High sodium, rather than high blood pressure, induces immune cell activation and renal infiltration in ovariectomized adult Wistar rats.

We used an animal model of salt-sensitive hypertension (SSH) in which ovariectomized (oVx) rats developed hypertension with high salt (HS) intake. Hypertension is accompanied by changes in the percentage of CD4 T lymphocytes, immune CD45 cell infiltration into renal tissue, and changes in Na, K- ATPase (NKA) expression in both renal tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). To determine whether the observed changes resulted from HS intake, high blood pressure, or both, hydralazine (HDZ) was used to lower blood pressure.

Health Care Utilization After Nonfatal Firearm Injuries.

Objectives: Despite the high incidence of firearm injuries, little is known about health care utilization after nonfatal childhood firearm injuries. This study aimed to describe health care utilization and costs after a nonfatal firearm injury among Medicaid and commercially insured youth using a propensity score matched analysis.

Methods: We conducted a propensity score matched cohort analysis using 2015 to 2018 Medicaid and Commercial Marketscan data comparing utilization in the 12-months post firearm injury for youth aged 0 to 17.

Firearm Safety Screening in the Pediatric Hospital Setting: A Quality Improvement Initiative.

Background: Firearm injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for US youth. Secure storage is protective against firearm injuries in children. Despite this evidence and national recommendations, rates of firearm safety screening among pediatric providers are low, particularly in the inpatient setting.

Total and Extracellular Vesicle cAMP Contents in Urine Are Associated with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) Progression.

ADPKD is the most common genetic renal disease, characterized by the presence of multiple cysts which, through slow and gradual growth, lead to glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline and end-stage renal disease. Cystic growth is associated with increased intracellular levels of 3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are proposed to participate in "remote sensing" by transporting different cargoes, but their relevance to ADPKD progression is poorly understood.

Role of Female Sex Hormones and Immune Response in Salt-Sensitive Hypertension Development: Evidence from Experimental Models.

Purposeof Review: Female sex hormones have systemic effects unrelated to their reproductive function. We describe experiences of different research groups and our own, on aspects related to the importance of female sex hormones on blood pressure (BP) regulation and salt-sensitivity-mediated BP response and salt sensitivity without alterations in BP, as well as renal sodium handling and interactions with the immune system.

Recent Findings: Changes in sodium intake in normotensive premenopausal women cause more BP variations than in men.

Access to Firearms: Initiation of Firearm Screening Among Psychiatric Patients in a Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objective: Increase provider screening rates for firearm access among patients presenting to the pediatric emergency department (PED) for a psychiatric chief complaint.

Methods: In this resident-driven quality improvement project, a retrospective chart review examined firearm access screening rates among patients presenting to the PED with the chief complaint of "psychiatric evaluation." After establishing our baseline screening rate, the first phase of our plan, do, study, act (PDSA) cycle included implementing Be SMART education for pediatric residents.

Behavior of the renal kallikrein in spontaneously hypertensive rats: Influence of sexual hormones and aldosterone-sensitive distal nephron ion channels.

The renal kallikrein-kinin system (RKKS) has been related to blood pressure control and sodium and water balance. We have previously shown that female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have high urinary kallikrein activity (UKa) and lower blood pressure (BP) than males whereas ovariectomy stimulates UKa and diminishes BP. We also showed that high K intake and prepuberal gonadectomy (Gx) diminish BP with a concomitant increase in UKa and plasma aldosterone levels.

Mental Health Care Utilization Among Children and Adolescents With a Firearm Injury.

Importance: Firearm injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among US children and adolescents. Despite evidence demonstrating mental health sequelae for children and adolescents who have experienced a firearm injury, little is known about mental health care utilization after a firearm injury.

Objective: To evaluate mental health care utilization in the 12 months after a firearm injury among Medicaid-insured and commercially insured children and adolescents compared with propensity score-matched controls.

Ovariectomy and high salt increase blood pressure and alter sodium transport proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of adult Wistar rats.

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? In a model of salt-sensitive hypertension in ovariectomized (oVx) adult Wistar rats, what is the expression of proteins related to sodium transport in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and how does the response of proteins to high sodium intake compare with changes in blood pressure in intact female rats? What is the main finding and its importance? Sodium transport proteins in PBMCs react to high sodium and blood pressure markedly differently in oVx versus intact female rats. Protein expression shows sodium and pressure sensitivity. Renal immune cells increase in oVx under high salt.

