Key mechanisms governing resolution of lung inflammation

Innate immunity normally provides excellent defence against invading microorganisms. Acute inflammation is a form of innate immune defence and represents one of the primary responses to injury, infection and irritation, largely mediated by granulocyte effector cells such as neutrophils and eosinophils. Failure to remove an inflammatory stimulus (often resulting in failed resolution of inflammation) can lead to chronic inflammation resulting in tissue injury caused by high numbers of infiltrating activated granulocytes. Successful resolution of inflammation is dependent upon the removal of these cells. Under normal physiological conditions, apoptosis (programmed cell death) precedes phagocytic recognition and clearance of these cells by, for example, macrophages, dendritic and epithelial cells (a process known as efferocytosis). Inflammation contributes to immune defence within the respiratory mucosa (responsible for gas exchange) because lung epithelia are continuously exposed to a multiplicity of airborne pathogens, allergens and foreign particles. Failure to resolve inflammation within the respiratory mucosa is a major contributor of numerous lung diseases. This review will summarise the major mechanisms regulating lung inflammation, including key cellular interplays such as apoptotic cell clearance by alveolar macrophages and macrophage/neutrophil/epithelial cell interactions. The different acute and chronic inflammatory disease states caused by dysregulated/impaired resolution of lung inflammation will be discussed. Furthermore, the resolution of lung inflammation during neutrophil/eosinophil-dominant lung injury or enhanced resolution driven via pharmacological manipulation will also be considered

The pathophysiology and genetics of human male reproduction

Please help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected] En Ginekologi

Pierre Robin sequence: appearances and 25 years of experience with an innovative treatment protocol

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the largest number of Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) cases to date and its treatment outcome. Design: This is a retrospective study. Settings: The study was conducted in a tertiary care university hospital. Patients: One hundred eighty-eight patients with PRS have been subjected to analysis, defined by the clinical triad of glossoptosis, retro/micrognathia, and cleft or agenesis of the palate, for incidence, risk factors, associated syndromes, other concomitant abnormalities, airway and feeding difficulties, and outcome regarding the neonatal and perinatal surgical and nonsurgical management. Results: The incidence of PRS was 6.02%. Risk factors were found in 41.5% of mothers with children with PRS. Eleven other syndromes/appearances were associated. Feeding difficulties were seen in 51.8% of the patients. Glossopexy (6.9%) and tracheotomy (2.13%) for airway management were performed very seldom. The suction and drinking plate as well as the surgical treatment protocol may be considered to be the reasons for reduced airway (up to 91.0%), feeding problems (up to 79.9%), and mortality rate (2.1%). Conclusion: The Pierre Robin sequence, as seen as a heterogeneous group, presents with variation of the cleft palate defects with glossoptosis and concomitant micrognathic mandible. The surgical management and certain prepalatal intervention as nonsurgical management with an innovative treatment strategy were evaluated. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Anatomy and molecular morphology of the spermatozoon

Please help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected] En Ginekologi

Anatomy and molecular morphology of the spermatozoon

Please help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected] En Ginekologi

A study of two sequential culture media - impact on embryo quality and pregnancy rate

Please help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected] En Ginekologi

A novel method (FotoMaster) of documenting endosocopic surgical procedures.

GesondheidswetenskappeVerloskunde En GinekologiePlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

Allelic variation in the promoter region of the LDL receptor gene: analysis of an African-specific variant in the FP2 cis-acting regulatory element

GesondheidswetenskappeVerloskunde En GinekologiePlease help us populate SUNScholar with the post print version of this article. It can be e-mailed to: [email protected]

Not All Sperm Are Equal: Functional Mitochondria Characterize a Subpopulation of Human Sperm with Better Fertilization Potential

Human sperm samples are very heterogeneous and include a low amount of truly functional gametes. Distinct strategies have been developed to characterize and isolate this specific subpopulation. In this study we have used fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence-activated cell sorting to determine if mitochondrial function, as assessed using mitochondrialsensitive probes, could be employed as a criterion to obtain more functional sperm from a given ejaculate. We first determined that mitochondrial activity correlated with the quality of distinct human samples, from healthy donors to patients with decreased semen quality. Furthermore, using fluorescence-activated cell sorting to separate sperm with active and inactive mitochondria we found that this was also true within samples. Indeed, sperm with active mitochondria defined a more functional subpopulation, which contained more capacitated and acrosome intact cells, sperm with lower chromatin damage, and, crucially, sperm more able to decondense and participate in early development using both chemical induction and injection into mature bovine oocytes. Furthermore, cell sorting using mitochondrial activity produced a more functional sperm subpopulation than classic swim-up, both in terms of improvement in a variety of functional sperm parameters and in statistical significance. In conclusion, whatever the true biological role of sperm mitochondria in fertilization, mitochondrial activity is a clear hallmark of human sperm functionality.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (POCTI/CVT/49102/2002; SFRH/BD/23571/2005; SFRH/BPD/63120/2009; SFRH/BD/46002/2008; SFRH/BD/46078/2008)Instituto de Investigação Interdisciplinar da Universidade de Coimbra (III/BIO/50/2005