Effect of high and low glycaemic index recovery diets on intramuscular lipid oxidation during aerobic exercise

Intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) and plasma NEFA are important skeletal muscle fuel sources. By raising blood insulin concentrations, carbohydrate ingestion inhibits lypolysis and reduces circulating NEFA. We hypothesised that differences in the postprandial glycaemic and insulin response to carbohydrates (i.e. glycaemic index; GI) could alter NEFA availability and IMCL use during subsequent exercise. Endurance-trained individuals (n 7) cycled for 90 min at 70 % V?O2peak and then consumed either high GI (HGI) or low GI (LGI) meals over the following 12 h. The following day after an overnight fast, the 90 min cycle was repeated. IMCL content of the vastus lateralis was quantified using magnetic resonance spectroscopy before and after exercise. Blood samples were collected at 15 min intervals throughout exercise and analysed for NEFA, glycerol, glucose, insulin, and lactate. Substrate oxidation was calculated from expired air samples. The 90 min cycle resulted in >2-fold greater reduction in IMCL in the HGI trial (3·5 (sem 1·0) mm/kg wet weight) than the LGI trial (1·6 (sem 0·3) mm/kg wet weight, P < 0·05). During exercise, NEFA availability was reduced in the HGI trial compared to the LGI trial (area under curve 2·36 (sem 0·14) mEq/l per h v. 3·14 (sem 0·28) mEq/l per h, P < 0·05 respectively). No other differences were significant. The findings suggest that HGI carbohydrates reduce NEFA availability during exercise and increase reliance on IMCL as a substrate source during moderate intensity exercise

Human acclimation and acclimatization to heat: A compendium of research, 1968-1978

Abstracts and annotations of the majority of scientific works that elucidate the mechanisms of short-term acclimation to heat in men and women are presented. The compendium includes material from 1968 through 1977. Subject and author indexes are provided and additional references of preliminary research findings or work of a peripheral nature are included in a bibliography

The rest-frame optical sizes of massive galaxies with suppressed star formation at z∼4z\sim4

We present the rest-frame optical sizes of massive quiescent galaxies (QGs) at $z\sim4$ measured at $K'$-band with the Infrared Camera and Spectrograph (IRCS) and AO188 on the Subaru telescope. Based on a deep multi-wavelength catalog in the Subaru XMM-Newton Deep Survey Field (SXDS), covering a wide wavelength range from the $u$-band to the IRAC $8.0\mu m$ over 0.7 deg$^2$, we evaluate photometric redshift to identify massive ($M_{\star}\sim10^{11}\ M_\odot$) galaxies with suppressed star formation. These galaxies show a prominent 4000$\rm \AA$break feature at$z\sim4$, suggestive of an evolved stellar population. We then conduct follow-up$K'$-band imaging with adaptive optics for the five brightest galaxies ($K_{AB,total}=22.5\sim23.4$). Compared to lower redshift ones, QGs at$z\sim4$have smaller physical sizes of effective radii$r_{eff}=0.2$to$1.8$kpc. The mean size measured by stacking the four brightest objects is$r_{eff}=0.7\rm\ kpc$. This is the first measurement of the rest-frame optical sizes of QGs at$z\sim4$. We evaluate the robustness of our size measurements using simulations and find that our size estimates are reasonably accurate with an expected systematic bias of$\sim0.2$kpc. If we account for the stellar mass evolution, massive QGs at$z\sim4$are likely to evolve into the most massive galaxies today. We find their size evolution with cosmic time in a form of$\log(r_e/{\rm kpc})= -0.44+1.77 \log(t/\rm Gyr)$. Their size growth is proportional to the square of stellar mass, indicating the size-stellar mass growth driven by minor dry mergers.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, ApJ accepte

Using the Δ3\Delta_3 statistic to test for missed levels in mixed sequence neutron resonance data

