A stenosis of the isthmus aortae concurrent with multiple defects in a calf heart. An attempt at an embryological and phylogenetic explanation.

The findings in a calf heart with multiple ventricular septum defects and an isthmus stenosis in an aorta with its origin in the right ventricle have been described and discussed. The anomalies are explained embryogenetically as well as phylogenetically. No choice could be made between the theories. The author states: The phylogenetic theory needs more attention in future comparative studies of anomalies of the heart.

Three arterial ostia in the base of the pig's heart. Abnormal ductus arteriosus or an additional stem vessel?

A macroscopic description of four hearts showing three arterial ostia in the base of the pig's heart was carried out. Portions of the vascular walls were histologically examined in three hearts. All hearts belong to the Tetralogy of Fallot group. Spitzer's hypothesis concerning the phylogenetic development of the mammalian heart was tested against the observations. The hypothesis could not be verified. The study leads to the conclusion that the ductus arteriosus has its origin in the base of the heart in the four hearts studied.

Myocardial bridges in animals.

Myocardial bridges in a number of different species is described and classified. In formulation of the classification special attention was given to the location, width, thickness of the muscular layer of the bridge and the number of commitant veins of the overbridged artery. Four types of myocardial bridges were recognized.

Coarctatio aortae in pigs: a morphological approach.

Two types of coarctatio aortae in pigs are described. In the juvenile type the, funnel-shaped, narrowing in the arcus aortae was located between the origin of the a. subclavia sinistra and the aortic end of the ductus arteriosus or ligamentum arteriosum. Until now, this type has been observed only in animals with other heart anomalies. In the adult type, the narrowing of the arcus aortae was crescent-shaped and was located at the aortic end of the ductus arteriosus or ligamentum arteriosum. Histologic examination of parts of the funnel-shaped and the crescent-shaped narrowing revealed that the two types of coarctatio aortae develop differently.

Effect of endurance exercise on fibre type composition and muscle weight of reinnervating rat plantaris muscle.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of endurance exercise on the histochemistry and wet weight of the reinnervating rat plantaris muscle. Two groups of young female Wistar rats (6 weeks old), 1 sedentary denervated control (n = 13) and 1 exercised denervated experimental (n = 17), were denervated unilaterally by cutting and resecting the sciatic nerve. To effect reinnervation a skin grafting operation was carried out on the nerve so that the gap caused by resection was bridged. The third group was the sedentary non-denervated normal control (n = 10). A progressive training program of 18 weeks of treadmill running was carried out by the experimental group. Approximately 5 months after denervation, the plantaris muscles were studied histochemically for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide diaphorase (NADH-D) and mitochondrial alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (alpha-GPD) activities. Fibres were classified as "red", "white", or "intermediate" with NADH-D. Alpha-GPD differentiates "intermediate" from "red" fibre types in case of difficulty in differentiating these fibre types from each other with NADH-D. The weight of the reinnervated plantaris muscle increased significantly after exercise. The exercise did not change the fibre type proportions--including "red" fibre type--in the deep region of the reinnervating plantaris. There were significant differences between normal control and denervated control or experimental groups in histochemical fibre populations in the deep region of the plantaris. The findings of this study suggest that: treadmill running did not increase the oxidative capacity of the deep region of the reinnervating rat plantaris muscle; treadmill training did not damage the reinnervating plantaris.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

An extra atrioventricular node in an anomalous heart of a calf.

An extra atrioventricular node in a double outlet ventricle with a quite normal inflow septum in a calf is described. The anomaly resembles the topography of the conducting system in the calf heart in the embryonic stages from 13.5 mm-90 mm.

[Direct communication of both coronary arteries with the right ventricle in a calf]. / Een directe verbinding van beide coronaire arteriën (arteriae coronariae) met de rechter ventrikel bij het kalf.

Direct communication between the two coronary arteries and the right ventricle in a two-week-old bull calf is described. The descending branches of the coronary arteries were dilated. The pathophysiological features and the possible pathogenesis of this malformation are discussed.

The occurrence of myocardial bridges on coronary arteries in the common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina).

Myocardial bridging in the common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) has been described in 4 hearts. In a collection of 40 hearts 10 cases(20%) were present. In most of the hearts the vessels in the sulcus interventricularis subsinuosus are overbridged.

