Nonlinear multiwavelength conversion based on an aperiodic optical superlattice in lithium niobate.

We have demonstrated what is to our knowledge the first successful achievement of multiwavelength conversion in an aperiodic optical superlattice (AOS) lithium niobate crystal with equalized gain. The two AOS devices in our experiment, numerically synthesized from 2857 crystal blocks with a unit block thickness of 3.5 microm, have fundamental wavelengths of 1540 and 1545 nm for double-wavelength second-harmonic generation (SHG) and of 1540, 1545, and 1553 nm for triple-wavelength SHG at 50 degrees C. Our experiment and simulation show that the output spectrum of an AOS wavelength converter is fairly insensitive to typical fabrication errors.

Effects of blood viscosity on plasma renin activity and renal hemodynamics.

The effects of alterations in apparent blood viscosity on renal hemodynamics and plasma renin activity (PRA) were studied in dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Blood viscosity was altered isovolemically either by changes in hematocrit (Hct) or by an increase in plasma viscosity (dextran administration). Arterial blood pressure and renal blood flow (RBF) remained relatively constant when apparent blood viscosity was elevated by changes in Hct or plasma viscosity. Thus the hyperviscosity of blood was associated with a decrease of renal vascular hindrance, resulting in an essentially unchanged renal flow resistance. The decrease in renal vascular hindrance may result from renal vasodilation. In hyperviscosity induced with dextran, the increase in PRA correlates linearly with the decrease in renal vascular hindrance, with a coefficient of correlation of 0.968 (P less than 0.005). The increase in PRA that resulted when Hct was raised from 25 to 55% also can be correlated linearly with the decrease in renal vascular hindrance, with a coefficient of correlation of 0.953 (P less than 0.005). These results suggest that the decrease in renal vascular hindrance in response to a rise in apparent blood viscosity leads to an increase in PRA.

Effects of experimental hypotension on hemodynamics and renin secretion rate.

The effects of hypotension on systemic and renal hemodynamics, plasma renin activity (PRA), and renin secretion rate (RSR) were determined in dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital plus chloralose. Renal blood flow (RBF) was determined with microspheres (15 micron) and with an electromagnetic flowmeter connected to an extra-corporeal circuit from the femoral artery to the renal artery. Hypotension was induced by nitroprusside infusion, which decreased peripheral resistance, and by hemorrhage, which reduced cardiac output. RSR increased in both forms of hypotension, but the increase following hemorrhage was greater than that after nitroprusside. Thus, when the mean arterial pressure (MAP) was reduced to 75 mmHg, RSR increased from 470 +/- 26 units/min to 990 +/- 12 units/min with nitroprusside and from 415 +/- 13 units/min to 1,509 +/- 21 units/min following hemorrhage. At MAP of 50 mmHg, RSR increased to 1,541 +/- 64 units/min with nitroprusside and to 2,254 +/- 98 units/min following hemorrhage. Nitroprusside increased renin secretion not only by an increase in sympathetic beta adrenergic activity through the baroreceptor reflex, but also by its direct vasolidatory effect in the renal circulation. In hemorrhagic hypotension, the increase in renin secretion was accompanied by renal vasoconstriction. The greater increase in RSR following hemorrhage than after nitroprusside at given levels of hypotension may be explained by a stronger beta adrenergic activation, the activation of prostaglandin and kallikrein systems, a lower microvascular pressure level, and/or smaller pulse pressure and lower sodium load in the macula densa. The comparison of renin secretion at the same degree of hypotension induced by different hemodynamic alterations serves to elucidate the mechanisms of renin secretion.

Regional cerebral blood flow and oxygen consumption of the canine brain during hemorrhagic hypotension.

