Resumo em Inglês:

Autologous blood transfusion (ABT) has been gradually attracting more attention due to the increasingly prominent problem of blood transfusion safety and blood shortage in recent years. With the rapid development of blood conservation techniques, blood component separation technology, blood transfusion medicine and a constant increase in clinical needs, ABT technology has been expanded and innovated to a large degree. In this study, the development of preoperative autologous blood donation (PABD), acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH), intraoperative and postoperative autotransfusion, and other new technologies and theories are reviewed and existing questions are analyzed. Challenges and applications are also discussed in order to provide reference for peers.

Resumo em Inglês:

Improving overall health and quality of life, preventing diseases and increasing life expectancy are key concerns in the field of public health. The search for antioxidants that can inhibit oxidative damage in cells has received a lot of attention. Rosmarinus officinalis L. represents an exceptionally rich source of bioactive compounds with pharmacological properties. In the present study, we explored the effects of the ethanolic extract of R. officinalis (eeRo) on stress resistance and longevity using the non-parasitic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model. We report for the first time that eeRo increased resistance against oxidative and thermal stress and extended C. elegans longevity in an insulin/IGF signaling pathway-dependent manner. These data emphasize the eeRo beneficial effects on C. elegans under stress.

Resumo em Inglês:

Inflammation plays a pivotal role in ischemic stroke, when activated microglia release excessive pro-inflammatory mediators. The inhibition of integrin αvβ3 improves outcomes in rat focal cerebral ischemia models. However, the mechanisms by which microglia are neuroprotective remain unclear. This study evaluated whether post-ischemic treatment with another integrin αvβ3 inhibitor, the cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide-cGRGDdvc (LXW7), alleviates cerebral ischemic injury. The anti-inflammatory effect of LXW7 in activated microglia within rat focal cerebral ischemia models was examined. A total of 108 Sprague-Dawley rats (250–280 g) were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). After 2 h, the rats were given an intravenous injection of LXW7 (100 μg/kg) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). Neurological scores, infarct volumes, brain water content (BWC) and histology alterations were determined. The expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β)], and Iba1-positive activated microglia, within peri-ischemic brain tissue, were assessed with ELISA, western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Infarct volumes and BWC were significantly lower in LXW7-treated rats compared to those in the MCAO + PBS (control) group. The LXW7 treatment lowered the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. There was a reduction of Iba1-positive activated microglia, and the TNF-α and IL-1β expressions were attenuated. However, there was no difference in the Zea Longa scores between the ischemia and LXW7 groups. The results suggest that LXW7 protected against focal cerebral ischemia and attenuated inflammation in activated microglia. LXW7 may be neuroprotective during acute MCAO-induced brain damage and microglia-related neurodegenerative diseases.

Resumo em Inglês:

The present study sought to determine cardiovascular effects of aerobic training associated with diminazene aceturate (DIZE), an activator of the angiotensin converting enzyme 2, in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Male SHRs (280–350 g) were either subjected to exercise training or not (sedentary group). The trained group was subjected to 8 weeks of aerobic training on a treadmill (five times a week, lasting 60 min at an intensity of 50–60% of maximum aerobic speed). In the last 15 days of the experimental protocol, these groups were redistributed into four groups: i) sedentary SHRs with daily treatment of 1 mg/kg DIZE (S+D1); ii) trained SHRs with daily treatment of 1 mg/kg DIZE (T+D1); iii) sedentary SHRs with daily treatment of vehicle (S+V); and iv) trained SHRs with daily treatment of vehicle (T+V). After treatment, SHRs were anesthetized and subjected to artery and femoral vein cannulation prior to the implantation of ECG electrode. After 24 h, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were recorded; the baroreflex sensitivity and the effect of double autonomic blockade (DAB) were evaluated in non-anesthetized SHRs. DIZE treatment improved baroreflex sensitivity in the T+D1 group as compared with the T+V and S+D1 groups. The intrinsic heart rate (IHR) and MAP were reduced in T+D1 group as compared with T+V and S+D1 groups. Hence, we conclude that the association of exercise training with DIZE treatment improved baroreflex function and cardiovascular regulation.

