Exploring Yoga as a Holistic Lifestyle for Sustainable Human and Environmental Health

Improved health indicators, mental and physical health outcomes, and sustainable lifestyle practices have been found among yoga practitioners. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of mixed styles of yoga practice on the health and behaviors of yoga practitioners. The relationship between yoga and body mass index (BMI), self-reported disease diagnosis, participation in other types of physical activity, adoption of healthy and sustainable lifestyle and dietary behaviors, perceived improvements in medical conditions that yoga was used to treat, quality of life resulting from yoga practice, and the reasons for beginning and continuing yoga were observed and tested in this study. Participants (N = 383) were adult yoga practitioners who were recruited using systematic sampling in Facebook social media. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, ANOVA, McNemar Chi square, and Spearman\u27s correlation. Mean BMI for all yoga styles were in the normal range; however, ashtanga yoga was a significant predictor of low BMI. Self-reported disease diagnosis was significantly lower after beginning yoga practice. The majority of participants also engaged in other types of physical activity and adopted many healthy lifestyle practices. However, general/hatha and other styles of yoga were associated with adopting a greater number of other physical activities and general/hatha, ashtanga, and yoga therapy styles were associated with adopting a greater number of healthy and sustainable lifestyle and dietary behaviors. Medical conditions that yoga was used to treat and quality of life were perceived to be improved as a result of yoga practice. Results of this study confirm previous research findings that demonstrate numerous positive health outcomes from yoga practice

An RNAi-based system for loss-of-function analysis identifies Raf1 as a crucial mediator of BCR-ABL - Driven leukemogenesis

Genetic loss-of-function studies in murine tumor models have been essential in the analysis of downstream mediators of oncogenic transformation. Unfortunately, these studies are frequently limited by the availability of genetically modified mouse strains. Here we describe a versatile method allowing the efficient expression of an oncogene and simultaneous knockdown of targets of interest (TOI) from a single retroviral vector. Both oncogene and TOI-specific miR30-based shRNA are under the control of the strong viral long terminal repeat promoter, resulting in a single shared RNA transcript. Using this vector in a murine syngeneic BM transplantation model for BCR-ABL - induced chronic myeloid leukemia, we find that oncogene expression andtargetknockdownin primary hematopoietic cells with this vector is efficient both in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrate that Raf1, but not BRAF, modulates BCR-ABL - dependent ERK activation and transformation of hematopoietic cells. This expression system could facilitate genetic loss-of-function studies and allow the rapid validation of potential drug targets in a broad range of oncogene-driven murine tumor models. © 2011 by The American Society of Hematology

Resolution of Ultramicroscopy and Field of View Analysis

In a recent publication we described a microscopical technique called Ultramicroscopy, combined with a histological procedure that makes biological samples transparent. With this combination we can gather three-dimensional image data of large biological samples. Here we present the theoretical analysis of the z-resolution. By analyzing the cross-section of the illuminating sheet of light we derive resolution values according to the Rayleigh-criterion. Next we investigate the resolution adjacent to the focal point of the illumination beam, analyze throughout what extend the illumination beam is of acceptable sharpness and investigate the resolution improvements caused by the objective lens. Finally we conclude with a useful rule for the sampling rates. These findings are of practical importance for researchers working with Ultramicroscopy to decide on adequate sampling rates. They are also necessary to modify deconvolution techniques to gain further image improvements