This study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of DEC on the CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in C57BL/6 mice. Chronic inflammation was induced by i.p. administration of CCl4 0.5 μL/g of body ...weight through two injections a week for 6 weeks. DEC (50 mg/kg) was administered by gavage for 12 days before finishing the CCl4 induction. Histological analyses of the DEC-treated group exhibited reduced inflammatory process and prevented liver necrosis and fibrosis. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence analyses of the DEC-treated group showed reduced COX-2, IL1β, MDA, TGF-β, and αSMA immunopositivity, besides exhibiting decreased IL1β, COX-2, NFκB, IFNγ, and TGFβ expressions in the western blot analysis. The DEC group enhanced significantly the IL-10 expression. The reduction of hepatic injury in the DEC-treated group was confirmed by the COX-2 and iNOS mRNA expression levels. Based on the results of the present study, DEC can be used as a potential anti-inflammatory drug for chronic hepatic inflammation.
Purpose
This research aimed to assess the impact of nutritional status and frailty in the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with bladder or kidney cancer.
Methods
This was a ...cross-sectional study with individuals aged 20 years or older. Frailty phenotype was defined using the criteria of Fried et al. (2001). Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) classified nutritional status. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of life questionnaire Core-30 third version (EORTC QLQ-C30) assessed HRQoL.
Results
Forty-four patients with bladder and 44 with kidney cancer, mostly male, with a mean age of 65.9 and 58.6 years, respectively, were evaluated. Presence of frailty was not different between young and older adults. More than 80% of the robust subjects were well-nourished, while there was a predominance of frail with some degree of malnutrition (
p
< 0.05). The summary score of HRQoL was worse among the frails than pre-frails and robusts, both in bladder (68.5 vs 86.8 vs 89.5;
p
= 0.002) and in kidney cancer (54.9 vs 82.9 vs 91.4;
p
< 0.001), as well as in malnourished compared to well-nourished with bladder (72.9 vs 90.3;
p
= 0.003) and kidney cancer (69.4 vs 88.3;
p
= 0.001). After adjusted, frailty and malnutrition continued associated with poor summary score (
p
< 0.05).
Conclusion
These findings indicate that frailty and malnutrition negatively affect HRQoL of patients with bladder or kidney cancer in several aspects.
Objetivo: Relatar a experiência fonoaudiológica de quinze ações de educação em saúde através de orientações e preparação vocal para professores. Metodologia: Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo e ...descritivo sobre ações de educação em saúde que foram executadas no período de 2014 a 2019 por um fonoaudiólogo da secretaria de saúde do município de Itapajé - CE, para professores de escolas da rede pública municipal. Resultados: As ações foram realizadas em forma de roda de conversa, sempre divididas em dois momentos. O primeiro momento destinava-se à apresentação de cuidados vocais e dos principais fatores de risco para saúde vocal dos professores. O segundo momento destinava-se à orientação sobre preparação vocal, através de exercícios de aquecimento e desaquecimento vocal. Conclusão: Foi possível observar que as ações de saúde vocal foram proveitosas, pois levaram os professores a refletir e discutir sobre saúde vocal. Nessas ações, foram repassadas informações sobre cuidados vocais aos professores, prevenindo-os de prejuízos vocais causados pela utilização errônea da voz. Além disso, as ações de educação em saúde vocal proporcionaram momentos de grande aprendizagem sobre preparação da voz, ao serem apresentadas e ensinadas aos professores técnicas de aquecimento e desaquecimento das cordas vocais que contribuem para uma boa e longínqua atividade laboral.
Abstract The aim of the present study was to analyze the action of metformin on short-term memory, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation caused by experimental diabetic encephalopathy in ...C57BL/6 mice. Diabetes was induced by the intraperitoneal injection of a dose of 90 mg/kg of streptozotocin on two successive days. Mice with blood glucose levels ≥ 200 dl/mL were considered diabetic and were given metformin hydrochloride at doses of 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg (by gavage, twice daily) for 21 days. On the final day of treatment, the mice underwent a T-maze test. On the 22nd day of treatment all the animals were anesthetized and euthanized. Diabetic animals treated with metformin had a higher spatial memory score. The hippocampus of the diabetic animals presented reactive gliosis, neuronal loss, NF-kB signaling activation, and high levels of IL-1 and VEGF. In addition, the T-maze test scores of these animals were low. Treatment with metformin reduced the expression of GFAP, Iba-1 (astrocyte and microglial markers) and the inflammation markers (p-IKB, IL-1 and VEGF), while enhancing p-AMPK and eNOS levels and increasing neuronal survival (Fox-1 and NeuN). Treatment with metformin also improved the spatial memory scores of diabetic animals. In conclusion, the present study showed that metformin can significantly reduce neuroinflammation and can decrease the loss of neurons in the hippocampus of diabetic animals, which can subsequently promote improvements in spatial memory.
Background and aim
While diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC) displays important anti-inflammatory effects in experimental models of liver injury, the mechanisms of its action remain poorly understood. ...The aim of the present study was to investigate the fibrolytic potential of DEC.
Methods
Mice receive two injections of carbon tetrachloride (CCl
4
) per week for 8 weeks. DEC 50 mg/kg body weight was administered through drinking water during the last 12 days of liver injury.
Results
The expression of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation markers, including smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA), collagen I, transforming growth factor-β 1 (TGF-β1), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) was assessed. The influence of DEC on the intracellular MAPK pathways of the HSCs (JNK and p38 MAPK) was also estimated. DEC inhibited HSCs activation measured as the production of α-SMA and collagen I. In addition, it down regulated the production of TGF-β1 and TIMP-1, and concomitantly increased MMP-2 activity. Furthermore, DEC significantly inhibited the activation of the JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.
