Does preappointment gabapentin affect neurological examination findings? a prospective, randomized and blinded study in healthy cats

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a preappointment oral dose of gabapentin on the neurological examination of cats. Methods A prospective, randomized and blinded clinical trial was conducted in 35 client-owned healthy cats. Cats were scheduled for two appointments and randomly assigned to receive either a placebo or a 100 mg gabapentin capsule prior to the second veterinary visit. A neurological examination was performed during each visit, and the results were compared between groups. Normal/abnormal response rates for each test were based on the number of cats that allowed the test to be performed. Results Gabapentin was administered to 17 cats. Gait and postural reactions were significantly affected in the gabapentin group. Comparing the gabapentin with the placebo groups, proprioceptive ataxia was identified in 4/17(23.5%) vs 0/18 cats (P=0.0288); paw placement deficits were seen in 10/11(90.9%) vs 1/4(25%) cats; table tactile placement deficits were identified in 13/17(76.5%) vs 0/18 cats (P<0.0001); hopping deficits were seen in 5/17(29.4%) vs 0/16 cats (P=0.0185); and abnormalities on wheelbarrowing and extensor postural thrust were reported in 5/17(29.4%) vs 0/18 cats (P=0.0129). These results had no correlation with age or dose/kg received. No significant difference was noted in the assessment of level and content of consciousness, posture, cranial nerves and spinal nerves. No significant differences were noted in test compliance or examination duration. Conclusions and relevance Gabapentin significantly altered gait analyses and postural reactions in this group of healthy cats. The administration of gabapentin could lead to false–positive results and, possibly, an incorrect identification of neurological lesions. In contrast, gabapentin did not impair the assessment of cranial nerves and spinal reflexes, which can be assessed in patients receiving the drug

The Impact of a Precision-Based Exercise Intervention in Childhood Hematological Malignancies Evaluated by an Adapted Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test

During cancer treatments in childhood hematological malignancies, reduced exercise tolerance is one of the main hardships. Precision-based training programs help children, adolescents, and young adults and their families to resume regular physical activity, exercise, and sports once they return to their communities after the intensive phases spent in hospital. This study was aimed at verifying whether an intermittent recovery test, the Yo-Yo AD, could provide a simple and valid way to evaluate an individual’s capacity to perform repeated intense exercise and to follow up on the impact of tailored exercise in children, adolescents, and young adults with hematological malignancies. The Yo-Yo AD involved the repetition of several shuttles to muscle exhaustion, at pre-established speeds (walking and slow running). The heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SaO2) were monitored during the test. The total distance and the walking/running ability, measured as the slope of the HR vs. distance correlation, were investigated before (T0) and after 11 weeks (T1) of precision exercise intervention. The Yo-Yo AD was also performed by healthy children (CTRL). Ninety-seven patients (10.58 ± 4.5 years, 46% female) were enrolled. The Yo-Yo AD showed the positive impact of the exercise intervention by increasing the distance covered by the individuals (T0 = 946.6 ± 438.2 vs. T1 = 1352.3 ± 600.6 m, p &lt; 0.001) with a more efficient walking/running ability (T0 = 2.17 ± 0.84 vs. T1 = 1.73 ± 0.89 slope, p &lt; 0.0164). CTRLs performed better (1754.0 ± 444.0 m, p = 0.010). They were equally skillful (1.71 ± 0.27 slope) when compared to the patients after they received the precision-based intervention. No adverse events occurred during the Yo-Yo AD and it proved to be an accurate way of correctly depicting the changes in performance in childhood hematological malignancies

Reduced levels of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation result in chromatin compaction and hypermethylation as shown by cell-by-cell computer assisted quantitative analysis

The unmethylated status of the CpG islands is important for gene expression of correlated housekeeping genes since it is well known that their methylation inhibits transcription process. An interesting question that has been discussed but not solved is how the CpG islands maintain their characteristic unmethylated status even though they are rich in CpG dinucleotides. Our previous in vitro and in vivo research has shown that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is involved in protecting CpG dinucleotides from full methylation in genomic DNA and that a block of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is also involved in modifying the methylation pattern in the promoter region of Htf9 housekeeping gene. In this study we locked for cytological evidence that in the absence of an active poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation the DNA methylation pattern in L929 and NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines is altered. For this purpose, differences in the methylation levels of interphase nuclei from control and treated cultures of two murine cell lines preincubated with 2 mM 3-aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, were measured in individual cells after indirect immunolabeling with anti-5MeC antibodies. The quantitative analysis allowed us to demonstrate that blocking of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation results in a higher number, size, and density of antibody binding regions in treated cells when compared to the controls. Analogously, sequential Giemsa staining and indirect immunolabeling of the same slides showed the heterochromatic regions colocalized with the extended methyl-rich domains

Reduced levels of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation result in chromatin compaction and hypermethylation as shown by a cell-by-cell computer assisted quantitative analysis.

