The acute effects of systemic cytokines on peripheral nerve function in humans

Cytokines have been shown to cause a reduction in nerve conduction when examined using animal models. Such effects, if shown in humans, could result in detrimental effects to physical function during periods heightened systemic cytokine concentrations. The study investigated the acute effects of cytokines on nerve conduction velocity (NCV) and functional measures. Measures were taken under both basal and elevated cytokine concentrations to determine any corresponding changes to NCV. A significant positive correlation was found between the cytokine IL-6 and NCV at 2 hours post-exercise (r=0.606, p=0.048). A significant negative correlation was found between IL-1ra and NCV at 24 hours post-exercise (r=-0.652, p=0.021). A significant positive correlation was also found between IL-1ra and endurance at 1 hour post-exercise (r=0.643, p=0.033). As such, it would seem that IL-6 may potentially act to enhance nerve function while other cytokines such as IL-1ra may have negative effects and reduce NCV.

The identification and characterization of inter- and intra-species genetic diversity derived from retrotransposons in humans

Retrotransposons, which used to be considered as ���junk DNA���, have begun to reveal their immense value to genome evolution and human biology due to recent studies. They consist of at least ~45% of the human genome and are more or less the same in other mammalian genomes. Retrotransposon elements (REs) are known to affect the human genome through many different mechanisms, such as generating insertion mutations, genomic instability, and alteration in gene expression. Previous studies have suggested several RE subfamilies, such as Alu, L1, SVA and LTR, are currently active in the human genome, and they are an important source of genetic diversity between human and other primates, as well as among humans. Although several groups had used Retrotransposon Insertion Polymorphisms (RIPs) as markers in studying primate evolutionary history, no study specifically focused on identifying Human-Specific Retrotransposon Element (HS-RE) and their roles in human genome evolution. In this study, by computationally comparing the human genome to 4 primate genomes, we identified a total of 18,860 HS-REs, among which are 11,664 Alus, 4,887 L1s, 1,526 SVAs and 783 LTRs (222 full length entries), representing the largest and most comprehensive list of HS-REs generated to date. Together, these HS-REs contributed a total of 14.2Mb sequence increase from the inserted REs and Target Site Duplications (TSDs), 71.6Kb increase from transductions, and 268.2 Kb sequence deletion of from insertion-mediated deletion, leading to a net increase of ~14 Mb sequences to the human genome. Furthermore, we observed for the first time that Y chromosome might be a hot target for new retrotransposon insertions in general and particularly for LTRs. The data also allowed for the first time the survey of frequency of TE insertions inside other TEs in comparison with TE insertion into none-TE regions. In summary, our data suggest that retrotransposon elements have played a significant role in the evolution of Homo sapiens.

Influence of timing of milk consumption coupled with endurance training on body composition and endurance training adaptations in humans.

Consumption of low-fat milk (LFM) after resistance training has been shown to have positive influences on body composition and training adaptations; however, little research has examined the effects of LFM consumption following endurance training. The purpose of the study was to look at the effects of combining additional servings of LFM following endurance exercise on body composition, bone health, and training adaptations. 40 healthy males were recruited. Individuals were randomized into 4 groups ��� DEI (750mL LFM immediately post exercise), DEA (750mL LFM 4 hrs prior to or 6 hrs post exercise), CEI (750mL carbohydrate beverage immediately post-exercise), and CEA (750mL carbohydrate beverage immediately post-exercise). Participants took part in a 12-week endurance training intervention (1 h/day, 3 d/wk, ~60% max HR). 22 participants completed the study. Analysis showed significant increases in lean mass, spinal bone mineral content, relative VO2peak, and a decrease in Trap 5�� across all groups (p < 0.05).

A virtual reality approach to the study of visually driven postural control in developing and aging humans

