Investigation of serum calcium, phosphorus, albumine uric acid and lipid parameters in sportsmen and sedanters

In this study, it was aimed to investigate the differences in blood lipid fractions which are important risk factors for atherosclerosis and to show how the levels of serum albumin, uric acid, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus change with exercises between sportsmen and sedanters. 25 sportsmen and 25 sedanters (13 male, 12 female in each group) aged 18-23 were chosen for the study. From the venous blood samples taken from the two groups, levels of serum total lipid, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, uric acid, ionized calcium, inorganic phosphorus were analyzed. Student’s t-test was used for the statistical analyses. There were some important changes in the levels of serum triglyceride, VLDL-cholesterol and ionized calcium of sportsmen compared to those of controls.

The effects of calcium channel blocker, flunarizine on spinal reflexes in the cats

Effects of calcium channel blocker flunarizine on spinal monosynaptic reflexes were investigated in spinal cats. Flunarizine was administered locally into the spinal cord (10, 50, 100 microM) and intraperitoneally (5, 10, 20 mg/kg). Adult cats (n = 10), weighing 1.5-3 kg were anesthetized with ketamine (50 mg/kg, i.m.) and artificially ventilated. Animals were spinalized at C1 level. A laminectomy was performed in the lumbosacral region. The ventral and dorsal roots of segment L5 were isolated and a pouch of skin was formed at the site of the dissection to allow the exposed tissues to be covered with liquid paraffin. The temperature was kept at 38.5 degrees C with a heating pad. A polyethylene cannula was introduced into the left carotid artery to monitor blood pressure, which was kept above 100 mmHg. The dorsal root of segment L5 was placed on a silver-silver chloride wire electrode for stimulation through an isolation unit. The reflex potentials were recorded from the ipsilateral L5 ventral root, mounted on a silver-silver chloride wire electrode. The systemic (5, 10, 20 mg/kg) and local (50 and 100 microM) dosages of cinnarizin derivative flunarizine significantly decreased the amplitude of reflex response (p < 0.05). Moreover, the latency of the monosynaptic reflexes was increased after administration of the drug (p < 0.05). Voltage-dependent calcium channels in the spinal cord may play an important role to regulate reflex respond.