Calbindin-immunoreactive sensory neurons in dissociated dorsal root ganglion cell cultures of chick embryo: role of culture conditions.

Immunoreactivity to calbindin D-28k, a vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding protein, is expressed by neuronal subpopulations of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) in the chick embryo. To determine whether the expression of this phenotypic characteristic is maintained in vitro and controlled by environmental factors, dissociated DRG cell cultures were performed under various conditions. Subpopulations of DRG cells cultured at embryonic day 10 displayed calbindin-immunoreactive cell bodies and neurites in both neuron-enriched or mixed DRG cell cultures. The number of calbindin-immunoreactive ganglion cells increased up to 7-10 days of culture independently of the changes occurring in the whole neuronal population. The presence of non-neuronal cells, which promotes the maturation of the sensory neurons, tended to reduce the percentage of calbindin-immunoreactive cell bodies. Addition of horse serum enhanced both the number of calbindin-positive neurons and the intensity of the immunostaining, but does not prevent the decline of the subpopulation of calbindin-immunoreactive neurons during the second week of culture; on the contrary, the addition of muscular extract to cultures at 10 days maintained the number of calbindin-expressing neurons. While calbindin-immunoreactive cell bodies grown in culture were small- or medium-sized, no correlation was found between cell size and immunostaining density. At the ultrastructural level, the calbindin immunoreaction was distributed throughout the neuroplasm. These results indicate that the expression of calbindin by sensory neurons grown in vitro may be modulated by horse serum-contained factors or interaction with non-neuronal cells. As distinct from horse serum, muscular extract is able to maintain the expression of calbindin by a subpopulation of DRG cells.

Differentiation of postmitotic neuroblasts into substance P-immunoreactive sensory neurons in dissociated cultures of chick dorsal root ganglion.

Counts performed on dissociated cell cultures of E10 chick embryo dorsal root ganglia (DRG) showed after 4-6 days of culture a pronounced decline of the neuronal population in neuron-enriched cultures and a net gain in the number of ganglion cells in mixed DRG cell cultures (containing both neurons and nonneuronal cells). In the latter case, the increase in the number of neurons was found to depend on NGF and to average 119% in defined medium or 129% in horse serum-supplemented medium after 6 days of culture. The lack of [3H]thymidine incorporation into the neuronal population indicated that the newly formed ganglion cells were not generated by proliferation. On the contrary, the differentiation of postmitotic neuroblasts present in the nonneuronal cell compartment was supported by sequential microphotographs of selected fields taken every hour for 48-55 hr after 3 days of culture. Apparently nonneuronal flat dark cells exhibited morphological changes and gradually evolved into neuronal ovoid and refringent cell bodies with expanding neurites. The ultrastructural organization of these evolving cells corresponded to that of primitive or intermediate neuroblasts. The neuronal nature of these rounding up cell bodies was indeed confirmed by the progressive expression of various neuronal cell markers (150 and 200-kDa neurofilament triplets, neuron specific enolase, and D2/N-CAM). Besides a constant lack of immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase, somatostatin, parvalbumin, and calbindin-D 28K and a lack of cytoenzymatic activity for carbonic anhydrase, all the newly produced neurons expressed three main phenotypic characteristics: a small cell body, a strong immunoreactivity to MAG, and substance P. Hence, ganglion cells newly differentiated in culture would meet characteristics ascribed to small B sensory neurons and more specifically to a subpopulation of ganglion cells containing substance P-immunoreactive material.

