ER stress transforms random olfactory receptor choice into axon targeting precision.

Olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) convert the stochastic choice of one of >1,000 olfactory receptor (OR) genes into precise and stereotyped axon targeting of OR-specific glomeruli in the olfactory bulb. Here, we show that the PERK arm of the unfolded protein response (UPR) regulates both the glomerular coalescence of like axons and the specificity of their projections. Subtle differences in OR protein sequences lead to distinct patterns of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress during OSN development, converting OR identity into distinct gene expression signatures.

Intraoperative Hypotension-Physiologic Basis and Future Directions.

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) is a major concern to the anesthesiologist. Its appropriate identification and management require an understanding of the physiology of blood pressure regulation, prudent blood pressure monitoring, and treatment. Even short durations of low mean arterial pressure have been associated with adverse postoperative clinical outcomes.

An Examination of a Novel Weight Loss Supplement on Anthropometry and Indices of Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

Purpose: This study examined whether adding (DG; 300 mg/d) to thermogenic supplements with (DG + C) and without (DG) caffeine and other nutrients affects weight loss, changes in body composition, and/or markers of health.

Methods: Sixty-eight participants (female, 54%) were grouped in a double-blind, parallel, stratified random, placebo-controlled manner to supplement their diet with a placebo, DG, or DG + C for 12 weeks while maintaining their normal diet and physical activity. Diet, physical activity, body weight, body composition, anthropometric measures, resting energy expenditure, fasting blood samples, and questionnaires were obtained at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks and analyzed using general linear models with repeated measures.

Hematological and Hemodynamic Responses to Acute and Short-Term Creatine Nitrate Supplementation.

In a double-blind, crossover, randomized and placebo-controlled trial; 28 men and women ingested a placebo (PLA), 3 g of creatine nitrate (CNL), and 6 g of creatine nitrate (CNH) for 6 days. Participants repeated the experiment with the alternate supplements after a 7-day washout. Hemodynamic responses to a postural challenge, fasting blood samples, and bench press, leg press, and cycling time trial performance and recovery were assessed.

Short-Term Effects of a Ready-to-Drink Pre-Workout Beverage on Exercise Performance and Recovery.

In a double-blind, randomized and crossover manner, 25 resistance-trained participants ingested a placebo (PLA) beverage containing 12 g of dextrose and a beverage (RTD) containing caffeine (200 mg), β-alanine (2.1 g), arginine nitrate (1.3 g), niacin (65 mg), folic acid (325 mcg), and Vitamin B12 (45 mcg) for 7-days, separated by a 7-10-day.

Effects of acute ingestion of a pre-workout dietary supplement with and without synephrine on resting energy expenditure, cognitive function and exercise performance.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of acute ingestion of a pre-workout dietary supplement (PWS) with and without synephrine (S) on perceptions of readiness to perform, cognitive function, exercise performance, and markers of safety.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind, and counterbalanced manner; 25 healthy and recreationally active male and female participants ingested a flavored maltodextrin placebo (PLA), a PWS containing beta-alanine (3 g), creatine nitrate as a salt (2 g), arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (2 g), N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine (300 mg), caffeine (284 mg), extract standardized for 15% L-Dopa (15 mg), Vitamin C as Ascorbic Acid (500 mg), niacin (60 mg), folate as folic acid (50 mg), and Vitamin B12 as Methylcobalamin (70 mg) with 2 g of maltodextrin and flavoring; or, the PWS with (PWS + S) extract standardized for 30% -synephrine (20 mg). Participants had heart rate (HR), blood pressure, resting energy expenditure (REE), 12-lead electrocardiograms (ECG), perceptions about readiness to perform, cognitive function (Stroop Color-Word test), bench and leg press performance (2 sets of 10 repetitions at 70% of 1RM and 1 set to failure), and Wingate anaerobic capacity (WAC) sprint performance determined as well as donated blood samples prior to and/or following exercise/supplementation.

