scholarly journals TOXOPLASMOSIS: MORPHOLOGICAL AND MORPHOMETRIC EVALUATION OF SPINAL CORD NEURONS FROM NONSYMPTOMATIC SEROPOSITIVE DOGS

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessandra Cristina Francischini de Carvalho ◽  
Maria Rita Pacheco ◽  
Silvana Martinez Baraldi-Artoni ◽  
Annita Morais Girardi

The aim of this work was to analyze the neuron morphology and morphometry of cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of nonsymptomatic seropositive dogs’ spinal cord for toxoplasmosis. Twenty indefinite-breed adult dogs were used; ten dogs were healthy, with negative serology for toxoplasmosis, and were used as the control group (group 1), and ten dogs were nonsymptomatic but seropositive for toxoplasmosis (group 2). After the microtomy, with interval of 100 micrometers (µm), the histological 5-µm-thick cuts were dyed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome techniques. The glass slides were analyzed under light microscope to examine the neuron morphology. The parameters considered for the morphometric analysis were area, perimeter, maximum diameter, minimum diameter and shape factor of cytoplasm and nucleus of neuron. The results were statistically analyzed by Student’s t test at 5% probability level. The morphological characteristics between the two groups were similar and according to literature. The morphometric results showed that there were changes in neurons size and structure, and increase and loss of star shape were noticed in seropositive animals. The results suggest that the neurons of these dogs, yet nonsymptomatic, can have lost their conductor function.

2021 ◽  
pp. 219256822199480
Author(s):  
Alvaro Silva González ◽  
Rafael Llombart-Blanco ◽  
Marcela Gallegos Angulo ◽  
Carlos Villas Tomé ◽  
Matías Alfonso Olmos-García

Study Design: Animal experimental model. Objective: To study the clinical behavior and histological changes in the spinal cord, nerve roots and perivertebral muscles of the spine after induced leakage of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) loaded with antiblastic drugs during vertebroplasty in an animal model of pigs. Methods: We performed vertebroplasty on 25 pigs. The animals were divided into 3 groups: vertebroplasty with PMMA alone (control group), vertebroplasty with PMMA loaded with methotrexate (MTX) and vertebroplasty with PMMA loaded with cisplatin (CYS). At 2 vertebral levels, epidural and prevertebral, massive cement leaks were induced. Animals were evaluated daily. Two weeks later, the pigs were sacrificed, and the tissues that came in contact with the cement were analyzed. Results: The clinical results for each of the groups were reported. The control group had no clinical alterations. In the MTX group, 2 pigs died before 1 week due to pneumonitis. In the CYS group, 4 animals had motor impairment, and 3 of the 4 had paraplegia. The histological results were as follows: the control and MTX groups showed synovial metaplasia, inflammatory reaction, crystal deposits, and giant cell reaction in the dura mater and muscle and all the animals in the CYS group had spinal cord and muscular necrosis. Conclusions: Massive cement leak after vertebroplasty with PMMA loaded with cisplatin is extremely toxic to the spinal cord and muscles around the spine. Therefore, its use cannot be recommended for the treatment of vertebral metastases. Using PMMA loaded with methotrexate seems to be a safe procedure, but further research is needed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 188-192
Author(s):  
BRUNO RONCAGLIO ◽  
RAPHAEL FERNANDES CALHAU ◽  
CHARBEL JACOB JÚNIOR ◽  
IGOR MACHADO CARDOSO ◽  
JOSÉ LUCAS BATISTA JÚNIOR ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the postoperative analgesic efficacy in patients undergoing lumbar canal decompression using epidural morphine and clonidine at the Hospital Santa Casa de Vitória - ES, Brazil. Methods: Prospective, randomized study of 60 patients with stenosis of the lumbar canal up to two levels with surgical indication, in which decompression of the canal was performed in association with lumbar arthrodesis. In group 1 we performed conventional postoperative analgesia and in group 2, in addition to conventional analgesia, we associated epidural morphine and clonidine. We used VAS as a means of analyzing pain intensity at 1, 12, and 36 hours after surgery. The statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Office/Excel and the software GraphPad Prism (San Diego, CA, USA). Results: The mean age of patients was 47 years, and 52% were female. The mean VAS in the first hour, 12th, and 36th hours after surgery in the control group was 5.44, 2.13, and 0.55 respectively. In the morphine-clonidine group it was 6.96; 2.21 and 0.60. Comparing one group with another in its absolute values through the Mann-Whitney test, as well as comparing the pain variations between the 1st and 12th hour (1h X 12h) and between the 12th hour and 36th hour (12h x 36h ) through Student’s t test it became clear that there was no statistical difference between groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of epidural morphine and clonidine to conventional analgesia is not beneficial to reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing lumbar canal decompression.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shulin Ma ◽  
Xu Zhao ◽  
Cong Zhang ◽  
Panpan Sun ◽  
Yun Li ◽  
...  

