Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T14:38:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_pedro_quevedo.pdf: 852940 bytes, checksum: 646d10b8df90285825807c9a0da507ab (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-12-20 / A retrospective study of clostridial diagnosed in ruminants from 1978-2008 in southern Rio Grande do Sul, was conducted in the influence area of the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Federal University of Pelotas. Out of 5.446 bovine specimens sent by practitioners or from necropsies performed 91 (1,67%) were diagnosed as clostridiosis. Of those, 30 (0.55%) were diagnosed as by black leg, 15 (0.27%) as bacillary hemoglobinuria, 9 (0.16%) as botulism, 9 (0.16%) as malignant edema, and 28 (0.51%) as tetanus. Out of 860 sheep specimens 49 (5.69%) were bacterial diseases and 14 (28,57%) of those were diagnosed as clostridiosis, being 10 (1.16%) cases of tetanus, 3 (0.34%) of malignant edema, and 1 (0.11%) %) of enterotoxemia. It was concluded that some clostridiosis cause important losses in livestock in Rio Grande do Sul, mainly black leg. The vaccination of young stock against black leg is recommended in the whole state. Vaccination against botulism is recommended in areas of native pastures where phosphorus deficieny occurs, and vaccination against bacillary hemoglobinuria is recommended in low lands where fasciolosis is enzootic. In cattle, tetanus may occur as outbreaks with significant economic losses, recommending also the vaccination of animals. In sheep clostridioses are less important being tetanus the more frequent. Good hygienic practices, mainly during castration or tail are recommended to prevent the disease. Enterotoxemia is a rare disease in the region, because most sheep are raised in native pastures with limited grass production; vaccination is only recommended in sheep grazing in cultivate pastures or supplemented with concentrates. / Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo dos diagnósticos de clostridioses ocorridos na região sul do Rio Grande do Sul correspondente a área de influência do Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico da Faculdade de Veterinária da Universidade Federal de Pelotas entre janeiro 1978 e janeiro de 2008 e acompanhados os casos de clostridioses diagnosticados nos anos 2009 e 2010. De um total de 5.446 materiais de bovinos provenientes de necropsias ou órgãos enviados 91 (1,67%) correspondiam a enfermidades causadas por bactérias do gênero Clostridium sendo 30 (0,55%) de carbúnculo sintomático, 15 (0,27%) de hemoglobinúria bacilar, 9 (0,16%) de botulismo, 9 (0,16%) de edema maligno e 28 (0,51%) de tétano. De 860 materiais de ovinos 49 (5,69%) diagnósticos corresponderam a doenças bacterianas e desses 14 (28,57%) foram de surtos de clostridioses. Dos 14 surtos de clostridioses observados em ovinos 10 (1,16%) foram de tétano, três (0,34%) de edema maligno e um (0,11%) de enterotoxemia. Concluiu-se que algumas clostridioses causam prejuízos econômicos à bovinocultura da região, principalmente o carbúnculo sintomático, recomendando-se a vacinação sistemática dos bovinos jovens contra esta clostridiose. Recomenda-se, também, a vacinação contra botulismo, em áreas de campo nativo onde ocorre carência de fósforo e contra hemoglobinúria bacilar em áreas de campos baixos onde ocorre infecção por Fasciola hepatica. Em bovinos o tétano pode ocorrer como surtos com prejuízos econômicos importantes, recomendando-se, também, a vacinação dos animais. Em ovinos as clostridioses têm pouca importância, sendo o tétano a mais frequente. Para a profilaxia desta doença em ovinos recomenda-se utilizar práticas de manejo, como descola e castração, em condições adequadas de higiene. Enterotoxemia é uma enfermidade rara na região por que a maioria dos ovinos permanece em campos nativos com limitada produção de foragem; recomenda-se a vacinação somente em animais em pastagens cultivadas ou suplementados com concentrados.

