[ survey on accumulated mercury in different tissues of silver carp [hypophthalmichthys molitrix] from Sanandaj Gheshlagh Dam]

There have been always concerns regarding to consumption of aquatic products, particularly fish, due to the possibility of heavy metals bioaccumulation in aquatic creatures organs, throughout the world. A research project was carried out to assess the level of concentrated total mercury in different tissues of Silver carp as the most consumed fish from Sanandaj Ghesglagh reservoir in the region. Twenty four Silver carp were captured randomly during July to December 2009. Prior measuring mercury concentrations in white muscle, red muscle and liver tissues by Advanced Mercury Analyzer [Model; Leco, 254AMA] on the dry weight basis, biometry procedure was done. Mean accumulated mercury in white muscle, red muscle and liver tissues were 367 [S.E. +/- 26.43], 311 [S.E. +/- 32.22] and 251 [S.E. +/- 28.70] ng gr[-1] on the dry weight basis, respectively. Pair comparisons between the level of concentrated mercury in all tissues, except white muscle tissues [F5, 18 = 1.52, P = 0.2332] showed a significant difference [P < 0.05]. The level of accumulated mercury in muscle and liver tissues of all samples weighted above 850 grams were higher than the established limits by WHO, FAO and EPA. Our results emphasis that the consumption of silver carp from Sanandaj Gheshlagh Reservoir might place the health of all those peoples who live in the region at risk

Efeito da inatividade física sobre parâmetros bioquímicos e grau de ateromatose aórtica em coelhos / Effect of lack of physical activity of rabbits in biochemical data and aortic atheromatosis

Foi realizada uma experiência durante 80 dias, usando 32 coelhas em fase de crescimento. Os animais foram distribuídos em quatro grupos (A, B, C e D) de oito animais cada. Os animais dos grupos A e C permaneceram soltos, sendo que os do grupo A foram alimentados com raçäo basal e os do grupo C com raçäo aterogênica (raçäo basal + 0,5% de colesterol). Os animais dos grupos B e D permaneceram praticamente imobilizados em gaiolas estreitas e foram alimentados, respectivamente, com raçäo basal e raçäo aterogênica. Os resultados obtidos permitem inferir que a inatividade física tem efeito nocivo no processo ateromatoso. De fato, foram observados aumentos (relacionados à quantidade de colesterol ingerido), maiores nos animais engaiolados em relaçäo aos soltos, de lipídios totais no plasma sangüineo e no fígado (significativo); e de colesterol total no fígado, na aorta e no músculo (significativo). Além disso, o grau de ateromatose aórtica foi significativamente mais severo nos animais engaiolados

Validación de algunas variables bioquímicas en el estudio de la desnutrición y recuperación nutricional en ratas: II / Validation of some biochemical variables in the study of malnutrition recuperation in rats: II

Se estudia la validación de las variables relaciòn de aminoácidos no esenciales/esenciales y aminoàcidos totales en plasma, eritrocitos en músculo, así como sus cocientes respectivos eritrocitos/plasma durante la etapa de desnutrición y recuperación nutricional en un modelo experimental en ratas de uno y otro sexo, a partir de los 28 días de edad. Los resultados mostraron la efectividad del modelo empleado en las variables estudiadas y su comparabilidad con lo observado en niños desnutridos y durante la recuperación nutricional. Los estudios en músculos son de interés por evidenciar los fenoménos metabòlicos durante la desnutrición y recuperaciòn nutricional en ratas

Protein energy ratio as a critical factor in determining growth & glycogen content of muscles in rats.

Effect of protein deficiency, which was produced in rats either by feeding low protein diet (8% protein) ad libitum (PD) or by restricting the amount of diet containing 15 per cent protein (protein calorie deficiency; PCD) on the growth in terms of muscle weight, length, cross-sectional area, protein and glycogen content was studied in extensor digitorum longus (EDL), medial gastrocnemius (MG) and plantaris (PL) muscles in rat. Because of decreased total calorie intake, PCD group exhibited higher value for protein/total calorie consumption. Excepting glycogen concentration, the retardation of growth in terms of all parameters studied was less in the PCD group. Glycogen concentration (mg/g muscle weight) in the PCD group was 3.0 +/- 0.3 in EDL and 2.6 +/- 0.3 in PL, whereas the values in PD group were 1.0 +/- 0.1 in EDL and 1.1 +/- 0.2 in PL respectively. This glycogen sparing effect was not evident in MG of PCD group possibly due to the greater number of glycolytic fibres. It is suggested that lesser retardation of growth of muscles and glycogen sparing effect in PCD group, could be due to altered metabolic changes resulting in enhanced gluconeogenesis.

