Structural and Topographic Dynamics of Pulmonary Histopathology and Local Cytokine Profiles in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis Conidia-Infected Mice

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), an endemic fungal infection of pulmonary origin resulting in severe disseminated disease, occurs in rural areas of most South American countries and presents several clinical forms. The infection is acquired by inhalation of specific fungal propagules, called conidia. Considering the difficulties encountered when studying the infection in humans, this work was done in mice infected by inhalation of infective fungal conidia thus mimicking the human natural infection. The lungs of mice were sequentially studied by histopathological and multiplex cytokine methods from 2 h to 16 weeks after infection to verify the course of the disease. The mycosis presented different morphologic aspects during the course of time, affecting several pulmonary compartments. Otherwise and based on the analysis of 30 cytokines, the immune response also showed heterogeneous responses, which were up or down regulated depending on the time of infection. By recognizing the different stages that correspond to the evolution of pulmonary lesions, the severity (benign, chronic or fibrotic) of the disease could be predicted and the probable prognosis of the illness be inferred

Vitalism in contemporary chiropractic: a help or a hinderance?

Background: Chiropractic emerged in 1895 and was promoted as a viable health care substitute in direct competition with the medical profession. This was an era when there was a belief that one cause and one cure for all disease would be discovered. The chiropractic version was a theory that most diseases were caused by subluxated (slightly displaced) vertebrae interfering with “nerve vibrations” (a supernatural, vital force) and could be cured by adjusting (repositioning) vertebrae, thereby removing the interference with the body’s inherent capacity to heal. DD Palmer, the originator of chiropractic, established chiropractic based on vitalistic principles. Anecdotally, the authors have observed that many chiropractors who overtly claim to be “vitalists” cannot define the term. Therefore, we sought the origins of vitalism and to examine its effects on chiropractic today. Discussion: Vitalism arose out of human curiosity around the biggest questions: Where do we come from? What is life? For some, life was derived from an unknown and unknowable vital force. For others, a vital force was a placeholder, a piece of knowledge not yet grasped but attainable. Developments in science have demonstrated there is no longer a need to invoke vitalistic entities as either explanations or hypotheses for biological phenomena. Nevertheless, vitalism remains within chiropractic. In this examination of vitalism within chiropractic we explore the history of vitalism, vitalism within chiropractic and whether a vitalistic ideology is compatible with the legal and ethical requirements for registered health care professionals such as chiropractors. Conclusion: Vitalism has had many meanings throughout the centuries of recorded history. Though only vaguely defined by chiropractors, vitalism, as a representation of supernatural force and therefore an untestable hypothesis, sits at the heart of the divisions within chiropractic and acts as an impediment to chiropractic legitimacy, cultural authority and integration into mainstream health care

Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International guidelines for management of severe sepsis and septic shock: 2008

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A aplicação de adesivo de cianoacriato por histeroscopia e os testes de perviedade na esterilização tubária de ovelhas

Objetivo: avaliar, por meio de testes de prenhez e de perviedade, a eficácia da obstrução tubária de ovelhas com adesivo de cianoacrilato aplicado por via histeroscópica. Método: 12 ovelhas adultas, com uma gestação anterior, foram distribuídas em três grupos: G-PO (n=3) submetidas à laqueadura tubária tipo Pomeroy; G-SH (n=3) aplicação de solução salina no istmo tubário por histeroscopia, e G-AD (n=6) aplicação de 0,5mL de n-butil-2-cianoacrilato no interior do istmo tubário, por histeroscopia. Depois de acasaladas por 90 dias com machos de comprovada fertilidade, as ovelhas não prenhas foram submetidas à laparotomia, retiradas as tubas uterinas, medidos os seus diâmetros e preparadas para testes de perviedade pela aplicação de azul de metileno e de pressão hidráulica (80mmHg). Resultados: As ovelhas de G-PO e G-AD não ficaram prenhas (0%), em contraste com as SH (100%). O GPO apresentou maior concentração de aderências (66,6%) e de granulomas (100%) em relação ao grupo AD (0%); o adesivo manteve-se íntegro no lúmen tubário. O diâmetro da tuba uterina em G-AD (0,650 ± 0,16 cm) foi significantemente maior do que o das tubas em G-PO (0,195 ± 0,04* cm) (p=0,01). Os testes de perviedade de pressão e corante foram negativos para todo o grupo PO e somente um animal em AD mostrou-se positivo para o teste de pressão. Conclusão: a aplicação histeroscópica de cianoacrilato no lúmen tubário de ovelhas impediu eficientemente a fecundação, constituindo procedimento eficaz e de boas perspectivas para aplicação futura em humanos.Background: To evaluate, through pregnancy and pressure burst tests, the effectiveness of sheep uterine tube sterilization through hysteroscopic insertion of cyanoacrylate adhesive. Methods: Adult sheep (n=12), with one previous pregnancy, were distributed as follows: PO Group (n=3) submitted to laparotomy and Pomeroy surgical procedure of tubal obstruction, Group SH (n=3) submitted to hysteroscopy application of saline solution inside the tubal isthmus, and Group AD (n=6) submitted to hysteroscopy application of 0.5 mL of n-2-butil-cyanoacrylate inside the tubal isthmus. They were allowed to copulate with fertile males during ninety days. The non pregnant sheep, at the 90th day, were submitted to laparotomy, the uterine tubes were removed and their diameters analyzed. The uterine tubes were evaluated for patency with methylene blue dye injection. The overpressure burst test (80mmHg) was then applied through the uterine cervix. Data were evaluated by t Student and Fisher test. Results: All sheep from groups PO and AD did not get pregnant (0%) in contrast with sheep from group SH (100%); the adhesive remained stable inside the tubal lumen. The diameter of the proximal tube in AD group (0.650 ± 0.16cm) was significantly wider than the PO group (0.195 ± 0.04* cm) (p= 0.01). The overpressure burst and dye patency tests were negative for all animals from PO group and only one animal in AD group was positive for the pressure burst test. Conclusion: The hysteroscopic insertion of cyanoacrylate inside the tubal lumen of the sheep was effective to obstruct the uterine tube and to promote the sterilization, and would be an option for future applying in human beings

