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The relevance of the article is due to the need to replace petroleum diesel fuel with fuels obtained from alternative raw materials. Rapeseed oil is considered as an alternative motor fuel. The properties of petroleum diesel fuel and rapeseed oil are analyzed. The influence of these properties of fuels on the characteristics of their injection and spraying is investigated. The deterioration of the quality of the injection and spraying processes was noted when the engine was switched from petroleum diesel fuel to rapeseed oil. When replacing diesel fuel with rapeseed oil, a slight increase in the maximum injection pressure and the duration of fuel supply was noted. Other parameters of fuel injection and atomization processes practically did not change. To achieve the required performance indicators of the diesel engine, it is necessary to implement measures that improve the quality of the workflow. These measures include the regulation of the fuel injection advance angle, optimization of the geometry of the flow part of the nozzle sprayer, two-phase fuel supply. It is advisable to switch from rapeseed oil to mixed biofuels and optimize their composition.

The article discusses the problem of replacing traditional diesel fuel with an alternative one. Rapeseed oil is considered as an alternative motor fuel. A deterioration in the quality of injection and atomization processes was noted when converting the engine to rapeseed oil. Experimental studies of the MD-6 diesel engine have shown that it can operate effectively on both petroleum diesel fuel and rapeseed oil. At the same time, the transfer of this engine from petroleum diesel fuel to rapeseed oil was accompanied by an increase in brake-specific fuel consumption, an increase in exhaust gas opacity, and an increase in emissions of nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. These negative phenomena are partly eliminated by adjusting the fuel injection advance angle. Improved engine performance is also achieved by optimizing the characteristics of the fuel supply system and two-phase fuel supply. The implementation of these measures makes it possible not only to achieve the performance of a diesel engine characteristic of running on diesel fuel, but also to meet the requirements for fuel efficiency and exhaust gas toxicity that are promising for small-sized high-speed diesel engines.

Commercial and residential use of pesticides is common in El Paso, Texas, especially in agricultural areas. Recently, concerns have arisen about the type of pesticides used by residents because of the ease with which methyl parathion can be obtained from the neighboring border city of Juarez in Chihuahua, Mexico. Survey data were collected regarding residents' perceptions about pesticide safety and use of pesticides, and their preferred source of health information. The authors assessed the number of respondents who were using the illegal pesticide methyl parathion, known locally as polvo de avion (airplane dust) as well as their beliefs concerning the safety and efficacy of pesticides. The study found that 88.7 percent (133 of 150) used some type of pesticide, and of these, 9.8 percent (13 of 133) reported using methyl parathion. Biological/environmental testing would be useful to assess use of methyl parathion and to determine the types of pesticides used by local farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: Limited studies have examined patient aversion to mesh use in pelvic surgery, especially in Latinas., Objective: This study aimed to assess aversion to pelvic surgery with mesh for urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in a sample of Latinas on the U.S.-Mexico border., Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of self-identified Latinas with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders, recruited at their initial consultation visit at a single, academic urogynecology clinic. Participants completed a validated survey to assess perceptions of mesh use in pelvic surgery. Participants also completed questionnaires assessing the presence and severity of pelvic floor symptoms and level of acculturation. The primary outcome was aversion to mesh surgery, as indicated by a response of "yes" or "maybe" to the question "Based on what you already know, would you avoid surgery using mesh?" Descriptive analysis, univariate relative risk, and linear regression analysis were completed to identify characteristics associated with mesh avoidance. Significance was assessed and considered at P values <0.05., Results: Ninety-six women were included. Only 6.3% had prior pelvic floor surgery using mesh. Sixty-six percent indicated that they would be likely to avoid pelvic surgery that uses mesh. Only 9.4% indicated that they obtained information regarding mesh directly from medical professionals. Levels of concern regarding the use of mesh varied widely (29.2% not worried, 19.1% somewhat worried, 16.9% very worried). Higher percentages of "more acculturated" participants indicated a desire to avoid mesh surgery (58.7% vs 27.3%, P < 0.05)., Conclusions: In this Latina population, a majority of patients indicated an aversion to using mesh in pelvic surgery. Few patients obtained information regarding mesh directly from medical professionals, relying instead on nonmedical sources., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the subjective and objective cystoscopy skills of gynecology residents before and after implementation of a comprehensive simulation curriculum., Methods: Residents in an obstetrics/gynecology program at a single academic institution participated in a 6-week cystoscopy simulation course. Residents attended an initial orientation and didactic presentation, and then weekly 20- to 30-minute training sessions using a water balloon model and a virtual reality simulator. Pretesting and posttesting were performed, including (1) subjective self-assessments, (2) a written quiz, and (3) objective structured assessment of technical skills. Paired t test was used to assess the differences in residents' objective assessment scores before and after simulation training., Results: A total of 16 residents were recruited. Residents reported significant subjective improvements in comfort, confidence, and proficiency in performing cystoscopy after completing the curriculum. Their overall objective assessment improved, including written quiz scores (mean score, 49% vs 78%; P < 0.001), efficiency in cystoscope assembly (means score, 0 vs 4; P < 0.001), overall bladder survey score (56% vs 86%, P < 0.001), and global rating score (mean score, 15 vs 24; P < 0.001). Residents tended to prefer the water-balloon model compared with the virtual reality simulator (75% vs 25%)., Conclusions: Obstetrics/gynecology residents demonstrated significant improvements in subjective and objective measures of skill after completion of a 6-week cystoscopy simulation training course using a combination of low- and high-fidelity models. Although universal cystoscopy at the time of hysterectomy for benign indications remains controversial, cystoscopy simulation should remain an important part of resident training., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) not only have shown remarkable results as antimicrobial and antiviral agents but also as antitumor agents. This work reports the complete characterization of five polyvinylpyrrolidone-coated AgNP (PVP-AgNP) formulations, their cytotoxic activity against human colon tumor cells (HCT-15), their cytotoxic effect on primary mouse cultures, and their lethal dose on BALB/c mice. The evaluated AgNP formulations have a composition within the ranges Ag: 1.14-1.32% w / w , PVP: 19.6-24.5% and H 2 O: 74.2-79.2% with predominant spherical shape within an average size range of 16-30 nm according to transmission electron microscopy (TEM). All formulations assessed increase mitochondrial ROS concentration and induce apoptosis as the leading death pathway on HCT-15 cells. Except for AgNP1, the growth inhibition potency of AgNP formulations of human colon tumor cancer cells (HCT-15) is 34.5 times higher than carboplatin, one of the first-line chemotherapy agents. Nevertheless, 5-10% of necrotic events, even at the lower concentration evaluated, were observed. The cytotoxic selectivity was confirmed by evaluating the cytotoxic effect on aorta, spleen, heart, liver, and kidney primary cultures from BALB/c mice. Despite the cytotoxic effects observed in vitro, the lethal dose and histopathological analysis showed the low toxicity of these formulations (all of them on Category 4 of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals) and minor damage observed on analyzed organs. The results provide an additional example of the rational design of safety nanomaterials with antitumor potency and urge further experiments to complete the preclinical studies for these AgNP formulations.

Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the rate of return to baseline functional status 3 months after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in women 65 years or older., Methods: This is a multicenter prospective cohort study of women older than 65 years undergoing POP surgery. Functional status was determined by the Activities Assessment Scale at the preoperative visit and 3 months after surgery. We compared a variety of clinical variables and preoperative functional status scores for women who worsened, improved, or returned to baseline functional status after surgery using univariable and multivariable analysis., Results: A total of 192 women were enrolled in the study. Of 176 women who completed both sets of questionnaires, 59% improved, 35% returned, and 6% worsened from their baseline functional status. Variables significantly associated with postoperative functional status score were depression (P < 0.002) and preoperative functional status score (P < 0.001). The group that improved from baseline had the lowest (worst) preoperative functional status score (78.7 ± 16.4), whereas the group that worsened after surgery had the highest (best) preoperative functional status score (98.6 ± 2.2). After adjusting for age and depression, higher preoperative functional status score was predictive of failure to return to baseline functional status., Conclusions: Most older women undergoing surgery for POP, including those with low preoperative functional status, return to or improve from their baseline functional status within 3 months of surgery. Women with higher functional status before surgery are less likely to report improvement in physical functioning after surgery., (Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of the study was to validate a Spanish-translated survey assessing patients' perceptions of mesh use in pelvic floor surgery., Methods: An English-language survey evaluating perceptions of mesh use underwent a process of Spanish translation and validation, using a forward-backward translation validation protocol. Self-identified bilingual Latinas with symptoms of pelvic floor disorders were recruited to participate in cognitive interviews after completing the survey in English and Spanish. κ coefficient and Cronbach α were calculated for measurement of reliability and internal consistency in responses. A P value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant., Results: A total of 30 women were randomized to complete the initial survey in either English or Spanish. Demographics for the 2 cohorts were similar. For the Spanish-translated survey overall, 86% described the questions as "somewhat easy" or "very easy" to understand, and 93% reported that it was "clear" or "very clear" that the survey aimed to investigate their thoughts regarding mesh use. Approximately 63% of the participants expressed confusion over the use of the Spanish medical term "cabestrillo," translated for "sling." There were no significant differences in the responses on cognitive interview between the 2 groups. Overall, the responses between English and Spanish versions of the survey demonstrated good reliability and internal consistency., Conclusions: This study demonstrated face validity of a Spanish-translated survey assessing perceptions of mesh use in pelvic surgery in a Latina population. Participants' feedback was crucial to optimizing the quality of the survey for future studies that will evaluate Spanish-speaking patients' views of mesh implants in pelvic reconstructive surgery., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Nanomaterials quickly evolve to produce safe and effective biomedical alternatives, mainly silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The AgNPs' antibacterial, antiviral, and antitumor properties convert them into a recurrent scaffold to produce new treatment options. This work reported the full characterization of a highly biocompatible protein-coated AgNPs formulation and their selective antitumor and amoebicidal activity. The protein-coated AgNPs formulation exhibits a half-inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) = 19.7 µM (2.3 µg/mL) that is almost 10 times more potent than carboplatin (first-line chemotherapeutic agent) to inhibit the proliferation of the highly aggressive human adenocarcinoma HCT-15. The main death pathway elicited by AgNPs on HCT-15 is apoptosis, which is probably stimulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) overproduction on mitochondria. A concentration of 111 µM (600 µg/mL) of metallic silver contained in AgNPs produces neither cytotoxic nor genotoxic damage on human peripheral blood lymphocytes. Thus, the AgNPs formulation evaluated in this work improves both the antiproliferative potency on HCT-15 cultures and cytotoxic selectivity ten times more than carboplatin. A similar mechanism is suggested for the antiproliferative activity observed on HM1-IMSS trophozoites (IC 50 = 69.2 µM; 7.4 µg/mL). There is no change in cell viability on mice primary cultures of brain, liver, spleen, and kidney exposed to an AgNPs concentration range from 5.5 µM to 5.5 mM (0.6 to 600 µg/mL). The lethal dose was determined following the OECD guideline 420 for Acute Oral Toxicity Assay, obtaining an LD 50 = 2618 mg of Ag/Kg body weight. All mice survived the observational period; the histopathology and biochemical analysis show no differences compared with the negative control group. In summary, all results from toxicological evaluation suggest a Category 5 (practically nontoxic) of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals for that protein-coated AgNPs after oral administration for a short period and urge the completion of its preclinical toxicological profile. These findings open new opportunities in the development of selective, safe, and effective AgNPs formulations for the treatment of cancer and parasitic diseases with a significant reduction of side effects.

