Trends in animal experimentation

INTRODUÇÃO: A busca do entendimento de fatores etiológicos, mecanismos e tratamento das doenças tem levado ao desenvolvimento de vários modelos animais nas últimas décadas. OBJETIVO: Esse artigo tem por objetivo discutir aspectos relacionados a modelos animais de experimentação, escolha do animal e tendências atuais nesse campo em nosso país. Além disso, esse estudo buscou avaliar o espaço ocupado por artigos experimentais em revistas médicas. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionadas cinco revistas brasileiras, indexadas na LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE, e recentemente incorporadas pelo Institute for Scientific Information Journal of Citation Reports. Foram selecionados pelo resumo ou abstract todos os artigos publicados nessas revistas, nos anos de 2007 e 2008, que empregaram modelos animais. RESULTADOS: Do total de 832 artigos publicados no período pelas revistas analisadas, foram selecionados 92 (11,1%) que empregavam animais de experimentação. O número de artigos experimentais variou de 5,2% a 17,9% do conteúdo global da revista. Nas instruções aos autores de quatro (80%) das revistas avaliadas, havia referência explícita aos princípios éticos na condução de estudos com animais. Os modelos animais induzidos representaram 100% dos artigos analisados neste estudo. O rato foi o animal mais empregado nos artigos analisados, sendo utilizado em 78,3% deles. CONCLUSÕES: O presente estudo poderá fornecer subsídios para adoção de políticas editoriais futuras relativas à publicação de artigos originários de pesquisa animal na RBCCV.INTRODUCTION: The search of the understanding of etiological factors, mechanisms and treatment of the diseases has been taking to the development of several animal models in the last decades. OBJECTIVE: To discuss aspects related to animal models of experimentation, animal choice and current trends in this field in our country. In addition, this study evaluated the frequency of experimental articles in medical journals. METHODS: Five Brazilian journals indexed by LILACS, SciELO, MEDLINE, and recently incorporate for Institute for Scientific Information Journal of Citation Reports were analyzed. All the papers published in those journals, between 2007 and 2008, that used animal models, were selected based on the abstracts. RESULTS: Of the total of 832 articles published in the period, 92 (11.1%) experimentation papers were selected. The number of experimental articles ranged from 5.2% to 17.9% of the global content of the journal. In the instructions to the authors, four (80%) journals presented explicit reference to the ethical principles in the conduction of studies with animals. The induced animal models represented 100% of the articles analyzed in this study. The rat was the most employed animal in the analyzed articles (78.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The present study can contribute, supplying subsidies for adoption of future editorials policies regarding the publication of animal research papers in Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery

Endotracheal tube cuff pressure assessment maneuver induces drop of expired tidal volume in the postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting

Background: Previous investigations reported that the cuff pressure (CP) can decrease secondary to the CP evaluation itself. However is not established in literature if this loss of CP is able to generate alterations on expired tidal volume (ETV). Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential consequences of the endotracheal CP assessment maneuver on CP levels and ETV in the early postoperative of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).Methods: A total of 488 patients were analyzed. After the operation, the lungs were ventilated in pressure-assist control mode and the same ventilatory settings were adjusted for all patients. After intensive care unit arrival, the cuff was fully deflated and then progressively inflated by air injection, to promote a minimal volume to occlude the trachea. To assist the cuff inflation and the air leakage identification, the graphical monitoring of the volume-time curve was adopted. After 20 minutes a first cuff pressure evaluation was performed (P1) and a second measurement (P2) was taken after 20 minutes with an analog manometer. ETV was obtained always pre and post P1 measurement.Results: the CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant drop of P2 in relation to P1 when the manometer was attached to the pilot balloon (p < 0.0001). When compared the moments, pre-P1 versus post-P1, a significant drop of the ETV was also observed (p < 0.0001).Conclusion: the CP assessment maneuver promoted a significant decrease in CP values and occurrence of air leakage with reduction of ETV in the early postoperative of CABG.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Physiotherapy Sch, Dept Human Movement Sci, BR-11060001 Santos, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Pneumol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Cardiol Discipline, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Physiotherapy Sch, Dept Human Movement Sci, BR-11060001 Santos, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Pneumol Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Pirajussara Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Med, Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, São Paulo Hosp,Escola Paulista Med, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista Med, Cardiol Discipline, BR-04024002 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

