Beyond a Gasotransmitter: Hydrogen Sulfide and Polysulfide in Cardiovascular Health and Immune Response.

Significance: Hydrogen sulfide (HS) metabolism leads to the formation of oxidized sulfide species, including polysulfide, persulfide, and others. Evidence is emerging that many biological effects of HS may indeed be due to polysulfide and persulfide activation of signaling pathways and reactivity with discrete small molecules. Recent Advances: Exogenous oxidized sulfide species, including polysulfides, are more reactive than HS with a wide range of molecules.

Gasotransmitter Heterocellular Signaling.

Significance: The family of gasotransmitter molecules, nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (HS), has emerged as an important mediator of numerous cellular signal transduction and pathophysiological responses. As such, these molecules have been reported to influence a diverse array of biochemical, molecular, and cell biology events often impacting one another. Recent Advances: Discrete regulation of gasotransmitter molecule formation, movement, and reaction is critical to their biological function.

A pilot study to evaluate multi-dimensional effects of dance for people with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease associated with deficits in motor, cognitive, and emotion/quality of life (QOL) domains, yet most pharmacologic and behavioral interventions focus only on motor function. Our goal was to perform a pilot study of Dance for Parkinson's-a community-based program that is growing in popularity-in order to compare effect sizes across multiple outcomes and to inform selection of primary and secondary outcomes for a larger trial. Study participants were people with PD who self-enrolled in either Dance for Parkinson's classes (intervention group, N=8) or PD support groups (control group, N=7).

Sex-related differences in reactivity of cerebral arterioles during moderate exercise training.

Objective: Our goals were to determine the influence of sex on reactivity of cerebral arterioles and whether MExT could influence sex-related differences in reactivity of cerebral arterioles.

Materials And Methods: Responses of cerebral arterioles were measured in Sed and MExT adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats to eNOS-dependent (ADP), nNOS-dependent (NMDA), and NOS-independent (nitroglycerin) agonists before and following L-NMMA. In addition, protein expression for eNOS and nNOS was determined.

Akinesia and freezing caused by Na leak-current channel (NALCN) deficiency corrected by pharmacological inhibition of K channels and gap junctions.

The Na leak-current channel (NALCN) regulates locomotion, respiration, and intellectual development. Previous work highlighted striking similarities between characteristic movement phenotypes of NALCN-deficient animals (Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans) and the major symptoms of Parkinson's disease and primary progressive freezing gait. We have discovered novel physiological connections between the NALCN, K channels, and gap junctions that mediate regulation of locomotion in C.

Should Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy for Patients with Early Breast Cancer Be Abandoned? Not So Fast.

As major advances are made in the management of early breast cancer, the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNBx) has been called into question. However, before abandoning SLNBx, a critical appraisal of its role should be done because we believe that it remains a critical component of care, especially when tailoring patient's adjuvant therapy. This commentary provides cogent arguments in favor of SLNBx in the management of patients with early breast cancer.

Acute ST elevation myocardial infarction in fulminant systemic p-ANCA vasculitis: a rare catastrophic complication.

A 45-year-old Caucasian man presented to the hospital with a 3-month history of fatigue, bilateral upper and lower limb paresthesias and gradually worsening ascending paralysis. A few weeks later, he developed acute renal failure requiring haemodialysis. Investigations revealed presence of myeloperoxidase (MPO) perinuclear antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA).

Influence of type 1 diabetes on basal and agonist-induced permeability of the blood-brain barrier.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) impairs endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)-dependent responses of cerebral arterioles. However, the influence of T1D on another critical aspect of endothelial cell function in the cerebral microcirculation, i.e.

Treatment of Overactive Bladder in the Elderly Female: The Case for Trospium, Oxybutynin, Fesoterodine and Darifenacin.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common constellation of lower urinary tract storage symptoms that causes a significant impact on a person's quality of life. The elderly may be disproportionally impacted by these symptoms due to concomitant poor mobility, comorbid conditions such as diabetes and heart failure, and polypharmacy. While behavioral modification and pelvic floor muscle training should be considered first-line treatment options, pharmacotherapy remains the backbone of the therapeutic regimen.

Extra-Axial Hematoma and Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Induced Aplastic Anemia: The Role of Hematological Diseases in Subdural and Epidural Hemorrhage.

Objective and Importance. To illustrate the development of spontaneous subdural hematoma secondary to aplastic anemia resulting from the administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. This is the first report of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole potentiating coagulopathy leading to any form of intracranial hematoma.

Cystathionine γ-lyase regulates arteriogenesis through NO-dependent monocyte recruitment.

Aims: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a vasoactive gasotransmitter that is endogenously produced in the vasculature by the enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE). However, the importance of CSE activity and local H2S generation for ischaemic vascular remodelling remains completely unknown. In this study, we examine the hypothesis that CSE critically regulates ischaemic vascular remodelling involving H2S-dependent mononuclear cell regulation of arteriogenesis.

The black widow spider bite: differential diagnosis, clinical manifestations, and treatment options.

Unrecognized and untreated black widow spider bites cause significant pain, impairment, and rarely death. The widow venom, a powerful neurotoxin known as a-latrotoxin, causes muscle pain, diaphoresis, tachycardia, flushing, and hypertension. Treatment is usually symptomatic with a combination of opioid analgesics and muscle relaxants.

