Reduction in intra-abdominal adipose tissue after strength training in older women

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a total body strength-training program on changes in total and regional body composition, in particular intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT), in older women. Fourteen healthy older women (mean age 67 +/- 1 yr) exercised 3 times/wk for 16 wk. Strength was assessed by one-repetition maximum tests, with training intensity gradually increased to approximately 67% of one repetition maximum. Body composition was measured by hydrodensitometry and regional body composition was measured by computed tomography. Strength was significantly increased in the upper (51%) and lower body (65%). There was no significant change in body weight (64.4 +/- 2.7 vs. 64.2 +/- 2.7 kg), total body fat (38.7 +/- 1.4 vs. 38.0 +/- 1.6%) or fat-free mass (39.7 +/- 1.0 vs. 40.0 +/- 0.9 kg). However, after ST, there were significant reductions in IAAT (143.9 +/- 13.3 vs. 130.0 +/- 12.4 cm2), the IAAT-to-subcutaneous adipose tissue ratio (0.48 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.44 +/- 0.04), and midthigh subcutaneous adipose tissue (141.7 +/- 11.5 vs. 133.6 +/- 10.8 cm2) and an increase in midthigh muscle (52.9 +/- 2.6 vs. 58.0 +/- 2.0 cm2) (all P < 0.05). In conclusion, significant reductions in IAAT and an increase in strength and muscle area were observed after a strength-training program in healthy older women. These changes may be important in preventing the negative health outcomes associated with the age-related increase in intra-abdominal obesity.     

Subcutaneous absorption kinetics and local tissue distribution of interferon and other solutes

The subcutaneous absorption and consequent tissue distribution of interferon g was studied in an anaesthetized rat model. Interferon g showed a biphasic disappearance profile from a solution in a subcutaneous absorption cell. Both the initial rapid distribution phase and slower removal phase followed first order kinetics. The steady-state clearance of interferon g from the cell was 1.41 +/- 0.38 x 10(-3) mL min-1, and the absorption half-life (t1/2) was 3.8 +/- 1.1 h (n = 4). Noradrenaline did not significantly alter either the clearance or absorption of interferon g (1.18 +/- 0.44 x 10(-3) mL min-1, P > 0.05, absorption t1/2 4.96 +/- 1.9 h, P > 0.05). Given that the clearance of smaller solutes, such as tritiated water, is significantly reduced when noradrenaline is coadministered, it is suggested that interferon g is removed via the lymphatic system rather than by the local blood supply. The amount of interferon g recovered in the plasma, urine and muscle is minimal relative to other solutes where the recovery is almost complete.     

Rural hospital health promotion: programs, methods, resource limitations

Most hospitals provide health promotion programs for community residents. There is little information concerning the specific types of services offered by rural hospitals. A questionnaire was sent to every acute care hospital in Iowa (N = 124), including 99 rural hospitals and 25 urban hospitals. Surveys were returned from 95 rural hospitals (96%) and 20 urban hospitals (80%). Results indicated that 98.9% of rural hospitals offered health promotion services to community residents. These services provided on average 7.5 programs on a regular basis, while using only 1.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Urban hospitals provided 9.5 regular programs with 2.4 FTE. The most common types of rural promotion programs were blood pressure screening, cholesterol screening, safety and protection programs, diet/nutrition programs, prenatal/maternal health, and breast cancer screening. Over 40% of rural respondents stated that other less common programs, including substance abuse prevention and mental health promotion, were needed but could not be offered because of resource limitations; these types of services were offered more commonly in urban hospitals. Rural hospital health promotion programs are attempting to meet a wide variety of programming needs with limited resources, and attention may be well directed towards finding how best to provide various programs with limited resources to maximize their impact on community health.     

Analysis of the expression of the hybrid gene bcl-2/IgH in follicular lymphomas

To investigate the clinical and biologic significance of the circulating t(14;18)-carrying cells in follicular lymphoma (FL) patients, we analyzed the mbr/JH junction of the hybrid bcl-2/IgH gene simultaneously at the DNA and RNA levels by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 37 peripheral blood samples from 37 patients in different remission status: 4 before treatment, 8 during treatment, and 25 in complete remission (CR). Of these 37 patients, 22 were positive either at the DNA or RNA level (8 with active disease and 14 in CR). Among these positive patients, RNA was more often negative for patients in CR (9 of 14 [64%]) than for patients with active disease (2 of 8 [25%]; Fisher's exact test, P = .09). Among the 14 patients in CR with residual disease, 2 of 5 with RNA positivity relapsed, whereas 1 of 9 with RNA negativity and DNA positivity relapsed with a median follow-up after sample collection of 8 months (range, 4 to 18 months). Simultaneous analysis of the bcl-2/IgH gene at the DNA and RNA level showed heterogeneous patterns of PCR positivity in regards to the evaluation of the biologic activity of the t(14;18)-carrying cells. A larger study and long-term follow-up will help in determining whether the expression patterns in turn reflect the functional status of disease activity in FL patients.     

