EFFECT OF VARYING REST INTERVALS BETWEEN SETS OF ASSISTANCE EXERCISES ON CREATINE KINASE AND LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE RESPONSES

Effect of varying rest intervals between sets of assistance exercises on creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase responses. J Strength Cond Res 25(5): 1339-1345, 2011-To examine the effects of different rest intervals between sets on serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, 10 men (age = 25.6 ± 2.2 years, height = 173.1 ± 7.1 cm, and body mass = 75.9 ± 10.0 kg) participated in a randomized within-subject design that involved 4 resistance exercise sessions. Each session consisted of 4 sets of 10 repetitions with 10 repetition maximum loads for the chest press, pullover, biceps curl, triceps extension, leg extension, and prone leg curl. The sessions differed only in the length of the rest interval between sets and exercises, specifically: 60, 90, 120, 180 seconds. Serum CK and LDH were significantly (p \u3c 0.05) elevated 24-72 hours after each session, with no significant differences between rest intervals (p = 0.94 and p = 0.99, respectively). The mechanical stress imposed by the 4 resistance exercise sessions invoked similar damage to the muscle fibers independent of the rest interval between sets. These data indicate that the accumulated volume of work is the primary determinant of muscle damage in trained subjects who are accustomed to resistance exercise with short rest intervals

Systematic Molecular Differentiation in Starless Cores

(Abridged) We present evidence that low-mass starless cores, the simplest units of star formation, are systematically differentiated in their chemical composition. Molecules including CO and CS almost vanish near the core centers, where the abundance decreases by one or two orders of magnitude. At the same time, N2H+ has a constant abundance, and the fraction of NH3 increases toward the core center. Our conclusions are based on a study of 5 mostly-round starless cores (L1498, L1495, L1400K, L1517B, and L1544), which we have mappedin C18O(1-0), C17O(1-0), CS(2-1), C34S(2-1), N2H+(1-0), NH3(1,1) and (2,2), and the 1.2 mm continuum. For each core we have built a model that fits simultaneously the radial profile of all observed emission and the central spectrum for the molecular lines. The observed abundance drops of CO and CS are naturally explained by the depletion of these molecules onto dust grains at densities of 2-6 10^4 cm-3. N2H+ seems unaffected by this process up to densities of several 10^5, while the NH3 abundance may be enhanced by reactions triggered by the disappearance of CO from the gas phase. With the help of our models, we show that chemical differentiation automatically explains the discrepancy between the sizes of CS and NH3 maps, a problem which has remained unexplained for more than a decade. Our models, in addition, show that a combination of radiative transfer effects can give rise to the previously observed discrepancy in the linewidth of these two tracers. Although this discrepancy has been traditionally interpreted as resulting from a systematic increase of the turbulent linewidth with radius, our models show that it can arise in conditions of constant gas turbulence.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures, accepted by Ap

