Aron Ferreira da Silveira

Syzygium cumini and the regeneration of insulin positive cells from the pancreatic duct

Syzygium cumini is a plant that has been used in popular medicine for the treatment of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (DMID). This study verified the effect of Syzygium cumini upon the regeneration of insulin producing cells in the pancreatic duct wall. The animals were divided into four groups, control (C), treated control (TC), diabetic control (DC) and treated diabetic (TD). An aqueous extract from Syzygium cumini bark was given by gavage in a daily dose of 1g/kg of body weight. After a thirty day period the animals were euthanized and the pancreas taken to immunohistochemical analysis. In this study, it was observed the positive staining for insulin on cells of the pancreatic duct and connective tissue in the pancreas of TD and TC animals. These results indicate that Syzygium cumini bark extract stimulates development of insulin positive cells from the pancreatic duct epithelial cells.

Hepatoprotective activity of a vinylic telluride against acute exposure to acetaminophen.

Acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity has been related with several cases of cirrhosis, hepatitis and suicides attempts. Notably, oxidative stress plays a central role in the hepatic damage caused by APAP and antioxidants have been tested as alternative treatment against APAP toxicity. In the present study, we observed the hepatoprotector activity of the diethyl-2-phenyl-2-tellurophenyl vinylphosphonate (DPTVP), an organotellurium compound with low toxicity and high antioxidant potential. When the dose of 200 mg/kg of APAP was used, we observed that all used doses of DPTVP were able to restore the -SH levels that were depleted by APAP. Furthermore, the increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances levels and in the seric alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity and the histopathological alterations caused by APAP were restored to control levels by DPTVP (30, 50 and 100 μmol/kg). On the other hand, when the 300 mg/kg dose of APAP was used, DPTVP restored the non-proteic -SH levels and repaired the normal liver morphology of the intoxicated mice only at 50 μmol/kg. Our in vitro results point out to a scavenging activity of DPTVP against several reactive species, action that is attributed to its chemical structure. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the pharmacological action of DPTVP as a hepatoprotector is probably due to its scavenging activity related to its chemical structure.

Association between Machado-Joseph disease and oxidative stress biomarkers.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, also called Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), is an hereditary autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease that affects the cerebellum and its afferent and efferent connections. Since the mechanism by which mutant ataxin-3 eventually leads to neuronal death is poorly understood, additional investigations to clarify the biological alterations related to Machado-Joseph disease are necessary. Recent investigations suggest that oxidative stress may contribute significantly to Machado-Joseph disease. We compared markers of oxidative stress between Machado-Joseph disease and healthy control subjects. The results showed that Machado-Joseph patients have higher catalase levels and lower thiol protein levels compared to control subjects. The peripheral blood lymphocyes of MJD patients also showed higher levels of DNA damage by the comet assay than control subjects. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that the oxidative stress is associated with MJD patients. However, whether strategies to increase cellular antioxidative capacity may be effective therapies for the treatment of Machado-Joseph disease is an open question.

Queixas auditivas e vestibulares durante a gestação

UNLABELLED Hormonal dysfunctions in women during pregnancy can cause vestibular and/or cochlear disorders. AIM to study hearing and vestibular complaints in pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHOD this is a prospective study. 82 pregnant women participated on this study. For hearing and vestibular complaints, a questionnaire proposed by Castagno (1994) was employed. RESULTS we could observe that tinnitus was the main auditory complaint (33%), although with no differences between the groups. Tinnitus was present among 52.44% of the pregnant women, mainly in the Group 2. According to symptoms related to dizziness, vertigo was the main auditory complaint in first trimester, whereas instability and gait unbalance were more frequent in the second trimester, and instability and tendency to fall in the third trimester. Nausea was the main symptom associated with dizziness in pregnant women, being more frequent in the first trimester of gestation. CONCLUSIONS women during gestation have auditory and vestibular complaints, mainly dizziness and tinnitus.

Spermine attenuates behavioral and biochemical alterations induced by quinolinic acid in the striatum of rats

Polyamines are aliphatic amines containing nucleophilic centers that are found in all eukaryotic cells, including brain cells. These compounds determine neuroprotection in experimental models of cerebral ischemia and neurotoxicity. In the current study we investigated the protective effects of spermine, an agonist of the polyamine binding site at the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor, against the behavioral and neurochemical alterations induced by quinolinic acid. The unilateral intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid (180 nmol/site into the dorsal striatum) induced stereotypical motor asymmetries, assessed by the open field and elevated body swing tests. Spermine modulated quinolinic acid-induced rotational behavior biphasically. While the previous intrastriatal administration of spermine at the dose of 0.1 nmol/site increased, the administration of spermine at the dose of 10 nmol/site reduced quinolinic acid-induced rotational behavior. Spermine (10 nmol/site) also decreased the contralateral swing behavior induced by quinolinic acid. Furthermore, the effect of 10 nmol of spermine was counteracted by the co-administration of arcaine (10 nmol), a selective antagonist of the polyamine binding site at the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor. In addition, spermine (10 nmol) protected against quinolinic acid-induced protein carbonylation in the rat striatum, further suggesting an antioxidant role for this polyamine. These results provide evidence that the behavioral and biochemical alterations induced by quinolinic acid are attenuated or prevented by spermine through its interaction with N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor and/or its antioxidant function.