Photodynamic therapy(PDT) has recently emerged as a promising new non-invasive treatment modality for a large number of neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions. Photoexcitation of a photosensitizing drug in the tumor tissue causes generation of reactive oxygen species which results in cell death. The current porphyrinic photosensitizers suffer a wide range of drawbacks leading to the development of the chemistry of alternative photosensitizing agents in PDT. Among them, the 4d and 5d transition metal-based photosensitizers have been explored extensively with the exception of the 3d metal complexes. The objective of this thesis work is to design and synthesize photoactive iron(III) abd cobalt(III) complexes and evalutate their photonuclease and photocytotoxic potential. Bioessential 3d metal ions provide an excellent platform for metal-based PDT drug designing as because of its varied spectral, magnetic and redox properties, with its complexes possessing rich photochemical behavior in aqueous and non-aqueous media. We have synthesized binary iron(III) complexes as netropsin mimics using amino acid Schiff bases derived from salicylaldehyde/napthaldehyde and arginine/lysine. The complexes were found to be good AT selective DNA binders and exhibited significant DNA photocleavage activity. To enhance the photodynamic potential, we further synthesized iron(III) complexes of phenolate-based ligand and planar phenanthroline bases. The DNA photocleavage activity of these complexes and their photocytotoxic potential in cancer models were studied. ROS generated by these complexes were found to induce apoptotic cell death. Ternary cobalt(III) complexes were synthesized to study the effect of the central metal atom. The diamagnetic cobalt(III) complexes were structurally dissimilar to their iron(III) analogues. Although the Co(III)/Co(II) redox couple is chemically and photochemically accessible but the Co(III)-dppz complex, unlike its iron(III)-dppz analogue, exhibited selective damage to hTSHR expressing cells but not in HeLa cells. A structure-activity relationship study on iron(III) phenolates having modified dppz ligands was carried out and it was found that electron donating group on the phenazine unit and an increase of the aromatic surface area largely improved the PDT efficiency. Finally, SMVT targeted iron(III) complexes with biotin as targeting moiety were synthesized and the in vitro efficacy of the complexes was tested in HepG2 cells over-expressing SMVTs and compared to HeLa amd HEK293 cells. The complexes exhibited higher phytocytotoxicity in HepG2 than in HeLa and cells and HEK293 cells. An endocytotic mode of uptake took place in HepG2 cells whereas in HEK293 cells, uptake is purely by diffusion. This is expected to reduce the side-effects and have less effect on cells with relatively less SMVTs. In summary, the present research work opens up novel strategies for the design and development of primarily iron-based photosensitizers for their potential applications in PDT with various targeting moieties.

Les gliomes malins de l’enfant (GME), de pronostic sombre, se distinguent des gliomes malins de l’adulte (GMA) sur le plan biologique mais aussi clinique, avec des taux de réponse au témozolomide (chimiothérapie alkylante de référence chez l’adulte) moindres. L’efficacité du temozolomide est réduite par l’action de l’enzyme de réparation de l’ADN, l’O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), dont l’expression est fréquemment inhibée par méthylation du promoteur de son gène dans les GMA. En première partie, la mise au point d’une nouvelle technique de PCR spécifique de méthylation a montré une fréquence plus faible dans les GME (15%) vs les GMA (45%, p<0,001). En deuxième partie, l’hypoxie intra-tumorale et la dérégulation en amont de l’axe mTOR-HIF-1α, connus pour être impliqués dans la chimio-résistance, ont été étudiés dans les GME et ciblés par l’association rapamycin-irinotecan dans une étude in vitro, pour laquelle des lignées dérivées de GME ont été développées. / Pediatric malignant glioma (PMGs), are associated with a very dismal prognosis. They are distinct from their adult counterparts (AMGs), biologically but also clinically, with a lower response to temozolomide (the current reference alkylating chemotherapy) compared to AMGs. Temozolomide efficacy is reduced by the activity of the DNA repair enzyme, O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT), whose expression is frequently silenced by promoter methylation. First, the development of a new methylation-specific PCR showed a lower frequency of MGMT methylation in PMGs (15%) vs AMGs (45%, p<0,001). Secondly, intra-tumor hypoxia and the upstream deregulation of mTOR-HIF-1α axis, well-known to be involved in chemo-resistance and the up-regulation of MGMT expression, were studied in a PMG cohort. The targeting of this axis was then studied in vitro using a therapy combining rapamycin and irinotecan. For this, pediatric patient-derived malignant glioma cell lines were developed.

