The software first identifies the limits of the different vessels, after which it automatically recognises arteries and veins, and makes multiple measurements of the diameter of the section of vessels circulating through area B. It finally estimates the mean calibre of veins and arteries in millimetres, and these measurements are summarised as an arteriole venule ratio, arteriovenous index (AVIx).
To date, several bone-associated proteins (osteopontin, bone sialoprotein, alkaline phosphatase, and type I collagen) have been shown in histological sections of vessels obtained from patients with ESRD or calcific uremic arteriolopathy.
On the other hand, integral boundary conditions help to formulate computational fluid dynamics (blood flow) problems in a better way as such conditions allow one to describe the cross-section of vessels in a more realistic arbitrary manner instead of always assuming circular type cross-section [9].
For immunofluorescence, sections of vessels from Ctrl and SM-Dicer KO mice were mounted on glass slides and stained using a fluorescently labeled SM α-actin antibody (Sigma) and DAPI nucleic acid stain.
We thank N. Figg for processing and sectioning of vessels.
The paraffin-embedded sections of vessels were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E).
Counting the number of transversal sections of vessels is unreliable due to vessel tortuosity overestimating the actual number of vessels.
Sections of vessels in the corion (lamina propria) of gastrointestinal mucosa biopsies were used as positive controls, and blood vessels present in the periphery of the carcinomas studied were used as internal positive controls.
Vessel diameter was estimated as the smallest cross section of the vessel crossing the horizontal imaging plane.
Therefore, the extent of disease in one section of a vessel does not necessarily define the condition of the entire vessel.
