Análise in vitro da atividade antifúngica e de toxicidade da anfotericina B pré-aquecida

The aim of this work was to evaluate how an aqueous micellar system containing Amphotericin B (AmB) and sodium deoxycholate (DOC) can be rebuilt after heating treatment. Also a review of the literature about the new physicochemical and biological properties of this new system was carried out. Afterwards, heated (AmB-DOC-H) and unheated (AmB-DOC) micelles were subsequently diluted at four different concentrations (50mg.L-1, 5mg.L-1, 0.5mg.L-1 and 0.05mg.L-1) to perform the physicochemical study and, then, the pharmacotoxicity assay, in which two cell models were used for the in vitro experiments, Red Blood Cells (RBC) from human donors and Candida parapisilosis (Cp). While potassium (K+) and hemoglobin leakage from RBC were the used parameters to evaluate the acute and chronic toxicity, respectively, the efficacy of AmB-DOC and AmB-DOC-H were assessed by K+ leakage and cell survival rate from Cp. The spectral study revealed a slight change on the aggregate peak from 327nm to 323nm for AmB-DOC-H compared to AmB-DOC. Concerning the toxicity, although AmB-DOC and AmB-DOC-H presented different behavior for hemoglobin leakage, AmB-DOC produced higher leakage than AmB-DOC-H at high concentrations (from 5mg.L-1) with values tending to zero. However, concerning K+ leakage, both AmB-DOC and AmB-DOC-H, showed similar profile for both cell models, RBC and Cp (p<0,05). AmB-DOC-H and AmB-DOC also revealed similar profile of activity against Cp with equivalent survival rate. In short, the AmB-DOC-H showed much less toxicity than AmB-DOC, but remained as active as the late one against fungal cell. Therefore, the results highlight the importance of this new procedure as a simple, inexpensive and safe alternative to produce a new kind of micelle system for treatment of systemic fungal infections

Influência do folículo dominante sobre a dinâmica folicular ovariana em vacas Nelore tratadas com FSH

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

Chemically Assisted Enucleation Results in Higher G6PD Expression in Early Bovine Female Embryos Obtained by Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

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

Fatores associados à efetividade da doação de órgãos e tecidos para transplantes

The transplantation of organs and tissues presents itself as an important therapeutic option, both from a medical standpoint, the social or economic. Thus, the identification of variables that can interfere in the effectiveness of organs and tissues donation for transplantation needs to be investigated adequately, because it stands before increasing index of chronic and degenerative diseases in the population, what makes the waiting list for transplantation grow disproportionately and patients come to death without the opportunity of realization the treatment due to a lack of donors. In this context, has defined as objective of this study evaluate the factors associated with the effectiveness of organs and tissues donation for transplantation. It is a evaluative research, quantitative, prospective, with longitudinal design, developed at Central of Catchment, Notification and organ donation for transplant, Organ Procurement Organization and in six accredited hospitals to collect and transplantation of organs and tissues, in Natal/RN, between august 2010 and february 2011, after the approval of the Research Ethics Committee, under No. 414/10 and CAAE 007.0.294.000-10. The probabilistic sample without replacement was composed of 65 potential donors. It was used as an instrument of data collection a structured script non-participant observation of checklist type. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in tables, charts, graphs and figures. For this, was used Microsoft Excel 2007 and statistical program SPSS version 20.0. To check the level of significance was chosen by applying the chi-square test (χ2) and Mann Whitney and caselas for less than five, it is considered the Fisher exact test. It was adopted as the significance level p-value <0.05. Among the surveyed it was observed that most of the individuals were male (50,8%), in the age group 45 years (53,8%), mean age of 42,3 years, minimum 5 and maximum 73 years (± 17,32 years). Single / widowers / divorced (56,9%), with up to completed elementary school (60,0%) in the exercise of professional activity (86,2%), catholic (83,1%) and residents in metropolitan region of Natal (52,3%). Was obtained donation effectiveness of 27,7%. There was no statistical significance between structure and effectiveness of the donation, but were observed inadequacies in physical resources (36,9%), materials (30,8%), organizational structure (29,2%) and human resources (18,5%). In the process, the maintenance phase (p= 0.004), diagnosis of brain death (p= 0.032), family interview (p≤ 0.001) and documentation (p= 0.001) presented statistical significance with effectiveness. Thus, it is accepts the alternative hypothesis of the study, in which is evidenced that the adequacy of the factors related to structure and process is associated to effectiveness of organs and tissues donation for transplantation. In this way, the effectiveness of organ and tissue donation ends in an essential way the rapidity and accuracy with which the donation process is conducted, requiring appropriate structure, with appropriate physical and material resources and skilled human resources to optimize the reduction of time and the suffering of those waiting for an organ or tissue transplant queued in Brazil

