Response to fatigue observed through magnetic resonance imaging on the quadriceps muscle in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVES: Menopause marks the end of women's reproductive period and can lead to sarcopenia and osteoporosis (OP), increasing the risk of falls and fractures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of normal and low bone mineral density (BMD) on muscular activity, observed through inflammatory edema when mapping using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on the quadriceps muscle of postmenopausal women. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study involving 16 older women, who were divided into two groups: osteoporosis group (OG), older women with OP, and control group (CG), older women without OP. The groups were evaluated in terms of nuclear MRI exam before and after carrying out fatigue protocol exercises using an isokinetic dynamometer and squatting exercises. RESULTS: The results of the present study showed that in intragroup comparisons, for both groups, there was a significant increase (p<0.05) in the T2 signal of the nuclear MRI in the quadriceps muscle after carrying out exercises using both thighs. In the intergroup comparison, no statistically significant difference was observed between the OG and CG, pre- (p=0.343) and postexercise (p=0.874). CONCLUSION: The acute muscular activation of the quadriceps evaluated by T2 mapping on nuclear MRI equipment is equal in women with and without OP in the postmenopausal phase. BMD did not interfere with muscle response to exercise when muscle fatigue was reached.

Potential utility of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and propolis in enhancing the leishmanicidal activity of glucantime / A utilidade da terapia de oxigenação hiperbárica e própolis em potencializar a atividade leishmanicida do glucantime

In this study we investigated the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy, alone or combined with the pentavalent antimonial glucantime on Leishmania amazonensis infection. In parallel, the effect of Brazilian red propolis gel (propain) alone or combined with glucantime on L. amazonensis infection was evaluated. The inhibition of the infection in macrophages treated with glucantime in combination with HBO exposition was greater than that of macrophages treated with glucantime alone or HBO alone. The susceptible mouse strain BALB/c infected in the shaved rump with L. amazonensis treated with glucantime and exposed to HBO showed: time points in the course of the disease in which lesions were smaller than those of mice treated with glucantime alone and revascularization of the skin in the lesion site; interferon-gamma (IFN-g) levels were not elevated in lymph node cells from these animals. Propain alone was not efficient against lesions, although less exudative lesions were observed in animals treated with propain alone or combined with glucantime. These results reveal the potential value of HBO and red propolis in combination with glucantime for treating cutaneous leishmaniasis and encourage further studies on the effect of more aggressive HBO, propolis and glucantime therapies on different mouse models of leishmaniasis.

Nesse trabalho foi avaliada a eficácia da terapia da oxigenação hiperbárica (HBO), aplicada em combinação ou não com o tratamento com glucantime, durante a infecção com Leishmania amazonensis. O efeito de gel da própolis vermelha de origem brasileira (propaina) aplicado em combinação ou não com o tratamento com glucantime, também foi avaliado durante infecção com esse parasita. A inibição da infecção de macrófagos tratados com glucantime em combinação com HBO foi maior que a de macrófagos tratados apenas com glucantime ou HBO. A linhagem murina susceptível, BALB/c, infectada no dorso com L. amazonensis, tratada com glucantime e exposta a HBO, mostrou durante o curso da doença, fases em que as lesões eram menores do que a de camundongos apenas tratados com glucantime; observou-se revascularização da pele da lesão e baixa produção de interferon-gama em células de linfonodos desses animais. O tratamento com propaina não foi eficiente na cura das lesões, apesar de lesões menos exsudativas serem observadas em animais tratados com propaina ou propaina combinada ao tratamento com glucantime. Os resultados demonstram que tanto HBO como a própolis vermelha em combinação com glucantime, são promissoras no tratamento da leishmaniose cutânea. Novos estudos devem ser realizados para avaliar tratamentos e outros protocolos em diferentes modelos murinos da leishmaniose.