Low technology, mild controlled hypothermia for necrotizing enterocolitis treatment: an initiative to improve healthcare to preterm neonates.

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) treatment remains unchanged for years. Data suggest that mild controlled hypothermia could potentially improve NEC outcomes. Our units presented unfavourable outcomes on NEC.

Botulinum toxin as a treatment for short bowel syndrome in rats.

Purpose: The denervation of the intestine with benzalkonium chloride (BAC) reduces mortality and improves weight gain in rats with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Nevertheless, translating these promising findings from bench to bedside is not feasible because BAC promotes peritonitis and irreversible denervation which may be followed by an uncontrolled dilatation of the viscera. The use of botulinum toxin (BT) instead of BAC to achieve the denervation of the remaining small intestine in SBS could be an interesting option because it leads to a mild and transient denervation of the intestine.

Therapeutic efficacy and biodistribution of allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells delivered by intrasplenic and intrapancreatic routes in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.

Introduction: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have the ability to express and secrete a wide range of immunomodulatory molecules, cytokines, growth factors and antiapoptotic proteins. MSCs modulate both innate and adaptive immune responses making them potential candidates for the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). However, one problem frequently associated with the systemic MSCs administration is the entrapment of the cells mainly in the lungs.

Enteral antioxidants in ischemia/reperfusion injuries in rats.

Objective: To evaluate the role of pre-treatment with dietary antioxidants in an experimental model of intestinal injury of ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in rats.

Methods: Ninety adult male Wistar rats were used. An intestinal segment was isolated based on its vascular pedicle.

[Fetal bilateral obstructive uropathies: ultrasound findings during pregnancy and postnatal outcomes].

Purpose: to verify the association between ultrasonographic signs during gestation and post-delivery evolution in fetuses with bilateral obstructive uropathies, followed up in an expectant way.

Methods: fetuses with bilateral obstructive uropathies presenting severe oligoamnios and narrow thorax have been compared with fetuses with bilateral obstructive uropathies without those alterations, concerning the presence or absence of cysts in both kidneys, and the presence or absence of parenchymal hyperechogenicity in both kidneys. Cases of neonatal death were compared with cases of neonatal discharge from the nursery, regarding the same renal echographic aspects mentioned above, the presence of severe oligoamnios and narrow thorax.

Ablation of primary afferent neurons by neonatal capsaicin treatment reduces the susceptibility of the portal hypertensive gastric mucosa to ethanol-induced injury in cirrhotic rats.

Primary sensory afferent neurons modulate the hyperdynamic circulation in cirrhotic rats with portal hypertension. The stomach of cirrhotic rats is prone to damage induced by ethanol, a phenomenon associated with reduced gastric hyperemic response to acid-back diffusion. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of ablation of capsaicin-sensitive neurons and the tachykinin NK(1) receptor antagonist A5330 on the susceptibility of the portal hypertensive gastric mucosa to ethanol-induced injury and its effects on gastric cyclooxygenase (COX) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) mRNA expression.