24-Week β-alanine ingestion does not affect muscle taurine or clinical blood parameters in healthy males

Purpose: To investigate the effects of chronic beta-alanine (BA) supplementation on muscle taurine content, blood clinical markers and sensory side-effects. Methods: Twenty-five healthy male participants (age 27±4 years, height 1.75±0.09 m, body mass 78.9±11.7 kg) were supplemented with 6.4 g day−1 of sustained-release BA (N=16; CarnoSyn™, NAI, USA) or placebo (PL; N=9; maltodextrin) for 24 weeks. Resting muscle biopsies of the m. vastus lateralis were taken at 0, 12 and 24 weeks and analysed for taurine content (BA, N=12; PL, N=6) using high-performance liquid chromatography. Resting venous blood samples were taken every 4 weeks and analysed for markers of renal, hepatic and muscle function (BA, N=15; PL, N=8; aspartate transaminase; alanine aminotransferase; alkaline phosphatase; lactate dehydrogenase; albumin; globulin; creatinine; estimated glomerular filtration rate and creatine kinase). Results :There was a significant main effect of group (p=0.04) on muscle taurine, with overall lower values in PL, although there was no main effect of time or interaction effect (both p>0.05) and no differences between specific timepoints (week 0, BA: 33.67±8.18 mmol kg−1 dm, PL: 27.75±4.86 mmol kg−1 dm; week 12, BA: 35.93±8.79 mmol kg−1 dm, PL: 27.67±4.75 mmol kg−1 dm; week 24, BA: 35.42±6.16 mmol kg−1 dm, PL: 31.99±5.60 mmol kg−1 dm). There was no effect of treatment, time or any interaction effects on any blood marker (all p>0.05) and no self-reported side-effects in these participants throughout the study. Conclusions: The current study showed that 24 weeks of BA supplementation at 6.4 g day−1 did not significantly affect muscle taurine content, clinical markers of renal, hepatic and muscle function, nor did it result in chronic sensory side-effects, in healthy individuals. Since athletes are likely to engage in chronic supplementation, these data provide important evidence to suggest that supplementation with BA at these doses for up to 24 weeks is safe for healthy individuals

Beta-alanine did not improve high-intensity performance throughout simulated road cycling

This study investigated the effect of beta-alanine supplementation on short-duration sprints and final 4-km simulated uphill cycling time-trial performance during a comprehensive and novel exercise protocol representative of the demands of road-race cycling, and determined if changes were related to increases in muscle carnosine content. Seventeen cyclists (age 38 ± 9 y, height 1.76 ± 0.07 m, body mass 71.4 ± 8.8 kg, V̇O2max 52.4 ± 8.3 ml·kg−1·min−1) participated in this placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Cyclists undertook a prolonged intermittent cycling protocol lasting 125 min, with a 10-s sprint every 20 min, finishing with a 4-km time-trial at 5% simulated incline. Participants completed two familiarization sessions, and two main sessions, one pre-supplementation and one post-supplementation following 28 days of 6.4 g·day−1 of beta-alanine (N=11) or placebo (N=6; maltodextrin). Muscle biopsies obtained pre- and post-supplementation were analysed for muscle carnosine content. There were no main effects on sprint performance throughout the intermittent cycling test (all P>0.05). There was no group (P=0.69), time (P=0.50) or group x time interaction (P=0.26) on time-to-complete the 4-km time-trial. Time-to-completion did not change from pre- to post-supplementation for BA (−19.2 ± 45.6 s, P=0.43) or PL (+2.8 ± 31.6 s, P=0.99). Beta-alanine supplementation increased muscle carnosine content from pre- to post-supplementation (+9.4 ± 4.0 mmol·kg−1dm; P10 min) high-intensity activity throughout endurance cycling may not be improved with beta-alanine supplementation despite increases in muscle carnosine content

Reproducibility of heart rate recovery in patients with intermittent claudication

