Oxygen Transport In Tissue Research Articles

Hypoxia dose painting in SBRT – the virtual clinical trial approach

Background Treating hypoxic tumours remains a challenge in radiotherapy as hypoxia leads to enhanced tumour aggressiveness and resistance to radiation. As escalating the doses is rarely feasible within the healthy tissue constraints, dose-painting strategies have been explored. Consensus about the best of care for hypoxic tumours has however not been reached because, among other reasons, the limits of current functional in-vivo imaging systems in resolving the details and dynamics of oxygen transport in tissue. Computational modelling of the tumour microenvironment enables the design and conduction of virtual clinical trials by providing relationships between biological features and treatment outcomes. This study presents a framework for assessing the therapeutic influence of the individual characteristics of the vasculature and the resulting oxygenation of hypoxic tumours in a virtual clinical trial on dose painting in stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) circumventing the limitations of the imaging systems. Material and methods The homogeneous doses required to overcome hypoxia in simulated SBRT treatments of 1, 3 or 5 fractions were calculated for tumours with heterogeneous oxygenation derived from virtual vascular networks. The tumour control probability (TCP) was calculated for different scenarios for oxygenation dynamics resulting on cellular reoxygenation. Results A three-fractions SBRT treatment delivering 41.9 Gy (SD 2.8) and 26.5 Gy (SD 0.1) achieved only 21% (SD 12) and 48% (SD 17) control in the hypoxic and normoxic subvolumes, respectively whereas fast reoxygenation improved the control by 30% to 50%. TCP values for the individual tumours with similar characteristics, however, might differ substantially, highlighting the crucial role of the magnitude and time evolution of hypoxia at the microscale. Conclusion The results show that local microvascular heterogeneities may affect the predicted outcome in the hypoxic core despite escalated doses, emphasizing the role of theoretical modelling in understanding of and accounting for the dominant factors of the tumour microenvironment.

Preparation of a scaffold for a vascular network channel with spatially varying diameter based on sucrose

In the past few decades, although tissue engineering has made significant progress and achieved many accomplishments, there are still some key problems that remain unsolved. One of the urgent research challenges in this field is how to prepare large-scale tissue engineering scaffolds with spatially complex structures. In this work, a sacrificial template process using sucrose as the sacrificial material and a gelatin/microbial transglutaminase mixed solution as the bio-scaffold material is proposed to fabricate a bio-scaffold with multi-level branching and spatially complex vascular network channels that mimic the structure and function of the human vascular network. To validate the feasibility of the fabrication process and the rationality of the process parameters, the morphological characteristics, connectivity of vascular network channels, shaping accuracy, and mechanical properties of the bio-scaffold were tested and analyzed. The results showed that the bio-scaffold fabricated using this process had a complete morphology and excellent connectivity. The diameter of the sucrose sacrificial template showed a linear relationship with the feeding speed, and the average diameter error rate between the sucrose sacrificial template and the vascular network channels inside the bio-scaffold was less than 8%. The mechanical properties of the bio-scaffold met the requirements for large-scale tissue defect repair. To evaluate the effect of the bio-scaffold on cell activity, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were seeded into the vascular network channels of the bio-scaffold, and their attachment, growth, and proliferation on the surface of the vascular network channels were observed. To further assess the biocompatibility of the bio-scaffold, the bio-scaffold was implanted subcutaneously in the dorsal tissue of rats, and the tissue regeneration status was compared and analyzed through immunohistochemical analysis. The results showed that the vascular network channels within the bio-scaffold allowed uniform cell attachment, growth, with fewer dead cells and high cell viability. Moreover, clear cell attachment and growth were observed within the vascular network channels of the bio-scaffold after implantation in rats. These results indicate that the fabricated bio-scaffold meets the basic performance requirements for the repair and regeneration of large-scale tissue defects, providing a new approach for oxygen and nutrient transport in large-scale tissues and opening up new avenues for clinical applications.

Triterpenoids in aerenchymatous phellem contribute to internal root aeration and waterlogging adaptability in soybeans.

