Movement-related potentials accompanying unilateral finger movements with special reference to rate of force development

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between force and rate of force development with electroencephalogram correlates. The primary question was whether the different components of movement related potentials (MRPs) were related to specific properties of force output while subjects performed index finger force production tasks. The peak force and rate of force development (e.g., a product of peak force over time-to-peak force) were manipulated, and the effects of these manipulations on components of MRPs preceding and accompanying force production tasks were examined. The hypothesis was that the rate of force development, rather than level of force itself, would directly influence the later component of MRPs. Consistent with this hypothesis was the finding that the amplitudes of MRP components preceding (MP) and accompanying (MMP, MTP) finger force production movements were significantly correlated with force development rate.     

The use of multisite high resolution arterial imaging to assess arteriosclerosis

This article presents a model for the use of multisite, sonographic imaging to assess arteriosclerosis. The arteries of 100 randomly selected patients were scanned in three anatomical areas (carotid, femoral-popliteal, aorta-iliac) in conjunction with measurement of selected risk factors (smoking, cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoproteins, antioxidant levels). Arteries were interrogated for intimal wall hyperplasia, plaque, and ulceration. Multisite scanning (24 sites) detected the presence of pathology in all sites surveyed. The model was developed at the Cardiovascular Wellness Center in Westbury, NY.     

Dynamic surface tension properties of mixed lecithin-cholesterol films related to the respiratory mechanics

Chickens were housed when 1 day old with chickens experimentally infected with Mycoplasma synoviae. Air sacs from 16 of the 2-week-old and eight of the 3-week-old contact-exposed chickens were given gross lesion scores and embedded in glycol methacrylate for slide preparation. Histologic lesions in air sacs with gross scores of 0-2 were mild edema resulting in a two to eightfold increase in air sac thickness, capillary proliferation, and exudate consisting largely of heterophils and necrotic debris. Histologic lesions in air sacs with gross scores of 3 and 4 were marked hyperplasia of epithelial cells and diffuse infiltration of the air sac connective tissue by mononuclear cells. Nine of 10 air sacs with gross scores of 0 had no histologic evidence of inflammation. The most severe histologic lesions were in those air sacs with gross scores of 4. The glycol methacrylate procedure resulted in 2-mum sections with excellent cellular detail.     

Some functional observations related to the N18 component of the median nerve SEP

To examine the correlates of dependent living after ischemic stroke, a consecutive cohort of 486 patients aged 55-85 years was examined 3 months after the index stroke. Detailed medical, neurological and radiological stroke evaluation, structured measures of cognition, emotion and behavior, activities of daily living (ADL), physical disability, and assessment of dependent living were performed. Independent correlates of dependent living 3 months after stroke were the presence of the major hemispheral stroke syndrome (odds ratio, OR, 11.8, 95% confidence interval, CI, 7.2-19.9), and a combination of handicap (Rankin Scale, OR 3.9, 95% CI 2.6-6.1), cognition (DSM-III-R dementia, OR 3.9, CI 1.5-10.7, any cognitive decline, OR 4.5, CI 2.0-11.2), and ADL [Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1-1.2]. The Rankin Scale explained 51.5%, FAQ 5.9% and presence of DSM-III-R dementia or any cognitive decline 3.4% of the total variance between dependent and independent patients after stroke. Independent of the effects of physical disability, presence of cognitive impairment has important functional consequences on stroke patients. Our findings emphasize the importance of the evaluation of cognitive functions in both observational and interventional clinical trials, as well as in treatment planning, rehabilitation and guidance of patients with ischemic stroke.     

Behavioral activation sensitivity and resting frontal EEG asymmetry: Covariation of putative indicators related to risk for mood disorders.

