Anatomia do sistema reprodutor feminino de Alouatta belzebul (Linnaeus, 1766) / [Anatomy of the female reproductive system of the Alouatta belzebul (Linnaeus, 1766)]

O conhecimento da anatomia de qualquer animal silvestre é de fundamental importância para sua preservação e proteção. Neste contexto, o presente estudo objetivou descrever a morfologia do sistema reprodutor feminino de Alouatta belzebul. Foram utilizados seis espécimes de A. belzebul, fêmeas, adultas, e livres de lesões. Observou-se macroscopicamente que os ovários têm características morfológicas em formato ovoides, com superfície lisa, e, na análise histológica na região de córtex, evidenciou-se folículos ovarianos em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento. As tubas uterinas anatomicamente são finas e curvilíneas, apresentando uma camada mucosa, uma muscular e outra serosa. O útero possui formato simples, com fundo globoso, com um miométrio altamente vascularizado, sendo organizado em feixes de fibras musculares lisas. A estrutura anatômica da vagina apresentou-se como um tubo muscular longo de paredes finas, onde, na região vestibular, o óstio externo da uretra é marcado por uma papila uretral bilobada e, na região de vulva, em sua porção caudal, contatou-se um clitóris bem desenvolvido. No que concerne à análise histológica da vagina, verificou-se, em região de mucosa vaginal, um extrato basal composto por epitélio estratificado pavimentoso não queratinizado atrófico. As descrições morfológicas fornecem, de forma inédita, informações importantes relativas à anatomia macroscópica e microscópica do sistema reprodutor feminino dessa espécie.(AU)

Knowledge of the anatomy of any wild animal is of fundamental importance for its preservation and protection. In this context the present study aimed to describe the morphology of the female reproductive system of A. belzebul. We used 6 specimens of A. belzebul, female, adult and free of lesions. It was macroscopically observed that the ovaries are ovoid with smooth surface and the histological analysis in cortical region showed ovarian follicles in different stages of development. The fallopian tubes are anatomically thin and curvilinear, with one mucous layer, one muscular and one serous layer. The uterus was presented in a simple format with a globular fundus, with a highly vascularized myometrium, being organized in bundles of smooth muscle fibers. The anatomical structure of the vagina presented itself as a long thin-walled muscular tube where in the vestibular region the external orifice of the urethra is marked by a bilobed urethral papilla and in the caudal portion in its caudal portion a well-developed clitoris. Regarding the histological analysis of the vagina, a basal extract composed of atrophic non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium was found in the vaginal mucosa region. The morphological descriptions provide important information regarding the macroscopic and microscopic anatomy of the female reproductive system of this species in an unprecedented way.(AU)

Constituents from leaves of Quillaja brasiliensis.

A new abietane diterpene, the 19-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside of 16-hydroxylambertic acid was isolated from the leaves of Quillaja brasiliensis together with a known prosapogenin (3-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-quillaic acid), quercetin, and rutin. The new compound was identified by chemical and spectroscopic methods.

Triterpenes and saponins from Ilex psammophila.

Two new saponins were isolated from the leaves of Ilex psammophila. Their structure was established by chemical and spectroscopic methods as 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylester of 20(S)-ilexgenin A ([structure: see text]) and 28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosylester of 20(S)-3beta,19alpha,24-trihydroxyurs-12-ene-23, 28-dioic acid ([structure: see text]).

Experimentally induced cholangiohepatopathy by dosing sheep with fractionated extracts from Brachiaria decumbens.

Cholangiohepatopathy was induced in 5 lambs by oral administration of extracts from signal grass (Brachiaria decumbens) in Brazil. Grossly there were pale foci multifocally distributed throughout the hepatic parenchyma in 4 lambs. The microscopic changes, which were similar to those produced by other steroidal sapogenins-containing plants such as Tribulus terrestris and Panicum spp., included multifocal cholangitis, bile duct proliferation, and the presence of crystals in the biliary system.

