心房钠尿因子对颈动脉窦压力感受器反射的易化作用

在麻醉大鼠观察了心房肽Ⅲ(AtriopeptinⅡ,APⅡ)对颈动脉窦压力感受器活动的影响,并在麻醉家兔观察了APⅡ作用于颈动脉窦区时窦神经传入放电的改变。结果如下:(1)用APⅡ(1μg/ml)隔离灌流大鼠左侧颈动脉窦区(n=10),压力感受器反射的阈压(TP)无明显改变,平衡压(EP)由101±2.8降至95±2.0 mmHg(P<0.05),饱和压(SP)由202±5.2降至168±6.1 mmHg(P<0.001),而工作范围(OR)由128±5.5减至93±6.3mmHg(P<0.001),压力感受器机能曲线向左下方移位,曲线最大斜率(PS)由0.77±0.04增大为1.07±0.13mmHg·mmHg~(-1)(P<0.05);(2)在用硝普钠(NP,0.5μg/ml)灌流的动物(n=6),TP和 EP 无改变,SP 由188±6.4升至218±6.0 mmHg(P<0.01),OR 由107±6.9增至132±7.6 mmHg(P<0.05),硝普钠对压力感受器机能曲线及其 PS 无显著影响;(3)恒压隔离灌流兔颈动脉窦区时,窦神经传入放电具有良好的稳定性,升高窦内压(ISP)时,窦神经传入放电也随之增多。用 APⅡ(1μg/ml)恒压灌流时,窦神经传入放电增加20.9±3.9%(n=6,P<0.01),冲洗掉 APⅡ后,窦神经传入放电恢复至对照水平。以上结果显示,APⅢ可使大鼠颈动脉窦压力感受器机能曲线向左下方移位,曲线最大斜率增大以及兔窦神经传入放电增加,表明 APⅡ对颈动脉窦压力感受器活动有易化作用。这     

内皮素对麻醉大鼠颈动脉窦压力感受器活动的影响

在麻醉大鼠隔离灌流颈动脉窦区条件下记录窦神经传入放电,观察内皮素（ＥＴ－１）对动脉压力感受器活动的影响。结果如下：（１）在颈动脉窦区灌流１ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＥＴ－１时,压力感受器机能曲线向左上方移位,曲线的最大斜率（ＰＳ）增加,窦神经传入放电最大积分值（ＰＩＶ）增大。由此提示,这一剂量的ＥＴ－１对压力感受器活动有易化作用。（２）用１０ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ ＥＴ－１灌流时,压力感受器机能曲线则向右下方移位,ＰＳ     

刺激大鼠视上核后电针“足三里”对蓝斑灌流液中去甲肾上腺素含量的影响

运用行为测痛结合蓝斑（ＬＣ）灌流液去甲肾上腺素（ＮＥ）的高压液相（ＨＰＬＣ）测定；观察 大鼠痛阈（ＰＴ）与ＬＣ灌流液中去甲肾上腺素含量变化间的相互关系，结果表明：（ｌ）视上核 （ＳＯＮ）内注射 １０μｍＬ－谷氨酸（Ｌ－ｇｌｕｔａｍｉｃａｃｉｄ， Ｌ－Ｇｌｕ）后 ３０分钟，大鼠ＰＴ较注射前增加１３３． ２± ２１．４％，此时ＬＣ 灌流液中ＮＥ含量从注射前的４３７．３±２０．４ｎｇ／ｍｌ降到２２９．２±１１．９ｎｇ／ｍｌ，注射 后６０分钟ＰＴ仍比注射前高８３．９±１４．７％，而灌流液中ＮＥ的含量为３２８．６±２８．０ｎｇ／ｍｌ，与人工 脑脊液（ＡＣＳＦ）对照组相比有非常明显的差别（Ｐ＜０．０５～０．００１）。（２） ＳＯＮ注射Ｌ－Ｇｌｕ后，电 针足三里３０分钟（Ｌ－ＧＩＵ＋ＥＡ组）增加到注射前的１８８．２±２３．９％，同ＡＣＳＦ电针组（ＡＣＳＦ＋ ＥＡ）的 ９４．９±７．１％相比有明显差异（Ｐ＜０．０１）。此时ＬＣ灌流液中ＮＥ的含量虽较注射前都明显 降低、分别为１３７．６±７．５ｎｇ／ｍｌ和 １５１，１±１１．５ｎｇ／ｍｌ，但两者相比无明显差异。停针后３０分钟Ｌ－ Ｇｌｕ＋ＥＡ组的ＰＴ仍比注射前高１３３．８±２７．９％，明显高于     

