Gemcitabine/vinorelbine in metastatic breast cancer patients previously treated with anthracyclines: results of a phase II trial

This phase II study was designed to evaluate the response rate (RR) and toxicity of gemcitabine/vinorelbine in patients with metastatic breast cancer. All patients had previously received anthracyclines. Treatment consisted of gemcitabine 1200 mg/m2 and vinorelbine 30 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8, every 3 weeks. Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Median age was 59 years (range, 33-73 years). Ten patients had received only adjuvant therapy with anthracyclines. The remaining 15 patients had received chemotherapy for metastatic disease, including taxanes in 11 cases. Four patients could not be evaluated for response. By intent-to-treat analysis, the overall RR was 44% (95% CI, 24.4%-65%). Median duration of response and median time to treatment failure were 21 and 17 weeks, respectively. The main toxicity was hematologic, with grade 3/4 neutropenia occurring in 13 patients and 1 patient developing febrile neutropenia. Two deaths from pneumonia occurred. These results reveal an encouraging activity with a reasonable toxicity profile in a patient population with an unfavorable prognosis. Our group is conducting a randomized study to compare this combination with vinorelbine alone in patients with metastatic breast cancer after failure to respond to anthracyclines and taxanes

Acoustic and perceptual indicators of normal and pathological voice

The aim of this study was to obtain acoustic correlates to vocal quality of a group of men and women with and without voice disorders, based on evaluations of a group of judges experienced in the field of vocal rehabilitation. In male subjects, perceptual evaluation of normal, hoarse and rough voice qualities was related to the following acoustic features: frequency perturbation measures (JITA, RAP, and SPPQ), amplitude perturbation (SAPQ and VAM), soft phonation index (SPI) and fundamental frequency tremor intensity (FTRI). While these measures presented normal values for normal voice, hoarseness showed some deviations in perturbation frequency variables and very high SPI values, while rough voice showed deviations in all the measures. Qualities of female voices were perceived as normal, breathy and hoarse, but the acoustic correlates of these qualities were less conclusive.

Inhibitory effect against polymerase and ribonuclease activities of HIV-reverse transcriptase of the aqueous leaf extract of Terminalia triflora

Dichloromethane, methanol and aqueous extracts from the leaves of Terminalia triflora were investigated for their inhibitory effect on polymerase and ribonuclease activities of HIV reverse transcriptase.The most potent activity was found in the aqueous extract, which inhibited both polymerase and ribonuclease activities of the enzyme with an IC50 of 1.6 micro g/mL and 1.8 micro g/mL respectively. The antiinfective activity of the extract was demonstrated in HLT4LacZ-IIIB cell culture with an IC50 of 1.0 micro g/mL. The extract was submitted to a purification process by extractive and chromatographic methods. The activity remained in the hydrophillic fraction. Tannins present in this active purified fraction, as determined by TLC and HPLC methods, could account for the anti HIV-RT activity found in the aqueous extract.

Anaphylaxis to proton pump inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are widely used for the treatment of peptic ulcer, but cases of anaphylactic reactions have rarely been described. We present a patient who experienced an episode of urticaria 30 minutes after oral intake of an omeprazole capsule. Skin prick tests to omeprazole, pantoprazole and lansoprazole were positive. Challenge test with lansoprazole was carried out and within 45 minutes the patient developed urticaria, facial edema, vomiting, and hypotension. Oral challenge with other imidazole derivatives (ketoconazole, cimetidine, metronidazole) were carried out with good tolerance. Serum tryptase levels determined 3 hours after the adverse reaction to lansoprazole were elevated. Specific IgE to PPI were not detected by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The clinical findings, positive skin prick test to PPI and elevated serum tryptase levels suggest that an IgE-mediated mechanism was implicated in the reactions to both omeprazole and lansoprazole. Skin prick tests may be a useful tool for detecting patients sensitized to PPI. An experimental protocol was used to detect specific IgE antibodies against PPI, which may explain RAST negativity. The previous findings suggest that cross-reactivity between PPI exists, but not with other imidazoles.

