Comparison of conventional PCR, quantitative PCR, bacteriological culture and the Warthin Starry technique to detect Leptospira spp. in kidney and liver samples from naturally infected sheep from Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of amniotic membrane transplantation on corneal healing and proteoglycan expression in an experimental model of limbal deficiency in rabbits

PURPOSE. Amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) has been used as a graft or as a dressing in ocular surface reconstruction, facilitating epithelization, maintaining normal epithelial phenotype, and reducing inflammation, vascularization, and scarring. The corneal transparency is due, at least in part, to the arrangement in orthogonal lamellae of collagen fibrils, surrounded by proteoglycans (PGs). These PGs regulate fibrilogenesis, the matrix assembly, and ultimately the corneal transparency. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of AMT upon the corneal PGs after severe limbal injury.METHODS. Experiments were performed on the right corneas of 22 New Zealand female albino rabbits, and their left corneas were used as matched controls. These animals were divided into 3 groups: G1 (n = 10): total peritomy and keratolimbectomy, followed by application of 0.5 M NaOH; G2 (n = 10): submitted to the same trauma as G1, and treated by AMT; G3: no trauma, only AMT (n = 2). The right corneas of G2 and G3 were covered by DMSO 4 cryopreserved human amniotic membrane, fixed by interrupted 9-0 mononylon sutures, with its stromal face toward the ocular surface. After 7 or 30 days, the corneas were removed and PGs were extracted.RESULTS. Normal corneas contained approximately 9 mg of PGs per gram of dry tissue. AMT on intact cornea (G3) did not cause any changes in the concentration of PGs. In contrast, injured corneas contained much less PGs, both on the seventh and on the 30th day posttrauma. The PG concentration was even lower in injured corneas treated by AMT. This decrease was due almost exclusively to dermatan sulfate PGs, and the structure of dermatan sulfate was also modified, indicating changes in the biosynthesis patterns.CONCLUSIONS. Although beneficial effects have been observed on clinical observation and concentration of soluble proteins after AMT, the normal PG composition of cornea was not attained, even 30 days postinjury, indicating that the normal ocular surface reconstruction, if possible, is a long-term process. (Eur J Ophthalmol 2010; 20: 290-9)

Kidney-Induced Hypertension Depends on Superoxide Signaling in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Gluconeogenesis and P-enolpyruvate carboxykinase in liver and kidney of long-term fasted quails

The activity of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) in kidney and liver, and in vivo gluconeogenic activity, were determined during different phases of prolonged fasting in quails. The fasting-induced changes in the activity of kidney cytoplasmic PEPCK were positively correlated with the changes in gluconeogenesis. Both activities increased at the initial phase (I) of fasting to levels 65% to 100% higher than fed values, and decreased during the protein-sparing period (phase II), although remaining higher than in fed birds. At the catabolic final phase (III) both kidney cytoplasmic PEPCK activity and gluconeogenesis increased markedly, attaining levels 115% to 150% higher than fed values. The activity of liver cytoplasmic PEPCK, present in appreciable amounts in quails, did not change during phases I and II of fasting, but increased to levels 60% higher than fed values at the final phase (III). Plasma glucose levels at phase III did not differ significantly from those at phases I and II. In both kidney and liver the activity of the mitochondrial PEPCK was not significantly affected by fasting. The data suggest that the kidney cytoplasmic PEPCK is the main enzyme responsible for gluconeogenesis adjustments during food deprivation in quails, and that this function is complemented at the final phase by enzyme present in liver cytosol.

Expression of renin-angiotensin system signalling compounds in maternal protein-restricted rats: effect on renal sodium excretion and blood pressure

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Maternal undernutrition and the offspring kidney: from fetal to adult life

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Proteomic analysis of kidney in rats chronically exposed to fluoride

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Annexin 1 mimetic peptide protects against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Maximum entropy, fractal dimension and lacunarity in quantification of cellular rejection in myocardial biopsy of patients submitted to heart transplantation

This paper presents a method for the quantification of cellular rejection in endomyocardial biopsies of patients submitted to heart transplant. The model is based on automatic multilevel thresholding, which employs histogram quantification techniques, histogram slope percentage analysis and the calculation of maximum entropy. The structures were quantified with the aid of the multi-scale fractal dimension and lacunarity for the identification of behavior patterns in myocardial cellular rejection in order to determine the most adequate treatment for each case.

Presence of Candida spp. in the oral cavity of heart transplantation patients

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Microbiological profile of donor corneas stored for tectonic transplantation purposes in rabbits

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Influence of fresh frozen plasma as a trigger factor for kidney dysfunction in cardiovascular surgery

OBJETIVO: A disfunção renal é uma complicação importante no cenário de pós-operatório de cirurgia cardiovascular. Como fatores de risco conhecidos no intraoperatório para o seu desenvolvimento destacam-se a circulação extracorpórea, a hemodiluição, drogas antifibrinolíticos e a transfusão sanguínea. O objetivo deste estudo é identificar os fatores de risco na transfusão de sangue e derivados para o desenvolvimento de disfunção renal em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia cardiovascular. MÉTODOS: Noventa e sete pacientes foram estudados e 84 foram analisados. A amostra foi estratificada em dois grupos, sendo que o incremento de 30% na creatinina sérica no pós-operatório foi considerado para o grupo com disfunção renal (n = 9; 10,71%). O grupo não disfunção renal foi caracterizado pela creatinina sérica, que permaneceu inferior a aumento de 30% no pós-operatório (n = 75; 89,28%). RESULTADOS: Foi observado que a transfusão de plasma fresco congelado no grupo não disfunção renal foi de 2,05 ± 0,78 unidades e 3,80 ± 2,16 unidades no grupo disfunção renal com P= 0,032. CONCLUSÃO: Foi possível associar, nesta série de pacientes, que a transfusão de plasma fresco congelado foi um fator de risco para disfunção renal pós-operatório de cirurgia cardiovascular.

Dexmedetomidine and S(+)-ketamine in ischemia and reperfusion injury in the rat kidney

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)