Changes in antepartum heart rate patterns with progressive deterioration of the fetal condition

In this paper changes in antepartum fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns are described, that occur with progressive deterioration of the fetal condition. The data on the relationship between heart rate patterns and fetal blood gas and pH values are reviewed. A possible rank ordering is presented in which changes in FHR pattern, body movements and blood flow velocity wave form patterns occur with progressive deterioration of the fetal condition.It is concluded that in small-for-date fetuses changes in heart rate and movement patterns are rather late signs of impairment, coinciding with fetal hypoxaemia. In general, heart rate variation falls below the norm at the same time as decelerations occur; there are, however, large inter-fetal differences. In general, abnormal Doppler velocity wave form patterns precede the occurrence of heart rate decelerations. Their impact on the timing of delivery is, however, still uncertain. The advantages of a numerical analysis of FHR patterns include identification of fetuses with low FHR variation, precision of the actual fetal condition and (at early gestation) longitudinal follow-up of fetuses with abnormal heart rate patterns.     

Cell-cell and cell-matrix adhesion molecules in human heart and lung transplants

The interaction of immune cells with endothelial and target cells and extracellular matrix in human organ transplants is regulated by a number of receptor-ligand molecules. The molecules mediating intercellular adhesion and activation are classified as integrin, immunoglobulin and selectin families. In the present study the patterns of their cellular expression in human heart and lung transplants are described in normal state and during transplant rejection. The results reveal an organ specific regulation of the different adhesion molecules during transplant rejection. Specific differences were noted in the endothelial expression of vascular ligand molecules in the vascular segments of heart and lung transplants, especially in the lung capillaries. Cell type specific patterns of intercellular and cell-matrix adhesion molecules as their ligands were found in different states of graft rejection. Intravascular and interstitial differences in the expression patterns of leukocyte adhesion receptors support a concept of their stepwise function during graft infiltration. The implications for the organ specific appearance of inflammatory reactions in human heart and lung transplants as for immunosuppressive therapy are discussed.     

High resolution mapping of the cardiac transmural proteome using reverse phase protein microarrays

The expression level of proteins governing the electrical excitability of and conduction within ventricular myocardium are known to vary as a function of distance through the heart wall. The expression patterns of a subset of these proteins are altered in disease. Precise measurement of such patterns is therefore essential to understanding structure-function relationships within the heart in health and disease. Here, we report a new experimental approach using reverse-phase protein microarrays to map the left ventricular transmural proteome. This approach can yield submillimeter spatial resolution, and when coupled with the method of array microenvironment normalization, reduces nonbiological components of variability to ～10% of overall study variability. In addition, the experimental design provides sufficient statistical power to detect small, yet potentially biologically significant expression changes on the order of 1.1-fold. The usefulness of this technique is demonstrated by mapping the transmural expression of Serca2a in the left ventricle of 12 canine hearts, each in one of three states: normal, dyssynchronous heart failure, and dyssynchronous heart failure followed by cardiac resynchronization therapy. We confirm the existence of a 40% transmural gradient (epi>endo) of Serca2a, and demonstrate the ability of this technique to yield highly significant transmural expression differences within each individual heart.     

Fragment comparison of hamster mitochondrial DNA: general conclusions about the evolution of mitochondrial DNA

Mitochondrial DNA from heart, liver and kidney of two hamster species, Mesocricetus auratus and Cricetulus griseus has been digested with the restriction endonucleases Bam HI, Bgl I, Eco RI, Hae III, Hind III, Hpa II and Xba I. Cleavage patterns for Hpa II are identical for both species, while only two of seven bands are common with Hae III. All other endonucleases give a species-specific cleavage pattern. The results suggest a fairly high phylogenetic differentiation of the mitochondrial genome between the two hamster species. The large differences in mitochondrial DNA variability between different species is discussed as a function of mutation rate and species-specific generation time.     

