scholarly journals A Faithful Gut: Core Features of Gastrointestinal Microbiota of Long-Distance Migratory Bats Remain Stable despite Dietary Shifts Driving Differences in Specific Bacterial Taxa

Author(s):  
Luis Víquez-R ◽  
Kelly Speer ◽  
Kerstin Wilhelm ◽  
Nancy Simmons ◽  
Rodrigo A. Medellín ◽  
...  

Migratory animals live in a world of constant change. The whole-body ecosystem needs a strong adapting capacity to thrive despite the changes.

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Gabriela Wojciak ◽  
Jadwiga Szymura ◽  
Zbigniew Szygula ◽  
Joanna Gradek ◽  
Magdalena Wiecek

Background: The activity of antioxidant enzymes and sirtuins (Sirt) decreases along with age, which is counteracted by aerobic training. Sirtuins increase antioxidant defence. Whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) increases total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in young men. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of 24 WBC treatments on the blood concentration of selected sirtuins and the level of antioxidant defence as well as oxidative stress index of training and non-training men depending on age. Methods: The study involved 40 males. In each group, there were 10 non-training older and young men (60 NTR and 20 NTR), and 10 older and young long-distance runners (60 TR, 20 TR). During an 8-week period, participants underwent 24 WBC treatments (3 min −130 °C), which were performed three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). The concentrations of Sirt1, Sirt3, TAC, total oxidative status and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) in the blood were determined before 1 WBC and after 1 WBC, 12 WBC and 24 WBC. Results: After 1 WBC, the activity of GPx and the concentration of Sirt1 and TAC in 60 TR and TAC in 60 NTR increased. After 12 WBC, the level of Sirt1 in 20 NTR and SOD in 20 TR increased. After 24 WBC, the level of Sirt1 increased in 60 TR and in 20 NTR, Sirt3 in 60 TR and SOD in 20 TR. Conclusions: Cryogenic temperatures increase blood levels of Sirt1 and Sirt3 and systemic antioxidant defence in men, but the effect is dependent on age, level of performed physical activity and the number of applied treatments.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienne L. Zihlman ◽  
Carol E. Underwood

Patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) living in African savanna woodlands and grassland habitats have a locomotor system that allows them to run fast, presumably to avoid predators. Long fore- and hindlimbs, long foot bones, short toes, and a digitigrade foot posture were proposed as anatomical correlates with speed. In addition to skeletal proportions, soft tissue and whole body proportions are important components of the locomotor system. To further distinguish patas anatomy from other Old World monkeys, a comparative study based on dissection of skin, muscle, and bone from complete individuals of patas and vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) was undertaken. Analysis reveals that small adjustments in patas skeletal proportions, relative mass of limbs and tail, and specific muscle groups promote efficient sagittal limb motion. The ability to run fast is based on a locomotor system adapted for long distance walking. The patas’ larger home range and longer daily range than those of vervets give them access to highly dispersed, nutritious foods, water, and sleeping trees. Furthermore, patas monkeys have physiological adaptations that enable them to tolerate and dissipate heat. These features all contribute to the distinct adaptation that is the patas monkeys’ basis for survival in grassland and savanna woodland areas.


Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2535
Author(s):  
Thomas Stöggl ◽  
Dennis-Peter Born

The aims of the study were to assess the robustness and non-reactiveness of wearable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology to monitor exercise intensity during a real race scenario, and to compare oxygenation between muscle groups important for cross-country skiing (XCS). In a single-case study, one former elite XCS (age: 39 years, peak oxygen uptake: 65.6 mL/kg/min) was equipped with four NIRS devices, a high-precision global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and a heart rate (HR) monitor during the Vasaloppet long-distance XCS race. All data were normalized to peak values measured during incremental laboratory roller skiing tests two weeks before the race. HR reflected changes in terrain and intensity, but showed a constant decrease of 0.098 beats per minute from start to finish. Triceps brachii (TRI) muscle oxygen saturation (SmO2) showed an interchangeable pattern with HR and seems to be less affected by drift across the competition (0.027% drop per minute). Additionally, TRI and vastus lateralis (VL) SmO2 revealed specific loading and unloading pattern of XCS in uphill and downhill sections, while rectus abdominus (RA) SmO2 (0.111% drop per minute) reflected fatigue patterns occurring during the race. In conclusion, the present preliminary study shows that NIRS provides a robust and non-reactive method to monitor exercise intensity and fatigue mechanisms when applied in an outdoor real race scenario. As local exercise intensity differed between muscle groups and central exercise intensity (i.e., HR) during whole-body endurance exercise such as XCS, NIRS data measured at various major muscle groups may be used for a more detailed analysis of kinetics of muscle activation and compare involvement of upper body and leg muscles. As TRI SmO2 seemed to be unaffected by central fatigue mechanisms, it may provide an alternative method to HR and GNSS data to monitor exercise intensity.


