Massage therapy as a workplace intervention for reduction of stress

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 15-min. on-site massage while seated in a chair on reducing stress as indicated by blood pressure. 52 employed participants' blood pressures were measured before and after a 15-min. massage at work. Analysis showed a significant reduction in participants' systolic and diastolic blood pressure after receiving the massage although there was no control group.

Synthesis, biological activity, and molecular modeling of selective 5-HT(2C/2B) receptor antagonists

The synthesis and biological activity are reported for a series of analogues of the previously published indole urea 2 (SB-206553), designed to probe the 5-HT(2C) receptor binding site. Small molecule modeling studies have been used to define a region in space which is allowed at the 5-HT(2C) receptor but disallowed at the 5-HT(2A) receptor. In a complementary approach, docking of 2 into our model of the 5-HT(2C) receptor has allowed us to propose a novel primary binding interaction for this series of diaryl ureas, involving a potential double hydrogen-bonding interaction between the urea carbonyl oxygen of the ligand and two serine residues in the receptor. The difference of two valine residues in the 5-HT(2C) receptor for leucine residues in the 5-HT(2A) receptor is believed to account for the observed 5-HT(2C)/5-HT(2A) selectivity with 2.

Identification of a multigene family coding for the 90 kDa proteins of the ovine abortion subtype of Chlamydia psittaci

While attempting to identify genes and their corresponding antigens that could be used to improve the current methods of diagnosing Chlamydia psittaci infection which causes enzootic abortion in ewes, two candidate clones were isolated from a lambda gt 11 genomic DNA expression library of ovine abortion subtype (strain S26/3) C. psittaci. These clones contained fragments of a gene coding for a group of three chlamydial proteins of approximately 90 kDa which appeared as major immunogens by immunoblotting experiments, indicating their potential as diagnostic or possibly protective antigens. Southern blotting of S26/3 genomic DNA using the two clones as probes identified a family of three or four genes. These represent the first example of protein gene duplication reported in Chlamydia.

Some blood chemical, electrolyte and mineral values from young ostriches

Haematocrit, plasma osmolality and plasma calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium concentrations were measured in 10 healthy ostrich chicks at 2-weekly intervals between 8 and 26 weeks of age. Plasma sodium, potassium and zinc concentrations were measured in an additional 50 chicks between 2 and 6 months of age. With the exception of calcium, blood constituents did not change significantly with age. Overall, haematocrit was lower and phosphorus and magnesium were slightly higher than previously measured for adults, which is consistent with previous measurements for chicks.

Intestinal Chlamydia in finishing pigs

Gut and blood samples from 119 finishing pigs derived from 11 farms were collected during routine slaughter at an abattoir. Sections of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were labeled immunohistochemically using genus-specific, mouse monoclonal antibody against chlamydial lipopolysaccharide; goat polyclonal antiserum against the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia trachomatis; and mouse monoclonal antibody against the ovine abortion subtype of C. psittaci. Gut samples from 33 of 111 (29.7%) individual pigs stained positive with the genus-specific monoclonal antibody, and of these 30 of 32 (93.7%) also reacted with the C. trachomatis-specific antiserum. Labeled inclusions were restricted to mature enterocytes of the large intestine in 33 of 111 cases. Infection of small intestinal enterocytes was noted in only one of 82 ileal samples. The blood samples were tested for antichlamydial antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and complement fixation test (CFT). With ELISA, 95 of the 115 sera tested (82.6%) yielded positive antichlamydial reactions. With CFT, 34 of the 119 sera tested (28.6%) were unequivocally positive (> or = 1:10, 100% binding), and 10 (7.6%) yielded doubtful positive reactions (1:10, 50-75% binding). Positive ELISA and CFT titers showed poor agreement (kappa = 0.112), whereas the agreement between positive findings by immunohistochemical labeling and CFT was fair (kappa = 0.205).

