Frank-Starling relationship.

<p>Values are expressed as the mean ± SEM of left ventricular papillary muscle developed (A) and resting (B) length-tension curves obtained from untrained (○), trained (•), untrained+steroid (▵) and trained plus steroid (▴) rats. <b>A</b>: straight lines were fitted to the developed length-tension relationships using linear regression analysis. <b>B</b>: the resting tension-length curves for the four groups were fitted to mono-exponential non-linear relationships.</p

Effects on biometric, hemodynamic and contractile parameters by association of anabolic steroid and exercise training.

<p>Values expressed at mean ± SEM of BW: body weight, TW/BW: testicle weight/body weight, RV/BW: right ventricular weight/body weight, LV/BW: left ventricular weight/body weight, HW/BW: heart weight/body weight, PW: papillary weight, L_max: muscle length papillary muscle length at optimum length, CSA: cross-sectional area, basal levels of HR: heart rate, MAP: arterial pressure, CI: cardiac index and TPR: total peripheral resistance in untrained (U), trained (T), untrained+steroid (US) and trained+steroid (TS).</p>*<p>represent statistical differences (P<0.05) from U and T.</p>#<p>represent statistical differences (P<0.05) from TS (by ANOVA–Tukey test).</p

Blood sample biochemical analysis.

<p>Panel A: serum testosterone levels in ng/dl. Panel B: hematocrit percentage. Values are expressed at the mean ± SEM for the control (C), low dose (LD) and high dose (HD). * represents significant differences (P<0.05) with respect to other groups as determined by one-way ANOVA–Tukey test.</p

Baseline sympathetic nerve activity.

<p>(<b>A</b>) Splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity (sSNA, n = 9) and (<b>B</b>) renal sympathetic nerve activity (rSNA, n = 9) at baseline level in the different groups. BDL, bile duct ligation. Error bars indicate SEM. *p < 0.05 compared to control group (Student’s t test).</p

Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity for heart rate (HR).

<p>(<b>A</b>) Linear regression graph showing: depressor response—the reflexive increase in heart rate (ΔHR) to decrease the mean arterial pressure (ΔMAP) produced by acute administration of sodium nitroprusside (7, 17, and 20 μg/kg); and pressor response—HR decrease reflex response to increase MAP produced by acute administration of phenylephrine (3, 6, and 10 μg/kg) in the control and bile duction ligation (BDL) groups. n, number of rats. *P < 0.05 compared to control group (Sutdent’t test). (<b>B</b>) Representative recording of cardiovascular responses induced by acute infusion of phenylephrine (Phe) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in the control and BDL groups. Pulse pressure (PP), heart rate (HR), beats per minute (bpm) and mean arterial pressure (MAP).</p

Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity for renal sympathetic nerve activity (rSNA).

<p>(<b>A</b>) Linear regression graph showing: depressor response—the reflexive increase in rSNA to decrease the mean arterial pressure (MAP) produced by ramp infusion of sodium nitroprusside (200μg/ml, 6ml/h, iv); and pressor response—rSNA decrease reflex response to increase MAP produced by ramp infusion of phenylephrine (100μg/ml, 6ml/h, iv) for 60 seconds in the control and bile duction ligation (BDL) groups. n, number of rats *P < 0.05 compared to control group (Sutdent’t test). (<b>B</b>) Representative recording cardiovascular and autonomic responses induced by ramp infusion of phenylephrine (Phe) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in the control and BDL groups. Pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), rSNA expressed in volts (V) and integrated (ʃ) rSNA expressed in volts-seconds (V.s).</p

Summary of data on cardiovascular parameters in the different experimental groups.

<p>Summary of data on cardiovascular parameters in the different experimental groups.</p

Baroreceptor reflex sensitivity for splanchnic sympathetic nerve activity (sSNA).

<p>(<b>A</b>) Linear regression graph showing: depressor response—the reflexive increase in sSNA to decrease the mean arterial pressure (MAP) produced by ramp infusion of sodium nitroprusside (200μg/ml, 6ml/h, iv); and pressor response—sSNA decrease reflex response to increase MAP produced by ramp infusion of phenylephrine (100μg/ml, 6ml/h, iv) for 60s in the control and bile duction ligation (BDL) groups. n, number of rats *P < 0.05 compared to control group (Sutdent’<i>t</i> test). (<b>B</b>) Representative recording cardiovascular responses induced by ramp infusion of phenylephrine (Phe) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in the control and BDL groups. Pulse pressure (PP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), sSNA expressed in volts (V) and integrated (ʃ) sSNA expressed in volts-seconds (V.s).</p

Slope values obtained from the linear regression lines in the control or BDL groups.

<p>Slope values obtained from the linear regression lines in the control or BDL groups.</p

Body and organ weights, organ weight-to-body weight ratio, and liver function parameters in control and bile duct ligation (BDL) experimental groups.

<p>Body and organ weights, organ weight-to-body weight ratio, and liver function parameters in control and bile duct ligation (BDL) experimental groups.</p