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Efficacy of prevention by high-efficiency particulate air filtration or laminar airflow against Aspergillus airborne contamination during hospital renovation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate efficacy of laminar airflow facilities plus high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration and HEPA filtration alone in preventing environmental Aspergillus contamination during hospital renovation. To show the usefulness of environmental surveillance to facilitate protection of patients at risk for invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. DESIGN: Prospective sampling of air and surfaces for Aspergillus conidia during 2-year period. SETTING: A hematological department adjacent to building renovation at a university hospital. RESULTS: 1,047 air samples and 1,178 surface samples were collected from January 1996 to December 1997. Significantly more air samples were positive for Aspergillus species during the period of building renovation than during the periods before and after renovation in a unit without a protected air supply adjacent to the building work area (51.5% vs 31.7%; odds ratio [OR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 1.4-3.7; P<.001). A major increase in the frequency of positive air samples was also found in another adjacent unit that was protected with HEPA filtration alone (from 1.8% to 47.5%; OR, 48.9; CI95, 12-229; P<10(-7)). In addition, in this unit, the mean count of Aspergillus conidia in positive air samples increased significantly during construction (4 colony-forming units [CFU]/m3 to 24.7 CFU/m3; P=.04) and the proportion of positive surface samples showed a significant increase during renovation (from 0.4% to 9.7%; OR, 28.3; CI95, 3.4-623; P=10(-4)). However, none of 142 air samples collected during renovation in the area protected with laminar airflow plus HEPA filtration showed Aspergillus conidia. In a unit distant from the building renovation site, the results of air and surface samples were not affected by renovation. CONCLUSION: This study showed a strong association between building renovation and an increase in environmental Aspergillus contamination. Results confirmed the high efficacy of laminar airflow plus HEPA filtration and a high air-change rate. Although filtration with HEPA was effective during normal conditions, it alone was unable to prevent the rise of Aspergillus contamination related to building renovation. This study emphasized the necessity of an environmental survey of airborne contamination related to construction, to facilitate prevention of nosocomial aspergillosis outbreaks. A standardized protocol for aerobiological surveillance is needed.

Air Microbiology↗

Effects of internal filtration on the solute removal efficiency of a dialyzer.

To improve solute removal efficiency, several types of dialyzers with enhanced internal filtration were introduced for clinical application. In these dialyzers, enhanced internal filtration increased convective transport of the solute, in addition to diffusive transport. In this study, the effects of internal filtration on solute removal efficiency were examined by both analytic and experimental studies. Internal filtration is affected by blood (Q(B)) and dialysate (Q(D)) flow rates; the patient's hematocrit and plasma level of total protein; and the effective length (L(eff)), inner diameter (D), and density ratio (DR) of the hollow fibers. An analytic model was introduced for the estimation of the changes in mass and momentum along the dialyzer. It clarified the effects of these parameters on maximum internal filtration flow rate (Q(IF)) and clearance (K) of urea (60 daltons), vitamin B(12) (1,355), and myoglobin (17,000). As a result of the analytic study, Q(IF) was increased, resulting in a smaller D, a longer L(eff), and a larger DR value. Several types of dialyzers with the same cellulose triacetate membrane, produced by Toyobo Co, Ltd., Ohtsu, Japan, and Nissho Corporation, Kusatsu, Japan, were used for the experimental study. An in vitro evaluation using myoglobin solution showed the same trends as found in the analytic study. For example, a dialyzer with 150 microm of D has a 72.0 ml/min myoglobin K value, much higher than that of 53.7 ml/min for a dialyzer with 200 microm of D under constant Q(B) (300 ml/min) and DR (50%) values. Development of a dialyzer with enhanced internal filtration, however, should take the patient's safety into account, and hemolysis and endotoxin invasion from the dialysate to the patient should be avoided.

Filtration↗

Filtration for free drug level monitoring: carbamazepine and valproic acid.

Free carbamazepine and valproic acid monitoring using the EMIT FreeLevel filtration system was evaluated and compared with reference equilibrium dialysis and gas chromatographic (GC) techniques. For carbamazepine, free levels after filtration or dialysis were essentially identical (mean 1.74 vs. 1.77 mg/L, r = 0.940, n = 28, EMIT assay). Free levels were 16% higher by EMIT than by GC, possibly due to cross-reaction with carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide. Free fractions were not significantly different using any combination of filtration or dialysis with EMIT or GC (means 0.24-0.26). There was a significant correlation between epoxide and parent-drug free fractions (r = 0.642). Free fraction varied from 0.20 to 0.41 among 61 patient samples and was independent of total drug concentration. For valproic acid, there was a strong correlation between filtration and dialysis results for free level (r = 0.974) and free fraction (r = 0.892), but filtration values were 6-7% higher. Free fraction was concentration dependent (r = 0.597), and lower free fractions by dialysis were attributed to dilution of total drug concentration. Free fraction varied from 0.01 to 0.14 among 50 patient samples. For carbamazepine and valproic acid the EMIT FreeLevel filtration system compared favorably with equilibrium dialysis, and had the advantage of being rapid.

Blood Proteins↗

Islet filtration: a simple and rapid new purification procedure that avoids ficoll and improves islet mass and function.

Islet isolation is a time-consuming process. Islet yields vary, and previous in vitro studies suggest that Ficoll may be an islet toxin. Here, we describe an alternative, Ficoll-free method to purify murine islets by filtration through a cell strainer. Collagenase digestion of pancreata was carried out using standard procedures. The pancreatic digest was divided into aliquots and purified either by Ficoll or by filtration. Following filtration, islets were intact and separated from nondigested tissue. Purity was similar to that achieved using Ficoll. However, purification by filtration was faster, increased islet yield, and resulted in higher insulin secretion in vitro. Moreover, when syngeneic diabetic hosts were transplanted with a marginal islet mass, islets purified by filtration restored normoglycemia significantly faster than those isolated by Ficoll. This suggests that Ficoll exposure negatively impacts islet function. In conclusion, islet filtration is a simple and rapid procedure for purification of islets that demonstrate improved functional mass.

Animals↗

Serum cystatin C as a marker of glomerular filtration rate.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Glomerular filtration rate is widely accepted as the best overall measure of kidney function. Currently available methods to estimate glomerular filtration rate have strengths and limitations. Cystatin C is a novel endogenous filtration marker being considered as a potential replacement for serum creatinine. This review summarizes the currently available glomerular filtration rate estimating equations based on cystatin C and the literature comparing cystatin C and creatinine as filtration markers. RECENT FINDINGS: In most cystatin C estimating equations, inclusion of age and sex did not substantially improve their performance. Equations yield different glomerular filtration rate estimates for the same level of cystatin C. Variation among equations may be due to differences among the assays or populations in the individual studies. Studies comparing cystatin C with creatinine or creatinine-based estimating equations show heterogeneous results, with some showing improved performance and others showing equivalent performance even in similar populations. These heterogeneous results may be due to inappropriate comparisons between equations developed in one population with those developed in another, or to the differences between assays or population characteristics. SUMMARY: Cystatin C shows promise as an alternative to serum creatinine but several important questions remain before it can be recommended for use in clinical practice.

Aged↗

Filtration of bacteria and yeast by ultrasound-enhanced sedimentation.

