Effects of complete heart block on myocardial function, morphology, and energy metabolism in the rat.

AIMS: Severe sustained bradycardia may cause acute and possibly chronic congestive heart failure (CHF). The aim of this study was to investigate acute and chronic effects of complete heart block (CHB) on cardiac function, morphology, and creatine (Cr) metabolism. METHODS AND RESULTS: CHB was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats (approximately 250 g, n = 11) by means of electrocautery applied to the region of AV node and were compared with controls (n = 15). The rats were investigated at 1, 3, and 12 weeks after CHB induction with transthoracic echocardiography. Invasive haemodynamic assessment of left and right ventricular pressures was performed at 12 weeks. After the sacrifice, the hearts were freeze-clamped for analysis of myocardial Cr, and high energy phosphometabolites. The efficacy of operative procedure was 54%. The peri-operative mortality rate was 20%. Heart rate (HR) decreased by approximately 50% (P < 0.01) while stroke volume (SV) increased 2.5 times (P < 0.01) in the CHB rats. Cardiac index remained unchanged. The rats with CHB grew normally and were in no apparent distress. Filling pressures in left and right ventricles were normal. The CHB rats developed marked cardiomegaly with biventricular dilatation and eccentric left ventricular hypertrophy (P < 0.01). There was no change in the myocardial content of Cr and high energy phosphometabolites. CONCLUSION: Rats with CHB are compensating for reduction in HR with increased SV without haemodynamic and biochemical characteristics of CHF. This model may be useful to study the effects of CHB and bradycardia on myocardial structure, function, electrophysiology, and metabolism as well as for studies of cell therapy for reparation of AV conductance.     

母体钙代谢与补钙对妊娠的影响

妊娠期缺钙严重影响母婴的安全健康 ,其原因是由于妊娠期母体钙代谢发生变化 ,使母体血清游离钙离子浓度降低 ,血清铅浓度增高。有关研究表明 ,母体缺钙导致血铅竞争性过高 ,使胎儿身长、体重均小于胎龄儿 ,胎儿宫内发育迟缓的发生率增高 ,甚至发生早产、死胎等。同时发现血清钙离子可能对内源性一氧化氮合成释放起调节作用 ,而内皮素是最强的缩血管物质之一 ,母体补钙可调节一氧化氮与内皮素的平衡 ,从而降低妊高征的发生率。因此孕期补充钙剂是非常重要的。     

Renal acid excretion in early infancy

In early infancy, complex disorders of acid base metabolism are more frequent than in any other age group, with a predisposition to metabolic acidosis due to an age-related low renal capacity for acid excretion and an unphysiologically high actual renal acid load in nutrition with common formulas. Recently in preterm and small-for-gestational-age infants, persistent maximum renal net acid excretion (NAE) with subnormal or normal blood acid base status, impaired weight gain, and adaptive hormonal reactions have been observed. Incipient late metabolic acidosis is one example of a mixed disorder of acid base metabolism with maximum renal NAE in early infancy. Alkali therapy is highly effective and can be realized both on an individual basis, using urine pH screening as a diagnostic criterium for maximum renal acid stimulation, or on a general preventive level using modified standard formula with a reduced actual renal NAE similar to that seen on alimentation with human milk. From an integrated point of view, the low glomerular filtration rate and renal capacity for acid excretion beyond the developmental age of more than 44 weeks, may well be interpreted as the result of a specific adaptation to breast feeding sparing energy, and thus an evolutionary advantage for the survival of mother and child. Received July 10, 1996; received in revised form and accepted October 7, 1996     

实验性视网膜脱离Na十-K+-转运ATP酶活性及RPE超微结构改变

目的：探讨实验性视网膜脱离(retinal detachment，RD)后视网膜色素上皮(retinal pigment epithelium，RPE)对视网膜下液(subretinal fluid，SRF)的输导功能。 方法：将制作成功的实验性单眼RD 28只家兔随机分为4组，每组7只，每只兔的另眼作为对照。分别取RD部位的RPE-脉络膜组织和对照眼相应部位的组织匀浆，再测定ATP水解产物无机磷含量，以判断ATP酶活性；并作实验和对照眼的两种组织相应部位的RP正电镜观察。 结果：实验眼Na^十-K^+_-转运ATP酶活性为(2.16士1.26)/μmol(mg·h)，对照眼为(4.84±1.59)μmol/(mg·h)，二者差异显著(t＝5.52，P<0.01)；酶活性降低程度随病程延长而减轻(p<0.05)。电镜观察实验眼RD后第2至4周有自脉络膜向视网膜方向的吞饮泡，且随病程延长而增多。 结论；RD发生后RPE的外向输导功能增强，随病程进展，此功能减弱而内向输导功能产生。 （中华眼底病杂志，1997，13：83-85）     

Electron-autoradiographic investigation of viability of human cells after death. Postmortem activation of RNA synthesis in neutrophils

Department of Pathological Anatomy, A. V. Vishnevskii Institute of Surgery, Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR, Moscow. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR D. S. Sarkisov.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 111, No. 2, pp. 199–201, February, 1991.     

