Effect of the intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone on swelling, trismus, and pain after impacted lower third molar extraction: a randomized, double-blind clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the efficacy of intra-alveolar administration of dexamethasone 4 mg in the control of edema, trismus, and pain resulting from the extraction of impacted lower third molars and the drug permeability through the oral mucosa by in silico prediction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The randomized, double-blind, split-mouth clinical trial included patients who had both impacted lower third molars in equivalent positions. Hemiarches were divided into control side when dexamethasone was administered orally and experimental side when dexamethasone was administered using the intra-alveolar route. Patients were evaluated considering edema, trismus, and pain. The permeability of dexamethasone through the oral mucosa was assessed by in silico prediction. Student's t-test was selected for comparative analysis of edema and trismus, and the chi-square test analyzed the distribution of postoperative pain between the sides. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the routes of administration in measuring symptoms between the pre and postoperative times (p>0.05). In silico prediction suggested that dexamethasone molecular characteristics facilitate intra-alveolar administration. CONCLUSIONS: Intra-alveolar administration had similar efficacy to oral administration in controlling symptoms of post-surgical inflammation of impacted lower third molars.

Anxiety and Stress Levels on Liver Transplantation Candidates.

The objective of the present study was to determine the anxiety and stress levels of liver transplant candidates during the preoperative period. A cross-sectional, prospective study was conducted on 52 liver transplantation candidates seen at a specialized public hospital outpatient clinic in the interior of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Data were collected from November 2014 to April 2015 using a self-applicable questionnaire for the assessment of anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, short version) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale), in addition to sociodemographic and clinic characterization. The mean (±SD) anxiety level detected was 23.06 ± 5.51 points, with 1.92% of the subjects showing minimum levels (0 to 12 points), 59.62% a medium level (12 to 24 points), 36.54% a moderate level (24 to 36 points), and 1.92% a severe level (36 to 48 points) of anxiety. The mean level on the stress scale was 12.10 ± 5.62 points, with 7.69% of the subjects showing high stress levels. When individuals with good and poor stress levels were compared, a significant difference was observed between them (P = .0004). The Spearman correlation test showed that the higher the stress, the higher the levels of anxiety (r = 0.4258), P < .0001. The present study contributes to the analysis of the mental health of liver transplantation candidates in view of the need for interventions for the improvement of anxiety and stress levels since the waiting period for the organ generates emotional changes that can affect the quality of life of the patient and the success of this complex therapeutic modality.

Sleep Quality Assessment and Daytime Sleepiness of Liver Transplantation Candidates.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the sleep quality and daytime sleepiness of patients eligible for liver transplants. METHODS: A cross-sectional prospective study was conducted on liver transplant candidates from a transplant center in the interior of São Paulo State. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Epworth Sleepiness Scale questionnaires were applied to obtain demographic and clinical characteristics and to assess sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. RESULTS: The mean (±SD) score on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale of the 45 liver transplantation candidates was 7.00 ± 2.83 points, with 28.89% having scores >10 points, indicating excessive daytime sleepiness. The mean score on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was 6.64 ± 4.95 points, with 60% of the subjects showing impaired sleep quality, with scores >5 points. The average sleep duration was 07:16 h. Regarding sleep quality self-classification, 31.11% reported poor or very poor quality. It is noteworthy that 73.33% of patients had to go to the bathroom, 53.33% woke up in the middle of the night, and 40.00% reported pain related to sleeping difficulties. Comparison of subjects with good and poor sleep quality revealed a significant difference in time to sleep (P = .0002), sleep hours (P = .0003), and sleep quality self-classification (P = .000072). CONCLUSION: Liver transplant candidates have a compromised quality of sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness. In clinical practice, we recommend the evaluation and implementation of interventions aimed at improving the sleep and wakefulness cycle, contributing to a better quality of life.

