The arterial circle of Willis of the mouse helps to decipher secrets of cerebral vascular accidents in the human.

Science.gov (United States)

Okuyama, Shinichi; Okuyama, Jun; Okuyama, Junko; Tamatsu, Yuichi; Shimada, Kazuyuki; Hoshi, Hajime; Iwai, Junichi

2004-01-01

The human brain represents an elaborate product of hominizing evolution. Likewise, its supporting vasculature may also embody evolutionary consequences. Thus, it is conceivable that the human tendency to develop cerebral vascular accidents (CVAs) might represent a disease of hominization. In a search for hominizing changes on the arterial circle of Willis (hWAC), we attempted an anatomical comparison of the hWAC with that of the mouse (mWAC) by injecting aliquots of resin into the vasculature of the mouse and then creating vascular endocasts of the mWAC. The internal carotid artery of the mouse (mICA) unites with the mWAC midway between the middle cerebral artery (mMCA) and posterior cerebral artery (mPCA). The mWAC does not complete a circle: the mWAC nourishes the anterior portion of the circle which branches out to the olfactory artery (OlfA) and mPCA, along with the mMCA, and the basilar artery (mBA) does not connect to the mPCA. The OlfA is thicker than the mMCA. The relative brain weight of the mouse was 74 g on average for a 60 kg male and 86 g for a 60 kg female, respectively, as compared with 1424 g for a 60 kg man. These findings are consistent with the mouse being a nocturnal carnivore that lives on olfactory information in contrast to the human that lives diurnally and depends on visual and auditory information. In man, the human ICA (hICA) unites with the hWAC at a point where the human middle cerebral artery (hMCA) branches out, and thus, blood from the hICA does not flow through the hWAC but drains into the hMCA directly. The hMCA is thicker than the anterior cerebral artery. The hPCA receives blood from the hBA rather than from the hICA, and thus, the entire hWAC forms a closed circuit. Since the hICA drains directly into the hMCA without flowing a distance through the hWAC, the capacitor and equalizer functions of the WAC will be mitigated so much that the resultant hemodynamic changes would render the hMCA more likely to contribute to CVAs. Thus

Pazopanib for the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heudel P

2012-10-01

Full Text Available Pierre Heudel,1 Philippe Cassier,1 Olfa Derbel,1 Armelle Dufresne,1 Pierre Meeus,2 Philippe Thiesse,3 Dominique Ranchère-Vince,4 Jean Yves Blay,1 Isabelle Ray-Coquard1,51Department of Medical Oncology, 2Department of Surgical Oncology, 3Department of Radiology, 4Department of Pathology, Leon Berard Center, Lyon, 5EAM 4128 Sante-Individu-Societe, Lyon University, Lyon, FranceAbstract: Pazopanib is a multikinase inhibitor which potently inhibits the activity of major receptor tyrosine kinases, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-a, platelet-derived growth factor receptor-a, and c-Kit. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2009 in the United States for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma, pazopanib has been tested in advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma. Unlike other tyrosine kinase inhibitors, a statistically significant efficacy in phase II but also in randomized phase III studies has been shown. In comparison with sunitinib or sorafenib, pazopanib has a similar toxicity profile and is generally well tolerated. This review details the development of this new therapeutic class in the treatment of metastatic soft-tissue sarcomas.Keywords: soft-tissue sarcoma, pazopanib, tyrosine kinase inhibitor

Disturbios da olfacao: estudo retrospectivo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luciano Lobato Gregorio

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Introdução: O olfato, fenômeno subjetivo de grande importância, é pouco compreendido e estudado no ser humano. Médicos com maior conhecimento sobre os distúrbios desse sentido tendem a considerar a doença mais importante e manejar melhor o diagnóstico e o tratamento. Objetivo: Descrever a amostra dos pacientes com queixa principal de distúrbios do olfato e mostrar a experiência do serviço no manejo e tratamento. Delineamento: Estudo retrospectivo de coorte histórica com corte transversal. Materiais e métodos: Descrição da amostra e avaliação de resposta ao tratamento de pacientes com queixa principal de hiposmia ou anosmia atendidos no ambulatório de Rinologia no período de janeiro de 2005 a outubro de 2011. Resultados: Dos 38 pacientes com distúrbio da olfação, 68,4% dos pacientes apresentaram queixa de hiposmia e 31,5% de anosmia, com duração média de 30,8 meses. Os diagnósticos etiológicos principais foram idiopática (31,5%, rinopatia alérgica (28,9% e RSC com pólipos (10,5%. As respostas ao tratamento com corticosteroide tópico e ácido alfa-lipoico foram variáveis, assim como na literatura. Conclusão: Maior importância deve ser dada aos distúrbios do olfato na prática do otorrinolaringologista, uma vez que o diagnóstico diferencial é amplo e pode trazer grande morbidade ao paciente, com impacto na sua qualidade de vida.

