EMG gait data from indwelling electrodes is attenuated over time and changes independent of any experimental effect

The effect of time on the validity of electromyography (EMG) signals from indwelling fine-wire electrodes has not been explored. This is important because experiments using intramuscular electrodes are often long and biochemical and mechanical factors, may impair measurement accuracy over time. Measures over extended periods might therefore be erroneous. Twelve healthy participants (age = 33 ± 8 years) walked for 50 min at a controlled speed. Fine-wire electrodes were inserted into tibialis anterior and a surface EMG sensor attached near the fine-wire insertion site. EMG signals progressively and significantly decreased with time with the fine-wire electrode, but not the surface electrode. For the fine-wire electrode, after 25 min mean amplitude had reduced by 11% (p < 0.001) and after 50 min by 16% (p < 0.001), and peak amplitude reduced 22% at 20 min (p = 0.006) and 37% at 50 min (p < 0.001). Reduced amplitude with indwelling EMG without concurrent changes in surface EMG signal suggests an important inconsistency in data from fine-wire EMG electrodes. Changes in EMG signal will occur over time independent of the experimental condition and this questions their use in experiments of more than 30 min. These results should impact on experimental study design. They also invite reinterpretation of prior literature and sensor innovation to improve measurement performance.     

Muscle Gene Expression Associated with Increased Marbling in Beef Cattle

The objective of this study was to identify specific bovine genes expressed within skeletal muscle that are associated with intramuscular fat deposition. Twenty-eight Angus-Simmental cross steers and heifers were harvested at the University of Illinois Meat Science Laboratory. Four pairs of animals were identified based on similar adjusted backfat thickness but differing amounts of intramuscular fat within each pair. RNA was extracted from muscle samples devoid of visible fat and microarray analysis was performed. Based on this analysis, 9 genes were selected and expression was subsequently confirmed by qPCR. Expression levels of MYH3, HOXD10, MXRA8, and CASQ2 were increased in animals with high marbling, whereas levels of NPNT, MRC1, DNER, and CYPB4 were decreased in high marbled animals. The remaining gene, ACTN2 was determined to be a false positive and was, therefore, excluded from further study. Despite the positive results of the preliminary study, associations between gene expression and intramuscular fat content did not extend to the larger population of cattle. A significant negative association existed between expression of MRC1 and marbling level (P = 0.04). Therefore, this study was unable to identify a particular skeletal muscle gene set whose expression correlated well with marbling levels in the larger population of beef cattle.     

The shear modulus of lower-leg muscles correlates to intramuscular pressure

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is emerging as an innovative tool to evaluate muscle properties and function. It has been shown to correlate with both passive and active muscle forces, and is sensitive to physiological processes and pathological conditions. Similarly, intramuscular pressure (IMP) is an important parameter that changes with passive and active muscle contraction, body position, exercise, blood pressure, and several pathologies. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the dependency of shear modulus within the lower-leg muscles on IMP in healthy individuals. Nineteen healthy individuals (age: Mean age ± SD, 23.84 ± 6.64 years) were recruited. Shear modulus was measured using ultrasound SWE on the tibialis anterior (TA) and peroneus longus (PL) muscles using pressure cuff inflation around the thigh at 40 mmHg, 80 mmHg, and 120 mmHg. Changes in IMP were verified using a catheter connected to a blood pressure monitor. It was found that IMP was correlated to TA and PL shear modulus (spearman's rank correlation = 0.99 and 0.99, respectively). Applying a gradual increase of cuff pressure from 0 to 120 mmHg increased the shear modulus of the TA and PL muscles from 15.83 (2.46) kPa to 21.88 (4.33) kPa and from 9.64 (1.97) kPa to 12.88 (5.99) kPa, respectively. These results demonstrate that changes of muscle mechanical properties are dependent on IMP. This observation is important to improve interpretation of ultrasound elastograms and to potentially use it as a biomarker for more accurate diagnosis of pathologies related to increased IMP.     

Myotube formation is affected by adipogenic lineage cells in a cell-to-cell contact-independent manner

Intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) formation is observed in some pathological conditions such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and sarcopenia. Several studies have suggested that IMAT formation is not only negatively correlated with skeletal muscle mass but also causes decreased muscle contraction in sarcopenia. In the present study, we examined w hether adipocytes affect myogenesis. For this purpose, skeletal muscle progenitor cells were transfected with siRNA of PPARγ (siPPARγ) in an attempt to inhibit adipogenesis. Myosin heavy chain (MHC)-positive myotube formation was promoted in cells transfected with siPPARγ compared to that of cells transfected with control siRNA. To determine whether direct cell-to-cell contact between adipocytes and myoblasts is a prerequisite for adipocytes to affect myogenesis, skeletal muscle progenitor cells were cocultured with pre- or mature adipocytes in a Transwell coculture system. MHC-positive myotube formation was inhibited when skeletal muscle progenitor cells were cocultured with mature adipocytes, but was promoted when they were cocultured with preadipocytes. Similar effects were observed when pre- or mature adipocyte-conditioned medium was used. These results indicate that preadipocytes play an important role in maintaining skeletal muscle mass by promoting myogenesis; once differentiated, the resulting mature adipocytes negatively affect myogenesis, leading to the muscle deterioration observed in skeletal muscle pathologies.     

An immunological study of glycosaminoglycans in the connective tissue of bovine and cod skeletal muscle

The presence of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) was demonstrated in the connective tissue of bovine and cod skeletal muscle by histochemical staining using Alcian blue added MgCl₂ (0.06 M and 0.4 M, respectively). For further identification of the sulfated GAGs, a panel of monoclonal antibodies, 1B5, 2B6, 3B3 and 5D4 was used that recognizes epitopes in chondroitin-0-sulfate (C0S), chondroitin-4-sulfate/dermatan sulfate (C4S/DS), chondroitin-6-sulfate (C6S) and keratan sulfate (KS), respectively. Light microscopy and Western blotting techniques showed that in bovine and cod muscle C0S and C6S were primarily localized pericellularly, whereas cod exhibited a more intermittent staining. C4S was expressed around the separate cells and also in the perimysium and myocommata. In contrast to bovine muscle, which hardly expressed highly sulfated KS, cod exhibited a very strong and consistent staining. Western blotting showed that C0S and C6S were mainly associated with proteoglycans (PGs) of high molecular sizes in both species. Contrary to bovine muscle, C4S in cod was associated with molecules of various sizes. Both cod and bovine muscle contained KSPGs of similar sizes as C4S. KSPGs of different sizes and buoyant densities, sensitive to keratanase I and II were found expressed in cod.     

Effects of chronic tramadol exposure on the zebrafish brain: a proteomic study

Tramadol hydrochloride (TH), has become the most prescribed opioid worldwide. However, its neurotoxicity and abuse potential are not well documented. In the present study, TH administration induced abnormal behavior and body and brain mean weight loss. Two principal metabolites O- and N-desmethyltramadol were detected in the brain tissue, and N-desmethyltramadol was the main metabolite produced. A total of 30 differential protein spots were identified using semi-quantitative 2D-PAGE and proteomic analyses, and classified into 13 categories, in which subtypes of 14-3-3 proteins, creatine kinase, ATP synthase beta chain, and tubulin were identified at the separated location on the gels 3, 3, 4, and 11 times respectively. Many TH responsive proteins have functions related to oxidative stress, including 14-3-3 proteins, creatine kinase BB, ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L-1, ATP synthase, synaptosome-associated protein, tubulin and actin. Irrespective of oxidative damage, other pathways affected include apoptosis, energy metabolism, signal disorders, and cytoskeletal structure. Ultrastructural observation of mitochondria showed a series of morphological changes in the case of TH exposure.     

雌性藏猪不同生长发育阶段肌肉生长和脂肪沉积相关基因的表达模式

本研究利用包含140个与猪肌肉生长和脂肪沉积密切相关基因的Oligo功能分类基因芯片检测了藏猪在2、4、6和8月龄间背最长肌中这些基因的表达量变化,并在2月龄时与脂肪型的太湖猪和瘦肉型的长白猪进行比较.ANOVA分析结果表明:2-8月龄间藏猪分别有10和 7个基因的表达差异达极显著(P<0.01)和显著水平(P<0.05);2月龄时藏猪体重极显著低于长白猪(P<0.01)和显著低于太湖猪(P<0.05),而藏猪肌纤维面积却为最大,但品种间差异未达显著水平(P>0.05);2月龄时3个品种间分别有15和13个基因的表达差异达极显著 (P<0.01)和显著水平(P<0.05).STEM聚类分析结果表明:直线下降和上升是藏猪在2 -8月龄间最具代表性的基因表达模式(P<0.01).另外,5个差异表达基因的荧光定量RT -PC R验证结果与基因芯片结果的Person相关系数平均高达0.856±0.109.提示:藏猪在2-8月龄间骨骼肌生长发育强度较肌内脂肪合成沉积占优势,2月龄时藏猪脂肪酸合成相关基因的表达水平较其他两品种低,而脂肪酸β氧化和肌纤维生长相关基因的表达水平较高,与其在高原独特的自然生态环境和全放牧散养的饲喂方式下长期形成的品种特性相符 [动物学报 54(3):442-452,2008].     

睾丸注射法制备携带猪PID1基因的转基因兔

目的研究磷酸酪氨酸互作结构域1(PID1)基因与肌内脂肪含量的关系,探究睾丸注射法在转基因动物制备中的可行性。方法将携带猪PID1基因的重组质粒pIRES2-acGFP-PID1与转染试剂共孵育后,对新西兰兔进行了睾丸打点注射试验。对繁殖的F1代个体进行了活体荧光检测、PCR和western blotting检测,以及抽样屠宰进行肌内脂肪含量等检测;将F1代阳性个体互交,繁殖了F2代兔,对其进行了阳性率检测以及肌内脂肪含量检测。结果外源PID1基因和荧光蛋白基因在后代中均成功表达,其中,F1代阳性率为35.88%,F2代阳性率为34.33%;转基因阳性兔与阴性和空白对照兔相比,PID1蛋白表达水平有所增加,肌内脂肪含量有显著提高(P0.05)。结论 PID1基因与肌内脂肪沉积密切相关,同时,进一步证明了睾丸注射法可以用于制备转基因动物,且外源基因可以稳定遗传。