Regional redistribution of blood in unanesthetized rats after blood loss

Relative changes in local blood volume in 46 vascular regions of the body after moderate and severe blood loss are described. Moderate blood loss caused a redistribution of blood from the skin of the chest and hind limbs, most organs of the abdomen and pelvis, the muscular and bony tissues of the abdomen, pelvis, and limbs to the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, stomach and to the muscles of the head and neck. After severe blood loss the changes were similar but the blood volume in the kidneys and stomach was reduced; a relative increase in the blood volume in the muscular and bony tissues of the thorax also was observed. The intensity of the redistributive response to severe blood loss was less than to a moderate blood loss.Central Research Laboratory, S. M. Kirov Leningrad Postgraduate Medical Institute. (Presented by Academician of the Academy of Medical Sciences of the USSR P. N. Veselkin.) Translated from Byulleten' Éksperimental'noi Biologii i Meditsiny, Vol. 82, No. 9, pp. 1045–1047, September, 1976.     

HLA-B27 polymorphism in Mumbai, Western India

Human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 encompasses an increasing number of subtypes that show diverse racial/ethnic prevalence in the world. One thousand-one-hundred and seventy unrelated individuals from Mumbai, Maharashtra, Western India were typed for HLA-B27 antigen by serological methods. HLA-B27 positivity was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction using sequence specific primers. High-resolution typing using sequence specific primers for HLA-B27 alleles (B*2701 - B*2721) was carried out in 70 HLA-B27-positive individuals. The frequency of B27 ranged between 1.48 and 9.6% among the caste groups studied. HLA-B27 subtyping identified B*2702 (1.43%), B*2704 (14.29%), B*2705 (70%), B*2707 (12.86%) and B*2718 (1.43%), respectively. The findings illustrate substantial genetic variation and heterogeneity within population groups from India. Extensive subtyping in other Indian caste groups will be necessary to resolve the evolutionary implications of HLA-B27 subtypes and their relationship to disease association in the Indian context.     

V3 sequence analysis and biological characterization of HIV-1 isolates from asymptomatic and early symptomatic Tanzanian individuals

The aim of this study was to determine HIV-1 V3 sequences, in vitro biological characteristics and co-receptor usage of virus isolates from Tanzania. Virus was isolated from 14 of 17 samples investigated. Four of the isolates induced syncytia in MT-2 cells and used the CXCR4 co-receptor, while the remaining 10 isolates used the CCR5 co-receptor characteristic of non-MT-2 tropic viruses. One of the four MT-2 tropic isolates also used the CCR5 and CCR3 co-receptors. Proviral DNA was detected in all 14 isolates and PCR products were subjected to DNA sequencing. Unambiguous V3 amino acid sequences were obtained from 11 amplificates. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that these sequences were divergent and clustered in HIV-1 subtypes A, C or D. Sequences from the viruses that induced syncytia in MT-2 cells presented characteristic V3 phenotype-associated amino acids. Results of co-receptor analysis are in concordance with the isolate phenotype as determined by replication and induction of syncytia in MT-2 cells. The considerable diversity illustrated by a limited number of isolates from Tanzania is in accordance with reports from other regions of Africa.     

Diversity of Hepatitis G Virus within a Single Infected Individual

The extent of population diversity among GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) within a persistently infected individual (Iw) was investigated by sequence analysis of multiple clones generated from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products of cDNA analogous to fragments of 5 non-coding region (5NC), envelope region 1/2 (E1/E2) and non-structural region 3 (NS3) of viral genome. Although nucleotide substitutions were more common in coding regions than in the 5NC region, there was no region corresponding to the hypervariable region of hepatitis C virus in the E1/E2 region. Transition substitution exceeded transversion by 7 to 12-fold, and 79.4% of substitutions were synonymous. This bias against substitutions producing amino acid replacements and the use of Pfu DNA polymerase with an error rate 10 times lower than the observed frequency of substitution, suggests that most substitutions were not artefactual. This data suggests that individual genomes of HGV within an infected individual may differ from each other at 0.23–0.84% nucleotide position and at 0.42–0.61% amino acid position.     

Effect of Transmural Pressure on Constrictor Reactions of Caudal Artery in Hypotensive and Hypertensive Rats

Clipping of the abdominal aorta distally to the renal arteries produces a persistent decrease in blood pressure in hindquarter vessels by 35-40%. On week 6-7 postoperation, the reactions of the caudal artery perfused in vitro under constant pressure to norepinephrine were studied. At transmural pressure of 150 mm Hg, the vascular responses in hypotensive rats were reduced compared to those in normotensive control. By contrast, the responses of hypertensive vessels were more pronounced at 75 mm Hg even after deendothelization.     

Forensic characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of 23 Y-STR loci in the Miao population from Guizhou province,southwest China

Background: Investigation of haplotype/allele frequency data of Y-STR loci in ethnically diverse populations is essential for forensic reference database construction and genetic application. However, the population genetic characteristics of the Chinese Miao minority from Guizhou Province remain uncharacterised.

Aim: To assess forensic characteristics for 23 Y-Chromosomal STR loci in Guizhou Miao and explore population genetic relationships with geographically neighbouring populations.

Subjects and methods: Twenty-three Y-Chromosomal STRs were genotyped using the Powerplex^® Y23 system in 103 unrelated Chinese Miao males from Guizhou Province, southwest China. Haplotypes and forensic parameters were obtained. Population relationships of Guizhou Miao with others were revealed using AMOVA and an MDS plot.

Results: A total of 96 haplotypes were identified with overall haplotype diversity (HD) and discrimination capacity (DC) of 0.9985 and 0.9320, respectively. Genetic differentiation was observed with most of the comparison populations, prominently for Guizhou Shui.

Conclusion: The 23 Y-STR loci were highly polymorphic and discriminating in the Guizhou Miao population and could be used for forensic practice and population genetic studies. Population relationship analysis revealed Guizhou Miao had a close genetic relationship with geographically close Guizhou Gelao, as well as Han majorities derived from different regions.     

The effects of nisoldipine alone and in combination with beta-adrenoceptor blockade on systemic haemodynamics and myocardial performance in conscious pigs

The peak effects of 10 mg nisoldipine p.o. with or without 80mg propranolol p.o. on systemic and regional haemodynamics inconscious pigs were investigated. Nisoldipine increased heartrate (70%), cardiac output (67%) and maxLVdP/dt (75%), but decreasedmean arterial pressure (21%) as systemic vascular conductanceincreased by 120%. Left ventricular systolic and end-diastolicpressures were not affected. Vasodilatation occurred in mostorgans. The increase in left ventricular blood flow (150%) favouredthe epicardial (195%) over the endocardial (110%) layers. Asa result the endo–epi blood flow ratio decreased by 30% When nisoldipine was administered simultaneously with propranolol,heart rate (29%), cardiac output (35%) and systemic vascularconductance (65%) increased, but maxL VdP/dt did not change.Mean arterial (18%) and left ventricular systolic (10%) pressuredecreased; left ventricular end-diastolic pressure was againunaffected. In most organs vasodilatation was attenuated, butstill present, compared to the changes after nisoldipine alone.The increase in epicardial blood flow (70%) again exceeded thatin endocardial blood flow (35%), however, the endo–epiratio decreased by only 15%. In the presence of propranolol,nisoldipine did not exert a negative inotropic action whilethe reflex-tachycardia was attenuated. In addition, no detrimentaleffects on perfusion of regional vascular beds were observed.     

Arterial hypertension associated with the use of a tourniquet with either general or regional anaesthesia

A hypertensive patient with left cardiac enlargement developed marked hypertension under general anaesthesia, during which time a tourniquet was applied around his thigh. When the tourniquet was released, severe hypotension ensued which responded to therapy. The patient, however, died 16 h later of a myocardial infarction. Because of this incident, the anaesthetic and haemodynamic data of 699 patients who underwent limb surgery with a pneumatic tourniquet inflated for at least an hour were retrospectively examined using multivariate analysis. A 30% increase in systolic and/or diastolic arterial blood pressure occurred in 27% of the total patient material and in 67% of those who had had a general anaesthetic. There was a higher frequency of the occurrence of "tourniquet hypertension" with older age, longer operations and the operation site being the lower rather than the upper limb. Tourniquet hypertension rarely occurred in patients with spinal anaesthesia (2.7%) and brachial plexus blockade (2.5%), while those with intravenous regional anesthesia had a higher incidence (19%) of hypertension.     

Repeated short periods of regional myocardial ischemia: effect on local function and high energy phosphate levels

Summary The effect of recurrent periods of ischemia on the myocardium was investigated in 15 open-chest dogs. Ischemia was produced by 3 minutes of proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. Each occlusion was followed by reperfusion of 3 minutes duration. Forty occlusions with a total of 120 minutes of ischemia were performed, and regional function (sonomicrometry) as well as high energy phosphates (needle biopsies) were determined at the end of the 5th, 20th, and 40th period of ischemia and reperfusion. The first periods of ischemia had a cumulative effect both on regional postischemic function (44% and 59% respectively of preischemic control after 20 occlusions) and on the ATP content, but with increasing number of occlusions the additive effects became smaller (ATP reduction/mol/gww/per occlusion). The ATP breakdown per occlusion was diminished with increasing number of periods of ischemia, and no significant adenosine was measured in the ischemic myocardium. Higher than normal postischemic creatine phosphate levels (9.1 mol/g w w at the 40th reperfusion vs. 6.7 mol/gw w control) indicated a functioning oxidative phosphorylation in the presence of an ATP utilization problem at the sarcomere level, because indicators of the cellular energy level (energy charge, free energy change of ATP hydrolysis) quickly normalized during reperfusion. Stunned myocardium is therefore not a problem of energy supply but rather of energy utilization. Reduced ATP utilization and regional dysfunction are the expressions of the same cellular defect which resides either in the ATP-splitting contractile apparatus or in the electromechanical coupling. Contractile dysfunction during reperfusion protects the heart against subsequent periods of ischemia because ATP turnover is reduced.Parts of the results were presented at the 57th Sessions of the American Heart Association, Miami, Florida/U.S.A. 1984