Is agility related to strength qualities?--Analysis in latent space

In this study we examined an influence of leg extensor strength qualities on agility performance in a latent space. Male physical education students (N = 168) were tested with three standard agility performance tests (lateral stepping, 20-yard shuttle run, and slalom run). Nine measures of leg extensor strength qualities including explosive strength, elastic strength, and maximal strength, were also assessed. As expected, factor analysis of all tests revealed four relatively independent factors: explosive strength, elastic strength, agility, and maximal strength. All three extracted strength factors were included into a regression analysis as predictors to evaluate their influence of the agility factor (i.e. criterion). Although the regression analysis revealed significant multiple correlation between predictors and the criterion (R = 0.41; p < 0.001), the amount of explained variance of agility performance by the strength factors was rather low (17%). We conclude that the leg extensor strength qualities are poor predictors of agility performance in physically active men.     

Influence of IBA and aphidicolin on DNA synthesis and adventitious root regeneration from Malus ‘Jork 9’ stem discs

Adventitious root formation in Malus ‘Jork 9’ stem discs was studied through temporarily blocking DNA synthesis by application of aphidicolin (AD). Higher number of roots per disc (8.4) after 21 days of cultivation were formed after a 24-h pulse of 15 μM AD, compared to control without AD application (6.7), with significantly more roots (3.7) already appearing at day 7, compared to 1.5 roots on the control. The promotive effect of AD on rooting was lower at 5 μM, while a concentration of 30 μM was slightly inhibitory. Results show that DNA synthesis is effectively blocked by AD, and this blockage is overcome after AD withdrawal. The data indicate that AD treatment influences cell divisions, thereby, might synchronise root initiation. The effects of different treatments with and without AD were studied at the cellular level by visualising DNA replication through BrdU-labelling. BrdU labelling further revealed temporal changes in the competence of the explants to respond to applied IBA. Thus, it is shown that the proportion of replicating nuclei present during 28–32 h is significantly increased in the split IBA treatment (0–4 h and 28–32 h; treatment C3), compared with a single IBA application during 0–8 h (treatment C3.1). An erratum to this article can be found at     

Pheochromocytoma presenting as a pancreatic mass: Avoiding a dangerous pitfall in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy using GATA3 immunostain

Pheochromocytomas and sympathetic paragangliomas are rare tumours arising from chromaffin cells, producing catecholamines in various amounts. Fatal hypertensive episodes may occur perioperatively, which are preventable by alpha adrenergic receptor blockers. The perioperative mortality rate of diagnosed versus undiagnosed catecholamine-producing tumours is significant, considering that only a minority of tumours develop metastasis. Herein we describe a case of a primary adrenal pheochromocytoma referred to as a pancreatic tumour, successfully diagnosed by endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy, with a distinct morphology (prominent nuclear anisonucleosis, intranuclear pseudoinclusions, and multinucleation) and immunohistochemical signature.     

A+-Helix of Protein C Inhibitor (PCI) Is a Cell-penetrating Peptide That Mediates Cell Membrane Permeation of PCI

Protein C inhibitor (PCI) is a serpin with broad protease reactivity. It binds glycosaminoglycans and certain phospholipids that can modulate its inhibitory activity. PCI can penetrate through cellular membranes via binding to phosphatidylethanolamine. The exact mechanism of PCI internalization and the intracellular role of the serpin are not well understood. Here we showed that testisin, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored serine protease, cleaved human PCI and mouse PCI (mPCI) at their reactive sites as well as at sites close to their N terminus. This cleavage was observed not only with testisin in solution but also with cell membrane-anchored testisin on U937 cells. The cleavage close to the N terminus released peptides rich in basic amino acids. Synthetic peptides corresponding to the released peptides of human PCI (His¹–Arg¹¹) and mPCI (Arg¹–Ala¹⁸) functioned as cell-penetrating peptides. Because intact mPCI but not testisin-cleaved mPCI was internalized by Jurkat T cells, a truncated mPCI mimicking testisin-cleaved mPCI was created. The truncated mPCI lacking 18 amino acids at the N terminus was not taken up by Jurkat T cells. Therefore our model suggests that testisin or other proteases could regulate the internalization of PCI by removing its N terminus. This may represent one of the mechanisms regulating the intracellular functions of PCI.     

Cotton cultivation and textile production in the Arabian Peninsula during antiquity; the evidence from Mada��in Salih (Saudi Arabia) and Qal��at al-Bahrain (Bahrain)

The discovery of seeds and textiles from Gossypium (cotton) in Achaemenian levels of the mid-6th–late 4th century b.c. at Qal’at al-Bahrain, Bahrain and in early 1st millennium a.d. at Mada’in Salih, Saudi Arabia, reveals the role played by the Arabian Peninsula as a textile production centre during the centuries before and after the beginning of the Christian era. Both these sites were situated on important trade routes, overseas (Qal’at al-Bahrain) and overland (Mada’in Salih), and it is likely that at least part of the cotton production was intended for trade, complementing and perhaps competing with other sources of cotton textiles in the contemporary Middle East. In the arid climate of the Arabian Peninsula, cotton was probably grown in association with irrigated date palm gardens where a wide array of other crops was grown, as is shown by the analysis of charred seeds and wood from occupation levels at both sites. The present article places these particular finds in the larger context of cotton cultivation in the Middle East and India.     

