Changes in energy expenditure of light physical activity during a 10 day period at 34 degrees C environmental temperature

The energy expenditure of a 2 h programme of light activity was observed daily in 8 young men after a change in habitual environmental indoor temperature of 20-24 degrees C to 34 degrees C and an absolute humidity of 6-10 g/m3 during a 10 day period. No changes were observed with respect to the daily energy intake, body weight, rectal temperature and average skin temperature, but the energy expenditure showed a decrease of between 3 and 8 per cent. The observations support results of previous studies on acclimatization with respect to energy expenditure, and indicate that differences in energy expenditure due to habitual differences in environmental temperature are small, presumably less than 5 per cent.

Histologic changes and silicone concentrations in human breast tissue surrounding silicone breast prostheses

Using a previously developed method for quantitative measurements of silicone concentrations in breast tissue, material from 86 biopsies from 67 breasts in 55 patients who had silicone implants was examined. In the 49 breast with unruptured prostheses, there was a positive relation between the concentrations and inflammatory reactions, the only exception being the amount of plasma cells, which showed a negative relation. It is concluded that silicone prostheses provoke an inflammatory response not only because they act as foreign bodies, but also because of silicone seepage through intact membranes.

Physicians could lead the way in promoting education by satellite

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Cat scratch disease and glomerulonephritis

Cat scratch disease is a generally benign, self-limited disease characterized by fever and regional lymphadenitis. Systemic complications are rare and most frequently affect the central nervous system, bone, liver or spleen. We report the first case of glomerulonephritis associated with cat scratch disease which resolved spontaneously concurrent with the resolution of lymphadenitis and constitutional symptoms. Immunopathologic and ultrastructural studies suggest a form of immune-mediated postinfectious glomerulonephritis.

The molecular cloning of the chromogranin A-like precursor of beta-granin and pancreastatin from the endocrine pancreas

The cDNA encoding the precursor form of the chromogranin A-related proteins, beta-granin and pancreastatin, was obtained by immune screening of rat insulinoma and pancreatic islet cDNA libraries. The sequence was virtually identical to that of rat adrenal chromogranin A, suggesting that the different molecular forms of chromogranin A immunoreactivity found in adrenal medulla and endocrine pancreas are related to differences in post-translational proteolytic processing. The rat chromogranin A, unlike its bovine and human counterparts, contained a 20-residue glutamine sequence inserted within the N-terminal beta-granin sequence. Although the encoding CA(G/A) repeat recurs frequently in the rat genome, the rat chromogranin A molecule appears to be the product of a single gene and mRNA transcript.

Daucus carota cells contain a dihydrofolate reductase: thymidylate synthase bifunctional polypeptide

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and thymidylate synthase (TS) activities from cell suspension cultures of Daucus carota were shown to copurify on (NH4)2SO4 fractionation, DEAE Sephadex and methotrexate-Sepharose affinity chromatography and to share approximately the same Mr(183 kDa and 185 kDa respectively) as judged by gel filtration on Sephacryl S-200.The copurified protein migrated as a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions.Both activities could be eluted from the same position of the native gel.Moreover, methotrexate-resistant cell lines which overproduce DHFR revealed to have a parallel higher level of TS. It is therefore proposed and discussed that in carrot, similarly to protozoa, TS and DHFR are present on a single bifunctional polypeptide of 58 kDa.

Effect of 12 weeks' light-moderate underfeeding on 24-hour energy expenditure in normal male and female subjects

The effect of 12 weeks' light-moderate underfeeding on the 24-h energy expenditure of a fixed physical activity programme was studied in six male and six female subjects. During a control period of 2 weeks, measurements were made of 24-h energy expenditure by direct calorimetry, the lean and fat body masses and the subjects' habitual energy intakes. The average body weight was 107 per cent of ideal, and did not change significantly during the control period. The subjects were asked to continue to record their daily food intake while reducing it by 25 per cent and to continue their daily activity habits during a period of 12 weeks. The mean change in body weight was -2.9 kg with an average change in body energy content of -66 MJ. The 24-h energy expenditure was measured three times during the period, ie, after 4, 8 and 12 weeks from the start of the decreased energy intake, and found to be practically the same as the control value, ie, with average differences (s.d.) of -0.2(3.9), -0.8(5.7) and +0.6(4.2) per cent from the control value. In the six subjects who had the largest loss of body weight, this was found to be 5.0 kg, and the mean differences (s.d.) in energy expenditure were found to be -1.0(3.4), 0.0(5.6) and -0.6(3.9) per cent, respectively, from the control value. A significant part of the between-subjects variation in the differences from the control value is due to random measurement error and it is concluded that a loss of body energy content of the magnitude reported here, and due mainly to a reduced food intake, does not result in a significant increase in the efficiency of energy conversion, ie, in metabolic adaptation.

