Estudo das alterações eletrocorticográficas na insuficiência hepática aguda experimental.

The aim of this study was to test the application and value of electrocorticography (ECG) in the early diagnosis and characterization of electrocorticograms changes on experimental fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Our material was composed of two groups of guinea pigs: a) ethanolamine group--42 animals with FHF induced by intrabiliary injection of 2.5 ml of monoethanolamine oleate; b) control group--10 animals submitted to intrabiliary injection of 2.5 ml of saline. Electrocorticograms recordings were taken in both groups with the electrodes implanted on the parieto-occipital regions of the skull. The hepatic failure was characterized by clinical manifestations, serum biochemical tests and histopathological findings. In the early hepatic coma the electrocorticograms could not be unequivocally distinguished from normal pattern, and alpha rhythm was recognizable in most animals. With further deterioration of the clinical condition the tracing showed progressive slowness of the normal rhythm, increased voltage and triphasic waves followed by suppression of electrical activity preceding the animal death. The electrocorticography was not suitable for the early diagnosis of hepatic coma, since the ECG alterations became evident only in overt coma. However the method could be useful for the characterization of cerebral disorders and the study of the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatic failure.

Changes in sensitivity of the isolated guinea-pig vas deferens induced by a lyophilized Phoradendron latifolium leaf infusion

The effect of a lyophilized mistletoe infusion (LMI) was studied on isolated guinea-pig vas deferens. LMI caused a contraction which was partially blocked by phentolamine but not by atropine. LMI caused a shift to the left of the norepinephrine concentration-effect curve (CEC), an effect which appeared to be blocked by atropine and was absent in animals previously treated with reserpine and α-methyl-para-tyrosine. The increase of the norepinephrine maximal response induced by LMI was not blocked by atropine or pharmacological denervation. LMI caused a shift to the right of the acetylcholine CEC and had no effect on the acetylcholine maximal response. These results suggest that the effects seem to be due mainly to the presence of potassium ion in the LMI; however, the participation of muscarinic agonist(s) of reduced intrinsic activity or some tyramine-like substance could not be ruled out.

Study of the contraction induced by norepinephrine and clonidine in the isolated guinea-pig ileum

Norepinephrine (NE) and clonidine produce a phasic, dose-dependent contraction of the isolated guinea-pig terminal ileum. The effect of NE was blocked by prazosin which produced a parallel rightward shift of the concentration-effect curve to NE, with a significant depression of maximum effects. Yohimbine and indomethacin noncompetitively blocked, whereas practolol potentiated, the contractile effect of NE. The contractile effect of clonidine was not antagonized by indomethacin or atropine. These results suggest that the isolated guinea-pig terminal ileum has excitatory receptors sensitive to clonidine stimulation and excitatory alpha receptors sensitive to blockade by prazosin, and that the activation of the latter may be related to the activation of endogenous prostaglandin synthesis.

Toxicologic evaluation of acute and subacute oral administration of Cucurbita maxima seed extracts to rats and swine

The extract prepared from dried seeds of Cucurbita maxima was administered to rats and pigs. Following a single dose or 4 weeks of daily oral administration, the extract produced no changes in serum glucose, urea, creatinine, total protein, uric acid, GOT, GPT, LDH or blood counts. Urine analysis (urea, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, Na and K), as well as histopathological investigation, showed no abnormalities. These results taken as a whole indicate that the seeds of C. maxima as used in Brazilian folk medicine are not toxic for rats and swine.