Paclitaxel mitigates structural alterations and cardiac conduction system defects in a mouse model of Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an ultrarare laminopathy caused by expression of progerin, a lamin A variant, also present at low levels in non-HGPS individuals. HGPS patients age and die prematurely, predominantly from cardiovascular complications. Progerin-induced cardiac repolarization defects have been described previously, although the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We conducted studies in heart tissue from progerin-expressing LmnaG609G/G609G (G609G) mice, including microscopy, intracellular calcium dynamics, patch-clamping, in vivo magnetic resonance imaging, and electrocardiography. G609G mouse cardiomyocytes showed tubulin-cytoskeleton disorganization, t-tubular system disruption, sarcomere shortening, altered excitation-contraction coupling, and reductions in ventricular thickening and cardiac index. G609G mice exhibited severe bradycardia, and significant alterations of atrio-ventricular conduction and repolarization. Most importantly, 50% of G609G mice had altered heart rate variability, and sinoatrial block, both significant signs of premature cardiac aging. G609G cardiomyocytes had electrophysiological alterations, which resulted in an elevated action potential plateau and early afterdepolarization bursting, reflecting slower sodium current inactivation and long Ca+2 transient duration, which may also help explain the mild QT prolongation in some HGPS patients. Chronic treatment with low-dose paclitaxel ameliorated structural and functional alterations in G609G hearts. Our results demonstrate that tubulin-cytoskeleton disorganization in progerin-expressing cardiomyocytes causes structural, cardiac conduction, and excitation-contraction coupling defects, all of which can be partially corrected by chronic treatment with low dose paclitaxel.Work in V.A.’s laboratory is supported by grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacio´n (MCIN) (SAF2016-79490-R, PID2019-108489RBI00) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (AC17/00067) with cofunding from the European Regional Development Fund/Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (ERDF/FEDER, ‘Una manera de hacer Europa’), and the Progeria Research Foundation (Award PRF 2019–77). Work in J.J.’s laboratory is supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01 Grant HL122352), a CNIC ‘Severo Ochoa’ intramural competitive grant, and Fondos FEDER, Madrid, Spain. Work in D.F.-R.’s laboratory is supported by the Spanish MCIN (SAF2016-80324-R) and the ISCIII (AC17/00053). The CNIC is supported by the MCIN, the ISCIII, and the Pro CNIC Foundation.S

Frequência de polimorfismos responsáveis pela resistência a benzimidazóis em populações de Haemonchus contortus do Ceará.

Haemonchus contortus é o nematóide de maior prevalência em pequenos ruminantes no Brasil. O seu controle tem sido realizado de forma indiscriminada com a utilização de anti-helmínticos de amplo espectro, o que inevitavelmente acelerou o desenvolvimento de resistência anti-helmíntica (RAH). Os benzimidazóis são uma das classes mais utilizadas no estado do Ceará, região Nordeste. Para diagnóstico de RAH tem sido utilizados apenas métodos fenotípicos que apresentam baixa sensibilidade. Embora existam algumas técnicas moleculares altamente sensíveis de RAH, a maioria delas é aplicável apenas quando os polimorfismos de nucleotídeo único (SNP) responsáveis pela resistência a benzimidazóis são conhecidos. Dessa forma, o objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar e determinar a frequência dos SNP responsáveis pela resistência a benzimidazóis em populações de H. contortus isoladas no Ceará. Para tanto, foram coletadas fezes em 19 propriedades de ovinos, uma por município, de modo que fossem contempladas todas as mesorregiões do estado. Para extração de DNA foram utilizados em média 10.000 ovos, obtidos por técnica de recuperação por meio de tamises. A identificação e quantificação da frequência alélica dos SNP F167Y, E198A e F200Y do gene codificante para ?-tubulina foram realizadas por meio de PCR em tempo real quantitativa (qPCR) utilizando SYBR Green. As frequências de alelos resistentes médias para os SNP F167Y, E198A, F200Y foram de 62,31%, 0,02% e 33,65%, respectivamente. Os resultados sugerem que os SNP F167Y e F200Y são importantes para a resistência a benzimidazóis nas populações estudadas e devem ser incluídos no diagnóstico molecular de RAH no Ceará. Além disso, o uso de ovos para o diagnóstico molecular pode ser uma boa ferramenta para uso em campo

Utility of ultra-sensitive qPCR to detect Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax infections under different transmission intensities

