Effect of an extract of Centella asiatica on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate (Na^99mTcO₄) and on the fixation of radioactivity on blood constituents

This study evaluates the effects of an acute treatment with a Centella asiatica (CA) extract on the biodistribution of the radiopharmaceutical Na99mTcO4 and on the fixation of technetium-99m on blood constituents. Wistar rats were treated with CA extract and, 1 hour after, Na99mTcO4 was administered; organs/tissues were withdrawn and weighted. The radioactivity was counted to calculate the percentage of activity per gram (%ATI/g). Also, blood samples were withdrawn, plasma (P), blood cells (BC), insoluble fraction (IF) and soluble fractions of P and BC were isolated and the radioactivity was counted to calculate the percentage of activity (%ATI). Data indicated that the acute treatment with CA extract changed significantly (p99mTcO4 and the fixation of the technetium-99m on blood constituents in an acute treatment

Nuclear medicine procedures and the evaluation of male sexual organs: a short review

Sexuality consists of three aspects that are interrelated and inseparable, biological, physiological and social. The biological aspect considers the individual's capability to give and to receive pleasure. In consequence, it covers the functionality of the sexual organs and the physiology of human sexual response cycle. Diagnostic imaging modalities, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been used to evaluate clinical disorders of the male reproductive system. PET and SPECT procedures basically involve the administration of a radiopharmaceutical that has a higher uptake in a specific tumor or tissue. The aim of this brief review is to present some radiopharmaceuticals that have been used in the clinical evaluation of the male sexual organs (testes, prostate, seminal vesicles, penis) related with male sexuality. This information could be useful in better understanding the male sexual response cycle, as well as the sexual disorders, when considering the male sexual organs and the pelvic floor. Moreover, the findings obtained with PET and SPECT imaging could help to evaluate the efficacy of clinical results of therapeutic procedures. In conclusion, the knowledge from these images could aid in better understanding the physiology of the different organs related with sexuality. Furthermore, they could be important tools to evaluate the physiological integrity of the involved organs, to improve clinical strategies and to accompany the patients under treatment

Green Purchases and Sustainability in Amazon’s Coffee Management

This study was conceived in the cradle of the Brazilian Amazon region, on managerial and cognitive knowledge of the perspectives of sustainable management in coffee cultivation. The objective is to study the green purchasing process and sustainability in coffee management; (1), to map the factors that interfere in the green purchasing processes and sustainability in the researched scenario (2), propose the innovation required with participative management in the face of sustainability with green purchasing (3). With a base on Contingency theories of adaptive nature and emerging demands, Ecodevelopment interprets and performs compatible actions for sustainable local development, the U Theory confronts the problems and transforms them with innovative solutions. The Method of Study adopted is the Case study, of a qualitative nature, such as bibliographic survey procedures, data collection by semi-structured interviews with social actors of the coffee system, data analysis through triangulation and criticism with the theoretical framework and construction of the innovation sustainable development proposal. The result shows the lack of knowledge about green purchasing and the sustainability aspect of the practices used in the Global Coffee Platform. The quality work of the coffee farmers was evidenced in an individual form, but in order to meet the quantitative demands of the market, it is required the structural and leadership development for the construction of APL or agricultural cooperative. The mental design configured at the base of the productive chain needs to break paradigms that interfere in the sustainable posture, to understand the needs of the consumers and to emphasize their participation on the responsibility with the Amazon and the beneficiary society as a whole. We presented suggestions of innovation discussed from the gaps detected by the mapping of factors

Avaliação preliminar de famílias de F2:3 de feijão-caupi com de inflorescência composta.

O feijão-caupi (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) é uma leguminosa com destaque comercial devido ao seu curto ciclo para maturidade e por ser uma importante fonte de carboidratos e proteínas. Atualmente, devido a utilização da cultura em lavouras que empregam alta tecnologia tem sido dada maior atenção à arquitetura da planta, visando a facilidade do cultivo mecanizado e a obtenção de um maior potencial genético produtivo. A inflorescência composta mostra-se bastante promissora para o melhoramento do feijão-caupi, uma vez que aumenta o número de vagens por pedúnculo e por planta, característica que constitui importante componente de produção. Desse modo, este trabalho teve como objetivo a avaliação preliminar de famílias F2:3 de feijão-caupi portadoras de inflorescência composta quanto a maturidade e a produção. Foram avaliados o ciclo e a produtividade de 460 famílias F2:3 em um experimento em delineamento de blocos aumentados. As famílias foram distribuídas em 10 blocos, sendo cada conjunto constituído de 46 famílias e duas testemunhas. Das 460 famílias F2:3 somente 343 foram incluídas na análise de variância. Não houve diferença entre famílias para nenhum dos caracteres avaliados. Entretanto, houve diferença entre famílias e testemunhas. Do total de famílias, 4,0% e 7,8% apresentaram-se, para floração e maturidade, respectivamente, mais precoces que a testemunha mais precoce e 25,6% das famílias apresentaram produtividade por parcela superior a testemunha mais produtiva.CONAC 2012. Disponível em: http://www.conac2012.org/resumos/pdf/182a.pdf. Acesso em: 02 ago. 2013

