Eccentric Resistance Training in Adults with and without Spinal Cord Injuries

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(1): 154-165, 2017 The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of active lower body eccentric resistance training (ERT) in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) and controls (CON). Specifically, the study was designed to determine if those with iSCI adapt similarly to ERT as CON participants as well as the overall safety and efficacy of ERT in this population. This pilot investigation involved the recruitment of persons with iSCI (n = 3) and age- and sex-matched able-bodied CON (n = 3). The 8-week intervention focused on building lower extremity eccentric strength by progressively increasing the duration and intensity of training sessions. Control participants completed the same training intervention. Main outcome measures were eccentric strength (eccentric ergometer), isometric strength (hand held dynamometer), and leg muscle mass (DEXA). All participants completed the ERT. At posttest, eccentric strength improved from pretest (p = .044, ηp2 = .68) with similar changes between groups (p \u3e .05). The percent improvement in isometric strength for those with iSCI (41.5%) was different than CON (-2.8%) after training (p = .044). Neither group demonstrated muscle mass gains at posttest (p \u3e .05). Active lower body ERT is well tolerated and effective at increasing lower extremity strength in those with iSCI. These adaptations are likely attributable to neuromuscular development rather than a hypertrophic response

Enzymatic Modification of Polyamide for Improving the Conductivity of Water-Based Multilayer Nanocoatings

Enzymatic modification, using a protease from Bacillus licheniformis (Subtilisin A), was carried out on polyamide 6.6 (PA6.6) fabric to make it more amenable to water-based nanocoatings used to impart electrical conductivity. The modified PA6.6 fibers exhibit a smoother surface, increased hydrophilicity due to more carboxyl and amino groups, and larger ζ-potential relative to unmodified polyamide. With its improved hydrophilicity and surface functionality, the modified textile is better able to accept a water-based nanocoating, composed of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) stabilized by sodium deoxycholate (DOC) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA), deposited via layer-by-layer assembly. Relative to unmodified fabric, the enzymatically modified fibers exhibit lower sheet resistance as a function of PDDA/MWCNT-DOC bilayers deposited. This relatively green technique could be used to impart a variety of useful functionalities to otherwise difficult-totreat synthetic fibers like polyamid

Evaluation of the transmitted exposure through lead equivalent aprons used in a radiology department, including the contribution from backscatter

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135071/1/mp3207.pd

Bulk and Interfacial Shear Thinning of Immiscible Polymers

Nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the shear thinning behavior of immiscible symmetric polymer blends. The phase separated polymers are subjected to a simple shear flow imposed by moving a wall parallel to the fluid-fluid interface. The viscosity begins to shear thin at much lower rates in the bulk than at the interface. The entire shear rate dependence of the interfacial viscosity is consistent with a shorter effective chain length $s^*$ that also describes the width of the interface. This $s^*$ is independent of chain length $N$ and is a function only of the degree of immiscibility of the two polymers. Changes in polymer conformation are studied as a function of position and shear rate.Shear thinning correlates more closely with a decrease in the component of the radius of gyration along the velocity gradient than with elongation along the flow. At the interface, this contraction of chains is independent of $N$ and consistent with the bulk behavior for chains of length $s^*$. The distribution of conformational changes along chains is also studied. Central regions begin to stretch at a shear rate that decreases with increasing $N$, while shear induced changes at the ends of chains are independent of $N$.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Establishing a Primary Care Alliance for Conducting Cancer Prevention Clinical Research at Community Sites

In September 2020, the National Cancer Institute convened the first PARTNRS Workshop as an initiative to forge partnerships between oncologists, primary care professionals, and non-oncology specialists for promoting patient accrual into cancer prevention trials. This effort is aimed at bringing about more effective accrual methods to generate decisive outcomes in cancer prevention research. The workshop convened to inspire solutions to challenges encountered during the development and implementation of cancer prevention trials. Ultimately, strategies suggested for protocol development might enhance integration of these trials into community settings where a diversity of patients might be accrued. Research Bases (cancer research organizations that develop protocols) could encourage more involvement of primary care professionals, relevant prevention specialists, and patient representatives with protocol development beginning at the concept level to improve adoptability of the trials within community facilities, and consider various incentives to primary care professionals (i.e., remuneration). Principal investigators serving as liaisons for the NCORP affiliates and sub-affiliates, might produce and maintain Prevention Research Champions lists of PCPs and non-oncology specialists relevant in prevention research who can attract health professionals to consider incorporating prevention research into their practices. Finally, patient advocates and community health providers might convince patients of the benefits of trial-participation and encourage shared-decision making

Current and Future Implications of COVID-19 among Youth Wheelchair Users: 24-Hour Activity Behavior.

Preventative measures taken worldwide to decrease the transmission of COVID-19 have had a tremendous impact on youth. Following social restrictions, youth with and without physical disabilities are engaging in less physical activity, more increased sedentary behavior, and poor sleep habits. Specifically, youth wheelchair users (YWU) are likely disproportionately affected by COVID- 19 and have a higher risk of contraction due to underlying comorbidities. While we cannot control all of the negative long-term implications of COVID-19 for YWU, participation in positive 24-h activity behaviors can decrease chronic disease risk and the likelihood of long-term complications resulting from infection. This commentary is to extend the discourse on the importance of 24-h activity behaviors by focusing on YWU. Specifically, we discuss the importance of chronic disease prevention, provide a brief overview of 24-h activity behaviors, and outline some of the lessons that can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.N/

CERT\u3csub\u3eL\u3c/sub\u3e Reduces C16 Ceramide, Amyloid-β Levels, and Inflammation in a Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

BACKGROUND: Dysregulation of ceramide and sphingomyelin levels have been suggested to contribute to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD). Ceramide transfer proteins (CERTs) are ceramide carriers which are crucial for ceramide and sphingomyelin balance in cells. Extracellular forms of CERTs co-localize with amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques in AD brains. To date, the significance of these observations for the pathophysiology of AD remains uncertain. METHODS: A plasmid expressing CERTL, the long isoform of CERTs, was used to study the interaction of CERTL with amyloid precursor protein (APP) by co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence in HEK cells. The recombinant CERTL protein was employed to study interaction of CERTL with amyloid-β (Aβ), Aβ aggregation process in presence of CERTL, and the resulting changes in Aβ toxicity in neuroblastoma cells. CERTL was overexpressed in neurons by adeno-associated virus (AAV) in a mouse model of familial AD (5xFAD). Ten weeks after transduction, animals were challenged with behavior tests for memory, anxiety, and locomotion. At week 12, brains were investigated for sphingolipid levels by mass spectrometry, plaques, and neuroinflammation by immunohistochemistry, gene expression, and/or immunoassay. RESULTS: Here, we report that CERTL binds to APP, modifies Aβ aggregation, and reduces Aβ neurotoxicity in vitro. Furthermore, we show that intracortical injection of AAV, mediating the expression of CERTL, decreases levels of ceramide d18:1/16:0 and increases sphingomyelin levels in the brain of male 5xFAD mice. CERTL in vivo over-expression has a mild effect on animal locomotion, decreases Aβ formation, and modulates microglia by decreasing their pro-inflammatory phenotype. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate a crucial role of CERTL in regulating ceramide levels in the brain, in amyloid plaque formation and neuroinflammation, thereby opening research avenues for therapeutic targets of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases