Evidence that acetyl-CoA carboxylase isoforms play different biological roles in H9c2 cardiomyocyte

Twelve patients with cervical dystonia (CD) and predominant rotation were studied to determine the effects of changes in head posture on the specific patterns of cervical muscle activity. Turns analysis was used to quantify muscle activity underlying head rotation, recorded simultaneously from the agonist and antagonist muscle pairs bilaterally (sternocleidomastoid [SCM] and splenius [SPL]). Muscle activity was compared between the uncompensated dystonic posture and during the maintenance of midposition. In addition, patients were separated into two groups (geste = 6; no geste = 6) based on whether they had a clinically efficacious geste to determine the effect of geste on patterns of cervical muscle activity. Muscle activity was measured during the maintenance of midposition with and without a clinical or simulated geste. Differences in muscle activity between the groups and postures were compared using repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) analyses. The four muscles tested showed a significant difference in muscle activity in the uncompensated dystonic posture as a result of the increased activity in the agonist muscle pair (SCM and SPL responsible for the dystonic posture) (EMG amplitude: F[1,11] = 18.81, p = 0.0012; EMG frequency: F[1,11] = 32.07, p = 0.0001). Maintaining the head in the midposition was associated with a significant reduction in muscle activity compared with the uncompensated dystonic posture (EMG amplitude: F[1,9] = 6.36, p < 0.033; EMG frequency: F[1,9] = 10.96, p < 0.0091). This reduction in midposition muscle activity was significantly greater in the agonist muscle pair (EMG amplitude: F[1,10] = 19.70, p = 0.0013; EMG frequency: F[1,10] = 44.67, p < 0.0001). In the patients with clinically effective geste, there was no additional reduction in muscle activity observed in the midposition when they performed their geste (EMG amplitude: F[1,9] = 4.63, p = 0.060; EMG frequency: F[1,9] = 1.22, p = 0.298). These findings suggest that CD with rotation is characterized by predominantly increased agonist muscle activation. Patients with CD retain the ability to modulate this involuntary agonist muscle activity to maintain the head in the midposition. The maintenance of the midposition does not seem to be facilitated by geste.     

Interleukin-6-associated inflammatory processes in Alzheimer's disease: new therapeutic options

The cytokine interleukin-6 is consistently detected in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients but not in the brains of nondemented elderly persons. Until recently it was unclear whether an interleukin-6-associated inflammatory mechanism is an early or late event in the pathological cascade of Alzheimer's disease. We investigated whether interleukin-6 could be detected in plaques of Alzheimer's disease patients prior to the onset of neuritic degeneration. We found interleukin-6 mostly in plaques where neuritic pathology has not yet developed. This indicates that the appearance of interleukin-6 may precede neuritic changes and is not just a consequence of neuritic degeneration. Therefore, one may hypothesize that activation of inflammatory mechanisms may cause neuritic degeneration in plaques. A suppression of interleukin-6 synthesis could, therefore, be of therapeutic value. Upon screening a number of substances, we found that a small number of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, including tenidap, were able to inhibit interleukin-6 synthesis in cultured human astrocytoma cells. These substances may be therapeutically useful in Alzheimer's disease and should be evaluated in clinical studies.     

Program for numerical inversion of the Laplace transform

The letter describes a numerical Laplace-transform inversion based on the Padé rational approximation of exp (z) with any degree of numerator and denominator. User-oriented information is given. The program is intended mainly for time responses of networks with lumped-distributed and active elements where partial-fraction expansions are not feasible.     

Prevalence of epilepsy in children of Multnomah County, Oregon

The prevalence of epilepsy among children in the third grade in Multnomah County, Oregon, was investigated by use of a questionnaire similar to that used by Rose et al. (1973). Of the 7,039 potential respondents, 5,317 (75.5%) responded to the questionnaire. A stratified random sample of 161 children was drawn from the respondents, and of these 129 (80%) underwent physical and EEG examinations. This replication of the study by Rose et al. (1973) yielded prevalence estimates which were somewhat lower than those reported by Rose et al. for Washington County, Maryland. Our findings suggest that the questionnaire method of estimating the prevalence of epilepsy has promise; further investigation of the method is in progress.     

Effect of candicidin on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism in the rat

Sterol metabolism studies were carried out in rats maintained on a diet containing a polyene antibiotic, candicidin, (30 mg/kg/day) for 2-1/2 months. Compared to the controls, the candicidintreated animals had a smaller food intake and weight gain during this period. There was no difference between the 2 groups in serum cholesterol levels, biliary cholesterol or bile acid concentrations. However, in the experimental group, liver cholesterol content decreased by 27% and hepatic HMG-CoA reductase increased by 36%. Candicidin administration produced an 84% increase in neutral sterol output without change in bile acid output. Cholesterol absorption was reduced 80% by candicidin feeding. The weight of ventral prostate was reduced 33% by candicidin administration. Prostatic HMG-CoA reductase levels were 3 times higher than those of the liver, but enzyme activity was unchanged by candicidin treatment.     

The kininogen gene family in obstructive uropathy

Because many patients present themselves for treatment with both craniofacial and craniocervical pain, 2 questions arise: (1) What are the sensory and motor consequences of dysfunction in either of these areas on the other? (2) Do craniofacial and craniocervical pain have a similar cause? These questions formed the impetus for this review article. The phenomenon of concurrent pain in craniofacial and cervical structures is considered, and clinical reports and opinions are presented regarding theories of cervical-to-craniofacial and craniofacial-to-cervical pain referral. Because pain referral between these 2 areas requires anatomic and functional connectivity between trigeminally and cervically innervated structures, basic neurophysiologic and neuroanatomic literature is reviewed. The published data clearly demonstrate neurophysiologic and structural convergence of cervical sensory and muscle afferent inputs onto trigeminal subnucleus caudalis nociceptive and non-nociceptive neurons. Moreover, changes in metabolic activity and blood flow in the brainstem and cervical dorsal horn of the spinal cord in both monkeys and cats have been demonstrated after electric stimulation of the V1-innervated superior sagittal sinus. In conclusion, the animal experimental data support the findings of human empiric and experimental studies, which suggest that strong connectivity exists between trigeminal and cervical motor and sensory responses.     

Genetic variation in the east Midlands

According to history, the population of the British Isles derives its genepool from a succession of invaders and immigrants. The settlement pattern of these invaders gave rise to a patchwork of genepools, shown in previous genetic surveys. Specimens from 1117 blood donors of regionally subdivided East Midlands (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire) were analysed for 18 conventional genetic systems (blood groups, serum proteins and red cell enzymes), according to place of residence. Significant differences exist among the five geographically defined sub-populations, and it is argued that these are derived from the historical settlement of continental European populations in the region, especially the Danes and the Vikings.