The cognitive radio technology enables secondary users (SUs) to occupy licensed bands when primar... more The cognitive radio technology enables secondary users (SUs) to occupy licensed bands when primary users (PUs) are not occupy them. Spectrum sensing is a key technology for SUs to detect PUs, and the sensing time is a critical parameter for spectrum sensing performance. Optimum sensing time tradeoffs between the spectrum sensing performance and the secondary throughput. This paper proposes a novel spectrum sensing scheme that performs spectrum sensing for either one period or two periods based on the previous sensing result. Due to the energy constraint in cognitive radio sensor networks, the energy efficiency is maximized by optimizing spectrum sensing time. In order to seek the optimal sensing time, the objective function is proven to be a concave function and the Golden Section Search method is employed. Our simulation study verifies that the proposed scheme improves the network energy efficiency, especially when PUs are more active.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2014
The metabolic syndrome, in which cardiovascular disease and obesity play major roles, has become ... more The metabolic syndrome, in which cardiovascular disease and obesity play major roles, has become an important healthcare issue. Systemic concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) correlate with obesity and insulin resistance and it is considered to be an independent marker of cardiovascular disease. Currently, ADMA is understood to be an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase; however, the direct effect of ADMA on adipocytes and in obesity has not been investigated. Here, we establish that ADMA in adipocytes regulates the expression and activity of the mTOR lipid synthesis pathway which results in adipocyte hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with ADMA (10μM) resulted in adipocyte hypertrophy (control 27μm2 ±1.4, 10μM ADMA 33μm2± 1.6). This could not be mimicked through the blockade of NO by L-NAME (28μm2 ± 1.5) and PB-ITU (25μm2± 1.2). Hypertrophy was driven by an increase in mTOR expression (x2.4 ± 0.4) which upregulates ACC (x4....
Transcription initiation from within the coding regions of genes has been observed in budding yea... more Transcription initiation from within the coding regions of genes has been observed in budding yeast as a natural phenomenon induced by environmental changes. However, such 'internal initiation' events have also been observed in mutant yeast strains with aberrant chromatin structure. Failure to suppress initiation from cryptic internal promoters is thought to result from either loss of appropriate nucleosome density or loss of appropriate histone modifications in the coding region. PRY3 is a gene previously shown to undergo internal initiation in response to mating pheromone. This project aimed to uncover which factors are involved in suppressing inappropriate transcription initiation from an internal TATA-box at PRY3 in the absence of mating pheromone. This work demonstrates that factors controlling nucleosome density (Spt6, Spn1 and Spt10) but not histone deacetylation (Eaf3) are required to suppress internal initiation at PRY3 in the absence of mating pheromone. In addition, TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is required for internal initiation at PRY3. Taken together, these results indicate that internal initiation at PRY3 is predominantly suppressed by a nucleosome reassembly mechanism rather than histone modifications, and suggest that the transcriptional output at PRY3 is controlled by competition between TBP and nucleosomes for binding an internal TATA-box.
An asynchronous ranging is one practical method to implement a locating system that provides accu... more An asynchronous ranging is one practical method to implement a locating system that provides accurate results. However, a locating system utilizing asynchronous ranging generates a large number of messages that cause transmission delays or failures, and degrades the system performance. This paper proposes a novel approach for efficient congestion control in asynchronous range based locating system. The proposed method significantly reduces the number of messages generated during the Reader Discovery phase by eavesdropping on other transmissions, and also improves the efficiency of ranging by organizing the tags in a hierarchical fashion in the Measurement phase. Our evaluation shows that the proposed method reduces the number of messages by 70% compared to the conventional method and significantly improves the success rate of ranging.
Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2020
Maintaining positive digital well-being has become essential as we spend more and more time worki... more Maintaining positive digital well-being has become essential as we spend more and more time working at desks in offices, interacting with computers and typing for hours at a time. In this paper we present PauseBoard: A computer keyboard designed to unintrusively encourage users to take regular breaks. Through the use of motorised linear potentiometers, the force required to activate each key is increased towards the end of a set work period, until a maximum level of resistance is reached. Preliminary testing shows that 75% of users respond well to this novel gentle encouragement, being reminded to take breaks while still being able to concentrate and finish their current task, especially when the resistance is increased slowly over time.
