scholarly journals Arterial Stiffness: Different Metrics, Different Meanings

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Spronck ◽  
J. D. Humphrey
Keyword(s):  
Arterial Stiffness ◽  
Theoretical Approach ◽  
Clinical Studies ◽  
Basic Science ◽  
Vascular Health ◽  
Isolated Cells ◽  
Clinical Assessments ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
And Function

Abstract Findings from basic science and clinical studies agree that arterial stiffness is fundamental to both the mechanobiology and the biomechanics that dictate vascular health and disease. There is, therefore, an appropriately growing literature on arterial stiffness. Perusal of the literature reveals, however, that many different methods and metrics are used to quantify arterial stiffness, and reported values often differ by orders of magnitude and have different meanings. Without clear definitions and an understanding of possible inter-relations therein, it is increasingly difficult to integrate results from the literature to glean true understanding. In this paper, we briefly review methods that are used to infer values of arterial stiffness that span studies on isolated cells, excised intact vessels, and clinical assessments. We highlight similarities and differences and identify a single theoretical approach that can be used across scales and applications and thus could help to unify future results. We conclude by emphasizing the need to move toward a synthesis of many disparate reports, for only in this way will we be able to move from our current fragmented understanding to a true appreciation of how vascular cells maintain, remodel, or repair the arteries that are fundamental to cardiovascular properties and function.

scholarly journals Complementary roles of mechanotransduction and inflammation in vascular homeostasis

2021 ◽  
Vol 477 (2245) ◽  
pp. 20200622
Author(s):  
Marcos Latorre ◽  
Bart Spronck ◽  
Jay D. Humphrey
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Vascular Health ◽  
Induced Hypertension ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Vascular Geometry ◽  
Mechanical Homeostasis ◽  
Using Data ◽  
And Function ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Structure Properties

Arteries are exposed to relentless pulsatile haemodynamic loads, but via mechanical homeostasis they tend to maintain near optimal structure, properties and function over long periods in maturity in health. Numerous insults can compromise such homeostatic tendencies, however, resulting in maladaptations or disease. Chronic inflammation can be counted among the detrimental insults experienced by arteries, yet inflammation can also play important homeostatic roles. In this paper, we present a new theoretical model of complementary mechanobiological and immunobiological control of vascular geometry and composition, and thus properties and function. We motivate and illustrate the model using data for aortic remodelling in a common mouse model of induced hypertension. Predictions match the available data well, noting a need for increased data for further parameter refinement. The overall approach and conclusions are general, however, and help to unify two previously disparate literatures, thus leading to deeper insight into the separate and overlapping roles of mechanobiology and immunobiology in vascular health and disease.

Clinical Application of the Basic Science of Articular Cartilage Pathology and Treatment

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 1056-1068
Author(s):  
Anna J. Schreiner ◽  
Aaron M. Stoker ◽  
Chantelle C. Bozynski ◽  
Keiichi Kuroki ◽  
James P. Stannard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Articular Cartilage ◽  
Basic Science ◽  
Treatment Strategies ◽  
Cartilage Defects ◽  
Treatment Algorithms ◽  
Relative Paucity ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
Surgical Treatments ◽  
Articular Cartilage Defects

AbstractThe joint is an organ with each tissue playing critical roles in health and disease. Intact articular cartilage is an exquisite tissue that withstands incredible biologic and biomechanical demands in allowing movement and function, which is why hyaline cartilage must be maintained within a very narrow range of biochemical composition and morphologic architecture to meet demands while maintaining health and integrity. Unfortunately, insult, injury, and/or aging can initiate a cascade of events that result in erosion, degradation, and loss of articular cartilage such that joint pain and dysfunction ensue. Importantly, articular cartilage pathology affects the health of the entire joint and therefore should not be considered or addressed in isolation. Treating articular cartilage lesions is challenging because left alone, the tissue is incapable of regeneration or highly functional and durable repair. Nonoperative treatments can alleviate symptoms associated with cartilage pathology but are not curative or lasting. Current surgical treatments range from stimulation of intrinsic repair to whole-surface and whole-joint restoration. Unfortunately, there is a relative paucity of prospective, randomized controlled, or well-designed cohort-based clinical trials with respect to cartilage repair and restoration surgeries, such that there is a gap in knowledge that must be addressed to determine optimal treatment strategies for this ubiquitous problem in orthopedic health care. This review article discusses the basic science rationale and principles that influence pathology, symptoms, treatment algorithms, and outcomes associated with articular cartilage defects in the knee.