Prophylactic donor lymphocyte infusions after moderately ablative chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation for hematological malignancies: high remission rate among poor prognosis patients at the expense of graft-versus-host disease.

We investigated the use of 'prophylactic' donor lymphocyte infusions (DLI) containing 1 x 107 CD3+ cells, given at 30, 60 and 90 days post-allogeneic blood and marrow transplantation (BMT), following conditioning with fludarabine 30 mg/m(2)/4 days and melphalan 70 mg/m(2)/2 days. GVHD prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporin A (CsA) 2 mg/kg daily with early tapering by day 60. Our goals were the rapid achievement of chimerism and disease control, providing an immunological platform for DLIs to treat refractory patients with hematological malignancies. Twelve heavily pre-treated patients with life expectancy less than 6 months were studied; none were in remission. Diagnoses were AML (n = 4), MDS (n = 1), ALL (n = 3), CML (n = 3) and multiple myeloma (n = 1). Response rate was 75%. Three patients are alive at a median of 450 days (range, 450-540). Two patients are in remission of CML in blast crisis and AML for more than 14 months. Median survival is 116 days (range, 25-648). Six patients received 12 DLIs; three patients developed acute GVHD after the first infusion and were excluded from further DLIs, but no GVHD occurred among patients receiving subsequent DLIs. One patient with CML in blast crisis went into CR after the first DLI. The overall incidence of acute GVHD was 70%. Primary causes of death were infections (n = 3), acute GVHD (n = 3), chronic GVHD (n = 1) and disease relapse (n = 2). We observed high response and chimerism rates at the expense of an excessive incidence of GVHD. DLI given at day +30 post BMT caused GVHD in 50% of the patients, and its role in this setting remains unclear.

Tilirosídeo em Croton gnaphalii BAlLL

O gênero Croton possui seiscentas espécies e é originário de regiões tropicais. Croton gnaphelil é conhecida no sul do Brasil como infalivina, sendo utilizada popularmente nos distúrbios hepáticos. A substância majoritária presente nas partes aéreas desta planta foi isolada e identificada através de métodos espectroscópicos, sendo identificada como um glicosídeo acilado, o canferol‑3‑O‑(6"‑O‑p‑cumaroil)‑β‑D‑glicopyranose, também chamado de tilirosídeo.

Croton genus comprises six hundred species being native in tropical forests. Croton gnaphalliis popularly known as "infalivina" in South of Brazil and it is traditionally used for hepatic disorders. The major compound from aerial parts of this plant was isolated and its structure elucidated through spectroscopic analysis. It was identified as an acylglycoside, kaempferol‑3‑O‑(6"‑O‑p‑coumaroyl)‑ β ‑D‑glucopyranoside, known as tiliroside.

Isolation of steroidal sapogenins implicated in experimentally induced cholangiopathy of sheep grazing Brachiaria decumbens in Brazil.

As part of an experimental study, crystal-associated cholangiopathy was induced in 9 sheep by grazing pure pastures of Brachiaria decumbens in Brazil. One of these sheep showed characteristic lesions of photosensitization. The analysis of the B decumbens samples by acidic hydrolysis followed by TLC and infrared spectrum revealed diosgenin as the principal sapogenin present in the plant. In the rumen contents samples from the B decumbens-grazing group were identified by TLC, 1H and 13C NMR and EIMS as epismilagenin, episarsasapogenin, and a mixture of smilagenin and sarsasapogenin. In the bile samples from the B decumbens-grazing group, TLC analysis demonstrated 2 compounds similar to epismilagenin and episarsasapogenin. However, by this same method, those compounds were not observed in the rumen contents and bile from 2 sheep which served as control animals. The P chartarum spore counts remained very low during the experimental period.

