Ana Maria dos Anjos Carneiro-Leão

Potential effects of Cramoll 1,4 lectin on murine Schistosomiasis mansoni.

Cratylia mollis is a natural forage plant from the Northeast of Brazil. C. mollis seed lectin (Cramoll) containing molecular forms 1 and 4 (Cramoll 1,4) has shown anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activities. This work analyzed the effect of Cramoll 1,4 on experimental schistosomiasis in mice. Experimental groups (n=15/group) were composed of female albino Swiss mice, which were subcutaneously and caudally infected with Schistosoma mansoni (BH strain, 100 cercariae/mouse) and were treated with an intraperitoneal dose after infection as follows: (1) Cramoll 1,4 (50 mg kg(-1) single dose - after 40 days of infection), (2) Cramoll 1,4 (7 mg kg(-1) daily dose - for 7 days after infection) and control (untreated mice). Mice were sacrificed 8 weeks after infection and adult worms were recovered from the portal-hepatic system. Livers were fixed in 10% (v/v) formaldehyde/0.15M NaCl and tissue sections were processed for haematoxilin and Massons trichrome stainings. Mice infected subcutaneously harboured no or very few worms and hence the effect of Cramoll 1,4 could not be assessed. Results (P≤0.05) were obtained with Cramoll 1,4 using the two treatments, with reduction of: egg excretion (79 and 80%), adult worm recovery (71 and 79%) and liver granulomas (40 and 73.5%) in relation to control. This study showed the potential anti-helminthic activity of Cramoll 1,4 when tested against Schistosomiasis mansoni infection in mice.

Radiopharmaceuticals drug interactions: a critical review

Radiopharmaceuticals play a critical role in modern medicine primarily for diagnostic purposes, but also for monitoring disease progression and response to treatment. As the use of image has been increased, so has the use of prescription medications. These trends increase the risk of interactions between medications and radiopharmaceuticals. These interactions which have an impact on image by competing with the radiopharmaceutical for binding sites for example can lead to false negative results. Drugs that accelerate the metabolism of the radiopharmaceutical can have a positive impact (i.e. speeding its clearance) or, if repeating image is needed, a negative impact. In some cases, for example in cardiac image among patients taking doxirubacin, these interactions may have a therapeutic benefit. The incidence of drug-radiopharmaceuticals adverse reactions is unknown, since they may not be reported or even recognized. Here,we compiled the medical literature, using the criteria of a systematic review established by the Cochrane Collaboration, on pharmaceutical-drug interactions to provide a summary of documented interactions by organ system and radiopharmaceuticals. The purpose is to provide a reference on drug interactions that could inform the nuclear medicine staff in their daily routine. Efforts to increase adverse event reporting, and ideally consolidate reports worldwide, can provide a critically needed resource for prevention of drug-radiopharmaceuticals interactions.

Model of experimental infection in healthy and immunosuppressed swiss albino mice (Mus musculus) using Candida albicans strains with different patterns of enzymatic activity

With the purpose to evaluate Candida albicans virulence in vivo, two strains selected were based on their phospholipase and proteinase activity, and used in a model of experimental infection. One strain, isolated from vaginal secretion, was stocked at the URM Culture Collection for 43 years and presented high phospholipase (Pz=0.217) and proteinase (1.386 U.mL-1) activity. The other strain was a fresh strain isolated from oropharyngeal secretion of an AIDS patient, and presented low phospholipase (Pz=0.482) and proteinase (0.780 U.mL-1) activity. The strains were inoculated via intraperitoneum in immunosuppressed and non-immunosuppressed mice (Mus musculus) and the infection was evaluated over a period of 21 days. Liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys were aseptically removed and the blood of the animals was collected every 72 h. The number of colony forming units (c.f.u) isolated from each organ was counted and a histopathologic examination was performed. The freshly isolated strain was more virulent than the stocked strain, as shown by the number of positive cultures and severity of the lesions observed at the histopathologic examination. A correlation between the in vitro enzymatic activity and the in vivo virulence was not observed.

A interação do ciclo da experiência de Kelly com o círculo hermenêutico-dialético para a construção de conceitos de Biologia

The research investigated the use of bioplastics as a contemporary theme for the construction of the concepts of degradation, biodegradation and decomposition. The students had difficulties in their construction, possibly because they involved phenomena at the molecular level, which require a large capacity of abstraction and also because the aspects that differentiate between these processes themselves are fairly subtle. Bioplastics are quite appropriate to this kind of intervention, because they can be manufactured in laboratories in the school and would allow on-site observation of biological processes. The theoretical presuppositions of this work were the Theory of Personal Constructs (Cycle Experiment) and hermeneutic-dialectic methodology. The results indicate that initially the students had difficulties with the terminology and issues related to the perception of the phenomena on a micro scale. However, their final designs (individually and collectively) were significantly altered, because concepts were very close to the formal scientific definitions found in the literature of the area.

