Spinal pain prevalence and associated determinants: A population-based study using the National Survey for Wales.

Spinal pain (SP) remains the leading cause of disability worldwide. The present study aimed to establish a current prevalence of SP and associated determinants in Wales by retrospectively analyzing data from the National Survey for Wales Dataset (NSWD). The NSWD is a large-scale cross-sectional, representative sample of adults across Wales, UK.

Evidence for direct CO -mediated alterations in cerebral oxidative metabolism in humans.

Aim: How the cerebral metabolic rates of oxygen and glucose utilization (CMRO and CMR, respectively) are affected by alterations in arterial PCO (PaCO) is equivocal and therefore was the primary question of this study.

Methods: This retrospective analysis involved pooled data from four separate studies, involving 41 healthy adults (35 males/6 females). Participants completed stepwise steady-state alterations in PaCO ranging between 30 and 60 mmHg.

Cognition is selectively impaired in males with spinal pain: A retrospective analysis of data from the Longitudinal Study of Ageing Danish Twins.

Cognitive decline and spinal pain (back pain [BP] and neck pain [NP]) represent a major public health challenge, yet the potential relationship between them remains elusive. A retrospective analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Ageing Danish Twins was performed to determine any potential relationships between BP/NP and cognitive function adjusting for age, sex, educational and socioeconomic status. A total of 4731 adults (2788 females/1943 males) aged 78 ± 6 (SD) years were included in the analysis.

Severe hypoxaemic hypercapnia compounds cerebral oxidative-nitrosative stress during extreme apnoea: Implications for cerebral bioenergetic function.

We examined the extent to which apnoea-induced extremes of oxygen demand/carbon dioxide production impact redox regulation of cerebral bioenergetic function. Ten ultra-elite apnoeists (six men and four women) performed two maximal dry apnoeas preceded by normoxic normoventilation, resulting in severe end-apnoea hypoxaemic hypercapnia, and hyperoxic hyperventilation designed to ablate hypoxaemia, resulting in hyperoxaemic hypercapnia. Transcerebral exchange of ascorbate radicals (by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy) and nitric oxide metabolites (by tri-iodide chemiluminescence) were calculated as the product of global cerebral blood flow (by duplex ultrasound) and radial arterial (a) to internal jugular venous (v) concentration gradients.

Lower systemic nitric oxide bioactivity, cerebral hypoperfusion and accelerated cognitive decline in formerly concussed retired rugby union players.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? What are the molecular, cerebrovascular and cognitive biomarkers of retired rugby union players with concussion history? What is the main finding and its importance? Retired rugby players compared with matched controls exhibited lower systemic nitric oxide bioavailability accompanied by lower middle cerebral artery velocity and mild cognitive impairment. Retired rugby players are more susceptible to accelerated cognitive decline.

Abstract: Following retirement from sport, the chronic consequences of prior-recurrent contact are evident and retired rugby union players may be especially prone to accelerated cognitive decline.

Hemoglobin and cerebral hypoxic vasodilation in humans: Evidence for nitric oxide-dependent and -nitrosothiol mediated signal transduction.

Cerebral hypoxic vasodilation is poorly understood in humans, which undermines the development of therapeutics to optimize cerebral oxygen delivery. Across four investigations (total n = 195) we investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) and hemoglobin-based -nitrosothiol (RSNO) and nitrite () signaling in the regulation of cerebral hypoxic vasodilation. We conducted hemodilution (n = 10) and NO synthase inhibition experiments (n = 11) as well as hemoglobin oxygen desaturation protocols, wherein we measured cerebral blood flow (CBF), intra-arterial blood pressure, and in subsets of participants trans-cerebral release/uptake of RSNO and .

Executive function during exercise is diminished by prolonged cognitive effort in men.

The speed and accuracy of decision-making (i.e., executive function (EF) domains) is an integral factor in many sports.

Getting started: Space, Equipment, Policy and Procedure, Structured Reporting, and Personnel.

Setting up a vascular lab (VL) requires initial substantial capital, personnel, real-estate, and time commitment and requires support from leadership and champions. There are certain tangible building blocks for a successful VL. The more time and effort that are leant to these foundational components, the better the VL will operate.

Venous Evaluation.

