The physical activity patterns of cardiac rehabilitation program participants

PURPOSE: This investigation aimed to examine the physical activity patterns of cardiac rehabilitation program (CRP) participants. METHODS: The investigation enrolled 53 male and 24 female CRP participants between 46 and 88 years of age. By means of a uniaxial accelerometer (Life-Corder), the amount of physical activity (in kilocalories) and the time spent in physical activity at light (<3 metabolic equivalents [METs]), moderate (3 to 6 METs), and vigorous (>6 METs) intensity were evaluated. In addition to these variables, the MET levels for the CRP and non-CRP periods were calculated. RESULTS: The weekly amount of physical activity energy expenditure averaged 1597 +/- 846 kcal/week, and the time spent in light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity averaged, respectively, 375.5 +/- 124.5 minutes, 125.2 +/- 109.4 minutes, and 5.7 +/- 12.8 minutes per week. These levels were significantly lower on non-CRP days than on CRP days: 177 +/- 113 versus 299 +/- 161 kcal/day and, respectively, 49.3 +/- 19.3 versus 59.7 +/- 19.8 minutes, 10.5 +/- 14.6 versus 26.4 +/- 20.4 minutes, and 0.4 +/- 1.7 versus 1.4 +/- 3.0 minutes per day. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the amount of physical activity was generally adequate on CRP days, but failed to reach target levels on non-CRP days. Thus CRP participants, when it is medically appropriate, should be encouraged to incorporate lifestyle physical activity, additional exercise, or both on non-CRP days to supplement their caloric expenditure from CRP exercise sessions.     

Direct demonstration of the cross-bridge recovery stroke in muscle thick filaments in aqueous solution by using the hydration chamber

Despite >50 years of research work since the discovery of sliding filament mechanism in muscle contraction, structural details of the coupling of cyclic cross-bridge movement to ATP hydrolysis are not yet fully understood. An example would be whether lever arm tilting on the myosin filament backbone will occur in the absence of actin. The most direct way to elucidate such movement is to record ATP-induced cross-bridge movement in hydrated thick filaments. Using the hydration chamber, with which biological specimens can be kept in an aqueous environment in an electron microscope, we have succeeded in recording ATP-induced cross-bridge movement in hydrated thick filaments consisting of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin, with gold position markers attached to the cross-bridges. The position of individual cross-bridges did not change appreciably with time in the absence of ATP, indicating stability of time-averaged cross-bridge mean position. On application of ATP, individual cross-bridges moved nearly parallel to the filament long axis. The amplitude of the ATP-induced cross-bridge movement showed a peak at 5–7.5 nm. At both sides of the filament bare region, across which the cross-bridge polarity was reversed, the cross-bridges were found to move away from, but not toward, the bare region. Application of ADP produced no appreciable cross-bridge movement. Because ATP reacts rapidly with the cross-bridges (M) to form complex (M·ADP·Pi) with an average lifetime >10 s, the observed cross-bridge movement is associated with reaction, M + ATP → M·ADP·Pi. The cross-bridges were observed to return to their initial position after exhaustion of ATP. These results constitute direct demonstration of the cross-bridge recovery stroke.     

Fcγ receptor expression on hepatic macrophages and histological activity of chronic hepatitis

Abstract: Aims/Background: Activated liver macrophages in chronic hepatitis express a high affinity receptor for IgG named FcγRI. This study was performed to find the difference in FcγRI expression between chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and C (CHC) with reference to histological activity. Methods: Consecutive patients with CHB (20 cases) and CHC (25 cases) were enrolled in the study. Inflammatory activity was evaluated using the modified histological activity index (HAI). FcγRI-positive macrophages were quantitatively measured by computer assisted morphometry. Results: Total HAI score was significantly higher in CHB than in CHC. Confluent necrosis was observed in significantly higher frequency in CHB at Stages 3–5 than in CHC. The percentage area of FcγRI-positive macrophages was significantly higher in CHB than in CHC. In CHB, the percentage area of FcγRI-positive macrophages correlated with total HAI (< 0.01) as well as the degree of confluent necrosis (< 0.01), interface hepatitis (< 0.05) and portal inflammation (< 0.05). FcγRI-positive macrophages accumulated mainly at the site of confluent necrosis. In CHC, no correlation was observed between activated macrophages and any histological categories. Conclusion: These results suggest that FcγRI-positive macrophages are associated with confluent necrosis in CHB, which is more common in CHB patients than in CHC.     

