Abstract: There is increasing evidence demonstrating that the renoprotective effects of
mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) blockade are independent of the effects exerted by reninangiotensin inhibitors. MR is expressed not only in tubular cells but also in other renal cells including glomerular mesangial cells, podocytes, and renal interstitial fibroblasts. Animal experiments have shown that MR blockers prevent aldosterone-induced proteinuria, glomerular injury, and tubulointerstitial fibrosis. In vitro studies have also demonstrated that MR blockers inhibit aldosterone-induced renal cell damage. Recent clinical studies have shown that treatment with MR blockers attenuates the development of proteinuria in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and hypertension, independent of changes in blood pressure. In some cases, MR blockers elicit potent renoprotective effects in conditions where aldosterone levels are not elevated. These data suggest that treatment with MR blockers may possibly present an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with CKD.
Abstract: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), which literally means “Plague of small ruminants”, is an economically important disease particularly in goats in Bangladesh. Since the first report in 1993, it has been a great problem hindering the development of goat farming with a significant negative impact on rural poor farmers in Bangladesh. The present study was carried out to develop a reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for rapid and sensitive detection of PPR virus (PPRV) and isolation of field virus in cell culture. RT-PCR based on F gene specific primers (PPRV F1 and PPRV F2) was successfully adopted using a vaccine strain as a positive reference material. This technique was found to be sensitive enough to detect as low as 120 ng template RNA from the reference vaccine virus and also successfully detected PPRV from a suspected field sample. A filtered 20% suspension of tissue homogenates (mesenteric and bronchial lymphnodes) from a goat that died of suspected PPR infection was inoculated in Vero cells. Specific cytopathic effects characterized by rounded and aggregated cells in grape like clusters and small syncytia were evident on third blind passage. However, despite the absence of CPE in the first and second passage the viral RNA could be detected by RT-PCR adopted in this study. This appears to be the first report of adoption and application of RT-PCR for the detection of PPRV in Bangladesh. Future study should concentrate on detailed molecular characterization of Bangladeshi isolates of PPRV.
Abstract: Peste des petits ruminants (PPR), which literally means “Plague of small ruminants”, is an economically important disease particularly in goats in Bangladesh. Since the first report in 1993, it has been a great problem hindering the development of goat farming with a significant negative impact on rural poor farmers in Bangladesh. The present study was carried out to develop a reverse transcription - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for rapid and sensitive detection of PPR virus (PPRV) and isolation of field virus in cell culture. RT-PCR based on F gene specific primers (PPRV F1 and PPRV F2) was successfully adopted using a vaccine strain as a positive reference material. This technique was found to be sensitive enough to detect as low as 120 ng template RNA from the reference vaccine virus and also successfully detected PPRV from a suspected field sample. A filtered 20% suspension of tissue homogenates (mesenteric and bronchial lymphnodes) from a goat that died of suspected PPR infection was inoculated in Vero cells. Specific cytopathic effects characterized by rounded and aggregated cells in grape like clusters and small syncytia were evident on third blind passage. However, despite the absence of CPE in the first and second passage the viral RNA could be detected by RT-PCR adopted in this study. This appears to be the first report of adoption and application of RT-PCR for the detection of PPRV in Bangladesh. Future study should concentrate on detailed molecular characterization of Bangladeshi isolates of PPRV.
