Exercise-based interventions can be a safe alternative to improve and maintain physical and mental health during the aging process. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a ...12-week training program with Dance Exergames on the mood and functional fitness profile of elderly women.
The sample (n = 22) was divided into Exergames (EG, n = 9, 70.6 ± 1.6 years) and Control Groups (CG, n = 13, 73.6 ± 2.2 years). Evaluations were carried out before and after the interventions. Each participant played, in pairs, the electronic game Dance Central 3, with the XBOX 360 Kinect console (Slim, Microsoft, USA). The EG trained for 12 weeks (24 sessions), with two weekly sessions of 50 min and the CG performed manual activities workshops.
In functional fitness, both exercise training with exergame (EG) and the intervention model for the CG did not produce significant effects regarding interaction (group*time). Mood state presented significant effect of time intervention regarding tension (p = <0.001), depression (p = 0.001), anger (p = 0.030), fatigue (p = 0.001), and mental confusion (p = 0.004).
Twelve weeks of training with a dance exergame (for, EG) and manual activities (for, CG) is enough to promote improvements in the mood state of healthy elderly women. This is an interesting result, as it shows that social interaction is as important a component as improving functional capacity.
The ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker glibenclamide prevents renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.
Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) is a complex neutrophil-mediated syndrome. ...Adenosine-triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are involved in neutrophil migration in vivo. In the present study, we have investigated the effects of glibenclamide, a KATP channel blocker, in renal I/R injury in rats.
The left kidney of the rats was excised through a flank incision and ischemia was performed in the contralateral kidney by total interruption of renal artery flow for 45 minutes. Renal perfusion was reestablished, and the kidney and lungs were removed for analysis of vascular permeability, neutrophil accumulation, and content of cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-10 4 and 24 hours later. Renal function was assessed by measuring creatinine, Na+, and K+ levels in the plasma and by determination of creatinine clearance. Drugs were administered subcutaneously after the onset of ischemia.
Reperfusion of the ischemic kidney induced local (kidney) and remote (lung) inflammatory injury and marked renal dysfunction. Glibenclamide (20 mg/kg) significantly inhibited the reperfusion-associated increase in vascular permeability, neutrophil accumulation, increase in TNF-α levels and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation. These inhibitory effects were noticed in the kidney and lungs. Moreover, glibenclamide markedly ameliorated the renal dysfunction at 4 and 24 hours.
Treatment with glibenclamide is associated with inhibition of neutrophil recruitment and amelioration of renal dysfunction following renal I/R. Glibenclamide may have a therapeutic role in the treatment of renal I/R injury, such as after renal transplantation.
Fluid forces are strong modulators of cell fate and fundamental components of spinner flask bioreactors used for stem cell expansion and differentiation. Here, we investigated the effects of fluid ...forces on murine embryonic stem cells (mESCs) in the absence of Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF) using parallel-plate flow chambers. Cells were seeded onto gelatin-coated glass slides and grown for 2.5 days before exposure to fluid forces. Pluripotency marker gene expression was quantified by qPCR. An average shear stress of 0.6 Pa applied for 24 h in the absence of LIF and presence of high molecular weight dextran increased Oct4 and Sox2, decreased Nanog, and did not change in Rex1 mRNA levels in comparison to statically cultured cells in the presence of LIF. At 0.3 Pa shear stress, Oct4 and Sox2 expression increased, with a reduction in Nanog and Rex1 levels. The presence of pulsation significantly increased expression of Rex1 and Nanog, but not expression of Oct4 or Sox2, compared to cells exposed to steady flow for 24 h. This study suggests incorporation of high cell–cell contact, viscosity elevation with dextran, moderate shear stress (0.6 Pa), and the presence of pulsatility in bioreactor expansion protocols for mESCs to support maintenance of pluripotency.
Purpose
Since SGLT2 inhibitors may reduce postprandial hyperglycemia, this study aimed to evaluated whether empagliflozin might be useful in the treatment of postprandial hypoglycemia (PPH) ...postbariatric surgery (BS).
Patients and Methods
Fourteen patients who underwent BS, nine without type 2 diabetes and five with diabetes before surgery and in remission after surgery, were included. Seven of them presented symptoms of PPH (hypoglycemic group; HG) and seven were asymptomatic (nonhypoglycemic group (NHG)). A meal tolerance test was performed before and after administration of a daily dose of empagliflozin (EMPA) 25 mg for 3 days. Plasma glucose and serum insulin levels were measured.