Background: The use of molecular diagnostics has revealed an unexpectedly large number of asymptomatic low-density malaria infections in many malaria endemic areas. This study compared the gains in parasite prevalence obtained by the use of ultra-sensitive (us)-qPCR as compared to standard qPCR in cross-sectional surveys conducted in Thailand, Brazil and Papua New Guinea (PNG). The compared assays differed in the copy number of qPCR targets in the parasite genome. Methods: Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and Plasmodium vivax (Pv) parasites were quantified by qPCR amplifying the low-copy Pf_ and Pv_18S rRNA genes or the multi-copy targets Pf_varATS and Pv_mtCOX1. Cross-sectional surveys at the three study sites included 2252 participants of all ages and represented different transmission intensities. Results: In the two low-transmission areas, P. falciparum positivity was 1.3% (10/773) (Thailand) and 0.8% (5/651) (Bra- zil) using standard Pf_18S rRNA qPCR. In these two countries, P. falciparum positivity by Pf_varATS us-qPCR increased to 1.9% (15/773) and 1.7% (11/651). In PNG, an area with moderate transmission intensity, P. falciparum positivity significantly increased from 8.6% (71/828) by standard qPCR to 12.2% (101/828) by us-qPCR. The proportions of P. falciparum infections not detected by standard qPCR were 33%, 55% and 30% in Thailand, Brazil and PNG. Plasmodium vivax was the predominating species in Thailand and Brazil, with 3.9% (30/773) and 4.9% (32/651) positivity by Pv_18S rRNA qPCR. In PNG, P. vivax positivity was similar to P. falciparum, at 8.0% (66/828). Use of Pv_mtCOX1 us-qPCR led to a significant increase in positivity to 5.1% (39/773), 6.4% (42/651) and 11.5% (95/828) in Thailand, Brazil, and PNG. The proportions of P. vivax infections missed by standard qPCR were similar at all three sites, with 23%, 24% and 31% in Thailand, Brazil and PNG. Conclusion: The proportional gains in the detection of P. falciparum and P. vivax infections by ultra-sensitive diag- nostic assays were substantial at all three study sites. Thus, us-qPCR yields more precise prevalence estimates for both P. falciparum and P. vivax at all studied levels of endemicity and represents a significant diagnostic improvement

Mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions in grazing systems through nitrification inhibitors: a meta-analysis

Grasslands are the largest contributor of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in the agriculture sector due to livestock excreta and nitrogen fertilizers applied to the soil. Nitrification inhibitors (NIs) added to N input have reduced N2O emissions, but can show a range of efficiencies depending on climate, soil, and management conditions. A meta-analysis study was conducted to investigate the factors that influence the efficiency of NIs added to fertilizer and excreta in reducing N2O emissions, focused on grazing systems. Data from peer-reviewed studies comprising 2164 N2O emission factors (EFs) of N inputs with and without NIs addition were compared. The N2O EFs varied according to N source (0.0001-8.25%). Overall, NIs reduced the N2O EF from N addition by 56.6% (51.1-61.5%), with no difference between NI types (Dicyandiamide-DCD; 3,4-Dimethylpyrazole phosphate-DMPP; and Nitrapyrin) or N source (urine, dung, slurry, and fertilizer). The NIs were more efficient in situations of high N2O emissions compared with low; the reduction was 66.0% when EF > 1.5% of N applied compared with 51.9% when EF 10 kg ha(-1). NIs were less efficient in urine with lower N content (<= 7 g kg(-1)). NI efficiency was negatively correlated with soil bulk density, and positively correlated with soil moisture and temperature. Better understanding and management of NIs can optimize N2O mitigation in grazing systems, e.g., by mapping N2O risk and applying NI at variable rate, contributing to improved livestock sustainability

Comment on "How green is blue hydrogen?"

This paper is written in response to the paper “How green is blue hydrogen?” by R. W. Howarth and M. Z. Jacobson. It aims at highlighting and discussing the method and assumptions of that paper, and thereby providing a more balanced perspective on blue hydrogen, which is in line with current best available practices and future plant specifications aiming at low CO2 emissions. More specifically, in this paper, we show that: (i) the simplified method that Howarth and Jacobson used to compute the energy balance of blue hydrogen plants leads to significant overestimation of CO2 emissions and natural gas (NG) consumption and (ii) the assumed methane leakage rate is at the high end of the estimated emissions from current NG production in the United States and cannot be considered representative of all-NG and blue hydrogen value chains globally. By starting from the detailed and rigorously calculated mass and energy balances of two blue hydrogen plants in the literature, we show the impact that methane leakage rate has on the equivalent CO2 emissions of blue hydrogen. On the basis of our analysis, we show that it is possible for blue hydrogen to have significantly lower equivalent CO2 emissions than the direct use of NG, provided that hydrogen production processes and CO2 capture technologies are implemented that ensure a high CO2 capture rate, preferably above 90%, and a low-emission NG supply chain

