RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Protective effects of Ruscus extract on macromolecular permeability depend on its capacity to stimulate muscarinic receptors on endothelial cells and induce the release of endothelium derived relaxing factors (EDRFs). OBJECTIVE: To investigate if these effects depend only on activation of muscarinic receptors or if EDRFs release are also necessary. We have also investigated the participation of Ruscus extract on muscarinic-induced release of EDRFs on microvascular diameters. METHODS: Hamsters were treated daily during two weeks with Ruscus extract (50, 150 and 450âmg/kg/day) and then macromolecular permeability induced by histamine and arteriolar and venular diameters after cyclooxygenase (COX) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors: indomethacin and Nω-Nitro-L-arginine (LNA), respectively applied topically at 10-8M, 10-6M and 10-4M were observed on the cheek pouch preparation. RESULTS: Ruscus extract decreased macromolecular permeability in a dose-dependent fashion and did not affect microvascular diameters. NOS and COX inhibitors enhanced its effect on microvascular permeability. NOS inhibition reduced arteriolar diameter and COX blocking decreased arteriolar and venular diameters at the lowest dose and increased them at higher doses of Ruscus extract. CONCLUSION: The protective effect of Ruscus extract on macromolecular permeability seems to be mediated only via muscarinic receptors. Muscarinic activation attenuated vasoconstrictive tone through cyclooxygenase-independent endothelium derived relaxing factors.
Assuntos
Células Endoteliais/metabolismo , Fatores Relaxantes Dependentes do Endotélio/uso terapêutico , Extratos Vegetais/química , Receptores Muscarínicos/química , Ruscus/química , Animais , Fatores Relaxantes Dependentes do Endotélio/farmacologia , Masculino , Mesocricetus , Óxido Nítrico/farmacologiaRESUMO
The bottlenose dolphin, genus Tursiops, is cosmopolitan occurring in tropical and temperate regions, with morphological variation between and within different oceans. Since the genus' taxonomy has been under discussion for a long time, this work aimed at analyzing the cranial variability of T. truncatus from different regions of the world. Geometric Morphometrics analyses were performed in 201 skulls of adult specimens, on dorsal, ventral, and lateral views, from the Eastern North Pacific, Eastern North Atlantic, Eastern South Atlantic, and Western South Atlantic oceans. The results indicate differences between individuals that inhabit the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within the Atlantic Ocean, there is an evident longitudinal differentiation of specimens from the eastern and western regions. A latitudinal separation was also observed, considering specimens from the North and South Atlantic Ocean. In the Western South Atlantic statistical differences were found between two morphological groups, identified as T. gephyreus (sensu Lahille, 1908) and T. truncatus, and the cross-validation presented 98% as minimum confidence for correct classification of these two groups. The present study provides strong morphological support to consider these two lineages as separate species.
Assuntos
Golfinho Nariz-de-Garrafa/anatomia & histologia , Oceanos e Mares , Crânio/anatomia & histologia , Pontos de Referência Anatômicos , Animais , Análise Discriminante , Geografia , Análise de Regressão , Tamanho da Amostra , América do SulRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate if the micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF) treatment could reduce the side effects of sclerotherapy (a procedure frequently used to treat venous disease manifestations) by minimizing the inflammatory response within the surrounding tissues. METHOD: Twenty-two male New Zealand rabbits were treated by gavage with micronized purified flavonoid fraction (MPFF; 300 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (10% lactose solution) during 21 consecutive days, starting 7 days before sclerotherapy. The sclerotherapy consisted of an injection containing 5% ethanolamine oleate solution in the rabbit's dorsal ear vein. Before and after sclerotherapy, venular and arteriolar diameters, microvascular permeability, functional capillary density (FCD), number of rolling and sticking leukocytes were evaluated on ear microcirculation. Images of the sclerotherapy site were taken before and after the procedure. RESULTS: Compared to placebo, MPFF treatment prevented the increase in venular diameter, preserved FCD (P < 0.001) and reduced the number of leaky sites (P < 0.001) and sticking leukocytes (P < 0.001). Imaging confirmed these effects on thrombosis and perivascular edema of the sclerosed vein, 14 days after procedure. CONCLUSION: MPFF treatment limited the postsclerotherapy inflammation in surrounding microvascular network, suggesting that MPFF may prevent undesirable secondary effects of the procedure in this animal model. This study warrants further investigation for its use in clinical conditions.
