The relationship between running speed and measures of vertical jump in professional basketball players: a field-test approach

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vertical jump measures and sprint speed over 10, 20, and 40 m in professional basketball players. Thirty-three professional basketball players aged (±SD) (27.4 ± 3.3 years), body mass (89.8 ± 11.1 kg), and stature (192 ± 8.2 cm) volunteered to participate in this study. All participants were tested on squat jump, countermovement jump, and 40-m running speed. The results show that all jump measures in absolute terms were correlated significantly to running performance over 10-, 20-, and 40-m sprint times. None of the jumping performance peak powers and reactive strength were found to have a correlation to running speed times in absolute term. Furthermore, all jump height measures relative to body mass except reactive strength had a marked and significant relationship with all sprint performance times. The results of this study indicate that while there is a strong and marked relationship between 10-, 20-, and 40-m sprint, there is also a considerable variation within the factors that contribute to performance over these distances. This may indicate that, separate training strategies could be implemented to improve running speed over these distances.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new N-acyl-homoserine-lactone analogues, based on triazole and tetrazole scaffolds, acting as LuxR-dependent quorum sensing modulators

New analogues of N-acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL), in which the amide was replaced by a triazole or tetrazole ring, were prepared and tested for their activity as LuxR-dependent QS modulators. Several compounds showed a level of antagonistic or agonistic activity, notably some 1,4-triazolic and 1,5-tetrazolic derivatives, whereas the 2,5-tetrazolic compounds were inactive. In 1,5-tetrazoles, substituted with butyrolactone and an alkyl chain, the activity was reversed, depending on the connection between the lactone and the tetrazole. The C-N connected compounds were agonists whereas the C-C connected ones were antagonists.     

Theoretical benefits of yogurt-derived bioactive peptides and probiotics in COVID-19 patients – A narrative review and hypotheses

The world is currently facing a frightening coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Severity of COVID-19 presentation is highly variable among infected individuals with increasingly recognized risk factors. Although observational studies suggested lower COVID-19 severity in populations consuming fermented foods, no controlled study investigated the role of diet. Yogurt, a fermented dairy product, exhibits interesting properties related to the presence of bioactive peptides and probiotics that may play a beneficial role in COVID-19 presentation and outcome. Peptides contained in yogurt are responsible for angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory, bradykinin potentiating, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antithrombotic, and antioxidant effects. The types and activity of these peptides vary widely depending on their amino acid sequence, on the probiotics used in yogurt production and on intestinal digestion. Additionally, probiotics used in yogurt exhibit direct angiotensin-converting enzyme-inhibitory, antiviral and immune boosting activities. Since COVID-19 pathogenesis involves angiotensin II accumulation and bradykinin deficiency, yogurt bioactive peptides appear as potentially beneficial. Therefore, epidemiological investigations and randomized controlled clinical trials to evaluate the exact role of yogurt consumption on COVID-19 manifestations and outcome should be encouraged.     

Cardiac SR-coupled PP1 activity and expression are increased and inhibitor 1 protein expression is decreased in failing hearts

Type 1 protein phosphatase (PP1) is a negative regulator of cardiac function. However, studies on the status and regulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-associated PP1 activity in failing hearts are limited. We studied PP1 activity and protein and mRNA expression of the catalytic subunit of PP1 (PP1C) and protein levels of PP1-specific inhibitors [inhibitor 1 (Inh-1) and inhibitor 2 (Inh-2)] in the left ventricular (LV) myocardium of 6 dogs with heart failure (HF; LV ejection fraction, 23 +/- 2%) and 6 normal dogs. In failing LV tissue, PP1 activity values (expressed as pmol 32P. min-1. mg of noncollagen protein-1) in the homogenate, crude membranes, cytosol, and purified SR were increased by 52, 54, 55, and 72%, respectively. Trypsin treatment released PP1 but not type 2A protein phosphatase from the SR. In the supernatant of trypsin-treated SR, PP1 activity was approximately 24% higher in failing hearts than in normal control hearts. A similar increase in protein expression of PP1C was observed in the nontrypsinized SR. Heat-denatured phosphorylated SR inhibited PP1 activity by 30%, which suggests the presence of Inh-1 or -2 or both in the SR. With the use of a specific antibody, both Inh-1 and -2 proteins were found in the SR; the former was decreased by 56% in the failing SR, whereas the latter did not change. These results suggest that protein phosphatase activity bound to the SR is increased and is predominantly type 1. Increased SR-associated PP1 activity in failing hearts appears to be due partly to increased expression of PP1C and partly to reduced levels of Inh-1 but not Inh-2 protein. Thus inhibition of PP1 activity in the SR appears to be a potential therapeutic target for improving LV function in failing hearts, because it may lead to increased SR Ca2+ uptake, which is impaired in failing hearts.     

