The nutritional habits of young adolescent swimmers

Dietary food records from adolescent male and female swimmers participating in a national developmental training camp were analyzed for nutrient density. The mean caloric intake was 5,221.6 kcal for males and 3,572.6 kcal for females. The distribution of calories between carbohydrates, protein, and fat was not ideal for athletes trying to optimize performance. These young swimmers consumed too much fat and not enough carbohydrate. They consumed more than the RDA of vitamins A and C, and thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin; however, some concern is expressed for females who did not meet the RDA for calcium and iron. This study shows that although a group of adolescent swimmers may be consuming enough nutrients, individual swimmers may have very poor dietary habits and thus may not be providing adequate fuel or nutrients for optimal training or performance.

Deficiency of the seventh component of complement. A case report

Deficiency of the 7th component of the complement cascade was diagnosed in a white male with recurrent meningococcal infections. This deficiency has not previously been reported in South Africa.

Treatment of superior vena cava thrombosis with recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator

Thrombotic occlusion of the superior vena cava is an uncommon but serious complication of chronic indwelling venous catheters. Several reports have shown thrombolytic therapy with intravenous streptokinase or urokinase to be effective in the treatment of this condition. We report a case of superior vena cava thrombosis in a 53-year-old woman receiving chemotherapy for breast carcinoma through a subcutaneously implanted venous access catheter who was successfully treated with peripheral infusion of recombinant tissue type plasminogen activator (rtPA).

Cytology of treated and minimal Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and a pitfall of the Grocott methenamine silver stain

To clarify the role of foamy alveolar casts (FACs) in the diagnosis of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), we retrospectively reviewed Papanicolaou (Pap)- and Grocott methenamine silver (GMS)-stained slides from 205 bronchial specimens submitted for suspected opportunistic lung infection. FACs containing sporozoites were seen in 86 cases, all with positive GMS. FACs were absent in 119 cases with negative GMS. In patients previously treated for PCP, Pap showed FAC-like material which lacked sporozoites. GMS demonstrated clumped degenerated Pneumocystis carinii (PC) cysts. In 17 GMS-positive cases there were no FACs on Pap due to sampling error and low burden of organisms. Morphologic features of macrophages in these cases can suggest the presence of PC. When FACs are lacking, a special stain is required. When GMS is used, the control must contain PC to avoid a false negative GMS. The inconsistent uptake of GMS by PC is a pitfall which is distinct from sampling error and which to our knowledge has not been previously reported.

Use of recovery VO2 to predict running economy

The purpose of this study was to determine whether running economy (RE) could be predicted accurately using recovery VO2 values. Twelve runners (means VO2max = 61.9, SD 4.9 ml.kg-1.min-1) completed three treadmill RE sessions over a 2-week period. During each session, subjects performed three 6-min runs at 69%, 78%, and 87% VO2max. RE was calculated from a single 2-min gas collection during the last 2 min of running. Immediately following each run, recovery VO2 data obtained during randomly assigned 15-s, 20-s, or 25-s gas collections were used to predict exercise VO2. Correlations and mean absolute percentage variation (% VAR) between actual and predicted VO2 at each relative intensity and recovery period are reported. Although the relationship between actual and predicted VO2 was significant and more pronounced at higher exercise intensities, the overall magnitude of the association was low to moderate (r range = 0.50-0.81). The range of % VAR between actual and predicted aerobic demands also obscured marked underprediction (-6.5% to -12.5%) and overprediction (+10.1% to +17.4%) of actual VO2 in some subjects. These data suggest that 15-, 20-, and 25-s recovery VO2 values do not correlate strongly with steady-state VO2, nor do they adequately account for variation in individual economy profiles.

GLQ223: an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus replication in acutely and chronically infected cells of lymphocyte and mononuclear phagocyte lineage

GLQ223 is a highly purified, formulated preparation of trichosanthin, a 26-kDa plant-derived ribosome-inactivating protein with potent inhibitory activity against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. The compound produced concentration-dependent inhibition of HIV replication in acutely infected cultures of T-lymphoblastoid cells (VB cell line). Treatment with GLQ223 selectively reduced levels of detectable viral proteins compared to total cellular protein synthesis and produced a selective decrease in levels of viral RNA relative to total cellular RNA in acutely infected cells. Substantial inhibition of viral replication was observed at concentrations of GLQ223 that showed little inhibition of parallel uninfected cultures. Selective anti-HIV activity was also observed in cultures of primary monocyte/macrophages chronically infected with HIV in vitro. When freshly drawn blood samples from HIV-infected patients were treated with a single 3-hr exposure to GLQ223. HIV replication was blocked for at least 5 days in subsequently cultured monocyte/macrophages, without further treatment. The anti-HIV activity of GLQ223 in both acutely and chronically infected cells and its activity in cells of both lymphoid and mononuclear phagocytic lineage make it an interesting candidate as a potential therapeutic agent in HIV infection and AIDS.

Bovine brucellosis: evaluation of field sera by a competitive and superimposable ELISA utilising a monoclonal antibody against Brucella abortus lipopolysaccharide

With the aid of a horseradish peroxidase (HRP) tagged monoclonal antibody against smooth lipopolysaccharide from Brucella abortus (Bruce 1), a competitive and superimposable ELISA test procedure for bovine brucellosis has been evaluated for its ability to discriminate between Strain 19-vaccinated (S19-Vacc) and Biotype 1-infected (B1-Inf) cattle. In the competitive assay, all sera from S19-Vacc animals competed effectively against HRP-Bruce 1 (low HRP activity), while 10 out of 40 B1-Inf animals competed less effectively with Bruce 1 (high HRP activity). Successful competition by cattle antibodies would result in an increased proportion of cattle Igs binding to the assay antigen. This was confirmed by superimposing an alkaline phosphatase conjugated rabbit anti-cattle Ig after the competitive ELISA had been completed. With the superimposable assay, alkaline phosphatase activity was correspondingly high for S19-Vacc animals, and low for 36 out of 40 B1-Inf animals. The superimposable ELISA had therefore improved the discriminatory capabilities of the assay procedure from 75% to 90%.

Pigeon breeder's disease: the effect of antigen-specific antibodies on in vitro T cell responses of normal blood lymphocytes

The effect(s) of affinity-purified antibodies to pigeon serum immunoglobulins on normal T cell responses in vitro was measured. Our results show that the antibodies partially inhibited the concanavalin-A-induced proliferation of normal lymphocytes (32% at 10 micrograms/ml concentration; p less than 0.001), whilst they had no significant effects at equivalent doses on the phytohemagglutinin-induced response. A study of the kinetics of this inhibition revealed that the antibodies exerted their effect(s) within the first 24 h of culture (p less than 0.001); this is probably due to their interference in early events intimately involved in the de novo synthesis and expression of activation antigens such as HLA-DR and Tac: antibody-treated cultures expressed 51.6 and 41.4% less HLA-DR and Tac, respectively. Two-colour immunofluorescence analysis showed that the specific antibodies bind to a subset of CD8+ cells only.

Cholera toxin partially inhibits the T-cell response to phytohaemagglutinin through the ADP-ribosylation of a 45 kDa membrane protein

This study examines the influence of cholera toxin (CT) on T lymphocyte activation by the mitogenic lectin phytohaemagglutinin (PHA). CT suppressed lectin-induced [3H]thymidine uptake in a dose-dependent fashion and acted synergistically with PHA in the generation of intracellular cyclic AMP. The toxin was assumed to act on Gs, because it also stimulated ADP-ribosylation of a 45 kDa membrane protein in vitro; no additional substrates were seen. The inhibitory effect of the adenylate cyclase/cyclic AMP pathway was shown to be directed at a concomitant stimulatory pathway, namely inositol phospholipid turnover. Lectin-stimulated 32P incorporation into both phosphatidylinositol as well as its 4,5-biphosphate derivative was depressed in the presence of CT or exogenous dibutyryl cyclic AMP. This, in turn, was associated with reduced activation of C-kinase as determined by decreased lectin-induced translocation from the cytosol to the surface membrane. These results indicate that Gs probably acts as a transducer between the PHA receptor and adenylate cyclase and may give rise to an exaggerated adenylate cyclase response in the presence of CT. It would seem as if reduction in inositol phospholipid turnover is related to the elevation of cyclic AMP rather than a CT effect on a putative transducer which acts directly on phospholipase C. Our study does not exclude the existence of non-CT-sensitive transducers in this capacity.

C-kinase activity in normal B cells treated with Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan strain I, and phorbol ester: response differences in a patient with prolymphocytic leukaemia

Ca+2/phospholipid-dependent kinase (C-kinase) activity is intimately involved with the B-cell response after ligation of its mIg receptor. Here, we extend previous findings with anti-mIg by showing that polyclonal stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus, Cowan strain I (SAC), could also translocate C-kinase from the cytosol of intact, normal human B lymphocytes. This stimulus could not, however, induce redistribution of enzyme in a prolymphocytic leukaemia (PLL) B-cell population. Despite a normal density of mIg receptors on the latter cell type, PPL cells could not be stimulated to proliferate, express interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptors, and differentiate under the influence of SAC, even in the presence of exogenous IL-2. Normal B cells could respond appropriately to the same stimuli. PLL cells had a normal content of C-kinase activity and the enzyme could be translocated under the influence of the specific agonist, 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The same agent could induce cellular proliferation and differentiation in PLL cells, showing that its terminal C-kinase dependent pathways were intact. We conclude that the mIg receptor mechanism of this PLL population could not activate C-kinase appropriately.

