Percent distribution of fibers according to the distribution of central nuclei per single fiber.

<p>Mean ± SEM. *, †, and §: p<0.05 vs. control muscle, type P fibers, and ∼40% central-nucleated fibers, respectively. Numbers shown in parentheses indicate the observed animal number out of 5 animals. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0034557#pone-0034557-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a> for the abbreviations.</p

Support at Work and Home: The Path to Satisfaction Through Balance

This study examines social support (from both coworkers and partners) and its path to satisfaction through work–family balance. This study fills a gap by explaining how support impacts satisfaction in the same domain, across domains, and how it crosses over to impact the partner\u27s domain. Using a matched dataset of 270 job incumbents and their partners, the findings reveal that work–family balance plays a mediating role in assisting social support\u27s contribution to both job and family satisfaction. Evidence indicates that employees experience heightened work–family balance due to social support from partners and coworkers and that support and balance impact satisfaction in both the work and family domains. Implications of these findings and avenues for future research are discussed

Representative cross-sectional and longitudinal characteristics of soleus muscle fibers in <i>mdx</i> and WT mice.

<p>Immunohistochemical procedures were performed to stain myonuclei (blue) using Hoechst 33342 and laminin (green) using rabbit anti-laminin antibodies (Sigma, USA). <i>mdx</i>: dystrophin-deficient mice, WT: wild type mice, CTX: cardiotoxin, type P and C+P fibers: muscle fibers with myonuclear distribution at only peripheral and both central and peripheral regions, respectively. The characteristics of type C+P fibers were classified into 5 groups according to the percent distribution of central nuclei per single fiber; 0<∼20%, ∼40%, ∼60%, ∼80%, and ∼<100%. Greater differences were also noted in the fiber sizes of <i>mdx</i> mouse muscle.</p

Photographs and percent distribution of branched fibers.

<p>Red and yellow dots show the myonuclei and green color shows the cytoplasm. Mean ± SEM. *, †, and §: p<0.05 vs. control muscle, Norm of WT, and CTX of WT. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0034557#pone-0034557-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0034557#pone-0034557-g002" target="_blank">2</a> for the abbreviations.</p

Responses of myonuclear distribution to over-loading and/or CTX injection.

<p>The percentages of fibers with different distribution of myonuclei, which were analyzed in whole fiber sampled from tendon-to-tendon, are shown. All of the fibers in the normal muscle without CTX injection (Norm) of WT mice were peripheral-nucleated (type P). Mean ± SEM. *, †, and §: p<0.05 vs. control side, Norm of WT in each type P and C+P fiber, and CTX of WT, respectively. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0034557#pone-0034557-g001" target="_blank">Figure 1</a> for other abbreviations.</p

Vibration acceleration promotes bone formation in rodent models

<div><p>All living tissues and cells on Earth are subject to gravitational acceleration, but no reports have verified whether acceleration mode influences bone formation and healing. Therefore, this study was to compare the effects of two acceleration modes, vibration and constant (centrifugal) accelerations, on bone formation and healing in the trunk using BMP 2-induced ectopic bone formation (EBF) mouse model and a rib fracture healing (RFH) rat model. Additionally, we tried to verify the difference in mechanism of effect on bone formation by accelerations between these two models. Three groups (low- and high-magnitude vibration and control-VA groups) were evaluated in the vibration acceleration study, and two groups (centrifuge acceleration and control-CA groups) were used in the constant acceleration study. In each model, the intervention was applied for ten minutes per day from three days after surgery for eleven days (EBF model) or nine days (RFH model). All animals were sacrificed the day after the intervention ended. In the EBF model, ectopic bone was evaluated by macroscopic and histological observations, wet weight, radiography and microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT). In the RFH model, whole fracture-repaired ribs were excised with removal of soft tissue, and evaluated radiologically and histologically. Ectopic bones in the low-magnitude group (EBF model) had significantly greater wet weight and were significantly larger (macroscopically and radiographically) than those in the other two groups, whereas the size and wet weight of ectopic bones in the centrifuge acceleration group showed no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. All ectopic bones showed calcified trabeculae and maturated bone marrow. Micro-CT showed that bone volume (BV) in the low-magnitude group of EBF model was significantly higher than those in the other two groups (3.1±1.2mm³ v.s. 1.8±1.2mm³ in high-magnitude group and 1.3±0.9mm³ in control-VA group), but BV in the centrifuge acceleration group had no significant difference compared those in control-CA group. Union rate and BV in the low-magnitude group of RFH model were also significantly higher than those in the other groups (Union rate: 60% v.s. 0% in the high-magnitude group and 10% in the control-VA group, BV: 0.69±0.30mm³ v.s. 0.15±0.09mm³ in high-magnitude group and 0.22±0.17mm³ in control-VA group). BV/TV in the low-magnitude group of RFH model was significantly higher than that in control-VA group (59.4±14.9% v.s. 35.8±13.5%). On the other hand, radiographic union rate (10% in centrifuge acceleration group v.s. 20% in control-CA group) and micro-CT parameters in RFH model were not significantly different between two groups in the constant acceleration studies. Radiographic images of non-union rib fractures showed cartilage at the fracture site and poor new bone formation, whereas union samples showed only new bone. In conclusion, low-magnitude vibration acceleration promoted bone formation at the trunk in both BMP-induced ectopic bone formation and rib fracture healing models. However, the micro-CT parameters were not similar between two models, which suggested that there might be difference in the mechanism of effect by vibration between two models.</p></div

Micro-CT analysis of rib fracture sites among vibration acceleration groups and constant acceleration groups.

<p>Micro-CT analysis of rib fracture sites among vibration acceleration groups and constant acceleration groups.</p

Macroscopic (left panel) and radiographic (right panel) aspects of ectopic bones between two groups (Control-CA: Control group of constant acceleration groups, Centrifuge: Centrifuge group).

<p>Macroscopic (left panel) and radiographic (right panel) aspects of ectopic bones between two groups (Control-CA: Control group of constant acceleration groups, Centrifuge: Centrifuge group).</p

Animal body weight in rib fracture healing model.

<p>Animal body weight in rib fracture healing model.</p

Evaluation of Gene, Protein and Neurotrophin Expression in the Brain of Mice Exposed to Space Environment for 91 Days

<div><p>Effects of 3-month exposure to microgravity environment on the expression of genes and proteins in mouse brain were studied. Moreover, responses of neurobiological parameters, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), were also evaluated in the cerebellum, hippocampus, cortex, and adrenal glands. Spaceflight-related changes in gene and protein expression were observed. Biological processes of the up-regulated genes were related to the immune response, metabolic process, and/or inflammatory response. Changes of cellular components involving in microsome and vesicular fraction were also noted. Molecular function categories were related to various enzyme activities. The biological processes in the down-regulated genes were related to various metabolic and catabolic processes. Cellular components were related to cytoplasm and mitochondrion. The down-regulated molecular functions were related to catalytic and oxidoreductase activities. Up-regulation of 28 proteins was seen following spaceflight vs. those in ground control. These proteins were related to mitochondrial metabolism, synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP, calcium/calmodulin metabolism, nervous system, and transport of proteins and/or amino acids. Down-regulated proteins were related to mitochondrial metabolism. Expression of NGF in hippocampus, cortex, and adrenal gland of wild type animal tended to decrease following spaceflight. As for pleiotrophin transgenic mice, spaceflight-related reduction of NGF occured only in adrenal gland. Consistent trends between various portions of brain and adrenal gland were not observed in the responses of BDNF to spaceflight. Although exposure to real microgravity influenced the expression of a number of genes and proteins in the brain that have been shown to be involved in a wide spectrum of biological function, it is still unclear how the functional properties of brain were influenced by 3-month exposure to microgravity.</p> </div