Testicular morphology of adult wistar rats treated with Rudgea viburnoides (Cham.) Benth. leaf infusion

The present study was carried out to investigate the effects of Rudgea viburnoides infusion on the body biometry and testicular morphometry and stereology of adult Wistar rats. Two groups received the infusion daily at the concentration of 3 or 6 mg/mL for 40 days. The control group received only water. Neither the biometrical parameters nor the tubular diameter and the height of the seminiferous epithelium showed any significant alterations in the treated animals. Leydig cells stereology did not show any significant alterations in the treated animals. These results indicated that R. viburnoides did not cause alterations in body biometry and testicular morphometry

Differential Macrophage Polarization Promotes Tissue Remodeling and Repair in a Model of Ischemic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of visual loss in individuals under the age of 55. Umbilical cord blood (UCB)–derived myeloid progenitor cells have been shown to decrease neuronal damage associated with ischemia in the central nervous system. In this study we show that UCB-derived CD14+ progenitor cells provide rescue effects in a mouse model of ischemic retinopathy by promoting physiological angiogenesis and reducing associated inflammation. We use confocal microscopy to trace the fate of injected human UCB-derived CD14+ cells and PCR with species-specific probes to investigate their gene expression profile before and after injection. Metabolomic analysis measures changes induced by CD14+ cells. Our results demonstrate that human cells differentiate in vivo into M2 macrophages and induce the polarization of resident M2 macrophages. This leads to stabilization of the ischemia-injured retinal vasculature by modulating the inflammatory response, reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis and promoting tissue repair

Biocompatible nanocomposite for PET/MRI hybrid imaging

Erica Locatelli,1 Larraitz Gil,2 Liron Limor Israel,3 Lorena Passoni,4,5 Maria Naddaka,1 Andrea Pucci,1 Torsten Reese,6 Vanessa Gomez-Vallejo,2 Paolo Milani,5,7 Michela Matteoli,4,8 Jordi Llop,2 Jean Paul Lellouche,3 Mauro Comes Franchini11Department of Industrial Chemistry “Toso Montanari”. University of Bologna, Italy; 2Radiochemistry Department, Molecular Imaging Unit, CIC biomaGUNE, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain; 3Department of Chemistry, Nanomaterials Research Centre, Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; 4Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milano, Italy; 5Fondazione Filarete, Milano, Italy; 6Imaging Department, Molecular Imaging Unit, CIC biomaGUNE, San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain; 7CIMAINA and Department of Physics, University of Milano, Italy; 8Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Rozzano, ItalyAbstract: A novel nanocarrier system was designed and developed with key components uniquely structured at the nanoscale for early cancer diagnosis and treatment. In order to perform magnetic resonance imaging, hydrophilic superparamagnetic maghemite nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and coated with a lipophilic organic ligand. Next, they were entrapped into polymeric NPs made of biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) linked to polyethylene glycol. In addition, resulting NPs have been conjugated on their surface with a 2,2'-(7-(4-((2-aminoethyl)amino)-1-carboxy-4-oxobutyl)-1,4,7-triazonane-1,4-diyl)diacetic acid ligand for subsequent 68Ga incorporation. A cell-based cytotoxicity assay has been employed to verify the in vitro cell viability of human pancreatic cancer cells exposed to this nanosystem. Finally, in vivo positron emission tomography-computerized tomography biodistribution studies in healthy animals were performed.Keywords: maghemite nanoparticles, organic coating, polymeric nanoparticles, magnetic resonance imaging, radiolabeling, positron emission tomograph

Acute kidney injury and progression of renal failure after fetal programming in the offspring of diabetic rats

BACKGROUND: Diseases of adulthood, such as diabetes and hypertension, may be related to changes during pregnancy, particularly in kidney. We hypothesized that acute kidney injury progresses more rapidly in cases of fetal programming.METHODS: Diabetic dams' offspring were divided into: CC (controls, receiving vehicle); DC (diabetics, receiving vehicle); CA (controls receiving folic Acid solution, 250 mg/kg); and DA (diabetics receiving folic acid solution). Renal function tests, morphometry, gene, and protein expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition(EMT) markers were analyzed by qPCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively.RESULTS: Creatinine, urea, Bowman's space, and EMT markers were increased in CA and DA groups. TGF-beta 3,actin,and fibronectin expression was higher in CA and DA, with significant increase in DA compared to CA 2-mo offspring. There was higher expression level ofTGF-beta 1,TGF-beta 3, fibronectin, and vimentin in the offspring of diabetic dams at 5 mo. Increases in TGF-beta 1 and TGF-beta 3 were more evident in the offspring of diabetic dams.CONCLUSION: Fetal programming promotes remarkable changes in kidney morphology, and function in offspring and renal failure progression may be faster in younger offspring of diabetic dams subjected to an additional injury.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Fundacao de Ensino e Pesquisa de Uberaba (FUNEPU, Brasil)Triangulo Mineiro Fed Univ, Biol & Nat Sci Inst, Dept Genet Ecol & Gen Pathol, Gen Pathol Discipline, Uberaba, BrazilTriangulo Mineiro Fed Univ, Biol & Nat Sci Inst, Dept Biochem Mol Biol Pharmacol Physiol & Chem, Discipline Physiol, Uberaba, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Immunol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Med, Div Nephrol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc