Gender difference in cardiovagal baroreflex gain in humans.

We tested the hypothesis that women would demonstrate lower cardiovagal baroreflex gain compared with men. If so, we further hypothesized that the lower cardiovagal baroreflex gain in women would be associated with their lower aerobic fitness and higher body fat percentage compared with men. To accomplish this, we measured cardiovagal baroreflex gain (modified Oxford technique) in sedentary, nonobese (body mass index < 25 kg/m2) men (age = 26.0 +/- 2.1 yr, n = 11) and women (age = 26.9 +/- 1.6 yr, n = 14). Resting R-R interval and diastolic blood pressure were similar in the two groups, but systolic blood pressure was lower (P < 0.05) in the women. Cardiovagal baroreflex gain was significantly lower in the women compared with the men (13.3 +/- 1.5 vs. 20.0 +/- 2.8 ms/mmHg, P < 0.05). The lower cardiovagal baroreflex gain in the women was not related (P > 0.05) to their lower aerobic fitness and was only marginally related to their higher body fat percentage (r = -0.34, P < 0.05). There were no gender differences in the threshold and saturation, operating range, or operating point (all P > 0.05), although the operating point fell significantly to left (i.e., at a lower systolic blood pressure) compared with men. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that the gain of the cardiovagal baroreflex is reduced whereas other parameters were similar in women compared with men. The mechanisms responsible for the reduced cardiovagal baroreflex gain remain unclear.     

Ascorbic acid increases cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity in healthy older men

Cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) declines with advancing age in healthy men. We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress contributes mechanistically to this age-associated reduction. Eight young (23 +/- 1 yrs, means +/- SE) and seven older (63 +/- 3) healthy men were studied. Cardiovagal BRS was assessed using the modified Oxford technique (bolus infusion of 50-100 microg sodium nitroprusside, followed 60 s later by a 100- to 150-microg bolus of phenylephrine hydrochloride) in triplicate at baseline and during acute intravenous ascorbic acid infusion. At baseline, cardiovagal BRS (slope of the linear portion of the R-R interval-systolic blood pressure relation during pharmacological changes in arterial blood pressure) was 56% lower (P < 0.01) in older (8.3 +/- 1.6 ms/mmHg) compared with young (19.0 +/- 3.1 ms/mmHg) men. Ascorbic acid infusion increased plasma concentrations similarly in young (62 +/- 9 vs. 1,249 +/- 72 micromol/l for baseline and during ascorbic acid; P < 0.05) and older men (62 +/- 4 vs. 1,022 +/- 55 micromol/l; P < 0.05) without affecting baseline blood pressure, heart rate, carotid artery compliance, or the magnitude of change in systolic blood pressure in response to bolus sodium nitroprusside and phenylephrine hydrochloride infusion. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) infusion increased cardiovagal BRS in older (Delta58 +/- 16%; P < 0.01), but not younger (Delta - 4 +/- 4%) men. These data provide experimental support for the concept that oxidative stress contributes mechanistically to age-associated reductions in cardiovagal BRS in healthy men.     

Weight loss increases cardiovagal baroreflex function in obese young and older men

We tested the hypothesis that reductions in total body and abdominal visceral fat with energy restriction would be associated with increases in cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in overweight/obese older men. To address this, overweight/obese (25 < or = body mass index < or = 35 kg/m(2)) young (OB-Y, n = 10, age = 32.9 +/- 2.3 yr) and older (OB-O, n = 6, age = 60 +/- 2.7 yr) men underwent 3 mo of energy restriction at a level designed to reduce body weight by 5-10%. Cardiovagal BRS (modified Oxford technique), body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and abdominal fat distribution (computed tomography) were measured in the overweight/obese men before weight loss and after 4 wk of weight stability at their reduced weight and compared with a group of nonobese young men (NO-Y, n = 13, age = 21.1 +/- 1.0 yr). Before weight loss, cardiovagal BRS was approximately 35% and approximately 60% lower (P < 0.05) in the OB-Y and OB-O compared with NO-Y. Body weight (-7.8 +/- 1.1 vs. -7.3 +/- 0.7 kg), total fat mass (-4.1 +/- 1.0 vs. -4.4 +/- 0.8 kg), and abdominal visceral fat (-27.6 +/- 6.9 vs. -43.5 +/- 10.1 cm(2)) were reduced (all P < 0.05) after weight loss, but the magnitude of reduction did not differ (all P > 0.05) between OB-Y and OB-O, respectively. Cardiovagal BRS increased (11.5 +/- 1.9 vs. 18.5 +/- 2.6 ms/mmHg and 6.7 +/- 1.2 vs. 12.8 +/- 4.2 ms/mmHg) after weight loss (both P < 0.05) in OB-Y and OB-O, respectively. After weight loss, cardiovagal BRS in the obese/overweight young and older men was approximately 105% and approximately 73% (P > 0.05) of NO-Y (17.5 +/- 2.2 ms/mmHg). Therefore, the results of this study indicate that weight loss increases the sensitivity of the cardiovagal baroreflex in overweight/obese young and older men.     

