*2.7. Cardiac Function and Blood Pressure Measurements*

In a separate group of adult rats, cardiac function was evaluated at the beginning (week 0) and at the end of experiment (week 7). Gross morphology and function of the left ventricle was assessed by non-invasive ultrasound technique (transthoracic echocardiography, GE Vingmed System Seven with a 14 MHz linear matrix probe) in anesthetized rats (2% isoflurane). Within the baseline echocardiographic evaluation, the following diastolic and systolic dimensions of the left ventricle (LV) were measured: anterior wall thickness (AWTd, AWTs), posterior wall thickness (PWTd, PWTs), and left ventricular cavity diameter (LVDd, LVDs), after which the fractional shortening (FS, %) was calculated [22]. At the end of the study, blood pressure and heart rate (HR) were recorded using a pressure transducer and a multichannel recorder (AD Instruments, Bella Vista, Australia) in conscious rats that were cannulated one day prior to the experiment. Briefly, a polyethylene cannula was implanted under 2.5% isoflurane anesthesia (PE 50 for BP measurement in the left carotid artery), and exteriorized in the interscapular region.