2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (10) ◽  
pp. 917-923 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Bertuzzi ◽  
L. Pasqua ◽  
S. Bueno ◽  
M. Damasceno ◽  
A. Lima-Silva ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-335
Author(s):  
Chaoyi Qu ◽  
Zhaozhao Wu ◽  
Minxiao Xu ◽  
Fei Qin ◽  
Yanan Dong ◽  
...  

Context Among sports-recovery methods, cold-water immersion (CWI), contrast-water therapy (CWT), and whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) have been applied widely to enhance recovery after strenuous exercise. However, the different timing effects in exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) after these recovery protocols remain unknown. Objective To compare the effects of CWI, CWT, and WBC on the timing-sequence recovery of EIMD through different indicator responses. Design Crossover study. Setting Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Twelve male middle- and long-distance runners from the Beijing Sport University (age = 21.00 ± 0.95 years). Intervention(s) Participants were treated with different recovery methods (control [CON], CWI, CWT, WBC) immediately postexercise and at 24, 48, and 72 hours postexercise. Main Outcome Measure(s) We measured perceived sensation using a visual analog scale (VAS), plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) activity, and vertical-jump height (VJH) pre-exercise, immediately postexercise, and at 1, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours postexercise. Results For the VAS score and CK activity, WBC exhibited better timing-sequence recovery effects than CON and CWI (P < .05), but the CWT demonstrated better effects than CON (P < .05). The CRP activity was lower after WBC than after the other interventions (P < .05). The VJH was lower after WBC than after CON and CWI (P < .05). Conclusions The WBC positively affected VAS, CK, CRP, and VJH associated with EIMD. The CWT and CWI also showed positive effects. However, for the activity and timing-sequence effect, CWT had weaker effects than WBC.


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chaoyi Qu ◽  
Minxiao Xu ◽  
Fei Qin ◽  
Yanan Dong ◽  
Zhongwei Wang ◽  
...  

Objective Exercise induced muscle damage (EIMD) is one common physiological phenomenon in competitive sports and mass sports. Water immersion recovery and whole body cryotherapy (cryostimulation) (WBC) has become one of the fast recovery methods adopted by high level athletes in the world. The aim of this study was to compare the water immersion recovery and WBC from timing sequential recovery on EIMD, subjective scales, biochemical indicators, exercise performance indicators. Methods Twelve middle and long distance runners from Beijing Sport University were recruited in this study (exercise performance is secondary level in China). All participants performed four models in four weeks which included rest control (CON), cold water immersion(CWI), contrast water therapy (CWT) and whole body cryotherapy (cryostimulation) (WBC) separated by one week. The subjects needed to complete the EIMD exercise program, includes two parts: the treadmill running and the jump step. The individual speed of treadmill running was based on the individual VO2max. running including 5 sets and total time is about 90 min. Every set consist of 6 min flat running, 6 min uphill running and 6 min downhill running. The speed of the treadmill was stable in different stages. The slope of the uphill running is(+6,+5,+4,+3,+2), and the slope of downhill running is (-8, -7, -6, -5, -4). The jump was performed 20 times separated by 30 s via special step ( height is 40 cm) . After the EIMD exercise program, the subjects were treated with different recovery methods immediately after exercise, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h after exercise, while CON group received no intervention. The CWI group was immerged in 15 °C cold water for 12min, and the CWT groups was immerged in 15°C cold water for 1min and 38°C hot water for 1min with 6 cycles. The whole body cryotherapy (cryostimulation) group was immerged in special chamber (-110—-140℃)for 3 min. The three interventions were immerged body to the position of shoulders. The indexes including subjective scales (VAS scale, RPE scale, Borg scale, WHO deep sleep scale, PQSI scale), biochemical indicators (creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, myoglobin, interleukin-6, C reactive protein, SICAM-1), exercise performance indicators ( vertical jump height, grip, running distance). The indexes was collected in different periods (i.e. Before exercise, immediately after exercise,Post1h, Post 24h, Post 48h, Post 72h, Post 96h after exercise etc.). Results  (1) Subjective scales. From results of VAS scale, RPE scale, and Borg scale, the WBC had best recovery effects than the other three interventions (P<0.05).  The recovery effect of the CWI group was similar with the CON group. From results of WHO deep sleep scale and PQSI scale, the WBC group had better recovery effects than CON group (P<0.05). (2) Biochemical indicators. From results of CK, Mb and SICAM-1, the WBC group had better recovery effect than the other three groups (P<0.05). In the LDH, the WBC group had similar effects with the CWT group (P>0.05). From results of CRP and IL-6, the WBC group had better recovery effects than the other three groups (P<0.05).(3)Exercise performance indicators. From results of vertical jump, WBC had lower decrease than the other three groups (P<0.05).  From results of the grip, of the WBC and CWT groups have significant retentive effects than CON group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between CON and CWI groups (P>0.05). Conclusions (1)Through combine the treadmill running and the jump step exercise program,Can effectively lead to human body appear the EIMD. (2)WBC has positive effects on the subjective scale, biochemical indicators, exercise performance indicators associated with EIMD.For middle and long distance runners EIMD,compared with CWI CWT,WBC effect is better.(3) CWI and CWT has a positive effect on some subjective scales, biochemical indicators, and exercise performance indicators related to EIMD. However, the positive effect of CWI and CWT is lower than WBC in the extent of action and timing sequence. (4)For the middle and long distance runners EIMD timing sequence recovery effects,WBC have better effects,Followed by CWT , CWI  effect is not significant.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Zoppirolli ◽  
Lorenzo Bortolan ◽  
Federico Stella ◽  
Gennaro Boccia ◽  
Hans-Christer Holmberg ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 1540003
Author(s):  
Hideyuki Hashimoto ◽  
Yuki Fujibayashi ◽  
Hiroki Imamura

