The L-arginine/nitric oxide pathway in the rabbit urethral lamina propria

A non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC)-mediated relaxation has been demonstrated in the female rabbit urethral lamina propria, both in response to electrical stimulation and after administration of acetylcholine. The present study was performed to investigate if these relaxations are mediated via the L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO) pathway. In the lamina propria of the female rabbit urethra, numerous NADPH diaphorase-positive, fine varicose nerve fibres were observed both around arteries, in and around smooth muscle bundles, and in arterial endothelium. Since NADPH diaphorase histochemistry may be a marker of NO synthase-containing neurons, this finding suggests the occurrence of NO synthase in this tissue. Isolated preparations of the rabbit urethral lamina propria, contracted by noradrenaline, produced frequency-dependent NANC relaxations in response to electrical field stimulation, and concentration-dependent NANC relaxations in response to acetylcholine. Electrically induced relaxations were possible to evoke even in preparations where acetylcholine-induced relaxation was poor or absent. Pretreatment with the NO synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG) reduced the maximum relaxation obtained at 30 Hz to 12% of the control response. NG-nitro-D-arginine (D-NOARG) had no effect. The effects of L-NOARG were antagonized by the addition of L-arginine. Acetylcholine relaxed noradrenaline-precontracted strips by 36%; vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) reduced the contraction by 95%. L-NOARG, but not D-NOARG, abolished or reversed acetylcholine-induced relaxations, but failed to reduce the relaxations produced by VIP. The results demonstrate the occurrence of NADPH diaphorase-positive nerve fibres in the lamina propria of the female rabbit urethra.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calcium antagonistic properties of the sesquiterpene T-cadinol and related substances: structure-activity studies

The calcium antagonistic properties of (+)-T-cadinol, some of its stereoisomers and related terpenes were investigated in both functional and radioligand binding studies, and the effects were compared with those of the dihydropyridine calcium antagonist (+/-)-nimodipine. In the isolated rat aorta, the terpenes relaxed contractions induced by 60 mM K+ more potently than those induced by phenylephrine. (+)-T-cadinol and its stereoisomers were the most potent among the terpenes to relax K(+)-induced contractions, whereas they were approximately 10,000 times less potent than (+/-)-nimodipine in this regard. Binding of the dihydropyridine radioligand [3H]-(+)-PN200-110 was studied on rat cerebral cortical membranes. Displacement and saturation studies indicated that (+)-T-cadinol caused a competitive inhibition of binding. The log Ki values for (+)-T-cadinol and (+/-)-nimodipine from displacement studies (-4.7 and -9.2) corresponded with the log RC50 values for relaxation of K(+)-contracted rat aortas (-5.0 and -9.0). For the terpenes, there was a significant correlation (P < 0.001, rs = 0.89) between displacement of dihydropyridine binding and the ability to relax K(+)-induced contractions. The structures of three terpenes were chemically modified by blocking hydroxyl groups. The potency of these derivatives, as well as the naturally occurring derivative-2-oxo-T-cadinol, to relax K(+)-induced contractions was not correlated to the lipophilicity of the compounds. Instead, other qualities appear to be of importance for the functional effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quality of life as an outcome variable and a risk factor for total mortality and cardiovascular disease: a study of men born in 1913

AIM

To construct a simple assessment of the quality of life that can be used to evaluate medical treatment in light of the need to conserve resources and limit costs.

METHODS

The Göteborg Quality of Life Assessment was constructed in 1973 from the responses of men who were 50 years old at the time of the initial survey (1963) and were re-evaluated 10 years later. The assessment covers 15 factors in the World Health Organization definition of health or well-being, and includes a symptom questionnaire of 30 items relating to the most common elements of physical, mental and social well-being.

RESULTS

The assessment was validated by determining the variation in these three principle components of well-being as a function of age. The use of this assessment as an outcome variable for subjects with cardiovascular disease indicated significantly lower quality of life scores, especially with regard to the general well-being, fitness and energy of subjects with hypertension and congestive heart failure compared to subjects without these diseases. When the assessment was evaluated as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality, the results of univariate analysis showed that health, fitness and appetite were significantly correlated with total mortality, while multivariate analysis indicated that only health was a significant factor.