Use of esmolol to prevent hemodynamic changes during intubation in general anesthesia

Regeneration-competent urodele Amphibia are highly resistant to spontaneous development of neoplasms, in comparison with other vertebrates which do not exhibit great regenerative power. This observation implies that at least one growth parameter of urodele cells might be subject to different developmental mechanisms than the cells of animals incapable of epimorphic regeneration. Therefore, keeping records concerning the incidence of tumors in urodeles and investigating those exceptional cases might prove invaluable in understanding the basic biological principles governing organ regeneration and carcinogenesis, and might therefore help in cancer therapy. The present report depicts a case of two spontaneous, dermal, melanoma-like tumors found in an adult newt Triturus cristatus. Both tumors were located in the pelvic region. Histological examinations and tumor transplantations were conducted. It was found that the tumors were melanomata. When allografted within the body cavity, their mass was progressively eliminated.     

Radiofrequency ablation therapy of the posteroseptal accessory pathway

Among 652 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome who underwent radiofrequency ablation in this laboratory, 139 (21%) were found to have a total of 146 posteroseptal accessory pathways. Ablation was conducted by the regular transvenous or transaortic approach; ablation from cardiac venous structures was used only if regular approaches were unsuccessful. Of the 146 posteroseptal accessory pathways, 94 were successfully ablated from the left posteroseptal region and 45 from the right posteroseptal region. In 3, successful ablation of the accessory pathway required delivery of the current to the proximal coronary sinus, and in 1 it required delivery of the current to both the atrial and ventricular aspects of the tricuspid valve at the right posteroseptum. Thus, the accessory pathway was successfully ablated in 143 (98%) of 146 instances or in 136 (98%) patients. In 3 patients, ablation was unsuccessful despite delivery of current to the left posteroseptum, the right posteroseptum, the proximal coronary sinus, and the middle cardiac vein. Seventy-seven (57%) patients with an initial success, including 9 patients with resumed preexcitation or recurrence of paipitations, underwent a follow-up electro-physiologic study 90 +/- 72 days after ablation. Of these 9 patients, the initial successful ablation site was the right posteroseptum in 7 and the left posteroseptum in 2. The accessory pathways were ablated successfully by subsequent trials in 8 patients, whereas in 1 the accessory pathway was severely damaged. Thus radiofrequency ablation of posteroseptal accessory pathways can be achieved by the regular transvenous or transaortic approach; delivery of current to the coronary sinus or middle cardiac vein is unnecessary in most patients.     

Systematic relationships among pocket gopher chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Trichodectidae) inferred from electrophoretic data

This study was designed to explore the efficacy of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) to antagonize the effect of gonadotrophin surge-inhibiting factor (GnSIF) on the timing of the induction by GnRH of the maximal self-priming effect on pituitary LH responsiveness. The GnSIF levels were increased by FSH treatment and reduced after gonadectomy. Female rats were injected s.c. with 10 IU FSH or saline (control) on three occasions during the 4-day cycle. Serial i.v. injections of GnRH (500 pmol/kg body weight) were administered to intact rats on the afternoon of pro-oestrus or 15-30 min after ovariectomy. Intact male rats were given 10 IU FSH and 500 or 2000 pmol GnRH/kg body weight on an equivalent time-schedule. Endogenous GnRH release was suppressed with phenobarbital. In intact female control rats, the timing of the maximally primed LH response was delayed as the GnRH pulse-interval increased. FSH treatment of female rats induced a suppression of the initial unprimed LH response and delayed the maximally primed LH response, which showed further delay as the GnRH pulse-interval was increased. When the pulsatile administration of GnRH was started 15-30 min after ovariectomy, the priming effect of GnRH did not change as the GnRH pulse-interval was increased in the saline-treated rats. However, FSH treatment caused a suppression of the unprimed LH response, a delay in the primed LH response and decreased the delay of the maximally primed LH response to GnRH when the GnRH pulse-interval was decreased. Increasing the interval between ovariectomy and the first GnRH pulse to 4 h diminished the efficacy of the FSH treatment: GnRH-induced priming was delayed by only one pulse instead of the two pulses in control rats. In intact males but not in orchidectomized rats, a self-priming effect was demonstrated during GnRH pulses which were 1 h apart. The effect of 2 nmol GnRH/kg body weight was the most pronounced. Compared with intact female rats, the timing of the maximally primed LH response was delayed by 1 h. FSH treatment did not affect the pituitary LH response to both dose levels of GnRH. It is concluded that FSH treatment increased the release of GnSIF by the ovary, then induced a state of low responsiveness of the pituitary gland to GnRH and subsequently delayed GnRH-induced maximal self-priming. The efficacy of GnRH to prime the pituitary gland was higher when GnSIF levels were decreasing after removal of the ovaries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