Conversion of dermal fibroblasts to a myogenic lineage is induced by a soluble factor derived from myoblasts

The limb and axial skeletal muscles of mammals originate from somitic dermomyotome, which during early development separates to form two discrete structures, the dermatome and the myotome. The latter cell mass gives rise to the muscle-forming lineage while cells of the dermatome will form the skin dermal fibroblast population of the dorsal regions of the body. It has been generally accepted for some time that myotome-derived myoblasts were the sole source of muscle fibre nuclei, but evidence has recently been presented from several laboratories that fibroblasts can fuse with myoblasts to contribute active nuclei to the resulting myotubes. We report here an investigation into the myogenic capacity of fibroblasts. Confluent monocultures of mouse dermal fibroblasts, muscle fibroblasts, and C2C12 myoblasts each retain their individual phenotype when maintained for periods up to 7 days in culture. We also grew isolated colonies of fibroblasts and myoblasts in an arrangement which allowed free exchange of tissue culture medium between the 2 cell types. We found evidence of the conversion of dermal fibroblasts to a myogenic lineage as measured by the appearance of MyoD-positive cells expressing the muscle-specific intermediate filament desmin. In addition, dermal fibroblast cultures contained multinucleate syncytia positive for MyoD and containing sarcomeric myosin heavy chain. In contrast, muscle-derived fibroblasts showed no evidence of myogenic conversion when maintained in identical culture conditions. We prepared conditioned medium from confluent cultures of C2C12 myoblasts and added this material to confluent monocultures of either dermal or muscle fibroblasts. While muscle fibroblasts showed no phenotypic alterations, cultures of dermal fibroblasts responded to myoblast conditioned medium by converting to a myogenic lineage as judged by expression of MyoD and desmin. We conclude that a proportion of dermal fibroblasts retain a myogenic capacity into stages well beyond their early association with myoblasts in the dermomyotome.

Identification of genetic markers for initial sensitivity and rapid tolerance to ethanol-induced ataxia using quantitative trait locus analysis in BXD recombinant inbred mice

Rapid tolerance to rotarod ataxia has previously been demonstrated in mice after sequential ethanol injections. Here we tested DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice for initial ethanol sensitivity; DBA/2J mice were more sensitive (0.40 +/- 0.17 mg/g brain) than C57BL/6J mice (1.44 +/- 0.12 mg/g). We then monitored the development of tolerance by quantifying blood ethanol concentrations at the recovery from ataxia over five sequential injections; tolerance reached a plateau in about 5 hr. DBA/2J mice became very tolerant (final ethanol threshold 3.47 +/- 0.16 mg/ml, an increase of 3.07 mg/ml, or 8.7-fold above base line); B6 became slightly tolerant (final ethanol threshold 2.62 +/- 12 mg/ml, and increase of 1.18, or 1.8-fold above base line). Therefore, by the end of the treatment regimen, the rank order of sensitivity of the two strains had reversed. We then tested 25 recombinant inbred strains from among strains representing a cross between C57BL/6J and DBA/2J inbred strains, followed by a quantitative trait locus analysis with a database of 1522 markers to identify provisional loci. This procedure identified 19 markers on 11 chromosomes for initial sensitivity, 18 markers on 9 chromosomes for tolerance (delta) and 21 markers on 11 chromosomes for tolerance (fold-increase). Of these, 17 markers were in common, which suggests that initial sensitivity and tolerance share substantial genetic codetermination. Major candidate loci will be confirmed by genotyping B6D2F2 offspring that have been tested for initial sensitivity and tolerance.

Calreticulin binding affinity for glycosylated laminin

Several lines of evidence indicate that calreticulin has lectin-like properties. As a molecular chaperone, calreticulin binds preferentially to nascent glycoproteins via their immature carbohydrates; this property closely resembles that seen for calnexin, a chaperone with extensive molecular identity to calreticulin. A cell surface form of calreticulin also exhibits lectin-like properties, binding specific oligomannosides including those covalently linked to laminin. In the present study we examined the interaction between calreticulin and laminin by means of surface plasmon resonance. The results show that calreticulin specifically binds to glycosylated laminin but fails to specifically bind tunicamycin-derived unglycosylated laminin or bovine serum albumin. Calreticulin binding to glycosylated laminin requires calcium and is abolished in the presence of EDTA. Scatchard analysis of binding yields an apparent association constant, Ka, of 2.1 +/- 0.9 x 10(6) m-1 while kinetic analysis yields an estimate of the association on rate, (Kassoc), as 2 x 10(5) m-1 s-1. The composite results support calreticulin's lectin-like properties as well as its proposed role in laminin recognition, both in the cell interior and on the cell surface.

