The dynamics of CD4
T cell memory development remain to be examined at genome scale. In malaria-endemic regions, antimalarial chemoprevention protects long after its cessation and associates with ...effects on CD4
T cells. We applied single-cell RNA sequencing and computational modelling to track memory development during Plasmodium infection and treatment. In the absence of central memory precursors, two trajectories developed as T helper 1 (T
1) and follicular helper T (T
) transcriptomes contracted and partially coalesced over three weeks. Progeny of single clones populated T
1 and T
trajectories, and fate-mapping suggested that there was minimal lineage plasticity. Relationships between T
and central memory were revealed, with antimalarials modulating these responses and boosting T
1 recall. Finally, single-cell epigenomics confirmed that heterogeneity among effectors was partially reset in memory. Thus, the effector-to-memory transition in CD4
T cells is gradual during malaria and is modulated by antiparasitic drugs. Graphical user interfaces are presented for examining gene-expression dynamics and gene-gene correlations ( http://haquelab.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/cd4_memory/ ).
Schizophrenia is a persistent psychotic disorder often accompanied by severe disability and premature mortality. New pharmacological treatments are urgently needed. Sodium benzoate, a common food ...preservative holds potential to be an effective, accessible treatment for schizophrenia, though the optimal dosing and mechanism of action of the compound requires further investigation.
Individuals with persistent treatment-refractory schizophrenia (n=52) will be recruited. Patients will be randomised in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive treatment of one of three active doses (1000, 2000 or 4000 mg daily) of sodium benzoate or placebo for 6 weeks duration. The primary outcome measurement is change in the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score. Secondary outcome measurements are PANSS subscales, Global Assessment of Function (GAF), Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and Patient Global Impression (PGI-I). Change in concentrations of peripheral amino acids (D-alanine, L-alanine, D-serine, L-serine, glycine and glutamate), plasma sodium benzoate, plasma catalase, 3-nitrotyrosine, malondialdehyde and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) will be determined as tertiary measures.
This trial seeks to build upon previous research indicating potential efficacy of sodium benzoate for reduction of symptoms in individuals with treatment-refractory schizophrenia. The trial aims to improve the understanding of the mechanism of action of the compound.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12621000327886 . Registered on 23 March 2021.
Handheld percussive massage devices (ie, massage guns) are a relatively new and under-researched recovery tool. These tools are intended to increase range of motion and reduce muscle soreness by ...delivering targeted vibration to soft tissues. Empirical knowledge about the potential influence of these devices on perceptual recovery and the recovery of performance characteristics after exercise is scarce.
To investigate the effect of a 5-minute massage gun application, using a commercially available device, on physical and perceptual recovery after a strenuous bout of lower body exercise.
Controlled laboratory study.
Physiology laboratory.
A total of 65 active young adults (age = 21.3 ± 1.4 years; age range = 18-30 years; 34 women: height = 165.8 ± 6.1 cm, mass = 66.0 ± 7.4 kg; 31 men: height = 181.1 ± 6.0 cm, mass = 81.5 ± 11.8 kg).
Participants applied a massage gun on the calf muscles of 1 leg after strenuous exercise (massage gun recovery group) for 5 minutes and used no recovery intervention on the other leg (control group).
Ankle range of motion, calf circumference, isometric strength, calf endurance, and perceived muscle soreness measures were collected at baseline and at various points after lower body exercise.
No significant group × time interactions were recorded for any of the performance or perceptual measures (P values > .05). Effect sizes were mostly unclear, except for a small increase in perceived muscle soreness in the massage gun recovery group compared with the control group immediately (d = -0.35) and 4 hours (d = -0.48) postrecovery.
Massage guns appeared to have little effect on physical measures when applied for 5 minutes immediately after strenuous calf exercise. Given the small increase in muscle soreness up to 4 hours after their use, caution is recommended when using massage guns immediately after strenuous lower body exercise.
Amirthalingam, T, Mavros, Y, Wilson, GC, Clarke, JL, Mitchell, L, and Hackett, DA. Effects of a modified German volume training program on muscular hypertrophy and strength. J Strength Cond Res ...31(11): 3109-3119, 2017-German Volume Training (GVT), or the 10 sets method, has been used for decades by weightlifters to increase muscle mass. To date, no study has directly examined the training adaptations after GVT. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a modified GVT intervention on muscular hypertrophy and strength. Nineteen healthy men were randomly assign to 6 weeks of 10 or 5 sets of 10 repetitions for specific compound resistance exercises included in a split routine performed 3 times per week. Total and regional lean body mass, muscle thickness, and muscle strength were measured before and after the training program. Across groups, there were significant increases in lean body mass measures, however, greater increases in trunk (p = 0.043; effect size ES = -0.21) and arm (p = 0.083; ES = -0.25) lean body mass favored the 5-SET group. No significant increases were found for leg lean body mass or measures of muscle thickness across groups. Significant increases were found across groups for muscular strength, with greater increases in the 5-SET group for bench press (p = 0.014; ES = -0.43) and lat pull-down (p = 0.003; ES = -0.54). It seems that the modified GVT program is no more effective than performing 5 sets per exercise for increasing muscle hypertrophy and strength. To maximize hypertrophic training effects, it is recommended that 4-6 sets per exercise be performed, as it seems gains will plateau beyond this set range and may even regress due to overtraining.