Soybeans (Glycine max) develop newly differentiated aerenchymatous phellem (AP) in response to waterlogging stress. AP is formed in the hypocotyl and root, thus contributing to internal aeration and adaptation to waterlogging for several legumes. Extensive accumulation of triterpenoids - lupeol and betulinic acid - has been identified in AP. However, their physiological roles in plants remain unclarified. Lupeol is converted from 2,3-oxidosqualene by lupeol synthase (LUS) and oxidized to betulinic acid. Notably, soybeans have two LUS genes (GmLUS1 and GmLUS2). Functional analysis was performed to reveal the biological and physiological functions of triterpenoids in AP using lus mutants. The AP cells of lus1 mutant lacked triterpenoid accumulation and epicuticular wax. Lupeol and betulinic acid were the major components of epicuticular wax and contributed to tissue hydrophobicity and oxygen transport to the roots. Tissue porosity in AP was lower in the lus1 mutant than in the wild-type, which resulted in reduced oxygen transport to the roots via AP. This reduction in oxygen transport resulted in shallow root systems under waterlogged conditions. Triterpenoid accumulation in AP contributes to effective internal aeration and root development for adaptation to waterlogging, suggesting the significance of triterpenoids in improving waterlogging tolerance.

Hypoxic response patterns in lung tissue: An integrated analysis of comparative physiological and transcriptomic studies from Neodon fuscus and Lasiopodomys brandtii

Oxygen (O2) is essential for the survival and reproduction of most species. However, in recent years, with global climate change and the increasing impact of human activities on the ecosystem, the frequency of extreme environmental events, such as heat waves, cold waves, droughts, and floods, has increased, resulting in dramatic changes in environmental oxygen concentration (hypoxic environment, etc.), threatening the survival of animals and pushing them toward extreme adaptation. In this context, how organisms, especially those with differences in original habitats, adapt to low oxygen environment is particularly important. In this study, we systematically analyzed hypoxic response patterns in lung tissues of small rodents Neodon fuscus, Lasiopodomys brandtii, and Mus musculus with different experiences of natural hypoxia tolerance through laboratory simulation of hypoxia environment, combined with hematological, histological, and transcriptomic analysis. Our results show that all three species exhibit increased antioxidant defense and damage repair ability to a certain extent under hypoxia, although the specific molecular mechanisms are not the same. L. brandtii showed better damage repair ability than the others, which is likely to be closely related to the intermittent hypoxia environment experienced in the natural environment, and genes such as Glrx5, Prdx2, Col1a1, Lama1, and Eln may play a crucial role in this process. In addition, we found that both N. fuscus and L. brandtii appropriately enhanced oxygen transport in tissues under hypoxic conditions, with a series of functional genes related to hemoglobin synthesis and vascular smooth muscle contraction were significantly up-regulated in both species of voles, such as Actg2, Ptgir, Alas2, Hba, Hbb and Bpgm. Our results, to a certain extent, reveal the differences and similarities of hypoxic response patterns in lung tissues of small rodents with different hypoxic life histories and provide a relatively perfect analytical paradigm for related studies.

Substrate Transport in Cylindrical Multi-Capillary Beds with Axial Diffusion

It is known that in oxygen concentration profiles for capillary beds of skeletal muscles, radial diffusion most likely has considerably more effect on oxygen transport in long and parallel capillary beds than axial diffusion. However, axial diffusion may still play a significant role in oxygen transport in tissue, especially in relatively short pathways. Our model adds to known solutions the component of axial diffusion to multi-capillary beds inside a tissue cylinder, where arbitrary characteristics include random locations and uneven oxygen strengths. Discussion of the solutions for oxygen supply in multicapillary beds near the arterial ends, in the central regions, and near the venous ends in capillaries is introduced in the remainder of the article. Our prime model builds on known solutions involving circular regions by adding a $Z$-axis and by accounting for circular cylindrical tissue around multiple capillaries. To account for relatively small longitudinal diffusivities, we use perturbation methods to solve the associated governing equations.

MATHEMATICAL STUDY OF PULMONARY AND INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF OXYGEN IN BIOLOGICAL TISSUES UNDER HYPOXIA CONDITIONS

Mathematical modelling of oxygen transport in biological tissues played a great role and provides optimal results for advanced biomedical and biophysical research. Conventionally, oxygen is administered to hypoxic patients through pul- monary route. A mathematical model has been proposed to establish an alternative route for oxygen supply, whereby oxygen is administered directly into the target tis- sue bypassing the lung compartment. Our study aims at evaluating the feasibility of the novel approach using compartment modelling. The model is represented by a system of first order ordinary differential equations and their solution by Cramer’s rule and Laplace transform method. The concentration profiles of oxygen through pulmonary and intravenous routes were estimated in the arterial blood and tissue compartments at different flow rates; and with respect to initial oxygen concen- tration in the lung compartment and in the injected solution. Our results are in agreement with those arrived at by Lin Gui and Jing Liu (2006) [4]. The method offers a promising alternative to the conventional approach for clinical rescue of hypoxic patients, more so in emergency situations.

