THECARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM–PHYSIOLOGY, DIAGNOSTICSAND CLINICALIMPLICATIONS  EditedbyDavidC.Gaze            The Cardiovascular System – Physiology, Diagnostics and Clinical Implications Edited by David C. Gaze Published by InTech Janeza Trdine 9, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia Copyright © 2012 InTech All chapters are Open Access distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license, which allows users to download, copy and build upon published articles even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. After this work has been published by InTech, authors have the right to republish it, in whole or part, in any publication of which they are the author, and to make other personal use of the work. Any republication, referencing or personal use of the work must explicitly identify the original source. As for readers, this license allows users to download, copy and build upon published chapters even for commercial purposes, as long as the author and publisher are properly credited, which ensures maximum dissemination and a wider impact of our publications. Notice Statements and opinions expressed in the chapters are these of the individual contributors and not necessarily those of the editors or publisher. No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy of information contained in the published chapters. The publisher assumes no responsibility for any damage or injury to persons or property arising out of the use of any materials, instructions, methods or ideas contained in the book. Publishing Process Manager Iva Simcic Technical Editor Teodora Smiljanic Cover Designer InTech Design Team First published April, 2012 Printed in Croatia A free online edition of this book is available at www.intechopen.com Additional hard copies can be obtained from orders@intechopen.com The Cardiovascular System – Physiology, Diagnostics and Clinical Implications, Edited by David C. Gaze p. cm. ISBN 978-953-51-0534-3    Contents  Preface IX Section 1 Cardiovascular Physiology 1 Chapter 1 Control of Cardiovascular System 3 Mikhail Rudenko, Olga Voronova, Vladimir Zernov, Konstantin Mamberger, Dmitry Makedonsky, Sergey Rudenko and Sergey Kolmakov Chapter 2 Molecular Control of Smooth Muscle Cell Differentiation Marker Genes by Serum Response Factor and Its Interacting Proteins 23 Tadashi Yoshida Chapter 3 Trans Fatty Acids and Human Health 43 Sebastjan Filip and Rajko Vidrih Chapter 4 Control and Coordination of Vasomotor Tone in the Microcirculation 65 Mauricio A. Lillo, Francisco R. Pérez, Mariela Puebla, Pablo S. Gaete and Xavier F. Figueroa Chapter 5 Hemodynamics 95 Ali Nasimi Chapter 6 Adenosinergic System in the Mesenteric Vessels 111 Ana Leitão-Rocha, Joana Beatriz Sousa and Carmen Diniz Chapter 7 Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase, Nitric Oxide and Metabolic Disturbances in the Vascular System 135 Grażyna Lutosławska VI Contents Section 2 Cardiovascular Diagnostics 155 Chapter 8 The Diagnostic Performance of Cardiovascular System and Evaluation of Hemodynamic Parameters Based on Heart Cycle Phase Analysis 157 Mikhail Rudenko, Olga Voronova, Vladimir Zernov, Konstantin Mamberger, Dmitry Makedonsky, Sergey Rudenko, Yuri Fedossov, Alexander Duyzhikov, Anatoly Orlov and Sergey Sobin Chapter 9 Biophysical Phenomena in Blood Flow System in the Process of Indirect Arterial Pressure Measurement 179 Mikhail Rudenko, Olga Voronova and Vladimir Zernov Chapter 10 Interrelation Between the Changes of Phase Functions of Cardiac Muscle Contraction and Biochemical Processes as an Algorithm for Identifying Local Pathologies in Cardiovascular System 195 Yury Fedosov, Stanislav Zhigalov, Mikhail Rudenko, Vladimir Zernov and Olga Voronova Chapter 11 Application of Computational Intelligence Techniques for Cardiovascular Diagnostics 211 C. Nataraj, A. Jalali and P. Ghorbanian Chapter 12 Analysis of Time Course Changes in the Cardiovascular Response to Head-Up Tilt in Fighter Pilots 241 David G. Newman and Robin Callister Section 3 Clinical Impact of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology 255 Chapter 13 Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health 257 Raul