Emprego do ultra-som modo B e com efeito Doppler, termômetro infravermelho e medidas antropométricas na avaliação de uma formulação cosmética anticelulítica contendo extrato hidroglicólico de Trichilia catigua e Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham

Hidrolipodistrofia ginóide (H.L.D.G.), a celulite, é comumente tratada com cosméticos contendo extratos vegetais. O estudo realizado foi: ultra-sonografia na avaliação da espessura da hipoderme e a microcirculação cutânea; uso de termômetro infravermelho na medida da temperatura e análise das medidas antropométricas da uma formulação cosmética anticelulítica contendo extrato hidroglicólico de Trichilia catigua e Ptychopetalum olacoides Bentham (catuaba e marapuama). Foram realizadas medidas iniciais e após aplicação da formulação. Os resultados apresentaram alterações estatisticamente significativas para a temperatura cutânea e medidas antropométricas. Não houve diferenças estatisticamente significativas nas medidas da hipoderme e microcirculação. Considerando os resultados, a formulação avaliada possui potencial ação coadjuvante na redução da hidrolipodistrofia ginóide. As técnicas podem ser associadas em conjunto com a avaliação sensorial e apreciabilidade cosmética. Os requisitos chaves para a reprodutibilidade das técnicas incluem ambiente controlado, monitoramento e climatização dos voluntários, procedimentos de medidas padronizados, protocolos de aplicação realístico e operadores qualificados.

L'étude in vivo de l'impact de la pression pulsée sur les capillaires cérébraux de souris

Plusieurs décennies de recherche ont permis de mieux comprendre les effets de l’athérosclérose sur le système cardiovasculaire, d’améliorer la prévention et de développer des traitements efficaces. Les effets de l’athéroslérose sur le cerveau demeurent toutefois mal compris même si le lien entre le fonctionnement cognitif et la santé du système vasculaire est maintenant bien établi. La venue de nouvelles méthodes d’imagerie telle la microscopie laser à 2-photons (TPLM) permet d’étudier l’impact de certaines maladies sur la microvasculature cérébrale en mesurant le flux sanguin dans des vaisseaux uniques situés dans des régions cérébrales millimétriques sous la surface. Les résultats des études in vitro peuvent dorénavant être corrélés à ceux obtenus in vivo. En premier lieu, ce mémoire revoit la théorie ayant permis le développement de la TPLM qui permet de prendre des mesures hémodynamiques in vivo dans des vaisseaux de très petits calibres tels des capillaires cérébraux de souris. Par la suite, son utilisation est décrite chez des souris anesthésiées afin de comparer les mesures d’hémodynamie cérébrale tels la vitesse des globules rouges, le flux de globules rouges, le flux sanguin cérébral, l’hématocrite sanguin et le diamètre des vaisseaux. Finalement, nous avons comparé les données hémodynamiques entre des souris de 3 mois normales (WT ; n=6) et des souris atteintes d’athérosclérose précoce (ATX ; n=6). Les résultats obtenus sur un nombre total de 209 capillaires (103 pour les souris WT et 106 pour les souris ATX) démontrent que les souris ATX possèdent une vitesse des globules rouges (+40%) plus grande, un flux de globule rouge plus grand (+12%) et un flux capillaire plus élevé (+14%) sans démontrer pour aucun de ces paramètres, une différence statistiquement significative. L’hématocrite moyen (35±4% vs 33±2% ; p=0.71) et le diamètre moyen des vaisseaux (4.88±0.22μm vs 4.86±0.20μm ; p=0.23) étaient également comparables. La vitesse des globules rouges a démontré une faible corrélation avec le diamètre des vaisseaux (r=0.39) et avec le flux de globules rouges/seconde (r=0.59). En conclusion, les travaux menés dans le cadre de ce mémoire de maîtrise permettent d'envisager, grâce aux nouvelles méthodes d’imagerie cérébrale telle la TPLM, une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes hémodynamiques sous-jacents à la microcirculation cérébrale. L’effet d’une pression pulsée augmentée, tel que proposée dans l’athérosclérose reste cependant à démontrer avec cette méthode d’imagerie.

