Sodium, the Vascular Endothelium, and Hypertension: A Narrative Review of Literature.

The vascular endothelium and its endothelial glycocalyx contribute to the protection of the endothelial cells from exposure to high levels of sodium and help these structures maintain normal function by regulating vascular permeability due to its buffering effect. The endothelial glycocalyx has negative surface charges that bind sodium and limit sodium entry into cells and the interstitial space. High sodium levels can disrupt this barrier and allow the movement of sodium into cells and extravascular fluid.

Synthesising enablers and barriers to hepatocellular carcinoma surveillance-A systematic review of qualitative findings.

Background & Aims: This systematic literature review of qualitative findings aims to identify the perceived barriers and enablers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) surveillance from patient and clinician perspectives.

Methods: A systematic search of databases using key term combinations with the following inclusion criteria: 1) qualitative and quantitative (survey) studies exploring barriers and enablers of HCC surveillance, and 2) qualitative and quantitative (survey) studies exploring barriers and enablers of enagagement in clinical care for patients with cirrhosis and/or viral hepatitis.

Results: The search returned 445 citations: 371 did not meet the study criteria and were excluded.

Contemporary prostate cancer radiation therapy trials may underestimate the risk of biochemical recurrence.

Background: Radiotherapy is often given with androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer which causes a reduction in testosterone levels, which when below castrate levels, can cause the prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels to be artificially low.

Aim: To determine if high-level radiotherapy clinical trials are underestimating biochemical recurrence (BCR) rates due to inadequate measurement of testosterone levels.

Methods: The study plans for clinical trials performed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG [now NRG]) on clinicaltrials.

A synapse-specific refractory period for plasticity at individual dendritic spines.

How newly formed memories are preserved while brain plasticity is ongoing has been a source of debate. One idea is that synapses which experienced recent plasticity become resistant to further plasticity, a type of metaplasticity often referred to as saturation. Here, we probe the local dendritic mechanisms that limit plasticity at recently potentiated synapses.

Selection of GABA-Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains by Polymerase Chain Reaction Using Novel B and C Multispecies Primers for the Development of New Functional Foods.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been attributed to health-promoting properties and has received attention from the food industry as an attractive bioactive compound for the development of functional foods. Some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) produce GABA through a glutamate decarboxylase encoded by B and a glutamate/GABA antiporter encoded by C. In this study, we develop a molecular screening method based on a polymerase chain reaction able to detect those genes in different LAB species through the use of novel multispecies primers.