β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Normalizes Dexamethasone-Induced Autophagy-Lysosomal Pathway in Skeletal Muscle

Dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy is due to an increase in protein breakdown and a decrease in protein synthesis, associated with an over-stimulation of the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. These effects are mediated by alterations in IGF-1 and PI3K/Akt signaling. In this study, we have investigated the effects of β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on the regulation of autophagy and proteosomal systems. Rats were treated during 21 days with dexamethasone as a model of muscle atrophy. Co-administration of HMB attenuated the effects promoted by dexamethasone. HMB ameliorated the loss in body weight, lean mass and the reduction of the muscle fiber cross-sectional area (shrinkage) in gastrocnemius muscle. Consequently, HMB produced an improvement in muscle strength in the dexamethasone-treated rats. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects, rat L6 myotubes were used. In these cells, HMB significantly attenuated lysosomal proteolysis induced by dexamethasone by normalizing the changes observed in autophagosome formation, LC3 II, p62 and Bnip3 expression after dexamethasone treatment. HMB effects were mediated by an increase in FoxO3a phosphorylation and concomitant decrease in FoxO transcriptional activity. The HMB effect was due to the restoration of Akt signaling diminished by dexamethasone treatment. Moreover, HMB was also involved in the regulation of the activity of ubiquitin and expression of MurF1 and Atrogin-1, components of the proteasome system that are activated or up-regulated by dexamethasone. In conclusion, in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that HMB exerts protective effects against dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy by normalizing the Akt/FoxO axis that controls autophagy and ubiquitin proteolysis.This project has been funded by Abbott Nutrition R&D

Effective Rheology of Bubbles Moving in a Capillary Tube

We calculate the average volumetric flux versus pressure drop of bubbles moving in a single capillary tube with varying diameter, finding a square-root relation from mapping the flow equations onto that of a driven overdamped pendulum. The calculation is based on a derivation of the equation of motion of a bubble train from considering the capillary forces and the entropy production associated with the viscous flow. We also calculate the configurational probability of the positions of the bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

K0S and Λ production in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−−√=2.76 TeV

The ALICE measurement of K0S and Λ production at midrapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN−−−√=2.76  TeV is presented. The transverse momentum (pT) spectra are shown for several collision centrality intervals and in the pT range from 0.4  GeV/c (0.6  GeV/c for Λ) to 12  GeV/c. The pT dependence of the Λ/K0S ratios exhibits maxima in the vicinity of 3  GeV/c, and the positions of the maxima shift towards higher pT with increasing collision centrality. The magnitude of these maxima increases by almost a factor of three between most peripheral and most central Pb-Pb collisions. This baryon excess at intermediate pT is not observed in pp interactions at s√=0.9  TeV and at s√=7  TeV. Qualitatively, the baryon enhancement in heavy-ion collisions is expected from radial flow. However, the measured pT spectra above 2  GeV/c progressively decouple from hydrodynamical-model calculations. For higher values of pT, models that incorporate the influence of the medium on the fragmentation and hadronization processes describe qualitatively the pT dependence of the Λ/K0S ratio

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

Consensus guidelines for the use and interpretation of angiogenesis assays

The formation of new blood vessels, or angiogenesis, is a complex process that plays important roles in growth and development, tissue and organ regeneration, as well as numerous pathological conditions. Angiogenesis undergoes multiple discrete steps that can be individually evaluated and quantified by a large number of bioassays. These independent assessments hold advantages but also have limitations. This article describes in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro bioassays that are available for the evaluation of angiogenesis and highlights critical aspects that are relevant for their execution and proper interpretation. As such, this collaborative work is the first edition of consensus guidelines on angiogenesis bioassays to serve for current and future reference