腺苷易化大鼠颈动脉窦压力感受器的活动

在36只麻醉大鼠,以隔离灌流颈动脉窦区记录窦神经传入放电的方法观察了腺苷（adenosine,Ado）对颈动脉窦压力感受器传入放电的影响。所得结果如下：（1）以75μmol／LAdo隔离灌流大鼠左侧颈动脉窦区时,窦内压-窦神经传入放电积分（ISP－ISNA）关系曲线向左上方移位,曲线最大斜率（PS）由（18．75±0．12）％／kPa增至（22．21±0．11）％／kPa（P＜0．001）,最大积分值（PIV）由（209．83±2．57）％增至（239．17±1．75）％;阈压（TP）和饱和压（SP）则分别从（8．57±0．24）和（22．99±0．34）下降至（7．15±0．23）kPa（P＜0．001）和（21．21±0,43）kPa（P＜0．01）。再分别以125和175μmol／LAdo灌流,机能曲线进一步向左上方移位,PS、TP和SP的变化均呈明显的剂量依赖性。（2）用腺苷选择性A1受体拮抗剂8－cyclopentyl－1,3－dipropylxanthine（0．134mmol／L）预处理后,Ado的上述效应即被阻断。（3）先给予KATP通道阻断剂格列苯脲（10μmol／L）亦可取消腔苷对窦神经传入放电的影响。结果表明,在体隔离灌流大鼠颈动脉窦区条件下,Ado对颈动脉窦压力感受器活动有易化作用,此作用似与腺苷A1受体介导的KATP通道开放有关。     

兔室旁核－脊髓径路对血量扩张引起肾交感神经活动抑制的作用

在室旁核（ＰＶＮ）完好或ＰＶＮ注射抗坏血酸的双侧窦主动脉去神经的麻醉兔,血量扩张引起肾交感神经活动（ＲＳＮＡ）抑制均约４８％。然而在红藻氨酸损毁ＰＶＮ后的３—４ｈ和３—４ｄ,这种ＲＳＮＡ抑制分别减弱到－２８．０±４．５％和－２５．７±４．１％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,同时其抑制时程也显著缩短（Ｐ＜０．０１）。此ＲＳＮＡ抑制也可被脊髓Ｔ１０—Ｔ１２节段蛛网膜下腔注射血管升压素能Ｖ１受体阻断剂而显著地减弱。在血量扩张时对照组与实验组血压均呈小而短暂升高,无显著差别。上述结果表明血量扩张引起的ＲＳＮＡ抑制,部分是通过迷走传入神经触发ＰＶＮ－脊髓径路介导的。     

猕猴F2及F4区皮层神经元在空间有序运动中的放电活动

用胞外单位放电记录的方法,研究了猕猴在执行记忆引导的空间有序运动（ＭＳＳ）时,大脑皮层弓形沟距背侧Ｆ２及腹侧Ｆ４区的放电活动。对于以绿色为暗示信号的ＭＳＳ－Ｇ任务,在暗示期,Ｆ２（７８．２％）比Ｆ４区（４１．５％）有更多的细胞发生放电变化（χ＾２＝１５．２,Ｐ＜０．００５）;在图形期,Ｆ４（６７．９％）比Ｆ２区（４５．４％）有更多的细胞发生放电变化（χ＾２＝５．５,Ｐ＜０．０５）;在触摸反应期,Ｆ     

蛋白激酶C对鼻咽癌细胞c－myc，c－fos表达的影响

用蛋白激酶Ｃ（ＰＫＣ）抑制剂Ｓｔａｕｒｏｓｐｏｒｉｎｅ（ＳＴ,抑制催化亚基）与Ｓｐｈｉｎｇｏｓｉｎｅ（ＳＳ,抑制调节亚基）处理人鼻咽癌细胞系ＣＮＥ－２Ｚ,经点印迹后扫描定量和免疫细胞化学检测ｃ－ｍｙｃ、ｃ－ｆｏｓ表达及其分布。结果发现：（１）ｃ－ｍｙｃ蛋白：主要分布于胞浆,４０．７％的细胞核与胞浆均为阳性;经ＳＳ或ＳＴ处理后,表达明显减弱,且核阳性率分别为１７．３％与２３．３％。扫描定量在ＳＳ组为对照组的６０％±２５．７％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,ＳＴ组为对照组的５５％±２５．９％（Ｐ＜０．０５）。（２）Ｃ－ｆｏｓ蛋白：主要分布于胞浆,２９．４％的细胞核与胞浆均为阳性,经ＳＳ或ＳＴ处理后,表达明显减弱,且核阳性率分别为９％与１０．２％。扫描定量ＳＳ组为对照组的５８．６％±２５％（Ｐ＜０．０５）,ＳＴ组为对照组的５９．７％±２６．２％（Ｐ＜０．０５）。结果表明：使用ＰＫＣ抑制剂后,两种核癌基因产物量均有不同程度的减少,并且存在细胞内分布的改变,特别是其发挥效应的核内表达明显减少。结合我们以前所发现的ＰＫＣ抑制剂明显抑制ＣＮＥ—２Ｚ细胞生长的结果,提示这些癌基因可能参与了ＰＫＣ对ＣＮＥ—２Ｚ细胞生长的调节。     

一氧化氮对家兔压力感受器活动的影响

本实验旨在研究外源性一氧化氮对家兔离体颈动脉窦压力感受器活动的影响,进一步探讨这种影响是否由ｃＧＭＰ所介导。实验中发现：（１）窦神经传入纤维基础放电大致可分为高幅值和低幅值两种,其中高幅值放电对经典的化学感受性刺激无反应并呈现显著的灌流速度依赖性。这些放电特征证明其不是来自于颈动脉体化学感受器而是来自ＣＳ－ＢＲ。（２）ＮＯ的前体Ｌ－精氨酸（４．６￣５．７ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ）和供体硝酸甘油（０．０７￣０．     

DOCA—Salt高血压大鼠模型的一种简易制备方法：DOCA硅胶管皮下埋入法

用外径４ｍｍ,内径２．５０ｍｍ的硅胶管制成长２５ｍｍ,管内填入ＤＯＣＡ１００ｍｇ,管壁钻有１０一１４个直径约３００μｍ微孔的药管,埋入雄性ＳＤ大鼠（１４０±９ｇ）右下腹皮下,摘除一侧肾脏,术后喂１％盐水。埋管后３周即可形成高血压,埋管后８周大鼠的收缩压达２３．３±０．３７ｋＰａ。而ＤＯＣＡ皮下注射组大鼠（１０ｍｇ／周）术后５周形成高血压,术后１３周大鼠的收缩压达２３．３±０．６６ｋＰａ。两组升压曲线回归系数（１．２９５和０．６９２）之间的差异有极显著性意义（Ｐ＜０．００１）。对照鼠的收缩压一直保持在正常水平（１６±０．１６ｋＰａ）。与ＤＯＣＡ皮下注射法相比,皮下埋管法具有两个显著优点：（１）升压速率较快,升压幅度较大;（２）方法简便可靠,重复性好。     

