Relationship between the intracellular calcium concentration changes and left ventricular hypertrophy and function in the spontaneously hypertensive rats

AIM:To elucidate the relationship between the intracellular calcium concentration changes and left ventricular hypertrophy and function in the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).METHODS:Intracellular free calcium concentrations were measured by Fura 2 methodology and left ventricular function quantitated by cardiac catheterization in 20 SHR aged 10, 22, and 34 weeks and 20 age-matched Wistar-kyoto (WKY) rats.RESULTS:(1) The systolic blood pressure(SBP), intracellular calcium concentrations and left ventricular mass / body weight index (LVM/BW) were significantly higher in all three age groups of SHR than the corresponding groups of WKY; (2) Compared with age-matched WKY groups, the peak left ventricular pressure descending rate(-dp／dt_max) decreased while left ventricular relaxation time constant (τ)increased significantly in SHR aged 22 and 34 weeks. The peak left ventricular pressure ascending rate(dp／dt_max) and the left ventricular contractility index were significantly increased only in the 34 weeks SHR; (3) Intracellular calcium concentrations showed a positive correlation with LVM/BW,SBP,-dp／dt_max and τ(r=0.47-0.83,P<0.01)and a negative correlation with dp／dt_max and the left ventricular contractility index (r=-0.46,P<0.05 and r=-0.81, P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Intracellular calcium overload is one of the potential mechanisms in the induction of left ventricular hypertrophy as well as of systolic and diastolic dysfunction.     

Effect of moxonidine hydrochloride on left ventricular hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats

AIM:To investate the effect of domestric moxonidine hydrochloride on myocardium fibrosis and coronary artery microvascular structure in left ventricular hypertrophy of spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR).METHODS:30 male SHR, aged 20 weeks, were divided into group Mox+SHR, Cap+SHR and SHR randomly (10 in each group). 10 age and sex-mached sprauge-dawley rats were designed as normal control(NC). At the end of 13 weeks, left ventricular wight/body weight ratio(LVW/BW), collagen volume fraction(CVF) and standardized perivascular collagen area(PVCA) as well as intramyocardial arterial average medial thickness (AMT) were determined.RESULTS:LVW/BW, CVF, PVCA and AMT in group Mox+SHR were lower significantly than that in group SHR, respectively.CONCLUSION:Long-term antihypertensive treatment with moxonidine hydrochloride reduces myocardium fibrosis and improves impaired coronary artery microvascular structure in left ventricular hypertrophy.     

新生荷斯坦犊牛心脏左心室的解剖学观测

对新生荷斯坦犊牛心脏左心室的结构进行了观测。结果 :左心室内肉柱多集中在两乳头肌下部至心尖的中隔面上 ,心室侧壁上也有肉柱 ,主动脉半月瓣结的出现率为 61 5 4% ;流入道、流出道长度分别为 ( 6 84± 0 5 7)cm和 ( 7 41± 0 61)cm ;左心室侧壁和室间隔厚度分别为 ( 1 14± 0 14 )cm和 ( 1 41± 0 15 )cm ;左房室口和主动脉口周径分别为 ( 5 11± 0 76)cm和 ( 4 2 9± 0 60 )cm。     

Influence of irbesarten on renal hypertrophy in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats LIU Bi-cheng,LUO Dong-dong,ZHANG Xiao-liang.

AIM: To investigate the influence of irbesartan (Irb), a new angiotensin II receptor 1 antagonist, on renal hypertrophy in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal group (Group N, n=7), diabetic group (Group DN, n=6) and irbesartan treated group (Group DNI, n=7). In the experimental group, after the rats subjected to uninephrectomy, STZ was given by peritoneally injection at bolus dose of 50 mg/kg to induce diabetes. Blood glucose (BG), body weight (BW), urinary albumin excretion (Ualb), 24 hour proteinuria (24 h Upro) were measured at week 4, 8, 12, respectively. By the end of experiment at week 12, creatinine clearance (Ccr), kidney weight (KW), indicator of renal hypertrophy (KW/BW), renal total protein content (RTP), glomerular area (AG) and glomerular volume (VG) as well as glomerular basement membrane (GBM) were determined by semi-quantitative pathology technique. RESULTS: It was showed that there was no significant difference in BG between group DN and DNI, while Irb significantly reduced the increasing of Ualb, 24 h Upro in diabetic rats compared to control group (P＜0.01, respectively). Furthermore, Irb markedly inhibited the increasing of KW, KW/BW, RTP, A_G, V_G in diabetic rats (P＜0.05, P＜0.01, respectively). Of interest, Irb significantly prevented the increasing of GBM in diabetic rats. CONCLUSION: Irb exerts its early renal protective action by reducing proteinuria and inhibiting renal hypertrophy as well as the thickening of GBM.     