Twitch tension, muscle weight, and fiber area of exercised reinnervating rat skeletal muscle.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dynamic exercise on weight and isometric twitch tension of the reinnervating rat gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle complex as well as on histology of the reinnervating plantaris muscle. Two groups of 6-week-old female Wistar rats, 1 control (n = 17) and 1 experimental (n = 17), were denervated unilaterally by cutting and resecting the sciatic nerve. To effect reinnervation a skin grafting operation was carried out on the nerve so that the gap caused by resection was bridged. The experimental group began exercising on a motor-driven treadmill 18 days following the graft. A progressive training program of 18 weeks of treadmill running, 5 days/week, was carried out by the animals. Training intensity was gradually increased until during the final 3 weeks they were running up a 25% grade at a speed of 720m/hour for 2 hours a day. Exercise did not damage the reinnervating muscle. Absolute wet weight and maximum isometric twitch tension of the reinnervating gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle complex were increased significantly, by 15 1/2% and 30% respectively, after exercise. Training resulted in a significant increase in fiber and muscle cross-sectional areas of the reinnervating plantaris, by 28% and 23% respectively. Exercise brought about no change in total relative amount of connective tissue in the reinnervating plantaris. This study indicates that dynamic exercise has a significant positive effect on the weight, twitch tension and histologic appearance of the reinnervating gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle and thus may enhance their functional recovery. It is likely that this type of training is also effective in the treatment of patients recovering from peripheral nerve injuries.

Congenital hypoplasia of the pulmonary trunk without a ventricular septal defect in a goat lamb.

Congenital hypoplasia of the pulmonary trunk without a ventricular septal defect was diagnosed in a goat lamb. Clinical weakness, dyspnoea, blue mucous membranes, tachycardia, and abnormal heart sounds were related to post mortem findings. The malformation of the heart resulted in an amphibian like - one chamber heart - circulation.

Developmental abnormalities of the olfactory bulb: a comparative teratological and experimental study of the pig and chick embryo.

We collected newborn pigs with facial dysmorphy. In ten animals complete unilateral or bilateral hare lip was found to be associated with agenesis, aplasia, or hypoplasia of the olfactory bulbs. In order to get insight into a possible pathomorphogenetic relation between these types of clefts, malformations of the olfactory bulbs, and the role of the derivatives of the olfactory placode, the right olfactory placode was extirpated in 180 chick embryos at stage 17-18 according to Hamburger and Hamilton. Forty of the 78 surviving embryos showed shortening and deviation of the upper bill to the right, absence of the right nasal ostium, and agenesis of the right olfactory bulb. These results provide experimental evidence that the olfactory placode induces the outgrowth of the olfactory bulb. The further suggest an involvement of the olfactory placode in the normal development of the face.

[Morphology and congenital pathology of the heart of the common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) (An informative description) (author's transl)]. / De morfologie en de congenitale pathologie van het hart van de gewone zeehond (Phoca vitulina vitulina). (Een oriënterende beschrijving van de normnale morfologie en de congenitale pathologie).

The morphology and the congenital pathology of the heart of the common seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) are described. Particular attention is drawn to the dorso-ventral flattening of the heart and the S-like course of the aortic arch. The following congenital malformations of th heart were discussed: (1) patent ductus arteriosus associated with a patent foramen ovale secundum and malposition of the entrance of the caudal caval vein: (2) aplasia of the origin of the left coronary artery: (3) coarctation of the aorta; (4) myocardial bridging. From this study of the heart of the common seal it is concluded that the resistance of the common seal to physical stress is poor. Survival of this animal in the Waddensea requires a quiet and undisturbed biotope.

Genuine concurrent muscular subvalvular subaortic stenosis and muscular infundibular stenosis of the right ventricle in the heart of the pig.

Two cases of genuine concurrent muscular subvalvular aortic and muscular infundibular pulmonary stenosis in pigs are reported. The character of this morphophysiological syndrome is discussed. The morphology of the heart of the pig predisposes this animal to the syndrome.

The effects of temporary general hypoxia and local ischemia on the development of the intestines: an experimental study.

It is generally accepted that a circulatory disorder of the bowel during the embryonic stage of development plays an important part in the occurrence of atresias of the small bowel and colon, with the exception of the septal types of atresia. In most cases, the cause of this disorder is not known. An experimental study, making use of chick embryos, is presented and the results are discussed. Two sets of experiments were conducted. In the first set the bowel of the chick embryo was subjected to temporary ischemia. In the second one the chick embryo was subjected to a period of general hypoxia. Temporary ischemia of the bowel frequently resulted in stenosis or atresia. The duration of the vascular occlusion was significant factor. Temporary general hypoxia resulted in serious morphologic changes of the bowel and the liver. Stenosis or atresia did not occur in this case, but there was a strong resemblance to the histopathological picture of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis.