Regular and moderate aerobic training before allergic asthma induction reduces lung inflammation and remodeling.

Experimental studies have reported that aerobic exercise after asthma induction reduces lung inflammation and remodeling. Nevertheless, no experimental study has analyzed whether regular/moderate aerobic training before the induction of allergic asthma may prevent these inflammatory and remodeling processes. For this purpose, BALB/c mice (n = 96) were assigned into non-trained and trained groups. Trained animals ran on a motorized treadmill at moderate intensity, 30 min/day, 3 times/week, for 8 weeks, and were further randomized into subgroups to undergo ovalbumin sensitization and challenge or receive saline using the same protocol. Aerobic training continued until the last challenge. Twenty-four hours after challenge, compared to non-trained animals, trained mice exhibited: (a) increased systolic output and left ventricular mass on echocardiography; (b) improved lung mechanics; (c) decreased smooth muscle actin expression and collagen fiber content in airways and lung parenchyma; (d) decreased transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and blood; (e) increased interferon (IFN)-γ in BALF and interleukin (IL)-10 in blood; and (f) decreased IL-4 and IL-13 in BALF. In conclusion, regular/moderate aerobic training prior to allergic asthma induction reduced inflammation and remodeling, perhaps through increased IL-10 and IFN-γ in tandem with decreased Th2 cytokines.

[Isolated metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus in the terminal ileum. Report of a case]. / Metástase isolada de carcinoma espino-celular do esôfago no íleo terminal. Relato de um caso.

Squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus, with isolated metastasis to the terminal ileum, is a rare finding. Only 18 of such cases have been reported in the medical literature, all of them found at necropsies. The accurate examination of the abdominal cavity, after performing a gastrostomy, showed a neoplastic lesion in the terminal ileum, which was then resected. The histopathological examination revealed the metastatic nature of the lesion. The authors emphasize the importance of a complete and accurate revision of the abdominal cavity on patients with esophagus squamous cell carcinoma.

Psychophysical parameters of a multidimensional pain scale in newborns.

The Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) is a promising multidimensional tool for comparison and testing of new technologies in newborn pain assessment studies since it may adhere to basic psychophysical parameters of intensity, direction, reactivity, regulation and slope described in analyses of physiological pain indicators. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether these psychophysical parameters can be achieved using the PIPP in acute pain assessment. Thirty-six healthy term newborn infants were conveniently sampled whilst being videotaped before, during and after heel prick blood sampling. The images were blind-scored by three trained independent raters and scored against the PIPP. The PIPP and its facial action indicators met the parameters of intensity, reactivity and regulation (all p < 0.001). The heart rate variability did not meet any parameter (all p > 0.05). The oxygen saturation variability met only the intensity parameter (p < 0.05). The behavioural state indicator met all parameters and had the best correlation to the psychophysical parameters of all indicators of PIPP (all p < 0.001). We concluded that the overall PIPP meets the assumptions of these psychophysical parameters, being the behavioural state indicator which best fit the model.