The vascular lab (VL) provides unequalled information regarding venous disease especially in the depiction and characterization of venous waveforms. This article provides the indications, protocol, and diagnostic criteria for peripheral and central venous disease and venous mapping. Venous evaluation is one of the most common studies performed at vascular labs (VL).

Accreditation: RPVI, RVT, IAC Accreditation, and ACR Accreditation.

Personnel and department accreditation are means by which institutions can evaluate, demonstrate, and maintain the highest level of patient care. In this article, we will discuss the certification and the resources for physicians (RPVI) and technologists (RVT) who provide care to patients in the vascular lab (VL) as well as information about certification by the two accrediting bodies - the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) - that accredit VLs. Noninvasive vascular testing provides timely delivered valuable information to healthcare providers.

Cerebral O and CO transport in isovolumic haemodilution: Compensation of cerebral delivery of O and maintenance of cerebrovascular reactivity to CO.

This study investigated the influence of acute reductions in arterial O content (CaO) via isovolumic haemodilution on global cerebral blood flow (gCBF) and cerebrovascular CO reactivity (CVR) in 11 healthy males (age; 28 ± 7 years: body mass index; 23 ± 2 kg/m). Radial artery and internal jugular vein catheters provided measurement of blood pressure and gases, quantification of cerebral metabolism, cerebral CO washout, and trans-cerebral nitrite exchange (ozone based chemiluminescence). Prior to and following haemodilution, the partial pressure of arterial CO (PaCO) was elevated with dynamic end-tidal forcing while gCBF was measured with duplex ultrasound.

EPR spectroscopic evidence of iron-catalysed free radical formation in chronic mountain sickness: Dietary causes and vascular consequences.

Chronic mountain sickness (CMS) is a high-altitude (HA) maladaptation syndrome characterised by elevated systemic oxidative-nitrosative stress (OXNOS) due to a free radical-mediated reduction in vascular nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. To better define underlying mechanisms and vascular consequences, this study compared healthy male lowlanders (80 m, n = 10) against age/sex-matched highlanders born and bred in La Paz, Bolivia (3600 m) with (CMS+, n = 10) and without (CMS-, n = 10) CMS. Cephalic venous blood was assayed using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and reductive ozone-based chemiluminescence.

Trans-cerebral HCO and PCO exchange during acute respiratory acidosis and exercise-induced metabolic acidosis in humans.

This study investigated trans-cerebral internal jugular venous-arterial bicarbonate ([HCO]) and carbon dioxide tension (PCO) exchange utilizing two separate interventions to induce acidosis: 1) acute respiratory acidosis via elevations in arterial PCO (PaCO) (n = 39); and 2) metabolic acidosis via incremental cycling exercise to exhaustion (n = 24). During respiratory acidosis, arterial [HCO] by 0.15 ± 0.

Nitric oxide contributes to cerebrovascular shear-mediated dilatation but not steady-state cerebrovascular reactivity to carbon dioxide.

Cerebrovascular CO reactivity (CVR) is often considered a bioassay of cerebrovascular endothelial function. We recently introduced a test of cerebral shear-mediated dilatation (cSMD) that may better reflect endothelial function. We aimed to determine the nitric oxide (NO)-dependency of CVR and cSMD.

Global Research Expedition on Altitude-related Chronic Health 2018 Iron Infusion at High Altitude Reduces Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction Equally in Both Lowlanders and Healthy Andean Highlanders.

Background: Increasing iron bioavailability attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in both lowlanders and Sherpas at high altitude. In contrast, the pulmonary vasculature of Andean individuals with chronic mountain sickness (CMS) is resistant to iron administration. Although pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypertension are characteristic features of CMS, the effect of iron administration in healthy Andean individuals, to our knowledge, has not been investigated.

Concussion history in rugby union players is associated with depressed cerebrovascular reactivity and cognition.

Recurrent contact and concussion in rugby union remains a significant public health concern given the potential increased risk of neurodegeneration in later life. This study determined to what extent prior-recurrent contact impacts molecular-hemodynamic biomarkers underpinning cognition in current professional rugby union players with a history of concussion. Measurements were performed in 20 professional rugby union players with an average of 16 (interquartile range [IQR] 13-19) years playing history reporting 3 (IQR 1-4) concussions.