Brain spectrin isoforms during development of chick dorsal root ganglion cells in vivo and in vitro

Brain spectrin is one of the major cytoskeletal proteins associated with the plasma membrane. In many tissues this protein occurs in a variety of isoforms, for which at least three have been described in the brain: i) brain spectrin 240/235 is localized in neurons most prominently in axons and is present early during brain development. ii) Brain spectrin 240/235E is immunologicaly related to erythrocyte spectrin and restricted to somato-dendritic regions in neurons and to glia. It appears late in brain development. iii) A third form, brain spectrin 240/ 235A, is found exclusively in astrocytes. In this study we have investigated the appearance and distribution of brain spectrins 240/235 and 240/235E during embryonic chick dorsal root ganglia development in vivo and in vitro. This system provides a unique model due to the lack of dendrites on developing sensory neurons. Both isoforms first appeared at embryonic day 6. Brain spectrin 240/235 increased transiently around embryonic day 10 and 14, and was first expressed in ventrolateral neurons. It was localized abundantly in perikarya and their axons. This somato-axonal distribution pattern found in situ was also observed in vitro. In contrast, brain spectrin 240/235E only slightly increased between E6 and E15 and remained unchanged thereafter. It was localized mainly in small neurons of the mediodorsal area, where it was found as punctate staining in the cytoplasm, forming first a nuclear cap and in subsequent stages becoming distributed evenly throughout cytoplasm. This brain spectrin isoform was absent from axons, both in situ and in vitro. In conclusion, this study suggests i) that brain spectrin 240/235 may contribute towards the outgrowth, elongation and possibly maintenance of axonal processes, ii) that brain spcctrin 240/235E could be involved in the stablization of the cytoarchilecture of cell bodies in a sclected population of ganglion cells, and iii) that isoform expression of brain spectrin 240/235E in DRG cells may depend on environmental factors.

Preserved capillary density of dorsal finger skin in treated hypertensive patients with or without type 2 diabetes

RESUME : La raréfaction des vaisseaux capillaires est une caractéristique de l'hypertension artérielle non traitée. Des données récentes indiquent que cette raréfaction peut être renversée par un traitement antihypertenseur chez les patients hypertendus non diabétiques. Malgré la fréquente association du diabète et de l'hypertension, on ne sait rien de la densité capillaire de patients diabétiques traités, souffrant d'hypertension artérielle. Nous avons dès lors recruté 21 patients normotendus (groupe contrôle), 25 patients souffrant uniquement d'hypertension artérielle , et 21 patients diabétiques (Diabète de type 2) souffrant également d'hypertension artérielle. Tous les patients hypertendus ont été traités avec un inhibiteur du système rénine-angiotensine, et une majorité présentait une tension artérielle moyenne en auto-contrôle à domicile de 135/85 mmHg ou moins. La densité capillaire a été évaluée par vidéomicroscopie sur la peau du dos des doigts et avec laser Doppler sur la peau de l'avant-bras (vasodilatation maximale induite par le chauffage local). Au final, il n'y avait pas de différence entre les groupes de l'étude, que ce soit lors des mesures de la densité capillaire sur le dos du doigt (groupe contrôle 101 ±11 capillaires, groupe des patients non- diabétiques hypertendus 99 ± 16, groupe des patients hypertendus et diabétiques 96 ± 18, p>0,5) ou lors des mesures de débit sanguin maximal sur la peau de l'avant-bras, un témoin indirect de la densité capillaire dans ce territoire (contrôles 666 ±114 unités de perfusion, non diabétique hypertendu 612 ± 126, hypertendus diabétiques 620 ±103, p> 0,5). En conclusion, notre étude est la première à démontrer que indépendamment de la présence ou non d'un diabète de type 2, la densité capillaire est normale chez les patients hypertendus présentant un contrôle raisonnable de la pression artérielle obtenue avec un bloqueur du système rénine-angiotensine.

