Dynamic expression of desmin, α-SMA and TGF-β1 during hepatic fibrogenesis induced by selective bile duct ligation in young rats

We previously described a selective bile duct ligation model to elucidate the process of hepatic fibrogenesis in children with biliary atresia or intrahepatic biliary stenosis. Using this model, we identified changes in the expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) both in the obstructed parenchyma and in the hepatic parenchyma adjacent to the obstruction. However, the expression profiles of desmin and TGF-β1, molecules known to be involved in hepatic fibrogenesis, were unchanged when analyzed by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Thus, the molecular mechanisms involved in the modulation of liver fibrosis in this experimental model are not fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular changes in an experimental model of selective bile duct ligation and to compare the gene expression changes observed in RT-PCR and in real-time quantitative PCR (qRT‐PCR). Twenty-eight Wistar rats of both sexes and weaning age (21-23 days old) were used. The rats were separated into groups that were assessed 7 or 60 days after selective biliary duct ligation. The expression of desmin, α-SMA and TGF-β1 was examined in tissue from hepatic parenchyma with biliary obstruction (BO) and in hepatic parenchyma without biliary obstruction (WBO), using RT-PCR and qRT‐PCR. The results obtained in this study using these two methods were significantly different. The BO parenchyma had a more severe fibrogenic reaction, with increased α-SMA and TGF-β1 expression after 7 days. The WBO parenchyma presented a later, fibrotic response, with increased desmin expression 7 days after surgery and increased α-SMA 60 days after surgery. The qRT‐PCR technique was more sensitive to expression changes than the semiquantitative method.

Oclusöes venosas retinianas: fatores de risco / Retinal venous oclusion: risk factors

Estudou-se no presente trabalho, os fatores de risco em relaçäo às oclusöes venosas retinianas. Os fatores de risco mais frequentes foram: hipertensäo arterial sistêmica, hipermetropia e glaucoma crônico simples. O diabetes mellitus foi uma associaçäo muito pouco frequente

Oftalmoplegia dolorosa ou sindrome de Tolosa-Hunt. / Painful ophtalmoplegia or Tolosa-Hunt syndrome

O autor descreve 4 casos da sindrome de Tolosa-Hunt, nos seus varios aspectos. Chama atencao da importancia que tem a flebografia orbitaria na elucidacao da doenca e dos corticoides no seu tratamento

Reconstrucao do canto medial e lateral. / Reconstruction of the medial and lateral canthus

Os autores analisaram 29 casos de reconstrucao de canto medial e lateral em pacientes portadores de lesoes tumorais, sendo 22 casos de canto medial e sete (7) de canto lateral.O tratamento cirurgico mostrou-se satisfatorio, pois as recidivas e complicacoes foram bastante reduzidas

Tumores palpebrais e das estruturas adjacentes (Estudos de 103 casos). / Eyelid and adjacent structure tumors (Study of 103 cases)

Os autores analizaram sob os aspectos clinico e cirurgico, 103 casos de tumores palpebrais e das estruturas adjacentes. Os carcinomas basocelulares palpebrais correspondem a 38.8% dos casos. Foram encontrados 52.46% de tumores malignos e 47.54% de tumores benignos considerando-se todos os tumores oculares externos. Chamam atencao para o grave problema do TUMOR VACINADO, oriundo e tratamento mal adequado. Foram relatados 3 casos de recidiva um paciente dos quais faleceu por metastases em caso de adenocarcinoma de glandula de Meibomius