14,918 research outputs found
Synthetic and Complex Media for the Rapid Detection of Fluorescence of Phytopathogenic Pseudomonads: Effect of the Carbon Source
Get PDFFluorescence is of diagnostic value for differentiating among species of aerobic pseudomonads (R. Y. Stanier, N. J. Palleroni, and M. Doudoroff, J. Gen. Microbiol. 43:159, 1966). The standard medium for detecting fluorescence is Medium B (E. 0. King, M. K. Ward, and D. E. Raney, J. Lab. Clin. Med. 44:301, 1954), which supports fluorescent pigment production of most pseudomonads tested (0. Jessen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and other green fluorescent pseudomonads, A taxonomic study, Munksgaard, Copenhagen, 1965; R. Y. Stanier et al., J. Gen. Microbiol. 43:159, 1966). Minerals (J. V. King, J. J. R. Campbell, and B. A. Eagles, Can. J. Res. C 26:514, 1948), amino acids (J. De Ley, Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 18:17, 1964), and peptones (E. 0. King et al., J. Lab. Clin. Med. 44:301, 1954) affect fluorescence. The effect of carbon sources had not been shown. Although glycerol, glucose, or maltose can be used interchangeably in Medium B for detecting fluorescence of most fluorescent pseudomonads, this report shows that these carbon sources are not equivalent for phytopathogenic pseudomonads
Optimal voxel size for measuring global gray and white matter proton metabolite concentrations using chemical shift imaging.
Get PDFQuantification of gray and white matter levels of spectroscopically visible metabolites can provide important insights into brain development and pathological conditions. Chemical shift imaging offers a gain in efficiency for estimation of global gray and white matter metabolite concentrations compared to single voxel methods. In the present study, the optimal voxel size is calculated from segmented human brain data and accompanying field maps. The optimal voxel size is found to be approximately 8 cc, but a wide range of values, 4-64 cc, can be chosen with little increase in estimated concentration error (<15%). Magn Reson Med 44:10-18, 2000
Comparing the content of instruments assessing environmental factors using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health
Get PDFPurpose: To describe and compare the content of instruments
that assess environmental factors using the International
Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, CINAHL and
PEDro databases was conducted using a pre-determined
search strategy. The identified instruments were screened independently
by two investigators, and meaningful concepts
were linked to the most precise ICF category according to
published linking rules.
Results: Six instruments were included, containing 526
meaningful concepts. Instruments had between 20% and
98% of items linked to categories in Chapter 1. The highest
percentage of items from one instrument linked to categories
in Chapters 2–5 varied between 9% and 50%. The presence
or absence of environmental factors in a specific context is
assessed in 3 instruments, while the other 3 assess the intensity
of the impact of environmental factors.
Discussion: Instruments differ in their content, type of assessment,
and have several items linked to the same ICF
category. Most instruments primarily assess products and
technology (Chapter 1), highlighting the need to deepen the
discussion on the theory that supports the measurement of
environmental factors. This discussion should be thorough
and lead to the development of methodologies and new tools
that capture the underlying concepts of the ICF
Acceptability of novel lifelogging technology to determine context of sedentary behaviour in older adults
Get PDF<strong>Objective:</strong> Lifelogging, using body worn sensors (activity monitors and time lapse photography) has the potential to shed light on the context of sedentary behaviour. The objectives of this study were to examine the acceptability, to older adults, of using lifelogging technology and indicate its usefulness for understanding behaviour.<strong> </strong><strong>Method:</strong> 6 older adults (4 males, mean age: 68yrs) wore the equipment (ActivPAL<sup>TM</sup> and Vicon Revue<sup>TM</sup>/SenseCam<sup>TM</sup>) for 7 consecutive days during free-living activity. The older adults’ perception of the lifelogging technology was assessed through semi-structured interviews, including a brief questionnaire (Likert scale), and reference to the researcher's diary. <strong>Results:</strong> Older adults in this study found the equipment acceptable to wear and it did not interfere with privacy, safety or create reactivity, but they reported problems with the actual technical functioning of the camera. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> This combination of sensors has good potential to provide lifelogging information on the context of sedentary behaviour
Cardiorespiratory fitness and aerobic performance adaptations to a 4-week sprint interval training in young healthy untrained females
Get PDFPurpose: The aim of this study was to test the effects of sprint interval training (SIT) on cardiorespiratory fitness and aerobic performance measures in young females.Methods: Eight healthy, untrained females (age 21 ± 1 years; height 165 ± 5 cm; body mass 63 ± 6 kg) completed cycling peak oxygen uptake ( V˙O2V˙O2 peak), 10-km cycling time trial (TT) and critical power (CP) tests pre- and post-SIT. SIT protocol included 4 × 30-s “all-out” cycling efforts against 7 % body mass interspersed with 4 min of active recovery performed twice per week for 4 weeks (eight sessions in total).Results: There was no significant difference in V˙O2V˙O2 peak following SIT compared to the control period (control period: 31.7 ± 3.0 ml kg−1 min−1; post-SIT: 30.9 ± 4.5 ml kg−1 min−1; p > 0.05), but SIT significantly improved time to exhaustion (TTE) (control period: 710 ± 101 s; post-SIT: 798 ± 127 s; p = 0.00), 10-km cycling TT (control period: 1055 ± 129 s; post-SIT: 997 ± 110 s; p = 0.004) and CP (control period: 1.8 ± 0.3 W kg−1; post-SIT: 2.3 ± 0.6 W kg−1; p = 0.01).Conclusions: These results demonstrate that young untrained females are responsive to SIT as measured by TTE, 10-km cycling TT and CP tests. However, eight sessions of SIT over 4 weeks are not enough to provide sufficient training stimulus to increase V˙O2V˙O2 peak
Hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance : What comes first ?
Get PDFBackground

1)	Classical explanation :
Classical explanation of diabetic pathophysiology states that obesity induced insulin resistance develops first and is followed by compensatory hyperinsulinnemia. Further insulin resistance leads to prolonged, increased secretary demand on beta cells leading to subsequent secondary beta cell failure, giving rise to hyperglycaemia and diabetes^2^.

