Frequency response of the arterial wall

The high frequency response of human common iliac arterial segments in vitro was investigated. It was found that at those high frequencies the response resembles that of a second order underdamped system. However, to simulate the arterial response throughout the frequency range, a higher order model is required. A fifth order system appears to describe the observed behaviour in a satisfactory way between 0.02 and 200 Hz.     

Frequency response characteristics of an isolated photoreceptor

The transmembrane voltage change in response to light was studied in the barnacle photoreceptor by using sinusoidal and impulse changes in light intensity. The input-output relation is linear if the transmembrane voltage change does not exceed 10 mV. The frequency response is of low pass character with attenuation beginning at 1 cps. The system can best be represented by a third order transfer function consisting of a first order pole, a complex second order pole, and a transport delay. Lower temperature causes greater high frequency attenuation of the voltage response. Background illumination, depolarization, and wavelength do not affect the frequency response within the linear range. Beyond the linear range the elements of a differentiating process are introduced. This is probably due to a disproportionate increase in cell conductance.     

Frequency analysis of arterial pulse transmission in the cranial cavity]

The changes of intracranial and arterial pulse shape under functional loads (hypervolemia and intracranial hypertension) were compared. The logarithmic amplitude-frequency characteristics were found and used for the synthesis of equivalent electrical circuit of arterial pressure pulses transmission on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the cranial cavity. The model obtained points to the necessity of taking into account the induction which was not performed in the earlier models of the CSF-system. It is found that the attenuation factor permitted to estimate the stability of the intracranial circulation system to input influences under different functional conditions.     

Frequency response analysis of oxygen evolution by algae

Common photosynthetic organisms were excited with steps, pulses, or sine waves of light as dissolved oxygen was measured with a microelectrode. Frequency response analysis revealed two fundamental time constants of 4 and 16 s. These time constants are assigned provisionally to processes for mass transfer and to the biochemical reactions of reduction of carbon dioxide.     

Effects of systemic arterial hypoperfusion on splanchnic hemodynamics and hepatic arterial buffer response in pigs

The hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR) tends to maintain liver blood flow under conditions of low mesenteric perfusion. We hypothesized that systemic hypoperfusion impairs the HABR. In 12 pigs, aortic blood flow was reduced by cardiac tamponade to 50 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) for 1 h (short-term tamponade) and further to 30 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) for another hour (prolonged tamponade). Twelve pigs without tamponade served as controls. Portal venous blood flow decreased from 17 +/- 3 (baseline) to 6 +/- 4 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) (prolonged tamponade; P = 0.012) and did not change in controls, whereas hepatic arterial blood flow decreased from 2 +/- 1 (baseline) to 1 +/- 1 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) (prolonged tamponade; P = 0.050) and increased from 2 +/- 1 to 4 +/- 2 ml. kg(-1). min(-1) in controls (P = 0.002). The change in hepatic arterial conductance (DeltaC(ha)) during acute portal vein occlusion decreased from 0.1 +/- 0.05 (baseline) to 0 +/- 0.01 ml. kg(-1). min(-1). mmHg(-1) (prolonged tamponade; P = 0.043). In controls, DeltaC(ha) did not change. Hepatic lactate extraction decreased, but hepatic release of glutathione S-transferase A did not change during cardiac tamponade. In conclusion, during low systemic perfusion, the HABR is exhausted and hepatic function is impaired without signs of cellular damage.     