Adenosine A(2A) receptors are necessary and sufficient to trigger memory impairment in adult mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Caffeine (a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist) prevents memory deficits in aging and Alzheimer's disease, an effect mimicked by adenosine A2 A receptor, but not A1 receptor, antagonists. Hence, we investigated the effects of adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists on memory performance and scopolamine-induced memory impairment in mice. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We determined whether A2 A receptors are necessary for the emergence of memory impairments induced by scopolamine and whether A2 A receptor activation triggers memory deficits in naïve mice, using three tests to assess short-term memory, namely the object recognition task, inhibitory avoidance and modified Y-maze. KEY RESULTS: Scopolamine (1.0 mg·kg(-1) , i.p.) impaired short-term memory performance in all three tests and this scopolamine-induced amnesia was prevented by the A2 A receptor antagonist (SCH 58261, 0.1-1.0 mg·kg(-1) , i.p.) and by the A1 receptor antagonist (DPCPX, 0.2-5.0 mg·kg(-1) , i.p.), except in the modified Y-maze where only SCH58261 was effective. Both antagonists were devoid of effects on memory or locomotion in naïve rats. Notably, the activation of A2 A receptors with CGS 21680 (0.1-0.5 mg·kg(-1) , i.p.) before the training session was sufficient to trigger memory impairment in the three tests in naïve mice, and this effect was prevented by SCH 58261 (1.0 mg·kg(-1) , i.p.). Furthermore, i.c.v. administration of CGS 21680 (50 nmol) also impaired recognition memory in the object recognition task. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results show that A2 A receptors are necessary and sufficient to trigger memory impairment and further suggest that A1 receptors might also be selectively engaged to control the cholinergic-driven memory impairment.

Performance of two macrophyte species in experimental wetlands receiving variable loads of anaerobically treated municipal wastewater.

Two highly productive emergent macrophytes, Zizaniopsis bonariensis and Typha subulata were established in experimental subsurface flow, sand-based wetlands receiving anaerobically treated municipal wastewater. The hydraulic loading rate was tested in two levels, sequentially, 6.8 cm x d(-1) and 13.6 cm x d(-1), for 70 days each. In the 13.6 cm x d(-1)-loading treatment, among all monitored variables only COD, PO4-Total-P, and Turbidity were removed more efficiently by the planted beds in comparison to unplanted sand beds (P<0.001). When the 6.7 cm x d(-1)-loading rate was applied no significant improvement in removal was found comparing macrophyte beds to unplanted sand beds, except for PO4-P. T. subulata beds were significantly more efficient than Zbonariensis beds for most of the variables. The highest significant differences (P< 0.001) were related to the main effect of the factor hydraulic loading rate, with decreased removal for increased load when considering the variables Total Coliforms (99.4% to 87.7%), Fecal Coliforms (100% to 89.7%). NH3-N (95.8% to 55.2%), NO3(-)-N (-54% to -396%), Total-N (90.4% to 59.6%), and TSS (86.1% to 46.1%). The performance similarity of planted and unplanted wetland beds in the lower loading condition, except for PO4-P, indicates that plants may not be needed under low loading. However aquatic macrophytes improved wetland efficiency under high loading.

Delayed deficits in behavior after transection of the olfactory tracts in hamsters.

This study compared the effects of transection of the lateral olfactory tracts (LOT) and the accessory olfactory tracts (AOT) in male hamsters on nest building, food piling, and sexual behavior. Autoradiographic tracing of amino acids injected into the olfactory bulbs allowed accurate determination of the location and extent of the transections. Animals with complete bilateral transection of the projections to the amygdaloid targets of the accessory olfactory bulbs and to the main olfactory targets posterior to the olfactory tubercle showed no sexual behavior postoperatively; they did not exhibit extensive genital investigation and did not mount females. In contrast, most of the animals with partial sparing of accessory olfactory bulb efferents to the amygdala did exhibit investigatory and copulatory behaviors postoperatively, although half of the animals with this partial sparing developed delayed deficits in these sexual behaviors. Almost all animals without detectable main olfactory bulb efferents to posterior targets showed delayed deficits in nest building and food piling. This was true whether or not there was partial sparing of accessory olfactory bulb efferents to the amygdala. The animals with LOT transections typically built nests and piled food during the first postoperative week, but stopped building nests and piling food by the fourth postoperative week. Cold stress enhanced these two behaviors in control animals but did not obviate the deficits in experimental animals. Caudally placed transections, which spared a larger portion of the main olfactory projections than rostally placed transections, did not spare more behavior. In fact, the caudally placed transections produced shorter delays in the appearance of deficits in nest building and food piling. These results indicate that the accessory olfactory bulb efferents to the amygdala are more important for sexual behavior than for nest building and food piling in male hamsters. Nest building and food piling are not directly dependent on normal ongoing or sensory evoked activity in the main or accessory olfactory bulb efferents which project through the LOT and AOT. The deficits in nest building and food piling may represent a deterioration in the ability of the animals to organize their living space. The observed delays in the appearance of deficits in behavior may also reflect slow degenerative processes or humoral changes associated with loss of input from the main olfactory bulbs to posterior olfactory target areas, and possibly with interruptions of projections to targets of the accessory olfactory system.