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sensor Networks, 2014
In Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks (CRSNs), the cognitive radio technology enables sensor nodes t... more In Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks (CRSNs), the cognitive radio technology enables sensor nodes to occupy licensed bands in a opportunistic manner and provides advantages in terms of spectrum utilization and system throughput. This paper proposes a routing scheme based on semi-supervised learning, which jointly considers energy efficiency, context-awareness, and optimal path configuration to enhance communication efficiency. A context-aware module is developed to collect and learn context information in an energy-efficient way and a new semi-supervised learning algorithm is proposed to estimate dynamic changes in network environment. A novel routing metric is used to select the most reliable and stable path. Our simulation study shows that the proposed routing algorithm enhances the reliability and stability for CRSNs, and at the same time, significantly improves the packet delivery ratio.
Anonymous Referee #1 This paper presents a novel and interesting dataset on oxidized organic spec... more Anonymous Referee #1 This paper presents a novel and interesting dataset on oxidized organic species contributing to both gas and aerosol phase organic aerosol in a remote boreal forest. The analysis is possible by use of a FIGAERO inlet to monitor gas and aerosol phase separately but using the same Imass spectrometer, and positive matrix factorization to sift the complex spectra into 3 primary factors with unique diel behaviors. The authors interpret their results as showing a strikingly (considering the remote location and low NOx) large contribution of particulate organic nitrate to the organic aerosol mass concentrations, especially at night. This is consistent with other
Among the companies that design or want to design VSLI logic, how design time and cost affect pro... more Among the companies that design or want to design VSLI logic, how design time and cost affect profit depends on the nature of their products and their business. The merchant IC houses, National, TI, Intel, etc., are very concerned with chip area, hence cost, because their end products are chips or systems whose cost is mostly from chips. In addition, the high volume of parts sold means that a small reduction in area and cost can result in higher profit. On the other hand, system houses, such as IBM, Xerox, and HP, are using chips more for their technical contributions. The chip cost relative to the final system cost (including hardware and software) may be insignificant. No wonder the CAD tools perceived by these two types of companies are different. No one CAD tool or methodology can satisfy this diversity; a spectrum of trade-offs of design time vs. chip density exists. At IBM and other systems houses, total layout synthesis, employing gate arrays and standard cells, has been used...
PARLE '89 Parallel Architectures and Languages Europe, 1989
The asynchronous nature of data flow model of computation allows the exploitation of maximum inhe... more The asynchronous nature of data flow model of computation allows the exploitation of maximum inherent parallelism in many application programs. However, before data flow model of computation can become a viable alternative to control flow model of ...
Marketing scholars have recently embraced the study of the corporate upper echelons-the executive... more Marketing scholars have recently embraced the study of the corporate upper echelons-the executives and board members atop the organizational hierarchy. However, management scholars have researched the upper echelons for decades, with frequent forays into the marketing strategy domain. As a result of progressing in two separate disciplines, the literature on marketing strategy and the upper echelons is fragmented and disjointed. We develop an organizing framework to review extant research and assess and synthesize the knowledge in the upper echelons marketing strategy domain. Our review covers the 14 most influential marketing and management journals from 1984 through February, 2020. Given the relative newness of this research within marketing, we develop a conceptual model fusing existing theory in the upper echelons and marketing strategy literatures, and use this to identify key blind spots and underdeveloped areas of knowledge caused by the two fields' independent evolutions. Finally, we also examine challenges associated with conducting research in this area and provide recommendations to help researchers and reviewers navigate these challenges to advance theory and practice.
