GH and the cardiovascular system: an update on a topic at heart

In this review, the importance of growth hormone (GH) for the maintenance of normal cardiac function in adult life is discussed. Physiological effects of GH and underlying mechanisms for interactions between GH and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and the cardiovascular system are covered as well as the cardiac dysfunction caused both by GH excess (acromegaly) and by GH deficiency in adult hypopituitary patients. In both acromegaly and adult GH deficiency, there is also increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality possibly linked to aberrations in GH status. Finally, the status of the GH/IGF-I system in relation to heart failure and the potential of GH as a therapeutic tool in the treatment of heart failure are reviewed in this article. © 2014 The Author(s)

Western Reports, May, 1953, Volume 02, Issue 03

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1004/thumbnail.jp

Western Reports, December, 1955, Volume 05, Issue 01

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1007/thumbnail.jp

Percutaneous thrombin injection of common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm without cerebral protection.

To access publisher's full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field.An 83-year-old man with sepsis sustained right common carotid artery injury during attempted central-line placement. A computed tomographic scan showed a large hematoma in the patient's neck and a carotid pseudoaneurysm. His clinical condition was such that transfer to the interventional suite was judged unsafe. Percutaneous thrombin injection was performed at the bedside under ultrasonographic guidance, but without protective temporary balloon occlusion. The procedure was successful, with no neurologic complications. At follow-up ultrasonographic evaluation, there was complete and sustained occlusion of the pseudoaneurysm.Emergent percutaneous treatment of common carotid artery pseudoaneurysm can be performed without temporary balloon occlusion for cerebral protection-in extreme circumstances, and at unknown risk

Western Reports, December, 1953, Volume 03, Issue 01

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1005/thumbnail.jp

Western Reports, November, 1952, Volume 02, Issue 01

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1002/thumbnail.jp

Comparing P and S wave heterogeneity in the mantle

From the reprocessed data set of Engdahl and co-workers we have carefully selected matching P and S data for tomographic imaging. We assess data and model error and conclude that our S model uncertainty is twice that of the P model. We account for this in our comparison of the perturbations in P and S-wavespeed. In accord with previous studies we find that P and S perturbations are positively correlated at all depths. However, in the deep mantle systematic differences occur between regions that have undergone subduction in the last 120 million years and those that have not. In particular, below 1500 km depth ∂ln V[subscript s]/∂ln V[subscript p] is significantly larger in mantle regions away from subduction than in mantle beneath convergent margins. This inference is substantiated by wavespeed analyses with random realizations of the slab/non-slab distribution. Through much of the mantle there is no significant correlation between bulk sound and S-wave perturbations, but they appear to be negatively correlated between 1700 and 2100 km depth, which is also where the largest differences in ∂ln V[subscript s]/∂ln V[subscript p] occur. This finding supports convection models with compositional heterogeneity in the lowermost mantle.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant EAR-9905779

Western Reports, April, 1954, Volume 03, Issue 02

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1006/thumbnail.jp

Western Reports, March, 1953, Volume 02, Issue 02

Publication at Western Washington Universityhttps://cedar.wwu.edu/alumni_reports/1003/thumbnail.jp

Cyclic mechanical stretch down-regulates cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide expression and activates a pro-inflammatory response in human bronchial epithelial cells

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Files. This article is open access.Mechanical ventilation (MV) of patients can cause damage to bronchoalveolar epithelium, leading to a sterile inflammatory response, infection and in severe cases sepsis. Limited knowledge is available on the effects of MV on the innate immune defense system in the human lung. In this study, we demonstrate that cyclic stretch of the human bronchial epithelial cell lines VA10 and BCi NS 1.1 leads to down-regulation of cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide ( CAMP ) gene expression. We show that treatment of VA10 cells with vitamin D3 and/or 4-phenyl butyric acid counteracted cyclic stretch mediated down-regulation of CAMP mRNA and protein expression (LL-37). Further, we observed an increase in pro-inflammatory responses in the VA10 cell line subjected to cyclic stretch. The mRNA expression of the genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-1 β was increased after cyclic stretching, where as a decrease in gene expression of chemokines IP-10 and RANTES was observed. Cyclic stretch enhanced oxidative stress in the VA10 cells. The mRNA expression of toll-like receptor ( TLR ) 3 , TLR5 and TLR8 was reduced, while the gene expression of TLR2 was increased in VA10 cells after cyclic stretch. In conclusion, our in vitro results indicate that cyclic stretch may differentially modulate innate immunity by down-regulation of antimicrobial peptide expression and increase in pro-inflammatory responses.LSH (Landspitali University Hospital) Ossur hf Oddur Olafsson fund University of Iceland RANNI