L'��tre humain utilise trois syst��mes sensoriels distincts pour r��guler le maintien de la station debout: la somesth��sie, le syst��me vestibulaire, et le syst��me visuel. Le r��le de la vision dans la r��gulation posturale demeure peu connu, notamment sa variabilit�� en fonction de l'��ge, du type d��veloppemental, et des atteintes neurologiques. Dans notre travail, la r��gulation posturale induite visuellement a ��t�� ��valu��e chez des participants au d��veloppement et vieillissement normaux ��g��s de 5-85 ans, chez des individus autistes (d��veloppement atypique) ��g��s de 12-33 ans, ainsi que chez des enfants entre 9-18 ans ayant subi un TCC l��ger. �� cet effet, la r��activit�� posturale des participants en r��ponse �� un tunnel virtuel enti��rement immersif, se mouvant �� trois niveaux de v��locit��, a ��t�� mesur��e; des conditions contr��les, o�� le tunnel ��tait statique ou absent, ont ��t�� incluses. Les r��sultats montrent que la r��activit�� (i.e. instabilit��) posturale induite visuellement est plus ��lev��e chez les jeunes enfants; ensuite, elle s'att��nue pour rejoindre des valeurs adultes vers 16-19 ans et augmente de fa��on lin��aire en fonction de l'��ge apr��s 45 ans jusqu'�� redevenir ��lev��e vers 60 ans. De plus, �� la plus haute v��locit�� du tunnel, les plus jeunes participants autistes ont manifest�� significativement moins de r��activit�� posturale comparativement �� leurs contr��les; cette diff��rence n'��tait pas pr��sente chez des participants plus ��g��s (16-33 ans). Enfin, les enfants ayant subi un TCC l��ger, et qui ��taient initialement mod��r��ment symptomatiques, ont montr�� un niveau plus ��lev�� d'instabilit�� posturale induite visuellement que les contr��les, et ce jusqu'�� 12 semaines post-trauma malgr�� le fait que la majorit�� d'entre eux (89%) n'��taient plus symptomatiques �� ce stade. En somme, cela sugg��re la pr��sence d'une importante p��riode de transition dans la maturation des syst��mes sous-tendant l'int��gration sensorimotrice impliqu��e dans le contr��le postural vers l'��ge de 16 ans, et d'autres changements sensorimoteurs vers l'��ge de 60 ans; cette sur-d��pendance visuelle pour la r��gulation posturale chez les enfants et les a��n��s pourrait guider l'am��nagement d'espaces et l'��laboration d'activit��s ajust��s �� l'��ge des individus. De plus, le fait que l'hypo-r��activit�� posturale aux informations visuelles chez les autistes d��pende des caract��ristiques de l'environnement visuel et de l'��ge chronologique, affine notre compr��hension des anomalies sensorielles propres �� l'autisme. Par ailleurs, le fait que les enfants ayant subi un TCC l��ger montrent des anomalies posturales jusqu'�� 3 mois post-trauma, malgr�� une diminution significative des sympt��mes rapport��s, pourrait ��tre reli�� �� une alt��ration du traitement de l'information visuelle dynamique et pourrait avoir des implications quant �� la gestion clinique des patients aux prises avec un TCC l��ger, puisque la r��solution des sympt��mes est actuellement le principal crit��re utilis�� pour la prise de d��cision quant au retour aux activit��s. Enfin, les r��sultats obtenus chez une population �� d��veloppement atypique (autisme) et une population avec atteinte neurologique dite transitoire (TCC l��ger), contribuent non seulement �� une meilleure compr��hension des m��canismes d'int��gration sensorimotrice sous-tendant le contr��le postural mais pourraient aussi servir comme marqueurs sensibles et sp��cifiques de dysfonction chez ces populations. Mots-cl��s : posture, ��quilibre, vision, d��veloppement/vieillissement sensorimoteur, autisme, TCC l��ger symptomatique, r��alit�� virtuelle.

Molecular studies on a Dictyostelium homolog of the tafazzin gene, the cause of Barth syndrome in humans

Der eukaryotische Mikroorganismus Dictyostelium discoideum lebt als einzellige Am��be solange ausreichende Nahrungsressourcen zur Verf��gung stehen. Sobald Nahrungsmangel eintritt, entwickeln sich die Zellen von einem einzelligen zu einem mehrzelligen Zustand, der mit einem multizellul��ren Fruchtk��rper abschlie��t. Dieser Prozess wird durch eine Reihe aufeinanderfolgender Signale organisiert, die eine differentielle Genexpression regulieren. Die Gene der Discoidin I Familie geh��ren zu den Ersten, die im Laufe des Wachstums-Differenzierungs-��bergangs (engl. GDT) aktiviert werden. Sie eignen sich daher vorz��glich als Marker f��r den Beginn der Entwicklung. Mit Hilfe einer REMI-Mutagenese und Discoidin I als molekularem Marker sind verschiedene Komponenten des Wachstums-Differenzierungs-��bergangs in unserer Arbeitsgruppe identifiziert worden (Zeng et al., 2000 A und B; Riemann und Nellen, pers��nliche Mitteilung). Mit demselben Ansatz wurde in der vorliegenden Arbeit eine REMI-Mutante identifiziert, die eine Fehl-Expression von Discoidin zeigte und einen axenischen Wachstumsdefekt bei 15 ��C aufwies. Das Gen wurde als Homolog zum humanen Tafazzin-Gen identifiziert. Dieses Gen wurde zur Rekonstruktion des Ph��notyps ��ber homologe Rekombination erneut disruptiert, was wie erwartet zu dem zuerst beschriebenen Ph��notyp f��hrte. Folgerichtig ergab eine ��berexpression des Gens in den Mutanten eine Komplementation des Ph��notyps. Immunfluoreszenz-Experimente zeigten eine mitochondriale Lokalisation des Dictyostelium discoideum Taffazzin Proteins. Dass ein mitochondriales Protein in Zusammenhang mit dem Wachstums-Differenzierungs-��bergang steht, ist ein unerwarteter Befund, der aber als Hinweis darauf gewertet werden kann, dass Mitochondrien einen direkten Einfluss auf die entwicklungsspezifische Signaltransduktion aus��ben. Die Taffazzin Disruptions-Mutante in Dictyostelium f��hrte zu einem abnormalen Cardiolipin Metabolismus. Dieses Phospholipid ist ein charakteristischer Bestandteil der inneren Mitochondrienmembran und f��r die Funktion verschiedener Enzyme erforderlich. Unsere vorl��ufigen Analysen des Phospholipid-Gehalts zeigten ��bereinstimmung mit Daten von Patienten mit Barth-Syndrom, einer humanen Erkrankung, bei der das Taffazzin-Gen Mutationen aufweist, und mit Hefe-Mutanten dieses Gens. Dies zeigt den Wert von Dictyostelium discoideum als einen weiteren Modelorganismus zur Untersuchung des Barth-Syndroms und zur Erprobung m��glicher Therapieans��tze.

