Characterization of the normal fetal circulatory system of the ductus venosus using sound complexity parameters

The aim of this study was to characterize the normality of the fetal circulatory system through the time between ventricular systoles of the ductus venosus in the three gestational trimesters in healthy fetuses using nonlinear methods of the complexity of the signal. A prospective cohort study was conducted at the Instituto de Medicina Integral Prof. Fernando Figueira (IMIP) from December 2019 to May 2020. Pregnant women between 11 and 14 weeks, with intrauterine pregnancy and healthy fetus were included. Patients with multiple gestation, positive screening for congenital malformation, including heart disease, and under 18 years of age were excluded. Doppler velocimetry ultrasonography of the ductus venosus was performed between the 11th and 14th weeks, 20th and 24th weeks, and 28th and 32nd weeks of gestation, and then the sound signal was extracted and segmented from the videos. To compare the means between the gestational trimesters of the approximate entropy (ApEn) and Lempel-Ziv complexity (CLZ) of the time between ventricular systoles, the Friedman test was used, with a significance level of 5%. No statistically significant difference was found between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters regarding the mean ApEn (P=0.281) and CLZ (P=0.595) of the time between ventricular systoles of the ductus venosus. Ductus venosus systolic time was not sensitive to differentiate fetal cardiovascular dynamics between gestational trimesters. This study pioneered the characterization of cardiovascular normality by nonlinear parameters of the fetal ductus venosus in all three trimesters.

Effects of high- and moderate-intensity exercise on central hemodynamic and oxygen uptake recovery kinetics in CHF-COPD overlap

The oxygen uptake (V˙O2) kinetics during onset of and recovery from exercise have been shown to provide valuable parameters regarding functional capacity of both chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. To investigate the influence of comorbidity of COPD in patients with CHF with reduced ejection fraction on recovery from submaximal exercise, 9 CHF-COPD male patients and 10 age-, gender-, and left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF)-matched CHF patients underwent constant-load exercise tests (CLET) at moderate and high loads. The V˙O2, heart rate (HR), and cardiac output (CO) recovery kinetics were determined for the monoexponential relationship between these variables and time. Within-group analysis showed that the recovery time constant of HR (P<0.05, d=1.19 for CHF and 0.85 for CHF-COPD) and CO (P<0.05, d=1.68 for CHF and 0.69 for CHF-COPD) and the mean response time (MRT) of CO (P<0.05, d=1.84 for CHF and 0.73 for CHF-COPD) were slower when moderate and high loads were compared. CHF-COPD patients showed smaller amplitude of CO recovery kinetics (P<0.05) for both moderate (d=2.15) and high (d=1.07) CLET. Although the recovery time constant and MRT means were greater in CHF-COPD, CHF and CHF-COPD groups were not differently affected by load (P>0.05 in group vs load analysis). The ventilatory efficiency was related to MRT of V˙O2 during high CLET (r=0.71). Our results suggested that the combination of CHF and COPD may further impair the recovery kinetics compared to CHF alone.

Cadaveric Study On Normal And Variant Anatomy Of Left Coronary Artery

Background: Human heart is supplied by coronary arteries – Right and Left coronary artery. The coronary arteriesarise from the aortic sinuses and the left coronary artery from the left posterior aortic sinus. The left coronaryartery has two branches, the anterior interventricular and circumflex arteries. The anterior interventricularbranch is the continuation of left coronary artery, gives off septal branches, right and left ventricular branches.The left ventricular branches are called diagonal arteries. The left circumflex artery gives off left atrial and leftventricular branches. One of these atrial branches supply the sinoatrial node in 35% of subjects and AV node in10-20% of the subjects.Materials and Methods: The study was carried out in the department of anatomy, Kasturba Medical College,Manipal, India. The study was performed on 50 formalin fixed human hearts of unknown sex and age. The leftcoronary artery and their branches were carefully dissected. The origin, branches & branching pattern of leftcoronary artery was observed, noted and photographed.Results: In present study, 49 samples (98%) showed the origin of left coronary artery from left posterior aorticsinus while 01 sample (02%) had no trunk of left coronary artery. Sino-atrial nodal artery was originating formcircumflex artery in 13 samples (26%) and atrio-ventricular nodal artery from the circumflex artery in 05samples (10%). The trunk of left coronary artery was bifurcating in 37 samples (74%) and trifurcating in 12samples (24%) with one sample (02%) showing absent trunk of left coronary artery. The median artery waspresent in 12 samples (24%) and posterior interventricular artery was originating from circumflex artery in 05samples (10%).Conclusion: Left coronary artery commonly originated from left posterior aortic sinus with very few variations.Sino-atrial nodal artery and atrioventricular nodal artery commonly originates from right coronary artery.Bifurcation of left coronary artery is commoner than trifurcation. The present study is useful in better understandingof the normal and variant anatomy of left coronary artery

Estratégias de atendimento à crise psíquica por um serviço de atendimento móvel de urgência / Strategies for dealing with the psychic crisis by an emergency mobile service

