952 research outputs found
Signalling Responses Following Varying Sequencing of Strength and Endurance Training in a Fed State.
Get PDFThe objective of this study was to compare anabolic signalling responses to differing sequences of concurrent strength and endurance training in a fed state.Eighteen resistance-trained males were randomly assigned to the following experimental conditions; i) strength training (ST), ii) strength followed by endurance training (ST-END) or iii) endurance followed by strength training (END-ST). Muscle tissue samples were taken from the vastus lateralis before each exercise protocol, upon cessation of exercise, and 1 h-post cessation of strength training. Tissue was analysed for total and phosphorylated (p-) signalling proteins linked to the mTOR and AMPK networks.Strength training performance was similar between ST, ST-END and END-ST. p-S6k1 was elevated from baseline 1 h post training in ST and ST-END (both p < 0.05). p-4E-BP1 was significantly lower than baseline post ST (p = 0.01), while 1 h post exercise in the ST-END condition p-4E-BP1 was significantly greater than post exercise (p = 0.04). p-ACC was elevated from baseline both post and 1 h post exercise (both p < 0.05) in the END-ST condition. AMPK, mTOR, p38, PKB, eEF2 responded similarly to the ST, ST-END and END-ST. Signalling responses to ST, ST-END and END were largely similar. As such it cannot be ascertained which sequence of concurrent strength and endurance training is most favourable in promoting anabolic signalling.These data indicate that in the case of the present study an acute bout of concurrent training of differing sequences elicited similar responses of the AMPK and mTOR networks
Psychological effects of withdrawal of growth hormone therapy from adults with growth hormone deficiency.
Get PDFObjective: Growth hormone (GH) is known to be required for physical well-being. Whilst it is also widely believed to be important for quality of life (QoL) and psychological health, there is less supportive evidence. The objective of this study was to investigate the psychological effects of discontinuation of GH replacement from adults with severe GH deficiency (GHD).
Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in which GH replacement therapy was discontinued for 3 months from 12 of 21 GH-deficient adults, where 9 continued with GH replacement.
Patients: GH-treated adults (10 men, 11 women), all with severe GHD (peak GH
Measurements: Semi-structured interviews were given at baseline and end-point plus questionnaires that included a new hormone-deficiency specific, individualised, QoL questionnaire (HDQoL), the General Well-being Index (GWBI), the Well-being Questionnaire (W-BQ12), Short-Form 36 health status questionnaire (SF-36), the Nottingham Health Profile NHP) and the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ).
Results: Three months after baseline the serum total IGF-I of placebo-treated patients fell from normal, age related levels (mean 26.6 ± 13.2 nmol/ L) to levels indicative of severe GHD (11.6 ± 6.6 nmol/ L) (P
Conclusion: Withdrawal of GH-treatment from adults with severe GHD has detrimental psychological effects
Southern hemisphere atmospheric circulation: Impacts on Antarctic climate and reconstructions from Antarctic ice core data
Get PDFThe official pulished version can be accessed from the DOI below - Copyright @ 2010 Springer VerlagThe atmospheric circulation patterns in the Southern Hemisphere have had a significant impact on the climate of the Antarctic and
there is much evidence that these circulation patterns have changed in the
recent past. This change is thought to have contributed to the warming trend observed at the Antarctic Peninsula over the last 50 years - one of the largest trends observed in this period on the planet. The trends associated with the continental Antarctic climate are less clear but are likely to be
impacted less directly by atmospheric circulation changes. The circulation
changes can be put into the context of longer timescales by considering atmospheric circulation reconstructions that have been performed using data from Antarctic ice cores. In this review paper we look at the main body of work examining: Antarctic climate trends; the understanding and impact
of atmospheric circulation of the mid- to high-latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere; and the usefulness and reliability of atmospheric circulation reconstructions from Antarctic ice core data. Finally, beyond several of the more quantitative reconstructions, it is deemed that an assessment of their consistency is not possible due to the variety of circulation characteristics that the various reconstructions consider
'Everyday memory' impairments in autism spectrum disorders
