Combination of hyperoxia and a right-shifted HbO2 dissociation curve delays V̇o2 kinetics during maximal contractions in isolated muscle.

Acute enhancement of peripheral O2 diffusion may accelerate skeletal muscle O2 uptake (V̇o2) kinetics and lessen fatigue during transitions from rest to maximal contractions. Surgically isolated canine gastrocnemius muscles in situ (n = 6) were studied during transitions from rest to 4 min of electrically stimulated isometric tetanic contractions at V̇o2peak, in two conditions: normoxia (CTRL) and hyperoxia ([Formula: see text] = 1.00) + administration of a drug (RSR-13), which right shifts the Hb-O2 dissociation curve (Hyperoxia + RSR-13). Before and during contractions, muscles were pump-perfused with blood at constant elevated flow ([Formula: see text]) and infused with the vasodilator adenosine. Arterial ([Formula: see text]) and muscle venous ([Formula: see text]) O2 concentrations were determined at rest and at 5- to 7-s intervals during contractions; V̇o2 was calculated as [Formula: see text]·([Formula: see text] - [Formula: see text]). Po2 at 50% of Hb saturation (standard P50) and mean microvascular Po2 ([Formula: see text]) were calculated by the Hill equation and a numerical integration technique. P50 [42 ± 7 (means ± SD) mmHg vs. 33 ± 2 mmHg, P = 0.02] and [Formula: see text] (218 ± 73 mmHg vs. 49 ± 4 mmHg, P = 0.003) were higher in Hyperoxia + RSR-13. Muscle force and fatigue were not different in the two conditions. V̇o2 kinetics (monoexponential fitting) were unexpectedly slower in Hyperoxia + RSR-13, due to a longer time delay (TD) [9.9 ± 1.7 s vs. 4.4 ± 2.2 s (P = 0.001)], whereas the time constant (τ) was not different [13.7 ± 4.3 s vs. 12.3 ± 1.9 s (P = 0.37)]; the mean response time (TD + τ) was longer in Hyperoxia + RSR-13 [23.6 ± 3.5 s vs. 16.7 ± 3.2 s (P = 0.003)]. Increased O2 availability deriving, in Hyperoxia + RSR-13, from higher [Formula: see text] and from presumably greater intramuscular O2 stores did not accelerate the primary component of the V̇o2 kinetics, and delayed the metabolic activation of oxidative phosphorylation.NEW & NOTEWORTHY In isolated perfused skeletal muscle, during transitions from rest to V̇o2peak, hyperoxia and a right-shifted oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve increased O2 availability by increasing microvascular Po2 and by presumably increasing intramuscular O2 stores. The interventions did not accelerate the primary component of the V̇o2 kinetics (as calculated from blood O2 unloading) and delayed the metabolic activation of oxidative phosphorylation. V̇o2 kinetics appear to be mainly controlled by intramuscular factors related to the use of high-energy "buffers."

Cereal grain mineral micronutrient and soil chemistry data from GeoNutrition surveys in Ethiopia and Malawi.

The dataset comprises primary data for the concentration of 29 mineral micronutrients in cereal grains and up to 84 soil chemistry properties from GeoNutrition project surveys in Ethiopia and Malawi. The work provided insights on geospatial variation in the micronutrient concentration in staple crops, and the potential influencing soil factors. In Ethiopia, sampling was conducted in Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions, during the late-2017 and late-2018 harvest seasons. In Malawi, national-scale sampling was conducted during the April-June 2018 harvest season. The concentrations of micronutrients in grain were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Soil chemistry properties reported include soil pH; total soil nitrogen; total soil carbon (C); soil organic C; effective cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cations; a three-step sequential extraction scheme for the fractionation of sulfur and selenium; available phosphate; diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)-extractable trace elements; extractable trace elements using 0.01 M Ca(NO3)2 and 0.01 M CaCl2; and isotopically exchangeable Zn. These data are reported here according to FAIR data principles to enable users to further explore agriculture-nutrition linkages.

The nutritional quality of cereals varies geospatially in Ethiopia and Malawi.