Continuous flow filtration of suspensions of eukaryotic cells by ultrasonic standing wave enhanced sedimentation has recently been reported. The filtration efficiency for Escherichia coli in such a filter has been characterized at frequencies of 1 and 3 MHz in the present work and compared with results for Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The yeast can be filtered at greater than 99% efficiency at a flow rate of 5 ml min-1 at either frequency. The filtration efficiency of the smaller E. coli at 3 MHz is in excess of 80% at concentrations in the region of 10(10) ml-1 but decreased at lower concentrations. However, E. coli in a mixed suspension with yeast were, because of inter-particle interactions, removed with the filtrate at an efficiency ranging from 80 to 50% over the eight orders of bacterial concentrations tested (down to 10(3) ml-1) at 3 MHz. Quantitative considerations show that poor filtration of pure suspensions of the smaller cells at the lower frequency arises because, at reasonable flow rates, the residence time is not sufficient for the cells to reach the pressure nodal cell concentration regions. The filtration efficiencies of both cell types are comparable at 3 MHz. It is suggested that the more comparable efficiencies arise because concentration regions are narrower at the high frequency and Stokes drag by the filter bulk flow inhibits sedimentation of the concentrated cells.

Bacteriological Techniques↗

Biological qualities of saliva sterilized by filtration or ethylene oxide treatment.

Stimulated whole saliva was centrifuged and sterilized either by filtration in the presence or absence of dithiothreitol (DTT) or by ethylene oxide treatment. Filtration was accomplished by 2 different techniques: conventional positive pressure filtration through prefilters and membranes with decreasing pore sizes and tangential flow microporous filtration. The sterile saliva samples were analyzed for enzyme activities of phosphatases, esterases, glucuronidase, and lysozyme. The samples were also tested by polyacrylamide electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing and for IgA concentration. Moreover, the samples were tested for support of bacterial growth of strains from the genera Actinomyces, Lactobacillus, Neisseria, Rothia and Streptococcus after the addition of glucose at a final concentration of 0.5%. The samples treated with ethylene oxide appeared to be more affected by this treatment than samples treated otherwise, as demonstrated by the electrophoretic analyses and analyses of enzyme activities. Ethylene oxide-treated saliva also was the least favorable saliva sample to support growth of bacteria. The positive pressure technique gave more rapid filtration than the tangential flow technique. DTT treatment of saliva facilitated filtration and, in contrast to ethylene oxide treatment, it affected the qualities of saliva only to a minor extent compared with the original saliva sample.

Dithiothreitol↗

Leucocyte and platelet-derived bioactive substances in stored blood: effect of prestorage leucocyte filtration.

Adverse reactions to transfusion of allogeneic blood may depend on content of leucocytes and platelets and on storage-time of the erythrocyte suspensions. Therefore, we studied the efficacy of prestorage leucocyte reduction by filtration on total content and extracellular accumulation of histamine, eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil protein X (EPX), myeloperoxidase (MPO), plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in samples obtained from 5 units of SAGM blood, 7 units of plasma-reduced whole-blood and 6 units of whole-blood before and after filtration, respectively. In addition, we analysed supernatants from the same units after storage at +4 degrees C for 0, 21 and 35 d, respectively. The filtration was performed at room temperature within 2-4 h after donation. The substances were analysed by ELISA and RIA methods and we also analysed the donor plasma levels of the same bioactive substances. The total content of histamine, ECP, EPX, and MPO were 10-70-fold higher in all unfiltered erythrocyte products compared to donor plasma concentrations, while PAI-1 content was 15-20-fold higher only in plasma-reduced whole-blood and whole-blood. Prestorage leucocyte filtration significantly reduced the total histamine, ECP, EPX, MPO and PAI-1 content to levels similar to donor plasma levels in plasma-reduced whole-blood and whole-blood, while PAI-1 was still low in filtered SAGM blood. In addition, the levels of extracellular bioactive substances at d 0 after donation and filtration were within the range of concentrations in donor plasma, and there was no time-dependent accumulation during storage for 35 d at +4 degrees C. IL-6 was not detected in either plasma or samples obtained from the blood bags. These results suggest prestorage leucocyte filtration to deplete leucocyte contents to levels, which prevent the previously shown time-dependent accumulation of leucocyte derived bioactive substances in various erythrocyte suspensions. In addition, the PAI-1 results suggest leucocyte filters to reduce the obligatory platelet content in whole-blood products.

