Microstructure and thermal characteristics of Thai indigenous and broiler chicken muscles

The microstructure and thermal characteristics of Thai indigenous (Gallus domesticus) and broiler chicken (commercial line CP707) biceps femoris and pectoralis muscles were determined. Perimysium thicknesses were 14.2 mum for biceps femoris muscle and 7.10 mum for pectoralis muscle of indigenous chicken muscles, thicker than those of broiler muscles, which were 9.93 mum for biceps femoris muscle and 3.87 mum for pectoralis muscle (P < 0.05). Five endothermic peaks with peak transition temperatures (T-p) of 54.9, 61.7, 65.4, 70.6, and 76.1degreesC were obtained for broiler pectoralis muscle, whereas only 3 endothermic peaks (T-P of 56.6, 62.6, and 74.9degreesC were obtained for broiler biceps femoris muscle. Thai indigenous biceps femoris and pectoralis muscles had endothermic peaks with T-P ranges of 53.5 to 54.8, 60.7 to 61.9, and 75.9 to 76.9degreesC. The fiber diameters of Thai indigenous chicken muscles were greater (P < 0.05) than those of the broiler, 31.7 vs. 20.4 mum for biceps femoris muscle and 28.9 vs. 26.6 pm for pectoralis muscle, respectively. After cooking at 80degreesC for 10 min, the fiber diameter of indigenous chicken muscles significantly decreased while those of the broiler significantly increased. The mean of sarcomere lengths of the raw muscles ranged from 1.56 to 1.64 mun and decreased to 0.92 to 1.32 mum (P < 0.001) for broiler muscles and 1.22 to 1.35 mum (P < 0.001) for indigenous chicken muscles after cooking. The perimysium and endomysium of broiler muscles melted after cooking at 80degreesC, however, only slight disintegration was observed in these tissues in the indigenous chicken muscles.

Differences in the activity of the muscles in the forearm of individuals with a congenital absence of the hand

The spectral content of the myoelectric signals from the muscles of the remnant forearms of three persons with congenital absences (CA) of their forearms was compared with signals from their intact contra-lateral limbs, similar muscles in three persons with acquired losses (AL) and seven persons without absences [no loss (NL)]. The observed bandwidth for the CA subjects was broader with peak energy between 200 and 300 Hz. While the signals from the contra-lateral limbs and the AL and NL subjects was in the 100-150 Hz range: The mean skew of the signals from the AL subjects was 46.3 +/- 6.7 and those with NL of 45.4 +/- 8.7, while the signals from those with CAs had a skew of 11.0 +/- 11. The structure of the muscles of one CA subject was observed ultrasonically. The muscle showed greater disruption than normally developed muscles. It is speculated that the myographic signal reflects the structure of the muscle. which has developed in a more disorganized manner as a result of the muscle not being stretched by other muscles across the missing distal joint, even in the muscles that are used regularly to control arm prostheses.

Activation of lower back muscles via FES for pressure sores prevention in paraplegia: a case study

The aim of this paper is to show the feasibility of the use of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the lower back muscles for pressure sores prevention in paraplegia. The hypothesis under study is that FES induces a change in the pressure distribution on the contact area during sitting. Tests were conducted on a paraplegic subject (T5), sitting on a standard wheelchair and cushion. Trunk extensors (mainly the erector spinae) were stimulated using surface electrodes placed on the skin. A pressure mapping system was used to measure the pressure on the sitting surface in four situations: (a) no stimulation; (b) stimulation on one side of the spine only; (c) stimulation on both sides, at different levels; and (d) stimulation at the same level on both sides, during pressure-relief manoeuvres. A session of prolonged stimulation was also conducted. The experimental results show that the stimulation of the erector spinae on one side of the spine can induce a trunk rotation on the sagittal plane, which causes a change in the pressure distribution. A decrease of pressure on the side opposite to the stimulation was recorded. The phenomenon is intensified when different levels of stimulation are applied to the two sides, and such change can be sustained for a considerable time (around 5 minutes). The stimulation did not induce changes during pressure-relief manoeuvres. Finally, from this research we can conclude that the stimulation of the trunk extensors can be a useful tool for pressure sores prevention, and can potentially be used in a routine for pressure sores prevention based on periodical weight shifts.

In the intersection of the angles of a table, there is more truth than in all the tangle of muscles: Futurism as anti-humanist critique

The recent celebrations of the centenary of the publication of the Futurist manifesto led to a renewed discussion of the ideas and artworks of the Italian artists’ group. Jacques Rancière related the Futurist ethos with the modernist project of liberating art from representation. Franco ‘Bifo’ Berardi, in his post-Futurist manifesto, also identified a historical irony at play in the emptying out of Futurism’s promise: a liberated mechanical humanity did indeed materialize, in a global economic system premised on financial servitude to the future via debt. However, these models continue to assess Futurism against an unchallenged humanism, finding it either supporting ideals of freedom and human rights despite itself, or else lacking in these areas. But Futurism is potentially more relevant than ever not in spite of its anti-humanist agenda, precisely because of it. Tom McCarthy annexes not Futurist art but Futurist writing to an emerging object oriented ontology that seeks to challenge the primacy of the human. If Futurism is to be repurposed as a critical concept, it can only do so by countering the humanist myth the liberal subject that underlies the current cultural and political hegemony of neo-liberalism.

Activated mast cells in proximity to colonic nerves correlate with abdominal pain in irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The mechanisms underlying abdominal pain perception in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are poorly understood. Intestinal mast cell infiltration may perturb nerve function leading to symptom perception. We assessed colonic mast cell infiltration, mediator release, and spatial interactions with mucosal innervation and their correlation with abdominal pain in IBS patients. METHODS: IBS patients were diagnosed according to Rome II criteria and abdominal pain quantified according to a validated questionnaire. Colonic mucosal mast cells were identified immunohistochemically and quantified with a computer-assisted counting method. Mast cell tryptase and histamine release were analyzed immunoenzymatically. Intestinal nerve to mast cell distance was assessed with electron microscopy. RESULTS: Thirty-four out of 44 IBS patients (77%) showed an increased area of mucosa occupied by mast cells as compared with controls (9.2% +/- 2.5% vs. 3.3 +/- 0.8%, respectively; P < 0.001). There was a 150% increase in the number of degranulating mast cells (4.76 +/- 3.18/field vs. 2.42 +/- 2.26/field, respectively; P = 0.026). Mucosal content of tryptase was increased in IBS and mast cells spontaneously released more tryptase (3.22 +/- 3.48 pmol/min/mg vs. 0.87 +/- 0.65 pmol/min/mg, respectively; P = 0.015) and histamine (339.7 +/- 59.0 ng/g vs. 169.3 +/- 130.6 ng/g, respectively; P = 0.015). Mast cells located within 5 microm of nerve fibers were 7.14 +/- 3.87/field vs. 2.27 +/- 1.63/field in IBS vs. controls (P < 0.001). Only mast cells in close proximity to nerves were significantly correlated with severity and frequency of abdominal pain/discomfort (P < 0.001 and P = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Colonic mast cell infiltration and mediator release in proximity to mucosal innervation may contribute to abdominal pain perception in IBS patients.

Delivery of AAV2/9-microdystrophin genes incorporating helix 1 of the coiled-coil motif in the C-terminal domain of dystrophin improves muscle pathology and restores the level of α1-syntrophin and α-dystrobrevin in skeletal muscles of mdx mice. Level of α1-Syntrophin and α-Dystrobrevin in Skeletal Muscles of mdx Mice

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a severe X-linked inherited muscle wasting disorder caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have been extensively used to deliver genes efficiently for dystrophin expression in skeletal muscles. To overcome limited packaging capacity of AAV vectors (<5 kb), truncated recombinant microdystrophin genes with deletions of most of rod and carboxyl-terminal (CT) domains of dystrophin have been developed. We have previously shown the efficiency of mRNA sequence–optimized microdystrophin (ΔR4-23/ΔCT, called MD1) with deletion of spectrin-like repeat domain 4 to 23 and CT domain in ameliorating the pathology of dystrophic mdx mice. However, the CT domain of dystrophin is thought to recruit part of the dystrophin-associated protein complex, which acts as a mediator of signalling between extracellular matrix and cytoskeleton in muscle fibers. In this study, we extended the ΔR4-23/ΔCT microdystrophin by incorporating helix 1 of the coiled-coil motif in the CT domain of dystrophin (MD2), which contains the α1-syntrophin and α-dystrobrevin binding sites. Intramuscular injection of AAV2/9 expressing CT domain–extended microdystrophin showed efficient dystrophin expression in tibialis anterior muscles of mdx mice. The presence of the CT domain of dystrophin in MD2 increased the recruitment of α1-syntrophin and α-dystrobrevin at the sarcolemma and significantly improved the muscle resistance to lengthening contraction–induced muscle damage in the mdx mice compared with MD1. These results suggest that the incorporation of helix 1 of the coiled-coil motif in the CT domain of dystrophin to the microdystrophins will substantially improve their efficiency in restoring muscle function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Visceral and central abdominal fat and anthropometry in relation to diabetes in Asian Indians