A Portuguese East Indiaman from the 1502-1503 Fleet of Vasco da Gama off Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman: An interim report

Two Portuguese naus from Vasco da Gama's second voyage to India, left behind to disrupt maritime trade between India and the Red Sea, were wrecked in May 1503 off the north-eastern coast of Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman. The ships, Esmeralda and São Pedro, had been commanded by da Gama's maternal uncles, Vicente and Brás Sodré, respectively. A detailed study and scientific analysis of an artefact assemblage recovered during archaeological excavations conducted in Al Hallaniyah in 2013 and 2014 confirms the location of an early 16th-century Portuguese wreck-site, initially discovered in 1998. Esmeralda is proposed as the probable source of the remaining, un-salved wreckage

A gut pathobiont synergizes with the microbiota to instigate inflammatory disease marked by immunoreactivity against other symbionts but not itself

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are likely driven by aberrant immune responses directed against the resident microbiota. Although IBD is commonly associated with a dysbiotic microbiota enriched in putative pathobionts, the etiological agents of IBD remain unknown. Using a pathobiont-induced intestinal inflammation model and a defined bacterial community, we provide new insights into the immune-microbiota interactions during disease. In this model system, the pathobiont Helicobacter bilis instigates disease following sub-pathological dextran sulfate sodium treatment. We show that H. bilis causes mild inflammation in mono-associated mice, but severe disease in the presence of a microbiota, demonstrating synergy between the pathobiont and microbiota in exacerbating pathology. Remarkably, inflammation depends on the presence of H. bilis, but is marked by a predominant Th17 response against specific members of the microbiota and not the pathobiont, even upon the removal of the most immune-dominant taxa. Neither increases in pathobiont burden nor unique changes in immune-targeted microbiota member abundances are observed during disease. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that a pathobiont instigates inflammation without being the primary target of a Th17 response or by altering the microbiota community structure. Moreover, our findings point toward monitoring pathobiont-induced changes in microbiota immune targeting as a new concept in IBD diagnotics

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation improves exercise tolerance in patients with advanced heart failure on continuous intravenous inotropic support userandomized controlled trial

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a short-term neuromuscular electrical stimulation program on exercise tolerance in hospitalized patients with advanced heart failure who have suffered an acute decompensation and are under continuous intravenous inotropic support. Design: A randomized controlled study. Subjects: Initially, 195 patients hospitalized for decompensated heart failure were recruited, but 70 were randomized. Intervention: Patients were randomized into two groups: control group subject to the usual care (n=35)neuromuscular electrical stimulation group (n=35) received daily training sessions to both lower extremities for around two weeks. Main measures: The baseline 6-minute walk test to determine functional capacity was performed 24hours after hospital admission, and intravenous inotropic support dose was daily checked in all patients. The outcomes were measured in two weeks or at the discharge if the patients were sent back home earlier than two weeks. Results: After losses of follow-up, a total of 49 patients were included and considered for final analysis (control group, n=25 and neuromuscular electrical stimulation group, n=24). The neuromuscular electrical stimulation group presented with a higher 6-minute walk test distance compared to the control group after the study protocol (29334.78m vs. 265.8 +/- 48.53m, P<0.001, respectively). Neuromuscular electrical stimulation group also demonstrated a significantly higher dose reduction of dobutamine compared to control group after the study protocol (2.72 +/- 1.72 mu g/kg/min vs. 3.86 +/- 1.61 mu g/kg/min, P=0.001, respectively). Conclusion: A short-term inpatient neuromuscular electrical stimulation rehabilitation protocol improved exercise tolerance and reduced intravenous inotropic support necessity in patients with advanced heart failure suffering a decompensation episode.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Hosp, Cardiol & Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Rua Napoleao de Barros,715,3 Andar, BR-04024002 Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Carlos, Cardiopulm Physiotherapy Lab, Sao Carlos, BrazilUniv Illinois, Coll Appl Hlth Sci, Dept Phys Therapy, Chicago, IL USAUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Physiotherapy Sch, Dept Human Mot Sci, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Hosp, Cardiol & Cardiovasc Surg Discipline, Rua Napoleao de Barros,715,3 Andar, BR-04024002 Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc