RESUMO Racional: O papel do sistema nervoso autônomo na hipertensão portal não está completamente elucidado. Sabe-se que, nessa condição, a expressão gênica da norepinefrina na artéria mesentérica superior modifica-se com o tempo, podendo ser importante contribuinte para a vasodilatação esplâncnica e suas repercussões hemodinâmicas. Apesar dos estudos sobre as repercussões cardiovasculares na hipertensão portal, ainda não se sabe como a expressão adrenérgica se comporta a nível cardíaco nas etapas iniciais desse processo. Objetivo: Avaliar a expressão imunoistoquímica da enzima tirosina hidroxilase (tirosina 3-mono-oxigenase), relacionada à síntese da norepinefrina, no miocárdio de ratos submetidos à ligadura parcial da veia porta. Métodos: Foram utilizados 24 ratos, distribuídos em dois grupos: Sham Operated e Hipertensão Portal. A ligadura parcial da veia porta foi realizada apenas no grupo Hipertensão Portal e, após 1/6/24 h e 3/5/14 dias, os animais foram eutanasiados. Foi feita a análise imunoistoquímica para quantificar a expressão da enzima corada, utilizando o programa ImageJ. Resultados: No grupo Hipertensão Portal, o miocárdio expressou percentuais entre 4,6-6% de área marcada, enquanto que no grupo Sham Operated variou entre 4-5%, sem significância estatística. Apenas no grupo Hipertensão Portal, a porcentagem corada pela enzima seguiu padrão crescente nas primeiras 6 h e decrescente após 24 h. Conclusão: A expressão da noradrenalina no miocárdio de ratos durante as primeiras duas semanas após a ligadura parcial da veia porta, tendo como marcador a enzima tirosina hidroxilase, não apresentou diferenças entre grupos ao longo do tempo.

ABSTRACT Background: The role of autonomic nervous system in the development and maintenance of portal hypertension is not fully elucidated. It is known that the gene expression of norepinephrine in the superior mesenteric artery varies with time, and it may contribute for splanchnic vasodilation and its consequent hemodynamic repercussions. It is still not known exactly how the adrenergic expression behaves at the heart level in the initial stages of this process. Aim: To evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase), involved in the synthesis of norepinephrine, in the myocardium of rats submitted to partial ligation of the portal vein. Methods: Twenty-four Wistar rats were divided into two groups: Sham Operated and Portal Hypertension. The partial ligation was performed in the Portal Hypertension group, and after 1/6/24 h and 3/5/14 days the animals were euthanized. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to quantify the expression of the stained enzyme using the ImageJ program. Results: The Portal Hypertension group expressed percentages between 4.6-6% of the marked area, while the Sham Operated group varied between 4-5%. Although there was no statistical significance, the percentage stained in the Portal Hypertension group followed an increasing pattern in the first 6 h and a decreasing pattern after 24 h, which was not observed in the Sham Operated group. Conclusion: The expression of noradrenaline in rat myocardium during the first two weeks after partial ligation of the portal vein, with tyrosine hydroxylase as marker, did not show differences between groups over time.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Thyroid autoimmunity is more common in patients with rheumatic diseases than in healthy populations. The degree of association seems subject to influence from patients’ geographical location. Here, we aimed to ascertain the prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in a cohort of patients with systemic rheumatic disease and the degree of association between its presence and inflammatory activity. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional observational study in a rheumatology unit. METHODS: 301 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 210 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 58 with scleroderma (SSc) and 80 with spondyloarthritis (SpA) were studied regarding thyroid function (TSH and T4), anti-thyroglobulin (TgAb) and anti-thyroperoxidase (TPOab) and compared with 141 healthy controls. Disease activity in patients with rheumatic disease was assessed through appropriate indexes. RESULTS: There were more antithyroid antibodies in SLE patients with hypothyroidism (P = 0.01; odds ratio, OR 2.7; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.20-6.26) and in those without hypothyroidism (P = 0.06; OR 2.4; 95% CI: 1.28-4.55) than in controls. SSc patients also showed: P = 0.03 both with antithyroid antibodies and hypothyroidism (OR 3.4; 95% CI: 1.06-10.80) and without hypothyroidism (OR 3.1; 95% CI: 1.11-0.13). RA and SpA patients had the same prevalence as controls (P not significant). Presence of autoantibodies with and without hypothyroidism was not associated with the activity or functional indexes evaluated. CONCLUSION: SLE and SSc were associated with higher prevalence of thyroid autoantibodies in patients with and without hypothyroidism, unlike SpA and RA. There was no link between thyroid autoantibody presence and disease activity or functional impairment.