Biological Factors↗

Age-dependent alterations in the structurally determined vascular resistance, pre- to postglomerular resistance ratio and glomerular filtration capacity in kidneys, as studied in aging normotensive rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Maximally dilated renal vascular beds of 13-month-old NCR and SHR were compared to explore how aging respectively longstanding primary hypertension structurally alters total renal resistance, pre/postglomerular resistance ratio and maximal glomerular filtration capacity, as measured per unit kidney weight. According to comparisons of 1.5- and 3.5-month-old NCR and SHR (Folkow et al. 1977), a structurally increased pre/postglomerular resistance ratio rapidly resets the renal "longterm barostat function" in SHR to match the 30-40% pressure rise, thereby increasing total renal resistance 15-20%, while filtration capacity is unaltered so far. In NCR aging to 13 months hardly alters arterial pressure, but increases total renal resistance 10-15%, mainly affecting postglomerular vessels, while filtration capacity is reduced 25%. 13-month-old SHR show an additional 15% pressure rise and--relative to agematched NCR--a further 35% reduction of filtration capacity with a 30-35% increase of total renal resistance, which mainly affects the postglomerular vessels as the resistance ratio is now barely above that in NCR. Thus, advancing SHR hypertension seems to start a renal vicious circle, because accentuated reductions of filtration capacity are parallelled by structural postglomerular resistance increases apparently to maintain GFR by raised filtration pressure which, however, accelerates glomerular deterioration.

Aging↗

Effect of exogenous and endogenous angiotensin II on intrarenal distribution of glomerular filtration rate in rats.

Different changes in glomerular filtration rates (GFR) in deep and superficial glomeruli have been suggested to influence renal NaCl excretion and concentrating ability. Angiotensin II (AngII) has been implicated in such changes, but the experimental evidence has been conflicting, probably because of the methodological limitation of just one 'snapshot' measurement of local GFR per kidney. We have therefore studied the effect of AngII and AT(1)-receptor blockade on glomerular filtration in outer, middle and inner cortex (OC, MC and IC, respectively) in pentobarbitone-anaesthetised rats using the aprotinin (Ap) method, providing control and experimental measurements in the same kidney. Glomerular filtration rate per gram cortical tissue was measured based on 'free' glomerular filtration of Ap followed by complete tubular uptake and a 20 min sojourn in the proximal tubular cells before breakdown and incipient return to the plasma.(125)I-labelled Ap was injected I.V. to determine control Ap clearance, followed after 13 min by injection of AngII or the A1 type AngII receptor blocker losartan and 2 min thereafter by (131)I-labelled Ap to determine clearance in the experimental period. Tracer activity in frequent blood samples and in tissue samples allowed calculation of GFR in the two periods. Mean GFR control values were: 1.13 ml min(-1) in whole kidney and 1.44, 1.27 and 0.76 ml min(-1) per gram cortical tissue in OC, MC and IC, respectively. The most sensitive and comprehensive measure of altered GFR distribution is the ratio between the relative filtration change in inner versus that in outer cortex, F = (IC(E)/IC(C))/(OC(E)/OC(C)), where subscripts E and C stand for experimental and control, respectively. F values greater than 1.00 directly indicate and quantify a relatively greater increase of filtration rate in inner than in outer cortex. We found in salt-replete rats that at practically unchanged total GFR, intravenous and intra-arterial infusion of AngII increased F to 1.07 and 1.04 (P < 0.05) whereas losartan reduced F to 0.99. After pretreatment with the inhibitor of nitric oxide production L-NAME, losartan increased total GFR by 8 % and F fell to 0.95 (P < 0.05). In salt-depleted rats losartan reduced F to 0.95 (P < 0.05) at unchanged total GFR. All IC/OC changes induced by losartan were significantly different from that obtained by AngII infusions. We conclude that deep nephrons have higher postglomerular AngII tone and also higher AngII sensitivity than superficial nephrons. The better preserved GFR in deep cortex during AngII action may contribute towards maintaining the renal concentrating ability by providing NaCl for reabsorption by the ascending limb of the loop of Henle.