Cuidado de enfermagem ao potencial doador de órgãos em morte encefálica: uma reflexão sobre a prática

Despite of the technological advances that favor the transplant process, there are issues of effectiveness of care necessary for the maintenance of potential organ donors with brain death, which contribute to the no realization of transplants of organs and tissues of these patients. It is presupposed that the problems could be related to perceptions and understandings that the professionals of the units of internment have about the care required by the diagnosis of brain death. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of the nursing care of the potential organ donor with brain death to the nursing staff. Descriptive study with qualitative approach guided by Action Science Theory and the critic-reflexive research methodology accomplished with five nurses and 19 nursing technicians from Operative Rehabilitation Center in a public hospital at Natal / RN, Brazil, between March and May 2013. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with individual reflection about the care and through group interview, after approval by the Ethics and Research Committee, CAAE No.: 04255612.7.0000.5537. The analysis was performed in a thematic way according to Bardin. During the group meeting the participants were driven in a discussion about the need for change and how to perform them. The results indicate that the professionals actions are consistent with those required for maintenance of potential organ donors, although the material and human resources are not adequate. That situation leads the professionals to develop a meaning of care as one labor more, demanding more than they can give. They express beliefs and feelings concerning the hope that their care brings a greater good that is to save lives. The reflection for a possible change of action was difficult to accomplish due to professionals not to be able to self evaluate, what lead to direct your changes suggestions for other team members. It is concluded that the care provided to these patients is a difficult care, evidenced by suffering both death situation of the person cared and pain of their families, as the dehumanizing conditions of work, helping themselves to keep distance from patients to not suffer so much. The knowledge impregnated in their act, are scientific, ethical, aesthetic and personal kind with a predominance of the scientific followed by the personal. The study was also relevant to the practice of nursing in maintaining the potential donor, in that it allowed the identification of the knowledge used by nurses in their care practice and the meaning understanding of the professionals on the care provided, as a good action that brings satisfaction when the transplanting is executed. Other experiences are suggested with the critic-reflexive research methodology, both in research as in teaching nursing

Dominant follicle removal by ultrasound guided transvaginal aspiration and superovulatory response in Nellore cows

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

Effect of recombinant bovine somatotropin (bST) on follicular population and on in vitro buffalo embryo production

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of bovine somatotropin (bST) on ovarian follicular population in buffalo heifers and its influence on oocyte quality, recovery rates and in vitro embryo production. We tested the hypothesis that bST treatment in buffalo females submitted to an ovum pick-up (OPU) program Would improve the number of follicles recruited, oocyte quality and in vitro embryo production. A total of 10 heifers were assigned into two treatment groups: group bST (n = 5; receiving 500 mg of bST in regular intervals) and control group (n = 5; without additional treatment). Both groups were subjected to OPU sessions twice a week (every 3 or 4 days), for a total of 10 sessions per female, although due to procedural problems, only the first five OPU sessions produced embryos. The number of follicles and the diameters were recorded at all OPU sessions. The harvested oocytes were counted and classified according to their quality as either A, B, C, D or E, with A and B considered good quality. Cleavage and blastocyst production rates were evaluated 2 and 7 days after in vitro fertilization, respectively. The bST treatment increased the total number of antral follicles (> 3 mm in diameter; 12.2 compared with 8.7: p, < 0.05) and of small antral follicles (< 5 mm; 9.1 compared with 6.5; p < 0.05) per OPU session. The bST also tended to increase the number of oocytes recovered per session (5.2 compared with 4.1; p = 0.07), and enhanced the percentage of good quality oocytes (48.8% compared with 40.6%; p = 0.07), bST showed no effect on cleavage and blastocyst production rates (p > 0.05). The significant effects of performing repeated OPU sessions were decreasing the follicular population (p < 0.001) as well as the number of follicles aspirated (p < 0.001), and oocytes recovered (p < 0.02). In conclusion, bST treatment improves the follicular population, demonstrating its possible application in buffalo donors submitted to OPU programs. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Percepção do corpo, medo da morte, religião e doação de órgãos

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

Haptoglobin polymorphism correlated with coronary artery disease

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Polymorphisms of Lewis and Secretor genes are related to breast cancer and metastasis in axillary lymph nodes

