Effects of consumption of contaminated feed with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) on the rat tibia: analysis by Raman spectroscopy and mechanical properties

Lasers in Medical Science - Studies reported the harmful effects of 2,4-D on body tissues, provoking changes in the anatomy and physiology of the kidneys, liver, and testicles. Thus, the objective...     

Expression of activation molecules in neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes from patients with unstable angina treated with stent implantation.

Coronary angioplasty is known to mediate an inflammatory response. Recently, we have characterized the transient systemic inflammatory response after coronary stent implantation in patients with unstable angina by measuring different soluble protein markers. In the present study we have characterized the expression of various cellular activation markers in neutrophils, monocytes and lymphocytes from the same group of patients. Peripheral blood samples were taken before and 24 h, 48 h and 7 days after successful coronary stenting in 58 patients. Cell surface markers (CD11b/CD18 and CD38) were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the activation of neutrophils, monocytes and T lymphocytes. We found that coronary angioplasty with stent implantation produces an increase in the cell surface expression of CD11b/CD18 in neutrophils and CD38 in monocytes, following a similar time-course with a peak after 24 h, returning to basal levels after 48 h and a second peak after 7 days. However, T lymphocytes were not found to be activated. These results suggest that coronary stent implantation induces a different pattern inducing soluble and cellular inflammation markers, and therefore, they should be taken into account in patients undergoing stent implantation to study clinical correlations.     

Comparing reconstruction with ileocecal graft to jejunal interposition pouch after total gastrectomy in rats.

After total gastrectomy, the ileocecal graft may act as a reservoir and protect against reflux but give rise to transposition of the ileum and cause possible changes in bile acid metabolism and nutrition. This study compared the ileocecal graft and jejunal pouch. Male Wistar rats weighing 265 +/- 22 g were submitted to sham operation (S), ileocecal interposition graft (IIG), and jejunal pouch interposition graft (JP) after total gastrectomy. Eight weeks later, the esophagus was examined for evidence of esophagitis. Nutritional biochemistry and weight profile were documented preoperatively and 8 weeks after surgery. The oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Thirty-three rats were operated on and 30 survived for 8 weeks. Esophagitis occurred in seven JP rats. Body weight was significantly higher in IIG than in JP rats (p < .05). Normal glucose tolerance to intragastric glucose load was observed in sham and operated rats. JP rats had a significant decrease in serum albumin, glucose, transferrin, hemoglobin, iron, folate, and calcium, compared to sham (p < .05). Cobalamine was significantly lower in IIG rats than in JP rats (p < .05). In the IIG and JP groups, serum/hepatic total bile acid did not differ significantly from preoperative and sham values. In conclusion, the IIG interposition graft in rats prevented esophagitis, preserved nutrition, and did not interfere with enterohepatic total bile acid circulation.     

Skin cancers and precancerous lesions in Parkinson's disease patients.

Our objective was to evaluate the frequency of neoplastic and preneoplastic skin lesions in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients when compared with an aged-matched population. We performed a cross-sectional survey in PD patients and in an age-matched control group. Patients and controls were examined by a movement disorder specialist and a dermatologist. 150 PD patients and 146 controls were included. Thirty-five PD patients (23.3%) presented skin lesions that could be classified as neoplastic or preneoplastic vs. 20 subjects in the control group (13.7%) (OR 95%, CI 1.92 [1.05, 3.51]). However, this difference lost statistical significance when adjusted for gender (recruitment of controls was matched just for age with an over representation of males in the PD group). Twenty-nine PD patients (19%) presented actinic keratosis and basal cell carcinoma was diagnosed in 4 patients (3%). Although nonconclusive, our results are in agreement with previous studies suggesting an increased risk of skin cancer in PD patients. The frequency of actinic keratosis in PD patients and the associated risk to develop melanoma recommends its screening in future epidemiological studies.     

Risk factors for decreased total body and regional bone mineral density in hemodialysis patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Hyperparathyroidism contributes significantly to decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in end-stage renal disease patients, but this negative influence is not homogeneous throughout the skeleton. We studied the BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry on total body and on different regions of the skeleton in 42 patients with severe hyperparathyroidism on hemodialysis. We also evaluated the relationship between different risk factors and BMD found on the regions examined in these patients. The legs and other sites where cortical bone predominate were mostly affected, whereas trabecular bone was relatively preserved. This is probably the result of the different effects of hyperparathyroidism on cortical and trabecular bone, but we cannot rule out the interference of ectopic calcifications and sclerotic lesions of vertebral end-plates falsely increasing lumbar spine BMD. The main determinants of low total-body BMD were, in order of importance, immobility, high intact parathyroid hormone levels, low body mass index, and low albumin. Eleven patients presented with pathologic fractures, mainly in the legs, and BMD was lower in this group than in patients without fractures. In conclusion, our study makes clear that hyperparathyroidism is a great threat to bone density in hemodialysis patients, mainly in the legs, the site mostly affected by fragility fractures in our patients. Physicians must worry not only with high parathyroid hormone levels, but also with the nutritional state of these patients.     

An "expanded stick" model for coding Golgi-impregnated neuronal morphology

A new model for coding Golgi-impregnated neuronal morphology, which can be implemented in any computer-assisted optical microscope, is described. This model, in addition to storing the three-dimensional coordinates of the selected neuronal points and their topological identifiers, codes for "width", "nature", and "shape". The "width" code digitizes the width of a neuronal process. The "nature" code can identify structures such as perikaryon, axon, apical dendrite, basal dendrite, etc. The "shape" code defines nodules and spines. Computer graphics routines are described for drawing nodules and spines as well as neuronal processes with "width".     

Blood loss during and following transurethral resection

Blood loss measurement in transurethral prostatic surgery (TUR) has been studied with the following objectives: (1) to measure the total lost volume (during surgery and 48 hours postoperatively); (2) to compare surgical bleeding and coagulogram alterations in benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and prostatic carcinoma (CaP); (3) to establish the relationship between blood loss, duration of the procedure, and amount of resected tissue. The method of Jansen was used to measure blood loss, and the "coagulogram" included the following parameters: hematrocrit; prothrombin, recalcification, thrombin, and partial thromboplastin times; fibrinogen; platelets and fibrin split products. The study is based on TUR performed on 75 patients from whom a mean weight of 25.68 grams was resected resulting in a mean total bleeding volume of 305 ml. Blood loss over 400 ml was associated with surgical durations of 60 minutes or with resection of over 40 grams of tissue. There was a slight tendency for fibrinolysis in prostatic cancer, which could explain the relatively higher amount of blood loss observed in these cases.