Hypoxia Stress Induces Tissue Damage, Immune Defense, and Oxygen Transport Change in Gill of Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix): Evaluation on Hypoxia by Using Transcriptomics

The silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) is an economically, as well as environmentally, important fish that harbors low environmental hypoxia tolerance and frequently contributes to a loss of aquaculture productivity. The gill is the first tissue attacked by hypoxia; however, the response of the gills of H. molitrix to hypoxia stress at the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels has not been clearly established. The influence of hypoxia on histological features along with gene expression in silver carp gills were explored in this research. The hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections and electron microscopy examinations of gills indicated that the gill lamellae were seriously twisted, gill filaments were dehisced, and the swelling and shedding of epithelial cell layer in the gill tissue were intensified along with the degree of hypoxia. In the hypoxia, semi-asphyxia, and asphyxia groups, the gill transcriptomic assessment of shifts in key genes, as well as modulatory networks in response to hypoxic conditions revealed 587, 725, and 748 differentially expressed genes, respectively. These genes are abundant in immune response signaling cascades (e.g., complement and coagulation cascades, Nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling cascade, and differentiation of Th1 along with Th2 cells) and oxygen transport [e.g., MAPK, PI3K-Akt, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling cascades]. Genes linked to immune response (e.g., c2, c3, c6, klf4, cxcr4, cd45, and cd40) and oxygen transport (e.g., egln1, egln3, epo, ldh, and vegfa) were additionally identified. According to our findings, the silver carp may be using “HIF-1” to obtain additional oxygen during hypoxia. These findings illustrate that hypoxia stress might damage gill tissue, trigger an immunological response, and activate HIF-1 signaling to increase oxygen availability under hypoxic situations. The findings of this work will help scientists better understand the molecular mechanisms driving hypoxia responses in hypoxia-sensitive fish and speed up the development of hypoxia-resistant varieties.

Biomimetic Nanocatalysts Enhance Oxidative Damage against Cancer Cells

Red blood cells (RBCs) naturally delivery oxygen and kill pathogens through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated from Fe-protoporphyrin component in hemoglobin, which might be also promising for cancer treatment in terms of relieving tumor hypoxia and inducing oxidative damage against cancer cells. However, the therapy efficacy is far from satisfactory due to the limited oxygen transport and ROS generation rate in tumor tissue. Herein, artificial RBCs (designated as FTP@RBCM) with radical storm production ability is developed for oncotherapy through multi-dimensional reactivity pathways of Fe-protoporphyrin based hybrid metal-organic framework (FTP, as the core), including photodynamic/chemodynamic (PDT/CDT)-like, catalase-like and glutathione (GSH) peroxidase-like activity. Meanwhile, owing to the advantages of reticuloendothelial system (RES) evasion and long circulation abilities of RBCs governed by their cell membranes (RBCMs), FTP with surface further coated with RBCMs (FTP@RBCM) could enormously accumulate at tumor site to achieve remarkably enhanced therapy efficiency.

Impairment of branchial and coronary blood flow reduces reproductive fitness, but not cardiac performance in paternal smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

The capacity to extract oxygen from the water, and the ability of the heart to drive tissue oxygen transport, are fundamental determinants of important life-history performance traits in fish. Cardiac performance is in turn dependent on the heart's own oxygen supply, which in some teleost species is partly delivered via a coronary circulation originating directly from the gills that perfuses the heart, and is crucial for cardiac, metabolic and locomotory capacities. It is currently unknown, however, how a compromised branchial blood flow (e.g., by angling-induced hook damage to the gills), constraining oxygen uptake and coronary blood flow, affects the energetically demanding parental care behaviours and reproductive fitness in fish. Here, we tested the hypothesis that blocking ¼ of the branchial blood flow and abolishing coronary blood flow would negatively affect parental care behaviours, cardiac performance (heart rate metrics, via implanted Star-Oddi heart rate loggers) and reproductive fitness of paternal smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu). Our findings reveal that branchial/coronary ligation compromised reproductive fitness, as reflected by a lower proportion of broods reaching free-swimming fry and a tendency for a higher nest abandonment rate relative to sham operated control fish. While this was associated with a tendency for a reduced aggression in ligated fish, parental care behaviours were largely unaffected by the ligation. Moreover, the ligation did not impair any of the heart rate performance metrics. Our findings highlight that gill damage may compromise reproductive output of smallmouth bass populations during the spawning season. Yet, the mechanism(s) behind this finding remains elusive.

