Prolonged systemic circulation of chimeric oncolytic adenovirus Ad5/3-Cox2L-D24 in patients with metastatic and refractory solid tumors.

Eighteen patients with refractory and progressive solid tumors were treated with a single round of triple modified oncolytic adenovirus (Ad5/3-Cox2L-D24). Ad5/3-Cox2L-D24 is the first non-Coxsackie-adenovirus receptor-binding oncolytic adenovirus used in humans. Grades 1-2 flu-like symptoms, fever, and fatigue were seen in most patients, whereas transaminitis or thrombocytopenia were seen in some. Non-hematological grades 3-5 side effects were seen in one patient with grade 3 ileus. Treatment resulted in high neutralizing antibody titers within 3 weeks. Virus appeared in serum 2-4 days after treatment in 83% of patients and persisted for up to 5 weeks. One out of five radiologically evaluable patients had partial response (PR), one had minor response (MR), and three had progressive disease (PD). Two patients scored as PD had a decrease in tumor density. Tumor reductions not measurable with Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) were seen in a further four patients. PR, MR, stable disease, and PD were seen in 12, 23.5, 35, and 29.5% of tumor markers analyzed, respectively (N=17). Ad5/3-Cox2L-D24 appears safe for treatment of cancer in humans and extended virus circulation results from a single treatment. Objective evidence of anti-tumor activity was seen in 11/18 (61%) of patients. Clinical trials are needed to extend these findings.

Early exercise advances the maturation of glycosaminoglycans and collagen in the extracellular matrix of articular cartilage in the horse.

REASON FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Training at a very young age may influence the characteristics of the collagen network of articular cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) in horses. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether increasing workload of foals results in significant changes in the biochemical composition of articular cartilage ECM. METHODS: Thoroughbred foals (n = 33) were divided into 2 different exercise groups from age 10 days-18 months. One group (PASTEX; n = 15) was reared at pasture; the other (CONDEX; n = 18) underwent a specific additional training programme that increased workload by 30%. At mean age 18 months, 6 animals from each group were subjected to euthanasia. The proximal articular surface of the proximal phalanx of the right hindlimb was examined for the presence of damage using the cartilage degeneration index (CDI). Samples were taken from 2 sites with known different loading patterns. Slices were analysed for DNA, glycosaminoglycans (GAG), collagen and post translational modifications of collagen (formation of hydroxylysylpyridinoline [HP] and pentosidine crosslinks, and hydroxylysine [Hyl]), and exercise groups and different sites compared. RESULTS: There were no differences in CDI between PASTEX and CONDEX animals, indicating the absence of extra joint damage due to the exercise regimen. There were site-related differences for most biochemical variables, corroborating earlier reports. All biochemical variables showed differences between PASTEX and CONDEX groups at one of the sites, and some at both. GAG and collagen levels were lower in the CONDEX group whereas Hyl, HP crosslinks and pentosidine crosslinks were higher. CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: A measurable effect of the conditioning exercise was demonstrated. The margin between too much and too little work when training foals may be narrower than intuitively presumed.

Crosslinked poly(epsilon-caprolactone/D,L-lactide)/bioactive glass composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.

A series of elastic polymer and composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering applications were designed. Two crosslinked copolymer matrices with 90/10 and 30/70 mol % of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) and D,L-lactide (DLLA) were prepared with porosities from 45 to 85 vol % and their mechanical and degradation properties were tested. Corresponding composite scaffolds with 20-50 wt % of particulate bioactive glass (BAG) were also characterized. Compressive modulus of polymer scaffolds ranged from 190+/-10 to 900+/-90 kPa. Lactide rich scaffolds absorbed up to 290 wt % of water in 4 weeks and mainly lost their mechanical properties. Caprolactone rich scaffolds absorbed no more than 110 wt % of water in 12 weeks and kept their mechanical integrity. Polymer and composite scaffolds prepared with P(CL/DLLA 90/10) matrix and 60 vol % porosity were further analyzed in simulated body fluid and in osteoblast culture. Cell growth was compromised inside the 2 mm thick three-dimensional scaffold specimens as a static culture model was used. However, composite scaffolds with BAG showed increased osteoblast adhesion and mineralization when compared to neat polymer scaffolds.

