Following a predation injury, one pufferfish (
Arothron hispidus
) had its upper jaw colonized with macroalgae. The fish has since lived for at least one year with this algal assemblage (unidentified ...red algae,
Padina boryana
and
Dictyota bartayresiana
). This algal proliferation caused a malformation of the fish jaw, raising the question of its survival with a physical defect in coral reefs, which are biodiversity but also predation hotspots.
Uptake of circulating macromolecules by the arterial wall may be a critical step in atherogenesis. Here we investigate the age-related changes in patterns of uptake that occur in the rabbit. In ...immature aortas, uptake was elevated in a triangle downstream of branch ostia, a region prone to disease in immature rabbits and children. By 16-22 months, uptake was high lateral to ostia, as is lesion prevalence in mature rabbits and young adults. In older rabbits there was a more upstream pattern, similar to the disease distribution in older people. These variations were predominantly caused by the branches themselves, rather than reflecting larger patterns within which the branches happened to be situated (as may occur with patterns of haemodynamic wall shear stress). The narrow streaks of high uptake reported in some previous studies were shown to be post mortem artefacts. Finally, heparin (which interferes with the NO pathway) had no effect on the difference in uptake between regions upstream and downstream of branches in immature rabbits but reversed the difference in older rabbits, as does inhibiting NO synthesis directly. Nevertheless, examination of uptake all around the branch showed that changes occurred at both ages and that they were quite subtle, potentially explaining why inhibiting NO has only minor effects on lesion patterns in mature rabbits and contradicting the earlier conclusion that mechanotransduction pathways change with age. We suggest that recently-established changes in the patterns of haemodynamic forces themselves are more likely to account for the age-dependence of uptake patterns.
In a double-blind, randomized and crossover manner, 25 resistance-trained participants ingested a placebo (PLA) beverage containing 12 g of dextrose and a beverage (RTD) containing caffeine (200 mg), ...β-alanine (2.1 g), arginine nitrate (1.3 g), niacin (65 mg), folic acid (325 mcg), and Vitamin B12 (45 mcg) for 7-days, separated by a 7-10-day. On day 1 and 6, participants donated a fasting blood sample and completed a side-effects questionnaire (SEQ), hemodynamic challenge test, 1-RM and muscular endurance tests (3 × 10 repetitions at 70% of 1-RM with the last set to failure on the bench press (BP) and leg press (LP)) followed by ingesting the assigned beverage. After 15 min, participants repeated the hemodynamic test, 1-RM tests, and performed a repetition to fatigue (RtF) test at 70% of 1-RM, followed by completing the SEQ. On day 2 and 7, participants donated a fasting blood sample, completed the SEQ, ingested the assigned beverage, rested 30 min, and performed a 4 km cycling time-trial (TT). Data were analyzed by univariate, multivariate, and repeated measures general linear models (GLM), adjusted for gender and relative caffeine intake. Data are presented as mean change (95% CI). An overall multivariate time × treatment interaction was observed on strength performance variables (
= 0.01). Acute RTD ingestion better maintained LP 1-RM (PLA: -0.285 (-0.49, -0.08); RTD: 0.23 (-0.50, 0.18) kg/kg
,
= 0.30); increased LP RtF (PLA: -2.60 (-6.8, 1.6); RTD: 4.00 (-0.2, 8.2) repetitions,
= 0.031); increased BP lifting volume (PLA: 0.001 (-0.13, 0.16); RTD: 0.03 (0.02, 0.04) kg/kg
,
= 0.007); and, increased total lifting volume (PLA: -13.12 (-36.9, 10.5); RTD: 21.06 (-2.7, 44.8) kg/kg
,
= 0.046). Short-term RTD ingestion maintained baseline LP 1-RM (PLA: -0.412 (-0.08, -0.07); RTD: 0.16 (-0.50, 0.18) kg/kg
,
= 0.30); LP RtF (PLA: 0.12 (-3.0, 3.2); RTD: 3.6 (0.5, 6.7) repetitions,
= 0.116); and, LP lifting volume (PLA: 3.64 (-8.8, 16.1); RTD: 16.25 (3.8, 28.7) kg/kg
,
= 0.157) to a greater degree than PLA. No significant differences were observed between treatments in cycling TT performance, hemodynamic assessment, fasting blood panels, or self-reported side effects.
