Effects of plyometric- and cycle-based high-intensity interval training on body composition, aerobic capacity, and muscle function in young females: a field-based group fitness assessment.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an effective alternative to moderate intensity continuous training for improvements in body composition and aerobic capacity; however, there is little work comparing different modalities of HIIT. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of plyometric- (PLYO) and cycle-oriented (CYC) HIIT on body composition, aerobic capacity, and skeletal muscle size, quality, and function in recreationally trained females. Young (21.7 ± 3.1 yrs), recreationally active females were quasi-randomized (1:1 ratio) to 8 weeks of twice weekly PLYO (n = 15) or CYC (n = 15) HIIT. Body composition (four-compartment model), VO2peak, countermovement jump performance, muscle size, and echo intensity (muscle quality), as well as strength and power of the knee extensors and plantar flexors were measured before and after training. Both groups showed a similar decrease in body fat percentage (p < 0.001; η p 2   = 0.409) and echo intensity (p < 0.001; η p 2 = 0.558), and an increase in fat-free mass (p < 0.001; η p 2   = 0.367) and VO2peak (p = 0.001; η p 2 = 0.318). Muscle size was unaffected (p > 0.05), whereas peak torque was reduced similarly in both groups (p = 0.017; η p 2 = 0.188) and rapid torque capacity was diminished only for the knee extensors after CYC (p = 0.022; d = -0.67). These results suggest that PLYO and CYC HIIT are similarly effective for improving body composition, aerobic capacity, and muscle quality, whereas muscle function may express moderate decrements in recreationally active females. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05821504).

Localized surface plasmon resonance of Au/TiO2(110): substrate and size influence from in situ optical and structural investigation.

Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR) of noble metal nanoparticles has attracted a lot of attention in recent years as enhancer of the photocatalytic activity in the visible light domain. Rare are the experimental in situ studies, coupling structural and optical responses, but they are mandatory for a deep understanding of the mechanisms underlying LSPR. Herein we present an in situ investigation during the growth of gold nanoparticles (NPs) on TiO2(110) in the 2-6 nm size range. We probed the structural and morphological properties of the supported nanoparticles by performing GIXRD and GISAXS simultaneously with their optical response in p and s polarizations recorded by SDRS. The rutile surface state turns out to have a major effect on the Au NPs growth and on their plasmonic response, both in frequency and vibration modes. The roughening of the TiO2(110) surface weakens the interaction strength between the NPs and the substrate, favoring the growth of textured in-plane randomly orientated NPs. Compared to the epitaxial clusters growing on the flat TiO2 surface, these textured NPs are characterized by a LSPR blue shift and by the presence of LSPR vibration modes perpendicular to the surface for sizes smaller than about 4 nm.

The NEDD8 inhibitor MLN4924 increases the size of the nucleolus and activates p53 through the ribosomal-Mdm2 pathway.

The ubiquitin-like molecule NEDD8 is essential for viability, growth and development, and is a potential target for therapeutic intervention. We found that the small molecule inhibitor of NEDDylation, MLN4924, alters the morphology and increases the surface size of the nucleolus in human and germline cells of Caenorhabditis elegans in the absence of nucleolar fragmentation. SILAC proteomics and monitoring of rRNA production, processing and ribosome profiling shows that MLN4924 changes the composition of the nucleolar proteome but does not inhibit RNA Pol I transcription. Further analysis demonstrates that MLN4924 activates the p53 tumour suppressor through the RPL11/RPL5-Mdm2 pathway, with characteristics of nucleolar stress. The study identifies the nucleolus as a target of inhibitors of NEDDylation and provides a mechanism for p53 activation upon NEDD8 inhibition. It also indicates that targeting the nucleolar proteome without affecting nucleolar transcription initiates the required signalling events for the control of cell cycle regulators.

Evolution of sperm quality in men living in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator possibly correlated with decreasing dioxins emission levels.

The objective was to examine the impact on sperm parameters of environmental exposure to dioxins around a municipal waste incinerator initially with high emission levels and during reduction levels. An ecological study with quasi-experimental conditions was performed in patients of a reproductive laboratory. The first semen analyses of 251 men living in Besançon, France, between 2001 and 2007, were included. To analyse the contribution of direct exposure (inhalation), the calendar time was dichotomised in two periods 2001-2003 versus 2004-2007 and used as a proxy for exposure. Regarding the indirect exposure pathway (food), the statistical analysis was made with a nonparametric test to assess the trends. There was a negative correlation between the year of exposure and the percentage of abnormal mid-piece and the multiple abnormalities index, even after adjusting for age and days abstention from inter-course. A positive correlation was found between the progressive motile sperm count and the period of exposure. These findings are to be put into the context of a drastic reduction in emissions of dioxins. Our results suggest an effect of chronic exposure to dioxins on spermiogenesis with more abnormalities. These results should be confirmed with concentration measurements of dioxins in infertile men.