Head and neck cancer is the fifth most common cancer worldwide with an estimated annual global incidence of over 500 000 cases. These malignant tumours develop in the mucosal linings of the upper respiratory tract or in the salivary glands. The most common sites are in the oral cavity and larynx. Treatment modalities comprising surgery and chemoradiotherapy have improved significantly during the last 20 years, but not the long-term survival of patients. The aim of this thesis was to study the different factors affecting tumour growth in head and neck cancer that may have clinical implications in the future. Factors involving apoptosis, cell cycle activity, inflammation, and enzyme activity were of special interest. The results of the thesis indicate that patients with malignant salivary gland tumours having the lowest level of actively replicating cells have the best prognosis. The largest amount of replicating cells in tongue cancer specimens was found in the peripheral areas of tumour nests. Metallothionein, a protein that can hinder apoptosis, was found in excess in the same areas, whereas apoptosis activity was considerably lower. Taken together, these results indicate that the most aggressive cancer cells are found in the peripheral areas of tumours where apoptosis may be hindered. The expression of the death receptor Fas was higher in tongue cancer specimens than in normal mucosa. The expression of this receptor was studied further in two cell lines established from oral cancers. When a low dose of cisplatin was added to cell cultures, the Fas expression was enhanced in both cell lines and, furthermore, the Fas-induced apoptosis was increased in one of the cell lines. The results show that a common chemotherapeutic drug given in a low, less toxic dose may enhance receptor-mediated apoptosis of cancer cells. Malignant solid tumours are often distinguished by an increased proteolytic activity resulting in invasive growth, neo-angiogenesis, and metastases. This activity is conducted by enzymes that are secreted from tumour cells, or from normal cells in the tumour microenvironment. The regulation of enzyme secretion may be mediated by cytokines, small signalling molecules also present in cancer tissue. The results of this thesis show that two cytokines can synergistically induce enzyme secretion (matrix metalloproteinase-1 and -9) from oral cancer cells. Cytokine tumour necrosis factor-alpha and hepatocyte growth factor added alone to cell cultures strongly stimulated secretion of these enzymes. Thus, the tested cytokines, which are commonly secreted by fibroblasts and immune cells, may promote tumour growth. This thesis has contributed to an increased understanding of factors affecting tumour growth in head and neck cancer. The upcoming cancer therapies will be based on the increasing knowledge of these and other aberrant cellular mechanisms that may vary between different cancer forms.

Due to the constantly increasing epidemiological burden of our population on oncological diseases, nationwide preventive programs for selected types of malignant tumors have been introduced within the Czech health system. The aim of this thesis is to analyze and evaluate these screenings, such as mammographic screening, cervical screening and screening of the colon and rectum. The subject of the analysis is the mortality rates for breast cancer (C50), cervix (C53) and colon and rectum cancer (C18-21) between 1994 and 2015. The main focus is on question of whether the development of the mortality rate for selected neoplasms depends on the degree of coverage rate by a preventive program.

Les ions Ca2+ responsables de la contraction musculaire sont extrudés du réticulum sarcoplasmique (RS) via le récepteur de la ryanodine de type 1 (RyR1). Des mutations du gène de RyR1 sont responsables chez l’homme de l’hyperthermie maligne (HM) et de la myopathie à cores centraux (MCC). Nous avons caractérisé les altérations de l’efflux calcique du RS dues à de telles mutations dans la fibre musculaire de souris par électrophysiologie et imagerie confocale. L’expression des formes Y523S, R615C et R2163H de RyR1, associées à l’HM, provoque une hypersensibilité de l’efflux vis-à-vis du potentiel membranaire alors que les formes I4897T et G4896V associées à la MCC provoquent une réduction chronique de l’efflux sans modification de densité des RyR1 s ainsi que des protéines Cav1.1 et SERCA1. L’expression de la forme R4892W associée à la MCC ne modifie pas l’efflux calcique suggérant une plus faible pénétrance fonctionnelle de cette forme. Dans tous les cas, aucune indication de changement du contenu en calcium RS n’a été observée. Les résultats suggèrent que les modifications pathologiques de l’efflux calcique sont la conséquence directe de l’altération de fonction des canaux. Le deuxième objectif du travail s’est intéressé au rôle de certains phosphoinositides (PtdInsPs) dans la régulation de l’efflux calcique du RS. La surexpression de la PtdInsPs-phosphatase Mtm 1 n’a aucun effet sur l’efflux calcique alors que l’application intracellulaire de ses deux principaux substrats inhibe l’efflux, suggérant que leur accumulation dans les fibres musculaires déficientes en Mtm1 pourrait contribuer aux altérations pathologiques associées du couplage excitation-contraction / Ca2+ ions that trigger muscle contraction are released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) through the type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) channel. Mutations of the gene encoding RyR1 are responsible for malignant hyperthermia (MH) and central core disease (CCD) in human. We characterized the alterations of SR Ca2+ release due to such mutations in mouse fibers using electrophysiology and confocal imaging. Expression of each of the MH-associated Y523S, R615C and R2163H mutant forms of RyR1 increases the sensitivity of Ca2+ release to membrane potential whereas forms I4897T and G4896V that are associated to CCD provoke a chronic depression of Ca2+ release with no concurrent alteration of RyR1, Cav1.1 and SERCA1 density. Expression of the CDD-associated R4892W form of RyR1 has no effect on Ca2+ release suggesting a weaker functional penetrance of this mutant form. In all cases we found no indication for a change in SR calcium content. Results suggest that pathological changes in Ca2+ release are the direct consequence of the functional alteration of the channels. The second goal of this work focused on the role of certain phosphoinositides (PtdInsPs) in the control of SR Ca2+ release. Over-expression of the PtdInsPs-phosphatase Mtm 1 does not affect Ca2+ release whereas intracellular application of its two main substrates inhibits Ca2+ release, suggesting that accumulation of these molecules in Mtm 1-deficient fibers could contribute to the associated alterations of excitation-contraction coupling

