Evaluation of a new pulse oximeter sensor.

Background: A new forehead noninvasive oxygen saturation sensor may improve signal quality in patients with low cardiac index.

Objectives: To examine agreement between oxygen saturation values obtained by using digit-based and forehead pulse oximeters with arterial oxygen saturation in patients with low cardiac index.

Methods: A method-comparison study was used to examine the agreement between 2 different pulse oximeters and arterial oxygen saturation in patients with low cardiac index.

Low voltage-activated calcium channels in vascular smooth muscle: T-type channels and AVP-stimulated calcium spiking.

An important path of extracellular calcium influx in vascular smooth muscle (VSM) cells is through voltage-activated Ca2+ channels of the plasma membrane. Both high (HVA)- and low (LVA)-voltage-activated Ca2+ currents are present in VSM cells, yet little is known about the relevance of the LVA T-type channels. In this report, we provide molecular evidence for T-type Ca2+ channels in rat arterial VSM and characterize endogenous LVA Ca2+ currents in the aortic smooth muscle-derived cell line A7r5.