Thoracic bilateral sympathectomy attenuates oxidative stress and prevents ventricular remodelling in experimental pulmonary hypertension.

Objectives: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a cardiopulmonary disease that affects the pulmonary vasculature, leading to increased afterload and eventually right ventricular (RV) remodelling and failure. Bilateral sympathectomy (BS) has shown promising results in dampening cardiac remodelling and dysfunction in several heart failure models. In the present study, we investigated whether BS reduces pulmonary arterial remodelling and mitigates RV remodelling and failure.

Perspectives of bilateral thoracic sympathectomy for treatment of heart failure.

Surgical neuromodulation therapies are still considered a last resort when standard therapies have failed for patients with progressive heart failure (HF). Although a number of experimental studies have provided robust evidence of its effectiveness, the lack of strong clinical evidence discourages practitioners. Thoracic unilateral sympathectomy has been extensively studied and has failed to show significant clinical improvement in HF patients.

XPR1 Mediates the Pancreatic β-Cell Phosphate Flush.

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion is the hallmark of the pancreatic β-cell, a critical player in the regulation of blood glucose concentration. In 1974, the remarkable observation was made that an efflux of intracellular inorganic phosphate (P) accompanied the events of stimulated insulin secretion. The mechanism behind this "phosphate flush," its association with insulin secretion, and its regulation have since then remained a mystery.

Effect of bilateral sympathectomy in a rat model of dilated cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin.

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the effect of bilateral sympathectomy on ventricular remodeling and function in a rat model of dilated cardiomyopathy induced by doxorubicin.

Methods: Dilated cardiomyopathy was induced in male Wistar rats by weekly intraperitoneal injection of doxorubicin (2 mg/kg) for 9 weeks. Animals were divided into 4 groups: dilated cardiomyopathy; bilateral sympathectomy, submitted on day 15 of the protocol to bilateral sympathectomy; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, treated with enalapril through day 15 until the end of the experimental protocol; and sham, nonsubmitted through doxorubicin protocol, with weekly intraperitoneal injections of saline solution (0.

Hypertonic Saline Modulates Heart Function and Myocardial Inflammatory Alterations in Brain-Dead Rats.

Background: Brain death (BD) in potential organ donors is responsible for hemodynamic instability and organ hypoperfusion, leading to myocardial dysfunction. Hypertonic saline (HS) is a volume expander with positive effects on hemodynamics and immunomodulation and was tested in this study to prevent left ventricular (LV) dysfunction and myocardial injury.

Methods: BD was induced in anesthetized Wistar rats by inflating a subdural balloon catheter, except in sham-operated animals (n = 6).

Hypertonic Saline Solution Reduces Microcirculatory Dysfunction and Inflammation in a Rat Model of Brain Death.

Background: Brain death (BD) induces hemodynamic instability with microcirculatory hypoperfusion, leading to increased organ inflammation and dysfunction. This study investigated the effects of 7.5% hypertonic saline solution (HSS) on mesenteric microcirculatory dysfunction and inflammation in a rat model of BD.

Evidence of bone marrow downregulation in brain-dead rats.

Experimental findings support the evidence of a persistent leucopenia triggered by brain death (BD). This study aimed to investigate leucocyte behaviour in bone marrow and blood after BD in rats. BD was induced using intracranial balloon catheter inflation.

Bilateral sympathectomy improves postinfarction left ventricular remodeling and function.

Objectives: To evaluate the influence of bilateral or left sympathectomy on left ventricular remodeling and function after myocardial infarction in rats.

Methods: Myocardial infarction was induced in rats by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary. Seven days later, rats were divided into 4 groups: the myocardial infarction, myocardial infarction with left sympathectomy, myocardial infarction with bilateral sympathectomy, and sham groups.

Effects of the association of diabetes and pulmonary emphysema on cardiac structure and function in rats.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is often associated with chronic comorbid conditions of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the association of diabetes and pulmonary emphysema on cardiac structure and function in rats. Wistar rats were divided into control non-diabetic instilled with saline (CS) or elastase (CE), diabetic instilled with saline (DS) or elastase (DE), DE treated with insulin (DEI) groups and echocardiographic measurements, morphometric analyses of the heart and lungs, and survival analysis conducted 50 days after instillation.

Mesenteric hypoperfusion and inflammation induced by brain death are not affected by inhibition of the autonomic storm in rats.

Objectives: Brain death is typically followed by autonomic changes that lead to hemodynamic instability, which is likely associated with microcirculatory dysfunction and inflammation. We evaluated the role of the microcirculation in the hemodynamic and inflammatory events that occur after brain death and the effects of autonomic storm inhibition via thoracic epidural blockade on mesenteric microcirculatory changes and inflammatory responses.

Methods: Male Wistar rats were anesthetized and mechanically ventilated.

Intrathecal injection of human umbilical cord blood stem cells attenuates spinal cord ischaemic compromise in rats.

Obectives: Spinal cord ischaemia with resulting paraplegia remains a devastating and unpredictable complication after thoraco-abdominal aortic surgery. With the advent of stem cell therapy and its potential to induce nervous tissue regeneration processes, the interest in the use of these cells as a treatment for neurological disorders has increased. Human stem cells, derived from the umbilical cord, are one of the strong candidates used in cell therapy for spinal cord injury because of weak immunogenicity and ready availability.

Evaluation of ionic degradation and slot corrosion of metallic brackets by the action of different dentifrices.

Objective: To evaluate the in vitro ionic degradation and slot base corrosion of metallic brackets subjected to brushing with dentifrices, through analysis of chemical composition by Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and qualitative analysis by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).

Methods: Thirty eight brackets were selected and randomly divided into four experimental groups (n = 7). Two groups (n = 5) worked as positive and negative controls.

Paradoxical effects of brain death and associated trauma on rat mesenteric microcirculation: an intravital microscopic study.

Objective: Experimental findings support clinical evidence that brain death impairs the viability of organs for transplantation, triggering hemodynamic, hormonal, and inflammatory responses. However, several of these events could be consequences of brain death-associated trauma. This study investigated microcirculatory alterations and systemic inflammatory markers in brain-dead rats and the influence of the associated trauma.