A comparative study of aging of the elastic fiber system of the diaphragm and the rectus abdominis muscles in rats

In the present study the age-related changes of the striated muscle elastic fiber system were investigated in the diaphragm and rectus abdominis muscles of 1-, 4-, 8- and 18-month-old rats. The activation patterns of these muscles differ in that the diaphragm is regularly mobilized tens of times every minute during the entire life of the animal whereas the rectus abdominis, although mobilized in respiration, is much less and more irregularly activated. The elastic fibers were stained by the Verhoeff technique for mature elastic fibers. Weigert stain was used to stain mature and elaunin elastic fibers, and Weigert-oxone to stain mature, elaunin and oxytalan elastic fibers. The density of mature and elaunin elastic fibers showed a progressive increase with age, whereas the amount of oxytalan elastic fibers decreased in both diaphragm and rectus abdominis muscles and their muscular fascias. These age-related quantitative and structural changes of the elastic fiber system may reduce the viscoelastic properties of the diaphragm and rectus abdominis muscles, which may compromise the transmission of tensile muscle strength to the tendons and may affect maximum total strength

Métodos de prevención de las alteraciones estructurales pulmonares en la hernia diafragmática congénita. Estudio experimental con cirugía fetal / Preventive methods of the lung alterations in congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Experimental study with fetal surgery

La hipoplasia pulmonar es la causa de muerte en el 30 al 50 por ciento de los recién nacidos con hernia diafragmática congénita. La ligadura traqueal en el feto, previene esta alteración, estimulando el crecimiento de la vía aérea. El objetivo principal de este trabajo es investigar un método de prevención de la hipoplasia pulmonar, basado en la administración intraamniótica de drogas, pasible de ser utilizado en la especie humana. Fueron operadas 36 conejas en el día 24 de gestación. En el primer grupo de fetos se creó una hernia diafragmática. En otros tres grupos además de la hernia diafragmática se efectuaron tres procedimientos adicionales: a) ligadura traqueal b) administración intraamniótica de dexametasona c) administración intraamniótica de surfactante. Se tomó como grupo control a 14 fetos, no operados, en el día 30, se efectuó una cesarea y se procedió a canular la tráquea de todos los animales para medir los parámetros funcionales (curvas de histéresis y de compliance). Los pulmones fueron recolectados para estudios biométricos: peso, volúmen e histología (evaluación cualitativa) y estudios histomorfométricos: densidad de septos alveolares, número de alvéolos por mm y evaluación de la densidad de fibras elásticas y colágenas. Se observó que la hernia diafragmática provocó una disminución significativa en el peso y volúmen de ambos pulmones, con caída de la histéresis y la complacencia, espesamiento de los septos alveolares, disminución del contenido en fibras elásticas y aumento del colágeno. La administración de surfactante y corticoides intraamnióticos produjeron efectos similares a los de la ligadura traqueal, corrigiendo parcialmente las alteraciones pulmonares en los fetos con hernia diafragmática, presentando el surfactante efectos más acenntuados. Concluímos que la administración intraamniótica de surfactante o dexametasona pueden subsistir a la ligadura traqueal como método experimental de prevención de la hipoplasia pulmonar, presente en los fetos con hernia diafragmática congénita

Morphometric evaluation of acinar cell number and volume in rat pancreas treated with dl-ethionine