Clinical study of an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in Alcoy, Southeastern Spain

The aim of this study was to identify the clinical features of Legionnaires' disease, sudden outbreaks of which demand a quick and flexible clinical approach, particularly with regard to diagnosis and therapy. A prospective and comparative study based on a clinical protocol was performed during an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Alcoy, Spain. The outbreak was environmental in origin, linked to cooling towers. Data about epidemiological and clinical features, blood chemistry values, radiological and microbiological findings, and characteristics related to the clinical course of Legionnaires' disease were obtained for 357 patients admitted to hospital with community-acquired pneumonia (177 with Legionella pneumonia). Patients with Legionnaires' disease were younger (mean age, 65.3+/-16.5 years) and more likely to be smokers compared with patients with other types of pneumonia (28.8% vs. 11.1%; P<0.01). Moreover, they had not been admitted to any hospital because of pneumonia in the previous year. Patients with Legionnaires' disease had higher fever, more severe headache, and less expectoration as well as lower sodium blood levels (mean, 132.6+/-4.8 mmol/l vs. 135.7 mmol/l; P<0.01). Radiological studies also showed that fewer patients with Legionnaires' disease had pleural effusion (9% vs. 19.4% of those with non- Legionella pneumonia). The presence of headache, high fever, hyponatremia, scanty or null expectoration, and current cigarette smoking provides physicians with important clues for a high suspicion of Legionella pneumonia before the results of confirmatory laboratory tests are available.

[Neuroanatomical bases of attention by means of PET-15O: the role of the prefrontal and parietal cortex in controlled processes]

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the changes in the cerebral blood flow that took place in normal subjects during an auditory attention paradigm which included automatic and controlled processing components.

METHOD

Participants consisted in 10 normal subjects who were submitted to medical, neuropsychological and neuroimaging evaluation. PET was used to carry out an exploration of each subject in the four experimental conditions: basal, listening to clicks (A), counting while listening to clicks (C+A) and counting without listening to clicks (C).

RESULTS

During the condition involving counting while listening to clicks (automatic processing) the subjects displayed a significant increase in the activation of the bilateral precentral convolutions, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), left inferior and superior frontal convolutions, left supplementary motor area and the left superior and inferior temporal convolution. During the condition involving counting without listening to clicks (controlled processing), the subjects activated the right precentral convolution, bilateral DLPFC, the right supplementary motor area, anterior cingulate and right inferior parietal convolution.

DISCUSSION

The results obtained support the suggestion that regions such as the DLPFC and the inferior parietal convolution play a part in attentional tasks in which the subject is required to make an effort to carry out the controlled processing of information.

Immunomodulating properties of Argentine plants with ethnomedicinal use

Five Argentine medicinal plants selected according to folk traditional or ethnomedical use, references and primary pharmacological screening; were chosen to elucidate their immunomodulating properties. Dichloromethane, methanolic and aqueous extracts of the aerial parts of Achyrocline flaccida (A. flaccida), Eupatorium arnottianum (E. arnottianum) and Eupatorioum buniifolium (E. buniifolium), leaves of Lithraea molleoides (L. molleoides) and leaves and stems of Phyllanthus sellowianus (P. sellowianus) were analyzed to disclose their effects on murine normal and tumor cell growth as well as on complement hemolytic activity. Modulation of cell growth was evaluated by tritiated thymidine incorporation while inhibition of complement activity was measured on both classical and alternative complement pathways (CP and AP respectively). The results obtained show that most of the extracts exerted inhibitory effect on tumor as well as on mitogen activated normal spleen cell growth. On tumor cells, IC50 ranged between 1-75 microg/ml for most of the extracts with the exception of dichloromethane of L. molleoides and P. sellowianus which required concentrations higher than 100 microg/ml to produce the effect. On mitogenic activated splenocytes, IC50 ranged between < 1 to 85 microg/ml with the exception of methanolic extract of E. buniifolium or P. sellowianus which were not effective on ConA or LPS stimulated splenocytes respectively. Only E. buniifolium was active on murine normal splenocytes proliferation (IC50 0.5-1.5 microg/ml). Finally, one (7%) of 15 extracts showed inhibition of complement activity on CP and 6 extracts (40%) presented moderate activity on CP. The dichloromethane extract of E. arnottianum was the most active (IC50 5 microg/ml), although remarkable effect was also obtained with dichloromethane and methanolic extracts of P. sellowianus (IC50 11.2 and 17.3 microg/ml respectively). Besides, 2 extracts (13%), dichloromethane extract of E. arnottianum and aqueous extract of P. sellowianus, showed moderate inhibition on AP.

