Clinical application of Chamomilla recutita in phlebitis: dose response curve study

This experimental and dose-response curve study aimed to carry out the quality control of the Chamomilla recutita sample, as well as to estimate the ideal dose, for anti-inflammatory effect, of the extract of its capitula, in patients with phlebitis due to peripheral intravenous infusion of antineoplastic chemotherapy and to evaluate the toxicity of this extract in human beings. The therapeutic efficacy, concerning the anti-inflammatory potential, of different doses of Chamomilla recutita extract were analyzed and compared in 25 patients. The time of regression of phlebitis was shorter for groups with 2.5% concentration (mean=29.2h, standard deviation = 8.98) and 5% concentration (mean = 38.8h, standard deviation = 17.47). Local toxicity was almost not observed. This research contributes to the innovation of the nursing clinical practice, since it suggests an alternative for the treatment of phlebitis through the clinical use of phytotherapeutic drugs.     

Spent Pot Liner (SPL) induced DNA damage and nuclear alterations in root tip cells of Allium cepa as a consequence of programmed cell death

There are various toxic effects of environmental pollutants, including apoptosis and carcinogenesis. Spent Pot Liner (SPL) is solid waste from the aluminum industry. It has a highly variable composition, including cyanide, fluoride, organics and metals. Preliminary characterizations of the effect of SPL on Allium cepa show the presence of condensed nuclei. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the toxic effect of SPL in A. cepa root meristem in the context of programmed cell death (PCD). A lot of specific features of this process such as DNA fragmentation, condensed chromatin, spherical nuclei and the formation of apoptotic-like bodies were observed in root meristem after SPL treatment. Root meristem treated with SPL 25% solution exhibited an alteration in antioxidant enzyme activities; a reduction in NCR as a consequence of high percentage of condensed nuclei; DNA fragmentation, detected by electrophoresis and TUNEL assay; cytoplasm vacuolization and also a disturbance in root morphology. These features are associated with programmed cell death (PCD) under abiotic stress. Therefore, these data show that SPL induces apoptosis-like PCD in root meristem cells of A. cepa.     

"Hyper-response" evaluated by 3D echocardiography after cardiac resynchronization therapy

Cardiac resynchronization therapy consists of a promising treatment for patients with severe heart failure, but about 30% of patients do not exhibit clinical improvement with this procedure. However, approximately 10% of patients undergoing this therapy may have hyperresponsiveness, and three-dimensional echocardiography can provide an interesting option for the selection and evaluation of such patients.     

Clinical presentation and treatment of aneurysms associated with basilar artery fenestration

Aneurysms associated with a fenestrated basilar artery are rare, and treatment strategies have yet to be established. A direct surgical approach to the basilar artery is challenging because the surrounding anatomy is complex. We retrospectively compared the clinical features and treatment outcomes of eight patients (seven female, one male) with aneurysms associated with a fenestrated basilar artery after clipping or coil embolisation and reviewed the literature. Of the eight aneurysms, four were ruptured; seven aneurysms were located at the proximal part of the basilar artery and one aneurysm was located at the middle of the basilar artery. Six aneurysms were surgically treated. Four aneurysms were embolised with Guglielmi detachable coils, two aneurysms were clipped via the transcondylar or temporopolar approach, and two aneurysms were not treated. All six surgically treated patients had good outcomes. We found that both coil embolisation and direct clipping to treat aneurysms associated with a fenestrated basilar artery have advantages and disadvantages. To obtain favourable outcomes, the selected treatment modality must consider the patient's age and clinical condition, the aneurysm size and shape, the direction of the dome, the relationship with perforators, and the neurosurgeon's expertise.     

Transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells decreases seizure incidence, mitigates neuronal loss and modulates pro-inflammatory cytokine production in epileptic rats

Approximately 30% of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy do not respond to treatment with antiepileptic drugs. We have previously shown that transplantation of mononuclear bone marrow cells (BMC) has an anticonvulsant effect in acute epilepsy. Here, we used pilocarpine to induce epilepsy in rats and studied the effects of BMC injected intravenously either at the onset of seizures or after 10 months of recurrent seizures. BMC effectively decreased seizure frequency and duration. In addition, decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) and increased levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) were observed in the brain and serum of BMC-treated rats. Transplants performed at seizure-onset protected against pilocarpine-induced neuronal loss and gliosis and stimulated the proliferation of new neurons in epileptic rats. Our data demonstrate that BMC transplantation has potent therapeutic effects and could be a potential therapy for clinically intractable epilepsies.