Propriedades mecânicas do músculo de ratos adultos e idosos, exercitado pós-imobilização

OBJECTIVES: To describe the effects of immobilization, free remobilization and remobilization by physical exercise about mechanical properties of skeletal muscle of rats of two age groups. METHODS: 56 Wistar rats divided into two groups according to age, an adult group (five months) and an older group (15 months). These groups were subdivided in: control, immobilized, free remobilized and remobilized by physical exercise. The pelvic limb of rats was immobilized for seven days. The exercise protocol consisted of five swimming sessions, once per day and 25 minutes per session. The gastrocnemius muscle was subjected to tensile tests, and evaluated the properties: load at the maximum limit, stretching at the maximum limit and stiffness. RESULTS: The immobilization reduced the values of load at the maximum limit and the remobilization protocols were not sufficient to restore control levels in adult group and older rats. The stretching at the maximum limit differs only in the older group. CONCLUSIONS: The immobilization reduces the muscle's ability to bear loads and exercise protocol tends to restore the default at control values in adult and older rats. The age factor only interfered in the stretching at the maximum limit, inducing a reduction of this property in the post-immobilization. Level of Evidence II, Investigating the Results of Treatment

Biochemical influence of a homologous series of alkoxyphenols on Saccharomyces cerevisiae: A microcalorimetric and spectrophotometric study

The biochemical influence of m-alkoxyphenols on Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells was observed. When these chemicals have longer alkoxy groups-specifically, propoxy-, butoxy- and pentoxyphenol in concentrations of 2.0, 4.2, and 6.0 mM, respectively-they induce a decrease in oxygen consumption and heat production (produced by respiration), and an increase in NAD(P)H production by the microorganism. As a consequence, while the use of these alkoxyphenols in concentrations higher than 2.0 mM must be avoided in biotransformation reactions (for instance, in the study of Katsuobushi flavor), they can be used in pharmacological dosages against tumor cells. m-Alkoxyphenols that have shorter alkoxy groups (e.g., methoxyphenol and ethoxyphenol), caused no alteration in the biochemical metabolism of the cells tested in this study, even in concentrations of 6.0 mM.85330230

Primary invasive versus progressive invasive transitional cell bladder cancer: multicentric study of overall survival rate

Introduction and Objective: When feasible, the treatment for all-invasive bladder cancer is radical cystectomy. The aim of the present study was to analyze the prognostic difference, disease-specific survival rate, of muscle-invasive transitional cell cancer of the bladder (TCCB) for progressive invasive TCCB. Patients and Methods: A retrospective multicentric analysis was performed studying a total of 242 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for invasive TCCB from 1993 to 2005. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 included 57 patients with progressive invasive TCCB, and group 2 included 185 patients with primary invasive TCCB. Both groups were further divided according to the pathological findings in pT2/3 (muscle and/or perivesical fat invasion), pT4 (adjacent organs/structure invasion), N+ (positive lymphatic nodes) and M+ (distant organ metastasis). Several tests were employed for statistical analysis:X-2, Mann-Whitney, Kaplan-Meier method and Wilcoxon (Breslow) method were used to compare the possible survival curve differences of groups 1 and 2. Multivariated analysis determined by proportional risk regression excluded sex, age and disease stage interferences in the final results. Results: The average time for a superficial TCCB to become muscle-invasive was 37.4 months, and the average number of transurethral resections performed in each patient was 3. The average and median global survival rates were, respectively, 96 and 88 months in group 1 and 98 and 90 months in group 2, without a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0734). The 1- year survival rate was 84.32% in group 1 and 76.54% in group 2. After 3 years of follow-up the survival rate fell to 74.50% in group 1 and to 59.05% in group 2. Finally, the 5-year survival rate was 57.94% in group 1 and 52.24% in group 2. Conclusion: In the present study, patients with primary invasive and progressive invasive TCCB showed a similar 5-year disease-specific survival rate. Pathological stage (pTN, N and M) and patient demography did not interfere with the results. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel.79320020