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Flaxseed has a characteristic fatty acids composition and unique phytonutrient profile that may have health-promoting properties.This study aimed to determine the effects of 10 weeks of supplementation with the flaxseed (28 g/day) on endothelial cells (EC) function, serum lipids and proinflammatory mediators in patients with mild and severe dyslipidaemia.Eleven lean patients with severe dyslipidaemia treated with apheresis (group 1; 10 weeks treated in four phases: (i) ordinary diet, (ii) ordinary diet + flaxseed, (iii) ordinary diet (wash out), (iv) ordinary diet + placebo) and eleven obese patients with mild dyslipidaemia-not treated with apheresis (group 2; 10 weeks treated in two phases: (i) ordinary diet, (ii) low fat diet + flaxseed). Flaxseed was given blindly. Serum was collected at the end of each phase of the study. ECs were exposed in vitro to the medium supplemented with pooled serum taken from patients from both groups to detect their morphological changes using light and electron microscopy. ECs proliferation was also measured at the end of each study phase.Serum vascular endothelial growth factor was decreased after flaxseed supplementation but only in group 1. ECs proliferation was increased after flaxseed supplementation only in obese patients. ECs exposed to medium supplemented with obese patients' serum revealed the following cellular abnormalities: accumulation of lipid droplets, changes of rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria, and flaxseed did not reverse observed changes. At the same time, flaxseed supplementation decreases total cholesterol in both tested groups, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in group 1 and triglycerides in group 2.Our findings support the potential role of flaxseed in treating dyslipidaemia but indicate only a slight impact on endothelial cell function.

Physical disuse could lead to a state of chronic pain typified by complex regional pain syndrome type I due to fear of pain through movement (kinesiophobia) or inappropriate resting procedures. However, the mechanisms by which physical disuse is associated with acute/chronic pain and other pathological signs remain unresolved. We have previously reported that inflammatory signs, contractures, disuse muscle atrophy, spontaneous pain-like behaviors, and chronic widespread mechanical hyperalgesia based on central plasticity occurred after 2-weeks of cast immobilization in chronic post-cast pain (CPCP) rat model. In the present study, we also demonstrated dystrophy-like changes, both peripheral nociceptive signals and activation of the central pain pathway in CPCP rats. This was done by the following methods: (1) vascular permeability (Evans blue dye) and inflammatory- and oxidative stress-related messenger RNA (mRNA) changes (real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction); (2) immunofluorescence of pERK and/or c-Fos expression in the spino-parabrachio-amygdaloid pathway; and (3) blockade of nociceptive-related signals using sciatic nerve block (SNB). Furthermore, we demonstrated tactile allodynia using an optogenetic method in a transgenic rat line (W-TChR2V4), cold allodynia using the acetone test, and activation of dorsal horn neurons in the chronic phase associated with chronic mechanical hyperalgesia using c-Fos immunofluorescence. In addition, we showed that nociceptive signals in the acute phase are involved in chronic pathological pain-like behaviors by studying the effects of SNB. Thus, we conclude that physical disuse contributes to dystrophy-like changes, spontaneous pain-like behavior, and chronic widespread pathological pain-like behaviors in CPCP rats after 2 weeks of cast immobilization.

In humans, most renal functions, including urine volume and electrolyte excretions, have a circadian rhythm. Light is a strong circadian entrainment factor and daytime-light exposure is known to affect the circadian rhythm of rectal temperature (RT). The effects of daytime-light exposure on the diurnal rhythm of urinary excretion have yet to be clarified. The aim of this study was to clarify whether and how daytime exposure to bright-light affects urinary excretions. Twenty-one healthy men (21–27 years old) participated in a 4-day study involving daytime (08:00–18:00 h) exposure to two light conditions, Dim (p = 0.017) and sodium (Na), chloride (Cl), and uric acid (UA) excretion and urine volumes were greater (all p