Assuntos
Permeabilidade Capilar/efeitos dos fármacos , Diosmina/farmacologia , Microcirculação/efeitos dos fármacos , Microvasos , Escleroterapia/efeitos adversos , Animais , Inflamação/tratamento farmacológico , Inflamação/patologia , Inflamação/fisiopatologia , Masculino , Microvasos/lesões , Microvasos/patologia , Microvasos/fisiopatologia , CoelhosRESUMO
The leopard cat, Prionailurus bengalensis (Kerr, 1792), is one of the most widespread Asian cats, occurring in continental eastern and southeastern Asia. Since 1929, several studies have focused on the morphology, ecology, and taxonomy of leopard cats. Nevertheless, hitherto there has been no agreement on basic aspects of leopard cat biology, such as the presence or absence of sexual dimorphism, morphological skull and body differences between the eleven recognized subspecies, and the biogeography of the different morphotypes. Twenty measurements on 25 adult leopard cat skulls from different Asian localities were analyzed through univariate and multivariate statistical approaches. Skull and external body measurements from studies over the last 77 years were assembled and organized in two categories: full data and summary data. Most of this database comprises small samples, which have never been statistically tested and compared with each other. Full data sets were tested with univariate and multivariate statistical analyses; summary data sets (i.e., means, SDs, and ranges) were analyzed through suitable univariate approaches. The independent analyses of the data from these works confirmed our original results and improved the overview of sexual dimorphism and geographical morphological variation among subspecies. Continental leopard cats have larger skulls and body dimensions. Skulls of Indochinese morphotypes have broader and higher features than those of continental morphotypes, while individuals from the Sunda Islands have skulls with comparatively narrow and low profiles. Cranial sexual dimorphism is present in different degrees among subspecies. Most display subtle sex-related variations in a few skull features. However, in some cases, sexual dimorphism in skull morphology is absent, such as in P. b. sumatranus and P. b. borneoensis. External body measurement comparisons also indicate the low degree of sexual dimorphism. Apart from the gonads, the longer hind foot of male leopard cats is the main feature of sexual dimorphism among P. b. bengalensis (and probably among P. b. horsfieldii too). External body measurements also indicated the absence of sexual dimorphism among individuals of P. b. borneoensis. Inter-subspecific skull comparisons provided a morphometric basis for differentiating some subspecies. Prionailurus b. horsfieldii and P. b. bengalensis were distinguished only by a subtle difference in PM(4) size, indicating that overall skull morphology does not appear to support their separate taxonomical status, in spite of the marked differences reported in their coat patterns. Geological events affecting the Sunda Shelf connection between the Sunda Islands and the mainland during the Last Glacial Maximum seem to have influenced directly the morphological pattern shown by leopard cat subspecies nowadays.
RESUMO
Morphological variation of the ramus mandibulae of wild Sus scrofa was described and correlated to sex and age differences. Young forms (n=27, 15 males, 12 females) and adults (n=23, 13 males, 10 females) were analyzed through Geometric Morphometrics (2-D) to assess differences between groups. We found significant differences between age- and sex-related shape variations at ramus mandibulae level. Young wild boars present bulky angular process with backward oriented coronoid process, while adults show slender jaw vertical ramus, and orthogonally oriented coronoid process. The ramus mandibulae in female wild boars is more robust and bulky than in males. The morphological changes between young and adult forms are related to alterations in the osteo-muscular jaw complex along wild boars ontogeny. The jaw morphological variations observed in adult wild boars could also be related to dietary differences between sexes.
Se describen las variaciones morfológicas a nivel de la rama mandibular del jabali (Sus scrofa) en función del sexo y la edad. Se analizó material procedente de jabalíes juveniles (n=27, 15 machos y 12 hembras) y adultos (n=23, 13 machos y 10 hembras) a través de la morfometría geométrica (2-D) para valorar diferencias entre grupos. Se encontraron diferencias a nivel de la forma del ángulo mandibular entre edades y sexos, de manera que los individuos juveniles presentaron un ángulo más abultado y un proceso coronoides orientado hacia atrás, mientras que los adultos muestran una rama mandibular más estrecha y vertical, así como, un proceso coronoides orientado ortogonalmente. En las hembras la parte posterior de la mandíbula es más abultada y compacta que en los machos. Los cambios morfológicos entre juveniles y adultos están relacionados con los procesos ontogenéticos que afectan al complejo osteomuscular durante el crecimiento. Por otra parte, las variaciones morfológicas observadas en los adultos podrían tener relación con diferencias en la dieta entre ambos sexos.