2)	 Neurobehavioral origin hypothesis :
The Neurobehavioral origin hypothesis suggests that insulin resistance mediates a shift from muscle dependent (soldier) to brain dependent (diplomat) strategies of making a livelihood. If nutrient limitation affects intrauterine development, brain development is the least affected among all the organs^4,5^. As a result, in IUGR babies muscle weight is poor but the brain is relatively well developed. Such a person is more likely to be a successful diplomat rather than a soldier and insulin resistance is adaptive for such an individual^3^. Since insulin is involved in brain development and cognitive functions, higher levels of insulin are needed. As insulin is having strong anti-lipolytic effect, hyperinsulinnemia is followed by subsequent excess fat accumulation. Also compensatory insulin resistance is needed to avoid hypoglycemia. This hypothesis predicts a reverse order of pathophysiology i.e. primary hyperinsulinnemia followed by compensatory insulin resistance^3^

Objective-
To determine in diabetes whether hyperinsulinnemia develops first or insulin resistance develops first.

Methods :
We searched literature for studies that investigated directly or indirectly the sequence of development of hyperinsulinnemia and insulin resistance in humans and animal models from an early stage. Meta-analysis was conducted on published data.

Results-
1)	In low birth weight neonates in humans as well as in rat models, hyperinsulinnemia is found at very early stage.^6^
2)	Development of insulin resistance is preceded by hyperinsulinnemia in mice, rats as well as in humans.^7, 8^
3)	In normoglycaemic hyperinsulinemia state if insulin production is suppressed insulin sensitivity increases rapidly maintaining the normoglycaemic state.^9,10^
4)	Beta cell expansion beginning in intrauterine life is independent of glucose, Insulin and Insulin receptors.^6^


Conclusion-
All the four lines of evidence indicate that hyperinsulinnemia precedes insulin resistance supporting the predictions of neurobehavioral origin hypothesis over the orthodox view.



References :
1)	DeFronzo RA, Ferrannini E (1991). Diabetes Care 14:173-194
2)	Kruszynska YT, Olefsky JM (1996). J Investig Med 44: 413-428.
3)	Watve MG, Yajnik CY (2007). BMC Evolutionary Biology.7: 61-74.
 4) Winick M, Rosso P, Waterlow JC (1970). Exp Neurol, 26:393-400.
 5) Winick M. (1969) J Pediatr,74:667-679.
 6) Chakravarthy MV et.al. (2008) Diabetes, 57:2698-2707.
 7) Ramin A et. al. (1998) J Clin Endo and Met, 83 :1911-1915.
 8) Hansen BC (1990) Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 259: 612-617.
 9) Stanley L (1981) Life Sciences, 28: 1829-1840.
 10) Ratzmann KP et. al. (1983) Int J Obes, 7 : 453-458


Specificity and context in post-exercise recovery:it is not a one-size-fits-all approach
Get PDFThe concept of specificity of exercise prescription and training is a longstanding and widely accepted foundation of the exercise sciences. Simply, the principle holds that training adaptations are achieved relative to the stimulus applied. That is, the manipulation of training variables (e.g. intensity or loading, mode, volume and frequency) directly influences the acute training stimulus, and so the long-term adaptive response (Young et al., 2001; Bird et al., 2005). Translating this concept to practice then recommends that exercise be prescribed specific to the desired outcomes, and the more closely this is achieved, the greater the performance gain is likely to be. However, the cardiovascular and metabolic adaptations traditionally associated with long, slow distance training types, similarly achieved using high-intensity training methods (for a review see Gibala et al., 2012), highlights understanding of underlying physiology as paramount for effective training program design. Various other factors including illness, sleep and psychology also impact on the training stimulus (Halson, 2014) and must be managed collectively with appropriate post-exercise recovery to continue performance improvements and reduce overtraining and injury risks (Kenttä and Hassmén, 1998)
Multiscale Biofluidic and Nanobiotechnology Approaches for Treating Sepsis in Extracorporeal Circuits
Get PDFInfectious diseases and their pandemics periodically attract public interests due to difficulty in treating the patients and the consequent high mortality. Sepsis caused by an imbalanced systemic inflammatory response to infection often leads to organ failure and death. The current therapeutic intervention mainly includes "the sepsis bundles," antibiotics (antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal), intravenous fluids for resuscitation, and surgery, which have significantly improved the clinical outcomes in past decades; however, the patients with fulminant sepsis are still in desperate need of alternative therapeutic approaches. One of the potential supportive therapies, extracorporeal blood treatment, has emerged and been developed for improving the current therapeutic efficacy. Here, I overview how the treatment of infectious diseases has been assisted with the extracorporeal adjuvant therapy and the potential utility of various nanobiotechnology and microfluidic approaches for developing new auxiliary therapeutic methods
Advancement, Fall 1998
Full text linkAdvancement, a supplement to Bostonia magazine, provided updates on BU development activities, including major gifts and projects
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