Corpus callosum in maltreated children with posttraumatic stress disorder: A diffusion tensor imaging study

Contrary to expectations derived from preclinical studies of the effects of stress, and imaging studies of adults with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is no evidence of hippocampus atrophy in children with PTSD. Multiple pediatric studies have reported reductions in the corpus callosum - the primary white matter tract in the brain. Consequently, in the present study, diffusion tensor imaging was used to assess white matter integrity in the corpus callosum in 17 maltreated children with PTSD and 15 demographically matched normal controls. Children with PTSD had reduced fractional anisotropy in the medial and posterior corpus, a region which contains interhemispheric projections from brain structures involved in circuits that mediate the processing of emotional stimuli and various memory functions - core disturbances associated with a history of trauma. Further exploration of the effects of stress on the corpus callosum and white matter development appears a promising strategy to better understand the pathophysiology of PTSD in children. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reading Is, Like, You Know, Sooooo Gross!

“Huge Decline in Book Reading” ran one headline. “Cultural Atrophy!” read another. “Study Links Drop in Test Scores to a Decline Spent in Reading” ran one for the “Duh!” award. “Americans are Closing the Book on Reading” said one, vying for the pun-acious trophy.

Aspectos epidemiológicos da paratuberculose bovina no Rio Grande do Sul

Descrevem-se os achados clínicos e patológicos da paratuberculose em uma criação intensiva de bovinos de leite no municí pio de Capela de Santana, RS. Os sinais clínicos foram observados em oito de um total de 345 bovinos, consistindo em diarréia crônica refratária aos tratamentos, emagrecimento progressivo e queda na produção de leite. As principais lesões macroscópicas, observadas nos oito animais necropsiados, incluíam intestino delgado com acentuado espessamento da parede e superfície mucosa de aspecto reticulado, semelhante às circunvoluções cerebrais, lesão essa perceptível, através da serosa. A luz intestinal estava preenchida com conteúdo fluido e de aspecto leitoso. Os vasos linfáticos do mesentério mostravam-se mais evidentes sendo que alguns tinham aspecto varicoso. Os linfonodos mesentéricos estavam aumentados de volume e, ao corte, fluía grande quantidade de líquido leitoso. Focos de mineralização foram observados na íntima das artérias, nas válvulas cardíacas e na serosa do rúmen. As principais lesões macroscópicas incluíam enterite, linfadenite e linfangite granulomatosa caracterizada por infiltrado inflamatório com macrófagos, células gigantes de Langhans que continham grande quantidade de bacilos álcool-ácido-resistentes. As lesões vasculares consistiam em degeneração e mineralização das túnicas í ntimas e média das artérias de grande calibre associada a proliferação de colágeno. Havia calcificação da serosa do rúmen atrofia hepatocelular difusa e hepatite granulomatosa multifocal. O M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) foi isolado em amostras de intestino e linfonodos de 8 vacas Holandesas (3,5%) com doença de Johne, dentre 229 amostras cultivadas provenientes de um rebanho leiteiro. Amostras inoculadas em HEYM com micobactina produziram colônias identificadas como Map, segundo as caracterí sticas fenotí picas próprias como: crescimento lento, coloração álcool-ácido-resistente (A.A.R.) e dependência a micobactina. O laboratório de Referência da OIE confirmou a amostra isolada. O M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) foi isolado em amostras de intestino e linfonodos de 8 vacas Holandesas (3,5%) com doença de Johne, dentre 229 amostras cultivadas provenientes de um rebanho leiteiro Amostras inoculadas em HEYM com micobactina produziram colônias identificadas como Map, segundo as caracterí sticas fenotí picas próprias como: crescimento lento, coloração álcool-ácido-resistente (A.A.R.) e dependência a micobactina. O laboratório de Referência da OIE confirmou a amostra isolada. Não houve isolamento do agente em 221 amostras intestinais quando processadas, após 2 anos de sua colheita. O teste de IDGA aplicado como “screening”, detectou 26 vacas (11,4%) positivas, dentre 228 animais testados e sacrificados em matadouro. O teste de ELISA adsorvido, utilizando o antí geno PPA-3 detectou 125 (39,8%) amostras positivas. O ELISA não adsorvido detectou mais 32 (10,1%) reagentes positivos, dentre os 314 bovinos testados. A prevalência da infecção causada pelo Map em 36 rebanhos leiteiros procedentes de 25 municí pios do Rio Grande do Sul foi estimada em 44,6% das 1316 amostras testadas. A infecção foi identificada em 35 (97,2%) dos 36 rebanhos testados e presentes em todos os municí pios incluí dos. A ocorrência da doença de Johne foi enfatizada, tanto a forma clí nica quanto a infecção subclí nica no Rio Grande do Sul, sugerindo a adoção de medidas de controle sejam aplicadas na proteção dos rebanhos leiteiros nacionais.