Developmental Patterns of Catechol-O-Methyltransferase in Genetically Different Rat Strains: Enzymatic and Immunochemical Studies

Abstract: Catechol- O -methyltransferase (COMT) activity in the liver and kidneys of adult Fischer-344 (F-344) rats is only half of that in the same organs of Wistar-Furth (W-F) rats. The trait of low COMT activity in these animals is inherited in an autosomal recessive fashion. A comprehensive study of patterns of change in COMT activity during growth and development was performed to determine whether "temporal gene" effects might play a role in the inherited differences in enzyme activity present in adult animals. The COMT activity expressed per mg protein in liver and kidneys of newborn F-344 rats is only 50–60% of that in the same organs of W-F animals. The liver and the kidneys of newborn rats of both strains have COMT activity an order of magnitude higher than those in brain, heart, or blood. In addition, in both strains there are much larger increases in liver and kidney COMT activities during growth and development (5–10 fold) than in blood, brain, or heart (one- to twofold). Immunotitration with antibodies against rat COMT demonstrates that differences in immunoreactive COMT parallel differences in COMT activity, both between strains and within strains during growth and development. However, when the temporal patterns of change in enzyme activities in the liver and the kidneys of the two strains of rat are compared at multiple times during growth and development, no differences in the patterns are present. These results make it unlikely that temporal gene effects can explain the inherited differences in COMT activity in liver and kidneys of F-344 and W-F rats.     

Assessing the effects of social environment on blood pressure and heart rates of baboons

The objective of this publication is to report on the feasibility of using a tether system for obtaining data on blood pressure and heart rates of socially housed primates and to evaluate the extent to which housing environment alters cardiovascular responses (mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate). Blood pressure and heart rates of adult male baboons (Papio cynocephalus hamadryas) were evaluated over a 6 week period under three different housing conditions: social companion, individual, and socially unfamiliar. Social environment was manipulated in a specially designed cage that incorporated removable panels of either woven wire or solid sheet metal. The design of the cage permitted nonhuman primates to engage in species-typical social behaviors such as grooming and aggression. Using a tether and catheter system, we monitored cardiovascular physiology. We tested the hypothesis that individual housing, housing with social companions, and housing with social strangers would produce different mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate responses. Individual housing and housing with strangers produced resting mean arterial blood pressures that were elevated relative to blood pressure responses with social companions. Individual housing and housing with social strangers produced different patterns of cardiovascular response. Individual housing resulted in lowered heart rates and elevated blood pressures relative to the social companion condition. Housing with social strangers resulted in both elevated blood pressure and elevated heart rate, relative to the social companion condition. Responses observed during this study demonstrated the sensitivity of blood pressure and heart rates to differences in social environment.     

The rotifer fauna and population dynamics of Lake Studer 2 (Kerguelen Archipelago) with description ofFilinia terminalis kergueleniensis n. ssp. and a new record ofKeratella sancta Russel 1944

Two species of Anabas Cuvier, 1816 (Osteichthyes: Anabantidae): A. testudineus (Bloch, 1795) and A. oligolepis Bleeker, 1855 are widely distributed in India. Since both species are represented in one habitat — Lake Kolleru, and are very closely related, they were compared using starch gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic separation of proteins of eye lens, skeletal muscle and heart muscle revealed differences such as i) absence of one protein fraction in one of them, ii) mobility and iii) staining intensity of some of the bands. The esterase (non-specific) patterns of serum, liver, kidney, skeletal muscle, heart muscle and eggs also showed differences. The LDH fraction of eye lens showed a difference in mobility.     

The subcellular location of isozymes of NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase in tissues from pig, ox and rat

Antibodies against purified NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase from pig liver cytosol and pig heart were raised in rabbits. The purified enzymes from these sources are different proteins, as demonstrated by differences in electrophoretic mobility and absence of crossreactivity by immunotitration and immunodiffusion. The NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase in the soluble supernatant homogenate fraction from pig liver, kidney cortex, brain and erythrocyte hemolyzate was identical with the purified enzyme from pig liver cytosol, as determined by electrophoretic mobility and immunological techniques. The enzyme in extracts of mitochondria from pig heart, kidney, liver and brain was identical with the purified pig heart enzyme by the same criteria. However, the 'mitochondrial' isozyme was the major component also in the soluble supernatant fraction of pig heart homogenate. The 'cytosolic' isozyme accounted for only 1-2% of total NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase in pig heart, as determined by separation of the isozymes with agarose gel electrophoresis and immunotitration. The mitochondrial isozyme was also the predominant NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase in porcine skeletal muscle. The ratio of cytosolic/mitochondrial isozyme for porcine whole tissue extract, determined by immunotitration, was about 2 for liver and 1 for kidney cortex and brain. The distribution of isozymes in cell homogenate fractions from ox and rat tissues corresponded to that observed in organs of porcine origin. The mitochondrial and cytosolic isozymes from ox and rat tissues exhibited crossreactivity with the antibodies against the pig heart and pig liver cytosol enzyme, respectively, and the electrophoretic migration patterns were similar qualitatively to those found for the isozymes in porcine tissues. Nevertheless, there were species specific differences in the characteristics of each of the corresponding isozymes. NAD-isocitrate dehydrogenase was not inhibited by the antibodies, confirming that the protein is distinct from that of either isozyme of NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase.     

