Caracterização físico-química e efeitos de frações polissacarídicas da alga amansia multifida na coagulação, inflamação, radicais livres e viabilidade celular

Galactans are polysaccharides sulfated present in the cell wall of red algae. Carrageenans are galactans well known in the food industry as gelling polysaccharides and for induce inflammatory process in rodents as animal model. The extraction of polysaccharides from A. multifida has been carried out by proteolysis and precipitation in different volumes of acetone, which produced three fractions (F1, F2, and FT). Chemical and physical analyses revealed that these fractions are sulfated galactan predominantly. Results of the antioxidant activity assays showed that all of these fractions have antioxidant activity and that was associated with sulfate content of the analysis of reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. However, these fractions were not effective against lipid peroxidation. The fraction FT presented higher activity on the APTT test at 200 μg (> 240 s). The assessment of the hemolytic activity showed that the FT fraction has the best activity, increasing lyses by the complement system to 42.3% (50 μg) (p< 0,001). The fraction FT showed the best yield, anticoagulant and hemolytic activity between the three fractions and therefore it was choose for the in vivo studies. The Inflammation assessment using the FT fraction (50 mg / kg MB) showed that the cellular migration and the IL-6 production increased 670.1% (p< 0,001) and 531.8% (p< 0,001), respectively. These results confirmed its use as an inflammation inducer in animal model. Cytotoxicity assay results showed that all fractions have toxic effects on 3T3 and HeLa cells after exposition of 48 hours, except when 100 μg for both F1 and FT were used. These results arise the discussion whether these polysaccharides it should be used as additive in foods, cosmetics and medicines.

A microestrutura e o desenvolvimento dos órgãos genitais masculinos de preás (Galea spixii) criados em cativeiro

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

Checklist dos mamíferos do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

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

Macroscopic description of teeth of Azara's agouti (Dasyprocta azarae)

Os dentes de cutias (Dasyprocta azarae) foram descritos macroscopicamente para fornecer informações sobre um dos maiores roedores das Américas. Radiografias foram realizadas em seis cabeças, e os dentes foram descritos. O esmalte envolve a dentina coronal e se projeta até a raiz e é presente como lâminas dispostas paralelamente em direção vestíbulolingual. A dentina é localizada entre as lâminas do esmalte e envolve os cornos pulpares. O cemento é localizado internamente às lâminas de esmalte. Na superfície lingual, o cemento e a dentina são os elementos mais externos.

Reparação de feridas cutâneas de roedores da espécie Calomys callosus, tratadas com hidrocarboneto alifático: aspectos morfométricos, morfológicos e histológicos

O efeito cicatrizante do hidrocarboneto alifático foi pesquisado através da aplicação diária em feridas cutâneas, cirurgicamente provocadas, em roedores da espécie Calomys callosus. As feridas dos animais foram analisadas sob os aspectos macroscópicos e histológicos transcorridos 3, 7, 14 e 21 dias de tratamento e comparado com o uso de solução fisiológica a 0,9%. O hidrocarboneto alifático antecipou a cicatrização ao diminuir a umidade, aumentar a formação do tecido de granulação e a neovascularização, conduzindo à reepitelização.

Asymmetric post-natal development of superior cervical ganglion of paca (Agouti paca)

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

Descrição anátomo-topográfica do coração da paca (Agouti paca)

