Vein Volume Research Articles

The relationship between post-anastomosis brachial artery flow rate and brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula access maturity in end-stage kidney disease patients with diabetes mellitus

Background: From previous studies, evaluation of post-anastomosis draining-vein volume flow rate with Doppler ultrasound can be a predictor for arteriovenous fistula maturation. Due to the high variation in measurements by the effect of probe pressure in draining vein, measuring volume flow rate based on post-anastomosis feeding-artery may be an early alternative predictor of arteriovenous fistula maturation. This study aims to investigate the correlation of post-creation brachial artery volume flow rate on maturity of brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula access in patients with end-stage kidney disease with diabetes mellitus. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on end-stage kidney disease patients with diabetes mellitus who underwent brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula creation at three hospitals from July 2019 to March 2020. Doppler ultrasound examination of the brachial artery and draining vein volume flow rate was conducted at pre-operative, post-creation, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks post-creation. Maturity was evaluated at 6 weeks post-anastomosis. Results: A total of 71 subjects met the inclusion and exclusion criteria, with 44 (62%) achieving maturation within 6 weeks. There was a correlation between post-anastomosis brachial artery (p < 0.001) and draining vein volume flow rate (p < 0.001) with arteriovenous fistula maturity after 6 weeks post-operatively. Brachial artery volume flow rate of ⩾350 mL/min can predict AVF maturity with a sensitivity of 95.45% (95% confidence interval = 84.86–98.74) and a specificity of 85.19% (95% confidence interval = 67.52–94.08). Conclusion: Post-anastomosis brachial artery flow volume can be a valuable parameter to predict brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistula maturity. It is a potential alternative to draining vein volume flow, which is technically a difficult examination.

The role of umbilical-portal venous hemodynamics in fetal macrosomia pathogenesis in pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy complicated by diabetes mellitus, the risks of developing fetal macrosomia and other perinatal complications increase. Redistribution of blood flow in the fetal umbilical-portal venous system may be an important but poorly understood compensatory mechanism that affects macrosomic fetal growth. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the features of the fetal umbilical-portal venous hemodynamics in pregnant women with various types of diabetes mellitus and the absence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders, taking into account the gestational age and the macrosomic fetal growth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, 86 pregnant women with pregestational diabetes mellitus, 44 pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 58 patients without carbohydrate metabolism disorders underwent ultrasound examinations from 30+0 to 41+3 weeks of gestation. During ultrasound, we performed Doppler assessment of venous hemodynamic parameters in the vessels of the umbilical-portal venous system, with volumetric blood flow calculated for each vessel. Additionally, the total liver volumetric blood flow and ductus venosus shunt fraction were calculated. RESULTS: The presence of fetal macrosomia in patients from the pregestational diabetes mellitus group is associated with an increase in the volumetric blood flow of the umbilical vein by 89.5 ml/min (p = 0.003) and the left portal vein by 33.3 ml/min (p = 0.008), as well as the total volumetric blood flow of the fetal liver by 95.7 ml/min (p = 0.001) compared with normal-weight fetuses. At the same time, the ductus venosus shunt fraction decreased in macrosomic fetuses by 3.83% (p = 0.001). In the gestational diabetes mellitus and control groups, despite the tendency for these parameters to increase in fetuses with macrosomia, the differences did not reach statistical significance. With a left portal vein volume flow threshold of 94.51 ml/min, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting large births were 84.46 and 72.09%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pregestational diabetes mellitus in the mother is associated with a priority redistribution of blood flow to the fetal liver and is accompanied by a decrease in the ductus venosus shunt fraction. The severity of these hemodynamic changes increases in the presence of fetal macrosomia, which confirms the role of liver perfusion in the regulation of fetal growth in uncomplicated pregnancy and maternal diabetes mellitus.

