Impact of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition on hemodynamic and autonomic profile of elastase-2 knockout mice

Elastase-2 (ELA-2) is an angiotensin II-generating enzyme that participates in the cardiovascular system. ELA-2 is involved in hemodynamic and autonomic control and is upregulated in myocardial infarction and hypertension. The inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) increased ELA-2 expression in the carotid arteries and heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats. In this study, we sought to investigate the role of ACE inhibition in hemodynamic and autonomic balance in elastase-2 knockout (ELA-2 KO) mice. Male ELA-2 KO and C57BL/6 mice were treated with the ACE inhibitor enalapril or saline for 10 days. After treatment, mice underwent surgery for cannulation of the femoral artery and arterial pressure recordings were made five days later in awake animals. The variability of systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse interval (PI) was evaluated in the time and frequency domain. Spontaneous baroreflex was assessed by the sequencing method. ACE inhibition caused a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure (117±2.2 vs 100±2.8 mmHg) and an increase in heart rate (570±32 vs 655±15 bpm) in ELA-2 KO mice. Despite a tendency towards reduction in the overall heart rate variability (standard deviation of successive values: 7.6±1.1 vs 4.7±0.6 ms, P=0.08), no changes were found in the root of the mean sum of squares or in the power of the high-frequency band. ACE inhibition did not change the spontaneous baroreflex indices (gain and baroreflex effectiveness index) in ELA-2 KO mice. Altogether, this data suggested that ACE played a role in the maintenance of hemodynamic function in ELA-2 KO mice.

Antiviral action of hydromethanolic extract of geopropolis from scaptotrigona postica against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV-1)

The studies on chemical composition and biological activity of propolis had focused mainly on species Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae). There are few studies about the uncommon propolis collected by stingless bees of the Meliponini tribe known as geopropolis. The geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica was collected in the region of Barra do Corda, Maranhão state, Brazil. The chemical analysis of hydromethanolic extract of this geopropolis (HMG) was carried out through HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS/MS and the main constituents found were pyrrolizidine alkaloids and C-glycosyl flavones. The presence of alkaloids in extracts of propolis is detected for the first time in this sample. The antiviral activity of HMG was evaluated through viral DNA quantification experiments and electron microscopy experiments. Quantification of viral DNA from herpes virus showed reduction of about 98% in all conditions and concentration tested of the HMG extract. The results obtained were corroborated by transmission electron microscopy, in which the images did not show particle or viral replication complex. The antiviral activity of C-glycosyl flavones was reported for a variety of viruses, being observed at different points in the viral replication. This work is the first report about the antiviral activity of geopropolis from Scaptotrigona postica, in vitro, against antiherpes simplex virus (HSV).

Tumor-like lesion due to Chagas' disease in a patient with lymphocytic leukemia

Paciente masculino, 73 anos, do interior de Mato Grosso do Sul, com diagnostico inicial de sinusite, evoluiu em 3 dias para quadro de hipertensao intracraniana severa. Transferido para o servico de neurologia, os exames evidenciaram leucemia linfocitica e indicaram ainda processo inflamatorio expansivo como abscesso ou tumor (exame do liquido e tomografia). Instituiu-se Ceftriaxone e Decadron. Foi feita nova puncao lombar, injetou-se metotrexate considerando possivel infiltracao leucemica. No liquido observou-se formas flagelares de T. cruzi. Iniciou-se benzonidazol. Apos 4 dias o liquor apresentou formas fracionadas de tripomastigotas. O nivel de proteinas se estabilizou em 27 por cento. Cessou a sintomatologia da hipertensao. Tomografia e ressonancia magnetica posterior mostraram importante reducao da formacao tumoral observada anteriormente. Houve melhora das condicoes clinicas do paciente

Effect of nifedipine on arterial pressure lability of sino-aortic deafferentated rats

Sino-aortic deafferentation (SAD) in rats produces arterial pressure lability (APL) whose mechanisms are not completely understood. In the present study we infused nifedipine (500 micro g kg(-1) min(-1)) for 30 min into sham-operated and acute SAD rats (24 h) and the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and APL were measured during this period by a computerized technique. APL was reported as the standard deviation of the mean of all MAP sampling points. In SAD rats with high basal APL levels (SAD high APL, N = 8) nifedipine produced a significant reduction in MAP (from 116 +/- 5 to 88 +/- 3 mmHg) and APL (from 19.62 +/- 1.46 to 9.51 +/- 0.88 mmHg). while in SAD rats with low basal APL levels (SAD low APL, N = 8) it significantly reduced MAP (from 120 +/- 7 to 95 +/- 6 mmHg) and did not change APL (9.46 +/- 0.69 to 10.93 +/- 1.62). Nifedipine infusion into sham-operated rats (N = 8) produced no significant changes in MAP (105 +/- 3 vs 104 +/- 2 mmHg) or APL (4.17 +/- 0.53 vs 3.99 +/- 0.67 mmHg). Since nifedipine infusion reduced APL only in SAD high APL rats but reduced the MAP in both groups of SAD rats. we conclude that its effect on APL is not related to decreases in MAP. These data suggest that extracellular calcium influx through calcium channels plays an important role in the generation of APL, especially in SAD rats with high APL levels.

Teratoma quístico de ovario confundido con embarazo: descripción de un caso clínico / Cystic teratoma of ovary counfounded with pregnancy: description of a clinical case)

En el Servicio Maternidad Nor-Oeste del Hospital Central "Antonio Maria Pineda" de Barquisimeto, se presentó el caso de una joven de 15 años quien ingresó con el diagnóstico de embarazo de edad gestacional no precisada y feto muerto retenido, basado en ecosonograma que reportaba Obito Embrionario Anencéfalo. Siendo sometida a varias técnicas mecánicas y bioquímicas para expulsar el feto, sin éxito. Bajo anestesia general se evidencia útero normal y tumoración gigante de ovario