Comparison of the reliability of multifocal visual evoked cortical potentials generated by pattern reversal and pattern pulse stimulation

This study compared the effectiveness of the multifocal visual evoked cortical potentials (mfVEP) elicited by pattern pulse stimulation with that of pattern reversal in producing reliable responses (signal-to-noise ratio >1.359). Participants were 14 healthy subjects. Visual stimulation was obtained using a 60-sector dartboard display consisting of 6 concentric rings presented in either pulse or reversal mode. Each sector, consisting of 16 checks at 99% Michelson contrast and 80 cd/m2 mean luminance, was controlled by a binary m-sequence in the time domain. The signal-to-noise ratio was generally larger in the pattern reversal than in the pattern pulse mode. The number of reliable responses was similar in the central sectors for the two stimulation modes. At the periphery, pattern reversal showed a larger number of reliable responses. Pattern pulse stimuli performed similarly to pattern reversal stimuli to generate reliable waveforms in R1 and R2. The advantage of using both protocols to study mfVEP responses is their complementarity: in some patients, reliable waveforms in specific sectors may be obtained with only one of the two methods. The joint analysis of pattern reversal and pattern pulse stimuli increased the rate of reliability for central sectors by 7.14% in R1, 5.35% in R2, 4.76% in R3, 3.57% in R4, 2.97% in R5, and 1.78% in R6. From R1 to R4 the reliability to generate mfVEPs was above 70% when using both protocols. Thus, for a very high reliability and thorough examination of visual performance, it is recommended to use both stimulation protocols.

Prevalência de hipertensão arterial em pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina

OBJETIVOS: Identificar em pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina utilizando a monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial e medidas clínicas da pressão arterial: prevalência de hipertensão e o perfil noturno da pressão arterial. MÉTODOS: Prospectivamente, 93 olhos de 83 pacientes com oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina foram submetidos à avaliação oftalmológica. Após, os pacientes foram encaminhados para avaliação clínica e monitorização da pressão arterial. Pacientes sem descenso da pressão durante o sono ("non-dipper") foram definidos como um declínio na pressão arterial sistólica < 10%, e pacientes com descenso presente ("dipper") quando este valor fosse superior. RESULTADOS: A doença acometeu um olho em 73 (88%) pacientes. O ramo temporal superior foi o local da oclusão em 61 (65,6%) olhos, no restante o ramo temporal inferior foi afetado. Setenta e seis (92%) pacientes formam diagnosticados como hipertensos após a avaliação clínica. A monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial identificou 76 hipertensos, 5 normotensos, 1 hipertenso do avental branco e 1 hipertenso mascarado. Estes 2 últimos foram excluídos da análise. Dos 81 pacientes, analisados. Quarenta (49%) eram "dippers" e 41 (51%) "non-dippers". Entre os hipertensos (n=76), 36 (47,4%) eram "dippers" e 40 (52,6%) "non-dippers". CONCLUSÃO: Prevalência de hipertensão arterial em nosso estudo foi extremamente elevada (92,8%), que sugere que a fisiopatologia da doença tem íntima relação com as alterações promovidas pela hipertensão. Pouco mais da metade dos hipertensos eram "non-dipper" (n=40; 52,6%). Estas evidências sugerem que um nível sustentado de pressão arterial possa ser um fator de risco adicional para a oclusão do ramo da veia central da retina.

Determinação da concentração alveolar mínima(CAM) de sevofluorano em filhotes de cães (neonatos e pediátricos)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Infusão contínua de morfina ou fentanil, associados à lidocaína e cetamina, em cães anestesiados com isofluorano