Morphological characteristics of the stromal-parenchymatous component of the liver of fetal and newborn developed under the conditions of maternal hypertension disease

Background. Extragenital pathology of the mother can cause various changes in the body of the newborn, which in the future are the cause of violations in physical and mental development, and also causes an increase in somatic and infectious diseases in such children. Therefore, timely diagnosis of liver diseases in newborns and young children remains an urgent problem today. Purpose – the article is devoted to the study of the morphological features of the stromal-parenchymal component of the liver of fetuses and newborns that developed under conditions of maternal hypertension. Materials and Methods. Research was conducted on liver preparations of fetuses and newborns who died at the age of 37 weeks of gestation – the 1st day of postnatal life. All the studied material was divided into two groups. The control group (group K) included fetuses and newborns from healthy mothers (18 cases) who died due to acute disruption of umbilical-placental circulation and birth trauma. The comparison group (group C) consisted of 36 fetuses and newborns from mothers with stage II hypertension. The obtained micropreparations were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, picrofuchsin according to the van Gizon method, and according to the Mallory method. The parenchymal, stromal, and vascular components were calculated as a percentage, and then the stromal-parenchymal ratio was calculated. Results. The results we obtained during the conducted research indicated that the influence of chronic intrauterine hypoxia, which developed against the background of stage II hypertensive disease in the mother, leads to the development of destructive-dystrophic changes in the liver tissue of fetuses and newborns. Chronic intrauterine hypoxia with maternal arterial hypertension leads to parenchymal losses and has a pronounced stimulating effect on the stromal component of the liver, and this can lead to a significant decrease in the functional activity of the liver under the influence of certain triggers and increases the risk of developing liver failure and liver cirrhosis in the future. Conclusions. During our research, it was established that chronic intrauterine hypoxia, which develops against the background of stage II hypertensive disease in the mother, leads to the development of significant destructive-dystrophic changes in the liver tissue of fetuses and newborns. There is a decrease in the volume of the parenchyma due to the volume of hepatocytes and an increase in the volume of the stroma with vessels due to the volume of the portal tracts (11.2 ± 2.2% compared to the control – 3.4 ± 0.3%), the volume of the central veins (12.9 ± 1.3% compared to the control – 9.4 ± 0.4%), the volume of sinusoids (13.3 ± 1.1% compared to the control – 11.3 ± 0.8%). It was established that the morphological changes described by us in the liver of fetuses and newborns in the subsequent ontogenesis may become a prerequisite for the development of hepatobiliary system pathology in such children.

Study of Flow Volumes of Internal Jugular Veins in Patients with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis by Doppler Ultrasonography

Study of Flow Volumes of Internal Jugular Veins in Patients with Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis by Doppler Ultrasonography

The effects of different positions on lower extremity hemodynamics during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate the effects of two different positions on lower extremity hemodynamics during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer.MethodsA total of 196 patients who underwent RARP in our hospital from February 2020 to March 2022 were included in this study. Among them, 98 patients who underwent surgery with the Trendelenburg position and split-leg position with calf reverse arch from March 2021 to March 2022 were assigned to the observation group, while 98 patients who underwent surgery with the Trendelenburg position and low lithotomy position from February 2020 to February 2021 were assigned to the control group. Using an ultrasound diagnostic instrument to detect the internal diameter, mean blood flow velocity, and mean blood flow volume of the left deep femoral vein at different times, such as the supine position (T0), after 5 minutes of placing the patient in the leg spilt or low lithotomy position (T1), after 5 minutes of pneumoperitoneum (T2), after 5 minutes of head-down tilt or head-down tilt and calf reverse arch (T3), 1.5 hours after the start of surgery (T4), before the removal of CO2 gas (T5), and before the patient left the operating room (T6). As well as the patency of deep venous blood flow in both lower extremities before leaving the operating room,ResultsAfter establishment of pneumoperitoneum, the internal diameter of the deep femoral vein increased significantly, while the mean blood flow velocity and mean blood flow volume decreased significantly in both groups(T0) (P<0.001). With the prolongation of surgical time, the impact on lower extremity hemodynamics in the observation group was smaller than that in the control group. From T2 to T6, the internal diameter of the femoral vein in the observation group was smaller than that in the control group, while the mean blood flow velocity and mean blood flow volume were increased compared to the control group (P<0.05). Before leaving the operating room, the patency of deep venous blood flow in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P=0.003).ConclusionPlacing patients in the Trendelenburg position and split-leg position with calf reverse arch during RARP for prostate cancer has a smaller impact on lower extremity hemodynamics than the low lithotomy position, and can relatively reduce the risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis.

