Acaricidal action of ozone on larvae and engorged females of Rhipicephalus microplus: a dose-dependent relationship.

The tick Rhipicephalus microplus is a vector of infectious agents that causes great economic loss in the productivity of cattle herds. Several studies have sought natural compounds with acaricidal activity to control ticks, without allowing the development of resistance, without causing environmental damage, and without presenting toxicity to the hosts. The activity of ozone on the natural biomolecules of living beings has been studied as an alternative to control arthropods and acaricidal effects were shown on ticks. The aim of the present study was to assess the acaricidal effect on larvae and engorged females of R. microplus according to ozone dose. Larvae (n = 377) were distributed in 10 groups and engorged females (n = 284) were distributed in 14 groups. One group was used as control (not exposed to ozone) and the other groups were exposed to ozone gas for 5-105 min. Ozone had a dose-dependent acaricidal effect on both larvae and engorged females. Dosages between 355 and 2130 mg/L min had a delayed acaricidal effect (12-180 h), leading to the death of all engorged females before laying eggs, whereas doses between 3195 and 7455 mg/L min showed immediate acaricidal effect (5 min to 4 h). Doses between 1775 and 6390 mg/L min had an immediate (up to 5 min) acaricidal effect on the larvae of this species. Further studies should consider longer follow-up times during the assessment of the acaricidal activity against ticks.

The rs2165241 polymorphism of the Loxl1 gene in postmenopausal women with pelvic organ prolapse.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify the presence of polymorphism rs2165241 of the lysyl oxidase-like 1 (Loxl1) gene and its association with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) in Brazilian women and determine risk factors for POP development. METHODS: The study was previously approved by the local research and ethics board. Postmenopausal women were included and divided into POP (stages III and IV) and control (stages 0 and I) groups. Peripheral blood samples were collected, and the DNA sequence of interest was analyzed by real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. We used logistic regression and considered a recessive model of inheritance for the analysis, with p < 0.05 for significance. RESULTS: A total of 836 women were assessed: 426 POP cases and 410 controls. The frequencies of CC, CT and TT genotypes were similar in both groups. Age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.1, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07; 1.14), number of vaginal births (OR = 17.06, 95% CI = 5.94; 48.97), family history (OR = 2.87, 95% CI = 1.57; 5.22) and weight of largest newborn (OR = 1.001, 95% CI = 1.0003; 1.001) were independent risk factors for POP, while multiple cesarean sections (two or more) was protective (OR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.07; 0.42). CONCLUSION: No association was detected between rs2165241 of the Loxl1 gene and POP.

Female urinary incontinence: effective treatment strategies.

Urinary incontinence is a dysfunction that tremendously affects women's quality of life, involving social, emotional and economic aspects. Although various treatments for urinary incontinence have been described, it is important to know which of them are truly effective. This review seeks to determine the current available therapies for women with stress urinary incontinence and overactive bladder syndrome, based on the best scientific evidence.

Nanostructuring of the conjugated polyelectrolyte poly[9,9-bis(4-sulfonylbutoxyphenyl)fluorene-2,7-diyl-2,2'-bithiophene] in liquid crystalline C12E4 in bulk water and aligned thin films.

We report on the conjugated polyelectrolyte 12 mM poly[9,9-bis(4-sulfonylbutoxyphenyl) fluorene-2,7-diyl-2,2'-bithiophene] (PBS-PF2T) mixed in concentrated aqueous 680 mM tetraethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E4) in bulk and thin films. A blue-shift in the fluorescence spectrum demonstrates breakup of PBS-PF2T aggregates in bulk aqueous C12E4. Small-angle X-ray scattering data indicate that this mixture follows a very similar phase behaviour to binary mixtures of a pure surfactant with water, including a micellar phase below about 20 °C, a lamellar phase in between about 20 and 70 °C and a proposed coexistence of water and the liquid surfactant solution above 70 °C. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce these transitions and suggest that PBS-PF2T is incorporated into the surfactant headgroup region, and is, on average, perpendicular to the alkyl chains. In wet thin films, grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering shows that the phase window for the lamellar phase becomes much narrower, located at about 30-34 °C. Weakly ordered phases exist both below and above these temperatures. These phases are isotropic, but lamellae become aligned in a stacked manner on the surface whether approached from low or high temperatures. Dry films are disordered but can be reversibly ordered and disordered and aligned and misaligned by maintaining the temperature at 30-34 °C and switching relative outside humidity between 32% and 100%.

The effect of capromorelin on glycemic control in healthy dogs.

