Optical and HI properties of isolated galaxies in the 2MIG catalog. I. General relationships

We analyze empirical relationships between the optical, near infrared, and HI characteristics of isolated galaxies from the 2MIG Catalog covering the entire sky. Data on morphological types, K_S-, and B-magnitudes, linear diameters, HI masses, and rotational velocities are examined. The regression parameters, dispersions, and correlation coefficients are calculated for pairs of these characteristics. The resulting relationships can be used to test the hierarchical theory of galaxy formation through numerous mergers of cold dark matter.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures, 5 table

Home-Based HIIT and Traditional MICT Prescriptions Improve Cardiorespiratory Fitness to a Similar Extent Within an Exercise Referral Scheme for At-Risk Individuals

Exercise referral schemes (ERS) are used to promote physical activity within primary care. Traditionally, ERS are conducted in a gym or leisure-center setting, with exercise prescriptions based on moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT). Home-based high-intensity interval training (Home-HIIT) has the potential to reduce perceived barriers to exercise, including lack of time and access to facilities, compared to traditional MICT prescription used with ERS and improve health related outcomes. We hypothesized that Home-HIIT would mediate greater improvement in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) by virtue of greater adherence and compliance to the exercise prescription, compared to MICT. Methods: Patients enrolled on an ERS (Liverpool, United Kingdom) were recruited for a pragmatic trial. Participants self-selected either 12 weeks of MICT (45–135 min/week at 50–70% HRmax or Home-HIIT (4–9 min × 1 min intervals at ≥80% of HRmax, interspersed with 1 min rest). The primary outcome was the change in CRF (VO2peak) at post-intervention (12 weeks) and follow-up (3-month post intervention), using intention-to-treat analysis. Results:154 participants (age 48 ± 10y; BMI 30.5 ± 6.1 kg/m20.05). Adherence to the prescribed programs was similar (MICT 48 ± 35%, Home-HIIT 39 ± 36%, P [ClinicalTrials.gov], identifier [NCT04553614]

Evidence-based vs. social media based high-intensity interval training protocols: Physiological and perceptual responses.

OBJECTIVE: High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a time-efficient exercise modality to improve cardiorespiratory fitness, and has recently been popularised by social media influencers. However, little is known regarding acute physiological and perceptual responses to these online protocols compared to HIIT protocols used within research. The aim was to investigate acute physiological, perceptual and motivational responses to two HIIT protocols popular on social media, and compare these to two evidence-based protocols. METHODS: Twenty-seven recreationally active (>1 exercise session /week) participants (Age: 22±3y, BMI: 24.3±2.4) completed a randomised cross-over study, whereby each participant completed four HIIT protocols, two already established in research (Ergo-60:60 (cycling 10x60s at 100%Wmaxwith 60s rest), BW-60:60 (body-weight exercises 10x60swith 60s rest)) and two promoted on social media (SM-20:10 (body-weight exercises 20x20swith 10s rest) and SM-40:20 (body-weight exercises 15x40s with 20s rest)). Blood lactate, heart rate (HR), feeling scale (FS), felt arousal scale (FSA), enjoyment and perceived competence were measured in response to each protocol. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between BW-60:60 and SM-20:10 for the proportion of intervals meeting the ACSM high-intensity exercise criterion (>80% of HRmax) (BW-60:60 93±10%, SM-20:10 74±20%, P = 0.039) and change in lactate (BW-60:60 +7.8±3.7mmol/L, SM-20:10 +5.5±2.6mmol/L, P = 0.001). The percentage of time spent above the criterion HR was also significantly lower in SM-20:10 compared to all other protocols (Ergo-60:60 13.9±4.9min, BW-60:60 13.5±3.5min, SM-40:20 12.1±2.4min, SM-20:10 7.7±3.1, P0.05). Enjoyment was higher upon completion of BW-60:60 compared to Ergo-60:60 and SM-40:20 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that HIIT protocols available on social media offer an interesting real-world alternative for promoting exercise participation. Future studies should continue to investigate these highly popular and practical HIIT protocols

Nel positively regulates the genesis of retinal ganglion cells by promoting their differentiation and survival during development

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Ex Vivo treatment of coronary artery endothelial cells with serum post-exercise training offers limited protection against in vitro exposure to FEC-T chemotherapy

Background: Chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer associates with well-documented cardiovascular detriments. Exercise has shown promise as a potentially protective intervention against cardiac toxicity. However, there is a paucity of evidence for the benefits of exercise on the vasculature. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of chemotherapy on the vascular endothelium; and if there are protective effects of serological alterations elicited by an exercise training intervention. Methods and Results: 15 women participated in a 12-week home-based exercise intervention consisting of three high-intensity interval sessions per week. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were exposed to physiological concentrations of 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, cyclophosphamide (FEC) and docetaxel to determine a dose-response. Twenty-4 hours prior to FEC and docetaxel exposure, HCAECs were preconditioned with serum collected pre- and post-training. Annexin V binding and cleaved caspase-3 were assessed using flow cytometry and wound repair by scratch assays. Chemotherapy exposure increased HCAEC Annexin V binding, cleaved caspase-3 expression in a dose-dependent manner; and inhibited wound repair. Compared to pre-training serum, conditioning HCAECs with post-training serum, reduced Annexin V binding (42% vs. 30%, p = 0.01) when exposed to FEC. For docetaxel, there were no within-group differences (pre-vs post-exercise) for Annexin V binding or cleaved caspase-3 expression. There was a protective effect of post-training serum on wound repair for 5-flurouracil (p = 0.03) only. Conclusion: FEC-T chemotherapy drugs cause significant damage and dysfunction of endothelial cells. Preconditioning with serum collected after an exercise training intervention, elicited some protection against the usual toxicity of FEC-T, when compared to control serum

