Skeletal muscle adaptations to physical training in type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus

Seven middle-aged men with manifest type II diabetes mellitus underwent an endurance training programme for 10-15 weeks. The maximal aerobic capacity, as well as the endurance capacity, was improved by 10% (p less than 0.05). The intramuscular glycogen store increased by more than 80% (p less than 0.05) from 350 mumol/g dw (dry weight), and the activities of citrate synthase and 3-hydroxy-acyl-CoA dehydrogenase increased by more than 50% (p less than 0.05) and 30% (p less than 0.05). The activity of glycogen synthase was decreased by approximately 20% (p less than 0.05), whereas lactate dehydrogenase remained unchanged. Capillaries/fibre and fibre area increased by more than 50% (p less than 0.05) and 30% (p less than 0.05) leaving the area of supply constant. Training did not influence fasting blood lipids and glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, oral glucose tolerance, and insulin response to an oral glucose load measured 72 hours post-exercise. It is concluded that patients with manifest type II diabetes, as normoglycaemic individuals, adapt to physical training. However, no persistent effect on glucohomeostasis and lipaemia is produced by short-term training in the diabetic patients.     

Respiratory modulation of shivering intensity in the pigeon

Respiration and shivering were measured in unanaesthetized, cold-exposed pigeons using pneumotachography and electromyography, respectively. The instantaneous intensity of shivering in the pectoral muscle varied in phase with respiration. Power spectral analysis showed that the main frequency components of respiration and demodulated EMG coincided exactly. The intensity of shivering was highest during end-expiration and lowest at end-inspiration. This was confirmed by cross-correlation analysis of respiration and demodulated EMG. The absolute level of modulation remained constant (c. 10 microV peak-to-peak) despite changes in the general intensity of shivering. On the other hand, the relative depth of modulation was highest during incipient shivering. These facts indicate that only a part of the motor units recruited for shivering is susceptible to respiratory modulation and that this part is first recruited during incipient shivering. Inhalation of 5% CO2 did not affect the interaction between respiration and shivering although respiration frequency varied from 25 to 60 min-1. Thus, pulmonary chemoreceptors do not mediate this effect. It is suggested that the interaction between respiration and shivering occurs directly in the CNS. The question whether the interaction is adaptive for the animal or merely reflects a common evolutionary history of the underlying neural circuits is discussed.     

Pulmonary diffusing capacity of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)

Carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lungs (DLCO) was measured in bullfrogs, Rana catesbeiana (mean body weight 260 g) along with oxygen uptake, pulmonary perfusion and lung volume. The measurements were all performed by methods depending on mass-spectrometry. Pulmonary oxygen uptake, DLCO and perfusion all increased with body temperature. At 20 degrees C O2-uptake was 0.49 ml STPD . kg-1 . min-1 at rest and DLCO was 0.022 ml STPD . kg-1 . min-1 . Torr-1. At 30 degrees C the values for O2-uptake and DLCO approximately doubled. Lung volume was large (90 ml . kg-1) and independent of body temperature. Oxygen uptake and DLCO of the bullfrog were small compared to values for a similar-sized mammal but the ratios of DLCO to O2-uptake quite similar. Analysis of available data on DLCO and O2-uptake in ectotherms also suggests a close correlation between O2-uptake and DLCO.     

Anatomic bases for liver transplantation

Summary This study gathers the anatomic implications for a good liver transplantation. During hepatic removal a left hepatic a.exists in 20% of cases; a right hepatic artery originating from the superior mesenteric a. (SMA) can be the only arterial supply in 9% of cases; the whole lesser omentum has to be removed and the SMA from 6 cm to its origin. The SMA must be freed from the celiac ganglia and its ostium removed with the celiac trunk in an aortic patch cut on the anterior side in order to avoid the renal ostia. During total hepatectomy, dissection of the portal triad is often difficult because of portal hypertension dilating accessory portal veins (parabiliary arcade) and pedicular lymphatics. Nerve plexuses are thick in front of the hepatic artery or behind the portal triad. Transection of triangular ligaments leads to the retrohepatic inferior vena cava (IVC) that must be freed from its posterior tributaries (right suprarenal vein and inferior phrenic veins flowing either into the IVC or into the hepatic veins). One big problem during hepatic replacement is the biliary anastomosis which must be well irrigated. In the recipient, dissection up to the hilum preserves hepatic and pancreatico-duodenal pedicles. The biliary tract of the graft must be cut low, behind the pancreas, and several centimeters of the gastroduodenal artery must be preserved to save hepatic and gastroduodenal pedicles.

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Bases anatomiques de la transplantation hépatique

Résumé Ce travail rassemble les notions anatomiques nécessaires au bon déroulement d'une transplantation hépatique. Le prélèvement du greffon doit enlever tout le petit omentum contenant une éventuelle a. hépatique gauche née de l'a. gastrique gauche (20%) et emporter l'a. mésentérique supérieure jusqu'à 6 cm de son origine pour ne pas oublier une a. hépatique droite née de cette dernière: son ostium est pris avec le tronc clique dans un patch aortique découpé sur la face antérieure. Lors de l'hépatectomie totale, la dissection du pédicule hépatique est rendue délicate par l'hypertension portale qui dilate les veines portes diets accessoires (arcade parabiliaire) et les lymphatiques pédiculaires. Les plexus nerveux sont riches devant l'artère hépatique et derrière le pédicule. La section des ligaments triangulaires droit et gauche amène à la veine cave inférieure (VCI) rétro-hépatique qu'il faut libérer de ses afférences postérieures (en particulier la veine surrénale principale droite toujours haut située et les veines phréniques inférieures qui s'abouchent soit dans la VCI soit dans les veines hépatiques du carrefour). Lors du remplacement, l'anastomose biliaire doit être vascularisée. Chez le receveur la dissection jusqu'au hile permet de conserver les pédicules. La voie biliaire du greffon doit être coupée bas derrière le pancréas et les premiers centimètres de l'artère gastro-duodénale conservés pour préserver les pédicules hépatique et pancréaticoduodénal.

     

Regulation of tissue-degrading factors and in vitro invasiveness in progression of breast cancer cells

Hormone-independent growth and invasiveness represent phenotypic properties acquired during early progression of breast cancer. We compared human mammary adenocarcinoma cells, MCF-7, which are estrogen-dependent and poorly metastatic, with the estrogen-independent and highly metastatic subline, MCF7/LCC1, with regard to expression of tissue-degrading factors of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-and urokinase (uPA)-dependent degradative pathways, as well as for their in vitro invasive properties. Both cell lines showed low constitutive mRNA expression of the MMP inhibitor TIMP-1. Baseline expression of TIMP-2 mRNA was also very low in MCF-7 cells, whereas the MCF7/LCC1 level was much higher (~10- fold). Furthermore, both cell lines revealed low constitutive capacity to migrate in an in vitro invasion assay. Treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA; 100 nM) induced the mRNAs for TIMP-1 as well as for MMP-1, MMP-9, the uPA receptor, and the uPA inhibitor PAI-1, am ongst which only the responses of MMP-9 and PAI-1 were cell-specific. The mRNA levels of MMP-9 and PAI-1 were ~10-fold and ~15-fold higher in MCF7/LCC1 cells compared to MCF-7 cells. The secretion of immuno-reactive PAI-1 was considerably elevated (. 20-fold) in TPA-treated MCF7/LCC1 cells, whereas the TPA-dependent level of 92-kDa MMP-9 was only ~2-fold higher in MCF7/LCC1 cells than in MCF-7 cells. In both cell lines treatment with TPA was associated with an increase (~10-fold) in in vitro migration, which in the MCF7/LCC1 cells was significantly attenuated by a reconstituted basement membrane extract (Matrigel). These data suggest that TPA-responsive in vitro invasive properties that are probably associ-ated with PAI-1 expression may co-vary with progression from hormone-dependent to -independent breast cancer. © Rapid Science 1998     

Contribution to the study of the tributaries and the termination of the external jugular vein