Selective Cholinergic Depletion in Medial Septum Leads to Impaired Long Term Potentiation and Glutamatergic Synaptic Currents in the Hippocampus

Cholinergic depletion in the medial septum (MS) is associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent learning and memory. Here we investigated whether long term potentiation (LTP) and synaptic currents, mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the CA1 hippocampal region, are affected following cholinergic lesions of the MS. Stereotaxic intra-medioseptal infusions of a selective immunotoxin, 192-saporin, against cholinergic neurons or sterile saline were made in adult rats. Four days after infusions, hippocampal slices were made and LTP, whole cell, and single channel (AMPA or NMDA receptor) currents were recorded. Results demonstrated impairment in the induction and expression of LTP in lesioned rats. Lesioned rats also showed decreases in synaptic currents from CA1 pyramidal cells and synaptosomal single channels of AMPA and NMDA receptors. Our results suggest that MS cholinergic afferents modulate LTP and glutamatergic currents in the CA1 region of the hippocampus, providing a potential synaptic mechanism for the learning and memory deficits observed in the rodent model of selective MS cholinergic lesioning

Neurobiology of rodent self-grooming and its value for translational neuroscience

Self-grooming is a complex innate behaviour with an evolutionarily conserved sequencing pattern and is one of the most frequently performed behavioural activities in rodents. In this Review, we discuss the neurobiology of rodent self-grooming, and we highlight studies of rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders-including models of autism spectrum disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder-that have assessed self-grooming phenotypes. We suggest that rodent self-grooming may be a useful measure of repetitive behaviour in such models, and therefore of value to translational psychiatry. Assessment of rodent self-grooming may also be useful for understanding the neural circuits that are involved in complex sequential patterns of action.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant NS025529)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant HD028341)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant MH060379

The Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery : defining a model for antimicrobial stewardship-results from an international cross-sectional survey

Background: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) have been promoted to optimize antimicrobial usage and patient outcomes, and to reduce the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms. However, the best strategies for an ASP are not definitively established and are likely to vary based on local culture, policy, and routine clinical practice, and probably limited resources in middle-income countries. The aim of this study is to evaluate structures and resources of antimicrobial stewardship teams (ASTs) in surgical departments from different regions of the world. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted in 2016 on 173 physicians who participated in the AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections) project and on 658 international experts in the fields of ASPs, infection control, and infections in surgery. Results: The response rate was 19.4%. One hundred fifty-six (98.7%) participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary AST. The median number of physicians working inside the team was five [interquartile range 4-6]. An infectious disease specialist, a microbiologist and an infection control specialist were, respectively, present in 80.1, 76.3, and 67.9% of the ASTs. A surgeon was a component in 59.0% of cases and was significantly more likely to be present in university hospitals (89.5%, p <0.05) compared to community teaching (83.3%) and community hospitals (66.7%). Protocols for pre-operative prophylaxis and for antimicrobial treatment of surgical infections were respectively implemented in 96.2 and 82.3% of the hospitals. The majority of the surgical departments implemented both persuasive and restrictive interventions (72.8%). The most common types of interventions in surgical departments were dissemination of educational materials (62.5%), expert approval (61.0%), audit and feedback (55.1%), educational outreach (53.7%), and compulsory order forms (51.5%). Conclusion: The survey showed a heterogeneous organization of ASPs worldwide, demonstrating the necessity of a multidisciplinary and collaborative approach in the battle against antimicrobial resistance in surgical infections, and the importance of educational efforts towards this goal.Peer reviewe