Results
In HG, compared with NHG, in the basal test, the area under the curve (AUC) of plasma glucose levels (AUCgly) was smaller (158.3 ± 25.3 vs 276.6 ± 79.2 mg h dL
−1
;
p
= 0.001) while the AUC of insulin levels (AUCins) did not differ, leading to a higher AUCins/AUCgly ratio (0.79 ± 0.46 vs 0.38 ± 0.20;
p
= 0.055) and a lower HOMA-IR (0.92 ± 0.22 vs 1.75 ± 0.77;
p
= 0.030). The HG after EMPA, but not the NHG, showed significant increases in glycemia leading to greater AUCgly (158.0 ± 25.3 to 197.2 ± 51.6 mg h dL
−1
;
p
= 0.043) without significant changes in AUCins. HOMA-IR increased only in the HG (0.92 ± 0.20 vs 1.61 ± 0.30;
p
= 0.025) and, when both groups were analyzed together, both before and post EMPA, a significant correlation was found between HOMA-IR and AUCgly values (
r
= 0.594;
p
= 0.002).
Conclusion
Our results suggest that empagliflozin increased glycemic levels in patients with PPH possibly through increases in hepatic glucose production.
Graphical abstract
► We use a large database of mobile calls across a long period of almost 1 year. ► We examine how users distributed their calling time across their social network. ► Users with large networks spend ...less time on average with their connections. ► All users distributed their limited time very unevenly across their networks. ► Mobile use does not alter patterns of human communication.
We used a large database of 9 billion calls from 20 million mobile users to examine the relationships between aggregated time spent on the phone, personal network size, tie strength and the way in which users distributed their limited time across their network (disparity). Compared to those with smaller networks, those with large networks did not devote proportionally more time to communication and had on average weaker ties (as measured by time spent communicating). Further, there were not substantially different levels of disparity between individuals, in that mobile users tend to distribute their time very unevenly across their network, with a large proportion of calls going to a small number of individuals. Together, these results suggest that there are time constraints which limit tie strength in large personal networks, and that even high levels of mobile communication do not fundamentally alter the disparity of time allocation across networks.
Persistent molecules, such as pesticides, herbicides, and pharmaceuticals, pose significant threats to both the environment and human health. Advancements in developing efficient photocatalysts for ...degrading these substances can play a fundamental role in remediating contaminated environments, thereby enhancing safety for all forms of life. This study investigates the enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency achieved by incorporating La3+ into Ag3PO4, using the co-precipitation method in an aqueous medium. These materials were utilized in the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and Ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible light irradiation, with monitoring conducted through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The synthesized materials exhibited improved stability and photodegradation levels for RhB. Particularly noteworthy was the 2% La3+-incorporated sample (APL2), which achieved a 32.6% mineralization of CIP, nearly three times higher than pure Ag3PO4. Toxicological analysis of the residue from CIP photodegradation using the microalga Raphidocelis subcapitata revealed high toxicity due to the leaching of Ag + ions from the catalyst. This underscores the necessity for cautious wastewater disposal after using the photocatalyst. The toxicity of the APL2 photocatalysts was thoroughly assessed through comprehensive toxicological tests involving embryo development in Danio rerio, revealing its potential to induce death and malformations in zebrafish embryos, even at low concentrations. This emphasizes the importance of meticulous management. Essentially, this study adeptly delineated a thorough toxicological profile intricately intertwined with the photocatalytic efficacy of newly developed catalysts and the resultant waste produced, prompting deliberations on the disposal of degraded materials post-exposure to photocatalysts.
Display omitted
•Doping significantly enhances the photocatalytic performance of Ag3PO4.•This study explores potent photocatalyst for wastewater treatment.•Ecotoxicity tests help optimize its use in real water disposal systems.•Photocatalyst residue differs ecologically from degraded pharmaceutical residue.
Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a receptor in the endoplasmic reticulum that propagates innate immune sensing of cytosolic pathogen-derived and self DNA
. The development of compounds that ...modulate STING has recently been the focus of intense research for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases and as vaccine adjuvants
. To our knowledge, current efforts are focused on the development of modified cyclic dinucleotides that mimic the endogenous STING ligand cGAMP; these have progressed into clinical trials in patients with solid accessible tumours amenable to intratumoral delivery
. Here we report the discovery of a small molecule STING agonist that is not a cyclic dinucleotide and is systemically efficacious for treating tumours in mice. We developed a linking strategy to synergize the effect of two symmetry-related amidobenzimidazole (ABZI)-based compounds to create linked ABZIs (diABZIs) with enhanced binding to STING and cellular function. Intravenous administration of a diABZI STING agonist to immunocompetent mice with established syngeneic colon tumours elicited strong anti-tumour activity, with complete and lasting regression of tumours. Our findings represent a milestone in the rapidly growing field of immune-modifying cancer therapies.
PDF
