Cardiovascular responses to experimental weight gain in humans: a feasibility study.

Objective: Obesity and hypertension share a well known association. However, the mechanisms underlying their relationship are not well understood. Our goal was to assess the feasibility of a longitudinal, interventional weight gain study with detailed cardiovascular measurements in humans.

Evaluation of Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Measures of Lung Congestion and Endothelial Permeability in Heart Failure: A Prospective Method Validation Study.

Background: Methods for accurate quantification of lung fluid in heart failure (HF) are needed. Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI may be an appropriate modality.

Purpose: DCE-MRI evaluation of fraction of fluid volume in the interstitial lung space (v ) and vascular permeability (K ).

Role of Vascular Adaptation in Determining Systolic Blood Pressure in Young Adults.

Background Two individuals can have a similar pulse pressure (PP) but different levels of systolic blood pressure (SBP), although the underlying mechanisms have not been described. We hypothesized that, for a given level of PP, differences in SBP relate to peripheral vascular resistance (PVR); and we tested this hypothesis in a large cohort of healthy young adults. Methods and Results Demographic, biochemical, and hemodynamic data from 3103 subjects were available for the current analyses.

Evaluation of inert gas rebreathing for determination of cardiac output: influence of age, gender and body size.

The aim of this study was to evaluate an inert gas rebreathing method (Innocor) for measurement of cardiac output and related haemodynamic variables and to provide robust normative data describing the influence of age, gender and body size on these variables. Four separate studies were conducted: measurement repeatability (study 1, n = 45); postural change (study 2, n = 40); response to submaximal cycling exercise (study 3, n = 20); and the influence of age, gender and body size (study 4, n = 1400). Repeated measurements of cardiac output, stroke volume and heart rate were similar, with low mean (±SD) differences (0.

Feeling the pressure: (patho) physiological mechanisms of weight gain and weight loss in humans.

Obesity is an ongoing global epidemic and has adverse consequences for cardiovascular health. Obesity is often associated with hypertension, which is, itself, a common condition and an important cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although animal models of obesity have provided extensive data on the links between obesity and hypertension, a greater understanding of the pathways linking obesity and hypertension in humans is likely to assist translation of animal data, and may, itself, identify important treatment strategies.

Mechanisms underlying elevated SBP differ with adiposity in young adults: the Enigma study.

Objectives: The positive association between adiposity and hypertension is well recognized. However, not all overweight individuals have elevated blood pressure (BP). Moreover, different factors may be associated with high BP in normal-weight versus overweight individuals.

Differential impact of MexB mutations on substrate selectivity of the MexAB-OprM multidrug efflux pump of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The integral inner membrane resistance-nodulation-division (RND) components of three-component RND-membrane fusion protein-outer membrane factor multidrug efflux systems define the substrate selectivity of these efflux systems. To gain a better understanding of what regions of these proteins are important for substrate recognition, a plasmid-borne mexB gene encoding the RND component of the MexAB-OprM multidrug efflux system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was mutagenized in vitro by using hydroxylamine and mutations compromising the MexB contribution to antibiotic resistance identified in a DeltamexB strain. Of 100 mutants that expressed wild-type levels of MexB and showed increased susceptibility to one or more of carbenicillin, chloramphenicol, nalidixic acid, and novobiocin, the mexB genes of a representative 46 were sequenced, and 19 unique single mutations were identified.

Malignant transformation of osteoblastoma.

A recurrent spinal tumor confidently diagnosed as osteoblastoma eventually terminated as a sclerosing osteoblastic which metastasised nine years after the onset of symptoms.

Multiple lower lumbar spondylolyses.

A case is reported in which there was bilateral spondylolysis involving LV3, LV4 and LV5. It is thought that the condition is due to postural stress in a patient having a predisposing genetic weakness of the pars interarticularis.