Objectives: To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs related to pessary use in Spanish-speaking women along the US-Mexico border., Methods: Spanish-speaking women with symptoms of vaginal bulge were recruited from the urogynecology/gynecology clinics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso to participate in moderated focus groups. Discussion topics included knowledge of prolapse/pessaries, pros/cons of pessaries, alternatives, and prolapse surgery. Audio-recorded group discussions were transcribed verbatim, and qualitative analysis completed by independent review using grounded theory methodology. Common themes were identified and then aggregated to form consensus concepts, agreed upon by the reviewers., Results: Twenty-nine Spanish-speaking women participated in 6 focus group discussions. Approximately half of women reported little or no prior knowledge about pessaries. Three main themes were identified from analysis: knowledge/perceptions, misinformation/misconceptions, and surgery-related concerns. Concepts identified from common themes included limited knowledge of pessaries, confusing "pessary" with "mesh," willingness to try pessaries in order to avoid surgery, desire to try pessary if it was recommended by physician, limited efficacy or complications of surgery, and mesh-related concerns. Interestingly, some women reported that pessaries appear to be a treatment more often offered in the United States rather than in Mexico., Conclusions: Most participants showed a willingness to try a pessary for symptoms of pelvic organ prolapse in an effort to avoid surgery, despite expressing limited knowledge about this treatment. Physician recommendations and risks of pessary use influence their likelihood of trying a pessary. These concepts serve as focus points for effective pessary counseling to help improve education and informed decision making in this patient population., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess impact of a decision aid video in Latina patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) on knowledge, satisfaction and decisional conflict related to initial treatment selection., Methods: Pilot study with randomized prospective design. Thirty Latina women with symptomatic POP were randomized to a decision aid intervention plus standard care (N = 15) or standard care alone (N = 15) group. Decision aid intervention consisted of a 10-minute video presented at time of initial evaluation for POP. Outcome measures included the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Quiz ("Knowledge"), the Satisfaction with Decision ("Satisfaction") and Decisional Conflict (DCS) scales, and were assessed at 4 different timepoints: after initial visit, and at 1, 3 and 6 months after. Data was analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA and pairwise between-group comparisons., Results: Demographic and baseline data were similar between groups. There was a significant interaction between groups and time on the Knowledge scores (P = 0.03). Knowledge scores were higher at the initial visit in the intervention group (10.6 ± 0.8 vs 9.53 ± 1.4, P = 0.014). Satisfaction scores were lower in the intervention group on longitudinal analysis, indicating higher satisfaction (P = 0.02). There was no difference on overall Decisional Conflict scores between groups. The intervention group had lower scores on the "effective decision" DCS subscale at 3 and 6 months and "informed" DCS subscale at 3 months., Conclusions: A decision aid video intervention in Latina women with POP used at the time of initial evaluation may help the patient make a more informed treatment decision by increasing condition-related knowledge and lead to greater long-term satisfaction., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 American Urogynecologic Society. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To examine the gross and histologic anatomy of the proximal, mid, and distal posterior vaginal compartment and discuss implications for surgical repair., Study Design: In this cadaver study, pelvic organs were resected en bloc, immersed in formalin solution, and transected in the mid sagittal plane. Measured distances included: posterior vaginal wall length, cervicovaginal junction or vaginal cuff to posterior peritoneal reflection, peritoneal reflection to proximal edge (apex) of perineal body, and perineal body apex to hymenal remnant (height). The posterior vaginal wall was divided into 3 segments along the midsagittal plane and submitted in whole tissue blocks for staining. Histologic analysis included that of 2 young nulliparous women whose tissue was harvested within 12 hours of death., Results: Eleven cadavers were examined. Median (interquartile range [IQR]) posterior vaginal length was 7.6 (2.2) cm. The peritoneum attached to the posterior vaginal wall a median (IQR) of 1.3 cm (0.5 cm) distal to the cervicovaginal junction (n = 8). The rectovaginal space, spanning from the peritoneal reflection to perineal body apex, had a median (IQR) length of 4.7 cm (2.1 cm). Microscopic examination of the mid segment revealed a layer of loose fibroadipose tissue between the vaginal/rectal walls, with no distinct dense fibroconnective tissue layer. The median (IQR) perineal body height was 2.3 cm (1.2 cm). No discrete fibrous capsule was seen surrounding the external anal sphincter muscle., Conclusions: These findings support evidence showing absence of a rectovaginal fascia. The anal sphincter lacks a fibrous capsule, which is important during closure of third-/fourth-degree obstetric lacerations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Prolapse procedures with uterine preservation offer an alternative to colpopexy with hysterectomy. Few studies have examined the differences in anatomic or subjective outcomes following sacral hysteropexy versus sacral colpopexy with hysterectomy. This study sought to compare the ability of sacral hysteropexy and sacral colpopexy with hysterectomy to resist downward traction as an estimate of apical support in human cadavers., Methods: Sacral hysteropexy was performed on unembalmed female cadavers. A metal bolt/washer was threaded through the uterine fundus, down the cervical canal. and out the vagina and fastened to a waxed surgical filament, which ran over a fixed pulley at the table's end. Successive weights were added to provide increasing loads on the uterine fundus, and the distances traversed by the fundus were recorded. The same process was repeated after completion of a total hysterectomy (with vaginal cuff closure) and subsequent sacral colpopexy in the same specimen. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t test and repeated-measures analysis of variance (Sigma Plot version 13.0), with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant., Results: Eight female cadavers were utilized. With the addition of each weight, the average distance traversed by the uterine fundus or vaginal cuff gradually increased. There were no statistical differences in the distances moved by the apex between sacral hysteropexy and total hysterectomy/sacral colpopexy., Conclusions: These results suggest that functional support provided by sacral hysteropexy and sacral colpopexy with hysterectomy may be similar. Further studies are needed to correlate these findings with patient satisfaction, which may vary despite similar anatomic results.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report subjective, long-term outcomes and describe patient demographics, presenting symptoms, perioperative management, and complications after overlapping sphincteroplasty repair for chronic fourth-degree lacerations (cloacal-like deformities)., Methods: In this retrospective study, hospital records were reviewed for women who underwent overlapping anal sphincteroplasty for a cloacal-like deformity of the perineum at a single institution from 1996 to 2013. Details including patient demographics, presenting symptoms, perioperative management, and complications were abstracted from the medical record. As a follow-up, subjects were contacted by telephone and were administered the validated Modified Manchester Health Questionnaire to assess anal continence status and anal incontinence-related quality of life since the time of surgery., Results: Of 57 women who underwent an anal sphincteroplasty within the study period, 29 met inclusion criteria. Median parity was 3 (range, 1-7) and 24.5% reported a history of forceps or vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery. Presenting symptoms included fecal incontinence (58.6%), flatal incontinence (41%), sexual dysfunction (20.7%), and poor body self-image (3.4%). Thirteen (45%) women could be contacted by telephone and all agreed to participate. Overall, 46.2% of the 13 women who completed the Modified Manchester Health Questionnaire reported some form anal of incontinence, whereas 53.8% reported complete continence at a mean follow-up of 7.0 ± 3.6 years. Perioperative morbidity was uncommon, and postoperative antibiotics were used in 75.9% of cases for a median duration of 8.8 ± 3.3 days., Conclusions: Perioperative morbidity after overlapping sphincteroplasty for cloacal-like deformities after obstetrical injury is rare. Although long-term complete anal continence may be difficult to achieve in all cases, good quality of life measures and low symptom severity were noted at a mean interval of 7 years after surgery.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the ability of abdominal sacrocolpopexy (ASC) with concomitant total vs supracervical hysterectomy to resist downward traction as a measure of functional anatomic support in human cadavers., Methods: Supracervical hysterectomy was performed on unembalmed cadaver specimens, followed by ASC attaching polypropylene mesh to the posterior cervix/vagina only and then the anterior and posterior cervix/vagina. Using a metal bolt placed through the cervix tied to a filament passing through a fixed pulley system, successive weights of 0.5 to 3.0 kg were added to provide increasing loads on the apex (cervix), and the distances traversed by the apex were recorded. The same process was then repeated in each specimen after removal of the cervix (with vaginal cuff closure). One-way and repeated-measures analysis of measure was used for between-group and within-group comparisons, respectively, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant., Results: Eight cadavers were examined. At lower weight loads, pulling distances in the 4 groups examined were similar and were not significantly different with the presence or absence of the cervix. At weight loads of 2.5 kg or greater, we noted a trend of increased pulling distances when posterior mesh only was used vs when anterior/posterior mesh was placed, although this difference was not significant. Interestingly, there was tearing of the vaginal wall or partial separation of mesh/sutures attachments to the vagina noted in 3 specimens., Conclusions: This study showed no differences in the ability of the cervix (after supracervical hysterectomy) compared with the vaginal cuff (after total hysterectomy) to resist downward traction of successive weights after ASC. Clinical trials are necessary to correlate these findings with prolapse recurrence rates and patient satisfaction following these procedures.

