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Gender-dependent Differences (gender-dependent + difference)
Selected AbstractsIntra- and intermuscular variation in human quadriceps femoris architecture assessed in vivoJOURNAL OF ANATOMY, Issue 3 2006Anthony J. Blazevich Abstract Despite the functional importance of the human quadriceps femoris in movements such as running, jumping, lifting and climbing, and the known effects of muscle architecture on muscle function, no research has fully described the complex architecture of this muscle group. We used ultrasound imaging techniques to measure muscle thickness, fascicle angle and fascicle length at multiple regions of the four quadriceps muscles in vivo in 31 recreationally active, but non-strength-trained adult men and women. Our analyses revealed a reasonable similarity in the superficial quadriceps muscles, which is suggestive of functional similarity (at least during the uni-joint knee extension task) given that they act via a common tendon. The deep vastus intermedius (VI) is architecturally dissimilar and therefore probably serves a different function(s). Architecture varies significantly along the length of the superficial muscles, which has implications for the accuracy of models that assume a constant intramuscular architecture. It might also have consequences for the efficiency of intra- and intermuscular force transmission. Our results provide some evidence that subjects with a given architecture of one superficial muscle, relative to the rest of the subject sample, also have a similar architecture in other superficial muscles. However, this is not necessarily true for vastus lateralis (VL), and was not the case for VI. Therefore, the relative architecture of one muscle cannot confidently be used to estimate the relative architecture of another. To confirm this, we calculated a value of whole quadriceps architecture by four different methods. Regardless of the method used, we found that the absolute or relative architecture of one muscle could not be used as an indicator of whole quadriceps architecture, although vastus medialis, possibly in concert with VL and the anterior portion of VI, could be used to provide a useful snapshot. Importantly, our estimates of whole quadriceps architecture show a gender difference in whole quadriceps muscle thickness, and that muscle thickness is positively correlated with fascicle angle whereas fascicle length is negatively, although weakly, correlated with fascicle angle. These results are supportive of the validity of estimates of whole quadriceps architecture. These data are interpreted with respect to their implications for neural control strategies, region-specific adaptations in muscle size in response to training, and gender-dependent differences in the response to exercise training. [source] Urinary protein fraction in healthy subjects using cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis followed by colloidal silver stainingJOURNAL OF CLINICAL LABORATORY ANALYSIS, Issue 4 2004Ryoko Machii Abstract We previously reported a rapid and highly sensitive colloidal silver staining solution suitable for the cellulose acetate membrane. This method was useful for detecting even very small amounts of urinary protein. In the present study, we examined urinary protein fractions in healthy subjects, using cellulose acetate membrane electrophoresis (CAE) with a highly sensitive colloidal silver staining, in an attempt to determine the clinical relevance of urinary protein fractions. Sixty unconcentrated spot urine specimens were analyzed by CAE and calculated by densitometry. All of the samples were separated into five fractions by CAE. The mean±1 SD of the percentage of five fractions was 28.37±8.51 in albumin, 4.30±4.19 in ,1 -globulin, 14.41±6.14 in ,2 -globulin, 19.45±7.10 in ,-globulin, and 33.46±8.24 in ,-globulin. The albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio was 0.41±0.17. These six items and the concentrations of total protein, albumin, and ,- N -acetyl- D -glucosaminidase (NAG) did not significantly differ between males and females. NAG is the marker of tubulointerstitial nephropathy. The results suggest that there are no gender-dependent differences in the urinary protein fractions of healthy subjects. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 18:231,236, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Effect of Chronic Ethanol Ingestion and Gender on Heart Left Ventricular p53 Gene ExpressionALCOHOLISM, Issue 8 2005Heidi Jänkälä Background: Although the beneficial effects of mild to moderate ethanol consumption have been implied with respect to heart, alcohol abuse has proven to be a major cause of nonischemic cardiomyopathy in Western society. However, the biochemical and molecular mechanisms, which mediate the pathologic cardiac effects of ethanol, remain largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of chronic ethanol exposure on cardiac apoptosis and expression of some of the genes associated with cardiac remodeling in vivo. Methods: Alcohol-avoiding Alko Non Alcohol rats of both sexes were used. The ethanol-exposed rats (females, n= 6; males, n= 8) were given 12% (v/v) ethanol as the only available fluid from age of three to 24 months of age. The control rats (females, n= 7; males, n= 5) had only water available. At the end of the experiment, free walls of left ventricles of hearts were immediately frozen. Cytosolic DNA fragmentation, reflecting apoptosis, was measured using a commercial quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit, and mRNA levels were analyzed using a quantitative reverse transcriptase,polymerase chain reaction method. Results: Ethanol treatment for two years increased cardiac left ventricular p53 mRNA levels significantly (p= 0.014) compared with control rats. The gene expression was also dependent on the gender (p= 0.001), so that male rats had higher left ventricular p53 mRNA levels than female rats. However, no significant differences in levels of DNA fragmentation were detected. Conclusions: Chronic ethanol exposure in vivo induces rat cardiac left ventricular p53 gene expression. Expression of p53 is also gender-dependent, males having higher p53 mRNA levels than females. This preliminary finding suggests a role for the p53 gene in ethanol-induced cardiac remodeling. The results might also have some relevance for the known gender-dependent differences in propensity to cardiovascular disease. [source] Detection of muscarinic receptor subtypes in human urinary bladder mucosa: Age and gender-dependent modifications,,§NEUROUROLOGY AND URODYNAMICS, Issue 5 2008Nicola Arrighi Abstract Aims Muscarinic receptor subtypes expressed in the human urinary bladder mucosa were characterized, investigating whether there were gender-dependent differences and if aging could induce changes in their expression. Methods The study was carried out on 34 subjects, 22 men and 12 women, divided in four groups, based on gender and age. Gene expression was evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR. The Western blot was performed using the 4,12% NuPAGE Bis,Tris Gel System. Results The molecular expression of each subtype of the M1 receptor family was observed and it was not influenced either by gender or age. M2 receptor family transcripts revealed that both M2 and M4 were detected and that the M2 transcripts were modified by both gender and age. Indeed, M2 mRNA was lower in old rather than adult men (P,<,0.05), but higher in rather old than adult women (P,<,0.05). Further, adult men expressed more M2 mRNA than adult women (P,<,0.05), while the opposite was detected in old age (P,<,0.05). The Western blot followed by quantification confirmed that the mRNAs were translated into proteins, and that the M2 subtype showed similar modifications found at molecular level. Discussion The selective modification of M2 receptors observed at the urinary bladder mucosa levels indicates that this anatomical structure could play an active role in the pathophysiology of micturition and supports evidence suggesting an effect of antimuscarinic drugs at this level. Whether these results may influence the age-dependent development of micturition disorders remains to be determined. Neurourol. Urodynam. 27:421,428, 2008. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||