Analytical evidence of heterogeneous lead accumulation in the hypothalamic defence area and nucleus tractus solitarius.

Lead is a potent toxicant associated with adverse cardiovascular effects and hypertension in children. Yet, few studies have determined if autonomic dysfunction associated with lead exposure involves brain regions which regulate autonomic responses. Central autonomic nuclei such as the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and hypothalamic defence area (HDA) may be particularly sensitive to lead infiltration because they are adjacent to ventricles and areas with semi-permeable blood-brain-barriers. To understand if autonomic nuclei are sensitive to lead accumulation Wistar rats were exposed to lead from the gestational period and lead levels were quantified in brain regions that regulate arterial pressure: the NTS and the HDA. Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) was used to quantify total brain lead levels and revealed no differences between exposed and control tissues; measured values were close to the detection limit (2µg/g). Electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS) was also used, which has a greater sensitivity, to quantify lead. There was ∼2.1µg/g lead in the NTS and ∼3.1µg/g lead in the HDA of exposed rats, and no lead in the control rats. There were greater lead levels in the HDA (∼50%) as compared with the NTS. Pathology studies revealed more prominent lead granules in the HDA as compared with the NTS. Increased microglia and astrocyte activation was also noted in the NTS of lead exposed rats as compared with the HDA. Regional differences in neuro-inflammatory responses likely contribute to heterogeneous lead accumulation, with enhanced clearance of lead in the NTS. Future studies will resolve the mechanisms underpinning tissue-specific lead accumulation.

Assessment of essential elements and heavy metals content on Mytilus galloprovincialis from river Tagus estuary.

Trace elemental content was analysed in edible tissues of Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in five different sampling areas near the mouth of river Tagus estuary in Lisbon. The concentrations of essential elements (S, K, Ca, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Br and Sr) were determined by energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry, while toxic elements (Cr, Cd, Hg, Se and Pb) were measured by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). The results show that the essential elements K and S are present at the highest concentrations in all the studied samples reaching 2,920 and 4,520 µg g(-1) (fresh weight), respectively. The highest levels of heavy metals found were in two areas close to the city for Pb and Cd, but below the maximum allowed values.

Eletroacupuntura para tratamento de hipotensão induzida por isofluorano em cavalos / Electroacupuncture treatment for isoflurane induced hypotension in horses

Objetivou-se avaliar a eficiência do tratamento da hipotensão arterial com eletroacupuntura comparativamente à dobutamina em equinos. Foram avaliados seis cavalos adultos, saudáveis, mantidos em anestesia inalatória, com isofluorano, em ventilação mecânica. Após a estabilização da anestesia, foi induzida hipotensão arterial, através do incremento da concentração do isofluorano, iniciando-se um dos tratamentos: DOB: dobutamina (1,5µg kg-1 min-1, infusão contínua intravenosa); EA: estímulo elétrico no acuponto pericárdio 6 (PC6), bilateralmente; SHAM: estímulo elétrico em ponto falso de acupuntura. Foram mensurados: frequência cardíaca (FC), pressão arterial média (PAM), temperatura retal (T), concentração final expirada de isofluorano (ETiso), variáveis hemogasométricas, concentração sérica de aspartato aminotransferase (AST) e creatina fosfoquinase (CK), tempo e qualidade da recuperação pós-anestésica. Houve incremento na PAM de 50%, 36,6% e 7,5% nos tratamentos DOB, EA e SHAM, respectivamente. Não houve diferença entre os grupos nas variáveis hemogasométricas, FC, T, ETiso, CK, AST, tempo e qualidade de recuperação pós-anestésica. Conclui-se que o tratamento com dobutamina foi mais efetivo para o tratamento da hipotensão em cavalos sob anestesia inalatória quando comparado ao estímulo elétrico do acuponto PC6 ou ponto falso de acupuntura...

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of electroacupuncture compared to the dobutamine treatment of hypotension in equines. Six adult horses were maintained in isoflurane anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. After anesthesia was established, the isoflurane concentration was raised until hypotension was achieved. After that the animals were treated with a constant rate of 1.5mg kg -1min-1 intravenous dobutamine (DOB), electroacupunture to pericardium 6 (PC-6) acupoint (EA) and false point treatment (SHAM). Heart rate (HH), median arterial blood pressure (MAP), rectal temperature (T), isoflurane end-tidal concentration, arterial blood gases, creatine kinase (CK), aspartate transaminase (AST), recovery time and quality of recovery were investigated. The MAP increased 50%, 36.5% and 7.5%% in DOB, EA and SHAM treatments, respectively. HH, T, arterial blood gases, CK, AST, recovery time and quality of recovery did not differ among treatments. It was concluded that the dobutamine treatment was more effective than EA and SHAM treatments for the reversion of isoflurane induced hypotension in horses...

Biological treatment of the effluent from a bleached kraft pulp mill using basidiomycete and zygomycete fungi.

Three white-rot fungi (Pleurotus sajor caju, Trametes versicolor and Phanerochaete chrysosporium) and one soft-rot fungi (Rhizopus oryzae) species confirmed their potential for future applications in the biological treatment of effluents derived from the secondary treatment of a bleached kraft pulp mill processing Eucalyptus globulus. Among the four species P. sajor caju and R. oryzae were the most effective in the biodegradation of organic compounds present in the effluent, being responsible for the reduction of relative absorbance (25-46% at 250 nm and 72-74% at 465 nm) and of chemical oxygen demand levels (74 to 81%) after 10 days of incubation. Laccase (Lac), lignin (Lip) and manganese peroxidases (MnP) expression varied among fungal species, where Lac and LiP activities were correlated with the degradation of organic compounds in the effluent treated with P. sajor caju. The first two axes of a principal component analysis explained 88.9% of the total variation among sub-samples treated with the four fungus species, after different incubation periods. All the variables measured contributed positively to the first component except for the MnP enzyme activity which was the only variable contributing negatively to the first component. Absorbances at 465 nm, LiP and Lac enzyme activities were the variables with more weight on the second component. P. sajor caju revealed to be the only species able to perform the biological treatment without promoting an increment in the toxicity of the effluent to the Vibrio fischeri, as it was assessed by the Microtox assay. The opposite was recorded for the treatments with the other three species of fungus. EC(50-5 min) values ranging between 28 and 57% (effluent concentrations) were recorded even after 10 to 13 days of treatment with P. chrysosporium, R. oryzae or with T. versicolor.