What It Means to Be Human: the Problematic of Humanity in 'Star Trek'

The title of this study is taken in part from a statement by Gene Roddenberry, the creative genius behind 'Star Trek'. He said, "It is only when you look at what unites humans, rather than what divides them, that you have some idea of what it means to be human." Humanity was his greatest fascination, its diversity, its nature and its spirit. 'Star Trek' in its original manifestation and its later sequels and continuations has offered countless millions of viewers all over the global village a fictional cosmos in which the fundamental question of what it means to be human (and non-human) has been rehearsed, reiterated and reinforced for thirty and more years. ..... Tolerance of the political and the religious values and convictions of the outsider is purported to be vital, and an explanation of the notion of tolerance is included in chapter five. Included are certain examples of tolerance of the religions and the politics of others in western society - their 'liberal ideologies'. The Creation myth expounded in the series strives to prove a link between humanoid species. The 'Next Generation's' "The Chase" discusses the ways in which the 'seeding of the galaxy' took place. Also in chapter five, I investigate genetics and cloning, and interracial, interspecies, and intracultual love, as well as the issue of the "outsider" being denigrated and/or punished. In chapter six I deal with the concepts of love, friendship and family, and the many varying forms it takes within the two series

Impairments in adipose tissue microcirculation in type 2 diabetes mellitus assessed by real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasound

Background: In obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), adipose tissue expansion (because of larger adipocytes) results in reduced microvascular density which is thought to lead to adipocyte hypoxia, inflammation, and reduced nutrient delivery to the adipocyte. Adipose tissue microvascular responses in humans with T2D have not been extensively characterized. Furthermore, it has not been determined whether impaired microvascular responses in human adipose tissue are most closely associated with adiposity, inflammation, or altered metabolism.Methods and Results: Overnight-fasted healthy controls (n=24, 9 females/15 males) and people with T2D (n=21, 8 females/13 males) underwent a body composition scan (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), an oral glucose challenge (50 g glucose) and blood analysis of clinical chemistries and inflammatory markers. Abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue microvascular responses were measured by contrast-enhanced ultrasound at baseline and 1-hour post-oral glucose challenge. Adipose tissue microvascular blood volume was significantly elevated in healthy subjects 1-hour post-oral glucose challenge; however, this effect was absent in T2D. Adipose tissue microvascular blood flow was lower in people with T2D at baseline and was significantly blunted post-oral glucose challenge compared with controls. Adipose tissue microvascular blood flow was negatively associated with truncal fat (%), glucoregulatory function, fasting triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid levels, and positively associated with insulin sensitivity. Truncal fat (%), systolic blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity were the only correlates with microvascular blood volume. Systemic inflammation was not associated with adipose tissue microvascular responses.Conclusions: Impaired microvascular function in adipose tissue during T2D is not conditionally linked to systemic inflammation but is associated with other characteristics of the metabolic syndrome (obesity, insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia)

Are the metabolic benefits of resistance training in type 2 diabetes linked to improvements in adipose tissue microvascular blood flow?

The microcirculation in adipose tissue is markedly impaired in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Resistance training (RT) often increases muscle mass and promotes a favourable metabolic profile in people with T2D, even in the absence of fat loss. Whether the metabolic benefits of RT in T2D are linked to improvements in adipose tissue microvascular blood flow is unknown. Eighteen sedentary people with T2D (7F/11M, 52±7 years) completed six weeks of RT. Before and after RT, overnight-fasted participants had blood sampled for clinical chemistries (glucose, insulin, lipids, HbA1c and pro-inflammatory markers), underwent an oral glucose challenge (OGC, 50g glucose x 2hr) and a DEXA scan to assess body composition. Adipose tissue microvascular blood volume and flow were assessed at rest and 1hr post-OGC using contrast-enhanced ultrasound. RT significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (p=0.006), HbA1c (p=0.007), 2-hr glucose area under the time curve post-OGC (p=0.014) and HOMA-IR (p=0.005). This was accompanied by a small reduction in total body fat (p=0.002), trunk fat (p=0.023) and fasting triglyceride levels (p=0.029). Lean mass (p=0.003), circulating TNFa (p=0.006) and soluble VCAM-1 (pr=-0.476, p=0.045). The anthropometric, glycemic and insulin sensitizing benefits of six weeks of RT in people with T2D are not associated with an improvement in adipose tissue microvascular responses, however there may be an adipose tissue microvascular-linked benefit to fasting triglyceride levels

Skeletal muscle microvascular-linked improvements in glycemic control from resistance training in individuals with type 2 diabetes

Objective:Insulin increases glucose disposal in part by enhancing microvascular blood flow (MBF) and substrate delivery to myocytes. Insulin's microvascular action is impaired with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Resistance training (RT) improves glycemic control and insulin sensitivity, but whether this improvement is linked to augmented skeletal muscle microvascular responses in type 2 diabetes is unknown.Research design and methods:Seventeen (11 male and 6 female; 52 ± 2 years old) sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes underwent 6 weeks of whole-body RT. Before and after RT, participants who fasted overnight had clinical chemistries measured (lipids, glucose, HbA1c, insulin, and advanced glycation end products) and underwent an oral glucose challenge (OGC) (50 g × 2 h). Forearm muscle MBF was assessed by contrast-enhanced ultrasound, skin MBF by laser Doppler flowmetry, and brachial artery flow by Doppler ultrasound at baseline and 60 min post-OGC. A whole-body DEXA scan before and after RT assessed body composition.Results:After RT, muscle MBF response to the OGC increased, while skin microvascular responses were unchanged. These microvascular adaptations were accompanied by improved glycemic control (fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and glucose area under the curve [AUC] during OGC) and increased lean body mass and reductions in fasting plasma triglyceride, total cholesterol, advanced glycation end products, and total body fat. Changes in muscle MBF response after RT significantly correlated with reductions in fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, and OGC AUC with adjustment for age, sex, % body fat, and % lean mass.Conclusions:RT improves OGC-stimulated muscle MBF and glycemic control concomitantly, suggesting that MBF plays a role in improved glycemic control from RT