Browsing by Author "Cardoso, C"
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- Lysophosphatidic acid enhances survival of human CD34(+) cells in ischemic conditionsPublication . Kostic, I; Fidalgo-Carvalho, I; Aday, S; Vazão, H; Carvalheiro, T; Grãos, M; Duarte, A; Cardoso, C; Gonçalves, L; Carvalho, L; Paiva, A; Ferreira, LSeveral clinical trials are exploring therapeutic effect of human CD34(+) cells in ischemic diseases, including myocardial infarction. Unfortunately, most of the cells die few days after delivery. Herein we show that lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-treated human umbilical cord blood-derived CD34(+) cells cultured under hypoxic and serum-deprived conditions present 2.2-fold and 1.3-fold higher survival relatively to non-treated cells and prostaglandin E2-treated cells, respectively. The pro-survival effect of LPA is concentration- and time-dependent and it is mediated by the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor γ (PPARγ) and downstream, by the activation of pro-survival ERK and Akt signaling pathways and the inhibition of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. In hypoxia and serum-deprived culture conditions, LPA induces CD34(+) cell proliferation without maintaining the their undifferentiating state, and enhances IL-8, IL-6 and G-CSF secretion during the first 12 h compared to non-treated cells. LPA-treated CD34(+) cells delivered in fibrin gels have enhanced survival and improved cardiac fractional shortening at 2 weeks on rat infarcted hearts as compared to hearts treated with placebo. We have developed a new platform to enhance the survival of CD34(+) cells using a natural and cost-effective ligand and demonstrated its utility in the preservation of the functionality of the heart after infarction.
- Multicenter survey on the use of device-assisted enteroscopy in PortugalPublication . Pinho, R; Mascarenhas-Saraiva, M; Mão-de-Ferro, S; Ferreira, S; Almeida, N; Figueiredo, P; Rodrigues, A; Cardoso, H; Marques, M; Rosa, B; Cotter, J; Vilas-Boas, G; Cardoso, C; Salgado, M; Marcos-Pinto, RBACKGROUND: Device-assisted enteroscopies (DAEs) are recent endoscopic techniques that enable direct endoscopic small-bowel evaluation. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to evaluate the implementation of DAEs in Portugal and assess the main indications, diagnoses, diagnostic yield, therapeutic yield and complication rate. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective series using a national Web-based survey on behalf of the Portuguese Small-Bowel Study Group. Participants were asked to fill out two online databases regarding procedural data, indications, diagnoses, endoscopic therapy and complications using prospectively collected institutional data records. RESULTS: A total of eight centers were enrolled in the survey, corresponding to 1411 DAEs. The most frequent indications were obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB), inflammatory bowel disease and small-bowel tumors. The pooled diagnostic yield was 63%. A relation between the diagnostic yield and the indications was clear, with a diagnostic yield for OGIB of 69% (p = 0.02) with a 52% therapeutic yield. Complications occurred in 1.2%, with a major complication rate of 0.57%. Perforations occurred in four patients (0.28%). CONCLUSION: DAEs are safe and effective procedures, with complication rates of 1.2%, the most serious of which is perforation. Most procedures are performed in the setting of OGIB. Diagnostic and therapeutic yields are dependent on the indication, hence appropriate patient selection is crucial