Short-term exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash produces proximal airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with inflammatory cell reactions, tissue destruction and lung remodeling. Many signaling pathways for these phenomena are still to be identified. We developed a mouse model of COPD to evaluate some pathophysiological mechanisms acting during the initial stage of the disease. Forty-seven 6- to 8-week-old female C57/BL6 mice (approximately 22 g) were exposed for 2 months to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash (ROFA), a concentrate of air pollution. We measured lung mechanics, airspace enlargement, airway wall thickness, epithelial cell profile, elastic and collagen fiber deposition, and by immunohistochemistry transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), macrophage elastase (MMP12), neutrophils and macrophages. We observed regional airspace enlargements near terminal bronchioles associated with the exposure to smoke or ROFA. There were also increases in airway resistance and thickening of airway walls in animals exposed to smoke. In the epithelium, we noted a decrease in the ciliated cell area of animals exposed to smoke and an increase in the total cell area associated with exposure to both smoke and ROFA. There was also an increase in the expression of TGF-β1 both in the airways and parenchyma of animals exposed to smoke. However, we could not detect inflammatory cell recruitment, increases in MMP12 or elastic and collagen fiber deposition. After 2 months of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ROFA, mice developed regional airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling, although no inflammation or increases in fiber deposition were detected. Some of these phenomena may have been mediated by TGF-β1.

Análise farmacognóstica da droga e do extrato fluido das folhas de Symphytum officinale L. (Boraginaceae)

Conhecido popularmente pelo nome de confrei e recomendado como medicamento fitoterápico pela RDC nº 17 de 25/02/00 da ANVISA, Symphytum officinale L. (Boraginaceae) vem sendo utilizado por diferentes populações desde 2000 AC, com o intuito de consolidar ossos fraturados e cicatrizar feridas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi apresentar subsídios ao controle de qualidade da indústria farmacêutica na produção do fitoterápico de uso tópico, à base de folhas de confrei. Procedeu-se à identificação morfo-anatômica foliar da planta medicinal e a droga vegetal foi submetida à determinação de água, resíduo seco e cinzas totais e insolúveis em ácido. Os extratos etanólico e aquoso foram ensaiados em triplicata, quanto à análise organoléptica, determinação de pH e resíduo seco, detecção de grupos químicos e quantificação do princípio ativo alantoína.

Known popularly by the confrei name and recommended as phytomedicine by Anvisa RDC n.º 17 Act of 25/02/00, Symphytum officinale L. (Boraginaceae) it comes being used by different populations from 2000 AC, with the aim of to consolidate fractured bones and to heal wounds. The objective of this work went present subsidies to the control of quality of the pharmaceutical industry in the production of the phytomedicine of topical use, to the base of confrei leaves. It was proceeded to the morphological and anatomical identification to foliate of the medicinal plant and the vegetable drug was submitted to the determination of water, dry residue and total and insoluble ashes in acid. The etanolic and aqueous extracts were rehearsed in triplicate, with relationship to the sensorial analysis, pH determination and dry residue, detection of chemical groups and quantification of the beginning active allantoin.

Avaliacao de auto-anticorpos tiroidianos no bocio difuso toxico: estudo pre e pos-operatorio. / Evaluation of thyroid autoantibodies in diffuse toxic goiter: pre and postoperative study

Os autores estudam na Disciplina de Cirurgia da Cabeca e Pescoco do Hospital das Clinicas da FMUSP, a relacao possivel entre o hipotiroidismo pos-operatorio, na doenca de Graves, e a presenca de altos niveis sericos de anticorpos antitiroidianos previamente determinados, concluindo, neste seu trabalho, pela falta de correlacao entre estes fatores; nao obstante, sugerem a continuacao de tal estudo no ambito das tiroidectomias por bocio difuso toxico