Protocol for: Sheffield Obesity Trial (SHOT): A randomised controlled trial of exercise therapy and mental health outcomes in obese adolescents [ISRCNT83888112]

Background While obesity is known to have many physiological consequences, the psychopathology of this condition has not featured prominently in the literature. Cross-sectional studies have indicated that obese children have increased odds of experiencing poor quality of life and mental health. However, very limited trial evidence has examined the efficacy of exercise therapy for enhancing mental health outcomes in obese children, and the Sheffield Obesity Trial (SHOT) will provide evidence of the efficacy of supervised exercise therapy in obese young people aged 11–16 years versus usual care and an attention-control intervention. Method/design SHOT is a randomised controlled trial where obese young people are randomised to receive; (1) exercise therapy, (2) attention-control intervention (involving body-conditioning exercises and games that do not involve aerobic activity), or (3) usual care. The exercise therapy and attention-control sessions will take place three times per week for eight weeks and a six-week home programme will follow this. Ninety adolescents aged between 11–16 years referred from a children's hospital for evaluation of obesity or via community advertisements will need to complete the study. Participants will be recruited according to the following criteria: (1) clinically obese and aged 11–16 years (Body Mass Index Centile > 98th UK standard) (2) no medical condition that would restrict ability to be active three times per week for eight weeks and (3) not diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes or receiving oral steroids. Assessments of outcomes will take place at baseline, as well as four (intervention midpoint) and eight weeks (end of intervention) from baseline. Participants will be reassessed on outcome measures five and seven months from baseline. The primary endpoint is physical self-perceptions. Secondary outcomes include physical activity, self-perceptions, depression, affect, aerobic fitness and BMI

Reliability of Protein Abundance and Synthesis Measurements in Human Skeletal Muscle.

We investigated the repeatability of dynamic proteome profiling (DPP), which is a novel technique for measuring the relative abundance (ABD) and fractional synthesis rate (FSR) of proteins in humans. LC-MS analysis was performed on muscle samples taken from male participants (n = 4) that consumed 4 × 50 ml doses of deuterium oxide (2 H2 O) per day for 14 d. ABD was measured by label-free quantitation and FSR was calculated from time-dependent changes in peptide mass isotopomer abundances. One-hundred and one proteins had at least 1 unique peptide and were used in the assessment of protein ABD. Fifty-four of these proteins met more stringent criteria and were used in the assessment of FSR data. The median (M), lower- (Q1 ) and upper-quartile (Q3 ) values for protein FSR (%/d) were M = 1.63, Q1  = 1.07, Q3  = 3.24. The technical CV of ABD data had a median value of 3.6% (Q1 1.7% - Q3 6.7%), whereas the median CV of FSR data was 10.1% (Q1 3.5% - Q3 16.5%). These values compare favorably against other assessments of technical repeatability of proteomics data, which often set a CV of 20% as the upper bound of acceptability. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

Immuno-Therapy with Anti-CTLA4 Antibodies in Tolerized and Non-Tolerized Mouse Tumor Models

Monoclonal antibodies specific for cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (anti-CTLA4) are a novel form of cancer immunotherapy. While preclinical studies in mouse tumor models have shown anti-tumor efficacy of anti-CTLA4 injection or expression, anti-CTLA4 treatment in patients with advanced cancers had disappointing therapeutic benefit. These discrepancies have to be addressed in more adequate pre-clinical models. We employed two tumor models. The first model is based on C57Bl/6 mice and syngeneic TC-1 tumors expressing HPV16 E6/E7. In this model, the HPV antigens are neo-antigens, against which no central tolerance exists. The second model involves mice transgenic for the proto-oncogen neu and syngeneic mouse mammary carcinoma (MMC) cells. In this model tolerance to Neu involves both central and peripheral mechanisms. Anti-CTLA4 delivery as a protein or expression from gene-modified tumor cells were therapeutically efficacious in the non-tolerized TC-1 tumor model, but had no effect in the MMC-model. We also used the two tumor models to test an immuno-gene therapy approach for anti-CTLA4. Recently, we used an approach based on hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) to deliver the relaxin gene to tumors and showed that this approach facilitates pre-existing anti-tumor T-cells to control tumor growth in the MMC tumor model. However, unexpectedly, when used for anti-CTLA4 gene delivery in this study, the HSC-based approach was therapeutically detrimental in both the TC-1 and MMC models. Anti-CTLA4 expression in these models resulted in an increase in the number of intratumoral CD1d+ NKT cells and in the expression of TGF-β1. At the same time, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which potentially can support anti-tumor T-cell responses, were lower in tumors of mice that received anti-CTLA4-HSC therapy. The differences in outcomes between the tolerized and non-tolerized models also provide a potential explanation for the low efficacy of CTLA4 blockage approaches in cancer immunotherapy trials

Use of prasugrel vs clopidogrel and outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention in contemporary clinical practice: Results from the PROMETHEUS study

Background and objectivesWe sought to determine the frequency of use and association between prasugrel and outcomes in acute coronary syndrome patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in clinical practice

Small RNA analysis in Sindbis virus infected human HEK293 cells

In contrast to the defence mechanism of RNA interference (RNAi) in plants and invertebrates, its role in the innate response to virus infection of mammals is a matter of debate. Since RNAi has a well-established role in controlling infection of the alphavirus Sindbis virus (SINV) in insects, we have used this virus to investigate the role of RNAi in SINV infection of human cells