Modelling the mechanical response of elastin for arterial tissue

We compare two constitutive models proposed to model the elastinous constituents of an artery. Holzapfel and Weizsäcker [1998. Biomechanical behavior of the arterial wall and its numerical characterization. Comput. Biol. Med. 28, 377–392] attribute a neo-Hookean response, i.e. $\Psi =c(I_1-3))$, to the elastin whilst Zulliger et al. [2004a. A strain energy function for arteries accounting for wall composition and structure. J. Biomech. 37, 989–1000] propose $\Psi =c(I_1-3{)}^{3/2}$. We analyse these constitutive models for two specific cases: (i) uniaxial extension of an elastinous sheet; (ii) inflation of a cylindrical elastinous membrane. For case (i) we illustrate the functional relationships between: (a) the Cauchy stress (CS) and the Green–Lagrange (GL) strain; (b) the tangent modulus (gradient of the CS–GL strain curve) and linearised strain. The predicted mechanical responses are compared with recent uniaxial extension tests on elastin [Gundiah, N., Ratcliffe, M.B., Pruitt, L.A., 2007. Determination of strain energy function for arterial elastin: experiments using histology and mechanical tests. J. Biomech. 40, 586–594; Lillie, M.A., Gosline, J.M., 2007a. Limits to the durability of arterial elastic tissue. Biomaterials 28, 2021–2031; 2007b. Mechanical properties of elastin along the thoracic aorta in the pig. J. Biomech. 40, 2214–2221]. The neo-Hookean model accurately predicts the mechanical response of a single elastin fibre. However, it is unable to accurately capture the mechanical response of arterial elastin, e.g. the initial toe region of arterial elastin (if it exists) or the gradual increase in modulus of arterial elastin that occurs as it is stretched. The alternative constitutive model ($n=\frac{3}{2}$) yields a nonlinear mechanical response that departs from recent uniaxial test data mentioned above, for the same stretch range. For case (ii) we illustrate the pressure–circumferential stretch relationships and the gradients of the pressure–circumferential stretch curves: significant qualitative differences are observed. For the neo-Hookean model, the gradient decreases rapidly to zero, however, for $n=\frac{3}{2}$, the gradient decreases more gradually to a constant value. We conclude that whilst the neo-Hookean model has limitations, it appears to capture more accurately the mechanical response of elastin.     

Dynamic properties of Renshaw cells: Frequency response characteristics

The dynamic properties of Renshaw cells located in the lumbar spinal cord of intercollicular decerebrate cats were measured. The responses of these interneurones were recorded extracellularly, while the ventral root was stimulated with sinusoidally frequency-modulated trains of electrical pulses. The frequency of the Renshaw cell discharges resulting from such stimulation varied sinusoidally. The amplitude of modulation about the average (or carrier) rate of discharge exhibited a linear dependence on the modulation amplitude of the stimulus pulse train. Renshaw cells were able to follow modulated stimulus trains in the entire range of modulation frequencies (0.2 to 80 Hz) encompassed by the present study. Above modulation frequencies between 20 and 50 Hz, the amplitude of modulation of the responses declined. Frequency responses measured at low average frequencies of the stimulus pulse train (centre frequencies 30 and 40 Hz) showed comparatively little dependence on modulation frequency. The higher the centre frequency, however, the greater was the enhancement of the modulation amplitudes at high modulation frequencies compared with those observed at low modulation frequencies. Some aspects of the functional implications of these results are considered and an approximate formula for the transfer function of Renshaw cells is presented.     

Transient behavior of arterial systems in response to flow pulses

The arterial system is characterized geometrically as a system of branched elastic fluid lines whose frequency response is then known in the sense of the Fourier transform. For convenience of visualization the transient response of the individual tube to an input pressure-flow pair is represented in the time domain by kernel functions indicating the hybrid effect of viscosity and momentum on the line impedance and damping characteristics. The system as a whole is then divided into a zone of smaller tubes (below 3 mm) and a zone of larger tubes extending up to the aorta. It is shown that as a system each labyrinth of tubes below the 3 mm size may be replaced by a single impedance transformation which is dominantly resistive-capacitive. In the larger tubes, the transformation of the pulse wave at different stations is considered a point of interest. Therefore hand calculated examples are worked to derive the response of a system involving some of the larger vessels to a pressure or flow pulse of the typical shape seen near the heart. The result suggests that the dicrotic wave seen in the pressure pulse of mammals is due to the hybrid viscosity-momentum nature of the longer fluid lines in relation to the gradation of unmatched terminal impedances with which they are terminated. Damping of the higher frequency components is also accounted for.     

