Effects of AV3V lesion on pilocarpine-induced pressor response and salivary gland vasodilation

The cholinergic agonist pilocarpine injected intraperitoneally (ip) increases mean arterial pressure (MAP) and superior mesenteric (SM) vascular resistance and reduces submandibular/sublingual gland (SSG) vascular resistance. In the present study, we investigated the effects of electrolytic lesions of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) region on the changes in MAP, SM, and SSG vascular resistances induced by ip pilocarpine. Male Holtzman rats anesthetized with urethane (1.0 g/kg) and chloralose (60 mg/kg) were submitted to sham or electrolytic AV3V lesions and bad pulsed Doppler flow probes implanted around the arteries. Contrary to sham rats, in 1-h and 2-day AV3V-lesioned rats, pilocarpine (4 mu mol/kg) ip decreased MAP (-41 +/- 4 and -26 4 mm Hg, respectively, vs. sham: 19 +/- 4 mm Hg) and SM (-48 +/- 11 and -45 +/- 10%, respectively, vs. sham: 41 +/- 10%) and hindlimb vascular resistances (-65 +/- 32 and -113 +/- 29%, respectively, vs. sham: 19 +/- 29%). In 7-day AV3V-lesioned rats, pilocarpine produced no changes on MAP and SM and hindlimb vascular resistances. Similar to sham rats, pilocarpine reduced SSG vascular resistance 1 h after AV3V lesions (-46 +/- 6%, vs. sham: -40 +/- 6%), but it produced no effect 2 days after AV3V lesions and increased SSG vascular resistance (37 6%) in 7-day AV3V-lesioned rats. The responses to ip pilocarpine were similar in 15-day sham and AV3V-lesioned rats. The cholinergic antagonist atropine methyl bromide (10 nmol) iv slightly increased the pressor response to ip pilocarpine in sham rats and abolished for 40 min the fall in MAP induced by ip pilocarpine in 1-h AV3V-lesioned rats. The results suggest that central mechanisms dependent on the AV3V region are involved in the pressor responses to ip pilocarpine. Although it was impaired 2 and 7 days after AV3V lesions, pilocarpine-induced salivary gland vasodilation was not altered 1 h after AV3V lesions which suggests that this vasodilation is not directly dependent on the AV3V region. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Heme-Dependent and Independent Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Activators and Vasodilation

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Central nitric oxide modulates hindquarter vasodilation elicited by AMPA receptor stimulation in the NTS of conscious rats

Microinjection of S-α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) of conscious rats causes hypertension, bradycardia, and vasoconstriction in the renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular beds. In the hindquarter, the initial vasoconstriction is followed by vasodilation with AMPA doses >5 pmol/100 nl. To test the hypothesis that this vasodilation is caused by activation of a nitroxidergic pathway in the NTS, we examined the effect of pretreatment with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 nmol/100 nl, microinjected into the NTS) on changes in mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and regional vascular conductance (VC) induced by microinjection of AMPA (10 pmol/100 nl in the NTS) in conscious rats. AMPA increased hindquarter VC by 18 ± 4%, but after pretreatment with L-NAME, AMPA reduced hindquarter VC by 16 ± 7% and 17 ± 9% (5 and 15 min after pretreatment, P < 0.05 compared with before pretreatment). Pretreatment with L-NAME reduced AMPA-induced bradycardia from 122 ± 40 to 92 ± 32 beats/min but did not alter the hypertension induced by AMPA (35 ± 5 mmHg before pretreatment, 43 ± 6 mmHg after pretreatment). Control injections with D-NAME did not affect resting values or the response to AMPA. The present study shows that stimulation of AMPA receptors in the NTS activates both vasodilatatory and vasoconstrictor mechanisms and that the vasodilatatory mechanism depends on production of nitric oxide in the NTS. Copyright © 2006 the American Physiological Society.

Humanization of health care: a reflexive theoretical essay based on the philosophy of Emmanuel Lévinas

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Adrenomedullin induces pulmonary vasodilation but does not attenuate pulmonary hypertension in a sheep model of acute pulmonary embolism

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

Ceratomicose em equinos

O cavalo, dado o seu meio ambiente, está sujeito a afecções frequentes da córnea e da conjuntiva, tecidos oculares bastante expostos a bactérias e fungos, principalmente Aspergillus spp. e Fusarium spp. As ceratites ulcerativas bacterianas e fúngicas, bem como as ceratites fúngicas não ulcerativas, caracterizadas principalmente pelo abscesso estromal, são frequentes nessa espécie. Ocorrida a lesão inicial, perpetua-se um ciclo vicioso, com liberação de citocinas inflamatórias, que desencadeiam uma rápida e severa infiltração corneal por células polimorfonucleares. A córnea torna-se sujeita à destruição por enzimas proteolíticas liberadas pelos micro-organismos e por células inflamatórias, capazes de desencadear a dissolução estromal e a perfuração do bulbo ocular. O tratamento clínico para a resolução da doença corneal e o controle da uveíte reflexa deve ser agressivo e associado, muitas das vezes, à terapia cirúrgica. Este artigo discorre sobre a fisiopatologia e o tratamento da ceratomicose em equinos.