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine body fat distribution using computed tomography (CT), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), and anthropometry in relation to type 2 diabetes in urban Asian Indians. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a case-control study of 82 type 2 diabetic and 82 age- and sex-matched nondiabetic subjects from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study, an ongoing epidemiological study in southern India. Visceral, subcutaneous, and total abdominal fat were measured using CT, while DEXA was used to measure central abdominal and total body fat. Anthropometric measures included BMI, waist circumference, sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), and waist-to-hip ratio. RESULTS: Visceral and central abdominal fat showed a strong correlation with each other (P <0.0001), and kappa analysis revealed a fairly good agreement between tertiles of visceral and central abdominal fat (kappa=0.44, P <0.0001). Diabetic subjects had significantly higher visceral (P=0.005) and central abdominal (P=0.011) fat compared with nondiabetic subjects. Waist circumference and SAD showed a strong correlation with visceral (P <0.01) and central abdominal (P <0.0001) fat in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Logistic regression analysis revealed visceral (odds ratio [OR] 1.011, P=0.004) and central abdominal (OR 1.001, P=0.013) fat to be associated with diabetes, even after adjusting for age and sex. CONCLUSIONS: Visceral and central abdominal fat showed a strong association with type 2 diabetes. Both measures correlated well with each other and with waist circumference and SAD in diabetic and nondiabetic urban Asian Indians.

CHANGES OF GENE EXPRESSION IN ELECTRICALLY STIMULATED AND CONTRALATERAL RAT SOLEUS MUSCLES

In this study we investigate the effect of a single session of high-intensity contractions on expression of pleiotropic genes and, in particular, those genes associated with metabolism in soleus muscle from electrically stimulated (ES) and contralateral (CL) limbs. The right limbs of male Wistar rats were submitted to contractions by 200-ms trains of electrical stimulation at 100-Hz frequency with pulses of 0.1 ms (voltage 24 3 V) delivered each second for 1 hour. Soleus muscles were isolated 1 hour after contraction, and gene expression was analyzed by a macroarray technique (Atlas Toxicology 1.2 Array; Clontech Laboratories). Electrical stimulation increased expression in 92 genes (16% of the genes present in the membrane). Sixty-six genes were upregulated in both ES and CL soleus muscles, and expression of 26 genes was upregulated in the ES muscle only. The most altered genes were those related to stress response and metabolism. Electrical stimulation also raised expression of transcription factors, translation and posttranslational modification of proteins, ribosomal proteins, and intracellular transducers/effectors/modulators. The results indicate that a single session of electrical stimulation upregulated expression of genes related to metabolism and oxidative stress in soleus muscle from both ES and CL limbs. These findings may indicate an association with tissue hypertrophy and metabolic adaptations induced by physical exercise training not only in the ES but also in the CL non-stimulated muscle, suggesting a cross-education phenomenon. Muscle Nerve 40: 838-846, 2009

Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation and isotonic exercises in flexor and extensor muscles of knee of hemiplegic patients

Aim. To verify the muscular force and resistance to the movement of the flexor and extensor muscles of the knee of patients with spasticity after treatment with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) and isotonic exercises. Patients and methods. The patients this study were divided into group I (NMES) and group 2 (isotonic exercises). Their muscular torque and resistance to the movement of the flexor and extensor knee muscles were measured by the isokinetic dynamometer and the degree of spasticity by the modified Ashworth scale before and after ten sessions. Results. Alterations in the scores of the modified Ashworth scale were not observed. An increase in the flexor torque in group 1 (p = 0.041) and in group 2 (p = 0.001) was verified. In the passive mode, group 1 presented a reduction of resistance to the flexion movement (p = 0.026), while in group 2, a reduction of resistance to both the flexion (p = 0,029) and extension movements (p = 0.019) was verified. Conclusions. The two therapeutical resources had their efficiency proven only for the increase of the force of the flexor muscles. The resistance to movement, the isotonic exercises were more effective because they promoted a reduction in the resistance of the flexor and extensor knee muscles.

