Cassava biopolymer polyamide hydrogel accelerates healing of induced skin woundsin rats / Hidrogel de biopolímero de poliamido de mandioca acelera o processo de cicatrização em feridas cutâneas induzidas em ratos

This study aimed to macroscopically and microscopically evaluate the healing of skin wounds induced in rats by topical application of cassava polyamide biopolymer hydrogel. In total, 32 rats were used and divided into four groups (n= 8): negative control - saline solution; positive control - use of commercial ointment; experimental group - I - ointment + cassava hydrogel; experimental group - II - cassava hydrogel. A 1cm2 wound induced on the animals dorsum was treated and evaluated. At day 21 post-operation, the animals were sacrificed by anesthetic overdose, and then 1cm2 of cicatricial skin from the wound region was collected. The material was cut to evaluate healing. In the macroscopic evaluation, complete healing was observed at the end of 21 days. Re-epithelialization was observed histologically; the connective tissue in the negative control, positive, and experimental - I groups was characterized by an abundance of collagen fibers, fibroblasts, and blood vessels. In experimental group - II additional healing was observed, as evidenced by the arrangement of collagen fibers and fibroblasts, and the reduction of neoformed vessels. Thus, we concluded that the hydrogel can assist in healing skin wounds, especially in the remodeling phase.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar macro e microscopicamente a cicatrização de feridas cutâneas induzidas em ratos, a partir da aplicação tópica do hidrogel de biopolímero de poliamido de mandioca. Trinta e dois ratos foram divididos em quatro grupos (n= 8): controle negativo, tratado com solução salina; controle positivo, com pomada comercial; grupo experimental - I, com pomada + hidrogel de mandioca; grupo experimental - II, com hidrogel de mandioca. Feridas induzidas de 1cm 2 no dorso dos animais foram tratadas e avaliadas em intervalos de três a quatro dias. No 21º dia do pós-operatório, os animais foram mortos por aprofundamento anestésico, em seguida foi coletado 1cm 2 de pele da região cicatricial. O material foi cortado, corado pelas técnicas de hematoxilina-eosina e azocarmine-G, para avaliação da cicatrização. Na avaliação macroscópica, foi observada cicatrização completa no final do período de 21 dias. Histologicamente, observou-se reepitelização, o tecido conjuntivo no grupos controle negativo, positivo e experimental - I se caracterizou pela abundância de fibras colágenas, fibroblastos e vasos sanguíneos. No grupo experimental - II, a cicatrização sugere avanço de etapas, evidenciado pelo arranjo das fibras colágenas, pela redução de fibroblastos e dos vasos neoformados. Assim, foi possível concluir que o hidrogel de biopolímero de amido de mandioca pode auxiliar na cicatrização de feridas cutâneas, principalmente na fase de remodelação.(AU)

Alterations in the duodenum myenteric neurons of Wistar ratsafter ingesting of 2, 4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid

The 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a systemic herbicide whose effects in animal organic systemshave been examined in previous studies, being the neurotoxicity considered the predominant effect. However,the studies that detect the 2,4-D neurotoxicity have merely focused in the central nervous system, andtherefore, little is known about the effect of this herbicide in the enteric nervous system. This study aimedto verifying the 2,4-D effects on the myenteric neurons in duodenum of Wistar rats. Ten 60-day-old maleWistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were divided in two groups: control group (C) that did not receive 2,4-D andexperimental group (E) that received 5.0 mg of 2,4-D/kg for 15 days. At the end of experimental period, theanimal were euthanized, the duodenum was collected and processed for NADPH-diaphorase histochemicalanalysis in order to expose the nitrergic myenteric neurons (NADPH-dp). In the light microscopy analysis, thewhole-mount preparation obtained from duodenum of each animal were image-captured in 120 and 40 fields,for quantitative and morphometric analyses of myenteric neurons, respectively. The neuronal density was notaffected when comparing the two groups, but an increase (p > 0.05) of 8.5% was observed in the cell bodyarea of neurons in the E group. In conclusion, the ingestion of 2,4-D at a dosage of 5.0 mg/kg body weightfor 15 days does not change the neuronal density, but promotes the hypertrophy of NADPH-dp myentericneurons in duodenum of the rats of this study.

