L-Arginine supplementation as mitochondrial therapy in diabetic cardiomyopathy.

In patients with type II diabetes, the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DC) is associated with a high risk of mortality. Left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and exercise intolerance are the first signs of DC. The underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated, and there is an urgent need for specific biomarkers and molecular targets for early diagnosis and treatment.

Quantitative Comparison of the Hydration Capacity of Surface-Bound Dextran and Polyethylene Glycol.

We have quantified and compared the hydration capacity (i.e., capability to incorporate water molecules) of the two surface-bound hydrophilic polymer chains, dextran (dex) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), in the form of poly(l-lysine)--dextran (PLL--dex) and poly(l-lysine)--poly(ethylene glycol) (PLL--PEG), respectively.

Mitophagy modulation for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Background: Defects of mitophagy, the selective form of autophagy for mitochondria, are commonly observed in several cardiovascular diseases and represent the main cause of mitochondrial dysfunction. For this reason, mitophagy has emerged as a novel and potential therapeutic target.

Methods: In this review, we discuss current evidence about the biological significance of mitophagy in relevant preclinical models of cardiac and vascular diseases, such as heart failure, ischemia/reperfusion injury, metabolic cardiomyopathy and atherosclerosis.

Intratesticular Mullerian Serous Borderline Tumor With Microinvasion: A Rare Tumor and Review of the Literature.

Ovarian-type (ie, Mullerian) epithelial tumors occurring in the testicular and paratesticular regions are exceptionally rare, with only a handful reported worldwide. Serous tumors are the most frequently encountered subtype among these rare tumors. The pathogenesis of these tumors within the testicular and paratesticular regions remains a subject of intrigue and debate, with various hypotheses attempting to explain their presence in the paratestis region, where most tumors occur.

Extracellular vesicles in cardiomyopathies: A narrative review.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound particles released by all cells under physiological and pathological conditions. EVs constitute a potential tool to unravel cell-specific pathophysiological mechanisms at the root of disease states and retain the potential to act as biomarkers for cardiac diseases. By being able to carry bioactive cargo (such as proteins and miRNAs), EVs harness great potential as accessible "liquid biopsies", given their ability to reflect the state of their cell of origin.

A PM10 chemically characterized nation-wide dataset for Italy. Geographical influence on urban air pollution and source apportionment.

Urban textures of the Italian cities are peculiarly shaped by the local geography generating similarities among cities placed in different regions but comparable topographical districts. This suggested the following scientific question: can different topographies generate significant differences on the PM chemical composition at Italian urban sites that share similar geography despite being in different regions? To investigate whether such communalities can be found and are applicable at Country-scale, we propose here a novel methodological approach. A dataset comprising season-averages of PM mass concentration and chemical composition data was built, covering the decade 2005-2016 and referring to urban sites only (21 cities).

Remediation of Thirdhand Tobacco Smoke with Ozone: Probing Deep Reservoirs in Carpets.

We assessed the efficacy of ozonation as an indoor remediation strategy by evaluating how a carpet serves as a sink and long-term source of thirdhand tobacco smoke (THS) while protecting contaminants absorbed in deep reservoirs by scavenging ozone. Specimens from unused carpet that was exposed to smoke in the lab ("fresh THS") and contaminated carpets retrieved from smokers' homes ("aged THS") were treated with 1000 ppb ozone in bench-scale tests. Nicotine was partially removed from fresh THS specimens by volatilization and oxidation, but it was not significantly eliminated from aged THS samples.

A Student-Centered, Entrepreneurship Development (ASCEND) Undergraduate Summer Research Program: Foundational Training for Health Research.

Increasing the participation of students of African descent and other minoritized populations in the scientific workforce is imperative in generating a more equitable biomedical research infrastructure and increasing national research creativity and productivity. Undergraduate research training programs have shown to be essential tools in retaining underrepresented minority (URM) students in the sciences and attracting them into STEM and biomedical careers. This paper describes an innovative approach to harness students' entrepreneurial desire for autonomy and creativity in a Summer Research Institute (SRI) that has served as an entry point into a multiyear, National Institutes of Health Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity (NIH BUILD)-funded research training program.

Molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of exercise and dietary interventions in the prevention of cardiometabolic diseases.

Cardiometabolic diseases still represent a major cause of mortality worldwide. In addition to pharmacological approaches, lifestyle interventions can also be adopted for the prevention of these morbid conditions. Lifestyle changes include exercise and dietary restriction protocols, such as calorie restriction and intermittent fasting, which were shown to delay cardiovascular ageing and elicit health-promoting effects in preclinical models of cardiometabolic diseases.

PM elemental composition in indoor residential environments and co-exposure effects on respiratory health in an industrial area.

This study aimed to identify and characterise indoor sources of particulate matter (PM) in domestic environments. 74 inhabited apartments located in the urban area of Gela (Sicily, Italy), close to a refinery, and in three villages of the hinterland were evaluated, in real-world conditions, for the elemental composition of PM. The samples were collected simultaneously inside and outside each apartment for 48 h.

