Glial cells have been implicated in temporal lobe epilepsy in humans and in its models. Astrocytes are lost in several brain regions after acute seizures induced by pilocarpine and may suffer hyperplasia at subsequent time points. This study investigated the effect of N-methyl-(2S,4R)-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline (NMP) on astrocytes exposed to cytotoxic concentrations of pilocarpine. Astrocytes were incubated with pilocarpine (half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50)=31.86 mM) for 24 h. Afterwards, they were treated with NMP at concentrations ranging from 3.12 to 100 μg/mL for 24 h. Cell viability was assessed by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) were analyzed by flow cytometry using 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and rhodamine-123 (Rho123), respectively. Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and voltage-dependent anion channel-1 (VDAC-1) were measured by western blot. Pilocarpine significantly decreased cell viability and mitochondrial potential and increased ROS concentration significantly by 6.7 times compared to the control. NMP concentrations ≥25 µg/mL protected astrocytes against pilocarpine-induced injury in a concentration-dependent manner. Concomitantly, NMP reduced cytoplasmic ROS accumulation to 27.3, 24.8, and 12.3% in the groups treated with 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL NMP, respectively. NMP also protected mitochondria from pilocarpine-induced depolarization. These effects were associated with improvement of pilocarpine-induced GFAP and VDAC-1 overexpression, which are important biomarkers of astrocyte dysfunction. In conclusion, the improvement of ROS accumulation, VDAC-1 overexpression, and mitochondrial depolarization are possible mechanisms of the NMP protective action on reactive astrocytes.

Coronary allograft vasculopathy is an inflammatory-proliferative process that compromises the long-term success of heart transplantation and has no effective treatment. A lipid nanoemulsion (LDE) can carry chemotherapeutic agents in the circulation and concentrates them in the heart graft. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of methotrexate (MTX) associated to LDE. Rabbits fed a 0.5% cholesterol diet and submitted to heterotopic heart transplantation were treated with cyclosporine A (10 mg·kg–1·day–1 orally) and allocated to treatment with intravenous LDE-MTX (4 mg/kg, weekly, n=10) or with weekly intravenous saline solution (control group, n=10), beginning on the day of surgery. Animals were euthanized 6 weeks later. Compared to controls, grafts of LDE-MTX treated rabbits showed 20% reduction of coronary stenosis, with a four-fold increase in vessel lumen and 80% reduction of macrophage staining in grafts. Necrosis was attenuated by LDE-MTX. Native hearts of both LDE-MTX and Control groups were apparently normal. Gene expression of lipoprotein receptors was significantly greater in grafts compared to native hearts. In LDE-MTX group, gene expression of the pro-inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor-α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-18, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, and matrix metalloproteinase-12 was strongly diminished whereas expression of anti-inflammatory interleukin-10 increased. LDE-MTX promoted improvement of the cardiac allograft vasculopathy and diminished inflammation in heart grafts.

Foram conduzidos dois ensaios para avaliar a utilização do farelo do farelo integral de arroz parboilizado (FIAP) em rações para leitões na fase de creche. No primeiro, foram utilizados 14 suínos machos castrados para a avaliação nutricional do ingrediente em ensaio de digestibilidade. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente ao acaso, com dois tratamentos e sete repetições por tratamento. O FIAP apresenta 17,15% de PB, elevado teor em fibras (33,75% de FDN e 15,91% de FDA) e teor reduzido de energia metabolizável, próximo a 2320kcal/kg. No segundo experimento, foram utilizados 60 leitões machos castrados, com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho zootécnico, a ocorrência de diarreia e a viabilidade econômica do farelo de arroz parboilizado. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos (0, 4, 8, 12 e 16% de inclusão) e seis repetições. Não houve diferença significativa entre o tratamento controle e os tratamentos teste (P>0,05), assim como para a análise de regressão, em que os crescentes níveis de inclusão do ingrediente não resultaram em piora no desempenho (P>0,05). O FIAP pode ser incluído até o nível de 16% em rações para leitões na fase de creche.

Two assays were conducted to evaluate the parboiled rice bran in piglet's diets in the nursery phase. In the first, 14 male castrated piglets were allotted to determine the nutritional value of parboiled rice bran in a digestibility assay. A completely randomized design, with 2 treatments and 7 replicates per treatment were used. The parboiled rice bran presents 17.15% of CP and high fiber content (33.75% of NDF and 15.91% of ADF) and low metabolizable energy (2320kcal/kg). In the second assay, 60 male castrated piglets were used to evaluate the effect of inclusion on productive performance, diarrhea incidence and economic viability of parboiled rice bran. A randomized block design was used, with 5 treatments (0, 4, 8, 12 and 16%) and 6 replicates. There was no difference between treatments and control treatment as well as in regression analysis, and the increasing levels of parboiled rice bran did not reduce the performance of animals. In conclusion, parboiled rice bran can be included up to 16% in diets for piglets in the nursery phase.