Orientation response of arterial smooth muscle cells to mechanical stimulation

Arterial smooth muscle cells from rabbit aortic media in primary culture and subculture were grown on hydrophilized and collagen-coated silicone membranes which were then subjected to cyclic and directional stretches and relaxations at a frequency of 60 times/min. The membranes were stretched with various amplitudes ranging from 2% to 20%. Smooth muscle cells on unstretched membranes in the same incubation chamber served as controls. In long-term experiments the stretching and relaxing of the membranes was continued for several days. While the smooth muscle cells grown on unstretched membranes remained in random orientation in all experiments, the cells which underwent mechanical stimulation showed a high degree of orientation. The angle of cell orientation varied in direct relation to the stretching amplitude and became steeper in correlation to the intensity of the mechanical stimulus. The angle of cell orientation was reversible, as preoriented cells changed their orientation when another stretching amplitude was applied. To study the role of cytoskeleton in the process of cell orientation, we examined the behaviour of the intracellular actin filament system. In short-term experiments the smooth muscle cells were exposed for 3 to 12 h to cyclic and directional stretches and relaxations with an amplitude of 10%. We observed a rearrangement of the intracellular actin filament system prior to the orientation of the whole cell bodies. The present study provides evidence that stretching the artery wall by blood pulsation may result in an orientation response of the intracellular actin cytoskeleton and in the orientation of the smooth muscle cells within the media of artery walls.     

Hypoxic ventilatory response and arterial desaturation during heavy work

Arterial desaturation in athletes during intense exercise has been reported by several authors, yet the etiology of this phenomenon remains obscure. Inadequate pulmonary ventilation, due to a blunted respiratory drive, has been implicated as a factor. To investigate the relationship between the ventilatory response to hypoxia, exercise ventilation, and arterial desaturation, 12 healthy male subjects [age, 23.8 +/- 3.6 yr; height, 181.6 +/- 5.6 cm; weight, 73.7 +/- 6.2 kg; and maximal O2 uptake (VO2max), 63.0 +/- 2.2 ml.kg-1 min-1] performed a 5-min treadmill test at 100% of VO2max, during which arterial blood samples and ventilatory data were collected every 15 s. Alveolar PO2 (PAO2) was determined using the ideal gas equation. On a separate occasion the ventilatory response to isocapnic hypoxia was measured. Arterial PO2 decreased by an average of 29 Torr during the test, associated with arterial desaturation [arterial O2 saturation (SaO2) 92.0%]. PAO2 was maintained; however, alveolar-arterial gas pressure difference increased progressively to greater than 40 Torr. Minimal hypocapnia was observed, despite marked metabolic acidosis. There was no significant correlation observed between hypoxic drives and ventilation-to-O2 uptake ratio or SaO2 (r = 0.1 and 0.06, respectively, P = NS). These data support the conclusions that hypoxic drives are not related to maximal exercise ventilation or to the development of arterial desaturation during maximal exercise.     

Frequency response characteristics of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in rats

Transfer function analysis of blood pressure and cerebral blood flow in humans demonstrated that cerebrovascular autoregulation operates most effectively for slow fluctuations in perfusion pressure, not exceeding a frequency of approximately 0.15 Hz. No information on the dynamic properties of cerebrovascular autoregulation is available in rats. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that cerebrovascular autoregulation in rats is also most effective for slow fluctuations in perfusion pressure below 0.15 Hz. Normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (n = 10) were instrumented with catheters in the left common carotid artery and jugular vein and flow probes around the right internal carotid artery. During isoflurane anesthesia, fluctuations in cerebral perfusion pressure were elicited by periodically occluding the abdominal aorta at eight frequencies ranging from 0.008 Hz to 0.5 Hz. The protocol was repeated during inhibition of myogenic vascular function (nifedipine, 0.25 mg/kg body wt iv). Increases in cerebral perfusion pressure elicited initial increases in cerebrovascular conductance and decreases in resistance. At low occlusion frequencies (<0.1 Hz), these initial responses were followed by decreases in conductance and increases in resistance that were abolished by nifedipine. At occlusion frequencies of 0.1 Hz and above, the gains of the transfer functions between pressure and blood flow and between pressure and resistance were equally high in the control and nifedipine trial. At occlusion frequencies below 0.1 Hz, the gains of the transfer functions decreased twice as much under control conditions than during nifedipine application. We conclude that dynamic autoregulation of cerebral blood flow is restricted to very low frequencies (<0.1 Hz) in rats.