Background and Objective: Ozone therapy has shown therapeutic efficacy in different disorders particularly low back pain (LBP). However, ozone therapy has been associated with toxic effects on the respiratory, endocrine, cardiovascular systems as well as nervous system because of its strong oxidizing capacity. Recent studies have reported possible associations between ozone exposure and metabolic disorders, but the findings are controversial and little is known on the mechanisms of action. This study aims to investigate the cytotoxic effects of ozone exposure and possible mechanism of action in the animal model.Methods: Wistar neonate rats with the age of 24 h after birth were sacrificed by cervical dislocation under general anesthesia, then immersed in 75% alcohol and iodophor for 5 min, respectively. The spinal cord was isolated and cut to samples of ~1 mm3 and prepared for further experiments. The spinal cord neurons (SCNs) were exposed to ozone at different concentrations and then cultured in 96-well plates with glass bottom for 7 days. The cell viability, ATP levels and the NAD+ concentration were determined and compared between the different experimental groups and the control group.Results: Analyses of the data by non-targeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis determined the metabolic disorder in SCNs following the ozone exposure. Moreover, our assessments showed that ozone exposure resulted in DNA damage, poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase-1 (PARP1) excessive activation, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) depletion and decrease of ATP level in SCNs. The PARP1 inhibitor can inhibit the cytotoxic effect of ozone to SCNs without inhibiting the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Our findings revealed that the cytotoxic effects of ozone to SCNs might be mediated by excessive PARP1 activation and subsequent NAD+ depletion. Moreover, using PARP1 inhibitor can protect SCNs from cytotoxic effects of ozone by preventing NAD+ depletion during ozone exposure.Conclusion: Ozone exposure seems to induce metabolic disorders and NAD+ depletion through excessive PARP1 activation in SCNs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-58
Author(s):  
M. Lytvynenko

Background. Patients with comorbid pathology occupy leading positions in the practice of a doctor of any specialty especially in patients with HIV. Reproductive system is known to be the gateway for viruses. This fact could explain the severity of changes developing in the female reproductive system infected with HIV, in particular in the endometrium. The purpose of this study was to assess morphological changes in the endometrium caused by the combined effects of HIV infection and chronic alcoholism. Materials and methods: The study included sectional material taken from 60 women of reproductive age (20-40 years). They were all divided into two groups. The first group (30 people) consisted of HIV-positive individuals who, according to a survey of relatives and according to an autopsy (the main symptom is the presence of alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver), alcohol abuse was confirmed. The following parameters were determined: the average diameter of the endometrial glands (proliferative type), the minimum diameter of the endometrial glands (proliferative type), the maximum diameter of the endometrial glands (proliferative type), wall thickness (proliferative type), the relative volume of the epithelium (proliferative type), the average diameter of the glands (secretory type), the minimum diameter of the glands (secretory type), the maximum diameter of the glands (secretory type), the relative volume of the epithelium (secretory type), the thickness of the epithelium. Results. the average diameter of the endometrial glands (proliferative type) decreased from 51.71 ± 2.90 x 10-6 m in the comparison group to 39.42 ± 2.35 x 10-6 m in the HIV-infected group, which was 23.77%. The minimum diameter of the endometrial glands (proliferative type) reduced from 32.47 ± 1.83 x10-6 m to 27.13 ± 1.73x10-6 m (16.45%), the maximum diameter from 72.14 ± 2.21 x10-6 m to 63.84 ± 3.29 x10-6 m (11.5%). the relative volume of the epithelium (proliferative type) decreased by 5.41% (from 54.43 ± 1.79% in the study group to 49.02 ± 2.65% in the control group). The thickness of the uterine wall was also significantly reduced from 15.18 ± 1.60 x10-6 m to 14.52 ± 1.19 x10-6 m, which was 4.35%. The maximum volume of glands (secretory type) changed from 127.98 ± 2.10 x10-6 m to 97.18 ± 3.12 x10-6 m (24%). Changes by 3.6% were also observed when examining the wall thickness (from 13.02 ± 1.36 x10-6 m to 12.55 ± 1.68 x10-6 m). Conclusion. The study evaluated features of endometrial restructuring in alcohol-abusing HIV-infected women.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa M. Stamates ◽  
David M. Frim ◽  
Carina W. Yang ◽  
Gregory L. Katzman ◽  
Saad Ali