Angiotensin II↗

Comparative recoveries of Naegleria fowleri amoebae from seeded river water by filtration and centrifugation.

Detection of pathogenic Naegleria fowleri in environmental water samples, which is necessary for the prevention of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, generally requires concentrating the samples. Two concentration techniques, filtration and centrifugation, were used to study the recovery of N. fowleri, in vegetative or cystic form, that had been mixed with the two other thermotolerant Naegleria species, N. lovaniensis and N. australiensis. Counting of amoebae was performed by the most probable number method on 10 water replicates of 100 ml and 10 ml each. With both concentration methods, recovery was better for cysts than for trophozoites (53% +/- 21% versus 5% +/- 5% by filtration and 57% +/- 25% versus 22% +/- 5% by centrifugation). The recovery of Naegleria trophozoites by filtration was very low, and centrifugation was significantly better than filtration in recovery of Naegleria trophozoites (22% +/- 5% versus 5% +/- 5%; P < 0.001). For cysts, however, filtration appeared as efficient as centrifugation, with equivalent values for recovery (53% +/- 21% versus 57% +/- 25%; P > 0.7). Although the recovery of cysts of N. fowleri obtained by filtration (51% +/- 24%) appeared higher than that by centrifugation (36% +/- 23%), the difference was not significant (P > 0.1). Both concentration methods have highly variable recovery rates, making accurate quantification of low concentrations (< 100/liter) of N. fowleri in the environment difficult.

Animals↗

Lysis-filtration blood culture versus conventional blood culture in a bacteremic rabbit model.

Thirteen representative pathogenic bacterial species were used to create septicemia in rabbits, by injecting 10(6) colony-forming units into the marginal ear vein. At a selected time, usually 30 to 60 min after injection, heart blood was drawn into heparin and dispensed in 5.0-,0.5-, and 0.1-ml volumes into duplicate bottles of commercial brain heart infusion broth with sodium polyanetholesulfonate, and into duplicate bottles of a newly developed blood-lysing solution. Lysed blood was filtered, and the filter membranes were cultured in brain heart infusion broth. At the 5.0-ml blood inoculum level, of 126 total culture bottles (63 rabbits) for each system, 83 conventional cultures versus 109 lysis-filtration cultures were positive. At the 0.5-ml blood inoculum, 20 of 126 conventional culture bottles were positive, versus 66 of 126 lysis-filtration cultures. At the 0.1-ml blood inoculum, 2 of 126 conventional culture bottles were positive, versus 30 of 126 lysis-filtration cultures. Overall, 105 of 378 conventional cultures and 205 of 378 lysis-filtration cultures were positive. The advantage of the lysis-filtration system was striking for both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms at all inoculum concentrations, but was greater for gram-positive organisms. Most significant was the rate of recovery by this new system, when the number of bacteria in the blood was reduced to the point where recovery by conventional culture was unlikely. It is postulated that the superiority of lysis-filtration culture may be due to release of bacteria by lysis of phagocytes, preventing continued loss of pathogens by intracellular destruction during the first hours of blood culture.

Animals↗

Abnormal glomerular filtration rate, renal plasma flow, and renal protein excretion in recent and short-term diabetics.

Glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow were simultaneously determined in comparable groups of 43 diabetics less than 40 years of age and with a duration of diabetes less than 10 years and 32 control subjects. The average glomerular filtration rate in the diabetic group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P <0.01). The average renal plasma flow in the diabetic group was found to be significantly lower than that in the control group (P <0.05). The filtration fraction in both male and female diabetics was significantly higher than in the male and female control groups (P <0.001). These changes were found to be present even in recent juvenile diabetics with disease of a duration of less than one year. No correlation was apparent between the average levels of serum growth hormone and glomerular filtration rate.The urinary protein excretion was determined in 36 diabetic and 38 healthy subjects comparable with regard to glomerular filtration rate. In the diabetic group there was a greater frequency of cases with higher protein excretion rates (P <0.02). The average protein excretion rate was increased even in diabetics with less than one year's duration of the disease.The results of the changes in renal haemodynamics in subjects with recent and short-term diabetes are compatible with the presence of a constrictive state of the vas efferens leading to an increase in the filtration pressure. The increase in protein excretion rate may similarly be a consequence of this process or of an increase in the glomerular permeability with augmented molecular sieving of proteins or both.

