João Batista de Sousa

Interference of ethanol and methylmercury in the developing central nervous system.

Studies involving alcohol and its interactions with other neurotoxicants represent the focus of several works of research due to the fact that the use of alcohol can sometimes leads to serious health problems. Fetal exposure to alcohol and mercury has a high incidence in some regions of Brazil, where there are pregnant women who are alcoholics and live in mining areas. This work was conducted to examine the effects of combined exposure to ethanol (EtOH) and methylmercury (MeHg) in rats during the development of the central nervous system (CNS). Experimental behavioral animal models/tests were used in order to examine locomotion, anxiety, depression and memory. Pregnant rats received tap water or EtOH 22.5% w/v (6.5 g/kg per day), by gavage) during pregnancy and breast-feeding. On the 15th day of pregnancy, some groups received 8 mg/kg of MeHg (by gavage). The groups were as follows: control, EtOH, MeHg and EtOH+MeHg. The experimental results showed that the EtOH, MeHg and EtOH+MeHg groups reduced the percentage of frequency and time spent in the open arms entries of the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test, when compared to the control group. This result suggests an anxiogenic behavioral response. The MeHg group increased locomotor activity in the arena and the immobility time in the forced swimming test, suggestive of depression-like behavior. The EtOH+MeHg group showed greater reductions in the percentages of frequency and time spent in the open arms entries in the EPM test, suggesting a sedative-behavior since the frequency of enclosed arm entries was affected. In the inhibitory avoidance task, the EtOH+MeHg group reduced the latency of the step-down response onto the grid floor, suggesting a cognitive and behavior dysfunctions. Taken together, the results suggest that EtOH and/or MeHg intoxication during the developing CNS may be a risk for deficits related to locomotor impairment, anxiety, depression and neurocognitive functions. There is a possibility that EtOH may prevent some of the MeHg responses, but the precise mechanism of action involved in this process needs to be considered for future research.

Analysis of the tensile strength on the healing of the abdominal wall of rats treated with infliximab

PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of infliximab, a murine/human chimeric monoclonal antibody, on the tensile strength of abdominal wall surgical wounds. METHODS Sixty Wistar healthy male rats with initial body weight between 215 and 390 g and 60 and 90 days of age were randomly assigned into two groups, E (Experimental) and C (Control) with 30 animals each. Group E animals received a single subcutaneous dose of 5mg/Kg of infliximab, and Group C animals received equivalent subcutaneous volume of a solution of 0.9% NaCl. After 48h, animals from both groups were submitted to a 4 cm median incision in the abdominal wall, including all layers that had been reconstituted with continuous suture of the aponeurotic muscle and skin, with 5.0 nylon thread. Then, Group E animals were separated by simple allotment into three subgroups named E3, E7 and E14 with ten animals each, and those from group C into C3, C7, C14 and were submitted, respectively, the reoperation and euthanasia at the third, seventh and fourteenth postoperative day. The anterior abdominal wall, which was resected during reoperation, was cut with No 15 scalpel lamina perpendicularly to the surgical wound. Each specimen, in the form of a 6 cm x 2 cm strip, was fixed by the extremity so that the suture line was equidistant from the fixation points of the dynamometer, in order to undergo the tensile strength test. The dynamometer, which was gauged for each series of measures, was calibrated to apply velocity to the 25 mm/min rupture test; the rupture value was expressed in N (Newton). Prior to euthanasia, the abdominal vena cava was identified and punctured in order to collect blood for TNF-alpha dosage. RESULTS The mean tensile strength found for animals from subgroups E3, E7, E14, C3, C7, C14 were, respectively, 16.03, 18.69, 27.01, 28.40, 27.22, 29.15 and 24.30 N. In the results of the multiple comparisons tests, significant differences (p<0.05) was found between subgroups E3 and E7 compared with C3, C7 and C14. CONCLUSION The infliximab interfered in the healing of the abdominal wall wound decreasing the rupture strength in the inflammatory and proliferative phases.

Inhibitory avoidance acquisition in adult rats exposed to a combination of ethanol and methylmercury during central nervous system development.

Previous studies have shown that combined exposure to ethanol (EtOH) and methylmercury (MeHg) in rats during central nervous system development produces several behavioural impairments. This present study was done to investigate inhibitory avoidance acquisition and panic-like disorders in rats in an elevated T-maze (ETM) model of anxiety. Pregnant rats received tap water or EtOH at 22.5% (w/v) (6.5 g/kg per day, by gavage) during pregnancy and lactation. On the 15th day of pregnancy, half of each group received MeHg (8 mg/kg, by gavage). Adult offspring intoxicated by both EtOH + MeHg showed an increase in the ETM re-exposure time. Upon analysis of the enclosed arms latency in baseline and avoidance 1 session it was observed that the rats spent less time inside the arm, suggesting impairment in their short-term memory. The escape latency decreased for EtOH + MeHg and also for EtOH and MeHg groups, suggesting panic-like behaviour. After 24-h and 7-day trials (tests and retests), MeHg and EtOH + MeHg groups had their latency in the enclosed arm reduced with the exception of the EtOH group, revealing memory impairment. Upon analysis of the risk assessment, animals treated with EtOH + MeHg were the only ones to show a decrease in all evaluation stages. This study demonstrates that the exposure to both EtOH and MeHg has an impact on memory and panic-related behaviours, leading to the assertion that this association of toxicants should be studied more in detail to clarify the precise mechanisms of these pharmacological effects.

Semiquantitative Volumetry by Sequential Pet/ct May Improve Prediction of Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation in Patients With Distal Rectal Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies using PET/CT imaging have failed to accurately identify complete responders to neoadjuvant chemoradiation among patients with rectal cancer. The use of metabolic parameters alone or imprecise delineation of baseline and residual tumor volumes may have contributed for these disappointing findings. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the accuracy of complete response identification in rectal cancer after neoadjuvant chemoradiation by sequential PET/CT imaging with a decrease in tumor metabolism and volume using optimal tumor volume delineation. DESIGN: This was a retrospective comparison of prospectively collected data from a clinical trial (National Clinical Trial 00254683). SETTINGS: The study was conducted at a single research center. PATIENTS: Ninety patients with cT2-4N0-2M0 distal rectal cancer underwent sequential PET/CT at baseline and 12 weeks after neoadjuvant chemoradiation. Quantitative metabolic analysis (median and maximal standard uptake values), volumetric estimates (metabolic tumor volume), and composite estimates incorporating volume and quantitative data (total lesion glycolysis) were compared for the assessment of response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation using receiver operating characteristic curves. Individual standard uptake value thresholds were used according to response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation to match metabolic activity and optimize volume delineation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The accuracy of complete response identification by multiple volumetric and metabolic parameters using sequential PET/CT imaging was measured. RESULTS: Variation in total lesion glycolysis between baseline and 12-week PET/CT scans was associated with the best area under the curve (area under the curve = 0.81 (95% CI, 0.69–0.92)) when compared with standard uptake value or metabolic tumor volume for the identification of a complete responder. Patients with a ≥92% decrease in total lesion glycolysis between baseline and 12-week PET/CT scan had a 90% chance to harbor complete response. LIMITATIONS: This study was limited by its lack of interobserver agreement analysis. CONCLUSIONS: PET/CT scan using volume and metabolic estimates with individual standard uptake value thresholds for volume determination may provide a useful tool to predict response to neoadjuvant chemoradiation in distal rectal cancer.

Role of nicotine on cognitive and behavioral deficits in sepsis-surviving rats.

Sepsis and its complications are important causes of mortality in intensive care units and sepsis survivors may present long-term cognitive and emotional impairments, including memory deficits and anxiety symptoms. In the present study, we investigated whether repeated nicotine administration can affect the behavioral changes in sepsis-surviving rats. Male Wistar rats were divided in two groups: sham-operated and experimental sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The animals were injected subcutaneously with nicotine (0.1 mg/kg) or vehicle once a day during 1 week before and/or 1 week after sepsis induction. Thirty minutes after the last administration (i.e., 7 days after surgery), the animals were tested in the open field, elevated plus-maze and step-down inhibitory avoidance tasks. The repeated nicotine treatment did not affect the survival rate in the sepsis group (50%). Moreover, no significant changes on locomotor activity were observed in the sepsis group while the treatment with nicotine during 1 week after surgery reduced the locomotion of sepsis-surviving rats in the open field. It is important to note that both schedules of nicotine treatment (prior and/or after CLP) improved the sepsis-induced anxiogenic-like responses. Interestingly, nicotine was able to improve short- and long-term inhibitory avoidance memory impairments, observed in sepsis survivors, only when administered during 2 consecutive weeks (i.e., prior and after CLP). Taken together, these results indicate that repeated nicotine administration does not alter the survival rate in rats submitted to CLP and provide new evidence that nicotine can improve long-lasting memory impairments and anxiogenic-like responses in sepsis-surviving animals.

Partners of patients having a permanent colostomy should also receive attention from the healthcare team.

This study was carried out to determine how the partners of patients with a permanent colostomy perceive everyday life, particularly its sexual aspects.

