Long-term nutrition education reduces several risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Brazilians with impaired glucose tolerance

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Weekend ethanol consumption and high-sucrose diet: resveratrol effects on energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, lipid profile, oxidative stress and hepatic energy metabolism

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Effect of alcohol on the rat juxtaprostatic pelvic ganglia and gonads.

In the present paper, it was investigated the aspect of the intrapelvic autonomic neuronal system (juxtaprostatic ganglion) and gonads of rats submitted to a experimental alcoholism. The animals which had water substituted for 35% sugar cane spirit for 30 d, presented testicular lesions as well as numeric and degenerative alterations in the juxtaprostatic pelvic ganglia neurons.

Alcohol-induced alterations in the palate epithelium of the rat fetus.

Maternal alcoholism (ethanol and sugar cane brandy) during gestation induces delayed cellular growth and differentiation in fetal rat palate epithelium, with increased nuclear, cytoplasmic and cellular volumes, increased epithelial and keratin thickness and decreased cellular numerical density.

Ultrastructural study of the coagulating gland of Wistar rats submitted to experimental chronic alcohol ingestion

Morphological changes of coagulating gland of Wistar rats submitted to the experimental chronic alcoholism were noted. Ultrastructurally, it was observed reduction of the granular endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and nuclei with basal position and irregular shape. The epithelial cells presented pycnotic nuclei and the mitochondrial cristae disappeared, characteristic of cellular degeneration.

Atendimento extra-hospitalar a alcoolistas em um municipio do interior Paulista

The purpose of this work is to know the forms of minding to the alcoholics in extra-hospitable services of mental health in Botucatu municipality. This places are: Mental Health Ambulatory and School Health Center both of the Medicine College of the Paulista State University and Mental Health Ambulatory of the NGA-11. For the development of this work was realized a bibliographic raising, presented in the introduction. Four professionals that work in this assistance were interviewed. The data that was collected in the interviews were reported with the literature of the area allowing the knowledge of the main characteristics of the minding to the alcoholist in the three services that were consulted. For example: groupal minding, minding to the family and the kind of therapeutic contract.

Ultrastructural study of the lateral lobe of the prostate of Wistar rats submitted to experimental chronic alcohol ingestion

Alcoholism is considered today one of the most serious social and medical problems. Different investigators have demonstrated that chronic exposure to alcohol causes morphological and physiological changes in the testes and in the accessory sex glands, in the prostate in particular. In the present study, experimental rats were divided into groups receiving sugar cane brandy diluted to 30° G.L. (30%, v/v) and Purina ration ad libitum for 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 days, respectively. At the end of each period the animals were sacrificed and the lateral lobe of the prostate was collected for histological examination. The results showed atrophied epithelium, accumulation of lipidic droplets and rupture of the microvilli that line the cell surface facing the lumen of cells of the secretory epithelium of the lateral lobe of the prostate.

Ultrastructural changes on the epithelial cells of uterine tubes of Wistar rats after chronic ethanol ingestion

The present paper describes the morphological alterations of the epithelial layer of the uterine tubes of rats submitted to experimental chronic alcoholism using anatomical, histological, ultrastructural and morphometric methods. Sixty adult rats (Rattus norvegicus albinus) at the same age (3 months) and with a mean body weight of 228 g were divided into two groups. The control group received solid diet (Purina rat chow) and tap water ad libitum. The alcoholic group received the same solid diet and was allowed to drink only sugar cane brandy dissolved in 30° Gay Lussac (v/v). After periods of 90, 180 and 270 days of treatment animals at normal estrus were anaesthetised with ethyl ether, weighed and sacrificed. Subsequently, the uterine tubes were dissected, weighed and prepared for TEM and SEM methods. The final mean body weights were similar in the control and alcoholic groups. The morphometric analysis showed no difference between control and alcoholic epithelial height. The alcoholic animals showed ultrastructural alterations: intense lipid droplet and lysosomes accumulation, dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum cisternae and vacuolization in both periods of treatment. It was concluded that alcohol acts as a toxin on the epithelial layer of the uterine tubes of rats.

Morphology of testis and epididymis in an ethanol-drinking rat strain (UChA and UChB)

The objective of the present study was to analyze the prospective alterations of the testis and epididymis in a defined strain of alcoholic rats in order to contribute to our understanding of the effects of chronic alcoholism on reproduction. The testis and epididymis of the animals were submitted to morphological analysis by macroscopy, light microscopy and electron microscopy and to morphometric analysis. The UCh rats showed atrophy of the epithelium and reduction of testis and epididymis weight, liver hypertrophy and fat infiltration and alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. Ethanol induces changes in the weight and in the epithelium of the testis and epididymis and in the hypothalamus-pituitary axis of the UCh rats.