Dispositional tendencies toward appetitive motivation have been hypothesized to be related to the development of psychopathology. Moreover, decreased left-frontal cortical activity has been reported in depression and has been related to low-trait positive affect and high-trait negative affect. The present study tested the hypothesis that relatively greater left- than right-frontal cortical activity would be related to heightened approach related dispositional tendencies. Resting frontal cortical asymmetrical activity, as measured by electroencephalographic activity in the alpha band, was examined in relation to the motivational response tendencies of a behavioral activation system (BAS) and a behavioral inhibition system (BIS), as measured by C. S. Carver and T. L. White's (see record 1995-00067-001) BIS-BAS self-report questionnaire. Results supported the hypothesis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: analysis of factors related to cerebrospinal fluid dynamics determining functional prognosis

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of maternal smoking on the relationship between maternal hemoglobin levels and pregnancy outcome. DESIGN: A prospective study of healthy parous women from early pregnancy and of their infants. SETTING: Three Scandinavian university hospitals covering all deliveries from well defined geographical areas. SUBJECTS: Smoking (669) and non-smoking (368) mothers, para 1 and 2 and with > or = 37 weeks of gestational length. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Birth weight and placental weight. Ponderal Index and Placental Index as measures of possible discordant fetal and placental growth. RESULTS: In non-smoking mothers the hemoglobin levels in the three trimesters had no relation to birth weight. In smoking mothers a significantly lower birth weight was seen with a high hemoglobin level in the third trimester, but hemoglobin levels in early or mid-pregnancy had no association to birth weight. Smoking mothers also had a significantly greater fall in hemoglobin concentration from first to second and third trimester as compared to non-smokers although ferritin levels were similar in smokers and non-smokers, implying similar iron stores. The ratio of placental weight to the weight of the newborn was significantly higher in smokers, but no association was found to different hemoglobin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Fetal growth impairment associated with maternal smoking is even more pronounced in smoking mothers with high hemoglobin levels in late pregnancy. Smoking mothers were also found to have disproportional fetal/placental growth with relatively high placental weights. In non-smoking mothers hemoglobin levels had no relation to birthweight.     

Protein coordination to manganese determines the high catalytic rate of dimanganese catalases. Comparison to functional catalase mimics

Catalysis of hydrogen peroxide dismutation by the dimanganese catalase from Thermus thermophilus has been measured and found to obey Michaelis-Menton kinetics with no evidence for substrate inhibition at concentrations up to 0.45 M H2O2. Comparison among three dimanganese catalases (Thermus thermophilus, Thermoleophilium album, and Lactobacillus plantarum) reveals that their apparent second-order rate constants, Kcat/Km, differ by at most a factor of 5, even though the individual kinetic constants differ by as much as a factor of 20. This similarity suggests that all three enzymes may have the same rate-determining step. For T. thermophilus catalase we find that kcat/Km approximately kbi, the bimolecular rate constant at limiting substrate concentrations. Thus, the rate of the rate-determining step is unaltered over the entire range of substrate concentrations, unlike T. album and L. plantarum catalases where substrate inhibition has been reported. Comparison to structurally characterized dimanganese complexes and dimetalloproteins (arginase, hemerythrin), which are functional, albeit kinetically slow, catalase mimics, reveals that high catalase activity correlates with a greater number of stronger sigma-ligand donors like anionic carboxylatos vs neutral histidines that stabilize the oxidized Mn2(III,III) state over reduced Mn2(II,II). A critical feature for enzymatic functionality in vivo is suppression of one-electron chemistry leading to formation of the mixed-valence forms, Mn2(III,IV) and Mn2(II,III), which are kinetically inactive or precursors to inactive species, respectively. Evidence is presented from model compounds suggesting that the mu-carboxylato bridge between Mn ions in catalase may play the key role in suppressing formation of these detrimental oxidation states through destabilization of these one-electron redox processes.     

