Intermittent normobaric hypoxia as a method of correction and prevention of functional changes in old age

The study involved men aged 60-65 years. The course of intermittent normobaric hypoxia (APG) was carried out for 3 weeks with breathing hypoxic gas mixture with 18-15-13-10% O2. Before and after the course, the reactivity of the cardiovascular system and blood system, physical performance were evaluated. It has been established that the course of APG increases oxidative metabolism, leads to a decrease in the level of sugar, total lipids and low-density lipids in the blood, an increase in the number of red blood cells, helps to reduce and stabilize blood pressure, increase physical performance of the elderly. The results of the study indicate the possibility of using APG as a method of correction and prevention of functional changes in the elderly. Key words: hypoxia, old age, blood, physical performance.

Activation of Astrocytes in the Persistence of Post-hypoxic Respiratory Augmentation

Acute hypoxia increases ventilation. After cessation of hypoxia loading, ventilation decreases but remains above the pre-exposure baseline level for a time. However, the mechanism of this post-hypoxic persistent respiratory augmentation (PHRA), which is a short-term potentiation of breathing, has not been elucidated. We aimed to test the hypothesis that astrocytes are involved in PHRA. To this end, we investigated hypoxic ventilatory responses by whole-body plethysmography in unanesthetized adult mice. The animals breathed room air, hypoxic gas mixture (7% O2, 93% N2) for 2min, and again room air for 10min before and after i.p. administration of low (100mg/kg) and high (300mg/kg) doses of arundic acid (AA), an astrocyte inhibitor. AA suppressed PHRA, with the high dose decreasing ventilation below the pre-hypoxic level. Further, we investigated the role of the astrocytic TRPA1 channel, a putative ventilatory hypoxia sensor, in PHRA using astrocyte-specific Trpa1 knockout (asTrpa1−/−) and floxed Trpa1 (Trpa1f/f) mice. In both Trpa1f/f and asTrpa1−/− mice, PHRA was noticeable, indicating that the astrocyte TRPA1 channel was not directly involved in PHRA. Taken together, these results indicate that astrocytes mediate the PHRA by mechanisms other than TRPA1 channels that are engaged in hypoxia sensing.

Morphological differences in the pancreas of normo- and hypertensive rats after joint exposure of intermittent hypoxia and melatonin

The morphological changes in the pancreas of normo- and hypertensive rats after combined exposure to intermittent normobaric hypoxia and melatonin were studied. The study was conducted in the autumn on 24 normotensive (Wistar line) and 24 spontaneously hypertensive (SHR line) male rats. Experimental rats were daily exposed to hypoxic gas mixture in special sealed chamber. Hypoxic gas mixture (12 % oxygen in nitrogen) was supplied into this chamber from the membrane gas separator element in the intermittent mode: 15 min deoxygenation/ 15 min reoxygenation for 2 h. Exogenous melatonin was orally administered to experimental animals at 10 h in the morning at a dose of 5 mg / kg once a day. The total duration of the experiment was 28 d. Histological preparations of pancreatic tissue were prepared according to the standard methods. The morphometry of the preparations digital images was performed using the computer program ImageJ. The nature and severity of morphological changes in the pancreas of the experimental spontaneously hypertensive rats (hyperplasia of the nucleolus in the nucleus of exocrinocytes, a decrease in the amount of connective tissue) suggests that the combined effect of intermittent normobaric hypoxia and melatonin increases the activity of the exocrine part of the pancreas. At the same time, the activity of the endocrine part of the pancreas decreases, as evidenced by a decrease in the linear dimensions and area of the Langerhans islets, as well as the number of endocrinocytes contained in them. In Wistar rats, the combined effect of intermittent hypoxia and melatonin leads to the appearance of morphological signs of increased activity of both exocrine and endocrine pancreas functions. Thus, after prolonged combined exposure to intermittent normobaric hypoxia and melatonin, morphological signs of increased exocrine pancreas activity appear in both normotensive and hypertensive rats. At the same time, the activity of the endocrine function of the pancreas in experimental Wistar rats increases, while in SHR rats, on the contrary, decreases.

An analysis of commercially recommended profiles for normobaric preacclimatization

Introduction: Normobaric hypoxic training (NHT) for preacclimatization at home has found its way into commercial expedition mountaineering. Portable NH-generators produce a normobaric hypoxic gas mixture that can be inhaled using breathing masks at rest or during exercise or it can be pumped into lightweight tents for sleeping. These devices can be rented from commercial companies. Materials and methods: Prior to an expedition to Manaslu (8163 m) NHT was used for preacclimatization over a period of 10 days. Our regimen involved a greater increase in sleeping altitude (10 nights to reach 5400 m) than recommended by the rental company (30 nights to reach 3900 m). Results: No incidents occurred during NHT. Our regimen induced sufficient acclimatization to Manaslu Base Camp (4900 m), as evidenced by the fact that none of the expedition members suffered from AMS although they reached base camp within 2 days from Kathmandu – by helicopter flight to 3500 m and a one day walk the next day. Eight days after leaving Kathmandu, camp III was reached at 6850 m. Conclusions: At natural altitudes above 2500 m an increase of sleeping altitude should not exceed 300-500 m per day. Below 2500 m, there are no restrictions. It is therefore unclear why the company recommends such a slow increase in sleeping altitude. In our opinion, it is not necessary for healthy persons to start with a sleeping altitude below 2500 m. In contrast to natural altitudes, NH exposure can be instantly stopped if symptoms occur. Therefore, it seems safe to expose healthy persons to more liberal normobarichypoxic conditions.