Dorsal fractures of the triquetrum: MRI findings with an emphasis on dorsal carpal ligament injuries.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to report the MRI findings in dorsal fractures of the triquetrum, with an emphasis on dorsal carpal ligament injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 21 patients (16 men, five women; mean age, 41.9 years) with acute or subacute (≤ 6 weeks) dorsal triquetral fractures on radiography and MRI were included in this two-center retrospective study. MRI of the wrist was performed on 3-T units with transverse T1-weighted, coronal or transverse (or both) fat-suppressed T2weighted, transverse gadolinium-enhanced fat-suppressed T1-weighted turbo spin-echo, and 3D gadolinium-enhanced fat-suppressed T1-weighted gradient-recalled echo sequences. Three musculoskeletal radiologists evaluated the ulnar styloid process index (USPI) on radiographs and the following MRI features: fracture pattern (types 1-6), bone fragment size and displacement, bone marrow edema distribution, and dorsal carpal ligament tears. RESULTS: Eight type 1, one type 2, six type 3, five type 4, and one type 5 fractures were identified. These fractures were associated with 14 (66.7%), 17 (81.0%), and 16 (76.2%) tears of the dorsal radiocarpal, ulnotriquetral, and intercarpal ligaments, respectively. There was no correlation between bone marrow edema distribution and dorsal carpal ligament injuries (all p > 0.05). The mean (± SD) bone fragment volume and displacement were 205 ± 157 mm(3) and 1.0 ± 1.1 mm, respectively. The mean USPI was 0.21 ± 0.10. CONCLUSION: Dorsal fractures of the triquetrum are frequently associated with dorsal carpal ligament injuries. Bone marrow edema distribution is not correlated with these ligament tears.

A re-identificação de referenciais para a intervenção do enfermeiro no âmbito de saúde do adulto

Este artigo tem como foco a proposição de um novo modelo de formação no âmbito da graduação em enfermagem. Nesse contexto, foram configurados os códigos moduladores da ação pedagógica, bem como os sistemas referenciais que lhes dão sustencão.

Identificação dos tipos de toque ocorridos no atendimento de enfermagem de um serviço ambulatorial

Este estudo foi realizado em um ambulatório de transplante de medula óssea. A amostra constituiu-se de 17 pacientes e 6 funcionárias. A coleta de dados ocorreu no período de outubro à dezembro 1996, através de formulário, com decodificação de imagens filmadas, consulta de prontuários e de funcionárias. Os objetivos do estudo foram: identificar os tipos de toque e em que situações e regiões corpóreas ocorreram entre funcionárias e pacientes. Houve o predomínio do toque instrumental durante o atendimento, sendo mais freqüente durante o curativo de saída do cateter. As regiões mais tocadas foram a torácica e membros superiores.

Identificação de alguns problemas psicossociais em portadores de hanseníase utilizando para a análise os recursos da informática

O presente estudo teve como objetivo identificar nos pacientes com hanseníase alguns problemas psicossociais, como preocupações e mudanças ocorridas em relação à família, aos amigos, ao emprego e a si próprio, após terem sido informados do diagnóstico da doença. Na metodologia foram utilizados alguns recursos da informática, como o programa KARDS , gerenciador da base de dados, e o software JARGÃO, que possibilitou a tarefa de analisar em linguagem natural os depoimentos dos pacientes, obtidos por meio de entrevista composta por duas perguntas abertas. Os resultados encontrados evidenciaram que após o diagnóstico da doença a maioria dos pacientes estudados apresentava preocupações e manifestava algum tipo de mudança em relação à família, aos amigos, ao emprego e a si próprios. As preocupações estavam relacionadas principalmente à possibilidade de transmitir a doença, especialmente para os familiares, e à incerteza da cura. As mudanças diziam respeito especialmente ao aparecimento de sintomas que, segundo os pacientes, poderiam provocar reações discriminatórias por parte de outras pessoas. Esses fatos levavam os pacientes a não contar aos amigos sobre sua doença.