Relating drug-induced changes in carotid artery mechanics to cardiovagal and sympathetic baroreflex control

Previous evidence indicates that sensitivity of the baroreflex cardiovagal and sympathetic arms is dissociated. In addition, pharmacologic assessment of baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) has revealed that cardiovagal, but not sympathetic, BRS is greater when blood pressure is increasing versus falling. The origin of this hysteresis is unknown. In this study, carotid artery distensibility and absolute distension (diameter) were assessed to test the hypothesis that vessel mechanics in barosensitive regions affect the BRS of cardiovagal, but not sympathetic, outflow. R-R interval (i.e. time between successive R waves), finger arterial blood pressure, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, and carotid artery dimensions (B-mode imaging) were measured during sequential infusions of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and phenylephrine (PHE). Systolic and diastolic common carotid artery diameters and pulse pressure were recorded to calculate distensibility of this vessel under each drug condition. Cardiovagal BRS was greater when blood pressure was increasing versus decreasing (p < 0.01). Sympathetic BRS was not affected by direction of pressure change. Distensibility did not differ between SNP and PHE injections. However, compared with SNP, infusion of PHE resulted in larger absolute systolic and diastolic carotid diameters (p < 0.001). Therefore, cardiovagal reflex hysteresis was related to drug-induced changes in common carotid artery diameter but not distensibility. The lack of sympathetic hysteresis in this model suggests a relative insensitivity of this baroreflex component to carotid artery dimensions and provides a possible mechanism for the dissociation between cardiovagal and sympathetic BRS.     

Respiration drives phase synchronization between blood pressure and RR interval following loss of cardiovagal baroreflex during vasovagal syncope

Loss of the cardiovagal baroreflex (CVB), thoracic hypovolemia, and hyperpnea contribute to the nonlinear time-dependent hemodynamic instability of vasovagal syncope. We used a nonlinear phase synchronization index (PhSI) to describe the extent of coupling between cardiorespiratory parameters, systolic blood pressure (SBP) or arterial pressure (AP), RR interval (RR), and ventilation, and a directional index (DI) measuring the direction of coupling. We also examined phase differences directly. We hypothesized that AP-RR interval PhSI would be normal during early upright tilt, indicating intact CVB, but would progressively decrease as faint approached and CVB failed. Continuous measurements of AP, RR interval, respiratory plethysomography, and end-tidal CO2 were recorded supine and during 70-degree head-up tilt in 15 control subjects and 15 fainters. Data were evaluated during five distinct times: baseline, early tilt, late tilt, faint, and recovery. During late tilt to faint, fainters exhibited a biphasic change in SBP-RR interval PhSI. Initially in fainters during late tilt, SBP-RR interval PhSI decreased (fainters, from 0.65±0.04 to 0.24±0.03 vs. control subjects, from 0.51±0.03 to 0.48±0.03; P<0.01) but then increased at the time of faint (fainters=0.80±0.03 vs. control subjects=0.42±0.04; P<0.001) coinciding with a change in phase difference from positive to negative. Starting in late tilt and continuing through faint, fainters exhibited increasing phase coupling between respiration and AP PhSI (fainters=0.54±0.06 vs. control subjects=0.27±0.03; P<0.001) and between respiration and RR interval (fainters=0.54±0.05 vs. control subjects=0.37±0.04; P<0.01). DI indicated respiratory driven AP (fainters=0.84±0.04 vs. control subjects=0.39±0.09; P<0.01) and RR interval (fainters=0.73±0.10 vs. control subjects=0.23±0.11; P<0.001) in fainters. The initial drop in the SBP-RR interval PhSI and directional change of phase difference at late tilt indicates loss of cardiovagal baroreflex. The subsequent increase in SBP-RR interval PhSI is due to a respiratory synchronization and drive on both AP and RR interval. Cardiovagal baroreflex is lost before syncope and supplanted by respiratory reflexes, producing hypotension and bradycardia.     