Efficacy of a randomized trial examining commercial weight loss programs and exercise on metabolic syndrome in overweight and obese women.

While commercial dietary weight-loss programs typically advise exercise, few provide actual programing. The goal of this study was to compare the Curves Complete 90-day Challenge (CC, n = 29), which incorporates exercising and diet, to programs advocating exercise (Weight Watchers Points Plus (WW, n = 29), Jenny Craig At Home (JC, n = 27), and Nutrisystem Advance Select (NS, n = 28)) or control (n = 20) on metabolic syndrome (MetS) and weight loss. We randomized 133 sedentary, overweight women (age, 47 ± 11 years; body mass, 86 ± 14 kg; body mass index, 35 ± 6 kg/m) into respective treatment groups for 12 weeks.

Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on acute endurance exercise performance in aerobically trained individuals.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether short-term supplementation of a powdered tart cherry supplement prior to and following stressful endurance exercise would affect markers of muscle damage, inflammation, oxidative stress, and/or muscle soreness.

Methods: 27 endurance-trained runners or triathlete (21.8 ± 3.

Acute and chronic safety and efficacy of dose dependent creatine nitrate supplementation and exercise performance.

Background: Creatine monohydrate (CrM) and nitrate are popular supplements for improving exercise performance; yet have not been investigated in combination. We performed two studies to determine the safety and exercise performance-characteristics of creatine nitrate (CrN) supplementation.

Methods: Study 1 participants (N = 13) ingested 1.

Effects of powdered Montmorency tart cherry supplementation on an acute bout of intense lower body strength exercise in resistance trained males.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine whether short-term ingestion of a powdered tart cherry supplement prior to and following intense resistance-exercise attenuates muscle soreness and recovery strength loss, while reducing markers of muscle damage, inflammation, and oxidative stress.

Methods: Twenty-three healthy, resistance-trained men (20.9 ± 2.

Chemosensory receptor specificity and regulation.

The senses provide a means by which data on the physical and chemical properties of the environment may be collected and meaningfully interpreted. Sensation begins at the periphery, where a multitude of different sensory cell types are activated by environmental stimuli as different as photons and odorant molecules. Stimulus sensitivity is due to expression of different cell surface sensory receptors, and therefore the receptive field of each sense is defined by the aggregate of expressed receptors in each sensory tissue.

Co-opting the unfolded protein response to elicit olfactory receptor feedback.

Olfactory receptor (OR) expression requires the transcriptional activation of 1 out of 1,000s of OR alleles and a feedback signal that preserves this transcriptional choice. The mechanism by which olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) detect ORs to signal to the nucleus remains elusive. Here, we show that OR proteins generate this feedback by activating the unfolded protein response (UPR).

Affinity purification of microRNA-133a with the cardiac transcription factor, Hand2.

Predictions of microRNA-mRNA interactions typically rely on bioinformatic algorithms, but these algorithms only suggest the possibility of microRNA binding and may miss important interactions as well as falsely predict others. We developed an affinity purification approach to empirically identify microRNAs associated with the 3'UTR of the mRNA encoding Hand2, a transcription factor essential for cardiac development. In addition to miR-1, a known regulator of Hand2 expression, we determined that the Hand2 3'UTR also associated with miR-133a, a microRNA cotranscribed with miR-1 in cardiac and muscle cells.

Genetic contribution to variation in larval development time, adult size, and longevity of starved adults of Anopheles gambiae.

The variation in mosquito life-history traits such as adult size has been studied with respect to environmental factors, but the genetic contribution to such variation has received almost no consideration. Using a full-sib design of F1s produced by wild caught Anopheles gambiae (M molecular form) females, we estimated broad-sense heritability of larval developmental time, adult size (based on dry weight and wing length), and longevity of starved adults. These traits were correlated (at the phenotypic level) with each other in females and males (|r(p)|>0.

Larval development of the molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) in different habitats: a transplantation experiment.

We compared the development of the molecular forms of Anopheles gambiae s.s. in different larval habitats.