Val A. Fajardo
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View article: Musculoskeletal responses to spaceflight: mechanisms, countermeasures, and key gaps
Musculoskeletal responses to spaceflight: mechanisms, countermeasures, and key gaps Open
Spaceflight and partial-gravity environments impose profound challenges to the human musculoskeletal system, driving rapid muscle atrophy, progressive bone loss, and tendon maladaptation. At the molecular level, unloading suppresses anabol…
View article: Beyond neural connections: Tissue crosstalk and cognitive health and function
Beyond neural connections: Tissue crosstalk and cognitive health and function Open
View article: Heat therapy increases brain HSP70 and BDNF content in male mice
Heat therapy increases brain HSP70 and BDNF content in male mice Open
Four weeks of heat therapy increases heat shock protein (HSP)70 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of mice, regions crucial for memory and cognition. These findings highlight the pr…
View article: Can the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 mimic the physiological effects of exercise on muscle and other organs?
Can the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 mimic the physiological effects of exercise on muscle and other organs? Open
Regular exercise is widely recognized for its numerous health benefits, including enhancing overall well-being, reducing the risk of or alleviating symptoms from various chronic diseases, and slowing the aging process. Consequently, exerci…
View article: Protocol for measuring beta-secretase activity in cell and tissue lysate using a fluorogenic peptide substrate in a 96-well format
Protocol for measuring beta-secretase activity in cell and tissue lysate using a fluorogenic peptide substrate in a 96-well format Open
View article: Impact of Female Space Travel on Progeny Health
Impact of Female Space Travel on Progeny Health Open
Spaceflight presents unique microgravity, hypergravity, radiation, and isolation hazards for astronauts. Notably, spaceflight impacts on many life sustaining physiologic systems (e.g., cardiac, musculoskeletal) are known, while impacts on …
View article: Heat therapy preserves myofibre size and <scp>SERCA</scp>‐mediated Ca<sup>2+</sup> uptake in the mouse soleus after tenotomy surgery
Heat therapy preserves myofibre size and <span>SERCA</span>‐mediated Ca<sup>2+</sup> uptake in the mouse soleus after tenotomy surgery Open
Heat therapy (HT) has been shown to induce physiological adaptations in muscle, including a reduction in the severity of muscle atrophy resulting from unloading. The muscle atrophy caused by unloading can be partially attributed to the dys…
View article: A Pilot 24-Week ‘Bulk and Cut’ Dietary Protocol Combined with Resistance Training Is Feasible and Improves Body Composition and TNF-α Concentrations in Untrained Adult Males
A Pilot 24-Week ‘Bulk and Cut’ Dietary Protocol Combined with Resistance Training Is Feasible and Improves Body Composition and TNF-α Concentrations in Untrained Adult Males Open
Background/Objectives: This study piloted a 24-week bodybuilding program combining resistance training (RT) with a dietary bulk-and-cut protocol in middle-aged adult males. Methods: Seven untrained males (33 ± 3.0 years; BMI = 35.0 ± 4.6 k…
View article: Housing Temperature Impacts the Systemic and Tissue‐Specific Molecular Responses to Cancer in Mice
Housing Temperature Impacts the Systemic and Tissue‐Specific Molecular Responses to Cancer in Mice Open
Background Cancer cachexia, affecting up to 80% of patients with cancer, is characterized by muscle and fat loss with functional decline. Preclinical research seeks to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying cachexia to identify potent…
View article: Subtherapeutic lithium supplementation causes physiological eccentric cardiac hypertrophy in young‐adult wild‐type male mice
Subtherapeutic lithium supplementation causes physiological eccentric cardiac hypertrophy in young‐adult wild‐type male mice Open
Six weeks of low‐dose lithium (Li) supplementation has been shown to improve the activity of cardiac sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum calcium (Ca 2+ )‐ATPase (SERCA) in C57BL/6J wild‐type (WT) male mice. Improvements in myocardial SERCA functi…
View article: A Pilot 24-Week ‘Bulk and Cut’ Dietary Protocol Combined with Resistance Training Is Feasible and Improves Body Composition and TNF-α Concentrations in Untrained Adult Males
A Pilot 24-Week ‘Bulk and Cut’ Dietary Protocol Combined with Resistance Training Is Feasible and Improves Body Composition and TNF-α Concentrations in Untrained Adult Males Open
Background/Objectives: This study piloted a 24-week bodybuilding program, combining resistance training (RT) with a dietary bulk and cut protocol, in middle-aged adult males. Methods: Eleven untrained males (34 ± 3.5 years) were introduced…
View article: The link between sarcopenic obesity and Alzheimer's disease: a brain‐derived neurotrophic factor point of view
The link between sarcopenic obesity and Alzheimer's disease: a brain‐derived neurotrophic factor point of view Open
Age‐related diseases are becoming more prominent as the lifespan of the global population rises. Many of these diseases coincide with each other and can even influence the onset of additional comorbidities. Sarcopenic obesity is described …
View article: Targeting GSK3 to attenuate spaceflight-induced SERCA dysfunction: Lessons from hindlimb-suspended mice
Targeting GSK3 to attenuate spaceflight-induced SERCA dysfunction: Lessons from hindlimb-suspended mice Open
View article: Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor drives muscle adaptation similar to aerobic training in mice
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor drives muscle adaptation similar to aerobic training in mice Open
This study, in vivo and in vitro, investigated the role of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in skeletal muscle adaptations to aerobic exercise. BDNF is a contraction‐induced protein that may play a role in muscle adaptations to aer…
View article: Immunotherapeutic targeting of aging‐associated isoDGR motif in chronic lung inflammation
Immunotherapeutic targeting of aging‐associated isoDGR motif in chronic lung inflammation Open
Accumulation of damaged biomolecules in body tissues is the primary cause of aging and age‐related chronic diseases. Since this damage often occurs spontaneously, it has traditionally been regarded as untreatable, with typical therapeutic …
View article: GSK3 inhibition improves skeletal muscle function and whole-body metabolism in male mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy
GSK3 inhibition improves skeletal muscle function and whole-body metabolism in male mouse models of Duchenne muscular dystrophy Open
View article: Examination of Akt and <scp>GSK3β</scp> in <scp>BDNF</scp>‐mediated reductions in <scp>BACE1</scp> activity in neuronal cells
Examination of Akt and <span>GSK3β</span> in <span>BDNF</span>‐mediated reductions in <span>BACE1</span> activity in neuronal cells Open
Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) content and signaling has been identified as one potential regulator of amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing. Recently published work has demonstrated that BDNF reduces BACE1 activity while al…
View article: Spaceflight increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak and this cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment
Spaceflight increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak and this cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment Open
View article: Carnosic Acid (CA) Induces a Brown Fat-like Phenotype, Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and Activates AMPK in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes
Carnosic Acid (CA) Induces a Brown Fat-like Phenotype, Increases Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and Activates AMPK in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes Open
Adipose tissue plays a crucial role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, and its dysfunction in obesity leads to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes (T2D). White adipose tissue (WAT) primarily stores energy as lipids, while brown adipos…
View article: Perimenopause Decreases SERCA2a Activity in the Hearts of a Mouse Model of Ovarian Failure
Perimenopause Decreases SERCA2a Activity in the Hearts of a Mouse Model of Ovarian Failure Open
Risk of cardiovascular disease mortality rises in women after menopause. While increased cardiovascular risk is largely attributed to postmenopausal declines in estrogens, the molecular changes in the heart that contribute to risk are poor…
View article: Housing temperature dictates the systemic and tissue-specific molecular responses to cancer in mice
Housing temperature dictates the systemic and tissue-specific molecular responses to cancer in mice Open
Summary Cancer cachexia is a metabolic condition affecting up to 80% of patients with cancer. Cachexia is mediated by reduced muscle and fat mass and impaired function, and it lowers survival for patients. With no approved drugs to treat c…
View article: Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Cell Survival and Proliferation by Carnosic Acid Is Associated with Inhibition of Akt and Activation of AMPK Signaling
Inhibition of Prostate Cancer Cell Survival and Proliferation by Carnosic Acid Is Associated with Inhibition of Akt and Activation of AMPK Signaling Open
Prostate cancer, accounting for 375,304 deaths in 2020, is the second most prevalent cancer in men worldwide. While many treatments exist for prostate cancer, novel therapeutic agents with higher efficacy are needed to target aggressive an…
View article: Creatine and low-dose lithium supplementation separately alter energy expenditure, body mass, and adipose metabolism for the promotion of thermogenesis
Creatine and low-dose lithium supplementation separately alter energy expenditure, body mass, and adipose metabolism for the promotion of thermogenesis Open
View article: Spaceflight increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca<sup>2+</sup>leak and this cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment
Spaceflight increases sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca<sup>2+</sup>leak and this cannot be counteracted with BuOE treatment Open
Spending time in a microgravity environment is known to cause significant skeletal muscle atrophy and weakness via muscle unloading, which can be partly attributed to Ca 2+ dysregulation. The sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2+ ATPase (SERC…
View article: An Animal Model for Muscular Flap Donor Site Morbidity: Ablation of Soleus and Gastrocnemius in Mice Results in Antagonistic Tibialis Anterior Muscle Atrophy:
An Animal Model for Muscular Flap Donor Site Morbidity: Ablation of Soleus and Gastrocnemius in Mice Results in Antagonistic Tibialis Anterior Muscle Atrophy: Open
Background: The creation of an animal model to understanding muscle flap donor site morbidity after free tissue transfer is needed. There is a paucity in the literature identifying biomechanical and molecular mechanisms of skeletal muscle …
View article: Explainable machine learning identifies multi-omics signatures of muscle response to spaceflight in mice
Explainable machine learning identifies multi-omics signatures of muscle response to spaceflight in mice Open
View article: Loss of neuronatin increases susceptibility of SERCA to thermal inactivation
Loss of neuronatin increases susceptibility of SERCA to thermal inactivation Open
Phospholamban and sarcolipin are two key regulators of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA) that have been shown to protect SERCA from thermal inactivation in muscle We have recently detected neuronatin (NNAT) in murine s…
View article: Effects of sclerostin injection on soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle tissue in male mice
Effects of sclerostin injection on soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscle tissue in male mice Open
Sclerostin, a potent inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway, plays a critical role in bone homeostasis. Evidence suggests that sclerostin may also be involved in crosstalk between other tissues, including muscle. This pilot study attempted…
View article: The Effects of an Anti-inflammatory Dietary Consultation on Self-efficacy, Adherence and Selected Health Outcomes: A Randomized Control Trial
The Effects of an Anti-inflammatory Dietary Consultation on Self-efficacy, Adherence and Selected Health Outcomes: A Randomized Control Trial Open
Research has shown that an anti-inflammatory diet can reduce inflammation and improve health outcomes in individuals with neurological disability, however, long term adherence is challenging. This study aimed to determine the effects of a …
View article: Explainable machine learning identifies multi-omics signatures of muscle response to spaceflight in mice
Explainable machine learning identifies multi-omics signatures of muscle response to spaceflight in mice Open
The adverse effects of microgravity exposure on mammalian physiology during spaceflight necessitate a deep understanding of the underlying mechanisms to develop effective countermeasures. One such concern is muscle atrophy, which is partly…