Male young growing rats of Wistar strain (n = 54) were fed a vitamin E deficient diet for 3 days of adaptation period and then 10 days of experimental period. After adaptation half of the rats ran, ...once per a day, on a treadmill with a rate of 2.0 m/s for 15 minutes for the following 10 days. Animals were given orally 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 4.0 mg/d/rat of alpha-tocopherol. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of physical training on tocopherol and insulin concentrations in the blood plasma of rats treated with different doses of vitamin E. The concentrations of alpha-tocopherol (HPLC-UV method used) and insulin (rat insulin specific RIA method used) were estimated in the blood plasma. Lower concentration of vitamin E in physically trained animals was observed, which may suggest increased needs of organisms for antioxidants, as a result of increased free radical production. In trained rats a lower concentration of plasma insulin was also observed. This effect is probably related to improvement in insulin action observed in organisms under physical exercise. The most significant impact on plasma alpha-tocopherol was due to its supplementation level. The treatment of rats with different doses of alpha-tocopherol was found to be not related to insulin concentration in plasma. A significant increase in feed conversion factor was noted in vitamin E treated animals. The obtained results suggest that the increased requirement of trained rats for antioxidants might be covered by alpha-tocopherol supplementation.
We present results from an observational campaign on the close binary system 2MASS J16211735+4412541 and a preliminary model based on the photometric data gathered during the quiescent and outburst ...levels. The modeling, done with the Wilson-Devinney code and its improvements, failed to reproduce the observational properties of the system. A secondary minimum obtained within the stellar model that is too shallow, as well as the evidence provided by the spectroscopic observations performed at outburst and quiescence, point toward an accretion disk surrounding one component, likely a white dwarf, as the cause of the outburst. Using a simple disk model, we modeled the observed multicolor light curves taken two (2016 August) and eight (2017 March) months after the outburst. We obtained a reasonable fit to the 2016 August light curves but those from 2017 March cannot be explained with the same parameters. We conclude that J1621 is an eclipsing cataclysmic binary, with an accretion disk still present almost a year after outburst, and not a contact-type system as previously classified. The binary is seen at an inclination of about 84° and there is evidence of changing accretion rates and disk parameters as a result of the outburst. Our results indicate that more cataclysmic variables may be hidden among contact binaries.
Male rats of Wistar strain (n = 48) were fed a vitamin A deficient diet for 3 days of adaptation period and then a 10 day experimental period to reduce slightly the body stores of this vitamin. Half ...of the animals were subjected to physical training and/or oral vitamin A supplementation. Four different doses of supplementation were used--0, 7.5, 15 and 60 microg/d/rat, which is equivalent to 0, 25, 50 and 200 IU of vitamin A, respectively. Animals from the defined groups ran on a treadmill with a rate of 2.0 m/s for 15 minutes per day for 10 days. After overnight fasting, the rats were sacrificed, and insulin in blood serum and hepatic retinol concentrations were estimated. Daily feed intake and daily body gains were similar in groups of sedentary and physically trained rats. A moderate level of oral vitamin A supplementation (the highest supplemented dose was about 6 x the above recommended NRC level) did not cause any changes in these zootechnical parameters. Oral Vitamin A supplementation resulted in an increase in retinol concentration in the liver (F = 15.2, p < 0.001), but without significant difference between trained and untrained animals. Physical training of rats caused a statistically significant decrease of insulin concentration in blood serum (1.53 +/- 0.18 vs. 1.73 +/- 0.20). This difference was highly significant (F = 11.1, p < 0.001). Vitamin A supplementation was found not to influence the concentration of this hormone, which is responsible for energy metabolism regulation in the body. Based on estimated parameters, the necessity of vitamin A excessive use in physically trained subjects was not proven.
Context.
EE Cep is one of few eclipsing binary systems with a dark, dusty disc around an invisible object similar to
ε
Aur. The system is characterised by grey and asymmetric eclipses every 5.6 yr ...that have significant variations in their photometric depth, ranging from ∼0
.
m
5 to ∼2
.
m
0.
Aims.
The main aim of the observational campaign of the EE Cep eclipse in 2014 was to test the model of disc precession. We expected that this eclipse would be one of the deepest with a depth of ∼2
.
m
0.
Methods.
We collected multicoloured observations from almost 30 instruments located in Europe and North America. These photometric data cover 243 nights during and around the eclipse. We also analyzed low- and high-resolution spectra from several instruments.
Results.
The eclipse was shallow with a depth of 0
.
m
71 in the
V
band. The multicoloured photometry illustrates small colour changes during the eclipse with a total amplitude of order ∼+0
.
m
15 in the
B
−
I
colour index. We updated the linear ephemeris for this system by including new times of minima, measured from the three most recent eclipses at epochs
E
= 9, 10, and 11. We acquired new spectroscopic observations, covering orbital phases around the eclipse, which were not observed in the past and increased the data sample, filling some gaps and giving better insight into the evolution of the H
α
and Na
I
spectral line profiles during the primary eclipse.
Conclusions.
The eclipse of EE Cep in 2014 was shallower than expected, measuring 0
.
m
71 instead of ∼2
.
m
0. This means that our model of disc precession needs revision.
There is clinical equipoise for COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) use in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
To determine the safety and efficacy of CCP compared with placebo in hospitalized ...patients with COVID-19 receiving noninvasive supplemental oxygen.
CONTAIN COVID-19, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of CCP in hospitalized adults with COVID-19, was conducted at 21 US hospitals from April 17, 2020, to March 15, 2021. The trial enrolled 941 participants who were hospitalized for 3 or less days or presented 7 or less days after symptom onset and required noninvasive oxygen supplementation.
A unit of approximately 250 mL of CCP or equivalent volume of placebo (normal saline).
The primary outcome was participant scores on the 11-point World Health Organization (WHO) Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement on day 14 after randomization; the secondary outcome was WHO scores determined on day 28. Subgroups were analyzed with respect to age, baseline WHO score, concomitant medications, symptom duration, CCP SARS-CoV-2 titer, baseline SARS-CoV-2 serostatus, and enrollment quarter. Outcomes were analyzed using a bayesian proportional cumulative odds model. Efficacy of CCP was defined as a cumulative adjusted odds ratio (cOR) less than 1 and a clinically meaningful effect as cOR less than 0.8.
Of 941 participants randomized (473 to placebo and 468 to CCP), 556 were men (59.1%); median age was 63 years (IQR, 52-73); 373 (39.6%) were Hispanic and 132 (14.0%) were non-Hispanic Black. The cOR for the primary outcome adjusted for site, baseline risk, WHO score, age, sex, and symptom duration was 0.94 (95% credible interval CrI, 0.75-1.18) with posterior probability (PcOR<1 = 72%); the cOR for the secondary adjusted outcome was 0.92 (95% CrI, 0.74-1.16; PcOR<1 = 76%). Exploratory subgroup analyses suggested heterogeneity of treatment effect: at day 28, cORs were 0.72 (95% CrI, 0.46-1.13; PcOR<1 = 93%) for participants enrolled in April-June 2020 and 0.65 (95% CrI, 0.41 to 1.02; PcOR<1 = 97%) for those not receiving remdesivir and not receiving corticosteroids at randomization. Median CCP SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing titer used in April to June 2020 was 1:175 (IQR, 76-379). Any adverse events (excluding transfusion reactions) were reported for 39 (8.2%) placebo recipients and 44 (9.4%) CCP recipients (P = .57). Transfusion reactions occurred in 2 (0.4) placebo recipients and 8 (1.7) CCP recipients (P = .06).
In this trial, CCP did not meet the prespecified primary and secondary outcomes for CCP efficacy. However, high-titer CCP may have benefited participants early in the pandemic when remdesivir and corticosteroids were not in use.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04364737.
Here we present the observations and the first light curve analysis of the short-period variable star NSVS 2983201. Using the light curve numerical modeling we find the best fitting model to be of ...shallow (ff=10%) contact binary configuration of mass ratio q=0.36. The light curve of the system experiences the O'Connell effect, which led to identifying a large circumpolar starspot. With a careful multi-cases analysis we search for the physical parameters of the system. We find the results obtained with the different methods to be close, but not overlapping. This system will be scheduled for the further monitoring.
