Control of myocardial tissue components and cardiocyte organelles in pressure-overload hypertrophy of the cat right ventricle

Previous studies have demonstrated that there is a disproportionate increase in connective tissue in right ventricular myocardium subjected to pressure-overload hypertrophy associated with depressed cardiac contractility. While the myocardium is primarily responsive to load, the aim of the present study was to determine whether catecholamines also modulate the response of myocardial tissue components and cardiocyte organelles in pressure-overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Four experimental groups of cats were examined: (1) a sham-operated control group, (2) a group which had their pulmonary arteries banded in order to induce a pressure overload, (3) a group which had been subjected to the same pressure overload, but in addition had β-adrenoceptor blockade produced prior to and during the pressure overloading, and (4) a group which had been subjected to the same pressure overload, but in addition had α-adrenoceptor blockade produced prior to and maintained during the pressure overloading. As in our previous study, there was a significant and equivalent degree of right ventricular hypertrophy in all experimental groups with pressure overload when assessed either as the ratio of right ventricular weight to body weight or as cardiocyte cross-sectional area. At the light microscopic level, the disproportionate increase in the volume density of myocardial connective tissue seen in banded animals was completely prevented by either α- or β-adrenoceptor blockade. At the electron microscopic level, there was a reduction in the mitochondrial and myofibrillar volume fractions following β-adrenoceptor blockade. The results of this study provide evidence for a modulatory role of catecholamines in the control of myocardial connective-tissue proliferation in pressure-overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. There is also evidence to support the role of the adrenergic nervous system in regulating cardiocyte subcellular organelles, independent of the regulation of cardiocyte size.     

BEAUTY and the breast: is adjuvant chemotherapy the right time for a beauty boost? Lessons learned from a large randomized controlled trial

Quality of Life Research - Beauty care (BTC) is offered at many cancer hospitals having a great uptake among patients. Nevertheless, its benefits in the Quality of life (QoL) of cancer survivors...     

Is There Association between Altered Adrenergic System Activity and Microvascular Endothelial Dysfunction Induced by a 7-Day High Salt Intake in Young Healthy Individuals

This study aimed to test the effect of a 7-day high-salt (HS) diet on autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity in young healthy individuals and modulation of ANS on microvascular endothelial function impairment. 47 young healthy individuals took 7-day low-salt (LS) diet (3.5 g salt/day) followed by 7-day high-salt (HS) diet (~14.7 g salt/day). ANS activity was assessed by 24-h urine catecholamine excretion and 5-min heart rate variability (HRV). Skin post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and acetylcholine-induced dilation (AChID) were assessed by laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Separately, mental stress test (MST) at LS and HS condition was conducted, followed by immediate measurement of plasma metanephrines’ level, 5-min HRV and LDF microvascular reactivity. Noradrenaline, metanephrine and normetanephrine level, low-frequency (LF) HRV and PORH and AChID significantly decreased following HS compared to LS. MST at HS condition tended to increase HRV LF/HF ratio. Spectral analysis of PORH signal, and AChID measurement showed that MST did not significantly affect impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation due to HS loading. In this case, 7-day HS diet suppressed sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, and attenuated microvascular reactivity in salt-resistant normotensive individuals. Suppression of SNS during HS loading represents a physiological response, rather than direct pathophysiological mechanism by which HS diet affects microvascular endothelial function in young healthy individuals.     

Fear of hypoglycemia,a game changer during physical activity in type 1 diabetes mellitus patients

Hypoglycemia limits optimal glycemic management of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Fear of hypoglycemia (FoH) is a significant psychosocial consequence that negatively impacts the willingness of T1DM patients to engage in and profit from the health benefits of regular physical activity (e.g., cardiometabolic health, improved body composition, cardiovascular fitness, quality of life). Technological advances, improved insulin regimens, and a better understanding of the physiology of various types of exercise could help ameliorate FoH. This narrative review summarizes the available literature on FoH in children and adults and tools to avoid it.     

Psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-5L: a systematic review of the literature

Quality of Life Research - Although the EQ-5D has a long history of use in a wide range of populations, the newer five-level version (EQ-5D-5L) has not yet had such extensive experience. This...     

Clustering of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in adults living in Salvador (BA), Brazil]

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the frequency of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, with and without inclusion of arterial hypertension, occurring simultaneously in a racially-mixed population. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1,298 adults aged > or = 20 years in the city of Salvador, Brazil, in 2000. Eight modifiable cardiovascular risk factors were assessed, in any combination: total cholesterol > or = 240 mg/dL; high density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) < 40 mg/dL; triglycerides > or = 200 mg/dL; glycemia > or = 126 mg/dL + well-controlled diabetes; body mass index > or = 25 kg/m2, waist > or = 102 cm for males and > or = 88 cm for females, smoking and alcoholism. The results were stratified according to the number of simultaneous risk factors (zero to five or more and two or more risk factors). The data were analyzed in terms of estimated proportions and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), with and without the inclusion of arterial hypertension (VI Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure [JNC-VI], United States of America), ratio of proportions and chi-square for proportions as a measure of association. RESULTS: Among men (41.4% of participants), 7.5% (95%CI: 2.5 to 9.7) did not present risk factors; 68.8% (95%CI: 65.0 to 72.8) presented two or more risk factors, not including hypertension. After inclusion of hypertension, 73.4% (95%CI: 69.7 to 77.1) presented two or more risk factors. Among women, 11.6% did not present risk factors. The presence of two or more risk factors, not including hypertension, was observed in 67.7% (95%CI: 64.8 to 71.4). After inclusion of hypertension, 71.7% (95%CI: 68.5 to 74.9) of the women presented two or more risk factors. Significant differences were observed for the presence of two or more risk factors in men with not more than 4 years of schooling vs. 5 to less than 11 years of schooling (P < 0.05); in women with not more than 4 years of schooling vs. 5 to less than 11 years of schooling; in women with not more than 4 years of schooling vs. 11 or more years of schooling (P < 0.01); and in black vs. white women (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The high proportion of clustering cardiovascular risk factors in Salvador, with or without hypertension, especially in the population with little schooling and in black individuals, suggests the need for broad social strategies to reduce social inequality, promote health, and facilitate the treatment of cardiovascular risk factors.     

Epidemiology of Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths in Adults,England, March–December 2020

Of the 58,186 coronavirus deaths among adults in England during March–December 2020, 77% occurred in hospitals, 93% were in patients >60 years, and 91% occurred within 28 days of positive specimen. Cumulative mortality rates were highest among persons of Black, Asian, other, or mixed ethnicities and in socioeconomically deprived areas.