The antiarrhythmic actions of prostaglandins were first investigated using arrhythmias associated with cardiac ischemia in the dog and the rat. These studies were followed by investigations of the possible mechanisms of action, using rat heart tissue in intact, isolated, and cell culture preparations. Preliminary experiments in the dog revealed that prostaglandins E₂ and F₁α markedly reduced the number of premature ventricular contractions occurring within the first 25 minutes following coronary artery ligation. Prostaglandin E₂ or F₁α did not markedly alter the cardiovascular response to occlusion, making it unlikely that modulation of autonomic reflexes is a central factor in their antiarrhythmic action. Coronary ligation in the rat was used to compare the antiarrhythmic effectiveness of prostaglandins, lidocaine, and quinidine. Prostaglandins E₂, F₂β and quinidine were found to be the most effective against arrhythmias occurring within the first 25 minutes following occlusion, reducing the number of PVCs by 40 to 50 per cent. The number of flutter episodes and the number of animals dying from arrhythmias was also markedly decreased by prostaglandins E₂ and F₂β and by quinidine. Prostaglandins F₁α and A₂, and lidocaine had lesser effects. Prostaglandins had only minor effects on blood pressure or heart rate, which were not related to their antiarrhythmic activity. No significant differences were found in the infarct size with prostaglandin treatment. The effects of prostaglandins E₂, A₂ and F₂β, quinidine, and lidocaine were tested in in situ rat heart on electrically-induced flutter threshold and maximum following frequency. Flutter threshold was not changed by any of the prostaglandins tested, although lidocaine increased and quinidine decreased it. Prostaglandins caused a dose-dependent change in maximum following frequency which was usually less than 10 per cent of control. Lidocaine produced a marked increase and quinidine a marked decrease in maximum following frequency. The slight depressive action of prostaglandins does not correlate with their antidysrhythmic actions. Prostaglandins of the E, A, and F series were found to have only minimal effects on rate and force in isolated rat hearts. However, both PGE₂ and PGF₂β, delayed the loss of contractile force with time at 10⁻⁷ M. All prostaglandins tested markedly increased coronary flow rate at 10⁻⁵ M. The effects on the beating behavior of cultured rat heart cells of fourteen prostaglandins of the A, B, D., E, and F series were investigated in cultured rat heart cells. With the exception of PGF₂α, which produced a chronotropic response, prostaglandins had limited direct action in cultured rat heart cells. The effects of ouabain, calcium, potassium, dinitrophenol, and Cyanea toxin, together with prostaglandins, lidocaine, and quinidine on cultured rat heart cells were also investigated. Ouabain and calcium increased rate and fibrillatory movements, while potassium and dinitrophenol slowed rate and decreased rhythmic beating. Cyanea toxin produced a characteristic series of arrhythmogenic changes which were also used to test for antiarrhythmic activity in cultured heart cells. Lidocaine and quinidine were effective only against cellular arrhythmias caused by high calcium concentration, and prostaglandins were effective only against dinitrophenol-induced arrhythmias, indicating that there is no over-all "protective" effect of prostaglandins in cell culture. / Medicine, Faculty of / Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of / Unknown

The structural and functional consequences of the interaction of various antiarrhythmics with human erythrocyte membranes, guinea pig brain synap-tosomes and myocardial sarcolemmal membranes were studied at drug concentrations affecting the stability of intact erythrocytes to hypotonic lysis. It was assumed that such stabilization might bear some molecular resemblance to the electrical stabilizing properties of these drugs in excitable tissues. Membrane perturbational actions of these drugs were measured in terms of the specific incorporation of the chromophoric probes, 5,51-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) and trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) into membrane sulfhydryl and amino groups respectively. Most drugs tested, including lidocaine, quinidine, the verapamil analogue D-600 and the quaternary analogues QX 572 and pranolium, exhibited a concentration-dependent stimulation of DTNB and TNBS incorporation. At drug concentrations producing erythrocyte stabilization, the protein perturbational properties of quinidine, lidocaine, D-600 and QX 572 as viewed in terms of DTNB labelling were equivalent while differences were apparent with quinidine, D-600 and lidocaine at high concentrations in the