Organokines,Sarcopenia, and Metabolic Repercussions: The Vicious Cycle and the Interplay with Exercise

Sarcopenia is a disease that becomes more prevalent as the population ages, since it is directly linked to the process of senility, which courses with muscle atrophy and loss of muscle strength. Over time, sarcopenia is linked to obesity, being known as sarcopenic obesity, and leads to other metabolic changes. At the molecular level, organokines act on different tissues and can improve or harm sarcopenia. It all depends on their production process, which is associated with factors such as physical exercise, the aging process, and metabolic diseases. Because of the seriousness of these repercussions, the aim of this literature review is to conduct a review on the relationship between organokines, sarcopenia, diabetes, and other metabolic repercussions, as well the role of physical exercise. To build this review, PubMed-Medline, Embase, and COCHRANE databases were searched, and only studies written in English were included. It was observed that myokines, adipokines, hepatokines, and osteokines had direct impacts on the pathophysiology of sarcopenia and its metabolic repercussions. Therefore, knowing how organokines act is very important to know their impacts on age, disease prevention, and how they can be related to the prevention of muscle loss.     

Monoclinic zirconia distributions in plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Phase composition in an air plasma-sprayed Y₂O₃-stabilized ZrO₂ (YSZ) top coating of a thermal barrier coating (TBC) system was characterized. Both the bulk phase content and localized pockets of monoclinic zirconia were measured with Raman spectroscopy. The starting powder consisted of ∼15 vol.% monoclinic zirconia, which decreased to ∼2 vol.% in the as-sprayed coating. Monoclinic zirconia was concentrated in porous pockets that were evenly distributed throughout the TBC. The pockets resulted from the presence of unmelted granules in the starting powder. The potential effect of the distributed monoclinic pockets on TBC performance is discussed.     

Responses of northern and western corn rootworms to semiochemical attractants in corn fields

Small plots (18 × 18 m) were treated with grids of cotton wicks that contained semiochemicals for adultDiabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence, the northern corn rootworm (NCR). In plots treated with eugenol (350 g/hectare), NCR were attracted to point sources of the compound, but there were no significant changes in numbers of either NCR orD. virgifera virgifera LeConte, the western corn rootworm (WCR), found on plants in the plots. In plots treated with 12.5 mg/hectare of 8R-methyl-2R-decyl propanoate (2R,8R-MDP, the apparent female-produced sex pheromone of NCR and WCR), males of both species were attracted to point sources, but beetles did not congregate within treated plots. With racemic 2,8-MDP at 1.0 g/hectare, male WCR were attracted into plots, but NCR of both sexes were strongly repelled. In a separate study, capture of beetles at pheromone-baited traps declined when the surrounding area contained wicks that emitted racemic 2,8-MDP. In treated plots, male WCR were relatively inefficient at finding pheromone sources. With NCR, emigration from plots could account totally for the observed 3- to 10-fold reduction in catch at 0.01–1.0 g/hectare.Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product does not constitute an endorsement by the USDA.     

Measurement of flash points: Apparatus,methodology, applications

The flash point provides a simple, convenient index for the flammability of diverse materials. In this paper, flash point apparatus and methodology are surveyed and some applications highlighted, including use in the study of spill control agents for flammable solvents. The reliability of the Setaflash closed tester is confirmed. The formulation and use of liquid mixtures to assure the performance of flash point testers is described.     

Bystander response to arterial bleeding: Helping skills, the decision-making process, and differentiating the helping response.

Explored the impact of variables on 2 different decisions in the decision-making process leading to help, using a mock injury involving arterial bleeding and 163 university students (100 females and 63 males). Expertise (Red Cross training), ambiguity, and number of bystanders were manipulated in a 2?×?2?×?2 design. The following responses were observed: nonhelp, ineffective direct help, indirect help, and direct help. The decision to help or not was affected by ambiguity, sex, and the presence or absence of other bystanders. Greater ambiguity led to less help; women helped less than men; fewer people helped when other bystanders were present. Expertise affected the decision leading to the type of help used but not the decision to help. Although training did not raise the intervention rate, it did dramatically change the effectiveness of the help used and could yield as many as 28 more saved lives out of 80 such incidents. Ineffective direct help occurred most frequently when the bystander was alone. The presence of other bystanders affected the type of indirect help that was used. (31 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Behavioral validation of several values from the Rokeach Value Scale as an index of honesty.

Of 131 female line workers responding to an attitude questionnaire, 39% returned the scoring pencil which was furnished with their questionnaire. It was hypothesized that the act of returning the pencils was related to the employee's feelings about being honest. As the great bulk of the employees were members of strict religious denominations, it was also hypothesized that the act of returning the pencils might be related to the hoped for attainment of a religious end state, i.e., salvation. Honest and Salvation are 2 of 36 values of the Rokeach Value Scale. Results are consistent with the hypotheses. In addition 2 other values, A World At Peace and Helpful appeared to distinguish between pencil returners and nonreturners. The Rokeach Value Scale may prove to be a potentially useful predictor of honesty in a corporate setting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biomimetic autoseparation of leukocytes from whole blood in a microfluidic device

Leukocytes comprise less than 1% of all blood cells. Enrichment of their number, starting from a sample of whole blood, is the required first step of many clinical and basic research assays. We created a microfluidic device that takes advantage of the intrinsic features of blood flow in the microcirculation, such as plasma skimming and leukocyte margination, to separate leukocytes directly from whole blood. It consists of a simple network of rectangular microchannels designed to enhance lateral migration of leukocytes and their subsequent extraction from the erythrocyte-depleted region near the sidewalls. A single pass through the device produces a 34-fold enrichment of the leukocyte-to-erythrocyte ratio. It operates on microliter samples of whole blood, provides positive, continuous flow selection of leukocytes, and requires neither preliminary labeling of cells nor input of energy (except for a small pressure gradient to support the flow of blood). This effortless, efficient, and inexpensive technology can be used as a lab-on-a-chip component for initial whole blood sample preparation. Its integration into microanalytical devices that require leukocyte enrichment will enable accelerated transition of these devices into the field for point-of-care clinical testing.     

RETRAN thermal-hydraulic analyses: Theory and applications

This paper summarizes the RETRAN Code from both a theory and application point of view. The main emphasis in the theory section is to describe the features of RETRAN beyond standard homogeneous equilibrium, point kinetic codes like RELAP4 and FLASH-4. The application section emphasizes loss of fluid test facility (LOFT) results, Three-Mile Island, and Peach bottom analyses for which data exist. Current limitations of the code are indicated.