Adolescent↗

Noninvasive measurement of extraction fraction and single-kidney glomerular filtration rate with MR imaging in swine with surgically created renal arterial stenoses.

PURPOSE: To test whether magnetic resonance (MR) imaging enables accurate measurement of extraction fraction (EF) in swine with unilateral renal ischemia and to evaluate effects of renal arterial stenosis on EF and single-kidney glomerular filtration rate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High-grade unilateral renal arterial stenoses were surgically created in eight pigs. Direct measurements of renal venous and arterial inulin concentration provided reference standard estimates of single-kidney EF. Pigs were imaged with a 1.5-T imager to estimate EF, renal blood flow, and glomerular filtration rate. A breath-hold inversion-recovery spiral sequence was used to measure T1 of blood in the infrarenal inferior vena cava and renal veins after intravenous administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine, and these data were used to calculate EF. Cine-phase contrast material-enhanced imaging of the renal arteries provided quantitative renal blood flow measurements. Bilateral single-kidney glomerular filtration rate was then determined: glomerular filtration rate = renal blood flow x (1 - hematocrit level) x EF. RESULTS: A statistically significant linear correlation was found between EF, as determined with MR imaging, and inulin (r = 0.77). As compared with kidneys without renal arterial stenosis, kidneys with renal arterial stenosis showed 50% (0.14/0.28) EF reduction (P <.01) and 59% glomerular filtration rate reduction (P <.01). CONCLUSION: MR imaging shows promise for in vivo measurement of EF and glomerular filtration rate, which may be useful in assessing the clinical importance of renal arterial stenosis.

Animals↗

Determinants of the glomerular filtration of proteins.

We showed previously that a theoretical model treating the glomerular capillary wall as a membrane with uniformly distributed fixed negative charges can account for the observed filtration rates of charged derivatives of dextran in the rat. Using measurements of electrophoretic mobility to estimate effective molecular charge, a necessary input parameter, we present evidence that this model is also consistent with reported filtration rates of several proteins in the rat. Apparent fixed-charge concentrations calculated for serum albumin and three forms of horseradish peroxidase are in the range of 100-130 meq/liter, comparable to the 120-170 meq/liter obtained for charged dextrans. Theoretical effects of hemodynamic changes on filtration of charged macromolecules are considered. With increases in glomerular plasma flow rate (QA) or transcapillary hydraulic pressure difference (delta P), the filtrate-to-plasma concentration ratio (theta) is generally predicted to decrease for neutral or anionic macromolecules but to increase for cationic substances. The more highly charged the macromolecule (cationic or anionic), the more sensitive theta is to such hemodynamic perturbations. For serum albumin, absolute filtration rates are predicted to increase as much as twofold for moderate decreases in QA combined with increases in delta P. Alterations in protein molecular charge offer an attractive explanation for changes in protein filtration during acidosis or alkalosis.

Acid-Base Imbalance↗

Canine renal vascular response to hyperoncotic dextran in kidneys with or without glomerular filtration.