Existing video communication systems, used in private business or video teleconference, show a part of the body of users on display only. This situation does not have realistic sensation because of showing a part of body on display and showing other users by 2D. This makes users feel communicating with the other users at a long distance without realistic sensation. Furthermore, although these existing communication systems have file transfer function such as sending and receiving file data, it does not use intuitive manipulation. It uses mouse or touching display only. In order to solve these problems, we propose 3D communication system supported by Kinect and head mounted display (HMD) to provide users communications with realistic sensation and intuitive manipulation. This system is able to show whole body of users on HMD as if they were in the same room by 3D reconstruction. It also enables users to transfer and share information by intuitive manipulation to augmented reality (AR) objects toward the other users in the future. The result of this paper is a system that extracts human body by using Kinect, reconstructs extracted human body on HMD, and also recognizes users' hands to be able to manipulate AR objects by a hand.


Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1041
Author(s):  
Magdalena Wiecek ◽  
Zbigniew Szygula ◽  
Joanna Gradek ◽  
Justyna Kusmierczyk ◽  
Jadwiga Szymura

Aging causes oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction and a reduction in the bioavailability of nitric oxide. The study aim was to determine whether, as a result of repeated whole-body exposure to cryogenic temperature (3 min −130 °C), there is an increase of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) concentration in senior subjects (59 ± 6 years), and if this effect is stronger in athletes. In 10 long-distance runners (RUN) and 10 untraining (UTR) men, 24 whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) procedures were performed. Prior to WBC, after 12th and 24th treatments and 7 days later, the concentration of iNOS, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NTR), homocysteine (HCY), C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukins such as: IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10 were measured. In the RUN and UTR groups, after 24 WBC, iNOS concentration was found to be comparable and significantly higher (F = 5.95, p < 0.01) (large clinical effect size) compared to before 1st WBC and after 12th WBC sessions. There were no changes in the concentration of the remaining markers as a result of WBC (p > 0.05). As a result of applying 24 WBC treatments, using the every-other-day model, iNOS concentration increased in the group of older men, regardless of their physical activity level. Along with this increase, there were no changes in nitro-oxidative stress or inflammation marker levels.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyuan Jiang ◽  
Yifan Su ◽  
Rulin Zhang ◽  
Haiwen Li ◽  
Louis Tao ◽  
...  

The C. elegans nervous system was thought to be strictly analog, constituted solely by graded neurons. We recently discovered neuronal action potentials in the sensory neuron AWA; however, the extent to which the C. elegans nervous system relies on analog or digital neural signaling and coding is unclear. Here we report that the enteric motor neurons AVL and DVB fire all-or-none calcium-mediated action potentials that play essential roles in the rhythmic defecation behavior in C. elegans. Both AVL and DVB synchronously fire giant action potentials to faithfully execute all-or-none expulsion following the intestinal pacemaker. AVL fires unusual compound action potentials with each positive calcium-mediated spike followed by a potassium-mediated negative spike. The depolarizing calcium spikes in AVL are mediated by a CaV2 calcium channel UNC-2, while the negative potassium spikes are mediated by a repolarization-activated potassium channel EXP-2. Whole-body behavior tracking and simultaneous neural imaging in free-moving animals suggest that action potentials initiated in AVL in the head propagate along its axon to the tail and activate DVB through the INX-1 gap junction. Synchronized action potential spikes between AVL and DVB, as well as the negative spike and long-lasting afterhyperpolarization in AVL, play an important function in executing expulsion behavior. This work provides the first evidence that in addition to sensory coding, C. elegans motor neurons also use digital coding scheme to perform specific functions including long-distance communication and temporal synchronization, suggesting further, unforeseen electrophysiological diversity remains to be discovered in the C. elegans nervous system.


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