Isolation and characterization of a 14-kDa albumin-binding fragment of streptococcal protein G

Protein G, a streptococcal cell wall protein, has separate binding sites for human albumin and IgG. Streptococci expressing protein G were treated with the bacteriolytic agent mutanolysin. Several IgG- and human serum albumin (HSA)-binding peptides were identified in the material thus solubilized and one of these, a 14-kDa peptide, was found to bind HSA but not IgG in Western blot experiments. This molecule was purified by affinity chromatography on Sepharose coupled with HSA followed by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B and a final affinity chromatography on IgG-Sepharose, by which low Mr W(15 to 20 kDa)IgG-binding peptides were removed. In different binding experiments the purified 14-kDa peptide bound exclusively HSA and the equilibrium constant between the peptide and HSA was determined to be 3.4 X 10(8) M-1. The relation between the 14-kDa molecule and protein G was studied by analyzing the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the peptide and comparing it with the previously determined protein G sequence. The 40 N-terminal amino acids were found to be identical with an amino acid sequence starting at position 62 in the protein G molecule. These and previous data enabled us to locate the albumin binding to the repetitively arranged domains in the N-terminal half of the protein G molecule.

Isolation and characterization of a 14-kDa albumin-binding fragment of streptococcal protein G

Protein G, a streptococcal cell wall protein, has separate binding sites for human albumin and IgG. Streptococci expressing protein G were treated with the bacteriolytic agent mutanolysin. Several IgG- and human serum albumin (HSA)-binding peptides were identified in the material thus solubilized and one of these, a 14-kDa peptide, was found to bind HSA but not IgG in Western blot experiments. This molecule was purified by affinity chromatography on Sepharose coupled with HSA followed by gel filtration on Sepharose 6B and a final affinity chromatography on IgG-Sepharose, by which low Mr W(15 to 20 kDa)IgG-binding peptides were removed. In different binding experiments the purified 14-kDa peptide bound exclusively HSA and the equilibrium constant between the peptide and HSA was determined to be 3.4 X 10(8) M-1. The relation between the 14-kDa molecule and protein G was studied by analyzing the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the peptide and comparing it with the previously determined protein G sequence. The 40 N-terminal amino acids were found to be identical with an amino acid sequence starting at position 62 in the protein G molecule. These and previous data enabled us to locate the albumin binding to the repetitively arranged domains in the N-terminal half of the protein G molecule.

Television as a patient education tool: a review of its effectiveness

Thirty-three studies of the use of television as a patient-education process are reviewed. While there are many different conditions addressed by the studies and many studies have methodological problems there are consistencies in the results that suggest how this medium has a role to play. Eleven studies randomized subjects and had a control group. All but one reported achieving their objective of knowledge gain, skill training, or behavior change. Video presentation alone was as effective as any other presentation method and was more effective than only written information. Recommendations for the use of television for patient education are included.

Acute modest changes in relative humidity do not affect energy expenditure at rest in human subjects

Energy expenditure at rest was determined twice in 10 healthy subjects with a 2-d interval at a relative humidity of 32 and 66 per cent respectively. The relative humidity over the 2 d preceding each observation was estimated to be about 32 per cent. The average (+/- s.e.m.) difference between the RMR at a relative humidity of 32 and 66 per cent respectively was found to be 0.3 +/- 1.2 watt. The results presented here justify the commonly used practice of neglecting variations in humidity when reporting on results of observations of resting metabolic rates in apparently healthy subjects.

