Regulation of epithelial sodium channels in vasopressin neurons in the hypothalamus

Salt-sensitive individuals have blood pressure that is unusually sensitive to salt intake. Because salt-sensitivity is a common disorder and may cause high blood pressure, it is a significant public health concern. All three epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) subunits (a, b, and g) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a known regulator of ENaC, are expressed by vasopressin (VP) synthesizing magnocellular neurons in the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei. A growing body of evidence indicates that epithelial Na+ channels (ENaCs) in the hypothalamus play a significant role in the development of salt-sensitivity. My dissertation research tests the hypothesis that abnormal ENaC regulation occurs in VP neurons during salt-sensitive hypertension. To investigate this, I first used acute hypothalamic slices in an in vitro model to elucidate the ENaC regulatory mechanism present in the VP neurons of normotensive rats. Findings from this study demonstrated that aldosterone binds to the MR to directly interact with the promoter region of the γENaC gene to increase protein abundance in VP neurons, but aldosterone alone does not alter the ENaC-mediated current in VP neurons. To examine ENaC regulation during salt-sensitivity, Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-SS) and normotensive Sprague- Dawley (SD) rats were fed high salt diet to determine if any abnormal responses in the expression of ENaC subunits and MR occurred in the hypothalamus and kidney in response to a high dietary salt intake. Dietary salt intake caused a significant hypothalamic upregulation of gENaC in salt-sensitive animals and promoted proteolytic cleavage of the gENaC subunit. In contrast, the same dietary regimen caused significant downregulation of hypothalamic MR and kidney aENaC expression in normotensive animals. These results indicate a possible compensatory mechanism for salt-sensitive hypertension development present at the level of the hypothalamus of normotensive animals, which is not observed in salt-sensitive animals. Taken together, findings from my research suggest that high salt diet initiates a central pathway involving aldosterone-MR-ENaC in salt-sensitive animals to affect VP neuronal activity and contribute to hypertension development

Script for Award Recipients at the Black Student Union 50th Anniversary Gala

This is the script for award recipients at the Black Student Union 50th Anniversary Gala. April 8th, 2018

Effect of dietary salt intake on epithelial Na\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e channels (ENaCs) in the hypothalamus of Dahl salt-sensitive rats

© 2018 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society. All three epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) subunits (α, β, and γ) and the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a known regulator of ENaC, are located in vasopressin (VP) synthesizing magnocellular neurons in the hypothalamic supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei. Our previous study showed that ENaC mediates a Na+ leak current that affects the steady-state membrane potential of VP neurons. This study was conducted in Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-SS) rats to determine if any abnormal responses in the expression of ENaC subunits and MR occur in the hypothalamus and kidney in response to a high dietary salt intake. After 21 days of high salt consumption, Dahl-SS rat resulted in a significant increase in γENaC expression and exhibited proteolytic cleavage of this subunit compared to Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. Additionally, Dahl-SS rats had dense somato-dendritic γENaC immunoreactivity in VP neurons, which was absent in SD rats. In contrast, SD rats fed a high salt diet had significantly decreased αENaC subunit expression in the kidney and MR expression in the hypothalamus. Plasma osmolality measured daily for 22 days demonstrated that Dahl-SS rats fed a high salt diet had a steady increase in plasma osmolality, whereas SD rats had an initial increase that decreased to baseline levels. Findings from this study demonstrate that Dahl-SS rats lack a compensatory mechanism to down regulate ENaC during high dietary salt consumption, which may contribute to the development of hypertension

Using eye tracking, time-to-action, heart-rate and perceived task difficulty to assess level of distraction and performance of entry-level paramedicine students in low- versus high-fidelity simulation