A case of Farmer's lung accompaign with caseous granuloma, monitored with serum KL-6 and SP-D]

A 65-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a productive cough, fever, and dyspnea; his chest radiographs revealed diffuse nodular and ground-glass opacities. He had worked on a farm for 11 years. Six months earlier, he had presented with similar symptoms at another hospital, and was admitted with suspected atypical pneumonia. After treatment with antibiotics, his condition improved and he was discharged. Examination on admission to our hospital revealed markedly elevated serum KL-6 levels. Histological findings from specimens obtained by video-assisted thoracic surgical lung biopsy showed caseating and non-caseating epitheloid cell granuloma, lymphocyte infiltration, and alveolitis. Bacteriological tests for mycobacteria and fungi were all negative. Farmer's lung was diagnosed in accordance with the criteria for hypersensitive pneumonia. It is generally accepted that the distinguishing histological finding for Farmer's lung disease is non-caseating epitheloid cell granuloma, but in this case, caseous granuloma was also present.     

Long-Term survivor of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma after two hepatic resections

We report here a long-term survivor of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 37-year-old Japanese man complained of sudden abdominal pain after taking an alcoholic drink. Ultrasonographic examination showed a large amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Emergency laparotomy was performed. A solid mass showing extrahepatic growth was present in the right lobe of the liver. No active bleeding site was detected, but the tumor was covered with old blood coagula. The tumor was covered with the greater omentum to prevent further hemorrhage. Following assessment of the extent of the tumor and of liver function, delayed hepatectomy was performed. Histological examination indicated the tumor to be HCC. Twenty-six months after initial hepatic resection, partial resection of the liver was performed again for recurrent tumor. The patient has survived without recurrence for more than 5 years. The long survival was due, we believe to the liver being non-cirrhotic, the delayed hepatic resection, and the early detection of the recurrent tumor.     

Unusual radiological findings of Fasciola hepatica infection with huge cystic and multilocular lesions

This report describes a case of hepatic phase Fasciola hepatica infection presenting huge and multilocular lesions. The unique radiological findings mimicked hydatid diseases and also cystic liver neoplasm. Fascioliasis should be included in the differential diagnosis for cystic liver diseases.     

Abnormal factor VIII Hiroshima: defect in crucial proteolytic cleavage by thrombin at Arg1689 detected by a novel ELISA

We have established an ELISA for detecting thrombin cleavage of the FVIII light chain at Arg¹⁶⁸⁹. The method used a coating alloantibody which recognized amino acid residues 2248–2312 in the C2 domain, together with a second monoclonal antibody, NMC-VIII/10, which recognized residues 1675–1684 in the amino-terminal region of the light chain. FVIII antigen (FVIII:Ag) was measured after treatment of plasma with various concentrations of thrombin. The FVIII:Ag of normal plasma was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by the thrombin, falling to 28% in the presence of 100 U/ml enzyme. The concentration of thrombin that achieved 50% reduction (IC₅₀) was approximately 1·0 U/ml. The plasma of four haemophilia A positive (A⁺) and two haemophilia A reduced (A^R) patients were analysed. The IC₅₀ of all patients was more than 1·0 U/ml, indicating that thrombin cleavage of the FVIII light chain was defective. One haemophilia A⁺ plasma did not respond to thrombin in this ELISA system. The patient (TI) was a haemophiliac with FVIII coagulant activity of 0·04 U/ml and FVIII:Ag of 1·78 U/ml. In addition, immunoblotting of the purified FVIII from TI showed that thrombin cleavage of the 80 kilodalton (kD) light chain was impaired. The patient's DNA was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction with a set of synthetic oligonucleotide primers spanning amino acid residues 1646–1714. Sequence analysis of the amplified DNA fragments revealed a cytosine to thymine transition, converting an arginine 1689 to cysteine. This abnormal FVIII was designated as FVIII Hiroshima. Our ELISA system is a simple and useful method of evaluating the proteolytic cleavage by thrombin at Arg¹⁶⁸⁹.     

