Combinations of low doses of unfractionated heparin and of low-molecular-weight heparin prevent experimental venous thrombosis

Synergism between low-molecular-weight heparin and low doses of unfractionated heparin (UH) enhancing anti-factor Xa activity and the release of tissue factor pathway inhibitor was observed. The aim of this study was to verify whether this association is effective in preventing experimental venous thrombosis. Seventy rats were allocated into 7 groups: the control group treated with distilled water, the H-350 group treated with UH 350 IU/kg, the E-2 group treated with enoxaparin 2 mg/kg, the H-175 group treated with UH 175 IU/kg, the E-1 group treated with enoxaparin 1 mg/kg, the H-175 + E-1 group treated with UH 175 IU/kg plus enoxaparin 1 mg/kg, and the H-100 + E-0.5 group treated with UH 100 IU/kg plus enoxaparin 0.5 mg/kg. Forty minutes after subcutaneous injection, thrombosis was induced in vena cava. Three hours later, if present, thrombi were withdrawn and weighed. Bleeding time, activated partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time (TT), and anti-factor Xa were measured at the beginning and end of the experiment. Fortyeight other animals were treated, but without inducing thrombus, and tests were performed 40 min after injection. Thrombus developed in 90.9% of control animals, 20% of the H-350 group, 22.2% of the E-2 group, 10% of the H-175 + E-1 group, and 30% of the H-100 + E-0.5 group; there was a difference between group C and the other groups. Only in the H-350 and H-175 + E-1 groups were TT and activated partial thromboplastin time prolonged in relation to control at the end of the experiment. Forty minutes after injection, TT was prolonged in the H-350 and H-175 + E-1 groups. In conclusion, combinations of low doses of low-molecular-weight heparin and low doses of UH were as effective as high doses of each one used alone in preventing thrombus development in rat vena cava. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A gene signature in histologically normal surgical margins is predictive of oral carcinoma recurrence

Background: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is a major cause of cancer death worldwide, which is mainly due to recurrence leading to treatment failure and patient death. Histological status of surgical margins is a currently available assessment for recurrence risk in OSCC; however histological status does not predict recurrence, even in patients with histologically negative margins. Therefore, molecular analysis of histologically normal resection margins and the corresponding OSCC may aid in identifying a gene signature predictive of recurrence.Methods: We used a meta-analysis of 199 samples (OSCCs and normal oral tissues) from five public microarray datasets, in addition to our microarray analysis of 96 OSCCs and histologically normal margins from 24 patients, to train a gene signature for recurrence. Validation was performed by quantitative real-time PCR using 136 samples from an independent cohort of 30 patients.Results: We identified 138 significantly over-expressed genes (> 2-fold, false discovery rate of 0.01) in OSCC. By penalized likelihood Cox regression, we identified a 4-gene signature with prognostic value for recurrence in our training set. This signature comprised the invasion-related genes MMP1, COL4A1, P4HA2, and THBS2. Overexpression of this 4-gene signature in histologically normal margins was associated with recurrence in our training cohort (p = 0.0003, logrank test) and in our independent validation cohort (p = 0.04, HR = 6.8, logrank test).Conclusion: Gene expression alterations occur in histologically normal margins in OSCC. Over-expression of the 4-gene signature in histologically normal surgical margins was validated and highly predictive of recurrence in an independent patient cohort. Our findings may be applied to develop a molecular test, which would be clinically useful to help predict which patients are at a higher risk of local recurrence.

Could zinc prevent reproductive alterations caused by cigarette smoke in male rats?

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Exercise Training and Caloric Restriction Prevent Reduction in Cardiac Ca2+-Handling Protein Profile in Obese Rats

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Segurança e efetividade no tratamento do pterígio usando infiltração de 5-fluoruracila no intraoperatório

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a segurança e a efetividade do uso do 5-fluoruracila (5-FU) como tratamento adjuvante do pterígio, aplicado sob a forma de infiltração subconjuntival, no período intraoperatório. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados prospectivamente 125 indivíduos (125 olhos) portadores de pterígio. Os indivíduos foram operados segundo a técnica de retalho de deslizamento e receberam, ao final do procedimento, injeção subconjuntival de 0,2 mL de 5-FU (25 mg/mL). Foram anotados os dados do paciente como idade, sexo, profissão, características da lesão (primário ou recidivado, tamanho, carnoso ou involutivo) e feito seguimento pós-operatório, aos 7, 21, 60 e 180 dias. Os dados foram submetidos à avaliação estatística. RESULTADOS: Não foram observados casos de complicação decorrente do uso do 5-FU em injeção no intraoperatório do pterígio. A taxa de recidiva geral observada aos 180 dias de pós-operatório foi de 35,8%, sendo de 35,7% para os pterígios primários e de 36,4% para os recidivados. CONCLUSÃO: A aplicação do 5-FU no período intraoperatório sob a forma de infiltração subconjuntival é segura. Entretanto, ainda resulta em altas taxas de recidiva e novos estudos devem ser realizados a fim de conhecer a concentração/dose ideal que permitirá menores chances de recidiva da lesão.

