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Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) is the sepsis model that more closely resembles the human pathology, but it is likely to cause suffering to experimental animals. However, it is not clear whether the use of analgesia may affect some parameters evaluated in experimental sepsis research. Therefore, we investigated the effects of fentanyl and tramadol in experimental sepsis in the rat. The following parameters were evaluated: body temperature, body weight, water and food ingestion, mortality, analgesia, blood leukocytes, mean arterial blood pressure, vascular reactivity to phenylephrine, lung myeloperoxidase activity, and plasma levels of IL1-β, glutamic-oxaloacetic, glutamic-pyruvic, lactate, creatinine and urea. While producing significant analgesia, the opioids modify minimally the parameters, with the exception of sepsis-induced hypotension and mortality. Although fentanyl and tramadol can minimize pain and the general suffering of animals submitted to CLP surgery, their effects on cardiovascular parameters as well as in the mortality indicate that their use in experimental sepsis must be done with caution and with all the proper control groups.

Filmes de poli(estireno) (PS), poli(metacrilato de metila) (PMMA), blenda de PS/PMMA (1:1) e copolímero PS-b-PMMA foram preparados e avaliados quanto à adesão celular usando fibroblastos de camundongos L929. Embora todos os filmes poliméricos tenham se mostrado bons substratos para o crescimento e proliferação celular, estes processos foram levemente favorecidos na blenda PS:PMMA. O número e a morfologia foram idênticos para cultura de células nos filmes e na lamínula de vidro ou na placa de plástico. A característica química dos filmes poliméricos é adequada para suportar o ataque e proliferação das células, sugerindo que esses filmes são bons candidatos para usos biomédicos.Films of pure poly(styrene) (PS), pure poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), a 1:1 PS/PMMA blend and a PS-b-PMMA copolymer, were prepared and tested for cell adhesion using L929 mouse fibroblasts. All polymer films were found to be good substrates for cell adhesion and proliferation, and both processes were slightly favored on films of the 1:1 PS/PMMA blend. The same results were obtained in terms of cell number and morphology for cells cultured on films, glass coverslips or plastic plates. The chemical characteristics of polymer films make them suitable supports for cell attachment and proliferation, indicating that these films are good candidates for biomedical uses.

Moderate wine intake (i.e., 1-2 glasses of wine a day) is associated with a reduced risk of morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-atherosclerotic effects of a nonalcoholic ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) from a South Brazilian red wine obtained from Vitis labrusca grapes. Experiments were carried out on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor knockout (LDLr⁻/⁻) mice, which were subjected to a hypercholesterolemic diet and treated with doses of EAF (3, 10, and 30 mg/kg) for 12 weeks. At the end of the treatment, the level of plasma lipids, the vascular reactivity, and the atherosclerotic lesions were evaluated. Our results demonstrated that the treatment with EAF at 3 mg/kg significantly decreased total cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL plus very low-density lipoprotein levels compared with control hypercholesterolemic mice. The treatment of mice with EAF at 3 mg/kg also preserved the vasodilatation induced by acetylcholine on isolated thoracic aorta from hypercholesterolemic LDLr⁻/⁻ mice. This result is in agreement with the degree of lipid deposit on arteries. Taken together, the results show for the first time that the lowest concentration of an EAF obtained from a red wine produced in southern Brazil significantly reduced the progression of atherosclerosis in mice.

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