AH Method: a novel routine for vicinity examination of the optimum found with a genetic algorithm

The paper presents a novel heuristic procedure (further called the AH Method) to investigate function shape in the direct vicinity of the found optimum solution. The survey is conducted using only the space sampling collected during the optimization process with an evolutionary algorithm. For this purpose the finite model of point-set is considered. The statistical analysis of the sampling quality based upon the coverage of the points in question over the entire attraction region is exploited. The tolerance boundaries of the parameters are determined for the user-specified increase of the objective function value above the found minimum. The presented test-case data prove that the proposed approach is comparable to other optimum neighborhood examination algorithms. Also, the AH Method requires noticeably shorter computational time than its counterparts. This is achieved by a repeated, second use of points from optimization without additional objective function calls, as well as significant repository size reduction during preprocessing

AH Method: a novel routine for vicinity examination of the optimum found with a genetic algorithm

The paper presents a novel heuristic procedure (further called the AH Method) to investigate function shape in the direct vicinity of the found optimum solution. The survey is conducted using only the space sampling collected during the optimization process with an evolutionary algorithm. For this purpose the finite model of point-set is considered. The statistical analysis of the sampling quality based upon the coverage of the points in question over the entire attraction region is exploited. The tolerance boundaries of the parameters are determined for the user-specified increase of the objective function value above the found minimum. The presented test-case data prove that the proposed approach is comparable to other optimum neighborhood examination algorithms. Also, the AH Method requires noticeably shorter computational time than its counterparts. This is achieved by a repeated, second use of points from optimization without additional objective function calls, as well as significant repository size reduction during preprocessing

Beneficial effect of voluntary exercise on experimental colitis in mice fed a high-fat diet : the role of irisin, adiponectin and proinflammatory biomarkers

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a heterogeneous group of disorders exhibited by two major phenotypic forms: Crohn‘s disease and ulcerative colitis. Although the aetiology of IBD is unknown, several factors coming from the adipose tissue and skeletal muscles, such as cytokines, adipokines and myokines, were suggested in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis; however, it has not been extensively studied whether voluntary exercise can ameliorate that disorder. We explored the effect of moderate exercise (i.e., voluntary wheel running) on the disease activity index (DAI), colonic blood flow (CBF), plasma irisin and adiponectin levels and real-time PCR expression of proinflammatory markers in mesenteric fat in mice with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis fed a high-fat diet (HFD) compared to those on a standard chow diet (SD). Macroscopic and microscopic colitis in sedentary SD mice was accompanied by a significant fall in CBF, some increase in colonic tissue weight and a significant increase in the plasma levels of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-6, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and IL-13 (p < 0.05). In sedentary HFD mice, colonic lesions were aggravated, colonic tissue weight increased and the plasma TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, IL-1β and leptin levels significantly increased. Simultaneously, a significant decrease in the plasma irisin and adiponectin levels was observed in comparison with SD mice (p < 0.05). Exercise significantly decreased macroscopic and microscopic colitis, substantially increased CBF and attenuated the plasma TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, IL-1β and leptin levels while raising the plasma irisin and the plasma and WAT concentrations of adiponectin in HFD mice (p < 0.05). We conclude that: (1) experimental colitis is exacerbated in HFD mice, possibly due to a fall in colonic microcirculation and an increase in the plasma and mesenteric fat content of proinflammatory biomarkers; and (2) voluntary physical activity can attenuate the severity of colonic damage in mice fed a HFD through the release of protective irisin and restoration of plasma adiponectin

Changes in morphological and cytological properties of blood during physical exercise in water at 4o^{o}C and 25o^{o}C

Praca recenzowana / peer-reviewed paperObjective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of a single swimming exercise till exhaustion, in water on the morphological and cytological blood parameters in laboratory rats. Methods: The experiment involved 60 male rats from the Wistar strain, aged 8 weeks and 36 weeks. The animals were separated into 6 groups: 3 groups (I, II, III) of 8-week old animals, and 3 groups (IV, V, VI) of 36-week old animals. The rats in the study groups i.e. II, III, V, and VI were made to swim till exhaustion in water at 4ºC and at 25°C. After the experiment blood samples were collected from each rat and hematological and cytological determinations were completed for each sample. Results: Compared with the control group, in the rats from group II (8-week old, swimming in water at 4ºC) a significant increase was noted in the RBC count, Hb, Ht, and MCHC, and MCH indices, whereas in the rats from group V (36-week old, swimming in water at 4ºC) increases were noted in the MCHC and MCH indices (again when compared with the control group). In the rats from group III (8-week old, swimming in water at 25ºC), compared with the control group, significant increases were noted in the Hb and Ht parameters, as well as in the MCHC, and MCH indices, whereas in the group VI rats (36-week old swimming at 25ºC) – the increase was noted in the MCHC index. No alterations were found in the reticulocyte count, and in poikilocytes during exercise in water at low temperatures in either the 8-week or 36-week old rats. Conclusions: The increases in the majority of blood parameters, testifies to the dehydration of the body during physical exercise which in turn affects the microcirculation function. The lack of alterations in the reticulocyte count in the peripheral blood may, in turn, testify to the ineffectiveness of low temperature during exercise upon the function of the bone marrow

Effect of forced physical activity on the severity of experimental colitis in normal weight and obese mice : involvement of oxidative stress and proinflammatory biomarkers

Inflammatory bowel diseases are a heterogeneous group of disorders represented by two major phenotypic forms, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Cross talk between adipokines and myokines, as well as changes in intestinal microcirculation, was proposed in pathogenesis of these disorders. C57BL/6 male mice were fed ad libitum for 12 weeks a standard (SD) or high-fat diet (HFD). After the adaptation period, two groups of animals fed SD or HFD were subjected to 6 weeks of the forced treadmill exercise and the experimental colitis was induced in both groups of sedentary and exercising mice fed SD and HFD by intra-colonic administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The disease activity index (DAI), colonic blood flow (CBF), the weight of animals, caloric intake, the mesenteric fad pad, the colonic oxidative stress markers malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and intestinal expression and protein content of proinflammatory markers were evaluated. Macroscopic and microscopic colitis in sedentary SD mice was accompanied by a significant fall in CBF and exacerbated in those fed a HFD. The contents of MDA, GSH, and SOD activity were significantly increased in both SD and HFD fed mice with treadmill exercise as compared with sedentary mice. In sedentary HFD mice a significant increase in the intestinal oxidative stress parameters and mucosal expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-17, IFNγ, IL-6, and IL-10 protein were observed and these effects were aggravated in mice subjected to forced treadmill exercise. The mucosal expression of mRNA for TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, COX-2, SOD-1, SOD-2, GPx mRNAs, and the hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1α protein expression were upregulated in colonic mucosa of treadmill exercising HFD mice with colitis compared with those without exercise. We conclude that forced treadmill running exacerbates the severity of colonic damage in obese mice due to a fall in colonic microcirculation, an increase in oxidative stress, and the rise in expression and activity of proinflammatory biomarkers