The δ subunit of Epithelial sodium channel in humans - a potential player in vascular physiology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puja Paudel ◽  
Fiona J McDonald ◽  
Martin Fronius
Keyword(s):  
Vascular Function ◽  
Drug Target ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Vascular Health ◽  
Cardiovascular Research ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Vascular Physiology ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function

Vascular epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs) made up of canonical α, β, and γ subunits have attracted more attention recently due to their physiological role in vascular health and disease. A fourth subunit δ-ENaC is expressed in various mammalian species, except mice and rats, which are common animal models for cardiovascular research. Accordingly, δ-ENaC is the least understood subunit. However, the recent discovery of δ subunit in human vascular cells indicates that this subunit may play a significant role in normal/pathological vascular physiology in humans. Channels containing the δ subunit have different biophysical and pharmacological properties compared to channels containing the α subunit, with the potential to alter the vascular function of ENaC in health and disease. Hence, it is important to investigate the expression and function of δ-ENaC in the vasculature to identify whether δ-ENaC is a potential new drug target for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In this review, we will focus on the existing knowledge of δ-ENaC and implications for vascular physiology and pathophysiology in humans.

The Laryngeal Epithelium in Reflux

2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 112-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Erickson-Levendoski ◽  
Mahalakshmi Sivasankar
Keyword(s):  
Laryngopharyngeal Reflux ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Laryngeal Disease ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
The Impact

The epithelium plays a critical role in the maintenance of laryngeal health. This is evident in that laryngeal disease may result when the integrity of the epithelium is compromised by insults such as laryngopharyngeal reflux. In this article, we will review the structure and function of the laryngeal epithelium and summarize the impact of laryngopharyngeal reflux on the epithelium. Research investigating the ramifications of reflux on the epithelium has improved our understanding of laryngeal disease associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux. It further highlights the need for continued research on the laryngeal epithelium in health and disease.

“Because every recipient is also a potential patient” – TV Health Programmes in the FRG and the GDR, from the 1960s to the 1980s

Gesnerus ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 76 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-191
Author(s):  
Susanne Vollberg
Keyword(s):  
Public Awareness ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Continuous Coverage ◽  
Public Consciousness ◽  
Television Programme ◽  
East German ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Media Systems ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
And Function

In the television programme of West Germany from the 1960s to the 1980s, health magazines like Gesundheitsmagazin Praxis [Practice Health Magazine] (produced by ZDF)1 or ARD-Ratgeber: Gesundheit [ARD Health Advisor] played an important role in addressing health and disease as topics of public awareness. With their health magazine Visite [Doctor’s rounds], East German television, too relied on continuous coverage and reporting in the field. On the example of above magazines, this paper will examine the history, design and function of health communication in magazine-type formats. Before the background of the changes in media policy experienced over three decades and the different media systems in the then two Germanys, it will discuss the question of whether television was able to move health relevant topics and issues into public consciousness.

The Spectrum of Cerebrovascular Disease and Associated Cognitive Decline

2019 ◽  
pp. 574-599
Author(s):  
Victoria J. Williams ◽  
Steven E. Arnold ◽  
David H. Salat
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Cerebrovascular Disease ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Vascular Dementia ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Vascular Risk Factors ◽  
Vascular Health ◽  
Vascular Risk ◽  
And Function

Throughout the lifespan, common variations in systemic health and illness contribute to alterations in vasculature structure and function throughout the body, significantly increasing risk for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease (CVD). CVD is a prevalent cause of mortality in late life; it also promotes brain alterations, contributing to cognitive decline and, when severe, vascular dementia. Even prior to diseased states, individual variation in CVD risk is associated with structural and functional brain alterations. Yet, how cumulative asymptomatic alterations in vessel structure and function contribute to more subtle changes in brain tissue integrity and function that emerge in late life is unclear. Finally, vascular risk factors are associated with the clinical progression of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD); however, recent theory posits that vascular degeneration may serve a contributory role in these conditions. This chapter reviews how lifespan changes in vascular health contribute to degenerative changes in neural tissue and the subsequent development of cognitive impairment and/or vascular dementia. It first discusses associations between vascular risk factors and cognition and also how declining vascular health may lead to cognitive impairment and dementia. Next, it identifies basic aspects of cerebrovascular anatomy and physiology sustaining tissue health and discusses how vulnerabilities of this system contribute to neurodegenerative changes. Finally, it reviews evidence of vascular contributions to AD and presents ideas for future research to better understand the full spectrum of cerebrovascular contributions to brain aging, cognitive decline, and dementia.

scholarly journals Maturation of the Na,K-ATPase in the Endoplasmic Reticulum in Health and Disease

