The toxic metal ion cadmium (Cd2+) is pro-oxidant and specifically disrupts the actin cytoskeleton in renal mesangial cells. This study investigated the role of Cd2+-mediated redox modulation of actin through protein S-glutathionylation and the effects of cytoskeletal changes on focal adhesions (FAs) through a Ca2+/calmodulin dependent-protein kinase II (CaMK-II) pathway. Only at low concentrations of Cd2+ (0.5-2 μM) was there an increase in actin glutathionylation, which was a reactive oxygen species-independent, total glutathione-dependent effect. Immunofluorescence of the cytoskeleton suggests that increases in glutathionylation levels occurring under low [Cd2+] are protective in vivo. Higher concentrations (>= 10 μM) of Cd2+ resulted in loss of vinculin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) from FAs, concomitant with cytoskeletal disruption. Inhibition of CaMK-II preserved cytoskeletal integrity and focal contacts, while decreasing the migration of FAK-phosphoTyr925 to a membrane-associated compartment. This study adds further insight into the Cd2+-mediated effects on the cytoskeleton and FAs.

Clinical research is conducted to advance human medicine by developing efficacious treatments and improving patient outcomes when new therapies are developed and implemented. Clinical trials are a subset of the types of clinical research conducted on human volunteers in the development of new drugs, devices and other therapies. Prior to the start of a trial, a country’s regulatory authority must review the trial to ensure it is scientifically and ethically sound. In Canada, the regulatory authority is Health Canada. The International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) of technical requirements for the registration of pharmaceutics for humans aims to provide ethical and scientific quality standards for design, conduct, data collection and reporting in clinical trials. The Good Clinical Practice (GCP) Guidelines were created by the ICH Steering Committee to assure the public that rights, safety and well being of subjects are protected according to the Declaration of Helsinki, and the clinical data obtained in a ICH/GCP compliant clinical trial will meet regulatory requirements. Health Canada has adopted the ICH/GCP Guidelines and therefore, in Canada, all clinical trials involving humans must comply with these Guidelines. The clinical trial coordinator is an important and central position on the research team executing many trial duties and communications. Regulatory authorities, Research Ethics Boards and the sponsor, overlook the role and responsibilities of a highly trained clinical coordinator, despite their vital and central position. The GCP Guidelines also fail to address the role and responsibilities of a clinical coordinator. Disconnect between guidelines, regulatory expectations and actual trial conduct provides an apparent need to formalize and clearly define the role and scope of a clinical coordinator. The Registered Nurse (RN) brings professionalism, knowledge, skill and a holistic perspective to the expanded role of a clinical coordinator and to the clinical trial. Highly trained health professionals are capable of assuming more responsibilities and executing clinical trial design, setup and management as compared to the traditional administrative roles of the clinical coordinator. The expanded role of the clinical coordinator is especially beneficial for Principal Investigator initiated trials due to limited research personnel and resources. Postoperative adhesions are a common complication following pelvic surgery, therefore, this clinical trial is relevant and a response to a healthcare need. My graduate studies focused on the development and set up of the clinical trial Protocol ADE002-2013 Phase I Trial of L-Alanyl-L-Glutamine for the Reduction of Peritoneal Adhesions in Adult Females Undergoing Myomectomy. My thesis is a discussion of general Canadian clinical trial research information followed by an explanation of how we executed the information to design and set up our PI initiated clinical trial. The value of the expanded role of the clinical coordinator as a member of the research team will also be discussed.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Virginia, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the Internet as viewed 10 July 2008.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Collective cell migration is ubiquitous in biology, from development to cancer; it is influenced by heterogeneous cell types, signals and matrix properties, and requires large scale regulation in space and time. Understanding how cells achieve organized collective motility is crucial to addressing cellular and tissue function and disease progression. While current two-dimensional model systems recapitulate the dynamic properties of collective cell migration, quantitative three-dimensional equivalent model systems have proved elusive. The overarching hypothesis of this work is that cell collectives are heterogeneous in nature; and that the influence of biochemical, physical, and mechanical factors combined leads to diverse physical behaviors. The central goal of this work is to establish standard tools for the understanding of 3D collective cell motility by treating individual cell-collectives as independent entities. An experimental model studies cell collectives by tracking individual cells within cell cohorts embedded in three dimensional collagen scaffolding. A computational model of 3-dimensional multi-scale self-propelled particles recreates experimental data and accounts for intercellular adhesion dynamics. A custom algorithm identifies cellular cohorts from experimental and simulated data so these may be treated as independent entities. A second custom algorithm quantifies the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of motion in cell cohorts during ‘motility events’ observed in experiments and simulations. The results show that cell-cohorts in 3D are dynamic with spatial and temporal heterogeneity; cohesive motility events can emerge without an external driving agent. Simulated cohorts are able to recreate experimental motility event signatures. Together these model systems and analytical techniques are some of the first to address collective motility of adhesive cellular cohorts in 3-dimensions.

Wound healing in the corneal epithelium is an essential process to maintain corneal clarity and organism health. The earliest events of cellular injury response include the release of nucleotides and the activation of P2 purinergic receptors. While the purinergic receptor P2X7 has been shown to promote cell migration, its role in corneal epithelial wound healing is still poorly understood. The goal of this work is to better understand the role of P2X7 in the injury response. We analyzed P2X7 expression after epithelial injury in rat corneal organ cultures and found that the receptor localizes to the leading edge of the corneal epithelium. However, overall mRNA and protein expression of P2X7 decreased after injury. Inhibition of P2X7 activation significantly delayed wound closure and prevented the leading edge-localization after injury. We found that P2X7 inhibition altered the wound-induced calcium wave in epithelial cells and altered the number and distribution of focal adhesions in the migrating cells. Live cell imaging of epithelial cells showed that P2X7 inhibition led to altered actin rearrangement, with thick actin bundles in the treated cells. In order to determine the importance of P2X7 in epithelial differentiation and stratified cell migration, we developed a stratified culture model. The cells in the stratified model expressed proliferative and differentiation markers similar to organ cultured corneas, as well as similar P2X7 expression and localization after injury. Together, these results show the importance of P2X7 in the overall purinergic response to injury, and provide tools to study P2X7 in stratified corneal cell migration. To determine if P2X7 may contribute to pathologic delayed wound healing in diseases such as type 2 diabetes, we analyzed P2X7 expression in diabetic human corneas and diabetic model rodent corneas. We showed that P2X7 expression is significantly elevated in unwounded diabetic corneas, and that wound healing is delayed in the rodent model. These data show that elevated P2X7 expression may contribute to the delayed healing in disease and may be a possible therapeutic target.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:23:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-01-27Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:50:56Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_rr_me_jabo.pdf: 474297 bytes, checksum: d647e5060a5a64060b7305688ac2fc49 (MD5) / As aderências pulmonares em cães são uma sequela comum, após intervenção cirúrgica, prejudicando eventuais reintervenções. Neste estudo, pretendeu-se verificar, em cães, a eficiência da solução de cloreto de sódio 0,9%, adicionada ou não com dexametasona, na prevenção de aderências após toracotomia intercostal, Para isso, foram utilizados 15 cães, separados em três grupos de cinco, denominados A, B e C e submetidos a toracotomia no quinto espaço intercostal esquerdo. Nos cães do grupo A, foi feita somente a toracotomia e a toracorrafia; no grupo B foram realizadas a toracotomia, a toracorrafia e a injeção na cavidade pleural de 10ml de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9% associada com 1mg kg-1 de dexametasona. No grupo C, além da toracotomia e toracorrafia foram injetados na cavidade pleural 10ml kg-1 de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9%. Após 15 dias da toracotomia com os três tratamentos foi efetuada a toracoscopia transdiafragmática para se determinar a presença e o escore de aderências entre o pulmão e a parede costal. Os resultados demonstraram presença de aderências na maioria dos animais do grupo A e reduzida a nenhuma aderência nos demais grupos. Na avaliação estatística, foi aplicado o teste quiquadrado, com nível de significância de 5% (P≤0,05). O uso de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9% adicionada ou não com dexametasona no espaço pleural reduz ou evita aderências pulmonares após a toracotomia intercostal / Pulmonary adhesions in dogs are a common sequela after surgical intervention, undermining any interventions. This study aimed at determining, in dogs, the efficacy of sodium chloride solution 0.9% with or without dexamethasone in order to prevent adhesions after intercostal thoracotomy. Fifteen dogs were separated into three groups of five animals, A, B and C and underwent thoracotomy in the fifth left intercostal space. In the dogs of Group A were performed only a thoracotomy and thoracorraphy; in the dogs of group B, were performed a thoracotomy, thoracorraphy and injection into the pleural cavity of 10ml of isotonic sodium chloride and 1mg kg-1 of dexamethasone; In the dogs of group C, were performed the thoracotomy thoracorraphy and injected into the pleural cavity 10ml kg-1 of isotonic sodium chloride. After 15 days of thoracotomy, was performed transdiaphragmatic thoracocospy to determine the presence and score of adhesions between the lung and chest wall. The results demonstrated the presence of adhesions in the majority of group A and reduced or no adhesions in the other groups. For statistical evaluation, we applied the chi-square test with significance level of 5% (P≤0.05). The sodium chloride solution 0.9% with or without dexamethasone into the pleural space prevented or reduced lung adhesions after intercostal thoracotomy