A Construção do processo democrático de auto-avaliação institutucional na UNESP

O desenvolvimento de um processo democrático de avaliação institucional na UNESP, uma universidade multi-campus, envolveu três desafios: garantir o envolvimento de grupos representativos da comunidade no processo de avaliação; atribuir poder e responsabilidade a cada setor acadêmico e administrativo no processo de avaliação; criar uma cultura de auto-avaliação e reflexão que possibilitasse debate crítico e auto-gestão dos projetos acadêmicos. Com base nos termos de referência estabelecidos pela comunidade a CPA desenvolveu uma metodologia de avaliação democrática e investigativa, orientada para a auto-gestão e de natureza quali-quantitativa. Fundamentada em três enfoques teóricos de avaliação, o democrático, o de tomada de decisão e o crítico o processo envolveu três funções: a diagnóstica, a formativo-reflexiva e a de revisão crítica. Atualmente os usos dos resultados da avaliação para orientar políticas e decisões acadêmicas, especialmente nos cursos de graduação, evidenciam avanços no processo de internalização de cultura de avaliação orientada para auto-gestão.

Recent Insights on the Medicinal Chemistry of Sickle Cell Disease

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Intervenção reflexiva: instrumento de formação continuada do educador especial

O presente artigo busca demonstrar a ocorrência de mudanças na prática pedagógica de uma professora, durante o período em que se fez a reflexão teórico-metodológica sobre essa prática, à luz de proposições da Psicologia sócio-histórica. Foram realizados 20 encontros reflexivos com uma professora da Educação Especial, a partir da análise de gravações das situações ocorridas em sala de aula. As discussões promovidas compreendiam aspectos relacionados ao processo de ensino e de aprendizagem na atividade docente. Foram examinadas as locuções verbais da professora e observaram-se indícios de mudança no que se refere ao foco de atenção, quando ela analisa seus problemas pedagógicos, na consideração da multideterminação dos problemas de ensino e aprendizagem, na concepção de aluno, no método de ensino, no estabelecimento e valorização da relação professor-aluno e da interação de alunos. Os resultados obtidos sinalizaram que a interação reflexiva mostrou-se um instrumento útil para a formação continuada de professores.

Óxido nítrico inalatório para crianças com síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O objetivo desse estudo foi rever a literatura sobre a utilização de óxido nítrico inalatório em crianças com síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo. CONTEÚDO: Revisão bibliográfica e seleção de publicações mais relevantes sobre óxido nítrico inalatório, utilizando a base de dados MedLine e Cochrane de Revisões Sistemáticas. A revisão incluiu descrição de aspectos da definição, fisiopatologia e tratamento ventilatório da síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo, assim como o metabolismo, efeitos biológicos e aplicação clínica do óxido nítrico inalatório, comentando dose, administração e retirada do gás, precações, efeitos adversos e contra-indicações. CONCLUSÕES: O óxido nítrico, vasodilatador pulmonar seletivo, tem efeitos benéficos sobre as trocas gasosas e ventilação em crianças com hipóxia grave. É seguro quando administrado em ambiente de tratamento intensivo sob rigorosa monitorização. Estudos aleatórios e controlados devem enfocar a administração precoce do gás na síndrome do desconforto respiratório agudo, quando essa é potencialmente reversível.

Hypotensive and vasorelaxing effects of the new NO-donor [Ru(terpy)(bdq)NO+](3+) in spontaneously hypertensive rats

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Anteroventral third ventricle lesions impair cardiovascular responses to intravenous hypertonic saline infusion

The anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) region is a critical area of the forebrain, acting on fluid and electrolyte balance and maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of lesions to the anteroventral third ventricle region on cardiovascular responses to intravenous hypertonic saline (HS) infusion, Male Wistar rats were anesthetized with urethane. The femoral artery and jugular vein were cannulated to record mean arterial pressure (MAP) and infuse hypertonic saline (3M NaCl, 0.18 mL/100 g bw, over 1 min), respectively. Renal blood flow (RBF) was recorded by ultrasonic transit-time flow probes. Renal vascular conductance (RVC) was calculated as renal blood flow to mean arterial pressure ratio and expressed as percentage of baseline. After hypertonic saline infusion in sham animals, renal blood flow and renal vascular conductance increased to 137+10% and 125+7% (10 min), and 141 +/- 10% and 133 +/- 10% (60 min), respectively. Increases in mean arterial pressure (20-min peak: 12 +/- 3 mm Hg) were also observed. An acute lesion in the AV3V region (DC, 2 mA 25s) 30 min before infusion abrogated the effects of hypertonic saline. Mean arterial pressure was unchanged and renal blood flow and renal vascular conductance were 107 +/- 7% and 103 +/- 6% (10 min), and 107 +/- 4 and 106 +/- 4% (60 min), respectively. Marked tachycardia was observed immediately after lesion. Responses of chronic sham or lesioned rats were similar to those of acute animals. However, in chronic lesioned rats, hypertonic saline induced sustained hypertension. These results demonstrate that integrity of the AV3V region is essential for the renal vasodilation that follows acute changes in extracellular fluid compartment composition. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antihypertensive responses elicited by central moxonidine in rats: Possible role of nitric oxide

