Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2008. / Härtill 7 uppsatser.

Thèses (M.Sc.)--Université de Sherbrooke (Canada), 1999. / Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 20 juin 2006). Publié aussi en version papier.

No description available.

Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) have a 2 to 4-fold increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) compared to those without DM. A contributing factor to the development of CVD is atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease causing plaque build-up in medium to larger arteries. Increasing evidence suggests that hypoxia within the arterial wall is known to promote atherosclerosis, however the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Our lab has previously shown that hyperglycemic APOE-deficient mice have impaired angiogenesis of the aortic vasa vasorum, increased arterial hypoxia, elevated vascular inflammation and accelerated atherosclerosis development at 15 weeks of age compared to normoglycemic APOE-deficient controls. The objective of this study is to elucidate the mechanisms associated with these differences, specifically the reductions in vasa vasorum. The effects of hyperglycemia and specific interventions to modulate endoplasmic reticulum stress (4-phenylbutyric acid (4PBA)), oxidative stress (n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC)) and advanced glycation end products (pyridoxamine (PX)) are examined in vivo and in vitro. Results demonstrate that human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-Cs) have reduced angiogenesis in high glucose compared to normal glucose conditions in both hypoxic and normoxic environments. This may be associated with reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A). Treatment with PX or NAC in hypoxic, high glucose conditions increased the angiogenesis and expression of VEGF-A in HMVEC-Cs. Pilot studies suggest that PX, NAC or 4PBA supplementation are well tolerated in drinking water using STZ mouse models. Future studies should assess the direct effects of each of the chemical interventions on vasa vasorum angiogenesis, arterial hypoxia and atherosclerosis. These results suggest that oxidative stress and advanced glycation end products play a more significant role in reducing microvessel angiogenesis in vitro. Understanding of the non-canonical pathways of atherosclerosis progression in the presence of DM will facilitate the development of novel and more specific treatments for this ongoing epidemic. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / Individuals with diabetes have elevated blood glucose levels which can damage blood vessels throughout the body. This damage can result in the development of cardiovascular diseases. The vasa vasorum is a distinct microvessel network that surrounds the walls of large arteries. Damage to the vasa vasorum can result in decreased oxygen supply to the artery wall, triggering low oxygen environments and accelerated atherosclerosis development. In this study we aim to investigate the mechanisms associated with high glucose induced vasa vasorum damage. Results demonstrate reduced vessel formation of human endothelial cells in high glucose conditions. This decrease correlates with advanced glycation end products and oxidative stress inducing a decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A, a known stimulator of vessel formation. Understanding of the unorthodox pathways of atherosclerosis in diabetes will facilitate the development of new and more effective treatment strategies for this ongoing epidemic.

No description available.

This paper investigates the responsive behaviors of the King Gustav I of Sweden in connection with the two fortified border towns and adjacent areas of Kalmar in Småland and Viborg (today Vyborg) in the Karelian Isthmus from the outgoing letters sent by the king during three significant periods during his reign; 1527-1530 highlighting the Westrogothian rebellion, 1543-1544 with the climax of the Dacke War and 1555-1558 featuring the Russo-Swedish War and the delegations of Duchy of Småland and Finland to his eldest sons Eric and John. With the help of secondary literature we could pinpoint important courses of events that confirm the contexts of the letters.The results show that Gustav I was a highly demanding character who gave calls and advices to his subordinates regarding both military and civilian spheres. The nature of the letters can be categorized after four main themes: 1) Defensive counsels of the cities' fortifications, walls and castles 2) Military presence within the defenses’ facility and by the borders 3) The burgess' various complaints and problems 4) Trading rights and hindrance. The use of authority by law echoes throughout the letters, due of Gustav I:s position as King of Sweden.It is rather accepted today, that Gustav I was a product of his time with the teachings of Machiavelli spreading all over Europe. Traits as authoritarian rule and supervision over its subjects is a common feature in the letters during his lifetime, but also a hint of flexibility of the laws, giving his subjects exceptions during pressed and hard times.

