Novel transgenic Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain with retargetable genomic transgene integration using Cre-loxP system.

The use of Chlamydomonas for biofuel and biopharmaceutical production has been anticipated. However, the genetic engineering technology for Chlamydomonas is not as advanced as that for other organisms. Here, we established transgenic Chlamydomonas strains capable of high and stable transgene expression.

Effects of sustained unilateral handgrip on corticomotor excitability in both knee extensor muscles.

Purpose: Repetitive or sustained simple muscle contractions have been shown to alter corticomotor excitability. The present study investigated the effects of a sustained handgrip contraction with the right hand on motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) in task-unrelated knee extensor muscles and determined whether the effects are influenced by intensity of the handgrip contraction.

Methods: Subjects performed a 120-s sustained handgrip contraction at 10% or 50% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) using the right hand.

Effect of hypercapnia on self-sustained muscle activity.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of hypercapnia on motor neuromuscular activity of the human triceps surae muscle. Nine subjects participated in trials in a normal breathing condition and a CO2 rebreathing condition. In both conditions, in order to provoke self-sustained muscle activity, percutaneous electrical train stimulation was applied to the tibial nerve while each subject lay on a bed.

Relationship between motor corticospinal excitability and ventilatory response during intense exercise.

Purpose: Effort sense has been suggested to be involved in the hyperventilatory response during intense exercise (IE). However, the mechanism by which effort sense induces an increase in ventilation during IE has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between effort-mediated ventilatory response and corticospinal excitability of lower limb muscle during IE.

Voluntary breathing increases corticospinal excitability of lower limb muscle during isometric contraction.

The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of voluntary breathing on corticospinal excitability of a leg muscle during isometric contraction. Seven subjects performed 5-s isometric knee extension at the intensity of 10% of maximal voluntary contraction (10% MVC). During the 10% MVC, the subjects were instructed to breath normally (NORM) or to inhale (IN) or exhale (OUT) once as fast as possible.

Sleep onset is disrupted following pre-sleep exercise that causes large physiological excitement at bedtime.

Purpose: Many studies have failed to show that pre-sleep exercise has a negative effect on sleep onset. However, since only a moderate level of physiological excitement was observed at bedtime in these studies, it remains unclear whether a larger magnitude of physiologic excitement present at bedtime would disrupt sleep onset. This study compared the effects of pre-sleep exercise, which led to different levels of physiologic excitement at bedtime (moderate and heavy), on sleep onset.