A model of hemorrhagic cystitis induced with acrolein in mice

Acrolein is a urinary metabolite of cyclophosphamide and ifosfamide, which has been reported to be the causative agent of hemorrhagic cystitis induced by these compounds. A direct cytotoxic effect of acrolein, however, has not yet been demonstrated. In the present study, the effects of intravesical injection of acrolein and mesna, the classical acrolein chemical inhibitor, were evaluated. Male Swiss mice weighing 25 to 35 g (N = 6 per group) received saline or acrolein (25, 75, 225 µg) intravesically 3, 6, 12, and 24 h before sacrifice for evaluation of bladder wet weight, macroscopic and histopathological changes by Gray's criteria, and 3 and 24 h for assessment of increase in vascular permeability. In other animals, mesna was administered intravesically (2 mg) or systemically (80 mg/kg) 1 h before acrolein. Intravesical administration of acrolein induced a dose- and time-dependent increase in vascular permeability and bladder wet weight (within 3 h: 2.2- and 21-fold increases in bladder wet weight and Evans blue dye exuded, respectively, at doses of 75 µg/bladder), as confirmed by Gray's criteria. Pretreatment with mesna (2-mercaptoethanesulfonic acid), which interacts with acrolein resulting in an inactive compound, inhibited all changes induced by acrolein. Our results are the first demonstration that intravesical administration of acrolein induces hemorrhagic cystitis. This model of acrolein-induced hemorrhagic cystitis in mice may be an important tool for the evaluation of the mechanism by which acrolein induces bladder lesion, as well as for investigation of new uroprotective drugs

Desempenho e composição da carcaça de cordeiros deslanados terminados em confinamento com diferentes dietas Performance and carcass composition of shorn lambs finished in a feedlot on different diets

Este trabalho foi realizado com os objetivos de avaliar os efeitos da alimentação e do genótipo sobre as características quantitativas de carcaça de cordeiros terminados em confinamento e estimar sua margem bruta. Foram utilizados 18 cordeiros de cada genótipo: Morada Nova, Santa Inês e mestiços Dorper &#215; Santa Inês. As rações foram constituídas de 2,5 Mcal EM/kg MS e 2,94 Mcal EM/kg MS. Utilizou-se um delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 &#215; 2. As dietas influenciaram o ganho de peso diário, o peso de corpo vazio, o escore corporal, a eficiência alimentar e o tempo de confinamento, enquanto o genótipo promoveu diferenças em todas as variáveis estudadas. A densidade calórica das dietas influenciou os rendimentos biológicos, de carcaça quente e fria, esses dois últimos influenciados pelos genótipos. A dieta mais energética (2,94 Mcal EM/kgMS) proporcionou maiores pesos absolutos de pescoço, paleta, costela, lombo e perna, porém, em valores relativos, cordeiros alimentados com diferentes níveis energéticos não diferiram quanto a essas características, independentemente do nível energético da dieta. Os rendimentos percentuais dos cortes foram influenciados pelos genótipos, exceto o corte pescoço. Os pesos de todos os cortes foram influenciados pelos genótipos. A maior margem bruta de carcaça foi obtida com ração de maior nível energético.<br>This study was performed with the objective of assessing the effects of feed and genotype on the quantitative characteristics of carcasses of lambs finished in a feedlot and estimate gross margins. Eighteen lambs of each genotype were used: Morada Nova, Santa Inês and cross-breed Dorper &#215; Santa Inês. Feeds with low and high energetic levels consisted of 2.5 Mcal ME/kg DM and 2.94 Mcal ME/kg DM, respectively. A randomized complete design was used, with a 3 &#215; 2 factorial scheme. The diets influenced daily weight gain, empty body weight, body score, feed efficiency and feedlot days, whilst the genotype promoted differences in all the variables studied. The caloric density of the diets influenced the biological hot and cold carcass yields, and the latter two were influenced by genotype. The more energetic diet (2.94 Mcal EM/kgDM) resulted in higher absolute weights of neck, shoulder, rib, loin and leg, but, in relative values, lambs fed with different energetic levels did not differ for these characteristics, regardless of the energetic level of the diet. The percentage yield of the cuts was influenced by the genotypes, except for the neck. The weights of all the cuts were influenced by genotypes. The treatment with the highest energy level resulted in the largest gross margin