Methemoglobin in hypoxic rats

Methemoglobin levels have been found to vary with altitude and to shift the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve. In this study, hematocrits and methemoglobin levels were monitored in rats exposed to hypoxia (420 torr absolute) for various intervals. Hematocrits gradually increased throughout the period of hypoxia, while methemoglobin levels rose by 12 h, peaked at 24 h and returned to control level by day 6. These data, in the context of other work, suggest that increased methemoglobin is important in acclimation to hypoxia.     

Evolution of myocardial glycolysis in perinatal rats]

Glycolysis was assessed in the Langendorff perfused rat heart during the perinatal period. Glucose uptake, lactate production, 14C-glucose incorporation into glycogen, tissue content content of glycogen, lactate and high energy phosphates were measured in the foetus of 21.5 days post co?tum and in the newborn of 1 and 7 days post partum. Glycogen synthesis and anaerobic glycolysis were found to be more active in the foetal heart and to decrease during the first neonatal week.     

Enhanced reactivity towards flunarizine in cerebrovascular bed of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured and cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) was calculated in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive rats (NR) following the administration of incremental dosages of i.v. flunarizine or papaverine. CBF and CVR changes following papaverine were the same in both groups of rats irrespective of the dose of the drug. The effect of flunarizine was much more pronounced in SHR than in NR. The results point out the greater dependency of basal cerebrovascular tone in SHR upon Ca2+ influx into vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Enhanced reactivity towards flunarizine in cerebrovascular bed of spontaneously hypertensive rats

Summary Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured and cerebrovascular resistance (CVR) was calculated in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive rats (NR) following the administration of incremental dosages of i.v. flunarizine or papaverine. CBF and CVR changes following papaverine were the same in both groups of rats irrespective of the dose of the drug. The effect of flunarizine was much more pronounced in SHR than in NR. The results point out the greater dependency of basal cerebrovascular tone in SHR upon Ca²⁺ influx into vascular smooth muscle cells.     

Water movement between myocardial tissue and capillary blood during and after coronary reactive hyperemia as studied by continuous measurement of colloid osmotic pressure of cardiac venous blood

Summary Colloid osmotic pressure (COP) of blood from the great cardiac vein was continuously measured by the use of a membrane colloid osmometer during reactive hyperemia resulting from temporary occlusion of the anterior descending branch of left coronary artery. The COP increased sharply but transiently after the release, then it decreased below the initial level and gradually recovered. It was concluded that a measurable amount of water moved from the capillary blood into the myocardial tissue and then flowed back slowly into the capillary blood.     

壳聚糖磁性光敏剂血卟啉衍生物微球的制备及其体外表征研究

目的制备壳聚糖包覆的磁性光敏剂血卟啉衍生物微球并考察其体外表征。方法以五羰基铁为原料制备羰基铁粉纳米颗粒,非溶剂法将羰基铁粉纳米颗粒与光敏剂血卟啉衍生物HPD复合,并用壳聚糖包覆制备成壳聚糖包覆磁性血卟啉衍生物微球(CS-M-HPD)。使用电子显微镜、激光粒度仪、X-射线衍射仪和磁力测定仪考察微球的表征。结果检测结果表明该微球为球形,分散性良好,粒径大多集中在290～300 nm。微球羰基铁粉纯度高,呈现优良磁性。结论本研究实现了壳聚糖对磁性HPD的包覆,得到了单分散性磁性HPD微球,为进一步研究该微球靶向光动力治疗肿瘤的生物活性奠定了实验基础。     

Mast cell stabilizing compound FPL 55618 reduces right ventricular hypertrophy and lung mast cell hyperplasia in chronically hypoxic rats

Rats treated with chronic hypobaric hypoxia (21 days, 380 Torr) and mast cell stabilizing compound FPL 55618 had significantly less right ventricular hypertrophy and lung mast cell hyperplasia than rats subjected to chronic hypoxia alone. Right ventricular blood pressure was not reduced.     

Mast cell stabilizing compound FPL 55618 reduces right ventricular hypertrophy and lung mast cell hyperplasia in chronically hypoxic rats

Summary Rats treated with chronic hypobaric hypoxia (21 days, 380 Torr) and mast cell stabilizing compund FPL 55618 had significantly less right ventricular hypertrophy and lung mast cell hyperplasia than rats subjected to chronic hypoxia alone. Right ventricular blood pressure was not reduced.Compound FPL 55618 was kindly donated by Mr P. Sheard of Fisons Ltd Pharmaceutical Division, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 OQY England.This study was supported by grants from the Medical Research Council of Canada and St. Joseph's Hospital Foundation.     