In a double-blind, crossover, randomized and placebo-controlled trial; 28 men and women ingested a placebo (PLA), 3 g of creatine nitrate (CNL), and 6 g of creatine nitrate (CNH) for 6 days. ...Participants repeated the experiment with the alternate supplements after a 7-day washout. Hemodynamic responses to a postural challenge, fasting blood samples, and bench press, leg press, and cycling time trial performance and recovery were assessed. Data were analyzed by univariate, multivariate, and repeated measures general linear models (GLM). No significant differences were found among treatments for hemodynamic responses, clinical blood markers or self-reported side effects. After 5 days of supplementation, one repetition maximum (1RM) bench press improved significantly for CNH (mean change, 95% CI; 6.1 3.5, 8.7 kg) but not PLA (0.7 -1.6, 3.0 kg or CNL (2.0 -0.9, 4.9 kg, CNH,
= 0.01). CNH participants also tended to experience an attenuated loss in 1RM strength during the recovery performance tests following supplementation on day 5 (PLA: -9.3 -13.5, -5.0, CNL: -9.3 -13.5, -5.1, CNH: -3.9 -6.6, -1.2 kg,
= 0.07). After 5 days, pre-supplementation 1RM leg press values increased significantly, only with CNH (24.7 8.8, 40.6 kg, but not PLA (13.9 -15.7, 43.5 or CNL (14.6 -0.5, 29.7). Further, post-supplementation 1RM leg press recovery did not decrease significantly for CNH (-13.3 -31.9, 5.3, but did for PLA (-30.5 -53.4, -7.7 and CNL (-29.0 -49.5, -8.4). CNL treatment promoted an increase in bench press repetitions at 70% of 1RM during recovery on day 5 (PLA: 0.4 -0.8, 1.6, CNL: 0.9 0.35, 1.5, CNH: 0.5 -0.2, 0.3,
= 0.56), greater leg press endurance prior to supplementation on day 5 (PLA: -0.2 -1.6, 1.2, CNL: 0.9 0.2, 1.6, CNH: 0.2 -0.5, 0.9,
= 0.25) and greater leg press endurance during recovery on day 5 (PLA: -0.03 -1.2, 1.1, CNL: 1.1 0.3, 1.9, CNH: 0.4 -0.4, 1.2,
= 0.23). Cycling time trial performance (4 km) was not affected. Results indicate that creatine nitrate supplementation, up to a 6 g dose, for 6 days, appears to be safe and provide some ergogenic benefit.
We previously reported that consuming a food bar (FB) containing whey protein and the plant fiber isomalto-oligosaccharides IMO had a lower glycemic (GI) but similar insulinemic response as a high GI ...carbohydrate. Therefore, we hypothesized that ingestion of this FB before, during, and following intense exercise would better maintain glucose homeostasis and performance while hastening recovery in comparison to the common practice of ingesting carbohydrate alone.
Twelve resistance-trained males participated in an open label, randomized, counterbalanced, crossover trial with a 7-d washout period. Participants consumed a carbohydrate matched dextrose comparitor (CHO) or a FB containing 20 g of whey, 25 g of IMO, and 7 g of fat 30-min before, mid-way, and following intense exercise. Participants performed 11 resistance-exercises (3 sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM) followed by agility and sprint conditioning drills for time. Participants donated blood to assess catabolic and inflammatory markers, performed isokinetic strength tests, and rated perceptions of muscle soreness, hypoglycemia before, and following exercise and after 48 h of recovery. Data were analyzed using general linear models (GLM) for repeated measures and mean changes from baseline with 95% confidence intervals (CI) with a one-way analysis of variance. Data are reported as mean change from baseline with 95% CI.