Western blot analysis of tick antigens from a Rhipicephalus sanguineus unfed larval extract and identification of antigenic sites in tick sections using immunohistochemistry. A comparative study between resistant and susceptible host species

Most parasite-host relationships are characterized by the development of resistance by the host, thus limiting the number of parasites. However, some cases are very unusual. In the relationship of the domestic dog with the brown dog-tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus this does not occur, whereas guinea pigs develop efficient resistance. Sera from domestic dogs, crab-eating foxes and guinea pigs collected before and after infestation with R. sanguineus ticks, and after immunization with a whole tick adult or larval homogenate, were used in Western blot analysis to compare and identify potential important antigens from a tick larval homogenate. The same sera were tested in an indirect immunohistochemistry assay in an attempt to compare relevant antigenic sites on histological tick sections. The immunoblotting displayed antigens recognized only by the guinea pigs, as well as several shared antigens between host species, depending on the kind of immunization. Immunohistochemistry revealed probable antigenic sites on the cells and tissues of ticks, which varied depending on the kind of immunization (infestation or vaccination) and the animal species involved.

Efeito do período de fornecimento de ração semi-complexa na fase inicial, sobre o ganho de peso compensatório nas fases de crescimento e terminação

One hundred and twenty crossbred pigs (Large White x Landrace) weaned at an average age of 28 days, were used. Pigs were alloted to five dietary treatments according to weight, sex and litter as follows: T1- Simple diet (SD) during whole Starter phase (SP) (28-63 days); T2- Semi-complex diet (SCD) for the first seven days followed by a SD during 28 days of SP; T3- SCD for the first 14 days followed by SD during 21 days of SP; T4- SCD for the first 21 days followed by SD during 14 days of SP; T5- SCD during the entire SP. A completely randomized block design was used with six replications. At the end of the SP one castrated male and one female, weighing closest to the average live weight of the group, were transferred to growing-finishing pens and fed growing-finishing diets ad libitum until they reached approximately 90kg live weight. Increasing the period of feeding the semi-complex diet resulted in a linear increase in average daily feed intake and average daily gain during the first 28 days of the initial phase. However, when the entire initial phase was considered there was a linear increase only in daily feed intake. There were no differences in incidence and severity of diarrhea in SP or in the performance of pigs during the growing-finishing phases. There were was no differences in average daily gain among diets from weaning to 90 kg body weight. It was concluded that the advantage of the semi-complex starter diet tended to disappear as age increased.

Efeitos do tipo de ração inicial sobre a morfologia intestinal e digestibiliade dos nutrientes em leitões

Thirty piglets, weaned at an average age of 28 days, were used in experiment one. After weaning, 24 animals were transferred to the nursery in groups of two to each pen and fed simple or semi-complex diets ad libitum. On weaning day (day 0), six pigs were slaughtered. On days 7 and 21 post-weaning, one animal from each nursery pen was slaughtered to study mucosal thickness (MTD and MTJ) and villi heights (VHD and VHJ) in the duodenum and jejunum. The average values observed for MTD, VHD, MTJ, and VHJ were not influenced by type of diet. MTD, MTJ, and VHJ increased from days 7 to 21 post-weaning. Polynomial regression spanning days 0, 7, and 21 showed a linear effect for MTJ and a quadratic effect for VHD and VHJ. In experiment two, 16 piglets weaned at an average age of 28 days were used in two metabolic trials carried out during two periods of the initial phase (days 5 to 14 and days 19 to 28 postweaning), to determine the nutritional value of simple and semi-complex diets. There were no differences among treatments in apparent digestibility of crude protein and dry matter and the values for digestible or metabolizable energy of the diets. It was concluded that composition of the starter diet did not influence the intestinal morphology of piglets, the digestibilities of dry matter and crude protein, or the digestible and metabolizable energy contents of the diets.

Evaluation of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis exoantigen in the detection of delayed dermal hypersensitivity in experimental and human paracoccidioidomycosis

The exoantigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis standardized by Camargo et al. [1] (AgR) was used to evaluate the in vivo and in vitro cell immune response of experimental animals and of patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PBM). Fava Netto antigen (AgF) was tested in parallel as a control antigen. The study was conducted with mice and guinea pigs infected with P. brasiliensis or immunized with its fungal antigens, on patients with PBM and on their respective control groups. The cell immune response was analysed by skin tests, and by the macrophage and leucocyte migration inhibition tests (MMIT and LMIT) in the animals and in the patients, respectively. The skin test with AgR as paracoccidioidin was positive in infected or immunized mice and guinea pigs and negative in control animals. The skin tests with AgR (24 h) showed 96.7% positivity in patients with PBM and were negative in control individuals. Histopathological study of the in vivo tests in the different experimental models was consistent with a delayed hypersensitivity response (DHR). Immunohistochemical study of the skin tests of PBM patients demonstrated a predominance of T lymphocytes, confirming the nature of a DHR to the fungal antigens. The in vitro cell immune response showed variable results for the various experimental models, i.e. significant rates of MMIT in immunized mice, a tendency to positivity in infected guinea pigs, and the absence of migration inhibition in PBM patients. Taken together, the data indicate that the AgR is efficient as paracoccidioidin in the evaluation of DHR in PBM, with an optimum time of reading the test of 24 h.

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis-gp43 used as paracoccidioidin

A purified glycoprotein of 43 000 daltons from Paracoccidioides brasiliensis (gp43) was tested as paracoccidioidin in delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) tests in both experimental animals (guinea pig and mice) and patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). The gp43 paracoccidioidin was compared with the traditional Fava Netto antigen (AgFN). In guinea pigs, the intradermal injection of 2 μg of gp43 showed a similar response to those obtained with AgFN, showing in histological sections a population of lymphoid cells that participate in DTH. In mice, gp43 at a dose of 3.75μg showed positive DTH response. The use of gp43 as paracoccidioidin in humans showed that this molecule can be used to evaluate the DTH response in patients with PCM. Of 25 PCM patients studied, 48% were positive to gp43 while only 28% were positive to AgFN; 12 PCM patients were completely anergic to both antigens. Considering only those 13 PCM patients who were responsive to gp43 and/or to AgFN, 92.3% reacted against gp43 and 53.8% reacted against AgFN (P < 0.05). Gp43 skin test responses (13.67 ± 9.56 mm) were significantly larger than those obtained with AgFN (8.43 ±3.69 mm). Immunohistochemical study of the human skin showed a perivascular inflammatory response constituted predominantly by T lymphocytes, macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes. © 1996 ISHAM.

Pharmacological antagonism of Anchietia salutaris extracts on the contraction induced by prostaglandin D2 and U46619 in guinea-pig lung parenchymal strips

Anchietia salutaris tea is traditionally used in Brazil to treat allergies, suggesting it contains compounds with antagonistic activity on the allergic mediators. We have evaluated extracts and semi-purified fractions of Anchietia salutaris as a source of compounds having this type of antagonism on the contraction induced in guinea-pig lung parenchymal strips and on platelet aggregation and shape change. After 10 min pre-incubation dichloromethane extracts containing 30 or 100 μg mL-1 inhibited the contraction induced by prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in guinea-pig lung parenchymal strips with dose ratios (DR) of 0.76 ± 0.14 and 0.93 ± 0.19, respectively; the amount of inhibition depended both on the concentration and on the time of preincubation (DR after 30 min pre-incubation was 1.21 ± 0.51). The dichloromethane extract and its semi-purified fractions also inhibited the contractions induced by U46619, a more potent, stable, synthetic agonist of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) prostanoid (TP) receptors, the receptors acted upon by PGD2 to produce lung contractions. The dichloromethane extract did not inhibit the lung parenchymal contractions induced by histamine, leukotriene D4 (LTD4) or platelet-activating factor (PAF). Platelet aggregation induced by U46619, adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) or PAF was not inhibited by the dichloromethane extract. Indeed, the extract potentiated platelet aggregation induced by low concentrations of these agonists and also potentiated the shape change induced by U46619. These results imply that the dichloromethane extract of Anchietia salutaris and its semipurified fractions contain an active principle that competitively inhibits TxA2 TP receptors, the stimulation of which causes lung parenchymal contraction. The inhibition seems to be selective for this receptor subtype, because the extract fails to inhibit platelet aggregation or shape change. This provides additional support of earlier reports suggesting the occurrence of TP receptor subtypes.

