Safe therapeutics of murine melanoma model using a novel antineoplasic, the partially methylated mannogalactan from Pleurotus eryngii.

A heteropolysaccharide was isolated by cold aqueous extraction from edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii ("King Oyster") basidiocarps and its biological properties were evaluated. Structural assignments were carried out using mono- and bidimensional NMR spectroscopy, monosaccharide composition, and methylation analyses. A mannogalactan having a main chain of (1→6)-linked α-d-galactopyranosyl and 3-O-methyl-α-d-galactopyranosyl residues, both partially substituted at OH-2 by ß-d-Manp (MG-Pe) single-unit was found. Biological effects of mannogalactan from P. eryngii (MG-Pe) were tested against murine melanoma cells. MG-Pe was non-cytotoxic, but reduced in vitro melanoma cells invasion. Also, 50mg/kg MG-Pe administration to melanoma-bearing C57BL/6 mice up to 10days decreased in 60% the tumor volume compared to control. Additionally, no changes were observed when biochemical profile, complete blood cells count (CBC), organs, and body weight were analyzed. Mg-Pe was shown to be a promising anti-melanoma molecule capable of switching melanoma cells to a non-invasive phenotype with no toxicity to melanoma-bearing mice.

Effects of flunixin meglumine on reproductive parameters in beef cattle

Flunixin meglumine (FM) has been used as an attempt to inhibit luteolysis in ruminants. The effects of FM on seric concentration of progesterone, pregnancy rate and ovarian status of cows were assessed in this study. Fifty-seven cows were divided into Control Group (CG; n = 30) and Treated Group (TG; n = 27) on an estrus synchronization program involving intramuscular(IM) estradiol benzoate (EB) and intravaginal progesterone-releasing insert. After seven days the intravaginal insert was removed, prostaglandin-F2alpha (PGF2α) IM was given, and then EB was administered 24 h later. Fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) was conducted 30 h after EB administration. Animals from the TG received 1.1 mg/kg of FM IM daily between the days 11 and 16 of the estrous cycle (day 0 = FTAI), whereas the animals from the CG received physiological solution. Blood from all animals wascollected on days 0, 6, 9, 11 through 18, and 21. Thirty animals from the Nellore breed were selected for the measurement of serum concentrations of progesterone by radioimmunoassay. Animals which returned to estrus were inseminated again (artificial insemination; AI) and allocated back to their groups. Pregnancy diagnosis was conducted by transrectal ultrasound in either FTAI or AI cows after30 days. The ovarian condition of the nin-pregnant animals was reevalunted 4 days later. Progesterone concentration among the animals from the experimental groups was similar until the day 18 of the estrous cycle (P > 0.05). On day 21, pregnant animals presented higher progesterone concentrations (P < 0.05) than non-pregnant animals from the TG and TN Pregnancy rate was similar among the groups (P > 0.05). However, non-pregnant animals from the TG presented higher (P > 0.05) follicular persistence than that observed for the animals in the CG, 78.6% (11/14) vs. 33.3% (5/15), respectively (P = 0.025). Results indicate that FM administered during the luteolysis period of beef cattle does not influence progesterone concentration and pregnancy rate, although it influences the occurrence of follicular persistence.(AU)

Effects of flunixin meglumine on reproductive parameters in beef cattle

Flunixin meglumine (FM) has been used as an attempt to inhibit luteolysis in ruminants. The effects of FM on seric concentration of progesterone, pregnancy rate and ovarian status of cows were assessed in this study. Fifty-seven cows were divided into Control Group (CG; n = 30) and Treated Group (TG; n = 27) on an estrus synchronization program involving intramuscular(IM) estradiol benzoate (EB) and intravaginal progesterone-releasing insert. After seven days the intravaginal insert was removed, prostaglandin-F2alpha (PGF2α) IM was given, and then EB was administered 24 h later. Fixed-time artificial insemination (FTAI) was conducted 30 h after EB administration. Animals from the TG received 1.1 mg/kg of FM IM daily between the days 11 and 16 of the estrous cycle (day 0 = FTAI), whereas the animals from the CG received physiological solution. Blood from all animals wascollected on days 0, 6, 9, 11 through 18, and 21. Thirty animals from the Nellore breed were selected for the measurement of serum concentrations of progesterone by radioimmunoassay. Animals which returned to estrus were inseminated again (artificial insemination; AI) and allocated back to their groups. Pregnancy diagnosis was conducted by transrectal ultrasound in either FTAI or AI cows after30 days. The ovarian condition of the nin-pregnant animals was reevalunted 4 days later. Progesterone concentration among the animals from the experimental groups was similar until the day 18 of the estrous cycle (P > 0.05). On day 21, pregnant animals presented higher progesterone concentrations (P 0.05). However, non-pregnant animals from the TG presented higher (P > 0.05) follicular persistence than that observed for the animals in the CG, 78.6% (11/14) vs. 33.3% (5/15), respectively (P = 0.025). Results indicate that FM administered during the luteolysis period of beef cattle does not influence progesterone concentration and pregnancy rate, although it influences the occurrence of follicular persistence.

