A Spanish dancer? No! A troupe of dancers: a review of the family Hexabranchidae Bergh, 1891 (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Nudibranchia): A troupe of Spanish dancer

Color ontogeny and variations associated with discrete morphological differences may generate taxonomical challenges, which requires multiple data types and in-depth historical review. The nudibranch known as the Spanish dancer, Hexabranchus sanguineus, is a classic example with over 200 years of taxonomic confusion. Currently, H. sanguineus is accepted by most authors as a single species from the Indo-Pacific Ocean with Hexabranchus morsomus as a valid species from the Atlantic Ocean. Yet, despite these species being highly studied, their systematic status remains debatable. Over 30 synonyms have been proposed for H. sanguineus and even a distinct genus for H. morsomus. Here we provide, for the first time, a comprehensive review of all proposed names and an integrative taxonomic revision of the genus including morphological and molecular data. Our results reveal that H. sanguineus is a complex of five species: four previously described and an undescribed species, one of the largest nudibranchs in the world: Hexabranchus giganteus sp. nov. The genus Caribranchus is considered a junior synonym of Hexabranchus Ehrenberg, 1828 and the ontogeny of color pattern is discussed

Data set characterizing the systemic alterations of microvascular reactivity and capillary density, in patients presenting with infective endocarditis

Submitted by Repositório Arca ([email protected]) on 2019-04-24T17:53:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Janaína Nascimento ([email protected]) on 2019-06-26T12:23:26Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 ve_Tibirica_Eduardo_etal_INI_2018.pdf: 370080 bytes, checksum: b916fbb07ab04f27124c7312378e1ce9 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2019-06-26T12:23:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 ve_Tibirica_Eduardo_etal_INI_2018.pdf: 370080 bytes, checksum: b916fbb07ab04f27124c7312378e1ce9 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018Ministry of Health. National Institute of Cardiology. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.Ministry of Health. National Institute of Cardiology. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.Ministry of Health. National Institute of Cardiology. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil / Universidade do Grande Rio. Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brasil.This article represents data associated with a prior publication from our research group, under the title: Evaluation of microvascular endothelial function and capillary density in patients with infective endocarditis using laser speckle contrast imaging and video-capillaroscopy [1]. Patients with definite infective endocarditis, under stable clinical conditions, were prospectively included. The clinical and laboratory features are presented for each of them in raw form. Microvascular reactivity was evaluated using a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system with a laser wavelength of 785 nm. LSCI was used in combination with the iontophoresis of acetylcholine (ACh) or sodium nitroprusside (SNP) for the noninvasive, continuous measurement of cutaneous microvascular perfusion changes in arbitrary perfusion units (APU). The images were analyzed using the manufacturer's software. One skin site on the ventral surface of the forearm was chosen for the experiment. Microvascular reactivity was also evaluated using post-occlusive reactive hyperemia, whereby arterial occlusion was achieved with supra-systolic pressure (50 mmHg above the systolic arterial pressure) using a sphygmomanometer for three minutes. Following the release of pressure, maximum flux was measured. Data on cutaneous microvascular density were obtained using intravital video-capillaroscopy. The data obtained may be helpful by showing the usefulness of laser-based noninvasive techniques in systemic infectious diseases other than sepsis, in different clinical settings and countries

Penile microvascular endothelial function in hypertensive patients: effects of acute type 5 phosphodiesterase inhibition

<div><p>The primary aim of this study was to evaluate penile endothelial microvascular function in patients with primary arterial hypertension and age-matched normotensive subjects using laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI). Additionally, we analyzed the acute penile microvascular effects induced by oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (sildenafil; SIL) administration. Endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity was evaluated in the penises and forearms of hypertensive patients (aged 58.8±6.6 years, n=34) and age-matched healthy volunteers (n=33) at rest and 60 min following oral SIL (100 mg) administration. LSCI was coupled with cutaneous acetylcholine (ACh) iontophoresis using increasing anodal currents. Basal penile cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) values were not significantly different between control subjects and hypertensive individuals. Penile CVC values increased significantly after SIL administration in control (P<0.0001) and hypertensive (P<0.0001) subjects. Peak CVC values were not different between the two groups during penile ACh iontophoresis before SIL administration (P=0.2052). Peak CVC values were higher in control subjects than in hypertensive subjects after SIL administration (P=0.0427). Penile endothelium-dependent microvascular function is, to some extent, preserved in patients presenting with primary arterial hypertension under effective anti-hypertensive treatment. LSCI may be a valuable non-invasive tool for the evaluation of penile vascular responses to phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor.</p></div

