SERS Investigation of Cancer Cells Treated with PDT: Quantification of Cell Survival and Follow-up.

In this study Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) data recorded from mouse mammary glands cancer cells (4T1 cell line) was used to assess information regarding differences between control, death and viable cells after Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) treatment. The treatment used nanoemulsions (NE/PS) loaded with different chloroaluminumphthalocyanine (ClAlP) photosensitizer (PS) contents (5 and 10 µmol × L-1) and illumination (660 nm wavelength) at 10 J × cm-2 (10 minutes). The SERS data revealed significant molecular alterations in proteins and lipids due to the PDT treatment. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to analyze the data recorded. Three-dimensional and well reproductive PCA scatter plots were obtained, revealing that two clusters of dead cells were well separated from one another and from control cluster. Overlap between two clusters of viable cells was observed, though well separated from control cluster. Moreover, the data analysis also pointed out necrosis as the main cell death mechanism induced by the PDT, in agreement with the literature. Finally, Raman modes peaking at 608 cm-1 (proteins) and 1231 cm-1 (lipids) can be selected for follow up of survival rate of neoplastic cells after PDT. We envisage that this finding is key to contribute to a quick development of quantitative infrared thermography imaging.

Foraging of Great Kiskadees (Pitangus sulphuratus) and food items offered to nestlings in the Pantanal.

Feeding of Pitangus sulphuratus (Tyrannidae) nestlings have been poorly studied. Here we describe the foraging behavior of a P. sulphuratus pair and the searching and offering time of food items to nestlings in the Pantanal, Brazil. Data collection was carried out over 25 days on the outskirts of the Base de Estudos do Pantanal building, inhabited by insectivorous bats. Records were based on direct observations with the help of binocular. The pair required little time for searching for small insects and fruits, but these items comprised a little amount of food per event of capture. Some large prey was more time-costly for searching, but the long period that these food items were offered to nestlings overcompensated the searching time. Considering the time of feeding nestlings (benefit) in relation to the searching time by the parents (cost), bats and snails are the most advantageous items for P. sulphuratus parents feeding nestlings at the study site.

Liposomal photosensitizers: potential platforms for anticancer photodynamic therapy.

Photodynamic therapy is a well-established and clinically approved treatment for several types of cancer. Antineoplastic photodynamic therapy is based on photosensitizers, i.e., drugs that absorb photons translating light energy into a chemical potential that damages tumor tissues. Despite the encouraging clinical results with the approved photosensitizers available today, the prolonged skin phototoxicity, poor selectivity for diseased tissues, hydrophobic nature, and extended retention in the host organism shown by these drugs have stimulated researchers to develop new formulations for photodynamic therapy. In this context, due to their amphiphilic characteristic (compatibility with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances), liposomes have proven to be suitable carriers for photosensitizers, improving the photophysical properties of the photosensitizers. Moreover, as nanostructured drug delivery systems, liposomes improve the efficiency and safety of antineoplastic photodynamic therapy, mainly by the classical phenomenon of extended permeation and retention. Therefore, the association of photosensitizers with liposomes has been extensively studied. In this review, both current knowledge and future perspectives on liposomal carriers for antineoplastic photodynamic therapy are critically discussed.

Liposomal photosensitizers: potential platforms for anticancer photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy is a well-established and clinically approved treatment for several types of cancer. Antineoplastic photodynamic therapy is based on photosensitizers, i.e., drugs that absorb photons translating light energy into a chemical potential that damages tumor tissues. Despite the encouraging clinical results with the approved photosensitizers available today, the prolonged skin phototoxicity, poor selectivity for diseased tissues, hydrophobic nature, and extended retention in the host organism shown by these drugs have stimulated researchers to develop new formulations for photodynamic therapy. In this context, due to their amphiphilic characteristic (compatibility with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances), liposomes have proven to be suitable carriers for photosensitizers, improving the photophysical properties of the photosensitizers. Moreover, as nanostructured drug delivery systems, liposomes improve the efficiency and safety of antineoplastic photodynamic therapy, mainly by the classical phenomenon of extended permeation and retention. Therefore, the association of photosensitizers with liposomes has been extensively studied. In this review, both current knowledge and future perspectives on liposomal carriers for antineoplastic photodynamic therapy are critically discussed.

In vitro photodynamic therapy on human oral keratinocytes using chloroaluminum-phthalocyanine.

In this study, oral carcinoma cells were used to evaluate chloroaluminum-phthalocyanine encapsulated in liposomes as the photosensitizer agent in support of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The genotoxicity and cytotoxicity behavior of the encapsulated photosensitizer in both dark and under irradiation using the 670-nm laser were investigated with the classical trypan blue cell viability test, the acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining organelles test, micronucleus formation frequency, DNA fragmentation, and cell morphology. The cell morphology investigation was carried out using light and electronic microscopes. Our findings after PDT include reduction in cell viability (95%) associated with morphologic alterations. The neoplastic cell destruction was predominantly started by a necrotic process, according to the assay with acridine orange and ethidium bromide, and this was confirmed by electronic microscopy analysis. Neither the PDT agent nor laser irradiation alone showed cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, or even morphologic alterations. Our results reinforce the efficiency of light-irradiated chloroaluminum-phthalocyanine in inducing a positive effect of PDT.

[Helicobacter pylori gastric infection in symptomatic patients from São Luís Island, MA: endoscopic, anatomicopathologic and microbiological correlations]. / Infecção gástrica por Helicobacter pylori em pacientes sintomáticos da Ilha de São Luís, MA: correlação endoscópica anatomopatológica e microbiológica.

With previously defined criteria of inclusion and previous consent, twenty six consecutive patients (19 to 64 years old), with upper digestive symptoms, were submitted to endoscopy, with biopsy, constant of eight samples of the antropyloric region (four of the anterior aspect and four of the posterior aspect). Two samples were been for culture; two for free urease test, two for smears; all gathered in adequate transport medium over refrigeration. Two samples immersed in formaline to 10% for histopathologic exam. 25/26 (96%) of the patients showed infection by H. pylori by means of one or more methods utilized. In 16/26 (61%), alterations were observed in endoscopy (gastric inflammation in eleven, peptic ulcer in two and ulcer scars in three cases). Of the patients with endoscopic gastric inflammation, presented positive as well as all (100%) bearers of scar or peptic ulcer. A close relationship was observed between the presence of H. pylori and chronic gastric inflammation 24/25 (96%). Histopathologic slices stained by hematoxilin-eosin was the test of highest diagnostic sensitivity 24/25 (96%), followed by urease test 23%25 (92%), stained smears 19/25 (76%) and culture 18/25 (72%). Our conclusion is that the prevalence of gastric infection for H. pylori in symptomatic patients is high, correlated with chronic gastric inflammation and ulcers. Histopathologic slices stained by hematoxilin-eosin and free urease test are the most sensitive indicators of the presence of H. pylori. This study should proceed for further elucidation of questions realised and include a control group of symptomatics individuals paired for sex and age.

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy in children.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the efficacy and complication rates of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy in children. METHODS: Between 1987 and 1994, 8760 patients with urinary calculi were treated at our institution. A total of 70 (0.8%) children 3 to 14 years old underwent lithotripsy using the Siemens Lithostar or the Lithostar Plus. A total of 100 calculi in 74 urinary tracts were treated, requiring 129 extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy sessions. There were 47 caliceal stones, 31 in the renal pelvis, 16 in the ureter, and 6 staghorn stones. The Lithostar Plus was used in 8 patients, for 3 caliceal, 3 pelvic, and 2 staghorn stones. Follow-up consisted of nephrotomogram or ultrasound 1 day and 1 to 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Complete removal of all stone fragments was achieved in 98.5% of the patients after 3 months. Re-treatment was necessary in 20 patients (29.4%). All patients were treated as outpatients, 51 (72.9%) with intravenous sedation and 19 (27.1%) without anesthesia. Complications were present in 7 patients (10%) who had colic and received medical treatment, and convalescence was uneventful. CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy using the Lithostar and the Lithostar Plus has been demonstrated to be an effective noninvasive procedure to treat radiopaque and even radiolucent or slightly opaque urinary calculi in children.

Eumicotic mycetoma: report of a case caused by Madurella grisea

É relatado um caso de micetoma no pé de um agricultor, produzindo gräos negros, cujo agente etiológico foi identificado como sendo Madurella grisea. Este é o quarto caso registrado no Brasil. Os autores discutem a distribuiçäo mundial de micetoma por Madurella grisea

Tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer de estómago / Surgical treatment of stomach cancer

1) Se presenta la experiencia en el tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer gástrico avanzado, en la Segunda Unidad Académica de Cirugía (HNC) y en la práctica privada, sobre 308 pacientes operados. 2) Se hacen consideraciones sobre la táctica y técnica empleadas en el tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer gástrico avanzado en dos períodos diferentes (1955-1967 y 1970-1983). 3) En el momento actual, consideramos a la gastrectomía subtotal radical como la operación de elección en los tumores antropilóricos. La gastrectomía total ampliada la utilizamos únicamente por necesidad en los tumores mesogástricos y de principio en los tumores cardiotuberositarios

Tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer de estómago / Surgical treatment of stomach cancer

1) Se presenta la experiencia en el tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer gástrico avanzado, en la Segunda Unidad Académica de Cirugía (HNC) y en la práctica privada, sobre 308 pacientes operados. 2) Se hacen consideraciones sobre la táctica y técnica empleadas en el tratamiento quirúrgico del cáncer gástrico avanzado en dos períodos diferentes (1955-1967 y 1970-1983). 3) En el momento actual, consideramos a la gastrectomía subtotal radical como la operación de elección en los tumores antropilóricos. La gastrectomía total ampliada la utilizamos únicamente por necesidad en los tumores mesogástricos y de principio en los tumores cardiotuberositarios (AU)

Comprometimento cardiacao no sarampo. / Cardiac involvement in measles

A revisao da literatura mostra poucas citacoes de alteracoes cardiacas complicando o sarampo. Como na pratica o achado destas alteracoes cardiacas nos pareciam bastante frequentes, realizamos um estudo em 93 criancas de tres meses a oito anos de idade que foram internadas em nosso servico com diagnostico de sarampo. Em todas elas foram realizados estudos eletrocardiograficos na internacao e feito o seguinte pertinente. Em 86 criancas apareceram alteracoes do tracado, o que da um indice de 92,4%. Taquicardia sinusal e alteracoes de repolarizacao ventricular foram os achados mais frequentes. A porcentagem de alteracoes nos casos com ou sem complicacoes nao difere significativamente

Tratamento quimioterapico antituberculose. Eficaz ou efetivo? / Chemotherapeutic treatment for tuberculosis.

Apesar de consideraveis progressos na luta contra a tuberculose pulmonar, esta doenca e ainda responsavel por grande morbilidade mortalidade e incapacitacao na maioria dos paises subdesenvolvidos. O risco da infeccao tuberculosa tem sido dramaticamente reduzido nos paises desenvolvidos, enquanto que este risco continua praticamente o mesmo no mundo subdesenvolvido.Nos anos 60 era cada vez mais evidente, para alguns investidores, que o tratamento de longa duracao, apesar de eficaz, estava muito alem dos recursos disponiveis a quase todos paises pobres. Alem disso, quando administrados rotineiramente em dispensarios, os assim chamados esquemas 100% eficazes cairam para niveis da ordem de somente 50% de sucesso. Era entao necessario pesquisar-se esquemas mais efetivos, baratos e menos toxicos, para que o tratamento antituberculose ficasse ao alcance dos paises em desenvolvimento. A quimioterapia de curta duracao e uma tentativa de melhorar a efetividade do tratamento de tuberculose pulmonar. Nesse artigo, os principais estudos clinicos randomizados e controlados para avaliar a eficacia de esquemas de curta duracao sao revistos. Alguns aspectos metodologicos sao salientados e validade das conclusoes discutida. Em seguida abordam-se especialmente os ensaios clinicos avaliando esquemas intermitentes. Finalmente, as bases bacteriologicas da quimioterapia de curta duracao tuberculose sao apresentadas