Chronic oral pelargonidin alleviates streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathic hyperalgesia in rat: Involvement of oxidative stress

Background: Diabetes mellitus in some clinical cases is accompanied with hyperalgesia. In this study, we evaluated the possible beneficial effect of chronic pelargonidin (PG) treatment on hyperalgesia in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic neuropathic rat. Methods: Male Wistar rats (n = 56) were divided into seven groups, i.e. control, diabetic, PG-treated control, PG (single- and multiple-dose)-treated diabetic, and sodium salicylate-treated control and diabetics. For induction of diabetes, STZ was injected i.p. at a single dose of 60 mg/kg. PG was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg once and/or on alternate days for 8 weeks; 1 week after diabetes induction. After two months, hyperalgesia was assessed using standard formalin and hot tail immersion tests. Meanwhile, markers of oxidative stress in brain were measured. One-way analysis of variance was used for statistical analysis of the data. Results: Diabetic rats showed a marked chemical and thermal hyperalgesia, indicating that development of diabetic neuropathy and PG treatment (especially multiple-doses) significantly ameliorated the alteration in hyperalgesia (P<0.05-0.01) in diabetic rats as compared to untreated diabetics. PG (multiple doses) also significantly decreased diabetes-induced thiobarbituric acid reactive substances formation and non-significantly reversed elevation of nitrite level and reduction of antioxidant defensive enzyme superoxide dismutase. Conclusion: These results clearly suggest that PG prevents diabetic neuropathic hyperalgesia through attenuation of oxidative stress

Local Expansion of Donation After Circulatory Death Kidney Transplant Activity Improves Waitlisted Outcomes and Addresses Inequities of Access to Transplantation

In the United Kingdom, donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidney transplant activity has increased rapidly, but marked regional variation persists. We report how increased DCD kidney transplant activity influenced waitlisted outcomes for a single center. Between 2002–2003 and 2011–2012, 430 (54%) DCD and 361 (46%) donation after brain death (DBD) kidney-only transplants were performed at the Cambridge Transplant Centre, with a higher proportion of DCD donors fulfilling expanded criteria status (41% DCD vs. 32% DBD; p = 0.01). Compared with U.K. outcomes, for which the proportion of DCD:DBD kidney transplants performed is lower (25%; p 65 years; waiting time 730 vs. 1357 days nationally; p < 0.001), who received predominantly DCD kidneys from older donors (mean donor age 64 years), whereas younger recipients received equal proportions of living donor, DBD and DCD kidney transplants. Death-censored kidney graft survival was nevertheless comparable for younger and older recipients, although transplantation conferred a survival benefit from listing for only younger recipients. Local expansion in DCD kidney transplant activity improves survival outcomes for younger patients and addresses inequity of access to transplantation for older recipients

Signaling from the Sympathetic Nervous System Regulates Hematopoietic Stem Cell Emergence during Embryogenesis

SummaryThe first adult-repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) emerge in the aorta-gonads-mesonephros (AGM) region of the embryo. We have recently identified the transcription factor Gata3 as being upregulated in this tissue specifically at the time of HSC emergence. We now demonstrate that the production of functional and phenotypic HSCs in the AGM is impaired in the absence of Gata3. Furthermore, we show that this effect on HSC generation is secondary to the role of Gata3 in the production of catecholamines, the mediators of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), thus making these molecules key components of the AGM HSC niche. These findings demonstrate that the recently described functional interplay between the hematopoietic system and the SNS extends to the earliest stages of their codevelopment and highlight the fact that HSC development needs to be viewed in the context of the development of other organs

Breast cancer management pathways during the COVID-19 pandemic: outcomes from the UK ‘Alert Level 4’ phase of the B-MaP-C study

Abstract: Background: The B-MaP-C study aimed to determine alterations to breast cancer (BC) management during the peak transmission period of the UK COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of these treatment decisions. Methods: This was a national cohort study of patients with early BC undergoing multidisciplinary team (MDT)-guided treatment recommendations during the pandemic, designated ‘standard’ or ‘COVID-altered’, in the preoperative, operative and post-operative setting. Findings: Of 3776 patients (from 64 UK units) in the study, 2246 (59%) had ‘COVID-altered’ management. ‘Bridging’ endocrine therapy was used (n = 951) where theatre capacity was reduced. There was increasing access to COVID-19 low-risk theatres during the study period (59%). In line with national guidance, immediate breast reconstruction was avoided (n = 299). Where adjuvant chemotherapy was omitted (n = 81), the median benefit was only 3% (IQR 2–9%) using ‘NHS Predict’. There was the rapid adoption of new evidence-based hypofractionated radiotherapy (n = 781, from 46 units). Only 14 patients (1%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during their treatment journey. Conclusions: The majority of ‘COVID-altered’ management decisions were largely in line with pre-COVID evidence-based guidelines, implying that breast cancer survival outcomes are unlikely to be negatively impacted by the pandemic. However, in this study, the potential impact of delays to BC presentation or diagnosis remains unknown

Thin-Film Composite Forward-Osmosis Membranes Reinforced on Woven Mesh and Nonwoven Backing Fabric Supports

Thin-film composite (TFC) forward-osmosis (FO) membranes were developed on different woven and nonwoven backing fabrics as support. Embedded backing fabrics have a significant effect on the membrane film sublayer by imparting porosity, membrane mechanical strength, and thickness. Woven and nonwoven backing fabric supports have been used for FO membranes cast on the commercial scale. There are also a few studies on the laboratory scale, but repeating them seems to be a challenge. The results herein show that TFC membranes with nonwoven incorporated substrates gain a higher water flux while keeping the specific reverse salt flux low

Local Expansion of Donation After Circulatory Death Kidney Transplant Activity Improves Waitlisted Outcomes and Addresses Inequities of Access to Transplantation

In the United Kingdom, donation after circulatory death (DCD) kidney transplant activity has increased rapidly, but marked regional variation persists. We report how increased DCD kidney transplant activity influenced waitlisted outcomes for a single center. Between 2002–2003 and 2011–2012, 430 (54%) DCD and 361 (46%) donation after brain death (DBD) kidney-only transplants were performed at the Cambridge Transplant Centre, with a higher proportion of DCD donors fulfilling expanded criteria status (41% DCD vs. 32% DBD; p = 0.01). Compared with U.K. outcomes, for which the proportion of DCD:DBD kidney transplants performed is lower (25%; p 65 years; waiting time 730 vs. 1357 days nationally; p < 0.001), who received predominantly DCD kidneys from older donors (mean donor age 64 years), whereas younger recipients received equal proportions of living donor, DBD and DCD kidney transplants. Death-censored kidney graft survival was nevertheless comparable for younger and older recipients, although transplantation conferred a survival benefit from listing for only younger recipients. Local expansion in DCD kidney transplant activity improves survival outcomes for younger patients and addresses inequity of access to transplantation for older recipients