Candida infection is seen in patients with weak or disrupted host responses. Cutaneous candidiasi... more Candida infection is seen in patients with weak or disrupted host responses. Cutaneous candidiasis typically affects the intertriginous areas and presents with a red plaque surrounded by satellite lesions. Diagnosis of cutaneous candidiasis is made by visual inspection followed by potassium hydroxide normal saline microscopic preparation (wet mount) and polymerase chain reaction identification or culture of fungal organism. The following case describes a 38-year-old patient with limited mobility who presented with a peri sacral lesion that was first assumed to be a decubitus ulcer by nursing facility staff, but proved to be a cutaneous infection by Candida tropicalis, a less common Candida species. The unusual location as well as the characteristic C. tropicalis micro- and macroscopic appearance are described which ultimately led to the diagnosis of a cutaneous fungal infection in an otherwise immunocompetent individual that was resolved with fluconazole therapy. Our case report emphasizes the need for early diagnosis of cutaneous lesions in patients with limited mobility in consideration that not all Candida species thrive in similar environments and can present in unusual locations of the human body. Although rare, C. tropicalis could be found in this vulnerable population.
e14638 Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) ligands have been ide... more e14638 Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) ligands have been identified as a potential source of therapy for human cancers. And, it is reported that PPAR-γ ligands could serve as negative regulators of breast cancer development and progression, but their mechanism is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the PPAR- γ ligand induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231(ERα-negative) and MCF-7(ERα-positive) breast cancer cell. Methods: The effect of PPAR-γ ligands on the cell viability of breast cancer cells was determined using mitochondrial tetrazolium(MTT) assay. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induction were evaluated by using the flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins were measured with Western blot analysis. Results: The treatment of MDA-MB- 231 cell with PPAR-γ ligand, troglitazone was shown to induce cell cycle G1 arrest and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, troglitazone treatm...
Number of Figures: 1 Number of supplementary tables: 2 2 Conclusion. Seven-days intake of 600 mg ... more Number of Figures: 1 Number of supplementary tables: 2 2 Conclusion. Seven-days intake of 600 mg NZBC extract increased fat oxidation without influencing cardiorespiratory or thermoregulatory variables during prolonged moderate intensity running in hot conditions.
Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of cardiorespiratory and ... more Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of cardiorespiratory and cellular (monocyte heat shock protein 70; mHSP70) responses to a fixed load hypoxic stress test (HST) and the reliability of a pre-loaded 16.1km cycling time trial (pTT) conducted under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Methods. Eighteen participants (age, 22 ± 4 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.04 meters; body mass, 76.8 kg; estimated body fat and VO2peak = 3.50 ± 0.60 L.min-1) were divided into three groups. Reliability of responses (HR, SPO2, VO2, VCO2, VE and RER) to the HST (FIO2 0.14; 15 minutes rest, 60 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat trials (HST 1, 2 and 3, n = 6); mHSP70 was measured via flow cytometry before and after each HST (n = 5); resting HSP was also quantified on 4 separate occasions (n=5). Reliability of the pTT (15 min rest, 40 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat normoxic (N; FIO2 ≈ 0.21; n=6) and 3 rep...
Background. Knowledge of the variance in physiological performance measures between repeated tria... more Background. Knowledge of the variance in physiological performance measures between repeated trials can inform whether familiarization sessions are necessary prior to intervention studies. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of cardiorespiratory and exercise performance measures during both steady state hypoxic exercise and a preloaded 16.1 km hypoxic time trial. Methods. Eighteen male participants (age, 22 ± 4 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.04 meters; body mass, 76.8 kg; estimated body fat and VO2peak = 3.50 ± 0.60 L.min-1) were divided into three groups. Reliability of responses (HR, SPO2 , VO2 , VCO2 , VE and respiratory exchange ratio; RER) to the HST (FIO2 0.14; 15 minutes rest, 60 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat trials (HST 1, 2 and 3, n = 6). Reliability of the preloaded time trial (pTT; 15 min rest, 40 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak, 16.1km time trial) was assessed across 3 repeat normoxic (N; FIO2 ≈ 0.21; n=6) and ...
