Equine Placentitis in Mares Induces the Secretion of Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine IL-1β and the Active Extracellular Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-9.

Equine placentitis is characterized by infection and inflammation of the placenta. Different biomarkers associated with this inflammatory response have been evaluated in experimentally induced equine placentitis, but not in pregnant mares with spontaneous placentitis. The aim of the current study was to determine the concentration of IL-1β and the activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the serum of healthy mares and mares with placentitis on days 240 and 320 of gestation to explore whether these biomarkers are associated with equine maternal placentitis and/or with the birth of an infected or inviable foals.

Differential proMMP-2 and proMMP-9 secretion in human pre-implantation embryos at day 5 of development.

Morphological development is the most common non-invasive criterion used to select in vitro human embryos for implantation. With this criterion, however, embryos in cellular arrest go unnoticed. A more accurate criterion is needed to improve the success rate of implantation.

MiR-191-5p is upregulated in culture media of implanted human embryo on day fifth of development.

Background: Morphological features are the most common criteria used to select human embryos for transfer to a receptive uterine cavity. However, such characteristics are not valid for embryos in cellular arrest. Even aneuploid embryos can have normal morphology, and some euploid embryos have aberrant morphology.

Possible Mechanisms Involved in the Vasorelaxant Effect Produced by Anorexigenic Drugs in Rat Aortic Rings.

Anorexigenics are compounds capable of reducing or suppressing appetite. Their three main types act on different neurotransmitters, either norepinephrine, serotonin or a combination of both. Among the drugs that act on norepinephrine are fenproporex, amfepramone and clobenzorex.

Pharmacological characterization of mechanisms involved in the vasorelaxation produced by rosuvastatin in aortic rings from rats with a cafeteria-style diet.

The present study aimed to investigate the possible influence of several inhibitors and blockers on the vascular effect produced by the acute in vitro application of rosuvastatin to phenylephrine-precontracted aortic rings from rats with a semi-solid, cafeteria-style (CAF) diet. It also aimed to examine the effects of rosuvastatin on the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), inducible nitric oxide synthase, constitutive cyclooxygenase, and inducible cyclooxygenase in aortic rings from rats with a CAF diet. From comparisons of the effect on phenylephrine-precontracted aortic rings extracted from rats with two different diets (a standard and a CAF diet), it was found that 10(-9) -10(-5) -mol/L rosuvastatin produced lower concentration-dependent vasorelaxation on rings from the CAF diet group.

Rapid and sensitive determination of levofloxacin in microsamples of human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography and its application in a pharmacokinetic study.

A rapid, sensitive and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic assay with ultraviolet detection was developed for the quantification of levofloxacin in microsamples (100 μL) of human plasma. The extraction procedure included a protein precipitation technique and a short chromatographic running time (4.5 min).

Mechanism of the relaxant effect of rosuvastatin lactone on rat aortic rings.

The relaxant effect of the lactone of rosuvastatin was evaluated on aortic rings from male Wistar rats (250-300 g) with and without endothelium, precontracted with 1.0 microM phenylephrine. The lactone presented a greater potency than rosuvastatin in relaxing aortic rings.

[Intracellular calcium-dependent contractile effects of serotonin in the human umbilical artery].

Background: Absence of innervation is a hallmark of human umbilical vessels. Intervillous space blood flow is regulated by vasoactive substances and calcium dependent contractility, both in normal and pathological conditions such as preeclampsia-eclampsia.

Objective: To obtain additional information on the intracellular calcium contractile effects of serotonin in human umbilical arteries.