Growing rats fed for 3 months a low-protein (LP) diet (4.5% of energy from protein), possessed about 29% lower body weight than animals consuming adequate-protein diet (20% energy from protein). The ...LP diet feeding caused an increase in daily feed intake followed by a decrease in feed conversion efficiency. The enrichment of LP diet with folic acid, vitamin B2 and B6 (3 times above the level applied in the control diet) did not have any impact on rats BW and supplementation with these vitamins minimize the effect of LP diet on feed intake. The use of examined vitamins had a tendency to diminish an increase in feed conversion ratio caused by the LP nutrition. This effect was significant when all vitamins were added together. Rats fed the LP diet had higher relative weights of lungs, heart, liver and testis. Vitamins enriching the LP diet were observed to decrease a relative weight of lungs (folic acid, vitamin B6 and vitamin mixture), and liver (vitamin B6 and vitamin mixture). A tendency of increasing relative testis weight was also revealed in rats given the LP diet enriched with vitamins. The lower content of hepatic polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA) and a tendency for monounsaturated FA content to be higher were found in rats fed the LP diet. The LP diet enrichment with folic acid caused that these changes were more pronounced and statistically significant. Enrichment of LP diet with vitamins tested may cause a partial reverse of changes observed in the hepatic FA composition.
Genistein (plant isoflavone) is a well-known anti-cancer drug with estrogenic-like properties. Genistein also regulates sugar and lipid metabolism; thus, it has anti-diabetic properties. The aim of ...the study was to evaluate in vitro effects of genistein on glucose transport, fatty acids oxidation, activation of PKB, and expression of genes related to insulin pathway in differentiated myoblast C2C12 mouse cell line.
Differentiated myoblast C2C12 mouse cell line was used to assess the effects of different genistein concentrations on glucose transport and fatty acids oxidation measured by radioactivity technique, activation of PKB, and expression of selected genes related to insulin signaling pathway (IR-a, IR-b, IRS-1, PKB, GLUT-4, PP2A, SH-PTP2) at the mRNA and protein levels. Cells were incubated with various concentrations of genistein under standard conditions for 0-48 hours.
Genistein in low concentrations (0.1-1 μM) significantly increased glucose transport and decreased fatty acids oxidation in C2C12 cells after 48 h of incubation. High concentration of genistein (50 μM) had the opposite effect. Genistein stimulated PKB phosphorylation during the first 5-10 minutes of incubation. There was no significant impact on the protein expression of selected genes (IR-a, IR-b, IRS-1, PKB, GLUT-4, PP2A-Ca, ER-a and ER-b) after 48 h treatment. We observed inverse correlation between genistein concentration and the expression of SH-PTP2 protein. Genistein affected the expression pattern of mRNAs for genes related to the insulin pathway, however, not the expression of the encoded proteins.
The results of this study showed that depending on the concentration and time of incubation genistein significantly affects glucose and lipid metabolism and at low concentration modifies expression pattern of a few genes in C2C12 cells.
Laboratory method for studies of clinical disorders of beta-oxidation is described. The effects of other diet components such as microelements (Cr3+ ions) and non-digestible oligofructans (inulin and ...oligofructose) as stimulatory factors on the activity of beta-oxidation and cholesterol and triacylglyceroles levels lowering are reported.
We investigated the inhibitory regulation of
perceptual–motor processing streams in a task that switched
between spatially compatible and incompatible
stimulus–response mappings. Thirty male and ...female
college-aged participants performed a reaction time (RT) task
in which the response was either spatially compatible or not
depending on a cue immediately preceding the stimulus. The
cue-to-stimulus interval (CI) was either 50 or 500 ms. Incompatible
mapping yielded the typical slower responses than compatible
mapping at 500 ms, but not at 50 ms. Changes in cardiac interbeat
interval (IBI) and performance suggested that automatic responses
to compatible stimuli were suppressed at 50 ms. Both performance
and IBI changes as well as individual differences in these measures
suggested a precue preparatory schema or set biased toward
suppressing the compatible mapping. An alternate hypothesis
of a cue-induced suppression was questioned. The results illustrate
the operation of different supervisory processes in the
anticipatory and online control of action.
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