Definition of IgG- and albumin-binding regions of streptococcal protein G

Protein G, the immunoglobin G-binding surface protein of group C and G streptococci, also binds serum albumin. The albumin-binding site on protein G is distinct from the immunoglobulin G-binding site. By mild acid hydrolysis of the papain-liberated protein G fragment (35 kDa), a 28-kDa fragment was produced which retained full immunoglobulin G-binding activity (determined by Scatchard plotting) but had lost all albumin-binding capacity. A protein G (65 kDa), isolated after cloning and expression of the protein G gene in Escherichia coli, had comparable affinity to immunoglobulin G (5-10 X 10(10)M-1), but much higher affinity to albumin than the 35- and 28-kDa protein G fragments (31, 2.6, and 0 X 10(9)M-1, respectively). The amino-terminal amino acid sequences of the 65-, 35-, and 28-kDa fragments allowed us to exactly locate the three fragments in an overall sequence map of protein G, based on the partial gene sequences published by Guss et al. (Guss, B., Eliasson, M., Olsson, A., Uhlen, M., Frej, A.-K., Jörnvall, H., Flock, J.-I., and Lindberg, M. (1986) EMBO J. 5, 1567-1575) and Fahnestock et al. (Fahnestock, S. R., Alexander, P., Nagle, J., and Filpula, D. (1986) J. Bacteriol. 167, 870-880). In this map could then be deduced the location of three homologous albumin-binding regions and three homologous immunoglobulin G-binding regions.

The Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation. A comprehensive method for assessing outcome in prospective longitudinal studies

The Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (LIFE) is an integrated system for assessing the longitudinal course of psychiatric disorders. It consists of a semistructured interview, an Instruction booklet, a coding sheet, and a set of training materials. An interviewer uses the LIFE to collect detailed psychosocial, psychopathologic, and treatment information for a six-month follow-up interval. The weekly psychopathology measures ("psychiatric status ratings") are ordinal symptom-based scales with categories defined to match the levels of symptoms used in the Research Diagnostic Criteria. The ratings provide a separate, concurrent record of the course of each disorder initially diagnosed in patients or developing during the follow-up. Any DSM-III or Research Diagnostic Criteria disorder can be rated with the LIFE, and any length or number of follow-up intervals can be accommodated. The psychosocial and treatment information is recorded so that these data can be linked temporally to the psychiatric status ratings.

Energy expenditure during sleep in men and women: evaporative and sensible heat losses

Evaporative and sensible heat losses were measured during sleep in 38 male and 21 female subjects in a direct whole-body calorimeter (24 m3). The subjects were all apparently healthy, had a mean body weight of 66 kg and had spent the preceding day in the calorimeter performing different fixed physical activity programmes. Heat losses were measured continuously between 11.30 p.m. and 6.30 a.m. The average (+/- s.e.m.) rate of total heat loss during the 7h of sleep was 90.6 +/- 1.21 and 74.4 +/- 1.22 watts for men and women respectively. The total heat loss during basal resting conditions immediately following sleep was 83.8 +/- 1.5 and 69.2 +/- 1.6 watts, respectively. Heat production during basal resting conditions, as measured by indirect calorimetry about 1 h after awakening on the morning of the preceding day, was found to be 85.6 +/- 1.3 and 71.2 +/- 1.1 watts, respectively. The increase in heat loss during sleep above that of basal resting conditions could largely be attributed to an increase in the evaporative heat loss. The heat loss fell during the night by about 14 per cent in women and about 30 per cent in men, approaching basal resting values in the last hour of sleep. Heat production during sleep was calculated for the male subjects by correcting the heat loss data for the published decreases in rectal temperature during the night and was found to be on average 9 per cent lower than the heat loss. The present data, as well as previously reported data, suggest that the energy expenditure of sleep is 0.95 X BMR rather than 1.0 X BMR as reported in the recent FAO/WHO/UNU Expert consultation (1985).

Contamination of intravenous infusion systems--the effect of changing administration sets

Intravenous administration sets were changed at varying time intervals between every 24 h and 120 h in 387 patients. The rates of intraluminal contamination of the cannulae and of local inflammation were measured in relation to the time interval between changing sets. There was no correlation between phlebitis and intraluminal contamination, but a significant association was found between phlebitis and fever, infusion of potassium at greater than 10 mmol l-1, Venflon type 140 and infusion of blood or intralipid. No correlation was found between septicaemia and intraluminal contamination of the infusion systems. Contamination of cannulae increased slightly with time, but this was not statistically significant. We conclude that there will be no clinical benefit by daily changing of administration sets, compared with changing up to every fifth day.

