Diabetes Alters Intracellular Calcium Transients in Cardiac Endothelial Cells

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a diabetic complication, which results in myocardial dysfunction independent of other etiological factors. Abnormal intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) homeostasis has been implicated in DCM and may precede clinical manifestation. Studies in cardiomyocytes have shown that diabetes results in impaired [Ca2+]i homeostasis due to altered sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) and sodium-calcium exchanger (NCX) activity. Importantly, altered calcium homeostasis may also be involved in diabetes-associated endothelial dysfunction, including impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation and a diminished capacity to generate nitric oxide (NO), elevated cell adhesion molecules, and decreased angiogenic growth factors. However, the effect of diabetes on Ca2+ regulatory mechanisms in cardiac endothelial cells (CECs) remains unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of diabetes on [Ca2+]i homeostasis in CECs in the rat model (streptozotocin-induced) of DCM. DCM-associated cardiac fibrosis was confirmed using picrosirius red staining of the myocardium. CECs isolated from the myocardium of diabetic and wild-type rats were loaded with Fura-2, and UTP-evoked [Ca2+]i transients were compared under various combinations of SERCA, sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) and NCX inhibitors. Diabetes resulted in significant alterations in SERCA and NCX activities in CECs during [Ca2+]i sequestration and efflux, respectively, while no difference in PMCA activity between diabetic and wild-type cells was observed. These results improve our understanding of how diabetes affects calcium regulation in CECs, and may contribute to the development of new therapies for DCM treatment

Triagem auditiva neonatal: incidência de deficiência auditiva neonatal sob a perspectiva da nova legislação paulista Neonatal auditory screening: the incidence of neonatal hearing impairment in the context of the new São Paulo legislation

OBJETIVOS: identificar a incidência de recém-nascidos com deficiência auditiva, em maternidade particular da cidade de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: estudo de coorte transversal, realizado no período de 2004 a 2008, em maternidade localizada na zona sul da cidade de São Paulo, com 20.615 recém-nascidos de ambos os sexos, sem indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva e submetidos à triagem auditiva neonatal. O teste foi realizado por intermédio das Emissões Otoacústicas Evocadas Transientes (EOAET). Os pacientes que falharam nas EOAET nas duas fases foram encaminhados para a realização do Potencial Evocado Auditivo do Tronco Encefálico (PEATE) para a confirmação da deficiência auditiva neonatal. Empregou-se o Teste Exato de Fischer e o nível de significância adotado foi de 0,05 oup<0,05. RESULTADOS: a incidência de deficiência auditiva neonatal encontrada neste estudo foi de 1,2/1000. CONCLUSÃO: a legislação estadual permite que a triagem auditiva neonatal (TAN) seja mais efetiva na detecção precoce da deficiência auditiva neonatal. A TAN evita prejuízos tanto no desenvolvimento oral quanto da linguagem no contexto social, profissional e educacional.<br>OBJECTIVES: to determine the incidence of hearing impairment in newborns, at a private maternity hospital in the city of São Paulo. METHODS: a cross-sectional cohort study was carried out covering the period between 2004 and 2008, at a maternity hospital located in the southern zone of the city of São Paulo, including 20,615 newborns of both sexes, with no risk factors for hearing impairment and who had undergone neonatal auditory screening. The test was carried out using the Evoked Transient Otoacoustic Emissions test. Patients who failed both phases of this test were referred to do a Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potential test to confirm the presence of neonatal auditory deficiency. Fischer 's exact test was used with a level of significance of 0.05 orp<0.05. RESULTS: the incidence of neonatal hearing impairment found in this study was 1.2/1000. CONCLUSION: state legislation allows neonatal auditory screening to be more effective in achieving early detection of neonatal hearing impairment. Neonatal auditory screening prevents future impairment of oral development and language acquisition in a social, professional and educational context