Mental stress has been shown to induce cardiovascular events, likely due to its negative impact on vascular function. Flavanols, plant-derived polyphenolic compounds, improve endothelial function and blood pressure (BP) in humans, however their effects during stress are not known. This study examined the effects of acute intake of cocoa flavanols on stress-induced changes on vascular… Continue reading #Cocoa Flavanols Improve Vascular Responses to Acute Mental #Stress in Young Healthy Adults
#Selenium supplementation inhibits #IGF-1 signaling and confers methionine restriction-like healthspan benefits to mice
Methionine restriction (MR) dramatically extends the healthspan of several organisms. Methionine-restricted rodents have less age-related pathology and increased longevity as compared with controls, and recent studies suggest that humans might benefit similarly. Mechanistically, it is likely that the decreased IGF-1 signaling that results from MR underlies the benefits of this regimen. Thus, we hypothesized that… Continue reading #Selenium supplementation inhibits #IGF-1 signaling and confers methionine restriction-like healthspan benefits to mice
#Sotatercept for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial #Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, cellular proliferation, and poor long-term outcomes. Dysfunctional bone morphogenetic protein pathway signaling is associated with both hereditary and idiopathic subtypes. Sotatercept, a novel fusion protein, binds activins and growth differentiation factors in the attempt to restore balance between growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting signaling pathways. METHODS In this… Continue reading #Sotatercept for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial #Hypertension
Association of Vitamin #D Levels, Race/Ethnicity, and Clinical Characteristics With #COVID-19 Test Results
Deficient (ie, <20 ng/mL) or insufficient (ie, 20 to <30 ng/mL) 25-hydroxyvitamin D (also known as calcifediol) levels are more common in Black individuals than White individuals and are associated with increased coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk. Whether COVID-19 risk is associated with differences in vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL or greater is not… Continue reading Association of Vitamin #D Levels, Race/Ethnicity, and Clinical Characteristics With #COVID-19 Test Results
Appropriate Use of Short-Course #Antibiotics in Common #Infections: Best Practice Advice From the American College of Physicians
Antimicrobial overuse is a major health care issue that contributes to antibiotic resistance. Such overuse includes unnecessarily long durations of antibiotic therapy in patients with common bacterial infections, such as acute bronchitis with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), urinary tract infections (UTIs), and cellulitis. This article describes best practices for prescribing… Continue reading Appropriate Use of Short-Course #Antibiotics in Common #Infections: Best Practice Advice From the American College of Physicians
Jumping to conclusions and #suicidal behavior in #depression and #psychosis
Highlights • Presence of JTC is higher in depressive and psychotic patients with history of SB, specially under ambiguous conditions. • Within individuals who exhibited JTC, more had a diagnosis of depression than psychosis, and that is related to older age. • JTC might be considered a transdiagnostic construct present in different psychiatric disorders. Abstract… Continue reading Jumping to conclusions and #suicidal behavior in #depression and #psychosis
High-#Fiber, Whole-Food Dietary Intervention Alters the Human Gut #Microbiome but Not Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Dietary shifts can have a direct impact on the gut microbiome by preferentially selecting for microbes capable of utilizing the various dietary nutrients. The intake of dietary fiber has decreased precipitously in the last century, while consumption of processed foods has increased. Fiber, or microbiota-accessible carbohydrates (MACs), persist in the digestive tract and can be… Continue reading High-#Fiber, Whole-Food Dietary Intervention Alters the Human Gut #Microbiome but Not Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids
Association of Type 2 #Diabetes Mellitus and Glycemic Control With Intracranial Plaque Characteristics in Patients With Acute Ischemic #Stroke
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has shown to be associated with carotid plaque vulnerability. However, the impact of T2DM on intracranial artery atherosclerosis is not well‐understood. Purpose To evaluate the association of diabetes and glycemic control with intracranial atherosclerotic plaque characteristics identified by three‐dimensional contrast enhanced MR vessel wall imaging in patients after acute ischemic… Continue reading Association of Type 2 #Diabetes Mellitus and Glycemic Control With Intracranial Plaque Characteristics in Patients With Acute Ischemic #Stroke
Investigating Molecular Mechanisms of Immunotoxicity and the Utility of #ToxCast for Immunotoxicity Screening of Chemicals Added to #Food
The development of high-throughput screening methodologies may decrease the need for laboratory animals for toxicity testing. Here, we investigate the potential of assessing immunotoxicity with high-throughput screening data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ToxCast program. As case studies, we analyzed the most common chemicals added to food as well as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances… Continue reading Investigating Molecular Mechanisms of Immunotoxicity and the Utility of #ToxCast for Immunotoxicity Screening of Chemicals Added to #Food
2 Medical News 