Stage-specific analysis of plasma protein profiles in ovarian cancer: Difference in-gel electrophoresis analysis of pooled clinical samples.

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancer. Non-specific symptoms early in disease and the lack of specific biomarkers hinder early diagnosis. Multi-marker blood screening tests have shown promise for improving identification of early stage disease; however, available tests lack sensitivity, and specificity.

Peptidomic profiles of post myocardial infarction rats affinity depleted plasma using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry.

Background: Despite major advances in drug development, effective cardiovascular therapies and suitable cardiovascular biomarkers remain limited. The aim of this study was to leverage mass spectrometry (MS) based peptide profiling strategies to identify changes that occur in peptidomic profiles of rat plasma following coronary artery ligation generated myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: One week after MI, rats were randomized to receive either an ACE inhibitor (ramipril, Ram-1 mg/kg/day), or vehicle (Veh) for 12 weeks.

Identification of ovarian cancer-associated proteins in symptomatic women: A novel method for semi-quantitative plasma proteomics.

Purpose: To evaluate the utility of an enhanced biomarker discovery approach in order to identify potential biomarkers relevant to ovarian cancer detection.

Experimental Design: We combined immuno-depletion, liquid-phase IEF, 1D-DIGE, MALDI-TOF/MS and LC-MS/MS to identify differentially expressed proteins in the plasma of symptomatic ovarian cancer patients, stratified by stage, compared to samples obtained from normal subjects.

Results: We demonstrate that this approach is a practical alternative to traditional 2D gel techniques and that it has some advantages, most notably increased protein capacity.

Changes in passive tension after stretch of unexercised and eccentrically exercised human plantarflexor muscles.

The study measured the effect of stretch on passive mechanical properties in unexercised and eccentrically exercised plantarflexor muscles, to obtain insight into how stretch might serve athletes as a warm-up strategy. Passive torque, voluntary contraction strength and muscle soreness were measured before and after a large amplitude stretch given before and after a period of eccentric exercise and at 0, 1, 2 and 24 h later. Stretch of the unexercised muscle led to a 20% fall in passive torque which recovered within an hour.

Warm-up stretches reduce sensations of stiffness and soreness after eccentric exercise.

Purpose: A commonly used method for warm-up before exercise is to stretch muscles. How this benefits performance remains uncertain. After a period of eccentric exercise, there is muscle damage accompanied by an increase in passive tension, perceived as a sensation of increased stiffness in the exercised muscles.