In vitro development up to hatching of bovine in vitro-matured and fertilized oocytes with or without support from somatic cells

To verify the importance of somatic cells upon in vitro embryo development, in vitro-matured (IVM) and -fertilized (IVF) bovine oocytes were cultured in TCM 199 supplemented with estrous cow serum (10% v/v) and 0.25 mM sodium pyruvate (ECSTCM) under the following treatments: 1) ECSTCM alone; 2) together with bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC); 3) with cumulus cells (CC); 4) in fresh BOEC conditioned ECSTCM; or 5) in frozen-thawed BOEC conditioned ECSTCM. Culturing zygotes encased in cumulus cells significantly reduced the cleavage rate (P<0.05). There was no difference between culture systems in the proportions of embryo development through the 8-cell stage (P=0.42) up to the morula/blastocyst stages (P=0.50) at Day 7 post insemination. However, co-culture with BOEC yielded the highest percentage (21.2% of zygotes; P<0.05) of quality Grade-1 and Grade-2 embryos with the number of blastomeres per embryo (114.4) comparable to that of 7-day-old in vivo-developed embryos of similar grades (102.5), and higher (P<0.05) than those of the other treatments. The ratio of blastocysts to total morulae/blastocysts obtained from frozen-thawed conditioned medium was lower (P<0.05) than that from ECSTCM or after co-culture with BOEC at Day 7 post insemination. On average, 7.5 to 17.5% of the zygotes developed to blastocyst, expanded blastocyst and hatched blastocyst stages by Day 10 post insemination, depending upon the culture system. The difference between treatments, however, was not significant (P=0.68). The results indicate that chronological development up to hatching of bovine IVM-IVF embryos is not favored by somatic cells; however, the presence of viable oviduct epithelial cells in culture significantly improves the quality of 7-day-old embryos.

Studies of enteric pathogens and gamma-globulin levels of neonatal calves in Sweden

Faecal and blood samples were taken from 10-30% of calves, 36 hours to 14 days old, in 47 dairy herds in different regions of Sweden from September 1987 to October 1988 (Olsson et al. 1993). Faecal samples from 279 calves were analysed for the presence of Escherichia coli (K99+), rotavirus and Cryptosporidium sp. Twenty (7.2%) of these samples were from diarrhoeic calves. An ELISA was developed and used for the rotavirus analysis. E. coli K99+ was detected in 11.5%, Cryptosporidium sp. in 6.1% and rotavirus in 5.4% of the faecal samples. The presence of rotavirus alone and the combination rotavirus and E. coli (K99+) was found to be associated with diarrhoea (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 respectively). Blood samples from 327 calves were analysed for the level of total protein and gamma-globulin. In 43 of these samples (13%) gamma-globulin did not separate from the beta 2-region by electrophoresis. The mean total protein concentration was 53.6 g/l in calves free from diarrhoea. The mean gamma-globulin concentration, adjusted to 7 days age was 5.9 g/l. The 20 diarrhoeic calves had lower levels of both total protein and gamma-globulin, compared with calves without diarrhoea, but the difference was not significant. One litre more of colostrum at the first feed increased the level of total protein of the calves' sera by 1.4 g/l (p = 0.05). Calves born between May and September had a 2.0 g/l higher (p < 0.001) serum concentration of gamma-globulin than calves born between October and April.

Endothelin-1: immunocytochemistry, localization of binding sites, and contractile effects in human uteroplacental smooth muscle

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to study the localization, distribution of binding sites, and contractile effects of endothelin-1 in human uteroplacental smooth muscle.

STUDY DESIGN

The tissue localization of endothelin-1, the distribution of iodine 125-labeled endothelin-1 binding sites, and the mechanical effects of endothelin-1 were studied in isolated tissues from the human uterus and placenta by immunocytochemistry, autoradiography, and organ bath experiments.

