1,089 research outputs found
Effects of exercise training on atrophy gene expression in skeletal muscle of mice with chronic allergic lung inflammation
We evaluated the effects of chronic allergic airway inflammation and of treadmill training (12 weeks) of low and moderate intensity on muscle fiber cross-sectional area and mRNA levels of atrogin-1 and MuRF1 in the mouse tibialis anterior muscle. Six 4-month-old male BALB/c mice (28.5 ± 0.8 g) per group were examined: 1) control, non-sensitized and non-trained (C); 2) ovalbumin sensitized (OA, 20 µg per mouse); 3) non-sensitized and trained at 50% maximum speed _ low intensity (PT50%); 4) non-sensitized and trained at 75% maximum speed _ moderate intensity (PT75%); 5) OA-sensitized and trained at 50% (OA+PT50%), 6) OA-sensitized and trained at 75% (OA+PT75%). There was no difference in muscle fiber cross-sectional area among groups and no difference in atrogin-1 and MuRF1 expression between C and OA groups. All exercised groups showed significantly decreased expression of atrogin-1 compared to C (1.01 ± 0.2-fold): PT50% = 0.71 ± 0.12-fold; OA+PT50% = 0.74 ± 0.03-fold; PT75% = 0.71 ± 0.09-fold; OA+PT75% = 0.74 ± 0.09-fold. Similarly significant results were obtained regarding MuRF1 gene expression compared to C (1.01 ± 0.23-fold): PT50% = 0.53 ± 0.20-fold; OA+PT50% = 0.55 ± 0.11-fold; PT75% = 0.35 ± 0.15-fold; OA+PT75% = 0.37 ± 0.08-fold. A short period of OA did not induce skeletal muscle atrophy in the mouse tibialis anterior muscle and aerobic training at low and moderate intensity negatively regulates the atrophy pathway in skeletal muscle of healthy mice or mice with allergic lung inflammation.FAPESPCNP
Exploring Demographic and Substance Use Correlates of Hookah Use in a Sample of Southern California Community College Students
Background and Purpose: Hookah smoking is a growing young adult phenomenon, particularly among college students. Many users feel that it is safer than other tobacco products, although its health threats are well documented. Little is known about hookah use rates in community colleges that are attended by nearly half of all US college students. This study examined hookah use in a diverse convenience sample of students attending two southern California community colleges. Methods: In fall 2011, a crosssectional, in-classroom survey was administered to 1,207 students. A series of fully adjusted multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to explore demographic, other substance use, and attitudinal correlates of lifetime and current hookah use. Results: Lifetime hookah use (56%) was higher than lifetime cigarette use (49%). Gender and personal socioeconomic status were not related to hookah use. Current use (10.8%) was associated with current use of alcohol, cigars, and cigarettes. Compared to African-Americans, Whites were 2.9 times more likely to be current users, and students who perceive hookah to be more socially acceptable were 21 times more likely to currently use. Conclusion: Since hookah use rates are high, colleges should offer health education programs to inform incoming students about the health risks of hookah and cessation programs
Demonstrating the Feasibility of Line Intensity Mapping Using Mock Data of Galaxy Clustering from Simulations
Visbal & Loeb (2010) have shown that it is possible to measure the clustering
of galaxies by cross correlating the cumulative emission from two different
spectral lines which originate at the same redshift. Through this cross
correlation, one can study galaxies which are too faint to be individually
resolved. This technique, known as intensity mapping, is a promising probe of
the global properties of high redshift galaxies. Here, we test the feasibility
of such measurements with synthetic data generated from cosmological dark
matter simulations. We use a simple prescription for associating galaxies with
dark matter halos and create a realization of emitted radiation as a function
of angular position and wavelength over a patch of the sky. This is then used
to create synthetic data for two different hypothetical instruments, one aboard
the Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) and another
consisting of a pair of ground based radio telescopes designed to measure the
CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) emission lines. We find that the line cross power spectrum
can be measured accurately from the synthetic data with errors consistent with
the analytical prediction of Visbal & Loeb (2010). Removal of astronomical
