Heat Stress Modulates Brain Monoamines and Their Metabolites Production in Broiler Chickens Co-Infected with Clostridium perfringens Type A and Eimeria spp.

Heat stress has been related to the impairment of behavioral and immunological parameters in broiler chickens. However, the literature is not clear on the involvement of neuroimmune interactions in a heat stress situation associated with bacterial and parasitic infections. The present study evaluated the production of monoamines and their metabolites in brain regions (rostral pallium, hypothalamus, brain stem, and midbrain) in broiler chickens submitted to chronic heat stress and/or infection and co-infection with Eimeria spp. and Clostridium perfringens type A. The heat stress and avian necrotic enteritis (NE) modulated the neurochemical profile of monoamines in different areas of the central nervous system, in particular, those related to the activity of the hypothalamus-hypophysis-adrenal (HPA) axis that is responsible for sickness behavior. C. perfringens and/or Eimeria infection, heat stress increased 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 4,4 dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and DOPAC/dopamine (DA) in the rostral pallium; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethylene glycol (MHPG), homovanillic acid (HVA), HVA/DA, DOPAC/DA, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA)/5-HT in the hypothalamus; MHPG, 5-HIAA/5-HT, DOPAC/DA, and HVA/DA in the midbrain; and MHPG, DOPAC, HVA, HVA/DA, DOPAC/DA, and 5-HIAA/5-HT in the brainstem. Heat stress decreased noradrenaline + norepinephrine (NOR + AD) in all brain regions analyzed; 5-HT in the hypothalamus, midbrain, and brainstem; and DA in the midbrain. The results also showed the existence and activity of the brain-gut axis in broiler chickens. The brain neurochemical profile and corticosterone production are consistent with those observed in chronic stressed mammals, in animals with sickness behavior, and an overloading of the HPA axis.

Zinc as a therapy in a rat model of autism prenatally induced by valproic acid.

Autism is characterized by numerous behavioral impairments, such as in communication, socialization and cognition. Recent studies have suggested that valproic acid (VPA), an anti-epileptic drug with teratogenic activity, is related to autism. In rodents, VPA exposure during pregnancy induces autistic-like effects. Exposure to VPA may alter zinc metabolism resulting in a transient deficiency of zinc. Therefore, we selected zinc as a prenatal treatment to prevent VPA-induced impairments in a rat model of autism. Wistar female rats received either saline solution or VPA (400 mg/kg, i.p) on gestational day (GD) 12.5. To test the zinc supplementation effect, after 1 h of treatment with saline or VPA, a dose of zinc (2 mg/kg, s.c.) was injected. The offspring were tested for abnormal communication behaviors with an ultrasound vocalization task on postnatal day (PND) 11, repetitive behaviors and cognitive ability with a T-maze task on PND 29, and social interaction with a play behavior task on PND 30. Tyrosine hydroxylase protein (TH) expression was evaluated in the striatum. Prenatal VPA decreased ultrasonic vocalization, induced repetitive/restricted behaviors and cognitive inflexibility, impaired socialization, and reduced striatal TH levels compared with control group. Zinc treatment reduced VPA-induced autistic-like behaviors. However, we found no evidence of an effect of zinc on the VPA-induced reduction in TH expression. The persistence of low TH expression in the VPA-Zn group suggests that Zn-induced behavioral improvement in autistic rats may not depend on TH activity.

Ensino em controle social na residência multiprofissional em saúde: relato de experiência / Teaching in social control in multiprofessional residence in health: experience report