Background: Postexercise heart rate recovery (HRR) is a non-invasive tool for cardiac autonomic function assessment. Reproducibility of HRR has been established in healthy subjects; however, no study has evaluated this reproducibility in clinical populations who may present autonomic dysfunction. Patients with peripheral artery disease and intermittent claudication (IC) often present altered cardiac autonomic function and HRR could be an interesting tool for evaluating autonomic responses to interventions in this population. Therefore, the reproducibility of HRR should be determined in this specific population. Objective: To determine the reproducibility of HRR indices in patients with IC. Methods: Nineteen men with IC underwent two repeated maximal treadmill tests. Raw HR and relative HRR (difference to exercise peak) indices measured at 30, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300s of recovery were evaluated. The presence of systematic bias was assessed by comparing test and retest mean values via paired t-test. Reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and agreement by typical error (TE), coefficient of variation (CV) and minimal detectable difference (MDD). Results: There were no significant differences between the test and retest values of all raw HR and relative HRR indices (P ≥ 0·05), except for HR120s (P = 0·032). All indices exhibited excellent reliability (ICC ≥ 0·78). Raw HR and relative HRR indices showed TEs ≤ 6·4 bpm and MDDs ≤ 17·8 bpm. In addition, all indices showed CVs ≤ 13·2%, except HRR30s (CV = 45·6%). Conclusions: The current results demonstrated that most HRR indices were highly reproducible with no systematic error, excellent reliability and good agreement in patients with IC following maximal graded exercise

GW190412: Observation of a Binary-Black-Hole Coalescence with Asymmetric Masses

We report the observation of gravitational waves from a binary-black-hole coalescence during the first two weeks of LIGO’s and Virgo’s third observing run. The signal was recorded on April 12, 2019 at 05∶30∶44 UTC with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 19. The binary is different from observations during the first two observing runs most notably due to its asymmetric masses: a ∼30 M_⊙ black hole merged with a ∼8 M_⊙ black hole companion. The more massive black hole rotated with a dimensionless spin magnitude between 0.22 and 0.60 (90% probability). Asymmetric systems are predicted to emit gravitational waves with stronger contributions from higher multipoles, and indeed we find strong evidence for gravitational radiation beyond the leading quadrupolar order in the observed signal. A suite of tests performed on GW190412 indicates consistency with Einstein’s general theory of relativity. While the mass ratio of this system differs from all previous detections, we show that it is consistent with the population model of stellar binary black holes inferred from the first two observing runs

GW190412: observation of a binary-black-hole coalescence with asymmetric masses

We report the observation of gravitational waves from a binary-black-hole coalescence during the first two weeks of LIGO’s and Virgo’s third observing run. The signal was recorded on April 12, 2019 at 05∶30∶44 UTC with a network signal-to-noise ratio of 19. The binary is different from observations during the first two observing runs most notably due to its asymmetric masses: a ∼30 M⊙ black hole merged with a ∼8 M⊙ black hole companion. The more massive black hole rotated with a dimensionless spin magnitude between 0.22 and 0.60 (90% probability). Asymmetric systems are predicted to emit gravitational waves with stronger contributions from higher multipoles, and indeed we find strong evidence for gravitational radiation beyond the leading quadrupolar order in the observed signal. A suite of tests performed on GW190412 indicates consistency with Einstein’s general theory of relativity. While the mass ratio of this system differs from all previous detections, we show that it is consistent with the population model of stellar binary black holes inferred from the first two observing runs

