The effects of interval–exercise duration and intensity on oxygen consumption during treadmill running

The magnitude of improvement in peak oxygen uptake ( [Formula: see text] ) and performance to an exercise training regime is related to the [Formula: see text] of prior accumulated exercise training bouts. However, it is unclear whether constant rate training (CRT) or interval training (INT) preferentially alters the [Formula: see text] of running exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the acute [Formula: see text] response to constant, and interval training sessions. Consequently, this study compared the mean average [Formula: see text] of 17 moderately trained participants to a 20-min CRT and two different 20min INT treadmill runs. Participants completed three treatments (twice) in random order over 3 weeks. In 1min INT participants completed 10x1min efforts at the velocity corresponding to [Formula: see text] (V(peak)) interspersed with 10x1min efforts at 0.5V(peak). In the 2min INT, participants completed 5x2min efforts at the V(peak) interspersed with 5x2min efforts at 0.5 at V(peak). In CRT participants ran at a velocity equivalent to the mean velocity of INT (75% V(peak)). Mean average [Formula: see text] for 2min INT, 1min INT and CRT were, respectively, 3200+/-661; 3076+/-6041; 2909+/-584mlmin(-1). Both INT sessions resulted in a significantly higher mean average [Formula: see text] than CRT. Furthermore, 2min INT resulted in 90% of [Formula: see text] being exceeded more frequently than 1min INT. We conclude that INT serves as a more potent stimulus for improvement in [Formula: see text] and subsequent endurance performance than CRT.     

Derivation of a subtype-specific biochemical signature of endometrial carcinoma using synchrotron-based Fourier-transform infrared microspectroscopy

Endometrial carcinoma consists of endometrioid (type I) and serous papillary (SP; type II) subtypes; a rarer form is malignant mixed müllerian tumours (MMMT; type II/mixed). We set out to determine whether one might be able to biochemically signature these subtypes using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy and distinguish non-tamoxifen associated from tamoxifen-associated cases. Paraffin-embedded blocks were obtained from non-tamoxifen associated cases reported as endometrioid (n=7), SP (n=4) or MMMT (n=4). From tamoxifen-associated cases, endometrioid (n=1), SP (n=3) and MMMT (n=4) blocks were retrieved; benign tissues (n=3) were also analysed. Exploiting synchrotron-based radiation, sections (10-microm thick) on BaF(2) windows were interrogated through a 10 microm x 10 microm aperture. Point spectra were derived from >or=10 locations in each of six glandular elements per tissue; a further 20 stromal spectra were obtained. Following normalisation to Amide I, average spectra (1800-900 cm(-1)) per gland or stroma were analysed for variance using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). In scores plots, segregation of spectra from different subtypes or benign tissues was noted and it proved possible to distinguish tamoxifen-associated cases. In the PCA-LDA loadings plots, the wavenumbers that highlighted variance for benign or endometrioid carcinoma tissues were in the protein region (1800-1480 cm(-1)) whereas those contributing most to SP or MMMT segregation were primarily in the DNA/RNA region (1425-900 cm(-1)) of the vibrational spectrum. Our results suggest that the application of FTIR microspectroscopy is a powerful new approach in disease diagnosis and characterisation.     

DNA damage induced by caffeic acid phenyl ester in the presence of Cu(II) ions: potential mechanism of its anticancer properties

The prooxidant effect of caffeic acid phenyl ester (CAPE) and its structurally analogues on supercoiled pBR322 plasmid DNA strand breakage and calf thymus DNA damage in the presence of Cu(II) ions has been studied. It was found that CAPE exhibit remarkably higher activity in the DNA damage than the ones bearing no ortho-dihydroxyl functionality. Kinetic analysis by UV-visible and fluorescence spectra demonstrates that the formation of CAPE-Cu(II) complexes, the stabilization of oxidative intermediate derived from CAPE and Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox cycles, might be responsible for the DNA damage. This study also reveals a tight correlation between its antioxidant and prooxidant activity. The mechanisms and implications of these observations are discussed.     

Inhalation of hydrogen gas attenuates cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via reducing oxidative stress

Objective

Cisplatin, an anticancer drug used extensively to treat a broad range of tumors, has strong ototoxic side effects induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Recently, it has been reported that hydrogen gas (H₂) is a new antioxidant by selectively reducing hydroxyl radical, the most cytotoxic ROS. The present study was designed to investigate whether H₂ treatment is beneficial to cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via reducing oxidative stress.

Methods

The animals were intraperitoneally given a 30 min infusion of 16 mg/kg cisplatin or the same volume of saline. H₂ treatment was given twice with 2% H₂ inhalation for 60 min starting at 1 h and 6 h after cisplatin or saline injection, respectively. The hearing status of all animals was evaluated by auditory brainstem responses (ABR). The hair cell damage was observed by phalloidin staining. In addition, the levels of oxidative products in serum and cochlear tissue were measured.

Results

We found that H₂ treatment significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced hearing loss evaluated by click-evoked and tone burst ABR threshold. Furthermore, histological analysis revealed that 2% H₂ treatment significantly alleviated cisplatin-induced hair cell damage in the organ of corti. In addition, cisplatin significantly increased the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α) in serum and cochlear tissue, which was attenuated by H₂ treatment.

Conclusion

These results demonstrate that H₂ is beneficial to cisplatin-induced ototoxicity via reducing oxidative stress. Therefore, H₂ has potential for improving the quality of life of patients during chemotherapy by efficiently mitigating the cisplatin ototoxicity.     