SAXS structure of homodimeric oxyHemoglobin III from bivalve Lucina pectinata.

Hemoglobin III (HbIII) is one of the two oxygen reactive hemoproteins present in the bivalve, Lucina pectinata. The clam inhabits a sulfur-rich environment and HbIII is the only hemoprotein present in the system which does not yet have a structure described elsewhere. It is known that HbIII exists as a heterodimer with hemoglobin II (HbII) to generate the stable Oxy(HbII-HbIII) complex but it remains unknown if HbIII can form a homodimeric species. Here, a new chromatographic methodology to separate OxyHbIII from the HbII-HbIII dimer has been developed, employing a fast performance liquid chromatography and ionic exchange chromatography column. The nature of OxyHbIII in solution at concentrations from 1.6mg/mL to 20.4mg/mL was studied using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results show that at all concentrations, the Oxy(HbIII-HbIII) dimer dominates in solution. However, as the concentration increases to nonphysiological values, 20.4mg/mL, HbIII forms a 30% tetrameric fraction. Thus, there is a direct relationship between the Oxy(HbIII-HbIII) oligomeric form and hemoglobin concentration. We suggest it is likely that the OxyHbIII dimer contributes to active oxygen transport in tissues of L pectinata, where the Oxy(HbII-HbIII) complex is not present.

Muscle oxygen extraction and lung function are related to exercise tolerance after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between exercise intolerance, muscle oxidative metabolism, and cardiopulmonary function following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in a sterile isolation room setting. This was a prospective observational cohort study conducted in a single center. Fourteen patients with hematopoietic malignancies who had undergone allo-HSCT were included in this study from June 2015 to April 2020. Patients received donor HSCT after high dose-chemotherapy and total-body irradiation. Physical activity was limited during treatments. Outcome measures included body anthropometric measurements, exercise tolerance tests using the ramp protocol, pulmonary function tests, and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) measurements. Data of pre- and posttransplant measurements were compared using the paired t test or nonparametric Wilcoxon U test. Associations were assessed using the Pearson or nonparametric Spearman correlations. NIRS showed reduced muscle consumption and extraction of oxygen in the posttransplant period compared to the pretransplant period (ΔStO2 min pre: −18.6% vs. post: −13.0%, P = 0.04; ΔHHb max pre: 4.21μmol/l vs. post: 3.31μmol/l: P = 0.048). Exercise tolerance had reduced following allo-HSCT (Peak workload pre: 70.3 W vs. post: 58.0 W: P = 0.014). Furthermore, exercise intolerance was associated with pulmonary function, muscle oxygen consumption, and muscle oxygen extraction (all P <0.05). This analysis revealed that exercise intolerance following allo-HSCT was associated with pulmonary dysfunction and muscle oxidative dysfunction. These findings could help identify the physical function associated with impaired tissue oxygen transport leading to exercise intolerance following allo-HSCT.

Comparison between plasma lactate and lactate clearance with the impact of acute phase complication in burn injury patient

Severe burn can cause rapid loss of intravascular volume with resultant a decrease in peripheral blood flow which reduces tissue oxygen transport and in turn, increases plasma lactate. Plasma lactate and lactate clearance are useful parameters to compare complicated and uncomplicated burn patients in the acute phase. The study aimed to evaluate the initial and 24-h plasma lactate levels as well as lactate clearance as useful parameters to assess acute phase complications of burn patients. This was a cross-sectional study involving 35 burn patients who admitted at Abdul Wahab Sjahranie District Hospital, Samarinda during the period of September 2018 to September 2019. The study was immediately begun after admission of the patients. Plasma lactate levels were measured at admission and24-h after the first measurement. The acute phase complication was assessed 72 h after burns from the laboratory parameter. Fisher’s exact test and t test using SPSS software version 24were applied for statistical analysis. The 24-h plasma lactate level (p= 0.001) and plasma lactate clearance (p = 0.002) were significantly correlated with the occurrence of acute phase complications of burns. However, the initial plasma lactate level was not significantly correlated (p = 0.609). In conclusion, there is a significantly correlation between 24-h plasma lactate level and plasma lactate clearance are with the occurrence of acute phase complications of burns.