Resumo em Inglês:

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a disabling condition resulting in deficits of sensory and motor functions, and has no effective treatment. Considering that protocols with stem cell transplantation and treadmill training have shown promising results, the present study evaluated the effectiveness of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHEDs) transplantation combined with treadmill training in rats with experimental spinal cord injury. Fifty-four Wistar rats were spinalized using NYU impactor. The rats were randomly distributed into 5 groups: Sham (laminectomy with no SCI, n=10); SCI (laminectomy followed by SCI, n=12); SHEDs (SCI treated with SHEDs, n=11); TT (SCI treated with treadmill training, n=11); SHEDs+TT (SCI treated with SHEDs and treadmill training; n=10). Treatment with SHEDs alone or in combination with treadmill training promoted functional recovery, reaching scores of 15 and 14, respectively, in the BBB scale, being different from the SCI group, which reached 11. SHEDs treatment was able to reduce the cystic cavity area and glial scar, increase neurofilament. Treadmill training alone had no functional effectiveness or tissue effects. In a second experiment, the SHEDs transplantation reduced the TNF-α levels in the cord tissue measured 6 h after the injury. Contrary to our hypothesis, treadmill training either alone or in combination, caused no functional improvement. However, SHEDs showed to be neuroprotective, by the reduction of TNF-α levels, the cystic cavity and the glial scar associated with the improvement of motor function after SCI. These results provide evidence that grafted SHEDs might be an effective therapy to spinal cord lesions, with possible anti-inflammatory action.

Resumo em Inglês:

Multi-center epidemiological studies must ascertain that their measurements are accurate and reliable. For laboratory measurements, reliability can be assessed through investigation of reproducibility of measurements in the same individual. In this paper, we present results from the quality control analysis of the baseline laboratory measurements from the ELSA-Brasil study. The study enrolled 15,105 civil servants at 6 research centers in 3 regions of Brazil between 2008–2010, with multiple biochemical analytes being measured at a central laboratory. Quality control was ascertained through standard laboratory evaluation of intra- and inter-assay variability and test-retest analysis in a subset of randomly chosen participants. An additional sample of urine or blood was collected from these participants, and these samples were handled in the same manner as the original ones, locally and at the central laboratory. Reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), estimated through a random effects model. Coefficients of variation (CV) and Bland-Altman plots were additionally used to assess measurement variability. Laboratory intra and inter-assay CVs varied from 0.86% to 7.77%. From test-retest analyses, the ICCs were high for the majority of the analytes. Notably lower ICCs were observed for serum sodium (ICC=0.50; 95%CI=0.31–0.65) and serum potassium (ICC=0.73; 95%CI=0.60–0.83), due to the small biological range of these analytes. The CVs ranged from 1 to 14%. The Bland-Altman plots confirmed these results. The quality control analyses showed that the collection, processing and measurement protocols utilized in the ELSA-Brasil produced reliable biochemical measurements.

Resumo em Inglês:

Although long regarded as the gold standard for liver fibrosis staging in chronic hepatitis C (CHC), liver biopsy (LB) implies both the risk of an invasive procedure and significant variability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance for transient elastography (TE) and aspartate aminotransferase to platelet index (APRI) used alone and in combination compared to liver biopsy and to analyze false positive/negative results. Patients with CHC, and no previous clinical diagnosis of cirrhosis were enrolled to undergo liver biopsy, TE and APRI. A total of 182 adult patients with a median age of 55 years and median body mass index of 26.71 kg/m2 were analyzed. On LB, 56% of patients had significant levels of fibrosis (METAVIR F≥2) and 28% had advanced fibrosis (F3/F4). The strongest performance for both tests was observed for exclusion of advanced fibrosis with good negative predictive values (89 and 86%, respectively). Low necroinflammatory activity on LB was associated with false negative TE. False positives were associated with NASH and smaller LB fragments. Correlation between APRI and Fibroscan for F≥2 was 100% and 84% for F≥3 and remained high in both false negative and false positive instances, correctly identifying F<2 in 71% of cases and F<3 in 78% (and potentially foregoing up to 84% of LB). We concluded that low individual performance indicators could be attributable to limitations of LB. Poorer differentiation of lower levels of fibrosis is a known issue for LB and remains so for noninvasive tests. Good predictability is possible, however, for advanced fibrosis.

Resumo em Inglês:

Although oxidative stress and inflammation are important mechanisms in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and preterm diseases, their contribution to the respiratory prognosis of premature infants of hypertensive mothers is not known. Our objective was to determine the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation markers in the airways of premature infants born to hypertensive and normotensive mothers, in the first 72 h of life, and to investigate whether they are predictors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)/death. This was a prospective study with premature infants less than 34 weeks’ gestation on respiratory support who were stratified into 2 groups: 32 premature infants of hypertensive mothers and 41 of normotensive women, with a mean gestational age of 29 weeks. Exclusion criteria were as follows: diabetes mellitus, chorioamnionitis, malformation, congenital infection, and death within 24 h after birth. The outcome of interest was BPD/death. Malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and interleukin 8 (IL-8) were measured in airway aspirates from the first and third days of life and did not differ between the groups. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed. The concentrations of MDA, NO, and IL-8 were not predictors of BPD/death. Premature infants who developed BPD/death had higher levels of IL-8 in the first days of life. The gestational age, mechanical ventilation, and a small size for gestational age were risk factors for BPD/death. In conclusion, the biomarkers evaluated were not increased in premature infants of hypertensive mothers and were not predictors of BPD/death.

