title: A comparative proteomics study of skeletal muscle mitochondria from myostatin null mice

authors: Puddick, Jonathan

subjects: gastrocnemius muscle

abstract: Myostatin is a secreted protein which is known to be a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Numerous studies have demonstrated that down-regulating the expression of myostatin results in an increase in muscle mass. This increase in skeletal muscle is accompanied by a marked change in the muscle fibre composition from one reliant on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism to one more focused on glycolytic metabolism. A comparative proteomics study was undertaken to investigate the effect of this altered metabolism has on the mitochondria from the gastrocnemius muscle of myostatin null mice, compared with those from wild type mice. The majority of the proteins identified showed no significant modulation between the two phenotypes, but gives an interesting insight into observations made in previous studies. Several proteins were shown to be modulated; however, only one of these was able to be identified. This protein which had sequence similarity to aldehyde reductase, was up-regulated in myostatin null mitochondria. The significance of this observation remains to be established. Interestingly, this protein has been implicated in detoxification of harmful products of lipid peroxidation.

text: A comparative proteomics study of skeletal muscle mitochondria from myostatin null mice Myostatin is a secreted protein which is known to be a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. Numerous studies have demonstrated that down-regulating the expression of myostatin results in an increase in muscle mass. This increase in skeletal muscle is accompanied by a marked change in the muscle fibre composition from one reliant on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism to one more focused on glycolytic metabolism. A comparative proteomics study was undertaken to investigate the effect of this altered metabolism has on the mitochondria from the gastrocnemius muscle of myostatin null mice, compared with those from wild type mice. The majority of the proteins identified showed no significant modulation between the two phenotypes, but gives an interesting insight into observations made in previous studies. Several proteins were shown to be modulated; however, only one of these was able to be identified. This protein which had sequence similarity to aldehyde reductase, was up-regulated in myostatin null mitochondria. The significance of this observation remains to be established. Interestingly, this protein has been implicated in detoxification of harmful products of lipid peroxidation.

year: 2011

title: Weka: A machine learning workbench for data mining

authors: Frank, Eibe

subjects: computer science

abstract: The Weka workbench is an organized collection of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms and data preprocessing tools. The basic way of interacting with these methods is by invoking them from the command line. However, convenient interactive graphical user interfaces are provided for data exploration, for setting up large-scale experiments on distributed computing platforms, and for designing configurations for streamed data processing. These interfaces constitute an advanced environment for experimental data mining. The system is written in Java and distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

text: Weka: A machine learning workbench for data mining The Weka workbench is an organized collection of state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms and data preprocessing tools. The basic way of interacting with these methods is by invoking them from the command line. However, convenient interactive graphical user interfaces are provided for data exploration, for setting up large-scale experiments on distributed computing platforms, and for designing configurations for streamed data processing. These interfaces constitute an advanced environment for experimental data mining. The system is written in Java and distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

year: 2005

title: Health equity and wellbeing among older people's caregivers in New Zealand during COVID-19: Protocol for a qualitative study.

authors: Burholt, Vanessa

subjects: Aged

abstract: BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the challenges unpaid caregivers faced providing care to older people during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. Challenges may be especially pronounced for those experiencing inequitable access to health and social care. This participatory action research study, located in New Zealand, has four main objectives, (i) to understand the challenges and rewards associated with caregiving to older care recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions; (ii) to map and collate resources developed (or mobilised) by organisations during the pandemic; (iii) to co-produce policy recommendations, identify useful caregiver resources and practices, prioritise unmet needs (challenges); and, (iv) to use project results in knowledge translation, in order to improve caregivers access to resources, and raise the profile and recognition of caregivers contribution to society. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Māori, Pacific and rural-dwelling caregivers to 30 older care-recipients, and 30 representatives from organisations supporting caregivers in New Zealand will be interviewed. Combining data from the interviews and caregivers letters (from an archive of older people's pandemic experiences), framework analysis will be used to examine the interrelated systems of the human ecological model and the impact on caregiving experiences during the pandemic. Resources that service providers had created or used for caregivers and older people will be collated and categorised. Through co-production with caregivers and community partners we will produce three short films describing caregivers' pandemic experiences; identify a suite of resources for caregivers to use in future events requiring self-isolation, and in everyday life; and generate ideas to address unresolved issues.

text: Health equity and wellbeing among older people's caregivers in New Zealand during COVID-19: Protocol for a qualitative study. BACKGROUND: Knowledge of the challenges unpaid caregivers faced providing care to older people during the COVID-19 pandemic is limited. Challenges may be especially pronounced for those experiencing inequitable access to health and social care. This participatory action research study, located in New Zealand, has four main objectives, (i) to understand the challenges and rewards associated with caregiving to older care recipients during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions; (ii) to map and collate resources developed (or mobilised) by organisations during the pandemic; (iii) to co-produce policy recommendations, identify useful caregiver resources and practices, prioritise unmet needs (challenges); and, (iv) to use project results in knowledge translation, in order to improve caregivers access to resources, and raise the profile and recognition of caregivers contribution to society. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Māori, Pacific and rural-dwelling caregivers to 30 older care-recipients, and 30 representatives from organisations supporting caregivers in New Zealand will be interviewed. Combining data from the interviews and caregivers letters (from an archive of older people's pandemic experiences), framework analysis will be used to examine the interrelated systems of the human ecological model and the impact on caregiving experiences during the pandemic. Resources that service providers had created or used for caregivers and older people will be collated and categorised. Through co-production with caregivers and community partners we will produce three short films describing caregivers' pandemic experiences; identify a suite of resources for caregivers to use in future events requiring self-isolation, and in everyday life; and generate ideas to address unresolved issues.

year: 2022