Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by fat accumulation in the liver and is associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Activin A is a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF)-β superfamily and inhibits hepatocyte growth. Follistatin antagonizes the biological actions of activin. Exercise is an important therapeutic strategy to reduce the metabolic effects o...

Background: Techniques of sperm preparation require centrifugation to separate spermatozoa from the seminal plasma. The centrifugation can induce damage to the spermatozoa and increase reactive oxygen species(ROS) productionspecially in leukospermic speciemens that are associated with impaired function and fertilizing capacity. However in ICSI, fertilization can occure with damage DNA sperm but...

In the epic race for the egg, sperm have evolved cooperative teams that swim together. New research shows that some do even more: sperm seek out and swim with their relatives.

BACKGROUND Thorny catfishes exhibit large variations in swim bladder morphology. These organs are of different sizes, forms and may have simple or branched diverticula. The swim bladder plays an important role in otophysans because it enhances their hearing sensitivity by transmitting sound pressure fluctuations via ossicles to the inner ear. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS To investigate if a...

Fictive swimming was elicited in low-spinal immobilized turtles by electrically stimulating the contralateral dorsolateral funiculus (cDLF) at the level of the third postcervical segment (D(3)). Fictive hindlimb motor output was recorded as electroneurograms (ENGs) from up to five peripheral nerves on the right side, including three knee extensors (KE; iliotibialis [IT]-KE, ambiens [AM]-KE, and...

The inability to learn an adaptive coping strategy in a novel stressful condition leads to dysfunctional stress coping, a marker of mental disturbances. This study tested the involvement of dorsal striatal dopamine receptors in the dysfunctional coping with the Forced Swim test fostered by a previous experience of reduced food availability. Adult male mice were submitted to a temporary (12 days...

Microrobots have the potential to dramatically change many aspects of medicine by navigating through bodily fluids to perform targeted The International Journal of Robotics Research Vol. 28, No. 11–12, November/December 2009, pp. 1434–1447 DOI: 10.1177/0278364909341658 c The Author(s), 2009. Reprints and permissions: http://www.sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav Figures 1, 3, 5–10 appear in ...

Favourable comparison While special education for these children has made great strides in the last decade, often too little emphasis is placed upon the value of their physical recreation. Much can be achieved in this field, for physically the E.S.N, child often compares favourably with his more intelligently endowed brothers. John aged 12, cannot yet read and has an T.Q. of 65, but he can run ...