Isolation of the human HDL apoprotein A1 gene.

Apo A1 is the major apoprotein of the human plasma high density lipoprotein (HDL). We have isolated apo A1 cDNA and genomic clones and used them to study the gene organisation as defined by its restriction enzyme map. These studies showed that apo A1 is coded by a unique gene. Cross hybridisation was not observed with functionally related apoprotein genes. Increased levels of HDL have been correlated with certain protection against coronary heart disease. If there is a genetic component that contributes to the variable levels of HDL found in the population, it may be possible to correlate these differences with distinct gene organisation patterns.     

LDH isozymes in amazon fish—III. Distribution patterns and functional properties in Serrasalmidae (Teleostei: Ostariophysi)

• 1.1. The patterns of distribution of LDH isozymes in five tissues from 12 Serrasalmidae species have been studied through two-fold serial dilution (Klebe's test) as well as the pyruvate inhibition of LDH enzyme in skeletal and heart muscles (low/high ratios).
• 2.2. The species' electrophoretic patterns differ by orthologous A₄ isozyme mobilities since the orthologous B₄ isozymes present similar electrophoretic migration. These differences between Ldh-A and Ldh-B products reflect three-, four-, and five-banded patterns. Thus, different LDH isozyme numbers formed from A and B subunits should not be used as an evolutionary or phylogenetic characteristic from different taxonomic groups.
• 3.3. Out of 66 pairs of species only five pairs showed significant differences in the distribution patterns in all five analyzed tissues, while no pair of species showed the same distribution in these tissues. This variation was explained as differential regulation of structural genes among tissues and/or species.
• 4.4. Functional properties showed significant between the LDHs from heart and skeletal muscles, and are consistent with a preference for aerobic metabolism. We suppose that by selecting B-like subunits these fishes are able to maintain good control of aerobic/anaerobic transitions, maintaining predominantly oxidative metabolism even in hypoxic waters, with which they have to cope.

     

A comparison of the mechanisms and some properties of instructed sudomotor and cardiac control

Instructed control defined as differential compliance with verbal instructions to increase and decrease a response was assessed when a change in sudomotor activation or heart rate was specified as the behavioral goal. Instructed control of heart rate was evident prior to explicit feedback training for this response, but instructed control of sudomotor activation defined as finger sweating and measured as skin conductance was not. Feedback training subsequently established instructed control of sudomotor responding, but such training did not lead to a significant improvement in control of heart rate. Explicit strategy suggestions emphasizing emotional responding and intended or actual movement appeared to interfere with the performance of instructed control under both target conditions. Instructed changes in heart rate were attended by correlated changes in somatomotor and respiratory function. Somatomotor and respiratory responses were also observed when subjects were instructed to change sudomotor activation, but these correlated activities were of small magnitude and were not augmented by feedback training as was target responding. Several accounts of the basis for differences that were evident between the target conditions with respect to feedback effects and response patterns are discussed.These experiments constituted a doctoral dissertation submitted to McMaster University by J. M. Lacroix. The research was supported by grants from the National Research Council of Canada (A0132) and the Ontario Mental Health Foundation (345) to L. E. Roberts, who was thesis supervisor. Supplementary data analyses were supported by a grant from Glendon College to J. M. Lacroix. We wish to thank A. H. Black for his comments on this work.     

Fetal behaviour and the cardiovascular system

With increasing gestation both in the human and in animals clear fetal behavioural state cycles develop. Fetal heart rate patterns are closely related to the phenomenon of behavioural state. In this review article fetal heart rate patterns will be analysed in relation to particular behavioural states, individual movement patterns and diurnal variations. Attention will also be paid to maturational changes. Differences between human and animal states are emphasized. It is concluded, that understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying the normal heart rate patterns throughout gestation, improves the reliability of fetal surveillance.     

Catalase enzymatic activity and electrophoretic patterns in adult amphibians--a comparative study

Catalase electrophoretic patterns and enzymatic activities were measured in four organs of two anuran species, Rana ridibunda perezii and Discoglossus pictus. The D. pictus enzyme appeared as two distinguishable bands, whereas R. ridibunda catalase was monomorphic. Electrophoretic mobility of the major D. pictus catalase band was greater than that of R. ridibunda. Enzymes from both species showed slower mobility than that from bovine liver. Catalase activities did not show significant differences according to sex in any of the organs tested in R. ridibunda. Enzyme activities were similar in liver, kidney and brain when both species were compared. Only the heart showed much higher activity in D. pictus than in R. ridibunda. The catalase activity levels followed the order: liver greater than kidney greater than heart in both species. The heart showed higher activity than the brain in D. pictus but not in R. ridibunda.     

Proctolin in the antennal circulatory system of lower Neoptera: a comparative pharmacological and immunohistochemical study

Neuropeptides are important with respect to almost all physiological processes and behavioural patterns in an organism. In the present study, muscle bioassays, immunohistochemistry and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) mass spectrometry are used to investigate the distribution and efficacy of proctolin in the antennal heart of 36 species of lower Neoptera. In total, 20 species of Dictyoptera (cockroaches, termites, praying mantids), eight species of Saltatoria (crickets and grasshoppers) and eight species of Phasmatodea (stick insects) are investigated. The antennal heart of all tested Blattoidea, including the termite Mastotermes darwiniensis Froggatt, exhibit a strong proctolin‐like immunoreactivity, as well as a high sensitivity to proctolin, whereas members of the second clade of cockroaches (Blaberoidea) are largely insensitive to proctolin and show only a weak proctolin‐like immunoreactivity. The antennal heart of praying mantids (Mantodea) also contains only few proctolin‐like immunoreactive fibres but is highly sensitive to proctolin. Such a high sensitivity is found also in Phasmatodea, although the antennal heart of these insects does not have proctolin‐like immunoreactive fibres. These findings are supported by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry; no trace of proctolin is detected in antennal heart preparations of Phasmatodea. In Saltatoria, only weak (or no) effects of proctolin are observed and, in most subtaxa, no proctolin‐like immunoreactivity is visible in the antennal heart preparations. Only in Grylloidea is strong proctolin‐like immunostaining found in processes of the antennal heart. In these species, weak or moderate effects of proctolin are observed in the antennal heart bioassay. In general, the differences in distribution of proctolin and effects on the antennal heart within the basal Neoptera cannot be deduced from their phylogenetic position, although they show conformity within each (sub)taxon.     

Chronobiologic Evaluation of Blood Pressure in School Children

Blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) data were collected over 24 h with an ambulatory BP monitor to (a) determine the existence of 12-, 24-, and combined 12- and 24-h BP patterns in children as previously noted for adults; (b) provide MESOR (an acronym for midline estimating statistics of rhythm), amplitude, and acrophase data for subgroups of students by race and gender; and (c) determine the influence of HR (as an estimate of activity) on BP and BP patterns for 100 normal, healthy students 9-12 years of age. We found no statistically significant differences between various racial groups or between gender for MESOR, amplitude, acrophase, or degree of sinusoidality of circadian rhythmicity (R² values) for BP; clinically interesting differences were observed, including lower MESOR BPs in Hispanic males when compared with their female counterparts and slightly higher MESOR BPs in blacks of both genders when compared with whites. In addition, we demonstrated subgroups of students who exhibited specific 24-h and combined 12- and 24-h patterns. Also, 67% of subjects showed stable or nonrhythmic BP patterns, perhaps related to BP sampling intervals. Differences in HR, as a surrogate measure of activity, accounted for 56% of the variation in systolic BP but only 26% in diastolic BP over the 24 h.     