Perfil de proteases de lesões cutâneas experimentais em camundongos tratadas com a lectina isolada das sementes de Canavalia brasiliensis

O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o perfil de proteases em lesoes cutâneas experimentais tratadas com a lectina isolada das sementes da Canavalia brasiliensis (ConBr) livre e conjugada com o seu acucar especifico. Lesoes cirurgicas foram produzidas assepticamente na regiao dorsal de camundongos (n=120), divididos de acordo com o tratamento empregado: Grupo NaCl (NaCl 150mM), Grupo manose (manose 100mM), Grupo ConBr (ConBr 100µg mL-1) e Grupo ConBr/manose (solucao contendo ConBr 100µg mL-1 preparada em manose 100mM). Amostras da area lesada foram coletadas para determinacao do perfil de proteases e atividade colagenolitica no 2°, no 7° e no 12° dia de pos-operatorio. O perfil das proteinas realizado atraves de eletroforese SDS-PAGE demonstrou a presenca de proteinas com massa molecular de 67kDa em todos os grupos. O Grupo ConBr/manose apresentou a maior atividade colagenolitica no 12° dia de pos-operatorio. A lectina isolada das sementes da Canavalia brasiliensis influenciou a expressao de proteases com atividade colagenolitica podendo assim interferir no processo cicatricial das lesoes cutâneas em camundongos.

Ecological literacy – preparing children for the twenty-first century

ABSTRACT How is it possible to form concepts in early childhood education? This question was the starting point of this study using recreational activities as a tool to support ecological literacy. The research was conducted with children aged 4–5 years in a Brazilian school. Initially, the meanings children attributed to the concept of a ‘food web’ were identified during a teaching sequence including dramatization, games, drawings and interviews. The results show that although the understanding of the scientific concept of a food web did not exceed the complex phase of thought established by Vygotsky [(1986). Thought and language. London: The MIT Press], we observed a development relating to the children’s ecological literacy, supporting the research of Capra [(2006a). A teia da vida: uma nova compreensão científica dos sistemas vivos. São Paulo: Cultrix; Capra, F. (2006b). Alfabetização Ecológica – a educação das crianças para um mundo sustentável. São Paulo: Cultrix]. The group of young children developed the perception of belonging to the web, raising awareness of the importance of animal care to preserve life.

Evaluating the effectiveness of gel formulation of irradiated seed lectin Cratylia mollis during bone repair in rats

Context: Regeneration corresponds to the replacement of damaged cells with ones that have the same morphology and function. For experimental evaluation of materials that may favor the process of bone healing, defects are created with dimensions that prevent spontaneous regeneration. For the development and use of new drugs, it is necessary to study its effects in vitro, which depends on the formulation, concentration, and rate of irradiation in vivo and the route and frequency of administration; thus, it is possible to characterize the physiological and molecular mechanisms involved in the response and cellular effects. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the effect of Cramoll-1,4 on the process of bone repair. Materials and Methods: A formulation of biopharmaceutical lectin Cramoll-1,4 at a concentration of 300 mg/100 mL was applied in a single application via gamma radiation and its effect on the process of bone repair in rats was assessed. Results: Histologically, it was observed that the bone defect is coated by loose connective tissue rich in fibroblasts, providing a range similar to the thick bone original and competing with site of new bone formation. This prevented direct contact between the formulation and experimental bone tissue, as, despite its proven effectiveness in experiments on the repair of skin lesions, the formulation used did not promote bone stimulation that would have promoted the tissue repair process. Conclusion: Because of the direct interference of loose tissue repair that prevented direct contact of the implant with the bone interface, the formulation did not promote bone stimulation.

História da radiofarmácia e as implicações da Emenda Constitucional N. 49

The purpose of this paper is to describe the history of radiopharmaceutical and the implications of amendment 49 upon the radiopharmaceuticals production in Brazil.

Membrana amniótica e pericárdio canino como curativos biológicos na preparação do leito receptor para enxertia cutânea autógena

The granulation tissue formed with the use of amniotic membrane (ME) and canine pericardium (PE) as an occlusive biological dressing in experimental cutaneous wounds was evaluated Fifteen dogs, having three wounds on the dorsal thoracic region of each (FA -amniotic, FC -control and FP-pericardium) were used. Clinical and histological evaluations were carried out, including counting and measuring the average diameter of the blood vessels of the granulation tissue, as well as bacteriological exams (swabs) of the wounds and the grafts. The granulation tissue formed after seven days of using the canine amniotic membrane showed a vascular histological aspect, being able to be favorable to the cutaneous grafting. It was concluded that the use of amniotic membrane and canine pericardium dressing on cutaneous wounds during seven days did not stimulate the presence of granulation necessary for the use of cutaneous grafting, however, it can be used as an occlusive biological graft.