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Selected AbstractsPrevalence of coinfection with human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus in JapanHEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2007Kazuhiko Koike People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are frequently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), because of the common transmission routes. Since the dissemination of hyperactive antiretrovirus therapy (HAART), the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection have declined. However, the reduction in mortality due to opportunistic infection has made HCV-associated liver diseases the leading cause of mortality in Western countries. A similar situation is assumed in Japan, but the status of coinfection with HIV and HCV is unclear. We conducted a nationwide survey to determine the prevalence of coinfection with HIV and HCV by distributing a questionnaire to the hospitals in the HIV/AIDS Network of Japan. Among 4877 patients reported to be HIV-positive, 935 (19.2%) were also positive for the anti-HCV antibody. Most (84.1%) of the patients coinfected with HIV and HCV were recipients of blood products. These data, for the first time, show the current status of coinfection with HIV and HCV in Japan. A detailed analysis of the progression and severity of liver diseases in the coinfected patients is expected. [source] Analysis of chromosome 10 aberrations in rat endometrial cancer,evidence for a tumor suppressor locus distal to Tp53INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 7 2007Carola Nordlander Abstract We have recently shown in the BDII rat model of human endometrial adenocarcinoma (EAC), rat chromosome 10 (RNO10) is frequently involved in chromosomal aberrations. In the present study, we investigated the association between RNO10 deletions, allelic imbalance (AI) at RNO10q24 and Tp53 mutation in 27 rat EAC tumors. We detected chromosomal breakage accompanied by loss of proximal and/or gain of distal parts of RNO10 in approximately 2/3 of the tumors. This finding is suggestive of a tumor suppressor activity encoded from the proximal RNO10. Given the fact that Tp53 is located at RNO10q24-q25, we then performed Tp53 mutation analysis. However, we could not find a strong correlation between AI/deletions at RNO10q24 and Tp53 mutation. Instead, the observed patterns for AI, chromosomal breaks and deletions suggest that major selection was directed against a region located close to, but distal of Tp53. In different human malignancies a similar situation of AI at chromosome band 17p13.3 (HSA17p13.3) unassociated with TP53 mutation has been observed. Although RNO10 is largely homologous to HSA17, the conservation with respect to gene order among them is not extensive. We utilized publicly available draft DNA sequences to study intrachromosomal rearrangement during the divergence between HSA17 and RNO10. By using reciprocal comparison of rat and human genome data, we could substantially narrow down the candidate tumor suppressor region in rat from 3 Mb to a chromosomal segment of about 0.5 Mb in size. These results provide scientific groundwork for identification of the putative tumor suppressor gene(s) at 17p13.3 in human tumors. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Relational problems and psychiatric symptoms in couple therapyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WELFARE, Issue 4 2005Ann-Marie Lundblad This article describes couples attending family counselling in Sweden. The study group is compared with clinical groups and non-clinical groups. Self-rating instruments were com-pleted by 317 women and 312 men to evaluate the following: marital satisfaction (DAS), expressed emotion (QAFM), family climate (FC), psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90) and sense of coherence (SOC). This group had several problems: marital relationships, disrupted family functioning, dyadic interactions characterised by criticism and open arguments, and multiple psychological symptoms. The women were espe-cially discontent in the relationship, and they exhibited higher symptom strain and lower sense of coherence than the men did. Compared with non-clinical populations, this group was severely distressed and was similar to in-patient families in child psychiatric clinics. The low sense of coherence of the individuals in the group under study means that their sense of having a meaningful life and their ability to comprehend and manage problems were severely compromised. Adequate and comprehensive treatment within the framework of social pro-grammes should be made available to these couples and others in a similar situation. [source] Accurate motion-produced distance and direction under systematically distorted perceptionJAPANESE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2005NAOFUMI FUJITA Abstract:, We report the visually directed actions of soccer players. After perceiving the location of a target on their left side at the starting point and traveling toward the ball without seeing the target, the players could kick the ball accurately (Experiment 2). In contrast, if they were verbally asked the direction of the target in a similar situation, the perceived direction was systematically distorted (Experiment 3). Our