留守村民的健康分析——基于株洲市茶陵县马加村的调查

采用调查问卷和临床问诊的方法对湖南省株洲市马加村随机抽样的252名留守村民进行调查,共发放调查问卷264份,回收问卷252份,回收率95.5%。调查表明:81.7%的被调查者有不同程度的身体疾病,其中血压偏高者57.3%,长期肌肉疼痛者69.4%,关节、骨异常者52.9%,腰间盘突出者16%。在此基础上,对影响留守村民的健康的因素进行了分析。     

基于热致液晶弹性体的仿生心脏泵的设计

为设计一款仿生心脏功能较佳的心室泵,采用柔性、热致伸缩的热致形变弹性体代替心肌,根据螺旋心室心肌带理论,选择心肌带的左心室段,并选取了Hilbert平面填充曲线作为热致导体在热致形变弹性体中的走行方式,设计出与真实心脏类似的心室泵结构.通过试验测量了所设计的心室泵的射血分数与心率,结果显示该心室泵的搏出量高于自然心脏,而其心率远低于自然心脏.相对于机械泵,所设计的心室泵结构与真实心脏类似,具有收缩能力强,射血分数高的优点,且不易破坏血细胞,生物相容性较好.不足之处在于,热致动液晶弹性体变形响应慢,暂时还未能达到正常心脏的心率.论证了构建双稳态结构,提高仿生心室泵效率的可能性,以及对于心肌纤维走向较为复杂的其他心肌带段,双轴拉伸机械雕刻对其仿生的可能性.此研究可为容积心脏泵的研发提供新的思路,也可以对右心衰竭等心脏疾病起到辅助治疗的作用.     

Effects of noninvasive delayed limb ischemic preconditioning on prognosis of myocardial infarction

AIM: To study the effects of noninvasive delayed limb ischemia preconditioning (NDLIP) on animal cardiac function, myocardial morphology and myocardial apoptosis after myocardial infarction (MI). METHODS: Healthy SD male rats[n=45, weighing (250±10) g] were randomly divided into 3 groups:MI group:the animal model of MI was established by surgical ligation of left anterior descending artery (LAD) after 2 weeks; NDLIP group:after the success of the MI animal model, NDLIP was carried out every other day until the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks; sham group:as the negative control group, the animals were taken heart LAD threading but no ligation. All rats were fed conventionally. At the end of the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks, all rats were made ventricular intubation, and then the hemodynamic parameters were recorded. The blood samples were withdrawn from the abdominal aorta and the serum was separated via centrifugation. The serum contents of Bcl-2 and Bax were measured by ELISA. Left ventricular anterior wall was homogenized. The mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ in the myocardial tissues were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: At the end of the 4th, 6th and 8th weeks, compared with MI group, left ventricular systolic pressure in NDLIP group was significantly increased, while left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in NDLIP group was significantly decreased (both P<0.05). Mitochondrial respiratory chain complexesⅠ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ in NDLIP group were significantly increased (P<0.05). The serum level of Bcl-2 in NDLIP group was significantly increased and Bax level was reduced remarkably (both P<0.01). CONCLUSION: NDLIP improves the hemodynamic indexes, promotes the mitochondrial respiratory function and inhibits cell apoptosis, thus improving the prognosis of MI.     

Evaluation of left ventricular function with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography after administration of dobutamine and esmolol in healthy beagle dogs

Unlike echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI) results in a near-exact assessment of cardiac structures and function. However, most veterinary studies have focused on dogs with normal cardiac function. We hypothesized that there would be significant differences in cardiac measurements between cardiac MRI and echocardiography when left ventricular (LV) function was abnormal. This study was undertaken to compare measurements of LV function produced by cardiac MRI and echocardiography in dogs whose LV function was altered by pharmacological agents. This study was conducted with six healthy beagle dogs. We increased left ventricular contractility by administration of dobutamine; we decreased cardiac contractility with esmolol. Stroke volume measurements were made by using both cardiac MRI and echocardiography under seven different conditions with general anesthesia: control, three doses of esmolol (100, 200, and 500 µg/kg/min), and three doses of dobutamine (10, 20, and 50 µg/kg/min). Experiments involving each condition were conducted at least 1 week apart. When LV contractility was normal, ejection fraction (EF) and stroke volume (SV), as measured by echocardiography and cardiac MRI, were not significantly different. However, when contractility was changed by pharmacological agents, EF and SV were overestimated by echocardiography, compared to MRI. Evaluation of cardiac function in patients treated with pharmacological agents should be conducted carefully because EF and SV measured by echocardiography can be overestimated, compared with EF and SV obtained by cardiac MRI.     

In-hospital development of an aorto-cardiac fistula in a Warmblood gelding with chronic renal disease

A 20-year-old Warmblood gelding presented for evaluation and treatment of ventral oedema and azotaemia of unknown aetiology. On presentation, a diastolic heart murmur was appreciated and echocardiography revealed moderate aortic insufficiency due to chronic degenerative valve disease. The horse was hospitalised and failed to respond to oral and i.v. fluids and diuretics. Following discontinuation of all fluid and diuretic therapy, the horse became acutely agitated and developed monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. The ventricular tachycardia spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm, however the heart murmur changed in timing to a right basilar continuous murmur and bounding jugular pulses were noted. Repeat echocardiogram revealed an aorto-cardiac fistula with dissection into the basilar interventricular septum and left-sided chamber volume overload that was not previously present. Attempts at stabilisation were unsuccessful and euthanasia was elected. Post-mortem examination confirmed chronic renal disease of unknown aetiology in addition to an aorto-cardiac fistula originating from the right sinus of Valsalva with subsequent dissection into the basilar interventricular septum.