78 research outputs found
Проблемність законодавчого забезпечення працевлаштування молоді
RATIONALE: Neovascularization stimulated by local or recruited stem cells after ischemia is a key process that salvages damaged tissue and shows similarities with embryonic vascularization. Apelin receptor (Aplnr) and its endogenous ligand apelin play an important role in cardiovascular development. However, the role of apelin signaling in stem cell recruitment after ischemia is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of apelin signaling in recruitment after ischemia. METHODS AND RESULTS: Aplnr was specifically expressed in circulating cKit+/Flk1+ cells but not in circulating Sca1+/Flk1+ and Lin+ cells. cKit+/Flk1+/Aplnr+ cells increased significantly early after myocardial ischemia but not after hind limb ischemia, indicative of an important role for apelin/Aplnr in cell recruitment during the nascent biological repair response after myocardial damage. In line with this finding, apelin expression was upregulated in the infarcted myocardium. Injection of apelin into the ischemic myocardium resulted in accelerated and increased recruitment of cKit+/Flk1+/Aplnr+ cells to the heart. Recruited Aplnr+/cKit+/Flk1+ cells promoted neovascularization in the peri-infarct area by paracrine activity rather than active transdifferentiation, resulting into cardioprotection as indicated by diminished scar formation and improved residual cardiac function. Aplnr knockdown in the bone marrow resulted in aggravation of myocardial ischemia-associated damage, which could not be rescued by apelin. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that apelin functions as a new and potent chemoattractant for circulating cKit+/Flk1+/Aplnr+ cells during early myocardial repair, providing myocardial protection against ischemic damage by improving neovascularization via paracine action
Resveratrol Effects on Astrocyte Function: Relevance to Neurodegenerative Diseases
Inflammatory molecules have been implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Resveratrol is an antifungal compound found in the skins of red grapes and other fruits and nuts. We examined the ability of resveratrol to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of inflammatory molecules from primary mouse astrocytes. Resveratrol inhibited LPS-induced production of nitric oxide (NO); the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1-beta (IL-1β), and IL-6; and the chemokine monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), which play critical roles in innate immunity, by astrocytes. Resveratrol also suppressed astrocyte production of IL-12p40 and IL-23, which are known to alter the phenotype of T cells involved in adaptive immunity. Finally resveratrol inhibited astrocyte production of C-reactive protein (CRP), which plays a role in a variety of chronic inflammatory disorders. Collectively, these studies suggest that resveratrol may be an effective therapeutic agent in neurodegenerative diseases initiated or maintained by inflammatory processes
Left-Ventricular Remodeling After Myocardial Infarction Is Associated with a Cardiomyocyte-Specific Hypothyroid Condition
Abstract
Similarities in cardiac gene expression in hypothyroidism and left ventricular (LV) pathological remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) suggest a role for impaired cardiac thyroid hormone (TH) signaling in the development of heart failure. Increased ventricular activity of the TH-degrading enzyme type 3 deiodinase (D3) is recognized as a potential cause. In the present study, we investigated the cardiac expression and activity of D3 over an 8-wk period after MI in C57Bl/6J mice. Pathological remodeling of the noninfarcted part of the LV was evident from cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and impairment of contractility. These changes were maximal and stable from the first week onward, as was the degree of LV dilation. A strong induction of D3 activity was found, which was similarly stable for the period examined. Plasma T4 levels were transiently decreased at 1 wk after MI, but T3 levels remained normal. The high D3 activity was associated with increased D3 mRNA expression at 1 but not at 4 and 8 wk after MI. Immunohistochemistry localized D3 protein to cardiomyocytes. In vivo measurement of TH-dependent transcription activity in cardiomyocytes using a luciferase reporter assay indicated a 48% decrease in post-MI mice relative to sham-operated animals, and this was associated with a 50% decrease in LV tissue T3 concentration. In conclusion, pathological ventricular remodeling after MI in the mouse leads to high and stable induction of D3 activity in cardiomyocytes and a local hypothyroid condition
Orphan nuclear receptor Nur77 affects cardiomyocyte calcium homeostasis and adverse cardiac remodelling
Distinct stressors may induce heart failure. As compensation, β-adrenergic stimulation enhances myocardial contractility by elevating cardiomyocyte intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i). However, chronic β-adrenergic stimulation promotes adverse cardiac remodelling. Cardiac expression of nuclear receptor Nur77 is enhanced by β-adrenergic stimulation, but its role in cardiac remodelling is still unclear. We show high and rapid Nur77 upregulation in cardiomyocytes stimulated with β-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. Nur77 knockdown in culture resulted in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. Ventricular cardiomyocytes from Nur77-deficient (Nur77-KO) mice exhibited elevated diastolic and systolic [Ca2+]i and prolonged action potentials compared to wild type (WT). In vivo, these differences resulted in larger cardiomyocytes, increased expression of hypertrophic genes
The Interaction between the Aggregate Behaviour of Technical Trading Systems and Stock Price Dynamics
This study analyses the interaction between the aggregate trading behaviour of technical models and stock price fluctuations in the S&P 500 futures market. It examines 2,580 widely used trading systems based on 30-minutes prices. The sample comprises trend-following as well as contrarian models. It shows that technical trading exerts an excess demand pressure on the stock market. This is because technical models produce clusters of trading signals that are on the same side of the market, either buying or selling. Initial stock price changes triggered by news are strengthened by a sequence of trading signals produced by trend-following models. Once 90 percent of the models have signalled a particular position, stock prices tend to move in the direction congruent with the position-holding of the models. This phenomenon has to be attributed to the transactions of non-technical traders, perhaps amateurs. Once price movements lose their momentum, contrarian technical models contribute to reversals of the trend
The Profitability of Technical Stock Trading has Moved from Daily to Intraday Data
This paper investigates how technical trading systems exploit the momentum and reversal effects in the S&P 500 spot and futures market. The former is exploited by trend-following models, the latter by contrarian models. In total, the performance of 2,580 widely used models is analysed. When based on daily data, the profitability of technical stock trading has steadily declined since 1960 and has become unprofitable over the 1990s. However, when based on 30-minutes data the same models produce an average gross return of 8.8 percent per year between 1983 and 2000. These results do not change substantially when trading is simulated over six subperiods. Those 25 models which performed best over the most recent subperiod produce a significantly higher gross return over the subsequent subperiod than do all models together. Over the out-of-sample period 2001-2006 the 2,580 models perform much worse than between 1983 and 2000. This result could be due to stock markets becoming more efficient or to stock price trends shifting from 30-minutes prices to prices of higher frequencies
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