Chylomicron apoprotein localization within rat intestinal epithelium: studies of normal and impaired lipid absorption.

Monospecific antisera were produced to two chylomicron apoproteins (apoB, apoA-I) and utilized for indirect immunofluorescent localization of these apoproteins within rat intestinal epithelium during normal and impaired lipid absorption. Isolated intestinal epithelial cells prepared after different periods of lipid absorption from in situ intestinal segments revealed a rapid increase in fluorescence for both apoproteins that filled the entire apical portion of the cell. Prolonged lipid absorption for as long as 5 hr demonstrated sustained immunofluorescence and gave no indication of a depletion of the intestinal mucosa for either apoprotein during normal lipid absorption. [(3)H]Leucine incorporation into mesenteric lymph chylomicron apoproteins showed a linear decrease in specific activity of total chylomicron protein as well as apoB over 4 hr of a continuous lipid infusion indicating sustained active apoprotein synthesis during prolonged lipid absorption. Acetoxycloheximide, a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis, was employed to determine the dynamics of chylomicron apoproteins during an experimental condition of impaired lipid absorption. In animals with inhibited protein synthesis, fluorescence for both apoproteins was present early in the course of lipid absorption; however, at 60 min after the onset of lipid absorption, fluorescence for both apoproteins was absent. Fluorescence for both apoproteins returned during the recovery of protein synthesis. The present studies have confirmed previous results that localized two chylomicron apoproteins within intestinal epithelial cells. The present studies extend these observations and disclose a rapid and sustained synthesis of these apoproteins during prolonged chylomicron formation. During an experimental condition of impaired protein synthesis there was a marked reduction in the mucosal content of both apoA-I and apoB. These results are the first demonstration of impaired mucosal apoprotein synthesis during an experimental model of impaired lipid absorption.     

Upper-body anthropometric and strength measures and their relationship to start time in elite luge athletes

Start time has been shown to be a significant predictor of overall performance in the sport of luge. The starting motion in luge has been described as an explosive upper-body movement that requires significant technique and skill to perfect. This study aims to investigate upper-body factors that may relate to start time in luge. Twenty-two subjects participated in the study as part of their normal off-season training. Each subject had a minimum of 3 years' experience in the sport of luge, and at the time was a member of a U.S. Luge National Team. Subjects completed a 1 repetition maximum (1RM) in the bench press (BP), prone row (PR), and weighted pull-up (WP). Anthropometric distances were taken measuring finger-tip span (FS), biacromial breadth (BB), acromio-radial length, acromio-olecranon length (AO), hand length, and sitting cervical height. Subjects were divided into 2 groups based on which U.S. Luge National team they were currently a member of, Senior National (SN, n = 13) and Junior National (JN, n = 9). A Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient showed several significant (p ≤ 0.05) relationships between upper-body variables and start time among the groups. The BP and PR 1RM were shown to have a significant relationship in both groups. Among the anthropometric variables, AO was also significant in both groups. The WP, FS, BB, and height were all shown to have a significant relationship with start time in the SN group, but not in the JN group. These results suggest that as luge athletes become more efficient in the starting technique, outside factors such as upper-body strength and anthropometric measures play a larger role in performance.     

Biological controls upon the physical taphonomy of exceptionally preserved salamanders from the Miocene of Rubielos de Mora,northeast Spain

McNamara, M.E., Orr, P.J., Manzocchi, T., Alcalá, L., Anadón, P. & Peñalver, E. 2011: Biological controls upon the physical taphonomy of exceptionally preserved salamanders from the Miocene of Rubielos de Mora, northeast Spain. Lethaia, Vol. 45, pp. 210–226. The middle Miocene Rubielos de Mora Konservat‐Lagerstätte of northeast Spain is hosted within profundal, finely laminated, lacustrine mudstones. The diverse biota includes abundant salamanders. Most individuals died during separate episodes and sank rapidly postmortem. Specimens are typically preserved in dorso‐ventral aspect, the most hydrodynamically stable orientation. The near‐cylindrical morphology of the body, however, allowed some carcasses to settle in or subsequently re‐orientate into, lateral orientations. Loss of skeletal elements (i.e. reduced completeness) reflects their location within the body and followed a distal to proximal trend. Two stages are identified: initial loss of a small number of phalanges, followed by loss of more proximal limb bones plus additional phalanges. Disarticulation is more complex: it occurred via several mechanisms (notably, abdominal rupture and re‐orientation of part of the body and limbs during decay) and shows no consistent pattern among specimens. The physical taphonomy of the salamanders is controlled predominantly by intrinsic biological factors, i.e. the geometry of the body and of individual skeletal elements, the orientation, inherent strength and location of specific joints and the extent to which soft tissues, particularly the skin, persist during decay. These biological factors probably control patterns of physical taphonomy of other fossil tetrapods with a similar skeletal configuration. □Articulation, completeness, Konservat‐Lagerstätten, orientation, quantitative taphonomy, salamanders.     

Systems analysis of primary Sjögren's syndrome pathogenesis in salivary glands identifies shared pathways in human and a mouse model

Bone tissue has an exceptional quality to regenerate to native tissue in response to injury. However, the fracture repair process requires mechanical stability or a viable biological microenvironment or both to ensure successful healing to native tissue. An improved understanding of the molecular and cellular events that occur during bone repair and remodeling has led to the development of biologic agents that can augment the biological microenvironment and enhance bone repair. Orthobiologics, including stem cells, osteoinductive growth factors, osteoconductive matrices, and anabolic agents, are available clinically for accelerating fracture repair and treatment of compromised bone repair situations like delayed unions and nonunions. Preclinical and clinical studies using biologic agents like recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins have demonstrated an efficacy similar or better than that of autologous bone graft in acute fracture healing. A lack of standardized outcome measures for comparison of biologic agents in clinical fracture repair trials, frequent off-label use, and a limited understanding of the biological activity of these agents at the bone repair site have limited their efficacy in clinical applications.     

中国河北省卢龙县儿童轮状病毒腹泻研究

轮状病毒是我国儿童重症腹泻的主要病原。按照WHO轮状病毒监测方案,于1999年7月至2003年6月,在河北省卢龙县开展了医院和社区为基础<5岁儿童轮状病毒腹泻的监测。结果表明:卢龙县<5岁儿童腹泻的发病率为1 3次/人/年。4年中全县共有2350名<5岁急性腹泻患儿住院,占所有住院儿童的38%(2350/6213)。住院的腹泻患儿每年有两个高峰,一个是夏季(6～8月),占全年腹泻住院病例的22%;另一个在冬季(12月至次年2月),占58%。住院的轮状病毒腹泻只有一个高峰,是在冬季(12月至次年2月),高峰期的轮状病毒腹泻住院患儿数占全年轮状病毒腹泻患儿住院数的86%。按全年统计,轮状病毒腹泻占住院腹泻患儿的46%,轮状病毒腹泻的住院率为11/1000儿童/年。在门诊腹泻患儿中轮状病毒腹泻患儿占28%,在社区腹泻患儿中轮状病毒腹泻占10%。轮状病毒毒株的分布,G3型(45%)最常见,其次为G1型(35%)、G2型(8%)、G4型(3%)、G9型(0 6%),混合感染较少(1%)。还有8%的毒株未能分出型别。在轮状病毒腹泻患者中,9～11月龄的儿童检出率最高(53%),其次是12～17月龄(51%)、18～23月龄(36%)和6～8月龄(30%)。在4年研究期间共有5～10名1～59月龄儿童可能因为轮状病毒腹泻死亡,其中有1例确诊为P[8]G1型毒株感染。初步估计,该县1～59月龄儿童轮状病毒腹泻的死