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Vivo Preparations (vivo + preparation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%
Life Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Development and validation of a smoothing-splines-based correction method for improving the analysis of CEST-MR images

CONTRAST MEDIA & MOLECULAR IMAGING, Issue 4 2008
J. Stancanello
Abstract Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging is an emerging MRI technique relying on the use of endogenous or exogenous molecules containing exchangeable proton pools. The heterogeneity of the water resonance frequency offset plays a key role in the occurrence of artifacts in CEST-MR images. To limit this drawback, a new smoothing-splines-based method for fitting and correcting Z -spectra in order to compensate for low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) without any a priori model was developed. Global and local voxel-by-voxel Z -spectra were interpolated by smoothing splines with smoothing terms aimed at suppressing noise. Thus, a map of the water frequency offset (,zero' map) was used to correctly calculate the saturation transfer (ST) for each voxel. Simulations were performed to compare the method to polynomials and zero-only-corrected splines on the basis of SNR improvement. In vitro acquisitions of capillaries containing solutions of LIPOCEST agents at different concentrations were performed to experimentally validate the results from simulations. Additionally, ex vivo investigations of bovine muscle mass injected with LIPOCEST agents were performed as a function of increasing pulse power. The results from simulations and experiments highlighted the importance of a proper ,zero' correction (15% decrease of fictitious CEST signal in phantoms and ex vivo preparations) and proved the method to be more accurate compared with the previously published ones, often providing a SNR higher than 5 in different simulated and experimentally noisy conditions. In conclusion, the proposed method offers an accurate tool in CEST investigation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Effects of Direct Sympathetic and Vagus Nerve Stimulation on the Physiology of the Whole Heart , A Novel Model of Isolated Langendorff Perfused Rabbit Heart with Intact Dual Autonomic Innervation

EXPERIMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001
G. André Ng
A novel isolated Langendorff perfused rabbit heart preparation with intact dual autonomic innervation is described. This preparation allows the study of the effects of direct sympathetic and vagus nerve stimulation on the physiology of the whole heart. These hearts (n= 10) had baseline heart rates of 146 ± 2 beats min,1 which could be increased to 240 ±11 beats min,1 by sympathetic stimulation (15 Hz) and decreased to 74 ± 11 beats min,1 by stimulation of the vagus nerve (right vagus, 7 Hz). This model has the advantage of isolated preparations, with the absence of influence from circulating hormones and haemodynamic reflexes, and also that of in vivo preparations where direct nerve stimulation is possible without the need to use pharmacological agents. Data are presented characterising the preparation with respect to the effects of autonomic nerve stimulation on intrinsic heart rate and atrioventricular conduction at different stimulation frequencies. We show that stimulation of the right and left vagus nerve have differential effects on heart rate and atrioventricular conduction. [source]

Feasibility of Myxomatous Mitral Valve Repair Using Direct Leaflet and Chordal Radiofrequency Ablation

JOURNAL OF INTERVENTIONAL CARDIOLOGY, Issue 6 2008
JEFFREY L. WILLIAMS M.D., M.S.
Objective: Minimally invasive repair of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) causing severe mitral regurgitation (MR) should reduce MR and have chronic durability. Our ex vivo, acute in vivo, and chronic in vivo studies suggest that direct application of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) to mitral leaflets and chordae can effect these repair goals to decrease MR. Methods: A total of seven canines were studied to assess the effects of RFA on mitral valve structure and function. RFA was applied ex vivo (n = 1), acutely in vivo using a right lateral thoracotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 3), and chronically in vivo using percutaneous access to the heart (n = 3). RFA was applied to the mitral valve and its associated chordae. Mitral valve structure and function (in vivo preparations) were then assessed. Results: Ex vivo application of RFA resulted in qualitative reduction in mitral leaflet surface area and chordal length. Acute in vivo application of RFA to canines found to have MVP causing severe MR demonstrated a 43.7,60.7% statistically significant (P = 0.039) reduction in postablation MR. Chronic, in vivo, percutaneous application of RFA was found to be feasible and the engendered alterations durable. Conclusion: These data suggest that myxomatous mitral valve repair using radiofrequency energy delivered via catheter is feasible. [source]

Effect of P2X7 receptor knockout on exocrine secretion of pancreas, salivary glands and lacrimal glands

THE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 18 2010
Ivana Novak
The purinergic P2X7 receptors are expressed in different cell types where they have varied functions, including regulation of cell survival. The P2X7 receptors are also expressed in exocrine glands, but their integrated role in secretion is unclear. The aim of our study was to determine whether the P2X7 receptors affect fluid secretion in pancreas, salivary glands and tear glands. We monitored gland secretions in in vivo preparations of wild-type and P2X7,/, (Pfizer) mice stimulated with pilocarpine. In cell preparations from pancreas, parotid and lacrimal glands we measured ATP release and intracellular Ca2+ activity using Fura-2. The data showed that pancreatic secretion and salivary secretions were reduced in P2X7,/, mice, and in contrast, tear secretion was increased in P2X7,/, mice. The secretory phenotype was also dependent on the sex of the animal, such that males were more dependent on the P2X7 receptor expression. ATP release in all cell preparations could be elicited by carbachol and other agonists, and this was independent of the P2X7 receptor expression. ATP and carbachol increased intracellular Ca2+ activity, but responses depended on the gland type, presence of the P2X7 receptor and the sex of the animal. Together, these results demonstrate that cholinergic stimulation leads to release of ATP that can via P2X7 receptors up-regulate pancreatic and salivary secretion but down-regulate tear secretion. Our data also indicate that there is an interaction between purinergic and cholinergic receptor signalling and that function of the P2X7 receptor is suppressed in females. We conclude that the P2X7 receptors are important in short-term physiological regulation of exocrine gland secretion. [source]