Comparaçäo de duas técnicas de treinamento muscular respiratório em pacientes sob ventilaçäo mecânica com insucesso de desmame / Comparison of two techniques of respiratory muscular training in patients under mechanical ventilation with weaning failure

Os objetivos deste estudo foram investigar a existência de diferenças na evolução dos parâmetros de Pressão respiratória máxima (PImáx e PEmáx), do Volume Corrente (VC), Volume minuto (Vm), índice de Tobin e índice de oxigenação, em pacientes sob Ventilação Mecânica (VM), submetidos a um Treinamento Muscular Respiratórios (TMR), verificar se esse tipo de intervenção contribui para o sucesso de desmanche da VM e comparar os dois tipos de TMR utilizados. Foram estudados 45 pacientes com mais de uma semana sob VM e com pelo menos uma tentativa de desmame, mal sucedida. Destes, 20 participaram de um TMR, utilizando o ajuste da sensibilidade do respirador e compuseram o grupo 2 (G-1) (9M e 11H), 5 pacientes participaram do TMR com uso do theshold, constituindo TMR foi utilizada uma carga de resistência inspiratória com 40 por cento a PImáx, obtida na avaliação inicial dos pacientes. Todos os pacientes participaram da rotina convencional do hospital e da UTI e foram sobmetidos a uma avaliação clínica constante realizada durante todo o período de internação. O protocolo constou de duas sessões ao dia, nas quais foram realizadas cinco séries de dez inspirações. Comparando os resultados dos três grupos, constatou-se que não houve diferenças significativas (p

Clinical implications of natural killer cytotoxicity in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis.

Impairment of natural cytotoxicity mediated by natural killer (NK) cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of penile carcinoma. The aim of this study was to examine the NK activity profile and its prognostic significance in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. The NK activity was measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 39 patients diagnosed histologically as having invasive squamous cell penile carcinoma and 4 patients with verrucous carcinoma of the penis. Of 39 patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma, 4 had undergone previous penile amputation. According to the prognosis, the patients with invasive squamous cell carcinoma were divided into two groups: with metastasis and without metastasis. The patients were evaluated in relation to clinicopathologic variables using univariate analyses. NK cell activity was significantly decreased in all patients with penile carcinoma when compared with the control groups (p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with and without metastasis. We conclude that there is a decrease in NK activity in PBMCs from patients with penile carcinoma and that the presence of advanced disease or metastatic involvement is not responsible for this reduction.

Ouabain effects on activated lymphocytes: augmentation of CD25 expression on TPA-stimulated cells and of CD69 on PHA-and TPA-stimulated cells.

Ouabain (OUA) was capable of inhibiting peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) proliferation induced by phyothaemagglutinin (PHA) of phorbol ester (TPA), as measured by thymidine incorporation or cell cycle analysis. In this latter case it was possible to detect a block in the progression from G1 to S phase. This inhibition could not be reversed by interleukin (IL)-2 and was not due to an effect on CD 25 expression, as this molecule was only reduced in PHA cultures treated with OUA. Conversely, cultures activated by TPA and OUA showed an increased expression of CD25. The activation antigen CD69 was increased in both situation, suggesting that despite the absence of proliferative response the cells were being activated. The possibility that these cells were being deviated to the activation pathway leading to apoptosis is now under investigation. This study also suggested that CD25 induction may occur via different pathways, and that the selective effect of OUA for PHA-activated cells may become a useful tool for the understanding of the process.

Phenotypic analysis of PBMCs from uterine cervix cancer patients with high natural killer activity.

Phenotypic analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from uterine cervix cancer patients, with increased natural killer cell activity, treated with radiation therapy was carried out. An increase in the percentage of CD56+ cells was observed in 5 out of 7 patients. When the expression of CD69, a phenotypic marker of cellular activation, was analyzed in 6 patients, an increase was observed in 4 of them. No direct correlation between cytolytic activity and the levels of CD56+ or CD69+ cells were observed. After 72 hr, an increased expression of CD56 was observed in 3 patients and a similar picture was seen at the same time following activation with IL-2 or IFN.

Sensitivity of vincristine-sensitive K562 and vincristine-resistant K562-Lucena 1 cells to anthracyclines and reversal of multidrug resistance.

