[Experimental cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride inhalation: adaptation of the technique and evaluation of lipid peroxidation]. / Cirrose experimental induzida pela inalação de tetracloreto de carbono: adaptação da técnica e avaliação da peroxidação lipídica.

BACKGROUND: Long-term administration of carbon tetrachloride is an accepted experimental model to produce hepatic fibrosis. Oxidative stress has been postulated as a major molecular mechanism involved in carbon tetrachloride hepatotoxicity, where the reactive oxygen species play an important role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis. AIMS: This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of an experimental model of hepatic cirrhosis induced by carbon tetrachloride inhalation as well as the importance of lipid peroxidation and the characteristics of the ascitic fluid in this model. METHODS: At first the hepatic histologic findings were assessed using the hematoxilineosin technique in different moments of carbon tetrachloride inhalation (5th, 7th, 9th, 12th weeks). Later, at the end of 15 weeks of the study the rats were divided in three groups (control; control + phenobarbital; and carbon tetrachloride + phenobarbital) for lipid peroxidation, ascitic fluid and histologic characteristics evaluation. For the lipid peroxidation analysis, thiobarbituric acid and QL techniques were used. Cytologic and bacteriologic parameters were analysed in the ascitic fluid. RESULTS: Cirrhosis was established in 100% of carbon tetrachloride rats between the 12th and 15th weeks with an elevation in the lipid peroxidation carbon tetrachloride rats' livers. Ascitic fluid infection was observed in one of seven rats who has developed ascites. CONCLUSIONS: The carbon tetrachloride inhalation method developed in this study is effective in cirrhosis induction and ascites formation, and the carbon tetrachloride cirrhosis physiopathogenesis is probably related to the oxidative stress installation.

Soft tissue injuries associated with traumatic locked facets in the cervical spine.

The clinical, radiological and operative findings in 10 consecutive patients with cervical spine trauma presenting with locked facets (bilaterally in nine patients) are reported. The treatment was cervical traction until reduction of the locked facets was achieved, followed by anterior surgical decompression and ostheosynthesis. Intervertebral disc herniation was present in nine of the patients, and ruptured calcified posterior longitudinal ligament was present in the remaining patient. Four patients improved after treatment (none of these had clinically complete tetraplegia preoperatively), and three patients died. Associated soft tissue injuries producing spinal cord compression after reduction of cervical locked facets were verified in all of the patients of this series, suggesting that systematic surgical exploration should be done in this category of patients.

Determinacao da proteina C-reativa na doenca reumatoide e no lupus eritematoso sistemico. Correlacoes com a velocidade de eritrossedimentacao e com a mucoproteina. / C-reactive protein determination in rheumatoid disease and systemic lupus erythematosus. Its correlation with the velocity of erythrosedimentation and micoprotein

A proteina C-reativa (PCR), a velocidade de eritrossedimentacao (VHS) e a mucoproteina (Muco) foram determinadas em 56 pacientes adultos: 34 com doenca reumatoide (DRe) e 22 com lupus eritematoso sistemico (LES). A PCR alcancou valores mais elevados na DRe ativa do que nos LES ativo, independente da presenca duma complicacao infecciosa. Verificamos na DRe um certo paralelismo nos achados da PCR com aqueles da VHS e da Muco, as quais traduzem, indistintamente, o grau de resposta inflamatoria, embora possam ter diferentes significados clinicos. No LES, observamos nitida diferenca entre os resultados obtidos no grupo com a doenca ativa sem infeccao daqueles com infeccao bacteriana associada principalmente em relacao aos niveis sericos de PCR. No entanto, em virtude do encontro de variaveis valores quantitativos (altos e baixos) nestas duas situacoes cli nicas, acreditamos ser temerario utilizar a PCR como elemento patognomico do diagnostico diferencial

Avaliacao de um novo teste de gravidez para fazer em casa, baseado na deteccao da gonadotrofina corionica na urina. / Evaluation of a new test of pregnancy to make at home, based on detection of chorionic gonadotropin in urine

Foram comparados os resultados do teste de gravidez Predictor executado por 100 pacientes em casa com os resultados dos testes executados pelo laboratorio. Houve coincidencia em 99% dos casos e somente uma paciente nao conseguiu executar o teste corretamente

[Intrauterine medicated artifacts for menstrual regulation in menacme and climacteric patients (author's transl)]. / Artefatos intra-uterinos com progesterona para regularizacao menstrual no menacme e no climaterio.

PIP: The authors discuss the validity of using progesterone-containing IUDs for menstrual regulation during the phases of the menacme and climacteric. A series of 195 patients divided into 4 groups was observed over the course of 13 cycles. In the 1st group, 100 patients had severe bleeding; in the 2nd group, 25 presented with endometrial hyperplasia; in the 3rd group 20 climacteric patients were observed, and in the 4th control group, 50 patients were included. After the study of these 4 series of patients, the author's conclusion is that topical progesterone administration through IUD insertion appears to be an ideal procedure for the regulation of menstrual disturbances in the preclimacteric phase, especially when the use of contraceptive measures to avoid pregnancy are convenient. (author's)^ieng