Effect of dithiocarbamate thiram on Wistar rat growth plate and articular cartilage

Avaliou-se o efeito do tirame, ditiocarbamato largamente utilizado na agricultura como antifúngico e repelente de roedores, na ossificação endocondral de mamíferos, usando, como modelo, ratos Wistar. Não foram observadas lesões na cartilagem articular, nem nas placas de crescimento, o que pode ser atribuído à dose utilizada e à duração do ensaio. A diminuição da altura da placa de crescimento nos animais aos quais foi administrado o tirame parece traduzir o atraso verificado no crescimento em geral, e não um efeito específico na cartilagem, uma vez que as diferentes zonas da placa epifisária mantiveram as proporções dos animais do grupo-controle. Embora não tenham sido verificados, no presente trabalho, os efeitos registrados para outras espécies nos tecidos cartilaginosos, sugere-se a avaliação dos efeitos crónicos do tirame no crescimento e no desenvolvimento dos ossos longos em mamíferos

Raman Adiabatic Transfer of Optical States

We analyze electromagnetically induced transparency and light storage in an ensemble of atoms with multiple excited levels (multi-Lambda configuration) which are coupled to one of the ground states by quantized signal fields and to the other one via classical control fields. We present a basis transformation of atomic and optical states which reduces the analysis of the system to that of EIT in a regular 3-level configuration. We demonstrate the existence of dark state polaritons and propose a protocol to transfer quantum information from one optical mode to another by an adiabatic control of the control fields

Echocardiographic assessment of myocardial infarction evolution in young and adult rats

BACKGROUND: The regeneration of cardiomyocytes after a myocardial infarction (MI) is more evident in young animals; however, it is not known whether it is associated with functional improvement. OBJECTIVE: To perform the functional analysis by echocardiography (echo) of young adult rats submitted to MI. METHODS: Seventy-two animals were included in the study: 35 young rats (group Y) that were 28 days old and 37 adult rats (group A) that were 153 days old. The rats were subdivided in two subgroups: infarcted (YI and AI) and control (YC and AC). The animals were assessed by echocardiogram on the 7thand 30th postoperative days for the analysis of the ejection fraction (EF) and the final systolic (FSV) and diastolic volume (FDV) of the left ventricle. Only animals with EF < 40% were included in the study. RESULTS: The comparison of the FDV and FSV between infarcted and control animals showed that there was a significant increase in infarcted adult animals at the two analyzed phases. Among young animals only the FSV was significantly higher on the 7th day. The intragroup evolution analysis showed an increase in FDV and FSV in the two young subgroups, which was proportional to growth and only increase in FDV in the infarcted adult group. There was an improvement in EF in young rats, whereas EF remained decreased in adult rats when compared to controls. CONCLUSION: The infarcted young rats presented improvement in the systolic function and ventricular volumes 30 days after the infarction, whereas the adult rats presented increased FDV with no improvement in systolic function.FUNDAMENTO: A regeneração dos cardiomiócitos após o infarto do miocárdio (IM) é mais evidente em animais jovens; entretanto, não se sabe se é acompanhada de melhora funcional. OBJETIVO: Realizar a análise funcional pela ecocardiografia (eco) de ratos jovens e adultos submetidos a IM. MÉTODOS: Setenta e dois animais foram incluídos no estudo: 35 ratos jovens (grupo J) com 28 dias, e 37 ratos adultos (grupo A) com 153 dias. Os ratos foram subdivididos em dois subgrupos: infartado (JI e AI) e controle (JC e AC). Os animais foram avaliados por meio de ecocardiograma no 7º e 30º dias de pós-operatório para análise da fração de ejeção (FE) e dos volumes sistólico (VSF) e diastólico (VDF) finais do ventrículo esquerdo. Foram incluídos no grupo de estudo somente animais com FE menor que 40%. RESULTADOS: Na comparação dos VDF e VSF entre infartados e controles, observou-se aumento significativo nos animais adultos infartados nas duas fases analisadas. Nos animais jovens, apenas o VSF, no 7º dia, foi significativamente maior. Na evolução intragrupo, observou-se aumento do VDF e do VSF nos dois subgrupos jovens, proporcional ao crescimento, e somente aumento do VDF no grupo adulto infartado. Houve melhora da FE nos ratos jovens, enquanto nos ratos adultos a FE permaneceu diminuída em relação aos controles. CONCLUSÃO: Os ratos jovens infartados apresentaram melhora da função sistólica e dos volumes ventriculares após 30 dias do infarto, enquanto nos ratos adultos houve aumento do VDF sem melhora da função sistólica.Pontifícia Universidade Católica do ParanáUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)UNIFESPSciEL

