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Microvasc Res 2018 Dec 13;123:19-24. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Laboratory of Neurobiology of Inflammatory and Metabolic Processes, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of South Santa Catarina, Tubarão, SC, Brazil. Electronic address:

Background: The choroid plexus (CP), main component of blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB), protects the brain from peripheral inflammation similar to the blood-brain barrier. Thus, CP is considered a critical target site of oxidative damage, which in sepsis oxidative stress is likely to be a major step in the development of brain damage. Functional alterations in CP may be associated with sepsis-induced brain injury. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Dec 10;123:25-34. Epub 2018 Dec 10.

Department of Sciences and Humanities, National Institute of Technology, Uttarakhand 246174, India. Electronic address:

The flow through curved microvessels has more realistic applications in physiological transport phenomena especially in blood flow through capillary and microvessels. Motivated by the biomicrofluidics applications, a mathematical model is developed to describe the blood flow inside a curved microvessel driven by electroosmosis. In addition to this flow, the channel experiences electric double layer phenomenon due to zeta potential about -25 mV. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 28;123:7-13. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA. Electronic address:

Microvascular perfusion dynamics are vital to physiological function and are frequently dysregulated in injury and disease. Typically studies measure microvascular flow in a few selected vascular segments over limited time, failing to capture spatial and temporal variability. To quantify microvascular flow in a more complete and unbiased way we developed STAFF (Spatial Temporal Analysis of Fieldwise Flow), a macro for FIJI open-source image analysis software. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 28;122:78-84. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary.

Vitamin D (VitD) hypovitaminosis and androgen excess (AE) are both risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in fertile women. However, the possible early interaction between AE and VitD status is not clear. Our goal was to describe how VitD status influences early changes in the biomechanical reactivity of small coronary arterioles in adult female rats after transdermal testosterone treatment. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 28;122:85-93. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Department of Cardiology, Koc University School of Medicine and Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objectives: Coronary microvascular dysfunction plays a major role in the pathogenesis of microvascular angina (MVA). Along with endothelial dysfunction, microvascular atherosclerosis and inflammation seem to contribute to the development of coronary microvascular dysfunction. Serum soluble ST2 (sST2) and serum soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) are two biomarkers associated with inflammation and atherosclerosis. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 1;122:94-100. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

Department of Cardiac Ultrasound, the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.

Introduction: Coronary microcirculation disturbance plays an important role in chronic heart failure (CHF). High thoracic sympathetic block (HTSB) is effective to treat CHF, but its impact on coronary microcirculation is unclear.

Methods: Forty male Wistar rats were subcutaneously injected with isoproterenol (340 mg/kg) for 2 days. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 1;122:111-116. Epub 2018 Dec 1.

UMR 5305 CNRS, Lyon, France; Université de Lyon 1, UMR 5305, Lyon, France.

Objective: Type 2 diabetes (T2D)-related vascular dysfunction and hemorheological abnormalities could possibly be amplified by sickle cell trait (SCT). These alterations could potentially increase the risk of vascular complications in individuals with combined T2D and SCT. Therefore, this study used a mouse model to determine whether vascular function and blood rheology were more severely altered in combined T2D and SCT than in T2D or SCT alone. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 24;122:71-77. Epub 2018 Nov 24.

The William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI 53705-2286, United States of America.

Pulmonary alveolar septal capillaries receive their perfusion from a web of larger surrounding acinar vessels. Using 4 μm diam. Latex particles, we showed that positive pressure ventilation narrowed the acinar vessels as evidenced by venous 4 μm particle concentrations and perfusate flows <50% of particle concentrations in negative pressure ventilated lungs. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 22;122:60-70. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

School of Integrated Design Engineering, Keio University, Japan; Department of System Design Engineering, Keio University, Japan. Electronic address:

Every organ demonstrates specific vascular characteristics and functions maintained by interactions of endothelial cells (ECs) and parenchymal cells. Particularly, brain ECs play a central role in the formation of a functional blood brain barrier (BBB). Organ-specific ECs have their own morphological features, and organ specificity must be considered when investigating interactions between ECs and other cell types constituting a target organ. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 22. Epub 2018 Nov 22.

Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.

Objective: Microvascular endothelial dysfunction, which is at the early stage of atherosclerosis, precedes macrovascular endothelial dysfunction. The study is aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the improvement of microvascular endothelial dysfunction by exercise and diet in obese adolescents.

Methods: A quasi-randomized study was carried out with 2 cohorts: the experimental group (57 obese male adolescents; age: 15. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 16;122:101-110. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

LaBS, Chemistry, Material and Chemical Engineering Department "Giulio Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Italy.

Fluid homeostasis is required for life. Processes involved in fluid balance are strongly related to exchanges at the microvascular level. Computational models have been presented in the literature to analyze the microvascular-interstitial interactions. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 16;123:14-18. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

Department of Intensive Care, Medical Center Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.

Background: Clinical evaluation of the effects of fluid therapy remains cumbersome and strategies are based on the assumption that normalization of macrohemodynamic variables will result in parallel improvement in organ perfusion. Recently, we and others suggested the use of direct in-vivo observation of the microcirculation to evaluate the effects of fluid therapy.

Methods: A single-centre observational study, using in-vivo microscopy to assess total vessel density (TVD) in two subsets of ICU patients. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 13;122:41-44. Epub 2018 Nov 13.

Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr. NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada. Electronic address:

Introduction: Following a period of blood flow occlusion, the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived reperfusion slope of the oxygen saturation signal (StO) is a measure of microvascular responsiveness that has been shown to be positively correlated with flow-mediated dilation (FMD) assessment of conduit artery function in the lower limb vasculature. Given that previously established differences in structure and function of the vessels in the upper compared to the lower limbs may change this relationship, investigating whether this correlation between the reperfusion slope of the StO and the FMD response is maintained in upper limbs is important. Accordingly, this study investigated the correlation between the reperfusion slope of the StO and FMD in the arm vasculature. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 12;122:34-40. Epub 2018 Nov 12.

Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States of America.

Objective: Freshly isolated endothelial cells from both conduit arteries and microvasculature were used to test the hypothesis that eNOS protein content and nitric oxide production in coronary endothelial cells increases with vessel radius.

Methods: Porcine hearts were obtained from a local abattoir. Large and small arteries as well as arterioles were dissected free of myocardium and homogenized as whole vessels. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 9;122:45-51. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Shock, Trauma and Anesthesiology Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MD, USA.

Background: Understanding the differences in skin blood flow (SBF) on the plantar and dorsal foot in people with diabetes mellitus (DM) may help to assess the influence of diabetes and neuropathy on microvascular dysfunction and risks of diabetic foot ulcers in this population. However, there is no study comparing SBF oscillations between the plantar and dorsal foot in people with DM and peripheral neuropathy (PN).

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare SBF oscillations between the plantar and dorsal foot in people with DM and PN and investigate the underlying mechanisms responsible for the differences. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 8;122:52-59. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, United States of America.

Since of its introduction in 1980s, laser speckle imaging has become a powerful tool in flow imaging. Its high performance and low cost made it one of the preferable imaging methods. Initially, speckle contrast measurements were the main algorithm for analyzing laser speckle images in biological flows. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 3;122:13-21. Epub 2018 Nov 3.

MitoVasc Institute, UMR CNRS 6015 - INSERM U 1083, Faculté de Médecine, Angers, France; Sports Medicine, University Hospital of Angers, France. Electronic address:

Background: Forearm cutaneous blood flux (CBF) measurement with post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) is uncomfortable and may not be devoid of risks. We aimed to investigate post-compression reactive hyperemia (PCRH) with a custom-made indenter that was designed to be easily used routinely by inexperienced observers.

Methods: Medical students evaluated PCRH with 1- to 4-min pressure applications of 16 to 34 kPa and PORH with 3-min forearm cuff occlusion using laser speckle contrast imaging in 15 healthy volunteers. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 27;122:6-12. Epub 2018 Oct 27.

Personal Health Care Products Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.

