Exercise and fitness for persons with disabilities

Over the past decade greater attention has been focused on the role of exercise and fitness for persons with disabilities. Increased involvement in exercise programmes, competitive sports and fitness activities has led to further inquiry into the broader concepts of performance, prevention of further deterioration of a given disability, maintenance for activities of daily living, and overall well-being. This paper reviews the literature on 3 categories of disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness and selected physical disabilities, in order to determine the role of exercise and fitness programmes in each. Despite problems in research design, sampling procedures, instrument validity, and delineation of fitness components, there is growing support for the premise that physical exercise has a role to play in breaking the debilitative cycle. Although the research indicates that physical activity can serve as a potential non-pharmacological adjunct therapy for persons with physical disabilities, there is still a need for well-controlled studies to quantify the individualization of exercise programming.     

Adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ocular isolates to mucin

The purpose of this study was to compare the adhesion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ocular isolates to mucin. An adhesion assay was developed using biotin‐labelled P. aeruginosa strains (two corneal ulcer, two acute red eye, one asymptomatic and one standard strains) incubated with porcine gastric mucin immobilized on a nitrocellulose membrane. The adhesion was semiquantified using densitometry. The results showed that all P. aeruginosa strains tested were able to adhere to mucin to various extents with three strains (one corneal ulcer, one acute red eye, one asymptomatic) binding significantly greater than the negative control (P < 0.1). Results suggest that ocular strains of P. aeruginosa strains differ in their adhesion to mucin but this did not correlate with the pathogenic origin of the strain. It is concluded that the adhesion of P. aeruginosa strains to mucin alone may not be a principal determinant of pathogenesis but may be a contributing factor along with other bacterial virulence traits.     

Bepridil for chronic stable angina pectoris: Results of a prospective multicenter,placebo-controlled,dose-ranging study in 77 patients

Bepridil, a new calcium-channel blocking agent with an extended plasma elimination half-life of > 50 hours, was compared to placebo in 77 patients with confirmed coronary artery disease and chronic stable angina pectoris. The effects of bepridil were compared with those of placebo on angina frequency, nitroglycerin tablet use, the resting ECG and hemodynamics at rest and maximal exercise using a study design comprising 5 sequential 2-week single-blind treatment phases. After 2 weeks of placebo (phase 1), bepridil was given for 3 phases (2, 3 and 4) at total daily dosages of 200, 300 and 400 mg, respectively; the study was completed after a final reintroduction of placebo (phase 5). Within each phase once- and twice-daily regimens of bepridil were randomly compared.Bepridil (300 mg/day) reduced anginal frequency 68 %, from 8.5 ± 1.1 (standard error of the mean) to 2.7 ± 0.7 attacks/week and nitroglycerin tablet use 76% (p < 0.001). Bepridil improved exercise duration 26 %, from 6.9 ± 0.4 to 8.7 ± 0.5 minutes (p < 0.001) and exercise work 52%, from 2.7 ± 0.3 to 4.1 ± 0.4 kpm × 10^?3 (p < 0.001) on a standardized treadmill protocol. Resting and peak exercise heart rate and blood pressure were unaffected by bepridil. The antianginal effects were similar with either once- or twice-daily treatment schedules. Minor side effects of nausea, epigastric discomfort and tremor were infrequent and there were no major side effects. The results of this large but preliminary, single-blind and short-term study suggest that bepridil is an effective and well tolerated antianginal agent when administered once daily.     

Histone sumoylation is associated with transcriptional repression

Histone proteins are subject to modifications, such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, glycosylation, and ADP ribosylation, some of which are known to play important roles in the regulation of chromatin structure and function. Here we report that histone H4 is modified by small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) family proteins both in vivo and in vitro. H4 binds to the SUMO-conjugating enzyme (E2), UBC9, and can be sumoylated in an E1 (SUMO-activating enzyme)- and E2-dependent manner. We present evidence suggesting that histone sumoylation mediates gene silencing through recruitment of histone deacetylase and heterochromatin protein 1.     