Differential distribution of GABAA receptor subunits in soma and processes of cerebellar granule cells: Effects of maturation and a GABA agonist

Quantitative analysis of the density of http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si1.gif"> GABA_A receptor subunits was performed at the electron microscope level after indirect pre-embedding immunogold labeling with subunit-specific antibodies of rat cerebellar granule cell cultures grown for 4 or 8 days and in the presence or absence of the GABA_A receptor agonist 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4c]pyridin-3-ol (THIP). THIP (150 μM) induced a 2-fold increase in the number of http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si2.gif"> subunits in both cell bodies and processes in 4-day-old cultures. Extending the culture period to 8 days led to a polarization of the receptor expression, since the increase in the number of subunits selectively was observed in the processes. Moreover, a general subcellular differentiation of the receptor population was observed in all culture conditions, since the ratio between the two subunits (http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si3.gif">) was four times higher in cell bodies compared to processes. A detailed analysis of the less mature (4-day-old) cultures revealed the existence of two populations of neurons exhibiting differences in the average number of receptors. During maturation neurons with few receptors developed into cells with a higher density of receptors resulting in a single population of the latter neurons, a process enhanced by exposure to THIP. This may indicate that receptor development is a discontinuous process with individual neurons following different temporal patterns. In double-labeling experiments, a spatially close association of the http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si4.gif"> subunits could be seen, but the subunits were more frequently found separated from each other. In spite of the fact that exposure of the neurons to THIP increased the total number of receptor subunits, its presence apparently prevented formation of receptors with this subunit composition. Interestingly, receptor subunit clusters, consisting of α₁ alone, were more frequently observed than composite (http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si5.gif">) clusters. This substantiates the view that receptors not having http://binary-services.sciencedirect.com/content/image/1-s2.0-073657489500024B-si6.gif"> subunits in the same complex may exist.     

Instructions to authors

<正>GENERAL INFORMATIONWorld Journal of Hepatology(World J Hepatol,WJH,online ISSN1948-5182,DOI:10.4254)is a peer-reviewed open access(OA)academic journal that aims to guide clinical practice and improvediagnostic and therapeutic skills of clinicians.Aim and scopeWJH covers topics concerning arrhythmia,heart failure,vascular     

INSTRUCTIONS TO AUTHORS

<正>GENERAL INFORMATIONWorld Journal of Diabetes(World J Diabetes,WJD,online ISSN 1948-9358,DOI:10.4239),is a peer-reviewed open access(OA)academic journal that aims to guide clinical practice and improve diagnostic and therapeutic skills of clinicians.Aims and scopeWJD covers topics concerningα,β,δand PP cells of the pancreatic islet,the effect of insulin and insulinresistance,pancreatic islet     

Reduction of susceptibility-induced signal losses in multi-gradient-echo images: Application to improved visualization of the subthalamic nucleus

T2http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/204e.gif" alt="low asterisk" title="low asterisk" border="0">-weighted gradient echo (GE) images yield good contrast of iron-rich structures like the subthalamic nuclei due to microscopic susceptibility induced field gradients, providing landmarks for the exact placement of deep brain stimulation electrodes in Parkinson's disease treatment. An additional advantage is the low radio frequency (RF) exposure of GE sequences. However, T2http://www.sciencedirect.com/scidirimg/entities/204e.gif" alt="low asterisk" title="low asterisk" border="0">-weighted images are also sensitive to macroscopic field inhomogeneities, resulting in signal losses, in particular in orbitofrontal and temporal brain areas, limiting anatomical information from these areas. In this work, an image correction method for multi-echo GE data based on evaluation of phase information for field gradient mapping is presented and tested in vivo on a 3 Tesla whole body MR scanner. In a first step, theoretical signal losses are calculated from the gradient maps and a pixelwise image intensity correction is performed. In a second step, intensity corrected images acquired at different echo times TE are combined using optimized weighting factors: in areas not affected by macroscopic field inhomogeneities, data acquired at long TE are weighted more strongly to achieve the contrast required. For large field gradients, data acquired at short TE are favored to avoid signal losses. When compared to the original data sets acquired at different TE and the respective intensity corrected data sets, the resulting combined data sets feature reduced signal losses in areas with major field gradients, while intensity profiles and a contrast-to-noise (CNR) analysis between subthalamic nucleus, red nucleus and the surrounding white matter demonstrate good contrast in deep brain areas.     

Increased oxidative/nitrosative stress and decreased antioxidant enzyme activities in prostate cancer

Objectives

The study was aimed to evaluate the oxidative/nitrosative stress status in prostate cancer (CaP) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Design and methods

312 men from two different populations were included: 163 men from Macedonia (73 CaP patients, 67 BPH patients and 23 control subjects) and 149 men from Turkey (34 prostate cancer patients, 100 BPH patients and 15 control subjects). We measured erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, erythrocyte activities of superoxide dismutase (CuZn-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and catalase (CAT); plasma nitrite/nitrate (NO₂⁻/NO₃⁻), cGMP and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels.

Results

A similar pattern of alteration in the oxidative/nitrosative stress-related parameters was found in both, Macedonian and Turkish studied samples: higher MDA concentrations with lower GPX and CuZn-SOD activities in CaP patients versus controls and BPH groups. The CAT activity was decreased in the CaP patients versus controls in the Turkish studied sample. Furthermore, CaP patients had increased plasma NO₂⁻/NO₃⁻ and cGMP levels versus controls and BPH groups in both studied samples.

Conclusions

This study has confirmed an imbalance in the oxidative stress/antioxidant status and revealed an altered nitrosative status in prostate cancer patients.