A. Martins Chapter 14 Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors 279 Reza Amani and Nasrin Sharifi Chapter 15 Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Problems in the Development of Cognitive Impairment: For Medical Professionals Involved in the Treatment of Atherosclerosis 311 Michihiro Suwa Chapter 16 French Paradox, Polyphenols and Cardiovascular Protection: The Oestrogenic Receptor-α Implication 319 Tassadit Benaissa, Thierry Ragot and Angela Tesse Contents VII Chapter 17 Importance of Dermatology in Infective Endocarditis 345 Servy Amandine, Jones Meriem and Valeyrie-Allanore Laurence Chapter 18 Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Implications in Diabetes, Other Disease States and Herbal Drugs 365 Steve Ogbonnia Chapter 19 Morphology and Functional Changes of Intestine, Trophology Status and Systemic Inflammation in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure 383 G.P. Arutyunov and N.A. Bylova Chapter 20 Evaluation and Treatment of Hypotension in Premature Infants 419 Shoichi Ezaki and Masanori Tamura Chapter 21 Role of Echocardiography in Research into Neglected Cardiovascular Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa 445 Ana Olga Mocumbi Chapter 22 Psychophysiological Cardiovascular Functioning in Hostile Defensive Women 465 Francisco Palmero and Cristina Guerrero   Preface  The cardiovascular system includes the heart located centrally in the thorax and the vessels of the body which carry blood. The cardiovascular (or circulatory) system supplies oxygenfrominspired air,viathe lungs to the tissuesaround the body.It is also responsible fortheremovalofthewasteproduct, carbon diox idevia air expired from the lungs. The cardiovascular system also transports nutrients such as electrolytes, amino acids, enzymes, hormones which are integral to cellular respiration,metabolismandimmunity. This book is not meant to be an all encompassing text on cardiovascular physiology and pathology rather a selection of chapters from experts in the field wh o describe recent advances in basic and clinical sciences. As such, the text is divided into three mainsections: 1. Cardiovascular Physiology – In this section, the control of the cardiovascular system is discussed in particular the heaemodynamic mechanisms controlling blood volume, flow and the regulation of sy stolic blood pressure. The next chapter investigates the molecular control of smooth muscle cell (SMC) differentiation marker genes by serum response factor (SRF) including the interaction ofmyocardin as apotent cofactor of SRF in SMC differentiation.The chapteralsodetailstheinteractionofGATA‐6,Klf4,LIM‐onlyproteinsCRP1and 2 and PIAS‐1with SRF. The followingchapter reportson transfatty acids (TFA) and human health, deta iling the biochemistry of trans fats as well as recommendeddailyintake.Thechapterdescribesbothanimalandhumanstudies of TFA. There are details on the analytical determinationof TFA as well as their potential antioxidants. There is also a comprehensive overview of TFA and legislative control in food production and consumption. This is followed by a chapteronthecontrolandcoordinationofvasomotortoneinthemicrocirculation; concentrating on the cellular membrane potential and potassium channels, the role of prosta glandins, nitric oxide and endothelium‐derived hyperpolarizing factor asparacrine signalling in the wallof the vessel. There isalso detail ofthe roleofgapjunctionsinvascularsmoothmuscleandendotheliumcommunication processes. The following chapter discusses the concept of hemodynamics, detailing the relationship between physical factors and th e effect on blood flow through the vessel in laminar or turbulent flow patterns. The principles of X Preface velocity, elasticity and compliance are described. Furthermore the clinical implications such as alteration to blood flow during atherosclerosis and arteriosclerosis are described. The penultimate chapter of this section describes the adenosinergic system in the mesenteric vessels which form the splanchnic circulation.Thechapterdetailstheroleofadenosinefromitsproductiontotissu e concentration controlled by nucleoside transporter membrane proteins, namely equilibrative and concentrative nucleoside transporters. The family member subtypes are of these transporter proteins are described thoroughly.The final chapter of section one concentrates on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nitric oxide (NO) and subsequent metabolic disturbances within the vascular system.Anoverviewofvasculardysfunctionisgivenalongwiththebiochemistry of eNOS/NO. The endogenous eNOS and NO inhibitor asymmetric dimethylarginine anditsroleinthevascularsystemisalsoreviewed.Thereader is also given theimportanceof lifestyle on thevascularsystem,concentrating on dietaryhabitsandphysicala ctivityontheeNOS/NOsystem. 