Chemical characterization and effect of Ziziphora clinopodioides green-synthesized silver nanoparticles on cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities in streptozotocin-induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar diabetic male rats.

The present research studied the cytotoxicity, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities of biogenically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using Ziziphora clinopodioides (Z. clinopodioides) as a green mediator. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) were employed to determine AgNPs. In the invivo experiment, the model rats were categorized into different groups receiving 50, 100, 200, and 400 μg/kg of AgNPs and diabetic, positive, and normal groups (n = 10) using a random division. A single dose of streptozotocin (STZ) at 60 mg/kg was administered to induce diabetes and hepatotoxicity in rats. The administration of AgNPs was performed via intragastric administration for 25 days. On the final day, the levels of glucose and biochemical enzymes, namely aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), were assessed in the serum. Following tissue processing, liver sections with a thickness of 5 μm were prepared. Later, the total volume of different liver components, such as hepatocytes, sinusoids, portal vein, central vein, hepatic arteries, and bile ducts, was measured. The portal vein and bile duct volumes did not vary significantly in groups treated by AgNPs. However, the volume of the central vein and hepatic arteries exhibited noticeable variations in groups treated by AgNPs. After administration of streptozotocin, the volume of hepatocytes and sinusoids increased significantly. However, treatment with a high dose of AgNPs significantly decreased the volume of hepatocytes and sinusoids. In diabetic rats, administering AgNPs reduced the fasting blood glucose levels compared to the model group. In addition, AgNPs decreased the elevated levels of AST and ALP enzymes in a manner that depended on the dosage of AgNPs used. This research demonstrates the hepatoprotective and antidiabetic properties of AgNPs, suggesting their potential implications as hepatoprotective and antidiabetic supplements to prevent diabetes.

Relationship between leaf vein traits of three dominant Quercus species and ecological factors in the Qinling Mountains, China.

We investigated the inter- and intra-species differences of leaf vein traits of three dominant Quercus species, Q. wutaishanica, Q. aliena var. acutiserrata, and Q. variabilis of Niubeiling (subtropical humid climate) and Taohuagou (warm temperate semi-humid climate), located in the eastern and western Qinling Mountains. The nine examined leaf vein traits included primary leaf vein width, secondary leaf vein width, mean fine vein width, primary vein density, fine vein density, vein areole diameter, areole density, 3D fine vein surface area, and fine vein volume. We further elucidated the influencing mechanisms and regulatory pathways of biotic and abiotic factors on leaf vein traits. The results showed that species identity had significant effects on eight out of nine leaf vein traits except 3D fine vein surface area, while habitat had significant effects on primary leaf vein width, secondary leaf vein width, vein areole diameter, fine vein density, and areole density. Altitude had significant effects on primary vein density, mean fine vein width, vein areole diameter, fine vein density and areole density. Habitat, tree species identity, and altitude had significantly interactive effects on primary leaf vein density, 3D fine vein surface area, and fine vein volume. There were significant differences in primary leaf vein width, mean fine vein width, areole density, 3D fine vein surface area, fine vein volume, primary vein density of Q. wutaishanica between the two studied habitats, but the differences were only found in secondary leaf vein width and areole density of Q. aliena var. acutiserrata and Q. variabilis. The examined leaf vein traits were influenced both by biotic and abiotic factors, with varying effect sizes. Among the biotic factors, petiole length, leaf length and width ratio had strong effect on leaf vein traits. Among the abiotic factors, climatic and soil factors had high effect size on vein traits, with the former being higher than the latter. Leaf vein traits were affected directly by biotic factors, but indirectly by abiotic factors (soil and climatic factors) via regulating biotic factors (leaf stoichiometry and leaf phenotypic traits).

Effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy using heparin combined with Plavix after Rex shunt.

Rex shunt is an optimal surgery for the treatment of extra-hepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) in children. Anticoagulant therapy has been used to keep the patency of the bypass vein in the Rex shunt. This study was to investigate the effectiveness of anticoagulant therapy using heparin combined with Plavix in improving the prognosis and shunt patency of Rex shunt. From January 2010 to September 2019, 51 children with EHPVO underwent a portal cavernoma- Rex shunt. Based on whether using the anticoagulant therapy after the Rex shunt, all patients were divided into two groups: the anticoagulant group and the non-anticoagulant group. The diameter and flow velocity of the bypass vein were measured by the post-operative ultrasound, which was used to calculate the flow volume of the bypass vein (FV) and standard portal venous flow (SPVF). The bypass venous flow index (BVFI) was used to evaluate the ability of portal blood into the liver through the bypass vein after the Rex shunt, which was a ratio of FV to SPVF. The incidence of post-operative re-bleeding, the postoperative patency rate of the bypass vein, the remission rate of postoperative hypersplenism, the remission rate of postoperative esophagogastric varices and the BVFI were compared between the two groups. Of the 51 patients, 12 patients in the anticoagulant group were treated with heparin combined with Plavix after Rex shunt; 39 patients in the non-anticoagulant group were not treated with any anticoagulant therapy. 8 of 51 patients suffered from postoperative re-bleeding, of whom 6 patients with thrombosis of the bypass vein and 2 patients with anastomotic stenosis of the bypass vein. All 8 patients with re-bleeding belonged to the non-anticoagulant group. The remission rate of hypersplenism was no significant difference between the two groups after surgery (91% vs. 58%, P = 0.100). However, 3 patients without hypersplenism before surgery suffered from hypersplenism after surgery, who belonged to the non-anticoagulant group. There was no significant difference in the remission rate of esophagogastric varices (33% vs. 46%, P = 1.000). The BVFI of the anticoagulant group was significantly higher than that of the non-anticoagulant group (5.71 ± 5.89 vs. 1.1 ± 1.52, P = 0.003). Anticoagulant therapy using heparin combined with Plavix plays an important role in maintaining the patency of the bypass vein, which improved the portal blood flow into the liver through the bypass vein after the Rex shunt.

Quantification of enlarged deep medullary vein volumes in Sturge-Weber syndrome.

Enlarged deep medullary veins (EDMVs) in patients with Sturge-Weber syndrome (SWS) may channel venous blood from the surface to the deep vein system in brain regions affected by the leptomeningeal venous malformation. Thus, the quantification of EDMV volume may provide an objective imaging marker for this vascular compensatory process. The present study proposes a novel analytical method to quantify enlarged EDMV volumes in the affected hemisphere of patients with unilateral SWS. Twenty young subjects, including 10 patients with unilateral SWS and 10 healthy siblings (age 14.5±6.7 and 16.0±7.0 years, respectively) underwent 3T brain MRI scanning using susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) and volumetric T1-weighted sequences. The proposed image analytic steps segmented EDMVs in white matter regions, defined on the volumetric T1-weighted images, by statistically associating the likelihood of intensity, location, and tubular shape on SWI. The volumes of the segmented EDMVs, calculated in each hemisphere, were compared between affected and unaffected hemispheres. EDMV volumes were also correlated with visually assessed EDMV scores, hemispheric white matter volumes, and cortical surface areas. Parametric tests including Pearson's correlation, unpaired and paired t-tests, were used. A P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. It was found that EDMVs were identified well in SWS-affected hemispheres while calcified regions were excluded. Mean EDMV volumes in the SWS-affected hemispheres were 10-12-fold greater than in the unaffected or healthy control hemispheres; while white matter volumes and cortical surface areas were lower. EDMV volumes in the SWS-affected hemispheres showed a strong positive correlation with the visual EDMV scores (r=0.88, P=0.001) and an inverse correlation with cortical surface area ratios (r=-0.65, P=0.04) but no correlation with white matter volume ratios. EDMVs were detected in the SWS-affected atrophic hemispheres reliably while avoiding calcified regions. The approach can be used to quantify enlarged deep cerebral veins in the human brain, which may provide a potential marker of cerebral venous remodeling.

