Electrode Placement and Prolactin Response to Electroconvulsive Therapy

Study of serum prolactin during electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressive patients revealed a greater prolactin increase after bilateral than after unilateral ECT. A linear correlation between the two types of prolactin response was found for a group of 10 patients, a finding that suggests a quantitative rather than a qualitative difference between bilateral and unilateral ECT with regard to their prolactin-releasing properties. The magnitude of prolactin response did not differ between right and left unilateral ECT, nor in a systematically studied case of postictal dysphoric excitement that occurred after right, but not after left, unilateral ECT. In this case, maximal prolactin response occurred earlier with right than with left unilateral ECT. Prolactin increase after ECT was not correlated with such factors as severity of depression nor seizure duration.     

Effects of Two Workload-Matched High-Intensity Interval Training Protocols on Regional Body Composition and Fat Oxidation in Obese Men

The effects of two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols on regional body composition and fat oxidation in men with obesity were compared using a parallel randomized design. Sixteen inactive males (age, 38.9 ± 7.3 years; body fat, 31.8 ± 3.9%; peak oxygen uptake, VO_2peak, 30.9 ± 4.1 mL/kg/min; all mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to either HIIT10 (48 × 10 s bouts at 100% of peak power [W_peak] with 15 s of recovery) or HIIT60 group (8 × 60 s bouts at 100% W_peak with 90 s of recovery), and subsequently completed eight weeks of training, while maintaining the same diet. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) showed only a main effect of time (p < 0.01) and no group or interaction effects (p > 0.05) in the examined parameters. Total and trunk fat mass decreased by 1.81 kg (90%CI: −2.63 to −0.99 kg; p = 0.002) and 1.45 kg (90%CI: −1.95 to −0.94 kg; p < 0.001), respectively, while leg lean mass increased by 0.86 kg (90%CI: 0.63 to 1.08 kg; p < 0.001), following both HIIT protocols. HIIT increased peak fat oxidation (PFO) (from 0.20 ± 0.05 to 0.33 ± 0.08 g/min, p = 0.001), as well as fat oxidation over a wide range of submaximal exercise intensities, and shifted PFO to higher intensity (from 33.6 ± 4.6 to 37.6 ± 6.7% VO_2peak, p = 0.039). HIIT, irrespective of protocol, improved VO_2peak by 20.0 ± 7.2% (p < 0.001), while blood lactate at various submaximal intensities decreased by 20.6% (p = 0.001). In conclusion, both HIIT protocols were equally effective in improving regional body composition and fat oxidation during exercise in obese men.     

Are long hours and hard work detrimental to end-clerkship examination scores?

BACKGROUND: Third-year medical students' complaints focus on the number of hours worked and subsequent lack of study time among three general surgery blocks. We hypothesize that this difference between the surgical blocks does not adversely influence student examination scores. METHODS: Student scores for the academic years 1996-97 to 1997-98 for the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) surgery subtests were compiled. A comparison of two "slow" general surgery blocks (B/C) with one "busy" block (A) was made using a two-tailed t test. A multiple regression analysis was also employed. Finally, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) part I scores were used to determine equivalency of groups. RESULTS: No significant difference existed between block A and blocks B/C in USMLE part I and NBME (P = 0.35 and 0.16 respectively). However, USMLE and rotation sequence influenced NBME scores (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that no difference exists in examination scores between students assigned to a busy general surgery block versus those students assigned to slow blocks.     