Analysis of interhemispheric asymmetries in the space-time organization of human cortical potentials

The study of spatial organization of human cortical potentials with multichannel recording (48 leads) has shown, that different functional conditions of brain (quiet alertness, excitation after caffeine administration, intellectual strain, negative emotional shifts, inhibition after administration of neuroleptics) are accompanied by synchronization changes in the left and right hemispheres specific of each brain condition. Similar shifts may be recorded both in states similar by their phenomenological characteristics (after administration of caffeine and during intellectual strain) and during the opposite levels of alertness (emotional strain and administration of neuroleptics).     

Tool use, communicative gesture and cerebral asymmetries in the modern human brain

Determining the brain adaptations that underlie complex tool-use skills is an important component in understanding the physiological bases of human material culture. It is argued here that the ways in which humans skilfully use tools and other manipulable artefacts is possible owing to adaptations that integrate sensory-motor and cognitive processes. Data from brain-injured patients and functional neuroimaging studies suggest that the left cerebral hemisphere, particularly the left parietal cortex, of modern humans is specialized for this purpose. This brain area integrates dynamically representations that are computed in a distributed network of regions, several of which are also left-lateralized. Depending on the nature of the task, these may include conceptual knowledge about objects and their functions, the actor's goals and intentions, and interpretations of task demands. The result is the formation of a praxis representation that is appropriate for the prevailing task context. Recent evidence is presented that this network is organized similarly in the right- and left-handed individuals, and participates in the representation of both familiar tool-use skills and communicative gestures. This shared brain mechanism may reflect common origins of the human specializations for complex tool use and language.     

Exercise training and the arterial baroreflex

To test the hypothesis that endurance training would attenuate the carotid sinus baroreflex in rats, studies were undertaken with 25 nontrained (NT) and 22 trained (T) male Sprague-Dawley rats that were exercised for 11-14 wk. Maximal O2 consumption was significantly increased 10% after training. The left carotid sinus region was functionally isolated in anesthetized animals. Subsequently, static carotid sinus pressure was raised in 20-Torr increments from 95 Torr until a maximal response in systemic arterial pressure and regional blood flows was recorded. Compared with the NT group, baroreflex control of blood pressure and calculated regional resistance of the T animals was less responsive to changes in carotid sinus pressure. Resting blood pressure, heart rate, and changes in peripheral blood flow velocity were similar for the two groups. Peripheral sensitivity to phenylephrine-HCl and hexamethonium bromide were also similar in the T and NT groups. It was concluded that the arterial baroreflex control of blood pressure was attenuated by exercise training. These findings support the concept that the trained individual is at disadvantage during hypotensive episodes and that endurance training will attenuate the sympathetic component of the arterial baroreflex.     

High-cut characteristics of the baroreflex neural arc preserve baroreflex gain against pulsatile pressure

A transfer function from baroreceptor pressure input to sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) shows derivative characteristics in the frequency range below 0.8 Hz in rabbits. These derivative characteristics contribute to a quick and stable arterial pressure (AP) regulation. However, if the derivative characteristics hold up to heart rate frequency, the pulsatile pressure input will yield a markedly augmented SNA signal. Such a signal would saturate the baroreflex signal transduction, thereby disabling the baroreflex regulation of AP. We hypothesized that the transfer gain at heart rate frequency would be much smaller than that predicted from extrapolating the derivative characteristics. In anesthetized rabbits (n = 6), we estimated the neural arc transfer function in the frequency range up to 10 Hz. The transfer gain was lost at a rate of -20 dB/decade when the input frequency exceeded 0.8 Hz. A numerical simulation indicated that the high-cut characteristics above 0.8 Hz were effective to attenuate the pulsatile signal and preserve the open-loop gain when the baroreflex dynamic range was finite.     

