Cardiac arrest following sugammadex administration.

A 68-year-old man underwent elective surgical repair of an abdominal wall hernia under general anaesthesia. The operation required muscle relaxation, for which we used rocuronium. Following completion of surgery, 180 mg sugammadex was administered intravenously. Shortly afterwards, the patient became severely bradycardic with hypotension, refractory to treatment with ephedrine. This progressed to a pulseless electrical activity cardiac arrest. After 4 min of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, there was return of spontaneous circulation and, following a period of haemodynamic stability in which general anaesthesia was maintained, the patient emerged from anaesthesia without incident. He remained haemodynamically stable until discharge. Post-resuscitation investigations including the serum tryptase level were unremarkable except for a mild respiratory acidosis and slightly elevated D-dimers. Sugammadex-induced bradycardia has previously been described, but its mechanism remains unknown. We believe that sugammadex was the cause of cardiac arrest in this case because of the timing and sequence of events, the evolution to pulseless electric activity and the relatively uneventful post-arrest clinical course. We hope that our report will help to promote awareness about this potential complication of a now commonly-used drug.

Imagens do ato de amamentar como cuidado em saúde: a percepção das próprias nutrizes / Images of the act of breastfeeding as health care: the perception of the mothers themselves

Objetivo: analisar a percepção das nutrizes sobre o ato de aleitar, a partir da própria imagem fotográfica. Método: estudo qualitativo do tipo descritivo-exploratório, realizado com 10 puérperas numa maternidade de risco habitual. Coleta de dados ocorreu após apresentação das fotografias das próprias nutrizes, amamentando na sala de parto e puerpério, com entrevistas semiestruturadas, realizadas no domicílio das participantes e, posteriormente, estas foram submetidas à análise de conteúdo temática. Resultados: as imagens tridimensionais dessas mulheres vivenciando a lactação, refletiu a rede de cuidados à amamentação no pré-natal, parto e puerpério presente na atuação dos profissionais de saúde, tendo em vista o alcance do sucesso da amamentação. Conclusão: a percepção da nutriz acerca da própria imagem corporal durante o aleitamento, foi considerada a expressão de um momento singular resultante do processo profissional de cuidado em saúde para o sucesso da vivência da amamentação.

Objective: to analyze the mothers' perception of the act of breastfeeding, from the photographic image itself. Method: qualitative study of the descriptive-exploratory type, carried out with 10 puerperal in a maternity unit at usual risk. Data collection occurred after presenting the photographs of the mothers themselves, during breastfeeding in the delivery room and puerperium, using a semi-structured interview conducted in their homes and later, these were submitted to thematic content analysis. Results: the three-dimensional images of these women experiencing lactation reflected the network of breastfeeding care in the prenatal, delivery and puerperium present in the health professionals’ performance, in view of the success of breastfeeding. Conclusion: the nurturers’ perception about her own body image during breastfeeding was considered the expression of a singular moment resulting from the professional process of health care for the success of breastfeeding experience.

DNA elimination in embryogenic development of Pennisetum glaucum x Pennisetum purpureum (Poaceae) hybrids.

Interspecific hybridization between Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), which is widely grown in Brazil for cattle forage, and pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) has been used as a breeding strategy for the development of improved cultivars. However, the hybrid between these two species is sterile due to its triploid condition (2n = 3x = 21 chromosomes), which hinders its use in crop breeding programs. It is known that genomic alterations result from the hybridization process. In order to measure the loss of DNA during embryo development, we used flow cytometry to estimate the nuclear DNA content of triploid and tetraploid embryos produced by interspecific hybridization between Napier grass and pearl millet. The triploid and tetraploid hybrids had a mean DNA content of 4.99-4.87 and 5.25-4.84 pg, at 10 and 30 days after pollination, respectively. The mean reduction in DNA content was higher in the tetraploid hybrids. The flow cytometry results revealed progressive genomic instability in these triploid and tetraploid hybrids, with this instability causing significant alterations in the DNA content of the hybrids.

Comparison of acetate tape impression with squeezing versus skin scraping for the diagnosis of canine demodicosis.

This study compared the sensitivity of acetate tape impression and skin squeezing with that of deep skin scraping for the diagnosis of demodicosis in dogs. Demodex canis was detected in 100% of acetate tape impressions obtained after skin squeezing and in 90% of deep skin scrapings. There was a significant difference (P < 0.001) between the techniques in the total number of mites detected. Acetate tape impression with skin squeezing was found to be more sensitive than deep skin scraping and is an alternative diagnostic method for canine demodicosis.

