Amniotic Fluid-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Cut Short the Acuteness of Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in Sprague-Dawley Rats

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cisplatin is a nephrotoxic chemotherapeutic agent. So, preventive measures worth to be evaluated. Human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) in prevention or amelioration of cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in Sprague-Dawley rates have been tested. METHODS: 80 Sprague-Dawley rats (250~300 g) were used and divided into 4 major groups, 20 rats each. Group I: Saline-injected group. Group II: Cisplatin-injected group (5 mg/kg I.P). Group III: Cisplatin-injected and hAFSCs-treated group (5×106 hAFSCs I.V. one day after cisplatin administration). Group IV: Cisplatin-injected and culture media-treated group. Each major group was further divided into 4 equal subgroups according to the timing of sacrifice; 4, 7, 11 and 30 days post-cisplatin injection. Renal function tests were done. Kidney tissue homogenate oxidative stress parameters malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) were determined. Histopathological scoring systems for active injury, regenerative and chronic changes were analyzed separately. RESULTS: hAFSCs characterization and differentiation was proved. Cisplatin injection resulted in a significant increase in serum creatinine and MDA and decrease in SOD, GSH and creatinine clearance. These changes were attenuated early by day 4 with the use of hAFSCs. Cisplatin injection induced tubular necrosis, atrophy, inflammatory cells infiltration and fibrosis. The use of hAFSCs was associated with significantly lowered injury score at day 4, 7, 11 and 30 with marked regenerative changes starting from day 4. CONCLUSION: hAFSCs have both a protective and regenerative activities largely through an antioxidant activity. This activity cut short the acuteness of cisplatin nephrotoxicity.

potential renoprotective effect of selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors in experimental diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is a major microvascular complication of diabetes and eventually leads to end-stage renal disease. The present study designed to evaluate the renal effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors on the progression of renal injury in experimental model of diabetic nephropathy. Fifty rats were randomly divided into five equal groups: normal control rats, streptozotocin [STZ]-induced diabetic rats without treatment, STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with celecoxib, STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with enalapril, and STZ-induced diabetic rats treated with combination. Sixteen weeks later, serum glucose, renal functions, and oxidative stress parameters were evaluated. Periodic acid-Schiff [PAS] staining was used to examine the morphological changes by light microscopy. STZ-induced diabetes led to development of diabetic nephropathy associated with increased oxidative stress. Both celecoxib and enalapril produced comparable level of renoprotection manifested by significant decrease of serum creatinine and microalbuminuria, which was accompanied by significant decrease of renal malondialdyehyde content, significant increase of renal reduced glutathione content and superoxide dismutase activity. Glomerulosclerosis seen in untreated-diabetic group were prevented by both celecoxib and enalapril. Combination treatment was superior in renoprotective effects. In conclusion, the selective COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib may prevent or retard the development of diabetic nephropathy

Endobronchial inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung

Inflammatory pseudotumor [also called plasma cell granuloma, histiocytoma and x-anthofibroma] is a benign, slow growing lesion which may present with cough, dyspnea, hemoptysis and unresolving pneumonia or can be discovered radiographically as a localised lesion. It has been reported in individuals up to 70 years old, but approximately two-thirds have developed in individuals under 30 years of age. The sex incidence is approximately equal. Inflammatory pseudotumors of the lung are usually peripheral lesions but may occasionally be endobronchial. We report the case of an endobronchial inflammatory pseudotumor in a 17-year-old girl who presented with unresolving right-sided pneumonia. Appropriate radiological, bronchoscopic and histopathological investigations lead to accurate pre-operative diagnosis and early complete surgical resection through a limited right main bronchus incision [bronchotomy]. The patient made good postoperative recovery and an excellent prognosis is anticipated

Enzymatic saccharification of pretreated water hycinth and sugarcane baggasse with crude cellulase of a strain of Aspergillus terreus.

This work aimed to study the extent of enzymatic saccharification and cellulose conversion of alkali pretreated water hyacinth [WH] and sugar cane bagasse [SCB] by crude cellulase of a potent strain of A. terreus isolated from the residues of flax shives. Pretreated samples of WH and SCB contained 16 and 15% lignin, 58.9 and 51% cellulose and 10 and 22.5% hemicellulose, respectively. By cellulase action for 96 hours, alkali pretreated WH and SCB showed 82 and 74% saccharification and 66 and 54% cellulose conversion to glucose, respectively. An initial rapid adsorption of enzymes and protein to substrates occurred, followed by a decreased adsorption. The increase in units of filter paper [FP] activity/g WH or SCB from 20 to 100 units increased both saccharification and cellulose conversion of WH and SCB, respectively. An inhibition of the saccharification was observed in the presence of sugars or ethanol. The inhibition percentage was 100% when 7% glucose and 7% ethanol were present simultaneously

New concept of the pathogenesis and treatment of anterior abdominal wall herniae based on anatomical and biomechanical studies. Part I- tensile properties of human anterior abdominal wall tissues concerned in herniology

The preference of various tissues used for surgical repair of hernia depends largely on clinical experience and observations. It was suggested that the criteria of preference may be put on more stable basis by actual testing of the tensile properties of these tissues. Accordingly we started by a trial to test some specimens of abdominal wall layers using some textile testing instruments with standardization of the dimensions of specimens and conditions of the test. The preliminary results indicated that the fascia transversalis was superior in its tensile properties. Peritoneum was less variable in its characteristics. A trial to use the ball burst test was conducted but according to lack of standardization it was not possible to represent the results in a com prehensive form. However this last test should be subjected to a more extensive work in the future

Part II - anatomical peculiarities of the anterior abdominal wall in the view of study of 200 halves of cadavers of still and newborns with operative observations in 300 cases of inguinal hernias and 103 cases of ventral hernias

This study was based on dissection of cadavers of still borns and newborns died shortly after birth and from observations during operations on inguinal and ventral herniae. Certain anatomical peculiarities were reported and their relation to the etiology of hernia were discussed. The presence of an accessory internal oblique muscle between the internal oblique and the transverse stratum was confirmed in many cases. It was observed that the lowermost fibres of the transversus abdominis were distributed in such a way to pull on and strengthen the fascia transversalis in the inguino-hypogastric region. In a good number of cases some of the fibres turn around the internal ring acting as a sphincter preventing the descent of intestines in a patient processus vaginalis when this latter is present. Adipose hernia can be a very important factor in many cases of herniae at all sites, ventral or inguinal. Understanding of these anatomical points concerned in the etiology of hernia helped us to decide the line of treatment. The operative techniques described in part III of this work were mainly based on the appreciation of the importance of the fascia transversalis as an efficient support for the posterior wall of the inguinal region

Part IV - spontaneous ventral hernias study of the etiology and treatment in the view of certain anatomical, clinical and operative observations in 104 cases

One hundred cases of herniae of the linea alba [midline spontaneous ventral herniae] were studied. Out of these we had 32 cases of paraumbilical hernlae which we regarded as defects in the lhiea alba nearest to the umbilicus. We believe that these herniae were due to protrusions of the extraperitoneal-fat through vascular lacunae. Vertical repair with imblication of the linea alba in its extent above the umbilicus was done using stainless steel wire. This technique proved very efficient in almost all cases. Two cases of spigelian herniae were presented and described. We had one more case of spontaneous lateral ventral hernia, due to congenital muscular deficiency