Increase in Mental Health Diagnoses Among Youth With Nonfatal Firearm Injuries.

Background And Objectives: Firearm injury is a leading cause of mortality for US youth. For every youth who dies from a firearm injury, at least 4 more survive. Little is known about the mental health consequences of non-fatal firearm injury in youth.

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic values in Lithops aucampiae during leaf development.

Lithops (Aizoaceae) are succulent plants consisting of a pair of opposite succulent leaves inserted on an extremely short stem. The apical meristem produces a new leaf pair that develops between the older pair, recycling water and metabolites. This peculiar anatomy and growth form make ecophysiological studies quite challenging.

[Female hormones in renal physiology. Salt sensitivity and regulation of epithelial proliferation].

Female sex hormones participate in the regulation of blood pressure and renal epithelial proliferation, effects not related to their reproductive function. About one-third of the world's population has abnormally high levels of blood pressure, hypertension, which is responsible for almost 50% of deaths from stroke and coronary heart disease. Salt sensitivity is a risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and other diseases as well.

Water relations of two Sicilian grapevine cultivars in response to potassium availability and drought stress.

We investigated the response of two Sicilian grapevine cultivars, Catarratto and Nero d'Avola, to potassium deficiency and drought stress. Two-year-old plants grafted on 1103 Paulsen were grown in agriperlite, with or without potassium in the fertigation solution for six weeks, and subjected to moderate drought stress by suspending irrigation for one week. Potassium content of leaves, roots and xylem sap were measured with an ion-selective electrode.

Advanced magnetic resonance imaging of cortical laminar necrosis in patients with stroke.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the novel advanced magnetic resonance imaging findings of acute stage cortical laminar necrosis developing after complicated cardiovascular or abdominal surgery.

Materials And Methods: This institutional review board-approved study included patients with postoperative stroke due to cortical laminar necrosis imaged with magnetic resonance in the acute stage. Brain magnetic resonance imaging examinations were obtained on a 3T magnetic resonance scanner within 48 hours of the neurological symptoms, including diffusion-weighted images (b value, 1000 s/mm) and arterial spin labelling using a pseudo-continuous arterial spin labelling method in four patients.

Estradiol stimulates cell proliferation via classic estrogen receptor-alpha and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor-1 in human renal tubular epithelial cell primary cultures.

This work was aimed to determine the effect of 17β-estradiol (17βE) on cell proliferation in human renal tubular epithelial cells (HRTEC) isolated from kidneys from pediatric subjects, as well as the role of estrogen receptors involved in the 17βE proliferative response. Treatment with 17βE (10 nmol/L, 24 h) significantly stimulated cell proliferation, measured by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake, in HRTEC primary cultures and in tubular structures obtained by 3D cultured-HRTEC. Incubation of HRTEC with the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER-1) agonist G-1 increased BrdU uptake.

Effects of foliar application of glycine betaine and chitosan on Puccinellia distans (Jacq.) Pari, subjected to salt stress.

Introduction: Using brackish water for irrigation may expose turfgrasses to salinity stress. Employing the best treatments to maintain high-quality turfs under saline conditions is an important requirement for turfgrass management.

Methods: We tested the response of a halophyte grass, Puccinellia distans, to irrigation with saline solutions and to foliar application of two osmoprotectants, such as glycine betaine (GB) or chitosan (CH).

Co-Inheritance of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease and Naevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma Syndrome: Effects on Renal Progression.

The calcium signalling and hedgehog (HH) signalling pathways operate in the primary cilium. Abnormalities in these pathways cause autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) respectively. Several reports have proposed that hyperactivation of the HH pathway in animal models of polycystic kidney disease affects normal renal development and renal cyst phenotype.

An integrated proteomic and metabolomic study to evaluate the effect of nucleus-cytoplasm interaction in a diploid citrus cybrid between sweet orange and lemon.

Our results provide a comprehensive overview how the alloplasmic condition might lead to a significant improvement in citrus plant breeding, developing varieties more adaptable to a wide range of conditions. Citrus cybrids resulting from somatic hybridization hold great potential in plant improvement. They represent effective products resulting from the transfer of organelle-encoded traits into cultivated varieties.