Clinical interests of the study of adaptive oxidative /nitrosative stress in breast and ovarian cancer before and under chemotherapy– A case control Study-

Background: Breast and ovarian cancer are most common female cancer in Algeria in terms of incidence and mortality. Cancer cells are exposed to higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) whose levels support death evasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis. Less interest has been given to changes ROS homeostasis in cancer therapy. In this study, we investigate redox homeostasis before and after treatment (BT, AT), to determine detrimental or beneficial outcomes in cancer therapy. Methods: Cancer patients were recruited at the Hospital of Maghnia with the engaging of healthy controls. Serum biochemical parameters and oxidant/antioxidant markers were determined. Results:Our findings showed oxidative stress (OS) reflected by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA), carbonyl proteins (CP), superoxide anion (O2-), nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) levels and a decrease in vitamins C and glutathione (GSH), catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in cancer patients BT. After treatment (AT), levels of MDA, CP, O2-, NO , ONOO- were maintained high and/or increase vis-à-vis patients BT. The lowered activities of SOD, catalase and GHS level BT, heightened in cancer cases AT. Cholesterol, triglycerides and uric acid levels were increased in BC. Uric acid levels were markedly reduced in OC patients. HDL-cholesterol levels were significantly reduced in both cancer patients. Conclusion: Metabolic perturbations occurred with oxidative stress which highlights an adaptive appearance vis-à-vis of treatments. As a double-edged sword, redox-signalling markers may represent a crucial point and could be the future targets for anticancer drug research. &nbsp

Expression of calponin in periglomerular myofibroblasts of rat kidney with experimental chronic injuries

Our previous research demonstrated that calponin-immunoreactivity was localized in myofibroblasts of the periglomerular region of human kidney specimens obtained at the time of transplantation from organ recipients. In the present study we examined calponin expression in two chronic nephropathy models, puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) nephropathy and subtotal nephrectomy (SNx), to investigate the role of calponin in chronic renal injury. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used, and both nephropathy models were established at 1, 2, 4, and 8 weeks after surgery. There were no periglomerular calponin-positive cells in sham, PAN 1 and 2 week, and SNx 1, 2, and 4 week groups. In SNx 8 week and PAN 4 and 8 week groups, only a few glomeruli with periglomerular calponin-reactivity, which covered half or a very small part of the periglomerular space, were observed. All glomeruli with periglomerular calponin-reactivity showed sclerotic changes, especially thickening of parietal epithelial cells (PECs). In conjunction with our previous report, this data represents the first documentation of the expression of calponin in renal myofibroblasts. We suggest that interactions between PECs and calponin-positive myofibroblasts may play a key role in the late stage of glomerulosclerosis

Proposition d’un système de mesure de la performance basé sur le modèle OVAR pour le cas de l’OCP

Companies that thrive in a competitive environment must effectively manage their performance to meet the increasing demands of their stakeholders and achieve their goals. Competency management is therefore a critical mission for every organization that wants to succeed. However, it is better to control what you measure. Performance cannot be managed without measurement. Performance monitoring systems are valuable because results must be measured and monitored on an ongoing basis in order to identify problems and propose remedies that meet management's requirements immediately. Performance measurement is used to manage quality, and performance measurement mechanisms are used in conjunction with performance management mechanisms to support the implementation of strategies and the achievement of organizational goals. This topic allowed us to shed light on what performance is, and then to understand how to manage it. It addressed the notion of performance measurement, which is a means of steering performance thanks to tools such as indicators organized in dashboards. Finally, we were able to discuss two reference models, OVAR and BSC, which allow for effective performance management by taking into account the challenges of performance measurement systems.   Key words: performance, Performance Management System, organizational objectives. JEL Classification: M31, P47. Type of the article: Applied research.Les entreprises qui prospèrent dans un environnement concurrentiel doivent gérer efficacement leurs performances pour répondre aux exigences croissantes de leurs parties prenantes et atteindre leurs objectifs. La gestion des compétences constitue ainsi une mission primordiale pour chaque structure désireuse de réussir. Mais il vaut mieux contrôler ce que l'on mesure. La performance ne peut être gérée sans mesure. Les dispositifs de suivi des performances présentent un grand intérêt, car les résultats doivent être mesurés et contrôlés en permanence afin d'identifier les difficultés et de proposer sans délai des remèdes qui satisfassent les exigences de l'administration. On utilise la mesure de la performance pour gérer la qualité, et les mécanismes de mesure de la Performance sont utilisés en conjonction avec les mécanismes de Gestion de la Performance pour soutenir la mise en œuvre des stratégies et la concrétisation des buts de l'organisation. Ce sujet nous a permis de jeter un éclairage sur ce qu'est la performance, puis de comprendre comment la gérer. Il a abordé la notion de mesure de la performance, qui est un moyen de piloter la performance grâce à des outils tels que des indicateurs organisés en tableaux de bord. Enfin, nous avons pu aborder deux modèles de référence, OVAR et BSC, qui permettent un pilotage efficace de la performance en prenant en compte les enjeux des systèmes de mesure de la performance.   Mots clés : performance, Système de gestion de la Performance, objectifs de l'organisation. Classification JEL : M31, P47. Type de l’article : Recherche appliquée

Transglutaminase inhibition ameliorates experimental diabetic nephropathy

Diabetic nephropathy is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix accumulation resulting in renal scarring and end-stage renal disease. Previous studies have suggested that transglutaminase type 2, by formation of its protein crosslink product epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine, alters extracellular matrix homeostasis, causing basement membrane thickening and expansion of the mesangium and interstitium. To determine whether transglutaminase inhibition can slow the progression of chronic experimental diabetic nephropathy over an extended treatment period, the inhibitor NTU281 was given to uninephrectomized streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats for up to 8 months. Effective transglutaminase inhibition significantly reversed the increased serum creatinine and albuminuria in the diabetic rats. These improvements were accompanied by a fivefold decrease in glomerulosclerosis and a sixfold reduction in tubulointerstitial scarring. This was associated with reductions in collagen IV accumulation by 4 months, along with reductions in collagens I and III by 8 months. This inhibition also decreased the number of myofibroblasts, suggesting that tissue transglutaminase may play a role in myofibroblast transformation. Our study suggests that transglutaminase inhibition ameliorates the progression of experimental diabetic nephropathy and can be considered for clinical application

Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome

SummaryHemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a triad of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. The atypical form of HUS is a disease characterized by complement overactivation. Inherited defects in complement genes and acquired autoantibodies against complement regulatory proteins have been described. Incomplete penetrance of mutations in all predisposing genes is reported, suggesting that a precipitating event or trigger is required to unmask the complement regulatory deficiency. The underlying genetic defect predicts the prognosis both in native kidneys and after renal transplantation. The successful trials of the complement inhibitor eculizumab in the treatment of atypical HUS will revolutionize disease management