Because the superficial lymphatics in the lungs are distributed in the subpleural, interlobular and peribroncovascular interstitium, lymphatic impairment may occur in the lungs of patients with idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) and increase their severity. We investigated the distribution of lymphatics in different remodeling stages of IIPs by immunohistochemistry using the D2-40 antibody. Pulmonary tissue was obtained from 69 patients with acute interstitial pneumonia/diffuse alveolar damage (AIP/DAD, N = 24), cryptogenic organizing pneumonia/organizing pneumonia (COP/OP, N = 6), nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP/NSIP, N = 20), and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis/usual interstitial pneumonia (IPF/UIP, N = 19). D2-40+ lymphatic in the lesions was quantitatively determined and associated with remodeling stage score. We observed an increase in the D2-40+ percent from DAD (6.66 ± 1.11) to UIP (23.45 ± 5.24, P = 0.008) with the advanced process of remodeling stage of the lesions. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed a better survival for patients with higher lymphatic D2-40+ expression than 9.3%. Lymphatic impairment occurs in the lungs of IIPs and its severity increases according to remodeling stage. The results suggest that disruption of the superficial lymphatics may impair alveolar clearance, delay organ repair and cause severe disease progress mainly in patients with AIP/DAD. Therefore, lymphatic distribution may serve as a surrogate marker for the identification of patients at greatest risk for death due to IIPs.

Sixty castrated male and female piglets (commercial lineage), weaned at 21 days of age and average live weight of 5.4 ± 1.44 kg, were used aiming to evaluate the effect on productive performance, diarrhea, and economic viability of adding different levels of rice bran (RB) in rations for pigs. The experimental design was completely randomized with five treatments (0.0, 5.0, 10.0, 15,0 and 20.0% of RB) and 6 replicates per treatment, where the experimental unit (plot) consisted of two animals. Results showed that daily mean feed intake (DMFI), daily mean weight gain (DMWG) and feed conversion (FC), as well as the occurrence of diarrhea, did not differ significantly (p>0.05) for the different levels of RB inclusion in the ration. The economic analysis showed no significant difference among treatments. It is concluded that adding rice bran up to 20% in pig ratios for the period from 21 to 42 days of age is technically viable.

Foram utilizados 60 leitões fêmeas e machos castrados, de linhagem comercial, desmamados com média de 21 dias de idade e com peso vivo médio de 5,4 ± 1,44 kg, com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos da inclusão de farelo de arroz integral (FAI) em rações para leitões na fase de creche, sobre o desempenho zootécnico, ocorrência de diarréia, bem como a viabilidade econômica. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi inteiramente casualizado com cinco tratamentos (0,0; 5,0; 10,0; 15,0 e 20,0% de FAI) e seis repetições por tratamento, sendo a unidade experimental (parcela) constituída por dois animais. Os resultados mostraram que o consumo de ração médio diário (CRMD), ganho de peso médio diário (GPMD) e conversão alimentar (CA), bem como a ocorrência de diarréia não diferiram significativamente (p>0,05) para os diferentes níveis de inclusão de FAI. A análise econômica mostrou que não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos. Concluiu-se que o fornecimento de farelo de arroz integral foi viável até o nível de 20% de inclusão nas dietas de leitões no período de 21 a 42 dias de idade.

Foram caracterizadas e identificadas as frações proteicas constituintes do capim-mombaça submetido a quatro doses de nitrogênio (0, 100, 300 e 500kg.ha-1) em duas alturas de corte no período chuvoso e no seco. Utilizou-se delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 4 x 2, com quatro repetições. Os teores de proteína bruta (PB) e das frações A, B1, B2, B3 e C da proteína do capim-mombaça, cortado a 0,20 e 0,40m da superfície do solo foram avaliados pelo Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. Em relação ao teor de PB, ocorreu diferença significativa (P<0,05) quanto às doses aplicadas. Observou-se aumento de PB em função da elevação das doses de N, principalmente no período chuvoso apresentando valores médios em torno de 10%. Ocorreu diferença nas frações de PB em função da estação e da altura de corte. As frações B1 e C não diferiram quanto à dose de N e altura de corte. As frações A + B1 foram maiores no período seco, nas duas alturas residuais (P<0,05). A dose de nitrogênio e a altura do corte influenciaram na composição das frações proteicas.

The protein fractions of mombaça grass submitted to four nitrogen doses (0, 100, 300, and 500kg.ha-1) at two cutting heights in dry and rainy periods were characterized and identified. A completely randomized block design, in 2x4 factorial scheme with four repetitions, was used. The crude protein (CP) and A, B1, B2, B3, and C protein fractions of mombaça grass cut at 0.20 and 0.40m were evaluated by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System. There was significant difference (P<0.05) for CP according to the nitrogen (N) dose. The CP percentage increased as the N dose increased, in rainy period, averaging around 10%. There was difference for CP in function of season and cutting heights. The B1 and C fractions did not significantly differ concerning N dose and cutting heights. The A + B1 fractions were higher in the dry period in both heights (P<0.05). The N dose and cutting heights influenced in protein fractions composition.