An inactive lifestyle may increase the risk of environmentally induced asthma symptoms. In a new study, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency researchers found that sedentary rats exposed to varying degrees of ozone, a type of air pollution, had higher markers for chronic disease when compared to counterparts that were more active.
Smoking may lead to fibrosis in the heart and kidneys and can worsen existing kidney disease, according to a new study. The research team suggests that exposure to cigarette smoke negatively affects genetic messaging that controls tissue scarring.
Long-term estrogen treatment after menopause may increase the risk of new kidney damage and negatively affect women with abnormal kidney function.
Researchers are a step closer to understanding why cigarette smoke exposure during pregnancy may increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). SIDS is the unexplained, sudden death of a child younger than one year of age. A new study finds that prenatal cigarette smoke exposure in rats affected breathing responses and immune function of their offspring. Breathing and immune function are further negatively affected by high room temperatures.
Researchers have found new insights into sleep’s importance to overall health: it may give the immune system a chance to regroup at a time when the relative risk of infection is low. As the foundation of the human body’s immune system, large quantities of T cells—a type of white blood cell—are present in the bloodstream and are ready to attack viruses and other pathogens that invade the body. The research team observed that healthy volunteers had greatly reduced numbers of certain T cell subsets within three hours of falling asleep. While it’s unclear where the T cells go during sleep, the researchers have some guesses to where and why they migrate.
Twelve weeks of aerobic exercise significantly boosted testosterone levels in overweight and obese men, according to researchers from Tsukuba University and Ryutsu Keizai University in Japan. Increased levels were highest among men who exercised vigorously. The new findings will be presented at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting in Phoenix.
Fathers who exercise regularly before their children are conceived may program their offspring's genes with an increased risk for metabolic disorders, according to new research from East Carolina University. The surprising results, to be presented at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting, point to the identification of epigenetic markers that may change the process of diagnosis and management of chronic disease.
Exercise during pregnancy may be as effective in protecting the next generation from age-related health risks as efforts made during the offspring's own adulthood. Researchers from the University of Kentucky think that short-term lifestyle changes during pregnancy may have a long-lasting effect on future generations. Findings will be presented at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting.
Leading experts will convene at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting (Nov. 2–4 in Phoenix) to discuss current research and new findings on how exercise affects us at all stages of life, from preconception to old age. See highlighted research abstracts for Friday, November 4, below. Contact the APS Communications Office for full abstracts or to contact a member of the research team.
Previous studies show that as little as one week of overeating can impair glycemic control and insulin sensitivity. Just in time for holiday feasting, a new study by University of Michigan researchers finds that exercise can protect fat tissue from changes in inflammation levels and fat metabolism caused by a brief period of eating too many calories. Research will be presented at the Integrative Biology of Exercise meeting in Phoenix.
Genes, specifically those that modulate dopamine in the brain, may play a role in a person’s propensity to embrace or avoid exercise. Rodney Dishman of the University of Georgia will present findings from studies in rats and humans in his talk “Genetics of Exercise Avoidance” at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting in Phoenix.
People who meet recommended weekly physical activity guidelines are still at risk of developing chronic disease if they spend too much non-exercising time sitting. Researchers found that women sit more as they grow older, raising their risks even more. Peter Katzmarzyk of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center will present findings at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting.
Losing weight may not protect against colon and liver cancer, even though obesity is associated with increased risk of certain types of gastrointestinal malignancy.
Leading experts will convene at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting (Nov. 2–4 in Phoenix) to discuss current research and new findings on how exercise affects us at all stages of life, from preconception to old age. Read more about today's highlighted research abstracts. Contact the APS Communications Office for full abstracts or to contact a member of the research team.
Despite community colleges serving an important role in the STEM education pipeline, physiology students and faculty at these schools are not getting the same professional development and collaboration opportunities as their counterparts at four-year institutions.
