Search results for "MARA"

Noise-Induced Vascular Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation Are Improved by Pharmacological Modulation of the NRF2/HO-1 Axis

2021

Vascular oxidative stress, inflammation, and subsequent endothelial dysfunction are consequences of traditional cardiovascular risk factors, all of which contribute to cardiovascular disease. Environmental stressors, such as traffic noise and air pollution, may also facilitate the development and progression of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In our previous studies, we investigated the influence of aircraft noise exposure on molecular mechanisms, identifying oxidative stress and inflammation as central players in mediating vascular function. The present study investigates the role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as an antioxidant response preventing vascular consequences following exposu…

2018

This study aims to identify the histological basis for the extraordinary, fast movement of the style in Marantaceae. Although this explosive pollination mechanism was subject of many studies, quantitative measurements to document volumetric changes have never been conducted. Based on physical parameters and limitations (poroelastic time), the movement itself is by far too fast to be explained by turgor changes solely. Therefore, we address the hypothesis that the style contains elastic structures to store energy allowing the fast movement. We provide an experimental approach in Goeppertia bachemiana to identify histological differences of styles in various states, i.e., steady, unreleased, …

2017

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by an insufficient suppression of autoreactive T lymphocytes. One reason for the lack of immunological control is the reduced responsiveness of T effector cells (Teff) for the suppressive properties of regulatory T cells (Treg), a process termed Treg resistance. Here we investigated whether the disease-modifying therapy of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) with dimethyl fumarate (DMF) influences the sensitivity of T cells in the peripheral blood of patients towards Treg-mediated suppression. We demonstrated that DMF restores responsiveness of Teff to the suppressive function of Treg in vitro, presumably by down-regulation of interle…

Dimethyl fumarate alters intracellular Ca2+ handling in immune cells by redox-mediated pleiotropic effects

2019

Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is widely used to treat the human autoimmune diseases multiple sclerosis (MS) and psoriasis. DMF causes short-term oxidative stress and activates the antioxidant response via the transcription factor Nrf2 but its immunosuppressive effect is not well understood. Immune cell activation depends on calcium signaling which itself is influenced by the cellular redox state. We therefore measured calcium, reactive oxygen species levels and glutathione content in lymphocytes from immunized mice before onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from MS patients treated with DMF, and in mouse splenocytes treated ex vivo with DMF. T…

SAT0025 THE EFFECT OF DIMETHYL FUMARATE ON PLASMABLAST DIFFERENTIATION TRANSCRIPTIONAL PROGRAMMES IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

2019

Background: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), is an immunomodulatory drug approved for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Psoriasis. The exact mechanism of action of DMF is not entirely known. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects have been observed, including the upregulation of NRF-2, the inhibition of TIGAR and the block of the E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBEL3. Further evidence from MS patients suggests a modulation on B cell activation. Although beneficial effects of DMF have been observed in animal models of lupus nephritis and limited cases human cutaneous lupus, the effect of DMF on B cell maturation transcriptional programmes in systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) has …

The changes in age of peak swim speed for elite male and female Swiss freestyle swimmers between 1994 and 2012

2014

This study determined the age and its changes across years of peak swimming performance from 50 to 1,500 m freestyle. Data of 70,059 Swiss freestyle swimmers (33,725 women and 36,334 men) aged 10-40 years and competing from 50 to 1,500 m were analysed. The association between age and swimming speed of the annual ten fastest swimmers was investigated using single and multi-level hierarchical regression analyses. For women, age of peak swimming speed increased in 50 m from 18.9 (s = 2.3) to 20.4 (s = 4.2) years but decreased in 1,500 m from 25.0 (s = 13.1) (1996) to 18.1 (s = 3.7) years. For 100-800 m, age remained at 19.1 (s = 1.1), 19.3 (s = 1.1), 18.7 (s = 1.5) and 18.5 (s = 1.3) years, re…

Sex differences in 24-hour ultra-marathon performance - A retrospective data analysis from 1977 to 2012

2013

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the changes in running performance and the sex differences between women and men in 24-hour ultra-marathons held worldwide from 1977 to 2012. METHOD: Changes in running speed and ages of the fastest 24-hour ultra-marathoners were determined using single- and multi-level regression analyses. RESULTS: From 1977 to 2012, the sex differences in 24-hour ultra-marathon performance were 4.6±0.5% for all women and men, 13.3% for the annual fastest finishers, 12.9±0.8% for the top 10 and 12.2±0.4% for the top 100 finishers. Over time, the sex differences decreased for the annual fastest finishers to 17%, for the annual 10 fastest finishers to 11.3±2.2% and for the ann…

Will women outrun men in ultra-marathon road races from 50 km to 1,000 km?

2014

Abstract It has been assumed that women would be able to outrun men in ultra-marathon running. The present study investigated the sex differences in running speed in ultra-marathons held worldwide from 50 km to 1,000 km. Changes in running speeds and the sex differences in running speeds in the annual fastest finishers in 50 km, 100 km, 200 km and 1,000 km events held worldwide from 1969–2012 were analysed using linear, non-linear and multi-level regression analyses. For the annual fastest and the annual ten fastest finishers, running speeds increased non-linearly in 50 km and 100 km, but not in 200 km and 1,000 km where running speeds remained unchanged for the annual fastest. The sex diff…

The aspect of nationality and performance in a mountain ultra-marathon-the ‘Swiss Alpine Marathon’

2012

Eichenberger E, Knechtle B, Rust CA, Lepers R, Rosemann T, Onywera VO. The aspect of nationality and performance in a mountain ultra-marathon - the ‘Swiss Alpine Marathon’ J. Hum. Sport Exerc. Vol. 7, No. 4, pp. 748-762, 2012. Runners from East Africa and especially from Kenya dominate middle- and longdistance running races worldwide. The aim of the present study was to investigate the participation and performance trends regarding the nationality of runners in a mountain ultra-marathon held in partially high alpine terrain. We hypothesized that Kenyan runners, living and training in the Great Rift Valley, a predominantly hilly, mountainous and altitudinous region like the Alps, would domin…

Performance of Kenyan athletes in mountain versus flat marathon running - An example in Switzerland

2013

Harm, C., Knechtle, B., Rust, A.C., Rosemann, T., Lepers, R. & Onywera, V. (2013). Performance of Kenyan athletes in mountain versus flat marathon running - An example in Switzerland. J. Hum. Sport Exerc., 8(4), pp.881-893. The purpose of this study was to compare running performance of Kenyans in a flat city marathon and a mountain marathon in Switzerland. Running times of top three overall Kenyan runners were compared with running times of top three overall runners of other nations in a mountain and a flat marathon held in Switzerland between 2003 and 2011. In the mountain marathon top three male Kenyans achieved with 199±23min the 11th fastest running time behind athletes from Italy (177…