Elevated plasma levels of human urotensin-II immunoreactivity in congestive heart failure

Human urotensin-II (hU-II) is the most potent endogenous cardiostimulant identified to date. We therefore determined whether hU-II has a possible pathological role by investigating its levels in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Blood samples were obtained from the aortic root, femoral artery, femoral vein, and pulmonary artery from CHF patients undergoing cardiac catheterization and the aortic root from patients undergoing investigative angiography for chest pain who were not in heart failure. Immunoreactive hU-II (hU-II-ir) levels were determined with radioimmunoassay. hU-II-ir was elevated in the aortic root of CHF patients (230.9 +/- 68.7 pg/ml, n = 21; P < 0.001) vs. patients with nonfailing hearts (22.7 +/- 6.1 pg/ml, n = 18). This increase was attributed to cardiopulmonary production of hU-II-ir because levels were lower in the pulmonary artery (38.2 +/- 6.1 pg/ml, n = 21; P < 0.001) than in the aortic root. hU-II-ir was elevated in the aortic root of CHF patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy (142.1 +/- 51.5 pg/ml, n = 10; P < 0.05) vs. patients with nonfailing hearts without coronary artery disease (27.3 +/- 12.4 pg/ml, n = 7) and CHF patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (311.6 +/- 120.4 pg/ml, n = 11; P < 0.001) vs. patients with nonfailing hearts and coronary artery disease (19.8 +/- 6.6 pg/ml, n = 11). hU-II-ir was significantly higher in the aortic root than in the pulmonary artery and femoral vein, with a nonsignificant trend for higher levels in the aortic root than in the femoral artery. The findings indicated that hU-II-ir is elevated in the aortic root of CHF patients and that hU-II-ir is cleared at least in part from the microcirculation.

Therapeutic effects and possible mechanisms of a snake venom preparation in the fibrotic rat liver

The effects of a Chinese snake venom preparation from Agkistrodon halys pallas, used for treatment of hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis in China, was investigated in an {in vivo} rat model and using in situ hepatic perfusion. Four groups were used in the experiments: (i) healthy, (ii) healthy/venom-treated, (iii) carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated, and (iv) CCl4/venom-treated. Treatment effects were assessed by determining hepatic histopathology, biochemistry and fibrosis index parameters, bile production, biliary taurocholate recovery, hepatic mRNA expression of four bile salt transporters (Ntcp, Bsep, Oatp-1, and Oatp-3), comparison of hepatic microcirculation, fibrinolytic activity, and antithrombotic effects. Liver histopathology, biochemistry, and fibrosis index showed a dramatic improvement in venom-treated animals. There were significant differences in bile production between healthy/venom-treated and all other experimental groups and between CCl4/venom-treated and CCl4-treated animals, but no significant differences were found between CCl4/venom-treated and healthy animals. Biliary taurocholate recovery was significantly increased in healthy/venom-treated and CCl4/venom-treated animals. The expression of mRNA levels of the four bile salt transporters showed an increase after venom treatment. The hepatic microcirculation studies showed normalized sinusoidal beds in CCl4/venom-treated animals compared to healthy animals, whereas CCl4-treated animals showed abnormal profiles to the healthy and the CCl4/AHPV-treated animals. The fibrinogen and plasma thromboxane B-2 levels of healthy rats decreased with increasing dose after venom treatment. It was concluded that snake venom treatment may be therapeutic in treatment of hepatic fibrosis/cirrhosis by possibly a combination of increased bile flow and improved hepatic microcirculation, changes in bile salt transporter expression, and fibrinolytic and antithrombotic effects of the snake venom preparation.

Branchial vascular pathways in two species of Tetraodontiformes and the concept of secondary vessels and nutrient arteries