Effects of the ingestion of 2, 4 Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid on jejunal myenteric neurons in rats

2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is a systemic herbicide. The effects of different levels of 2,4-D on some animal organ systems have been examined, but little is known about its role in the enteric nervous system. The purpose of this study was to verify the effects of 2,4-D administration on the density and morphometry of jejunal myenteric neurons in rats. Ten male rats were assigned to control (C) and experimental (E) groups. For 15 days, group E received, via gavage, 5 mg of 2,4-D.kg–1 body weight. On the 16th day, the animals were sacrificed by a lethal dose of thiopental, and the jejunum was removed by laparotomy and used to obtain whole mount preparations for Giemsa staining and NADPH-diaphorase (NADPHd+) histochemistry to identify neurons. The density and cell body area of the myenteric neurons was measured. In the total neuronal population, the neuronal density/mm2 of the jejunum in groups E and C was equivalent, and the cell body area of the rats in group E was lower (p < 0.05) than that of those in group C. For NADPHd+ neurons, the neuronal density did not differ between the groups, although the cell body area was larger (p < 0.05) in group E. It was concluded that even though 2,4-D does not alter the neuronal density in the rat jejunum, it induces cell body atrophy in the general population of neurons and hypertrophy of the NADPHd+ nitric oxide producing neurons without promoting cell death.

[Ethical behavior of nurses in university hospitals]. / O comportamento ético dos enfermeiros dos hospitais universitários.

The aims of this study were to analyse the conception of ethics in the nurse's speech and practice, to verify its influence on nurses formation, and to investigate the nurses views regarding to the contribution of ethics to the comprehension of the moral reality and to the critical analysis of the nursing practice. The methodology focused on the qualitative analyses of data collected through the techniques of: document collection and analysis, group interviews, and observations of the nurses ethical behaviour during their practice. According to he results, the nurses conception of ethics relates in satisfaction to their work, to professional discrimination, and to corporate issues of health team. No reference was made to citizenship concerns. There is also a setting away from ethics understanding while moral behaviour and a critical view of the profession and of health care.

[Are the roles of the nurse specialist and the master of health services the same?]. / O papel do enfermeiro especialista e do mestre nos serviços de saúde é o mesmo?

This study aimed at identifying the role of the nurse with a graduate degree at the service level based on nurses and service directors expectations in health care institutions. A total of 278 nurses and 25 service directors responded to a questionnaire and an instrument was designed to measure their expectations towards the nurse with a postgraduation degree. The results indicate that nurses and service directors hope nurses with a postgraduation degree to be highly qualified to provide care. While service directors express a slight difference in favor of both the master degree and the deep knowledge of the specialty, nurses expectations in relation to it, are a little greater in all aspects. Service directors priorize refresh courses for nurses while nurses priorize specialization courses. The study has implications for a deeper discussion of these professionals functions in service and for the objective of postgraduate education programs in the region.

[Perspective evaluation of the post-graduate courses of the Nursing Department at UFRN (1980-1992)]. / Avaliaçäo e perspectiva dos cursos de pós-graduaçäo lato-sensu do departamento de enfermagem da UFRN (1980-1992).

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the "lato sensu" graduate programs of study of the Department of Nursing in the UFRN, and to know the perspectives of its students and faculty. A total of 67 questionnaires were applied to 14 professors and 53 ex-students. The sources of data were: a survey of the scientific knowledge produced by the faculty; specialization program final reports; partial 1989-1991 program evaluations; and, the final report of the first Graduate Program Evaluation Seminar (1992). Eventhough the results of the evaluation were positive, some aspects of the program were found to need further analysis so that future graduate studies might be improved. These aspects were: revision of the curriculum content, improvement of the space environment, and improvement of the bibliographic resources.