Objective: Reconstructive surgery for pelvic organ prolapse is plagued with high failure rates possibly due to impaired healing or regeneration of the vaginal wall. Here, we tested the hypothesis that postoperative administration of local estrogen, direct injection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), or both lead to improved wound healing of the injured vagina in a menopausal rat model., Methods: Ovariectomized rats underwent surgical injury to the posterior vaginal wall and were randomized to treatment with placebo (n = 41), estrogen cream (n = 47), direct injection of MSCs (n = 39), or both (n = 43)., Results: MSCs did not survive after injection and had no appreciable effects on healing of the vaginal wall. Acute postoperative administration of vaginal estrogen altered the response of the vaginal wall to injury with decreased stiffness, decreased collagen content, and decreased expression of transcripts for matrix components in the stromal compartment. Conversely, vaginal estrogen resulted in marked proliferation of the epithelial layer and increased expression of genes related to epithelial barrier function and protease inhibition. Transcripts for genes involved in chronic inflammation and adaptive immunity were also down-regulated in the estrogenized epithelium., Conclusions: Collectively, these data indicate that, in contrast to the reported positive effects of preoperative estrogen on the uninjured vagina, acute administration of postoperative vaginal estrogen has adverse effects on the early phase of healing of the stromal layer. In contrast, postoperative estrogen plays a positive role in healing of the vaginal epithelium after injury.

Introduction and Hypothesis: To describe the relationships between pelvic bony landmarks to points along the third sacral nerve and to uterosacral ligament suspension sutures., Methods: Three transvaginal uterosacral ligament suspension sutures were placed bilaterally in unembalmed female human cadavers. The third sacral nerve was marked at the foramen (S3a) and at two additional points at 1-cm intervals along its course caudally (S3b, S3c). Three bony pelvic landmarks were identified and marked, including the ischial spine, pubic symphysis, and coccyx. Distances from each landmark to each suture and nerve point were measured. The distance from each landmark to each S3 nerve point was extended radially, encompassing an arbitrary zone in which sutures may be placed and thus where nerve injury may occur. Zones of potential nerve injury included: zone A (closest to the sacral nerve root), zone B, and zone C (closest to the landmark). Descriptive statistics were used and comparisons were made using Student's t test and ANOVA., Results: Ten cadaver specimens were dissected. For the ischial spine, the distances to points S3a, S3b, and S3c were 6.3, 5.4, and 4.6 cm respectively. Approximately two thirds of the sutures were noted beyond zone C, indicating a potentially increased risk of nerve injury with suture placement in zones farthest from the ischial spine given their proximity to the sacral nerve., Conclusions: Using the ischial spine as a landmark, increased sacral nerve injury could result from suture placement beyond the mean distance of 4.6 cm from the ischial spine. The use of bony landmarks in avoiding sacral nerve injury may be as important as suture depth and angle of suture placement.