Introduction There is limited research investigating the usefulness of high-fidelity simulations (HFS) for early-stage students. Some argue the additional expense of HFS over low-fidelity simulation (LFS) is unnecessary as early-stage students are too easily distracted by non-relevant stimuli inhibiting student’s ability to focus on the core task. However, the extent to which this is true is yet to be empirically tested. Methods First-year paramedicine students were randomly assigned to complete either a LFS or HFS involving a collapsed patient with an obstructed airway. Level of distraction was measured via eye-tracking, arousal via heart-rate (HR), task difficulty via the NASA TLX, and clinical decision making via time-to-action. Student’s perceptions of HFS and LFS were also explored via in-depth interviews immediately following simulations. Results Proportion of time attending to non-relevant stimuli was greater for HFS than LFS students (8.1% vs. 0.9%, ppp=.001). More students from the HFS group revived the patient than the LFS group (58% vs. 30% respectively). Students from the HFS condition achieved time-to-action significantly quicker than those in the LFS condition (p=.010), a trend that remained constant when isolating those removing the obstruction (p\u3c.05). Conclusions Students in HFS suffered from greater distraction, perceived the task as being more difficult and were more aroused than students in LFS. However, HFS students outperformed LFS students with respect to clinical decision making and patient outcomes

Community Isolation Project

Introduction The authors of this summary are nursing students at Seattle Pacific University, and the project goal is focused on understanding feelings of isolation in elderly communities and whether fostering social activities, such as Bingo, would improve social interaction between residents in this community. For the past two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has altered various aspects of social interaction. From masking to social distancing, societal norms and expectations evolved in a manner that promoted isolation and minimal interaction to inhibit the spread of Covid infection between individuals. Of the general populace, the most vulnerable and at risk for infection are the elderly and those with comorbidities. Subsequently, older individuals are more at risk for rigid social isolation precautions due to the risk of infection, affecting many of the individuals in this group who live in community settings such as nursing homes and long-term care facilities. This project ultimately seeks to understand how older individuals might feel after participating in community activities with one another as well as assess for any feelings of depression and social isolation post pandemic.  Background The population worked with is a subsidized living community for individuals over the age of 62. The 200-plus unit apartment complex is located in North Seattle just off the Aurora business district. Social isolation and loneliness in older adults living in communities such as this is a growing concern especially since the pandemic showing upwards of 29% of the elderly population to report being lonely in the U.S. (Taylor, et al., 2018). Although it is hard to precisely measure social isolation and loneliness, the evidence that does exist shows there is an increased risk for dementia alone, by fifty percent, with links to an increase in cardiovascular disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and suicide (CDC, 2021). More recent studies in populations of older adults residing in senior housing communities seem to experience higher levels of loneliness due to lower-income, being alone due to the death of a spouse/partner, having fewer confiding relationships, depression, and other significant comorbidities as mentioned, as compared to those living in conventional housing (Taylor, et al., 2018). This is attributed to having less contact with family and friends, social anxiety of meeting neighbors, and altogether feeling of not being supported (Taylor, et al., 2018). The COVID-19 pandemic added more barriers to social isolation and loneliness for the elderly due to early restrictions of in-person gatherings, recreational activities within the community, family gatherings being canceled, spiritual congregations canceled, and many deaths within the community, all adding to the sense of isolation, loneliness, and depression (Webb and Chen, 2021). As far as interventions to combat loneliness and social isolation, there have been many. It is difficult to analyze due to individual experience surrounding the issues (Fakoya et al., 2020). There is not a “one-size-fits all” standardization to address social isolation and loneliness in the elderly, showing that tailoring interventions to specific community and individual needs as being the best approach (Fakoya et al., 2020). Activities with Rationale When discussing what activities or events the project should center around, the team collaborated with the property manager at the senior living community to ensure the provided activity would be both fun and engaging for the residents, as well as beneficial and information-producing for our project and the property manager. After it was determined the project would center around targeting loneliness in elderly communities, an idea was landed on creating an event that would demonstrate the importance of connection and combat isolation. A transtheoretical model of change was used as the basis for this project. This change model states that behavior change takes place through the following stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. To measure this, pre- and post- surveys were filled out by residents to gather data to support the health promotion project’s claims. The project at the community included two Bingo days. The specific activity was determined through popular request by the residents who had mentioned playing and enjoying Bingo as a community in the past. A week prior to the first event, pre surveys were distributed asking the residents about their experience of isolation and/or loneliness if they had any. Residents were incentivized to attend the Bingo events with promised coffee, snacks, and small prizes for Bingo winners. Residents were even given a chance to be entered