Oxygen transport kinetics underpin rapid and robust diaphragm recovery following chronic spinal cord injury.

Key points Spinal treatment can restore diaphragm function in all animals 1 month following C2 hemisection induced paralysis. Greater recovery occurs the longer after injury the treatment is applied.Through advanced assessment of muscle mechanics, innovative histology and oxygen tension modelling, we have comprehensively characterized in vivo diaphragm function and phenotype.Muscle work loops reveal a significant deficit in diaphragm functional properties following chronic injury and paralysis, which are normalized following restored muscle activity caused by plasticity‐induced spinal reconnection.Injury causes global and local alterations in diaphragm muscle vascular supply, limiting oxygen diffusion and disturbing function. Restoration of muscle activity reverses these alterations, restoring oxygen supply to the tissue and enabling recovery of muscle functional properties.There remain metabolic deficits following restoration of diaphragm activity, probably explaining only partial functional recovery. We hypothesize that these deficits need to be resolved to restore complete respiratory motor function. Months after spinal cord injury (SCI), respiratory deficits remain the primary cause of morbidity and mortality for patients. It is possible to induce partial respiratory motor functional recovery in chronic SCI following 2 weeks of spinal neuroplasticity. However, the peripheral mechanisms underpinning this recovery are largely unknown, limiting development of new clinical treatments with potential for complete functional restoration. Utilizing a rat hemisection model, diaphragm function and paralysis was assessed and recovered at chronic time points following trauma through chondroitinase ABC induced neuroplasticity. We simulated the diaphragm's in vivo cyclical length change and activity patterns using the work loop technique at the same time as assessing global and local measures of the muscles histology to quantify changes in muscle phenotype, microvascular composition, and oxidative capacity following injury and recovery. These data were fed into a physiologically informed model of tissue oxygen transport. We demonstrate that hemidiaphragm paralysis causes muscle fibre hypertrophy, maintaining global oxygen supply, although it alters isolated muscle kinetics, limiting respiratory function. Treatment induced recovery of respiratory activity normalized these effects, increasing oxygen supply, restoring optimal diaphragm functional properties. However, metabolic demands of the diaphragm were significantly reduced following both injury and recovery, potentially limiting restoration of normal muscle performance. The mechanism of rapid respiratory muscle recovery following spinal trauma occurs through oxygen transport, metabolic demand and functional dynamics of striated muscle. Overall, these data support a systems‐wide approach to the treatment of SCI, and identify new targets to mediate complete respiratory recovery.

Diffuse Hair Loss and Thinning: a Modern Perspective on the Problem and Approaches to Therapy

Hair condition is an indicator of health. By the nature of the violation of hair growth, somatic, infectious, endocrinological and other diseases can be identified in the early stages. From a practical point of view, it is very important to know the differences in changes in the condition of hair during loss or thinning. Diffuse alopecia is the most common form of hair growth disorders (up to 80 %) in people aged 30–50. The biological role of iron (Fe) in the human body is great - it provides oxygen transport and oxidative processes in tissues, and its deficiency leads to the development of iron deficiency anemia and associated trophic and metabolic disorders, especially hair growth and development. Spectrum of drugs that have the ability to compensate for these disorders is narrow enough. Relatively recently, a new Gf-based product appeared on the Ukrainian pharmaceutical market – a dietary supplement Richter FerroBio (Gedeon Richter, Hungary), specially designed for those cases when food does not manage to achieve a sufficient level of Fe or the need for it significantly increases. The article describes the distinctive features of diffuse thinning and hair loss. The principles of patient management are generalized and the possibilities of strengthening hair growth using heme iron preparations are shown.

Nonstationary Model of Oxygen Transport in Brain Tissue

The paper addresses the mathematical study of a nonstationary continuum model describing oxygen propagation in cerebral substance. The model allows to estimate the rate of oxygen saturation and stabilization of oxygen concentration in relatively large parts of cerebral tissue. A theoretical and numerical analysis of the model is performed. The unique solvability of the underlying initial-boundary value problem for a system of coupled nonlinear parabolic equations is proved. In the numerical experiment, the tissue oxygen saturation after hypoxia is analyzed for the case when a sufficient amount of oxygen begins to flow into the capillary network. A fast stabilization of the tissue oxygen concentration is demonstrated. The reliability of the results of the numerical simulation is discussed.