major concern in explaining the distorted perception was whether the egocentric distance before locomotion was perceived accurately or not, and whether the updating of the target location during locomotion was accurate or not. Combining these two possibilities, there should be four hypotheses, each of which assumes either: (1) accurate egocentric distance and accurate updating, (2) inaccurate egocentric distance and accurate updating, (3) accurate egocentric distance and inaccurate updating, or (4) inaccurate egocentric distance and inaccurate updating. Based on these hypotheses, we conducted four simulations, which revealed that the combination of the perception of the accurate egocentric distance and the distorted updating that substituted the constant function for the sine function produced not only a good r2, but also three kinds of interactions obtained in Experiment 3. Why did the players, based on their distorted perception, perform accurately? We would like to suggest that through perceptual learning they might acquire a perceptual-motor relation as the inverse function of the physical-perceptual relation. [source] The potential for ,-opioid receptor agonists to be anti-emetic in humans: a review of clinical dataACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2010KEVIN D. JOHNSTON In animal models of vomiting, ,-opioid (MOP, OP3) receptors mediate both emesis and anti-emesis. ,-receptors within the blood,brain barrier, mediating anti-emesis, are more rapidly accessible to lipid-soluble ,-opioid receptor agonists such as fentanyl than to morphine, and fentanyl has broad-spectrum anti-emetic effects in a number of species. Whether a similar situation exists in humans is not known. A search was performed for clinical studies comparing the emetic side effects of opioids administered peri-operatively in an attempt to identify differences between morphine and more lipid-soluble ,-receptor-selective agonists such as fentanyl. Overall, the evidence appears to suggest that fentanyl and other phenylpiperidines are associated with less nausea and vomiting than morphine, but not all studies support this, and fentanyl-like drugs are associated with nausea and vomiting per se. Good evidence, however, exists to show that fentanyl and alfentanil do not cause more nausea and vomiting than the ultra fast-acting remifentanil. Because remifentanil is cleared rapidly post-operatively, such trials suggest that the emetic side effects of fentanyl and alfentanil are minimal. The clinical evidence, although limited, is at least consistent with the possibility that central ,-opioid receptors may mediate anti-emesis in humans. It is possible that the role of ,-opioid agonists in anti-emesis may become clearer in the future as a result of the use of peripheral ,-opioid receptor antagonists. [source] Plasma leptin levels in pigs with different leptin and leptin receptor genotypesJOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 4 2008M. Amills Summary A C3469T mutation at exon 3 of the pig leptin (Lep) gene has been genotyped in diverse pig breeds yielding controversial results with regard to its association with growth, fatness and carcass traits. A similar situation has been reported for a HpaII restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the pig leptin receptor (Lepr) gene, where associations were found depending on the statistical model employed. The main objective of our work was to investigate if leptin plasma concentrations differ in pigs with different C3469T and Lepr HpaII RFLP genotypes. With this aim, we have measured plasma leptin levels at 160 days in 68 Landrace pigs with different Lep C3469T and Lepr HpaII RFLP genotypes. Neither Lep (TT: 11.68 ng/ml, TC: 10.71 ng/ml) nor Lepr (AA: 12.6 ng/ml, AB: 10.93 ng/ml, BB: 11.74 ng/ml) genotypes influenced significantly plasma Lep concentration. Moreover, we did not find any association between Lep and Lepr genotypes and phenotypic variation at growth and fatness traits in a commercial population of 320 Landrace pigs. [source] H-methods in applied sciencesJOURNAL OF CHEMOMETRICS, Issue 3-4 2008Agnar Höskuldsson Abstract The author has developed a framework for mathematical modelling within applied sciences. It is characteristic for data from ,nature and industry' that they have reduced rank for inference. It means that full rank solutions normally do not give satisfactory solutions. The basic idea of H-methods is to build up the mathematical model in steps by using weighing schemes. Each weighing scheme produces a score and/or a loading vector that are expected to perform a certain task. Optimisation procedures are used to obtain ,the best' solution at each step. At each step, the optimisation is concerned with finding a balance between the estimation task and the prediction task. The name H-methods has been chosen because of close analogy with the Heisenberg uncertainty inequality. A similar situation is present in modelling data. The mathematical modelling stops, when the prediction aspect of the model cannot be improved. H-methods have been applied to wide range of fields within applied sciences. In each case, the H-methods provide with superior solutions compared to the traditional ones. A background for the H-methods is presented. The H-principle of mathematical modelling is explained. It is shown how the principle leads to well-defined optimisation procedures. This is illustrated in the case of linear regression. The H-methods have been applied in different areas: general linear models, nonlinear models, multi-block methods, path modelling, multi-way data analysis, growth models, dynamic models and pattern recognition. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Swedish Registered Nurses' incentives to use nursing diagnoses in clinical practiceJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 8 2006Lena Axelsson BSc Aims and objectives., The purpose of this study was to describe Registered Nurses' incentives to use nursing diagnoses in clinical practice. Background., The use of nursing diagnoses is scarce in Swedish patient records. However, there are hospital wards were all nurses formulate and use nursing diagnoses in their daily work. This leads to the question of what motivates these nurses who do use nursing diagnoses in clinical practice. Design., A qualitative descriptive design. Methods., A purposeful sampling of 12 Registered Nurses was used. Qualitative interviews to collect data and a content analysis were performed. Results., Five categories were identified: identification of the patient as an individual and as a whole, a working tool for facilitating nursing care, increasing awareness within nursing, support from the management and influence on the professional role. The principle findings of this study were: (i) that the Registered Nurses perceived that nursing diagnoses clarified the patient's individual needs and thereby enabled them to decide on more specific nursing interventions, (ii) that nursing diagnoses were found to facilitate communication between colleagues concerning patient care and thus promoted continuity of care and saved time and (iii) that nursing diagnoses were perceived to increase the Registered Nurses' reflective thinking leading to a continuous development of professional knowledge. Conclusions., The present findings suggest that the incentives to use nursing diagnoses originate from effects generated from performing a deeper analysis of the patient's nursing needs. Further research is needed to test and validate the usability and consequences of using nursing diagnoses in clinical practice. Relevance to clinical practice., Motivating factors found in this study may be valuable to Registered Nurses for the use and development of nursing diagnoses in clinical care. Moreover, these factors may be of relevance in other countries that are in a similar situation as Sweden concerning application of nursing diagnoses. [source] Linguistic Research and Language TeachingLINGUISTICS & LANGUAGE COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 2 2008Natsuko Tsujimura It is not uncommon for theoretical linguists to find themselves involved in language teaching because of their expertise in a specific language, even though their primary training is not in language instruction. Apparent lack of intellectual stimulus and career development is a typical concern shared by those who are in these academic positions; and it is sometimes the case that time spent on language teaching is perceived to be detrimental to a successful tenure decision. Based on my own experience as a linguist in a language department for the past 20 years, I will discuss some of these dilemmas and suggestions that may lead to a more positive outlook of those who face a similar situation. [source] Arabidopsis protein repair l -isoaspartyl methyltransferases: predominant activities at lethal temperaturesPHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM, Issue 4 2006Sarah T. Villa Protein l -isoaspartyl (d -aspartyl) O -methyltransferases (Enzyme Commission (EC) 2.1.1.77; PIMT or PCMT) are enzymes that initiate the full or partial repair of damaged l -aspartyl and l -asparaginyl residues, respectively. These enzymes are found in most organisms and maintain a high degree of sequence conservation. Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis L. Heynh.) is unique among eukaryotes in that it contains two genes, rather than one, that encode PIMT isozymes. We describe a novel A. thaliana PIMT isozyme, designated AtPIMT2,,, encoded by the PIMT2 gene (At5g50240). We characterized the enzymatic activity of the recombinant AtPIMT2,, in comparison to the other AtPIMT2 isozymes, AtPIMT1, and to the human PCMT1 ortholog, to better understand its role in Arabidopsis. All Arabidopsis PIMT isozymes are active over a relatively wide pH range. For AtPIMT2,, maximal activity is observed at 50°C (a lethal temperature for Arabidopsis); this activity is almost 10 times greater than the activity at the growth temperature of 25°C. Interestingly, enzyme activity decreases after pre-incubation at temperatures above 30°C. A similar situation is found for the recombinant AtPIMT2, and the AtPIMT2, isozymes, as well as for the AtPIMT1 and human PCMT1 enzymes. These results suggest that the short-term ability of these methyltransferases to initiate repair under extreme temperature conditions may be a common feature of both the plant and animal species. [source] The failure of pronatalism in developed states ,with cultural,ethnic hegemony': the Israeli lessonPOPULATION, SPACE AND PLACE (PREVIOUSLY:-INT