Université de Fribourg

Evolution of longevity improves immunity in Drosophila

Fabian, Daniel K. ; Garschall, Kathrin ; Klepsatel, Peter ; Santos-Matos, Gonçalo ; Sucena, Élio ; Kapun, Martin ; Lemaitre, Bruno ; Schlötterer, Christian ; Arking, Robert ; Flatt, Thomas

In: Evolution Letters, 2018, vol. 2, no. 6, p. 567–579

Much has been learned about the genetics of aging from studies in model organisms, but still little is known about naturally occurring alleles that contribute to variation in longevity. For example, analysis of mutants and transgenes has identified insulin signaling as a major regulator of longevity, yet whether standing variation in this pathway underlies microevolutionary changes in...

Université de Fribourg

Behavioral and neural adaptations in response to five weeks of balance training in older adults: a randomized controlled trial

Ruffieux, Jan ; Mouthon, Audrey ; Keller, Martin ; Wälchli, Michael ; Taube, Wolfgang

In: Journal of Negative Results in BioMedicine, 2017, vol. 16, p. 11

Background: While the positive effect of balance training on age-related impairments in postural stability is well-documented, the neural correlates of such training adaptations in older adults remain poorly understood. This study therefore aimed to shed more light on neural adaptations in response to balance training in older adults.Methods: Postural stability as well as spinal reflex and...

Université de Fribourg

Intracortical inhibition in the soleus muscle is reduced during the control of upright standing in both young and old adults

Papegaaij, Selma ; Baudry, Stéphane ; Négyesi, János ; Taube, Wolfgang ; Hortobágyi, Tibor

In: European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2016, vol. 116, no. 5, p. 959–967

Purpose: In a previous study, we reported that a short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) decreases in old but not in young adults when standing on foam vs. a rigid surface. Here, we examined if such an age by task difficulty interaction in motor cortical excitability also occurs in easier standing tasks.Methods: Fourteen young (23 ± 2.7 years) and fourteen old (65 ± 4.1 years)...

Université de Fribourg

Postural challenge affects motor cortical activity in young and old adults

Papegaaij, Selma ; Taube, Wolfgang ; Keeken, Helco G. van ; Otten, Egbert ; Baudry, Stéphane ; Hortobágyi, Tibor

In: Experimental Gerontology, 2016, vol. 73, p. 78–85

When humans voluntarily activate a muscle, intracortical inhibition decreases. Such a decrease also occurs in the presence of a postural challenge and more so with increasing age. Here, we examined age-related changes in motor cortical activity during postural and non-postural contractions with varying levels of postural challenge. Fourteen young (age 22) and twelve old adults (age 70) performed...

Université de Fribourg

Considering the degradation effects of amino-functional plasma polymer coatings for biomedical application

Hegemann, Dirk ; Hanselmann, Barbara ; Guimond, Sébastien ; Fortunato, Giuseppino ; Giraud, Marie-Noëlle ; Guex, Anne Géraldine

In: Surface and Coatings Technology, 2014, vol. 255, p. 90–95

Materials for biomedical applications typically involve surface engineering. Scaffolds used for tissue engineering, for example, require a surface functionalization in order to support cell growth. The deposition of functional plasma polymer coatings seems to be an attractive approach to modify substrates for biomedical applications.Possible degradation of highly functional plasma polymers and...

Université de Fribourg

mTOR signalling: the molecular interface connecting metabolic stress, aging and cardiovascular diseases

Yang, Zhihong ; Ming, Xiu-Fen

In: Obesity Reviews, 2012, vol. 13, no. S2, p. 58–68

The continuing increase in the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disorders such as type-II diabetes and an accelerating aging population globally will remain the major contributors to cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in the 21st century. It is well known that aging is highly associated with metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. Growing evidence also shows that obesity and metabolic...