Although the positive effects of vaginal estrogens and the selective estrogen receptor modulator, ospemifene (OS), on the vaginal epithelium are well recognized, less is known regarding the effects of these therapies on the lower urinary tract or vaginal muscularis. Clinical evidence suggests that vaginally administered estrogen may improve overactive bladder-related symptoms. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of OS, vaginal conjugated equine estrogens (CEE), or both on the vaginal wall and lower urinary tract in a rat model of menopause. Contractile force of the bladder neck, dome, and external urethral sphincter at optimal field stimulation did not differ significantly among treatment groups. Pharmacologic responses to atropine, carbachol, and potassium chloride were similar among groups. Vaginal epithelial thickness and differentiation were differentially regulated by CEE or OS. Ospemifene altered epithelial differentiation pathways in vaginal epithelium in a unique way, and these effects were additive with local CEE. Unless contraindicated, the beneficial effects of vaginal CEE on the vaginal wall outweigh those of OS., (© The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Unlabelled: STUDY, Objective: To determine the safety of manual vaginal morcellation by evaluating the rates of incidental uterine malignancy and manual vaginal morcellation after vaginal or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy., Design: Retrospective analysis (Canadian Task Force classification II-2)., Setting: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX., Patients: Women (n = 1,629) undergoing vaginal or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy., Interventions: Vaginal hysterectomy (n = 1,091) or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (n = 538) with and without scalpel morcellation., Measurements and Main Results: The number of uterine malignancies, rate of vaginal morcellation, surgical indications, pathology diagnoses, and uterine weights were evaluated. Chi-square analysis was used to compare categoric data, and analysis of variance was used to compare uterine weights. There were no cases of leiomyosarcomas. There were 2 other sarcomas, 4 smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential, and 8 endometrial adenocarcinomas. The vaginal morcellation rate was 19.4%, but no malignancy was morcellated. Myomas were more common preoperatively and histologically in morcellated specimens. Mean (± standard deviation) uterine weights for morcellated versus nonmorcellated laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy specimens were 285.5 ± 159.3 versus 140.1 ± 83.6 g (p < .001), respectively, and 199.9 ± 92.8 versus 111.9 ± 61.4 (p < .001), respectively, for vaginal hysterectomy., Conclusion: Vaginal manual morcellation is safe with a low risk of incidental malignancy. Variables that influence the decision for the vaginal approach may also affect malignancy risk and morcellation decisions. Thus, all patients undergoing vaginal or laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy should be counseled regarding incidental malignancy, risk of morcellation, and alternatives for intact specimen removal., (Copyright © 2016 AAGL. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As the field of reconstructive pelvic surgery continues to evolve, with descriptions of new procedures to repair pelvic organ prolapse, it remains imperative to maintain a functional understanding of pelvic floor anatomy and support. The goal of this review was to provide a focused, conceptual approach to differentiating anatomic defects contributing to prolapse in the various compartments of the vagina. Rather than provide exhaustive descriptions of pelvic floor anatomy, basic pelvic floor anatomy is reviewed, new and historical concepts of pelvic floor support are discussed, and relevance to the surgical management of specific anatomic defects is addressed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the anatomic variation of the pudendal nerve in the pelvis, on the dorsal surface of the sacrospinous ligament, and in the pudendal canal., Study Design: Detailed dissections of the pudendal nerve were performed in unembalmed female cadavers. Pelvic measurements included the distance from the origin of the pudendal nerve to the tip of ischial spine and the nerve width at its origin. The length of the pudendal canal was measured. The inferior rectal nerve was identified in the ischioanal fossa and its course documented. Lastly, the relationship of the pudendal nerve to the dorsal surface of the sacrospinous ligament was examined after transecting the lateral surface of the sacrospinous ligament. Descriptive statistics were used for data analyses and reporting., Results: Thirteen female cadavers (26 hemipelvises) were examined. A single pudendal nerve trunk was identified in 61.5% of hemipelvises. The median distance from the point of the pudendal nerve formation to the ischial spine was 27.5 mm (range, 14.5-37 mm). The width of the pudendal nerve in the pelvis was 4.5 mm (range, 2.5-6.3 mm). The length of the pudendal canal was 40.5 mm (range, 20.5-54.5 mm). The inferior rectal nerve was noted to enter the pudendal canal in 42.3% of hemipelvises; in these cases, the nerve exited the canal at a distance of 32.5 mm (range, 16-45 mm) from the ischial spine. In the remaining specimens, the inferior rectal nerve passed behind the sacrospinous ligament and entered the ischioanal fossa without entering the pudendal canal. In all specimens, the pudendal nerve was fixed by connective tissue to the dorsal surface of the sacrospinous ligament., Conclusion: Great variability exists in pudendal nerve anatomy. Fixation of the pudendal nerve to the dorsal surface of the sacrospinous ligament is a consistent finding; thus, pudendal neuralgia attributed to nerve entrapment may be overestimated. The path of the inferior rectal nerve relative to the pudendal canal may have implications in the development of anorectal symptoms. Improved characterization of the pudendal nerve and its branches can help avoid intraoperative complications and enhance existing treatment modalities for pudendal neuropathy., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The objective of this study was to compare the effects of systemic and local estrogen treatment on collagen assembly and biomechanical properties of the vaginal wall. Ovariectomized nulliparous rats were treated with estradiol or conjugated equine estrogens (CEEs) either systemically, vaginal CEE, or vaginal placebo cream for 4 wk. Low-dose local CEE treatment resulted in increased vaginal epithelial thickness and significant vaginal growth without uterine hyperplasia. Furthermore, vaginal wall distensibility increased without compromise of maximal force at failure. Systemic estradiol resulted in modest increases in collagen type I with no change in collagen type III mRNA. Low-dose vaginal treatment, however, resulted in dramatic increases in both collagen subtypes whereas moderate and high dose local therapies were less effective. Consistent with the mRNA results, low-dose vaginal estrogen resulted in increased total and cross-linked collagen content. The inverse relationship between vaginal dose and collagen expression may be explained in part by progressive downregulation of estrogen receptor-alpha mRNA with increasing estrogen dose. We conclude that, in this menopausal rat model, local estrogen treatment increased total and cross-linked collagen content and markedly stimulated collagen mRNA expression in an inverse dose-effect relationship. High-dose vaginal estrogen resulted in downregulation of estrogen receptor-alpha and loss of estrogen-induced increases in vaginal collagen. These results may have important clinical implications regarding the use of local vaginal estrogen therapy and its role as an adjunctive treatment in women with loss of vaginal support., (© 2015 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.)

Objective: The objective of the study was to examine the anatomic relationship of the genitofemoral and femoral nerves to the psoas major muscle., Study Design: Dissections were performed in 17 unembalmed female cadavers. Point A was used as the approximate location for placement of psoas hitch sutures and as the reference point from which all measurements were taken. Measurements included the width of the psoas major muscle, psoas minor tendon, genitofemoral nerve branches, and femoral nerve. The relative location of the genitofemoral and femoral nerves to point A and the presence or absence of a psoas minor tendon were documented., Results: The psoas minor tendon was absent on at least 1 side in 11 specimens (64.7%). The median width of the psoas minor tendon was 7 mm (range, 3-11.5 mm). The median width and depth of the psoas major muscle was 21.5 mm (range, 10-35 mm) and 20.0 mm (range, 11.5-32 mm), respectively. The median width of the genitofemoral nerve was 2 mm (range, 1-4.5 mm) and that of the femoral nerve was 6.3 mm (range, 5-10.5 mm). Overall, 54 genitofemoral nerve branches were identified in 17 cadavers, 30 medial (55.5%), 22 lateral (40.7%), and 2 directly overlying point A (3.7%)., Conclusion: The exact location for the placement of the psoas hitch sutures will vary, depending on the location of the ureteral injury and the anatomy of the psoas muscle and surrounding structures. A thorough understanding of this regional anatomy should optimize the placement of psoas hitch sutures during ureteral reimplantation procedures and help avoid nerve and vessel injury., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: Patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction are recognized as being equally important as traditional objective measures of success following midurethral sling (MUS) procedures. The objective of this article is to review the success after MUSs in the context of patient satisfaction., Recent Findings: Patient satisfaction for both transobturator and retropubic MUSs at 2 years is high with rates up to 88%. Factors that positively influence satisfaction include improvement in quality of life and reduction in severity of symptoms. Satisfaction has been found to be negatively impacted by persistent stress incontinence, preoperative urinary urgency, mixed urinary incontinence, detrusor overactivity, and selected comorbidities such as diabetes. Factors, such as postoperative incomplete bladder emptying, irritative voiding, and complications after MUS surgery, can also influence satisfaction adversely., Summary: Combining patient-reported outcome measures with customary objective measures offer a more comprehensive assessment of success. Even though the data are limited, the short-term and intermediate-term rates of satisfaction are promising for both transobturator and retropubic MUSs. Future studies should focus on further elucidating long-term predictors of satisfaction after MUS placement.

The relation between adenine nucleotides and cancer has already been described in literature. Considering that the enzymes ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) act together to control nucleotide levels, we aimed to investigate the role of these enzymes in prostate cancer (PCa). E-NPP and ADA activities were determined in serum and platelets of PCa patients and controls. We also verified the influence of the Gleason score, bone metastasis and treatment in the enzyme activities. Platelets and serum E-NPP activity increased, whereas ADA activity in serum decreased in PCa patients. In addition, Gleason score, metastasis and treatment influenced E-NPP and ADA activities. We may propose that E-NPP and ADA are involved in the development of PCa. Moreover, E-NPP and ADA activities are modified in PCa patients with distinct Gleason score, with bone metastasis, as well as in patients under treatment., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Cervical cancer remains the second leading cause of death among women. Intraepithelial neoplasias and uterine invasive cancer are frequently associated with disturbances in coagulation and changes in the concentrations of adenine nucleotides. This work intended to analyze changes in extracellular adenine nucleotide hydrolysis and blood platelet aggregation in patients diagnosed for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in different stages as well as uterine invasive cancer., Patients and Methods: NTPDase, E-NPP, 5'-nucleotidase, total ADA and its isoforms (ADA1 and ADA2), as well as the platelet aggregation from patients with different stages of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (NICs I, NIC II, NIC III) and uterine invasive cancer were verified., Results: Neither ATP hydrolysis nor E-NPP activity was changed by the neoplasia stage. On the other hand, ADP and AMP hydrolysis as well as ADA activity were enhanced in NIC I group. AMP hydrolysis was also increased in the cancer group. ADA 1 was the ADA isoform found in platelets from both control and patient groups., Conclusion: Our results showed for the first time that NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase, E-NPP and ADA are not sensible regarding the grade of neoplasia development, since no significant difference was found between the groups studied. Only ADP hydrolysis and ADA activity showed a significant enhancement in NIC I group related to the other stages possibly as a result of the beginning of the neoplasic transformation. This increase could be reflecting a body's reaction against the probable high adenosine levels. We propose for the first time that the ADA isoform present in platelets is ADA 1., (© 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: The nucleotides and nucleosides of adenine are signaling molecules related to thromboregulation and modulation of immune responses in patients with malignancies. Thus, this study aims to determine NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase, ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities in the platelets of patients with lung cancer., Methods: We collected blood samples from patients (n=33) previously treated for lung cancer with chemotherapy. Patients were classified as stage IIIb and IV according to the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC)., Results: Patients showed a significant decrease in the hydrolysis of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and adenosine, whereas the adenosine monophosphate (AMP) hydrolysis and platelet aggregation were significantly increased in this group. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis did not show significant results between the group of patients and the control group., Conclusions: We may suggest that ectonucleotidases as well as ADA are enzymes involved in thromboembolic events but especially here we may see that they are also directly involved in the generation of adenosine formation in the cancer patient circulation., (© 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Brain damage from neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI) plays a major role in neonatal mortality and morbidity. Using the Rice-Vannucci model of HI in rats, we verified that 8 days after HI injury, adenosine deaminase (ADA), N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities increased in the left hemisphere hippocampus (HI group); however, the activity of 5'-nucleotidase (5'NT) remained unchanged. In the hematoxylin-eosin analysis (HE), we detected selective and delayed degeneration of hippocampal pyramidal neurons and astroglial reaction accompanied by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive and vimentin-positive in the immunohistochemistry analysis in the HI group compared with the control group. We observed the selective necrosis of neurons, vascular endothelial proliferation and inflammatory response accompanied by the increase of the key enzyme of adenosine metabolism in the HI group. The increase of ADA activity, despite the 5'NT activity was not altered, indicates the predominance of ADA activity in the postischemic homeostasis of extra cellular adenosine. The presence of leukocytes into the ischemic areas displays the possible importance of the neutrophil-macrophages associated with the increase of MPO and NAG activities 8 days after HI. These findings may contribute to the evaluation of some consequences of the damage caused by neonatal HI., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Uterine cervical neoplasia is an important worldwide malignancy sometimes associated with thrombosis. Ectonucleotidases are membrane-bound enzymes which participate in thromboregulation by hydrolyzing adenine nucleotides in the extracellular medium. In this sense, we aimed to investigate their activity in patients with uterine cervical neoplasia., Methods: We evaluated NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities from patients previously treated for uterine cervical neoplasia with either conization or radiotherapy (RTX). These patients were divided into four groups: two conization groups (I and II) and two RTX groups (III and IV), which were further divided based on the amount of time that had passed since the conclusion of their treatment, where groups I and III were extended-remission-period groups (patients with 1 to 5 years elapsed after the conclusion of treatment), and groups II and IV were recently treated patients (treated up to three months before)., Results: For both conization and RTX groups, ATP and ADP hydrolysis decreased in the extended-remission groups when compared to the control and recently treated groups. On the other hand, AMP hydrolysis was decreased in all the treated groups (both conization and RTX) compared to the control. CD39 expression was decreased in extended-remission groups (I and III) when compared to the other groups., Conclusions: NTPDase protects against platelet aggregation and 5'-nucleotidase is more involved in the control of adenosine formation., (2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol (RV), an important neuroprotective compound on NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities in cerebral cortex synaptosomes of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The animals were divided into six groups (n=8): control/saline; control/RV 10mg/kg; control/RV 20mg/kg; diabetic/saline; diabetic/RV 10mg/kg; diabetic/RV 20mg/kg. After 30 days of treatment with resveratrol the animals were sacrificed and the cerebral cortex was removed for synaptosomes preparation and enzymatic assays. The results demonstrated that NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities were significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group (p<0.05) compared to control/saline group. Treatment with resveratrol significantly increased NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase activities in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups (p<0.05) compared to diabetic/saline group. When resveratrol was administered per se there was also an increase in the activities of these enzymes in the control/RV10 and control/RV20 groups (p<0.05) compared to control/saline group. AChE activity was significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group (p<0.05) compared to control/saline group. The treatment with resveratrol prevented this increase in the diabetic/RV10 and diabetic/RV20 groups. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the resveratrol interfere with the purinergic and cholinergic neurotransmission by altering NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase and AChE activities in cerebral cortex synaptosomes of diabetic rats. In this context, we can suggest that resveratrol should be considered potential therapeutics and scientific tools to be investigated in brain disorders associated with the diabetes.

