Increased serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in hypertensive men treated with the potent vasodilator carprazidil

The effects of the potent arteriolar vasodilator carprazidil on serum lipoproteins and various clinical, biochemical and endocrine parameters were assessed in 15 men with mild to moderate essential hypertension. Following a carprazidil monotherapy (average dose 50 to 60 mg/d) of 8 weeks (N = 15) or 16 weeks (N = 12) duration, blood pressure was decreased significantly (P less than 0.01), while serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (+ 26% and + 24%, respectively; P less than 0.01) and the alpha-lipoprotein fraction (+ 26% and + 41%) were increased. Low- and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, as well as mean body weight, blood and plasma volume, heart rate, and plasma renin, aldosterone, norepinephrine, and epinephrine were not consistently altered. These results indicate that treatment of hypertensive men with carprazidil in modest dosage may have a favorable influence both on blood pressure and serum lipoproteins.     

Adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase activity in normal and leukemic human lymphocytes

Adenylate cyclase (AC) and guanylate cyclase (GC) activities were studied in normal B-enriched and T-enriched lymphocytes, in lymphocytes of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), and in lymphocytes of adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). AC activity was greater in normal B than T lymphocytes (215 pmole/min/mg protein versus 80 pmole in the membrane-enriched fraction) and i both increased greatly after stimulation with isoproterenol and more so with prostaglandins E and F2 alpha. In leukemic lymphocytes, AC showed depressed activity (20 pmole in ALL cells and 55 pmole in CLL cells) and was less sensitive to hormonal stimulation: this loss of sensitivity occurred to a greater extent in ALL than in CLL lymphocytes. GC activity was greater in normal T than B cells (in membrane-enriched fraction: 10.2 pmole versus 5.3 pmole). It increased little with isoproterenol and prostaglandins stimulation, and much more with sodium azide and dehydroascorbic acid stimulation. GC activity was increased in both types of leukemic lymphocytes (23 pmole for ALL cells and 18 pmole for CLL cells) and was insensitive to stimulation. Possible derangement of cyclase and cyclic nucleotide regulation in leukemic cells is suggested.     

Effects of exercise training program on functional capacity and quality of life in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. Evaluation of a pilot project

BACKGROUND: In patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) stage II, exercise training seems to be important to reduce symptoms and improve functional capacity. We evaluated the effects of an out-patient treatment program on walking distance (standardized treadmill testing), training exercise capacity, and disease specific quality of life (PAVK-86 questionnaire). METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-one patients aged 70 +/- 2 with intermittent claudicatio in stage IIa/IIb according to Fontaine (n = 18/13) underwent a supervised 12 week exercise training and education outpatient program. During course of intervention, patients demonstrated improvements in pain-free training walking distance (p < 0.001) and repetitions of tiptoe standing (p < 0.05). In standardized treadmill testing, pain-free walking distance was improved by 182% (129 +/- 19 m-->364 +/- 53 m; p < 0.001), and maximum walking distance by 76% (311 +/- 42 m-->546 +/- 63 m; p < 0.01). Before training, mean subscale scores of the PAVK-86 demonstrated distinct impairments concerning pain and functional status. After 12 weeks of intervention, with exception of the subscale complaints, all dimensions of quality of life assessed have improved significantly. The highest effect size was observed for the subscales pain, mood, and functional status. Improvement in the subscale anxiety and pain-free walking distance (treadmill test) correlated significantly (r = 0.46) as well as improvement in the subscale mood and maximum walking distance (r = 0.45). CONCLUSION: In patients with PAOD stage II considerable effects on functional capacity and important dimensions of quality of life can be achieved by a short exercise and education program.     

Das myofasziale Schmerzsyndrom

Background

Pain and/or functional disorders, such as weakness or movement control disorders, often have a myofascial origin. The pathophysiological substrates of myofascial problems are myofascial trigger points (mTrP) and reactive connective tissue alterations. Typical for myofascial pain is that the site of the origin of pain and the site of pain perception often do not lie in the same place (referred pain). Myofascial disorders can have a primary or a secondary cause and often make a substantial contribution to stimulus summation problems. In the process of clinical reasoning it needs to be investigated what value mTrP and fascial alterations have for the current problem in question (e.g. primary, secondary and contribution to stimulus summation).

Methods

The causal and sustained therapy of myofascial disorders considers the contractile part of muscle (contracture knots) as well as the noncontractile parts (reactive connective tissue alterations). Predisposition and maintaining factors have to be recognized and if possible included in the therapy, depending on the necessity. The trigger point therapy IMTT® (“Interessengemeinschaft für Myofasziale Triggerpunkt-Therapie”) encompasses manual techniques and if necessary dry needling for deactivation of the disruption potential of mTrP, stretching/detonization and functional training/ergonomics.     

Profiles of violent youth: substance use and other concurrent problems.

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the prevalence of various violent behaviors among high school-age adolescents, the co-occurrence of teenage violence with other public health problems, and gender differences in violence. METHODS: Longitudinal data for more than 4500 high school seniors and dropouts from California and Oregon were used to develop weighted estimates of the prevalence of violent behavior and its co-occurrence with other emotional and behavioral problems. RESULTS: More than half the sample had engaged in violence during the last year, and one in four had committed predatory violence. Boys were more likely than girls to engage in most types of violence, but both were equally prone to violence within the family. Violent youth were more likely than their peers to have poor mental health, use drugs, drop out of school, and be delinquent. Violent boys were more likely than violent girls to commit nonviolent felonies and sell drugs, but less likely to have poor mental health or become a parent. Prevalence estimates for violence co-occurring with three or more other problems ranged from 4% to 21%. CONCLUSIONS: Teenage violence typically coexists with additional emotional and behavioral problems. Programs must consider the broader public health context in which violence occurs.     

刺南蛇藤倍半萜的研究

从刺南蛇藤(Celastrus flagelaris Rupr.)种子油中分离到八个β-二氢沉香呋喃倍半萜,经红外、紫外、质谱及核磁共振谱确定它们的结构是1α-乙酰氧基-2α,9β-二肉桂酰氧基-β-二氢沉香呋喃(1),1α,6β,13-三乙酰氧基-9β-苯甲酰氧基-β-二氢沉香呋喃-(2),triptogelinG-1(3),1α,6β-二乙酰氧基-9β-苯甲酰氧基-β-二氢沉香呋喃(4),triptogelinF-2(5),1α,2α-二乙酰氧基-9β-肉桂酰氧基-β-二氢沉香呋喃(6),celaforlinB-3(7),1α,6β-二乙酰氧基-8α-肉桂酰氧基-9α-苯酰氧基-β-二氢沉香呋喃(8)。其中1是新化合物,命名为celastrine B。     

Lysergic acid diethylamide: evidence for stimulation of cerebral dopamine receptors.

In the rat, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) decreased the striatal and retinal content of homovanillic acid. LSD did not change the level of dopamine (DA), but delayed the a-methyl-p-tyrosine-induced disappearance of this amine in the teldiencephalon. In the cat, LSD diminished the DA output into the perfusate of the caudate nucleus. Furthermore, LSD increased the activity of adenylate cyclase in striatal homogenates of rat. These and other findings indicate that in the central nervous system LSD stimulates DA receptors which may be involved in LSD-induced phychosis.     

Accumulation of 5-HT in non-terminal axons after p-chloro-N-methylamphetamine without degeneration of identified 5-HT nerve terminals.

The effect of a single injection of d,1-p-chloro-N-methylamphetamine (PCMA) on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)- containing neurons in rat brain was investigated using fluorescence histochemical, electron microscopic and biochemical methods. PCMA caused in a dose-dependent manner (from 4.3 mg/kg), an increase of formaldehyde-induced indoleamine (IA) fluorescence in swollen non-terminal axons during the first 6 days and, in contrast, a diminution of IA fluorescence in nerve terminal regions for up to 42 days after treatment. These changes did not appear to be the result of destruction of 5-HT nerve terminals since at all time intervals investigated (12 h to 42 days), the fine structure and frequency of supra-ependymal 5-HT nerve terminals were unaffected. Moreover, no degenerating nerve terminals were observed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. A marked transient decrease of IA fluorescence on day 2 in the 5-HT cell bodies B3-B9 was not followed by obvious morphological changes up to 42 days after PCMA. Therefore, the reduced 5-HT content of brain up to 42 days after treatment seems not to be due to a destruction of 5-HT neurons. Moreover, the damage to non-terminal 5-HT axons, as indicated by the 5-HT accumulation, seems not to be severe, at least not to those axons projecting to the cerebral ventricles and suprachiasmatic nucleus, since no degeneration of 5-HT nerve terminals was observed at any of the times investigated.