A brief pre-exercise nap may alleviate physical performance impairments induced by short-term sustained operations with partial sleep deprivation – A field-based study

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the recuperative efficacy of pre-exercise napping on physical capacity after military sustained operations (SUSOPS) with partial sleep deprivation. Before and after a 2-day SUSOPS, 61 cadets completed a battery of questionnaires, and performed a 2-min lunges trial and a 3,000-m running time-trial. After the completion of SUSOPS, subjects were randomized to either a control [without pre-exercise nap (CON); n = 32] or a nap [with a 30-min pre-exercise nap (NAP); n = 29] group. SUSOPS enhanced perceived sleepiness and degraded mood in both groups. Following SUSOPS, the repetitions of lunges, in the CON group, were reduced by ~ 2.3%, albeit the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.62). In the NAP group, however, the repetitions of lunges were increased by ~ 7.1% (p = 0.01). SUSOPS impaired the 3,000-m running performance in the CON group (~ 2.3%; p = 0.02), but not in the NAP group (0.3%; p = 0.71). Present results indicate, therefore, that a relatively brief pre-exercise nap may mitigate physical performance impairments ensued by short-term SUSOPS.     

Ethylene based on woody biomass—what are environmental key issues of a possible future Swedish production on industrial scale

Purpose

In order to reduce its environmental impact, the chemical industry no longer produces base chemicals such as ethylene, solely from fossil, but also from biomass-based feedstocks. However, a biomass option suitable for one region might not be as suitable for another region due to, e.g., long transport and the related environmental. Therefore, local biomass alternatives and the environmental impact related to the production of chemicals from these alternatives need to be investigated. This study assesses the environmental impact of producing ethylene from Swedish wood ethanol.

Methods

The study was conducted following the methodology of life cycle assessment. The life cycle was assessed using a cradle-to-gate perspective for the production of 50,000 tonnes ethylene/year for the impact categories global warming, acidification (ACP), photochemical ozone creation, and eutrophication (EP).

Results and discussion

The production of enzymes used during the life cycle had a significant effect on all investigated impacts. However, reduced consumption of enzyme product, which could possibly be realized considering the rapid development of enzymes, lowered the overall environmental impact of the ethylene. Another approach could be to use alternative hydrolyzing agents. However, little information on their environmental impact is available. An additional key contributor, with regard to ACP, EP, and POCP, was the ethanol production. Therefore, further improvements with regard to the process’ design may have beneficial effects on its environmental impact.

Conclusions

The study assessed the environmental impact of wood ethylene and pointed to several directions for improvements, such as improved enzyme production and reduced consumption of enzyme products. Moreover, the analysis showed that further investigations into other process options and increase of ethylene production from biomass are worth continued research.     

Uncoupling of Natural IgE Production and CD23 Surface Expression Levels

CD23, the low affinity receptor for immunoglobulin E (IgE), has been proposed to play a critical role in the regulation of IgE production, based on altered IgE levels in CD23-deficient mice and transgenic mouse models, as well as in mouse strains with mutations in the CD23 gene, e.g. 129 substrains. Here, we have investigated a mouse line termed LxT1 that expresses reduced CD23 surface levels on B cells, and its influence on natural IgE production. Extensive phenotypic analysis showed that CD23 surface expression was reduced in LxT1 compared to the control, without affecting B cell development in general. This CD23^low surface level in LxT1 mice is not as a result of reduced CD23 mRNA expression levels or intracellular accumulation, but linked to a recessive locus, a 129-derived region spanning 28 Mb on chromosome 8, which includes the CD23 gene. Sequence analysis confirmed five mutations within the CD23 coding region in LxT1 mice, the same as those present in New Zealand Black (NZB) and 129 mice. However, this CD23^low phenotype was not observed in all 129 substrains despite carrying these same CD23 mutations in the coding region. Moreover, serum IgE levels in LxT1 mice are as low as those in the C57BL/6 (B6) strain, and much lower than those in 129 substrains. These data indicate that the CD23 surface level and serum IgE level are uncoupled and that neither is directly regulated by the mutations within the CD23 coding region. This study suggests that caution should be taken when interpreting the immunological data derived from mice with different genetic background, especially if the gene of interest is thought to influence CD23 surface expression or serum IgE level.     

