Distribution and composition of glycosaminoglycans in the left human coronary arterial branches under myocardial bridge.

The distribution and composition of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are reported in the anterior interventricular branch under the intermyocardial bridge (MB) and the ventricular branch without bridge, both from the left human coronary artery. Chondroitin sulfate (CS), dermatan sulfate (DS) and heparan sulfate (HS) were purified and quantified by a combination of electrophoretic migration and enzymatic degradation. The absolute amounts of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment (MB) increased by 47%, when compared to the pre (PreMB) and post (PostMB) segments and the ventricular arterial branch (VB). Furthermore, the relative distribution of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment differs when compared to the pre and post segments as well as in the ventricular arterial branch, due to a change in the proportion of DS and CS of 41.9 and 32.4%, compared to 36.4 and 39.7%, respectively. These findings give support to the possible involvement of GAGs in the intermyocardial bridge segment, avoiding local thrombus deposition, reducing atherosclerotic development and moreover giving protection against vessel deformation caused by the systolic pressure.

[Comparative study of the coronary circulation pattern of anatomic specimens and surgical patients]. / Estudo comparativo do padrão de circulação coronariana entre peças anatômicas e pacientes cirúrgicos.

The recent improvement in the cardiac surgery requires a continuous study of the great anatomy of the heart. In this paper, we compare the anatomic pattern of the coronary artery between normal individuals and individuals with sintomatic ischemic disease of the heart. The anatomic pattern of circulation was carried out in two different groups: group I formed by 119 anatomical specimens taken from individuals whose cause of death was non-cardiac and group II formed by 150 live individuals with sintomatic coronary disease, on pre-operative management. In the former was performed epicardiectomy and in the latter, radiologic study. In group I was found 68% of right predominance, 13% of left predominance and 19% of balanced type of circulation. In group II was found 59%, 17% and 24%, respectively. When considering the number of branches that trespass the crux cordis in group I, there was 48% with only one branch, 28% with two, 17% with three, 4% with four and 3% with five branches. Performing the same study for group II, we found 47%, 29%, 14.6%, 3.4% and 6% respectively. Both groups were compared by Chi-square test and by Fisher's Exact test and no considerable difference was pointed out.

"Sphincter" of the minor papilla of the human duodenum.

The arrangement of the smooth muscle and elastic and collagen fibers of the minor papilla of the human duodenum was studied on 53 duodenopancreatic specimens obtained from adults of both sexes. Methods included stereological analyses of gross anatomical specimens and thick and thin microscopic sections. The muscular and elastic fibers of the minor papilla have a unidirectional arrangement by which the contraction of its smooth muscular fibers causes opening of its orifice allowing the flow of the pancreatic juice into the duodenum. It is not a typical anatomical sphincter.

Microscopic study of myocardial bridges over the coronary arteries of pigs

Foram estudados 5 coraçöes de suínos resultantes do cruzamento das raças Landrace e Large White com o objetivo de analisar microscopicamente as pontes de miocárdio sobre as artérias coronárias e seus ramos estabelecendo possíveis correlaçöes morfofuncionais. Retiramos destes coraçöes blocos dos segmentos pré, pós e pontino, os quais foram submetidos a cortes seriados e corados pelos métodos de AZAN e WEIGERT-van GIESON. Com a metodologia empregada foram observadas que as pontes de miocárdio eram constituídas por fibras musculares da camada superficial do miocárdio, näo havendo espessamento nem alteraçöes patológicas na túnica íntima das artérias coronárias estudadas. Foram observadas intersecçöes tendíneas de natureza elástica no trajeto dos feixes de fibras musculares da ponte de miocárdio, e ainda feixes de fibras colágenas e elásticas interligando a adventícia das artérias com os feixes de fibras musculares tanto da ponte como do resto do miocárdio. Estas estruturas assim como a presença do tecido adiposo em torno da artéria poderiam suavizar os possíveis efeitos compressivos da contraçäo sistólica