Background: Surgical procedures are invariably accompanied by the use of inhalational and intravenous anesthetics. Both groups have strong influence on cardiovascular system by the interaction with myocardial oxygen supply/demand ratio and cardiomyocyte functions at the level of cell membranes, ion channels and regulatory enzymes. Aims: 1. To examine the effects of different isoflurane concentrations on the left ventricular (LV) dimensions and systolic function in the rat. 2. To examine the effects of isoflurane-induced myocardial preconditioning (APC) on the cardiac tolerance to ischemia- reperfusion (I-R) injury. 3. To compare the influence of anesthesia, based on ketamine- dexmedetomidine (KET-DEX), on the release of biochemical markers of myocardial injury and the early postoperative course with the anesthesia, based on sevoflurane-sufentanil (SEVO), in the patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: 1. We carried out transthoracic echocardiographic examination in the rats immobilized by 1.5-3% concentration of isoflurane. 2. After inducing APC by isoflurane (0.5 and 1 MAC), we evaluated ventricular arrhythmias during regional ischemia (45 min), induced by the occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, and subsequent reperfusion (60 min), using the model of...

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In several numerical approaches to PDEs shifted linear systems of the form (zI - A)x = b, need to be solved for several values of the complex scalar z. Often, these linear systems are large and sparse. This thesis investigates efficient numerical methods for these systems that arise from a contour integral approximation to PDEs and compares these methods with direct solvers. In the first part, we present three model PDEs and discuss numerical approaches to solve them. We use the first problem to demonstrate computations with a dense matrix, the second problem to demonstrate computations with a sparse symmetric matrix and the third problem for a sparse but nonsymmetric matrix. To solve the model PDEs numerically we apply two space discrerization methods, namely the finite difference method and the Chebyshev collocation method. The contour integral method mentioned above is used to integrate with respect to the time variable. In the second part, we study a Hessenberg reduction method for solving shifted linear systems with a dense matrix and present numerical comparison of it with the built-in direct linear system solver in SciPy. Since both are direct methods, in the absence of roundoff errors, they give the same result. However, we find that the Hessenberg reduction method is more efficient in CPU-time than the direct solver. As application we solve a one-dimensional version of the heat equation. In the third part, we present efficient techniques for solving shifted systems with a sparse matrix by Krylov subspace methods. Because of their shift-invariance property, the Krylov methods allow one to obtain approximate solutions for all values of the parameter, by generating a single approximation space. Krylov methods applied to the linear systems are generally slowly convergent and hence preconditioning is necessary to improve the convergence. The use of shift-invert preconditioning is discussed and numerical comparisons with a direct sparse solver are presented. As an application we solve a two-dimensional version of the heat equation with and without a convection term. Our numerical experiments show that the preconditioned Krylov methods are efficient in both computational time and memory space as compared to the direct sparse solver. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In verskeie numeriese metodes vir PDVs moet geskuifde lineêre stelsels van die vorm (zI − A)x = b, opgelos word vir verskeie waardes van die komplekse skalaar z. Hierdie stelsels is dikwels groot en yl. Hierdie tesis ondersoek numeriese metodes vir sulke stelsels wat voorkom in kontoerintegraalbenaderings vir PDVs en vergelyk hierdie metodes met direkte metodes vir oplossing. In die eerste gedeelte beskou ons drie model PDVs en bespreek numeriese benaderings om hulle op te los. Die eerste probleem word gebruik om berekenings met ’n vol matriks te demonstreer, die tweede probleem word gebruik om berekenings met yl, simmetriese matrikse te demonstreer en die derde probleem vir yl, onsimmetriese matrikse. Om die model PDVs numeries op te los beskou ons twee ruimte-diskretisasie metodes, naamlik die eindige-verskilmetode en die Chebyshev kollokasie-metode. Die kontoerintegraalmetode waarna hierbo verwys is word gebruik om met betrekking tot die tydveranderlike te integreer. In die tweede gedeelte bestudeer ons ’n Hessenberg ontbindingsmetode om geskuifde lineêre stelsels met ’n vol matriks op te los, en ons rapporteer numeriese vergelykings daarvan met die ingeboude direkte oplosser vir lineêre stelsels in SciPy. Aangesien beide metodes direk is lewer hulle dieselfde resultate in die afwesigheid van afrondingsfoute. Ons het egter bevind dat die Hessenberg ontbindingsmetode meer effektief is in terme van rekenaartyd in vergelyking met die direkte oplosser. As toepassing los ons ’n een-dimensionele weergawe van die hittevergelyking op. In die derde gedeelte beskou ons effektiewe tegnieke om geskuifde stelsels met ’n yl matriks op te los, met Krylov subruimte-metodes. As gevolg van hul skuifinvariansie eienskap, laat die Krylov metodes mens toe om benaderde oplossings te verkry vir alle waardes van die parameter, deur slegs een benaderingsruimte voort te bring. Krylov metodes toegepas op lineêre stelsels is in die algemeen stadig konvergerend, en gevolglik is prekondisionering nodig om die konvergensie te verbeter. Die gebruik van prekondisionering gebasseer op skuif-en-omkeer word bespreek en numeriese vergelykings met direkte oplossers word aangebied. As toepassing los ons ’n twee-dimensionele weergawe van die hittevergelyking op, met ’n konveksie term en daarsonder. Ons numeriese eksperimente dui aan dat die Krylov metodes met prekondisionering effektief is, beide in terme van berekeningstyd en rekenaargeheue, in vergelyking met die direkte metodes.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Introduction: Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death worldwide with 3.8 million men and 3.4 million women dying globally each year. Although existing myocardial reperfusion strategies such as thrombolysis and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), if applied in a timely manner, limit myocardial infarct size, the mortality and morbidity remains significantly high. Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) may offer the potential to attenuate myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury through cardioprotective signaling pathways which is recruited at the time of myocardial reperfusion, thereby improving clinical outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. Ischaemic preconditioning is a phenomenon whereby short intermittent episodes of coronary occlusion followed by reperfusion protect the myocardium against a subsequent period of sustained ischaemia. This protection is reflected in the limitation of infarct size and improved functional recovery of the ischaemic heart during reperfusion. Despite intensive research efforts, the promise of an effective cardioprotective strategy using the endogenous protective mechanisms of the heart which underlies IPC, has not yet been materialized. Although progress has been made in terms of signaling mechanisms in the preconditioned heart, the identification of the myocardial reperfusion phase as the critical “window” for cardioprotection, requires the elucidation of the signal transduction pathways during the reperfusion phase after IPC. In view of the above, the aims of the present study were to investigate: i. the involvement of the RISK pathway and p38 MAP kinase pathway in IPC during early and late reperfusion ii. the involvement of heat shock protein-27 (HSP-27), heat shock protein-70 (HSP-70), GSK-3β, CAMKII, AMPK and the transcription factor CREB in the context of IPC during early reperfusion iii. the involvement of autophagy and apoptosis during early and late reperfusion after IPC iv. the correlation of the protein kinases with the hemodynamic parameters of the heart v. the mechanism of IPC by means of two-dimensional (2D) proteomics Methods: The isolated perfused working rat heart model was used with functional recovery as end-point. Hearts were preconditioned (IPC) for 3x5 min global ischaemia, alternated with 5 min reperfusion. Hearts were subjected to 25 min sustained global ischaemia, followed by 5, 10, 15 or 30 min reperfusion when hearts were snap-frozen for western blotting analysis. Alternatively, hearts were reperfused for 30 min to record hemodynamic parameters and measure functional recovery. Non-preconditioned (Non-IPC) hearts were stabilized for 30 min and subjected to 25 min sustained global ischaemia followed by 5, 10, 15 or 30 min reperfusion when hearts were snap-frozen. Alternatively Non-IPC hearts were reperfused for 30 min to serve as control for the 30 min reperfused IPC group. Activation of the protein kinases was determined by western blotting analysis. For the proteomic study mitochondrial and cytosolic proteins were isolated from heart tissue and separated in the first dimension by isoelectric focusing, followed by separation in the second dimension by two dimensional gel electrophoresis. The PD Quest software programme was used to identify significantly expressed protein spots. Protein spots of interest were excised and subjected to in-gel digestion and the resulting peptides were analysed by mass spectrometry. Proteins were identified by Mascot and the Swiss Prot database. Results: Western blotting analysis demonstrated that the RISK pathway and p38 MAPK are activated very early in reperfusion, but the activation is not sustained during the reperfusion period. Autophagy is also upregulated during this early reperfusion phase; it is attenuated in the middle reperfusion phase and increase for a second peak of upregulation in the late reperfusion phase. In addition, we identified CAMKII as a novel marker of functional recovery in IPC after reperfusion. The proteomic analysis identified twenty differentially expressed mitochondrial and thirty six differentially expressed cytosolic proteins between Non-IPC and IPC hearts. Functions ascribed to the majority of these individual proteins were directly related to cardiac metabolism. Conclusion: Activation of the majority of the protein kinases investigated in the present study is associated with the hemodynamic parameters of the heart instead of functional recovery. Results indicated that the variable signaling patterns could be attributed to differences in heart rate and the effect thereof (ejection fraction, minimum and maximum rate of contraction), as a result of sympathetic stimulation due to psychological stress in the animals before slaughtering. Proteomics results demonstrated that IPC hearts which failed after ischaemia /reperfusion are metabolically compromised and “worse off” compared to non-IPC hearts. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Inleiding: Koronêre hartsiekte is die vernaamste oorsaak van sterftes wêreldwyd met 3.8 miljoen mans en 3.4 miljoen vrouens wat jaarliks sterf. Alhoewel bestaande miokardiale herperfusie strategieë soos trombolise en perkutane koronêre intervensie (PKI), wanneer betyds toegepas, miokardiale infarktgrootte beperk, bly mortaliteit en morbiditeit steeds hoog. Isgemiese prekondisionering (IPK) beskik oor die potensiaal om miokariale isgemie/herperfusie skade te verminder deur beskermende seinoordragpaaie tydens miokardiale herperfusie te aktiveer en sodoende die pasiënte wat aan koronêre arterie siekte ly, se prognose te verbeter. Isgemiese prekondisionering verwys na die verskynsel waartydens kort episodes van isgemie opgevolg deur herperfusie, die miokardium teen ‘n daaropvolgende langdurige isgemiese insident beskerm. Hierdie beskerming word gereflekteer in die beperking van infarktgrootte en verbeterde funksionele herstel van die isgemiese hart tydens herperfusie. Ten spyte van intensiewe navorsingspogings is die presiese meganisme van endogene beskerming tydens IPK nog nie ten volle ontrafel nie. Die identifisering van die miokardiale herperfusie fase se kritiese “vensterperiode” van beskerming, noodsaak ‘n volledige analise van die seinoordragpaaie wat geaktiveer word tydens die herperfusie fase na IPK. In die lig van bogenoemde, was die doel van die huidige studie om die volgende te ondersoek: i. die betrokkenheid van die RISK seinoordragpad en p38 MAP kinase tydens vroeë en laat herperfusie na IPK ii. die betrokkenheid van “heat shock protein-27” (HSP-27), “heat shock protein- 70” (HSP-70), GSK -3β, CAMKII, AMPK en die transkripsie faktor, CREB, in die konteks van IPK tydens vroeë herperfusie iii. die betrokkenheid van outofagie en apoptose tydens vroeë en laat herperfusie na IPK iv. die korrelasie van die proteïenkinases met die hemodinamiese parameters van die hart v. die meganisme van IPK deur middel van twee dimensionele proteomika Metodes: Die geïsoleerde werkende rothart model, met funksionele herstel as eindpunt, is gebruik. Harte is geprekondisioneer (IPK) met 3x5 min globale isgemie, afgewissel met 5 min herperfusie. Daarna is harte blootgestel aan 25 min volgehoue globale isgemie, gevolg deur 5, 10, 15 of 30 min herperfusie, waartydens harte gevriesklamp is. Alternatiewelik, is harte blootgestel aan 30 min herperfusie ten einde funksionele herstel te meet en hemodinamiese parameters te registreer. Nie-geprekondisioneerde (Non-IPK) harte is gestabiliseer vir 30 min, waarna dit onderwerp is aan 25 min volgehoue globale isgemie, gevolg deur 5, 10, 15 of 30 min herperfusie, waartydens harte gevriesklamp is vir westelike klad analise. Alternatiewelik, is Non-IPK harte onderwerp aan 30 min herperfusie om te dien as kontrole vir die 30 min IPK groep. Aktivering van die proteïenkinases is bepaal deur westelike klad analise. Vir die proteomiese studie, is onderskeidelik mitokondriale en sitosoliese proteïene geïsoleer en geskei in die eerste dimensie met behulp van isoelektriese fokusering, gevolg deur skeiding in die tweede dimensie met behulp van twee dimensionele gel elektroforese. Die PDQuest sagteware program is gebruik om proteïenkolle te identifiseer wat statisties beduidende verskille toon. Proteïenkolle van belang is uitgesny en onderwerp aan in-gel tripsinering en die peptiede wat sodoende verkry is, is deur middel van massa spektrometrie geanaliseer. Proteïene is geïdentifiseer deur Mascot en die Swiss Prot databasis. Resultate: Westelike klad analise het aangetoon dat die RISK pad en p38 MAPK geaktiveer is tydens vroeë herperfusie, maar die aktivering word nie volgehou tydens die hele herperfusie periode nie. Outofagie word gestimuleer tydens die vroeë herperfusie fase; dit word onderdruk in die middel herperfusie fase en bereik ‘n tweede piek van stimulering in die laat herperfusie fase. Die proteomiese analise het onderskeidelik twintig differensieel gereguleerde mitokondriale proteïene en ses en dertig differensieel gereguleerde sitosoliese proteïene geïdentifiseer tussen Non-IPK en IPK. Die grootste persentasie van hierdie proteïene is direk betrokke by miokardiale energie metabolisme. CAMKII is geidentifiseer as ‘n unieke merker van funksionele herstel in IPK tydens reperfusie. Gevolgtrekking: Aktivering van die meeste van die proteïenkinases wat ondersoek is in die huidige studie, is geassosieer met die hemodinamiese parameters van die hart, in plaas van funksionele herstel. Die resultate het aangetoon dat die varierende patrone van kinase aktivering toegeskryf kan word word aan verskille in harttempo en die effek daarvan (ejeksie fraksie, minimum en maksimum tempo van kontraksie), as gevolg van simpatiese stimulasie toegeskryf aan sielkundige stres in die diere voor slagting. Proteomiese analise het getoon dat IPK harte wat faal na isgemie/reperfusie metabolies gekompromiseer is en “slegter daaraan toe” is, in vergelyking met Non-IPK harte.

