Impact of sympathetic nervous system activity on post-exercise flow-mediated dilatation in humans

Transient reduction in vascular function following systemic large muscle group exercise has previously been reported in humans. The mechanisms responsible are currently unknown. We hypothesised that sympathetic nervous system activation, induced by cycle ergometer exercise, would contribute to post-exercise reductions in flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Ten healthy male subjects (28 ± 5 years) undertook two 30 min sessions of cycle exercise at 75% HRmax. Prior to exercise, individuals ingested either a placebo or an α1-adrenoreceptor blocker (prazosin; 0.05 mg kg−1). Central haemodynamics, brachial artery shear rate (SR) and blood flow profiles were assessed throughout each exercise bout and in response to brachial artery FMD, measured prior to, immediately after and 60 min after exercise. Cycle exercise increased both mean and antegrade SR (P < 0.001) with retrograde SR also elevated under both conditions (P < 0.001). Pre-exercise FMD was similar on both occasions, and was significantly reduced (27%) immediately following exercise in the placebo condition (t-test, P = 0.03). In contrast, FMD increased (37%) immediately following exercise in the prazosin condition (t-test, P = 0.004, interaction effect P = 0.01). Post-exercise FMD remained different between conditions after correction for baseline diameters preceding cuff deflation and also post-deflation SR. No differences in FMD or other variables were evident 60 min following recovery. Our results indicate that sympathetic vasoconstriction competes with endothelium-dependent dilator activity to determine post-exercise arterial function. These findings have implications for understanding the chronic impacts of interventions, such as exercise training, which affect both sympathetic activity and arterial shear stress

Sympathoinhibitory effect of statins in chronic heart failure

Contains fulltext : 89087.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVES: Increased (central) sympathetic activity is a key feature of heart failure and associated with worse prognosis. Animal studies suggest that statin therapy can reduce central sympathetic outflow. This study assessed statin effects on (central) sympathetic activity in human chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. METHODS: Sympathetic activity was measured in eight patients with CHF patients during 8 weeks after discontinuation and 4 weeks after restart of statin therapy by microneurography for direct muscle sympathetic nerve recording (MSNA) and measurement of arterial plasma norepinephrine concentrations. RESULTS: During discontinuation of statin therapy, MSNA was significantly increased (73 +/- 4 vs. 56 +/- 5 and 52 +/- 6 bursts/100 beats, p = 0.01). Burst frequency was significantly higher after statin discontinuation (42 +/- 3 burst/min without statin vs. 32 +/- 3 and 28 +/- 3 burst/min during statin therapy, p = 0.004). Mean normalized burst amplitude and total normalized MSNA were significantly higher after statin discontinuation (mean normalized burst amplitude 0.36 +/- 0.04 without statin vs. 0.29 +/- 0.04 and 0.22 +/- 0.04 during statin, p < 0.05; total normalized MSNA 15.70 +/- 2.78 without statin, vs. 9.28 +/- 1.41 and 6.56 +/- 1.83 during statin, p = 0.009). Arterial plasma norepinephrine levels and blood pressure were unaffected. INTERPRETATION: Statin therapy inhibits central sympathetic outflow in CHF patients, as measured by MSNA.1 april 201

Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity Is Related to a Surrogate Marker of Endothelial Function in Healthy Individuals

BACKGROUND: Evidence from animal studies indicates the importance of an interaction between the sympathetic nervous system and the endothelium for cardiovascular regulation. However the interaction between these two systems remains largely unexplored in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate whether directly recorded sympathetic vasoconstrictor outflow is related to a surrogate marker of endothelial function in healthy individuals. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 10 healthy normotensive subjects (3 f/7 m), (age 37+/-11 yrs), (BMI 24+/-3 kg/m(2)) direct recordings of sympathetic action potentials to the muscle vascular bed (MSNA) were performed and endothelial function estimated with the Reactive Hyperaemia- Peripheral Arterial Tonometry (RH-PAT) technique. Blood samples were taken and time spent on leisure-time physical activities was estimated. In all subjects the rate between resting flow and the maximum flow, the Reactive Hyperemic index (RH-PAT index), was within the normal range (1.9-3.3) and MSNA was as expected for age and gender (13-44 burst/minute). RH-PAT index was inversely related to MSNA (r = -0.8, p = 0.005). RH-PAT index and MSNA were reciprocally related to time (h/week) spent on physical activity (p = 0.005 and p = 0.006 respectively) and platelet concentration (PLT) (p = 0.02 and p = 0.004 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that sympathetic nerve activity is related to a surrogate marker of endothelial function in healthy normotensive individuals, indicating that sympathetic outflow may be modulated by changes in endothelial function. In this study time spent on physical activity is identified as a predictor of sympathetic nerve activity and endothelial function in a group of healthy individuals. The results are of importance in understanding mechanisms underlying sympathetic activation in conditions associated with endothelial dysfunction and emphasise the importance of a daily exercise routine for maintenance of cardiovascular health

Phenotypic and transcriptomic characterization of canine myeloid-derived suppressor cells

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are key players in immune evasion, tumor progression and metastasis. MDSCs accumulate under various pathological states and fall into two functionally and phenotypically distinct subsets that have been identified in humans and mice: polymorphonuclear (PMN)-MDSCs and monocytic (M)-MDSCs. As dogs are an excellent model for human tumor development and progression, we set out to identify PMN-MDSCs and M-MDSCs in clinical canine oncology patients. Canine hypodense MHC class II-CD5-CD21-CD11b+ cells can be subdivided into polymorphonuclear (CADO48A+CD14-) and monocytic (CADO48A-CD14+) MDSC subsets. The transcriptomic signatures of PMN-MDSCs and M-MDSCs are distinct, and moreover reveal a statistically significant similarity between canine and previously published human PMN-MDSC gene expression patterns. As in humans, peripheral blood frequencies of canine PMN-MDSCs and M-MDSCs are significantly higher in dogs with cancer compared to healthy control dogs (PMN-MDSCs: p < 0.001; M-MDSCs: p < 0.01). By leveraging the power of evolution, we also identified additional conserved genes in PMN-MDSCs of multiple species that may play a role in MDSC function. Our findings therefore validate the dog as a model for studying MDSCs in the context of cancer

