The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship exists among skeletal muscle fiber composition, adiposity, and in vitro muscle glucose transport rate in humans. Rectus abdominus muscle was obtained during elective abdominal surgery from nonobese control (n = 12), obese (n = 12), and obese non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients (n = 10). The obese NIDDM group had a significantly lower percentage of type I muscle fibers (32.2 +/- 1.9%) than the obese group (40.4 +/- 2.7%), and both obese groups were significantly lower than the control group (50.0 +/- 2.6%). Insulin-stimulated glucose transport, determined on 28 subjects, was significantly lower in both the obese (3.83 +/- 0.48 nmol.min-1.mg-1) and NIDDM (3.93 +/- 1.0 nmol.min-1.mg-1) groups vs. the control group (7.35 +/- 1.50 nmol.min-1.mg-1). Body mass index (BMI) was inversely correlated to percent type I fibers (r = -0.50, P < 0.01) and to the insulin-stimulated glucose transport rate (r = -0.53, P < 0.01). The percentage of type I muscle fibers was related to the insulin-stimulated glucose transport rate (r = 0.57, P < 0.01), although this relationship was not significant after adjusting for BMI. Although these data do not support an independent relationship between fiber type and insulin action in obesity, a reduced skeletal muscle type I fiber population may be one component of a multifactorial process involved in the development of insulin resistance.

Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide increasingly recognized for its role in bonding, socialization, and stress relief. Previous research has demonstrated participants' OT levels increased after interacting with or petting a dog, suggesting OT is at least partially responsible for the calm, relaxing feeling that participants experienced during this intervention. The purpose of our study was to more closely examine changes in oxytocin levels in men and women in response to interaction with their own dog after being separated from the dog while at work all day. This condition was compared with a reading control condition, without the presence of the dog. Because the workplace is a common stressor, participants were examined after work to evaluate how interacting with a pet may help decrease stress, as evidenced by increases in serum oxytocin levels. Ten men and ten women participated in the study. Serum oxytocin levels were obtained before the participants had contact with their dogs and then again after 25 minutes of interaction with their dog. The same protocol was followed for the reading condition except that instead of interacting with their dog, participants read nonfiction materials selected by the researchers. Serum oxytocin levels increased statistically more for women who interacted with their dog when compared with women in the reading condition (p = 0.003). There was no significant increase in oxytocin level in men after interaction with the bonded dog compared with the reading condition; in fact, male oxytocin levels decreased after both the dog and reading conditions. These results suggest that men and women may have different hormonal responses to interaction with their dogs. It is unclear to what degree OT reactivity was affected by hormones, personality traits, or interpersonal relationships; factors which warrant further research.

Leptin, the product of the ob gene, is elevated in obese humans and appears to be closely related to body fat content. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effect of aerobic exercise training on systemic leptin levels in humans. Eighteen sedentary middle-aged men (n = 9) and women (n = 9) who did not differ in aerobic capacity (29.4 +/- 1.2 vs. 27.5 +/- 1.2 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1)) or insulin sensitivity index (3.41 +/- 1.12 vs. 4.88 +/- 0.55) were studied. Fat mass was significantly lower in females vs. males (21.83 +/- 2.25 vs. 26.99 +/- 2.37 kg, P < 0.05). Despite this, fasting serum leptin was significantly higher in the females vs. males (18.27 +/- 2.55 vs. 9.88 +/- 1.26 ng/ml, P < 0.05). Serum leptin concentration decreased 17.5% in females (P < 0.05) after 12 wk of aerobic exercise training (4 day/wk, 30-45 min/day) but was not significantly reduced in males. Fat mass was not altered after training in either group. In contrast, both aerobic capacity (+13% males, +9.1% females) and insulin sensitivity (+35% males, +82% females) were significantly improved subsequent to training. These data suggest that 1) women have higher circulating leptin concentrations despite lower fat mass and 2) exercise training appears to have a greater effect on systemic leptin levels in females than in males.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether enzymatic and histochemical characteristics of human skeletal muscle are altered with aging. Tissues from the vastus lateralis (VL) and gastrocnemius were analyzed for citrate synthase (CS) activity and fiber type in 55 sedentary men (age range 18-80 yr). In this population, CS activity in the gastrocnemius was negatively related to age (r = -0. 32, P < 0.05); there was no relationship in the VL. Treadmill-determined maximal oxygen consumption was positively related (r = 0.40, P < 0.05) to CS in the gastrocnemius but not in the VL. CS activity in the gastrocnemius was 24% lower in the oldest (>/=60 yr, n = 10) vs. the youngest (

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