Prolonged visual reaction time after strenuous endurance exercise: higher increment in male compared to female recreational runners

Purpose

This project aimed to evaluate the simple visual reaction time (SVRT) changes in runners of both sexes before and after a 21.1 km run.

Methods

20 male (age 35.3?±?17.1 years, BMI 23.5?±?3.3 kg/m²) and 20 female (age 32.2?±?14.3 years, BMI 24.8?±?4.2 kg/m²) amateur runners were evaluated 30 min before and after a half-marathon run under competing conditions. Subjects were asked to push an electronic switch at the lighting of a lamp for 11 trials randomly divided to one another between 1 and 10 s. Effort-perception data were collected through a Borg CR100 scale and SVRT data using an electronic chronometric device. A two-way RM ANOVA assessed the effects of exercise and biological sex on SVRT.

Results

Borg effort data were similar (M: 82.4?±?3.9 vs W: 84.7?±?4.9 AU, p?=?0.68). SVRT was lower in men than women before (M: 234.05?±?3.33 vs F: 239.47?±?6.1 ms, p?<?0.05) but not after the race (M: 249.9?±?7.18 vs F: 252.09?±?16.93 ms, p?=?0.7). Exercise lengthened the SVRT (M:?+?7%; F:?+?5%; p?<?0.05). Response accuracy was greater in men both before and after exercise.

Conclusion

Previous studies suggested exercise lengthened SVRT due to an exercise intensity-related reduced post-exercise cerebral oxygenation that decreases cognitive processes efficiency. In our results, this reduction seemed higher in men. The sex-related response accuracy might be due to different estrogen effects in brain areas implicated in information processing, motor performance, and attention and to different processing and attention focus strategies between the sexes or anticipatory strategies in females.

     

Influence of the world’s most challenging mountain ultra-marathon on energy cost and running mechanics

Purpose

To examine the effects of the world’s most challenging mountain ultra-marathon (Tor des Géants^® 2012) on the energy cost of three types of locomotion (cycling, level and uphill running) and running kinematics.

Methods

Before (pre-) and immediately after (post-) the competition, a group of ten male experienced ultra-marathon runners performed in random order three submaximal 4-min exercise trials: cycling at a power of 1.5 W kg^?1 body mass; level running at 9 km h^?1 and uphill running at 6 km h^?1 at an inclination of +15 % on a motorized treadmill. Two video cameras recorded running mechanics at different sampling rates.

Results

Between pre- and post-, the uphill-running energy cost decreased by 13.8 % (P = 0.004); no change was noted in the energy cost of level running or cycling (NS). There was an increase in contact time (+10.3 %, P = 0.019) and duty factor (+8.1 %, P = 0.001) and a decrease in swing time (?6.4 %, P = 0.008) in the uphill-running condition.

Conclusion

After this extreme mountain ultra-marathon, the subjects modified only their uphill-running patterns for a more economical step mechanics.     

Regional variation in C4 phenotype in patients with IgA nephropathy

The relationship between complete deficiency for either isotype of the fourth component of complement, C4A or C4B, and glomerulonephritis was initially examined in white patients from Kentucky with either IgA nephropathy or Sch?nlein-Henoch purpura. Subsequently, C4B deficiency was found to be associated with IgA nephropathy for pediatric patients followed in Cincinnati, Ohio. We later reported that at least 60% of the original patients from Kentucky were related to at least one other patient with the disease. This finding raised the possibility that the C4 phenotype frequencies for these patients may have been biased by the fact that they were based on a sample of related patients. In our study, C4 phenotyping was performed for 52 related and 63 unrelated patients from Kentucky, 81 unrelated patients from the Mid-South region of the United States, and 39 unrelated patients from the Puglia region of southeastern Italy. In addition, data from patients with IgA nephropathy from Spain were available for comparative studies. Neither C4A deficiency nor C4B deficiency was significantly increased for groups of unrelated patients from the Mid-South, Italy, Spain, or Kentucky in comparison with regional control subjects. In fact, C4A and C4B deficiencies did not occur in any of the Italian patients. With the exception of C4A.6, frequencies for the most common C4A and C4B alleles did not differ among the unrelated patient and control groups from Kentucky and the Mid-South. In addition, no significant differences in C4A and C4B allelic frequencies were observed in comparisons of pediatric patients (diagnostic biopsy before age 18 years) and adult patients with IgA nephropathy in either U.S. population. Italian control subjects had a significantly lower frequency for C4A null alleles in comparison with control subjects from both Kentucky and the Mid-South; a significantly higher frequency of C4B null alleles was found among Kentucky control subjects than in Mid-South, Italian, and Spanish control samples. The importance of recognizing the ethnic background of study subjects and of eliciting a good family history to minimize unsuspected sampling of related patients should be considered in future disease association studies.     