Micronutrient deficiencies (MNDs) remain widespread among people in sub-Saharan Africa1-5, where access to sufficient food from plant and animal sources that is rich in micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) is limited due to socioeconomic and geographical reasons4-6. Here we report the micronutrient composition (calcium, iron, selenium and zinc) of staple cereal grains for most of the cereal production areas in Ethiopia and Malawi. We show that there is geospatial variation in the composition of micronutrients that is nutritionally important at subnational scales. Soil and environmental covariates of grain micronutrient concentrations included soil pH, soil organic matter, temperature, rainfall and topography, which were specific to micronutrient and crop type. For rural households consuming locally sourced food-including many smallholder farming communities-the location of residence can be the largest influencing factor in determining the dietary intake of micronutrients from cereals. Positive relationships between the concentration of selenium in grain and biomarkers of selenium dietary status occur in both countries. Surveillance of MNDs on the basis of biomarkers of status and dietary intakes from national- and regional-scale food-composition data1-7 could be improved using subnational data on the composition of grain micronutrients. Beyond dietary diversification, interventions to alleviate MNDs, such as food fortification8,9 and biofortification to increase the micronutrient concentrations in crops10,11, should account for geographical effects that can be larger in magnitude than intervention outcomes.

Three weeks of respiratory muscle endurance training improve the O2 cost of walking and exercise tolerance in obese adolescents.

Obese adolescents (OB) have an increased O2 cost of exercise, attributable in part to an increased O2 cost of breathing. In a previous work a short (3-week) program of respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET) slightly reduced in OB the O2 cost of high-intensity cycling and improved exercise tolerance. We hypothesized that during treadmill walking the effects of RMET would be more pronounced than those observed during cycling. Sixteen OB (age 16.0 ± 0.8 years; body mass [BM] 127.7 ± 14.2 kg; body mass index 40.7 ± 4.0 kg/m2 ) underwent to 3-week RMET (n = 8) superimposed to a multidisciplinary BM reduction program, or (CTRL, n = 8) only to the latter. Heart rate (HR) and pulmonary O2 uptake ( V ˙ O2 ) were measured during incremental exercise and 12-min constant work rate (CWR) walking at 60% (moderate-intensity, MOD) and 120% (heavy-intensity, HEAVY) of the gas exchange threshold (GET). The O2 cost of walking (aerobic energy expenditure per unit of covered distance) was calculated as V ˙ O2 /velocity. BM decreased (~4-5 kg) both in CTRL and in RMET. V ˙ O2 peak and GET were not affected by both interventions; the time to exhaustion increased following RMET. During MOD and HEAVY RMET decreased V ˙ O2, the O2 cost of walking (MOD: 0.130 ± 0.033 mL/kg/m [before] vs. 0.109 ± 0.027 [after], P = 0.03; HEAVY: 0.196 ± 0.031 [before] vs. 0.180 ± 0.025 [after], P = 0.02), HR and rates of perceived exertion; no significant changes were observed in CTRL. In OB a short RMET program lowered the O2 cost of MOD and HEAVY walking and improved exercise tolerance. RMET could represent a useful adjunct in the control of obesity.

Segmental anisotropy in strained elastomers detected with a portable NMR scanner.

Single-side NMR is particularly suitable for measurements of segmental anisotropy induced in elastomers by uniaxial forces or local strain. Proton transverse nuclear magnetic relaxation was investigated with the NMR-MOUSE by recording the Hahn-echo decay in cross-linked natural rubber bands. This provided information on the dependence of the Hahn-echo decay on the angle between the direction of the uniaxial stretching force and the axis Z defined direction perpendicular to the magnet pole faces of the NMR-scanner. The anisotropy effect on the Hahn-echo decay is correlated with the extension ratio, and it is more evident in the liquid-like regime of the decay. A weaker segmental anisotropy is detected by 1H solid- and Hahn-echo decays recorded by multi-pulse sequences. A qualitative understanding of the angular dependence is obtained by an analytical theory of the Hahn-echo decay adapted to the case of stretched elastomers and to strongly inhomogeneous magnetic fields. Using angular-dependent 1H residual second van Vleck moments and correlation times reported previously [P.T. Callaghan and E.T. Samulski, Macromolecules 30, 113 (1997)] from stretched natural rubber bands the segmental anisotropy measured in inhomogeneous magnetic fields by the Hahn-echo decay was numerically simulated. As an example of a macroscopic distribution of local segmental anisotropy, 1H Hahn-echo decays were measured by the NMR-MOUSE sensor in a stretched cross-linked natural rubber plate with a circular cut in the center.

Nuclear magnetic resonance in inhomogeneous magnetic fields

The response of the spin system has been investigated by numerical simulations in the case of a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiment performed in inhomogeneous static and radiofrequency fields. The particular case of the NMR-MOUSE was considered. The static field and the component of the radiofrequency field perpendicular to the static field were evaluated as well as the spatial distribution of the maximum NMR signal detected by the surface coil. The NMR response to various pulse sequences was evaluated numerically for the case of an ensemble of isolated spins (1/2). The behavior of the echo train in Carr-Purcell-like pulse sequences used for measurements of transverse relaxation and self-diffusion was simulated and compared with the experiment. The echo train is shown to behave qualitatively differently depending on the particular phase schemes used in these pulse sequences. Different echo trains are obtained, because of the different superposition of Hahn and stimulated echoes forming mixed echoes as a result of the spatial distribution of pulse flip angles. The superposition of Hahn and stimulated echoes originating from different spatial regions leads to distortions of the mixed echoes in intensity, shape, and phase. The volume selection produced by Carr-Purcell-like pulse sequences is also investigated for the NMR-MOUSE. The developed numerical simulation procedure is useful for understanding a variety of experiments performed with the NMR-MOUSE and for improving its performance. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Prevalence of HBeAg, anti-HBe serological markers and HBV-DNA in asymptomatic carriers in Ethiopia.

Data on the distribution of HBV-DNA and other serological markers of hepatitis B virus infection in a population of asymptomatic carriers in Ethiopia are reported. As compared to data from other countries of similar or lower levels of endemicity, it has been found that HBV-DNA prevalence and its correlation with HBeAg/anti-HBe status is similar to that of northern Europe. HBV-DNA is present in 84% of HBe Ag-positive sera but in only 4% of anti-HBe-positive sera, where the lowest concentration of DNA (less than 5 pgr/20 microliters) was found. The trend of increasing prevalence of serological markers with age seems to indicate a considerable horizontal transmission still present in this age range (18-30). In keeping with data of other authors a 3% of HBV-DNA positivity in anti HBc only positive sera was found. No regional or ethnical differences of HBV-DNA positive sera across the country were observed. There is also no evidence of any correlation between HBV-DNA prevalence and HBsAg subtypes ad and ay.

Serological survey of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Ethiopia.

The presence of anti-human immunodeficiency virus 1 antibodies was tested in 5,565 serum samples from Ethiopia of which 5,265 were collected from military recruits in the framework of a hepatitis B (HBV) seroepidemiological study performed on a national scale in 1985-1986; the remaining were 300 sera from a population of outpatients belonging to the Arsi region. Of the 5,565 sera, 121 (2.1%) were found to be repeatedly reactive by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test for HIV-1 antibodies, but these reactivities were confirmed by Western Blot (WB) assay in only four cases (0.07%) and by ENVACOR (confirmatory competitive ELISA) in three samples. Twenty-three sera were positive by WB to one or two bands related to core proteins but were all negative by ENVACOR. However, according to accepted criteria for positivity, these sera must be regarded as indeterminant reactors. A sample of 409 sera, both reactive and nonreactive by HIV-1 ELISA, were further tested for antibodies to HIV-2 by ELISA. Reactive sera were analysed by WB and by radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) using 35S-cysteine metabolically labelled SIVmac (HTLV-IV) infected cell lysates. Only 11 sera were found to be slightly reactive in ELISA, but this was not confirmed by WB or RIPA. Data indicate that HIV infection was not widespread in the general population of Ethiopia up to 1986.

Delta hepatitis virus infection in Ethiopia.

The results of Hepatitis Delta virus (HDV) antibody determinations carried on 566 HBsAg positive serum samples from a population of 5270 Ethiopian military recruits are reported. The prevalence of anti-HDV among apparently healthy HBsAg carriers was 5.8%. The prevalence increases with age within the available range (18-30 years). Differences might exist by area of origin and ethnic groups. The distributions of HBV markers was similar in anti HDV positive and anti HDV negative individuals, possibly due to the relatively young age of the population and/or the hyperendemic condition of the area.