Alteration of regulatory enzyme activities in fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles and muscle fibres in low-intensity endurance-trained rats

The effect of progressive, low-intensity endurance training on regulatory enzyme activities in slow-twitch (ST) and fast-twitch (FT) muscle fibres was studied in 32 rats. Of those rats 16 were trained on a treadmill at a running speed of 10m · min^–1 5 days a week over an 8-week period. Running time was progressively increased from 15 min to 2 h · day^–1. Of the rats 4 trained and 4 sedentary rats were also subjected to acute exhausting exercise. Enzyme activities of phosphofructokinase 1 (PFKI) from glycolysis, -ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (-KGDH) from the Krebs cycle and carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT I and II) from fatty acid metabolism in soleus, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were measured in trained and sedentary rats. Enzyme activities of individual ST and FT fibres were measured from the freeze-dried gastrocnemius muscle of 8 trained and 8 sedentary rats. In the sedentary rats the activity of PFK1 in tibialis anterior and soleus muscles was 141% and 41% of the activity in gastrocnemius muscle, respectively. The activity of -KGDH in tibialis anterior and soleus muscles was 164% and 278% of the activity in gastrocnemius muscle, respectively. The activity of CPT I in tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were at the same level, but in soleus muscle the activity was 127% of that in mixed muscle. Endurance training increased enzyme activities of -KGDH and CPT I significantly (P < 0.05) in gastrocnemius muscle but not in soleus or tibialis anterior muscle. After training both -KGDH and CPT II activities were elevated significantly (P < 0.05) in the ST fibres of gastrocnemius muscle, whereas in FT fibres only -KGDH was increased. For PFK1 activity no significant change was observed in ST or FT fibres. After acute exercise, activities of mitochondrial enzymes -KGDH and CPT I tended to be elevated in all muscles. Thus, low-intensity endurance training induced significant peripheral changes in regulatory enzyme activities in oxidative and fatty acid metabolism in individual ST or FT muscle fibres.     

Viremia in human Cowpox virus infection.

BACKGROUND: Several poxviruses can infect humans and cause diseases of varying severity. Besides the eradicated Variola virus that induced high mortality rates, numerous further human pathogenic orthopoxviruses are potentially fatal but generally cause less severe infections. While infection-related viremia was described for Variola virus and seems to be rare for Monkeypox virus, it is still debated for Vaccinia virus. So far, viremia in Cowpox virus-infected humans has not been reported. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the potential risk of Cowpox virus to disseminate and develop severe infections, two Cowpox virus patients were examined for viremia. STUDY DESIGN: Whole blood, serum and fluid from virus-induced lesions were analyzed by serology or quantitative real-time PCR. RESULTS: Real-time PCR and sequence analysis of the hemagglutinin gene confirmed Cowpox virus in the lesions of both patients. Serology performed on serum obtained at the same time as the lesion specimens demonstrated orthopoxvirus-specific IgG and IgM antibodies, indicating a recent orthopoxvirus infection. In addition, Cowpox virus DNA was detectable in whole blood, but not in serum, as late as week 4 post-infection. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to observations following vaccination with Vaccinia virus, DNAemia in patients with localized symptoms of a Cowpox virus infection does not seem to be a rare event. However, its relevance for Cowpox virus pathogenicity has to be elucidated.     

The seroepidemiology of human T-lymphotropic viruses: types I and II in Europe: a prospective study of pregnant women

BACKGROUND: Up to 20 million persons are infected with the human retroviruses human T-lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-I and HTLV-II globally. Most data on the seroprevalence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II in Europe are from studies of low-risk blood donors or high-risk injection drug users (IDUs). Little is known about the general population. METHODS: A prospective anonymous study of HTLV-I and HTLV-II seroprevalence among 234,078 pregnant women in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and the United Kingdom was conducted. Maternal antibody status was determined by standard methods using sera obtained for routine antenatal infection screens or eluted from infant heel prick dried blood spots obtained for routine neonatal metabolic screens. RESULTS: Anti-HTLV-I/II antibodies were detected and confirmed in 96 pregnant women (4.4 per 10,000, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.5-5.2). Of these, 73 were anti-HTLV-I, 17 were anti-HTLV-II, and 6 were specifically anti-HTLV but untyped. The seroprevalence ranged from 0.7 per 10,000 in Germany to 11.5 per 10,000 in France. CONCLUSIONS: Pregnant women better reflect the general population than blood donors or IDUs. The seroprevalence of HTLV-I and HTLV-II in Western Europe is 6-fold higher among pregnant women (4.4 per 10,000) than among blood donors (0.07 per 10,000). These data provide a robust baseline against which changes in HTLV-I and HTLV-II seroprevalence in Europe can be measured.     

Localization of [Met5]- and [Leu5]-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity in nerve terminals in human paravertebral sympathetic ganglia

Both [Leu⁵]- and [Met⁵]-enkephalin have been localized immunohistochemically in nerve fibres and in small, intensely fluorescent cells of adult human sympathetic ganglia. The nerve fibres showing enkephalin-like immunoreactivity formed a network varying in density around the sympathetic neurons, some being closely related to the perikarya. No labelled neuronal cell bodies were found. No structures within the ganglion were labelled after reaction with antibodies to vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, adrenocorticotrophin or substance P. No differences between the distributions of [Leu⁵]-and [Met⁵]-enkephalin-like immunoreactivities were found.The physiological roles of enkephalins are still unknown, but it is possible that they might act as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators in the human sympathetic nervous system.     