Extracellular heat shock protein 72 (eHSP72) acts as an inflammatory molecule, inducing cytokine ... more Extracellular heat shock protein 72 (eHSP72) acts as an inflammatory molecule, inducing cytokine production in immune cells, whereas HSP90α is implicit in recovery and adaptation to cellular stress. Heme oxygenase-1 (eHSP32) protects the vasculature and suppresses inflammation. Each are elevated following exertional heat stress. Polyphenols are proposed to have antiinflammatory properties, so may affect eHSP responses to exercise. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of 7-days supplementation with New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on eHSP72, eHSP90α, and eHSP32 before and after exertional heat stress. METHODS: In a randomized double-blind design, 12 men (Age: 28±6 years, stature: 1.81±0.07 m, mass: 80.5±9.8 kg, VO2max: 55.6±6.0 mL kgmin) completed 2 trials. Participants ingested 2x300 mgday capsules of CurraNZTM (each containing 105 mg anthocyanin) or a visually matched placebo for 7 days (washout 14 days). On day 7, participants ran 60 minutes at 65%VO2max in hot ambient conditions (34°C and 40% relative humidity). eHSP72, eHSP90a, and eHSP32 were measured in EDTA plasma at rest and 20 and 60 minutes after exercise. RESULTS: Post exercise eHSP72 concentrations were elevated after the placebo [by 1.98 ngmL (95% CI: 0.65 3.33 ngmL)] and NZBC trials [by 1.59 ngmL (95% CI: 0.03 3.15 ngmL)] and remained elevated 60 minutes after exercise [Placebo: by 0.68 ngmL (95% CI: -0.07 1.46 ngmL); NZBC by 0.51 ngmL (95% CI: -0.37 1.40 ngmL)]. Basal eHSP90α concentration was increased following NZBC supplementation [by 5.60 ngmL (1.85 9.51 ngmL), trial x time interaction, F = 3.57, p = 0.046, np2 = 0.25), and were elevated at 20 and 60 minutes post exercise in both conditions. Similarly, basal eHSP32 was elevated after NZBC supplementation [by 3.9 ngmL (95% CI: 0.37 7.42 ngmL), trial x time interaction F = 5.62, p = 0.01, np2 = 0.34), but were not altered at 20 or 60 minutes after heat stress in either condition. CONCLUSION: We present moderate evidence to support that 7 days of NZBC extract supplementation increases basal eHSP32 and eHSP90a, with no effect on eHSP72 before or after exercise. Further research is required to determine the functional relevance of these increases. Acknowledgement: We thank Health Currancy Ltd (UK) and CurraNZ (NZ) for supplements.
The cognitive radio technology enables secondary users (SUs) to occupy licensed bands when primar... more The cognitive radio technology enables secondary users (SUs) to occupy licensed bands when primary users (PUs) are not occupy them. Spectrum sensing is a key technology for SUs to detect PUs, and the sensing time is a critical parameter for spectrum sensing performance. Optimum sensing time tradeoffs between the spectrum sensing performance and the secondary throughput. This paper proposes a novel spectrum sensing scheme that performs spectrum sensing for either one period or two periods based on the previous sensing result. Due to the energy constraint in cognitive radio sensor networks, the energy efficiency is maximized by optimizing spectrum sensing time. In order to seek the optimal sensing time, the objective function is proven to be a concave function and the Golden Section Search method is employed. Our simulation study verifies that the proposed scheme improves the network energy efficiency, especially when PUs are more active.
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, 2014
The metabolic syndrome, in which cardiovascular disease and obesity play major roles, has become ... more The metabolic syndrome, in which cardiovascular disease and obesity play major roles, has become an important healthcare issue. Systemic concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) correlate with obesity and insulin resistance and it is considered to be an independent marker of cardiovascular disease. Currently, ADMA is understood to be an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase; however, the direct effect of ADMA on adipocytes and in obesity has not been investigated. Here, we establish that ADMA in adipocytes regulates the expression and activity of the mTOR lipid synthesis pathway which results in adipocyte hypertrophy both in vitro and in vivo. Treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with ADMA (10μM) resulted in adipocyte hypertrophy (control 27μm2 ±1.4, 10μM ADMA 33μm2± 1.6). This could not be mimicked through the blockade of NO by L-NAME (28μm2 ± 1.5) and PB-ITU (25μm2± 1.2). Hypertrophy was driven by an increase in mTOR expression (x2.4 ± 0.4) which upregulates ACC (x4....
