Síndrome de Eisenmenger em um gato / Eisenmenger syndrome in cat

A 6-month-old female, 1.0kg, uncastrated female Persian cat was brought to the Veterinary Hospital at State University of Ceara, with a history of dyspnea, prostration, hyporexia and progressive weight loss for a month. On physical examination, systolic cardiac murmur, cyanosis and dyspnea were detected. Unfortunately, the cat died during oxygen therapy. Necropsy examination revealed an increase in cardiac silhouette and ventricular septal defect of 2cm in diameter. Macroscopically the lungs were collapsed, with absent and diffusely reddish blackish crepitus, and the liver with blackish red coalescent multifocal areas, interspersed with lighter areas and lobular pattern with irregular brownish multifocal areas intercepted by brownish areas. Thus, the necropsy results together with the history and physical examination of the animal confirmed the diagnosis of Eisenmenger Syndrome, becoming the report of the first case, in a cat, in Brazil.(AU)

Calogênese em Cissus sicyoides L. a partir de segmentos foliares visando à produção de metabólitos in vitro / Calluses from Cissus sicyoides L. leaves

Os metabólitos secundários são essencialmente produzidos e extraídos a partir de plantas cultivadas no campo sobre a influência de variações sazonais. A utilização de técnicas biotecnológicas apresenta-se como um recurso alternativo para a produção de fármacos. Dentre essas técnicas, destaca-se a cultura de tecidos através da calogênese, uma vez que o crescimento de calos é desejável para induzir variação somaclonal e estudos fisiológicos, principalmente quando se deseja relacionar a presença de metabólitos secundários com o crescimento celular. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi estabelecer um protocolo de calogênese de Cissus sicyoides L., a partir de segmentos foliares visando à produção de metabólitos in vitro. Para o estabelecimento in vitro, foram utilizados como explantes, segmentos foliares retirados de planta adulta cultivada em campo. Após desinfestação, o material foi inoculado em meio MT + 1,0 mg L-1 ANA e mantido em câmara de crescimento tipo BOD, com temperatura e luminosidade controladas. Após 30 dias foram avaliados a porcentagem de explantes sobreviventes e de contaminação. Para o cultivo utilizou-se o meio MT + 1,0 mg L-1 ANA, variando-se as concentrações de BAP em 2,0; 4,0; 6,0 e 12,0 mg L-1. No cultivo avaliou-se o número de calos compactos e friáveis. Para o primeiro e segundo subcultivo o material foi introduzido em meio MT + 1,0 mg L-1 ANA variando-se as mesmas concentrações de BAP, sendo avaliados o número de calos friáveis formados e o tamanho da massa de calos. Foi obtido ainda o número de repetições formadas no decorrer dos subcultivos, peso da matéria fresca (g) e seca (g). Em seguida, foram realizados os testes fitoquímicos para identificação de alguns constituintes. Concluiu-se que o tempo e a concentração de hipoclorito de sódio utilizado, mostraram-se pouco eficientes para a desinfestação. Para a calogênese de Cissus sicyoides L. a partir de segmento foliar faz-se necessário a adição de 6,0 mg L-1 de BAP ao meio de cultivo ...

Secondary metabolites are essentially produced and extracted from plants grown in the field under influence of seasonal variations. The use of biotechnological techniques is an alternative resource for drug production. Among these techniques, tissue culture through callus genesis is highlighted, since callus growth is desirable to induce somaclonal variation and physiological studies, especially when the presence of secondary metabolites can be related to cell growth. The aim of this work was to establish a protocol for Cissus sicyoides L. callus genesis from leaf segments in order to produce metabolites in vitro. Thus, leaf segments removed from adult plants grown in the field were used as explants. After disinfestation, the material was inoculated into MT medium + 1.0 mg L-1 NAA and kept in a BOD chamber, with controlled temperature and luminosity. After 30 days, the percentage of surviving explants and the percentage of contamination were evaluated. For culture, MT medium + 1.0 mg L-1 NAA was used, varying BAP concentrations: 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 12.0 mg L-1. In the cultivation, the number of compact and friable calluses was counted. For the first and second subculture, the material was introduced into MT medium + 1.0 mg L-1 NAA, varying the same BAP concentrations; the number of friable calluses formed and the size of callus mass were described. The number of replicates formed during subcultures, and fresh and dry matter (g) were also obtained. Then, phytochemical tests were done in order to identify some compounds. The adopted time and concentration of sodium hypochlorite proved to be inefficient for disinfestation. For Cissus sicyoides L. callus genesis from leaf segments, the addition of 6.0 mg L-1 BAP to the culture medium is needed. Cardiotonic heterosides were detected in Cissus sicyoides L. calluses.

Edema induction by the disintegrin-like/cysteine-rich domains from a Bothrops atrox hemorrhagin.

Viperine and crotaline snake venoms contain one or more hemorrhagic metalloproteases called hemorrhagins. The most potent hemorrhagins belong to the P-III class and have, in addition to the protease domain, disintegrin-like and cysteine-rich domains. Although proteolytic degradation of vascular endothelium basement membrane has been established to be the main factor responsible for hemorrhage, several studies reveal other factors that actually do facilitate this process. Recent evidence has shown that the nonprotease domains of the P-III class hemorrhagins are able to inhibit the platelet aggregation by blocking essential procoagulant integrins on platelets. In this study we report the identification of a hemorrhagin from Bothrops atrox venom. This enzyme, a P-III class metalloprotease, undergoes an apparent spontaneous degradation, releasing a proteic fragment containing the disintegrin-like/cysteine-rich domains. This fragment shows the capability to induce an edematogenic process, suggesting the existence of a still unknown nonenzymatic mechanism of vascular permeability increase.

[Sickle cell trait: clinical presentation as acute liver failure]. / Traço falcêmico com apresentação clínica de insuficiência hepática aguda.

Acute liver insufficiency, followed by heart disease, pneumopathy and infectious syndrome is reported in a 36 year old brown alcoholic man in which the necropsy revealed anatomopathological changes suggesting sickle cell trait. Acute ischemic lesions were noted in the heart, kidneys, central nervous system and liver. In the absence of other causes explaining the ischemic lesions, they were attributed to circulatory changes related to sickle cell trait. Hepatic failure was consequent to functional disturbances derived from the occlusion of sinusoids and necrosis of hepatocytes. The factor responsible for sickling, which caused recent ischemic lesions, may have been the respiratory insufficiency secondary to lung disease. Chronic ischemic lesions have been seen in the heart and may be related to previous sickling episodes. Subsequent to necropsy findings, screening of family members revealed a daughter with sickle cell trait.