Adaptation mechanisms of leaf vein traits to drought in grassland plants

Leaf veins play an important role in water transport, and are closely associated with photosynthesis and transpiration. Resource heterogeneity in the environment, particularly in water resources, causes changes in leaf vein structure and function, thereby affecting plant growth and community assemblages. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the spatial variation and evolutionary mechanisms of leaf veins in natural communities. Natural communities are composed of dominant and non-dominant species. However, few studies to date have explored the trait variation of dominant and non-dominant species on a large scale. In this study, we set up 10 sampling sites along the water gradient (from east to west) in the Loess Plateau of China, and measured and calculated the vein density (vein length per unit area, VLA), vein diameter (VD), and vein volume ratio (VVR) of 173 species, including dominant and non-dominant species. The mean values of VLA, VD, and VVR were 10.95 mm mm−2, 22.24 μm, and 3%, respectively. VD and VVR of the dominant species were significantly higher than those of the non-dominant species. Unexpectedly, there was no significant change in the VLA with the water gradient, although the VD increased with drought. Leaf vein traits did not change significantly with evolution. There was a significant trade-off between VLA and VD. Our findings demonstrate that the response of veins to environmental changes is dependent on the degree of drought and provide new insights for further large-scale studies.

Pulmonary circulatory system characteristics are associated with future lung cancer risk.

Most of the subjects eligible for annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung screening will not develop lung cancer for their life. It is important to identify novel biomarkers that can help identify those at risk of developing lung cancer and improve the efficiency of LDCT screening programs. This study aims to investigate the association between the morphology of the pulmonary circulatory system (PCS) and lung cancer development using LDCT scans acquired in the screening setting. We analyzed the PLuSS cohort of 3635 lung screening patients from 2002 to 2016. Circulatory structures were segmented and quantified from LDCT scans. The time from the baseline CT scan to lung cancer diagnosis, accounting for death, was used to evaluate the prognostic ability (i.e., hazard ratio (HR)) of these structures independently and with demographic factors. Five-fold cross-validation was used to evaluate prognostic scores. Intrapulmonary vein volume had the strongest association with future lung cancer (HR=0.63, p<0.001). The joint model of intrapulmonary vein volume, age, smoking status, and clinical emphysema provided the strongest prognostic ability (HR=2.20, AUC=0.74). The addition of circulatory structures improved risk stratification, identifying the top 10% with 28% risk of lung cancer within 15 years. PCS characteristics, particularly intrapulmonary vein volume, are important predictors of lung cancer development. These factors significantly improve prognostication based on demographic factors and noncirculatory patient characteristics, particularly in the long term. Approximately 10% of the population can be identified with risk several times greater than average.

The Effects of Free Breathing on Cerebral Venous Flow: A Real-Time Phase Contrast MRI Study in Healthy Adults.

Quantifying the effects of free breathing on cerebral venous flow is crucial for understanding cerebral circulation mechanisms and clinical applications. Unlike conventional cine phase-contrast MRI sequences (CINE-PC), real-time phase-contrast MRI sequences (RT-PC) can provide a continuous beat-to-beat flow signal that makes it possible to quantify the effect of breathing on cerebral venous flow. In this study, we examined 28 healthy human participants, comprising of 14 males and 14 females. Blood flows in the right/left internal jugular veins in the extracranial plane and the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and straight sinus in the intercranial plane were quantified using CINE-PC and RT-PC. The first objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of RT-PC in quantifying cerebral venous flow, relative to CINE-PC. The second, and main objective, was to quantify the effect of free breathing on cerebral venous flow, using a time-domain multiparameter analysis method. Our results showed that RT-PC can accurately quantify cerebral venous flow with a 2 × 2 mm2 spatial resolution and 75 ms/image time resolution. The mean flow rate, amplitude, stroke volume, and cardiac period of cerebral veins were significantly higher from the mid-end phase of expiration to the mid-end phase of inspiration. Breathing affected the mean flow rates in the jugular veins more than those in the SSS and straight sinus. Furthermore, the effects of free breathing on the flow rate of the left and right jugular veins were not synchronous. These new findings provide a useful reference for better understanding the mechanisms of cerebral circulation.

Correlation Between Intranodular Vessels and Tumor Invasiveness of Lung Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Ground-glass Nodules: A Deep Learning 3-Dimensional Reconstruction Algorithm-based Quantitative Analysis on Noncontrast Computed Tomography Images.

