Intrarenal distribution of blood flow was measured by the ¹³³xenon washout curve in 33 patients with heart disease. Plasma renin activity and sodium concentration were also measured on the day when the xenon study was performed. The patients were divided into three groups according to cardiac index: Group I whose cardiac index showed higher than 3.50 l/min/M², BSA, group II whose index ranged from 2.50 to 3.50, and group III who had lower than 2.50. Total renal blood flow was significantly decreased in group II (p < 0.001), as compared with normal controls. The percents of the total renal blood flow supplied to component I decreased significantly in group I, II (p < 0.05) and group III (p < 0.01). The flow rate in component I decreased significantly only in group II (p < 0.05) and group III (p < 0.01). There was a significant increase in the percent distribution to component II in group II (p < 0.05) and in group III (p < 0.01). The flow rate of component II showed a slight increase in group I and III. The study of autoradiographs done in dogs with heart failure demonstrated that component I corresponded to a cortical area having a relatively faster flow rate, whereas component II corresponded to the cortical area which was perfused more slowly. Accordingly, component III indicated outer medulla. There was no apparent relation between intrarenal distribution of blood flow and plasma renin activity although the latter tended to be elevated in patients treated with diuretics. In view of the data available it was concluded that outer cortical as well as outer medullary blood flow are decreased in chronic congestive heart failure and that there is no apparent correlation between outer cortical flow and plasma renin activity.

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Finger-tip plethysmograms were recorded photoelectrically on 200 young males and females each. The relation between the left ventricular ejection time (ET) and the preceding heart rate (HR) and a method for correcting ET for the heart rate were studied. The values calculated by the formula ET/√S-S or ET/<S-S> varied with the HR, so these formulae cannot be used for correcting the ET for HR. Thus from the relationship between ET and HR, a formula for converting the measured ET to the ET at an HR of 70, i.e. ETc, was deduced. ETc = ET + HR-70 This formula can be used for both sexes of Japanese juveniles and the values obtained by it can be directly compared, irrespective of the HR.

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Blood flow of the superior (SVC) and inferior venae cavae (IVC) was simultaneously and separately measured with two cannulating type electromagnetic blood flow probes inserted into the SVC and IVC of thirty two dogs during hypotensive and low cardiac output states in hemorrhagic shock and cardiogenic shock. Blood flow ratio of the IVC to total venous return was expressed by IVCF/CO (%). It was 66.3% in normal condition, but was decreased to 54.3% in hemorrhagic shock. In four cardiogenic shock models, however, IVCF/CO changed little from the control to the initial phase of shock state. At least in part, the marked decrease of venous return from the IVC region in hemorrhagic shock was considered due to the increase of sympathetic nerve activity in that region mediated by baroreceptors in the high pressure system. The unchanged blood flow ratio of the SVC and IVC in cardiogenic shock was assumed that the high atrial or high ventricular endodiastolic pressure was an inhibitory factor of the sympathetic nerve activity by activating the stretch receptors existing in the low pressure system including left ventricle. This hypothesis was proved by the experiments in which the renal vascular resistance was suppressed by stretch of the left atrium by either extraatrial mechanical traction or intraatrial balloon inflation in hemorrhagic shock or intracardiac decompression during cardiopulmonary bypass.

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The author reported previously the electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic classification of clinical isolated complete RBBB. Under-standing of patterns of ventricular excitation in clinical RBBB has been progressed by studies on experimental RBBB. The present paper concerns the electrocardiographic and vectorcardiographic findings when incisions of. the main stem and subdivisions of the right bundle branch Were produced in canine hearts. ECGS and VCGs, obtained, in a dog with spontaneous complete RBBB and in five dogs with surgically produced complete RBBB, were studied Materials and Methods. All experiments were performed on 20 mongrel adult dogs weighing 5.3 to 19.3 kilograms. Each dog was anesthetized with intravenous pentobarbital sodium (Initially 20 to 25 mg. per kilogram). A control 12-lead ECG and Frank VCG were obtained. Under artificial positive-pressure respiration, the heart was exposed through a right or left thoracotomy and supported in approximately normal position by a sling made from the pericardium. When appropriate, right bundle branch block was produced blindly with a Lucae's myringotomy knife introduced into the right ventricular cavity through the anterior free wall of the ventricle. ECGs and VCGs were recorded after closing the chest on each occasion. The ECGS Were obtained with the use of the Fukuda Electro Co. Model RS-100DH2 at a paper speed of 25mm/sec. The thoracic lead position employed in this study are those of Lannek. CV₅RL is located on the fifth right intercostal space at the sternal border, corresponding roughly to lead V₁ in man. VCGs in the frontal (F), left sagittal (LS) and horizontal (H) planes were recorded in the supine position. The fifth intercostal space was used for placement of the chest electrodes. The VCGs were obtained with the use of the Fukuda Electro Co. Model VA-1A.

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