destabilizing range. Most agents, with the exception of pranolium, showed a similar pattern of DTNB incorporation in brain synaptic membranes as in erythrocytes. Studies of the incorporation of TNBS into erythrocyte membranes indicated that antiarrhythmics induce greater structural alterations in membrane phospholipids as compared with membrane proteins. Bretylium and practolol, two substances with minimal direct cardiodepressant properties, did not enhance DTNB or TNBS incorporations into erythrocyte membranes, although both agents, especially practolol, possessed marked antihemolytic properties. It appeared, therefore, that the membrane perturbational actions of antiarrhythmics as analyzed here by means of group-specific chemical probes are a better index of their direct myocardial membrane actions than erythrocyte stabilization. The functional consequences of drug-membrane interaction as reflected in the inhibition of membrane-associated enzymes by antiarrhythmics were shown to be critically dependent on the drug and membrane in question. The activity of erythrocyte membrane ouabain-sensitive K+-stimulated p-nitrophenyl-phosphatase (K+-NPPase) was more readily inhibited than that of Mg++-independent and Mg++-stimulated NPPase by most drugs examined. In myocardial sarcolemmal membranes, lidocaine was stimulatory to the K+-NPPase whereas all other agents exhibited stimulatory actions only at the lowest drug concentrations. The Ca++-ATPase system in the erythrocyte membrane was also inhibited by antiarrhythmics with propranolol, pranolium and lidocaine showing a relatively higher degree of inhibition of the high Ca++ affinity component while quinidine and D-600 exerted equal inhibitory actions on both high and low Ca++ affinity components of the enzyme. A comparison of the perturbational actions of antiarrhythmics in isolated erythrocyte membranes, in the membranes of the intact erythrocyte and in brain synaptic membranes was made by analyzing the effects of drugs on the activity of the membrane acetylcholinesterase present in these preparations. Inhibitory actions of all drugs tested were comparable in both intact and isolated erythrocyte membranes but differed in the excitable tissue membrane. The nature of the inhibition exerted by the antiarrhythmics on acetylcholinesterase of intact erythrocytes was of a mixed type for most drugs except practolol which inhibited non-competitively. The transmembrane chloride gradient had no influence on the inhibition by bretylium, lidocaine and D-600 of the acetylcholinesterase activity of the intact cells but the inhibition produced by quinidine and propranolol was enhanced when erythrocytes were suspended in a low chloride medium. The foregoing results, therefore, indicate that the membrane perturbational actions of antiarrhythmics vary with the agent in question and with the particular membrane system. It is suggested that the molecular mechanisms by which these drugs alter cardiac automaticity may not be identical and may differ in various regions of the myocardium. This in turn may underlie the differing spectra of clinical effectiveness exhibited by these pharmacological agents. / Medicine, Faculty of / Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Department of / Graduate

Orientador : Eduardo Dias de Andrade / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-31T20:28:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barcelos_KarlaCorrea_M.pdf: 1928360 bytes, checksum: c3589609a1a1708865e8d01109deb3a8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002 / Resumo: As cirurgias periodontais requerem um protocolo com medidas de anti-sepsia e cuidados pós-operatórios. Como não há consenso sobre o regime farmacológico para estas intervenções, objetivando o controle da ansiedade e da dor e a prevenção de infecção no local operado, propôs-se neste trabalho testar 2 protocolos para estes fatores. Divididos em dois grupos, 20 pacientes com indicação para cirurgia de acesso para instrumentação periodontal, foram tratados com diazepam 5 mg + rofecoxib 50 mg ou diazepam 5 mg + betametasona 4 mg, em dose única, uma hora antes do procedimento. Todos os pacientes foram orientados a bochechar com solução de digluconato de clorexidina a 0,2 % (imediatamente antes da cirurgia) e a 0,12% no período pós-cirúrgico (duas vezes ao dia por duas semanas). O grau de ansiedade foi avaliado através de dois questionários, uma semana antes e uma semana após a intervenção cirúrgica. A dor pós-operatória foi expressa por meio de uma Escala Verbal Descritiva no período de 24 horas. Por fim, foi investigada a incidência de infecção pós-cirúrgica e de reações adversas associadas à medicação empregada. Em relação ao grau de ansiedade antes da cirurgia, os pacientes foram classificados como extremamente ansiosos (5%), moderadamente ansiosos (20%), levemente ansiosos (60%) e muito pouco ansiosos (15%). Durante a cirurgia 85% dos pacientes mostraram-se calmo.s e somente 15% apresentaram-se ansiosos. Dos 20 pacientes da amostra, 15 relataram ausência de dor no período de 24 h pós-operatórias, sem diferença entre os tratamentos. Não foi observada nenhuma complicação infecciosa na região operada. Concluiu-se que ambos os protocolos farmacológicos testados foram eficazes neste tipo de cirurgia periodontal, sem causar efeitos colaterais clinicamente significativos / Abstract: Periodontal surgery requires a protocol concerning local antisepsis measures and postoperative care. Since it is an uncommon practice to consider patients' both anxiety and pain control in periodontal surgeries, the aim of this study was to develop effective regimens for these factors. Divided into two groups, twenty patients were given 5 mg diazepan with 50 mg rofecoxib or 5 mg diazepan with 4 mg betamethasone at an only dose, one hour prior to surgery. All patients received 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinses in immediately preoperatively, and the same antiseptic (0.12% concentration) twice daily for 2 weeks after surgery. Anxiety rate was appraised through two surveys, one week before and one week after the surgical procedures. Postoperative pain intensity was appraised through a verbal descriptive scale of to 3 (0= absent, 1=slight, 2=moderate, and 3=severe) in 24-hour postoperative period. In relation to pre-surgery anxiety, patients showed the following results: severe 5%, moderate 20%, slight 60% and very slight 15%. During surgery, 85% of the patients showed to be both calm and relaxed, and only 15 % presented anxiety. af 10 patients using rofecoxib, 1 related pain as moderate and 2 as slight. With respect to the betamethasone group, 2 reported pain as moderate and 3 as slight. Infectious complications were not observed in surgical wounds. It was conc1uded that both pharmacological regimens were effective in providing control of both anxiety and pain causing no si de effects in periodontal surgeries / Mestrado / Farmacologia, Anestesiologia e Terapeutica / Mestre em Odontologia

Orientador: Luis Augusto Passeri / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-23T19:35:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Liza_RalfGobbo_D.pdf: 2998414 bytes, checksum: 8bf5846cc3e26b3aa587a242b45ffedc (MD5) Previous issue date: 1998 / Resumo: Este estudo avaliou a eficácia do uso de 600 mg de ibuprofeno, via oral, 3 vezes ao dia, durante 2 semanas, em relação ao uso de placebo, em estudo duplo-cego, associado ao repouso articular, alterações de hábitos e outros métodos físicos conservadores, na redução da dor apresentada por pacientes com disfunções temporomandibulares. F oram estudados os resultados dos valores obtidos por uma escala analógica visual, em 31 pacientes, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 13 e 64 anos, em três períodos diferentes, TI (inicial), T2 (após 1 semana) e T3 (após 2 semanas). A análise estatística dos valores demonstrou não haver diferença significante na redução da dor entre os grupos Ibuprofeno e Placebo (a>0.05), porém revelou a existência de diminuição da dor ao longo do tempo, nos dois grupos (a<0.05) / Abstract: This double-blind, placebo controlled study evaluated the analgesic effect of 1800 mg daily, divided in three doses, every 8 hours, of ibuprofen taken orally in patients suffering pain related to temporomandibular disorders. The leveI of pain of 31 patients were assessed using a visual analogue scale at 3 different times, with a 7 days interval between evaluations. No significant differences between the 2 groups were noted (a>0.05), but the 2 groups showed a significant reduction of pain during the experiment (a<0.05) / Doutorado / Cirurgia Buco-Maxilo-Facial / Doutor em Clínica Odontológica

Orientador : Carlos Alberto Flores / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas / Made available in DSpace on 2018-07-19T12:48:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Moreno_SusanaElisa_M.pdf: 1419386 bytes, checksum: 5fd614d77a07201ac5d01f9c6ddf1889 (MD5) Previous issue date: 1994 / Resumo: No presente trabalho se estuda a resposta inflamatória induzida por venenos de 3 serpentes de gênero Bothrops (B. jararaca, B. neuwiedi e B. moojeni) em estágios distintos de desenvolvimento, utilizando-se os modelos de peritonite e edema de pata. Os venenos de Bothrops moojeni (VBM), Bothrops jararaca (VBJ), Bothrops neuwiedi (VBN) induzem migração de neutrófilos, de maneira dose-dependente, para a cavidade peritoneal de ratos, com diferentes graus de intensidade, devido, provavelmente, a variações interespecíficas existentes entre eles. O veneno de VBM se mostrou mais potente em causar peritonite. A