Face processing in humans is compatible with a simple shape-based model of vision

Understanding how the human visual system recognizes objects is one of the key challenges in neuroscience. Inspired by a large body of physiological evidence (Felleman and Van Essen, 1991; Hubel and Wiesel, 1962; Livingstone and Hubel, 1988; Tso et al., 2001; Zeki, 1993), a general class of recognition models has emerged which is based on a hierarchical organization of visual processing, with succeeding stages being sensitive to image features of increasing complexity (Hummel and Biederman, 1992; Riesenhuber and Poggio, 1999; Selfridge, 1959). However, these models appear to be incompatible with some well-known psychophysical results. Prominent among these are experiments investigating recognition impairments caused by vertical inversion of images, especially those of faces. It has been reported that faces that differ "featurally" are much easier to distinguish when inverted than those that differ "configurally" (Freire et al., 2000; Le Grand et al., 2001; Mondloch et al., 2002) ??finding that is difficult to reconcile with the aforementioned models. Here we show that after controlling for subjects' expectations, there is no difference between "featurally" and "configurally" transformed faces in terms of inversion effect. This result reinforces the plausibility of simple hierarchical models of object representation and recognition in cortex.

Educaci�� per a la ciutadania i drets humans

Educaci�� per a la ciutadania i drets humans (ECDH) ��s una ��rea que neix amb la LOE, aprovada per les Corts espanyoles l'abril de 2006

Organitzaci�� i gesti�� dels recursos humans ���[���versi�� html���]���

Aquest document ��s un text-guia destinat als alumnes de l'assignatura de Sociologia de l'Empresa dels estudis de Diplomatura en Ci��ncies Empresarials, dissenyat per facilitar el seguiment i l'estudi de la mat��ria tant pel sistema presencial com semipresencial. Els autors pertanyen al Departament: DOGEDP, i imparteixen classes en assignatures de Sociologia de l'empresa i Direcci�� de Recursos Humans

Organitzaci�� i gesti�� dels recursos humans ���[���versi�� comprimida]���

Aquest document ��s un text-guia destinat als alumnes de l'assignatura de Sociologia de l'Empresa dels estudis de Diplomatura en Ci��ncies Empresarials, dissenyat per facilitar el seguiment i l'estudi de la mat��ria tant pel sistema presencial com semipresencial. Els autors pertanyen al Departament: DOGEDP, i imparteixen classes en assignatures de Sociologia de l'empresa i Direcci�� de Recursos Humans

Condicionament cl??ssic amb humans : una experi??ncia did??ctica i d'investigaci??. 'Condicionamiento cl??sico con humanos : una experiencia did??ctica y de investigaci??n'

Resumen tomado parcialmente de la publicaci??n

Educar des dels valors ambientals i humans. 'Educar desde los valores ambientales y humanos'.

El resumen es traducci��n del publicado con el art��culo

Models humans i models educatius a la Il??lustraci?? mallorquina. 'Modelos humanos y modelos educativos en la Ilustraci??n mallorquina'

Resumen tomado de la propia publicaci??n. Volumen especial dedicado a filosof??a y ciencias de la educaci??n

Drets Humans : recopilaci�� dels principals textos relacionats amb la protecci�� dels drets fonamentals dels ��ssers humans. 'Derechos Humanos : recopilaci��n de los principales textos relacionados con la protecci��n de los derechos fundamentales de los seres humanos'.

El resumen es copia de la presentaci��n del libro

Role of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway (PI3K/Akt) in humans

The signaling pathway of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) is critical in many aspects of growth and cell survival. The path of PI3K is stimulated physiologically as a result of many growth factors and regulatory factors. Several genetic alterations such as amplification, mutation and chromosomal arrangements may compromise the PI3K pathway, generating permanent activation in different cancer types have found evidence of these deleterious genetic modifications. Abnormal activation of the PI3K pathway results in alteration of the control mechanisms of growth and cell survival, which favors the competitive growth, and frequently metastatic capacity, greater resistance to treatment. The aim of this paper is to review matters relating to the operation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and its role in the process of carcinogenesis in humans.

La Terra, casa dels humans. 'La Tierra, casa de los humanos'.

Resumen de la revista en catal��n