Overload and neovascularization of shoulder tendons in volleyball players

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: In overhead sports like volleyball, the onset of a rotator cuff tendinopathy due to functional overload is a common observation. An angiofibroblastic etiopathogenesis has been hypothesized, whereby a greater anaerobic metabolism occurs in critical zones of the tendon with a lower degree of vascularization; this would induce collagen and extracellular matrix degradation, that could then trigger a compensatory neovascularization response. We performed a clinical observational study of 80 elite volleyball players, monitoring the perfusion values of the rotator cuff tendons by oximetry. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were found between the oximetry data and age, sex or years of sports activity, nor when comparing the right and left arm or the dominant and non-dominant arm. A statistically significant difference was found for the dominant arm values in relation to the competitive role, higher values being obtained in outside hitters (62.7%) middle hitters (53.7%), opposite hitters (55.5%) and libero players (54.4%) (p<0.05), whereas there was no difference in players with the role of setter (56.2%) (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The different tendon vascularization values found in players with different roles in the team may be attributed to a response to the specific biomechanical demands posed by the different overhead throwing roles.     

Unfolding of beta‐lactoglobulin on the surface of polystyrene nanoparticles: Experimental and computational approaches

Structural changes ensuing from the non‐covalent absorption of bovine beta‐lactoglobulin (BLG) on the surface of polystyrene nanoparticles were investigated by using spectroscopic approaches, by assessing the reactivity of specific residues, and by limited proteolysis/mass spectrometry. Also, the immunoreactivity of absorbed and free BLG was compared. All these approaches indicated substantial rearrangements of the protein structure in the absorbed state, in spite of the reported structural rigidity of BLG. Changes made evident by experimental measurements were confirmed by computational approaches. These indicate that adsorption‐related changes are most marked in the area between the main C‐terminal alpha helix and the beta‐barrel, and lead to full exposure of the thiol on Cys₁₂₁, consistent with experimental measurements. In the computational model of bound BLG, both Trp₆₁ and Trp₁₉ also move away from their neighboring quenchers and become solvent‐exposed, as indicated by fluorescence measurement. Upon binding, the beta‐barrel also loosens, with a substantial increase in immunoreactivity and with noticeable changes in the trypsinolytic pattern. The possible general significance of the structural changes reported here for non‐covalently adsorbed BLG is discussed with respect to recognition events involving surface‐bound proteins, as are aspects related to the carrier function(s) of BLG, and to its use as a common ingredient in many food systems. Proteins 2014; 82:1272–1282. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Assessment and modeling of indoor fungal and bacterial bioaerosol concentrations

In recent years, potentially harmfulmicroorganisms such as Stachybotryschartarum have garnered national attentionwhen implicated with indoor air problems. However, accurate assessment of biologicallycontaminated indoor air has proven to beprohibitively labor, time, cost, and trainingintensive. The model developed in this studyaccurately predicts the levels of biologicalindoor air contaminants for the GreaterCincinnati area using a number of independentvariables that can be quickly calculatedwithout expensive, time-consuming methods. Thirty-nine single-family residences in theGreater Cincinnati area were sampled usingAndersen two-stage viable microbial particlesizing sampler instruments loaded with MaltExtract Agar, Trypicase Soy Agar, Czapek'sCellulose Agar, and Corn Meal Agar. After airsampling, the Petri dishes were incubated, thenumber of colonies from each plate wereenumerated, and the total number of viablecolony forming units per cubic meter of airwere calculated. Independent variables (indoorrelative humidity, indoor temperature, outdoormold, season, water damage, visible mold,damaged materials, home age, remediationfactors, health questionnaire, number ofoccupants, and indoor pets) were then compared tothe dependent variable (fungal and bacterialbioaerosol counts) by multiple linearregression using Analyze-it^® for Microsoft Excel^®. The final air model predicted thetotal number of viable colony forming units percubic meter with 97% accuracy; the goal forthis model was 90% accuracy.     

Spontaneous cell death in the semilunar ganglion during fetal and postnatal life in the ox, sheep, goat and guinea pig.

A massive cell loss occurs in the semilunar ganglion. It is the result of either a casting-off of the semilunar ganglion cells into the cavernous sinus or a transformation of several cells into polyhedral cells with an epithelial-like organization, a process which immediately precedes their further degeneration.     

Assessment of cetacean–fishery interactions in the marine food web of the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea,Central Mediterranean Sea)

Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries - The exploitation of fishery resources acts as a driving force on cetaceans both directly, by determining their fishing mortality or injury as by-catch...     

Effects of some prostaglandins on plasma levels of prolactin in the rat]

In ovariectomized rats treated with estradiol benzoate the ICV introduction of PGE1, 11-deoxy-13,14-didehydro-16S-methyl-PGE2, PGI2 or 6 H-PGI1 produces a marked increase of the plasma prolactin levels. These results suggest that the PGs play a role in the regulation of the prolactin secretion.     

Calmodulin Sensitivity of the Flagellar Membrane Adenylate Cyclase and Signaling of Motile Responses by cAMP in Gametes of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Cyclic AMP (cAMP) has been shown to be a primary signal of the agglutination-induced mating events of flagellar tip activation, cell wall loss, and mating structure activation in the unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Pasquale and Goodenough, Cell Biol. 105 (1987), 2279–2293). The flagellar membrane adenylate cyclase of Chlamydomonas is here shown to be inhibited in vitro by EGTA, La³⁺, and trifluoperazine, and to be stimulated in the presence of calcium by incubation with exogenous calmodulin. Also, the motility of detergent-extracted models of Chlamydomonas is shown to be enhanced by cAMP. These observations suggest the hypothesis that the twitching motility characteristic of agglutinating Chlamydomonas gametes may be signaled by cAMP produced locally within the flagella by a calmodulin-sensitive adenylate cyclase.