Propagação vegetativa de Brosimum gaudichaudii Tréc. (mama-cadela) por estacas de raízes / Vegetative propagation of Brosimum gaudichaudii Tréc. (mama-cadela) by root cuttings

Brosimum gaudichaudii Tréc. (mama-cadela) é uma planta medicinal nativa do Cerrado, utilizada na medicina tradicional. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a possibilidade de propagação de mama-cadela por meio de estacas de raízes, sob o efeito de reguladores de crescimento e de diferentes substratos. No experimento 1 foram avaliados os efeitos da aplicação de ácido indol-butírico (AIB) e ácido naftaleno-acético (ANA) na concentração de 1000 mg L-1 e três substratos (S1- areia; S2 - 75 por cento de areia + 25 por cento de substrato comercial; S3 - 50 por cento de areia + 50 por cento de substrato comercial). No experimento 2 foram avaliadas 4 doses de AIB: 0 - testemunha; 250 mg L-1 (1,3426 mM ); 500 mg L-1 (2,6853 mM) e 1000 mg L-1 (5,3706 mM); e 4 doses de ácido naftaleno-acético (ANA): 0 - testemunha; 250 mg L-1 (1,2295 mM); 500 mg L-1 (2,458 mM); e 1000 mg L-1 (4,918 mM). O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com três repetições de seis estacas por parcela. No experimento 1, os substratos compostos por areia e areia (75 por cento) + substrato comercial (25 por cento) proporcionaram os maiores Índices de pegamento. A aplicação de AIB (1000 mg L-1) proporcionou aumentos relativos de 30,8 por cento e 51,3 por cento, no IMP quando comparada com a testemunha e a aplicação de ANA, respectivamente. No experimento 2, observou-se resposta quadrática significativa da aplicação de AIB sobre o IMP. A dose de 500 mg L-1 (2,6853 mM) promoveu maior IMP. Não houve efeito significativo das doses de ANA para os parâmetros avaliados. Não houve efeito significativo relevante de substratos ou hormônios sobre os demais parâmetros avaliados. Estes resultados evidenciam o potencial de utilização de estacas de raiz de mama-cadela para a produção de mudas clonais desta espécie.

Brosimum gaudichaudii Tréc. (mama-cadela) is a medicinal plant native to Cerrado and largely used in traditional medicine. The aim of this study was to verify the propagation of mama-cadela by means of root cutting under the effect of plant growth regulators and different substrates. In experiment 1, the effects of indole butyric acid (IBA) and naphthylacetic acid (NAA) at the concentration of 1000 mg L-1 were evaluated together with three substrates (S1 - sand; S2 - 75 percent sand + 25 percent commercial substrate; S3 - 50 percent sand + 50 percent commercial substrate). In experiment 2, 4 IBA levels were evaluated: 0 - control; 250 mg L-1 (1.3426 mM ); 500 mg L-1 (2.6853 mM) and 1000 mg L-1 (5.3706 mM), as well as 4 NAA levels: 0 - control; 250 mg L-1 (1.2295 mM); 500 mg L-1 (2.458 mM) and 1000 mg L-1 (4.918 mM). The adopted experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replicates of six cuttings per plot. In experiment 1, substrates containing sand and sand (75 percent) + commercial substrate (25 percent) promoted the highest average rooting indexes. Application of IBA (1000 mg L-1) led to increases of 30.8 percent and 51.3 percent in the average rooting indexes compared to control and NAA application, respectively. In experiment 2, there was a significant quadratic response of IBA application on the average rooting index. The level of 500 mg L-1 (2.6853 mM) promoted the highest average rooting index. There was no significant effect of NAA levels for the evaluated parameters. Similarly, there was no significant effect of substrates or hormones on the remaining parameters evaluated. These results show the potential use of mama-cadela root cuttings for the production of clonal seedlings of this species.

Avaliação in vitro da atividade antimicrobiana do extrato da Lippia sidoides Cham. sobre isolados biológicos de Staphylococcus aureus / In vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial activity of Lippia sidoides Cham. extract on biological isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

Staphylococus aureus apresenta-se como microrganismo patogênico clássico sendo comumente reconhecido como agente etiológico de infecções hospitalares e comunitárias. Através do conhecimento das propriedades biológicas da Lippia sidoides Cham., conhecida como alecrim-pimenta, esta pesquisa teve como objetivo avaliar a atividade antimicrobiana in vitro do extrato metanólico desta planta em inibir o crescimento de isolados biológicos de S. aureus de origem humana hospitalar. Utilizou-se o método de difusão em Agar Muller Hinton para se determinar a Concentração Inibitória Mínima do extrato. A atividade anti-estafilococica do extrato da Lippia sidoides Cham. foi observada pela formação de halos de inibição do crescimento bacteriano (9 a 27 mm), todas as amostras ensaiadas mostraram-se sensíveis à ação do extrato da Lippia sidoides Cham. até a diluição de 1:16 (0,053 g mL-1). Nas condições desse estudo, esses resultados mostram promissora atividade antibacteriana do extrato de Lippia sidoides Cham.

