Impaired hydrogen sulfide biosynthesis underlies eccentric contraction-induced force loss in dystrophin-deficient skeletal muscle.

Eccentric contraction- (ECC) induced force loss is a hallmark of murine dystrophin-deficient (mdx) skeletal muscle that is used to assess efficacy of potential therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. While virtually all key proteins involved in muscle contraction have been implicated in ECC force loss, a unifying mechanism that orchestrates force loss across such diverse molecular targets has not been identified. We showed that correcting defective hydrogen sulfide (H2S) signaling in mdx muscle prevented ECC force loss.

A System for Producing Controlled Elevation of Intraocular Pressure in Awake Brown Norway Rats.

Animal models that help us understand how elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) causes axonal injury will lead to new glaucoma therapies. Because reliable measurements are difficult to obtain in chronic models, we developed the controlled elevation of IOP (CEI) approach. Here, a cannula connected to an elevated balanced salt solution (BSS) reservoir is inserted into the anterior chamber of anesthetized Brown Norway rats.

Gut bacterial sphingolipid production modulates dysregulated skin lipid homeostasis.

Sphingolipids are an essential lipid component of the skin barrier with alterations in skin sphingolipid composition associated with multiple skin disorders including psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and ichthyosis. Contributions to skin sphingolipid abundance are not well characterized, thus the main method of modulating skin lipid levels is the topical application of creams rich with sphingolipids at the skin surface. Evidence that diet and gut microbiome function can alter skin biology proposes an intriguing potential for the modulation of skin lipid homeostasis through gut microbial metabolism, but potential mechanisms of action are not well understood.

Transient apical breakdown associated with clear aligner therapy: a case report.

Transient apical breakdown (TAB) is widely reported in response to trauma, yet its occurrence due to orthodontic forces, particularly in aligner therapy, is less documented within current literature. TAB can easily be misdiagnosed as pulp necrosis, potentially leading to unnecessary and irreversible endodontic procedures. This case report describes an instance of TAB following the initiation of aligner treatment, where the affected tooth initially presented with signs suggesting pulp necrosis but regained normal coloration and pulpal response after six months of active monitoring.

The Impact of Professional Governance on Hope, Resilience, and Empowerment.

Objective: The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to examine the relationship of professional governance, resilience, and empowerment among RNs in clinical practice in 1 healthcare system.

Background: Given the emotional and physical demands of nursing, especially in recent years, exploring ways that hope-inducing and resilience-building models can support professional practice is vital to the current and future nursing workforce.

Methods: An anonymous survey consisting of demographic questions, the Adult Hope Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire II was offered to 1450 RNs in a nonprofit community-based healthcare system for volunteer participation.