Erros na administração de medicamentos: divulgação de conhecimentos e identificação do paciente como aspectos relevantes

A administração de medicamentos é um processo multidisciplinar e um multi-sistema. Erros podem ocorrer em todas as etapas desse processo. Estratégias podem ser utilizadas e devem ser divulgadas para minimizar a ocorrência de erros. Este estudo foi planejado tendo os seguintes objetivos: identificar e analisar em periódicos das áreas de enfermagem, farmácia e hospitalar, publicações com temas ligados a administração de medicamentos e verificar a identificação no leito e no antebraço de pacientes internados em uma instituição hospitalar . Para alcançar o primeiro objetivo realizou-se uma revisão da literatura sobre a temática em estudo, em três periódicos de maior circulação nacional das áreas descritas, no período de 1987 a 1997. Os artigos identificados foram agrupados em 5 tipos: assistência de enfermagem, ensino, medicamentos, pesquisa e técnica. Identificou-se 19 artigos sobre a temática estudada, sendo 42,1% destes voltados para os aspectos técnicos da administração de medicamentos. Para atingir o segundo objetivo realizou-se uma investigação de um dia, escolhido casualmente, verificando-se os 360 leitos da instituição quanto a identificação nos mesmos e nos pacientes. Destes, 74,7% estavam ocupados e 75,8% devidamente identificados. Observou-se que 23,8% dos pacientes possuíam pulseira de identificação colocada, na maioria dos pacientes, no dia anterior à cirurgia e não no momento da internação. Os resultados evidenciaram a pouca importância tanto do estudo desta temática, quanto na identificação do paciente e do leito por parte da instituição. Há pois necessidade de aumentar a divulgação de estudos e incrementar ações que minimizema ocorrência de erros na medicação.

Um estudo comparativo sobre a identificação dos riscos ocupacionais por trabalhadores de enfermagem de duas Unidades Básicas de Saúde do município de São Paulo

Os riscos ocupacionais do trabalho de enfermagem em Unidades Básicas de Saúde (UBS) não têm sido frequentemente abordados, o que nos estimulou a realizar este estudo com os objetivos de comparar a percepção dos trabalhadores deenfermagem de duas UBS sobre esses riscos e estabelecer um paralelo sobre os problemas de saúde relacionados com a suaexposição. Os dados foram coletados através da entrevista e analisados segundo suas frequências relativa e absoluta ecoeficientes de risco. Os maiores coeficientes de risco estão relacionados a exposição aos riscos biológicos. Conclui-se que os trabalhadores têm dificuldade em apreender a gênese dos riscos ocupacionais.

Influence of initial foot dorsal flexion on vertical jump and running performance.

Several studies (on an inclined platform or with special shoes) have reported improved jump performance when the ankle was in a dorsiflexion (DF) position. The present study aims to test whether shoes inducing moderate DF modify vertical jump performance and energy cost. Twenty-one young, healthy female subjects (30 +/- 6 yr, 58 +/- 6 kg, O2max 45 +/- 3 mLxkg-1xmin-1, mean +/- SD) participated in the study. Jump performance was tested with subjects either wearing 4 degrees DF or standard (S) shoes. The jump tests (performed on a force platform) consisted of squat jump (SJ), countermovement jump (CMJ), and continuous jumps (CJ) during 15 seconds. Measured parameters were jump height, speed at take off, and maximal and average power. Oxygen uptake was measured on a treadmill while subjects ran at 95% of the anaerobic threshold during a 7-minute steady-state period. As compared with S shoes, DF shoes significantly improved the height of SJ (31 +/- 4 cm vs. 34 +/- 4 cm, p = 0.0001), CMJ (32 +/- 4 cm vs. 34 +/- 4 cm, p = 0.0004), and CJ (17.5 +/- 4.2 cm vs. 22.0 +/- 6.0 cm, p = 0.0001). Speed at take off was also significantly higher. Mean power significantly increased in SJ and CJ but not in CMJ. Oxygen uptake was not different between conditions (p = 0.40). Dorsiflexion shoes induce a significant increase in jump performance. These results are in accordance with the concept that a DF of the ankle may induce an increase of the length and strength of the triceps surae (higher torque). However, wearing DF shoes did not require more energy during running. Dorsiflexion shoes could be used to increase jump performance in several sports such as volleyball in which jump height is essential.