Synthesis and properties of nickel-cobalt-boron nanoparticles

morphous cobalt nickel boride nanoparticles were synthesised by chemical reduction synthesis in aqueous solution. Careful control of synthesis conditions and post reaction oxidation enabled the nanoparticles to be converted into a core-shell structure comprising of an amorphous Co–Ni–B core and an outer metal oxide sheet. These particles had interesting magnetic properties including saturation magnetisations and coercivities of the order of 80 emu/g and 170 Oe respectively, making them suitable for a potential use as an exchange-pinned magnetic material

The effect of benzalkonium chloride on the serosa surface of colon rats, diluted in different solvents

Objetivo: Estudar o efeito do cloreto de benzalconeo a 0,1 por cento diluido em diferentes solventes, aplicado na superficie serosa do colon sigmoide de ratos. Metodo: Utilizou-se 225 ratos machos, Wistar, com 90 dias de vida, subdivididos em 5 grupos de 45: grupo I -aplicacao de cloreto de benzalconeo a 0,1 por cento diluido em alcool 70 por cento na superficie serosa do colon sigmoide, por 30 minutos, por meio de esponja com extensao de 1,Ocm; grupo II - aplicacao de alcool a 70 por cento, grupo III aplicacao de cloreto de benzalconeo em soro fisiologico, grupo IV - aplicacao de soro fisiologico e grupo V -permanencia de esponja embebedora das substancias por 30 minutos. Cada grupo foi subdividido em 3 grupos de 15 ratos com eutanasia aos 7, 15 e 30 dias para retirada do colon no local do experimento. Cortes dessas regioes foram submetidos a estudo histologico pela tecnica de hematoxilina e eosina e estudo imunohistoquimico pela tecnica da avidina-biotinaperoxidase para a pesquisa de proteina S-100. Resultados: a circunferencia do colon foi maior nos primeiros 7 dias, para os grupos I e li. A distensao abdominal nos primeiros 7 e 15 dias foi mais acentuada nos grupos I e li. Aderencias intestinais foram observadas nos grupos I, II e III em todos os periodos de tempo. Os grupos I, II e III apresentaram aos 7 dias tecido inflamatorio agudo que gradativamente passa a tecido do tipo linfocitario aos 15 e 30 dias, e o tecido de granulacao foi exuberante em todos os ratos dos grupos I e II, principalmente. Ocorreu diminuicao importante dos feixes neurais mioentericos e submucosos nos grupos I, II e III, porem, a intensidade da destruicao celular e menor no grupo III. As camadas circular e longitudinal aumentam de largura no grupo III, embora em menor tamanho que os grupos IV e V, enquanto no grupo I e II o alcool e responsavel por grande destruicao, que impossibilita as medidas. 0 numero de celulas neurais dos plexos mioentericos diminuem em numero nos ratos do grupo III, em relacao aos do grupo IV e V, e estao muito diminuidos nos grupos I e II pela grande destruicao tecidual. Conclusao: o cloreto de benzalconeo diluido em alcool a 70 por cento e mais lesivo ao tecido enterico que o cloreto de benzalconeo diluido em soro fisiologicoBV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Wound healing: comparative study in hypertensive rats untreated and treated with an angiotensin converting enzime inhibitor