Hundreds of researchers on the leading edge of exercise science will meet at the Integrative Biology of Exercise meeting in Phoenix (Nov. 2–4). Symposia topics will cover brain cell stress responses, metabolic diseases, mitochondrial signaling, sedentary behavior, exercise and pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, aging, stem cells and more.
Researchers have found clues to the causes of age-related hearing loss. The ability to track and understand speech in both quiet and noisy environments deteriorates due in part to speech processing declines in both the midbrain and cortex in older adults.
Researchers have found that interval exercise training (resistance-based and cardiovascular) improves endothelial function in older adults. Resistance interval training in particular could help reduce the risk of heart disease in adults with type 2 diabetes. The study is published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology—Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
Researchers have isolated an enzyme from bacteria present in human saliva that has potential as a therapy for celiac disease (CD), an autoimmune disorder that causes severe digestive and other health problems among sufferers when they consume gluten. The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for September.
Adding engineered bacteria into the guts of mice both kept them from gaining weight and protected them against some of the negative health effects of obesity. Researchers will present their findings today at the American Physiological Society’s Inflammation, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease conference.
Findings from a small study suggest that people who followed the Paleo diet for only eight weeks experienced positive effects on heart health. Preliminary findings from this research will be presented at the American Physiological Society’s Inflammation, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease conference.
Results from a new study suggest that small molecules known as microRNAs may be part of the pathway connecting inflammation with increased heart disease risk in obese people. The new findings will be presented at the American Physiological Society’s Inflammation, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease conference.
Using a new mouse model, researchers have found that stiffer arteries can also negatively affect memory and other critical brain processes. The findings, which may eventually reveal how arterial stiffness leads to Alzheimer’s and other diseases involving dementia, will be presented at the American Physiological Society’s Inflammation, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease conference.
A growing body of research points to the involvement of inflammation and the immune system on the development of cardiovascular disease. Cardiovascular physiologists and immunologists will meet to explore how these mechanisms interact at the Inflammation, Immunity and Cardiovascular Disease conference in Westminster, Colo., on Aug. 24–27, 2016.
Researchers report on how paternal intake of a high-fat diet causes changes in genes that lead to generational obesity and metabolic dysfunction. They also found that these effects in offspring can be significantly improved or abolished by feeding lower fat diet to subsequent generations. The article is published in AJP-Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Nearly 30 percent of newborn pups born to pregnant rats fed highly-oxidized (“off”) fish oil died within two days after birth, finds a new study by researchers at the Liggins Institute at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. The research is published in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology.
Carrying excess fat does not contribute to a warmer body in obese mice, a new study on the insulating effects of fat finds. The article is published in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism.
Group projects: Love them or hate them, working as a team is a necessary skill (or evil depending on who you ask). Researchers at Wright State University found that their natural science students anecdotally reported poor experiences working on teams. So they explored whether teaching students how to effectively function on teams positively affected learning outcomes and final grades.
Blueprinting may improve consistency of exams in the classroom year to year. A medical school professor will discuss how he successfully predicted students’ performance on a first-year medical course exam he developed using blueprinting at the APS Institute on Teaching and Learning Workshop.
Having undergraduate students take part in scientific discovery may be a viable way to keep students interested in STEM, according to a growing body of research by science educators and education researchers. Experts summarize the successes and challenges of discovery-based research courses at the American Physiological Society’s Institute on Teaching and Learning Workshop.
Dozens of undergraduate and professional school physiology educators will attend this workshop-intensive meeting to discuss best practices in physiology education, including: • The changing role of students and instructors in today’s classrooms • New teaching strategies that attendees can employ in their own classrooms • New research on student learning behaviors • Challenges of engaging millennial learners
APS has announced the 74 recipients of its 2016 Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowships. Recipients of the Society’s five summer fellowship programs spend an average of 10 weeks in the laboratory of an established scientist and APS member.
Repeated heat-related dehydration has been associated with increased risk of chronic kidney damage in mice. A new study in rats published in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology reports that drinking soft drinks to rehydrate worsened dehydration and kidney injury. This study is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.
