Renal histomorphology in dogs with pyometra and control dogs, and long term clinical outcome with respect to signs of kidney disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Age-related changes in renal histomorphology are described, while the presence of glomerulonephritis in dogs with pyometra is controversial in current literature.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Dogs with pyometra were examined retrospectively for evidence of secondary renal damage and persisting renal disease through two retrospective studies. In Study 1, light microscopic lesions of renal tissue were graded and compared in nineteen dogs with pyometra and thirteen age-matched control bitches. In Study 2, forty-one owners of dogs with pyometra were interviewed approximately 8 years after surgery for evidence ofclinical signs of renal failure in order to document causes of death/euthanasia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Interstitial inflammation and tubular atrophy were more pronounced in dogs with pyometra than in the control animals. Glomerular lesions classified as glomerular sclerosis were present in both groups. No unequivocal light microscopic features of glomerulonephritis were observed in bitches in any of the groups.</p> <p>Two bitches severely proteinuric at the time of surgery had developed end stage renal disease within 3 years. In five of the bitches polyuria persisted after surgery. Most bitches did not show signs of kidney disease at the time of death/euthanasia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Tubulointerstitial inflammation was observed, but glomerular damage beyond age-related changes could not be demonstrated by light microscopy in the dogs with pyometra. However, severe proteinuria after surgery may predispose to development of renal failure.</p

Public perception of drinking water safety in South Africa 2002-2009: a repeated cross-sectional study

Background: In low and middle income countries, public perceptions of drinking water safety are relevant to promotion of household water treatment and to household choices over drinking water sources. However, most studies of this topic have been crosssectional and not considered temporal variation in drinking water safety perceptions. Theobjective of this study is to explore trends in perceived drinking water safety in South Africa and its association with disease outbreaks, water supply and householdcharacteristics.Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study draws on General Household Surveys from 2002-2009, a series of annual nationally representative surveys of South African households, which include a question about perceived drinking water safety. Trends in responses to this question were examined from 2002-2009 in relation to reported choleracases. The relationship between perceived drinking water safety and organoleptic qualities of drinking water, supply characteristics, and socio-economic and demographichousehold characteristics was explored in 2002 and 2008 using hierarchical stepwise logistic regression.Results: The results suggest that perceived drinking water safety has remained relatively stable over time in South Africa, once the expansion of improved supplies is controlled for. A large cholera outbreak in 2000-02 had no apparent effect on public perception of drinking water safety in 2002. Perceived drinking water safety is primarily related to water taste, odour, and clarity rather than socio-economic or demographic characteristics.Conclusion: This suggest that household perceptions of drinking water safety in South Africa follow similar patterns to those observed in studies in developed countries. The stability over time in public perception of drinking water safety is particularly surprising,given the large cholera outbreak that took place at the start of this period

Unexpected impairment of TNF-α-induced maturation of human dendritic cells in vitro by IL-4

International audienceBackground: An efficient strategy for programing dendritic cells (DCs) for cancer immunotherapy is the optimiza‑ tion of their maturation so that they can efficiently stimulate cancer‑specific T cell responses. Interleukin (IL)‑4 has appeared as an essential cytokine, widely used in vitro with granulocyte macrophage‑colony stimulating factor (GM‑CSF) to differentiate monocytes into immature DCs (iDC) and to prevent macrophage formation. Conflicting data have been published regarding the effect of IL‑4 on functional DC maturation. To further understand IL‑4's effects on DC maturation and function in vitro, we choose the most commonly used maturation factor tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‑α. Methods: Human monocyte‑derived iDC were treated for 48 h with GM‑CSF and TNF‑α in the presence (IL‑4 + ‑DC) or absence (IL‑4 − ‑DC) of IL‑4 and functions of both DC populations were compared. Results: On mixed lymphocyte reaction assay, IL‑4 + ‑DC were less potent than IL‑4 − ‑DC at inducing the proliferation of allogeneic CD4 + T cells and the proportion of activated T cells expressing CD69 and/or CD25 was smaller. Interleu‑ kin‑4 reduced the cell‑surface expression of TNF‑α‑induced DC maturation markers CD83, CD86, HLA‑DR and CD25 and generated a heterogeneous population of DCs. IL‑4 + ‑DC secreted less IL‑12 and more IL‑10 than IL‑4 − ‑DC follow‑ ing activation by soluble CD40L, and IL‑4 + ‑DC‑activated T cells secreted lesser amounts of T helper (Th) 1 cytokines (IL‑2 and interferon‑γ). Importantly, IL‑4 impaired the in vitro migratory capacity of DCs in response to CCL21 and CCL19 chemokines. This effect was related to reduced expression of CCR7 at both mRNA and protein levels. Conclusion: Interleukin‑4 used with GM‑CSF and TNF‑α during the maturation of DCs in vitro impaired DC functions and disturbed the maturation effect of TNF‑α. Finally, our study reinforces the view that the quality of the DC matura‑ tion stimulus, which regulates DC migration and cytokine production, may be a decisive feature of the immunogenic‑ ity of DCs