Concentraçöes catiônicas no miocárdio e músculo esquelético de ratos normo e hipertensos (SHR), jovens e adultos / Cation concentrations in myocardium and skeletal muscle of normotensive rats (SHR), young and adults

Estudou-se em ratos normo (NWR) e hipertensos (SHR) jovens com idade de 14-16 semanas e adultos com 19-21semanas de idade as concentraçöes catiônicas de Mg2+, Ca2+, Zn2+ e tambem Na+ e K+ em miocárdio e músculo esquelético. As análises foram efetuadas em espectrofotômetro de absorçäo atômica. As variaçöes da distribuiçäo eletrolítica encontradas foram semelhantes no miocárdio e no músculo esquelético. As amostras obtidas de animais jovens NWR e SHR continham menor concentraçäo de cálcio, zinco e sódio e maior concentraçäo de magnésio e potássio, em comparaçäo com dados obtidos de animais adultos. A evoluçäo idade-dependente do quociente [K+]/[Na+] (maior em jovens; menor em adultos) é conseqüência de retençäo de Na+ e depleçäo de K+ e indica que possivelmente há um envolvimento (diminuiçäo?) da atividade Na+ - K+ ATPase no miocárdio em adultos (NWR e SHR). O quociente [Na+] x [K+] / [Ca2+] x [Mg2] é aumentado em animais hipertensos (SHR), principalmente no músculo esquelético, em conseqüência do aumento do produto [Na+] x [K+] em animais jovens e da reduçäo do produto [Ca2+] x [Mg2+] em animais adultos. A comparaçäo dos parâmetros entre animais normo (NWR) e hipertensos (SHR) revela que os SHRs adultos contêm mais líquido nos tecidos estudados; também no miocárdio e no músculo esquelético de SHRs foram encontradas maiores concentraçöes de zinco e menores concentraçöes de cálcio; as mesmas tendências foram observadas também em animais jovens, podendo-se, portanto, concluir que estas variaçöes säo geneticamente determinadas. A depleçäo da Na+ e K+ observada somente em miocárdio de SHRs adultos é considerada um sinal de adaptaçäo à hipertensäo, com hipertrofia ventricular, enquanto que a reduçäo de magnésio tecidual parece ser idade-dependente

Changes in ascorbic acid content and acetylcholinesterase activity in the muscle of frog following sciatectomy.

Unilateral-sciatectomy for three months in the frog, Rana cyanophlictis resulted in a substantial increase on unit weight basis in the ascorbic acid (ASA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) contents of the sciatectomized gastrocnemius muscle. Diketogulonic acid (DKA) levels did not vary. On whole muscle-weight basis only the ASA level increased. The AChE activity in sciatectomized muscle is significantly lower than that of the control. Partially purified preparation of the AChE from the sciatectomized muscle showed different kinetics compared to that from innervated control. In vitro additions of ASA in physiological concentration to the enzyme assay medium inhibited the AChE activity significantly and the inhibition was an un-competitive type. Reduced activity of the enzyme has been correlated to the increased concentration of ASA in the sciatectomized muscle.

Characterization of a reptilian aldolase

The optimum pH of fructose-1, 6-diphosphate aldolase from thigh muscles was found to be 9. The pK values of amino acids present at the active centre were found to be 7 and 9.7 corresponding to Imidazolium group of histidine and E1-ammonium group of lysine, respectively. The Km value and Vmax were found to be 63.49 mM and 10 S-L units, respectively

Studies in tissue glycogen in acute stress.

The glycogen was estimated in liver, cardiac and skeletal muscles during the recovery period after electro-shock. The supercompensation in the level of glycogen was observed in cardiac and skeletal muscles at 1 1/2 and 5 hrs respectively during the recovery period, after electro-shock. The liver glycogen level was lower than the control value after electro-shock at least upto 5 hrs of recovery period. Further, the glycogen level was observed to be minimum when the ventricular glycogen showed its supercompensation at 1 1/2 hr of recovery period. The glycogen level of those three tissues returned to control level after 24 hrs of electro-shock.