OBJECTIVETethered cord syndrome (TCS) is a neurosurgical disorder with varied clinical manifestations believed to result from vascular compromise due to stretch forces on the spinal cord. Conventional supine MRI findings may include a low-lying conus medullaris, thickened or fat-infiltrated filum terminale, or lipoma; however, imaging sensitivity and specificity for tethered cord can be low. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of prone MRI in the diagnosis of tethered and retethered spinal cord.METHODSMedical records were reviewed in 41 patients who underwent surgical release of tethered cord and in whom preoperative prone MRI sequences were available. Patients were divided into Group 1 (new TCS diagnosis) and Group 2 (recurrent TCS after previous untethering). Absolute conus ventral motion and motion as a percentage of canal width between supine and prone positions was measured in these 2 groups via sagittal T2-weighted sequences; these groups were compared with 30 consecutive patients (Group 3) who were classified as the normal control group.RESULTSThe mean ventral motion was as follows: Group 1 (absolute: 0.5 ± 0.5 mm [range 0–2.4 mm]; canal percentage: 3.7% ± 3.9% [range 0%–16.3%]); Group 2 (absolute: 0.4 ± 0.7 mm [range 0–2.6 mm]; canal percentage: 2.2% ± 3.7% [range 0%–14.0%]); and Group 3 (absolute: 3.4 ± 1.3 mm [range 1.4–5.6 mm]; canal percentage: 22.0% ± 7.2% [range 10.5%–36.1%]). Whereas 38/41 surgically treated patients with TCS had diminished (< 10% canal width) ventral motion on preoperative MRI, 30/30 controls had > 10% canal width motion. Sensitivity and specificity were thereby calculated as 92.7% and 100%, respectively.CONCLUSIONSIn the present series, prone imaging is found to be a sensitive and specific tool, and the authors believe it may have a role as supportive evidence in the diagnosis of tethered and retethered spinal cord.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elemara Frantz ◽  
Honório Sampaio Menezes ◽  
Kellyn Cristine Lange ◽  
Milena Pacheco Abegg ◽  
Cora Albrecht Correa ◽  
...  

PURPOSE: To investigate the degree of placental permeability in dyslipidemic rabbits and the consequent vascular dysfunction in fetuses of female rabbits with high lipoprotein levels. METHODS: Fifteen adult females New Zealand White rabbits were divided into two groups. Group 1(n=5) - hypercholesterolemic diet with 0.5% cholesterol, and Group 2 (n=10) - control. On day 30, the levels of plasma lipoproteins and triglycerides were analyzed in the mothers, and the presence of collagen was analyzed in the placenta as well as in fetal coronary and aorta. Statistical analyses used the Student's t and the Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: Lipoprotein levels were significantly different (p=0.02 to p<0.001) in experimental and control groups. In the hypercholesterolemic group, total cholesterol levels were in average 793mg/dl; triglycerides were in average 257mg/dl; HDL-C was 48mg/dl, and LDL-C was in average 692mg/dl. The amount of collagen per micrometers square (mµ²) in samples from hypercholesterolemic animals was significantly higher than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirmed placental permeability to lipoproteins, shown by increased amounts of collagen in fetal tissues. This alteration results in increased susceptibility to atherosclerosis in adult life, representing a risk factor for the early development of disease, which may appear even in the prenatal period.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 214
Author(s):  
F. Cremonesi ◽  
M. Mussi ◽  
C. Perrini ◽  
A. Lange-Consiglio

Urethral catheterization after pharmacological induction (Ur.Ca.P.I.) has been developed as a method to collect semen from cats (Zambelli et al. 2008 Theriogenology 69, 485-490). This procedure is based on contraction of the vas deferens induced by the α-agonist medetomidine and the subsequent release of sperm into the urethra. To ensure adequate sedation, the medetomidine dosage is 130 µg kg−1. Usually, a single collection of semen is done by catheterization immediately after medetomidine takes effect. A 3.5 French (Fr) gauge urinary tom cat catheter with the tip cut is inserted 90 mm deep into the urethra. Even in the absence of clinical signs, the cut catheter tip may cause minor trauma to the urethral mucosa. Aims of this study were to test a new catheter and evaluate effects of oxytocin administration on quality and quantity of semen collected. The study was performed on 8 client-owned, pubertal domestic cats, 10 to 18 months old. These cats were randomly allocated into 2 groups: control and treatment, with 3 and 5 cats, respectively. In each group, 2 semen collections were performed. The catheter had a diameter of 4 Fr and a rounded tip without mandrel and it was inserted 90 mm deep. In both groups, the first collection was performed as effects of medetomidine were apparent. In the control group, the second collection was done 10 min later. However, in the treated group, 5 IU of oxytocin was injected intramuscularly immediately after semen collection, with the second collection performed 10 min later. Semen was evaluated for volume, concentration, rate of progressive motility, curvilinear speed (VCL), morphology, and vitality. Comparisons between collections and between groups were done with a Student’s t-test. Comparing the second versus first collection in the control group, there was only an increase in volume (9.33 v. 2.67 µL; P < 0.05). In contrast, in the oxytocin group, all parameters evaluated were better (P < 0.05) for the second collection. As expected, the first collection was not different between the 2 groups for any parameter. However, for the second collection, there were differences (P < 0.05) between the oxytocin and the control group for volume (12.6 v. 3.7 µL), concentration (1252.6 v. 858 × 106 sperm mL−1), progressive motility (90.2 v. 77.8%), VCL (137.71 v. 117.94 µm s−1), morphologically normal sperm (87.0 v. 81.4%), and vitality (86.4 v. 82.8%). Oxytocin may be involved in mobilization of sperm from the epididymis. We concluded that oxytocin improved recovery of sperm from epididymal reserves, resulting in sperm with better morphology and function than those present in the vas deferens.


1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (6) ◽  
pp. 2620-2626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johannes Nebe ◽  
Andrea Ebersberger ◽  
Horacio Vanegas ◽  
Hans-Georg Schaible

Effects of ω-agatoxin IVA, a P-type calcium channel antagonist, on the development of spinal neuronal hyperexcitability caused by knee inflammation in rats. Both N- and P-type high-threshold calcium channels are located presynaptically in the CNS and are involved in the release of transmitters. To investigate the importance of P-type calcium channels in the generation of inflammation-evoked hyperexcitability of spinal cord neurons, electrophysiological recordings were made from wide-dynamic-range neurons with input from the knee joint in the anesthetized rat. The responses of each neuron to innocuous and noxious pressure onto the knee and the ankle were continuously assessed before and during the development of an inflammation in the knee joint induced by the injections of K/C into the joint cavity. The specific antagonist at P-type calcium channels ω-agatoxin was administered into a 30-μl trough on the spinal cord surface above the recorded neuron. In most neurons the application of ω-agatoxin before induction of inflammation slightly enhanced the responses to pressure onto the knee and ankle or left them unchanged. Two different protocols were then followed. In the control group (13 rats) only Tyrode was administered to the spinal cord during and after induction of inflammation. In these neurons the responses to mechanical stimuli applied to both the inflamed knee and to the noninflamed ankle showed a significant increase over 4 h. In the experimental group (12 rats) ω-agatoxin was applied during knee injection and in five 15-min periods up to 180 min after kaolin. This prevented the increase of the neuronal responses to innocuous pressure onto the knee and to innocuous and noxious pressure onto the ankle; only the responses to noxious pressure onto the knee were significantly enhanced during development of inflammation. Thus the development of inflammation-evoked hyperexcitability was attenuated by ω-agatoxin, and this suggests that P-type calcium channels in the spinal cord are involved in the generation of inflammation-evoked hyperexcitability of spinal cord neurons. Finally, when ω-agatoxin was administered to the spinal cord 4 h after the kaolin injection, i.e., when inflammation-evoked hyperexcitability was fully established, the responses to innocuous and noxious pressure onto the knee were reduced by 20–30% on average. The shift in the effect of ω-agatoxin, from slight facilitation or no change of the responses before inflammation to inhibition in the state of hyperexcitability, indicates that P-type calcium channels are important for excitatory synaptic transmission involved in the maintenance of inflammation-evoked hyperexcitability.