On maximal oxygen consumption in hypoxic humans

The present paper discusses the factors affecting maximal O2 consumption (VO2max) in hypoxia (4300 m above sea level) along the following lines: 1) In acute hypoxia, the fractional limitation to VO2max imposed by circulatory O2 transport (FQ') is 50%, instead of 70% as in normoxia. This is due to the increase in the blood O2 transport coefficient (beta b) as PO2 decreases, as a consequence of the sigmoidal shape of the O2 dissociation curve of hemoglobin. The remaining 50% is assumed to be equally partitioned between tissue O2 transfer (Ft') and mitochondria O2 utilization (Fm'). 2) In chronic hypoxia, FQ' = 0.45, Ft' = 0.20 and Fm' = 0.35, as a consequence of reduced muscle fiber size and muscle mitochondrial density following acclimatization. 3) The relationship between VO2max and PIO2 in both acute and chronic hypoxia reflects the O2 dissociation curve. 4) Acclimatization to chronic hypoxia does not have the function of preserving VO2max.     

Variations in alpha-aminoisobutyric acid transport during in vitro differentiation of cultured myocardial cells from newborn rats]

The transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid has been studied as a function of age in heart cell cultures derived from new-born Rats. The specific rate of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid transport decreased slightly once confluency had been reached and then, from day 8 on, increased abruptly. This last phase may be related to the expression of specialized functions encountered in older cultures.     

Protection of rats from isoproterenol induced myocardial necrosis by trolnitrate phosphate (Metamine®)

Zusammenfassung Isoproterenol (Isoprenalin), 2 mg/kg pro Tag für 5 Tage i.p., ruft Myocardnekrosen in Ratten hervor, die durch wiederholte Nach- oder Vorbehandlung mit Metamin® (Trolnitrat, Triäthanol-amintrinitrat), 20 mg/kg pro Tag für 5 Tage p.o., abgeschwächt werden können.     

Formation of gigantic mitochondria in hypoxic isolated perfused rat hearts

Zusammenfassung Herzen gesunder, erwachsener Ratten wurden mit Krebs-Henseleit-Bikarbonatlösung durchströmt (95% O₂5% CO₂). Bei künstlich herbeigeführter Hypoxie (95% N₂5% CO₂) erschienen die Herzmitochondrien innerhalb von 7 min bedeutend vergrössert und zu 25% miteinander verschmolzen.     

Affinity capillary electrophoresis in biomolecular recognition

Affinity capillary electrophoresis is a new method for studies of biomolecular recognition. Applications reported in the literature include chiral separation of racemic biomolecules, measurement of binding constants, estimation of kinetic on- and off-rate constants, determination of binding stoichiometries (a useful tool in examining electrostatic interactions), estimation of effective charges and molecular weights of proteins, characterization of enzymatic activities and library screening for tight-binding drug candidates in solution. This technique demands only small amounts of sample (nanolitre injection volumes, picograms of proteins), involves no radiolabelled materials or chemically immobilized ligands, and does not require changes in spectroscopic characteristics upon binding. This paper reviews the most recent applications of affinity capillary electrophoresis and its use in the analysis of biomolecules. Received 9 January 1998; received after revision 27 February 1998; accepted 3 March 1998     

Bacterial growth in artificial capillary spaces

Summary In experiments on the influence of microscopic capillaries on the growth ofEscherichia coli, Brevibacterium linens, Micrococcus flavus andBacillus cereus, a distinet delay in growth was observed. The difference in counts was greatest after 8 h. Later a slight equilibration of counts was noted. WithB. cereus, only slight or no spore formation was observed under microcapillary conditions.Acknowledgment. The author would like to thank Mr. Theo Wihan for his excellent technical assistance.     

Bacterial growth in artificial capillary spaces

In experiments on the influence of microscopic capillaries on the growth of Escherichia coli, Brevibacterium linens, Micrococcus flavus and Bacillus cereus, a distinct delay in growth was observed. The difference in counts was greatest after 8 h. Later a slight equilibration of counts was noted. With B. cereus, only slight or no spore formation was observed under microcapillary conditions.     

An alternative decomplementation method for the measurement of the survival of human erythrocytes transfused into rats

Summary An alternative technique for measuring the survival of⁵¹Cr-labelled human erythrocytes transfused into rats is described, in which aggregated human gamma-globulin is substituted for cobra venom factor as a decomplementing agent.Acknowledgments. This work was supported by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnológico.     

Erythropoietin modulates the neural control of hypoxic ventilation

Numerous factors involved in general homeostasis are able to modulate ventilation. Classically, this comprises several kind of molecules, including neurotransmitters and steroids that are necessary for fine tuning ventilation under different conditions such as sleep, exercise, and acclimatization to high altitude. Recently, however, we have found that erythropoietin (Epo), the main regulator of red blood cell production, influences both central (brainstem) and peripheral (carotid bodies) respiratory centers when the organism is exposed to hypoxic conditions. Here, we summarize the effect of Epo on the respiratory control in mammals and highlight the potential implication of Epo in the ventilatory acclimatization to high altitude, as well as in the several respiratory sickness and syndromes occurring at low and high altitude. (Part of a multi-author review.)