Previous studies have suggested a possible relationship between age-related changes to human gingival hemodynamics and periodontal disease. However, firmly establishing this has been difficult because of a lack of suitable tools. Our study investigated whether a non-invasive laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG)-based 2-dimensional technique could be used to assess maxillary anterior gingival blood flow under resting conditions. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 1;122:22-33. Epub 2018 Nov 1.

Center for Vascular Biology Research and Division of Gastroenterology, Departments of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address:

Pathological angiogenesis is a hallmark of many diseases. Previously, we reported that orphan nuclear receptor TR3/Nur77 (human homolog, Nur77, mouse homolog) is a critical mediator of angiogenesis to regulate tumor growth and skin wound healing via down-regulating the expression of the junctional proteins and integrin β4. However, the molecular mechanism, by which TR3/Nur77 regulated angiogenesis, was still not completely understood. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 31;122:1-5. Epub 2018 Oct 31.

Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Introduction: Takayasu arteritis (TA) is a large vessel vasculitis characterized by the involvement of the aorta and its branches. In the present study, the nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) findings of the TA patients were evaluated and compared to healthy individuals. Additionally, the association of NVC abnormalities with disease activity and subclavian artery involvement was also investigated. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 25;121:52-62. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Signal Transduction and Biogenic Amines, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37, S. P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700026, India. Electronic address:

Vasculogenic mimicry, an endothelia-independent tumor microcirculation has been found in various cancers and is thought to be achieved by cancer stem like cells. Dacarbazine resistance is one of the most common features of melanoma and recent studies suggest that the mode of resistance is closely related to the formation of vasculogenic mimicry. In our work, we examined the anticancer effect of Lupeol, a novel phytochemical with Dacarbazine in vivo and in vitro. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Oct 24. Epub 2018 Oct 24.

Department of Chinese Materia Medica and Natural Medicines, Air Force Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shanxi, China. Electronic address:

Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG) is the main water-soluble component in Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, and it has many cardioprotective effects. Although TSG is able to relax blood vessels, its relaxation of rat superior mesenteric arteries and the underlying mechanism of this process are not clearly understood. The aim of the present study was to use in vivo and in vitro models to investigate the arterial relaxation effect of TSG on rat superior mesenteric arteries and the mechanisms involved. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 18;121:63-70. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran; Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran. Electronic address:

Objectives: Although excitements related to stem cell therapeutic outcomes have been highlighted enormously in asthma, the vast majority of works were conducted by researchers in animal models. Elucidating the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of MSCs in asthmatic rats will provide a rational basis for assuring maximal safety of future clinical application of stem cells. In the current study, we sought to investigate the possible paracrine mechanism by which direct injection of MSCs and/or CM attenuate efficiently Th2-mediated inflammation in asthmatic lung tissues with the focus on ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 18;121:82-86. Epub 2018 Oct 18.

Department of Kinesiology, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada. Electronic address:

This study examined cutaneous vasoconstriction to whole-body hypothermia, specifically contributions of neural and endothelial vasomotor responses in glabrous and non-glabrous skin. Eleven participants were semi-recumbent at an ambient temperature of 22 °C for 30 min, after which ambient temperature was decreased to 0 °C until rectal temperature (T) had decreased by 0.5 °C. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 12;121:71-81. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden; Department of Radiation Physics, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.

Objectives: Laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) has seen limited use in the study of perfusion dynamics such as vasomotion. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a prolonged seated position on perfusion dynamics in the nail bed using LSCI.

Methods: Perfusion was recorded in digits II to IV bilaterally for 20 min during two separate sessions in ten healthy volunteers. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Oct 10. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu 233004, China. Electronic address:

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), encompassing deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is the third most common cardiovascular disease. miR-150 is one of important microRNAs which play critical role in various cellular function such as endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In this study, we investigate the effect of miR-150 on EPCs function ex vivo and thrombus resolution in vivo. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 10;121:46-51. Epub 2018 Oct 10.

Department of Internal Medicine and Diabetology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.

In patients with diabetes, functional changes in microcirculation and subclinical vascular pathology precede clinical manifestation of microangiopathic complications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between established vascular risk factors and density, maturity, and reactivity of dermal blood vessels in adults with type 1 diabetes (DM1). We included 148 DM1 patients (87 men) with a median (IQR) age of 40. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 4;122:117-124. Epub 2018 Oct 4.