JOURNAL OF POPULATION GEOGRAPHY), Issue 2 2008O. Winckler Abstract During the past two decades, the ,hot' demographic issue in the developed states ,with cultural,ethnic hegemony' changed radically , from a focus on ,global demographic pressure', namely, the ,Malthusian syndrome' of rapid population growth in the developing countries, to the ethno-religious composition of their own populations. The solution adopted by many of these countries to tackle the twin demographic challenges of population ageing and the changing dependency ratio was the implementation of pronatalist policies which aimed at reducing their dependence upon labour immigration. This article examines the efficiency of these pronatalist policies through the Israeli case. The core questions of the article are: Has the Israeli pronatalist policy achieved its basic aims? What influence did the Israeli natalist policy and the child allowance structure have on the fertility patterns of the Israeli-Arabs? What can be learned from the Israeli experience regarding the efficiency of these pronatalist policies in developed states? The major lesson from the Israeli experience is that, to a large extent, these pronatalist polices failed. The fertility rate of the Jewish middle class, the Christian-Arabs and the Druze steadily declined, while that of the Israeli-Muslims, although lower since the 1960s, is still twice that of the Jewish middle class. One can find a similar situation in all of the developed states ,with cultural,ethnic hegemony.' Thus, the inescapable conclusion is that in democratic-developed societies, in which women enjoy equity in every respect, fertility rates will eventually decline to below replacement-level regardless of pronatalist financial benefits. Consequently, the process of the developed states ,with cultural,ethnic hegemony' becoming developed states ,without cultural,ethnic hegemony' is irreversible due to the constant need for massive labour immigration. In the case of Israel, at the dawn of the twenty-first century, there are high fertility rates in only two communities , the Ultra-Orthodox Jews and the Muslims , paradoxically the two ,non-Zionist' communities. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Reservoir resettlement in China: past experience and the Three Gorges DamTHE GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2001Li Heming This paper reviews involuntary resettlement resulting from dam-building, which has been ignored relative to the dominant focus of migration research in China, rural to urban migration. Reservoir resettlement in China has a long history, often of misery and hardship for those displaced. Relocatees affected by the Three Gorges Project (1994,2009) on the Yangtze River face a similar situation. In China priority has been given to building the dam to provide electricity, flood control and navigation. Less attention has been paid to the problems of the people affected by the reservoir inundation. The rural population forced to relocate and rural-urban migrants in general have been discriminated against by national policies. [source] A self-consistent treatment of the electromotive force in magnetohydrodynamics for large diffusivitiesASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 7 2010A. Courvoisier Abstract The coupled equations that describe the effect of large-scale magnetic and velocity fields on forced high-diffusivity magnetohydrodynamic flows are investigated through an extension of mean field electrodynamics. Our results generalise those of Rädler & Brandenburg (2010), who consider a similar situation but assume that the effect of the Lorentz force on the momentum equation can be neglected. New mean coupling terms are shown to appear, which can lead to large-scale growth of magnetic and velocity fields even when the usual a-effects are absent (© 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Influence of dose on the distribution kinetics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in the isolated hindlimb of the ratBIOPHARMACEUTICS AND DRUG DISPOSITION, Issue 8 2000A.C. Casquero-Dorado Abstract The aim of this study was to determine whether the dose influences the distribution kinetics of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in muscle- bone- and skin-tissues included in the isolated hindlimb of the rat. Experiments were carried out in the isolated perfused hindlimb of the rat, administering a single dose of 45, 450 or 900 µg of each quinolone as a bolus injection. Outflow perfusate samples were collected for 20 min and drug levels were determined by an HPLC technique. The mean transit time (MTT) and the distribution volume of ciprofloxacin significantly increased with the dose injected (MTT=1.47±0.69, 8.74±0.27 and 9.52±2.95 min for 45, 450 and 900 µg, respectively). A similar situation was observed with ofloxacin, although the increase in these parameters was less pronounced (MTT=3.65±0.86, 7.92±2.03 and 8.32±1.70 min for 45, 450 and 900 µg, respectively). The distribution of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin in the rat hindlimb appears to be a dose-dependent process, at least for the dose range considered in this study. This might explain the high variability in the distribution coefficients reported for these drugs in literature. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Therapy in a subtropical climate for children with cerebral palsy.ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 4 2009Evidence of physical, psychosocial effects? Abstract Aim: To assess a possible therapeutic effect in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy of a habilitation programme in a warm sunny climate. Methods: Fifty-seven children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, all integrated with normal functioning children through mainstream schooling, received an individualized four-week habilitation programme at a habilitation centre in Lanzarote in the Canary Islands. They were clinically assessed before and after treatment, and again after three and six months. The clinical tests included gross motor function measure (GMFM) and the paediatric evaluation of disability inventory (PEDI). Mental health and self-esteem were assessed by using the youth self report (YSR), the child behaviour checklist (CBCL) and the Harter's self-perception profile. We also used focus-group interviews on all 57 parents by the end of the treatment period. Results: The study revealed some improvements in the level of physical performance. The most striking finding, however, was the lasting effect on behavioural and emotional parameters and the children's self-esteem. Conclusion: Training in a warm climate may explain some of this positive effect. However, based on the focus-group interviews and its quantitative findings a more plausible explanation may be the interaction in a social setting with others in a similar situation. [source] The Art and Science of Surge: Experience from Israel and the U.S. MilitaryACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2006Boaz Tadmor MD In a disaster or mass casualty incident, health care resources may be exceeded and systems may be challenged by unusual requirements. These resources may include pharmaceuticals, supplies, and equipment as well as certain types of academic and administrative expertise. New agencies and decision makers may need to work together in an unfamiliar environment. Furthermore, large numbers of casualties needing treatment, newer therapies required to care for these casualties, and increased workforce and space available for these casualties all contribute to what is often referred to as "surge." Surge capacity in emergency care can be described in technical, scientific terms that are measured by numbers and benchmarks (e.g., beds, patients, and medications) or can take on a more conceptual and abstract form (e.g., decisions, authority, and responsibility). The former may be referred to as the "science" of surge, whereas the latter, an equal if not more important component of surge systems that is more conceptual and abstract, can be considered the "art" of surge. The experiences from Israel and the U.S. military may serve to educate colleagues who may be required to respond or react to an event that taxes the current health care system. This report presents concrete examples of surge capacity strategies used by both Israel and the U.S. military and provides solutions that may be applied to other health care systems when faced with similar situations. [source] Prolonged imatinib-induced myelosuppression in chronic myeloid leukaemia with an unusually long survivalINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LABORATORY HEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008D. P. Busuttil Summary A case of Philadelphia chromosome positive chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) with the longest survival ever reported in the medical literature is presented. The duration of the chronic phase was 29 years, the overall survival being 31 years. The clinical course, when challenged with imatinib in the later stages of the disease, was at variance with what is to be expected from the experience in similar situations. Lifelong myelosuppression resulted that interfered with further therapy and contributed to the demise of the patient from sepsis three years later. Caution is suggested with the use of imatinib in fibrotic CML with a low platelet count. [source] Blinding in clozapine trials: a problem and a potential solutionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 3 2009Tamar Wohlfarth Abstract Background:,A methodological problem arises when efficacy of clozapine is compared with other antipsychotic medication in double blind randomized studies. Due to the risk of leucopenia and agranulocytosis, patients in the clozapine condition need to have regular blood testing. The problem is that in order to maintain blinding, patients in the comparison conditions need to undergo blood testing as well and this can lead to underestimation of treatment acceptability and efficacy of the comparators. Methods:,A thought experiment considering all possible solutions for the methodological problem. Results:,We propose a special study design that preserves randomization and blinding while at the same time prevents underestimation of the effect in the comparator treatments. In addition, the necessity for blood testing is limited to only a small number of patients who receive comparative treatments. The design involves initial randomization to a sub-study including clozapine and a small