Effectiveness and Safety of an Independently Run Nurse Practitioner Outpatient Cardioversion Program (2009 to 2014).

Sustained growth in the arrhythmia population at Stanford Health Care led to an independent nurse practitioner-run outpatient direct current cardioversion (DCCV) program in 2012. DCCVs performed by a medical doctor, a nurse practitioner under supervision, or nurse practitioners from 2009 to 2014 were compared for safety and efficacy. A retrospective review of the electronic medical records system (Epic) was performed on biodemographic data, cardiovascular risk factors, medication history, procedural data, and DCCV outcomes.

Dietary moderately oxidized oil induces expression of fibroblast growth factor 21 in the liver of pigs.

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), whose expression is induced by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα), has been recently identified as a novel metabolic regulator which plays a crucial role in glucose homeostasis, lipid metabolism, insulin sensitivity and obesity. Previous studies have shown that administration of oxidized fats leads to an activation of PPARα in the liver. Therefore, the present study investigated the hypothesis that feeding of oxidized fats causes an induction of FGF21 in the liver.

Dietary moderately oxidized oil activates the Nrf2 signaling pathway in the liver of pigs.

Background: Previous studies have shown that administration of oxidized oils increases gene expression and activities of various enzymes involved in xenobiotic metabolism and stress response in the liver of rats and guinea pigs. As these genes are controlled by nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2), we investigated the hypothesis that feeding of oxidized fats causes an activation of that transcription factor in the liver which in turn activates the expression of antioxidant, cytoprotective and detoxifying genes.

Methods: Twenty four crossbred pigs were allocated to two groups of 12 pigs each and fed nutritionally adequate diets with either fresh rapeseed oil (fresh fat group) or oxidized rapeseed oil prepared by heating at a temperature of 175°C for 72 h (oxidized fat group).

Dietary oxidized fat activates the oxidative stress-responsive transcription factors NF-κB and Nrf2 in intestinal mucosa of mice.

Purpose: Oxidized fats are known to induce oxidative stress resulting in the up-regulation of antioxidant enzymes, with the underlying mechanism being unclear. It is known, however, that the response of tissues to oxidative stress is mediated by redox-sensitive transcription factors such as NF-κB and Nrf2. The aim of this study, therefore, was to test the hypothesis that ingestion of an oxidized fat causes activation of these transcription factors in the small intestinal mucosa.

Supplementation of L-carnitine in pigs: absorption of carnitine and effect on plasma and tissue carnitine concentrations.

This study was performed to investigate the bioavailability of carnitine supplements and their effects on the carnitine status of pigs. Seven groups of young pigs with an average body weight of 10 kg were fed a basal diet or the same diets supplemented with 25, 50, 100, 200, 500 or 1000 mg of L-carnitine per kg for 20 days. Absorption rate of the supplemented carnitine in the small intestine, assessed by the use of titanium dioxide as an indigestible indicator, was greater than 95% for the lower doses (25, 50, 100 mg/kg) and greater than 90% for the higher doses (200, 500, 1000 mg/kg).