Performance of the MP570T pulse oximeter in volunteers participating in the controlled desaturation study: a comparison of seven probes

Background: The performance of the pulse oximeter was evaluated based on the ISO 80601-2-61:2011 (E) guidelines. This study aimed to determine whether the various finger probes of the MP570T pulse oximeter (MEK-ICS Co., Ltd., Korea) would provide clinically reliable peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings over a range of 70100% arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) during non-motion conditions.Methods: Each volunteer (n = 12) was connected to a breathing circuit for the administration of a hypoxic gas mixture. For frequent blood sampling, an arterial cannula was placed in a radial artery. The following seven pulse oximeter probes were simultaneously attached to each volunteer’s fingers: (1) WA-100 reusable finger probe (MEDNIS Co., Ltd., Korea), (2) MDNA disposable finger probe (MEDNIS Co., Ltd.), (3) IS-1011 disposable finger probe (Insung Medical Co., Ltd., Korea), (4) CJ340NA disposable finger probe (CHUN JI IN Medical Co., Ltd., Korea), (5) NellcorTM OxiMax DS-100A reusable finger probe (Medtronic, USA), (6) NellcorTM OxiMax MAX-N disposable finger probe (Medtronic), and (7) OXI-PRO DA disposable finger probe (Bio-Protech Inc., Korea). Results: A total of 275 SpO2-SaO2 pairs were included in the analysis. The accuracy of the root mean square (Arms) of each probe was 2.83%, 3.98%, 3.75%, 6.84%, 3.43%, 5.17%, and 3.84%, respectively.Conclusions: The MP570T pulse oximeter with WA-100 reusable, MDNA disposable, IS-1011 disposable, NellcorTM OxiMax DS-100A reusable, and OXI-PRO DA disposable finger probes meets an acceptable standard of SpO2 accuracy under non-motion conditions.

METABOLIC CHANGES IN HUMANS UPON LONG-TERM CONTAINMENT IN AN ARGON-BASED HYPOXIC GAS MIXTURE

The objective of the present study was an in-depth assessment of the main human metabolic parameters upon longterm (60 days) containment in a normobaric argon-based hypoxic gas mixture (AHGM) for checking the possibility to develop gas media able to reduce the risk of ignitions and fires in inhabited sealed objects, such as submarines. Study group included six male subjects aged 20 to 51 years and found to be fit for sea trips lasting for up to 90 days. Continuing containment in the test medium comprising 30–35% V/V argon, 13,3–14,5% V/V oxygen, and up to 0,8% V/V, the rest being nitrogen, lasted for 60 days. During this time the subject were engaged in typical physical activities and operator routines. Venous blood samples were taken before, every 15 days in the course of, and 5 days after containment. This regimen has been found to be associated with the gradual accumulation of under-oxidized products of carbohydrate, protein and cholesterol metabolism in the blood and with increasing atherogenicity index. Adaptation to this regimen was manifested as decreases in the magnitudes of the above changes suggesting that metabolism may be tuned to increase body tolerance to hypoxia. Within 5 days after containment, virtually complete normalization of parameters studied was observed. The data confirm that it is possible to make gas mixtures for improving fire safety of inhabited sealed objects, in particular submarines.

Hypoxia During Anesthesia

In the modern anesthesia machine, there are various safety checks in place to help prevent the delivery of a hypoxic gas mixture to the patient. They include the pin index safety system (PISS), diameter index safety system (DISS), failsafe valve, oxygen-nitrous oxide proportioning system, oxygen supply failure alarm, flowmeter sequence, and, most distally, the oxygen analyzer. The PISS is a feature in the high-pressure system. The DISS, failsafe valve, and oxygen failure alarm are in the intermediate-pressure system. The flowmeters, proportioning system, and oxygen analyzer are in the low-pressure system. This chapter undertakes a discussion of the distinct role of each feature and their limitations.

Rho-Kinase Inhibition Attenuates Acute Hypoxic Fetoplacental Vasoconstriction in the Rat

The vessels on the fetal side of the placenta differ from most other vascular beds except the lungs in that they respond to acute hypoxia by vasoconstriction. An essential role of calcium influx in the mechanism of this hypoxic fetoplacental vasoconstriction (HFPV) has been shown previously. That finding does not, however, exclude the possible involvement of other mechanisms of vascular tone regulation. In this study we tested the hypothesis that Rho-kinase-mediated calcium sensitization is involved in HFPV. We used a model of isolated rat placenta dually perfused (from both the maternal and fetal side) with Krebs salt solution saturated with normoxic and hypoxic gas mixture respectively at constant flow rate. Rho-kinase pathway was inhibited by fasudil (10 μM). We found that fasudil reduced basal normoxic fetoplacental vascular resistance and completely prevented HFPV. This suggests that the activity of Rho-kinase signaling pathway is essential for HFPV.