Impact on canine neutrophil preservation with the addition of bovine serum albumin to K -EDTA whole blood samples.

Background: Cellular deterioration occurs with blood sample aging, impacting white blood cell (WBC) identification and differential accuracy. This may be exacerbated in samples from patients experiencing inflammation. Previously, bovine serum albumin (BSA) has been shown to improve cellular preservation of blood and other samples, but the effect on cell preservation in canine blood has not been assessed.

Kinetics of Postpartum Mesenteric Artery Structure and Function Relative to Pregnancy and Lactation in Mice.

Epidemiological evidence suggests that normal pregnancy in women is associated with decreased cardiovascular risk in later life. Clinical studies have provided evidence that alterations in vascular function and structure are detectable long after delivery. To understand these findings, we examined mesenteric artery reactivity at both early (3 days and 2-4 weeks) and late (12 weeks) postpartum (PP) time points in relation to late pregnancy (LP) and lactation.

The Effect of Wave Motion Intensities on Performance in a Simulated Search and Rescue Task and the Concurrent Demands of Maintaining Balance.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine how intensity of wave motions affects the performance of a simulated maritime search and rescue (SAR) task.

Background: Maritime SAR is a critical maritime occupation; however, the effect of wave motion intensity on worker performance is unknown.

Methods: Twenty-four participants (12 male, 12 female) performed a simulated search and rescue task on a six-degree-of-freedom motion platform in two conditions that differed in motion intensity (low and high).

Evaluation of a Novel 3D-Printed Urinary Catheterization Simulation Model in Undergraduate Medical Teaching.

Introduction Urinary catheter insertion is a mandatory procedure taught during medical school. It is imperative that learners are provided the opportunity to practice the procedure, as an improper catheterization technique can result in urethral trauma and contribute to urinary tract infections. Simulation training offers the advantage of avoiding patient harm while allowing learners to feel comfortable to learn from their mistakes, resulting in increased user confidenceand shortening the learning curve for basic procedures.

ACE (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme) Inhibition Reverses Vasoconstriction and Impaired Dilation of Pial Collaterals in Chronic Hypertension.

Leptomeningeal anastomoses (LMAs) are pial collaterals that perfuse the penumbra and important for stroke outcome. We previously showed LMAs from SHRs (spontaneously hypertensive rats) were vasoconstricted compared with normotensive Wistar rats. Here, we investigated mechanisms by which hypertension causes LMA vasoconstriction.

Investigating the Perceived Efficacy of a Silicone Suturing Task Trainer Using Input from Novice Medical Trainees.

Suturing is an essential procedural skill that medical students are expected to be competent in before they graduate medical school; however, there is often a lack of suturing instruction and practice in undergraduate medicine curriculums. Silicone suturing task trainers created from 3D printed molds can help address this gap in medical education by improving student's manual skills before they perform procedures on real patients upon graduation. Commercially available suture task trainers on the market today lack validation from medical learners; therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the perceived efficacy of a silicone skin suture task trainer created from a 3D printed mold using input from novice medical trainees.

Development of a Three-dimensional Printed Emergent Burr Hole and Craniotomy Simulator.

Patients with a traumatic head injury (THI) require immediate surgical intervention, as rapidly expanding intracranial hematomas can be imminently life-threatening, not permitting transfer time to neurosurgical care in a tertiary care center. In rural and remote areas, where neurosurgeons may not be readily available, surgical intervention by Community General Surgeons (CGS) may be required. Currently, the CGS in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) do not have access to, or have experience training with, an emergent burr hole/craniotomy (EBHC) simulator.

Development, Evaluation, and Implementation of a New 3D Printed Tongue Depressor Dispenser.

The purpose of this technical report was two-fold. First was to describe the concept, development and initial implementation of a three-dimensional (3D) printing network focussed on manufacturing simulators and simple devices necessary to the functioning of rural hospital and clinics. Second was to describe the design, fabrication and user-based evaluation of a cost-effective tongue depressor dispenser.

Inhibition of PAI (Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor)-1 Improves Brain Collateral Perfusion and Injury After Acute Ischemic Stroke in Aged Hypertensive Rats.

Background and Purpose- Aging and hypertension, comorbidities prevalent in the stroke population, are associated with poor collateral status and worsened stroke outcome. However, underlying mechanisms by which these conditions affect stroke outcome are not clear. We studied the role of PAI (plasminogen activator inhibitor)-1 that is increased in aging and hypertension on brain and vascular expression of inflammatory factors and perfusion that may contribute to worse stroke outcomes.

Effect of TTC Treatment on Immunohistochemical Quantification of Collagen IV in Rat Brains after Stroke.

Although used extensively in stroke research, there is limited knowledge of how 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-treated rat brain sections are altered and if they can be used for immunohistochemical quantification after staining with TTC. In the present study, we hypothesized that TTC treatment (TTC+) would not interfere with collagen IV immunohistochemical staining compared with non-TTC-treated (TTC-) brain slices. We further hypothesized that there would be no difference in autofluorescence or nonspecific secondary antibody fluorescence between TTC+ and TTC- brain slices.

Abundance, localization, and functional correlates of the advanced glycation end-product carboxymethyl lysine in human myocardium.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) play a role in the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus (DM) and possibly hypertension (HTN). In DM, AGEs accumulate in myocardium. Little is known about AGEs in myocardium.