Get PDFâEveryday memoryâ is conceptualised as memory within the context of day-to-day life and, despite its functional relevance, has been little studied in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In the first study of its kind, 94 adolescents with an ASD and 55 without an ASD completed measures of everyday memory from the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT) and a standard word recall task (Childrenâs Auditory Verbal Learning Test-2: CAVLT-2). The ASD group showed significant impairments on the RBMT, including in prospective memory, alongside impaired performance on the CAVLT-2. Social and communication ability was significantly associated with prospective remembering in an everyday memory context but not with the CAVLT-2. The complex nature of everyday memory and its relevance to ASD is discussed
Ovine pedomics : the first study of the ovine foot 16S rRNA-based microbiome
Get PDFWe report the first study of the bacterial microbiome of ovine interdigital skin based on 16S rRNA by pyrosequencing and conventional cloning with Sanger-sequencing. Three flocks were selected, one a flock with no signs of footrot or interdigital dermatitis, a second flock with interdigital dermatitis alone and a third flock with both interdigital dermatitis and footrot. The sheep were classified as having either healthy interdigital skin (H), interdigital dermatitis (ID) or virulent footrot (VFR). The ovine interdigital skin bacterial community varied significantly by flock and clinical condition. The diversity and richness of operational taxonomic units was greater in tissue from sheep with ID than H or VFR affected sheep. Actinobacteria, Bacteriodetes, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla comprising 25 genera. Peptostreptococcus, Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus were associated with H, ID and VFR respectively. Sequences of Dichelobacter nodosus, the causal agent of ovine footrot, were not amplified due to mismatches in the 16S rRNA universal forward primer (27F). A specific real time PCR assay was used to demonstrate the presence of D. nodosus which was detected in all samples including the flock with no signs of ID or VFR. Sheep with ID had significantly higher numbers of D. nodosus (104-109 cells/g tissue) than those with H or VFR feet
Quantifying trends in disease impact to produce a consistent and reproducible definition of an emerging infectious disease.
Get PDFThe proper allocation of public health resources for research and control requires quantification of both a disease's current burden and the trend in its impact. Infectious diseases that have been labeled as "emerging infectious diseases" (EIDs) have received heightened scientific and public attention and resources. However, the label 'emerging' is rarely backed by quantitative analysis and is often used subjectively. This can lead to over-allocation of resources to diseases that are incorrectly labelled "emerging," and insufficient allocation of resources to diseases for which evidence of an increasing or high sustained impact is strong. We suggest a simple quantitative approach, segmented regression, to characterize the trends and emergence of diseases. Segmented regression identifies one or more trends in a time series and determines the most statistically parsimonious split(s) (or joinpoints) in the time series. These joinpoints in the time series indicate time points when a change in trend occurred and may identify periods in which drivers of disease impact change. We illustrate the method by analyzing temporal patterns in incidence data for twelve diseases. This approach provides a way to classify a disease as currently emerging, re-emerging, receding, or stable based on temporal trends, as well as to pinpoint the time when the change in these trends happened. We argue that quantitative approaches to defining emergence based on the trend in impact of a disease can, with appropriate context, be used to prioritize resources for research and control. Implementing this more rigorous definition of an EID will require buy-in and enforcement from scientists, policy makers, peer reviewers and journal editors, but has the potential to improve resource allocation for global health
The ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs) family