A técnica de analgesia multimodal, por meio da infusão contínua de fármacos, pode ser empregada para diminuir a incidência de sensibilização central durante a anestesia. Avaliaram-se as características cardiorrespiratórias, durante o procedimento de artroscopia de joelho, em cães anestesiados com isofluorano e monitorados por meio do índice biespectral, submetidos à infusão contínua de morfina ou fentanil, associada à lidocaína e cetamina. Utilizaram-se 16 cães adultos, machos ou fêmeas, os quais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos, denominados MLK - que recebeu morfina (3,3μg/kg/min), lidocaína (50μg/kg/min) e cetamina (10μg/kg/min) ou FLK - em que foi substituída a morfina pelo fentanil (0,03μg/kg/min). Os cães foram pré-tratados com levomepromazina (0,5mg/kg IV), induzidos à anestesia com propofol (5mg/kg) e mantidos com isofluorano, ajustando-se a concentração para obterem-se valores de índice biespectral entre 55 e 65. As mensurações da frequência cardíaca (FC), dos parâmetros eletrocardiográficos (ECG), das pressões arteriais sistólica (PAS), diastólica (PAD) e média (PAM), da tensão de dióxido de carbono expirado (EtCO2), da saturação de oxi-hemoglobina (SpO2), da frequência respiratória (FR) e da temperatura esofágica (T) iniciaram-se 30 minutos após a indução (M0) e continuaram após o início da infusão das soluções, em intervalos de 15 minutos (M15 a M75). Diferenças entre os grupos foram registradas para duração do complexo QRS (M60), para FC e T, entre M30 e M75, com MLK apresentando médias maiores que FLK, que registrou médias maiores que MLK para a SpO2 (M60), para os intervalos QT (M30 e M75) e RR (M0, M60 e M75). Concluiu-se que o emprego de morfina ou fentanil, associados à lidocaína e cetamina, promove efeitos semelhantes e não compromete as características avaliadas.

Phox2b-expressing retrotrapezoid neurons and the integration of central and peripheral chemosensory control of breathing in conscious rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Dysautonomias in parkinson's disease: cardiovascular changes and autonomic modulation in conscious rats after infusion of bilateral 6-OHDA in substantia nigra

Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)

Effects of the flooding gradient on tree community diversity in varzea forests of the purus river, central Amazon, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Exercise training improves ambulatory blood pressure but not arterial stiffness in heart transplant recipients

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is the most prevalent comorbidity after heart transplantation (HT). Exercise training (ET) is widely recommended as a key non-pharmacologic intervention for the prevention and management of hypertension, but its effects on ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) and some mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of hypertension have not been studied in this population. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ET on ABP and arterial stiffness of HT recipients.METHODS: 40 HT patients, randomized to ET (n = 31) or a control group (n = 9) underwent a maximal graded exercise test, 24-hour ABP monitoring, and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) assessment before the intervention and at a 12-week follow-up assessment. The ET program was performed thrice-weekly and consisted primarily of endurance exercise (40 minutes) at similar to 70% of maximum oxygen uptake (Vo(2MAX))RESULTS: The ET group had reduced 24-hour (4.0 +/- 1.4 mm Hg, p < 0.01) and daytime (4.8 +/- 1.6 mm Hg, p < 0.01) systolic ABP, and 24-hour (7.0 +/- 1.4 mm Hg, p < 0.001) daytime (7.5 +/- 1.6 mm Hg, p < 0.001) and nighttime (5.9 +/- 1.5 mm Hg, p < 0.001) diastolic ABP after the intervention. The ET group also had improved Vo(2MAX) (9.7% +/- 2.6%, p < 0.001) after the intervention. However, PWV did not change after ET. No variable was changed in the control group after the intervention.CONCLUSIONS: The 12-week ET program was effective for reducing ABP but not PWV in heart transplant recipients. This result suggesfs that endurance ET may be a tool to counteract hypertension in this high-risk population. (C) 2015 International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. All rights reserved.

Effect of furosemide treatment on the central and peripheral pressor responses to cholinergic and adrenergic agonists, angiotensin II, hypertonic solution and vasopressin

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of treatment with furosemide on the pressor response induced by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injections of cholinergic (carbachol) and adrenergic (norepinephrine) agonists, angiotensin II (ANGII) and hypertonic saline (HS, 2 M NaCl). The changes induced by furosemide treatment on the pressor response to intravenous (i.v.) norepinephrine, ANGII and arginine vasopressin (AVP) were also studied. Rats with a stainless-steel cannula implanted into the lateral ventricle (LV) were used. Two injections of furosemide (30 mg/kg b.wt. each) were performed 12 and 1 h before the experiments. Treatment with furosemide reduced the pressor response induced by carbachol, norepinephrine and ANGII i.c.v., but no change was observed in the pressor response to i.c.v. 2 M NaCl. The pressor response to i.v. ANGII and norepinephrine, but not AVP, was also reduced after treatment with furosemide. These results show that the treatment with furosemide impairs the pressor responses induced by central or peripheral administration of adrenergic agonist or ANGII, as well as those induced by central cholinergic activation. The results suggest that the treatment with furosemide impairs central and peripheral pressor responses mediated by sympathetic activation and ANGII, but not those produced by AVP. © 1992.

