The organizational effects of oxytocin on the central expression of estrogen receptor α and oxytocin in adulthood

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that neonatal manipulation of oxytocin (OT) has effects on the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) and the central production of oxytocin observed in juveniles ( at weaning, 21 days of age). The goal of this study was to determine whether the effects of neonatal manipulation of OT last into adulthood, and if the effects differ from those observed during the early postnatal period. On the first day of life, prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster) received one of three doses of OT (High, 3 mu g; Med, 0.3 mu g; Low, 0.03 mu g), an OT antagonist, or isotonic saline. Another group was handled, but not injected. Then as adults, brains were collected, sectioned, and stained for ERa or OT using immunocytochemistry. Results: In females, treatment with OT increased the expression of ERa immunoreactivity in the ventral lateral septum (0.03 mu g) and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and central amygdala ( 0.3 g). In males, OT antagonist increased ERa expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. There was no apparent effect of OT on the number of cells producing OT in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Conclusion: The current results suggest that neonatal manipulation of OT has long-term organizational effects on the expression of ERa in both males and females. The lack of effect on OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus suggests that some developmental effects of OT previously observed in weanlings do not persist into adulthood. Developmental effects of OT on ERa patterns were sexually dimorphic, dose-dependent, and site-specific

The Organizational Effects of Oxytocin on the Central Expression of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Oxytocin in Adulthood

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that neonatal manipulation of oxytocin (OT) has effects on the expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) and the central production of oxytocin observed in juveniles ( at weaning, 21 days of age). The goal of this study was to determine whether the effects of neonatal manipulation of OT last into adulthood, and if the effects differ from those observed during the early postnatal period. On the first day of life, prairie voles ( Microtus ochrogaster) received one of three doses of OT (High, 3 mu g; Med, 0.3 mu g; Low, 0.03 mu g), an OT antagonist, or isotonic saline. Another group was handled, but not injected. Then as adults, brains were collected, sectioned, and stained for ERa or OT using immunocytochemistry. Results: In females, treatment with OT increased the expression of ERa immunoreactivity in the ventral lateral septum (0.03 mu g) and the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and central amygdala ( 0.3 g). In males, OT antagonist increased ERa expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. There was no apparent effect of OT on the number of cells producing OT in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Conclusion: The current results suggest that neonatal manipulation of OT has long-term organizational effects on the expression of ERa in both males and females. The lack of effect on OT neurons in the paraventricular nucleus suggests that some developmental effects of OT previously observed in weanlings do not persist into adulthood. Developmental effects of OT on ERa patterns were sexually dimorphic, dose-dependent, and site-specific

Safety and efficacy of a multi-electrode renal sympathetic denervation system in resistant hypertension: The EnligHTN I trial

Aims: Catheter-based renal artery sympathetic denervation has emerged as a novel therapy for treatment of patients with drug-resistant hypertension. Initial studies were performed using a single electrode radiofrequency catheter, but recent advances in catheter design have allowed the development of multi-electrode systems that can deliver lesions with a pre-determined pattern. This study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the EnligHTN™ multi-electrode system. Methods and results: We conducted the first-in-human, prospective, multi-centre, non-randomized study in 46 patients (67% male, mean age 60 years, and mean baseline office blood pressure 176/96 mmHg) with drug-resistant hypertension. The primary efficacy objective was change in office blood pressure from baseline to 6 months. Safety measures included all adverse events with a focus on the renal artery and other vascular complications and changes in renal function. Renal artery denervation, using the EnligHTN™ system significantly reduced the office blood pressure from baseline to 1, 3, and 6 months by −28/10, −27/10 and −26/10 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.0001). No acute renal artery injury or other serious vascular complications occurred. Small, non-clinically relevant, changes in average estimated glomerular filtration rate were reported from baseline (87 ± 19 mL/min/1.73 m2) to 6 months post-procedure (82 ± 20 mL/min/1.73 m2). Conclusion: Renal sympathetic denervation, using the EnligHTN™ multi-electrode catheter results in a rapid and significant office blood pressure reduction that was sustained through 6 months. The EnligHTN™ system delivers a promising therapy for the treatment of drug-resistant hypertension.Stephen G. Worthley, Costas P. Tsioufis, Matthew I. Worthley, Ajay Sinhal, Derek P. Chew, Ian T. Meredith, Yuvi Malaiapan, and Vasilios Papademetrio

Wavelet cross-correlation to investigate regional variations in cerebral oxygenation in infants supported on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can potentially affect cerebral blood flow dynamics and consequently influence cerebral autoregulation. We applied wavelet cross-correlation (WCC) between multichannel cerebral oxyhemoglobin concentration (HbO(2)) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), to assess regional variations in cerebral autoregulation. Six infants on veno-arterial (VA) ECMO were studied during sequential changes in the ECMO flows. WCC between MAP and HbO(2) for each flow period and each channel was calculated within three different frequency (wavelet scale) bands centered around 0.1, 0.16, and 0.3 Hz chosen to represent low frequency oscillations, ventilation, and respiration rates, respectively. The group data showed a relationship between maximum WCC and ECMO flow. During changes in ECMO flow, statistically significant differences in maximum WCC were found between right and left hemispheres. WCC between HbO(2) and MAP provides a useful method to investigate the dynamics of cerebral autoregulation during ECMO. Manipulations of ECMO flows are associated with regional changes in cerebral autoregulation which may potentially have an important bearing on clinical outcome

New mobilities across the lifecourse: A framework for analysing demographically-linked drivers of migration

Date of acceptance: 17/02/2015Taking the life course as the central concern, the authors set out a conceptual framework and define some key research questions for a programme of research that explores how the linked lives of mobile people are situated in time–space within the economic, social, and cultural structures of contemporary society. Drawing on methodologically innovative techniques, these perspectives can offer new insights into the changing nature and meanings of migration across the life course.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Optical topography to measure variations in regional cerebral oxygenation in an infant supported on veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a rescue therapy for patients with cardio-respiratory failure which exposes the patient to the risk for in-tracranial injury. We used a 12-channel optical topography system to monitor ce-rebral oxygenation in a venoarterial (VA) ECMO patient during alterations in the ECMO flows. Changes in oxy-(HbO2), deoxy-(HHb) and total-(HbT) haemoglo-bin concentrations were measured simultaneously with systemic and ECMO cir-cuit parameters. Decreasing the flows resulted in a decrease in venous (SvO2) and arterial (SpO2) saturations. These were reflected in the haemoglobin data by a sig-nificant increase in HHb of varying magnitude across the 12 channels and mod-erate changes in HbO2 suggestive of cerebral arterial dilation to compensate for the lack of oxygen delivery. In the patient studied here ECMO flows appear to present a significant haemodynamic challenge to cerebral circulation