Evaluation of oxidative response and tissular damage in rat lungs exposed to silica-coated gold nanoparticles under static magnetic fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferchichi S

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Soumaya Ferchichi,1 Hamdi Trabelsi,1 Inès Azzouz,1 Amel Hanini,2 Ahmed Rejeb,3 Olfa Tebourbi,1 Mohsen Sakly,1 Hafedh Abdelmelek1 1Laboratory of Integrative Physiology, Faculty Of Sciences of Bizerte, 2Laboratory of Vascular Pathology, Carthage University, Carthage 3Laboratory of Pathological Anatomy, National School of Veterinary Medicine of Sidi Thabet, Manouba Univeristy, Manouba, Tunisia Abstract: The purpose of our study was the evaluation of toxicological effects of silica-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs and static magnetic fields (SMFs; 128 mT exposure in rat lungs. Animals received a single injection of GNPs (1,100 µg/kg, 100 nm, intraperitoneally and were exposed to SMFs, over 14 days (1 h/day. Results showed that GNPs treatment induced a hyperplasia of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue. Fluorescence microscopy images showed that red fluorescence signal was detected in rat lungs after 2 weeks from the single injection of GNPs. Oxidative response study showed that GNPs exposure increased malondialdehyde level and decreased CuZn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in rat lungs. Furthermore, the histopathological study showed that combined effects of GNPs and SMFs led to more tissular damages in rat lungs in comparison with GNPs-treated rats. Interestingly, intensity of red fluorescence signal was enhanced after exposure to SMFs indicating a higher accumulation of GNPs in rat lungs under magnetic environment. Moreover, rats coexposed to GNPs and SMFs showed an increased malondialdehyde level, a fall of CuZn-superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities in comparison with GNPs-treated group. Hence, SMFs exposure increased the accumulation of GNPs in rat lungs and led to more toxic effects of these nanocomplexes. Keywords: malondialdehyde, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue, nanotoxicity, histopathological study

Interaction between nanoparticles generated by zinc chloride treatment and oxidative responses in rat liver

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azzouz I

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Inès Azzouz, Hamdi Trabelsi, Amel Hanini, Soumaya Ferchichi, Olfa Tebourbi, Mohsen Sakly, Hafedh AbdelmelekLaboratory of Integrative Physiology, Faculty of Sciences of Bizerte, Carthage University, TunisiaAbstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the interaction of zinc chloride (3 mg/kg, intraperitoneally [ip] in rat liver in terms of the biosynthesis of nanoparticles. Zinc treatment increased zinc content in rat liver. Analysis of fluorescence revealed the presence of red fluorescence in the liver following zinc treatment. Interestingly, the co-exposure to zinc (3 mg/kg, ip and selenium (0.20 mg/L, per os [by mouth] led to a higher intensity of red fluorescence compared to zinc-treated rats. In addition, X-ray diffraction measurements carried out on liver fractions of zinc-treated rats point to the biosynthesis of zinc sulfide and/or selenide nanocomplexes at nearly 51.60 nm in size. Moreover, co-exposure led to nanocomplexes of about 72.60 nm in size. The interaction of zinc with other mineral elements (S, Se generates several nanocomplexes, such as ZnS and/or ZnSe. The nanocomplex ZnX could interact directly with enzyme activity or indirectly by the disruption of mineral elements' bioavailability in cells. Subacute zinc or selenium treatment decreased malondialdehyde levels, indicating a drop in lipid peroxidation. In addition, antioxidant enzyme assays showed that treatment with zinc or co-treatment with zinc and selenium increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase. Consequently, zinc complexation with sulfur and/or selenium at nanoscale level could enhance antioxidative responses, which is correlated to the ratio of number of ZnX nanoparticles (X=sulfur or X=selenium to malondialdehyde level in rat liver.Keywords: nanocomplexes biosynthesis, antioxidative responses, X-ray diffraction, fluorescence microscopy, liver

