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Biomedical subjects

G Ferretti

Publications and source records attributed to G Ferretti.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

Energy cost of and energy sources for alpine skiing in top athletes.

O2 uptake (VO2) during exercise and at 2 min of the recovery along with blood lactate concentration 5 min after exercise were measured in an all-out special slalom (SS) and giant slalom (GS) performed by eight top male athletes and five controls in a field study. Heart rate (HR) was continuously monitored before, during, and after each task. On the basis of an energy equivalent of 3.15 ml O2 X kg body wt-1 for 1 mmol X 1-1 lactate accumulation and the assumption that the amount of O2 consumed in recovery is used to reconstitute approximately phosphates used during the exercise, the total energy cost (delta VO2 tot) could be calculated and subdivided into aerobic, lactic, and alactic fractions. In top athletes, delta VO2 tot was equal during SS and GS [7.28 +/- 1.14 (SD) and 7.47 +/- 0.89 liters for about 55- and 70-s performances, respectively]. When referred to time, the O2 expenditure rate was 2 and 1.6 times VO2max in SS and GS, respectively. In SS and GS, the energy sources were about 40% aerobic, 20% alactic , and 40% lactic metabolism. In control skiers, delta VO2 tot of GS was 6.12 +/- 1.45 liters for 77 s, amounting to about 1.3 VO2max, with the contribution of the different energy sources being roughly the same as in top skiers. HR reached maximal values in 30-40 s in all subjects for all conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Duchenne muscular dystrophy: alterations in lymphocyte fluidity.

We have studied lymphocyte membrane from 7 patients with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and 8 normal controls using fluorescence polarization of 1,6-diphenyl-hexatriene (DPH). The microviscosity of lymphocytes membrane is significatively higher in DMD patients than in normal controls. Our results support the hypothesis of a generalized membrane defect in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.

Chemical Phenomena↗
PubMed1983

Electron spin resonance studies of the effects of lipids on the environment of proteins in mitochondrial membranes.

The physical state of mitochondrial membranes has been investigated by means of stearic acid spin labels and of a maleimide spin label covalently bound to protein sulfhydryl groups. Stearic acid spin labels 5-NS and 16-NS show that n-butanol enhances the lipid fluidity of mitochondrial membranes in the whole temperature range between 4 and 37 degrees C; the effects in the hydrophobic membrane core, probed by 16-NS, are already apparent at 10 mM butanol. In liposomes formed of mitochondrial phospholipids, a fluidizing effect appears only at much higher concentration. Such results are compatible with the idea that butanol destabilizes lipid-protein interactions. On the other hand, the ratio between weakly and strongly immobilized SH groups probed by maleimide spin label is only slightly affected in the temperature range of 4-37 degrees C by addition of high concentrations of n-butanol, indicating that the environments probed are stable to agents inducing fluidity changes in the lipids. There are, however, indications that the environment probed by maleimide is affected by lipids, since the spin label, when bound to lipid-depleted mitochondria, becomes more immobilized, reconstitution of such lipid-depleted membranes with phospholipids restores the original spectra.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1982

The intrinsic fluorescence characteristics of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes.

The fluorescence characteristics of tryptophan in sarcoplasmic reticulum, were investigated to gain information concerning its location and environment within the intact membrane system. With an excitation of 295 nm, tryptophan has an emission maximum of 330 nm characteristic of tryptophan in a buried hydrophobic environment. At the wavelength studied only a faint contribution of tyrosine is present. The changes observed in the presence of urea 8 M suggest only a partial exposition of the aromatic residues.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Cardiac output and cardiac load during isometric exercise in man.

Cardiac output, heart rate, arterial pressure and indirect left ventricular oxygen consumption have been measured in three subjects during isometric contractions (50-170 kg) of the plantar flexors until fatigue was reached and during walking on a treadmill. Cardiac output was linearly related to VO2 for both exercises. However, for the same VO2, Q was four times higher during isometric effort than during walking. In the last 15 s of static tasks, HR was linearly increasing to VO2 and AP reached values of 160 and 125 Torr (systolic and diastolic respectively) independently of VO2. For comparable VO2 in static and isotonic exercises myocardial O2 uptake was doubled during isometric rather than during the isotonic exercise.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1982

Superficial shell insulation in resting and exercising men in cold water.

