Taipan Natriuretic Peptides Are Potent and Selective Agonists for the Natriuretic Peptide Receptor A.

Cardiovascular ailments are a major cause of mortality where over 1.3 billion people suffer from hypertension leading to heart-disease related deaths. Snake venoms possess a broad repertoire of natriuretic peptides with therapeutic potential for treating hypertension, congestive heart failure, and related cardiovascular disease.

Quality of Life Outcomes in a Community Cohort of Adults With an Intellectual Disability Using the Personal Outcome Scale.

Objectives: Quality of life (QoL) is a multi-dimensional phenomenon composed of core domains that are influenced by personal characteristics, values, and environmental contributions. There are eight core domains of QoL aligned with both the United Nations and the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IASSIDD). The Personal Outcome Scale (POS), is a semi-structured self and proxy instrument that specifically measures these aspects of QoL for people with an intellectual disability.

Renal Deafferentation Prevents Progression of Hypertension and Changes to Sympathetic Reflexes in a Rabbit Model of Chronic Kidney Disease.

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Leptin and Melanocortin Signaling Mediates Hypertension in Offspring From Female Rabbits Fed a High-Fat Diet During Gestation and Lactation.

Maternal high-fat diet in rabbits leads to hypertension and elevated renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) in adult offspring but whether this is due to adiposity or maternal programming is unclear. We gave intracerebroventricular (ICV) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) administration of leptin-receptor antagonist, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (αMSH), melanocortin-receptor antagonist (SHU9119), or insulin-receptor (InsR) antagonist to conscious adult offspring from mothers fed a high-fat diet (mHFD), control diet (mCD), or mCD offspring fed HFD for 10d (mCD10d, to deposit equivalent fat but not during development). mHFD and mCD10d rabbits had higher mean arterial pressure (MAP, +6.

Role of Mineralocorticoid and Angiotensin Type 1 Receptors in the Paraventricular Nucleus in Angiotensin-Induced Hypertension.

The hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is an important site where an interaction between circulating angiotensin (Ang) and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activity may modify sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) to influence long-term elevation of blood pressure. We examined in conscious Ang II-treated rabbits, the effects on blood pressure and tonic and reflex renal SNA (RSNA) of microinjecting into the PVN either RU28318 to block MR, losartan to block Ang (AT) receptors or muscimol to inhibit GABA receptor agonist actions. Male rabbits received a moderate dose of Ang II (24 ng/kg/min subcutaneously) for 3 months ( = 13) or sham treatment ( = 13).

Contribution of the Renal Nerves to Hypertension in a Rabbit Model of Chronic Kidney Disease.

Overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and high blood pressure are implicated in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and independently predict cardiovascular events in end-stage renal disease. To assess the role of renal nerves, we determined whether renal denervation (RDN) altered the hypertension and sympathoexcitation associated with a rabbit model of CKD. The model involves glomerular layer lesioning and uninephrectomy, resulting in renal function reduced by one-third and diuresis.

Developing the 2020 Diabetes Care & Education Specialist Competencies: A Modified Delphi Study.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop diabetes care and education specialty competencies that align with the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES).

Method: A Delphi method of consensus development was used, comprising 5 survey rounds. Interprofessional diabetes specialty experts were asked to identify and rate trends and issues important to diabetes specialists on a global scale.

Competencies for Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.

Purpose: Diabetes care and education specialists provide collaborative, comprehensive, and person-centered care and education to people with diabetes and cardiometabolic conditions. The implementation of the vision for the specialty has prompted the need to reexamine the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for diabetes care and education specialists in today's dynamic health care environment. The purpose of this article is to introduce an updated set of competencies reflective of the profession in this dynamic health care environment.

Differential sympathetic response to lesion-induced chronic kidney disease in rabbits.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with greater sympathetic nerve activity but it is unclear if this is a kidney-specific response or due to generalized stimulation of sympathetic nervous system activity. To determine this, we used a rabbit model of CKD in which quantitative comparisons with control rabbits could be made of kidney sympathetic nerve activity and whole-body norepinephrine spillover. Rabbits either had surgery to lesion 5/6 of the cortex of one kidney by electro-lesioning and two weeks later removal of the contralateral kidney, or sham lesioning and sham nephrectomy.

