Whole Body Vibration Training Has No Effect on Vascular Endothelial and Inflammatory Markers in Young Healthy Women.

The aim of the study was to comparatively assess the impact of single and repeated whole body vibration training (WBVT) and training without vibration on changes in the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in healthy, young, non-training women. The study involved 46 women (age 20.48 ± 1.

Effect of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Hemorheological Blood Indices in Young, Healthy Women.

The aim of the study is to assess the effect of single and 12-week WBVT and training without vibration on changes in hemorheological blood indices and plasma fibrinogen levels in young, healthy women. Three groups are distinguished: the experimental group-participating in WBVT ( = 17); the comparison group-implementing the same physical exercise protocol without the vibration factor ( = 12); and the control group-no intervention ( = 17). In the experimental and comparison group, blood is collected before and after the first and last training, while in the control group, blood is collected twice, 3 months apart.

Effect of Whole-Body Vibration on Serum Levels of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Cortisol in Young, Healthy Women.

Vibration exercises on a platform (whole-body vibration, WBV), widely used in rehabilitation, sports medicine, and fitness, is an alternative to strength effort. The presented study assessed the effect of a 12-week cycle of vibration training on the serum concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cortisol in young women (trial ID: ACTRN 12621000114842). Volunteers were assigned to three groups: performing exercises on a vibrating platform (n = 17), performing identical exercises without a platform (n = 12), and passive control group (n = 17).

Pulmonary rehabilitation in subterranean chambers combined with neuro-orthopedic activity-dependent plasticity therapy influences patients' quality of life - A preliminary study.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate if Neuro-orthopedic Activity-dependent Plasticity (N.A.P.

The influence of speleotherapy combined with pulmonary rehabilitation on functional fitness in older adults - preliminary report.

Objective: Our aim was to determine the influence of pulmonary rehabilitation conducted in therapeutic salt mine chambers on the functional fitness of older adults.

Methods: The study included 22 individuals of age >65 years with chronic respiratory conditions. The patients underwent the Fullerton test before and after a 3-week outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation in the "Wieliczka" Salt Mine Health Resort.

Cross-linking by 1-ethyl-3- (3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC) of a collagen/elastin membrane meant to be used as a dermal substitute: effects on physical, biochemical and biological features in vitro.

Next to in vitro-cultured autogeneic keratinocytes for the restoration of epidermis, a suitable dermal matrix is a mandatory component of an artificial skin substitute for the permanent covering of full thickness skin defects. In our model a xenogeneic membrane, consisting of processed native collagen and elastin of porcine origin is meant to serve as a template for the formation of a neo-dermis. In order to improve the resistance of this matrix against enzymatical degradation, we cross-linked it by using the carbodiimide 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC) together with N-hydroxysuccinimide.

Immobilization of the thrombin inhibitor r-hirudin conserving its biological activity.

Surface immobilization of the thrombin inhibitor r-hirudin was carried out on two different polymers. Linkage to poly(urethane-graft-acrylic acid) (PAC/PU) was done via carboxylic acid groups, using a water soluble carbodimide, while the immobilization on a modified poly[(ethene-co-vinyl acetate)-graft-vinyl chloride] (PVC/EVA) was achieved via the alcohol groups of the polymer using HDI as spacer. Direct immobilization of r-hirudin leaded to a remarkable loss of thrombin activity.

The solution structure of a superpotent B-chain-shortened single-replacement insulin analogue.

This paper reports on an insulin analogue with 12.5-fold receptor affinity, the highest increase observed for a single replacement, and on its solution structure, determined by NMR spectroscopy. The analogue is [D-AlaB26]des-(B27-B30)-tetrapeptide-insulin-B26-amide.

Analysis of protein self-association at constant concentration by fluorescence-energy transfer.

Fluorescence-resonance-energy transfer from subunits labelled with a fluorescence donor group to subunits labelled with a fluorescence acceptor group can be used for quantitative analysis of protein self-association. The present approach evaluates fluorescence measurements on mixtures of equimolar solutions of donor-labelled and acceptor-labelled protein composed by systematic variation of the volume ratio. Its attractive feature is that it allows the determination of equilibrium constants at fixed total concentration.

Hair sulfur amino acid analysis.

This overview emphasizes present aspects of sulfur-containing amino acids in hair. A selection of analytical procedures to determine cystine, cysteine, S-sulfocysteine, cystine oxide, cysteic acid, lanthionine and lysinoalanine are presented. The methods relate to intact hair or partial and total hydrolysates and comprise chromatography, titration, colorimetry, polarography and spectroscopy.

The role of the C-terminus of the insulin B-chain in modulating structural and functional properties of the hormone.

Within the scope of structure-function studies on the proteohormone insulin, the role of the C-terminal segment B26-B30 for self-association and receptor interaction was analyzed. Insulin derivatives with modifications in the region B26-B30 were synthesized by trypsin-catalyzed coupling reactions of des-(B23-B30)-insulin with synthetic peptides. The peptides were obtained by Fmoc solid-phase peptide synthesis.

Structure-function relationships of des-(B26-B30)-insulin.

In order to study the role of the amino acid in position B25 and its environment in shortened insulins, a series of analogues was prepared with the following modifications: 1, Stepwise shortening of the B-chain including replacements of TyrB26 and ThrB27 by glycine; 2, substitutions at the carboxamide nitrogen of des-(B26-B30)-insulin-B25-amide by apolar, polar or charged residues of various chain lengths; 3, replacement of PheB25 by asparagine-amide, phenylalaninol or a series of alkyl and aralkyl residues. Trypsin-catalyzed semisyntheses were performed with Boc-protected or unprotected des-octapeptide-(B23-B30)-insulin and synthetic peptides. Relative receptor binding and in vitro bioactivity of [AsnB25]-des-(B26-B30)-insulin-B25-amide was 227 and 292% (on insulin), other activities ranged between 1 and ca.

Structure and rotational dynamics of fluorescently labeled insulin in aqueous solution and at the amphiphile-water interface of reversed micelles.

Insulin is a proteohormone with amphipathic three-dimensional structure and the ligand of a receptor, which itself spans the plasma membrane of glucose-metabolizing cells. In this study, the possible impact of amphiphiles on structural and dynamic properties of the hormone was investigated in reversed micelles mimicking the amphipathic nature of biological membranes. To make insulin susceptible to fluorescence measurements, two derivatives labeled with 2-aminobenzoic acid (Abz), N epsilon B29-Abz-insulin and [AbzB1]insulin, were prepared.

Potential of endogenous peptides to induce immunological reactions as observed in type I diabetes, a study in mice.

The initiation of the immunological processes leading to type I diabetes is still not understood. The potential of endogenous peptides to induce autoimmune reactions was investigated. Peptides generated in the beta-cell by proteolysis could bypass antigen processing by binding to MHC molecules.

Proteolyses of a fluorogenic insulin derivative and native insulin in reversed micelles monitored by fluorescence emission, reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, and capillary zone electrophoresis.

The preparation and substrate properties of the fluorogenic insulin derivative N alpha A1-aminobenzoyl-N epilson B29-Tyr(NO2)- insulin are described. This semisynthetic protein intramolecularly quenched by long-range resonance energy transfer between the donor/acceptor pair 2-aminobenzoic acid and 3-nitrotyrosine was used to prove the activity of serine proteases toward substrates of high molecular weight after incorporation in reversed micelles. The proteases investigated, trypsin and alpha-chymotrypsin, were shown to be hydrolytically active in reversed micellar solvent systems stabilized by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide or sodium-1,2-bis(2-ethylhexylcarbonyl)-1- ethane sulfonate.

Semisynthetic insulin analogues modified in positions B24, B25 and B29.

New semisynthetic analogues of human insulin, modified in the C-terminal region of the B-chain, were prepared to refine our understanding of the importance of particular amino acid residues in the expression of hormone biological properties. The following insulin analogues were synthesized by trypsin-catalyzed peptide-bond formation between the C-terminal arginineB22 of des-octapeptide(B23-B30)-insulin and synthetic octapeptides with the epsilon-amino group of lysineB29 protected by a phenylacetyl group: [L-Lys(Pac)B29]insulin, [D-PheB24,B25,L-Lys(Pac)B29]insulin and [D-Phe(p-Et)B24, L-Lys(Pac)B29]insulin. Enzymatic deprotection using immobilized penicillin amidohydrolase yielded: human insulin, [D-PheB24,B25]insulin and [DPhe(p-Et)B24]-insulin.

Insulin as a target antigen in autoimmune diabetes: a natural repertoire as the source of antibody response.

A solid-phase immunoenzymatic technique with B1- or B29-biotinylated insulin coupled to avidin-coated wells was used to characterize serum anti-insulin antibodies and to locate insulin antibody-producing B lymphocytes in different organs of mice. Low natural serum anti-insulin IgM and IgG antibodies were found in ten different healthy inbred strains of mice. Prediabetic non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice had significantly higher measurements than BALB/c mice (P < 0.

An insulin with the native sequence but virtually no activity.

The B24-B25 peptide bond of insulin was replaced by an ester bond. To our knowledge this is the first replacement of a main chain atom reported for the hormone. It is meant to eliminate a structurally important H-bond between the imino group of B25 and the carbonyl oxygen of A19, and consequently to enhance detachment of the C-terminal B chain from the underlying A chain.

Semisynthetic des-(B27-B30)-insulins with modified B26-tyrosine.

Semisynthetic des-(B27-B30)-insulins containing modified B26-tyrosine residues were prepared to refine the understanding of the importance of position B26 with regard to biological and structural properties of the hormone. The following shortened insulin analogues were synthesized by trypsin-catalysed peptide-bond formation between the C-terminal amino acid ArgB22 of des-(B23-B30)-insulin and synthetic tetrapeptides as amino components: des-(B27-B30)-insulin, des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-methyl ester, -B26-carboxamide with varying C-terminal hydrophobicity of the B-chain, and [Tyr(NH2)B26]-, [Tyr(NO2)B26]-, [Tyr(I2)B26]-, [D-TyrB26]des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-carboxamide containing non-proteinogenic amino acids in position B26. Starting from insulin and an excess of synthetic Gly-Phe-Phe-Tyr-OMe as nucleophile, des-(B27-B30)-insulin-B26-methyl ester--the formal transpeptidation product at ArgB22--was formed in one step.

Presentation of insulin and insulin A chain peptides to mouse T cells: involvement of cysteine residues.

The requirements for insulin presentation and recognition by A alpha b A beta b- and A alpha b A beta k-restricted mouse T cells were studied using a variety of derivatives of the insulin A chain. It was found that A chain peptides with irreversibly blocked Cys residues are non-stimulatory for the T cells. This suggests that at least one of the Cys residues is essential for recognition.

Use of Z-amino acid-glyceryl esters in protease catalyzed peptide synthesis.

The alpha-glyceryl esters of Z-Gly, Z-Phe and Z-Tyr were synthesized and their use for protease catalyzed peptide synthesis was studied. Three enzymes isolated from crude papain were compared in their catalytic potency. Syntheses with alpha-chymotrypsin were performed in a biphasic system.

Enzyme-assisted semisynthesis of shortened B26-modified insulins.

The role of the invariant residue B26-tyrosine in determining the structural and biological properties of insulin has been extensively investigated by the use of semisynthetic des-(B27-B30)-insulins with modifications of position B26. Apart from the conventional trypsin-catalyzed peptide bond formation between the C-terminal amino acid ArgB22 of des-(B23-B30)-insulin and synthetic tetrapeptides we elaborated a new approach using des-(B26-B30)-insulin as substrate in alpha-chymotrypsin-mediated syntheses. Results obtained from bioassays and CD-spectroscopy underline the importance of position B26 to the association of the native molecule and to the modulation of structural and hormonal properties of shortened insulins.

Studies on the total synthesis of an A7,B7-dicarbainsulin. III. Assembly of segments and generation of biological activity.

As a further contribution to the synthesis of an insulin analogue with a stable A7-B7 interchain bond, the synthesis of A(8-21) by solution methods, and of B(9-25) as well as [7-(2,7-diaminosuberic acid)]B(1-8) by solid phase methods is described. In the latter compound, the amino group of the diaminosuberic acid residue was acylated with A(1-6), and the resulting "U-peptide" sequentially elongated with the C-terminal A- and finally B-chain sequences. The conversion of the product into the disulfide moiety gave a mixture which could not be resolved by currently available methods.

The detection of single cells forming antibodies to defined epitopes on insulin.

A solid-phase immunoenzymatic technique was modified to permit the detection and enumeration of antibody-secreting cells recognizing the amino or carboxy terminal of the insulin B chain. The procedure involves coating well surfaces with avidin and binding insulins specifically labelled with biotin at the B1 or B30 residue. On day 15 after immunization with human insulin, 20 outbred NMRI mice had generated cells secreting anti-insulin antibodies.