inibição deste fenômeno pelo pré-tratamento dos ratos com dexametasona e NDGA sugeriu que derivados do ácido araquidônico, principalmente derivados lipo oxigenados, possam estar participando da resposta quimiotática para neutrófilos. Verificou-se, também, que o tratamento pelo calor (900 C por 10 min) causou significante redução da atividade, sugerindo a presença de um(s) componente(s) termolábel(eis) nos venenos brutos. O uso de venenos de serpentes jovens mostrou acentuada diferença no efeito quimiotático para neutrófilos, em relação aos venenos de serpentes adultas. A migração de neutrófilos para a cavidade peritoneal de rados induzida por venenos de serpentes jovens foi, em média, 5 vezes menor. Os VBJ, VBM e VBN de serpentes jovens e adultas induziram uma resposta edematogênica dose-dependente, com efeito máximo obtido após injeção de 10 ug de veneno/pata. Nesta dose, os venenos de serpentes adultas mostraram-se equipotentes, entretanto, nas doses menores, diferenças de intensidade puderam ser observadas. O VBM se mostrou mais ativo que o VBJ e VBN. Com os venenos de serpentes jovens, o VBN mostrou se mais efetivo em induzir uma resposta edematogênica, enquanto o VBM e VBJ se mostraram equipotentes. O estudo do curso temporal do edema de pata, com a dose de 10 ug de veneno/pata, mostrou que o efeito edematogênico máximo, induzido por veneno de serpentes adultas, ocorreu na primeira hora para os VBJ e VBN e nos 30 minutos iniciais para o VBM. Por outro lado, para os venenos de serpentes jovens, o pico do efeito ocorreu 15 minutos após a infecção dos venenos. O edema local, em todos casos, persistiu até a quarta hora após a injeção do estímulo. Os pré-tratamentos dos ratos com dexametasona, NDGA e metisergida inibiram o edema de pata induzido por VBJ, VBM e VBN jovens e adultos. A mec1izina foi efetiva para os VBM jovens e adulto, VBJ jovem ~ VBN adulta. A indometacina inibiu apenas o edema induzido por VBJ jovem. Como a quantidade de proteína total presente nos venenos de serpentes jovens e adultas se mostraram equivalentes, diferenças de atividade devem refletir alterações qualitativas nos venenos / Abstract: This thesis examines the inflammatory response induced in the rat peritoneal cavity and in the rat hind paw by the venom obtained from young and adult specimens of Bothrops jararaca; B. neuwiedi and B. moojeni. The venoms of adult B. moojeni (BMV), B. jararaca (BN) and B neuwiedi (BNV) induced dose-dependent neutrophil migration into the rat peritoneal cavity. The intensity of this response varied among the venoms and probably reflects interspecific variations in their ability to induced this phenomenon. BMV was the most 'potent in causing peritonitis. Pre-treating the rats with dexamethasone and NDGA inhibited the peritonitis. This result suggests that arachidonic acid derivatives, particularly products if the lipoxygenase pathway, may be involved in this chemotactic response of neutrophils. Heating the venoms to 90° C for 10 min. significantly reduced their chemoattractant activity and indicates that the fraction(s) responsible is/are thermolabile. Compared to those from adult snakes, the venoms from young snakes were markedly less potent (about 5-fold less) at inducing neutrophil chemotaxis into the rat peritoneal cavity. Venom from young and adult snakes of the above three species induced a dosedependent edematogenic reaction in the rat hind paw with the maximum response being obtained at a venom dose of 10 ug/paw. At this dose, there was no difference in the responses induced by the venoms from adult snakes of each species although at lower doses minor variations were noted once again, BMV was the most potent in causing this edema. In contrast, the venom from young snakes was 50% less potent than that adult snakes. The venoms of young snakes, the response induced by BNV was greater than that caused by BMV and BJV which in turn were equipotent. A time course study of the edematogenic response induced by 10 ug of venom/paw showed that the maximum effect with the venom from adult snakes occurred within the firs hour for BJV and BNV, and within the first 30 mino for BMV. For the venoms from young snakes, the maximum effect was obtained 15 mino after injection. Based on the foregoing observations, the following conc1usions can be made: 1) BMV from young snakes has a markedly lower edematogenic potency (about 50%) compared with that measured in the venom of adult snakes, 2) BNV and BJV have similar potencies, regardless of whether the venom is from young or adult snakes, and 3) in all cases, the maximum reaction obtained earlier with the venom from younger snakes. Since the venoms of both young and adult snakes had similar total protein contents, the differences in their potencies most likely reflect qualitative variations in their composition / Mestrado / Mestre em Farmacologia

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Introduction: Plant extracts and herbal preparations are often marketed as natural and safe alternatives to conventional medicines for the prevention and treatment of a variety of ailments, without proof of efficacy and safety. Cardiovascular, hematopoetic, hepatic and renal impairment resulting from the use of conventional drugs is widely acknowledged. However, there is less awareness of the potential toxicity of herbal preparations and other botanicals, many of which are widely perceived by the public as being effective and harmless, and are commonly used for self medication without supervision. In addition, potential interactions between herbal medicines and conventional drugs may compromise with patient management. In the safety evaluation of most substances, non human primates are preferred to rodent species for preclinical animal safety studies, because of their biological similarity to humans. They are regarded to be the best metabolic models for humans in a broad range of investigations. Additionally, a disadvantage of using small animal species in toxicological testing is that they require higher doses of drugs and more frequent administrations than in larger species. In light of these considerations, vervet monkeys are used here to investigate toxicity of a plant-derived triterpene, oleanolic acid. The focus is to determine effects of different concentrations of this triterpene on the cardiovascular, hematopoetic, hepatic and renal systems. Materials and methods: 12 male vervet monkeys used in this study were equally divided into four groups, i.e. three treatment groups (4, 10 and 25 mg/kg bodyweight), and one control group. Each individual in a treatment group received a specified concentration of oleanolic acid in food for 16 weeks. Monkeys in the control group received the vehicle (food) alone. Bodyweight, body temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and mean arterial pressure were recorded from ketamine-anaethetized monkeys at baseline and every second week until week 16. In addition, blood samples were collected at baseline and every fourth week for clinical biochemistry indicators (serum electrolytes, enzymes, proteins, lipids, nitrogenous compounds, bilirubins and glucose) and hematological tests (red cell count and its indices, hemoglobin, haematocrit, white blood cell and differential count and platelet count). Results: No animal showed deviation from their normal behavioral patterns, food and water intake, was in poor health or died during and after completion of the study. The average bodyweights were not statistically significantly different between controls and the treated groups. The biphasic changes in the average body temperature of treated monkeys were similar to those seen in the control group during the first eight weeks of the study. No statistically significant differences were found in body temperature determinations between controls and the treated groups. Fluctuations observed in the respiratory rates of the treated monkeys were not statistically significantly different from that of the control group. Although not statistically significantly different from the controls, the systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressures in the group treated with 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid were lower at week 16 compared to baseline, while those of the groups treated with 4 and 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid were relatively unchanged. Except for a reduction in systolic pressure of the control group, other blood pressure parameters were stable. Heart rates in the treated groups were not statistically significantly different from those in the controls. In all groups, except the control, high density lipoprotein concentrations were higher at week 16 compared to baseline. Fluctuations in low-density lipoprotein and total cholesterol concentrations were similar between controls and the treated groups. The triglycerides were lower at week 16 compared to baseline for all four groups. Upward trends from baseline to the end of the study were observed in creatine kinase concentrations of the controls and the groups that received 4 and 25 mg/kg. Concentrations of this enzyme were unchanged in the group that received 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid between baseline and the end of the study. No statistically significant differences were found with cholesterol, triglyceride and creatine kinase concentrations between treated groups and the controls. Serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase were unchanged in the controls and the groups treated with 4 and 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid, but