To evaluate the role of quantitative features of intranodular vessels based on deep learning in distinguishing pulmonary adenocarcinoma invasiveness. This retrospective study included 512 confirmed ground-glass nodules from 474 patients with 241 precursor glandular lesions (PGL), 126 minimally invasive adenocarcinomas (MIA), and 145 invasive adenocarcinomas (IAC). The pulmonary blood vessels were reconstructed on noncontrast computed tomography images using deep learning-based region-segmentation and region-growing techniques. The presence of intranodular vessels was evaluated based on the automatic calculation of vessel prevalence, vascular categories, and vessel volume percentage. Further comparisons were made between different invasive groups by the Mantel-Haenszel χ 2 test, χ 2 test, and analysis of variance. The detection rate of intranodular vessels in PGL (33.2%) was significantly lower than that of MIA (46.8%, P = 0.011) and IAC (55.2%, P < 0.001), while the vascular categories were similar (all P > 0.05). Vascular changes were more common in IAC and MIA than in PGL, mainly in increased vessel volume percentage (12.4 ± 19.0% vs. 6.3 ± 13.1% vs. 3.9 ± 9.4%, P < 0.001). The average intranodular artery and vein volume percentage of IAC (7.5 ± 14.0% and 5.0 ± 10.1%) was higher than that of PGL (2.1 ± 6.9% and 1.7 ± 5.8%) and MIA (3.2 ± 9.1% and 3.1 ± 8.7%), with statistical significance (all P < 0.05). The quantitative analysis of intranodular vessels on noncontrast computed tomography images demonstrated that the ground-glass nodules with increased internal vessel prevalence and volume percentages had higher possibility of tumor invasiveness.

Oxycodone does not affect placental circulatory physiology during the early first stage of labor-A randomized trial.

Opioids are used for pain relief during the first stage of labor. Oxycodone can cause maternal hypotension that may modify utero- and fetoplacental circulatory physiology. We hypothesized that maternal intravenous (i.v.) oxycodone has no detrimental effect on utero- and fetoplacental hemodynamics during the early first stage of labor. Twenty-two parturients requiring pain relief during the first stage of labor were randomized in a double-blinded and placebo-controlled study. By Doppler ultrasonography, both uterine artery (Ut) and umbilical vein (UV) volume blood flows (Q), Ut pulsatility index (PI), and Ut vascular resistance (RUt) were calculated. Blood flow velocity waveforms were obtained between uterine contractions. After baseline measurements, women received oxycodone 0.05 mg/kg or a placebo intravenous. Doppler ultrasonography was repeated up to 120 min after the first drug administration. The second dose of oxycodone 0.05 mg/kg was allowed at 60 min to all parturients with contraction pain ≥5/10. Maternal plasma samples were collected at each study phase and after delivery with umbilical cord plasma samples, to measure oxycodone concentrations. gov identifier (NCT no. NCT02573831). At baseline, mean QUt and QUV did not differ significantly between the placebo-first (478 mL/min and 57 mL/min/kg) and the oxycodone-first (561 mL/min and 71 mL/min/kg) groups. In addition, RUt and Ut PI were comparable between the groups. Following oxycodone at 60 min, mean QUt and QUV (714 mL/min and 52 mL/min/kg) were similar to the placebo-first (520 mL/min and 55 mL/min/kg) group. Furthermore, all the measured parameters were comparable to the baseline values. At 60 min after the first study drug administration, all the parturients in the placebo-first group needed intravenous oxycodone 0.05 mg/kg. At 120 min, we found no statistically significant change in any of the measured parameters. No significant correlation was found between maternal oxycodone concentration and QUt or QUV. Furthermore, newborn oxycodone concentration did not correlate with QUV. Oxycodone did not have any detrimental effect on either utero- or fetoplacental circulatory physiology during the early first stage of labor. Maternal plasma oxycodone did not correlate with utero- and fetoplacental hemodynamics. No correlation was found between newborn oxycodone concentration and fetoplacental hemodynamics.

Can CT-Based Arterial and Venous Morphological Markers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Explain Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling?