Staphylococcus aureus is a classic pathogenic microorganism commonly recognized as etiological agent of community and nosocomial infections. Considering the knowledge of Lippia sidoides Cham. (Alecrim-pimenta) biological properties, this study aimed to evaluate in vitro the antimicrobial activity of the extract from this plant in inhibiting the growth of S. aureus from hospitalized humans. The Agar Mueller-Hinton diffusion method was used to determine the Minimum Inhibition Concentration of the extract. The anti-Staphylococcus aureus activity of Lippia sidoides Cham. extract was noted by the large growth inhibition zones (9 to 27 mm); all tested samples were sensitive to the action of Lippia sidoides Cham. extract until the dilution of 1:16 (0.053 g mL-1). Under the conditions adopted in the present study, these results show the promising anti-staphylococcal property of Lippia sidoides Cham. extract.

Matrizes hidrofílicas de quitosana/captopril: Desenvolvimento e Caracterização físico-química / Hydrophilic Matrices of Chitosan/Captopril: Development and physicochemical Characterization

Neste trabalho, avaliou-se a utilização da quitosana como matriz hidrofílica no desenvolvimento de comprimidos de liberação prolongada de captopril. Os comprimidos foram obtidos por compressão direta utilizando-a em diferentes proporções (10, 15, 20 e 25%). As formulações contendo quitosana foram comparadas com uma formulação de liberação imediata contendo croscarmelose. Os resultados obtidos nos ensaios de peso médio, friabilidade, dureza, uniformidade de conteúdo e doseamento indicaram que todos os comprimidos apresentavam características de qualidade condizentes com os limites especificados na Farmacopeia Brasileira. Os ensaios de dissolução evidenciaram um aumento do tempo de liberação do captopril com o aumento da proporção de quitosana na matriz, indicando que essas formulações apresentaram perfis de liberação prolongada do fármaco, especialmente a formulação contendo 25% de quitosana. Os valores dos coeficientes de correlação indicaram que os modelos cinéticos que melhor se ajustam ao perfil de dissolução das formulações avaliadas foram o modelo proposto por Higuchi (pH 1,2) e o de primeira ordem (pH 6,8).

In this study, chitosan was used as a hydrophilic matrix in the development of prolonged-release tablets of captopril. The tablets were obtained by direct compression, with the chitosan in various proportions (10, 15, 20 and 25%). The formulations were compared with an immediate-release formulation containing croscarmellose. In assessments of weight variation, friability, hardness, content uniformity and drug assay, all the tablets complied with the standards of quality set by the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia. Dissolution tests showed that the release time of captopril increased with the content of chitosan in the matrix, indicating that these formulations showed prolonged-release profiles of the drug, especially the one containing 25% chitosan. The kinetic models that fitted the dissolution profiles of the formulations best (with the highest correlation coefficients) were the Higuchi (at pH 1.2) and first-order (at pH 6.8) models.

Karyotypic studies of Cratylia argentea (Desv.) O. Kuntze and C. mollis Mart. ex Benth. (Fabaceae - Papilionoideae).

Cratylia argentea and C. mollis (Fabaceae-Papilionoideae) are legume shrubs native to the Cerrado and Caatinga, respectively. Both species show great resistance to drought and high nutritive value, which makes them a valuable forage resource in tropical regions. Cytogenetic studies were carried out on accessions of C. argentea and C. mollis from Germplasm Banks of Embrapa Gado de Leite (Juiz de Fora, MG) and Embrapa Semi-Arido (Petrolina, PE), respectively. Root tips were treated with 3 mM 8-hydroxyquinoline and slides were made using the air-dry technique. Karyotype description for each accession took into account the following features: chromosome number; total length, relative length and arm ratio of each chromosome; haploid set length, and degree of asymmetry. Mitotic metaphases in both species showed 2n = 22 chromosomes, where this is the first report of diploid number for C. mollis. Chromosome length was also quite similar for the two species, ranging from 5.08 to 2.50 microm in C. argentea and 5.12 to 2.51 microm in C. mollis, with haploid sets of equal size, measuring 38.10 and 37.85 microm, respectively. However, they did not show the same karyotypic formula, which was 5 m + 4 sm + 2 st for C. argentea and 7 m + 2 sm + 2 st for C. mollis. This indicates the occurrence of rearrangements within chromosomes I and VI. Both karyotypes showed a tendency for asymmetry.

