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Biomedical subjects

K G Swan

Publications and source records attributed to K G Swan.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Microvascular architecture of anthropoid primate intestine.

Microvascular architecture of the small intestine of New World monkey, ape, and man was examined with the silicone rubber injection technique and the results compared to previous observations in dogs and Old World monkeys. In man, chimpanzee, and New World monkey the small intestine villus contains a single centrally located vein draining a subepithelial capillary plexus converging at the apex of the villus. These villi also contain a single eccentrically located artery rising to the midlevel of the villus, where it branches into subepithelial capillaries over the rest of its length. This vascular architecture most closely resembles that observed in the gut of Old World monkeys in which the villus artery is absent altogether. This observation contrasts the microvascular architecture of canine intestinal villi in which marginal arteries surround a centrally located vein. These patterns of microvascular anatomy are analyzed in terms of the role of the gut in the pathogenesis of experimental shock. The differences observed may account for the known species variations in canine and primate experimental shock.

Adult↗

Primate mesenteric blood flow. Effects of vasopressin and its route of delivery.

The effects of vasopressin on blood flow in the superior mesenteric artery and on mean arterial pressure and portal venous pressure were measured in 7 rhesus monkeys. Vasopressin was injected, as either a bolus, or infused both intravenously and intraarterially to assess the influence of the route of administration upon hemodynamic responses. Dose-dependent decreases in superior mesenteric arterial flow were observed during both intraarterial and intravenous injections of vasopressin. No statistically significant differences between the two routes of administration, the decrease in flow, and changes in pressure were observed. Based upon these observations, one might anticipate that intravenously administered vasopressin will be as effective as intraarterially administered vasopressin in reducing mesenteric blood flow, and thus portal venous pressure, in man.

Animals↗

Endotoxemia and large intestinal blood flow in subhuman primates.

The hemodynamic effects of Escherichia coli endotoxin (LD80) were measured in the large intestine of anesthetized Rhesus monkeys to determine whether this organ contributes to the pathogenesis of experimental shock. Inferior mesenteric arterial blood flow (IMF) was measured with an electromagnetic flowmeter. Pressures within the aorta (AP) and portal vein (PP) were recorded. Distribution of colon blood flow was measured with radioactive microspheres: Ce, Sr, and Cr were injected into the left heart. Reference blood samples were obtained from a femoral artery. Mean control IMF was 22.9 +/- 2.2 (SE) ml/min. Aortic pressure was 113 +/- 11 mm Hg, and PP was 6 +/- 1 mm Hg. Arterial blood pH was 7.43 +/- 0.02; pO2 and pCO2 were 93.4 and 37.1 mm Hg, respectively. All parameters were measured at hourly intervals for 4 hr. Neither IMF nor its distribution within the colon changed during the entire observation period. Aortic pressure fell to a low of 60 +/- 6 mm Hg (p less than 0.02) at 3 hr; PP, pO2 and pCO2 were unchanged by endotoxin. Arterial blood pH fell to 7.315 +/- 0.020 at 4 hr (p less than 0.01). These observations indicate that the colon is not a "target organ" of endotoxic shock in subhuman primates, despite considerable hypotension and metabolic disturbances subsequent to near lethal endotoxemia.

Animals↗

Influence of vasopressin on colon blood flow in monkeys.

Inferior mesenteric arterial blood flow was measured with an electromagnetic blood flowmeter in five anesthetized rhesus monkeys. The effects of vasopressin on this vasculature were determined to evaluate the optimal, safe concentration of this agent during its clinical application in the management of hemorrhagic lesions of the colon. Control flow was 29 +/- 3 (SE) ml min-1; aortic pressure was 124 +/- 4 mm Hg. Intraarterial injections of vasopressin, in doses ranging logarithmically from 5 X 10(-5) to 5 X 10(-2) U kg-1, caused dose-dependent decreases in flow. At the highest dose, vasopressin reduced flow by 50% and increased arterial pressure by 9 mm Hg. When infused, at a rate of 5 X 10(-3) U kg-1 min-1, vasopressin produced a significant and sustained reduction in inferior mesenteric arterial blood flow. Autoregulatory escape was not observed. At this rate, vasopressin increased arterial pressure 10 mm Hg, by the 6th minute of infusion. This hypertension was unaccompanied by significant bradycardia. After cessation of the infusion, flow gradually returned to control values over a period of minutes. These observations indicate that vasopressin is a potent constrictor in the inferior mesenteric arterial circulation of the monkey, and support the use of this agent to control lower intestinal bleeding in man. At a dose of 5 X 10(-3) U kg-1 min-1, vasopressin causes a significant reduction in flow without adverse systemic side effects.

Animals↗

Adrenergic mechanisms in the hepatic arterial circulation of baboons.