兴奋性氨基酸介导的膜电流可被吗啡阻断

在Ｓｐｒａｙｕｅ－Ｄａｗｉｅｙ大鼠的含有孤束核中央亚核及疑核神经元密集区的脑薄片上,吗啡（３—５ｐｍｏｌ）对疑核细胞内记录到的自发兴奋性突触后电位有抑制作用;向灌流液内注入吗啡可使电刺激孤束核在疑核记录到的兴奋性突触后电位的幅度降低７１．１±６．２％（Ｐ＜Ｏ．００１）,纳洛酮（５０ｎｍｏｌ／Ｌ）可翻转这种抑制效应;含有１０μｍｏｌ／Ｌ吗啡的灌流液对ＮＭＤＡ（０．５—１ｐｍｏｌ）、乙酰胆碱（３ｐｍｏｌ）及ＱＵｉｓｑｕａｌａｔｅ（０．１—０．５ｐｍｏｌ）引起的细胞膜去极化有不同程度的抑制作用,分别为３８．１±５．７％（Ｐ＜０．００１）,３２．８±５．５％（Ｐ＜０．０１）和２９．６±７．１％（Ｐ＜０．０５）。这些结果可能是由于吗啡兴奋μ和δ受体后,增加了Ｋ＋电流而降低Ｎａ＋,Ｃａ２＋离子通透性的缘故。     

Aortic root dynamics and surgery: from craft to science

Since the fifteenth century beginning with Leonardo da Vinci's studies, the precise structure and functional dynamics of the aortic root throughout the cardiac cycle continues to elude investigators. The last five decades of experimental work have contributed substantially to our current understanding of aortic root dynamics. In this article, we review and summarize the relevant structural analyses, using radiopaque markers and sonomicrometric crystals, concerning aortic root three-dimensional deformations and describe aortic root dynamics in detail throughout the cardiac cycle. We then compare data between different studies and discuss the mechanisms responsible for the modes of aortic root deformation, including the haemodynamics, anatomical and temporal determinants of those deformations. These modes of aortic root deformation are closely coupled to maximize ejection, optimize transvalvular ejection haemodynamics and-perhaps most importantly-reduce stress on the aortic valve cusps by optimal diastolic load sharing and minimizing transvalvular turbulence throughout the cardiac cycle. This more comprehensive understanding of aortic root mechanics and physiology will contribute to improved medical and surgical treatment methods, enhanced therapeutic decision making and better post-intervention care of patients. With a better understanding of aortic root physiology, future research on aortic valve repair and replacement should take into account the integrated structural and functional asymmetry of aortic root dynamics to minimize stress on the aortic cusps in order to prevent premature structural valve deterioration.     

The distal aorta in the Marfan syndrome

Prolonged survival of patients with Marfan syndrome after aortic root replacement has led to an increased number of patients with aortic complications beyond the root. Elective replacement of the aortic root removes the most important predilection site for aneurysms, but the distal aorta remains at risk. Predictors for aortic growth and adverse events in the distal aorta include aortic diameter, aortic distensiblity, previous aortic root replacement, hypertension and aortic regurgitation. After aortic dissection, the initial false lumen diameter is an independent predictor for late aneurysm formation. Although there are a few reports of short-term success after endovascular stent grafting of the descending thoracic aorta, stent grafting in patients with Marfan syndrome is not recommended unless intervention is clearly indicated and the risk of conventional open surgical repair is deemed prohibitive. Optimal long-term outcome demands lifelong radiographic follow-up and medical treatment with β-blocker therapy. After aortic dissection rigorous antihypertensive medication is of utmost importance. Losartan, an angiotensin II type I receptor antagonist, might offer the first potential for primary prevention of clinical manifestations in Marfan syndrome, but the results of clinical trials have to be awaited. (Neth Heart J 2008;16:382-6.)     

Finite element analysis of aortic root dilation: a new procedure to reproduce pathology based on experimental data

Sinotubular junction dilation is one of the most frequent pathologies associated with aortic root incompetence. Hence, we create a finite element model considering the whole root geometry; then, starting from healthy valve models and referring to measures of pathological valves reported in the literature, we reproduce the pathology of the aortic root by imposing appropriate boundary conditions. After evaluating the virtual pathological process, we are able to correlate dimensions of non-functional valves with dimensions of competent valves. Such a relation could be helpful in recreating a competent aortic root and, in particular, it could provide useful information in advance in aortic valve sparing surgery.     

