Relative heart size in two rodent species increases with elevation: reviving Hesse's rule

Abstract Background Cardiovascular diseases are an important component of the multi-morbidity syndrome which is associated with negative health outcomes resulting in a major societal economic burden. An objective way to assess multi-morbidity is to calculate a frailty index based on medical deficit accumulation. Late-life frailty has been validated to predict mortality, but little is known about the association between life-course frailty and cardiovascular health in later-life. Purpose To study the association between life-course frailty and later-life heart size and function using data from the world's longest running birth cohort with continuous follow-up. Methods A 45-deficit frailty index (FI) was calculated at 4 age-intervals across the life-course (0 to 16 years old, 19 to 44 years old, 45 to 54 years old and 60 to 64 years old) in participants from the UK 1946 Medical Research Council (MRC) National Survey of Heath and Development (NSHD) birth cohort. The life-course frailty indices (FI0_16, FI19_44, FI45_54 and FI60_64) reflect the cumulative medical deficits at the corresponding age-intervals. They were used to derive FImean and FIsum reflecting overall-life frailty. The step change in deficit accumulation between age-intervals was also calculated (FI2-1, FI3-1, FI4-1, FI3-2, FI4-2, FI4-3). Echocardiographic data at 60–64 years provided: E/e' ratio, ejection fraction (EF), myocardial contraction fraction index (MCFi) and left ventricular mass index (LVmassi). Generalized linear mixed models with gamma distribution and log link assessed the association between FIs and echo parameters after adjustment for sex, socio-economic position and body mass index. Results 1.805 NSHD participants were included (834 male). Accumulation of a single deficit had a significant impact (p<0.0001 to p<0.049) on LVmassi and MCFi in all the life-course FIs and overall FIs. LVmassi increased by 0.89% to 1.42% for the life-course FIs and by 0.36%/1.82% for FIsum and FImean respectively. MCFi decreased by 0.62% to 1.02% for the life-course FIs and by 0.33%/ 1.04%. for FIsum and FImean respectively. One accumulated deficit translated into higher multiplicative odds (13.2 for FI60-64, 2.1 for FI4-1, 75.4 for FI4-2 and 78.5 for FI4-3) of elevated filling pressure (defined as E/e' ratio >13, p<0.0.005 to p<0.02).A unit increase in frailty decreased LV EF (%) by 11%/12% for FI45-54 and FI60-64 respectively, by 10% to 12% for FI2-1, FI3-1, FI4-1 and FI4-2, and 4%/15% for FIsum and FImean respectively (p<0.0014 to p<0.044). Conclusion Frailty during the life-course, overall life-frailty and the step change in deficit accumulation is associated with later-life cardiac dysfunction. Frailty strain appears to have its greatest impact on pathological myocardial hypertrophy (high LVmassi and low MCFi) potentially paving the way to later-life systolic or diastolic dysfunction in susceptible individuals. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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Extensive genetic diversity and host range of rodent-borne coronaviruses

Virus Evolution ◽

10.1093/ve/veaa078 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Wen Wang ◽

Xian-Dan Lin ◽

Hai-Lin Zhang ◽

Miao-Ruo Wang ◽

Xiao-Qing Guan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Rodent Species ◽

Polymerase Gene ◽

Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽

Reading Frame ◽

Genome Recombination ◽

Genomic Complexity ◽

Viral Subtype ◽

Rna Polymerase Gene ◽

Eothenomys Miletus

Abstract To better understand the genetic diversity, host associations and evolution of coronaviruses (CoVs) in China we analyzed a total of 696 rodents encompassing 16 different species sampled from Zhejiang and Yunnan provinces. Based on reverse transcriptase PCR-based CoV screening of fecal samples and subsequent sequence analysis of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene, we identified CoVs in diverse rodent species, comprising Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus chevrieri, Apodemus latronum, Bandicota indica, Eothenomys cachinus, Eothenomys miletus, Rattus andamanensis, Rattus norvegicus, and Rattus tanezumi. CoVs were particularly commonplace in A. chevrieri, with a detection rate of 12.44 per cent (24/193). Genetic and phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of three groups of CoVs carried by a range of rodents that were closely related to the Lucheng Rn rat CoV (LRNV), China Rattus CoV HKU24 (ChRCoV_HKU24), and Longquan Rl rat CoV (LRLV) identified previously. One newly identified A. chevrieri-associated virus closely related to LRNV lacked an NS2 gene. This virus had a similar genetic organization to AcCoV-JC34, recently discovered in the same rodent species in Yunnan, suggesting that it represents a new viral subtype. Notably, additional variants of LRNV were identified that contained putative non-structural (NS)2b genes located downstream of the NS2 gene that were likely derived from the host genome. Recombination events were also identified in the open reading frame (ORF) 1a gene of Lijiang-71. In sum, these data reveal the substantial genetic diversity and genomic complexity of rodent-borne CoVs, and extend our knowledge of these major wildlife virus reservoirs.

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Structural and functionnal analysis of burrows of three rodent species in wheat fields in sandy and loamy soils in Punjab (India)

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mamm-2003-0419 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 67 (4) ◽

Author(s):

D.K. Kocher ◽

V.R. Parshad

Keyword(s):

Rodent Species

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Observations on the heart size of natives living at high altitudes

American Heart Journal ◽

10.1016/s0002-8703(44)90508-9 ◽

1944 ◽

Vol 28 (1) ◽

pp. 69-80 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

A.J. Kerwin

Keyword(s):

High Altitudes ◽

Heart Size

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Radiographic and anatomical morphometric assessments of heart size in presumed healthy pet guinea pigs

Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound ◽

10.1111/vru.13020 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Margherita De Silva ◽

Pierfrancesco Bo ◽

Elisabetta Dora Genocchi ◽

Claudio Tagliavia ◽

Mariana Roccaro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Guinea Pigs ◽

Heart Size

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Right Heart Size and Right Ventricular Reserve in Pulmonary Hypertension: Impact on Management and Prognosis

Diagnostics ◽

10.3390/diagnostics10121110 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1110

Author(s):

Ekkehard Grünig ◽

Christina A. Eichstaedt ◽

Rebekka Seeger ◽

Nicola Benjamin

Keyword(s):

Pulmonary Hypertension ◽

Right Ventricular ◽

Ventricular Function ◽

Right Ventricular Function ◽

Right Heart Failure ◽

Right Heart Catheterization ◽

Contractile Reserve ◽

Heart Catheterization ◽

Right Heart ◽

Heart Size

Various parameters reflecting right heart size, right ventricular function and capacitance have been shown to be prognostically important in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH). In the advanced disease, patients suffer from right heart failure, which is a main reason for an impaired prognosis. Right heart size has shown to be associated with right ventricular function and reserve and is correlated with prognosis in patients with PH. Right ventricular reserve, defined as the ability of the ventricle to adjust to exercise or pharmacologic stress, is expressed by various parameters, which may be determined invasively by right heart catheterization or by stress-Doppler-echocardiography as a noninvasive approach. As the term “right ventricular contractile reserve” may be misleading, “right ventricular output reserve” seems desirable as a preferred term of increase in cardiac output during exercise. Both right heart size and right ventricular reserve have been shown to be of prognostic importance and may therefore be useful for risk assessment in patients with pulmonary hypertension. In this article we aim to display different aspects of right heart size and right ventricular reserve and their prognostic role in PH.

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