Department of Neurological and Movement Sciences(,) University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is associated with impairments in microvascular responsiveness. Therefore, reliably assessing microvascular function is clinically relevant. Thus, this study aimed to examine the reliability of the near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-derived oxygen saturation (StO) reperfusion slope, a measure of microvascular responsiveness, to four different vascular occlusion tests (VOT) of different durations in young and older participants. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 26;121:37-45. Epub 2018 Sep 26.

University of Washington, Department of Bioengineering, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; University of Washington, Department of Ophthalmology, Seattle, WA 98104, USA. Electronic address:

We report the development of a 1300 nm swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) system specifically designed to perform OCT imaging and optical microangiography (OMAG) in rat eyes in vivo and its use in evaluating the effects of intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation on ocular circulation. The swept laser is operated in single longitude mode with a 90 nm bandwidth centered at 1300 nm and 200 kHz A-line rate, providing remarkable sensitivity fall-off performance along the imaging depth, a larger field of view of 2.5 × 2. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 12;121:24-29. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

2nd Department of Cardiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Skłodowskiej-Curie 9, 85-094 Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Background: Ischemia and reperfusion remain inseparable elements of numerous medical procedures such as by-pass surgery, organ transplantation or other cardiology and intervention radiology. The contraction of the smooth muscle of the vessel is considered to be one of the basic components leading to impaired perfusion, an increase in the oxygen deficit of the endothelium of the vessel, and subsequently also to tissues vascularized by the vessel. Main aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ischemia and reperfusion on vascular smooth muscle cells stimulated pharmacologically with mastoparan-7 (direct G-protein activator) in comparison to stimulation of G-protein coupled receptor agonist - phenylephrine, and direct calcium channel activator - Bay K8644. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 4;121:14-23. Epub 2018 Sep 4.

R.S Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell biology, Kamalnayan Bajaj Institute for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai 600 006, India. Electronic address:

Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is characterized by pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic and pro-fibrotic environment during the various stages of the disease progression. Basement membrane changes in the retina and formation of fibrovascular membrane are characteristically seen in DR. In the present study the effect of Alcoholic (AlE) extracts of Triphala an ayurvedic herbal formulation and its chief compounds, Chebulagic (CA), Chebulinic (CI) and Gallic acid (GA) were evaluated for TGFβ1-induced anti-fibrotic activity in choroid-retinal endothelial cells (RF/6A). Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Sep 1;123:1-6. Epub 2018 Sep 1.

No. 150 Haping Rd., Nangang District, Harbin 150081, China. Electronic address:

Background: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is an α-adrenergic receptor agonist commonly used during perioperative periods due to its sedation and analgesia effect. It is confirmed that DEX has cardioprotective effects against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. We investigated whether DEX administration is beneficial to type 2 diabetic rats subjected to I/R injury. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 25;121:7-13. Epub 2018 Aug 25.

Lund University, Skane University Hospital, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Ophthalmology, Lund, Sweden. Electronic address:

Background: The time taken for epinephrine to achieve its optimal effect during local anesthesia has recently become the subject of debate. The time from injection to commencement of surgery is traditionally quoted to be 7 to 10 min, while recent reports claim that it may take 30 min to achieve maximum hypoperfusion, which would prolong the time required for surgical procedures. The discrepancy may be related to difficulties associated with the techniques used to measure blood perfusion. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 23;121:30-36. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

Department of Cardiology, Fujian Provincial Clinical College, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350001, PR China.

Objective: To study the mechanism of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) phosphorylation in the visfatin-induced proliferation and its protective effect against high-glucose induced apoptosis in HUVECs.

Methods: Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were isolated from umbilical veins and treated with visfatin. The proliferation of HUVECs was measured by the MTT assay and the apoptosis of HUVECs was detected by TUNEL assay. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 23;122:136-145. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

R.S. Mehta Jain Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, KBRIVO, Vision Research Foundation, Chennai, India; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Pondicherry University, Puducherry, India. Electronic address:

Neovascularization in retina and choroid involves interplay of many cytokines and growth factors. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) being a pro-angiogenic molecule has been found to be high in aqueous and vitreous humour of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). VEGF is also found in the fibroblast and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) of choroidal neovascular (CNV) membranes isolated from patients. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 23;122:131-135. Epub 2018 Aug 23.

Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark; iPSYCH, the Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, Denmark; iSEQ, Centre for Integrative Sequencing, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark. Electronic address:

The blood-brain barrier consists of a tightly sealed monolayer of endothelial cells being vital in maintaining a stable intracerebral microenvironment. The barrier is receptive to leakage upon exposure to environmental factors, like hypoxia, and its disruption has been suggested as a constituent in the pathophysiology of both neurological and psychiatric disorders. The schizophrenia associated ZEB1 gene encodes a transcription factor susceptible to transcriptional control by a hypoxia induced factor, HIF1A, known to be implicated in blood-brain barrier dysfunction. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Jan 16;121:1-6. Epub 2018 Aug 16.

School of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke and Research Center of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: Microvascular assessment has become increasingly used in gynecology to better understand the pathophysiology of various vulvar conditions and to study sexual function. Alteration in blood perfusion of the vulvar area has been observed using laser technologies in women with provoked vestibulodynia (PVD), the leading cause of vulvar pain. However, no studies have thus far investigated the reliability of and agreement between lasers for evaluating vulvar blood perfusion. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 30;120:94-99. Epub 2018 Jul 30.

Laboratory for Clinical and Experimental Research on Vascular Biology (BioVasc), Biomedical Center, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Obesity Unit, Policlínica Piquet Carneiro, Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Biomedical Center, UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. Electronic address:

Objective: In patients with diabetes, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibition is associated with attenuation of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. Here, we investigated the associations between constitutive DPP4 activity, inflammatory biomarkers, and microvascular reactivity in subjects with excess body weight without diabetes.

Methods: Forty subjects of BMI ≥ 25. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 26;120:90-93. Epub 2018 Jul 26.

Department Pathophysiology and Therapeutics of Diabetic Vascular Complications, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume, Japan. Electronic address:

We have previously shown that albuminuria and renal levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), receptor for AGEs (RAGE), and oxidative stress are suppressed in dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4)-deficient diabetic rats, thus suggesting the crosstalk between AGE-RAGE axis and DPP-4 in experimental diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, we examined here the role of DPP-4 in AGE-evoked inflammatory reactions in human proximal tubular cells. Proteins were extracted from proximal tubular cells, and conditioned medium was collected, both of which were subjected to western blot analysis using anti-DPP-4 antibody. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 24;120:111-116. Epub 2018 Jul 24.

Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland; Department of Intervention Research in Exercise Training, German Sport University Cologne, Köln, Germany.

Background: Psychiatric disorders are associated with a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Regular exercise is known to reduce depressive symptoms and improve vascular function, in turn lowering cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate the effects of different exercise modalities on retinal vessel diameters as a microvascular biomarker and depression severity index in patients suffering from unipolar depression. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 22;120:84-89. Epub 2018 Jul 22.

Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between sudomotor function and microvascular perfusion in patients with type 1 diabetes (DM1).

Methods: We evaluated 415 patients (206 women), with DM1, median age of 41 (IQR: 33-53) years, disease duration of 25 (IQR: 20-32) years. We assessed metabolic control of diabetes and the presence of peripheral and cardiac autonomic neuropathy. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 2;120:74-83. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

Institute for Experimental Surgery, University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany.

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 2;120:67-73. Epub 2018 Jul 2.

The State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Purpose: It has been shown in many previous studies that there were significant changes of the brain anatomy and function in strabismus. However, the significance of the alterations of resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) in comitant exophoria (CE) remains obscure. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI, which is a noninvasive method, could be applied to detect the cerebral blood flow quantitatively. Read More

Microvasc Res 2019 Mar 6;122:125-130. Epub 2018 Jul 6.