A scanning electron microscopic study of the rete testis of the guinea pig

Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations of the structure of the rete testis (RT) of guinea pigs preceded by and complemented with stereomicroscopy and light-microscopic studies showed that the RT of this species is predominantly cavitary. An axial and labyrinth-like morphological pattern was also observed in the RT complex, with partially interconnected chambers and epithelium-lined channels accompanying a connective axis observed in the middle portion of the cranial end of the testis. Characteristics of the chordae retis and bullae retis were also visualized in the guinea pig RT and the results are discussed in terms of the morphological patterns observed in the RT of other mammals and of man.

Intestinal colonization of a human subject by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium

Objective: To study the ability of two strains of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium to colonize the human intestine. Methods: A single human subject ingested separately two strains of vancomycin-resistant E. faecium isolated from a pig and a chicken. The feces were cultured on selective medium. Prior to ingestion no vancomycin-resistant cocci were present in the feces. Ingestion of 10 4-10 5 CFU resulted in either no colonization or isolation only after enrichment. Ingestion of 10 7 CFU of one strain resulted in colonization for a period of nearly 3 weeks, with fecal counts at times in excess of 10 6 CFU/g. Ingestion of similar numbers of the other strain and reingestion of the first strain resulted in excretion in the feces for much shorter periods. When the fecal count of the ingested strains was greater than 10 4-10 5 CFU/g, the strains were isolated from swabs taken from perianal skin. Conclusions: Vancomycin-resistant E. faecium strains from pigs and poultry a re able to colonize the human gut and the perianal skin.

Influence of different routes of flush perfusion on the distribution of lung preservation solutions in parenchyma and airways

Objective: The present study was performed to investigate the influence of different routes of perfusion on the distribution of the preservation solutions in the lung parenchyma and upper airways. Methods: Pigs were divided into four groups: control (n = 6), pulmonary artery (PA) (n = 6), simultaneous PA + bronchial artery (BA) (n = 8), and retrograde delivery (n = 6). After preparation and cannulation, cardioplegia solution and Euro- Collins solution (ECS) for lung preservation were given simultaneously. After removal of the heart, the double lung bloc was harvested. Following parameters were assessed: total and regional perfusion (dye-labeled microspheres), tissue water content, PA, aorta, left atrial and left ventricular pressures, cardiac output and lung temperature. Results: Our data show that flow of the ECS in lung parenchyma did not reach control values (9.4 ± 1.0 ml/min per g lung wet weight) regardless of the route of delivery (PA 6.3 ± 1.5, PA + BA 4.8 ± 0.9, retrograde 2.7 ± 0.9 ml/min per g lung wet weight). However, flow in the proximal and distal trachea were significantly increased by PA + BA delivery (0.970 ± 0.4, respectively, 0.380 ± 0.2 ml/min per g) in comparison with PA (0.023 ± 0.007, respectively, 0.024 ± 0.070 ml/min per g), retrograde (0.009 ± 0.003, respectively, 0.021 ± 0.006 ml/min per g) and control experiments (0.125 ± 0.0018, respectively, 0.105 ± 0.012 ml/g per min). Similarly the highest flow rates in the right main bronchus were achieved by PA + BA delivery (1.04 ± 0.4 ml/min per g) in comparison with 0.11 ± 0.03 in control, 0.033 ± 0.008 in PA, and 0.019 ± 0.005 ml/min per g in retrograde group. Flows in the left main bronchus were 0.09 ± 0.02 ml/min per g in control, 0.045 ± 0.012 ml/min per g in PA, and 0.027 ± 0.006 ml/min per g in retrograde group. The flow rates were significantly (P = 0.001) increased by PA + BA delivery of the storage solution (0.97 ± 0.3 ml/min per g). Conclusions: Our data show that the distribution of ECS for lung preservation is significantly improved in airway tissues (trachea and bronchi) if a simultaneous PA + BA delivery is used.