After 333 years under depths of the Baltic Sea, the warship Vasa was salvaged and nowadayslies in a dry dock inside the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. Its current support system, which consists on eighteen cradle-stanchions pairs of steel, is not able to handle the present loads in a satisfactory manner. Experimental tests showed that the Vasa's hull is gradually deforming mainly due to creep behavior. Thus, in order to preserve the Vasa for future generations, a new support system has to be implemented in a foreseeable future. There are several factors to take into consideration for its construction, which are: the degradation of the oak, its current mechanical properties and its inhomogeneity in addition to the climatic conditions of the Museum and the impossibility of taking unlimited specimens for its analysis. Hence, it is crucial to investigate the areas where the stresses and deformations are critical in the ship and how affected is the stiffness of the hull, its most important component. In this dissertation work two Finite Element Analyses are accomplished. The first study consists on the creation of a superelement of a section of Vasa's hull with the intention of investigating the influence of the dowels on the stiffness of the hull. In the second analysis a simplied model of the entire warship Vasa is created in order to analyze it and locate possible critical areas on the hull due to its own weight and the stresses originated by the support system. The software selected for these simulations are Abaqus and CreoSimulate 2.0. From the first study it is concluded that that the dowels do not have a signicant influence in the stiffness coeffcients of the hull. The second analysis determines that the maximum stresses are located on the bottom part of the hull. This dissertation work concludes with a suggested future work.

Individuals with diabetes mellitus often develop complications that traditionally have been separated into microvascular pathologies, such as retinopathy, nephropathy and neuropathy, or macrovascular pathologies, including cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence suggests that these micro- and macro-vascular complications may be linked. Our objective is to determine if direct effects of hyperglycemia on a microvascular bed that supplies cells in large arteries, the vasa vasorum, promotes diabetes-associated accelerated atherosclerosis. Normoglycemic apolipoprotein-E deficient (ApoE-/-) mice showed continuous atherosclerosis progression throughout the study that was directly correlated to increased vasa vasorum density with time. Hyperglycemic ApoE-/- Ins2+/Akita mice and streptozotocin-injected (STZ) ApoE-/- mice also demonstrated progressive plaque growth over time, but had accelerated atherosclerosis at 15 weeks of age compared to normoglycemic controls. The increased atherosclerosis in hyperglycemic mice correlated with impaired angiogenesis at 10 and 15 weeks of age. These mice showed increased expression for a marker of hypoxia in the atherosclerotic lesions yet decreased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), suggesting disruption of hypoxia-mediated angiogenesis. Cell culture experiments suggested that alternative splicing of an antiangiogenic form of VEGF in macrophages as well as post-translational modifications of macrophages and smooth muscle cells may contribute to reduced VEGF expression and decreased vasa vasorum neovascularization. After 25 weeks of age, vasa vasorum expansion plateaued in normoglycemic mice but continued to increase in hyperglycemic ApoE-/- STZ-injected mice. The increase in vasa vasorum neovascularization correlates to increases in plasma cholesterol. We have shown that hyperglycemia alters the microvascular structure of the vasa vasorum in two distinct mouse models of diabetes. Initially, elevations in glucose correlate to a significant reduction in lesion vascularization that results in increased lesional hypoxia that may promote the development and progression of atherosclerosis. At later time points there appears to be a burst of neovascularization that correlate with increases in cholesterol. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc) / People with diabetes have elevated glucose levels that affect the vessels that distribute blood in our body. This puts them at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease and having heart attacks and strokes. One set of vessels, known as the vasa vasorum, delivers blood to the walls of larger vessels. The primary goals of this study are 1) to determine if diabetes affects the vasa vasorum and, 2) to determine if changes to the vasa vasorum increase a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The results of this study show that diabetes in mice decreases the number of vasa vasorum vessels. The decrease in vasa vasorum blood vessels appears to influence the larger blood vessels they supply which promotes an environment that is more prone to cardiovascular disease. This information could be used in the future to develop drugs that target the vasa vasorum and possibly decrease cardiovascular events.

