Hemodynamic and inotropic effects of endothelin-1 in vivo

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to have strong vasoactive properties. Contradictory results have been reported with regard to its inotropic effects. This study examined the dose-dependent (500, 1000, 2500, 5000 and 10,000 ng ET-1/kg vs. NaCl controls) hemodynamic and inotropic effects of ET-1 in 53 open-chest rats during and after a 7-min infusion. Besides measurements in the intact circulation the myocardial function was examined by isovolumic registrations independent of peripheral vascular effects. A transient ET-1 induced (500, 1000, 2500, 5000 ng ET-1/kg) decrease of the left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP) and the mean aortic pressure (AoPmean) was followed by a dose-related rise of these pressures (LVSP: -1%, -1%, +8%, +16% vs. preinfusion values; AoPmean: -11%, +9%, +39%, +52%). Heart rate (HR) was not influenced by ET-1. Due to the dose-dependent decrease of the stroke volume (SV) the cardiac output (CO) was reduced (CO: -8%, -23%, -40%, -50%). After an initial vasodilatation ET-1 elevates the total peripheral resistance (TPR: -1%, +49%, +139%, +215%) dose-dependently. 10,000 ng ET-1/kg was a lethal dose resulting in cardiac failure within minutes (low output). Since the maximum of the isovolumic LVSP (peak LVSP) and the corresponding dP/dtmax (peak dP/dtmax) were unchanged under ET-1, the isovolumic measurements do not indicate a positive inotropic effect of ET-1 in vivo in contrast to published results of in vitro experiments. It may be possible that a direct positive inotropic effect of ET-1 observed in in vitro studies is counterbalanced in vivo by an indirect negative inotropic effect due to the coronary-constrictive effect of ET-1

Walking on common ground: a cross-disciplinary scoping review on the clinical utility of digital mobility outcomes

Physical mobility is essential to health, and patients often rate it as a high-priority clinical outcome. Digital mobility outcomes (DMOs), such as real-world gait speed or step count, show promise as clinical measures in many medical conditions. However, current research is nascent and fragmented by discipline. This scoping review maps existing evidence on the clinical utility of DMOs, identifying commonalities across traditional disciplinary divides. In November 2019, 11 databases were searched for records investigating the validity and responsiveness of 34 DMOs in four diverse medical conditions (Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip fracture). Searches yielded 19,672 unique records. After screening, 855 records representing 775 studies were included and charted in systematic maps. Studies frequently investigated gait speed (70.4% of studies), step length (30.7%), cadence (21.4%), and daily step count (20.7%). They studied differences between healthy and pathological gait (36.4%), associations between DMOs and clinical measures (48.8%) or outcomes (4.3%), and responsiveness to interventions (26.8%). Gait speed, step length, cadence, step time and step count exhibited consistent evidence of validity and responsiveness in multiple conditions, although the evidence was inconsistent or lacking for other DMOs. If DMOs are to be adopted as mainstream tools, further work is needed to establish their predictive validity, responsiveness, and ecological validity. Cross-disciplinary efforts to align methodology and validate DMOs may facilitate their adoption into clinical practice

Model Lessons to Use With The Student Atlas of Oregon

Model lessons for teachers to use with The Student Atlas of Oregon.https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/geographyed_instructional/1001/thumbnail.jp

Walking on common ground: a cross-disciplinary scoping review on the clinical utility of digital mobility outcomes

Physical mobility is essential to health, and patients often rate it as a high-priority clinical outcome. Digital mobility outcomes (DMOs), such as real-world gait speed or step count, show promise as clinical measures in many medical conditions. However, current research is nascent and fragmented by discipline. This scoping review maps existing evidence on the clinical utility of DMOs, identifying commonalities across traditional disciplinary divides. In November 2019, 11 databases were searched for records investigating the validity and responsiveness of 34 DMOs in four diverse medical conditions (Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hip fracture). Searches yielded 19,672 unique records. After screening, 855 records representing 775 studies were included and charted in systematic maps. Studies frequently investigated gait speed (70.4% of studies), step length (30.7%), cadence (21.4%), and daily step count (20.7%). They studied differences between healthy and pathological gait (36.4%), associations between DMOs and clinical measures (48.8%) or outcomes (4.3%), and responsiveness to interventions (26.8%). Gait speed, step length, cadence, step time and step count exhibited consistent evidence of validity and responsiveness in multiple conditions, although the evidence was inconsistent or lacking for other DMOs. If DMOs are to be adopted as mainstream tools, further work is needed to establish their predictive validity, responsiveness, and ecological validity. Cross-disciplinary efforts to align methodology and validate DMOs may facilitate their adoption into clinical practice

