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Biomedical subjects

J M Price

Publications and source records attributed to J M Price.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effect of muscle length on the in vitro comparison of femoral arteries before and after endotoxin shock.

Control and endotoxin-treated femoral arteries were compared in vitro for the effect of muscle length. Rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital, and endotoxin (6 mg/kg) was infused for 1 h. A control ring before endotoxin treatment and a ring after endotoxin treatment (blood pressure = 40 mmHg) were excised from the contralateral artery for length-tension and dose-response experiments with phenylephrine. The initial length for resting tension (Li) was shorter for endotoxic rings (1.23 +/- 0.01 vs. 1.41 +/- 0.02 mm in control), but the length of maximum active tension (Lmax) was the same. In length-tension experiments the values for active tension (6.36 +/- 0.61 vs. 4.06 +/- 0.60 x 10(3) dyn/cm), preload at Lmax (1,333 +/- 204 vs. 733 +/- 146 mg), and passive stiffness were increased after endotoxin. In dose-response experiments at the same preload, the endotoxic rings had a lower active tension (3.28 +/- 0.28 vs. 6.55 +/- 0.27 x 10(3) dyn/cm) but the same sensitivity. At Lmax, active tension (12.45 +/- 0.48 vs. 5.01 +/- 0.89 x 10(3) dyn/cm in control vessels) and sensitivity (half-maximum effective dose = 0.68 +/- 0.8 x 10(-6) vs. 1.39 +/- 0.29 x 10(-6) M in control vessels) were greater for endotoxic rings. These experiments show that phenylephrine sensitivity and active tension in the rat femoral artery are increased by endotoxin shock, and the importance of muscle length is implied.

Animals↗

Holmium laser surgery.

This relatively new form of laser energy, with its powerful and precise ability to ablate the dense tissues of the musculoskeletal system as well as its transmissibility in fiberoptic cables and a fluid medium, makes this an ideal tool for use in orthopedic surgery. Its importance as a new orthopedic modality may well lie in its unique ability to gain access to small articular compartments while providing superior homeostatic control, thereby decreasing postoperative morbidity. While not yet in widespread use, its popularity is rapidly spreading and research into a variety of new applications is growing steadily.

Arthroscopy↗

Differences in arterial and arteriolar endothelial structure during endotoxin shock.

Previous studies of physiological and ultrastructural assessment changes in the walls of the femoral artery and A1, A2, and A3 arterioles in the rat cremaster muscle after infusion of Escherichia coli endotoxin (ENDT) (6 mg/kg-1 hr. period) indicate there may be a difference in the alteration of the endothelial structure of arteries and arterioles. Functionally, ENDT has been shown to abolish acetylcholine (ACh)-induced relaxation in the femoral artery [Zhou, PhD dissertation, University of South Florida, Tampa, 1992]. Dilations of A1 arterioles were shown to be reduced, but dilations of A2 and A3 arterioles were not significantly changed from control [Baker and Sutton, Am J Physiol, 264:H 1118-H 1123, 1993]. In the current study, ultrastructural evaluation of femoral arterial tissue post-ENDT at the mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 100 mm Hg revealed partially destroyed endothelial cells. The MAP decreased as the animal progressed into shock. At 80 mm Hg, 60 mm Hg and 40 mm Hg, essentially all endothelial cells were destroyed, with the internal elastic lamina denuded. In contrast, endotoxin damage in the A1, A2, and A3 arterioles was minimal even at a MAP of 40 mm Hg. Endothelial cells of A1 arterioles post-ENDT had more vacuoles than at control. Therefore, arteriolar endothelium was functionally and anatomically relatively undamaged, consequent to endotoxin administration, in contrast to femoral arteries where the endothelium was destroyed in a short time.

Animals↗

Suprathreshold comparisons of derived and enhanced compound action potentials.

The Derived cochlear nerve compound action potential (CAP) and the Enhanced CAP are both measures which demonstrate the ability of a forward masker to increase the amplitude of the CAP produced by a probe stimulus. Enhancement occurs whenever the amplitude of a masked CAP is larger than that of a nonmasked CAP, whereas the derived CAP is produced by the subtraction of the entire masked CAP waveform from that of the nonmasked waveform. Therefore, a derived CAP is created whenever the masker produces a difference of amplitude, latency, and/or waveform shape. The present experiments compare these two measures by observing the effects of 13 kHz maskers varying from levels of -10 to +70 db SPL on CAPs produced by 50 or 60 dB SPL, 13 kHz probe stimuli. Enhancement is characterized by a nonmonotonic increase of CAP amplitude (and sometimes a decrease of latency) as a function of increasing levels of the forward masker, whereas this pattern seldom occurs with the derived CAP. Enhancement is typically seen with forward making, but seldom seen with simultaneous masking, whereas the derived CAP is very similar under these two types of masking.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Latency enhancement of the cochlear nerve compound action potential (CAP).