Alterações morfológicas nos órgãos genitais de cães e gatos provenientes de Vilas Rurais da região de Umuarama-PR / Morphological alterations in the genital organs of cats and dogs from Rural Villages in the Region of Umuarama-PR / Alteraciones morfológicas en los órganos genitales de perros y gatos provenientes de villas rurales de la región de Umuarama PR

Enfermidades nos órgãos reprodutivos de cães e gatos têm variados graus de morbidade, mortalidade e sofrem influências do histórico reprodutivo, de tratamentos farmacológicos prévios e de condições ambientais, podendo assim haver variações regionais na incidência de determinadas anormalidades reprodutivas. O objetivo deste estudo foi fazer um levantamento da incidência das alterações morfológicas nos órgãos genitais de cães e gatos provenientes de Vilas Rurais da região de Umuarama, associar a freqüência de cada alteração à espécie, sexo, uso de contraceptivo e número de partos e discutir as principais alterações encontradas. Foram examinados os órgãos reprodutivos de 208 animais, assim distribuídos: 36,06% eram cadelas, 33,65% cães, 14,90% gatas e 15,38% gatos, todos sem raça definida e idade variando de um mês a 10 anos. Dos animais examinados, 9,13% apresentaram alterações, classificadas como hiperplasia cística do endométrio (5,29%), endometrite (0,96%), retenção de placenta (0,48%), fibrose endometrial (0,48%), degeneração testicular (0,96%), hipoplasia testicular (0,48%) e hemangiossarcoma no pênis (0,48%). Ao se agruparem as alterações, não se observou associação entre freqüência de alterações e espécie (P>0,05), sendo 10,30% e 6,30% para alterações nas espécies canina e felina, respectivamente. No entanto observou-se associação (P<0,05) entre freqüência de alterações e sexo, sendo que 14,15% estavam presentes em fêmeas e 3,90% em machos. Animais velhos apresentaram maior freqüência de alterações nos órgãos genitais (P<0,05) do que animais jovens. A freqüência de alterações não se associou ao uso de contraceptivo, à presença de gestação e ao número de partos, embora se tenha observado maior número de alterações patológicas em fêmeas que já haviam parido.(AU)

Alterações morfológicas nos órgãos genitais de cães e gatos provenientes de Vilas Rurais da região de Umuarama-PR / Morphological alterations in the genital organs of cats and dogs from Rural Villages in the Region of Umuarama-PR / Alteraciones morfológicas en los órganos genitales de perros y gatos provenientes de villas rurales de la región de umuarama ­ pr

Enfermidades nos órgãos reprodutivos de cães e gatos têm variados graus de morbidade, mortalidade e sofrem influências do histórico reprodutivo, de tratamentos farmacológicos prévios e de condições ambientais, podendo assim haver variações regionais na incidência de determinadas anormalidades reprodutivas. O objetivo deste estudo foi fazer um levantamento da incidência das alterações morfológicas nos órgãos genitais de cães e gatos provenientes de Vilas Rurais da região de Umuarama, associar a freqüência de cada alteração à espécie, sexo, uso de contraceptivo e número de partos e discutir as principais alterações encontradas. Foram examinados os órgãos reprodutivos de 208 animais, assim distribuídos: 36,06% eram cadelas, 33,65% cães, 14,90% gatas e 15,38% gatos, todos sem raça definida e idade variando de um mês a 10 anos. Dos animais examinados, 9,13% apresentaram alterações, classificadas como hiperplasia cística do endométrio (5,29%), endometrite (0,96%), retenção de placenta (0,48%), fibrose endometrial (0,48%), degeneração testicular (0,96%), hipoplasia testicular (0,48%) e hemangiossarcoma no pênis (0,48%). Ao se agruparem as alterações, não se observou associação entre freqüência de alterações e espécie (P>0,05), sendo 10,30% e 6,30% para alterações nas espécies canina e felina, respectivamente. No entanto observou-se associação (P<0,05) entre freqüência de alterações e sexo, sendo que 14,15% estavam presentes em fêmeas e 3,90% em machos. Animais velhos apresentaram maior freqüência de alterações nos órgãos genitais (P<0,05) do que animais jovens. A freqüência de alterações não se associou ao uso de contraceptivo, à presença de gestação e ao número de partos, embora se tenha observado maior número de alterações patológicas em fêmeas que já haviam parido.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of the present study is to determine the incidence of pathologic alterations in the genital organs of apparently healthy dogs and cats and to correlate the frequency of each alteration to species, sex, the number of parturitions and the previous use of contraceptives. A total of 208 genital organs from 145 (69.7%) dogs and 63 (30.3%) cats castrated as part of a project of birth control for animals were examined macroscopically and histologically, in selected cases. Seventy fi ve (51.7%) of the dogs were female and 70 (48.3%) were male; 31 (49.2%) of the cats were female and 32 (50.8%) were male. Their race was undefi ned and their ages varied from one month to ten years. The following alterations were diagnosed in the dogs: nine (4.3%) had cystic endometrial hyperplasia, two (0.96%) had endometritis, one (0.48%) had retained placentas, one (0.48%) had testicular degeneration and one (0.48%) dog had a hemangiosarcoma in its penis. The following pathological alterations were diagnosed in the cats: two (0.96%) had cystic endometrial hyperplasia, one (0.48%) had endometrial fi brosis, one (0.48%) had testicular degeneration and one (0.48%) cat had testicular hipoplasia. There were no differences between species for the incidence of alterations. However, females were signifi cantly more affected than males (p<0.05), where 14.15% of the sick animals were female and 3.90% were male. Older animals showed greater incidences of pathological alteration in genital organs (p<0.05). There was no association among the incidence of alterations to the previous use of contraceptive, current pregnancy or number of previous gestations.