Sustained attention in a counting task: normal performance and functional neuroanatomy

We examined changes in relative cerebral flood flow (relCBF) using PET during a sustained attention paradigm which included auditory stimulation and different tasks of mental counting. Ten normal volunteers underwent PET (15O water) during a baseline state and under experimental conditions which included listening to clicks, serial counting with auditory stimulation, counting with no auditory stimulation, and an additional component of working memory and time estimation. All subjects performed within normal limits in a battery of neurocognitive tests, which included measures of attention and working memory. Both counting with auditory stimulation and counting with no auditory stimulation engaged motor cortex, putamen, cerebellum, and anterior cingulate. Furthermore, counting with no auditory stimulation relative to counting while listening resulted in significantly increased relCBF in the inferior parietal, dorsolateral prefrontal, and anterior cingulate. The findings obtained in this study support the notion that the parietal and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are involved when time estimation and working memory are taking part in a task requiring sustained attention.

In vitro genotoxic evaluation of the medicinal plant Chenopodium ambrosioides L

Chenopodium ambrosioides (Chenopodiaceae) is an anthelmintic herb used in Latin-America's folk medicine. The aim of this work is to evaluate genetic damage induced by decoction and infusion of this plant which were assayed in different concentrations (1, 10, 100, 1000 microg/ml), by addition of the extract to human lymphocyte cell cultures. The endpoints evaluated were chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCE), cell proliferation kinetics (CPK) and mitotic indexes (MI). The repeated measure analysis of variance was used for statistic evaluation of the results. The results showed (a) a statistical increase in the percentage of cells with CA and in the frequency of SCE when cultures were exposed to both preparations of Paico, (b) a decrease in MI of both preparations assayed, although no modification in the CPK values either in the infusion or in the decoction was observed. These results suggest a possible genotoxic effect of both preparations, probably due to different active principles.

Suicide attempts in bipolar patients

BACKGROUND

Between 25% to 50% of patients with bipolar disorder make suicide attempts during their lives, but there are some controversies about factors related to suicide attempts in this group of patients. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between suicide attempts and the predictive factors previously described in the literature.

METHOD

The sample included all 169 patients with DSM-III-R bipolar I disorder identified in a delimited area (northern Spain). Sociodemographic, clinical, and family history variables measured by Research Diagnostic Criteria-Family History were analyzed. Significant variables were introduced in a logistic regression analysis to control for the effects of other variables.

RESULTS

There were 56 patients (33%) who had one or more suicide attempts. Early age at onset, history of hospital admission during depressive episodes, drug abuse, and family history were significantly associated with suicide in the univariate analyses (p < .05). A much higher proportion of patients with onset at or before 25 years of age than patients with onset after 25 years of age attempted suicide (23% vs. 10%). The age at onset was no longer significant after controlling for the other 3 variables included in the logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSION

Suicide attempts are highly prevalent in bipolar patients and are related to drug abuse, family history of affective disorders, and severe depressive episodes. This study suggests that the risk of suicide in patients with an early age at onset could reflect other variables such as drug abuse, a history of hospital admissions for depression, or family history.

[Peutz-Jeghers syndrome associated with multiple epithelial tumors]

The association between Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and multiple epithelial neoplasias is infrequent. Tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, genitals and breast are common in this syndrome and tumors of the kidney and biliary tract are exceptional. We present the case of a 68-year-old woman with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome who presented with right kidney carcinoma and numerous small, bilateral tumors of the sex cords with annular tubules of the ovary. Right nephrectomy, double annexectomy and total hysterectomy were performed. The patient died two years later following the development of rectal carcinoma diagnosed by sigmoidoscopy and biopsy and an episode of obstructive jaundice compatible with cholangiocarcinoma.

Phenolic compounds in seven South American Ilex species

Ilex paraguariensis (common name: 'mate' or 'yerba mate') is used for the preparation of the most popular tea-like beverage of South America. Choleretic, hypocholesteremic, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and bitter taste properties of mate are attributed to the phenolic constituents of the leaves. I. paraguariensis has seven local congeneric substitutes or adulterants: I. brevicuspis; I. theezans; I. microdonta; I. dumosa var. dumosa; I. taubertiana; I. pseudobuxus; I. integerrima; and I. argentina. An HPLC method using UV with Photodiode Array Detector was developed for the identification and quantification of caffeoyl derivatives (caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid) and flavonoids (quercetin, rutin and kaempferol) in these species. I. paraguariensis showed a higher content of flavonoids and caffeoyl derivatives than the other assayed species.