Conclusions
In conclusion, DEC significantly attenuated the severity of CCl
4
-induced liver injury and the progression of liver fibrosis, exerting a potential fibrolytic effect in the CCl
4
-induced fibrosis model.
The
cis
-Ru(bpy)
2
(Met)(PF
6
)
2
complex, where Met =
l
-methionine and bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, was prepared and fully characterized. This complex was subjected to blue and green light photolysis ...(453 and 505 nm, respectively) in aqueous solution, leading to the release of methionine and formation of the
cis
-Ru(bpy)
2
(H
2
O)
2
2+
ion. This latter photoproduct was shown to subsequently interact with DNA, while DNA photocleavage was noticed. In agreement with these reactivities, this compound exhibited an exciting antibacterial action, particularly against Gram-positive bacteria
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
, which was enhanced upon blue light irradiation. Altogether, these results showed that our strategy was successful in producing light-triggered DNA-binding agents with pharmacological potential and a likely blocking reagent for efficient peptide chemistry formation.
Practices described as traditional medicine may coexist with formalized, science-based medicine. In this context, the present study aimed to verify the profile of the elderly who consumed herbal ...medicines concomitantly with medications and to identify suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the Brazilian Amazon (Macapá, Amapá). The study was carried out in two steps: a cross-sectional study (structured questionnaire) and a clinical study (pharmacotherapeutic follow-up). Out of 208 participants, 78.8% were female with age between 60 and 69 years (58.7%), 59.1% used herbal medicines concurrently with medications, and 40.9% did not report use of herbal medicine. Losartan was the most used medication, and Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Br was the most common herbal medicine used. The total prevalence of suspected ADRs, among the elderly who answered the structured questionnaire, was 41.3%, with 27.4% being in the elderly who used herbal medicines and medications, and 13.9% being in the elderly who used only medications. Meanwhile, the total prevalence of suspected ADRs was 71.0% among the elderly patients who underwent pharmacotherapeutic follow-up, 60.5% in elderly who used herbal medicines and medications, and 10.5% in elderly who used only medications. The most reported ADR symptoms were related to disorders that affect the nervous system (38.4%) in the structured questionnaire and related to digestive disorders (36.4%) in the pharmacotherapeutic follow-up. The probability associated with the occurrence of a given ADR in the face of a set of demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables was estimated; the results showed that, in the studied population, only sex (p = 0.030) had an influence on the occurrence of ADR. The prevalence of ADRs with probable causality was high in this study population, but it was only sex-related, although more prevalent in the elderly who consume herbal medicines.
SYNTHESIS, PHOTOREACTIVITY AND INTERACTION WITH DNA OF A NEW PROTOTYPE RUTHENIUM COMPLEX FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPEUTIC AGENTS. A new ruthenium polypyridine complex, cis-Ru(bpy)2(1- ...meimN)(4-pyCHO)(PF6)2 (WP1), where 1-meimN and pyCHO are the ligands 1-methylimidazole and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde, respectively, was prepared as a prototype for use in phototherapeutic process. This compound was characterized by electronic absorption in UV-Visible, FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, cyclic voltammetry, besides DFT that supported its molecular structure. The compound WP1 was photoreactive, where blue or green light promoted the release of 4-pyCHO ligand. Additionally, this compound was able to interact with DNA, mainly through electrostatic interactions showing photoinduced nuclease activity. There is also photoproduction of superoxide ions using blue or green light suggesting a route for DNA damage. These promising results opened new opportunities for the potential use of this system and analogues as phototherapeutic agents, which is an ongoing study in our lab.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ADRS) due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been associated with muscle fatigue, corticospinal pathways dysfunction, and mortality. High-Definition ...transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (HD-tDCS) may be used to attenuate clinical impairment in these patients. The HD-RECOVERY randomized clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of HD-tDCS with respiratory rehabilitation in patients with moderate to severe ARDS due to COVID-19.
Fifty-six critically ill patients were randomized 1:1 to active (n = 28) or sham (n = 28) HD-tDCS (twice a day, 30-min, 3-mA) plus respiratory rehabilitation for up to 10 days or until intensive care unit discharge. The primary outcome was ventilator-free days during the first 28 days, defined as the number of days free from mechanical ventilation. Furthermore, secondary outcomes such as delirium, organ failure, hospital length of stay and adverse effects were investigated.
Active HD-tDCS induced more ventilator-free days compared to sham HD-tDCS. Patients in the active group vs in the sham group experienced lower organ dysfunction, delirium, and length of stay rates over time. In addition, positive clinical response was higher in the active vs sham group. There was no significant difference in the prespecified secondary outcomes at 5 days. Adverse events were similar between groups.
Among patients with COVID-19 and moderate to severe ARDS, use of active HD-tDCS compared with sham HD-tDCS plus respiratory rehabilitation resulted in a statistically significant increase in the number of ventilator-free days over 28 days. HD-tDCS combined with concurrent rehabilitation therapy is a safe, feasible, potentially add-on intervention, and further trials should examine HD-tDCS efficacy in a larger sample of patients with COVID-19 and severe hypoxemia.
•High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation as add-on therapy in severe patients with COVID-19 is proposed.•HD-tDCS increases the number of days alive and free of mechanical ventilation over 28 days.•Modulations include clinical response and delirium improvement and no serious adverse effects.
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