The objective of the present study was to compare the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) and carprofen (CP) on postoperative incisional pain using the plantar incision (PI) model in rats. A 1-cm longitudinal incision was made through skin, fascia and muscles of a hind paw of male Wistar rats and the development of mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity was determined over 4 days using the von Frey and Hargreaves methods, respectively. Based on the experimental treatments received on the third postoperative day, the animals were divided into the following groups: PI+CP (CP, 2 mg/kg, po); PI+EAST36 (100-Hz EA applied bilaterally at the Zusanli point (ST36)); PI+EANP (EA applied to a non-acupoint region); PI+IMMO (immobilization only); PI (vehicle). In the von Frey test, the PI+EAST36 group had higher withdrawal force thresholds in response to mechanical stimuli than the PI, PI+IMMO and PI+EANP groups at several times studied. Furthermore, the PI+EAST36 group showed paw withdrawal thresholds in response to mechanical stimuli that were similar to those of the PI+CP group. In the Hargreaves test, all groups had latencies higher than those observed with PI. The PI+EAST36 group was similar to the PI+IMMO, PI+EANP and PI+CP groups. We conclude that 100-Hz EA at the ST36 point, but not at non-acupoints, can reduce mechanical nociception in the rat model of incisional pain, and its effectiveness is comparable to that of carprofen.

The prevalence of T. gondii infection was investigated in free-range chickens for human consumption in the county of Rio Bonito, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Thus, a search for antibodies to T. gondii by indirect fluorescent antibody test was done in the serum of 220 chickens from twenty two farms. Titres equal or greater than 16 were considered positive. The prevalence of toxoplasmic infection found in chickens was 27.6% (61/220). There were positive cases in eighteen (77.2%) farms. The more frequent titre was 16 (12.5%) and the highest was 4096 (0.4%). The high prevalence of T. gondii in chickens and the high percentage of farms with positive cases indicate environmental contamination in the studied area showing the possibility of human and animal infection.

Este trabalho é resultado de uma oficina realizada em 2006 em Tamandaré, PE, a qual teve por objetivo discutir elementos para a construção de um programa nacional em gestão compartilhada do uso de recursos pesqueiros no Brasil, constituído por vários projetos de pesquisa-ação com potencial de contribuir para a incorporação da gestão compartilhada em políticas públicas. Os 30 pesquisadores presentes identificaram: (i) fatores impulsionadores/oportunidades e (ii) limitações/dificuldades enfrentadas na gestão compartilhada, e (iii) Linhas de pesquisa e ações para subsidiar a construção de tal programa.

This paper is an output of a workshop carried out in 2006, in Tamandaré, PE, aiming to discuss elements for the construction of a national program of fisheries co-management in Brazil. This program should be constituted by many participatory action-research projects with the potential to contribute for the incorporation of the co-management concept in public policies. The workshop involved 30 researchers who identified: (i) opportunities/driving factors and (ii) limitations/problems faced for fisheries co-management in Brazil, and (iii) research lines and actions needed to subsidize the construction of such program.

O uso de contraceptivos orais está associado a um risco aumentado de doenças tromboembólicas, o que pode ser explicado pelos seus efeitos sobre o sistema hemostático. Tem sido descrito que o uso de contraceptivos orais promovem alterações pró-coagulantes, e que essas alterações são acompanhadas dos aumentos da atividade fibrinolítica e dos inibidores naturais da coagulação, o que causaria um restabelecimento do equilíbrio hemostático. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos do contraceptivo oral contendo 20 µg de etinilestradiol e 150 µg de desogestrel sobre os sistemas de coagulação e fibrinólise. Participaram do estudo 11 voluntárias que foram avaliadas antes e após seis meses de uso do contraceptivo oral. Os parâmetros analisados foram: atividades dos fatores VII, VIII, IX, X e XII (plasmas deficientes em fatores com detecção foto-óptica do coágulo), atividades da antitrombina, plasminogênio e a2-antiplasmina (ensaios cromogênicos), quantificação dos antígenos t-PA, produtos de degradação da fibrina e proteínas C e S (ELISA), TP, TTPA e concentração plasmática de fibrinogênio (detecção foto-óptica do coágulo). Observamos as seguintes alterações estatisticamente significantes (nível de significância de p<0,05): aumento das atividades dos fatores VIII, IX, X e XII, redução do TTPA, aumento da atividade do plasminogênio, aumento de proteína C e diminuição de proteína S. Com esses resultados sugerimos que o uso do contraceptivo oral testado promove um estado pró-coagulante. Entretanto, os mecanismos de restabelecimento do equilíbrio hemostático não podem ser garantidos, já que não observamos alterações suficientes que indiquem isso. Não observamos aumento nos níveis dos produtos de degradação da fibrina, o que indica que não ocorreram alterações na gênese e degradação de fibrina. Portanto, sugerimos que o uso do contraceptivo oral pode aumentar o risco de doenças tromboembólicas, principalmente em associação com outros fatores de riscos genéticos e/ou adquiridos.

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects on coagulation and fibrinolysis of the oral contraceptives of third generation in Brazilian women and the impact on these effects by reducing ethinyl estradiol dosage. Eleven Brazilian women taking monophasic oral contraceptive containing 20 µg of ethinyl estradiol combined with 150 µg of desogestrel for six cycles consecutively entered this study. The effects on parameters pro-coagulants, anticoagulants, pro-fibrinolytics and fibrin turnover index were evaluated. The results from oral contraceptive increased significatively the factors VIII, IX, X and XII. With respect to coagulation inhibitors, no antithrombin changes were noted in both groups, increase in the levels of protein C and decrease in the levels of protein S total were noted. Concerning the fibrinolytic parameters, the oral contraceptive increased the plasminogen activity, although no changes on t-PA, and alpha-2-antiplasmin were observed. Similary, no changes on the levels of fibrin degradation products were observed, thus indicating that oral contraceptives did not interfere with generation and degradation of fibrin. The results obtained indicate that the oral contraceptives studied did not promote enough pro-fibrinolytic changes so as to state that a re-establishment occurs on haemostatic balance. Therefore, we suggest the use of this oral contraceptive can result in thromboembolic episode mainly in association with other factors such as congenital deficiency of natural clotting inhibitor antithrombin, protein C or protein S.

The inflammatory response elicited by various stimuli such as microbial products or cytokines is determined by differences in the pattern of cellular gene expression. We have used the differential display RT-PCR (DDRT-PCR) strategy to identify mRNAs that are differentially expressed in various murine cell types stimulated with pro-inflammatory cytokines, microbial products or anti-inflammatory drugs. Mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) were treated with IFNs, TNF, or sodium salicylate. Also, peritoneal macrophages from C3H/Hej mice were stimulated with T. cruzi-derived GPI-mucin and/or IFN-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</FONT>. After DDRT-PCR, various cDNA fragments that were differentially represented on the sequencing gel were recovered, cloned and sequenced. Here, we describe a summary of several experiments and show that, when 16 of a total of 28 recovered fragments were tested for differential expression, 5 (31%) were found to represent mRNAs whose steady-state levels are indeed modulated by the original stimuli. Some of the identified cDNAs encode for known proteins that were not previously associated with the inflammatory process triggered by the original stimuli. Other cDNA fragments (8 of 21 sequences, or 38%) showed no significant homology with known sequences and represent new mouse genes whose characterization might contribute to our understanding of inflammation. In conclusion, DDRT-PCR has proven to be a potent technology that will allow us to identify genes that are differentially expressed when cells are subjected to changes in culture conditions or isolated from different organs.