Frowning and Jaw Clenching Muscle Activity Reflects the Perception of Effort During Incremental Workload Cycling

The present study aimed to investigate whether facial electromyography (EMG) recordings reflect the perception of effort and primary active lower limb muscle activity during incremental workload cycling. The effects of exercise intensity on EMG activity of the corrugator supercilii (CS), masseter and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles, heart rate (HR) and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were investigated, and the correlations among these parameters were determined. Eighteen males and 15 females performed continuous incremental workload cycling exercise until exhaustion. CS, masseter and VL muscle activities were continuously recorded using EMG during exercise. HR was also continuously monitored during the test. During the final 30 s of each stage of cycle ergometer exercise, participants were asked to report their feeling of exertion on the adult OMNI-Cycle RPE. HR and EMG activity of the facial muscles and the primary active lower limb muscle were strongly correlated with RPE; they increased with power output. Furthermore, facial muscle activity increased significantly during high-intensity exercise. Masseter muscle activity was strongly and positively correlated with HR, RPE and VL activity. The present investigation supports the view that facial EMG activity reflects the perception of effort. The jaw clenching facial expression can be considered an important factor for improving the reporting of perceived effort during high-intensity exercise in males and females.

Key points

• Frowning and jaw clenching muscle activity reflects the perception of effort during incremental workload cycling.
• EMG activity of the masseter muscle was strongly and positively correlated with RPE, HR and lower limb EMG activity during incremental workload cycling.
• The jaw clenching facial expression can be considered an important factor for estimating the intensity of effort.

Key words: Perceived exertion, facial electromyography, masseter muscle, corrugator supercilii muscle, incremental exercise testing     

Percutaneous ethanol ablation of intrahepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm: A case report

Hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm is a rare but potentially fatal condition that requires prompt management. We report a case of hepatic arterial pseudoaneurysm developed after radiofrequency ablation of a hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient was successfully treated with percutaneous absolute ethanol injection under ultrasound guidance. Follow-up studies with ultrasound and computed tomography for 2 years after treatment revealed no evidence of local recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma and of the pseudoaneurysm.     

Demonstration of a stimulatory protein for virus-specified DNA polymerase in phorbol ester-treated Epstein-Barr virus-carrying cells.

A heat-labile Epstein-Barr virus-specific DNA polymerase stimulatory protein having a molecular mass of 45 kDa was purified from phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-treated P3HR-1 cells by column chromatography. The virus DNA polymerase stimulatory protein was precipitated by sera from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma but not by sera from healthy donors. The interaction of the stimulatory protein with DNA polymerase was stoichiometric. Furthermore, this protein stimulated Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase but not herpes simplex virus type 1 or type 2 or human DNA polymerase alpha. The stimulatory protein did not alter the Km value of dTTP or DNA but did increase the Vmax of DNA polymerase. Salt concentrations between 100 mM and 150 mM KCl were optimal for this protein-induced stimulation of Epstein-Barr virus DNA polymerase activity. The presence of the stimulatory protein in the reaction mixture enhanced the sensitivity of virus DNA polymerase to phosphonoformate.     

Identification of amino acids in herpes simplex virus DNA polymerase involved in substrate and drug recognition.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) encodes a DNA polymerase that is similar in several respects to the replicative mammalian DNA polymerase alpha. Recently, these and other DNA polymerases have been shown to share several regions of protein sequence similarity. Despite these similarities, antiviral drugs that mimic natural polymerase substrates specifically inhibit herpesvirus DNA polymerases. To study amino acids involved in substrate and drug recognition, we have characterized and mapped altered drug sensitivity markers of nine HSV pol mutants and sequenced the relevant portions of these mutants. The mutations were found to occur within four relatively small regions. One such region, which we designate region A, has sequence similarity only to DNA polymerases that are sensitive to certain antiviral drugs. The other three regions contain sequences that are similar among various DNA polymerases. The multiple mutations occurring within two of these regions make it likely that the regions interact directly with drugs and substrates. Our results lead us to favor a model in which protein folding allows interactions among the four regions to form the substrate and drug binding sites.     

Poor prognosis of end-stage renal disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: a cohort of Chinese patients

We studied the clinical course of 26 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who started regular dialysis at our hospital and whose stay exceeded a three-month duration in order to investigate the long-term prognosis in a Chinese cohort. Clinical and serological activities of lupus before and after dialysis were analysed. To compare the long-term survival rate, controls were set using 78 age-matched end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who did not have SLE or diabetes mellitus and entered the chronic dialysis program at a similar period with SLE dialysis patients. There was a significant decrease in clinical lupus activity after starting regular dialysis (P < 0.05); however, the serological activity remained the same. The five-and ten-year survival rates were significantly lower in the SLE patients (73 and 38% in the SLE group versus 95 and 88% in the non-SLE group, P < 0.05). SLE patients had a 4.3-times higher risk of death than non-SLE patients (P < 0.05, 95% confidence interval, 1.2-15.2). Also, the deceased SLE patients had persistent lower serum levels of complement 3. SLE patients with ESRD remain clinically quiescent despite persistent serological abnormalities and have a worse prognosis than other uremia patients in the Chinese population.     

Antiatherogenic effect of Pistacia lentiscus via GSH restoration and downregulation of CD36 mRNA expression

Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia (Anacardiaceae) grows almost exclusively on Chios Island, Greece, and gives a resinous exudate resin used for culinary purposes by Mediterranean people. We investigated the molecular mechanisms through which total polar extract of the resin inhibits oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) cytotoxic effect on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC). Cells exposed to oxLDL underwent apoptosis and necrosis, dependent on the duration of exposure. When culturing cells with oxLDL and the polar extract concurrently, we observed inhibition of both the phenomena. Because under oxidative stress the pro-oxidant systems outbalance the antioxidant, potentially producing oxidative damage and ultimately leading to cell death, we measured the levels of intracellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH). Additionally, we measured CD36 expression, a class B scavenger receptor, on CD14-positive cells, as CD36 has been identified as the oxLDL receptor in macrophages and may play a pivotal role in atherosclerotic foam cell formation. oxLDL decreased GSH levels and upregulated CD36 expression. P. lentiscus extract restored GSH levels and downregulated CD36 expression, even at the mRNA level. In order to find out the biologically drastic constituents of the resin's polar extract, fractions derived from RP-HPLC analysis were examined for their antioxidant effect on oxidatively stressed PBMC. The triterpenoid fraction revealed remarkable increase in intracellular GSH. We suggest GSH restoration and downregulation of CD36 mRNA expression as the pathways via which P. lentiscus triterpenes exert antioxidant/antiatherogenic effect. Additionally, our results provide strong evidence of the resin's antiatherogenic effect; therefore it is credited with beneficial health aspects.     

Effects of mobile health on HIV risk reduction for men who have sex with men

ABSTRACT

Mobile health (M-Health) has become a novel method for HIV prevention and the effects need to be promoted. The study purpose was to exam how a smartphone application (app) reduces HIV risky behaviour in men who have sex with men (MSM). The Safe Behaviour and Screening (SBS) app was developed, and included five features: record, output, and resources connection; information provision; testing services; interaction; and online statistics. A random assignment was used. The experimental group used the SBS app for six months. The control group did not use any intervention. There were 130 participants in the experimental group, and 135 in the control group. The average age of all subjects was 27.38 (SD?=?5.56). Compared to the control group, the experimental group had significantly higher mean score of safe behaviour knowledge, motivation, and skills; percentage of condom use during anal intercourse; frequency of searching for testing resources and getting HIV and syphilis tests. The frequency of anal intercourse and recreational drug usage were significantly lower in the experimental group. The SBS app could decrease the HIV risky behaviour among MSM and be applied to HIV prevention and nursing intervention.     

Assessing culprit lesions and active complex lesions in patients with early acute myocardial infarction by multidetector computed tomography

BACKGROUND: Accurate, non-invasive characterization of culprit lesions in patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains challenging. In this prospective study, multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) is used to assess culprit and active complex lesions in patients early after AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: We enrolled 103 patients with first non ST-elevation AMI who underwent 64-slices MDCT and conventional coronary angiography (CCAG). The definition of culprit lesion, stable non-culprit lesions and non-culprit active complex lesions was based on the findings of CCAG. The lesions were analyzed with MDCT data. In culprit lesions (n=103), luminal artery stenosis, remodeling index, plaque area and burden were significantly higher than non-culprit lesions (n=129). Multivariate discriminant analysis showed that MDCT density could discriminate culprit from non-culprit lesions. Receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis identified the optimal cutoff value of lesion density for discrimination between culprit and non-culprit lesion as 49.6 Hounsfield units (HU); this value was associated with a sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 88.4%, 87.4%, and 87.9%, respectively. The MDCT in the stable non-culprit lesions (81.8+/-15.5 HU) was significantly higher than that in culprit lesions or non-culprit active complex lesions (33.2+/-13.8 and 48.3+/-15.7 HU, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MDCT can predict culprit lesions in patients early after AMI, and identify multiple complex lesions.     

CD18-dependent and L-selectin-dependent neutrophil emigration is diminished in neonatal rabbits

Human neonatal neutrophils manifest decreases in mobility, adherence, and emigration compared with adult neutrophils that may contribute to the increased susceptibility of neonates to infection. In a developmental rabbit model, we show a reduced ability of neutrophils from 1-day-old rabbit pups to emigrate to inflamed peritoneium (3.7 +/- 0.35 x 10(6) neutrophils/mL peritoneal exudate) compared with 14-day- old (8.5 +/- 0.7 x 10(6)/mL) and adult rabbits (9.4 +/- 1.4 x 10(6) mL, P < .05) despite significantly increased blood neutrophil counts. Because the reductions in functional Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) as well as the amount of surface L-selectin are hypothesized to be primarily responsible for the differences in human neonatal neutrophil mobility, we examined CD11b/CD18 and L-selectin in our model. Using flow cytometric analysis we found that similar to human neonates, neutrophils from 1-day-old rabbit pups had 57% of adult rabbit levels of L-selectin and, in contrast with adults, failed to show significant decreases in L-selectin after chemotactic stimulation. In addition, neutrophils from 1-day-old pups compared with adults showed a significantly diminished capacity to upregulate CD11b/CD18 after chemotactic stimulation in vitro, or after emigration to the inflamed peritoneum. Systemic administration of anti-L-selectin monoclonal antibody (MoAb) resulted in significant reduction in peritoneal neutrophils in adult (47%, P < .05) and 14-day-old rabbits (47%, P < .05), but was without effect in 1-day-old rabbits. Administration of anti-CD18 MoAb resulted in significant reduction in peritoneal neutrophil accumulation in all age groups though less in 1 day and 14 day (58% and 65%, respectively) than in adults (91%, P < .05). Only in the 14-day-old rabbits was there an additive effect of anti-L-selectin and anti-CD18 MoAbs compared with anti-CD18 alone (84% v 65%, P < .05). The findings in this in vivo rabbit model support the hypothesis that the previously described in vitro defects in human neonatal L-selectin and CD11b/CD18 may be major contributors to human neonatal inflammatory deficits.