Objetivo: conhecer quais estratégias estão sendo adotadas no atendimento à crise psíquica pelos profissionais de um Serviço de Atendimento Móvel de Urgência num município do Recôncavo da Bahia. Métodos: estudo qualitativo, descritivo e exploratório. Foram participantes, 22 profissionais que prestam assistência direta aos usuários do serviço. Coletaram-se os dados por meio de entrevista semiestruturada em abril de 2018, analisou-se os dados por meio da técnica de análise temática. Resultados: evidenciou-se como estratégias de atendimento: a avaliação da cena, ação conjunta com a polícia militar, ações de contenção física e química, orientação à família, encaminhamento do usuário para o serviço hospitalar. Considerações finais: as estratégias de atendimentos a crise psíquica são fundamentadas na psiquiatria clássica, havendo a necessidade de educação permanente das equipes do referido serviço, baseando-se nos cuidados fundamentados no modo de atenção psicossocial.

Objective: to know what strategies are being adopted in the care of the psychic crisis by the professionals of emergency mobile service in a municipality of the Recôncavo of Bahia. Methods: this is a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory study. Twenty-two professionals who provide direct assistance to the users of the service were participants of this study. The data were collected by means of a semistructured interview in April of 2018 and was used the technique of content thematic analysis. Results: the evaluation of the scene, joint action with the military police, actions of physical and chemical containment, orientation to the family, and referral of the user to the hospital service were evidenced. Final considerations: the strategies for attending to the psychic crisis are based on the classic psychiatric way, there is a need for permanent education of the emergency mobile service teams based on the psychosocial care.

Histological differentiation of human fetal kidney.

Introduction: The description of development of human kidney given in various textbooks doesn’t include detail microscopic appearance of kidney at various fetal ages. So an attempt was made in this study to gather information on this topic. Material and methods: The present study was carried out on 15 human fetuses of known gestational age (GA). The sections of kidney were processed and were stained using Hematoxylin and Eosin. Results: At 12th week of GA various stages of developing glomeruli were observed in the substance of the kidneys. In the cortex, various cut sections of the tubules were observed without any differentiation as proximal (PCT) and distal tubules (DCT). The second trimester section showed well differentiated the PCT and DCT by 16th week. Distinct brush border was observed in PCT by the 16th week. Immature duct system was observed in the medulla. The nephrogenic zone was appreciated till 36 weeks. By 28 th week the sections of DCT were observed adjacent to the renal corpuscles indicating the developing juxtaglomerular apparatus. Conclusion: As it is essential to know the developmental morphology of kidney, the present study explains every component of it in detail.

Lack of interpopulation genetic structure in the genus Stegastes (Perciformes) with indication of local introgression

The family Pomacentridae comprises about 326 species belonging to 28 genera. The genus Stegastes is composed of nearly 33 species, and 8 are endemic to the Brazilian Province, inhabiting the Brazilian coast (Stegastes fuscus, S. variabilis, S. leucosticus, S. uenfi, and S. pictus) or Western Atlantic oceanic islands (S. trindadensis, S. rocasensis and S. sanctipauli). Stegastes species play a major role in the reef ecosystem since they interfere significantly with the composition of benthonic organisms. Studies about population genetics and speciation of Neotropical ichthyofauna are scarce, particularly at insular areas from the Western Atlantic. Random amplified polymorphic DNA markers were used to analyze the population genetic structure of the continental species S. fuscus and S. variabilis (Northeastern Brazil) as well as the insular species S. sanctipauli (Saint Paul’s Rocks). Analysis of population parameters revealed a high index of intrapopulation genetic variability in the species, except for S. sanctipauli, which showed low values. The phiST values in samples of S. fuscus and S. variabilis obtained at distinct collection sites 35 km apart from each other indicated a lack of population genetic structure. An intermediary profile of species-specific markers was detected in some individuals of S. fuscus and S. variabilis from Santa Rita, Rio Grande do Norte, suggesting a putative introgression event between the two species. The genetic profiles observed in Stegastes populations indicate a higher genetic variability along the shoreline than at oceanic sites, related to a reduced effective population size on islands. The lack of genetic differentiation among coastal populations suggests that, despite some biological features such as non-migratory behavior and territoriality, the pelagic larval phase of these species is able to promote an interpopulation homogeneity among sampled areas.

Behavioral and physiological methods for early quantitative assessment of spinal cord injury and prognosis in rats

