The Influence of Cell Isolation and Culturing on Natriuretic Peptide Receptors in Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) relaxation by guanylyl cyclases (GCs) and cGMP is mediated by NO and its receptor soluble GC (sGC) or natriuretic peptides (NPs) ANP/BNP and CNP with the receptors GC-A and GC-B, respectively. It is commonly accepted that cultured SMCs differ from those in intact vessels. Nevertheless, cell culture often remains the first step for signaling investigations and drug testing.

Skills on wheels: initial pre-post findings from a pilot study of a pediatric wheelchair skills training program.

Skills on Wheels, a 5-week pediatric wheelchair skills training program implemented over 2 years, was developed to address confidence, social participation, and mobility for wheelchair-using children. This study tests the hypothesis that pediatric wheelchair skills training will increase wheelchair skill ability, confidence, and participation of wheelchair-using children. Individualized instruction was delivered by occupational ( = 50) and physical ( = 12) therapy practitioners and doctoral students.

Reference Gene U2 Enables Direct Comparison between Relative Gene Expression Levels of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells in Tissue and Culture Using Real-Time Quantitative PCR.

In nearly every lab, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) is used to quantify gene expression. However, a comparison of different samples requires the careful selection of suitable reference genes (RGs), sometimes referred to as housekeeping genes. In the case of vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs), it is important to know under which conditions gene expression in isolated and cultured vSMCs can be compared with vSMCs in a healthy blood vessel.

Transforming the image of nursing: the evidence for assurance.

A nurse's uniform influences perceptions about nursing practice and thus contributes significantly to the overall image of a nurse. A nurse's uniform also can represent the brand of an organization, the tangible and intangible attributes that distinguish an organization from its competitors. The rebranding of a major health care system provided a unique opportunity to refine the "image of nurses" within the organization.