Cyclooxygenase-2 and hypoxia-regulated proteins are modulated by basic fibroblast growth factor in acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) can be caused by injuries that induce tissue hypoxia, which in turn can trigger adaptive or inflammatory responses. We previously showed the participation of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in renal repair. Based on this, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect of FGF-2 signaling pathway manipulation at hypoxia-induced protein levels, as well as in key proteins from the vasoactive systems of the kidney. We injected rat kidneys with FGF-2 recombinant protein (r-FGF) or FGF-2 receptor antisense oligonucleotide (FGFR2-ASO) after bilateral ischemia, and evaluated the presence of iNOS, EPO and HO-1, in representation of hypoxia-induced proteins, as well as COX-2, renin, kallikrein, and B2KR, in representation of the vasoactive systems of the kidney. A reduction in iNOS, HO-1, EPO, renin, kallikrein, B2KR, and in renal damage was observed in animals treated with r-FGF. The opposite effect was found with FGF-2 receptor down-regulation. In contrast, COX-2 protein levels were higher in kidneys treated with r-FGF and lower in those that received FGFR2-ASO, as compared to saline treated kidneys. These results suggest that the protective role of FGF-2 in the pathogenesis of ARF induced by I/R is a complex process, through which a differential regulation of metabolic pathways takes place

Chilean Health Care Providers’ Perceived Comfort in Performing Oral Rapid Testing for HIV: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: To understand key factors influencing Chilean health care providers’ perceived comfort performing oral rapid HIV testing. Design: One hundred and fifty health care providers completed a self-administered questionnaire that included a five-item scale measuring self-perceived comfort in conducting HIV pretest counseling, oral rapid testing, finger-prick testing, and delivering test results. Results: Most participants (60%) envisioned good overall comfort performing oral rapid HIV testing (mean score of 16.21; range 0-20), including doing at least four of the five steps. They perceived least comfort delivering HIV-positive test results during posttest counseling. HIV stigmatizing attitudes reduced self-perceived comfort. Conclusions: Providing training to counter HIV stigmatization while increasing comfort in performing oral rapid testing would help facilitate its successful implementation

¿Inteligencia emocional rasgo como factor amortiguador ante el agotamiento académico post-confinamiento pandémico?

Introduction: Nursing students are a population vulnerable to mental health problems, especially burnout syndrome. Trait emotional intelligence appears as a protective factor against these risks. The psycho-emotional effects of returning to in-person academic activities post-COVID-19 confinement have not been described.Objective: Describe the relationship of trait Emotional Intelligence with academic burnout in Nursing students after returning to in-person academic activities post-confinement at a Chilean university.Methods: Quantitative-correlational, cross-sectional, non-experimental, non-probabilistic study. 213 surveys were administered to measure trait emotional intelligence and academic burnout in the post-confinement period. Differences in means were reported through post-hoc analysis with Games Howell statistics, and correlations were performed with the Rho Spearman coefficient.Results: There was a high percentile in trait emotional intelligence (58%) of the sample, and a mild prevalence of academic burnout (92.1%). Statistically significant correlations (p<0.000) were observed between several factors. The Well-being factor was presented negatively with two dimensions of burnout; while the Emotionality factor was shown to be a risk for increased emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, but positively associated with personal fulfillment.Conclusions: There is a relationship between variables, two factors of trait emotional intelligence were associated with burnout. Universities and academics must act as promoters of emotional intelligence in order to reduce burnout. More research and caution is required when automatically concluding that higher levels of emotional intelligence are always better in any circumstance.Introducción: Los estudiantes de enfermería son una población vulnerable a problemas de salud mental, especialmente, el síndrome de burnout. La inteligencia emocional rasgo aparece como factor protector ante estos riesgos. No se han descrito los efectos psicoemocionales del retorno a actividades académicas presenciales post-confinamiento por COVID-19. Objetivo: Describir la relación de la Inteligencia Emocional rasgo con el burnout académico en estudiantes de Enfermería luego del retorno a actividades académicas presenciales post-confinamiento en una universidad chilena.Métodos: Estudio cuantitativo-correlacional, transversal, no experimental, no probabilístico. Se aplicaron 213 encuestas para medir la inteligencia emocional rasgo y el burnout académico en el post-confinamiento. Se reportaron diferencias de medias por medio del análisis post-hoc con estadístico de Games Howell, y las correlaciones se realizaron con el coeficiente de Rho Spearman.Resultados: Se presentó un alto percentil en inteligencia emocional rasgo (58%) de la muestra, y una prevalencia leve de burnout académico (92,1%). Se observaron correlaciones estadísticamente significativas (p<0,000) entre varios factores. El factor Bienestar se presentó negativamente con dos dimensiones del burnout; mientras que el factor Emocionalidad se mostró como riesgo para el aumento del agotamiento emocional y despersonalización, pero asociado positivamente con realización personal.Conclusiones: Existe relación entre variables, dos factores de la inteligencia emocional rasgo se asociaron con burnout. Universidades y académicos deben actuar como promotores de inteligencia emocional en pos de reducir el burnout. Se requiere más investigación y cautela a la hora de concluir automáticamente que mayores niveles de inteligencia emocional son siempre mejores ante cualquier circunstancia

