Non-invasive point-of-care optical technique for continuous in vivo assessment of microcirculatory function: Application to a preclinical model of early sepsis.

Increased amplitude of peripheral vasomotion is a potential early marker of sepsis-related microcirculatory impairment; however, previous reports relied on clinically unsuitable invasive techniques. Hyperspectral near-infrared spectroscopy (hsNIRS) and diffuse correlation spectroscopy (DCS) are non-invasive, bedside techniques that can be paired to continuously monitor tissue hemoglobin content (HbT), oxygenation (StO), and perfusion (rBF) to detect vasomotion as low-frequency microhemodynamic oscillations. While previous studies have primarily focused on the peripheral microcirculation, cerebral injury is also a common occurrence in sepsis and hsNIRS-DCS could be used to assess cerebral microcirculatory function.

Life Course Stressors, Latent Coping Strategies, Alcohol Use, and Adherence among People with HIV.

People with HIV (PWH) have often experienced chronic stressors across their lifespan, including adverse childhood experiences (ACES), lifetime economic hardship (LEH), and concurrent stressors associated with living in urban areas (urban stress). Prolonged exposure to stressors might result in differential coping patterns among PWH that can impact care trajectories. We utilized a life course-informed approach to examine chronic stressors as antecedents of latent coping strategies among PWH in care.

Functional bias of contractile control in mouse resistance arteries.

Constrictor agonists set arterial tone through two coupling processes, one tied to (electromechanical), the other independent (pharmacomechanical) of, membrane potential (V). This dual arrangement raises an intriguing question: is the contribution of each mechanism (1) fixed and proportionate, or (2) variable and functionally biased. Examination began in mouse mesenteric arteries with a vasomotor assessment to a classic G (phenylephrine) or G/G (U46619) agonist, in the absence and presence of nifedipine, to separate among the two coupling mechanisms.

Association of circulating adipokines with metabolic measures among people with HIV: Moderating effects of alcohol use.

Background: People with HIV (PWH) are at increased risk for cardiometabolic comorbidities. We have reported that lifetime alcohol use among people with HIV (PWH) is associated with increased risk for metabolic syndrome. Dysfunctional adipose tissue and altered circulating adipokines mediate metabolic dysregulation.

Trace metal distribution in seagrass-vegetated sediments of an urbanized estuary in Queensland, Australia.

Seagrasses increase sediment complexity by trapping particulates and influencing biogeochemical cycles via root oxygen loss and organic matter exudation. However, their impact on trace metal sequestration is poorly studied. We found significantly higher trace metal concentrations in seagrass sediments compared to adjacent bare sediments, correlating with total organic carbon, iron, and fine sediments.

Moderate-to-severe cognitive impairment is associated with both recent and chronic alcohol misuse in people with HIV: The New Orleans alcohol use in HIV (NOAH) study.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) profoundly impacts the nervous system, leading to neurological deficits including HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). HAND represents the most common neurological comorbidity among people with HIV (PWH), and alcohol use may exacerbate cognitive deficits, especially in vulnerable populations. This study investigated relationships between alcohol use and cognition in an underserved cohort of PWH, on the hypothesis that alcohol misuse exacerbates cognitive deficits.

Emerging concepts in alcohol, infection & immunity: A summary of the 2023 alcohol and immunology research interest group (AIRIG) meeting.

On December 8th 2023, the annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The 2023 meeting focused broadly on how acute and chronic alcohol exposure leads to immune dysregulation, and how this contributes to damage in multiple tissues and organs. These include impaired lung immunity, intestinal dysfunction, autoimmunity, the gut-Central Nervous System (CNS) axis, and end-organ damage.

TRP channels: a provocative rationalization for local Ca control in arterial tone development.

Arterial networks are controlled by the consolidated output of stimuli that set "how much" (magnitude) and "where" (distribution) blood flow is delivered. While notable changes in magnitude are tied to network wide responses, altered distribution often arises from focal changes in tone, whose mechanistic foundation remains unclear. We propose herein a framework of focal vasomotor contractility being controlled by pharmacomechanical coupling and the generation of Ca waves via the sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Capillary oxygen regulates demand-supply coupling by triggering connexin40-mediated conduction: Rethinking the metabolic hypothesis.

Coupling red blood cell (RBC) supply to O demand is an intricate process requiring O sensing, generation of a stimulus, and signal transduction that alters upstream arteriolar tone. Although actively debated, this process has been theorized to be induced by hypoxia and to involve activation of endothelial inwardly rectifying K channels (K) 2.1 by elevated extracellular K to trigger conducted hyperpolarization via connexin40 (Cx40) gap junctions to upstream resistors.

Ca3.1 channels facilitate calcium wave generation and myogenic tone development in mouse mesenteric arteries.

The arterial myogenic response to intraluminal pressure elicits constriction to maintain tissue perfusion. Smooth muscle [Ca] is a key determinant of constriction, tied to L-type (Ca1.2) Ca channels.

Human Alcohol-Microbiota Mice have Increased Susceptibility to Bacterial Pneumonia.

Preclinical studies have shown that chronic alcohol abuse leads to alterations in the gastrointestinal microbiota that are associated with behavior changes, physiological alterations, and immunological effects. However, such studies have been limited in their ability to evaluate the direct effects of alcohol-associated dysbiosis. To address this, we developed a humanized alcohol-microbiota mouse model to systematically evaluate the immunological effects of chronic alcohol abuse mediated by intestinal dysbiosis.

Circadian modulation by time-restricted feeding rescues brain pathology and improves memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease.

Circadian disruptions impact nearly all people with Alzheimer's disease (AD), emphasizing both their potential role in pathology and the critical need to investigate the therapeutic potential of circadian-modulating interventions. Here, we show that time-restricted feeding (TRF) without caloric restriction improved key disease components including behavioral timing, disease pathology, hippocampal transcription, and memory in two transgenic (TG) mouse models of AD. We found that TRF had the remarkable capability of simultaneously reducing amyloid deposition, increasing Aβ42 clearance, improving sleep and memory, and normalizing daily transcription patterns of multiple genes, including those associated with AD and neuroinflammation.

The Role of Gut Dysbiosis in the Loss of Intestinal Immune Cell Functions and Viral Pathogenesis.

The gut microbiome plays a critical role in maintaining overall health and immune function. However, dysbiosis, an imbalance in microbiome composition, can have profound effects on various aspects of human health, including susceptibility to viral infections. Despite numerous studies investigating the influence of viral infections on gut microbiome, the impact of gut dysbiosis on viral infection and pathogenesis remains relatively understudied.