Protective effects of Amburoside A, a phenol glucoside from Amburana cearensis, against CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible beneficial effects of amburoside A, AMB [4-(0-b-d-glycopyranosyl) benzyl protocatechoate], against carbon tetrachloride (CCl) toxicity in rats

The effect of lesion filling on brain network analysis in multiple sclerosis using structural magnetic resonance imaging

BACKGROUND: Graph theoretical network analysis with structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients can be used to assess subtle changes in brain networks. However, the presence of multiple focal brain lesions might impair the accuracy of automatic tissue segmentation methods, and hamper the performance of graph theoretical network analysis. Applying "lesion filling" by substituting the voxel intensities of a lesion with the voxel intensities of nearby voxels, thus creating an image devoid of lesions, might improve segmentation and graph theoretical network analysis. This study aims to determine if brain networks are different between MS subtypes and healthy controls (HC) and if the assessment of these differences is affected by lesion filling. METHODS: The study included 49 MS patients and 19 HC that underwent a T1w, and T2w-FLAIR MRI scan. Graph theoretical network analysis was performed from grey matter fractions extracted from the original T1w-images and T1w-images after lesion filling. RESULTS: Artefacts in lesion-filled T1w images correlated positively with total lesion volume (r = 0.84, p < 0.001) and had a major impact on grey matter segmentation accuracy. Differences in sensitivity for network alterations were observed between original T1w data and after application of lesion filling: graph theoretical network analysis obtained from lesion-filled T1w images produced more differences in network organization in MS patients. CONCLUSION: Lesion filling might reduce variability across subjects resulting in an increased detection rate of network alterations in MS, but also induces significant artefacts, and therefore should be applied cautiously especially in individuals with higher lesions loads

Approaches in biotechnological applications of natural polymers

Natural polymers, such as gums and mucilage, are biocompatible, cheap, easily available and non-toxic materials of native origin. These polymers are increasingly preferred over synthetic materials for industrial applications due to their intrinsic properties, as well as they are considered alternative sources of raw materials since they present characteristics of sustainability, biodegradability and biosafety. As definition, gums and mucilages are polysaccharides or complex carbohydrates consisting of one or more monosaccharides or their derivatives linked in bewildering variety of linkages and structures. Natural gums are considered polysaccharides naturally occurring in varieties of plant seeds and exudates, tree or shrub exudates, seaweed extracts, fungi, bacteria, and animal sources. Water-soluble gums, also known as hydrocolloids, are considered exudates and are pathological products; therefore, they do not form a part of cell wall. On the other hand, mucilages are part of cell and physiological products. It is important to highlight that gums represent the largest amounts of polymer materials derived from plants. Gums have enormously large and broad applications in both food and non-food industries, being commonly used as thickening, binding, emulsifying, suspending, stabilizing agents and matrices for drug release in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the food industry, their gelling properties and the ability to mold edible films and coatings are extensively studied. The use of gums depends on the intrinsic properties that they provide, often at costs below those of synthetic polymers. For upgrading the value of gums, they are being processed into various forms, including the most recent nanomaterials, for various biotechnological applications. Thus, the main natural polymers including galactomannans, cellulose, chitin, agar, carrageenan, alginate, cashew gum, pectin and starch, in addition to the current researches about them are reviewed in this article.. }To the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientfíico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for fellowships (LCBBC and MGCC) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nvíel Superior (CAPES) (PBSA). This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462) and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684) (JAT)

Post-transfusion red cell alloimmunisation in patients with acute disorders and medical emergencies Aloimunização após transfusão de concentrado de hemácias em pacientes atendidos em um serviço de emergência