Division of Rheumatology, ASST Pini-CTO, Milano, Italy; Dept of Clinical Sciences & Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy. Electronic address:

Objective: We aimed to study in SSc patients macrovascular involvement by using power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) and microvascular one by PDUS and nailfold video-capillaroscopy (NVC) and to examine the association between history of digital ulcers (HDU) and imaging (PDUS and NVC) parameters.

Methods: NVC and PDUS were systematically performed in 106 consecutive SSc patients at the 3rd and 4th finger of the dominant hand after exclusion of ulnar artery occlusion (UAO). 22 MHz PDUS measurements included nailbed and fingertip qualitatively graded, and resistivity index (RI) of ulnar and radial proper digital arteries. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 27;120:100-110. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address:

Background: Nailfold capillaroscopy (NC) is a diagnostic imaging technique that is used to assess the blood capillary network in the nailfold area. NC is routinely used for patients with microcirculation problems, such as systemic sclerosis and other connective tissue diseases. Experts commonly use subjective evaluation as a reference point in images of nailfold video capillaroscopy, so it is important to reduce the inherent ambiguities in human judgment and diagnosis. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 27;120:55-58. Epub 2018 Jun 27.

National Institute of Cardiology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Electronic address:

Objective: To evaluate endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in surgery for the correction of cyanotic and acyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD) in children and infants using laser Doppler perfusion monitoring (LDPM).

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included one hundred consecutive acyanotic (AC, n = 61) and cyanotic (C, n = 39) pediatric patients scheduled for cardiac surgery for correction of CHD. The endothelium-dependent microvascular vasodilation of the skin of the forehead was evaluated using a single-point LDPM coupled with local thermal hyperemia (LTH). Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 22;120:59-66. Epub 2018 Jun 22.

Cardiovascular Pharmacology Division, Department of Pharmacology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201303, India.

Background: Drinking water from copper vessels and aerobic exercise have been the known facts for cardioprotection. Our previous report explored the significant cardioprotective potential of copper and exercise training by increasing phosphorylation of GSK-3β and anti-oxidant potential.

Objective: Present study focuses the therapeutic potential of CuNP and exercise training through their molecular interaction with GSK-3β, inflammatory cytokinin, oxidative stress and necrosis. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 12;120:47-54. Epub 2018 Jun 12.

Department of Neurosurgery, Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Medical Center, Tsinghua University, No. 168 Litang Road, Changping District, Beijing 102218, China. Electronic address:

Spinal arteriovenous malformations (sAVM) are rare and heterogeneous group of blood vessel disorders that affect spinal cord function directly or indirectly; however, the pathogenesis of sAVM is still unclear. In this study, we compared four sAVM specimens obtained during surgery and donated control samples in a Tandem Mass Tag (TMT)-labeled proteomic analysis. We identified 3101 proteins, 654 of which were differentially expressed in sAVM samples compared with the controls. Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 5;120:36-40. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, University of Basel, Birsstrasse 320B, 4052 Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of retinal microvascular health with cardiorespiratory fitness (VOpeak) and cardiovascular risk factors.

Methods: In a population of 260 obesity-enriched participants we investigated the association of retinal vessel diameters with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP). Retinal vessel imaging was performed by use of a fundus camera and a semi-automated processing software, calculating the central retinal arteriolar (CRAE) and venular equivalent (CRVE) as well as the arteriolar-to-venular diameter ratio (AVR). Read More

Microvasc Res 2018 Nov 2;120:29-35. Epub 2018 Jun 2.

College of Pharmacy and Research Center for Cell Fate Control, Sookmyung Women's University, 100 Chungpa-ro 47-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04310, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:

Objective: Glutamate excitotoxicity provokes neuronal cell damage and death, leading to collapse of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Recently, it has been reported that l-citrulline, a neutral amino acid and a major precursor of l-arginine in the nitric oxide (NO) cycle, can prevent both neuronal cell death and cerebrovascular cell loss in brain ischemia. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of l-citrulline on glutamate cytotoxicity in the BBB using the conditionally immortalized rat brain capillary endothelial cell line (TR-BBB cells) as an in vitro model of the BBB. Read More