Ferruginous components of particulate matters in subway environments, α-Fe2O3 or Fe3O4, exacerbates allergies.

The respiratory effects of particulate matter (PM) in subway station platforms or tunnels have attracted considerable research attention. However, no studies have characterized the effects of subway PM on allergic immune responses. In this study, iron oxide (α-Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) particles-the main components of subway PM-were intratracheally administered to BALB/c mice where ovalbumin (OVA) induced allergic pulmonary inflammation. Iron oxide particles enhanced OVA-induced eosinophil recruitment around the bronchi and mucus production from airway epithelium. The concentrations of type 2 cytokines, namely, interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13, in bronchial alveolar lavage fluids were increased by iron oxide particles. Iron oxide particles also increased the number of type 2 innate lymphoid cells and CD86+ cells in the lung. Moreover, phagocytosis of particles in lung cells was confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. In a subsequent in vitro study, bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (APCs) isolated from NC/Nga mice were exposed to iron oxide particles and OVA. They were also exposed to outdoor ambient PM: Vehicle Exhaust Particulates (VEP) and Urban Aerosols (UA) as references. Iron oxide particles promoted the release of lactate dehydrogenase, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 and IL-1α from APCs, which tended to be stronger than those of VEP. These results suggest that iron oxide particles enhance antigen presentation in the lungs, promoting allergic immune response in mice; iron oxide particles-induced death and inflammatory response of APCs can contribute to allergy exacerbation. Although iron oxide particles do not contain various compounds like VEP, iron oxide alone may have sufficient influence.

Four weeks of lower-limb static stretching reduces regional arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older women.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to clarify whether habitual lower-limb stretching intervention reduces regional arterial stiffness at the stretched site in middle-aged and older women. METHODS: In this study, the effects of 4 weeks of lower-limb static stretching (of the hip extensor and flexor, knee extensor and flexor, and plantar flexor muscles) were investigated on systemic, central, and peripheral arterial stiffness using pulse wave velocity in 14 healthy middle-aged and older women randomly assigned to either a sedentary control group (67.3 ± 5.6 years; n = 7) or a stretching intervention group (63.4 ± 6.4 years; n = 7). RESULTS: The femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity (an index of peripheral arterial stiffness) significantly decreased in the intervention group (pre, 1222.4 ± 167.5 cm/s; post, 1122.0 ± 141.1 cm/s) but did not change in the control group (pre, 1122.7 ± 107.7 cm/s; post, 1139.9 ± 77.5 cm/s). However, the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity as an index of systemic arterial stiffness (control: pre, 1655.7 ± 296.8 cm/s, post, 1646.4 ± 232.1 cm/s; intervention: pre, 1637.6 ± 259.9 cm/s, post, 1560.8 ± 254.7 cm/s) and the carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity as an index of central arterial stiffness (control: pre, 1253.6 ± 346.4 cm/s, post, 1223.6 ± 263.4 cm/s; intervention: pre, 1125.4 ± 204.7 cm/s, post, 1024.9 ± 164.5 cm/s) did not change in either group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that lower-limb stretching interventions may reduce regional arterial stiffness at the stretched site.

Acute effects of the different relaxation periods during passive intermittent static stretching on arterial stiffness.

To clarify whether the relaxation period during stretching affects the degree of elevated shear rate and the degree of reduction of arterial stiffness, we examined relaxation duration to build an adequate stretching protocol. In Experiment 1, the changes in cardiac output, the shear rate in the posterior tibial artery, and blood volume in the calf muscle were measured during recovery (0-60 s) from a single bout of one-legged passive calf stretching in 12 healthy young men. In Experiment 2, the effects of different relaxation periods (5-, 10-, 20-, and 60-s) of passive one-legged intermittent calf stretching (30-s × 6 sets) on the femoral-ankle pulse wave velocity (faPWV) as an index of peripheral arterial stiffness were identified in 17 healthy young men. As a result, the stretched leg's shear rate significantly increased from 0 to 10th s after stretching. The muscle blood volume in the stretched leg significantly reduced during stretching, and then significantly increased during the recovery period after stretching; however, cardiac output remained unchanged during stretching and recovery. Additionally, the reduction in faPWV from the pre-stretching value in the stretched leg was significantly larger in the protocol with 10-s and 20-s relaxation periods than that in the non-stretched leg, but this did not differ in the 5-s and 60-s relaxation periods. These findings suggest that the relaxation periods of intermittent static stretching that cause a high transient increase in shear rate (via reperfusion after microvascular compression by the stretched calf muscles) are effective to reduce arterial stiffness.

Evolution of a Multiple Sex-Chromosome System by Three-Sequential Translocations among Potential Sex-Chromosomes in the Taiwanese Frog Odorrana swinhoana.

Translocation between sex-chromosomes and autosomes generates multiple sex-chromosome systems. It happens unexpectedly, and therefore, the evolutionary meaning is not clear. The current study shows a multiple sex chromosome system comprising three different chromosome pairs in a Taiwanese brown frog (Odorrana swinhoana). The male-specific three translocations created a system of six sex-chromosomes, ♂X1Y1X2Y2X3Y3-♀X1X1X2X2X3X3. It is unique in that the translocations occurred among three out of the six members of potential sex-determining chromosomes, which are known to be involved in sex-chromosome turnover in frogs, and the two out of three include orthologs of the sex-determining genes in mammals, birds and fishes. This rare case suggests sex-specific, nonrandom translocations and thus provides a new viewpoint for the evolutionary meaning of the multiple sex chromosome system.

Acute effect of passive one-legged intermittent static stretching on regional blood flow in young men.

PURPOSE: Passive stretching reduces stiffness in the lower limb arteries of the stretched limb. To address this physiological mechanism, we measured the change in shear rate in the posterior tibial artery during a single bout of one-legged passive calf stretching compared with that in the non-stretched leg. METHODS: The diameter, mean blood velocity, blood flow, and shear rate in the posterior tibial artery were measured using Doppler ultrasound before (baseline), during, and after a one-legged passive intermittent calf stretching procedure (six repetitions of 30-s static stretch with 10-s relaxation) in nine healthy young men. RESULTS: In the posterior tibial artery of the stretched leg, the arterial diameter significantly decreased from baseline during the stretching period (baseline vs. stretching period of the 6th set, 0.19 ± 0.01 vs. 0.18 ± 0.01 cm, P < 0.05) without any change in shear rate and mean blood velocity. In contrast, during the relaxation period, the mean blood velocity (baseline vs. relaxation period of the 5th set, 2.98 ± 0.54 vs. 6.25 ± 1.48 cm/s) increased, and consequently, the shear rate (baseline vs. relaxation period of the 5th set, 66.75 ± 15.39 vs. 122.85 ± 29.40 s-1) increased (each P < 0.01); however, there was no change in arterial diameter. In contrast, these values in the non-stretched leg were unchanged at all-time points. CONCLUSIONS: The stretching procedure increased the shear rate in the peripheral artery of the stretched leg during the relaxation period. This finding indicates that the local hemodynamic response (possibly through endothelial function), resulting from an increase in shear stress, may contribute to stretching-induced attenuation of local arterial stiffness.