Capromorelin is a ghrelin-receptor agonist widely used as an appetite stimulant in dogs. Capromorelin disrupts glucose homeostasis in cats but information regarding its effects on canine glucose homeostasis is lacking. The study objective was to evaluate the effect of capromorelin on glucose homeostatic mechanisms in healthy dogs. Eight clinically healthy client-owned adult dogs were enrolled in this prospective, cross-over, placebo-controlled study. Dogs were randomized to receive capromorelin (Entyce, 3 mg/kg) or placebo, q24h for 3 d. A wk later, treatments were crossed over. Interstitial glucose (IG) concentrations were measured using a flash glucose monitoring system throughout. On d 1 of each treatment, blood glucose (BG), insulin, glucagon, glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP), and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations were measured before drug administration, then before and 30-120 min after feeding a glucose-rich diet (Ensure Plus, 21 kcal/kg). Data were analyzed as a 2-period crossover design using generalized least squares estimation. Capromorelin administration increased mean 48 h IG by10% and mean BG by 20% at 90 and 120 min post-prandially (P < 0.0001). Post-prandially, there was a time-by-treatment effect for insulin (P = 0.03) and GIP (P = 0.0002) because capromorelin doubled geometric mean insulin concentrations at 120 min and increased geometric mean GIP concentrations more rapidly than after placebo. There were no differences in glucagon or GLP-1 concentrations between treatment groups. The increase in post-prandial blood glucose was not the result of overt suppression of incretin hormone secretion. There was also no suppressive effect of capromorelin on insulin.

Skin eruption and thrombocytopaenia in a woman with glaucoma: a case report.

Antibiotic and non-antibiotic sulphonamides are often prescribed. Although chemical differences make cross-reactivity rare, reactions may be severe in patients allergic to sulphur. Adverse reactions are common with sulphonamides but low platelets and skin changes are rarely associated with eye-drops for glaucoma. A woman treated with dorzolamide and timolol presented with disseminated eruption. On admission, her physical examination was unremarkable except for the skin changes and severe thrombocytopaenia was detected. Skin biopsy showed hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, perivascular and periadnexal infiltrates with no vasculitis. After discontinuation of eye-drops, the eruption improved but low platelets persisted. Skin changes reappeared with use of dapsone which suggested sulphonamide cross-reactivity.

Infrared spectroscopy of racemic and enantiomeric forms of atenolol.

The molecular structure of conformational isomorphs given by X-ray diffraction for racemic and enantiomeric atenolol were optimized at the HF/6-31G* level of theory and the infrared spectra of the structure were calculated. These spectra are used to characterize the differences between the various atenolol conformers. The spectra of the (R,S)- and S-atenolol solid forms were recorded and the bands corresponding to the functional groups identified with the aid of the calculated spectra, fitting analysis, temperature effect and H/D isotopic exchange. Particular attention was paid to the stretch vibration modes of the functional groups present in the atenolol.

Infrared study of the acidic and basic forms of betaxolol.

Betaxolol and its respective hydrochloride salt were studied in solution by computational calculations and infrared spectroscopy. The solution molecular conformations were taken to be the same as those exhibited by the compounds in the solid state given by X-ray diffraction and calculated after full geometry optimization by ab initio Hartree-Fock methods using the 6-31G(d) basis set. Infrared spectra of carbon tetrachloride solutions provide valuable information on the structure of the compounds in non-polar solvents at different concentrations.

Effect of tibolone on cytochrome c oxidase I, beta-2-microglobulin and vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in the lower urinary tract of castrated rats.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of tibolone on cytochrome oxidase I (COX I), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression in the lower urinary tract of castrated rats. These genes are related to cell energy, cellular immunity and vascularization processes. METHODS: Fifty adult castrated rats remained at rest for 28 days. Thereafter they were randomly divided into two groups of 25 animals each. The lower urinary tract (bladder and urethra) was extracted in animals of one group and the other group received tibolone at a dose of 0.25 microg/animal/day for another 28 days followed by removal of the lower urinary tract. Total RNA was extracted from animals of both groups, forming two pools. After RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction), expression of COX I, B2M and VEGF genes was evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis, visualized by UV illumination. RESULTS: Expression of the three genes (COX I, B2M and VEGF) was greater in the group treated with tibolone. CONCLUSION: The use of tibolone increases the expression of COX, B2M and VEGF genes in the lower urinary tract as compared with that in castrated rats.

Distribution of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the animal kingdom: widespread occurrence of heparin-like compounds in invertebrates.