The area composita of adhering junctions connecting heart muscle cells of vertebrates - IV: coalescence and amalgamation of desmosomal and adhaerens junction components - late processes in mammalian heart development

In the adult mammalian heart, the cardiomyocytes and thus their terminally anchored myofibrillar bundles are connected by large arrays of closely spaced or even fused adhering junctions (AJs), termed "intercalated disks" (IDs). In recent years, the ID complex has attracted special attention as it has become clear that several human hereditary cardiomyopathies are caused by mutations of genes encoding ID marker proteins, in particular some that are also known as constituents of epithelial desmosomes. Previously, we have shown that in the mature myocardial ID the compositional differences between desmosome-like and adhaerens junctions are, by and large, lost and a composite hybrid structure, the area composita, is formed. We now report results from immunofluorescence and (immuno-)electron microscopic studies of heart formation during mouse embryogenesis and postnatal growth and show that the formation of the IDs with extended area composita structures is a late, primarily postnatal process. While up to birth small distinct desmosomes and AJs are resolved as predominant ID structures, areae compositae of increasing sizes and merged marker protein patterns occupy most of the IDs in the mature heart. Differences in the patterns of ID formation and amalgamation of the two ensembles of junction proteins in time and space are also demonstrated. Together with corresponding observations during rat and human heart development our results indicate that ID topogenesis and area composita formation are also late developmental processes in other mammals. We discuss the importance of the ID and the areae compositae in cardiac functions and, consequently, in cardiomyopathies and possible myocardial regeneration processes.     

Comparison of Connexin 43, 40 and 45 Expression Patterns in the Developing Human and Mouse Hearts

The mouse is currently widely used as a model organism in the analysis of gene function but how developmentally regulated patterns of connexin gene expression in the mouse compare with those in the human is unclear. Here we compare the patterns of connexin expression in the heart during the development of the mouse (from embryonic day 12.5 to 6 weeks postpartum) and the human (at 9 weeks gestation and adult stage). The extent of connexin43 expression in the ventricles progressively increased during development of the mouse heart. The developmental pattern of expression for connexins 40 and 45 in the mouse heart was similar, but not identical, and in the ventricles showed a progressive and preferential expression in the conduction system. In general, these dynamic changes of connexins 43, 40 and 45 during mouse cardiac development appear to be mirrored in the human.     

Left-right asymmetry and congenital cardiac defects: getting to the heart of the matter in vertebrate left-right axis determination

Cellular and molecular left-right differences that are present in the mesodermal heart fields suggest that the heart is lateralized from its inception. Left-right asymmetry persists as the heart fields coalesce to form the primary heart tube, and overt, morphological asymmetry first becomes evident when the heart tube undergoes looping morphogenesis. Thereafter, chamber formation, differentiation of the inflow and outflow tracts, and position of the heart relative to the midline are additional features of heart development that exhibit left-right differences. Observations made in human clinical studies and in animal models of laterality disease suggest that all of these features of cardiac development are influenced by the embryonic left-right body axis. When errors in left-right axis determination happen, they almost always are associated with complex congenital heart malformations. The purpose of this review is to highlight what is presently known about cardiac development and upstream processes of left-right axis determination, and to consider how perturbation of the left-right body plan might ultimately result in particular types of congenital heart defects.     

Cardiovascular response of rats exposed to 60-Hz electric fields

Recently, it has been reported that exposure to high-strength electric fields can influence electrocardiogram (ECG) patterns, heart rates, and blood pressures in various species of animals. Our studies were designed to evaluate these reported effects and to help clarify some of the disagreement present in the literature. Various cardiovascular variables were measured in Sprague-Dawley rats exposed or sham-exposed to 60-Hz electric fields at 80 or 100 kV/m for periods up to four months. No significant differences in heart rates, ECG patterns, blood pressures, or vascular reactivity were observed between exposed and sham-exposed rats after 8 hours, 40 hours, 1 month, or 4 months of exposure. Blood pressure and heart rate measurements, made during exposure to a 100-kV/m electric field for one hour, revealed no significant differences between exposed and sham-exposed groups. In addition, physiologic reserve capacity, measured in rats subjected to low temperature after exposure to 100 kV/m for one month, showed that electric-field exposure had no significant effect on physiological response to cold stress. Our studies cannot be directly compared to the work of other investigators because of differences in animal species and electric-field characteristics. However, our failure to detect any cardiovascular changes may have been the result of 1) eliminating secondary field effects such as shocks, audible noise, corona, and ozone; 2) minimizing steady-state microcurrents between the mouth of the animal and watering devices; and 3) minimizing electric-field-induced vibration of the electrodes and animal cages.