Introdução: Existem vários fatores a serem considerados na fisiopatologia da dissecção aórtica tais como: distúrbios hemodinâmicos e os fatores relacionados às propriedades mecânicas e geométricas da parede aórtica. Os Vasa Vasorum (VV) parecem ter um importante papel em várias doenças, pois o fluxo sangüíneo insuficiente através dos VV aórticos está envolvido na fisiopatologia da aterosclerose e pode contribuir para a necrose da túnica média da aorta. Objetivo: O objetivo era demonstrar pela primeira vez as alterações histológicas que ocorrem na parede aórtica a longo prazo, ou seja, além das 2 semanas de interrupção do fluxo sangüíneo através do VV da aorta descendente em modelo suíno. Método: O experimento foi conduzido com 8 suínos jovens, idade média de 8 semanas resultantes do cruzamento das raças Landrace e Large White, pesando em média 25 Kg (21 – 27Kg) e todos os animais eram fêmeas. Por meio de uma incisão tóraco-lateral à esquerda no 6º espaço intercostal, a camada adventícia era incisada transversalmente em cerca de 1/3 da circunferência da aorta. Era então realizada a ligadura das artérias intercostais e a retirada da camada adventícia, por cerca de 5cm na porção média da aorta descendente. Após a retirada da camada adventícia a aorta era envolvida com o pericárdio bovino ao redor da área sem adventícia e então era realizado o fechamento da cavidade torácica. Após a eutanásia em duas, quatro, seis e oito semanas era realizada a retirada do segmento aórtico envolvido por pericárdio e cerca de 5 cm de aorta proximal e distal. A seguir, uma lâmina de cada segmento (proximal, médio e distal) das aortas foi corada pela Hematoxilina e Eosina e uma pelo método de Weigert – van Gieson, para coloração das fibras elásticas. Resultados: Após duas semanas observamos fibrose subendotelial com preservação da lâmina elástica interna, assim como da camada média nos seus 2/3 internos. Havia um moderado desarranjo das fibras elásticas no 1/3 externo da camada média com um leve infiltrado de linfócitos e neutrófilos. Identificaram-se também focos de angiogênese no 1/3 externo da camada média. Nos animais sacrificados após quatro semanas persistia a fibrose subendotelial com a lâmina elástica interna preservada, assim como a camada média no seu 1/3 interno. Foi identificado um desarranjo estrutural das fibras elásticas e colágenas nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Em relação à inflamação foi observado um infiltrado de linfócitos, histiócitos e neutrófilos nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Quanto à angiogênese foram observados focos nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Após seis semanas os seguintes achados foram identificados: necrose da parede da aorta com fibrose subendotelial. Em relação à inflamação foi identificada necrose com infiltrado linfocítico, histiocitário e neutrofílico em toda a camada média. Quanto à angiogênese observaram-se focos em toda a camada média e na porção subendotelial. Finalmente, após oito semanas havia fibrose de toda a parede da aorta com destruição da lâmina elástica interna. Observamos uma área de inflamação moderada próxima ao endotélio. Havia focos de angiogênese em toda a camada média e na porção subendotelial. Conclusão: O nosso estudo confirma que a isquemia induzida pela interrupção total do fluxo sanguíneo através dos vasa vasorum adventiciais leva à degenerações da túnica média, determinando perda da estrutura normal da parede aórtica que é variável em sua localização, intensidade e forma, dependendo do tempo de evolução da lesão. Em resumo, estudamos as alterações histológicas decorrentes da interrupção dos VV da aorta descendente em suínos desde a segunda semana da lesão, até que ocorresse a fibrose completa da parede. Este estudo pode contribuir para um melhor entendimento do papel dos VV na degeneração da parede aórtica e dos mecanismos envolvidos na dissecção. / Introduction: There are several factors to consider in the pathophysiology of aortic dissection, including: hemodynamic disorders and factors related to the mechanical properties and geometry of the aortic wall. The Vasa Vasorum (VV) seems to have an important role in various diseases, since insufficient blood flow through VV is involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and may contribute to necrosis of the media. Objective: To demonstrate the histological alterations that occur in aortic wall over the long term, i.e. more than two weeks after the interruption of blood flow through the VV of the descending aorta in a porcine model. Method: The experiment was conducted with eight young female pigs, resulting from the crossing of two breeds, Landrace and Large White, with a mean age of 8 weeks, weighing on average 25 kg (21 - 27 kg). Through a left thoracoabdominal incision through the 6th intercostal space, the adventitia was incised transversely in about one third of the circumference of the aorta. The intercostal arteries were then ligated and an area of the adventitia about 5 cm in length was removed from the middle portion of the descending aorta. Then, the area from which the tunica adventitia had been removed, was wrapped in bovine pericardium, after which the chest cavity was closed. Following euthanasia, at two, four, six and eight weeks, the aortic segment wrapped in pericardium was removed together with portions about 5 cm long of proximal and distal aorta. Next, slices from each segment (proximal, middle and distal) of the aorta were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Weigert - Van Gieson method for elastic fiber staining. Results: After two weeks, subendothelial fibrosis was observed with preservation of the internal elastic lamina and the inner 2/3 of the tunica media. There was a slight cellular breakdown in the outer 1/3 of the media with some lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration. In addition, foci of angiogenesis were identified in the outer 1/3 of the tunica media. In animals sacrificed at four weeks, persisted a subendothelial fibrosis with preservation of the internal elastic lamina and of inner 1/3 of the tunica media. There was structural breakdown of elastic fibers and collagen fibers in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. Regarding inflammation, lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration was observed in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. Foci of angiogenesis were observed in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. After six weeks, there was necrosis of the aortic wall with subendothelial fibrosis. Regarding inflammation, there was lymphocytic, histiocytic and neutrophil infiltration with necrosis throughout the media. Foci of angiogenesis were observed throughout the tunica media and in the subendothelial portion. Finally, after eight weeks, there was fibrosis of the entire wall of the aorta with destruction of the internal elastic lamina. We observed an area of moderate inflammation near the endothelium. In relation to angiogenesis, foci were observed throughout the tunica media and in the subendothelial portion. Conclusion: Our study confirms that the ischemia induced by complete interruption of blood flow through the vasa vasorum (VV) leads to degeneration of the media, determining loss of normal structure of the aortic wall that is variable in its location, intensity and shape, depending on the length and duration of the ischemic insult. In summary, we studied the histological changes caused by the interruption of the VV of the descending aorta in pigs from the second week of the injury until the occurrence of complete fibrosis of the wall at eight weeks. This study may contribute to a better understanding of the role of VV in the degeneration of the aortic wall and the mechanisms involved in aortic dissection.