Direct observation and quantification of macrophage chemoattraction to the growth factor CSF-1

The cloned mouse macrophage cell line, BAC1.25F, resembles primary macrophages in its dependence on colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) for both viability and proliferation. Re-addition of CSF-1 to cytokine-deprived cells, which are rounded with diffusely organised F-actin, stimulates rapid cell spreading and cell polarisation. Using the Dunn chemotaxis chamber the movement of stimulated macrophages was monitored over a 2 hour period. Cells restimulated with 1.32 nM human recombinant CSF-1 migrated at a mean rate of 7.71 microns per hour, but showed no directional preferences. In a linear concentration gradient of CSF-1, cytokine-deprived cells were again stimulated to migrate and the mean rate of cell motility, at 6.88 microns per hour, was not significantly different from that measured in an isotropic environment of CSF-1. However, there was a strong preference for the cells to orientate so that their long axes aligned with the CSF-1 gradient and they migrated preferentially towards the source of CSF-1. Migrating cells contained abundant F-actin within the leading lamellae as judged by confocal imaging of fluorescent phalloidin, but the actin was not arranged into stress fibre-like structures. These data support the proposition that CSF-1 is both a chemokinetic and chemotactic agent for macrophages. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) failed to stimulate cell migration and thus was neither chemokinetic nor a chemotactic agent. However, cells exposed to a dual concentration gradient of both TNF-alpha and CSF-1 did migrate successfully, although the chemotactic response to CSF-1 was abolished.

Pathogenesis of Chlamydia psittaci infection in sheep: detection of the organism in a serial study of the lymph node

Sixteen sheep were inoculated subcutaneously over the left prefemoral lymph node with an abortifacient strain of Chlamydia psittaci. Groups of four animals were killed after 3, 6, 12 and 18 days. Four of eight sheep which received a control inoculum were killed on day 6 and four on day 18. The left and right prefemoral lymph nodes were removed and weighed and portions taken from each for examination by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), by culture, and by histopathological and immunohistochemical methods. The left prefemoral lymph nodes enlarged after the injection of C. psittaci, with the group mean weight on day 6 being the greatest and that on day 18 being normal. Examination by "nested" PCR showed samples from these nodes to be positive, except for one animal killed on day 3 and one on day 12. Live organisms, however, were not cultured from any of the samples collected. C. psittaci antigen was detected immunohistochemically in three of four nodes on day 3, in each of four on day 6, and in two of four on both days 12 and 18. Nodes from the contralateral side remained normal, as did those from unchallenged control sheep, and no antigen or DNA was detected in them.

Utrophin-dystroglycan complex in membranes of adherent cultured cells

In skeletal muscle, dystrophin binds to an oligomeric, transmembrane complex (DAGc; dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex) which interacts with laminin in the extracellular matrix. We now present biochemical evidence for an association between utrophin (dystrophin-related protein, DRP) and a major DAGc component, beta-dystroglycan (43DAG) in cultured cell lines which contain little if any dystrophin. We have shown also that utrophin and beta-dystroglycan co-localise at or near the plasma membrane and that they co-sediment in large complexes on sucrose density gradients. On the lower plasma membrane, in contact with the substratum, part of the utrophin and beta-dystroglycan staining co-localised with alpha-actinin in a punctate distribution outside classical vinculin-rich focal adhesions. beta-dystroglycan, utrophin, syntrophin (59DAP), and alpha-actinin were found in all adhesion-competent cell lines studied, but levels of the last three proteins were greatly reduced in myeloma cells, which cannot readily attach to substrata. Possible roles for utrophin in cultured cells are considered in the light of recent evidence for involvement of utrophin-glycoprotein complexes in muscle in signal transduction and recruitment of acetylcholine receptors to neuromuscular junctions.