The effect of intrarenal arterial infusion of hyperoncotic dextran on renal hemodynamics and excretion was studied in anesthetized dogs. To examine the role of glomerular filtration and tubular flow in the hemodynamic response, several kidney models were employed. Nonfiltering kidneys (NFK) were produced by combined ischemia and ureteral obstruction (UO). Additionally, kidneys with only UO and a lack of filtration as well as kidneys with only ischemia and glomerular filtration were studied. Renal blood flow in normal kidneys was increased by hyperoncotic dextran from 357 +/- 47 to 486 +/- 65 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1, with a corresponding decrease in renal vascular resistance. Ischemic kidneys responded likewise to the dextran infusion, increasing renal blood flow from 261 +/- 31 to 339 +/- 29 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1. Glomerular filtration rate was reduced by the dextran infusion from 80.1 +/- 7.9 to 60.7 +/- 6.6 in normal kidneys and from 31.8 +/- 9.6 to 20.2 +/- 5.8 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1 in ischemic kidneys. Urine flow and sodium excretion were also reduced in these kidneys. In contrast, both NFK and UO, which lacked filtration and tubular flow, did not vasodilate in response to dextran. Renal blood flow remained unchanged from control values (NFK: 146 +/- 6, UO: 111 +/- 22 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1) in these kidneys. These experiments show that the renal vascular response to hyperoncotic dextran is not due to a change in blood volume or viscosity nor to a direct pharmacologic action of dextran. The most likely explanation is that hyperoncotic dextran alters tubuloglomerular feedback control of renal vascular resistance by decreasing filtration and altering tubular flow and/or composition. However, the involvement of another intrarenal vasodilatory system cannot be discounted.

Animals↗

Dynamics of glomerular filtration in the river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis L.

Hydrostatic pressures decreased in the dorsal aorta (from 21.6 +/- 2.0 to 18.7 +/- 0.2 mmHg), proximal (from 19.5 +/- 1.6 to 16.2 +/- 1.7 mmHg) and distal (from 16.7 +/- 0.7 to 13.2 +/- 0.9 mmHg) renal arteries, and glomerular capillaries (from 16.1 +/- 1.1 to 12.3 +/- 0.6 mmHg) of anesthetized lampreys transferred from freshwater to isosmotic 20-30% seawater. Maximal vascular resistance appeared to be in the efferent arteriole; there was a 67% decrease in pressure between glomerular and peritubular capillaries. Plasma oncotic pressure was unchanged. The calculated afferent effective filtration pressure decreased by 87% after transfer and showed a good correlation with single nephron filtration rate. Effective renal plasma flow was high but variable in freshwater lampreys and decreased by 84% after transfer, but glomerular filtration rate did not decrease proportionately and there was a nonsignificant increase in mean filtration fraction from 0.045 +/- 0.022 to 0.080 +/- 0.021. Calculation of glomerular efferent oncotic pressure indicated that filtration equilibrium did not exist in freshwater lampreys but was attained after transfer. The mean coefficient of filtration of freshwater lampreys was 0.028 +/- 0.002 nl X s-1 X mmHg-1.

Animals↗

Three-dimensional reconstructed glomerular capillary network: blood flow distribution and local filtration.

We developed a mathematical model to simulate blood flow and filtration in individual capillary segments of a glomerular network reconstructed from a normal Munich-Wistar (MW) rat. Three-dimensional geometric reconstruction was obtained by semithin serial sections (1 micron) of one glomerulus after perfusion fixation of kidney. Photomicrographs of each section were digitized and processed, using a computer-based image-analysis system, to derive the topological organization of the capillary network and mean diameter and length of individual capillary segments. Blood flow rate in capillary segments was calculated using a theoretical model that considers apparent viscosity of blood in small capillaries as a function of local rheological parameters, partition of cells at bifurcations, and local filtration dependent on transmembrane hydraulic and oncotic pressure gradients along the network. In accord with previous observations, the topological organization of the capillary network disclosed a three-lobular structure. The ultrafiltration coefficient (Kf) calculated for the euvolemic MW rat with the present network approach was compared with that derived from a theoretical model that assumes identical capillaries in parallel. The latter model is shown to underestimate Kf, particularly under conditions in which filtration pressure equilibrium is approached. Calculation of local blood flow and filtration along the network indicates a heterogeneous distribution of these parameters and that some parts of the capillary network operate at filtration pressure equilibrium even if the overall network operates at filtration disequilibrium.

Animals↗