Height and weight of Southeast Asian preschool children in Northern California

Anthropometric data were obtained from 526 Southeast Asian preschool children during 1980-84. Length of time in the United States averaged 21.8 months. Mean weights and heights were substantially below the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) 50th percentile. Although 39 per cent of children were below the 5th percentile of height for age, only 7 per cent were below the 5th percentile of weight for height. Rates of weight and height gain were similar to reference values, indicating adequate growth after arrival in the US.

Ruptured intracranial aneurysms during pregnancy. A report of four cases

Four patients presented with ruptured intracranial aneurysms during pregnancy. Problems encountered during the management of these cases included delayed diagnosis, obstructive hydrocephalus, cerebral ischemia due to vasospasm and recurrent subarachnoid hemorrhage. Recent advances in the management of ruptured intracranial aneurysms, including early computerized tomographic scanning, intravascular volume expansion and induced hypertension for the management of cerebral vasospasm, and the timely obliteration of the aneurysm are applicable to the subarachnoid hemorrhage patient even if her condition is complicated by pregnancy.

Interval training and performance

Researchers, coaches and athletes have a variety of concepts of interval training, the only point of agreement being that interval training involves alternating bouts of exercise and recovery. The idea that interval training can be identified by a specific intensity, duration, or number of exercise bouts or by the amount or type of recovery between bouts of exercise is not valid. Rather, interval training has come to mean any type of intermittent training which, with manipulation of the number, intensity and duration of work bouts and amounts of recovery, is used to produce a particular type of stress on the body. There is general agreement that rather specific guidelines are available which determine the amount and intensity of work and the amount of rest necessary to produce specific results, and it is suggested that types of training be identified based on the specific characteristics of each particular type of training rather than placing all types of intermittent training in an all-inclusive category called 'interval training'. Further efforts should be made to continue investigations which help determine how much, how often and for whom the various types of intermittent training are beneficial.

Spontaneous contrast in the inferior vena cava in a patient with constrictive pericarditis

A 66 year old black man was examined because of fatigue and progressive right heart failure. A striking finding on his echocardiogram was intense and slow-moving contrast in the inferior vena cava. Cardiac catheterization revealed constrictive pericarditis, and pericardiectomy was performed. Postoperatively, spontaneous contrast was no longer present. This case helps explain the origin of spontaneous inferior vena cava contrast.

Solitary choroidal mass as the presenting sign in systemic sarcoidosis

A solitary choroidal mass with an overlying neurosensory retinal detachment was seen in an otherwise healthy 25-year-old Caucasian female. Ocular and general physical examinations, serum chemistry, and pathological examination of a lymph node biopsy confirmed sarcoidosis as the cause for the choroidal mass. Treatment with systemic steroids resulted in resolution of the lesion and return of normal visual acuity.

Hypertension and hyperparathyroidism. Inverse relation of serum phosphate level and blood pressure

In a retrospective study of 120 patients with surgically proved primary hyperparathyroidism, 71 patients who were normotensive and 49 patients (41 percent) who were either hypertensive at the time of parathyroidectomy or had a history of hypertension were compared. The mean serum calcium levels in the normotensive and hypertensive patients were very similar (11.6 +/- 0.1 [SEM] mg/dl, and 11.8 +/- 0.1), ruling against the hypothesis that hypercalcemia per se is the dominant cause of the hypertension of hyperparathyroidism. The mean serum creatinine levels in the two groups were also very similar (1.02 +/- 0.05 and 1.09 +/- 0.05 mg/dl), indicating that the hypertension of hyperparathyroidism is not the consequence of advanced renal parenchymal damage. The hypertensive patients did not have a significantly higher prevalence of urolithiasis. A review of the data in this and related studies leads to the conclusion that the hypertension of hyperparathyroidism is heterogeneous in origin. The mean serum phosphate level in the hypertensive patients was significantly lower than that in the normotensive patients (2.20 +/- 0.06 mg/dl versus 2.69 +/- 0.09 mg/dl, p less than 0.02), which may be due to a decrease in renal tubular phosphate reabsorption secondary to hypertension.