Methods for reliable evaluation of spinal cord (SC) injury in rats at short periods (2 and 24 h) after lesion were tested to characterize the mechanisms implicated in primary SC damage. We measured the physiological changes occurring after several procedures for producing SC injury, with particular emphasis on sensorimotor functions. Segmental and suprasegmental reflexes were tested in 39 male Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g divided into three control groups that were subjected to a) anesthesia, b) dissection of soft prevertebral tissue, and c) laminectomy of the vertebral segments between T10 and L1. In the lesion group the SC was completely transected, hemisected or subjected to vertebral compression. All animals were evaluated 2 and 24 h after the experimental procedure by the hind limb motility index, Bohlman motor score, open-field, hot-plate, tail flick, and paw compression tests. The locomotion scale proved to be less sensitive than the sensorimotor tests. A reduction in exploratory movements was detected in the animals 24 h after the procedures. The hot-plate was the most sensitive test for detecting sensorimotor deficiencies following light, moderate or severe SC injury. The most sensitive and simplest test of reflex function was the hot-plate. The hemisection model promoted reproducible moderate SC injury which allowed us to quantify the resulting behavior and analyze the evolution of the lesion and its consequences during the first 24 h after injury. We conclude that hemisection permitted the quantitation of behavioral responses for evaluation of the development of deficits after lesions. Hind limb evaluation scores and spontaneous exploration events provided a sensitive index of immediate injury effects after SC lesion at 2 and 24 h. Taken together, locomotion scales, open-field, and hot-plate tests represent reproducible, quantitatively sensitive methods for detecting functional deficiencies within short periods of time, indicating their potential...

Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (EGb 761) enhances catalepsy induced by haloperidol and L-nitroarginine in mice

Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 has been reported to have therapeutic effects which have been attributed to anti-oxidant and free radical-scavenging activities, including a direct action on nitric oxide production. L G-nitro-arginine (L-NOARG), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and haloperidol, a drug that blocks dopamine receptors, are both known to induce catalepsy in rodents. Nitric oxide has been shown to influence dopaminergic transmission in the striatum. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the extract obtained from leaves of Ginkgo biloba tree EGb 761 on catalepsy induced by haloperidol or by L-NOARG. Albino Swiss mice (35-45 g, N = 8-12) received by gavage a single or repeated oral dose (twice a day for 4 days) of EGb 761 followed by ip injection of haloperidol or L-NOARG. After the treatments, the animals were submitted to behavioral evaluation using the catalepsy test. Acute treatment with 80 mg/kg EGb did not modify the catalepsy induced by L-NOARG but, the dose of 40 mg/kg significantly enhanced haloperidol-induced catalepsy measured at the 10th min of the test. After repeated treatment with 80 mg/kg EGb 761, a significant increase in the cataleptic effect produced by both haloperidol and L-NOARG was observed. These data show that repeated EGb 761 administration increases the effects of drugs that modify motor behavior in mice. Since the catalepsy test has predictive value regarding extrapyramidal effects, the possibility of pharmacological interactions between haloperidol and Ginkgo biloba extracts should be further investigated in clinical studies.

Implantaçäo da produçäo de 123I Ultra-puro no IEN/CNEN-RJ / Implantation of production of ultra-pure 123I in IEN/CNEN-RJ

A produção do (123)I no IEN/CNEN-RJ a partir da reação (124)TeO2(p,2n)(123)I é limitada tanto pelo seu baixa rendimento como pela sua pureza radionuclídica inviabilizando sua expedição para for a do Rio de Janeiro. Com o intuito de se vencer estas limitações é que se decidiu pela implantação da produção de (123)I ultra-puro a partir da reação (124)Xe(p,2n)(123)Cs©(123)Xe©(123)©I, método utilizado pelo FZK com quem se iniciou um intercâmbio para transferência da tecnologia dentro da nossa realidade. Com este método será possível produzir 1,0 Ci/batelada de (123)I ultra-puro.

Efect of cold environment on the rat serum xanthine dehydrigenase in carbon tetrachloride poisoning

Cold acclimatization (2-5-C) not less than 20 days increases the blood serum xanthine dehydrogenase in normal as in CCl4 poisoned rats. The enzyme of the liver remains unchanged

Imunoterapia ativa específica e imunoquimioterapia adotiva em tumores experimentais: açäo da interleukin - 2

Uma preparaçäo de proteínas de membrana plasmática de células tumorais obtidas por processo original de vesículaçäo de membrana celular é usada como antígeno específico do tumor. Em sistema singênico protegeu 80% dos camundongos contra inóculo tumoral. Inóculo tumoral jé estabelecido, em início de crescimento, é curado em 70 a 80% com inoculaçäo de antígeno de membrana com afjuvante, em tumores experimentais de camundongo. A imunoterapia adotiva específica, isto é, a transferência de linfócitos pré-sensibilizados, näo protegeu camundongos contra tumor já desenvolvido. A imunoquimioterapia adotiva, transferência de linfócitos de baço de animal imunizados pelo tumor + 1 dose de ciclofosfamida foi eficiente, curando 80% dos animais com tumor singênico já estabelecido, sendo que a ciclofosfamida apenas retarda temporariamente o crescimento tumoral. Este projeto näo tem aplicaçäo clínica, pois para o doente näo se dispöe de linfócitos isogênicos sensibilizados especialmente contra seu câncer. Está sendo tentada a substituiçäo de linfócitos T sensibilizados por "Interleukin-2" + ciclofosfamida. A "Interkeukin-2" é obtida in vitro por açäo de macrófago + linfócito T helper + concanavalina A. Experiência preliminares em tumores experimentais deram nítido retardamento do crecimento dos mesmos. Este produto está sendo purificado e concentrado e produzido especificamente com antígeno do próprio tumor