Nephroprotective effect of exercise training in cisplatin-induced renal damage in mice: influence of training protocol

Cisplatin is an effective antineoplastic agent, but its use is limited by its nephrotoxicity caused by the oxidative stress in tubular epithelium of nephrons. On the other hand, regular exercise provides beneficial adaptations in different tissues and organs. As with many drugs, dosing is extremely important to get the beneficial effects of exercise. Thus, we aimed to investigate the influence of exercise intensity and frequency on cisplatin-induced (20 mg/kg) renal damage in mice. Forty male Swiss mice were divided into five experimental groups (n=8 per group): 1) sedentary; 2) low-intensity forced swimming, three times per week; 3) high-intensity forced swimming, three times per week; 4) low-intensity forced swimming, five times per week; and 5) high-intensity forced swimming, five times per week. Body composition, renal structure, functional indicators (plasma urea), lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activity, expression of genes related to antioxidant defense, and inflammatory and apoptotic pathways were evaluated. Comparisons considered exercise intensity and frequency. High lipid peroxidation was observed in the sedentary group compared with trained mice, regardless of exercise intensity and frequency. Groups that trained three times per week showed more benefits, as reduced tubular necrosis, plasma urea, expression of CASP3 and Rela (NFkB subunit-p65) genes, and increased total glutathione peroxidase activity. No significant difference in Nfe2l2 (Nrf2) gene expression was observed between groups. Eight weeks of regular exercise training promoted nephroprotection against cisplatin-mediated oxidative injury. Exercise frequency was critical for nephroprotection.

Efeito dos genótipos para alphaS1-caseína sobre as frações proteicas e lipídicas do leite de cabra / Effect of genotypes for alphaS1-casein on proteic and lipidic fractions in goat milk

O alto polimorfismo encontrado no lócus do gene da αS1-caseína em caprinos, classificado em quatro níveis de expressão - alto, médio, baixo e nulo -, está associado à produção de 3,6; 1,6; 0,6 e 0g/L/alelo, respectivamente. O estudo foi realizado para investigar possíveis variações na produção de leite e seus constituintes, no perfil de caseínas e na lipólise da gordura. Quarenta e quatro cabras foram distribuídas em cinco genótipos: dois homozigotos, um para alta (AA) e outro para produção intermediária (EE), e três heterozigotos chamados AE, AF e EF, para αs1-caseína. Para a lipólise, o leite foi subamostrado em quatro alíquotas que sofreram tratamento térmico no momento da ordenha e após 24h de resfriamento. Diferenças entre genótipos foram observadas para a produção de caseína e de suas frações. As demais variáveis não diferiram entre genótipos. O genótipo AA apresentou os maiores conteúdos de caseína (28,6g/L) e de αS1-cn (22,3 por cento). Os demais genótipos apresentaram média de 20,4g/L. Os grupos AE e AF apresentaram média de 12,1, EE-10,1 e EF-9,1 por cento de αS1-cn. O resfriamento do leite por 24 horas aumentou a taxa de lipólise no leite. A genotipagem das cabras para αS1-cn pode ser usada como ferramenta de seleção com objetivo de obter produtos lácteos com distintos perfis de proteínas.

A high polymorphism is found in the locus of goat αS1-casein gene and it is classified in four levels of expression, named high, medium, and low, associated with production of 3.6, 1.6, 0.6, and 0 g/L/allele, respectively. The study was conducted to investigate possible variations on milk yield and components, profile of casein, and lipolysis of fat. Forty-four goats were assigned to five distinct genotypes as two homozygous, one for high (AA) and the other for intermediate yield (EE); and three heterozygous named AE, AF, and EF for the αs1-casein. For lipolysis, milk was sampled in four aliquots which were treated soon after milking and 24 hours after cooling. Differences were observed for both casein yield and its fractions. No difference was found for other variables. The AA genotype presented the higher content of both casein (28.6g/L) and αS1-cn (22.3 percent). Other genotypes averaged 20.4g/L for casein content. Values of αS1-cn were 12.1 percent for heterozygous and 10.1 and 9.1 percent for both EE and EF genotype respectively. Cooling the milk for 24 hours increased the rate of lipolysis. Genotyping goats for the αS1-cn can be used as a tool for selecting animal targeting milk products with distinct profiles of proteins.

A influência de bactérias patogênicas na transportabilidade do escarro e na qualidade de vida de portadores de bronquiectasia / The influence of pathogenic bacteria on transportability of sputum and quality of life among patients with bronchiectasis

INTRODUÇÃO: A qualidade de vida pode estar relacionada com o estado clínico do paciente, com o nível de infecção e com o microorganismo que o infecta. OBJETIVO: Analisar o perfil bacteriológico do escarro de pacientes com bronquiectasia e avaliar seu efeito no transporte in vitro e na qualidade de vida dos pacientes. MÉTODOS: Pacientes com bronquiectasia foram avaliados por questionários de qualidade de vida, cultura bacteriana e transporte in vitro do escarro. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 19 pacientes com bronquiectasia, com média de idade de 38,6 ± 16 anos. O grupo de portadores de bactérias potencialmente patogênicas, com 10 pacientes (grupo I), foi comparado ao grupo de portadores de bactérias não patogênicas, com 9 pacientes (grupo II). O grupo I teve menor velocidade relativa e maior deslocamento por tosse que o grupo II (p < 0,05). Pelo questionário do Hospital Saint George, na doença respiratória, o grupo I apresentou pior qualidade de vida (domínio impacto) (p < 0,05). Pelo World Health Organization Quality of Life - abreviado, o grupo I também apresentou pior qualidade de vida (domínio físico). Em relação à cor do escarro, quanto mais escuro, menor a velocidade relativa de transporte ciliar (r = -0,646; p = 0,007) e maior o deslocamento por tosse (r = 0,756; p = 0,001). CONCLUSÃO: Pacientes com bronquiectasia portadores de bactérias potencialmente patogênicas no escarro apresentam pior qualidade de vida e pior transporte ciliar no palato de rã, porém têm melhor deslocamento do escarro na máquina de tosse quando comparados àqueles sem bactérias potencialmente patogênicas.

INTRODUCTION: Patients' quality of life may be related to their clinical status and level of infection, and to the infecting microorganism. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the bacteriological profile of sputum from patients with bronchiectasis and to determine the effect of such bacteria on in vitro transport and patients' quality of life. METHODS: Patients with bronchiectasis were evaluated by means of quality-of-life questionnaires and sputum bacterial culturing and in vitro transport. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with bronchiectasis (mean age: 38.6 ± 16 years) were included in the study. A group of 10 patients with potentially pathogenic bacteria (group I) was compared with a group of 9 patients with nonpathogenic bacteria (group II). Group I presented lower relative transport velocity and greater displacement per cough maneuver than did group II (p < 0.05). Using the St. George's Hospital respiratory questionnaire, group I presented poorer quality of life in the impact domain (p < 0.05). Using the World Health Organization's Quality-of-Life brief questionnaire, group I also presented poorer quality of life in the physical domain. Regarding sputum color, the darker the sputum was, the lower the relative mucociliary transport velocity was (r = -0.695; p = 0.007) and the greater the displacement per cough maneuver was (r = 0.756; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients with bronchiectasis and potentially pathogenic bacteria in sputum present poorer quality of life and worse mucociliary transport in the frog palate, but better sputum displacement in the cough mechanism, in comparison with patients without potentially pathogenic bacteria.

Controle de larvas infectantes de Haemonchus placei por fungos predadores da espécie Monacrosporium elypsosporum em condições de laboratório / Control of infective Haemonchus placei larvae by predacious fungus Monacrosporium elypsosporum

Testou-se a eficácia do fungo predador da espécie Monascrosporium ellypsosporium no biocontrole de larvas infectantes de Haemonchus placei em laboratório. Foram formados três grupos, com três repetiçöes: grupo 1 - 1000 conídios e 10000 larvas infectantes; grupo 2 - 1000 conídios e grupo 3 - 10000 larvas infectantes. Houve diferença (P<0,05) nos valores médios de larvas infectantes livres da predaçäo entre os grupos 1 e 3. Isto indica que o M. ellypsosporum foi eficaz no controle de larvas infectantes de H. placei