2. CardiovascularDiagnostics–Section 2isconcerned withmodalities used in the diagnosis and monitoring of parameters associated with the cardiovascular system. The first chapter entitled ‘the diagnostic performance of cardiovascular system and evaluation of hemodynamic parameters based on heart cycle phase analysis describes the deve lopment and use of theelectrocardiogram (ECG) and the rheogram. Furthermore the use of both the ECG and rheogram to assess cardiovascularfunction in normal and diseased states aredescribed. Thesecond chapter describes the biophysical phenomena of blood flow during indirect arterialpressuremeasurement.Theroleof theoscillograminmeasuringsy stolic and diastolic arterial pressure is well described compared to the practice of auscultation of Korotkovsounds. The chapteralso notes thepeculiarities seen in someoscillogramreadings.The third chapterdescribestheinterrelationbetween changes of phase function of cardiac muscle concentration and the biochemical processes as an algorithm for identify ing pathological processes within the cardiovascularsystem.Inthischaptertheauthorsoutlinetheirvisionofthemain biochemical processes determining the clinical meaning of the pathology diagnosed with the aid of the cardiac cycle analysis method.Selection of the therapeuticagentsaimed atnormalizationofthediagnosedfunctionaldeviations takingintoaccountthebiochemicalprocessesunderlyingthesefunctionsresulted in the recovery of the functions.The next chapter investigates computational intelligence techniques in cardiovascular diagnostics. Continual monitoring of cardiac function in the acute care setting can allow the detection of cardiac arrhythmias.Continuouswavelettransformandprincipalcomponentanal ysisare described in detail. The application of these techniques within a multi-layer perceptron neural network is demonstrated. The final chapter of this section analysesthe time course changes in the cardiovascular response to head‐up tilt in fighter pilots. In this interesting chapter the authors describe the physiological adaptations that occur following frequent exposure to G‐force acceleration. By [...]... 20  describes  the  evaluation  and  treatment  of  hypotensive  premature infants which is a common phenomenon in the first few weeks of life;  describing  the  interplay  between  hypovolaemia,  tissue  hypoxia  and  myocardial  dysfunction.  The  clinical  presentation  is  described  along  with  diagnostic  modalities  used  to  detect  hypotensive  cardiac  problems,  followed  by  the  treatment ... changes For this purpose, rheography should be used A rheogram shows changes in the arterial pressure An ECG and a RHEO are produced by using signals of different nature To record an ECG used is electric potential, and for RHEOgraphy employed are changes in amplitudes of high-frequency AC under the influence of changing blood volumes in blood circulation, which produce changes in the conductivity within . a chapteronthecontrolandcoordinationofvasomotortoneinthemicrocirculation; concentrating on the cellular membrane potential and potassium channels, the role of prosta glandins, nitric oxide and endothelium‐derived. marker genes by serum response factor (SRF) including the interaction ofmyocardin as apotent cofactor of SRF in SMC differentiation.The chapteralsodetailstheinteractionofGATA‐6,Klf4,LIM‐onlyproteinsCRP1and 2. as recommendeddailyintake.Thechapterdescribesbothanimalandhumanstudies of TFA. There are details on the analytical determinationof TFA as well as their potential antioxidants. There is also a comprehensive overview of TFA and legislative