Sulfated glycosaminoglycans were isolated from 23 species of 13 phyla of invertebrates and characterized by their electrophoretic migration in three different buffer systems coupled with enzymatic degradation using bacterial heparinase, heparitinases and chondroitinase AC. Heparan sulfate is a ubiquitous compound present in all species analyzed whereas chondroitin sulfate was present in 20 species and heparin-like compounds in 12 species of the invertebrates. The heparin-like compounds were purified from the echinoderm Mellita quinquisperforata (sand dollar) and the crustacean Ucides cordatus (crab) with anticoagulant activities of 60 and 52 IU/mg, respectively. Degradation of these heparins with heparinase produced significant amounts of the trisulfated disaccharide typical of mammalian heparins. This was confirmed by 13C-NMR spectroscopy of the crab heparin. An updated phylogenetic tree of the distribution of sulfated glycosaminoglycans in the animal kingdom is also presented.

Structural features and anticoagulant activities of a novel natural low molecular weight heparin from the shrimp Penaeus brasiliensis.

A natural low molecular weight heparin (8.5 kDa), with an anticoagulant activity of 95 IU/mg by the USP assay, was isolated from the shrimp Penaeus brasiliensis. The crustacean heparin was susceptible to both heparinase and heparitinase II from Flavobacterium heparinum forming tri- and di-sulfated disaccharides as the mammalian heparins. (13)C and (1)H NMR spectroscopy revealed that the shrimp heparin was enriched in both glucuronic and non-sulfated iduronic acid residues. The in vitro anticlotting activities in different steps of the coagulation cascade have shown that its anticoagulant action is mainly exerted through the inhibition of factor Xa and heparin cofactor II-mediated inhibition of thrombin. The shrimp heparin has also a potent in vivo antithrombotic activity comparable to the mammalian low molecular weight heparins.

Development of new heparin-like compounds and other antithrombotic drugs and their interaction with vascular endothelial cells.

The anticlotting and antithrombotic activities of heparin, heparan sulfate, low molecular weight heparins, heparin and heparin-like compounds from various sources used in clinical practice or under development are briefly reviewed. Heparin isolated from shrimp mimics the pharmacological activities of low molecular weight heparins. A heparan sulfate from Artemia franciscana and a dermatan sulfate from tuna fish show a potent heparin cofactor II activity. A heparan sulfate derived from bovine pancreas has a potent antithrombotic activity in an arterial and venous thrombosis model with a negligible activity upon the serine proteases of the coagulation cascade. It is suggested that the antithrombotic activity of heparin and other antithrombotic agents is due at least in part to their action on endothelial cells stimulating the synthesis of an antithrombotic heparan sulfate.

Heparan sulfates and heparins: similar compounds performing the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates?

The distribution and structure of heparan sulfate and heparin are briefly reviewed. Heparan sulfate is a ubiquitous compound of animal cells whose structure has been maintained throughout evolution, showing an enormous variability regarding the relative amounts of its disaccharide units. Heparin, on the other hand, is present only in a few tissues and species of the animal kingdom and in the form of granules inside organelles in the cytoplasm of special cells. Thus, the distribution as well as the main structural features of the molecule, including its main disaccharide unit, have been maintained through evolution. These and other studies led to the proposal that heparan sulfate may be involved in the cell-cell recognition phenomena and control of cell growth, whereas heparin may be involved in defense mechanisms against bacteria and other foreign materials. All indications obtained thus far suggest that these molecules perform the same functions in vertebrates and invertebrates.

Clinical and urodynamic evaluation of women with detrusor instability before and after functional pelvic floor electrostimulation.

Detrusor instability is the second most frequent cause of female urinary incontinence. There are many therapeutic options, including non-invasive and surgical procedures. In this study, we evaluated the effects of pelvic floor vaginal electrostimulation using equipment designed in our institution, over three consecutive months, for treatment of 29 women with detrusor instability. After treatment 22 patients (76%) considered themselves cured or symptomatically improved; seven patients (24%) had no change in symptoms after therapy. There was objective cure and improvement in ten (34.5%) and in eight (27.5%) patients, respectively, and the urodynamic parameters did not change in 11 patients (38%). Electrical stimulation resulted in a gradual decrease in the number of urinary leakage episodes and increase in maximum cystometric capacity in first desire to void and in urinary volume.

Urodynamic alterations after pelvic floor exercises for treatment of stress urinary incontinence in women.

The following study improves the effectiveness of pelvic floor exercise in women with stress urinary incontinence. A group of 27 women with stress urinary incontinence performed specific pelvic floor exercises twice a week for 45 minutes under a therapist's supervision for a period of 12 weeks. This group had urodynamic and urethral pressure profile studies and filled in a daily diary. The patients self-evaluated their symptoms. After the therapy, the urodynamic and urethreal pressure profile studies were repeated and the results were: 66.7% patients were self-evaluated as cured; 14.8% improved and 18.5% unchanged. The urodynamic results showed that 48.2 % of the patients did not have urinary loss, however, 51,8% of the patients that had a loss showed an increase in vesicle volume, and only 7.3% remained unchanged. The results show that pelvic floor exercises are an effective and low cost treatment for stress urinary incontinence rehabilitation.