[Evaluation of stereotactic core biopsies of the breast with the 10-gauge Vacora® biopsy device: a review of 541 procedures]. / Évaluation des macrobiopsies mammaires stéréotaxiques par système Vacora® 10-gauge (541 procédures).

PURPOSE: To evaluate stereotactic core biopsies of the breast with the 10-gauge Vacora(®) biopsy device. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of 541 procedures in 502 patients performed between 2007 and 2009. RESULTS: The procedure failed in 2% of cases, non-complicated hematomas occurred in 5% of cases and unsightly scars in two cases. A clip was deployed in 70% of cases, successfully in 99% of cases. The procedure was well tolerated in 88% of cases. Core biopsies confirmed a benign lesion in 55% of cases, borderline lesions in 19% of cases and malignant lesions in 26% of cases with complementary surgery performed in 40% of cases. For surgical lesions, sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV were 89%, 100%, 100% and 84% respectively. Atypical ductal dysplasia was under-estimated in 8% of cases while DCIS was under-estimated in 14% of cases. After review of the mammograms, 3% of Bi-Rads 4 lesions were reclassified as Bi-Rads 3 lesions, all benign at core biopsy. Half of these results were from screening mammography programs. CONCLUSION: Results with the 10-gauge Vacora(®) biopsy device are similar to reports from the literature, mainly using the Mammotome system, with regards to tolerability and reliability for a lesser cost.

Catalytic properties of supported gold nanoparticles: new insights into the size-activity relationship gained from in operando measurements.

The relationship between the catalytic activity and the size was studied in operando in the case of gold nanoparticles on TiO2(110) model catalyst during carbon monoxide oxidation. The geometrical parameters, the shape and the dispersion of the particles on the oxide support were examined in detail. The catalytic activity was found optimum for a nanoparticle diameter of about 2 nm and a height of six atomic monolayers. Above the maximum, it fits a power law of the diameter D(-24 +/- 0.3). This indicates that the low-coordinated sites play a major role in the catalytic activity, however such a model still fails to explain the activity maximum. The nanoparticle sintering was also investigated since it is suspected of being responsible for the decrease of the catalyst activity in the course of time. It was clearly observed for particles with a size around the maximum of activity and smaller. At the very beginning of the CO conversion into CO2, the sintering is strongly activated. The nanoparticles mobility is dependent upon the TiO2(110) surface direction under consideration: it is higher along the [001]TiO2 than along the [1-10]TiO2. Then, the sintering greatly slows down. This could be explained by a nanoparticles' pinning at the step edges. The thermal energy released by the exothermic CO oxidation reaction was evaluated and it suggests that the sintering results from a more complex process than from a reaction-induced local heating.

[Impact of intrathecal morphine on the tolerance of early feeding after cesarean section]. / Morphine intrathécale et tolérance de l'alimentation précoce post-césarienne.

INTRODUCTION: Early feeding is well tolerated in patients undergoing caesarean section under general or regional anaesthesia. Intrathecal morphine is effective for postoperative analgesia but can induce nausea and vomiting which may hamper feeding. This study assessed prospectively the effects of intrathecal morphine on early feeding in patients undergoing caesarean section. METHODOLOGY: After ethical committee approval, 66 consenting women scheduled for caesarean section were randomized to receive intrathecal morphine 0.1 mg (group M, n=32) or not ("control group", group C, n=34) at the time of intrathecal anaesthesia performed with a 3 ml mixture containing 8.6 mg bupivacaine, 64 microg clonidine and 4.3 microg sufentanil. Standard antiemetic prophylaxis (5 mg dexamethasone + 2 mg tropisetron) was administered intravenously in all patients after umbilical cord clamping. Standardized multimodal analgesia was initiated postoperatively with 1 g of paracetamol and 30 mg of ketorolac given every 6 hours. Analgesia was evaluated by a numeric rating scale (NRS) at 4 hours intervals and 10 mg of oral morphine was administered if the NRS score exceeded 3. All patients received a protein enriched solution, 8 hours after caesarean section and were allowed to eat solid food on postoperative day 1. Nausea and vomiting episodes, gas and/or stools emission, itching, NRS score and morphine consumption were recorded on the first, second and fourth postoperative hour and then every 4 hours during 48 hours. RESULTS: Nausea was significantly more frequent and persisted longer in group M. Vomiting occurred equally in both groups and stopped after feeding. Gas and/or stools emission appeared within 48 hours postoperatively in 72 and 77 % of patients in group M and group C respectively. Oral morphine consumption was significantly lower in group M (1.9+/-4 vs 6.5+/-7.3mg, p=0.006). When compared to group C, NRS were also lower in group M from the second to the 20th postoperative hour. Itching was observed more frequently and persisted longer in group M. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: A small dose of intrathecal morphine provided adequate and prolonged pain relief after caesarean section but increased the incidence of nausea and vomiting despite anti-emetic prophylaxis. Oral food intake was not hampered by intrathecal morphine.