The effects of intra-arterial injections and infusions of three adrenergic amines upon hepatic arterial blood flow were measured in anesthetized baboons before and after alpha and beta adrenergic blockade with intravenous phenoxybenzamine and propranolol. Injections of norepinephrine or epinephrine caused dose-dependent decreases in hepatic arterial blood flow. These responses were attenuated by alpha adrenergic blockade and were unchanged by beta adrenergic blockade. Injections of isoproterenol caused dose-dependent increases in hepatic arterial flow. These increases were relatively small and were reversed to constriction at low doses and attenuated at high doses of the agonist by beta adrenergic blockade. Intrahepatic arterial infusions of constrictors were unaccompanied by autoregulatory excape. The degree of constriction was attenuated by alpha adrenergic blockade but was not potentiated by beta adrenergic blockade. Intrahepatic arterial infusion of a relatively large dose of isoproterenol was required to evoke a relatively modest, but sustained, increase in hepatic arterial blood flow. This response was not potentiated by alpha adrenergic antagonism, but was attenuated by beta adrenergic blockade. These observations suggest an apparent and relative decrease in beta adrenergic receptor activity in the hepatic arterial bed of the baboon when compared to other regional circulations such as the mesenteric and femoral beds. These beta receptors are relatively resistant to both stimulation and blockade.

Animals↗

Effects of portacaval shunting on Schistosoma japonicum infection in chimpanzees: dissociation of pipe-stem fibrosis and glomerulopathy.

Eight of 10 young chimpanzees were infected with the Japanese strain of Schistosoma japonicum. In 6 of these, and in 1 normal chimpanzee, a surgical end-to-side portacaval shunt was constructed during the 8th week of infection. One additional infected chimpanzee was treated successfully with the nitrovinylfuran, SQ 18,506. In the four animals surviving both infection and shunting hepatic portal fibrosis was either absent or mild. In the 7-month survivors and in the drug-treated control animals there was evidence of healed portal endophlebitis and arterialization, but no active schistosomal liver lesion was found. Nevertheless, three of these animals showed variable degrees of active schistosomal glomerulopathy, similar to that seen in the unshunted infected control and to that described in earlier studies. There was a shift of the egg burden from the liver to the lungs, as well as evidence that the number of surviving adult worms had decreased following portacaval shunting. These observations sugggest that schistosomal nephropathy in chimpanzees is more closely related to infection intensity per se than to the degree of liver damage caused by infection.

Animals↗

Hemodynamics of experimental portal venous occlusion in dogs.

The effects of graded occlusion of the portal vein upon hepatic arterial blood flow were studied in anesthetized dogs to evaluate the so-called "reciprocal relationship" between portal venous flow and hepatic arterial flow in maintaining oxygenation of the liver. An obstruction that increased portal venous pressure to 20 mm Hg was accompanied by a transient increase in hepatic arterial blood flow without changing the other hemodynamic parameters. Release of portal venous occlusion was accompanied by a transient fall in hepatic arterial blood flow in this group of experiments. Increasing portal venous pressure to 30 mm Hg caused a gradual but progressive fall in arterial pressure accompanied by a significant fall in hepatic arterial blood flow. With complete obstruction of the portal vein there is a reduction in arterial pressure to the same level of portal venous pressure and a significant and sustained diminution in hepatic arterial blood flow. These observations conflict with previously described theories of a relationship between diminution in portal venous flow and increases in hepatic arterial blood flow.

Animals↗

Hemodynamics within a canine femoral arteriovenous fistula.

Blood flow and pressures around a canine femoral arteriovenous fistula, constructed from an autogenous carotid artery, were measured to determine the pressure-flow relationships within the fistula, as well as to determine the presence or absence of retrograde flow in the distal artery and vein. The findings indicate that retrograde arterial flow occurs only when the proximal femoral artery is occluded and, even then, the contribution to fistula flow is small and well below control femoral arterial flow. Retrograde distal venous flow is negligible. Pressure within the fistula is high at the arterial end but is rapidly dissipated across the loop fistula to equal systemic venous pressure on the venous side. Modest distal venous hypertension accompanies this type of fistula. For these reasons, a loop-type, arteriovenous fistula is preferable to other types of fistulas for most clinical surgical indications.

Animals↗

Adrenergic mechanisms in the hindlimb circulation of baboons.

The effects of the adrenergic agonists norepinephrine, epinephrine, isoproterenol, and phenylephrine upon femoral arterial blood flow were measured in baboons before and after alpha (phenoxybenzamine) and beta (propranolol) adrenergic receptor blockade. Flow was measured with an electromagnetic flowmeter. Arterial and venous pressures were recorded simultaneously. Femoral vascular resistance was calculated from these data. Catecholamines were injected intra-arterially (10(-3)--10(0) mug, base, kg.(-1) and intravenously (1.0 mug kg.(-1) in a randomized sequence. All four adrenergic amines were vasodilators at low dose (10(-3) mug kg.(-1), intra-arterially) and this effect was abolished during beta adrenergic receptor blockade. Intra-arterial isoproterenol elicited dose-dependent increases in femoral flow; the other amines were vasoconstrictors at high doses. Alpha adrenergic blockade "reversed" the vasoconstrictor effects of these three amines. At the same dose isoproterenol increased flow more through the intra-arterial than the intravenous route. Conversely, norepinephrine and epinephrine were potent femoral vasodilators when injected intravenously. The findings indicate that the classical adrenergic amines are all vasodilators of the subhuman primate hindlimb at low doses due to their interaction with beta receptor sites. The fact that epinephrine and norepinephrine exert a greater increase in flow when given intravenously than when given intra-arterially is presumably secondary to increased arterial pressure, in turn due to the vasoconstrictor effects of these agents on other regional circulations.

Adrenergic Agonists↗