Anti-inflammatory and immune properties of the peltatoside, isolated from the leaves of Annona crassiflora Mart., in a new experimental model zebrafish.

Establishing new animal models for the study of inflammation is very important in the process of discovering new drugs, since the inflammatory event is the basis of many pathological processes. Whereas rodent models have been the primary focus of inflammation research, we defend the zebrafish (Danio rerio) test as a feasible alternative for preclinical studies. Moreover, despite all the technological development already achieved by humanity, nature can still be considered a relevant source of new medicines. In this context, the aim of this work was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of a substance isolated from the medicinal plant Annona crassilfora Mart, the peltatoside, in an inflammatory model of zebrafish. It was determined: (i) total leukocyte count in the coelomate exudate; (ii) N-acetyl-ß-d-glucuronidase (NAG); (iii) myeloperoxidase (MPO); (iv) and the histology of liver, intestine and mesentery. Peltotoside (25, 50 and 100 µg) and dexamethasone (25 µg) were administered intracelomatically (i.c.) 30 min before carrageenan (i.c.). Pretreatment with peltatoside at three doses significantly inhibited leukocyte recruitment in the coelomic cavity, and inhibited NAG and MPO activity against the action of Cg, in a similar manner as dexamethasone. However, some microlesions in the evaluated organs were detected. The dose of 25 µg showed an anti-inflammatory effect with lower undesirable effects in the tissues. Our results suggest that the zebrafish test was satisfactory in performing our analyzes and that the peltotoside has a modulatory action in reducing leukocyte migration.

Prenatal and perinatal factors in the etiology of cerebral palsy.

Among 19,044 children born to mothers with monitored pregnancies and followed medically for at least 5 years, 41 (0.2%) had cerebral palsy that was not the result of a progressive disease or of a neural tube defect. All children without cerebral palsy were entered as controls subjects in the analysis. Significant prenatal or gestational predictors of cerebral palsy were a severe or nonsevere birth defect other than cerebral palsy or its sequelae, low birth weight, low placental weight, abnormal fetal position, and premature separation of the placenta. Maternal antecedents of cerebral palsy were unusually long or unusually short intervals between pregnancies and unusually long menstrual cycles. Perinatal risk factors were delayed crying as a measure of birth asphyxia and abnormal delivery. Children who had seizures within 48 hours of birth were at high risk for the development of cerebral palsy. Seventy-eight percent of children with cerebral palsy did not have birth asphyxia, and the 22% who did had other prenatal risk factors that may have compromised their recovery.

Normas para avaliaçäo de fitas reativas, exemplificadas pela fita reativa utilizada na análise das concentraçöes de albunina e glicose na urina / Rules for avaliation of reagent strips, that nas exemplified by reagent strips utilized in analisy of albumin and glucose concentrations in urine

Fitas reativas säo freqüentemente usadas em laboratórios de análises clínicas bem como em outros meios. No presente relato é apresentado um esquema que permite uma descriçäo reproduzível do comportamento das fitas reativas, exemplificado com fitas usadas na análise estimativa de albumina e glicose urinária. Condiçöes experimentais que säo particularmente importantes para estes componentes säo fornecidos. Itens adequados e necessários que devem ser incluidos na descriçäo dos resultados de uma avaliaçäo säo enumerados. As normas podem ter aplicaçäo e descriçäo de testes, com um número limitado de resultados possíveis

The relationship of the rate of intrauterine growth of low-birth-weight infants to later growth.

The relationship of the rate of intrauterine growth of low-birth-weight infants (1,501 to 2,500 gm) to their postnatal growth up to 10 years of age was investigated. Each child was assigned to one of four gestation quartiles which have identical birth weight distributions but differ widely in their length of gestation. The mean heights and weights of the children in each of the four quartiles were compared with similar data of a control group of children who had birth weights above 2,500 gm. Only infants in the long gestation quartile failed to catch up in height and weight to the control group by the end of the 10-year period. The same results that were obtained for the total cohort were also found separately for white and black children and for boys and girls. The data relate to 488 single white and black low-birth-weight infants and 488 normal-birth-weight infants.