Background: The domestic animals heart is a conical hollow viscera, surrounded by pericardium, laterally compressed, accompanying the thorax shape. Atriums constituted the heart basis and their auricles partially bound the initial portion of the aorta and pulmonary trunk. In mammals, heart is kept suspended in the thoracic cavity and the pericardic sac is fixed dorsally by great veins and arteries roots, and ventrally fixed to the sternum, although its fixation to the diaphragm varies among species. This paper aimed to describe morphological aspects of the heart of the paca, the second biggest Brazilian rodent.Materials, Methods & Results: There were used 12 hearts of adult pacas for this study, obtained from the UNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, which died due fights or anesthesia during bandages or radiograph exams. The thoracic aorta was filled with colored latex and the animal was set in a 10% formaldehyde solution for at least 72 hours. The thoracic cavity was dissected and hearts individualized and measured with a paquimeter, lateromedially, craniocaudally and dorsoventrally. The paca heart is placed between the first and fifth intercostal space (ICS), in a craniocaudal oblique position; its basis is craniodorsally positioned, on the middle third between the first and second ICS and its apex is located near the sternodiaphragmatic joint, on the fifth ICS, tilted to the left antimere. The heart is surrounded by pericardium, which from ventrocaudally is originated the sternopericardic ligament, that continues as phrenopericardic ligament. At the heart basis, the rising of the pulmonary trunk was observed and the conus arteriosus formed a typical projection. The aorta also rised from the heart basis and its arch, which was caudally curved, crossed dorsally the pulmonary trunk; the right cranial and caudal cava veins drained to the right atrium. There is a left cranial cava vein, which surrounded the left atrium and joined the right caudal cava vein on the right atrium. The azygos vein joins the right cranial cava vein and four pulmonary veins drained to the left atrium. At palpation, a hard structure on the rising of the aorta was observed, similarly to a cartilaginous tissue, which would be part of the cardiac skeleton. The left and right coronary arteries were observed in all hearts.Discussion: The paca heart is anatomica and topographically similar to those of domestic mammals, differing from them for being placed one intercostal space more cranial and due to the presence of two cranial cava veins, the left and the right ones, besides the presence of the caudal cava vein. This vascular description is similar to that of small rodents, as rats and mice. In paca heart, the sinus venous, the terminal crest, the oval fossa, the atrioventricular valvae, the papillary muscles and tendinous cords, besides smooth atriums and auricles covered by pectinate muscles, were observed. The sternopericardic ligament, which is dorsally elongated as phrenopericardic ligament, is similar to the one present in humans, pigs, castors, and different from the one observed in carnivorous, that presents the phrenopericardic ligament and from the one of horses and ruminants, which present the sternopericardic ligament.

Experimental infection of Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus) with Toxoplasma gondu simulating natural conditions

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

Natural Host Relationships and Genetic Diversity of Rodent-Associated Hantaviruses in Southeastern Brazil

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

Genotoxic and mutagenic effects of permethrin in mice: Micronuclei analysis in peripheral blood erythrocytes

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

Search for Salmonella spp. in ostrich productive chain of Brazilian southeast region

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

Activation of 5-HT2C receptors in the dorsal periaqueductal gray increases antinociception in mice exposed to the elevated plus-maze

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Blockade of 5-HT2 receptors in the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) abolishes the anxiolytic-like effect of 5-HT1A receptor antagonism in the median raphe nucleus in mice

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

Blockade of fear-induced antinociception with intra-amygdala infusion of midazolam: Influence of prior test experience

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

5-HT2 receptor activation in the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG) reduces anxiety-like behaviour in mice

It is widely acknowledged that the indoleamine neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) plays a dual role in the regulation of anxiety, a role that in part depends upon neuroanatomical locus of action. Thus, whereas stimulation of 5-HT1A or 5-HT2 receptors in the limbic forebrain (amygdala, hippocampus) enhances anxiety-like responding in rodents, activation of corresponding receptor populations in the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG) more often than not reduce anxiety-like behaviour. The present study specifically concerns the anxiety-modulating influence of 5-HT2 receptors within the mouse PAG. Experiment 1 assessed the effects of intra-PAG infusions of the 5-HT2B/2C receptor agonist mCPP (0, 0.03, 0.1 or 0.3 nmol/0.1 mu l) on the behaviour of mice exposed to the elevated plus-maze. As mCPP acts preferentially at 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptors, Experiment 2 investigated its effects in animals pretreated with ketanserin, a preferential 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist. In both cases, test sessions were videotaped and subsequently, scored for anxiety-like behaviour (e.g., percentage of open arm entries and percentage of open arm time) as well as general locomotor activity (closed arm entries). The results of Experiment I showed that mCPP microinfusions (0.03 and 0.1 nmol) into the PAG of mice decreased behavioural indices of anxiety without significantly altering general activity measures. In Experiment 2, the anxiolytic-like profile of intra-PAG mCPP (0.03 nmol) was substantially attenuated by intra-PAG pretreatment with an intrinsically inactive dose of the preferential 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonist, ketanserin (10 nmol/0.1 mu l). Together, these data suggest that 5HT(2C) receptor populations within the midbrain PAG play an inhibitory role in plus-maze anxiety in mice. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.