2012 ◽  
Vol 27 (12) ◽  
pp. 841-847 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseli Assem Bersaneti ◽  
Fausto Viterbo ◽  
Jacks Jorge ◽  
Rafael Denadai

PURPOSE: To compare muscle reinnervation in one and two surgical stages using end-to-side neurorrhaphy (ESN) without donor nerve injury. METHODS: The experiment was performed on four groups of 20 rats. Group 1 (G1), one stage, received the graft which was sutured to the tibial nerve, with ESN, and its free stump was sutured end-to-end to the distal stump of the sectioned peroneal nerve (PN), all in the same operation. In Group 2 (G2), two stages, the nerve graft was sutured to the tibial nerve, with ESN. Two months later the PN was sectioned and its distal stump connected to the distal stump of the graft as in G1. Normal control group (Gn) received the graft only sutured to the tibial nerve, with ESN. Denervated control group (Gd), as well received the graft and had the PN sectioned and its two stumps buried in adjacent musculature, with the aim of denervating the cranial tibial muscle (CTM), the target of this study. The parameters used to evaluate CTM reinnervation were muscle mass, muscle fiber's minimum diameter and area. RESULTS: The mean CTM mass, the average of the muscular fibers areas and the average of the muscular fiber minimum diameters was higher (all p<0.0001) in G2 than in G1. Comparing the four groups, these parameters had their maximum expression in Gn and the minimum in Gd, as expected. CONCLUSION: The two stages showed better muscle reinnervation than one stage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1575-1580
Author(s):  
Serhii V. Pylypenko ◽  
Andrii A. Koval ◽  
Makarchuk V. Viktoria ◽  
Kostiantyn F. Chub

The aim: Of the work was to determine the content of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the blood serum of the control group rats and after 28 days of inhibiting HCl secretion in the stomach by proton pump blockers “Omeprazole” and “Pantoprazole”. Materials and methods: The studies were performed on 30 white non-linear male rats weighing 160-180 g, divided into three groups with 10 animals in each. The control (group 1) were injected intraperitoneally with water for injections within 28 days once a day. Group 2 was administered omeprazole. Group 3 was administered pantoprazole. The concentration of cytokines in the blood serum of rats was determined by the enzyme immunoassay method. For statistic data processing, Student’s t-criterion for independent samples was applied. Results: After prolonged administration of omeprazole and pantoprazole, the blood serum concentrations of IFNγ, TNFα, IL-1 in rats increased by 58.5% and 3.41%, 73.3% and 48.4%, 80.2% and 40.8%, respectively, and IL-12B 40p decreased by 36.6% when using omeprazole and was almost indistinguishable from the control values when pantoprazole was administered. With administration of omeprazole, IL-4 concentration decreased by 39.8% and that of pantoprazole increased by 3.86% compared to the control. Administration of omeprazole and pantoprazole did not affect IL-6 concentration. Conclusion: Inhibition of hydrochloric acid secretion in the stomach of rats for 28 days using omeprazole and pantoprazole led to an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The adverse effect of pantoprazole was less pronounced than that of omeprazole.


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