Exercise Type And Neuromuscular Adaptions

Can the type of exercise influence what kind of neuromuscular adaptions result?  Does high intensity training cause different types of adaptions than does lower-intensity endurance training, as the “gym gurus: tell us?  The answer seems to be yes.  Abstract:

PURPOSE:
Using a novel technique of high-density surface electromyography (HDEMG) decomposition and motor unit (MU) tracking, we compared changes in the properties of vastus medialis (VM) and vastus lateralis (VL) MUs following endurance (END) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
METHODS:
Sixteen men were assigned to an END or HIIT group (n=8 each) and performed six training sessions over 14 days. Each session consisted of 8-12×60s intervals at 100% peak power output (PPO) separated by 75s of recovery (HIIT) or 90-120min continuous cycling at ~65% VO2peak (END). Pre and post intervention, participants performed: 1) incremental cycling to determine VO2peak and PPO and 2) maximal (MVC), submaximal (10, 30, 50 and 70% MVC) and sustained (until task failure at 30% MVC) isometric knee extensions while HDEMG signals were recorded from the VM and VL. EMG signals were decomposed (submaximal contractions) into individual MUs by convolutive blind source separation. Finally, MUs were tracked across sessions by semi-blind source separation.
RESULTS:
After training, END and HIIT improved VO2peak similarly (by 5.0 and 6.7%, respectively). The HIIT group showed enhanced maximal knee extension torque by ~7% (p=0.02) and was accompanied by an increase in discharge rate for high-threshold MUs (≥50% knee extension MVC) (p<0.05). In contrast, the END group increased their time to task failure by ~17%, but showed no change in MU discharge rates (p>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:
HIIT and END induce different adjustments in MU discharge rate despite similar improvements in cardiopulmonary fitness. Moreover, the changes induced by HIIT are specific for high-threshold motor units. For the first time we show that HIIT and END induce specific neuromuscular adaptations, possibly related to differences in exercise load intensity and training volume.

Therefore, the findings of this study show that high-intensity HIIT and endurance-oriented END result in exercise type-specific neuromuscular adaptions, which is completely consistent with the “gym info” popular conception that different types of exercise can induce specific types of nervous system and muscular adaptions and therefore one can tailor exercise type for the desired effect.

how do you want to die

Here is a post worth reading:

Go quiet into the night.

We all need to decide what would be done to us when we reach the end. We also need to consider what our decisions would do to our families.

Aging And Heart Failure Links

The obvious aging-heart failure link has links to cell signaling; understanding these links can lead to novel therapies.  Abstract:

The molecular pathophysiology of heart failure, which is one of the leading causes of mortality, is not yet fully understood. Heart failure can be regarded as a systemic syndrome of aging-related phenotypes. Wnt/β-catenin signaling and the p53 pathway, both of which are key regulators of aging, have been demonstrated to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Circulating C1q was identified as a novel activator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, promoting systemic aging-related phenotypes including sarcopenia and heart failure. On the other hand, p53 induces the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in the failing heart. In these molecular mechanisms, the cross-talk between cardiomyocytes and non-cardiomyocytes (e,g,. endothelial cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, macrophages) deserves mentioning. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of the molecular pathophysiology underlying heart failure, focusing on Wnt/β-catenin signaling and the p53 pathway.

Another MicroRNA And Colorectal Cancer

Another microRNA has been shown to affect colorectal cancer, this time by targeting the Wnt pathway-controlling protein APC (that is typically mutated and inactivated in this form of cancer).  The microRNA may promote cancer by further decreasing APC and allowing for more deregulated Wnt signaling.  This has potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Abstract:

BACKGROUND:

Aberrant activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is frequently observed in colorectal cancer (CRC). β-catenin is the major Wnt signaling pathway effector and inactivation of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) results in nuclear accumulation of β-catenin. It has been suggested that inactivation of APC plays an important role in activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and in the progression of colorectal tumorigenesis. However, the mechanism through which APC mediates colorectal tumorigenesis is not understood. Increasing evidence suggests that the dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in colorectal tumorigenesis. Although miR-494 has been reported as being an upregulated miRNA, the interplay between miR-494 and APC-mediated colorectal tumorigenesis progression remains unclear.

METHODS:

The expression of miR-494 in tissues from patients diagnosed with CRC was analyzed using a microarray and real-time PCR. The effects of miR-494 on cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in CRC cells were analyzed by flow cytometry, colony formation assays, BrdU incorporation assays, and CCK8 assays. The correlation between miR-494 expression and APC expression, as well as the mechanisms by which miR-494 regulates APC in CRC were also addressed.

RESULTS:

miR-494 was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues, and this increase was negatively associated with APC expression. APC was confirmed to be a direct target of miR-494 in CRC. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-494 induced Wnt/β-catenin signaling by targeting APC, thus promoting CRC cell growth.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study provides novel insights into the role of miR-494 in controlling CRC cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, and identifies miR-494 as a potential prognostic marker and therapeutic target.

Take it slow and look at this garden

I recently found the Babylonstoren gardens through this video of Monty Don:

Then I visited the website of the business and kept on reading blog post after blog post. 

Here is more on the garden's architecture and its whimsical additions.

