The cover image is based on the Original Article Vascular persistence following precision micropuncture by Summer N. Horchler and Patrick C. Hancock et al., https://doi.org/10.1111/micc.12835.

This study aims to examine the effect of sepsis on the dynamics of skeletal muscle partial oxygen pressure during muscle contractions as well as the effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger (ascorbic acid, Asc). Twenty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats (2-3 months old) were randomly assigned to three groups; sham, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), or CLP plus ascorbic acid treatment group (CLP + Asc). Electrical stimuli-induced muscle contractions and partial oxygen pressure measurements were performed at 3 h after CLP. The interstitial oxygen pressure (PO2 is) in the spinotrapezius muscle was measured by the phosphorescence quenching method. The PO2 is at rest was not different between the three groups. The PO2 is decreased from rest to contraction in all groups. Compared to the sham, the time to decrease PO2 is was significantly faster in CLP but not in CLP + Asc (p < .05). Compared to the sham, the PO2 is during muscle contractions was significantly lower in both CLP and CLP + Asc (p < .05, respectively). Our results suggest that CLP-induced sepsis accelerated the decay of PO2 is at the onset of muscle contractions and maintained a low level of PO2 is during muscle contractions.

MicrocirculationVolume 30, Issue 2-3 e12762 ISSUE INFORMATIONFree Access Issue Information First published: 20 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1111/micc.12762AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Volume30, Issue2-3Special Issue: Lymphatic PathophysiologyApril 2023e12762 RelatedInformation

This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis of studies using any available functional method to examine differences in peripheral endothelial function between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic individuals. Literature search involved PubMed, Web-of-Science, and Scopus databases, as well as gray literature sources. We included studies in adult subjects evaluating endothelial function with any semi-invasive or non-invasive functional method in patients with and without liver cirrhosis. From 3378 records initially retrieved, 15 studies with a total of 570 participants were included in the final quantitative meta-analysis. In six studies examining endothelial function with flow-mediated-dilatation, no differences between patients with cirrhosis and controls were evident (WMD: 1.33, 95%CI [-2.87, 5.53], I2 = 97%, p < .00001). Among studies assessing differences in endothelial-dependent or endothelial-independent vasodilation with venous-occlusion-plethysmography, there were no significant differences between the two groups. When pooling all studies together, regardless of the technique used, no significant difference in endothelial function between cirrhotic patients and controls was observed(SMD: 0.79, 95%CI[-0.04, 1.63], I2 =94%, p < .00001). No differences in peripheral endothelial function assessed with semi-invasive or non-invasive functional methods exist between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic subjects. The increasing co-existence of cardiovascular risk factors leading to impaired vascular reactivity in cirrhotic patients may partly explain these findings.

The objective of the study is to demonstrate the innovation and utility of mesenteric tissue culture for discovering the microvascular growth dynamics associated with adipose-derived stromal vascular fraction (SVF) transplantation. Understanding how SVF cells contribute to de novo vessel growth (i.e., neovascularization) and host network angiogenesis motivates the need to make observations at single-cell and network levels within a tissue. Stromal vascular fraction was isolated from the inguinal adipose of adult male Wistar rats, labeled with DiI, and seeded onto adult Wistar rat mesentery tissues. Tissues were then cultured in MEM +10% FBS for 3 days and labeled for BSI-lectin to identify vessels. Alternatively, SVF and tissues from green fluorescent-positive (GFP) Sprague Dawley rats were used to track SVF derived versus host vasculature. Stromal vascular fraction-treated tissues displayed a dramatically increased vascularized area compared to untreated tissues. DiI and GFP+ tracking of SVF identified neovascularization involving initial segment formation, radial outgrowth from central hub-like structures, and connection of segments. Neovascularization was also supported by the formation of segments in previously avascular areas. New segments characteristic of SVF neovessels contained endothelial cells and pericytes. Additionally, a subset of SVF cells displayed the ability to associate with host vessels and the presence of SVF increased host network angiogenesis. The results showcase the use of the rat mesentery culture model as a novel tool for elucidating SVF cell transplant dynamics and highlight the impact of model selection for visualization.

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-c) is associated with severe cardiovascular impairment and eventually death. Pathophysiological mechanisms involved in myocardial injury were scarcely investigated, and cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain. Autopsy studies suggested that microvascular dysfunction may be relevant to LV impairment. We aimed to evaluate segmental LV longitudinal strain by 2DST echocardiography and myocardial flow reserve (MFR) by 13N-ammonia PET-CT, in six surviving MIS-c patients. Each patient generated 34 LV segments for combined 2DST and MRF analysis. MFR was considered abnormal when <2, borderline when between 2 and 2.5 and normal when >2.5. From July 2020 to February 2021, six patients were admitted with MIS-c: three males, aged 9.3 (6.6-15.7) years. Time from admission to the follow-up visit was 6.05 (2-10.3) months. Although all patients were asymptomatic and LV EF was ≥55%, 43/102 (42.1%) LV segments showed MFR <2.5. There was a modest positive correlation between segmental peak systolic longitudinal strain and MFR: r=.36, p=.03 for basal segments; r=.41, p=.022 for mid segments; r=.42, p=.021 for apical segments. Median peak systolic longitudinal strain was different among MRF categories: 18% (12%-24%) for abnormal, 18.5% (11%-35%) for borderline, and 21% (12%-32%) for normal MFR (p=.006). We provided preliminary evidence that surviving MIS-c patients may present subclinical impairment of myocardial microcirculation. Segmental cardiac strain assessment 2DST seems useful for MIS-c cardiovascular follow-up, given its good correlation with 13N-ammonia PET-CT derived MFR.