Orientador: José Luiz Laus / Banca: Geórgia Nadalini Rodrigues / Banca: Aline Adriana Bolzan / Banca: Cintia Lúcia Maniscalco / Banca: Julio Carlos Canola / Resumo: Mioplastias extra-oculares podem ensejar aderências entre o músculo operado e os tecidos adjacentes, produzindo, não raro, estrabismos cicatriciais. Com intuito de se minimizar a ocorrência de aderências, investigaram-se os efeitos da mitomicina C (MMC), um antifibrótico, em concentrações ascendentes de 0,008, 0,02 e 0,04%, aplicada no per-operatório de mioplastias do reto dorsal do bulbo do olho de coelhos. Para tal, foram operados 56 animais, os quais foram divididos em sete grupos. Para o pós-operatório, instituíram-se limpeza com solução fisiológica das áreas operadas, profilaxia antimicrobiana e antiinflamatória, na forma de colírio. Procederam-se avaliações clínica, histológica, morfométrica e quanto à imunoistoquímica, em que se estudou o Fator de Crescimento Fibroblástico-básico (FGF-2). Encontraram-se, clinicamente, mais aderências nos olhos controle, comparativamente aos tratados, no entanto, sem significação estatística (p>5%). À histologia, verificou-se que a MMC ensejou retardo da cicatrização junto às áreas das mioplastias, notadamente no grupo que a recebeu, à concentração de 0,02%. A imunoistoquímica revelou marcação do FGF-2 em fibroblastos e macrófagos, indistintamente, entre os grupos. Com base nos resultados, permite-se admitir que a MMC, nas concentrações em que fora empregada, foi capaz de retardar a cicatrização e, por conseguinte, o estrabismo secundário, sem ensejar efeitos colaterais. / Abstract: Extraocular myoplasties may cause adhesions to adjacent tissues, resulting cicatricial strabismus. With the purpose of reducing to a minimum the occurrence of adhesion, we studied the effects of mitomycin C (MMC), an antifibrotic, in concentrations of 0,008%, 0,02%, and 0,04% applied during intraoperative of myoplasties of the superior rectus muscle of laboratory albine rabbits. Fifty six animals were operated on and were divided in seven groups. During the postoperative the operated areas were cleaned with physiological solution. Eyedrop instillation to prevent inflammation and bacterial infection were used. The method to analyze the results consisted of clinical and histological evaluation and statistical analyzes. We also evaluated at the same time the amount of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) by immunohistochemical study. Clinically we found more adhesions in the eyes of the control group than in the groups of treated eyes. However there was no significant statistics difference between the two groups (p>5%). Histologically we found that MMC caused a delayed cicatrization in the mioplastic areas, specially in the group who received the 0,02% concentration. The immunohistochemical showed FGF-2 marking in fibroblasts and macrophages, but between the groups there wasn't no difference. Based on those results we conclude that MMC in the utilized concentrations was capable of delaying the cicatrization and consequently avoid the secondary strabismus without undesirable side effects. / Doutor

Resumo: As aderências pulmonares em cães são uma sequela comum, após intervenção cirúrgica, prejudicando eventuais reintervenções. Neste estudo, pretendeu-se verificar, em cães, a eficiência da solução de cloreto de sódio 0,9%, adicionada ou não com dexametasona, na prevenção de aderências após toracotomia intercostal, Para isso, foram utilizados 15 cães, separados em três grupos de cinco, denominados A, B e C e submetidos a toracotomia no quinto espaço intercostal esquerdo. Nos cães do grupo A, foi feita somente a toracotomia e a toracorrafia; no grupo B foram realizadas a toracotomia, a toracorrafia e a injeção na cavidade pleural de 10ml de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9% associada com 1mg kg-1 de dexametasona. No grupo C, além da toracotomia e toracorrafia foram injetados na cavidade pleural 10ml kg-1 de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9%. Após 15 dias da toracotomia com os três tratamentos foi efetuada a toracoscopia transdiafragmática para se determinar a presença e o escore de aderências entre o pulmão e a parede costal. Os resultados demonstraram presença de aderências na maioria dos animais do grupo A e reduzida a nenhuma aderência nos demais grupos. Na avaliação estatística, foi aplicado o teste quiquadrado, com nível de significância de 5% (P≤0,05). O uso de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0,9% adicionada ou não com dexametasona no espaço pleural reduz ou evita aderências pulmonares após a toracotomia intercostal / Abstract: Pulmonary adhesions in dogs are a common sequela after surgical intervention, undermining any interventions. This study aimed at determining, in dogs, the efficacy of sodium chloride solution 0.9% with or without dexamethasone in order to prevent adhesions after intercostal thoracotomy. Fifteen dogs were separated into three groups of five animals, A, B and C and underwent thoracotomy in the fifth left intercostal space. In the dogs of Group A were performed only a thoracotomy and thoracorraphy; in the dogs of group B, were performed a thoracotomy, thoracorraphy and injection into the pleural cavity of 10ml of isotonic sodium chloride and 1mg kg-1 of dexamethasone; In the dogs of group C, were performed the thoracotomy thoracorraphy and injected into the pleural cavity 10ml kg-1 of isotonic sodium chloride. After 15 days of thoracotomy, was performed transdiaphragmatic thoracocospy to determine the presence and score of adhesions between the lung and chest wall. The results demonstrated the presence of adhesions in the majority of group A and reduced or no adhesions in the other groups. For statistical evaluation, we applied the chi-square test with significance level of 5% (P≤0.05). The sodium chloride solution 0.9% with or without dexamethasone into the pleural space prevented or reduced lung adhesions after intercostal thoracotomy / Orientador: José Antônio Marques / Coorientador: Alceu Gaspar Raiser / Banca: Silvana Martinez Baraldi Artoni / Banca: Richard da Rocha Filgueiras / Mestre