The vascular organisation of the branchial basket was examined in two Tetraodontiform fishes; the three-barred porcupinefish, Dicotylichthys punctulatus and the banded toadfish, Marylina pleurosticta by scanning electron microscopy of vascular casts and standard histological approaches. In D. punctulatus, interarterial anastomoses (iaas) originated at high densities from the efferent filamental and branchial arteries, subsequently re-anastomosing to form progressively larger secondary vessels. Small branches of this system entered the filament body, where it was interspersed between the intrafilamental vessels. Large-bore secondary vessels ran parallel with the efferent branchial arteries, and were found to constitute an additional arterio-arterial pathway, in that these vessels exited the branchial basket in company with the mandibular, the carotid and the afferent and efferent branchial arteries, from where they gave rise to capillary beds after exit. Secondary vessels were not found to supply filament muscle; rather these tissues were supplied by single specialised vessels running in parallel between the efferent and afferent branchial arteries in both species examined. Although the branchial vascular anatomy was generally fairly similar for the two species examined, iaas were not found to originate from any branchial component in the banded toadfish, M. pleurosticta, which instead showed a moderate frequency of iaas on other vessels in the cephalic region. It is proposed that four independent vascular pathways may be present within the teleostean gill filament, the conventional arterio-arterial pathway across the respiratory lamellae; an arterio-arterial system of secondary vessels supplying the filament and non-branchial tissues; a system of vessels supplying the filament musculature; and the intrafilamental vessels (central venous sinus). The present study demonstrates that phylogenetic differences in the arrangement of the branchial vascular system occur between species of the same taxon.

Spatial correlations between the vacuolation, prion protein (PrPsc) deposits and the cerebral blood vessels in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

In the variant form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), 'florid' deposits of the protease resistant form of prion protein (PrP(sc)) were aggregated around the cerebral blood vessels suggesting the possibility that prions may spread into the brain via the cerebral microcirculation. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the pathology was spatially related to blood vessels in cases of sporadic CJD (sCJD), a disease without an iatrogenic etiology, and therefore, less likely to be caused by hematogenous spread. Hence, the spatial correlations between the vacuolation ('spongiform change'), PrP(sc) deposits, and the blood vessels were studied in immunolabelled sections of the cerebral cortex and cerebellum in eleven cases of the common M/M1 subtype of sCJD. Both the vacuolation and the PrP(sc) deposits were spatially correlated with the blood vessels; the PrP(sc) deposits being more focally distributed around the vessels than the vacuoles. The frequency of positive spatial correlations was similar in the different gyri of the cerebral cortex, in the upper and lower cortical laminae, and in the molecular layer of the cerebellum. It is hypothesized that the spatial correlation is attributable to factors associated with the blood vessels which promote the aggregation of PrP(sc) to form deposits rather than representing the hematogenous spread of the disease. The aggregated form of PrP(sc) then enhances cell death and may encourages the development of vacuolation in the vicinity of the blood vessels.

Ocular and systemic vascular function in human ageing

The importance of vascular risk factors in various age-related pathologies has been extensively researched. Nevertheless, the haemodynamic disturbance occurring in various ocular and systemic vascular beds to impact upon ocular function remained largely unknown. The purpose of the following studies was to explore the presence and impact of both ocular and systemic vascular dysregulation as well as biochemical vascular risk factors in healthy elderly individuals and patients with age-related macular degeneration. Furthermore, the possible role was played by circulatory oxidative stress and its relationship with endothelial dysfunction at both ocular and systemic levels has also been investigated. There were four principal sections to the present work: 1. To assess the relationship between ocular and systemic anti-oxidative defence in healthy individuals The principal findings of this work were: -It has been shown that MPOD significantly and positively related with circulatory GSH levels. 2. To investigate macro- and microcirculation and oxidative stress in early AMD patients without overt systemic disease The principal findings of this work were: -AMD patients exhibit abnormal macrocirculation compared to the controls. -Blood GSSG level was significantly higher in early AMD patients than controls. -AMD patients showed abnormal microcirculation at retinal level compared. -In early AMD patients, retinal venous RT positively correlated with blood GSSG levels. 3. To assess the relationship between ocular vascular function and circulatory markers of endothelial dysfunction and CVD risk The principal findings of this work were: -Age had a positive effect on ET-1, vWF and slope of retinal arterial constriction in otherwise healthy individuals. -Even in otherwise healthy individuals, retinal arterial vascular function showed a significant correlation with circulatory markers of endothelial dysfunction and CVD risk. 4. To assess age-related changes in ANS and vascular function, and their relationship to retinal vascular function parameters The principal findings of this work were: -Elderly individuals demonstrated abnormal circadian changes of PSNS activity compared to middle-aged group. -Elderly groups showed higher ET-1 and vWF level as well as C-IMT and AIx, and also impaired retinal vascular function compared to the middle-aged group. -In the elderly group, impaired retinal vascular function significantly correlated with the dysregulation of PSNS activity.