Effects of tobacco smoke on IL-16 in CD8+ cells from human airways and blood: a key role for oxygen free radicals?

Chronic exposure to tobacco smoke leads to an increase in the frequency of infections and in the number of CD8(+) and CD4(+) cells as well as the CD4(+) chemoattractant cytokine IL-16 in the airways. Here, we investigated whether tobacco smoke depletes intracellular IL-16 protein and inhibits de novo production of IL-16 in CD8(+) cells from human airways and blood while increasing extracellular IL-16 and whether oxygen free radicals (OFR) are involved. Intracellular IL-16 protein in CD8(+) cells and mRNA in all cells was decreased in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples from chronic smokers. This was also the case in human blood CD8(+) cells exposed to water-soluble tobacco smoke components in vitro, in which oxidized proteins were markedly increased. Extracellular IL-16 protein was increased in cell-free BAL fluid from chronic smokers and in human blood CD8(+) cells exposed to water-soluble tobacco smoke components in vitro. This was not observed in occasional smokers after short-term exposure to tobacco smoke. A marker of activation (CD69) was slightly increased, whereas other markers of key cellular functions (membrane integrity, apoptosis, and proliferation) in human blood CD8(+) cells in vitro were negatively affected by water-soluble tobacco smoke components. An OFR scavenger prevented these effects, whereas a protein synthesis inhibitor, a β-adrenoceptor, a glucocorticoid receptor agonist, a phosphodiesterase, a calcineurin phosphatase, and a caspase-3 inhibitor did not. In conclusion, tobacco smoke depletes preformed intracellular IL-16 protein, inhibits its de novo synthesis, and distorts key cellular functions in human CD8(+) cells. OFR may play a key role in this context.     

Analysis of chlormequat in human urine as a biomarker of exposure using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry

In this study, a method using liquid chromatography triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) is described for the analysis of the plant growth regulator chlormequat (CCC) in human urine. Analysis was carried out using selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in the positive ion mode. [(2)H(4)] labeled CCC as internal standard (IS) was used for quantification of CCC. The limit of detection (LOD) was determined to 0.1 ng/mL. The method was linear in the range 0.3-800 ng/mL urine and had a within-run precision of 4-9%. The between-run precision was determined at urine levels of 7.0 and 31 ng/mL and found to be 5 and 6% respectively. The reproducibility was 3-6%. To validate CCC as a biomarker of exposure, the method was applied in a human experimental oral exposure to CCC. Two healthy volunteers received 25 μg/kg b.w. CCC in a single oral dose followed by urine sampling for 46 h post-exposure. The CCC was estimated to follow a first order kinetic and a two compartment model with an elimination half-life of 2-3h and 10-14 h respectively. One hundred 24h urine samples were collected from non-occupationally exposed individuals in the general population in southern Sweden. All samples had detectable levels above the LOD 0.1 ng/mL urine. The median levels were 4 ng/mL of CCC in unadjusted urine. The levels found in the population samples are several magnitudes lower than those found in the experimental exposure, which corresponds to an oral exposure of 50% of the ADI for CCC.     

Serum lipidomics meets cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: profiling of subjects at risk of dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), characterized by left ventricular dilatation and systolic dysfunction, constitutes a significant cause for heart failure, sudden cardiac death or need for heart transplantation. Lamin A/C gene (LMNA) on chromosome 1p12 is the most significant disease gene causing DCM and has been reported to cause 7-9% of DCM leading to cardiac transplantation. We have previously performed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to LMNA carriers to describe the early phenotype. Clinically, early recognition of subjects at risk of developing DCM would be important but is often difficult. Thus we have earlier used the MRI findings of these LMNA carriers for creating a model by which LMNA carriers could be identified from the controls at an asymptomatic stage. Some LMNA mutations may cause lipodystrophy. To characterize possible effects of LMNA mutations on lipid profile, we set out to apply global serum lipidomics using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry in the same LMNA carriers, DCM patients without LMNA mutation and controls. All DCM patients, with or without LMNA mutation, differed from controls in regard to distinct serum lipidomic profile dominated by diminished odd-chain triglycerides and lipid ratios related to desaturation. Furthermore, we introduce a novel approach to identify associations between the molecular lipids from serum and the MR images from the LMNA carriers. The association analysis using dependency network and regression approaches also helped us to obtain novel insights into how the affected lipids might relate to cardiac shape and volume changes. Our study provides a framework for linking serum derived molecular markers not only with clinical endpoints, but also with the more subtle intermediate phenotypes, as derived from medical imaging, of potential pathophysiological relevance.