Alloimmunisation following red cell transfusion is a complication in patients with chronic diseases requiring multiple transfusions. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of alloimmunisation, to identify involved alloantibodies, to establish risk factors and to quantify the alloimmunisation risk in patients with acute disorders who received red cell transfusion at the Instituto Dr. José Frota from January 1999 to January 2001. Of the 5,690 recipients who received 16,547 units of red blood cells, 4,025 were men and 1,665 were women. Recipients with previous alloimmunisation or with time of hospital stay less than one week were excluded (n = 501). Red cell alloantibodies were detected in 120 recipients (2.1%): 60 men (1.49%) and 60 women (3.60%). Alloimmunisation was 2.4 fold more frequent in women and 93.33% of the women were pregnant prevously. The average number of units transfused in the alloimmunised recipients was 4.68: 4.97 units in men and 4.40 units in women. In non-alloimmunised recipients the average was 2.87 units and the risk of alloimmunisation was 0.83%: 0.59% in men and 1.44% in women. The most frequent allo-antibodies were: anti-E (18.25%) and anti-D (16.06%) from a total of 137 allo-antibodies detected. The median time for detection of allo-antibodies was 20.88 days. The risk of alloimmunisation detected was high considering the average number of units transfused. The age of recipients and the longer life expectancy increase the probability of further transfusion requirements in this group. Our findings point out the necessity of modifications in the current medical transfusion support indication, including in patients with acute disorders in order to prevent alloimmunisation.<br>A aloimunização eritrocitária após transfusão de concentrado de hemácias é uma complicação em pacientes com doenças crônicas que necessitam de transfusões de repetição. Esse estudo objetivou determinar a freqüência de aloimunização, identificar os aloanticorpos, estabelecer os fatores de risco envolvidos e quantificar o risco de aloimunização em pacientes com condições clínicas agudas, submetidos à transfusão de concentrados de hemácias no Instituto Doutor José Frota, utilizando a técnica de gel centrifugação. Foram analisados 5.690 receptores transfundidos com 16.547 concentrados de hemácias, sendo 4.025 do sexo masculino e 1.665 do sexo feminino. Foram excluídos 501 receptores com aloimunização prévia ou tempo de permanência hospitalar inferior a uma semana. Em 120 receptores (2,1%) foram detectados aloanticorpos eritrocitários, sendo 60 do sexo masculino (1,49%) e 60 do sexo feminino (3,60%). A aloimunização foi 2,4 vezes mais freqüente no sexo feminino, sendo que 93,33% das mulheres tinham história de gestação prévia. A média transfusional nos receptores aloimunizados foi de 4,68 bolsas, sendo 4,97 bolsas nos homens e 4,40 bolsas nas as mulheres. Nos pacientes não aloimunizados a média transfusional foi de 2,87 bolsas. O risco de aloimunização foi de 0,83%, sendo 0,59 no sexo masculino e 1,44% no sexo feminino. Os aloanticorpos detectados com maior freqüência foram anti-E (18,25%) e anti-D (16,06%) de um total de 137 aloanticorpos. O tempo médio de detecção dos aloanticorpos foi de 20,88 dias. O risco de aloimunização observado foi elevado para a média transfusional de receptores. A média de idade dos pacientes e o aumento da expectativa de vida aumentam a possibilidade de que transfusões posteriores sejam necessárias, sinalizando a necessidade de modificar o atual suporte hemoterápico a esses pacientes

Aloimunidade contra antígenos HLA de classe I em pacientes com síndromes mielodisplásicas e anemia aplástica Aloimmunity against HLA class I antigens in patients with myelodisplastic syndrome and aplastic anemia