The embryo as moral work object: PGD/IVF staff views and experiences

Copyright @ 2008 the authors. This article is available in accordance with the Creative Commons Deed, Attribution 2.5, see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/deed.en_CA.We report on one aspect of a study that explored the views and experiences of practitioners and scientists on social, ethical and clinical dilemmas encountered when working in the field of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for serious genetic disorders. The study produced an ethnography based on observation, interviews and ethics discussion groups with staff from two PGD/IVF Units in the UK. We focus here on staff perceptions of work with embryos that entails disposing of ‘affected’ or ‘spare’ embryos or using them for research. A variety of views were expressed on the ‘embryo question’ in contrast to polarised media debates. We argue that the prevailing policy acceptance of destroying affected embryos, and allowing research on embryos up to 14 days leaves some staff with rarely reported, ambivalent feelings. Staff views are under-researched in this area and we focus on how they may reconcile their personal moral views with the ethical framework in their field. Staff construct embryos in a variety of ways as ‘moral work objects’. This allows them to shift attention between micro-level and overarching institutional work goals, building on Casper's concept of ‘work objects’ and focusing on negotiation of the social order in a morally contested field.The Wellcome Trust Biomedical Ethics Programme, who funded the projects‘Facilitating choice, framing choice: the experience of staff working in pre-implantation genetic diagnosis’ (no: 074935), and ‘Ethical Frameworks for Embryo Donation:the views and practices of IVF/PGD staff’ (no: 081414)

Percepção de agentes comunitários de saúde sobre os riscos à saúde fonoaudiológica Perception of community health workers regarding risks for hearing and communication disorders

OBJETIVO: Investigar a percepção dos agentes comunitários sobre os aspectos relacionados à saúde fonoaudiológica da população usuária de um programa de saúde da família. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de estudo observacional transversal com aplicação de questionário a 85 agentes comunitários. Foram investigadas 20 situações hipotéticas abordando os temas fonoaudiológicos na rotina de trabalho dos agentes. As variáveis analisadas foram: idade, tempo de atuação, escolaridade, percepção dos riscos à saúde da população nas áreas de voz, motricidade orofacial, linguagem e audiologia. RESULTADOS: A média de idade dos agentes foi de 38 anos (±9,1), e o tempo de médio de atuação no programa 5,0 anos (±2,9). Observou-se que 80 profissionais (94%) possuíam pelo menos o Ensino Médio completo, e todos eram do gênero feminino. Entre as situações hipotéticas investigadas, os agentes demonstraram ter a percepção do risco e atitude de levá-lo para discussão da equipe em 49% das situações envolvendo o risco à saúde auditiva, 53% saúde vocal, 60% e 62% os riscos relacionados à motricidade orofacial e linguagem, respectivamente. Não foi encontrada relação entre o tempo de atuação e a percepção do risco à saúde fonoaudiológica. CONCLUSÃO: Os agentes comunitários mostraram ter percepção de muitas situações de risco à saúde fonoaudiológica dos usuários, especialmente no que se refere à saúde vocal e das estruturas e funções orofaciais. É necessário ao agente comunitário ir além das habilidades e competências conceituais e procedimentais no que se refere à saúde da comunicação humana, pois se almeja um profissional com habilidades atitudinais.<br>PURPOSE: To investigate the perception of community health workers about the aspects related to hearing and communication health of users of a family health program. METHODS: Cross-sectional observational study with questionnaire application to 85 community health workers. Twenty hypothetical situations were investigated, addressing issues related to Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology present in their routine. The variables analysed were: age, work experience, education, perception of health risks in the areas of voice, orofacial myology, language and audiology. RESULTS: The mean age of the agents was 38 years (±9.1), and their mean time of experience in the family health program was 5 years (±2.9). It was observed that 80 professionals (94%) had at least complete high school education, and all were female. Among the hypothetical situations investigated, the workers showed to have the perception of risk and attitude to take it to discussion with the team in 49% of the situations involving risks to hearing health, 53% risk to vocal health, 60% and 62% risks related to orofacial myology and language, respectively. There was no relationship between time of experience and the perception of risks. CONCLUSION: The community health workers have perception of many risk situations to hearing and communication health of the population, especially regarding voice and orofacial structures and functions. Community health workers need to go beyond the conceptual and procedural abilities and competencies regarding the health of human communication, because of the idea of professionals with attitudinal skills