Effects of acute aerobic exercise on rats serum extracellular vesicles diameter, concentration and small RNAs content

Physical exercise stimulates organs, mainly the skeletal muscle, to release a broad range of molecules, recently dubbed exerkines. Among them, RNAs, such as miRNAs, piRNAs, and tRNAs loaded in extracellular vesicles (EVs) have the potential to play a significant role in the way muscle and other organs communicate to translate exercise into health. Low, moderate and high intensity treadmill protocols were applied to rat groups, aiming to investigate the impact of exercise on serum EVs and their associated small RNA molecules. Transmission electron microscopy, resistive pulse sensing, and western blotting were used to investigate EVs morphology, size distribution, concentration and EVs marker proteins. Small RNA libraries from EVs RNA were sequenced. Exercise did not change EVs size, while increased EVs concentration. Twelve miRNAs were found differentially expressed after exercise: rno-miR-128-3p, 1033p, 330-5p, 148a-3p, 191a-5p, 10b-5p, 93-5p, 25-3p, 142-5p, 3068-3p, 142-3p, and 410-3p. No piRNA was found differentially expressed, and one tRNA, trna8336, was found down-regulated after exercise. The differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted to target genes involved in the MAPK pathway. A single bout of exercise impacts EVs and their small RNA load, reinforcing the need for a more detailed investigation into EVs and their load as mediators of health-promoting exercise

Radiotherapy, cancer and some anatomical structures related with the pelvic floor: an evaluation of the scientific literature

Radiotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy X-rays or other types of ionizing radiation to try to kill the cancer cells in various organs/tissues. PubMed is a database used as a tool in various publications. The aim of this work was to evaluate, in the PubMed, the number of publications (NP) in radiotherapy and cancer in various organs related to the pelvic floor as well as brachytherapy. The searches were performed (August 2008) in the PubMed (http://www.pubmed.com) using the words: (i) radiotherapy (RT) or cancer (CA), (ii) RT and CA, (iii) RT and CA and prostate, RT and CA and testis, RT and CA and breast, RT and CA and kidneys, RT and CA and vulva, RT and CA and vagina, RT and CA and penis, RT and CA and uterus, RT and CA and ovary, RT and CA and bladder, and RT and CA and urethra. A search using brachytherapy was also performed. The NP in each subject was determined and was 2178635 to CA and about 9% of them are related with RT. The NP in RT and CA and breast or prostate is bigger than for the other organs, whereas brachytherapy is mainly cited in the studies about CA of prostate, bladder and breast. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the importance of radiation therapy studies in the cancer of several organs. This information is crucial in understanding the field and demonstrates areas of significant progress or existing gaps of research in radiotherapy treatment of various cancers of the pelvis. Furthermore, it could significantly aid the interprofessional team in the determination of actions related to the treatment of patients that are undertaking radiotherapy, due to the possible complications of this modality of treatment

Continuous positive airway pressure and body position alter lung clearance of the radiopharmaceutical 99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA)

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the pulmonary clearance rate of 99mtechnetium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) through the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in different postures. It was a quasi-experimental study involving 36 healthy individuals with normal spirometry. 99mTc-DTPA, as aerosol, was nebulized for 3 min with the individual in a sitting position. The pulmonary clearance rate was assessed through pulmonary scintigraphy under spontaneous breathing and under 20 and 10 cmH2O CPAP in the sitting and supine positions. The clearance rate was expressed as the half-time (T1/2), that is, the time for the activity to decrease to 50% of the peak value. 20 cmH2O CPAP produced significant reduction of the T1/2 of 99mTc-DTPA in the supine position (P = 0.009) and in the sitting position (P = 0.005). However, 10 cmH2O CPAP did not alter the T1/2 of DTPA in both positions. The postural variation from supine to the sitting position with 10 cmH2O CPAP (P = 0.01) and 20 cmH2O (P = 0.02) also reduced the T1/2 of 99mTc-DTPA. High levels of positive pressure in normal lungs resulted in faster 99mTc-DTPA clearance. Moreover, the sitting position further increased the clearance rate of the 99mTc radioaerosol imaging in the two pressure levels studied.Key words: Continuous positive airway pressure, 99mTc-DTPA, scintigraphy, posture