Disruption of feeding behavior in CRH receptor 1-deficient mice is dependent on glucocorticoids.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) has been found to markedly suppress food intake and reduce body weight. However, it still remains to be clarified whether those effects are mediated via either the CRH receptor 1 (CRHR1) or the CRH receptor 2 (CRHR2), or both receptor subtypes. Therefore, we investigated whether CRHR1-deficient mice (CRHR1-KO) show abnormalities in body weight and feeding behavior.

Long-term repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation increases the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and cholecystokinin mRNA, but not neuropeptide tyrosine mRNA in specific areas of rat brain.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is increasingly used as a therapeutic tool in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, and we recently found that it has a neuroprotective effect both in vitro and in vivo. However, the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects are still unknown. We investigated the effects of long-term rTMS on the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), cholecystokinin (CCK), and neuropeptide tyrosine (NPY) mRNA in rat brain.

[Optimization of the transition from phase II to III of cardiac rehabilitation].

A decisive element of reliable maintenance of the rehabilitation result achieved by patients undergoing inpatient cardiac rehabilitation has turned out to be comprehensive and successful management of the transition into the outpatient phase. This requires concrete planning and implementation of the concept, to be based on patient-related approaches and including the family physician, relatives, occupational institutions, and local and regional partners such as adult education centres, health insurances, sports clubs, psychological individual care, etc. Problem-orientated planning adapted to the individual requirements and expectations of the patient is of utmost importance.

Ageing alters intrahypothalamic release patterns of vasopressin and oxytocin in rats.

The ageing process has been shown to have a profound impact on the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system (HNS) and the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in humans as well as in rodents. Therefore, in this study, the intracerebral and peripheral release patterns of both vasopressin and oxytocin have been studied in aged male Wistar rats under basal conditions and in response to ethologically relevant stressors, using intracerebral microdialysis and chronic blood sampling techniques, respectively. Approximately a twofold higher basal release of arginine vasopressin (AVP) within the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), but not within the supraoptic nucleus (SON), was found in aged rats, whereas basal oxytocin (OXT) release did not differ in comparison with young rats.

Endogenous vasopressin contributes to hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical alterations in aged rats.

The ageing process in animals and humans is thought to be accompanied by a gradual impairment of corticosteroid receptor function, which is reflected by increased pituitary-adrenocortical hormone secretion at baseline and a number of aberrant neuroendocrine function test results. The latter include the ACTH and corticosteroid responses to a combined dexamethasone (DEX)/corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) challenge. The excessive hormonal response to this test among aged individuals has been taken as indirect evidence of enhanced endogenous arginine vasopressin (AVP) release, which - together with peripherally administered CRH - is capable of overriding DEX-induced ACTH suppression.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in rats: evidence for a neuroprotective effect in vitro and in vivo.

In recent years, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the human brain has been used as a therapeutic tool in a variety of psychiatric and neurological disorders. However, to understand the mechanisms underlying any potential therapeutic effects, and possible adverse effects, studies are necessary on how magnetic stimuli induced by rTMS interact with central nervous system (CNS) regulation. In the current study, we failed to find cognitive impairments or structural alterations in rat brains after 11 weeks of long-term treatment with rTMS, which if present would indicate neuronal damage.

[Medical and social medicine correlates of serum cholesterol value during and after inpatient cardiologic rehabilitation--a prospective study].

The connection between changes in the serum cholesterol value during and after in-patient cardiological rehabilitation on the one hand and medical and sociomedical variables on the other is investigated. In 162 male and female patients up to 60 years of age undergoing inpatient cardiological rehabilitation under the pension insurance scheme for workers, a significant decrease of serum cholesterol values could be observed between the beginning and the end of cardiological rehabilitation of 24.5 mg% (10.

[Ambulatory heart groups after inpatient cardiologic rehabilitation].

In n = 1504 consecutive patients after inpatient cardiac rehabilitation, we investigate how many patients can be motivated to join a so-called outpatient heart group, which sociographical and medical variables influence participation, and whether participation in a heart group prompts a more health-orientated nutrition. Applying a special team-based motivation programme, almost 30% of patients undergoing cardiac rehabilitation under the pension insurance scheme for workers can be motivated to join a heart group, who otherwise can hardly be prompted to do so. About 75% of them still participate in the heart group 7 months later.

Nonresponsiveness of the rat hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis to parturition-related events: inhibitory action of endogenous opioids.

During the last 2 days of pregnancy in rats, basal corticosterone secretion is enhanced, although the response of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis to emotional and physical stressors is blunted, independent of the action of endogenous opioids. In this study, alterations in the reactivity of the HPA axis, which may accompany parturition-related stimuli, and the involvement of endogenous opioids were examined in chronically catheterized rats. In vehicle-treated controls (n = 9), ACTH and corticosterone secretion decreased in preparation for birth (P < 0.

Stumbling reactions in man: influence of corticospinal input.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the degree of contribution of supraspinal input to the generation of the compensatory leg muscle activation following stance perturbation. Therefore, evoked motor response (EMR) input-output relations of two different motor tasks were compared at 3 distinct periods: (1) the basic period of muscular activity during standing, i.e.

Functional outcome following spinal cord injury: significance of motor-evoked potentials and ASIA scores.

Objective: Prediction of outcome of ambulatory capacity and hand function in tetraplegic patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) using neurologic examination, according to the protocol of the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and motor-evoked potentials (MEP).

Design: Correlation study on a prospective cohort.

Setting: SCI center, university hospital.

Clinical value of F-wave recordings in traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.

F-waves and motor/sensory nerve conduction (NCS) of the median and ulnar nerves were examined in 66 patients with traumatic motoneurone lesion due to acute and chronic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI). The examinations were performed in parallel in chronic tetraplegics once and in acute tetraplegic patients monthly for the first 3 months, after 6 months and 1 year post-trauma. A pathological reduction of the compound muscle action potential (CMAP) (in 10% even a complete loss of the CMAP) was present in about 50% of the patients.

[Improvement in occupational rehabilitation of myocardial infarct patients--results of a model study in Rhineland-Pfalz].

In a pilot trial in Rhineland-Palatinate two instruments for optimizing medical and occupational rehabilitation of myocardial infarction patients were tested: (1) A regional cardiology working group was founded which selected measures to accelerate the rehabilitation process in model region hospitals. (2) At the pilot rehabilitation clinic a counselling service for patients under a case management trial scheme was established. The evaluation showed that three weeks after the heart attack, exercise ECGs were carried out in 77.

[Follow-up of kidney function in children with former posterior urethral valves].

Severe forms of posterior urethral valves involve the risk of upper urinary tract damage and impaired renal function. For this reason, 26 boys formerly (between January 1980 and December 1989) treated for high-grade urethral obstruction were re-examined with reference to renal function. Results were compared with observations in a control group of 26 boys matched for age and height undergoing minimal urological surgery.

Sequence-specific hydrolysis of yeast tRNA(Phe) mediated by metal-free bleomycin.

Bleomycin A2 (BLM) was found to mediate sequence specific hydrolysis of tRNA(Phe) in the absence of added metal ions. BLM A2 promoted phosphodiester bond hydrolysis 3' to the pyrimidine residue at all resolved Py-Pu sites not involving modified bases, as demonstrated by high-resolution electrophoretic analysis of 5'- and 3'-32P-end-labeled substrates. The reaction proceeded with surprising facility, approaching efficiency that of oxidative strand scission mediated by the FeII.

[Effect of nilvadipine on diurnal blood pressure profile. Use of a new calcium channel blocker in mild to intermediate hypertension].

Unlabelled: QUERY: Influence of Nilvadipine, a new calcium channel blocker on the daytime blood pressure profile and 24-hour blood pressure values in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Method: Single-blind study in 20 hospitalized hypertensives over a period of 23 days (10 days placebo, 8 days 1 x 8 mg Nilvadipine, 5 days placebo). Blood pressure was measured at 7.

Comparison of the efficacy of nilvadipine and nitrendipine on circadian blood pressure.

The efficacy of nilvadipine and nitrendipine was compared in two double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Patients had either mild-to-moderate hypertension (study 1) or moderate hypertension that was difficult to control (study 2). The criterion for efficacy was a mean drop in the median 24-h blood pressure profile after 10 days of medication compared with the placebo washout phase.

Relevance of pH dependency on in vitro release of bromocriptine from a modified-release formulation.

Since pH profiles of the dissolution rate are thought to be predictive for the in vivo performance of oral modified-release formulations with respect to bioavailability and dose dumping with food, these pH profiles were established for a new modified-release (MR) formulation for bromocriptine (Parlodel SRO). The results show a marked decrease of bromocriptine dissolution with increasing pH of the dissolution medium. However, when measured in native human duodenal juice (pH 8.

Sustained-release IS-5-MN in the treatment of coronary heart disease.

In a double-blind, randomized cross-over study the antianginal efficacy and tolerability of Elantan Long (50 mg sustained-release IS-5-MN) were compared with a 80-mg sustained-release (s.r.) IS-5-MN formulation.

Differential effect of food on kinetics of bromocriptine in a modified release capsule and a conventional formulation.

The influence of food on release of drug from a modified release capsule of bromocriptine 5 mg (Parlodel SRO) and a conventional formulation of bromocriptine 5 mg has been studied in 8 healthy male volunteers. Both formulations produced objective and subjective effects, such as orthostatic reactions, nausea, dizziness, vomiting and nasal congestion. The modified release capsule caused fewer side-effects than the normal capsule.

Monoclonal antibody detection of transformation associated protein (TAP) in ts110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus transformed 6M2 cells that are different from the mos gene product.

By the use of a highly specific monoclonal antibody (designated MC), we were able to detect three radiolabeled bands with molecular weights of 60,000, 63,000, and 66,000 daltons in the ts-110 Moloney murine sarcoma virus mutant-transformed rat kidney cells known as 6M2. Expression of transformation properties as well as these three bands in 6M2 cells was found to be temperature sensitive. Therefore, MC detected factors that are apparently associated with the transformation of 6M2 cells.