Differential contribution of renal cytochrome P450 enzymes to kidney endothelial dysfunction and vascular oxidative stress in obesity.

Arachidonic acid (AA)-derived cytochrome P450 (CYP) derivatives, epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and 20-hidroxyeicosatetranoic acid (20-HETE), play a key role in kidney tubular and vascular functions and blood pressure. Altered metabolism of CYP epoxygenases and CYP hydroxylases has differentially been involved in the pathogenesis of metabolic disease-associated vascular complications, although the mechanisms responsible for the vascular injury are unclear. The present study aimed to assess whether obesity-induced changes in CYP enzymes may contribute to oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction in kidney preglomerular arteries.

Control of redox potential in hybridoma cultures: effects on MAb production, metabolism, and apoptosis.

Culture redox potential (CRP) has proven to be a valuable monitoring tool in several areas of biotechnology; however, it has been scarcely used in animal cell culture. In this work, a proportional feedback control was employed, for the first time, to maintain the CRP at different constant values in hybridoma batch cultures for production of a monoclonal antibody (MAb). Reducing and oxidant conditions, in the range of -130 and +70 mV, were maintained in 1-l bioreactors through automatic control of the inlet gas composition.

Effect of urbanisation on asthma, allergy and airways inflammation in a developing country setting.

Background: Asthma is a growing public health problem in developing countries. However, few studies have studied the role of urbanisation in this phenomenon. It was hypothesised that children living in a peri-urban setting in Peru have higher rates of asthma and allergy than rural counterparts.

Effects of distance from a heavily transited avenue on asthma and atopy in a periurban shantytown in Lima, Peru.

Background: Proximity to roadways increases the risk of asthma in developed countries; however, relatively little is known about this relationship in developing countries, where rapid and uncontrolled growth of cities has resulted in urban sprawl and heavy traffic volumes.

Objective: We sought to determine the effect of distance from a heavily transited avenue on asthma symptoms and quantitative respiratory outcome measures in a periurban shantytown in Lima, Peru.

Methods: We enrolled 725 adolescents aged 13 to 15 years who were administered a survey on asthma symptoms and measured spirometry, response to allergy skin testing, and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO).