Glucose uptake by individual skeletal muscles during running using whole-body positron emission tomography

The purpose of this study was to examine, by positron emission tomography (PET), the distribution of [¹⁸F]fluoro-deoxy-glucose ([¹⁸F]FDG) uptake by human muscles during 35?min of running. Thirteen healthy male subjects were studied, seven of whom participated in the exercise study. Running intensity was kept constant such that the subjects' heart rates were maintained at between 140 and 150?beats per minute. [¹⁸F]FDG [62.9 (14.8)?MBq, mean (SD)] was injected after 15?min of running. PET imaging was started immediately after the running ended. The ratio of [¹⁸F]FDG uptake by muscles in runners to that in control subjects (r-c ratio) varied from three to six for the muscles of the foot and leg below the knee joint. The r-c ratio of the medial head of the gastrocnemius (MG) was higher than that of its lateral head (LG). The r-c ratio of the rectus femoris (RF) was lower than that of the other three muscles of the quadriceps femoris (QF). The r-c ratio of inactive muscles located above the waist was approximately 0.7. These results suggest that, during the moderate running of this study: (1) glucose uptake by muscles of the foot and leg below the knee joint clearly increases, (2) the r-c ratio differs significantly among the skeletal muscles, which act synergistically, and (3) glucose uptake by inactive skeletal muscles decreases.     

Immunopharmacological study of CCA (Lobenzarit disodium), an anti-arthritis agent--I. Abrogation of IL 1 secretion by LPS-stimulated human monocytes and induction of gamma-interferon production with CCA

In vitro effects of CCA, an anti-arthritis agent, were studied upon autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR), lymphocyte mitogenesis, IL 1 and IL 2 production, immunoglobulin production and gamma-interferon (IFN) production. CCA at 50 micrograms/ml, which was not toxic to cells, blocked AMLR, IL 1 production and immunoglobulin production (IgM and IgG) significantly, while CCA at the same dose did not affect IL 2 production and lymphocyte mitogenic responses to Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I(SAC) and pokeweed mitogen(PWM). CCA at both 20 ng/ml and 20 micrograms/ml induced human gamma/IFN. Addition of IL 1 and/or IL 2 reversed inhibitory effect of CCA on AMLR. These data suggest that CCA exerts its actions by mainly affecting T cells and monocytes and can be used as an immunomodulator.     

Double antibody enzyme immunoassay for the quantitation of adenosine 3', 5' -cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) and guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic GMP) in tissue and plasma

A sensitive double antibody enzyme immunoassay for the quantitation of cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP is presented. Specific antisera to each nucleotide were raised in rabbits by immunization with succinyl cyclic nucleotide-human serum albumin conjugates. For competitive reaction, antibodies were incubated with a mixture of succinyl cyclic nucleotide labelled with beta-D-galactosidase and unlabelled succinylated standard or sample cyclic nucleotides. The antibody-bound enzyme-hapten was separated from free hapten by anti-rabbit IgG immobilized to a polystyrene ball. Activity of the enzyme on the solid phase was fluorometrically determined. The assay system made it possible to ascertain values as low as 5 fmole of cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP. Cyclic nucleotides in plasma could be accurately determined by this method without requiring a deproteinizing reagent as the first step of assay.     

Gastric motility in patients with recurrent gastric ulcers.

The existence of abnormal gastric motility in gastric ulcer disease remains controversial. The aim of this study was to characterize gastric motility in patients with recurrent gastric ulcers. Studies were performed in 10 control subjects and in 24 patients with recurrent active gastric ulcer disease as diagnosed by gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gastric motility was evaluated by cutaneous electrogastrography (EGG) and by gastric semi-liquid meal emptying. The EGG was recorded before and after ingestion of a test meal containing 20 mg/kg of acetaminophen. Patients with a dominant EGG frequency of greater than 0.06 Hz were defined as tachygastria, while those with a frequency of less than 0.04 Hz were defined as bradygastria. A transient frequency decrease, called postprandial dip (PD), was identified visually. The degree of gastric emptying was determined from the serum acetaminophen concentration 45 minutes after the meal. Control subjects showed no irregularity in their dominant EGG frequency in tither fasting or postprandial states. PD was observed in 8 control subjects. In patients presenting with active gastric ulcers, abnormal patterns in the dominant EGG frequency (either as tachygastria or bradygastria) were observed in 14 of the 24 patients when fasting and in 15 of them in the postprandial state. After successful treatment, the number of patients with abnormal patterns in their dominant EGG frequency remained unchanged, while PD was observed in 11 patients. No significant difference was observed in the EGG power ratio as a result of successful treatment. Gastric emptying was significantly delayed compared with controls in both the active and healed stages. These findings suggest that abnormal gastric motility, including gastric electrical abnormalities and delayed gastric emptying, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of recurrent gastric ulcers.     

In vivo administration of cytokine in allogeneic bone marrow chimeras.

When we analyzed the in vivo efficacy of cytokine administration in murine allogeneic bone marrow chimeras, mitogen-induced responses to ConA, PHA, LPS, or PWM were increased by the in vivo administration of human recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rG-CSF), human recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2), or WEHI-3B conditioned medium (CM). Furthermore, we found increased alloreactive mixed lymphocyte reactions (MLRs) against donor and/or host type alloantigens in spleen cells from (BALB/c----C3H/He) chimeras, although cytotoxic activity against BALB/c or C3H/He target cells was not detected in spleen cells from these chimeras. Since no significant increase of T cells or Ia positive cells was observed, some functional activation, rather than changes in the cell count, appeared to relate to increase immunoreactivity. An increased IL-2 production in spleen cells from chimeras injected with cytokine was observed shortly after the cessation of cytokine administration. Thereafter, an IL-2 production in these chimeras decreased around 45 days after bone marrow transplantation and then recovered nearly to the control level. An increased IL-2 responsiveness was also observed in spleen cells from these chimeras. These findings suggest that the in vivo administration of rG-CSF as well as rIL-2 or WEHI-3B CM (IL-3) can modulate the immunoreactivity in chimeras via the network of immune systems.     

C cell hyperplasia and carcinoma developing in sheep with experimentally-induced lymphosarcoma.

Two cases of C cell hyperplasia and one case of C cell carcinoma of the thyroid glands were bilaterally recognized in 11 sheep with experimentally-induced lymphosarcoma. The serum calcium concentration in the C cell carcinoma case was slightly increased above the normal concentration of around 9 mg per dl. Bilateral C cell hyperplasia also developed in the thyroid lobes of the C cell carcinoma case. Immunohistochemically, hyperplastic C cells and tumour cells were positive for calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide, chromogranin A and neurone-specific enolase. No amyloid deposition nor multiple endocrine neoplasia was demonstrated in any of the cases. Ultrastructurally, many secretory granules were observed in the cytoplasm of neoplastic cells constituting the C cell carcinoma and in the hyperplastic C cells.     

Heritability of C-Reactive Protein and Association with Apolipoprotein E Genotypes in Japanese Americans

Numerous studies have demonstrated that increased C‐reactive protein (CRP) levels predict coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and diabetes, and are associated with features of the metabolic syndrome. Only three previous studies have investigated the heritability of CRP levels, primarily in samples of Caucasian families.The purpose of the present study was to estimate the magnitude of genetic influences on CRP levels, and to examine potential associations between variation in the APOE gene and CRP levels, using a sample of 562 individual Japanese Americans from 68 extended kindreds. In general, correlation coefficients between first‐degree relatives for CRP were approximately 0.2, and spouse correlations did not differ from zero, consistent with genetic influences. Heritability estimates were approximately 0.3 (p < 0.01), even with adjustment for factors known to influence CRP levels. A significant relationship was seen between unadjusted CRP levels and APOE genotypes (p = 0.02), with the highest mean CRP level among ?2 carriers (1.20 mg/L), and nearly the same mean levels among ?3/?3 subjects and ?4 carriers (0.72 and 0.74 mg/L, respectively). However, this relationship was diminished with adjustment for covariates (p = 0.07). These results demonstrate the presence of both genetic and environmental effects on CRP levels among Asian Americans, and additional studies are needed to determine if the APOE gene contributes to these genetic influences.     

Modulation of neuronal histamine in control of food intake

Neuronal histamine affects physiological functions of the hypothalamus. To investigate involvement of histamine receptors in feeding, histamine antagonists were infused into the rat third cerebroventricle. All H1- but no H2-antagonists tested, induced transient feeding during the early light when concentration of hypothalamic histamine was highest. No periprandial drinking was observed. Ambulation concomitantly increased during feeding. The effect on feeding was attenuated when brain histamine was normally low during the early dark or was decreased by alpha-fluoromethylhistidine (alpha-FMH). Bilateral microinjection indicated that the ventromedial hypothalamus, but not the lateral hypothalamus or the paraventricular nucleus, was a main locus for the induction of feeding by an H1-antagonist. The effect was completely abolished when brain histamine was decreased by pretreatment with alpha-FMH. Hypothalamic neuronal histamine suppresses food intake, at least in part, through H1-receptors in the VMH, and diurnal fluctuations of food intake may mirror neuronal histamine level.