Dipsticks and point-of-care Microscopy to reduce antibiotic use in women with an uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infection (MicUTI): protocol of a randomised controlled pilot trial in primary care.

Introduction: Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (uUTIs) in women are common infections encountered in primary care. Evidence suggests that rapid point-of-care tests (POCTs) to detect bacteria and erythrocytes in urine at presentation may help primary care clinicians to identify women with uUTIs in whom antibiotics can be withheld without influencing clinical outcomes. This pilot study aims to provide preliminary evidence on whether a POCT informed management of uUTI in women can safely reduce antibiotic use.

Role of platelet-derived growth factor-CC in capillary rarefaction in renal fibrosis.

We have identified platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-CC as a potent profibrotic mediator in kidney fibrosis and pro-angiogenic mediator in glomeruli. Because renal fibrosis is associated with progressive capillary rarefaction, we asked whether PDGF-CC neutralization in fibrosis might have detrimental anti-angiogenic effects leading to aggravated peritubular capillary loss. We analyzed capillary rarefaction in mice with and without PDGF-CC neutralization (using genetically deficient mice and neutralizing antibodies), in three different models of renal interstitial fibrosis, unilateral ureteral obstruction, unilateral ischemia-reperfusion, Col4a3-deficient (Alport) mice, and healthy animals.

Macrophage activation syndrome in a patient with pulmonary inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour.

We describe for the first time a case of macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in a patient with a history of inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour (inflammatory pseudotumour, IPT) of the lung and thoracic spine. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit with a history of prolonged remitting fever, hepatosplenomegaly, bilaterally enlarged thoracic lymph nodes and an acute severe inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). Up-regulated cytokine production (e.

Induction of progressive glomerulonephritis by podocyte-specific overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor-D.

Platelet-derived growth factor-D (PDGF-D), normally expressed in podocytes, mediates mesangial cell proliferation in vivo. To study this further, we created transgenic mice with podocyte-specific overexpression of PDGF-D. Hemizygous mice were grossly indistinguishable from wild-type littermates through 11 months of age; however, hemizygous mice older than 4 weeks commonly exhibited increased cell proliferation within the glomerular tuft.

PDGF-C mediates glomerular capillary repair.

Glomerular endothelial cell injury is a key component of a variety of diseases. Factors involved in glomerular endothelial cell repair are promising therapeutic agents for such diseases. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-C has pro-angiogenic properties; however, nothing is known about such functions in the kidney.

PDGF-C is a proinflammatory cytokine that mediates renal interstitial fibrosis.

PDGF-C is a potent mitogen for fibroblasts . Transgenic PDGF-C overexpression in the heart or liver induces organ fibrosis, and PDGF-C expression is upregulated at sites of interstitial fibrosis in human and rat kidneys; however, the effect of inhibiting PDGF-C on the development of renal fibrosis is unknown. Renal fibrosis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), and then mice were treated with neutralizing anti–PDGF-C antiserum or nonspecific IgG.

Complement C5 mediates experimental tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Renal fibrosis is the final common pathway of most progressive renal diseases. C5 was recently identified as a risk factor for liver fibrosis. This study investigated the role of C5 in the development of renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis by (1) induction of renal fibrosis in wild-type and C5(-/-) mice by unilateral ureteral ligation (UUO) and (2) investigation of the effects of a C5a receptor antagonist (C5aRA) in UUO.