Innovative techniques for developing an inclusive teaching environment.

The educational landscape is currently experiencing a growth in the diversity of the student population. Concomitantly, the scientific community continues to work toward increasing the diversity of its workforce while ensuring equity and inclusion for all. However, there is a pressing need for educators to promote these values and aspirations and embed them into their classrooms to continue to increase the diversity of the next generation of scientists.

The Effects of Sex, Oral Contraception, and Menstrual Cycle Phase on Intraocular Pressure, Central Corneal Thickness, and Foveal Thickness: A Descriptive Analysis.

The primary goal of this study was to investigate the effects of sex, oral contraceptive (OC) use, and menstrual cycle phase on common ocular parameters assessed during ophthalmic evaluations, namely intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and foveal thickness (FT), in young healthy adults. We measured IOP, CCT, and FT in 60 participants (16 men, 16 contraceptive users, and 28 cycling women) over two sessions that characterized the menstrual cycle phase in women. For men in our study, two sessions were separated by two weeks.

Renal responses produced by microinjection of the kappa opioid receptor agonist, U50-488H, into sites within the rat lamina terminalis.

Activation of central kappa opioid receptors (KOR) has been demonstrated to produce marked free water diuresis with a concurrent increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA). This study investigated the cardiovascular (CV) and renal effects evoked by central activation of KOR in two lamina terminalis sites, the median preoptic area (MPA) and anterolateral division of the bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST). Rats anesthetized with urethane alpha-chloralose were instrumented to record mean arterial pressure, heart rate, RSNA, and urine output (V).

Sex differences in oxidative stress and the impact on blood pressure control and cardiovascular disease.

1. In the present review, we addressed studies in humans and rats to determine the role that oxidative stress may play in mediating cardiovascular outcomes. 2.

Testosterone supplementation in aging men and women: possible impact on cardiovascular-renal disease.

Treatment of aging men and women with testosterone supplements is increasing. The supplements are given to postmenopausal women mainly to improve their libido and to aging men to improve muscle mass and bone strength, to improve libido and quality of life, to prevent and treat osteoporosis, and, with the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, such as sildenafil, to treat erectile dysfunction. The increased use of testosterone supplements in aging individuals has occurred despite the fact that there have been no rigorous clinical trials examining the effects of chronic testosterone on the cardiovascular-renal disease risk.

Gender difference in response to thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor antagonism in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Background: Blood pressure (BP) is typically higher in men than in women. As in humans, BP is higher in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) than in female SHRs. The mechanism(s) responsible for the higher BP in men and male rats has not been elucidated.

Increasing oxidative stress with molsidomine increases blood pressure in genetically hypertensive rats but not normotensive controls.

Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have a higher level of oxidative stress and exhibit a greater depressor response to a superoxide scavenger, tempol, than normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). This study determined whether an increase in oxidative stress with a superoxide/NO donor, molsidomine, would amplify the blood pressure in SHR. Male SHR and WKY were given molsidomine (30 mg.

Role of oxidative stress in the sex differences in blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Objective: The hypothesis was tested that differences in oxidative stress play a role in the sex differences in the development and maintenance of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR).

Design And Methods: Male and female SHR [and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats in the long-term study] (n = 6-12 per group) received tempol (30 mg/kg per day) or tap water for 6 weeks from 9 to 15 weeks of age or from birth until 15 weeks of age. Blood pressure [mean arterial pressure (MAP)] and kidney tissue F2-isoprostane (IsoP) were measured at 15 weeks of age.

Increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and capillary density in hearts of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Objective: The role of VEGF in vascular remodeling of target organs exposed to chronic hypertension is poorly understood. The authors compared capillary density (CD), capillary-to-fiber ratio (C/F), and VEGF mRNA expression in the hearts (left ventricle [LV]), and skeletal muscles (soleus and anterior tibialis [AT]) of 18-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: CD or C/F in LV, soleus, and AT of SHR, WKY, and SD rats was determined by analysis of randomly acquired digital images of cryosections stained with FITC-conjugated GS-I lectin.

Treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin reduces blood pressure in male SHR by reducing testosterone synthesis.

Treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) reduces blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that chronic BH(4) reduces blood pressure in male SHR by reducing testosterone biosynthesis mediated by increasing nitric oxide (NO). Male SHR, aged 17-18 wk, intact or castrated, were treated for 1 wk with BH(4) (20 mg.

Systemic arterial pressure response to two weeks of Tempol therapy in SHR: involvement of NO, the RAS, and oxidative stress.

The roles of nitric oxide (NO) and plasma renin activity (PRA) in the depressor response to chronic administration of Tempol in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) are not clear. The present study was done to determine the effect of 2 wk of Tempol treatment on blood pressure [mean arterial pressure (MAP)], oxidative stress, and PRA in the presence or absence of chronic NO synthase inhibition. SHR were divided into four groups: control, Tempol (1 mmol/l) alone, nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 4.

Role of endothelin in mediating postmenopausal hypertension in a rat model.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women after menopause. Hypertension, a major cardiovascular risk factor, becomes more prevalent after menopause. The mechanisms responsible for the increase in blood pressure (BP) in postmenopausal women are unknown.

Novel mechanisms responsible for postmenopausal hypertension.

Blood pressure increases in many women after menopause. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. However, the mechanisms responsible for the postmenopausal increase in blood pressure are yet to be elucidated.

Role of androgens in mediating renal injury in aging SHR.

Men have an increased risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases and develop greater renal injury despite similar levels of blood pressure when compared with women. The mechanisms responsible for this predisposition are unknown. Using the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR), we have found that androgens play an important role in the development of hypertension in young male SHR.

Role of reactive oxygen species in endothelin-induced hypertension.

Recent reports have indicated that endothelin-induced vasoconstriction in isolated aortic vascular rings may be mediated by the production of superoxide anion. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of superoxide anion in mediating the chronic renal and hypertensive actions of endothelin. Endothelin-1 (5 pmol/kg per minute) was chronically infused into the jugular vein by use of mini-osmotic pump for 9 days in male Sprague-Dawley rats and in rats treated with the superoxide anion scavenger tempol (30 mg/kg per day).

Nebivolol ameliorates nitric oxide deficient hypertension.

Nebivolol is a new selective beta 1-adrenoceptor antagonist with nitric oxide (NO)-releasing properties. In the present study we have analyzed whether nebivolol affects the development of the arterial hypertension that follows the chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis. Nebivolol (1 mg/kg/day, 14 days) was given concurrently with the NO synthesis inhibitor Nw-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 0.

Characterization of an animal model of postmenopausal hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Blood pressure (BP) increases in postmenopausal women. The mechanisms responsible are unknown. The present study was performed to characterize a model of postmenopausal hypertension in the rat and to determine the role that oxidative stress may play in mediating the postmenopausal hypertension.

Renal dysfunction after chronic blockade of nitric oxide synthesis.

The effects of the chronic inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) on renal hemodynamics and tubular function were studied in rats treated for 8 weeks with the NO synthesis inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 40 mg/kg/day). In addition, the effect of L-NAME administration on vasoactive systems (renin-angiotensin system, aldosterone, catecholamines, endothelin, and thromboxane A(2)) was evaluated. Chronic inhibition of NO significantly elevated blood pressure, reduced glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow, blunted the pressure-diuresis-natriuresis response, and increased protein urine excretion.