Introdução: Existem vários fatores a serem considerados na fisiopatologia da dissecção aórtica tais como: distúrbios hemodinâmicos e os fatores relacionados às propriedades mecânicas e geométricas da parede aórtica. Os Vasa Vasorum (VV) parecem ter um importante papel em várias doenças, pois o fluxo sangüíneo insuficiente através dos VV aórticos está envolvido na fisiopatologia da aterosclerose e pode contribuir para a necrose da túnica média da aorta. Objetivo: O objetivo era demonstrar pela primeira vez as alterações histológicas que ocorrem na parede aórtica a longo prazo, ou seja, além das 2 semanas de interrupção do fluxo sangüíneo através do VV da aorta descendente em modelo suíno. Método: O experimento foi conduzido com 8 suínos jovens, idade média de 8 semanas resultantes do cruzamento das raças Landrace e Large White, pesando em média 25 Kg (21 – 27Kg) e todos os animais eram fêmeas. Por meio de uma incisão tóraco-lateral à esquerda no 6º espaço intercostal, a camada adventícia era incisada transversalmente em cerca de 1/3 da circunferência da aorta. Era então realizada a ligadura das artérias intercostais e a retirada da camada adventícia, por cerca de 5cm na porção média da aorta descendente. Após a retirada da camada adventícia a aorta era envolvida com o pericárdio bovino ao redor da área sem adventícia e então era realizado o fechamento da cavidade torácica. Após a eutanásia em duas, quatro, seis e oito semanas era realizada a retirada do segmento aórtico envolvido por pericárdio e cerca de 5 cm de aorta proximal e distal. A seguir, uma lâmina de cada segmento (proximal, médio e distal) das aortas foi corada pela Hematoxilina e Eosina e uma pelo método de Weigert – van Gieson, para coloração das fibras elásticas. Resultados: Após duas semanas observamos fibrose subendotelial com preservação da lâmina elástica interna, assim como da camada média nos seus 2/3 internos. Havia um moderado desarranjo das fibras elásticas no 1/3 externo da camada média com um leve infiltrado de linfócitos e neutrófilos. Identificaram-se também focos de angiogênese no 1/3 externo da camada média. Nos animais sacrificados após quatro semanas persistia a fibrose subendotelial com a lâmina elástica interna preservada, assim como a camada média no seu 1/3 interno. Foi identificado um desarranjo estrutural das fibras elásticas e colágenas nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Em relação à inflamação foi observado um infiltrado de linfócitos, histiócitos e neutrófilos nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Quanto à angiogênese foram observados focos nos 2/3 externos da camada média. Após seis semanas os seguintes achados foram identificados: necrose da parede da aorta com fibrose subendotelial. Em relação à inflamação foi identificada necrose com infiltrado linfocítico, histiocitário e neutrofílico em toda a camada média. Quanto à angiogênese observaram-se focos em toda a camada média e na porção subendotelial. Finalmente, após oito semanas havia fibrose de toda a parede da aorta com destruição da lâmina elástica interna. Observamos uma área de inflamação moderada próxima ao endotélio. Havia focos de angiogênese em toda a camada média e na porção subendotelial. Conclusão: O nosso estudo confirma que a isquemia induzida pela interrupção total do fluxo sanguíneo através dos vasa vasorum adventiciais leva à degenerações da túnica média, determinando perda da estrutura normal da parede aórtica que é variável em sua localização, intensidade e forma, dependendo do tempo de evolução da lesão. Em resumo, estudamos as alterações histológicas decorrentes da interrupção dos VV da aorta descendente em suínos desde a segunda semana da lesão, até que ocorresse a fibrose completa da parede. Este estudo pode contribuir para um melhor entendimento do papel dos VV na degeneração da parede aórtica e dos mecanismos envolvidos na