Comparison of prophylactic and therapeutic use of short-chain fatty acid enemas in diversion colitis: a study in Wistar rats

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of short-chain fatty-acids on atrophy and inflammation of excluded colonic segments before and after the development of diversion colitis. INTRODUCTION: Diversion colitis is a chronic inflammatory process affecting the dysfunctional colon, possibly evolving with mucous and blood discharge. The most favored hypotheses to explain its development is short-chain fatty-acid deficiency in the colon lumen. METHODS: Wistar rats were submitted to colostomy with distal colon exclusion. Two control groups (A1 and B1) received rectally administered physiological saline, whereas two experimental groups (A2 and B2) received rectally administered short-chain fatty-acids. The A groups were prophylactically treated (5th to 40th days postoperatively), whereas the B groups were therapeutically treated (after post-operative day 40). The mucosal thickness of the excluded colon was measured histologically. The inflammatory reaction of the mucosal lamina propria and the lymphoid tissue response were quantified through established scores. RESULTS: There was a significant thickness recovery of the colonic mucosa in group B2 animals (p = 0.0001), which also exhibited a significant reduction in the number of eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria (p = 0.0126) and in the intestinal lumen (p = 0.0256). Group A2 showed no mucosal thickness recovery and significant increases in the numbers of lymphocytes (p = 0.0006) and eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria of the mucosa (p = 0.0022). CONCLUSION: Therapeutic use of short-chain fatty-acids significantly reduced eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cell numbers in the intestinal wall and in the colonic lumen; it also reversed the atrophy of the colonic mucosa. Prophylactic use did not impede the development of mucosal atrophy

Emprego dos ácidos graxos de cadeia curta na colite de derivação fecal : estudo em ratos Wistar

Diversion colitis is a chronic inflammatory process affecting the dysfunctional colon, after a colostomy. It is postulated that nutritional deficiency of the colonic epithelium by the absence of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) is one of the factors responsible for the appearance of DC and that their employment could reverse the morphological changes of the mucosa. The treatment of choice for fecal diversion colitis (DC) is the reconstruction of the intestinal tract, although they suggested therapeutic options using enemas. This study evaluates the effect of SCFA in atrophy and inflammation in excluded colonic segments before and after the installation DC. Forty Wistar rats were divided into four groups (n = 10 for each group), submitted colostomy with distal colon exclusion. Two control groups (A1 and B1) received rectally administered physiological saline, whereas two experimental groups (A2 and B2) received rectally administered short-chain fatty-acids. The A groups were prophylactically treated (5th to 40th days postoperatively), whereas the B groups were therapeutically treated (after postoperative day 40), for 07 days. Histological sections stained with HE were used for histological analysis of the thickness of the colonic mucosa excluded (t- Student p ≤0.05). Inflammatory reaction of the lamina propria and mucosa were measured with scores previously established (Mann Whitney p ≤ 0.05). There was a significant thickness recovery of the colonic mucosa in group B2 animals (p = 0.0001), which also exhibited a significant reduction in the number of eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria (p = 0.0126) and in the intestinal lumen (p = 0.0256). Group A2 did not prevent the mucosal atrophy and significant increases in the numbers of lymphocytes (p=0.0006) and 50 eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cells in the lamina propria of the mucosa (p = 0.0022). Therapeutic use of short-chain fatty-acids significantly reduced eosinophilic polymorphonuclear cell numbers in the intestinal wall and in the colonic lumen; it also reversed the atrophy of the colonic mucosa. Prophylactic use did not impede the development of mucosal atrophy

Avaliação da incontinência urinária de esforço em mulheres na pós-menopausa com e sem queixa de perda urinária através da aplicação do pad-test de 1 hora