The phenomenon of multidrug resistance (MDR), that involves the efflux pump P-glycoprotein, can be reversed by a number of substances known as MDR modulators or reversing agents. In the present study we investigated the action of three anthracyclines, mitoxantrone and vincristine on short-term (72 h) cultures using 2 methods ([3H] incorporation and MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiasol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), on 2 cell lines: K562, a human erythroleukemia, and a vincristine-resistant subline K562-Lucena 1. Using the same culture methods plus flow cytometry analysis, the reversing potentials of cyclosporin A and verapamil were studied in both cell lines. There were differences in the sensitivity and resistance profiles of the two lines to the various drugs but daunorubicin (5 micrograms/ml) and idarubicin (0.035 micrograms/ml) were the most effective when each was used in high concentration. Cyclosporine at 200 ng/ml and verapamil at 5 micrograms/ml reversed MDR in the resistant line, and had a synergistic action with chemotherapeutic agents on the sensitive line. Again differences were demonstrable between combinations of the various drugs and reversal was only clearly shown with the method measuring cell proliferation ([3H] incorporation) but not by the method measuring metabolic activity (MTT). The efflux of rhodamine-123 mimics the functional activity of the pump and cyclosporine was a better reversing agent by this criteria. These data show that the results obtained in in vitro studies attempting to identify treatments for different types of leukemias depend to a large extent on the methods used to measure cell response.

Trifluoperazine reduces the expression of CD69 in phytohemagglutinin-activated lymphocytes.

Trifluoperazine (TFP) is a phenothiazine capable of inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation as well as natural killer cells (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK) cytotoxic activity. CD69 is a surface molecule induced by various mechanisms of cellular activation. In the present work the modulation of CD69 expression by TFP was investigated on PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and compared to that of CD25 (IL-2 receptor) expression. Determination of surface molecules was performed in an indirect immunofluorescence assay using anti-CD69 or anti-CD25 monoclonal antibodies, and analyzed by flow cytometry. The time course of the expression of these two molecules differed: CD69 expression was already declining at 48 h, whereas CD25 was still increasing at 72 h after stimulation. TFP (10 microM) reduced CD69 expression by 71.8% at 24 h, 68.4% at 48 h and 24% at 72 h following activation. In contrast, the same dose of TFP did not significantly affect CD25 expression at 24 h but showed an inhibitory effect at later times. These results suggest that different activation pathways are involved in the expression of CD25 and CD69.

Sensitivity of vincristine-sensitive K562 and vincristine-resistant K562-Lucena 1 cells to anthracyclines and reversal of multidrug resistance

The phenomenon of multidrug resistance (MDR), that involves the efflux pump P-glycoprotein, can be reversed by a number of substances known as MDR modulators or reversing agents. In the present study we investigated the action of three anthracyclines, mitoxantrone and vincristine on short-term (72 h) cultures using 2 methods ([3H] incorporation and MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiasol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide)), on 2 cell lines: K562, a human erythroleukemia, and a vincristine-resistant subline K562-Lucena 1. Using the same culture methods plus flow cytometry analysis, the reversing potentials of cyclospotin A and verapamil were studied in both cell lines. There were differences in the sensitivity and resistance profiles of the two lines to the various drugs but daunorubicin (5 mug/ml) and idarubicin (0.035 mug/ml) were the most effective when each was used in high concentration. Cyclosporine at 200 mug/ml and verapamil at 5 mug/ml reversed MDR in the resistant line, and had a synergistic action with chemotherapeutic agents on the sensitive line. Again differences were demonstrable between combinations of the various drugs and reversal was only clearly shown with the method measuring cell proliferation ([3H] incorporation) but not by the method measuring metabolic activity (MIT). The efflux of rhodamine-123 mimics the functional activity of the pump and cyclosporine was a better reversing agent by this criteria. These data show that the results obtained in in vitro studies attempting to identify treatments for different types of leukemias depend to a large extent on the methods used to measure cell response.