dissecção. / Introduction: There are several factors to consider in the pathophysiology of aortic dissection, including: hemodynamic disorders and factors related to the mechanical properties and geometry of the aortic wall. The Vasa Vasorum (VV) seems to have an important role in various diseases, since insufficient blood flow through VV is involved in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and may contribute to necrosis of the media. Objective: To demonstrate the histological alterations that occur in aortic wall over the long term, i.e. more than two weeks after the interruption of blood flow through the VV of the descending aorta in a porcine model. Method: The experiment was conducted with eight young female pigs, resulting from the crossing of two breeds, Landrace and Large White, with a mean age of 8 weeks, weighing on average 25 kg (21 - 27 kg). Through a left thoracoabdominal incision through the 6th intercostal space, the adventitia was incised transversely in about one third of the circumference of the aorta. The intercostal arteries were then ligated and an area of the adventitia about 5 cm in length was removed from the middle portion of the descending aorta. Then, the area from which the tunica adventitia had been removed, was wrapped in bovine pericardium, after which the chest cavity was closed. Following euthanasia, at two, four, six and eight weeks, the aortic segment wrapped in pericardium was removed together with portions about 5 cm long of proximal and distal aorta. Next, slices from each segment (proximal, middle and distal) of the aorta were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Weigert - Van Gieson method for elastic fiber staining. Results: After two weeks, subendothelial fibrosis was observed with preservation of the internal elastic lamina and the inner 2/3 of the tunica media. There was a slight cellular breakdown in the outer 1/3 of the media with some lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration. In addition, foci of angiogenesis were identified in the outer 1/3 of the tunica media. In animals sacrificed at four weeks, persisted a subendothelial fibrosis with preservation of the internal elastic lamina and of inner 1/3 of the tunica media. There was structural breakdown of elastic fibers and collagen fibers in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. Regarding inflammation, lymphocyte and neutrophil infiltration was observed in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. Foci of angiogenesis were observed in the outer 2/3 of the tunica media. After six weeks, there was necrosis of the aortic wall with subendothelial fibrosis. Regarding inflammation, there was lymphocytic, histiocytic and neutrophil infiltration with necrosis throughout the media. Foci of angiogenesis were observed throughout the tunica media and in the subendothelial portion. Finally, after eight weeks, there was fibrosis of the entire wall of the aorta with destruction of the internal elastic lamina. We observed an area of moderate inflammation near the endothelium. In relation to angiogenesis, foci were observed throughout the tunica media and in the subendothelial portion. Conclusion: Our study confirms that the ischemia induced by complete interruption of blood flow through the vasa vasorum (VV) leads to degeneration of the media, determining loss of normal structure of the aortic wall that is variable in its location, intensity and shape, depending on the length and duration of the ischemic insult. In summary, we studied the histological changes caused by the interruption of the VV of the descending aorta in pigs from the second week of the injury until the occurrence of complete fibrosis of the wall at eight weeks. This study may contribute to a better understanding of the role of VV in the degeneration of the aortic wall and the mechanisms involved in aortic dissection.