Electrical stimulation of skeletal muscles. An alternative to aerobic exercise training in patients with chronic heart failure?

The aim of this study was to investigate whether electrical stimulation of skeletal muscles could represent a rehabilitation alternative for patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Thirty patients with CHF and NYHA class II-III were randomly assigned to a rehabilitation program using either electrical stimulation of skeletal muscles or bicycle training. Patients in the first group (n = 15) had 8 weeks of home-based low-frequency electrical stimulation (LFES) applied simultaneously to the quadriceps and calf muscles of both legs (1 h/day for 7 days/week); patients in the second group (n = 15) underwent 8 weeks of 40 minute aerobic exercise (3 times a week). After the 8-week period significant increases in several functional parameters were observed in both groups: maximal VO2 uptake (LFES group: from 17.5 +/- 4.4 mL/kg/min to 18.3 +/- 4.2 mL/kg/min, P < 0.05; bicycle group: from 18.1 +/- 3.9 mL/kg/min to 19.3 +/- 4.1 mL/kg/min, P < 0.01), maximal workload (LFES group: from 84.3 +/- 15.2 W to 95.9 +/- 9.8 W, P < 0.05; bicycle group: from 91.2 +/- 13.4 W to 112.9 +/- 10.8 W, P < 0.01), distance walked in 6 minutes (LFES group: from 398 +/- 105 m to 435 +/- 112 m, P < 0.05; bicycle group: from 425 +/- 118 m to 483 +/- 120 m, P < 0.03), and exercise duration (LFES group: from 488 +/- 45 seconds to 568 +/- 120 seconds, P < 0.05; bicycle group: from 510 +/- 90 seconds to 611 +/- 112 seconds, P < 0.03). These results demonstrate that an improvement of exercise capacities can be achieved either by classical exercise training or by home-based electrical stimulation. LFES should be considered as a valuable alternative to classical exercise training in patients with CHF.     

Prevalence and diversity of Encephalitozoon spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi in wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Central Europe

From 2011 to 2012, the occurrence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and Encephalitozoon spp. was surveyed at 29 randomly selected localities (both forest areas and enclosures) across four Central European countries: Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, and the Slovak Republic. Isolates were genotyped by PCR amplification and characterization of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region using Enterocytozoon and Encephalitozoon-specific protocols. PCR revealed 16 mono-infections of Encephalitozoon cuniculi, 33 mono-infections of Enterocytozoon bieneusi and 5 concurrent infections of both Encephalitozoon cuniculi and Enterocytozoon bieneusi out of 460 faecal samples. Two genotypes (I and II) were revealed by sequence analysis of the ITS region of Encephalitozoon cuniculi. Eleven genotypes, five previously found in other hosts including domestic pigs (D, EbpA, EbpC, G and Henan-I) and six novel (WildBoar1–6), were identified in Enterocytozoon bieneusi. No other microsporidia infection was found in the examined faecal samples. Prevalence of microsporidia at the locality level ranged from 0 to 58.8 %; the prevalence was less than 25 % at more than 86 % of localities. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected as a predominant species infecting Eurasian wild boars (Sus scrofa). The present report is the most comprehensive survey of microsporidia infections in wild boars within the Czech Republic and selected Central European countries.     

Characterizing Crystal Disorder of Trospium Chloride: A Comprehensive,13C CP/MAS NMR,DSC, FTIR,and XRPD Study

Analysis of C cross-polarization magic angle spinning (CP/MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and X-ray powder diffraction data of trospium chloride (TCl) products crystallized from different mixtures of water-ethanol [φ(EtOH) = 0.5—1.0] at various temperatures (0°C, 20°C) and initial concentrations (saturated solution, 30%—50% excess of solvent) revealed extensive structural variability of TCl. Although ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra indicated broad variety of structural phases arising from molecular disorder, temperature-modulated DSC identified presence of two distinct components in the products. FTIR spectra revealed alterations in the hydrogen bonding network (ionic hydrogen bond formation), whereas the X-ray diffraction reflected unchanged unit cell parameters. These results were explained by a two-component character of TCl products in which a dominant polymorphic form is accompanied by partly separated nanocrystalline domains of a secondary phase that does not provide clear Bragg reflections. These phases slightly differ in the degree of molecular disorder, in the quality of crystal lattice and hydrogen bonding network. It is also demonstrated that, for the quality control of such complex products, ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy combined with factor analysis (FA) can satisfactorily be used for categorizing the individual samples: FA of ¹³C CP/MAS NMR spectra found clear relationships between the extent of molecular disorder and crystallization conditions.     

Kinetic characterization of novel NR2B antagonists using fluorescence detection of calcium flux

To facilitate the discovery of novel N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, we have developed a high-throughput functional assay based on fluorescence detection of free intracellular calcium concentrations. Mouse fibroblast L(tk-) cells expressing human NR1a/NR2B NMDA receptors were plated in 96-well plates and loaded with fluorescence calcium indicator fluo-3 AM. NR2B antagonists were added after stimulation of NMDA receptors with 10 microM glutamate and 10 microM glycine. Changes in fluorescence after the addition of the antagonists were fitted by a single exponential equation providing k(obs). The concentration dependence of k(obs) was linear for all NR2B antagonists at concentrations where k(obs) < 0.2 s(-1). The values of k(obs) for six structurally distinct NR2B antagonists were in the range of 1.1 to 7.5 x 10(5) M(-1)s(-1). These values were several orders of magnitude slower than that obtained for diffusion limited Mg(2+) channel block. The rate constants k(off) provided the values of t(1/2) for dissociation of NR2B antagonists in the range of 1.8 min for ifenprodil to 240 min for the slowest novel antagonist. The IC(50) values obtained from the end-point fluorescence measurements agree with K(d) values calculated from kinetic measurements. All kinetic constants, obtained using our fluorescence method, correlate well with data measured by voltage clamp.     

Comparison of the Selvester QRS scoring system applied on standard versus high-resolution electrocardiographic recordings

A comparison was performed between the points measured using the Selvester QRS scoring system in 60 electrocardiograms (ECGs) displayed in both a standard format as well as a 4-fold magnified (quad-plot) format. Fifty criteria (a maximum possibility of 31 points) were evaluated in each ECG. The data indicate that in 50% of the ECGs, an identical number of points were measured. However, there was a single point difference in 31%, 2 points in 15%, and more than 2 points in 4%. The differences were primarily because of points scored on the quad-plot but not on the standard ECG. Thus, a systematic underestimation of infarct size may occur when the Selvester QRS score is measured manually from a standard ECG.