Chronic treatment with carvedilol improves Ca(2+)-dependent ATP consumption in triton X-skinned fiber preparations of human myocardium.

Evidence is given that beta-blocker treatment differentially influences gene expression and up-regulation of beta(1)-adrenoceptors in human myocardium. Here, we investigate whether long-term treatment with carvedilol or metoprolol may functionally alter myofibrillar function in end-stage human heart failure. Investigations were performed in Triton X (1%, 4 degrees C, 20 h)-skinned fiber preparations of explanted hearts from patients undergoing heart transplantation due to idiopathic dilative cardiomyopathy. Five patients were not on beta-adrenoceptor blocker treatment (DCM_NBB), and 5 patients received either carvedilol (DCM_CAR) or metoprolol (DCM_MET). Nonfailing (NF) donor hearts (n = 5), which could not be transplanted due to technical reasons, were investigated for comparison. Ca(2+)-dependent tension (DT) development and actomyosin-ATPase activity (MYO) were measured and tension-dependent ATP consumption was calculated by the ratio of DT and MYO ("tension cost"). In addition, we measured the phosphorylation of troponin I (TNI) by back phosphorylation. Maximal DT and TNI phosphorylation were reduced, with myofibrillar Ca(2+) sensitivity of DT and MYO as well as tension cost being increased in DCM_NBB compared with NF. Metoprolol treatment restored TNI phosphorylation, decreased Ca(2+) sensitivity of tension development and of myosin-ATPase activity, but did not alter the tension-dependent ATP consumption. Carvedilol treatment improved maximal DT and significantly decreased tension-dependent ATP consumption without altering myofibrillar Ca(2+) sensitivity. TNI dephosphorylation was increased in patients treated with carvedilol. In conclusion, chronic beta-adrenoceptor blockade functionally alters myofibrillar function. The more economic cross-bridge cycling in patients under carvedilol treatment may provide an explanation for the efficacy of carvedilol in the treatment of chronic heart failure patients.

Values and self-esteem in three generations of men and women.

Similarities and differences in values within families across three generations were examined. The relationship between values and self-esteem was also investigated. Sixty inter-generational triads (30M;30F) rated 14 values on a semantic-differential scale. The hypotheses of generational similarities in long-term, central (in Rokeach's terms, terminal) values and of generational differences in short term, specific (Rokeach's instrumental) values were generally supported. However, the hypothesized interactions of self-esteem and generation with values were only minimally supported by these data. There were no generational differences in the terminal values Equality, An Exciting Life, Freedom, and A Sense of Accomplishment. The oldest generation rated the instrumental values Ambition, Capability, Independence, and Intelligence higher than did the other generations. In addition, they rated the more work-oriented values of Education, Money, Success and Work highest. These findings are discussed as possible cohort rather than as age effects. Women rated Ambition, Education, and Intelligence more highly than men.

Training response speed in young and elderly women.

Effectiveness of response speed training on the performance of thirty adult women was assessed. Five young and five elderly female volunteers were tested in each of three experimental conditions: (1) one training session with cognitive feedback in which participants were given response rate information (control); (2) five training sessions with cognitive feedback (practice); or (3) five training sessions with cognitive feedback in which the number of S&H green stamp units earned was directly proportional to response rate (conjugate reinforcement). Dependent variables were (a) response speed on three paper-pencil tasks, and (b) postraining performance on twelve intelligence subtests chosen as far transfer tasks. Response speed increased significantly with training in both age groups, but contrary to expectation, young adults showed greater training effects than elderly adults. No significant far transfer effects were obtained.