Do Bioreactor Designs with More Efficient Oxygen Supply to Ovarian Cortical Tissue Fragments Enhance Follicle Viability and Growth In Vitro?

Background: Autotransplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue is currently the main option to preserve fertility for cancer patients. To avoid cancer cell reintroduction at transplantation, a multi-step culture system has been proposed to obtain fully competent oocytes for in vitro fertilization. Current in vitro systems are limited by the low number and health of secondary follicles produced during the first step culture of ovarian tissue fragments. To overcome such limitations, bioreactor designs have been proposed to enhance oxygen supply to the tissue, with inconsistent results. This retrospective study investigates, on theoretical grounds, whether the lack of a rational design of the proposed bioreactors prevented the full exploitation of follicle growth potential. Methods: Models describing oxygen transport in bioreactors and tissue were developed and used to predict oxygen availability inside ovarian tissue in the pertinent literature. Results: The proposed theoretical analysis suggests that a successful outcome is associated with enhanced oxygen availability in the cultured tissue in the considered bioreactor designs. This suggests that a rational approach to bioreactor design for ovarian tissue culture in vitro may help exploit tissue potential to support follicle growth.

Association of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene G894T polymorphism with blood oxygen transport

BackgroundNitric oxide (NO) is involved in formation of oxygen transport function of blood and oxygen transport in tissues by means of interaction with haemoglobin. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene G894T polymorphism affects the expression and the activity of the NO synthase enzyme. The influence of this polymorphism on the formation of oxygen-dependent processes in the body has not been completely investigated. ObjectiveTo evaluate the associations between G894T polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and the condition of oxygen transport function of blood in healthy male volunteers. MethodsThe study subjects were healthy young males aged 18–24 years (n = 165). The blood was drawn from the cubital vein at rest after 12 h following the last food intake. G984T polymorphism and the blood oxygen indices pO2, CvO2, SO2, pH, р50stand (the temperature was 37°С, рН = 7.4, рСО2 = 40 mm Hg) and р50act (actual temperature, рН and рСО2), etc. were determined. ResultsIn persons with the TT-genotype, the oxygen content in venous blood was 48.7% (q = 0.019) lower compared to subjects with the GT-genotype and 49.4% (q = 0.019) lower compared to subjects with the GG-genotype. The saturation of blood in carriers of the TT-genotype was 32.4% (q = 0.021) and 35.9% (q = 0.019) lower as opposed to subjects with the GT-genotype and the GG-genotype, respectively. In blood of subjects with the TT-genotype, the oxygen tension was 26.1% (q = 0.019) lower as compared to subjects with the GT-genotype and 27.4% (q = 0.019) lower as opposed to the GG-genotype. In turn, volunteers having a common allele in their genotype (GG + GT) demonstrated oxygen tension to be 26.7% (q = 0.019) higher compared to subjects with the TT-genotype. The blood pH values of the subjects having the recessive genotype were 0.022 units lower compared to the GG (q = 0.044) and GT (q = 0.042) genotypes. In volunteers with the TT-genotype, the p50stand parameter was 5.8% (q = 0.027) lower compared to subjects with the GT-genotype and 6.8% (q = 0.019) lower compared to volunteers with the GG-genotype. In persons with two T-alleles in their genotype, p50act was 5.4% (q = 0.019) lower compared to subjects with the GT-genotype and 6.4% (q = 0.019) lower compared to persons with the GG-genotype. ConclusionThe T-allele of G894T polymorphism is associated with low values for oxygen content, oxygen tension, acidic pH shift and increased haemoglobin affinity for oxygen under standard and real conditions. The presence of a minor allele in G894T polymorphism of the NOS3 gene contributes to formation of oxygen transport function of blood.

