The Effect of Lower-Body Positive Pressure on the Cardiorespiratory Response at Rest and during Submaximal Running Exercise.

Anti-gravity treadmills facilitate locomotion by lower-body positive pressure (LBPP). Effects on cardiorespiratory regulation are unknown. Healthy men (30 ± 8 y, 178.3 ± 5.7 cm, 70.3 ± 8.0 kg; mean ± SD) stood upright ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@57c008e9 = 10) or ran ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@7a503138 = 9) at 9, 11, 13, and 15 km.h javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@189f9fd6 (5 min stages) with LBPP (0, 15, 40 mmHg). Cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), peripheral resistance (PR), and oxygen uptake (VO javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@270f0b82 ) were monitored continuously. During standing, LBPP increased SV [by +29 ± 13 (+41%) and +42 ± 15 (+60%) ml, at 15 and 40 mmHg, respectively ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@705fd8ca < 0.05)] and decreased HR [by -15 ± 6 (-20%) and -22 ± 9 (-29%) bpm ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@bfdfe08 < 0.05)] resulting in a transitory increase in CO [by +1.6 ± 1.0 (+32%) and +2.0 ± 1.0 (+39%) l.min javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@6ff8b18e ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@3074f4e8 < 0.05)] within the first seconds of LBPP. This was accompanied by a transitory decrease in end-tidal PO javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@3e63f3a4 [by -5 ± 3 (-5%) and -10 ± 4 (-10%) mmHg ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@5a8a47de < 0.05)] and increase in VO javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@7054e9c0 [by +66 ± 53 (+26%) and +116 ± 64 (+46%) ml.min javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@67908096 ( javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@464fa113 < 0.05)], suggesting increased venous return and pulmonary blood flow. The application of LBPP increased baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) [by +1.8 ± 1.6 (+18%) and +4.6 ± 3.7 (+47%) at 15 and 40 mmHg LBPP, respectively javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@4e73aab3 < 0.05]. After reaching steady-state exercise CO vs. VO javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@19be4054 relationships remained linear with similar slope and intercept for each participant (mean javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@7ac9e7c5 javax.xml.bind.JAXBElement@41b586b6 = 0.84 ± 0.13) while MAP remained unchanged. It follows that (1) LBPP affects cardiorespiratory integration at the onset of exercise; (2) at a given LBPP, once reaching steady-state exercise, the cardiorespiratory load is reduced proportionally to the lower metabolic demand resulting from the body weight support; (3) the balance between cardiovascular response, oxygen delivery to the exercising muscles and blood pressure regulation is maintained at exercise steady-state; and (4) changes in baroreflex sensitivity may be involved in the regulation of cardiovascular parameters during LBPP

Neuronal and glial prostaglandin D synthase isozymes in chick dorsal root ganglia: a light and electron microscopic immunocytochemical study.

Homogenates of chick dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and in vitro cultures of DRG neurons are known to synthesize prostaglandin (PG) D2. To specify the PGD synthase isozymes controlling PGD2 synthesis in DRG and to identify the DRG cells responsible for this synthesis, we applied polyclonal antibodies raised against rat brain or rat spleen PGD synthase isozymes to vibratome or cryostat slices of DRG previously fixed with a formaldehyde-lysine-periodate mixture and permeabilized with Triton X-100. The immunoreactivity indicating rat spleen PGD synthase, a glutathione (GSH)-requiring enzyme, was located in satellite cells encompassing particular large neurons of class A and in Schwann cells myelinating and enwrapping their initial axonal segments. In contrast, the immunoreactivity of rat brain PGD synthase, a GSH-independent enzyme, was restricted to particular ganglion cell perikarya: 33% of the DRG neurons were immunostained for rat brain PGD synthase, including 2% of large class A neurons and 40% of small class B neurons. Only 3.3% of rat brain PGD synthase-immunoreactive small B neurons coexpressed substance P, indicating that the immunoreactive neurons belong to the B1 subclass. By electron microscopy, 71 of 72 immunoreactive DRG cells were identified as small B neurons of the B1 subclass, and 71 of 77 B1 neurons were immunoreactive for rat brain PGD synthase. These results demonstrate that PGD2 formation in DRG is regulated by two isozymes: the GSH-requiring isozyme located in satellite and Schwann cells and the GSH-independent isozyme-confined to small B1 neurons

Search for the exotic Ξ−−(1860)\Xi^{--}(1860) Resonance in 340GeV/c Σ−\Sigma^--Nucleus Interactions

We report on a high statistics search for the $\Xi^{--}(1860)$ resonance in $\Sigma^-$-nucleus collisions at 340GeV/c. No evidence for this resonance is found in our data sample which contains 676000 $\Xi^-$ candidates above background. For the decay channel $\Xi^{--}(1860) \to \Xi^-\pi^-$ and the kinematic range 0.15$<x_F<$0.9 we find a 3$\sigma$ upper limit for the production cross section of 3.1 and 3.5 $\mu$b per nucleon for reactions with carbon and copper, respectively.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, modification of ref. 43 and 4

Measurement of the Omega_c Lifetime

We present the measurement of the lifetime of the Omega_c we have performed using three independent data samples from two different decay modes. Using a Sigma- beam of 340 GeV/c we have obtained clean signals for the Omega_c decaying into Xi- K- pi+ pi+ and Omega- pi+ pi- pi+, avoiding topological cuts normally used in charm analysis. The short but measurable lifetime of the Omega_c is demonstrated by a clear enhancement of the signals at short but finite decay lengths. Using a continuous maximum likelihood method we determined the lifetime to be tau(Omega_c) = 55 +13-11(stat) +18-23(syst) fs. This makes the Omega_c the shortest living weakly decaying particle observed so far. The short value of the lifetime confirms the predicted pattern of the charmed baryon lifetimes and demonstrates that the strong interaction plays a vital role in the lifetimes of charmed hadrons.Comment: 15 pages, including 7 figures; gzipped, uuencoded postscrip