-2-Hydroxyglutaric acid inhibits mitochondrial creatine kinase activity from cerebellum of developing rats

L-2-Hydroxyglutaric acid (LGA) is the biochemical hallmark of patients affected by the neurometabolic disorder known as L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria (LHGA). Although this disorder is predominantly characterized by severe neurological findings and pronounced cerebellum atrophy, the neurotoxic mechanisms of brain injury are virtually unknown. In the present study, we investigated the effect of LGA, at 0.25-5mM concentrations, on total creatine kinase (tCK) activity from cerebellum, cerebral cortex, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle homogenates of 30-day-old Wistar rats. CK activity was measured also in the cytosolic (Cy-CK) and mitochondrial (Mi-CK) fractions from cerebellum. We verified that tCK activity was significantly inhibited by LGA in the cerebellum, but not in cerebral cortex, cardiac muscle and skeletal muscle. Furthermore, CK activity from the mitochondrial fraction was inhibited by LGA, whereas that from the cytosolic fraction of cerebellum was not affected by the acid. Kinetic studies revealed that the inhibitory effect of LGA on Mi-CK was non-competitive in relation to phosphocreatine. Finally, we verified that the inhibitory effect of LGA on tCK was fully prevented by pre-incubation of the homogenates with reduced glutathione (GSH), suggesting that this inhibition is possibly mediated by oxidation of essential thiol groups of the enzyme. Considering the importance of creatine kinase activity for energy homeostasis, our results suggest that the selective inhibition of this enzyme activity by increased levels of LGA could be possibly related to the cerebellar degeneration characteristically found in patients affected by L-2-hydroxyglutaric aciduria.     

肝脏外科患者术后输注脂肪乳剂对蛋白质代谢的影响

将32例肝脏外科疾病患者随机分为Ⅰ组（单能源TPN组10例）；Ⅱ组（双能源TPN组11例，其中脂肪乳剂用量为1g·kg－1·d－1）；Ⅲ组（双能，TPN组11例，其中脂肪乳剂用量为2g·kg－1·d－1）。术后按组别给予TPN支持共6天，术前1天、术后第1和第6天测定肝功，糖代谢及蛋白质合成代谢指标。结果：①Ⅱ、Ⅲ组术后第6天肝脏酶学指标明显下降（P＜0．05），而Ⅰ组仍高于术前水平（P＜O．05）；②Ⅱ、Ⅲ组术后糖代谢基本恢复正常，而Ⅰ组出现高血糖症及高胰岛素血症（P＜0．05）；③Ⅱ组肝脏蛋白质合成水平恢复术前水平或略有提高（P＜0．05），而Ⅰ和Ⅲ组术后蛋白质合成功能仍低（P＜0．05）。结果提示：含脂肪乳剂的TPN支持对肝脏外科患者术后的肝功恢复有益，能促进蛋白质合成及肝细胞再生，并且在进行TPN支持时按1g·kg－1·d－1给予脂肪乳剂较为安全合理。     

NPN日粮中添加益生素对绵羊生长性能及消化代谢的影响

选用40只5月龄的杂交绵羊(萨福克×小尾寒羊),随机分为两组,研究了非蛋白氮日粮中添加益生素对绵羊生长性能及消化代谢的影响。对照组饲喂C日粮(2%包被尿素)、试验组饲喂D日粮(2%包被尿素 0.2%益生素)。结果表明:(1)D日粮总增重和日增重要大于C日粮,有增加的趋势;但差异不显著;(2)D日粮能显著提高绵羊的沉积氮和降低尿氮的排出(P<0.05)。两组进食干物质、进食氮、粪氮、可消化氮之间差异不显著(P>0.05);D日粮可以提高沉积氮和可消化氮、沉积氮和进食氮的比例,降低尿氮与进食氮的比例;(3)D日粮可以显著提高绵羊的干物质、ADF的消化率以及酸不容灰分的利用率(P<0.05)。氮表观消化率和NDF消化率差异不显著。本试验结果表明,绵羊非蛋白氮中日粮添加0.2%益生素可以提高绵羊对非蛋白氮的利用率。     

Proteinuria and other renal functions in Wilson’s disease

Renal lesions have repeatedly been described in Wilson’s disease (WD). We investigated the excretion of total protein, albumin, low (LMW) and high molecular weight (HMW) proteins, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and calcium, as well as creatinine clearance, in 24-h urine samples of 41 patients with WD aged 6 – 37 (mean 17) years who had been treated for a period of 0 – 15 (mean 4.5) years with D-penicillamine (900 mg/day). The amount of all protein excreted was significantly increased compared with controls, 39% of patients presenting with total proteinuria more than two standard deviations from the mean of controls. The changes in protein excretion depended on the duration of treatment. LMW proteinuria was elevated almost exclusively in the first 2 years after the start of treatment, indicating early tubular damage. This is supported by an initially high excretion of β₂-microglobulin, NAG, and calcium. Increased excretion of HMW proteins, including albumin, persisted over longer periods, which suggests glomerular injury in some patients, possibly related to the use of D-penicillamine. Creatinine clearance remained roughly within normal limits. We propose that renal function should regularly be checked in patients with WD. Received October 26, 1995; received in revised form August 27, 1996; accepted September 20, 1996