Alcohol acute intoxication before sepsis impairs the wound healing of intestinal anastomosis: rat model of the abdominal trauma patient

IntroductionMost trauma patients are drunk at the time of injury. Up to 2% of traumatized patients develop sepsis, which considerably increases their mortality. Inadequate wound healing of the colonic repair can lead to postoperative complications such as leakage and sepsis.ObjectiveTo assess the effects of acute alcohol intoxication on colonic anastomosis wound healing in septic rats.MethodsThirty six Wistar rats were allocated into two groups: S (induction of sepsis) and AS (alcohol intake before sepsis induction). A colonic anastomosis was performed in all groups. After 1, 3 or 7 days the animals were killed. Weight variations, mortality rate, histopathology and tensile breaking strength of the colonic anastomosis were evaluated.ResultsThere was an overall mortality of 4 animals (11.1%), three in the group AS (16.6%) and one in the S group (5.5%). Weight loss occurred in all groups. The colon anastomosis of the AS group didn’t gain strength from the first to the seventh postoperative day. On the histopathological analysis there were no differences in the deposition of collagen or fibroblasts between the groups AS and S.ConclusionAlcohol intake increased the mortality rate three times in septic animals. Acute alcohol intoxication delays the acquisition of tensile strength of colonic anastomosis in septic rats. Therefore, acute alcohol intoxication before sepsis leads to worse prognosis in animal models of the abdominal trauma patients.

Dento-osseous anomalies associated to familial adenomatous polyposis mimicking florid cemento-osseous dysplasia

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is a colorectal cancer syndrome characterized by the development of multiple polyps of the colon and rectum with high risk of malignant transformation. The extraintestinal manifestations such as dento-osseous changes are associated with FAP. This is a case report of a 36-year-old female patient who was referred for dental treatment with the initial diagnosis of florid cemento-osseous dysplasia (FCOD). However, the association of the imaging dento-osseous findings with the medical history confirmed the diagnosis of FAP. The paper illustrates the clinical characteristics and imaging findings associated with FAP, and also discusses misdiagnosis based exclusively on imaging features.

Câncer anal e doenças sexualmente transmissíveis: qual a correlação?

OBJECTIVE: Anal Cancer is a rare tumor, which incidence is influenced by sexual behavior. The purpose of this paper is to verify the correlation between Anal Cancer and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, such as HPV, HIV, Gonococci Infection, Chlamydia Infection, Syphilis and others. METHODS: All the internments due to Anal Cancer, HIV, HPV, Syphilis, Gonococci Infection, Chlamydia Infection and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases in public healthy in Brazil were collected at Datasus site between 1998 and 2007. The Pearson correlation test was done. RESULTS: There was a high correlation between Anal Cancer and HPV admissions (r=0,98, p<0,001). There was negative correlation between Anal Cancer and Gonococci Infection admissions (r=-0,81, p=0,005) and Anal Cancer and Chlamydia Infection (r=-0,74, p=0,014). There was not statistic significant correlation between Anal Cancer and HIV admissions (r=0,40, p=0,245), between Anal Cancer and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (r=0,55, p=0,1), and between Anal Cancer and Syphilis (r=-0,61, p=0,059). CONCLUSION: There was a high positive correlation between Anal Cancer and HPV admissions in Brazil. There were negative correlations between Anal Cancer and Gonococci Infection and between Anal Cancer and Chlamydia Infection admissions.

Effect of Hevea brasiliensis latex sap gel on healing of acute skin wounds induced on the back of rats.

OBJECTIVE to evaluate the effect of topical delivery of latex cream-gel in acute cutaneous wounds induced on the back of rats. METHODS we subjected sixteen rats to dermo-epidermal excision of a round dorsal skin flap, with 2.5cm diameter. We divided the animals into two groups: Latex Group: application of cream-gel-based latex throughout the wound bed on postoperative days zero, three, six and nine; CONTROL GROUP no treatment on the wound. Photographs of the lesions were taken on the procedure day and on the 6th and 14th postoperative days, for analyzing the area and the larger diameter of the wound. We carried out euthanasia of all animals on the 14th postoperative day, when we resected he dorsal skin and the underlying muscle layer supporting the wound for histopathological study. RESULTS there was no statistically significant difference in the percentage of wound closure, in the histopathological findings or in the reduction of the area and of the largest diameter of the wounds among the groups studied on the 14th postoperative day. CONCLUSION according to the experimental conditions in which the study was conducted, latex cream-gel did not interfere in the healing of acute cutaneous wounds in rats.