Background: The effect of traffic related emissions on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been previously demonstrated. However, the results of different studies on the relationship between ambient pollutants and specif...Background: The effect of traffic related emissions on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been previously demonstrated. However, the results of different studies on the relationship between ambient pollutants and specifically carbon monoxide (CO) on HRV are inconclusive and appear to reflect personal differences. The differences in methodology including breathing style and participants under study can possibly attribute to this variability. The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of the breathing route (Nasal/Oral) on the relationship between CO concentration and HRV. Methodology: Forty healthy participants (25 females, 15 males) between the ages of 15 - 50 years were included in the study. The participants strolled in a central bus station, staying for 10 minutes in three designated locations alternating nasal and oral breathing. CO concentration and HRV were continuously monitored. Frequency (LnLF, LnHF, LnLF/HF) and time domain (LnSDNN, LnRMSSD) HRV indices were computed. Analysis: MANCOVA, with HRV indices being the dependent variables and CO, gender and age being the independent variables was employed. Results: Significant interaction effects between breathing route and CO, and breathing route and gender on HRV (LnLF/HF) were found (p = 0.04 and 0.01 respectively). Both CO and age were found to affect LnSDNN and LnRMSSD. Conclusion: Breathing route emerges as a possible modifier of the relationship between air pollution and HRV and thus contributes to interpersonal differences obtained in studies investigating the effect of environmental pollution and HRV.展开更多
Objective: Individual differences in the sensitivity to pain and the factors that may contribute to these differences are well studied. Nevertheless, there is no single test that can reliably classify subjects as bein...Objective: Individual differences in the sensitivity to pain and the factors that may contribute to these differences are well studied. Nevertheless, there is no single test that can reliably classify subjects as being sensitive or insensitive to pain. Methods: In the present study, hierarchical clustering and K-means cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups among 191 healthy subjects (105 females, 86 males) according to their sensitivity to pain. Group determination was based on the subjects’ response to experimental noxious stimuli of heat (pain intensity), cold (cold pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM, tested by co-administering repeated short painful heat stimuli and a conditioning tonic cold pain stimulation). In addition, in order to determine if the subjects in these subgroups differed on personality traits scores on Cloninger’s Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ, outcome measure) for the three dimensions of personality: Novelty Seeking (NS);Harm Avoidance (HA);and Reward Dependence (RD) were calculated. Results: Based on pain scores, subjects were grouped as low pain (57%) with a low level of sensitivity in pain parameters, or high pain (43%) cluster members. The high pain had significant higher scores of HA (p = 0.05) and RD (p = 0.05) than the low pain group. Conclusions: This method of sub-grouping may be useful for identifying the mechanisms underlying individual variability in the sensitivity to pain and may point to groups at risk for experiencing high levels of clinical pain.展开更多
Bone is a highly vascularized tissue reliant on the close spatial and temporal association between bloodvessels and bone cells. Therefore, cells that participate in vasculogenesis and osteogenesis play a pivotal role ...Bone is a highly vascularized tissue reliant on the close spatial and temporal association between bloodvessels and bone cells. Therefore, cells that participate in vasculogenesis and osteogenesis play a pivotal role in bone formation during prenatal and postnatal periods. Nevertheless, spontaneous healing of bone fracture is occasionally impaired due to insufficient blood and cellular supply to the site of injury. In these cases, bone regeneration process is interrupted, which might result in delayed union or even nonunion of the fracture. Nonunion fracture is difficult to treat and have a high financial impact. In the last decade, numerous technological advancements in bone tissue engineering and cell-therapy opened new horizon in the field of bone regeneration. This review starts with presentation of the biological processes involved in bone development, bone remodeling, fracture healing process and the microenvironment at bone healing sites. Then, we discuss the rationale for using adult stem cells and listed the characteristics of the available cells for bone regeneration. The mechanism of action and epigenetic regulations for osteogenic differentiation are also described. Finally, we review the literature for translational and clinical trials that investigated the use of adult stem cells(mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells and CD34+ blood progenitors) for bone regeneration.展开更多
Capsule endoscopy(CE) was launched at the beginning of this millennium and has since become a well established methodology for evaluating the entire small bowel for manifold pathologies.CE far exceeded early expectati...Capsule endoscopy(CE) was launched at the beginning of this millennium and has since become a well established methodology for evaluating the entire small bowel for manifold pathologies.CE far exceeded early expectations by providing a tool for establishing the correct diagnosis for elusive gastrointestinal(GI) conditions such as obscure GI bleeding,Crohn's disease,polyposis syndrome and others.Contemporary CE,like radiology,gives results that can only be read,unlike conventional endoscopic procedures which enable concomitant biopsy when indicated.This is one of the major limitations of the technique.The ideal CE should improve the quality of the image and have a faster frame rate than the currently available one.There should be a therapeutic capsule capable of performing a biopsy,aspirating fluid,delivering drugs as well as measuring the motility of the small bowel wall.Another major leap forward would be the capability of remote control of the capsule's movement in order to navigate it to reach designated anatomical areas for carrying out a variety of therapeutic options.Technology for improving the capability of the future generation capsule is almost within grasp and it would not be surprising to witness the realization of these giant steps within the coming decade.展开更多