into a randomized drawing for a fifteen-dollar gift card to Sprouts, a local grocery store, which was conducted at the end of each Bingo day. After the events, those who participated in Bingo were then further encouraged to fill out post surveys. These surveys questioned how it felt to engage in the community and if their feelings or loneliness/isolation had changed in order to assess the impact the bingo event had on mood and affect. For the purposes of this project, it was important not only to gather information, but to model what having community events, such as Bingo, could look like and how they would positively impact the community. Outcomes To gain a better understanding of how the community felt regarding loneliness, isolation, and their willingness to participate in group activities, pre- and post-bingo surveys were provided utilizing the Likert scale. In return, 30 pre-surveys were returned from the community. Following the event, 30 post-surveys were filled out by the residents who participated in Bingo. After reviewing the results of the pre-surveys, it was concluded that the overall community often feels a sense of loneliness, but they have an ardent desire to participate in group activities. After 2 days of Bingo, residents who joined us were asked to fill out a post-survey to gauge if the group activity had any effect on them. In almost every single post activity survey received, residents answered that playing Bingo with their community positively impacted their mental health, they would play Bingo or attend another event again, and they found it easier to build relationships with their community members while engaging in Bingo together. The community engagement surveys revealed that group activities such as bingo led to an outcome of decreased loneliness and isolation. According to the data collected, hosting and facilitating social events, specifically for older adult populations, post pandemic, is extremely beneficial to mental health and overall wellness. Conclusion Although Covid has been around for two years now, it has proven to be very difficult to navigate, especially in community settings such as this subsidized living community. This pandemic has been exceptionally problematic as facilities search for a balance betweenl encouraging social activity, and also promoting physical safety from Covid-19. While preventing the spread of the virus is certainly a priority, mental health, arguably, is just as crucial to one\u27s well-being as their physical health. The surveys collected in this project revealed that while many individuals had a strong urge to engage in social activities, a sense of loneliness in the community still exists for many people. As mentioned in other studies, there’s no “correct” way to decrease feelings of isolation as the process of overcoming this sense of remoteness may be very specific to the community. Luckily, the staff at this site are very in tune with their population and they disclosed that Bingo is a popular activity among the residents. It was important that the activity was appropriate and engaging for people of all different backgrounds as the intent of the project was to foster community engagement and improve social interactions among the group. Overall, there was a great turnout of people at both the first and second Bingo events, further exemplifying the enthusiasm many individuals shared about wanting to be more engaged in the community. Because there was such a big turnout, the group had a few challenges to overcome. Firstly, accessibility and navigation within the conference room was a little tight the first time around which the group was able to overcome by rearranging tables to accommodate for walkers and wheelchairs. Secondly, while there was a provided space and Bingo set, the budget for prizes and snacks was also very limited which led to the group contributing personal funds to the project. Lastly, while the post-surveys offered great insight, they provided information on a very small percentage of the population. The results of the surveys are from the perspective of individuals who most likely often attend group activities, which ultimately skews the information as this may not accurately represent the entirety of the population at this senior community. For a more accurate representation of the community, there would need to be a larger sample number. The project proved to be successful as many of the residents answered in their post-surveys that the Bingo event decreased feelings of loneliness and isolation, therefore positively impacting their mental health. Many of the individuals also stated in their questionnaires that they would attend more Bingo events in the future. In addition, residents were also eager to suggest other fun group activities such as painting, gardening, picnics, and dances. Moving forward, it would be beneficial for future groups to try other activities in addition to Bingo. Different events may motivate social interaction from the individuals who don’t enjoy activities such as Bingo and would facilitate a feeling of excitement in anticipation for a communal gathering that is both entertaining and interactive. This health promotion project found Bingo to be a successful event in which participants were able to maintain a safe social distance, and engage together in a fun, community activity. References Fakoya, O., McCorry, N., & Donnelly, M. (2020). Loneliness and social isolation for older adults: A scoping review of reviews. BMC Public Health, 20(129). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-8251-6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021). Loneliness and social isolation linked to serious health conditions. (n.d.).  https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html#:~:text=A%20report%20from%20the%20National,considered%20to%20be%20socially%20isolated Taylor, H., Wang, Y., & Morrow-Howell, N. (2018). Loneliness in senior housing communities. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 61(6), 623-639. https://doi.org/10.1080/01634372.2018.1478352 Webb, L., & Chen, C. (2021). The covid-19 pandemic\u27s impact on older adults\u27 mental health: Contributing factors, coping strategies, and opportunities for improvement. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. https://doi.org:10.1002/gps.564