ABSTRACT PURPOSE: To investigate whether there is a difference between Marlex(r) and Dynamesh PP-light Marlex(r) meshes, in the abdominal wall defect correction, on rats in contaminated surgical site. METHODS: Twenty-eight Wistar rats were divided into two groups of 14, and four subgroups of seven animals. All subgroups underwent similar surgical procedure. One group received the mesh Marlex(r) and the other Dynamesh PP-light(r) for correction of the defect. Before implanting, the meshes went through a contamination process, on which was used standard solution containing 10 UFC of Escherichia coli. Fragments of the animal's abdominal wall received macroscopic, microscopic and microbiological analysis. RESULTS: There was no statistical significance in the analysis of macroscopic variables. Accentuated inflammatory process was shown in all subgroups. The foreign body type reaction was mild in all subgroups, except Dynamesh(r)-14, which was moderate with no statistical significance. The microbiological analysis of the meshes was also similar between the subgroups. CONCLUSION: There was no difference between the meshes of Marlex(r) and Dynamesh PP-light(r) in the ventral abdominal wall defect correction on rats in contaminated surgical site.

RESUMO Objetivo: comparar aspectos endoscópicos e histopatológicos de lesões superficialmente elevadas, com um ou mais centímetros de diâmetro, diagnosticadas por videocolonoscopias e ressecadas por mucosectomias do cólon distal com as do cólon proximal. Métodos: estudo foi retrospectivo, transversal, observacional, envolvendo 8075 videocolonoscopias. Avaliou-se 166 mucosectomias em 145 pacientes com lesões superficialmente elevadas com diâmetro igual ou maior do que 1cm. Resultados: a prevalência de lesões foi menor no G1 do que no G2 (34,9% x 65%). A média de idade, a distribuição por sexo e o tamanho (1,9cm no G1 e 2cm no G2, p=0,921) foram semelhantes. Não houve diferenças das superfícies em relação à localização (p=0,575). Considerando neoplasia intraepitelial de baixo grau, neoplasia intraepitelial de alto grau (incluindo carcinomas) e hiperplásicas, não houve diferença (p=0,527), assim como quando foram divididas as lesões neoplásicas em serrilhadas e não serrilhadas (p=0,124). Excluindo-se 13 lesões hiperplásicas e duas com carcinomas, 124 (82,1%) foram não serrilhadas e 27 (17,9%) serrilhadas. Conclusão: não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os aspectos endoscópicos e os histopatológicos das lesões superficialmente elevadas, com 1cm ou mais de diâmetro, ressecadas por mucosectomia do cólon distal em relação ao proximal. Embora não significante, há tendência à associação entre a localização da lesão e a presença de características serrilhadas.

ABSTRACT Objective: to compare endoscopic and histopathologic features of superficial, elevated lesions with one or more centimeters in diameter, diagnosed by videocolonoscopy on the distal and proximal colon, and subjected to mucosal resection. Methods: we conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study involving 8,075 videocolonoscopies. From this total, we evaluated 166 mucosectomies in 145 patients with superficial, elevated lesions with a diameter equal to or greater than 1cm. Results: the lesion prevalence was lower in G1 than in G2 (34.9% vs. 65%). The mean age, gender distribution and size (1.9cm in G1 versus 2.0cm in G2, p=0.921) were similar. There was no difference of mucosal surfaces in relation to the location (p=0.575). Considering Intraepithelial neoplasias, both the low grade, high grade (including carcinomas) and hyperplasic ones showedd no difference (p=0.527), nor did the neoplastic lesions when divided into serrated and non-serrated (p=0.124). Excluding 13 hyperplastic lesions and two carcinomas, 124 (82.1%) were non-serrated and 27 (17.9%), serrated. Conclusion: were found no significant differences between endoscopic and histopathological aspects of superficial, elevated lesions of 1cm or more in diameter in distal colon compared with the proximal, when resected by mucosectomy. Although not significant, there was a tendency of association between the location of the lesion and the presence of serrated features.