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Biomedical subjects

R B Stephenson

Publications and source records attributed to R B Stephenson.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Characterization of baroreflex impairment in conscious dogs with pacing-induced heart failure.

Open-loop baroreflex responses were evaluated in eight conscious dogs before and during congestive heart failure to determine the effects of failure on baroreflex control of blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance. Heart failure was induced by rapid ventricular pacing. Baroreflex function was determined by calculation of the range and gain of the open-loop stimulus-response relationships for the effect of carotid sinus pressure on blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance. The range and gain of blood pressure responses were substantially reduced as early as 3 days after induction of heart failure (161 +/- 6 to 99 +/- 8 mmHg and -2.7 +/- 0.3 to -1.5 +/- 0.1, respectively) and remained depressed for the 21 days of heart failure. This depression in baroreflex control of blood pressure was associated with similar depressions in reflex range and gain for heart rate (125 +/- 9 to 78 +/- 11 beats/min and -2.05 +/- 0.2 to -1.16 +/- 0.2 beats/min, respectively) and cardiac output (1.74 +/- 0.2 to 0.46 +/- 0.2 l/min and -0.81 +/- 0.02 to -0.027 +/- 0.008 l/min, respectively). The group-averaged range and gain for reflex control of vascular resistance were not altered by heart failure. In three dogs, discontinuation of rapid ventricular pacing led to resolution of heart failure within 7 days and partial restoration of the range and gain of reflex control of blood pressure. We conclude that heart failure reversibly depresses baroreflex control of blood pressure principally through a concurrent reduction in reflex control of cardiac output, whereas reflex control of vascular resistance is not consistently affected.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Intracoronary veratrine attenuates carotid baroreceptor reflex regulation of blood pressure in conscious dogs.

1. The effect of activation of left ventricular cardiac receptors on carotid baroreflex control of blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance was determined in conscious dogs. Previous studies in conscious subjects assessed only the effect on baroreflex control of heart rate. 2. Dogs with denervated aortic baroreceptors were equipped with aortic flow probes, cardiac pacing electrodes, and catheters in the aorta, vena cava, and left circumflex coronary artery. Both carotid sinus regions were prepared for reversible vascular isolation. 3. Left ventricular receptors were stimulated by an infusion of veratrine (0.1-1.0 micrograms kg-1 min-1) into the left circumflex coronary artery. 4. Veratrine infusion decreased control blood pressure only 10 +/- 2 mmHg, but it decreased the range of baroreflex control of blood pressure by 50% and decreased maximum baroreflex gain by 42%. Both the cardiac output and total peripheral resistance components of the baroreflex were attenuated. 5. Baroreflex control of blood pressure was unaffected by intravenous veratrine or by intracoronary infusion of vehicle. 6. Intracoronary veratrine had no effect after autonomic ganglionic blockade. 7. When cardiac output was kept nearly constant (by beta-adrenergic and cholinergic receptor blockade or by beta-blockade and cardiac pacing), intracoronary veratrine still attenuated baroreflex control of blood pressure and total peripheral resistance. Veratrine impaired the ability of the baroreflex to utilize alpha-adrenergic mechanisms to control total peripheral resistance. 8. We conclude that activation of ventricular receptors attenuates baroreflex regulation of blood pressure in conscious dogs through an attenuation of baroreflex control of both cardiac output and total peripheral resistance.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Partial pelvic resection as an alternative to hindquarter amputation for skeletal neoplasms.

Selected neoplasms of the bony pelvis can be effectively treated by partial pelvic resection, rather than by traditional hemipelvectomy. Eleven patients with skeletal neoplasms were managed by partial pelvic resections with limb sparing. These cases demonstrate that good postresection results can be achieved without reconstructive joint procedures.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1988

Baroreflex unimpaired by operant avoidance or classical aversive conditioning in dogs.

Previous studies showed that baroreflex control of heart rate is impaired during operant shock avoidance conditioning and classical aversive conditioning. However, the effects of such "emotionally stressful" paradigms on the ability of the baroreflex to control arterial pressure have not been directly assessed. We prepared the carotid sinus regions of dogs for reversible isolation from the systemic circulation, and we derived complete stimulus-response relations for the effects of carotid sinus pressure on both heart rate and arterial pressure. For any given carotid sinus pressure, arterial pressure and heart rate were higher during operant shock-avoidance conditioning and during classical aversive conditioning than in a neutral environment, which indicates an upward resetting of the baroreflex. However, threshold and saturation carotid sinus pressures were unaffected by operant conditioning or classical conditioning, which indicates that the baroreceptors themselves were not reset. The ranges over which the carotid baroreflex could vary arterial pressure and heart rate were significantly increased during both operant conditioning and classical conditioning. Baroreflex gain was unchanged during operant conditioning and was significantly increased during classical conditioning. We conclude that the baroreflex is not impaired during operant shock-avoidance conditioning or classical aversive conditioning in dogs. However, the baroreflex is reset and regulates blood pressure at an elevated level.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Fibrous dysplasia. An analysis of options for treatment.

The results of treatment of sixty-five symptomatic lesions in forty-three patients who had fibrous dysplasia were reviewed. For fourteen (93 per cent) of the fifteen times that a lesion in the upper extremity was treated non-operatively, the result was satisfactory. These results were independent of the patient's age when first seen. In contrast, in the lower extremity, the results were highly dependent on the age of the patients at the time of the initial presentation of symptoms. In patients who were eighteen years old or older, eight (88 per cent) of the nine times that a lesion involving the lower extremity had closed treatment and both times that a lesion was treated with curettage and bone-grafting, the result was satisfactory. The results of these modalities of treatment in patients who were less than eighteen years old were discouraging. Twenty-eight (88 per cent) of the thirty-two times that closed treatment was used and twenty-five (81 per cent) of the thirty-one times that curettage and bone-grafting was used, the result was unsatisfactory. However, after eighteen (86 per cent) of the twenty-one times that a lesion in the lower extremity was treated by internal fixation in a patient who was less than eighteen years old, there was a satisfactory outcome. We concluded that closed treatment of a symptomatic lesion in the upper extremity generally provides satisfactory results. In patients who are less than eighteen years old, neither closed treatment nor curettage and bone-grafting is adequate treatment for a symptomatic lesion in the lower extremity. Internal fixation should be strongly considered in these young patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Central actions of angiotensin II oppose baroreceptor-induced sympathoinhibition.

Angiotensin II causes increased arterial pressure which may be mediated, in part, by effects on central sympathetic neurons or by interference with central or peripheral components of the baroreceptor reflex. This investigation was undertaken to determine actions of angiotensin II on sympathetic splanchnic efferent and carotid sinus afferent activity in chloralose-anesthetized cats. Neural responses during increases in arterial pressure caused by intracarotid or intravenous administration of angiotensin II were compared with responses to equivalent increases in arterial pressure induced by intravenously injected dextran or phenylephrine. Intracarotid injections of angiotensin II caused variable splanchnic sympathetic responses consisting of increased, decreased, or unchanged activity. In contrast, intravenous infusions of dextran or phenylephrine consistently inhibited sympathetic activity. Carotid sinus afferent activity was increased similarly by intracarotid angiotensin II and intravenous dextran or phenylephrine. Sympathetic and baroreceptor afferent responses to intravenously injected angiotensin II were not significantly different from responses to dextran or phenylephrine. These data demonstrate that angiotensin II can act centrally to excite sympathetic outflow or to interfere with inhibitory influences of arterial baroreceptors.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1984

Influence of phentolamine and propranolol on the length of tonus and clonus in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in dogs.

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that phentolamine and propranolol premedication would affect tonus differently than clonus in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced tonic-clonic seizures in dogs. Tonic-clonic seizures were induced with IV infusion of PTZ, given as an initial 300-mg bolus and then 100-mg boluses every 10 S until a seizure began. Premedication with phentolamine (2 mg/kg of body weight) significantly shortened clonus (P less than 0.05), whereas propranolol (1 mg/kg) significantly lengthened clonus (P less than 0.05). Neither phentolamine nor propranolol significantly altered the length of tonus or the dose of PTZ required to induce seizures (P greater than 0.05). This indicates that tonus and clonus may have different neural mechanisms and that adrenergic receptors may be involved in the neural mechanisms of clonus.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Reversible vascular isolation of carotid sinuses in conscious dogs.

A surgical technique has been developed that permits reversible vascular isolation of both carotid sinuses in the conscious dog. Seven dogs so prepared were studied over periods of 4-12 wk. Repeatable stimulus-response curves relating arterial blood pressure to carotid sinus pressure were obtained for sinus pressures of 40-240 mmHg. Two studies gave evidence that the ability of the carotid baroreceptors to influence arterial pressure was not or was minimally affected by the surgical dissection. In 10 dogs one sinus was surgically prepared; 3 wk later the dogs were anesthetized and vagotomized. The steady-state stimulus-response curves for the chronically prepared sinuses showed no consistent differences from the curves for the opposite, acutely prepared sinuses. In 8 other dogs the hypertensive responses to bilateral carotid occlusion were compared before and after surgical preparation of both sinuses. The responses to carotid occlusion tended to be decreased after surgery but the differences were small and were significant only in 3 dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1980

Reflexes from isolated carotid sinuses of intact and vagotomized conscious dogs.

Exposure of the vascularly isolated carotid sinuses of 8 conscious dogs to static pressures between 50 and 240 mmHg caused significantly smaller increases [23 +/- 5(SE) mmHg] than decreases (37 +/- 4 mmHg) in arterial pressure frossure and heart rate and shifted the stimulus-response curve upward. Bilateral cervical vagotomy in conscious dogs caused sustained (3 h) increases in arterial pressure (40 +/- 5 mmHg), significantly larger than after atropinization (7 +/- 2 mmHg). In anesthetized, but not in conscious dogs, high sinus pressure reversed the hypertension caused by vagotomy. After vagotomy, low sinus pressure resulted in arterial pressures greater than 200 -mHg. In conscious dogs the carotid baroreflex can widely vary arterial pressure and heart rate despite buffering by extracarotid baroreceptors with vagal afferents, but cannot fully compensate for the acute loss of the latter. Extracarotid baroreceptors actively participate with carotid baroreceptors in the regulation of arterial pressure and better buffer carotid baroreflex-induced increases than decreases in arterial pressure.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1979

Effect of implant duration on in vivo sensitivity of electromagnetic flow transducers.

Twenty-three electromagnetic flow transducers with lumen diameters of 3.5-6.0 mm were implanted in rhesus monkeys and baboonss for 12 h to 120 days. Each flow transducer was calibrated 1) in vitro on dialysis tubing with saline before implantation, 2) in vivo the last day of the implant period, and 3) again in vitro after the flow transducer was recovered. Three other flow transducers were implanted on femoral arteries of baboon just central to an arteriovenous Silastic shunt, and were calibrated in vivo daily for 23-47 days. In vitro sensitivity was not affected by implant durations of up to 120 days. In vivo sensitivity fluctuated unpredictably for the first 3-4 wk of implant, after which it followed a systematic course that depended on the lumen size. In vivo sensitivity at any time during implant (after the initial period) could be accurately predicted by knowing either the in vitro sensitivity or the terminal in vivo sensitivity.

Animals↗