backgrounds and masking bright line emission from foreground contaminating
galaxies do not prevent accurate cross power spectrum measurements.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, Submitted to JCA
Neonatal Apex Resection Triggers Cardiomyocyte Proliferation, Neovascularization and Functional Recovery Despite Local Fibrosis
So far, opposing outcomes have been reported following neonatal apex resection in mice, questioning the validity of this injury model to investigate regenerative mechanisms. We performed a systematic evaluation, up to 180 days after surgery, of the pathophysiological events activated upon apex resection. In response to cardiac injury, we observed increased cardiomyocyte proliferation in remote and apex regions, neovascularization, and local fibrosis. In adulthood, resected hearts remain consistently shorter and display permanent fibrotic tissue deposition in the center of the resection plane, indicating limited apex regrowth. However, thickening of the left ventricle wall, explained by an upsurge in cardiomyocyte proliferation during the initial response to injury, compensated cardiomyocyte loss and supported normal systolic function. Thus, apex resection triggers both regenerative and reparative mechanisms, endorsing this injury model for studies aimed at promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation and/or downplaying fibrosis. In this article, Nascimento and colleagues demonstrate that neonatal apex resection stimulates cardiomyocyte proliferation and permanent scarring in the apex. Newly formed cardiomyocytes compensate muscle loss by resection, and resected hearts recover functional competence in adulthood. These findings endorse this model for studies aiming to block cardiac fibrosis and/or favoring CM proliferation
Emergence of Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance: Exploring the Importance of the Microenvironmental Niche via a Spatial Model
Practically, all chemotherapeutic agents lead to drug resistance. Clinically,
it is a challenge to determine whether resistance arises prior to, or as a
result of, cancer therapy. Further, a number of different intracellular and
microenvironmental factors have been correlated with the emergence of drug
resistance. With the goal of better understanding drug resistance and its
connection with the tumor microenvironment, we have developed a hybrid
discrete-continuous mathematical model. In this model, cancer cells described
through a particle-spring approach respond to dynamically changing oxygen and
DNA damaging drug concentrations described through partial differential
equations. We thoroughly explored the behavior of our self-calibrated model
under the following common conditions: a fixed layout of the vasculature, an
identical initial configuration of cancer cells, the same mechanism of drug
action, and one mechanism of cellular response to the drug. We considered one
set of simulations in which drug resistance existed prior to the start of
treatment, and another set in which drug resistance is acquired in response to
treatment. This allows us to compare how both kinds of resistance influence the
spatial and temporal dynamics of the developing tumor, and its clonal
diversity. We show that both pre-existing and acquired resistance can give rise
to three biologically distinct parameter regimes: successful tumor eradication,
reduced effectiveness of drug during the course of treatment (resistance), and
complete treatment failure
Local Ferromagnetism in Microporous Carbon with the Structural Regularity of Zeolite Y
Magnetization M(H,T) measurements have been performed on microporous carbon
(MC) with a three-dimensional nano-array structure corresponding to that of a
zeolite Y supercage. The obtained results unambiguously demonstrate the
occurrence of high-temperature ferromagnetism in MC, probably originating from
a topological disorder associated with curved graphene sheets. The results
provide evidence that the ferromagnetic behavior of MC is governed by isolated
clusters in a broad temperature range, and suggest the occurrence of
percolative-type transition with the temperature lowering. A comparative
analysis of the results obtained on MC and related materials is given.Comment: To be published in Physical Review B (2003
Transtorno de déficit de atenção/hiperatividade com predomÃnio de desatenção : genes de susceptibilidade e influência de fatores ambientais
Proposição de um sistema de indicadores de desempenho para avaliação da qualidade dos serviços de esgotamento sanitário
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