Functional involvement of RFVT3/SLC52A3 in intestinal riboflavin absorption.

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is transported across the biological membrane into various organs by transport systems. Riboflavin transporter RFVT3 is expressed in the small intestine and has been suggested to localize in the apical membranes of the intestinal epithelial cells. In this study, we investigated the functional involvement of RFVT3 in riboflavin absorption using intestinal epithelial T84 cells and mouse small intestine.

ROS dependence of cyclooxygenase-2 induction in rats subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction.

Oxidative stress resulting from unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) may be aggravated by increased production of ROS. Previous studies have demonstrated increased cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression in renal medullary interstitial cells (RMICs) in response to UUO. We investigated, both in vivo and in vitro, the role of ROS in the induction of COX-2 in rats subjected to UUO and in RMICs exposed to oxidative and mechanical stress.

Effect of chronic renal failure on the hepatic, intestinal, and renal expression of bile acid transporters.

Although the kidney is believed to play a minor role in bile acid (BA) excretion, chronic renal failure (CRF) has been reported to be associated with increased serum bile acid levels and alterations in BA homeostasis. The mechanisms for elevated BA levels are poorly understood in both clinical and experimental studies. This study was designed to examine the effects of naturally progressing CRF of longer duration on the hepatic and renal mRNA and protein levels of the BA-synthesizing enzyme Cyp7a1 and the BA transporters Ntcp, Bsep, Mrp3, Ost-α, and Ost-β.

Targeting CD162 protects against streptococcal M1 protein-evoked neutrophil recruitment and lung injury.

Streptococcus pyogenes of the M1 serotype can cause streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and acute lung damage. CD162 is an adhesion molecule that has been reported to mediate neutrophil recruitment in acute inflammatory reactions. In this study, the purpose was to investigate the role of CD162 in M1 protein-provoked lung injury.

The value of experimental models of colitis in predicting efficacy of biological therapies for inflammatory bowel diseases.

During the last decade, biological therapies have an increasing share in the modern therapeutics of various diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Animal models of IBD have often been used to identify the targets of biological therapies, to test their relevance to disease pathogenesis, to assess their therapeutic efficacy in vivo, and to check for drug toxicity. In the field of inflammatory diseases the majority of biologics under development have failed to reach the clinic.

Erythropoietin ameliorates podocyte injury in advanced diabetic nephropathy in the db/db mouse.

Podocyte damage and accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are characteristics of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The pathophysiology of AGE-challenged podocytes, such as hypertrophy, apoptosis, and reduced cell migration, is closely related to the induction of the cell cycle inhibitor p27(Kip1) and to the inhibition of neuropilin 1 (NRP1). We have previously demonstrated that treatment with erythropoietin is associated with protective effects for podocytes in vitro.

A new reconstructive technique for posterior vaginal wall defects, a case report.

Introduction: Post-partum vaginal laxity is a problem encountered by many women. More uncommon is a resulting vaginal defect. In most cases of laxity, a period of extensive physiotherapy can strengthen the pelvic muscles enough for symptoms to be minimized.

Retrospective analysis of 314 orbital fractures.

Objective: The aim of this study was to retrospectively review the orbital fractures treated at our institution, especially epidemiologic aspects, treatment options, and postoperative sequelae.

Study Design: Three hundred fourteen patients with orbital fractures treated at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Central University Hospital in Asturias (Spain) between 2000 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were evaluated by age, gender, etiology, diagnostic tools, fracture pattern, treatment, and complications.

Effects of cardiac preload reduction and dobutamine on hepatosplanchnic blood flow regulation in porcine endotoxemia.

Insufficient cardiac preload and impaired contractility are frequent in early sepsis. We explored the effects of acute cardiac preload reduction and dobutamine on hepatic arterial (Qha) and portal venous (Qpv) blood flows during endotoxin infusion. We hypothesized that the hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR) is absent during preload reduction and reduced by dobutamine.

Egocentric and allocentric alignment tasks are affected by otolith input.

Gravicentric visual alignments become less precise when the head is roll-tilted relative to gravity, which is most likely due to decreasing otolith sensitivity. To align a luminous line with the perceived gravity vector (gravicentric task) or the perceived body-longitudinal axis (egocentric task), the roll orientation of the line on the retina and the torsional position of the eyes relative to the head must be integrated to obtain the line orientation relative to the head. Whether otolith input contributes to egocentric tasks and whether the modulation of variability is restricted to vision-dependent paradigms is unknown.

Dietary taurine reduces zinc-induced toxicity in male Wistar rats.

Taurine is an agent for treating the heavy metal intoxication and presence of metals such as zinc, copper, and iron may have a role in heavy metal toxicity, a study was undertaken to investigate the effect of taurine on the toxicity of zinc in male Wistar rats. The rats were divided into 8 groups and fed different diets with or without supplement of 5% taurine and 150 to 600 ppm zinc for 2 mo. It was found that the body weight of rats, the ratios of liver and kidney weight to body weight, and the level of glutathione in the liver were decreased with increasing the dose of zinc.

The use of specific monoclonal antibodies to target immunogenic tumor membrane proteins in patients with recurrent pancreatic and colon cancer.

Tumor associated antigens from pooled allogeneic membrane proteins were isolated, partially purified and tested as a possible vaccine in patients with stage II and III colon cancer. The vaccine, when given in combination with an adjuvant following surgical resection, resulted in marked improvement in survival compared to control patients having only undergone surgical resection of their tumor. While it was possible to demonstrate that patients receiving vaccine turned on both humoral and cell mediated responses, it appears that survivors remaining free of disease at 5-7 yrs post op were able to mount a strong IgG1 response as the primary mechanism for tumor destruction.

Effects of vitamin D3 on the expression of growth-related oncogene-α in THP-1 cells and human primary monocytes.

Asthma and many autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, have been reported to associate with vitamin D deficiency recently. Growth-related oncogene-α (GRO-α)/CXCL1, a neutrophil-related chemokine, have an important influence on the chronic inflammation of these diseases. It is unknown whether vitamin D has regulatory effects on GRO-α expression in human monocytes.

The role of the stomach in the control of appetite and the secretion of satiation peptides.

It is widely accepted that gastric parameters such as gastric distention provide a direct negative feedback signal to inhibit eating; moreover, gastric and intestinal signals have been reported to synergize to promote satiation. However, there are few human data exploring the potential interaction effects of gastric and intestinal signals in the short-term control of appetite and the secretion of satiation peptides. We performed experiments in healthy subjects receiving either a rapid intragastric load or a continuous intraduodenal infusion of glucose or a mixed liquid meal.

Stress can affect drug pharmacokinetics via serum/tissues protein binding and blood flow rate alterations.

Binding of drugs to plasma and tissue proteins is critically involved in their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Stress affects drugs' protein binding via alterations in plasma proteins' levels and excessive increase of free fatty acids due to cortisol-induced fat mobilisation. Free fatty acids play a crucial antagonistic role to drugs for the binding sites on albumin, the major binding plasma protein, resulting in subtherapeutic or toxic levels of many medications' pharmacological classes (oral anticoagulants, beta-lactames, fluoroquinolones, local anaesthetics).

Relationships between the lung clearance index and conductive and acinar ventilation heterogeneity.

The lung clearance index (LCI) derived from a multiple breath washout test has regained considerable popularity in recent years, alternatively being promoted as an early detection tool or a marker of small airways function. In this study, we systematically investigated the link between LCI and indexes of acinar and conductive airways ventilation heterogeneity (Sacin, Scond) to assess potential contributions from both lung zones. Relationships were examined in 55 normal subjects after provocation, where only Scond is known to be markedly increased, and in 55 asthma patients after bronchodilation, in whom both Scond and Sacin ranged between normal and abnormal.

Ethyl pyruvate ameliorates albuminuria and glomerular injury in the animal model of diabetic nephropathy.

Pyruvate is an endogenous antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance. The present study was implemented to investigate the protective effect of ethyl pyruvate (EP) against the development and progression of diabetic nephropathy in an in vivo and in vitro model. Diabetic rats were prepared by injecting streptozotocin (65 mg/kg).

Dendritic cell functional properties in a three-dimensional tissue model of human lung mucosa.

In lung tissue, dendritic cells (DC) are found in close association with the epithelial cell layer, and there is evidence of DC regulation by the epithelium; that epithelial dysfunction leads to overzealous immune cell activation. However, dissecting basic mechanisms of DC interactions with epithelial cells in human tissue is difficult. Here, we describe a method to generate a three-dimensional organotypic model of the human airway mucosa in which we have implanted human DC.

Sleep deprivation induces excess diuresis and natriuresis in healthy children.

Urine production is reduced at night, allowing undisturbed sleep. This study was undertaken to show the effect of sleep deprivation (SD) on urine production in healthy children. Special focus was on gender and children at an age where enuresis is still prominent.

COX-2 disruption leads to increased central vasopressin stores and impaired urine concentrating ability in mice.

It was hypothesized that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity promotes urine concentrating ability through stimulation of vasopressin (AVP) release after water deprivation (WD). COX-2-deficient (COX-2(-/-), C57BL/6) and wild-type (WT) mice were water deprived for 24 h, and water balance, central AVP mRNA and peptide level, AVP plasma concentration, and AVP-regulated renal transport protein abundances were measured. In male COX-2(-/-), basal urine output and water intake were elevated while urine osmolality was decreased compared with WT.

Reduced diffusion of charge-modified, conformationally intact anionic Ficoll relative to neutral Ficoll across the rat glomerular filtration barrier in vivo.

The glomerular filtration barrier (GFB) is commonly conceived as a negatively charged sieve to proteins. Recent studies, however, indicate that glomerular charge effects are small for anionic, carboxymethylated (CM) dextran vs. neutral dextran.

Effects of different acute hypoxic regimens on tissue oxygen profiles and metabolic outcomes.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) causes intermittent hypoxia (IH) during sleep. Both obesity and OSA are associated with insulin resistance and systemic inflammation, which may be attributable to tissue hypoxia. We hypothesized that a pattern of hypoxic exposure determines both oxygen profiles in peripheral tissues and systemic metabolic outcomes, and that obesity has a modifying effect.

The action of the canine diaphragm on the lower ribs depends on activation.

Conventional wisdom maintains that the diaphragm lifts the lower ribs during isolated contraction. Recent studies in dogs have shown, however, that supramaximal, tetanic stimulation of the phrenic nerves displaces the lower ribs caudally and inward. In the present study, the hypothesis was tested that the action of the canine diaphragm on these ribs depends on the magnitude of muscle activation.

Techniques for microsurgical reconstruction of obstructive azoospermia.

About 10%-15% of infertile men present with azoospermia, and ductal obstruction is the cause in 40% of them. For about 25-30 years, microsurgical reconstruction was the only way to manage obstructive azoospermia, and several innovative techniques have been developed and implemented. Presently, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are available for these men as an alternative to surgery.