Shortening and [Ca2+] dynamics of left ventricular myocytes isolated from exercise-trained rats.

The effects of run endurance training and fura 2 loading on the contractile function and Ca2+ regulation of rat left ventricular myocytes were examined. In myocytes not loaded with fura 2, the maximal extent of myocyte shortening was reduced with training under our pacing conditions [0.5 Hz at 2.0 and 0.75 mM external Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o)], although training had no effect on the temporal characteristics. The "light" loading of myocytes with fura 2 markedly suppressed (approximately 50%) maximal shortening in the sedentary and trained groups, although the temporal characteristics of myocyte shortening were significantly prolonged in the trained group. No discernible differences in the dynamic characteristics of the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]) transient were detected at 2.0 mM [Ca2+]o, although peak [Ca2+] and rate of [Ca2+] rise during caffeine contracture were greater in the trained state at 0.75 mM [Ca2+]o. We conclude that training induced a diminished myocyte contractile function under the conditions studied here and a more effective coupling of inward Ca2+ current to sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release at low [Ca2+]o, and that fura 2 and its loading vehicle DMSO significantly alter the intrinsic characteristics of myocyte contractile function and Ca2+ regulation.

Flow visualization of competitive swimming techniques: the tufts method.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of tufts to visualize the flow of water around the trunk and limbs of a swimmer. Numerous pilot studies were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different tuft materials, dimensions and methods of attachment for recording the characteristics of the flow around a swimmer performing various strokes and drills. Differences in the patterns of flow made visible by the tufts suggested that this method of flow visualization may well be useful in resolving both basic and applied questions concerning swimming techniques.

Phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra characteristic of hexagonal and isotropic phospholipid phases generated from phosphatidylethanolamine in the bilayer phase.

31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is recognized as a technique which yields information concerning both the dynamics and organization of phospholipid molecules in biological membranes and phospholipid dispersions. In this theoretical paper, we examine the relationship between the conformation of the phospholipid molecule and the shape of the predicted 31P NMR spectrum. Using a simple model of rotation of the phospholipid molecule about its long axis, we show that it is possible to generate spectra previously considered typical of the bilayer (sigma parallel to less than sigma perpendicular), isotropic (sigma parallel to congruent to sigma perpendicular), and hexagonal II (sigma parallel to greater than sigma perpendicular) packing arrangements by simply changing the phospholipid head-group conformation while retaining the molecules in the bilayer phase.