1. The morphological changes of the pancreas induced by administration of dl-eyhionine were determined for treated rats and for a group of pair-fed untreated controls in order to separate the direct effect of dl-ethionine from the effect of accompanying reduction of food intake. 2. Adult male Wistar rats were studied in 3 groups of 10 animals each: 1) fed ad libitum and treated daily with dl-ethionine (35 mg/100 g body weight, ip) for 10 days; 2) treated daily with vehicle (saline) as group 1 and pair-fed to group 1; 3) treated daily with vehicle (saline) and fed ad libitum. Two rats from each group were killed on days 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 to characterize the ancreas in terms of morphological properties using morphometric analysis. 3. Exposure to del-ethionine induced a progressive and significant decrease in both pancreas weight and acinar cell number and volume. Pair feeding induced less pronounced decreases in pancreas weight and acinar cell volume. Pancreas weight was 125 mg/100g body weight for dl-ethionine-treated vs 205mg/100g body weight for pair-fed controls and 320 mg/100 g body weight for ad libitum-fed controls after 10 days. Acinar cell number (x ñ o-/Vn): 175 x 10**6 ñ 28.4 per µm3 for dl-ethionine-treated vs 221 x 10**6 ñ 17.3 per µm3 for pair-fed controls and 271 x 10**6 ñ 23.9 per µm3 for ad libitum-fed controls. Acinar cell volume (x ñ o-/Vn) was 1292 ñ 65.4 µm3 for dl-ethionine-treated vs 1436 ñ 74.9 µm3 for pair-fed controls and 1758 ñ 117.1 µm3 for ad libitum-fed controls. 4. Continuous treatment with dl-ethionine for 10 days induced pancreatic weight loss for two main reasons: 1) reduction of the number of acinar cells, an effect apparently induced by dl-ethionine administration, and 2) acinar cell atrophy consequent to food restriction

Predicting the immediate outcome of patients with cerebrovascular accident: a prognostic score.

A prognostic score was derived from a prospective study of 120 consecutive patients with cerebrovascular accident. Multivariate analysis was used to compare the presenting clinical features of 106 (88%) of these patients with their immediate outcome (survival or death). Similar analysis was also used to compare features on CT scan with immediate outcome in 45 patients. The immediate prognostic features included old age, history of previous stroke, mental obtundation at the onset, persistent altered consciousness greater than or equal to first 48 hours, altered consciousness appearing in the first 24-72 hours, complete hemiplegia, seizures, aspiration pneumonitis, and multiple/massive lesions and gross mass effect on CT scan. The prognostic score derived from discriminant function using CT scan variables was less accurate than that formulated from only clinical variables. In the latter (using clinical variables) a prognostic score of 46 or less suggested a 50% chance of recovery, scores of 47 or more a 50% chance of death, while scores of 12 or less and 63 or more suggested a 99% likelihood of survival and death respectively.

Protein-losing enteropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus

Enteropatia perdedora de proteina no lupus eritematoso sistemico. O caso de uma jovem de 23 anos com lupus eritematoso sistemico e enteropatia perdedora de proteina e descrito. A biopsia de delgado revelou linfangiectasia. O quadro regrediu com o uso de prednisona. A enteropatia perdedora de proteina deve ser suspeitada nos casos de lupus eritematoso sistemico com hipoalbuminemia e funcoes hepatica e renal preservadas. A revisao da literatura e apresentada salientando-se os aspectos fisiopatologicos envolvidos.

Teste tuberculinico e vacinacao BCG intradermica em servidores de uma empresa publica. / Tuberculin test and BCG intradermic vaccination in workerrs of a Public Company

Os autores descrevem o inicio da implantacao de programa de controle da tuberculose em Empresa Publica, no Municipio de Sao Paulo, mostrando os resultados do cadastramento tuberculinico seguido de aplicacao da vacina BCG intradermica nos "reatores negativos". Foram aplicados 8.016 testes tuberculinicos e 3.637 vacinas BCG intradermicas. O indice de infeccao tuberculosa situou-se ao redor de 39%. E tambem discutida a introducao da vacina BCG intradermica no exame pre-admissional

Doenca da cadeia alfa. / Alpha chain disease

A doenca da cadeia alfa se caracteriza por uma infiltracao linfoplasmocitaria no intestino delgado e ganglios mesentericos.Os autores descrevem um caso e salientam a importancia do diagnostico precoce, assim como o valor da investigacao do intestino delgado pela cirurgia, com a finalidade de se obter um melhor estadiamento da molestia. Nos casos em que a infiltracao linfoplasmocitaria e restrita a mucosa, o uso de antibioticos provoca remissao da doenca por tempo prolongado. Quando a invasao atinge camadas mais profundas, como sub-mucosa e muscular, deve-se considerar a doenca como um verdadeiro linfoma, usando medicacao apropriada