Human C1 inhibitor: primary structure, cDNA cloning, and chromosomal localization

The primary structure of human C1 inhibitor was determined by peptide and DNA sequencing. The single-chain polypeptide moiety of the intact inhibitor is 478 residues (52,869 Da), accounting for only 51% of the apparent molecular mass of the circulating protein (104,000 Da). The positions of six glucosamine-based and five galactosamine-based oligosaccharides were determined. Another nine threonine residues are probably also glycosylated. Most of the carbohydrate prosthetic groups (probably 17) are located at the amino-terminal end (residues 1-120) of the protein and are particularly concentrated in a region where the tetrapeptide sequence Glx-Pro-Thr-Thr, and variants thereof, is repeated 7 times. No phosphate was detected in C1 inhibitor. Two disulfide bridges connect cysteine-101 to cysteine-406 and cysteine-108 to cysteine-183. Comparison of the amino acid and cDNA sequences indicates that secretion is mediated by a 22-residue signal peptide and that further proteolytic processing does not occur. C1 inhibitor is a member of the large serine protease inhibitor (serpin) gene family. The homology concerns residues 120 through the C-terminus. The sequence was compared with those of nine other serpins, and conserved and nonconserved regions correlated with elements in the tertiary structure of alpha 1-antitrypsin. The C1 inhibitor gene maps to chromosome 11, p11.2-q13. C1 inhibitor genes of patients from four hereditary angioneurotic edema kindreds do not have obvious deletions or rearrangements in the C1 inhibitor locus. A HgiAI DNA polymorphism, identified following the observation of sequence variants, will be useful as a linkage marker in studies of mutant C1 inhibitor genes.

24-h evaporative and sensible heat losses in relation to ambient humidity at 24 degrees C in clothed human subjects

The effect of ambient humidity on the energy expenditure of clothed subjects was investigated. Fifty-six healthy men and women, weighing about 65 kg, spent 24 h in a large human calorimeter at 24 degrees C and performed either of two fixed activity programmes. The ambient humidity varied between experiments from 3 to 11 g m-3. The sensible heat output did not vary significantly with humidity but the evaporative heat loss decreased by about 1.5 W for each g m-3 increase in humidity.

Energy expenditure over 24 hours on low physical activity programmes in human subjects

The Fifth World Food Survey (FAO, 1986) has defined energy malnutrition as an intake below maintenance requirement and has suggested that maintenance requirement is equal to 1.4 times the resting metabolic rate (RMR), or, alternatively, 1.4 X RMR minus twice the standard deviation of the variation between normal subjects. In order to give substance to these numbers, we have measured the 24-h energy expenditure on two different physical activity programmes. The measurements were made on 38 men and 18 women, all apparently healthy and weighing about 65 kg. The measurements were performed at 24 degrees C and ambient humidity and the subjects wore clothes such as to be within the thermal comfort range. Measurements of the RMR were also performed. In one of the programmes, the average value of the 24-h energy expenditure divided by the RMR was found to be identical in men and women and equal to 1.38 X RMR. In another programme, with more intense physical activity, the corresponding number was 1.53 X RMR. In all three series of measurements, the coefficient of variation between subjects was found to be the same, ie between 6 and 8 per cent.

Cannabinoid content of cannabis grown on the Danish island of Bornholm

The analysis in 1983 of representative samples taken from fruiting tops of seized cannabis plants illicitly grown in 19 localities on the Danish island of Bornholm showed that the average (mean) content of the total tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) + delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) was approximately 1.55 per cent, ranging from 0.1 to 4.2 per cent. There was no significant difference in the total THC content of cannabis plants from the Danish island of Bornholm and the content found by other authors in cannabis plants grown during the period from 1968 to 1972 in Afghanistan, India, Mexico, South Africa and Thailand. However, studies carried out on fresh cannabis seized on entry into the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the period 1975-1981 showed a larger content of THC (ranging from 2.3 to 4.9 per cent) than in cannabis plants from Bornholm.

The mutagenic effect of gamma rays on leaf protoplasts of haploid and dihaploid Nicotiana plumbaginifolia, estimated by valine resistance mutation frequencies

Leaf protoplasts isolated from haploid and dihaploid Nicotiana plumbaginifolia plantlets were treated with different doses of gamma-rays and their survival was determined by scoring for plating efficiency at each irradiation dose. A fixed number of surviving protoplast-derived colonies was then plated in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of L-valine and incubated until growing resistant calli could be scored and mutation rates calculated. Though haploid protoplasts were found to be a little more sensitive than dihaploids to the lethal effect of radiation, the two dose-response curves of gamma-rays that induced mutagenesis were very similar. The irradiation dose capable of causing a ten-fold increase of spontaneous mutation frequencies was about 500 rads with both haploid and dihaploid protoplasts.

Ig RNA expression in normal B cells stimulated with anti-IgM antibody and T cell-derived growth and differentiation factors

An increase in mRNA encoding the secretory form of the mu heavy (H) chain (mus) and in the ratio of mus mRNA to the mRNA encoding the membrane form of the microH chain (micron) occurs in normal B cells stimulated with anti-IgM and BSF-p1 together with the two B cell differentiation factors B15-TRF and EL-TRF. Stimulation of cells with anti-IgM and BSF-p1 with either B15- or EL-TRF causes no change in mus levels or mus/micron ratios. The requirements for induction of high rate IgM synthesis in normal B cells stimulated with anti-IgM were precisely the same as those required for elevation of mus, mRNA levels and for increase in mus/micron mRNA ratios. A very close correlation also exists between induction of mRNA for J chain and increase in mus mRNA levels. Similarly, the increase in J chain protein concentration and percent of cells with cytoplasmic IgM were correlated to each other and to levels of mus and J chain mRNA. These results indicate that elevation of mus mRNA and mus/micron mRNA ratios occur in normal B cells only upon commitment to IgM synthesis, and reaffirm the close relation between IgM synthesis and the presence of J chain.

Within-subjects between-weeks variation in 24-hour energy expenditure for fixed physical activity

The energy expenditure of eight male subjects over 24 h on a fixed activity programme was measured twice at an interval of one week in a 24 m3 direct calorimeter. The standard deviation of a single measurement of the total heat output was 234 kJ, or 2.2 per cent, expressed as a coefficient of variation. The corresponding numbers for sensible and evaporative heat output were 215 kJ (3.2 per cent) and 354 kJ (9.3 per cent), respectively. The within-subjects coefficient of correlation of sensible and evaporative heat loss was -0.77. The results are in agreement with previously published results (Dallosso, Murgatroyd & James, 1982) using indirect calorimetry and show that the 24-h energy expenditure on a fixed programme is a remarkably constant quantity. Furthermore, our data show that the two components of heat dissipation, ie, sensible and evaporative heat, are negatively coupled, indicating that the body can sense and communicate the activity of both effector organs.

Inactivation of aphidicolin by plant cells

Plant cells are endowed with an aphidicolin inactivating activity. Data on cultured cells show that the rate of inactivation depends on the cell type, Daucus carota cells being the most effective among the other tested materials (Oryza sativa and Nicotiana plumbaginifolia). Also germinating seedling of Haplopappus gracilis and of Citrullus vulgaris inactivate aphidicolin.Inactivation, which may lead to unexpected results when a prolonged incubation with the drug is required, as in the case of the induction of synchrony of the cell cycle by aphidicolin, can be controlled by appropriately choosing the experimental conditions.

Enzymic resolution and binding to rat brain membranes of the glutamic acid agonist alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid

The enantiomers of the glutamic acid central nervous system receptor agonist alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) were prepared via kinetic resolution of the racemic N-acetylated 3-methoxy derivative by reusable, immobilized aminoacylase. L-AMPA was more effective (IC50 = 0.6 microM) than D-AMPA (IC50 = 4.8 microM) in displacing racemic [3H]AMPA from binding sites on rat brain synaptic membranes in agreement with their relative in vivo excitatory potencies.

Exchange of water between the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, and the environment

During determination of total body water and net water turnover in the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, it was demonstrated that the porpoise exchanged water with an isosmotic environment by way of free diffusion and with hypo- or hyperosmotic environment by way of osmosis.