Gallic acid ameliorates atherosclerosis and vascular senescence and remodels the microbiome in a sex-dependent manner in ApoE mice.

Polyphenols found in fruits and vegetables are associated with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the USA. Our lab demonstrated that blackberry supplementation reduces atherosclerosis in male, but not in female mice. The current study investigates whether gallic acid (GA), a polyphenol abundant in blackberry, decreases plaque and whether its effect is also sex-dependent.

A Nerve of McKenzie With a Variant Communicating Branch Between the Vagus Nerve and Cranial Root of the Accessory Nerve: A Cadaveric Case Report.

Anatomical variations of the craniocervical junction including a nerve of McKenzie, a branch between the spinal accessory nerve (XI) and the ventral root of the first cervical nerve (C1), have been identified. During routine dissection, a nerve of McKenzie with an interneural connection between the cranial root of the accessory nerve and the vagus nerve was observed on the left side. To our knowledge, a case with these two anatomical variations in the same cadaver and on the same side has not previously been reported.

Diabetic cardiovascular disease: getting to the heart of the matter.

Diabetes is a major risk factor for heart disease, and heart disease is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality among people living with diabetes. The diabetic metabolic milieu predisposes to aggressive obstructive coronary artery disease that causes heart attacks, heart failure, and death. Furthermore, diabetes can be associated with heart failure, independent of underlying coronary artery disease, hypertension, or valve abnormalities.