Trifluoperazine reduces the expression of CD69 in phytohemagglutinin-activated lymphocytes

Trifluoperazine (TFP) is a phenothiazine capable of inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation as well as natural killer cells (NK) and lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAK) cytotoxic activity. CD69 is a surface molecule induced by various mechanisms of cellular activation. In the present work the modulation of CD69 expression by TFP was investigated on PHA-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells and compared to that of CD25 (IL-2 receptor) expression. Determination of surface molecules was performed in an indirect immunofluorescence assay using anti-CD69 or anti-CD25 monoclonal antibodies, and analyzed by flow cytometry. The time course of the expression of these two molecules differed: CD69 expression was already declining at 48 h, whereas CD25 was still increasing at 72 h after stimulation. TFP (10 muM) reduced CD69 expression by 71.8 per cent at 24 h, 68.4 per cent at 48 h and 24 per cent at 72 h following activation. In contrast, the same dose of TFP did not significantly affect CD25 expression at 24 h but showed an inhibitory effect at later times. These results suggest that different activation pathways are involved in the expression of CD25 and CD69.

Inhibition of drug-induced contractions of guinea-pig ileum by Annona crassiflora seed extract.

A hydro-alcoholic extract of dried Annona crassiflora seeds (AR.1) showed a non-specific inhibitory effect on drug-induced contractions of guinea-pig ileum. Maximum responses to histamine, acetylcholine and bradykinin were reduced increasingly with increasing doses of AR.1. Affinities of the gut to the above agonists, expressed as respective pD2 values were not changed by AR.1. Dose-response curves of calcium-induced contractions in depolarized preparations were shifted to the right but maximum responses were not changed by AR.1. It is suggested that the inhibitory effect of AR.1 is due to a decrease in membrane permeability to calcium. This inhibitory effect may be responsible for the effect of Annona crassiflora as a remedy against snake venom.

Carnitine supplementation in diphtheria.

We studied the effect of carnitine supplementation in patients with diphtheria. Six hundred and twenty five children of diphtheria received either DL-carnitine (100 mg/kg/day in two divided doses orally for four days), or no carnitine, in addition to the routine treatment for diphtheria. The patients receiving carnitine (n = 327) and controls (n = 298) were matched for age, sex, duration of symptoms, grade of toxemia and immunization status. Patients receiving carnitine showed a significant reduction in incidence of myocarditis as compared to controls (p = 0.001). Cases with myocarditis receiving carnitine therapy showed a significant reduction in mortality as compared to controls (p < 0.001). In view of a significant decline in incidence and mortality of myocarditis in cases of diphtheria, we recommended that all cases with diphtheria should receive carnitine supplementation.

Fechamento de colostomia. / Colostomy closure

Os autores apresentam 86 casos de fechamento de colostomia realizados no Hospital Getulio Vargas, no periodo de 1969 a 1978.Justificaram a apresentacao pela raridade do assunto na literatura nacional, bem como para verificar a incidencia e causas de suas complicacoes. O material de estudo consta apenas de fechamento de colostomia em alca, decorrentes de lesoes traumaticas de colon, reto e anus. Descrevem os cuidados pre-operatorios, a tecnica de fechamento de colostomia utilizada sistematicamente no servico e suas complicacoes.Relatam pequena incidencia de complicacoes com apenas um caso de fistula estercoral e nenhum obito. No final, tecem uma serie de consideracoes, ressaltando a necessidade de fechar a colostomia apos seis semanas, bem como optar, na medida do possivel, pela tecnica de simples fechamento, ou seja, conservando a parede posterior do colon

Hemorragia digestiva macica por doenca de inclusao citomegalica. Apresentacao de um caso e revisao da literatura. / Massive digestive hemorrage due to cytomegalic inclusion disease. A case report and review of the literature

Os autores apresentam um caso de hemorragia digestiva macica com multiplas ulceracoes de esofago por virus de inclusao citomegalico. O diagnostico foi feito por exame endoscopico, que mostrou esofagite grave. A biopsia endoscopica revelou celulas tipicas do virus de inclusao citomegalico