CHANGE IN MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF TRICEPS SURAE MUSCLE-TENDON UNIT AND RACE PERFORMANCE AFTER 1 YEAR IN WELL TRAINED DISTANCE RUNNERS

The purpose of this study was to determine change in relationship between stiffness of triceps surae muscle-tendon unit and race performance after one year with continuous training in well trained long distance runners. For 9 long distance runners, official race record and stiffness indexes of both muscle and tendon were investigated in pre and post measurements (after one year). The race performance (1.9%), passive torque of ankle joint (13.2%), and muscle stiffness index (73.6%) increased significantly between pre and post. Although significant correlations were not found between increment of race performance and change in all parameters, 6 of the 9 athletes showed increments of both race performance and stiffness index of muscle tissue. These results suggest that an increment of stiffness of the ankle joint and triceps muscle could be related to improvement of race performance in distance running

Structural characterization of N-lignoceroyl (C24:0) sphingomyelin bilayer membranes : A reevaluation

Sphingomyelin (SM) is a membrane lipid and plays important roles in signaling, protein trafficking, cell growth and death. We investigated the structure of hydrated highly asymmetric SM, N-Lignoceroyl (C24:0) SM, bilayers with X-ray diffraction (XRD), simultanous small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide angle XRD, and SAXS measurements. At temperatures between two endothermic transitions of hydrated C24:0 SM bilayers, the C24:0 SM formed a ripple phase with the ripple periodicity of ~12-14 nm. About 3 month incubation at 277 K induced the formation of a stable phase with a short lamellar spacing of 5.62 nm. Based upon the structures revealed by this study and the phase behavior, we discuss the intermolecular interactions between C24:0 SM molecules in the bilayer membrane

Intravitreal bevacizumab injection and carotid artery stent replacement for neovascular glaucoma in internal carotid artery occlusion

Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) secondary to internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion is usually resistant to treatment. We report a case of NVG with ICA occlusion improved by intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection and carotid artery stent replacement (CAS), even though we did not perform panretinal photocoagulation. A 67-year-old male with NVG noted visual loss in his left eye. Magnetic resonance angiography showed left ICA occlusion. He was diagnosed with NVG secondary to ICA occlusion. The next day, we carried out IVB injection in his left eye, following which the iris and angle neovascularization regressed, and the intraocular pressure decreased to normal within a day after the injection. CAS was performed on his left ICA at a month post injection. Two months later, we reinjected bevacizumab in his left eye. His condition remained stable with no recurrence over two years. This case indicates that IVB injection and CAS are useful for early-stage NVG secondary to ICA occlusion

The Effect of Deep Micro Vibrotactile Stimulation on Cognitive Function of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Dementia

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of Deep Micro Vibrotactile (DMV) stimulation on the cognitive functions in elderly people with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia. Methods: A total of 35 participants with dementia from three nursing homes, who had completed treatment with DMV stimulation at 15–40 Hz (hereinafter, 15–40 Hz DMV stimulation) for a month were recruited for this study. The subjects had received continuous 15–40 Hz DMV stimulation for 24 h a day for 1 month. We assessed the effect of the treatment on the cognitive functions (by the word list memory (WM) test, trail making test-part A (TMT-A) and part B (TMT-B), and symbol digit substitution task (SDST)) and physical functions (grip strength (GS) and usual walking speed (UWS)), by comparing the results at the baseline and after the 1-month intervention (DMV stimulation). Results: The results revealed that the performances in the WM test (p < 0.05), TMT-B (p < 0.05), and SDST (p < 0.01) improved significantly after the intervention. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that 15–40 Hz DMV stimulation is might be effective for improving the cognitive functions in elderly people with dementia. Furthermore, our novel findings showed the different effectiveness of the treatment depending on the stage of cognitive impairments

Effect of phospholipase A(2 )inhibitory peptide on inflammatory arthritis in a TNF transgenic mouse model: a time-course ultrastructural study