Perceived discomfort associated with working with persons with varying disabilities

Perceptions of discomfort by nondisabled coworkers are a major barrier to the acceptance of disabled persons into work groups. This research examined whether reported discomfort varied by the type or nature of the disability. 151 subjects rated 20 types of disabilities in terms of how uncomfortable or comfortable they would be working closely at a nonspecified task with a person with the particular disability. A stable hierarchy of the 20 disabilities was found. Patterns and implications are discussed. Gender of the rater influenced the ratings, specifically females exhibited less discomfort with disabilities over-all than did males. Prior contact with a disabled person, either personally or at unspecified work, did not affect the ratings of discomfort.

Efficacy trials with tissue-culture grown, inactivated vaccines against chlamydial abortion in sheep

Vaccines containing inactivated, semi-purified antigen of ovine abortifacient Chlamydia psittaci were prepared from tissue-culture grown harvests of two strains. These were evaluated for efficacy against experimentally reproduced enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE), the protection index (PI) of each vaccine being calculated from three variables. Trial 1 tested the adjuvants Marcol 52/Arlacel A, ISCOM matrix, Novasomes and Alhydrogel, each administered with a total antigen dose of 4 micrograms chlamydial protein (cp), against challenge with the two homologous vaccine strains. The first three formulations yielded PIs of 39-42%, while that of Alhydrogel was 23%. Marked granuloma and/or abscess formation occurred in the Marcol 52/Arlacel A group but in none of the others, and only this group seroconverted following vaccination. In Trial 2, ISCOM matrix containing 16 micrograms cp per dose was administered once or twice. Two challenges were used, one involving the two vaccine strains and the other these two strains plus five others, but no significant differences were seen between them. The double dose schedule, which was better than the single dose and also several Novasomes formulations tested concurrently, gave PIs of 64 and 77% against the two challenges (combined value 71.5%). Trial 3 studied duration of immunity over two lambing seasons using three different administration schedules of 16 micrograms cp in ISCOM matrix, namely single dose in year 1, single dose in year 2 (Group 1), double dose then booster (Group 2), and double dose without booster (Group 3). PIs against the homologous bivalent challenge were 79-80% for Groups 1 and 3 and 91% for Group 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Electrophoretic analysis of the major outer membrane protein of Chlamydia psittaci reveals multimers which are recognized by protective monoclonal antibodies

Purified major outer membrane protein, detergent solubilized and reduced with dithiothreitol but not heated, gave an apparent molecular weight in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels almost three times that observed for the heat-denatured SDS-treated peptide. This is similar to the behavior of porin trimers from gram-negative bacteria. Two protective monoclonal antibodies showed strong binding to the proposed trimer but not to denatured, monomeric major outer membrane protein.

Recombinant ovine interferon gamma inhibits the multiplication of Chlamydia psittaci in ovine cells

The local production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) in sheep in response to Chlamydia psittaci was measured by cannulation of the efferent lymph duct draining the site of challenge inoculation. Peak production of IFN-gamma (256 U/ml) was detected 24 h after challenge. Based on these physiological data, functional studies were carried out in vitro to determine the effect of recombinant ovine (rOv) IFN-gamma on the multiplication of C. psittaci in ovine fibroblasts. IFN-gamma inhibited the multiplication of C. psittaci in ovine cells over a range of concentrations (250 U/ml to 2.5 U/ml) in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibition of chlamydial multiplication was most pronounced when cells were treated with rOvIFN-gamma for 24 h before infection. The addition of exogenous L-tryptophan (500 micrograms/ml) to cultures within 48th of infection abrogated the anti-chlamydial effect of rOvIFN-gamma thus suggesting that tryptophan deprivation is an anti-chlamydial mechanism induced by rOvIFN-gamma in these ovine cells.

Development and evaluation of an indirect ELISA to detect antibodies to abortion strains of Chlamydia psittaci in sheep sera

A novel indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for antibodies against abortion strains of Chlamydia psittaci (C. psittaci) has been developed. The antigen used was chlamydial elementary bodies treated sequentially with N-lauroyl sarcosine and n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside and finally solubilized with N-lauroyl sarcosine and dithiothreitol. Treating the antigen with sodium periodate after coating of the plates increased the specificity for antibodies to abortion strains. The test was evaluated initially with sera from experimentally infected sheep and an uninfected control group. These sheep were monitored for lambing performance and infection status. When used in conjunction with the indirect micro-immunofluorescence test (MIF), the ELISA was able to identify as negative all twenty-five sera from ewes that had no typical placental lesions and identified as positive twenty of twenty-one sera from infected ewes that had either typical placental lesions or had been found positive by isolation of chlamydia in cell culture. The combination of ELISA and MIF was also able to discriminate correctly groups of sera from six flocks with a history of infection from four known uninfected flocks.

Masseter muscle hyperactivity and myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome: a relationship under stress

Myofascial pain dysfunction syndrome (MPD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a psychophysiological disorder that develops because of hyperactive muscles of mastication. Ten women meeting criteria for MPD and 12 symptom-free women participated in the study. The rationale for this study was to observe cardiovascular and masseter muscle changes during four contiguous experimental periods: baseline/adaptation, reaction time, recovery, and relaxation. MPD patients showed less masseter muscle activity and higher heart rates at baseline than controls. Controls had significantly higher masseter EMG activity during reaction time. Both groups showed significant elevation in masseter muscle activity and heart rate over the 14-min reaction period. MPD patients' recovery from stress was equivalent to controls' for both heart rate and masseter muscle activity. MPD patients exhibited significantly slower reaction times than controls. The results suggest that masseter muscle hyperactivity may not account for the development and maintenance of MPD.

Broad resistance to tobamoviruses is mediated by a modified tobacco mosaic virus replicase transgene

Tobacco plants made transgenic to express the wild type tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) 183-kDa replicase gene were not resistant to TMV. However, transgenic plants containing essentially the same sequences, but with an additional insertion that would terminate translation in the middle of the 183-kDa gene, were highly resistant to systemic infection by TMV and other tobamoviruses. The 1.4-kbp insertion in the replicase open reading frame (ORF) of the resistant plants was shown by DNA sequencing to be an IS10-like transposable element, which apparently inserted itself into the TMV sequence at nucleotide 2875 sometime during the propagation of this replicase ORF plasmid (pREP21). Because of four stop codons, in frame with the TMV replicase ORF on the immediate 5' border of the IS insertion, REP21 effectively represents domain 1 (putative methylase domain) and a portion of domain 2 (putative helicase domain) of the TMV replicase ORF. REP21 Xanthi tobacco plants had a level of resistance to TMV similar to other reported transgenic replicase plants. No TMV was detected in upper leaves of these plants at 1-mo postinoculation. In addition, REP21 plants were resistant to an unusually broad range of tobamoviruses including tomato mosaic virus, tobacco mild green mosaic virus, TMV-U5, green tomato atypical mosaic virus, and ribgrass mosaic virus. These plants were not resistant to cucumber mosaic cucumovirus. The lack of systemic infection by TMV was due to reduced multiplication in inoculated leaves rather than complete prevention of replication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Direct observation of hexokinase translocation in stimulated macrophages

1. Fluorescence imaging of antibodies was used to show that phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induces a 4-fold increase in the amount of hexokinase relative to the control in the cortical shell of rat peritoneal macrophage cytosol adjacent to the plasma membrane, and a corresponding depletion in the amount of hexokinase in the central core of the cytosol. However, there was no significant PMA-dependent change in the distribution of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. 2. Cytochalasin D, an inhibitor of actin microfilament polymerization, prevented the PMA-induced hexokinase translocation and also reduced the PMA-dependent increases in 2-deoxy-D-glucose transport and glucose-dependent PMA-stimulated superoxide production. 3. PMA caused a contraction of the width of the cortical F-actin zone. Cytochalasin D caused some dispersal of F-actin within the cell, increasing the density of F-actin within the central cytosolic core and causing aggregation of the F-actin within the cortex. These data are consistent with the view that PMA induces attachment of hexokinase to microfilaments within the cortical zone adjacent to the cell membrane of macrophages, and cytochalasin D prevents this attachment. This is the first direct demonstration of the translocation of hexokinase to the plasma membrane in activated cells, and supports the view that enhanced hexokinase activity in the cortical region of the cytosol is an important early component of the macrophage activation process.