A social-ecological approach to conservation planning: embedding social considerations

Many conservation plans remain unimplemented, in part because of insufficient consideration of the social processes that influence conservation decisions. Complementing social considerations with an integrated understanding of the ecology of a region can result in a more complete conservation approach. We suggest that linking conservation planning to a social-ecological systems (SES) framework can lead to a more thorough understanding of human-environment interactions and more effective integration of social considerations. By characterizing SES as a set of subsystems, and their interactions with each other and with external factors, the SES framework can improve our understanding of the linkages between social and ecological influences on the environment. Using this framework can help to identify socially and ecologically focused conservation actions that will benefit ecosystems and human communities, and assist in the development of more consistent evidence for evaluating conservation actions by comparing conservation case studies

The mental health of adolescents and young people experiencing traumatic stress and problematic substance use.

Introduction and Aims: Up to 80% of adolescents have experienced trauma and one-in-seven suffer from post­ traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For 50% of these adoles­cents, the course of their illness is further complicated by a co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD). Despite high rates of comorbidity, treatment options remain sparse and there is limited understanding of the clinical profile associated with this comorbidity. We aimed to examine the clinical profile of adolescents seeking treat­ment for their substance use and traumatic stress.Method: Data were collected as part of a randomised controlled trial examining the efficacy of an integrated psychological treatment for SUD and PTSD among young people aged 12-25 years were assessed for history of trauma, PTSD, substance use and a variety of other domains relating to mental health, social and family functioning and service utilisation.Results: Almost all participants met Diagnostic and Sta­tistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, cri­teria for a severe SUD. The most common substances of concern were cannabis and alcohol. All participants expe­rienced multiple traumatic events and >85% met Diag­nostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria for PTSD. High levels of clinically ele­vated depression and anxiety were present in the sample and almost half had a history of attempted suicide.Discussions and Conclusions: Comorbid PTSD and SUD in young people are associated with a complex and severe clinical profile. It is imperative to intervene early in the trajectory in order to prevent the severe and long­ lasting burden associated with this common comorbidity

The microvascular endothelial glycocalyx:An additional piece of the puzzle in veterinary medicine

The endothelial glycocalyx (eGlx) is a critically important structure lining the luminal surface of endothelial cells. There is increasing evidence, in human patients and animal models, for its crucial role in the maintenance of health. Moreover, its damage is associated with the pathogenesis of multiple disease states. This review provides readers with an overview of the eGlx; summarising its structure, essential functions, and evidence for its role in disease. We highlight the lack of studies regarding the eGlx in cats and dogs, particularly in naturally occurring diseases. Importantly, we discuss techniques to aid its study, which can be applied to veterinary species. Finally, we present targeted therapies aimed at preserving, and in some cases, restoring damaged eGlx