Vomeronasal pump: significance for male hamster sexual behavior.

Vomeronasal chemoreceptors segregated within the vomeronasal organ are important for male hamster sexual behavior. An autonomically controlled vascular pump, previously demonstrated in anesthetized animals, can transport stimuli to the receptors. Interruption of the efferent nerves controlling the pump results in behavioral deficits similar to those produced by interruption of the afferent nerves carrying information from the vomeronasal organ to the brain. Pump activation is thus a prerequisite for normal vomeronasal stimulation in behaving animals.

Sagittal knife cuts in the far-lateral hypothalamus reduce sexual receptivity in female hamsters.

We have previously shown that hypothalamic knife cuts confined to the sagittal plane lateral to the medial anterior hypothalamus-ventromedial nucleus can disrupt sexual receptivity in female golden hamsters. In the present study we have compared the effects of varying the lateral position of sagittal cuts located at this same rostral-caudal level. Near-lateral (NL) cuts were placed at or just lateral to the fornix, while far-lateral (FL) cuts were placed at the lateral edge of the medial forebrain bundle. Ovariectomized, estradiol benzoate plus progesterone-treated females were given weekly tests for lordosis before and after hypothalamic cuts. Changes in body weight and agonistic behavior were also recorded. Both NL and FL cuts reduced lordosis in response to both manual stimulation and a sexually active male. Postoperatively, it was more difficult to elicit lordosis from these females, and if elicited, the duration of the response was reduced. NL, but not FL, cuts also increased agonistic behavior, and produced obesity. Since both NL and FL cuts severed axons traveling in the region of the supraoptic commissures (SOC), these data support our hypothesis that these SOC connections are critical for sexual receptivity. The SOC carrys both efferents and afferents of the ventromedial hypothalamus. Sagittal-plane cuts which interrupt the SOC may disrupt lordosis by cutting either or both types of connection.

Effects of perilymphatic perfusion with neomycin on the cochlear microphonic potential in the guinea pig.

The effects of three concentrations of neomycin, administered by a method of acute perilymphatic perfusion of the guinea pig cochlea, on the cochlear microphonic potential (CM) at 4 kHz and 500 Hz are described. A concentration-dependent reduction in CM occured during the 60 minute perfusion period. Neomycin at 10-4 M did not change the CM magnitude, while at 10-3 and 102 M it caused 4 kHz (and 500 Hz) CM reductions which began within 24 (for both frequencies) minutes and 10 (and 12) minutes of drug application respectively. CM reduction proceeded at a higher rate for greater neomycin concentration. The perfusion technique, the implication of the frequency indifference, and the potential of the perfusion technique for inner ear biochemical analysis are discussed.

Individual differences in aggressiveness of female hamsters: response to intact and castrated males and to females.

The aggressive behaviour of female hamsters was studied while they were housed in large enclosures with males and in brief tests with males or females. Some females are not aggressive with any male, whereas others are very aggressive toward all males in both testing conditions. Females that are not aggressive toward intact males may be very aggressive toward castrated males or females. When the animals are housed together for long periods of time, males dominate only if they are much heavier. Male dominance takes a relatively long time to establish and often there is an equivocal period characterized by reversals of dominance. Female dominance is rapidly established. Unless the male is much heavier, the female determines the presence or absence of agonistic behaviour.

Another hamster paradox: more males carry pups and fewer kill and cannibalize young than do females.

The response of virgin male and female golden hamsters to young was studied. In contrast to most species, males are more likely to carry pups than are females. All males carried pups, but approximately 50% of females cannibalized the young. The females that did not cannibalize the pups carried them with less hesitation and after shorter latencies than did the males. The response of females to young was not correlated with the aggressiveness displayed toward adult males during separate tests. Tests with gonadectomized females indicated that the maintenance of pup-killing behavior is not dependent on concurrent gonadal hormones. Progesterone injections did not significantly increase pup killing in males that had previously carried young. Speculations on the adaptive significance of the male and female hamster's response to pups are presented.