Dietary Intake of DHA and EPA in a Group of Pregnant Women in the Moncton Area.

Purpose: To compare docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and fish intake of pregnant women at 30 weeks of gestation to current recommendations and to determine the factors associated with omega-3 (ω-3) intake.

Methods: A food frequency questionnaire was completed by 54 women (54/131 = 41%) at 30 ± 0.8 weeks gestation.

Effects of Early Post-Ischemic Reperfusion and tPA on Cerebrovascular Function and Nitrosative Stress in Female Rats.

Stroke is a major health issue in women. Our previous studies in male rats showed decreased myogenic tone in middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) after ischemia and reperfusion (I/R), while tone in parenchymal arterioles (PAs) was increased. This vascular response may aggravate stroke damage in males by limiting reperfusion; however, the effect in females is not known.

Runx1 is associated with breast cancer progression in MMTV-PyMT transgenic mice and its depletion in vitro inhibits migration and invasion.

Runx1 is a transcription factor essential for definitive hematopoiesis, and genetic abnormalities in Runx1 cause leukemia. Runx1 is functionally promiscuous and acts as either an oncogene or tumor suppressor gene in certain epithelial cancers. Recent evidence suggests that Runx1 is an important factor in breast cancer, however, its role remains ambiguous.

Sex-dependent, zinc-induced dephosphorylation of phospholamban by tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase in the cardiac sarcomere.

We have previously reported that Zn(2+) infused into the coronary arteries of isolated rat hearts leads to the potent dephosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) as well as a noticeable but less potent dephosphorylation of the ryanodine receptor 2. We hypothesized in the present study that a Zn(2+)-activated phosphatase is located in the vicinity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) where PLB and ryanodine receptor 2 reside. We report here the novel finding of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP), a zinc-dependent enzyme, localized to the SR in the cardiac sarcomere of mouse myocardium.

Effect of using a suspension training system on muscle activation during the performance of a front plank exercise.

The objective of the study was to examine the effect of suspension training on muscle activation during performance of variations of the plank exercise. Twenty-one participants took part. All individuals completed 2 repetitions each of 4 different plank exercises that consisted of a floor based plank, or planks with arms suspended, feet suspended, or feet and arms suspended using a TRX Suspension System.

Aquaporin-assisted and ER-mediated mitochondrial fission: a hypothesis.

It is well established that the status of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria, and the interactions between them, is critical to numerous cellular functions including apoptosis. Mitochondrial dynamics is greatly influenced by cell stress, and recent studies implicate ER in mitochondrial fission. Although a number of proteins have been identified to participate in ER-induced mitochondrial fission, the molecular mechanism of the process is little understood.

Effect of pregnancy on autoregulation of cerebral blood flow in anterior versus posterior cerebrum.

Severe preeclampsia and eclampsia are associated with brain edema that forms preferentially in the posterior cerebral cortex possibly because of decreased sympathetic innervation of posterior cerebral arteries and less effective autoregulation during acute hypertension. In the present study, we examined the effect of pregnancy on the effectiveness of cerebral blood flow autoregulation using laser Doppler flowmetry and edema formation by wet:dry weight in acute hypertension induced by phenylephrine infusion in the anterior and posterior cerebrum from nonpregnant (n=8) and late-pregnant (n=6) Sprague-Dawley rats. In addition, we compared the effect of pregnancy on sympathetic innervation by tyrosine hydroxylase staining of posterior and middle cerebral arteries (n=5-6 per group) and endothelial and neuronal NO synthase expression using quantitative PCR (n=3 per group).

3D organization and function of the cell: Golgi budding and vesicle biogenesis to docking at the porosome complex.

Insights into the three-dimensional (3D) organization and function of intracellular structures at nanometer resolution, holds the key to our understanding of the molecular underpinnings of cellular structure-function. Besides this fundamental understanding of the cell at the molecular level, such insights hold great promise in identifying the disease processes by their altered molecular profiles, and help determine precise therapeutic treatments. To achieve this objective, previous studies have employed electron microscopy (EM) tomography with reasonable success.

Combined immunoelectron microscopic and computer-assisted image analyses to detect advanced glycation end-products in human myocardium.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) result from oxidation-reduction reactions that ensue when a sugar becomes adducted to a protein. AGEs cause various complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). Experimental and clinical evidence suggest that AGEs also contribute to the complications of hypertension (HTN).

PPAR{gamma} activation prevents hypertensive remodeling of cerebral arteries and improves vascular function in female rats.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies have shown that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a ligand-activated transcription factor expressed in vascular cells, is protective of the vasculature. We hypothesized that activation of PPARgamma could prevent hypertensive remodeling of cerebral arteries and improve vascular function.

Methods: Ten female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) for 5 weeks, 8 were treated with l-NAME plus the PPARgamma activator rosiglitazone, and 8 received no treatment and served as controls.

The impact of a GP clinical audit on the provision of smoking cessation advice.

Aim: To investigate whether participation in a clinical audit and education session would improve GP management of patients who smoke.

Methods: GPs who participated in an associated smoking cessation research program were invited to complete a three-stage clinical audit. This process included a retrospective self-audit of smoking cessation management practices over the 6 months prior to commencing the study, attending a 2.