Hyperplastic foci reflect the risk of multicentric development of human hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/Aims: Identification of the risk factors of multicentric hepatocarcinogenesis is important for the clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma. We investigated hyperplastic foci in non-cancerous liver parenchyma, and clarified their pathological features and clinical significance.Methods: Hyperplastic foci were defined as hypercellular areas, which architecturally and cytologically resembled early hepatocellular carcinoma or adenomatous hyperplasia but did not form macroscopically detectable nodules. Surgically resected livers from 155 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were examined histopathologically and immunohistochemically.Results: Hyperplastic foci were found in 26 of 155 patients (16.8%). All the patients with hyperplastic foci had chronic liver diseases, and the incidence did not differ between those with chronic hepatitis and those with liver cirrhosis. Six of 92 (6.5%) patients with single primary hepatocellular carcinoma nodules, 8 of 42 (19.0%) with two nodules, and 12 of 21 (57.0%) with more than three nodules had hyperplastic foci. The incidence of hyperplastic foci showed a significant positive correlation with the multiplicity of hepatocellular carcinoma nodules. Immunohistochemically, hyperplastic foci were masses of proliferative hepatocytes similar to adenomatous hyperplasia and early hepatocellular carcinoma.Conclusions: Hyperplastic foci reflect the risk of multicentric hepatocarcinogenesis. Our results suggest strongly that hyperplastic foci are precursors of adenomatous hyperplasia or hepatocellular carcinoma.     

CD3 down-regulating factor in sera and culture supernatants of leukaemic cells from patients with adult T cell leukaemia

Immunological abnormality of T lymphocytes in patients with adult T cell leukaemia (ATL) is characterized by abnormal expression of the 55 kD chain of the receptor for interleukin 2 (IL-2R/p55) (Tac), and the down-regulation of CD 3 expression. Using serum and culture supernatants of leukaemic cells from ATL patients (Group A) whose CD 3 expression was down-regulated and those (Group B) whose CD 3 was not low, the possible mechanism of CD 3 down-regulation on ATL cells was discussed. When PBMC from normal individuals were cultured with sera from ATL patients for 24 h, CD 3 expression revealed by mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) was down-regulated by sera from ATL patients in Group A (MFI: Pt 1 = 51.6 ± 4.5, Pt 2 = 48.0 ± 6.9, control = 96.5 ± 6.6), not by sera from patients in Group B (MFI: Pt 3 = 105.5 ± 7.9, Pt 4 = 102.5 ± 8.3, control = 96.5 ± 6.6). When normal PBMC were cultured with supernatants of leukaemic cells from ATL patients in Group A, this CD 3 down-regulating activity was also detected (MFI: Pt 1 = 78.0 ± 10.2, Pt 2 = 70.6 ± 8.7, control = 94.0 ± 6.6). By using gel-chromatography, the fractionated supernatants from ATL patients in Group A decreased CD 3 expression of normal PBMC significantly (MFI: Pt 1 = 22.9 ± 5.8, Pt 2 = 28.8 ± 7.4, control = 92.1 ± 9.6). This CD 3 down-regulating activity in fractionated supernatant was not inhibited by any lymphokine antibodies, anti-IL-1α antibody (Ab), anti-IL-1B Ab, anti-IL-2 Ab, anti-IL-3 Ab, anti-IL-4 Ab, anti-IL-6 Ab, anti-TNF-α Ab and anti-IFN-γ Ab. Any known cytokines (IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ) could not modulate CD 3 expression of normal PBMC. These findings suggested that there are novel factor(s) with CD 3 down-regulating activity in the serum and culture supernatant of ATL patient and those factor(s) are involved in progression of ATL.