Investigation of the haemodynamic effects of phoneutria nigriventer venom in anaesthetised rabbits

The haemodynamic alterations induced by the central and peripheral administration of the armed spider (Phoneutria nigriventer) venom (PNV) were investigated in anaesthetised rabbits. The intracerebroventricular injection of increasing doses of PNV (30 and 100 mu g/ kg) elicited a biphasic cardiovascular response characterised by a brief hypotension (1-3 min) followed by a marked and sustained (more than 30 min) increase in mean arterial pressure (61 +/- 5 and 61 +/- 10%, respectively) and in systemic vascular resistance (135 +/- 21 and 161 + 37%) accompanied by mild increases in cardiac contractility. Systemic alterations such as salivation and muscular fasciculation were also observed. At the opposite, the dose of 100 mu g/kg of PNV injected intravenously produced only a hypotensive effect (29 +/- 4% decrease in mean arterial pressure) and a decrease in vascular resistance (38 +/- 5%). Nevertheless, a much higher dose of PNV (1 mg/kg) injected intravenously produced a hypertensive response analogous to the one observed upon central administration. The central hypertensive response induced by PNV was not affected by pretreating the animals with selective antagonists of receptors of different neurotransmitters or endogenous mediators such as: acethylcoline muscarinic, bradykinin B-2, angiotensin II AT(1) receptors and also antagonists of the excitatory aminoacid receptors of the central nervous system. Nevertheless, the intravenous pretreatment with the selective al-adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin significantly blunted the excitatory cardiovascular response evoked by the central injection of PNV. It is concluded that PNV call induce central as well as peripheral haemodynamic effects. The central component seems to be mediated by the activation of cardiovascular centres which in turn lead to an increase in the sympathetic outflow to the periphery, whereas the peripheral component can be accounted for either by direct activation of the vascular;alpha(1)-adrenergic receptors or by catecholamine release from the sympathetic nerve endings38684185

Evaluation of platelet activity by multiple electrode impedance aggregometry in acute coronary syndromes: pilot study in a Brazilian tertiary-care public hospital

There is no definite recommendation for testing platelet aggregation (PA) in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) due to inconclusive evidence on the usefulness of platelet function tests to guide therapy and improve clinical outcomes. The evaluation of PA with multiple electrode impedance platelet aggregometry (MEA) may be useful to manage antiplatelet therapy and possibly influence patient outcome. The primary aim of this study was to measure PA with MEA in Brazilian patients with ACS and evaluate the association between PA and adverse clinical outcomes. Forty-seven consecutive patients admitted with ACS to a Brazilian tertiary-care public hospital were studied and PA was evaluated using MEA. Patients were followed for six months for the occurrence of all-cause death, acute myocardial infarction, or stroke. Suboptimal inhibition of PA was found in 7 patients (14.9%); 5 (10.6%) in response to ASA (acetylsalicylic acid), 2 (5.0%) to clopidogrel, and none to ticagrelor. Inadequate PA inhibition in response to ASA was significantly associated with the composite end point, but there was no significant association for insufficient PA inhibition in response to clopidogrel. This study suggested that the evaluation of PA in ACS using MEA may identify non-responders to ASA. Larger studies are necessary to define, in a public health scenario, the value of MEA in the management of ACS

Letter to the Editor: Serum Adiponectin Levels are Associated with Microcirculatory Function, but not with Coronary Artery Disease in the Young

No Abstract