L’infarctus du myocarde, problème majeur de santé publique, est caractérisé par une nécrose cardiomyocytaire. Des séries d’occlusions-reperfusions courtes, réalisées avant l’ischémie (Préconditionnement (PréC) ischémique) ou au moment de la reperfusion (Postconditionnement (PostC) ischémique), protègent le coeur contre des lésions d’ischémie-reperfusion (IR). Les mécanismes intracellulaires impliqués restent obscurs. Nous avons étudié la signalisation intracellulaire du PréC et du PostC, et la cardioprotection qui en découle, sur un modèle de coeur isolé perfusé de souris. Le PréC ischémique peut être mimé par une activation directe du canal potassique mitochondrial ATP dépendant (mitoKATP), entraînant la mise en place d’une boucle d’auto-amplification incluant l’activation d’Akt, l’inhibition de GSK-3β et l’ouverture du mitoKATP. Cette réponse est liée à la production modérée d’espèces dérivées de l’oxygène par le mitoKATP et aboutie à une cardioprotection. La voie de développement Wnt est capable de moduler le PréC via GSK-3β. La voie de survie mTOR, cible de GSK-3β est aussi impliquée et pourrait induire des modifications traductionnelles lors de la réponse adaptative à l’IR. Le PostC ischémique peut également être mimé par activation directe du mitoKATP lors de la reperfusion, engendrant une protection du coeur et la mise en place d’une boucle d’auto-amplification similaire à celle du PréC, comprenant Akt, GSK-3β et le mitoKATP. Le PostC est dépendant de GSK-3β, mais contrairement au PréC, il n’impliquerait pas les voies Wnt et mTOR. Cette étude est la première démontrant que le PréC implique les voies de survie mTOR et de développement Wnt avec un rôle central de GSK-3β. / Myocardial infarction is a major problem of public health, whose prognosis is related to the extent of the infarcted territory. Transient episodes of ischemia/reperfusion before ischemia (ischemic PreConditioning (PreC)), or at the onset of reperfusion (ischemic PostConditioning (PostC)) confer myocardium resistance to lethal ischemia. However the exact mechanism of PreC and PostC remains obscure. Our objectives were to examine signaling events during PreC and PostC and their effects on cardioprotection in an isolated mouse heart model. We provide evidence that pharmacological PreC by direct activation of mitoKATP, like ischemic PreC, involve an amplification loop involving ROS production and resulting in a sustained down-regulation of GSK-3β via Akt activation and a constant opening of mitoKATP. The mTOR pathway is a target of this loop and participates to cardioprotection. Disruption of Wnt pathway by sFRP1 modulates this loop inducing GSK-3β activation. This is the first evidence that PreC involves both a pro-survival mTOR pathway and an embryonic developmental Wnt pathway targeting GSK-3β. During ischemic and pharmacological PostC, the same amplification loop is activated, including Akt, GSK-3β and the mitoKATP. Unlike PreC, PostC did not induce the mTOR survival pathway: neither phosphorylation of mTOR nor of its targets p70S6K and 4E-BP1 were observed. However, cardiac overexpression of a Wnt antagonist, impairing PreC through GSK3-β, was unable to abolish cardioprotection afforded by PostC. PostC signaling differs from the preC pathway. Despite these discrepancies, GSK-3β plays a key role in both types of cardioprotection.

O fenômeno do precondicionamento isquêmico é definido como o aumento da tolerância à isquemia e à lesão de reperfusão, induzida por curtos e sucessivos episódios de isquemia prévios a período de isquemia prolongada. A angina do aquecimento e a de pré-infarto são duas condições clínicas relacionadas ao precondicionamento. Este fenômeno apresenta duas fases distintas, clássica ou precoce e tardia. A atenuação do infradesnível do segmento ST provocada pelo precondicionamento precoce está bem documentada, porém sua expressão cintilográfica permanece controversa. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar se as atenuações eletrocardiográficas do precondicionamento durante testes sequenciais estão associadas a modificações simultâneas das imagens de cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica em indivíduos com doença coronariana. Vinte e três pacientes foram selecionados entre março de 2009 e julho de 2011. A média de idade foi 64,5 anos (dp=7,0), 19 (82,6%) do sexo masculino e todos tinham lesão coronária em pelo menos um vaso superior a 60%. A medicação antiisquêmica foi suspensa por três a cinco dias. Os pacientes foram submetidos a três testes ergométricos a partir do exame de seleção, sendo dois deles sequenciais e o terceiro realizado após sete dias. A injeção do radiofármaco sestamibi-Tc-99m no teste de precondicionamento e contraprova foi administrado no tempo de aparecimento do infradesnível de ST de -2,0 mm na derivação MC5 e/ou dor precordial anotados no teste inicial ou de seleção. A imagem cintilográfica foi adquirida entre 60 a 90 minutos após o esforço. Os resultados do segundo teste (precondicionamento) mostraram aumento significativo do tempo para o aparecimento da depressão do segmento ST de 1,0 mm (338±130) e 2,0 mm (431±126), em relação ao teste inicial (245±96; 366±103) p<0,001. A diferença na redução do valor máximo de infradesnível de ST entre os três testes foi significativa (3,8±0,8; 2,3±0,6; 3,1±1,0) p<0,001. Houve redução significativa nos escores de perfusão de estresse (p=0,045) entre o primeiro e o segundo testes, bem como para o escore da diferença entre o estresse e repouso (p= 0,03), sem diferença na extensão da área de isquemia entre as três etapas detectadas pela cintilografia (p=0,691). Em conclusão, houve redução significativa das alterações eletrocardiográficas induzidas pelo precondicionamento isquêmico precoce em maior proporção do que as observadas nas respectivas imagens de cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica; não se observou associação entre a redução da depressão do ST e a redução do escore de perfusão na fase de precondicionamento, nem correlação entre a magnitude do infradesnível máximo de ST e a redução do escore de perfusão (r=0,07 e p=0,75). / The phenomenon of ischemic preconditioning is defined as the increase of tolerance to ischemia and injury of reperfusion induced by short and consecutive episodes of isquemia prior to prolonged arterial occlusion. Warm-up and pre-infarction angina are two clinical conditions regarding this phenomenon. The ischemic preconditioning has two distinct windows designed as classical and late. The improvement of ST depression induced by classical preconditioning is well documented, however its scintigraphy expression is still controversial. The aim of this research was to assess whether the reduction of ST depression induced by preconditioning during these sequencial exercise testing are associated to simultaneous alterations of the scintigraphy images of myocardial perfusion in individuals with coronary artery disease. From March 2009 to July 2011, 23 patients were selected, mean age 64,5 (sd=7,0), 19(82,6%) male. All patients had coronary artery stenosis at least 60% in one vessel. The anti ischemic therapy was discontinued for three days. Patients underwent three exercises testing after screening process; two of these tests were in a sequence and the other one performed after seven days. Tc-99m-sestamibi radiotracer injection was applied in the preconditioning test as well as for the third test at the time of development of ST depression 2,0 mm in the CM5 lead and/or chest pain estabilished in the screening process or first test. The scintigraphy image was obtained from 60 to 90 minutes after exertion. The results of the preconditioning test showed a significant increase of time for manifestation of the ST depression 1,0 mm (338±130) and 2,0 mm (431±126) regarding the first test (245±96; 366±103), p<0,001. There was a significant difference in the decrease of maximum value of ST depression among the three tests (3,8±0,8; 2,3±0,6; 3,1±1,0), p<0,001. A significant reduction in stress perfusion score (p=0,045) occurred between the first and second test as well as for the difference score between stress and rest (p=0,03). However, there was not a significant difference in the total defect size among the three stages detected by myocardial scintigraphy (p=0,691). In conclusion, there was a significant decrease of electrocardiographic alterations resulting from early preconditioning in greater proportion than the observed in scintigraphy images. It was not observed an association between the decrease of ST depression with the stress perfusion score during the preconditioning period nor the correlation between the magnitude of the maximum value of ST depression and the decrease of perfusion score (r=0,07 and p=0,75).

