Redox signaling in pathophysiology of hypertension

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are products of normal cellular metabolism and derive from various sources in different cellular compartments. Oxidative stress resultant from imbalance between ROS generation and antioxidant defense mechanisms is important in pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases, such as hypertension, heart failure, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cardiac hypertrophy. In this review we focus on hypertension and address sources of cellular ROS generation, mechanisms involved in regulation of radical homeostasis, superoxide dismutase isoforms in pathophysiology of hypertension; as well as radical intracellular signaling and phosphorylation processes in proteins of the affected cardiovascular tissues. Finally, we discuss the transcriptional factors involved in redox-sensitive gene transcription and antioxidant response, as well as their roles in hypertension

AJL's Sydney Taylor Awards for Children's Literature

This past year, I have had the privilege of serving once again as Chairman of the Sydney Taylor Book Award Committee, having chaired this committee in 1983 and 1984. In the space of these few short years, I have marveled at the growth in quality of Judaica for children. Although there were certainly excellent books during my earlier stint as chairman, the 46 books that my committee and I reviewed this year showed a delightfully marked increase in quality of illustrations, uniqueness of topic, and sophistication in format