As Residências Multiprofissionais em saúde no Brasil garantem a formação de profissionais aptos ao trabalho no Sistema único de Saúde, baseado no ensino em serviço. A compreensão do Controle Social como ferramenta no processo de trabalho do residente se faz necessária. Este trabalho relata a experiência adquirida em 2 (dois) programas de residência multiprofissional em saúde da região norte do Brasil, a saber: O Programa de Residência Multiprofissional em Estratégia Saúde da família da Universidade do Estado do Pará (UEPA) e o Programa Multiprofissional em Atenção à Clínica Integrada da Universidade federal do Pará (UFPA), nas atividades de ensino de uma disciplina curricular obrigatória, envolvendo a temática de Controle Sociale participação popular, ocorrido na UEPA, no Centro de Ciências Biológicas (CCBS), tendo como público alvo todos residentes de diversas áreas, bem como: Biomedicina, Enfermagem, Fisioterapia, Odontologia, Serviço Social e Terapia Ocupacional, instruídos através de aulas teórica e prática, incluindo metodologias ativas (rodas de conversa, dinâmicas de grupo, encenações e debates em grupo) .A partir da disciplina denominada Controle Social, os residentes destacaram a importância de se exercer o controle social, aplicando na prática da Residência o conhecimento adquirido nas aulas teóricas da disciplina, que envolveu reuniões dos Conselhos e Conferências de Saúde; de incentivo ao fortalecimento e protagonismo da comunidade como sujeitos ativos na promoção de saúde. Evidenciou-se a necessidade de estratégias de articulação e integração entre as Residências, voltadas para aprendizagem e participação efetivas em conselhos municipais de saúde, com gestores, profissionais, líderes comunitários, além de empoderar os usuários, buscando autonomia na tomada de decisões.

The multiprofessional residences in health in Brazil guarantee the formation of professionals capable of working in the Unified Health System, based on in-service teaching. Understanding of social control as a tool in the resident's work process becomes necessary. This paper reports on the experience gained in two (2) multiprofessional health residency programs in the northern region of Brazil, namely the Multiprofessional Residency Program in Family Health Strategy of the State University of Pará (UEPA) and the Multiprofessional Program in Attention to the Clinical Integration of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), in the teaching activities of a compulsory curricular discipline, involving the theme Social Control and popular participation, held at UEPA, at the Center for Biological Sciences (CCBS). Residents of different areas, as well as: Biomedicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Dentistry, Social Work and Occupational Therapy, instructed through theoretical and practical classes, including active methodologies (discussion routes, group dynamics, paper pieces and group discussions) . From the discipline called Social Control, the residents emphasized the importance of the exercise of social application, applying in the practice of the Residencia the knowledge acquired in the theoretical classes of the discipline, involving meetings of Health Councils and Conferences; Encouraging community empowerment and protagonism as active subjects in health promotion. The need for articulation and integration strategies among the residences, focused on effective learning and participation in municipal health councils, with managers, professionals, community leaders and empowerment of users, seeking autonomy in decision making was evidenced.

Cohabitation with a sick partner increases allergic lung inflammatory response in mice.

The bidirectional relationship between the nervous system and the immune system is relevant for homeostatic organism maintenance. Studies from our laboratory showed that 14days of cohabitation with a sick partner (injected with Ehrlich tumor cells-TAE) produced behavioral, neurochemical, endocrinological and immunological changes. This study analyzes the effects of cohabitation with an Ehrlich tumor-bearing animal on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammatory response in mice. Pairs of male mice were divided into three groups: naïve, control and experimental. Animals of the naïve group were kept undisturbed being used for the assessment of basal parameters. One animal of each experimental and control pair of mice was immunized with OVA. On ED(0), these OVA-immunized animals received an OVA booster. At this day (D(0)) the experimental mice that were kept undisturbed were inoculated with 5×10(6) Ehrlich tumor cells; their immunized cage-mates were then referred as to CSP ("companion of sick partner"). The undisturbed mice of each control pair were i.p. treated on D(0) with 0.9% NaCl; their sensitized cage-mates were subsequently referred as CHP ("companion of health partner"). The OVA challenge was performed on CSP and CHP mice on ED(12) and ED(13); blood and tissue collection were performed on ED(14). Fourteen days after cohabitation, in comparison to the CHP mice, the CSP mice displayed the following: (1) an increased number of eosinophils and neutrophils in the BAL, (2) a decreased bone marrow cell count, (3) increased levels of IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in the BAL supernatant, (5) increased levels of IgG1-OVA, decreased levels of IgG2a-OVA and no changes in OVA-specific IgE in the peripheral blood, (6) increased expression of L-selectin in the BAL granulocytes, (7) decreased tracheal reactivity to methacholine measured in vitro, (8) no changes in plasma corticosterone levels and (9) increased levels of plasmatic noradrenaline. These results suggest that allergic lung inflammatory response exacerbation in CSP mice is a consequence of the psychological stress induced by forced cohabitation with the sick partner. Strong involvement of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) through adrenaline and noradrenaline release and a shift of the Th1/Th2 cytokine profile toward a Th2 response were considered to be the mechanisms underlying the cell recruitment to the animal's airways.