Effects of resistance training on quality of life in postmenopausal women with vasomotor symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: Most women experience vasomotor symptoms (VMS) around menopause that may affect quality of life negatively. Effective pharmacological treatment exists but is not recommended for all women, and there is a demand for alternatives to reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a resistance training intervention on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in postmenopausal women with VMS. METHODS: This open randomized controlled trial included 65 postmenopausal women >45 years old with daily VMS. The participants were randomized to 15 weeks of resistance training three times per week or an untreated control group. The Women's Health Questionnaire (WHQ) and Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) were used to assess HRQoL at baseline and after 15 weeks. RESULTS: The resistance training group improved compared to the control group in the WHQ domains of VMS (p = 0.002), sleep problems (p = 0.003) and menstrual symptoms (p = 0.01) from baseline to post intervention. No significant between-group differences were found in SF-36 summary scores, or in any of the domains. CONCLUSION: In postmenopausal women with moderate to severe VMS, resistance training three times per week for 15 weeks improved menopause-specific HRQoL.

Adoption and use of an injury prevention exercise program in female football: A qualitative study among coaches.

This study focuses on an injury prevention exercise program (IPEP), Knee Control, which has been shown to reduce the incidence of acute knee injury in female adolescent football players. The aim was to explore the factors influencing coaches' adoption and use of Knee Control within female football in Sweden. This was a qualitative study involving interviews with 20 strategically selected coaches for female football teams, predominantly adolescent teams. The semi-structured interview guide was influenced by the Health Belief Model, and an ecological perspective was adopted during the interviews. Interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. The results illustrate the different influences that interact on adoption and use of Knee Control by coaches. The coaches described themselves as crucial for Knee Control adoption and use, but external facilitators and barriers such as resources for training, social support from other coaches, clubs and football associations and player buy-in were also described as important. Knee Control characteristics, such as how well the program fit the team, also influenced use of Knee Control. Many coaches modified the program to improve player buy-in and Knee Control fit. Such modifications may risk compromising the preventive effect but may increase feasibility, that is the ease of using Knee Control, and thereby long-term use. These findings may guide the design and delivery of future IPEPs, and improve use of Knee Control, for example, by expanding the program to fit different target groups and supporting coaches and players in the use of Knee Control.

New polymer-based prepacked column for the reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation of peptides over the pH range 2-12.

The aim of this paper was to investigate the properties of a new column, Source 5RPC, for the separation of peptides at pH 2, 4.5, 7, 9 and 12 and to compare this product with similar polymer-based products available on the market. All columns were prepacked with 5 microm polystyrene-divinylbenzene polymer bead matrices and had dimensions of 150x4.6 mm I.D. Separations of angiotensin peptides were achieved on these columns using different equilibration solvents in the pH range 2-12 and elution with acetonitrile gradients. The separation of the peptide mixture obtained on Source 5RPC column was compared with that of two other commercially available polymer-based matrices. Method scouting and optimisation were carried out using the novel chromatography system, AKTA purifier.

Detection and characterization of oligosaccharides in column effluents using surface plasmon resonance.

Surface plasmon resonance was used to detect oligosaccharides derived from glycoproteins. No sample derivatization or labeling is required for this technique. Sensor surfaces were prepared by immobilizing lectins. In the case of Sambucus nigra agglutinin reactive to terminal sialic acid or Ricinus communis agglutinin preferring terminal beta-linked galactose, femtomole levels of oligosaccharides could be detected. Using this affinity detector system, oligosaccharides and glycopeptides from a chromatographic separation on a gel filtration column were detected either by on-line monitoring or by analyzing the fractions individually.

Properties, in theory and practice, of novel gel filtration media for standard liquid chromatography.

The influence of experimental parameters on the separation result in gel filtration may readily be predicted from a few basic equations, as demonstrated with the aid of experimental observations on Sephacryl HR. Excellent agreement between the predicted resolution and that determined experimentally was found for parameters such as temperature, particle size, column length, flow velocity, sample volume and gel porosity. The theoretical prediction of an optimum sample volume for a constant processing rate was also experimentally verified. An exhaustive investigation of the physical, chemical and functional properties of Sephacryl HR was undertaken to facilitate the interpretation of experimental observations.

One-step purification of monoclonal IgG antibodies from mouse ascites. An evaluation of different adsorption techniques using high performance liquid chromatography.

Monoclonal antibodies were purified in one step from mouse ascites by four different high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) adsorption techniques. The antibodies were of the IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b and IgG3 subtypes, with isoelectric points between 6.4 and 7.6. Similarly pretreated samples were applied to columns for anion exchange (Mono Q), cation exchange (Mono S), chromatofocusing (Mono P) and hydrophobic interaction chromatography (Alkyl Superose), respectively. Highly purified IgG fractions, as judged by electrophoresis, were obtained in all these techniques. The yields of immunoreactive material were above 80%. A strategy for single step HPLC purification of monoclonal IgG antibodies from mouse ascites by adsorption techniques is proposed, as a complement to the well-established technique of affinity chromatography on immobilized protein A. The strategy involves (i) cation exchange chromatography as a first choice for antibodies with high isoelectric points (greater than 7.2), and (ii) hydrophobic interaction chromatography as a first choice when the isoelectric point is below 7.2.

Fast protein liquid chromatography scale-up procedures for the preparation of low-molecular-weight proteins from urine.

A system for the rapid isolation of low molecular weight proteins from urine has been devised, and illustrated by alpha 1-microglobulin, beta 2-microglobulin, retinol binding protein, lysozyme and monoclonal light chains. Urine proteins from patients with tubular dysfunction were concentrated, either by ultrafiltration or ammonium sulphate precipitation. This was followed by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50. The appropriate fractions were then separated by chromatography on Pharmacia monobead columns. A Mono Q strong anion exchanger was used for beta 2-microglobulin, retinol binding protein, alpha 1-microglobulin and free monoclonal light chains. Lysozyme was separated on a Mono S cation exchanger. The chromatography was first optimized on HR 5/5 columns and then scaled up to HR 16/10 columns.

Fractionation of human red cell membrane proteins by ion-exchange chromatography in detergent on Mono Q, with special reference to the glucose transporter.

The anion exchanger Mono Q has been used for rapid and efficient fractionation of human red cell membrane proteins in the easily removable detergents n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside or nonanoyl-N-methylglucamide. In practice the chromatographic resolution of membrane proteins was lower than for water-soluble proteins, perhaps due to protein-protein interactions and microheterogeneity, but several components, or groups of components, separated well upon salt gradient elution. The glucose transporter (or transportase) was eluted early, glycophorins later, and the anion transporter still later. The detergents Berol 185 and the zwitter-ionic derivatives of cholate, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulphonat e and 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-2-hydroxy-1-propan esulphonate, gave similar chromatographic results but differed in solubilization selectivity. A relatively pure material was also fractionated; viz., a glucose transportase which had been prepared by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. Mono Q, in the presence of octyl glucoside, afforded additional purification, which made automatic sequence determination possible for eighteen amino acid residues. The results indicate that two polypeptides were present in about equimolar amounts.

Applications of fast protein liquid chromatography TM in the separation of plasma proteins in urine and cerebrospinal fluid.

Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography TM (FPLC), in which an anion-exchange column is used, provides rapid separation and reproducible profiling of the plasma proteins in urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Chromatographic separation of the proteins takes 1 h for urine specimens and 45 min for CSF. The elution sequence from the anion-exchange column is similar to the electrophoretic mobility. Individual proteins have the same retention times independently of which type of specimen is used. The elution characteristics of 21 plasma proteins have been identified. We illustrated some applications of this system, including the profiling of tubular protein-uria, the isolation of Bence Jones proteins from urine, and the investigation of hemoglobin-derived products in the CSF.

Rapid chromatographic method for the isolation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase from yeast enzyme concentrate.

A simple method for the isolation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) from yeast enzyme concentrate is described. The method is based on high-performance anion-exchange chromatography and was developed in three steps: (1) optimization of chromatographic conditions on Polyanion SI-8 microns, (2) transfer of the optimized conditions to a preparative column containing Polyanion SI-17 microns and (3) final purification on an analytical column. As the enzyme is a minor component of the crude mixture, its presence is detected by a simple enzymatic method. The purity of the final fraction is checked by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Urinary protein isolation by high-performance ion-exchange chromatography.

Proteins excreted in urine, following renal failure, were analysed by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography and chromatofocusing. The analysis involved three steps: (1) removal of the low-molecular-weight fraction by rapid desalting, (2) anion exchange of the high-molecular-weight fraction by using combined salt and pH gradients and (3) further separation of the main peaks by chromatofocusing. The selection of the column and conditions were based on data obtained from electrophoretic titration curves. The purity of selected peaks was evaluated by sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Separation of urine proteins on the anion-exchange resin mono Q.

Proteins excreted in urine due to renal failure were separated on Mono Q, a new strong anion exchange designed for fast high-resolution protein separations. The separation procedure was divided into two steps. The first step involved removal of low-molecular-weight substances by rapid desalting on a Sephadex G-25 Superfine column. In the second step, the total protein fraction (3--6 ml) was loaded onto the Mono Q column with the aid of a superloop. The proteins were adsorbed onto the top of the ion-exchanger column and gradually displaced by a combined pH and salt gradient in 40 min. The choice of ion exchanger and initial operating conditions were based on data obtained from electrophoretic titration curve experiments. Identification of separated proteins was achieved by fused rocket electrophoresis and sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, respectively.