Effects of asymmetric dimethylarginine on renal arteries in portal hypertension and cirrhosis

AIM. To evaluate the effects of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in renal arteries from portal hypertensive and cirrhotic rats. METHODS. Rat renal arteries from Sham (n = 15), pre-hepatic portal hypertension (PPVL; n = 15) and bile duct ligation and excision-induced cirrhosis (BDL; n = 15) were precontracted with norepinephrine, and additional contractions were induced with ADMA (10-6-10-3 mol/L), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthase. Concentration-response curves to acetylcholine (1 × 10-9-3 × 10-6 mol/L) were determined in precontracted renal artery segments with norepinephrine in the absence and in the presence of ADMA. Kidneys were collected to determine the protein expression and activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH), an enzyme that catabolizes ADMA. RESULTS. In renal arteries precontracted with norepinephrine, ADMA caused endothelium-dependent contractions. The pD2 values to ADMA were similar in the Sham and PPVL groups (4.20 ± 0.08 and 4.11 ± 0.09, P > 0.05, respectively), but were lower than those of the BDL group (4.79 ± 0.16, P < 0.05). Acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent relaxation that did not differ, in terms of pD2 and maximal relaxation, among the 3 groups studied. Treatment with ADMA (3 × 10-4 mol/L) inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation in the 3 groups, but the inhibition was higher (P < 0.05) in the BDL group compared with that for the Sham and PPVL groups. The mRNA and protein expression of DDAH-1 were similar in kidneys from the three groups. Conversely, DDAH-2 expression was increased (P < 0.05) in PPVL and further enhanced (P < 0.05) in the BDL group. However, renal DDAH activity was significantly decreased in the BDL group. CONCLUSION. Cirrhosis increased the inhibitory effect of ADMA on basal- and induced-release of NO in renal arteries, and decreased DDAH activity in the kidney

Accumulation of symetric dimethylarginine in hepatorenal syndrome.

In patients with cirrhosis, nitric oxide (NO), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and possibly symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) have been linked to the severity of the disease. We investigated whether plasma levels of dimethylarginines and NO are elevated in patients with hepatorenal syndrome (HRS), compared with patients with cirrhosis without renal failure (no- HRS). Plasma levels of NO, ADMA, SDMA, and L-arginine were measured in 11 patients with HRS, seven patients with no-HRS, and six healthy volunteers. SDMA concentration in HRS was higher than in no-HRS and healthy subjects (1.47 6 0.25 vs. 0.38 6 0.06 and 0.29 6 0.04 lM, respectively; P , 0.05). ADMA and NOx concentrations were higher in HRS and no-HRS patients than in healthy subjects (ADMA, 1.20 6 0.26, 1.11 6 0.1, and 0.53 6 0.06 lM, respectively; P , 0.05; NOx, 94 6 9.1, 95.5 6 9.54, and 37.67 6 4.62 lM, respectively; P , 0.05). In patients with HRS there was a positive correlation between serum creatinine and plasma SDMA (r2¼0.765, P , 0.001) but not between serum creatinine and ADMA or NOx. The results suggest that renal dysfunction is a main determinant of elevated SDMA concentration in HRS. Accumulation of ADMA as a result of impaired hepatic removal may be the causative factor initiating renal vasoconstriction and SDMA retention in the kidney. Exp Biol Med 231:7075, 200

Reproductive efficiency of sows inseminated at single dose fixed time with refrigerated, cryopreserved and encapsulated spermatozoa

4 Pág. Departamento de Reproducción Animal​ (INIA)The aim was to assess the reproductive efficiency of different techniques used to preserve spermatozoa in artificial insemination semen doses (AI-doses) by evaluating refrigeration at 15°C, cryopreservation and encapsulation. Forty-two hyperprolific sows were treated with buserelin and inseminated once at a single fixed time. The fertility rate, embryonic vesicles viability and the early embryonic mortality (arrested conceptuses) evaluated post-mortem at 24th day of pregnancy, were analysed in order to assess the effectiveness of each proposed technique. Results show an overall reduction on fertility using the three proposal sperm preservation techniques (69.27%, 60.00% and 78.75% for refrigerated, frozen-thawed and encapsulated AI-doses, respectively). Total number of embryonic vesicles was very similar among the three treatments; yet, the number of viable vesicles was numerically different among groups, and thus, embryonic viability was 79.25%, 80.0% and 87.15% for refrigerated, frozen-thawed and encapsulated AI-doses, respectively.INIA project CON18-109, funded by the ‘Cinco Villas’ Artificial Insemination Center, Government of Aragon and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.Peer reviewe

Progresión metodológica con soporte musical para un nuevo sistema de actividad física en tapiz rodante en adultos: Cinta dance . Estudio de caso

The general recommendation for exercise is either of moderate intensity for a minimum of 30 minutes, 5 days a week, or of vigorous intensity for a minimum of 20 minutes, 3 days a week (Cordero, Masiá, & Galve, 2014). Guided activities tend to increase people’s motivation for exercise according to Nielsen (2014) in the study by Pérez, García, Gómez, & Fernández (2018). We are looking to innovate in the fitness world through a new system of dance steps on a treadmill with the goal of proposing a methodological progression of teaching for a new guided exercise called Cinta Dance, carried out on a treadmill with accompanying music. Keeping in mind the existing literature, we developed a proposal in which two adult subjects answered a Scale for Mood Assessment (EVEA) questionnaire and were asked about the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) through Borg’sLa recomendación general de actividad física es de intensidad moderada durante un mínimo de 30 min, 5 días por semana o de intensidad vigorosa mínimo 20 min, 3 días por semana (Cordero, Masiá, & Galve, 2014). Las actividades dirigidas hacen que las personas realicen ejercicio de forma más motivada según Nielsen (2014) en el estudio realizado en Pérez, García, Gómez, & Fernández (2018). Buscamos innovar dentro del mundo del fitness a través de un sistema de pasos de danza en un tapiz rodante y teniendo como objetivo proponer una progresión metodológica de enseñanza para una nueva actividad dirigida llamada Cinta Dance, realizada en un tapiz rodante con soporte musical. Teniendo en cuenta toda la referencia bibliográfica desarrollamos una propuesta, en la cual participan dos sujetos adultos y se les hace el cuestionario de la escala de valoración de ánimo (EVEA) y se le pregunta el valor del esfuerzo percibido (RPE) a través de la escala de Borg

Nueva era en el combate contra el cáncer: Evolución y cáncer: progreso y tratamiento de tumores

L’oncohematologia ha assistit en les últimes dècades a importants avenços en el tractament i supervivència. La toxicitat derivada de la quimioteràpia clàssica i la necessitat de millorar l’eficàcia i tolerància als tractaments han fet que es desencadene un allau d’activitat investigadora que constantment proporciona fruits. Gran part d’aquest esforç s’ha enfocat al desenvolupament de «teràpies diana» dirigides contra determinades alteracions funcionals, clau per a la supervivència de la cèl·lula tumoral. Així es pretén aconseguir major eficàcia en el tractament i que el pacient pague un menor cost en toxicitat. Avenços en altres disciplines de l’oncologia com l’epidemiologia, la cirurgia i la radioteràpia dirigida han contribuït així mateix a fer de l’oncologia una àrea en progrés constant. En definitiva, es comença a albirar un futur ple d’esperança per al pacient amb càncer, un futur, alhora, apassionant per al metge i l’investigador