Tieteellisiä julkaisuja
Valikoituja tieteellisiä julkaisuja sukelluslääketieteestä ja -fysiologiasta.
2011 maaliskuuta 2
Respiratory rate can be modulated by long-loop muscular reflexes, a possible factor in involuntary cessation of apnea
Balestra C, Levenez M, Lafère P, Dachy B, Ezquer M, Germonpré P.

INTRODUCTION: The main limiting factors determining apnea time are generally considered to be related to blood and cerebrospinal fluid chemistry. Several physiological (adaptive) mechanisms and some psychologic parameters, such as motivation, are also known to increase apnea time. AIM:We wished to study the link between peripheral muscle fatigue, the concomitant alteration of long latency (transcortical) reflexes and respiratory control. METHODS: Fatigue was induced in a small hand muscle (abductor pollicis brevis) (n = 11). This muscle is sufficiently small that its fatigue and the resulting production of metabolites are unlikely to alter whole-blood biochemistry. The Hoffmann reflex, an involuntary reaction to electrical stimulation of muscle afferent sensory fibreswas studied, as was the long latency reflex (LLR) using the Dueschl method in which electrical stimulation is superimposed on a slight voluntary contraction, Different fatiguing protocols were performed, and respiratory rate continuously recorded.

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2011 kesäkuuta 2
Passive flooding of paranasal sinuses and middle ears as a method of equalisation in extreme breath-hold diving
Germonpré P, Balestra C, Musimu P.

Breath-hold diving is both a recreational activity, performed by thousands of enthusiasts in Europe, and a high-performance competitive sport. Several 'disciplines' exist, of which the 'no-limits' category is the most spectacular: using a specially designed heavy 'sled,' divers descend to extreme depths on a cable, and then reascend using an inflatable balloon, on a single breath. The current world record for un-assisted descent stands at more than 200 m of depth. Equalising air pressure in the paranasal sinuses and middle-ear cavities is a necessity during descent to avoid barotraumas. However, this requires active insufflations of precious air, which is thus unavailable in the pulmonary system. The authors describe a diver who, by training, is capable of allowing passive flooding of the sinuses and middle ear with (sea) water during descent, by suppressing protective (parasympathetic) reflexes during this process. Using this technique, he performed a series of extreme-depth breath-hold dives in June 2005, descending to 209 m of sea water on one breath of air.

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2011 huhtikuuta 4
The normobaric oxygen paradox: a novel way to administer oxygen as an adjuvant treatment for cancer?
De Bels D, Corazza F, Germonpré P, Balestra C.

The "normobaric oxygen paradox" is a dual mechanism by which oxygen regulates the expression of the Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α). The HIF-1α-depending gene regulation is responsible for many different genetic expressions including EPO and VEGF that are usually expressed in parallel. First, VEGF under-expression could decrease tumor angiogenesis leading to a decrease in tumor growth or even apoptosis of cancer cells. Second, induction of EPO-expression can provide cytoprotection. Altogether, this could be deleterious for cancer cells while helping non-malignant cells (at least neural and cardiac) cells to be protected from the side effects of chemotherapy. Eventually, HIF induction could boost immune response by inflammatory cells, increasing their antitumor activity.

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2011 kesäkuuta 15
Passive flooding of paranasal sinuses and middle ears as a method of equalisation in extreme breath-hold diving
Germonpré P, Balestra C, Musimu P.

Breath-hold diving is both a recreational activity, performed by thousands of enthusiasts in Europe, and a high-performance competitive sport. Several 'disciplines' exist, of which the 'no-limits' category is the most spectacular: using a specially designed heavy 'sled,' divers descend to extreme depths on a cable, and then reascend using an inflatable balloon, on a single breath. The current world record for un-assisted descent stands at more than 200 m of depth. Equalising air pressure in the paranasal sinuses and middle-ear cavities is a necessity during descent to avoid barotraumas. However, this requires active insufflations of precious air, which is thus unavailable in the pulmonary system. The authors describe a diver who, by training, is capable of allowing passive flooding of the sinuses and middle ear with (sea) water during descent, by suppressing protective (parasympathetic) reflexes during this process. Using this technique, he performed a series of extreme-depth breath-hold dives in June 2005, descending to 209 m of sea water on one breath of air.

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2011 huhtikuuta 10
Ultrasound lung "comets" increase after breath-hold diving
Lambrechts K, Germonpré P, Charbel B, Cialoni D, Musimu P, Sponsiello N, Marroni A, Pastouret F, Balestra C.

The purpose of the study was to analyze the ultrasound lung comets (ULCs) variation, which are a sign of extra-vascular lung water. Forty-two healthy individuals performed breath-hold diving in different conditions: dynamic surface apnea; deep variable-weight apnea and shallow, face immersed without effort (static maximal and non-maximal). The number of ULCs was evaluated by means of an ultrasound scan of the chest, before and after breath-hold diving sessions. The ULC score increased significantly from baseline after dynamic surface apnea (p = 0.0068), after deep breath-hold sessions (p = 0.0018), and after static maximal apnea (p = 0.031). There was no statistically significant difference between the average increase of ULC scores after dynamic surface apnea and deep breath-hold diving. We, therefore, postulate that extravascular lung water accumulation may be due to other factors than (deep) immersion alone, because it occurs during dynamic surface apnea as well. Three mechanisms may be responsible for this. First, the immersion-induced hydrostatic pressure gradient applied on the body causes a shift of peripheral venous blood towards the thorax. Second, the blood pooling effect found during the diving response Redistributes blood to the pulmonary vascular bed. Third, it is possible that the intense involuntary diaphragmatic contractions occurring during the "struggle phase" of the breath-hold can also produce a blood shift from the pulmonary capillaries to the pulmonary alveoli. A combination of these factors may explain the observed increase in ULC scores in deep, shallow maximal and shallow dynamic apneas, whereas shallow non-maximal apneas seem to be not "ULC provoking".

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