Excess consumption of phosphate—commonly used in foods as a preservative, flavor enhancer and color stabilizer—over-activates nerves that raise blood pressure, leading to abnormally high blood pressure, a new study in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology reports. The findings highlight the need for further studies in humans to determine if the amount of added phosphate should be included on food labels.
Traumatic events early in life can increase levels of norepinephrine—the primary hormone responsible for preparing the body to react to stressful situations—in the gut, increasing the risk of developing chronic indigestion and anxiety during adulthood, a new study in American Journal of Physiology—Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology reports.
Chronic exposure to alcohol interferes with the pancreas’ ability to absorb vitamin C, potentially predisposing the body to pancreatitis and other pancreatic diseases, a new study in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology reports. The findings provide a link between chronic alcohol use and poor pancreatic health.
Patients with atherosclerosis are at a higher risk of osteoporosis. A new study published in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism reports that atherosclerosis reduces the number of bone-forming cells, leading to loss of bone density. This study is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.
Sjogren's syndrome affects an estimated four million people in the U.S., but diagnosis is often delayed because its symptoms are similar to other conditions. A new study in the American Journal of Physiology—Cell Physiology describes a protein with the potential to be an earlier and more precise indicator of the disease.
Vitamin A is important for heart development in embryos, but whether it has a role in maintaining heart health is unclear. A new study in American Journal of Physiology—Heart and Circulatory Physiology finds that the heart is able to respond to vitamin A and the amount of vitamin A present has an effect. However, whether the effects are beneficial or harmful is still a mystery.
APS is pleased to introduce the new members of its leadership: President Elect Dennis Brown, PhD, and Councilors Jennifer S. Pollock, PhD; Willis K. Samson, PhD; and Harold D. Schultz, PhD. The new officers were elected by the APS membership and took office in April.
Jane Reckelhoff, PhD, was installed as APS president in April. Reckelhoff is a Billy S. Guyton Distinguished Professor, director of the Women’s Health Research Center, director of research development for the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
New research presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting suggests that fat and blood sugar control and cardiovascular health start improving in the early stages of recovery before dramatic weight loss occurs.
Constant stress is associated with signs of poor blood vessel health and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. New research presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting in San Diego finds that aerobic exercise kept the blood vessels of stressed rats working normally.
Hundreds of athletes around the globe are competing in one-mile ice swims. Performance and human physiological response in water 5 degrees Celsius or less has not been well-studied. Researchers will present new data on how age, gender and environmental factors such as wind chill affect ice swimming performance at Experimental Biology 2016.
High levels of fructose similar to amounts consumed within the American diet may predispose individuals to fast-onset, salt-sensitive hypertension, according to New research presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting in San Diego.
Tobacco hornworm caterpillars eating a high-fat diet are smaller than their counterparts eating a medium- or low-fat diet. New research presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting found that fat decreased the caterpillars’ food consumption, leading to the smaller body size.
New research presented at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting suggests a runner’s pre-race anaerobic fitness capacity may be a key factor in determining who will have the fastest finishing times during grueling 50 km (31 mile) mountain ultramarathons.
Scientists have developed a genetically modified mouse with brain cells that light up when active. The new mouse will allow scientists to see how the brain processes information. This study is published in Journal of Neurophysiology and is highlighted as one of this month’s “best of the best” as part of the American Physiological Society’s APSselect program.
Leading research experts will discuss the physiology behind organ injury in alcohol abuse, the health impacts of diet, and adaptations to stress as part of the President's Symposium Series at the Experimental Biology 2016 meeting in San Diego. The series is anchored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Lecture by Nobel Laureate Roger Tsien, PhD.
An international team of researchers have published an extensive review of scientific literature on factors involved drowning fatalities in the journal Physiology. They outline how the fear of drowning, fitness level, fatigue, intoxication and other factors can contribute to negative outcomes and highlight warnings for people who may be at increased risk of drowning, such as those with heart conditions.
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