ABH and Lewis antigen expression has been associated with cancer development and prognosis, tumor differentiation, and metastasis. Considering that invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC) presents multiple molecular alterations, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the polymorphism of ABO, Lewis, and Secretor genes, as well as ABO phenotyping, could be associated with tumor differentiation and lymph nodes metastasis. Seventy-six women with IDC and 78 healthy female blood donors were submitted to ABO phenotyping/genotyping and Lewis and Secretor genotyping. Phenotyping was performed by hemagglutination and genotyping by the polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers. ABO, Lewis, and Secretor genes were classified by individual single nucleotide polymorphism at sites 59, 1067, 202, and 314 of the Lewis gene, 428 of the Secretor gene, and 261 (O1 allele), 526 (O2 and B allele), and 703 (B allele). No association was found between breast cancer and ABO antigen expression (P = 0.9323) or genotype (P = 0.9356). Lewis-negative genotype was associated with IDC (P = 0.0126) but not with anatomoclinical parameters. Nonsecretor genotype was associated with axillary lymph node metastasis (P = 0.0149). In conclusion, Lewis and Secretor genotyping could be useful to predict respectively breast cancer susceptibility and axillary lymph nodes metastasis.

Searching for gallium bioactive compounds: Gallium(III) complexes of tridentate salicylaldehyde semicarbazone derivatives

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

Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Novel Hybrid Compounds to Treat Sickle Cell Disease Symptoms. Part II: Furoxan Derivatives

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

How can micelle systems be rebuilt by a heating process?

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação do transplante de medula óssea alogênico por meio do estudo de regiões de repetições seqüenciais no genoma humano (VNTRs e STRs)

Os objetivos deste estudo foram estabelecer um protocolo para a análise de minissatélites ou VNTRs e microssatélites ou STRs em pacientes que se submeteram ao TMO alogênico; verificar a validade da metodologia e dos loci estudados e avaliar o tipo de recuperação do paciente. Foram analisados o DNA do paciente anterior e posterior ao transplante de 14 indivíduos e dos respectivos doadores. Amplificações por PCR de seis loci: D1S80, SE33, HumTH01, 33.6, HumARA e HumTPO foram realizadas. Os produtos amplificados foram separados por eletro­forese vertical em gel de poliacrilamida, e os fragmentos visualizados por coloração pela prata. Esse procedimento mostrou ser válido na verificação da recuperação alogênica, autóloga e provavelmente na quimérica. da somatória dos loci estudados, 63,1% apresentaram resultados possíveis de serem avaliados e, desses, 19,0% mostraram resultado informativo, 13,1% parcialmente informativo e 31,0% não informativo. Os 36,9% restantes não foram possíveis de avaliação. Dos loci avaliados, o que demostrou maior índice de resultado informativo foi o SE33, parcialmente informativo o HumTPO e não informativo o HumTH01, sendo o locus 33.6 o que mais apresentou resultados não possíveis de serem avaliados. Por outro lado, determinou-se a recuperação do paciente posterior ao transplante em 71,4% dos indivíduos, sendo que, desses, 90% apresentaram recuperação alogênica e 10% recuperação autóloga.

CCR5 genotype and plasma ß-chemokine concentration of Brazilian HIV-infected individuals

The 32-bp deletion in the HIV-1 co-receptor CCR5 confers a high degree of resistance to HIV-1 infection in homozygous individuals for the deleted allele and partial protection against HIV-1 during disease progression in heterozygotes. Natural ligands for CCR5, MIP-1alpha, MIP-1ß and RANTES, have been shown to inhibit HIV replication in CD4+ T cells. In the present study, we examined the CCR5 genotype by PCR and the plasma levels of RANTES and MIP-1alpha by ELISA among blood donors (N = 26) and among HIV-1-infected individuals (N = 129). The control group consisted of healthy adult volunteers and HIV-1-infected subjects were an asymptomatic and heterogeneous group of individuals with regard to immunologic and virologic markers of HIV-1 disease. The frequency of the CCR5 mutant allele (delta32ccr5) in this population was 0.032; however, no delta32ccr5 homozygote was detected. These results could be related to the intense ethnic admixture of the Brazilian population. There was no correlation between circulating ß-chemokines (MIP-1alpha, RANTES) and viral load in HIV-infected individuals. RANTES concentrations in plasma samples from HIV+ patients carrying the homozygous CCR5 allele (CCR5/CCR5) (28.23 ng/ml) were higher than in the control samples (16.07 ng/ml; P<0.05); however, this HIV+ patient group (mean 26.23 pg/ml) had significantly lower concentrations of MIP-1alpha than those observed in control samples (mean 31.20 pg/ml; P<0.05). Both HIV-1-infected and uninfected individuals heterozygous for the delta32ccr5 allele had significantly lower concentrations of circulating RANTES (mean 16.07 and 6.11 ng/ml, respectively) than CCR5/CCR5 individuals (mean 28.23 and 16.07 ng/ml, respectively; P<0.05). These findings suggest that the CCR5 allele and ß-chemokine production may affect the immunopathogenesis of HIV-1.