changes in this parameter over time were statistically significantly different (P = 0.0452) from the controls in the group that received 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid. Despite wide fluctuations in the alanine aminotransferase concentrations in the groups that received 4 and 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid, no statistically significant differences were found with any of the treated groups compared to the controls. No statistically significantly different changes were seen in alkaline phosphatase activities between controls and the treated groups. Reductions in gamma-glutamyl transferase activities in the groups that received 4 and 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid were not statistically significantly different from concentrations of this enzyme in the controls. In addition, no statistically significant differences were evident between controls and the group that received 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid. There were no statistically significantly different changes in the total and conjugated bilirubin and glucose concentrations between controls and the treated groups. Fluctuations over time in the serum albumin and globulin concentrations were similar between treated groups and the controls, whereas total protein concentrations were relatively constant. Consequently, no statistically significant differences were found between controls and the treated groups. Wide fluctuations were observed in the creatinine concentrations of the groups that received 4 mg/kg oleanolic acid, while no such changes were encountered in the controls and the group that received 10 and 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid. Serum urea concentrations increased in all groups over time, except for the group that received 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid. Both urea and creatinine concentrations in the treated groups were not statistically significantly different from concentrations in the controls. Serum concentrations of sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium and magnesium and phosphate in the treated groups were not statistically significantly different from these electrolyte concentrations in the controls. Decline in red cell and hemoglobin concentrations of the controls and the group that received 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid were not statistically significantly different between these groups. In addition, no statistical significant differences were found in red cell and hemoglobin concentrations between controls and the groups that received 4 and 10 mg/kg oleanolic acid. Controls and the treated groups showed upward trends in haematocrit concentrations. Mean corpuscular volumes were statistically significantly increased; P = 0.0027 (4 mg/kg), P = 0.0010 (10 mg/kg), and P = 0.0022 (25 mg/kg), while mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations were statistically significantly reduced; P = 0.0017 (4 mg/kg), P = 0.0004 (10 mg/kg), P = 0.0002 (25 mg/kg) in the treated groups as compared to the controls. No statistically significant differences were evident in the concentrations of mean corpuscular hemoglobin between controls and the treated groups. White blood cell counts of the treated groups were not statistically significantly different from those of the controls throughout the study period. No statistically significant differences were found in the differential white cells and platelet counts between treated groups and the controls. Discussions: The results of this study showed that administration of oleanolic acid had no effects on the general wellbeing, bodyweights, body temperature, respiratory and heart rates, and blood pressure of vervet monkeys. A statistically significant increase in the aspartate aminotransferase activity of the group treated with 25 mg/kg oleanolic acid, together with the increase in the alanine aminotransferase levels during the same time period, might indicate oleanolic acid-induced hypersensitivity, and accordingly hepatocellular alteration. However, since serum concentrations of these enzymes returned to baseline levels, as well as the absence of variations over time in other parameters of the hepatic function, particularly alkaline phosphatase activity, it is likely that there was no underlying subacute liver disease. Serum renal function parameters also appeared to be within normal physiological limits. No pronounced changes were observed in the hematological parameters of monkeys that received oleanolic acid. Conclusion: This study's results, suggest that oleanolic acid does not produce cumulative liver enzyme alterations, and has no detrimental effects on the renal, hematopoetic and cardiovascular systems of vervet monkeys.

