Preliminary Investigations Into the Effect of Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage on Systemic Extracellular Vesicle Release in Trained Younger and Older Men

Background: Exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) results in transient muscle inflammation, strength loss, and muscle soreness and may cause subsequent exercise avoidance. Research has recently proven that skeletal muscle can also release extracellular vesicles (EVs) into the circulation following a bout of exercise. However, EV’s potential role, including as a biomarker, in the response to eccentric resistance exercise stimulus remains unclear.Methods: Twelve (younger, n=7, 27.0±1.5years and older, n=5, 63.0±1.0years) healthy, physically active males, undertaking moderate, regular physical activity (3–5 times per week) performed a unilateral high intensity eccentric exercise protocol. Venous plasma was collected for assessment of EVs and creatine kinase (CK) prior to EIMD, immediately after EIMD, and 1–72h post-EIMD, and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) were assessed at all time points, except 1 and 2h post-EIMD.Results: A significant effect of both time (p=0.005) and group (p<0.001) was noted for MVIC, with younger participants’ MVIC being higher throughout. Whilst a significant increase was observed in DOMS in the younger group (p=0.014) and in the older group (p=0.034) following EIMD, no significant differences were observed between groups. CK was not different between age groups but was altered following the EIMD (main effect of time p=0.026), with increased CK seen immediately post-, at 1 and 2h post-EIMD. EV count tended to be lower in older participants at rest, relative to younger participants (p=0.056), whilst EV modal size did not differ between younger and older participants pre-EIMD. EIMD did not substantially alter EV modal size or EV count in younger or older participants; however, the alteration in EV concentration (ΔCount) and EV modal size (ΔMode) between post-EIMD and pre-EIMD negatively associated with CK activity. No significant associations were noted between MVIC or DOMS and either ΔCount or ΔMode of EVs at any time point.Conclusion: These findings suggest that profile of EV release, immediately following exercise, may predict later CK release and play a role in the EIMD response. Exercise-induced EV release profiles may therefore serve as an indicator for subsequent muscle damage.

Plasma Contains Ultra-short Single-stranded DNA in Addition to Nucleosomal cfDNA

Plasma cell-free DNA is a widely used biomarker for diagnostic screening. We introduce uscfDNA-seq, a single-stranded cell-free DNA NGS pipeline, which bypasses previous limitations to reveal a novel population of ultrashort single-stranded cell-free DNA in plasma with a modal size of 50nt. This species of cfDNA aligns predominantly to the nuclear genome and could potentially be used for novel biomarker discovery.

PENGARUH EPS, ROE, GROWTH OPPORTUNITY DAN UKURAN PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP STRUKTUR MODAL PADA PERUSAHAAN

This study aims to analyze the effect of EPS, ROE, growth opportunity, and firm size on capital structure in property & real estate companies in 2011-2016 which is listed in IDX. The data used in this study are secondary data published in IDX. The number of samples taken is 31 property & real estate companies that have passed the Purposive Sampling. The analytical technique used is multiple linear regression that aims to obtain a comprehensive picture of the relationship between two or more variables with the dependent variable. The result of this study shows that EPS and ROE do not affect the capital structure. Growth opportunity has a positive and significant influence on capital structure. SIZE has a negative but significant influence on capital structure. Abstrak : Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh EPS, ROE, growth opportunity dan ukuran perusahaan terhadap struktur modal pada perusahaan di sektor properti & real estate di Indonesia pada tahun 2011-2016. Data yang digunakan pada penelitian adalah data sekunder yang diterbitkan oleh IDX, dan juga situs- situs resmi yang memiliki validitas yang baik pada periode tahun 2011-2016. Jumlah sampel yang diambil adalah 31 perusahaan properti & real estate yang telah melewati tahap Purposive Sampling. Teknik analisa yang digunakan adalah regresi linier berganda yang bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran yang menyeluruh mengenai hubungan antara dua variabel atau lebih dengan variabel dependen. Hasil penelitian dengan model Fixed Effect menunjukkan EPS dan ROE tidak memiliki pengaruh terhadap struktur modal. Growth opportunity memiliki pengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap struktur modal. SIZE memiliki pengaruh negatif tetapi signifikan terhadap struktur modal

Cross-modal size-contrast illusion: Acoustic increases in intensity and bandwidth modulate haptic representation of object size

Changes in the retinal size of stationary objects provide a cue to the observer’s motion in the environment: Increases indicate the observer’s forward motion, and decreases backward motion. In this study, a series of images each comprising a pair of pine-tree figures were translated into auditory modality using sensory substitution software. Resulting auditory stimuli were presented in an ascending sequence (i.e. increasing in intensity and bandwidth compatible with forward motion), descending sequence (i.e. decreasing in intensity and bandwidth compatible with backward motion), or in a scrambled order. During the presentation of stimuli, blindfolded participants estimated the lengths of wooden sticks by haptics. Results showed that those exposed to the stimuli compatible with forward motion underestimated the lengths of the sticks. This consistent underestimation may share some aspects with visual size-contrast effects such as the Ebbinghaus illusion. In contrast, participants in the other two conditions did not show such magnitude of error in size estimation; which is consistent with the “adaptive perceptual bias” towards acoustic increases in intensity and bandwidth. In sum, we report a novel cross-modal size-contrast illusion, which reveals that auditory motion cues compatible with listeners’ forward motion modulate haptic representations of object size.

