Lung Function Changes with Acute +Gz Exposure as Assessed by Impulse Oscillometry.

Introduction: The introduction of fifth-generation fighter aircraft has raised concerns regarding the impact of high gravitational forces on lung function. This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of controlled +Gz exposure, up to +9 Gz, on lung function in military pilots using impulse oscillometry (IOS).

Methods: These studies, conducted in Canada and the Netherlands, involved military pilots undergoing high G centrifuge training.

Alterations in cardiac function correlate with a disruption in fatty acid metabolism in a mouse model of SMA.

Spinal Muscular Atrophy is an autosomal dominant disease caused by mutations and deletions within the SMN1 gene, with predominantly childhood onset. Although primarily a motor neuron disease, defects in non-neuronal tissues are described in both patients and mouse models. Here, we have undertaken a detailed study of the heart in the Smn2B/- mouse models of SMA, and reveal a thinning of the ventriclar walls as previously described in more severe mouse models of SMA.

The Evolving T Cell Receptor Recognition Code: The Rules Are More Like Guidelines.

αβ T cell receptor (TCR) recognition of peptide-MHC complexes lies at the core of adaptive immunity, balancing specificity and cross-reactivity to facilitate effective antigen discrimination. Early structural studies established basic frameworks helpful for understanding and contextualizing TCR recognition and features such as peptide specificity and MHC restriction. However, the growing TCR structural database and studies launched from structural work continue to reveal exceptions to common assumptions and simplifications derived from earlier work.

Neurological Biomarker Profiles in Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Pilots and Aircrew.

Background/objectives: Military aviators can be exposed to extreme physiological stressors, including decompression stress, G-forces, as well as intermittent hypoxia and/or hyperoxia, which may contribute to neurobiological dysfunction/damage. This study aimed to investigate the levels of neurological biomarkers in military aviators to assess the potential risk of long-term brain injury and neurodegeneration.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 48 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) aviators and 48 non-aviator CAF controls.