Predictors of readiness for oral rapid HIV testing by Chilean health care providers

This study identified the personal characteristics that affect Chilean health care providers' readiness to adopt HIV Oral Rapid Testing (ORT) in Chile as a new clinical evidence-based practice (EBP). Using a cross-sectional research design, the study sampled 150 nurses, midwives, and physicians employed at four clinics within the Pontifícia Universidad Católica de Chile Health Network in Santiago. Participants completed a self-administered survey asking about their demographic background, EBP attitudes and experience, personal beliefs related to HIV, the importance of HIV testing, and perceived self-comfort in performing a rapid HIV test. Of the participants, 90% believed that incorporating ORT would make a positive difference in their practice and said that they would be willing to adopt the technology for that reason. Nonetheless, the providers reported a mean "readiness to implement ORT" score of 15.1 out of a possible value of 20, suggesting only moderate self-perceived readiness to adopt the EBP. Education, beliefs about evidence-based practice, perceived comfort in performing ORT, and perceived importance of HIV testing explained 43.6% of the variance in readiness to adopt ORT. The findings of this first ORT pre-implementation study in Chile can help guide policy makers and HIV stakeholders to prepare for and increase primary health care providers' readiness to successfully adopt this evidence-based technology. Successful adoption of ORT could increase Chile's capacity to reach HIV-vulnerable Chileans for testing and referral to care if infected, thus helping the country to reduce further transmission of the virus and its medical complications

Human mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue reduce functional and tissue damage in a rat model of chronic renal failure, Clinical Science 125

Abstract Therapeutic approaches for CKD (chronic kidney disease) have been able to reduce proteinuria, but not diminish the disease progression. We have demonstrated beneficial effects by injection of BM (bone marrow)-derived MSCs (mesenchymal stem cells) from healthy donors in a rat model with CKD. However, it has recently been reported that BM-MSCs derived from uraemic patients failed to confer functional protection in a similar model. This suggests that autologous BM-MSCs are not suitable for the treatment of CKD. In the present study, we have explored the potential of MSCs derived from adipose tissue (AD-MSCs) as an alternative source of MSCs for the treatment of CKD. We have isolated AD-MSCs and evaluated their effect on the progression of CKD. Adult male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats subjected to 5/6 NPX (nephrectomy) received a single intravenous infusion of 0.5 × 10 6 AD-MSCs or MSC culture medium alone. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by plasma creatinine measurement, structural analysis and angiogenic/epitheliogenic protein expression. AD-MSCs were detected in kidney tissues from NPX animals. This group had a significant reduction in plasma creatinine levels and a lower expression of damage markers ED-1 and α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) (P < 0.05). In addition, treated rats exhibited a higher level of epitheliogenic [Pax-2 and BMP-7 (bone morphogenetic protein 7)] and angiogenic [VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor)] proteins. The expression of these biomarkers of regeneration was significantly related to the improvement in renal function. Although many aspects of the cell therapy for CKD remain to be investigated, we provide evidence that AD-MSCs, a less invasive and highly available source of MSCs, exert an important therapeutic effect in this pathology

L-NIL prevents the ischemia and reperfusion injury involving TLR-4, GST, clusterin, and NFAT-5 in mice

Copyright © 2019 the American Physiological Society.—On renal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, recruitment of neutrophils during the inflammatory process promotes local generation of oxygen and nitrogen reactive species, which, in turn, are likely to exacerbate tissue damage. The mechanism by which inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is involved in I/R has not been elucidated. In this work, the selective iNOS inhibitor L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)lysine (L-NIL) and the NOS substrate L-arginine were employed to understand the role of NOS activity on the expression of particular target genes and the oxidative stress elicited after a 30-min of bilateral renal ischemia, followed by 48-h reperfusion in Balb/c mice. The main findings of the present study were that pharmacological inhibition of iNOS with L-NIL during an I/R challenge of mice kidney decreased renal injury, prevented tissue loss of integrity, and improved renal function. Several novel findings regarding the molecular mechanism by which iNOS inhibition led to these protective effects are as follows: 1) a prevention of the I/R-related increase in expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), and its downstream target, IL-1α; 2) reduced oxidative stress following the I/R challenge; noteworthy, this study shows the first evidence of glutathione S-transferase (GST) inactivation following kidney I/R, a phenomenon fully prevented by iNOS inhibition; 3) increased expression of clusterin, a survival autophagy component; and 4) increased expression of nuclear factor of activated T cells 5 (NFAT-5) and its target gene aquaporin-1. In conclusion, prevention of renal damage following I/R by the pharmacological inhibition of iNOS with L-NIL was associated with the inactivation of proinflammatory pathway triggered by TLR-4, oxidative stress, renoprotection (autophagy inac-tivation), and NFAT-5 signaling pathway

