regular physical activity and diet) is effective in preventing the age-related increase in cardiovascular disease risks. Potential therapeutic effects of ...curcumin (diferuloylmethane) have been confirmed on various diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer's disease, but the effects of curcumin have not been tested on central arterial hemodynamics. The aim of this pilot study was to test the hypothesis that the regular endurance exercise combined with daily curcumin ingestion lowers the age-related increase in left ventricular (LV) afterload to a greater extent than monotherapy with either intervention alone in postmenopausal women using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel manner.
Methods
Forty-five women were randomly assigned to four interventions: "placebo ingestion" (n = 11), "curcumin ingestion" (n = 11), "exercise training with placebo ingestion" (n = 11), or "exercise training with curcumin ingestion" (n = 12). Curcumin or placebo pills (150 mg/day) were administered for 8 weeks. Aortic blood pressure (BP) and augmentation index (AIx), an index of LV afterload, were evaluated by pulse wave analysis from tonometrically measured radial arterial pressure waveforms.
Results
There were no significant differences in baseline hemodynamic variables among four groups. After the interventions, brachial systolic BP (SBP) significantly decreased in both exercise-trained groups (P < 0.05 for both), whereas aortic SBP significantly decreased only in the combined-treatment (e.g., exercise and curcumin) group (P < 0.05). Heart rate (HR) corrected aortic AIx significantly decreases only in the combined-treatment group.
Conclusions
These findings suggest that regular endurance exercise combined with daily curcumin ingestion may reduce LV afterload to a greater extent than monotherapy with either intervention alone in postmenopausal women.
Purpose
Sleep duration is known to affect physiological and circadian metabolites and human homeostasis. However, little is known about the relationship between sleep quality and metabolite and ...cognitive function during exercise. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of sleep quality on metabolite level and cognitive function in female volleyball athletes.
Methods
Twelve female volleyball athletes participated in this study. Sleep efficiency was measured for 1 week using NemuriSCAN (Paramount Bed Co. Ltd., Japan) as an index of sleep quality. The subjects were divided into better (
n
= 6) and lesser (
n
= 6) sleep quality groups by the median value of sleep efficiency. Saliva samples were collected using a Salimetric oral swab cotton and salivary metabolites were analysed using capillary electrophoresis and time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The subjects performed Stroop tasks (simple and difficult tasks) at rest and during aerobic exercise in recumbent cycle ergometer at light and heavy intensity.
Results
Increased sleep efficiency was found in the better sleep quality group, whereas total sleep time was similar. There were differences in urea cycle and Krebs cycle metabolites between the two groups; their levels were correlated with sleep efficiency. The difficult-task response time during heavy exercise was faster in the better sleep quality group.
Conclusion
We demonstrated that sleep efficiency was associated with urea cycle and Krebs cycle metabolite levels and response time during heavy exercise in volleyball athletes. These results suggested that sleep quality may affect amino acid and energy metabolism and cognitive function during heavy exercise.
Purpose
Polyphenolic curcumin is known to have potent anti-inflammatory effects; thus the present study investigated the hypothesis that curcumin ingestion would attenuate muscle damage after ...eccentric exercise.
Methods
Fourteen untrained young men (24 ± 1 years) performed 50 maximal isokinetic (120°/s) eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors of one arm on an isokinetic dynamometer and the same exercise with the other arm 4 weeks later. They took 150 mg of curcumin (theracurmin) or placebo (starch) orally before and 12 h after each eccentric exercise bout in a randomised, crossover design. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of the elbow flexors, range of motion of the elbow joint, upper-arm circumference, muscle soreness, serum creatine kinase (CK) activity, and plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentration were measured before, immediately after, and 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after each eccentric exercise. Changes in these variables over time were compared between curcumin and placebo conditions by two-way repeated measures ANOVA.
Results
MVC torque decreased smaller and recovered faster (e.g., 4 days post-exercise: −31 ± 13 % vs. −15 ± 15 %), and peak serum CK activity was smaller (peak: 7684 ± 8959 IU/L vs. 3398 ± 3562 IU/L) for curcumin than placebo condition (
P
< 0.05). However, no significant differences between conditions were evident for other variables, and no significant changes in IL-6 and TNF-α were evident after exercise.
Conclusion
It is concluded that theracurmin ingestion attenuates some aspects of muscle damage such as MVC loss and CK activity increase.