Hysteroscopic sterilization with occlusion of sheep uterine tube using n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate adhesive

Purpose: To evaluate the fertility and analyze the macroscopic, microscopic and morphometric aspects of sheep uterine tube sterilization with a hysteroscopically insert of n-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate adhesive. Methods: 12 adult sheep, with one previous pregnancy, were distributed as follows: group L (n=3) subjected to laparotomy and Pomeroy uterine tube ligation, group S (n=3) subjected to hysteroscopic application of saline solution in tube isthmus and group AD(n=6), that was subjected to hysteroscopic application of 0.5 ml of n-2-butil-cyanoacrylate in tube isthmus. They were mated with fertile males for ninety days. The non pregnant sheep, at the 90th day, were subjected to laparotomy with uterus and tubes uterine resection. The fragments of uterine tubes were fixated in 10% formalin and processes for histology evaluated, and slices dyes for H.E. Data were evaluated by Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney and Fisher’s exact test. Results: All sheep from groups L and AD did not get pregnant (0%) in contrast with sheep from group S (100%); the adhesive remained integral in the uterine tube lumen. The percentual of adherences (66.6%) and fibrosis responses (100%) was significantly higher in the group L than group AD (0%) (p≤0.01). The diameter of the caudal tube in group AD (2652.15 ± 45.76 mm) was significantly wider than that of the group L (1868.27 ± 56.11* mm) (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: The hysteroscopic insertion of cyanoacrylate in the uterine tube lumen of sheep was effective to obstruct the uterine tube and to promote the sterilization.Objetivo: Avaliar a fertilidade e aspectos macroscópicos, microscópicos e morfométricos da esterilização histeroscópica de tubas uterinas de ovelhas com o adesivo de n-butil-2-cianoacrilato. Métodos: 12 ovelhas adultas, com uma prenhez anterior, foram distribuídas como segue: o grupo L (n=3) submetidas à laparotomia e laqueadura tipo Pomeroy, grupo S (n=3) submetidas à aplicação histeroscópica de solução salina no istmo tubário e grupo AD (n=6), com aplicação histeroscópica de 0,5 ml de cianoacrilato. As ovelhas foram acasaladas com machos de comprovada fertilidade por noventa dias. As ovelhas não prenhes aos 90 dias, foram submetidas à laparotomia com ressecção do útero e tubas uterinas, que foram fixadas em formalina 10%s e os cortes histológicos corados em hematoxilina/eosina. Os resultados foram avaliados pelo teste de Wilcoxon e teste exato de Fisher. Resultados: Todas as ovelhas dos grupos L e AD não ficaram prenhes (0%) ao contrário das ovelhas do grupo S (100%); o adesivo permaneceu íntegro no lúmen tubário. O percentual de aderências (66.6%) e de fibrose (100%) foi significativamente maior no grupo L do que no grupo AD (0%) (p≤0,01). O diâmetro da porção caudal no grupo AD (2652,15 ± 45,76 mm) foi significativamente maior do que grupo L (1868,27 ± 56.11 mm) (p≤0,05). Conclusão: A inserção histeroscópica do cianoacrilato no lúmen tubário de ovelhas foi eficaz para obstruir a tuba uterina e promover a esterilização

Crustaceans from a bitumen clast in Carboniferous glacial diamictite of Oman extend fossil record of copepods

Copepod crustaceans are extremely abundant but, because of their small size and fragility, they fossilize poorly. Their fossil record consists of one Cretaceous (c. 115 Ma) parasite and a few Miocene (c. 14 Ma) fossils. In this paper, we describe abundant crustacean fragments, including copepods, from a single bitumen clast in a glacial diamictite of late Carboniferous age (c. 303 Ma) from eastern Oman. Geochemistry identifies the source of the bitumen as an oilfield some 100–300 km to the southwest, which is consistent with an ice flow direction from glacial striae. The bitumen likely originated as an oil seep into a subglacial lake. This find extends the fossil record of copepods by some 188 Ma, and of free-living forms by 289 Ma. The copepods include evidence of the extant family Canthocamptidae, believed to have colonized fresh water in Pangaea during Carboniferous times