Synthesis,biological evaluation,and molecular docking of new series of antitumor and apoptosis inducers designed as VEGFR-2 inhibitors

Based on quinazoline, quinoxaline, and nitrobenzene scaffolds and on pharmacophoric features of VEGFR-2 inhibitors, 17 novel compounds were designed and synthesised. VEGFR-2 IC₅₀ values ranged from 60.00 to 123.85 nM for the new derivatives compared to 54.00 nM for sorafenib. Compounds 15_a, 15_b, and 15_d showed IC₅₀ from 17.39 to 47.10 µM against human cancer cell lines; hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2), prostate cancer (PC3), and breast cancer (MCF-7). Meanwhile, the first in terms of VEGFR-2 inhibition was compound 15_d which came second with regard to antitumor assay with IC₅₀ = 24.10, 40.90, and 33.40 µM against aforementioned cell lines, respectively. Furthermore, Compound 15_d increased apoptosis rate of HepG2 from 1.20 to 12.46% as it significantly increased levels of Caspase-3, BAX, and P53 from 49.6274, 40.62, and 42.84 to 561.427, 395.04, and 415.027 pg/mL, respectively. Moreover, 15_d showed IC₅₀ of 253 and 381 nM against HER2 and FGFR, respectively.     

Insect pest damage increases faba bean (Vicia faba) yield components but only in the absence of insect pollination

Identifying and quantifying crop stressors interactions in agroecosystems is necessary to guide sustainable crop management strategies. Over the last 50 years, faba bean cropping area has been declining, partly due to yield instabilities associated with uneven insect pollination and herbivory. Yet, the effect of interactions between pollinators and a key pest, the broad bean beetle Bruchus rufimanus (florivorous and seed predating herbivore) on faba bean yield has not been investigated. Using a factorial cage experiment in the field, we investigated how interactions between two hypothesized stressors, lack of insect pollination by bumblebees and herbivory by the broad bean beetle, affect faba bean yield. Lack of bumblebee pollination reduced bean weight per plant by 15%. Effects of the broad bean beetle differed between the individual plant and the plant‐stand level (i.e., when averaging individual plant level responses at the cage level), likely due to high variation in the level of herbivory among individual plants. At the individual plant level, herbivory increased several yield components but only in the absence of pollinators, possibly due to plant overcompensation and/or pollination by the broad bean beetle. At the plant‐stand level, we found no effect of the broad bean beetle on yield. However, there was a tendency for heavier individual bean weight with bumblebee pollination, but only in the absence of broad bean beetle herbivory, possibly due to a negative effect of the broad bean beetle on the proportion of legitimate flower visits by bumblebees. This is the first experimental evidence of interactive effects between bumblebees and the broad bean beetle on faba bean yield. Our preliminary findings of negative and indirect associations between the broad bean beetle and individual bean weight call for a better acknowledgment of these interactions in the field in order to understand drivers of crop yield variability in faba bean.     

VEGF receptor 2/‐3 heterodimers detected in situ by proximity ligation on angiogenic sprouts

The vascular endothelial growth factors VEGFA and VEGFC are crucial regulators of vascular development. They exert their effects by dimerization and activation of the cognate receptors VEGFR2 and VEGFR3. Here, we have used in situ proximity ligation to detect receptor complexes in intact endothelial cells. We show that both VEGFA and VEGFC potently induce formation of VEGFR2/‐3 heterodimers. Receptor heterodimers were found in both developing blood vessels and immature lymphatic structures in embryoid bodies. We present evidence that heterodimers frequently localize to tip cell filopodia. Interestingly, in the presence of VEGFC, heterodimers were enriched in the leading tip cells as compared with trailing stalk cells of growing sprouts. Neutralization of VEGFR3 to prevent heterodimer formation in response to VEGFA decreased the extent of angiogenic sprouting. We conclude that VEGFR2/‐3 heterodimers on angiogenic sprouts induced by VEGFA or VEGFC may serve to positively regulate angiogenic sprouting.