Lifestyle counseling in patients with carotid arteriosclerosis from Luxemburg should focus more on the reduction of sugar, sodium and saturated fat consumption.

BACKGROUND: Healthy diet and physical activity improve risk factors for cerebrovascular disease. It is unclear whether patients with carotid artery disease from Luxemburg meet common guideline criteria and whether systematic counseling has a sustained effect. METHODS: We assessed anthropometric data, eating habits and physical activity habits in 53 patients with carotid atherosclerosis at baseline, after 4 and 20 weeks, and advised them five times for 30 min to follow a modified Mediterranean diet and to perform moderate physical exercise at least during 30 min/day. RESULTS: The patients had a mildly increased BMI (mean 27.6, recommended below 25), they already ate enough vegetables and fruits (mean 485 g daily, recommended at least 400 g), they ate too much sugar (mean 74 g daily) and sodium (mean 2710 mg daily, recommended less than 1500), they consumed 13% of calories from saturated fatty acids (recommended less than 10%), and they already moved sufficiently (62 min daily of moderate and intense physical activity, recommended at least 30 min of moderate physical activity). Lifestyle counseling had a sustained effect on weight, reduction of global caloric intake, carbohydrate and cholesterol intake and on an increase in consumption of poly-unsaturated fatty acids, vegetables and fibres. There was no sustained effect on the consumption of sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of sugar, sodium and saturated fat consumption should be stressed more in counselling of this patient group.

Transport mechanisms of the imino acid L-proline in the human intestinal epithelial caco-2 cell line.

The intestinal transport of L-proline (L-Pro) has been investigated in various animal species with the use of different tissue preparations. Because major qualitative differences have been observed among the species, it is difficult to extent the results obtained with animal models to humans. In addition, studies on human tissue are lacking because of difficulties in obtaining material for experiments. To characterize the mechanisms involved in the intestinal absorption of L-Pro in humans, the transport of this nonessential imino acid was studied in monolayers of human intestinal Caco-2 cells that were cultivated on microporous membranes. In this model, L-Pro was transported selectively in the apical (AP)-to-basolateral (BL) direction. This transport was significantly reduced by metabolic inhibitors and by an incubation at 4 degrees C; it was Na(+) dependent and showed competition with (methylamino)-alpha-isobutyric acid and L-hydroxyproline. By contrast, transport in the BL-to-AP direction resulted to a large extent from passive movement (paracellular passage and transcellular diffusion). L-Pro accumulation by Caco-2 cells was significantly greater from the AP pole than from the BL pole. About 30-50% of the accumulated molecules were incorporated into newly synthesized proteins in a process inhibited by cycloheximide, whereas the remainder were extensively metabolized into non-amino acid compounds. L-Pro accumulations from the AP and BL poles were both Na(+) dependent, but they exhibited different characteristics. AP accumulation was inhibited by competition with (methylamino)-alpha-isobutyric acid, L-hydroxyproline and, to a lesser extent, D-Pro, whereas BL accumulation was inhibited by competition with L-hydroxyproline, (methylamino)-alpha-isobutyric acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid, L-histidine and small neutral amino acids. The results indicate that AP-to-BL transport and AP accumulation of L-Pro exhibited very different characteristics than BL-to-AP transport and BL accumulation.

Involvement of cyclic nucleotides and IP(3) in the regulation of luminescence in the brittlestar Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata).

We investigated the effects of cyclic nucleotides (cGMP, cAMP) and the phosphoinositide IP(3) on the luminescence of the ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata. The cGMP analogue, dibutyryl-cGMP, and the guanylate cyclase activator, sodium nitroprusside, had no effect on the luminescence. The cAMP analogue, dibutyryl-cAMP, and the adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin, triggered luminescence. Moreover, the adenylate cyclase inhibitor, MDL-12330A, significantly reduced ACh-induced luminescence. The phospholipase C inhibitor, U-73122, also significantly reduced ACh-induced luminescence. The results suggest that ACh-induced luminescence is mediated by both cAMP and IP(3) pathways but not by cGMP. The effects of calcium-free ASW confirmed this hypothesis. A hypothetical scheme of the transduction mechanisms involved in the intracellular control of luminescence is presented.

Effects of catecholamines and purines on luminescence in the brittlestar Amphipholis squamata (Echinodermata).

The effects of catecholamines (dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline and its derivatives), 5-hydroxytryptamine and purines (adenosine, ATP and their derivatives) on the acetylcholine-induced luminescence of isolated arms and dissociated photocytes of the luminescent ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata were tested. The results showed that catecholamines and 5-hydroxytryptamine (10(-)(5) to 10(-)(3 )mol l(-)(1)) had a strong dose-dependent inhibitory effect on acetylcholine-induced luminescence. In contrast, purines (10(-)(4) and 10(-)(3 )mol l(-)(1)) triggered luminescence in the absence of acetylcholine and/or potentiated acetylcholine-induced luminescence. The results with specific purinergic agonists and antagonists indicated the involvement of P(1)- and P(2)-like purinoceptors in the control of luminescence. Our study suggests that, in addition to the previously described cholinergic system in Amphipholis squamata, there may be a purinergic system, acting in synergy with acetylcholine, and an inhibitory neuromodulatory catecholaminergic system, all associated with the control of luminescence.

Localization of S1- and S2-like immunoreactivity in the nervous system of the brittle star Amphipholis squamata (Delle Chiaje 1828).

The recent isolation and characterization of the SALMFanide neuropeptides S1 GFNSALMFamide; and S2 (SGPYSFNSGLTFamide) from the sea stars. Asterias rubens and Asterias forbesi have initiated numerous studies on their morphological localization and distribution within the phylum Echinodermata. It has been shown by immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay that these peptides are widely distributed in the nervous system of some asteroids, echinoids and ophiuroids. A physiological approach has also shown that S1 and S2 potentiate the luminescence of the small ophiuroid Amphipholis squamata. In the present study. S1- and S2-like immunoreactivity have been localized in A. squamata by immunocytochemistry on both wholemount preparation and histological sections. The results reveal a widespread neuronal distribution of S1-like immunoreactivity in the circumoral ring, radial nerve cord, and tube feet. S1-like immunoreactivity was found to be associated with axons and cell bodies in both the ectoneural and hyponeural components of the nervous. S2-like immunoreactivity was detected only in the ectoneural plenus of the circumoral ring and radial nerve cord.