Molecular cloning and functional expression of a Caenorhabditis elegans aminopeptidase structurally related to mammalian leukotriene A4 hydrolases

In a search of the Caenorhabditis elegans DNA data base, an expressed sequence tag of 327 base pairs (termed cm01c7) with strong homology to the human leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase was found. The use of cm01c7 as a probe, together with conventional hybridization screening and anchored polymerase chain reaction techniques resulted in the cloning of the full-length 2.1 kilobase pair C. elegans LTA4 hydrolase-like homologue, termed aminopeptidase-1 (AP-1). The AP-1 cDNA was expressed transiently as an epitope-tagged recombinant protein in COS-7 mammalian cells, purified using an anti-epitope antibody affinity resin, and tested for LTA4 hydrolase and aminopeptidase activities. Despite the strong homology between the human LTA4 hydrolase and C. elegans AP-1(63% similarity and 45% identity at the amino acid level), reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography and radioimmunoassay for LTB4 production revealed the inability of the C. elegans AP-1 to use LTA4 as a substrate. In contrast, the C. elegans AP-1 was an efficient aminopeptidase, as demonstrated by its ability to hydrolyze a variety of amino acid p-nitroanilide derivatives. The aminopeptidase activity of C. elegans AP-1 resembled that of the human LTA4 hydrolase/aminopeptidase enzyme with a preference for arginyl-p-nitroanilide as a substrate. Hydrolysis of the amide bond of arginyl-p-nitroanilide was inhibited by bestatin with an IC50 of 2.6 +/- 1.2 microM. The bifunctionality of the mammalian LTA4 hydrolase is still poorly understood, as the physiological substrate for its aminopeptidase activity is yet to be discovered. Our results support the idea that the enzyme originally functioned as an aminopeptidase in lower metazoa and then developed LTA4 hydrolase activity in more evolved organisms.     

Morphological and functional aspects of the cardiovascular system related to aging: does "aging heart" exist?

Thromboembolic disease (TE) is an important cause of in-hospital morbidity and mortality. The relationship between cancer and abnormalities of blood coagulation has been recognized for well over a century. Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the lower extremities is the most common cause of thromboembolic disease, but pulmonary embolism, upper extremity vein thrombosis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and other, more unusual, clinical events, may occur. Unexplained TE may serve as a marker for the presence of a hidden tumor. The frequency of pulmonary embolism (PE) among patients with a malignant neoplasm at necropsy is highly increased in the elderly patients. Among subjects with a malignant neoplasm, patients with pancreatic and gastric cancer (mucin-secreting adenocarcinomas), cancer of the large bowel and women with ovarian cancer had the highest frequency of PE. Old age, female sex, gastrointestinal and ovarian cancers must be considered as a significant risk factor for PE. The potentially responsible mechanisms for the thrombotic events, clinical manifestations, diagnostic implications and aspects of treatment of TE in malignant disease are discussed.     

Effects of dexamethasone on functional and pathological changes in rat bronchi caused by high acute exposure to chlorine

OBJECTIVE: To assess month-to-month variability of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), calculated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, and lipoprotein (a), as well as factors that could influence variability, including recent acute infection in an adolescent population. METHODS: Sixty-three high school students had fasting lipids and lipoproteins measured at 4 separate times during the school year and another venipuncture 3 to 7 days after recovery from an acute infection. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate was also measured. Coefficients of variation were calculated for each study variable. The influence of recent infection on variability was assessed. RESULTS: The 50th and 95th percentiles, respectively, for the coefficient of variation for each variable were as follows: total cholesterol, 7.3% and 13.6%; triglycerides, 22% and 47.3%; HDL-C, 7.9% and 16.8%; LDL-C, 12.1% and 25%; apolipoprotein A1, 6.3% and 15.2%; apolipoprotein B, 9.5% and 17.2%; and lipoprotein (a), 19.3% and 40%. Recent infection significantly lowered HDL-C (4 mg/dL; P < .0001) and apolipoprotein A1 (7 mg/dL; P < .005). CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians evaluating lipids and lipoproteins serially should expect significant visit-to-visit variation in triglycerides and calculated LDL-C values. Assessment of HDL-C and apolipoprotein A1 should not be done within 2 weeks of an acute infection. Apolipoproteins B and A1 have slightly less variability than their respective lipoprotein cholesterol values (LDL-C and HDL-C).     