Background: Psoas abscess is a rare clinical disease of various origins. Most common causes include hematogenous spread of bacteria from a different primary source, spondylodiscitis or perforated intestinal organs. But rarely some abscesses are related to malignant metastatic disease. Case presentation: In this case report we present the case of a patient with known squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix treated with radio-chemotherapy three years prior. She now presented with a psoas abscess and subsequent complete inferior vena cava thrombosis, as well as duodenal and vertebral infiltration. The abscess was drained over a prolonged period of time and later was found to be a complication caused by metastases of the cervical carcinoma. Due to the massive extent of the metastases a Whipple procedure was performed to successfully control the local progress of the metastasis. Conclusion: As psoas abscess is an unspecific disease which presents with non-specific symptoms adequate therapy may be delayed due to lack of early diagnostic results. This case report highlights the difficulties of managing a malignant abscess and demonstrates some diagnostic pitfalls that might be encountered. It stresses the necessity of adequate diagnostics to initiate successful therapy. Reports on psoas abscesses that are related to cervix carcinoma are scarce, probably due to the rarity of this event, and are limited to very few case reports. We are the first to report a case in which an extensive and complex abdominal procedure was needed for local control to improve quality of life.

The energy metabolism of most tumor cells relies on aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect) characterized by an increased glycolytic flux that is accompanied by the increased formation of the cytotoxic metabolite methylglyoxal (MGO). Consequently, the rate of detoxification of this reactive glycolytic byproduct needs to be increased in order to prevent deleterious effects to the cells. This is brought about by an increased expression of glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) that is the rate-limiting enzyme of the MGO-detoxifying glyoxalase system. Here, we overexpressed GLO1 in HEK 293 cells and silenced it in MCF-7 cells using shRNA. Tumor-related properties of wild type and transformed cells were compared and key glycolytic enzyme activities assessed. Furthermore, the cells were subjected to hypoxic conditions to analyze the impact on cell proliferation and enzyme activities. Our results demonstrate that knockdown of GLO1 in the cancer cells significantly reduced tumor-associated properties such as migration and proliferation, whereas no functional alterations where found by overexpression of GLO1 in HEK 293 cells. In contrast, hypoxia caused inhibition of cell growth of all cells except of those overexpressing GLO1. Altogether, we conclude that GLO1 on one hand is crucial to maintaining tumor characteristics of malignant cells, and, on the other hand, supports malignant transformation of cells in a hypoxic environment when overexpressed.