Pathological changes in the sporadic and variant forms Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) are spatially related to blood vessels

The objective of this article was to determine whether the pathological changes of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) were related to the brain microcirculation. Hence, the spatial correlations between the vacuolation, prion protein (PrP) deposits, and the blood vessel profiles were studied in immunolabelled sections of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum in two subtypes of CJD, viz., sporadic CJD (sCJD) and variant CJD (vCJD). In sCJD, both the vacuolation and the ‘synaptic-type’ PrP deposits were spatially correlated with the microvessels; the PrP deposits being more strongly correlated than the vacuoles. In vCJD, there were no significant spatial correlations between either the vacuolation or the diffuse-type of PrP deposit and the microvessels. By contrast, a consistent pattern of spatial correlation was observed in gyri of the cerebral cortex between the florid PrP deposits and microvessels. In both sCJD and vCJD, the frequency of positive spatial correlations was similar in the different gyri of the cerebral cortex and in the upper compared with the lower laminae. In conclusion, the microcirculation may be more significantly involved in determining the pathological changes in sCJD than in vCJD. The spatial correlations of the florid PrP deposits in vCJD and the synaptic deposits in sCJD and the blood vessels may be attributable to factors associated with the microcirculation which enhance the aggregation of PrP molecules rather than representing a possible haematogenous spread of the disease. S

Pathological changes in the sporadic and variant forms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) are spatially related to blood vessels

The objective of this article was to determine whether the pathological changes of Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD) were related to the brain microcirculation. Hence, the spatial correlations between the vacuolation, prion protein (PrP) deposits, and the blood vessel profiles were studied in immunolabelled sections of the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum in two subtypes of CJD, viz., sporadic CJD (sCJD) and variant CJD (vCJD). In sCJD, both the vacuolation and the ‘synaptic-type’ PrP deposits were spatially correlated with the microvessels; the PrP deposits being more strongly correlated than the vacuoles. In vCJD, there were no significant spatial correlations between either the vacuolation or the diffuse-type of PrP deposit and the microvessels. By contrast, a consistent pattern of spatial correlation was observed in gyri of the cerebral cortex between the florid PrP deposits and microvessels. In both sCJD and vCJD, the frequency of positive spatial correlations was similar in the different gyri of the cerebral cortex and in the upper compared with the lower laminae. In conclusion, the microcirculation may be more significantly involved in determining the pathological changes in sCJD than in vCJD. The spatial correlations of the florid PrP deposits in vCJD and the synaptic deposits in sCJD and the blood vessels may be attributable to factors associated with the microcirculation which enhance the aggregation of PrP molecules rather than representing a possible haematogenous spread of the disease.

Physiological and pathological human ocular perfusion characteristics

There were three principle aims to this thesis. Firstly, the acquisition protocols of clinical blood flow apparatus were investigated in order to optimise them for both cross-sectional and longitudinal application. Secondly, the effects of physiological factors including age and systematic circulation on ocular blood flow were investigated. Finally, the ocular perfusion characteristics of patients diagnosed with ocular diseases considered to be of a vascular origin were investigated. The principle findings of this work are:- 1) Optimisation of clinical investigationsPhotodiode sensitivity of the scanning laser Doppler flowmeter should be kept within a range of 70-150 DC when acquiring images of the retina and optic nerve head in order to optimise the reproducibility of capillary blood flow measures. Account of the physiological spatial variation in retinal blood flow measures can be made using standard analysis protocols of the scanning laser Doppler flowmeter combined with a local search strategy. Measurements of pulsatile ocular blood flow using the ocular blood flow analyser are reproducible, however this reproducibility can be improved when consecutive intraocular pressure pulses are used to calculate pulsatile ocular blood flow. Spectral analysis of the intraocular pressure pulse-wave is viable and identifies the first four harmonic components of the waveform. 2) Physiological variation in ocular perfusionAge results in a significant reduction in perfusion of the retinal microcirculation, which is not evident in larger vessel beds such as the choroid. Despite known asymmetry in the systemic vasculature, no evidence of interocular asymmetry in ocular perfusion is apparent. 3) Pathological variation in ocular perfusionIn primary open angle glaucoma, perfusion is reduced in the retinal microcirculation of patients classified as having early to moderate visual field defects. However, ocular pulsatility defects are masked when patients and subjects are matched for systemic variables (pulse rate and mean arterial pressure); differentiation is facilitated by the application of waveform analysis to the continuos intraocular pressure curve even in the early stages of disease. Diabetic patients with adequate glycaemic control, exhibit maintenance of macular blood flow, macular topography and visual function following phacoemulsification.