Assuntos
Animais , Masculino , Feminino , Caracteres Sexuais , Sus scrofa/anatomia & histologia , Mandíbula/anatomia & histologia , Fatores EtáriosRESUMO
The Paraguayan caiman (Caiman yacare) is the main Caimaninae species occurring in the Brazilian Pantanal Wetland. Despite the relative availability of works focused on biology and conservation of the Paraguayan caiman, almost nothing is known about its vocal structure and behavior. We recorded aggressive calls of adult caiman females guarding nests and, afterwards, the distress calls of the new born juvenile caimans in seasonally flooded areas of the Nhecolândia (Southern Pantanal). The results of both observations and sonographic analyses diverged from studies with other crocodilian species. Aggressive vocalization of adult females of the Paraguayan caiman was longer and more complex than the same vocalization of larger Alligatoridae species. Vocalizations of the young caimans presented interspecific differences with other crocodilian offsprings. Moreover, we found statistically significant intraspecific variation in the distress call structure among different pods, even separated by few kilometers. Differences in distress call structure were tested by Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). We obtained the squared Mahalanobis distances between the acoustic multivariate spaces of each pod provided by the CDA and compared with the geographic distance between the bays of origin of each pod through Mantel Test. The geographic distance by itself did not explain the differences found in the structure of the vocalization of young caimans from different pods. The adult females of Paraguayan caiman positively responded to playbacks of calls from juvenile caimans from pods of other regions, as well as to rough imitations of distress call. Since the adult caimans showed protective responses to quite heterogeneous vocalizations of distress by juveniles, we hypothesized that the variation in the distress call pattern may be associated to a low specificity in sound recognition by adult caimans.
Assuntos
Jacarés e Crocodilos/fisiologia , Vocalização Animal/fisiologia , Jacarés e Crocodilos/classificação , Animais , Brasil , Feminino , Fatores Sexuais , Especificidade da Espécie , Áreas AlagadasRESUMO
The Paraguayan caiman (Caiman yacare) is the main Caimaninae species occurring in the Brazilian Pantanal Wetland. Despite the relative availability of works focused on biology and conservation of the Paraguayan caiman, almost nothing is known about its vocal structure and behavior. We recorded aggressive calls of adult caiman females guarding nests and, afterwards, the distress calls of the new born juvenile caimans in seasonally flooded areas of the Nhecolândia (Southern Pantanal). The results of both observations and sonographic analyses diverged from studies with other crocodilian species. Aggressive vocalization of adult females of the Paraguayan caiman was longer and more complex than the same vocalization of larger Alligatoridae species. Vocalizations of the young caimans presented interspecific differences with other crocodilian offsprings. Moreover, we found statistically significant intraspecific variation in the distress call structure among different pods, even separated by few kilometers. Differences in distress call structure were tested by Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). We obtained the squared Mahalanobis distances between the acoustic multivariate spaces of each pod provided by the CDA and compared with the geographic distance between the bays of origin of each pod through Mantel Test. The geographic distance by itself did not explain the differences found in the structure of the vocalization of young caimans from different pods. The adult females of Paraguayan caiman positively responded to playbacks of calls from juvenile caimans from pods of other regions, as well as to rough imitations of distress call. Since the adult caimans showed protective responses to quite heterogeneous vocalizations of distress by juveniles, we hypothesized that the variation in the distress call pattern may be associated to a low specificity in sound recognition by adult caimans.
Poco se conoce sobre la estructura vocal del Caiman yacare del Pantanal brasileño. Llamadas agresivas de hembras adultas que cuidaban de los nidos fueron registradas durante enero y febrero y llamadas de socorro de caimanes jóvenes, en abril de 1992. Hembras adultas de C. yacare presentaron una vocalización agresiva más larga y compleja que en otras especies más grandes de Alligatoridae. Las vocalizaciones de los jóvenes caimanes también presentaron diferencias interespecíficas con otros cocodrilos y variaciones intraespecíficas entre grupos separados por pocos kilómetros. Se utilizó la Prueba de Mantel para comparar las distancias de Mahalanobis entre la estructura de las vocalizaciones de los jóvenes de acuerdo con sus grupos y las distancias geográficas donde ellos estaban. La distancia geográfica en sí no explica las diferencias en las vocalizaciones de jóvenes de diferentes grupos. Hembras adultas de C. yacare han respondido a grabaciones de llamadas de caimanes de grupos de otras regiones, así como a imitaciones de llamada de socorro. Se postula que las variaciones en las llamadas de socorro pueden estar asociadas con una baja especificidad en el reconocimiento de sonido por caimanes adultos que han respondido de la misma forma protectora a las más heterogéneas expresiones de peligro de los jóvenes.