INTRODUÇÃO E HIPÓTESE: A epinefrina é um potente vasoconstritor com efeitos inotrópico e arritmogênico, é utilizada em protocolos de reanimação cardiopulmonar e como fármaco de primeira escolha em alguns casos de choque. Contudo, o seu uso pode ser seguido por lesões do miocárdio e disfunção cardíaca. Modelos experimentais têm mostrado efeitos cardioprotetores do fentanil por meio de mecanismos antiarrítmicos e anti-isquêmicos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito cardioprotetor do fentanil em suínos expostos a altas doses de epinefrina. MÉTODOS: Após aprovação do comitê de ética institucional, 26 porcos Large White e Landrace foram alocados aleatoriamente em três grupos: grupo fentanil (n = 10), no qual os porcos receberam 20 ug/kg de fentanil 5 minutos antes de 5 doses de 20 ug/kg de epinefrina, as quais foram intercaladas por intervalos de 5 minutos entre cada dose; grupo salina (n = 10), no qual os porcos receberam solução salina volume-equivalente ao fentanil 5 minutos antes das 5 doses de epinefrina e grupo Sham (n = 6), que não recebeu fentanil ou epinefrina. Foram coletadas variáveis hemodinâmicas, ecocardiográficas, gasométricas e marcadores cardíacos durante as 6 horas de experimento. Ao final do estudo, o coração e os pulmões dos porcos foram removidos para análise por microscopia óptica, microscopia eletrônica e imuno-histoquímica (caspase-3). Os dados foram analisados usando equações de estimação generalizadas (GEE) e a significância estatística foi estabelecida em p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Os níveis de troponina-I entre os grupos foram inicialmente equivalentes. Ao final do experimento, foi observado menor nível de troponina-I no grupo fentanil, em comparação com o grupo salina (1,91 ± 1,47 versus 5,44 ± 5,35 ng.ml-1, p = 0,019). Adicionalmente, a microscopia eletrônica e a imunohistoquímica demonstraram menor lesão miocárdica no grupo fentanil. Não houve diferença significativa entre o grupo fentanil e o salina para as variáveis hemodinâmicas, ecocardiográficas e gasométricas. CONCLUSÃO: O fentanil promove cardioproteção aos efeitos de altas doses de epinefrina sem prejudicar o efeito hemodinâmico da mesma / INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Epinephrine is a powerful vasopressor with inotropic and arrhythmogenic effects that is used in cardiopulmonary resuscitation protocols and as first choice drug in some cases of shock. However, its use could be followed by myocardial injury and dysfunction. Experimental models have shown cardioprotective effects of fentanyl through antiarrhythmic and anti-ischaemic mechanisms. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardioprotective effect of fentanyl on myocardial function in swine exposed to high doses of epinephrine. METHODS: After institutional ethics committee approval, twenty-six Large White and Landrace pigs were allocated randomly into three groups: Fentanyl group (n=10), which received 20ug/kg of fentanyl five minutes before five doses of 20ug/kg of epinephrine interspersed with 5 minute intervals between each dose; Saline group (n=10), which received saline in a volume-equivalent manner of fentanyl five minutes before 20ug/kg of epinephrine doses; and Sham group (n=6), which did not receive fentanyl nor epinephrine. We assessed hemodynamics, transesophageal echocardiography, cardiac markers, and gasometry for 6 h. At the end of the experiment, the heart and lungs were removed for analysis by optical and electron microscopy and immunohistochemical (Caspase-3) assay. Data was analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEE) and statistical significance was assumed at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Troponin levels among the groups were initially equivalent. Fentanyl group showed lower levels of troponin at the end of the sixth hour compared to the saline group (1.91 ± 1.47 vs. 5.44 ± 5.35 ng.mL-1, p=0.019). There were no significantly difference between fentanyl and saline group for hemodynamic, echocardiographic and gasometrical data. Transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry also showed less myocardial injury in the fentanyl group. CONCLUSION: We concluded that fentanyl promotes effective cardioprotection to high-dose epinephrine without blunting the hemodynamic effect of epinephrine

Many methods for computing eigenvalues of a large sparse matrix involve shift-invert transformations which require the solution of a shifted linear system at each step. This thesis deals with shift-invert iterative techniques for solving eigenvalue problems where the arising linear systems are solved inexactly using a second iterative technique. This approach leads to an inner-outer type algorithm. We provide convergence results for the outer iterative eigenvalue computation as well as techniques for efficient inner solves. In particular eigenvalue computations using inexact inverse iteration, the Jacobi-Davidson method without subspace expansion and the shift-invert Arnoldi method as a subspace method are investigated in detail. A general convergence result for inexact inverse iteration for the non-Hermitian generalised eigenvalue problem is given, using only minimal assumptions. This convergence result is obtained in two different ways; on the one hand, we use an equivalence result between inexact inverse iteration applied to the generalised eigenproblem and modified Newton's method; on the other hand, a splitting method is used which generalises the idea of orthogonal decomposition. Both approaches also include an analysis for the convergence theory of a version of inexact Jacobi-Davidson method, where equivalences between Newton's method, inverse iteration and the Jacobi-Davidson method are exploited. To improve the efficiency of the inner iterative solves we introduce a new tuning strategy which can be applied to any standard preconditioner. We give a detailed analysis on this new preconditioning idea and show how the number of iterations for the inner iterative method and hence the total number of iterations can be reduced significantly by the application of this tuning strategy. The analysis of the tuned preconditioner is carried out for both Hermitian and non-Hermitian eigenproblems. We show how the preconditioner can be implemented efficiently and illustrate its performance using various numerical examples. An equivalence result between the preconditioned simplified Jacobi-Davidson method and inexact inverse iteration with the tuned preconditioner is given. Finally, we discuss the shift-invert Arnoldi method both in the standard and restarted fashion. First, existing relaxation strategies for the outer iterative solves are extended to implicitly restarted Arnoldi's method. Second, we apply the idea of tuning the preconditioner to the inner iterative solve. As for inexact inverse iteration the tuned preconditioner for inexact Arnoldi's method is shown to provide significant savings in the number of inner solves. The theory in this thesis is supported by many numerical examples.