Pengaruh Struktur Aset, Likuiditas, dan Profitabilitas terhadap Struktur Modal yang Dimoderasi Oleh Ukuran Perusahaan

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh struktur aset, likuiditas, dan profitabilitas terhadap struktur modal dimoderasi oleh ukuran perusahaan. Sampel penelitian ini adalah 59 perusahaan non-keuangan yang terdaftar tidak berturut-turut pada indeks LQ45 periode 2012-2017 di Indonesia. Model ini menggunakan data panel tidak berimbang dengan pendekatan Fixed Effect Model. Dikontrol oleh sales growth, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa struktur asset dan likuiditas berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap struktur modal. Profitabilitas berpengaruh positif tidak signifikan terhadap struktur modal. Size memoderasi pengaruh struktur aset dan likuiditas terhadap struktur modal. Size tidak memoderasi pengaruh profitabilitas terhadap struktur modal.

Food composition of the shrimp Palaemon adspersus Rathke, 1837 (Crustacea Decapoda, Palaemonidae) in Karkinitsky Bay of the Black Sea in September 2016

Palaemon adspersus is an inhabitant of the upper shelf (0–30 m) in temperate and subtropical zones of the East Atlantic, the northern limit of range reaching 60°N (Norway coast) and its southern limit being Atlantic waters of Morocco coast. The food of this species was studied at different times in different parts of its range, but it is described here for the first time for the Black Sea population. Stomach contents of 218 adult P. adspersus (74 of them had some food in the stomach, and 30 stomachs were full) were investigated. Samples were collected in September 2016 from commercial trap net near the Swan Islands in Karkinitsky Bay at the depth not exceeding 1.5 m. There was a small number of stomachs with food. It was due to a long stay of the shrimp in the trap net before their sampling. The shrimp had a body length (from the anterior edge of the orbits to the end of the telson) of 31.5–58.1 mm (males – 33.9–44.1 mm with a mode of 37 mm). The sex ratio was approximately 1 : 8 (11.7 % of males and 82.3 % of females). Females were represented by two groups. The first one had ovaries in maturity stage II and a modal size of 37 mm. The second group with the ovaries in maturity stage III had a modal size of 47 mm. Therefore, in September most of the females were mating, molting, and in their ovaries vitellogenesis began. By food composition, P. adspersus is a benthic feeder – euryphagous. Its food spectrum includes a wide range of food items from detritus and plant residues to gastropods, higher crustaceans, including shrimp, and fish. P. adspersus is primarily a gatherer detritophagous and macrophages, 70 % of its virtual food lump consisted of detritus and corpses of higher crustaceans. However, in relation to polychaetes it behaves as attacking predator while to gastropods it behaves as a grazing one. The comparison of the food composition of P. adspersus in Karkinitsky Bay (2016) with that in the Baltic Sea (1977), in the waters of Atlantic (1987) and Mediterranean (1993–1994) coasts of Spain reveals its spatial and temporal quasi-stability. Based on the totality of available data on food composition of P. adspersus, it should be attributed to sublittoral predators-opportunists.

THE FISHES OF SEAGRASS COMMUNITY ON THE WEST SIDE OF BURUNG ISLAND (PARI ISLANDS, SERIBU ISLANDS) AND THEIR VARIATIONS IN ABUNDANCE

Monthly collections of fishes in a seagrass community on the west of Burung Island, Pari Islands, were made from May 1975 to February 1976. Seventy-eight species of fishes were collected. Number of specimens, size range, and modal size are given for each month for each species. Number of species and specimens were found highest in July. Relative and total abundances of the more numerous species are summarized. Apogon margaritophorus was the predominant species in the fish community of the area. Notes on the spawning of Siganus canaliculatus are presented, since this species attracts the attention of many mariculturists. The separation of these fishes into four groups is also discussed.

Identifying and Spurring High-Growth Entrepreneurship: Experimental Evidence from a Business Plan Competition

Almost all firms in developing countries have fewer than ten workers, with a modal size of one. Are there potential high-growth entrepreneurs, and can public policy help identify them and facilitate their growth? A large-scale national business plan competition in Nigeria provides evidence on these questions. Random assignment of US$34 million in grants provided each winner with approximately US$50,000. Surveys tracking applicants over five years show that winning leads to greater firm entry, more survival, higher profits and sales, and higher employment, including increases of over 20 percentage points in the likelihood of a firm having ten or more workers. (JEL D22, L11, L26, L53, M13, O14)