文摘Background: The effect of traffic related emissions on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) has been previously demonstrated. However, the results of different studies on the relationship between ambient pollutants and specifically carbon monoxide (CO) on HRV are inconclusive and appear to reflect personal differences. The differences in methodology including breathing style and participants under study can possibly attribute to this variability. The aim of the present study is to assess the effect of the breathing route (Nasal/Oral) on the relationship between CO concentration and HRV. Methodology: Forty healthy participants (25 females, 15 males) between the ages of 15 - 50 years were included in the study. The participants strolled in a central bus station, staying for 10 minutes in three designated locations alternating nasal and oral breathing. CO concentration and HRV were continuously monitored. Frequency (LnLF, LnHF, LnLF/HF) and time domain (LnSDNN, LnRMSSD) HRV indices were computed. Analysis: MANCOVA, with HRV indices being the dependent variables and CO, gender and age being the independent variables was employed. Results: Significant interaction effects between breathing route and CO, and breathing route and gender on HRV (LnLF/HF) were found (p = 0.04 and 0.01 respectively). Both CO and age were found to affect LnSDNN and LnRMSSD. Conclusion: Breathing route emerges as a possible modifier of the relationship between air pollution and HRV and thus contributes to interpersonal differences obtained in studies investigating the effect of environmental pollution and HRV.
文摘Objective: Individual differences in the sensitivity to pain and the factors that may contribute to these differences are well studied. Nevertheless, there is no single test that can reliably classify subjects as being sensitive or insensitive to pain. Methods: In the present study, hierarchical clustering and K-means cluster analysis was used to identify subgroups among 191 healthy subjects (105 females, 86 males) according to their sensitivity to pain. Group determination was based on the subjects’ response to experimental noxious stimuli of heat (pain intensity), cold (cold pain threshold, tolerance, and intensity), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM, tested by co-administering repeated short painful heat stimuli and a conditioning tonic cold pain stimulation). In addition, in order to determine if the subjects in these subgroups differed on personality traits scores on Cloninger’s Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ, outcome measure) for the three dimensions of personality: Novelty Seeking (NS);Harm Avoidance (HA);and Reward Dependence (RD) were calculated. Results: Based on pain scores, subjects were grouped as low pain (57%) with a low level of sensitivity in pain parameters, or high pain (43%) cluster members. The high pain had significant higher scores of HA (p = 0.05) and RD (p = 0.05) than the low pain group. Conclusions: This method of sub-grouping may be useful for identifying the mechanisms underlying individual variability in the sensitivity to pain and may point to groups at risk for experiencing high levels of clinical pain.
文摘Bone is a highly vascularized tissue reliant on the close spatial and temporal association between bloodvessels and bone cells. Therefore, cells that participate in vasculogenesis and osteogenesis play a pivotal role in bone formation during prenatal and postnatal periods. Nevertheless, spontaneous healing of bone fracture is occasionally impaired due to insufficient blood and cellular supply to the site of injury. In these cases, bone regeneration process is interrupted, which might result in delayed union or even nonunion of the fracture. Nonunion fracture is difficult to treat and have a high financial impact. In the last decade, numerous technological advancements in bone tissue engineering and cell-therapy opened new horizon in the field of bone regeneration. This review starts with presentation of the biological processes involved in bone development, bone remodeling, fracture healing process and the microenvironment at bone healing sites. Then, we discuss the rationale for using adult stem cells and listed the characteristics of the available cells for bone regeneration. The mechanism of action and epigenetic regulations for osteogenic differentiation are also described. Finally, we review the literature for translational and clinical trials that investigated the use of adult stem cells(mesenchymal stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells and CD34+ blood progenitors) for bone regeneration.
文摘Capsule endoscopy(CE) was launched at the beginning of this millennium and has since become a well established methodology for evaluating the entire small bowel for manifold pathologies.CE far exceeded early expectations by providing a tool for establishing the correct diagnosis for elusive gastrointestinal(GI) conditions such as obscure GI bleeding,Crohn's disease,polyposis syndrome and others.Contemporary CE,like radiology,gives results that can only be read,unlike conventional endoscopic procedures which enable concomitant biopsy when indicated.This is one of the major limitations of the technique.The ideal CE should improve the quality of the image and have a faster frame rate than the currently available one.There should be a therapeutic capsule capable of performing a biopsy,aspirating fluid,delivering drugs as well as measuring the motility of the small bowel wall.Another major leap forward would be the capability of remote control of the capsule's movement in order to navigate it to reach designated anatomical areas for carrying out a variety of therapeutic options.Technology for improving the capability of the future generation capsule is almost within grasp and it would not be surprising to witness the realization of these giant steps within the coming decade.