Bicuspid aortic valve aortopathies: An hemodynamics characterization in dilated aortas

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) aortopathy remains of difficult clinical management due to its heterogeneity and further assessment of related aortic hemodynamics is necessary. The aim of this study was to assess systolic hemodynamic indexes and wall stresses in patients with diverse BAV phenotypes and dilated ascending aortas. The aortic geometry was reconstructed from patient-specific images while the aortic valve was generated based on patient-specific measurements. Physiologic material properties and boundary conditions were applied and fully coupled fluid-structure interaction (FSI) analysis were conducted. Our dilated aortic models were characterized by the presence of abnormal hemodynamics with elevated degrees of flow skewness and eccentricity, regardless of BAV morphotype. Retrograde flow was also present. Both features, predicted by flow angle and flow reversal ratios, were consistently higher than those reported for non-dilated aortas. Right-handed helical flow was present, as well as elevated wall shear stress (WSS) on the outer ascending aortic wall. Our results suggest that the abnormal flow associated with BAV may play a role in aortic enlargement and progress it further on already dilated aortas.     

Surgical treatment of transcatheter aortic valve infective endocarditis

Netherlands Heart Journal - There is growing interest in infections occurring after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The incidence, and clinical and anatomical features suggest many...     

Validation of numerical flow simulations against in vitro phantom measurements in different type B aortic dissection scenarios

An aortic dissection (AD) is a serious condition defined by the splitting of the arterial wall, thus generating a secondary lumen [the false lumen (FL)]. Its management, treatment and follow-up are clinical challenges due to the progressive aortic dilatation and potentially severe complications during follow-up. It is well known that the direction and rate of dilatation of the artery wall depend on haemodynamic parameters such as the local velocity profiles, intra-luminal pressures and resultant wall stresses. These factors act on the FL and true lumen, triggering remodelling and clinical worsening. In this study, we aimed to validate a computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tool for the haemodynamic characterisation of chronic (type B) ADs. We validated the numerical results, for several dissection geometries, with experimental data obtained from a previous in vitro study performed on idealised dissected physical models. We found a good correlation between CFD simulations and experimental measurements as long as the tear size was large enough so that the effect of the wall compliance was negligible.     

The new insight into extracellular NAD+ degradation-the contribution of CD38 and CD73 in calcific aortic valve disease

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) is crucial for cell energy metabolism and many signalling processes. Recently, we proved the role of ecto-enzymes in controlling adenine nucleotide–dependent pathways during calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). This study aimed to investigate extracellular hydrolysis of NAD⁺ and mononucleotide nicotinamide (NMN) in aortic valves and aorta fragments of CAVD patients and on the inner aortic surface of ecto-5′-nucleotidase knockout mice (CD73−/−). Human non-stenotic valves (n = 10) actively converted NAD⁺ and NMN via both CD73 and NAD⁺-glycohydrolase (CD38) according to our analysis with RP-HPLC and immunofluorescence. In stenotic valves (n = 50), due to reduced CD73 activity, NAD⁺ was degraded predominantly by CD38 and additionally by ALP and eNPP1. CAVD patients had significantly higher hydrolytic rates of NAD⁺ (0.81 ± 0.07 vs 0.56 ± 0.10) and NMN (1.12 ± 0.10 vs 0.71 ± 0.08 nmol/min/cm²) compared with controls. CD38 was also primarily engaged in human vascular NAD⁺ metabolism. Studies using specific ecto-enzyme inhibitors and CD73−/− mice confirmed that CD73 is not the only enzyme involved in NAD⁺ and NMN hydrolysis and that CD38 had a significant contribution to these pathways. Modifications of extracellular NAD⁺ and NMN metabolism in aortic valve cells may be particularly important in valve pathology and could be a potential therapeutic target.