Neural suppression of miRNA-181a in the kidney elevates renin expression and exacerbates hypertension in Schlager mice.

BPH/2J mice are a genetic model of hypertension with overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and renin-angiotensin system (RAS). BPH/2J display higher renal renin mRNA and low levels of its negative regulator microRNA-181a (miR-181a). We hypothesise that high renal SNS activity may reduce miR-181a expression, which contributes to elevated RAS activity and hypertension in BPH/2J.

Empagliflozin modulates renal sympathetic and heart rate baroreflexes in a rabbit model of diabetes.

Aims/hypothesis: We determined whether empagliflozin altered renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and baroreflexes in a diabetes model in conscious rabbits.

Methods: Diabetes was induced by alloxan, and RSNA, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were measured before and after 1 week of treatment with empagliflozin, insulin, the diuretic acetazolamide or the ACE inhibitor perindopril, or no treatment, in conscious rabbits.

Results: Four weeks after alloxan administration, blood glucose was threefold and MAP 9% higher than non-diabetic controls (p < 0.

Improving School Experiences for Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (diabetes) is one of the most common metabolic diseases in children worldwide and the incidence of type 1 diabetes (T1D) is growing. T1D is complicated to manage and adolescents with diabetes face unique, age-specific challenges. The purpose of this article is to discuss ways in which schools can create a positive environment and improve the experiences and outcomes for adolescents with T1D.

Acute Effect of Central Administration of Urotensin II on Baroreflex and Blood Pressure in Conscious Normotensive Rabbits.

In the present study, we examined the effects of central administration of Urotensin II on blood pressure, heart rate, and baroreceptor heart rate reflexes in conscious normotensive rabbits. Preliminary operations were undertaken to implant a balloon cuff on the inferior vena cava for baroreflex assessments and to implant cannula into the lateral and fourth ventricle. After 2 weeks of recovery cumulative dose response curves to Urotensin II (10, 100 ng, 1, 10, and 100 μg) given into the ventricles, or Ringer's solution as a vehicle were performed on separate days.

The Effects of Rilmenidine and Perindopril on Arousal Blood Pressure during 24 Hour Recordings in SHR.

The surge in arterial pressure during arousal in the waking period is thought to be largely due to activation of the sympathetic nervous system. In this study we compared in SHR the effects of chronic administration of the centrally acting sympatholytic agent rilmenidine with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril on the rate of rise and power of the surge in mean arterial pressure (MAP) that occurs with arousal associated with the onset of night. Recordings were made using radiotelemetry in 17 adult SHR before and after treatment with rilmenidine (2mg/kg/day), perindopril (1mg/kg/day) or vehicle in the drinking water for 2 weeks.

Comparison in Conscious Rabbits of the Baroreceptor-Heart Rate Reflex Effects of Chronic Treatment with Rilmenidine, Moxonidine, and Clonidine.

We investigated the effects of chronic subcutaneous treatment with centrally-acting antihypertensive agents moxonidine, rilmenidine, and clonidine on the baroreflex control of heart rate (HR) in conscious normotensive rabbits over 3 weeks. Infusions of phenylephrine and nitroprusside were performed at week 0 and at weeks 1 and 3 of treatment to determine mean arterial pressure (MAP)-HR baroreflex relationships. A second curve was performed after intravenous methscopolamine to determine the sympathetic baroreflex relationship.

Origin of Aberrant Blood Pressure and Sympathetic Regulation in Diet-Induced Obesity.

High fat diet (HFD)-induced hypertension in rabbits is neurogenic and caused by the central action of leptin, which is thought to be dependent on activation of α-melanocortin-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) and neuropeptide Y-positive neurons projecting to the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) and ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH). However, leptin may act directly in these nuclei. Here, we assessed the contribution of leptin, α-MSH, and neuropeptide Y signaling in the DMH and VMH to diet-induced hypertension.

Comparison of sympathetic nerve activity normalization procedures in conscious rabbits.

One of the main constraints associated with recording sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in both humans and experimental animals is that microvolt values reflect characteristics of the recording conditions and limit comparisons between different experimental groups. The nasopharyngeal response has been validated for normalizing renal SNA (RSNA) in conscious rabbits, and in humans muscle SNA is normalized to the maximum burst in the resting period. We compared these two methods of normalization to determine whether either could detect elevated RSNA in hypertensive rabbits compared with normotensive controls.

Central proopiomelanocortin but not neuropeptide Y mediates sympathoexcitation and hypertension in fat fed conscious rabbits.

Objective: High-fat diet (HFD)-induced hypertension in rabbits is neurogenic because of the central sympathoexcitatory actions of leptin. Hypothalamic melanocortin and neuropeptide Y (NPY) neurons are recognized as the major signalling pathways through which leptin exerts its central effects. In this study, we assessed the effects of specific antagonists and agonists to melanocortin and NPY receptors on HFD-induced sympathoexcitation and hypertension.

Characteristics of renal sympathetic nerve single units in rabbits with angiotensin-induced hypertension.

We examined the effect of chronic angiotensin (Ang II)-induced hypertension on activity of postganglionic renal sympathetic units to determine whether altered whole renal nerve activity is due to recruitment or changes in firing frequency. Rabbits were treated with a low (20 ng kg(-1) min(-1), 8 weeks) or high dose (50 ng kg(-1) min(-1), 4 weeks) of Ang II before the experiment under chloralose-urethane anaesthesia. Spontaneously active units were detected from multiunit recordings using an algorithm that separated units by action potential shape using templates that matched spikes within a prescribed standard deviation.

Differential activation of renal sympathetic burst amplitude and frequency during hypoxia, stress and baroreflexes with chronic angiotensin treatment.

What is the central question of this study? Is the elevated tonic renal nerve activity induced by chronic angiotensin administration mediated by recruitment or increased firing frequency and does this occur via stress, chemoreflex or baroreflex pathways? What is the main finding and its importance? Long-term angiotensin treatment in rabbits elevates renal sympathetic nerve activity by recruitment of previously silent fibres. This was similar to the effect of chemoreflex stimulation, but not to stress or baroreceptor activation, suggesting that presympathetic pathways activated by angiotensin may be common to those activated by chemoreceptors. Modulation of sympathetic nerve activity involves control by the CNS of the amplitude of neural discharges, reflecting recruitment of neurons and their firing frequency.

Specific role of dietary fat in modifying cardiovascular and locomotor activity 24-h rhythms.

Meal-fed conscious rabbits normally exhibit postprandial elevation in blood pressure, heart rate (HR) and locomotor activity, which is abolished by consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD). Here, we assessed whether the cardiovascular changes are attributable to the increased caloric intake due to greater fat content or to hyperphagia. Rabbits were meal-fed during the baseline period then maintained on either an ad libitum normal fat diet (NFD) or ad libitum HFD for 2 weeks.

Short term fat feeding rapidly increases plasma insulin but does not result in dyslipidaemia.

Although the association between obesity and hypertension is well-known, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Previously, we have shown that 3 week fat feeding in rabbits produces greater visceral adiposity, hypertension, tachycardia and elevated renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) compared to rabbits on a normal diet. Because hyperinsulinaemia, hyperleptinemia, and dyslipidaemia are independent cardiovascular risk factors associated with hypertension we compared plasma insulin, leptin, and lipid profiles in male New Zealand White rabbits fed a normal fat diet (NFD 4.

Central nervous system dysfunction in obesity-induced hypertension.

The activation of the sympathetic nervous system is a major mechanism underlying both human and experimental models of obesity-related hypertension. While insulin and the adipokine leptin have long been thought to contribute to obesity-related neurogenic mechanisms, the evidence is now very strong that they play a major role, shown particularly in animal studies using selective receptor antagonists. There is not just maintenance of leptin's sympatho-excitatory actions as previously suggested but considerable amplification particularly in renal sympathetic nervous activity.

Partnering with diabetes educators to improve patient outcomes.

Diabetes is a chronic, progressive disease that affects millions worldwide. The paradigm of diabetes management has shifted to focus on empowering the person with diabetes to manage the disease successfully and to improve their quality of life. Diabetes self-management education is a collaborative process through which people with diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to modify their behavior and to self-manage successfully the disease and its related conditions.