In recent years, clinical studies have shown that the most effective method of treatment to reduce the incidence of sudden cardiac death in patients at increased risk of malignant arrhythmias is to provide the patient with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Complications associated with the transvenous implanted system, especially lead disorders and systemic infections, and have led to the development of a so-called subcutaneous defibrillator, which is thought to minimize these complications. Despite the medical benefits of implantable defibrillator treatment, which is generally well accepted by patients, anxiety, depression, and deterioration in their quality of life have been reported in clinical trials examining patients' psychopathology and quality of life after defibrillator implantation. Methodology: The objective of the diploma thesis was to find out which group of patients better assesses the quality of life depending on the type of implanted defibrillation device (ICD and S-ICD). For the purposes of the survey, the method of quantitative research was chosen in the form of its own questionnaire survey. The questionnaire contained a total of seventeen questions in which patients evaluated quality of life in five areas. Patients who met the following criteria were included in...

<p>Balans redoks potencijala u živoj ćeliji predstavlja imperativ održavanja zdravog fenotipa, i u&nbsp;krajnjem, njenog preživljavanja. Nitrozativni stres može ozbiljno naru&scaron;iti ćelijsku redoks&nbsp;homeostazu i, u kombinaciji sa oksidativnim stresom, uticati na ćelijsku proliferaciju i&nbsp;diferencijaciju, a u nekim slučajevima i na aktivaciju maligne transformacije&nbsp;U ovom radu ispitivani su efekti donora NO natrijum-nitroprusida na dve ćelijske linije u&nbsp;kulturi: transformisane&nbsp; ćelije mi&scaron;ijih fibroblasta (L929) i maligne&nbsp; ćelije humane&nbsp;eritroleukemije (K562). Natrijum- nitroprusid (SNP) je fotoreativan molekul sa veoma&nbsp;kratkim poluživotom koji izaziva koncentraciono - zavisnu proliferaciju ili inhibiciju<br />ćelijskog rasta in vitro.NO izaziva različite efekte u zavisnosti od eksperimentalnog modela,&nbsp;svoje relativne koncentracije kao i okruženja u kojem nastaje. Ispitivanja mogućnosti direktne&nbsp;transformacije azot oksida u redoks aktivne vrste kao &scaron;to su nitrozonijum katjon (NO⁺) i&nbsp;nitroksil anjon (NO^-/HNO) i direktni efekti tih redoks potomaka u ćeliji tek su u začetku. U&nbsp;na&scaron;im eksperimentima, kori&scaron;ćenjem donora NO - natrijum nitroprusida (SNP) i dve vrste&nbsp;superoksid dismutaza, CuZn-SOD i Mn-SOD, stvorili smo uslove generisanja vi&scaron;e vrsta&nbsp;signalnih molekula i ispitali odgovor transfomisanih (L929) i malignih (K562) ćelija na njih.&nbsp;Rezultati eksperimenata pokazuju da izabrani parametri (količina slobodnih tiolnih grupa i&nbsp;glutationa) mogu biti relevantni za praćenje efekata egzogenog azot oksida i njegovih redoks&nbsp;potomaka kod različitih, transformisanih i malignih ćelijskih linija.</p> / <p>The redox potential balance in the living cell isthe imperative of continuation of healthy phenotype, and subsequently of its survival. Nitrosative stress may seriously damage cell&#39;s redox homeostasis, and in combination with oxidative stress may influence cell proliferation and differentiation, in some cases even activation of malignant transformation. This paper investigates effects of sodium nitroprusside as&nbsp; NO donor on two cell lines in culture: transformed cells of mice fibroblasts (L929) and malignant cells of human eritroleukemia (K562). The sodium nitroprusside(SNP)&nbsp; is a photo reactive molecule with very short half-life, causing concentration- dependant proliferation or inhibition of cell growth in vitro.The NO causes different effects depending on experimental model, its relative concentration and environment&nbsp; where it is formed. Investigations of possibility of direct transformation from nitrogen oxide to redox-active species as nitrosonium cation (NO+) and nitroxyl anion (NO &minus;/HNO), as well as direct effects ofthose redox descendants within the cell are only in beginning. In our experiments,by using sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as NO donor and&nbsp; two kind of superoxide dismutase, CuZn-SOD and Mn-SOD, we created conditions to generate several kinds of signal molecules and investigated reaction of transformed (L929) and malignant (K562) cells tothose. Results of experiments are showing the parameters chosen (amount of free thiol groups and glutathione) may be relevant in measuring the effect of exogenous nitrate oxideand its redox descendants in different,&nbsp; both transformed and malignant cell lines.</p>