Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) induce muscle proteolysis through different mechanisms

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that muscle proteolysis induced by TNF or IL-1 is mediated by glucocorticoids. Rats were treated with 300 μg kg−1 of recombinant human preparations of IL-1α (rIL-1α) or TNFα (rTNFα) divided into three equal intraperitoneal doses given over 16 h. Two hours before each cytokine injection, rats were given 5 mg kg−1 of the glucocorticoid receptor blocker mifepristone RU 38486, by gavage or were gavaged with the vehicle. Eighteen hours after the first cytokine injection, total and myofibrillar protein breakdown rates were determined in incubated extensor digitorum longus muscles as release of tyrosine and 3-methylhistidine, respectively. Total and myofibrillar proteolytic rates were increased following injection of rIL-1α or rTNFα. Proteolysis induced by rIL-1α was not altered by treatment with RU 38486. In contrast, the glucocorticoid receptor blocker inhibited the proteolytic effect of rTNFα. The results suggest that the proteolytic effect of TNF is mediated by glucocorticoids and that IL-1 induces muscle proteolysis through a glucocorticoid independent pathway

Extension of the operational regime of the LHD towards a deuterium experiment

As the finalization of a hydrogen experiment towards the deuterium phase, the exploration of the best performance of hydrogen plasma was intensively performed in the large helical device. High ion and electron temperatures, Ti and Te, of more than 6 keV were simultaneously achieved by superimposing high-power electron cyclotron resonance heating onneutral beam injection (NBI) heated plasma. Although flattening of the ion temperature profile in the core region was observed during the discharges, one could avoid degradation by increasing the electron density. Another key parameter to present plasma performance is an averaged beta value $\left\langle \beta \right\rangle$ . The high $\left\langle \beta \right\rangle$ regime around 4% was extended to an order of magnitude lower than the earlier collisional regime. Impurity behaviour in hydrogen discharges with NBI heating was also classified with a wide range of edge plasma parameters. The existence of a no impurity accumulation regime, where the high performance plasma is maintained with high power heating  >10 MW, was identified. Wide parameter scan experiments suggest that the toroidal rotation and the turbulence are the candidates for expelling impurities from the core region

Avoiding the incompatibility of peripheral parenteral nutrition solution and midazolam injection for intravenous sedation

OBJECTIVES: We have observed white turbidity when a midazolam injection is administered from a lateral tube during the administration of a peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN) solution. The aim of the current study was to determine how to avoid compound changes when co-administering a midazolam injection and a PPN solution. METHODS: Midazolam solutions were prepared by diluting a midazolam injection with a 5% glucose intravenous infusion. We examined the formulation of the midazolam injection and a PPN solution at the concentrations used in a clinical setting for changes in appearance, pH, and midazolam content in test tubes and during administration conditions. RESULTS: With a 1/4.8 dilution of midazolam in undiluted solution, clouding occurred. A strong correlation was revealed between the midazolam content as measured through high-performance liquid chromatography and the mixture’s midazolam concentration (R(2)=0.9918). The capture rate of midazolam infused with PPN solution was 91.0% at a 1/6 dilution, whereas it decreased to <90% at a 1/4.8 dilution. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the administration of a midazolam injection solution diluted by ≥6-fold with glucose solution or saline from a side tube during the administration of a PPN solution did not cause changes in composition