Various biological processes show seasonal variations in humans, including important metabolic pathways. Seasonal changes in gene expression may affect annual differences in human immunity. We hypothesized that seasonal changes occur in clock gene expression levels that are associated with body mass index. Six non-obese men and five obese men participated in summer and winter. Two milliliters of saliva were collected, and total RNA was isolated from buccal epithelial cells in saliva. The clock gene expression levels of CLOCK, BMAL1, PER1, CRY2, REV-ERB-α, and REV-ERB-s were examined by real-time PCR. Blood samples were measured HbA1c, glucose, insulin, adiponectin, IL-6, and TNF-α. Participants were asked about their sleeping hours and seasonal pattern. In the present study, CLOCK, BMAL1, and REV-ERB-β gene expression levels were significantly lower in winter than in summer; BMAL1 expression level was significantly lower in obese men than in non-obese. Concentrations of adiponectin and insulin were significantly different between obese and non-obese. No significant seasonal effects were observed in HbA1c, glucose, insulin, adiponectin, IL-6, or TNF-α concentrations. Sleep duration did not significantly differ between summer and winter. The short photoperiod during winter might contribute to seasonal alterations in the expression of clock genes in men. In the present results, revealed seasonal differences in clock gene expression levels might be associated with obesity. These results also showed the potential for measuring clock gene expression in a non-invasive manner using saliva samples.

Context: Amaranth and canola oils have been used traditionally. Amaranth has been identified as being of interest because of its outstanding nutritive value. Amaranth oil is a rich source of highly unsaturated fats and so could be a valuable dietary alternative for individuals affected with obesity. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are postulated to be involved in systemic inflammation and oxidative stress. Activated polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) generate high amounts of reactive oxygen species. Objective: Our study investigates the impact of amaranth and canola oils supplementation on oxidative metabolism in patients with obesity. We hypothesized that, due to its lipid-lowering and antioxidant properties, amaranth and canola oil would protect against oxidative stress. Materials and methods: We tested 19 obese patients [body mass index (BMI) = 41.1 ± 7.8 kg/m2, (mean ± SD)]. The protocol consisted of two stages: a run-in phase of 2 weeks and an experimental stage – canola or amaranth oil supplementation (20 mL/d) with calorie restriction diet for 3 weeks. The neutrophil oxidative burst was expressed by fluorescence intensity (IF). Results: The oxidative burst had increased significantly at the end of treatment in both groups IF: (21.4 ± 11.15 vs. 35.9 ± 20.3; mean ± SD) p

Being rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is thought to be able to decrease lipid levels and dampen inflammation. In this pilot study, we aimed to determine whether flaxseed supplementation could improve the profiles of lipids and inflammatory mediators in patients with severe hyperlipidemia resistant to conventional lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy and requiring lipoprotein apheresis. To this end, six patients received, blindly&mdash, in addition to their normal lipoprotein apheresis regimen&mdash, a 10-week dietary supplementation with flaxseed (28 g/d) administered in biscuits. This was followed by a 10-week washed out-period and a 10-week supplementation phase with whole wheat placebo. Blood samples were collected at the end of each phase, before the lipoprotein apheresis session. The primary endpoint was the lipid profile and the secondary endpoints were the concentrations of inflammatory mediators and tolerability. Flaxseed supplementation was well-tolerated and resulted in a consistent and significant decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. The median (and range) percentage decrease was 11.5% (0&ndash, 18.8) and 7.3% (4.4&ndash, 26.6), for cholesterol (p = 0.015) and LDL-C (p = 0.003), respectively. On the other hand, there was no significant effect of flaxseed on lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations. These observations indicate that flaxseed can produce a cholesterol- and LDL-lowering effect in patients treated with lipoprotein apheresis. Thus, flaxseed supplementation may help to control cholesterol in this patient population. The flaxseed supplementation protocol applied may be of use for further adequately-powered studies to validate and extend our findings.

