Local and central sympathetic reflex control of blood flow in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous tissue in normal man

Summary. The effect of age and sex on relative changes in blood flow and vascular resistance in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous tissue during postural changes and during local increase in transmural pressure was studied in 33 healthy subjects. The intra-individual variation was studied in five subjects. Blood flow was measured by the local ¹³³Xenon wash-out method. No relation to age or sex was seen in the centrally elicited sympathetic vasoconstrictor responses in subcutaneous tissue and skeletal muscle and in the locally elicited vasoconstriction in subcutaneous tissue. A small, but statistically significant, correlation to sex and age was found in the local sympathetic vasoconstrictor response in skeletal muscle. The age correlation was caused only by an attenuated response in the young subjects below 40 years of age and may be fortuitous. The intra-individual variation was acceptably small. Based on the present results, a reduction in blood flow in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous tissue during centrally or locally elicited sympathetic vasoconstriction of 10% or less should be considered abnormal. The local ¹³³Xenon wash-out method is of value in examining patients suspected of dysfunction in the sympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system.     

Local variations in the cerebral microcirculatory response to hypercapnia and haemorrhage

Summary This study evaluates local variations of the cerebral vasomotor responses to hypercapnia and haemorrhagic hypotension in a pig model. Four laser Doppler flow probes were used in each pig. There was considerable variation in laser Doppler signals between the four probes in baseline recordings. The increases in flow after CO₂ administration in 7 pigs had a mean coefficient of variation of 0.43 ± 0.31, and the flow changes after blood loss in another 7 pigs had a mean coefficient of variation of 0.45 ± 0.34. The range of flow changes within each animal was large; the probe with the highest CO₂ response showed on the average a 273% ± 157% larger CO₂ response than the probe with the lowest CO₂ response. Correspondingly, the probe with the best preserved blood flow after blood loss had on the average a flow value of 93% ± 12% of the baseline value, while the probe that changed most with haemorrhage had a flow value of 44% ± 24% of the baseline value. Single laser Doppler recordings have been used for the monitoring of cerebral blood flow in neurosurgical critical care, but our results suggest that a single laser Doppler flow probe is not an adequate method to monitor vasoreactivity in neurosurgical patients because flow signals from one probe may be unrepresentative for other sites in the brain.     

Alterations of the levels of glycoproteins Ib-IX and IIb-IIIa in platelets stored at 22°C

Platelets stored in CLX™ blood bags, under normal blood banking conditions, were studied for up to 7 days to determine if changes ocurred in the levels of membrane glycoproteins (GP) Ib-IX and IIb-IIIa. Radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies (MAB) were used to estimate the number of glycoprotein molecules on the surface membrane of intact platelets. GP IX and GP IIb-IIIa levels remained essentially unaltered during storage. In contrast, the content of GP Ib at day 7 decreased by 45% of the total when fresh. The aggregation response to ristocetin, which requires GP Ib, was also diminished after 7 days. Addition of protease inhibitors, leupeptin and/or aprotinin did not appear to influence the degradation of this glycoprotein. We conclude that storage at 22°C has deleterious effects on the GP Ib content of platelets.     

The anterior inferior cerebellar arterial network supplying the rat cochlea and its role in autoregulation of cochlear blood flow

Summary The sensitivity of the cochlea is dependent upon maintenance of a delicate homeostatic environment. One mechanism which participates in providing this environment is the autoregulation of cochlear blood flow. This autoregulation is ensured through the interaction of sympathetic, peptidergic and hemodynamic mechanisms. The current study demonstrates an adaptation that also participates in cochlear blood flow autoregulation. Specifically, an anterior inferior cerebellar arterial network is described and the relative contributions of each of its vessels to total cochlear blood flow is measured using laser Doppler flowmetry. The results show that each collateral vessel contributes to the blood supply of the cochlea and that reperfusion is accompanied by hyperemia. These findings suggest an adaptation that provides stable blood flow through redundancy and compensatory potential. Additionally, these observations have implications for experimental models of ischemia.     

无孔处女膜临床分析

目的 分析总结无孔处女膜的诊断要点，提高诊断率。方法 回顾性分析我院近10余收治的5例无孔处女膜的临床资料。结果 5例患均无月经初潮，仅有程度不同的下腹疼痛，尤其是周期性的下腹疼痛。3例表现为急性下腹痛并急性尿潴留。2例误诊为卵巢囊肿、卵巢畸胎瘤。结论 少女己进入月经来潮年龄，但无月经初潮，仅有程度不同的下腹疼痛，尤其是有周期性的下腹疼痛，应想到无孔处女膜的可能。肛诊触及盆腔囊性包块，不活动；B超探查子宫与附件形态正常，相当于阴道的解剖部位有液性暗区，提示经血潴留，有助于本病的诊断。     

A statistically significant sex difference in the number of colony-forming cells from human peripheral blood

 The number of colony-forming cells (CFC) in the peripheral blood (PB) of 43 volunteers was examined using a semisolid clonogenic culture assay. In all, 22 male (age 21–39 years) and 21 female individuals (age 21–39 years) were tested, ten of each group twice to examine the intraindividual variability of colony-forming cells in PB. A statistically significant sex difference in the number of CFC, erythroblastic colonies (BFU-E), and granulocyte/macrophage colonies (CFU-GM) in PB was detected in favor of male individuals. No significant difference between female and male PB was found for the number of CFU-GEMM. The intraindividual variability of CFC and BFU-E was significantly higher in female donors. These results support previous reports by others on a potential influence of sex steroids on hematopoiesis. Received: 8 November 1996 / Accepted: 4 April 1997     

Geometric Resistance and Microvascular Network Architecture of Human Colorectal Carcinoma

Objective : To measure the geometric resistance to blood flow in human colorectal carcinoma. Although tumor blood flow is of central importance in both the detection and the treatment of cancer, the determinants of blood flow through the neoplastic circulation are poorly understood. Methods : Human colorectal carcinomas (tissue weight = 272 g ± 43 g (SD), n = 6) were perfused ex vivo with a buffered physiological salt solution of known viscosity at flow rates ranging from 2.5 to 40 ml/min and perfusion pressures from 8 to 100 mm Hg. The geometric resistance was determined from the slope of the pressure-flow curve. For examination of the principal determinant of geometric resistance, the vascular architecture, one of the tumors was perfused with Batson's No. 17 polymer and macerated in KOH to produce a positive vascular cast that was used for measurement of vascular branching patterns and dimensions. Results : The pressure-flow relationship was linear at perfusion pressures above 40 mm Hg, and the geometric resistance, z₀, was constant at approximately 6.5 ± 10⁹g/cm³. Below 40 mm Hg, z₀ increased rapidly. The architecture of the arteriolar and capillary networks of human colorectal carcinoma is similar to those of experimental rodent tumors. Capillaries in planar and nonplanar mesh-works had mean segment diameters of 11 ± 2 and 9.6 ± 2 μm, lengths of 46 ± 24 and 107 ± 40 μm, and intercapillary distances of 46 ± 13 and 74 ± 24 μm, respectively. Conclusions : The geometric flow resistance in neoplastic tissue is 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than that observed in normal tissues. A decrease in functional vascular cross-sectional area may explain the additional increase in resistance at small perfusion pressures. The observed flow resistance may be due to the specialized arteriolar and capillary network architecture, pressures exerted by proliferating cancer cells, and/or coupling between vascular and extravascular flow. These observations demonstrate that tumor vascularity alone may not be indicative of flow resistance or tumor susceptibility to blood-borne therapeutic agents.     

Laser Doppler flowmetry of blood perfusion in mucoperiosteal flaps covering membranes in bone augmentation and implant procedures. A pilot study in dogs.

In guided tissue regeneration (GTR) procedures, flap recession or sloughing may occur as an unwanted sequel to the placement of a membrane. This study was designed to assess the applicability of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in the evaluation of blood perfusion in the mucoperiosteal flap covering the membrane. Five Labrador dogs were initially used inthe study, but one animal was later excluded due to post‐operative problems. Maxillary premolar teeth were extracted and full thickness mucoperiosteal flaps were raised. Following removal of the buccal bone plate, 4 titanium implants were placed on each side. An experimental biodegradable polylactic‐acid membrane was placed over the fixtures on one side to allow for GTR. The mucoperiosteal flap was repositioned and secured with sutures. The contralateral side served as control with no membrane. Blood perfusion was measured in the flaps before surgery, immediately after suturing and at 24, 48 and 72 h postoperatively. A laser Doppler flowmeter was used to assess the blood perfusion. In 3 animals the membrane was exposed within 2 weeks post‐operatively, and in these 3 animals the LDF values were lower on the membrane side than on the control side. The mean LDF value was lower on the membrane side for each of the 4 periods studied. The tindings suggest that LDF can be a valuable method to study blood perfusion of oral mucosal flaps and that there may be a relationship between a reduced relative LDF value and subsequent exposure of the membrane to the oral environment.     

The Effect of Acute and Chronic Exercise on Thyroid Hormones in Obesity

Abstract Thyroid hormones were measured before, during and after acute exercise (60 min) or physical training (3 months) in obese women. Thyroid stimulating hormone concentration increased during acute work and decreased immediately after. No changes were seen during the two following days. An increase was seen after ten days as well as after three months of physical training. Thyroxine concentrations showed no changes. 3,5,3′-Triiodothyronine decreased slightly immediately after acute exercise, and after three months of physical training, 3,3′,5′-triiodothyronine (reverse triiodothyronine) increased slowly during and after acute exercise. A negative correlation was found between changes in fasting insulin and thyroxine and a positive correlation between changes in blood pressure and triiodothyronine after training. Lack of agreement in previous reports is probably due to methodological differences such as methods more or less susceptible to fatty acid interference, and thyroid hormones changing differently during acute work and before and after physical training. The duration of the study may also be of importance, even 3 months possibly being too short for attaining equilibrium in thyroid homeostasis.