Ototoxicidade por organofosforados: descrição dos aspectos ultraestruturais do sistema vestibulococlear de cobaias

UNLABELLED Organophosphate toxic agents are used in agriculture and are currently part of the group of toxic agents which can lead to hearing loss, in which we have solvents, metals and asphyxiation agents. AIM To analyze the acute ototoxic action of a group of organophosphate agents in the vestibulo-cochlear system. This is a prospective experimental study. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used male albino guinea pigs, broken down into three groups, to which we provided distilled water (group 1 - control), agrotoxic agent - 0.3 mg/Kg/day (group 2), agrotoxic - 3 mg/Kg/day (group 3), during 7 seven consecutive days. The most used agrotoxic agent was Tamaron BR (metamidophos). The anatomical evaluation of the cochlea, saccule and utricle was carried out by means of electronic scanning microscopy after the use of the agrotoxic agent. RESULTS The guinea pigs submitted to the organophosphate presented cochlear morphological alterations with lesions on the three turns analyzed, as well as cilia alterations in the saccule and utricle, intensified according to the agent dosage. CONCLUSION The morphological alterations seen in the hair cells exposed to daily doses of organophosphate promote evidences of an acute deleterious effect of agrotoxic agents on the vestibulo-cochlear system.

Association between auditory pathway efferent functions and genotoxicity in young adults

UNLABELLED Efferent auditory pathways modulate outer hair cells of the cochlea, protect against noise, and improve the detection of sound sources in noisy environments. Genotoxicity is DNA damage. AIM To study the association between auditory pathway efferent functions with genotoxic markers. The study also considered smoking and gender as two main variables. METHODS A prospective-clinical, quantitative, cross-sectional, contemporary study. The function of efferent auditory pathways and genotoxicity tests in 60 healthy young subjects were assessed. RESULTS The mean age of subjects was 24.86 years +/- 3.68 years; there were 30 males and 30 females, 15 of each gender smokers and 15 non-smokers. Male smokers had a higher incidence of DPOEA suppression effect at 2000 and 6000 Hz in the left ear; female smokers had a higher prevalence of complaints of difficulty to hear in noisy environments; smokers and women had a higher mean DNA damage; subjects with complaints of hearing loss and tinnitus had higher genotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS In young normal-hearing adults that complain about efferent auditory pathways functions, such as tinnitus and hearing impairment, there are possible associations with genotoxicity; interactions between gender and smoking are considered.

Equilíbrio dinâmico, estilo de vida e estados emocionais em adultos jovens

UNLABELLED A one hypothesis to explain some vestibular peripheral disorders is their association with life style. Thus, studies with young adults are relevant. AIM to analyze the prevalence of dynamic balance alterations in young adults and their possible association with life style variables, health and negative emotional states (since they can impact the outcome). MATERIALS AND METHODS we carried out a non-probabilistic cross-sectional, clinical-retrospective study with young adults (18-32 years of age) from a university with 751 individuals, with a mean age of 22.45+/- 3.32 years. Life style, health and negative emotional states (NES) variables - depression, stress and anxiety, were collected by means of an interview. The Unterberger test was used in order to check for indications of dynamic balance alterations. Individuals with altered dynamic balance (ADB) were compared to those without these alterations (controls). RESULTS From our sample, 642 (83.6%) had less than 45 masculine of deviation, while 109 (14.2%) had greater than 45 masculine deviation and were the considered with ADB. The ADB group had a greater prevalence of smoking, alcohol abuse/dependence, high blood pressure and NES. CONCLUSION the study highlights the occurrence of ADB which needs to be corroborated in future studies.

HOMOIMPLANTE ORTOTÓPICO DE TENDÃO CALCÂNEO EM CÃES: CONSERVAÇÃO, ASSEPSIA E IMPLANTAÇÃO

RESUMOFoi elaborado um modelo experimental de conser-vacao, assepsia e implantacao de tendao homologo ortotopico,para avaliar a resposta orgânica, em 48 caes. Os implantesforam conservados em glicerina a 98%, durante 45 dias a seismeses e, apos, reidratados e submetidos a acao anti-septica doiodo durante 24h antes da implantacao. A avaliacao clinica ehistopatologica apos 11, 22, 44 e 132 dias de evolucao naoevidenciou qualquer sinal de infeccao ou rejeicao. Tendoeshomologos ortotopicos conservados em glicerina a 98% estaoindicados para corrigir perdas tendineas.Palavras-chave: cirurgia, trauma, enxerto, transplante.SUMMARYAn experimental model of conservation, asepsis andimplantation of homologous glycerine 98%-stored tendon graft ispresented in order to evaluate the tissue reaction to implantationin 48 dogs. Grafts were preverved in sterile glycerin from 45 daysto six months period. Before implantation grafts were placed inisotonic saline with iodine, during 24h period for rehydration andasepsis. Clinical evaluation and histopathologic analisis ofbiopsies were made at 11

Original ArticleHearing and vestibular complaints during pregnancy

UNLABELLED Hormonal dysfunctions in women during pregnancy can cause vestibular and/or cochlear disorders. AIM to study hearing and vestibular complaints in pregnant women. MATERIAL AND METHOD this is a prospective study. 82 pregnant women participated on this study. For hearing and vestibular complaints, a questionnaire proposed by Castagno (1994) was employed. RESULTS we could observe that tinnitus was the main auditory complaint (33%), although with no differences between the groups. Tinnitus was present among 52.44% of the pregnant women, mainly in the Group 2. According to symptoms related to dizziness, vertigo was the main auditory complaint in first trimester, whereas instability and gait unbalance were more frequent in the second trimester, and instability and tendency to fall in the third trimester. Nausea was the main symptom associated with dizziness in pregnant women, being more frequent in the first trimester of gestation. CONCLUSIONS women during gestation have auditory and vestibular complaints, mainly dizziness and tinnitus.