Salidroside induced repair of myocardial infarction through Nrf2/HO-1

Abstract Salidroside (SAL) has been confirmed to have some protective effects against inflammatory injury. However, little information was established as to the mechanism of these protective effects. To this effect, we designed this study to explore the protective effects and mechanisms of SAL against myocardial infarction (MI). A rat MI model was established and divided into five groups (n = 6): sham, MI, MI+SAL, MI+ LY294002 (PI3K inhibitor), and MI+SAL+ LY294002. The cardiac function and histological pathology were analyzed with a color Doppler ultrasonic diagnostic instrument. Anti-oxidative enzyme activities and the production of inflammatory media were assayed by biochemical kits and ELISA. MI size and fibrosis were assayed by Masson's trichrome staining while Bax/Bcl-2 and PI3K/Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 were assayed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. The results showed that SAL significantly improved the left ventricle ejection fraction and fractional shortening, decreased the MI size and fibrosis, inhibited apoptosis and promoted blood vessel formation. SAL promoted anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory abilities. Moreover, SAL enhanced PI3K/ Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 expression. To this effect, we designed this study suggested that SAL induced repair of MI via PI3K/A kt/ Nrf2/HO-1.

Liver biopsy in chronic hepatitis C: An assessment of inter and intra-observer's variability

To evaluate the inter and intraobserver variability in the histological grading and staging according to modified Knodell scoring system. A cross-sectional comparative study. Histopathology department Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan from June 2006 to December 2006, at the Slides and original reports of already reported chronic hepatitis C cases were retrieved from the case files. A total of 52 liver biopsies of patients were reevaluated by two pathologists. The inter and intraobserver reproducibility for grade of necroinflammation and stage of fibrosis were calculated by using kappa statistics. For grades of necroinflammation a substantial level of interobserver [kappa=0.802] and intra-observer [kappa= 0.749] reproducibility was found. Disagreement in the interobserver results was detected in 11.5% cases, with difference of only one grade in all the cases. Disagreement in the intraobserver diagnosis was noted in 15.4% cases, again with the difference of only one grade of necroinflammation. Similarly for the stage of fibrosis, a substantial level of interobserver [kappa= 0.66] and intra-observer [kappa=0.77] reproducibility was present. Main disagreement for interobserver results was of stage 2 and 3 fibrosis. For intraobserver stage of fibrosis, disagreement was found in 9 cases [17.3%]. There was disagreement in 6 of the 9 cases with fibrosis stage 3, where original histological stage was reported 4. There were 3 [5.8%] cases where presence of steatosis was missed [all in non-tabulated form of reports]. Substantial level of inter and intra-observer agreement can be achieved, both for the necroinflammatory grade and stage of fibrosis, if the scoring system of chronic hepatitis is strictly followed

Avaliação da concordância entre ressonância magnética de ultra-sonografia na classificação de fibrose periportal em esquitossomóticos, segundo a classificação de Niamey / Agreement between magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography in the classification of schistosomal periportal fibrosis, according to Niamey's criteria

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a reprodutibilidade da ressonância magnética e a concordância entre a ultra-sonografia e a ressonância magnética na classificação da fibrose periportal em pacientes esquistossomóticos, segundo os critérios qualitativos de Niamey. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo prospectivo e duplo-cego, entre fevereiro de 2005 e junho de 2006, em 20 pacientes (10 homens e 10 mulheres, idades entre 24 e 60 anos, média de 42,75 anos) com diagnóstico de esquistossomose mansônica. As imagens de ultra-sonografia e de ressonância magnética foram avaliadas por dois examinadores experientes de forma independente. Foi medida a concordância interobservador para a ressonância magnética e entre a ressonância magnética e a ultra-sonografia. RESULTADOS: A ressonância magnética apresentou resultados concordantes entre os observadores em 14 pacientes (70 por cento). Quando comparamos a ressonância magnética com a ultra-sonografia, obtivemos concordância em apenas seis pacientes pelo observador 1 (30 por cento) e em oito pacientes pelo observador 2 (40 por cento). CONCLUSÃO: A ressonância magnética tem boa reprodutibilidade na avaliação de fibrose periportal em pacientes com esquistossomose avançada, porém sua concordância com a ultra-sonografia é fraca.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility of magnetic resonance imaging and the agreement between ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the classification of periportal fibrosis in patients with schistosomiasis based on Niamey's qualitative criteria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, double-blinded study was conducted between February 2005 and June 2006 with 20 patients (10 men and 10 women, with ages ranging between 24 and 60 years, mean age 42.7 years) diagnosed with schistosomiasis mansoni. Both ultrasound and magnetic resonance images were independently evaluated by two experienced observers. Interobserver agreement was evaluated for findings of periportal fibrosis on magnetic resonance images and in a comparison between magnetic resonance and ultrasound images. RESULTS: The analysis of magnetic resonance images showed total interobserver agreement in 14 patients (70 percent). The comparison between ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging showed agreement between images in only six cases (30 percent) by observer 1, and in eight cases (40 percent) by observer 2. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging presents a good reproducibility in the evaluation of periportal fibrosis in later stages of schistosomiasis, however, the correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound is poor.

Relation of mast cell, nerve and fibrosis in appendix.

The relationship of mast cells, nerves and fibrosis was studied in 50 cases of Appendix using simple histochemical technique. In the mucosa, the mast cell number was greater in the early stages of fibrosis. Both in the mucosa and submucosa mast cells were found closely associated with neural tissue. As the fibrosis increased this association between mast cells and neural tissue was retained only in the submucosa.

Función respiratoria en trabajadores con exposición combinada a asbesto y tabaco / Pulmonar function in worker's asbestos-exposed and smoking status

Aunque la asbestosis se asocia predominantemente a limitación restrictiva, algunos estudios han sugerido que la coexistencia de enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), atribuible generalmente al tabaco, puede afectar el grado en que la medida de Capacidad Pulmonar Total (CPT) refleja esa restricción. Este estudio analizó los perfiles funcionales respiratorios de 371 sujetos con historia de exposición a asbesto, sometidos a una evaluación uniforme con pruebas funcionales respiratorias completas, gasometría arterial y radiografías de tórax. Las radiografías fueron interpretadas por 3 lectores "B" que desconocían la historia y los resultados de las pruebas funcionales respiratorias. Se definieron 4 grupos de estudio: control (n=218), EPOC aislado (n=74), asbestosis aislada (n=53) y patología mixta (n=26). No se hallaron diferencias en cuanto a edad, talla,,peso o historia de exposición a asbesto entre los 4 grupos. En aquellos sujetos con patología mixta, la capacidad vital estaba disminuida en grado semejante a los sujetos con patología aislada. La CPT, Capacidad Funcional Residual, Volumen Residual y resistencia de vías aéreas se encontraban alteradas de manera semejante en los grupos con patología mixta y EPOC aislado. La presión parcial de oxígeno arterial era menor, y la capacidad de difusión pulmonar tendía a ser menor, en el grupo con patología mixta cuando se le comparaba a los restantes grupos. Estos hallazgos confirman que la CPT, considerada como única variable, no es una medida sensible del grado de restricción pulmonar cuando coexisten la fibrosis intersticial y la EPOC. Parece preferible basar la determinación del grado de limitación restrictiva, en personas con esta patología mixta, en una evaluación cuidadosa del impacto de ambos procesos patológicos sobre el perfíl respiratorio funcional total