Calidad de las prescripciones de medicamentos opioides posterior a una intervención educativa en médicos residentes / [Quality of opioid medication prescriptions after an educational intervention in resident doctors]

Objetivo: Evaluar el impacto de una intervención educativa en la calidad de las prescripciones de medicamentos opioides. Métodos: Se aplicó el instrumento IAM (Índice de Adecuación de la Medicación) a 10 médicos residentes de la subespecialidad de medicina paliativa y del dolor para determinar la calidad de las prescripciones de analgésicos opioides, antes y después de haber realizado una intervención educativa (IE) en farmacoterapia racional. Resultados: Se analizaron un total de 181 prescripciones, 55 antes y 126 después de la IE. Se mejoraron las puntuaciones del nivel de acuerdo en todos los ítems del perfil descriptivo de los médicos participantes. La calidad de la prescripción aumentó del 14,5% al 73%, mejorando en todas las áreas, excepto la duplicidad de tratamientos. Conclusiones: La IE mejoró la calidad de las prescripciones y el perfil prescriptivo de los médicos participantes. El instrumento IAM es útil para determinar la calidad de las prescripciones de opioides. (AU)

Objective: To assess the impact of an educational intervention on the quality of opioid drug prescriptions. Methods: The MAI (Medication Adequacy Index) instrument was applied to 10 resident physicians of the Palliative and Pain Medicine Subspeciality to determine the quality of opioid analgesic prescriptions before and after an educational intervention (EI) in rational pharmacotherapy. Results: A total of 181 prescriptions were analyzed, 55 before and 126 after the EI. The level of agreement scores improved for all items of the physicians’ descriptive profile. Prescription quality increased from 14.5% to 73%, improving in all areas except for duplicity of treatment. Conclusions: The EI improved the quality of the prescriptions and the physicians’ prescribing profile. The MAI instrument is useful to determine the quality of opioid prescriptions. (AU)

Antioxidant Effect of Xanthan Gum on Ram Sperm after Freezing and Thawing.

BACKGROUND: Xanthan gum is used as thickener in media to preserve food products, having cryoprotectant and antioxidant properties that may be relevant for sperm cryopreservation. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of adding xanthan gum to freezing extenders on post-thawing quality and oxidant activity of ram sperm. METHODS: Ejaculates from seven rams extended TRIS-egg yolk-glycerol were split in three treatments including xanthan gum (0.15%; 0.20%; and 0.25%) and a control with no xanthan gum. RESULTS: After thawing, motility and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with 0.20% and 0.25% xanthan gum were lower than for the control (P < 0.05), but mitochondrial functionality and integrity of membrane, acrosome and DNA did not differ (P > 0.05). Xanthan gum at 0.20% and 0.25% may be an efficient antioxidant for frozen-thawed ram sperm, due to the reduction in ROS production.

Effect of ß-mercaptoetanol and cysteine on post-thawing quality and oxidative activity of ram sperm and on the viability of vitrified sheep embryos / Efeito do ß-mercaptoetanol e da cisteína sobre a qualidade e a atividade oxidativa do sêmen ovino após o descongelamento e sobre a viabilidade de embriões ovinos vitrificados

The effects of ß-mercaptoethanol (BME) and cysteine on the viability and oxidative activity of ram sperm after thawing and on development in vitro and viability of vitrified sheep embryos were evaluated. Ejaculates from four rams were pooled and extended, composing six treatments: no antioxidants; 2mM BME; 5mM BME; 2mM BME and 5mM cysteine; 5mM BME and 5mM cysteine; and 5mM cysteine. Sperm motility, membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial functionality, production of reactive oxygen species and total antioxidant capacity were similar across treatments (P>0.05). A medium with no antioxidant presented cleavage and blastocyst development rates (60.3% and 33.6%, respectively) similar (P>0.05) to those of a medium with 50µM BME and 600µM cysteine (64.3% and 36.6%, respectively). Post-thawing viability of vitrified embryos was similar between media (P>0.05). Cysteine and BME had no influence on the post-thawing viability and oxidative activity of ram sperm and on the viability of vitrified sheep embryos.(AU)

Foram avaliados os efeitos do ß-mercaptoetanol (BME) e da cisteína sobre a viabilidade e a atividade oxidativa após o descongelamento do sêmen ovino e sobre o desenvolvimento in vitro e a viabilidade de embriões ovinos vitrificados. Ejaculados de quatro carneiros foram agrupados e diluídos, compondo seis tratamentos: sem antioxidantes; com BME 2mM; com BME 5mM; com BME 2mM e cisteína 5mM; com BME 5mM e cisteína 5mM; e com cisteína 5mM. Motilidade, integridade da membrana e do acrossoma, função mitocondrial, produção de espécies reativas de oxigênio e capacidade antioxidante total foram semelhantes entre os tratamentos (P>0,05). Em um meio sem antioxidantes, as taxas de clivagem e de desenvolvimento embrionário até blastocisto (60,3%, e 33,6%, respectivamente) foram semelhantes (P>0,05) às obtidas em um meio com BME 50µM e cisteína 600µM (64,3% e 36,6%, respectivamente). A viabilidade pós-descongelamento dos embriões vitrificados não diferiu entre os meios (P>0,05). O BME e a cisteína não influenciaram a viabilidade e a atividade oxidativa do sêmen ovino após o descongelamento e a viabilidade de embriões ovinos vitrificados.(AU)

Effects of cryotherapy combined with therapeutic ultrasound on oxidative stress and tissue damage after musculoskeletal contusion in rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the combined effects of cryotherapy and pulsed ultrasound therapy (PUT) on oxidative stress parameters, tissue damage markers and systemic inflammation after musculoskeletal injury. DESIGN: Experimental animal study. SETTING: Research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: control, lesion, cryotherapy, PUT, and cryotherapy+PUT. INTERVENTIONS: The gastrocnemius muscle was injured by mechanical crushing. Cryotherapy was applied immediately after injury (immersion in water at 10°C for 20minutes). PUT was commenced 24hours after injury (1MHz, 0.4W/cm2SPTA, 20% duty cycle, 5minutes). All animals were treated every 8hours for 3 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Oxidative stress in muscle was evaluated by concentration of reactive oxygen species (ROS), lipid peroxidation (LPO), anti-oxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals (ACAP) and catalase. Plasma levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were assessed. RESULTS: When applied individually, cryotherapy and PUT reduced CK, LDH, CRP and LPO caused by muscle damage. Cryotherapy+PUT in combination maintained the previous results, caused a reduction in ROS [P=0.005, mean difference -0.9×10-8 relative area, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.2 to -1.9], and increased ACAP {P=0.007, mean difference 0.34 1/[relative area with/without 2,2-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine)dihydrochloride], 95% CI 0.07 to 0.61} and catalase (P=0.002, mean difference 0.41units/mg protein, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.73) compared with the lesion group. CONCLUSIONS: Cryotherapy+PUT in combination reduced oxidative stress in muscle, contributing to a reduction in adjacent damage and tissue repair.

Integrated biological responses of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to analyze water quality in regions under anthropogenic influence.

This study analyzed water quality in regions around Patos lagoon (Southern Brazil) that are under anthropogenic pressure. Water samples were collected from five different sites, including one used as a source for human consumption (COR) and others known to be influenced by human activities (IP). Danio rerio (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) organisms were exposed for 24h to these water samples, plus a control group. It was observed that: (1) reactive oxygen species levels were lower in COR and IP than in the control group; (2) glutamate-cysteine ligase (catalytic subunit) expression was higher in COR than in other sites; (3) exposure to all water samples affected long-term memory (LTM) when compared to control group. Thus, some water samples possess the ability to modulate the antioxidant system and to induce a decline in cognitive functions, as measured by LTM. The obtained results indicate that a combination of variables of different organization level (molecular, biochemical and behavioral) can be employed to analyze water quality in impacted regions.

Antioxidant responses of Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta) after exposure to hydrogen peroxide.

The effects of H2O2 were evaluated in the estuarine worm Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta, Nereididae) collected at the Patos Lagoon estuary (Southern Brazil) and maintained in the laboratory under controlled salinity (10 psu diluted seawater) and temperature (20 degrees C). The worms were exposed to H2O2 (10 and 50 microM) for 4, 7, and 10 days and the following variables were determined: oxygen consumption, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase activity in both the supernatant and pellet fractions of whole body homogenates. The concentrations of non-protein sulfhydryl and lipid peroxides (LPO) were also measured. The oxygen consumption response was biphasic, decreasing after 4 days and increasing after 7 and 10 days of exposure to 50 microM H2O2 (P < 0.05). At the same H2O2 concentration, CAT activity was lower (P < 0.05) in the pellet fraction of worms exposed for 10 days compared to control. Non-protein sulfhydryl concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity were not affected by H2O2 exposure. After 10 days, LPO levels were higher (P < 0.05) in worms exposed to 50 microM H2O2 compared to control. The reduction in the antioxidant defense was paralleled by oxidative stress as indicated by higher LPO values (441% compared to control). The reduction of CAT activity in the pellet fraction may be related to protein oxidation. These results, taken together with previous findings, suggest that the worms were not able to cope with this H2O2 concentration.

Antioxidant responses of Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta) after exposure to hydrogen peroxide

The effects of H2O2 were evaluated in the estuarine worm Laeonereis acuta (Polychaeta, Nereididae) collected at the Patos Lagoon estuary (Southern Brazil) and maintained in the laboratory under controlled salinity (10 psu diluted seawater) and temperature (20°C). The worms were exposed to H2O2 (10 and 50 µM) for 4, 7, and 10 days and the following variables were determined: oxygen consumption, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase activity in both the supernatant and pellet fractions of whole body homogenates. The concentrations of non-protein sulfhydryl and lipid peroxides (LPO) were also measured. The oxygen consumption response was biphasic, decreasing after 4 days and increasing after 7 and 10 days of exposure to 50 µM H2O2 (P < 0.05). At the same H2O2 concentration, CAT activity was lower (P < 0.05) in the pellet fraction of worms exposed for 10 days compared to control. Non-protein sulfhydryl concentration and glutathione peroxidase activity were not affected by H2O2 exposure. After 10 days, LPO levels were higher (P < 0.05) in worms exposed to 50 µM H2O2 compared to control. The reduction in the antioxidant defense was paralleled by oxidative stress as indicated by higher LPO values (441 percent compared to control). The reduction of CAT activity in the pellet fraction may be related to protein oxidation. These results, taken together with previous findings, suggest that the worms were not able to cope with this H2O2 concentration.

Metabolic rate and reactive oxygen species production in different genotypes of GH-transgenic zebrafish.

Growth hormone overexpression increases growth and consequently increases the metabolic rate in fishes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of growth hormone overexpression in zebrafish Danio rerio in terms of growth, oxygen consumption, reactive oxygen species production, lipid hydroperoxide content, antioxidant enzyme activity and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit gene expression. The employed models were wild type and transgenic (hemizygous and homozygous) zebrafish expressing the Odonthestes argentinensis growth hormone gene directed by the Cyprinus carpio beta-actin promoter. Higher growth parameters were observed in the hemizygous group. The homozygous group possessed higher oxygen consumption and reactive oxygen species production. Growth hormone transgenesis causes a decrease in glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit expression, an enzyme responsible for glutathione synthesis. Although the lipid hydroperoxide content was similar between groups, we demonstrate that growth hormone overexpression has the potential to generate oxidative stress in fishes.