Vitamin E (α-tocopherol) supplementation enhances nitric oxide production in penile tissue of diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of 0.1% and 2% vitamin E (α-tocopherol) supplementation on the expression of nitric oxide (NO) in penile tissue of rats with experimentally induced diabetes mellitus (DM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 30 male rats were divided into six groups: normoglycaemic (NG), NG treated with 0.1% vitamin E (NGE1), NG treated with 2% vitamin E (NGE2), DM, DM treated with 0.1% vitamin E (DME1), and DM treated with 2% vitamin E (DME2). After 120 days the rats were killed, and penile tissue was collected and processed for neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) immunohistochemistry to determine areas of nNOS-immunoreactive varicosities. RESULTS: nNOS-immunoreactive varicosities in DME2 rats were similar to those of controls (NG) and controls supplemented with vitamin E (NGE1 and NGE2). Varicosity sizes in the NGE1 group were similar to the DM rats with no vitamin E supplementation. CONCLUSION: Supplementation with 2% vitamin E had a positive effect on areas of nNOS-immunoreactive varicosities of penile tissue in DM rats.

Nucleopolyhedrovirus: scanning electron microscopy technique.

A simplified methodology was developed to study the geometric form of multiple Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus by scanning electron microscopy. The virus belongs to Baculoviridae family and was isolated from the silkworm Bombyx mori (L.) (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). The polyhedra of Nucleopolyhedrovirus were obtained from the filtrate, inoculum and hemolymph of the silkworm experimentally infected with nuclear polyhedra. This material was placed on stubs, where a copper tape was previously adhered. After dry at room temperature the virus was covered with carbon and gold. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a well defined morphology for the polyhedra of multiple Bombyx mori Nucleopolyhedrovirus, making possible the mathematical study that identified it as a truncated octahedron. The form of the polyhedron can present taxonomic value, once it is specific for each viral lineage.