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Wolthuis, R. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Wolthuis, R. A..

17 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Pre- and postflight systolic time intervals during LBNP - The second manned Skylab mission

Before and after the 59 day Skylab 3 flight, the astronauts were stressed with lower body negative pressure (LBNP), and their vectorcardiograms, pneumograms, phonocardiograms, and carotid pulse tracings were monitored together with the intervals of systole. In the immediate postflight period elevations in heart rate and blood pressure were observed in response to -50 mm Hg of LBNP. Postflight abnormalities in the systolic time intervals (STI) at rest and during stress were due to an increase in afterload and a decrease in preload. As blood volume was restored and blood pressure reduced, STI abnormalities persisted as long as one month, suggesting a possible reduction in ventricular contractility and/or a functional impairment to venous return.

Bergman, S. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

VECTAN II - A computer program for the spatial analysis of the vectorcardiogram

This paper presents the operation of a digital computer program, VECTAN II, for the spatial analysis of the vectorcardiogram (VCG). The program incorporates a unique waveform recognition algorithm based on the spatial vector length which has been shown to perform better than previous algorithms. The waveform analysis employed by the program considers the vectorcardiogram as a three dimensional entity rather than as scalar or planar representations. VECTAN II is designed chiefly to measure and quantify the VCG response of normal subjects to a controlled stress by analyzing one VCG complex every five seconds throughout a long experiment. The program has been used to analyze data from the NASA Johnson Space Center Cardiovascular Laboratory, from the pre- and postflight medical examinations of the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 crewmen, and from onboard Skylab experiments.

Golden, D. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Computer program for analysis of vectorcardiograms (VECTAN II)

VECTAN II accepts as input digitized three-lead VCG data sampled at 320 samples/second/lead, analyzing one VCG complex in each 5-second interval for experiments of up to 25 minutes duration. Program calibrates these data, locates major waveforms, performs waveform analyses, and produces statistical summary of analyzed data.

Hoffler, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Response of local vascular volumes to lower body negative pressure stress

The present study involved an intravenous injection of radioactive iodinated serum albumin, equilibration of this isotope within the vascular space, and the continuous measurement of isotope activity over selected anatomical areas before, during and following multiple human LBNP tests. Both rate and magnitude of vascular pooling were distinctly different within each of five selected lower body anatomical areas. In the upper body, all areas except the abdomen showed depletions from their resting vascular volumes during LBNP. The presence of uniquely different pooling patterns in the lower body, the apparent stability of abdominal vascular volumes, and a possible decrease in cerebral blood volume during LBNP represent the major findings of this study.

Wolthuis, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Apollo space crew cardiovascular evaluations

Cardiovascular responses associated with pre- and postflight orthostatic tolerance evaluations of Apollo crewmen are presented with a brief historical survey and a discussion of their implications for future manned space flight. Heart rates were increased while systolic and pulse pressures were decreased during the immediate postflight orthostatic evaluation. A postflight elevation in resting heart rate was a less frequent finding.

Hoffler, G. W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Apparatus and method for processing Korotkov sounds

A Korotkov sound processor, used in a noninvasive automatic blood measuring system where the brachial artery is occluded by an inflatable cuff, is disclosed. The Korotkoff sound associated with the systolic event is determined when the ratio of the absolute value of a voltage signal, representing Korotkov sounds in the range of 18 to 26 Hz to a maximum absolute peak value of the unfiltered signals, first equals or exceeds a value of 0.45. Korotkov sound associated with the diastolic event is determined when a ratio of the voltage signal of the Korotkov sounds in the range of 40 to 60 Hz to the absolute peak value of such signals within a single measurement cycle first falls below a value of 0.17. The processor signals the occurrence of the systolic and diastolic events and these signals can be used to control a recorder to record pressure values for these events.

Golden, D. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Development of a Korotkov sound processor for automatic identification of auscultatory events. I - Specification of preprocessing bandpass filters

Frequency bands that best discriminate the Korotkov sounds at systole and at diastole from the sounds immediately preceding these events are defined. Korotkov sound data were recorded from five normotensive subjects during orthostatic stress (lower body negative pressure) and bicycle ergometry. A spectral analysis of the seven Korotkov sounds centered about the systolic and diastolic auscultatory events revealed that a maximum increase in amplitude at the systolic transition occurred in the 18-26-Hz band, while a maximum decrease in amplitude at the diastolic transition occurred in the 40-60-Hz band. These findings were remarkably consistent across subjects and test conditions. These passbands are included in the design specifications for an automatic blood pressure measuring system used in conjuction with medical experiments during NASA's Skylab program.

Golden, D. P., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Lower body negative pressure, experiment M092

Evaluation of orthostatic intolerance has been achieved by the use of lower body negative pressure (LBNP). The LBNP technique, though independent of gravity, simulates its effect by exposing the legs and the lower abdomen to reduced ambient pressures. This LBNP experiment, conducted during the 56-day simulation of the Skylab environment, was designed to supply baseline information on cardiovascular responses to periodic orthostatic stress. Impaired orthostatic tolerance, manifested by the increased heart rate, diminished systolic and pulse pressure, and increased tendency to syncope in the upright position, or during LBNP, was not observed in this experiment.

Johnson, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Contourograph display system for monitoring electrocardiograms

Electrocardiogram is displayed as a contourogram on the cathode ray tube of a variable-persistence oscilloscope. Each cycle is stacked below its predecessors giving a three dimensional effect. A major change in the signal is apparent as a change in the contourogram pattern.

Golden, D. P., Jr.↗