Get PDFThe ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs) enzymes are secreted, multi-domain matrix-associated zinc metalloendopeptidases that have diverse roles in tissue morphogenesis and patho-physiological remodeling, in inflammation and in vascular biology. The human family includes 19 members that can be sub-grouped on the basis of their known substrates, namely the aggrecanases or proteoglycanases (ADAMTS1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15 and 20), the procollagen N-propeptidases (ADAMTS2, 3 and 14), the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein-cleaving enzymes (ADAMTS7 and 12), the von-Willebrand Factor proteinase (ADAMTS13) and a group of orphan enzymes (ADAMTS6, 10, 16, 17, 18 and 19). Control of the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a central theme of the biology of the ADAMTS, as exemplified by the actions of the procollagen-N-propeptidases in collagen fibril assembly and of the aggrecanases in the cleavage or modification of ECM proteoglycans. Defects in certain family members give rise to inherited genetic disorders, while the aberrant expression or function of others is associated with arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disease. In particular, ADAMTS4 and 5 have emerged as therapeutic targets in arthritis. Multiple ADAMTSs from different sub-groupings exert either positive or negative effects on tumorigenesis and metastasis, with both metalloproteinase-dependent and -independent actions known to occur. The basic ADAMTS structure comprises a metalloproteinase catalytic domain and a carboxy-terminal ancillary domain, the latter determining substrate specificity and the localization of the protease and its interaction partners; ancillary domains probably also have independent biological functions. Focusing primarily on the aggrecanases and proteoglycanases, this review provides a perspective on the evolution of the ADAMTS family, their links with developmental and disease mechanisms, and key questions for the future
Vascular responses of the extremities to transdermal application of vasoactive agents in Caucasian and African descent individuals
Get PDFThis is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Springer in European Journal of Applied Physiology on 04/04/2015, available online: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3164-2
The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.© 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Purpose: Individuals of African descent (AFD) are more susceptible to non-freezing cold injury than Caucasians (CAU) which may be due, in part, to differences in the control of skin blood flow. We investigated the skin blood flow responses to transdermal application of vasoactive agents. Methods: Twenty-four young males (12 CAU and 12 AFD) undertook three tests in which iontophoresis was used to apply acetylcholine (ACh 1 w/v %), sodium nitroprusside (SNP 0.01 w/v %) and noradrenaline (NA 0.5 mM) to the skin. The skin sites tested were: volar forearm, non-glabrous finger and toe, and glabrous finger (pad) and toe (pad). Results: In response to SNP on the forearm, AFD had less vasodilatation for a given current application than CAU (P = 0.027â0.004). ACh evoked less vasodilatation in AFD for a given application current in the non-glabrous finger and toe compared with CAU (P = 0.043â0.014) with a lower maximum vasodilatation in the non-glabrous finger (median [interquartile], AFD n = 11, 41[234] %, CAU n = 12, 351[451] %, P = 0.011) and non-glabrous toe (median [interquartile], AFD n = 9, 116[318] %, CAU n = 12, 484[720] %, P = 0.018). ACh and SNP did not elicit vasodilatation in the glabrous skin sites of either group. There were no ethnic differences in response to NA. Conclusion: AFD have an attenuated endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in non-glabrous sites of the fingers and toes compared with CAU. This may contribute to lower skin temperature following cold exposure and the increased risk of cold injuries experienced by AFD.Published versio
Increasing the potential for malaria elimination by targeting zoophilic vectors
Get PDFCountries in the Asia Pacific region aim to eliminate malaria by 2030. A cornerstone of malaria elimination is the effective management of Anopheles mosquito vectors. Current control tools such as insecticide treated nets or indoor residual sprays target mosquitoes in human dwellings. We find in a high transmission region in India, malaria vector populations show a high propensity to feed on livestock (cattle) and rest in outdoor structures such as cattle shelters. We also find evidence for a shift in vector species complex towards increased zoophilic behavior in recent years. Using a malaria transmission model we demonstrate that in such regions dominated by zoophilic vectors, existing vector control tactics will be insufficient to achieve elimination, even if maximized. However, by increasing mortality in the zoophilic cycle, the elimination threshold can be reached. Current national vector control policy in India restricts use of residual insecticide sprays to domestic dwellings. Our study suggests substantial benefits of extending the approach to treatment of cattle sheds, or deploying other tactics that target zoophilic behavior. Optimizing use of existing tools will be essential to achieving the ambitious 2030 elimination target
- âŠ