The $\Delta_3(L)$ statistic is studied as a tool to detect missing levels in the neutron resonance data where 2 sequences are present. These systems are problematic because there is no level repulsion, and the resonances can be too close to resolve. $\Delta_3(L)$ is a measure of the fluctuations in the number of levels in an interval of length $L$ on the energy axis. The method used is tested on ensembles of mixed Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE) spectra, with a known fraction of levels ($x$) randomly depleted, and can accurately return $x$. The accuracy of the method as a function of spectrum size is established. The method is used on neutron resonance data for 11 isotopes with either s-wave neutrons on odd-A, or p-wave neutrons on even-A. The method compares favorably with a maximum likelihood method applied to the level spacing distribution. Nuclear Data Ensembles were made from 20 isotopes in total, and their $\Delta_3(L)$ statistic are discussed in the context of Random Matrix Theory.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, 4 table

Thirty-fold: Extreme gravitational lensing of a quiescent galaxy at z=1.6z=1.6

We report the discovery of eMACSJ1341-QG-1, a quiescent galaxy at $z=1.594$ located behind the massive galaxy cluster eMACSJ1341.9$-$2442 ($z=0.835$). The system was identified as a gravitationally lensed triple image in Hubble Space Telescope images obtained as part of a snapshot survey of the most X-ray luminous galaxy clusters at $z>0.5$ and spectroscopically confirmed in ground-based follow-up observations with the ESO/X-Shooter spectrograph. From the constraints provided by the triple image, we derive a first, crude model of the mass distribution of the cluster lens, which predicts a gravitational amplification of a factor of $\sim$30 for the primary image and a factor of $\sim$6 for the remaining two images of the source, making eMACSJ1341-QG-1 by far the most strongly amplified quiescent galaxy discovered to date. Our discovery underlines the power of SNAPshot observations of massive, X-ray selected galaxy clusters for lensing-assisted studies of faint background populations