We analyzed changes in quantitative pulmonary artery and vein parameters to investigate pulmonary vascular remodeling characteristics in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. This retrospective study recruited healthy volunteers and COPD patients. Participants undergoing standard-of-care pulmonary function testing (PFT) and computed tomography (CT) evaluations were classified into five groups: normal and Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) grades 1-4. Artery and vein analyses (volumes, numbers, densities, and fractions) were performed using artificial intelligence. Among 139 subjects (136 men; mean age, 64years±8 [SD]) with GOLD grade 1 (n=13), grade 2 (n=49), grade 3 (n=42), grade 4 (n=17) and control subjects (n=18) enrolled, differences in arterial volumes (BV5-10, BV10+, pulmonary arterial volume) and venous densities (BV5 density, BV10+ density, pulmonary venous density, pulmonary venous branch density) among control and GOLD grades 1-4 were statistically significant (P<.05). Higher pulmonary arterial volumes and lower number were observed with more advanced COPD. The number and volumes of pulmonary veins were lower in GOLD grades 2 and 3 than in GOLD grade 1 but higher in GOLD grade 4 than in GOLD grade 3. The numbers and volumes of pulmonary arteries and veins showed varying positive correlations (γ=0.18-0.96, P<.05). Pulmonary vascular densities were mildly to moderately correlated with PFT results (γ=0.236-0.495, P<.05) and were moderately negatively correlated with the emphysema percentage (γ=-0.591 to -0.315, P<.05). Patients with COPD exhibited pulmonary vascular remodeling, which occurred in the arteries at the early grade of COPD and in the veins at the late grade. CT-based quantitative analysis of pulmonary vasculature may become an imaging marker for early diagnosis and assessment of COPD severity.

Variation in leaf vein traits of Pinaceae plants on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.

To explore the adaptative strategies of single-veined plants along the environmental gradient, we collec-ted leaves of 57 Pinaceae species (including Abies, Larix, Pinus and Picea) from 48 sites along a latitudinal gradient (26°58'-35°33' N) on the eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. By measuring three traits of leaf vein, including vein length per leaf area, vein diameter, and vein volume per unit leaf volume, we analyzed the trade-off between vein traits and their relationship with environmental changes. The results showed no significant difference in vein length per leaf area among different genera, but significant difference in vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume. There was a positive correlation between vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume for all genera. There was no significant correlation of vein length per leaf area with vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume. With the increases of latitude, vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume significantly decreased. In contrast, vein length per leaf area did not show a latitudinal trend. Mean annual temperature was the main factor driving the variation in vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume. The relationships between vein length per leaf area and environmental factors were relatively weak. These results indicated that the single-veined Pinaceae plants have a special adaptative strategy to environmental changes through adjusting vein diameter and vein volume per unit leaf volume, which is quite different from complex vein structures such as reticular veins.

Magnetic resonance imaging of peripheral venous distension with cyclooxygenase inhibition in healthy humans

Background: Peripheral venous distension, induced by a volume infusion into the veins in an occluded limb, evokes a reflex pressor and sympathoexcitatory response in humans (venous distension reflex, VDR). However, to what extent the procedure alters the size of superficial and deep veins remains unclear. Our data showed that local cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition could attenuate the muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and blood pressure (BP) responses to venous distension. It is unclear if the COX blockade would alter the magnitudes of the venous distension. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in superficial and deep vein sizes by the venous distension procedure in healthy subjects under local COX blockade and control conditions. This study is associated with a registered clinical trial (NCT03513770). Hypothesis: We hypothesized that the voxel volume of both superficial and deep veins would increase following peripheral venous distension. We further hypothesized that COX blockade would not alter the distribution of infused volume. Methods: The study had a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover design with two separate visits. Thirteen healthy volunteers underwent peripheral venous distension by which a volume of solution (saline alone or 9 mg ketorolac tromethamine in saline) was infused into the median cubital fossa of an arterially occluded forearm. Each trial (saline or COX blockade) was separated by at least 24 hours. The total infused volume (i.e., 5% of the forearm volume) was held constant across both saline and COX blockade trails. The 3D proton density-weighted magnitude and phase images of the treated arm were obtained before and after the venous distension procedure via a 3T magnetic resonance imaging scanner (Siemens PrismaFit). The average vein voxel volume of 10 forearm veins (six superficial and four deep) was calculated from several adjacent slices of the images. Results: Vein voxel volume was significantly increased by venous distension in both superficial (both P &lt; .001) and deep (both P &lt; 0.01) veins in both trials. However, COX blockade did not influence this increase in voxel volume in either superficial (NSS: Δ2.34 ± 3.05 vs. COX blockade: Δ1.99 ± 2.27 mm3, P = 0.64) or deep (NSS: Δ1.02 ± 1.2 vs. COX blockade: Δ1.06 ± 1.42 mm3, P = 0.94) veins. Conclusion: These data suggest that both superficial and deep veins may contribute to the VDR. Importantly, the results suggest that any attenuation in the MSNA and BP responses to venous distension with COX blockade is not a result of altered magnitudes of the venous distension during the procedure. This study was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants R01 HL144781 (to J.C. and L.I.S). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Exploration Targeting in the Shadan Porphyry Gold–Copper Deposit, Lut Block, Iran: Analysis of Spatial Distribution of Sheeted Veins and Lithogeochemical Data