A retrospective study of the effects of clostridial collagenase ointment and negative pressure wound therapy for the treatment of chronic pressure ulcers.

Unlabelled: Nonhealing, chronic pressure ulcers present a continuous challenge in the global health care venue, with decreased mobility and the effects of aging on skin placing the elderly at particular risk. Debridement is an important process to decrease risk of infection and promote healing. Enzymatic debridement with, for example, clostridial collagenase ointment (CCO) has been shown to assist with the achievement and maintenance of a clean wound bed in preparation for closure.

Recruitment of the adaptor protein Nck to PECAM-1 couples oxidative stress to canonical NF-κB signaling and inflammation.

Oxidative stress stimulates nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation and NF-κB-dependent proinflammatory gene expression in endothelial cells during several pathological conditions, including ischemia/reperfusion injury. We found that the Nck family of adaptor proteins linked tyrosine kinase signaling to oxidative stress-induced activation of NF-κB through the classic IκB kinase-dependent pathway. Depletion of Nck prevented oxidative stress induced by exogenous hydrogen peroxide or hypoxia/reoxygenation injury from activating NF-κB in endothelial cells, increasing the abundance of the proinflammatory molecules ICAM-1 (intracellular adhesion molecule-1) and VCAM-1 (vascular cell adhesion molecule-1) and recruiting leukocytes.

Hydrogen sulfide measurement using sulfide dibimane: critical evaluation with electrospray ion trap mass spectrometry.

Accurate measurement of hydrogen sulfide bioavailability remains a technical challenge due to numerous issues involving sample processing, detection methods used, and actual biochemical products measured. Our group and others have reported that reverse phase HPLC detection of sulfide dibimane (SDB) product from the reaction of H2S/HS(-) with monobromobimane allows for analytical detection of hydrogen sulfide bioavailability in free and other biochemical forms. However, it remains unclear whether possible interfering contaminants may contribute to HPLC SDB peak readings that may result in inaccurate measurements of bioavailable sulfide.

An epistatic relationship between the viral protein kinase UL97 and the UL133-UL138 latency locus during the human cytomegalovirus lytic cycle.

Unlabelled: We report that UL133-UL138 (UL133/8), a transcriptional unit within the ULb' region (ULb') of the human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) genome, and UL97, a viral protein kinase encoded by HCMV, play epistatic roles in facilitating progression of the viral lytic cycle. In studies with HCMV strain TB40/E, pharmacological blockade or genetic ablation of UL97 significantly reduced the levels of mRNA and protein for IE2 and viral early and early-late genes during a second wave of viral gene expression that commenced at between 24 and 48 h postinfection. These effects were accompanied by significant defects in viral DNA synthesis and viral replication.

Vigorous exercise training improves reactivity of cerebral arterioles and reduces brain injury following transient focal ischemia.

Objective: Our objective was to examine whether vigorous exercise training (VExT) could influence nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent vasodilation and transient focal ischemia-induced brain injury. Rats were divided into sedentary (SED) or VExT groups.

Materials And Methods: Exercise was carried out 5 days/week for a period of 8-10 weeks.

Flow patterns regulate hyperglycemia-induced subendothelial matrix remodeling during early atherogenesis.

Objective: Altered subendothelial matrix composition regulates endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerotic plaque formation. Hyperglycemia promotes endothelial matrix remodeling associated with multiple microvascular complications of diabetes, but a role for altered matrix composition in diabetic atherogenesis has not been described. Therefore, we sought to characterize the alterations in matrix composition during diabetic atherogenesis using both in vitro and in vivo model systems.

Immediate stent recoil in an anastomotic vein graft lesion treated by cutting balloon angioplasty.

Saphenous vein graft (SVG) anastomotic lesions can have significant fibromuscular hyperplasia and may be resistant to balloon angioplasty alone. Stents have been used successfully to treat these lesions. There are no reports of immediate stent recoil following such treatment in the literature.

Tattooing complicated by multivalvular bacterial endocarditis.

Tattooing is becoming a popular practice and more commonly done. Although modern tattooing is considered a more hygienic and technological version of ancient methods, previously reported cases point out the risk of infection after tattooing due to use of nonsterile equipment or suboptimal infection-control practices. Infective endocarditis (IE) after tattooing has been reported only in 1 patient with bicuspid aortic valvular disease.

Hydrogen sulfide attenuates cardiac dysfunction after heart failure via induction of angiogenesis.

Background: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to induce angiogenesis in in vitro models and to promote vessel growth in the setting of hindlimb ischemia. The goal of the present study was to determine the therapeutic potential of a stable, long-acting H2S donor, diallyl trisulfide, in a model of pressure-overload heart failure and to assess the effects of chronic H2S therapy on myocardial vascular density and angiogenesis.

Methods And Results: Transverse aortic constriction was performed in mice (C57BL/6J; 8-10 weeks of age).

Platelet abnormalities during colonic inflammation.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are susceptible to microvascular thrombosis and thromboembolism. The increased incidence of thrombosis is accompanied by enhanced coagulation and abnormalities in platelet function. Clinical studies have revealed thrombocytosis, alterations in platelet activation, enhanced platelet-leukocyte interactions, and elevated plasma levels of prothrombotic cytokines.