Transcription initiation from within the coding regions of genes has been observed in budding yea... more Transcription initiation from within the coding regions of genes has been observed in budding yeast as a natural phenomenon induced by environmental changes. However, such 'internal initiation' events have also been observed in mutant yeast strains with aberrant chromatin structure. Failure to suppress initiation from cryptic internal promoters is thought to result from either loss of appropriate nucleosome density or loss of appropriate histone modifications in the coding region. PRY3 is a gene previously shown to undergo internal initiation in response to mating pheromone. This project aimed to uncover which factors are involved in suppressing inappropriate transcription initiation from an internal TATA-box at PRY3 in the absence of mating pheromone. This work demonstrates that factors controlling nucleosome density (Spt6, Spn1 and Spt10) but not histone deacetylation (Eaf3) are required to suppress internal initiation at PRY3 in the absence of mating pheromone. In addition, TATA-box binding protein (TBP) is required for internal initiation at PRY3. Taken together, these results indicate that internal initiation at PRY3 is predominantly suppressed by a nucleosome reassembly mechanism rather than histone modifications, and suggest that the transcriptional output at PRY3 is controlled by competition between TBP and nucleosomes for binding an internal TATA-box.
An asynchronous ranging is one practical method to implement a locating system that provides accu... more An asynchronous ranging is one practical method to implement a locating system that provides accurate results. However, a locating system utilizing asynchronous ranging generates a large number of messages that cause transmission delays or failures, and degrades the system performance. This paper proposes a novel approach for efficient congestion control in asynchronous range based locating system. The proposed method significantly reduces the number of messages generated during the Reader Discovery phase by eavesdropping on other transmissions, and also improves the efficiency of ranging by organizing the tags in a hierarchical fashion in the Measurement phase. Our evaluation shows that the proposed method reduces the number of messages by 70% compared to the conventional method and significantly improves the success rate of ranging.
Extended Abstracts of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 2020
Maintaining positive digital well-being has become essential as we spend more and more time worki... more Maintaining positive digital well-being has become essential as we spend more and more time working at desks in offices, interacting with computers and typing for hours at a time. In this paper we present PauseBoard: A computer keyboard designed to unintrusively encourage users to take regular breaks. Through the use of motorised linear potentiometers, the force required to activate each key is increased towards the end of a set work period, until a maximum level of resistance is reached. Preliminary testing shows that 75% of users respond well to this novel gentle encouragement, being reminded to take breaks while still being able to concentrate and finish their current task, especially when the resistance is increased slowly over time.
Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Sensor Networks, 2014
In Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks (CRSNs), the cognitive radio technology enables sensor nodes t... more In Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks (CRSNs), the cognitive radio technology enables sensor nodes to occupy licensed bands in a opportunistic manner and provides advantages in terms of spectrum utilization and system throughput. This paper proposes a routing scheme based on semi-supervised learning, which jointly considers energy efficiency, context-awareness, and optimal path configuration to enhance communication efficiency. A context-aware module is developed to collect and learn context information in an energy-efficient way and a new semi-supervised learning algorithm is proposed to estimate dynamic changes in network environment. A novel routing metric is used to select the most reliable and stable path. Our simulation study shows that the proposed routing algorithm enhances the reliability and stability for CRSNs, and at the same time, significantly improves the packet delivery ratio.
Anonymous Referee #1 This paper presents a novel and interesting dataset on oxidized organic spec... more Anonymous Referee #1 This paper presents a novel and interesting dataset on oxidized organic species contributing to both gas and aerosol phase organic aerosol in a remote boreal forest. The analysis is possible by use of a FIGAERO inlet to monitor gas and aerosol phase separately but using the same Imass spectrometer, and positive matrix factorization to sift the complex spectra into 3 primary factors with unique diel behaviors. The authors interpret their results as showing a strikingly (considering the remote location and low NOx) large contribution of particulate organic nitrate to the organic aerosol mass concentrations, especially at night. This is consistent with other
Among the companies that design or want to design VSLI logic, how design time and cost affect pro... more Among the companies that design or want to design VSLI logic, how design time and cost affect profit depends on the nature of their products and their business. The merchant IC houses, National, TI, Intel, etc., are very concerned with chip area, hence cost, because their end products are chips or systems whose cost is mostly from chips. In addition, the high volume of parts sold means that a small reduction in area and cost can result in higher profit. On the other hand, system houses, such as IBM, Xerox, and HP, are using chips more for their technical contributions. The chip cost relative to the final system cost (including hardware and software) may be insignificant. No wonder the CAD tools perceived by these two types of companies are different. No one CAD tool or methodology can satisfy this diversity; a spectrum of trade-offs of design time vs. chip density exists. At IBM and other systems houses, total layout synthesis, employing gate arrays and standard cells, has been used...