Attitudes of medical students to necropsy

Aim-To compare the attitudes of students towards the necropsy at different stages of their undergraduate career. Method-Students in the first, fourth and sixth academic years (n = 283) were asked to respond anonymously to a questionnaire comprised of 26 attitude statements. These statements dealt with the importance of the necropsy in medicine, rapport with the bereaved family and emotional reactions to the necropsy. Results-Of the students, 226 (80%) completed the questionnaire. Overall, the students agreed on the importance of the necropsy. The three groups differed in 10 statements on the approach to the bereaved family and emotional reactions to the necropsy. First year students showed more personal involvement and would have more difficulties in approaching the family of the deceased as well as in attending a necropsy. These reactions were increasingly less noticeable with fourth and sixth year students. The latter group was also more inclined to accept cremation, organ donation and necropsy of their own corpses. Conclusion-The changes in attitudes towards the necropsy throughout undergraduate study may reflect both the influence of psychological defense mechanisms and the viewing of necropsy as a relevant tool in medical practice. Necropsy should be carefully and sensitively incorporated into programmes designed to teach students about death and dying. This might reduce both their reluctance to seek permission for necropsy and their difficulty in looking after the dying patient.501646

Beta-alanine did not improve high-intensity performance throughout simulated road cycling

This study investigated the effect of beta-alanine supplementation on short-duration sprints and final 4-km simulated uphill cycling time-trial performance during a comprehensive and novel exercise protocol representative of the demands of road-race cycling, and determined if changes were related to increases in muscle carnosine content. Seventeen cyclists (age 38 ± 9 y, height 1.76 ± 0.07 m, body mass 71.4 ± 8.8 kg, V̇O2max 52.4 ± 8.3 ml·kg-1·min-1) participated in this placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Cyclists undertook a prolonged intermittent cycling protocol lasting 125 minutes, with a 10-s sprint every 20 minutes, finishing with a 4-km time-trial at 5% simulated incline. Participants completed two familiarization sessions, and two main sessions, one pre-supplementation and one post-supplementation following 28 days of 6.4 g·day-1 of beta-alanine (N=11) or placebo (N=6; maltodextrin). Muscle biopsies obtained pre- and post-supplementation were analysed for muscle carnosine content. There were no main effects on sprint performance throughout the intermittent cycling test (all P>0.05). There was no group (P=0.69), time (P=0.50) or group x time interaction (P=0.26) on time-to-complete the 4-km time-trial. Time-to-completion did not change from pre- to post-supplementation for BA (-19.2 ± 45.6 s, P=0.43) or PL (+2.8 ± 31.6 s, P=0.99). Beta-alanine did not influence blood lactate values or ratings of perceived exertion during the prolonged cycling test. Beta-alanine supplementation increased muscle carnosine content from pre- to post-supplementation (+9.4 ± 4.0 mmol·kg-1dm;

P16(INK4a) expression as a potential prognostic marker in cervical pre-neoplastic and neoplastic lesions

An immunohistochemical analysis with monoclonal antibody p16(INK4), was performed in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of 60 cases. the aim was to investigate in biopsies the expression of p16(INK4a) of normal uterine cervical tissue, pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions, and their relation with human papilloma virus (HPV) and HIV status. Three parameters were evaluated: percentage of p16(INK4a) positive cells, reaction intensity, and cell staining pattern. All of these parameters were statistically different when compared among different histological groups. However, logistic regression model showed that the reaction intensity was the best indicator of the expression of p16(INK4a). This expression increases from normal to invasive squamous carcinoma. Sixty-six percent of the patients with CIN grade 1 (CIN1) expressed p16(INK4a) (all these cases were infected with high risk HPV). Our study supports the hypothesis that p16(INK4a) expression in pre-cancerous lesions and cancers can be used to identify HPV-transformed cells. of great interest for routine diagnostic use is the fact that immunohistochemical testing for p16(INK4a) seems to be capable of identifying HPV-positive cells and potentially recognizing those lesions with an increased risk of progression to high-grade lesions. (c) 2005 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.Univ Fed Bahia, Sch Med, Dept Gynecol & Obstet, BR-40210 Salvador, BA, BrazilUniv Fed Bahia, Sch Med, Dept Pathol, BR-40210 Salvador, BA, BrazilFiocruz MS, Oswaldo Cruz Fdn, Goncalo Moniz Res Ctr, Salvador, BA, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Adolfo Lutz Inst, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilLudwig Inst Canc Res, Dept Virol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Adolfo Lutz Inst, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc