Acute interleukin-6 infusion increases IGFBP-1 but has no short-term effect on IGFBP-3 proteolysis in healthy men.

Human conditions of elevated interleukin-6 (IL-6) and transgenic mice overexpressing IL-6 have increased proteolytic degradation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3. In addition, IL-6 alters the hepatic expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the IGFBPs in vitro. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether moderately elevated IL-6 levels have short-term effects on circulating IGF-I, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3 proteolysis in vivo. Healthy men received a 3-h IL-6 (n = 6) or saline (n = 6) infusion and blood samples were collected prior to and up to 8 h after the start of infusion. Free IGF-I, total IGF-I, IGFBP-1, insulin and cortisol were measured using immunoassays. Serum IGFBP-3 proteolysis was analyzed by Western immunoblot and by in vitro degradation of (125)I-IGFBP-3. We found that IL-6 concentrations reaching approximately 100 pg/ml significantly increased IGFBP-1 after the end of infusion in the absence of changes in insulin. In addition, plasma levels of cortisol were increased in response to IL-6 during and after infusion compared to saline. There was no effect of IL-6 on IGFBP-3 proteolysis, total IGF-I or free dissociable IGF-I. These data suggest that moderately elevated levels of IL-6 such as in the post-operative state or after exercise may contribute to increased levels of IGFBP-1. Although this study does not exclude that high levels and/or prolonged exposure to IL-6 may induce IGFBP-3 proteolysis in sepsis or chronic inflammatory disease, it suggests that IL-6 released from exercising skeletal muscle is not directly involved in proteolysis of circulating IGFBP-3.

Effects of a cognitive-behavioural weight loss programme on overweight obstructive sleep apnoea patients.

Thirty-two obese patients (Body Mass Index (BMI) = 38.5 +/- 3.7) with obstructive sleep apnoea (the average number of oxygen desaturations per hour of sleep exceeding 4% from the baseline (ODI4) = 38.64 +/- 23.9) underwent a one-year cognitive-behavioural weight reduction programme with a one year follow-up period. The criteria for successful treatment were (i) a decrease in ODI4 to less than 10 and (ii) a decrease in ODI4 that was greater than 50%. Fourteen (44%) patients were considered to be treated successfully at six months. When the patients were grouped according to weight loss 23 patients had lost more than 5 kg; 12 (52%) of them belonged to the group treated successfully. At 24 months, however, only three (9%) patients could be regarded as treated successfully and six patients had been transferred to other treatment modes (Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (nCPAP) and uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP)). The changes in weight correlated with the changes in ODI4 (r = 0.47 and 0.63 at the 6-month and the 24-month evaluation, respectively).

Comparison of effects on sleep of lovastatin and pravastatin in hypercholesterolemia.

The effects on sleep of lovastatin, a 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor administered as a lipophilic lactone prodrug, and pravastatin, an inhibitor administered in its active, hydrophilic, open-acid form, were compared by polysomnographic sleep monitoring. Twenty-four men with primary hypercholesterolemia (low-density lipoprotein 4 to 7 mmol/liter) each received 2 of the following 3 treatments in a randomized, incomplete block, crossover design study: lovastatin (40 mg/day), pravastatin (40 mg/day), and placebo. Test drug was administered once daily for 4 weeks during each half of the crossover study. Subjective sleep assessments were obtained throughout each treatment period, and polysomnographic recordings were obtained at the end of the 4-week treatment periods. Treatment periods were separated by a 1-week washout. Lovastatin did not differ from placebo regarding any polysomnographic parameter except "number of entries to wake," for which it produced fewer entries (i.e., change was in the direction of improvement). Pravastatin did not differ from placebo regarding any polysomnographic measures, but was associated with worsening in relation to lovastatin in the following parameters: sleep efficiency, entries to wake, percent rapid eye movement sleep, wake time during sleep, and total wake time. For each of these 4 parameters, although neither drug showed marked differences from placebo, the mean change in the lovastatin group was in the direction of improved sleep, whereas the change in the pravastatin group was in the direction of disturbed sleep. Neither lovastatin nor pravastatin had any effect on subjective, qualitative sleep ratings.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Quieting a wire strander for the tire cord industry.

Evaluation of detailed noise and vibration measurements on a wire strander led to the identification of noise sources. The same data were used to optimize the selection of absorption materials while meeting the severe space limitations imposed by the equipment design. The acoustical treatment resulted in a 6-7 dBA noise reduction.