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is defined as "involuntary loss of urine" due to several processes that alter the ability of the bladder to hold urine properly, regarded as a social and hygienic problem that adversely affects quality of life. In postmenopausal women, IU is associated with atrophy and weakness of the pelvic floor muscles. The objective this study was investigate, using the onehour pad test, stress urinary leakage (SUI), evaluate and compare their results in postmenopausal and premenopausal women. The survey was characterized as a cross-sectional study. The study consisted of 60 postmenopausal women were divided into GIU - consisting of 34 volunteers complaining of involuntary loss of urine during stress - and GSIU - consisting of 26 volunteers without complaints of loss of urine during stress, and 15 women, during the premenopausal (GPM), and ovulatory with normal menstrual cycle. All volunteers were evaluated clinically, subjected to one-hour pad test, after the biochemical evaluation of blood and sex hormones. Statistical analysis was performed by descriptive analysis, ANOVA, Turkey´s post-test and Pearson correlation. The results showed that 100% of postmenopausal patients had involuntary loss of urine during one hour pad test (GIU: 4.0 g; GSIU: 4.5 g). GPM remained continent after an hour pad test (GPM: 0.4 g). In addition, Pearson showed a strong correlation between urine loss with time since menopause (r = 0.8, p <0.01) and body mass index - BMI (r = 0.7; p = 0.01). These data suggest that the one-hour pad test is a useful test to assess and quantify urinary leakage, including those volunteers who had no previous complaint of SUI

Avaliação histológica da próstata de cães adultos sexualmente intactos

Avaliou-se histologicamente a próstata de 30 cães adultos e idosos sexualmente intactos que apresentavam ou não sintomatologia clínica de doença prostática, e verificou-se a incidência de possíveis alterações da glândula. Dentre as alterações encontradas, a hiperplasia prostática benigna constituiu o diagnóstico mais comum, 85,6% (n=24), seguida por prostatite crônica, 64,3% (n=18), displasia do epitélio glandular, 42,8% (n=12), atrofia do epitélio glandular, 39,3% (n=11), infiltrado inflamatório focal, 25% (n=7), dilatação glandular focal, 21,4% (n=6), prostatite aguda, 7,1% (n=2), metaplasia escamosa, 3,6%, (n=1), metástase de neoplasia sistêmica, 3,6% (n=1) e abscesso prostático, 3,6% (n=1). Como em muitos casos os cães são assintomáticos, ressalta-se a importância da realização rotineira de exames clínicos específicos, como o toque retal e a ultrassonografia, para o diagnóstico precoce e o tratamento das afecções prostáticas.

Effects of tributyltin exposure in hermit crabs: Clibanarius vittatus as a model

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

Influência do hipoestrogenismo por ooforectomia na adaptação antioxidante em ratas wistar exercitadas regularmente

Post-menopause is a period of women s life cycle that is characterized by estrogen depletion and therefore increasing cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative disorders, urogenital atrophy, osteoporosis, hot flushes and sexual discomfort incidences. Estrogen is a hormone with comfirmed antioxidant action and its depletion is related to oxidative stress instalation and damaging various important biomolecules. Regular physical activity has been identified as a factor involved in reducing women s post-menopausal complications in addition to improving antioxidant defense by reducing the oxidative damage and consequently improving life s quality in this part of the population. This study aims to evaluate the influence of hypoestrogenism in antioxidant adaptation due to regular exercise, by determining reduced glutathione (GSH) and Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (SRAT) concentrations and antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPx), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT) activities in blood, brain and liver of rats. To achieve this goal we used 50 Wistar rats, weighing 180-250g which were divided into two groups, control - GC (25) and ooforectomized - GO (25). Each group was subdivided into five subgroups: Not-trained - S (5), Not-trained Acute Exercise - SEA (5), regular exercise 30 days - E30 (5), regular exercise 60 days - E60 (5) and regular exercise 90 days - E90 (5). Each of the three subgroups exercised regularly was subjected to acute exercise on the eve and the day of sacrifice to collect biological samples of blood, liver and brain and subsequent determination of SRAT concentration, GSH content and antioxidant enzymes GPx, SOD and CAT activities. The results indicated that the sedentary animals acutely exercised presented oxidative stress and regular physical activity led to antioxidant adaptation. In ooforectomized group the antioxidant adaptation seen in control animals showed to be impaired. Unlike the results from blood and liver, in brain there was a shield against oxidative damage originated by the exercise and that hypoestrogenism led to a loss of this natural antioxidant potential. Therefore, hypoestrogenism interferes negatively in antioxidant adaptation due to regular exercise