Cigarette smoke is a complex mixture of various toxic substances that are capable of initiating oxidative damage and promoting blood platelet alterations. In this study, we investigated the activities of the ectoenzymes NTPDase (ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase, CD39) and 5'-nucleotidase (CD73) in platelets as well as adenosine deaminase (ADA) in the plasma of rats exposed to aged and diluted sidestream smoke during 4 weeks. The rats were divided into two groups: I (control) and II (exposed to smoke). After the exposure period, blood was collected and the platelets and plasma were separated for enzymatic assay. The results demonstrated that NTPDase (with ATP as substrate) and 5'-nucleotidase (AMP as substrate) activities were significantly higher in group II (p < 0.05) as compared to group I, while no significant difference was observed for NTPDase with ADP as substrate. The ADA activity was significantly reduced in group II (p < 0.05) as compared with group I. Platelet aggregation was significantly increased in group II (p < 0.05) as compared with group I. We suggest that these alterations in the activity of enzymes from the purinergic system are associated with an increase in platelet aggregation. However, our study has demonstrated that the organism tries to compensate for this enhanced aggregation by increasing hydrolysis of AMP and reducing hydrolysis of adenosine, a potent inhibitor of aggregation and an important modulator of vascular tone.

Introduction: The thrombogenic process that affects the hypertensive patient is associated with regulatory mechanisms present in the vascular endothelium. These mechanisms involve release of an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, ectonucleotidase activity and calcium ion concentration., Methods: Interference with ENTPDase activity in platelets of hypertensive patients and healthy donors was evaluated for arginine, sodium nitroprusside, and hydralazine. In addition, the kinetic behavior of NTPDase was determined in the presence of the vasodilator that showed the greatest inhibitory influence., Results: Vasodilators decreased NTPDase activity with ATP and ADP as substrates. In controls, hydrolysis was increased in the presence of arginine. Captopril did not affect enzyme activities. The dose response for increasing sodium nitroprusside was biphasic. Kinetic behavior studies were estimated in the presence of sodium nitroprusside, which caused a mixed inhibition. The K(m) values increased and V(max) decreased with increasing sodium nitroprusside concentrations. The IC(50) and K(i) values indicated that the vasodilator was a strong NTPDase inhibitor when tested for the control and hypertensive group, using ATP and ADP as substrate, respectively., Conclusion: It is postulated that there was an interaction between vasodilators, NO donors and inhibition of NTPDase.

Aims: Diabetes mellitus is associated with platelet alterations that may contribute to the development of cardiovascular complications. The present study investigates the effects of resveratrol (RSV), an important compound with cardioprotective activities, on NTPDase, ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (E-NPP), 5'-nucleotidase and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities in platelets from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats., Main Methods: The animals were divided into six groups (n=8): control/saline; control/RSV 10 mg/kg; control/RSV 20 mg/kg; diabetic/saline; diabetic/RSV 10 mg/kg; diabetic/RSV 20 mg/kg. RSV was administered during 30 days and after this period the blood was collected for enzymatic assay., Key Findings: The results demonstrated that NTPDase, E-NPP and 5'-nucleotidase activities were significantly higher in the diabetic/saline group (P<0.05) compared to control/saline group. Treatment with RSV significantly increased NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase and E-NPP activities in the diabetic/RSV10 and diabetic/RSV20 groups (P<0.05) compared to diabetic/saline group. When RSV was administered per se there was also an increase in the activities of these enzymes in the control/RSV10 and control/RSV20 groups (P<0.05) compared to control/saline group. ADA activity was significantly increased in the diabetic/saline group (P<0.05) compared to control/saline group. The treatment with RSV prevented this increase in the diabetic/RSV10 and diabetic/RSV20 groups. No significant differences in ADA activity were observed in the control/RSV10 and control/RSV20 compared to control/saline group., Significance: The present findings demonstrate alterations in nucleotide hydrolysis in platelets of STZ-induced diabetic rats and treatment with RSV was able to modulate adenine nucleotide hydrolysis, which may be important in the control of the platelet coagulant status in diabetes.

