Expression of interleukin-15 in human skeletal muscle – effect of exercise and muscle fibre type composition

The cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been demonstrated to have anabolic effects in cell culture systems. We tested the hypothesis that IL-15 is predominantly expressed by type 2 skeletal muscle fibres, and that resistance exercise regulates IL-15 expression in muscle. Triceps brachii, vastus lateralis quadriceps and soleus muscle biopsies were obtained from normally physically active, healthy, young male volunteers ( n = 14), because these muscles are characterized by having different fibre-type compositions. In addition, healthy, normally physically active male subjects ( n = 8) not involved in any kind of resistance exercise underwent a heavy resistance exercise protocol that stimulated the vastus lateralis muscle and biopsies were obtained from this muscle pre-exercise as well as 6, 24 and 48 h post-exercise. IL-15 mRNA levels were twofold higher in the triceps (type 2 fibre dominance) compared with the soleus muscle (type 1 fibre dominance), but Western blotting and immunohistochemistry revealed that muscle IL-15 protein content did not differ between triceps brachii, quadriceps and soleus muscles. Following resistance exercise, IL-15 mRNA levels were up-regulated twofold at 24 h of recovery without any changes in muscle IL-15 protein content or plasma IL-15 at any of the investigated time points. In conclusion, IL-15 mRNA level is enhanced in skeletal muscles dominated by type 2 fibres and resistance exercise induces increased muscular IL-15 mRNA levels. IL-15 mRNA levels in skeletal muscle were not paralleled by similar changes in muscular IL-15 protein expression suggesting that muscle IL-15 may exist in a translationally inactive pool.     

Near-infrared spectrophotometry determined brain oxygenation during fainting

During orthostatic hypotension we evaluated whether presyncopal symptoms relate to a reduced brain oxygenation. Nine subjects performed 50° head-up tilt for 1 h and eight subjects were followed during 2 h of supine rest and during 1 h of 10° head-down tilt. Cerebral perfusion was assessed by transcranial Doppler determined middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCA v_mean), while brain blood oxygenation was assessed by near-infrared spectrophotometry determined concentration changes for oxygenated (ΔHbO₂) and deoxygenated haemoglobin and brain cell oxygenation by the oxidized cytochrome c concentration (ΔCytO₂). During head-up tilt, six volunteers developed presyncopal symptoms and mean arterial pressure (88 (78–103) to 68 (57–79) mmHg; median and range), heart rate (96 (72–111) to 65 (50–107) beats min^?1), MCA v_mean (59 (51–82) to 41 (29–56) cm s^?1), ΔHbO₂ (by ?5.3 (?3.0 to ?14.8) μmol l^?1) and ΔCytO₂ were reduced (by ?0.2 (?0.1 to ?0.4) μmol l^?1; P < 0.05). During tilt down the cardiovascular variables recovered immediately and ΔHbO₂ increased to 2.2 (?0.9–12.0) mmol L^?1 above the resting value and also ΔCytO₂ recovered. In the nonsyncopal head-up tilted subjects as in the controls, blood pressure, heart rate, MCA v_mean and brain oxygenation indices remained stable. The results suggest that during orthostasis, presyncopal symptoms relate not only to cerebral hypoperfusion but also to reduced brain oxygenation.     

In situ hybridization for the detection of chicken anaemia virus in experimentally-induced infection and field outbreaks

A double stranded DNA probe, biotinylated by random primingj was used for in situ hybridization of chicken anaemia virus (CAV) in thymus tissue. Hybridization was visualized with an alkaline phosphatase conjugated streptavidin biotin complex and the substrate New Fuchsin. The test was performed on both uninfected and CAV-, adenovirus- or infectious bursal disease virus-infected specified pathogen free White Leghorn chickens. In addition, both healthy commercial broilers and broilers with blue wing disease or with colisepticemia, were tested. Genomic CAV was detected in all CAV-infected and blue wing-diseased chickens. With the exception of one chicken with colisepticemia, which showed a unexpectedly positive reaction, all control chickens tested negative in the test developed.     

The Compliance Curve for the Flow Limiting Segments of the Airway

Maximum effort flow-static recoil curves were obtained in 5 healthy subjects breathing air, He/O₂, and SF₆/O₂ mixtures. In 4 of them maximum effort flows corresponded to really maximal flows and their curves were transformed into compliance curves for the flow limiting segments of the airway and analyzed from the point of view of a previously presented lung model (Pedersen and Nielsen 1976). The results showed, that viscosity dependent pressure losses from the alveoli to the flow limiting segments were minimal for air and SF₆/O₂, but not for He/O₂. When viscosity dependent pressure losses could be neglected, then expiration of gases of different densities gave almost identical compliance curves for the flow limiting segments. This supported the applicability of the model. The calculated compliance curves for the flow limiting segments were compared with data from the literature, and the findings indicated that flow limitation during expirations with just maximal flows throughout began in the extrapulmonary airways and moved upstream during the expiration.     

Gene expression patterns and gene copy number changes in dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is an aggressive spindle cell neoplasm. It is associated with the chromosomal translocation, t(17:22), which fuses the COL1A1 and PDGFbeta genes. We determined the characteristic gene expression profile of DFSP and characterized DNA copy number changes in DFSP by array-based comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH). Fresh frozen and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of DFSP were analyzed by array CGH (four cases) and DNA microarray analysis of global gene expression (nine cases). The nine DFSPs were readily distinguished from 27 other diverse soft tissue tumors based on their gene expression patterns. Genes characteristically expressed in the DFSPs included PDGF beta and its receptor, PDGFRB, APOD, MEOX1, PLA2R, and PRKCA. Array CGH of DNA extracted either from frozen tumor samples or from paraffin blocks yielded equivalent results. Large areas of chromosomes 17q and 22q, bounded by COL1A1 and PDGF beta, respectively, were amplified in DFSP. Expression of genes in the amplified regions was significantly elevated. Our data shows that: 1) DFSP has a distinctive gene expression profile; 2) array CGH can be applied successfully to frozen or formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples; 3) a characteristic amplification of sequences from chromosomes 17q and 22q, demarcated by the COL1A1 and PDGF beta genes, respectively, was associated with elevated expression of the amplified genes.     

Diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis by two-dimensional immunoblot differentiation of mother and child immunoglobulin g profiles

Differentiation between the specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) response to Toxoplasma gondii by a mother and her newborn child is helpful in the diagnosis of congenital infection with T. gondii in newborns without T. gondii-specific IgM and/or IgA antibodies at birth. Previous methods include immunoblotting and complexing T. gondii antigen with the sera from the mother and child and comparing the bands after electrophoresis. We developed a two-dimensional immunoblotting (2DIB) method with T. gondii RH strain tachyzoite antigen and validated the method with sera from 11 children identified through the neonatal screening program for congenital toxoplasmosis in Denmark. The children were identified by using Toxoplasma-specific IgM antibodies at the screening test, but the presence of T. gondii-specific IgM and/or IgA antibodies could not be confirmed at the subsequent serum sample tested. The children were monitored for at least 12 months, and in seven of eight patients monitored for 12 months the results of the 2DIB-predicted congenital infection were confirmed by the presence of persistent Toxoplasma-specific IgG antibodies. 2DIB is a sensitive technique that allows early differentiation between passively transferred maternal T. gondii-specific IgG antibodies and antibodies synthesized by the newborn child.     

Proinflammatory activation of neutrophils and monocytes by Helicobacter pylori is not associated with cagA, vacA or picB genotypes

Chronic Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with mucosal inflammation. The aim of the present study was to assess human neutrophil and monocyte activation induced by H. pylori strains with different virulence genotypes. Bacterial sonicates from 12 strains were used to induce phagocyte up-regulation of adherence molecule CD11b, assessed by fluorescence flow cytometry, and oxidative burst responses, assessed by chemiluminescence. A dose-dependent induction of the expression of CD11b was observed with sonicate from all H. pylori strains on both neutrophils and monocytes. Strains negative for cagA and picB genes had the same inducing activity of upregulation of CD11b as strains positive for these genes. A vacA-S2 type strain had the same activity as vacA-S1 type strains. The induction of toxic oxygen radicals by H. pylori-activated neutrophils gave higher median values for the cagA-positive strains than for the cagA-negative strains. For the monocyte chemiluminescence response, cagA-negative strains gave higher median values compared to cagA-positive strains. We conclude that upregulation of the neutrophil and monocyte adherence molecule CD11b induced by H. pylori sonicates is not associated with the presence of cagA, picB or mosaic pattern of vacA, and that cagA, picB-negative strains and vacA-S2 strains retain their inflammatory capacity.     

Exaggerated natriuresis in adult polycystic kidney disease

Angiotensin II (AII), aldosterone (Aldo) arginine vasopressin (AVP) in plasma, serum osmolality (Sosm), and renal sodium excretion (UNaV) were studied before and after infusion of hypertonic sodium chloride solution in 20 patients with adult polycystic kidney disease (PKD) with normal or moderately reduced creatinine clearance (Ccr) and in 10 healthy control subjects. UNaV increased after sodium loading in all, significantly more in the PKD patients. AII and Aldo were normal before sodium loading and suppressed after saline in PKD patients and controls. The increase in VNaV correlated with Aldo in patients but not in controls. AVP before loading was increased in hypertensive PKD patients with reduced Ccr, but not in normotensive patients with normal Ccr. After hypertonic saline, Sosm increased to the same degree both in PKD and control subjects, but AVP increased more in those with PKD. The exaggerated natriuresis of PKD is probably not explained by a change in the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The enhanced response of AVP to osmotic stimuli in PKD may be a compensatory reaction to a reduced renal tubular effect of AVP.     

Electronic data processing in the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register and EDP problems of registers in general

A brief introduction to the Danish Cytogenetic Central Register (DCCR) is given, and possibilities, principles and problems concerning the establishment and maintenance of a national cytogenetic register are presented.
Various data carrier media for registers in general are discussed, of which the magnetic disc is considered most appropriate. General principles for programs capable of performing insertions, deletions and other modifications in the data base are outlined as well as the principles for the programs in the DCCR.
The individual records should preferably be identified by aid of a central person registration number (CPR) rather than by name. The data should be stored and sorted by this identification in order to facilitate retrieval of a desired record. The structure of the records is discussed with regard to prevention of the occurrence of certain errors as well as the optimization of processing.
Flexibility and economy of space are achieved by using programs able to handle records of unequal length, and problems occurring in connection with this are discussed. The question of how to protect sensitive data is dealt with, and two different methods used in the DCCR are outlined. Programs capable of analyzing karyotypes with the purpose of recognizing various cytogenetic syndromes have been developed for use in the DCCR. Various examples of computing times of typical program runs are presented.