Role of central α1- and α2-adrenoceptors on the dipsogenic and cardiovascular effect of angiotensin II

We investigated the effects of previous central treatment with prazosin (an α1-adrenoceptor antagonist) or clonidine (an α2-adrenoceptor agonist) on the dipsogenic, pressor and tachycardic responses produced by intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of angiotensin II (AII) in conscious rats. Holtzman rats with a chronic cannula implanted in the lateral ventricle were tested for dipsogenic and cardiovascular (arterial pressure and heart rate) responses in separate experiments. Previous ICV treatment with clonidine (20, 40, 80 and 120 nmol) abolished the pressor, tachycardic and dipsogenic effects of ICV AII. After all doses of prazosin (40, 80 and 120 nmol), AII induced bradycardic responses, but only the 80 and 120 nmol doses of prazosin reduced the pressor responses to AII. Prazosin produced no alteration in the dipsogenic effect of AII. The results show that the periventricular α1-adrenoceptors are involved only in the cardiovascular responses produced by central AII, whereas clonidine acting through α2-adrenergic and/or imidazole receptors can modulate all actions of AII. © 1990.

Facilitation of breathing by leptin effects in the central nervous system

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of Nd:YAG laser on intrapulpal temperature and bond strength of human dentin under simulated pulpal pressure

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of simulated pulpal pressure (SPP) on the variation of intrapulpal temperature (ΔT) and microtensile bond strength (μTBS) to dentin submitted to an adhesive technique using laser irradiation. One hundred sound human molars were randomly divided into two groups (n = 50), according to the presence or absence of SPP (15 cm H2O). Each group was divided into five subgroups (n = 10) according to Nd:YAG laser energy (60, 80, 100, 120, 140 mJ/pulse). The samples were sequentially treated with the following: 37 % phosphoric acid, adhesive (Scotchbond Universal), irradiation with Nd:YAG laser (60 s), and light curing (10 s). ΔT was evaluated during laser irradiation using a type K thermocouple. Next, a composite resin block was build up onto the irradiated area. After 48 h, samples were submitted to microtensile test (10 kgf load cell, 0.5 mm/min). Data were analyzed by two-way ANOVA and Tukey tests (p = 0.05). ANOVA revealed significant differences for ΔT and TBS in the presence of SPP. For ΔT, the highest mean (14.3 ± 3.23 °C)(A) was observed in 140 mJ and without SPP. For μTBS, the highest mean (33.4 ± 4.15 MPa)(A) was observed in 140 mJ and without SPP. SPP significantly reduced both ΔT and μTBS during adhesive procedures, lower laser energy parameters resulted in smaller ΔT, and the laser parameters did not influence the μTBS values.

Role of α1-, and α2- and β-adrenoceptors of the median preoptic area on the water intake, renal excretion, and arterial pressure induced by ANG II

The present experiments were conducted to investigate the role of the α1-, α2- and β-adrenergic receptors of the median preoptic area (MnPO) on the water intake and urinary electrolyte excretion, elicited by central injections of angiotensin II (ANG II). Prazosin (an α1-adrenergic receptor antagonist) and yohimbine (an α2-adrenergic receptor antagonist) antagonized the water ingestion, Na +, K +, and urine excretion induced by ANG II. Administration of propranolol, a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist increased the Na +, K +, and urine excretion induced by ANG II. Previous treatment with prazosin and yohimbine reduced the pressor responses to ANG II. These results suggest that the adrenergic neurotransmission in the MnPO may actively participate in ANG II-induced dipsogenesis, natriuresis, kaliuresis, diuresis and pressor responses in a process that involves α1-, α2-, and β-adrenoceptors.

Few-cycle attosecond pulse chirp effects on asymmetries in ionized electron momentum distributions

The momentum distributions of electrons ionized from H atoms by chirped few-cycle attosecond pulses are investigated by numerically solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. The central carrier frequency of the pulse is chosen to be 25 eV, which is well above the ionization threshold. The asymmetry (or difference) in the yield of electrons ionized along and opposite to the direction of linear laser polarization is found to be very sensitive to the pulse chirp (for pulses with fixed carrier-envelope phase), both for a fixed electron energy and for the energy-integrated yield. In particular, the larger the pulse chirp, the larger the number of times the asymmetry changes sign as a function of ionized electron energy. For a fixed chirp, the ionized electron asymmetry is found to be sensitive also to the carrier-envelope phase of the few-cycle pulse.