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vitalii Kryvenko ◽  
Olga Vagin ◽  
Laura A. Dada ◽  
Jacob I. Sznajder ◽  
István Vadász
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Atpase Subunits ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function ◽  
Rate Limiting

Abstract The Na,K-ATPase establishes the electrochemical gradient of cells by driving an active exchange of Na+ and K+ ions while consuming ATP. The minimal functional transporter consists of a catalytic α-subunit and a β-subunit with chaperon activity. The Na,K-ATPase also functions as a cell adhesion molecule and participates in various intracellular signaling pathways. The maturation and trafficking of the Na,K-ATPase include co- and post-translational processing of the enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus and subsequent delivery to the plasma membrane (PM). The ER folding of the enzyme is considered as the rate-limiting step in the membrane delivery of the protein. It has been demonstrated that only assembled Na,K-ATPase α:β-complexes may exit the organelle, whereas unassembled, misfolded or unfolded subunits are retained in the ER and are subsequently degraded. Loss of function of the Na,K-ATPase has been associated with lung, heart, kidney and neurological disorders. Recently, it has been shown that ER dysfunction, in particular, alterations in the homeostasis of the organelle, as well as impaired ER-resident chaperone activity may impede folding of Na,K-ATPase subunits, thus decreasing the abundance and function of the enzyme at the PM. Here, we summarize our current understanding on maturation and subsequent processing of the Na,K-ATPase in the ER under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Graphic Abstract

scholarly journals Foraging with the frontal cortex: A cross-species evaluation of reward-guided behavior

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H. Rudebeck ◽  
Alicia Izquierdo
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Frontal Cortex ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
And Function ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Intense Debate

AbstractEfficient foraging is essential to survival and depends on frontal cortex in mammals. Because of its role in psychiatric disorders, frontal cortex and its contributions to reward procurement have been studied extensively in both rodents and non-human primates. How frontal cortex of these animal models compares is a source of intense debate. Here we argue that translating findings from rodents to non-human primates requires an appreciation of both the niche in which each animal forages as well as the similarities in frontal cortex anatomy and function. Consequently, we highlight similarities and differences in behavior and anatomy, before focusing on points of convergence in how parts of frontal cortex contribute to distinct aspects of foraging in rats and macaques, more specifically. In doing so, our aim is to emphasize where translation of frontal cortex function between species is clearer, where there is divergence, and where future work should focus. We finish by highlighting aspects of foraging for which have received less attention but we believe are critical to uncovering how frontal cortex promotes survival in each species.

scholarly journals Deubiquitylating enzymes in neuronal health and disease

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Amer-Sarsour ◽  
Alina Kordonsky ◽  
Yevgeny Berdichevsky ◽  
Gali Prag ◽  
Avraham Ashkenazi
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Pivotal Role ◽  
Protein Homeostasis ◽  
Neuronal Function ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
And Function

AbstractUbiquitylation and deubiquitylation play a pivotal role in protein homeostasis (proteostasis). Proteostasis shapes the proteome landscape in the human brain and its impairment is linked to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Here we discuss the emerging roles of deubiquitylating enzymes in neuronal function and survival. We provide an updated perspective on the genetics, physiology, structure, and function of deubiquitylases in neuronal health and disease.

scholarly journals Impact of Dietary Flavanols on Microbiota, Immunity and Inflammation in Metabolic Diseases

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 850
Author(s):  
María Ángeles Martín ◽  
Sonia Ramos
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Nuclear Factor Κb ◽  
Low Grade ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Health And Disease ◽  
Immunological Reactions ◽  
And Function ◽  
Positive Properties

Flavanols are natural occurring polyphenols abundant in fruits and vegetables to which have been attributed to beneficial effects on health, and also against metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity and metabolic syndrome. These positive properties have been associated to the modulation of different molecular pathways, and importantly, to the regulation of immunological reactions (pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB], inducible enzymes), and the activity of cells of the immune system. In addition, flavanols can modulate the composition and function of gut microbiome in a prebiotic-like manner, resulting in the positive regulation of metabolic pathways and immune responses, and reduction of low-grade chronic inflammation. Moreover, the biotransformation of flavanols by gut bacteria increases their bioavailability generating a number of metabolites with potential to affect human metabolism, including during metabolic diseases. However, the exact mechanisms by which flavanols act on the microbiota and immune system to influence health and disease remain unclear, especially in humans where these connections have been scarcely explored. This review seeks to summarize recent advances on the complex interaction of flavanols with gut microbiota, immunity and inflammation focus on metabolic diseases.

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