Anxiety in patients with an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator: what differentiates them from panic patients?

OBJECTIVE: Anxiety seems to be a frequent problem in patients with an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD). Distressing experiences before or after AICD implantation such as resuscitation, or AICD shocks are suspected as causes for enhanced anxiety levels. A closer examination of the level and structure of anxiety in AICD patients and a comparison with panic patients might help to examine additionally both conditioning and cognitive models of anxiety. METHODS: There were 61 AICD patients examined with a specifically designed AICD questionnaire and standardized anxiety and depression questionnaires. Subgroups of AICD patients without, with some, and with definite anxiety related to AICD shocks were compared with panic patients and healthy control subjects. RESULTS: Although fear of dying was greatly reduced by AICD implantation, approximately one third of the AICD patients, especially patients with definite anxiety related to AICD shocks, were characterized both by enhanced anxiety levels and avoidance behavior. These patients were comparable with panic patients in most questionnaire scores. Anxiety levels were not associated with objective AICD shock experiences or medical variables. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety in AICD patients seems to be unrelated to traumatic experiences, a finding that casts doubt on pure conditioning models of anxiety. Presumably, a life-threatening cardiac disorder increases the likelihood for catastrophic interpretations of bodily signs, especially in anxiety prone AICD patients. In accordance with cognitive models of panic disorder, this cognitive dysfunction could lead to anxiety and depression levels comparable with those of panic patients.     

Metodica di derivazione liquorale esterna con valvola di Spitz-Holter

Riassunto Gli AA., dopo aver ricordato i dati della letteratura, espongono brevemente le condizioni ritenute necessarie per il buon funzionamento di una derivazione liquorale extratecale esterna.Presentanto quindi una metodica di derivazione liquorale utilizzante la valvola diSpitz-Holter, Segnalano infine i casi nei quali tale derivazione venne applicata.

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Summary The Authors, after a review of the literature, briefly discuss the conditions for the satisfactory establishment of an extrathecal, external CSF drainage.A technique of CSF drainage using the Holter valve is presented.Cases in which such a drainage may be utilized are discussed.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Berücksichtigung der Literatur geben die Autoren einen kurzen Überblick über die Voraussetzungen, die für ein gutes Funktionieren einer Liquorableitung nach außen erforderlich sind. Sie beschreiben dann eine derartige Liquorableitungsmethode unter Verwendung eines Spitz-Holter-Ventiles und berichten über die Fälle, bei denen diese Methode angewendet worden ist.

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Resumen Los autores después de revisar los datos de la literatura exponen brevemente las condiciones consideradas como necesarias para el buen funcionamiento de la derivación externa del liquido cefalo-raquídeo.Presentan una técnica de derivación del liquido utilizando la válvula de SpitzHolter.Por último citan los casos en los que ha sido empleada esta derivación.

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Résumé Les auteurs, après une revue de la littérature, discutent brièvement les conditions nécessaires pour établir d'une manière satisfaisante un drainage externe du L. C. R.Une technique de drainage externe utilisant la valve de Holter est présentée.Les cas dans lesquels une telle technique de drainage peut être utilisée sont discutés.

     

Organ-preference of metastasis

Summary The initial, site-specific colonization of secondary organs by blood-borne cancer cells appears to be mediated by endothelial cell adhesion molecules. These molecules are part of the organ-specific microvascular phenotype and are regulated through complex interactions of the endothelium with the extracellular matrix (e.g., distinct matrix macromolecules and growth factors). They are inducedin vitro by growing unspecific (large vessel) endothelial cells on extracts of organ-specific biomatrices. In many respects, these molecules are similar to the various classes of chemically different adhesion molecules that regulate lymphocyte traffic, but are believed to be distinct from the inducible adhesion molecules that govern leukocyte adhesion during acute episodes of inflammation. Biochemical and biophysical data indicate that preference of tumor cell adhesion to organ-specific microvascular endothelium may not require qualitative differences of such homing receptors between endothelia, but may be explained on the basis of quantitative receptor differences as well as differences of receptor avidity. Following adhesion, the metastatic cascade proceeds by the establishment of metabolic conduits between the endothelium and adherent tumor cells. This heterotypic coupling represents an early step in the extravasation of cancer cells from the microvasculature, initiating endothelial cell retraction from its basement membrane and recanalization around the arrested tumor cell. These events, together with local growth promoting effects exerted by the metastasized organ, are believed to provide the basis for Paget's seed and soil hypothesis of metastasis.     

Sensory effects of baroreceptor activation and perceived stress together predict long-term blood pressure elevations

Activating the arterial baroreceptors in animals has been shown to blunt pain sensation and provide other forms of central nervous system inhibition. This study tested the hypothesis that, among human subjects, a tonic increase in blood pressure (BP) could be a learned response to environmental stressors among subjects in whom the baroreceptor inhibitory mechanism is active. In a sample of 96 healthy, normotensive men and women, amount of pain-reduction produced by baroreceptor stimulation predicted an increase in resting BP 20 months later: the increase was proportional to self-assessed daily life stress. Among the subjects reporting the greatest amount of stress, the pain inhibition effect accounted for more than 80% of the BP variance. These results support the hypothesis that the reduction in perceived stress produced by baroreceptor stimulation may reward learned increases in BP. This research was supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinshaft Grant EL 101/3 to Thomas Elbert and National Institutes of Health Grant ROl HL40837 to B. R, Dworkin.