Krzysztof A. Sobiech

Immunofluorescent localization of γ-glutamyl transferase in rat and bovine tissues

Summary A distribution of the enzyme in tissue sections was studied by direct fluorescent technique using immunoglobulins from rabbits immunized with the rat and bovine kidney enzyme. For studies rat and bovine sections of kidneys, livers, pancreas, and small intestine were used. Cell distribution of the enzyme by immunofluorescent method was the same as that by the classical histoehemical method. No differences in the enzyme distribution were noted when either immunoglobulins anti-heavy form or immunoglobulins anti light form of the enzyme were used. Bovine kidney enzyme coupled to diazotized p-aminobenzoyl-hexamethylenediamine-sepha-rose is a effective sorbant for affinity chromatography of antibody. Precipitates formed between antibodies and purified rat or bovine γ -glutamyl transferases preserves over 60% of the initial enzyme activity.

Effect of nordic walking and water aerobics training on body composition and the blood flow in lower extremities in elderly women.

Abstract Nordic walking and water aerobics are very popular forms of physical activity in the elderly population. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of regular health training on the venous blood flow in lower extremities and body composition in women over 50 years old. Twenty-four women of mean age 57.9 (± 3.43) years, randomly divided into three groups (Nordic walking, water aerobics, and non-training), participated in the study. The training lasted 8 weeks, with one-hour sessions twice a week. Dietary habits were not changed. Before and after training vein refilling time and the function of the venous pump of the lower extremities were measured by photoplethysmography. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance. Eight weeks of Nordic walking training improved the venous blood flow in lower extremities and normalized body composition in the direction of reducing chronic venous disorder risk factors. The average values of the refilling time variable (p = 0.04, p = 0.02, respectively) decreased in both the right and the left leg. After training a statistically significant increase in the venous pump function index was found only in the right leg (p = 0.04). A significant increase in fat-free mass, body cell mass and total body water was observed (p = 0.01), whereas body mass, the body mass index, and body fat decreased (p < 0.03). With regard to water aerobic training, no similar changes in the functions of the venous system or body composition were observed.

Thermovision Analysis Changes of Human Hand Surface Temperature in Cold Pressor Test

The cold pressor test (CTP) as a diagnostic method of the circulatory system reactivity may be a basis for the qualification for thermal stimulation therapy. The aim of the work was a thermovisual assessment of the reaction to the Hines and Brown cold pressor test. A group of 30 healthy men in the age of 23.5 ± 0.8 years were examined. The average weight of the examinees was 78.4 ± 9.2 kg, their height 180.7 ± 5.9 cms, and BMI 23.9 ± 2.2 kg/m2. A thermovisual picture of a tested and not tested hand of all the subjects was taken before and after the cold pressor test. Under the influence of cold water the surface temperature of a tested hand has decreased in a statistically significant way by 8.3°C on average, which is 29% of the temperature before the test, whilst the temperature of an untested hand dropped by 0.67°C. The decreases of temperature were not even and there was a statistically significant difference between the dorsal and palmar side of the hand. The correlation between the changes of systolic blood pressure and the hand surface temperature before and after CTP was observed.

The Influence of a Therapeutic Programme on the Segmentary Body Composition in over - and Underweight Children at the Early-School Age: Pilot Studies

Background: Underweight and obesity are important factors affecting the level of physical fitness. Aim: The objective of the work was the assessment of the change in body composition and physical fitness in early-school-age children participating in a 6-week therapeutic programme aimed at children with low body mass and those overweight. Methods: Examined were 175 children of 7-10 years of age from Wroclaw. Their body composition (before and after the therapeutic programme) being marked with the 8-electrode body composition analyzer BC-418 MA Tanita. On the basis of BMI under and overweight children were selected to take part in a 6-week therapeutic programme (2 × 45 min/week). Results: Underweight and overweight was found in 12% of the 175 children examined. Twenty children participated in the therapeutic programme (9 underweight, 11 overweight). No body mass change in overweight children was observed with a simultaneous decrease in body fat. Statistically significant changes in body composition were observed in underweight children. Conclusion: The therapeutic programme lowered body mass (in underweight children only) and fat content along with an increase in muscle mass (FFM). It was observed that the 6-week programme needs to be prolonged to at least 10 weeks in order to obtain significant changes in body composition in the group of overweight children.

Effect of resistance training with elements of stretching on body composition and quality of life in postmenopausal women

Introduction Physical activity in elderly persons contributes to prevention and treatment of chronic disease and, through its influence on the musculoskeletal system, increases physical capability and improves mental function. Aim of the study Aim of the study was to assess the effect of resistance training with elements of stretching on body composition and quality of life in women of postmenopausal age. Material and methods Thirty-eight postmenopausal women aged 62.5 ±5.8 years were randomly divided into two groups. One group participated in an 8-week training program (60 minutes, twice weekly; 4 MET [metabolic equivalent] 2 hours/week). The second group performed no training. A comparison was made of body composition and quality of life (SF-36 Health Survey) prior to and after 8 weeks of training. Results In the training group, after 8 weeks there was a significant reduction in body fat (in%; p = 0.028), and an increase in fat-free mass (in%; p = 0.025) and total body water (in%; p = 0.021), which indicates increased muscle mass. Furthermore, there were statistically significant differences in the assessment of quality of life in physical (role-physical [RP], bodily pain [BP], general health [GH] scales; p < 0.005) and mental health (vitality [VT] scale; p = 0.05). In the non-exercising group no changes were observed in features examined in the initial and final test. Conclusions Resistance training with elements of stretching in postmenopausal women improved body composition to achieve a reduction in risk factors associated with excess fatty tissue and muscle mass deficiency. It raises the quality of life in terms of both physical and mental function.

The Comparison of the Body Composition of Children at the Early School Age from Urban and Rural Area in Southwestern Poland

The aim of the study was to compare the segmental body composition with the use of fat–fat-free (FFF) index in children at early school age, depending on sex and place of residence, with particular emphasis on urban and rural areas. The study consisted of 329 children aged 7.78 (SD = 0.88; mean age in years). The study group was divided according to the place of residence and sex. The height and body mass, Body Mass Index (BMI), segmental body composition (Tanita BC-418MA), and FFF were calculated. A more frequent occurrence of excessive body weight was observed in children from rural areas (over 20%) compared to their peers from the urban area (10%). Statistically significant lower values of FFF index as well as in the lower limbs and torso were observed in the case of the examined children from the urban area as compared with their peers from the rural areas. The body composition of children living in metropolitan and rural areas is diverse. Lower values of FFF indexes were found in children from the city than in children living in villages. There are more children in the city with signs of being underweight and of normative body mass and paradoxically more overweight ones in the village.

The effect of ozone on the expression of metallothionein in tissues of rats chronically exposed to cadmium

Our aims were to evaluate the expression of metallothionein (MT) in an experimental rat model which experienced chronic exposure to cadmium (Cd) and to measure its expression after ozone therapy (OT) or oxygen (Ox) in the same model, as compared to the control group, which was exposed to neither cadmium nor ozone. Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups: control, Cd, Cd and Ox, Cd and Oz, and Oz. During our research, Cd concentration (ASA) and MT concentration (ELISA) were determined in supernatants of the kidneys, liver and pancreas. SDS-PAGE analyses and immunohistochemical localization were used to evaluate the level of MT expression in the tissue. In rats intoxicated with Cd, the highest concentration of both Cd and MT was observed in the kidneys and liver, with a significantly lower concentration measured in the pancreas. Ozone therapy reduces the accumulation of cadmium in the liver and kidneys, resulting in a reduced expression of metallothionein in those tissues.

Gender and age-dependent differences in body composition changes in response to cardiac rehabilitation exercise training in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is the standard procedure in persons after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Its basic aim is to combat coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors through physical activity and normalization of body mass. Many authors highlight the differences in response to training in CR as dependent on gender, age and occurrence of accompanying disease. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a three-week early CR in reference to changing body composition parameters in patients over 50 years of age. The study involved a random group of 65 patients (44 men and 21 women) between the ages of 50-76 (average: 62.6 ± 7.2) years with CHD following CABG. Anthropometric and body composition (bioelectrical impedance method) measurements were taken at the commencement of CR and after the training programme. After CR, body mass and body mass index were reduced in men < 65 and ≥ 65 years, and in women <65 years. A reduction % body fat and increase % fat free mass and % total body water was observed only in patients <65. years. Furthermore, in men < 65 years, an increase in % body cell mass was observed. In women ≥ 65 years, no statistically significant changes were observed in body fat indices and body composition features between initial and final study. Patients ≥ 65 years of age following surgery over a period of hospital cardiac rehabilitation do not experience the same significant improvement in body composition parameters associated with risk of CHD as middle-aged adults. Older women post-cardiac surgery are characterized by a higher disability index in relation to tolerance to physical stress in comparison with men of the same age and persons < 65 years of age.

Lipid index changes in the blood serum of patients with hyperplastic and early neoplastic lesions in the ovaries

BackgroundThe authors used the lipid index (WL) to monitor lipid changes before and after surgery. The surgical operation performed was the simultaneous enucleation of a cystic tumor of the hilum ovarii in its entirety (with diagnosis of a simple cyst or teratoma adultum) in groups of 20 patients.ObjectivesTo compare the lipid index WL in the blood serum of patients undergoing surgery treatment at the following times: before and 7 days after surgery, and 6 and 12 months after surgery.Material and methodsThe research material was the blood serum of women aged about 24 years. The authors divided the patients into 3 groups: two groups of 20 women and a control group. The concentrations of the lipid parameters were measured and the lipid index WL was calculated.ResultsStatistically significant differences were found between the lipid index of serum from patients with diagnosed ovarian neoplasms and the index of serum from healthy subjects; differences were demonstrated in the postoperative period, particularly 6 and 12 months after surgery.ConclusionsThe lipid index WL proved useful in diagnosing ovarian neoplasm (simple cysts and teratoma adultum) and in monitoring the postoperative period.

Body composition and the quality of life estimated by the General Health Questionnaire by David Goldberg (GHQ-12) in women aged 55-60 years

Cel pracy: Określenie, czy różnice w subiektywnej ocenie jakości życia kobiet w wieku 55–60 lat znajdują odzwierciedlenie w różnicach w składzie ciała tych kobiet. Materiał i metody: Badaniom poddano 32 kobiety w wieku 55–60 lat (56,5 ±4,9 roku), u których obliczano wartości wskaźników biometrycznych: wskaźnik masy ciała (body mass index – BMI) i dystrybucję tkanki tłuszczowej – wskaźnik talia–biodro (waist to hip ratio – WHR). Na podstawie badań antropometrycznych podzielono pacjentki na dwie grupy: grupę A (n = 16), którą stanowiły pacjentki z otłuszczeniem pośladkowo-udowym – typu „gruszka” (WHR 0,74 ±0,12), i grupę B (n = 16), którą tworzyły kobiety z brzusznym typem otłuszczenia – typu „jabłko” (WHR 0,93 ±0,14). W badaniu jakości życia wykorzystano Kwestionariusz ogólnego stanu zdrowia Davida Goldberga (GHQ-12 Goldberga), dostosowany kulturowo. Wyniki: Badania wykazały, że wskaźnik WHR, wartość wskaźnika całkowitej zawartości tkanki tłuszczowej (body fat – BF) (wyrażonej w kilogramach i %) oraz beztłuszczowej masy ciała (fat free mass – FFM) (wyrażonej w %) w grupie B były w sposób istotny wyższe niż w grupie A, natomiast różnice wieku i wskaźnika BMI pomiędzy obiema grupami były nieistotne statystycznie. Wyniki uzyskane przy użyciu Kwestionariusza ogólnego stanu zdrowia GHQ-12 w poszczególnych grupach skorelowano (współczynnik korelacji liniowej Pearsona) ze wskaźnikami składu ciała, których wartości w obu badanych grupach różniły się w sposób statystycznie istotny: WHR, BF (kg), BF (%), FFM (%). Stwierdzono dodatnią korelację między składem ciała a jakością życia u kobiet z grupy A (BMI < 25). W grupie B (BMI > 25) korelacja była ujemna, co oznacza, że kobiety z grupy A charakteryzuje wyższa jakość życia niż kobiety z grupy B. Zauważono wprost proporcjonalną zależność między wystąpieniem dystresu psychicznego w stosunku do procentowego udziału tkanki tłuszczowej i odwrotnie proporcjonalną w stosunku do FFM wyrażonej w procentach. Wnioski: Na uwagę zasługuje fakt, że już nieistotne statystycznie różnice w wartości wskaźnika BMI mogą wpływać w sposób istotny na subiektywną ocenę jakości życia. Słowa kluczowe: jakość życia, skład ciała, GHQ-12, kobiety w wieku 55–60.