In the twenty first century the Pink Tide arrived in Latin America with left wing governments who claimed to be socialists. Research has shown that there were two types of socialism in the region, one globalized and the other anti-globalization. The latter better portrayed as socialists' populists are the focus of this work. This study aims to find how the actions taken by the socialist populist governments disregarded democracy and shows how because on this; the security of the nations has deteriorated. Grounded on existing work of the current left wing in the region, the question is: How have the socialist-populist regimes who were situated in governments of Latin American countries, during the beginning of the twenty first century, contributed in the increased deterioration of human security of their nations and region during their term and post term years? Based on the review of the concentration of power, nationalization policies and media activism actions that Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador and Nicaragua have imposed I show the deterioration of Human Security inside each case. The results indicate that because of the actions taken against democracy, the human security has decreased posing a threat in each country and the region.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, Johannesburg, 2019 / Premature deterioration of reinforced concrete railway bridges before and after repair is a serious concern as it is costly and poses a major risk on safety and performance. Reinforced concrete railway bridges in aggressive environments (near the sea) face the risk of ingress of corrosion agents (oxygen, moisture and chlorides) into the concrete to the reinforcing steel. Although, corrosion of the reinforcing steel is not the only cause of structural deficiencies in railway bridges, it is a significant contributor to deterioration and therefore of major concern. In order to guide the selection of a suitable repair option, one repair material from each category (patch repair mortars, barrier systems, electrochemical methods and corrosion inhibitors) was investigated. The effectiveness of selection was assessed by employing electrochemical techniques to quantify the performance of each selected repair material in stifling chlorideinduced corrosion in reinforced concrete. This study focuses on the evaluation of selected repair materials for chloride-induced corrosion in reinforced concrete using 100 x 100 x 500 mm long beam specimens. The four selected repairs were applied to the reinforced concrete beams after a period of 200 days after casting. The beams had a constant concrete cover to reinforcing steel of 20mm. The beam specimens were casted using admixed chlorides into the mix and were subjected to a cycle of 3 days wetting (with 5% NaCl solution) and 4 days drying. The beam specimens were monitored for half-cell potential (Cu/CuSO4), corrosion rate (coulostatic technique) and concrete resistivity (Wenner probe technique). Results indicate that the selected repair materials in this study had varied influences on the halfcell potential and corrosion rate values. The patch repair material replaced the concrete cover with a more durable material, confirmed from the Durability Index (DI) tests conducted. The resistivity of the repair mortar was measured to be higher than the concrete. Due to the replacement of the concrete cover, the corrosion rate values reduced when compared to the control reinforced beam specimens. However, the half-cell potential values indicated the probability of corrosion is still high after application. The barrier method, applied a silane-based sealer on the reinforced concrete beams. The resistivity of the concrete increased after application of the barrier method. The corrosion rates after application of the barrier method was lower than the corrosion rates of the control reinforced concrete beams. The half-cell potential results indicated the corrosion risk is still high after application of the barrier method. The electrochemical repair was the only repair material that showed more negative potentials than the control beams and corrosion rates were significantly higher than all the other repair methods after application. The reason for this can be attributed to the zinc anode dominating the potential and corrosion rate values. Therefore, no conclusion can be made on the corrosion condition of the reinforcing steel. Alternative methods should be employed in determining the effectiveness of sacrificial anode repairs. / PH2020

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Science In Medicine ( Pharmaceutical Affairs ) / Artemisia afra Jacq. wild also known as African wormwood, " umhlonyane" ( Xhosa and Zulu ) "lengana" ( Sotho And Tswana ) and "wildeals" ( Afrikaans 0 is an aromatic shrub belonging to the Asteraceace. It is widespread in South Africa extending from the mountainous regions of South Western cape, along the eastern coast to the Northern Province ( van Wyk et. al;1997 ) Due to the popular use of A. afra. The aerial part of sixteen samples from four natural populations were hydrodistilled and the essential oil analysed by GC_MS and tested for antimicrobial activity on anumber of bacteria and fungi. / IT2018

Eight dogs were enrolled in a randomized, cross-over study that used optical aggregometry and a platelet function analyzer to evaluate platelet function before and after the administration of 5 aspirin dosages: 0.5 mg/kg q24h, 1 mg/kg q24h, 2 mg/kg q24h, 4 mg/kg q24h and 10 mg/kg q12h. Urine 11-dehydro-thromboxane-B2 (11-dTXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin-F1alpha (6-keto-PGF1alpha), were measured. Compared to pre-treatment, there were significant decreases in maximum aggregometry amplitude and increases in PFA-100 closure times for all doses except 0.5 mg/kg q24h. There was no difference in amplitude or closure time between the 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, and 10 mg/kg q12h dosages. At 2 mg/kg q24h, 100 percent (aggregometry) of dogs were aspirin responders. There was a significant decrease in urinary 11-dTXB2- and 6-keto-PGF1alpha-to-creatinine ratios with aspirin administration. An aspirin dosage of 2 mg/kg q24h consistently inhibits platelet function in healthy dogs without decreasing prostacyclin synthesis significantly more than lower aspirin dosages.