Optical properties of silver nanocube surfaces obtained by silane immobilization

Silver nanocubes were synthesized by the polyol method and immobilized on a surface in a simple approach using an aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). The optical and structural properties of the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) stabilized nanocubes were investigated in solution and on glass surfaces. The SERS enhancement factors at two excitation wavelengths for crystal violet were compared with electric fields arising in different nano¬particle configurations using finite-difference time-domain simulations. They are in agreement with the preferred face-to-face orientation in the nanoaggregates on the surfaces. The facile immobilization enables on-demand preparation and use of the nanocubes in real analytical applications

Predicting advanced balance ability and mobility with an instrumented timed up and go test

Extensive test batteries are often needed to obtain a comprehensive picture of a person\u2019s functional status. Many test batteries are not suitable for active and healthy adults due to ceiling effects, or require a lot of space, time, and training. The Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CBMS) is considered a gold standard for this population, but the test is complex, as well as time-and resource intensive. There is a strong need for a faster, yet sensitive and robust test of physical function in seniors. We sought to investigate whether an instrumented Timed Up and Go (iTUG) could predict the CBMS score in 60 outpatients and healthy community-dwelling seniors, where features of the iTUG were predictive, and how the prediction of CBMS with the iTUG compared to standard clinical tests. A partial least squares regression analysis was used to identify latent components explaining variation in CBMS total score. The model with iTUG features was able to predict the CBMS total score with an accuracy of 85.2% (84.9\u201385.5%), while standard clinical tests predicted 82.5% (82.2\u201382.8%) of the score. These findings suggest that a fast and easily administered iTUG could be used to predict CBMS score, providing a valuable tool for research and clinical care

ParSeq: searching motifs with structural and biochemical properties

Summary: Searches for variable motifs such as proteinbinding sites or promoter regions are more complex than the search for casual motifs. For example, in amino acid sequences comparing motifs alone mostly proves to be insufficient to detect regions that represent proteins with a special function, because the function depends on biochemical properties of individual amino acids (such as polarity or hydrophobicity) . Pure string matching programs are not able to find these motifs; hence, we developed ParSeq, a program that combines the search for motifs with certain structural properties, the verification of biochemical properties, an approximate search mechanism and a stepwise creation of the motif description by allowing to search on previously obtained results

Residual strain measurements in thermal spray cermet coatings via neutron diffraction

The impact and fatigue resistance of overlay coatings is significantly influenced by the residual strain (or stress) field induced during coating deposition, post-treatment, and in-service loading. Optimization of the residual strain field is therefore critical to the life and performance of components. Nondestructive measurement of these strain fields in relatively thin (300-400 mu m) thermal spray coatings, however, poses a challenge because conventional techniques, such as deep hole drilling, x-ray diffraction, synchrotron diffraction, and changes in beam. curvature either make these techniques destructive and/or provides only a very near-surface strain measurement. This particularly complicates the strain analysis in cermet coatings, e.g., WC-Co deposited by the thermal spraying process, where the low penetration depth of x-ray and synchrotron-diffraction ray can only provide a through thickness measurement of stress or strain profile via the destructive layer removal technique. Recent investigations have therefore concentrated on the use of neutron diffraction technique for such analysis, and this paper reports some of the early findings of the comparison of through thickness strain measurements in relatively thin (400 mu m) as-sprayed and post-treated WC-12wt. %Co coatings via the neutron diffraction technique. Since neutrons are not charged, they do not interact with the electron cloud surrounding the atom (unlike x-ray); hence, diffraction results from the interaction with the atomic nucleus. Neutrons therefore have greater penetration depth in most engineering materials, and therefore provide a nondestructive through thickness strain measurement. Results of strain measurement are discussed with the structure property relationships and contact fatigue performance, and indicate that post-treatment of these coatings results in harmonization of the strain field within the coating, and at the coating substrate interface. This significantly influences the contact fatigue performance by improving both the cohesive and adhesive strength of these coatings