Electrocardiographic predictors of response to sacubitril/valsartan therapy in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.

Background: Sacubitril/valsartan (SV) is currently recommended as a first-line therapy in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) due to its significant clinical and prognostic benefit; however, not all patients respond to therapy and predictors of clinical response to SV remain under-studied.

Aims: To identify electrocardiographic (ECG) predictors of response to SV therapy in HFrEF patients.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of a hospital heart failure registry was undertaken.

College Warrior Athlete Initiative and academic nursing.

The College Warrior Athlete Initiative (CWAI) determined if a key element of military occupational culture, referred to as the "battle-buddy" concept of pairing college athletes with veterans, could be applied to Student Service Members/Veterans (SSM/V) health promotion. Fifty veterans of fifty-seven enrolled completed the program in seven separate cohorts between 2016 and 2017. The veteran-student athlete pairs or small groups exercised twice a week for 75 min under the supervision of a certified athletic trainer and attended wellness classes.

Evaluating competence and confidence using simulation technology.

This article discusses the role of simulation training in educating nurses and reducing clinical errors and describes a research project designed to determine the effectiveness of deliberate practice and simulation technology.

Near-infrared monitoring of roller compacted ribbon density: Investigating sources of variation contributing to noisy spectral data.

The aim of this study was to highlight how variability in roller compacted ribbon quality can impact on NIR spectral measurement and to propose a simple method of data selection to remove erroneous spectra. The use of NIR spectroscopy for monitoring ribbon envelope density has been previously demonstrated, however to date there has been limited discussion as to how spectral data sets can contain erroneous outliers due to poor sample presentation to the NIR probes. In this study compacted ribbon of variable quality was produced from three separate blends of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/lactose/magnesium stearate at 8 Roll Force settings (2-16kN/cm).

Factors associated with completion of pre-kidney transplant evaluations.

This study sought to examine various factors that may prevent transplant candidates from completing their transplant workup prior to listing. We reviewed the records of 170 subjects (cases = 100, controls 70) who were either on dialysis or had less than 20 mL/min creatinine clearance and were therefore candidates for preemptive transplantation. Approximately, 56% of preemptive patients completed their workup, while only 36% of patients on dialysis completed their workup.

Raised blood pressure, not renin-angiotensin systems, causes cardiac fibrosis in TGR m(Ren2)27 rats.

Objectives: Elevated systemic arterial blood pressure is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis. It has been suggested that both circulating and local myocardial renin-angiotensin systems play a role in mediating these responses. Here we describe the natural history of ventricular hypertrophy and fibrosis in the transgenic (mRen2)27 rat--a monogenetic model--which has a high tissue expression of the murine renin transgene, and suffers severe hypertension.

Inhibition of tissue angiotensin converting enzyme activity prevents malignant hypertension in TGR(mREN2)27.

Background: Activation of the renin-angiotensin system has been implicated strongly in the transition from benign to malignant hypertension. However, the concomitant rise in blood pressure might also have a direct effect on the vascular wall by initiating fibrinoid necrosis and myointimal proliferation. Ascertaining the relative importance of these two factors in this process has proved difficult.

Measurement of exposure to mouse urinary proteins in an epidemiological study.

Objectives: To develop an assay to measure airborne mouse urinary protein (MUP) and to assess the occupational exposure to MUP in the workforce of three establishments as part of an epidemiological study examining the influence of aeroallergen exposure on the development of allergic respiratory disease.

Methods: Personal air samples were collected from nine exposure groups during a workshift. A sensitive and reproducible competitive inhibition assay, which used rabbit antisera specific for MUP, was developed and used to measure the occupational exposure to MUP.

Comparison of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-related infections with different "Y-tubing" exchange systems.

Despite several modifications of the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) technique over the last decade, peritonitis remains a major source of morbidity and is the leading cause of dropout for patients maintained on CAPD therapy. Recently, Baxter Healthcare introduced the Ultra Twin bag system, which uses drainage and infusion bags both secured to Y connecting tubing. Previous nonrandomized studies comparing the Ultra Twin bag system with other systems have indicated an improvement in the peritonitis rate with the Ultra Twin bag system.

Outcome of polymicrobial peritonitis in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients.

Polymicrobial peritonitis is a relatively uncommon, but potentially serious complication that develops in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Its cause and optimal management remain controversial. The authors reviewed the frequency and natural history of polymicrobial peritonitis in 432 CAPD patients.

Effect of ANP on sustained aldosterone secretion stimulated by angiotensin II.

The sustained aldosterone secretory response to angiotensin II (ANG II) depends on receptor-mediated increases in membrane diglyceride (DG) and an increase in calcium influx rate. These signals serve to activate membrane-associated protein kinase C (PKC) and result in enhanced phosphorylation of a unique set of proteins. These events can be mimicked by the addition of a phorbol ester, 12-O-tetra decanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA), and a calcium ionophore, A23187, that bypass the initial receptor-associated events.