Activated innate immunity and the involvement of CX3CR1-fractalkine in promoting hematuria in patients with IgA nephropathy

A hallmark of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is episodes of gross hematuria coinciding with mucosal infections that can represent the disease-triggering event. Here we performed a whole genomic screen of IgAN patients during gross hematuria to clarify the link between mucosal antigens and glomerular hematuria. Modulated genes showed a clear involvement of the intracellular interferon signaling, antigen-presenting pathway, and the immunoproteasome. The mRNA and protein level of the chemokine receptor characterizing cytotoxic effector lymphocytes, CX3CR1, was upregulated. In vitro antigenic stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from IgAN patients, healthy blood donors, and other nephropathies with microscopic hematuria showed that only in IgAN patients was CX3CR1 enhanced in a dose-dependent manner. A significantly higher amount of glomerular and urinary fractalkine, the only ligand of CX3CR1, was also found in IgAN patients with recurrent episodes of gross hematuria compared with other patients with microscopic or no hematuria. This suggests a predisposition for cytotoxic cell extravasation only in patients with recurrent gross hematuria. Thus, we found a defect in antigen handling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of IgAN patients with a specific increase of CX3CR1. This constitutive upregulation of glomerular and urinary fractalkine suggests an involvement of the CX3CR1-fractalkine axis in the exacerbation of gross hematuria.     

Captopril enhances transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells: a mechanism independent from angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition? A study in cyclosporine-treated kidney-transplanted patients

BACKGROUND: Angiotensin (Ang) II blockade has been shown to prevent the development of renal injury in immunologically mediated diseases, but the mechanism whereby it exerts its protective effect has not been clearly defined. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 is a multifunctional cytokine with a potent immunomodulatory activity that has the potential to counteract many of the pro-inflammatory effects apparently evoked by the activation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in immune cells. METHODS: We set up an ex vivo and in vitro model to evaluate the effect of the angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) captopril on the gene and protein expression of TGF-beta1 in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). RESULTS: In 20 kidney transplant recipients chronically treated with cyclosporine (CsA), 1-month treatment with captopril increased TGF-beta mRNA by 120% and TGF-beta1 protein release by 140% upon stimulation of PBMC with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) ( P<0.01). PBMC from healthy controls, when exposed in vitro to 5 microM captopril, showed a significant increase of TGF-beta1 release, whereas the ACEi enalapril failed to modify the expression of the cytokine. Ang II (100 pM) strongly inhibited TGF-beta1 synthesis by PBMC, and such effect was completely abolished by the addition of 200 ng/mL CsA, as well as by 1 micrpM losartan. Thus, captopril enhances TGF-beta1 gene and protein expression by PBMC by way of a mechanism independent, at least in part, from ACE inhibition, while CsA abrogates the inhibition of TGF-beta1 expression induced by Ang II. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings support the utility of combined treatment with captopril and CsA in the multitherapeutic management of organ transplant and, possibly, a strategy to decrease the dose of the calcineurin inhibitor in kidney-transplant recipients.     

'Role of bone marrow stromal cells in the growth of human multiple myeloma.

We have verified the hypothesis that multiple myeloma (MM) may be disseminated by circulating clonogenic cells that selectively home to the bone marrow (BM) to receive the signal(s) leading to proliferation, terminal differentiation, and production of the osteoclast activating factors. Long-term cultures of stromal cells have been developed from the BM of nine patients with MM. These cells were mostly fibroblast-like elements, interspersed with a proportion of scattered macrophages and rare osteoclasts. BM stromal cells were CD54+, produced high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and measurable amounts of IL-1 beta, and were used as feeder layers for autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). After 3 weeks of cocultures, monoclonal B lymphocytes and plasma cells, derived from PBMC, developed and the number of osteoclasts significantly increased. Both populations grew tightly adherent to the stromal cell layer and their expansion was matched by a sharp increase of IL-6 and by the appearance of IL-3 in the culture supernatant. These data attribute to BM stromal cells a critical role in supporting the growth of B lymphocytes, plasma cells, and osteoclasts and the in vivo dissemination of MM.     

Is caring the ethical ideal?

This paper will examine the claim that caring is an appropriate ethical ideal for nursing. Initially it will examine nursing's philosophy of care and caring, highlighting some areas of difficulty and dissatisfaction articulated by many of its contemporary theorists Evaluation of the notion of caring as an appropriate ethical ideal for nursing will be balanced against those in opposition, and in this process their critique will be discussed This discussion will focus on areas such as virtue, virtue ethics, moral responsibility, feminine values, mothering and the debate between male and female caring Different forms of caring will be evaluated and balanced against different forms of nursing The paper will then suggest that current views which hold aloft nursing as a bedmate of caring may be detrimental to both the cared-for and the carer, advocating in the process a move toward change     

Double J stent with antireflux device in the prevention of short-term urological complications after cadaveric kidney transplantation: single-center prospective randomized study

The placement of a double J stent to protect a uretero-vesical anastomosis in a kidney transplant is a widespread procedure performed to reduce the incidence of fistula and stenosis at the anastomosis. However, the presence of a double J stent may cause vesicoureteral reflux (VUR), predisposing one to urinary tract infections (UTIs), which may be a significant source of morbidity for the graft. We evaluated whether a ureteral stent incorporating an antireflux device can reduce the incidence of ureteral reflux and UTIs. From January to December 2003, 44 kidney transplant recipients were randomized to receive a 14-cm 4.8-F double J stent with (group A) or without an anti-reflux device (group B). Primary end points were the reduction of the incidence of VUR and of UTIs. The secondary end point was the graft function, on the basis of mean serum creatinine level at 3, 6, and 12 months. We failed to observe statistically significant differences in terms of either the incidence of VUR and UTIs, or the short-term outcomes of the grafts. We concluded that the anti-reflux device does not have an impact on the incidence of stent-related side effects.