Aplicabilidade do teste de identificação de olfato da Universidade da Pensilvânia (SIT para brasileiros: estudo piloto Applicability of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (SIT in Brazilians: pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Aurélio Fornazieri

2010-12-01

Full Text Available O teste de identificação do olfato da Universidade da Pensilvânia (SIT é o exame olfatório mais citado na literatura devido a sua fácil aplicação e alta confiabilidade teste-reteste. Ainda não foram normatizados seus valores de olfação normal para a população brasileira. OBJETIVO: Verificar o escore no SIT alcançado por um grupo de brasileiros e o nível de dificuldade encontrado para a execução do teste. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Transversal. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: O SIT foi aplicado a 25 voluntários brasileiros de diversas classes econômicas, sem queixas olfatórias prévias. Após a aplicação do teste, todos preencheram um questionário com uma escala visual analógica (VAS referente ao nível de dificuldade encontrado na realização do teste. RESULTADOS: O escore médio da amostra de brasileiros foi 32,5 (desvio-padrão:3,48 de 40, abaixo do considerado normal para a população americana. O nível de dificuldade médio encontrado foi 26mm (desvio padrão: 24,68 segundo a VAS, tendendo a facilidade, e 4(16% participantes não conheciam algum dos odores escritos nas alternativas. CONCLUSÃO: Nesse estudo piloto, houve indícios de boa aplicabilidade do teste, com o escore dos brasileiros pouco abaixo da normosmia. São necessários estudos futuros para confirmar a existência de diferença de pontuação entre pessoas de diferente classe econômica.The University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (SIT is the most cited olfactory test in the literature because it is easy to perform and there is high test-retest reliability. There were no standardized olfaction values in a normal Brazilian population. AIM: To measure the SIT score in a group of Brazilians, and to assess the level of difficulty when implementing the test. STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The SIT was applied in 25 Brazilian volunteers of various income levels who presented no olfactory complaints. Following the test, subjects answered

The Glanerbrug Breccia: Evidence for a Separate L/LL-Chondritic Parent Body?

Science.gov (United States)

Welten, K. C.; Lindner, L.; Poorter, R. P. E.; Kallemeyn, G. W.; Rubin, A. E.; Wasson, J. T.

1992-07-01

compositions low in the LL field (27.0+-1.5% Fa and 15.0+-1.0 mg/g Co) whereas the olivines and kamacites in another thin section plot higher in the LL field (30.0+-1.0% Fa and 24+-4 mg/g Co). It also contains a small H chondritic inclusion (100 x 140 micrometers) and a blackish OC-fragment with widely varying silicate compositions and small (~10 micrometers) martensite grains a metal phase containing 97+-8 mg/g Ni typical for shock-reheated OCs [4]. Although this indicates that the dark portion once resided close to the surface of a parent body, no solar-wind implanted noble gases were found in a fragment consisting of both light and dark material [5] indicating that the Glanerbrug is a fragmental rather than a regolithic breccia [2]. The INAA study is still in progress but our first results on the light-grey sample show that the siderophiles are more like LL than L chondrites. These results leave two possible conclusions: (i) the Glanerbrug breccia originated on a single LL parent body, with the light and dark portions representing materials that formed from widely separated regions of the LL chondrite agglomeration zone; (ii) a light xenolithic L/LL fragment is incorporated into a dark LL chondritic host, while the latter was close to the surface of its parent body. The former would imply that at least some of the L/LL chondrites plotting in the upper part of the L/LL field on a kam-Co vs. ol-Fa diagram are a subgroup of the LL chondrites. However, since an olivine-Fa content of 24.5% is far below the LL range, such a conclusion can not be drawn solely on the basis of the Glanerbrug and therefore we prefer the second conclusion. From noble gas measurements [5] an average U,Th-He age of about 3.4 Ga was calculated, falling in the generally observed range of L/LL and LL chondrites [6], neither confirming nor rejecting our conclusions. Acknowledgements. We thank Dr. H.W. Weber and coworkers for the noble gas measurements. One of the authors (K.W.) is greatly indebted to Prof