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the influence of captopril on the skin wound healing process of hypertensive rats. METHODS: 111 rats were placed in 4 groups: normotensive control (N=30); hypertensive control (N=30), which received an oral daily dose of saline solution 0,9%; group experiment (N=31) was treated with 7.5mg/kg/day of captopril; and an aferition group (N=20) with 10 hypertensive and 10 normotensive animals in which arterial blood pressure was mesured in the aorta in the last day of the experiment. After 15 days of treatment, an skin incision of 4 cm was made in the animals. Samples of the dorsal wall scar were taken 4, 7 and 14 days after the last procedure. The wounds were excised and divided in 2 pieces. They were sent to tensiontrial and histological analysis. RESULTS: The aferition group showed mean arterial blood pressure of 82.5±7.55 mmHg in the normotensive animals and 150.5± 10.66 mmHg in the hypertensive ones. The resistance analysis showed that the scars of treated and untreated hypertensives were less resistant than those of normotensives rats in the initial days (p<0.05) and that on the 14th day the resistances became similar. There were no diferences among treated and untreated groups. Total collagen had higher density in normotensives rats throughout the study (p<0.05) and there were no diferences among treated and untreated hypertensive rats. Epitelization, inflammatory response and granulation tissue formation were similar in all groups. CONCLUSION: Captopril, doesn't modify the wound healing process in rats, being the differences due to hypertension.OBJETIVO: Reconhecer a interferência do captopril na cicatrização de feridas cutâneas de ratos hipertensos. MÉTODOS: Distribuíram-se 111 ratos em quatro grupos: controle normotenso (N=30); controle hipertenso (N=30), os quais receberam 1 ml/dia de solução de cloreto de sódio a 0.9% por via oral; grupo experimento (N=31), hipertensos que receberam 7,5mg/kg/dia de captopril e um grupo aferição (N=20), 10 hipertensos e 10 normotensos, nos quais aferiu-se a pressão na aorta abdominal, no último dia de experimento. Após 15 dias de medicação, fez-se uma incisão da pele e da tela subcutânea, na região médio-dorsal dos grupos I, II e III, seguida de síntese. Ressecaram-se as cicatrizes de 10 animais de cada grupo, no 4.º, 7.º e 14.º dias após a operação, que divididas em duas partes foram enviadas para a tensiometria e para análise histológica. RESULTADOS: A pressão arterial média de 83,18 ± 7,51 mmHg nos normotensos e 151,36 ± 10,51 mmHg nos hipertensos. As cicatrizes dos hipertensos tratados e não tratados eram menos resistentes que as dos normotensos, nos tempos iniciais (p<0,05) e que ao 14.º dia as resistências se igualaram. Não houve diferença entre o grupo tratado e o não tratado. A densidade de colágeno total foi maior nos normotensos em todos os tempos (p<0,05) e não houve diferença entre hipertensos tratados e não tratados. A epitelização, a reação inflamatória e a formação do tecido de granulação foi semelhante nos três grupos. CONCLUSÕES: O captopril, em ratos, não modifica a cicatrização, ficando as diferenças relacionadas à hipertensão.UNIFESP-EPMPUCPRUniversidade Tuiuti do ParanáThe National Hospital for Nervous Diseases Institute of Neurology Department of NeuropathologyUFSCUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Evolutionary history of Wolbachia infections in the fire ant Solenopsis invicta