Charge Asymmetries for D, D_s and Lambda_c Production in Sigma- - Nucleus Interactions at 340 GeV/c

CERN experiment WA89 has studied charmed particles produced by a Sigma^- beam at 340 GeV/c on nuclear targets. Production of particles which have light quarks in common with the beam is compared to production of those which do not. Considerable production asymmetries between D^- and D^p, D_s^ and D_s^+ and Lambda_c and Antilambda_c are observed. The results are compared with pion beam data and with theoretical calculations.Comment: LaTeX ; 16 pages including 4 ps figure

Search for the pentaquark candidate Θ+\Theta^+(1540) in the hyperon beam experiment WA89

We report on a high-statistics search for the \t1540 resonance in $\Sigma^-$-nucleus collisions at 340 \gevc1 . No evidence for this resonance was found in our data sample which contains 13 millions $K^0_s \to \pi^+\pi^-$ decays above background. For the decay channel $\Theta^+ \to K^0_s p$ and the kinematic range $x_F>$ 0.05 we find the production cross section to be $BR(\Theta^+ \to K^0_s p)\cdot \sigma_0 <$ 1.8 $\mu$b per nucleon at 99% CL.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Preferential synthesis of prostaglandin D2 by neurons and prostaglandin E2 by fibroblasts and nonneuronal cells in chick dorsal root ganglia.

To determine the type and the relative amount of prostaglandins (PGs) synthesized by various neural tissues, homogenates of meninges, dorsal root ganglia (DRG) capsules, decapsulated DRG, and unsheathed sciatic nerves were incubated with [1-14C]arachidonic acid. Homogenates of cultured cells (meningeal cells, fibroblasts, and nonneuronal or neuronal DRG cells) were used to specify the cells producing particular PGs. The highest synthetic capacity was found in fibroblast-rich tissues (meninges and DRG capsules) and in cultures of meningeal cells or fibroblasts. Two major cyclooxygenase products were formed: [14C]PGE2 and an unusual 14C-labeled compound, Y. The accumulation of compound Y, corresponding probably to 15-hydroperoxy PGE2, was completely impaired by addition of exogenous GSH, which conversely enhanced the synthesis of [14C]PGE2 and promoted the formation of [14C]PGD2. In contrast, decapsulated DRG or unsheathed sciatic nerves displayed a 10-20 times lower capacity to synthesize PGs than fibroblast-rich tissues and produced mainly [14C]PGE2 and [14C]PGD2. In this case, [14C]PGE2 or [14C]PGD2 synthesis was neither enhanced nor promoted by addition of exogenous GSH. Neuron-enriched DRG cell cultures allowed us to specify that [14C]PGD2 is the major prostanoid produced by primary sensory neurons as compared with nonneuronal DRG cells. Because PGD2 synthesis in DRG and more specifically in DRG neurons does not depend on exogenous GSH and differs from PGD2 synthesis in fibroblast-rich tissues, it is concluded that at least two distinct enzymatic processes contribute to PGD2 formation in the nervous system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

Differential roles of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma in mouse hypermetabolic and anorectic responses induced by LPS

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced effects on energy balance are characterized by alterations in energy expenditure (hypermetabolism) and food intake (anorexia). To study the role of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) on some of these metabolic responses to endotoxin, we have used transgenic mice expressing soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor-1 IgG fusion protein (TNFR1-IgG) as well as TNF-alpha knockout (KO), lymphotoxin-alpha (LT-alpha) KO, and interferon-gamma receptor (IFN-gamma R) KO mice. The results from TNFR1-IgG transgenic mice suggest that the hypermetabolic and anorectic responses induced by LPS are independently regulated since, in the absence of TNF-alpha or LT-alpha, the LPS-induced hypermetabolism is almost prevented but not the anorexia. The anorectic response shows the strongest association with IFN-gamma since both IFN-gamma R KO mice and mice treated with anti-IFN-gamma antibody showed marked reduction in the LPS-induced anorexia compared to other mice. IFN-gamma R KO mice also have an attenuated thermogenic response to endotoxin. Anti-Asialo GM1 antibody treatment attenuated both the hypermetabolic and anorectic responses to LPS, to an extent comparable to that observed in IFN-gamma R KO mice. This finding suggests that natural killer cells (lymphocytic subsets) may be involved in IFN-gamma production and play an important role in the metabolic alterations induced by LPS. We also showed that the hypermetabolic response of control mice is associated with an upregulation of cytokine expression within the brain and an increase in permeability of the blood brain barrier. LPS-induced anorexia appears to involve peripheral cytokine expression

Use of the HS-PTR-MS for online measurements of pyrethroids during indoor insecticide treatments.

International audienceA high-sensitivity proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (HS-PTR-MS) has been used to study the temporal evolution of pesticide concentrations in indoor environments. Because of the high time variability of the indoor air concentrations during household pesticide applications, the use of this online high time resolution instrument is found relevant. Four pyrethroid pesticides of the latest generation that are commonly found in electric vaporizer refills, namely, transfluthrin, empenthrin, tetramethrin, and prallethrin, were considered. A controlled pesticide generation system was settled and coupled to a HS-PTR-MS analyzer, and a calibration procedure based on the fragmentation patterns of the protonated molecules was performed. To illustrate the functionality of the method, measurements of the concentration-time profiles of transfluthrin contained in an electric vaporizer were carried out in a full-scale environmental room under air exchange rate-controlled conditions. This study demonstrates that the HS-PTR-MS technique can provide online and high time-resolved measurements of semi-volatile organic compounds such as pyrethroid insecticides