Summary The dissection of 100 external jugular veins in 50 cadavers was the object of this anatomic study. A certain number of notions concerning the afferent veins, the mode of termination and the valvular system of this vessel were defined. 1)Afferent veins. Along its pathway toward the deep venous system, the external jugular vein successively received: the transverse cervical vein in 88 cases (88%), usually opposite the intersection of the external jugular vein with the dorsal border of the sterno- cleidomastoid muscle; the suprascapular vein in 47 cases (47%); the anterior jugular vein in 46 cases (46%); the cervical vein or anastomosis with the latter in 13 cases (13%). 2)Mode of termination. Forty-three subjects presented a symmetric mechanism. 100 anastomoses can be classed into three types: in 60 cases (60%), the external jugular vein flowed into the jugulo-subclavian venous confluence; in 36 cases (36%), in to the subclavian vein at a distance from its junction with the internal jugular vein; in 4 cases (4%) in to the trunk of the internal jugular vein. 3)Study of the valves. There were studied in 25 subjects (50 external jugular veins). The valves were found in the ostial and paraostial position in 49 out of 50 veins.

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Contribution à l'étude des afférences et de la terminaison de la veine jugulaire externe

Résumé Cette étude anatomique repose sur la dissection de 100 vv. jugulaires externes chez 50 cadavres. Elle a permis de préciser un certain nombre de notions concernant les veines afférentes, le mode de terminaison et le système valvulaire de ce vaisseau. 1)Veines afférentes. Le long de son trajet vers le sytème veineux profond, la v. jugulaire externe reçoit successivement: la v. cervicale transverse dans 88 cas (88 %), habituellement en regard du croisement de la v. jugulaire externe avec le bord dorsal du m. sterno-cléido-mastoïdien ; la v. supra-scapulaire dans 47 cas (47 %); la v. jugulaire antérieure dans 46 cas (46 %) ; la v. céphalique ou une anastomose avec celle-ci dans 13 cas (13 %). 2)Mode de terminaison. Quarante trois sujets présentent un dispositif symétrique. Les 100 abouchements peuvent être classés en trois types : dans 60 cas (60 %) la v. jugulaire externe se déverse dans le confluent veineux jugulo-subclavier ; dans 36 cas (36 %), dans la v. subclavière à distance de sa réunion avec la v. jugulaire interne ; dans 4 cas (4 %) dans le tronc de la v. jugulaire interne. 3)Etude des valvules. Recherchées chez 25 sujets (50 vv. jugulaires externes), les valvules ont été retrouvées dans 49 cas sur 50 en position ostiale ou paraostiale.

     

The ileoanal J pouch: radiographic evaluation

Endorectal ileoanal pull-through offers an attractive alternative to proctocolectomy and ileostomy for patients with ulcerative colitis, Gardner syndrome, and familial polyposis. To our knowledge, a careful radiographic analysis of the ileum, ileal pouch, and ileoanal anastomosis after ileoanal pull-through has not been reported. Thirty-two patients with ulcerative colitis, Gardner syndrome, and familial polyposis underwent colectomy, mucosal proctectomy, and endorectal ileoanal pull-through of a 15-cm ileal "J" pouch and loop ileostomy. Twenty-five (78%) of 32 of all the pouches radiographically demonstrated spiral folds extending from the middle of the pouch to the pectinate line. Other radiographic features included a mesenteric mass effect, pseudopolyps, and a central lucency that indicated intrapouch sutures. Radiographs provide useful information in the postoperative management of the ileal pull-through.     

Radiographic quantification of alveolar bone level changes

The "random burst" theory has recently been proposed as an explanation of the pattern of periodontal disease progression. The theory predicts that the progression of bone loss at individual sites is not dependent upon previous bone loss and age. A longitudinal radiographic study was designed to test this hypothesis, and to describe the changes in bone level over 2 years in a group of 180 subjects (18-68 years of age) who were not under systematic periodontal treatment. The results indicated that 94% of the sites did not show significant changes in the alveolar bone level during the observation period. The mean annual bone loss for the total population was 0.11 mm. By regressing longitudinal bone loss upon age, it was shown that the rate of bone loss increased rapidly between 33 and 56 years of age while a different pattern was shown for the age intervals 18-32 and 57-68 years. Also, the rate of bone loss increased with increasing initial bone loss. This was less evident in the oldest age group. It was concluded that the progression of bone loss in the present material is consistent with a "burst" theory. However, the progression did not occur randomly with regard to previous loss of alveolar bone and time.