Effects of metoclopramide on the mouse anterior pituitary during the estrous cycle

Federal University of São PauloFederal University of São Paulo Gynecology DepartmentUniversidade de São Paulo Faculdade de MedicinaUNIFESP, Gynecology DepartmentSciEL

Influence of hyperprolactinemia on collagen fibers in the lacrimal gland of female mice

OBJECTIVE:To quantify the collagen fibers in the lacrimal gland of female mice with hyperprolactinemia.METHODS:Forty adult female mice were randomly divided into two groups with 20 animals each: nonpregnant control (CTR1, control group, 0.2 mL of saline solution) and nonpregnant experimental (HPRL1, experimental group, 200 µg/day metoclopramide). Treatments lasted for 50 consecutive days. On day 50, 10 females from each group (control and experimental) were euthanized in the proestrus phase; then, the blood was collected and the lacrimal glands were removed. Thereafter, the remaining females were placed with the mates and continued to receive treatment with saline solution or metoclopramide. On the 6th post-coital day, 10 pregnant females from the control group (CTR2) and 10 pregnant females from the experimental group (HPRL2) were euthanized, after which blood was collected and the lacrimal glands removed. The lacrimal glands were processed for morphological analyses and collagen quantification, and prolactin and sex steroid levels were measured in the blood samples. Data were statistically analyzed using an unpaired Student t test (

Inteligentni sistem za podporo odločanju v javnem sektorju na osnovi sistemske dinamike in študije primerov

This paper presents the design of an IDSS that allows the decision makers to identify key issues that matter for the future of a social system and helps them to improve the policy-making processes. The implementation is in process, so this paper presents the achievements up to the present. It combines IA techniques comwith qualitative models and Systems Dynamic Simulation. The selection of strategies and policies for complex social systems needs to take into account nonquantifiable variables. For this reason, we build models that allow the treatment of these kinds of variables.We propose a methodology divided into three phases. In the first one we build a model and simulate dynamic systems of particular scenarios, using this module as an analysis tool. This phase allows the detection of issues that matters. The results obtained by simulation are stored in a database and are used as entries in the reasoning process. So, they are the start point of the second phase. For this phase we use the CBR (Case Based Reasoning) technique, where each case is defined by a set of norms (common attributes), cases and indexes (attributes for discriminating cases), problem, solution and explanation. Different values of these attributes will be new cases. The last phase produces different solutions, giving to the decision maker explanations about pros and cons of these alternatives. In the case that none of these alternatives are accepted by the users of the IDSS, they can incorporate a new solution explaining that, for them, it is the best alternative to follow. It is important to emphasize that the IDSS is an instrument to promote and facilitate the attainment of a coherence and consensus between the decision makers. Key words: Decision Support System, Case Based Reasoning, Public Decision, strategic decision makingPrispevek predstavlja snovanje in razvoj IDSS, ki omogoča odločevalcem identifikacijo ključnih dejavnikov, ki vplivajo na prihodnji razvoj družbenega sistema kot pomoč pri izboljšavi oblikovanja razvojne politike. Implementacija sistema je trenutno v teku tako, da prispevek obravnava dosedanje dosežke na tem področju. Metodološki pristop je kombinacija umetne inteligence s kvalitativnimi modeli ter simulacijo po principu sistemske dinamike. Pomemben faktor pri izbiri strategij in razvoj politike na področju kompleksnih družbenih sistemov je vpliv nabora spremenljivk, ki niso kvantificirane. Zaradi tega je bil zgrajen model, ki omogoča obravnavo tovrstnih spremenljivk. Predlagana je metodologija, ki je sestavljena iz treh faz. V prvi fazi je zgrajen model za simulacijo dinamike sistema ter oblikovanja scenarijev. Pri tem služi model ot analitično orodje. Omenjena faza omogoča določitev ključnih spremenljivk ter dejstev. Rezultati, ki so pridobljeni s pomočjo simulacije, so arhivirani v podatkovni bazi ter uporabljeni kot vhod v proces logične obravnave. Tako predstavljajo rezultati izhodiščno točko za drugo fazo. V tej fazi uporabljamo tehniko CBR (Case Based Reasoning), kjer je določen primer definiran z naborom norm oz. skupnih atributov, primerov in indeksov (atributi za diskriminacijo primerov), problema, rešitve ter razlage. Različne vrednosti omenjenih atributov predstavljajo nov primer. Zadnja faza ima za rezultat različne rešitve, ki omogočajo odločevalcu razlago o dejstvih, ki govorijo v prid ter proti posamezni alternativi. V primeru, da nobena od predlaganih alternativ ni sprejemljiva s strani uporabnikov IDSS, lahko le-ti vključijo nove rešitve, ki so po njihovem mnenju sprejemljive. Pomembno dejstvo je, da IDSS omogo- ča konsistentno vodenje ter spodbuja konsenz pri odločevalcih. Ključne besede: sistem za podporo odločanju, situacijsko orientirani logični proces, odločitev, javni sektor, strateško odločanj

Microscopic alterations in silicone tubes surface after application of ophthalmological lubricants