Methodological aspects of observations of rapid tympanic membrane movements due to changes in static pressure (Valsalva maneuver) using digital high speech video recordings

Conditions of oxidative stress lead to down-regulation of glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GPO), which could be responsible for tyrosinase induction in pigment cells. To address this question, the effects of selective modulation of GSH metabolism on melanogenic parameters of slightly and highly melanized melanoma cells were examined. Under standard culture conditions (100 microM cystine, 100 microM tyrosine), the levels of GSH and the activities of glutathione reductase (GR) and GPO were found to be directly related to the pigmentation of melanoma cells. Exposure to 50 microM buthionine sulfoximine for 72 h decreased tyrosinase activity by 30-50% and GSH levels by more than 95%. In contrast, inhibition of GR activity with bis(chloroethyl)nitrosourea or stimulation of GPO activity with sodium selenite did not affect tyrosinase activity nor pigment formation in the melanoma cells tested. Since cysteine (CysH) is a precursor of the GSH tripeptide, the modulation of tyrosinase and GPO activity by the extracellular cystine concentration was also examined. When the cystine concentration was increased from 0 to 200 microM, a dose-dependent decrease in tyrosinase activity was associated with dose-dependent increases in GPO activity and in cell levels of CysH and GSH. The results indicate that cellular thiols coregulate the activities of tyrosinase and GPO in opposite directions. These interdependent processes could provide melanoma cells with protection against oxidative stress at low as well as at high thiol concentration.     

Intraoperative electroneurodiagnostics (transcranial electrical motor evoked potentials) to evaluate the functional status of anterior spinal roots and spinal nerves during brachial plexus surgery

Intradural spinal root lesions cannot be recognized by dissecting the brachial plexus and lead to ineffective surgery if they remain undetected. Therefore, patients need to undergo a diagnostic procedure to assess the intradural status of the spinal roots. Although motor recovery is the main goal of brachial plexus surgery, the techniques currently applied do not permit adequate evaluation of the anterior root. In search of an alternative, we performed intraoperative motor evoked potentials. Ninety spinal nerves in 19 patients suffering from brachial plexus lesions were dissected. Twenty-seven spinal nerves were avulsed; 8 nerves were disrupted and 17 were completely scarred, resulting in 25 stumps. Thirty-eight nerves appeared to be undamaged. On central stimulation, nerve compound action potentials were recorded from the exposed spinal nerves. Nerve compound action potentials could only be recorded from 21 stumps and from 32 apparently undamaged nerves. No recordings were obtained from 4 stumps and 7 spinal nerves in continuity. According to these findings, it is highly probable that surgery would have been insufficient in 10 spinal nerves if intraoperative motor evoked potentials had not been performed. We conclude that (1) intraoperative motor evoked potentials are an effective means for investigating the functional status of anterior motor roots and motor fibers in exposed spinal nerves, and (2) the use of motor evoked potentials should be considered during brachial plexus surgery to improve interventions.     

An evaluation of the sex stereotyping effect as related to counselor perceptions of courses appropriate for high school students.

Compared the appropriateness of course choices made by 96 female and male high school counselees as rated by 13 female and male counselors to determine if there was a sex bias effect. The sex, grade, and the ability level of ratees were controlled for in a 4-way analysis of variance. The Ss were randomly assigned to each counselor to ensure equal numbers of males and females from each grade and each ability level. The counselors were given achievement information, ability-level data, courses previously taken, grades received, and information about future plans. Each S was rated 5 times by the counselors. No significant differences were found between the ratings of the female and male counselors. Significant findings are (a) the higher the ability level of the counselee, the more appropriate were the courses; and (b) females were rated as having more appropriate courses than were males (using post hoc procedures, the significant difference occurring at the junior year in high school). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of five new genes, closely related to the interleukin-1beta converting enzyme gene, that do not encode functional proteases