动脉压力感受器反射与高血压

关于颈动脉窦和主动脉弓压力感受器反射与高血压关系的研究,近年来已取得了不少进展。本文着重介绍动脉压力感受器反射在血压调控中的作用,分析高血压状态下该反射的机能特征及可能发生变化的各个环节。     

Morphometric analysis of human chromosome satellites and NOR asymmetries by transmission electron microscopy

Human chromosome satellites appear as roughly spherical telomeric structures of 0.215 +/- 0.013 microns mean diameter by electron microscopy. Morphometric evaluations showed that in the short arms of D and G chromosomes lacking secondary constrictions, the chromatin which constituted the satellites appeared virtually integrated within the short arms. Asymmetry was detected in sister satellites from almost identical dimensions to the near absence of one of them. When Ag-NOR staining was employed to locate active nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) these appeared associated with satellite short arms and active NORs were never found in non-satellite chromosomes. Asymmetry was also evident between sister NORs.     

Role of the adrenergic receptors in the central mechanism of the cardiovagal component of the arterial baroreceptor reflex

The effects of clonidine (1.5 mcg/kg of body weight), L-DOPA (4 mg/kg) and propranolol (0.1 mg/kg) on the reflex bradycardia caused by stimulation of the arterial baroreceptors were studied in 46 waking cats in encephale isole preparations. The drugs were administered into the vertebral artery. They increased the gain of the cardiovagal reflex from the arterial baroreceptors by 162%, 162.5%, 150% respectively with regard to the control values. A similar effect of clonidine and propranolol was manifested also in cats with spinal cord destroyed between the segments C1 to Th12. The effects of clonidine and L-DOPA on the cardiovagal component of the reflex were abolished by aceperon (4 mg/kg) injected into the vertebral artery.     

5-HT-mediated inhibition of cardiovagal baroreceptor reflex response during defense reaction in the rat

Previous studies showed that the cardiac response of the baroreceptor reflex (bradycardia) is inhibited during the defense reaction evoked by direct electrical or chemical stimulation of the periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in the rat. Whether central serotonin and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) serotonin(3) (5-HT(3)) receptors might participate in this inhibition was investigated in urethane-anesthetized and atenolol-pretreated rats. Our results showed that both electrical and chemical stimulation of the dPAG produced a drastic reduction of the cardiovagal component of the baroreceptor reflex triggered by either intravenous administration of phenylephrine or aortic nerve stimulation. This inhibitory effect of dPAG stimulation on the baroreflex bradycardia was not observed in rats that had been pretreated with p-chlorophenylalanine (300 mg/kg ip daily for 3 days) to inhibit serotonin synthesis. Subsequent 5-hydroxytryptophan administration (60 mg/kg ip), which was used to restore serotonin synthesis, allowed the inhibitory effect of dPAG stimulation on both aortic and phenylephrine-induced cardiac reflex responses to be recovered in p-chlorophenylalanine-pretreated rats. On the other hand, in nonpretreated rats, the inhibitory effect of dPAG stimulation on the cardiac baroreflex response could be markedly reduced by prior intra-NTS microinjection of granisetron, a 5-HT(3) receptor antagonist, or bicuculline, a GABA(A) receptor antagonist. These results show that serotonin plays a key role in the dPAG stimulation-induced inhibition of the cardiovagal baroreceptor reflex response. Moreover, they support the idea that 5-HT(3) and GABA(A) receptors in the NTS contribute downstream to the inhibition of the baroreflex response caused by dPAG stimulation.     

Correction of asymmetries of the breasts.

The problem of asymmetries of the breasts is discussed. The technical details of one operation for unilateral reduction are described.     