Mitochondrial a Kinase Anchor Proteins in Cardiovascular Health and Disease: A Review Article on Behalf of the Working Group on Cellular and Molecular Biology of the Heart of the Italian Society of Cardiology.

Second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) has been found to regulate multiple mitochondrial functions, including respiration, dynamics, reactive oxygen species production, cell survival and death through the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) and other effectors. Several members of the large family of A kinase anchor proteins (AKAPs) have been previously shown to locally amplify cAMP/PKA signaling to mitochondria, promoting the assembly of signalosomes, regulating multiple cardiac functions under both physiological and pathological conditions. In this review, we will discuss roles and regulation of major mitochondria-targeted AKAPs, along with opportunities and challenges to modulate their functions for translational purposes in the cardiovascular system.

Long COVID and the cardiovascular system-elucidating causes and cellular mechanisms in order to develop targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies: a joint Scientific Statement of the ESC Working Groups on Cellular Biology of the Heart and Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases.

Long COVID has become a world-wide, non-communicable epidemic, caused by long-lasting multiorgan symptoms that endure for weeks or months after SARS-CoV-2 infection has already subsided. This scientific document aims to provide insight into the possible causes and therapeutic options available for the cardiovascular manifestations of long COVID. In addition to chronic fatigue, which is a common symptom of long COVID, patients may present with chest pain, ECG abnormalities, postural orthostatic tachycardia, or newly developed supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias.

Assessment of the link between atmospheric dispersion and chemical composition of PM at 2-h time resolution.

The concentration of air pollutants is governed by both emission rate and atmospheric dispersion conditions. The role played by the atmospheric mixing height in determining the daily time pattern of PM components at the time resolution of 2 h was studied during 21 days of observation selected from a 2-month field campaign carried out in the urban area of Rome, Italy. Natural radioactivity was used to obtain information about the mixing properties of the lower atmosphere throughout the day and allowed the identification of advection and stability periods.

Longstanding Phenytoin Use as a Cause of Progressive Dyspnea.

A 54-year-old South African man with a medical history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, seizure disorder, OSA, and latent TB presented to the ER with gradually progressive dyspnea over months. He also reported occasional dry cough and fatigue at presentation but denied fever, chills, chest pain, leg swelling, palpitations, or lightheadedness. He was treated with a course of levofloxacin for presumed community-acquired pneumonia as an outpatient without improvement and had tested negative for COVID-19.

Animal models and animal-free innovations for cardiovascular research: current status and routes to be explored. Consensus document of the ESC Working Group on Myocardial Function and the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart.

Cardiovascular diseases represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality, necessitating research to improve diagnostics, and to discover and test novel preventive and curative therapies, all of which warrant experimental models that recapitulate human disease. The translation of basic science results to clinical practice is a challenging task, in particular for complex conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, which often result from multiple risk factors and comorbidities. This difficulty might lead some individuals to question the value of animal research, citing the translational 'valley of death', which largely reflects the fact that studies in rodents are difficult to translate to humans.

Evaluation of the Effect of Hydroxyzine on Preoperative Anxiety and Anesthetic Adequacy in Children: Double Blind Randomized Clinical Trial.

Surgical procedures can generate significant preoperative anxiety (POA) in as much as 70% of the paediatric population. The role of hydroxyzine and distractive techniques such as clowns in the management of anxiety is controversial. Our main objective was to evaluate the effect of hydroxyzine on the control of POA.

Circadian rhythms in ischaemic heart disease: key aspects for preclinical and translational research: position paper of the ESC working group on cellular biology of the heart.

Circadian rhythms are internal regulatory processes controlled by molecular clocks present in essentially every mammalian organ that temporally regulate major physiological functions. In the cardiovascular system, the circadian clock governs heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac metabolism, contractility, and coagulation. Recent experimental and clinical studies highlight the possible importance of circadian rhythms in the pathophysiology, outcome, or treatment success of cardiovascular disease, including ischaemic heart disease.

COVID-19-related cardiac complications from clinical evidences to basic mechanisms: opinion paper of the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart.

The pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID)-19 is a global threat, causing high mortality, especially in the elderly. The main symptoms and the primary cause of death are related to interstitial pneumonia. Viral entry also into myocardial cells mainly via the angiotensin converting enzyme type 2 (ACE2) receptor and excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, however, also make the heart susceptible to injury.

Prognostically relevant periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction associated with percutaneous coronary interventions: a Consensus Document of the ESC Working Group on Cellular Biology of the Heart and European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).

A substantial number of chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) experience periprocedural myocardial injury or infarction. Accurate diagnosis of these PCI-related complications is required to guide further management given that their occurrence may be associated with increased risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). Due to lack of scientific data, the cut-off thresholds of post-PCI cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation used for defining periprocedural myocardial injury and infarction, have been selected based on expert consensus opinions, and their prognostic relevance remains unclear.