Int J Med Sci
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In the last 10 years the number of studies showing the benefits of resistance training (RT) to the cardiovascular system, have grown. In comparison to aerobic training, RT-induced favorable adaptations to the cardiovascular system have been ignored for many years, thus the mechanisms of the RT-induced cardiovascular adaptations are still uncovered. The lack of animal models with comparable protocols to the RT performed by humans hampers the knowledge. ⋯ However, to a lesser extent, other models are also employed to investigate the cardiovascular adaptations. In the subsequent sections we will review the information regarding cardiac morphological adaptations, signaling pathway of the cardiac cell, cardiac function and the vascular adaptation induced by RT using this animal model developed by Tamaki et al. in 1992. Furthermore, we also describe cardiovascular findings observed using other animal models of RT.
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Chromosome 12q23-q24 has been linked to triglyceride (TG) levels by previous linkage studies, and it contains the Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) gene. We investigated the association between IGF1 and TG levels using two independent samples collected in Taiwan. First, based on 954 siblings in 397 families from the Stanford Asian Pacific Program in Hypertension and Insulin Resistance (SAPPHIRe), we found that rs978458 was associated with TG levels (β = -0.049, p = 0.0043) under a recessive genetic model. ⋯ Then, a series of stratification analyses in a large sample of 13,193 unrelated subjects from the Taiwan biobank (TWB) project showed that this association appeared in subjects with a family history (FH) of hypertension (β = -0.045, p = 0.0000034), but not in subjects without such an FH. A re-examination of the SAPPHIRe sample confirmed that this association appeared in subjects with an FH of hypertension (β = -0.068, p = 0.0025), but not in subjects without an FH. The successful replication in two independent samples indicated that IGF1 is associated with TG levels in subjects with an FH of hypertension in Taiwan.
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Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is a multi-drug resistant opportunistic pathogen that causes nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. This pathogen is difficult to treat owing to its intrinsic multidrug resistance and ability to form antimicrobial-tolerant biofilms. In the present study, we aimed to assess the potential use of celastrol as a novel anti-biofilm and/or anti-virulence agent against S. maltophilia. ⋯ To support these phenotypic results, transcriptional analysis revealed that celastrol down-regulated the expression of biofilm- and virulence- associated genes (smeYZ, fsnR, and bfmAK) in S. maltophilia. Interestingly, celastrol significantly inhibited the expression of smeYZ gene, which encodes the resistance-nodulation-division (RND)-type efflux pump, SmeYZ. Overall, our findings suggested that celastrol might be a promising bioactive agent for treatment of biofilm- and virulence-related infections caused by the multi-drug resistant S. maltophilia.
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Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor which can bind to the oestrogen receptor. It also possesses oestrogenic, antiandrogenic, inflammatory and oxidative properties. Since bone responds to changes in sex hormones, inflammatory and oxidative status, BPA exposure could influence bone health in humans. ⋯ Two cross-sectional studies have been performed to examine the relationship between BPA level and bone mineral density in humans but they yielded negligible association. As a conclusion, BPA and its derivatives could influence bone health and a possible gender effect was observed in animal studies. However, its effects in humans await verification from more comprehensive longitudinal studies in the future.
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Objectives: To provide insight into the biological effects of activated Yes-associated protein (YAP) on the proliferation, apoptosis, and senescence of human periodontal ligament stem cells (h-PDLSCs). Methods: h-PDLSCs were isolated by the limiting dilution method, and their surface markers were quantified by flow cytometry. Enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP)-labeled lentiviral vector was used to activate YAP in h-PDLSCs, then qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to evaluate the expression level of YAP. ⋯ When YAP was overexpressed in h-PDLSCs, proliferation activity was improved; early and late apoptosis rates decreased (P<0.05); the proportion of cells in G2/M phases increased (P<0.05), while that in G0/G1 phase decreased (P<0.05); cellular senescence was delayed (P<0.01); the expression of P-MEK, P-ERK, P-P90RSK and P-Msk increased, while the expression of Bcl-2 family members (Bak, Bid and Bik) decreased. Conclusions: Activated YAP promotes proliferation, inhibits apoptosis, and delays senescence of h-PDLSCs. The Hippo-YAP signaling pathway can influence ERK and Bcl-2 signaling pathways.