The effect of exercise on the riboflavin status of adult men

Six sedentary to moderately active men with biochemical signs of riboflavin deficiency were studied under metabolic ward conditions to examine the effects of physical activity on riboflavin status. All participants were subjected to additional exercise (EXER) for an 18 d period between two maintenance (M1 and M2) periods (16 and 13 d respectively) of habitual physical activity. Energy balance and riboflavin intake were maintained throughout the study. Riboflavin status, as judged by a significant reduction in erythrocyte glutathione reductase (EC 1.6.4.2) activation coefficient (EGR-AC), improved on changing from home (1.53 (SD 0.14)) to period M1 (1.36 (SD 0.21)) diets. The exercise period, however, resulted in a significant deterioration in riboflavin status (1.57 (SD 0.31)) which persisted in the subsequent period M2 (1.54 (SD 0.15)). There was a concomitant fall in the urinary excretion of riboflavin only in the EXER period, when results were expressed as a percentage of the dietary intake of riboflavin. These results suggest an increased demand for the vitamin for selective biochemical functions during exercise. However, the energy cost of walking (treadmill 4 km/h), 50 W and 100 W work-loads (bicycle ergometer) as well as delta mechanical efficiency (DME) did not change during the three metabolic periods. The urinary excretion of riboflavin was inversely related to DME (r -0.49; P < 0.05) and directly correlated with haemoglobin levels (r 0.63; P < 0.005). The present study suggests that riboflavin status further deteriorates during a short period of increased physical activity in individuals whose riboflavin status is marginal.     

The DNA sequence of equine herpesvirus 2

The complete DNA sequence of equine herpesvirus 2 (EHV-2) strain 86/67 was determined. The genome is 184,427 bp in size and has a base composition of 57.5% G + C. Unusually for a herpesvirus, about a third of the sequence distributed in several large blocks appears not to encode proteins. The 79 open reading frames that were identified as probably polypeptide-coding are predicted to encode 77 distinct proteins. Amino acid sequence comparisons confirmed that EHV-2 is a gamma-herpesvirus that is genetically collinear with herpesvirus saimiri (HVS; a gamma 2-herpesvirus) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV; a gamma 1-herpesvirus), with a closer relationship to the former. Moreover, EHV-2 specifies eight proteins that have counterparts in HVS but not in EBV and only a single protein that has a homologue in EBV but not in HVS (EBV BCRF1, which encodes an interleukin 10-like protein). EHV-2 also encodes three potential G protein-coupled receptors, one with a counterpart in HVS that is specific for alpha chemokines, another with a counterpart in human cytomegalovirus (a beta-herpesvirus), which is specific for beta chemokines, and a third that is assigned more tentatively and lacks detectable counterparts in other herpesviruses.     

Kinetics and mechanism of an NADPH-dependent succinic semialdehyde reductase from bovine brain

An NADPH-dependent succinic semialdehyde reductase has been purified from bovine brain by several chromatographic procedures. The preparation appeared homogeneous on SDS/PAGE. The enzyme is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 28 kDa. A number of properties of the bovine brain enzyme, such as substrate specificity, specific activity, molecular mass, optimum pH, amino acid composition, and kinetic parameters, have been determined and compared with those reported for preparations from other sources. The results indicate that the enzyme isolated from bovine brain in the present study is different from those reported for preparations from other sources. The inhibition kinetic patterns obtained when the products of the reaction or substrate analogs are used as inhibitor of the reaction catalyzed by the enzyme are consistent with an ordered sequential mechanism involving the formation of an intermediate ternary complex and in which NADPH is the first substrate to bind the enzyme.