Neuroprotective Effects of the Amylin Analog, Pramlintide, on Alzheimer's Disease Are Associated with Oxidative Stress Regulation Mechanisms.

Administration of the recombinant analog of the pancreatic amyloid amylin, Pramlintide, has shown therapeutic benefits in aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) models, both on cognition and amyloid-ß (Aß) pathology. However, the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying the benefits of Pramlintide remain unclear. Given the early and critical role of oxidative stress in AD pathogenesis and the known reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulating function of amyloids, we sought to determine whether Pramlintide's neuroprotective effects involve regulation of oxidative stress mechanisms. To address this, we treated APP/PS1 transgenic mice with Pramlintide for 3 months, starting at 5.5 months prior to widespread AD pathology onset, and measured cognition (Morris Water Maze), AD pathology, and oxidative stress-related markers and enzymes in vivo. In vitro, we determined the ability of Pramlintide to modulate H2O2-induced oxidative stress levels. Our data show that Pramlintide improved cognitive function, altered amyloid-processing enzymes, reduced plaque burden in the hippocampus, and regulated endogenous antioxidant enzymes (MnSOD and GPx1) and the stress marker HO-1 in a location specific manner. In vitro, Pramlintide treatment in neuronal models reduced H2O2-induced endogenous ROS production and lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent manner. Together, these results indicate that Pramlintide's benefits on cognitive function and pathology may involve antioxidant-like properties of this compound.

The use of black and white infrared photography for recording blunt force injury.

Infrared (IR) wavelengths penetrate skin and can selectively image volumes of subsurface blood. Twenty-eight blunt force injuries on nine decedents were photographed with color and IR film to compare the ability of each to image the injury. Of the 28 injuries, 10 were clinically interpreted as contusions, 4 as abrasions, 10 as abraded contusions, and 4 as erythematous discolorations, nos. Twenty-four of these injuries were incised to determine the presence and extent of subsurface bleeding. It was found that contusion had been clinically missed in five cases, three because they were hidden by abrasion and two because they appeared only as a mild cutaneous erythema. All five cases were detected by IR and verified by incision. Melanin pigmentation contributed to masking of contusion in one case and postmortem lividity confounded interpretation of contusion in one case. In all 14 injuries featuring abrasion as a component, IR de-emphasized or eliminated the visibility of abrasion. A single false negative was reported in which a visible contusion, verified by incision, was not seen with IR. In comparing injury patterns, color and IR renditions were dissimilar in a number of cases reflecting the difference between the manner in which light and IR photography imaged the depth and volume of blood within an injury. In summary, IR imaging of wounds can discover hidden bruises, verify clinical diagnosis of bruises, and augment interpretation of wound patterns.

Influence of moderately intense strength training on flexibility in sedentary young women.

The present study is the first to examine whether moderately intense resistance training improves flexibility in an exclusively young, sedentary women population. Twenty-four, young, sedentary women were divided into 3 groups as follows: agonist/antagonist (AA) training group, alternated strength training (AST) group, or a control group (CG). Training occurred every other day for 8 weeks for a total of 24 sessions. Training groups performed 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions per set except for abdominal training where 3 sets of 15 to 20 reps were performed. Strength (1 repetition maximum bench press) and flexibility were assessed before and after the training period. Flexibility was assessed on 6 articular movements: shoulder flexion and extension, horizontal shoulder adduction and abduction, and trunk flexion and extension. Both groups increased strength and flexibility significantly from baseline and significantly when compared with the CG (p ≤ 0.05). The AST group increased strength and flexibility significantly more than the AA group (p ≤ 0.05) in all but one measurement. This study shows that resistance training can improve flexibility in young sedentary women in 8 weeks.