RESULTS

No specific endothelin-1 immunoreactivity could be detected in fetal placental tissues or in myometrium or intramyometrial arteries from term pregnant and nonpregnant women. In placental tissues a high density of iodine 125-labeled endothelin-1 binding sites was found in vessels of various sizes and in the chorionic villi, whereas the density in the jelly of Wharton was low. In myometrial tissue from pregnant and nonpregnant women a high density of iodine 125-labeled endothelin-1 binding sites was found, which in myometrium from pregnant women was mainly located to the myometrium and vascular smooth muscle. Endothelin-1 produced marked contractile responses in maternal and fetal uteroplacental vessels and in myometrial preparations.

CONCLUSION

Endothelin-1 may be involved in the endogenous control of uteroplacental vascular and visceral smooth muscle.

Risk factors for coronary heart disease during 25 years of follow-up. The study of men born in 1913

We followed 845 50-year-old men initially free of coronary heart disease (CHD) for 25 years. Blood pressure, serum cholesterol and smoking habits were significant and independent risk factors for CHD during the first 15 years of follow-up and for the whole follow-up period. CHD during the last 10 years of follow-up could be predicted by blood pressure, serum cholesterol and triglycerides and also by body mass index, but not by smoking habits in univariate analyses. Only blood pressure was an independent risk factor for CHD during the last 10 years of follow-up in multivariate analysis.

Fertilizing capacity of bovine spermatozoa selected after swim-up in hyaluronic acid-containing medium

Hyaluronic acid (HA) was used to select spermatozoa from frozen-thawed semen from five bulls; two were highly fertile and three had low fertility related to low post-thaw motility of the spermatozoa. Spermatozoa were collected after 1 h of self-migration in one of two media: a modified Tyrode's lactate solution (TALP) or a medium consisting of equal volumes of TALP and phosphate-buffered saline to which HA was added to obtain a final concentration of 1 mg mL-1 (HA medium). The selected spermatozoa were used to inseminate oocytes matured in vitro at a concentration of either 1.0 x 10(6) or 0.5 x 10(6) mL-1, constituting a 5 x 2 x 2 factorial experiment. After 19-22 h of sperm-oocyte co-incubation, fertilization of oocytes was assessed. The two concentrations of spermatozoa differed significantly in the percentage of oocytes penetrated (P = 0.001) and the percentage of oocytes with two pronuclei (P = 0.002). When 1.0 x 10(6) mL-1 spermatozoa were used, spermatozoa collected after swim-up in the HA medium fertilized more oocytes (P = 0.01) than did those collected after swim-up in TALP. Variation between bulls was also significant (P = 0.002). The beneficial effect of the HA medium was more evident in the group of low-fertility bulls (P < or = 0.03), where neither the variation between bulls (P > or = 0.06) nor the interaction between the methods of sperm selection and bulls (P > or = 0.10) was significant.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Swedish inactivated polio vaccine: laboratory standardization and clinical experience over a 30-year period

Swedish inactivated polio vaccines have contained per single human dose a mean amount of viral antigen equivalent to 1 x 10(7.5) CCID50 of type 1, 1 x 10(7.4) of type 2 and 1 x 10(7.8) of type 3 produced on primary monkey kidney cells. Potency tests were made in comparison with an equivalent amount of live virus suspension of all three types. Validation of tests has been based on the response to type 1 only. Based on clinical experience with vaccine lots from 1957 and the establishment of the second live reference virus suspension in 1966, the minimum limit of immune response in guinea-pigs--expressed in extinction values--was decided as 1.5 for type 1 and type 3, and 1.0 for type 2. The potency test method used since 1959 in Sweden was two subcutaneous injections 2 weeks apart using 10 guinea-pigs per dilution and blood collected 1 week thereafter. Potency tests made according to European Pharmacopoeia revealed a somewhat lower value for type 2. D-antigen content in Swedish vaccines was low, however, the Swedish vaccine has protected against many episodes or outbreaks of wild virus in Sweden and immunized individuals elsewhere in the world. For the Swedish population a clear-cut clinical motivation for requiring a higher potency for type 2 as required in the European Pharmacopoeia or increased levels of D-antigen in the final product has not been presented. It was concluded that the European Pharmacopoeia method did not distinguish between doses of 0.5-1.0 ml. The minimum limit extinction value for type 2, i.e. 2.0 seemed to high.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Metabolic disturbances in hypertension: results from the population study 'men born in 1913'