BACKGROUND: Wolbachia are endosymbiotic bacteria that commonly infect numerous arthropods. Despite their broad taxonomic distribution, the transmission patterns of these bacteria within and among host species are not well understood. We sequenced a portion of the wsp gene from the Wolbachia genome infecting 138 individuals from eleven geographically distributed native populations of the fire ant Solenopsis invicta. We then compared these wsp sequence data to patterns of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation of both infected and uninfected host individuals to infer the transmission patterns of Wolbachia in S. invicta. RESULTS: Three different Wolbachia (wsp) variants occur within S. invicta, all of which are identical to previously described strains in fire ants. A comparison of the distribution of Wolbachia variants within S. invicta to a phylogeny of mtDNA haplotypes suggests S. invicta has acquired Wolbachia infections on at least three independent occasions. One common Wolbachia variant in S. invicta (wSinvictaB) is associated with two divergent mtDNA haplotype clades. Further, within each of these clades, Wolbachia-infected and uninfected individuals possess virtually identical subsets of mtDNA haplotypes, including both putative derived and ancestral mtDNA haplotypes. The same pattern also holds for wSinvictaA, where at least one and as many as three invasions into S. invicta have occurred. These data suggest that the initial invasions of Wolbachia into host ant populations may be relatively ancient and have been followed by multiple secondary losses of Wolbachia in different infected lineages over time. Finally, our data also provide additional insights into the factors responsible for previously reported variation in Wolbachia prevalence among S. invicta populations. CONCLUSION: The history of Wolbachia infections in S. invicta is rather complex and involves multiple invasions or horizontal transmission events of Wolbachia into this species. Although these Wolbachia infections apparently have been present for relatively long time periods, these data clearly indicate that Wolbachia infections frequently have been secondarily lost within different lineages. Importantly, the uncoupled transmission of the Wolbachia and mtDNA genomes suggests that the presumed effects of Wolbachia on mtDNA evolution within S. invicta are less severe than originally predicted. Thus, the common concern that use of mtDNA markers for studying the evolutionary history of insects is confounded by maternally inherited endosymbionts such as Wolbachia may be somewhat unwarranted in the case of S. invicta

Effect of an extract of Centella asiatica on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate (Na^99mTcO₄) and on the fixation of radioactivity on blood constituents

This study evaluates the effects of an acute treatment with a Centella asiatica (CA) extract on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical Na99mTcO4 and on the fixation of technetium-99m on blood constituents. Wistar rats were treated with CA extract and, 1 hour after, Na99mTcO4 was administered; organs/tissues were withdrawn and weighted. The radioactivity was counted to calculate the percentage of activity per gram (%ATI/g). Also, blood samples were withdrawn, plasma (P), blood cells (BC), insoluble fraction (IF) and soluble fractions of P and BC were isolated and the radioactivity was counted to calculate the percentage of activity (%ATI). Data indicated that the acute treatment with CA extract changed significantly (p99mTcO4 and the fixation of the technetium-99m on blood constituents in an acute treatment

Three Disputed Vermigli Tracts

This article attempts two tasks: it will show that Peter Martyr Vermigli wrote three tracts whose authorship has been disputed for over a century, and it will suggest how these tracts fit into his life and the life of the Swiss Reformed Church

Endothelial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes: effect of antioxidants

Individuals with insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, caused in part by vascular complications. Endothelial dysfunction has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular diabetic disease. This abnormal function of the vasculature precedes cardiovascular disease and is associated with impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. The main etiology of the increased mortality and morbidity of type 2 diabetic patients is atherosclerosis. Increased production of free radicals is associated with the pathophysiology of diabetes, resulting in oxidative damage to lipids and proteins. Reduction of oxidative stress in diabetic patients may delay the onset of atherogenesis and the appearance of micro- and macrovascular complications. Alpha-lipoic acid (LA) is a multifunctional antioxidant that has been shown to have beneficial effects on polyneuropathy and on markers of oxidative stress in various tissues. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of LA on endothelial function in diabetic and hyperlipidemic animal models. Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, endothelial function, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were assessed in non-diabetic controls (Wistar rats), untreated diabetic Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and, atherogenic diet (AD)-fed GK rats (fed with atherogenic diet only, treated with alpha-lipoic acid and treated with vehicle, for 3 months). AD resulted in a 3-fold increase in both total and non-HDL serum cholesterol levels and in a 2-fold increase triglyceride levels while endothelial function was significantly reduce MDA and 8-OHdG levels were higher in the GK and GK hyperlipidemic groups and were completely reversed by the antioxidant. Hyperlipidemic GK diabetic rats showed significantly reduced endothelial function that was partially improved with LA. Furthermore, lipoic acid significantly reduced serum cholesterol levels, without lowering HDL cholesterol. Alpha-lipoic acid supplementation represents an achievable adjunct therapy to improve endothelial function and reduce oxidative stress, factors that are implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis in diabetes