Comparative echocardiographic study of junior and senior basketball players

The echocardiographic data on 14 junior and 15 senior players in a first-division basketball club were compared. No difference was found between the senior and junior players as regards the thickness of the interventricular septum (11.47 vs 11.21 mm) or the thickness of the posterior wall of the left ventricle (9.8 vs 9.86 mm). The adults displayed a larger left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (56.8 vs 53.6 mm, P less than 0.05), end-diastolic volume (194 vs 164 ml, P less than 0.05), stroke volume (142 vs 116 ml, P less than 0.05), right ventricular diameter (27.9 vs 23.2, P less than 0.01), aortic root diameter (35.0 vs 32.0, P less than 0.05), and left atrial diameter (42.7 vs 37.2, P less than 0.01). However, among these, only the stroke volume and right ventricular diameter remained significantly different after normalization to body surface area. A significant difference could not be demonstrated in the linear ejection fraction, the ejection fraction, or the fractionated interventricular septum and posterior wall thicknesses. The examinations indicated that left ventricular hypertrophy had fully developed by the age of 18 years in the basketball players and that there was no further enhancement in adults. However, the left ventricular, right ventricular, and left atrial volume were larger in the adults than in the junior players.     

Examination of lymph and bile composition following experimental liver transplantation in rat

The lymph flow of the thoracic duct, the protein content of the lymph, bile flow and bile composition are studied during the first three hours of the recirculation phase in experimental liver transplantation. It is established that the lymph flow and the protein content of the thoracic duct decrease as a result of the interruption of hepatic lymph flow of a high protein concentration. The change in bile composition and flow is due to the reduced bile acid excretion of the transplanted hepatic tissue.     

Effects of MR imaging on murine natural killer cell cytotoxicity

To determine the effect of MR imaging on the immune system, 21 male C57BL/6 X DBA/2 F1 mice were exposed to MR imaging at a field strength of 0.15 T for 2 hr. Another nine mice (controls) were sham exposed for the same amount of time. Mice were sacrificed and their spleens removed 24, 72, and 144 hr after the exposure (MR or sham). Spleen cell suspensions were passed over nylon wool columns and then used as effector cells in a short-term natural killer cell cytotoxicity assay with 51Cr-labeled YAC-1 cells as target cells. The results showed no evidence of decreased cytotoxicity due to exposure to MR. On the contrary, at all three times after exposure and for all target-to-effector cell ratios, mean cytotoxicity was greater for MR-exposed groups than for sham-exposed groups. The results show that MR exposure has no adverse effect on the immune system, as evidenced by natural killer cell activity.     

N omega-nitro-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, increases blood pressure in rats and reverses the pregnancy-induced refractoriness to vasopressor agents.

OBJECTIVE: With N omega-nitro-L-arginine, a potent inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, we tested the hypothesis that nitric oxide plays a functional role in the blunted pressor responsiveness seen during pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: A group of six pregnant rats were instrumented on the fourteenth day of gestation and studied on days 19 and 20, as well as 7 days post partum. Another group of six virgin rats were similarly prepared and used 5 days after surgery. Blood pressure and heart rate were monitored in conscious freely moving animals before and during the administration of drugs or placebo. Results were analyzed, by one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance, with Dunnett's t test, or by paired t test where applicable. RESULTS: Basal mean arterial pressure and heart rate were 90.8 +/- 3.0 mm Hg and 330 +/- 6 beats/min in pregnant animals and 107.1 +/- 3.2 mm Hg and 315 +/- 7 beats/min in nonpregnant animals. Pressor responses to angiotensin II, vasopressin, and norepinephrine were attenuated in gravid animals. Infusion of N omega-nitro-L-arginine significantly and in a dose-dependent manner increased mean arterial pressure and reduced heart rate. These effects could be completely reversed by L-arginine administration. Changes in mean arterial pressure were higher during pregnancy as compared with postpartum values. N omega-nitro-L-arginine infusion potentiated pressor responses to all three vasopressors, resulting in dose-response curves that were significantly shifted to the left, making them virtually identical in pregnant and postpartum rats. CONCLUSION: Our data support the emerging view that nitric oxide plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure during pregnancy.     

Biochemical, clinical and genetic analysis of various aminoacidopathies (non-ketotic hyperglycemia, maple syrup urine disease, histidinemia, tyrosinemia)]

The genetical types were classified according to the clinical findings and biochemical results in cases of 13 newborn/children suffering from various aminoacidopathies. The genetical types were: 3 neonatal and 4 infantile types were found out of 7 non-ketotic disease (MSUD) patient was infantile type with 9.1 per cent keto acid decarboxylase activity in leukocyte homogenate. Among the 3 histidinemic patients 1 was severe neonatal type and 2 cases were chronic types. The 2 treated tyrosinemic children proved to be type III. (chronic with rickets).