Orientador: Noma Sueli Pinheiro Modolo / Resumo: Introdução: a lesão por isquemia-reperfusão (LIR) é uma importante causa de lesãorenal aguda experimentada na prática clínica. A restauração da perfusão aos tecidosapós um período de isquemia inicia uma cascata de inflamação associada ao acúmulode íons, formação de espécies reativas de oxigênio (ERO), disfunção endotelial eativação imune. O condicionamento isquêmico é a aplicação de breves ciclos deinterrupção seguidas de restauração do fluxo sanguíneo, tendo o objetivo de adaptaros tecidos à isquemia. Pode ser aplicado antes do estímulo principal, como précondicionamento(PCI), ou depois, sendo denominado pós-condicionamento (PCoI).Metodologia: estudo experimental realizado com 40 ratos wistar, divididos em cincogrupos para análise comparativa: Sham (S): laparotomia; Controle (C): laparotomia e30 min de isquemia; Pré-condicionamento (PRE): laparotomia, PCI e 30 min deisquemia; Pré e Pós-condicionamento (PRE/POS): laparotomia, PCI, 30 min deisquemia e PCoI; Pós-condicionamento (POS): laparotomia, 30 min de isquemia ePCoI. A comparação entre os grupos foi realizada pela análise bioquímica sérica decreatinina, ureia, lipocalina associada à gelatinase de neutrófilos (NGAL) e histolologia.Resultados: apenas o grupo Sham apresentou valores estatisticamente menores dosmarcadores de lesão renal e menor incidência de lesão tubular renal à histologia(S<C=PRÉ=PRÉ/PÓS=PÓS).Discussão e conclusão: no presente estudo, o PCI e o PoCI, isoladamente ou emc... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Background: Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is an unavoidable aspect of transplantation, as well as an important cause of acute kidney injury in clinical practice. Restoration of the blood supply after an ischemic period activates an inflammatory cascade associated with multiple processes, including ion accumulation, free reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation, endothelial dysfunction, and immune activation. Ischemic “conditioning” refers to the application of a brief series of ischemic periods followed by reperfusion in the setting of major ischemia. In ischemic preconditioning (IPC), the conditioning stimulus is applied before the major ischemic event, whereas in ischemic postconditioning (IPoC), it is applied after the event. Methods: Forty Wistar rats were randomized into five groups: Sham (S): laparotomy; Control (C): laparotomy and 30 min ischemia; Preconditioning (PRE): laparotomy, IPC, and 30 min ischemia; Preconditioning and Postconditioning (PRE/POST): laparotomy, IPC, 30 min ischemia, and IPoC; Postconditioning (POST): laparotomy, 30 min ischemia, and IPoC. Serum analyses of creatinine and neutrophil gelatinaseassociated lipocalin (NGAL) were performed, and renal histology was also examined. Results: Severe tubular injury and increases in creatinine were observed in all groups except the S group, and no significant differences were detected between the other groups (S<C=PRE=PRE/POST=POST). Conclusions: IPC and IPoC, together or separately, were unable to exert a... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Introdução: A hipotermia tópica e o pré-condicionamento isquêmico local isoladamente reduzem a lesão renal por isquemia-reperfusão (I/R). Possivelmente, a associação de ambas estratégias tem efeitos protetores sinergísticos. Objetivos: Estudar os efeitos do pré-condicionamento local associado a hipotermia tópica na lesão renal por I/R, principalmente quanto às alterações histológicas, dano por estresse oxidativo, atividade antioxidante tecidual e parâmetros bioquímicos funcionais. Métodos: Quarenta ratos Wistar foram aleatoriamente alocados para cinco protocolos experimentais realizados no rim esquerdo: hipotermia tópica por 40 min sem isquemia (HT), isquemia quente por 40 min (IR), pré-condicionamento isquêmico (15 min de isquemia + 10 min de reperfusão) seguido de isquemia quente por 40 min (PCI+IR), isquemia fria por 40 min (HT+IR) e pré-condicionamento isquêmico seguido de isquemia fria por 40 min (PCI+HT+IR). Nefrectomia direita foi realizada em todos os ratos antes de qualquer procedimento. Oito rins direitos aleatoriamente designados constituíram o grupo controle Após 240 min de reperfusão, o rim esquerdo foi retirado para avaliar as alterações histológicas, a peroxidação lipídica (níveis de F2-isoprostanos [F2IP]) e a atividade enzimática antioxidante (catalase [CAT] e superóxido dismutase [SOD]). A função renal foi avaliada através da creatinina e uréia séricas. Resultados: O grupo PCI+HT+IR não foi diferente dos outros grupos submetidos a isquemia quanto às alterações histológicas, peroxidação lipídica e atividade enzimática antioxidante. A creatinina no grupo PCI+HT+IR foi mais baixa comparado ao grupo PCI+IR, mas semelhante ao grupo HT+IR. Conclusões: A combinação de pré-condicionamento local e hipotermia tópica não resultou em proteção à lesão por I/R. Além disso, o PCI local isolado seguido de isquemia quente prejudicou a função renal mais que a isquemia quente isolada. / Purpose: Topical hypothermia and local ischemic preconditioning have been shown to reduce renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury individually. We examined whether combination of both strategies lessens renal I/R injury. Methods: Post right nephrectomy, 40 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five experimental protocols performed in the left kidney: topical hypothermia without ischemia (TH), warm ischemia (IR), ischemic preconditioning followed by warm ischemia (IPC+IR), cold ischemia (TH+IR), and ischemic preconditioning followed by cold ischemia (IPC+TH+IR). Eight randomly assigned right kidneys constituted the control group. After 240 min of reperfusion, the left kidney was retrieved to evaluate histological changes, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activity. Serum was collected to evaluate urea and creatinine. Results: IPC+TH+IR group revealed no difference to any other group subjected to ischemia in relation to histological changes, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activity. Creatinine was lower in IPC+TH+IR group compared with IPC+IR, but showed no difference compared to TH+IR group. Conclusions: Combination of local ischemic preconditioning (IPC) and topical hypothermia conferred no protection in renal I/R injury. Moreover, local IPC solely followed by warm ischemia impaired renal function more than warm ischemia alone.

O tempo para 1,0mm de depressão do segmento ST (T-1,0mm) adotado para caracterizar o fenômeno do aquecimento, uma expressão do precondicionamento isquêmico (PCI), em testes ergométricos sequenciais é consistente e reprodutível, porém, possui várias limitações. O objetivo deste estudo foi aplicar um escore eletrocardiográfico de isquemia miocárdica em testes ergométricos sequenciais comparando com o clássico índice T-1,0mm. Avaliamos 61 pacientes, com idade média de 62,2+7,5 anos, 86,9% homens, portadores de diabetes mellitus tipo 2 e coronariopatia multiarterial. Foram analisados 151 exames, destes 116 de pacientes completaram as duas fases de avaliação. A primeira fase compreendia dois testes ergométricos sequenciais para documentação do PCI e a segunda fase, após 1 semana, mais dois testes sob efeito de repaglinida oral. Dois observadores aplicaram o escore de forma cega. Observou-se concordância perfeita inter e intraobservador (Kendall Tau-b = 0,96, p<0,0001, Kendall Tau-b=0,98, p<0,0001, respectivamente). Os valores de sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo negativo, valor preditivo positivo e acurácia, foram respectivamente de 72,41%, 89,29%, 75,8%, 87,5% e 81%. Concluímos que o escore de isquemia é um método consistente e reprodutível para documentação do fenômeno do aquecimento, representando uma alternativa factível ao índice T-1,0mm. / The time to 1.0mm ST-segment depression (T-1.0mm), adopted to document the warm-up phenomenon, an expression of the ischemic preconditioning (IPC), during sequential exercise tests is considered reliable and reproductible, although with several limitations. The main goal of this study was to apply an electrocardiographic ischemic myocardium score to sequential exercise tests, comparing with the standard T-1.0mm. We evaluated 61 patients, mean age 62,2+7,5 years-old, 86.9% male, with type 2 diabetes mellitus and multivessel coronary disease. We analyzed 151 exercise tests, being 116 tests from patients who fulfilled the two phases of the study. The first phase enrolled the patients for two sequential exercise tests to document the IPC and the second phase, after 1 week, two additional sequential exercise tests were performed under repaglinide treatment. We observed a perfect concordance inter and intraobserver (Kendall Tau-b=0.96, p<0.0001; Kendall Tau-b=0,98, p<0,0001, respectively). The sensibility, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were also determined: 72.41%, 89.29%, 75.8%, 87.5% and 81%, respectively. In conclusion, the electrocardiographic ischemic score is a consistent and reproductible tool to document the warm-up phenomenon, representing a reliable alternative to the T-1.0mm.