High-frequency vibration training increases muscle power in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: To test whether training on a high-frequency (28Hz) vibrating platform improves muscle power and bone characteristics in postmenopausal women. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial with 6-month follow-up. SETTING: Outpatient clinic in a general hospital in Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine postmenopausal women (intervention group, n=14; matched controls, n=15). INTERVENTION: Participants stood on a ground-based oscillating platform for three 2-minute sessions for a total of 6 minutes per training session, twice weekly for 6 months. The controls did not receive any training. Both groups were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Muscle power, calculated from ground reaction forces produced by landing after jumping as high as possible on a forceplate, cortical bone density, and biomarkers of bone turnover. RESULTS: Over 6 months, muscle power improved by about 5% in women who received the intervention, and it remained unchanged in controls (P=.004). Muscle force remained stable in both the intervention and control groups. No significant changes were observed in bone characteristics. CONCLUSION: Reflex muscular contractions induced by vibration training improve muscle power in postmenopausal women.     

Brain and cancer: the protective role of erythropoietin

Erythropoietin (Epo) is a pleiotropic agent, that is to say, it can act on several cell types in different ways. An independent system Epo/Epo receptor (EpoR) was detected in brain, leading to the hypothesis that this hormone could be involved in cerebral functions. Epo/EpoR expression changes during ontogenesis, thus indicating the importance of this system in neurodevelopment. Moreover, the hypoxia-induced production of Epo in the adult brain suggests that it could exert a neurotrophic and neuroprotective effect in case of brain injury. Epo could also influence neurotransmission, inducing neurotransmitters (NT) release. Epo therapy in anemic cancer patients is still a controversial issue, because of its possible action as a growth and an angiogenic factor. In our speculative hypothesis Epo could be involved in a "two steps process" that, after a neovascularization phase, leads to its down regulation. Moreover, Epo-activated signaling pathways could be modulated as possible targets to interfere in neoplastic cells cycle. In conclusion, treatment with rHuEpo could change therapeutical perspectives in different pathological conditions, such as central nervous system (CNS) diseases, but further studies are needed to clarify its physiopathological activities in different clinical fields.     

Oxidative stress and uremia

Oxidative stress is a pathogenic element of great importance in uremic patients, with a great impact on their survival. The cause of oxidative stress in patients on hemodialysis is traditionally attributed to the recurrent activation of polymorphonucleate neutrophils and monocytes. The effects of oxidative stress are evident on all biochemical components of biological tissues: lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. This study briefly reviews the effects of different dialytic techniques and of kidney transplant on several parameters of oxidative stress. Many different modalities of pharmaceutical intervention are then analyzed, and the clinical evidences reported.     

Internal Ophthalmoplegia in Complicated Migraine: A Case Report

SYNOPSIS
A 25 year old woman with a history of migraine came to our observation complaining of blurred vision and mydriasis in the right eye, starting several hours after a typical attack of common migraine had resolved. We believe this to be a case of ophthalmoplegic migraine characterized by only an isolated internal ophthalmoplegia without external third nerve involvement.
Differential diagnosis and possible pathogenetic aspects are discussed.