Interleukin-1beta converting enzyme (ICE) was the first identified member of a growing family of cysteine proteases that now includes ten mammalian homologs. Within this large family, two functional proteins, denoted TX and TY share 60% amino-acid identity with ICE in the mature protein and, together with ICE, constitute the ICE subfamily. The present study describes the identification of five new gene sequences, denoted S1-S5, closely related to ICE and TX and belonging to this subfamily. Sequences were identified using genomic Southern-blot analysis of human DNA with probes corresponding to ICE and TX exon 6. Using PCR amplification and cloning, the complete exon-6 sequence of these new genes was identified; three exhibit around 90% identity with Ice within exon 6, whereas the two others share about 70% identity with Ice. Examination of open reading frames and of amino acids essential for ICE activity indicate that none of these genes encodes for a functional protease. In conclusion, extensive analysis of the genes closely related to Ice shows that the Ice subfamily is constituted of eight members. Three of them encode for functional proteases (ICE, TX and TY) whereas the remaining members probably correspond to pseudogenes.     

Different signaling pathway between sphingosine-1-phosphate and lysophosphatidic acid in Xenopus oocytes: functional coupling of the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor to PLC-xbeta in Xenopus oocytes

We investigated the influence of the growth surface on the direction of Xenopus spinal neurite growth in the presence of a dc electric field of physiological magnitude. The direction of galvanotropism was determined by the substratum; neurites grew toward the negative electrode (cathode) on untreated Falcon tissue culture plastic or on laminin substrata, which are negatively charged, but neurites growing on polylysine, which is positively charged, turned toward the positive electrode (anode). Growth was oriented randomly on all substrata without an electric field. We tested the hypothesis that the charge of the growth surface was responsible for reversed galvanotropism on polylysine by growing neurons on tissue culture dishes with different net surface charges. Although neurites grew cathodally on both Plastek substrata, the frequency of anodal turning was greater on dishes with a net positive charge (Plastek C) than on those with a net negative charge (Plastek M). The charge of the growth surface therefore influenced the frequency of anodal galvanotropism but a reversal in surface charge was insufficient to reverse galvanotropism completely, possibly because of differences in the relative magnitude of the substratum charge densities. The influence of substratum adhesion on galvanotropism was considered by growing neurites on a range of polylysine concentrations. Growth cone to substratum adhesivity was measured using a blasting assay. Adhesivity and the frequency of anodal turning were graded over the range of polylysine concentrations (0 = 0.1 < 1 < 10 = 100 microg/ml). The direction of neurite growth in an electric field is therefore influenced by both substratum charge and growth cone-to-substratum adhesivity. These data are consistent with the idea that spatial or temporal variation in the expression of adhesion molecules in embryos may interact with naturally occurring electric fields to enhance growth cone pathfinding.     

Hypersensitivity of human testicular tumors to etoposide-induced apoptosis is associated with functional p53 and a high Bax:Bcl-2 ratio

BACKGROUND: When patients with severely depressed left ventricular function are treated, it is crucial to know in advance how much functional recovery is expected from coronary revascularization. METHODS AND RESULTS: We compared the results of 11C acetate positron emission tomography (PET) with dobutamine infusion with changes in regional wall motion evaluated by left ventriculography in 28 patients with old Q-wave anterior myocardial infarctions. Dysfunctional but viable myocardium (group A, n = 13) was separated from nonviable myocardium (group B, n = 15) by echocardiographic assessments of regional wall motion before and after successful coronary revascularization. 11C acetate PET was performed to characterize normalized myocardial blood flow and oxidative metabolism (the clearance rate constant, k mono). While the baseline k monos of the infarct areas of the two groups were different with overlap, the responses to dobutamine infusion were directionally different. In addition, relative perfusion by 11C acetate PET could predict recovery of left ventricular function as well as or better than dobutamine 11C acetate kinetics. The extent of the increase in k monos of the infarct area with dobutamine infusion correlated well (P < .01) with the degree of the increase in the percentage of systolic segment shortening in the infarct area (left ventriculography) after coronary revascularization. CONCLUSIONS: 11C acetate PET with dobutamine infusion can predict not only the reversibility of dysfunctioning myocardium after coronary revascularization but also the extent of improvement of regional wall motion in patients with old Q-wave infarction.     

Pulmonary function, smoking habits, and high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) early abnormalities of lung and pleural fibrosis in shipyard workers exposed to asbestos

To evaluate the presence of asbestos-related pleural and parenchymal abnormalities and their correlation with pulmonary function and smoking habits, 119 asbestos-exposed asymptomatic workers (mean age, 46.2 years; mean duration of asbestos exposure, 8.6 years; mean latency time, 21.6 years) with normal standard P.A chest radiographs were submitted to HRCT, CO-diffusing capacity and pulmonary function tests. HRCT scans were normal only in 31 (26%) examined workers; 31 (26%) subjects showed both pleural and parenchymal involvement, and 50 (42%) and seven (6%) had exclusively pleural and parenchymal abnormalities, respectively. Based on CO-diffusing capacity and pulmonary function tests, no significant difference was demonstrated between workers with pleural lesions and subjects with normal pleura; however, lower values of FVC were observed in the nonsmoking workers with parenchymal abnormalities in comparison with nonsmoking subjects with normal parenchyma (78.2 vs. 89.7% of predicted values; p = 0.03 by student's two-tailed t test), and lower values of FEV1/FVC in the smokers with parenchymal lesions with respect to smokers with normal parenchyma (93.7 vs. 100.2% of predicted values; p = 0.005 by students' two-tailed t test). In conclusion, our results demonstrate that HRCT may detect early parenchymal abnormalities which correlate with exposure to asbestos and respiratory function impairment, including a reduction in obstructive indices in smokers occupationally exposed to asbestos, without any clinically evident disease.     

Infective endocarditis with a huge mitral vegetation related to atopic dermatitis and high serum level of infection-related antiphospholipid antibody: a case report]

A 24-year-old woman with atopic dermatitis was admitted to our hospital with fever. Echocardiography showed a huge vegetation attached to the posterior mitral commissure without mitral valve dysfunction. Blood culture identified methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The serum level of antiphospholipid antibody was elevated. A splenic infarction occurred on the second hospital day. Surgery to resect the residual mobile vegetation was performed uneventfully on the 6th hospital day. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was discharged after 4 weeks of antibiotic therapy. Preservation of the mitral valve is rare in the face of virulent Staphylococcus infection and the presence of a huge mobile vegetation. These findings were apparently related to the high serum level of infection-related antiphospholipid antibody and atopic dermatitis.     

Two related low-temperature-inducible genes of Arabidopsis encode proteins showing high homology to 14-3-3 proteins, a family of putative kinase regulators

We have isolated two Rare Cold-Inducible (RCI1 and RCI2) cDNAs by screening a cDNA library prepared from cold-acclimated etiolated seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana with a subtracted probe. RNA-blot hybridizations revealed that the expression of both RCI1 and RCI2 genes is induced by low temperature independently of the plant organ or the developmental stage considered. However, RCI1 mRNA accumulates faster and at higher levels than the RCI2 one indicating that these genes have differential responsiveness to cold stress. Additionally, when plants are returned to room temperature, RCI1 mRNA decreases faster than RCI2. In contrast to most of the cold-inducible plant genes characterized, the expression of RCI1 and RCI2 is not induced by ABA or water stress. The nucleotide sequences of RCI1 and RCI2 cDNAs predict two acidic polypeptides of 255 and 251 amino acids with molecular weights of 29 and 28 kDa respectively. The alignment of these polypeptides indicates that they have 181 identical amino acids suggesting that the corresponding genes have a common origin. Sequence comparisons reveal no similarities between the RCI proteins and any other cold-regulated plant protein so far described. Instead, they demonstrate that the RCI proteins are highly homologous to a family of proteins, known as 14-3-3 proteins, which are thought to be involved in the regulation of multifunctional protein kinases.