Forward maskers within two frequency-intensity domains are capable of decreasing (enhancing) CAP latency: one region flanks the low frequency tail, the other flanks the tip/high frequency slope regions of the latency tuning curve (TC). By contrast, amplitude enhancement typically does not flank the high frequency slope region.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Intrinsic relaxation factors and length-dependent sensitivity in the rat aorta.

Possible mechanisms for length-dependent sensitivity may involve intrinsic relaxation factors of the arterial wall. The role of the endothelium, beta-receptor activity, and atrial natriuretic factor were tested. ED50 and ED10 (concentrations for 50% and 10% maximum response, respectively) were significantly lower at the length of maximum force (Lmax) than at 80% Lmax for phenylephrine stimulated WKY rat aorta rings. The same result was found for norepinephrine (NE)-stimulated rings before and after endothelium removal, and for NE stimulation in the presence of propranolol. The ED10 for NE, but not its ED50, was significantly decreased by endothelium removal at both lengths. The addition of propranolol decreased the ED50 of NE at 80% Lmax, but not at Lmax. Relaxation sensitivity to atrial natriuretic factor was the same at Lmax and at 80% Lmax in phenylephrine-contracted WKY rings. For the rat aorta, it may be concluded that: (i) the mechanism for length-dependent sensitivity does not depend upon the endothelium or beta-receptor activity, however, (ii) basal levels of endothelium-derived relaxing factor and beta-receptor activity appear to modulate length-dependent sensitivity at low levels of activation, and (iii) sensitivity to atrial natriuretic factor relaxation does not depend upon length.

Animals↗

Relation of left atrial size to pulmonary capillary wedge pressure in severe mitral regurgitation.

4,071 consecutive cardiac catheterizations were reviewed retrospectively to obtain 56 cases of pure mitral regurgitation among whom chest X-ray, electrocardiography and echocardiography had been performed within 10 days of catheterization. Mitral regurgitation was mild to moderate (1-2+) in 7 of the 56 cases while 49 had more severe regurgitation (3-4+). Left atrial size as measured by echocardiography was found to be enlarged in all but 2 cases. A positive correlation between left atrial size and severity of mitral regurgitation, irrespective of the height of the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure V wave was demonstrated. There was no demonstrable, predictive relationship between left atrial size and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure or electrocardiographic or chest X-ray findings. We conclude that knowledge of left atrial size is predictive of the severity of mitral regurgitation; however, it is not possible to predict the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure or height of the V waves based on a knowledge of left atrial dilatation in patients with pure mitral regurgitation.

Angiography↗

Hypothermia differentially affects tuning curves generated by forward and by simultaneous masking.

In the gerbil maintained at euthermic (37.5 degrees C) conditions, forward masking produces a compound action potential tuning curve (CAP TC) which is less sensitive but more sharply tuned than that which is generated by simultaneous masking. These differences between forward- and simultaneously-masked CAP TCs are minimized at hypothermic (30 degrees C) conditions. The unmasking effect occurs at both temperatures, suggesting that hypothermia does not exert these changes by eliminating two-tone suppression.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Influence of pressure and flow on constriction of blood vessels.

Until recently the primary control of vessel diameter, or vascular resistance, has been focused on neuronal influences, circulating vasoactive hormones, and locally released substances such as endothelial derived relaxing factors (EDRF) and metabolites. It is now clear that physical forces interacting with endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells play an important role in the control of vascular resistance. The forces are pressure which tends to stretch the cells and shear force which is a drag force on the inner surface of the vessel due to blood flow. These forces determine the sensitivity of smooth muscle to various vasoactive substances, cause the release of vasoconstrictor and vasodilator substances from endothelial cells, and alter the myogenic tone of smooth muscle.

Blood Pressure↗

Hostile attributional biases in severely aggressive adolescents.

Adolescent boys (N = 128) from a maximum security prison for juvenile offenders were administered a task to assess hostile attributional biases. As hypothesized, these biases were positively correlated with undersocialized aggressive conduct disorder (as indicated by high scores on standardized scales and by psychiatric diagnoses), with reactive-aggressive behavior, and with the number of interpersonally violent crimes committed. Hostile attributional biases were found not to relate to nonviolent crimes or to socialized aggressive behavior disorder. These findings held even when race and estimates of intelligence and socioeconomic status were controlled. These findings suggest that within a population of juvenile offenders, attributional biases are implicated specifically in interpersonal reactive aggression that involves anger and not in socialized delinquency.

Adolescent↗

Peer status and aggression in boys' groups: developmental and contextual analyses.

The social transactions of popular, rejected, neglected, and average first- and third-grade boys were examined during their initial encounters with peers. 23 groups of 5 or 6 boys each were observed for 45-min free-play sessions conducted on 5 consecutive days, with sociometric interviews following each session. Social preference in the play groups correlated significantly with classroom social preference after the third and subsequent play sessions for the third graders, and after the fourth and subsequent sessions for the first graders. The observational coding system distinguished 4 types of aggressive behavior that were hypothesized to relate to peer status in different ways. The first, rough play, was not related to peer status. However, rejected boys at both ages displayed significantly higher rates of angry reactive aggression and instrumental aggression than average boys. The relation between bullying and peer status varied with the age of the child. Popular first graders engaged in more bullying than average first graders, but popular third graders did not differ from average in bullying. Other questions concerned the temporal relation between play group behaviors and social preference scores within the group. Socially interactive behaviors anteceded high preference by peers, and low preference in turn led to social isolation in subsequent sessions.

