Aging reveals a sex-dependent susceptibility of sarcospan-deficient mice to cardiometabolic disease.

Numerous genes including sarcospan (SSPN) have been designated as obesity-susceptibility genes by human genome-wide association studies. Variants in the SSPN locus have been linked with sex-dependent obesity-associated traits; however, this association has not been investigated in vivo. To delineate the role SSPN plays in regulating metabolism with potential to impact cardiac function, we subjected young and aged global SSPN-deficient (SSPN-/-) male and female mice to obesogenic conditions (60% fat diet). We hypothesized that loss of SSPN combined with metabolic stress would increase susceptibility of mice to cardiometabolic disease. Baseline and end-point assessments of several anthropometric parameters were performed including weight, glucose tolerance, and fat distribution of mice fed control (CD) and high-fat (HFD) diet. Doppler echocardiography was used to monitor cardiac function. White adipose and cardiac tissues were assessed for inflammation by histological, gene expression, and cytokine analysis. Overall, SSPN deficiency protected both sexes and ages from diet-induced obesity, with a greater effect in females. SSPN-/- HFD mice gained less weight than wild-type (WT) cohorts, while SSPN-/- CD groups increased weight. Furthermore, aged SSPN-/- mice developed glucose intolerance regardless of diet. Echocardiography showed preserved systolic function for all groups; however, aged SSPN-/- males exhibited significant increases in left ventricular mass (CD) and signs of diastolic dysfunction (HFD). Cytokine analysis revealed significantly increased IL-1α and IL-17Α in white adipose tissue from young SSPN-/- male mice, which may be protective from diet-induced obesity. Overall, these studies suggest that several sex-dependent mechanisms influence the role SSPN plays in metabolic responses that become evident with age.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Young and aged sarcospan (SSPN)-deficient mice were examined to assess the role of SSPN in obesity and cardiometabolic disease. Both sexes displayed a "leaner" phenotype in response to high-fat diet (HFD). Notably, several sex differences were identified in aged SSPN-deficient mice: 1) females developed glucose intolerance (control and HFD) and 2) males exhibited increased left ventricular mass (control) and diastolic dysfunction (HFD). Therefore, we conclude that SSPN exerts a sex-dependent influence on obesity-associated diseases.

Acute Effects of High-Intensity Interval Exercise While Wearing a Sauna Suit on Energy Expenditure and Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption.

ABSTRACT: Matthews, ARD, Astorino, TA, Crocker, GH, and Sheard, AC. Acute effects of high-intensity interval exercise while wearing a sauna suit on energy expenditure and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. J Strength Cond Res 36(9): 2427-2433, 2022-The use of sauna suits has increased because of claims that they enhance weight loss and increase body temperature during exercise. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine changes in energy expenditure (EE) and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in response to high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) while wearing a sauna suit. Twelve recreationally active men and women age = (28.7 ± 6.0 years) initially completed assessment of resting metabolic rate and maximal oxygen uptake. On two separate days, subjects completed HIIE consisting of ten 1-minute intervals at 85% peak power output, both with and without a sauna suit. Oxygen consumption, heart rate, and core temperature were continuously measured during and 1 hour after exercise. Energy expenditure during (285 ± 57 kcal vs. 271 ± 58 kcal) and post-exercise (123 ± 30 kcal vs. 113 ± 16 kcal) was significantly higher ( p = 0.025) with a sauna suit than without a sauna suit. However, EPOC (6.19 ± 4.46 L of O 2 vs. 4.25 ± 3.36 L of O 2 ; p = 0.05) was not significantly different 1 hour after exercise, and core temperature was similar ( p = 0.62) between conditions. Fat oxidation was significantly increased for 60 minutes after HIIE with a sauna suit ( p = 0.009). Wearing a sauna suit during HIIE elicits greater EE vs. not wearing a sauna suit, but the increase of 23 kcal may not benefit weight loss.

A novel automated peak frequency annotation algorithm for identifying deceleration zones and ventricular tachycardia ablation sites.

BACKGROUND: Current annotation of local fractionated signals during ventricular electroanatomic mapping (EAM) requires manual input subject to variability and error. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate a novel peak frequency (PF) annotation software for its ability to automatically detect late potentials (LPs) and local abnormal ventricular activity (LAVA), determine an optimal range for display, and assess its impact on isochronal late activation mapping (ILAM). METHODS: EAM data from 25 patients who underwent ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation were retrospectively analyzed. Samplings of electrogram PFs from areas of normal bipolar voltage, areas of low voltage, and areas of low voltage with fractioned signals were performed. An optimal range of frequency display was identified from these patients and applied to a validation cohort of 10 prospective patients to assess high PF within scar as a predictor of VT ablation target sites, in particular deceleration zones (DZs) identified by ILAM, LP, and LAVA. RESULTS: Voltage and PF ranges of normal endocardial tissue varied widely. Using 220 Hz as a frequency cutoff value in areas of low bipolar voltage, areas of high fractionation were identified with sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 85% There was no significant reduction in targeted DZ surface areas, and colocalization with DZs was observed in all cases. Applied to the prospective cohort, PF predicted fractionated areas and DZ in 9 of 10 patients. CONCLUSION: A PF annotation algorithm with a cutoff of 220 Hz accurately identifies areas of fractioned signals and accurately predicts DZs during ILAM.

Change in Exercise Performance and Markers of Acute Kidney Injury Following Heat Acclimation with Permissive Dehydration.

Implementing permissive dehydration (DEH) during short-term heat acclimation (HA) may accelerate adaptations to the heat. However, HA with DEH may augment risk for acute kidney injury (AKI). This study investigated the effect of HA with permissive DEH on time-trial performance and markers of AKI. Fourteen moderately trained men (age and VO2max = 25 ± 0.5 yr and 51.6 ± 1.8 mL.kg-1.min-1) were randomly assigned to DEH or euhydration (EUH). Time-trial performance and VO2max were assessed in a temperate environment before and after 7 d of HA. Heat acclimation consisted of 90 min of cycling in an environmental chamber (40 °C, 35% RH). Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) were assessed pre- and post-exercise on day 1 and day 7 of HA. Following HA, VO2max did not change in either group (p = 0.099); however, time-trial performance significantly improved (3%, p < 0.01) with no difference between groups (p = 0.485). Compared to pre-exercise, NGAL was not significantly different following day 1 and 7 of HA (p = 0.113) with no difference between groups (p = 0.667). There was a significant increase in KIM-1 following day 1 and 7 of HA (p = 0.002) with no difference between groups (p = 0.307). Heat acclimation paired with permissive DEH does not amplify improvements in VO2max or time-trial performance in a temperate environment versus EUH and does not increase markers of AKI.

Photonic bandgap properties of void-based body-centered-cubic photonic crystals in polymer.

We report on the fabrication and characterization of void-based body-centered-cubic (bcc) photonic crystals in a solidified transparent polymer by the use of a femtosecond laser-driven microexplosion method. The change in the refractive index in the region surrounding the void dots that form the bcc structures is verified by presenting confocal microscope images, and the bandgap properties are characterized by using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The effect of the angle of incidence on the photonic bandgaps is also studied. We observe multiple stop gaps with a suppression rate of the main gap of 47% for a bcc structure with a lattice constant of 2.77 microm, where the first and second stop gaps are located at 3.7 microm and 2.2 microm, respectively. We also present a theoretical approach to characterize the refractive index of the material for calculating the bandgap spectra, and confirm that the wavelengths of the observed bandgaps are in good correlation with the analytical predictions.