Objective: To identify microscopic morphological alterations in the surface of silicone tubes used for intubation of the lachrymal system after exposure to ophthalmological lubricants. Methods: Experimental, descriptive and longitudinal study consisted of the application of ophthalmological lubricants in silicone tubes. The tubes were divided in: Group 1 (Cylocort®), 2 (Epitezan®), 3 (Labcaína®), 4 (Liposic®), 5 (Maxinom®) and 6 (Vista Gel®). One tube was not exposed to any lubricant, used as control. The tubes were observed and photographed after 2 hours, 30 days, 45 days before and after cleaning the surface and lumen. The following aspects were observed: surface (regularity, transparency, quantity, size and shape of the substances) and lumen (obstruction). Results: Control: irregular surface with pores after 2 hours: Group 1 – irregular surface with presence of film; Groups 2, 3 and 5 – abundant and irregular quantity of ointment at the surface; Group 4 – discrete modification at the surface; Group 6 – growth of pigmented (brownish) structures with filaments in the lumen, with discrete film in the surface. 30 Days: Groups 1, 4 and 5 – increase of the irregular superficial film; Group 2 – crust with notorious horizontal lines; Group 3 – diminution of the superficial film; Group 4 – crust less evident. Group 6 – increase of the structure seen with 2 hours of exposition, arboriform aspect. Forty-five days pre cleaning: Group 4 – diminution of the surface crust; Group 6 – expansion of the arboriform structure; unaltered findings in other groups. 45 days after cleaning: Groups 1 and 5 – light diminution of the surface crust; Groups 2, 3 and 4 – kept the modifications; Group 6 – the structure inside the lumen was not identified, clear surface, without evidence of film. Conclusions: Microscopic morphological alterations in the surface and lumen of silicone tubes can occur when those remain in contact with determined ophthalmological lubricants

Efeito da hiperprolactinemia induzida pela metoclopramida na glândula lacrimal: estudo experimental

OBJETIVO: avaliar as alterações morfológicas promovidas pela hiperprolactinemia induzida pela metoclopramida na glândula lacrimal de camundongas durante a fase de proestro e gestação. MÉTODOS: 40 camundongas adultas foram divididas em dois grupos: CTR1 (controle) e MET1 (tratadas com metoclopramida). Após 50 dias, metade dos animais de cada grupo foram sacrificados por decapitação. Os restantes foram acasalados, constituindo os grupos controle prenhe (CTR2) e metoclopramida prenhe (MET2), que foram sacrificadas no 6º dia de gestação. O sangue foi coletado e submetido à dosagem hormonal dos níveis de estradiol e de progesterona por quimioluminescência. Em seguida as glândulas lacrimais foram removidas, fixadas em formol a 10% e processadas segundo metodologia histológica para inclusão em parafina, sendo as lâminas coradas pelo HE. A análise morfométrica foi realizada com o programa AxionVision (Carl Zeiss), medindo-se os volumes celulares e nucleares das células acinares. RESULTADOS: os volumes nuclear e celular das glândulas lacrimais dos grupos experimentais MET1 (152,2±8,7; 6,3±1,6 µm³) e MET2 (278,3±7,9; 27,5±0,9 µm³) mostraram-se reduzidos em relação aos grupos controles CTR1 (204,2±7,4; 21,9±1,3 µm³) e CTR2 (329,4±2,2; 35,5±2,0 µm³). Houve redução dos níveis hormonais de estrogênio e de progesterona nos animais que receberam metoclopramida em comparação com os respectivos controles (CTR1: estradiol = 156,6±42,2 pg/ml; progesterona = 39,4±5,1 ng/ml; MET1: estradiol = 108,0±33,1 pg/ml; progesterona = 28,0±6,4 ng/ml; CTR2: estradiol = 354,0±56,0 pg/ml; progesterona = 251,0±56,0 ng/ml; MET2: estradiol = 293,0±43,0 pg/ml, progesterona = 184,0±33,0 ng/ml). CONCLUSÃO: a hiperprolactinemia induzida pela metoclopramida produziu sinais de diminuição na atividade das células da glândula lacrimal tanto em camundongas prenhes quanto não prenhes. Este efeito está possivelmente relacionado com a redução da produção hormonal de estrogênio e progesterona

Influence of hyperprolactinemia on collagen fibers in the lacrimal gland of female mice

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the collagen fibers in the lacrimal gland of female mice with hyperprolactinemia. METHODS: Forty adult female mice were randomly divided into two groups with 20 animals each: nonpregnant control (CTR1, control group, 0.2 mL of saline solution) and nonpregnant experimental (HPRL1, experimental group, 200 µg/day metoclopramide). Treatments lasted for 50 consecutive days. On day 50, 10 females from each group (control and experimental) were euthanized in the proestrus phase; then, the blood was collected and the lacrimal glands were removed. Thereafter, the remaining females were placed with the mates and continued to receive treatment with saline solution or metoclopramide. On the 6th post-coital day, 10 pregnant females from the control group (CTR2) and 10 pregnant females from the experimental group (HPRL2) were euthanized, after which blood was collected and the lacrimal glands removed. The lacrimal glands were processed for morphological analyses and collagen quantification, and prolactin and sex steroid levels were measured in the blood samples. Data were statistically analyzed using an unpaired Student t test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Morphological analysis revealed greater structural tissue disorganization of the lacrimal glands in the metoclopramide-treated groups. The total collagen content was significantly higher in the HPRL1 group than in the CTR1 group (p<0.05), whereas the difference between the CTR2 and HPRL2 groups was not significant. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest an impairment in the functioning of the lacrimal gland as a consequence of increased prolactin levels and decreased serum levels of estrogen and progesterone