Aggression↗

Elevated body temperature and increased blood vessel sensitivity in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Body temperature (BT) was significantly greater in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) than in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats regardless of the time of day, length of rectal probe, sex, age, or commercial vendor. Bath temperature (theta) for excised aortic rings was controlled by a thermoelectric Peltier module with an accuracy of 0.1 degree C. At peak force in individual contractions of norepinephrine (NE) dose-response experiments, theta was changed from 37 to 39 degrees C. Active and resting wall tension (Tw) were increased, and the mean effective dose (ED50) was decreased in the SHR aorta with and without endothelium. For the WKY aorta, active and resting Tw were increased, but ED50 was the same with and without endothelium. These results were supported by experiments where theta was decreased from 39 to 37 degrees C and by experiments on Sprague-Dawley rats. Potassium dose-response experiments with aorta from SHR and WKY rats show an increase in sensitivity at 39 degrees C, but active Tw is the same at 39 and 37 degrees C. When compared at the BT of each rat, the NE ED50 was lower and resting Tw was higher in the SHR aorta than in the WKY aorta, but active Tw was the same.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Latency and amplitude tuning curves of the N1 and N2 components of the cochlear nerve compound action potential.

Compound action potential tuning curves (CAP TCs) generated by masking the N1 component of the CAP provide a means of assessing the ability of the cochlea to selectively tune to certain stimuli. This paper examines some of the factors which can influence this TC when a moderately intense (i.e. 40-80 dB SPL) probe stimulus is used. At these levels, each of the four corners of the trapezoidal stimulus envelope is capable of generating a CAP. Also, short stimulus rise times can merge the CAPs produced by the first two corners, but this does not appear to have a major effect on the CAP TC. It was shown that the N2 component of the CAP for the first corner of the stimulus is equally capable of producing a well-tuned TC. Another study has shown that, in addition to amplitude decrements, one can use latency increases as a criterion for CAP TCs. We have demonstrated that latency TCs are more finely tuned than amplitude TCs at high levels, especially when the stimulus rise time is short.

Animals↗

Reactive and proactive aggression in childhood: relations to peer status and social context dimensions.

Although there has been an accumulation of evidence to suggest a link between peer-directed aggression and social rejection, little attention has been given to the relations between specific subtypes of aggressive behavior and social rejection. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relations between two subtypes of aggressive behavior (reactive and proactive aggression) and children's classroom peer status. The reciprocity of each of these subtypes of aggressive behavior and the social contexts in which these behaviors occur were also examined. Assessments of each of these forms of aggression among 70 boys (ages 5 and 6) were conducted using direct observations and teacher ratings. In general, directing reactive aggressive behavior toward peers was associated with social rejection, while utilization of instrumental aggression was positively related to peer status. The findings also indicated that directing proactive forms of aggression toward peers was related to being the target of proactive aggression. Finally, among older boys, both subtypes of aggression were more likely to occur during rough play than during any other type of play activity.

Aggression↗

Dietary restriction and presbyacusis: periods of restriction and auditory threshold losses in the CBA/J mouse.

Dietary restriction was imposed on CBA/J mice, animals which develop presbyacusis late in their lives. Animals restricted for their whole lives, as well as those restricted after midlife, had less presbyacusis than did control mice fed ad libitum. Dietary restriction did not increase the life spans of these mice. Restriction until midlife did not protect from presbyacusis, nor did it increase life span. In this genotype, dietary restriction protects against hearing loss only if it occurs at the age of most rapid decline of cochlear function.

Aging↗

Dependence of media cross-sectional area on circumference of aortic rings from normal and hypertensive rats.

The purpose of this study is to determine if cross-sectional area and media thickness depend on circumference in excised vessels. Measurements were obtained from rat aortic rings chemically fixed after excision. Rings were fixed without distention or after mounting on circular rods of different diameters. Media cross-sectional area increased with circumference but thickness decreased. Thickness and area were significantly greater in the SHR than the WKY rat at all circumferences. Results of a theoretical analysis predict that cross-sectional area and thickness will depend on circumference in excised rings. Best-fit curves of the experimental data to the theoretical relationships show that neither thickness nor cross-sectional area of the aorta is consistently better correlated with circumference in SHRs and WKY rats. The following conclusions are made: (i) Media cross-sectional area and thickness depend on circumference in excised-aortic rings, and (ii) for a specific method of preparation, thickness and cross-sectional area are equally accurate when comparing aortic rings from normal and hypertensive rats. If an experimental determination of the relationship between circumference and cross-sectional area (or thickness) cannot be done, we suggest that a reasonable alternative is to compare these measurements at the same circumference.

Animals↗