A clustering of metabolic disturbances has been indicated in hypertension. The distribution of such factors was assessed among hypertensives and normotensives in a general population sample of 644 men aged 67 years. Fasting serum insulin, glucose and triglyceride levels were measured. In this study hypertension was defined as DBP > or = 95 mmHg or present use of antihypertensives. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or diabetes mellitus, hyperinsulinaemia (> or = 20 mU l-1) and hypertriglyceridaemia (> or = 2.3 mmol l-1) were defined as metabolic disturbances. When all these disturbances were present simultaneously a complete 'metabolic syndrome' was considered to be present. Hypertension was found in 185 (29%) men, IGT in 15%, diabetes mellitus in 11%, hyperinsulinaemia in 18% and hypertriglyceridaemia in 19%. Among hypertensives, 11 (6%) men had a 'metabolic syndrome', compared to 12 (3%) men in the normotensive group (P = 0.039). At least one metabolic disturbance was present in 109 (59%) of the hypertensive men, and in 173 (38%) of the normotensive men (P < 0.001). The prevalence rates of metabolic disturbances did not differ significantly between lean (BMI < 26 kg m-2) and obese (BMI > or = 26 kg m-2) hypertensives. Only hypertriglyceridaemia was more frequent in obese than in lean hypertensives (20% vs. 37%, P = 0.015). The 'metabolic syndrome' was found in 6% of all hypertensives, which was twice as common as in the normotensive population. The 'metabolic syndrome' was uncommon in both lean and obese hypertensives (5% vs. 7%, NS). These findings indicate that hypertension and metabolic disturbances may have a common underlying cause, at least in some individuals.

Hyperinsulinaemia is not a major coronary risk factor in elderly men. The study of men born in 1913

Insulin and insulin resistance have attracted considerable interest as possible risk factors for coronary heart disease during the last decade. We therefore examined the 8-year incidence of coronary heart disease in 595 67-year-old men in relation to baseline insulin and other risk factors. The incidence of coronary heart disease increased from 9% among non-diabetic men to 13.5% among those with impaired glucose tolerance, 12.9% among newly-detected diabetic men and up to 31.3% among men with known diabetes. The incidence of coronary heart disease was related to fasting blood glucose and 1 h and 2 h blood glucose during the oral glucose tolerance test and to serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides. Fasting serum insulin was of borderline significance for the risk of coronary heart disease. When known diabetic subjects were excluded only serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides remained as statistically significant risk factors. Among diabetic subjects (known and newly-detected) only blood glucose was related to the risk of coronary heart disease. In multivariate analyses the different degrees of glucose intolerance or fasting blood glucose were independently related to the risk of coronary heart disease (p = 0.008-0.010). Serum triglycerides were also an independent risk factor in three out of four multivariate models (p = 0.02-0.09). Fasting serum insulin was not an independent risk factor. These findings do not support the hypothesis that hyperinsulinaemia is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease in elderly men. Hyperglycaemia (or diabetes mellitus) seems to be the most important risk factor.

Bovine virus diarrhoea virus induces in vitro a proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from cattle immunized by infection

The ability of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to mount a proliferative response to bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV) in vitro was examined. After culturing PBMC in the presence of a non-cytopathic strain of BVDV for 6 days, the magnitude of PBMC proliferation was measured as incorporation of radiolabelled thymidine, present during the last 18 h. Live, but not heat-inactivated, BVDV evoked a proliferative response of PBMC obtained from cattle seropositive to the virus. However, PBMC from seronegative or persistently BVDV-infected animals were not stimulated by BVDV. The presence of live BVDV did not alter the proliferative response of PBMC to stimulation with concanavalin A.

Prevalence of caries in adolescents in relation to diet

The aim of the present study was to compare dietary habits between adolescents with high or low dental caries prevalence. All 15-yr-old adolescents living in a small community in Northern Sweden were studied in 1987, 1988, and 1989. The median values for energy and nutrient intake exceeded or were close to the recommendations (SNR89) given by the Swedish National Food Administration. The fiber intake did not reach the recommended daily amount even for the 90th percentile of the studied cohort. Nineteen percent of the adolescents had caries free teeth and 10% had nine or more decayed or filled surfaces. There was no difference in daily sucrose intake or average number of meals per day between these two groups. The group with nine or more decayed or filled surfaces had worse dietary habits, expressed as a higher fat intake, lower intake of complex carbohydrates, and lower density of iron (mg/MJ) than the group with no dental caries. Dietary counseling by dentists should be a valuable addition to other caries prophylactic measures taken by the dentists.

Swedish obese subjects (SOS). Recruitment for an intervention study and a selected description of the obese state

SOS (Swedish obese subjects) is an on-going intervention trial designed to determine whether the mortality and morbidity rates among obese individuals who lose weight by surgical means (gastric banding, vertical banded gastroplasty and gastric by-pass) differ from the rates associated with conventional treatment. For this purpose, the study is recruiting a sample of obese men and women who constitute a registry of potential subjects from which the participants are drawn. Eligibility criteria for participation in the registry were: age at application 37-57 years and BMI greater than or equal to 34 kg/m2 for men and greater than or equal to 38 kg/m2 for women. Before receiving a health examination, all patients complete extensive questionnaires on current and past health status, utilization of medical care and medications, socio-economic status, psychological profiles, dietary habits, physical activity, weight history, and familial disposition to obesity. Each surgical case is matched to its optimal control in the registry, to ensure that the two groups do not differ systematically with respect to any of 18 matching variables that may affect prognosis. The first 1006 subjects included in the registry have been studied with respect to morbidity and compared with on-going population studies of men and women in Göteborg, Sweden. The relative risks of prevalent disease and symptoms associated with obesity in 50-year-old males and females respectively were 4.3 and 4.7 (dyspnoea), 14.7 and 11.8 (angina), 6.3 (myocardial infarction, males only), 2.1 and 4.5 (hypertension), 5.2 and 6.6 (diabetes), 4.6 and 26.1 (claudication) and 1.7 and 1.8 (gall bladder disease). Correspondingly, obese males and females display elevations of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, insulin, triglyceride, and uric acid levels. However, total cholesterol was not increased in obese males and was in fact significantly lower in obese compared with reference women. HDL-cholesterol was lower in obese than reference men (data were not available in reference women). The rate of taking sick pensions was over twice as high in SOS obese patients than in population controls. Finally, comparison of measurements with self-reported prevalence estimates revealed a considerable amount of previously undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes in the obese subjects. These data suggest that the excess health risks associated with obesity may not be fully appreciated.

2-Mercaptoethanol influences the in vitro function of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells

The effects of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) on some in vitro functions of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were examined. It was shown that 2-ME enhanced, in a dose-dependent manner, the production of antibodies to bovine coronavirus. In this test the optimal concentration of 2-ME was 50 microM. This molarity of 2-ME was also optimal for the pokeweed mitogen (PWM)-induced proliferation of PBMC obtained from the 7 cattle tested. Similarly, the spontaneous proliferation of PBMC from 4 out of these cattle was enhanced. Thus, 2-ME evoked an increase (up to 2.5 times) or a decrease (at most 10 times) of the quota between the PWM-induced and the spontaneous proliferation (stimulation index). In general, the presence of 50 microM 2-ME enhanced the in vitro production of interferon by bovine PBMC. On the contrary, the highest proliferative response of PBMC to stimulation with bovine virus diarrhoea virus was achieved in cultures without 2-ME or in cultures with 0.5 or 5 microM 2-ME. Since the effects of 2-ME varied, for different tests as well as for cattle tested, attention should be paid to the use of 2-ME in cultures of bovine PBMC.