The Lut Block is a potential porphyry-style mineralized region in Iran including the well-explored Shadan porphyry gold-copper deposit, which has an extensive zone of gold- and copper-bearing stockwork-like sheeted veins. The structural setting of this deposit is a key to understanding the genesis of the mineralization. Our field studies show that the mineralization occurs as steeply dipping ore bodies along NW–SE transpressional faults. The zones with a high frequency of veins and volume of veins have a NW–SE trend, which is closely related to transpressional faults. We propose that such a compressional regime inhibits focused ore-forming fluid flow to higher levels in the crust. After a local change in stress field, fluid depressurization and channeling along transpressional faults generated the sheeted veins. This indicates an important role of these transpressional faults in focusing and controlling mineralization within this porphyry deposit, which has important implications for the exploration of porphyry deposits on a regional scale. The spatial distribution of sheeted veins is used to examine gold anomalies from lithogeochemical data extracted by fractal models. The results show that a combination of high vein density and high vein volume areas with gold anomalies could result in identifying areas with greater potential at the deposit to regional scale.

The effect of shift in physiological and anatomical traits on light use efficiency under cotton domestication.

The effect of crop domestication on photosynthetic productivity has been well-studied, but at present, none examines its impacts on leaf anatomy and, consequently, light use efficiency in cotton. We investigated leaf and vein anatomy traits, light use efficiency (LUE) and gas exchange in 26 wild and 30 domesticated genotypes of cotton grown under field conditions. The results showed that domestication resulted in a higher photosynthetic rate, higher stomatal conductance, and lower lamina mass per area. Higher LUE was underpinned by the thicker leaves, greater vein volume, elongated palisade and higher chlorophyll content, although there was no difference in the apparent quantum yield. The lower vein mass per area in domesticated genotypes contributed to the reduction of lamina mass per area, but there was no decrease in vein length per area. Our study suggests that domestication has triggered a considerable shift in physiological and anatomical traits to support the increase in LUE.

Noncontrast MRI in assessing venous reflux of legs using QFlow analysis and radial basis function neural network technique

Since venous reflux is difficult to quantify, triggered angiography non-contrast-enhanced (TRANCE)-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a novel tool for objectively evaluating venous diseases in the lower extremities without using contrast media. This study included 26 pre-intervention patients with superficial venous reflux in the lower extremities and 15 healthy volunteers. The quantitative flow (QFlow) analyzed the phase shift information from the pixels within the region of interest from MRI. The fast and simple radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) learning model is constructed by determining the parameters of the radial basis function and the weights of the neural network. The input parameters were the variables generated through QFlow, while the output variables were morbid limbs with venous reflux and normal limb classification. The stroke volume, forward flow volume, absolute stroke volume, mean flux, stroke distance, and mean velocity of greater saphenous veins from QFlow analysis could be used to discriminate the morbid limbs of pre-intervention patients and normal limbs of healthy controls. The neural network successfully classified the morbid and normal limbs with an accuracy of 90.24% in the training stage. The classification of venous reflux using the RBFNN model may assist physicians in clinical settings.