Accumulation of cholera toxin and GM1 ganglioside in the early endosome of Niemann–Pick C1-deficient cells

We investigated intracellular trafficking of GM1 ganglioside in Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1)-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells [NPC1(-) cells] by using cholera toxin (CT) as a probe. Both the holotoxin and the B subunit (CTB) accumulated in GM1-enriched intracellular vesicles of NPC1(-) cells. CTB-labeled vesicles contained the early endosome marker Rab5 but not lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 and were not labeled with either Texas red-transferrin or Lysotracker, indicating that they represent early endosomes. Similarly, CT accumulated in intracellular vesicles of human NPC fibroblasts that contained both Rab5 and early endosomal antigen 1. CTB accumulation in NPC1(-) cells was abolished by expression of wild-type NPC1 but not by mutant proteins with a mutation either in the NPC domain or the sterol-sensing domain. A part of these mutant NPC1 proteins expressed in NPC1(-) cells was localized on CTB-labeled vesicles. U18666A treatment of "knock in" cells [NPC1(-) cells that stably expressed wild-type NPC1] caused CTB accumulation similar to that in NPC1(-) cells, and a part of wild-type NPC1was localized on CTB-labeled vesicles in drug-treated cells. Finally, CT tracer experiments in NPC1(-) cells revealed retarded excretion of internalized toxin into the culture medium and an increase in the intracellular release of A subunits. In accordance with the latter result, CT was more effective in stimulating cAMP formation in NPC1(-) than in wild-type cells. These results suggest that transport of CT/GM1 complexes from the early endosome to the plasma membrane depends on the function of NPC1, whereas transport to the Golgi apparatus/endoplasmic reticulum does not.     

Coronary hemodynamics and atherosclerotic wall stiffness: a vicious cycle

Local hemodynamic environment, including low shear stress and increased tensile stress, determines the localization, growth and progression of coronary atherosclerosis. As atherosclerotic lesions evolve, the diseased coronary arteries undergo local quantitative and qualitative changes in their wall, and progressively become stiff. Arterial stiffening amplifies the atherogenic local hemodynamic environment, initiating a self-perpetuating vicious cycle, which drives the progression of atherosclerosis and the formation of atherosclerotic plaque. In vivo evidence indicates that endothelial dysfunction is associated with arterial stiffness, an association that creates a challenging perspective of utilizing stiffness as an early marker of endothelial dysfunction and future atherosclerosis. Coronary stiffening is also associated with vascular remodeling, which is a major determinant of the natural history of atherosclerotic plaques. Thus, arterial stiffness may constitute a useful marker for the identification of the remodeling pattern, in particular expansive remodeling, which is closely associated with high-risk plaques. The early identification of endothelial dysfunction, or a high-risk plaque may enable the early adoption of preventive measures to improve endothelial function, or justify pre-emptive local interventions in high-risk regions to prevent future acute coronary syndromes. Further experimental and perspective clinical studies are needed for the investigation of these perspectives, whereas the development of new modalities for non-invasive and reliable assessment of coronary stiffness is anticipated to serve these studies.     

Multiple behavioral risk factors for chronic diseases in adults aged 50+: regional differences across eleven European countries

Aim

The aim of this study was to estimate the differences in prevalence of multiple behavioral risk factors (MBRFs) for chronic diseases in European adults, from eleven North, Central and South European countries.

Subjects and methods

We used data from 26,656 adults, aged 50+ years, participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004/05). Physical inactivity, high body weight, smoking and risky alcohol consumption were assessed and estimated based on sampling weights, controlling for socioeconomic characteristics.

Results

53.4 % of adults had 2+ MBRFs. Prevalence in the total sample was highest for physical inactivity (71.2 %) and lowest for smoking (18.1 %). The cluster of high body weight and physical inactivity had the highest prevalence of MBRFs (35.4 %), with higher prevalence in Southern Europe (p?<?0.05). Smoking and alcohol consumption presented the greatest degree of clustering (observed to expected ratio?=?2.44). Spain and Greece had the highest prevalence of clustering 2+ MBRFs, whereas Southern European countries had a higher mean number of MBRFs, compared to North and Central European regions (p?<?0.05).

Conclusion

Prevalence of MBRFs varied between countries, with Southern European countries engaging in more risky behaviors. Primary prevention programmes should be developed to reduce MBRFs in this population.