There are also delightful brief posts about gardening, chicken, recipes, relaxation, tea, and many other garden-related topics. All accompanied by amazing photographs.

Here is how to enjoy a garden. 

Here is how to make herb salt or maybe violet extract.

Happy new year!

Here are the links to a few fanciful blogs that I just discovered:

A fanciful twist

Home is where the boat is

 
These, along with the recently found blogs below would be my inspiration for 2019!


Liiv blog

Hof 9

@mycasa

Loreta blog

Dishfunctional Designs

New Year's Eve menu

This New Year's eve will be accompanied by hors d'oeuvres, or as I prefer to call them, appetizers.

Here is my game plan for now:

1. some good chips and toasted homemade bread

2. roasted red pepper dip with feta cheese, I will try this recipe

3. cashew dip, such as this, but with less water and some apple cider vinegar

4. potato salad: boiled potatoes with grated carrots, onion, apple and spiced up with apple cider vinegar, black pepper, mustard, mayo, and salt

5. cabbage salad with grated carrots and an apple, spiced up with apple cider vinegar and olive oil

6. lots of olives

7. cheeses

8. hot Italian turkey sausage

9. toasted walnuts


The drink will be cold mint tea with sliced limes. The dessert - baked apples with some vanilla ice cream and probably a few grapes.

Wnt Signaling And The Immune Response To Breast Cancer

Wnt signaling seems to be associated with the immune response to breast cancer.  Abstract:

BACKGROUND:

Inhibition of lymphocytes infiltration and activity may impair antitumor immune response and limit treatment responsiveness. Wnt/β-catenin pathway has been suggested to contribute to immune evasion in tumor by suppressing the function of immune cells and excluding T cell infiltration. However, the effects of Wnt/β-catenin on TILs recruitment remain controversial.

OBJECTIVE:

We aimed to investigate whether intratumoral Wnt/β-catenin signaling could affect the lymphocyte infiltration in breast cancer.

METHODS:

The distribution of stromal TILs, CD8+ and FOXP3+ TIL subsets, and the expression of β-catenin were separately assessed on consecutive sections of 96 breast cancer specimens.

RESULTS:

Both stromal infiltrated TILs and β-catenin expression were upregulated in hormone receptor negative HER2-enriched and TNBC subtypes. Furthermore, high levels of stromal TILs as well as CD8+ or FOXP3+ TIL subsets were associated with β-catenin overexpression by breast cancer, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

For the first time, we demonstrated that rather than excluding lymphocytes infiltration as reported in mela-noma, high levels of TILs were associated with β-catenin overexpression in BC. Wnt/β-catenin signaling may play a critical role in BC immunity, particularly in HER2-enriched and triple negative BC, and may serve as a potential target for regulating immune infiltrates in breast cancer.

Dessert for any festive table

I decided to try a new dessert for New Year's Eve. Unlike my vegan Christmas Eve, I can use any products to prepare the festive spread for the last evening of the year.

In the past, my mom used to make the most divine dessert from gelled plain yogurt. There were three layers, one was vanilla with preserved white cherries, another was with lemon zest, and the third one was with cocoa powder. Mom would layer the three flavors in tall crystal glasses.  The presentation was spectacular, the taste was even better.

So, I decided to replicate at least the main idea.  Instead of gelatin and sugar, I decided to prepare a healthier version of the dessert. Hopefully, it would taste half as good as my mom's. Below is my Yogurt Banana Dessert.

Yogurt Banana Dessert

Ingredients (for six portions)
4 ripe bananas
1 Tbsp vanilla essence
1 (32 oz) container plain yogurt (low fat)
4 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp sugar (optional)
zest of one lemon
1 Tbsp of lemon juice
8 oz of frozen blueberries (or any other fruit, frozen or fresh)
2 Tbsp cocoa powder (unsweetened)
nuts to decorate

Directions
Blend the bananas, yogurt and vanilla, add the chia seeds. Leave in the refrigerator overnight. On the next day, divide into three batches and prepare the three layers. One batch of the yogurt mix is prepared with the frozen blueberries. The second with the zest and juice of a lemon. The third with cocoa powder. Decorate with anything you love. I had a few walnuts at hand.

Before I layered my dessert this morning, I read this post about what a great husband could do for the love of his life.  I sent the post to my daughter. Hopefully, she will read it too.

Are you happy

If you ever feel down, please read this blog. This is real. 

The posts are the distilled and final lessons of life. 

If you ever pity yourself read about a real fighter, Ellie.

I loved all Ellie's posts; this and this one are some of the many good ones. I visited almost all recommended in the blog websites. I even watched "A good year". It is a nice movie.

I shed lots of tears:

"... My advice is to feel everything. Feel the joy of hugging your children, feel the coldness of swimming in the ocean, feel the warmth of a bath, feel the sand underneath your feet, feel the pages of a book… Feel feel feel. Say what you mean and do what you love."
 

The biggest lesson learned from this blog? 

Live in the present. Feel the present.

I have read about this before. However, after reading Ellie's blog, I understood the advice better.

Read this blog

By the way, I would like to share something I just learned: how to find free accommodations if you love to travel. See this website for a host, but you will need to work for the roof above you....