Resveratrol and the eye:activity and molecular mechanisms

Purpose: Alcohol consumption is inversely correlated with the incidence of cardiovascular disease. It is thought that red wine is specifically responsible for these cardiovascular benefits, due to its ability to reduce vascular inflammation, facilitate vasorelaxation, and inhibit angiogenesis. This is because of its high polyphenolic content. Resveratrol is the main biologically active polyphenol within red wine. Owing to its vascular-enhancing properties, resveratrol may be effective in the microcirculation of the eye, thereby helping prevent ocular diseases such as age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Such conditions are accountable for worldwide prevalence of visual loss. Method: A review of the relevant literature was conducted on the ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. Key words used to carry out the searches included 'red wine', 'polyphenols', 'resveratrol', 'eye' and 'ocular'. Articles relating to the effects of resveratrol on the eye were reviewed. Results: The protective effects of resveratrol within the eye are extensive. It has been demonstrated to have anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-tumourogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic and vasorelaxant properties. There are potential benefits of resveratrol supplementation across a wide range of ocular diseases. The molecular mechanisms underlying these protective actions are diverse. Conclusion: Evidence suggests that resveratrol may have potential in the treatment of several ocular diseases. However, while there are many studies indicating plausible biological mechanisms using animal models and in-vitro retinal cells there is a paucity of human research. The evidence base for the use of resveratrol in the management of ocular diseases needs to be increased before recommendations can be made for the use of resveratrol as an ocular supplement. © 2014 Springer-Verlag.

Effects of short-term detraining on postprandial metabolism, endothelial function, and inflammation in endurance-trained men:dissociation between changes in triglyceride metabolism and endothelial function

Endurance-trained athletes experience a low level of postprandial lipaemia, but this rapidly increases with detraining. We sought to determine whether detraining-induced changes to postprandial metabolism influenced endothelial function and inflammation. Eight endurance-trained men each undertook two oral fat tolerance tests [blood taken fasted and for 6 h following a high-fat test meal (80 g fat, 80 g carbohydrate)]: one during a period of their normal training (trained) and one after 1 wk of no exercise (detrained). Endothelial function in the cutaneous microcirculation was assessed using laser Doppler imaging with iontophoresis in the fasted state and 4 h postprandially during each test. Fasting plasma triglyceride (TG) concentrations increased by 35% with detraining (P = 0.002), as did postprandial plasma (by 53%, P = 0.002), chylomicron (by 68%, P = 0.02) and very low-density lipoprotein (by 51%, P = 0.005) TG concentrations. Endothelial function decreased postprandially in both the trained (by 17%, P = 0.03) and detrained (by 22%, P = 0.03) conditions but did not differ significantly between the trained and detrained conditions in either the fasted or the postprandial states. These results suggest that, although fat ingestion induces endothelial dysfunction, interventions that alter postprandial TG metabolism will not necessarily concomitantly influence endothelial function.

The blood perfusion and NADH/FAD content combined analysis in patients with diabetes foot

Skin blood microcirculation and the metabolism activity of tissue were examined on the patients with type 2 diabetes. Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) with 1064 nm laser light source and fluorescence spectroscopy (FS) with excitation light of 365 nm and 450 nm have been used to monitor the blood perfusion and the content of coenzymes NADH and FAD. Concluding, the proposed combined LDF and tissue FS approach allows to identify the significant violations in the blood microcirculation and metabolic activity for type 2 diabetes patients.

Étude de la réactivité vasculaire des microvaisseaux coronaires porcins dans l'hypertrophie ventriculaire gauche

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.