PARLE '89 Parallel Architectures and Languages Europe, 1989
The asynchronous nature of data flow model of computation allows the exploitation of maximum inhe... more The asynchronous nature of data flow model of computation allows the exploitation of maximum inherent parallelism in many application programs. However, before data flow model of computation can become a viable alternative to control flow model of ...
Marketing scholars have recently embraced the study of the corporate upper echelons-the executive... more Marketing scholars have recently embraced the study of the corporate upper echelons-the executives and board members atop the organizational hierarchy. However, management scholars have researched the upper echelons for decades, with frequent forays into the marketing strategy domain. As a result of progressing in two separate disciplines, the literature on marketing strategy and the upper echelons is fragmented and disjointed. We develop an organizing framework to review extant research and assess and synthesize the knowledge in the upper echelons marketing strategy domain. Our review covers the 14 most influential marketing and management journals from 1984 through February, 2020. Given the relative newness of this research within marketing, we develop a conceptual model fusing existing theory in the upper echelons and marketing strategy literatures, and use this to identify key blind spots and underdeveloped areas of knowledge caused by the two fields' independent evolutions. Finally, we also examine challenges associated with conducting research in this area and provide recommendations to help researchers and reviewers navigate these challenges to advance theory and practice.
Candida infection is seen in patients with weak or disrupted host responses. Cutaneous candidiasi... more Candida infection is seen in patients with weak or disrupted host responses. Cutaneous candidiasis typically affects the intertriginous areas and presents with a red plaque surrounded by satellite lesions. Diagnosis of cutaneous candidiasis is made by visual inspection followed by potassium hydroxide normal saline microscopic preparation (wet mount) and polymerase chain reaction identification or culture of fungal organism. The following case describes a 38-year-old patient with limited mobility who presented with a peri sacral lesion that was first assumed to be a decubitus ulcer by nursing facility staff, but proved to be a cutaneous infection by Candida tropicalis, a less common Candida species. The unusual location as well as the characteristic C. tropicalis micro- and macroscopic appearance are described which ultimately led to the diagnosis of a cutaneous fungal infection in an otherwise immunocompetent individual that was resolved with fluconazole therapy. Our case report emphasizes the need for early diagnosis of cutaneous lesions in patients with limited mobility in consideration that not all Candida species thrive in similar environments and can present in unusual locations of the human body. Although rare, C. tropicalis could be found in this vulnerable population.
e14638 Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) ligands have been ide... more e14638 Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) ligands have been identified as a potential source of therapy for human cancers. And, it is reported that PPAR-γ ligands could serve as negative regulators of breast cancer development and progression, but their mechanism is still unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the PPAR- γ ligand induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of MDA-MB-231(ERα-negative) and MCF-7(ERα-positive) breast cancer cell. Methods: The effect of PPAR-γ ligands on the cell viability of breast cancer cells was determined using mitochondrial tetrazolium(MTT) assay. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induction were evaluated by using the flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins were measured with Western blot analysis. Results: The treatment of MDA-MB- 231 cell with PPAR-γ ligand, troglitazone was shown to induce cell cycle G1 arrest and induction of apoptosis. Moreover, troglitazone treatm...
Number of Figures: 1 Number of supplementary tables: 2 2 Conclusion. Seven-days intake of 600 mg ... more Number of Figures: 1 Number of supplementary tables: 2 2 Conclusion. Seven-days intake of 600 mg NZBC extract increased fat oxidation without influencing cardiorespiratory or thermoregulatory variables during prolonged moderate intensity running in hot conditions.
Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of cardiorespiratory and ... more Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of cardiorespiratory and cellular (monocyte heat shock protein 70; mHSP70) responses to a fixed load hypoxic stress test (HST) and the reliability of a pre-loaded 16.1km cycling time trial (pTT) conducted under both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Methods. Eighteen participants (age, 22 ± 4 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.04 meters; body mass, 76.8 kg; estimated body fat and VO2peak = 3.50 ± 0.60 L.min-1) were divided into three groups. Reliability of responses (HR, SPO2, VO2, VCO2, VE and RER) to the HST (FIO2 0.14; 15 minutes rest, 60 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat trials (HST 1, 2 and 3, n = 6); mHSP70 was measured via flow cytometry before and after each HST (n = 5); resting HSP was also quantified on 4 separate occasions (n=5). Reliability of the pTT (15 min rest, 40 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat normoxic (N; FIO2 ≈ 0.21; n=6) and 3 rep...
Background. Knowledge of the variance in physiological performance measures between repeated tria... more Background. Knowledge of the variance in physiological performance measures between repeated trials can inform whether familiarization sessions are necessary prior to intervention studies. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of cardiorespiratory and exercise performance measures during both steady state hypoxic exercise and a preloaded 16.1 km hypoxic time trial. Methods. Eighteen male participants (age, 22 ± 4 years; height, 1.77 ± 0.04 meters; body mass, 76.8 kg; estimated body fat and VO2peak = 3.50 ± 0.60 L.min-1) were divided into three groups. Reliability of responses (HR, SPO2 , VO2 , VCO2 , VE and respiratory exchange ratio; RER) to the HST (FIO2 0.14; 15 minutes rest, 60 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak) was assessed across 3 repeat trials (HST 1, 2 and 3, n = 6). Reliability of the preloaded time trial (pTT; 15 min rest, 40 minutes cycling at 50% normoxic VO2peak, 16.1km time trial) was assessed across 3 repeat normoxic (N; FIO2 ≈ 0.21; n=6) and ...
Extracellular heat shock protein 72 (eHSP72) acts as an inflammatory molecule, inducing cytokine ... more Extracellular heat shock protein 72 (eHSP72) acts as an inflammatory molecule, inducing cytokine production in immune cells, whereas HSP90α is implicit in recovery and adaptation to cellular stress. Heme oxygenase-1 (eHSP32) protects the vasculature and suppresses inflammation. Each are elevated following exertional heat stress. Polyphenols are proposed to have antiinflammatory properties, so may affect eHSP responses to exercise. PURPOSE: To determine the effects of 7-days supplementation with New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on eHSP72, eHSP90α, and eHSP32 before and after exertional heat stress. METHODS: In a randomized double-blind design, 12 men (Age: 28±6 years, stature: 1.81±0.07 m, mass: 80.5±9.8 kg, VO2max: 55.6±6.0 mL kgmin) completed 2 trials. Participants ingested 2x300 mgday capsules of CurraNZTM (each containing 105 mg anthocyanin) or a visually matched placebo for 7 days (washout 14 days). On day 7, participants ran 60 minutes at 65%VO2max in hot ambient conditions (34°C and 40% relative humidity). eHSP72, eHSP90a, and eHSP32 were measured in EDTA plasma at rest and 20 and 60 minutes after exercise. RESULTS: Post exercise eHSP72 concentrations were elevated after the placebo [by 1.98 ngmL (95% CI: 0.65 3.33 ngmL)] and NZBC trials [by 1.59 ngmL (95% CI: 0.03 3.15 ngmL)] and remained elevated 60 minutes after exercise [Placebo: by 0.68 ngmL (95% CI: -0.07 1.46 ngmL); NZBC by 0.51 ngmL (95% CI: -0.37 1.40 ngmL)]. Basal eHSP90α concentration was increased following NZBC supplementation [by 5.60 ngmL (1.85 9.51 ngmL), trial x time interaction, F = 3.57, p = 0.046, np2 = 0.25), and were elevated at 20 and 60 minutes post exercise in both conditions. Similarly, basal eHSP32 was elevated after NZBC supplementation [by 3.9 ngmL (95% CI: 0.37 7.42 ngmL), trial x time interaction F = 5.62, p = 0.01, np2 = 0.34), but were not altered at 20 or 60 minutes after heat stress in either condition. CONCLUSION: We present moderate evidence to support that 7 days of NZBC extract supplementation increases basal eHSP32 and eHSP90a, with no effect on eHSP72 before or after exercise. Further research is required to determine the functional relevance of these increases. Acknowledgement: We thank Health Currancy Ltd (UK) and CurraNZ (NZ) for supplements.
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