GLM analysis demonstrated that blood glucose was significantly higher 30-min post-ingestion for CHO (3.1 2.0, 4.3 mmol/L, and FB (0.8 0.2, 1.5, mmol/L, p = 0.001) while the post-exercise ratio of insulin to glucose was greater with FB (CHO 0.04 0.00, 0.08, FB 0.11 0.07, 0.15, p = 0.013, η
= 0.25). GLM analysis revealed no significant interaction effects between treatments in lifting volume of each resistance-exercise or total lifting volume. However, analysis of mean changes from baseline with 95% CI's revealed that leg press lifting volume (CHO -130.79 - 235.02, - 26.55; FB -7.94 - 112.17, 96.30 kg, p = 0.09, η
= 0.12) and total lifting volume (CHO -198.26 - 320.1, - 76.4, FB -81.7 - 203.6, 40.1 kg, p = 0.175, η
= 0.08) from set 1 to 3 was significantly reduced for CHO, but not for the FB. No significant interaction effects were observed in ratings of muscle soreness. However, mean change analysis revealed that ratings of soreness of the distal vastus medialis significantly increased from baseline with CHO while being unchanged with FB (CHO 1.88 0.60, 3.17; FB 0.29 - 0.99, 1.57 cm, p = 0.083, η
= 0.13). No significant GLM interaction or mean change analysis effects were seen between treatments in sprint performance, isokinetic strength, markers of catabolism, stress and sex hormones, or inflammatory markers.
Pilot study results provide some evidence that ingestion of this FB can positively affect glucose homeostasis, help maintain workout performance, and lessen perceptions of muscle soreness.
clinicaltrials.gov, # NCT03704337 . Retrospectively registered 12, July 2018.
We performed individual dose measurements, in terms of Hp(10) for the whole body, Hp(0,07) for the extremities (hands) and Hp(3) for the eyes, for medical personnel (technical staff, nurses and ...medical doctors) in three nuclear medicine departments. One conventional diagnostic scintigraphy department, where Tc-99m, I-131 and Sm-153 were applied, and two PET-CT departments where F-18 was applied in preparation and application procedures, were studied. A novel eye lens dosemeter was used, designed to evaluate Hp(3) directly. From our measurements we obtained ratios of Hp(3)/Hp(10) ranging between 0.7 and 1.1 indicating that in nuclear medicine procedures eye lens doses could probably be estimated from Hp(10) values and that exceeding the present annual dose limit to eye lens (150 mSv) is very unlikely. The relationship between different individual doses can indicate the quality of radiation protection in a nuclear medicine department.
Although obesity may be linked to resistin, the role of resistin in humans is still controversial. Conflicting results of the associations between resistin and BMI and measures of insulin resistance ...were reported. In view of the yet unexplained role of resistin in human obesity, the aim of this study was to examine correlations between serum resistin concentrations and the degree of human obesity and insulin sensitivity. For this purpose, we investigated 2 homogenous groups of obese and non obese humans, in whom the presence of obesity was the solely differentiating factor. The WHO definition of obesity was used. Study group consisted of 136 obese subjects (75 women and 61 men) and 48 non-obese controls (31 women, 17 men) aged 48.0 ± 10.1, and 48.8 ± 13.4 yrs, respectively.
Obese subjects showed higher resistin concentrations than non obese controls (24.89 ± 9.73 ng/mL, median 26.61 vs. 15.34 ± 4.68 ng/mL, median 14.76, P < 0.0001). Resistin concentrations correlated with BMI in the whole cohort (r = 0.4296, P < 0.0001), but not in obese and non-obese subjects separately (r = 0.1418, P = 0.0997; r = 0.2712, P = 0.0623, respectively). Moreover, serum resistin was not influenced by insulin resistance in either group examined.
Although concentrations of resistin differ between obese and non-obese humans, no relationship between resistin concentration and insulin resistance has been found. Correlations between resistin and BMI are present only in a mixed population but disappear in non obese and obese subjects when analyzed separately.