Neuro-cardiac interaction in malignant ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death

Sudden cardiac death as a result of lethal ventricular arrhythmias is a major cause of death in cardiac diseases such as heart failure and prior myocardial infarct. Activity of the autonomic nervous system is often abnormal where sympathetic activity is upregulated and vagal activity reduced in these conditions. The abnormal autonomic state has been shown to be a strong prognostic marker of increased mortality and propensity to lethal arrhythmias, for which there is no effective prevention. Research effort over the years has established good evidence for a causal link between autonomic disturbance and ventricular arrhythmias. However, the detailed electrophysiological mechanisms by which ventricular fibrillation occurs are still not clear and molecular processes which are modulated by autonomic nerve influences that either predispose the heart to or protect it from these arrhythmias are not fully understood. This review presents data from studies investigating the link between activity of the autonomic nervous system and ventricular arrhythmias, from seminal findings in classical studies to ongoing investigations, in the quest for a better understanding of the arrhythmogenic mechanisms underlying neurocardiac interactions with a view to the development of effective preventative and therapeutic strategies which are very much needed

Akustische Eigenheiten von Konzertsälen

Den akustischen Eigenheiten von Konzertsälen sowie der Frage nach den Ursachen für eine gute Akustik wird in dieser Arbeit auf den Grund gegangen. Im Zuge einer universitären Lehrveranstaltung wurden unter anderem der große (goldene) Saal des Wiener Musikvereines und der große Saal des Konzerthauses in Wien hinsichtlich der Akustik vermessen. Diese Beispiele sollen die theoretischen Abhandlungen der Themen Raumakustik sowie die physikalischen Grundlagen der Schallausbreitung verdeutlichen. Die Ergebnisse der Messungen werden in dieser Arbeit präsentiert und zugleich mit den optimalen Werten für Veranstaltungsräume mit demselben Nutzungsprofil verglichen, um der Beantwortung der Frage nach den Kriterien für eine gute Akustik näher zu kommen

Review of the geotextile robustness classes with regard to new product developments

Im Rahmen eines großmaßstäblichen Feldversuchs wurden 12 mechanisch verfestigte Geovliesstoffe aus PP-Stapelfasern drei verschiedener Hersteller hinsichtlich ihrer Robustheit gegenüber Einbaubeanspruchung in ihrer Funktion als Trennlage zwischen lockerem Untergrund und grobkörnigem Tragschichtmaterial überprüft. Auf vier Testfeldern wurden jeweils vier unterschiedliche Einbausituationen simuliert. Dazu wurden Tragschichtmaterialien aus rundkörnigem, sandigem Kies bis zu scharfkantigem, sandig, steinigem Kies eingesetzt. Die Beanspruchungen durch den Bauverkehr wurden anhand der sich einstellenden Spurrinnen aus Lkw-Überfahrten gesteuert. Zur schonenden Freilegung der Geovliesstoffe kam ein Saugbagger zum Einsatz. Alle Geovliesstoff-Proben wurden visuell auf Beschädigungen beurteilt und danach klassifiziert. Für die Bewertung der mechanischen Veränderungen wurde das Arbeitsvermögen und die daraus abgeleitete Schädigungsarbeit herangezogen. Einen Schädigungsgrad von weniger als 20 % konnte nur die Hälfte der getesteten Proben erreichen. Einem Schädigungsgrad von bis zu 50 % konnten nahezu alle Proben einhalten. Das derzeitige Klassifizierungssystem sollte die Anforderungen an geotextile Trennlagen verschärfen. Die alleinige Forderung einer Festigkeit ist nicht ausreichend. Die Geovlies-stoffe sollten nach dem Ausweichprinzip Beschädigungen vermeiden. Dazu ist es notwendig, dass auch die Verformbarkeit Berücksichtigung findet. Das Arbeitsvermögen gibt hierfür zusammen mit der Mindestdehnfähigkeit eine gute Grundlage. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde ein Vorschlag für ein zeitgemäßes Klassifizierungssystem unterbreitet.As part of a large-scale field test, 12 mechanically bonded nonwoven geotextiles made of PP staple fibres from three different manufacturers were tested about their robustness against installation loading in their function as a separation layer between soft subsoil and coarse-grained base course material. Four different installation situations were simulated on each of four test fields. Base course materials ranging from round-grained, sandy gravel to sharp-edged, sandy, stony gravel were used for this purpose. The stresses caused by construction traffic were controlled based on the ruts resulting from truck crossings. A suction excavator was used to gently expose the geotextiles. All samples were visually assessed for damage and then classified. The energy absorption and the derived damaging work were used to evaluate the mechanical changes. Only half of the tested samples achieved a degree of damage of less than 20%. A degree of damage of up to 50% could be achieved by almost all of them. The current classification system should raise the requirements for geotextile separation layers. The sole requirement of strength is not enough. The geotextiles should avoid damage according to the evasion principle. For this purpose, it is necessary that the deformability is also considered. The energy absorption together with the minimum elongation ability provides a good basis for this. Against this background, a proposal for an up-to-date classification system was made