Deconstructing compassionate conservation Hayward, Matt W.; Callen, Alex; Allen, Benjamin L. ...
Conservation biology,
August 2019, 2019-08-00, 20190801, Letnik:
33, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Compassionate conservation focuses on 4 tenets: first, do no harm; individuals matter; inclusivity of individual animals; and peaceful coexistence between humans and animals. Recently, compassionate ...conservation has been promoted as an alternative to conventional conservation philosophy. We believe examples presented by compassionate conservationists are deliberately or arbitrarily chosen to focus on mammals; inherently not compassionate; and offer ineffective conservation solutions. Compassionate conservation arbitrarily focuses on charismatic species, notably large predators and megaherbivores. The philosophy is not compassionate when it leaves invasive predators in the environment to cause harm to vastly more individuals of native species or uses the fear of harm by apex predators to terrorize mesopredators. Hindering the control of exotic species (megafauna, predators) in situ will not improve the conservation condition of the majority of biodiversity. The positions taken by so‐called compassionate conservationists on particular species and on conservation actions could be extended to hinder other forms of conservation, including translocations, conservation fencing, and fertility control. Animal welfare is incredibly important to conservation, but ironically compassionate conservation does not offer the best welfare outcomes to animals and is often ineffective in achieving conservation goals. Consequently, compassionate conservation may threaten public and governmental support for conservation because of the limited understanding of conservation problems by the general public.
Deconstrucción de la Conservación Compasiva
Resumen
La conservación compasiva se enfoca en cuatro principios: no causar daño; los individuos importan; la integración de los animales individualmente; y la coexistencia pacífica entre los humanos u los animales. Recientemente, la conservación compasiva ha sido promovida como una alternativa a la filosofía convencional de la conservación. Creemos que los ejemplos presentados por los conservacionistas compasivos han sido elegidos arbitraria o deliberadamente por estar enfocados en los mamíferos; por ser inherentes y no compasivos; y por ofrecer soluciones de conservación poco efectivas. La conservación compasiva se enfoca arbitrariamente en las especies carismáticas, principalmente los grandes depredadores y los megaherbívoros. La filosofía no es compasiva cuando deja que los depredadores invasores dentro del ambiente causen daño a un vasto número de individuos nativos o usa el miedo al daño por superdepredadores para aterrorizar a los mesodepredadores. El entorpecimiento del control de especies exóticas (megafauna, depredadores) in situ no mejorará las condiciones de conservación de la mayoría de la biodiversidad, incluso si los conservacionistas compasivos no dañan a los individuos exóticos. Las posiciones que toman los llamados conservacionistas compasivos sobre especies particulares y sobre las acciones de conservación podrían extenderse para entorpecer otros tipos de conservación, incluyendo las reubicaciones, el encercado para la conservación y el control de la fertilidad. El bienestar animal es increíblemente importante para la conservación e irónicamente, la conservación compasiva no ofrece los mejores resultados de bienestar para los animales y comúnmente es poco efectiva en el logro de los objetivos de conservación. Como consecuencia, la conservación compasiva puede poner en peligro el apoyo público y del gobierno que tiene la conservación debido al entendimiento poco limitado que tiene el público general sobre los problemas de conservación.
摘要
同理心保护注重四项原则: 不制造伤害、心系每一条生命、不排斥每一种动物, 以及人与动物和平共处。目前, 同理心保护已经被推崇为传统保护哲学的替代选择。然而, 我们认为同理心保护主义者有意或武断地挑选了哺乳动物作为范例, 这在本质上并不具备同理心, 且他们提供的保护方案也不实际。同理心保护常常不加判断地只关注明星物种, 尤其是大型食肉动物和食草动物;若是保留环境中的入侵食肉动物, 从而对原生种造成巨大伤害, 抑或是利用顶级捕食者来威慑中等食肉动物, 这样的保护理念实际上都没有同理心。即便同理心保护主义者没有直接伤害外来物种的个体, 阻止对外来物种 (大型动物、食肉动物) 的就地种群控制, 也不能改善组成生物多样性的大部分物种的保护情况。所谓的同理心保护主义者对特定物种或是特定保护行动所采取的立场, 甚至会阻碍其它形式的保护, 如迁地保护、围栏保护和繁殖控制等。动物福利对保护极为重要, 然而讽刺的是, 同理心保护不仅没有给动物提供最优的福利条件, 还通常不利于实现保护目标。因此, 鉴于公众对保护问题的认知有限, 同理心保护可能会威胁到公众和政府对保护的支持。翻译: 胡怡思; 审校: 聂永刚
Article impact statement: Compassionate conservation has an arbitrary focus on mammals, lacks compassion, and offers ineffective conservation solutions.
ContextHandheld percussive massage devices (i.e., massage guns) are relatively new and under-researched recovery. These tools are intended to increase range of motion and reduce muscle soreness ...through delivering targeted vibration to soft tissues. There is a scarcity of empirical knowledge about the potential influence of these devices on perceptual recovery and recovery of performance characteristics after exercise.ObjectiveThe current study aimed to investigate the effect of a commercially available massage gun on physical and perceptual recovery after a strenuous bout of lower-body exercise.DesignRepeated-measure, single-group design that implemented an experimental leg (massage gun recovery - GUN) and a control leg (passive recovery - CON).SettingTesting occurred in a physiology laboratory.Participants65 active young adults (34 female, 31 male) participated in this study.InterventionApplication of a massage gun for 5 minutes on the calf muscles after strenuous exercise.Main Outcome MeasuresAnkle range of motion, calf circumference, isometric strength, calf endurance and perceived muscle soreness measures were collected at baseline, and at various points following lower-body exercise.ResultsNo significant group × time interactions were recorded for any of the performance or perceptual measures (p >0.05). Effect sizes were mostly unclear, with the exception of a small increase in perceived muscle soreness in GUN compared to CON immediately post-recovery (d = −0.35) and four hours post-recovery (d = −0.48).ConclusionsMassage guns appear to have little effect on physical measures when applied for five minutes immediately following strenuous calf exercise. Given the small increase in muscle soreness up to four hours following their use, caution is recommended when using massage guns immediately following strenuous lower-body exercise.
We report the sequences of 1,244 human Y chromosomes randomly ascertained from 26 worldwide populations by the 1000 Genomes Project. We discovered more than 65,000 variants, including ...single-nucleotide variants, multiple-nucleotide variants, insertions and deletions, short tandem repeats, and copy number variants. Of these, copy number variants contribute the greatest predicted functional impact. We constructed a calibrated phylogenetic tree on the basis of binary single-nucleotide variants and projected the more complex variants onto it, estimating the number of mutations for each class. Our phylogeny shows bursts of extreme expansion in male numbers that have occurred independently among each of the five continental superpopulations examined, at times of known migrations and technological innovations.
Plasma levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are independently associated with risk of coronary heart disease, but whether CRP is causally associated with coronary heart disease or merely a marker of ...underlying atherosclerosis is uncertain.
To investigate association of genetic loci with CRP levels and risk of coronary heart disease.
We first carried out a genome-wide association (n = 17,967) and replication study (n = 13,615) to identify genetic loci associated with plasma CRP concentrations. Data collection took place between 1989 and 2008 and genotyping between 2003 and 2008. We carried out a mendelian randomization study of the most closely associated single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the CRP locus and published data on other CRP variants involving a total of 28,112 cases and 100,823 controls, to investigate the association of CRP variants with coronary heart disease. We compared our finding with that predicted from meta-analysis of observational studies of CRP levels and risk of coronary heart disease. For the other loci associated with CRP levels, we selected the most closely associated SNP for testing against coronary heart disease among 14,365 cases and 32,069 controls.
Risk of coronary heart disease.
Polymorphisms in 5 genetic loci were strongly associated with CRP levels (% difference per minor allele): SNP rs6700896 in LEPR (-14.8%; 95% confidence interval CI, -17.6% to -12.0%; P = 6.2 x 10(-22)), rs4537545 in IL6R (-11.5%; 95% CI, -14.4% to -8.5%; P = 1.3 x 10(-12)), rs7553007 in the CRP locus (-20.7%; 95% CI, -23.4% to -17.9%; P = 1.3 x 10(-38)), rs1183910 in HNF1A (-13.8%; 95% CI, -16.6% to -10.9%; P = 1.9 x 10(-18)), and rs4420638 in APOE-CI-CII (-21.8%; 95% CI, -25.3% to -18.1%; P = 8.1 x 10(-26)). Association of SNP rs7553007 in the CRP locus with coronary heart disease gave an odds ratio (OR) of 0.98 (95% CI, 0.94 to 1.01) per 20% lower CRP level. Our mendelian randomization study of variants in the CRP locus showed no association with coronary heart disease: OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.02; per 20% lower CRP level, compared with OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.94 to 0.95; predicted from meta-analysis of the observational studies of CRP levels and coronary heart disease (z score, -3.45; P < .001). SNPs rs6700896 in LEPR (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.09; per minor allele), rs4537545 in IL6R (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91 to 0.97), and rs4420638 in the APOE-CI-CII cluster (OR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.21) were all associated with risk of coronary heart disease.
The lack of concordance between the effect on coronary heart disease risk of CRP genotypes and CRP levels argues against a causal association of CRP with coronary heart disease.
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