Quality of life on hemodialysis and inflammation: a descriptive analysis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent worldwide. Patients with CKD on hemodialysis are more likely to present behavioral changes and worse quality of life as a result of their routine and complications. They also have higher levels of cytokines. The aim of this study is to assess the relationship between the inflammatory profile and quality of life measured by KDOQL-SF36 in hemodialysis outpatients. Patients older than 21 years of age and on routine hemodialysis for at least 6 months with treatment on a regular weekly basis were included and their anthropometric parameters and serum inflammatory markers were evaluated. Thirty patients consented to participate. Homocysteine (Hcy) levels were correlated with worse glomerular filtration rate (GFR; P=0.003) and creatinine (P=0.002). IL-6 was not correlated with worse nutritional status taking into account body mass index (BMI; kg/m2; P=0.83). On the other hand, TNF-alpha was positively correlated with albumin (P=0.008), nutritional status by BMI (P=0.04), and nutritional status by arm circumference area (P=0.04). IL-6 was correlated with activity limitation (P=0.02) and Hcy with work status (P=0.04). Hcy was correlated with nutritional status and inflammatory markers. In this population, the majority of the sections in KDOQL-SF36 were not correlated with cytokines levels.

Assessment of swim-up and discontinuous density gradient in sperm sex preselection for bovine embryo production / Avaliação do swim-up e do gradiente descontinuo de densidade na pré-seleção do sexo de espermatozoides na produção de embriões bovinos

The purpose of this work was to associate the modified swim-up method with centrifugation in density gradient for the separation of X-bearing spermatozoa. Sperm viability and integrity were evaluated through the Trypan Blue/Giemsa staining method. Quality control of centrifuged spermatozoa was performed in in vitro produced embryos. The results were validated by the sex ratio of in vitro produced embryos using PCR by Y- specific sequences present in bovine male genomic DNA. After determining genetic sex of in vitro produced embryos, the results showed difference (P<0.05) in deviation of sex ratio when comparing the control group (45.2% females) with the other spermatozoa selection procedures (60.6% females) (P<0.05). The sperm selection methods are capable of selecting X-bearing spermatozoa without compromising the spermatozoa fertility (cleavage and blastocyst rates, 70% and 26%, respectively) and were considered relevant methods to be introduced in bovine in vitro produced embryo programs.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi associar o método de swim-up modificado à centrifugação em gradiente de densidade para a separação de espermatozoides portadores do cromossomo X. A viabilidade e a integridade espermática foram avaliadas pelo método de coloração Azul de Tripan e Giemsa. O controle de qualidade dos espermatozoides centrifugados foi realizado por meio da produção in vitro de embriões bovinos. Os resultados foram validados pela técnica de PCR para verificar a proporção sexual dos embriões produzidos in vitro, com o uso de sequências Y especificas presente no DNA genômico de machos bovinos. Após determinar o sexo genético dos embriões produzidos in vitro, os resultados não mostraram diferença (P<0,05) no desvio da proporção do sexo quando comparou o grupo controle (45,2% de fêmeas) com os outros processos de seleção de espermatozoides (60,6% de fêmeas) (P<0,05). Os métodos de seleção de espermatozoides são capazes de selecionar espermatozoides portadores do cromossomo X sem comprometer a fertilidade, medida pelas taxas de clivagem e blastocisto de 70% e 26%, respectivamente, e foram considerados métodos de relevância para serem introduzidos nos programas de produção in vitro de embriões bovinos.