Predictors of readiness for oral rapid HIV testing by Chilean health care providers

ABSTRACT Objective This study identified the personal characteristics that affect Chilean health care providers’ readiness to adopt HIV Oral Rapid Testing (ORT) in Chile as a new clinical evidence-based practice (EBP). Methods Using a cross-sectional research design, the study sampled 150 nurses, midwives, and physicians employed at four clinics within the Pontifícia Universidad Católica de Chile Health Network in Santiago. Participants completed a self-administered survey asking about their demographic background, EBP attitudes and experience, personal beliefs related to HIV, the importance of HIV testing, and perceived self-comfort in performing a rapid HIV test. Results Of the participants, 90% believed that incorporating ORT would make a positive difference in their practice and said that they would be willing to adopt the technology for that reason. Nonetheless, the providers reported a mean “readiness to implement ORT” score of 15.1 out of a possible value of 20, suggesting only moderate self-perceived readiness to adopt the EBP. Education, beliefs about evidence-based practice, perceived comfort in performing ORT, and perceived importance of HIV testing explained 43.6% of the variance in readiness to adopt ORT. Conclusion The findings of this first ORT pre-implementation study in Chile can help guide policy makers and HIV stakeholders to prepare for and increase primary health care providers’ readiness to successfully adopt this evidence-based technology. Successful adoption of ORT could increase Chile’s capacity to reach HIV-vulnerable Chileans for testing and referral to care if infected, thus helping the country to reduce further transmission of the virus and its medical complications

Joint effect among p53, CYP1A1, GSTM1 polymorphism combinations and smoking on prostate cancer risk: an exploratory genotype-environment interaction study

Aim: To assess the role of several genetic factors in combination with an environmental factor as modulators of prostate cancer risk. We focus on allele variants of low-penetrance genes associated with cell control, the detoxification processes and smoking. Methods: In a case-control study we compared people carrying p53cd72 Pro allele, CYP1A1 M1 allele and GSTM1 null genotypes with their prostate cancer risk. Results: The joint risk for smokers carrying Pro* and M1*, Pro* and GSTM1null or GSTM1 null and CYP1A1 M1* variants was significantly higher (odds ratio [OR]: 13.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.41-71.36; OR: 3.97, 95% CI: 1.13-13.95 and OR: 6.87, 95% Cl: 1.68-27.97, respectively) compared with that for the reference group, and for non-smokers was not significant. OR for combinations among p53cd72, GSTM1 and CYP1A1 M I in smokers were positively and significantly associated with prostate cancer risk compared with non-smokers and compared with the Putative lowest risk group (OR: 8.87, 95% CI: 1.25-62.71). Conclusion: Our results suggest that a combination of p53cd72, CYP1A1, GSTM1 alleles and smoking plays a significant role in modified prostate cancer risk on the study population, which means that smokers carrying susceptible genotypes might have a significantly higher risk than those carrying non-susceptible genotypes

IL-17A levels increase in the infarcted region of the left ventricle in a rat model of myocardial infarction

Th17 cells, a recently described subtype of CD4+ effector lymphocytes, have been linked to cell-mediated autoimmune and inflammatory diseases as well as to cardiovascular diseases. However, the participation of IL-17A in myocardial ischemic injury has not been clearly defined. We therefore conducted the present study to evaluate IL-17A and Th17-related cytokine levels in a rat model of myocardial infarction (MI). MI was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by coronary artery ligation. Controls were sham-operated (Sh) or non-operated (C). Blood and samples from the left ventricle (LV) were collected at weeks 1 and 4 post-MI. At week 1, MI animals exhibited increased IL-6, IL-23 and TGF-β mRNA levels with no apparent change in IL-17 mRNA or protein levels in whole LV. Only TGF-β mRNA remained elevated at week 4 post-MI. However, further analysis revealed that IL-17A mRNA and protein levels as well as IL-6 and IL-23 mRNA were indeed increased in the infarcted region, though not in the rem