In the present study, we investigated the effects of pretreatment with N-G-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) injected intravenously (IV) on the hypotension, bradycardia, and vasodilation produced by moxonidine (alpha(2)-adrenergic/imidazoline receptor agonist) injected into the fourth brain ventricle (4th V) in rats submitted to acute hypertension that results from baroreflex blockade by bilateral injections of kynurenic acid (kyn, glutamatergic receptor antagonist) into the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) or in normotensive rats. Male Wistar rats (n = 5 to 7/group) anesthetized with IV urethane (1.0 g kg(-1) of body weight) and a-chloralose (60mg kg(-1) of body weight) were used. Bilateral injections of kyn (2.7 nmol 100 nL(-1)) into the NTS increased baseline mean arterial pressure (148 +/- 11 mm Hg, vs. control: 102 +/- 4mm Hg) and baseline heart rate (417 +/- 11 bpm, vs. control: 379 +/- 6 bpm). Moxonidine (20 nmol mu L-1) into the 4th V reduced mean arterial pressure and heart rate to similar levels in rats treated with kyn into the NTS (68 +/- 9 mm Hg and 359 +/- 7 bpm) or in control normotensive rats (66 +/- 7 mm Hg and 362 +/- 8 bpm, respectively). The pretreatment with L-NAME (2 5 mu mol kg-1, IV) attenuated the hypotension produced by moxonidine into the 4th V in rats treated with kyn (104 +/- 6 mm Hg) or in normotensive rats (95 +/- 8 mm Hg), without changing bradycardia. Moxonidine into the 4th V also reduced renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular resistances in rats treated or not with kyn into the NTS and the pretreatment with L-NAME IV reduced these effects of moxonidine. Therefore, these data indicate that nitric oxide mechanisms are involved in hypotension and mesenteric, renal, and hindquarter vasodilation induced by central moxonidine in normotensive and in acute hypertensive rats.

Involvement of central alpha(1)- and mu(2)-adrenoceptors on cardiovascular responses to moxonidine

In the present study we compared the effects produced by moxonidine (alpha(2)-adrenoceptor/imidazoline agonist) injected into the 4th cerebral ventricle and into the lateral cerebral ventricle on mean arterial pressure, heart rate and on renal, mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances, as well as the possible action of moxonidine on central alpha(1)- or alpha(2)-adrenoceptors to produce cardiovascular responses. Male Holtzman rats (n = 7-8) anesthetized with urethane (0.5 g/kg, intravenously - i.v.) and alpha-chloralose (60 mg/kg, i.v.) were used. Moxonidine (5, 10 and 20 nmol) injected into the 4th ventricle reduced arterial pressure (-19 +/- 5, -30 +/- 7 and -43 +/- 8 mmHg vs. vehicle: 2 +/- 4 mmHg), heart rate (-10 +/- 6, - 16 +/- 7 and -27 +/- 9 beats per minute - bpm, vs. vehicle: 4 +/- 5 bpm), and renal, mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances. Moxonidine (5, 10 and 20 nmol) into the lateral ventricle only reduced renal vascular resistance (-77 +/- 17%, - 85 +/- 13%, -89 +/- 10% vs. vehicle: 3 +/- 4%), without changes on arterial pressure, heart rate and mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances. Pre-treatment with the selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine (80, 160 and 320 nmol) injected into the 4th ventricle attenuated the hypotension (-32 +/- 5, -25 +/- 4 and -12 +/- 6 mmHg), bradycardia (-26 +/- 11, -23 +/- 5 and -11 +/- 6 bpm) and the reduction in renal, mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances produced by moxonidine (20 nmol) into the 4th ventricle. Pretreatment with yohimbine (320 nmol) into the lateral ventricle did not change the renal vasodilation produced by moxonidine (20 nmol) into the lateral ventricle. The alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (320 nmol) injected into the 4th ventricle did not affect the cardiovascular effects of moxonidine. However, prazosin (80, 160 and 320 nmol) into the lateral ventricle abolished the renal vasodilation (-17 +/- 4, -6 +/- 9 and 2 +/- 11%) produced by moxonidine. The results indicate that the decrease in renal vascular resistance due to moxonidine action in the forebrain is mediated by alpha(1)-adrenoceptors, while the cardiovascular effects produced by moxonidine acting in the brainstern depend at least partially on the activation of coadrenoceptors. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Involvement of central alpha(1)-adrenoceptors on renal responses to central moxonidine and alpha-methylnoradrenaline

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