Exposure to continuous light at night, including night-shift work or a nocturnal lifestyle, is emerging as a novel deleterious factor for weight gain and obesity. Here, we examined whether a single ...bout of bright light (BL) exposure at night affects energy metabolism via changes in circadian rhythm and nocturnal melatonin production. Ten healthy young men were randomized to a two-way crossover experimental design protocol: control (< 50 lux) and BL (approximately 10000 lux) conditions, with at least seven days of interval. The participants were exposed to each condition for 3 h (21:00-24:00) before sleep (0 lux, 00:00-07:00) in a room-type metabolic chamber. On each experimental night (21:00-07:00), energy expenditure, respiratory quotient (RQ), and substrate oxidation were measured to determine the energy metabolism. BL exposure prior to bedtime altered biological rhythms, disrupted the nocturnal decline in body temperature, and suppressed the melatonin level before sleeping, resulting in an increase in sleep latency. Indirect calorimetry data revealed that BL exposure significantly decreased the fat oxidation and increased the RQ, an indicator of the carbohydrate-to-fat oxidation ratio, throughout the whole period (light exposure and sleep). We revealed that acute BL exposure prior to bedtime exacerbated circadian rhythms and substrate oxidations, suggesting that chronic BL exposure at night may lead to obesity risk due to disturbances in circadian rhythms and macronutrient metabolism.
Several studies have demonstrated that athletes show superior performance in general cognitive functions compared to non-athletes. However, the effects on cognitive function might vary depending on ...the athlete’s sport type. In athletes, the visuospatial working memory is a crucial function for immediate response to each situation and experience. However, no studies have yet examined the association between visuospatial working memory and sport types. This study aimed to investigate whether sport type influences the differences in visuospatial working memory in athletes using a cross-sectional study. A total of 67 young individuals, including 59 athletes (long-distance running, tennis, kendo, and soccer players) and eight non-athletes (controls), participated in the study. Athletes were classified into static, interceptive, or strategic depending on their sport type. The reaction time, accuracy, and balanced integration score (BIS) of the spatial working memory task (SWMT) were examined in all participants. Strategic athletes showed a shorter reaction time and higher BIS value of SWMT than static athletes and non-athletes. We concluded that the visuospatial working memory of strategic athletes was better than that of non-athletes and static athletes. This finding suggests that visuospatial working memory might play an important role in determining athletic performance in strategic sport types, making improved visuospatial working memory a key advantage for strategic athletes.
Vascular endothelial function is declines with aging and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle modification, particularly aerobic exercise and dietary adjustment, ...has a favorable effect on vascular aging. Curcumin is a major component of turmeric with known anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. We investigated the effects of curcumin ingestion and aerobic exercise training on flow-mediated dilation as an indicator endothelial function in postmenopausal women. A total of 32 postmenopausal women were assigned to 3 groups: control, exercise, and curcumin groups. The curcumin group ingested curcumin orally for 8 weeks. The exercise group underwent moderate aerobic exercise training for 8 weeks. Before and after each intervention, flow-mediated dilation was measured. No difference in baseline flow-mediated dilation or other key dependent variables were detected among the groups. Flow-mediated dilation increased significantly and equally in the curcumin and exercise groups, whereas no changes were observed in the control group. Our results indicated that curcumin ingestion and aerobic exercise training can increase flow-mediated dilation in postmenopausal women, suggesting that both can potentially improve the age-related decline in endothelial function.
Sarcopenia is defined as the involuntary loss of skeletal muscle mass and function with aging and is associated with several adverse health outcomes. Recently, the disruption of regular circadian ...rhythms, due to shift work or nocturnal lifestyle, is emerging as a novel deleterious factor for the development of sarcopenia. The underlying mechanisms responsible for circadian disruption-induced sarcopenia include molecular circadian clock and mitochondrial function associated with the regulation of circadian rhythms. Exercise is a potent modulator of skeletal muscle metabolism and is considered to be a crucial preventative and therapeutic intervention strategy for sarcopenia. Moreover, emerging evidence shows that exercise, acting as a zeitgeber (time cue) of the skeletal muscle clock, can be an efficacious tool for re-setting the clock in sarcopenia. In this review, we provide the evidence of the impact of circadian disruption on skeletal muscle loss resulting in sarcopenia. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of exercise timing (i.e., scheduled physical activity) as a novel therapeutic strategy to target circadian disruption in skeletal muscle.
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