Does electrical stimulation of the pelvic floor make any change in urodynamic parameters? When to expect a cure and improvement in women with stress urinary incontinence?

OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed at determining the effects of pelvic floor electrical stimulation assessed by the number of leakages per day recorded in a voiding diary over 90 days of treatment and urodynamic parameters. STUDY DESIGN: This prospective study was carried out with 34 patients presenting stress urinary incontinence who were treated and evaluated by voiding diaries and urodynamic tests. The primary outcome measure was the number of leakages during the 90 days of treatment. Urodynamic tests were performed before and after treatment. RESULTS: In our series, average and maximum flow rates and residual urine volume were within normal range in all subjects before and after treatment. Maximum urethral closure pressure and functional profile length on urethral pressure profiles did not change after treatment. In the cystometry, bladder capacities at the first (p < 0.0082) and maximum sensations (p < 0.01) improved significantly after treatment. During the 90 days of treatment, we observed a gradual drop in the number of leakages. This decrease began around day 22. It dropped in half around day 45, tending to zero close to day 90 of treatment (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The number of incontinent leakage dropped to half around the 8th week, and on average, there was a tendency of the patients to be cured after the 12th week of treatment. At urodynamic studies we observed a significant increase in bladder capacity at the first desire to void and in the maximum cystometric capacity.

[The situation of nursing research in Sao Paulo municipal hospitals]. / Situação da pesquisa em enfermagem em hospitais do município de São Paulo.

The objective of this study is to show nursing research situation in public and private hospitals in the city of São Paulo, from 1989 to 1993. It is an exploratory and descriptive research. The questionnaire was answered by nursing directors of 14 hospitals--7 public and 7 private. 114 researches were developed in public hospitals and 40 in private hospitals. The results demonstrated that the majority of studies were developed by four or more authors and most of them were presented in scientifics events. The facilities and difficulties to develop research and to implement the results in nursing practice were also pointed out. Research centers, faculty-practice nursing, and admission of nurses researched were registered as strategies to develop research in some of these institutions.

[Nature and classification of nursing interventions in an adult outpatient clinic for chemotherapy]. / Natureza e classificação das intervenções de enferma gem em ambulatório de quimioterapia de adultos.

The purpose of the present descriptive study was to identify, through a retrospective analysis of records, the nature of nursing interventions as well as to establish the relationship between the nature of these interventions and the problems found. The sample was formed by 184 records of patients in their first nursing consultation at the Adult Chemotherapy Outpatient Unit of Hospital São Paulo from January to June, 1997; 37 records were selected at random: 19 male and 18 female patients. Results showed the predominance of interventions centered in patients' psychobiological needs. Educative interventions were more frequently performed when related to patients psychosocial needs. The correspondence between the identified problems and proposed interventions was evidenced when the psychobiological needs were met.

[Production of scientific papers by nurses from public and private hospitals in the district of Sao Paulo]. / Produção científica publicada pelas enfermeiras de hospitais públicos e privados do município de São Paulo.

This study shows the nurse's scientific publication from seven public and six private hospitals in São Paulo city, from january/1989 to june/1995. From a total of 486 papers identified, 242 were published as abstracts, 124 in annals, 92 in nationals and international journals, 21 as book chapters and 7 as books in nursing. The facilities and difficulties in publishing nursing scientific production were also discussed.

The effect of novel promoter variants in MATE1 and MATE2 on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of metformin.

Interindividual variation in response to metformin, first-line therapy for type 2 diabetes, is substantial. Given that transporters are determinants of metformin pharmacokinetics, we examined the effects of promoter variants in both multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1 (MATE1) (g.-66T → C, rs2252281) and MATE2 (g.-130G → A, rs12943590) on variation in metformin disposition and response. The pharmacokinetics and glucose-lowering effects of metformin were assessed in healthy volunteers (n = 57) receiving metformin. The renal and secretory clearances of metformin were higher (22% and 26%, respectively) in carriers of variant MATE2 who were also MATE1 reference (P < 0.05). Both MATE genotypes were associated with altered post-metformin glucose tolerance, with variant carriers of MATE1 and MATE2 having an enhanced (P < 0.01) and reduced (P < 0.05) response, respectively. Consistent with these results, patients with diabetes (n = 145) carrying the MATE1 variant showed enhanced metformin response. These findings suggest that promoter variants of MATE1 and MATE2 are important determinants of metformin disposition and response in healthy volunteers and diabetic patients.