Effects of cereal breakfasts on postprandial glucose,appetite regulation and voluntary energy intake at a subsequent standardized lunch; focusing on rye products

Background  

Rye products have been demonstrated to lower the acute insulin demand, induce a low and prolonged blood glucose response (high Glycemic Profile, GP) and reduce subclinical inflammation. These products may therefore contribute to a lowered risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardio vascular disease. The objective of the present paper was to evaluate the mechanism for a reduced postprandial insulin demand with rye products, and to explore possible appetite regulating properties.     

The spontaneous gating activity of OmpC porin is affected by mutations of a putative hydrogen bond network or of a salt bridge between the L3 loop and the barrel

Porins are trimeric channel-forming proteins of the outer membrane ofEscherichia coli. Each subunit contains 16 beta-strands forming atransmembrane beta-barrel whose pore is constricted by the thirdextracellular loop (L3). We investigated the effects of site-directedmutations at two critical regions of the OmpC porin: (i) the D315A mutationtargets a key component of a putative hydrogen bond network linking the L3loop to the adjacent barrel wall and (ii) the D118Q, R174Q and R92Qmutations target putative salt bridges at the root of the L3 loop. Wepurified the outer membrane fractions obtained from each mutant andreconstituted them in liposomes suitable for electrophysiology. Patch clampexperiments showed that the frequency of spontaneous transitions betweenopen and closed states is increased in the D315A, D118Q and R92Q mutantsbut unchanged in the R174Q mutant. These transitions are not driven bytransmembrane voltage changes and represent the thermal oscillationsbetween functionally distinct conformations. The asymmetricvoltage-dependent inactivation of the channels is not affected by themutations, however, suggesting different molecular mechanisms for thespontaneous and voltage- dependent gating processes. We propose that thepositioning or flexibility of the L3 loop across the pore, as governed bythe putative hydrogen-bond network and a salt bridge, play a role indetermining the frequency of spontaneous channel gating.     

The effects of low-frequency ultrasound on Staphylococcus epidermidis

Low frequency ultrasound (LFUS) significantly enhances skin permeability to a variety of drugs; however, its bacterial effects have not been well studied. Staphylococcus epidermidis organisms were grown and standardized to 10(5) cfu/ml 24 h prior to investigation and suspended in normal saline. LFUS was applied with two probes immersed in the bacterial suspensions over a range of suspension volumes, intensities, and exposure times. The suspension temperature was measured, and a sample was removed, streaked onto blood agar plates, and incubated at 37 degrees C for 24 h. Quantitative bacterial counts were then obtained. LFUS resulted in significant reductions in bacterial counts that correlated with fluid temperature. Probe size and ultrasound intensity appeared to affect bacterial counts, but were also correlated with temperature. Bacterial growth was minimal with temperatures exceeding 45 degrees C. While LFUS can reduce bacterial counts, these conditions have the potential to cause burns in humans.     

Morphometric analysis of the extramacular retina from postmortem eyes with retinitis pigmentosa

Desmosomes are highly organized intercellular adhesive junctions that are particularly prominent in epidermis and other tissues experiencing mechanical stress. Desmoplakin, a constitutive component of the desmosomal plaque, is the most abundant protein present in such junctions and plays a critical role in linking the intermediate filament network to the plasma membrane in these tissues. Here we report the first mutation in the gene encoding desmoplakin. The identified mutation, resulting in a null allele and haploinsufficiency, was observed in genomic DNA from a kindred with the dominantly inherited skin disorder, striate palmoplantar keratoderma. Affected individuals had a linear pattern of skin thickening on the fingers and palms and circumscribed areas of skin thickening on the soles. Affected skin demonstrated loosening of intercellular connections, disruption of desmosome-keratin intermediate filament interactions and a proportion of rudimentary desmosomal structures. The disorder mapped to chromosome 6p21 with a maximum lod score of 10.67. The mutation was a heterozygous C-->T transition in exon 4 of the desmoplakin gene and predicted a premature termination codon in the N-terminal region of the peptide. This is the first reported mutation of desmo-plakin and also the first inherited skin disorder in which haploinsufficiency of a structural component has been implicated. It identifies dosage of desmoplakin as critical in maintaining epidermal integrity.     

