Effects of Atorvastatin on Resting and Peak Exercise Blood Pressure among Normotensive Men and Women.

Statins are the most widely prescribed and effective medication for reducing low density lipoprotein cholesterol. Statins may also lower resting blood pressure (BP); however, results are inconsistent. We sought to determine if the maximum dose of atorvastatin reduces resting BP and the peak systolic BP (SBP) achieved on a graded exercise stress test (GEST) among a large sample of 419 healthy men (48%) and women (52%).

SLC30A8 nonsynonymous variant is associated with recovery following exercise and skeletal muscle size and strength.

Genome-wide association studies have identified thousands of variants that are associated with numerous phenotypes. One such variant, rs13266634, a nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the solute carrier family 30 (zinc transporter) member eight gene, is associated with a 53% increase in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). We hypothesized that individuals with the protective allele against T2D would show a positive response to short-term and long-term resistance exercise.

Activation of nuclear factor-κB following muscle eccentric contractions in humans is localized primarily to skeletal muscle-residing pericytes.

Limited data exist on the molecular mechanisms that govern skeletal muscle regeneration in humans. This study characterized the early molecular alterations in humans to eccentric contractions (ECs), a stimulus known to induce a muscle regenerative response. Thirty-five subjects completed 100 ECs of the knee extensors with 1 leg, and muscle biopsies were taken from both legs 3 h post-EC.

Rhabdomyolysis in a collegiate football player.

Rhabdomyolysis is a serious, potentially life threatening condition that can develop unexpectedly under supervised training conditions. Here we present a case of exertional rhabdomyolysis occurring in a healthy, fit 18-year-old placekicker following a supervised practice session led by the team's strength and conditioning coach. The day after this session, the player experienced extreme pain and dark urine and sought treatment at a local emergency department.

New synaptic bouton formation is disrupted by misregulation of microtubule stability in aPKC mutants.

The Baz/Par-3-Par-6-aPKC complex is an evolutionarily conserved cassette critical for the development of polarity in epithelial cells, neuroblasts, and oocytes. aPKC is also implicated in long-term synaptic plasticity in mammals and the persistence of memory in flies, suggesting a synaptic function for this cassette. Here we show that at Drosophila glutamatergic synapses, aPKC controls the formation and structure of synapses by regulating microtubule (MT) dynamics.

Regulation of synaptic plasticity and synaptic vesicle dynamics by the PDZ protein Scribble.

The Drosophila tumor suppressor Scribble (Scrib) is a PDZ-containing protein required for maintaining epithelial cell polarity. At the larval neuromuscular junction, Scrib colocalizes and indirectly interacts with another tumor suppressor and PDZ protein, Discs-Large (Dlg). Previous studies demonstrate that Dlg is critical for development of normal synapse structure and function, as well as for normal synaptic Scrib localization.