Influence of STAT4 gene polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

The STAT4 gene is vital to signaling pathways in the immune response. Immunological alterations are involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis, and STAT4 polymorphisms may be linked to disease development. This study's aim is to evaluate the possible association between four STAT4 polymorphisms (rs7601754/G > A, rs11889341/C > T, rs7574865/T > G, and rs7582694/C > G) and the pathogenesis of endometriosis in Brazilian women. This case-control study's sample comprised 238 women with endometriosis and 201 healthy, fertile women without endometriosis (which was surgically confirmed). Genotyping was performed using the TaqMan system with a real-time polymerase chain reaction; the genotype, allele, and haplotype frequencies were then compared between groups. A single-polymorphism analysis revealed that the TT genotype of the rs7574865/T > G polymorphism was significantly more frequent in women with minimal or mild endometriosis than in the controls (10% vs. 5%, p = 0.047). The CGAC, GTAT, and GTAC haplotypes were significantly more frequent in the women with endometriosis-related infertility (5.8%, 4.1%, and 2.9%, respectively) than in the controls (2.4%, 1.1%, and 0.8%, respectively; p = 0.020, p = 0.011, and p = 0.032, respectively), but the GGGC and CTAT haplotypes were significantly more prevalent in the control group (34.7% and 13.9%, respectively) than among the infertile group (26.2% and 9.1%, respectively). In addition, the CGAC haplotype was more frequently found in those with minimal or mild endometriosis (6.8%) than in the controls (2.4%, p = 0.009), and the GTAT haplotype was more commonly found in those with moderate or severe disease (3.6%) than in the controls (1.1%, p = 0.028). These findings suggest that STAT4 polymorphisms can influence the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

A subpopulation of tissue remodeling monocytes stimulates revascularization of the ischemic limb.

Despite decades of effort aimed at developing clinically effective cell therapies, including mixed population mononuclear cells, to revascularize the ischemic limb, there remains a paucity of patient-based studies that inform the function and fate of candidate cell types. In this study, we showed that circulating proangiogenic/arteriogenic monocytes (PAMs) expressing the FcγIIIA receptor CD16 were elevated in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), and these amounts decreased after revascularization. Unlike CD16-negative monocytes, PAMs showed large vessel remodeling properties in vitro when cultured with endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells and promoted salvage of the ischemic limb in vivo in a mouse model of hindlimb ischemia. PAMs showed a propensity to migrate toward and bind to ischemic muscle and to secrete angiogenic/arteriogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor. We instigated a first-in-human single-arm cohort study in which autologous PAMs were injected into the ischemic limbs of five patients with CLTI. Greater than 25% of injected cells were retained in the leg for at least 72 hours, of which greater than 80% were viable, with evidence of enhanced large vessel remodeling in the injected muscle area. In summary, we identified up-regulation of a circulatory PAM subpopulation as an endogenous response to limb ischemia in CLTI and tested a potentially clinically relevant therapeutic strategy.

Development of a membrane for guided tissue regeneration: An in vitro study.

AIM: The aim of this study was to develop an alternative low-cost membrane for use in guided tissue regeneration (GTR). SETTING AND DESIGN: In vitro study. METHODS AND MATERIAL: In this study, a membrane prepared from a 335 mm sized opening nylon substrate, covered in aqueous resin derived from chitosan, was compared with a commercial material, a non-degradable expanded poly (tetrafluoroethylene). Nylon substrate samples 2.0 × 2.0 cm were covered by aqueous resin based on diluted chitosan solution into 1:05 or 1:10 by spin coating technique to produce from 06, 10, and 15 layers. The surfaces of these membranes were observed using optical microscopy. The physical properties were measured by hydration superficial energy measurements (ΔG) and a tensile test machine. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test at a significance level of 5%, using the BioEstat 2.0 program. RESULTS: The Δ G values of the nylon membrane covered by the 1:05 of chitosan with 15 layers were close to the commercial membrane's Δ G values. The tensile strength values of the nylon membrane covered by the 1:05 of chitosan with 15 layers were higher than the commercial membrane's (115.826 MPa, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Therefore, the membrane developed shows some favorable physical properties that could qualify it as a material candidate for use in guided tissue regeneration.

The Impact of FSHR Gene Polymorphisms Ala307Thr and Asn680Ser in the Endometriosis Development.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent inflammatory disease that affects a large number of women in reproductive age. Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) plays a role in steroidogenesis and acts through a transmembrane glycoprotein, FSH receptor (FSHR). Polymorphisms in FSHR gene were previously associated with variability in FSH serum level and reproductive outcomes, but its relation with endometriosis has not been clarified and demonstrated conflicting results, ranging from strong links to no association to endometriosis. Inspired by these findings, we aimed to investigate the influence of FSHR Ala307Thr and Asn680Ser polymorphisms in the risk of endometriosis development and/or progression and the status of fertility in 352 women with endometriosis and 510 fertile controls. Single-marker analysis revealed no significant difference for both Ala307Thr and Asn680Ser polymorphisms between overall endometriosis and control group. However, when the endometriosis group was subdivided according to fertility status and disease stage, a positive association was found between 680Ser/Ser or GG genotype of the Asn680Ser polymorphism and fertile women with endometriosis (p = 0.004). Combined alleles of FSHR polymorphisms revealed that "GG/307Ala680Ser" was more frequently found in fertile women with endometriosis (haplotype frequency of 45.4% in fertile women with endometriosis and 38.3% in controls, p = 0.041). The combined alleles of FSHR polymorphisms disclosed that "GG/307Ala680Ser" was more frequently found in fertile women with endometriosis (haplotype frequency of 45.4% in fertile women with endometriosis and 38.3% in controls, p = 0.049), while "GA/307Ala680Asn" haplotype was less frequently found in endometriosis group (haplotype frequency of 6.5% in cases and 11.9% in controls, p = < 0.001), regardless of fertility status and stage of the disease. The findings suggest that 680Ser-Ser/GG genotype and "GG/307Ala680Ser" haplotype increase the risk of endometriosis in fertile women, while "GA/307Ala680Asn" haplotype decreases the risk of endometriosis development and progression.

