These data indicate that significant and similar improvements in strength, endurance, and stair climbing time can be obtained in older adults as a consequence of high- or low-intensity resistance exercise training. These findings may have an effect on how resistance exercise is prescribed to older adults.

No abstract

Evidence is presented that supports the contention that a small subset of patients who experience viral load elevations after influenza vaccination can develop mutational changes in the RT region of the viral genome either acutely or after a failure of the viral load to return to undetectable levels.

Targeting of endothelin system genes is a promising strategy in cancer therapy. The modulation of these genes was explored in a model of colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastasis and in a panel of CRC tumor cell lines that were exposed to the demethylating agent decitabine. The CC531 rat model mimicking CRC liver metastasis was used for tumor cell re-isolation and analysis of the endothelin system genes and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) by microarray. To mimic the effects caused by methylation changes, a panel of seven CRC cell lines was treated with the demethylating agent decitabine. Three genes of the endothelin system were potently modulated at messenger RNA (mRNA) level in rat CC531 cells during liver colonization. The concomitant decrease of two DNMTs suggested an influence from altered methylation. Changes in gene expression were also accomplished by exposure of CRC cells to the demethylating agent decitabine, when using daily low concentrations for 3 days, with minimal cytotoxic effects. Sensitive human SW480 cells showed an almost 100fold upregulation of endothelin-1 mRNA compared to untreated cells. This, however, was different in LS174T cells, which showed no significant increase in gene expression although the methylation levels were significantly decreased at a variety of corresponding loci. We suggest that the mechanism induced by methylation on gene expression in metastatic CRC cells can be compromised. The results question the overall success of treating metastatic CRC by methylation inhibitors.

The study seeks to characterize socio-economic and farm characteristics of small ruminant smallholders in four districts of northern Egypt. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection from 60 small ruminants' farmers and analyzed with descriptive statistics. Findings show that the average age of respondents included in this study was about 46.6±13.6 years and across the four districts farmer age was not significantly different. The present results showed a high illiteracy rate (75%) among small ruminant farmers across the four districts. Majority (68.4%) of the respondents were identified themselves as full-time farmers, derived that household income from the sale of crops and/or animals only. However, the average household size was 6.2±2.2 persons and about 66.2% of household size are men. The results cleared a positive relationship between education level and access to off farm job. The average land holding per household in the study area is estimated as 6.6±3.3 acres. There is negative correlation between total land holding and herd size. Across the four districts, the data showed that the overall average of herd size consists of 68.1% sheep, 21.1% goats and 10.8% large ruminant. Suckling age represent larger proportion in the flock for sheep and goats, while breeding females is the second largest age group in the flock. On the other hand, lamb/kid is the lowest age groups in the flock which indicated that farmers are forced to rely early marketing of their lambs/kids. Thus, socio-economic and farm characteristics offer significant input in designing effective small ruminant programs.