The unmethylated status of the CpG islands is important for gene expression of correlated housekeeping genes since it is well known that their methylation inhibits transcription process. An interesting question that has been discussed but not solved is how the CpG islands maintain their characteristic unmethylated status even though they are rich in CpG dinucleotides. Our previous in vitro and in vivo research has shown that poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is involved in protecting CpG dinucleotides from full methylation in genomic DNA and that a block of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is also involved in modifying the methylation pattern in the promoter region of Htf9 housekeeping gene. In this study we locked for cytological evidence that in the absence of an active poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation the DNA methylation pattern in L929 and NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cell lines is altered. For this purpose, differences in the methylation levels of interphase nuclei from control and treated cultures of two murine cell lines preincubated with 2 mM 3-aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation, were measured in individual cells after indirect immunolabeling with anti-5MeC antibodies. The quantitative analysis allowed us to demonstrate that blocking of the poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation results in a higher number, size, and density of antibody binding regions in treated cells when compared to the controls. Analogously, sequential Giemsa staining and indirect immunolabeling of the same slides showed the heterochromatic regions colocalized with the extended methyl-rich domains

Exposição ao benzeno em postos de combustíveis: estratégia de ações integradas de Vigilância em Saúde do Trabalhador na região dos Vales/RS

Resumo Introdução: O benzeno é uma importante fonte de contaminação ambiental e está presente na composição da gasolina, expondo trabalhadores de Postos de Revenda de Combustíveis (PRC) a intoxicações. Objetivo: relatar experiências de vigilância da exposição ao benzeno do Centro de Referência em Saúde do Trabalhador da região dos Vales/RS. Métodos: a vigilância no território incluiu o mapeamento regional dos PRC, ações intrasetoriais, intersetoriais e interinstitucionais, inspeção nos locais de trabalho, desenvolvimento de instrumento de intervenção específico para esse ramo produtivo - Notificação Recomendatória, avaliações individuais dos trabalhadores - e outras abordagens visando intervir nos ambientes com exposição ao benzeno. Resultados: foram observadas alterações em biomarcadores de efeito e de exposição, além de inadequações dos PRC no monitoramento clínico e laboratorial dos trabalhadores. Nos ambientes e processos de trabalho ficaram evidentes situações que ampliam a exposição: inadequações nas pistas de abastecimento, uso de “flanela”, inexistência ou insuficiência de medidas de proteção coletivas, ausência de medição eletrônica dos tanques e de higienização dos uniformes por parte das empresas, dentre outras. Conclusão: as experiências desencadeadas por meio de ações integradas no setor saúde demonstraram a potencialidade benéfica da vigilância da exposição ao benzeno em PRC

REPERCUSSÕES HEMODINÂMICAS E VENTILATÓRIAS EM INDIVÍDUOS SADIOS COM DIFERENTES NÍVEIS DE EPAP

INTRODUÇÃO: A aplicação da pressão positiva expiratória nas vias aéreas (EPAP) é um método terapêutico usado para reexpansão pulmonar. A avaliação das variáveis hemodinâmicas e ventilatórias, podem apresentar alterações quando os indivíduos são submetidos a diferentes níveis de pressões intratorácicas. OBJETIVO: Analisar as variáveis cardiorrespiratórias, em indivíduos jovens sadios, submetidos a diferentes níveis de EPAP. CASUÍSTICA E MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo transversal com 14 voluntários jovens sadios e ativos. Os voluntários foram posicionados sentados, e fixaram a máscara facial de forma a evitar fuga aérea, a máscara foi conectada ao sensor de fluxo do monitor de perfil respiratório TRACER 5 e acoplada à válvula Spring Loaded. Cada voluntário realizou seis incursões respiratórias sendo utilizado o início da quarta para registro dos dados. As variáveis, relacionadas à hemodinâmica, respiração, sintomatologia, resistência do sistema e trabalho ventilatório foram analisadas ajustando o EPAP em: 5, 10, 15 e 20 cmH2O, com pausa de 1 minuto entre cada ajuste pressórico. Para análise estatística utilizou-se o teste Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney, Wilcoxon e o coeficiente para correlação de Spearman. Nível de significância p elt; 0,05. RESULTADOS: A idade média do grupo estudado foi de 22±3 anos e obteve-se diferença estatisticamente significante nas variáveis respiratórias e hemodinâmicas, bem como na sensação de dispneia e vertigem conforme o aumento progressivo dos níveis de pressões intratorácicas utilizadas. CONCLUSÃO: A aplicação de diferentes níveis de EPAP pode gerar alterações na condição hemodinâmica e mecânica ventilatória de indivíduos adultos jovens sadios