Bilateral variation and the evolutionary origin of macroscopic asymmetries

Given that characters exhibiting macroscopic asymmetry have evolved in a wide variety of taxa, heritable variation for bilateral asymmetry must have arisen at some point in their history. The recognition that heritable variation may underlie some statistical asymmetries not only raises concerns about the incautious use of statistical estimates of FA in studies of developmental stability, but it suggests some intriguing questions about the possible evolutionary origins of macroscopic asymmetries. First, we developed an additive model of bilateral variation based on some simple assumptions about the developmental control of bilateral variation. Second, using a new approach for studying statistical asymmetries, we conducted an analysis of bilateral variation in eight metrical traits of a harpacticoid copepod (Tigriopus californicus) to search for novel forms of statistical asymmetries. The model we developed revealed three independent statistical asymmetries of potential evolutionary significance:a) a previously unrecognized form of asymmetry (referred to here asnormal covariant asymmetry),b) antisymmetry, andc) directional asymmetry. Because each pattern of variation would seem to require different amounts and kinds of developmental-genetic information [a- only negative feedback between sides (bilateral inhibition),b- bothbilateral inhibition and average departure from symmetry (bilateral offset),c- bilateral inhibition, bilateral offset, and a consistent overdevelopment of one side or the other (side-bias control)], those requiring less information would seem more likely to represent earlier stages in the evolution of macroscopic asymmetries. Our analysis of bilateral variation inTigriopus revealed no evidence for any form of statistical asymmetry other than fluctuating asymmetry. However, a significant positive covariation between sides, even after correction for body size variation, suggested that factors influencing relative limb length (whether genetic or environmental) affected both sides equally rather than one side at the expense of the other. Finally, we note that certain statistical asymmetries (directional asymmetry, any form of covariant asymmetry) may render characters unreliable for estimating developmental stability because, unlike pure fluctuating asymmetry, they may signal a genetic component to asymmetry variation.     

Clinical value of baroreflex sensitivity

The arterial baroreflex is an important determinant of the neural regulation of the cardiovascular system. It has been recognised that baroreflex-mediated sympathoexcitation contributes to the development and progression of many cardiovascular disorders. Accordingly, the quantitative estimation of the arterial baroreceptor-heart rate reflex (baroreflex sensitivity, BRS), has been regarded as a synthetic index of neural regulation at the sinus atrial node. The evaluation of BRS has been shown to provide clinical and prognostic information in a variety of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction and heart failure that are reviewed in the present article.     

Nonlinearities in mating sounds of American crocodiles

We use nonlinear time series analysis methods to analyze the dynamics of the sound-producing apparatus of the American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus). We capture its dynamics by analyzing a recording of the singing activity during mating time. First, we reconstruct the phase space from the sound recording and thereby reveal that the attractor needs no less than five degrees of freedom to fully evolve in the embedding space, which suggests that a rather complex nonlinear dynamics underlies its existence. Prior to investigating the dynamics more precisely, we test whether the reconstructed attractor satisfies the notions of determinism and stationarity, as a lack of either of these properties would preclude a meaningful further analysis. After positively establishing determinism and stationarity, we proceed by showing that the maximal Lyapunov exponent of the recording is positive, which is a strong indicator for the chaotic behavior of the system, confirming that dynamical nonlinearities are an integral part of the examined sound-producing apparatus. At the end, we discuss that methods of nonlinear time series analysis could yield instructive insights and foster the understanding of vocal communication among certain reptile species.     

Ancient asymmetries in the evolution of flowers

Dorsoventral asymmetry in flowers is thought to have evolved many times independently as a specialized adaptation to animal pollinators. To understand how such a complex trait could have arisen repeatedly, we have compared the expression of a gene controlling dorsoventral asymmetry in Antirrhinum with its counterpart in Arabidopsis, a distantly related species with radially symmetrical flowers. We found that the Arabidopsis gene is expressed asymmetrically in floral meristems, even though they are destined to form symmetrical flowers. This suggests that, although the flowers of the common ancestor were probably radially symmetrical, they may have had an incipient asymmetry, evident at the level of early gene activity, which could have been recruited many times during evolution to generate asymmetric flowers.