Characterization of the infarct substrate and ventricular tachycardia circuits with noncontact unipolar mapping in a porcine model of myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND: Conventional mapping of ventricular tachycardia (VT) after myocardial infarction is limited in patients with hemodynamically untolerated or noninducible VT. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to develop a unique strategy using noncontact unipolar mapping to define infarct substrate and VT circuits. METHODS: Dynamic substrate mapping (DSM) was performed in seven pigs with healed anterior myocardial infarction. This technique defined substrate as the intersection of low-voltage areas identified in sinus rhythm and during pacing around the infarct. Pacing was also performed within the substrate to determine exit sites. RESULTS: Anteroapical transmural scar was identified in all animals. A mean of three pacing sites was used for substrate definition. The mean area (+/- SD) was 18.4 +/- 8.8 cm2 by DSM and 15.4 +/- 6.9 cm2 by pathology (P >.5). A mean of 4.5 sites was paced within substrate. Ten of 18 paced wavefronts exited substrate adjacent to the pacing area, seven exited at distant areas, and one had two exits. VT was induced in five animals (1.6 morphologies per animal). Except for one VT, circuit exit sites were identified at substrate borders on the endocardium. VT exit sites were at (n = 6) or near (n = 3) a pacing exit site. Electrogram voltages differed significantly between substrate, border, and nonsubstrate areas in infarcted animals and in comparison with control animals. No substrate was identified in two control animals. CONCLUSION: DSM is a reliable method for infarct substrate localization in this model. Pacing within substrate can predict VT exit sites and may prove useful for ablation of unmappable VT after myocardial infarction.     

日本血吸虫重组22kD表膜蛋白免疫水牛的效果观察

目的 用重组日本血吸虫22kD表膜蛋白（rSj22)免疫水牛,检测特异性IgG抗体的应答水平,并观察抗血吸虫的保护效果。方法 用抗原（rSj22)加佐剂（Quil-A)肌肉注射免疫水牛,以1000条日本血吸虫尾蚴攻击感染,感染后55d剖杀,计算减虫和减卵率,用免疫印斑和ELISA方法测定抗体反应。结果 免疫组每头牛血清均能特异地识别Quil-A对照组相比,减虫率仅8.5%肝卵EPG减少12.3%,粪卵EPG减少26.8%,但均无统计学意义,结论 用rSj22kD抗原免疫水牛诱导的特异性IgG抗体不能发挥免疫保护作用。     

Genetic markers may predict disease behavior in patients with ulcerative colitis

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Recent studies have suggested that HLA DRB1*0103 and allele 2 of the interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) gene predict severe and extensive ulcerative colitis, respectively. The aim of this study was to test these hypotheses in patients undergoing surgery for their colitis. METHODS: HLA DRB1 and DQB1 genotyping was performed in 99 patients and 472 controls. Genotyping for polymorphisms of genes encoding tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1RA was performed in 107 patients and 89 controls. Measurement of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) was performed in 72 patients and 58 healthy subjects by fixed neutrophil enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence. RESULTS: The DRB1*0103 allele was increased in patients (14.1% vs. 3.2% in controls; P < 1 x 10[-5]). This association was greatest in patients with extensive disease (15.8%; P < 0.0001) or extraintestinal manifestations (22.8%; P < 0.0001): mouth ulcers (25.8%; P < 0.0001), arthritis (27.2%; P < 0.0001), and uveitis (35.7%; P < 0.0001). The DRB1*04 alleles were reduced in patients (P = 0.005). Differences were noted between extensive and distal disease in the frequency of allele 2 of IL-1RA (10.9% in distal vs. 28.6% in extensive; P = 0.01) and allele 2 homozygosity. ANCA was detected in 76.4% of patients. Carriage of IL-1RA allele 2 and tumor necrosis factor 2 allele was increased in ANCA-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: Genetic markers may predict disease behavior in ulcerative colitis. (Gastroenterology 1997 Jun;112(6):1845-53)