Aspectos clínicos e concentração sérica da creatina-quinase e lactato-desidrogenase em cães submetidos à fisioterapia após atrofia muscular induzida

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

Intra-prostatic injection of botulinum toxin type A in treatment of dogs with spontaneous benign prostatic hyperplasia

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

Ornithine decarboxylase expression in the small intestine of broilers submitted to feed restriction and glutamine supplementation

Six hundred and forty one-day-old Cobb male broilers were used to evaluate ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) expression in the mucosa of the small intestine. Birds were submitted to early feed restriction from 7 to 14 days of age. The provided feed was supplemented with glutamine. A completely randomized design with a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement was used (with or without glutamine, with or without feed restriction). Restricted-fed birds were fed at 30% the amount of the ad libitum fed group from 7 to 14 days of age. Glutamine was added at the level of 1% in the diet supplied from 1 to 28 days of age. Protein concentration in the small intestine mucosa was determined, and ODC expression at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of age was evaluated by dot blotting. ODC was present in the mucosa of broilers, and the presence of glutamine in the diet increased ODC activation. Glutamine prevented mucosa atrophy by stimulating protein synthesis, and was effective against the effects of feed restriction. Dot blotting can be used to quantify ODC expression in the intestinal mucosa of broilers.

Immune response pattern of the popliteal lymph nodes of dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

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

Aspectos clínicos e patológicos em frangos de corte (Gallus gallus domesticus) infectados experimentalmente com oocistos esporulados de Eimeria acervulina Tyzzer, 1929

No presente estudo, sinais clínicos e alterações patológicas foram avaliados por 30 dias em frangos de corte, linhagem Cobb, machos, com dez dias de idade, infectados com Eimeria acervulina. Foram utilizados 192 animais distribuídos em 3 grupos: grupo A inoculado com 1x10(6) oocistos esporulados; grupo B inoculado com 1x10(5) oocistos esporulados; grupo C inoculado com água destilada. Os sinais clínicos observados foram anorexia, diarréia e apatia. As alterações patológicas macroscópicas observadas foram: enterite, hiperemia seguido de congestão intestinal, excesso de exsudato mucoso no lúmen do intestino delgado, palidez e desidratação muscular, alto acúmulo de bile na vesícula biliar e deposição de gordura hepática. A atrofia de vilosidades e alta presença de células inflamatórias foram as alterações microscópicas observadas no epitélio intestinal. Na análise histopatológica do fígado observaram-se infiltrados inflamatórios e deposição de gordura. Os resultados demonstraram que frangos de corte infectados experimentalmente com E. acervulina apresentam progressivas lesões intestinais de intensidade variável e que essas anormalidades são as principais causas de redução no desenvolvimento da ave.

Efeito da adição de agentes tróficos na dieta de leitões desmamados sobre a estrutura e ultraestrutura do intestino delgado e sobre o desempenho

Foram estudados os efeitos da glutamina, dos ácidos graxos poli-insaturados e da parede celular de levedura (PCL) sobre a estrutura e ultraestrutura do intestino delgado e o desempenho de leitões. Foram utilizados 45 leitões, desmamados aos 21 dias de idade, para testar os seguintes tratamentos: T1 - dieta basal; T2 - dieta basal + 1% de glutamina; T3 - dieta basal + 0,2% de PCL; T4 - dieta basal + 5% de óleo de peixe. Nos dias sete e 14 pós-desmame, foram abatidos cinco leitões de cada tratamento. Os aditivos testados não alteraram a altura e a densidade dos vilos nem a profundidade das criptas do intestino delgado. Foi observado efeito de idade, mostrando redução na altura e na densidade dos vilos e na profundidade das criptas após o desmame. No duodeno e jejuno, foram observados maiores valores de relação vilo:cripta, que aumentaram com a idade pós-desmame. Ocorreram redução da altura dos microvilos do duodeno aos sete dias e aumento da largura dos microvilos do jejuno aos 14 dias pós-desmame. A área de superfície apical dos enterócitos não foi alterada pelos fatores estudados. Os aditivos estudados não foram eficientes em prevenir a atrofia da mucosa intestinal do jejuno, ao não interferir na sua ultraestrutura. Os aditivos incluídos na dieta não influenciaram o desempenho dos leitões no pós-desmame.