Assuntos
Animais , Feminino , Jacarés e Crocodilos/fisiologia , Vocalização Animal/fisiologia , Jacarés e Crocodilos/classificação , Brasil , Fatores Sexuais , Especificidade da Espécie , Áreas AlagadasRESUMO
BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the multivariate association between functional microvascular variables and clinical-laboratorial-anthropometrical measurements. METHODS: Data from 189 female subjects (34.0 ± 15.5 years, 30.5 ± 7.1 kg/m2), who were non-smokers, non-regular drug users, without a history of diabetes and/or hypertension, were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA). PCA is a classical multivariate exploratory tool because it highlights common variation between variables allowing inferences about possible biological meaning of associations between them, without pre-establishing cause-effect relationships. In total, 15 variables were used for PCA: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), fasting plasma glucose, levels of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), triglycerides (TG), insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), and functional microvascular variables measured by nailfold videocapillaroscopy. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy was used for direct visualization of nutritive capillaries, assessing functional capillary density, red blood cell velocity (RBCV) at rest and peak after 1 min of arterial occlusion (RBCV(max)), and the time taken to reach RBCV(max) (TRBCV(max)). RESULTS: A total of 35% of subjects had metabolic syndrome, 77% were overweight/obese, and 9.5% had impaired fasting glucose. PCA was able to recognize that functional microvascular variables and clinical-laboratorial-anthropometrical measurements had a similar variation. The first five principal components explained most of the intrinsic variation of the data. For example, principal component 1 was associated with BMI, waist circumference, systolic BP, diastolic BP, insulin, TG, CRP, and TRBCV(max) varying in the same way. Principal component 1 also showed a strong association among HDL-c, RBCV, and RBCV(max), but in the opposite way. Principal component 3 was associated only with microvascular variables in the same way (functional capillary density, RBCV and RBCV(max)). Fasting plasma glucose appeared to be related to principal component 4 and did not show any association with microvascular reactivity. CONCLUSIONS: In non-diabetic female subjects, a multivariate scenario of associations between classic clinical variables strictly related to obesity and metabolic syndrome suggests a significant relationship between these diseases and microvascular reactivity.
Assuntos
Glicemia/análise , Capilares/fisiopatologia , Jejum/sangue , Síndrome Metabólica/fisiopatologia , Obesidade/fisiopatologia , Análise de Componente Principal , Adolescente , Adulto , Proteína C-Reativa/análise , Criança , Feminino , Humanos , Lipídeos/sangue , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise MultivariadaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes on cutaneous microangiopathy in chronic venous disorder (CVD) after use of Cirkan [venotonic drug containing Ruscus aculeatus (plant extract), hesperidine methylchalcone (flavonoid) and vitamin C], elastic compression stockings (ECS) or no treatment for four weeks. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty-five female patients (85 legs), 25 to 57 years, with at least one limb classified as C2,s or C2,3,s (CEAP classification), were allocated consecutively, according to entrance order, in these three groups. Ten healthy women age-matched were also investigated. Using orthogonal polarization spectral technique (noninvasive method), measurements of functional capillary density (FCD, number of capillaries with flowing red blood cells/mm(2)), capillary morphology (CM, % of abnormal capillaries/mm(2)) and diameters (mum) of dermal papilla (DDP), capillary bulk (DCB) and capillary limb (CD) were obtained on the medial perimalleolar region and later analyzed using CapImage software. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: CVD patients showed significant changes on CD and CM compared to healthy subjects in agreement with our previous findings (J Vasc Surg 43:1037-1044, 2006). On Cirkan-treated patients, after 4 weeks, CD decreased on both limbs and CM improved on the left one, suggesting an amelioration of the chronic venous hypertension. No significant changes could be detected on other patient groups. These results confirm the existence of microcirculatory dysfunction in early stages of CVD, probably due to post-capillary hypertension, and further support the venotonic action of Cirkan.