RESUMEN: Enfermedades de los órganos reproductivos de perros y gatos tienen variados grados de morbidad, mortalidad y sufren infl uencias de la historia reproductiva, de los tratamientos farmacológicos previos y de las condiciones ambientales, pudiendo así haber variaciones regionales en la incidencia de determinadas anormalidades reproductivas. El objetivo de este estudio fue hacer una encuesta de la incidencia de alteraciones morfológicas de los órganos genitales de perros y gatos provenientes de Villas Rurales de la región de Umuarama, asociar la frecuencia de cada alteración a la especie, sexo, uso de anticonceptivos y el número de partos, discutiendo las alteraciones encontradas. Fueron examinados los órganos reproductivos de 208 animales así distribuidos: 36,06% eran perras, 33,65% perros, 14,90% gatas y 15,38% gatos, todos sin raza defi nida y edad variando de un mes hasta diez años. De los animales examinados, 9,13% presentaron alteraciones, clasifi cadas como hiperplasia cística del endometrio (5,29%), endometritis (0,96%), retención de la placenta (0,48%), fi brosis endometrial (0,48%), degeneración testicular (0,96%), hipoplasia testicular (0,48%) y hemangiosarcoma del falo (0,48%). Al agruparse las alteraciones, no se observó asociación entre frecuencia de alteraciones y especie (P>0,05), siendo 10,30% y 6,30% para alteraciones en las especies canina y felina, respectivamente. Sin embargo, se observó asociación (P<0,05) entre frecuencia de alteraciones y sexo, sendo que 14,15% estaban presentes en hembras y 3,90% en machos. Animales viejos presentaron mayor frecuencia de alteraciones en los órganos genitales (P<0,05) que los animales jóvenes. La frecuencia de alteraciones no se asoció al uso de anticonceptivo, a la presencia de preñez y al número de partos, mismo que se tenga observado mayor número de alteraciones patológicas en hembras que ya habían parido.

Transport, transformation and distribution space of propofol in the rat liver studied by means of the indicator-dilution technique.

1. The transport, transformation and distribution space of the endovenous anaesthetic propofol in the isolated perfused rat liver were investigated by using the multiple-indicator dilution technique with constant infusion (step input). 2. The behaviour of propofol in the liver was described by a space-distributed variable transit-time model. The drug permeated the cell membrane at very high rates and its distribution into the cellular space was flow-limited. The apparent distribution space of propofol varied between 284 and 125 times the water space, and was inversely related to the tested portal concentrations (33-250 microM). 3. The corresponding ratios of intra- to extracellular concentration varied between 319 and 187, revealing a very high affinity of the liver for propofol. They most probably reflect binding to several cellular structures, including membranes and proteins. 3. The single-pass rate coefficients for biotransformation decreased with increases in the portal concentration of propofol. The liver released significant amounts of 4-hydroxypropofol, reaching 41.7 % of the total single pass of 67.2 microM propofol biotransformation. These results disprove previous notions that hydroxylation is rate limiting for conjugation and suggest that the liver might function as a 4-hydroxypropofol source for conjugation to glucuronic acid or sulfate in other tissues.