Determination of minimum quantity of pollen and nutritive value of different carbohydrates forscaptotrigona depilis Moure (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

Two experiments were performed to determine some aspects of nutrition in Scaptotrigona depilis. This minimum quantity of pollen necessary for suitable development of hypopharyngeal gland and oocytes was determined to be ≈ 8.0 mg/bee/d. With respect to carbohydrates, no differences in longevity were found between groups fed sucrose (w/v) at 10, 30 or 50%. With different carbohydrates (glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose) no differences were detected between groups fed all carbohydrates at 1 %; groups fed sucrose, maltose and glucose were similar to groups fed sucrose; the sucrose group was similar to the maltose and glucose groups; the maltose and glucose groups were similar. For all carbohydrates, 10% concentration showed superior results to 1% concentration

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition by lisinopril enhances liver regeneration in rats

Bradykinin has been reported to act as a growth factor for fibroblasts, mesangial cells and keratinocytes. Recently, we reported that bradykinin augments liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in rats. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is also a powerful bradykinin-degrading enzyme. We have investigated the effect of ACE inhibition by lisinopril on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy. Adult male Wistar rats underwent 70% partial hepatectomy (PH). The animals received lisinopril at a dose of 1 mg kg body weight-1 day-1, or saline solution, intraperitoneally, for 5 days before hepatectomy, and daily after surgery. Four to six animals from the lisinopril and saline groups were sacrificed at 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, and 120 h after PH. Liver regeneration was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen using the PC-10 monoclonal antibody. The value for the lisinopril-treated group was three-fold above the corresponding control at 12 h after PH (P<0.001), remaining elevated at approximately two-fold above control values at 24, 36, 48 (P<0.001), and at 72 h (P<0.01) after PH, but values did not reach statistical difference at 120 h after PH. Plasma ACE activity measured by radioenzymatic assay was significantly higher in the saline group than in the lisinopril-treated group (P<0.001), with 81% ACE inhibition. The present study shows that plasma ACE inhibition enhances liver regeneration after PH in rats. Since it was reported that bradykinin also augments liver regeneration after PH, this may explain the liver growth stimulating effect of ACE inhibitors

EFEITOS DO PRÉ-CONDICIONAMENTO HEPÁTICO EM RATOS CIRRÓTICOS, SUBMETIDOS À ISQUEMIA E REPERFUSÃO HEPÁTICA RESULTADOS PRELIMINARES PRECONDITIONING WITH ISCHEMIC-REPERFUSION FOR PROTECTION FROM ISCHEMIC INJURY IN RAT LIVER CIRRHOSIS PRELIMINARY RESULT

Baseando-se nos efeitos estimuladores do metabolismo energético pelo pré-condicionamento isquêmico (PCI) no tecido hepático, estudou-se dois grupos de ratos cirróticos submetidos a isquemia de 20 min e reperfusão de 120 min, após o PCI ou não respectivamente, determinando assim o valor do seu uso no prolongamento da manobra de Pringle e na regeneração hepática na hepatectomia.<br>We studied the influence of ischemic preconditioning in rat liver cirrhosis.The cirrhosis were induced in wistar rat with occlusion of biliary duct before 30 days operation and divided into group A, ischemic preconditioning and ischemic/reperfusion, and group B, only ischemic/reperfusion. In group A the preconditioning consisted of 5 min ischemic and 10 min reperfusion. The ischemic/reperfusion consisted of 20 min ischemic and 120 min reperfusion for both groups. The level of respiratory control reason (RCR) in the liver tissue 120 min after reperfusion was not difference significantly in the groups. Therefore it suggests that the preconditioning cam be viability and another object of studies must be rated in future this work

Oviposition preference and larval performance in Ceratitis capitata (Díptera, Tephritidae)

Experiments concerning oviposition preference were carried out on Ceratitis capitata to determine whether females are able to preferentially oviposit on natural hosts in which the larvae develop better. The results indicated that the females do not preferentially oviposit on hosts of better nutritive value for the larvae