Moringa oleifera Improves Skeletal Muscle Metabolism and Running Performance in Mice

Background: Recent estimates suggest that 7% of Americans use plant-derived nutritional supplements to treat a variety of complications and/or to improve athletic performance and skeletal muscle health. Unfortunately, these supplements are largely unregulated and understudied. For example, Moringa oleifera (M. oleifera) is a subtropical plant and is routinely used to treat inflammation, diabetes, obesity, cancer and HIV. However, the mechanism of action of M. oleifera has not been fully elucidated, thus the purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of M. oleifera as a novel ergogenic aid to improve exercise performance by driving peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α)-dependent signaling pathways implicated in mitochondrial biogenesis and oxidative metabolism in skeletal muscle tissue. Methods: Adult male C57BL/6 mice were treated with 1.0 g of M. oleifera (N = 20) per day or vehicle control (N = 20) for a total of 5 weeks. Following 3 weeks of supplementation, half of each group (RUN) was given access to running wheels every night for 2 weeks (Remaining half = SED), distances ran were recorded daily. After treatment protocols were complete, the gastrocnemius muscles were excised and assayed for known markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, angiogenesis, endurance capacity, and capillary density using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results: Our results showed a significant increase in average distance run in the M. oleifera + SED and M. oleifera + RUN groups. This physiological trend was consistent with the molecular profile of key metabolic markers, i.e., there was an increase in levels of PGC-1α, PPARγ, SDHB, SUCLG1, VEGF, PGAM-2, PGK1, and MYLPF in the M. oleifera treated groups compared to vehicle + SED. Moreover, M. oleifera also increased CSA and decreased markers of protein degradation. Conclusions: This data suggests that M. oleifera has the potential to be an ergogenic aid via enhancing energy metabolism in adult skeletal muscle by increasing the expression of key metabolic markers, including those involved in glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial biogenesis and angiogenesis

Delineation of VEGF-regulated genes and functions in the cervix of pregnant rodents by DNA microarray analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>VEGF-regulated genes in the cervices of pregnant and non-pregnant rodents (rats and mice) were delineated by DNA microarray and Real Time PCR, after locally altering levels of or action of VEGF using VEGF agents, namely siRNA, VEGF receptor antagonist and mouse VEGF recombinant protein.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Tissues were analyzed by genome-wide DNA microarray analysis, Real-time and gel-based PCR, and SEM, to decipher VEGF function during cervical remodeling. Data were analyzed by EASE score (microarray) and ANOVA (Real Time PCR) followed by Scheffe's <it>F</it>-test for multiple comparisons.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 30,000 genes analyzed, about 4,200 genes were altered in expression by VEGF, i.e., expression of about 2,400 and 1,700 genes were down- and up-regulated, respectively. Based on EASE score, i.e., grouping of genes according to their biological process, cell component and molecular functions, a number of vascular- and non-vascular-related processes were found to be regulated by VEGF in the cervix, including immune response (including inflammatory), cell proliferation, protein kinase activity, and cell adhesion molecule activity. Of interest, mRNA levels of a select group of genes, known to or with potential to influence cervical remodeling were altered. For example, real time PCR analysis showed that levels of VCAM-1, a key molecule in leukocyte recruitment, endothelial adhesion, and subsequent trans-endothelial migration, were elevated about 10 folds by VEGF. Further, VEGF agents also altered mRNA levels of decorin, which is involved in cervical collagen fibrillogenesis, and expression of eNO, PLC and PKC mRNA, critical downstream mediators of VEGF. Of note, we show that VEGF may regulate cervical epithelial proliferation, as revealed by SEM.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data are important in that they shed new insights in VEGF's possible roles and mechanisms in cervical events near-term, including cervical remodeling.</p

Resilience to shocks in Malawian households

Building up resilience in agricultural households has assumed a critical role in development strategies in recent years because, it is argued, the costs of strengthening resilience are less than the recurring expenditure for disaster assistance. Relying on large household datasets from 2010 and 2013, we explored the resilience of Malawian households to the exogenous shocks of flooding and currency devaluation during this period. We utilised two strategies for understanding resilience. The first, a classification framework pioneered by Briguglio and others, categorises households into resilience and vulnerability spaces. The second approach employs econometric analysis to explore food security resilience. These two complementary analyses reveal that infrastructure, assets, education and non-agricultural employment opportunities contribute most to food security resilience

Does Culture Matter? A Test of the Harrison Hypothesis

ABSTRACT: This study utilizes unique data from the World Values Survey to test the hypothesis that fatalism and the practice of the Golden Rule influence the economic development of nations. We use standard econometric models that account for endogeneity to understand the relative roles of culture, productivity, institutions, and geography in explaining human flourishing. Our analysis supports Harrison’s cultural hypothesis and demonstrates that fatalism and altruism’s explanatory powers, in our full model, are no less powerful than productivity, institutions, and geography in explaining economic performance. However, transforming existing fatalistic and altruistic attitudes in a positive direction using public policy to provide greater support for human flourishing may prove more challenging than overcoming other development constraints

Nutritional status of breastfed infants in rural Zambia. Comparison of the national center for health statistics growth reference versus WHO 12 months breastfed pooled data set

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Nutritional status of breastfed infants in rural Zambia: comparison of the National Center for Health Statistics growth reference versus the WHO 12-month breastfed pooled data set.

Cross-sectional data for breastfed infants in rural Zambia were used to evaluate the effect of applying two different data sets as a reference, i.e. the WHO 12-month breastfed pooled data set and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) growth reference in terms of prevalence of malnutrition (stunting, underweight, and wasting). A total of 518 infants who were attending mother-and-child health clinics were included. Age, weight and length were recorded. Anthropometric Z-scores were calculated in two ways: by applying the NCHS growth reference and by using the WHO breastfed data set. Anthropometric Z-scores calculated using the breastfed data set were lower during the first 6-7 months of life compared with those calculated by applying the NCHS growth reference. This resulted in a higher proportion of children aged 0-6 months being classified as stunted and underweight using the breastfed data set versus the NCHS growth reference. After the age of 7 months, similar prevalences of stunting or underweight were observed. Relatively few infants were classified as wasted. In order to adequately assess the prevalence of stunting and underweight in breastfed infants, it is recommended that a new growth reference be developed, as has been initiated by WHO