From measurements of subcutaneous fat temperature (Tsf) at known depths below the surface, skin surface temperature (Tsk), and direct skin heat flux (H), the superficial shell isulation (Iss) of the thigh (fat + skin) was calculated as Iss (degrees C.m2.w-1) = (Tsf - Tsk)/H in nine male subjects immersed head out in a well-stirred water bath. Also, at critical water temperature (CWT = 28-33 degrees C), eight of the subjects rested for 3 h, enabling overall maximal tissue insulation (It,max) to be calculated as It,max (degrees C.m2.W-1) = (Tre - Tw)/(0.92 M +/- delta S), where Tre is rectal temperature, Tw is water temperature, M is metabolic rate, and s is loss or gain of body heat. Five subjects performed up to 2 h of mild leg cycling, preceded and followed by 60 min of rest, and both thigh Iss and overall It were measured during exercise. Iss increased from minimal values in Tw greater than 33 degrees C to maximal values (Iss,max) at CWT or below. Iss,max was linearly related to tissue thickness (d) in millimeters of fat plus skin, Iss,max (degrees C.m2.W-1) = 0.0048d-0.0052; r = 0.95, n = 37, and was not influenced by leg exercise up to a metabolic rate of 150 W.m-2 in CWT despite large increases in Tsf and H and large decreases in overall It. The slope of Iss,max vs. depth, 0.0048 degrees C.m2.W-1.mm-1, is almost identical to thermal resistivity of fat in vitro, suggesting that the superficial shell is unperfused in CWT at rest or during mild exercise. When maximal superficial shell insulation (It,ss,max) for the whole body was calculated with allowance for differing fat thicknesses and surface areas of body regions, it could account for only 10-15% of overall It,max at rest and 35-40% of overall It in mild exercise. We suggest that the poorly perfused muscle shell plays a more important role as a defense against cooling at CWT than does the superficial shell (fat + skin), particularly at rest.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1982

Tactile discrimination of direction of lines in relation to hemispheric specialization.

The role of the right hemisphere in a task of haptic discrimination of line orientation was studied in 16 children aged 7.6 and 16 adults aged 25 yr. The exploratory movements were limited to hand and wrist, since it has been shown that distal movements are mediated by the contralateral hemisphere. A comparison of the performance of the two hands shows a clear superiority of the left hand and inferred right hemisphere in both children and adults. An special emphasis in the discussion is given to the role of the experimental procedure in enhancing the effect of the hemispheric functional asymmetries.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

[Molecular organization of erythrocyte membranes in Duchenne muscular dystrophy].

Lipid-soluble spin labels were used to study lipid protein interactions in erythrocyte membranes obtained from patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The temperature dependence of order parameter (Sn) and correlation time (tau c) have demonstrated alterations in the surface and in the hydrophobic core of membrane; the differences might be correlated with a depletion of extrinsic protein and of intramembrane particles. Our studies suggest a great abnormality of membrane molecular organization in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy↗
PubMed1981

Study of the possible interactions of indoprofen on the diuretic effect of furosemide.

Twelve elderly in-patients undergoing chronic furosemide treatment (25 mg/day), with stable diuresis, were admitted to a cross-over, double-blind study to investigate the possible interactions between indoprofen and the diuretic. Indoprofen (200 mg t.i.d.) and identical placebo tablets were administered in randomized sequences for 4 days each. The sequence were preceded by a 4-day run-in observation period and followed by a 4-day follow-up. 24-hour urinary volume and the excretion of Na, K and endogenous creatinine were monitored, with serum Na, K, creatinine and creatinine clearance. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured and routine clinical blood chemistry tests and urinalysis were made for safety. The findings of this pilot study suggest that indoprofen does not alter the natriuretic action of furosemide; a tendency was noted towards a reduction of glomerular filtrate and urine volume, but the values after indoprofen were not significantly different from those after placebo.

Aged↗
PubMed1980

[Study of lipid-protein interactions in mitochondrial membranes using the intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan].

The environment of membrane-bound proteins has been investigated by measuring the fluorescence of intrinsic tryptophans in intact bovine heart mitochondria, in lipid-depleted mitochondria, and in reconstituted mitochondria. Lipid depletion induces a strong decrease of fluorescence intensity, probably as the result of extraction of peripheral proteins by the solvents used. Comparison of lipid-depleted and lipid-reconstituted mitochondria shows a higher fluorescence in the lipid-depleted membranes; in an Arrhenius plot the fluorescence intensity shows two breaks in the lipid-depleted membranes, but no break in the reconstituted ones. Butanol has little effect on fluorescence intensity of intact mitochondria. The results are compatible with a constant lipid environment of integral proteins which is not modified by either temperature or organic solvents.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Insulin receptors on monocytes and erythrocytes from obese patients.

Insulin receptors were studied in monocytes and erythrocytes [red blood cells (RBC)] isolated from 15 normal and 15 nondiabetic obese outpatients on an unrestricted diet. Insulin binding on both monocytes (P < 0.001) and RBC (P < 0.01) was higher in normal than in obese subjects due to different receptor concentrations. In some obese patients, binding to monocytes was decreased, while binding to RBC was normal. These data demonstrate that obese out-patients on an unrestricted diet have a reduced number of insulin receptors. It is suggested that interpretation of insulin binding based upon RBC should be used with caution, since a discrepancy exists in some subjects in the results obtained with these cells and monocytes.

Adult↗