Effect of sinus denervation and vagotomy on c-fos expression in the nucleus tractus solitarius after exposure to CO2

Exposure to hypercapnia and electrical stimulation of the carotid sinus nerve (CSN) has been shown to induce c-fos expression in several brain stem regions including the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). To test whether the labeled neurons were activated directly by hypercapnia or secondarily via the carotid bodies (sinus nerve), adult rats were exposed to either air or 14-16% CO2 for 1 h. Experiments were done on eight groups: (1) exposure to air, (2) exposure to CO2, (3) chronic CSN denervation/CO2, (4) chronic unilateral CSN denervation/CO2, (5) chronic sham CSN denervation/CO2, (6) anesthetized/CO2, (7) anesthetized and acute vagotomy/CO2, and (8) premedicated with morphine, 10 mg s.c., 20 min before exposure to CO2. After exposure to CO2 or air the rats were anesthetized, perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde and the brains processed for immunohistochemical staining for c-fos protein using the PAP (i.e. peroxidase anti-peroxidase) technique. Labeled neurons in the area of the NTS in every second 50- "mu"m section were counted and their position plotted using a microscope and camera lucida attachment. Rats exposed to CO2 had a significantly greater number of labeled neurons in the NTS than those exposed to air. Other interventions, such as CSN denervation, surgery, anesthesia, vagotomy or injection of morphine did not significantly affect the level of c-fos expression in rats exposed to hypercapnia, indicative of central stimulation rather than secondary peripheral input. These responsive neurons may be part of a widespread central chemoreceptive complex.     

Ambulatory urodynamics: extramural testing of the lower and upper urinary tract by Holter monitoring of cystometrogram, uroflowmetry, and renal pelvic pressures

This article elucidates the clinical applicability and state of the art of ambulatory urodynamics. Ambulatory urodynamics have evolved into practical investigations like EAC, HFM, and EAC combined with renal pelvimetry. EAC has been shown to be the method of preference if detrusor overactivity is involved. Conventional filling cystometry has proved to be an unreliable way to exclude detrusor instability. De novo instability after suspension surgery often indicates that an existing detrusor overactivity was not identified preoperatively. EAC including flowmetry has shown considerable variance in obstructive and contractility parameters in males with LUTS indicative for BPH. This raises doubt whether the clinical flow analysis is the suitable "gold standard" as advocated by the ICS. For a real break through of EAC, less complex automatic analysis is necessary. HFM is a newer method within the range of ambulatory urodynamic tests. It has not yet been completely evaluated. But, because the technique is analogous to the office flowmetry, noninvasive and very well accepted by the patients, it is expected to be widely used. This expectation is strengthened by the fact that HFM seems to show individual therapeutic efficacy of drugs, such as alpha-blockers. As a research tool to evaluate efficacy, it is far more powerful than conventional methods because of the reduction of within-patient standard deviation to about 10%. Finally, EAC combined with pelvimetry offers a promising method for the clinical evaluation of a combined dysfunction of upper and lower urinary tract.     

Anti-CD40 ligand antibody treatment of SNF1 mice with established nephritis: preservation of kidney function

Prior studies have demonstrated that treatment of young, prenephritic lupus-prone mice with Ab directed against CD40 ligand (CD40L) prolongs survival and decreases the incidence of severe nephritis. In this report, we show that for (SWR x NZB)F1 (SNF1) animals with established lupus nephritis, long-term treatment with anti-CD40L beginning at either 5.5 or 7 mo of age prolonged survival and decreased the incidence of severe nephritis. "Older" mice were chosen for these studies to more closely resemble the clinical presentation of patients with established renal disease. We show that age at the start of treatment, which typically correlates with severity of disease, is an important factor when determining an efficacious therapeutic protocol since animals that began treatment at 7 mo of age required a more aggressive treatment protocol than animals at 5.5 mo of age. Remarkably, several anti-CD40L-treated animals beginning treatment at age 5.5 mo demonstrated a decline in proteinuria, as opposed to increasing proteinuria levels seen in hamster IgG (HIg)-treated controls, and histologic examination of kidneys from anti-CD40L-treated mice revealed dramatically diminished inflammation, sclerosis/fibrosis, and vasculitis, in marked contrast to the massive inflammation and kidney destruction observed in control animals that received hamster IgG. Spleens from anti-CD40L-treated mice also exhibited markedly reduced inflammation and fibrosis compared with controls. Together, these results show that treatment of older, nephritic SNF1 animals with long-term anti-CD40L immunotherapy significantly prolongs survival, reduces the severity of nephritis, and diminishes associated inflammation, vasculitis, and fibrosis.     

Limbic dysfunction in schizophrenia and mania. A study using 18F-labelled fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography

BACKGROUND: Diagnostic classes (derived from CATEGO) can be correlated with regional brain metabolism in patients with major psychiatric disorders. METHOD: Seventeen patients with schizophrenia, 15 with mania, 10 with depression and 10 healthy Volunteers were examined with positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-labelled fluorodeoxyglucose, as a marker for glucose metabolism. The number of possible comparisons of regions of interest was reduced by principal-components analysis, and differences in factor scores were determined between diagnostic groups. RESULTS: Four independent factors, representing distributed brain systems, emerged: an anterior-posterior (1), a left-right temporal (2), a temporofrontal (3), and a mediofrontal (4) system, of which (1), (2) and (3) were abnormal in schizophrenia, (1) and (2) in mania, and (1) in depression. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal patterns of metabolism could be detected, in decreasing order, in schizophrenia, mania and depression. Some of these abnormalities are likely to be due to medication, but others will be associated with structural or functional abnormalities of the frontolimbic system in the diagnostic groups.