The sequential changes in systemic and cerebral hemodynamics, systemic and cerebral oxygen transport and consumption rates, and the regional blood flows (measured with 15 micron microspheres) to the cortical and subcortical brain tissues were determined in nine dogs subjected to graded hemorrhage (10 ml/kg X 4 at 15 min intervals). As hemorrhage progressed, both mean arterial pressure and cardiac output decreased progressively. In contrast to the systemic circulation, the mean cerebral blood flow (mCBF) was well maintained by cerebral vasodilation and the cerebral O2 consumption rate (CMRO2) increased during the first three stages of hemorrhage. At 40 ml/kg of hemorrhage, there were significant reduction in mCBF and CMRO2 despite the increase in O2 extraction, suggesting the occurrence of cerebral hypoxia and decompensation of the cerebral circulation. There were remarkable regional variations in the responses of regional cerebral blood flows (rCBF) to hypovolemia, resulting in a significant redistribution of cerebral blood flow. The fractions of cardiac output supplying the diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus), the brain stem (pons and medulla oblongata) and the cervical spinal cord increased after hemorrhage up to 40 ml/kg. The redistribution of rCBF favors those areas where neurons related to cardiovascular control are located. These findings have significant implications relating to hemodynamic regulation during hemorrhagic hypotension.

Effects of sphere size and injection site on regional cerebral blood flow measurements.

Regional cerebral blood flows and shunting of microspheres with four different sizes (9,12, 16 and 25 microns) into the superior sagittal sinus were determined in twelve dogs. Venous blood was collected from the superior sagittal sinus for 120 min after the injection of microspheres, and the dogs were then sacrificed immediately. Results on blood flow measurements and venous shunting determinations were similar between left ventricular and left atrial injections. Blood flows measured by 12, 16 and 25 microns spheres were comparable in various brain tissues, except the choroid plexus. 9 microns spheres underestimated blood flows in all regions studied: by 13-19 percent in the cerebral cortex, midbrain, brain stem and cerebellum, by 34-42 percent in the cortical white matter, corpus callosum and cervical cord, and by 64-81 percent in pituitary gland and choroid plexus. These results probably reflect regional difference in microvascular architecture. Venous shunting of 9, 12, 16 and 25 microns spheres during a 24 hr period were 23.6 +/- 2.5, 12.6 +/- 1.2, 4.8 +/- 1.4, and 4.0 +/- 1.2 percent (mean +/- SEM), respectively, with respect to the arterial delivery. Although most of the venous shunting occurred during the first 3 min after the injection of microspheres, it continued 3-60 min after the injection. Beyond 60 min, the venous shunting became minimal for 16 and 25 microns spheres, while significant amount of 9 microns spheres continued to appear in sagittal sinus. This time dependent shunting indicates that some microspheres may be transiently trapped in the microcirculation and become gradually dislodged with time. Failure to consider this time dependence may underestimate the shunting of microspheres through the microcirculation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Baroreflex control of heart rate in humans during nitroprusside-induced hypotension.

The baroreflex control of heart rate was investigated on 10 informed human subjects during light halothane anesthesia (0.3-0.5%, inspired concentration). The relationship of systolic pressure (SP) to the succeeding pulse interval (PI) was evaluated on a beat-to-beat basis during the entire course of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) depressor test. The initial slope of SP-PI plot (dPI/dSP) was used as an index of the sensitivity of baroreflex control of heart rate. Following an injection of SNP (4-6 micrograms/kg), dPI/dt was related directly to dPI/dSP, whereas the latter was inversely correlated with dSP/dt. The recovery of PI lagged behind that of SP, and there was a hysteresislike loop on the SP-PI plot. The time lag of PI recovery and the loop of SP-PI plot were markedly decreased by propranolol treatment and significantly increased by atropine. The slopes of SP-PI plot were significantly decreased by atropine but relatively unaffected by propranolol. These results indicate that SNP-induced hypotension in man during halothane anesthesia is associated with a withdrawal of parasympathetic inhibition and an enhancement of sympathetic activity. The autonomic control of heart rate in response to rapid changes in arterial pressure induced by SNP is dominated by parasympathetic influence; the more persistent sympathetic activity only becomes evident when the parasympathetic influence subsides quickly as the arterial pressure stays relatively constant at a new level. The slope of SP-PI plot (dPI/dSP) and the ratio of dPI/dt to dSP/dt during the decreasing pressure phase of SNP test can be used as indices for the sensitivity of baroreflex control of heart rate.