Objectives: To evaluate the oxidative status and antioxidant defense in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)., Design and Methods: We measured concentrations of plasmatic thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), serum protein carbonylation, whole blood catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, as well as the plasmatic and erythrocyte thiol levels and serum vitamin E concentration. This study was performed on 80 children with ALL divided into 4 groups: just diagnosed, remission induction, remission maintenance and out-of-treatment., Results: TBARS levels and serum protein carbonylation were higher in ALL patients than in controls and reduced levels of antioxidants were found in these patients., Conclusion: These findings may indicate a possible link between decreased antioxidants and increased levels of cells alterations due to oxidative damage, supporting the idea that there is a persistence of oxidative stress in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Aluminium (Al), a neurotoxic compound, has been investigated in a large number of studies both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, we investigated the effect in vivo of long-term exposure to Al on NTPDase (nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase) and 5'-nucleotidase activities in the synaptosomes (obtained from the cerebral cortex and hippocampus) and platelets of rats. Here, we investigated a possible role of platelets as peripheral markers in rats. Rats were loaded by gavage with AlCl(3) 50 mg/(kg day), 5 days per week, totalizing 60 administrations. The animals were divided into four groups: (1) control (C), (2) 50 mg/kg of citrate solution (Ci), (3) 50 mg/kg of Al plus citrate (Al+Ci) solution and (4) 50 mg/kg of Al (Al). ATP hydrolysis was increased in the synaptosomes from the cerebral cortex by 42.9% for Al+Ci and 39.39% for Al, when compared to their respective control (p<0.05). ADP hydrolysis was increased by 13.15% for both Al and Al+Ci, and AMP hydrolysis increased by 32.7% for Al and 27.25% for Al+Ci (p<0.05). In hippocampal synaptosomes, the hydrolysis of ATP, ADP and AMP, was increased by 58.5%, 28.5% and 25.92%, respectively, for Al (p<0.05) and 36.7%, 22.5% and 37.64% for Al+Ci, both when compared to their respective controls. ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis, in platelets, was increased by 172.3%, 188.52% and 92.1%, respectively in Al+Ci, and 317.9%, 342.8% and 177.9%, respectively, for Al, when compared to their respective controls (p<0.05). Together, these results indicate that Al increases NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities, in synaptosomal fractions and platelets. Thus, we suggest that platelets could be sensitive peripheral markers of Al toxicity of the central nervous system.

The nucleotide degrading enzymes, ectonucleotidases, present on the platelet surface of human pregnant with a normal (without complications) or high risk for thrombosis (hypertension and gestational diabetes) were studied. NTPDase (E.C. 3.6.1.5, CD39) and 5'-nucleotidase (E.C. 3.1.3.5, CD73) activities of four patient groups, non-pregnant (NP, n = 18), pregnant without complications (P, n = 25), pregnant with hypertension (HP, n = 15) and pregnant with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDP, n = 10), were analyzed. Increased NTPDase activities were observed in the groups P (37.0%, S.D. = 2.03 and 34.0%, S.D. = 3.19), HP (40.0%, S.D. = 3.32 and 56.0%, S.D. = 3.25) and GDP (23.0%, S.D. = 2.30 and 42.0%, S.D. = 2.26) in comparison to the control group NP (p < 0.01, S.D. = 1.92 and S.D. = 2.48) when ATP and ADP were used as substrate, respectively. AMP was used as substrate to determine the 5'-nucleotidase activities, which showed to be elevated in the groups P (45.0%, S.D. = 1.73), HP (54.0%, S.D. = 2.64) and GDP (68.0%, S.D. = 1.69) when compared to the control group NP (p < 0.01, S.D. = 1.26). However, no statistically significant differences were observed between the groups P, HP and GDP. As a consequence, the enhanced ATP, ADP and AMP hydrolysis was ascribed to the pregnancy itself, independent of a normal or high risk for thrombosis. The enhanced NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities in platelets suggest that these enzymes are involved in the thromboregulation process in the pregnancy.

The activities of the enzymes NTPDase (EC 3.6.1.5, apyrase, CD39) and 5'-nucleotidase (EC 3.1.3.5, CD73) were analyzed in platelets from rats submitted to demyelination by ethidium bromide (EB) and treated with interferon beta (IFN-beta). The following groups were studied: I - control (saline), II - (saline and IFN-beta), III - (EB) and IV - (EB and IFN-beta). After 7, 15 and 30 days, the animals (n=7) were sacrificed and the platelets were separated by the method of Lunkes et al. [Lunkes, G., Lunkes D., Morsch, V., Mazzanti, C., Morsch, A., Miron, V., Schetinger, M.R.C., 2004. NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase in rats alloxan- induced diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice 65, 1-6]. NTPDase activity for ATP and ADP substrates was significantly lower in groups II and III after seven days, when compared to control (p<0.001). At fifteen days, ATP hydrolysis was significantly lower in group III and IV and higher in group II (p<0.001), while there was an activation of ADP hydrolysis in group II (p<0.001), when compared with the control. 5'-nucleotidase activity was significantly higher in group IV (p<0.001) after seven days, and lower in the groups III and IV (p<0.001) after fifteen days in relation to the control. No significant differences were observed in NTPDase and 5'-nucleotidase activities after thirty days. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that the hydrolysis of adenine nucleotides is modified in platelets of rats demyelinated and treated with IFN-beta.

In this paper, we studied the influence of uremia and hemodialysis on oxidative parameters and delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) activity in control subjects, patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) on hemodialysis treatment (HD) and in patients not undergoing hemodialysis (ND). An increased lipid peroxidation was observed in the serum of HD and ND patients, as measured by the MDA serum levels. However, the level of MDA from erythrocytes was only elevated in HD patients. Blood catalase activity was increased in HD and ND groups. This study also showed a decreased activity of blood delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) in both groups of patients. This study demonstrated a positive correlation between ALA-D activity and hemoglobin, suggesting that inhibition of this enzyme might enhance anemia in CRF. A negative correlation was found between the alteration in delta-ALA-D activity and oxidative stress, which may indicate that the inhibition of ALA-D can be used as an index of oxidative stress.

Background: Cervical cancer is a major cause of morbidity among women. We investigated the treatment effect on oxidative status from patients submitted to radiotherapy or conization surgery to high-grade SIL (squamous intraepithelial lesion) treatment, and oxidative profile from patients newly diagnosed for uterine cervix cancer, without treatment., Methods: We determined the catalase activity in blood, reduced glutathione (GSH) in plasma, TBARS and protein carbonyl content from serum samples of the patients., Results: The catalase activity, GSH levels, TBARS and protein carbonyl content had no statistical differences related to the controls, neither when the 2 treatments were compared, possibly because the antioxidant defense may be acting in the first period of the neoplasic transformation, and maybe indicating a possible arrest of the tumor cells caused by the efficiency of the treatments. In the non-treated patients, TBARS and protein carbonyl contents, GSH levels and catalase activity were shown to be increased comparing with the treated patients and compared with the controls indicating an tumor effect on oxidative profile, and the antioxidant activity been increased in the beginning of the tumor development., Conclusions: We suggest that the treatments were efficient in arrest of the tumor.