As síndromes mielodisplásicas (SMD) e a anemia aplástica (AA) apresentam citopenias periféricas necessitando, com freqüência, de reposições transfusionais contínuas de concentrados de hemácias e/ou de concentrados de plaquetas. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar a ocorrência de anticorpos anti-HLA de classe I em pacientes portadores das SMD e AA atendidos no ambulatório de Hematologia do Hemoce/UFC. Foram analisados 110 pacientes, sendo 70 com SMD e 40 com AA. A pesquisa de anticorpos anti-HLA de classe I foi realizada frente a um painel (PRA), utilizando-se a técnica de microlinfocitotoxicidade dependente do complemento. Vinte (28,6%) dos 70 pacientes com as SMD e 18 (45%) dos 40 pacientes com AA desenvolveram anticorpos anti-HLA contra o PRA. Esses pacientes que receberam uma carga de antígenos estranhos advindos de múltiplas transfusões de vários doadores de CH e/ou CP, geralmente desenvolvem aloanticorpos contra os antígenos HLA presentes na superfície das plaquetas e dos leucócitos que contaminam esses concentrados. A produção desses anticorpos pode trazer sérias complicações para o tratamento dos pacientes com SMD e AA. As avaliações sistemáticas para detecção de anticorpos anti-HLA após a reposição transfusional podem ser valiosas para adoção de estratégias transfusionais mais adequadas para esta população de pacientes.<br>Patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) or aplastic anemia (AA) present peripheral cytopenias and require continuous transfusions of red cell and/or platelet concentrates. The objective of this study is to verify the existence of anti-HLA class 1 antibodies in patients with MDS and AA treated at the hematology Out patient Clinic of Hemoce/UFC. A total of 110 patients were analyzed, 70 with MDS and 40 with AA. Anti-HLA class 1 antibody detection was achieved with an antibody reactivity panel using the complement-dependent microlymphocytotoxicity technique. A total of 20 (28.6%) of the 70 patients with MDS and 18 (45%) of the 40 patients with AA developed anti-HLA antibodies against the antibody panel. In general, patients who received a load of foreign antigens originating from multi-donor red cell and platelet concentrate transfusions, developed alloantibodies against the HLA antigens that exist on the surface of platelets and on white blood cells that contaminate these concentrates. The production of these antibodies may cause serious complications in the treatment of MDS and AA patientss

Antecipação de plantio da mamona consorciada com girassol: produtividade e seus componentes.

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Avaliação da Administração Crônica de Mucuna pruriens sobre Parâmetros Bioquímicos e Hematológicos e de seus Efeitos Neuroprotetores, em Modelo de Doença de Parkinson

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T19:14:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) 3.pdf: 103242 bytes, checksum: 2803fb8e42b051ebdc9062be7b1b16ad (MD5) Previous issue date: 24Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.Universidade Federal do Ceará. Departamento de Farmácia. Fortaleza, CE, Brasil.A doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma patologia neurodegenerativa caracterizada pela perda progressiva de neurônios dopaminérgicos na substância negra. Os sinais cardinais da doença são bradicinesia, tremor de repouso e instabilidade postural. É a segunda doença neurodegenativa mais comum, após a doença de Alzheimer. Os tratamentos disponíveis são apenas sintomáticos, não evitando a progressão da doença, e a L-DOPA, considerada padrão-ouro, apresenta efeitos colaterais sendo a discinesia um dos mais sérios. Mucuna pruriens é utilizada na medicina tradicional, principalmente na Índia, para o tratamento de DP. Essa espécie contém entre os seus constituintes bioativos a L-DOPA e parece apresentar um potencial discinésico menor do que aquele da L-DOPA sintética. No presente trabalho, observou-se que a administração de L-DOPA durante 14 dias aumenta as concentrações de dopamina no estriato, após a lesão unilateral por 6-OHDA em ratos. Nas doses usadas (50 e 100mg/kg, p.o.), equivalentes a 25 e 50 mg/kg de L-DOPA, nenhuma alteração foi observada nos níveis de NE, 5-HT ou de seu metabólito 5-HIAA. Além disso, nenhuma alteração significativa foi demonstrada nos parâmetros bioquímicos ou hematológicos, após administração crônica de M. pruriens, nas doses de 250, 500 e 1000 mg/kg durante 90 dias. Os resultados são indicativos de efeitos neuroprotetores e confirmam o potencial benéfico de M. pruriens no tratamento de DP.Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease that causes a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The cardinal signals of the disease are bradykinesia, resting tremor and postural instability. It is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, after Alzheimer’s disease, for which there is no neurorestorative treatment. Mucuna pruriens is used in traditional medicine especially in India to treat PD, since it is known to contain L-DOPA among other bioactive constituents, still considered a gold-standard for the treatment of PD. In the present study, we observed that the daily oral administration of the extract of M. pruriens for 14 days (50 and 100 mg/kg) increases the DA concentrations in the striatum after the unilateral 6-OHDA lesion in rats. At the doses used, equivalent to 25 and 50 mg/kg synthetic L-DOPA, no changes were observed in striatal contents of NE, 5-HT or its metabolite 5-HIAA. In addition, no significant alterations were demonstrated in biochemical or hematological parameters after the extract administration, at the doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg up to 90 days. Our results point out to a neuroprotective effect and confirm the potential benefit of M. pruriens for the treatment of PD