[The role of the clinical microbiology laboratory during the outbreak of Legionella spp. in the municipality of Alcoy: the effectiveness of the different diagnosis methods]

BACKGROUND

The effectiveness of the different laboratory test methods to diagnose Legionella spp. in clinical specimens varies according to the epidemiological context. In this study, the usefulness of the laboratory methods used for an outbreak that occurred in the municipality of Alcoy (Alicante, Spain) are evaluated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

222 community-acquired cases of infection caused by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1, subtype Pontiac-Knoxville, genotypes I and II were studied, that had been diagnosed by the Microbiology laboratory from January 1999 to December 2000, corresponding to patients residing in the municipality of Alcoy (Alicante). The methods used were direct antigen detection in respiratory specimens by immunoflurescence, direct antigen detection in urine, cultures and serology.

RESULTS

The detection of the antigen in urine diagnosed 201 cases (90,5%). Direct immunofluorescence provided a high number of false positives (n=24). A culture was essential to confirm the etiology of the outbreak (25 sputum) strains from 22 patients). Serology complemented the other methods and helped to retrospectively diagnose 21 patients (9%) when the other tests were not carried out or when they provided negative results.

CONCLUSIONS

A rapid diagnosis is essential to evaluate the patients and to control epidemical outbreaks, and the detection of the urinary antigen is very useful, but should be complemented with other methods. The culture of the respiratory specimens and the subsequent typing of the strains means that the etiology can be established with certainty and this helps to determine the source(s) of the infection. Serology complemented the diagnosis in 9% of the cases.

Hindlimb asymmetry reduces escape performance in the lizard Psammodromus algirus

Locomotor performance of lizards and its relationship to the ecology and morphology of the forms concerned has been well studied recently. Asymmetry of limbs might make the body unstable and make performance less effective. However, their effects on terrestrial locomotion remain almost unexplored. In this article, the escape performance of the lizard Psammodromus algirus running at high speed was related to hindlimb morphology and fluctuating asymmetry levels. Femur length was significantly shorter than crus length. However, absolute fluctuating asymmetry in femur length was significantly larger than in crus length. Asymmetry was not related to body or limb size, thus larger individuals or those with longer limbs did not have significantly greater fluctuating asymmetry. Neither body size nor the length of the limbs (femur or crus) were significantly related to any of the variables describing escape performance. However, escape performance was affected by femur-length fluctuating asymmetry, which resulted in significantly reduced overall escape speeds. In contrast, asymmetry in crus length did not affect escape performance. We discuss the possible basis of these alterations of locomotion, the relevance of reduced performance for the ecology of this species, and how individuals may compensate for the costs of asymmetry.

Efficacy of teicoplanin-gentamicin given once a day on the basis of pharmacokinetics in humans for treatment of enterococcal experimental endocarditis

With the aim of investigating home therapy for enterococcal endocarditis, we compared the efficacy of teicoplanin combined with gentamicin given once a day or in three daily doses (t.i.d.) with the standard treatment, ampicillin plus gentamicin administered t.i.d., for treating experimental enterococcal endocarditis. The antibiotics were administered by using "human-like pharmacokinetics" (H-L), i.e, pharmacokinetics like those in humans, that simulated the profiles of these drugs in human serum. Animals with catheter-induced endocarditis were infected intravenously with 10(8) CFU of Enterococcus faecalis EF91 (MICs and MBCs of ampicillin, gentamicin, and teicoplanin, 0.5 and 32, 16 and 32, and 0.5 and 1 microg/ml, respectively) and were treated for 3 days with ampicillin H-L at 2 g every 4 h plus gentamicin H-L at 1 mg/kg every 8 h, or teicoplanin H-L at 10 mg/kg every 24 h, alone or combined with gentamicin, administered at dose of H-L at 1 mg/kg every 8 h or H-L at 4.5 mg/kg every 24 h. The results of therapy for experimental endocarditis due to EF91 showed that teicoplanin alone was as effective as ampicillin alone in reducing the bacterial load (P > 0.05). The combination of ampicillin or teicoplanin with gentamicin was more effective than the administration of both drugs alone in reducing the log(10)CFU/gram of aortic vegetation (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Teicoplanin plus gentamicin H-L at 4.5 mg/kg, both administered every 24 h, showed an efficacy equal to the "gold standard," ampicillin plus gentamicin H-L at 1 mg/kg t.i.d. (P > 0.05). Increasing the interval of administration of gentamicin to a single daily dose combined with teicoplanin resulted in a reduction of bacteria in the vegetations equivalent to that achieved with the recommended regimen of ampicillin plus thrice-daily gentamicin in the treatment of experimental endocarditis due to E. faecalis. Teicoplanin plus gentamicin, both administered once a day, may be useful home therapy for selected cases of enterococcal endocarditis.

Evidence of a possible epigenetic inactivation mechanism operating on a region of mouse chromosome 19 in γ-radiation-induced thymic lymphomas

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis, performed in 68 gamma-radiation-induced primary thymic lymphomas of F1 hybrid mice, provided evidence of significant LOH on chromosome 19 in a region defined by the D19Mit106 (22 cM) and D19Mit100 (27 cM) markers (Thymic Lymphoma Suppressor Region 8, TLSR8). Cd95 and Pten, two genes mapped at this region, were inactivated in a vast majority of these tumors (85.3% for Cd95 and 61.8% for Pten). Moreover, altered expression of Cd95 and Pten occurred concomitantly in 34 of 68 (50%) thymic lymphomas suggesting a coordinated mechanism of inactivation of these genes. Surprisingly, we also found that Jak2, a proto-oncogene located between Cd95 and Pten, was simultaneously inactivated in a significant fraction of the tumors analysed (24 of 34, 70.6%). Taken together these findings and the lack of mutations in the coding sequences of the mentioned genes clearly suggest a possible regional epigenetic inactivation mechanism on mouse chromosome 19 operating during the development of these tumors.

Lack of antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin for treating experimental catheter-related infection due to Staphylococcus aureus using the antibiotic-lock technique

OBJECTIVE

To elucidate the potential antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin in the treatment of catheter-infection using the antibiotic-lock technique.

METHODS

We performed in vitro studies of the antibiotic susceptibility, stability and synergy of sodium heparin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. Efficacy studies were performed in a new animal model of Staphylococcus aureus catheter-related infection in which infection was produced via the endoluminal route. White New Zealand rabbits were surgically implanted with a sylastic catheter into the inferior cava vein. Immediately afterwards, infection was induced by filling and locking the catheters with 0.7 mL of broth culture containing 108 colony-forming units of S. aureus. Eighteen hours later the antibiotic-lock technique was started. Treatment groups were: control without treatment, sodium heparin at 2500 IU/mL, vancomycin at 2500 mg/L, ciprofloxacin at 1000 mg/L, vancomycin plus heparin and ciprofloxacin plus heparin.

RESULTS

Sodium heparin showed an MIC90 higher than 6000 UI/mL against S. aureus causing catheter infection. Studies of antimicrobial synergy by the time-kill method between vancomycin and ciprofloxacin at MIC with sodium heparin at 2500 IU/mL showed no interactions. Vancomycin (2000 microg/mL) and ciprofloxacin (1000 microg/mL) in a solution containing sodium heparin (2500 IU/mL) were stable at 37 degrees C for a 72-h period. Two sets of in vivo experiments were carried out using differents strains of S. aureus. In both cases, sodium heparin showed no therapeutic efficacy when compared to control group and did not increase the antibiotic efficacy when used in combination with vancomycin or ciprofloxacin.

CONCLUSION

Sodium heparin lacked antibacterial activity against S. aureus causing catheter-related infections.

[Malnutrition and mortality in hemodialyzed patients]

BACKGROUND

Due to the ageing of the general population and improved techniques, the acceptance rate of patients starting dialysis has increased. Mortality remains high and the factors involved include nutritional parameters, which also seem to be of value for prognosis in this population.

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

We proposed a prospective study in our haemodialysis population in order to establish the factors with the greatest predictive value for mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred stabilized patients receiving this technique were included in the study, with registration of any concomitant pathologies, their severity and the presence of HBP; we carried out a clinical assessment measuring nutritional parameters and functional capacity, with anthropometric and analytical measurements with dialysis dosage and protein catabolism rate. The observation period lasted for one year. The statistical analysis compared survivors and dead patients by means of a bivariant analysis, and after selecting the significant variables, log regression was applied.

RESULTS

The annual death rate was 15%. The bivariant analysis highlights the greater age and the prevalence of vascular pathology prior to dialysis, with a greater severity score and prior weight loss, as well as a lessened functional capacity and clinical assessment score among the dead patients. The analytical parameters showed lymphocytes to be significantly lower among the deceased. The log regression analysis revealed the predictive value of severity, followed by initial vascular co-morbidity, lymphocyte levels less than 1,200 and the nutritional clinical assessment score.

CONCLUSIONS

1. Severity was the main factor predicting mortality. 2. The presence of vascular co-morbidity at the start of dialysis increased the likelihood of death by more than ten times. 3. Lymphopenia of less than 1,200 and low scores in the subjective overall assessment were predictors of mortality.

Different intracellular signals coupled to the antiproliferative action of aqueous crude extract from Larrea divaricata Cav. and nor-dihydroguaiaretic acid on a lymphoma cell line

In this paper, we report the effect of standard NDGA, as compared to that of an aqueous extract of Larrea divaricata Cav., on BW 5147 lymphoma cell-line proliferation. To determine the mechanism of action, the effects of both on the level of intracellular cAMP, protein kinase C activity and calcium influx were studied. Moreover, the NDGA present in the aqueous extract of the plant was quantified. The aqueous extract and the standard NDGA showed antiproliferative action against these cells. While the antiproliferative activity of the aqueous extract was mediated by an increase in cAMP levels, and inhibition of PKC and calcium influx, the antiproliferative activity of NDGA was related only to the inhibition of PKC. Considering the amount of NDGA detected in the aqueous extract of the plant, at the concentrations analyzed in this case, antiproliferative activity of Larrea divaricata cannot be attributed to this compound, but could have an additive effect on the activity of other compounds.

Preparative HPLC resolution of the CIS cyclohexane analogs of phenylalanine

The analytical resolution of different derivatives of cis c(6)Phe (cyclohexane analogs of phenylalanine) was tested by HPLC using the mixed 10-undecenoate/3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate of amylose bonded on allylsilica gel as the chiral stationary phase. The same chiral support has allowed the enantioseparation of racemate cis-4 on a semipreparative column (150 x 20 mm ID) with a mixture of n-hexane/2-propanol/chloroform as the mobile phase. Some 200-300 mg of the optically pure enantiomers were isolated and transformed into the N-benzyloxycarbonyl amino acids. The X-ray diffraction structure of (1R;2R)-4 is reported.

Increased thermogenic response to food and fat oxidation in female athletes: relationship with VO(2 max)

The thermogenic response to food (TRF) and substrate oxidation were studied in 12 endurance-trained and 13 untrained female subjects. Energy expenditure and substrate oxidation were calculated by indirect calorimetry before and for 6 h after an oral test meal and after the same meal given intragastrically on a separate occasion. The TRF was calculated after the oral meal, the obligatory component after the intragastric meal (OTRF), and the facultative component from the difference between the two. VO(2 max) was measured on a treadmill and body composition by underwater weighing. The TRF and OTRF were significantly higher in trained than in untrained subjects: 223 +/- 63 vs. 185 +/- 50 kJ/6 h (P < 0.03) and 174 +/- 38 vs. 131 +/- 37 kJ/6 h (P < 0.01) for the TRF and OTRF in trained vs. untrained subjects, respectively. Multiple regression analysis showed that maximum O(2) consumption (VO(2 max)), but not percentage of body fat, was significantly related to OTRF (r =0.68, P < 0.01). Trained subjects had higher fatty acid oxidation than untrained subjects before (0.6 vs. 0.4 mg. kg(-1). min(-1), P < 0.05) and after the oral meal (13 +/- 6 vs. 8 +/- 4 g/6 h P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that 1) TRF is higher in trained than in untrained women; 2) this is due to a higher cost of nutrient digestion, absorption and storage; 3) the difference is related to higher VO(2 max); and 4) fatty acid oxidation is greater in trained women in both the postabsorptive and postprandial states. These observations suggest that endurance training induces metabolic changes that favor leanness.

Chemoreception, symmetry and mate choice in lizards

Research on fluctuating asymmetry (FA)-mediated sexual selection has focused almost exclusively on visual signals and ignored chemical communication despite the fact that many species rely on chemical signals for attracting mates. Female mate choice based on visual traits appears to be rare in lizards. However, the femoral glands of male lizards produce pheromones which might transmit chemical information about an individual's developmental stability. Therefore, we hypothesized that mate choice may be based on chemical cues. We analysed the effect of the developmental stability levels of males on the attractiveness of males' scents to females in a laboratory experiment with the lizard Lacerta monticola. When we offered two males of similar body size, females preferentially associated with the scents of males with low FA in their femoral pores and also with the scents of males with a higher number of femoral pores. This suggested that the females were able to discriminate the FA of the males by chemical signals alone and that the females preferred to be in areas marked by males of high quality, thus increasing their opportunities of mating with males of high quality. We suggest that the quality and/or amount of male pheromones could communicate the heritable genetic quality of a male to the female and thereby serve as the basis for adaptive female choice in lizards.