NO Deficiency Compromises Inter- and Intrahemispheric Blood Flow Adaptation to Unilateral Carotid Artery Occlusion.

Carotid artery stenosis (CAS) affects approximately 5-7.5% of older adults and is recognized as a significant risk factor for vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). The impact of CAS on cerebral blood flow (CBF) within the ipsilateral hemisphere relies on the adaptive capabilities of the cerebral microcirculation.

Medical students' perception of learning from patient encounters in primary health care; a qualitative interview study.

Background: Clinical practice gives medical students opportunities to develop clinical skills and to gain insight into their future profession as a physician. Students in the medical programme at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden had clinical practice in primary health care in nine of their 11 semesters. The aim of this study was to explore medical students' perceptions of learning from patient encounters in a primary health care context.

Disruption of Vitamin D Signaling Impairs Adaptation of Cerebrocortical Microcirculation to Carotid Artery Occlusion in Hyperandrogenic Female Mice.

Vitamin D deficiency contributes to the pathogenesis of age-related cerebrovascular diseases, including ischemic stroke. Sex hormonal status may also influence the prevalence of these disorders, indicated by a heightened vulnerability among postmenopausal and hyperandrogenic women. To investigate the potential interaction between sex steroids and disrupted vitamin D signaling in the cerebral microcirculation, we examined the cerebrovascular adaptation to unilateral carotid artery occlusion (CAO) in intact, ovariectomized, and hyperandrogenic female mice with normal or functionally inactive vitamin D receptor (VDR).

Role of Vitamin D Deficiency in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases.

Deficiency in vitamin D (VitD), a lipid-soluble vitamin and steroid hormone, affects approximately 24% to 40% of the population of the Western world. In addition to its well-documented effects on the musculoskeletal system, VitD also contributes importantly to the promotion and preservation of cardiovascular health via modulating the immune and inflammatory functions and regulating cell proliferation and migration, endothelial function, renin expression, and extracellular matrix homeostasis. This brief overview focuses on the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular effects of VitD and the cellular, molecular, and functional changes that occur in the circulatory system in VitD deficiency (VDD).

Application of Injectable, Crosslinked, Fibrin-Containing Hyaluronic Acid Scaffolds for In Vivo Remodeling.

The present research aimed to characterize soft tissue implants that were prepared with the use of crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA) using two different crosslinkers and multiple reagent concentrations, alone or in combination with fibrin. The effect of the implants was evaluated in an in vivo mouse model, after 4 weeks in one group and after 12 weeks in the other. The explants were compared using analytical methods, evaluating microscopic images, and a histology analysis.

Mobile Health Technology for the Personalized Therapy of Hemophilia.

The management of patients with hemophilia has evolved significantly since the first treatment attempts were made in the late 1930s. Since then, each new step in the treatment of patients with hemophilia has brought important advancements, as well as its unique set of challenges. Today, a patient-centered, individualized comprehensive approach is the new paradigm, moving away from the traditional "one size-fits-all" approach, to provide the best possible care for each patient with a bleeding disorder.

Vitamin D Deficiency Reduces Vascular Reactivity of Coronary Arterioles in Male Rats.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) may be considered an independent cardiovascular (CV) risk factor, and it is well known that CV risk is higher in males. Our goal was to investigate the pharmacological reactivity and receptor expression of intramural coronary artery segments of male rats in cases of different vitamin D supply.

Methods: Four-week-old male Wistar rats were divided into a control group ( = 11) with optimal vitamin D supply (300 IU/kgbw/day) and a VDD group ( = 11, <0.

Crosslinked Hyaluronic Acid Gels with Blood-Derived Protein Components for Soft Tissue Regeneration.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an ideal initial material for preparing hydrogels, which may be used as scaffolds in soft tissue engineering based on their advantageous physical and biological properties. In this study, two crosslinking agents, divinyl sulfone (DVS) and butanediol diglycidyl ether, were used to investigate their effect on the properties of HA hydrogels. As HA hydrogels alone do not promote cell adhesion on the scaffold, fibrin and serum from platelet-rich fibrin (SPRF) were combined with the scaffold; the aim was to create a material intended to be used as soft tissue implant that facilitates new tissue formation, and degrades over time.

