Retention of gait stability improvements over 1.5 years in older adults: effects of perturbation exposure and triceps surae neuromuscular exercise.

The plantarflexors play a crucial role in recovery from sudden disturbances to gait. The objective of this study was to investigate whether medium (months)- or long(years)-term exercise-induced enhancement of triceps surae (TS) neuromuscular capacities affects older adults' ability to retain improvements in reactive gait stability during perturbed walking acquired from perturbation training sessions. Thirty-four adult women (65 ± 7 yr) were recruited to a perturbation training group ( n = 13) or a group that additionally completed 14 wk of TS neuromuscular exercise ( n = 21), 12 of whom continued with the exercise for 1.5 yr. The margin of stability (MoS) was analyzed at touchdown of the perturbed step and the first recovery step following eight separate unexpected trip perturbations during treadmill walking. TS muscle-tendon unit mechanical properties and motor skill performance were assessed with ultrasonography and dynamometry. Two perturbation training sessions (baseline and after 14 wk) caused an improvement in the reactive gait stability to the perturbations (increased MoS) in both groups. The perturbation training group retained the reactive gait stability improvements acquired over 14 wk and over 1.5 yr, with a minor decay over time. Despite the improvements in TS capacities in the additional exercise group, no benefits for the reactive gait stability following perturbations were identified. Therefore, older adults' neuromotor system shows rapid plasticity to repeated unexpected perturbations and an ability to retain these adaptations in reactive gait stability over a long time period, but an additional exercise-related enhancement of TS capacities seems not to further improve these effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Older adults' neuromotor system shows rapid plasticity to repeated exposure to unexpected perturbations to gait and an ability to retain the majority of these adaptations in reactive recovery responses over a prolonged time period of 1.5 yr. However, an additional exercise-related enhancement of TS neuromuscular capacities is not necessarily transferred to the recovery behavior during unexpected perturbations to gait in older adults.

Ceruloplasmin expression in rat liver cells is attenuated by insulin: role of FoxO transcription factors.

The phosphoinositide 3'-kinase (PI3 K)/Akt pathway controls the activity of a number of proteins important in the regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation. FoxO (forkhead box, class O) transcription factors, substrates of the Ser/Thr kinase Akt, control the expression of several target genes that are crucial to the defense against oxidative stress, the regulation of cell cycle, and apoptosis in mammalian cells. Here, expression of ceruloplasmin (CP), the major copper-containing protein in blood released by the liver, was investigated. We observed a significant downregulation of CP mRNA levels after insulin treatment in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells. The PI3K inhibitor wortmannin counteracted this insulin effect on CP mRNA levels, indicating that the PI3K/Akt cascade is involved in the regulation of CP expression. Stimulation of FoxO1 was induced in H4IIE rat hepatoma cells expressing a conditionally active FoxO1 construct, resulting in significant upregulation of CP mRNA levels. This upregulation was prevented in the presence of insulin. In parallel, mRNAs of established FoxO target genes were analyzed: like CP mRNA, selenoprotein P and glucose 6-phosphatase mRNAs were upregulated by FoxO1, which was prevented by insulin. The same effects of insulin on CP mRNA levels were detected in primary rat hepatocytes. Furthermore, CP release into cell culture media was analyzed with primary hepatocytes and found to be attenuated by insulin. In line with its insulin-mimetic effects on cultured cells, Cu (2+) imitated the effect of insulin on CP expression and caused a downregulation of CP mRNA levels in rat hepatoma cells.

Keeping laying hens in furnished cages and an aviary housing system enhances their bone stability.

1. Tibia and humerus breaking strength of Lohmann Silver hybrids kept in conventional cages, furnished cages and an aviary with outdoor run were examined in two production cycles. Each trial lasted a full laying period; feeding, management and healthcare were identical for all hens. In both trials bone strength was investigated at the end of laying months 6, 9 and 14. 2. The objective was to determine if bone strength increases when hens are kept in alternative housing systems, especially in furnished cages, and whether hen age affects bone stability. 3. The results indicated that housing system influenced bone breaking strength, which was consistently higher for hens in the aviary compared to hens in conventional and furnished cages. Furthermore, humerus breaking strength was higher for hens in furnished cages compared to conventional cages. No significant difference regarding tibia breaking strength was found between conventional and furnished cages. 4. Our results showed that lack of exercise contributed to the problem of weak bones more than did calcium depletion from eggshell formation. 5. Tibia breaking strength increased during the last third of the production cycle, whereas humerus breaking strength remained unaffected by hen age. 6. Genetic group affected only tibial bone breaking strength, which was lower overall in genetic group A than in group B, which in turn was lower than group C. 7. The increased bone strength in the aviary and in the furnished cages probably reduced the incidence of recently broken bones in these systems compared to the conventional cages. This increase in bone strength can be regarded as an improvement in welfare. Furnished cages, like the aviary system, might be considered an alternative housing system for laying hens, because both resulted in enhanced bone strength.

Effects of UV-B on the growth pattern of bovine passage I and II lens epithelial cells in vitro.

To further evaluate the pivotal role of epithelial cell proliferation in lens homeostasis, this study compares the principles of regional growth control in central and preequatorial bovine lens epithelial cells in culture. Central lens epithelial cells do not proliferate in vivo while preequatorial cells do. In tissue culture, both central and preequatorial cells proliferate, albeit at different rates. At all stages investigated, nonirradiated passage I central cells proliferated less extensively when compared to the preequatorial cells. In contrast, central passage II cells showed a higher proliferation rate than peripheral cells until day 7, when the situation reversed. UV-B radiation led to a dose-dependent reduction of cell proliferation but did not change the principle cytokinetic differences between central and peripheral cells in passage I cells. Under all circumstances, passage I cells grew more intensively than their passage II counterparts. Data on origin-related differences in cell proliferation of cultured lens epithelial cells suggests growth control features other than just the regionally limited expression of growth factor receptors in the preequatorial extracellular matrix and cell membranes. Investigations are seen as an important step towards a better understanding of the features underlying regional proliferation control and its impairments, at least in lens epithelial cells.

Comparison between Topcon SL-45 and SL-45B with different correction methods for factors influencing Scheimpflug examination.

Topcon Tokyo manufactured the first series of SL-45 in 1980 and a second in 1982/83, which were completed in Bonn with all technical improvements developed so far. In 1987, the SL-45B was manufactured which included all previously added improvements. To compare both camera types, we carried out a test with 10 volunteers and the following technical variables for the SL-45: (1) miosis; (2) mydriasis; (3) flashbulb 1; (4) flashbulb 2; (5) film batch 1; (6) film batch 2, and (7) different types of film. Afterwards, 5 of these volunteers were photographed with the SL-45B. Photographer and reader were identical in all cases. Based on microdensitometry it could be demonstrated that, with the exception of a different film type, all variables can be compensated for by using the corneal peak as an external standard.

In vivo evaluation of epikeratophakia lenses by means of Scheimpflug photography.

The recovery of clarity in frozen, lyophilized human tissue lenticules used for epikeratophakia has been a matter of controversy. According to some authors, several months are necessary for the lenticules to resume normal transparency; others report clinical experience of much shorter times. Up to now, objective documentation of such findings has not been substantiated. We used a Topcon LS-45 camera to photograph four eyes that underwent epikeratophakia, preoperatively and at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after surgery, and analyzed the film negatives by linear microdensitometry. The degree of film blackening, that is the density of the tissue, was expressed graphically by peaks of various height measured in millimeters. Best spectacle corrected Snellen visual acuity was also recorded. Similar measurements of corneal transparency were performed in 20 healthy adult volunteers whose best corrected spectacle visual acuity was 20/20. In the four operated eyes, (two keratoconus, one aphakia, and one myopia), the light scattering was increased in both the host cornea and the donor lenticule. The lenticule had a considerably increased light scattering in all patients at both 2 and 4 weeks after surgery, but was comparable to that of unoperated corneas in three of four patients at 6 weeks.