Influence of neural mobilization in the sympathetic slump position on the behavior of the autonomic nervous system

Abstract Introduction The neural mobilization technique in the sympathetic slump position (NMSS) was based on the slump test, whose purpose was to directly influence the sympathetic trunk and thus provide greater analgesia by sympathetic activation and treat pain syndromes caused by peripheral sympathetic changes. Therefore, as the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is responsible for extrinsic regulation of the cardiovascular system through sympathetic and parasympathetic action, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the NMSS technique on the systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate variability in athlete and non-athlete men. Methods Twenty-eight subjects performed the procedure that was divided into three phases: rest; intervention and recovery, lasting 4 minutes and 30 seconds each, totaling a 13-minute and 30 seconds collection time. Results The results showed that the NMSS technique significantly influences the action/activity of the ANS, as there was predominant sympathetic activation during the application of the technique, which was observed by the increase in systolic blood pressure, low frequency (LF), LF/HF ratio and decreased values of high frequency (HF). Conclusion It may be concluded that the neural mobilization technique on the sympathetic slump (NMSS) significantly influences the ANS action/activity. Among the groups there was no statistically significant difference in heart rate variability. It is worth noting that patients with cardiovascular disorders may be at risk if the NMSS technique is applied, since there was an increase in SBP and sympathetic activation during its application in both groups.

Detecting alterations of glucose and lipid components in human serum by near-infrared Raman spectroscopy

Introduction Raman spectroscopy may become a tool for the analysis of glucose and triglycerides in human serum in real time. This study aimed to detect spectral differences in lipid and glucose components of human serum, thus evaluating the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy for diagnostic purposes. Methods A total of 44 samples of blood serum were collected from volunteers and submitted for clinical blood biochemical analysis. The concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density and high-density lipoproteins (LDL and HDL) were obtained using standard biochemical assays. Serum samples were placed in Eppendorf tubes (200 µL), kept cooled (5 °C) and analyzed with near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (830 nm, 250 mW, 50 s accumulation). The mean spectra of serum with normal or altered concentrations of each parameter were compared to determine which Raman bands were related to the differences between these two groups. Results Differences in peak intensities of altered sera compared to normal ones depended on the parameter under analysis: for glucose, peaks were related to glucose; for lipid compounds the main changes occurred in the peaks related to cholesterol, lipids (mainly triolein) and proteins. Principal Components Analysis discriminated altered glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides from the normal serum based on the differences in the concentration of these compounds. Conclusion Differences in the peak intensities of selected Raman bands could be seen in normal and altered blood serum samples, and may be employed as a means of diagnosis in clinical analysis.

Vias de sinalização envolvidas na invasão celular por formas amastigotas extracelulares de Trypanosoma cruzi das duas principais linhagens filogenéticas / Signal transduction pathwais involved in host cell invasion by T. cruzi amastigotes of strains from the two major phylogenetic lineages

Na primeira parte desta tese examinamos o papel de GTPases monoméricas da família Rho (Rho, Rac e Cdc42) no processo de invasão de células MDCK transfectadas (que superexpressam essas proteínas) por formas amastigotas e tripomastigotas metacíclicas de Trypanosoma cruzi das duas principais linhagens filogenéticas deste parasita. De acordo com os resultados obtidos determinamos que amastigotas intracelulares das diferentes cepas apresentam baixa infectividade nos diferentes transfectantes de células MDCK. A super expressão de GTPases monoméricas em células MDCK não afetou a infectividade da forma TM de diferentes cepas. Além disso, observamos que amastigotas extracelulares da cepa G invadiram mais significativamente o transfectante Rac1 V12 (constitutiva mente ativo) que os demais. Além disso, o transfectante Rac1 N17 (dominante-negativo) foi menos suscetível à infecção por amastigotas extracelulares da cepa G do que as células usadas como controle. Estes dados indicam que as proteínas Rac parecem estar relacionadas com a invasão celular por formas amastigotas extracelulares da cepa G de T. cruzi. Na segunda etapa deste trabalho estudamos as vias de transdução de sinal que são ativadas durante o processo de invasão celular por formas amastigotas extracelulares de T. cruzi das cepas G e CL, através de compostos que interferem direta ou indiretamente nas diversas rotas de sinalização. Demonstramos que AE das cepas G e CL de T. cruzi induzem um aumento na concentração de Ca 2+ intracelular em células HeLa de maneira dose-dependente. O tratamento dos parasitas com drogas que interferem na mobilização de cálcio intracelular não alterou a infectividade destes. Porém, o tratamento das células reduziu a infectividade dos AE das cepas G e CL. A…(au)