Functional effects, binding sites and immunolocalization of endothelin-1 in isolated penile tissues from man and rabbit

Functional effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) were investigated in isolated preparations of human and rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC) and human penile circumflex veins (CV). In all preparations, ET-1 induced slowly developing, concentration-dependent contractions. The threshold concentration of ET-1 in CV was approximately 10 and 112 times lower than the threshold concentrations in human and rabbit CC, respectively. Furthermore, the contractions in CV reached a defined maximum at 10(-7) M ET-1 (-log EC50 = 9.12 +/- 0.17), whereas no maximum was obtained in CC preparations within the concentration range used (less than or equal to 3 x 10(-7) M). Pretreatment with the Ca++ channel blocker nimodipine partly reduced the ET-1-induced contractions in human and rabbit CC, but had no significant effect on CV preparations. In a Ca(++)-free medium containing the chelator ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethylether)-N,N'-tetra-acetic acid, the contractions induced by ET-1 were reduced, but not abolished, in all preparations. The contractions induced by ET-1 are thus mediated mainly by influx of Ca++, although there seem to exist differences in the relative contribution of L-type Ca++ channels in CC and CV. Furthermore, additional mechanisms beside Ca++ influx are likely to be involved in both tissues. A high density of [125I]ET-1 binding sites was observed throughout the stroma and in the muscle layer of the deep penile artery in both human and rabbit CC. In the human CV, numerous binding sites were observed, but no clear difference between the various structures of the vessel wall could be detected.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bovine coronavirus as the causative agent of winter dysentery: serological evidence

Sera from 9 dairy herds with epizootic enteritis (winter dysentery) were examined for antibodies to bovine coronavirus (BCV) and bovine virus diarrhoea virus (BVDV). Cows in 8 of the 9 herds seroconverted to BCV alone, while the animals in the ninth herd, which showed severe symptoms of the disease, seroconverted both to BCV and BVDV. The BCV antibodies, which were present in high titres 1 year postinfection, were transferred to the offspring via the colostrum and were then detectable in sera of calves until these were approximately 5 months old. A serological survey of 549 Swedish heifers showed that 61% of the animals were reactors to BCV. The prevalence of seroreactors to BCV was equally distributed over Sweden but was commonly either high or low in herds. In conclusion, BCV is commonly detected in animals suffering from winter dysentery. A co-infection with BVDV appears to aggravate the disease.

Social network and activities in relation to mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other causes: a 12 year follow up of the study of men born in 1913 and 1923

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to examine the relationship between social network and activities and causes of death.

DESIGN

The study was a prospective cohort study of middle aged men examined in 1973 and followed for 12 years.

SETTING

Gothenburg, Sweden.

SUBJECTS

The subjects were 769 60 year old and 220 50 year old men who had participated in a health examination.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Main outcome measures were mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer and other causes. In multivariate analyses cardiovascular mortality was related to baseline blood pressure (p less than 0.001), smoking habits (p = 0.002), myocardial infarction or stroke (p less than 0.001), and a low level of social activities (p = 0.04). Cancer mortality was related to age (p = 0.003) and smoking habits (p = 0.001). Other causes of death were related to poor perceived health (p = 0.02) and a low level of home activities (p = 0.004). In univariate analyses the above risk factors were strongly related to all three causes of death. In addition cardiovascular mortality was related to age, a low level of home and outside home activities, few persons in the household, and poor perceived health. Cancer mortality was related to poor perceived health, few persons in the household, and a low level of social activities. Other causes of death were related to living alone, poor perceived health, and a low level of social and outside home activities.

CONCLUSIONS

Well known risk factors for premature mortality like smoking, hypertension, and major cardiovascular disease are verified. Middle aged men with a good "social network" (here measured as a high level of social, home, and outside home activities) may be partly protected against non-cancer mortality.