Diagnóstico laboratorial de hemoglobinopatias em populações diferenciadas

The inherited haemoglobinopathies are a heterogeneous group of recessive disorders that include the thalassaemias and sickle cell disease. Nearly a thousand mutant alleles have now been characterized. The mutations are regionally specific and in most cases the geographical and ethnic distribution shave been determined providing the foundation for a program of control through screening, genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis. The diagnosis of hemoglobinopathies requires care for the methodologies applied and the population group which will be evaluated. The information about the abnormal hemoglobin, the medical and psychological aspects and genetic counseling of the carriers and their families are goals of great importance for the success of preventive programs in this area. Aiming to evaluate the laboratory methods for hemoglobinopathy screening and their use in clinical laboratories, we have compared abnormal hemoglobins incidence in the different population groups: blood donors, anemia carriers, newborn and students. The laboratory methods applied involved eletrophoretic proceedings, cytological and biochemical analysis. Within the period from September 1999 through January 2000, we analyzed 524 individuals with varied types of abnormal hemoglobins. Among blood donors, we diagnosed two sickle cell carriers, which suggest the necessity for better care in the process of selection of blood donor candidates. The current interest in the medical and social aspects of sickle cell anemia has resulted in a great increase in methodology research leading to the development of sickle cell screening techniques.

Hemoglobin as AS/alfa talassemia - Importância diagnóstica

Sickle Cell disease is a generic term for a group of genetic disorders characterized by the predominance of hemoglobin S. These disorders include Sickle Cell anemia, the Sickle Cell beta Thalassemia syndromes and Hemoglobinopathies in which hemoglobin S is in association with another abnormal hemoglobin, such as hemoglobin S/C. The Sickle Cell trait (hemoglobin AS) associated with Alpha Thalassemia presents alterations in the red blood cells morphology, usually absent in the heterozygous for this hemoglobin variant. The interaction between hemoglobin Sand alpha Thalassemia has been described as one of the factors responsible for the improvement in the clinical picture of homozygous of hemoglobin S (Sickle Cell Anemia), decreasing the number of episodes of pain. The genetic mechanisms of this influence are evaluated using molecular analyses of the human globin genes. With the objective of verifying the presence of alpha Thalassemia in heterozygous of hemoglobin S, with anemia, sent to the Laboratory of Hemoglobins, Department of Biology, UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP, we analyzed 1002 blood samples with Sickle Cell trait, in the period from 1990 to 1998. The samples were picked with EDTA 5% as anticoagulant, after previous authorization of the carriers. Appropriated counseling and management requires definitive diagnosis. For the laboratorial diagnosis the blood samples were submitted to electrophoretic procedures in alkaline and acid pH and cytological evaluation of hemoglobin H. The electrophoretic procedures confirmed the presence of hemoglobin AS. The cytological evaluation evidenced the presence of alpha Thalassemia. Of this total analyzed, 16(1,59%) blood samples presented the association between hemoglobin AS and alpha Thalassemia and two individuals belonged of the same family. Our results addressed us to suggest to the routine laboratories, that is important to accomplish the research of alpha Thalassemia among the Sickle Cell trait, with anemia, to verify the interaction with alpha Thalassemia, supplying to the carriers a important information on its hematological profile, genetic pattern of hemoglobinopathies and the appropriated counseling. Rev.bras.hematol.hemoter.,2000,22(3):388-394.

Morphology of the ventral lobe of the prostate and seminal vesicles in an ethanol-drinking strain of rats (UChA and UChB)

Chronic alcoholism alters reproduction and therefore may be responsible for alterations of prostate and seminal vesicles, which are the subject of this analysis in UCh ethanol-drinking rats. The prostate and seminal vesicles of 20 animals were submitted to macroscopic, light microscopy, electron microscopy and morphometric analysis. The UCh rats showed atrophy of the epithelium and reduction of the weight of the prostate and seminal vesicle, liver hypertrophy and fat infiltration and alterations of the hypothalamus-pituitary axis. Ethanol induces changes in the weight and in the epithelium of prostate and seminal vesicles and hypothalamus-pituitary axis of UCh rats.

Um transtorno delirante somático atípico

This paper describes the case of a 38 year-old single man with a previous history of social phobia and alcoholism, who presented an unusual pathological belief during the last 9 years. He believe that the muscles of his arms were loose, separated from the bones, and that a green fluid flowed from his shoulders, running under the skin towards his fingers, and returning to the shoulders. He also reported pain, weakness and sensations of loose and fluffy muscles, besides having visual and kinesthetic hallucinations and judgement impairment. No other psychopathological manifestations were observed. There was a worsening of the complaints and depressive symptoms with the use of pimozide and no improvement with fluoxetine, venlafaxine or risperidone. He is presently taking sulpiride. Psychopathological issues and difficulties in diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Effects of ethanol on human visual evoked potentials

Studies of the effect of ethanol on human visual evoked potentials are rare and usually involve chronic alcoholic patients. The effect of acute ethanol ingestion has seldom been investigated. We have studied the effect of acute alcoholic poisoning on pattern-reversal visual evoked potentials (PR-VEP) and flash light visual evoked potentials (F-VEP) in 20 normal volunteers. We observed different effects with ethanol: statistically significant prolonged latencies of F-VEP after ingestion, and no significant differences in the latencies of the PR-VEP components. We hypothesize a selective ethanol effect on the afferent transmission of rods, mainly dependent on GABA and glutamatergic neurotransmission, influencing F-VEP latencies, and no effect on cone afferent transmission, as alcohol doesn't influence PR-VEP latencies.