The vascular index of MG muscle was significantly increased only for the WBV condition [paretic from 0.55 ± 0.07 to 1.08 ± 0.18 (p = 0.001); non-paretic from 0.82 ± 0.09 to 1.01 ± 0.13 (p  less then  0.001)], which lasted for 3 minutes and 5 minutes, respectively. No significant change of the shear modulus in the MG muscle was observed, regardless of the testing condition. Based on our results, WBV had an acute effect on modulating spastic hypertonia dominated by hyperreflexia in people with chronic stroke and facilitating greater intramuscular blood perfusion. No acute effect on passive muscle stiffness was observed.Ventilation heterogeneity is frequent in bronchial asthma and can be assessed using multiple breath wash-out testing (MBW). Most data is available in paediatric patients and using nitrogen as a tracer gas. We aimed to evaluate sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) MBW in adult asthmatics. Spirometry, whole-body plethysmography, impulse oscillometry and SF6-MBW were prospectively performed. MBW parameters reflecting global (lung clearance index, LCI), acinar (Sacin) and conductive (Scond) ventilation heterogeneity were derived from three consecutive wash-outs. LCI was calculated for the traditional 2.5% and an earlier 5% stopping point that has the potential to reduce wash-out times. 91 asthmatics (66%) and 47 non-asthmatic controls (34%) were included in final analysis. LCI2.5 and LCI5 were higher in asthmatics (p  less then  0.001). Likewise, Sacin and Scond were elevated (p  less then  0.001 and p  less then  0.01).  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/ki696.html  Coefficient of variation was 3.4% for LCI2.5 and 3.5% for LCI5 in asthmatics. Forty-one asthmatic patients had normal spirometry. ROC analysis revealed an AUC of 0.906 for the differentiation from non-asthmatic controls exceeding diagnostic performance of individual and conventional parameters (AUC = 0.819, p  less then  0.05). SF6-MBW is feasible and reproducible in adult asthmatics. Ventilation heterogeneity is increased as compared to non-asthmatic controls persisting in asthmatic patients with normal spirometry. Diagnostic performance is not affected using an earlier LCI stopping point while reducing wash-out duration considerably.A few studies have explored the association between depression and sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL). This study was aimed to investigate the reciprocal relations between SSNHL and depression using a nationwide cohort of the Korean population. Subjects aged > 20 years from the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort were enrolled from 2002 to 2013. In study I, a total of 60,178 depressed patients were matched 14 with 242,872 control I subjects. In study II, a total of 4,328 SSNHL patients were 14 matched with 17,312 control II subjects. They were matched for age, sex, income, and region of residence. The Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was adjusted. Subgroup analysis was performed according to age and sex. The crude and adjusted CCI hazard ratios (HRs) of SSNHL in depressed patients (study I) and depression in SSNHL patients (study II) were analyzed using the stratified Cox proportional-hazard model. In study I, the depression group exhibited an elevated adjusted HR of SSNHL 1.16 times that of the control group (confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.02-1.31, P  less then  0.023). The middle-aged women subgroup demonstrated an increased risk of SSNHL within the depression group. In study II, the SSNHL group showed a higher adjusted HR of depression 1.29 times that of control II group (95% CI = 1.06-1.57, P = 0.010). The middle-aged women subgroup showed an elevated risk of depression in the SSNHL group. The risk of SSNHL was elevated in the depressed patients and the risk of depression was increased in the SSNHL patients.The metabolism-controlled differentiation of αβ T cells has been well documented; however, the role of a metabolism program in γδ T cell differentiation and function has not been clarified. Here, using CD2-cre; mTORC1 Raptor-f/f, and mTORC2 Rictor-f/f mice (KO mice), we found that mTORC1, but not mTORC2, was required for the proliferation and survival of peripheral γδ T cells, especially Vγ4 γδ T cells. Moreover, mTORC1 was essential for both γδ T1 and γδ Τ17 differentiation, whereas mTORC2 was required for γδ T17, but not for γδ Τ1, differentiation. We further studied the underlying molecular mechanisms and found that depletion of mTORC1 resulted in the increased expression of SOCS1, which in turn suppressed the key transcription factor Eomes, consequentially reducing IFN-γ production. Whereas the reduced glycolysis resulted in impaired γδ Τ17 differentiation in Raptor KO γδ T cells. In contrast, mTORC2 potentiated γδ Τ17 induction by suppressing mitochondrial ROS (mitoROS) production. Consistent with their cytokine production profiles, the Raptor KO γδ T cells lost their anti-tumor function both in vitro and in vivo, whereas both Raptor and Rictor KO mice were resistant to imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasis-like skin pathogenesis. In summary, we identified previously unknown functions of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in γδ T cell differentiation and clarified their divergent roles in mediating the activity of γδ T cells in tumors and autoimmunity.Aspergillus niger is used by the industry to produce enzymes and metabolites such as citric acid. In liquid cultures, it can grow as a dispersed mycelium or as micro-colonies with a width in the micrometer to millimeter range. Here, it was assessed whether expression of genes encoding secreted enzymes depends on mycelium morphology. To this end, expression of the reporter gene gfp from the promoters of the glucoamylase gene glaA, the feruloyl esterase gene faeA and the α-glucuronidase gene aguA was causally related to micro-colony size within a liquid shaken culture. Data could be fitted by hyperbolic functions, implying that the genes encoding these secreted proteins are expressed in a shell at the periphery of the micro-colony. The presence of such a shell was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Modelling predicted that the width of these zones was 13 to 156 µm depending on growth medium and micro-colony diameter. Together, data indicate that the highest productive micro-colonies are those colonies that have a radius ≤ the width of the peripheral expression zone.