Whole angiosperms Wolffia columbiana disperse by gut passage through wildfowl in South America.

For the first time to our knowledge, we demonstrate that whole angiosperm individuals can survive gut passage through birds, and that this occurs in the field. Floating plants of the genus Wolffia are the smallest of all flowering plants. Fresh droppings of white-faced whistling duck Dendrocygna viduata ( n = 49) and coscoroba swan Coscoroba coscoroba ( n = 22) were collected from Brazilian wetlands. Intact Wolffia columbiana were recovered from 16% of D. viduata and 32% of Coscoroba samples (total = 164 plantlets). The viability of plants was tested, and asexual reproduction was confirmed. Wolffia columbiana is an expanding alien in Europe. Avian endozoochory of asexual angiosperm propagules may be an important, overlooked dispersal means for aquatic plants, and may contribute to the invasive character of alien species.

Maternal-fetal outcome, lipid profile and oxidative stress of diabetic rats neonatally exposed to streptozotocin.

BACKGROUND: There is no evidence about the integrated issue on glycemia, lipid profile, oxidative stress, and anomaly frequency of pregnant diabetic rats neonatally exposed to streptozotocin. OBJECTIVE: Evaluating the impact of hyperglycemia in diabetic rats neonatally exposed to streptozotocin on maternal reproductive and fetal outcomes and the relationship with lipid profile and maternal oxidative stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten 90-day-old female Wistar rats were mated to obtain offspring. Some of these newborns received streptozotocin (70 mg/kg, i. p. - n5-STZ group) and the remainder given only citrate buffer (control group) on their day 5 of life. At adult life, these rats (n=13 animals/group) were mated and, at day 21 of pregnancy, they were killed to obtain a maternal blood samples for biochemical determinations. The gravid uterus was weighed with its contents and fetuses were analyzed. RESULTS: At day 0 of pregnancy, glycemic means of n5-STZ rats were significantly greater compared to those of control rats, but presented fetuses classified as small for pregnancy age. The n5-STZ rats showed increased total cholesterol, triglycerides, MDA concentrations, lower SOD activity and increased frequency fetal visceral anomalies as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the experimental model used led to mild hyperglycemia during pregnancy, although it did not lead to increased macrosomic fetus rates. The hyperglycemic maternal environment caused metabolic alterations, including increased triglyceride and total cholesterol concentrations, and elevated oxidative stress, contributing to increase fetal visceral anomalies.

Genotoxicity and fetal abnormality in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats exposed to cigarette smoke prior to and during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Maternal hyperglycemia during early pregnancy is associated with increased risk of abnormalities in the offspring. Malformation rates among the offspring of diabetic mothers are 2-5-fold higher than that of the normal population, and congenital malformations are the major cause of mortality and morbidity in the offspring of diabetic mothers. Metabolic changes, such as hyperglycemia and the metabolites obtained from cigarettes both increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the embryo or fetus, causing DNA damage. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the maternal and fetal genotoxicity, and to assess the incidence of fetal anomaly in diabetic female rats exposed to cigarette smoke at different stages of pregnancy in rats. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin administration and cigarette smoke exposure was produced by a mechanical smoking device that generated mainstream smoke that was delivered into a chamber. Female Wistar rats were randomly assigned to: non-diabetic (ND) and diabetic (D) groups exposed to filtered air; a diabetic group exposed to cigarette smoke prior to and during pregnancy (DS) and a diabetic group only exposed to cigarette smoke prior to pregnancy (DSPP). On pregnancy day 21, blood samples were obtained for DNA damage analysis and fetuses were collected for congenital anomaly assessment. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05 for all analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Exposure of diabetic rats to tobacco smoke prior to pregnancy increased fetal DNA damage, but failed to induce teratogenicity. Thus, these results reinforce the importance for women to avoid exposure to cigarette smoke long before they become pregnant.

A Brazilian galactosialidosis patient given renal transplantation: a case report.

We report a Brazilian girl who was diagnosed as having galactosialidosis (deficiency of protective protein/cathepsin A; PPCA deficiency; GS) at the age of 2 years 6 months during an extensive investigation for renal failure. She was found to have low levels of both ß-galactosidase and α-neuraminidase in fibroblasts and to be a carrier of two novel mutations in the PPGB gene (p.G57V and p.R396W). She received a renal allograft at the age of 3 years 4 months. Transplantation was successful and graft function remains excellent after 6 years. However, the patient shows signs of progression of her primary disease. To our knowledge, she is the first GS patient to be given renal transplantation worldwide. We propose that renal transplantation should be considered as a therapeutic option for the treatment of severe renal complications of GS.

Peduncular hallucinosis after sacrifice of veins of the petrosal venous complex for trigeminal neuralgia.

Peduncular hallucinosis is characterized by striking visual images, highly colored and mobile, which are recognized by the patient as imaginary. A 50-year-old-man underwent microvascular decompression for a classical right sided trigeminal neuralgia. During the procedure, the petrosal vein and a transverse pontine vein were sacrificed for trigeminal decompression. On the second postoperative day, the patient developed peduncular hallucinosis that disappeared on the forth postoperative day. This is the third case in the literature of peduncular hallucinosis after obliteration of veins of the petrosal venous complex for trigeminal neuralgia. The best policy in cerebellopontine angle surgery is to preserve the petrosal vein whenever possible to avoid complications related to venous congestion.