Acute physical-activity related increases in interoceptive ability are not enhanced with simultaneous interoceptive attention.

Interoception, the sense of the internal body, is proposed to support self-regulation, and consequently influence mental health. Researchers have therefore shown interest in improving the ability to accurately monitor internal signals (i.e., interoceptive accuracy, IAcc). Research suggests that cardiac IAcc is modifiable by both manipulations of interoceptive attention (guided attention towards the internal body), and interoceptive exposure (strategically inducing somatic signals e.g., via physical activity). Whilst successful in isolation, it is unclear whether a combined approach (i.e., directing attention towards the internal body when signals are more salient) could elicit greater benefits. In a 2 × 2 within-subject design, 48 healthy adults (Mage = 25.98 ± 4.73 years, 50% female) completed four 20-min conditions varying in both attentional focus (interoceptive vs exteroceptive) and physical activity (active vs rest), with cardiac IAcc measured immediately after. Results revealed a main effect for physical activity (p < 0.001), however, there was no effect for attentional focus (p = 0.397), and no interaction effect (p = 0.797). Differential analyses showed that a higher sporting background increased sensitivity to physical activity-related increases in cardiac IAcc (p = 0.031). Findings indicate that (irrespective of attentional focus) moderate-vigorous physical activity-based interventions have the potential to increase cardiac IAcc, with certain individuals potentially benefiting more

COVID-19: Physical Activity and Quality of Life in a Sample of Swiss School Children during and after the First Stay-at-Home.

COVID-19 restrictions and the instructions to stay at home (SaH) may have had an impact on child behavior including physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Switzerland. Therefore, we investigated PA and HRQoL during and after the SaH in 57 Swiss school children aged 7 to 12 years (M = 10.44; SD = 1.34). PA was measured using accelerometry (Actigraph GT3X) and HRQoL using the Kid-KINDLR questionnaire. During and post data was compared using paired sample t-tests. Independent t-tests were used to compare the HRQoL of physically active children with non-physically active children. PA in light (d = -0.56), moderate (d = -0.44), moderate-to-vigorous (d = -0.28) as well as overall HRQoL (d = -0.66), psychological well-being (d = -0.48), self-esteem (d = -0.39), friends (d = -0.70) and everyday functioning (d = -0.44), were significantly lower during SaH than afterwards. Children who adhered to PA recommendations (+60 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) during SaH had a better overall HRQoL (d = 0.61) and psychological well-being (d = 0.56) than those who did not. Since PA levels and HRQoL were lower during SaH compared to afterwards, it seems that the restrictions negatively impacted children's PA and HRQoL. During future SaHs, promoting children's PA and HRQoL seems important

Effects of Classroom-Based Resistance Training With and Without Cognitive Training on Adolescents’ Cognitive Function, On-task Behavior, and Muscular Fitness

Aim: Participation in classroom physical activity breaks may improve children’s cognition, but few studies have involved adolescents. The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of classroom-based resistance training with and without cognitive training on adolescents’ cognitive function. Methods: Participants were 97 secondary school students (45.4% females, mean age 15.78 ± 0.44). Four-year 10 classes from one school were included in this four-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. Classes were randomly assigned to the following groups: sedentary control with no cognitive training, sedentary with cognitive training, resistance training without cognitive training, and resistance training with cognitive training. Sessions varied in levels of both cognitive demand and resistance training (i.e., high vs. low) and were administered three times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions). Inhibition, cognitive flexibility, episodic memory, on-task behavior, and muscular fitness were assessed at baseline and post-test. Linear mixed models were used to examine changes within and between groups. Results: In comparison with the control group, episodic memory improved significantly in the resistance training without cognitive training group (−9.87 units, 95% CI: −17.71 to −2.03, p = 0.014, d = 0.72). There were no group-by-time effects for inhibition or cognitive flexibility. Classroom activity breaks both with and without cognitive demand improved participants’ on-task behavior in comparison with the control and sedentary group. The resistance training programs did not lead to improvements in muscular fitness. Conclusion: Participation in body weight resistance training without cognitive training led to selective improvements in episodic memory. No training effects were found for inhibition or cognitive flexibility. A longer study period may be necessary to induce improvements in muscular fitness and associated changes in inhibition and cognitive flexibilit

Detection of multiple annexin autoantibodies in a patient with recurrent miscarriages, fulminant stroke and seronegative antiphospholipid syndrome.

Anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of the main causes for recurrent miscarriages. The diagnosis of APS is based on the occurrence of clinical symptoms such as thrombotic events or obstetric complications as well as the detection of antiphospholipid antibodies directed against ß2-glycoprotein I and cardiolipin, or a positive lupus anticoagulant assay. However, there is a subpopulation of patients with clinical symptoms of APS, but the lack of serological markers (seronegative APS). In addition, a large proportion of patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriages exist. These cases may be attributed, at least in part, to a seronegative APS. The presence of autoantibodies against annexins is potentially associated with APS. Here we used immunoassays and immunoblots to detect autoantibodies directed against annexin A1-5, and A8, respectively, in a patient with a seronegative APS and a history of six recurrent pregnancy losses and fulminant stroke. We found strong IgM isotype antibody reactivity directed against annexin A2 and annexin A8, and moderate to weak IgM isotype antibody reactivity directed against annexin A1, A3, and A5. Further studies will evaluate the diagnostic value of IgM isotype antibodies against annexin A1-A5, and A8 for seronegative APS and recurrent miscarriages

Endogenous overexpression of Populus MYB186 increases trichome density, improves insect pest resistance, and impacts plant growth

Trichomes are specialized epidermal cells that generally play a role in reducing transpiration and act as a deterrent to herbivory. In a screen of activation-tagged Populus tremula  ×  Populus alba 717-1B4 trees, we identified a mutant line, fuzzy , with increased foliar trichome density. This mutant also had a 35% increase in growth rate and a 200% increase in the rate of photosynthesis as compared with wild-type poplar. The fuzzy mutant had significant resistance to feeding by larvae of the white-spotted tussock moth ( Orgyia leucostigma ), a generalist insect pest of poplar trees. The fuzzy trichome phenotype is attributable to activation tagging and increased expression of the gene encoding PtaMYB186 , which is related to Arabidopsis thaliana MYB106 , a known regulator of trichome initiation. The fuzzy phenotype can be recapitulated by overexpressing PtaMYB186 in poplar. PtaMYB186 overexpression results in reconfiguration of the poplar transcriptome, with changes in the transcript abundance of suites of genes that are related to trichome differentiation. It is notable that a plant with misexpression of a gene responsible for trichome development also had altered traits related to growth rate and pest resistance, suggesting that non-intuitive facets of plant development might be useful targets for plant improvement.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/79232/1/TPJ_4343_sm_FigsS1-S3.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/79232/2/j.1365-313X.2010.04343.x.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/79232/3/TPJ_4343_sm_TableS5.pd

In planta expression of human polyQ-expanded huntingtin fragment reveals mechanisms to prevent disease-related protein aggregation

In humans, aggregation of polyglutamine repeat (polyQ) proteins causes disorders such as Huntington’s disease. Although plants express hundreds of polyQ-containing proteins, no pathologies arising from polyQ aggregation have been reported. To investigate this phenomenon, we expressed an aggregation-prone fragment of human huntingtin (HTT) with an expanded polyQ stretch (Q69) in Arabidopsis thaliana plants. In contrast to animal models, we find that Arabidopsis sp. suppresses Q69 aggregation through chloroplast proteostasis. Inhibition of chloroplast proteostasis diminishes the capacity of plants to prevent cytosolic Q69 aggregation. Moreover, endogenous polyQ-containing proteins also aggregate on chloroplast dysfunction. We find tha

Functional role of T-cell receptor nanoclusters in signal initiation and antigen discrimination

Antigen recognition by the T-cell receptor (TCR) is a hallmark of the adaptive immune system. When the TCR engages a peptide bound to the restricting major histocompatibility complex molecule (pMHC), it transmits a signal via the associated CD3 complex. How the extracellular antigen recognition event leads to intracellular phosphorylation remains unclear. Here, we used single-molecule localization microscopy to quantify the organization of TCR–CD3 complexes into nanoscale clusters and to distinguish between triggered and nontriggered TCR–CD3 complexes. We found that only TCR–CD3 complexes in dense clusters were phosphorylated and associated with downstream signaling proteins, demonstrating that the molecular density within clusters dictates signal initiation. Moreover, both pMHC dose and TCR–pMHC affinity determined the density of TCR–CD3 clusters, which scaled with overall phosphorylation levels. Thus, TCR–CD3 clustering translates antigen recognition by the TCR into signal initiation by the CD3 complex, and the formation of dense signaling-competent clusters is a process of antigen discrimination

Ageing-associated changes in transcriptional elongation influence longevity

Physiological homeostasis becomes compromised during ageing, as a result of impairment of cellular processes, including transcription and RNA splicing1-4. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to the loss of transcriptional fidelity are so far elusive, as are ways of preventing it. Here we profiled and analysed genome-wide, ageing-related changes in transcriptional processes across different organisms: nematodes, fruitflies, mice, rats and humans. The average transcriptional elongation speed (RNA polymerase II speed) increased with age in all five species. Along with these changes in elongation speed, we observed changes in splicing, including a reduction of unspliced transcripts and the formation of more circular RNAs. Two lifespan-extending interventions, dietary restriction and lowered insulin-IGF signalling, both reversed most of these ageing-related changes. Genetic variants in RNA polymerase II that reduced its speed in worms5 and flies6 increased their lifespan. Similarly, reducing the speed of RNA polymerase II by overexpressing histone components, to counter age-associated changes in nucleosome positioning, also extended lifespan in flies and the division potential of human cells. Our findings uncover fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying animal ageing and lifespan-extending interventions, and point to possible preventive measures