Resumo em Inglês:

We used a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to study the inspiratory airflow profiles of patients with anterior nasal cavity stenosis who underwent curative surgery, by comparing pre- and postoperative airflow characteristics. Twenty patients with severe anterior nasal cavity stenosis, including one case of bilateral stenosis, underwent computed tomography (CT) scans for CFD modelling. The pre- and postoperative airflow characteristics of the nasal cavity were simulated and analyzed. The narrowest area of the nasal cavity in all 20 patients was located within the nasal valve area, and the mean cross-sectional area increased from 0.39 cm2 preoperative to 0.78 cm2 postoperative (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the mean airflow velocity in the nasal valve area decreased from 6.19 m/s to 2.88 m/s (P<0.01). Surgical restoration of the nasal symmetry in the bilateral nasal cavity reduced nasal resistance in the narrow sides from 0.24 Pa.s/mL to 0.11 Pa.s/mL (P<0.01). Numerical simulation of the nasal cavity in patients with anterior nasal cavity stenosis revealed structural changes and the resultant patterns of nasal airflow. Surgery achieved balanced bilateral nasal ventilation and decreased nasal resistance in the narrow region of the nasal cavity. The correction of nasal valve stenosis is not only indispensable for reducing nasal resistance, but also the key to obtain satisfactory curative effect.

Resumo em Inglês:

Galunisertib (LY2157299), a selective ATP-mimetic inhibitor of TGF-β receptor I (TGF-βRI), is the only known TGF-β pathway inhibitor. In the present study, we investigated the effect of galunisertib on taurocholate (TAC)-induced acute pancreatitis (AP) in rats, and the role of TGF-β and NF-κB signaling pathways. AP was induced by infusion of TAC into the pancreatic duct of Sprague-Dawley male rats (n=30). The rats (220±50 g) were administered galunisertib intragastrically [75 mg·kg-1·day-1 for 2 days (0 and 24 h)]. Serum IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, amylase (AMY), lipase (LIP), and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were measured by ELISA. NF-κB activity was detected by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA); NF-κBp65 and TGF-β1 proteins, as well as TGF-βRI and p-Smad2/3 proteins, were detected by western blot assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay. H&E staining was used to evaluate the histopathological alterations of the pancreas. Galunisertib treatment attenuated the severity of AP and decreased the pancreatic histological score. In addition, number of apoptotic cells were significantly increased in the galunisertib-treated group (16.38±2.26) than in the AP group (8.14±1.27) and sham-operated group (1.82±0.73; P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Galunisertib decreased the expression levels of TGF-βRI and p-Smad2/3 and inhibited NF-κB activation and p65 translocation compared with the sham-operated group. Furthermore, serum IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, AMY and LIP levels and tissue MPO activity were significantly decreased in the galunisertib-treated group. Our data demonstrate that galunisertib attenuates the severity of TAC-induced experimental AP in rats by inducing apoptosis in the pancreas, inhibiting the activation of TGF-β signals and NF-κB as well as the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Resumo em Inglês:

T lymphocytes are important in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, and increasing evidence indicates that B cells also play an important role. The mechanisms of action, however, remain unclear. We evaluated the ratios of CD19+ B cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 157 patients with psoriasis (65 patients with psoriasis vulgaris, 32 patients with erythrodermic psoriasis, 30 patients with arthropathic psoriasis, and 30 patients with pustular psoriasis) and 35 healthy controls (HCs). Ratios of CD19+ B cells in skin lesions were compared with non-lesions in 7 erythrodermic psoriasis patients. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was used to measure disease severity. CD19+ B cell ratios in PBMCs from psoriasis vulgaris (at both the active and stationary stage) and arthropathic psoriasis patients were higher compared with HCs (P<0.01), but ratios were lower in erythrodermic and pustular psoriasis patients (P<0.01). CD19+ B cell ratios in erythrodermic psoriasis skin lesions were higher than in non-lesion areas (P<0.001). Different subsets of CD19+CD40+, CD19+CD44+, CD19+CD80+, CD19+CD86+, CD19+CD11b+, and CD19+HLA-DR+ B cells in PBMCs were observed in different psoriasis clinical subtypes. PASI scores were positively correlated with CD19+ B cell ratios in psoriasis vulgaris and arthropathic psoriasis cases (r=0.871 and r=0.692, respectively, P<0.01), but were negatively correlated in pustular psoriasis (r=-0.569, P<0.01). The results indicated that similar to T cells, B cells activation may also play important roles in different pathological stages of psoriasis.