Dietary components may prevent mutation-related diseases in humans

Since it is not always possible to reduce human exposure to mutagens, attempts have been directed to identify potential antimutagens and anticarcinogens for use in protecting the population against environmental disease. The purpose of this paper is to provide the reader with information about the antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic potentials of some dietary constituents and foods widely consumed in Brazil, and to reinforce diet as a key factor in determining genomic stability and preventing human diseases. In this report, we have summarized data that show interactive effects between some dietary components and specific chemical mutagens or carcinogens using in vitro and in vivo short- or medium-term assays. The summary indicates that certain dietary compounds may be useful agents for disease prevention. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DNA methylation patterns in bladder cancer and washing cell sediments: a perspective for tumor recurrence detection

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

Surgical treatment of renal cell carcinoma recurrence at the renal fossa following radical nephrectomy

CONTEXTO: A recorrência local única do carcinoma renal de células claras em seu leito renal após nefrectomia radical é um evento raro. Estima-se que essa situação ocorra em 0,8% a 3,6% do total de procedimentos. Comumente, seu diagnóstico é realizado através de tomografia computadorizada de abdômen ou ultra-som renal usados no acompanhamento desses pacientes. É polêmico qual o melhor tratamento dessa rara condição entre urologistas e oncologistas devido aos poucos relatos em literatura. RELATO DE CASO: Relatamos um caso de recidiva neoplásica única no leito renal após quatro anos e meio da nefrectomia radical por adenocarcinoma de células claras, sem evidência de metástases a distância em outros órgãos. O diagnóstico foi realizado por meio de tomografia abdominal em acompanhamento ambulatorial, observando-se massa retroperitoneal em topografia renal. A massa foi retirada por meio de uma incisão subcostal ampliada, em cirurgia sem intercorrências. O paciente evoluiu bem no pós-operatório. Após um ano e meio do procedimento, foi evidenciada uma metástase no pulmão esquerdo, e seis meses após, outra recorrência metastática na nona costela anterior à direita, mesmo com paciente totalmente assintomático. O tratamento cirúrgico agressivo em recorrência local única é um bom método para controlar essa rara doença. Tomografia computadorizada de abdômen deve ser feita em acompanhamento de carcinoma renal por longos períodos após a nefrectomia radical para o diagnóstico de recorrências tardias e o tratamento deve ser feito como o de uma metástase recorrente única.

The growing importance of materials that prevent microbial adhesion: antimicrobial effect of medical devices containing silver

Research has clarified the properties required for polymers that resist bacterial colonisation for use in medical devices. The increase in antibiotic-resistant microorganisms has prompted interest in the use of silver as an antimicrobial agent. Silver-based polymers can protect the inner and outer surfaces of devices against the attachment of microorganisms. Thus, this review focuses on the mechanisms of various silver forms as antimicrobial agents against different microorganisms and biofilms as well as the dissociation of silver ions and the resulting reduction in antimicrobial efficacy for medical devices. This work suggests that the characteristics of released silver ions depend on the nature of the silver antimicrobial used and the polymer matrix. In addition, the elementary silver, silver zeolite and silver nanoparticles, used in polymers or as coatings could be used as antimicrobial biomaterials for a variety of promising applications. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. and the International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Use of Facial Protection to Prevent Reinjury During Sports Practice

The objective of the study was to report the prevention of facial reinjury of a volleyball player using a custom-made protective facial shield. A custom-made protective partial facial shield was fabricated using polymethylmethacrylate and was fitted with a soft lining material to provide additional comfort and protection to the injured area. Facial protection provides greater security against possible facial injuries and allows injured areas to recover during sports practice.

Could neonatal testosterone replacement prevent alterations induced by prenatal stress in male rats?

The present study was designed to examine whether testosterone replacement is able to prevent some effects of maternal restraint stress during the period of brain sexual differentiation - on endocrine system and sexual behavior in male rat descendants. Pregnant rats were exposed to restraint stress for 1 h/day from gestational days 18 to 22. At birth, some male pups from these stressed rats received testosterone propionate. The neonatal testosterone replacement was able to prevent the reduction in anogenital distance at 22 days of age observed in pups from stressed pregnant rats as well as prevents the decrease in testosterone levels during the adulthood of these animals. Testosterone replacement in these males also presented an improvement in sexual performance. In this way, testosterone replacement probably through increasing neonatal level of this hormone was able to prevent the later alterations caused by the prenatal stress during the period of brain sexual differentiation. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.

An improved mouth-piece to prevent environmental contamination during radioaerosol inhalation procedures

The literature suggests that environmental contamination is common during labeled aerosol inhalation procedures in nuclear medicine. We have tested an adherent mask to prevent environmental contamination in 70 procedures. Two groups of patients were evaluated, Group 1 (60 inhalation cases in which the mask was used) presented no environmental contamination in 95% of the procedures (means of 553 dpm and 596 dpm before and after inhalation, p > 0.05, mean of the differences before/after inhalation 6.95, SD = 21.2 dpm) and the only 3 cases in which contamination did occur concerned bearded men; Group 2 (10 inhalation cases in which the mask was not used) showed large increases of environmental radioactive levels in 70% of the procedures (means of 601 dpm and 2,756 dpm before and after inhalation, p < 0.05, mean of the differences 3,066, SD = 2,98 dpm), We conclude that such a mask is very helpful in avoiding environmental contamination during radioaerosol inhalation procedures.