Performance profile of NCAA Division I men's basketball games and training sessions.

This study aimed to analyse live and stoppage time phases, their ratio, and action played on half and full court in college basketball games. Differences were assessed for the entire games and between halves. Moreover, differences of the live/stoppage time ratio were analysed between games and game-based conditioning drills. Ten games as well as fifteen defensive, fourteen offensive and six scrimmage-type drills of the same division I men's college team (13 players) were analysed using time-motion analysis technique. Live and stoppage time were classified in five classes of duration: 1-20, 21-40, 41-60, 61-80, >80 seconds. Half court actions started and finished in the same half court. Full court actions were classified as transfer (TR) phases when at least 3 teammates crossed the mid-court line. TR phases were then classified in 5 classes of frequency: 1TR, 2TR, 3TR, 4TR, and >4TR. The results revealed no statistically significant differences between games or between halves for the considered parameters. The only significant difference was observed for live/stoppage time ratio between halves (p<0.001). Furthermore, a significant difference of the live/stoppage ratio was found between games and game-based drills (p<0.01). Post-hoc analysis demonstrated significant differences of scrimmage-type drills in comparison to games, and defensive and offensive drills (p<0.05), whereas no differences emerged for the other pairwise comparisons. The absence of differences between games in the analysed parameters might be important to characterize the model of performance in division I men's college games. Furthermore, these results encourage coaches to use game-based conditioning drills to replicate the LT/ST ratio documented during games.

The proto-oncogene/translation factor eIF4E: a survey of its expression in breast carcinomas.

The eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF-4E binds to the cap structure of mRNAs as one component of the eIF-4 translation initiation complex, which mediates the recruitment of mRNA to the ribosomes. Overexpression of eIF-4E can result in oncogenic transformation and uncontrolled growth of mammalian cells, presumably by facilitating the expression of growth-control gene products which are normally translationally repressed. Whereas the mechanism of eIF-4E-mediated transformation is being actively pursued, clinical investigations into the expression of eIF-4E in prevalent human cancers are lacking. We have recently initiated a screen of breast carcinomas by probing with eIF-4E antiserum. Using Western blots, we have analyzed the level of eIF-4E in 38 carcinomas, 7 normal samples and 3 fibroadenomas. We found that eIF-4E was elevated 3- to 10-fold in virtually all the carcinomas we analyzed, but not in fibroadenomas. This analysis was also confirmed by immunohistological staining in situ, showing that overexpression of eIF-4E can be readily identified at the single-cell level. Our results suggest that an elevation of eIF-4E may be an essential component in the development of breast cancer.

Internal thoracoplasty. A new procedure.

STUDY DESIGN: The efficacy of performing a thoracoplasty from within the thoracotomy during anterior surgery for scoliosis was investigated. OBJECTIVES: Patients were prospectively studied to determine the possible complications and morbidity of the procedure, and were compared to a similar group of patients that previously underwent same-day anterior and posterior procedures for scoliosis, but without thoracoplasty. Description of the technique is presented. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The seven study patients had uneventful intra- and post-operative courses. For the posterior procedure (CD instrumentation), only morselized rib graft was used, obviating the need for iliac graft. RESULTS: There was no greater rate or additional types of complications in the study group compared to the control group, except one additional day of thoracotomy tube retention. CONCLUSIONS: When same day anterior and posterior procedures are to be performed for scoliosis, internal thoracoplasty is indicated, as a source of autogenous bone and for cosmesis.

Surveying University of Arizona students' health.

The authors sampled more than 600 University of Arizona students to determine how student attitudes, beliefs, and practices should be considered by healthcare personnel in planning campus health education programs. The survey found that students worried more about diet, exercise, and weight than they did about more serious health problems and that, although generally positive and optimistic, the students frequently felt anxious and overwhelmed. Two thirds of the students were sexually active, 74% of those who were active used various contraceptive methods. More than three quarters of those surveyed indicated they currently drank alcoholic beverages; one quarter of the drinkers said they frequently downed three or more drinks on one occasion, and 44% of the drinkers reported driving while under the influence of alcohol.

Production of 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde from glycerol.

3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde is a precursor to acrolein, which can be used as an intermediate for making acrylic acid and a variety of other useful industrial chemicals. Conversion of glycerol, a renewable resource, to 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde was attempted via action of glycerol dehydrase isolated from Lactobacillus sp. strain NRRL B-1720. This method, however, was unsatisfactory because enzyme activity was lost within 60 to 90 min after the reaction initiation. Fermentation of glycerol by whole cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae NRRL B-199 in the presence of optimal semicarbazide hydrochloride proved more effective. Using this technique, glycerol solutions of 30 g/liter yielded 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde solutions of 13.1 g/liter. Thus, a conversion efficiency equal to 55% of the theoretical maximum was realized.

Beta-Amylase Production by Bacillus polymyxa on a Corn Steep-Starch-Salts Medium.

Bacteria were found that are capable of producing good yields of beta-amylase in unrefined media. The culture filtrates are free of alpha-amylase and isoamylase.

Electrophysiological and pharmacological properties of glial cells associated with the medial giant axon of the crayfish with implications four neuron-glial cell interactions.

Schwann-like glial cells surrounding the medial giant axon of the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) were impaled with glass microelectrodes to study their responses to cholinomimetics, cholinergic receptor blockers and ouabain. Axon electrical properties were simultaneously monitored. Glial cells have a low membrane potential compared to the axon; -42 mV and -85 mV, respectively. Acetylcholine, carbachol and nicotine hyperpolarized the glial cells but did not affect the axon steady-state or active membrane potentials. The action of the cholinergics was completely blocked by d-tubocurarine and alpha-bungarotoxin. Ouabain hyperpolarized the glial cell but depolarized the axon. Tubocurarine blocked the ouabain hyperpolarization but not the delayed depolarization of the glia cell or the axon. It is concluded that ouabain causes the release of acetylcholine from the glial cell-axon preparation, inducing the glial hyperpolarization. Studies of the axon-glial cell interaction suggest that a function of the glial cell is to actively modulate the periaxonal potassium concentration on a signal from the axon. Periaxonal potassium can strongly affect axon membrane potential through electrogenic Na transport, modifying axon signalling properties.

An electrophysiological analysis of the anticonvulsant action of cannabidiol on limbic seizures in conscious rats.

The effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on electrically evoked kindled seizures were studied in conscious, unrestrained rats with chronically implanted cortical and limbic electrodes, and the results were compared with those of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta 9-THC), phenytoin (PHT), and ethosuximide (ESM). All drugs were anticonvulsant, but there were marked differences in their effects on afterdischarge (AD) threshold, duration, and amplitude. CBD, like PHT and delta 9-THC, elevated the AD threshold; in contrast, ESM decreased the threshold but suppressed AD spread. CBD, however, also resembled ESM inasmuch as both drugs decreased AD duration and amplitude. Electrophysiologically, the antiseizure effects of CBD were a combination of those of PHT and ESM. The combination of effects may account for the observation that CBD was the most efficacious of the drugs tested against limbic ADs and convulsions. Other properties of CBD were also noted: For example, compared with delta 9-THC, it is a much more selective anticonvulsant vis-à-vis motor toxicity. CBD also lacks the CNS excitatory effects produced by delta 9-THC, PHT, and ESM. These characteristics, combined with its apparently unique set of electrophysiological properties, support the suggestion that CBD has therapeutic potential as an antiepileptic.

Effects of cannabinoids on the perfused rat heart.

In the isolated perfused rat heart cardiac rate and contractility are directly affected by four naturally occurring cannabis constituents, delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol, delta8-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabinol and cannabidiol. All the drugs depressed myocardial contractility. Their effect on rate, however, was not uniform: delta8-Tetrahydrocannabinol produced cardiac arrhythmias but no other consistent change; both delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabinol caused tachycardia; but cannabidiol produced bradycardia, arrhythmias and asystole. In addition, as a consequent of the dispostion of the cannabinoids to accumulate in the isolated heart, high tissue concentrations appeared in conjunction with the direct cardiac effects.

Exoenzymic activity of alpha-amylase immobilized on a phenol-formaldehyde resin.

Amylose and amylopectin from two starch sources were partially degraded by alpha-amylase immobilized on a phenol-formaldehyde resin. The degradation products were fractioned by gel-permeation chromatography and high-pressure, liquid chromatography. Two distinct fractions were obtained from tapioca amylose. One is a fragment having a molecular weight exceeding 200,000, and the other consists of oligosaccharides of low molecular weight with a degree of polymerization of 1-8. In contrast, treatment of tapioca amylose with soluble alpha-amylase produces a single fraction, nearly all of which has a molecular weight of less than 35,000, with only traces of small oligosaccharides detectable by high-pressure, liquid chromatography. Even wider differences were observed in degradation products from tapioca amylopectin. Similar activity-patterns were obtained with immobilized and soluble enzyme, using corn amylose and corn amylopectin as substrates. Immobilization of alpha-amylase on the resin apparently restricts the activity of the enzyme to the ends of the starch molecules, making it appear to be limited to exoenzymic activity.

Alpha-galactosidase production and use in a hollow-fiber reactor.

Soybean milk serves as a base for a variety of beverages designed for consumption in developing countries. Soybean flour contains raffinose and stachyose considered to be responsible for flatulence often associated with these products (J.J. Rackis, D.H. Honig, D.J. Sessa, and F.R. Steggerda, 1970). alpha-Galactosidase, produced on wheat bran, hydrolyzes the galactooligosaccharides of soybean milk.

Properties of D-xylose isomerase from Streptomyces albus.

A partially purified D-xylose isomerase has been isolated from cells of Streptomyces albus NRRL 5778 and some of its properties have been determined. D-Glucose, D-xylose, D-ribose, L-arabinose, and L-rhamnose served as substrates for the enzyme with respective Km values of 86, 93, 350, 153, and 312 mM and Vmax values measuring 1.23, 2.9, 2.63, 0.153, and 0.048 mumol min per mg of protein. The hexose D-allose was also isomerized. The enzyme was strongly activated by 1.0 mM Mg2+ but only partially activated by 1.0 mM Co2+. The respective Km values for Mg2+ and Co2+ were 0.3 and 0.003 mM. Mg2+ and Co2+ appear to have separate binding sites on the isomerase. These cations also protect the enzyme from thermal denaturation and from D-sorbitol inhibition. The optimum temperature for ketose formation was 70 to 80 C at pH values ranging from 7 to 9. D-Sorbitol acts as a competitive inhibitor with a Ki of 5.5 mM against D-glucose, D-xylose, and D-ribose. Induction experiments, Mg2+ activation, and D-sorbitol inhibition indicated that a single enzyme (D-xylose isomerase) was responsible for the isomerization of the pentoses, methyl pentose, and glucose.

Patterns of action of glucoamylase isozymes from Aspergillus species on glycogen.

Glucoamylase isozymes from black Aspergillus species have been freed of all traces of alpha-amylase by chromatography on Bio-Gel P-100, as evidenced by limited hydrolysis of oxidized amylose. Glucoamylase I retains its ability to hydrolyze rabbit-liver glycogen rapidly. By contrast, glucoamylase II hydrolyzes glycogen slowly, and addition of alpha-amylase to glucoamylase II does not enhance its activity toward glycogen. These results indicate that alpha-amylase is not involved in hydrolysis of glycogen by glucoamylase.

Rapid regulation of an anthranilate synthase aggregate by hysteresis.

The anthranilate synthase aggregate from Bacillus subtilis is composed of two nonidentical subunits, denoted E and X, which are readily associated or dissociated. A complex of subunit E and X can utilize glutamine or ammonia as substrates in the formation of anthranilate. Partially purified subunit E is capable of using only ammonia as the amide donor in the anthranilate synthase reaction. The stability of the EX complex is strongly influenced by glutamine and by the concentrations of the subunits. Glutamine stabilizes the aggregate as a molecular species in which the velocity of the glutamine-reactive anthranilate synthase is a linear function of protein concentration. In the absence of glutamine the aggregate is readily dissociated following dilution of the extract; that is, velocity concaves upward as a function of increasing protein concentration. Reassociation of the EX complex is characterized by a velocity lag (or hysteretic response) before steady-state velocity for the glutamine-reactive anthranilate synthase is reached. We propose that association and dissociation of the anthranilate synthase aggregate may be physiologically significant and provide a control mechanism whereby repression or derepression causes disproportionate losses or gains in activity by virtue of protein-protein interactions between subunits E and X.