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Biomedical subjects

A Finck

Publications and source records attributed to A Finck.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Cardiovascular responses to beta-blockade and 5 degrees C cold air stress.

To determine the cardiovascular responses to beta-blockade and cold air stress, six males were randomly exposed at rest to three drug conditions (placebo, nonselective beta-blockade (propranolol), and selective beta-blockade (atenolol)) in each of two environments (5 and 25 degrees C) for 1 h. Cardiac output was lower on beta-blockade than on the placebo in both the 25 and 5 degrees C environments. Cardiac output on propranolol (4.2 +/- 0.3 L.min-1) at 5 degrees C was lower than on atenolol (4.7 +/- 0.4 L.min-1, p < 0.05). Mean arterial pressure was greater (p < 0.05) at 5 than 25 degrees C for each drug condition. There was no drug effect on total peripheral resistance at 25 degrees C. At 5 degrees C, total peripheral resistance on both beta-blockers (propranolol 1942.7 +/- 169.9 dyn.s.cm-5 (1 dyn = 10 microN); atenolol 1706.7 +/- 160.0 dyn.s.cm-5) was higher (p < 0.05) than on the placebo (1485.3 +/- 111.8 dyn.s.cm-5). Total peripheral resistance was also higher on propranolol than atenolol (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cold air stress interacts with beta-blockade to elevate total peripheral resistance by decreasing cardiac output while having little effect on mean arterial pressure. These effects are greater on nonselective than on selective blockade.

Adult↗

Inhibition of the spider heartbeat by gravity and vibration.

The rate and vigor of the spider heartbeat is controlled by an external pacemaker. A mechanical feature of the spider cardio-vascular system is the production of high serum pressure in the prosoma and the legs. This appears to be the source for leg extension. The lyriform organ on the patella of the leg is sensitive to vibratory and kinesthetic stimuli. This sensitivity depends upon the degree of leg extension. Thus the activity of the heart and the response characteristics of the sense receptor are related. The effect of a supra-threshold vibratory or gravitational stimulus is to produce an inhibition and a tachycardia of the spider heartbeat.

Adhesives↗

Nickel requirement for active hydrogenase formation in Alcaligenes eutrophus.

The nickel-dependent chemolithoautotrophic growth of Alcaligenes eutrophus is apparently due to a requirement of nickel for active hydrogenase formation. Cells grown heterotrophically with fructose and glycerol revealed a specific activity of soluble and membrane-bound hydrogenase which was severalfold higher than the normal autotrophic level. The omission of nickel from the medium did not affect heterotrophic growth, but the soluble hydrogenase activity was reduced significantly. In the presence of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), almost no hydrogenase activity was detected. The addition of nickel allowed active hydrogenase formation even when EDTA was present. When chloramphenicol was added simultaneously with nickel to an EDTA-containing medium, almost no hydrogenase activity was found. This indicates that nickel ions are involved in a process which requires protein synthesis and not the direct reactivation of a preformed inactive protein. The formation of the membrane-bound hydrogenase also appeared to be nickel dependent. Autotrophic CO2 assimilation did not specifically require nickel ions, since formate was utilized in the presence of EDTA and the activity of ribulosebisphosphate carboxylase was not affected under these conditions.

Alcaligenes↗

Hibernation: an opioid-dependent state?

Hibernation reduces substantially the heart rate of hamsters as well as the respiratory rate, the body temperature and the arousal level. The heart rate is reversed dramatically by the injection of low doses of Naloxone and in some cases the hamster arouses prematurely from hibernation. The effect is not due to the pain of the injection because saline injections do not produce such changes. The effect requires a pre-existing state of hibernation because Naloxone has no cardioacceleratory or arousal effect in non-hibernating hamsters that have had their heart rate and body temperature decreased substantially during hypothermia. These results suggest that endogenous opioids may contribute specifically to the state of hibernation. Moreover, a physiological role may exist for an anti-opioid system in the promotion of arousal from hibernation.

Animals↗