Chronic swimming training resulted in more relaxed coronary arterioles in male and enhanced vasoconstrictor ability in female rats.

Background: Exercise training is associated with hypertrophy of left ventricle (LV). The aim of the present study is to evaluate sex differences in the adaptation of the coronary contractile function in physiological left ventricular hypertrophy induced by long-term swim training.

Methods: Thirty-two Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: exercised male (ExM), exercised female (ExF), untrained control male (CoM), and untrained control female (CoF).

Ablation of Vitamin D Signaling Compromises Cerebrovascular Adaptation to Carotid Artery Occlusion in Mice.

Vitamin D insufficiency has been associated with increased incidence and severity of cerebrovascular disorders. We analyzed the impact of impaired vitamin D signaling on the anatomical and functional aspects of cerebrovascular adaptation to unilateral carotid artery occlusion (CAO), a common consequence of atherosclerosis and cause of ischemic stroke. Cerebrocortical blood flow (CoBF) showed a significantly increased drop and delayed recovery after CAO in mice carrying a functionally inactive vitamin D receptor (VDR) with the most sustained perfusion deficit in the temporal cortex.

Long-term exercise results in morphological and biomechanical changes in coronary resistance arterioles in male and female rats.

Background: Biomechanical remodeling of coronary resistance arteries in physiological left ventricular hypertrophy has not yet been analyzed, and the possible sex differences are unknown.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided into four groups: male and female sedentary controls (MSe and FSe) and male and female animals undergoing a 12-week intensive swim training program (MEx and FEx). On the last day, the in vitro contractility, endothelium-dependent dilatation, and biomechanical properties of the intramural coronary resistance arteries were investigated by pressure microarteriography.

Gender, hyperandrogenism and vitamin D deficiency related functional and morphological alterations of rat cerebral arteries.

Hyperandrogenism is a risk factor of cerebrovascular diseases as androgens can alter markedly the regulation of cerebrovascular tone. We examined the combined impact of androgen excess and vitamin D deficiency (VDD), a common co-morbidity in hyperandrogenic disorders, on remodeling and testosterone-induced vascular responses of anterior cerebral arteries (ACA) in order to evaluate the interplay between androgens and VDD in the cerebral vasculature. Male and female Wistar rats were either fed with vitamin D deficient or vitamin D supplemented diet.

Vitamin D deficiency and androgen excess result eutrophic remodeling and reduced myogenic adaptation in small cerebral arterioles in female rats.

Vitamin D (vitD) insufficiency affects 1 billion people worldwide. Androgen excess (AE) occurs in 8% of fertile females. There are few data about the combined effect of vitD deficiency and AE on the early biomechanical changes of cerebral arterioles in fertile-aged female.

Geometric, elastic and contractile-relaxation changes in coronary arterioles induced by Vitamin D deficiency in normal and hyperandrogenic female rats.

Vitamin D (VitD) hypovitaminosis and androgen excess (AE) are both risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in fertile women. However, the possible early interaction between AE and VitD status is not clear. Our goal was to describe how VitD status influences early changes in the biomechanical reactivity of small coronary arterioles in adult female rats after transdermal testosterone treatment.

Insulin resistance in an animal model of polycystic ovary disease is aggravated by vitamin D deficiency: Vascular consequences.

Hyperandrogenic state in females is accompanied with metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and vascular pathologies. A total of 67%-85% of hyperandrogenic women suffer also from vitamin D deficiency. We aimed to check a potential interplay between hyperandrogenism and vitamin D deficiency in producing insulin resistance and effects on coronary resistance arteries.

Vitamin D deficiency causes inward hypertrophic remodeling and alters vascular reactivity of rat cerebral arterioles.

Background And Purpose: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a global health problem, which can lead to several pathophysiological consequences including cardiovascular diseases. Its impact on the cerebrovascular system is not well understood. The goal of the present work was to examine the effects of VDD on the morphological, biomechanical and functional properties of cerebral arterioles.