Physical anthropological approaches to aging

The field of gerontology is remarkably diverse; yet there has been relatively little investigation of physical anthropological issues in aging research. This review explores gerontologic topics of actual and/or potential interest to physical anthropologists. The evolution of aging presents a theoretical dilemma in that postreproductively expressed traits may be outside the influence of natural selection. The physiological changes of aging comprise a diversified mosaic of physical deterioration as would be expected from an evolutionary model. Studies of prehistoric aging are limited to estimating lifespan, which may not be indicative of rate of aging. Considerable attention has been devoted to body composition and aging, and notable findings include a loss of lean tissue with age and relatively constant (though redistributing) fat mass. Osteoporosis is a major problem of aging in females, as is tooth loss in both sexes. The study of variation in rates of aging is only beginning, and a number of approaches to measuring biological age in adulthood are presented. Determining the associations of lifestyle, economic, and nutritional status with biological age may reveal sources of variation in rates of aging and may be of practical importance.     

The role of body mass in thermoregulation

Inbred Fisher and Buffalo rats were raised in small and in large litters and by such litter manipulation, large- and small-bodied animals were obtained within the same strain. When the rats were exposed to extreme cold and heat, it appeared that large-bodied rats in both strains survived longer in cold and small-bodied rats survived longer in heat. The two trends were clearly evident, and individual correlations between survival time and body mass were generally significant. However, there were also irregularities in such correlations. It is concluded that this is due to the fact that body mass is only one factor determining temperature tolerance in addition to hypothalamic, endocrine, and possibly neurochemical factors not known to be correlated to body mass.     

Pedometer and Human Energy Balance Applications for Science Instruction

Teachers can use pedometers to facilitate inquiry learning and show students the need for mathematics in scientific investigation. The authors conducted activities with secondary students that investigated intake and expenditure components of the energy balance algorithm, which led to inquiries about pedometers and related data. By investigating the accuracy of pedometers and variables that may impact reported step counts, students can better understand experimental design and statistical concepts. Students can also examine other data (distance walked, kilocalories expended) using multifunction pedometers and apply the concepts of correlation and regression. This topic fits well with thematic learning and responds to concerns about excess energy intake and insufficient physical activity in the U.S. population.     

RNA Catalyst as a Reporter for Screening Drugs against RNA Editing in Trypanosomes

Substantial progress has been made in determining the mechanism of mitochondrial RNA editing in trypanosomes. Similarly, considerable progress has been made in identifying the components of the editosome complex that catalyze RNA editing. However, it is still not clear how those proteins work together. Chemical compounds obtained from a high-throughput screen against the editosome may block or affect one or more steps in the editing cycle. Therefore, the identification of new chemical compounds will generate valuable molecular probes for dissecting the editosome function and assembly. In previous studies, in vitro editing assays were carried out using radio-labeled RNA. These assays are time consuming, inefficient and unsuitable for high-throughput purposes. Here, a homogenous fluorescence-based “mix and measure” hammerhead ribozyme in vitro reporter assay to monitor RNA editing, is presented. Only as a consequence of RNA editing of the hammerhead ribozyme a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) oligoribonucleotide substrate undergoes cleavage. This in turn results in separation of the fluorophore from the quencher thereby producing a signal. In contrast, when the editosome function is inhibited, the fluorescence signal will be quenched. This is a highly sensitive and simple assay that should be generally applicable to monitor in vitro RNA editing or high throughput screening of chemicals that can inhibit the editosome function.     

Rational Design of Hybrid Nanostructures for Advanced Photocatalysis

Nanocatalysis has been a growing field over the past few decades with significant developments in understanding the surface properties of nanocatalysts. With recent advances in synthetic methods, size, shape and composition of the nanoparticles can be controlled in a well defined manner which facilitates achieving selective reaction products in multipath reactions. Nanoparticles with specific exposed crystal facets can have different reactivity than other facets for reaction intermediates, which favours selective pathways during the course of reaction. Heterogeneous catalysts have been studied extensively; nano‐sized metal particles are absorbed on mesoporus supports, facilitating access to the large surface area of the nanoparticles and hence exposure of more catalytic sites. Photocatalysis is attractive area of catalysis, in which photoinduced charge carriers are used for a variety of catalytic applications. More interestingly, clean and renewable liquid fuels energy sources such as hydrogen and methyl alcohol can be generated using photocatalysts through water splitting and CO₂ reduction, respectively. Herein, we highlight the progress of nanocatalysis through metal, bimetallic nanoparticle, metal‐semiconductor hybrid nanostructures and oxide nanoparticles for various reactions.     

Effect of BCAA intake during endurance exercises on fatigue substances,muscle damage substances,and energy metabolism substances

The increase rate of utilization of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) by muscle is reduced to its plasma concentration during prolonged exercise leading to glycogen. BCAA supplementation would reduce the serum activities of intramuscular enzymes associated with muscle damage. To examine the effects of BCAA administration on fatigue substances (serotonin, ammonia and lactate), muscle damage substances (CK and LDH) and energy metabolism substances (FFA and glucose) after endurance exercise. Subjects (n = 26, college-aged males) were randomly divided into an experimental (n = 13, EXP) and a placebo (n = 13, CON) group. Subjects both EXP and CON performed a bout of cycle training (70% VO₂max intensity) to exhaustion. Subject in the EXP were administrated BCAA (78ml/kg·w) prior to the bout of cycle exercise. Fatigue substances, muscle damage substances and energy metabolism substances were measured before ingesting BCAAs and placebos, 10 min before exercise, 30 min into exercise, immediately after exercise, and 30 min after exercise. Data were analyzed by two-way repeated measure ANCOVA, correlation and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The following results were obtained from this study; 1. In the change of fatigue substances : Serotonin in the EXP tended to decreased at the 10 min before exercise, 30 min into exercise, post exercise, and recovery 30 min. Serotonin in the CON was significantly greater than the EXP at the10 min before exercise and recovery 30. Ammonia in the EXP was increased at the 10 min before exercise, 30 min into exercise, and post exercise, but significantly decreased at the recovery 30min (p < 0.05). Ammonia in the CON was significantly lower than the EXP at the 10 min before exercise, 30 min into exercise, and post exercise (p < 0.05). Lactate in the EXP was significantly increased at the 30 min into exercise and significantly decreased at the post exercise and recovery 30 min. Lactate in the CON was significantly lower than the EXP at the post exercise (p < 0.05). 2. In the change of muscle damage substances : CK in the EXP was decreased at the 10 min before exercise and increased at the 30 min into exercise and then decreased at the post exercise and recovery 30 min. CK in the CON was greater than the EXP. LDH in the EXP was decreased at the 10 min before exercise and increased at the 30 min into exercise and then decreased at the post exercise and recovery 30 min. LDH in the CON was higher than the EXP. 3. In the change of energy metabolism substances :Glucose in the EXP tended to decrease at the 10 min before exercise, 30 min into exercise, post exercise and recovery 30 min. Glucose in the CON was significantly greater than the EXP at the recovery 30 min (p < .05). FFA in both EXP and CON was increased at the post exercise and recovery 30 min. % increase for FFA in the EXP was greater than the CON at the post exercise and recovery 30 min. 4. The relationship of the fatigue substances, muscle damage substances and energy metabolism substances after endurance exercise indicated strongly a positive relationship between LDH and ammonia and a negative relationship between LDH and FFA in the EXP. Also, there were a strong negative relationship between glucose and FFA and a positive relationship between glucose and serotonin in the EXP. There was a strong positive relationship between CK and LDH and a strong negative relationship between FFA and glucose in the CON. These results indicate that supplementary BCAA decreased serum concentrations of the intramuscular enzymes as CK and LDH following exhaustive exercise. This observation suggests that BCAA supplementation may reduce the muscle damage associated with endurance exercise.     

The phycobilisome core-membrane linkers from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and red-algae assemble in the same topology

The phycobilisomes (PBSs) of cyanobacteria and red-algae are unique megadaltons light-harvesting protein-pigment complexes that utilize bilin derivatives for light absorption and energy transfer. Recently, the high-resolution molecular structures of red-algal PBSs revealed how the multi-domain core-membrane linker (L_CM) specifically organizes the allophycocyanin subunits in the PBS’s core. But, the topology of L_CM in these structures was different than that suggested for cyanobacterial PBSs based on lower-resolution structures. Particularly, the model for cyanobacteria assumed that the Arm2 domain of L_CM connects the two basal allophycocyanin cylinders, whereas the red-algal PBS structures revealed that Arm2 is partly buried in the core of one basal cylinder and connects it to the top cylinder. Here, we show by biochemical analysis of mutations in the apcE gene that encodes L_CM, that the cyanobacterial and red-algal L_CM topologies are actually the same. We found that removing the top cylinder linker domain in L_CM splits the PBS core longitudinally into two separate basal cylinders. Deleting either all or part of the helix-loop-helix domain at the N-terminal end of Arm2, disassembled the basal cylinders and resulted in degradation of the part containing the terminal emitter, ApcD. Deleting the following 30 amino-acids loop severely affected the assembly of the basal cylinders, but further deletion of the amino-acids at the C-terminal half of Arm2 had only minor effects on this assembly. Altogether, the biochemical data are consistent with the red-algal L_CM topology, suggesting that the PBS cores in cyanobacteria and red-algae assemble in the same way.