Karyotypic studies of Cratylia argentea (Desv.) O. Kuntze and C. mollis Mart. ex Benth. (Fabaceae - Papilionoideae)

Cratylia argentea and C. mollis (Fabaceae-Papilionoideae) are legume shrubs native to the Cerrado and Caatinga, respectively. Both species show great resistance to drought and high nutritive value, which makes them a valuable forage resource in tropical regions. Cytogenetic studies were carried out on accessions of C. argentea and C. mollis from Germplasm Banks of Embrapa Gado de Leite (Juiz de Fora, MG) and Embrapa Semi-Árido (Petrolina, PE), respectively. Root tips were treated with 3 mM 8-hydroxyquinoline and slides were made using the air-dry technique. Karyotype description for each accession took into account the following features: chromosome number; total length, relative length and arm ratio of each chromosome; haploid set length, and degree of asymmetry. Mitotic metaphases in both species showed 2n = 22 chromosomes, where this is the first report of diploid number for C. mollis. Chromosome length was also quite similar for the two species, ranging from 5.08 to 2.50 µm in C. argentea and 5.12 to 2.51 µm in C. mollis, with haploid sets of equal size, measuring 38.10 and 37.85 µm, respectively. However, they did not show the same karyotypic formula, which was 5 m + 4 sm + 2 st for C. argentea and 7 m + 2 sm + 2 st for C. mollis. This indicates the occurrence of rearrangements within chromosomes I and VI. Both karyotypes showed a tendency for asymmetry.

High-performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in bovine milk using an on-line clean-up column.

A bidimensional HPLC method for the simultaneous determination of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP) in bovine milk has been developed and validated. After centrifugation, aliquots (150 microl) of milk samples were directly injected to a column-switching HPLC system. At the first step a RAM octyl-BSA column was employed to automatically remove proteins that otherwise would interfere with milk analysis. The mobile phase 0.01 M phosphate buffer pH 6.0:acetonitrile (95:5, v/v) was used in the first 5 min for the elution of milk proteins and then 0.01 M phosphate buffer pH 6.0:acetonitrile (83:17, v/v) for transfer SMX and TMP to the analytical column. The separation of SMX and TMP from one another and from other remaining milk components was performed on an octyl column using the mobile phase 0.01 M phosphate buffer pH 5.0:acetonitrile (82:18, v/v), which were detected by UV at 265 nm. The calibration graphs were linear in the concentration ranges of 25-800 ng/ml and 50-400 ng/ml for SMX and TMP, respectively. The intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were less than 15% for both drugs. The validated method was applied to the analysis of milk samples of twelve (two groups of six) cows after administration (intramuscular or subcutaneous) of a single recommended therapeutic dose of the SMX-TMP combination.

Flow injection determination of levodopa in tablets using a solid-phase reactor containing lead(IV) dioxide immobilized.

A flow injection spectrophotometric procedure was developed for determining levodopa in tablets. The determination of this drug was carried out by reacting it with lead(IV) dioxide immobilized in polyester resin packed in a solid-phase reactor and the dopachrome yielded was monitored at 520 nm. The analytical curve for levodopa was linear in the concentration range from 1.0x10(-4) to 1.0x10(-3) mol l(-1) with a detection limit of 8.0x10(-5) mol l(-1). The relative standard deviation (R.S.D.) was 0.2% for a solution containing 4.0x10(-4) mol l(-1) levodopa (n=10), and 90 determinations per hour were obtained.

Spectrophotometric flow injection determination of l-ascorbic acid with a packed reactor containing ferric hydroxide.

A flow injection system with spectrophotometric detection is proposed for determining l-ascorbic acid in pharmaceutical formulations. In this system a column containing Fe(OH)(3) immobilized in polyester resin (packed reactor) is inserted before the detector. Fe(III)-1,10-phenanthroline complex is reduced by l-ascorbic acid to produce Fe(II)-1,10-phenanthroline complex which is monitored at 510 nm. Under the optimum analytical conditions, the linearity of the calibration equation for l-ascorbic acid ranged from 5.0x10(-6) to 6.0x10(-5) M of added amount. The detection limit was 5.0x10(-7) M and recoveries between 98.5-102.0% were obtained. No interference was observed from the common excipients of pharmaceutical formulations and other active substances such as acetylsalicylic acid, caffeine and thiamine.