Supplementation with nutraceuticals produces changes in working horse’s blood parameters but not in their body composition

Background : : : : There is little scientific data about the effects of continuous supplementation with nutraceuticals over horse’s health and performance. Horse owners and veterinarians are still using supplements for horses without any kind of evaluations. At the Brazilian market is possible to buy hundreds of different products, but there is not private or state regulation over production and quality of these products. The absence of information about quality and efficacy of these products may contribute to mistakes in horse’s nutrition program. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of supplementation with a combination of nutraceuticals over some blood parameters (red cell count, total plasma proteins, free plasma glutamine and glutamate) and components of body composition in working horses. Materials, Methods & Results : There were 19 gelding horses, divided in two groups: nutraceutical (NUTR; n=10) and placebo (PLAC; n=9). Both groups received equivalent feeding regimens in regard to concentrate and grass, and did similar exercise program. NUTR group received their pellets with nutraceuticals, and PLAC group received a placebo during the morning meal. There is no visual difference between nutraceutical and placebo pellets. Body composition determination and blood collection were taken in three periods: pre-test, after 4 and 12 weeks of supplementation. Body composition was determined after evaluation of horse’s body mass by electronic scale associated with measurement of rump fat by ultrasound. Results showed that there were no significant changes in body composition during 12 weeks of supplementation in both groups, which had percentage of body fat around 13%. However, supplementation with nutraceutical produced significant changes (P Discussion : Supplementation with nutraceutical or placebo did not produce illness or other nutritional problem in the experimental horses during 12 weeks. Also, because the nutraceutical and placebo pellets were visually similar to horse’s grain, the experimental animals did not have problems to eat all feed during 12 weeks. During this period it was observed that NUTR group had some improvement of the blood parameters when compared with PLAC group (P 16%), total plasma protein (>7%) and free plasma glutamine (>20%) observed in NUTR group will contribute to horse’s performance since it is positive action on red blood indexes and plasma amino acid concentration, contributing to the well-being of this horse group. Increase in blood glutamine concentration observed in NUTR group without improvement of body composition was not expected because this amino acid is produced mainly by skeletal muscle. Increase in fat-free mass frequently is associated with improvement of blood glutamine concentration. Finally, initial elevation in few parameters in PLAC group at 4 weeks of supplementation probably was associated with improvement of general management practices. In conclusion, Supplementation with a nutraceutical combination, for 12 weeks, produces changes in the concentration of some blood parameters, but it didn’t modify the corporal composition. The elevation of those components can favor the transport of oxygen and nutrients in tissues leading to improvement in the horse performance.

Flow of Red Blood Cell Through Microvessels: A Rheological Review

Capillary dysfunction is an outcome of chronic non-communicable diseases like diabetic, cancer, acute stroke, tumor hypoxia etc. In case of human beings, capillary flow disturbance alters the oxygen transport in tissues and is a source of hypoxia. Therefore, early detection of the above phenomenon in capillaries may prevent the progress of the disease. But the traditional practice is associated with coupling of antigen-antibodies in smaller confinement of blood which is an invasive technique as well. It leads to the assessment of RBCs flowing through microcapillaries at in vitro condition by analytical and numerical modeling. In this paper an exhaustive review is presented for the above issue. Lastly authors proposed an ideal model by addressing limitation issues discussed in previous studies.

Chronological Review on Scientific Findings of Bonghan System and Primo Vascular System.

In 1962, Bonghan Kim in North Korea published a report on a new vascular system in mammals, which he claimed as the acupuncture meridian. He soon named it the Bonghan System. Between 1962 and 1965, he published five reports, with detailed descriptions on the system. Kim also described the self-regenerating nature of a unique cell type Sanals in the system and these cells are now confirmed to be a type of stem cells. According to his findings, the system appears to have vital roles in maintaining mammalian lives. Kim disappeared in around 1965 and the research on this system also completely stopped. In 2002, Kwang-Sup Soh reported re-discovery of the system and, since then, his team has been leading the research on the system. The Soh team has confirmed many of Kim's findings to be valid, although so many of Kim's results are still to be verified. In 2010, the system was renamed the Primo Vascular System (PVS). Soh and researchers trained by Soh have also been reporting new scientific facts on the system. The PVS exists throughout the entire body, including inside the blood and lymphatic vessels. Recent reports revealed more evidence for it to be the acupuncture meridian, where some acupuncture therapies are applied for the blood pressure control. Thus, the PVS is expected to have roles in the oxygen transport in tissues. Many study results also suggest that the PVS may have roles in body homeostasis and regeneration. This article chronologically reviews Kim's scientific findings on the Bonghan System, which were verified by the PVS scientists (after 2000), and also the new findings reported by the PVS scientists.