Bypass blood flow during carotid endarterectomy.

The relationship of bypass shunt blood flow to arterial pressure and stump pressure was studied in 12 informed patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy. These patients were anesthetized with halothane plus nitrous oxide. Systemic arterial blood pressure was measured with a radial artery catheter, and stump pressure as well as distal shunt pressure (carotid pressure distal to the shunt) were measured with a 25-gauge needle inserted cephalad to the bypass shunt. From the pressure drop across the bypass shunt, blood viscosity, geometry of the bypass tubing and the use of Poiseullie's law, the shunt blood flow can be calculated. The calculated shunt flow shows a close correlation with the difference between arterial pressure and stump pressure (r = 0.91) as well as with the slope of arterial pressure increase following carotid occlusion (r = 0.82); but it is poorly correlated with the stump pressure. Administration of 100 ml low molecular weight dextran solution does not improve the shunt blood flow, whereas 500 ml low molecular weight dextran significantly decreases blood viscosity. The patency of the carotid artery as assessed by angiogram does not give a proper indication of the need for a bypass shunt. The shunt flow as well as the need of such a shunt might be predicted by the use of the difference of arterial pressure and stump pressure. If the slope of arterial pressure increases rapidly following carotid occlusion, it can also be used to determine the necessity of such a shunt.

Effects of hematocrit variations on regional hemodynamics and oxygen transport in the dog.

The responses of alterations in regional hemodynamics and oxygen transport rate to hematocrit (Hct) were studied in 20 pentobarbitalized dogs. Hemodilution was carried out by isovolemic exchange with plasma in 12 dogs and the hemoconcentration with packed cells in 8 dogs. The cardiac output and regional blood flows were determined with the microsphere technique. In hemodilution, the increases of blood flow to the myocardium and the brain were out of proportion to the increase of cardiac output; the oxygen supply to the myocardium remained unchanged while that to the brain decreased only slightly. In hemoconcentration, vasodilation occurred in the myocardium and the brain to maintain constant oxygen supply. Splenic vessels had marked vasoconstriction with Hct alteration in either direction. Blood vessels in the liver, intestine, and kidney responded with a milder vasoconstriction and maintained a constant oxygen supply between Hct of 30-55%. Therefore, during Hct alteration, redistribution of blood flow to myocardium and brain occurred. The optimal Hct range for constant oxygen supply was different among various organs.

Determinations of blood flow and shunting of 9- and 15-micrometer spheres in regional beds.

In 17 pentobarbitalized dogs, the shunting of 15-micrometer and 9-micrometer microspheres was studied in the brain, myocardium, kidney, intestine, and lung. The veins of these organs were catheterized for constant blood withdrawal for 2 min by direct venipuncture. The ratio of microsphere radioactivity in the venous blood to that in the arterial blood gave the shunting of microspheres by the venous sampling technique. The 15-micrometer microspheres showed 2% or less shunting for all organs studied, whereas the 9-micrometer microspheres had shunting ranging from 3% in the coronary sinus to 24% in the portal vein. The shunting of 9-micrometer microspheres was also calculated from direct tissue counting, where the 15-micrometer spheres were considered to be completely entrapped. The results of direct tissue counting indicate that the 2-min venous sampling underestimates microsphere shunting. CO2 administration increased significantly the shunting of 9-micrometer spheres, whereas the shunting of 15-micrometer spheres determined by venous sampling remained less than 2%. Consideration of shunting indicates that the 15-micrometer microspheres might be more appropriate for regional organ blood flow measurements, including the myocardium.