Evaluation of trace element levels in muscles, liver and gonad of fish species from Sao Francisco River of the Parana Brazilian state by using SR-TXRF technique

This study is focused on the analysis of an accumulation of inorganic elements in muscles, liver and gonad of seven fish species from Sao Francisco River located in the Parana state of Brazil. Concentrations of the elements were determined using the SR-TXRF technique. In the muscles of fish species, negative length dependent relationships were observed for chromium and zinc ion absorption. The obtained results showed that accumulated Cr ions values are above the limits defined in the Brazilian legislative norm on food. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Total abdominal hysterektomi och sexualitet

SammanfattningSyftet med föreliggande systematiska litteraturstudie var att undersöka om ingreppet total abdominal hysterektomi (TAH) påverkade kvinnors sexualitet. Ett andra syfte var att granska huruvida kvinnors psykiska välmående förändrades efter operationen. För att klarlägga problemen insamlades artiklar via databaserna Blackwell Synergy, CINAHL, Elin och Pubmed. Sammanlagt 18 artiklar bedömdes med granskningsmodeller utarbetade efter bedömningsmallar av Forsberg och Wengström (2003) för artiklar med kvantitativ respektive kvalitativ ansats. Inalles 13 artiklar bedömdes såsom godkända (G) och 5 artiklar såsom väl godkända (VG). Av 18 studier rapporterades i 10 artiklar förbättrad sexualitet. Det betyder upplevelsen av bättre orgasm, ökad sexuell tillfredställelse eller lust. Beträffande psykiska symptom rapporterades ökat välbefinnande och bättre livskvalitet i 3 artiklar samt minskad ångest och depression i 5 av artiklarna. Resultaten diskuterades i termer av vikten av informerat samtycke i samråd med hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal vid fattandet av beslutet att avstå från livmodern.

Análise morfométrica da parede arterial após o implante de stent em aorta abdominal de suínos : estudo comparativo entre stents metálicos não recobertos e recobertos com politetrafluoroetileno

O espessamento intimal e a reestenose que ocorrem após os procedimentos de angioplastia transluminal percutânea e/ou o implante de stents representam uma causa freqüente de falência destes procedimentos. O principal achado patológico responsável pela reestenose parece ser a hiperplasia intimal, já que o dispositivo intravascular é resistente ao remodelamento arterial geométrico. O propósito deste estudo é avaliar, através da morfometria digital, o espessamento intimal presente nas regiões da parede arterial imediatamente proximal e distal ao implante de um stent metálico em configuração em “Z “ não recoberto ou recoberto com PTFE. Vinte e cinco suínos de raça mista, com seis a dez semanas de idade, pesando em média 20 kg foram divididos em três grupos. No grupo I, cinco animais foram submetidos à exposição cirúrgica retroperitoneal da aorta abdominal, aortotomia e manipulação com uma bainha introdutora de 12 F. O grupo II incluiu dez animais que foram submetidos ao implante de um stent metálico auto-expansível não recoberto. No grupo III, incluindo também dez animais, foram implantados stents recobertos com PTFE. Após quatro semanas, todos os animais foram sacrificados e o segmento aorto-ilíaco foi removido. Quatro animais foram excluídos do estudo por trombose da aorta (um animal do grupo II e três animais do grupo III). Para a análise morfométrica foram utilizados os testes não paramétricos de Wilcoxon e de Kruskal-Wallis, para as comparações, respectivamente, no mesmo grupo e entre os grupos. Foi adotado o nível de significância de 5% ( p< 0,05). Quando os espécimes da parede arterial, imediatamente proximal e distal aos stents foram comparados, nenhuma diferença estatisticamente significativa foi encontrada entre as áreas luminal, intimal, média ou índice intimal em cada grupo. Na comparação entre os grupos, as áreas intimal, média e o índice intimal não demonstraram variação estatisticamente significativa. Foram identificadas diferenças entre os grupos quanto às áreas luminais proximais (p = 0,036) e distais (p=0,044). Pelo teste de comparações múltiplas para Kruskal-Wallis (Teste de Dunn) identificou-se diferença significativa entre os grupos I e II. Entretanto, quando estas variáveis foram controladas pelo fator peso (relação área luminal/peso) a diferença não foi mais observada. Concluímos que, após quatro semanas, stents recobertos com PTFE induzem um espessamento intimal justa-stent similar ao observado com stents não recobertos ou com a simples manipulação arterial com uma bainha introdutora. Neste modelo experimental suíno, de curto seguimento, o revestimento com PTFE não foi responsável por adicional espessamento intimal.