Relationship between changes in physical activity and plasma insulin during a 2.5-year follow-up study.

The association between changes in physical activity, body weight, and diet and fasting plasma insulin was analyzed in a 2.5-year follow-up study of 146 men aged 50 to 60 years. Physical activity was assessed by a 7-day physical activity recall interview, diet by a 4-day food record, and plasma insulin radioimmunologically. Total physical activity decreased from (mean +/- SD) 45.1 +/- 10.1 to 39.0 +/- 6.1 metabolic equivalent (MET) hours (METh).d-1 and conditioning physical activity (> 5.0 METs) from 8.0 +/- 11.2 to 2.7 +/- 5.0 METh.d-1, whereas plasma insulin increased from 8.2 +/- 5.8 to 9.2 +/- 6.7 mU.L-1 and body weight from 80.5 +/- 12.0 to 81.6 +/- 11.6 kg during the follow-up period (P < or = .001 for all). The change in conditioning physical activity correlated inversely (r = -.34, P < .001) and change in body weight positively (r = .42,P < .001) with the change in plasma insulin level. With data adjusted for the baseline insulin level, cardiovascular health status, alcohol intake, change in body weight, smoking, age, and follow-up time, the odds ratio for an increase in fasting plasma insulin was 8.9 (95% CI, 2.1 to 37.1; P = .003) for men with the greatest decrease in conditioning physical activity (< -7 METh) compared with men who reported an increase in conditioning physical activity. The same logistic regression model showed an odds ratio of 9.9 (95% CI, 2.1 to 45.4; P = .003) for the increase in plasma insulin for subjects who gained more than 3.3 kg body weight compared with subjects who lost at least 0.6 kg. Men who consumed at least 12 g.d-1 alcohol at both examinations had an odds ratio of 12.8 (95% CI, 1.7 to 94.5; P = .012) compared with nondrinkers. These data suggest that in middle-aged men, a reduction in physical activity increases the risk for increased plasma insulin independently of alcohol intake and changes in body weight.

Lack of adverse interactions between concomitantly administered selegiline and citalopram.

We have evaluated the risk for pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic interactions of concomitantly administered selegiline, a selective monoamine oxidase type B inhibitor, and citalopram, a widely used selective serotonin uptake inhibitor antidepressant. Two parallel groups of healthy volunteers received 20 mg of citalopram (n = 12) or placebo (n = 6) once daily for 10 days in a randomized, double-blind fashion, followed by concomitant selegiline 10 mg once daily for 4 days. The safety of this drug combination was assessed by measurements of blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, and inquiries for adverse events. Blood samples were taken for the analysis of serum concentrations of both study drugs and their metabolites and plasma prolactin, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG); urinary excretion of serotonin and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were assessed. After a 5-week washout, the 12 subjects who took citalopram in the first part of the study received 10 mg of selegiline once daily for 4 days to compare the pharmacokinetics of selegiline with and without concomitant citalopram. The safety analysis showed no significant differences in vital signs or the frequency of adverse events between the study groups. Plasma prolactin concentrations were increased by 40% after 10 days' treatment with citalopram (p = 0.03); this was not potentiated by concomitantly administered selegiline. The comparison of plasma concentrations of noradrenaline, adrenaline, and DHPG and the amount of serotonin and 5-HIAA excreted into urine between the study groups indicated no signs of subclinical pharmacodynamic interaction between selegiline and citalopram. The relative bioavailability of selegiline was slightly reduced (by 29%; p = 0.008) when citalopram was coadministered compared with selegiline alone. However, no indication of a pharmacokinetic interaction was found in the analysis of serum concentrations of the three main metabolites of selegiline. The pharmacokinetics of citalopram remained unaffected by concomitant selegiline. The present results indicate lack of clinically relevant pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interactions between selegiline and citalopram.

Pharmacokinetics and safety of deramciclane during multiple oral dosing.

UNLABELLED: Deramciclane is a new putative non-benzodiazepine-type anxiolytic compound. It is a selective serotonin 5-HT(2A) and 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist and has also inverse agonist properties. The aim of this study was to reveal the pharmacokinetics and tolerability of deramciclane during repeated oral dosing in healthy male volunteers. SUBJECTS, MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled design was used. The study had three consecutive groups that received first a single oral dose of 10, 30 and 60 mg of deramciclane followed by twice a day administration for seven days. The total number of subjects was 28. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated for a single dose and after repeated administration. Tolerability was assessed by monitoring safety laboratory variables, electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood pressure and adverse events. RESULTS: The steady-state was reached during the seven-day administration. The pharmacokinetics of deramciclane was dose-proportional at steady-state at each dose level. Deramciclane accumulated about three-fold during repeated administration. The relative bioavailability of deramciclane increased about 1.4-fold compared to that of a single dose at each dose level. The mean elimination half-life of deramciclane for 10, 30 and 60 mg doses prolonged from 24.3, 20.9 and 22.9 h after a single dose to 30.5, 25.6 and 28.7 h at steady-state, respectively. Only few adverse events were reported, all mild and transient in nature. The most frequently reported adverse drug reactions were tiredness and headache. There were no deramciclane-induced changes in the clinical chemistry or hematology variables, blood pressure, heart rate or in electrocardiogram. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the pharmacokinetics of deramciclane is linear over the dose range of 10 - 60 mg at steady-state. The slight non-linearity within the dose levels during repeated administration of seven days was regarded as clinically irrelevant. Deramciclane was safe and well tolerated up to doses of 60 mg b.i.d. for seven days.

Effects of atipamezole--a selective alpha-adrenoceptor antagonist--on cardiac parasympathetic regulation in human subjects.

1 This double-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study on six healthy male volunteers was designed to evaluate the effects of alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonism on cardiac parasympathetic regulation. 2 The subjects received atipamezole intravenously as a three-step infusion, which aimed at steady-state serum concentrations of 10, 30 and 90 ng ml(-1) at 50-min intervals. 3 Drug effects were assessed with repeated recordings of blood pressure and electrocardiogram, in which the high-frequency (0.15-0.40 Hz) R-R interval variation is supposed to reflect cardiac parasympathetic efferent neuronal activity. 4 At the end of the three steps of the infusion, the mean (+/-SD) concentrations of atipamezole were 10.5 (3.9), 26.8 (5.6) and 81.3 (21.1) ng ml(-1). 5 Within this concentration range, atipamezole appeared to reduce slightly the high-frequency R-R interval fluctuations, indicating a minor vagolytic effect in the heart. 6 Atipamezole increased systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, on average by 20 and 14 mmHg (maxima at the second step of the infusion), which evidently reflects an overall sympathetic augmentation.

Effect of cardiac vagal outflow on complexity and fractal correlation properties of heart rate dynamics.

1. Cardiac vagal outflow is the major factor determining the magnitude of heart rate (HR) variability analysed by traditional time and frequency domain methods. New analysis techniques, such as fractal and complexity methods, have been developed to probe non-linear features in HR behaviour that may not be detectable by traditional methods. 2. We investigated the effects of vagal blockade (glycopyrrolate i.v. 5 microg kg-1 h-1 for 2 h, n = 8 vs. unmedicated control group, n = 8) and various breathing patterns (n = 12) on two non-linear measures of HR variability--detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) and approximate entropy (ApEn)--in healthy male volunteers. 3. Glycopyrrolate decreased the mean (+/-SD) ApEn from 1.46 +/- 0.18 to 0.85 +/- 0.24 (P = 0.001 in comparison with the control group), and increased the short-term (alpha 1) and intermediate-term (alpha 2) fractal scaling exponents of DFA, alpha 1 from 0.96 +/- 0.19 to 1.43 +/- 0.29 (P = 0.003) and alpha 2 from 1.13 +/- 0.10 to 1.34 +/- 0.14 (P < 0.001). 4. Decrease in fixed respiration rate from 15 to 6 breaths min-1 increased alpha 1 from 0.83 +/- 0.25 to 1.18 +/- 0.27 (P < 0.001), but decreased alpha 2 from 0.88 +/- 0.09 to 0.45 +/- 0.17 (P < 0.001) and ApEn from 1.26 +/- 0.12 to 1.10 +/- 0.14 (P = 0.028). Rapid breathing (24 min-1) had no influence on these non-linear measures of HR variability. Hyperventilation (15 min-1, tidal volume increased voluntarily by 0.5 l) decreased alpha 1 from 0.83 +/- 0.25 to 0.66 +/- 0.28 (P = 0.002) but did not affect alpha 2 or ApEn. 5. To conclude, vagal blockade alters the fractal scaling properties of R-R intervals (alpha 1, alpha 2) and reduces the complexity (ApEn) of HR behaviour. Both the fractal and complexity measures of HR variability can also be influenced by changes in the breathing pattern.

Carotid atherosclerosis in middle-aged men. Relation to conjugal circumstances and social support.

The purpose of this study was to examine the association of conjugal circumstances and social support with carotid atherosclerosis. The subjects were 212 men randomly selected from those (N = 4,853) aged 50-60 years, living in Kuopio and a nearby residental area in eastern Finland. Social network and support levels were assessed with a structured 34-item questionnaire. Conjugal circumstances were constituted by cohabition or otherwise. Intima media thickness of the carotid artery (IMT) was chosen to designate atherosclerosis, and determined by quantitative B-mode ultrasonography. The analyses showed that the men living alone had greater common carotid (p = 0.008) and carotid bifurcation (p = 0.011) IMT values than their cohabiting counterparts. The differences remained significant even when the confounding factors (age, health status and education level) and potential intervening factors (saturated fat consumption and smoking) were allowed for. Of the social support subindices, strong adequacy of emotional support (p < 0.001) and of the social network subindices, strong social anchorage (p = 0.031) were correlated to increased common carotid IMT. The present data suggest that conjugal circumstances are an independent social factor predicting carotid atherosclerosis.

Social network in relation to plasma fibrinogen.

Consistent findings about the inverse association of social network level with coronary heart disease mortality and morbidity suggest the importance of investigating biological pathways of association. Differences in plasma fibrinogen level were investigated among middle-aged men with weak and strong structural and functional social network ties. Men with low scores in the adequacy of social participation variable (structural) had higher mean values of plasma fibrinogen than those with high scores. The difference remained after adjustment for age, smoking and cardiovascular health status and after possible modifying factors were taken into account, but did not remain significant after allowing for physical fitness. Men with high scores in overall support (functional) had higher plasma fibrinogen levels compared to the men with low scores. This difference persisted after age and cardiovascular health status were taken into account but was explained by smoking. The data suggest that smoking and cardiorespiratory fitness are important mediating or modifying factors between structural and functional aspects of social network ties and plasma fibrinogen.

Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model for the anticholinergic effect of glycopyrrolate.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop and test a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model for the anticholinergic effect of glycopyrrolate in eight healthy male volunteers. METHODS: First, arterial drug concentration (Cp) data after a single intravenous (i.v.) bolus injection (5 micrograms/kg) were individually fitted to a three-compartment PK model. Second, the effect of a 2-h glycopyrrolate i.v. infusion (5 micrograms/kg/h) on the mean R-R interval (RRI) and the Hayano index of the high frequency variability of RRI (HF CCV) was modelled using an effect-compartment, inhibitory sigmoidal Emax model, with the individual PK parameters from the first part as constants. Third, the developed model was tested using a computer-driven infusion which aimed at two ascending steady-state effect-site concentrations (Ce) at 1-h intervals, corresponding to 20% and 80% of the maximal effect (Emax) observed in the second part. RESULTS: Modeling of the HF CCV data yielded the following mean (+/- SD) estimates: concentration at 50% of Emax (EC50), 2.46 +/- 0.58 ng/ml, equilibration half-time (t1/2 ke0), 42.5 +/- 7.7 min, and sigmoidicity factor (gamma), 7.26 +/- 2.82. The corresponding values for RRI data were 2.79 +/- 0.52 ng/ml, 58.3 +/- 17.2 min, and 4.75 +/- 1.56. During the computer-controlled two-step infusion (performed using HF CCV as the effect variable), the measured Cp approached the targeted Ce in most of the subjects, while the observed effect appeared to surpass the targeted levels. CONCLUSION: Although we were able to develop individual PK-PD models for glycopyrrolate, maintaining a stable anticholinergic effect in the computer-driven infusion appeared to be difficult. This is probably due to intra-individual variability in the PK-PD parameters and the extremely steep concentration-effect relationship of glycopyrrolate.

Validity assessment of a social support index.

The purpose of this study was to reevaluate the psychometric properties of the social support sumindex used earlier in a Swedish longitudinal study. The results based on the data of a cross-sectional survey in 1992. A randomly selected cohort consisted of 212 men, aged 50 to 60 years. The population sample (n = 4853) was resident in Kuopio Province, Eastern Finland. The 34-item-index was stable. Item-total and item-item coefficients showed low internal consistency of the overall index and of most of the subindices. The index had good content validity. Limited evidence of construct validity was noticed. Index assessed well person's social network and support level, and association between the blood pressure and some of the subindices was noticed. The eight underlying subindices did not emerge in factor analysis. Before further using this index we propose its shortening with six items and re-grouping items into subindices.

Positive and negative life changes and LDL cholesterol.

Epidemiological studies have revealed that stressful changes in social environment increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality. In this study, the influence of major negative and positive life changes on serum cholesterol was examined in middle-aged men to determine a possible biochemical link between life changes and cardiovascular mortality. The results showed no influence of negative life changes on serum cholesterols. However, positive life changes significantly predicted a reduction in total and LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels after adjustment for the baseline cardiovascular health status, baseline cholesterol level, diet, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and cardiorespiratory fitness. The odds ratio for lowering LDL cholesterol was 5.2 in the men reporting positive events compared with those reporting none. The findings suggest a predictive value of positive life changes for atherogenic lipid profile in middle-aged men.

Dose linearity study of selegiline pharmacokinetics after oral administration: evidence for strong drug interaction with female sex steroids.

AIMS: The purpose of this study was to characterize the dose relationship of selegline and desmethylselegiline pharmacokinetics within the selegiline dose range from 5 to 40 mg. METHODS: Eight female subjects, of whom four were using oral contraceptives, ingested a single dose of 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg or 40 mg of selegiline HCl in an open four-period randomized study. Concentrations of selegiline and desmethlylselegiline in serum were measured by gas chromatography for 5 h. As it became evident that the use of oral steroids had a drastic effect on selegiline concentrations, the pharmacokinetic analyses were performed separately for oral contraceptive users and those not receiving any concomitant medication. RESULTS: The total AUC and Cmax of selegiline were 10-to 20-fold higher in those subjects taking oral steroids compared with subjects with no concomitant medication; this finding was consistent and statistically significant at all the four dose levels. The dose linearity of selegiline pharmacokinetics failed to be demonstrated in both groups. The AUC and Cmax of desmethylselegiline were only moderately higher (about 1.5-fold; P=NS at each dose level) in the subjects taking oral steroids than in those not receiving concomitant medication. The AUC values of desmethylselegiline increased in a dose linear manner in subjects with no concomitant medication, but not in the oral steroid group. The metabolic ratio (AUC(desmethylselegiline)/AUC(selegiline)) was several-fold lower in the group receiving oral steroids compared with the no-concomitant-medication group (P<0.005 at all the four dose levels). CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant use of oral contraceptives caused a drastic (20-fold) increase in the oral bioavailability of selegiline. The highly significant difference in the metabolic ratio between the groups provides evidence that the mechanism of the interaction between selegiline and female sex steroids involves reduced T-demethylation of selegiline. The present results suggest that concomitant use of selegiline with exogenous female sex steroids should be avoided or the dosage of selegiline should be reduced in order to minimize the risks of selegiline related adverse drug reactions.

Reversal of the sedative and sympatholytic effects of dexmedetomidine with a specific alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist atipamezole: a pharmacodynamic and kinetic study in healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: Specific and selective alpha2-adrenergic drugs are widely exploited in veterinary anesthesiology. Because alpha2-agonists are also being introduced to human practice, the authors studied reversal of a clinically relevant dexmedetomidine dose with atipamezole, an alpha2-antagonist, in healthy persons. METHODS: The study consisted of two parts. In an open dose-finding study (part 1), the intravenous dose of atipamezole to reverse the sedative effects of 2.5 microg/kg of dexmedetomidine given intramuscularly was determined (n = 6). Part 2 was a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomized cross-over study in which three doses of atipamezole (15, 50, and 150 microg/kg given intravenously in 2 min) or saline were administered 1 h after dexmedetomidine at 1-week intervals (n = 8). Subjective vigilance and anxiety, psychomotor performance, hemodynamics, and saliva secretion were determined, and plasma catecholamines and serum drug concentrations were measured for 7 h. RESULTS: The mean +/- SD atipamezole dose needed in part 1 was 104+/-44 microg/kg. In part 2, dexmedetomidine induced clear impairments of vigilance and psychomotor performance that were dose dependently reversed by atipamezole (P < 0.001). Complete resolution of sedation was evident after the highest (150 microg/kg) dose, and the degree of vigilance remained high for 7 h. Atipamezole dose dependently reversed the reductions in blood pressure (P < 0.001) and heart rate (P = 0.009). Changes in saliva secretion and plasma catecholamines were similarly biphasic (i.e., they decreased after dexmedetomidine followed by dose-dependent restoration after atipamezole). Plasma norepinephrine levels were, however, increased considerably after the 150 microg/kg dose of atipamezole. The pharmacokinetics of atipamezole were linear, and elimination half-lives for both drugs were approximately 2 h. Atipamezole did not affect the disposition of dexmedetomidine. One person had symptomatic sinus arrest, and another had transient bradycardia approximately 3 h after receiving dexmedetomidine. CONCLUSIONS: The sedative and sympatholytic effects of intramuscular dexmedetomidine were dose dependently antagonized by intravenous atipamezole. The applied infusion rate (75 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)) for the highest atipamezole dose was, however, too fast, as evident by transient sympathoactivation. Similar elimination half-lives of these two drugs are a clear advantage considering the possible clinical applications.

The effects of glycopyrrolate on oral mucous host defenses in healthy volunteers.

UNLABELLED: We studied the effects of glycopyrrolate on oral mucous host defenses. Single IV doses of glycopyrrolate (4 microg/kg) or placebo were administered to 12 healthy volunteers in a randomized, double-blinded, cross-over study. Salivary flow rates and the concentrations/activities of total protein, amylase, and nonimmunologic (lysozyme, lactoferrin, myeloperoxidase, total salivary peroxidase, and thiocyanate) and immunologic (total immunoglobulin A, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin M) mucous host defense factors were determined for paraffin-stimulated whole saliva before and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after drug administration. Glycopyrrolate serum concentrations were determined before and 2, 4, 6, 10, 15, and 30 min and 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after IV drug injection. Salivary flow rates were decreased significantly for 12 h after glycopyrrolate injection, compared with saline injection. The concentrations of immunologic and nonimmunologic defense factors were increased in the glycopyrrolate group, and differences between the groups were found for all factors (P < 0.05-0.001) except lysozyme and total salivary peroxidase. In contrast, because of the reduced flow rate, the output of all defense factors into the saliva was decreased after glycopyrrolate injection, compared with saline injection. Glycopyrrolate thus decreases the output of salivary host defense factors into the oral cavity. IMPLICATIONS: Glycopyrrolate induces long-lasting hyposalivation and decreases the secretion of salivary immunologic and nonimmunologic defense factors in healthy volunteers.

Spectral analysis of heart rate variability as a quantitative measure of parasympatholytic effect--integrated pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of three anticholinergic drugs.

The time course and concentration-effect relationship of parasympatholytic effects of three anticholinergic drugs were investigated using spectral analysis of heart rate (HR) variability. Single intravenous (i.v.) doses of atropine (10 microg/kg), glycopyrrolate (5 microg/kg), scopolamine (5 microg/kg), and placebo were given to eight healthy volunteers in a double-blind, randomized cross-over study. Electrocardiogram (ECG) was recorded at baseline and 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes, and 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours after drug administration, while the subjects breathed at a fixed 0.25 Hz frequency. The powers of two frequency bands (low frequency [LF] = 0.07-0.15 Hz and high frequency [HF] = 0.15-0.40 Hz) were calculated using stationary time series of R-R intervals (RRI) free from ectopic beats. To perform pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modeling, venous plasma drug concentrations were measured. Atropine and glycopyrrolate, and, to a lesser extent, scopolamine induced decreases in HF power and increases in LF/HF ratio of HR variability, indicating parasympatholytic activity and corresponding changes in sympathovagal balance. Maximal average decreases in HF power were 99%, 94%, and 82%, respectively, but in two scopolamine subjects, a parasympathomimetic effect was dominant. Interindividual variability was least for the Hayano index of HF power (square root (RRI HF-power)/RRI*100), and profound and consistent decreases were seen after atropine and glycopyrrolate. Pharmacokinetics were best fitted to a two-compartment open model, and effect compartment link modeling using the Hayano index was performed with the atropine and glycopyrrolate data. The best description of the PK-PD relationship for both drugs was achieved using the sigmoidal Emax model. Mean (+/-SD) EC50, sigmoidicity factor (gamma), and equilibration rate constant (k(e0)) estimates were 1.35 (+/-0.27) ng/mL, 6.07 (+/-1.98) and 11.0 (+/-5.28) l/h for atropine and 1.35 (+/-0.49) ng/mL, 4.34 (+/-1.55) and 2.26 (+/-0.81) l/h for glycopyrrolate. Spectral analysis of HR variability appears to be a powerful tool in monitoring parasympatholytic drug activity. A sigmoidal Emax model with an extremely steep concentration-response relationship was revealed for atropine and glycopyrrolate. The effects of scopolamine were more incongruous.

A site-directed mutagenesis study of Saccharomyces cerevisiae pyrophosphatase. Functional conservation of the active site of soluble inorganic pyrophosphatases.

We report the expression and initial characterization of 19 active-site variants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase), including measurements of thermostability, oligomeric structure and specific activity at pH 7.2. 13 of the 19 conservative substitutions resulted in at least a fivefold decrease in activity, indicating that these residues are important for yeast PPase catalysis. The E58D, D117E, D120E and D152E variants had no activity under the conditions tested, suggesting that Glu58, Asp117, Asp120 and Asp152 may have crucial roles in catalysis. The effects of the mutations on catalytic activity were very similar to those observed with the corresponding variants of Escherichia coli PPase, proving conclusively that the active site and mechanism of soluble PPases are conserved. The D71E variant was more thermostable and the K56R, R78K, D115E and K154R variants were more thermolabile than the wild-type enzyme, whereas subunit:subunit interactions were somewhat weakened by the K56R, R78K, Y89F and K154R substitutions. These results suggest that Lys56, Asp71, Arg78, Tyr89, Asp115 and Lys154 are structurally important for yeast PPase.

Porous bioactive glass matrix in reconstruction of articular osteochondral defects.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: This study was carried out to investigate the use of porous bioactive glass implants in promotion of articular cartilage and subchondral bone repair in large osteochondral joint defects. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two conical osteochondral defects (top diameter 3.0-3.2 mm) were drilled into the patellar grooves of the distal femurs in the rabbit. The defects, extending (approximately 6-7 mm) from the surface of the articular cartilage to the subchondral marrow space, were reconstructed with size-matched porous conical implants made of sintered bioactive glass microspheres (microsphere diameter 250-300 microm, structural implant compression strength 20-25 MPa) using press-fit technique. The implant surface was smoothened to the level of the surrounding articular cartilage. One of the two defects in each femur was left empty to heal naturally and to serve as the control. At 8 weeks, the defect healing was analyzed with use of a semiquantitative histological grading system, histomorphometry of subchondral bone repair, back-scattered electron imaging of scanning electron microscopy (BEI-SEM), and a microindentation test for characterization for the stiffness properties of the cartilage repair tissue. RESULTS: The porous structure of the bioactive glass implants, extending from the articular defect of the patellar groove into the posterior cortex of the femur, was extensively filled by new bone. Cartilage repair varied from near-complete healing by hyaline cartilage to incomplete healing predominantly by fibrocartilage or fibrous tissue. There were, however, no statistical differences in the histological scores of repair between the glass-filled and control defects, although the sum of the averages of each category was lowest for the bioactive glass filled defects. The indentation stiffness values of all the defects were also significantly lower than that of normal cartilage on the patellar groove. CONCLUSIONS: Porous textures made by sintering bioactive glass microspheres may expand the opportunities in reconstruction of deep osteochondral defects of weight-bearing joints. The implants act mechanically as a supporting scaffold and facilitate the penetration of stromal bone marrow cells and their chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation. Ionic properties of the bioactive glasses make the substances highly potential even as delivery systems for adjunct growth factor therapy.

Time domain, geometrical and frequency domain analysis of cardiac vagal outflow: effects of various respiratory patterns.

The purpose of this study was to compare the applicability of four different measures of heart rate variability (HRV) in the assessment of cardiac vagal outflow, with special reference to the effect of breathing pattern. The anticholinergic effects of an intravenous glycopyrrolate infusion (5 microg x kg(-1) x h(-1) for 2 h) during spontaneous and controlled (15 min(-1)) breathing rate were investigated in eight volunteers, and the effects of different fixed breathing rates (6-15-24 min(-1)) and hyperventilation in 12 subjects. Cardiac vagal activity was assessed by ECG recordings in which the following measures of HRV were computed: the high-frequency (HF) spectral component, the instantaneous RR interval (RRI) variability (SD1) analysed from the Poincaré plots, the percentage of differences between successive RRIs greater than 50 ms (pNN50), and the square root of the mean squared differences of successive RRIs (RMSSD). On average, glycopyrrolate reduced the HF spectral component by 99.8%, SD1 by 91.3%, pNN50 by 100% and RMSSD by 97.0%. The change of breathing pattern from controlled to spontaneous decreased significantly the HF component and pNN50, but did not affect SD1 or RMSSD. Rapid breathing rate (24 min(-1)) decreased the HF component, but had no effects on the other measures. A controlled breathing rate is needed for a reliable assessment of cardiac vagal outflow by the spectral analysis technique. The quantitative geometrical analysis of short-term RRI variability from the Poincaré plots and the time domain measure RMSSD were not significantly affected by changes in the breathing rate, suggesting that these indices are more suitable for the measurement of cardiac vagal outflow during the 'free-running' ambulatory conditions.