Fimasartan ameliorates renal ischemia reperfusion injury via modulation of oxidative stress, inflammatory and apoptotic cascades in a rat model.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) can be defined as changes in the functions and structures of the tissues resulting from the restoration of blood after a period of ischemia. This study aimed to assess the potential protective effect of Fimasartan (angiotensin receptor antagonist) in the bilateral renal IRI in male rats through its potential effect on renal functions, modulation of the inflammatory cascade, oxidative stress, and apoptotic effect. The animals were equally assigned into four groups. The sham (negative control) group was exposed to surgical conditions without induction of IRI. The control group was exposed to ischemia by occluding the renal pedicles by clamps for 30 min, followed by restoration of blood for 2h. The vehicle-treated group received dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) by intraperitoneal injection (IP) 30 minutes before clamping. Fimasartan-treated group: rats pretreated with Fimasartan a dose of 3 mg/kg IP; this was half hour before occluding the renal pedicles. Animals were then exposed to 30 min ischemia (clamping the renal pedicles) followed by 2h reperfusion by releasing the clamps. Blood samples were collected to examine the levels of serum urea and creatinine. Renal tissue was used to measure the levels of cytokines (TNFα, IL-6) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the levels of Bax, caspase 3, and Bcl-2. Histopathological analyses were performed to detect the parenchymal injury. The present study shows that pretreatment with Fimasartan improves kidney function through its effects on oxidative stress, cytokines, and apoptotic markers.

Affective commitment foci as parallel mediators of the relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance: a cross-cultural comparison of the People's Republic of China and Pakistan.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is twofold. First, we examined the relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance and tested the role of affective commitment foci - namely, affective coworker commitment, affective supervisor commitment, and affective organizational commitment - as parallel mediators in the relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance. Second, we tested the moderating role of culture on the interrelationships between workplace romance, affective commitment foci, and employee job performance. METHODS: A two-wave (3-month interval) survey data were collected from 312 paramedics - 162 and 150 from Pakistani and Chinese public-sector hospitals, respectively. The first and second waves of data collection took place in January and May 2017, respectively. Structural equation modeling (SEM), bootstrapping technique, and multigroup analysis were used to test the interrelationships between workplace romance, affective commitment foci, and employee job performance and to examine the cross-cultural differences in these interrelations. RESULTS: Results obtained using SEM show that workplace romance positively influences employee performance. Importantly, the study revealed that the three foci of affective commitment - namely, coworker affective commitment, supervisor affective commitment, and organizational affective commitment - as parallel mediators fully mediate the relationship between workplace romance and employee performance. Moreover, national culture moderates the indirect relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance, where workplace romance is stronger for the Chinese data sample. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that workplace romance is positively related to employee job performance and that affective commitment foci fully mediate the positive relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance. Moreover, culture moderates the indirect relationship between workplace romance and employee job performance. The study contributes to theory and practice by studying an essential but largely ignored aspect of the workplace and portraying it as a constructive influence on employee job performance and their affective commitment to coworkers, supervisor, and organization.