Publications by authors named "Andrea Faust"

Article Synopsis
  • This study examined delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in young, healthy women on vegan vs. omnivore diets after intensive resistance training.
  • A total of 54 participants, split evenly between the two diet groups, underwent the same eccentric exercise session and had various muscle health measurements taken before and 48 hours after.
  • Results indicated that vegans showed better muscle sensitivity and strength recovery compared to omnivores, suggesting they may recover from exercise-induced muscle soreness more effectively.
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Mitochondrial dysfunctions are thought to contribute to muscle atrophy and weakness that develop during ageing and mechanical unloading caused by immobilization, bed rest and microgravity. Older adults are at greater risk of developing muscle and mitochondrial dysfunctions in response to unloading. Although exercise is well known to promote muscle and mitochondrial health, its protective effect during mechanical unloading in older adults remains largely unexplored.

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The inaugural Canadian Conferences on Translational Geroscience were held as 2 complementary sessions in October and November 2023. The conferences explored the profound interplay between the biology of aging, social determinants of health, the potential societal impact of geroscience, and the maintenance of health in aging individuals. Although topics such as cellular senescence, molecular and genetic determinants of aging, and prevention of chronic disease were addressed, the conferences went on to emphasize practical applications for enhancing older people's quality of life.

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Weightlessness during spaceflight can harm various bodily systems, including bone density, muscle mass, strength and cognitive functions. Exercise appears to somewhat counteract these effects. A terrestrial model for this is head-down bedrest (HDBR), simulating gravity loss.

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Introduction: Head-down bed rest (HDBR) has long been used as an analog to microgravity, and it also enables studying the changes occurring with aging. Exercise is the most effective countermeasure for the deleterious effects of inactivity. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an exercise countermeasure in healthy older participants on attenuating musculoskeletal deconditioning, cardiovascular fitness level, and muscle strength during 14 days of HDBR as part of the standard measures of the Canadian Space Agency.

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Significant progress has been made in the development of countermeasures to attenuate the negative consequences of prolonged exposure to microgravity on astronauts' bodies. Deconditioning of several organ systems during flight includes losses to cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle mass, bone density and strength. Similar deconditioning also occurs during prolonged bedrest; any protracted time immobile or inactive, especially for unwell older adults (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are common among dentists due to incorrect positioning during procedures, and this study aims to improve knowledge and skills related to proper operator and patient positioning.
  • A randomized study was conducted with 83 dental students, where half received additional hands-on instruction from trained professionals after a lecture and practice session focusing on ergonomics.
  • Results showed that students who received the extra instruction scored significantly better on ergonomic positioning assessments, highlighting the benefits of tailored feedback and practical training.
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Very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs) are important functional components of various lipid classes, including cuticular lipids in the higher plant epidermis and lipid-derived second messengers. Here, we report the characterization of transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants that epidermally express FATTY ACID ELONGATION1 (FAE1), the seed-specific beta-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (KCS) catalyzing the first rate-limiting step in VLCFA biosynthesis. Misexpression of FAE1 changes the VLCFAs in different classes of lipids but surprisingly does not complement the KCS fiddlehead mutant.

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The eukaryotic N-end rule pathway mediates ubiquitin- and proteasome-dependent turnover of proteins with a bulky amino-terminal residue. Arabidopsis locus At5g02310 shows significant similarity to the yeast N-end rule ligase Ubr1. We demonstrate that At5g02310 is a ubiquitin ligase and mediates degradation of proteins with amino-terminal Arg residue.

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In vegetative leaf tissues, cuticles including cuticular waxes are important for protection against nonstomatal water loss and pathogen infection as well as for adaptations to environmental stress. However, their roles in the anther wall are rarely studied. The innermost layer of the anther wall (the tapetum) is essential for generating male gametes.

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Article Synopsis
  • The outer epidermal cell wall protects plants from pathogens and stress, with cuticular polymers serving as a key barrier.
  • The Arabidopsis thaliana mutant "bodyguard" (bdg) has cuticle structure defects but surprisingly accumulates more lipids and waxes than normal plants, affecting growth and cell differentiation.
  • BDG is a protein found exclusively in epidermal cells, potentially acting as a synthase for cuticle formation or influencing epidermal cell growth through an unknown mechanism.
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Article Synopsis
  • - In plants, the extracellular matrix plays a key role in providing structure and protection, with the cuticle being notably thinner in Arabidopsis thaliana and containing unique fatty acid components.
  • - The hth-12 mutant has been identified as being related to two other mutants and shows a deficiency in oxidizing certain fatty acids, leading to altered leaf polyester composition and disrupted cuticle membrane structure.
  • - The ACE/HTH protein, related to a type of enzyme found in yeast, is specifically active in epidermal cells and may be crucial for balancing the fatty acid composition needed for maintaining cell wall integrity, even in areas not forming a polyester membrane.
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Cutinized and suberized cell walls form physiological important plant-environment interfaces as they act as barriers limiting water and nutrient loss and protect from radiation and invasion by pathogens. Due to the lack of protocols for the isolation and analysis of cutin and suberin in Arabidopsis, the model plant for molecular biology, mutants and transgenic plants with a defined altered cutin or suberin composition are unavailable, causing that structure and function of these apoplastic barriers are still poorly understood. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that Arabidopsis leaf cuticle thickness ranges from only 22 nm in leaf blades to 45 nm on petioles, causing the difficulty in cuticular membrane isolation.

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