Effect of a 30-minute infusion of dobutamine hydrochloride on hind limb blood flow and hemodynamics in halothane-anesthetized horses

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hemodynamic effects of dobutamine hydrochloride (0.5 microg/kg of body weight/min) in halothane-anesthetized horses. ANIMALS: 6 adult Thoroughbred horses. PROCEDURE: Anesthesia was induced by use of romifidine (100 microg/kg) and ketamine (2.2 mg/kg), IV. Anesthesia was maintained by halothane (end-tidal concentration 0.9 to 1.0%). Aortic, left ventricular, and right atrial pressures were measured, using catheter-mounted strain gauge transducers. Cardiac output (CO), velocity time integral, maximal aortic blood flow velocity and acceleration, and left ventricular preejection period and ejection time were measured from aortic velocity waveforms obtained by transesophageal Doppler echocardiography. Velocity waveforms were recorded from the femoral vessels, using Doppler ultrasonography. The time-averaged mean velocity and early diastolic deceleration slope (EDDS) were measured. Pulsatility index (PI) and volumetric flow were calculated. Microvascular perfusion was measured in the semimembranosus muscles by laser Doppler flowmetry. Data were recorded 60 minutes after induction of anesthesia (control) and at 15 and 30 minutes after start of an infusion of dobutamine (0.5 microg/kg/min). RESULTS: Aortic pressures were significantly increased during the infusion of dobutamine. No change was observed in the indices of left ventricular systolic function including CO. Femoral arterial flow significantly increased, and the PI and EDDS decreased. No change was observed in the femoral venous flow or in microvascular perfusion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: At this dosage, dobutamine did not alter left ventricular systolic function. Femoral blood flow was preferentially increased as the result of local vasodilatation. The lack of effect of dobutamine on microvascular perfusion suggests that increased femoral flow is not necessarily associated with improved perfusion of skeletal muscle

Advances in physical activity monitoring and lifestyle interventions in obesity: a review.

Obesity represents a strong risk factor for developing chronic diseases. Strategies for disease prevention often promote lifestyle changes encouraging participation in physical activity. However, determining what amount of physical activity is necessary for achieving specific health benefits has been hampered by the lack of accurate instruments for monitoring physical activity and the related physiological outcomes. This review aims at presenting recent advances in activity-monitoring technology and their application to support interventions for health promotion. Activity monitors have evolved from step counters and measuring devices of physical activity duration and intensity to more advanced systems providing quantitative and qualitative information on the individuals' activity behavior. Correspondingly, methods to predict activity-related energy expenditure using bodily acceleration and subjects characteristics have advanced from linear regression to innovative algorithms capable of determining physical activity types and the related metabolic costs. These novel techniques can monitor modes of sedentary behavior as well as the engagement in specific activity types that helps to evaluate the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions. In conclusion, advances in activity monitoring have the potential to support the design of response-dependent physical activity recommendations that are needed to generate effective and personalized lifestyle interventions for health promotion.International Journal of Obesity advance online publication, 17 May 2011; doi:10.1038/ijo.2011.99

beta-carbonic anhydrases play a role in salicylic acid perception in Arabidopsis

[EN] The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) is required for defense responses. NON EXPRESSER OF PATHOGENESIS RELATED 1 (NPR1) and NON RECOGNITION OF BTH-4 (NRB4) are required for the response to SA in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Here, we isolated several interactors of NRB4 using yeast two-hybrid assays. Two of these interactors, beta CA1 and beta CA2, are beta-carbonic anhydrase family proteins. Since double mutant beta ca1 beta ca2 plants did not show any obvious phenotype, we investigated other beta CAs and found that NRB4 also interacts with beta CA3 and beta CA4. Moreover, several beta CAs interacted with NPR1 in yeast, including one that interacted in a SA-dependent manner. This interaction was abolished in loss-of-function alleles of NPR1. Interactions between beta CAs and both NRB4 and NPR1 were also detected in planta, with evidence for a triple interaction, NRB4-beta CA1-NPR1. The quintuple mutant beta ca1 beta ca2 beta ca3 beta ca4 beta ca6 showed partial insensitivity to SA. These findings suggest that one of the functions of carbonic anhydrases is to modulate the perception of SA in plants.This study was supported by "Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad" of Spain (grant BIO2013-45444-P to PT, http://mmidi.mineco.gob.es/portal/site/MICINN/) and "Generalitat Valenciana" of Spain (grant ACOMP/2013/052 to PT, http://www.ceice.gva.es/web/ciencia/becas-ayudas-y-subvenciones-cientificas). MLC was awarded with a fellowship from CONICET (Argentina, http://convocatorias.conicet.gov.ar/becas/) and Erasmus Mundus Action 2, Arcoiris Project (EU, http://www.arcoiris.polito.it/). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Medina-Puche, L.; Castelló Llopis, MJ.; Canet Perez, JV.; Lamilla, J.; Colombo, M.; Tornero Feliciano, P. (2017). beta-carbonic anhydrases play a role in salicylic acid perception in Arabidopsis. PLoS ONE. 12(7). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0181820S12