Chronic exposure of diesel exhaust particles induces alveolar enlargement in mice

Background

Diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) are deposited into the respiratory tract and are thought to be a risk factor for the development of diseases of the respiratory system. In healthy individuals, the timing and mechanisms of respiratory tract injuries caused by chronic exposure to air pollution remain to be clarified.

Methods

We evaluated the effects of chronic exposure to DEP at doses below those found in a typical bus corridor in Sao Paulo (150 μg/m³). Male BALB/c mice were divided into mice receiving a nasal instillation: saline (saline; n = 30) and 30 μg/10 μL of DEP (DEP; n = 30). Nasal instillations were performed five days a week, over a period of 90 days. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed, and the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10, IL-13 and interferon-gamma (INF-γ) were determined by ELISA-immunoassay. Assessment of respiratory mechanics was performed. The gene expression of Muc5ac in lung was evaluated by RT-PCR. The presence of IL-13, MAC2+ macrophages, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T cells and CD20+ B cells in tissues was analysed by immunohistochemistry. Bronchial thickness and the collagen/elastic fibers density were evaluated by morphometry. We measured the mean linear intercept (Lm), a measure of alveolar distension, and the mean airspace diameter (D0) and statistical distribution (D2).

Results

DEP decreased IFN-γ levels in BAL (p = 0.03), but did not significantly alter IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 levels. MAC2+ macrophage, CD4+ T cell and CD20+ B cell numbers were not altered; however, numbers of CD3+ T cells (p ≤ 0.001) and CD8+ T cells (p ≤ 0.001) increased in the parenchyma. Although IL-13 (p = 0.008) expression decreased in the bronchiolar epithelium, Muc5ac gene expression was not altered in the lung of DEP-exposed animals. Although respiratory mechanics, elastic and collagen density were not modified, the mean linear intercept (Lm) was increased in the DEP-exposed animals (p ≤ 0.001), and the index D2 was statistically different (p = 0.038) from the control animals.

Conclusion

Our data suggest that nasal instillation of low doses of DEP over a period of 90 days results in alveolar enlargement in the pulmonary parenchyma of healthy mice.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12931-015-0172-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A set of multiplex panels of microsatellite markers for rapid molecular characterization of rice accessions

Background  

This study aimed to analyze the efficiency of three new microsatellite multiplex panels, which were designed to evaluate a total of 16 loci of the rice genome, based on single PCR reactions of each panel. A sample of 548 accessions of traditional upland rice landraces collected in Brazil in the last 25 years was genotyped, a database of allelic frequencies was established, estimates of genetic parameters were performed and analysis of genetic structure of the collection was developed.     

Application of transgenic plants in understanding responses to atmospheric change

Acclimation of plants to an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is a well described phenomenon. It is characterized by an increase in leaf carbohydrates and a degradation of ribulose 1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase protein (Rubisco) leading in the long term to a lower rate of CO₂ assimilation than expected from the kinetic constants of Rubisco. This article summarizes studies with transgenic plants grown in elevated pCO₂ which are modified in their capacity of CO₂ fixation, of sucrose and starch synthesis, of triosephosphate and sucrose transport and of sink metabolism of sucrose. These studies show that a feedback accumulation of carbohydrates in leaves play only a minor role in acclimation, because leaf starch synthesis functions as an efficient buffer for photoassimilates. There is some evidence that in elevated pCO₂, plants grow faster and senescence is induced earlier.     

Maged1, a new regulator of skeletal myogenic differentiation and muscle regeneration

Background  

In normal adult skeletal muscle, cell turnover is very slow. However, after an acute lesion or in chronic pathological conditions, such as primary myopathies, muscle stem cells, called satellite cells, are induced to proliferate, then withdraw definitively from the cell cycle and fuse to reconstitute functional myofibers.     

Patterns of flow in the left coronary artery

The purpose of this investigation is to describe our preliminary observations of the overall pattern of flow in a mold of the left coronary artery of a pig. Flow in the coronary mold was visualized by the injection of dye into the sinus of Valsalva. Studies were performed during steady flow at rates of 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 mL/min. Studies were also performed during pulsatile flow, using a pulse duplicator that simulated the magnitude and phasic pattern of coronary flow at rest and during reactive hyperemia. At conditions that simulated rest, mean coronary flow was adjusted to 121 mL/min of which 24 mL/min (20 percent) was systolic. During simulated reactive hyperemia, mean flow was 440 mL/min. Visualization of flow revealed the absence of disturbances of turbulence during both steady and pulsatile flow in the left anterior descending (LAD) and left circumflex (CIRC) coronary arteries throughout the entire range of flow studied. Prominent spiraling of flow occurred during steady and pulsatile flow. Spiraling of flow was not observed in the LAD at rest during pulsatile flow, but developed during simulated reactive hyperemia. Helical flows were observed in the CIRC both during simulated rest and reactive hyperemia. These observations suggest that helical flows may be characteristic features of flow in the left coronary artery; whereas turbulence may not be a feature of this flow field. Whether the spiraling of flow that we observed related to the spiral distribution of early atheroma reported by others, is undetermined.