Neuro- and immunotoxic effects of fumonisin B1 in cells

Fumonisin B1 (FB1) is a mycotoxin produced by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides, which commonly infects corn and other agricultural products. Fusarium species can also be found in moisture-damaged buildings, and therefore there may also be human exposure to Fusarium mycotoxins, including FB1. FB1 affects the metabolism of sphingolipids by inhibiting the enzyme ceramide synthase. It is neuro-, hepato- and nephrotoxic, and it is classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms behind FB1-induced neuro- and immunotoxicity. Four neural and glial cell lines of human, rat and mouse origin were exposed to graded doses of FB1 and the effects on the production of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, intracellular glutathione levels, cell viability and apoptosis were investigated. Furthermore, the effects of FB1, alone or together with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), on the mRNA and protein expression levels of different cytokines and chemokines were studied in human dendritic cells (DC). FB1 induced oxidative stress and cell death in all cell lines studied. Generally, the effects were only seen after prolonged exposure at 10 and 100 µM of FB1. Signs of apoptosis were also seen in all four cell lines. The sensitivities of the cell lines used in this study towards FB1 may be classified as human U-118MG glioblastoma > mouse GT1-7 hypothalamic > rat C6 glioblastoma > human SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. When comparing cell lines of human origin, it can be concluded that glial cells seem to be more sensitive towards FB1 toxicity than those of neural origin. After exposure to FB1, significantly increased levels of the cytokine interferon-γ (IFNγ) were detected in human DC. This observation was further confirmed by FB1-induced levels of the chemokine CXCL9, which is known to be regulated by IFNγ. During co-exposure of DC to both LPS and FB1, significant inhibitions of the LPS-induced levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-1β, and their regulatory chemokines CCL3 and CCL5 were observed. FB1 can thus affect immune responses in DC, and therefore, it is rather likely that it also affects other types of cells participating in the immune defence system. When evaluating the toxicity potential of FB1, it is important to consider the effects on different cell types and cell-cell interactions. The results of this study represent new information, especially about the mechanisms behind FB1-induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and immunotoxicity, as well as the varying sensitivities of different cell types towards FB1.Hyötykasvien hometartunnat ovat maanviljelijöiden ongelma ympäri maailmaa. Viime aikoina on kiinnitetty paljon huomiota myös kosteusvauriorakennusten homelöydöksiin. Mykotoksiinit ovat homeiden tuottamia yhdisteitä, jotka jo pieninä määrinä ovat ihmisille tai eläimille myrkyllisiä. Fumonisiini B1 (FB1) on Fusarium verticillioides nimisen homelajin tuottama toksiini. Sitä on löydetty enimmäkseen homehtuneesta maissista, mutta myös muista viljoista. Fusarium homeita esiintyy myös rakennuksissa, ja näin ollen kyseisten rakennusten asukkaat tai niissä työskentelevät henkilöt saattavat altistua Fusariumin tuottamille mykotoksiineille, kuten FB1:lle. FB1 vaikuttaa soluihin estämällä eräiden solun lipiden, sfingolipidien, normaalia aineenvaihduntaa. FB1 aiheuttaa vakavia hermosto- ja keuhkotauteja, ja on maksa- ja munuaistoksinen sekä -karsinogeeninen eläimissä. FB1 on luokiteltu ihmiselle mahdollisesti syöpää aiheuttavaksi yhdisteeksi. Tässä väitöskirjassa tutkittiin mekanismeja, joilla FB1 vaikuttaa ihmisestä, hiirestä ja rotasta peräisin oleviin hermo- ja gliasolulinjoihin sekä ihmisen immuunipuolustuksen kannalta tärkeisiin dendriittisoluihin. Hermo- ja gliasoluja altistettiin FB1:lle, jonka jälkeen tutkittiin aiheuttaako tämä ns. oksidatiivista stressiä tai ohjelmoitua solukuolemaa soluissa. Pitkien altistusaikojen jälkeen soluissa voitiin havaita merkkejä oksidatiivisesta stressistä ja osa soluista kuoli. Eri solulinjojen herkkyys FB1:tä vastaan vaihteli kuitenkin selvästi. Ihmisestä peräisin olevien solulinjojen vertailussa ilmeni, että gliasolulinjat (hermotukisoluja) olivat paljon herkempiä FB1:n toksisille vaikutuksille kuin hermosolulinjat. Altistettaessa ihmisen dendriittisoluja FB1:lle yksin tai yhdessä lipopolysakkaridin (LPS; yleinen gram-negatiivisten bakteerien tuottama yhdiste) kanssa nähtiin, että sillä on vaikutusta tärkeiden välittäjäaineiden, sytokiinien ja kemokiinien, esiintymiseen. Immunologisten reaktioiden käynnistyksessä tärkeässä asemassa olevan interferoni-γ:n pitoisuudet soluissa nousivat, kuten myös sen säätelemän kemokiinin pitoisuudet. Toisaalta FB1 vähensi LPS:n nostamia tulehdusta edistävien sytokiinien ja kemokiinien pitoisuuksia. FB1:tä voidaan pitää neuro- ja immunotoksisena yhdisteenä, mutta kattavan kuvan luominen FB1:n toksisista vaikutuksista esimerkiksi riskinarviointia varten vaatii lisätutkimuksia erityyppisillä soluilla. Väittelijä on syntynyt Helsingissä, on opiskellut proviisoriksi Helsingin yliopistossa ja työskentelee tutkijana Työterveyslaitoksella

High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of mezlocillin, piperacillin, their degradation products, and of ioxitalamic acid in plasma and urine of healthy volunteers

In plasma and urine of 10 healthy volunteers after intravenous administration of 4 g mezlocillin and piperacillin, respectively, the parent compounds as well as degradation products were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Ioxitalamic acid, a renal contrast medium, was administered simultaneously, in order to measure the glomerular filtration rate, and to control the collection of 24-h urine. As metabolite of mezlocillin the corresponding penicilloic acid only was found, whereas in the case of piperacillin a further degradation product was observed. Half of the doses given was recovered in the urine as unchanged drugs, and in addition 5-10% as metabolites. No differences were found in the pharmacokinetic behaviour of both antibiotics