Effects of mechanical stimulation on metabolomic profiles of SW1353 chondrocytes: shear and compression.

Mechanotransduction is a biological phenomenon where mechanical stimuli are converted to biochemical responses. A model system for studying mechanotransduction are the chondrocytes of articular cartilage. Breakdown of this tissue results in decreased mobility, increased pain, and reduced quality of life.

Attitudes Towards Mental Health Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a Nationally Representative Sample of Irish Adults.

This study sought to determine the public's attitudes towards mental health services during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine the sociodemographic and psychological factors associated with these attitudes to gain an understanding of the best course of action to increase favourable attitudes. Data from the Republic of Ireland arm of the COVID-19 Psychological Research Consortium (C19PRC) study was used to fulfil the objectives of this study. Participants were asked to indicate their level of agreement with statements regarding mental health services and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Metabolic responses induced by compression of chondrocytes in variable-stiffness microenvironments.

Cells sense and respond to mechanical loads in a process called mechanotransduction. These processes are disrupted in the chondrocytes of cartilage during joint disease. A key driver of cellular mechanotransduction is the stiffness of the surrounding matrix.

Combining Targeted Metabolomic Data with a Model of Glucose Metabolism: Toward Progress in Chondrocyte Mechanotransduction.

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating disease likely involving altered metabolism of the chondrocytes in articular cartilage. Chondrocytes can respond metabolically to mechanical loads via cellular mechanotransduction, and metabolic changes are significant because they produce the precursors to the tissue matrix necessary for cartilage health. However, a comprehensive understanding of how energy metabolism changes with loading remains elusive.

Mechanobiological implications of articular cartilage crystals.

Purpose Of Review: Calcium crystals exist in both pathological and normal articular cartilage. The prevalence of these crystals dramatically increases with age, and crystals are typically found in osteoarthritic cartilage and synovial fluid. Relatively few studies have examined the effects of crystals on cartilage biomechanics or chondrocyte mechanotransduction.

Clinical and echographic analysis of ablative fractionated carbon dioxide laser in the treatment of photodamaged facial skin.

Background: Ablative fractional photothermolysis (AFP) has been reported to be effective in the treatment of photoaging.

Materials And Methods: Treatment was administered using an AFP device and assessed photographically 3 months after treatment by a blinded physician. Ultrasound measurements evaluated skin thickness and subepidermal low echogenic band thickness (SLEB), the portion of the papillary dermis filled with solar elastosis.

Sawtooth wave density analysis during REM sleep in normal volunteers.

Objective: Sawtooth waves (STW) are a characteristic EEG feature of REM sleep but their source and function are unknown. We previously reported stereotypical properties of STW at stage REM onset, and alterations in bulbar postpolio syndrome. This study analyzes STW features throughout REM, in order to test the hypothesis that sawtooth wave activity may be predictable and have a consistent relationship across REM periods.

Pure bacterial isolates that convert p-xylene to terephthalic acid.

Bacteria that grow on p-xylene, p-toluic acid, and terephthalic acid (TPA) were isolated from a wastewater bioreactor that is used to treat a waste stream that contains all three of these compounds. Although previously described aerobic bacteria degrade p-xylene by initially oxidizing a single methyl group to form p-toluic acid and then cleaving the aromatic ring, some of the bacteria isolated during this study transformed p-xylene by oxidizing both methyl groups to produce TPA.

Physiologic events initiating REM sleep in patients with the postpolio syndrome.

Background: We previously studied the occurrence of muscle tone reduction (MTR), sawtooth waves (STW), and REM in sleep, and found a stereotypical sequence of these events in normal subjects. Patients with the postpolio syndrome may have involvement of the reticular formation in the brainstem, an area known to mediate initiation of REM sleep. We hypothesized that such brainstem pathology might affect the stereotyped sequence of events initiating REM sleep.

Relationship between muscle tone changes, sawtooth waves and rapid eye movements during sleep.

'Sawtoothed' waves occur during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but their source as well as their function is not known. We studied the onset of sawtooth waves (STW) in relation to the onset of muscle tone reduction (MTR) and to REM during 20 polysomnographic recordings in 11 normal volunteers. Seventy-seven (85%) of a total of 91 REM sleep cycles were used for further analysis, because within a 1000 s interval they showed a relatively stereotyped sequence of events: a generalized body movement, followed by MTR, then the appearance of STW, and ending with the first REM.

Purification and characterization of extremely thermostable beta-mannanase, beta-mannosidase, and alpha-galactosidase from the hyperthermophilic eubacterium Thermotoga neapolitana 5068.

Thermostable and thermoactive beta-mannanase (1,4-beta-D-mannan mannanohydrolase [EC 3.2.1.

Characterization of extremely thermostable enzymatic breakers (alpha-1,6-galactosidase and beta-1,4-mannanase) from the hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga neapolitana 5068 for hydrolysis of guar gum.

An alpha-galactosidase and a beta-mannanase produced by the hyperthermophilic bacterium, Thermotoga neapolitana 5068 (TN5068), separately and together, were evaluated for their ability to hydrolyze guar gum in relation to viscosity reduction of guar-based hydraulic fracturing fluids used in oil and gas well stimulation. In such applications, premature guar gum hydrolysis at lower temperatures before the fracturing process is completed is undesirable, whereas thermostability and thermoactivity are advantageous. Hyperthermophilic enzymes presumably possess both characteristics.