We evaluated the therapeutic effect of secretory phospholipase A(2 )(sPLA(2))-inhibitory peptide at a cellular level on joint erosion, cartilage destruction, and synovitis in the human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) transgenic mouse model of arthritis. Tg197 mice (N = 18) or wild-type (N = 10) mice at 4 weeks of age were given intraperitoneal doses (7.5 mg/kg) of a selective sPLA(2 )inhibitory peptide, P-NT.II, or a scrambled P-NT.II (negative control), three times a week for 4 weeks. Untreated Tg197 mice (N = 10) were included as controls. Pathogenesis was monitored weekly for 4 weeks by use of an arthritis score and histologic examinations. Histopathologic analysis revealed a significant reduction after P-NT.II treatment in synovitis, bone erosion, and cartilage destruction in particular. Conspicuous ultrastructural alterations seen in articular chondrocytes (vacuolated cytoplasm and loss of nuclei) and synoviocytes (disintegrating nuclei and vacuoles, synovial adhesions) of untreated or scrambled-P-NT.II-treated Tg197 mice were absent in the P-NT.II-treated Tg197 group. Histologic scoring and ultrastructural evidence suggest that the chondrocyte appears to be the target cell mainly protected by the peptide during arthritis progression in the TNF transgenic mouse model. This is the first time ultrastructural evaluation of this model has been presented. High levels of circulating sPLA(2 )detected in untreated Tg197 mice at age 8 weeks of age were reduced to basal levels by the peptide treatment. Attenuation of lipopolysaccharide- and TNF-induced release of prostaglandin E(2 )from cultured macrophage cells by P-NT.II suggests that the peptide may influence the prostaglandin-mediated inflammatory response in rheumatoid arthritis by limiting the bioavailability of arachidonic acid through sPLA(2 )inhibition

Transtibial pullout repair of medial meniscus posterior root tear restores physiological rotation of the tibia in the knee-flexed position

BACKGROUND: Medial meniscus posterior root tear (MMPRT) results in joint overloading and degenerative changes in the knee. Favorable clinical outcomes have been reported after transtibial pullout repair of MMPRT. To date, however, in vivo tibial rotational changes before and after root repair remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate postoperative changes in tibial rotation following MMPRT pullout repair. HYPOTHESIS: Pathological external rotation of the tibia in the knee-flexed position is caused by MMPRT and is reduced after transtibial pullout repair. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifteen patients who underwent MMPRT pullout repair and 7 healthy volunteers were included. Magnetic resonance imaging examinations were performed in the 10° and 90° knee-flexed positions. The angles between the surgical epicondylar axis and a line between the medial border of the patellar tendon and the apex of the medial tibial spine were measured. Baseline was defined as a line lying at a right angle to the other, and a value was positive and negative when the tibia rotated internally and externally, respectively. RESULTS: In the volunteer's normal knees, tibial internal rotation was +1.00°±3.27° at 10° flexion and +4.14°±3.46° at 90° flexion. In the MMPRT preoperative knees, tibial internal rotation was +1.07°±3.01° at 10° flexion and +1.27°±2.96° at 90° flexion. In the postoperative knees, tibial internal rotation was +1.60°±2.85° at 10° flexion and +4.33°±2.89° at 90° flexion. DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates discontinuity of the MM posterior root may induce a pathological external rotation of the tibia during knee flexion and that MMPRT pullout repair reduces the pathological external rotation of the tibia in the knee-flexed position

Bioorganic synthesis of a recombinant HIV-1 fusion inhibitor, SC35EK, with an N-terminal pyroglutamate capping group.

The bioorganic synthesis of an end-capped anti-HIV peptide from a recombinant protein was investigated. Cyanogen bromide-mediated cleavage of two Met-Gln sites across the target anti-HIV sequence generated an HIV-1 fusion inhibitor (SC35EK) analog bearing an N-terminal pyroglutamate (pGlu) residue and a C-terminal homoserine lactone (Hsl) residue. The end-capped peptide, pGlu-SC35EK-Hsl, had similar bioactivity and biophysical properties to the parent peptide, and an improved resistance to peptidase-mediated degradation was observed compared with the non-end-capped peptide obtained using standard recombinant technology