Transcript Expression of Vesicular Glutamate Transporters in Rat Dorsal Root Ganglion and Spinal Cord Neurons: Impact of Spinal Blockade during Hindpaw Inflammation.

Studies in mouse, and to a lesser extent in rat, have revealed the neuroanatomical distribution of vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) and begun exposing the critical role of VGLUT2 and VGLUT3 in pain transmission. In the present study in rat, we used specific riboprobes to characterize the transcript expression of all three VGLUTs in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and in the thoracolumbar, lumbar, and sacral spinal cord. We show for the first time in rat a very discrete VGLUT3 expression in DRGs and in deep layers of the dorsal horn. We confirm the abundant expression of VGLUT2, in both DRGs and the spinal cord, including presumable motorneurons in the latter. As expected, VGLUT1 was present in many DRG neuron profiles, and in the spinal cord it was mostly localized to neurons in the dorsal nucleus of Clarke. In rats with a 10 day long hindpaw inflammation, increased spinal expression of VGLUT2 transcript was detected by qRT-PCR, and intrathecal administration of the nonselective VGLUT inhibitor Chicago Sky Blue 6B resulted in reduced mechanical and thermal allodynia for up to 24 h. In conclusion, our results provide a collective characterization of VGLUTs in rat DRGs and the spinal cord, demonstrate increased spinal expression of VGLUT2 during chronic peripheral inflammation, and support the use of spinal VGLUT blockade as a strategy for attenuating inflammatory pain.

Transcript expression of vesicular glutamate transporters in lumbar dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord of mice - effects of peripheral axotomy or hindpaw inflammation.

Using specific riboprobes, we characterized the expression of vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT)1-VGLUT3 transcripts in lumbar 4-5 (L4-5) dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) and the thoracolumbar to lumbosacral spinal cord in male BALB/c mice after a 1- or 3-day hindpaw inflammation, or a 7-day sciatic nerve axotomy. Sham animals were also included. In sham and contralateral L4-5 DRGs of injured mice, VGLUT1-, VGLUT2- and VGLUT3 mRNAs were expressed in ∼45%, ∼69% or ∼17% of neuron profiles (NPs), respectively. VGLUT1 was expressed in large and medium-sized NPs, VGLUT2 in NPs of all sizes, and VGLUT3 in small and medium-sized NPs. In the spinal cord, VGLUT1 was restricted to a number of NPs at thoracolumbar and lumbar segments, in what appears to be the dorsal nucleus of Clarke, and in mid laminae III-IV. In contrast, VGLUT2 was present in numerous NPs at all analyzed spinal segments, except the lateral aspects of the ventral horns, especially at the lumbar enlargement, where it was virtually absent. VGLUT3 was detected in a discrete number of NPs in laminae III-IV of the dorsal horn. Axotomy resulted in a moderate decrease in the number of DRG NPs expressing VGLUT3, whereas VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 were unaffected. Likewise, the percentage of NPs expressing VGLUT transcripts remained unaltered after hindpaw inflammation, both in DRGs and the spinal cord. Altogether, these results confirm previous descriptions on VGLUTs expression in adult mice DRGs, with the exception of VGLUT1, whose protein expression was detected in a lower percentage of mouse DRG NPs. A detailed account on the location of neurons expressing VGLUTs transcripts in the adult mouse spinal cord is also presented. Finally, the lack of change in the number of neurons expressing VGLUT1 and VGLUT2 transcripts after axotomy, as compared to data on protein expression, suggests translational rather than transcriptional regulation of VGLUTs after injury.

Diagnostic Related Groups (DRGS): Resourceful tools for financial crisis times? / Grupos Relacionados de Diagnóstico (GRD): ¿herramientas de pago en tiempos de crisis? / Grupos Relacionados de Diagnóstico (GRD): Ferramentas de pagamento em tempo de crise?

This document is intended to be read by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection (former MoH) and includes some recommendations that could be implemented on the aim to increase allocative efficiency, thus improving macroeconomic performance of the Colombian Health System (CHS). It will be conducted as follows: first it will briefly review the background and actual context of the CHS, after this, will mention some related issues that justify a policy intervention on strategic purchasing to promote long run sustainability and hopefully the future attainment of major goals such as universal coverage and quality improvement. After prioritizing the main financial threats to the system, based on findings from literature review from countries that have successfully implemented similar policies, this paper will make some policy recommendations on regards especially to inpatient health care services in Colombia.

Este documento tiene la intención de captar la atención del Ministerio Colombiano de la Protección Social (anterior Ministerio de Salud), e incluye algunas recomendaciones que pudieran ser implementadas con el objetivo de incrementar la eficiencia en la colocación de recursos, de esta manera mejorando el desempeño macro económico del Sistema de Salud Colombiano (SSC). El documento se desarrollara de la siguiente manera: primero de manera breve se revisará el contexto y estado actual del SSC, posteriormente, se mencionaran los aspectos relacionados que justifican una intervención política en contratación estratégica, que promueva la sostenibilidad a largo plazo y ojala el logro futuro de objetivos primordiales como la cobertura universal y la mejora de la calidad. Después de priorizar las amenazas financieras principales del sistema y basados en hallazgos provenientes de la revisión de la literatura de países que exitosamente han implementado políticas similares, este articulo hace algunas recomendaciones relacionadas especialmente con el manejo de servicios intrahospitalarios en Colombia.

Este documento tem a intenção de captar a atenção do Ministério Colombiano da Proteção Social (antigamente Ministério de Saúde), e inclui algumas recomendações que poderiam ser implementadas com o objetivo de incrementar a eficiência na colocação de recursos, desta maneira melhorando o desempenho macroeconômico do Sistema de Saúde Colombiano (SSC). O documento se desenvolverá da seguinte maneira: primeiro de maneira breve se revisará o contexto e estado atuaL do SSC, posteriormente, se mencionaram os aspectos relacionados que justificam uma intervenção política em contratação estratégica, que promova a sustentabilidade em longo prazo e oxalá o logro futuro de objetivos primordiais como a cobertura universal e a melhora da qualidade. Depois de priorizar as principais ameaças financeiras do sistema e baseados em achados provenientes da revisão da literatura de países que exitosamente tem implementado políticas similares, este artigo faz algumas recomendações relacionadas especialmente com o manejo de serviços intra-hospitaleiros na Colômbia.