Background The components of lifestyle of medical students, with comprehensive reporting of their physical activity and drinking and eating behavior, are rarely evaluated. Being overweight (increased body mass index - BMI) is associated with health problems, an unhealthy lifestyle (inadequate sleep, diet and exercise) being implicated. Objectives The aim was to determine if there were discrepancies between assessments of actual lifestyle and advice regarding the principles of a healthy lifestyle. Material and methods The relationship between lifestyle and BMI was investigated in 270 medical students (158 females, 112 males) who answered a questionnaire about aspects of their lifestyle. Results The mean ±SD BMI in males (23.41 ±0.25kg/m2) was significantly higher than in females (20.52 ±0.16kg/m2). Many aspects of lifestyle differed significantly with gender, including sleep habits, number of meals eaten, types of food eaten (fast food, amounts of fresh fruit and vegetables, sweets, etc.) and alcohol consumption, males generally having less healthy lifestyles. After correcting the associations between BMI and lifestyle factors for gender, one main finding was a positive association between BMI and alcohol intake, BMI rising by 0.014 kg/m2/g alcohol intake per week. Conclusions These results show clear differences between actual and advised lifestyle with regard to many aspects of sleep, food and fluid intake, and exercise. Most students, particularly males, had not adopted a healthy lifestyle. Possible future problems associated with this require more emphasis.

Being rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is thought to be able to decrease lipid levels and dampen inflammation. In this pilot study, we aimed to determine whether flaxseed supplementation could improve the profiles of lipids and inflammatory mediators in patients with severe hyperlipidemia resistant to conventional lipid-lowering pharmacotherapy and requiring lipoprotein apheresis. To this end, six patients received, blindly—in addition to their normal lipoprotein apheresis regimen—a 10-week dietary supplementation with flaxseed (28 g/d) administered in biscuits. This was followed by a 10-week washed out-period and a 10-week supplementation phase with whole wheat placebo. Blood samples were collected at the end of each phase, before the lipoprotein apheresis session. The primary endpoint was the lipid profile and the secondary endpoints were the concentrations of inflammatory mediators and tolerability. Flaxseed supplementation was well-tolerated and resulted in a consistent and significant decrease in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. The median (and range) percentage decrease was 11.5% (0–18.8) and 7.3% (4.4–26.6), for cholesterol (p = 0.015) and LDL-C (p = 0.003), respectively. On the other hand, there was no significant effect of flaxseed on lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations. These observations indicate that flaxseed can produce a cholesterol- and LDL-lowering effect in patients treated with lipoprotein apheresis. Thus, flaxseed supplementation may help to control cholesterol in this patient population. The flaxseed supplementation protocol applied may be of use for further adequately-powered studies to validate and extend our findings.

The existence of seasonal changes in secretion of stress hormones and inflammatory mediators by humans is not certain. Here, we aimed to determine whether concentrations of cortisol and IL-6 displayed seasonal rhythmicity. The study was performed in Poznań, Poland (52°N, 16°E) in 7 healthy female volunteers (age 22.6 ± 0.8 yr). Samples of whole mixed unstimulated saliva were collected in winter (February) and summer (June) at 2-h intervals over a 24-h period and analyzed for cortisol and IL-6 by immunoassays. During each season, the subjects answered questionnaires related to their sleeping habits, food intake, physical activity, and perceived seasonality. It turned out that salivary concentrations of cortisol followed a daily rhythm both in winter and summer, as determined by a cosine analysis. However, compared with the winter season, a midline-estimating statistic of rhythm in the summer was significantly higher. Moreover, the rhythm acrophase occurred ~4 h later in the summer than in the winter, whereas the amplitudes did not differ. These fluctuations did not correspond to sleeping habits, food and fluid intake, physical exercise, and the self-assessed chronotype. However, the individuals with higher scores on the seasonal affective disorder scale showed a tendency toward lower relative cortisol amplitude in the summer. In contrast to cortisol, salivary IL-6 concentration did not display daily rhythmicity, and its concentrations did not differ significantly between the seasons. In conclusion, in the summer, cortisol level in saliva is elevated, and its circadian pattern of secretion is shifted. The causes for these alterations do not seem to be related to lifestyle and thus remain to be established.

The risk of developing metabolic syndrome, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia increases with obesity, and an elevated visceral fat content has been associated with a higher incidence of metabolic risk factors. We investigated differences in IL-6 (Interleukin-6), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α), adiponectin and FFA (free fatty acid) levels in obese and non-obese Japanese men. Five obese men (BMI: 32.4±4.9 kg/m) and five non-obese men (BMI: 23.2±2.9 kg/m 2 ) participated in this study.IL-6 levels were significantly higher in obese than in non-obese subjects, whereas no significant differences were observed in TNF-α, adiponectin, or FFA levels. These results suggested that IL-6 levels may be affected more by obesity in Japanese men than TNF-α and adiponectin levels, which may, in turn, influence the pathophysiology of obesity in Japanese individuals. Short Communication Sato et al.; BJMMR, 7(2): 131-137, 2015; Article no.BJMMR.2015.316 132

During the past several decades, obesity has been increasing globally. In Japan, obesity is defined by a BMI of 25 kg/m² or over; 28.6 % of men and 20.6 % of women are obese. Obese people have an increased incidence of developing cardiovascular, renal, and hormonal diseases and sleep disorders. Obese people also have shortened sleep durations. We investigated seasonal differences in melatonin concentrations, heart rates, and heart rate variability during sleep in obese subjects in Japan. Five obese (BMI, 32.0 ± 4.9 kg/m²) and five non-obese (BMI, 23.2 ± 2.9 kg/m²) men participated in this study in the summer and winter. Electrocardiograms were measured continuously overnight in a climatic chamber at 26 °C with a relative humidity of 50 %. Saliva samples for melatonin were collected at 2300 hours, 0200 hours, and 0600 hours. We found that melatonin concentrations during sleep in obese subjects were significantly lower than those in non-obese subjects in the winter. Heart rate during sleep in winter was significantly higher than that in summer in both obese and non-obese subjects. Heart rate variability was not significantly different in the summer and winter in both obese and non-obese subjects. Our results show that decreased nocturnal melatonin concentrations during winter in obese men may be related to higher heart rates, and this may suggest that obese men are at an increased risk of a cardiovascular incident during sleep, especially in the winter.

Obese subjects may be more vulnerable to injury from heat stress, and appear to be less efficient at thermoregulation. Sweat rate, tympanic temperature and osmolality in obese subjects were investigated in Japan during two seasons. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between obesity, thermoregulatory response and season. Five obese (BMI, 32.0 ± 4.9 kg/m²) and five non-obese (BMI, 23.2 ± 2.9 kg/m²) men participated in this experiment at latitude 35°10' N and longitude 136°57.9'E. The average atmospheric temperature was 29.1 ± 1.0 °C in summer and 3.3 ± 1.4 °C in winter. Tympanic temperature and sweat rate were measured during leg water immersion at 42 °C for 30 min. Blood samples were analyzed for plasma osmolality. The relationship between tympanic temperature and sweat rate decreased significantly in obese compared to in non-obese subjects in both seasons, there being a lowered sweat rate for any core temperature in obese subjects. Plasma osmolality was significantly higher in obese than in non-obese subjects in both seasons. Thermal sensation increased significantly in non-obese than in obese in winter but not in summer. Our data show that thermoregulatory responses are attenuated in obese subjects compared with controls, suggesting that obese people are at increased risk of heat-related illnesses.

Heat acclimation results in whole body-adaptations that increase heat tolerance, and might also result in changed immune responses. We hypothesized that, after heat acclimation, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin 6 and the lymphocyte count would be altered. Heat acclimation was induced in 6 healthy men by 100 min of heat exposure for 9 days. Heat exposure consisted of (1) 10 min of immersion up to chest-level in water at 42°C and (2) 90 min of passive heating by a warm blanket to maintain tympanic temperature at 37.5°C. The climatic chamber was maintained at 40°C and a relative humidity of 50%. Blood samples were analyzed before and after heat acclimation for natural killer (NK) cell activity, counts of lymphocytes B and T, before and after heat acclimation for peripheral blood morphology, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and cortisol. A Japanese version of the profile of mood states questionnaire was also administered before and after acclimation. The concentrations of white blood cells, lymphocytes B and T, cortisol, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha and NK cell activity showed no significant differences between pre- and post-acclimation, but there was a significantly lower platelet count after acclimation and, with the profile of mood states questionnaire, there was a significant rise in anger after acclimation. It is concluded that heat acclimation by passive heating does not induce alterations in immune or endocrine responses.

Physiological functions are impaired in various organs in aged people, as manifest by, e.g., renal and cardiac dysfunction and muscle atrophy. The elderly are also at increased risk of both hypothermia and hyperthermia in extreme temperatures. The majority of those over 65 years old have elevated serum osmolality. Our hypothesis is that the elderly have suppressed osmolality control in different seasons compared to the young. Eight healthy young men and six healthy older men participated in this study. The experiments were performed during spring, summer, autumn and winter in Japan, with average atmospheric temperatures of 15-20°C in spring, 25-30°C in summer, 15-23°C in autumn and 5-10°C in winter. Each subject immersed his lower legs in warm water at 40°C for 30 min. Core (tympanic) temperature and sweat rate at chest were recorded continuously. Blood was taken pre-immersion to measure the concentrations of antidiuretic hormone, serum osmolality, plasma renin activity, angiotensin II, aldosterone, leptin, thyroid stimulating hormone, fT(3) and fT(4). The results suggested that the elderly have suppressed osmolality control compared to the young; osmolality was especially elevated in winter compared to the summer in elderly subjects. Therefore, particularly in the elderly, balancing fluid by drinking water should be encouraged to maintain euhydration status in winter.

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to investigate the consequences of 20 d of physical inactivity using head-down bed rest (HDBR) at -6 degrees on leptin, ghrelin, and counter-regulatory hormone responses. METHODS Eight male volunteers were subjected to HDBR for 20 d. Variables measured before, during, and after HDBR included plasma cortisol, insulin, glucose, leptin, ghrelin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), and free triiodothyronine (fT3). RESULTS No changes in ghrelin and leptin concentrations were observed during HDBR. Glucose concentration decreased significantly on the 20th day of HDBR compared to the pre-value (day 0) of HDBR (87.6 +/- 2.0 vs. 93 +/- 1.6 mg x dl(-1)). Significant correlation was observed between glucose and leptin concentrations. DISCUSSION The results provide the first evidence that 20 d of HDBR is not associated with an alteration in ghrelin concentration. Leptin, insulin, and cortisol concentrations did not differ during 20 d of HDBR.

We investigated seasonal changes in blood concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6), adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), metabolites of catecholamine (VMA, HVA, and 5-HIAA) and cortisol in humans. Eight volunteers were investigated at four times during the year (February, May, August and October) at latitude 35 degrees N. The mean ambient temperature at the collection periods was higher in the order of summerautumn approximately springwinter. Changes in mood were also monitored by a profile of mood states (POMS) questionnaire. The concentration of IL-6 was significantly higher in winter and summer than in spring and autumn. The concentrations of ACTH, HVA and VMA were significantly higher in summer. No seasonal variation was detected in cortisol. There were significant differences among the seasons in subscale tension and anger in the POMS questionnaire; the tension subscale showed significant differences between spring and autumn, with a higher score in spring. The results demonstrate that Il-6, ACTH, HVA and VMA exhibit statistically significant seasonal rhythms, which might have important diagnostic and therapeutic implications.

We tested the hypothesis that encouraged water drinking according to urine output for 20 days could ameliorate impaired thermoregulatory function under microgravity conditions. Twelve healthy men, aged 24 +/- 1.5 years (mean +/- SE), underwent -6 degrees head-down bed rest (HDBR) for 20 days. During bed rest, subjects were encouraged to drink the same amount of water as the 24-h urine output volume of the previous day. A heat exposure test consisting of water immersion up to the knees at 42 degrees C for 45 min after a 10 min rest (baseline) in the sitting position was performed 2 days before the 20-day HDBR (PRE), and 2 days after the 20-day HDBR (POST). Core temperature (tympanic), skin temperature, skin blood flow and sweat rate were recorded continuously. We found that the -6 degrees HDBR did not increase the threshold temperature for onset of sweating under the encouraged water drinking regime. We conclude that encouraged water drinking could prevent impaired thermoregulatory responses after HDBR.

INTRODUCTION Head-down bed rest (HDBR) at -6 degrees is used as a model for studying physiological changes during microgravity in spaceflight. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether exposure to such an environment is associated with alterations in the synthesis of some acute-phase proteins and cytokines, and whether countermeasures would prevent these changes. METHODS There were 12 male volunteers who were subjected to HDBR for 20 d; 6 formed the countermeasure (CMS) group and exercised on a short-arm centrifuge for 30 min/d, while the other 6 served as controls (CTL). Variables measured before and after HDBR included plasma noradrenaline, adrenaline, dopamine, leukocyte count, interleukin 6, total serum protein, C-reactive protein, and alpha-1 antichimotrypsin. RESULTS Adrenaline and noradrenaline concentrations increased significantly in both groups, while the concentration of C-reactive protein decreased. The concentration of C-reactive protein was significantly higher (CTL: 0.028 +/- 0.005 mg x dl(-1); CMS: 0.025 +/-0.003 mg x dl(-1)), and that of adrenaline was significantly lower in CTL compared to CMS (CTL: 46.8 +/- 7.5 pg x ml(-1); CMS: 71 +/- 22.5 pg x ml(-1)). DISCUSSION The results indicate that several neuroendocrine and immunological parameters are modulated by prolonged HDBR and these changes may be counteracted at least in part by artificial gravity with exercise.

We investigated the influence of two different light intensities, dim (100 lx) and bright (5000 lx), during the daytime on the circadian rhythms of selected acute phase proteins of C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), alpha1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), transfferin (TF), alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-m), haptoglobin (HP), and ceruloplasmin (CP). Serum samples were collected from 7 healthy volunteers at 4 h intervals during two separate single 24 h spans during which they were exposed to the respective light intensity conditions. A circadian rhythm was detected only in ACT concentration in the bright light condition. The concentration of ACT, a positive acute phase protein (APP), increased (significantly significant differences in the ACT concentration were detected at 14:00 and 22:00 h) and AGP showed a tendency to be higher under the daytime bright compared to dim light conditions. There were no significant differences between the time point means under daytime dim and bright light conditions for alpha2-M, AGP, Tf, Cp, or Hp. The findings suggest that some, but not all, APP may be influenced by the environmental light intensity.

Recent studies show that bright and dim light intensities during the daytime have important regulatory functions. Our present study was performed to evaluate the effect of exposure to different light intensities during the morning and evening on salivary secretion and its sodium concentration. The study involved 6 healthy, female volunteers who were exposed to dim light (100 lx) from 7:00 to 17:00 and to bright light (3000 lx) from 17:00 to 23:00 one day, and to bright light (3000 lx) from 7:00 to 17:00 and dim light (100 lx) from 17:00 to 23:00 on the next day. We collected salivary samples every 10 minutes during 2 hours in the morning and in the evening by means of a Lashley cup. Saliva secretion was stimulated by sweet candy. The amount of saliva secreted was significantly greater in the morning under bright light exposure, while it was significantly greater in the evening under dim light exposure. We discuss these findings in terms of changes in activity of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) an...

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an inflammatory cytokine whose levels increase significantly during myocardial infarction (MI). It has been hypothesised that the concentrations of IL-6 at admission may be useful in prognosticating long-term outcomes. It is unclear, however, whether IL-6 could improve the prognosis of early mortality in MI. We have compared serum IL-6 levels and analysed the disease course in 158 patients with ST-elevation MI (STEMI) who either survived (n = 148) or died (n = 10) within 30 days following the admission. Patients were treated in a single university centre with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The non-survivors (6.3%) displayed most of typical risk factors for poor outcome. In addition they had significantly higher concentrations of IL-6 at hospital admission (median values 8.5 vs. 2.0 pg/ml; p = 0.038). However, they were also significantly older than the survivors (median values 72 vs. 57 years; p = 0.0001). IL-6 levels are known to increase with age and we could confirm a significant correlation between patients' calendar age and circulating IL-6 (p = 0.009). Regression analysis revealed that IL-6 concentrations were significantly affected by patients' age but they did not independently relate to patients' outcome. Such results indicate that circulating IL-6 at admission may be of limited value in predicting early mortality in STEMI. It is important to recognize that, because of the small group of patients who died (N = 10), the results must be interpreted with caution. Therefore, we stress that these results should be viewed as preliminary and further validated in a larger set of patients.

Concentrations of five acute phase proteins: C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), transferin (Tf), alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M) and haptoglobin (Hp) as well as glycosylation profiles of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (ACT) were studied in sera samples with 7 healthy volunteers under the influence of two different light intensities during the daytime dim (100 lx) and bright (3000 lx) light. Concentration of transferin (negative proteins) under the influence of bright light during the daytime decreased significantly. Other proteins have the tendency to increase (positive proteins) under the influence of daytime bright light. The microheterogeneity of ACT did not change under the influence of different light intensities. Melatonin and rectal temperature were also measured simultaneously. Rectal temperature decreased to be lower during the first half of the night and urinary melatonin secretion rate increased to be higher during the night when the subjects spent time under the bright light during the day. Thus, it is concluded that the diurnal bright light exposure may activate some parameters of acute phase proteins, increase nocturnal melatonin secretion and accelerate a fall of rectal temperature during first half period of night sleep.

Both spectral power within the low-frequency component, i.e., 0.04 to 0.15 Hz, of systolic pressure and muscle sympathetic nerve activity are increased during head-up tilt. The nerve activity during tilt is altered after space flight and exposure to simulated microgravity. In the present study, correlations of the low-frequency component and the nerve activity were analyzed before and after 20 days of -6° of head-down bed rest. Measurements were performed at -6° head-down bed rest, 0° (flat), and 30° and 60° head-up tilt (HUT). Mean arterial pressure during HUT was not different between pre- and post-bed rest, but muscle sympathetic nerve activity in post-bed rest significantly increased at tilt angles of -6°, 0°, 30°, and 60° compared with those during pre-bed rest. The low-frequency component of systolic pressure also significantly increased during post-bed rest compared with pre-bed rest at tilts of 0°, 30°, and 60°. The nerve activity and the frequency component were linearly correlated for individual (r(2) = 0.51-0.88) and averaged (r(2) = 0.60) values when the values included both pre- and post-bed rest. Thus, the low-frequency component of systolic pressure could be an index of the muscle sympathetic nerve activity during tilt during pre- and post-bed rest.

The effects of environmental temperature on blood pressure and hormones in obese subjects in Japan were compared in two seasons: summer vs winter. Five obese (BMI, 32 ± 5 kg/m(2)) and five non-obese (BMI, 23 ±3 kg/m(2)) men participated in this experiment at latitude 35°10' N and longitude 136°57.9' E. The average environmental temperature was 29 ± 1 °C in summer and 3 ± 1 °C in winter. Blood samples were analyzed for leptin, ghrelin, catecholamines, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin and glucose. Blood pressure was measured over the course of 24 h in summer and winter. A Japanese version of the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire was also administered each season. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in obese men were significantly higher in winter (lower environmental temperatures) than in summer (higher environmental temperatures). Noradrenaline and dopamine concentrations were also significantly higher at lower environmental temperatures in obese subjects, but ghrelin, TSH, fT3, fT4, insulin and glucose were not significantly different in summer and winter between obese and non-obese subjects. Leptin, total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were significantly higher in winter in obese than non-obese men. Results from the POMS questionnaire showed a significant rise in Confusion at lower environmental temperatures (winter) in obese subjects. In this pilot study, increased blood pressure may have been due to increased secretion of noradrenaline in obese men in winter, and the results suggest that blood pressure control in obese men is particularly important in winter.

"Acute phase proteins" comprise a group of proteins whose concentrations increase or decrease by at least 25% after a damaging stimulus (burn, trauma, tissue damage, etc.) or during inflammation. We investigated the seasonal variation in the concentrations of several acute phase proteins--alpha1-antichymotrypsin (ACT), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), transferrin (Tf), alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2-M), ceruloplasmin (Cp), antitrypsin (AT), and haptoglobin (Hp). Blood samples were collected from 15 healthy volunteers, who were subjected to the seasonal changes in illumination, were drawn at 08:00 h every 3 months (August, November, January/February, March/April, June/July). With the exception of Hp, all acute phase proteins showed an annual rhythm (ANOVA; p0.01). Lowest concentrations occurred in the winter months (November through February), with the exception of Tf, which was oppositely phased.