Narrow Results

The biomechanical properties of arteries play a crucial role in governing the overall hemodynamic function of the circulatory system. The nonuniformity in elastic and geometric structures of the blood vessels adds on to the complexity in dealing with pulsatile natures of blood pressure and flow. Short-term or chronic changes in arterial wall properties subjecting to distending pressure and perfusing flow make quantification of arterial compliance especially important in its use in describing the overall arterial function. This paper will first review the methodologies of determining arterial compliance in systole, in diastole and varying throughout the entire cardiac cycle. The stroke volume-to-pulse pressure method, the linear Windkessel model-based approaches and the nonlinear pressure-dependent compliance model method to derive arterial compliance are presented. The clinical relevance and implications are highlighted accordingly, in particular, the consequences of hypertension and aging.

Although metallothioneins (MTs) were discovered nearly 40 years ago, their functional role has still not been completely clarified. The role of MTs in the central nervous system has in particular become an intense focus of scientific research. Many papers have confirmed the active and peculiar role played by these proteins in neurodegenerative disorders, even if contrasting results are still present. The involvement of MTs in various neurodegenerative diseases (Alzheimer's disease, frontotemporal dementia, Binswanger's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion protein disease) is herein reported.