comparator arm or to a sub-study that includes only comparator arms. Blood testing is only necessary in the first sub-study. Discussion:,Limitations of the proposed design are discussed. It is noted that this study design may offer a solution to similar situations where blood testing or other types of monitoring (e.g. as with lithium) is required in one but not in all of the treatment arms of a double blind randomized study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A Price Is a Signal: on Intrinsic Motivation, Crowding-out, and Crowding-inKYKLOS INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2010Friedel Bolle SUMMARY If a previously unpaid activity (e.g. donating blood) is paid, then we often observe that this activity is reduced. In this paper, it is hypothesized that the price offered is taken as a proxy for the "value" of the activity. Depending on how the actor valued the activity previously, crowding-out or crowding-in is implied, an effect with or without persistence after stopping the payment. The model can be adapted to a number of similar situations, including those where a high price signals high costs instead of high values. Our "naďve" explanation is confronted with Bčnabou and Tirole's (2003) Principal-Agent model. A questionnaire study supports our basic hypothesis as well as some of the derived consequences, and contradicts Bčnabou and Tirole's model. [source] COMPARING GLASS COMPOSITIONAL ANALYSES*ARCHAEOMETRY, Issue 3 2006M. J. BAXTER In a recently published study of Romano-British colourless glass compositions, using inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, 28 glasses from Colchester sampled in a previous study were resampled. This was done deliberately, with a view to examining the repeatability of results from sampling on different occasions. We report on our results here, developing in the process some simple statistical methodology that could be applied in similar situations. The potential for combining analyses undertaken at different times is discussed and illustrated. [source] Beyond Just Research: Experiences from Southern Africa in Developing Social Learning Partnerships for Resource Conservation InitiativesBIOTROPICA, Issue 5 2009Charlie M. Shackleton ABSTRACT There is a well-acknowledged communication or knowledge gap between scientists and decision-makers. Many scientists who take on the challenge of narrowing this gap operate on the understanding that their role is to communicate their findings in a one-way flow of information: from science to decision-makers. However, to be effective scientists must engage in an ongoing social learning process with decision-makers, and regard themselves as facilitators, and also as one among many stakeholders who have valid and important ecological knowledge. The developing world poses some particular challenges in this regard, specifically in terms of the large number of local level subsistence resources users who are important de facto decision-makers. We examine four natural resource management case studies from South Africa that differ in spatial scale and complexity, ranging from a single village to a whole biome. We distil seven lessons to help guide development of social learning processes and organizations in similar situations relating to natural resource planning and management. The lessons pertain to: maintaining ,key individuals' within social learning processes; the role of researchers; the formulation of research questions that social learning processes require adaptive long-term funding and capacity support; that local resource users are key decision-makers in developing countries; some perspectives on knowledge; and the need to measure research success. [source] Influence of energy drinks and alcohol on post-exercise heart rate recovery and heart rate variabilityCLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL IMAGING, Issue 1 2009Urban Wiklund Summary Background:, Media have anecdotally reported that drinking energy drinks in combination with alcohol and exercise could cause sudden cardiac death. This study investigated changes in the electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate variability after intake of an energy drink, taken in combination with alcohol and exercise. Methods:, Ten healthy volunteers (five men and five women aged 19,30) performed maximal bicycle ergometer exercise for 30 min after: (i) intake of 0·75 l of an energy drink mixed with alcohol; (ii) intake of energy drink; and, (iii) no intake of any drink. ECG was continuously recorded for analysis of heart rate variability and heart rate recovery. Results:, No subject developed any clinically significant arrhythmias. Post-exercise recovery in heart rate and heart rate variability was slower after the subjects consumed energy drink and alcohol before exercise, than after exercise alone. Conclusion:, The healthy subjects developed blunted cardiac autonomic modulation after exercising when they had consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol. Although they did not develop any significant arrhythmia, individuals predisposed to arrhythmia by congenital or other rhythm disorders could have an increased risk for malignant cardiac arrhythmia in similar situations. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||