Extravascular renal denervation ameliorates juvenile hypertension and renal damage resulting from experimental hyperleptinemia in rats.

BACKGROUND: Material obesity in rodents is associated with neonatal hyperleptinemia and hypertension of sympathetic origin in adult offspring. Previously, we reported that experimentally induced hyperleptinemia in rat pups results in adulthood hypertension. Here, we addressed the hypothesis that experimental neonatal hyperleptinemia, through renal nerve activation, adversely affects adult renal function. METHOD: Sprague-Dawley male and female pups were treated with neonatal leptin (3 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) or neonatal saline, twice daily from postnatal day 9-14. Juvenile (1 month) neonatal leptin and neonatal saline rats were subjected to either bilateral renal denervation, unilateral renal denervation or Sham surgery. Arterial pressure was telemetrically monitored. RESULTS: Juvenile neonatal leptin rats with intact renal nerves demonstrated increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) accompanied by local renin-angiotensin system overactivity and reduced glomerular filtration rate. Bilateral renal denervation in rats protected against neonatal leptin-induced MAP, renal renin-angiotensin system and impaired glomerular filtration rate. A two-fold increase in sympathetically mediated tubulointerstitial damage in young adult (2 months) neonatal leptin females, was suppressed by unilateral renal denervation, independent of MAP. Neonatal leptin rats also demonstrated increases in urinary protein, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, and kidney injury molecule-1. Raised blood pressure was associated with increased salt sensitivity and with sustained renal dysfunction in adulthood. CONCLUSION: We propose that neonatal hyperleptinemia programmes long-term renal structural and functional damage, through renal sympathetic nerve activation.

Proceso Estiloides en una Muestra de Radiografías Panorámicas de la Ciudad de Temuco-Chile / Styloid Process in the Panoramics Radiographic Sample of Temuco-Chile City

El proceso estiloides es una proyección ósea cilindrica fina, que mide en promedio 25 mm. Se origina en la porción timpánica del hueso temporal. Este proceso puede encontrarse aumentado en longitud, situación que puede o no manifestarse con dolor. Se estudiaron 968 radiografías panorámicas de sujetos de ambos sexos de edades entre los 12 y 81 años. Fueron medidos los procesos estiloides sobre la radiografía, y se consideraron elongados los que presentaron una longitud mayor a 30 mm. De la muestra, el 3,61% presentaron procesos estiloides elongados, de éstos, 37,14% correspondieron a personas de sexo masculino, y 62,86% de sexo femenino. Al analizar según sexo, los individuos masculinos presentaron procesos más largos que los individuos femeninos, y para ambos sexos se evidenció mayor longitud en el lado derecho (Masculino: longitud derecha 50,2 mm; DS 10,7, longitud izquierda 48,5 mm.; DS 7,9. Femenino: longitud derecha 45,6 mm; DS 7,5; longitud izquierda 42,7; DS 8,3). Se observaron más elongaciones unilaterales que bilaterales, así como elongaciones continuas en comparación a las discontinuas. No existió relación entre edad y elongación de procesos estiloides. Conocer la prevalencia de procesos estiloides elongados es relevante al analizar pacientes con sintomatología dolorosa no solucionada. La presente investigación aporta datos de prevalencia, a los profesionales de la salud, que sería posible encontrar este síndrome.

The Styloid process is a thin cylindrical prolongation of the 2temporal bone. Its mean length is 25 mm. This process could be found longer than average in some people, with or without pain symptomatology. 968 panoramic radiographs have been studied in sexes, male and female, ranging between 12 and 81 years of age. The Styloid processes were measured on radiographs, and were considered elongated with a length higher than 30 mm. Of the studied people, 3.61% had styloid processes elongated, 37.14% were male and 62.8% female. In the analysis by sex, male individuals had longer processes than female, and for both sexes, right styloid processes were longer than left side (Male: right length 50.163 mm., SD 10.65, left length 48.5mm.; SD 7.96. Female: right length 45.6 mm.; SD 7.57, left length 42.74; SD 8.32). Unilateral styloid processes elongated were found more frequently than bilateral, as well as continuous elongations in comparison with discontinuous ones. A relation between age and elongated styloid processes did not exist. To know the prevalence of elongated styloid process becomes important when patients with unsolved pain symptomatology cases are analyzed. This study gives new information to professionals of Dentistry and Otolaryngology areas about the probability to find Eagle's syndrome or elongated styloid process.

Agenesia dental, reabilitação protética com implantes osseointegrados, follow up de 12 anos - Relato de caso / Dental agenesy, prosthetic rehabilitation with osseointegrated implants, 12 years of follow up - Case report

Reabilitações dentárias estéticas são altamente requisitadas na clínica diária, diante de uma situação de recolocação de elemento unitário por meio de implantes osseointegrados. Este trabalho tem por fi nalidade relatar o caso de um paciente de 13 anos de idade com agenesia de incisivo lateral superior esquerdo (22). Foi indicada a mecanoterapia ortodôntica prévia e, posteriormente, a colocação de implante osseointegrado, seguindo o protocolo original de Brånemark. Os resultados encontram-se em acompanhamento clínico-radiográfico há aproximadamente 12 anos. O sucesso do tratamento possibilitou a completa reabilitação estética e funcional do paciente.